What a month!

What a month!!! I feel like October just flew bye! I don't even know where to start the update! Well, let's start with Sommer turning 2! AHH!! I have a 2 year old - does that make me old? Because all of a sudden I feel OLD! I know, I am young, but I feel like my baby is gone and now I have a little girl! She had a really fun birthday weekend and was of course spoiled as ever. She had a family party on Friday AND Saturday and then had some little friends over to celebrate on Sunday. She got lots of colouring stuff (a new favorite activity), some play-doh (another favorite activity), clothes, books, a new wagon, and the list could go on!

Here is the birthday girl with Mommy! I love the shirt she wore - my mom bought it for her! I don't think Sommer understood what it meant to be "the birthday girl" but when you ask her how her birthday was she "blew candles" out. Okay, fair enough, you did blow candles out! Turning 2 was not a huge deal to her because ever since she turned 1 she told people she was 2. So now maybe she will tell people she is 3?

Daddy and the birthday girl - what a special bond these two have! For those of you who know James you know he is "all boy!" But this little monkey has Daddy wrapped around her little finger! He will do anything for her! It's a good thing that Sommer loves all his toys. When she sees a motorcycle she will say "Daddy see! Motorcycle! Vrrroooom!" She is a girl after his own heart!

This month we spent some time at the family farm. Papa Sam took us for a hayride (minus the hay) one warm Saturday afternoon. We had such a fun time and Sommer really loved it!

Here is Sommer on the hayride (minus the hay...). She is getting so big! She likes the tractor when it is not running but is afraid of it when it makes noise. If only we could have had horses to pull the hayride....

Here is my little Tigger! She had so much fun at our church carnival! There was a dino bouncer, which she was scared of, but love the face painting and of course the food! I love seeing her with her church friends - seriously, it makes the hard decision of switching churches worth it!

I already know that November will be a BUSY month in our household! I look forward to sharing and keeping you in the loop of what's going on in our house!

I am thankful!

This time of year reminds of the many things I have to be thankful for in my life.

I am so thankful for my husband James. There are many people who say they could never work with their spouse every day but I am someone who is blessed to work with mine! We share an office, share a home, share a bedroom, and share a bed... wow! Don't get me wrong, there are days when I wish I had a little "me" space but my day just wouldnt be the same if he wasnt there beside me. I am lonely when he doesnt come into the office and I am especially lonely if we are away from each other at home. We are a couple that bickers but that has to be expected when you spend almost EVERY MINUTE together and share physical space 24/7, we don't let it get to us and that's why I love him! He is amazing, a hard worker, an excellent business owner, and goal driven!

I am thankful for my BEAUTIFUL daughter Sommer Lyn. Hard to believe she has been in our family for almost 2 years now - where has the time gone? She is so funny now that she is putting sentences together. Her new favorite sentence is "No buggin' me!" or "Lexis is buggin' me Mom!" Too funny! She has such a beautiful personality and is SO full of energy! She keeps us busy and on our toes but I love her for that! I am excited to see who she will become as she grows up, I know she will touch many people's lives!

I am thankful for my family and James' family! I have such amazing parents and a wonderful sister and brother! We have such fun times together and have travelled to many different places over the last few years. I love exploring new surrounding with them and going new places. I love how we tease each other and love each other at the same time! I wouldn't change my family in any way! I am also thankful to have such a great in-law family. There are many of them (12 of us kids and 3 grandkids) and they are loud but they are so fun and entertaining! No one can say they are bored when we are together because there is always something happening! I love each of my in-laws and I am blessed to have been given such a great second family!

I am thankful for having a job that allows me to work only 3 days a week so I can spend time with Sommer and do things that are important to me! I am also thankful to have a wonderful daycare provider who loves Sommer and cares for her! Going to work is easier when you know your child enjoyes where she is and looks forward to going back the next day!

I am also thankful for friends, many of whom I have been close with since elementary and highschool days. It makes a difference when you have friends that have grown up with you and have seen you through all your phases of life. I am blessed to have friends who I have also gotten to know over the past couple of years. My Friday morning playgroup friends are so important to me and I am so thankful to have them in my life! Every mom needs a group of moms to go to with questions, concerns, or anything - it really has made parenting that much more enjoyable!

