Growing Up

Yesterday was Riker's first day of Pre-K. His teacher's name is Mrs. Pritts and she seems nice. He is so proud of his back pack and lunch box. He thinks he is so grown up now. Yesterday mom took the girls to school so I could take him to his first day. He had breakfast in the cafeteria and when I began instructing him on what to do with his tray when he was done he stopped me, told me he knew, and told me what he needed to do with it. On our walk from the cafeteria to his class he told me that I could go home now and leave him at school. I dropped him off at his class and left shortly after since he began ignoring me and didn't really want me there. :( I was so anxious to pick him up and hear about his first day. I get there and he looks at me like he was disappointed I showed up. He asked me if we were going to ride the bus and when I told him no he began to cry. He started to tell me he was a big boy and big boys ride the school bus home. He said he really wanted to ride it and told me, "Talk to dad. I wanna ride the bus." I called and told Sean the problem. Today he will be riding the bus to our house and I will wait for him there. He is getting on the bus in just one hour and my stomach is in knots. I am a nervous wreck! I know he will be fine. But I am FREAKING OUT!!!

Riker Sean Armstrong's Funny Quotes

Story Number 1:

"Momma, that's a stop sign." - Riker
"I know." - Me
"You didn't stop." - Riker
"Yes, I did." - Me (I didn't, it was more like a rolling stop)
"No you didn't. This is my business. This is my life."


Story Number 2:

"Daddy that's a stop sign." - Riker
"Yes. It is." - Sean
"Mommy doesn't stop at stop signs. She goes vroooom." - Riker


Story Number 3:

"There will be a coaches meeting on September 10th. I don't know what time yet though." - Me
"Okay. Just let me know as soon as you know the time." - Sean
"Why does daddy need a Coach? Coaches are for girls." - Riker

Riker & Rien Rae's Birthday Party

This past Saturday was Riker & Rien's birthday party. They had so much fun and the party went great.

I have always been anti double parties but this year since they have friends in common and sibling friends I thought this was best. I am glad I did and we will probably do it again next year.

The party was at 10am. At 10:00am when only "my people" had arrived Kae Kae went down for nap and slept until about 10 minutes after the last guest left. That made things so easy not having to worry about her while the kids ran around and played.

After the party Natalie and I poorly put Rien's toys together and Sean & Blake played with Riker's toys.

Thank you to everyone who came. :) It was a great day.

Riker's 4th Birthday

Riker's Birthday was awesome. One the 10th we had a special lunch for him. Just us and his Angel. With cupcakes and presents. Then on his actually birthday Sean I took just him to The Dinosaur Park & Fossil Rim in Glen Rose, Texas. He had a great time and has not stopped talking about going back to the Dinosaur Park. Oh and now when he plays with his regular animals horses, etc. he has a car drive through them while the attack his side mirrors like the Zebras did to our car. It's too funny. The night of his birthday we met Angel, Paw Paw, Yo Yo, Natalie, and Blake at Cici's for pizza and cake. All in all I'd say Riker really enjoyed his birthday. This Saturday is his and Rien's birthday party and he is soooooo excited!

March 2011

March 2011.....CRAZINESS!!! Riker started T-Ball this month. He has been doing great at practice but at his first game....not so good. His daddy started his new job at Seton and had to work that day. He was not pleased. He was hard to handle. When he would play he did well. But it was hard to get him to play. He was happy that Paw Paw, Yo Yo, Angel, Grandpa, Uncle James, Natalie, and Mia were there but that wasn't enough to make him happy. After the game we had hot dogs and baseball cupcakes with Angel, Grandpa, and Uncle James. Then after getting dressed in "Mia Approved Clothing" we headed to Mia Jayne's 2nd 1st Birthday party. The kids had a blast. Riker became friends with Natalie's 4 year old cousin, Michael and they had a fun together. Mia fell asleep on me near the end of the party she was worn out! They all were. We got home around 8pm and put the girls to bed. Rien whined a little in her sleep but never woke up. The next day (Sunday) she woke up screaming. Within minutes Sean had discovered it was her clavical and took her to the Cedar Park Regional. X-Rays confirmed she had broken her clavical bone. A clean break. Most likely done at her friend's house playing with Riker. We haven't seen the speacialist yet but so far we are hearing 6-10 weeks in the sling. So the past few days have been nuts with my job being so demanding expecially at the end of the month. Rien is confused and and pain, I feel so bad for her. Bring on April....I am so done with March!

February 2011

February ends today and I have a feeling March will be crazy. With sports, getting this army stuff going...finally, parties, etc.

Let's start with Riker:
Riker starts T-Ball in March! I am so excited! I have a parent meeting to go to on Saturday and the first game is March 26, 2011. :) I can't wait.

Rien Rae is now in a toddler bed. She's such a big girl now and goofy. She plays jokes on us and makes faces at us until we laugh....gotta love her!

Kaedence got her ears pierced yesterday and she looks so pretty! She cried for less than 30 seconds and got over it in a flash.

We are trying to eat better in our household. It's hard though cuz Sean and I love our soda's and pizza.

I have gotten back to the gym. It has been FOREVER. I'm currently going 5 nights a week until I loose the 15 pounds....now 14. Then I will back down to 3ish. The other night I burned 887 calories....YAY me!

Sean goes to MEPS Wednesday and next Monday-ish we will find out when and where Basic & AIT will be. YAY him!

That's our life right now...bring it on. :)

Life With 3 Kiddos

Riker is doing great! He loves Kaedence and hates when any of the kids in his class look at her or touch her when I pick him up. He'll stand in front of her and go, "NO! That's MY Kaedence." He is fully potty trained and has been since right before Kaedence was born. NO MORE PULL UPS!!! Which was perfect timing since I had to start buying diapers for another baby. He loves Thomas the Train, playing in his new kitchen/grocery store with Rien Rae, and hanging out at Angel's house or Paw Paw & Yo Yo's. He is an amazing little boy who will be starting pre-k in the fall of this year. :/

Rien Rae is an awesome! She finally started walked full time right before her sister was born. She is the sweetest little girl. Always wants hugs and kisses. She loves playing with her baby dolls and her brother. She loves shopping and doesn't like to leave the house without her purse. She also loves her sister and runs into the room yelling at me if Kaedence is crying. I just love her and her giant smile.

Kaedence is just a blessing. We love having her around. She eats 24/7. I feel like she is always on me. She is a good sleeper at night...5 out of 7 nights she sleeps all night. :)

Have 3 kids is an adjustment but we love it!!! #4 will finish our family in 2-3 years...and yes he or she will have a K name. :)

It's OCTOBER!!!! A few new things...

It's finally October! :)

Yesterday we went to a birthday party for Riker's friend Hunter at Pump it Up. Riker had a lot of fun. After that we had some time to kill in Round Rock since Sean didn't have to be at work for 2 more hours. So at Rike's request we went to PetsMart. We looked at the fish, the reptiles, the kitties, and the birds. A typical stop at PetsMart. But then Riker wanted to look at the Guinea Pigs. So we asked to hold one. The first one he didn't like, he wanted to hold the black one. He immediately lit up and asked to take him home. Sean and I both looked at each other, we had never seen Riker so excited about a pet. We had to. I owned a guinea pig and several hamters and a kid so I am used to these kind of pets. Riker had some money so he got the guinea pig. He named him Piggy. Within minutes of touching him I began sneezing, my eyes were itchy, and I developed a rash. I never been allergic to Guinea Pigs or any other animal before but I am allergic to Piggy. We think it may just be stuff on his fur so we bathed him. I haven't toucheed him yet to see if that worked but we will see. If so, I will just have to tuff it out. Riker is way to happy for me to take this away from him.

Today we went to see Thomas the Train in Burnet. It was just us and Riker. Rien Rae stayed behind with my Mom and brother. Riker had a blast! We will have to take him back next year if he still loves Thomas!!! :)

On the way home we started talked girl names randomly and I told Sean the name I wanted from day one but disregarded because it wasn't an R name. Kaedence Hope. After my Uncle Kay "Doc" Crabtree and my Aunt Hope Crabtree. He said he loved it but he really wishes we could use something for his Grandma Laura "Rosey" Rosendahl. So we suddenly decided, Kaedence Rose Hope Armstrong. Now I have never been a fan of double middle names but it's really important to us that we both get the names that matter to us. Uncle Doc died of cancer a few years back. I hope nothing but wonderful memories of my great uncle and aunt. They are/were beautiful people. Uncle Doc was a great man and Aunt Hope is an amazing woman. Grandma Rosey is one of my favorite people in the world so this has to be done. We have never been so wishy washy on names but this name was the first name I thought of and I guess that was why. But now we just have to be sure to have a 4th so we can have 2 R's and 2 K's. :)

***Spelling of Kaedence is not yet confirmed.

Update on The Armstrongs

Sean has had his school and work schedule all changed up in the past week and we are adjusting. Monday-Friday he has school from 6am-11am. Then Monday-Saturday (minus Wednesday) he has work from 12:30pm-9:30pm. We will be so glad when school is over in January! Sean will get a break from waking up at the crack of dawn and the kids will get more "Daddy time" because he'll be able to keep them until he heads to work at 12pm. So they will get to go to school almost 4 hours later I am not a fan of them being in a preschool but it's what we've gotta do to make that money! lol.

Rien Rae will be 1 next Sunday (the 15th). I can't believe it. It's hard to grasp because she is still so small. I like to think of her like a baby. She stands but I don't think she intends on walking for awhile. She went to her specialist yesterday and he said she doesn't have to come back anymore. She is finally just above the 15% in hight and weight! YAY for my buggie! Also, for the past several weeks she has started playing with Riker it is hilarious to watch. She also makes faces at me to get me to laugh it is so cute!

Riker Sean is becoming quite and amazing big brother. He's always been pretty awesome but now if Rien is crying he does everything he can to help. He has also developed quite a sense of humor. He tells jokes and does all kinds of crazy stuff. He loves to singn he loves his trains, and to cuddle his momma! He is a great kid!

Rumer Jaymes is just a growing. At my last appointment she was still a little under a pound and 11 inches long. It's hard to believe she'll be here in just 4 months! I've gained 15 pounds so far. Which is about my norm. I never gain more than 30. We will see.

Riker Sean's Birthday Party!

Sorry guys! I am a little behind! Riker's birthday party was the 17th and he had a ton of fun! He had lots of friends and family come over. We had hamburgers & hotdogs and hung out back where the kids played in the pools and waterslides. Rien even stayed awake for most of it. She is usually a bum and sleeps through everything. lol. He loved his presents and ate cake for days after! No that that's over we are on to Rien's Party August 21st! BUSY BUSY!

Riker Sean's 3rd Birthday!

On Monday he brought cupcakes for his class. It was his first school birthday. Then on Tuesday (his actual birthday) he got some awesome stuff from mommy, daddy, Rien, & Rumer for his birthday. Then my mom, Riker, Rien, and I headed to Houston to go to the Aquarium. He loved it! We had lunch at the Aquarium's restraurant (yum!), rode the Shark Voyage twice, rode the carosel twice, rode the ferris wheel, and went through the exhibit twice. He also got to pick out a prize from the gift shop. He enjoyed every second. (Pictures are on Facebook). Now I just need to plan Rien's birthday adventure!

Baby Girl, Babino Numero 3, and my Riker

So my baby girl went to the doctor on Wednesday and they have taken away her Failure to Thrive and Short Stature diagnosis! She is almost on the growth chart!

Also on Wednesday we went to see the baby. I'm due November 27th and my doctor said I'm fine. No blood sac....nothing. I can hold my babies again!!!

Riker is so excited about the baby. He constantly goes up to the fridge were we have the ultrasound pics and gets all excited. He yells, "Momma it's my baby!" He rubs on my belly. He is so excited. He is getting closer and closer with Rien. He is always making sure she is okay and loving on her and trying the make her laugh. He is a great brother.

