So Close...Yet....

What up!?

So I am officially at the full-term mark of my pregnancy. I am 37 weeks and 3 days. I am also officially exhausted and as such have lost all motivation to get up and come into work. Technically speaking I only have 10 more 8 hour work-days left. I have a few half days but I don't really count those. Either way that seems like a short period of time, but when you're as tired as I am it still seems like an eternity.

Also, this dreaded heartburn doesn't help my cause. I swear for all the heartburn I had with my first pregnancy and now this one, you would think my kids would be wooly mammoths! LJ had very little hair when he was born so I expect much of the same from this brother. It's like no matter what I eat, once I go to sleep....I'm awoken in the middle of the night by crap-ass heartburn! UGH!!

My lil man's 4th birthday is today! I can't believe time has gone by so fast. This time next year I'll be preparing him for Kindergarten! It's crazy! He's such an awesome kid though...I really don't have many complaints about him. I do wish we could've played hookie from work and school and gone to the pool or Chuck E. Cheese. But alas, I have zero leave and I need to be at work as much as possible to get my coins! I guess LJ will have to settle for Sweet Frog with Mom and Dad tonight.

Anyway, I'm kinda hoping I go into labor during the 4th of July weekend. Somehow I think this little boy will be just as stubborn as his brother and I'll go pass my due date. I hope not, but only time will tell.

I'll keep ya posted....lata!!

Just Listen...

I almost feel like I have to re-introduce myself...its been a while but I think I'm going to start spending more time here and less time on Facebook (FB).

I'm starting to realize that perhaps you shouldn't give an open window to your deep and personal thoughts and feelings because you're inviting a lot of people into your mind/spirit. Sometimes I just want to be heard....no commentary necessary....sigh!

Update on Me

My birthday is coming up and I'll be a whopping 33 years young. I used to be so scared of the 30's but its not so bad. I've done a lot of growing and letting people go and honestly, I would like to think I'm a better person for it.

Update on Peanut

Peanut is my baby's in-utero name. Peanut is 24 weeks old (25 on Friday) and is growing steadily. Peanut's doing a lot of hiccuping as of late...poor baby :) While I do know Peanut's gender, I've only chosen to share it with family and those closest to me. Everyone else will find out once the shower invites go out! :)

Update on LJ

LJ is growing up so fast its amazing...I kinda want him to slow down a bit. I guess I will always see him as my baby. But my baby is going to be 4 years old in June...wow! I'm praying he gets a lottery slot and can go to our neighborhood Montessori school for free! I just dread paying another year of glorified and sub-par babysitting...or what many call daycare.

LJ will be playing T-ball in the coming months...hopefully he'll take a liking to it. If not, we tried. I can't wait to see him in his little T-ball uniform....too cute!!!

Mmmmkay that's it for now. Take it light people! :)

It's Potty Training Time!

So my one and only baby turned two years old about a month ago. He had an awesome time at Watkins Regional Park riding the carousel and the train. In fact ever since then every once and a while he'll "toot, tooooot!"

I told myself that once this lil boy turned two that diapers were over for him. As such I've been slowly building up a supply of Huggies and Pampers Pull-ups. Well our diaper supply ran out about a week ago and L.J.'s been in pull-ups ever since. Well so far its not going very well. He really doesn't like to use the potty. I'll ask him every 10 mins or so "do you have to go to the potty? or Do you have to pee pee?" His answer most of the time is "Noooo." Every once in a while he'll answer with this: "Pee-pee, pee-pee" or "Potty, potty." I later realized that if he's saying/answering me with that he's pee-peeing as we speak! #ugh

I have caught him a few times trying to make a poop in his diaper. Of course I immediately scooped him up and place him on the potty. Needless to say he didn't like this and held it (as long as he could anyway...which wasn't very long) and wined.

I know boys are supposedly harder to potty train but I'm sorry I refuse to be the Mom with the 3-year old in diapers! #hellno So, any advice, books, etc. I should be looking into please help a mama out and send them my way! I know what works for one child may not work for another but I'd like to start trying different things in hopes that by early next year L.J. will be 90% (or more) potty trained.

Shoool (School)

So in T-minus 2 weeks and 6 days L.J. will begin school at Rising Generations. I've heard nothing but good things about this place so I'm very excited! My only real negative so far is uniforms for a 2 year old. I think a uniform at this age is doing a bit much, especially for potty training purposes (pants with buttons and zippers). But that's the rule so we gotta go with that. However, despite my opinion about the uniforms, I think L.J. definitely could benefit from being around kids his own age. I'm also hoping this potty training will be in full effect once he starts. I'll keep ya posted though! 

