The Stewart Scoop

My chatterbox....

2012-01-21T10:24:00.003-06:00

Kent is definitely feeling MUCH better, thank you all for your prayers & kind thoughts!

He is also talking SO much these days! The other day I had to make a list of the words he could say for his class, and I was shocked when I went to write them down... he really is a talker. :) Here is a list of what he is saying right now, at 16 months:

* hi
* bye
* Mama
* Dada
* Elmo
* more
* dude
* uh-oh
* moo
* hey
* shoe
* one
* two
* tis-you (his version of "Thank you")
* puppa (his version of "puppy")
* all do (his version of "all done")

Poor Kent... :(

2012-01-12T12:54:00.004-06:00

My little guy has had a cough for the last three or four days that gradually got worse. I tried to get him into his Pediatrician yesterday, but their hours / appointments available were not working with my work hours. On the way home, Kent's cough was pretty bad so I just pulled into an Urgent Pediatric Care and brought him there.

I was pleasantly surprised with the facilities / staff - they were GREAT! {and only a $20 co-pay made them THAT much greater!}

However, I was heartbroken to find out my little guy had RSV - a respiratory infection and needs breathing treatments for the next few days!

The doctor spent literally an hour with Kent, checking his vitals, giving him a breathing treatment, checking his vitals, giving him another breathing treatment, and answering ALL of my scared-new-mom questions! Thankful & grateful for a patient doctor!

Today I had to stay home from work to take care of Kent -- it looks like I might be staying home tomorrow too; but I don't mind and I just want my little guy to feel better!

So, send us some good vibes... :) for little man to get well and for me to be strong for him! Right now, we are giving the treatments every four hours so it's back to being like raising a newborn... very little sleep, lots of stress, but lots of cuddling too!

Happy Retirement, Dad!

2012-01-07T20:53:00.003-06:00

Last night, I went to my Dad's retirement party. He is officially a 100% free man! I am so excited for him and his new life with my Mom. They are moving near Corpus Christi by the end of the month.

I will say too: what an incredible example my Dad has set for me for the past 22 years! He has worked at AIDS Services of Dallas for that long... helping those who need a little extra help with housing, medical care, food, and clothing expenses! He worked many long and hard days simply to help others. And he always had the best attitude about everything!

I felt so blessed to be invited to his retirement party. Many of his coworkers have known me since I was 5 years old and remember me coming in from dance class and ballet dancing in his office! It was a bit surreal to see all of them last night to say goodbye.

I also told my Dad how proud I was of him and how thankful I was for the role model he's been for me in my life. We both got a little teary-eyed. :)

Here's to a new beginning for my Dad!

New Year's Goals!

2012-01-04T21:29:00.003-06:00

I know, I know, I'm late with these. I honestly wasn't going to make any this year... it's hard enough to keep them; but it's especially hard when I KNOW this will be an incredibly busy year -- Kent will turn 2, we plan to try to move into a house in the summer, my parents are retiring and moving, etc. etc -- the list goes on! BUT I kept thinking about it and decided it's okay to at least make goals... things to TRY to do better but things to not feel awful about if they don't get accomplished.

2012 Goals!

+ to work out at the gym as much as possible!
{at least 3 times a week, at the bare minimum!}
+ to read some form of scripture daily
{for Christmas, my parents got me this beautiful Joel Osteen planner that has a verse/short devotional each day...}
+ to serve in church!
{am signed up to work with elementary-age kiddos! excited!}
+ to further my career
{look into grad school options, further certifications, etc.}
+ to take more photos
{with my new camera!}
+ to not stress out so easily!
{HA! tough for me, but I am working on it. :) God is helping me through this one.}

feeling crafty!

2012-01-02T19:29:00.004-06:00

This long three-day weekend was the perfect time to get all the Christmas decorations down... but then our front door looked so sad with no wreath hanging from it! After reading so many great DIY ideas on Pinterest, I knew I could come up with something to hang on my door for Valentine's Day.

So, Kent & I went off to Michael's to wander for inspiration...

I found this great heart-shaped plain wreath for $5 and three different pink-ish/red-ish ribbons each on sale for less than $2....

I covered it with the ribbon that was the widest...

and then cut up the other ribbon into strips, and tied it around repeatedly until this was the finished project:

I LOVE IT! Not bad for $11. ;) Even Chad was very impressed and loved it. It just makes our home feel more cozy to have something warm to walk up to at the end of a long day.

I have a few more other crafts to try soon...

happy new year!

2011-12-31T05:47:00.001-06:00

New layout AND new playlist!

Celebrating the new year is a little different with a one year old, but we plan on ordering pizza tonight and watching movies as a family. I wouldn't trade it for anything, though!

Hope everyone has a SAFE and wonderful time tonight!

Merry Christmas! {2011}

2011-12-25T19:30:00.006-06:00

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas! It was so amazing to watch Kent really experience everything and open gifts and see his face light up... :) Having a child makes Christmas that much more magical! Here are some highlights from our holiday:

Kent & I made a gingerbread house! This picture warms my heart when I see his little grin. :)

This was Kent's face when he realized SANTA came and these presents were for him!! This is a framer for sure :)

And this one is just sweet of Kent loving on his Daddy this Christmas. ♥

Christmas Break.... starts.... NOW!

2011-12-21T17:44:00.003-06:00

I can hear the Hallelujah chorus! My Christmas break JUST started. The school I teach at now remains open this week, but doesn't do curriculum on these days.... SO... I begged and pleaded my way into two extra days off, and we do get Monday off, so no work for FIVE days! They will be jam-packed full of fun, believe me!

A few random things and thoughts...

+ Kent & I will be making a gingerbread house tomorrow.... :) Pictures for sure!

+ My brother is flying in from Indiana, so I will be spending lots of time with my family over this mini-break.

+ May I just add, I have THE sweetest students in the world! They spoiled me this year with lovely gifts and I was honestly overwhelmed and almost got a little teary eyed when I made my third trip to the car carrying presents out. I am blessed!

+ This year has definitely had it's ups and downs, but all of it has honestly made Chad and I's faith stronger, as well as our relationship. It's funny how you can be so stressed about a situation, but when you fully hand it over to God and let Him take control -- you find peace in it. So I'll end with wise words from Jeremy Camp:

"I don't know if I will ever understand the depth of what it is you've done inside,
But I know that I will won't find any worth apart from You. Everything that I have has been given so unselfishly, and shown that even when I don't deserve You, You always show the fullness of your love."

Kent loves Santa....

2011-12-10T14:31:00.002-06:00

Christmas pictures.... aww! Chad and I had so been looking forward to Kent's first picture with Santa. Everytime we see him at the mall, Kent smiles and giggles and points. We thought it would be a piece of cake to to get a cute smiley picture with Santa.

So we tried:

.....hehehe.

I actually think it's hilarious! :D I've heard from most parents that this is totally normal, every mom & dad has a picture like this stashed away for later. :)
We'll see how he does next year.

My amazing husband....

2011-12-03T11:03:00.002-06:00

...yeah, that guy. ;)

He has made Kent & I breakfast two Saturdays in a row! We are so blessed his new job allows him so much more quality time with his family!

Tis the Season!

2011-11-26T07:56:00.003-06:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Chad's family {my parents were out buying their retirement house near Corpus!}... here are some pics from our feast including Kent CHOWING down on some good food.

(Kent saying: NO MORE PICTURES, MOM!)

Now, let the Christmas season officially commence! {starting with a new blog look AND playlist!}

Thankful...

2011-11-17T17:25:00.004-06:00

Last year, I did a post a day for each thing I was thankful for the entire month of November. This year, I haven't had as much time with a busy toddler, but I do want to remember to be grateful for all the blessings in my life...

I'm thankful for...

...an amazing family! I love my precious son more than words can say, and I honestly love my husband more each day. He is an AMAZING father and truly my best friend. I am so blessed! How precious is this picture of them at the zoo together?

...new beginnings! I am so glad we started over back in the DFW area. We missed it so much and being back near family is so comforting!

...the seasons! We are LOVING making sure Kent gets to soak in the joys of each and every season! We LOVED the pumpkin patch/boo at the zoo, and have LOTS of plans for these holiday months for the little man!

...our "new" church: it took us quite awhile to find a place that felt like "home". I really loved The Village and wanted to stay with it, but Chad didn't feel 100% comfortable there. We kept praying about it and going back and forth, but finally decided Elevate Life would become our home church. We'd been there many times (it's Chad's Dad's church) and liked it, but I never quite felt comfortable. One week I felt God was calling us to go back and give it another try, and we did, and haven't turned back since! It finally feels like home, and we join "officially" on December 3rd! Can't wait to serve!

...my job: Pre-K has definitely been an adjustment from 3rd Grade, but I honestly love my 19 precious kiddos with all of my heart. They are so excited and wide-eyed about everything, and that excitement makes the job worth it! Love that I can take Kent with me to work everyday too!

...Chad's job: Chad FINALLY got moved to the perfect store for him, doing the position he really wanted. He is FINALLY happy to go to work again AND we get to see him at night! It's a win-win!

Thank you Lord for all these awesome blessings in our life!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T06:31:00.004-05:00

Our Halloween was fun and low-key. Poor Kent showed the starter signs of an eye infection Saturday, and by Monday night we were on stay-at-home-for-two-days-doctor's-orders! So no trick or treating for little man, but that was fine with Chad and I -- we're not huge Halloween fans anyway.

On Sunday we did go to Boo at the Zoo and had a lot of family fun there. We didn't take a TON of pics due to Kent's eye, but we got a couple of him and his adorable SUPERMAN outfit. And one of he & I that just melts my heart.

I love my little boy and staying home with him for two days is a DREAM come true!

The house that built me....

2011-10-29T07:30:00.002-05:00

My parents are now one step closer to retirement in January 2012.

They have officially sold and moved out of the house I grew up in. It is very bittersweet; I am so happy for them and my Dad deserves to retire WHEREVER will make him happiest, but of course it's hard to see a place where so many memories were made no longer be a part of your family.

It's the house where I loved kittens and cats and animals of all kinds...

Where we celebrated holiday after holiday:

Where I did my homework, studied for my SATs, and I applied for college:

So goodbye for now, 11568 Drummond -- and hello to a new beginning for my parents!

When I Let it Go...

2011-10-09T20:44:00.002-05:00

I'm praying for guidance in my life right now, this song says it all:

Lyrics | Sierra lyrics - When I Let It Go lyrics

Happy Fall!

2011-10-02T15:27:00.006-05:00

Love, The Stewarts

My kind of weekend!

2011-09-25T19:42:00.004-05:00

We have had such a nice, laidback, relaxing weekend. It's been EXACTLY what we've needed as a family!

On Saturday we were out running errands when Chad's Dad called us and VOLUNTEERED to watch Kent! We took him up on it so Chad went to take care of some things and I treated myself to a zebra pedicure. ;)

On Sunday, we decided to make a splurge we'd been saving for and thinking about for a long time.... a new TV! Believe it or not, it's the FIRST tv we've bought as a couple in the 8 years we've been together! We were always blessed to be given tv's by family members who were moving, etc, so we figured it was time to choose a new one for our little family. We loved watching Finding Nemo first on it:

Then for dinner I made yummy spaghetti & meatballs and garlic bread... Kent was in heaven and loved making a huge mess with it and getting it everywhere:

Now we're finishing out the weekend by watching Disney movies! My mother-in-law was clearing out her collection so she gave us a ton of her kiddos old movies - the Disney classics! Kent (and I) are happy to have them to say the least!

So it has been a perfect weekend for us. How was yours?

grapefest!

