Ten Random Facts About Me

1.  I've realized that I only like M&Ms when they are frozen.  Sure I can still eat them at room temperature, but they taste so much better cold.

2.  I took tap, jazz, and ballet lessons for years.  I also took piano lessons when I was growing up.  Unfortunately I have no talent in the performing arts.

3.  My husband calls me "Monkey Toes" because not only do I find it comfortable to sit with my toes intertwined, but I am also very efficient at using my feet to pick things up.  My big toes almost function as thumbs.

4.  I desperately need a pedicure as evident in the above photo.  

5.  As much as I HATE trying to sell a house and think it is stressful to buy one too, I sometimes think I want to be a realtor when my kids get a little bit older.  

6.  I have three tattoos, and at one point I had my tongue pierced.  I went through a bit of a wild phase I guess you could say.  

7.  I cried as I walked down the aisle on my wedding day because I knew I'd have to move to Oklahoma.  There's nothing wrong with Oklahoma, but I was not so excited about moving away from all my family.  

8.  I'm not a cute crier, and my wedding photos prove that.  

9.  Fall is my favorite season.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  

10.  I majored in Marketing in college and really haven't used it since the day I graduated.  

InstaFriday

I am linking up again for InstaFriday. Here are some of my favorite photos from this week.

Follow me on istagram @shellymotto

Leah is 6 weeks old already.  We're getting more smiles and seeing a bit more of her personality.  I love getting to know her better each day.

I enjoy putting out fresh flowers for possible house showings.  I don't want to contaminate the blog any more with my negative thoughts on selling the house.  So I'll stick to showing pretty flowers.  Maybe florist is my next job calling?? hmm...

The big brothers adore their little sister.  They'll take any opportunity they can get to be close to her and interact.  

I love seeing my three little ones all together.  Nothing could make me happier than images like this one.  

I hope you all have a great weekend.  

Having Friends

Recently Ryan was saying that he wants an "iron man surprise party with all his friends" for his birthday.  He doesn't quite understand that his birthday isn't until November, but his wishes were clear.  The part that tore my heart apart about his request though is that he doesn't have any friends to invite.  I know that, but I am so thankful that he doesn't quite realize that.  I asked him which friends to see what he would say.  He mentioned a girl he really liked in his last school year and shrugged his shoulders.  I named off his aunts, uncles, and cousins to which he enthusiastically nodded his head.  

It broke my heart even further when the flooring guy came by yesterday to measure and Ryan says to him, "Do you want to play with some of my toys?  I have some really cool ones."  The older gentleman just kind of looked at Ryan and returned to his work.  My poor kid just seems desperate for friends.

I know that a lot of the blame is on me.  Part of the reason we are all lacking friends is because I am very introverted and shy.  I know those are not good qualities, and I try to fight them.  I've made many efforts to meet people, but there have not been many friendships that naturally came about.  

I was recently pouring my heart out to my husband on this subject.  He was reminding me that things could be the same even after we move.  While I know that is true, I am choosing to be optimistic that maybe we'll have a neighborhood with little kids or we'll make friends from Ryan's new school, or even find friends in Pat's new co-workers.  One thing I know for sure though is that we'll be near our family.  They will be able to come to birthday parties, and we can have play dates with the cousins.  

While I hope we find even more friends than just our family, I am so looking forward being able to share our lives with the people we love.  Until we get there I will try my best to fill the voids that exist for my kids and just hope that they do not feel the loneliness that is here.  

Stop And Smell The Roses

Today I went ahead and did something I never thought I'd have the courage to do on this blog.  I did a vlog.  I really wanted to link up with Mandy at House of Rose.  She hosts a bi-weekly vlog meme where you share something that makes you happy or you are thankful for.  I've loved watching the other ladies share on their blogs, so I took a leap and did it too.







Go check out all the videos and link one up yourself ;)

Weekend Fail

We had a pre-scheduled showing this weekend for our house.  I know not to get my hopes up for these, but I feel like each showing is important because it could be the one.  Unfortunately more times than not it isn't the one.  We had the house top notch clean.  We even put out fresh flowers.  The people didn't take the info sheet for our home so we had a feeling that it was a bust.  We're a bit discouraged at this point.  

