My First Shuffle Sunday and A Growing THUNDER CHUNKY

The I-Pod says today's song is "Crazy Girl" by the Eli Young Band, which is ironically how I feel 75% of the time :)  But despite the craziness I feel and the craziness of our lives, I am so lucky to have such a fabulous husband to help me keep it all together.  "We're gonna do what lovers do.  We're gonna have a fight our two. But I ain't ever gonna change my mind."  Which couple doesn't argue?  Especially at high stress times like bathtime and bedtime, or poopy diaper time!  But the fact remains, that we can look at each other and laugh.  Like Saturday morning, when getting the kids ready for a photo session here at the house.  Hunter decided he better fill his britches.  Not sure how it happened as Tyson was changing him, but Hunter ended up trying to make footprints with his diaper contents.  Rather than be mad about the mess, we were laughing hysterically at the smiling baby that was so dirty.  What was he smiling about? At that moment, he decided to give himself a shower!  More laughter and a bath :)  "Crazy girl, don't you know that I love you.  I ain't going nowhere."  Our lives have been crazy in the last year.  And just the other day, I told someone that I really felt like it brought us closer together. We know exactly what we could have lost in each other and in our children.  Not every day is sunny, but we have each other and two beautiful children and that somehow helps us to see the sunshine in every day! 

Hunter had a well visit on Tuesday and is now a big 18 lbs!!! I almost fell over when we were weighing him!  He was showing off his little personality for Dr. Louck and the nurse.  He was also loving the paper as it crinckled under his moving little body.  He is looking very good!! His umbilical hernia is not going anywhere and so we have to continue to watch that.  He also told me to hold off any food for at least another month and possible a month and a half.  I am fine with this as I didn't feed Hayden any solids until he was at leaszt 5 months old so with making an adjustment in his age, we will be right on.  It's so hard to believe that he is going to be 7 months old this week!  He is developmentally about 6 weeks behind a normal 4 month old (in adjusted age).  It's all so very confusing.  We just look at what he can do and be amazed by that!  He is rolling over both ways and pushing his arms straight when he is on his belly.  I think he is going to be highly motivated by his big brother!  Scary how closely he watches Hayden.  Even the not so good things :) Poor guy had shots on Tuesday and after all the headache over the RSV shot, we got to give him that on Thursday.  So shots twice in one week.  AND, little Hunter is trying to cut a tooth on the bottom.  I thought that might be why he is constantly chewing his hands and drooling.  Can't wait to see it poke through.  He has been a little off this week, but come on!  We have basically tortured him :)  Thank you all for the prayers.  He will need them for much longer so keep them coming.

My Couponing Experiences ... And Other Stuff

I have been on two couponing shopping trips.  I have only been to Meijer, browsed through Target, and stopped for a quick run into Walgreens.  I have been carefully looking at the prices and mentally calculating my savings.  I have been learning about sales and stacking.  I am a far cry from an expert and am hoping to have a neighbor help me learn more.  I am hoping to score more and more deals and can totally understand how great it feels when you get something for FREE or at a low low price.  I think the biggest score I have found was Similac which is usually 22.00.  I got it for 9.50!  I could have squealed with delight!! I also got diapers for like 7.00 off each box I bought.  I did get Dean's dip for FREE and Helluva Good Dip for just .44!  My binder is carefully organized and I am trying to learn more and more!! I am officially stocked up on salsa, pasta, and ketchup. Also, lunch meat and hot dogs.  Each shopping trip is a learning experience. 

Another thing I wanted to do this year was blog more.  I LOVE reading other people's blogs and have had several people comment on reading mine.  One of the blogs I read does a different topic each Tuesday.  I am thinking of trying to write about their topic on "Toddle Along Tuesday", but might be more like Thursday for me :)  I also LOVE music and everytime I hear a song, I have a memory or a thought of something.  I am going to do "Shuffle Sunday" and turn the Ipod on Shuffle and write about whatever song comes up.

I will share with everyone what we find out at Hunter's appointment tomorrow.  We finally got his RSV shot approved and figured out with the insurance.  He missed one with the insurance change and I am thankful and happy to report that he will hopefully be getting that tomorrow.  The doctor's office has been just wonderful, and our doctor even called the other insurance company personally to try to get him the shot.  Can't wait to see how much our "Thunder Chunky" weighs in at!! 

