Drew, Mary, Riley & Landon

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-06T08:53:00.000-08:00

2010-12-01T09:52:00.000-08:00

I'm not blogging much anymore- i find it so much easier to keep up with people through facebook!
but here are some pictures for the people who still read this little blog :-)

Spiderman & The Bunny

2010-11-01T09:43:00.001-07:00

The kids had such a FUN time Trick or Treating!!!

2010-10-20T12:50:00.001-07:00

Sorry i have kind of given up on the blog! We are on facebook now and its much easier to keep in touch with people that way...but here are a couple pics for the people who still read the blog!

Riley reading a book to Landon

2010-09-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

Landon's 4 month stats

2010-09-09T06:46:00.000-07:00

Putting this on here so i will remember!
Landon is 15 pounds excatly (60%)
and 25 inches tall (80%)
He is getting so big!

If you have a facebook, add us...i have been on there posting pictures & such.

Playing is hard work...

2010-09-03T14:03:00.001-07:00

Little Fans...

2010-09-02T06:04:00.000-07:00

WIN: 41-13!
It's really hard to take a good picture of them together. These are the best i could get!

Fun @ the beach!

2010-09-01T11:26:00.001-07:00

I will have some cute pictures tomorrow of the boys in their gamecock outfits for gameday! so be sure to come back :)

We had a really good time at the beach, i didn't get as many pictures as i would have liked to but here are some i did get-
Landon wasn't a big fan of beach this year, Riley had a blast as usual though!

Hello from the beach!

2010-08-25T15:16:00.001-07:00

2010-08-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

These two boys are SO excited to go to the beach today....
See?

I'll post pictures when we get home!

Landon "talking"

2010-08-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

My babies

2010-08-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Landon's Room

2010-07-25T10:15:00.001-07:00

We got the new crib in and finally got landons room finished (except for his name above his crib) Here are the pics!

Riley's past 3 years

2010-07-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

I'm doing some stuff with Riley's pictures and thought i'd share this...click on it to make it bigger.

Riley & Landon

2010-07-20T09:21:00.001-07:00

Landon sitting in his bumbo...

2010-07-19T07:03:00.001-07:00

Sorry i haven't typed out much lately but i have been sick for 3 weeks...been to the doctor 4 times and i'm just worn out...honestly, i don't think the doctors have gotten to the bottom of what is wrong with me and i have been diagnosed with 5 different things...but, i guess i will just have to deal, i've had every test done possible and the only things that showed up were a UTI and Acid reflux, i'm on medication for both but its really not helping.
Here are a couple pictures i took of Landon last night..

Also, Landon's crib was recalled (it is the same one riley used) so we took it back and got a refund and i ordered a new one from target...i'm so excited to get it, i will post pictures when it comes in.

2010-07-11T14:40:00.000-07:00

and the best i could get of riley...

Landon's 2 month stats

2010-07-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

Landon had his 2 month check up this morning (which included shots :( poor guy!) and the doctor says he looks great and is hitting a lot of his milestones early. (like his big brother always did, including walking at 9 1/2 months) He smiles constantly and is SUCH a joy!!!
He weighs 12 pounds 15 ounces and is 23 inches long!

Day of blog silence for Cohen

2010-07-01T06:28:00.001-07:00

Brothers...

2010-06-26T06:05:00.001-07:00

Pictures of my boys...

2010-06-16T06:48:00.001-07:00

riley is totally NOT in to having his picture taken so that is why you haven't seen much of him lately...as you can see, i can barely get him to smile in pictures, ha!

and here is our new pet...a beta fish...he is garnet and were not sure what we should name him but we are hoping he will bring the gamecocks good luck this year ;)

Breastfeeding

2010-06-16T06:06:00.000-07:00

You know what really gets on my nerves? When people stare at you in public (or while your sitting in YOUR OWN car!) when your breastfeeding like it isn't natural or it's "weird"..babies are born to be breastfed and I think the people who judge women for breastfeeding are VERY uneducated about it!
sorry for my little rant but this is one subject that i feel really strongly about.
i read this article this morning and it talks about one of the MANY reasons that breastfeeding is BEST.

By Serena Gordon
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Babies who are fed directly from the breast in early infancy tend to consume less later in infancy than their bottle-fed counterparts, new research suggests.

This kind of self-regulation of food intake may help explain why past research has found that breastfeeding protects against obesity.

"Infant self-regulation can indeed be affected by how the milk is delivered to the baby," said the study's lead author, Dr. Ruowei Li, a medical epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The more infants were fed with a bottle, the more likely that they would empty a bottle in late infancy," Li added.

"Infancy is a crucial period that has an impact on self-regulation, and many other studies have shown that infant growth and rapid weight gain have an effect on obesity later," Li said. "Obesity prevention needs to start in infancy."

What this means for parents who feed their baby either expressed breast milk or formula with a bottle, Li explained, is that they need to pay special attention to their baby's feeding cues.

Results of the study were released online May 10 in advance of publication in the June print issue of the journal Pediatrics.

The study included data from 1,250 full-term infants who weighed more than 5 pounds at birth. Their mothers completed a monthly feeding questionnaire until the babies were 12 months old.

With 1-month-old babies, 52 percent of the mothers were breastfeeding exclusively, and 41 percent were formula-feeding. The remaining babies were fed expressed milk or some other type of milk, according to the study. When the babies were 6 months old, just 27 percent of the mothers were breastfeeding exclusively, and 66 percent were formula-feeding.

