A Holiday Note and a Funny

Hello, all! I bet you've been wondering where the heck I am.... Well, I'm here:

After 3 very long flights, we finally made it to North Carolina!!! It's good to be here, especially after a long, hard travel. 

Charlotte did okay on the flights. She didn't sleep much, which really surprised me. We left at night {bad idea} so I thought that she'd just sleep, but no luck. There was far too much going on throughout the flight for her to sleep well. She did sleep some but it wasn't much. And she was in my lap the whole time, so I didn't rest either. Fortunately, most of the people around us on our flights seemed to be very understanding and patient. Or if they were irritated they didn't say anything. {For which I'm very thankful!}

We're staying with my SIL, Anna, and her little family which has been great! I'm loving seeing my niece and nephew so much. 

Playing blocks with Eden and Harry. ❤

Attacking Eden's face with Pop {Joe's dad} supervising.

Side note: Charlotte loves Eden!

Charlotte and all her cousins!!! =D

Eden, Kellan holding Harry, and my sweet Charlotte. Love.

We're all having a good time here. Well, except that Charlotte and I both caught colds. She got one the first night we were here (Tuesday) and today (currently Friday) I woke up with a scratchy throat and stuffy nose...which turned into a runny nose, making me look like Rudolph. *sigh* Charlotte was pretty miserable there for a while and I felt terrible for her. She would catch her first ever cold during Christmas...and the one time we're actually around family! I'm not surprised I caught it, though.

So basically.... I'm not going to be around all that much for the next week or two {ish}. Joe's family is pretty big and there's always something going on. Rest assured that I'll be back after the holidays with pics and probably some great stories!!!

And just a little something to make you laugh...a hilarious video of Charlotte screaming at me. Enjoy! =)

Merry Christmas, y'all!

Holy Growth Spurt

So, remember that post where I talked about our recent breastfeeding struggles? Apparently, it was caused (at least in part) by the awesomeness that is Wonder Week 37...also known as a growth spurt. 

I wish I'd known this going in... I really should've started reading The Wonder Weeks earlier. Truth be told, I haven't even read all of it. Just about the current growth spurt we're experiencing. I picked it up just a few days after I posted about our struggles. No lie, one of the first things I read went something like this:

Most mothers report problems with breastfeeding. Babies are distracted and don't nurse very long. One mother reports that her son refused to nurse for 3 days. It is very common for women to give up breastfeeding during this Wonder Week because of the difficulties.

Holy. Crap. That right there was enough to make me continue to push through our problems. It's like God was telling me, "Hey, mama. I know it's tough, but it's normal. Everyone goes through this. It'll be rough, but I'll get you through it." And, yeah, it has been tough. But I devised a plan to help us get back on track. 

First, I started nursing her in my bed. We're both more comfortable and relaxed in there (who wouldn't be?) and for some unknown reason, she's more likely to come back to nursing if she gets distracted. I can keep our room much darker than hers, so that helps with distractions too. One of the main reasons I went with this was for my sake. I was stressing like crazy about my milk not letting down and her not staying on long enough. I knew that if I laid down and snuggled with her it would help.

Second, I cut her solids back. I know this may sound a little...off to some people, but it helped a ton. Unlike most people, I have a small baby. Small babies have small tummies. Somehow, I'd forgotten this. Since she's not an average baby, I can't feed her the average amounts that all the books suggest, even though she'd very happily scarf down that yummy solid food. At 8 months old, she still gets most of her calories from milk - my milk. So that has to be the priority. At first I felt bad about cutting her back, but once she started nursing well again, I knew I'd made the right decision. 

By day 3, she was back to nursing normally. My milk was still taking for-ev-er to let down for her, but hey, progress! 

I'm also taking fenugreek to help with supply, and I can definitely tell an improvement. It's been about 2 weeks since I started having wacky problems. I feel like my supply is better and my milk is letting down more quickly for her now. Sometimes it still takes a few minutes, but that's okay. 

Other things that have helped? Praying a lot. {Especially while I'm nursing.} Singing a worship song or two. A phone call to my SIL (who's also the mama of small kiddos) texts with my bestie,

Please forgive her poor texting skills. She's awesome even without them. ;-)

awesome reader comments,

lots more praying, and flowers from my sweet hubby who knew how upset I was. 