I was hoping that Sunday would be a relaxing day after all the busy cleaning we did on Saturday morning.  But instead this was my view early Sunday  morning.  

Saturday night as I put the kids to bed I noticed my arm was itching a bit.  Upon closer inspection I saw it had a little rash on it.  I put on long sleeves and went to bed.  When I got up yesterday morning, the rash had spread--both arms, my face, abdomen, back, and starting on my legs.  I went into urgent care.  They didn't tell me what it was, but they did give me some drugs.  

Hopefully my rash continues to go away and no one else breaks out with it.  I feel like I need another weekend.  Maybe next weekend will be a bit more relaxing, and maybe next weekend "the one" will come look at my house too.  I am full of optimism.   

Kids Say The Darndest Things

There have been a few things that Ryan has said lately that I want to remember, so I want to document them here.

Just after having Leah, I was saying that I didn't want the kids to grow up.  Ryan overheard this and said:
Ryan: "But I want to grow up."
Me:  "Why do you want to grow up?"
Ryan: "Because when I grow up I can cook dinner and make the bed."  

Oh the things he looks forward to.

Once in a while I'll look at Leah and say something about her being a little princess.  (Yes, I'm one of those mothers that calls her little girl a princess, and no I never thought I'd be one like that).
When Ryan heard me call her a princess, this is what he had to say:
"She is not a princess.  She doesn't have enough hair.  She still needs to grow hair here and here and here (pointing at various points on her head).  That is why I call her gweetie pie."  (sweetie pie)

Even now he'll yell at me if I call her princess.

Yesterday in the car he said:
"Easy Mommy.  There is a baby in the car.  You have to drive S-L-O-W-L-Y when there is a baby in the car."  

He is rather smart and protective.  But for the record, I was not speeding.

I hope you all have a great weekend.

Dealing With Stress

The past few days I've had an increasing stress level going on.

*Pat has some medical stuff that is causing a bit of stress.

*Trying to sell our house is causing a boat load of stress.  The market is over saturated with homes to be sold.  We're starting to worry that our house will not sell in time to move up north together, and originally I was planning to move before Pat.  Now it could mean I'm stuck here after Pat moves.  The whole ordeal of selling a home is one headache after another.

*Sometimes having three children all needing something from you at once can cause stress too.  It usually happens that I'll be holding a baby that wants to eat, wiping someone's bum, and trying to get a drink or snack for the third child.  And keeping up with three children and trying to maintain a clean home ready to show is next to impossible.

The other night after I had fed the boys dinner and while Pat was working late, I was feeling tired and overwhelmed.  That's when Leah smiled at me.  You saw in the photo from yesterday that she's working on smiling.  She mostly only smiles at Pat.  But the other night that smile she gave me was all that I needed to let go of the stress.  It brought me right back to the present moment and reminded me what life is really about.  

via

It's amazing that the little smiles, giggles, kisses, and hugs from my children is the best stress reliever out there.  Something I struggle with is letting go of the worry and enjoying life.  I need to stop thinking about the future so much and really live in the present.  These days pass too quickly.  I need to just let go of my stress and fears and let things fall into place while I am living in the moment.  

Hopefully my children will continue giving me the sweet reminders of what is really important.

Wordless Wednesday

Well actually I'm going to write just a few words.

Look who is trying to learn to smile.  Right now it's more like an open mouth grin, but she's working on it.  This was taken on Sunday.  I think she is so adorable (but of course I do, I'm her mom).

 
Happy Wednesday!

Chick-fil-a...AKA: where I go to fit in.

As most of you know, I was born and raised in the northeast.  I had never been to or even heard of Chick-fil-a until I moved to OK.  To be honest, I'm not so sure I understand why people love it so much.  What is it exactly that people cannot get enough of?  

This weekend on the rainy Saturday my husband suggested a quick trip out for lunch to the new Chick-fil-a near our house.  We knew it would be crowded, which it was, but we also looked forward to the kids getting a bit of energy out at the indoor play area.  We've been feeling a little stir crazy at home between the heat wave and having a new baby.  