When the babies were between 6 and 12 months old, the researchers asked the mothers how often the babies emptied their cup or bottle.

The study authors found that among infants who were breastfed exclusively in early infancy, 27 percent emptied their cup or bottle in late infancy, compared with 68 percent who were bottle-fed exclusively and 54 percent who were given both breast and bottle in early infancy.

Li said there may be several reasons for this. For starters, she said, breastfeeding is generally directed by the baby, but bottle-feeding is directed by the caregiver and could lead to overfeeding.

"Mothers or other caregivers may push the baby to empty the bottle, but if they're breastfeeding, there's no way to visualize how much the infant is consuming," Li said.

Another possibility is that a mother's milk changes from one feeding to the next, and even during a feeding, Li said. Depending on what the mother has eaten, the milk may taste differently. And, she said, the fat content is much higher near the end of a feeding, and that might send a signal to the baby that it's almost time to stop.

Another factor might be that an infant who's breastfeeding isn't getting milk the entire time, Li explained. The baby suckles for a few minutes before the mother starts releasing milk, but with a bottle, that non-nutritive suckling time doesn't happen.

Dr. Deborah Campbell, director of the neonatology division at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York City, described the research as "another study that stresses the importance of breastfeeding."

And, "if you can't breastfeed, this study shows the importance of learning to recognize your infant's cues and to respect those cues," Campbell said. "When we're bottle-feeding we often override babies' ability to self-regulate their intake."

But when babies stop sucking, turn their head or thrust their tongue out, she said, then the baby has had enough to eat.

"Parents are often concerned that if a baby doesn't get a full feeding that the baby will wake up hungry soon after," Campbell pointed out. "And, that may happen. But you have to respect the cues your baby is giving you."

Li agreed. "Feeding directly from the breast should be your first choice, if possible," she said. "If it's not, be aware that you don't overfeed. Pay attention to the signs your baby gives you. Babies are born with the ability to self-regulate their milk intake."

Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

SOURCES: Ruowei Li, M.D., Ph.D., medical epidemiologist, division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta; Deborah Campbell, M.D., director, division of neonatology, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, New York City; June 2010, Pediatrics

6 weeks old

2010-06-14T10:07:00.001-07:00

Landon is losing his black hair...

2010-06-02T07:04:00.000-07:00

He is losing it on the top right now, i can't wait to see what color it will be when it grows back..i wasn't sure if this was normal so i looked it up and found this-

My newborn is losing his hair. Is this normal?
Newborn hair loss is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. Babies often lose their hair during the first six months. This kind of hair loss is called telogen effluvium.

Here's why it happens: Hair has a growth stage and a resting stage. The growth stage lasts about three years, and the resting stage lasts about three months (although anywhere from one to six months is normal). During the resting stage, the hair remains in the follicle until the new hair starts coming in.

About 5 to 15 percent of hair on the scalp is usually in the resting phase at any one time, but stress, fever, or a hormonal change can cause a large number of hairs to stop growing all at once. The shedding begins when the next growth stage starts up about three months later.

A newborn's hormone levels drop right after birth, which can cause him to lose the hair he was born with. (New moms often lose large amounts of hair for the same reason.)

Parents are sometimes surprised to discover that when a baby grows a new head of hair it's a completely different color and texture than what he was born with. BabyCenter reader Julie's son Will was born with a full head of thick black hair. "He looked just like Elvis — he even had sideburns," she says. "Both my husband and I are blond, and we wondered where the dark hair came from. Almost immediately after birth, though, it started falling out. The hair that replaced it is a beautiful wheat color."

If you notice that your baby has bald patches, observe the way he sits and sleeps. If he always sleeps in the same position or tends to sit with the back of his head against a baby seat, he may lose hair in that area. He may also develop a bald spot if he rubs his head against his mattress.

Weight check

2010-06-01T06:10:00.001-07:00

Today Landon had to go to the doctor to have his weight checked so he could have his Zantac adjusted (he has acid reflux) and at 4 weeks old he weighs 10 lb 14 oz! WOW! he is growing so fast!

little peanut

2010-05-28T16:56:00.001-07:00

one more..

2010-05-25T11:43:00.001-07:00

a few pictures...

2010-05-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

2010-05-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry i haven't updated but we have been going 100 mph the past couple weeks :)
Landon is such a good baby and sleeps so well...honestly, i get more sleep now than i did when i was pregnant...he never cries unless he is hungry or you are changing his diaper, he is just a great baby and we love him to peices. Riley is still loving his brother he calls him "little cutie"..he hasn't shown much jealously, he did tell me once last week to "stop feeding him and put him in his seat" but other than that he has done really well..of course we are still dealing with his typical 3 year old behavior, i hope it gets better soon (i've been saying this since he turned 2!) but overall most of the time he is pretty good!
Landon went to the doctor this morning and weighs 9 lb 6 oz! I have more pictures but Drew took the camera with him today so i don't have them right now, i will post when i can!

Sweet picture

2010-05-08T06:26:00.001-07:00

Pictures

2010-05-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

Landon is doing great, he is nursing like a champ! Riley LOVES his little brother SO much! he is doing great with him.

He is here!

2010-05-03T17:45:00.000-07:00

Landon Michael Allgire
May 3, 2010
8 pounds 3 ounces
20 inches long

Pregnancy update

2010-04-27T09:05:00.001-07:00

I am 39 weeks pregnant!
I had an appointment today and i still 1 cm the same as i have been since 36 weeks..last week at my 38 week appointment i was pretty upset about still being 1 cm but this week i am at peace with it..there is some progress being made, i have thinned out and i am 50% effaced and little mans head i very low...they will let me go to 42 weeks before inducing (if everything is still looking good with the baby)..i am having another ultrasound next week to check his weight and fluid levels again..just to make sure it is still safe for him to be in there :) i know he will come in his own time but it sure is hard to wait!