2011-09-20T20:22:00.005-05:00

My guys enjoying the sights & sounds of Grapefest

One of our absolute favorite things to do as a family is to go to festivals...we just love the ambiance of being out and about; the sights/smells/etc. Chad and I really missed Grapevine while we were out in East Texas, and were SOOO excited to go to Grapefest this year.... a huge festival in historic downtown Grapevine with booths and booths of people selling crafty things; yummy fair food; and of course yummy wine! ;)

Me enjoying a yummy blush wine

Kent loved being in his stroller enjoying everything, taking it all in. We also got to meet up with one of my coworkers, Erin, and her hubby & kids and had a great time just hanging out with friends. I love fun weekends!

Kent LOVING being out & about

friends!

2011-09-11T18:49:00.002-05:00

Pretty cool thing, my "suite-mate" (like a roommate, but we only shared a bathroom) from college and I had babies about ONE week apart! She had her little girl September 7th, and Kent was born the 13th! We were super close in college and have kept in touch since, but I finally got to see her and meet her daughter Lily for the first time today! It was so much fun seeing our babies interact and we hope to get to do it again soon!

Here are some pictures from our Sunday Funday Playdate! After lunch at McAlister's Deli, we went to a park and let the kiddos play:

Happy Birthday, sweet Kent!

2011-09-11T10:34:00.009-05:00

I cannot believe my baby boy is one. {on Tuesday, technically.}

How quickly does a year go by! It's insane and has been so much fun watching him learn new things every day. You know you will love your children, but you never know the depth of that love until you experience it. I LOVE my little man! Here are the highlights from his party:

We decorated to the max:

Then, he got dressed for the occasion: {his shirt says "I'm the birthday boy!"}

Time for presents & cake: :)

We love you, Kent!

A picture speaks a thousand words....

2011-09-10T20:37:00.003-05:00

Coming Soon....

2011-09-08T20:05:00.002-05:00

I absolutely CANNOT believe it; but on Saturday my little guy will be celebrating his FIRST birthday! TONS of pictures and fun posts to come about that!

Fall is just around the corner...

2011-08-27T16:28:00.001-05:00

...and I'm thankful that Chad is back just in time to watch Cowboys games with Kent & I!

A new year!

2011-08-21T20:28:00.001-05:00

For teachers, I think our "New Year" always starts off in August, rather than January. I am excited about starting a year with Pre-K kiddos tomorrow! My friend came by this morning and dropped off this Scentsy warmer -- in perfect timing to remind me why I became a teacher in the first place and how to go about being the best one I can: {teaching from the ♥)

My husband is back!

2011-08-20T13:44:00.001-05:00

Chad got his job transfer and is making the drive from Jasper to Lewisville one LAST time! He officially turned in the keys to our old place today and will be back here for good. I am so glad to finally have my best friend back and Kent can't stop saying "da-da!" :) Thank you Lord for this answered prayer! Lesson in patience.... almost learned! It's been a rough road getting here, but blessed to be here now.

a bit of inspiration!

2011-08-10T20:51:00.002-05:00

On Sunday, we went to church with my in-laws. Their church was having an incredible guest speaker -- the real-life "Rudy" from the movie! Listening to him was amazing - so inspiring! What stuck with me the most was his commitment to his dreams - as he said, "it took me 10 years to get to that tackle in the film... and another 10 years to make the film.... but never give up. Your dreams are God-given."

It's amazing how God speak to us through others the words we need to hear. ;)

Here's your inspiration for today... what's your dream?

Family Fun Week!

2011-08-06T17:06:00.005-05:00

Chad got to take a week of vacation this past week, so we squeezed in as much fun family time as we could! Our favorite endeavor of the week was the brand new Sea Life Aquarium in Grapevine.... that all THREE of us loved!

Here are a few {iPhone style for this busy Mommy!} pictures from our trip:

music, family, friends, work, & more!

2011-07-21T21:20:00.004-05:00

Here's a REAL post over the past few days... including some of my more serious thoughts.

I have been LOVING the I-pod feature of my I-phone -- I've been using it pretty much non-stop; Chad got me a car adapter for it last time he was here so I listen to music in the car AND I made a "work-out" playlist and I have been working out like crazy, so I've been listening to my music there too. Music is keeping me sane these days!
Being here without Chad and basically being a single mom has been really, really tough. I LOVE my son and wouldn't trade him for anything, but doing it alone is hard. {My heart really goes out to military families now... I don't know how they go months and even years at a time without their spouse....} I KNOW God is just finding Chad THE perfect job transfer and we have to be patient, but that doesn't mean it isn't tough. I keep quoting the song 'Dancing in the Minefields' to myself over & over "This is harder than we dreamed, but I believe that's what the promise is for..."
Work is at times stressful. It's different than teaching third grade, that's for sure. I have almost 40 kids ranging in age from 5 to 12 that I'm responsible for. That's a lot! I have an assistant teacher who is great, but I also feel even more pressure on me than I did during TAKS time! At the end of the day, I love these kids and I know I am doing the best I possibly can for them.
In the Fall, I switch gears from having all these kiddos to focusing in on just Pre-K. I know that will be a good change for me. I took this job as a way to get my head together this year. In the midst of all these budget cuts and job uncertainty in the education system, I am trying to steer my course the best way for my family & I.... I just can't seem to pick a course... Stay here with Pre-K? Get more certifications? Grad School? Switch careers completely!? I keep going back and forth all of my options. I know I don't need to decide tomorrow; but I do need to figure things out this year. And being the planner that I am, I want to know right NOW where I'm headed. {Think God is trying to teach me a lesson in patience?? Hmm!}
In happy news, Kent & I were so blessed to get to spend some time with our dear friend & her daughter while they were in town for a workshop! We had yummy PF Chang's and Kent got lots of extra love & hugs from these two:

Also, I am SO thankful my parents are going to give me a hand this weekend! SO blessed to be back near family. Hope ya'll have a great weekend too!

Ch-ch-changes!

2011-07-16T19:25:00.002-05:00

Chad came to visit again for a few days and we decided we needed to check out gym memberships. We had been talking about it for awhile but decided the time to act is NOW - Kent is now old enough where we feel comfortable leaving him in their "Kid's Club" for an hour or two if we must; and we want to get ourselves back in shape!

We checked out 24 hour fitness, which, had a great gym but a HORRIBLE Kid's Club. It was like a closet with a mat in it. Literally. 10 year old kids would be running right next to our 10 month old. Cue Mommy panic attacks. No bueno.

Oddly enough, we had gotten a postcard in the mail from Express Fitness about $9.99 memberships and state of the art equipment! We drove ourselves up there, saw the amazing gym, and asked to see the Kid's Club -- preparing for another closet. Nope! Although it was small, it was sectioned into three sections by age. The baby section had TONS of age-appropriate toys and things for Kent to do! The staff happily plays with the kids and has fun with them. Sold.

So now for $30 bucks a month, Chad, Kent, AND I have unlimited access to this gym for the three of us. NO EXCUSES TO NOT GO!

I went last night and did 30 minutes on the treadmill, 15 on the elliptical. It felt SO good! I went again this morning and did another 30 minutes on the treadmill, and about 15 minutes of weights! Both times, Kent was happy and they are taking good care of him!

So the Stewart family is getting fit around here... and so excited about it!

I promise....

2011-07-12T20:52:00.003-05:00

...more pics of our new home to come soon!

It's just this precious face + Daddy being gone = one busy Mommy!

{I DO have some yummy recipes to share over at my other blog, though! :)}

Sweet Summertime....

2011-07-04T13:05:00.004-05:00

Well, my promise to blog the next day didn't happen... oops! Got busy with life: work and family and baby... :) BUT I finally got around to uploading some pictures of these sweet summertime days and how we've been spending them: swimming & shopping at this awesome outdoor mall about 10 minutes from our new place! Kent loves the water and his stroller so all of us are happy.

We're still waiting on Chad's job transfer to come through, so right now time with him is precious. He is coming down about every other weekend. So, when he's gone Kent & I try to keep busy playing and checking out our new city.

Work is keeping me busy - during the day I have 40 children ages 5 to 11 to take care of. :) In the fall, I will be the Pre-K teacher, but I am having so much fun this summer swimming with my students, going to cowboys stadium, going to build a bear! Fun times ahead too.

I had a wonderful birthday weekend! My sweet husband spoiled me rotten all weekend and Kent was sweet as always. My son is truly the best gift I could've received this year - anything else is just icing on the cake! {Although, Chad did take me to Cheesecake Factory for lunch and the Key Lime Pie Cheesecake was DIVINE!}

That's our little Stewart update.

Now, as soon as I can get new camera batteries, I promise to share pictures of the new place...

We're Baaaaaacck!

2011-06-25T20:58:00.002-05:00

The cable company was JUST today able to FINALLY come install our internet & cable TV thanks to being all booked up! So we have been making do with iphone internet and watching our DVD's, but are very glad to be able to blog again! Yay!

A more in depth update with more pictures tomorrow!

the past few days...

2011-06-03T05:37:00.006-05:00

....have been filled with working, and:

and lots of this:

and a little of this:

and a little shopping for new home items,

like finally finding & deciding on new bedding:

and finding the coffee maker we wanted for 50% off (!):

and picking up one of these {slightly bigger than this photo}

and saying our goodbye's and see ya later's:

and Dallas, here we come!

I'm still a believer...

2011-05-23T10:44:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I just wanna start over
Cause everything looks like a wreck
And I need the courage to carry on
Cause I can’t see what’s ahead

And there are places I’ve wished I could be
Battles I’ve wanted to win
Dreams that have slipped through my hands
I may never be back again

But I’m still a dreamer
A believer
Oh, I lost my faith in so many things
But I still believe in You
Cause You can make anything new

Sometimes I just wish we could say
All the things that are easy to hear
Ignore the injustice we see
And explain every unanswered prayer
But I’d rather speak honestly
And wear a tattered heart on my sleeve
Cause in the middle of my broken dreams
Redemption is here

And I’m still a dreamer
A believer
Oh, I lost my faith in so many things
But I still believe in You
Cause You are the answer
The Redeemer
Oh, I’ve given up on too many things
But I’m not giving up on You
Cause You can make anything new

I don’t have every answer in life
But I’m trusting You one day at a time
Cause You can make a weak heart stay alive
Forever
And this is where heaven and earth collide
I lift my hands, I give my life
This is how my weary heart stays alive

Oh, I’m still a dreamer
Still a believer
And You are the answer
The Redeemer
Cause You can make anything new
Yeah, You can make anything new

"Redeemer" -- Sanctus Reel

Redecorating!

2011-05-22T19:38:00.003-05:00

I admit, I have never really been into interior design until this year. I think it has to do with a) blogging, and b) my new found obsession with HGTV. We decided that with this move, we are going to buy a few new house things and redecorate all of our rooms. :) I've been "virtually" shopping for some time now .... here are my latest finds/plans for the Master Bedroom:

We are going to purchase a new comforter set, recently bought a new TV, and are being given my parents' antique dresser. My project for June is going to be redoing that dresser, I'm going to repaint it and replace the knobs on it and hopefully it will look really amazing when I'm done :)

A few comforter sets I've been digging online:
{Can you tell I like either a brown & blue or black & white color scheme?}

Have a favorite there? I think I really like the first and last ones, especially. I want to wait until I see them in person to decide.

Anyway, we are also going to purchase a new shower curtain/bath set for our bathroom, and already got a new set for Kent's (froggy's!). His room we are keeping the sports theme, but going to expand it a little more. In the living room, we are getting a new loveseat and a few accessories, and in the dining room, we are getting a new dining room table! So excited! Pictures to come soon when it's all complete! :)

Packing, Moving, & other Randomness...

