More Pics...

She was such a good girl all day at the ball park...she sat and watched daddy coach, crawled, pulled herself up on anything and everything to stand, played with all her toys, ate her puffs (notice the dirty shirt) and then finally...a nice long, nap! :) What a great day!

More updates later :)

Play day at the baseball field, watching Daddy...

7 months already...

Our precious princess will be 7 months tomorrow...oh just writing that makes me tear up. I know, I know, its happy tears though. These past 7 months have been such a huge highlight of my life. Rhowan is such a blessing and brightens our lives every day with her huge smile, fun laugh and personality and busy, busy body (or nose bud) as some call her! Yes, she is "HM" (high maintenance baby) at times, but she is so cute while doing it that how can you ever be upset with her. Well, after a few nights of not much sleep you can, but that's besides the point.
Anyway, Rhowan is full on crawling now. She has been almost there, rocking back and forth, backwards army crawling, for weeks now that we knew it was just a matter of time. So Sunday we were playing on her rug in her room, reading books, and playing and she just crawled towards me trying to get my phone of course. I wasn't sure if she really did it, I was taken aback by it and so over come with emotion, that I didn't know how to react. So I was telling her that she did it, she crawled and she sat up and just started clapping! It was freaking cute and such a great photo op, but there was no way I was walking away from that to go get the video camera. Oh well. So now, needless to say, she is non stop. You can not leave her for more than seconds at a time, she will crawl under things, grab things, fall and hit her head and pull herself up and already seems to want to be walking. AHHHH, our lives are over as you know it. No, just kidding, but time to get the pack n play out for a play pin so mommy can fold a load of laundry here and there without hearing a big "boom," on the hardwood floor. :/
She has two bottom teeth now, I think she is teething the top one now, I can always tell with her moods and stuff. She is still eating 6 oz, I am pretty much done breast feeding, she still nurses about once a day, usually her early morning/middle of the night feeding when its mommy's turn, then I don't have to heat up a bottle like daddy has too ;) (hahaha). I have weaned her and she is doing great with it, I am a little sad to stop because I love, love the bonding, but I gave it a good and solid 7 months and am very proud of that. I never thought I'd be one to breast feed to be perfectly honest, I was very hesitant at first, well all the way until she was born I was hesitant.
I am still making baby food, she is quite the picky eater though. She has not really liked anything with a lot of sweet tastes. It's weird, they say start with bland and veggies then go to sweets, otherwise they will never go from fruits to veggies. Well Rhowan would be happy with plain, gross oatmeal all day, every day. She has her oatmeal in the morning, then bottles during the day with an afternoon snack of puffs! She loves puffs, but not the yogurt bites so much...oh her face with yogurt bites are hilarious. She loves carrots, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal. Hasn't been a big fan of anything else: peaches, avocados, sweet peas, green peas, squash, pretty much anything! LOL. I will keep trying with the variety of foods: fruits and veggies. I make enough for a month and freeze it in baggies in ice cube servings. So my dr said, if she doesn't like something, try it again the next day, then give it a few days and try again. So I will continue this "trying" method and hopefully she broadens her horizons!
She is still quite the ham, loves the camera, loves attention and gives kisses as she feels like it that is. I have thought about getting her into modeling, pay for her college at least. CAUTION: about to toot her own horn, everywhere we go, people compliment how gorgeous of a baby Rhowan is and how happy she is and that I should put her up for the "Gerber baby," etc. Well we all think our own babies are the cutest treasures on Earth, but she loves being the star everywhere we go. So I am thinking about looking into it if anyone knows of good places or where to start with this.
She is doing amazing and growing so fast every day. It is milestone after milestone. We lowered her crib all the way to the bottom level last night and I cried...yep, came out of her room and was really crying. TJ was like, "what happened?" My response, "Our baby girl is getting so big." He laughed and said, "that's a good thing hunny," then hugged me. I looked up into his eyes and said, "I'm ready for another one."
To be continued...and NO, I'm not preggo! :)

We love you and miss you all.
xoxoxo

Is it Friday yet?!!!!

