Crafty Cats!

Beth and I saw these cute clipboards at a teacher store and of course we said, "I can make that!" So Beth and I decided to do just that! Beth, being the great team leader she is, decided to make each of her team members one. I decided I would make mine today before Beth came over so I knew the approach we needed to take when faced with having to make 5 more. Beth came over this evening to watch So You Think You Can Dance? and we sat down and became true Martha's. They turned out REALLY cute so I thought I would blog about it and attach pics of a couple. The blue and brown one is mine and the rest are Beth and her teammates! For those of you who also read Beth's blog, I am sure she will post about it as well!

Beth, I had so much fun crafting with you...What will we do next?

Sometimes, I am Just so Proud of Myself!

Okay, so I have been obsessing about birth announcements since before Emerson was born. There were a few that I found that I liked; however most were like $2.00 a pop...RIDICULOUS! Especially when you consider that I have to order like 60...I know...big family and lots of friends. I know I spent a good chunk on Campbell's, but I was a new mom then and had yet to pay my first week of daycare expenses. Anyhow, for those of you that know me well can only guess what I said next, "I can just make them myself!"

However, the thought of geting really cutesy with scrapbook paper and all the tools that go with and having to repeat the process 60 times...not so much fun at this stage of my life. So what I did was create my own on the computer (by the way, for those of you who use Microsoft Office, the 2007 version ROCKS! I currently have a free trial that will expire soon...I will be so sad...I love it!) Anyhow, when the creation was complete, I saved it as a jpeg and uploaded it to Walmart's photo center and had 60 5x7's made. The final total... a whopping $34.oo. I love it when I find a way to save money! So for any of your crafting slash photo card making needs...just give me a call!

P.S. I would love to attach a photo of the announcement, but you will have to wait to get it in the mail!

As for the Moncriefs, we are getting settled as a family of four. My mom left about a week ago and I have had to do things on my own while Wes is at work...tough stuff! Little Tadpole is finally eating, but is pooping it out just as quickly as it's going in. We go in for a weight check on Wednesday and I pray she is at least 7 pounds. As for Poodle Noodle, we finally got him a T.V. for his playroom so he thinks he is the coolest kid around. The TV has definitley come in handy these days. He is thoroughly enjoying being a big brother and finally adjusting. He is still rough when he is around her, but I doubt it will ease up anytime soon...he is after all a monster of a three year old!

Pics of the Tadpole

Okay, the Nickname Story

Some of you might know my fascination with making up the most random and weird names to call Campbell. A few that I have used are doo doo, beebo, poolah, pretty, prettiest pretty in the land, and the most recent ones are poodle, noodle, noodle head, or just plain Poodlenoodle. By the way, Wes despises all of these nicknames...ESPECIALLY Poodlenoodle. he thinks I am going to make my son overly feminine or something. He yelled at me anytime I used the nickname for Campbell. Anyhoodle (I said that for Beth's sake), when we were in the hospital with Emerson, I started calling her Poodlenoodle out of habit. It didn't help that her legs are so skinny they look like noodles.



Fast forward a couple of days...Campbell came home and heard me call Emerson poodlenoodle...WWIII...He said, "Her name's Emersent, I Poodlenoodle!" Wesley looked at me and said, "You know he is right, you really do need to quit calling her that. She needs her own nickname." So because her legs are so skinny and they are always pulled up like a frog, we started thinking of names that had to do with frogs. I kind of like rhyming, but we came up with Tadpole. Auntie Biff helped out with Taddy Paddy for short and today, out of the blue, I started calling her Tadpolean Bonaparte.

I know, I am totally weird, but I promised you the nickname story and here it is. I find it quite comical.

Our Family Complete and at Home Together

Well, we are all finally here together, Daddy, Mommy, Campbell and Emerson. Life is great!

