Well, I knew it would happen, was hoping it wouldn't be in the first week, but it did...a sick kid. Liam started with a cough Monday and runny nose, Monday night came fever and fussiness, Tuesday morning came green crap coming out of his nose and drainage from the ears. For those that know Liam, he has had ear problems since he was 6 months old, on his second set of tubes, etc. I always call the doctor when it comes to drainage from the ears, it's not something I mess around with. Poor guy has an ear infection on top of the cold yucks. He got mommy all to himself yesterday, but when it was time to get sister and little brother, all his happiness went out the window. Liam is very clingy, even worse when he is sick, he was not happy about having to share me after having me all to himself yesterday. Having one sick child, with two others and one set of hands is not the easiest, but I'm making it work. We've pretty much made it through our first week of Daddy's new job adventure.
Also, congrats to Amy, she is the winner of the Starbucks gift card!!! Amy your gift card is on its way, I hope you enjoy your coffee!!!
I have almost figured out which space in the house to make~over first and how to complete it. I can't wait to share!!!!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
The last 24 Hours....
So we survived the first twenty-four hours of this new adventure, everything has been the usual routine, and the kids are doing good. Bill made it to his new destination safely and thanks to my piece of sh*$ phone, I missed his call last night. I was feeding and Eric, heard my message alert go off, and my phone said I had a new message. What the crap phone, it didn't even ring. I missed him the most last night, once all the kids were asleep and I was by myself :( It was weird watching Sunday night football by myself, I'm not even sure why I was watching football.
Last night, I think reality set in for Rylie that Daddy was really out of town. She had asked for a drink and I told her I was cooking dinner and she could have a drink with dinner. She replied, "Okay mommy I'll get a drink when daddy comes home?" I had to break it to her that Daddy was out of town for 4 days, and she said, "Mommy that's alot of days." She then went on playing and fighting with Liam. One minute they can be the best of friends, and the next they are fighting like caged animals.
Yesterday while I was praying for my husband to have safe travels and playing with my littles, my mom called to say my dad was going to the hospital for chest pain. My dad had a heart attack in 2007 and this was not what I wanted to hear. I also could not go check on him because I had the kids, but my mom was keeping me pretty updated. I'm sure I could of had a friend stay with the kids while I ran to the hospital, but Liam was being clingy and I didn't want to leave him with someone he didn't know very well and stress him out. At one point I talked to my dad and he wanted me to bring him a bean and rice burrito and rolled tacos. I told him he was crazy and I wasn't going to enable his heart disease with that food. My mom did get him turkey, mashed potatoes, broccoli and carrot cake, not much better but he was happy. My dad gets to go home today, his blood tests and EKGs show he didn't have another heart attack but that he needs to follow up with a stress test. I'm very happy all is well.
During the afternoon yesterday while I was talking to my mom, I heard our dog barking like crazy. He usually only barks if someone is too close to the house that he knows shouldn't be there. Not what I wanted to hear. I kept looking outside, but I didn't see anything that could cause him to bark. Once I looked again, I saw a gray cat in the far corner of our yard. My first thought was the cat was hurt, why else would he just lay there with a 160 lb dog barking at it. I realized it was one of our neighbors cats, they have way more cats than they need. I did not want to have to explain to them that our dog killed their cat or to have that mess to clean up. I ran to the neighbors to let them know their cat was in our yard and if they could please try to get it out before our dog made it his new toy. I then had to hold the dog(he had fun twisting my arm in his collar and scratching me) while the neighbor got the cat, I didn't want the dog to feel threatened by him coming over the fence or him bite the neighbor. So the cat survived and went back to his home, the neighbor got back safely over the fence, and the dog didn't hurt me too bad.
So that was all the fun we had in the last 24 hours, and today is playing with my boys until we go get sister from school. Tomorrow is the first day I have to get all the kids to school/baby-sitter being the only drop-off parent. A real taste of how this being the only set of hands for three kids is really going to go!!!!
Last night, I think reality set in for Rylie that Daddy was really out of town. She had asked for a drink and I told her I was cooking dinner and she could have a drink with dinner. She replied, "Okay mommy I'll get a drink when daddy comes home?" I had to break it to her that Daddy was out of town for 4 days, and she said, "Mommy that's alot of days." She then went on playing and fighting with Liam. One minute they can be the best of friends, and the next they are fighting like caged animals.
Yesterday while I was praying for my husband to have safe travels and playing with my littles, my mom called to say my dad was going to the hospital for chest pain. My dad had a heart attack in 2007 and this was not what I wanted to hear. I also could not go check on him because I had the kids, but my mom was keeping me pretty updated. I'm sure I could of had a friend stay with the kids while I ran to the hospital, but Liam was being clingy and I didn't want to leave him with someone he didn't know very well and stress him out. At one point I talked to my dad and he wanted me to bring him a bean and rice burrito and rolled tacos. I told him he was crazy and I wasn't going to enable his heart disease with that food. My mom did get him turkey, mashed potatoes, broccoli and carrot cake, not much better but he was happy. My dad gets to go home today, his blood tests and EKGs show he didn't have another heart attack but that he needs to follow up with a stress test. I'm very happy all is well.
During the afternoon yesterday while I was talking to my mom, I heard our dog barking like crazy. He usually only barks if someone is too close to the house that he knows shouldn't be there. Not what I wanted to hear. I kept looking outside, but I didn't see anything that could cause him to bark. Once I looked again, I saw a gray cat in the far corner of our yard. My first thought was the cat was hurt, why else would he just lay there with a 160 lb dog barking at it. I realized it was one of our neighbors cats, they have way more cats than they need. I did not want to have to explain to them that our dog killed their cat or to have that mess to clean up. I ran to the neighbors to let them know their cat was in our yard and if they could please try to get it out before our dog made it his new toy. I then had to hold the dog(he had fun twisting my arm in his collar and scratching me) while the neighbor got the cat, I didn't want the dog to feel threatened by him coming over the fence or him bite the neighbor. So the cat survived and went back to his home, the neighbor got back safely over the fence, and the dog didn't hurt me too bad.
So that was all the fun we had in the last 24 hours, and today is playing with my boys until we go get sister from school. Tomorrow is the first day I have to get all the kids to school/baby-sitter being the only drop-off parent. A real taste of how this being the only set of hands for three kids is really going to go!!!!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Things....They are a changing around here...
