Update!

I suppose it's time for an update :)

We have officially made our final navy move, & our 4th move in 3 years, back to Charleston. We bought a home and our little Natalie just turned 3! She is potty trained, smart as a whip, & set to start school this August!

And for some big news from Natalie...

She is going to have a little brother this November!!

Yes, we are due with a boy. I am 20 weeks. And in keeping with how I tracked Natalie, I have gained 12 pounds so far, and this kid is ALL up front in the belly!!

Just wanted to make a little note for ourselves of the next journey in our lives :)

Oh and of course... baby brother doesn't have a name.

Failed Blogger

It appears that I fail to update as a blogger....

But really, what can I say that every other blog Mommy isn't already saying? Time is going too fast, my baby girl is too smart, too funny, too beautiful, getting so big, and I enjoy every moment.

We are now officially in June. This marks a big month for us. The month baby Natalie reaches her first birthday. She started getting up on her own and walking at the end of March, early April, and has used this new ability to become a mini terror. We are trying to show her sign language, but I also fail at sticking with it consistently. She still doesn't talk much, except her famous shout speak. She now points, tries to clap [and misses], waves on occasion, sometimes sleeps through the night, stops to dance every few minutes, and still has a baby fine blonde thin layer of hair that can't get a bow clipped to. What a wonderful world it must be to live in though, where we can just stop to dance every few minutes. I think we should all have moments like this. She is such a happy little tot, and she makes us happy big parents.

I am in denial about her upcoming birthday. I keep saying I am making all these plans for it, but the realization my baby isn't staying a baby is kind of heart breaking. The past few months, it has become quite clear to me that I am different from my other Mommy friends. I still feel so overwhelmed at just holding her, and overjoyed at every smile, kiss, hug. I like to keep her with me all the time, and find I don't really require much "Me" time that so many other Moms seem to need. I miss her when she goes to sleep, and get excited when she's up and ready to play. She is my miracle baby, and I don't think I have gotten over the concept that she is even here. My best friend thinks I am so worried that this could all disappear, that I hover over her.

My name is Rhonda Lee Moore, and I have "Mommy" issues.

At first, this concerned me a bit, but the more I think about it. I'm proud. This age does go fast. Who cares if I want to enjoy every moment of it. I was told that I had slim chances to experience this, but here I am, now over six years later, with a child who I find perfect in every way, getting ready to turn one. I don't take this blessing for granted. I love all the perks of my new status in life. I traded in my car for a Mommy version, all of my statuses revolve around my Mommy life, my pictures are updated based on how old Natalie is. I think of activities to do that involve a family outing, I get excited over play dates, new milestones, and new toys. I love driving in the car with my best friend, or going on stroller walks, while our girls babble to each other just like we are. I love when Natalie and I look at each other, and smile, like we have our own little world. If you find my mothering over bearing, guess what, I no longer care. I don't care what you think, I care about my child. That's not saying I don't get frustrated. Natalie thinks its a game to test her boundaries, and she gets in trouble just like every other baby. But I LOVE being her Mom. Yeah maybe it is a little odd, and yes it has changed me from the person I was just two years ago. But hey, you don't know me, you don't know my struggle, and if all you wish to do is judge a stranger, then you will stay just that to me. A stranger we won't invite in. It really is your loss bc I'm kinda a catch as a friend ;)

On the note of the miracle that is Natalie, that is another issue I have been dealing with. PCOS. I knew the symptoms were returning for a while. Pretty much as soon as I began having issues with milk supply in her second week of life. But I fought through the dilemma, and figured things were ok. Then the other symptoms started showing up. The fatigue, the hair loss, headaches, and finally the worse... the constant weight gain. I begin to blame the symptoms to being a new Mom, not sleeping enough, the hormones after birth. But after increasing my work outs, regardless how tired I was, and packing on 30 pounds still, I decided to see a doctor. It took another month of explaining the background, but I am on metformin again as of two weeks ago. And now? I have been able to loose five pounds! After months of working so hard, to only see the scale go up, it is such a relief! It's a little worrisome that if my PCOS is "acting up" again, what kind of trouble is that going to cause for baby number two? But I can't think about that right now. I signed up for the road race series, which consists of jogging four 5Ks, one 8K, and one 10K. So during Natalie's naps [which we are finally getting a good hour a day] I train for that. I guess you could consider that my non Mommy hobby?

