Ballard Baby Blog

He's here!

2009-07-24T16:17:00.004-05:00

Sorry for those of you who only keep up with us via the blog. As you can imagine, I haven't had a whole lot of time to post anything, but I have put updates on Facebook. But for the non-Facebooker's, Duncan Layne Ballard is here! He arrived, as planned, on Friday July 10th at 7:55 AM. He weighed 7lbs, 7ozs. and was 20.5 inches long. It took us a good 4 or 5 hours to name the poor guy as we were debating 2 names. Anyway, Duncan won out and is, thus, his name. He is mostly a calm and sweet baby. Still not sleeping as long as I'd like, but we are definately making progress. He is, however a hungry little booger. He would eat all day everyday, if I would let him, but since I'm nursing, we have to set some boundaries.

As for his big sister, she seems to be adjusting just fine. I mean, don't kid yourself, she has her very jealous moments and we've had a meltdown or two, but for the most part, she is taking things in stride. As predicted, she loves her new brother, only perhaps a little too zealously. She's just not a gentile child, so we have to watch her like a hawk. But I can handle that. At least she's not trying to hurt him. And she is better than any monitor you can buy. If he is crying anywhere, she's the first to alert you by saying, "Baby, ka-whying." It's quite helpful.
Things with two are going pretty well. It's a juggling act, but not going to be nearly as messy as I had feared. Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes. They have certainly been felt! And yes, for those of you wondering, I will begin with the monthly updates of Duncan again for his first year. So you can expect that first installment about mid-August. If you didn't receive Ada's monthly reports when she was a baby and would like to receive Duncan's, just leave your e-mail address in a comment and I'll add you to the list!

Swimming with Daddy and Fun Day with Mommy

2009-07-08T17:02:00.004-05:00

Ada has definately not been much of a water bug this summer, but over the 4th we did attend a party and she finally got in the pool a bit to play with her daddy. Mind you, it wasn't much or for long, but I think watching some of the other kids encouraged her a little. That and her onriness. Once Daddy got out of the pool, I told her "No more swimming." Nevermind it practically took begging her to get in. As soon as I said that, she took one look at me, walked over and got in the pool. I guess that's the way to get her in; tell her she can't.

Today, I wanted to take Ada to do something fun since it's her last week as an only child. I know I'll love this new baby just as much as I love my firstborn, but lately, I've been feeling SO guilty about bringing another child home; like it is somehow unfair to Ada. I'm sure all of these feelings will pass but right now I just want to cherish each little moment I have with just her. So we spent the day at the Dallas World Aquarium. I wasn't sure how she would like it or if she would even get it, but it was such a fun trip. Animals are the thing I probably work with her on the most so it was very fun to actually see some of the animals we talk about in books and on TV.

We LOVED the flamingo's! They were so pretty and pink. But a little smelly.

Here't the jaguar just like in "Tarzan." Although Ada called him a "kitty"

Good thing she doesn't seem to share her Mommy's extreme fear of sharks!

And of course the penguins. Who doesn't love the penguins?

Naturally, as a Tolles' girl favorite, we finished the day off with a snow cone which I failed to capture in photograph. It was certainly a fun filled day. Even now, Ada is still napping.

I know she won't really remember this day or what it represented in my life, but I will. And I'm so glad we spent a little extra special time together, just the two of us. Because the next time we get to do something like that, there will be another Ballard in tow.

Speaking of, no more progression news. I've been the same for the last 2 weeks so I'm not real optimistic I'm going to go into labor in the next 36 hours which means Cashew will be delivered via c-section Friday AM at 7:15. Coveting your prayers and thoughts! Will post soon with our new addition!

A Mega Post

2009-07-05T20:55:00.008-05:00

Ada is so full of new things these days, there is an endless supply of blog possibilities. However, she also keeps me so busy, I end up running out of time to blog about any of them. Since I'm not optimistic that my blogging is going to get more frequent in the near future, I'm going to post as much as I can now. If you are one who likes regular updates, then just read this in istallments.

Ada's Room

I have more or less finished Ada's room. At least to a point that I am really happy with. I still have a few commissioned art pieces coming, but for the time being, I think it has turned out really cute.

The best part about her room is there is plenty of room to play. And I have finally been able to move most of the toys out of the living room, where they are a complete eye sore, into her room, where they just look as if they belong. And she loves it. It is so cute when Matilyn comes over and they run into her room and pull out all of her toys. And then fight over them.

First Real Haircut

As you all know, I first cut Ada's bangs back in February and have been doing them myself ever since. But lately, I've come to realize that her hair is becoming unruly and in need of professional grooming. And since we like them to do everything together, Miss Katy thought the same for Matilyn so we took them to have their first real haircuts.

This turned out to be a tiny bit saddening as it made us realize they are such big girls. Seriously, time, SLOW DOWN. Unless, of course we are talking about bringing on this next baby; in that case, hurry up.

4th of July and Miss Priss

We had a fun-filled, albeit labor-free, 4th of July weekend. We went to a couple of backyard cookouts and watched lots of fireworks. Ada has not been nearly the water baby this summer that she was last year and getting her into the pool has been difficult, at best. But I did purchase a great blowup pool in which she is very comfortable, and BONUS: it is plenty big for me soak in as well. Anyhow, we took it to the neighbors so all the kids could play. Ada hopped right in with all the boys, and her sunglasses, and just lounged. It was hillarious.

As for the fireworks, I thought they might scare her a bit, or get her attention at the very least. Not a chance. She hardly even noticed they were going off. Of course, it was 9:30, a good 1.5 hours past her bed time and she was so exhausted, she couldn't even stand up straight. Maybe next year.