Husband of the year award? I think yes. ;-)

This growth spurt has really been pretty awful. I think it's the hardest one so far. She's started crawling (yay!) and pulling up (not so yay), and she's become a 5-alarm-clinger. Serious clingy-ness. Sometimes it's sweet...but when you're trying to eat breakfast/lunch/dinner and your baby is crying and clawing you to death....it's not. She's also having trouble napping. No surprise there. Growth spurts always screw with her sleep. I've been rocking her to sleep for naps for the past week. {And given the events of the past week....I'm perfectly happy rocking my sweet baby and holding her close.}

She cried 2 seconds after I took this. Seriously. Growth spurts suck.

All in all.... Yeah, it's been rough. Not unbearable (except for that one day she only took one out of 3 naps...that was torture), but still pretty rough. I think it goes without saying that I'm ready for this one to be over with ASAP. Here's hoping it'll disappear while we're in NC for the holidays. 

Wishful thinking? Yeah, probably so. Oh well.

Progress!

Sometimes I feel like I'm still stuck in the rut of weight loss. Like I'm doing okay but not seeing results.  Even though I don't feel like I've lost much, I know that my clothes are fitting better and I'm feeling better. So, Friday, I decided it was time for an updated photo. I don't know about you, but I need a good visual sometimes. It's like I need proof that something's really happening. And I'll let you be the judge...

A very nice, not-so flattering front shot.

The side shot, which I think is always more telling.

The verdict?

DANG.  My jaw literally dropped when I uploaded the new pictures. Literally. Like I-have-to-show-someone-NOW awesome. I couldn't believe it!!

Even though I actually gained a pound this week (I don't want to talk about it...), I've lost 10 overall. 10 pounds in roughly 2 months. That's 5 pounds a month, and about 1 pound a week. Holy. Cow.

How is this possible? Honestly? It's all God's doing. I haven't changed much about my diet...except that I'm trying my absolute hardest not to overeat and to rely on God. I still eat many of the same foods I did before. I just don't stuff myself with them [all the time]. I admit that I have moments where I give in and eat something I shouldn't or too much of something. I'm only human. BUT, I am trying. 

I'm working out more than I did before. Still usually 3-4 days a week. Lately I've been slacking on the workouts because my asthma is giving me trouble. Actually, it's Hawaii that's causing the problems. Vog {volcanic fog/haze/ash junk} has been in full force lately, thanks to the winds coming from the Big Island. It's tough to breathe through and makes me more likely to have an attack, even with the meds I'm taking. Anyway, long story short, it affects my ability to workout. I've been sticking with Pilates, but not much extra cardio is happening. 

I'm still doing Bible Study daily. Or trying to do it daily. I admit that I sometimes fail at that, too. It's hard! Especially with a baby going through a growth spurt and needing Mommy more often than usual.  I haven't picked up Made to Crave in a while, either. I should probably get on that.

See, the thing is... I'm not perfect. I know, newsflash. I'm not perfect. I can't do it all. I can't lose weight and kick overeating on my own. But God can do it in and through me. And that's what I'm trying to do - let Him work in me, so that He can use me to do...other things, whatever He wants me to do. It's not about the weight loss {although that's a great perk!}, working out, or following a specific diet plan. It's about God and what He's doing. I know without a doubt that I wouldn't have lost 10 pounds and curbed my eating habits if it weren't for Him and my "sisters" keeping me accountable. 

So that's it. My awesome, awesome news and progress. And I'm going to try my absolute hardest not to gain any weight while we're in NC for Christmas.... It's gonna be tough.

Wednesday Walkabout: Take 16!

Welcome to the another week of Wednesday Walkabout! Thank you so much for hanging out with us, linking up, and reading new blogs.  =)

A little info about the Walkabout:

This is a weekly linky party with myself and 3 other co-hosts. The idea? Just put your URL in the linky (it can be a specific post or your "homepage"- whichever you prefer), visit a few other blogs, and possibly make some new friends. Easy peasy, right?!

Oh, and you only have to link up with ONE of the co-hosts. =) 

There are just a few quick rules we've set for the linky party...

1. Please follow at least ONE hostess, and let us know you're a new follower and how you follow!

Sarah - G.I. Joe's Wife (That's me!)

