Spaghetti Face

What happens when you let a 9 month old feed herself spaghetti? The pictures and video below explain it all.....

The beginning of her spaghetti dinner.... not too messy, yet!

She actually does a great job of getting MOST food into her mouth!

She's having a great time!

Hmmm... maybe we'll try it with a spoon!

(Notice the hair... that's not hair gel making it stand up like that!)

Busted. Mya's mugshot.

Mya explains why she is so messy and how she feels about her bottle of milk.

Bikini Beauty

Mya and I went to the pool for the first time last weekend. She loved splashing in the water and watching all the kids play! Here are a few pictures from our day....

Modeling her new bikini!

Hangin' in the pool

This is one big bathtub!

What a day, I just need to relax for awhile!

Egg-stremely Scary!

Yesterday, Mya had her 9 month doctor's appointment. She weighed in at a whopping 18 pounds 4 ounces (40%) and stretched an amazing 29.5 inches (95%) long. The doctor said she was developing normally and handed her a clean bill of health. We were even given the green light to feed her any table food, besides peanut products and hard candy! Great- basically no limitations!

This morning, I decided that since breakfast was a bit of a menu challenge for me, I would begin the day with her favorite- cheerios! In addition, I would introduce her to eggs. Dr. Brown said it was now safe to give her the entire egg. And, I could add some formula and cheese to give her more calcium. Awesome! I gave her the tasty omelet and she LOVED it! After completing the entire thing, I thought, "hmmm.... maybe I should make her another."

I began cooking and took a moment to go give her more cheerios to keep her busy while I cooked. I noticed some red blotches on her face, specifically around her mouth. Naively, I found it odd but wasn't too alarmed. However, I decided perhaps another omelet may not be the best idea. I took her out of her high chair and put her in her bumbo seat in the family room to play. This is our usual routine so that I can clean up the kitchen while she plays nicely. She seemed more fussy than usual so I went in to check on her. As soon as I sat down, she began projectile vomitting ALL OVER! This wasn't the typical baby spit-up that I had seen before. This was more like a drunk 21 year old that had waaaay tooo much tequila! She threw up the entire egg and more! I quickly picked her up (bumbo seat and all... her legs are too fat to just pull her out!) and put her into the sink. She continued to vomit and cry hysterically. Honestly, I wanted to vomit and cry hysterically myself. This was the first true test of being a calm and collected mommy that I have had. The entire time I was worried that my baby girl may begin to struggle with her breathing! What do I do?

I called the doctor's office and talked to a nurse. She confirmed that Mya was probably having an allergic reaction to the eggs. Long story, not so short..... we have to get bloodwork done to see if she does have an egg allergy. We also have to get an epi-pen in case of an emergency allergy attack. So, I pray to God that I will never have to use it. I also, pray to God the my baby girl doesn't have an egg allergy. Do you know how many things are made with egg products? For now, no eggs or egg products. Looks like she will be eating meats, fruits, and vegetables! Thank goodness she likes them!

Subconscious Thinking...

Ok, so thank you to my friend, Sarah, that corrected me on my title "Buy Buy Boobies...Let Freedom Ring." I guess it should have been "Bye Bye Boobies... Let Freedom Ring!" Do you think I was subconsiously thinking I will have to Buy Buy new boobies once all this breastfeeding is over for good?

Buy Buy Boobies... Let Freedom Ring!

Whenever I post, I always start with the title. It tends to set my mood for what I'm going to write. Today, I had so many possible title ideas that I couldn't decide which to use.

Release the Shackles

I'm the Milkman, and I Quit!

Free At Last, Free At Last, Thank God Almighty, I'm Free At Last

Water Balloons to Bean Bags

A Little Bit of Sadness

Persistence Paid off

This Breastaurant is Closed!

Oh Bartender....

The list could go on. I am sure it is clear what this post is all about.