In other news, she seems to now be going through a pushing phase, which is mortifying for a parent. She pushed a little boy in the face at a party last night and when I demanded that she tell him she was sorry, she looked at him, then at me, and clear as a bell said, "Not sorry." Wha-what?! I had no idea she has come to a place where she had now has an opinion on whether or not she is sorry. Needless to say, I yanked her behind out of there and gave her a spanking when she continued to refuse to apologize. Turns out, she was being pushed around at church last week and figured out maybe there is something to this pushing thing. No matter where or how she learned it, it won't be tolerated. But it was shocking to discover.

I think I can safely say the Terrible Two's have arrived. And just in time for a new baby. Yay.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-22T17:29:00.006-05:00

This post is dedicated to Ada's daddy. Poor Kyle. If this pregnancy has been uncomfortable for me, its been downright unbearable for him. Cranky, crazy, you name it; I've been it. And he has been a rock through it all. He also has complied with my every demand regarding projects around the house. His all time best though, has been the bookshelf I asked him to build Ada. It is perfect, functional and quite beautiful to boot. I mean seriously, what started out as a pile of lumber turned into this in just 3 short days.

Impressive, right? Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you to Kyle for all of his hard work and for putting up with me for the last few months. I wish I could say its all going to get better in a few short weeks, but I know it probably will get worse for a short time once this baby arrives. Nevertheless, it'll all get better someday, right?

We all love you very much and are so grateful to have you in our lives. Happy Father's Day!

Evolution of a Nap

2009-06-10T16:06:00.002-05:00

I went to check on Ada during her nap time today, but was unable to open the door. I could hear her snoring and deduced that she was indeed asleep in front of the door. So I went through the bathroom door and this is what I found.

All of her toys and books were pulled off the bookshelf and she was…

Sound asleep in front of her door. Just as I suspected.

Guess she had a big ol’ time before she fell asleep.

Who's a big girl?!

2009-05-21T15:37:00.004-05:00

In preparation for Cashew's arrival, we've been playing musical bedrooms at our house. We've moved the nursery down the hall to one of the guest bedrooms, turned the main guest bedroom into Ada's room and have turned what used to be the nursery into the main guest bedroom. Whew. Anyway, last Friday, Ada began sleeping in her big girl bed. I was very nervous about how this might go. For those of you who know Ada well, she is somewhat rigid when it comes to her sleeping routine. Sleeping with us has never been an issue because she really only sleeps well in her own bed. I didn't know what she would do with the freedom of no bed rails or anything to keep her in, but alas, this child just keeps suprising us!

The first night, she got out of bed once just after Kyle put her down. He went back in, put her back in her bed and said goodnight. Not a peep out of the child until 8AM the next morning. In fact, we were making breakfast Saturday AM and Ada reached up to where the coffee mugs rae and said "Cahckee," which is her word for coffee. One night in her big girl bed and she thinks she's ready for a morning cup of coffee!

Every other night she has slept just fine, but has started getting up at 6AM. This does not bode well for her 8 month pregnant Mommy, or "Maudi" as Ada has named her, who is up 1/2 the night anyway with pregnancy insomnia and Braxton Hicks contractions. Today, she made it until almost 8, so maybe we're on our back to a 12 hour sleep cycle. For her, not Mommy.

There's still some decorating left to be done in her room so I'll post photos of the finished product later. And for those of you wondering, Cashew is only 7 weeks away from making his/her debut. July 10th is the scheduled delivery unless he/she arrives earlier. So Matt and Danny, if this baby holds out...looks like you'll have a new one to share your birthday with from now on!

Mother's Day Weekend with the Fam

2009-05-19T11:40:00.007-05:00

We haven't had a Tolles' family fun weekend in s good long while, so it was just time. In fact, we haven't even seen Grandma and Grandpa Tolles since Aunt Courtney's wedding almost a year ago. And since Mother's Day and Grams' birthday fell at the same time, we could think of no better weekend to all get together at our house.

Wow. Ada just hams it up. The moment Grandma and Grandpa arrived on Friday morning, she lept into their arms and played with them all day long. However, once Dee-Dee and Papa arrived a few hours later, she said hello to them and then went and told Grandma and Grandpa "Bye," sealed with a kiss. It was a little unclear as to whether she thought since new visitors arrived, the others had to go; or if since her Papa was now here, she probably wasn't going to see much of anyone else, so she thought it only polite to say her goodbyes then. I'm leaning towards the latter.

Anyhow, we had a great time of fellowship. Ada danced her heart out to her "Elmo" CD, her new favorite character, for those that don't know. And it was certainly good to catch up with grandparents who we haven't seen for such a long time. The Shaha's all came over for a Fish Fry on Saturday night and Aunt Lindsay brought fun 3-D sidewalk chalk and actually let the other kids color with it! Or "cully," as Ada says.

Thanks to everyone for making the drive here! We enjoyed the visit and look forward to more!

An update in general.

2009-04-27T14:56:00.007-05:00

So I didn't get another post in before April 18th, but at least this is less than a month from my last post. Barely, but it counts.

Things have been busy at the Ballard household, although last week offered a welcome break from the madness. Easter was a fun time with a couple of Easter egg hunts and a trip to take photos in the bluebonnets. I'm so thankful Ada has a friend that she just loves. She wakes up most mornings and asks about "Mati." When we get to school, the first things she and Matilyn do is greet one another. It really is cute to see her develop her first friend!

