Gearing Up For Thanksgiving! Another First!

We are getting ready for another first in our small little family. Elouise's first Thanksgiving! I've never been one for the big Thanksgiving feast (it kind of grosses me out that people overindulge just because of a "day", but that's just me!), however; it's the first holiday Elouise will be experiencing! Halloween was one thing, but now we're getting into family holidays. My family will be coming down to Idabel this year to celebrate. We normally would be going to see them, but we are figuring out how much harder it is to travel with a newborn. Maybe it's just me and my excessive packing, but we LOADED my Commander with stuff the last trip we made. Between suitcases and strollers and all kinds of fun things, I'm thinking I should be driving a bus instead of a Commander. There would be more trunk space for sure! I like to pack "in case of emergency". You never know when you'll need something. Plus, when traveling, you ALWAYS have to leave room for incidental purchases such as: shoes, clothes, home decor, you name it!

A boastful intermission - I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping! I prefer to have all of my Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving. This drives my husband NUTS! He will wait until December 23rd to start shopping for Christmas. AH! This year, I have "wised" up. I have been keeping a running gift list on my cell phone for each recipient. That way I won't forget something someone mentioned they'd like - back in April! I live for gift giving. I don't care if I get anything. I just live to give presents!!!!!! I get more excited watching people open gifts I'm giving them then opening my own. However, as I'm sitting here typing, I overheard Natalie Morales discussing Black Friday deals. She asked the guest on the show if cut out coupons were "in style" anymore. Hello?!? Who cares if coupons are "in-style"! If they save me a few bucks that I could use elsewhere, I'm using them! That has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I've heard in a while. Just sayin.......


Oh! Another thing that I have to get done early (like my Christmas shopping) is my Thanksgiving grocery list. I can't stand going to Wal-Mart, but it's even worse a few days or day before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving groceries purchased?? CHECK! I have an excessive amount of canned pumpkin puree, cream cheese, butter, eggs....you name it!


IN my head at the moment, I'm preparing myself for the next thing after blogging that I need to do today (including a feeding and diaper change). Working out. I have always enjoyed working out. I love the rush, the terrible feeling during the workout where you're just trying to BREATHE, and then the prideful feeling after the workout. However, as much as I enjoy working out, I LOATHE AND HATE LOSING WEIGHT. I've never been good at a "diet". I like working out for the maintenance idea, but NOT having to lose weight. BUT - while I have lost all but 3 lbs of Elouise baby weight, NOT ONE PERSON told me what having a baby does to your body!! OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS! I now understand the mommy "pooch" below the belly button! GOOOOOOOOOOOODNESS! I have some SERIOUS sit ups to be doing!

Anyway - ONE MORE THING TO REPORT! ELOUISE HAS SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT 5 NIGHTS IN A ROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have always swaddled her at night, but to no avail, she would wake up at 330 and then 530. Now, we put her to bed at 1030 and she wakes up just before 7! THANKS TO THE SWADDLEME invention. Click on the SWADDLEME to see what this FABULOUS invention is! My Aunt Betty bought us these and we hadn't used them because we thought she had to be bigger. I had a fellow "new mommy friend" that told me it didn't matter the baby's size and to try it out. AS SOON AS WE DID - TADA! She slept through the night. So for those of you that struggle with gift giving - give these (for a baby of course). They are the greatest thing ever! The baby can't get out of them and they keep them nice and cozy. FABULOSO! I feel like a new woman with all this sleep! I actually organized many parts of my house yesterday with all my new found energy!

That's all for now! Got to get to working out! Enjoy the pics!
love

Firsts...

A few firsts this week that I get to tell about!

1st - First smile on camera! She is starting to smile in response to people talking!! It's soooo much fun! After we got home from church and lunch, she was allllll smiles!! After about 5 minutes of pictures, she got tired of it though.

2nd - First time to church! Elouise went to Bypass Church of Christ in Idabel. She almost lasted the whole service! We are both very happy that we both were able to take her. Josh leaves on Tuesday for the first time since she was born! Yikes! Here is a picture of her getting ready for church.

3rd - First Halloween! I have never been a huge Halloween person (I don't like the dressing up as dead people scary kinda stuff...) However, you can't beat a baby dressed up!! We had tons of trick-or-treaters at our house, and Elouise was ready! She went as Snow White. I will post a picture later today!

4th - This is the first time Josh is going to back to work since she was born!! He and I are dreading it. We are so thankful that we are blessed with a wonderful job, but it is sad that he will be leaving for 2 weeks. It will be an eye opening experience to say the least! Life a single mom...yikes!!!! (for 2 weeks anyway!) Please keep us in your prayers!