Things I love.......

My little guy is so silly and just makes me smile. I wanted to share some things I love about him and maybe you'd like to share about your little one in my comments area:

I love the way he puts the soles of his feet together and puts them up in the air when he poops.

I love the way he stares at me and caresses my face adoringly...before he tries to poke my eye out or rip my lips off.

I love the way he's surprised then thrilled every time he sneezes.

I love his giggles, and when he giggles even harder when I ask, "What's so funny?"

I love to change his diaper simply because he loves to have it done. He grins from ear to ear the entire time.

I love breastfeeding him.

I love how he looks at his daddy and gives him a different smile, as if it's just for him!

And finally, I love his wake up smiles, even the 2am slap happy ones.

I could go on and on but I won't :)

Top O' The Morning.......

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4 Month Stats!!

Ian had his 4 month check-up this morning. Here are his 4 month stats:


Weight: 15 Pounds 5 Oz.- 55th percentile for BF babies

Length: 26 inches- 95th percentile for BF babies

Head Circumfrance: 16 1/4- 55th percentile


While there, the doctor gave us the greenlight to start spoon feeding him if we'd like too. although he is doing great and could stay on BM until his 6 month check up! we are skipping the cereal altogether and have introduced avacado, and banana's, but not on a regular basis just yet.

We also found out that Ian inherited another one of daddy's awesome qualities - he has very sensitive skin. And, due to the cold weather and dry heat, he has some mild Eczema on his cheeks. We just have to keep lubing him up with Aquaphor.

The not so fun part of the appointment was getting his vaccines: one was given orally and the other two were shots - one in each leg. I will say that the shots didn't seem to upset him as much as when the doctor undid his diaper to at a look at his "business". Maybe he's modest?

Yum-O

Ian has tried his first food: Avocado!!!! We have made the personal decision to bypass rice cereal, or oats because they basically have no nutirional value at all. We have choose avocado because:

Avocado makes a great first food for baby due to its texture and creaminess as well as its high nutrient content.

Avocados are often called one of nature's perfect foods because they are said to contain everything a person needs to survive.

A wonderful "good fat" food for baby's brain and physical development, try an avocado as baby's first food instead of refined cereals.

"Sodium- and cholesterol- free, avocados contain valuable nutrients including 8% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for folate; 4% DV for fiber and potassium, 4% DV for vitamin E; and 2% DV for iron. A serving of avocado also contains 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene. Per serving, avocados have 3.5 grams of unsaturated fats, which are known to be important for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain."


So PLEASE don't judge, it's our decision!!!!!!

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4 months old!!!!

Today, our sweet Ian is 4 months old! He is such a good baby and we really do have the best time with him. I cannot begin to tell you the joy and love this little man has brought into my life. He can truly light up a room and melt your heart with his smile &. His coo and laughs are so contagious. Happy 4 Months Sweet Baby!

At 4 months old, Ian:

*Smiles and giggles and the time

*Puts Most things in his mouth

*Can't sit still

*Drools Constantly

*Has finally figured out his hands and is great at reaaching and grabing for things, and has a killer grip!!!

*Is rolling from his belly to back, and his back to his belly

*Still HATES baths, and plays soccer with his duck, and baseball

*Loves to "stand" on my legs or a flat surface

*Has a new best friend: Sophie

*Loves to talk walks and runs with Mama and Dada

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling.....

Mr. Ian has decided he is off and rolling! Saturday as I mentioned he was rolling from back to belly for our morning play session, and then again for daddy on Sunday. Today Dan picked him up from daycare, and when I got home from ZUMBA (errr), he asked me, "Is Ian rolling from his tummy to his back?", and of course I said, "I don't think so", because I haven't seen him. Dan continued to say that Ms. Heidi said that he was doing it all afternoon and she could not get him to stay on his tummy for tummy time. So I took out his daily log anound there it was:

Ian did not get much tummy time today, he kept rolling from his tummy to his back!!


YAY Ian!!! Your such a strong little guy, I love you!!!!

3 Things....

As I sit in my classroom, my students are completing an writing assessment on Response to Lit., so I decided to venture into my mommy message board.....it seems to be getting repeatative lately, and not so busy...but this post was there so I figured I would go ahead and fill it out!!

Enjoy!!