I finally completed my fundraiser and our whole family is glad that I am able to get back to my regulary scheduled wifely and motherly duties, as they were indeed neglected for some time. Ada too, went through some withdrawls while I was withdrawn. Her behaviour with me reached a pretty poor level the week before last and I can only explain that is must have been the lack of attention she was getting from me. Thankfully, we have rebonded and I think we're back on track and spending a lot less time in the corner. Although it does concern me that her acting out is probably going to resurface once Cashew arrives and my attention will be split in 1/2, at best. At least she'll still have Daddy to find lots of things to do with.

And Trudy of course.

I cannot believe Cashew is due to arrive in just over 2 months. It is crazy how quickly this pregnancy has gone, although I realize those last months do seem to feel the longest. Ada really is not prepared (nor are her Mommy & Daddy for that matter) but she does seem to understand that "Cashew" refers to my belly. Everyday she likes to check on "ChaChoo" as she calls it, kiss my belly and then put my shirt back down as if to cover the horror that is my swollen, pregnant tummy. I keep trying to impress upon her, that "ChaChoo" is a baby, but I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm crazy.

And I'm the crazy one...

No time...no time!

2009-03-30T14:53:00.007-05:00

I know its been a long while and I've received several urges to update. However, I am in the midst of planning a major fundraiser that will take place in 3 weeks and every spare moment I have seems to be devoted to that. So as soon as April 18th has come and gone, I will update with a few humorous anecdotes with which Ada provides me almost daily.

But in the interim, here are some photos from our family trip to the ranch. Let's just say we're pretty sure Ada is going to be "outdoorsy."

We're about to take our first 4-wheeler ride. No worries, she only rode with me and we never even went very fast. She did love it though. Everytime she walked by the 4-wheeler, she would say "Ride? Ride?"

Here she is helping Daddy set the hog traps. Sweet as she is, we still haven't caught any.

We are leasing the land to a cattle owner so we have lots out there. Ada loves cows. We have one that hangs out near the road by our house and we always stop to say "Hi" to "Buddy" and blow him kisses when we leave.

Even Trudy made a new friend. This poor calf's mother died so it's been wandering around out there by himself. He didn't really want anything to do with Trudy. I think she finally got the idea after the calf head-butted her.

And now she's enjoying a snack by the fire pit. It unfortunate that her finger is in her mouth because this child stayed nothing but FILTHY the entire time we were out there. There is just so much dirt and as soon as you would wipe it off she would be rolling in it (sometimes literally) again.

Her very first roasted marshmallow. I always insist that we make smores when we go out there because a campfire doesn't feel complete without them, but I probably should have forgone them this time as she had that stuff everywhere.

This one is for Aunt Courtney. When it was getting close to bedtime, we were all watching a movie in the living room and Ada went and found a blanket and made herself "a little pallet." We brough her bed, but that's where she wanted to lie in the meantime.

Experiencing her very first "Rafter B" breakfast. Daddy always cooks breakfast at the ranch. And this kid, loves gravy.

I have lots more pictures to post. Hopefully we can get in one more installment between now and April 18th.

Love to all!

Taking out the trash...

2009-02-23T21:08:00.013-06:00

This child of mine has become downright helpful. Now that she understands everything I tell her or ask her, she really is a little helper. Just this morning, we were headed out to the gym and I realized I only had one diaper in my bag. I asked Ada to go into her room and get one diaper. Would you believe she actually did it?! I said, "Ada, can you go get me one diaper?" She said, "Diaper?" and marched right into her room, took a diaper out of the dresser and brought it to me. She can also take certain things such as baking sheets and pots and pans out of the dishwasher and put them in their proper drawers without being asked. And the child cannot stand for a door or drawer to be left open even a little. This comes in extremely handy since I have inherited my father's inability to close either. I can also keep her busy for hours by asking her to take things to the trash can one item at a time.

The realization of this had made the idea of having 2 children barely under the age of 2 a little more bearable for me. For those who don't know, I've been, while certainly excited, mostly terrified at the idea of having an infant and managing a toddler all at once. I can't even really talk about it because I know there's not a lot I can do to prepare; I'll just have to adjust once Cashew arrives.

Speaking of Cashew, he/she is growing and developing just great so far. We had a second sonagram last week and everything seems to be in order. As promised, Kyle & I declined to learn the sex of Cashew even though our doctor was trying to tempt us. He even went so far as to tell us that the DVD he sent us home with contained enough evidence for us to find out of we were so inclined. Just for the record, curiosity got the best of me so I studied it a little further and I still have no idea. Anyhow, all is in order for a July 11th (ish) arrival and we are excited. While visiting some close friends in the hospital last week with their new baby, I realized how fun it will be to have a teeny tiny one around the house again.

Thanks for all your help, baby girl. Things are about to get a lot busier for us both in a few short months!

Worst Mom of the Day Award...

2009-02-10T17:35:00.010-06:00

I think I pretty much reigned this in yesterday. Chalk it up to pregnancy brain, but yesterday was just on of those days where you don't do anything right.

It started with Ada maybe or maybe not getting into a bottle of baby Motrin while I was putting her hair in pigtails for the first time. Don't ask me how, all I know is you literally can't stop watching these kids for even a moment. However, many of you will be relieved to know, according to Poison Control, a 25lb. child can ingest an entire bottle of baby Motrin and it will at most cause her an upset stomach.

So then, I packed her lunch for school but apparently walked out of the house without it. I my defense, she usually carries her own lunchbox to the car, so its not that abnormal. Anyway, I told her teachers that I would run to Chick-Fil-A after my 9:00 meeting and bring her back something. So I did.

Then, 5 minutes after I left, they called to say Ada had a blowout in her diaper (likely a side effect from the Motrin) and had no spare clothes to change into. This, of course, because her Mommy forgot to make sure they had some for her at school. So I finally decided to just go pick her up, go home and lay low so I could inflict as little damage as possible on the general public and my family. And all of this on my birthday.