WOman in the Mirror

You ever look in the mirror and feel the person staring back at you is a stranger. Somehow mentally and physically I don't recognize myself.

Frustrated Pt II: PCOS the Thief of Womanhood

Definition: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition in which a woman has an imbalance of a female sex hormones. This may lead to menstrual cycle changes, cysts in the ovaries, trouble getting pregnant, and other health changes.


Causes, incidence, and risk factors: It is not completely understood why or how the changes in the hormone levels occur. The changes make it harder for a woman's ovaries to release fully grown (mature) eggs.  Normally, one or more eggs are released during a woman's period. This is called ovulation. In PCOS, mature eggs are not released from the ovaries. Instead, they can form very small cysts in the ovary.

These changes can contribute to infertility. The other symptoms of this disorder are due to the hormone imbalances.

Most of the time, PCOS is diagnosed in women in their 20s or 30s. However, it may also affect teenage girls. The symptoms often begin when a girl's periods start. Women with this disorder often have a mother or sister who has symptoms similar to those of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Symptoms: Changes in your period (menstrual cycle), no period after you have had one or more normal ones during puberty (secondary amenorrhea), irregular periods, that may come and go and may be very light to very heavy. PCOS can cause you to develop male-like characteristics. This is called virilization. Symptoms include: body hair growing on the chest, belly, face, and around the nipples, decreased breast size, thinning of the hair on the head, called male-pattern baldness, deepening voice, acne that gets worse, dark or thick skin markings and creases around the armpits, groin, neck and breasts. 

So based on the above information I don't think I have to explain why so many have dubbed this disorder the "Thief of Womanhood." Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2009. What seemed like a life-sentence in infertility jail, the Lord blessed my husband and I with a beautiful baby boy in 2011. I love him to life. He is truly a miracle.

However, I still battle daily with the effects of PCOS....extreme weight gain, facial hair, and lack of energy. Well....I may have PCOS but it doesn't have ME! I will no longer be a victim instead I'm gonna be a VICTOR!

As I begin my journey to controlling my disorder and not letting it control me I just ask for your prayers. The journey is going to be hard but at the end of it I know I'll be a better person mentally and physically. So wish me luck and I'll keep you updated on my progress!

Ready...set...GO!

Frustrated Pt. I: The Job

Even though I feel very blessed to have a job, family, friends, etc., I can't help but feel a little frustrated. So this post is basically me venting....not being negative just venting. Can't deal? Please feel free to leave and read some of my happier posts. I won't be offended. :)

So I've been at the job a little over a month and it's not exactly what I thought it was going to be. While I still believe this job to be a great opportunity for me to learn and grow, I'm not sure I can see myself being here more than 1-1.5 years. Apparently, I have a reputation for being a job hopper. Mind you however, I was at my last full-time perm gig for 3 years. Most recruiters I spoke with thought that was a sizable amount of time so not sure where my rep of being a job jumper is coming from but whatevs....

Anyway, I'm frustrated because I thought I was finally on a path to a great career but now I'm not so sure. Is it this job or maybe its journalism just isn't for the kid. I'm so eclectic and its a gift and a curse. Hubby suggested that I just do a trial and error with various jobs and give it at least 1-2 years to "try it out" so to speak and if I don't like it then move on. Well that's cool I guess but I know at some point I'm going to have to buckle down and decide what the heck I want to do.

Meanwhile the thought of becoming my own boss has been on my mind a lot lately. I knew a long time ago (back in high school to be specific) that I wanted to start my own business. Unfortunately, the business I wanted to start has been done over and over again so I don't think there's much of a market for it anymore. Which leads to another question....if I want to own my own business what type of business will it be???? Ugh! I have so many questions and so very little answers that it has FRUSTRATED me! Am I alone? I know there has got to be someone around my age that feels the same way right?

Anyway, I'm going to pray for some answers and in the mean time do my best with the new gig. I am striving to be like a sponge at work and soak up everything.

Until next time peeps!

My Set-Back, My Set-Up and My Breakthrough

Hello followers! I have a testimony I'd like to share. Have you ever thought or even imagined that all things that happen to you in life work together for a positive outcome in the end? Yes I'm summarizing a Biblical passage (Romans 28:8) and I know to some of you this may seem idealistic but it's true, real, and a promise. Follow me for minute while I share with you my story, my testimony.

My Set-Back

In July 2012 I found myself unemployed. However, I was happy that I didn't have to return to a place where I was no longer happy or growing. My happiness was short-lived as I began to wonder how in the world I was going to pay my bills without a job. Luckily I had some savings to fall back on but that was not going to last forever....what the hell was I gonna do?! Well I decided this type of situation was out of my hands so I gave it to the Lord and I focused on enjoying my days at home with my child. I guess you could say I became a temporary stay at home mom.

