Been A While!

Wow it has been forever since my last blog! things have been nothing but crazy around here with all the hustle and bustle of the 2008 holiday season .. I do have everything done and did finally end up buying everything I had my heart set on for the kids.

Everything has been good around here .. the kids are wonderful of course and Tanner is growing and amazing us more and more everyday ..I really am glad AJ got to take this time and be home with us .. it has been nice to just have the family time and the bonding was a plus for sure!

We got engaged in November (FINALLY) we have been shopping and baking and cleaning like crazy I am excited but a little sad about Christmas this year .. excited to have our very first Christmas in our house as a little family but a little sad as I am used to waking up and sharing the day with 10 people lol the laughter and excitement will still be the sound around here Christmas morning just won't be as many people.

I have been doing many photo shoots lately and for the most part I am happy with the outcome with those pictures! .. I can't wait for 2009 and expand my business!
I am going to Britney spears in march with a group of awesome girls and so that is something to really look forward too .. I am sooo excited just for the girl time

Tanner is almost 9 months old and trying to walk .. he is about 19 lbs now and is just the cutest like man ever! he melts my heart.
Madyson has been preparing for school next year and is still as tiny as ever at about 30 pounds but she is getting even more beautiful everyday.

so all in all around here we are trying to get Christmas over with so that we can really start saving and planning our wedding .. the date is set and an approximate amount of people is set .. as well as the type of dress I am looking for .. the type of reception we want and the colors are picked! .. can't wait to take my mom dress shopping with me! 2009 is going to be a year like no other!

I also had my wisdom teeth out on Tuesday that was a breeze .. I was so afraid to be awake but it wasn't all that bad I only had freezing and it was only 110 dollars to have all four out where as before it was going to be a 1000 ..I love our coverage .. what a blessing .. so that is one worry off our list of spending before the wedding .. now to have my eyes done and we are good to go :)

This is the update for now .. I will be better about blogging now that things will calm down!

New Stuff!

Lot's happening around here since the last post!

I have finally started my photography venture and I think I will go pretty far in my career, I am so glad I found something I am good at and I really love .. something I can share with others and help preserve memories of all kinds .. I have my starter camera which is a Canon Rebel Xs ( it was just released in august 2008) I am so grateful for AJ coming home that day with my "feel better" gift I love that man so much♥ ♥ I had been having the most horrible two weeks of my life when he went out and came home one day with my SLR I melted right there, He knows how much getting started on this path means to me and I am forever in his debt.♥ ♥

So I have started my website for now just another here on blog spot and did up a group on face book and once I get a little further I will invest in a real photogrpahy website but for now I can make these sites work for me! feel free to check out my new site ..

http://melaniepphotography.blogspot.com/

Tanner wow he has been doing so many new things .. His first thanksgiving and he had all real food he sure loved pumpkin pie and squash .. so far both my babies have loved squash the best!
Now we are having a hard time getting him to eat baby food tho, he has gotten so picky he will now only eat squash,peas,carrots and sweet potatoes but still seems to love most fruits as well he does not seem to like rice cereal so we will stick to oatmeal for now or wheat perhaps .. in the last two days he has been saying BaBa and more DaDa he also has been getting up on his hand and knees and rocking so any day my sweet little man will be crawling *sigh*
He is sitting like a pro and pulling himself all over our house still as happy as can be!♥ ♥

Madyson is still her great little self .. I call her my little momma♥ she is such a good little helper and wants to be so hands on with Tanner I figured that would wear off after the "newness" wore off but she is still so in love with her baby brother, She is all registered for kindergarten .. wow where does the time go next fall my baby girl will be going off to school *tear*♥

All is well with AJ and I, Finally got word today that his parental leave has been approved and he will be home for 10 weeks starting November 2Nd, At first I did not want him to take time off what is the sense now but now that he has it I am glad .. it will give us some bonding time as a couple and as a family♥ and we will be able to do things around the family and not work even for just these 10 weeks, So that vacation we never got this past summer is planned for November I can't wait to just get away and while away I can shop for Christmas WooHoo.

