My loves...

Notre Dame Basketball Camp

Our little Eva recently attended the Notre Dame Basketball Camp.  To say she was in heaven would be an understatement.  Not only was she around the Notre Dame girls basketball team (including Skylar Diggens), but she was also able to literally spend HOURS playing something she loves....basketball.

The picture above is blurry, but I still love it.  It happened to be crazy sock and headband day and Eva was done up for the occasion!  In this picture she was running relays with a perma-smile on her face.  That's one of my favorite things about watching Eva play ball - the CONSTANT grin she has across her face.

She also loved that her cousins were at the same camp and they got to "verse" eachother (Eva's term for playing eachother)....

Another big part of the week for her was spending time with one of her favorite basketball players, Skylar Diggens....

I noticed that before Eva would run relays, or while she was playing ball she would look around to see if Skylar was watching her.  If she was Eva would smile to herself and play even harder.  I loved seeing that drive in her! 

We first met Skylar last winter when we happened to run into her at the MAC counter at the mall.  Just like the last time we met her I was impressed with her demeanor and how she would relate to Eva...always taking the "star quality" off of herself and pointing out Eva's "star qualities".  Eva just hung on her every word.  I wrote Sylar a letter letting her know how much that chance meeting at the mall meant to our little girl...and to Matt and I.  Eva was struggling with some friendships at that time and part of the problems stemmed from the fact that Eva wants to play basketball at recess, and no girls would play with her. She felt like she didn't have any friends.  I explained to Skylar that meeting her seemed to renew Eva's self confidence a bit.

At the end of camp Skylar gave me a special gift to give Eva....

Yep, that's the headband that Skylar wears during games.  A special gift that Eva will always cherish (and thus far has rarely taken off of her head).  To me, a reminder to my little girl to always be true to yourself.

In all, a special week for our little girl with memories that will last a lifetime!

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."

--e.e. cummings

Hangin' out in the Dugout...

Not that I know all (or any) of the answers...but...

So I recently got an email from a reader that asked if I would share some parenting advice on my blog.  She said she would like to know some of the "rules" or guidelines I follow while raising my children such as....

How I handle a child that is not listening?
How I make special time for each of them?
What I do when a child talks back?

When I first read her email I was a little shocked....really?!  ME???

Trust me sweetie, I'm NO expert.  I've always said I wish God sent an instruction manual with these little angels. 

That being said, I am willing to share what works for ME (most of it found by trial and error) if it is something that my readers would be interested in.  Quiet honestly, we can all learn from each other because what works for one child doesn't always work for the next!  Ha!

Is this something you would be interested in me writing about?  Would you find it interesting?

If so please email me theblissfullyhappyhousewife@gmail.com and let me know what kind of topics you would want me to cover.

At this point I'm not sure I'm doing this....I do not want to come across as a parenting expert...but if there is enough interest I may consider it.

Have a beautiful day everyone...XOXO.
Jamie

Pinterest

I officially have an addiction to Pinterest. 

It didn't start out that way. I became a member on that site well over a year ago and rarely looked at it.  It's just been in the past few months that I find myself pinning away on a daily basis.  I usually do it after the kiddos are in bed at night.  I spend a few minutes - my "down" time - pinning a few pins to my boards.

Here's the thing....I figured the addiction isn't all that bad as long as I actually USE the pins. 

And I do.

I've made many recipes I've found on that site.  I've done a few of the activities I've seen with the kiddos (we just made sidewalk paint yesterday and next week I'm attempting to make giant bubbles with them).  Eva has a new favorite hairstyle that we now do thanks to Pinterest...

I've got quite a few decorating ideas accomplished thanks to that site...and I just purchased the materials to do another one.  This time I'm going to be making a personalized pillow (with a favorite quote) to sit on the chair in our master bedroom.

So do you use Pinterest?!  I'd love to follow you!

Tummy Troubles.

I've had three children.....but Greyson was my first c-section.

Everyone told me that recovery from a c-section is different, so I was expecting to be in more pain....and I was.  Not unbearable pain, but totally different from a natural birth.

I said that with a natural birth all of your pain comes BEFORE the baby is born.  With a scheduled c-section all of your pain comes AFTER the baby is born. 

What I was NOT warned about was how long it would take my tummy to go down.  I was fortunate with Eva and Jaden's births.  I wore non-maternity clothing out of the hospital with Eva, and with Jaden I was back in my old clothing within a week or so.

Not the case with Greyson.

Now, don't get me wrong...I did not expect to bounce right back.  I knew I was older.  I was fully aware that I "just had a baby".  I wasn't expecting to be bouncing around in a string bikini 2 weeks after having him.

I just didn't expect to still look pregnant 3 weeks after he was born.  I'm not kidding. 

I seriously had someone at the grocery store ask me when my baby was due...and I was no longer pregnant.  I wasn't sure whether to hit her or cry.  Instead I just smiled politely and said, "I already had the baby".  I figured the mortification from that comment would make her feel uncomfortable enough.

No one warned me that it takes longer for your stomach to go down after a c-section.  However, since no one warned me I kinda freaked out.  I called my friend Amanda 3 weeks after Greyson's birth nearly in tears wondering WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY STOMACH?!!!!  She assured me that my stomach would go down and explained that a c-section is a major surgery...and that there is a lot of swelling that goes along with it.  She encouraged me to take my measurements and promised that I WOULD see it is shrinking....it just takes longer. 

I felt better after talking to her, but I still was kind of freaking out.  I ended up talking to more people about it and even googling it, which by the way I would not encourage anyone having a c-section to do.  To make a long story short, I decided to rest assured on Amanda's words....it WOULD go down.

It has now been 6 weeks since Greyson's birth and I am feeling much better.  I'm eating really well and I've started walking.  In two weeks I'll be cleared to fully exercise again.  My stomach is shrinking down....just like Amanda assured me it would.

Lesson learned.....if someone EVER asks my advice about a c-section I will warn them.  I will tell them that their stomach WILL shrink back, but it will take some time.  It is TOTALLY different than a natural birth.

Bottom line...it's allllllllllll worth it (and always will be).  :-)  

Greyson's Dedication

At the age of 3 weeks Greyson was dedicated at our church.  Our family stood before family, friends, and our congregation and agreed to raise this little guy to know God and follow His ways.  Honestly, it's the most important gift we can ever give our children....and we are honored to do so.

"What we are is God's gift to us....what we become is our gift to God."

--Eleanor Powell