3 things I love right now..

-Ian's laugh and Smile!
-My husband...He is my rock.
-Spring Break is in 4 weeks!!

3 things I hate right now:
-That I am not at home with Ian
-The baby bump I am working on everyday to rid of. ( I know that I am under my prepreg. weight, but the baby bump is killing me!)
-The fact that for the first time in a long time were on a "budget", that allows no extras!

3 things I'm passionate about:
-Breastfeeding!!!
-Making my own baby food!
-Life

3 smells I love:
-Italian Food
-Magnolia Trees
-Brenda Nugent's House

3 places I visit a lot
-Publix(I seem to be there WAY too often)
-Daycare
-Kanoheda

3 things I will change(I changed that from wish I could...I read a book called Excuses Begone so I am not wishing anymore I am changing! ;)
-My weight
-Our Financial Situation
-Where we live

3 things I want to accomplish before I die
-See Ian grow up and be a success, gratuate, get married, and have babies.
-Travel with the hubby
-Have a little girl

Our Big, BIg, BIG day!

So today was a big day!! First thing this morning Ian rolled over from his back to tummy!!! (not once BUT TWICE!!!!). I was screaming and clapping so loud that I woke up Dan, on his morning to sleep in. Sorry babe!

Then we went to the Zoo! Although Ian is a little too small to actually know where we were he loved looking around at all the animals and people!!! He took in the world every minute, he is so curious!!!!













After the Zoo we had a great lunch in the beautiful sun, and then took our first family run!!!! We have been on walks and a few hikes but no runs!!! We ran to Mirror Lake and home, and Ian love dit, he was babbling, and smiling away!!! Great Job on your first 2 miles Ian!!!

New Best Friend...Sophie

Ian has a new best friend...............

The second I saw her I was smitten. She stood 7 inches high with big, coal-black eyes, a blush of hot pink on each cheek and a little mouth parted to reveal a cheerful smile. I loved the rich caramel color of her spots, the jaunty bend of her front knee, the way her long, thin neck fit so perfectly in Ian's fat little hand. The texture of her body was soft like suede.
Little did I know that falling in love with this rubber giraffe was the equivalent of falling in love with that cute dress you hoped your friend had bought at Forever 21 but that turned out to be from Marc Jacobs.
She has a name, Sophie, and if you start asking around you'll find that most new moms have at least heard of her, if they haven't already bought her. Maybe they saw her in Us Weekly, clutched in the hands of Nicole Richie's daughter, Harlow Madden, or maybe they saw Sophie back in 2004 being gnawed on by Kate Hudson's son, Ryder Robinson (an early adopter). Perhaps they've gone to a birthday party or a play group where their little one encountered Sophie and was instantly fixated -- a story repeated in dozens of online reviews of the toy. Or possibly they've spotted her at a baby boutique (because you won't find Sophie in the big-box stores). Since Amazon started selling her in 2008, she has consistently ranked in the top three most wished-for items in the baby store and has earned a 4 1/2 -star rating based on 273 reviews.
Ian agrees..........he loves her. The only problem is that the sqeek, makes our dog think it's her toy!

Sweet Julie......Perks of being a teacher!

This morning I arrived at school to a note left from the sub. It again snowed in Atlanta, and the city shut down again( bread, eggs, milk, gone!). I had to leave school early to pick up Ian from daycare because they were closing @ 1:00 due to "threatning weather" (snow flurries which turned to water as it hit the ground, but anyhow the note.....
"Your class was OUT OF CONTROL". Oh geez. So for the 1,000 or 1000,000,000 time this year we had, "the talk". But there are sweet ones in my garden of sour patch kids. Juliannes being one, and she handed me this:











inside was this:






Although the Ian Murphy is backwards these are the little reminders that I am loved and repected by my students. How sweet is Julie? Made my day!!!!

I do miss ONE thing about being pregnant....

My hair didn't fall out.


Let me just say that the amount of hair that falls off my head each day is not normal.Everytime I shampoo or brush my hair I loose handfulls. I actually asked Dan if I was going bald on the sides on my front hairline. And, I know it's not a normal amount because even Dan, who frequently tells me: "Melissa, you're fine - you're being a hypochondriac" about everything has told me I need to go to the doctor about it.


Hopefully it's just my body making up for lost time and things will get back to normal soon.