So that is our update ♥

♥♥Updates ♥♥

Been a while since the last update, we have been crazy busy and with AJ on leave the last 5 days I haven't had much time to jump online as we are always on the go.

Finally got the baby's Halloween costume although the company sent the wrong size *sigh* it will have to do I will make it work on him even tho I ordered a 6-12 months and got 18 months it's huge but I am sure I can come up with something as he looks pretty darn adorable in it.. my sweet little teddy bear!

Not much new happening I did a family photo shoot over the weekend and it went well .. I didn't want to do the pictures until I had my new DSLR but the girl was really loving what I do with just a crappy point and shoot camera and said she didn't want to wait .. they turned out really nice and the pictures were for sure loved!

Registered my baby girl for kindergarten on Wednesday, wow as if we are even getting close to that time! I seriously have no idea where the last 4.5 years have gone and once she is in school time is going to for sure go at super speed .. Tanner is now almost 7 months which is also so hard to swallow I am loving that he is still so babyish tho he still needs me more then Maddy did at this point .. he doesn't seem to want to try the sippy cup much but that is OK .. he is now sitting pretty well but has no interest in anything else other then rolling all over the house but boy does he get mad when something does not go his way .. let the little temper tantrums begin!

Still working on me .. this weekend is crack down time and I hope to be able to drop 20-30 pounds by Christmas, this is something I really want and so I hope to see at least a bit of result pretty soon .. once I drop the 20-30 I will see what I think and then keep going with some realistic goals .. I honestly have no idea how I got to this point but wow I do not like it one bit!

AJ's two month parental starts in about two weeks if it is approved .. still no word on that tho .. I kinda hope he doesn't get it I dunno what I would do with him home so much, I really don't want to get used to having that much help then have him pulled away for so long!

♥More Pictures ♥

ღ6 Months Old ღ

Sunday Tanner turned 6 months old ..We forgot to do a 6 month shoot but I will be taking some pictures in the next few days, we will sit him in the chair and put the paper that says "6 months" next to him. I have been working on his scrap book before I get to far behind and I am pretty happy with the first pages in the book of Tanner :) Today he had his 6 month doctor visit the little guy now weighs in at 17 pounds 13 ounces and is 27.6 inches long I can't believe our baby boy is half a year old My where does the time go. He had three shots one in the right leg and two in the left he only fussed with the second in the left leg the nurse said that one is painful .. He never does cry although he bleeds ( he gets that from mommy) The rattle/raspy sound is nothing to worry about and we are to continue using saline drops for his nose/congestion He is a healthy and very happy little guy. He is working on sitting unsupported and "talking" in the last few days I have heard Da-dee twice as well I could have sworn I heard him say Nan ( he always cries and says Mum but he has done that for months while crying) I am working with his arm strength and teaching him to get up on all fours but he has no interest in that at all he just flops down and lays there on his belly or rolls over to his back and eats his toes :) we are working full force on solids and so far he seems to really enjoy his butternut squash and sweet potatoes and seems to really like all fruits but was not a huge fan of peaches, He is loving his jumperoo more and more and can really get that thing bouncing now and his other favourite toy is a little rattle he tosses that thing across the room when he gets excited . We had some pictures done last weekend and they turned out just adorable.. I will post those in this post :) The picture of Tanner and Daddy I just adore .. wow they are so much alike Tanner is a mini AJ and I love them both so much I fall more in love with my men (big and small) each day!!

Graduation

His course is over and the worst is yet to come But he made it.
I still can't get over that he is finally back to half way normal, this morning we were texting and it felt weird, it felt like if he got caught I'd get a call later saying he would not be home he was cb'd etc.. He is in his unit now and we can go back to having him leave early in the am come home for a shower and some breakfast and then gone until lunch time and then back for an hour and then gone for a bit and home anywhere between 2-4 .. Things will still very much be unknown but at least I will know he will be home each night and he can contact us etc..