Being a stay at home mom whether temporarily or permanently is a tall order. I enjoyed the ride but I knew at some point it was best for me to get off and resume my life as a working mom and wife. While at home I applied to several jobs and went on several interviews and while this within itself was a blessing, nothing was breaking through for me. With no job offer on the table and only one more month left of money, I began to feel hopeless.

My Set-Up

After a failed attempt to seek employment through temp agency...let's call it EC I was very hesitant to trust another temp agency. To me they were making grandiose promises and not doing jack! However not really having a choice I kept applying to jobs through a temp agency called Profiles. When Profiles called me asking me would I be interested in a position with Johns Hopkins University as a Web Content Specialist, I told them sure and asked them to send me the job description. I was put in touch with the hiring manager and had a very brief phone and in-person interview. The days following I was on pins and needles waiting for the phone call but when I got it, it was AWESOME news! I got the job! As always the Lord was right on time as my savings was gone and there was no way I would have been able to pay any of my bills for the following month without a job.

While my time with Hopkins was enjoyable and a most welcome change from my previous environment, I still needed and wanted a full-time position with benefits. Everyday I told myself to be patient and that some how some way God was going to work it out. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned to months and while I was applying for jobs, nothing seemed all that promising. To add insult to injury, Hopkins had not gotten back to me on the status of full-time employment. Starting to feel frustrated at my "gone with the wind" career, all I could do was sigh and carry on.

After searching for jobs on every possible medium you could think of I ran across a position that peaked my interest, however, after reading the job description I thought to myself....I know I can do this job, but my experience doesn't really speak to it so I'm not even going to waste my time. So I kept it moving. Some time passed and I started to reflect on a conversation my husband and I had in which he called me a "tweener" (betweener). Though I didn't like the statement, he had a point. My skill set was very in between...not technical exactly but not a writer/editor either. All this time I thought my mesh of skills was one of my greatest attributes in the work world. But I realized that my skills weren't the problem; my inability to figure out exactly what I wanted and therefore what career path I should be traveling was the real issue. Sigh...but I'm a Gemini....the definition of indecision! Though I cannot see myself doing the same exact thing for 30 + years it was time to grow up and make some decisive decisions.

My Breakthrough

So I made a decision on my career path. Once I did, I felt this relief and sense of direction wash over me. I finally had a career path. I was no longer lost...finally I found myself! What an awesome feeling. With my new found sense of direction, I sought out very specific jobs and applied to them with such urgency I surprised myself. I even went back to that job I thought about applying to but didn't. I applied! Like my hubby always says "you gotta be in the race to win it." Much to my chagrin, the job that I didn't think I would even be considered for, called me! After speaking with a women in the HR dept. she want to bring me in for an interview with the hiring manager. 

My interview day came and I was a little nervous naturally, but I was confident in my skill set and what I felt I could bring to the position. When I left the interview my confidence was completely shattered. I just felt like the hiring manager threw some questions at me which I totally was unprepared for. I held my own, but I just wasn't sure what he really thought of me and my skills.

Feeling a little defeated the day following my interview, I resigned myself to wait and see what Hopkins was going to do. Sometimes you just gotta sit and wait on the Lord so that's what I was determined to do. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that everything would work out eventually.

Almost a week after my interview I was on my way to work and I noticed that the hiring manager requested to connect with me on LinkedIn. While I thought that was kinda weird, I didn't give it to much thought at the time. Once I got to work I got a phone call around 8:30am, now if you know me, you know I don't answer the phone when I don't recognize a number. Who ever called me didn't leave a message so I Google'd the phone number. The number was to the company I had just interviewed for. Feeling excited and confused I of course like a teenage girl waiting on a boy to call her...sat EAGERLY by my phone and pretended to work. Hours passed and about 15 minutes before I left work I got a voice mail message alert to my email. I quickly grabbed my phone and raced downstairs and stood outside the building to listen to the voice mail. It was the hiring manager offering me the job!

OH HAPPY DAY!!!!!

Lessons Learned

Overall I'm proud of the strides I made in my path of personal growth. When I lost my job I could have easily gotten depressed and slipped back into my negative self. But I didn't! Why, because I got someone watching my back...GOD! And, being a mom and a wife, I have people depending on me, so there's no time to be sad and depressed over spilled milk. I got up, dusted myself off and cleaned up the milk and hoped that better things were in the works.

When I look back over my life, things always seem to work out for the best. Of course things never really work out the way I expect/plan them to but I've learned that God laughs at our plans. Everything is always in HIS time. And honestly, that's the BEST for us even if we don't always believe it to be so.