2011-05-22T19:24:00.002-05:00

{Very random recap of my weekend here.}

This weekend has been BUSY! It's been our first weekend home since who knows when; and we only have one more weekend before we move -- crazy! So, Saturday, I spent my day packing. Every time we move, as I pack I always wonder how we gather so much stuff, considering EVERY move we've had we always get rid of a few items. {Our move to Jasper we literally LOST a few items off the truck! lol}

But packing always makes me reminisce about the past; I love finding things I haven't looked at in x amount of year but yet still can't part with. :-) This time it's especially neat; life before baby and now life with baby -- two different worlds!

Today, Kent actually let us sleep in for the first time in forever, and then after doing a few errands around town we went to church & then had yummy BBQ for lunch there! That part made me a little bittersweet about moving, we love the church we've found here and there were old and new friends at the lunch that make it hard to leave. Yet we still know in our hearts this is the right move for our family right now... Especially considering if we weren't moving I probably wouldn't even have a job right now!

After church we came home, and another dear friend came over and brought me TONS of boxes to use for our move. We spent a good 45 minutes talking about life, God, faith, family, and everything else. Sometimes, it's good just to stop the busy-ness of the day and relax with a friend for a little bit. And how good my "Jasper family" has been to me, even without my "real" family here.

Chad then hit up Sonic's happy hour {mmm... unsweetened peach iced tea!} and I became a packing machine and went through every item in my closet and either packed it or got rid of it. It's amazing how many clothes I have but yet I can never find anything to wear. Do all girls have this problem? ;-)

Then, we spent some quality time with our little man, who is teething right now and in a lot of pain... poor guy! He got some extra loving from us fo' sho'. Chad did a ton of packing and now we're both taking a moment to breathe. Busy, but such a great weekend. I love feeling like we accomplished so much but also got to hang out with some quality people! So thanks Jasper friends... I will miss you guys like crazy. Thanks for being my family while my family wasn't nearby.

Super Baby Kent

2011-05-11T14:25:00.003-05:00

Just as a proud Momma, I have to brag on my baby for a minute. In the past two weeks, he has learned how to...

+ clap his hands!
+ wave at people!
+ say "Da-Da" and "Ma-Ma" -- (not in the correct context yet, but he's making the sounds!)

...and...

LEARN HOW TO STAND UP!! (holding onto a few packed boxes, of course)

I am one proud Mommy! I love my little guy so much!

Isn't he cute?

Life Lately

2011-04-30T08:33:00.003-05:00

I hope my blogging picks up in the summertime. Lately, we have been so crazy busy that I haven't had the time or even the energy to!

Last weekend, Kent & I went to Dallas to find an apartment. My mother-in-law joined us on our adventure. The beginning of the search was frustrating. Everything in the area close to them was way out of our price range. So, then we tried a more central area where we used to live {Lewisville} and found several that we LOVED... but they only had a 2nd or 3rd floor available. Carrying a baby up two or three flights of stairs was not my idea of fun. :P

Then we found other apartments we LOVED... that had NONE available, at all. :(

At the end of the day Saturday, on a whim we decided to check out one last place. I walked in feeling so defeated; like we were never going to find anything... The leasing consultant asked me if there was anything special I wanted in my apartment... I said "first floor, but I'm finding that impossible in this area." He was like, "I have one! And it has a view of our beautiful creek. And it's available for your move-in date!" {And the deposit was way less than I anticipated paying! And the price for the apartment was well within my budget!}

We went to take a look at it and it was one of the nicest floorplans we had found all day. My mother in law said, "This is a blessing to find this place at the last minute!" and she's so right. It reminded me that God always knows what's best for us; even when we don't or feel like nothing will work out.

Here's that awesome floorplan. Over 1,000 square feet. Kent will have a huge room and his own bathroom:

We are so excited. Earlier this week, the owner of the school I will be working at called me to check up and touch base on everything. She will be sending me to a curriculum training in Fort Worth and said I have free reign on the plans for the summer program. I can't wait to let my creativity shine, have Kent there with me {daycare here has been a DISASTER, but we won't talk about that}, and be back in an area I love.

So one more month. I will miss my little 3rd graders {who just took their TAKS test and worked SO hard... I pray they did really well!} and friends here. But sometimes, change is good. It's really good. :)

7 Months... WOW.

2011-04-17T14:18:00.003-05:00

Dear Kent,

This is the first one of your letters where I am actually getting a little emotional in realizing how much you have grown up in the past seven months! You are a "big boy" now and doing so many big boy things....

Just today, I discovered your first tooth!
You started crawling!
You eat your meals in a high chair... for the first time today I was able to give you a bottle in your high chair... and worked around the house as you fed yourself. Wow.
We haven't found a baby food you don't like. I don't think you will be a picky eater. (Thank you, Lord!)
You play in your Baby Einstein jumper and are so smart... you figure out each and every toy in it and how each one works.
You talk up a storm! ALL the time! Maybe not words, but you sure are telling some great stories!
You loved the zoo.... and used your big boy stroller there!
You are friendly to every one you meet... You smile at everyone and make them always fall in love with your deep blue eyes.
You are SUCH a good baby. I can't stress that enough. Anyone who babysits you calls you an "angel" - you NEVER fuss and are quite content just hanging out.
You love road trips!
You love your family.
You are just the sweetest little man ever. Right now you are in your jumper looking up at me with a huge smile.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Love, Mommy

A Day at the Zoo!

2011-04-16T20:49:00.002-05:00

Here are a few pictures from our trip to the zoo... two weekends ago, yes. I have been a little busy and this poor blog has been neglected, but no more!

My parents had a great time! Aren't they cute? :)

This little guy LOVES the outdoors and had a great time. He also got to try out his "big boy" stroller for the first time. Precious!

I enjoyed a nice sunny day out myself!

And because he's so handsome, here's another pic of my 7 MONTH old man! I will update with that post soon!

Still here!

2011-04-05T11:33:00.001-05:00

I haven't been the best blogger lately, but I promise to update soon! My parents were here last weekend so we have some adorable pictures of Kent at the zoo... and next weekend we will be visiting my in-laws / looking for a new home... so I will update about that! Until then,

Decisions, decisions!

2011-03-23T11:38:00.010-05:00

Changes are headed this way for the Stewart family!

After a lot of prayer and thought, we decided we want to go back to the Dallas area.

I want to further explain our decision. We came out here to Jasper because my dad was retiring {so he thought} and fell in love with the land out here. Then, the economy crashed and the stocks he planned to pull for his retirement went waaaaay down, so he decided to wait until he was old enough to get social security. Which meant, waiting another 2 years before retiring.

In the meantime, we had a baby and then reaaaally began to miss having family around. The whole point of our move here was to be close to family, and we never anticipated raising our child with no grandparents nearby.

Then, Chad lost his job. After months of searching for one out here, we decided the best thing to do would be to move back to the Dallas...

So the Lord works in mysterious ways...

We decided as soon as one of us landed a job in Dallas, we would move there. I ran a summer camp the year I moved here, and by the end the teacher was begging me to stay as one of their permanent teachers. At that point, I declined, but she sais if I ever needed anything, to give her a call.

So I did. Low and behold, she tells me they have changed their building entirely to a private school that will offer Pre-K and Kindergarten in the fall... and she is in need of a Pre-K teacher... and she will give me a considerable discount on daycare....

...It was one of those "too good to refuse" offers, so I accepted.

And ever since, I've had such peace of mind about my decision. I KNOW in my gut it is the right one. I will miss the friendships I made in Jasper, but you can't put a price tag on being near family AND having your baby in the same place you work. I also truly feel this job will be slightly less stressful -- don't get me wrong, I love my 3rd graders this year, but I just feel in general, this new job will give much more peace of mind.

I'm so excited about the summer, about next year, about the move, about my job! I know this is what our family needs right now. I am so grateful for the Lord to open all the right doors to make this happen!

Happy 6 Months!

2011-03-13T08:23:00.003-05:00

It can't be true... I have a half year old baby! Oh my goodness, time flies!

This has got me in a whirlwind: shocked at how fast the time goes, amazed at how much you've changed since we met you that September morning, proud to be your Mommy, and {secretly} excited to start thinking about your first birthday party!

Mommy got an iPhone this past month, so has been taking much more pictures of your precious face. All pictures on this post were taken with my iPhone. ;)

You are now Mr. Personality. You are talking ALL the time --- cracking us up at church as you coo and talk in the middle of the messages and songs. You have to have your little hands on something at ALL times --- including the remote; Daddy's bible; and Mommy's hair. You HAVE to be able to see what's going on at all times. You are so social and friendly, we love that about you!

You are trying SO hard to crawl, but bless your heart, you're not quite there yet and you get SO frustrated! You are also trying so hard to sit up, but usually topple over before quite mastering it. You'll get it, little man! You definitely have your Mommy's determination!

You are more on a schedule now -- sleeping through the night MOST nights and eating at the same times each day. You are teething - and some nights this makes it hard on you to sleep. It's OK - extra cuddle time!

You eat one small container of baby food each day. So far you've tried carrots {which we think you are allergic to}, bananas, and squash. You are a MESSY eater but we are having fun feeding you each night!

You have such a happy disposition! You are so sweet and smiley all the time, unless you need something! You LOVE to giggle and play and roll all over the place. We LOVE playing with you, little man!

You love music, Handy Manny on TV, and your Baby Einstein books. You love changing clothes and think it's the funniest thing ever! You were a size 3 diaper and anywhere from 6 month to 12 month {yup, you read that right!} clothing. You are a big boy!

You have brought so much joy to our lives, little man! Some nights we just stare at you in awe of the miracle God gave us! We are so blessed to be your parents.

A lot of changes lie ahead for our entire family -- we are excited for them and hope you know every decision we make, is all for you now, Kent! You are our world and we couldn't love you anymore if we tried.

Love always, Mommy

A Day in the Life

2011-02-23T18:54:00.002-06:00

Here's another great idea for blogging from Leslie.

Now thanks to my precious 5 month old, my days change from day to day, but this is a normal {if there is such a thing?} day in my life:

4:30 am: hear Kent begin stirring on the baby monitor.... usually he goes back to sleep or begins talking up a storm to his "buddies" {aka the animals on his mobile}.

5:15 am: alarm goes off. some days hit snooze, usually don't. I have a WONDERFUL husband who gets up with Kent around 5 and feeds him so I can get a shower and get ready before work.

6:00 am: play with Kent, eat breakfast, drink coffee.

6:30 am: take Kent to daycare.

6:45 am: arrive at school, yep, early. I would much rather get there early so I can leave early. ;) lately... I've been slacking and getting there around 7.

6:45 - 7:40 am: get ready for my day: update the board, review my lesson plans, grade papers, enter grades, and get organized.

7:40 - 8:00 am: serve my kiddos breakfast.

8:00 - 11:00 am: mold young minds! :) well, really, teach them reading, language arts, and a few life skills along the way.

11:00 am: lunch!

11:45 am: pick up my kiddos from recess. take them back the loooooooooooooooooong walk to my classroom. {leslie, I miss your room (my old one) so much during this walk! lol}

11:45 am - 1:30 pm: mold young minds, part 2! teach my afternoon kiddos.

1:30 - 2:15 pm: take my kids to "rotation" (pe, music, library, or computer) and enjoy a much needed break. I usually check on one of my students who is usually in another room ( :) ) and catch up with my partner teacher on our days so far. I have one of the best partner teachers, EVER! I must say.

2:15 - 3:00 pm: finish up teaching.

3:00-3:25 pm: clean up, pack up, and dismiss kiddos.

4:00 pm: leave school.

4:10 pm: pick up Kent from daycare.

