Happy Parents of Preemies Day!

Happy Parent's of Preemies Day!

We are so blessed to have such a healthy, happy, handsome 

little boy! 

Today, we took some time to remember those first few weeks after Gabe was born. To think of where we started to where we are now is amazing. We don't take a single day for granted! 

I am so proud to have a little boy that represents Hope, Resilience, and Miracles! 

It is so much fun to get to watch Gabe learn & grow into the young man that he will someday become. 

I look at him and I see a Miracle... 

A little boy who literally beat all the odds... 

who proved the doctor's wrong... 

and who is one of the most loving, adorable boys that you will ever meet! 

So today, I'm proud to be a parent of  Preemie (even if he's not so little anymore!) 

Blogging replacing sleep

So what happens when you're super tired but you can't sleep? Blogging happens. Kind of like now. I just finished up working on a few orders and find myself incapable of sleeping. Go figure. I was EXHAUSTED around 6:00 tonight and could barely keep my eyes open during an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Now I find myself wide awake. I don't understand! I need to sleep! Gabe fell asleep around 6:45 tonight and has been passed out ever since. So, it's safe to say that I need to get to bed SOON since my little man will most likely be giving me an early wake up call! I must admit... I am STILL not used to these early mornings. You would think that having a toddler and being a mother for almost 2 years I would have adapted to the early mornings...but NO SIR, not I. I still LOVE my sleep and sleeping in. Sometimes I can squeeze a few extra minutes in when we watch our morning Mickey Mouse episodes. Sometimes I can't. Gabe still doesn't understand that Mommy needs more sleep even when he's ready to go at 7 a.m. Believe me when I say that we are working on this fact. Now I know that once the baby comes all bets are pretty much out the window. I can't say I'm really looking forward to the nightly feedings that occur every 3 hours or so... but I can say that I am definitely looking forward to meeting our new little boy and not being pregnant anymore? 

OH! And in case you have forgotten, let me remind you on how much I dislike being pregnant. I'm not a happy pregnant person. At All. Ask anyone I know. Better yet, ask Jesse... because he literally gets to hear me complain about this every single day. It's safe to say that he's ready for this pregnancy to be over and for our baby boy to be here too. And it's also safe to say that this will most likely be our last pregnancy... I'm not sure either of us can handle another round of pregnancy. Which is fine... because we plan on adopting down the road. :) 

I go to the doctor every 2 weeks now. Isn't that strange? I've never been pregnant this long before. We are officially 30 weeks! It's so strange to think that at this time during my pregnancy with Gabe he was already here. So tiny and precious. Boy, does time fly! Anyway, doctor says that I'll most likely make it full term. I'm trying to talk him into letting me go a bit early if all is well... I don't think it will happen. But hey, a girl can dream, right? My glucose test came back good, I have no swelling, and no signs of high blood pressure. The only thing I am suffering from is being overwhelmingly HUGE and from the baby taking rest upon a nerve that sends pain down my leg. He's moved from the right leg to the left leg and every now and then he will switch it up. It's not pleasant. At all. 

I'm getting very anxious and in the next few weeks my goal is to get this house prepped for Baby. That includes getting all of his furniture in, bedding together, clothes washed, etc. I've also been making a list of things to pack for the hospital. We had SOOOOO much stuff when we left the hospital after having Gabe. However, we were in there for 2 weeks and over time things just started accumulating. I'd like to take the necessities and nothing else this time around. I also have to get all of Gabe's things together for his Big Brother Kit. I really want to have it done early... Just in case. So fingers crossed I get some energy in the next few weeks! :) 

Anyway, that's all the updates for tonight. This Momma is going to try to go to sleep! Night all! 

Prego, sick and 31!

