Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Cree and Scooter Giveaway! :)

Welcome to the Cree and Scooter $40 Amazon GC/Book Giveaway!

Sponsored by: Cree and Scooter

PLEASE PUT YOUR OWN WORDS HERE

Who is CREE AND SCOOTER?

  • Aid in the development of global-minded kids, which will navigate their minds with Cree and Scooter through the crevices of each continent
  • Expose kids to the things they wouldn’t normally get from standard schooling
  • Stimulate kids worldly curiosity
  • Take kids on global journey
  • Enable kids to learn different languages, foods, cultures, history, landmarks and geography
  • Promote excitement on the curious minds of kids
  • Enable kids to travel the world without leaving their home, school, city, or country
  • Educate without kids knowing they are learning
  • Ignite a passion for kids to learn not only about their cultures but other cultures

WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) veteran and two-time All Star, Tammy Sutton-Brown was born in Ontario, Canada. Being a professional basketball player has opened Tammy’s world to experience a host of different countries and cultures. “When you read, your world opens up. I want to encourage early literacy for kids, ignite a love for travel and exploration and form an appreciation for the world we live in, its languages, cultures and history. It is my belief that global exposure will enhance the lives of others beginning with our kids. Our world has changed and is continuing to change with the people from all around the world playing and living together, as well as attending the same schools. Kids will be in good hands with Cree and Scooter.“ csgiveaway GIVEAWAY CODE: [promosimple id="41c6"] Cree and Scooter also has an Ambassador program where you share and earn gift cards: Join the PARENT AMBASSADOR . Like Cree and Scooter on FACEBOOK and Follow on TWITTER BUY E-BOOK For $6.99 through Amazon-Cree and Scooter Hit the Slopes in British Columbia Buy the HardBack Book: $16.00 HERE
“READ TODAY, LEAD TOMORROW” – Tammy Sutton-Brown
Giveaway ends April 20th at 11:59 PM EST. Open to Residents of the US/Canada only. Winner will be selected by Promosimple and be notified by email. Winner have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Please note that PLEASE PUT YOUR BLOG NAME HERE is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. Cree and Scooter will ship their items to you directly.If there is an issue with a sponsor, please notify PinkMama’s Place you won a prize from within 30 days for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+ are in no way associated with this giveaway. We do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner. GIVEAWAY CODE: Or is the code:

Monday, January 6, 2014

Free chocolate...I'll take it!

I needed some inspiration for todays post because I couldn't think of what I really wanted to write about...I have some built up anger about a few issues but it's not something I think I should talk about publicly for now. Anywho...I googled, "365 Day Blog Challenge" and decided anytime I need a topic I will pull from that list.

Todays idea is: hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days with a picture of yourself.

So first...here I am:

As for hopes, dreams and plans for the next year...well, I hope that I can continue to watch my little girl grow in to the adorable, intelligent and loving toddler she is destined to be. I hope that I can become pregnant again (God willing!). I dream about being a mommy to two.

As for plans - I want to continue to grow in to a better person. I want to write everyday, laugh everyday, and make sure that the people in my life who are important know just how much I love them. I plan to continue to help our family get to our goal of being debt free. It might not happen this year, but IT WILL HAPPEN! I have faith - and perserverance.

In other news...it is terribly cold here in Wisconsin. I told Eric to not even worry about getting the mail but he did anyway. I am glad he did - I received a free sample from Crowdtap and Hersey's:


 
I can't wait to try it and let you know what I think! :)

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Better Luck Next Year

Another late night/early morning blog...we really need to work on getting back on a normal schedule of sorts. My husband is normally a third shifter but he worked second shift this week so I have been staying up with him after he gets home. Going to bed at 2 or 3 am really isn't working out as the baby gets up around 7 am. (And that's if she sleeps through the night!)

We watched our beloved Green Bay Packers play today...and lose by a field goal. That was a tough one to swallow but I still love my Green and Gold!