While I'm not so sure the food is what will draw me back, the feeling like I fit in there is enough for me to make another trip.  While we were there it was rather crowded and perfect for people watching.  It seemed like all the parents there were having the same issues I regularly have with my children.  You know what I'm talking about, like constantly telling the kids to sit down, telling them they have to eat before they go play as the child continually begs to run off to playland, dealing with whiny little ones when the parent says it's time to go.  It was refreshing to be somewhere and see everyone having kids that behave like mine sometimes do.  Maybe it was because almost everyone in there had kids, but there were no sideways glances, dirty looks, or eye rolls.  There was just a knowing look written in eveyone's eyes.  We've all been somewhere when your child has a fit or is just a bit out of control.  It was nice to know there were no judgements being made but rather a sharing of pity for whichever parent was having their turn of public embarrassment by their dear child.  

Sometimes it's nice to feel like you are not alone in the difficulties of parenting.          

Leah Is One Month

Leah's first month was a whirlwind.  I feel like the first month is always a whirlwind when you bring home a newborn.  With two other little boys at home it just multiplies the chaos.  However, it is certainly a wonderful chaos.  

As we were told in the hospital, Leah is feisty.  That must be a trait that runs in our genes because the boys have a certain fire in them too.  Leah will let you know when she is unhappy.  In fact, for the first two and a half weeks if she was awake and not eating, she was pretty much unhappy.  Now she seems a bit more used to how life goes.  She still spends the majority of her time sleeping and eating, but now there are times when she is very content to just listen to me talk to her and carry her around the house.  There is definitely a sweetness to her personality.  She really enjoys being held when she sleeps.  I know I'm probably creating a bad habit, but I just enjoy the baby snuggles and smelling her baby smell so much.  I am looking forward to seeing more of personality come out in the next months.     

 Sean wanted to kiss her.

And then hug her.

And of course Ryan had to do the same.

Such a little bunch of cuties.

It has been a GREAT month :)

Erin Condren Life Planner

I know I shared a blog post last year about the Erin Condren Life Planner.  It has quite the hype in the blog world and for good reason.  I used my planner this past year and have been very happy with it.  In June erincondren.com released their newest planner with some changes for 2012-2013.

My last life planner would have taken me through the new year.  However, I listed out the names of my family members on the front cover, and that meant Leah would have been missing.  I'll take any excuse I can get to buy a new one anyway.

My newest life planner arrived yesterday.  I'm not exaggerating when I say I was checking the status constantly until it was in my hands.

This year I really wanted to have a picture of my kids on the front.  So when Leah was 8 days old we tried to get a decent picture of our three little ones.  To say it was challenging is an understatement.  The photo I used is the best we could get, but I am very happy with it.  It is next to impossible to get three kids to look at the camera all at once.  I also like having this picture on the front because a year from now I'll see exactly how much everyone has changed and grown.  And in case you are wondering, I chose my own colorway of cornflower and coral.  I really do love my planner.    

Something people have mentioned is that this planner is somewhat smaller than last years.  I love the smaller size because I feel like it is more portable in its current state.  However, to achieve this sleeker size, they did not use the thick cardstock on the pages between the months.  Some people think this was cheap, but I honestly think it was practical.  You can see in the photo below the size difference.  

I'm still trying to figure out exactly how I want to organize my planner.  Right now I'm trying a combination of washi tape, colored pens, and the included stickers.  I put the washi tape in for appointments that are constant and repeating on the schedule.  Written in pen are one time activities or anything that pops up.  I think the included stickers are great for pay day and birthdays etc.  

I'm not sure if I'm completely sold on how I'm organizing it right now, but I figure over time I'll find what works best for me.  

Some of the other changes to the planner include a metal spiral binding which is supposed to be stronger than the previous plastic.  I like the look of the metal better, but I never had a problem with the plastic (although some people did).  I also added a pen holder on.  It sticks to the front or back cover with an elastic loop attached to hold a pen.  I think that was a great idea, and for $2.50 it was worth it.  The last change that I'll note is that the tabs are laminated this year.  I put packing tape on mine last year, but I like that it's all taken care of for me this year.  

If you are one that likes to keep a planner and write everything down, go check out these life planners.  You won't be sorry.  And remember you can customize them to give it a very personal look, which I think is one of the best features about them.  

I'm linking this post up with Meredith at The Tichenor Family.  Go over there and look at everyone else's planners.  It will give a great idea of all the different covers and customizations available.  

