7 Billion

Interesting video on the world's population... I love this stuff!


Or see it without the ad here: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/7-billion

Old Year Done, New Year Come

Jeremiah 29: 11 always comes back to my memory when I think about this years highs and lows. There were few highs but they were so awesome that they totally outshadow the lows. I have to say that I've been blessed. The New Year is going to be so mindblowing amazing that I am just going to enjoy what time I have left now...Can't wait to share....Happy New Year & Be Blessed.

Baby's First Christmas Pics ...

Yeah.  That would be a lovely title.  If I had TAKEN any.  I'm seriously so mad at myself.  I think I was so freaked out by the idea of anyone possibly being sick at either of my family pit stops that I #1 - forgot to even BRING my camera so that was the first problem and #2 - forgot to ask anyone to take pictures because I was so consumed by asking them to sanitize and resanitize and make sure they weren't sick in the first place before they came within 15 ft of our boy.  Why?  Well because he hasn't had his 2 month shots.  Not that I'm okay with him getting sick AFTER his 2 month shots, but if he does before hand it can be scary.  Our pediatrician has informed us that if he gets a fever before his 2 month shots we have to go straight to the ER for a full septic work-up.  I don't know what that entails but it doesn't sound like anything I'd want a tiny newborn to go through.  SO we're being psychotically careful.  On top of all that, the Mister came home on Wednesday with a cold.  He started feeling bad Tuesday and went to the doctor Wednesday just to make sure (like I said, we're being crazy careful).  He had a small fever that went away quickly along with a sore throat, cough and runny nose.  So how did we spend our first Christmas?  With the Mister quarantined upstairs in our room and little man and I downstairs with every baby item we own (i.e. pack n' play, swing, bouncer, etc.)  And for the record, the Mister didn't kick me out of our bed, it just worked better because the bottles, swing, etc. were all downstairs and the goal was to keep him away from C for at least 2 to 3 days.  So on Christmas Eve he shouted from upstairs "Merry first Christmas mommy and Caleb, daddy loves and misses you!"  It was sad.  But also something we'll probably laugh at next year.  Plus C won't remember anyways, he was too preoccupied with staring at the Christmas lights on the TV and watching White Christmas for the 10th time with mommy.  I did get ONE picture.  With my iPhone.  And that was on Christmas Eve in his pack n' play by the light of the Christmas tree.

Besides forgetting to take pictures we had a great first Christmas with our little man.  I just can't show you it.  Dangit.

But, I've taken a few pictures since with my iPhone just because I can't get enough of his cuteness.  So here you go.

In other news, I started with my personal trainer yesterday.  More on that and my weight loss goals for post baby later.

Lastly, everyone PLEASE pray for little Brayden Helvey.  I know a lot of you read Heather's blog but he had to go back to the hospital on Christmas Eve because he came down with Meningitis again and his having to go through things that no sweet little baby should ever have to go through.  Pray for healing and comfort for him, peace and comfort for his parents and wisdom for all the doctors and nurses that he comes in contact with.  My heart just breaks for him and his sweet family.  If you want to know more click the "Praying for Brayden" button I have on my page.

Merry Christmas ...

You know how I always brag about the awesomeness of my Silly (sister-in-law)?  Well, this is why ...

Yep.  With the help of the amazing Summer Photography's picture skillz, my Silly made these combo birth announcements/Christmas cards.  And I'm kinda obsessed.  How lucky am I that my brother married someone who I now not only consider one of my best friends, but is freakin' talented and has given me the luxury of never having to order invitations, Christmas cards, announcements, etc. from anyone EVER again!  Pretty sweet huh?  And even BETTER?  She personalizes it to say exactly what I want it to.  Oh don't be too jealous.  She can do it for you too.  Go check her out at Pink Door Design.  You'll be glad you did.

So Merry Christmas to all of you.  I appreciate you taking the time out to care about my silly little comings and goings.  I pray you all take time out to remember the reason we celebrate.  The reason we wrap packages and sing Christmas carols.  Because God first gave us the greatest gift the World has ever known.  Wrapped in swaddling clothes on a cold night with the angels singing glory to God in the highest, He sent us down His son, to reconcile what was broken in the World and give us a way to have a relationship with our Creator.  That way is Jesus and that is what I will celebrate tomorrow morning.  I hope you will too.

Merry Christmas everyone.  I pray it's a peaceful one for each of you and your families.

Something Nobody Talks About ...

We're going to get a little sewious around here today.  I know, you can't take me sewious when I spell "sewious" like that but you always have to be a LITTLE silly.  Okay, well at least I do.

So what is it that I'm talking about that nobody talks about?  Post Partum.  Which, I'm not going to lie, I thought was a huge crock that women used after pregnancy to continue getting the attention they received during pregnancy or as a reason to make people feel sorry for them.  Not. true.  It is real and it is scary.  There are all different kinds of post partum that women can experience that include negative thoughts about themselves and/or their new baby however I didn't experience any of that.  What I experienced was post partum anxiety.  If any of you have ever experienced anxiety you know it's not fun.  It's actually terrifying.  And it's even scarier (I don't think that's a word ...) if you're not informed or have some idea that what you're experiencing is normal and WILL go away.  And truthfully, I don't know why women DON'T talk about this?  I've talked to a lot of my friends that have said they had some shape or form of PP but never told anyone about it.  Well, I don't know WHAT I would've done if I HADN'T voiced it to those closest to me.