Bedtime ... Almost Ashamed

I know I should maybe be ashamed to write this post, but maybe I am more ashamed of not really being ashamed.  A while back, someone wrote about their bedtime drama and I thought, we definitely have that here! Hayden used to be an amazing little sleeper.  He would be down by 9 and sleep through the night until about 6 in the morning.  Then he turned 9 months old, and somehow we went backwards.  He was awake 1-2 times a night needing to be rocked.  So I would take him into the dark living room and rock him.  Then gently place him back in his crib and pray that he didn't wake up.  Now, believe me, I have read my fair share of parenting articles about how to get your child to sleep.  Awake, but drowsy - Follow a routine - Let them cry - Check on them, but don't touch.  We had tried it all.  And STILL, our sweet little boy would NOT sleep.  That is unless he was with us.  I swore I would NOT be that parent that let their kid sleep with them.  My perfect children would be in their own bed by 8 every night and I would have hours of me time before I went to bed.  My child is NOT perfect, he is wonderful in so many ways, but bedtime pushes my buttons.  Hayden sleeps with us.  We even had to size up to a King size bed so that we could all sleep comfortably.  For a long time, I had to lay with him until he fell asleep.  That was fixed and then we went away for 4 days to Las Vegas and BAM-I had to sit again.  I have recently reworked that again and he is going to sleep alone.  Until he got sick and I let him come into the livnig room because I didn't want him to puke in my bed.  Now, he tells me he has a tummy ache so that he can come into the living room.  And I just KNOW, the one night I leave him he will puke all over my bed.

We do the routine, bath, book, cuddle for 3 minutes, Mommy leaves.  Sometimes he cries (like tonight as I type this he is screaming) sometimes he just lays down and sleeps.  Most nights, he asks if he can sleep with some random toy, along with his "minky" (blanket).  Tonight, we have a bath (dry) whale and seal.  Tyson almost always removes them from our bed before he goes to sleep or tucks them under Hayden's pillow. 

I am not ashamed that my son sleeps with us.  I have actually come to like having all my chicks in my nest.  (No, Hunter does NOT sleep with us - but he is still in the bassinet in my room).  I like when there is a storm or a cold night that we are all together.  What I AM ashamed of is that some nights I don't get any down mommy time.  And sometimes I just want sit on the couch and do nothing. 

Sigh ... Turn up the TV a bit and focus on the TV show we have going ... I am demanding Mommy TIME!

2012 Resolution - COUPONING!

Because of everything that has happened in our lives, our pocket books are starting to really stretch and feel the pain.  I knew that having a second child would be costly with diapers and formula and baby food and wipes, but pile a new baby along with hospital bills and a newly necessary car payment and no income for almost three full months and WOW!  I have always used coupons here and there when I remembered I had them and almost always on diapers.  I am SO intrigued by the world of "extreme" couponing.  I SO want to learn how to only spend $10 on $600 worth of groceries, but will settle on maybe taking my weekly Wal-mart/grocery trips down by a fourth or half even!  I still really want to figure out the big picture, but am working up to that :)  So, I used some of my Christmas money to buy a binder and get ink catridges for my printer. I have been scouring the Internet for Coupon sites and information and trying to learn.  I almost feel like I need a shopping tutor.  Someone to go with me and show me how to work it!  I have been trying to get organized and sort through my small stockpile of coupons that I already have.  I did come across some "mommy" coupons that I won't be able to use.  I would love to pass them onto someone that can use them and am willing to mail them.  If you are interested in any either Facebook message me or email me your address.  My email is thebridgemans18@gmail.com. 
- Save $1.00/2 Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags
- Save $2.50 on any package of Huggies Little Snugglers Diapers (Jumbo Pack or Larger)
- Save $0,75 on any package of Huggies Baby Wipes (64 ct. or larger) - 2 coupons
- Save $3.00 on any package of Huggies Pure and Natural Diapers
- Save $2.00 on any ONE package of Huggies Pure and Natural Diapers (Jumbo Pack or larger)
- Save $2.00 on any one paackge of Huggies Little Snuggles Diapers (Jumbo Pack or Larger)
- Save $2.50 on Gerber Good Start Formula
- Save $3.00 on any Gerber Good Start Formula

I am going to try to share my love of collecting with everyone so keep watching for my COUPON UPDATES.  If you have any Pampers or Similac coupons that you won't be using, those are hot items in my house! 

I have been using the sites coupon.com and hip2save.com.  Both are fabulous if you are looking for a place to start.  Please feel free to send me any links that you use that are helpful.  I also have an ebates account and am hoping that if I do place orders online, which I do with my Shutterfly account and other assorted deals.  It's not a ton of money, but it all adds up! 

Tyson made me promise that this wouldn't be a phase and that I would stick with it.  I am going to try to keep track of how much I save.  I am hoping it's a great amount, because we need it!  Any help from you all is fabulous!