Anyhow, later in the afternoon, I decided I just couldn't stand her hair hanging in her face while it is not clipped back any longer and this child needed bangs. A risky endeavor, especially on a day where I seemed to be screwing everything else up, but I was determined.

And I must say, despite all the other catastrophes for the day, this one turned out quite well. She definately looks like a big girl now, but at least we can see her pretty eyes all the time!

Just can't wait

2009-01-15T20:08:00.005-06:00

So Ada has some favorite activities that she likes to do at any given moment. Playing outside, snacking on crackers, harrassing Trudy and bathing. You can ask her, at any point in the day if she wants to do any of those activities and she will give an emphatic nod of her head and run straight to where that activity typically takes place.

So tonight, it was bath time as usual. I asked if she was ready for a bath, she nodded and started trying to take off her shirt while heading to the bathroom just as she always does. I began running the water and left the bathroom to go fetch a towel from her room. When I re-entered the bathroom, I found this.

I guess she just couldn't wait to get clean. As far as she was concerned, she could have taken her entire bath that way. As long as she got to play in the water.

And, as a testament to affinity for snacking, this is what I found her doing last week.

That is a bag of Special K cereal. I was actually in the kitchen with her cooking dinner the whole time, I'm just not sure how she managed to get the box off the shelf, the bag out of the box and her hand IN the bag before I noticed.

What to do with this child...

Seven Random Things

2009-01-08T10:34:00.000-06:00

I was tagged LONG ago to post 7 random things about myself, and in my defense, I did it that day. But I couldn't come up with one or two so I forgot about it. Anyway, here it is now:

1) I have inherited my dad's INability to close a drawer or cabinet door.

2) I will soon have two children that will be about 22 & 1/2 months apart.

3) I've been to 4 out of 6 continents (I don't count Antartica, because really...who wants to go?)

4) I've been married to the most devoted husband in the world for over 4 years.

5) I am secretely teaching my daughter to appreciate Hip-Hop music.

6) I prefer a Baked Lay to a real one any day of the week.

7) I have a love for shoes and handbags and am quite pleased that my daughter seems to have adopted my habits. One of her very first words was "shoo."

Long time, no blog...

2008-12-30T09:41:00.007-06:00

So a month & 1/2 is a certainly a record (an inexcuseable one) for not having updated. To be perfectly honest, I had convinced myself, by dialing into rationalization.com, that no one really read this and therefore had little need to post. But thanks to the complaints of a few close friends, it appears there are people out there, so this update is for them. Jules, I'm talking to you!

So let's start by saying Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Christmas at the Ballard home was extremely abundant. As you can imagine, Ada received everything she didn't know she wanted and more. We had a couple of visits to sit in Santa's lap. The first, she hated, and the second she seemed to tolerate. Special thanks to CNB of Texas for providing Santa and Santa pictures to our community.

We visited the Tolles' household in Montgomery for Christmas and had a very fun time there. Ada enjoyed being spoiled by her grandparents and surviving on a diet consisting mostly of crackers. That's her idea of a vacation, let me tell you.

I must say, aside from all of the toys, clothes and books she recieved, the gift she must be most excited about is the promise of a new baby brother or sister.

Wha-what, you say? Yeah, that was actually Ada's response too. Just kidding, she really has no idea how her world is about to be rocked. But we're optimistic that she will adjust just fine. So anyway, there you have it. The Ballard's will be welcoming a new member to the family come July of this year.

See...here he or she is. And in keeping with tradition (many of you will remember that we referred to Ada as "Peanut" until the day she was born), this baby will affectionaley be called "Cashew." Also, once again, we will not find out the sex of said baby until the delivery which is VERY fun for those of you who haven't tried it.

Anyhow, that's our big news for 2009. We hope everyone has a very blessed New Year and I resolve to work on posting a little more frequently for those five readers out there!

BFF

2008-11-13T05:04:00.007-06:00

So before Ada, there was Trudy. Our first love. And before Ada, I never imagined loving someone more than Trudy (Kyle aside, of course). In fact, I can remember lying on the couch 8 & 1/2 months pregnant with Trudy and thinking, "After this baby is born, I think I'm still going to love Trudy most. Kyle & the baby will probably be doing all kinds of stuff together, and Trudy & I will still be hanging out on the couch." Needless to say, and much to Trudy's dismay, things haven't exactly worked out that way.

However, Ada has now discovered her first love, and it is indeed, Trudy. She loves this dog. If Trudy is in the house, Ada is right there beside her. If I need to distract Ada from fussing about who knows what, I'll just say, "Ada, where is Trudy?" And she responds with "Trooo" and goes looking for her as if to say, "I don't know where she is. but I better go find out." Its the best redirecting technique I've found so far.

Anyhow, for Trudy, I'm not sure the feeling is mututal. I mean, she is great with Ada and would never show any agression towards her whatsoever, but she can only take so much invasion of her space. If Trudy is lying on the couch, Ada gets right up there with her. If Trudy is lying in her bed, Ada crawls right in there with her. If Trudy is wandering aimlessly around the house, Ada is a few steps behind. Some might question whether it is love or obsession. It definately borders on the latter.

Who's a Monkey?

2008-11-03T20:23:00.004-06:00

Kyle & I put some thought into what Ada should be for Halloween this year. I really wanted her to be something cutsie and girly and it definitely needed to include a tutu of sorts. However, the more I looked, the more I realized that really didn't suit Ada's personality. Her school teachers once said to me, "It's funny that you dress her so cute and frilly. She's really pretty rough." It's true. My girl, while she's constantly taking makeup out of my drawer, is not really a girly-girl.