Campbell was very excited to meet his little sister and he loves to hug, kiss and baby talk to her. We have a couple of issues though. He tends to be a little rough (he is a boy...what do you expect). In fact, Emerson was sleeping in the bassinet in my room so I took this opportunity to pick up a little. Anyhow, I lost track of Campbell for a few seconds, but I found him in his playroom playing very nicely with himself. So I went to check on Emerson and she was hanging off her little sleep positioner and her blanket was unwrapped. It appeared that Campbell tried to pick her up. How scary is that? We are trying really hard to not use the word NO, but how else can you get across to him that there are certain things that he ABSOLUTELY cannot do? On the bright side, he doesn't seem jealous or bothered when anyone is holding her. He has been acting out a little with lots of whining and throwing a few tantrums. That's to be expected I guess, but I also think it has a little to do with coming back home and trying to get back into somewhat of a routine. Hopefully this won't last too long.

Miss Emerson Mae was doing FABULOUS when we first came home. We are getting more sleep that expected. She sleeps constantly, which has been good for us, but bad for her because she could care less about eating. She developed a severe case of diarrhea (I can't begin to tell you how many diapers we have already gone through). We had to switch her over to soy and that has helped with her stomach issues, but we are lucky if we get her to drink two ounces every 4 hours. She just won't wake up. She will fall asleep at the drop of a hat and can do so in almost any position. She weighed 6lbs 8oz when we left the hospital and today at her appointment, she only weighed 6lbs 9oz (we were needing her to be back up to her original birth weight of 7 lbs). Now we have to concentrate her formula and have a target of 18 oz in 24 hours. So we get home and I try to everything to get her to eat 3 0z (talking loudly, bouncing, stripping her down, putting a cold wash cloth on her, etc), but guess what she decides to do just as she has just about finish her bottle...PROJECTILE VOMIT everything she has eaten. I really am beginning to appreciate Campbell's large size and appetite!

Both Campbell and Emerson went to the doctor today(her checkup and Campbell's 3 year). It is nice that their bdays are so close because it worked out perfectly and we will most likely do this every year. The nurse and doctor came in and did their checkups on both my kiddos at the same time...it was great! Campbell was very apprehensive about going to the doctor. This is the first time he really understood it all, so all the weird things and people coming at him was overwhelming. In order to get him weighed, measure and temp taken...I had to have it done to me first. Eventually he became comfy and it went more smoothly after that!

So anyhow, this is my life. It will all calm down once little tadpole (funny story about her nickname, but I will blog about that later) has put on weight. I hope she does so before my mom leaves because I don't know what I am going to do once I am by myself...my mom might just have to stay longer. It is really beginning to stress me out.

I Love Her!!!!

As you all know, Emerson is finally here. She might be the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I know moms are biased, but I am serious!. Having a baby the second time around (at least with a c-section) is so different. We literally came 2 hours before hand and had her right away...sure beats waiting around being in labor all day. Everything I was anxious about was a breeze (the I.V., epidural, surgery). I feel so good. The body is such an amazing thing. According to Wesley and how they were tugging and pulling on my belly and messing with insides and of course being being cut open...I really shouldn't feel anywhere near this great! My nurses call me Wonder Woman because I have no swelling or stretch marks, my uterus is shrinking rapidly, and I go way too long without my pain pills. I am not, by any means, trying to be Wonder Woman, but I really don't feel too much pain!

Emerson is doing great. She took a huge drink of fuid on her way out so she came into the world very angry. She cried a lot that day so I thought to myself...here we go! However, now that the drama of having to pack her bags and move out of her warm home is over, she is peaceful as long as she is clean and fed. I know when we get home, we will appreciate her sleeping, but since we have had so much help in the hospital we try to wake her up and enjoy time with her. Unfortunately...she just loves to sleep. It is actually quite comical...but I know it won't last long!

Of course, she is the best part of this experience, but seeing Wesley with her is running a close second. He gets a little teary-eyed when he looks at her. With Campbell, Wesley felt very manly because he produced this monster of a child, so when he looked at Campbell, we chest always puffed up. It is neat to see the difference. Yesterday he was holding her and he looked at me with moist eyes and said, "I will have to give her away someday!"