Pictures with Libby

First of all I would like to start of my saying I know 4 photographers other than Libby. They all 5 have great portfolios.

So, anywho….on Sunday Libby took Bluebonnet pictures of the kids. I have only seen two pictures so far but I can assure you I will never again step foot in a chain studio. Once you have professional photos done, you can’t possibly go back.

I can’t wait to see the rest of the pics but check out my sneak peek below.
http://www.libbyannphotography.com/blog/?p=592

Libby, you did an awesome job! THANK YOU!

7 Months/March

RIEN RAE IS 7 MONTHS OLD!!! She is such a blessing. She is always happy and has the most beautiful smile. She is an AMAZING little girl and we are so lucky to have her!

Her brother is pretty awesome too! That child cracks me up. The things that come out of his mouth are hilarious.

Work is work. Some people irritate me and some people I think are great. I try to avoid the irritating ones. I swear you can't wait to grow up so you don't have to deal with childish people but it only gets worse.

FYI. My weight loss sucks. I haven't lost a pound since February but I haven't gained one either. I am still at my pre prego weight but I haven't lost any of the 11 pounds I want to loose by May. It might help if I try. Anybody want to make me or at least make it stop raining? LOL. Maybe I'll do some Wii fit tonight.

Rien was dedicated at church on Sunday and she was beautiful in her Kate Mack!!! She is such a princess.

Last Monday (the 8th) Riker and Rien started going to child care. It's been hard but apparently they are enjoying it since I have to make my son leave with me because he doesn't want to go home.

Looking forward to more exciting stuff this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rien Rae is 6 Months Old, Ect.

Today our princess is 6 months old. It's so hard to believe that 6 months ago after a long labor that lasted almost 2 hours. HAHA. Just kidding please no one slap me. My total time in labor for two kiddos was seven hours. Do any of you moms want to slap me know? My next baby will just fall right out. LOL. Rien is such a sweetheart. A lot of her food is homeade. Which is a lot easier than I thought it would be. She is a big fan of baked apple and banana. My mom and Sean think it's pretty tasty.

Friday Sean had my favorite flower delivered to work. He is on a roll so far that's 2 months out of 2 months in 2010 that I have gotten flowers. Pink Roses in January and Oriental Lillies in February. That night Sean and Rien went to a Daddy/Daughter Valentines Dance. He had so much fun taking her. I wish they had Mommy/Son dances because Riker loves to dance and sing.

Last Saturday Riker and Rien had their first sibling photo taken together. Riker loves having his picture taken but was VERY unhappy to share the spotlight with Rien. Next Saturday we are getting pics of just Rien. We bought the kids some new clothes and shoes, went to Emma's birthday party, and then went to Babies R' Us to take advantage of the 25% Trade in. It was hard to say goodbye to our old stroller and carseat....it was Riker's. I seriously wanted to cry. But, that carseat was set to expire before I plan on having another baby so it had to go. We had planned on getting a new carseat for Rien but since the carseat I wanted (Britax Boulevard) only had 2 styles available in store, Riker ended up with the new one because it was more boyish than the onyx Boulevard we already had.

Riker is growing up so fast. I love that we have actual conversations now. His great loves are trains, Buzz, Dino Train, Sid the Science Kid, and snacks. Any snack really.....the kid likes food. He eats alot of healthy stuff so it doesn't bother me.

Sean starts a new job on Friday and it's full time. I work full time too and as of right now we have no childcare. AHHHHH!!! My mom can help some this month but I am running out of time to come up with a plan. Seriously if anybody knows of someone or somewhere that can start by March 1st let me know. PLEASE!!!

As for my weight loss, I still have 11 pounds to loose. Not baby weight, that's all gone. This is just extra stuff. It's my goal to have 6 of that gone by St. Patty's day. I missed my V-Day goal by 3 so I really hope I can catch up! I need to be in shape by swimsuit season.

Well that's all for now. BYE YA'LL! :)