4:15 pm: hang out with Kent, change him, watch him laugh & giggle and make my day!

5:30 pm: feed Kent his first evening bottle and a small serving of baby food. He usually falls asleep after this and takes a short nap. every other night we give him a bath.

6:00 - 7:30 pm: catch up on DVR'd shows, hang out with Chad, make dinner and relax.

7:45 pm: feed Kent his bedtime bottle. he falls right to sleep afterwards.

8:15 pm: put Kent to bed, pray for him and turn on his "Praise Baby" CD. (LOVE it!)

8:30 pm: some nights, I go right to bed because I'm worn out. other nights I catch up on reading books, blogging, etc. just depends.

11:00 pm: lately Kent wakes up around this time because he's in between diaper sizes and he's leaked through one. I change him, rock him in the rocking chair, and he goes right back to sleep and sleeps until morning.

So that's my day! A true glimpse of motherhood... busy, crazy, but wonderful!

Happy 5 Months, Kent!

2011-02-16T18:05:00.003-06:00

Geez, just the other day I was writing your 4 month letter, wasn't I!? This month has been the quickest and craziest yet, and I'm sorry to say I've gotten pretty lazy with the picture taking... so this will be a picture-less post as blogger is having a hard time uploading the few pics I have anyways. You just keep me super duper busy!

You are doing SO many new things, it's hard to think of them all on the spot. A few: ROLLING OVER (!), imitating Mommy & Daddy if we make a sound or certain face, holding on to things, holding your own bottle, sleeping through the night, eating baby food, laughing & giggling, taking off your own socks, playing with your feet, having favorite toys.... oh the list goes on and little man!

You definitely know who Mommy & Daddy are and get so excited when we pick you up from daycare. You are quite the ham and make everyone around you feel like a million bucks by smiling and cooing at them.

All of this new stuff makes Mommy nervous -- you're rolling around in your crib at night and moving around so much. Any day now you will be crawling -- we have to watch you like a hawk! You're into everything and anything we hand you goes straight to your mouth. You're a mess! But we love you SO much and wouldn't have it any other way. You're the best. :-)

Love, Mommy

Blogging Fun!

2011-02-16T17:52:00.001-06:00

Leslie is trying to get us all back into blogging, and has some great ideas for each week. This week's post is:

What's inside your make up bag?

Share with us your favorite products and tools. I'll just stick with my top 3, or we'll be here all day. ;)

[1] Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation

My favorite product ever! This stuff goes on like a dream and makes your skin look and feel so smooth.

[2] Lash Stiletto Mascara

LOVE this mascara! Really adds volume to your lashes.

[3] Ulta Eyeshadow

Couldn't find a picture, but the individual eyeshadows in the circle packages are AMAZING. I have used them for 4+ years now [forever for me with a product] and they are the best.

Those are my main 3 make-up items! I also use some eyeliner occassionally but not very often. As long as I have those, I'm good! What's in your make-up bag??

Kent's Big Day!

2011-01-30T17:37:00.004-06:00

We took Kent for his 4 month check up last week and got all great news! He now weighs 15 pounds, 4 ounces! He is growing at a great rate, and.... got the OK to start rice cereal slowwwwly!

So today was the big day. We were told by our doctor to just give a little spoonful a night until he takes that well. Tonight, he didn't seem quite sure of it, but sure made for some cute pictures.

Mommy: Kent, you're about to try cereal!
Kent: Wait, what!?

Alright, I'll try it...

This stuff is AMAZING!

Might be more on my chin, but that's OK!

Mommy: You only get a spoonful for now, bud...
Kent: Wait, what!?

Maybe, someday, we'll figure all this out...

2011-01-17T14:25:00.003-06:00

You can go
You can start all over again
You can try to find a way to make another day go by
You can hide
Hold all your feelings inside
You can try to carry on when all you wanna do is cry

And maybe someday we’ll figure all this out
Try to put an end to all our doubt
Try to find a way to make things better now that
Maybe someday we’ll live our lives out loud
We’ll be better off somehow, someday

Now we wait
And try to find another mistake
If you throw it all away then maybe you can change your mind
You can run
And when everything is over and done
You can shine a little light on everything around you
Man it’s good to be someone

And maybe someday we’ll figure all this out
Try to put an end to all our doubt
Try to find a way to make things better now that
Maybe someday we’ll live our lives out loud
We’ll be better off somehow, someday

I don’t wanna wait
I just wanna know
I just wanna hear you tell me so
Give it to me straight
Tell it to me slow

‘Cause maybe someday we’ll figure all this out
We’ll put an end to all our doubt
Try to find a way to just to feel better now
Maybe someday we’ll live our lives out loud
We’ll be better off somehow, someday

‘Cause sometimes we don’t really notice
Just how good it can get
So maybe we should start all over
Start all over, again

[Rob Thomas, "Someday"]

Happy 4 Monthes, Little Man!

2011-01-12T19:56:00.004-06:00

Dear Kent,

I can't believe you are 4 monthes old, little guy. It seems like just yesterday I was holding you for the first time!

You are the most precious thing in my life! You are smiling and laughing ALL the time now! This is what you look like most of the time:

You are such a big boy! You are playing with toys now and loving them! We went to Dallas for the holidays where Kellie & Grandaddy got you a swing and Grammy & Grandpa got you a Bumbo! They also got you tons of toys, Praise Baby CDS, and Baby Einstein DVD's. You love them all! You have the most beautiful blue eyes! They get bigger and more blue every day! You weigh 14 POUNDS and 1 ounce. I can't believe how big you have gotten and how quickly.

You are wearing 3-6 month clothes, and even some 6 month outfits! You wear size 2 diapers. You look super cool in your new Batman onesie and jeans.

You still love bath time and think it's a game! I hope you don't outgrow this. :) You smile and laugh the entire time, and even kick your feet to play in the water.

You started daycare which was really hard on Mommy at first, but now you love it! All the workers say you are such a great baby. We knew it! ;) It's getting a little easier every day and I know it's good for you to get used to it now.

I wish this post was longer, but you keep me busy. You are sitting next to me right now, kicking me and wanting to play, so I think we will play now. I love you little man and will always love playing with you!

Love, Mommy

A year ago today...

2011-01-03T20:39:00.003-06:00

I took a small white and blue test that changed my life.

One simple word, "Pregnant" was all that test needed to say.

I showed Chad and I remember the looks of pure shock and pure joy on our faces.

Here we are, a year later, with an almost 4 month old baby we can't imagine life without.

It's crazy how quickly things can change.

2 Doctor Visits in 1 DAY!

2011-01-01T07:21:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was an exciting day in the Stewart house.

Poor Kent had diarrhea two days in a row, so we called his pediatrician and he wanted to see him. We brought him to the doctor that morning; and thankfully everything looks OK. We have been on a new formula that he was still adjusting to and so we're hoping the problem will clear itself up.

We did find out that Kent now weighs 14 pounds 1 ounce!! We took him to the doctor almost a week ago and he was only 12 pounds 12 ounces! My boy must've been sneaking Christmas cookies. ;)

After the visit to the doctor, we had some Christmas money to spend so decided to do a little shopping. I had my Starbucks fix: an iced grande nonfat caramel macchiato... :) I left the empty cup in the stroller cup holder as we went about our business. I looked away to look at a pair of {ridiculously expensive!} Ugg's, and Kent started to cry.

Chad immediately looked into the stroller without thinking, and literally poked his eye with the green Starbucks straw! His eye was immediately all bloody inside and really scary looking. By this point, our family doctor was closed, so we took him to an Urgent Care doc.

He had a ruptured blood vessel in his eye! All from a straw! Scary. He has to take antibiotic eye drops, poor guy. It already looks better. Way to begin the New Year!! :)

So, it was a very exciting day yesterday.

In other news, I got a brand new Canon printer and the Pioneer Woman cookbook, which I am very excited about. lol

Goals for 2011

2010-12-31T06:19:00.006-06:00

I can't believe today is the last day of 2010! It has been the most incredible year of my life. I can't wait to see what 2011 holds for us!

This year, Chad and I made family goals together. They all really fall under one category: getting healthy. We decided to keep each other accountable for them and really commit.

GOALS FOR 2011:

#1: Get healthy!

Physically:

We are both joining Weight Watchers {Chad jokes we both have baby weight to lose, he swears that's how he gained his! haha}

Work out at least 4-5 times a week

Eat healthy!

Chad is going to get his cholesterol/sugar/etc tested. {I had mine checked while pregnant}

Financially:

Obviously, priority #1 here is for Chad to get a job! We are putting Kent into daycare this week so Chad will have more time to interview/job search/etc.

Tithe EVERY week, even when we don't make it to church! {Give online, if we must. Some mornings it's hard to get out the door to a church an hour away with a baby.}

Start a savings account for Kent.

Take care of old bills

Hopefully by Fall, rent or buy a home!

Emotionally/Mentally: {Relationships, Personally, etc.}

Eat more dinners at the table and less in front of the television!

Pray as a family more often

Each of us read more, especially books that help us better ourselves. {I'm starting with So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore.}

Spend more time with our families!

Get involved in church.

Feed our minds: Chad will finish school and I will begin working on my Master's before the year is out; as well as become ESL cerified.

It's going to be a GREAT year!

Christmas Week-long Extravaganza!

2010-12-30T05:54:00.006-06:00

WOW, Christmas this year was amazing! We ended up spending WAY more time in Dallas than we thought we would, but we had so much fun wih our families that it was totally worth it. I don't know where to begin, so I'll let the pictures do the talking:

We started out having our own Christmas before we left for Dallas. Kent was SO cute in his "My 1st Christmas Bib".

We got some pretty nice things for each other but were both more excited about Kent's gifts!

Chad's grandmother, Kent's Great-Nana, flew in from Boston to spend the week with us!

She got Kent this ADORABLE monkey jacket/outfit:

On Christmas Eve, we went to this AMAZING Brazilian steakhouse after church and it was wonderful spending time with the family. Below is Chad's brother, who is my age and we are really close with:

Kent slept through church AND the entire dinner!

After dinner, we opened gifts with Chad's family! We are SO blessed! My mother in law and her daughter, Sarah, just ADORE Kent.

And what's not to adore? He is definitely the BEST present I have EVER gotten! ;)

And he's pretty good at spreading Christmas cheer!

The next morning, we went to my parents house to open gifts. Kent slept straight through!

But Daddy did a good job opening his gifts for him!

Kent's favorite gift was a Bumbo! He looks like SUCH a big boy sitting in it:

That afternoon, we went back to Chad's family's house for Christmas dinner and some family time. Kent met his Great-Great Grandmother and his Great-Uncle! He loved everyone!

After Christmas, we spent a few more days with the family and then yesterday, headed back home. We have SO much to do... take down the Christmas decorations and put up all of our amazing gifts, but we think Kent has a WONDERFUL time celebrating Jesus's birthday with everyone!

On a serious note...

2010-12-21T04:58:00.002-06:00

I LOVE this song. The first time I heard it I really felt like God was speaking to me. I hadn't listened to it in awhile, and had forgotten it was on a CD I put on in the car yesterday. I was almost getting choked up as I listened to it this time... He was really speaking to me and telling me {again!} what I needed to hear.

Here's the lyrics:

Have Your Way

By Britt Nicole

Feels like i`ve been here forever,
Why can`t you just intervene?
Do you see the tears keep falling?
And i`m falling apart at the seams.

But you never said the road would be easy,
But you said that you would never leave.
And you never promised that this life wasn`t hard,
But you promised you`d take care of me.

So I`ll stop searching for the answers,
I`ll stop praying for an escape,
And I`ll trust you,God, with where i am,
And believe that you will have your way.
Just have your way.
Just have your way.