37 week ultrasound

2010-04-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

everything looks perfect and he is weighing 6lb 14oz..fluid and everything looked great..she said he will most likely be around what riley weighed (7lb 11oz)...he has the chubbiest little cheeks we saw on the 4D, and his foot was resting on his head, lol...oh and definitely ALL BOY!! She says the reason i was measuring bigger was because of the way he is/was laying :)
i hope you can tell what is what- his foot is right on his forehead.

Pregnancy update

2010-04-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

I was sick all night monday night (well all throughout the night) throwing up and everything...i felt really dehydrated and felt like i needed to go to the hospital for some fluids...well when i got there i was having some contractions but they weren't regular and we thought once i got some fluids in me they would stop...well that didn't work! the contractions got more and more intense and closer together...so they decided to give me a shot to try and stop the contractions and it worked, it slowed them down and they became irregular again...i went to my regular appt. this morning and i am measuring 39 weeks now, i have an ultrasound scheduled for next week but i am not sure i will make it that long...i am having contractions today but they aren't really regular yet...the hospital has Wi-Fi so incase i do go into labor i will let everyone know..for now i need to rest as much as possible.

35 weeks!

2010-03-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 35 weeks
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 23 pounds
Maternity Clothes: Yes
Sleep: I can't find a comfortable position!
Best Moment this week: Heard babys heartbeat and its comforting to know my cerix is CLOSED & thick...he is very content in the belly at the moment :)
Gender: Boy
Movement: He is moving all the time! My midwife had to chase him around to get his heartbeat this morning (he is no longer breech, i am telling you he moves A LOT)
Food Craving: Mexican food, asparagus on the grill (YUM!)
What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach
What I am looking forward to: Seeing riley with his little brother..he asks me everyday when his baby brother is coming out, i wish i knew the answer!
Symptoms- Tired all the time, my back is killing me most of the time!

Quick post...

2010-03-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

Our little boy has decided to turn into the breech position at 34 weeks! Please pray that he flips again!!! I just really do NOT want a c-section!

week 33

2010-03-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

*33 weeks*

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 33 weeks
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 20 pounds!
Maternity Clothes: Yes
Sleep: I've been sleeping well with A LOT of pillow..but having some CRAZY dreams!
Best Moment this week: Get to hear baby's heartbeat tomorrow :)
Gender: Boy
Movement: He is moving all the time...he really loves when i eat sweets (and i do too!)
Food Craving: Mexican food, asparagus on the grill (YUM!)
What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach
What I am looking forward to: Seeing riley with his little brother..he asks me everyday when his baby brother is coming out, i wish i knew the answer!
Symptoms- Tired all the time.

Trying to take a picture with riley is hard...

2010-02-25T12:25:00.001-08:00

but cute :)

Week 29

2010-02-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

29 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 29 weeks
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 15 pounds
Maternity Clothes: Yep
Sleep: not sleeping well
Best Moment this week: hearing baby's hearbeat
Gender: Boy
Movement: Lots- all in my ribs! this baby is LOOONNNGGG.
Food Craving: EVERYTHING
What I miss: sleeping on my stomach
What I am looking forward to: May
Symptoms- my back hurts...also having a lot of ligament pain
Other- went to the doctor yesterday and my stomach measures 31 weeks.

2010 Snow!

2010-02-13T06:57:00.000-08:00

I have never seen so much snow in my life...i think we got about a foot!
Riley is loving it! I sure am glad it will be gone in a couple of days though :)

2010-02-11T10:54:00.001-08:00

I put riley's hospital picture next to the baby's ultrasound and i think they look so much alike! i didn't notice it until i put the two together.

New baby things & Riley's new things

2010-02-04T07:10:00.000-08:00

i wanted to show yall a few things we have gotten for the new baby (who still does not have a name!) ...Babies R us is having their trade in event for "big" items ..you trade in your old baby things and get 25% off the new item. so we traded in riley's highchair and got this one-

and we were trading in the car seat and stroller travel system but they didn't have the one we wanted in stock...it should be there by the 14th hopefully...here it is-

and the baby bedding is sooooo adorable!!! we got the bouncer to match that-

and they have so many different bottles to choose from this time around but we ended up getting these for when i pump so other people can feed the baby, too :) we got these kind of paci's too.
we started buying diapers too- we get them at sam's club because it saves money...we got a box of 288 size 1 huggies for $35...good deal...i am sad they don't sell newborn anymore though :(

Mr. Riley got a Thomas the train bed and toy box for his new thomas room-

i had to use pictures from online because we got a laptop and i still haven't figured out how to load pictures on it...i do LOVE it though!! it's so much easier than a desktop!

27 weeks

2010-02-04T06:52:00.000-08:00

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 27 weeks
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 11 pounds total (at the doctor yesterday)
Maternity Clothes: Yep
Sleep: i sleep pretty good
Best Moment this week: hearing baby's heartbeat (148 bpm)
Gender: Boy
Movement: some days he is quiet and doesn't move much but other days i wonder what he is doing in there.
Food Craving: Baked potatoes
What I miss: sleeping on my stomach
What I am looking forward to: May
Symptoms- Iron was tested yesterday and it showed that i am anemic..so i am taking an iron supplement with folic acid on top of my prenatal..i think this is why i have been so tired lately.