Look around.....like my new space?! It was time for a blog make~over and to add Mr. Handsome's pictures to the blog. There is actually three versions of my new banner, hit back and then click on the blog again, yep three versions showing new pictures of my loves!!! I love my new "space" and there will be lots of new things to read and shared ideas on all kinds of stuff, besides just me rambling on about the family I love so much!! Don't be disappointed there will still be plenty of mommy stories :) If you noticed the "Crafty Things" button, I am going to be doing different segments on home make-over ideas as I make-over different areas of our house, organizing home, holiday decorating, kids crafts, etc. I will also be featuring recipes and give~aways. It might take me a little bit to get started, as I'm trying to figure out which room to make~over first!!!
Our family is also experiencing another change that starts today. My husband and partner in crime begins a new job adventure tomorrow. Unfortunately this job is a long air plane ride away during the week. It's a great opportunity and will provide a great future for our family, but the selfish mommy/wife part me wants him here with us. This new change means I will be home more with our littles, I'm excited about that part, I could be a stay at home mom in a minute, although with three of them and one of me, I'm sure things could get interesting around here!!! My main focus will be to keep them in as normal of a routine as possible during the week while Daddy is gone, and count down to the weekends!!! Liam is already asking, "Where's Daddy?" and I don't think Ry realizes that Daddy is really out of town. We will all get into a new routine, and I have faith this new adventure will work out just fine.
So in honor of my blog make-over and today being the beginning of a new adventure, how about a give away?! If you leave a comment on this blog post itself, you will be entered to win a Starbucks gift card, since I'm sure I will be drinking lots of coffee to keep up with my littles!!!! Tell me what you think of the new blog design, what your favorite Starbucks drink is, or what you would like to have made~over in your house, and I will enter you in to win the Starbucks gift card!!! I will randomly pick a winner Tuesday night.
I better get back to the endless story of laundry! Don't forget to leave a comment and win yourself a cup of Joe!!
Our family is also experiencing another change that starts today. My husband and partner in crime begins a new job adventure tomorrow. Unfortunately this job is a long air plane ride away during the week. It's a great opportunity and will provide a great future for our family, but the selfish mommy/wife part me wants him here with us. This new change means I will be home more with our littles, I'm excited about that part, I could be a stay at home mom in a minute, although with three of them and one of me, I'm sure things could get interesting around here!!! My main focus will be to keep them in as normal of a routine as possible during the week while Daddy is gone, and count down to the weekends!!! Liam is already asking, "Where's Daddy?" and I don't think Ry realizes that Daddy is really out of town. We will all get into a new routine, and I have faith this new adventure will work out just fine.
So in honor of my blog make-over and today being the beginning of a new adventure, how about a give away?! If you leave a comment on this blog post itself, you will be entered to win a Starbucks gift card, since I'm sure I will be drinking lots of coffee to keep up with my littles!!!! Tell me what you think of the new blog design, what your favorite Starbucks drink is, or what you would like to have made~over in your house, and I will enter you in to win the Starbucks gift card!!! I will randomly pick a winner Tuesday night.
I better get back to the endless story of laundry! Don't forget to leave a comment and win yourself a cup of Joe!!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
4 months and growing.....
Time is going way too fast :( Four months ago today I became this handsome boy's mama, and I have enjoyed every minute of it!!!
So here's what my little one has been up to.....
Eric is sleeping through the night for the most part. I think he only woke up once during the night last week. He also falls back to sleep on his own once he finishes eating, before I had to make sure he was all the way asleep before I could lay him back in his bed. He is still getting mommy milk with the chubby cheeks and leg rolls to prove it. We'll find out how much he weighs when I take him for his check-up on Monday. He still wears 0-3 month clothes and 3 month clothes. I started putting him in 3-6 month pajamas only because he is getting so long, I thought he was going to poke his feet through his 0-3 month pajamas.
He loves his play mat more and all the toys that hang from it. He smiles at himself in the mirror. He rolls over from side to side, and can almost get himself rolled over onto his stomach. I'm sure he will accomplish that before too long. He is sitting up better with less support, and loves sitting up so he can look around. Eric has found his voice, cooing and laughing all the time. He is a very happy and laid back baby, only fussing when he is hungry or overly tired.
Rylie and Liam love their little brother and Eric loves when they interact with him. He gets lots of love from his brother and sister. I hope that the three of them are always close.
I love watching how Eric has changed and grown. It's hard to believe he will be my last baby baby, and I'm trying to hold onto these tiny moments. I know he will be running around with Rylie and Liam before long. We couldn't ask for an easier baby, I feel blessed to have him and that I get to be his mommy.
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| Mr. Handsome~ 4 months old |
So here's what my little one has been up to.....
Eric is sleeping through the night for the most part. I think he only woke up once during the night last week. He also falls back to sleep on his own once he finishes eating, before I had to make sure he was all the way asleep before I could lay him back in his bed. He is still getting mommy milk with the chubby cheeks and leg rolls to prove it. We'll find out how much he weighs when I take him for his check-up on Monday. He still wears 0-3 month clothes and 3 month clothes. I started putting him in 3-6 month pajamas only because he is getting so long, I thought he was going to poke his feet through his 0-3 month pajamas.
He loves his play mat more and all the toys that hang from it. He smiles at himself in the mirror. He rolls over from side to side, and can almost get himself rolled over onto his stomach. I'm sure he will accomplish that before too long. He is sitting up better with less support, and loves sitting up so he can look around. Eric has found his voice, cooing and laughing all the time. He is a very happy and laid back baby, only fussing when he is hungry or overly tired.
Rylie and Liam love their little brother and Eric loves when they interact with him. He gets lots of love from his brother and sister. I hope that the three of them are always close.
I love watching how Eric has changed and grown. It's hard to believe he will be my last baby baby, and I'm trying to hold onto these tiny moments. I know he will be running around with Rylie and Liam before long. We couldn't ask for an easier baby, I feel blessed to have him and that I get to be his mommy.
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| Mama's boy!! |
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Eric @ 3 months old
We just got back from our first vacation as a family of five, I'll share how that trip was in another post, but Eric slept through the night both nights we were in San Diego. He was great at Sea World and slept through his first trip to the beach.
