Ummmm hiiiiiiiii......

So it's been awhile since I've even thought about my blog. My last post was about Carson's birthday party in JULY and this is February of the next year :/ I know I have been awful at This whole thing but to be honest my life was/is pretty damn boring and at the time of my last post I was still dealing with a bit of post partum anxiety.

When I started working again in June I felt alive again! I felt like I had purpose other than taking care of the baby all day every day. I could get up a few days a week, do my hair, my make-up, GET OUT OF MY PJ's, drop the baby off for a little bit, recharge my mommy batteries and go make some mOolah. It made me feel awesome to be social again, to learn new things, and meet new people. I didnt know I needed these things until then but I so desperately did. I needed to feel like "Britney" and to figure out who "Britney" was as wife, daughter ,sister, friend, and everything else while also being mother to my little boy.

And that is exactly what I've been doing. Searching for the "Britney" I am now. And I think I've found her. I am so happy where I am right now. I love my family, my job, and most importantly, I love ME again.

I look forward to getting back into sharing our adventures again. And catching back up with everyone :)

week in phone pics. week one

Amy @ A Good Life hosts an awesome link up every week of cell phone pics, taken throughout the week. This is my first time I'm linking up, but definately not the last. You should go check it out & link up too, fo sho.

Scenes of the week:

Teething baby sucking on a mesh feeder, pulling grass with his bff Mazelynn, sneaking in Mama's closet, mean muggin on a walk,  Carsey riding in his Lowe's truck. Being cute, Eating breakfast, Furniture shopping, Rolling with a Big Yellow Ball =)

March Of Dimes Walk

Saturday we were up bright & early, drank our coffee(except Carson of course), & went walkin for healthy babies!

When we arrived there were of course tons of people & babies everywhere, it was great to see so many people supporting such a great cause. When the walk started we started down the path that began with a small field of stars with "in memory of" & "in honor of" <insert name> on them. I couldn't help but get teary-eyed looking at them & thinking about Carson's short three day stay in the NICU, the day after we came home from the hospital, at four days old (a story for a different day), and how terrifying that was, and how blessed we were to have a healthy baby boy. I also thought of the story of another bloggy momma Holly & her son Liam. Their story is one of strength, courage, & loss of a precious life & was on my mind and in my heart the entire time. I was walking for Liam's memory, all the little lives taken too soon & those who had to go through so much to be here today.

It was an amazing experience & we will definately be walking again next year!

Oh by the way, yesterday at King's Island in Cincinnati....this happened.

Awesome.

{scroll down & pause the music player before you play}

Please pass it on too, every view on youtube gets 10 cents donated to the March of Dimes!



Wordless Wednesday: Just a Swingin

Flashback Friday: Christmas Edition

Clifton Mill 2009

In this pic.....I was still in my first trimester, knowing there was a baby growing inside me but not yet realizing how different our lives would be this Christmas.

A year ago, my life was filled with school, morning sickness, housework, nausea, family gatherings, & more nausea. This year I have diapers, bottles, spit-up, naps, cleaning, family gatherings, more diapers,  & more bottles. A stark difference from my life 365 days ago. Every chore takes a bit longer, every shower is a bit shorter, & every outing is a bit trickier but I wouldn't change it for anything.

I can't believe we are going to be waking up to our son's very first Christmas tomorrow morning. I'm so excited for him, even though he is only five months & has no idea what will be happening. 

I've always been a barely sleeping, early riser for Christmas, but it's Carson's first Christmas! I doubt I'll sleep at all!

Merry Christmas to you all!

God Bless

Wanna see more Flashbacks? Check out Christopher & Tia...

Steppin Out Saturday: Family Portrait Edition

This Saturday we stepped out to have Carson's 1st Christmas & our first family pictures done. And holy shnikees was it a loooooong day! First of all, this place was p.a.c.k.e.d, and continued to get more packed the longer we were there. Our appointment was at 1:20pm which might as well have been at 2pm since we waited till about then. It didn't bother me much though, Carson was being super good playing with Daddy while I sat next to them, people watching =)  We ended up being there three hours total, UGH! But we got some great shots & a learning experience on what and what not to do from it all.



too tired to hang...

Our friends Bob & Amber came over yesterday so the boys men could play video games and they could see how big Carson has gotten since they saw him last. We all played on the floor with little man, sang with his moo cow which Paul has now named "Cow Ripkin", & caught up on life chat.

 It seems that Mr. Carson was tired of the grown up jib-jabbing 'cause we soon found this....

Bahahaha...our little mister was too tired to hang & fell asleep sitting in daddy's lap.