Happy Friday!  

My Fear of Girls

Yesterday I posted about having a baby girl, and that it surprised me how right it felt since I had always pictured myself with boys.

Part of the reason I think I wanted to have boys during my first two pregnancies was that I was afraid of having a girl.

My biggest fear about raising a girl is that one day she will hate me.  Well, maybe not hate me, but dislike and lash out at me.  Some teenage girls do that, and I'm one that was guilty of it.  It's funny how me having a girl makes me feel more guilt for the way I behaved as a teenager.  Sometimes girls can be bitchy, and I was certainly one that fell into that category.  My crankiness was directed at everyone, but I definitely gave the brunt of it to my mother.  My poor mother who did so much for me and made daily sacrifices to take care of me had to endure my attitude.

The thought of my relationship with my sweet baby girl in the teenage years scares me.  If she's anything like I was, I'm in trouble.  I guess I'll just have to try to remember that it is a phase.  My mother and I are very close.  I didn't mean the unkindness that I probably displayed.  And I owe so much gratitude to my mother for making me the woman and mother I am today.

I hope that despite the rough moments that my baby girl will love me and appreciate me as much as I do my mom.

Leah @ 4 weeks old

Boy or Girl

I'm going to try to be very honest in this post, but I hope what I write won't be taken the wrong way.

Before Pat and I had children, we had dreamed of having them and talked about it a lot.  Both of us wanted a little boy first.  I had always pictured myself being a boy mom.  For some reason the idea of having a girl seemed intimidating.  Of course we would have been so happy with either a girl or a boy, and the fact that it was a healthy baby was really all that truly mattered.  However, I'll be honest, sometimes a parent has a wish of what gender their baby will be.  We were lucky that we got what we wanted.  Our first child, Ryan, was a boy.

When I was pregnant with our second child, I wanted another boy.  As I had said, I have always pictured having at least two boys.  I wasn't sure that what I had pictured was what it would or should be, but it was what I had imagined.   Pat again said he wanted a boy, as he feared having a girl since it was unknown territory to him.  When we went to our ultrasound we found our we were having another little boy, Sean.  We felt so blessed.  I was happy that Ryan would have a little brother, and it just felt right.

While Pat was gloating that we were having another boy, I felt a sudden twinge of sadness at the idea that I may not experience having a baby girl.  I knew I wanted to have a third child, but I knew it too could be a boy.  This twinge took me by surprise because up until this point I had really only been wanting to have boys.

As we raised our two little boys, I saw how much fun little boys can be.  I enjoy their energy and craziness.  It was everything I pictured motherhood would be plus more.

So when we were pregnant with our third child, I thought I didn't care if it was a boy or a girl.  I had so much fun with my boys, I thought having another one would just multiply that fun.  Or if it was a girl, I'd finally get to experience the other side.  You cannot lose no matter what gender you have because having a baby is such a blessing.

Pat and I decided to have an early ultrasound at a boutique place.  We were so excited to see our baby and know if it was a boy or girl.  Our third baby was modest and stubborn.  The baby had it's legs crossed and no matter how much moving and shaking I did, it would not show us what we were looking for.  I thought they were going to send us home without knowing.  At the end another ultrasound tech came in to try to get a view.  Thankfully at that last minute we caught a glimpse.  There was nothing between the legs, and we were told we were having a girl.  I was overjoyed.  Although I hadn't admitted it even to myself, I wanted a baby girl.  For the next month until my 20 week anatomy scan we kept it a secret that we knew we were having a girl.  After it taking so long at the first ultrasound to see, I was worried that maybe they had missed something and were wrong.  At our next ultrasound, we were again told it was a girl.  We saw the three lines and nothing between the legs.  Even after the second confirmation I was careful not to get too excited for fear that it wasn't true.  In June we found out for sure, it was true.  We had our little baby girl, Leah.

I know not everyone gets to experience both boy and girl children.  I really would have been happy having three boys.  Having a girl was not something I had imagined.  However, I've realized that I feel like my family is so complete with our new little girl, and it feels so meant to be.  I feel like I'm living the life I was meant for raising my two boys and one girl.  This boy momma has been won over by pink and ruffles.  I'm still a boy momma, but now also momma to a little girl too, and it feels so right.