Eric is still being fed only mommy's milk, which pleases me to no end not to have to give him formula. He has had breast milk longer than his brother and sister, not because of favoritism, but because for some reason breast feeding is just working this time around. Maybe because I'm more experienced, I'm more patient, or simply because my milk suppliers are producing more milk than I could with my other two.
On a good night, Eric sleeps from about 10:00pm to 2 or 3 in the morning before waking up, then will sleep til about 7am. Just don't ask about last night, that was a different story. I have learned to take each night as it comes, and be happy with the sleep I do get.
Our Mr. Handsome is a very happy baby, he smiles all the time and has found his voice. He loves when we talk to him and has started to laugh. When I tickle him under his chin and cheeks he lets out the biggest laughs!! He smiles most at the ladies and was stuck on watching the girls gymnastics and swimming during the Olympics! He holds his head up well and sits up with some support. He still isn't fond of tummy time, but he likes his play mat with all the toys on it.
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| I love those chubby cheeks!!!! |
Mommy loves you Mr. Handsome!!! You are such a blessing to our family!
Monday, August 6, 2012
First Day of Kindergarten Recap
Well today marked the first day of kindergarten for our baby girl! It was an exciting and emotional day for us and Rylie, but it all turned out well!
Getting back from San Diego last night, bed times were a little later than we had planned, and our big kindergartner was not pleased about having to wake up. Once we got to school, there was some chaos on the playground getting the kids lined up with their right class. I could tell all the kids and disorganization made her uneasy. After sorting out all the kids and getting them to their teacher, it was time for Rylie to go into her first day of school. I did end up getting a smile and wave as they left the playground. I was okay until she walked into school and I lost sight of her.
I felt lost all day without her home, I have all three of my babies home with me on Mondays and Wednesdays, and it wasn't the same without my girl home. Even Liam was asking for his sister. I wished I could call and check on her, my husband told me not to be the stocker mom!!! I couldn't wait to pick her up and hear about her first day.
She had a big smile on her face when we picked her up. When we asked her what she learned, she said, "I learned the rules, how to keep my card green(behavior chart), and to raise my hand if I need to go to the bathroom or talk." It was cute that she actually had already memorized all five classroom rules and she kept reciting proper classroom manners. She even tried teaching Liam her classroom manners to which he just laughed and continued being his hyper self!!!! She put forth a good effort though. The only part she said she didn't like about school was, "Mom all the other kids were so loud screaming out the answers, I had to cover my ears, I was the quietest kid, the other kids hurt my ears."
So overall the day went well, and our girl made it through her first day! It's hard to believe we went from then:
to now:
We are so proud of our little lady!!!
Getting back from San Diego last night, bed times were a little later than we had planned, and our big kindergartner was not pleased about having to wake up. Once we got to school, there was some chaos on the playground getting the kids lined up with their right class. I could tell all the kids and disorganization made her uneasy. After sorting out all the kids and getting them to their teacher, it was time for Rylie to go into her first day of school. I did end up getting a smile and wave as they left the playground. I was okay until she walked into school and I lost sight of her.
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| I could tell she was nervous |
So overall the day went well, and our girl made it through her first day! It's hard to believe we went from then:
to now:
Monday, July 9, 2012
Mr. Handsome is 2 months old
Wow!!! It's hard to believe our handsome Eric turned two months old yesterday!! We feel truly blessed to have such a great baby!
Eric pretty much sleeps through the night only waking up around 2am and 6:30am. He really isn't on a set bedtime yet. Last night we couldn't get him to sleep until 11:30, but the night before he was asleep at 9:40 pm. We are trying to get him to stay awake more in the afternoon/evening so he falls asleep at a decent time.
Eric is getting the chipmunk cheeks on breast milk! Coupon collectors are proud of their food stock pile, this mommy is proud of my breast milk stock pile!!! I am happy that he is growing on what I am making for him, and that he hasn't had any formula. We will get stats on his weight when he goes Thursday for his check-up.
Eric is smiling and cooing all the time! He loves for us to sit him on our lap and talk to him. He is a very happy, easy going baby! The other night he laughed when I was rocking him to sleep. His smiles melt my heart especially at 2 in the morning when I'm exhausted, it makes being sleep deprived worth it. His little smiles are like him saying, "Thanks mommy." He is also holding his head up and will make little fists to lift his upper body up when doing tummy time so he can look around. He likes his swing and looking at himself in the mirror.
I made it through my first week back at work, even though I hate being away from my littles, I have the outlook that for now working full time is the way it is and I just have to pray that they are safe when I am gone and make the most of every minute that I am with them. I am already looking forward to some vacation time I have in August!!!
I love watching Eric grow and seeing how much he has changed since he was born. He already has a cute little personality and sweet demeanor.
Mommy loves you Eric!!!!
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| Eric~2 months old~He just woke up and was surprised to see the camera! |
Eric pretty much sleeps through the night only waking up around 2am and 6:30am. He really isn't on a set bedtime yet. Last night we couldn't get him to sleep until 11:30, but the night before he was asleep at 9:40 pm. We are trying to get him to stay awake more in the afternoon/evening so he falls asleep at a decent time.
Eric is getting the chipmunk cheeks on breast milk! Coupon collectors are proud of their food stock pile, this mommy is proud of my breast milk stock pile!!! I am happy that he is growing on what I am making for him, and that he hasn't had any formula. We will get stats on his weight when he goes Thursday for his check-up.
Eric is smiling and cooing all the time! He loves for us to sit him on our lap and talk to him. He is a very happy, easy going baby! The other night he laughed when I was rocking him to sleep. His smiles melt my heart especially at 2 in the morning when I'm exhausted, it makes being sleep deprived worth it. His little smiles are like him saying, "Thanks mommy." He is also holding his head up and will make little fists to lift his upper body up when doing tummy time so he can look around. He likes his swing and looking at himself in the mirror.
I made it through my first week back at work, even though I hate being away from my littles, I have the outlook that for now working full time is the way it is and I just have to pray that they are safe when I am gone and make the most of every minute that I am with them. I am already looking forward to some vacation time I have in August!!!
I love watching Eric grow and seeing how much he has changed since he was born. He already has a cute little personality and sweet demeanor.