There are many other things that I am thankful for but that's all for now! Happy Thanksgiving!

Jermiah 33:3

Sommer has been a DIVA lately - total DIVA. (I wonder where she gets that from..... certainly not her mother...) We have been having problems with her going to sleep and frankly I have had enough. Up until last week we would lay her down in her bed, say good night, turn off the lights, walk out the door and see her at 9:00 am the next morning. BUT that has all changed. Now we lay her in the bed, say good night, turn off the lights, walk out the door and 1 minute later look up and she is standing there in the hall. GO TO SLEEP!!!!! After 4 night of fights I have nothing to give and no energy to walk her back to bed.... So today when nap time was beginning to be a struggle I set up the playpen! I told her if she came out again she would be treated like a baby and sleep in the playpen. 1 minute later she appeared in the hall so I put the playpen in her room, plopped her in it, and walked out the door. She cried for about 10 minutes but it didn't bother me (I'm a CIO type Mom - your not hurt, not hungry, just mad - get over it!) Then she was asleep!! THANK HEAVENS!!! I couldn't do another minute. I will do the same thing tonight if she puts up a fight!

Our family has also made a pretty big decision this month. After much prayer and thought we have decided to no longer attend the church we have attended for many years. We are at a point in our lives right now where friendships and relationships are very important for us and we need those with people our age. The church we were attending didn't have very many young families and it was getting hard for us to connect with people. Also there were not a lot of kids Sommer's age which was bothering me. Some of my best friends today are people that I have grown up with, some of us go back as far as toddler church!! I want to give Sommer that opportunity - to make long lasting friendships with people who have the same beliefs and standards.

It was a hard decision for us to make, especially since we do love the people there and have many found memories. We did not leave mad or disgruntaled - we just felt God was calling us elsewhere. The church we have decided to attend is one where many of my friends go. It is so refreshing for me to go to church on Sunday and be with people I know well and have close relationships with. It is also so encouraging to drop Sommer off in the toddler class with 20 other toddlers!!! We are excited to see what God has in store for us!

It's hard to believe that summer is over and fall is just around the corner! We had such a fun summer. It was so great to watch Sommer explore the world around her, learn new things, and play outside! I look forward to a great fall season and the year ahead... I wonder what things God will reveal to me. I'll leave you with this verse that has found its way into my heart. This is my new life verse: "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3.

A little lesson in patience

*DISCLOSURE - I understand that people try for longer than I have been to have a baby. This is my story and a place for me to get my feelings out*

This month marks the 6 months mark of trying for a second baby. Half a year!!! I don't know why it has been taking us so long to get pregnant since with Sommer all we had to do was think about having a baby and I was pregnant. Every month I calculate and we try, and try, and try and 3 weeks later I am met with disappointment and I cry. I have told myself not to stress about it and to let everything happen on it's own yet inside of me it's all I think about. I just feel so frustrated and disappointed... I wish I knew what was going on.

I am a regular cycle gal - 29 days exactly for the past 3 months and before that it was maybe off by 2-3 days. I am a healthy gal, not overweight or underweight, I eat healthy, and my bloodwork all came back normal at my last check-up... I guess it's just not meant to be yet. I honesty try and stay positive because I know that God has perfect timing for my family. I just need to trust Him. Three of my friends just announced they were pregnant and I am truly happy for them. I am just so jealous and wish it was me joining them on the pregnancy journey.

This process makes me appreciate Sommer and how quickly I was blessed with her. I look at her and think how lucky I am to have such a perfect little angel who is so curious about life and loves her Mommy & Daddy with all her heart. Watching her grow up and explore the world around her is so fun. My life is blessed by her!

We will continue trying for our second angel and I will trust that God will deliever her/him when the timing is right. But if you think of it pray for me as I am frustrated and not the most patient person...

Summer time... and the livin' is easy!

