My big 1yr old

On the eve of my daughter's 1st birthday I think about all that she has accomplished in 1 short yr. I think wow! she starts out the size of a football and sleeps almost the entire day! We all start our lives that way, but still when it is your child it seems so amazing that sleeping helps them to grow big and strong. Hayden was truly a wonder from the start, she layed with me in the hospital bed and her hips were already moving side to side! I was thinking her second day of life oh boy I am in trouble with this little girl. She rolled over fairly quickly and so began milestone Thursdays! At the end of 5 months she decided to sit up and crawl all at the same time, then 1 week later she pulled up to a stand at our couch in the living room. I took deep breaths just hoping that walking wouldn't come too quickly. Also, amazing to all of us....her mouth! She babbled normally but then at 9 months out came dada and we know it was a true 1st word because she was looking right at her dada when she growled it at him. Followed shortly was mama, uh oh, bye bye, hi, hey, done, more, and no. I am sure there are so many more to come. She has the most explosive personalty too...sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way. She has definitely earned that firecracker nickname we so lovingly call her. She squeals like a girl when she is happy, sad, mad, glad, or just because she wants to remind you she exists in the room (as if we could forget). Yes, she is quite the charmer with her facial expressions, that beautiful smile, the belly laughs, and all that personalty wrapped up in that petite little girl. I think I got exactly what I asked God for in a little girl and I can't wait to see what the yrs will bring good or bad.

Christmas Gifts

Well lots of family has been asking so here is my babies lists.
Hayden: Fisher price laugh and learn cd player, laugh and learn storybook rhymes, little mommy nursery doll, rock a stack stacker, shape sorter, playskool busy basics busy poppin pals, step 2 life style 22 pc dining room pots and pans, imaginarium learning cube, stacker cups, and knob puzzles
Eli: moon dough barn, rocket pogo stick, toy story 3 buzz lightyr wings, hot wheels dr. bones color lab, aqua sand, paper jamz guitar, toy story 3 u command buzz lightyr, cars color changers ramones playset, nerf n strike barrel break blaster, hot wheels 21 in skateboard speed machine, and tinker toy 200 pc plastic set. If you have an idea not mentioned family and friends....please let me know. :)

October

Well last weekend we went to the pumpkin patch. It was different this yr not to go where we have gone in the past and what I learned at least was that they are all about the same and it was nice to go with the family. It was Hayden's 1st time ever and she loves hay rides and trying to eat pumpkin stems. Today, I was playing with Hayden and she threw her head back for a good belly laugh and OMG there were 2 more teeth of top so now she has a total of 6. She is just so big now. Also, at the Dr I found out she is only 20lbs which is small for her age group and 30 inches long which is tall for her age group. She seems so tiny to me compared to my E...boys and girls are just so different I guess.

This and That

It seems as though all of a sudden I got really busy or not too much is going on with my kiddos lately. Hayden got her 2 upper teeth and she has been jabbering more and more. Eli is growing and getting better with just being good. I had the week off Oct 4-8 and it was a wonderful time to be with my babies. On Monday we went to the zoo with my mother in law Sherri and it was so much fun. We had a lovely day, the weather was nice and the conversation was full. On Tuesday, I cleaned and relaxed at home...we only made it to Target but it was still as wonderful day. On Wednesday, we went to Powder Valley with my sister in law Amber and my niece Aubrey. On the inside we saw a couple snacks, some snapping turtles, and other info about creatures that live in our area. The kids had fun, then we went on a mile hike up and down hills which made me feel like I could die but it was terrific and I had so much fun. I love hanging out with Amber and Aubrey and just being with the kids...it is what I became a mom for and love every second I get. Thursday, we went to Mastadon and hung out at the park playing on the playground and took yet another nature walk. We topped off the day with a picnic in the park. I loved it and my babies loved it too. Now today we are off to the history museum. I can't wait for this adventure it should be fun. The thing I have learned this week is that I truly love being home with them and I love them so much. I understand fully why I am heart sick and miss them while I work every day. More to come and hopefully I can stay more up on this blog.