If I had to sum up this post with one thought, it would be: hold on and keep praying....things will work out. Even in our darkest hour, those who know the Lord will always see the light at the end of the tunnel. Keep pushing toward that light. It's worth it!

~Tam

Ratchet Chic & Friend

Dear Ratchet Chic & Friend,

Let me just say that you and your "Yes girl" are reason number 5,555,555,555 as to why I hate riding the metro; but, I digress. Why oh why did you decide to post up by me and then proceed to talk loudly inviting everyone to hear your conversation!?

Ma'am I don't give two craps about what someone did to you at work or how much you do and how little others do. It's called LIFE, and this may come as a shock to you but, IT'S NOT FAIR!

So, cry a river, build a bridge and get over it! And please get your ears checked because there is no reason for you to be talking that loud. Your flunky is standing right next to you and she's the only one that cares to hear what you got to say though I can't imagine why?! Oh and by the way have you ever heard of personal space? Guess not because you've totally invaded mine. Sigh...

Get it together!

Sincerely,

Tam (the always annoyed metro rider)

Something New

So since I can't give my undivided attention to two blogs I combined them into one and retitled my blog to: Pieces of Tam: My Life. Hope you enjoy reading my mommy product reviews and misadventures as a new mom! I'll also be adding my what I call Dear letters to the blog. People seem to get a kick out of them on FB.

My decision to combine the blogs is my effort in 2013 to blog more consistently and to provide a more rounded view of who I am and what goes on in the life of an every-day person trying to accomplish their goals.

Anyway enjoy my NEW (but not really) blog!

~Tam

Goodbyes and Hellos: The 2012 Review

Okay so I've been slacking on this blog. Clearly one of my goals (not resolutions) for the '13 is to be better about this.

Anyway 2012 was a very interesting year. If I had to pick a title to sum it up it would have to be as such: 2012, the Year of Goodbyes and Hellos. In 2012 I said goodbye to my job and hello to being unemployed. For many this would be devastating, but for me it was a breath of fresh air and an opportunity to find a job where I could advance, contribute and shine. I was very fortunate and blessed to have people in my corner to support me through this rough transition and by God's GRACE I said Hello to a new opportunity within three and a half months after my goodbye from my previous employer.

My biggest hello was to 30!!! Yeah that dreaded number that I've long since waited in utter agony for finally arrived and you know what....I'm FINE! 30 is not the big, bad, wolf I thought it to be. Turns out I was happy to say goodbye to my 20's. Since turning 30 I've felt more mature and hopefully acted that way as well...hahaha! :) 

I said goodbye to my son's infancy and hello to him becoming a more independent little person...i.e., toddlerdom! That little boy truly amazes me! I am so thankful and blessed to have him in my life. Watching him grow is my life's greatest joy.

Most importantly, I said goodbye to some people in my life. Actually, now that I think of it, it was only one person. Though I think of my friend often I also remember that "for everything there is a season..." and our season is done.

Secretly I think I said goodbye to my old attitude and way of thinking and hello to a more positive me. I'm happy about that because no matter what happens in my life I know that everything will work out for the best. I'm thankful for my new perspective and even more thankful for the people in my life who help me maintain it.

My last goodbye will be to 2012....its been real! It's been a great learning experience...one that I shan't forget! I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for me and my family.

We've Reached Toddler-dom!

So once again I have to say my baby is no longer a baby because he's officially ONE!!! I swear it's so surreal! I can't believe a whole year has gone by. Toddlerdom is bittersweet for me because I miss my sweet little infant son but then again I just love how much he has grown and changed in this past year. It's truly a blessing to see and I'm thankful that I get to see it and live it everyday! Okay so I know I owe some pictures but of course being the kind of Mom I am (the do-it yourself Mom) I didn't really take many pictures at his party because I was too busy running around making sure everything was perfect. But one of my family members did manage to capture a few with my iPad.

Anyway, the party was a sesame street themed bash complete with a fabulous looking and tasting cake and of course my homemade cupcakes (check out the pic below). So.....I won't take up anymore time blabbing, enjoy the pics!

L.J. splashing in his pool the week of his birthday! Very appropriate since it had been so humid and hot in MD

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

I guess L.J. decided that he'd had enough for the day!

Opening gifts with Mommy

LOL! L.J. is over it in this picture with his Dad

These are my labor of love for L.J. I got the idea from Pinterest. YES I made these myself!