Now I cannot imagine my life any other way!

Amazingly Smooth

Yesterday was Pat's first day back at work since we had baby Leah.  We were lucky that his block leave fell right after his paternity leave.  To say I was worried about how it was going to go with just me and the three little ones is a bit of an understatement.

I guess you could say I got lucky.  Our first day went amazingly smooth.  Sure it started out a bit rocky when I tried to jump into the shower.  Right after I got the cleanser in my hair the boys woke the baby up.  I rinsed as quickly as I could, and we started our day.  After the shower, I thought the day may continue like that, but it didn't.  We actually accomplished a lot.  I was able to feed the kids breakfast, feed the dogs, vacuum, the boys and I worked on worksheets while Leah napped, I started some thank you notes, the boys and I ate lunch together, I even got both boys down for a nap, we played outside, and I made dinner since Pat ended up coming home a bit late.  (Thank goodness for my BabyHawk carrier.  It made yesterday so much easier.  It should be added to my newborn essentials list.)

It really could not have gone better.  I know that not all my days will fall into place quite like it did yesterday, but I'm so thankful that yesterday was a good day because it has given me the confidence that I can handle everything myself.  I think I needed that little reminder.

Newborn Essentials

I thought I would put together a quick list of items that I found essential to surviving these first few weeks with our new baby girl. These are just my opinions and preferences.  Let me know if you had a must have item that I might want to know about.

Boppy--I am breastfeeding Leah.  And just like with the boys, I always use the boppy.  It makes holding the baby to nurse so much easier.  I get great use out of these pillows.  I highly recommend them to Moms who plan to nurse.

Lanolin--I was stupid this time around.  When I first had Leah, I guess I was thinking that since I nursed the boys each for over a year that I was a pro at it and didn't need any lanolin cream.  Yup, within her first week I had cracked and bleeding nipples.  I started using lanolin after I had issues and wish that I had been smarter to moisturize before they got bad.  Lanolin is an absolute must, and learn from my mistake and use it from day one!

Lansinoh Breast Pads--I used these with both boys for the entire duration of breastfeeding them (14.5 months and 17 months).  I would not have survived without these, or at least my clothes wouldn't have survived.  These are the best disposable breast pads I've tried.  And yes, I buy them in bulk.

Swaddle Me--We learned quickly with our first child that most babies like to be swaddled up nice and tight when they are born.  My kids liked being swaddled a lot.  We found the Swaddle Me blankets with velcro were able to stay nice and tight.  The only down fall to these is that weaning the kids from a swaddle can be difficult if they really enjoy being wrapped up.

Footed Sleepers--Even though Leah is a June/summer baby, she spent many days of the first few weeks in footed sleepers.  In the air conditioned house they were a necessity.  If they have zippered closures that is a bonus that makes late night diaper changes that much quicker.

Rock n play/bouncy seat--While I love holding my little baby girl, sometimes I need some hands free time.  My sister sent us the Rock n Play.  It's kind of like a cradle.  It is not electronic, so you are responsible for rocking it, but everyone I know who has one really likes it.  I put Leah in it during her morning sleepy period, and that way I can fold laundry (or blog ;)  She looks so cozy in the Rock n Play. I sometimes wish I had an adult sized rock n play.  We are also using the Rainforest bouncy seat that we had with the boys.  It still works almost 5 years later.  We find the bouncy is great during dinner time to keep baby girl happy while I eat.

Basics by Bravado at Target (Nursing Tank)--Every time I have a baby, I literally live in nursing tanks.  I've tried quite a few.  I have lots from target, which are comfy but not always the most flattering.  I have one Bravado nursing tank from my time nursing Sean.  Bravado ones fit really well and are the most supportive ones I've tried, but they do come at a price (almost $50).  I knew I wanted nursing tanks this time around that looked cute.  I was very intrigued when I found out that Bravado had made a line for Target (Basics by Bravado) that had a nursing tank (Felicity nursing cami).  Looking at it in the store, it doesn't look like it will be as good as the regular Bravado tank, but it makes promises of lift, smoothing, and won't ride up so I wanted to try it.  It really does fulfill those promises too!  My biggest pet peeve with the other nursing tanks is when they ride up.  After all, the reason I wear tanks is to cover my stomach.  When I tried the first one I bought, I immediately went back out to target and bought two more.  My store seems to be selling out, and from what I hear they may not restock them.  I will say that they are not quite as good as the regular Bravado tanks, but they are definitely a good, less expensive alternative that is flattering.  I'd say they are 97% as good and about half the price.