Blogs from The First Year With Riker

Riker Sean Armstrong
7-19-07
Riker Sean Armstrong was born July 13, 2007 at 2:42pm. He weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. At around 8:30 Friday morning I woke up to my water breaking. So we went to the hospital, they checked me, confirmed my water broke and said I was 3cm, almost completely effaced but my cervix was still behind. They got me to a room and all hooked up, Dr. Romberg came and checked me and I was already 7cm, completely effaced, and cervix had moved to the front. Then the nurse checks me a little bit later to see how things are progressing and I was 100% ready to go. You could see his head. He was trying to push himself out. After a few short pushes and Dr. Romberg barely making it in there, Riker was born. If giving birth is always this easy I could do it over and over. Total time from water break to birth - 6 hours. They said next time I'd better rush to the hospital so I don't end up giving birth in the car.
He is 6 days old now and such a good baby. We love him so much!
Riker Update
7-25-07
Riker had his 2 week appointment today and we are NEVER going back there again. We like the doctor but the staff was pathetic. For example, while we were sitting in the waiting room one of the people at the front desk dropped something and said, "mother f...". He stopped himself but that is so not appropriate for a pediatrician's office. He'll be going to a different doctor for his 2 month check up. But about Riker, he weighs 8 lbs 5 oz now which is good considering on the 16th he weighed 7 lbs 2 oz (1 lb and 1 oz less than his birth weight). He is now 22 inches long (1 1/2 inches of growth.) and is perfectly healthy. YAY! He is still such a good baby. Everybody keeps saying that will change. So what if it does? Can I not enjoy the good behavior now? As for an update on me...if anybody cares. I am now down to 134.2 lbs. Which is just 5 lbs and 1 oz above my pre-pregnancy weight. Yay. That puts me 14.2 lbs away from my target weight. Yay! I have over 4 months to loose that. I should be able to pull it off. This having a baby thing is so much more than I thought it would be. We love him so much! Our whole family is doing great!
One Month
8-14-07
As of yesterday, Riker Sean Armstrong has been in our lives for one whole month! He's still a very good baby. However, he wasn't a very good host when a friend of mine came over on Sunday. He was very fussy. He's so big. I just can't believe how fast he is growing! He loves to smile and prefers showers with Daddy over baths in his tub. He starting to do a little baby talk. Which is so cute! I just love him! I love being a Mommy. It's the best! I love my guys! My hubby and my son mean the world to me. We are hoping to be back on our own soon! I'd like to be on our own by Christmas but I don't know if thay will happen. Being on your own for almost 3 years and then moving back in with Mom isn't so great. I just want it to be the 5 of us! Sean, me, Riker, Jack, and Jill. As for my pregos. We have Becky who is due on the 6th of September with her first little boy, Aiden Alexander. Then Cori is due with her first, Brooklynn Faye on September 27th, if she doesn't come sooner. After her, Sandra is due to have her 3rd, Joseph Ralph on November 20th. Then Tara is due to have her second little girl (name undecided but I believe the initials will be MRP) on the 10th of December. Last but not least Kristen will be due February 5th (sex of baby currently unknown). Love ya'll!
My Doctor's Appointment, etc.
8-26-07
So, I went to the doctor on Thursday. Just a check up kinda thing. (They like to do that when you push a baby out of your vagina.) I'm all good. Sean and I decided I'm gonna get an IUC. I can't remember to take a pill everyday and not only do condoms suck but you can ask a friend of mine who is currently 6 months pregnant how well they work. So, we decided it's the best choice to prevent another baby for a coupla years. I'm supposed to get this thing on the 6th but I'll have to get a pregnancy test first b/c well....I can't resist! :) Oh, and I currently weigh 132. 9 just 12.9 pounds to go by Christmas! But anyways, life is good just waiting to be on our own again. We might move to an apartment for a year and look for houses while we are there. I really didn't want to but, it's not like it's permanent. I'm hoping we are on our own by Christmas. My Riker Sean is sooo smart today he was playing with his keys and Tigger rattle. He loves the sounds they make. He wants to do so much more than he can. He tries it's just not possible for a child his age. I know he'll be trouble! But, what else can you expect from an Armstrong boy? This being a stay-at-home mom thing is fun but I get bored! Visit me people! Or I am allowed out of the house ya know? Call me and we'll do something!
If you care...
9-7-07
I went to the doctor and got my IUC today. It lasts up to 10 years. We will take it out sooner than that though. More kids are in our future but, not just yet. It was pretty quick getting it put in. I'm having a little discomfort off and on but that should go away soon. I am now just 3.1lbs away from my pre-prego weight and 12.2 pounds away from my target weight by Christmas!
Riker will be 2 months on the 13th. Time is flying! He laughed for the first time today. I was cooking dinner so I missed it. His daddy said it was the cutest thing! He loves to baby talk and can't stand being still. We love him so much. He's perfect! I went to Lowes today and saw the grosky girl I went to school with. I was writting a check and she touched my son. I cleaned his hands and face right away. She has always had this crush on Sean which wouldn't be a big deal if it wasn't one of those "scary crushes". It's more of an obsession. She kept saying "this is Sean's son" and said, "he kinda looks like his daddy" as if to question if he was in fact Sean's son. Then, knowing full well we are married she asked if we ever got married. I told her yes, we would be celebrating our 2 year wedding anniversary soon. She didn't like that too much. Girl is a freak. And the thing that really sucks is I had to write a check since I can't find my card. Which means the loon has our address. Great. My pregos, Becky - Good luck with your little boy. I bet your glad Aiden be here by the end of the weekend! Sandra (my sis-in-law) has had some issues with her pregnancy but I just know everything will work out and Joseph will be here around November 20th! Tara - You are so blessed to be having another little girl. I can't wait to meet MRP. I know she'll be beautiful. She'll be the best Christmas present you ever had!
Kristen - I can't believe you are having a baby! I am so excited! I hope it's a boy so Riker can have a friend to play with! I can't wait for you to find out! Less than a week left! I am super happy for you and I'm always here if you need me! Oh, and Brooke, Riker says your so pretty and he can't wait to see you! He bought you something! :) Haley - I miss you! Just so everybody knows, MY HUBBY IS AN AMAZING MAN, HUSBAND, AND FATHER! Oh, and I nearly forgot he's DARN SEXY! ~Stevie Rae Armstrong~ Wife to Sean Tyler Armstrong & Mother to Riker Sean Armstrong. The two best guys in the whole world!
So frustrated right now!
9-10-07
Before I start. This is not meant to bash anyone. These are MY beliefs about OUR child. If you don't agree, that's cool. If you do, that's cool too. This is just a vent. I am against thumb sucking. I don't like it and I don't find it cute. It's my opinion that you do not incourage this. I do not want our child doing it. I know people who needed outside intervention to stop. I know of kids who did it until ridiculous ages. I know of kids who since it took forever to stop had dental issues. I don't like pacifiers either. But given the choice. I'd give him a pacifer. Because, pacifiers can be taken away. You can't take away your childs thumb. My child has just started doing this today. This pisses me off. Prior to today he only tried a handful of times. I would move his hand and he wouldn't try again and he only did it when he was really hungry not just because. Bottom line, I'm frustrated as hell right now!
2 months old!
9-13-07
Riker Sean is 2 months old today! He is such a good baby. I think he is the perfect mix of his Mommy and Daddy. He baby talks all the time now, holds his head up for long periods of time, and messes with his hands a lot. He's on a pretty good schedule at night. He loves his mobile, it makes him smile. He smiles a lot. He is so perfect. As for an update on the hubby and I. We are good. We're looking to move into our own place in March. It's a ways away but, hey at least it's happening. I was planning on being here six months but 9 isn't too far away from that. I'm supposed to start watching a friend of mines daughter in November. That will be fun! That's about all for now! No more babies being born until November....what a drag! Oh, and for the record. I'm guessing a boy for Kristen (she finds out today). I was wrong about Cori and Tara though, so I'm prolly wrong again.
Riker's Shots
9-25-07
I took Riker for his 2 month shots today. He got 2 shots in his left leg, 1 shot in his right leg, and an immunization by mouth. He cried so hard he stopped making noise. I've never seen him so upset. I'm so glad Sean came with us. I would have hated to go alone. He has to go back November 27th. He doesn't feel good at all. Poor baby. I gave him some Tylenol but he's still a little warm. I hate him being so upset and me not being able to make him feel better.
As of last week he weighs 13lbs. What a big boy! I'll update more later.
October of 2006
10-1-06
Around this time last year the hubby and I made our little boy. If you don't know how, go ask your mom. lol. Now I look at him and he's getting so big! He goes to bed around 11pm every night and doesn't wake up until 7ish to eat, then he goes back to bed until around 11am. He's getting really good at keeping his head up and gets more and more talkative everyday. I can't wait until he says his first real word. He is always smiling! I try to keep looking cute. He wears a lot of button up shirts. His Daddy wants him looking preppy. Alot of women say, "I'm so glad I don't have a boy. There is nothing cute for them to wear." Clearly, you are retarded. Well maybe not retarded just ignorant to what is out there. I can say this b/c I used to be one of you. You would prolly notice the cute boy clothes if you had one. I notice both b/c my friend has a little girl and I'm always looking to see cute stuff for her. Plus I have like 100 nieces and other friends with little girls. I keep getting asked about posting pics and sorry. Neither Sean nor I have posted any pics of Riker other than ultrasound pics. At this point, we don't plan to.
3 months!!!
10-11-07
So, I know he won't be 3 months until Saturday but we will be in Houston. Since I doubt anything huge will happen before then I am going to go ahead and do a 3 month update now.
Riker weighs 14.6lbs, which is average. He is 24 1/2 inches tall, which is above average.
I have lost all of my Riker weight. But I still have 9 lbs to go by Christmas to put me at 120lbs. Anybody have any weight loss tips? I'm open to all suggestions! Riker can sit up pretty good. He needs help of course. But he does damn good for his age! He's always trying to get up. He gets pissed that he can't! He played in his jumper the other day an he actually knows what to do now! He's not a wiz at it yet but he makes the frog spin and moves the rings! I'm so proud! Oh, and he just started eating 5oz bottles! I love him, I love him, I love him! He's great! I can't wait until next month when he starts cereal! More to come!
Houston
10-14-07
So, we went to Houston on Friday to see Joey, Sandra, and the kiddos. (Joey is Sean's oldest brother/my favorite brother-in-law.) Riker did awesome on his first long car ride! Saturday was the baby shower and we finally found out the baby's name, Emily Elaine. Elaine is Sean's step-mom's middle name so that's sweet of them. She will be born on November 7, 2007. The whole weekend was great except she was there on Saturday being a total bitch as usual. Actually way more than usual, it was ridiculous. And most of you know who I'm talking about when I say she. Oh and Grandma Rosey was there. I love her! Riker got to meet some of his Aunt Sandra's family and some Armstrong's he'd never met before. Plus, this was his first time meeting his Uncle Joey and Aunt Sandra. Uncle Joey could make him laugh. He was loved on my everybody and Uncle Joey got to feed him. When Grandpa Joe got there though, he didn't care about anybody else. He got so excited. He doesn't love anybody as much as his Mommy and Daddy but Grandpa Joe is pretty close behind. Sean thinks he likes Joe and Joey so much b/c they are like him. I agree. He was pretty much always being held so I had a pretty relaxed Saturday. But you know me, even if I'm not holding him I'm keeping an eye on him. Overall, we had a great weekend and I hope to see them again soon. But the events aren't over yet. We are back in Round Rock and Mike's 50th Birthday Party is today. It's a suprise but I feel safe saying something on here b/c, I don't see him getting on myspace. So, we will be going over there this afternoon. Oh, and I got a new phone number. Message me if I haven't gotten it to you.
Bye ya'll!
My Favorite
10-14-07
Just so you know there is point in reading this if you don't know Glenn and Joey. So, Miss Winnifred mentioned to me my blog were I refer to Joey as my favorite brother-in-law. Well, he is. Sorry. Glenn and Joey would be dead tied. But, Glenn doesn't like me. Plain and simple. He thinks I am a bitch. That's okay. I can handle that. So, it would be kinda like someone calling somebody their best friend when the other person would refer to them as someone they hardly know. And another thing I think everybody else cares and I know that Glenn could care less. Glenn's just that kind of guy. I could call him a total ass (which he's not, Glenn's one of the nicest guys out there) and he would give a crap less. Sorry, just had to say all that! Bye ya'll.
'My Fun Morning' Thanks to Jack & Riley!
10-18-07
So, I go to put some Halloween decorations outside and Jack runs out the door. Which I didn't worry about b/c Jack just stays in the yard and comes in when I tell him to. But then out runs Riley and Jill. Riley runs out down the sidewalk and Jack follows. They were out of site almost immediatley. Since Jill is lazy she just went to go lay in the yard. I go inside grab the stroller and Riker and put Jill in the back yard. Then here comes Jack and Riley running down the street. Peeing on every tree they can find. I'm outside yelling "Jack Tyler" and "Riley James" (b/c we are retarded and our dogs have middle names) looking like a moron. I get Jack in after a few yells. Then it's back out to get Riley. I stood out there for almost ten minutes before he came in.
Fun morning so far. Thanks Jack and Riley!
2,2,2,2
10-22-07
It is officially 2 months, 2 weeks, and 2 days until our 2 year wedding anniversary! Sorry....I just liked all the twos and I'm excited! On January 7th, 2008 we will have been married for 2 years, together for 3 1/2 years and known each other for about 12 years!
November 3rd
11-3-07
Today Miss Haley Rae is 20! YAY for her! Ever since Riker learned to roll over he seems to think he should do it everytime he lays down. I go to change his diaper and he rolls over and sticks his butt in the air. He is a goofy child. He scooted across the floor yesterday! YAY! He's going to be a fast learner! I crawled at 5 months and walked at 8 months. Maybe he'll do the same or better! Riker's first Halloween went well. We dressed him up as Batman showed him off to one of Sean's friends, took him to Cori's, and to a Fall Fest. It was fun showing him off all night!
Make an Informed Choice
11-7-07
I have been asked my a number of friends and family about my IUC. What it is like and why I picked it. So I am going to put it in a blog to be read that way everyone's questions are answered. First off the reason I choose the Paraguard over the Mirena is b/c the Mirena CAN affect your breast milk due to the hormones. Yes. I am aware that it uses progesterone and not estrogen like most other forms of birth control. But guess what, still a hormone. I looked at several medical websites and read the handouts and talked to my doctor. The information I got was that "breastfeeding women should be aware the synthetic hormone in the Mirena IUD will be passed to the baby in her breast milk." Also, that not always but in some cases it has prevented women from having a full milk supply. The Paraguard was suggested to me by 2 lactation consultants at Georgetown Hospital for those reasons. If you don't plan to breastfeed none of that matters. But some of the below information might. According to the Paraguard website "ParaGard® is 100% hormone-free and 99.4% effective. ParaGard® does not contain any hormones and doesn't cause any hormonal side effects, like weight gain, bloating, or mood swings. That's why it's a great choice for women who prefer not to use hormones or can't for health reasons. And it's more effective than typical use of hormone-based methods like the Pill, patch, or ring. In fact, ParaGard® is the only hormone-free birth control that's over 99% effective." I like it because it allows me to give my son breastmilk and it won't cause any hormonal side effects. Also because I don't have to remember it. I don't plan on getting pregnant again until 2009 so this is great. I don't even have to think about it until then. But PLEASE ya'll ask you doctor don't just ask your looney friends. Thats good for opinions not for decision making. Do the smart thing, ASK A DOCTOR. Make an informed choice! What's right for others may not be right for you.
My Sweet Hubby
11-8-07
Tuesday night my hubby bought me some of my favorite flowers and got me a card. Why? Just because he loves me. Isn't he sweet?! I love him so much and just think 1 month 4 weeks and 2 days from now we will be celebrating our 2 year wedding anniversary! YAY!
Riker Sean is 4 months!
11-15-07
Riker turned 4 months on Tuesday. He is currently weighing in at 16lbs and is a little over 25 inches long! He started cereal on Sunday which was just a few days before he turned 4 months but Sean wanted to be there so we did it early. First feeding he wasn't into it at all but now he loves it. We are going to start giving him foods next week. Starting with sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving! (I'm a nerd. I know.) Today Riker got his 4 months shots and did so much better than last time. A lot less crying. So far I can't tell if he is going to do better when it comes to the fever and discomfort but we will see! Other things: Since 2 months he's been rolling over but now he doesn't like to be on anything but his tummy. He loves rolling over when I change his diaper, he'll laugh. He's started scooting occasionally but no crawling yet. Can't wait!
Riker and Brooke Day One
11-19-07
Short and sweet blog about Riker and I's first day with Brooke Lynn! Today was my first day watching Brooke. It went great. She's such a sweetie. Riker did so good sharing Mommy all day. The three of us played on the floor, they hung in their bouncers, we went for a walk to go check the mail, and we read like 5 books. All in all a good day. Cori, you have a sweet little girl and I'm glad I get to watch her for you. :) I'm prolly going to get a very part-time job to get me out of the house every once in awhile but we'll see.
Sitting Up? WHAT!?!?
11-21-07
So, last night Riker was chillin' on his boppy while I was running his bath. Sean was up doing stuff and Aaron was sitting on the bed with him. Then Aaron was like hey he's sitting up and Sean told him that Riker's always trying to sit up but never actually does it. We didn't bother to look b/c we assumed Aaron was just telling us that Riker was trying to sit up. Aaron's like wow he sits up. We looked and sure enough he was actually sitting up! Unassisted. He had pushed himself up off the boppy and was sitting unsupported! Sean and I start freaking out and of course Aaron's like I told you so. So, Riker's first time to sit up was witnessed by neither Mommy or Daddy but by Uncle Aaron! :( But hey! We got to see the second time! Oh, and Riiker just ate a bottle and guess what? All by himself. He held it the whole time! I handed it to him and then picked it up when he was done. The rest he did himself! YAY FOR RIKER! He's so smart and he's barely 4 months! Oh, and today is day 3 with Riker and Brooke and all is still well! I think they are actually better together than they are seperately.
Thanksgiving and Such
11-29-07