As you could guess, being pregnant, sick, and having a toddler running around doesn't exactly make for the best combination. Throw a sick husband in the mix too and the situation gets worse. Yep, that's right- Jesse and I were both sick today. I started feeling bad yesterday afternoon. I felt a sore throat coming on but didn't think much of it until it got significantly worse late last night. Jesse thinks that he didn't cook his chicken fully before eating it... which of course made him sick. Regardless of what it was, we both felt very, very bad. I managed to get Gabe to bed last night, took a warm bath, and drank some hot Vanilla Caramel Tea (Delicious by the way... it's made by Lipton). When I finally went to bed my throat was hurting worse than before. My nose was runny and my head was pounding. By the way, I am not a happy sick person. Being pregnant really limits the types of medicine you can take. I'm an Ibuprofen person and when you're prego you can't take Ibuprofen. So I was stuck taking some Tylenol... which doesn't do much for me but hey- it was better than nothing. I eventually fell asleep out of pure exhaustion. Gabe woke up bright and early this morning. He was feeling great and ready to play. I found Jesse passed out on the couch with the tv on. I woke him up when I brought Gabe downstairs and he said that he didn't feel much better than before either. With no luck at getting Gabe to go back to sleep, we resorted to hanging out with Daddy in the living room watching our morning round of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Thankfully, Mama and Papa were able to watch Gabe for us this afternoon so this Mommy and Daddy could get some rest and try to kick whatever sickness we had. 

And you know what!? We did just that. Jesse fell asleep on the couch again... when I woke him up and told him to go to the bedroom, since it would be more comfy he looked at me, said "OK" and then rolled back over. What's a good wife to do? I just left him there. I felt terrible and just needed to lay down. I drank some more hot tea, several glasses of water, and then slept for about 3 hours. When I woke up, I felt much better. My throat was hurting as bad and my headache was gone... for the moment. Jesse woke up shortly after I did and he too felt much, much better. :) 

Our little man came home soon after we woke up and boy, was he ready to play. He's so funny- we just sat on the couch watching a movie while Gabe went from one room to the other with all of his toys. I got some fish and fries tonight- so he would stop by every so often to get his share. Then it was back to playing! I sure do love that little boy. He's growing up way too fast on me. Can you all believe he's going to be 2 this year!? 2!! 

Needless to say, I'm very thankful that we seem to have gotten rid of all this sickness. My body still feels achy and I still have a headache, but compared to last night and earlier today, I feel much, much better. I don't really have a choice though, do I? A Mommy must go on... sick or not. Oh, the joys of parenthood! 

On the other hand, my 31 enrollment kit box came in today! Yes, that's right I am officially a 31 consultant! I'm so excited to get started and am currently in the process of setting goals that I'd like to achieve by selling these products. Getting out of debt and saving $$ to buy a second vehicle is high on the list! I've always loved their products and finally made the investment to join the company. There are sooooo many products that I have my eye on...especially to use as diaper bags. I enjoy being able to work from home essentially and still make an income. With this plus my embroidery work, I'm hoping to make a decent amount so I don't have to get a full time job after the baby. Prayers would be much appreciated! :)) 

Well friends, it's time for this Momma to sign off for the night. Even with my 3 hour nap today, I am exhausted. I'd like to try to get some work done around the house tomorrow, so it's vital that I kick this sickness for good! Hope you all have a great weekend! Oh & if you want to order some 31 products, don't hesitate to contact me! Night all! 

Uh-oh!

Well friends, my computer is broken! Ok, maybe not completely broken- but the screen is all messed up and discolored. I'm fairly certain that Gabe stepped on it today, but I'm not positive. Anyway, I'm taking it on Monday to see how much it is to repair... My whole life is on that computer. Seriously! I'm talking pictures, college papers, and most importantly- my embroidery software that I use! I sure do hope that it's not too expensive e to fix! Anyway... I took a break from the normal embroidery stuff tonight and worked on a new project that was fairly simple. I'm calling them "Uh-oh packs for Boo-boo's" or in other words "hot/cold packs." You know, the ones you pop in the freezer to use as an ice pack or pop on the microwave to use as a heating pad! They're convenient to have... Especially with children. You see, I have a little boy who like to play. A lot. He also enjoys running, screaming, and being a bit rambunctious. He falls a lot too. So, mommy is positive that these little packs will come in handy at some point. =)

From There to Here

28 weeks Today! Can you believe it? So far we've made it through this pregnancy with no complications. And yes, I mean NONE... no high blood pressure, no swelling, nothing. The only thing I am suffering from is feeling fatter every single day. I'm not a fan of that. But hey, it is what it is. 