When my friends and my family have left me,
And I feel so ashamed and so cold.
Remind me that you take broken things
And turn them into beautiful.

So I`ll stop searching for the answers,
I`ll stop praying for an escape,
And i`ll trust you, God, with where i am,
And believe that you`ll have your way.
Just have your way.
Just have your way.

Even if my dreams have died,
And even if i don`t survive,
I`ll still worship you with all my life.
My life.
Whoa-oh..

And I`ll stop searching for the answers,
I`ll stop praying for an escape,
And i`ll trust you, God, with where i am,
And believe that you will have your way.
Just have your way.
Just have your way.

I know you will.
I won`t forget.
Whoa-oh
You love me.

Randomness!

2010-12-20T07:14:00.005-06:00

This week at the Stewart house.....

Kent cheered on the Cowboys with his "big boy" Dallas Cowboys paci!

Kent continued to love on "Ed" the elephant.... and was such a good boy in his bouncy seat so his Mommy could get wrapping/cleaning/decorating done!

We got a lot of shopping and wrapping done! {A feat in itself when you have a 3 month old baby!}

And.... Kent made it abundantly clear, he does NOT, I repeat, NOT, like this hat! ;)

I love Saturdays....

2010-12-11T07:37:00.004-06:00

I love getting to spend leisurely mornings with my little man and not having to run out the door to get to work!

I love how much this little guy loves bath time! I mean seriously, how cute is this face?

I love catching up on my blogs... hopefully I'll be as creative as some of these moms one day! BTW: These brownies look AMAZING. Chad doesn't like peppermint or cheesecake {WHAT!?} or I would make them. I know if I do I'll eat all of them. Maybe they'd be a great gift... hmm.... which reminds me these gift ideas are the cutest!

I love spending time with my family. Time is such a precious gift!

Festive Little Man

2010-12-08T20:03:00.002-06:00

Our little Stewart family of 3 had a great time at my work Christmas party last night! Kent was so cute in his little Santa shirt. He's loving the holiday season!

A few firsts...

2010-12-05T06:09:00.006-06:00

Kent had his first road trip to Tyler...
and met his Aunt Sarah for the first time!
{she's on the right, my mother in law is the one holding him!}

We gave Kent his first toy! We named it Ed the Elephant.
{He will not let that thing go! :)}

...and, he slept through the night for the first time!
{can you hear the Hallelujah chorus?}

Also, my little boy has grown SO much that I had to pack away a lot more of his 0-3 month clothes and pull out the the 3-6 month ones. He looks so cute in his new outfits. In those pics with Ed, he is wearing an AC/DC onesie. How cool is that? I'll have to get some better pics of him in these awesome outfits.

And, my in-laws sent us the COOLEST mobile for his room. It's this one:

Which plays music, heartbeat sounds, or nature sounds, AND projects cute images onto that canopy. He fell asleep last night before we could really play with it, but we're hoping he enjoys it tonight!

We also has a great day of Christmas shopping yesterday! We only got a few gifts {I didn't realize how much more difficult shopping is with an almost 3 month baby...} but we had a fun day nonetheless.

Thanksgiving 2010! {in pictures}

2010-11-27T09:43:00.007-06:00

Kent met his Uncle Jed for the first time, and spent some more time with Grammy!

And Grandad!

We ate some yummy food!

Recipes at my other blog!

A couple days before, Kent started sleeping in his crib! In his own room!

Then, the next day, we did some Christmas shopping! Kent LOVED his new jacket and being out & about!

HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVERYBODY! :)

24 & 25... I'm thankful for!

2010-11-25T07:40:00.003-06:00

#24: Family!
My family came into town yesterday and I'm so thankful to have them here! My dad ALWAYS cracks me up, without fail! He's had a rocky year with THREE surgeries on his face to remove skin cancer with one more to go, and I'm SO thankful the doctors GOT all the cancer and he is completely healthy now!

#25: These thankful posts!
They really did bring a new perspective that when I was stressed out, I would stop and think what am I grateful for? :) And it made me remember all the blessings in my life!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

21-23, I'm thankful for...

2010-11-23T07:24:00.002-06:00

#21: Children's Tylenol!

I was skeptical about giving medicine to my tiny baby boy, but after he was screaming about those shots yesterday, I gave in. He loved it and took the medicine very well, and within an hour I could tell he felt much better. I'm glad I gave him something to take the edge off!

#22: Answered Prayers

I won't get into detail, but don't you LOVE it when you pray about something and God reveals the answer in hours?? I know, lots of times it's days, weeks, months, and even years before prayers are answered - but when we put our faith and trust into Him and he reveals a way.... there's no greater feeling!

#23: Pajama Days :)

We have a busy week this week and have already been going non-stop since Saturday. Today, other than cleaning our house a bit, the three of us plan to stay in PJ's and relax. :)

2 Month Check-up

2010-11-22T19:54:00.002-06:00

Today was Kent's 2 month check up at our doctor. We hadn't seen the doctor since Kent was 10 days old, so we were excited to see how much he's grown. And grown... he has! He has almost doubled in weight... weighing in at 12 lbs 7 oz and measuring in 23 in length! We were shocked with his growth! Good little eater. ;)

We talked to the doctor about a few questions we had and he took time with us to answer each one. We really, really like our pediatrician. My OB/GYN recommended him and we can see why... he's like an older [slightly more serious] version of him. He is really good with Kent too!

Now, the hard part of the appointment.... SHOTS!

Kent got THREE shots and some oral medicine. He took the medicine no problem. The shots.... he cried SO loudly and SO much, I knew he was in pain and HATED that there was really nothing I could do. When it was over, I cuddled him, wrapped him in a blankie, gave him a paci, and he immediately calmed down. The doctor said we could give him Tylenol when we got home, so we picked some of that up.

He slept for awhile when we got home, and then woke up SCREAMING. I gave him the Tylenol but it took awhile to kick in. I cuddled up with him, got in the rocking chair, and began singing to him. It was such a sweet, tender moment as it actually calmed him down. :) Every time I would stop, he would start to stir so I would start all over again. I love my little man so much and am so thankful for moments like these that show how beautiful life is.

Happy 2 months, Kent!

2010-11-21T08:09:00.008-06:00

Dear Kent,

I am so sorry I am behind on your 2 month post! Life has been crazy... but beautiful! ;) Here's what you are up to these days:

+ You officially have outgrown "Newborn" clothes! I packed away those outfits just in case later on in life we are blessed with a brother for you. ;)

+ You wear sizes 0-3 monthes, or 3 monthes if it's Carter's brand. (Your favorite!)

+ Speaking of clothes, you LOVE getting dressed! You smile and giggle the whole time and even let Mommy try on a few outfits on you back to back. It's so cute!

+ And speaking of smiling, that's another major milestone you've hit! You've started smiling and giggling and it makes my heart so happy!

+ You won't, however, let me capture that precious smile on camera. We're working on this. ;)

+ You went up a size in diapers and now wear size 1 in Pampers Swaddlers.

+ Your Grandaddy and Kellie came and spent some time with you! You LOVE Kellie! :) You're still unsure about Grandaddy. ;) But we know you two will be buddies soon!

+ You still like bath time, as long as it doesn't take too long.

+ You are a very happy baby in general! As long as you are fed, dry, and held from time to time, you hardly ever fuss!

+ You are still sleeping in your bassinet... in our room. I know, I know, we need to move you to your own crib in your own room, but I just love having you nearby. We are going to work on transitioning you to the crib THIS week. Please make this a smooth transition, little man!

+ As far as sleeping, you have a definite routine. You go to sleep at 8pm [so does Mommy, who is always wiped out by then!] and sleep until 1 or 2 AM. We change you, feed you, and put you back down, and you sleep until 4 or 5 AM. Daddy gets up with you then and lets Mommy get about another hour of sleep before she gets ready for work.

+ Often, when I get up and come into the living room, this is what I see:

+ We are going to try to work with you on sleeping through the night too.

+ You are good eater, you want your bottle ever 4-5 hours and eat anywhere from 4-6 ounces.

+ We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, and I'm excited to see how much you've grown!

+ You love car rides and sleep or smile your way through them!

+ You've tried your infant carrier, which you're not sure about yet... and all your toys. You like them, but get bored quickly.

+ You still like your "super soothie" paci and your swaddle blanket.

+ You are ready for Christmas! You love looking at the sparkly tree!

+ You went to church for the first time! You LOVED being held during Praise & Worship and everyone ooh-ed and aah-ed over you. You reminded me how great our God is and I flashed back to being at church the week I found out you were in my belly praying for you to be healthy AND to help me help you develop a kind heart and passion for the Lord! I think He is answering my prayers. :)

+ Your Daddy and I love you so much! You light up our days and we enjoy watching you grow! Don't grow up too fast or too slow. We want to savor these moments with you but love seeing you do new things too.

Love, Mommy

16-21.... I'm thankful for!

2010-11-21T06:36:00.003-06:00

#16: Tickles!

My favorite thing to do with little man in the mornings before I leave, is tickle him. It's a sure fire way to get a smile out of him and it just melts my heart. He's the sweetesr baby ever!

#17: Chad's Grandmother!

We got a call this week that she will be visiting us from December 20th through January 3rd. Some of that time she will be with Chad's family, but most of it will be spent with us! We are very close with her and glad she'll get some time with her GREAT Grandson!

#18: Students who make me laugh...

This is no doubt, my toughest year yet. But it's great on a stressful day to have a student do or say something funny or random to make me laugh in the middle of being stressed out.... it reminds me how much I love these kids and even on the craziest of days, love my job.

#19: Christmas time!

Normally Chad and I are strict about no Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving... but yesterday we did our Christmas card shoot and then came home and both looked at each other and said, "Let's put the tree up!" :) So we did, and it's lovely. Kent loves staring at the pretty lights.

#20: A WEEK BREAK!

It was MUCH needed! I'm so thankful we have this whole week off. :) My family will be here Wednesday for Thanksgiving, I can't wait!

Day 15: I'm thankful for...

2010-11-15T18:41:00.004-06:00

Better days!

I left work on Friday frustrated and feeling so defeated. My class would NOT stop talking, especially when I was trying to talk or explain activities. I had to keep being the "mean" no smiles teacher, and I HATE being that way.

After the weekend, I came back and tried a few different things with them discipline wise/activity wise and it made SUCH a difference. We had such a better day, by the end, we were all smiling and happy! :) Thank you Lord for showing me ways to make things better! I know I can't do it alone.

Oops! Dropped the ball...

2010-11-14T08:19:00.002-06:00

I have been so busy being back at work, then got horribly sick, I didn't get to do my thankful posts! So here we go:

#10: Sweet surprises!

Two of my student surprised me two different days this week. One brought clothes for Kent! :) And another brought banana nut cake to munch on!

#11: My brother!

His birthday is 11/11 so it's fitting he gets the eleventh spot. :) Even though we don't talk often and he lives super far away, we are very close and I'll get to see him this Thanksgiving for the first time in a LONG time!

#12: Understanding friends!

I have to admit I was scared to admit to a lot of my friends what was going on with Chad & I, as far as him losing his job and being the one to watch Kent. I knew it would just sort of come out as I went back to work, and as I did tell people, the understanding kind responses I got made it so much easier to spit out those words. Which I am so grateful for! We know God has a plan for us!

#13: A caring husband!

I know I've already been grateful for him for one of these posts, but honestly, I'm doubly grateful for him. I got sick on 11/13, and even though it was "my" day to take care of Kent, Chad tucked me into bed, cleaned up for me, took care of Kent, took me to the hospital, and just took care of everything: no questions asked and no complaints. Then he put me back to bed, and I woke up, had cleaned both bathrooms and sanitized everything kill all the germs. He's the best and I'm so super duper grateful for him!