As you all know, getting Mya to drink milk has been an ongoing battle. I have been VERY persistent for the last 3-4 months. I have given her a sippy or bottle of milk to look at, play with, and throw on the floor. I have gone through countless tubs of formula (which are very expensive) in my pursuit to get Mya to drink her milk. I have pumped each evening, but have only gotten 1-2 oz. total. I have given her the breastmilk in a bottle, I have given her the breastmilk mixed with formula, I have given her just formula. I have tried everything.

Over the last month or so, Mya has become more open to drinking from the bottle, yet still resistent. I usually give it to her during meals or snacks when I know she is goingt to get thirsty. The doctor told me that she should be getting AT LEAST 15 ounces a day. "Do you think she is getting that?" She asked. "Uh.... NO!" There was no way Mya was getting this much milk. I was lucky, and thrilled, if she drank 2 ounces from her bottle at one sitting. I was told to make sure she was getting calcium from other sources as well. Each meal was now accompanied with cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese- or anything else I could think of! I was even adding cheese to all of her homemade meals.

So, this week things began to take a turn. Warning- this paragraph may be a bit graphic----

Mya became more and more interested in her bottle. She would whine and reach for it at meals. With that said, she was becoming less and less interested in her morning feeding off the boobie. It was actually quite funny... and painful. She would breastfeed from each side, but on the last side, she would pull away, give a funny/confused scrunched up face, and then proceed to grab my nipple with her fingers and pull! She did this several days in a row, thinking she was pretty funny each time. I began to think..... If she isn't really interested in breastfeeding and is becoming more interested in her bottle, why not try to end this whole imprisonment.

I decided this morning to try to just give her a bottle when she awakened. I made a 3 ounce bottle thinking I was being a bit too hopeful. To my complete and utter amazement, she guzzled the entire bottle. I made another bottle with 2 ounces and she guzzled it too! WHAT?!?!!? She loved it and I loved it! She even drank an addition 2 ounces with her breakfast. She had already drank 7 ounces and it was only 8:00 am. I think we are on to something! I have officially decided to stop breastfeeding. I feel no shame. I feel no guilt. She has gotten 9 months of the most nutritous milk my body can offer. I feel proud. It's time to move on.

With all of this being said, it may appear than I am OVER THE MOON about ending this adventure of breastfeeding. Yes, I am. But, I am also a little sad. It is a bond that no one but mother and child can understand. There is a closeness one experiences when providing her child with the only nutrition she needs for a period of time. It is also, yet another reminder, that my baby is growing up. I will miss this stage in the process of motherhood. I will also miss the balloons that my boobies have been for the past 9 months. I fear they will quickly become saggy, lifeless bean bags. But, I look forward to having my body back all to myself. It's been 19 months of sharing it... I'm ready for some independence.... and a strong vodka tonic!

Cuddling in Mommy and Daddy's bed with her bottle

Proof! She is drinking from her bottle!!!!

Playdate with Old Friends

Who knew when we were roommates in college that we would all end up living in neighboring towns with our families? I was a farm girl from central Illinois, while the they were city girls from the suburbs of Chicago. We spent hours upon hours talking, laughing, drinking, and socializing. Now... we spend hours upon hours feeding, changing, playing, and cleaning! Oh, how our lives have changed!!

Earlier in the week, the old ISU college roommates got back together for a playdate. Kelly and her little boy Quintin, and Katie came over to our house. It was so wonderful to catch-up on life! Although it would have been nice to lounge in the sun with a cocktail like the good ole' days, our time was rather spent chasing kids, feeding snacks, and trying to pose our beautiful children for the perfect photo-op!

Mya was entertained by Quintin running around and playing crash on our couch. He even put on a little dance show for her! The two were so cute together. He was very gentle with her and even sprinkled her with a kiss or two!

Quintin showing us his moves

Mya and Quintin playing with toys

Lots of love for Mya from Quintin!

Nine Month Naptime Nightmare!

Happy 9 Months, Mya!

Apparently Mya received a memo stating that when you turn nine months old you no longer need to nap! When she was an eight month old, she was a FABULOUS napper. Now that she has turned nine months old, she is a NIGHTMARE napper!

