ATTENTION!!

As an early birthday present to mommy...I WENT POTTY ON THE BIG GIRL POTTY! And now, to the store for the much promised "prize" I get to pick out.

Potty training day 2

This is going to be a loooong looong process. The potty chart is hung, the stickers are waiting and as "good" parents, the promise of a prize clings in the air. I know it's only day 2, but I think I've spent 25% of my already short time with Amelia in the bathroom. Thank goodness for the new wallflower I got today that makes the bathroom smell yummy. We might be there a while....

I have what Mommy calls...bangs...

Mommy went to see her old friend Salina to get her hair all pretty before Salina left for a few weeks to have her third baby, so I tagged along because Salina had heard all about me but never met me. I've been growing these bangs, but they were unruly and in my eyes all of the time. So Mommy and Salina tried to get me to sit on a boasted seat on the chair, but I was not having it. Mommy held me and Salina gave me a "side swept" look for my bangs. I like them a lot better now that they're not in my eyes and they look pretty. Mommy wouldn't let Salina touch the rest of my hair. And...mommy didn't cry!

Well, we survived!

My first night in a big girl bed was a little rough. I was not sure what to think of this new bed. Well, it's not new, per say. I have what's called a "life time" crib. It turns from a crib, to a toddler bed with a guard rail (what I have now), a day bed and then a twin bed. Pretty cool! Daddy put up the guard rail last night and mommy only had to come in and reassure me about 5 times. A couple of times I just stood on the outside of my big girl bed and cried. Mommy rocked me to sleep and I liked that. I then slept from 9:30pm-4am, where it took 2 more times to put me to sleep. Right now mommy can hear me on the monitor not in my bed. hehe. I know it's a big change, and mommy said she is looking for something called a comforter for my bed. I like new stuff! Mommy took pictures of my big girl before I was in it, and when I finally fell back asleep. Nap time today has proven to be hard for me, as I just want to explore my room. Mommy just left me laying here with all my friends around, but I'm not sure if I want to sleep or not. Let's hope so, for mommy's sake!



Checking out my big girl bed!


My big girl bed needs a comforter!

Happy 22nd month baby!

**edits at bottom

My darling Amelia-
You have brought nothing but sunshine into mine and your daddy's life. Every day you grow more and more before our eyes and it amazes me. You put more words together into sentences, you love to dance, and most importantly, love to sing. You sing all the time, to the point where you request certain songs in the car. "La,la,la"? That would be you requesting a Britney Spears song. What's a mom to do but turn on a semi inappropriate song and let her daughter just go for it! You sing to me, the dog, daddy, yourself. The same goes for your reading. You love books. You will read to the dog, or me, yourself, or any stuffed animal available to listen.

You love to color, which we do every day. You sing while you draw. We tried finger paints, we'll wait on those. We try hard to have play dates so that you get more social interaction since it's just you and me. Which isn't a bad thing, but we need you playing with people your age! Mommy is looking into a tumbling class of some sort to not only burn some of your never ending energy, but also to make new friends.

We also have started time outs. You have learned you get a couple of chances at doing what you're not supposed to, then you go to time out. Sometimes you put yourself there! But there is always screaming and flailing involved. If I put you in time out and daddy is home, you'll hear "daaaaddy" from your time out spot. No Amelia, daddy will not save you. Or he'd better not...

We took you to the state fair for the first time. You have a love for "moo's", cows....and "nee's", horses. And piggies, of course. We thought it would be fun for you to see all of your favorite animals up close and personal. You wanted nothing to do with it. For now, I think we'll keep your love for them at a safe distance, as they were so big and actually moved! We tried to get you to pet the goats, but even they bothered you. Mommy also wanted to get you on the carousel, for a great photo op. but your poor little head didn't reach the line. No worries though. With the way you jump around this place, you'll be on the big kid rides screaming with the best of them in no time!