So in case you didn't notice, L.J. got his first haircut! I wasn't there (THANK GOD) because I just felt like that was a moment L.J. should share with his father. I do have some hair trimmings though! I heard L.J. went off!! So I'm glad I wasn't there because he probably would have come home with no haircut. I hate to see him cry. But it was all for the best and I now LOVE the haircut. I was a little skeptical about it at first but my baby looks great!

And now last, but certainly not least, we are off to the Pedi today for his one-year check-up. I can't wait to get the confirmation from the Pedi to start L.J. on whole milk because we are OVER buying this expensive formula; makes me wonder if I should have BF'd L.J. longer??

A Time for Everything

So my baby is not such a baby anymore. Yes, I am a little sad as I realize I now have a toddler on my hands. Mr. L.J. eats what I eat, he walks, talks (hi, bye, mama, da-da, thank-u) and has loads of personality. It is so amazing to think that around this time last year I was just going out on maternity leave and anticipating June 17th. Of course June 17th would come and go with no baby in sight. Even then L.J. was doing things in his own time.

In exactly five days my son will be a whole year old! I'm so excited to plan the first of his many birthday parties. Of course this party will be attended mostly by family and friends. I can't wait for my little guy to go off to daycare and make some friends. Although I'm not looking forward to that weekly tuition, Hubs and I believe L.J. could benefit from being around other kids. Heck, I took L.J. for a playdate with his Godbrother Cameron (almost 2 years old) and ever since then L.J. has been a steady walker! :)

Anyway, I'll update my next post with lots of pictures and video!

Hello 30, You Look GOOD on Me!

Hello out there to those who still read my lil ole blog! So I've been the big 3-0 for about four days now and honestly....ITS NOT A BIG DEAL! LOL! I've been dreading this number/age for quite some time and when I finally arrive at its destination it was rather anti-climatic. Don't get me wrong, its weird to think to myself that I'm this old (yes I know "old" is relative) but I can happily and truthfully say that I'm glad to be here. Many people I know didn't make it to see 30 so I can't help but feel blessed to still be above ground, healthy, in my right mind, and surrounded by people who love me.

So, I would love to write a blog post and reflect on my twenties, but I haven't had time to even think about them. However, what I can tell you is 20 feels a lifetime ago; I was so immature and dating all the wrong people. I think the biggest take-away from my twenties was the life lessons I learned. And as much as I would love to hop in my pretend time machine and go back and prevent some of the stupid things I did, I can't because everything that happened then made me the fabulous 30 year old I am today.

At the moment the only thing that bothers me in life in general is my slowly moving (sometimes crawling) career. However, taking a lesson from my twenties, I may not be where I want to be when I want to be there, but I'll get there in God's time. And in God's time things are just so much better!

Anyway, stay tuned for my adventures in my thirties!

Grow Baby Grow!

Ilandus Jr.'s first Easter

So it's kind of hard continuing this blog when there is no commentary what so ever. Anyway, I will continue if only to document my son's first year of life. Obviously, I'm terribly behind. The last couple of months have flown by but here are some updates:

- as of L.J.'s last doctor's visit in March he weighed 22lbs exactly and he was 30 inches tall.
- the doctor advised me to start giving him food from our plates.
- he got another shot and some blood drawn.

Currently, L.J. is walking on the back of his walker and of course using the furniture to keep his balance. He did take a few steps on his own yesterday (a proud mommy moment) but for the most part he is still not confident enough to walk on his own.

He has five teeth with at least 3-4 more little teeth buds. At this point I can't help but feel like he's not a little baby anymore. L.J. has a bundle of energy! He's wild and fearless and gets into everything...I guess you can say he is a typical boy.

Since L.J. is getting older Hubby and I have definitely thought about moving him into a daycare center. I love and appreciate my parents for keeping my lil man all this time but for personal reasons as well as L.J.'s growth and development, we think its best for him to go to a daycare center. Problem is, where do we put him? There are so many centers in the area that we don't know where to start!!!

I did visit this one center with my mom and L.J. It's within walking distance to both of our homes, their tuition seems reasonable (childcare in my area is going to run you at least $1000 a month...sigh almost a mortgage payment), the center itself is bright and decorative, they have lots of activities and the curriculum seems on point. Best of call (don't judge me when I say this....) for an extra fee per month, you can login to the video surveillance system they have in each class and check on your child. I'm sorry but what a relief this is for first-time parents who are apprehensive about leaving their child with strangers. I suspect that I won't have the need to do this for long, but its nice to know that option is available. The center also has an open door policy so I, my mom, dad, hubby, close friends can drop by and check on L.J. anytime!

So far, that center is my #1 choice. I visited another center when I was still pregnant and didn't really get a good vibe from them so needless to say I won't be paying them another visit. I'm also interested in the center where my mom took me. Back in the 80's it was called Gerber day care center. Now, its called childtime. I checked their website and I like what I see so I'm hoping to pay them a visit in the coming week.