We don't have much planned for tomorrow (umm...today) but Wisconsin is supposed to have record low temps. Almost all of the schools are already closed. I think it's going to be a couch and sweatpants kind of day :) I do have to run to a doctors appointment in the afternoon, I recently found a lump in the lymph node near my breast. I saw my OB for it and she referred me to a Vascular surgeon. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just a little bit nervous.

Hubby is on the "I think you need to get a job again" kick. It really gets frustrating. Yes, we struggle. I won't deny that...but I also think we have so many things that we should be fortunate for. We aren't hungry, we have a roof over our heads (and heat!), and we have plenty of material goods. We also have each other...shouldn't that be enough? *sigh*

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Simple Saturday

I'm sure I'm not the only stay at home mom who sometimes forgets what day it is (heck! I even forgot when I was working full time). I had to remind myself several times today that it was a Saturday.

Eliana and I took full advantage of the "warm" weather - 30 degrees felt simply spring like - and ran to the grocery store and then played outside in the snow for awhile. Afterwards she seemed to be sleepy so instead of allowing her to nap alone we curled up on the couch and watched a movie. Of course we both crashed out. I didn't even feel guilty when we woke up two hours later! :)

Besides hitting the grocery store and finding some good deals (Tombstone Garlic Bread pizza which I LOVE was on sale 4 for $10) Eliana and I didn't do much besides play around at home.

I did receive a "freebie" in the mail today from Home Depot, a Glad Force Flex Odor Shield garbage bag and some Clorox Bleach wipes, both of which I can use. I didn't spend a lot of time online so I didn't get a chance to request any other items or do many surveys but I'm okay with taking a day "off" from technology.

There was simply too much drama in our lives last night so I'm glad I got to spend the day with Eliana decompressing...there is always time tomorrow for social media, cleaning and stressing about finances. I'm looking forward to having Eric home tonite and for the next three days.

I'm choosing to be happy...it's as simple as that.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Better Late than Never?

Day 3's post turned into an early morning on Day 4 post...but the day somehow got away from me.

I watched our friends little girl, Marina, today. We are coming up on the one year anniversary of her mothers death (and her 1st birthday).

Even though it was almost a year ago (she passed away on January 11), I still can't get the incident out of my mind. It's not something I care to talk about often (if at all).

One year ago today - Vanessa and I were both very pregnant. She had plans to be induced on Monday the 7th (and head in on the night of the 6th). I was so very excited and nervous for her and anxious to hear how the delivery went as my own delivery was impending. I still have the text messages from Sunday evening (the 6th) on my old cell phone...her husband Justin and her had kept the babies name a secret and I was anxiously awaiting every detail. I remember her telling me that she was going to take some melatonin to help her sleep because she herself was very anxious. I can't remember exactly what time Marina Corrine was born, but I know it was before noon.

I was so very excited for my beautiful friends and their gorgeous little girl and I couldn't wait to meet her. With being pregnant myself and due in only a few short weeks, Eric and I were unable to make it up to the hospital to see baby Marina and Vanessa. We made plans to visit her that Friday morning. I had a doctors appointment that morning and I sent Vanessa a message to make sure it was ok for us to stop by. She wasn't feeling well and was heading in to see the doctor herself but said that it would be fine if Eric and I stopped by to see her and Justin and the baby.

I packed up a present and we headed to our doctors appointment to have my routine prenatal appointment. The doctors and nurses know us and they also knew that we were friends with Vanessa and Justin so they asked if we had seen the baby yet because she had been in right before us. After my doctors appointment we headed over to their house.

When we walked in Vanessa was asleep on the couch and Marina was in her bilirubin blanket. Justin handed me Marina and I couldn't believe that she was actually here...that this beautiful little miracle that had caused her momma so much grief while she carried her was finally here and bringing her mother and father so much joy.

Vanessa awoke for a short period of time and I was able to tell her that her little girl was beautiful and start to get the story of Marina's delivery. From what I was told, her delivery wasn't bad at all and I am so grateful for that. Vanessa seemed so happy to be a mother and even said she would go through all of the pains of pregnancy again. While discussing Marina's birth, we lost Vanessa. I don't wish to go in to details but I don't think I fully realized what was happening while it was happening. Even as the paramedics came and I was holding her baby girl in her kitchen, I couldn't get my head around it.