Eli Patrick Salazar

Wow, my little boy or should I say my big boy. He entered this world on August 18, 2005 at 7lbs 7oz 20 1/2 inches long. He came to me a beautiful baby boy with a head full of thick black hair and deep blue dark eyes. He had a dimple in his chin and the sweetest face. My life changed forever that day at 3:44PM. I had this little boy who I loved unconditionally and who will love me the same for the rest of my life. That day I realized I am different....someone will call me mom. It brings tears to my eyes to think of how big he is and how much knowledge he has in his head. He is funny, sarcastic, and a joker. He is smart and sweet...and even though he is going to be 5 tomorrow, he still wants to cuddle up close to his mommy and get lots of hugs and kisses. I love that about him the most. I just can't believe he is 5.....it is just so quick. Tomorrow, he will have a terrific dinner of his choice followed by cake made by mom.

Eli

It occurs to me this beautiful Saturday morning that in approximately 2 weeks my baby boy or well my very big boy is going to be 5. It is hard to believe I have a 5 year old. It seems like not long ago he was as little as Hayden. I just cannot believe he is a little person now. I just hope this year I can figure out a way to get him into a Pre-K program because he is so smart and I would love for him to stay that way. He knows how to write his name and well other letters if you spell them out to him. He wants to learn and he needs to be in an environment where he can do that every day. Eli is so much like his mother it is crazy. Not only does he have my sarcasm, happy nature, and silliness, but he also looks so much like I did as a child it is scary. Hayden is following into the same pattern. I love his laugh, the way he wants to be the best, and his gentle little heart. I just cannot believe what he is becoming and how far he has come since birth. He is almost a little man in his own right. Just wait til next year.....the waterworks will begin because Kg is coming.

3 Thursdays of milestones

My little firecracker has been busy for the last 3 weeks. I am so proud of her yet so scared that she is gonna be really busy soon. 3 Thursdays ago, she decided to sit upright by herself....she was grabbing toys and looking around and not falling out of unbalance. It was so cool because now I knew she could see the world from the view she has always wanted to see it from in the beginning. 2 Thursdays ago....she started crawling. It all started because big brother had a robot she wanted to get a hold of....she crawled to get it. Oh boy the fun begins I thought, she is going to start crawling and getting into everything and the only way to keep her out is to put it above her head. Now, this Thursday.....tada! She has decided to stand on her own two feet. She pulled herself up on the leap learning table and then 3 more times after that. I am both proud and see the horrible future of her walking early and me chasing her around at 9 months. She is quite the determined baby and I am glad she has that fight in her, but man she is hitting these milestones sooooo quick.

Everybody's an Expert

So it has been something that I have noticed since Eli was about 15 months and well yeah it's kinda cute, but something that yes (all my family) I have wondered about. I am not an idiot however so I did ask a speech therapist that I currently work with at GSS and she assured me that it is normal and will either be corrected by 7-8 yrs of age or he will need therapy. She told me NOT to worry at all. What am I talking about? My son's speech problems....they are extremely minor. He does not pronounce his th sound right it is an f sound...totally normal. Also the talks like he came from Boston...he says ca for car and so on and so forth. Recently and last year, my Mother said something to me about it and asked if it should be a concern. I said I will ask but I believe from my training in college that this is a completely normal and age appropriate thing for his age. I did just that asked and also researched on the internet and found out no it is not considered a problem until age 8. Now, my Mother in law tried to tell me that Eli needs speech and well I told her that there is nothing wrong with his speech. She insists she cannot understand him. I say well turn up your hearing aid granny. I understand my baby boy just fine and well so does my husband and most of my family and his friends and teachers of the past. I went one step further shortly after he had turned 4, I took him to a screening with the dial test at Parents as Teachers and he scored in the 95% and was almost functioning at a 5 year old level at 4 yrs 2 months...hmm nothing wrong there. So it is my current aggravation on the families and current stress headache. It's like Eli always has to prove himself and has to feel as though he is dumb when he is soooo not. My sugar bear if anything is overly intelligent. James and I were talking last night and he agrees that Eli could be bored. E's attitude is this and well much like his momma's "I know this crap why the hell are u drilling me like I am some kind of trained monkey? I am not gonna do this and I don't have to prove anything to you so leave me alone." He is one to constantly tease and taunt when people or family is begging him to do something so automatically they think he can't do it, when the proper response would be he doesn't want to do it. I know my child and well I am a certified teacher, he is fine and I am tired of defending that. Especially to someone who barely finished H.S. and someone who didn't listen in H.S. It is crazy. I don't tell my mom how to be an administrative assistant or my mother in law how to clean houses...so why tell me how to teach and worry about my own child. Well that is my rant about my baby boy. For once it is about him :)