As for Campbell, he is still having so much fun, but he does miss mommy and daddy at night before bedtime. Although, I think he just knows how to tug at his Momo's heart strings so she will either let him stay up a little longer or lay in bed with him until he falls asleep. I miss him terribly and I cannot wait for him to come home and meet Emerson. However, the train table will be together and ready for him to play with so I have a feeling Emerson might be taking a ride in the caboose!

A Report from the South

Campbell has arrived safely to his destination only to travel again. He spent Friday and Saturday with Wesley's family in Buda, TX. His aunt and uncle have about 20 acres with cattle, deer, and loads of places to just run. He had a blast. On Sunday, he went with Wesley's parents to see Wesley's grandparents. These are two of the most wonderful human beings I have ever met. Campbell is the first great grandson and the only one we thought would carry on the Moncrief name (thankfully Slayde came along to help him out). They just think the world of my son. He had so much fun with his great grandparents that he told them, "Don't worry, I will be back!." Of course, they just ate it up!

About 3:30 on Sunday, I received a phone call from my mother-in-law yesterday and she said, "The Eagle has changed hands." This meant that he was now with my parents and his two cousins, Allison and Gunner, and they were headed to San Antonio to go to Sea World. They arrived in S.A. around 6:30 or so and checked into Embassy Suites. Apparently there were a ton of kid games and all-you-can-eat popcorn in the lobby...therefore he probably begged for quarters to play games. My dad is a sucker so it wouldn't surprise me if he dropped 20 bucks on silly games in the hotel. From there they headed to dinner at Logan's and then to putt putt!

I called this morning and they were all just getting up and about to head to Sea World. Campbell apparently fell out of bed and spent the rest of the night in bed with my parents. He doesn't remember anything...probably so lethargic from all of the fun! And then...my mom proceeds to tell my that my dad said to stop calling every 5 minutes. This is hard for me to do because he is doing all of these fun things and usually I am there with him to see his enjoyment. Oh well! I did say that I would leave them alone while they were at Sea World. I can't wait to hear all about it!

Mom and Dad are a distant memory in Campbell's head. Coming home is going to be a downer for him. I hope Emerson will be a big enough deal to him that he will at least be excited to be home!

My Last Day as a Family of Three!

Today, Campbell is leaving me to go spend 10 days with his grandparents back home! It is bittersweet. I am having major anxiety about being so far away from him. Of course I trust my parents and my inlaws...after all they have raised three kids each. It's just the idea of something happening and me being so far away. Horrible thoughts are running through my head...and don't even get me started on the fact that he is FLYING back with my mom. I am going to have to take a Xanax to knock me out the minute he boards the plane. I seriously might break out in hives. This is the bitter part for me!

The sweet part is that he is going to have so much fun. The 10 days will definitely be jam packed with fun things to do. It will be his last hoorah (sp?) before he is no longer an only child. His summer has been pretty boring so far (aside from his birthday) because being 9 months pregnant and heat don't mix, so we have been confined indoors. However, for 10 days his time will be filled with visting family, swimming, going to the beach, fishing, going to the movies, Putt Putt Golf, going to the aquarium, etc. You name it, he is probably doing it! This is defintely a deserved treat for him.

The sweet side for me is that I have 4 days to rest, go to doctor appointments, and get the last minute things done and not have to worry about Campbell. He will also miss the birth of his sister. At first I had huge issues with this because I didn't want him to miss a minute of being a big brother, but I started to think back to the special bonding moments Wesley, Campbell, and I had in the hospital when he was born. Wesley was there every minute, only going home to shower. We want that same special time with Emerson. Our parents won't even be here for the birth. Since most of our family lives in South Texas and don't get to come up that often, we wanted them to be able to visit and meet Emerson while we were at home, not in the hospital. So I gave strict instructions that no one was to visit until we are home.

Anyhow, Campbell will be coming home on Monday, 14th to meet his sister. Wesley and I will be able to bring Emerson home and try to establish a little bit of a routine before Campbell gets here. I am so excited for this new change in our lives. I can't wait to meet Emerson and see who she is going to look like, but most of all, I can't wait to see Campbell as a big brother and Wesley as the father of a littel girl!