He wants to take 2 months off for parental leave and after sitting down and really talking about it I really think I could be OK with it, I don't want him to take any time off I want him to go on with the career and just get things moving, But he really feels like he has missed so much and will miss so much more that he just wants to be home for a little while, Tanner is doing many new things and will be doing so many exciting things it would be pretty awesome forAJ to get to see them first hand and not just pictures or videos .. As I said after really listening to him talk and tell me why I do understand and it could be good for us, it could be great to have that time to be just us as a family before things get out of hand and before we know it he is gone for 6 months

I was so very proud yesterday and he looked so great in his dress uniform*drool* He has come such a long way and I can't say it enough how much I love him and how proud I am, his dad and step mom as well as her mom were able to come from N.S to be part of the day and I think that really meantalot to AJ . I think deep down he is pretty proud because he just has said "this is for you guys this is for my family and Tanner has helped me push through".
There were many times he wanted to give up or just quit but he didn't he knew we were hear waiting with arms open just to be there for him, I sure as hell did not make things easy on the poor guy with so manyinsecurities and being so lost without him but he still held strong for himself and me as well even tho it should have been me keeping super strong.

The End To A LONG 6 Months

So tomorrow is the end of the course AJ started 6 long months ago, after missing many weeks of our New Born's life and then being home a few days but on curfew and orders to sleep in the shacks we are here the end, tomorrow is the graduation and I could not be more proud of him .. He stayed strong and never gave in even tho he Never wanted to be a combat engineer he stuck it out and sucked it up so he could move upward and onward with his career for us his Family and I did not really help I didn't do much to make things easy on him.

I really am so proud that he stayed with it .. He knew he had us at home waiting to be there for him just, being here for him knowing he had a loving family to come home to and listen to him DE-stress and whine/bitch about the daily happenings he says having a family was his push to want to be better .. this is the third try for this course and he made it all the way through, This is only the end to the beginning now things will only get harder but we can work on it together and stay strong for one another and I will be a shoulder or ear whenever he needs it I am sure he has hopes and many fears But I am here!

I love you Hun and I know I don't say it often but you are my one and only my true soul mate .. I couldn't be who I am without you and I am so very proud to have you as my partner and a father to my children <3

"Psychologically Disturbed"

So today a wanna be doctor has told me I am "psychologically disturbed" now this was hilarious to me for a few reasons.
1) She is not even a nurse let alone a doctor
2) She is the one with huge issues and can't do anything on her own so she just copy cats
3) Pure Jealousy
4) Duh hello we already know I have some issues so come up with something new LMAO

Oh my I think I laughed so hard for about an hour and once I told my mom about this she laughed twice as hard as I had and asked me wtf this person was if I was "psychologically disturbed" I am not the one who cannot function without a man in my life, I am not the one who plays the poor me please pity me card, I am not the one who sits on welfare just because I am to lazy to work ( I have no problem with any one who needs assistance just those who abuse it) I am not the one who sits and let my child run wild, I am not the one who wears geeky clothes and squeezes into things that do not fit (Gross!)

I do have some emotional issues and have some trust problems but now a days really come on who doesn't? I know enough about this person I could really hurt them but I won't I am not going to play this game .. I hope she gets just what she deserves! remember all this came about because I told her a shirt was ugly LOL

What An Awesome Week!

The first week in my new look on life was amazing ..

I really don't understand how myself and someone else thought we were friends at all I finally seen the true colors to this person and really did not like it, I think I was blinded before and just wanted to keep the peace etc.. I for one thought we had oh so much in common same type of family background with the exception of my parents being married for 27 years and Hers being remarried we both had a baby in 2004 only two months apart back then both had loser boyfriends and ended up kicking them to the curb both really close with our moms and family and both having brothers who are not so great sometimes, However I came to realize I know nothing about this person and really don't like them very much as we have nothing in common and we were only friends due to a few similarities.
Wow It took about 5 years to see that .. anyway I have a beautiful family, all the love anyone could ever imagine .. my own mind my own ideas etc.. a nice house, we have a good car (although we need to upgrade to a van) great new friends around us and are a military family .. this person I thought was a best friend someone I could trust and we would be like sisters forever is just to jealous and vindictive/copy cat it's like wow stop trying to be me, stop trying to live my life .. you live at home your almost 27 you sat on welfare just because you were to lazy to work you don't parent your child and let him almost hurt a teeny baby TWICE! .. you whine about your life and how you don't wanna be alone yet you will settle for the first loser who will look at you you play the poor me my kid will be forgot about when finding out I was having a boy and just really took that moment from us, people warned me over and over about her and I never listened until NOW.
How did I ever think we had anything in common? I got a tattoo this person got the same thing .. I buy something for my kids she buys the same thing this has been going on now since I was pg with Maddy .. Ugh I am so glad I have finally seen the light!