This Thanksgiving we went to Sean's dad's. Joey and Sandra came down and we got to meet the new baby! All four babies where in the same house. Isabella: 6 months, Riker: 4 months, Xzavier: 3 months, and Emily: 3 weeks. Plus 3 other grandchildren! Fun stuff! Riker started his baby foods that day and is loving it! So far his favorite seems to be pears. He is getting really good at holding his bottle and scooting. I can't wait until he crawls! :) Does anybody know of a good place to get baby long sleeved shirts that aren't sisssy? No offense to anyone but we don't think onsies should be worn in public past a certain age especially by boys. Plus, Riker looks tacky in them. That's why he only wears them and home if ever! Let me know if you know of anywhere. We'd like to do away with onsies by 6 months! I'm so excited about Riker's 1st Christmas. When it's slightly warmer I want to go to the trail of lights and I can't wait to take him to see Santa! We will be spending Christmas Eve in San Antonio and Christmas Day here at Sean's mom's. Can't wait!
Riker's 4 Month Doctor's Appointment
11-30-07
So, Riker had his 4 month appointment today! He is 26 inches long (90%), 16.9lbs(75-90%). He is meeting or exceeding their expectations when it comes to rolling over, playing, etc. My boy is awesome!
SANTA!!!
12-3-07
Riker went and got his picture taken with Santa on Saturday. He was so cute and not freaked out at all! He smiled and everything! He rocked a onsie and some cute pants and new shoes. I had to settle with a onsie b/c I couldn't find a good shirt and I wanted something he hadn't worn before. He was soooo cute! He wore this cute Santa hat his Grandma (my mom) bought him. I'm going to hate when Christmas is over b/c he won't be able to wear it anymore! :( Funny thing happend while we were in line here it goes. Kid(4yrs old): "This is the line to see Santa." Sean: "I thought this was the line to the bathroom." Kid: "Noooo...it's the line to see Santa." Sean: "Well I told all the people behind me it was the line to the bathroom." so.......the kid says, "I thought this was the line to the....(grabs crotch with one hand throws the other hand in the air) BATHROOM!!!!
Boys are so much fun! :)
It's a Baby! Not a Choice!
12-4-07
In September 1993, Brenda Pratt Shafer, a registered nurse with 13 years of experience, was assigned by her nursing agency to an abortion clinic. Since Nurse Shafer considered herself "very pro-choice," she didn't think this would be a problem. She was wrong. This is what Nurse Shafer saw:"I stood at the doctor's side and watched him perform a partial-birth abortion on a woman who was six months pregnant. The baby's heartbeat was clearly visible on the ultrasound screen. The doctor delivered the baby's body and arms, everything but his little head. The baby's body was moving. His little fingers were clasping together. He was kicking his feet. The doctor took a pair of scissors and inserted them into the back of the baby's head, and the baby's arms jerked out in a flinch, a startle reaction, like a baby does when he thinks that he might fall. Then the doctor opened the scissors up. Then he stuck the high-powered suction tube into the hole and sucked the baby's brains out. Now the baby was completely limp. I never went back to the clinic. But I am still haunted by the face of that little boy. It was the most perfect, angelic face I have ever seen."But what about if the baby had been aborted at a younger age, say 6 weeks? When the baby is this young, doctors use the Saline Method, where they inject a salty saline solution into the mother's womb. You would think it would just poison the baby, but it actually burns it to death. Even though the baby is so young, on ultrasounds of the abortion, the fetus is seen pulling away from the poison as it is injected...obviously wanting to stay alive.(The baby is intelligent enough to move away from the pain...but the child can't escape it)Think about that before you say that unborn children can't feel pain.PASS THIS ON IF YOU BELIEVE ABORTION IS WRONG. Life is life, no matter how small. A baby cries for it's first and last time when it's aborted you can deny but its true. A baby is a living thing. thats like killing one of your friends!!!
I WANTED A BOY! (Read the whole thing before you pissed.)
12-4-07
I keep getting asked, "Did you want a boy?" "Oh, wow! Where did you find that it's so cute? I never see anything cute for a boy." I keep getting told, "Maybe you'll have a girl next time." "There are no cute clothes for boys." "I was soooo happy when I finally had a girl." "I'm so glad I never had a boy." "Boys are so hard." "Good luck potty training." "Boys always pee on you."
People feel the need to apologize or try to make me feel better because I'm "stuck with a boy". Like he's a disease or something. Strangers mostly. First of all, I feel bad for their sons they are or are going to be so screwed up. Second of all, SCREW YOU!!! Did I want a boy? YES! I wanted a boy first. I was soooo excited when I took my draino test and it said I was having a boy. Then when my doctor confirmed I was sooo ready to go a register for the little guy. I had a boy name picked out months before we picked a girl name. Where does he get his clothes? Well cheap ass/lazy ass(whichever applies), I hardly find things at your Wal-Marts and your Targets. So I have to go to yor Carters, Oskosh, etc. Yes, they are harder to find than girl clothes. Why? B/C all you have to do to make a girl look cute is throw a dress on her and she looks like a princess.
Maybe you'll have a girl next time. Maybe I will. I hope I do. I would love to have a little girl. Little girls are beautiful. I was sooooo happy when I finally had a girl. Good for you, rudeness. Where are your sons so I can tell them their sister is your favorite and they are dissappointments. AND some people are happy to finally have a child or never get to and you weren't happy til you had a girl? Selfish moron. I'm so glad I never had a boy. I'm glad too b/c he would be unwanted by your ungrateful ass. Boys are so hard. Boys play hard. Boys get hurt. Big deal. I'm over it, you should be too. Good luck potty training. First of all, he's 4 1/2 months, I have time. Second of all, I am aware it will be harder than with a girl. Girls just have to sit down boys have a doober to deal with. My mom had both. I was potty trained at 18months(Mostly b/c I wanted to sit on the potty and read like my Dad.) My brother was much older. And you know what if we talking about crap way in advance. Good luck when your daughter gets pregnant!
Boys always pee on you. So do girls. I have friends who's daughters have peed on them more than Riker has peed on me. Riker has peed on me because I've decided to turn around and talk to Sean or my mother instead of finishing his diaper change. My fault. Is this a bash a people with daughters? HELL NO! I love little girls. I have 9 beautiful nieces(McKenna, Rylee, Emilee, Laura, Emily, Isabella, Jazmin, Darian, and Adriana) and I love them all dearly. In their little dresses and their bows. They are wonderful. I love when I get to do they hair all pretty and pick out their outfits(this mostly applies to the McKenna and Rylee since I've dealt with them most). I also have friends with some beautiful little girls. Brooke, Mackenzie......the list can go on much further...Madison, Ava........if you weren't mentioned it's not on purpose. I also have friends with adorable little boys. Javon, Aiden, Dylan, Ethan, Tristan.... Plus some pretty handsome nephews; Joshua, Xzavier, and Xavier. Do I think everyone is cheap for shopping and Target and Wal-Mart? Again, HELL NO! I shop there. I have things from there, Sean does, and so does Riker. My point is the people who wont go anywhere else for boys when they can't find stuff there. Get off your lazy ass and drive to the outlets or something! Besides I would never diss Target! I love that place. If it closed I would die. Will I be dissappointed when I have a girl? NO WAY! I can't wait! When/if I get my little Londyn Rae. I will love her to death. I will go to Target for cute clothes. But I wouldn't be relieved she's not a boy. NOPE! I won't love/like Riker less b/c now I have a girl. Bottom line. I have a son, not cancer and I love my son more than anything. I wouldn't trade him for the world. I hope to and can't wait to have a little girl but if I never do....it won't keep me up at night. The next person to say any of the above mentioned stuff is probably going to get an earfull. I'm so happy with my little guy. Riker Sean Armstrong is what I wanted and I am not dissappointed! So shut your mouth! Oh, and if it weren't for boys. You people woldn't have your husbands and daughters.
I just feel like blogging...
12-10-07
So, there is only one person who was prego when I was who still needs to have her baby....Kristen. She is going to have a boy next month. Yay! Watching Brooke is going well. I think they've had like two grumpy days. I so could have had twins. Minus the first night home. I've taken them out once and I got asked about 100 times if they were twins. I swear people are dumb, example: "How old are they?""He's 4 1/2 months and she's 3 months." (Right there they should get that they aren't twins but no, it keeps going.) "How did you manage that?"
"I only gave birth to the boy."(So they definately get it now, right? Wrong!) "Oh, they aren't twins are they?" "Nope." "Huh. Okay." Even when Cori and I are together we get asked. I just want to be like yes they are twins and one of us is such a poor mother than the other one bought a second stroller and diaper bag and pushes around the one that her friend can't take care of. I mean if I am alone with them it's okay to ask but when I saw they aren't it should stop there. But it's like people want me to go..."Oh yeah. I forgot. They are both mine. Thanks for reminding me." Sorry for this blog. I was just bored. There will be a new one of Thurdsay when Riker turns 5 MONTHS!
Adriana
12-11-07
So, my sister is a total piece of work. She's been into everything. Gone to jail numerous times. Well she has finally landed herself prison time, 4 years. She has two daughters. Darian Jade who is 9 and Adriana who is 4. Darian lives with her dad so she's not an issue but Adriana doesn't have a dad to go to. My sister has nobody. Therefore she was taken by CPS. My dad found out and he wants to get her but he doesn't know if they will let him have her since he lives in North Carolina. So that leaves, my mother. We don't have anything to do with my sister but that's still their grandchild and they can't leave her in foster care. Who knows what will happen. Bottom line I am glad she got prison time and just wish it wasn't affecting an innocent 4 year old girl.
Adriana Part 2
12-11-07
So, my sister was arrested for drug trafficking. She was charged 1st and 2nd degree charges and will serve no less than 28 months. She will never get her parental rights back. My dad is currently on his way here and will arrive at 9:10. CPS will meet him and my mother at the airport and if everything thing goes as planned they will turn Adriana over to my dad.
Adriana Part 3
12-14-07
So, CPS meet my Dad at the airport on the 11th and handed over Adriana and all her records. My Dad and Adriana stayed with us up until today when they flew to NC. Tuesday night we stayed up pretty late. Wednesday my Dad went to see my sister and make sure everything is taken care of. That night we went to Wal-Mart to get a tree. Me, Sean, Riker, Mom, James, Dad, Adriana, and Rickey. (Yep...the neighboor who wants my Mom. Fun. Fun.) Thursday Dad, Adriana, Riker, and I went to Santa since Adriana had never been. They took a pic together. Too cute! Then we went and got JC's Christmas present and visited my Mom at work. That night the kids decorated the tree and my Dad and I went and got Pluckers. YUM! Then they left this morning and have been on the plane for about half an hour now. Adriana is a very sweet girl but she needs some attention! I had fun doing her hair and picking out her clothes. I love her! But just a little note, my sister is a piece of crap and should not be a mother! My Dad and I have different views on her. He's her Dad and doesn't want to see the truth. He wants to see his 'sweet little Lori'. I'm her sister. The sister she abandoned...repeatedly. The sister she took on a drug run (without my knowledge at the time). I think after God knows how many arrests in 8 years she should finally get some real time. I hope she sits there all 4 years! She NEEDS to. Bottom line: Adriana Celeste is a great kid and deserves so much more than her drug dealing mom.
5 Months Ya'll!
12-14-07
So, yesterday Riker turned 5 months. YAY! Updates: He can sit up for a few minutes. He decides this is fun to do in his duck tub when you are trying to bathe him. He loves to be tickled.Mommy singing and dancing is funny. (This only happens in front of Riker and sometimes Brooke b/c I'm sure everybody would get a good laugh.) He is beginning to crawl. He pushes his legs forward and then kinda throws the rest of his body. He loves curious buddies movies. There is more but that's the big stuff. He loves his friend Brookie. But I have to keep him a little bit away from her b/c he likes to grab her feet and hands. Well, just thought everybody needed an update.
Da-Da
1-1-08
Riker said his first word today, it was "Da-Da". He said it like 4 or 5 times in a row! Such a smart boy! We celebrate our 2 year wedding anniversary on Monday which means we've been together for 3 1/2 years. On the 13th Riker will be 6 months. This will be a good month! :)
Bring on the Beer
1-3-08
Here's my day as of 10:00am. Woke up at 5:10am to take Sean to work. He forgot his phone so now I won't be able to reach him all day. Pumped for 20 minutes. Went back to bed for about an hour. Woke up to my precious boy talking to me and then smelled a disgusting smell coming from the bathroom. My dogs had pissed and crapped in there crates. (Last night they got in the outside trash and got ahold of human food for the first time.) Jill's back end is soaking wet. So I put both dogs outside and threw their crates out there. Jill's crate spilled. So now I have to bathe her, clean both crates, and the porch. Brooke gets here. Riker and Brooke eat their breakfast, have a bottle then get fussy b/c they are tired. JC goes to take a bath then comes out and tells me he can't turn the hot water off. I go in there I can't turn it off either. So I call my mom and ask her what to do. She says get a washrag and turn it hard as I can. Well I do and it keeps running. I call her back and some lady puts me on hold then says can she call you back. I tell her no, I need to talk to her now. Brooke and Riker are pretty pissy at this point so I pick up Brooke and put her to sleep. After she's asleep I go in the bathroom to try again just for the hell of it. My brother who was already told he wouldn't be taken a bath at this point is still standing there (it's been at least 10 minutes) waiting in his towel. I ask him what he is doing and he says I don't know what to do. I say to get out of the bathroom and go put some damn clothes on b/c he wont be bathing right now. He walks out of the bathroom and stands in the hall still confused. Saying he doesn't know what to do. So I get pissed and tell him to go to his room and put some clothes on then make a comment about him not understanding then simple crap I am telling him. Then I go back in the bathroom to try yet again and notice his clothes are all over the place. I go to his room to tell him to pick his stuff up and he is sitting in the floor still in his towel. I get furious b/c he begins telling me he still doesn't know what to do. So I say, "PUT YOUR FREAKING CLOTHES ON! YOU WILL NOT BE TAKING A BATH RIGHT NOW! WHAT IS SO HARD ABOUT THAT ARE YOU FREAKING RETARDED?" I know some of you are like wow, you are mean but JC is plenty old enough to understand something as simple as put your clothes on. As of right now the water is still running (it's been like 45 minutes or better) so my mom's water and gas bill is going through the roof. But both babies are asleep at the moment so I will have a moment to breath....spoke to soon I hear Brooke but she's not yelling so hopefully she'll be nice. So seriously, throw beer on me! It wasn't as bad. As a result my hubby got pissed, I got pissed, and I had to take a shower. This day has so much I have to do to take care of the problems and it's only 10:15am.
17 lbs 8 ozs
1-4-08
I took Riker to the doctor today b/c Daddy was afraid he might be sick. He's not but while we were there we found out that he weighs 17 lbs 2 oz. Also today Cori and I bought some super cute high chairs! It was a pain getting them in our cars but it was worth it. Then the 5 of us (Me, Sean, Riker, Cori, and Brooke) went to Cici's. While we were there my son pooped and needed to be changed. I went to the bathroom to do so and they didn't have a changing table. So there was only one option since I don't believe you should ever make your child sit in their poop. I walking over to an empty booth in the corner, put down his changing pad, and changed him right there. The whole time he's yelling, "Da-Da" loud. It was too funny!
2 Years Ya'll!
1-7-08