#14: Ginger ale and saltines!

I swear, they are what's working to heal my stomach bug!

Day 8 AND 9: I'm thankful for...

2010-11-09T15:52:00.003-06:00

So yesterday was my first day back at work... didn't quite get around to doing my blogs! It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but it wasn't easy by any means! It did make me realize I'm thankful for....

My job!

...and...

My coworkers!

My job, even when it's tough... which it is a lot of days... is something I worked hard to be able to do and love. It is a huge blessing to be able to impact a child's life. Seeing my students get so excited that I was back, and seeing them light up when I showed them pictures of my little man made being away from him worth it. I have a chance to love on these kids and be a positive influence which is something most jobs don't offer!

My coworkers, have been amazing! I was treated with so many hugs and welcome backs and my favorite, "I was praying for you today!" when I came back. It made being back at work SO much easier!

Day 7: I'm thankful for...

2010-11-07T07:01:00.002-06:00

Coffee!

I think every new parent out there is probably thankful for caffeine in general. :) When I found out I was pregnant, I pretty much went cold turkey on my coffee intake. If we did go to Starbucks [my weakness] I got a decaf one... So now that Kent is here, my coffee pot is back in full swing and I have to admit I've been enjoying trying all the flavored coffees and creamers out there. Chad and I laugh how quickly we've been going through those things now.... but it is so worth it to keep me sane and awake during the day. So, coffee, I am VERY thankful for you!

Day 6: I'm thankful for...

2010-11-06T08:23:00.004-05:00

Music!

You might be able to tell from the playlists on both my blogs that I LOVE music. I listen to literally everything and love relating to lyrics in a song or enjoying a new rhythm. One of my favorite gifts to give people is a mix cd with songs just for them; ask any of my friends/family - they will tell you the same thing! :) I even get them requesting me to make them more cds once I give them one...

Each song on my playlist is either a favorite, tells a story, reminds me of something in my life... etc. [Yes, I love almost 100+ songs that much!]

I just love music so much and am glad to be able to share it in so many ways!

Day 5: I'm thankful for...

2010-11-05T16:19:00.007-05:00

Friends!

Especially the one in that picture, Maria. We have been through thick and thin, friends since high school, stayed friends as she's been in the military and I moved our East. She gives THE best advice and is THE most understanding person I know. She always makes an effort to be there when I need her. She IS a sister to me and one of those friends I don't tell enough how appreciated they are - so Maria, I appreciate you - even though we don't get to see each other often, you're one of the best people I know! ♥

Day 4: I'm thankful for...

2010-11-04T08:39:00.003-05:00

Fall!

Fall and Winter are by FAR my favorite seasons! I love the smell they bring to the air, the holidays, the cooler weather, the yummy food you crave during these seasons, the colors, the clothing: sweaters, hoodies, jeans, snow boots, just everything about it! So I am definitely thankful that Fall is here. :)

Day 3: I'm thankful for...

2010-11-03T11:40:00.006-05:00

My faith!

I haven't mentioned this yet, but it has actually been a trying couple of months for Chad and I. Of course, we are overjoyed with Kent's birth and all the light he's brought to our lives, but right before Chad was scheduled to go on family leave, he lost his job.

It was devastating at first, and lots of questions of why, and why now kept surfacing. But as we prayed and searched for answers, the state of Texas found Chad was wrongfully let go and are now paying him unemployment for the next few months. It is only $100 less a paycheck than he was making before, so it hasn't been too hard of a hit thankfully. And we know that's because God is watching out for us!

It is still trying as Chad searches for a job and is having very little luck, being in such a small town and having a career that does better in big cities [loss prevention]. BUT as we kept praying, we realize God is already blessing us in SO many ways:

1] We still have income coming in! AND 2 incomes at that!
2] As I recovered from my c-section, I had Chad here to help out for more days than I thought I would at first.
3] He has had extra time to bond with Kent that he would have not had otherwise.
4] I was really nervous about putting Kent into daycare, and for now, I won't have to. Chad can watch him during the day while we still have this income coming in, and spend more time looking for jobs to find a better fit.

So when it seems like we aren't getting the answers we want, we know God will provide us with that we need! And I am so thankful for that.

Day 2: I'm thankful for...

2010-11-02T10:52:00.002-05:00

My husband!

He has been SUCH a good daddy and there for me ALWAYS for the past 5+ years. ♥

25 Days of Thanks

2010-11-01T19:02:00.007-05:00

So Elizabeth is doing something pretty cool over on her blog... "25 Days of Thanks" where every day in November, you post one thing you are thankful for... hopefully it will help me grow a more grateful heart and keep my perspective in the right place. ;)

First things first....
The #1 thing I am thankful for....

Kent!

How could you not be thankful for that little face? :)

In all seriousness, I knew I always wanted to be a mother but didn't realize how much our lives would be enriched through becoming parents. There aren't enough words to express how grateful I am for him!

Oh, and this song really got to me today... It will do the same for all you mothers our there!

Happy Thoughts! :)

2010-10-31T15:16:00.006-05:00

+ The other day I casually mentioned to my husband that I wanted to get Taylor Swift's new CD. [The video for "Mine" always gets me teared up now that I'm a Mommy.] When Chad came back from running an errand, he showed up with this:

+ Yesterday, I finally was able to fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans! Hallelujah! I also have lost 18 of the 24 pounds I gained while pregnant, only 6 to go!

+ I have discovered THE best cup of coffee for Fall...

+ = YUM!

+ My baby is the cutest thing who started smiling this week! He wishes you all a very Happy Halloween...

New "Home-y" Blog

2010-10-29T10:20:00.006-05:00

I moved my cooking stuff including recipes and menus to another blog! They will be posted at:

Fall Randomness & My Post-Partum Check-up

2010-10-28T06:49:00.006-05:00

Kent is ready for Halloween. :)

Fall is here! I wish we had colder weather, but I love that November is right around the corner, even though it means going back to work soon. Having a baby makes the holidays especially exciting. :)

Our family of 3 before my check-up

I had my 6 week check-up yesterday. Everything looked great, and my doctor gave me the clear to get back to normal. He joked that I could go back throwing the javelin now, but to take it slowly. I really will miss seeing him weekly, as weird as that sounds! He has been one of the best doctors I've ever had. As he left the room he told me I was a great patient and he enjoyed working with me.

So after the check-up, Chad, Kent, and I went to Buffalo Wild Wings. Kent was so good the entire time. Afterwards we went to Babies R' Us - which can I say, I now love as a new mommy because they have a Mother's Room that is perfect for feeding / changing, especially when you drive an hour. It's now our stop whenever we go out. We bought the bumper there for Kent's crib, which we are going to try to start transitioning him in soon.... whenever I get the Mommy guts to.... lol

After that, we headed home and stopped at that consignment shop again on the way. They were even having a sale, all of the items were 15% off, and anything that was 99 cents was cut to 50 cents! I bought Kent some of the cutest stuff, Old Navy/Baby Gap/etc brands, about 6 outfits for 8 bucks with tax! Can't beat it, I'll get pictures up soon.

Today's been a relaxing day at home. I am soaking in every moment I can with my cuddly little man.

Menu - Week of 10/25

2010-10-25T16:18:00.003-05:00

Breakfasts
Sausage Biscuits
Smoothies

Lunches
Black Bean Quesadillas
leftovers

Dinners
MONDAY - Pizza [Digornio :)]

TUESDAY - Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups

WEDNESDAY - Tortilla Soup

THURSDAY - Italian Baked Pork Chops w/ mashed potatoes

FRIDAY - Baked Ziti w/ veggies

SATURDAY - leftovers or out to eat?

Family Weekend

2010-10-24T17:37:00.007-05:00

This weekend, my in laws made the drive out East from North Texas to spend some time with us. Chad and I were so excited to see them!

They came in Friday night around 5pm. Every one of us was tired, so we ordered a pizza and watched the Rangers make it to the WORLD SERIES!!! After that, they headed back to the bed & breakfast they were staying at and Chad & I did our nightly routine with Kent.

Saturday, they came over after breakfast and we headed out to Beaumont. We first went to Starbucks as all four of us are coffee addicts. :]

It was then time for Kent's first trip to the mall, which even though he will be 6 weeks Monday, was TOTALLY overwhelming as a new mommy. Everywhere I looked, I saw germs. I felt so paranoid and annoying as I kept covering him up and sanitizing my hands about every five seconds, but I guess when you're a parent you look at places like a crowded mall in a new light. We didn't stay there very long as my paranoia took over and I couldn't really enjoy myself.

We then headed over to Applebee's and enjoyed a yummy meal. It was much less crowded and made my head spin much less. :) Restaurant outings... check. Mall outings... wait awhile longer for!

On the way back, we stopped at a consignment store where they had some super cute onesies for 99 cents! I picked up 2, but want to go back and spend some time really digging and treasure hunting to find Kent some more. GREAT deals and they look brand new!

Then we headed back to our place, and watched "Office Space" with them as they had never seen it. HILARIOUS! After that, we ordered in some food and spent time with Kent just relaxing. Some cute pictures:

My mother in law, Kellie, with Kent:

My father in law, Kenny, with Kent:

[yes, Kenny's name is partially how we came up with Kent's name. His middle name is after my dad, Michael.]

On Sunday, we woke up early and all met for breakfast at the place they were staying. It was delish! After that, we hung out for awhile just chatting and relaxing. Then we headed out to Lufkin where we, guess what, went to Starbucks. :] After that we did some shopping [I finally gave in and bought my purple purse!!] and then they decided it was time for them to get on the road [for their 4.5 hour drive] so we said our goodbyes, and I snapped this picture of our Stewart family...:

We were sad to see them go, but are getting back into our routines tonight. We are blessed to have such a loving and sweet family, with so many to love our little man as much as we do!

Busy!

2010-10-20T14:50:00.003-05:00

I just realized I have two and a half weeks of my maternity leave left... sad. It is going by way too fast so I am soaking up all the moments with my little man that I can.

My in-laws are coming this weekend, so we will be busy with that. I'm glad they're getting to spend time with us and Kent, as we last saw them in the hospital and were all a little out of it. :)

Then, Chad's grandmother should be coming soon there after, provided she can get tickets from Boston to here.

And then... back to work... I don't want to think about it!

Totally random, but I think I found my new favorite movie thanks to instant movies on Netflix.... "When In Rome". I thought it would just be a cute girly movie, but it was HILARIOUS! I hadn't laughed that hard in awhile. SO funny!

Menu - Week of 10/17

2010-10-17T17:46:00.007-05:00

We did a pretty good job sticking to our menu last week! Having a little one posed a few challenges, I kept forgetting to defrost the meat to make burgers so moved those to this week.... I also started making the Mac & Cheese Lasagna and then Kent decided he was hungry too... so we turned it into mac & cheese w/ meat in it. :) All in all I was impressed with how well I stuck to it. The Chicken Caesar Pizza was AMAZING and by far our fav from last week's menu. [Recipe here.] Let's see how we do this week!

Breakfasts
Pumpkin Cinnamon Pancakes [make ahead if possible]
Sausage Gravy & Biscuits

Snacks
Iced Brownie Cappucino
Maple Shake

Lunches
leftovers / sandwiches

Dinners
MONDAY - Burgers

TUESDAY - Beef Stew*

WEDNESDAY - Turkey Meatballs w/ Spaghetti*

THURSDAY - Fajita Salad

FRIDAY - Fish w/ veggies

SATURDAY - leftovers or out to eat?