We spent a whole 8 days out at the McCullough Family farm. It is 12 minutes into Outlook and 15 miutes to the lake. We had our trailer out there, as did James' sister's family, his parents and his brother & his girl friend. It was such a great week of relaxation and fun! We went into Outlook and went to the community pool, the SAAN store, for slushes, and played at James' parents house. Papa Sam brought the tempeture down in the hot tub so Sommer spent a whole afternoon floating around in the hot-tub. Sommer found a new obsession - riding the motorcycle around in the yard. No - they didn't go fast since we had no toddler helmet but she loved every minute of it! "More Daddy Please" was what she said everytime they stopped. It has been such a fun summer with her since she enjoys playing and interacting with us. She helps us in the yard and waters the flowers (and us!). She is such a fun little person to be around!

Sommer's hair is finally long enough to put into pigtails! HURRAY! I have been waiting for this day forever!!! This is her on Saturday morning with her pigtails. She is eating a brownie because I had to distract her to do her hair. She left them in all day and was actually very upset when one feel out. She told me "My pretty fell out!" Funny how pigtails make her look so much older and mature!!!

We have now graduated to the big girls bed at our house. We are keeping our eye open for a twin bed but in the meantime our toddler bed does the trick. The first night she fell out 2x but never got hurt. She was sitting on the floor both time when I walked in, I picked her up and back to sleep she went. Not bad! She fell out again the next night but nothing for probably a week now! She looks so mature and old in a bed. So far she hasn't had any problems going down to sleep or naps but maybe she will eventually?

Sommer and I are heading to Vancouver Washington (Portland) to see my family on Thursday. We are really looking forward to the trip. Everytime Sommer see's an airplane she says "Go Papa's! On Airplane!"... someone is going to love the flight!!!

Sommer at the Spa

Sommer at 19 months!

Even though spring/summer weather should be here it's clearly not. I have been so frustrated with having to keep Sommer inside the past couple of days that yesterday we decided to go to the Temple Gardens Moose Jaw Spa. Papa Garnet & Nanna Sharon came with us! Sommer enjoyed the warm water so much! She swam around with her water wings on and didnt need me at all. I was so proud of my little fish! She sure has come a long way since last summer!

We have officially (and I say "officially" loosely because it's only been a week...) got rid of Su-Su & teddy during the day. She knows that she can have them for naps & bedtime and when she asks for either of them during the day I have become very creative at distracting her. Mainly she asks for them when she is upset or hurt but things are going well. She is in love with "babies" right now so she takes her baby everywhere with her.

I just love watching her grow-up into such a little girl. She talks all the time and every day says something that makes us laugh. She is a little rough and needs to learn to be "gentle" but it's coming. Hard to believe that I have a 19 month toddler all ready! Where has the time gone??

Twitter, Potty, and unfortunately poop!

Sommer has been obsessed, and I mean OBSESSED with poop for the past 10 days. She no longer wants to poop in her diaper, which is fine by me, but we are having the hardest time to get her to go on the potty. She will come up to us and say "Poop!! POOP!" and we will run her to the potty. She will last on the potty for 10 seconds, yes 10 seconds. So we put her diaper back on and she will go play. 2 mins later it will all happen again. This will probably happen 10 times in a row. She does know when she has to actually go because finally I will get upset and refuse to put her on the potty and she will go in the diaper within a couple of minutes and come crying to me very upset. UGH!!!
We did have two steps in the right direction this past weekend. One time I was so frustrated with taking the diaper off and putting it back on that I decided to put her on the potty with the diaper still on - and she pooped on the potty! The second time she was yelling poop and I finally put her on the potty and she pooped a little. And man was she soooo excited to see her poop in the potty! She kept peaking, pointing at the poop, and saying "Mommy!! Poop!" Yes Sommer, that's poop, haha.

In other news I am now on twitter. Mostly to creep on celebrities - most people know I am a celebrity junky. I just find twitter a nice outlet to write a quick thought on - like a blog that can only be 140 characters. Perfect! Short sweet and to the point. You can follow me on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/mel_mccullough. Join so I can follow your thoughts too!