25 weeks

2010-01-19T06:40:00.000-08:00

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 25 weeks
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Yikes....ummmmm......10 pounds total.
Maternity Clothes: Yep
Sleep: sleeping pretty good lately.
Best Moment this week: hm, not sure.
Gender: Boy
Movement: Lots
Food Craving: Baked potatoes
What I miss: sleeping on my stomach
What I am looking forward to: Not pregnancy related but i am looking forward to taking Riley to Monster Jam on Saturday (will take lots of pictures!)
Symptoms- SWELLING!

my cute boy

2010-01-11T06:52:00.001-08:00

Ultrasound videos

2010-01-08T09:10:00.000-08:00

sorry they are blurry, had to take a video of the video again-

http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff110/meb123_album/?action=view¤t=23weekultrasound1.flv&newest=1

http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff110/meb123_album/?action=view¤t=23weekultrasound2.flv&newest=1

IT'S A....

2010-01-06T08:25:00.000-08:00

Healthy baby BOY! He weighs 1 lb 4 oz
i will do my best to load this video, it is a pain! i will get it up when it's loaded...we are thrilled we are adding another little boy to our family!

23 weeks

2010-01-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

i decided to do this every 2-3 weeks
Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 23 weeks
Total Weight Gain/Loss: weighed myself yesterday and so far i have gained 4 pounds since the start of my pregnancy
Maternity Clothes: definitely wearing them
Sleep: i sleep okay, still having a lot of body aches though.
Best Moment this week: tomorrow will be the BEST day this week!!!
Gender: find out tomorrow at 8:30 AM!
Movement: still having a lot of movement and i've started noticing the baby's sleep patterns
Food Craving: Pizza
What I miss: sleeping on my stomach
What I am looking forward to: my ultrasound tomorrow
i will update tomorrow after my ultrasound!

Sex of baby

2009-12-30T10:09:00.000-08:00

i know some of you are probably confused...i had two people ask this morning if i was going to the doctor today because i was SUPPOSED to be..but they had to push my appt. to next week because they had a short week this week because of the holidays...i will let everyone know if it is a boy or girl on the 6th (next Wednesday) my appt. is at 8:30 a.m...now we wait!

Dad's Lil Sidekick

2009-12-29T11:37:00.000-08:00

Week 20 & a couple other things..

2009-12-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

little late- sorry
Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 20 weeks
Total Weight Gain/Loss: i don't weigh myself at home so i don't know if i have gained anymore until Jan. 6th
Maternity Clothes: definitely wearing them
Sleep: the baby moves so much at night it keeps me up :) but i love it!
Best Moment this week: still loving all the movement, this baby is VERY active just like riley was :)
Gender: Not Sure Yet...we will find out on January 6th
Movement: Lots
Food Craving: nothing really...
What I miss: energy
What I am looking forward to: Christmas and my ultrasound
Weekly Wisdom: I don't have any to share...sorry :)
Symptoms: i have had some low blood sugar issues this week & after talking with my midwife i just realized that i need to change my diet and eat more frequently.

& here are a few pics of my sweet Riley...he is doing a lot better listening & with his attitude!

Also...Drew has gotten a big promotion at work & i am SO proud of him! he has to work a lot more because he has more responsibility now but he doesn't mind- he is such a hard worker!!!

Red cabbage gender test

2009-12-13T10:49:00.001-08:00

I did this for fun today- i am DYING to know the sex of the baby-- it turned purple for me which means girl, i hope it's correct :)

1) Go to the store and buy a red cabbage

2) after you get home, cut up the red cabbage

3) add boiling water to the cabbage and let sit for 10 mins (or more)

4) remove cabbage from water SAVE THE WATER

5) add urine to the cabbage water

6) if it goes a red or pink color you are having a boy, if it goes a purple color you are having a girl

week 19

2009-12-07T12:02:00.001-08:00

i saw this on another blog and thought i'd do it each week.
Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 19 weeks
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I have gained 1 1/2 pounds since the start of my pregnancy
Maternity Clothes: definitely wearing them
Sleep: not sleeping great at the moment- lots of body aches
Best Moment this week: felt tons of movement last night
Gender: Not Sure Yet...we will find out in January 6th
Movement: Feel lots of movement at night now or anytime i am slouched over or laying on my side
Food Craving: Rocky road ice cream (need to kick this!!!)
What I miss: energy
What I am looking forward to: Christmas and my ultrasound
Weekly Wisdom: I don't have any to share...sorry :)
Symptoms: hungry 24/7!

18 week appt.

2009-12-02T05:53:00.000-08:00

Heartbeat was 150, same as last time....and the new date for my ultrasound is January 6th (because of all the holidays) i will be 23 weeks.

18 weeks 1 day

2009-12-01T11:26:00.001-08:00

this is the best i could get, riley was jumping off our bed.

Christmas Tree

2009-11-30T12:24:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple pictures of our house decorated for Christmas...i would have more but the camera died and i still haven't found the charger.

don't forget to watch the video below (pause the music on the side first)

2009-11-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

This video is just so sweet, please watch.

2009-11-26T07:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!!

Wanted to share...

2009-11-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

on one of the "mommy sites" i am on someone posted this and i just thought it was so great i had to share...christmas really is not about the gifts!!

