Busy as a Bee!

As the weather gets warmer, the Arndt family gets busier and busier! Hunter's baseball season is in full swing. Chad is the official Assistant Coach this year. And, of course their team name is the Cubs . . boooo. Once it gets warmer, Tinley will have to make an appearance in her White Sox outfit. :)

Cody got his first job yesterday! He will be working at the concessions where Hunter plays baseball. He is excited to start making some money. . . . . maybe for a new car next year? yikes.

Tinley is officially 4 months old! She is weighing in a 15 lbs and 25 inches. She finally is lifting her head. I was getting a little worried there for a second. Now, just waiting for the infamous "turn over". She is getting close, but no cigar.

Chad is still busy, busy at work. Like I said earlier, he is the assistant coach for Hunter's baseball team. He loves to clean the garage now since the weather has gotten better. I got him watching Extreme Couponing and he is now pushing me to search for coupons for EVERYTHING.

I am starting up two businesses to accommodate my shopping addiction. :) Chickpix Photography and Cutie Pie Props. Thanks to friends and friends of friends, I am getting quite busy with my photo business! I am also busy busy crafting, which has started Cutie Pie Props. I was making props for my photo business and thought "hey, I can totally make these and sell them!" I am busy promoting and participating in blog giveaways to get my name out there. I am loving it and can't imagine myself working for the "man" again. Soooooo, if you are looking to get your kids or your family's pictures taken, give me a shout!

www.chickpixphotography.com
www.facebook.com/chickpixphotography
www.facebook.com/cutiepieprops


Can't forget a cute pic . . . .

Not a Peanut Anymore!

Where did my little peanut go? Tinley is approaching her 4 month birthday very soon! She has reached many milestones in the past few months. Our little one is getting stronger by the day. She is holding her head up and prefers sitting propped up so she can see the world! She is a smiler. She smiles at anyone that will talk to her. She is close to laughing. Her brothers are the best at getting her to chuckle. She loves her brothers! Little Miss Tinley is also a talker! Once she starts, she keeps going and going and going . . . . she must get this trait from her dad. :)

I was going through my camera memory cards the other day and realized that I still had the pictures on there from the day she was born. For some reason, it's hard to take them off! I am afraid that they will get lost in the transfer, I guess. :)

Her next doctor appointment is April 18! I am excited to see how much she has actually grown! She is wearing 6 month clothing right now. I have a closet full of 6 month summer clothes, so I am eager for the warm weather to get here and stay. She has way too many cute summer outfits that I don't want to see go to waste!

Overall, she is the perfect baby. She is sleeping about 9-11 hours a night. She only cries when she is hungry or has a wet diaper or when she wants attention. She loves her hand held when she eats and when she is about to fall asleep. And, most importantly, she loves shopping with mommy. :)

Full Time Job

So, one thing I have realized in the past 8 weeks . . . . being a stay at home mother to a baby is a full time job! I mean, I didn't envision myself sitting around all day munching on bon bons or anything (yes, i did) but who would have thunk that I would be wishing and praying that I could just get a 30 minute lunch break. I clock in at around 7:30 a.m. Change her, feed her, burp her, playtime, tummy time and repeat. If she decides to get a cat nap in, I am cleaning bottles or cleaning something else in the house. I know people say to "sleep when your baby sleeps", but that is a bunch of crap. My house would be a complete pit and everyone would be wearing dirty, stinky clothes. Soooo, in lieu of my sanity, the whole family benefits with a clean house and clean clothes. I get to clock out around 5:30 p.m. when Chad gets home and then it's his turn!

It's amazing how fast the day goes. I think that's why people think their kids childhood goes by so fast! Next thing you know, she'll be heading off to kindergarten. I mean, tomorrow is already her 2 month birthday. It just feels like we brought her home yesterday. At the end of the day, when I am exhausted and would do anything for a foot rub, nothing beats seeing her big wide smile. I think it's her way of saying "thank you, mommy, for taking care of me today." :)

Zzzzzzzz

Ok, so I am sure there are a couple moms out there who have new babies and are going to be pissed when I say this . . . .my 7 week old sleeps through the night. I know, I know, I have heard how lucky I am. The pediatrician said that if both parents require a lot of sleep then, more than likely, your baby will too. In fact, she has been sleeping through most nights since she was about 4 weeks old. How did you do it, you ask?? Simple. Chad annoyed her and kept her from falling asleep at 9 p.m. Her bedtime is 11 p.m. We don't put down a minute earlier. And, if she tries going to bed, we do our best to keep her awake. She wakes up between 7:50 - 8:00 a.m. everyday . . .right after Daddy leaves for work. It's like she knows he is gone and immediately wakes up when she hears the garage door shut. She will eat and then usually go back to sleep around 9:30 a.m. and then back down around 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. These are my "work" breaks and I cherish them dearly! :)

It's About Time

So, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people are late. I always made sure that I was early or on time for all meetings, appointments, and get togethers. The reason I don't have parties anymore is because my friends never come on time, but that's a whole different post.

Anyways, I always wondered what the big deal was to get somewhere on time when you had a little one. I have discovered what the big deal was two days after she was born. It was her first doctors appointment. I have to get ready and I have to at least look presentable. I have to get her ready. I have to change her diaper. I have to feed her. I have to load up the diaper bag and pack it just in case the car breaks down and I am stuck on the side of the road by myself without any means of communication for the entire day. I have to strap her in the car seat without upsetting her and jarring her neck around. I have to gather all my stuff that I need . . .purse, coat, hat, gloves, bottle of water. Usually when I go to put my shoes on, I realize that I forgot my socks upstairs. I'll come back down to load the car and realize that I forgot my phone upstairs. And, when I go to load the car I realize that I haven't warmed the car up. I don't want to have her sit in a cold car and freeze to death!

I am getting better as the weeks go by. I try and start the "getting ready to go somewhere" process about an hour before departure time. I have learned to start with myself first. I have a checklist in my head that seems to be working. I'll be back to my good ol' timely self one day!

One Month Miracle

Four weeks ago today, I was rushing around town trying to get Christmas shopping done all while experiencing my first signs of real labor. Of course, not even labor would stop me from shopping! Tinley is officially 4 weeks old tomorrow. It's hard to believe she has been in this world for 4 whole weeks and that I have managed to keep her alive! Chad, on the other hand, is an old pro. So, I owe most of this accomplishment to him. :) She eats, pees, poops, cries, sleeps, wiggles arounds, makes grunting and snorty noises. She had her one-month check up yesterday and has grown a whole 2 1/4 inches and has gained 1 pound and 6 ounces since birth! She is getting strong by the day and has already managed to lift her head up. She has also inherited her mom's control issues by insisting on holding her own bottle and pacifier in her mouth. The only issue we have is trying to get her to go to sleep at night, but once she is out we can expect her to only wake once during the night to feed and then she goes right back to bed. Overall, she is a good baby and we are fortunate. She brings joy to us everyday and it is a wonderful feeling!

Here are some snapshots from the past month:

Our New (Cluttered) Life

Life with a new baby in the house has been an adjustment. Although the disruption of sleep has been the obvious change, I would have to say that it hasn't been the biggest adjustment. My house is a complete mess. The dust, the unvacuumed carpets, and the clutter of baby stuff is taking over. I have always wondered why people with kids had such messy houses. Now I know why.
The monstrosity of Christmas presents didn't help either! The kid doesn't even have any major toys yet. I have been told its not going to get any better so my best bet is to take a deep breath and pick up and clean as much as I can. The next time you come visit, please don't judge. I really want a clean house, I am just too tired. :)