update on Savanna Banana

Well, 2 years ago at this point I was BEYOND uncomfortable!  I was still working full time (and did so until I was 40 week and a few days!  Savanna will be 2 years old at the end of the month, January 29th.  My baby is getting SO BIG!  She has really started talking so much more lately, she now says sentences and new words come out of her mouth daily!  She said "Dora" for the first time yesterday (and she doesn't even watch Dora).  She says "need to go potty" "done" "k" "go bye bye" "where dada" "matt" "ball" and a slew of other words.  On Monday I stayed home from work with her because she was sick all day Sunday and still had a bit of a fever Monday, all day long, about every 5 minutes she would ask me "where dada?"  I would say "dada went to work" and she would say "bye bye" yep dada went bye bye.  Every 5 minutes we had this conversation.  The second he gets home she YELLS "DADA!" and then doesn't want to have anything to do with him, even though that's all she's talked about all day.  Silly girl.  I have to go hug him and say "my dada" and then she will cling to him and say "mine". 

She is now back with her old babysitter Hanna, who she absolutely adores (and calls her Nana).  Hanna watched Savanna for me from 7 weeks old until she was 9 months old when I got laid off from my old job.  She has a daughter, Maddi, who is 5 and Savanna loves her too, they LOVE each other.  It is really really sweet.

She is potty training so good!  She wears pull ups through out the day (except for at nap time) and she has a few accidents, but for the most part she is going on the potty!  She now asks to go potty (thanks to my previous babysitter working with her on this) and before I know it she will be completely potty trained!  That will be so AWESOME! 

More to come.......

New Years Resolutions

I have a few.  First of all, I want to lose about 20 pounds.  I weighed about 145 when I got married and I was probably in the best shape of my life.  Well after marriage and having a baby I am up to 170.  I am still VERY active and I TRY to eat good, but I have to confess something.....I have a FOOD FETISH. I absolutely LOVE food.  I will eat just to eat, whether I am hungry or not.  And if it's something good (like lasagna, augratin potatoes, etc.) I will eat it and eat it and eat it until I am sick.  What is WRONG with me?  Well, now that the holidays are over, I don't have any more excuses.  I WILL lose that 20 pounds!  I am doing weight watchers (on my own, I have the book) for the food part of my plan.  The other part of my plan is to workout AT LEAST 4 days a week, if not more.  2 of those days I go to Zumba (which, by the way, I love) and the other 2 I plan on walking/running on the treadmill my mother in law gave me, or doing a workout video (I have a bazillion) downstairs in the new "workout room" my husband cleaned out for me to use.  I can't wait until I feel better about myself and the way I look.  I know I don't look FAT by any means, but I am FAT for me.  I don't like wearing a size 14, even getting down to a size 12 or a size 10 will be good for me (that's what I wore in high school, and also what I fit into when I weighed 145)

So there it is for all the world to see.  :)

My second is to get out of some debt.  I have been doing really good already, but I want these payments GONE!  I have 2 loans that WILL be paid off this year!  My husband isn't willing to even consider having another baby until they are gone (and I REALLY want another one).  It WILL BE DONE :)  After paying these 2 loans off, it will give us almost $400 extra a month, which I will then either put in savings, or put towards our other car loan to pay it down.  I am really excited to get to that point!

Christmas at the Shields residence

Savanna had so much fun this year for Christmas....she is just getting so big and smart!  Santa brought her a new baby, who came with a bassinet, high chair, stroller, and bouncer.  The stroller is still quite the hit at our house!  She also got a kitchen and a shopping cart from Santa, along with a few other random things (books, etc).  From her mom and dad, she got a tea set (to go with her kitchen) quite a few new clothes and a few other small things.  My mother in law also got her a few stuffed animals, a new baby, and a few new clothes.  She also got 2 other babies from friends - she bacame the mother of quadruplets in one day!

 she takes VERY good care of her babies :)

the stroller was a hit!

