End of an Era

***Just a precursor, If you dont care about breastfeeding you can stop now because that is all this post is about :) ***

Well its official, we are no longer breast-feeding.  We made it 17 months and I am positive L would have liked to go longer but, we really want to expand our family and I think the continuation of breastfeeding is hindering our efforts.

This was really something that gave me a lot of anxiety, I didn't want it to be too traumatic for L, I didn't want mastitis again for the 3rd time, It seemed like such a huge transition, it was a huge part of our daily routine and process I wasn't sure how it was going to ever happen, I really had nightmares that I would be the one with the 3 yr old nursing haha!

The thought actually entered my head a several months ago when I decided I did not need to pump at work anymore, I really wanted more social time at lunch and didn't want to run away to pump LOL, once that went ok for a while I would just nurse at home when I was off work but always before bed and in the AM.  This is what I was worried about.

FInally, one day I decided we were done...or so I thought...I put L to bed that night without milk...and he went to sleep.  No crying no fuss...I was in disbelief, was this really going to be that easy??

By the next morning I was pretty engorged and sore and had a fleeting thought that this was actually over, this thing that was such a huge part of our life and such a huge bonding event in our daily life was over.  I got really sad and when L woke he was crying and I just couldn't help but to nurse him.  I just needed that one last moment. Which ended up being the next two mornings as well.

By about the third day we were done...I would be slightly sore but really could tell there wasn't much milk anymore.  L would get fussy but when he would pull on my shirt I would get him a sippy cup of warm milk and distract him with TV or something else.  It honestly went way way easier than I thought, no mastitis only a few meltdowns by L and really no other issues.

We had originally thought 18 months would be our cut off but I think once we decided we were done we were done and so we made it 17 months, I am so proud of us and can only hope that we will be blessed with more babies in the future and have once again a great breast-feeding situation.

Meet our new baby

This is my new car Cynthia...my old baby rest her soul failed us for the last time last week.  We knew she was on her last days...we had spent way too much on her healthcare the past few months and then the straw that broke the camels back was last week when Hubby was driving home and she stopped...luckily he made it to a safe spot and was ok but it caused us a major inconvenience and myself almost late to work.  We had her towed and the cost to fix her was more than she was worth so my green been was laid to rest.  She lasted us a long time and was 13 yrs old.

I was in no way expecting something so nice but after a serious re-evaluation of our finances and a great deal by one of hubby's college frat brothers we decided This beauty would be a welcome addition to the family.

I have always driven old cars that were basic and nothing to write home about.  They were paid for and got me from A to B so it was great for us in order to buy a house.  Its such a blessing and every time I drive I have to pinch myself and say a prayer of thanks to my Jesus that he blessed us with something reliable and comfortable.  

I chose to name her Cynthia :)

The Color Run::Houston

This past weekend Myself, L and some co-workers did The Color Run in Houston.  It was so much fun!! We got there early and were a little worried because there were not many other cars and we were hoping there would be more people.  Well...Many people there were!!

Thankfully we picked up our race packs the day before because the line was HUGE on race day for packet pick up!! Clearly people who have never done any kind of race before.  We donned our white and got in line for the start.  There were so many people!! Lots of people with strollers too which I had...L had to tag along as daddy had to work.  He did fairly well considering the situation.  He hates riding in the stroller if we are walking, he does great if I am running but as I was not running this race he started crying and I ended up having to carry him about half way through!

I think he just anted to get a little more color on himself than he was getting sittin in the stroller!!

This race was so much fun, I am doing it again on Saturday with my Gram in New Orleans and I cant wait!!!

Here are some pictures, some of which are borrowed from my friend.

Me an my lil man waiting to start!!

Pre-race...still clean and white!

                Cool Dude!

All the people waiting to start

 Downtown Houston in the back, photo-op mid race

Blue color bomb!!

SOOOOO many people!!!!

 Rainbow Bright!!

He really wasnt sure what was going on and why people were throwing colored powder everywhere LOL

 Cant wait to have more colorful fun this saturday with my favorite Gram!!