So, there it is... proof that I did truly enjoy one thing about being pregnant: the fact that my hair actually stayed on my head.

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess!!!

Being a teacher celebrating Read Across America and Dr. Suess's birthday, and a breastfeeding mama, I found this poem. It completely made me smile today!!!!




Would you nurse her in the park?
Would you nurse him in the dark?
Would you nurse him with a Boppy?
And when your boobs are feeling floppy?

I would nurse him in the park,
I would nurse her in the dark.
I'd nurse with or without a Boppy.
Floppy boobs will never stop me.

Can you nurse with your seat belt on?
Can you nurse from dusk till dawn?
Though she may pinch me, bite me, pull,
I will nurse her `till she's full!

Can you nurse and make some soup?
Can you nurse and feed the group?
It makes her healthy strong and smart,
Mommy's milk is the best start!

Would you nurse him at the game?
Would you nurse her in the rain?
In front of those who dare complain?
I would nurse him at the game.
I would nurse her in the rain.

As for those who protest lactation,
I have the perfect explanation.
Mommy's milk is tailor made
It's the perfect food, you need no aid.

Some may scoff and some may wriggle,
Avert their eyes or even giggle.
To those who can be cruel and rude,
Remind them breast's the perfect food!

I would never scoff or giggle,
Roll my eyes or even wiggle!
I would not be so crass or crude,
I KNOW that this milk's the perfect food!

We make the amount we need
The perfect temp for every feed.
There's no compare to milk from breast-
The perfect food, above the rest.

Those sweet nursing smiles are oh so sweet,
Mommy's milk is such a treat.
Human milk just can't be beat.

I will nurse, in any case,
On the street or in your face.
I will not let my baby cry,
I'll meet her needs, I'll always try.
It's not about what's good for you,
It's best for babies, through and through.

I will nurse her in my home,
I will nurse her when I roam.
Leave me be lads and ma'am.
I will nurse her, Mom I am.

If I were..... (just for Monday fun!)

If I were a month, I’d be October.
If I were a day of the week, I’d be Saturday!
If I were a time of day, I’d be Twilight (actually the exact moment between day and night).
If I were a planet, I’d be Earth.
If I were a sea animal, I’d be Starfish.
If I were a direction, I’d be whatever direction points to home!
If I were a piece of furniture, I’d be a Chaze Loune.
If I were a liquid, I’d be water with a touch of lemon.
If I were a gemstone, I’d be a diamond so I could sparkle and never break!
If I were a tree, I’d be Solid as Oak.
If I were a tool, I’d be a level.
If I were a flower, I’d be daisy.
If I were a kind of weather, I’d be Lake Placid weather-a little bit of everything all in one day.
If I were a musical instrument, I’d be a saxophone.
If I were a color, I’d be tourquois, like the ocean!
If I were an emotion, I’d be love.
If I were a fruit, I’d be a Granny Smith Apple.
If I were a sound, I’d be laughter.
If I were an element, I’d be water.
If I were a car, I’d be VW Convertible Beetle.
If I were a food, I’d be Chocolate.
If I were a place, I’d be the mountains!
If I were a material, I’d be silk.
If I were a taste, I’d be sweet.
If I were a scent, I’d be Coconut.
If I were an object, I’d be pictures.
If I were a body part, I’d be the hands.
If I were a facial expression, I’d be a smile.
If I were a song, I’d be I’m Alive-Kenny Chesney/Dave Matthews!
If I were a pair of shoes, I’d be barefoot and free!

Guilt turned Grateful.............

I am grateful for being a mother, for a bright, happy little boy who amazes me everyday.

I am grateful for invites to girls nights, potlucks, and most especially happy hours.


I am grateful for fried pickle spears and ranch dressing, to lawn sprinklers, and linguine. To fireflies, big lake placid skies with stars, and people who admit their vulnerabilities. Driving with the top down at night. Cotton so soft it feels like silk. Stain proofing warranties.

I am grateful for my health, for knowing what my gifts are and what I was put on this earth to do, for the friendships that feel like family, for Monroe's pink toes, for Egyptian cotton.

I am grateful for the blessings I've received and the strength and courage I have to keep myself open to receiving them, for pies, for wrap-around porches with rocking chairs and sweet southern tea.