I've been reading the posts and hearing lots of frustration regarding bills overdue, financial crisis and stress over not being able to provide the gifts you had hoped for your children this holiday season. Its frustrating, I know. I CHARGED Christmas gifts last year and should not have. The doll that my daughter HAD to have Chou Chou teething doll was AWESOME on christmas morning... and for about 2 weeks.... and then the novelty wore off and she gets picked up maybe once a month...
Momma's WE HAVE A CHOICE !!!! We can get stressed, feel bad, cry, compare ourselves and "our pile of gifts under the tree" to other peoples, etc..... or we can CHOOSE to have the best Christmas we can and fill it with love, making memories and giving of OURSELVES to our children. My mom said "the best gift you can give your children this season is a calm and loving mother"
Christmas is literally a celebration of Jesus birth. Jesus would not feel honored by all the materialism placed on this holiday. Our culture has drastically changed what Christmas is all about.
My baby is too young to know or care about the gift stuff. She's still happy to play with the wrapping paper and bows. My big girls are 6 and 8 years old and this year for Christmas I am going to give them ME !!! MY love and MY time. Sure they will get a toy present or two .... but instead of going in debt further- I am going to let them unwrap simple gifts like a box of brownie mix and a wooden spoon and a cooking lesson. A disposable camera that THEY can take photos with when they get mom's photography lesson and later the thrill of seeing their own photos when they are developed.
I would just encourage each of you, when you find yourself stressing and feeling bad, sit back and think about your childs personality and what kind of life lessons you can turn into a gift. Find the positive and work with that. And remember its not just you, most of us are struggling this season, your holiday will be what you make it, it doesnt have to be lots of expensive toys and presents this year.

Terrible two's

2009-11-24T10:48:00.001-08:00

When i used to hear people talk about the "terrible two's" i would say "yeah, okay...it can't be THAT bad" well i am here to tell you that it is...well with MY SON it is! This boy is so stubborn and it takes A LOT to get through to him, but we are working on it. It is hard because i always wonder "what am i doing wrong?" "why is he acting this way?" but i've learned that it is normal and most children go through this...but it's hard when it's your first child and you have nothing to compare the behavior to..and i will be the first one to tell you that i should have started disciplining him a lot sooner..but i didn't so here we are...and let me tell you, he is not THAT bad...he is still so loving & sweet but he wants his way 100% of the time and that just can't happen. Some days i think, wow we must be over the hump but then the next day he is right back at it...i know it will soon pass (hopefully) but until then, we are where we are.
but, i sure do love this sweet face!!

this pic is from before we moved but i really don't have any recent ones since halloween
i read this article online and it made me feel a little better, although i hope this behavior doesn't last until he starts SCHOOL!!! YIKES!

When you are a parent for the first time and your little one gets to the terrible twos stage, it can be hard for both the parents and the toddler. Toddlers reach this stage at different ages but mostly when they hit the two year old mark. Some start a little earlier and others a little later and the length they stay in the terrible twos varies as well.

Some signs that your toddler is in the terrible twos are temper tantrums, screaming for no reason, banging head on things and plain old not listening.

There are different ways to handle a toddler going through the terrible two stage and sometimes how the parents and rest of the family react can determine if it will continue or stop. One thing to try to do is ignore the temper tantrum and screaming and throwing of toys. This does not always do much good though as many will continue to throw the toys and keep on screaming as well. But sometimes not doing anything does stop the tantrum for the time being so it doesn't hurt to give it a try.

Yelling back at the toddler is something that is not affective and just makes the toddler think that yelling and screaming is ok and usually just makes them do it all the more. When speaking to a toddler that is having a temper tantrum, try to be calm and keep your voice at a normal level. Raising your voice a little bit is ok but refrain from screaming and yelling back at the toddler.

Another thing to try is the time out chair. Putting a child in a time out chair can be started anywhere from about 18 months old and up. Starting it early on helps them learn what it all means. At first the time out doesn't have to be long, only a few seconds or as long as the toddler will sit in the chair. As time goes on and more time outs are given, longer periods of sitting should be given. The more they are repeatedly put in time out for doing something, the more they will learn that it is something they should not be doing. It may take time and many time outs before a toddler gets the idea but they do get the idea in the long run.

Get advice from friends and family that have already gone through the terrible twos and temper tantums with their children. Sometimes advice is good and other times it isn't but any help through this hard toddler time for the parents can be helpful and for a new parent.

Try everything you can to help you and your toddler make it through the terrible twos without much stress to your family or the toddler. Sometimes nothing works and you just have to try your hardest to relax and not get stressed out over nothing working. They do outgrow the terrible twos, sometimes quickly and other times not until they go to school.

Most important, remember that your toddler is learning every day and your reactions will factor in how they will react to things as well. And remember to tell that toddler that you love them very much even when punishing them with a time out.

WOW! Looks like everyone is thinking this baby is a girl. We shall see.

Forgot to share...

2009-11-09T13:26:00.001-08:00

i have started to feel the baby move ALREADY! such a neat feeling.

Christmas Shopping...

2009-11-06T10:52:00.001-08:00

Sooooo....i have decided we need to start Christmas shopping! We had Riley pretty much done by this time last year! I'm not sure what happened this year but we are behind..oh well, we will get it done...i really want to save a lot of the shopping for Black Friday (my favorite time to shop!!!) but maybe we will go out this weekend and pick up a few things just to get started...I LOVE this time of year...and no I am not forgetting about Thanksgiving, we love it too!
Anyway, i am just at a loss as to what to get Riley...he has everything..we were thinking something like this http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3106139 or this http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3755964 as his "big" gift ..i know he would love either. I guess we will just have to see what we decide on....did i mention i love christmas :)

In other news, Riley has an ear infection in both ears which explains why he has been SO cranky for 2 weeks straight...he is taking amoxicillin and should be back to normal soon :)

14 week appointment

2009-11-04T07:57:00.000-08:00

the baby's heart rate was 150 bpm and everything is looking good!