Daddy Moore, amidst all our growing and learning, is also on his own path of discovery. We reenlisted until the year 2016, which now with a child becomes "when Natalie is 6", and "how many more deployments". But he is now considering an officer program. It would allow him to obtain a college degree. He would have to sign up for a minimum of 5 years after receiving this degree, but as of right now, we have five years left anyways.

So after another long hiatus, this is where the Moore Family is. Just like every normal family, we have ups and downs. Mostly ups. I am so happy at this point in my life. Just like Natalie, I like to stop and dance.

I really don't think anyone reads my blog anyways. But one day I would like to look back and see the point I was at, see where I was, to what ever I have grown to be at that particular moment. That's one of the points of blogging in my opinion.

So now I end this, as Natalie and I share another "smile" moment over spinach quiche. She loves spinach. Just like me. Just like my Mom. :)

It's been awhile...

So I got incredible annoyed with blogging, because I created an adorable video for my last post [which is now 8 months ago] and the blogspot refused to upload it.

Because of this, I sort of gave up on the concept of the blog, and used 420 characters or less to post my random thoughts on facebook. Every now and then I have developed ideas on which I wanted to expand my opinion, but never returned to the world of the web for it. Catching up on a friend's blog, I decided to give my poor page an update.

Natalie is now 8 months old. I LOVE being a mommy. I have -never- experienced happiness such as this. Everyday I look forward to something new. I sometimes look back at my life before her, and just marvel at how much we have already grown together. What a difference there is in the way I view the world. She has made me softer, yet stronger. Has developed, and tested, my patience in ways I never thought possible. I feel so much more mature, and am beginning to lose sight of the things that were so important to me before, because honestly, most of them were petty. She makes me laugh and be thankful for every day I am alive. I have also felt my worse when she feels hers. Even the way my brain now function surprises me. She is constantly in my thoughts. 24/7 there is Natalie somewhere on the brain. I never imagined that one little person could make such a big difference!

Milestone wise, Natalie is one smart tot. She began sitting before 5 months, began to crawl at 5 months, and had it perfected by 6. Shortly after she mastered crawling to sit, sit to crawl, climbing, standing, walking along the furniture, and now her newest feat is that she can stand by herself for a small period of time. She has even taken little steps from one holding position to another! [The wall to the baby gate, the coffee table to the couch, etc] She doesn't say words yet, instead she has her "Shout-Speak" She makes the silliest expressions, and has a shout to talk.

My grandfather just sent me dvds of me: age 4 days - 2 years. Now that was hilarious to watch! Natalie looks just like her Daddy, but guess who she acts EXACTLY like?!?! Even down to the shout-speak. At one part in the dvd, I am 7 months, and crawling, climbing, and standing, up to my sister's high chair and smacking it. We had the same facial expressions. After watching the video, David shook his head and said he couldn't believe how identical we were. He is now worried for his future!

Another weird aspect to the DVD was seeing my parents. I guess I never realized that they had lives before becoming my Mom and Dad. I am just a few years younger than them at this point in our lives, so it was a bit of a shock to see them at my age. How they acted, looked, talked. I got teary eyed listening to my Mom talk with such pride about her new-born Christmas baby. I can't even explain the emotions it brought watching her look down at me and hold me at only 4 days old. It brought back the feelings with Natalie as a newborn, and reminded me of that strong bond we as mothers have for our children. It's an experience her and I now share. It is so true that it takes you having a child to truly appreciate everything your parents did for you. Although I was such an angelic child, I know I had [and still have] my fair share of selfish and bratty moments. I may not always understand why my parents do the things they do, but I can now understand that no matter what, it is always with love that they do it.

