Happy, happy, happy.

I am pretty satisfied where my life is at right now. No matter what I can say negative, there are about 5 more positives that outweigh them. I am 24 weeks pregnant with my second baby, which is a boy whose name is Oliver Allen, due to arrive May 16. My baby girl (who is really not a baby anymore but a toddler) is going to be 2 years old NEXT MONTH! We are potty training her right now, and she is doing great! She actually was the one who showed interest in going in the potty! We had planned on waiting till she was 2 to start, but she is ready now! She is growing so much. Apart from potty training, she is starting to talk in sentences now (excuse me Mommy, please one more, common mommy lets play, thank you mommy, lets go outside, be happy, and more), she knows how old she is, how to count to 3, she knows some of her colors (yellow, blue, red, purple) and she also is aware of the fact that Mommy has a baby in her belly. She loves to dance and sing and play dress up. She's so loving, she gives lots of hugs and kisses and has sympathy for people. Bath time is still one of her favorite parts of the day. She loves to sit and read stories and play in her kitchen. She has Mommy and Daddy play dolls with her in her doll house a bunch. She is a goofball who is always doing stuff to make everyone giggle. She doesn't like when people argue or talk mean. She is an animal lover already and could play outdoors for hours! She still holds Mommies face and rubs it while drinking her night time "bottle". She is starting to sleep better throughout the night. I just cant get over how big she is getting! I am however, super happy that we have taken the time to thoroughly enjoy each and every milestone that she has went through. I don't feel like we have missed anything, and for that I'm grateful. God has blessed Jared and I more than we could have even imagined. My marriage is also great. Jared is an amazing father and the perfect husband. Although times can be stressful due to finances and other major life decisions, we always stick together and come out on top. This March will mark 8 years that we have been together! 8 YEARS!!! That is absolutely amazing :). We have always made the most of all our circumstances and it has worked wonderfully. It's crazy to think that we started dating our sophomore year of high school and are still going strong.  He makes me happier than he probably even knows. Also in March marks 3 years of being Mr. and Mrs. Some people say that marriage can ruin relationships, or that you won't be as happy years down the road...I disagree. Sure there may be different challenges than we faced as boyfriend and girlfriend, but our love remains strong. We have learned how to talk to each other during hard times and get through them. I'm so appreciative of my hard working bearded man. Hmm, what else...We are seriously loving living out in the country! It is such a blessing. We have a huge yard for Emerie to run free. So for now, and hopefully forever, I can focus on all of the good things in life, and not dwell on the rockyness. I think that'll be my New Year's resolution this year...To see the good in life, the good in people, and the good in the bad. I'm sure I will be much happier if I do so.

Co-Sleeping

Okay, so this is a super controversial topic. I am on the "all for it" side!. When we first brought Emerie home, we didn't have any intention on her sleeping in our bed. I had bought an adorable bassinet for her and the first night home I put her in it at bedtime. She wanted NOTHING to do with it! She just cried and cried until I picked her up. I laid her on my chest and she fell right to sleep....This happened several nights in a row. I continued to put her in her bassinet, but she continued to hate it. I guess you could say she was (and very much still is) a major mama's girl. The only, and I mean ONLY way that girl would sleep, was right on my chest. This went on for months. As she got bigger, it got a lot harder for mama to be able to sleep without her taking my breath away from laying on my chest. I know a lot of people would accuse me of being a bad Mom and bring up the whole SIDS issue and rolling on her, and all that stuff, and that's okay. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. As far as SIDS goes, they are not even sure of the cause of it, period. Babies have died from SIDS laying in their own beds with nothing in the crib with them. SIDS seems to be something that just happens. I agree that preventative measures are good to use, but I'm a woman of prayer and faith. Not one time while Emerie slept on my chest, did I roll over, or make her fall of the bed. I believe that when you become a Mom your instincts completely change. My sleeping habits changed as well. I woke up when she even did a slight sniffle. I would also wake up probably 20 times a night to make sure she was breathing. I don't think I have even fully slept since I had her 2 years ago. Things change. For some Mom's, having your baby sleep with you may not be an option, but for me it was, and it worked out fine! She is still sleeping with us now, 2 years later. Are there nights when I really wish she would sleep in her own bed? Absolutely! But I don't regret letting her sleep with me. It shows that she feels safe with me and trusts me. Some people will tell me, "you need to not let her sleep with you! I mean how do you and your husband have any intimate time?" Well, as if it's any of your business, we make time! We never have really had our intimate time at night anyway as we both truly love our sleep. For people's heads to go to such a weird place is beyond my comprehension. Do we do "stuff" with our kid in our bed? Absolutely NOT! But again, that's truly NONE of your business. I believe that when you are married you should ALWAYS make time for one another, and we do :). Our "intimate" life is going just wonderful, I mean I am expecting baby number two ;). So please refrain from assuming that just because a couple lets their kids sleep with them that they are somehow perverted or have bad judgment. Anyway....When Emerie is ready and willing to sleep in her own big girl bed, she will. And if little Mr. Oliver never co-sleeps, that's okay too. We will not make him one way or the other. If he sleeps fine on his own, that's how it'll be. If he is like my Emerie and wants to sleep on Mama's chest, so be it. I am the mother, and Jared is the father. That means that WE TOGETHER make decisions for our family and our household. We don't make decisions based on what people (parents, grandparents, friends, aunts, uncles, society, etc.) say. We make take in advice, but in the end it is our decision. If you don't like our decision, or anyone else who makes this decision, just bite your tongue. As long as my kids are happy and healthy, then I am doing some things right. And to other Mom's, remember, you are the Mom. You know what's best for you little one's, only you. Don't ever feel inferior due to what other people say.