So this week was awesome I decided it was time to go another way and so I finally put on the big girl panties and headed out to meet some girls I'd have something in common with as Much as I wanted to stay away from all things military besides AJ's job I decided I can't do that as I have everything in common with other military wives and nothing in common with just random people.

So we went out on Wednesday night for the first ever girls night in O'Town sat around talked had some drinks something to eat .. what a great group of ladies and everyone seemed to get along wonderfully I had a blast and even tho it was huge for me I really don't know what I have been thinking .. however everyone else seemed to have the same story and we all just decided we could not sit in the house anymore we need friends! .. so then on Thursday it was a play date and so many people came with their kids it was alot of fun to again sit around while the kids played and have adult conversation with people who had lots in common and could really understand the other.
Thursday evening we had so much fun at the play date that everyone decided to meet at a park, some of the husbands came too and had a chance to meet as well so it looks like there are some couple's nights in the works as well.

This week Tanner also tried some new things he tried his new mesh feeder and really seemed to enjoy the first grape of his life poor guy kept gaging himself by putting the thing in his mouth to far about like he does his fingers .. He also tried a sippy cup and caught on to the idea of it really fast although he doesn't seem to be a huge water fan, then this morning he started sitting on his own wow where has my little baby gone the time has just slipped right through my fingers!

Tonight we are going to buy house stuff as we have come into MORE unexpected money we are so set now and have a great savings started .. at this rate I never have to work and we could still have 4 kids although I am thinking 3 will be good for me :) Course is almost over and AJ is taking two months leave so we are planing lots I can't wait to have so much time together.

I just feel so awesome this week this is what I have been waiting for and it just took really thinking and realizing alot even though I hadn't wanted to .. I feel so great and love the new outlook on life plus I am super grateful to have had the chance to get what looks like could be a great friend back in my life after a fall out because I chose to listen to others and believe they were looking out for my best interest all the while it was some game or something .. anyway I am to old for games and all that b/s so this new life is mine I can't wait to really start getting to know people and getting out of the house with or with out the kids! I want quality over quantity in friends I want people I can value and really look to in a time of need and I think we may have found that!

Preparing

We are supposed to be hit by tropical Storm Hannah this weekend Saturday and Sunday are supposed to be pretty bad with strong winds and rain fall warnings so we are getting batteries and flashlights and things together in one spot with easy access in case of the power loss they are predicting, It looks like at least for this morning the rain held off for the nearly 500 troops in the Freedom Of The City parade and ceremonies, so that is great it would be horrible for them all to be in their dress uniform and be soaked those uniforms are heavy enough not wet ..

Hopefully the rain and high winds hold enough we can make it to the exhibition again today Maddy has been looking very forward to getting there because her papa kept telling her and getting her all excited to go.. I'm not to concerned if we don't make it because she got there and had a blast but it would be so much fun as this week has been a long boring one and to get out of the house and see her happy and having tons of fun would be awesome!

So Tanner is supposed to be napping lately he wont nap like before he only goes for about 20 minutes and then is awake or refuses to sleep at all then just gets really over tired and fussy Poor guy has a one year molar so I am sure that must be bothering him ..I mean who gets a One year molar at 4.5 months?? leave it to one of my children.. He is still sleeping wonderfully at night tho so I really cannot complain I seem to have been so lucky with my children so far in the respects to behavior and being laid back babies/kids and they love to sleep *knock on wood*

My floors are all clean,Bottles are made,dishes are done,Tanner is fed and I am sitting here waiting for it to be time to either go to town or at least for AJ to be home and have some company .. what great things you can get done when your alone board and baby is napping .. Maddy is at her nanny and papa's so she is not even here so we could go to a park or play in the back yard for a bit *sigh* well I guess it's time for me to go fold and put away the piles of laundry that have just been sitting around, no more living out of baskets for this family LOL

Great End To Summer Pictures Continued

Rest of the pictures mostly from the exhibition enjoy!

