Saving Daddy Money

Earlier this week Matney took a Valpack (envelope of coupons mailed each month) and tore it apart! She was having so much fun that I let her make a mess. Despite what it looks like she was good about not eating them. Or, at least taking them out of her mouth when I said, "Matney, no mam!". Coupons are probably the easiest thing that I will ever have to clean up! I think she was just trying to help save Daddy some money with a new sister coming.

Daddy's Sleepy Girl!

Who ever thought they would see the word "sleepy" in a post about Matney??? NOT ME! I am so so so happy to report that after 10 months, 2 weeks and 4 days MATNEY SLEPT THROUGH THE ENTIRE NIGHT...twice! For the past 2 nights M has gone down around 7:30pm and slept until 7:30am without a bottle. Normally, best case, she makes it to about 5:30am before she drinks a bottle and then goes back down until until 7:30. Now we've made it the full 12 hours without needing to eat. She woke up and cried this morning at 5am but I left her. After a couple minutes she turned on her rainforest toy and went right back to sleep. Ah...how wonderful. Once I am up with her around 5 it is so hard for me ever to back to sleep that I normally just get up. I would LOVE it if this "sticks" and I could sleep an extra hour, get up around 6 and have an hour to myself. We'll see!
On the nap front...not so good. Yesterday, after her first night of sleep she was back to two 20 minute naps. It felt like a very long day!

Also, the crawler is getting fast! She is still "swimming" forward but she is faster everyday and trying to make it onto her knees. I had a dream last night that we lost her in a mall. Someone put her down, used to her not moving, and when I went to take her she was gone. They pointed at their feet and seemed shocked she wasn't there. I was frantic to find her. The anxieties being a parent are just great!

She also figured out in the past couple days how to get to a sitting position after being on her belly. Last night Jared was working late so she and I were on our own for bedtime. She played in the tub, we rocked and read like usual. When I laid her in the crib she just kept sitting up, holding Dog to her head and crying. It was so sad! I laid her back down several times but she kept sitting back up. I finally left and watched through a crack in the door. Seeing my sweet baby girl cuddling that puppy and crying sitting in the middle of the crib was just pitiful!

These are pictures from the weekend. She'd just gotten up from a nap. If you say, "Matney love ______" she turns into a cuddle bug! So sweet!!!

Matney's new tricks

Check this big girl out! Matney has started holding onto her own bottle. FINALLY! She won't take it if she's sitting up but if she's rolling around on the ground and I hand it to her she'll grab it from me. I think when she is on her back and she doesn't have to tip it up it is easier and she is willing to try harder. What freedom I am gaining!

Also, and I am so scared to type this because it will end tomorrow, she is NAPPING!!! I put her rainforest music toy back in her crib and made sure she understood how to turn it off and on by herself. I was trying to teach her that when she wakes up she doesn't have to start screaming the minute her eyes open. Then last Wednesday we had lunch with a friend and she wouldn't take her morning nap before we left. By the time we got home she was SO TIRED and went right to sleep...and woke up just like usual after 20 minutes. I knew that wasn't enough so I left her crying. She eventually turned on the music and after a couple minutes it stopped and I heard NOTHING. I eeked up the stairs and peeked in her room and she was back asleep. Ever since then when she wakes up for her normal 20 minute routine I've just left her and today she fussed for a minute and went right back to sleep for another 20 minutes. AMAZING! Did I mention I was gaining some freedom?!?!? She still wakes up for a bottle around 4:30am but since Christmas we sleep through the night and are starting to nap. I may be a new woman in another couple weeks!

Our other big M news is that she is finally starting to crawl. She will get up on all fours and go backwards. Then she gets really mad as she gets further and further away from what she was going after! Yesterday she started "swimming" forward. She's still on her belly but will push and pull with her knees and elbows until she makes it somewhere. So far I think its only been 12" away but that is progress! And means my freedom may be heading back out the door because I will be chasing her for the next 18 years!

Jared and I go to bed every night realizing how blessed we are to have a healthy, thriving little girl. We are so in love with her!

Finally...a post!

We have been crazy busy here at the Heald house and we are having LOTS of fun. Matney is more and more exciting to be around every day!

Jared got a gift card to Bass Pro Shop about a year ago that he never finished spending. We went there to see if he could find anything ...that was where M saw Santa (read: SCREAMED at Santa!). Before we left he bought Matney a cute hat since she didn't have one that would fit her head. It finally got cold enough last week to have her wear it...is she not the CUTEST?!?!?




We came down off the "holiday high" and are gearing up for Matney's first birthday...and first birthday party. Only about a month until she is one. I CANNOT believe it! We do not want to do a crazy big party and are going to just have a couple friends and family over. That said, I can't find plates, etc that are "just right" and I have looked everywhere! I couldn't find invites that are cute enough so I'm going to make them. The cake is ordered, I just have to figure out what the rest of the party will look like so that we can tell the lady how to make the cake. We'll certainly take lots of pictures. I have no doubt that Matney will be eager to smash her fists into cake!

Last weekend I spent about 24 hours working on a scrapbook of M's first year. I started with 400+ pictures and am having to make myself limit which ones are used. She is just so cute! Some friends got together and we had a "scrapbook weekend". That is the ONLY way that I was able to get into it all. They are the real scrapbook deal and knew what they were doing so I brought what I had and they helped a ton. Without Matney around I was able to complete 10 pages and am very proud of myself. They won't ever make it in a professional book but they are good enough (especially when you start 10 months behind) to be cute to me! I have been working hard this week and am trying to get caught up by her birthday. With another one coming sooner than later the pressure is on!

Jared is doing well. Still really liking where he works and enjoying his days. He even has been making a big effort to come home earlier during the week so that he can see M before bed. Sometimes he is only here for 30 minutes before she goes down but SHE (and I) LOVES when he walks in the door. So sweet!

That is about all we've been up to for the past couple weeks. I promise to try and be a better blogger!

Matney is going....

In May 2008 Matney is going to HAVE A LITTLE SISTER! We found out Monday that the next baby Heald will also be wearing dresses and bows because its a GIRL!!! So far she looks perfect and healthy! What awesome news! We are halfway through this pregnancy and are finally relaxing and enjoying things...not to mention that I am not barfing much anymore. So, get ready for the estrogen to flow in this house because there will be 3 girls and Jared. HA! We are so excited! No names yet but when we come up with one we'll let you know. In the meantime I'm hard at work on another nursery!

In other news Matney is changing everyday. At the end of last week she learned "arms up" and is very proud to stick her arms straight up (and expects you to cheer and clap). Also, in the past two days, she gotten "nose" and "toes". When I ask her "where's mommy's nose" she puts a slobbery finger on my nose. If I ask her where her toes are she grabs them (again expecting cheers and claps). What a big girl! It is amazing how much she is learning and expressing. We are so in love!