Daddy has introduced you to "deeeep". Translation: dip. Now, you feel you have to dip EVERYTHING in deeep. A graham cracker? DEEEP. Cereal? DEEEP. Yogart (which is a dip IMO)...DEEEPP. And then when you are given something that actually could require dip, say chicken nuggets, it's not enough DEEEP. I look over and you are scooping your DEEEP into your mouth, with your hand as the shovel. Thanks daddy, love ya for that.

We took our first bonafide long road trip with you when we went to Montana for Labor Day weekend. It was a short 4 days, but you did amazing. We left Thursday night and got lucky with your sleeping most of the night through. You woke up when the sun came up, just about an hour outside of Missoula. We sang in the car, you slept most of the way, and got to meet so much of your extended family that you had never met. We got to meet your cousin Mavrick, who was born the day before your daddy and I got married, for the first time. You met 2 aunts, and uncle, 4 boy cousins and 1 girl cousin. (the only other girl in the family!) You LOVED being able to run on all of the property and the attention you got. You are one loved little girl. Mommy almost had heart failure during a famous Montana thunder/lightening storm, you slept right through. You found, and were bothered by, "Norman", the deer head hanging from the stairwell. You would back up against the kitchen cabinets and just talk to him but not take your eyes off of him. It was adorable. The car ride home, since it was during the day, was long for all of us, but overall we had an amazing, yet too short, or a trip. It was a tad last minute but well worth it.

You met your first live "baby" (since you have one you play with), Miss Annie who was 5 weeks old. I was amazed at how instantly gentle you were with her. Everywhere she went, you went, concerned of how she was. When she slept, you would look at me or Kelly (Annie's mom) and say "shh baby sleeping" if we were talking too loud. It def. gave me a twinge of that baby feeling.

We're trying the big girl bed. We went to set it up yesterday, in celebration of today, but when we opened the box for your conversion kit it was broken. I think I was more heartbroken then anyone else. You have what they call a "life time" crib, so we don't have to buy you a new bed. We just take off what will be your foot board later on and place a guard rail up. After that, you go to a daybed, and then the full bed. Mommy can't believe how big and independent you've gotten. Daddy looked at me the other day and said "I can't believe how big she is".

We have you rooting for the right team. You walk around in your cheer leading outfit that daddy got you and say "Go Duckie", fist pumping in the air. Yes, Duckie. Just make sure when you try out for the real cheer leading team (hello scholarship!) you say duck honey.

With your second birthday upcoming, mommy is hand making your invites, but we have yet to decide on a theme. You love Handy Manny, Pooh, and of course Elmo. We'll see how creative mommy gets! Mommy keeps thinking: 2 leads to 3, leads to 4....it's amazing.

I've enjoyed every minute of being able to stay home with you and while at times it's a challenge, it's forced mommy to get more creative and I have to admit. When you call my name over the monitor at night (or in the morning) instead of daddies, a smile creeps on my face. You can always call me baby, I'll be there :)

We love you Miss Amels, and we promise to keep promoting you being you!

** Mommy wrote this late last night and since the coffee has now kicked in, realizes some things she forgot! Your favorite phrases. "OH no"-in very dramatic form. "It's a mess"...even though you don't mind being messy, you just need to let us know you have a mess goin on. "Thank you Baby". My personal favorite. Not just thank you, but you're so adorable you have to add the "baby" onto the end, and you'll say it to anyone.

18 months and 2 days old.

Mommy is a little late with this, but we've just been having too much fun together celebrating my 18 months on this earth. I got a baby, and that has occupied most of my time. I take her everywhere, feed her and make sure everyone know she's my "baby". Mommy has video of me saying "shhh" when she takes a nap. Which is a lot. So until the next update, this was me on my 18 month day.

Baby, you're a year old!