Two years and a coupla hours ago Sean and I got married. As of today we have been together for exactly 3 years and 6 months. Yay us! Last night we went to dinner and Cheddars and then went to the movies and saw Juno. Which we both thought was a good movie. Very cute. Tonight we are gonna hang at home and watch a movie of Sean's choice and do my new Marilyn Monroe puzzle. (I'm a dork. I love puzzles.) Well, I just wanted to let everybody know! I love you, Sean Tyler!
6 Months Old
1-13-08
Riker Sean is 6 months old today. Half a year has passed. As of a couple of days ago he can crawl but he won't do it if he sees you watching. We got his pics last night and he is the most photogenic little boy. He was so tired but he still delivered a smile every pic. He is the best little boy. He hasn't even had a diaper rash. He eats Gerber number 2 foods and started drinking juice out of a sippy cup a few days ago. Big boy!
10 Random Facts About Me You Never Wanted To Know
1-18-08
10 Weird Facts About Me That You Never Wanted To Know:
1. I am addicted to Target. I know Cori and Winnie already knew that but I have to go to Target at least once a week even if I don't buy anything. I can spend hours there.
2. I will be voting for the first time this year and I'm voting Huckabee.
3. I hate needles. I cry like a baby. I have actually thrown a fit at a hospital before.
4. I have NEVER gone to the hospital or doctor alone before. The one time Sean couldn't go I brought Riker and talked to him the whole time. I have refused treatment until Sean arrived.
5. Termite wood and those squiggles in the road make me sick. I hate it I can't look or know about it.
6. Contary to popular belief I can count everyone I've "been with" on one hand.
7. I laugh at other people's misfourtune if I don't like them.
8.I love taking naps with Riker. I almost never do but when I can I love it.
9. I think a lot of stay at home mom's are lazy. They are the reason that ppl. think all stay home moms sit on their butt all day.
10. I pump 5 times a day.
Cranky
1-21-08
So, Riker and Brooke are sleeping. I am very cranky and unhappy. Sean is leaving in the morning and not coming back until Friday. That means sleeping alone for 3 nights. This is not something I do well. Last time he was gone for one night I didn't go to sleep until like 4:30 in the morning. He might have to go back Monday which will piss me off. It's for work. It's training. But it still is a huge pain in the butt for me. I will have no car Tuesday-Friday. I have a doctor's appointment Thursday and Cori's taking me but it's just irritating. I'm just pissy about the whole situation!
Quick Little Note
1-22-08
My last blog was me complaining about my husband being gone til Friday night. Does this upset me? Yes. But then I realized I have people on my friends list who have spent almost a year and more than a year without their husbands because they were serving our country. So I feel a little selfish. Sorry. I still miss my hubby though but I just wanted to say that ya'lls nights alone are much appreciated!
Tara will prolly be the only one to truly understand.
1-25-08
B/C she's a babycenter user too. I just have a feeling that I am about to get in a fight with strangers on babycenter.com. I have once before b/c there was this lady on there being soooo hateful against mom's who work saying things like, "You shouldn't have kids just to have them raised by someone else." Well I took offense to this b/c while I get to stay home with Riker I have several friends who don't b/c the have no choice but to work. So I said that. Another girl who's screen name was like cookie86 got pissy and said that it's not her fault she's so mean it's b/c she had a miscarriage (later turned out she didn't...she just thought so and hadn't seen a doctor). I addressed the girl as cookie since that was her screen name and I did not know her real name and said that a persons prior views have nothing to do with having one or five miscarriages that the girl was just rude and hateful so she went off on me for calling her cookie. Then someone else on the board called her out for being stupid for getting mad at me for addressing her by her screen name the thread got locked and that was that. But wow! How off topic did I just get? ANYWAYS! Current issue. There was this thread posted today where a girl's pedi was telling her to feed her 6 month old an outrageous amount of food. I posted my opinion and said something about how I was told to stop feeding Riker if he woke up in the middle of the night b/c it was out of habit not hunger. So a girl asked me what I was doing to wean him of this and I told her. Well instead of giving him a bottle I put him back to sleep by rocking, etc. So this other girl says to me how she couldn't imagine not taking the 20 minutes to feed he child at night to comfort them. That's when I got pissed. b/c first of all it takes a lot longer to put you kid to sleep without a bottle than with one. So I tried to be nice so that nobody else got offended but let that lady know I thought she was lazy b/c she only has one baby too. I wrote, "It's probably harder to spend so much time in the night when you have an older child too. I know it's my fault he still wakes up at night b/c i was LAZY. It was easier to let him eat and then lay him down than it is to actually try to put him back to sleep. I have the energy to make the EFFORT b/c I'm just a mom of one. I do have my friends baby girl mon-fri. But she's younger than my son so she doesn't require as much as say a toddler or older." I just have a feeling this will result in another locked thread. I know this seems like a lot of drama to have with strangers but it's a website made to share opinions and when those opinions don't mix ppl. get mad.
She can be one smart cookie!
3-3-08
I took this from Tara's blog. I really want Huckabee but even more than that I don't want Obama. I don't know yet what I am gonna do tomorrow but I feel this should be read before you decide. On Tuesday when they are asking everyone to go out and vote..vote for Hillary. It doesn't matter if you don't want her to be president, but if you REALLY REALLY REALLY don't want Obama to get Texas' delegates or nomination, vote for her.It doesn't mean that she will be president come November, you can vote between who the Republicans chose and whoever gets nominated for the Democratic party.This is JUST to keep Obama from getting the nomination and keeping him OFF the ballot in November. You want Hillary to get the democratic vote for Texas. Most people would say that we don't want Obama to be president because he's black. thats not it at all.The reasons I personally don't want Obama to be president of the United States are:Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge of Allegiance nor will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches. Do you want someone like this as your PRESIDENT?
Update on Life
3-3-08
So, the babies are napping and I have done all of the nonsense around the house that needs to be done. I am taking a moment to update everyone on life. We should be moving by the end of April. I hope! We could be moving next door to our neighboor now, Rickey. We'll see. We might be getting rid of that stupid Fusion and getting a 2006(?) Toyota Tundra. It will be more on gas but less in payments and less in MIL headache. God, it feels good getting to say that. I recently deleted my SIL so now I have 100% freedom in my blogs! My hubby took me shopping for some new clothes, a bathing suit for the summer, and bras. I am no longer a 36 E! Thank God! My boobs are still not as small as I would like but now my size is easier to find. We spent a little money on ourselves but made sure more was spent on Riker. We also finally got an eye exam and glasses. We needed that! As for my Riker he is 7 1/2 months, 27 inches long, and weighs 18.4 lbs. His list of accomplishments is longer than I have time to type since he is awake now. I update more later! :)
Walking Works!
3-17-08
I’m feeling pretty good right now because I just found out I lost 3 pounds! Heck yes! I still have 11 pounds to go to reach my goal of 115 but that’s a dent! So yay me! What have I been doing? Walking everywhere! Instead of going to the park right across the street I’ve been going to the one by Clay Madison. I take Riker to the park everyday as long as it isn’t cold or raining. Any chance I get to walk, I do. I enjoy it and hey it’s working so I’m happy! I want to loose at least 6 pounds by May so anybody want to walk/work out with me! Let me know! TTYL!
New Car
4-2-08
So, we got a brand new 2008 Jeep Compass on Monday. YAY! We took home two other cars before we picked this one. It’s in my name not frickin’ Rhonda’s so now she has NOTHING to hold over my head. We owe her nothing! We had the Fusion for 2 years, we had one late payment b/c of the postal service and we have never heard the end of it. But now we have our own car in my own name and it’s a small SUV like I wanted. Gas is good. Our payments are $27.00 higher but our insurance went down over $50.00 so we still save money. The payments were gonna be $7.00 higher but we had to add GAP insurance. What idiot wouldn’t? Oh, and we also have lifetime bumper to bumper warranty. I think those things are worth the $20. Check the Spring 2008 album for pics!
Today Blows
4-4-08
So, first of all it’s that time of the month and I am currently having the worst period in the past two years pain wise. Second of all some personal issues that I’m not going to put on here out of respect for the other person. Third of all 2 people in Sean’s family have died today. Fourth, I have a ton to do and I just don’t wanna. Fifth, I have to get up before 6 in the morning to drive Sean to Austin. Sixth, Riker is teething and he is miserable. Positive: I got a part time job at Aeropostle in the outlets today. I start next week. I am so ready to move out we have a place lined up and I’m ready to go! I need more space. It’s a 3 bedroom so we will have a room for baby 2 when I loose the 10 pounds and we are ready. Yeah, I know it’s weird to want to loose weight and then get preggo but with Riker I lost all my baby weight and then had other weight I wanted to loose. This time I will just have to loose baby weight and then tone up. God, I can’t wait to be pregnant again!
Riker's 9 Month Check-Up
4-19-08
Stats:
29 inches long (75%)
18.13 pounds (10-25%)
44 circumference of his noggin (10-25%)
Meeting or exceeding all expectations except they said he is too skinny. For everyone who has seen my kid you are prolly laughing your butt off he is quite the chunk. They take those percentiles too seriously.
July
5-6-08
I am officially excited about July. It is going to be the best month ever! Saturday, July 12th - HALEY RAE gets here! Yay! It's been almost a year! I am so exicted! Sunday, July 13th - Riker's 1st birthday and party! I can't believe it! Friday, July 18th - My 21st birthday! We are going out to dinner then going out for drinks and fun! Saturday, July 19th - We are going to see Batman! We are also going to go do something water related while she's here. I'm just so excited. My birthday, my son's birthday, and HALEY!
My 1st Mother's Day with Riker!
5-12-08
Today was my very first Mother's Day with Riker in the world. It was great. First my gifts. I got The Girls Next Door Season 3, a new necklace, new earrings, and these 3 canvases. One of Riker's hands, one of Riker's feet, and one of Riker covered in paint. It was sooooo sweet. This morning we started of my going to church with Susan, then we went to Texas Roadhouse, then came home so Sean could was the car, played a game, ran some errands, and the my mom, Rike, and I went to Pluckers. All in all it was a very good day. I hope next year will be as good.
Riker - 10 Months
5-16-08
Riker is now 10 months old. In the past few days he has started having tantrums when you take something away or won't let him do something. It's horrible. Riker front faces now which I didn't want him to do until a year AND 20 pounds like you are supposed to but Sean didn't want to wait 2 months. Riker is deleveloping quite the vocabulary; ma-ma, ba-ba, da-da & dad, duck, no, naw-naw (my mom), bye, yeah, and I think that's it. He runs his push toy all over the house. Walking has to be in his near future. He can stand alone but not for a long time. I just love him so much! He's great and growing so fast.
We're Moving!
5-22-08
Hopefully next Friday if not the following weekend. Either way by July 1st. Heck yes! Can't wait. Things are starting to get crazy. Two families under one roof just doesn't work. Riker will finally have his own room! YAY!
Riker...
6-4-08
can walk!!! Yesterday he took a few steps and today he walked to Sean twice! YAY! I'm so excited!!!
July Update
6-10-08
On July 7th. Sean and I have been together for 4 years and married for exactly 2 1/2. YAY US!
In just 33 days (July 12th) I will be picking up my best friend, HALEY RAE from the airport. Heck yes! I can't wait!In 34 days (July 13th) it will be Riker's 1st birthday and birthday party. Those who will be receiving an invitation will be getting it soon. I like to plan extra early for summer events. Since people vacation and stuff. I am so excited. He is having a Backyardigans party. On July 16th me and my under 21's will be going out to Graham's for a pre-bithday celebration! On July 18th I will be 21! We are gonna go see Batman. I will also be having a dinner with family and friends of the family. On July 19th I'm gonna get drunk, have fun, and get drunk. At some point while Haley is here her sister is gonna do my hair and we are gonna tube the river and absorb water here and there. Great month. Oh, and Tara will be 21 but not til 6 days after me. GAY! They should let her get drunk with me b/c she's so f-ing close. Stupid "laws". lol. And...we should be moving in the month of July. (Fingers crossed)
Our Little "Vacation"
6-27-08
Last Thursday we "moved-in" to Beau's parents house while they went to Florida. It has been so great. Being on our own for over a week.We've been at my mom's since June of last year so it's been wonderful. Like our own little "vacation". We go back to my mom's tomorrow for about a week until we move in to our new place. We won't need any help moving seeing as it's on the same street as my mom. It's a 3 bedroom/2 bath duplex. With a covered deck in the backyard. It's perfect for us right now. We want to have a new addition next year so we need 3 bedrooms.
Another awesome thing about staying here the past week is Riker has never been tought to just go to bed b/c we've always been in the same room. He now can go to bed without crying and without being rocked. When we go back to my mom's house for a week we are going to sleep in the living room so we don't ruin it and have to start fresh. I know I told everybody Riker could walk like a month ago but no he walks frequently. I love that boy he's perfect. Oh and I started watch my nephew last week and it's been going really well. Riker loves having him to play with.
My Boy
7-8-08
What he does...
1. He walks.
2. He's building quite the vocabulary.
-Yeah
-Weeee!!
-done
-Ma-ma, Mommy
-Dad, Da-da, Daddy
-Naw-Naw (my mom)
-love you
-jump
-I done
-no
-hi, hey, ello
-bye bye (this one is his favorite and you get the wave)
-food
3. He is almost 100% off the bottle. He gets a sippy cup of juice or water during the day and one of formula at nap time. He gets a few ounces of formula before he goes to bed. He will stop getting a bottle completely this weekend. I'm gonna start giving him milk with his breakfast to get him used to the taste.
4. He goes to bed unassisted. We used to put him to sleep via rocking ect. b/c we were sleeping in the same room so we had no other choice. But we have moved him in a different room and he now takes naps at his scheduled nap time and goes to bed at a certain time too. We are still working out the kinks here.
5. He has 6 teeth and is getting more right now.
6. Loves to give hugs.
7. Nods yes and shakes head for no.
8. Loves to dance.
9. Climbs up and down the slide. Unassisted.
My July Timeline of Events
7-8-08
July 12th - Riker's One Year Pictures and HALEY RAE gets here!!!!!
July 13th - RIKER SEAN ARMSTRONG turns 1 year old! He will be having a party and we are taken him to Gattiland that night. The kid loves pizza and to ride the firetruck they have there.
July 16th - We move!
July 18th - My 21st birthday! We will be going out to dinner and such.
July 19th - Me, some friends, my favorite brother-in-laws, and my sister-in-law are going out to get drunk and have fun!
July 20th - Taking Riker to the zoo for the first time.
July 16, 2008
7-8-09
July 16, 2008 is our offically moving day! Thank goodness. He said we could move on the 13th and we were like yeah, we are gonna be super busy that day. Monday I am on-call at work and Tuesday we have a class so I decided on Wednesday. We are going to use the room closest to us as Riker's room and the front room as the "whatever room". For right now it will house Sean's PS3 and Rockband. But next July we will be putting a racecar or firetruck bed in there and decorating it for Riker. And we will start turning his old room into a baby boy or girl's room. We will know which by then. We scheduled an appointment to have my IUD taken out October 7, 2008 at 1:30pm. We can't wait!