She is, however, a climber. A monkey, if you will. So guess what she got to be for Halloween??

And just for old times sake, this was her costume last year. It felt really cruel to put her in it at first, but seeing as she was still in the swaddling phase, she was actually quite cozy for the night!

Comprehension

2008-10-29T10:41:00.004-05:00

If you've ever attempted to learn a foreign language, its quite common that before you learn to speak it, you'll be able to understand it. When I studied in Mexico City, I always remember my girlfriends, upon being asked if they spoke spanish, reply "I understand more than I speak." Me, not really speaking or understanding any at the time, had no idea what they meant. Then as I learned to speak, I realized once the language clicks, comprehension is much easier than expression.

Anyhow, all that to say that I am starting to realize that's what is happening with Ada. As she is developing her knowledge for the English language, she can comprehend more than she can express. Oh, she has words. Namely, Sshoo (shoe), Troo (Trudy), Nana (banana), Bow (bow), Jiwaff (giraffe), and apparently although I haven't heard it myself, heh-whoa (hello).

However, it's apparent that when I talk to her, she knows what I'm saying. In response to "Ada, do you want some yogurt?" she beelines it for the fridge. Or if I ask if she's ready to take a bath, she drops whatever she's doing and practically sprints to the bathroom door. When its time for bed, I'll ask her if she's ready to go to sleep. She either replies with a firm "no" and a shake of her head, or sometimes she'll actually go straight to her room. It is really quite amazing.

And as I learned from her teachers, she has mastered the cell phone. They give her a play one at school and said she just walks around chatting on it all day, saying "Heh-whoa" and "Bu-bye." They say she really acts as if she's having a conversation with someone. If you see your mommy do it often enough, I guess its not hard to pick up.

I mean seriously...what has happened to my baby? 'Cause this girl is all grown up!

Musician

2008-10-09T13:07:00.006-05:00

This kid is totally going to be a musician. Maybe professionally, maybe as a hobby, but she loves music. At least once a day, she walks over to the stereo, looks at me and starts dancing in an effort to inform me she would like to listen to her music and dance. Real cute. Or you can just start singing one of her favorite songs and she starts dancing. Unless she's in a bad mood in which case she'll tell you "noooo, noooo, noooo" and hit your legs until you stop.

But lately, she's even been channeling musicians.

This is her LL Cool J look, with her one pant leg rolled up.

And here, she's perfected the Elvis snarl. Complete with her own guitar.

Lookout world.

Fall is upon us...

2008-09-23T12:38:00.008-05:00

The weather has started to cool and if you are anyone but my older sister, you are so thrilled that fall is coming. And with fall comes, what, you ask? That's right...football. If you've ever been to our house on a Saturday, Sunday, Monday night or Thursday night, you know that's probably the only thing playing on the television. However, now that we live in Small Town, America, Friday nights are reserved for High School football. Friday Night Lights is alive and well in Ellis County, folks. And you better believe we wouldn't miss it.

Ada attended her first football game this past weekend. And although this was her first live game, Ada is certainly already familiar to the sport. Being a Ballard, she was introduced to football at the ripe age of 3 weeks old.

At one point during the game on Friday, as I'm chasing Ada up and down the row apologizing to everyone she shoves in the back along the way, the following conversation ensues.

Kyle: "I guess we're going to have to do this every Friday night, huh?"

Me: "Excuse me?"

Kyle: "Look at her. She loves it!" (In reference to our one year old daughter.)

Me: "And by love it, do you mean can't possibly sit still for more than 1o seconds at a time unless the nice lady next to us give her cookies as a bribe to sit in her lap?" (snarkily)

Kyle: "Yup."

Oh daddy... I can't wait for you to have one weekend alone with her. And then I welcome you to take her wherever you see fit. One time, I imagine.

To work or not to work...

2008-09-18T16:17:00.009-05:00

I've been staying at home full-time with Ada for over a year now. Most of you know that I had a life and career of my own prior to that. Its funny that having a baby can make you forget what you used to be like. Ever since Ada started Mother's Day Out, I get 6 hours, twice weekly to myself. I say to myself, but really I use it to accomplish the part-time freelance work I've signed on for. A couple of weeks ago, I was having a meeting at Starbucks and managed to make 3 or 4 new potential business contacts and it occurred to me: Wow, I enjoy working again. I had completely forgotten that I was actually good at something. Lately, a lot of new work opportunities have been coming my way. A full-time opportunity in downtown Dallas came through my inbox and I was shocked to find that it was a little bit tempting. I never in a million years thought I would feel this way.

But then it occurred to me. I have it so good. I get to be at home with my baby girl for most of the week. And I also 2 half days of a break that allows me to be productive in a more personal and selfish place, my career. I know if I went back full time, I would go crazy with guilt over outsourcing her to someone else. And if I didn't have another outlet, I would go crazy with feelings of being trapped and worthless. {Sidebar: Being a SAHM is NOT a worthless job. Obviously, there is no more important job in the world than being a mother, but that doesn't mean you always feel that way.}

Anyhow, I've just discovered how truly blessed I am to be able to live every Mom's dream and "have it all," to quote the most popular buzz phrase now that Sarah Palin is the biggest thing around. Besides, how could I go to work every day and miss out on this fun?

VACATION

2008-09-10T10:23:00.002-05:00

Kyle and I jetsetted to Costa Rica for a vacation this past Saturday. Sans Ada. This is the first time either of us have been away from her for that long and it certainly has its positives and negatives. Anyhow, we are having a FANTASTIC time her in Latin America. And apparently so is Ada. Here is an update we received from Aunt Courtney yesterday.