Yesterday, she took a 2 hour morning nap and an 1 afternoon nap. This morning, she absolutely REFUSED to take a morning nap. She began whimpering as we approached her bedroom. As I placed her into her crib (9:30), her whimper turned into an all out hysterical scream. I thought, "ok, I'll just let her cry it out for a minute or two and then she will roll over and go to sleep." Boy, was I wrong!!! She screamed and screamed and gasped for air like someone was torturing her. I rescued her 3 times before deciding enough was enough (10:30). Maybe she's hungery? I'll feed her. Maybe she's wet or dirty? I'll change her. Maybe she's thirsty? I'll try sticking my boob into her mouth. Maybe she wants to play a bit more? We'll play. NOTHING worked! She cried during each and every one of the activities. I finally decided that I would put her in the car and see what happens (11:30). Sure enough, 3 minutes into the drive she was out! Now what??? Now, I have to drive for an hour! I have seen more of the neighboring towns than I care to! I drove and drove and drove so that the little nine month naughty girl could sleep!

I am hoping this morning naptime nightmare is all a fluke! She is currently taking her afternoon nap and sleeping like a dream!

Happy as can be BEFORE naptime!

Please excuse the yellow walls... we are stripping the wallpaper in Mya's room!

Birthday Boy, Brady!

The Birthday Boy with Chuck E. Cheese!

We celebrated Brady's (Mya's cousin) 5th birthday on Sunday at Chuck E. Cheese. I can't believe he is 5 already!!!! Time flies! I haven't been to a Chuck E. Cheese in years! It isn't quite as glamorous as it seemed to be when I was a kid, but the kids loved it! Carly and Brady had a blast collecting as many tickets as possible in order to pick out their "prizes." Tyler ran around trying to keep up with the big kids and Mya just giggled at all the action! We tried to put her on a few rides- she liked some....BUT.... hated others!

Mya liked driving Chuck E. in the car!

BUT...

She hated riding the carousel!

Big Girl Bath

Tonight's bathtime was yet another reminder that my little baby girl is growing so quickly! Tonight, Mya took a bath like a big girl. She no longer needs the sling to lie down on during bathtime. Instead, she can sit up (all on her own) and play. She shared bathtime with her favorite farm friends: cow, pig, and duck! She even let me pour water over her head to rinse away the shampoo. Although stunned at first, she didn't seem to be bothered too much. I have a feeling I will need to allot more time for bathtime now. She really seems to enjoy it!

My Little Love Bug

Mya has started to hug and kiss! She takes my face in both of her little hands, opens her mouth wide, and literally dives towards my face to plant a wet, slobbery kiss on her Momma! Then, she squeezes her hands and buries her head into my neck for a big hug! I LOVE IT!!!!!! This may be the most special feeling I have gotten yet from being a mom. I can't get enough hugs and kisses from my little MyMy...luckily she does it a lot!

I don't have a picture of our hugs and kisses.... Matt tried to capture it but I had a double-chin and I DELETED the picture! But, here is a picture of my little love bug being sweet and cute!

Carly Time!

The Girls!

While Andra and Steve were in Jamaica for a friend's wedding, my parents, Matt, and I were on babysitting duty. The boys stayed with my parents for the entire time (Wednesday-Monday) but Carly had to get back for school. So, Matt and I brought her home with us for a night. We had a great time with her. She is a great helper with Mya, too! We shopped, did crafts, painted nails, ate popcorn while watching a movie, and shared a couple of meals together! Mya LOVED having her around and thought she was pretty funny! It was so cute to watch the two "girls" together! It was nice to have another girl around to do "girly" stuff with! It makes me excited for the years to come with Miss Mya. We will have so much fun!

Carly loved my craft station in the basement!

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday dear Grandpa,

Happy birthday to you!

We celebrated my Grandpa Bob's, 89th birthday this last weekend. It was a great celebration with food, drinks, cake, and even some fishing! I am so glad we were able to all be there together to celebrate his 89 years of life!

Massage Therapy

Sometimes when you've had a long, hard day, you just need a little TLC. Mya got some special treatment, a baby massage, from her Daddy. She loves it when he does this, and she even has her own little sound of enjoyment that she does every time!