Tooth

So my daughter was nawing on my finger Thursday night and usually it is hard but there are only gums there so who cares. Ha or so I thought...jokes on Mommy she has a tiny of a sliver of a tooth that has popped up on the bottom. It is just a tiny bit up but all the same it is a 1st tooth. Yea! I think. In other news on Ms. Firecracker she is starting to do the all fours bull dog stance...guess crawling is up next yikes!

Eli, my favorite son was supposed to start t-ball last Tuesday but it got rained out...I hope he gets to play this Tuesday but it sounds like it may get rained out again alas I just want to watch my baby play..he is quite good at catching and hitting, maybe one day I will be the mom of a MLB player. :)

The only other frustration in this momma's life is a SUV that died and refuses to come to life again...hopefully they can figure it out soon because I am soooooo tired of borrowing the damn Malibu or driving a boat ass truck.

Summertime

This time of year is kind of hard for me. When Eli was a baby I was in college for 2 more years and I chose not to take classes in the summer. I spent the summers with Eli doing whatever we wanted all day long. We used to go to the park, zoo, swimming...I mean anywhere. So, now I work and I am in the real world so right now it is hard for me to like work or even to want to go in. I want that time back in the summer to just do whatever...now with Hayden too. I think all the time damn the park, zoo..whatever would not be as full as it is now if this were a week day. Oh well such as life and being a f********* grown up.

Baptism

Last Sunday, Hayden Grace Stafford became a child of God. She wore my baptismal gown and bonnet that my Grandmother bought me. And as a coincidence, she was also baptized on May 16th which is that Grandmother's Birthday. I didn't think about how much it touched me or how important that moment in her and my life was but wow, the church gave us a video of pics and I teared up a little. My baby girl getting water poured on her and becoming one of God's children. It really got to me. Which.....brings me to yet another subject or well kind of disagreement with my husband and me. He grew up believing that your baptism was when you were becoming a child of God and it should be done at an age when you understand and can agree with what you are doing. You are surrendering yourself over to the Lord and becoming one of his children. I grew up where you are baptized as a baby and your parents and other adults present were promising to bring you up into the way a God. In confirmation in 8th grade you were saying yes I want to be saved and become a child of God or becoming responsible for your own beliefs in God so to speak. Neither of us are wrong though....the Bible says, "Everyone go and be baptized." He was not saying only those who understand it or only those capable of making the decision on their own...everyone, meaning babies, youth, teen, tween, adults, sinners, and saints. Either way I believe baptism is one of those extremely significant parts of your life and it should be celebrated every year just like your birthday, Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. I am truly blessed in my life and have accepted Jesus as my Savior and it did not matter when I became a child of God. It happened and I am here.

5 month check up

Well firecracker went to the Dr. yesterday and WOW! She is now 16lbs, which is 5lbs in 2 months. The Dr. said it was because she has been getting rice cereal in every bottle and it will probably be slower this next time. I was glad she was ok and totally normal for her age...even if it seems like she is a chunka chunka. She is also 26 3/4 inches long....almost 27. She seems longer but I would have never guessed she was 16lbs. We have been given the green light for fruits and veggies, but the Dr. never told me which to start with so I will have to decide that soon. I am kind of excited about other foods and well a little terrified because she may or may not do well. My babies are growing up so fast. Eli will be starting t-ball on June 8th and I could not be happier. I hear from daddy and grandpa Jim that he is good and doesn't even need the t. I can't wait to go to his first game in June. Well signing off for now. Love- Kelly

Kids

So....alas as a mommy I had to woman up and put my firecracker in her big bed. She is too long for the cradle...which means she is out of our room. :( I am ok with it I guess. The bottles are working great and the cereal in the bottles too. Eli amazed me this weekend because he can ride his 2 wheeler so well. He does not need the training wheels at all. He only lost balance a couple times. Eli is also so good at driving his RC car. He is just turning into my big boy now. In the Fall, I am going to try and get him into some kind of preschool program so he can be better prepared for Kg in the following fall. I am so happy with the way things are going for my kids right now. Can't wait till Summer...I have so many adventures planned...some new ones for my firecracker too.