So good to hear from you and nice to know that you are enjoying Costa Rica. We are enjoying Miss Ada so much– she misses you lots but is being such a good girl. Here are some photos of her vacation so far:

Uncle Simon gave her a bath and combed her hair so pretty:

And the next morning she woke up pretty as a peacock:

She has been so sweet and a dancing machine. She even sat still in my lap to read Old Macdonald twice in a row (she just did a little while jive sitting down):

She loves her Dee-Dee and Papa and enjoys the legendary pull, drinking anything that Dee-Dee is drinking, and dancing for everyone.

She loves you two and misses you and asks about you frequently – Dada? Mama? She is steadily saying her same vocabulary words – shhhooe and nana! Shedgtfdeevre ur 6yudsxffdd – that message is from her.

I'll post more vacation photos upon our return.

Love to all!

Dancing Ada

2008-09-04T21:33:00.006-05:00

For Ada's first birthday, her Aunt Courtney bought us a CD called Little Bird by Elizabeth Mitchell. If you are a mom, even if you are not, this CD is for you. She arranges many songs you already know by heart to be kid friendly. But not only are they kid friendly, they are mom friendly, too. Its music you actually want to listen to everyday, not dread turning on. She sings one of my all-time favorite songs on this CD, Three Little Birds by Bob Marley. I fell in love with this song while Kyle & I honeymooned in Jamaica. After we brought Ada home from the hospital, I can't count the nights that I wandererd around the house softly singing this song at 3AM. Its still one of my favorites to sing to her.

Anyhow, Ada & I listen to this CD daily and just sing and dance. The other day, I turned it on when Kyle was home and Ada immediately gravitated toward the stereo...the results?
Purely precious!

Her First Day of School

2008-09-02T13:32:00.011-05:00

Wow, this parenting stuff goes by quickly. That's not to say it's not still difficult, just quick is all. Last week she turned one, this week she started Mother's Day Out and next week, we're going on vacation and leaving her here for seven whole days. She's just 12 months and I feel like she's practically leaving the house already.

I know that Mother's Day Out is best for her. If there's one thing I believe you should equip your children with, it is social skills. Actually, I believe there are lots of things you should equip your children with, but social skills are up there. You know...how to be polite and play well with others. But still, it was a little emotional dropping her off this AM.

I tried to make her walk in the classroom because I thought it would make her feel like a big kid and maybe this Mother's Day Out thing was her idea. Wrong-o. We got about 100 feet from her class and she stopped dead in her tracks and started crying. She knew something was up. So I carried her in and sat her down. She clung to me briefly and then started looking around just soaking it all up. Hmmm...lots of toys, other babies...there's a lot going on in here.

As I explained all of her things to her teacher, she continued to play. We took her picture with her BFF, Matilyn. She smiled a little, but was still mostly observing her surroundings. I realized I left her pack of diapers in the trunk and ran out to get them. When I came back in, I dropped them off and quickly gave her a kiss goodbye because I've read its better to say goodbye then just sneak out. Clearly, an article written by someone without kids. As I walked out of the room, she quickly ran after me. I shimmied out the door and started down the hall when I heard her let out one cry, followed by a long pause and then that signature shriek I've come to know and love. {Sidebar: The long pause - This is Ada's "silent scream." Her mouth is open wide as if she's screaming, but there's no sound. I often find myself saying, Ada -- BREATHE! It can last about 10 seconds or so. Then she takes a huge breath and lets loose.} The one that I know comes accompanied with crocodile tears. I found myself doing exactly what I had just told my friend, Katy not to do. Don't cry. I couldn't help it. This is my baby and she is going to school. Are we sure she's not too little for this? Knowing Ada bounces back quickly, I continued out, praying she would settle down and have some fun.

When I went to pick her up (5 glorious hours later), the teachers said she did great and was going to adjust really well. They said she was very sweet and playful but hadn't so much as laid her head down all day. I swear her eyes were bloodshot. She was exhausted. Not fussy, just tired. She was sound asleep before we even got out of the parking lot.

So I guess we can chalk up her first day as a success. For both her and her momma!

Just before we left the house.

With Matilyn in their classroom. You'll notice we ditched the headband for the less-annoying-and-therefore-less-likely-to-take-off-bow.

Oh, girls! Fun days ahead!

Back to the Blogging World

2008-08-31T23:13:00.006-05:00

That's right! I'm back to blogging. And to kick things off, here's a slideshow of Ada's twelve month report. How time flies!

Almost there...

2007-08-10T12:12:00.000-05:00

Need a baby bump update? Here ya go!

Just kidding, but that is how I feel these days. Especially since August is upon us and we have 100+ degree weather forcast for at least the next week.

Today marks the completion of 37 weeks officially! This means we have exactly 2 weeks until our scheduled delivery, but lets hope little Peanut decides to make an early appearance. Kyle is a little disappointed that I've already begun negotiating with the baby. I keep trying to coax Peanut out by telling him/her about all the wonderful toys we have and there are so many people that can't wait to love on him/her. And of course, Trudy can't wait to meet the little bundle! But according to my doctor, he/she seems to be locked in there pretty tight at least for the immediate future.

Ah well...countdown is on. 14 days!

More showers!

2007-08-01T12:42:00.000-05:00

Kyle & I have been so blessed by the outpouring of love and support from our friends and family. We have been showered and showered and showered with gifts and parties and all kinds of wonderful things.

Our good friends Brian & Caroline, Mark & Brittany, Lynn & Harold and Gay & Greg threw us a very fun couple's shower in Waxahachie a few weeks back. Our Waxahachie friends are extremely generous and we are very grateful for the great party and wonderful gifts!