So, what's the significance of making it to 28 weeks? Well, if you recall it was at this point in my pregnancy with Gabe that I was admitted in the hospital and on bedrest. (don't remember... just click on the link and it will take you back in time!)  It was at 26 weeks with Gabe that I was on bedrest for 2 weeks at home. My feet were constantly swollen and I was always tired. I'm still tired these days but I am also chasing a 19 month old around all day and trying to get our new home in order... so I'd say all of that is partially to blame on my tiredness. Anyway, yes with Gabe we were already in the hospital awaiting his arrival. Unsure of when that would be at the time. I'm so thankful that this time around has been much, much easier. Let's face it, I couldn't really afford to be on bedrest now. Not when I have a little boy that needs his Mommy! :) 

We still have 12 weeks to go in this pregnancy. Boy, does time fly? I feel so bad that I haven't updated as much this time around... but I promise I won't fail when it comes to updating when our new little boy is here! We do have a name picked out too... but that's a topic for another day! I suppose it's crunch time now to get things in order. You always think you have all of this time but time just slips away from you. Plus, I think it's best that I get things together in advance...just in case. What all exactly is there left to do you may wonder? Well, in all seriousness, not too much. We still have a lot of things from Gabe. Such as changing table, diaper genie, clothes, bassinet, car seat, and stroller. My Mom and Dad found us a bed that was basically brand new at Goodwill for $50. Can't beat that. It's the same color as Gabe's... so it will go perfectly with the changing table. Now, it's on to finding some bedding. I've fallen in love with the new Lion King design at Babies R US but I can't decide between that or making my own bedding. I do love the Chevron print right now too. Oh the decisions to be made. 

I'm almost done getting things in order here at the new house. So later on this week, my goal is to go through all of Gabe's clothes from when he was a baby. (Yes, I keep everything. I'm terrible about this... which is probably why we had SOOOO Much stuff to move to this new house) Anyway, I'm planning on going through all of his old clothes and deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. The annual Kidsignment Expo is coming up next month so I plan on selling some items there as well as picking up a few new things too! Let's not forget I still need a diaper bag too! haha. No worries though, I have one all picked out from 31. And of course, my baby boy won't be lacking in the handmade goodies. Mommy has all sorts of ideas for things to make. Currently on my "To-Make" list: nursing cover, Moby wrap, burp cloths, shirts and a quilt. I plan on staying very busy. Can't forget about Baby S's big Brother... Of course Gabriel is going to have plenty of goodies as well (not that he doesn't already). 

I do have some more crafty things in mind to do in the coming weeks before Baby S arrives. Have you all seen those "Big Brother" kits on Pinterest? I fully intend on getting something together for Gabe for when I go into labor. I have a few ideas I'm tossing around for things to put in it. Of course, it will include a few of his favorite snacks, coloring book, crayons, and a few Big Brother shirts. I really wanted to get him an iPad- but Daddy quickly shot that idea down. Apparently, a 2 year old doesn't need an iPad of his own just yet. I disagree. lol. 

Well, let's get to an update on Baby, shall we? As you know, we are at 28 weeks. 

Size of Baby S: He is about 14.8 inches long and a little over 2 pounds. 

Development: Baby S can blink his eyes which now have more lashes. With is increasing development in eyesight, he may be able to see light that filters in through the womb. 

What I'm craving: Pizza. But hey, what's new. I recently found that chips and dip make me sick but other than that anything usually sounds delish. 

How I'm feeling: Fat and tired. 

What I don't Like: Being fat and tired. haha. I miss having energy to go all day and get things done! 

Sleep: Sleep is actually a lot easier this pregnancy. I can only sleep on my sides-mainly my left side. Oh & with lots and lots of pillows. I've been blessed enough to have Jesse home the past few months so he could get up with Gabe in the mornings and I can sleep in! :) 

What I'm looking forward to: Getting everything ready! Being able to wear pre-pregnancy clothes and not being fat! haha. 

