Pumpkin Patch 2012

This year was just like the other years... Our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. Every year I think I get that much more excited. Layla is getting to the age where she is more aware of her surroundings. Although she is still hesitant about riding ponies, or feeding goats, she has that excitement in her eyes like its all new all over again. The innocence that Layla has in her is amazing. To think she she has no clue about the big world around her lights up my heart. You would think that after coming here year after year it would be the same old same. But its not. The pumpkin patch evolves. The first couple years Layla couldn't walk. She would ride the ponies, go on the quad rides. The all of a sudden she had this fear about the rides, goats, and ponies. Its always different and I never know what to expect. This year was all about the bird section and the corn maze... Even the pumpkins didn't strike curiosity. We made it through another year.

Two

I am two

I will soon be three

I have learned so much as I continue to learn each day. 

My vocabulary is very big, my sentences are growing. 

I am still shy of strangers but my mama thinks that ok. 

I know all my basic colors, I know my basic shape and my abc's as well as I can count almost to 20! 

I can dress myself and I even like to pick out my clothes. 

I am slowly learning to try new foods. 

(Its been hard though)

I am now potty trained, I still wear diapers at nap and night time 

(I even have accidents sometimes but its OK I'm still learning)

I love Disneyland its probably my favorite place besides the beach. 

I am still learning how to ride my bicycle, I will get it though

I am now testing mama on my nap time.  

I go to bed just fine and now I sleep in a big girl bed. 

I have been to the dentist and I do very well! 

This year I had my first medical scare (water on the elbow)

Still waiting for it to heal. 

My favorite show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. 

I love to jump! I also love to draw. I have been able to draw happy faces since I turned two

Now my drawings are getting better. I can draw letters and draw more details

As far as I can tell I am going to be left handed. 

I am a very well behaved little girl who rarely ever throws tantrums or fits.  

Being two was supposed to mean terrible twos. I may have learned the word no, but I know 

that I still have to listen to what my Mama says. I am a very happy little girl and I have lots of love to give. Being two has been fun. And I'm sure being three will be better. Mama says I am growing way to fast. 

But all I have to say is, I will always be your little girl 

Losing it

I'm sure most moms might be just like me. 

They have their darling precious bundles of joy. 

They lose the weight from breast feeding. 

They look GREAT! 

And then, they gain some weight BACK!

Like really?! This is not what I thought it would be like. 

I myself was sure that because I am a young mom, my body would simply bounce back

I was clearly misinformed. 

I am on a mission. A mom mission. 

To lose every inch and every pound that is hiding my amazing figure ;)

I know what you're thinking. But its true. It has to be there. 

There is a great figure hiding underneath it all. 

I hate when other moms say, Oh you look great! 

They clearly don't know what being over weight means. 

And if they do well I know its because to them, I just might look like the better option.

In reality I am at the heaviest I have ever been. 

This is my weight issue. I know I can do better. And why shouldn't I?

Layla has a right to have a mom who doesn't worry about her weight. 

Who is healthy. Who can take care of herself. 

Because that alone can do wonders for any mom. 

I want to feel good for myself and to know that I am making and setting the best example

For my daughter 

So I run, and if I don't run I walk. I walk really fast. I figure if I don't want to jog

I should at least get moving in some form. Walking will do. I walk fast though 

So fast that the sweat drops off me as if I just showered.

This baby weight or whatever it might be. Needs to come off

I will not stop. I will push on. I will make sure my portions are small. And I will eat often

I will also allow myself to have cheat days and guilt free days. 

I am making this a way of life. Because to me, that is the only way this is going to work

I will do this for my daughter, but most importantly for myself. 

So here is to being healthy and making the right choices. 

 Raspberries 

 At the top of the mountain

 We made it! 

 What a view right?

 Layla loves to get out in the fresh sun!

We made it! 

This walk up to the top of Mt. Rubidoux was only about 3 miles total both ways. I generally do 3 miles each night so that was nothing, but let me tell you my butt muscles really got a workout!

Ouch! My Arm

So I knew it would happen... actually I didn't. Layla is pretty good as far as getting sick, needing to go to the hospital, cuts and bruises. This all started when she wasn't moving her arm, or bending it. Almost holding it to her side. She would do it here and there for the first day. The next day I didn't really see her doing it, so I thought nothing of it. Layla never had a fall that would have drawn my attention to her needing medical help. The only recent thing was us being sick. On the third day first thing in the morning, Layla was once again holding her arm close to her side. My mom was the first person to notice so I told her about it again. We took her to urgent care. Layla is not one to like boys, guys,or men... whatever you want to call the opposite sex. Her doctor turned out to be of course a man. Well she didn't want him touching her arm nothing... So we couldn't figure out if it was pain or fear. We ended up getting xrays and that showed nothing except fluid. Fluid around her elbow joints. The doctor at first thought maybe it was fractured so small it wouldn't even show up on an xray... OR that because we were sick, the fact you are sick can mess with your joints. And since Laylas bones are not connected it just built up. So the next thing was to check if the fluid was infected. If so she would need immediate surgery. They had me sign off on all the paperwork before hand because if they needed to surgery they didn't want to waste anytime. Once I was in the process of doing that, it hit me like a ton of bricks. The doctor started going over all the risks of the surgery and complications that could arise. Why on earth was he telling me this now!? I could have cried. My dad had left me to get my mom from our house. I was sitting here with Layla contemplating life or death... That was all I heard when he was telling me that that was one of the possibilities that could occur with this surgery. I know I know what are the chances. But for me. What else was I going to think about. The chance that she might never use arm. I had to be strong for Layla... who was happy as can be as long as no one was touching her arm, trying to talk to her or asking her to move her arm. We spent the entire day at urgent care. About 4:30 one of the three doctors came in to tell me that it wasn't infected and that they would put a splint/half cast on her arm and just begin giving her anti-inflammatory pain meds and hopefully the fluid would leave within a week. Well two weeks later the fluid was gone. Xrays came back clear of fluid. The NEW doctor said that it can happen to any kid. Whether or not it was from being sick or her banging it, falling it while jumping on the bed. Something so minor can result in this. Yet I still get a horrible feeling in my stomach when I see parents grab their kids by their arms... or lift them by their arm. Babies and toddlers are fragile. They are not rubber and bounce back. You can seriously hurt your child. Would I want to go through that again?! But how can I prevent another injury from happening when we dont even know the cause from this time? I can't put Layla in a bubble. Children will get hurt. I am so thankful I dont have a boy though lol. Layla def. had her moments where she was unconscionable. I felt completely useless and the doctors bent her arm back and forth. In the end I'm so thankful she didn't need surgery.