Now I know most of you know the story of our little man's birth, so you know I was dealing with high blood pressure and had a C-Section as well.  Well, the first day I was supposed to be discharged they decided to keep me another night because my blood pressure was still higher than they'd like it to be.  The next day, when the doctor said I was cleared to go home, it hit me all of the sudden.  I was responsible for this little life.  For this precious angel of a blessing the Lord had given the Mister and I and there were going to be NO nurses to help me!  Plus, on top of that, I'd had a C-Section and wasn't as mobile as I'd like to be, I'd been on bedrest for the past 5 weeks and hadn't so much as moved from the bed to the bathroom and on top of all of that my blood pressure was still high, which I was expecting that problem to resolve as soon as I gave birth to Caleb.  But it hadn't.  And I (in my state of freak-outage) thought it never would.  What if I had a seizure (side effect of high BP) while caring for Caleb?  What if I had to continue with a bedrest-like schedule while caring for a newborn?  So I had, what I am guessing was a panic attack.  Which I'm now sure was the start of the PP anxiety.  They had to keep me a little later in the day to calm me down however we ended up being discharged and sent on our way.

When I got home my house didn't feel like home anymore.  Everything felt different, uncomfortable and unfamiliar.  At the same time I felt like I was a prisoner.  Not a prisoner in my house, but in my own skin.  I didn't know what was wrong with me, but all I knew was that this person wasn't me and it scared me.  I was also terrified that something was going to happen to my sweet baby boy.  I couldn't BELIEVE how much I loved this little person that I had physically never met before.  The kind of love that people always tell you about feeling but you can never understand until you have a child.  I also didn't want to be left alone, even for 30 minutes.  Nothing seemed normal to me anymore.  Things I used to love, shows I used to watch while on bedrest all seemed unfamiliar and strange.  I couldn't stand to have quiet, I always wanted the TV on or someone in the room with me.  And on top of it all I was in a constant state of anxiety.  Which I never knew felt like before, but I can only explain it to say it's like your body's on constant high alert.  Every peep Caleb made, every movement I was terrified there was something wrong.  I didn't want him further than 5 feet from me.  I stopped responding to people's phone calls, facebook posts and if you noticed, was pretty absent from blog world for awhile.  All of these things which aren't. me.  It was horrible.  The Mister deserves a medal.  The way he put up with me, and by put up with me I mean comforted me, consoled me and supported me, I will never be able to put into words.  I'm a lucky girl.  And speaking of lucky, during those 2 weeks my mom and MIL were here around the clock.  I was never by myself for more than 30 minutes and that was rare.  My mom got here about 10 minutes after the Mister would leave in the morning and then leave around 3:00-ish when my MIL would arrive until the Mister came home.  If it weren't for them I don't know what I would've done.

But first and foremost, the one thing that pulled me out of my PP anxiety was the Lord.  This was one of those times that I had to completely and totally rely on Jesus to pull me out of a dark and scary place.  And He did.  He came to my rescue in a mighty way.  When you come to a place, that you've never been before, a place that is dark and terrifying and unfamiliar.  A place where all you have is to cling to what you know is true.  And good.  And mighty.  All you can do is cling to Him.  And I did and He listened.  The Lord reached down and rescued me.  In the Bible it says "Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me."  Psalm 31:1-3 and "In your righteousness, rescue and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me." Psalm 71:1-3.  And that's just what He did.

In the end, I came out of the PP anxiety after about 2 weeks.  I didn't take medication, however it was offered to me several times.  I knew that God could bring me out of it.  I knew He would come to my rescue as He has so many times before.  And He did.  PRAISE His name!

The reason I wanted to post about this was to let all you preggers mommas and mommas to be in the future know that this is out there.  And to be prepared.  And to TELL someone, don't just let it fester and feel like you are suffering all alone.  And that eventually, you will be okay.  Hormones are a crazy thing.  And by crazy I mean the "B" word.  Just cling to the Lord, HE will lift you "out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He will set your feet upon a rock and give you a firm place to stand."  Psalm 40: 1-3

Things I Can Do While Holding A Baby ...

• Unload the dishwasher
• Wash, dry and put away bottles
• Swiffer
• Make the bed
• Put on my shoes
• Brush my teeth, hair, Koda's hair, Koda's teeth (kidding)
•  Pet, feed and play with Koda
• Put on mascara (must've been all that practice doing it in the car ... kidding ... kind of)
• Wash, dry and put away laundry
• Check my email and facebook like nobody's bidness
• Online shop (shocker)
• Write thank you notes
• Solve world peace (don't I wish?)
• Write this blog post

People's Choice Awards

Kristen Stewart - is heading to the People's Choice Awards
Kristen Stewart
with Eclipse leading the People's Choice Awards nominations.

Kristen Stewart!

And we're sure there are more Twilight names to come.

Sources close to the show tell that—as of now—our fave young starlet is set to be in attendance.

How we've missed seeing Kristen Stewart glam it up on carpets.

There have already been some Twitter rumblings from girls in the fashion industry pulling outfit choices for Kristen STewart, so we're assuming it's gotta be for the PCA's (although all of Hollywood is currently on the hunt for Golden Globes dresses too, but uh, there are no Eclipse nom's there).

The People's Choice Awards are Jan. 5 in Los Angeles.


Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/the_awful_truth/b216655_who_from_twilight_will_be_peoples.html#ixzz18Py0u1aR