Show and Tell Mondays::Careers

This weeks Show and Tell Monday is about careers, I'm trying to get back into the blogging groove so what better way right!

1. Tell us what you studied in college. Is your job now related to what you studied?

I always wanted to be a nurse so what I studied in college is directly related to what I do now.  I started off as pre nursing doing my pre-req's and then transferred to nursing school. I did a 4 year bachelors program.

2. Tell us what your everyday job looks like.

I work in a Pediatric Cardiac ICU.  Its pretty tough emotionally at times but there are so many rewarding things too.  I work with some incredibly smart people and have already learned so much in the year I have been there (I previously worked in NICU).  Basically I get to work around 630pm get assignments, get report, patient care all night give report around 7 am and get home around 8 am.  Then my job as mommy begins.  No, I don't get to just go home and go to sleep most days I stay up until L goes down for a nap then I head to bed myself.  If I have to go back to work that night I have a sitter who comes to watch L while I sleep and if I am off then I just deal with about 3 hours of sleep.  Its rough but I love night shift and I love that I get to spend so much time with L and work at the same time. Plus, I only work three nights a week so its do-able

3. Do you have a picture of you at work? Show us. 

Negative Ghostwriter, I dont look so great at work and really there is nothing fashionable about scrub pants and a t-shirt.  Though I will say if you wear scrubs to work Blue Sky Scrubs are the only scrubs I wear and not only are they cute they are so comfortable, never fade, and barely wrinkle!!

4. In 10 years, what do you see yourself doing? Same thing? More? Tell us.

This is a tough one, part of me wants to go on and further my education possibly to be a Nurse Anesthetist or Nurse Practitioner, but then a part of me just likes being a bedside nurse.  Going to work and coming home and leaving work at work.  Yeah it sucks working weekends and holidays but seriously I work three days a week! Ideally I would like to go part time or come up with some ingenious idea and get rich off it and not work at all!! In 10 years who knows, I want to focus on growing my family and being there when my kids are young.  Maybe in 10 years I will be ready to go back and further my career.  Right now I just see myself doing exactly what I'm doing.

5. Tell us what you have learned, and what {if any} recommendations you may have for those looking to go into the field you are in. 

I have learned so much!! Most of what I learned was not in nursing school but in being a bedside nurse.  Some most important lessons though are to always go with your gut, check check and double check, and as a nurse you have to have a tough skin...other nurses are brutal and Dr's can be pretty tough too but really nurses are rough on other nurses you cant be too sensitive or you will be eaten alive as a new nurse!! Recommendations for others going into the field... its not just wiping butts it requires brains and nursing school isn't easy, you have to want it to get it, but if you can get through it, its so worth it.  

I love my job.  I cant imagine ever doing anything else and the amazing works of God I get to witness on a daily basis are just incredible! People always tell me how sad my job must be but really the good stuff I see far outweighs the sad stuff!  It really has taught me how precious life is...Every day is truly a gift and I will never take another moment I have with my family, friends and my son for granted!!

Halloween 2012

We had so much fun this year!! Halloween was a great success.  

 We started off the day at playgroup, we hadn't been able to go in so long so it was nice to finally see our friends again!! L had tons of fun as usual

 The kid thinks he is the funniest thing

We then went trick or treating in our neighborhood.  Hubby had to work so after a little pit stop to show daddy our costume we were off to get some goodies!

 I wasn't sure what I wanted L to be this year...well, take that back, I saw this costume on pinterest ages ago and thought it would be perfect for our hot Houston weather...then we had a cold snap so I figured it would be way to chilly to let my baby traipse through the neighborhood half-clothed so I drug out his costume from last year as a last resort.

Then, It got hot again like close to 90!! I made a mad dash to hobby lobby to get a few things and this costume came to life for about $10 and 20 minutes!!  It was perfect because it was hot and muggy!!

He looked so so so cute!! He was hands down the cutest baby on the block, everyone loved his costume and he was in love with all the attention!! Anytime he is the center of attention he is in heaven so he was in his element with trick or treating.  He loved walking up to the people to get his candy, although could not figure out why we were not going in to these houses we kept walking up to and became quite frustrated at first especially when people had dogs, he just wanted to go in and play!