A part of me knew Vanessa was no longer with us when they took her in the ambulance....but most of me didn't want to believe it. How could that be possible? How was I left standing in her kitchen holding her BRAND NEW BABY and she wasn't here anymore? I told myself that they were going to fix her right up...and in a few days she'd be back to normal and we could laugh about another troublesome pregnancy (or post pregnancy) symptom.

A few hours later, while I sat in Vanessa's home holding Vanessa's baby, we received the phone call that she had passed away at the age of 27. I was overcome with grief. I didn't take the time to fully feel my emotions as I was 3 weeks away from delivering my own baby and a lot of my focus was on that as well. I felt like I had to be strong and pull it together for everyone, including my baby growing inside of me.

17 days after Marina was born, I brought my 6 lb 2 oz daughter, Eliana Beatrice in to this world. 13 days after we watched our friends life slip away we watched our lives begin with the breath of this little girl who is now my whole world.

Marina brought me comfort the day Vanessa passed...as she continues to do. But watching Marina also sometimes brings me great grief as well as guilt and feelings of inadequacy. Why do I get to be a mother to my daughter and she doesn't? Why do I get the hugs from her daughter that she so deserves? Am I teaching them the right things? I'm not as patient as a person as Vanessa was and sometimes I feel like she would be doing so much better at this than I am. I miss her. I miss what we could have had, raising our daughters together.

But...there are two little girls that need me. And with Gods patience, grace, and understanding I will continue to do everything I can to make sure that their lives are full of love, hope, joy and laughter. Marina got to know her mother for such a short period of time but I know that Vanessa lives on in Marina's quiet intelligence and her passion for books.

And sometimes when Marina snuggles in for a hug, I can feel Vanessa's hug from above too...I just hope she can feel that I'm hugging her right back.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Puppy Love

I have a two year old puppy named Brewer whom I love dearly. He is a large beast whose out of control tail often takes ornaments off trees, end tables down, and provides minutes of tears when he unexpectedly slaps your face.

My little girl has manged to successfully deflect Brewers tail by placing her hands above her head and yelling "Get!" It's both entertaining and adorable. Brewer takes it in stride and goes on to the next thing on his mind. I love that my little girl and her dog will grow up together.

However, Eliana seems to fear all other dogs. I'm not sure how to cure her of this and I'm also not sure if it should be of any concern at this point. She is young and it's obvious she loves animals, maybe the fear will subside as she ages?

My sister brought her 3 month old puppy Toby over today...and I was reminded of why I don't want another puppy anytime soon. Not only did he think Eliana was the perfect pint sized playmate to wrestle to the ground, he also found all of her toys to be widly entertaining. Everything goes in the mouth and not much comes out in tact. Ellie screamed and cried anytime Toby came near her. In part, I don't blame her, last time we were over at Abby's house Toby took her arm and chewed it like it was bone. Luckily, the only casualties of the day were a sippy cup nipple and a nuker. (and maybe temporarily my sanity).

I know the puppy stage goes fast (just as the baby stage goes fast for human babies) and in a matter of time he will be a well behaved dog...it just takes patience. I'm glad that it's my sisters patience this time around!

In other news, non dog related, I am so excited that I was picked to do a Pampers Sample and Share through Crowdtap! I can't wait to receive the coupons in the mail and share our experience. No freebies or samples came my way in todays mail, but tomorrow is another day, right? ;) I did receive some products that I had purchased on an online auction site called TopHatter - I had received a $10 credit by clicking though on an email I had received so I checked it out and ended up with a few small purchases.

Just waiting on the husband to come home, he is on second shift the next few days. Eliana is glued to the tv watching her absolute favorite tv show, Bubble Guppies. Maybe I can sneak in a few minutes of reading? We will see!

Til tomorrow,

Rebecca

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

No one tells you...

That you are going to wake up with extreme headaches that you can't do anything for because you aren't able to take decongestant or ibuprofen...no one told me that my entire upper body would be covered in little acne bumps - and I can't use normal acne body wash because salycylic acid is bad for baby bean. No one told me my gums would bleed and my teeth would ache. No one told me that everytime I go to throw up from a bad smell, I will also pee my pants a little....ok, a LOT.