Blogs from My Pregnancy with Riker

Draino Test/Dancing Baby
12-7-06
So, first of all I did "The Draino Test" this morning and according to it we are having a boy. I've heard it's pretty accurate but I did it just for fun. A boy is fine with me. Sean has decided to name it Rieakar Sean if it is a boy. I gave my stamp of approval and so did 3 out of 7 grandparents. The other 4 haven't heard the name yet so we don't know what they have to say. For a girl I am working on it. I don't have a name yet but I will by the end of next week. As for my doctors visit this morning, it went well. We saw the heartbeat and my baby dances. So, we are very excited! 9 weeks today! We go back on 1/4/07!
Girl Name
12-10-06
I need a girl name. I have no idea. Tara- disregard any names I told you. We changed our mind and have no idea what to name the baby if it's a girl! No - Ashleys, Brittanys, Tiffanys, etc. Those names are boring! Help me!
Heartbeat Heard

1-3-07

Today we went to the doctor and heard the heartbeat! For those of you who know, that's a big deal. We think we saw a pecker too! We are going to scan the pictures onto the computer tonight so they will be up and running tomorrow. Oh and the girl is nameless but the boy is Rhyker Sean.

Life!

1-25-07

Last night we officially picked the spelling for the names, they are Londyn Rae and Riker Sean. As of today, I am 4 months pregnant and entering my 17th week of pregnancy. I have been very irritable lately and very emotional. I am either crying, yelling, or eating. This is not good considering my job involves dealing with idiots all day long. Residents and potential residents. The past couple of days I've just wanted to say, "SCREW OFF!" to all those stupid people. My boss/friend, Amanda found out she was pregnant this weekend and she's reallt excited. She's 5 weeks along. I'm very happy for her because this is something she really wanted but I feel bad for anyone who comes in here between now and the end of September because we will be crying or yelling, who knows? I can't wait until this summer b/c we will both be big and we will get to show off our bellys. OMG! So, I was sitting at my desk with my feet up on my drawer (very unprofessional) with my keyboard in my lap and crap all over my desk when out of nowhere in walks our big big boss. You see Amanda is my boss, Joe is her boss, and this guy is Joe's boss. I wanted to die, I still do. Life is not good. Plus we still haven't gotten our paychecks and I need mine today or I'm screwed.

BAD DAY!

1-27-07

This baby has me so emotionally screwed up. It's like i know what i'm saying when i'm saying it. and i know what i'm doing when i'm doing it. But it doesn't matter. I can't stop being angry and upset and over-reacting. And things that Sean does that would normally make me call him an asshole not make me want him as far away from me as possibly and make me furious.
Today is just BAD. 1st off my DVR isn't working so it hasn't recorded any of my shows all day. 2nd of all my dog chased down this freaky ass thing that's supposed to be a dog. And, yeah she'll probably complain but my dog didn't bite, try to bite, growl at, or do anything but chase her dog. I'd bet money he didn't know what the heck it was. Plus, she'll probably say my dogs need to be on a leash but you know what? They usually are but when you have a dog that has to go so bad she's peeing on you and you can't crouch down to get their collars on b/c your having cramps, you say SCREW IT. And since Jack has never had an issue before meeting that thing, what would make me think he would? And what the heck is she doing with a dog? She can't even take care of her kid. And all that baby needs is a new variety of poop in the house to get a disease from. 3rd of all I got in another fight with Sean b/c I'm just so mad all the time. I seriously can't control it I wish I could but I can't. I feel like a freaking nutjob. Bottom line. Bad day.

I love my Daddy!

1-30-07

I talked to my daddy today! I miss him so much. He told me today that him and my Uncle Garry may try to surprise me at the hospital. That would be sooooooo awesome! I would be soooooo excited! Talking to him just put me in a really good mood. I would really love to be closer to my dad but a move just isn't possible anytime before the baby is born. I would just love to be closer to that side of my family.

My Jillian Rae

2-1-07

Yesterday, Jillie hurt her leg. She hasn't put any weight on it in over 24 hours. We believe it took place when she jumped off the bed she wasn't supposed to be on in the first place. At first, we thought she dislocated it but the vet said that he thinks it's nothing bone related at all. She's on pain meds and bed rest until the 8th and then just bed rest until the 15th. The vet hopes that it will fix itself. If not I will have to take her back for x-rays and double check if it could be bone related then if it's not it's probably an ACL injury which basically means she will be messed up forever. So let's hope and pray that it corrects itself and she's okay. She's reserved enough already the last thing she needs is to lose her mobility. So please hope for the best! Oh, and side note she's a whoping 10.8 lbs. She's such a big girl!

Smoking/Drinking While Pregnant

2-4-07
Smoking During Pregnancy
If your health isn't enough to make you quit smoking, then the health of your baby should be. Smoking during pregnancy affects you and your baby's health before, during and after your baby is born. The nicotine (the addictive substance in cigarettes), carbon monoxide and numerous other poisons you inhale from a cigarette are carried through your bloodstream and go directly to your baby. Smoking while pregnant will:
Lower the amount of oxygen available to you and your growing baby.
Increase your baby's heart rate.
Increase the chances of miscarriage and stillbirth.
Increase the risk that your baby is born prematurely and/or born with low birth weight.
Increase your baby's risk of developing respiratory (lung) problems.
The more cigarettes you smoke per day, the greater your baby's chances of developing these and other health problems. There is no "safe" level of smoking.
How Does Secondhand Smoke Affect My Baby and Me?
Second-hand smoke (also called passive smoke or environmental tobacco smoke) is the combination of smoke from a burning cigarette and smoke exhaled by a smoker.
The smoke that burns off the end of a cigarette or cigar contains more harmful substances (tar, carbon monoxide, nicotine and others) than the smoke inhaled by the smoker.
If you are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke, you increase your and your baby's risk of developing lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, allergies, asthma and other health problems.
Babies exposed to second-hand smoke may also develop reduced lung capacity and are at higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
___________________________________________________________
When You Are Pregnant, Drinking Can Hurt Your Baby
When you are pregnant, your baby grows inside you. Everything you eat and drink while you are pregnant affects your baby. If you drink alcohol, it can hurt your baby's growth. Your baby may have physical and behavioral problems that can last for the rest of his or her life. Children born with the most serious problems caused by alcohol have fetal alcohol syndrome.
Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome May:
Be born small.
Have problems eating and sleeping.
Have problems seeing and hearing.
Have trouble following directions and learning how to do simple things.
Have trouble paying attention and learning in school.
Have trouble getting along with others and controlling their behavior.
Need medical care all their lives.
Need special teachers and schools.
Here Are Some Questions You May Have about Alcohol and Drinking While You Are Pregnant.
1. Can I Drink Alcohol If I Am Pregnant?
No. Do not drink alcohol when you are pregnant. Why? Because when you drink alcohol, so does your baby. Think about it. Everything you drink, your baby also drinks.
2. Is Any Kind of Alcohol Safe to Drink During Pregnancy?
No. Drinking any kind of alcohol when you are pregnant can hurt your baby. Alcoholic drinks are beer, wine, wine coolers, liquor, or mixed drinks. A glass of wine, a can of beer, and a mixed drink all have about the same amount of alcohol.
3. What If I Drank During My Last Pregnancy and My Baby Was Fine?
Every pregnancy is different. Drinking alcohol may hurt one baby more than another. You could have one child that is born healthy, and another child that is born with problems.
4. Will These Problems Go Away?
No. These problems will last for a child's whole life. People with severe problems may not be able to take care of themselves as adults. They may never be able to work.
5. What If I Am Pregnant and Have Been Drinking?
If you drank alcohol before you knew you were pregnant, stop drinking now. You will feel better and your baby will have a good chance to be born healthy. If you want to get pregnant, do not drink alcohol. You may not know you are pregnant right away. Alcohol can hurt a baby even when you are only 1 or 2 months pregnant.