Rice Cereal

So.....rice cereal in her bottles is a great thing and it totally helps firecracker's acid reflux. Rice cereal in a bowl with a spoon...totally horrible, firecracker has been spitting up from it for the past 3 days. I don't really know what happened but Hayden is not doing well with digestion on rice cereal. I wonder if her system is not ready for it that way and the bottle is the right choice for now or if it will stop once she gets used to it. It puzzles me how she can be ok with it in her bottles but not ok when it is fed to her like it should be at her age. I am calling the Dr. but for now no rice cereal in a bowl....just in the bottle. Oh my difficult child how I love her so. P.S. She doesn't cry like the picture shows...that was just the first time. She actually likes the taste of it.

The Bottles and Cereal

Miss Hayden was having some spitting up problems and we had to try and switch bottles as well as put cereal in it. We have tried it now for a week and she is doing better. I am happy because her spitting up was gross and it was getting in her hair. I am hoping now we can accomplish sleeping longer than 8 hours a night. 4 AM wake ups suck for me. I am happy to say though that she spends more of her life awake these days...Yea!

Acid Reflux

Well baby girl's acid reflux went out of control about 2 weeks ago. We thought it was under control but as we all know babies get bigger and dosages may need to change. We upped the Previcid to 1ml instead of .5ml. That helped a little but she was still spitting up 2 oz every feeding. So, I called the Dr. again. She suggested that we put 1tbsp of rice cereal per 4oz of formula and change her bottles. I started with the rice cereal and then bought new bottles to try out. Turns out everything we are doing is helping her and she appears to be better for now. I got the Platex bottles that have the drop in baggie instead of the Dr. Browns. It is funny when Eli was a baby I started with the vent air bottles and those did not work for him, switched to the Avent ones because my nephew was on those with still no luck. Then, I tried the Platex drop ins for him too and well nope not happening.....he ended up with the Dr. Browns so naturally I thought snuggle bug would be good with those because they are for babies with acid reflux. Nope...she needed something totally different. My brother and I were that way too so it's not too odd. I am just happy we got it under control...I hate the spitting up and her little cry. Oh and today she threw herself a good little drama fit why you ask? Well.....she's teething and needed some relief. God bless her lil heart.

What I've come to realize

My first pregnancy I had very little support from the daddy. I had my mom and dad but not daddy dearest. I raised my son by myself with little help from outside family. Yes, I lived in my mom and dad's house but they did not help me all that much. I used them as if I did not live there...like a babysitter or a childcare provider. The father of my son is still not in the picture but he is well adjusted thanks to my husband. He met Eli and took him on like his own kid. He helped potty train him and taught him things he needed to know as an older child. I love that he gets a dad even though his dad is a loser. I like to call him the sperm donor. So now I am on baby # 2 and my husband has never handled babies before. He is doing well mind you but it has been a learning process for him for sure. I appreciate everything he does while I am at work. What I have come to realize though is....no matter if you are married or not when you are home it is like you are a single mom. I have come to realize mommy's work so many hours and they never get a vacation. I figured it out last night....I work 40 hrs at work alone then at home I am with my daughter nonstop and maybe my son needs attention occasionally...I try to be fair. I work at home 12.5 hrs on the week days and 48 hours on the weekends...I am always on call 24-7 because let's face it I am the mom. Anyway that is a grand total of 100.5 hrs a week. Wow! being a mom is a lot of hours however it is rewarding and I would never trade it for the world. I am by no means complaining I've just come to realize being a mom is a nonstop job.

3 Months

Well my baby girl is 3 months old now. Yesterday she rolled over for the 1st time and neither I or my husband saw it...it was Papa :( boo hoo. She is cooing and girgling and all that cute stuff. We are starting to get into that phase that is so fun and cute. I know there is much more cuteness to follow and I am getting so excited. The only thing I can say though is this darling girl sleeps ALOT. Oh well...she will wake up soon I hope.
Love-Kelly