Kyle got a little Aggie outfit and a Hawaiin shirt that will match his extensive collection.

This is my dad and uncle Bill chatting it up.

Here's my sister Lindsay, my MIL Cindi, sweet cousin Maddie. And taking notes is Brittany who was kind enough to throw the shower and even opened up her own house to do it!

From L to R, Aunt Susan, Sherry and my Mom (Lynne).

This past Saturday, the wonderful ladies in our Sunday School Class threw a shower too. Everything was so pretty! And these ladies know what a new Mom needs. Since our class has produced about 15 new babies in the last 2 years, there were lots of wonderfully practical gifts that will get plenty of good use!

All of the beautiful hostesses!

If I'm being honest, the best thing about each of these showers...CAKE! And look how pretty this one is!

And here is an adorable Diaper Cake that my dear friend Sarah worked very hard on. Seriously, as I was diassembling this (which I HATED to do) I could see how much work she put into that. And did you notice? It matches the nursery perfectly!

My dad and hubby. Is it just me, or are they practically wearing the same shirt??

Thank you again to all of our family friends for all the generous gifts that you guys have given. It won't be long now before we are able to introduce everyone to a bouncing new bundle of joy!!

Belly Update!

2007-07-26T10:37:00.000-05:00

Wondering what my belly looks like these days? Here you go.

Basically, it's just big. Big all over really. But not much longer now!

And here are some updated photos from the nursery. Mom finished all the bedding, and it looks so great! She did such an amazing job!

You'll notice some clutter in the background. This is all the stuff we've been receiveing from all of the generous people throwing us showers. Now I just have to find a place to put it all!

See, clutter. Lots and lots of stuff. But what's that furry thing, you ask?

Just the cutest lampshade ever! If you know Kyle at all, you can guess this is not his favorite thing for the nursery. Especially if this baby turns out to be a boy!

Fun with Family & Friends

2007-06-28T14:16:00.000-05:00

So once again, it has been far too long since I've posted. But we had a very exicting weekend so there's lots to tell! First off, my wonderful girlfriends and sister decided to throw me a shower, for which Kyle & I are extremely grateful. It was a lovely affair complete with a LEMON-FLAVORED CAKE! If you know me, you know i love cake and lately cannot get enough lemon (see below) so this was like a dream come true! Here are the lovely ladies that threw the shower.

From L to R, Kathy Abbott, Sara Abbott, Stephanie Curs (formerly an Abbott), Baby Momma, Lisa Nelson and Lindsay Tolles.

I guess I should probably back up a bit though. Turns out, my other sister, who currently lives in South Africa was planning to be in New York the week prior to the shower b/c her boyfriend had some business there. I was so excited b/c I thought she would get to come to Dallas that weekend and be at the shower and all. Well, she told me that she and Simonn just couldn't work out a way to get down to Dallas in such a short amount of time. I was bummed, but understood. HOWEVER, what I did not know, was that is was all a sneaky trick to surprise me! Turns out, Simon had a little surprise for Courtney too, though. That's right, he proposed in NY last Thursday night.

Wanna see the happy couple?? Here they are!
Ohhh...you want to see the ring. Here's one closer.
Still can't see? Alright fine, here's the ring!

It's really beautiful and we are VERY happy for Courtney and Simon! They hope to have the nuptials somewhere in Texas Summer '08.

So anyhow, needless to say, I was thrilled that she was here and we had another something to celebrate. We had a very fun weekend full of family and friends.

Here are the sisters: Lindsay, Casey & Courtney

These are many, but not all of the Wilson Women. (Those are the women from my mother's side of the family - onry, every last one of them.)
Here we have 3 generations (4 if you count the baby in my belly).
L to R: My grandma (actually from the Tolles' side), Cousin Staci, Great Aunt Mitzi (The Matriarch), Cousin Debi, Aunt Susan, Mom Lynne, me, Sister Lindsay, Sister Courtney.
Thanks to all for coming to the shower!

Simon, my brother-in-law to be and me. So excited to finally get a brother!

Here's daddy making an impromptu toast to the Happy Couple. Seriously, next time, give the man a little warning.

Here are my sweet grandparents who traveled all the way from Nebraska to see Cork, meet Simon and bring me a beatiful baby blanket my Grams quilted!

And finally, for all of you wondering about Kyle? He's still around!

See?

Haha. Just kidding. I do need to take a minute to brag on him for being the best Baby-Daddy-To-Be ever! He is so excited about this baby and really does a great job taking care of me! I'm very, very lucky to have him and Peanut is very lucky as well!

Thanks for all that you do, love. I am so grateful for you!

Peanut's Room

2007-05-31T13:51:00.000-05:00

Wow! Two posts in one week. Don't expect me to keep this up! Just a fluke happening.
Last weekend we were able to pick up the baby furniture. And I must tell you, I am now so in love with the nursery! It's turning out to be so cute.

Here's the crib. This is where Peanut will sleep. Mom still has to make the bedding.

This is the view from the doorway.

That's the table I/we'll use to change Peanut.

Aww, Trudy. She's can't wait for Peanut to come home. And she really loves the new fluffy rug.

This is my rocking chair. It's the same chair that Kyle's mom used to rock him. Of course, my mom still has to make cushions for that as well. She's got work to do!

Baby Moon!

2007-05-29T11:29:00.001-05:00

Kyle & I took our last official trip as a married couple with no kids! Sad, yet exciting all at the same time. We visited the beautiful Lake Tahoe, compliments of our cousins Marti & Robert, who have a lovely home there that overlooks the lake. This is the view from the cabin and these are our friends who went with us, Sarah & Jason.