What does Mommy have to do to get a massage???

Good Mom, Bad Mom

I am a good mom, I am a good mom, I am a good mom.

I just have to say it a few times to convince myself after the last couple of days.

Stories from a good mom....


I will start with some reasons that I know that I am a good mom. I love my daughter more than anything in the world. In fact, I never knew I could love another human being more. I look at her in awe that Matt and I actually created such an amazing little person. As she grows each day, she shows more personality, ability, and curiosity. She has the sense of humor of her father and the independence of her mother. Although I may be biased, I feel that she is absolutely brilliant. After only eating table food for a few weeks, she wants to eat independently. Meaning, she wants to feed herself. She may not get 90% of the food into her mouth, but it certainly isn't for the lack of trying. Being the neatfreak- controlfreak that I am (see the similarity between us), it sometimes becomes a bit of a power struggle between the two Wiegman girls. I have to remind myself how great it is for her fine motor skill development. With her newfound independence, I decided that it was time to move away from all of the baby food and give her the opportunity to experience more "human" food. I spent her entire naptime yesterday, cooking up multiple cuisines for the little lady. I made 3 different entrees, divided them into tupperware, and froze them for mealtime. Tonight, she enjoyed the pasta entree. She loved trying to get the noodles into her mouth! I loathed continuously picking them up off the floor! No shirt, no shoes, no service definitely didn't apply in the Wiegman Restaurant tonight. We opted for just diaper as Mya attempted to feed herself! She may have been covered with tomato sauce and noodles, but she had a smile on her face the entire time!

Entree 1: noodles, vegetables, and a pinch of cream of mushroom soup

Entree 2: rice, vegetables, and a pinch of cream of mushroom soup

Entree 3: noodles, hamburger, and tomatoe sauce

Ok, now my confessions of a bad mom...

There are times where I just need a moment. I may need to clean, complete school work, cook, or ok... just check my email or maybe do a little facebooking. Guilty as charged. Recently, Mya has been playing so peacefully in her Bumbo seat. She can sit snuggly (without losing her balance) and play with an array of toys. She loves it.... she loved it!

Confession 1- Yesterday while working on report cards, I heard Mya playing with her toys as usual. She was babbling, squealing, even giggling at some of her favorites. All of a sudden, her squeals of joy turned to squeals of terror. I jumped up to see Mya lying on the floor. How did this happen? She usually fits snuggly into the Bumbo with little possibility of escaping. Apparently, her independence, as talked about previously, got the best of her. She decided to reach, reach, reach for her desired toy. Reaching so far and so hard she popped right on out of her Bumbo seat.... landing face first on the rug. I felt terrible. Did I actually let completing my report cards make me forget to check on my daughter?

Confession 2- Any mom that has ever been anywhere in public with a crabby, crying, squealing child knows that you would do almost anything to quiet him/her down. I have gone to drastic measures to do so. I admit, I have opened an UNWASHED package of pacifiers and stuck the plug into Mya's mouth (don't worry...I paid for it). I have opened a package of cheese or fruit puffs and fed her in the middle of the grocery store (again, I paid for them), I have asked for a free sample of meat or cheese from the deli counter- acted interested in front of the clerk and then passed it on to my hungry child, I have even grabbed a cucumber off of the salad bar and given it to Mya to suck on (FYI- I used to be disgusted with people that ate off of the salad bar).

Apparently, I did the unthinkable. Again, I was at the grocery store (is there a pattern here?) and I had a hungry, tired, crabby baby. I HAD to finish my shopping. So.... I handed Mya a SMALL piece of plastic (embarrassed to admit this... the plastic they give you with the free sample of cheese at the deli counter!). It was by NO means big enough to suffocate with or small enough to choke on. It was just perfect for her to play with and keep her entertained for just enough time for me to finish my shopping. She was quiet, I was shopping... GREAT! Not so much. A woman came running over to my cart and with great concern got my attention and said, "Ma'am, your daughter is chewing on plastic." "What?" I said. "Oh, that's not good," I replied. With complete embarassment, I grabbed the plastic out of her hand, put it into the cart, and acted like it was a complete accident. So, to the lady at the grocery store, thanks for saving my baby's life, but next time.... have an alternative so that my baby is entertained while I finish my shopping.