I am grateful for the support I get daily from strangers around the world, for panera sandwiches, and for smartbalance.

I am grateful for Danny, his ability to make me laugh, think, and cry every day, for how he's always there when I need him most.

I am grateful for my sister's laugh and how loving and needy she is, for our history together, clawing up the stairs of our house, for her heart and her health.

I am grateful for Starbucks gingerbread lattes and iced caramel macchiatos, for the wisdom I've gained from my family, for the closeness I have with them, for their health and happiness.

I am grateful for the ever growing relationship Dan and I have with Dale and Amanda, our comfort level with them, all many advendtures.

I am grateful for the clarity I have about the direction of my life, knowing what my passions are, for lacy bras and clean underwear.

I am grateful for Krista and her ability to calm me, for her loyalty.

I am grateful for Jessica's perspective, heart, and unrelenting love and support, for her giggle and love of me, for our Dorito's Binges,for the way she quotes me in my Melissisms.

I am grateful for Amanda, for always feeling like sweats and flip flops is a night on the town.

I am grateful for Georgia even my little town of Villa Rica.

I am grateful for my education, for grilled cheese sandwiches, for the strength I have to be honest.

I am grateful for leftovers and delivery, for the strength I've found in the most lonesome, frightening, places, for the shelter, for having the dedication to follow my dreams in the face of negativity.

I am grateful for being taught I can do anything I set my mind to.

I am grateful for my hands, for my ability to communicate, for air conditioning and movie theaters.

I am grateful for Elysha and how alike we are, how we think the same way, and finish one another's sentences.

I am grateful for lamp-lit snow, salty hamptons streets, and the new friendships I make in yellow summer days.

I am grateful for wine vineyards, the ability to travel, for free will and the love I have in my life.

I am grateful for my childhood, for my adolescence, for my now.

I am so grateful for my ability to honor and trust my intuition.

I am grateful for a family that forces me to get up and dance in the face of tragedy.

I am grateful for my ability to cook, to speak my mind, for strangers who smile at me.

I am grateful for the heartfelt emails from old friends who tell me I make a difference in their lives, for my beaba baby food processor and mixer, for my knives and Paula dean Frying Pan.

I am grateful for the Paddington Bear on my desk, and for the person who sent him.

I am grateful for barefoot beach barbecues, campfires and flashlights, bug spray, and old friends who can always pick up where we left off.

I am grateful for movie theatre popcorn, lobster bibs, and the ocean. For the people who defend this country.

I am grateful for the family that chose me, and the family that got me.

I am grateful for being recognized for my gifts, for my heart, for my love.

I am grateful I was born a woman in the US.

I am grateful for the kindness of strangers, for my ability to feel emotions so strongly (the good and the bad), for knowing how to learn from my mistakes.

I am grateful for my job, the privileges I was born with, and the strengths I inherited.

I am so grateful for my ability to laugh in the face of tears, to love openly, and to live with kindness as my motivation.

I am grateful to those who have made room for me in their lives.

I am grateful for the love I've been shown in my life, in my days, in all my moments.

I am grateful that there’s still so much out there that excites me, that there’s so much still to learn. That I have the ability to make small choices every day that can change my life forever. I’m grateful that I know my power, and am relieved that I at least know how absurd people sound who say things like, "I’m grateful that I know my power." Mostly, I’m grateful for the people who can read a list of "gratefuls" without mentioning how often I’m grateful for food. Mmm, frozen bananas dipped in chocolate.



Wow, that is a lot to be grateful for...better not ever bring me home for Thanksgiving....we would never get to eat!

Letting go of Guilt....

Guilt is a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes —accurately or not— that they have violated a moral standard, and bear sole responsibility for that violation.[1] It is closely related to the concept of remorse.