Mommy loves you Eric!!!!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
God Bless America
Happy 4th of July!!!! I can't believe I was able to get this picture, mainly because Liam is anti-pictures right now and Rylie is too busy to pay attention to the camera!! How adorable are they?? I love being their mommy!!!
We celebrated the 4th of July by spending the first part of the day at home just the five of us. We made 4th of July cupcakes and played with our babies! Just after nap time we went to my in-laws to barbecue. We had yummy food and a relaxing afternoon! Liam didn't care for the fireworks a house near by was setting off, he ran in the house as fast as his little legs could carry him. We did miss our family that went back to Florida, my sister-in-law in San Diego, and the Fitzgerald 6 that were on vacation. Rylie even walked in and said, "Hey, where is everyone?" Even though the Polks have already been gone a year, we still haven't gotten used to them being in Florida and not around for all the family stuff. Rylie especially misses her cousins.
I enjoyed a great day with my family I love so much, and I am thankful for the the military past and present for protecting our country!!
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| My husband laughed at me when he first saw me trying to capture these 3 sitting still! |
We celebrated the 4th of July by spending the first part of the day at home just the five of us. We made 4th of July cupcakes and played with our babies! Just after nap time we went to my in-laws to barbecue. We had yummy food and a relaxing afternoon! Liam didn't care for the fireworks a house near by was setting off, he ran in the house as fast as his little legs could carry him. We did miss our family that went back to Florida, my sister-in-law in San Diego, and the Fitzgerald 6 that were on vacation. Rylie even walked in and said, "Hey, where is everyone?" Even though the Polks have already been gone a year, we still haven't gotten used to them being in Florida and not around for all the family stuff. Rylie especially misses her cousins.
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| Eric's first 4th of July! |
Monday, July 2, 2012
Dreading Tomorrow
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| I don't wanna leave this handsome boy :( |
The lady that is watching him is the same one that watched Liam for his first year, and she is great, but I'm jealous that she gets to take care of him and be with him. I keep telling myself that at least I only work three days a week, and when I gave her the July schedule for the days she would have Eric, he will be with her eight days of the month, only eight, but that is still eight days that I will be missing out on.
I love being a mommy! I have loved every minute(even the crazy) of being home with the kids this past eight weeks, being home when they wake up and go to bed, having special Rylie/Mommy time during recital week, rocking Liam to sleep at night, and having extra family time.
Well, tomorrow is going to come whether I like it or not. So I will just have to put on a brave face, pretend I'm happy to be back, even though my heart and mind will be on Eric, and count the hours until the end of my shift to getting to be at home with my babies!
So pray for me tomorrow, that I can hide the tears everytime someone asks me about my baby, that I can make it through the day and that it goes by fast, and that I actually have the courage to pull out of the baby-sitter's driveway and drive to work. I pray for Eric too, that he warms up to his baby-sitter, that she cuddles and spoils him, that he is safe, that he isn't mad at mommy for leaving him and his day goes by fast too.
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| Mommy loves you Eric!!!!! |
Monday, June 25, 2012
Week Recap
I am way behind on blogging, so let's see if I can catch up!!
Last week was a crazy busy week with having Rylie's dance recital/practices and having family in town. It seemed like we had something going everynight. We started Monday with Rylie's first recital practice and dress rehearsal Tuesday night. She had recitals Thursday night and Saturday night. She did awesome and had a lot of fun. We were very proud parents watching our baby girl on stage. She decided that she wanted to continue both dance classes next year (or in 6 weeks I should say when the dance break is over) instead of doing soccer (to my husband's dismay) in the winter. My husband asked her a few times about soccer, and she replied, "No soccer, I just want to dance!" All the dancers did amazing, even though I'm partial to a little blondie that I think did the best!!!!!
Here are some pictures from recital week:
I love her so much
Naia and Rylie
Wednesday night we went to my in-laws to have some family time with my sister-in-law and niece and nephew before they went back to Florida. The cousins had fun in the pool, while the adults enjoyed good food and conversation. They flew back to Florida yesterday and their trip went by too fast. Hopefully the Fitzgerald 5 will be making a trip to Florida soon!
Friday night we enjoyed a nice family night in. We watched the Incredibles, ate pizza and popcorn with our littles. It was great to just relax with each other and to have to do anything for a night. Last night we recovered from the week by barbecuing, watching college world series baseball and playing with our babies. It was a nice way to wrap up a busy week.
I had the best week spending extra time with my oldest and youngest littles!!
Last week was a crazy busy week with having Rylie's dance recital/practices and having family in town. It seemed like we had something going everynight. We started Monday with Rylie's first recital practice and dress rehearsal Tuesday night. She had recitals Thursday night and Saturday night. She did awesome and had a lot of fun. We were very proud parents watching our baby girl on stage. She decided that she wanted to continue both dance classes next year (or in 6 weeks I should say when the dance break is over) instead of doing soccer (to my husband's dismay) in the winter. My husband asked her a few times about soccer, and she replied, "No soccer, I just want to dance!" All the dancers did amazing, even though I'm partial to a little blondie that I think did the best!!!!!
Here are some pictures from recital week:
I love her so much
Wednesday night we went to my in-laws to have some family time with my sister-in-law and niece and nephew before they went back to Florida. The cousins had fun in the pool, while the adults enjoyed good food and conversation. They flew back to Florida yesterday and their trip went by too fast. Hopefully the Fitzgerald 5 will be making a trip to Florida soon!
Friday night we enjoyed a nice family night in. We watched the Incredibles, ate pizza and popcorn with our littles. It was great to just relax with each other and to have to do anything for a night. Last night we recovered from the week by barbecuing, watching college world series baseball and playing with our babies. It was a nice way to wrap up a busy week.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Organizing the Toys
As any family with children knows, your house can be taken over by toys in a minute. It didn't matter how many times we picked up toys during the day, our living room and Rylie's room often looked like Toys R' Us threw up.
I tried using one of those shelves with bins to organize all the toys in Rylie's room. Little did I know the bins would become little push cars that Rylie would push Liam around in and there we still toys everywhere with the bins adding to the mess. I was tired of the living room looking like a toy tornado, and the kids were old enough that they could clean up their own toys, so I had a new idea.