I strongly believe that soon after lil man's first birthday he'll be in a daycare center. I'm excited about it given that he'll be around other kids, he'll have a more structured environment, and best of all when I pick him up on my way home from work he'll be pooped! :)

Speaking of lil man's birthday, I've been on Pinterest (follow me) getting ideas for his birthday. I've decided to do a sesame street theme! I loved sesame street growing up and its as good now as it was back then. When L.J. is able to sit down and focus (for all of 5 mins if I'm lucky) he loves it too! I've decided I'm going to do the impossible and make my own sesame street cupcakes and smash cake for L.J. #killmenow LOL! I'll of course post photos and let everyone know how it goes...wish me luck!

Let It Go and Let It Burn

I see its been sometime well here I am again. And even though most of my blog friends have given up on their respective blogs I'm still going strong! :)

So recently I ended a friendship. It was sad, but it was time. Even though I don't like the way it ended, I can't help but be happy that its over. Time and time again my mom always tells me "don't burn your bridges." Well, I'm happy to say that this time, I'm not the one who did the burning.

I am disappointed in how I allowed this former friend to push me to a place where I had to become belligerent. That's really not the person I am and I can't help but beat myself up a little bit for having gone there. But I guess this is what happens when you allow things to build up in a relationship instead of facing them head on and trying to resolve the problems or let the friendship expire. Though I must admit, I thought I had dealt with past indiscretions but I guess I had not. Oh well! Again, I'm glad that relationship is over because it added no value to my life. Former friend was very negative and honestly, negative energy transfers. Sorry boo! I don't need that in my life. I'm trying to stay positive Polly over here...not negative Nancy. Further, I began to sense that this person was envious of my life. Warning life lesson coming up....

I learned the hard way a long time ago that what God has for you is for you. Therefore, just because the Lord blesses someone else with wealth, family, marriage, new job, new car, etc. does not mean that your blessings should mirror those of someone else. If you know the Lord, then you know that if you follow his word he will give you the desires of your heart. I am a walking example of this and tried to tell this to former friend. However, former friend didn't want to wait on the Lord. Now, sometimes we want to rush things along because we have our own timeline, but the Lord laughs at our plans and timeline. All things happen in HIS time (for everything there is a season) and in all honesty the Lord is ALWAYS right on time. Many many many times I tried explaining these concepts to former friend but it fell on deaf ears and a closed heart. What more can you do for someone like this...pray!

So today, even though our friendship is over, I am going to pray for my former friend. I'm even going to pray for myself because I'm still so angry with former friend. I know in time my anger will subside and hopefully former friend will see the light.

Moving Forward

Wow its been a while! I guess I shouldn't say Happy New Year as we're 17 days into 2012...but I said it anyway :) L.J. is growing like a little weed! In fact I had to get a new car seat because he outgrew his infant seat. Also, he was getting close to the weight limit (22lbs) so I thought it was time to move on and put the infant seat away. I swear it feels like the end of an era.

So here are some pictures of my lil man I've been meaning to post:





Okay I think that pretty much updates the first 6 months of L.J.'s life. So the stats:

- Weight: 19 lbs (as of his 6 month visit)
- Height: 27.5 inches

Both stats are in the 75th percentile. So L.J. has come a long way! Unfortunately, my lil man has had one cold after another. :( Right now he is on antibiotics for his first ear infection. I'm hoping that he'll be 100% soon. But I must say that through it all he has been a jovial and good spirited baby. He's always smiling even when he doesn't feel well. He truly brightens my day.

Also, L.J.'s first tooth has finally pushed through his gums! Not sure if you can see it in the picture, but it's definitely there. I'm so glad because this little boy has been teething and trying to "cut these teeth" (that's what the old folks say) since he was three months old. At this point the slobbing is back but I don't mind. I'm just glad his has his first tooth...well almost.

L.J. got a big Christmas gift: the gift of real food and water! It's been six months in the making but finally...REAL FOOD AND WATER!!!!

And now for my Product Recommendations:

The Baby Bullet:



I absolutely love this gadget! It makes making L.J.'s food hassle free! It even comes with a food log and a recipe book as well as recommendations for baby's first foods. So my Pedi recommended that L.J. starts eating vegetables first and then fruits later. He can have no more than 4 oz of water and or clear juices (apple, pear, white grape) a day.

