About Me

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I am a Mom of two young lads, a fitness fanatic and wife to a die-hard Packers/Brewers fan. I worked in corporate america for 12 years. Now I am on a new adventure - raising my sons and working part-time in the fitness industry as a Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor. I hope you stop by and read my updates- family, fitness, or life related!

Monday, November 30, 2009

Sick Little Monkey

Braden and his new monkey!

We think this picture is the best picture of Braden. They have the same expression on their faces! It makes us laugh every time we look at it!

So our little monkey is sick, he picked up a cold at Thanksgiving. He has a cough, stuffy nose and he also had an upset stomach today. He wasn't himself today at all - so here's hoping that he is back to the funny, smiley, active Braden SOON! It's so hard to see a ten week old baby under the weather. It makes mom's heart break!!!!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Braden's First Thanksgiving

Uncle Jason meets Braden for the first time!
Cousin Reece can't get enough of the baby!
Grandpa and Grandma Hammond and their grandkids
Grandma and Braden
Proud Grandpa

This Thanksgiving we spent with Joe's family in Neillsville, WI. It was Braden's first time there. It was also his first road trip and overnight trip. We stayed for two days. We felt like we had to pack the entire car with his stuff just for the two days! Low and behold we used most of it, so it wasn't a waste! He did such a good job- slept pretty decent, didn't wake anyone up at night (except me of course), he showed everyone how he can laugh, talk and play and he spent quality time with his Grandpa, Grandma, Aunts, Uncles and cousins. Uncle Jason, Aunt Shelly, and cousins Cooper and Reece actually met him for the first time at Thanksgiving. They were pretty excited and I think they really liked him. :) Grandpa and Grandma also fought a lot for who got to hold him. So, it was a great trip. Braden slept the entire way there and back - so far so good on his traveling skills!

Friday, November 27, 2009

Gobble, Gobble - Happy Thanksgiving!

We are in WI with Joe's family this weekend. I don't have any pics to post right now but I will when we get back. This is Braden's first road trip and first overnight adventure. He is doing pretty good. I hope everyone is having a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving...more to come when we get home!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Milestones!





So we had a couple of milestones over the weekend. The first is that we made it through the second weekend without Joe. He had two back-to-back weekends of travel and although I thought it would be a bit much for me, it turned out okay and Braden was awesome. It helped that we kept busy with lots of family and friends time so hopefully he didn't get too sick of me. :)

The other milestone was that he began sleeping in bigger increments for two nights in a row. Saturday night he slept for six hours and Sunday night for seven. Both times he woke up to eat and went back to bed for another three or four hours. So, I hate to get excited but maybe he is moving towards sleeping through the night...or at least in bigger increments anyway. It's nice for me to get some solid sleep instead of the interrupted sleep of getting up every three hours! YEAH!!!! When he wakes up from his big sleep he is laughing and talking so loud- it's funny! Here are some pics of our getting to be a good sleeper guy!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Eight weeks ago, Braden joined our family!




So the sign in the picture says Braden is two months but I guess it's really eight weeks ago today that we were blessed with this amazing life - our son Braden. (The official two month milestone would be Nov. 22).

Braden, you are eight weeks old today and I look back at these eight weeks and think they have flown by but also think that I can't imagine life without you. You were seven pounds at birth and now you are 11 pounds - you are a growing boy! You are smiling, cooing and laughing - and each and every day with you gets better and better.

We are so blessed to have you as our son. We look back at eight weeks ago and can't believe that we didn't even know if you were a boy or girl. As soon as you entered the world, our lives changed more than we would have ever known. We have now experienced a love that we never knew was possible. You are so precious to us. I hold you every day and savor the moment because I know before I know it you will run away and not want to hug me. When you wake up in the middle of the night and fall back to sleep, I hold you a few minutes extra before going back to bed myself because I know soon enough you will squirm away from my hold. I watch you while you are sleeping - it is the most peaceful thing I have ever seen before. I can't wait for all that is in store, watching you grow and experience life. You will always be our little boy no matter how big you grow! Love, MOM

Monday, November 16, 2009

Single Mom Weekend #1




So, this was our first weekend of just Braden and Mom bonding time. Joe was on a work trip from Thurs-Sun. I thought the long weekend would seem like forever but it went a-ok. We had lots of plans though which helped! Thursday night my college friends came for dinner, Friday we took an ECFE class, Friday night Kamie and Matt came over to visit, Saturday we hit the YMCA and then went to my sister and Kurt's for a Sullivan hang out night and even played Bunco! Joe had the camera so I didn't take any pics of the weekend but here are a couple after the weekend to show you that Braden made it through the weekend just fine but he missed his Dad (and so did I!)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Seven Weeks Old





Braden is seven weeks old today. He is definitely getting more alert and fun each and every day. I get lots of smiles every day and even some coos and other noises. He is a sweet boy! He is so strong that he can sit in the Bumbo chair now. He also is getting so big! Happy seven weeks buddy, we are amazed by you each and every day!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

This Too Shall Pass! (I pray)




The title of this blog is what the doctor told me on Wednesday when I brought Braden in because he was screaming bloody murder for hours on end and would not sleep during the day for two days straight. He also seemed to have some stomach issues so I wanted to get it checked out. The doctor checked him out and everything was fine but he said some babies are very gassy and the get intestinal pain with gas. So, the screaming could be from the pain or it could be from him being overtired because he is not sleeping during the day.
Then on Thursday we were out all day from 9-4 and he slept the entire time pretty much. So, we came to the conclusion that on the days where we are home he is overstimulated and likes to look around and be awake. The days that we are out he is soothed by the car and the stroller and the outside noise. Then I read in this book that the sixth week is the week that babies sleep the least and are the fussiest- so I am hoping "This too shall pass" is really true! It is hard to see him screaming his head off for no apparent reason and not go to sleep when you know he is so tired. What happened to my baby that slept everywhere and anywhere a few weeks ago? :)
Here are some pics of him smiling- this helps to remind me that I can't get too frustrated if we have a bad day. Who could be mad at this precious face??

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Happy Six Weeks!





Braden is six weeks old today and weighs a whopping 11 pounds. Wow, he must be a growing boy! I can't believe how fast the time is going. We have enjoyed every minute of his life with us! He is coo-ing and making noise, we get big smiles, and of course we get big cries too! :) We feel so blessed to have such a sweet boy!
What have we been up to lately? This past weekend we went to Shawn and Kurt's for Halloween, Aunt Jess came to visit us, this week we have plans to meet Rachel and Eli for lunch, I have my six week OB appointment where hopefully I get the ok to officially start exercising again- even though I have started that about a week ago (lightly of course)! So we are all doing well and can't believe it's already Novemeber!!