Miss Amelia Jane-
Exactly one year, 2 hours and 36 minutes ago, you made me a mommy. Words can not express how I felt. Your entrance into the world wasn't something to be desired, but you've made the terrible thoughts and feelings of those first few days fade so far away, it doesn't even feel like it happened.
See, your daddy and I had some trouble getting you here. Without going into graphic details (I hear the "ewww mom"'s already), mommy and daddy decided they wanted to add to their family. After a few months of trying, nothing was happening. Mommy was in/out of the drs. office trying to find out what was wrong. After many tests, and a surgery, they figured it out. So then mommy went on these pills called Clomid. They made mommy less then desirable for 8 whole days. The first time I took them, mommy got pregnant but miscarried. Then I was put back on them, and 7 days later we got word that you were coming! We were so excited. We just told immediate family at first, because of the first baby, then as things progressed we told everyone.
We found out you were a girl as soon as we could. You were Amelia right away. See, when mommy went back to Montana to meet your grandma before mommy and daddy got married, grandma showed mommy this ADORABLE pink blanket she had made. Mommy fell in love with it. Grandma said the next person in the family to have a girl would get this blanket. Boy did mommy want that blanket. So when mommy was a few months pregnant with you, we found out Aunt Christie was pregnant too! We found out Aunt Christie was having a boy, so mommy felt she still had a chance with the blanket. When the ultrasound guy told us we were having a girl, mommy's first words to daddy were "WE GET THE BLANKET". Mommy was so excited! You can home from the hospital with the blanket keeping you warm!
Mommy had a hard time being pregnant. She didn't get sick, but wanted to sometimes. She started showing a cute little belly. Mommy loved her belly. She would always poke you to get you to move, but then couldn't get you to quit moving when she went to bed! Mommy craved pasta, maple bars and Rainbow Sherbet from Baskin Robbins. Mommy was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 29 weeks. This made Halloween a really hard time for mommy with her restriction on candy. She still snuck some in though! To this day, seeing pictures makes it hard to believe mommy got so big!
Mommy was in labor with you for 3 days. Yes, 3 days. The hospital kept telling her this stupid rule of "if you're not 4, you're out the door", meaning centimeters. She was contracting all right, but you just weren't ready. FINALLY on day 3, I was 4 cent. and enough to admit. We were all so happy, but you weren't done proving to everyone you had the last word. You were sunny side up (facing the ceiling, not the floor like you were supposed to be), your head got caught in my pelvic bone, and mommy had to push for 2 hours to get you out. Yes, 2 hours. Thank God for epidurals, mommy couldn't do it without one! When you were born, you weren't crying. This worried mommy. They took you over to the baby warmer and started to help you breath. Then about 45 minutes later, they took you for x-rays. They said you had fluid in your lungs and were sick. They wanted to keep you for a while to make sure your infection cleared up and you were breathing ok. They wheeled mommy back to the nursery to hold you. I only got to hold you for 10 minutes before the ambulance showed up. Amelia my dear, that was my hardest moment ever. Watching them put my fragile little newborn, that I worked so hard to get here, in an isolate on a stretcher. You had about 6 different technicians go with you. One for your IV, one for your heart, one for your lungs. It was so overwhelming, I just cryed. The hospital they transferred you to wouldn't take mommy as a patient, so we spent our first night apart. That is my biggest regret, that I didn't stand up for myself more and go with you. That night I slept with one of the blankets they wrapped you in after you were born. It smelled like you.
For the next 5 days, mommy and daddy made the treck back and forth to the hospital to see you. Mommy spent all day in the NICU holding you, talking to you. Your infection cleared up fast, and there are so harsh feelings about why you were kept so long. It was so stressful being in a room with alarms going off all of the time, including the one on your foot. Babies were so sick, and crying, and so little. You weren't, yet you were there. We finally got to take you home on the 5th day, the best day next to the day you were born. It was one of the stormiest days in Oregon. I've never seen daddy drive so slow. It was so windy and rainy, but we got you home safe and sound.
You've always been a good baby, a good sleeper. Nana came over and stayed a couple of nights to help mommy out. It was funny, seeing Nana after a night with only a couple of hours of sleep. She said it was no wonder people have kids so young! You progressed along just wonderfully with your stats. Always so tall, and weight being perfect. You had a case of bronchitis when you were 3 months old, but got over that just fine. Other then that and a case of rosiola later on, you've been perfect. You started walking a couple of weeks ago. You've been talking since the 4th of July. Daddy is the apple of your eye. You smile and reach for him whenever he comes home. Grandma and grandpa came out to see you in June, grandma couldn't keep her hands off you! Plus, she introduced mommy to Nancy Grace, and how to make just the right pie crust. You started overnights with Nana and grandpa early on, as mommy and daddy went to daddy's company party and stayed the night. Nana takes you for a weekend once a month or so. She loves showing you off and being so proud. You have looked like daddy since you were born. People at work call you "mini-Nick". You eat hotdogs like you're in the 4th of July hot dog eatting contest at Nathans in New York. You love any big people food. You are starting to show mommy's attitude and are already throw mini-tantrums. You're a flirt in public. You love to smile and say "hi" when people walk by. You're in daycare because mommy has to work, but you seem to like it. Your nickname is Rosebud. You actually have quite a few nicknames. Rosebud, butterbean, littles, miss Amels and Melia. You happily answer to any/all. You're just so happy, but boy you let us know when you're mad!
You make mommy so proud little Amels. You are so happy, smiley and talkative. You have made my world complete and have given me the greatest gift of all, the ability to be called mommy. You make mommy and daddy laugh everyday and never fail to give us a smile. We love you baby girl. You're the most challenging, yet best thing I've ever done. We love you.