We started L.J. with spinach...that was interesting. He didn't like it at first and really I think it was more him getting used to eating this way versus him not liking spinach. But after a week of eating spinach he took to it. Next we tried carrots which he loves! Then we stopped for a little while just because of his cold turned ear infection. But Saturday we started him on peas. I think next we'll do sweet potato and when he goes back for his follow-up I'll have my Mom ask if its okay to start fruits. I can't wait til we can start mixing different foods. I haven't tried giving L.J. juice yet and quite frankly after doing some research even IF I give L.J. juice I will be making it myself from organic fruits. I'm to the point I may start my own vegetable and fruit garden. I swear all the chemicals they put in our food is ridiculous! I mean ARSENIC in our apple juice!!! Not for my baby! So needless to say if I give my child juice I'll be investing in a juicer.

Evenflo Convertible Car Seat:
I love love LOVE this car seat. This makes me wonder why I listed on my friends and even purchased an infant car seat/stroller or travel system. What a total waste! This particular car seat: Evenflo Symphony 65 XL features a secure latch system which is basically two connectors that hook into the anchors in your car. Installation is literally less than a minute using these. The shoulder straps are super easy to tighten and loosen as well as adjust up or down. The picture shown is the exact one I purchased and it looks awesome in the car. The seat also features three recline positions and can hold a child rear facing up to 40 lbs and forward facing up to 100lbs. It was totally worth the money and not to mention it was a the top of the consumer reporter for safest car seat. I highly recommend this seat.

Okay so back to L.J....my lil man is sitting up like a big boy and has been doing so since about 5.5-6 months of age. He's still not quite crawling but he does take steps if I or my hubby stands him up on his feet. I think he'll actually skip crawling and go straight to walking. Yikes! I guess its time to start looking into baby-proofing.

Goodbye 2011 and Hello 2012

Okay so I haven't posted in a while...sue me! In fact most of my fellow bloggers haven't blogged in a while either so at least I'm still hanging in there.

So I hardly had ill feelings about 2011 but I'm always glad and blessed to usher in a new year. Though 2011 was an amazing year for many reasons most of all the birth of my son! I love that boy so much I can't imagine life without him. I love being a mom its the best feeling in the world. Sorry to go on about it but it truly is a blessing and I am thankful for each day I have that little boy in my life. My husband and I are truly blessed.

In 2012 I really want to reach the following goals for myself and family:

- Find a church home: Uber important!!! Hubby and I have been putting our search on hold for so long but I am definitely going to make strides to get us to a church this Sunday. We need our foundation to remain strong.

- Do some home improvements: Hubs and I have been playing with the idea of selling our house and moving into a bigger, cheaper home. However, with the constantly downward-spiraling economy we would only break even if we sold our home, and this simply is not good enough. We don't want to rent the house so I guess we'll just stay put for now and do more improvements and organization to create more space.

- Lose Weight: Hubs and I are both on the weight loss kick. At this point I need to shed at least 100lbs. YES! I've already gotten started with Zumba and doing some things in the house. I don't want to avoid the gym completely but I don't find going to the gym to be productive for me. But I may have to do anyway. At this point I just want the weight off so however it comes off the fastest and stays off is the way I'll hold on to.

- Let folks go: It's always sad to let someone go who you deem yourself close to. But honestly some people are just for a season for a reason. I'm finding that I have less and less in common with 1-2 of my closer girlfriends and really and truly I've been trying to hang out but I just can't and won't anymore.

Those are the major goals...there are some others but I won't go into those. At any rate, this year I want to be a better more productive ME instead of a NEW me. I've been a new me for several years. I like who I am at the moment. Just need some enhancements if you will...LOL!

Anyway Happy New Year Peeps! Make it a great one!

We've Got a Big Boy On Our Hands!!!

**Weight Update** My son now weights a whopping 17lbs and 11 ounces! WOW! Last time we went to the doctor (2 months ago) he weighed in at 11 lbs 11 ounces....I think! Sheesh I guess I should write this stuff down somewhere! :) LJ also got two shots and luckily didn't have much of a fever this time around. But he was slightly irritable the rest of the evening yesterday so we put him to bed a little early.

Anyway, my Mom and I were both shocked with his weight gain. LJ is now bigger than 90% of infants his age. But the height department is not so great. He's about 25 inches long....about 25% longer than infants his age. So my lil man still has some growing to do but all in all he's healthy and to me that's all that matters.

So Halloween came and went so fast. Hubs and I wanted to do something for LJ but we thought he was a bit young and it was too cold to take him anywhere. I of course wanted to do the whole pumpkin patch and pumpkin carving, but in the end we settled for just doing some pictures of him in his costume. He of course was a little plump pumpkin! :D *pictures coming soon* LJ did pretty good with the portrait folks at JCPenny but he is a baby so as soon as we were finished he feel right to sleep. LOL.