A Great End To Summer 2008

We had such a blast this past weekend, we took the kids and went to Nova Scotia for the long weekend Friday we headed out to get groceries and came home put them away and then took off to Moncton so I could snoop around old navy and michaels I was not overly pleased with my finds but did end up getting some baby boy papers and a few stickers for scrap booking as I don't want to get to far behind in Tanner's book I still need to finish up Maddy's first one.

We had some lunch and then headed to the cottage Tanner and Madyson of course both angels .. in the car and at the cottage the whole weekend .. we got there and AJ's dad was really surprised as he had no idea we were coming down, we just sat around Friday night had some wings and watched TV,Saturday was awesome we headed to a fun day for the community and Madyson painted rocks played some games and had a great time golfing with us adults while we played in yards and had some drinks again both kiddies were amazing all day, we headed back to the cottage for a bit while Tanner and Maddy had a nap too but wasn't there long before she wanted to go be with Donna at the beach so AJ took her down to the beach and we met them later after Tanner finished his nap and had some supper, Back to the beach we headed for some drinks,fireworks and bonfire .. I am telling you these fire works were better then our Canada day ones and were much longer .. and this was all put on by one family that lives in the private area.

Sunday we got up and gathered our things spend some time letting the kids cuddle with Poppy and Grammy Donna and then had a nice breakfast dressed the kids and off we went .. once we got home we unloaded the camera, charged it up some and then headed off to the exhibition where Madyson had a total blast she wants to go back ..Tanner went on his first rides and we got lots of pictures and had a great day with the family and My whole family as well as a close friend and her son AJ actually got me on a few rides as well and Boy one was scary the sea ray is like a huge boat and goes back and forth untill you are looking down about 100 feet it left my tummy spinning and feeling like i was going to be sick for a few hours afterwards ...

All in all it was a great weekend it felt so nice .. it was great to be surrounded by awesome people and great family members and we just felt like a real little family .. I hope to be able to feel great and spend more time with family more often we had no fights no little arguments and no dumb misunderstandings It was just a great way to end the last summer before Madyson goes off to school next year!!


Now today is September 3rd and it is AJ and My 2 year anniversary of the day we decided to start dating .. I cant believe it has been so long already and we have been through so much but we are still going pretty strong now that things seem to be worked out and we are still working on them but I could not imagine my life without him I love you babe forever and always only you.

Hopefully we will see many more great weekends lovely nights at home and just awesome days as a family and couple .. I am loving our life more each day and know that this path is a great one and things really could not be to much better, I am going to post some pictures and more then likely have to do a new post with some as well ..I will leave this post with this ..

"If I had just one wish, I would Wish for the life I have Today"

5 Months Old

Tanner is 5 months old today.. where have have the last months gone? it seems like just yesterday I was not so patiently waiting for it to be the month of march and we were getting last minute items and preparing and worrying about not having time, it sure is a good thing we were prepared because when he decided to come he sure was not waiting, his whole labour and birth is almost a blur but I still can see faces and hear things like it was just last week

My sweet baby boy is changing so fast .. doing everything about a month ahead of most babies I am so proud he is smiling and laughing rolling and scooting all over the place he sure knows how to get around if he wants something he is still my little cuddle bug and I love that he loves to be held pretty soon he will be crawling he gets up on his hand or knees but not both at the same time just yet, he also has a tooth if you want to call it that it is a one year molar and now I am sure that is why the little guy woke up a few times crying in the middle of the night.. *sigh* I want my little new born baby who needs me for every little thing back ..

He is so smart and beautiful I literally love him more with each day, however I think I worry more each day about loosing him waking up one morning to it all being a dream ahhh what's wrong with me? Time goes way to fast and I just wish I could hold him tightly and he would stay this small in this moment forever!

Happy Five Months My Little Man .. Mommy Loves You With Her Whole Heart