Yes people, it happend..

Today, I took my first 2 steps, UNASSISTED. Mommy and daddy looked at each other at the same time and mommy said "did that count?" Daddy said "yup!!" So there ya have it. I'm an official walker. I push myself off of everything and just stand there for a good 10-15 seconds, until I realize what I'm doing and then I smile and fall on something. But while walking from daddy to mommy, I pushed off the couch myself and 2 steps I took. Man, growing up is cool.

11 months...and a few days.

Mommy was slow on her 11 month update, she's sorry. But there is too much to remember on what you've done over the past couple of months!

You are now an eating machine. Anything we present you, almost, you love. Daddy's stew is one of your favorites. You're a meat and potato's' girl. You eat hot dogs like a competitive eater on the 4th of July at Nathan's in New York. You can't get them in fast enough. You think Mac and Cheese is pretty dandy too. Daddy started giving you Cheerios with your formula as a substitute for milk, and you love it. Anything that makes you feel like you're one of the grown ups. I remember wanting to be like the grown ups too, but child...just be little!

You're still growing taller, and this month didn't come with a drs. apt. so we don't have exact stats on you yet. You'll have you're 12 month apt. in Dec. (yes, that's one year...good Lord.) You had a bout of Roseola, which is basically a big rash that looked like chicken pox all over you last month. I came home from work one day to find this, scared that it was the pox. After a visit to the good Dr., we found it wasn't. But for 2 days, we didn't take pictures. This was the week before our family pictures, so I was glad it went away when it did. It didn't seem to bother you much, but you had a really high fever right before it that gave us a good scare.

You still talk non-stop, but have now come up with your own language. We figure someone, maybe in Ethiopia, could understand it. It's adorable and I plan on getting video of it soon. You now say mama and Nana, in addition to the before mentioned words. And Duck. Your face makes the most adorable little contortion to say it, but when you say it you mean it! You also sing quite frequently and love anything with music. You dance anytime you hear music, and change your voice tones up/down when singing. We play the keyboard quite often and you think that is pretty cool. I will def. follow up on this interest of yours as you get older.