I was so impressed with the JCPenny that I decided to book our family portraits there for the Christmas holiday. Of course we'll be taking those pictures early to avoid the crowd and to ensure that the Christmas cards are on time! :)

Okay so I have a couple of items for review:

The Bumbo:

So I got mixed reviews on this item which is why it was not on our registry. However, my BFF decided it was a must have so purchased one for LJ anyway. The premise of it is neat...infant gets to sit up and see the world as we see it. BUT LJ will only stay in the Bumbo for about five minutes. Not sure if he gets tired or annoyed but he'll start to lean to the side and then cry. Also, his little legs have gotten so chubby that he can barely get in the Bumbo now. All and all I don't think it's worth the $40.00. Now if someone gives it to you, definitely try it out....but don't run to the store or amazon and get one.

Sophie La Giraffe

Love, love, LOVE this thing! So as stated a while back LJ started pre-teething...basically he drooled so much that we had to start putting bibs on him. Now, he's spitting (Mommy hates this) and I can see the bottom two teeth trying to push through. Now we've tried our share of teething rings but either he couldn't grip them or they were too cold or too hard. This always resulted in a crying baby. So one of my sorority sisters suggest Sophie. After looking at Sophie I was not convinced...it literally looks like a chew toy for a dog and I should know because we have two dogs. LOL. However, my Mom wanted something as she keeps him during the day and noticed that he was getting very fussy because of his sore gums. We do have oral gel but that only lasts a few minutes and we didn't want to inundate him with it so I broke down and got Sophie. BEST DECISION EVER! LJ loves this thing! He loves that it makes noise, its easier for him to grab onto and literally he can chew or gnaw any part of Sophie! So I HIGHLY recommend Sophie for teething or even pre-teething babies.

Anyway I guess that's it for now. I'll be back to post some of those Halloween pics! Oh and I'll also post 1-4 month pictures!

Also Moms who print photos: check out and join Shutterfly and Snapfish they have some great deals on prints and other items for the holidays.

Privacy Please?!

What up...its been a long time. I've been blogging over at my Mommy Blog. Check it out!

So I was minding my own business this morning when I came across an email from my LS (*waving to HE Fall 03*) and I was really taken a back to what I read! Basically she informed me that someone has loc envy with slightly stalker-ish tendencies.

I clicked on the link to find this woman who showered me with nothing but compliments about my locs. She had obtained an engagement photo of me and my hubby from a newspaper article. We were featured in the Express BIO in 2010. Anyway, I was very flattered and yes I'm not going to lie the ego did boost about 10 points, but what disturbed me was the fact that she saw some of my wedding photos!

YES I posted some photos on FB but I make sure that only friends can see photos and NO ONE sees tagged photos of me. So first its weird that she went out of her way to search for me on FB and then found a loop hole to see my wedding pictures.

So this got me the thinking....can you really truly have privacy in the world we live in? Will you be subject to sharing the most intimate moments of you life? Not cool!

Effective immediately I will be taking down any pictures I have up of my lil guy. Also, I will be double checking my privacy settings on FB and I may even *gasp* leave all together. I'm sorry, its one thing to put things out there for people to see but its another when total strangers have access to your life.

I feel violated! :(

What's Truly Best For Your Baby..?

So in my last blog entry I attempted to solicit help because my little guy was not getting enough sleep and of course neither were my husband and I.

Thankfully my daycare provider (my mommy) noticed this same thing during the day and decided to try to put LJ on his tummy for naps. Eureka! It worked like a charm and LJ has been a tummy baby ever since.

Of course I was worried and started Googling and reading and the bottom line is infants should sleep on their backs; this helps prevent SIDS. So, after reading I was terrified and almost went back to putting LJ on his back but decided to speak with some friends who recently had children. Both told me that their babies slept on their tummies too after a while. They concurred that both of their boys slept better this way.

Well, after talking it over w/ the hubs, we decided that we have to do what's best for our child. Obviously getting more rest is beneficial to him and us quite frankly. Besides now that he rolls (well actually he's been rolling since he was about 2 months) he didn't really sleep on his back anyway. Once babies begin to roll they will always roll to where they feel comfortable.

Further, more research has to be done on SIDS. It's a terrible and horrible thing to not know or understand what causes SIDS babies to stop breathing. My heart goes out to every parent who has had to deal with this. I just personally think that for us, we will go with what WE think is best for our child. There are all kinds of studies out there and some contradict others so its important to do your research.....YES! But you have to put said research into perspective and then make an informed decision and that's what we did.

Oh by the way LJ is 4 months old! He's trying to sit up now...he thinks he's so grown! LOL!