* {Beef Stew & Turkey Meatballs w/ Spaghetti are from Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Cooking cookbook}

1 Month Old Today!

2010-10-13T17:15:00.010-05:00

Dear Kent,

My precious "little man" as I like to call you... how is it you are already a month old? A month ago we drove to the hospital as a family of 2... and a few days later, brought you home as a family of 3! Time is truly flying by, it's incredible. You are growing and changing SO much before our very eyes!

Here's what you've been up to...:

+ You still wear Newborn diapers, but we have discovered you only like the Pampers Swaddlers diapers. Any others make you a fussy gus and you like to leak through them!

+ You wear Newborn size clothes, but some are getting tight on you! We are hurrying up and trying to make sure you have a chance to wear all of you newborn outfits before you get too big for them.

+ You have grown to love your Daddy! At first you were a total Momma's boy, but now you love cuddling in his arms watching sports. It's pretty precious to watch you two together.

+ We got your Birth Certificate and Social Security card! It's crazy seeing your name on official government documents.

+ You LOVE to eat and sometimes DEMAND food every 2 hours! EEK! It sure keeps me on my toes and busy, that's for sure!

+ For the most part, you sleep well at night. You wake up 2-3 times to eat, but are usually really good about going right back to sleep after eating.

+ You are starting to make THE cutest/silliest faces. I can't wait for when you start smiling for "real".

+ You are also starting to like the sound of your own voice and make funny noises from time to time.

+ Although you will NOT sleep without it, you are starting to outgrow your swaddle blanket and always try to kick it off of you, then fuss when it comes off - silly boy!

+ Your umblical cord FINALLY fell off so Daddy and I gave you your first "real" bath... I must say, you LOVED it! You stared at yourself in the mirror the whole time and made the cutest baby noises.

+ You have only been spoiled in one aspect... you see, when we came home from the hospital, Mommy was too sore to be able to step up into her super high bed, so she slept on the couch, Daddy slept on the floor, and you slept in your bassinet in the living room. Since then we have tried twice moving your bassinet to the bedroom so we can all sleep there again, but you fuss and fuss and fuss so we give in and have kept sleeping in the living room. Soon we will transition you to your crib anyway, so we decided just to go with it.

+ You met a few friends of ours! You slept the entire time, so we could say you were polite. :)

+ TODAY, you went on your first "big" outing! You went to Red Lobster and slept most of the time. You also went to Babies R' Us so we could pick up a few things for you. You were such a good boy!

+ So far, you have Mommy's laidback personality. Please stay this easygoing!

+ You are a total sweetheart, and I love you very very very much! I love watching you grow up. You are amazing!

Love, Mommy

4 Weeks Ago Today....

2010-10-11T20:47:00.004-05:00

...I gave birth to the most amazing little boy.

So, now, Chad and I spend hours just staring at him marveling at how he is ours. We notice every detail - he has my cheeks, my eyes, Chad's mouth, Chad's ears... He is a pure miracle. He brings Chad and I closer with each other, and closer with God.

There aren't enough words to describe the feeling of being a parent. It is a brand new love - just when you think your heart can't grow any more, each day it does.

Four weeks ago my life completely changed,

...I gave birth to the most amazing little boy. :)

Menu - Week of 10/10

2010-10-10T09:03:00.004-05:00

Breakfasts

smoothies / cereal / nutri-grain/granola bars
Mini Maple Pancake Muffins - make big batch & freeze extras

Snacks

pizza bites [my recipe]
Easy Pudding Milk Shakes

Lunches
leftovers / sandwiches

Dinners

MONDAY - Crispy Chicken Mexicali Salad

TUESDAY - Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

WEDNESDAY - Mac & Cheese Lasagna

THURSDAY - Burgers w/ leftover freezer/pantry veggies

FRIDAY - White Pizza w/ salad

SATURDAY - leftovers or out to eat?

Menu Planning - an explanation!

2010-10-10T08:51:00.006-05:00

So, while being home, I'm trying to get us into the routine of planning out our menu and sticking to it. Otherwise we get tempted to spend $$ on fast food that's not good for our budget OR our waistline. I do always plan before I grocery shop, but while pregnant would give into cravings, so started getting into bad habits of not following the menu...

And then the first few weeks at home were SO insane! My mom cooked for us the first week and then left us tons of leftovers/freezer meals that we ate for the next week, and then we had no idea what we were doing so we basically lived off of cereal because it was fast and easy. :)

Now that I am starting to get a feel for somewhat of a routine with Kent [it's still crazy, but we are figuring out times I can cook/eat/sleep/etc.] I want to establish all of our routines so when I go back to work, it's not craziness. I used to menu plan on Recipezaar, but they redid their site to Food.com and I don't like any of the options, so I think I will just start posting my menus here for easier access.

So that explains my next post. :) Read it if you like, ignore it if you don't, it's just so I can have all my links to my recipes in one easy spot and can track our weekly menu.

In other news, on Wednesday, my baby turns ONE MONTH OLD! Can you believe it? I sure can't! Expect lots of pictures that day!

Favorite Shows!

2010-10-06T08:54:00.003-05:00

I didn't get to do this yesterday, as Kent kept me on my toes ALL day! Every time I would put him down for his nap, he would sleep for about 20 minutes and then get fussy. I finally gave in and just spent the day cuddling with him and playing with him. It was actually really fun AND he slept great last night probably because of it! He is taking his morning nap right now and I have a free moment so here goes:

What my DVR looks like... Favorite Shows

I promise I don't watch THAT much tv, it's just with being on maternity leave and always having a baby on my lap I've been keeping the tv on for either background noise OR to keep me awake during late night feedings. :)

[1] Glee

One of the few current shows I actually like. I think everyone loves this show, it's super entertaining and I love the music!

[2] Reba

Old show, yes, but HILARIOUS! My friend Miranda got me hooked on it a few years back, and then I missed a few seasons, so now I'm getting all caught up and enjoy watching the old ones for a pick me up. She always makes me smile!

[3] Boy Meets World

Another oldie, yes, but a goodie! This one also always makes me smile. :)

[4] Melissa & Joey

Does anybody else watch this? Chad and I LOVE it! Melissa Joan Hart & Joey Lawrence are great together, and the show's really witty. I hope it lasts!

[5] The Food Network

Couldn't pick just one show, as this is the channel I have on the most. I also scroll through and choose episodes to record based on the descriptions of what they're making, etc. I really love Sandra Lee and the Neely's though, they are the ones whose recipes actually seem doable to make at home now that I have a child. :)

[6] Project Runway

I can't believe I forgot this one at first! I had to go back and add it, it's perhaps my current favorite show. It's one of the few I look forward to the day it actually comes on because I can't wait to see what happens. This season is even better than usual!

... and, my guilty pleasure show is ...

Teen Mom

Yes, really... I got hooked watching 16 & Pregnant when I was actually pregnant, and this show follows the moms from that show. I think it does show how hard being a teen mom actually is, although some of the girls [Amber... Farrah...] are a bit extreme and MAKE it harder! I could talk about this show all day so I'll stop here. :)

Lately....

2010-10-03T09:14:00.017-05:00

Here's what has been going on the Stewart house lately....

+ We've discovered a love for shoes on tiny baby feet!

+ We're getting a routine down for Kent.... wake up early; eat breakfast; take a couple of naps with breaks to eat in between; go for a walk around our building, play with our fun toys, take a bath [every other day], eat a snack, sleep till about 8 pm, eat dinner, then go to bed until about midnight, eat, sleep till about 4, eat, sleep till about 6/7 AM. It's a BUSY BUSY schedule, but it's working for us!

+ I have finally found time to squeeze cooking in again, and tried a few new yummy recipes! We rang in Fall with Pumpkin Fluff which was AMAZING and couldn't get enough of this Cowboy Casserole recipe we found in a Taste of Home magazine.

+ We have been enjoying our streaming Netflix and have been getting caught up on some new movies. "Dear John" was the latest one Kent & I watched. :)

+ We are learning how to be a family of 3, and enjoying every moment!

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." {Matthew 6:21}

2010-10-01T12:45:00.005-05:00

Here is what I consider my little treasure. :)

When I am blogging or online, this is what my little man is doing. Have you ever seen something so precious and beautiful? I am reminded of God's goodness every time I look at that face!

{Early} Christmas List

2010-09-29T09:07:00.003-05:00

I saw this on a friend's blog and decided to give it a try today since I have a few minutes while Chad is spending some time with Kent. :)

Christmas List

[1] "Fancy" perfume gift set

I keep hinting to Chad that this is what I would love for Santa to bring... :) Every time I walk through Macy's I try a spritz of it and smell my arm for the rest of the day... smells SO good!

[2] Gift Card to Kirkland's Home

I LOVE this store and could spend hours just browsing it. They have so many things to make your home even more homey!

[3] Open Heart Necklace

I think these necklaces are SO lovely and different!

[4] Ugg Boots

Chad knows in the wintertime, I am OBSESSED with snow boots. Every year I get a pair, but I've never owned my very own Ugg's that I know would last a lot longer. =) I would even let him pick any color, they are all just too cute!

[5] A Purple Purse

Random, I know, but lately I keep ooh-ing and aww-ing over every purple purse I see... :)

What are you wishing for this year?

2 Weeks Old Today!

2010-09-27T11:42:00.008-05:00

Dear Kent,

Today you are 2 weeks old! I can't believe how fast time is flying already. :) Here is what you have been up to these two weeks...

+ You came home from the hospital when you were four days old!

+ You met your grandparents and uncles.

+ You wear Newborn size diapers.

+ You wear Newborn size clothes, but every now and then Mommy or Daddy will put you in a 0-3 month outfit because it's easier to slide on and off of you, as you like to squirm when we dress you.

+ You LOVE to pee-pee on Mommy and Daddy when we change your diapers!

+ Your umblical cord still hasn't fallen off.

+ You had your first doctor's appointment... look how cute you looked for it:

+ The doctor said you looked healthy and your weight had jumped up to 7 lbs even!

+ We had a scare when the formula we had you on was recalled! We switched you from the powder to the liquid and you are tolerating it very well.

+ We had one REALLY sleepless night so far.

+ We worked with you on keeping you up more during the day and trying a few different things and now you're doing better sleeping from around 8pm-12 midnight, eating your midnight snack, sleeping again from 1am-4am or so, eating breakfast, and then taking a two hour nap until about 6am. If you could keep this schedule, it would be GREAT!

+ You love bath time! And you look so cute in your little hooded towels for it:

+ We took you for a stroll around our building, you weren't quite sure what to think of that just yet.

+ Yesterday you played with your first toy, your floor mat! You were so cute trying to figure out how it worked.

+ You love snuggling with Mommy and Daddy. It is the best [and sometimes, the only] way to get you to fall asleep.

+ You're a good eater and eat consistently now about 3 ounces every four hours.

+ As for Mommy, she is still recovering from her c-section. She is still pretty sore when she gets up and down, but doing a little better every day. Her swelling has gone down a TON in her hands and ankles, and yesterday she was able to put back on her wedding rings for the first time in months!

+ You are lighting up our lives so much! We love you little man. :) We are enjoying every moment with you watching you grow!

Love, Mommy

Birth Story - in Video Form :)

2010-09-26T19:14:00.001-05:00

A video I put together of Kent's arrival to the world. I plan on making a few more videos with all the pictures we have so far, but when I heard this song [the second one in the video, that is], I KNEW I had to make this:

The Birth Story!