Halloween!

2009-11-02T04:32:00.001-08:00

That is the best picture we could get of riley in his costume- ha...he wouldn't have anything to do with the camera..we took him out trick or treating and he had a lot of fun and got tons of candy, it was so fun, i can't wait to do it next year!

I have a doctor's appointment on Wednesday- can't wait to hear the baby's heartbeat again! I will update when i get home :) --14 weeks already, time is flying!

How your baby's growing:
This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Potty training day 1

2009-10-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

Went horrible...he messed in every pair of underwear i put on him and he is not interested in the potty at all, i think i may have to go with the Dr. Phil method (you can find it on his website Drphil.com) but i certainly don't want to push him into doing something he isn't ready to do...his pediatrician says that most boys aren't trained or even act interested until they are closer to three but i know when the new baby gets here he isn't going to want to go through the potty training...that is why i am trying to start early...we will keep trying and see what happens.

Our Potty Training Journey..

2009-10-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

Begins tomorrow! i know it's going to be difficult but please wish us luck!! i'll let y'all know how it's going tomorrow!!

So cute..

2009-10-12T09:15:00.001-07:00

i just found this video on youtube i had done of riley when he was 9 months...it is adorable!

Long time no blog....

2009-10-11T11:07:00.001-07:00

A lot has been going on around here! we moved into our house on August 31st and we LOVE it!! We also found out that we are adding another member to the family! We are so very excited...I am 11 weeks today and the due date is May 3, 2010 ...yes 1 day before riley's birthday!! I have been feeling pretty good overall, i have had a good bit of morning sickness but it seems to be subsiding a little..but i have been TIRED, TIRED, TIRED! I have a video of my ultrasound i'd love to share with all of you..i had to take a video of the video they gave me because i couldn't get the dvd to load on here..i will have another ultrasound at 22 weeks and they will add to the dvd..here it is...the heartbeat was 158 bpm (it will be in 4D at my 22 week ultrasound too)

we took Riley to the pumpkin patch last week and he loved it of course..he didn't want to leave..i think he wanted to take home every single pumpkin.

Sorry....

2009-09-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

sorry that i haven't blogged in a while but i will be back doing it soon, don't worry :)...we love the house & we are so happy here!

2009-08-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry i haven't been blogging but we have been so busy with the house..inspections went great and everything else has gone smoothly but as a lot of you know, it's stressful! We are closing on August 31 @ 1:00 pm!(2 weeks from today! YAY) i am so excited to have this whole process over with & to have our first home! We are going to Edisto on the 27th (we were supposed to go on the 26th but they need Drew at work & plus he will be taking monday off for closing) So i've got to pretty much have everything packed before we leave! Yikes...i have a lot packed now but still a lot more to go-- Okay enough house talk..

Riley is doing good- yesterday morning riley thought that pouring my powder all over the cat would be pretty funny-

i just had to laugh!!
& as i was packing i was cleaning out Riley's closet and he thought it would be fun to play with the swing

He LOVED that swing. He tried to sit in it several times and i told him that if he sat in it anymore he would break it and we would never be able to use it again- i don't think he cared...

i know this is totally off topic but we went to Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday looking for a mattress topper and we found the perfect one...i think we both slept like babies last night..it was heaven! if you are ever looking for one, this one is the best.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=113541

Thoughts...

2009-08-01T05:44:00.000-07:00

We are so excited about moving to our home but, it kind of makes me sad...not that i like living in an apartment on the third floor or anything but its the fact that Riley has lived here since he was 10 months old & its pretty much all he knows. It will break my heart if when we are in the new house the first couple nights riley says "mommy, go home!" thats what he says anytime we are somewhere and he just wants to go home..i mean yes, i will tell him that this is his home..but its still kind of sad :(..on the other hand i know he will love the house and the fact that he has a yard to play in & so much more room(and the fact that the YMCA is right across the street is even better.) We are in the process of getting everything together for closing, the inspection is next week along with the appraisal. I really hope everything goes well with the inspection *crossing fingers* We are still set to close on August 31st, which is the day after we get back from the beach..my mom is going to hire movers for us (since we live on the third floor and it is very hard to move things) we are so thankful for that!!! Its just me & Riley for right now because Drew has to work until 1 today..we had planned to go to the splash pad but its cloudy right now so i don't know if that will happen...I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Guess what!?

2009-07-28T07:56:00.001-07:00

WE GOT THE HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!

here are the details--copy and pasted from the MLS page
Quiet And Relaxing - Recently Renovated New Paint And Flooring. 3 Bed & 2 Bath, Dining & Bar Top Eating Areas. Comfortable Living Area With Fireplace. Master Has Private Bath & Walk-in Closet. Large Backyard In Quiet Cul-De-Sac. Refrigerator, washer & dryer will remain with full price offer.

we did get the fridge but didn't ask for the washer and dryer since we already have one. we are SO excited! should close on August 31st
Oh and i forgot to say it is in Irmo..the neighborhood is Dutch Creek....great schools for Riley!!

2009-07-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

House

2009-07-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

We have been going back and forth with offers today...we have just put in our final offer...i really hope he accepts this, we absolutly love this house..i hope everyone was able to see the pictures (you have to copy and paste the link)..I will let you all know tomorrow how it goes, i sure hope it is good news! Our real estate agent thinks our offer is very strong, i just hope the seller likes it!
Alright, off to give Mr. Riley a bath!