Chantal - Scattered Seashells 

Jane - Taingamala 

Jamie - Handling With Grace

This week's Mystery Host is.... Krystaladele from Unintentional SAHM!  Woohoo!

2. Try to visit 3-4 blogs that interest you. Take some time and let them know where you came from.

3. Grab the button from my sidebar and spread the word! (Not required, but just cool if you do.) The more, the merrier.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy blog-hopping!

Saying "See Ya Later"

It's tough, isn't it? Whether it's to family, friends, or our husbands saying "see ya later" just never seems to get any easier. 

This weekend, our closest friends left the island. While I'm so happy that they're going to be able to see family and will be much closer to them once they get to their next post, it's still difficult to see them go. They were our first friends here and they've stuck with us ever since. 

I actually found Mrs. C through her blog while we were still living in GA. {Surprised? Yeah, me neither.} We "met" via a phone call because we were having some Army-related paperwork struggles with our move. Her hubby was able to give Joe some advice which was golden. We sent several emails back and forth talking about moving and Hawaii.

After Joe and I got to Hawaii and settled into lodging, we were finally able to meet up! They picked us up at the hotel and took us out for dinner. All 4 of us clicked right away, which is really rare. After dinner, they invited us to get out of the hotel and stay with them for the night. I know what you're thinking, and looking back I still can't believe we did this! We ended up staying the weekend with people we'd never met before...and people we met online. =P I think all of us were a little bit crazy!

Mrs. C and I. I'm pretty sure this was the weekend we met. I could be wrong, though.

The Joes. :)

All of us just outside Margaritaville in Waikiki!

It's crazy to think all we've been through together in nearly 3 years. My Joe deployed. Mrs. C helped me unpack the rest of the house after Joe left. She kept me company frequently while he was gone. They invited me to church with them, for dinner...kept Jasper for me/us several times. Oh! We locked ourselves out of the house one day and had to pull boards off the fence... And then Mrs. C broke the screen door on the patio! That was a fun afternoon! She took pics of us when he came home for R&R. And I'm fairly certain we all hung out while Joe was home, but I don't quite remember it.

Holidays. Birthdays. Pregnancies. Births. Girls and guys nights. So many things.

Our girls. 1 month & 8 months.

LOVE.

Charlotte thinks Mrs. C's hubby is hilarious!

I'm glad that we were able to spend a few days/nights together before they left. I know it's difficult getting out and about with a newborn! 

Daddies & daughters = melty mama hearts.

I know it isn't the end - we'll see them again, even if we have to make an extra effort now that the Army has separated us. But it sure is tough to think about them not being nearby during our last few months on the island...and then again when we move to GA.

So much happens in just a few years' time... The ending of our time here in Hawaii turned out to be a little bittersweet after all.

Once Upon a Time...

There was this thing called Thanksgiving. We celebrated it and had friends over.

I cooked the entire meal...

With a little bit of help from Joe.

Not only did he help in the kitchen, but he also watched the little miss so I could get some work done.

My favorite shot of the day - daddy and baby dancing in the kitchen. :)

I also made 3 desserts {which took a lot more effort than I thought it would}.

Chocolate pecan pie, mini apple pies, and pumpkin pie rice krispy treats.

Not pictured: ice cream to go with the apple pies. :)

The mini apple pies. Fortunately they tasted better than they looked! :)

A couple table shots...

We do Thanksgiving buffet-style. Much easier. :)

Simplistic, but still nice!

I wish I'd taken more shots of all of us {especially since our friends are leaving}, but here's what I have.

The whole gang...minus moi, the photographer. {ha}

Mrs. C, her hubby, and little girl. 

We're SO gonna miss them!

My little {blurry} turkey. ;-)

And, last but not least, us!

Other than all the cooking, we had a pretty low-key day. Well, maybe I did. Mrs. C had a newborn to feed and take care of. My bean is fairly low maintenance these days. :) We had a really good, really fun Thanksgiving. I've discovered that I really love cooking for and entertaining friends! I only wish we were able to do it more often, especially with these friends! 

I still can't believe our first {and closest} island friends are leaving. I'll probably talk more about it next week, but suffice it to say this will be the hardest "see ya later" I've had to say since Joe deployed. 

Also to come.... Christmas decorations! I know my posting has been spotty lately, but thanks for hanging in there with me! :)

Wednesday Walkabout - Take 15!