I wanted all the toys for the most part out of the living room, and I wanted a simple way for the kids to be able to pick up their toys to be kept in their own rooms. I found these huge bins at Target for about $6, one pink for Rylie and one blue for Liam. I went through the toys they no longer played with and bagged them up for donation. I then separated their toys into the two bins so they each had their own toys in its own bin. Each child had their own bin of toys in their own room.
So now instead of having toys spread out all over the place, Rylie and Liam have their toys in their rooms. It is also easier to keep them picked up, because when they are done playing, they understand "put all your toys in your bin" instead of "put all the toys away." The toys now have a place(not all over the floor) and they are better at putting them up. I just have to get one more bin to separate Liam's toys from Eric's baby toys, it is an improvement from our toy situation before.
I also learned that it's important to go through my kid's toys periodically to donate the stuff they don't play with to keep the toy pile contained. Also a lot of Liam's baby toys like his activity table are still in perfect condition for Eric to use, and there is nothing wrong with passing toys down as long as they are intact and safe. This keeps from getting new toys that aren't needed, and as far as Eric is concerned they are new toys because they are new to him!!!
I tried using one of those shelves with bins to organize all the toys in Rylie's room. Little did I know the bins would become little push cars that Rylie would push Liam around in and there we still toys everywhere with the bins adding to the mess. I was tired of the living room looking like a toy tornado, and the kids were old enough that they could clean up their own toys, so I had a new idea.
I wanted all the toys for the most part out of the living room, and I wanted a simple way for the kids to be able to pick up their toys to be kept in their own rooms. I found these huge bins at Target for about $6, one pink for Rylie and one blue for Liam. I went through the toys they no longer played with and bagged them up for donation. I then separated their toys into the two bins so they each had their own toys in its own bin. Each child had their own bin of toys in their own room.
So now instead of having toys spread out all over the place, Rylie and Liam have their toys in their rooms. It is also easier to keep them picked up, because when they are done playing, they understand "put all your toys in your bin" instead of "put all the toys away." The toys now have a place(not all over the floor) and they are better at putting them up. I just have to get one more bin to separate Liam's toys from Eric's baby toys, it is an improvement from our toy situation before.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Father's Day Crafts
My hubby left this morning for Phoenix until tomorrow afternoon. With him away and Father's Day being tomorrow, I decided to take advantage of this special time with just the kids and help them make personalized cards for my hubby and their grandpas. Our two oldest littles are big enough to make their own cards and Rylie loves crafts. I love everything my kids make, and a card handmade by them is more special than anything Hallmark can come up with!!!! I remember when Rylie started preschool, I tried keeping all of her art projects that she made everyday. After about 3 weeks of that and the house overwhelmed by art projects, I decided I had to be a little more selective on what I kept and let go.
We started project "Father's Day" while Liam and Eric were napping. I busted out markers, paint, stamps and construction paper. I helped Rylie with the writing, but she did all the painting, drawing, and she wrote her own name on each card herself. To make it special I had Rylie and Liam's hand print on all the cards and put Eric's footprint on them. Eric didn't care for the cold paint on his foot, so after the first card, I used a black ink pad for his part.
Here's the finished project:
The kids had a blast making their Father's Day projects, and Rylie is excited to give her Daddy his special card! I'm already thinking of gifts for Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, with a little more detail and flare!!!!
We wrapped up our project filled afternoon with a little ice cream!!!
We started project "Father's Day" while Liam and Eric were napping. I busted out markers, paint, stamps and construction paper. I helped Rylie with the writing, but she did all the painting, drawing, and she wrote her own name on each card herself. To make it special I had Rylie and Liam's hand print on all the cards and put Eric's footprint on them. Eric didn't care for the cold paint on his foot, so after the first card, I used a black ink pad for his part.
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| I can't get this card flipped around :( |
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| Liam's card he made for Daddy! |
We wrapped up our project filled afternoon with a little ice cream!!!
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| Rylie enjoying her ice cream!! |
Friday, June 8, 2012
Eric at One Month Old
He went to the doctor today and weighs 9 lbs. 12 oz., I guess breast milk is doing a baby good!! It does make me feel good that I am still able to make enough milk for him. I'm not going to put any expectations on myself, but as long as I can make enough milk to keep him happy, I'm going to do it!
It was funny because we were toward the end of his appointment, and his pediatrician said, "He looks great, by around two months he should start holding his head up more and smiling." At that time I was holding Eric over my shoulder. Eric then lifted his head, looked right at the doctor and smiled at him! The doctor smiled back and said, "Or he will do it now!" I guess Eric was thinking, "I'll teach that doctor to say I can't do something!"
Eric is sleeping pretty good for being a breast milk baby. He only wakes up twice during the night, and he goes about 5 hours between his bedtime feeding and waking up for the first time during the night. He eats around 8:30 at night, goes to bed between 9:30 and 10:30, and wakes up for the first time between 1 and 3 am. I really couldn't ask for any better as far as his night time sleeping and eating goes.
He is a great baby!! He only fusses if he is hungry, tired or dirty. He smiles all the time and loves it when we talk to him. Being up at two in the morning is all worth it when I have his sweet smiling face staring at me! His sister and brother adore him, and they are pretty much adjusted to having a new sibling.
I knew my heart was longing for another child, but I had no idea how much my heart would be filled with completeness and love has it has been by having Eric. The saying is true, "Even if I never met you, I would miss you." Eric has completed our family in such an amazing way, and I am in love with being Rylie, Liam and Eric's mommy. I definately feel so blessed to look at my husband and our three children, seeing my life is turning out better than I could have ever expected.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Personalized Gifts
I have a friend that owns "Say What Creations," a personalized jewelry company. She makes personalized sterling silver jewelry including: necklaces, rings, bracelets, etc. The picture above is what I had made for my mom for her birthday. It's a beautiful bracelet personalized with my baby's names, birth dates, and birthstones. A perfect gift for a grandma in love with her grand babies!!!
I you wanna see more jewelry you can help "Say What Creations" reach 8,000 fans by visiting and liking their facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/#!/SayWhatCreations and you can order jewelry through their shop at Etsy here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/saywhatcreations
I have ordered two special gifts from Say What Creations and I can't wait to order more. If you're looking for something special for yourself or someone else, this is the best place for quality, personalized jewelry!!!