So there is my list of what I needed to survive the first few weeks with a new baby.

InstaFriday

I promise that next week I'll get back to making real posts. At least I hope I will. Pat goes back to work Monday; his block leave is over. I know the three little ones will keep me busy, but I have so much to write about. Until then let me fill you in on life lately via phone pics.

Leah loves sleeping on me and Pat.  I know it's probably a bad habit, but I enjoy it too much.  She is so peaceful when snuggled up on us.

Sean is also such a cuddle bug.  I am beginning to think he may be feeling a bit displaced with the baby, and that makes me so sad for him.  We are going to try to find special things for Sean to do with Mommy or Daddy to help him find his place again.  Yesterday after playing outside for a little while he came in with me and the baby and snuggled up in the blanket with his koala bear.  It was quite an adorable sight.  

Auntie Rie sent Leah a rocker, and she seems to like it.  I like that I have another place to put her down so I can occasionally get some stuff done around the house.  

The other day Sean was mad about something and throwing a fit.  I went over and sat with him and attempted to capture it on the camera, but before I was able to snap the photo it turned into a giggle fest with me and my boys.  Don't mind the puffy bags under my eyes; I'm not getting much sleep these days.  

Leah enjoyed the 4th of July.  It was surreal to put her in this outfit because Pat and I had bought it months ago with the intention of putting her in it on July 4th.  Sometimes I can hardly believe that the little girl I could only imagine when I bought it is actually here.  

With the absolutely insane heat around here the past week or two, it's been hard to entertain the boys.  It's often too hot to go outside.  However, one day we decided to fill up their little pool.  They had so much fun.  Watching them play put an instant smile on my face.  If only I could bottle up their laughter...

Join the link up for InstaFriday:

And have a great weekend!

Bring Back My Bar

It's July, so that means it's the Bring Back My Bar month for Scentsy.  If you aren't familiar with that, it's when Scentsy brings back 20 favorite scents from the past for one month.  You can only get these fragrances for this one month, so if one of your favorite scents is back, stock up now!

Here is a list of the scents that are back for the month of July:

Don't forget that if you are stocking up, you will save money if you order a Combine and Save special from my website.  

I ordered a sampler package of all 20 above scents.  My husband and I smelled them tonight, and I thought I'd share which ones were our favorites.  

Banana Nut Bread:  This was on my husband's "yes" list, which is funny because he doesn't eat banana nut bread.  He tends to like the bakery and sweet scents though.  This one is true to it's name and reminds me of fresh banana bread just out of the oven.  

Citrus Sun Tea: This was a definite on my list.  It has the citrus notes in a refreshing scent.  It really did remind me of sun tea.  I am very happy that I'll get a chance to stock up on this one.  

Cranberry Mango: This was on both mine and my husband's lists.  It has a semi-strong note of pineapple mixed in with the other fruits, and we are both fans of a pineapple scent.  I'm looking forward to warming this bar.  

Cutie Pie Cupcake and Fried Ice Cream: Both of these were ones my husband chose.  The main fragrance with both of them is vanilla.  They are sweet like dessert without the calories.  

Lemon Lavender: This is a great fusion of the two scents.  It is fresh and relaxing.  I think this will be the one that I put in our bedroom warmer.  

Orange Dreamsicle: This one smells exactly like the Creamsicles we had as kids and is perfect for summertime.  

Pineapple Paradise: As I said above, pineapple is a favorite scent for us in the house.  I'll be stocking up on this one.  

Watermelon Patch: My husband really liked this scent.  He said it reminded him of "bubble yum".  I think it smells a lot like the sour patch watermelon candies.  

Let me know if you have any questions about any of the BBMB scents.  

And since I'm talking Scentsy, I just wanted to show you the Warmer of the Month for July.  It's 10% off during July.  I thought this was a really cute warmer that gives a beachy feel to any room.  It's called Ohana.  

Contact me if you have any questions or click on my link in the sidebar if you want to order.