No more bottles???

So here it is, 5:00 in the morning and I am out on the couch wondering what the heck am I doing. Well, the answer is breaking Natalie of her bottle. My three older kids woke up on their 1st birthday with no bottles in the house; cold turkey;no problems. However, with Natalie, it hasn't been quite as easy. Some say it is because she is my baby (my youngest, not just a baby) and so I am inclined to give into her more. Some say I am struggling because I am older than I was with the other three so I am just tired. Either way....I HATE THIS!!! She ONLY takes a bottle when she goes to bed. At her 1 year check up, the doctor told me that I would probably need to do a "cry-out." A cry-out (just in case you have no idea) is when you just let your baby lay in bed and cry. According to the pediatrician it shouldn't take more than 2-3 nights. I have NEVER been one to just let my babies cry. I figure there is a reason they are crying and it is my job as their mother to fix whatever problem it might be. However, I now find myself sitting on my living room couch at the wee hours of the morning with my heart literally aching as I sit here and listen to my baby cry. I tried to give her a sippy cup with water (just like my doctor told me to do) and she wants nothing to do with it. Natalie is in our room (due to our lack of space in this house) so I couldn't stand just laying there anymore and came out here and made myself a bed. It doesn't matter, I still cannot sleep.

So, I am pleading with my fellow friends and bloggers for any words of advice, support, or comments in which to help me get through these next few nights. I have a feeling that I am going to be far more tired than usual this week. I want to do this. I know it is best for her (and her teeth) but man is this one tough for me.

HARK!!!! I hear silence coming from my room. Maybe I will make it after all.

A little sad.

I had read and then heard the lecture given by this great man Randy Pausch. He was a professor who was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. He was told he had 3-6 months left to live. He wrote a lecture entitled "The last lecture". It was filled with stories of his childhood dreams and tales of how those dreams either came true or didn't but how in the end, he would never let any brick wall get in his way. He would simply break through it. At the end of the lecture he told his class that he didn't write this lecture for them. He wrote it for his kids because he was dying of cancer. He was a very inspiring man. He left behind a beautiful wife and 3 children. I never got the opportunity to meet him but I can say, his "The Last Lecture" made an impact on my life. My condolences go out to his family. Thanks for sharing your husband and father with the rest of the world.

Here is the link to that lecture
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo
It is over an hour long but once you start listening, you wont want to stop.

Picking Mushrooms

When Natalie was born last summer, my mom and step dad came out for a month to help out. It was one of the best months of my life. Anyway, my mom would take Kimbo and Rachel out into the yard to hunt for mushrooms. My girls LOVED doing this with their grandma. Well, just this morning, I went to take the trash out and there was this HUGE mushroom right in my front yard. I quickly went and got the girls and we knew right away that we had to post such a fun memory. So here it is...The giant mushroom!!!!! We love you grandma and miss you so much. Thanks for picking mushrooms with us.

A walk down memory lane

*I got this off of my friend Mia's blog and LOVED the idea.*

1. Leave a comment on my blog. In the comment, recall one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! Let's keep it clean. My mom reads my blog. :)

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you don't have a blog, still leave me a memory and I'll e-mail you a memory from our past.You have nothing better to do right?

Happy Independence Day!!!

I am so very proud to be an American. I consider it a privilege and honor to live in this great nation. Thank you to every soldier who have fought in the past, those who fight today, and those who will someday fight. Thank you to their families who support them. Your sacrifices are appreciated. I love this great country and am proud to wave our beautiful flag. God Bless America!!!!