2010-09-25T15:27:00.011-05:00

I wanted to write about this while it is still fresh in my mind, so I can always have this post to refer back to. :) So here it is:

Kent Michael's Birth Story

A little more than halfway through my pregnancy, I decided I wanted to go with an elective c-section. I had a back surgery in 2007 on my tailbone, so I didn't want to risk flaring up that condition during childbirth. I also spoke with my doctor about it thouroughly, and he said there was a chance I would end up in an emergency c-section as is because of my height and other reasons. I KNEW I did NOT want to go that route - I wanted Kent's delivery to be happy and low stress, so after weighing all the options, made my decision and let the doctor know. We scheduled it for September 13, 2010, at 9:00 AM.

So that morning, we took off for the hospital SUPER early. We had to be there at 7:00 AM and live an hour and twenty minutes away!

When we got to the hospital, we got all checked in, they changed me into a gown, and loaded me up with IV fluids... I was so excited though that none of that bothered me. :)

Chad got changed into scrubs so he could witness the birth!

Then they wheeled me back to the OR where they sent Chad out for a few minutes. They gave me my spinal, which at first was a little scary, I'll admit. I started shaking as they tried to give it to me and they had a hard time finding a good spot on my back because of the scar tissue from my previous surgery. All this was making me very nervous and I thought my doctor wasn't even in the room, making me more freaked out. As the anesthesiaologist tried to calm me down a bit, I suddenly heard my doctor's voice giving me very specific directions on how to proceed. It calmed me down SO much! He is also quite the joker and made the joke to "arch my back like an angry cat" which made me giggle and calm down. Spinal tap in, they laid me down on the bed, put a curtain up, and got me ready for surgery.

The spinal did make me very nauseas, which the doctors told me might happen. I let them know and then it seemed to get worse, which freaked me out a little more, so I let them know again. All I could see were the anestheaologist's eyes and a mask, and I remember they were very kind eyes that were actually sympathetic. He talked me down from the nauseasness and gave me some medicine that made it better. Right then they sent Chad in. He held my hand and we got ready to witness our son's birth. I figured it would take what would feel like hours....

Boy, was I wrong! Almost 5 minutes later, they told me I would feel a lot of pressure in my chest... and I did. TONS. It was not really painful, just uncomfortable, so I looked over at the anesthesiaologist again with a worried look. He again calmed down and said, "Don't worry! They're just getting his head out!" HIS HEAD??? We're that close to delivery??? I remember thinking.

And then, they yelled, "It's a BOY!!!" and my doctor held him up so I could see this: [sorry for the squemish, but this is quite a moment I want to remember]

Then it was a whirlwind. Everything happened so fast! They handed him off to Chad first while I looked on...

Then the nice doctor who kept comforting me held him close to my face so I could get a good look at him and give him a kiss. I remember he felt SO warm!

They took him away and did all of his testing and Chad got lots of pictures of him as they did that, here's one:

And then Chad and Kent went off to the nursery while they completed my surgery. At that moment I was overwhelmed with joy about my little one but a little anxious being there alone. My doctor then came and sat next to me, held me hand and talked to me for a few minutes. He told me my baby was beautiful and everything looks great. He said I was doing fantastic and would be done shortly. It was so calming admist all the chaos for him to take a moment like that with me.

They took me off to recovery for an hour or so. The spinal was making me shake a LOT, but other than that recovery was easy. They sent Chad in about halfway through to tell me that the baby looked great and everything was fine. Then he left to go back with the baby.

On the way to my room, they wheeled me by the nursery and held up Kent for me to see. It was surreal - he is so perfect! I couldn't believe this amazing little person came out of me, that Chad & I created something so beautiful.

About an hour or so later, I FINALLY got to hold my little man for the first time. I will cherish that moment forever!

I am so grateful the birth was a smooth one! I am so blessed and overwhelmed with joy. The Lord is good!

He is here!

2010-09-22T08:43:00.008-05:00

Introducing....

Kent Michael Stewart

Born September 13, 2010

@ 9:51 A.M.

Weighing in at: 6 pounds 14 ounces

Measuring in at: 18.5 in length

Mommy, Daddy, and Baby are all doing well - we have just been kept VERY busy since coming home from the hospital on Thursday! When I get a chance, I will update with the birth story and some other fun baby posts... but I have NO idea when that chance will be. ;)

Just wanted to announce that he is here! We have family in town now with more coming on Friday and leaving on Saturday. Hopefully next week will be a less crazy time for those who have asked about visiting!

Fall is here!

2010-09-10T07:31:00.005-05:00

I am sooo excited that Fall is here! It means cooler weather, the holidays are around the corner, long-sleeved shirts & hoodies, yummy food, my maternity leave starts today and my baby will be here in 3 short days!

I think my most favorite thing about fall, especially this year - are pumpkins! I have an infatuaion with all things pumpkin this year.

I want to take Kent to a pumpkin patch...

Eat LOTS of my favorite dessert EVER, pumpkin pie!

Drink one of these EVERY time we venture to where there's a Starbucks!! [and perhaps learn how to make my own at home!]

And dress Kent up in a little outfit like this for Halloween:

Happy Fall!

Nursery is Complete!

2010-09-05T15:47:00.006-05:00

"Your love is gonna change me..."

2010-09-04T07:06:00.004-05:00

I have not been the best blogger lately! I seriously have not had the energy to, with being back at work and being 9 months preggo. But here's a few quickie updates:

+ I had a doctor's appointment last Monday and he said everything was looking great. I had a few new symptoms that had popped up [dizziness, fatigue, etc.] that I was concerned about, but we talked about all of those and he said it was the combination of being back at work and my body is just getting ready for labor. He looked at my swelling again too and said it looks fine - the heat is just really adding to it! My blood pressure/weight gain/baby growth all looked good!

+ I had my school baby shower that Tuesday and was seriously overwhelmed! My coworkers were SO good to baby Kent, Chad, and I! We got everything we needed and then some cute fun things! When Chad came home that night, he had had a rough day at work. I showed him all the goodies and it was SO cute to see him light up talking about the baby and what is to come. I am in awe of how calm and relaxed he is - and excited! He is just so ready to be a Daddy and is so grateful for this blessing.

+ We ordered these super cute labels from Kiddo Tags last week for Kent's things he will be taking to daycare, and etc. They are dishwasher safe, microwave safe, scuff proof, etc! They came in yesterday and look HOW cute they are:

+ Today we are going shopping to get the last few odds and ends for Kent and use up the gift cards we still have left. We are going to get us haircuts, alignment tuned up on the car, have lunch, and just enjoy some couple time. We know next weekend we will be getting ready for baby! :)

+ 9 DAYS TO GO!!!!

Friday Five!

2010-08-26T17:25:00.002-05:00

5 Random Things!

1. Something you are OCD about
I am probably going to sound crazy here, but I am OCD about my Shampoo & Conditioner. I have rules for them:
1) They HAVE to match! Can't mix and match different brands/scents/kinds.
2) The label has to be facing me. Weird, I know.
3) I always have to use slightly more conditioner than shampoo!

2. Your favorite quote
Thanks to my sweet hubby forcing me to watch the Rocky movies {which really are fantastic, I must say} my favorite quote comes from Rocky Balboa because Chad and I relate to it SO much! We've been through a LOT both as a couple and individually. We have learned it's not WHAT we go through that builds our character, it's HOW we go through it.

"You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life.

But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward -- how much you can take and keep moving forward."

-- Rocky Balboa

3.What is the farthest you have been from home?
DUBLIN, IRELAND!! :)
When my brother finished his tour in Iraq with the military, he received a nice bonus... He wanted to destress {for good reason!} and knew I needed to as well so he surprised me for Christmas with tickets to DUBLIN! So the two of us went for a week after Christmas that year and it was absolutely amazing. I would go back in a heartbeat.

4.Do you do a real or fake Christmas tree? If I had MY way, we would do a real one every year! Chad, however, can't stand pine needles so we have used a fake one every year since we've been married. I'm starting to get used to it... ;)

5.First Blog you ever read? I don't know, really. I used livejournal FOREVER, since 2002/2003, and can't remember the first journal I read there. Here I've read some on and off but don't remember the actual first one.... hrmph! Sorry kiddos!

Yes, I am posting this a day early. ;) I know tomorrow will be crazy and I needed to blog tonight but had no inspiration. I'll link up tomorrow at some point though!

I gotta feeling... that this year's gonna be a good, good year!

2010-08-22T13:38:00.003-05:00

I have not been a very good blogger since going back to school! Sorry friends. Work was really good this week, it was just exhausting! We had an incredible speaker on Friday FROM Grapevine-Colleyville ISD {where I did my student teaching!} and that helped get us all motivated for the year. :)

So goodbye summer, hello new school year!

We had Open House on Thursday and I met a little more than half of my students. I have quite a mix this year! I remember being so nervous last year at this time of year... asking myself, how am I going to handle twenty-something third graders? This year I feel so ready - so positive about having a good year. I think knowing that I will be out for 8 weeks has actually helped get me incredibly organized and ready for the year - everything I've put together I've made sure was something a sub could organize and carry forward.

My anxiety has also probably been more focused on the fact that in twenty-something days, I'll have a baby! I can't wait to hold him and see his precious little face. I get overwhelmed about how good God is just thinking about how blessed are to be expecting a little miracle! Right now, I'm more nervous about getting everything ready for the new baby - in the house and material wise. I do have some pre-mom-jitters, but I know we'll learn together - me, Kent, and Chad - how to get through those. :)

So here's to a good year all around!

Back Into the Groove...

2010-08-17T17:23:00.002-05:00

I went back to work this week. Yesterday was a very exhausting day! Today was a little better so hopefully it gets better as it goes by. I know it will be tiring being 9 months preggo and wabbling around the school. :) But it is worth it to be back into the groove of everything, being able to meet my students before I leave, and getting everything ready for my sub.

Today I went to the doctor. He said everything looks great - growth looks good, my weight gain looks good, blood pressure, everything. I only see him 2 more times before the delivery day! How crazy is that!

Pregnancy highlights:

How Far Along: 36 weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 17 pounds - NO weight gain this week! Yay! :)

Maternity Clothes: All the way!

Moment this week: Hearing that everything is going good!

Movement: Back on track since I think the baby dropped

Food Craving: bagels and cream cheeese - funny how my cravings change every week ;)

What I miss: Sleeping on my belly and/or back

Sleep: very hard to get/stay comfortable, have a very hyper bladder at night :)

What I am looking forward to: My school's baby shower on the 31st! :)

Belly Button: no change

Symptoms: Big belly :) Some indigestion and swelling, but feeling good!

Friday Five ~ Favorite Websites

2010-08-13T08:15:00.003-05:00

5 Favorite Websites

5. YouTube

I could spend hours on this site. I even like making videos! My favorite thing to do is look up favorite performances from American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance... like ths one! ;)

4. Amazon

They have EVERYTHING! I love looking here for stuff I can't find out here in East Texas that I used to find in Dallas, or looking for a great deal. I spend lots of time browsing and making my wishlist a bookmark of sorts to remind me things I want to go back and get eventually.

3. Betty Crocker & All Recipes

I LOVE to cook. I was a huge fan of Recipezaar.com, which recently underwent MAJOR changes and became food.com -- and not the same website at all. I was so disappointed I went searching for replacement sites - these are the closest I can find. I could spend a bit of time on them browsing for new ideas of things to cook!

2. Blogger

This one is a given. ;) I love reading blogs and blog-surfing to find new ones. I read somewhere that someone said blogs are like the grown-up myspace, and I think that's true!

1. Facebook

This will probably be on everyone's list. It's everyone's guilty pleasure. :) But it is a good way to keep up with people you don't get to see often or haven't seen in years!

Honorable Mentions:

Hungry Girl - she has so many great ideas for cooking healthy yummy food!

Food Network - I'm more addicted to the channel than the site, but it's fun to look up the recipes your favorite chefs make.

Etsy - I could spend hours looking at all the beautiful handmade things!