Message to Baby S: Dear Baby Boy, we are anxiously awaiting your arrival. Your Big Brother is learning more and more about you everyday! You sure are going to have the best Big Brother around!  =) We're looking forward to seeing your face and meeting you- just not too soon! You need to stay inside and grow a bit more before coming into this big ole world! We love you and can't wait to meet you! 

Quilting- it's going to be my new hobby!

I've decided to take up quilting! :) Along with my embroidery work that I've been doing- I want to learn to quilt so I can make my children something special for now and well, forever. My Grandmother was an awesome quilter- and sadly, I never learned. I did learn to crochet from her though...which reminds me, I still have to finish Gabe's blanket! 

Anyway, I find comfort in quilts. The beauty of them... the uniqueness. The warmth of knowing that they are handmade. Thanks to pinterest, I've found MANY designs of quilts that I'd like to make for my boys! I think they both deserve a nice quilt, right? =) I've found a few simple patterns that I've done a bit of research on and have decided that I am going to give it a shot. However, I'm still going to have to learn in order to do the more extravagant patterns that I like. Which is why I fully intend on learning from Jesse's Grandmother, Granny, sometime very soon! 

I also have a few other projects up my sleeve... Once I get caught up on my embroidery orders, I'm going to give them a shot as well! 

Well, that's about it for tonight. It's late and I'm tired! Night all! 

A little update from the past month

Well Ya'll, it's been a month since I've last posted. A MONTH! Where did the time go? Anyway, here's a quick update on The Schiff's from this past month! 

On January 22, Jesse and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary! 2 years! I know... it really isn't that long, but if you think about all that we've gone through... it's quite an accomplishment! haha.  I mean seriously, I never thought we'd get to the point where we finally have Peace in our lives. Yes, it took some time, a few fights, and getting rid of a few certain people in our lives...but I'm happy to report that now, we finally have the peace and happiness that we deserve. That our child deserves. It's a good life. haha. Anyway, We enjoyed a nice dinner at Lottawatta Creek which was quite delicious! Needless to say, we came home with 4 boxes full of food!

More news... WE MOVED! Just recently actually. However, our new house is still a mess seeing that we still have TONS of boxes to sort through. Meanwhile, I've decided that I want to go for a different decorating approach. So while unpacking boxes I've been going through everything deciding what to keep and what not to keep. It's tiring. Not to mention the fact that Gabriel Lee has way too MANY toys. Yes, I admit it. He has TOO MANY TOYS! Seriously, they are already taking up half of our new dining room and the rest are comfortably taking up half of our garage. I never thought I would say this because I want my child to have everything he could ever want, but I'm afraid that I'm going to have to start going through his toys and getting rid of a few. Poor kid has too many he doesn't know what to do with them! =)

Speaking of Gabriel Lee... that boy sure knows how to make you smile. He almost has all of his teeth in and he is full of energy... all of the time!!! Our new house has an upstairs and yes, Gabe's room is upstairs. SCARY! I hate it... I don't like him being that far away from us at night. He didn't like it at first either. So, we let him sleep in our room for the first few nights. However, the past 2 nights he has slept in his room like a big boy. He's growing up too fast. He LOVES the stairs. He thinks he is BIG stuff when he climbs them all on his own... well, almost on his own- Mommy or Daddy always follow him. There have been a few times where he's snuck away and made it up about 4 or 5 stairs without us- at which point we yell at him and he just laughs. Yes, laughs. The boy thinks it's funny when he gets in trouble. Man, are we going to have our hands full. =) Needless to say, a gate is now permanently on the steps from here on out! 

Well friends, that's about it for now. We have some grocery shopping to do today as well as unpacking more boxes! Have a good one! :)) 

The boy loves Dimaggio's Pizza

And he loves putting $$ in his piggy bank- 

Papa taught him this! 

Playing on his Mickey Couch

Anniversary Dinner at Lottawatta Creek

On our Anniversary... 24 weeks!

He LOVES brushing his teeth!

And he loves Bath Time!