The first day, the boys went fishing with their "colorful" fishing guide, Captain Bob. They set out at 4:30 AM and caught 2 fish each. These fish are makinaw trout they fish them out of 200 ft. of water. And they are huge! We ate them for at least 3 meals. Hopefully, I'll have photos of the fishing excursion to share later.
After the boys returned and we had breakfast, we set out for a day around the lake. We stopped every so often and took lots of pictures. Tahoe really is a beautiful place, for those of you who haven't ever been.

Here's our day tour:

On the beach! People were actually beaching in the bathing suits and everything. It still felt a little chilly to us, but what do we know.

The water at Tahoe is so crystal clear, you can't even believe it.

This is the view of Emerald Bay. We were so impressed with this place, we literally stopped every 50 yards to take photos from another view. I'll spare you all the details, but this is one. You can see the island in the background. There's actually a castle on it and the woman who owned this property, had a home on the shore, but would row her friends out to the castle for tea parties!

This is another view of Emerald Bay. You can see the waterfall coming down behind us.

The rest of our time was spent relaxing, going to the spa, playing golf and hiking. Unfortunately, we did not see any black bears despite our efforts. It was a great and much needed vacation, that's for sure! And we even think its a place we'll take Peanut back to some day. Maybe when he/she is old enough to snow ski! Thanks again Marti & Robert!

P.S. Peanut must be one of the luckiest unborn babies ever. So far I've taken him/her on a 1/2 marathon, to San Francisco, Chicago, Washington DC, Lake Tahoe and even a Gwen Stefani concert! Hope you enjoyed it, Peanut. I have a feeling we'll be staying a little closer to home for the next few months!

So far, so good!

2007-05-15T11:16:00.000-05:00

Alright, so I'm not very good and keeping this blog updated. But it's been sort of hard since my pregnancy has been so easy so far. I really thought that I would have more stories to share of all the crazy things that are happening to my body, but so far, so good.

Everyone keeps asking if I have any weird pregnancy cravings. And really, the only thing I want, are lemons. Lemon in my water, lemon yogurt, lemonade, lemon-lime gatorade. I even made lemon-iced cookies for a friend the other day. My sister has been advocating that this is not actually a pregnancy craving, rather me turning into my mom. I must admit that my mother confirmed that this weekend when we went to lunch and she immediately ordered extra lemon for the table. Ah well!

The only pregnancy side effect that I can't seem to escape is the ever-growing belly. Below you will see belly pics from last week, which was the 24 week mark. That means we are on week 25 this week and only have 15 more to go! Which is crazy! If I'm lucky, it may only be 13 or 14 weeks which is even MORE frightening! Anyhow, Peanut is definately growing as evidenced by my expanding waistline!

Best wishes to all!

The Peanut Gallery

2007-04-13T13:52:00.000-05:00

So yesterday was our 20 week sonogram. This means we are 1/2 way there! YAY! Since we're not finding out the sex of the baby, the technician had to ask us to look away from the screen from time to time so we didn't see something we were not supposed to. It was much more difficult for us both than we anticipated. I just kept thinking, If I just turn my head to the right, I can know the sex of my baby! Alas, we refrained, and the sex of Peanut Ballard is still unknown to all except the sonographer. I told her to beware, because my mom might try to track her down! While we were looking at Peanut, he was yawning real big and sucking down lots of fluid. I guess it was time to eat. It was fun to watch her reactions when we would poke my belly and it hit her in her head.

The doctor says everything is really healthy and there's not a thing that she's worried about.

Below is The Peanut Gallery. These are all of our sonogram photos from 8 to 20 weeks.

This is Peanut at 8 weeks. It's a bit tough to make out, but if you look closely, you can see a big round head and little bity body with short arms and legs. This is actually how Peanut got his name. While looking at this photo, my sister Courtney said she looked like a little peanut because her head is as big as her body. So, it stuck!

This is at 12 weeks. It's a surprisingly good photo considering it's only 4 weeks after the first one. You can make out his mouth and nose and everything!

This is one from yesterday. It's looking down at Peanut's face from the top.

This is the side view of Peanut's head. It looks like she's even making a kissing face. And you can see his hand in the backgound.

This is my very favorite. It's Peanut's teeny, tiny footprint. Look at the little toes! How cute! Don't you just want to kiss it?!

So things are progressing as they should. I feel great and Peanut is starting to kick so that I can feel it which is a good sign!

Thanks for all the love and support from friends and family. We can't wait to introduce you to Peanut once he/she arrives!

Nursery!

2007-04-10T21:07:00.000-05:00

Thanks to some serious help from family members, we managed to get the hard labor for the nursert knocked out this weekend. And I must admit, I am very excited about. It really has turned out even cuter than I imagined. And thanks to the hard work of some other family members, we've ordered Peanut's furniture. It should arrive early June, giving us just enough time to finish everything else before Peanut's arrival!

Guess what?! I can sew! Who knew?

Daddy in his famous coveralls getting the first coat on the wall.

Kyle, Daddy & Lindsay figuring out how to get the border and chair rails up on the wall. Very clever, those three!

We've got the paint and border on the wall. And mom finished the valance which is hanging.

The hard work is done. Now we just have to get Peanut here!

Baby Bump!

2007-04-10T20:42:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of documenting the many stages of pregnancy, we're taking pictures of my baby bump along the way! This first pic was taken at about 15 weeks. Not sure if you see it? Trust me, it's there!
This photo was taken last week at 19 weeks. You can't tell me you don't see growth in those four weeks!