I think this will be the end of my welcome back blog. Hopefully following my friends who update more often will keep me motivated to let out my thoughts once and a while. It was nice to not have to "Edit" by minimizing how many characters I wrote :)

Natalie and the Tubby Time!

At 24 days old, Natalie had her first "real bath" experience!

Babies can only have sponge baths until their umbilical cord comes out. Hers came out at 12 days, but it was a little early, and so she got a small infection, and a belly button hernia. [That just means as of right now, it pops out like an outie. Can take up to a year to adjust itself] So we have been giving her sponge baths until it healed on the inside.

Well it finally did, and thus last night, at 24 days old, Natalie experienced her first dip in the water! Being the camera freak I am, I got pictures and video clips of it :)

So enjoy Natalie's first tubby time! [BC as you will see... she sure didn't!]

*been trying to add video and it hasn't been working. Keep checking back

Natalie is 3 weeks old!!

Baby girl is already 3 weeks old, and it has been an amazing, at times stressful, and definitely busy busy busy 3 weeks!

Our biggest hurdle. Feeding. We are breast feeding, and it isn't as easy as one might think. Babies don't exactly come out knowing what they need to do, and as a new mommy, I wasn't quiet sure either. When we first brought her home, she wouldn't stay awake to feed, and waking her up was a struggle. She ended up not gaining her weight back within those first few days, and off we went to the doctor. She suggested a Navy relief person to come visit us and help give us tips in the comfort of our home, and then we would return to the doctor a few days later to see how it was going. The visit was immensely helpful and we finally got her to stay awake and eat. But all the stimulation attempting it, caused me to over produce, so I had a lil extra I needed to pump out. Her weight went back up, and things seemed great. But then she hit her 2 week mark, and her growth spurt, and thus now needing more food, kicked in. It took about 5 days for my body to catch up to her. 5 days of her crying every hour bc she couldn't get enough out, and 5 days of maybe a few hours of sleep. All together. And now? The milk seems to have kicked in, and she seems satisfied most of the time. We still have moments she isn't full and thus gets very angry and upset. Luckily we still have some of that over produced milk so we have been using that supply in times of desperate "We need to sleep now baby girl" But things are getting better. She is currently full and passed out on the boppy on my lap!

I have LOTS of pictures! I take a picture everyday, plus we did newborn portraits, and next I will do more and more videos. It is just a matter of getting them uploaded. Sorry guys

Today we introduced Natalie to her tummy time mat for the first time, and I shot a video of it! Her lil head is so strong! It's amazing how much she has grown in just 3 weeks. She is now over 9 lbs and 21 inches long

Guess what!!!!

NATALIE TEAGAN MOORE

8 pounds, 9 oz

20 inches!

June 26th, 2010

3:11 PM

Natalie Teagan's Room as of June 25th, 2010

A tour of the baby room thus far. I can't really hang up things like curtains, or new pink shelving. We are moving so shortly after there is no point. I am missing lots of stuff, like a crib, lamps, the bookshelf and toy bins I picked out, and decor like that. We will get it after we move to New Hampshire. Her theme is going to be pink and teddy bears though. Just a matter of getting it.

So everything is just kind of I want it to look cute, but really, we only need essentials right now.....

Welcome to Natalie's room

Her closet side one. Diapers and wipes CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH!

Her closet other side. Clothes and the such

Dresser, a lamp for now, and a sign in case she forgets she's a girl

Random lamp for now, which I added beads to make match HAHA

The pack and play will be in our room when she comes, then placed here after the first 2 weeks

Changing table, and sleeper... where she will... sleep. Extra diapers in a box in between

More diapers, and diaper genie

My grandma handmade this for her!!

Hand painted it too!! So cute!

Hospital bag is packed. My grandma also made the Teddy wall hanging

Bear wall hanging

Our glider! Also have it set up with diapers and wipes for quick changing after breast feeding

Hyde wants to go with us to the hospital!

The animals love hanging out in here

*EDIT*

I was actually in labor when I posted this. Talk about the nesting bug huh?