You learned to climb the stairs, although we don't know how. You just were climbing them one day. The gate now keeps you down. You're any second from walking. Daddy and me practice with you, having you walk back and forth between us. You're getting so close. I'm excited for your new Independence, but know that we're then in trouble. I think once you walk, you'll be gone!

You point to things when we read, and boy how you love to read. You love to be read to, or to read to yourself. You're constantly finding books and pulling them out of where your books are kept. You love to turn the pages yourself. For hours.

You still love Elmo. More so now then ever. Just wait until your birthday....

You had your first Halloween and were less then impressed with the pumpkins. This made daddy said, because this is daddy's favorite holiday. We tried to dress you as the most adorable bee ever, but you weren't having it. Maybe it will still fit next year and we can use it, because it is too cute. Aunt Christie was in tears seeing you in it.

We had your 1 year photos taken, and our first family photos. While we haven't seen the finished result yet, you weren't having it. Kellie (the photographer) and I decided not to have Nana show up until the last 10 min. of the shoot because we thought it would be a distraction. Instead, you screamed in the car the whole 45 min. it took to get there, weren't happy in your Christmas dress, or your bee costume, and cried for a good 95% of the pics. Kellie and Doug are magic though, so I have faith. Nana and grandpa and Uncle Chris showed up and then you were all smiles. We did family photos in Ducks gear, no shock to anyone that knows us. I have a feeling our Christmas pictures will be quite predictable.

We are planning your first birthday, which freaks mommy out a little. I hated hearing when I was pregnant "it goes so fast". It's so true. Your hair is getting long, you learn more every day, and it seems you'll be running any second.

You are truly the light of our lives and continue to make us smile daily. I can't believe this time last year I was huge and pregnant, with only 4 weeks until you made your appearance. You are growing into such a little lady and we just fall more and more in love with you every day!

Hands down the best sound I could have ever heard..

Not counting Amelia's first cry....which didn't come until the day after she was born. Today, as she's sitting in her high chair eating new and yummy first time foods, clear as day Nick and I hear....MAMA. Yes, I froze. Nick looked at me and smiled. My day has come and I can honestly say...I look forward to hearing more Mama in the coming days.

Dear mommy....

Thank you for giving me a place to grow for 8 months and 27 days. Thank you for going through 3 days of labor. Thank you for pushing for 2 hours while my head was stuck and I was sunny side up. Thank you for visiting me every day in the NICU and fighting for me. Thank you for getting up every 2 hours to feed me. Thank you for dressing me up like something you keep calling a Barbie. Thank you for singing badly and doing silly dances to make me laugh. Thank you for introducing me to yummy solids. Thank you for breaking the rules for me. Thank you for the last 7 months and 15 days of my existence. This is how I thank you, mommy.


Amelia saying dad from Megan Glynn on Vimeo.

7 months and 2 days old...Houston we have a milestone.

Yes, it's true. We are now, officially, the household of the crawling. My dearest daughter, Miss Amelia J, namesake of this blog, took her first "step" toward freedom today. It's an army crawl, but she moved from one place to another so it counts. I have it on video, but need to learn how to upload, and also mute (I sound like a dog owner egging on their dog: "come on...you can do it..."). We're so proud of our little girl, but a part of me is sad that she's growing up so fast! I was at the nail salon today getting my nails and toes pretty for the upcoming holiday and sat next to a mother who brought in her 10-12 year old-ish daughter to get joint pedicures. They both got flowers on their big toes. I had a Quantem Leep moment, and thought of me and Amelia doing this same thing many years down the line. I'm currently attempting to download software to my computer to upload said video. Be patient, I'm blonde but will prevail!

When children refuse to sleep....

My mom told me that I was a champ at fighting sleep when I was little. I know when I was pregnant, she was secretly wishing this terrible thing on me. It worked. Mom, I get it. Payback is a bitch.