They did tell me that I would feel the baby - and at first it would be weird. But until it happens to you, you can't begin to understand. No one told me that I would be so incredibly head over heels in love with this little bean RIGHT this very moment when I haven't even met him or her (besides a random blur of an ultrasound photo & a blip of a heartbeat).



The "negative' side effects of being pregnant are annoyances. Yes, I like to whine at times about them, but in the big picture, they are absolutely NOTHING. I am alive & married to a man who rubs my back for 30 minutes to an hour EVERY night before bed because it's the only relief I can get in my sciatic and for the head pain. I whine for ice water - it's there. I lay in bed for hours on the weekend playing farkle or reading a book and he asks what he can bring me to eat. (When he's around, he's mostly great). Of course, I'm not always so great to him in return...like this morning. Super b*tchy for no reason really and just snapping at him at every turn, to which he says, "I'm sorry you are so miserable today but I still love you" - and scoots me out the door.



I am going to be a mother! Yes, I have known that for 10 weeks already (14 weeks and 2 days TODAY!) but it is FINALLY starting to sink in and feel real.



I think the dog and cats know - they fight for a spot on my belly. Brewer lays his ear on my tummy and puts one paw up there and it looks like he is just listening to something. It's adorable. (Well, I think almost everything my 8 month old puppy does is adorable, not going to lie!)



Ahhh -in other news, started and finished Divergent by Veronica Roth this weekend. It was very good. If you like reading books that are set in dystopian settings - you will enjoy Divergent. My coworker has my copy of Insurgent (book 2 in the series) so I have picked up Lake News by Barbara Delinksy in the meantime.



I'm also slowly getting back my ability to eat the foods I always had before. :) No more steady diet of apples and tomatoes for me - however they are still about 50% of what I eat.



Our houseguest starts his new job today - yay for that! Hopefully he will have enough money saved up by October 1st to have his own place.



Ran to McDonalds for lunch and grabbed a cheeseburger and a large Hi-C. Wish I wouldn't have left the building. YUCK - for some reason this summer feels like a million degrees hotter than last summer. I wonder how long the heat wave will last. I am seriously considering going swimming tonite after work.

Reclaiming Rebecca

342 days ago I went from dreaming of being a mother to holding my beautiful little girl in my arms. I was a mother the moment she was conceived but reality doesn't hit until you are sitting there staring down in to the face and eyes of a being that loves you and needs you for their very survival.

After Eliana was born, she was rushed to the NICU so my birthing experience wasn't what I had always hoped and planned for it to be. I quickly learned that is how motherhood rolls!

The last 342 days have been exhausting, educational, disgusting (no showers for days, vomit everywhere), overwhelming, and absolutely fantastic. I wouldn't change them for the world. I have loved almost every moment of motherhood and I have learned to laugh at the parts that you can't enjoy. I never saw myself being a stay at home mother and now I would not have it any other way. I enjoy spending every day with my child. I love the smiles when I pick her up in the morning, the snuggles I get when she is sick or tired, the giggles...I even love the poopy diapers and the teething because that just means she is real and she is MINE!

Never in my life have I had something in my life that holds as much value in my life as my beautiful little girl. Motherhood has changed me, and I embrace that. She has opened my eyes to so many things that I would have never thought to notice in the past, she has made me a better person.

The only drawback is that I became so consumed in my child's well being that I often times forgot about my own. For the year 2014, I want to reclaim that. To be the best parent I can be for my child, I need to be the best me I can be. This means allowing myself to sleep more, allowing myself to establish and nurture adult relationships, allowing myself to become self confident again and allowing myself to work towards being healthier physically, emotionally and spiritually.

The first step in that plan for me is reconnecting with the written word and having a place to express my emotions. I look forward to this 365 day journey and the moments that I will discover alone, the ones I will uncover with my loving husband, and all the adventures I will fall in to with Eliana.

Welcome 2014....I look forward to taking this journey.