Here it is...

2009-07-24T11:55:00.001-07:00

we are putting an offer in on this house!!! cross your fingers!
http://s656.photobucket.com/albums/uu290/cloretan/?action=view¤t=10WINDMILLCIRCLEPhotoStory0.flv

Mama's a Grad...

2009-07-21T12:34:00.001-07:00

Riley

2009-07-17T07:09:00.001-07:00

doctors appointment is at 2:20 this afternoon...will update when we get home

Updated:
The antibiotics worked! his white blood cell count is down to 9 (anything under 15 is normal) so we need to go pick up his prescription & he should be good as new in a few days! They did find some protein in his urine...they think it is nothing, but he needs to be seen next week again just to make sure the protein is gone..if not there will be further tests done (i'm guessing) to determine what is wrong.

Love this...

2009-07-17T07:08:00.001-07:00

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right.
Love the ones who don't just because you can.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance,
grab it with both hands.
If it changes your life, let it.
Kiss slowly.
Forgive quickly.
God never said life would be easy.
He just promised it would be worth it.

Update on Riley

2009-07-16T17:54:00.001-07:00

well i thought he was better but his temp went up to 103.2 (without adding a degree) and i thought i would take him to the doctor again well we went in & they pricked his finger to see what his blood levels were and his white blood cell count was up to 20.9 normal is 15..they had to put a catheter in him to get urine (bc there was blood in his diaper yesterday) that was horrible and very traumatic for him!! then they had to draw blood..they couldn't get a good vein so they had to stick him 3 times to get the blood..they gave him two shots of an antibiotic in his leg to see if this will make his white blood cell count go down..i have to take him in again in the morning to see if it has gone down..i really hope we figure out what is wrong this time! my poor baby!! it has been such a long week!!! :(

Yawn....

2009-07-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

This pretty much sums up the way riley has felt for the past 3 days...

He has had a stomach bug & he has just been laying around the house doing NOTHING (& wanting mommy to hold him) but he feels better this morning..he still won't eat anything, but he will get there..i gave him one of his gummy bear vitamins & that is really helping..i think it may be giving him some energy...so hopefully this will be a good day for us! Hope everyone is doing well!

Pictures

2009-07-03T05:54:00.000-07:00

Okay here are some pictures i said i would download like two weeks ago...

At Drew's Dad's Grave

Riley & his Great Grandaddy

We are headed to the Splash Pad today @ the YMCA (again) Riley had so much fun last week & we did too...so i will bring my camera this time & share a few pics when we get back..Then we are going to a cookout at Andy's house (Drew's Mom's Boyfriend) & tomorrow for the 4th we are going to another cookout with some people from Drew's work...so a busy weekend for us! I hope everyone has a fun & safe 4th!

trying....

2009-06-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

im trying to post pictures from Ohio but for some reason they won't load....UGH....i will keep trying!

In Ohio...

2009-06-13T05:30:00.000-07:00

We made it here okay & we are having a great time!

Leaving... :)

2009-06-10T04:49:00.000-07:00

We are leaving for our 12 HOUR DRIVE to Ohio when drew gets off work...well, we are going to get Whitney & then we are leaving...i really hope Riley sleeps in the car this time!! last time he only slept for 2 hours...he was younger then too, so maybe *crossing fingers* he will do better this time...& I've been DREADING riding through the mountains of NC! last time, it was scary...but since we are leaving earlier it should still be light outside when we pass through..I HOPE..we will not be back until Monday night...so i doubt i will be blogging while im there...although, i might. I will definitely be on twitter...and i will update here when we get there! have a nice week/weekend everyone! I need to go pack now...

Yes, i know i'm cute....

2009-06-07T18:24:00.000-07:00

don't you just love the cartoon of riley at the top? i do! here is the original...

Decided to put the cartoon picture down here...

Twitter

2009-06-04T07:27:00.000-07:00

follow me on twitter.
www.twitter.com/mebdmaraa

Some news....

2009-05-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

I tried to called some of you tonight, but no one answered :( lol....SOOO i thought i would share the big news here!

We have been talking to a mortage broker for about 2 weeks now, we had given him all our info and hoped for the best. Well, today we found out we got pre-approved for a loan on a house! We are sooo excited & can't wait to start looking for our first home!

I'm very tired so i am going to bed, but just wanted to share the news!
Have a great night!

Talking my ear off...

2009-05-27T04:47:00.000-07:00

Riley just seems to wake up & start using words that i've never heard him say before...he is a talker! He is starting to put about 3 words together ...he is just the sweetest little boy. BUT there is one thing that has got to go..

the "pippy" ( just woke up can't you tell? ha!) so we are going to start taking it away during the day slowly & then start taking it away at night (YIKES) ..wish us luck! we are going to need it!

Oh and i know i said i would take pictures on the boat but get this, me of ALL people forgot the camera once again! can you believe that? i would never do such a thing. Seriously, my memory is horrible. But, the guys did catch a good amount of fish..not as many as last weekend but still a good amount, and we had a great time. Sorry I don't have many words, I'm sure if Riley could type this post he would have a lot more to say...i'll leave you with a video.