Me and my little guy had such a great time and I cant wait till next year when he can talk more and really get into it more!!

The Conviction of God

So, I have been reading the book 7 by Jen Hatmaker and WOW, is it not so true that you should be careful what you pray for!! In church this last Sunday our Pastor was talking about how he improved his marriage over the 20-something years he's been married and that was by figuring out what he needed to change about HIMSELF not his wife.

This is so true because I feel like so often in relationships we are quick to find what the other person needs to change to improve that relationship be it a marriage, friendship, coworker relationship etc.  This really hit me because I do it, I wish my husband would do this or that when really he is a fantastic husband and father but I have stuff about myself that I need to change.  So on sunday I prayed that God would make clear to me what I need to change about MYSELF, what are my faults that need improved upon.

Well, in reading this book it really convicted me and struck a cord.  I am not done yet with the book but each page I read I just cant help but feel that it was written just for me!

I see it a lot lately the pursuit of "stuff" and "things" what cute outfit can you find for your child, what cute clothes can you get for this season.  While yeah I love shopping for L and it helps that he grows so quick I have an excuse to keep buying his stuff but me? not so much.  I don't need 10 pairs of dark jeans or 10 turquoise shaded tank tops.  I have started to pare down what I do own and think twice before I go to Target or anywhere else to buy STUFF.  I love shopping I really do but I think lately it has just gotten a little out of control.

I'm learning to be content with just what I have.  Not just in regards to stuff but in life in general.  I am learning to be content with just my one baby.  L is so sweet and fun and while I want more than anything to have more apparently thats not Gods plan.  I need to just be content with NOW and cherish NOW.  Everyday I go to work I'm reminded that tomorrow is not a promise but a gift.   Things can change in an instant and I want to cherish every second I have with my sweet boy because time just blows by!!

The chapter about waste is a good one too because we are so wasteful and I often balk at the word "green" and think about hippies but really this is God's earth we need to take care of it and not be so wasteful. I don't have a green thumb but I have started to buy more local fruits and veggies.  I guess my cloth diapering is helping in this aspect too.  It really changed my perspective on the whole "green" thing!

The other chapter that really hit me was the media chapter.  Whoa do I spend a lot of time on the tv, cell phone, computer, twitter, Facebook, blogs etc the list goes on.  I have been trying to be more present for L not always with a cell phone in hand or the TV in the background.  I think I waste a LOT of time on electronic stuff and like I said before, time is precious and I can imagine how much more time I will have if I turn off the TV and put away the cell phone a little more and read a book, play with L, and even more time to spend in the word which I have been struggling with.

This  book is so fantastic I highly recommend it.  It really makes you think and realize how wasteful and overindulgent we are in this country.  It was exactly what I needed and quite a wake-up call.  Its not something I can change in a day, its certainly a process, but with lots of prayer and a few trip ups along the way I really hope to be more content with the here and now and cut down on the pursuit of more!

Punkin' Festival 2012

This past weekend our neighborhood had a pumpkin festival that we decided to check out.  Last year it rained and L was really too young to enjoy it so this year we were excited to be able to check it out.  

 It was great and I think L will enjoy it even more as he gets older as many of the activities were too old for him.  It was put on by a church in our neighborhood that owns this large plot of land.  It was free to get in but you could pay $5 for a "ticket" which was a card with different things to do.  So for $5 kids could have a hay ride, pick a pumpkin, ride a pony, ride a fire truck, and go on a mini train ride.  Also they got a cookie, bag of popcorn, cotton candy, and a sno-cone.  There was a lot of line waiting which was the one downside, but it really was a neat little festival.  They also had some food you could buy and a bluegrass band for music.

 With daddy pickin out his punkin'

 So many choices!!

 He chose this one and insisted on trying to carry it

 My strong boy carrying his punkin'

 Love this picture, daddy and his mini me

 L got to go on his first pony ride!! He was a little skeptical but I think he really enjoyed it !!