 she finally decided to see what the kitchen was all about

making something delicious I'm sure :)

playing peek a boo with Grandma and Grandpa

My parents were able to come down and spend the day hanging out which we enjoyed :) I usually only get to see my parents when they drive through to go up north, so it was nice that they came up just to see us.  They brought a few gifts for Savanna also.  That girl got SPOILED!  As for me, my husband spoiled me also.  I told him the trip to Virginia was all I wanted for Christmas, but he still went out and bought me a few things, I got a new necklace with his birthstone (wearing it now, actually) and some new workout clothes/clothes for work that are warm, a seat cover for my car, and a few other small things.  Russ got some new rims for the Hummer (well used rims) and I got him some new clothes, a DVD set that he really wanted (Band of Brothers) and Savanna got him one of his favorite movies (The Family Man).  All in all we had a great Christmas just spending time together :)

Christmas surprise

I have no pictures of this, but Brandon and Sara surprised our family (Kate and I knew already) by coming out for an early Christmas.  Our whole family was able to get together on December 11 and have an early Christmas together.  Kate's house was stuffed full of family!  We had a great time surprising everyone (wish I had been there when it happened but oh well).  I brought the presents that I was "supposed" to take out with me the week before so Sara, Roxie and Sawyer even had some presents to open :)  It was definitely cool to have the whole family together for once!

Trip to Virginia!

Kate and I decided to take a trip out to Virginia/DC to visit Brandon and Sara, she had a passenger ticket, so we got a 2 for 1 deal.  Russ kept Savanna home with him....it was my very first time away from her, I had never been away from her for even one whole night, let alone 4 nights!  We went from December 2 through December 5.  I had so much fun going out there, but was sad it was such a short visit!  I think I took more pictures of my cute neice and nephew than of the actual sites, but they matter more to me!  Here are a few pics of the cutie pies:

Sawyer :)

 Roxie :)

I had a great time getting to know Roxie and Sawyer better, and Roxie finally even got a bit attached to me...even though it took a little while for her to warm up to me.  It makes me so sad that this family lives so far away, but THEY are VERY happy there, and that's all that matters. 

Brandon took Kate and I into the city (Sara is not a big fan of going downtown) and we did the U.S. Capitol tour.....I had been before with my Junior class in high school, but it was a lot different the second time around

beautiful dome

my sister Kate and brother Brandon...don't mind the creepy dude on the right

Kate and I outside the Capitol.....getting ready to eat me some Five Guys :)

We also went and toured Ford's Theater where President Lincoln was shot.  Been there also, but a lot has changed in 13-14 years :)

Here's some more pics of one of my favorite families in the world:

sweet Roxie girl

They both look so cute in this pic :)

Sawyer looks so tired



Russ' Aunt April lives about 30 minutes away from Brandon and Sara, and I had never met her before.  She was nice enough to bring her family to meet us for "brunch".  She and her family were very nice (and funny) and I really enjoyed getting to know her a little better.  She told Brandon and Sara that they were now family, and could come to their house anytime.  I know they will take her up on that offer!  I didn't get any pictures of her dang it! 

Halloween!

Well Savanna REALLY enjoyed Halloween this year, since she now knows what candy is and wants to eat it ALL THE TIME.  She was so cute in her costume, I bought it from a friend for $5 :)  That made me happy!  And she looked absolutely adorable, don't you think?

she just saw her friend Maddi :)

showing off her big Pooh Bear belly 

and the candy eating begins

candy shock....j/k I think I just caught her with her eyes closed :)

seriously though, candy shock

Mom, I LOVE Halloween!



Brandon and Chantyl get married

Well my brother in law did it...he got married!  And his wife, Chantyl, is pretty awesome.  We have really enjoyed getting to know her better, and Savanna absolutely LOVES her.  They asked Russ to be a groomsman, me to be a bridesmaid, and Savanna to be a flower girl.  The area they chose was gorgeous, and it all came together eventually.  Since we were all in the wedding party, we couldn't take any pictures!  Still waiting for a CD of pictures from the happy couple, so I will post those later :)