Miss Amelia is teething as I've stated many times before. She now is refusing to sleep during the day. Which makes the hours between 5-7pm feel like I live in hell. The screaming, crying, rubbing of eyes. It's traumatic. No toy in the world, I've learned, can cure this "disease" of denial my child has that sleeping will do her good. This is her, happy and "normal" Amelia....


Happy, calm baby. We found sunglasses that fit her little head, and she's ready for the upcoming summer apperances she'll be making. 20 min later, I go to get dinner. I walk in the door and find her like this.



Yes, she was talking to her dinosaur one minute, silent the next. Bless her heart, we laughed as we snapped photos. This one is for the boys :) MY payback will come one day with her, I keep telling myself this and it gets me through.

On one positive note, 3 times this week, yes 3, she has slept through the night. With this being more then just a "fluke", "No honey, just because I took Ambien doesn't mean I slept through her crying". 3 times people. I'll take it! :)

We now return from our regular scheduled programming....

Oh sand!

No wait, butterflies on my shoes!

Me and daddy.
Super Tauras'!

Me and mommy!
Oh look, a dog. I have one of those....
Um, who's baby did we steal?
NOT looking at the ocean.....
I'm getting dirty, ew!


After this short absence, I'm happy to report I'm typing this DOWNSTAIRS in my house, from my new PINK laptop. Thank heaven for husbands that LISTEN, or get so tired of your whining your get your way just to shut them up!

This past Sat. I celebrated my big 28th birthday. Hooray. I have learned this year that getting older, and having a baby, makes your birthday not so important anymore. No more going out and having too much to drink and dancing, or singing, in public. Why you ask? Because you have to deal with a 5 month old the next day. I was in bed, on my birthday, on a Sat., at 11:30pm. It felt like 3:30am. It was heaven for us. My husband spoiled me rotten by getting me this beautiful, pink, laptop which I'm loving. Amelia sent me flowers to work. The florist screwed up and sent me the only flower in the world I'm allergic to. Like, throat and eyes swell shut within 5 min. of smelling them allergic. They fixed it. I got myself a new Coach purse! Life is good!

We also decided to take Miss Amelia to visit the Pacific Ocean for the first time this day. The weather couldn't have been better. About 65 degree's, zero wind, and partly sunny. It wasn't what mommy had dreams of. Mommy had dreams of scrapbook pictures out of a book, Amelia looking at the water, fascinated by the waves and the sand. Instead I got pictures of squinting, fussing, and an attempt at a family picture, but with the baby cut out every time. I got her in the sand, standing, but looking at her feet the whole time. I honestly think she was just more excited about the butterflies on her shoes then the sparkle of the sand itself. Within 5 min, she was done. So we packed up, headed to Moe's for lunch, then hit the Outlet Stores in Lincoln City on the way out of town. I tried to teach Amelia the value of taking advantage of daddy while on such shopping trips. I tried to show her the sad eyes, little mouth pout, and baby voice that she already has when in the Coach store. "Please daddy, I'll just die without this new wallet". Instead, she fell asleep on me within 2 min. of entering the store. The extremely gay door greater thought it was cute. Ah, next time I will teach her the Coach lesson. She will learn. My mom taught me, so I feel compelled to pass on the knowledge.

We also visited Aunt Lindsay and Uncle Treats at The Grand Lodge on Sunday, a surprise to Lindsay. Jadd took her there for her birthday as a surprise, so we showed up as a surprise. Happy birthday Peeches!

And lastly, happy 5 month birthday to Miss Amelia Jane today. Oh how you are growing into a beautiful lady. Puking and all....

All in all, it was a pretty damn good birthday. In bed (where I can now blog from so conveniently) or not.

Milestone Saturday....

Saturday, April 5th, at 6:31pm...Miss Amelia Jane rolled over for the first time. Mommy cried. Daddy was present to see. She is 4 months and 8 days old. She was on her belly, and apparently had enough of tummy time and decided to hurl herself onto her back to play on her play gym. We are enrolling her in Harvard tomorrow. :)