Happy Shopping!!!!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Our Oldest Graduates Preschool
Her graduation was very cute. They had all the kids in caps and gowns, getting their diplomas!!! It was amazing to see her with her classmates, many she had been in the same class with since they were a year old, and to see how they have grown. We all had lunch together, and we spent the day with our graduate.
3 weeks as a Mommy of 3
It's hard to believe our little guy is almost a month old. It's amazing how much he has grown and changed from this:
Rylie and Liam have adjusted well to having a new little brother, and of coarse some days are better than others. Liam still has a hard time dealing with that he has to share us with another sibling. We take time and special attention to make sure he knows how much we love him, and we make sure to give him one-on-one attention in all the craziness. I will take him by himself when I have to run errands or do something special just him and I, and my husband does the same. Rylie is doing pretty well and loves her new brother. She understands more than Liam when her requests can't necessarily be meant "right now." We also spend one-on-one time with just her as well. We think it's important to give each child individual time when we can so that they don't feel any less important than another sibling or feel like they aren't getting enough attention because of another sibling.
It is more challenging when it is just me with all three kids! One mommy + 3 kids = some chaos! I am figuring out how to best meet all of their needs in a timely manner, keep Rylie and Liam's fighting to a minimum, keep my sanity, and be the best mommy I can be for them. I do have to give loads of credit to my wonderful husband!! He is truly the best hands~on daddy and I am very thankful to have him. There is no "my job or your job" when it comes to caring for the kids, well except for the producing breast milk part, that is a "mama job", but we just tag team when it comes to taking care of the kids, and we try to spend equal time doing things for each of the kids so it's not only one of us caring for one child or the other. I couldn't ask for a better husband and daddy for our littles!!!!
Eric is a great baby, he is pretty quiet except for when he is hungry or has poo in his diaper. He really only wakes up twice during the night to eat. For a couple of nights though he was not wanting to go back to sleep after eating. He was staying awake for the few hours after eating up until his next feeding. This made for a tired mama and baby. Then he was sleeping more during the day and not wanting to sleep well at night. Last night I tried something a little different. When he would wake up to eat, I switched from changing his diaper after he ate to before he ate. I noticed he wakes up more during his diaper change, perfect for getting ready to eat, not so great for trying to get him back to sleep. By doing this, he would get sleepy while eating and he was able to get back to sleep quicker. We slept much better last night! We are also trying to keep Eric up more during the day for better sleep at night.
So overall we are making it as a new family of 5!!! We are learning and growing as our children grow. Each challenge is a learning experience, and while all of our children have the same parents, our three children are anything but the same. We are always learning the best ways to deal with and bring out the best in each of their personalities.
Well I better get back to my littles, I wanted to update on how Eric was doing and how our new family of 5 is adjusting. Eric's birth announcements will be mailed out soon, I was waiting on his newborn photos to make the announcements so I'm a little behind, but I will share the chosen announcement once they get mailed out to our family and friends.
~Jamie
(the blessed Mommy)
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Eric's Birth Story & the last 2 weeks
It's hard to believe our baby boy turned two weeks old yesterday. He is a great baby and very laid back. He has been a great addition to our family! Rylie and Liam love him and have accepted him as well as could be expected. I'm getting used to less sleep. I thought I didn't sleep well when I was pregnant, I forgot how much less sleep a newborn lets you have. He is pretty good though during the night, usually only waking up twice to eat, he just has trouble getting back to sleep after those feedings.
Now to take you back two weeks ago. It was Tuesday May 8th, and I had gotten up to get ready for work and take the kids to school. I felt pretty good, I was disappointed that my original due date had come and gone with no baby, as well as finding out the week before that I was not dilated despite all my contractions. I went into work to start my shift and my charge said I made her "nervous" being past due and working. She said she had enough staff and told me I could go home. Home?, nope I was going to walk and get the baby out. I ran home real quick to change into walking clothes. My husband had been sleeping because he worked the night before. He asked what I was doing home, and I told him I was going walking to get the baby out. I got a thumbs up and a look of good luck. I don't think he actually thought my walking was going to get the baby out! After walking for a while I was having more contractions and pelvic pressure, I really didn't think anything was happening because remember I was having no signs of labor the week before. I waited a little longer and decided to go to the hospital just to check my progress and the baby.
I got to the hospital about 10:30 in the morning. I was really just having pressure and dizziness from all the walking in the heat, the contractions weren't that bad. I waited in the triage bed for about an hour before anyone came in to see me or get hooked up on the monitor. See the hospital just started this new charting system and they were trying to figure out how to get me in the computer. Once they figured out that issue, I was hooked up on the monitor(our baby boy was sounding great) and the nurse checked for dilation. I was quite surprised when she said I was dilated to 3, 70% and 0 station. I knew it was early but thought if I did more walking, I would dilate more. After she talked to my doctor, the verdict was for me to walk for an hour and be checked again. I had to get to 4 cm and have closer contractions or I would get sent home. I was not going home without a baby!! I didn't call my husband because I wanted him to get sleep and there was still a chance I could get sent home and I didn't want to wake him for nothing. I did tell my mom what was going on and she insisted on coming to the hospital, even though I told her nothing would decided until after I walked.
I ended up walking almost 2 hours because my nurse was with another patient, I kept walking until she was ready to check me in hopes I was dilating more. The nurses were surprised all the laps around the unit I was doing and said I was a woman on a mission. Once I went back to triage, the nurse checked me and I was between 3 and 4 cm dilated, but my contractions weren't regular. She decided since all the walking and her checking me might have helped the contractions that she would watch me for an hour or so. After that time she checked me again and I was 4 cm dilated and having contractions every 3 to 6 minutes. She called my doctor and he gave the orders for me to be admitted!!! It was baby time and time to call my husband to let him know what I was up too while he was sleeping. It was now around 3:30 in the afternoon. He was quite surprised when I asked him if he was ready to meet the baby that day with a reply of "oh sh*t, are you serious?" He was getting stuff for the kids together, getting ready and heading to the hospital.