Welcome to the another week of Wednesday Walkabout! Thank you so much for hanging out with us, linking up, and reading new blogs each week.  =)

A little info about the Walkabout:

This is a weekly linky party with myself and 3 other co-hosts. The idea? Just put your URL in the linky (it can be a specific post or your "homepage"- whichever you prefer), visit a few other blogs, and possibly make some new friends. Easy peasy, right?!

Oh, and you only have to link up with ONE of the co-hosts. =) 

There are just a few quick rules we've set for the linky party...

1. Please follow at least ONE hostess, and let us know you're a new follower and how you follow!

Sarah - G.I. Joe's Wife (That's me!)

Chantal - Scattered Seashells 

Jane - Taingamala 

Jamie - Handling With Grace

This week's Mystery Host is.... Manda from Manda Loves!  Woohoo!

2. Try to visit 3-4 blogs that interest you. Take some time and let them know where you came from.

3. Grab the button from my sidebar and spread the word! (Not required, but just cool if you do.) The more, the merrier.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy blog-hopping!

Struggles

So. I said before that I wish I'd blogged about our struggles with breastfeeding during the first few months. Now that we're hitting some more struggles, I feel like I need to talk about it. And maybe it'll either help someone else or it'll help me. Either way, it's a total win in my book. So here goes.

Joe was off on Friday. That morning I decided I'd go to the commissary early since it was payday. I nursed Charlotte and it was effortless as usual. She drank her milk, we relaxed in the nursery and cuddled. Then I had Joe feed her some cereal and apples while I got ready to go. 

After I came back from the commissary unscathed {which I'm sure you know is RARE, especially on payday}, the little missy woke up and I went to feed her again. Only...my milk didn't let down. 

Obviously, this had never happened before. And it was/is so random! I assumed it was a fluke, attempted to pump (to no avail) and then gave up. Next feeding? Same thing. And the one after that. I started taking fenugreek again after the 2nd time it didn't let down. I knew something was up and I had fenugreek on hand from when my supply slowed down because of the pill. I even had Joe go get me a beer (the hops help with production)... That just shows you how desperate I was - I HATE beer!

Saturday morning I decided to feed Charlotte in our bed because I'm more relaxed and she's more likely to hang out and try harder. I had felt fairly full that morning, so I thought it would go well. 30 minutes later....nothing. That's when I put in a call to the LC (lactation consultant). She suggested fenugreek (yay, I'd already started!), more pumping, and nipple stimulation. I also had Joe go out and get ingredients for lactation cookies...which I haven't made yet. Fail. I can already tell a difference in my production, though. The let down reflex? Not so much. It still took a while for it to let down for her this morning, BUT it did let down! 

We have another problem now, though. Charlotte's not wanting to nurse. She'll latch for maybe a minute, get irritated and pull off. Sometimes she lasts for a minute or two longer, but she hasn't nursed at all since this morning. Even better (or worse, actually)? She refuses to take a bottle. So not only will she not get milk from me, she doesn't want it at all! I don't get it. 

Looking back over the last few weeks, I'm really wondering if she's wanting to wean. I know it's a bit unusual for babies to wean before 1 year, but... She hasn't been nursing consistently for at least a couple weeks. She would skip feedings completely or she'd take small ones. The only feeding she really takes is the morning one. I'm starting to think I should just try to nurse her in the morning and at night and do something else during the day, when she gets solid food. 

Needless to say, I am extremely frustrated. Between loading up on fenugreek, pumping a gazillion times a day, trying to nurse her and/or coaxing her into taking a bottle... I'm about to lose it. I'm also really sad. I've said it a bazillion times here... I love breastfeeding. A lot. And I really don't want to give it up just because we're in a rough phase.

I mean, seriously, who wants to give up these sweet cuddles?!

So I think I'm going to give it a week. I'm going to try and nurse her as normal, but try and not freak out if she refuses. {No promises on the tears. My mama heart is hurting.} And then I guess I'll reevaluate at the end of the week. I'm thinking about pumping for her, but it might be a hassle since we're flying to NC in a couple weeks and when we get back we're going to be doing PCS-prep. 

I don't know. Honestly, I'm praying that this is just a phase - just one of those times you have to get through to get back to normal. Please say some prayers for us this week, if you think about it. This is tough!!