LONGEST week ever!!! Ok, so I will say it once and forever hold my peace...high school seniors freakin SUCK! I have had so much anxiety about starting this long term position, as blessed as I am to have my 3rd long term of the year and be able to finish out the school year before a summer of no work, I have just been stressing about it. I don't have much experience with high school...that's my sister's cup of tea...I am the little kiddies kind of girl, where I get FULL control, structure, and routine. :) So if I ever second guessed for a minute that I went into the wrong grade levels, no more second guessing needed!
However, it is time to leave that behind for now and go forth with something that will bring my family a secure income to contribute to and some benefits. I am not losing hope or leaving teaching behind, but just looking for something to stabilize us so that no more stressing over the "unknown." We will forever live in the unknown each year with the career TJ is in, but I am ready for his pathway in this baseball world to take off.
Anyway, back to my original story, geez I go off on tangents, ok...high school seniors SUCK!
So my first day of taking over, after meeting with the teacher, prepping, meeting all the support staff, and having a good support teaching staff to help me I was at ease going into my Monday at Milikan High School. I have subbed for these classes before and knew 5th period would be my challenge, but never thought it would take to this...so, students are working, I am sitting at one end of the class when some students by the door, jump up, gagging, slamming the doors open, running into the hallway, running to the windows and half way hanging out of them! I had no idea what was going on...then, I got a whiff, STRONG whiff...I couldn't breath, talk, see, eyes were burning, throat burning, gagging, gasping for air. I have lost control of the class...all the students at this point were hanging out of the classroom windows. I called the office for a staff assistant, still not knowing where it was coming from or what it was, but could not get the words out fast enough, I couldn't feel my throat or talk without choking!
Then it was brought to my attention, once we evacuated into the quad, that a group of girls, sprayed pepper spray...yep, you read correctly...PEPPER SPRAY!!! On accident?! Yeah, my ass, there is a safety on it smart ones! I was livid...I reamed them...there were students with bad asthma, me being a nursing mom, just not very smart!!!! Not to mention, the girl that did it, wasn't even in my class! She ditched her class, to sneak in on mine! Ughhhh, welcome to Milikan, Mrs. Bruce.
So that was my Monday...oh how the fun continues! So, fourth period, my conference on Even days, and I'm sitting there grading papers and there is another teacher in my class that is a rover teacher so I just sit and do my work. 10 minutes before the bell is going to ring for lunch there are 4 bells...ok, we all started cleaning up thinking it was a fire drill and the fun of high school students begins...chaos! Nope, this was a "Lockdown." I think to myself, hmmmm. Ok, all windows and doors locked and shut. Not a drill even, a LBPD mandatory lockdown. So here I am thinking, there is someone running through campus with a gun...hey they bring pepper spray, so my thoughts aren't to drastic! Well emails start coming from the principal, kids are all on the phones trying to figure out what is going on. There were armed robbers that got out on foot from a police chase off the 405 just down the street, hiding in the neighborhood! Lovely...so, one hour goes by...man I have to pee and its getting hot in here. Another hour goes by and I am thinking ok, we are never getting out of here. Well after over 2 hours, they caught one guy and we were released. Ahhh...lunch time....then skip 6th and only have half the period left for 8th. So much for a productive day with a quiz! LOL. What else can you do, but laugh! The joys of being back in high school ten years later.

On a brighter note, I have found a family day care for Rhowan to start right after summer. It is a lady right down the street, state licensed, awesome home, organized, gave us a full folder (very teacherish, loving that.) and had cubbies for each kid, has a lot to offer and just overall it is a great fit. I have yet to discuss in detail with TJ, we talked it over briefly, but between games this week and the week I've had, not much time for talking! ;) Ok, so Alexa and Rhowan will be attending together (she even gave us sibling discount!) and her hours are great, and she lives like 2 min from us. I really liked her and felt very comfortable. I had my list of questions (memorized because I didn't want to embarrass my sister) and I asked each and every one of them while taking notes. Yep, I sure did. Hey, I am a first time mom and can be over protective...I will get over it, so leave me alone! ;)

Anyway, she was awesome and gracious and answered every single one with honesty. I told her not to be offended, I did this at Rhowan's first Dr. appt as well. LOL. So now I just need a job now that I have her taken care of!

Ok, I have so much more to write and update with our busy bee and brave princess...she is growing so fast you can't take your eyes off her for a second. I will write more later, I promise. Super tired and mind going hundred miles an hour...time to unwind and stop babbling. More updates to come, I promise.

Love to all.

xoxoxo

More Baseball...

Steve Garvey was lovin our princess...he even offered to take her shopping! LOL.

Grandma's favorite all time baseball player!

Watching Daddy and cheering him on.... :)

Weekend Pictures

I can't tell you enough how many times people stopped us at the game and shopping this weekend that compliment our princess. We all think our babies are the cutest children ever, and so I always think people are just being kind and who doesn't love to look twice at a baby girl all dolled up...yes, I put bows in her head on an almost daily basis and love to dress her in all her outfits, as if I don't she will grow out of them all so fast that many outfits will go unworn...which is already happening (Yes, Nichole, I know you and Lexi are very excited about that! LOL)

Girls are just so much fun...God really knew what he was doing when he blessed us with a baby girl...she has really softened daddy's heart and has brought so much happiness to our lives. She is quite the ham at the baseball games. When she sees a camera aka.paparazzi she smiles away, bounces, claps, etc. We trained her at an early age. One of the baseball moms is always snapping away at her (i.e. paparazzi) and sends me the many pics a day she takes of her. Just thought I'd share them with all of you!

Road Trip...San Luis Obispo

This past weekend Rhowan, Mommy, Grandma and Grandpa drove up to SLO for daddy's last road trip of the season. It was a late start from our planned schedule, but we got there! :) We had games Friday and Saturday evening and ALL day Sunday. When I say all day, I literally mean all day. It was over a 5 hour game and HOT! Saturday we went to a nice breakfast and spent the day downtown walking around their cute shops, it is such a nice lil area up there. It was a nice weekend and Rhowan did so well. She is getting easier to travel with. As you can see, when she is over the car seat, she is OVER it and wants out NOW! lol...For the most part she did very well. She is getting better about sleeping and falling asleep outside of her nightly routine, which is always my biggest concern because I work so hard to keep her on a strict routine while we are home and am always so freakish about breaking it. However, since we've been home she's gotten right back into it, so that makes it all that much better. She was so good the whole weekend. She watched the games, played on her blanket in the shade with grandma and grandpa so that mommy can enjoy a full game on Sunday, and took many naps there too! :)

It was very re assuring that she needs to get used to this on the go lifestyle and traveling during baseball season...especially with daddy going to Alaska all summer.

More to come in a bit! It's nap time and my daughter isn't too patient when she is ready for the next station of her morning routine! LOL.

Love,

The Bruce's