My doctor had decided that since my contractions weren't consistent that he wanted the nurse to start Pitocin. I was tolerating my contractions pretty well and knew that Pitocin could make the contractions intolerable very fast. I requested my epidural first before they started the medicine. Did I need it? no, but I didn't want to feel Pitocin contractions either. By the time my husband got to the hospital I had my epidural and was relaxing. The epidural was more painful than the other two, and it worried me she said the pain I was feeling was from her accidentally hitting the bone. After about an hour, the Pitocin was started, I hadn't dilated anymore since triage. At around 7:00, my new nurse came in and checked me, she noticed I was scratching alot and offered me some Benadryl to fix the itching that was most likely from the epidural. I was checked again, had no change in dilation and the Pitocin dose was increased. At 7:45, I was talking to my cousin Sarah, trying to stay awake from the Benadryl, and I noticed I could lift my left leg and I was feeling more of the contractions and pressure. My epidural was wearing off. The nurse checked me around 8:00, I was dilated to about 6 and while I was changing positions, my water broke!! She checked me again, after my water broke and I was an 8!!! I was feeling lots of pressure and pain. She called my doctor, who replied, "I only live 10 minutes away." It wasn't too much longer, and I told my husband to go get the nurse because I had to push!! The nurse came in and said I was 10 cm, ready to go, but not to push because the doctor was on his way.
~I had not expected my epidural to wear off
I had never felt such a strong urge to push or so much pain with the other two, because those times my epidural worked through the delivery. I was to the point to tell the nurse to get any doctor because I couldn't keep from pushing anymore, when my doctor walked in. He shook my husband's hand and leaned up against the counter. I then asked, "Can I push now?" He said, "Oh yeah, we were waiting on you." I replied, "I'm ready, I was waiting for you!" It took two pushes and our baby boy was here!!!
Eric Richard-Hays Fitzgerald was born May 8th, 2012 at 9:06 pm, weighing 8 lbs, 0 oz and 20 1/2 inches long!! He was beautiful and our family was complete!! In another post I will explain how we came up with his name.
~Proud grandma
I experienced things this time around that I never had before. I actually felt what it was like to feel my son come out of me and the urge to push to do that. I had never had an allergic reaction to the epidural before or hemorrhage. I am happy my last labor and delivery went overall pretty well and I am thankful for our healthy baby!!
Now to take you back two weeks ago. It was Tuesday May 8th, and I had gotten up to get ready for work and take the kids to school. I felt pretty good, I was disappointed that my original due date had come and gone with no baby, as well as finding out the week before that I was not dilated despite all my contractions. I went into work to start my shift and my charge said I made her "nervous" being past due and working. She said she had enough staff and told me I could go home. Home?, nope I was going to walk and get the baby out. I ran home real quick to change into walking clothes. My husband had been sleeping because he worked the night before. He asked what I was doing home, and I told him I was going walking to get the baby out. I got a thumbs up and a look of good luck. I don't think he actually thought my walking was going to get the baby out! After walking for a while I was having more contractions and pelvic pressure, I really didn't think anything was happening because remember I was having no signs of labor the week before. I waited a little longer and decided to go to the hospital just to check my progress and the baby.
I got to the hospital about 10:30 in the morning. I was really just having pressure and dizziness from all the walking in the heat, the contractions weren't that bad. I waited in the triage bed for about an hour before anyone came in to see me or get hooked up on the monitor. See the hospital just started this new charting system and they were trying to figure out how to get me in the computer. Once they figured out that issue, I was hooked up on the monitor(our baby boy was sounding great) and the nurse checked for dilation. I was quite surprised when she said I was dilated to 3, 70% and 0 station. I knew it was early but thought if I did more walking, I would dilate more. After she talked to my doctor, the verdict was for me to walk for an hour and be checked again. I had to get to 4 cm and have closer contractions or I would get sent home. I was not going home without a baby!! I didn't call my husband because I wanted him to get sleep and there was still a chance I could get sent home and I didn't want to wake him for nothing. I did tell my mom what was going on and she insisted on coming to the hospital, even though I told her nothing would decided until after I walked.
I ended up walking almost 2 hours because my nurse was with another patient, I kept walking until she was ready to check me in hopes I was dilating more. The nurses were surprised all the laps around the unit I was doing and said I was a woman on a mission. Once I went back to triage, the nurse checked me and I was between 3 and 4 cm dilated, but my contractions weren't regular. She decided since all the walking and her checking me might have helped the contractions that she would watch me for an hour or so. After that time she checked me again and I was 4 cm dilated and having contractions every 3 to 6 minutes. She called my doctor and he gave the orders for me to be admitted!!! It was baby time and time to call my husband to let him know what I was up too while he was sleeping. It was now around 3:30 in the afternoon. He was quite surprised when I asked him if he was ready to meet the baby that day with a reply of "oh sh*t, are you serious?" He was getting stuff for the kids together, getting ready and heading to the hospital.
My doctor had decided that since my contractions weren't consistent that he wanted the nurse to start Pitocin. I was tolerating my contractions pretty well and knew that Pitocin could make the contractions intolerable very fast. I requested my epidural first before they started the medicine. Did I need it? no, but I didn't want to feel Pitocin contractions either. By the time my husband got to the hospital I had my epidural and was relaxing. The epidural was more painful than the other two, and it worried me she said the pain I was feeling was from her accidentally hitting the bone. After about an hour, the Pitocin was started, I hadn't dilated anymore since triage. At around 7:00, my new nurse came in and checked me, she noticed I was scratching alot and offered me some Benadryl to fix the itching that was most likely from the epidural. I was checked again, had no change in dilation and the Pitocin dose was increased. At 7:45, I was talking to my cousin Sarah, trying to stay awake from the Benadryl, and I noticed I could lift my left leg and I was feeling more of the contractions and pressure. My epidural was wearing off. The nurse checked me around 8:00, I was dilated to about 6 and while I was changing positions, my water broke!! She checked me again, after my water broke and I was an 8!!! I was feeling lots of pressure and pain. She called my doctor, who replied, "I only live 10 minutes away." It wasn't too much longer, and I told my husband to go get the nurse because I had to push!! The nurse came in and said I was 10 cm, ready to go, but not to push because the doctor was on his way.
I had never felt such a strong urge to push or so much pain with the other two, because those times my epidural worked through the delivery. I was to the point to tell the nurse to get any doctor because I couldn't keep from pushing anymore, when my doctor walked in. He shook my husband's hand and leaned up against the counter. I then asked, "Can I push now?" He said, "Oh yeah, we were waiting on you." I replied, "I'm ready, I was waiting for you!" It took two pushes and our baby boy was here!!!