My Baby Jack

2-5-07

So, first Jillie hurts her leg and she still is not using it. Now, Jack has bad diarrea (I don't know how to spell it). What is wrong with them? We have had Jack since May and he's been sick one time with a yeast infection (caused by the groomer getting too much water in his ears) and he also had a staph infection at the same time that the vet told me was common in pups. Jill, who we've had since October 6th has had zero problems until this leg thing. This is horrible and it's really worrying me. According to the vet if she doesn't get better soon, she probably won't. So, at 8 months old she may never be able to walk on all 4 legs again. I just feel bad for her. I hate watching her hop around. It's so sad. The hardest part is Jill isn't supposed to play and needs to eat. While, Jack can play all he wants and can't have any food for 24 hours. So, basically they have to be separated which never happens b/c they love to be together. My poor puppies!
Side note: Jackie will be ONE YEAR OLD in 15 days. YAY! For the big boy!

It's a...

2-15-07

We are having a boy. No doubt about it! According to all the doctor's checks he's perfect. So Daddy gets his little boy! RIKER SEAN ARMSTRONG it is! YAY!

Daddy felt Him

2-28-07

On Sunday, Daddy felt him kick. Yay! I'm so glad he can feel it now. Also, on Monday Aunt Winnie bought Riker the cutest outfit! It's for 0-3 months and it's khaki pants, a button up shirt, tie, sweater vest, and the cutest little shoes! I can't wait until he can wear it!
That's all I had to say!

Current Information

3-13-07

Well, I'm over 5 1/2 months pregnant and have a visable belly now. I've been getting really bad headaches that make me feel horrible. Riker has started moving a lot and you can watch my belly shake when he kicks me. So far he hasn't been cooperative enough for anybody to feel him but Sean and I. But what do you expect? He's a boy. Joshua and Laura (Joey's kiddos) are in town and we got to see them last night. They are so cute and well behaved most of the time. I wish we got to see them more often but they live in Houston so it's rare. Other than that, not much is going on!

BAD DAY

3-16-07

Bad day! I got pissed off for the 1st time before 9am this morning and things have only gotten worse from there. Why can't I just have a normal day?
I've come up with a list of ways these horrible days could be prevented.
1. Don't lie about the things I do. I know the truth. Thank you for your input though.
2. Don't yell and cuss at your one year old so loud I can hear your fat self in my living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom.
3. Give your kids dental care until they leave the "nest".
4. Don't tell my husband (even though he shaved his face yesterday) to do it again b/c you can see a bit of a shadow to shave again and send him home to do so and cause his face to bleed b/c he can't shave EVERY day.
5. Don't contantly judge the things I do. I DON'T LIVE TO PLEASE YOU! Nor, do I care if I do. Running at the mouth doesn't change my views.
6. Take just one minute and sit down and think, "Does 51% or more say that what I'm doing can hurt my baby?" If the answer is yes then STOP IT you selfish female! If you don't then you don't deserve that wonderful thing trying to grow inside you. There are no exuses. You're weak.
7. DO NOT threaten to tell me off. You don't scare me.
8. Don't say something is not okay and then do it yourself.
I think that just about covers it. I'll add to it if there's more.

My Hubby

3-19-07

My hubby is awesome! He did a blog about me yesterday that me happy. So I figured I would write some stuff about him. He has been so great with this pregnancy. He helps around the house; whenever I ask and whenever I don't. He rubs my back, my shoulders, my feet, and my calves (I've been getting really bad cramps). We are both 2 pillow people and last night he gave up one of his to make me more comfortable. This morning he woke up with a neck and backache just for my comfort. He has been awesome and I know he will be an AWESOME dad! Riker is going to love him! I just wanted everybody to know that I have a great husband! I love you so much honey and I can't wait until July!

Doctor/Baby Fever

3-19-07
Went to the doctor today. Everything was good with Riker's heartbeat. Everything is going along as it should. At my next visit I have to do the nasty diabetes test. GROSS! Thursday will mark the end of my 6th month/2nd trimester. Then 16 more weeks until Riker is due! I can't wait.
On another note. EVERYBODY is prego. Erin (my sister-in-law) comes in first with a little girl, Isabella due May 8th. Danielle (Winnie's sister) follows on the 21st of May with her little girl, Skyler. Lindsay (Winnie's best friend) has her little girl, Ava due on June 15th. Jennifer has a little girl due on June 17th. Then...finally a boy! Our little Riker Sean is due on July 12th!
Adam's Wife is scheduled for a c-section on the 6th of August. She is most likely having a boy to be named, Xzavier. Next, Amanda. Boy or girl? Who knows? Due September 26th. The very next day Cori's little boy or girl will be due on September 27th. And last but not least, Sandra (Joey's wife) will be having a baby. Date and sex currently unknown. Anybody else?

JC

3-24-07

My little brother got hurt at school yesterday and had to have surgery last night to put pins in his elbow. Poor kid. It was dislocated and fractured. He was in a lot of pain but it's feeling better today. From about 11:00am yesterday until I walked in my door @ 9:02pm last night we were at a doctor or a hospital. It was a long day. So you know what this whole experience showed me. I am going to be in my mom's position soon b/c boy's get hurt. I know that the first times I have to take Riker to the hospital I'm going to be a mess. So, wish me good luck!

Nothing Special

4-10-07
This weekend Joey and Sandra came down and it was fun. We really enjoyed seeing them. But, I was happy when it was over because I was just soooo tired. I could wait to go home Sunday night and sleep! On Sunday afternoon we got to hang out with Adam at Joe and Yolanda's, just Adam no Lisa and it was cool. He sat down and talked to Erin and I for quite a while it's been forever since I've got to actually speak to my brother-in-law. Riker moves quite a bit now. He kicked his Daddy in the belly this morning. It was pretty funny. I guess he didn't want Daddy that close to his Momma. As of last week there are now 10 pregos I know including myself. The first baby is due May 8th and the last baby is due November 29th. My pregnancy is going good. I just get overheated all the time! It makes me feel like crap for at least an hour each time. It's ridiculous and makes going to work really hard. We are looking at getting a 2nd car for when Riker is here so we can both always be available. It just makes me fell a lot better. We are also trying to figure out what we are going to do with the little man after he gets here. Daycare for a newborn is outragous and we need to make sure it's somebody who we can 100% trust and who has the same baby views we do. So that's pretty difficult. My next baby appt. is April 19th. I'll be getting my diabetes test and hopefuly seeing my little once again. I haven't got to see him since February 15th when we found out he was a boy.

Pregnancy Survey

4-12-07
Long Pregnancy Survey!!
About the mommy!
Name:
Stevie Rae
Age:
19
First child?:
yes
About the daddy!
Name:
Sean Tyler
Age:
21
First child?:
yes
Finding out!!
What day did u find out?:
November 8, 2006
How did u feel when u found out?:
excited
Who was with u?:
nobody
Who was the first peson u told?:
Amanda. I wanted to tell Sean first but I couldn't get ahold of him.
How did they react?:
Stared at me and said nothing.
How did the daddy react?:
He was so excited he jumped on Glenn and couldn't control himself.
Telling the grandparents!
How did ur parents react?:
Mom- no reaction Dad- happy for me.
How did his parents react?:
overall happy but nervous and the sametime.
Are they helping with baby names?:
Not anymore. Thank God!
Have they bought anything for the baby yet?:
I think they all have.
How often do they call to check on u?:
At least once a week.
About the pregnancy!
When was ur first appointment?:
November 16, 2006
When is ur due date?:
July 12, 2007
How far along r u?:
24 weeks (March 22, 2007)
Pre-pregnancy weight?:
129.1 at first visit
Weight now?:
145.5 lbs
Have u had an unltrasound?:
I've had 3!
Have u heard the heartbeat?:
Yes. A few times!
What was the heartbeat?:
I don't know. I only cared that there was one!
Sex of the baby!
What do u want?:
A healthy baby.
What does the daddy want?:
What all men want...a boy.
What do u think u r having?:
I am having a boy.
Have u had ur big ultrasound yet?:
Yep!
If so, what r u having?:
A BOY!!!
Are u happy with what u r having?:
Yes!
About the birth!
Do u know what u r taking with u?:
not yet
Who is going to be with u?:
my hubby
Are u going to videotape it?:
no
Natural or medicated?:
Natural I hope.
Do u think u will need a c-section?:
I'll cry if I do.
Will u cry with u hold ur baby for the first time?:
Yes.
Do u know what u will say to the baby when u first hold him/her?:
I have no idea.
Are u scared about the labor?:
A little.
Names!!
Do u have a name picked out?:
yes
Girl names...:
n/a
Boy names...:
Riker Sean
Is ur baby going to be named after someone?:
His middle name is his Daddy's 1st name.
Other random questions!!
Where was ur baby conceived?:
In our bed.
Have you felt the baby move?:
All the time.
What race will your baby have? From you and daddy?:
white
Do you have stretch marks?:
Not yet. Let's hope it stays that way.
What was your first symptom?:
nausea
What religion will the baby know? And from what side?:
christianity
What music or interests do you want the baby to know?:
Daddy has that all lined up.
Will ur baby have godparents?:
most likely
Who will the god mommy be?:
n/a
Who will the god daddy be?:
n/a
What is the baby's room theme?:
Longhorn
What was the first thing u bought for the baby?:
Daddy bought a Fraggle.
Are u ready to be a mommy?:
YES!!!

Lacie Snow Armstrong

4-13-07

So, we have a third dog. Her name is Lacie Snow and she is 18 months old. This morning when I got to work, Leon informed me that there had been a dog tied up in front of the office since he got there. Leon usually gets to work by 6am so this dog was out there for awhile. I go up to the front and there is an American Eskimo tied to the steps by a rope. I was pissed! How could someone do that? Well, I wake Sean up and have him come take a look at her. The rope was so tight on her neck it was horrible! We cut it off and brought her inside. We tried to think of someone who could take her but there just wasn't anybody. We've already found 3 dogs homes this year so options were running out. Sean takes her home and falls in love with her. So, there it was. We weren't going to keep searching b/c Sean loved her. Nomatter what we wouldn't have taken her to the pound because we HATE pounds. He took her for a walk and she walked right up to a specific apartment. An apartment who had recieved a 3 day notice to vacate. So, I guess where they are going they couldn't take her so they left her to us at the office. Sean tried to get a hold of them and they wouldn't answer the door. He left a note too and as of this evening it was still on the clip. So, they might be gone already. We just wanted to know her name and stuff like that. We took her to the vet today and she got a clean bill of health. Jack and Jill have taken to her pretty well. She's friendly but also shy we think she was abused due to some of her actions. Bottom line, we have yet another one and I'll try to get some pics of her up next week.