What a Weekend!

It seems as we get closer and closer to the summer, our weekends get more and more jam packed! We are trying to take advantage of the beautiful weather and do as much as possible. Here's a rundown of what our weekend consisted of:


Friday: Every Momma Needs a Little Vacation!

All last week I prepared for my BIG night out. I made sure I had a new outfit, jewelry, and everything else I needed to have a great time in Bloomington. I thought I was completely prepared for my first night away from Miss Mya. What I didn't realize was while I was physically prepared, mentally and emotionally I wasn't prepared at all. It was much harder than I thought to leave behind the little miss even if it was for less than 24 hours. Would she miss me as much I as I would miss her?

I was scheduled to leave around 1:00 on Friday afternoon and be back home bright and early Saturday morning. Not much time away from the little one. The big questions were on all of our minds... "How will she do without Momma to feed her milk? Will she take a bottle? Will she scream her little head off?"

We did, indeed, have a FABULOUS time on Friday. We drank at some of our old stompin' grounds! I certainly can't drink like I used to, dress like I used to, or look like I used to. I felt a bit old (A young "lady" misinterpretted Brittany and thought she graduated hs in 07' NOT 97'!) and counted my blessings that my life no longer consisted of binge drinking, "hoochie clothes", and barhopping. Don't get me wrong... it was fun for ONE night (FYI- I didn't wear hoochie clothes).... BUT that's all this old Momma can handle!

So, the answers to the big questions:

How will she do without Momma to feed her milk? Great- she ate dinner and breakfast without missing Momma's milk

Will she take the bottle? NO!

Will she scream her head off? hmmm... not sure about this one. Matt alluded to the fact that she may have had her "moments." She did have a TERRIBLE cold (???) when I got home. The poor little thing seemed awfully miserable. I'm not sure if she has a cold, an ear infection, or is getting a tooth. Why is it that the symptoms to all of these are so similar?

Overall, Mya and I had a great night. I certainly missed her LOTS and LOTS! I am so thankful for my life and am glad to have left the Bloomington/Normal bar scene behind! THANKS daddy for watching Mya and giving me a night out!




Saturday: Pool Boy

The day after my big night out, we decided to finally do the dreaded opening of our pool. Neither Matt nor I had any idea where to even begin. We were fortunate enough to have my friend from work, Bob, come up to help me. He's pretty used to my relentless whining... after 6 years of working with me, I think he has found that it's just easier to help me rather than try to teach me! He spent the entire day helping us open the pool. He was very patient as he tried to explain each step. Now, if only he could come back everyday to remind me of what I am supposed to be doing! Already, the pump has stopped working! I can tell this is going to be an "experience." I love the idea of having a pool but hate the idea of having yet, another, chore!

Swimming anyone? Ok, we have a ways to go! But, Bob said the water actually looks pretty good! Hard to believe some chemicals and a little vacuuming could clean this baby up!

Matt's cousin, Dave, came to visit on Saturday. He enjoyed some of Matt's famous ribs- even saying they were the best he'd ever had! The two enjoyed some beers, bbq, and conversation! Mya enjoyed his company Sunday morning!

Sunday: A Day at the Parade

Grandma held Mya while Momma gathered the candy!

On Sunday, we were off to visit Grandma Diane. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that it was Orland Days. We had lunch at Grandma's house, played a little, and walked down to the parade. Mya loved Grandma's toy that she could stand and play with. Mya was SUCH a good girl! She watched all of the police cars and firetrucks pass by with their loud sirens and bright lights. She only cried once when a firefighter blew the truck horn right in front of us! I think I was partly to blame, as I jumped while holding her! We got lots and lots of candy thrown our way! Mya even learned to wave!!! It was so cute to watch her watch everyone go by.

Mya was such a big girl standing up while playing with this toy!