I have been feeling this a lot lately. I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders and its crushing me. My mind won't stop and I really want it to. Then I think maybe, if I put my feelings out there and get it off my chest, I'll feel better. I want to focus on the things I have to be thankful for. And I have so much to be thankful for! Here it goes:

I feel guilty for leaving Ian 5 days a week.
I feel guilty for having a college degree (an expensive one, that I will pay for every month even after Ian is in college) and wanting to stay home and raise children.
I feel guilty for wishing Dan made more money so that I could stay home.
I feel guilty spending any money on myself when I know we as a family are trying to keep ends meet.
I feel guilty for watching TV after Ian goes to bed and not cleaning or working out.
I feel guilty for realizing that I would probably miss working, if in fact I did stay home.
I feel guilty for not being a better wife.I feel guilty for not loving my "after baby body", so that I can be a better wife.
I feel guilty for always focusing on what Dan didn't do, instead of what he did do.
I feel guilty for not being a better friend.
I feel guilty for being so, so very tired. I am exhausted - emotionally and physically.
I feel guilty for feeling guilty.
I feel guilty for wanting more.
I feel guilty for sleeping on Sundays, instead of taking my family to church.
I feel guilty for bearing so much weight, but not being able to let Dan share in my burden.
I feel guilty for feeling burdened by my household roles.I feel guilty for for posting this.
I feel guilty for not just being thankful.


There I said it, and you know sometimes it does feel good to get it off your chest!

3 Months Old!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Holy cow - I CANNOT believe Ian turned 3 months old yesterday! He is getting so big , Dan and I can't imagine what our lives were like before he graced us with his presence. We must have been so bored! At three months, Ian:

*Still hates tummy time, but it's getting better.
*Is a kicking fool - loves to kick his ducky in the bath!
*Might be the world's best behaved baby - whenever we take him out to eat and our sweet Ian sits quietly, wide awake, or asleep, in his carrier through the whole dinner!
*Is such a good sleeper!
*Is so happy. We couldn't have asked for a sweeter baby.
*Drools like no one's business. We have to change his outfits (and ours too) numerous times each day.

*Knows when he is hungry and does a little scream if not given his milk pronto!
*Has started to suck his fist - and pull on his tongue. ( No idea why, he is a goof!)

*Can support his weight and stand if we're helping him. He's gotten so good at going from a laying down position (on his back) to standing straight up.. just by us pulling him up by his arms.
*Can reach for and grab onto toys!
*"Talks" to us all the time - it's the sweetest sound I've ever heard!

Happy 3 Months, Ian!

Ian's First Snow!!!

In Georgia, the possibility of snow will shut down the state. This Friday it was forecast 100%. So, you can imagine the excitement (and the craziness on the milk and bread isle) when here in Atlanta, we actually got about 3 inches! It was so pretty!

Ian's 3 month stats!!!

What a growing boy we have on our hands!!!! I am unsure of his percentile ranks because I had to measure these on my own, his next well visit is in March at his 4 month appointment!

Weight: 14lb 9oz
Length: 24 inches
Head Circumference: 16 inches

Could he BE any cuter?

Ian has invented a new sport, "Duck Soccer"....................

Hang In There!

During those first months of our new life with a baby, I honestly thought we were done - Ian was going to be our only child because I didn't think I would ever be able to go through that again.
Prior to Ian's birth, everyone kept telling me the same thing: the first few months are hard. And, they were right. Hard might even be an understatement. Those first months suck... bad. It was hard to get use to the lack of sleep. It was hard to try and comfort a screaming baby, when I had no clue why he was screaming. It was hard to adjust to the fact that I was no longer the first priority. It was hard to transition from being a selfish person... to a selfless parent. It was hard to get up each morning and go to work... only to come home and keep working until I was finally able to fall crawl into bed. Hard? Yes.
Rewarding? Completely. After conquering those first few months, I look back and would do it all over again in a heartbeat (just not anytime soon , okay?). Why? It's not because I've somehow just suddenly forgotten how rough it actually was. Trust me, I will never forget. It's because I now get to reap the rewards of those difficult months every single day. From waking up a sleeping baby, who starts my day with the sweetest smile... to picking up an excited boy from daycare, who seems so thankful that I'm there to get him. Ian gives me a greater purpose in life and, for that, I am so thankful.
Trust me - I'm not one to give motherly advice. I'm surprised that Ian actually survived the first months, especially considering all of the mistakes I made (and sadly, continue to make). BUT, I do know one thing that I feel certain I should share with those new (and soon-to-be new) moms out there: Those first few months suck. BUT, despite how challenging and difficult they are, I promise you it will all be completely, perfectly, and wonderfully worth every second. Hang in there - it only gets better each day!
And, if I was able to survive it, then trust me - anyone can!