North Carolina

4-23-07

Sean and I went to North Carolina last Monday. I was really stressed and just needed some time to see my Dad and get away from all the stuff that is bothering me. On our way to North Carolina the protector plate under our car came 1/2 way off so everytime I went over 30 MPH the car made a horrible noise. It was too dark to see what the problem was. So, at like 2am we had to call a tow truck to come get us. We had to wait at the Ford place until 7am the next morning only to find that that's all it was. By the time we left Louisana we had lost 7 hours of travel time. I do not mean to offend b/c I know I have at least one friend from Louisana, but that place stinks! Maybe it's just were I was but it smelled. Needless to say, we didn't really get off on the right foot on my "stress free trip". We got to my Dad's at like 10:30pm Tuesday so we pretty much went straight to bed. On Wednesday, we had lunch with my step-mom, went to the shop to see my Nana, and then went to my Uncle Garry's to hang out. On Thursday, Phyllis (my step-mom) took Sean and I to the Aquarium in Fort Fisher. I love that place. I had been once before when I was 15 with my Dad and JC and had loved it. I had really been wanting to go back. Sean had a blast he had never been anywhere like that before. We should him the beach too. He had never seen a North Carolina beach before so he was happy. Whenever, we got out of the car at Fort Fisher Sean was eating a hotdog and some sea birds came after him. It was pretty funny. Later that night we went and swam and my Uncle Garry's he had the pool heated and it felt good. On Friday we went to lunch with Granny Mooney and Phyllis. Later, I finally got to spend some time with my Dad (He had been working most of the time.) and then I had a "Suprise" baby shower and got some cool stuff! A lot of my family came and spent time with me so that was awesome. Saturday afternoon we left. I'm really glad I got to go b/c for those few days I got to depend on other people and didn't have to worry about anything. I'm always worring about what I need to do and what needs to be taken care of and for once somebody else took care of that. Also, no stress! No stupid job issues, nothing. I just had a good time and saw my family.
Side note: Don't take a 20 hour trip 7 months pregnant unless you plan on stopping A LOT!

Doctor

4-25-07

Today I had a doctor's appointment. Riker's heartbeat was 140bpm (that's normal). I did my gestational diabetes test and I'll have the results on that by Friday when I go to see if I'm having labor contractions. (You like how I just eased that in there like it was nothing?) Well it most likely is nothing. If I am I'll just have to get shots. If I'm not, well then I'm not. Dr. Romberg was just concerned due to some symptoms I have been having. No biggie as long as my water doesn't break. Which it most likely won't. I'll let everybody know the status of everything Friday afternoon! Bye Ya'll!

3 Hours!

4-27-09

I went to the Doctor again today. He gave me my test results from my Gestational Diabetes Test and I failed. I have to go back for the 3 hour test on Monday. No fun! I was supposed to score a 140 or lower and I got a 156. I don't think I have it though. But, we'll see. As for the test to see if I'm producing "the labor protein", I won't get those back until Monday or Tuesday. If the protein is not present I will not have the baby before May 10, 2007. If it is present I will. So that is all I know right now and ya'll will be hearing more about all this next week!
Side Note: McKenna Reese will be 5 on Sunday! Yay!

4-30-07

4-30-07

Today I went to Dr. Romberg for my gestational diabetes test. I won't know the results for a few days. My pre-term labor test came back negative. No baby in May. Thank God. We are trying to find a home for Lacie. It's just not working out. She's a sweet dog and all but I have to consider my other two dogs and they baby on the way. I can't give her all the attention she needs. So I'm hoping to find her a home soon before she gets too comfortable. I think there is a woman in my complex who wants her. I just have to get a hold of her. My home just isn't the best place for her. Oh and I still don't have my phone. Stupid Sprint! That's all for now!

Baby News!

5-11-07
Today I am 31 weeks and one day. Only 8 weeks and 6 days (62 days) until my due date! OMG! I'm so excited! I can't wait for Riker Sean to be here! I went to the doctor today and his heartbeat was 138. Which is good. Oh, and I must brag Dr. Romberg said I could be his poster child for weight gain in pregnancy because I'm doing so darn good. lol. He did get mad at me though for not drinking enough water he said I NEED too. Oops. As for updates on everybody else. A lot has changed since my blog in March about "Baby Fever". So here is a little update.
Erin (my sister-in-law) was due May 8th with a little girl Isabella Marie. As of today there is still no sign of Isabella. If she doesn't have her soon. They are inducing her on Mother's Day. What an awesome Mother's Day present! Danielle (Winnie's sister) is due May 21st with her little girl, Skyler. She's almost there. Just 11 days until her due date! Lindsay (Winnie's best friend) is due with her little girl, Ava on June 15th. Jennifer is due to have her little girl Kylie just 2 days later on the 17th. Then on July 13th the first boy will be introduced into the mix...my Riker Sean! YAY! Adam's wife is having a c-section on August 6th to bring little Xzavier into the world.
Next, is Becky she will be having a boy too. Aiden is due September 6th! After that is Amanda who recently found out she's getting the girl she wanted soooo badly. Addison Jeanne is due September 26th! Cori found out today that she is having a little girl. Brooke Faye is due just one day later on the 27th! There is a short break until November 20th when my sister-in-law, Sandra will be having a little one. Sex of child currently unknown. After her Courtney is due on the 26th of November. Sex of baby currently unknown. And last but not least with what I am hoping will be a boy, Tara. She is due the 29th of November. So, total count 3 boys, 6 girls, and 3 unknown.

8 Months Prego!

5-17-07

I am 8 months pregnant (32 weeks). Riker Sean Armstrong with be here in around 8 weeks (56 days). I'm starting to get really anxious. I want him to be here now. Waiting sucks! There were 4 people ahead on me to have babies and now there are only 3 left. They need to hurry up so it can be my turn! I've been feeling pretty nasty lately and sore all over and it's like I'm always hungry but I don't want to eat. I love being pregnant but that takes some of the fun out. Well, everybody he's almost here! TTYL!

No Plug, 1 cm

5-21-07

So, yesterday morning I was taking a bath and all the sudden I felt something strange. I wasn't 100% but I was pretty sure it was my mucus plug. Sean looks at it agrees with me and calls Labor & Delivery. They tell me to come to the hospital. (For those of you who don't know a mucus plus is in the cervix and is released to allow a woman to dialate.) They checked me, confirmed I lost my mucus plug, & informed me that I am 1cm dialated. Not a big deal though it could be weeks until I have him. I'm not stressing right now but I am going to pack my bag just in case. What do I pack though?

Random Information

5-25-07

So, it doesn't look like I will be having Riker right away. Thank God. He still prolly come before his due date though. My cervix is a little thinned out but other than that nothing special. I'm really jealous of Dr. Romberg though b/c he got to feel Riker's head. I'm his Momma! I wanna feel it! I'm 33 weeks and 1 day. So the end is near! Just 48 more days until his due date! As for the 4 pregos who were ahead of me it's now down to 2 and one of them is 3 cm & 50% effaced so it won't be long! :) Baby Ava will be here soon! Still trying to figure out the babysitting situation with Riker! Grrr! A little stressed about it. My baby showers are coming up soon! I'm so excited. Yay!

June 1, 2007

6-1-07

It's June 1st which means my due date is next month! I can't freaking wait to have this baby. My first baby shower is this Sunday and I hope everything goes well. My mom and Sean's mom don't get along and Sean's mom and Joe & Yolanda don't get along. So, I hoping on no drama. Drama is not welcome. If you want drama, leave and do it somewhere else. They don't even have to talk to each other. With all the people who will be here. They'll have plenty of other people to talk to. My mom is coming early to help me set up and bring the cake she got. (Which I know nothing about so I hope it's cool.) My mom is super excited because this is her first grandbaby. At first she was just like, "okay" and now she's so excited about everything!
I have noticed lately that I am a bad person. Not when it comes to my friends, but strangers only I get very competitive which is so dumb. They are like I'm 32 weeks and I'm like well I'm 34! It's very sad. When my friends tell me they're 23, 14, 26 weeks or whatever I'm happy for them. But with strangers it's like if they are 1 day behind me I have to make sure they know it. I'm a bad person. I just wanted to admit that. Love you all! TTYL!

Baby Shower (6-3-07)

6-4-07
So, yesterday was our baby shower. Overall I think it went well. My mom got an awesome cake (as you can see from the pics) and we got some stuff we needed. All parents behaved and only one person was rude. There was only one complaint from me and several guests and that was that someone (not a guest) decided to come in looking for a pool key. To do so he moved the chairs away from a table my guests were sitting at! I'm sorry a pool key is not a good enough reason to come in in the middle of MY baby shower and draw attention to yourself. I would NEVER have done that if the situation was reversed. NEVER. That's just disrespectful. The maintenace guy came in b/c of a maintenance call and guess what nobody ever even saw him. And he needed to come in. Some people! Well anyways. I was really glad Grandma Rosey and Joey and the kids got to come down. Plus, Glenn ended up coming. (he wasn't supposed to be able to) Well that's all. Thanks to everyone who came! Those of you who said you would and didn't. Shame on you! Oh, and my mom let a balloon go inside. I always complain when someone rents the clubhouse and lets one go b/c then we have to wait days for it to come down. And she did it.

36 Weeks Appointment

6-14-07

Today was my 36 week appointment. I'm still only 1cm dialated and I'm 50% effaced. Nothing major. Riker needs to hurry up. I better be at least 3cm by my appointment next Thursday. I can't have him in the next 48 hours though b/c my doctor will be gone. Well, I just thought I'd update everyone.

Only 3 weeks left!

6-21-07

Went to the doctor today. I am now 2cm dialated and 60% effaced. Head is down. I am ready if he is. Can't wait! Sean is convinced he's coming soon. That he will be a June baby. We'll see!

All that for nothing.

6-28-07

With the exception of last night do to rain, we having been going on walks every night. Long walks! And as Stephanie would say, we have "united" a few times. None of this has helped, I am still exactly where I was last week! What crap! If I'm still pregnant next Thursday, he's going to schedule me for an induction the following week. I will be pissed if I have to be induced. That's not how things are meant to be. He's supposed to come on his own, not be forced out by some stupid pitocin. There is no medical danger. So, I going to have to try harder on my end so that medicine doesn't have to come into the picture. Next appointment is Thursday at 11am. Hope for at least 4cm and 80% effaced.

6-10 days left!

7-6-07

So, I have 6-10 days left in my pregnancy. 6 days until he's due and 10 until the scheduled induction. I really hope I go on my own though. B/C when you are induced you are more likely to have a c/s. My next appointment is July 12th @ 11am. (My due date.) My induction is scheduled for July 16th @ 7:15am. I can't wait for our little boy to be here!

My Hubby!

7-6-07

As of tonight my hubby has his own store. He's is no longer in training. He has his very own store where he is the boss. Currently, the store is a wreck and it's his job to make it better so he is going to be really busy for awhile. It's better for our family though. More money (we don't know how much yet) and stability. More money means more for Riker and we'll be able to get on our own in a home, not some apartment. A place with a yard for the dogs and a place to play for Riker. I am very proud of my hubby he's only been there since the end of April and he has done all this already. Honey, I love you and I'm so proud of you.

Grandparents/False Alarm

7-9-07

Grandparents:Everything has been purchased from our Target registry. So, thank you everybody! Ya'll are great! The grandparents really did awesome! My Mom bought the dresser/changing table, Joe & Yolanda bought the crib, and my Dad bought the stroller and carseat. They each took $300 worth of stuff of our shoulders. That's $900 we didn't have to spend on stuff Riker couldn't go without. What a lucky boy to have grandparents like that. We still have some things on our Babies R Us registry that we need to get so we are going to pick them up in August when have the extra cash. False Alarm:On Saturday I was having regular, painful contractions so we went to get me checked out. As soon as we got there they stopped. But the good news is I have finally made progress. After having the same results at my last 3 visits, in 2 days I am now 3, almost 4cm and 80% effaced(I was 2cm and 60%). So, maybe he'll come on his own. He's got six days to do so. Pray that he does people. Please!