Skin Tag

2009-05-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

So...we went to the Plastic Surgeon...he was a very nice guy & he said he would like to wait until Riley is 3 to have it taken off, because its not bothering him...and he could tell Riley had some stranger anxiety so we just decided age 3 would be best & his insurance will cover it *YAY*
So i just wanted to update everyone on that..we are going out on the boat again tomorrow so i will have to bring my camera this time and take some pictures and post them on here!
I hope everyone has a Fabulous Friday!!

Tomorrow

2009-05-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

We are taking Riley to a Plastic Surgeon in the morning about his skin tag...he won't be getting it removed tomorrow..he will just tell us what will need to be done...yikes im pretty scared! & ever since Riley had his cast on he is deathly afraid of doctors so hopefully he will do okay! I just wanted to let yall know about that & i will update when we get back tomorrow.

FREE

2009-05-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

http://kraft.promotions.com/ombeeffranks/front.do
Hotdogs :)

Riley's birthday party

2009-05-10T13:50:00.001-07:00

you can go here to see the pictures from Riley's birthday party...I didn't bring our camera so whitney has all the pictures.

http://whitney-allgire-engineering.blogspot.com/

2 year check-up

2009-05-06T05:20:00.000-07:00

Riley had his 2 year check-up yesterday with Dr. Kapp...he weighs 26 1/2 pounds and is 36 inches long..his weight is in the 31% so he needs to be weighed again in a month (since he used to be in the 50% and above)...but i just think he will be a skinny boy! i was skinny when i was little too ..also his iron level was 11.8 which isn't a big concern it is still in a normal range, they just don't want to see it get any lower...so i guess we need to start eating more iron rich foods. Anyway, just wanted to fill y'all in on his appointment..and since Riley loves it and i need to exercise we are going on a walk now... :)

FREE chicken

2009-05-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090430-tows-kfc-coupon-download

Get two pieces of grilled chicken, two individual sides and a biscuit!Limited Time Download Coupon download available from 9 a.m. CDT on May 5, 2009, to 9:59 p.m. CDT on May 6, 2009. Coupon is redeemable at participating KFC® locations in the United States from May 5, 2009 to May 19, 2009—excluding Mother's Day, May 10, 2009.

You can print 4!

i will update later about Riley's 2 year check-up...

May 4, 2009

2009-05-04T04:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Riley!

WOW! its hard to believe your TWO!

You are growing way to fast
Happy birthday my precious baby boy!

Mommy and daddy love you more than you will ever know!

April 30, 2009

2009-04-30T04:50:00.001-07:00

In Riley's words: "Happa Birfday Mama"

Riley's Birthday is in 4 days!

My little helper

2009-04-28T09:09:00.000-07:00

Riley has shown a lot of interest in helping me out lately, he trys to help me do the dishes...he will pick up his toys (sometimes! ha!) and he really loves to help me sort clothes!! I haven't done the laundry in a week in a half and this is what it looks like-
Yeah, so that is what we are doing today...what fun...my friend Lauren, who i met a couple months ago has a little boy who is 2 1/2 and we are going to the park tomorrow so the boys can play together and we can hang out..we were going to go today but you see the laundry pile above!
Drew and I went to carowinds on saturday for my birthday, it was soooo much fun!! Riley hung out with Drew's mom and he had a blast, they went to the zoo and of course he loved that.
OH! i forgot to show you Riley's birthday present from mommy & daddy (he got it early)

he loves it!!! what boy wouldn't?? ha! he really loves trains...typical boy! that is why his birthday party theme is going to be Thomas the Train!
Well i think i have caught everyone up on whats been going on here...oh and they have found 2 cases so far in Newberry county of the swine flu! I really hope it doesn't come any closer to us!! Have a great day everyone!

Countdown to my birthday- 2 days!
Countdown to Riley's birthday- 6 days!

Riley wanted to say hello

2009-04-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

Isn't he starting to look like his daddy? I think so...maybe its just me.

we are going to have a busy weekend so i will write some after the weekend is over..just wanted to share this picture :)
I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!

Countdown to My Birthday- 7 days !
Countdown to Riley's Birthday- 11 days !

Drew, Mary, Riley & Landon

Thanksgiving 2010

Spiderman & The Bunny

Riley reading a book to Landon

Landon's 4 month stats

Playing is hard work...

Little Fans...

Fun @ the beach!

Hello from the beach!

Landon "talking"

My babies

Landon's Room

Riley's past 3 years

Riley & Landon

Landon sitting in his bumbo...

Landon's 2 month stats

Day of blog silence for Cohen

Brothers...

Pictures of my boys...

Breastfeeding

6 weeks old

Landon is losing his black hair...

Weight check

little peanut

one more..

a few pictures...

Sweet picture

Pictures

He is here!

Pregnancy update

37 week ultrasound

Pregnancy update

35 weeks!

Quick post...

week 33

Trying to take a picture with riley is hard...

Week 29

2010 Snow!

New baby things & Riley's new things

27 weeks

25 weeks

my cute boy

Ultrasound videos

IT'S A....

23 weeks

Sex of baby

Dad's Lil Sidekick

Week 20 & a couple other things..

Red cabbage gender test

week 19

18 week appt.

18 weeks 1 day

Christmas Tree

Wanted to share...

Terrible two's

Forgot to share...

Christmas Shopping...

14 week appointment

Halloween!

Potty training day 1

Our Potty Training Journey..

So cute..

Long time no blog....

Sorry....

Thoughts...

Guess what!?

House

Here it is...

Mama's a Grad...

Riley

Love this...

Update on Riley

*Yawn....*

Pictures

trying....

In Ohio...

Leaving... :)

Yes, i know i'm cute....

Twitter

Some news....

Yawn....