The Dirt Bike

Oh me oh my Eli got a dirt bike today. It is a mini dirt bike just his size at least. Grandpa Jim doesn't do much for the children and he is hardly around but he bought it for him and it is a nice jesture. James is excited to teach Eli how to ride it and all that fun stuff. I am a little nervous my baby will get hurt. Oh well what can you do boys will be boys. Hayden has moved up to her 3-6 month clothes and that is a whole new 3 months of cuteness for me. I love dressing her....she looks so pretty in everything. Her new nickname at the moment is itty bitty. I love my kids so much and at least the 2 of them are very happy right now....so is mommy and daddy.
Love always,
Kelly

Something New

Well today Hayden decided to grab her pacifier out of her mouth and while still gripping it stuck it back in her mouth....she repeated this about 4-5 more times. I just can't believe how big she is getting already. She is awake more and hopefully will begin to try that whole rolling over thing. I know my son was at the latter end of that milestone so we shall see. In other news, Eli is learning how to drive a real RC car. He is good at it too! He takes his time and tries to make sure he doesn't hit anything or anyone. I am so proud of him. The car cost a fair amount of money so ruining it would be horrible. I just can't tell you how much I love my kids and how much the milestones they accomplish mean to me. I hate that Eli is growing up so quickly and that before long I will be writing about his first day of Kindergarten. I just don't know how I will handle that...he is my sugar bear and always will be. Hayden seems to be growing slower. I mean it seems as though she is staying small just a little bit longer...maybe because she is significantly smaller in weight than my son was at this age and she is a girl. I just hope my husband may have a change of heart in 4 years or so and let me have just one more lil baby. We shall see but for now I have the most perfect children a mommy could ask for in life.

The Weekend

Well, it seems as though Miss Hayden is better. She is still getting breathing treatments but I have not heard as much coughing. She doesn't seem to have an ear infection anymore, but I still give her the meds because that is what it told me to do. I went away this weekend to visit a very near and dear friend in Cape. Thank you to Melissa for being such a terrific host. It was nice to escape St. Louis for a little while. I got to walk by the river and eat some yummy food. Also, Melissa was able to meet my daughter for the fist time. Over all my favorite part of the trip was Mr. Eli and his goofy glasses. He had to get them at Dollar Tree. They are the funny ones with the furry eyebrows and mustache. He looked so silly in them....so worth the $1. So now it is off to dinner with my wonderful family and good ole work tomorrow. I am refreshed and ready to take on tomorrow.
Love,
Kelly

First Sickness

Well over the weekend sweet Hayden's cold turned for the worst. She started to have a low grade fever and the cough became barky. I knew already what was going to be the outcome. She went to Grandma's Monday and would not eat but 2oz all day. So, I called the Dr. and she brought her in for a look. Hayden has a form of croup and an ear infection. She got her first happy dose of Amoxicillin in her new little life and she has to tolerate the abuteral and nebulizer for a little while till she's better. I am glad she is in better spirits today and appears to be recovering. I think we just caught it quick enough where she did not get that bad. Hopefully there isn't too much more to endure.

New Blogger

I have decided to start writing on blogspot about my family and things that happen in our lives. This first blog will be strictly introducing us as a family and well me the mastermind behind these future blogs. I am 30 yrs old with 2 beautiful children. My son Eli Patrick is 4 1/2 and every bit proud of it. He just got a new bed and so far he is in love with the idea of a loft bed because it is like his very own treehouse. He just got a brand new baby sister which at first he was oh so excited now I think he wishes some days she came with a return policy. We have been having minor issues with him but none directed at the baby thank God. My daughter Hayden Grace is 11 weeks and is a little more demanding than my son every was as a baby. She is growing and thriving, but still sleeps a ton like a newborn. She currently has her very first cold and may also be teething.....oh boy for us. My husband is James, we have been married a yr and 3 months. My son is from a different relationship and my daughter is from him, he treats them both as his own which is wonderful. I am a teacher at Good Shepherd School for Children and soon to be 2 yrs there. I work with 1 1/2 yr olds which may include special needs children. I love my job and love my kids and co-workers, but wish for a school district job or even to be a stay at home mom. I pretty much love my life and love my family just the way they are. I am optimistic and usually happy. I do speak my mind and I will never give you the sugar-coated version of anything, so sometimes reading these blogs just be aware I may have lost my religion for a second. I am very excited to become a blogger and hope this will help get some feelings out that I like to write down and get out of my head or just how proud or frustrated I am with my kids.