So presh, i love my baby!



It's The Holiday Season

Whew! These past couple weeks have been insane jam-packed. Leading up to Thanksgiving thoughts of all the trips we had to take, the many germy, gross eager loving relatives that couldn't wait to touch my healthy little baby, and all the goodies I had to bake bombarded my head & made me crazy nervous. Everything was going to be so different this year with little one here. And of course I was freaking out for no reason. We had a wonderful holiday with all of our family, there weren't any baby or mommy meltdowns & I didn't even follow everyone around dousing them in purell, bahaha. 

My sister & I couldn't miss out on all the black friday deali-o's so we were out at 3:30am with all the other crazies. Kohl's opened at three, we thought the inital rush would be in lines by the time we got there at 4ish, WRONG! Tash & I grabbed some things, tried to find the end of the line which just so happened to wrap around the entire friggin store & was 2 1/2 hours long! Needless to say we weren't waiting in that thing so we hid our bag of goodies in the kidlet section behind a rack of clothes, went to the mall, then came back later to a much much shorter 20 minute line =) We met up with our parents & my grandma for some OhMiGosh yummo breakfast at Cracker Barrel, even better...they paid, thanks mom & dad! We finished up at Menard's & Wally World and all in all I'd say we scored some great stuff.

Finally, this weekend after buying yet another, yes I said another new tree <~~~long story... we put up Carson's first Christmas tree, which despite not being able to find our topper, turned out pretty well.

Carson's 1st personalized ornament

I seriously can't wait until Christmas now!

Flashback Friday: Saying Goodbye To A Puppy Friend =(



top left & bottom right: Christmas '98, Brina is the puppy in the middle
bottom left: Sabrina
top right: Sabastian, our other dog & older sibling to Sabrina
p.s. I'm the unfortunate looking child on the bottom right



My mom & aunt drove down to Tennessee to get Sabrina in '98. She was the cutest puppy, born with her left eye circled in pink. I remember when they brought her home she was so tiny, we didn't have any puppy food so my mom had us make her scrambled eggs & she loved them! I will always hold fond memories of her in my heart. I'll miss you Brina Weena Bo Beena Banana Fanna Fo Feena Fee Fi Mo Meena, Brina.


Hey guess what? There are some more awesome Flashback Fridays at http://christopherandtia.blogspot.com/ Go check 'em out!

Wordless Wednesday [with a few words]

                                        My lovies [SWOON]

Monkey N' Around

Yesterday evening was Beggar's night in our town & a whole bunch around us. Even though mister man is only 3 1/2 months we still took him out for everyone to see his cute adorable little costume.

First, we stopped by my friend Kinzi's house because her mom is mega into Halloween & always decorates her house spook-tacular.  Then since it was a bit chilly for him we went to a nursing home that I used to work at, where all the residents sit in the halls & pass out candy to the trick-or-treaters. To be honest I felt a tad guilty getting candy for a baby that is obviously too young for even a sucker. (although I would be lying if I said I didn't give him one little taste, okay two) One of the residents even said as she was putting candy in his bucket, "that baby is a little young for trick-or-treating", just love how blunt the eldery can be. HaHa!  After the nursing home we came back to our town & visited my Aunt so she could see Carson in his costume & take pictures. He was a little ticked off by this point in the night, it was getting dangerously close to bath/bedtime & his costume was a bunting costume, so we couldn't keep him in it to ride in his car seat, resulting in taking him in and out of his costume THREE times in one and a half hours!! Ugh, what a pain for all of us!

All in all it was a good night & a great first holiday for our little family. Plus, we got what we wanted out of the whole night... Pictures, Fun, & Candy

Us = party of three

Taking advantage of a 76 degree fall day, we took Carson for his first walk in the park yesterday. Carson of course fell asleep like he does on most of our walks, only to wake up as we are heading towards the car. But I'd like to believe he enjoyed the weather at the very least. The leaves are starting to change colors & the air was crisp. There were others enjoying a walk in the park & kids practicing football. Chipmunks & squirrels ran across the crackling leaves then up into the trees.

Paul & I strolled down a paved path through the woods with our sleeping boy in tow, talking about what our days had entailed and our plans for the next. I cherish the times that we get to have these "adult" conversations now nore than ever, instead of talking about how much Carson ate or how many poops he had done. Our evenings usually consist of dinner for all of us, dishes, diapering, playing, bathing, & bedtime. It seems like we have no time for each other anymore. I miss it being so easy to focus solely on one another. But I know we are just going to have to plan time to spend together & also be able to work "Us Time" into "Family time". Because "Us = party of three" now.