Eric Richard-Hays Fitzgerald was born May 8th, 2012 at 9:06 pm, weighing 8 lbs, 0 oz and 20 1/2 inches long!! He was beautiful and our family was complete!! In another post I will explain how we came up with his name.
~He kept peeing on the nurse!!
After delivery, I had some problems with hemorrhaging, which got me a shot in the thigh and another IV that took three tries to get. It was all worth it for my baby boy!! We got to go home the next evening and Eric has been doing great since.
I experienced things this time around that I never had before. I actually felt what it was like to feel my son come out of me and the urge to push to do that. I had never had an allergic reaction to the epidural before or hemorrhage. I am happy my last labor and delivery went overall pretty well and I am thankful for our healthy baby!!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Ready Baby?
We are planning on setting up his bed for our room this weekend and finish getting ready for his arrival.
Our "Baby Fitzgerald Lottery" is still underway to guess when our boy will arrive. The winner has a chance to win up to $210, for only $5 a square!!! Please let me know if you are interested in picking a square or squares, and I will get you down on the board for a chance to win!!!
I got a very cute gift today at work(yep I'm still working!) from my friend Stephanie. Check out these cute little shoes and socks. I can't wait to put them on my baby boy!
Also, I have a bunch of formula coupons that I want to give away before they expire. I have coupons for Enfamil, Similac and Good Start formulas for use at Target and Babies R US/Toys R US. Please let me know if anyone wants them, I hate to see coupons go to waste!
So that's the latest on the "baby watch," we are getting very excited to meet our baby!!!!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Annoyed Mama
Our poor Liam has not been feeling well since yesterday morning, he started with diarrhea then vomiting. Poor baby can't catch a break, luckily though he isn't running a fever. We've done pedialyte, water, bland food, rest, etc. trying to make him feel better. He is just miserable. Now I know two days of the stomach bug isn't the worst thing, but when your child is vomiting even water, it makes you worried.
I was up with him most of the night trying to keep him comfortable. The first thing this morning, his first drinks stayed in about 5 minutes, before his stomach contents covered both of us and the bed. I decided that nothing we were trying was working, and it was time to call the pediatrician's office.
I got transferred to a medical assistant that asked how old he was, when did the symptoms start, and "What was I doing for him at home, and was I doing anything for him?" This struck a nerve with this protective mama. The sarcastic, exhausted and hormonal mama inside me wanted to say, "No, I haven't done one thing to try to make my son feel better, I've only been a mom for just over 5 years and I typically watch my sick children suffer and do nothing to comfort them and make them feel better!" (However, I took a deep breath, and kept my what I wanted to say comment to myself) Really, did this lacking common sense person on the other end of the phone think I would do nothing for my child? I was calling because I had tried all possible options trying to help him, and he was getting worse. I know they screen to see if the children really need to be seen right away, but it's not all about seeing the happy, well children. If they are going to have an issue seeing sick kids when they are actually sick, then what's the point of having a personal physician?
That's my beef for today, Liam does have an appointment this afternoon. Hopefully our boy gets to feeling better!!
I was up with him most of the night trying to keep him comfortable. The first thing this morning, his first drinks stayed in about 5 minutes, before his stomach contents covered both of us and the bed. I decided that nothing we were trying was working, and it was time to call the pediatrician's office.
I got transferred to a medical assistant that asked how old he was, when did the symptoms start, and "What was I doing for him at home, and was I doing anything for him?" This struck a nerve with this protective mama. The sarcastic, exhausted and hormonal mama inside me wanted to say, "No, I haven't done one thing to try to make my son feel better, I've only been a mom for just over 5 years and I typically watch my sick children suffer and do nothing to comfort them and make them feel better!" (However, I took a deep breath, and kept my what I wanted to say comment to myself) Really, did this lacking common sense person on the other end of the phone think I would do nothing for my child? I was calling because I had tried all possible options trying to help him, and he was getting worse. I know they screen to see if the children really need to be seen right away, but it's not all about seeing the happy, well children. If they are going to have an issue seeing sick kids when they are actually sick, then what's the point of having a personal physician?
That's my beef for today, Liam does have an appointment this afternoon. Hopefully our boy gets to feeling better!!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Baby Fitzgerald Lottery
With this being our last pregnancy, I wanted to do something fun with our family and friends to guess when our baby boy would here! I borrowed the idea from my friend Katy that lives in Phoenix, she had a lottery board, and it made it fun as she got closer to delivery, crossing our fingers that she would deliver on the time square we had picked.
~You can click on the board itself to enlarge the board to see the square times
First off you aren't picking the calender date that you think he will be born. You are picking A DAY of the week (example: Sunday-Saturday). My original due date was May 7th, which is a Monday, but they have moved it back and forth between that and May 15th (which is a Tuesday). The second thing you pick is the time of the day. The times are listed across the top in military time. The board starts at 12:01 am, with each square being two hour blocks that ends at midnight.
Each square is $5 a square, with all the squares getting filled, the winner will split the pot($420) with baby Fitzgerald!!! Please let us know if you are interested in playing and which square you wanna place your bet on!!! I will keep updated pictures of the board as we fill it up, good luck!!
Just a hint: I had Rylie on a Saturday morning at 6:26 am and Liam at 1:53 am on a Wednesday morning. We have no idea when baby Fitzgerald will arrive or plans for an exact delivery day/time!!
First off you aren't picking the calender date that you think he will be born. You are picking A DAY of the week (example: Sunday-Saturday). My original due date was May 7th, which is a Monday, but they have moved it back and forth between that and May 15th (which is a Tuesday). The second thing you pick is the time of the day. The times are listed across the top in military time. The board starts at 12:01 am, with each square being two hour blocks that ends at midnight.
Each square is $5 a square, with all the squares getting filled, the winner will split the pot($420) with baby Fitzgerald!!! Please let us know if you are interested in playing and which square you wanna place your bet on!!! I will keep updated pictures of the board as we fill it up, good luck!!
Just a hint: I had Rylie on a Saturday morning at 6:26 am and Liam at 1:53 am on a Wednesday morning. We have no idea when baby Fitzgerald will arrive or plans for an exact delivery day/time!!
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