Showing Off My Freebies

I am a member at the website BzzAgent, from which I occasionally get the opportunity to sign up to try out products and share coupons and "buzz" with people I know. This week I really struck it rich and received two packages from BzzAgent!

The first was for S.C. Johnson:


Anyone want coupons for any of these products? I think I have 5 coupons for each. :)

The other package was from L'Oreal:


No coupons included, though, with the L'Oreal products. I was a bit bummed about that. I really like the mascara, but I'm not a fan of the eye shadow. You're supposed to be able to apply all three colors with one swipe, but it didn't work at all. I had to wash it all back off and start over. Good idea in theory, I guess :)

Oh, how I love getting free products!

Dancing Boy

Jude discovered dancing a day or two ago. He's getting really good at it! :)

Daddy took a video of Jude's mad dancing skills this morning:

6 Months of Mommyhood

I can't believe I've been a mom for over 6 months already. Jude has changed so much in that short time. He can now sit really well (though I still have to keep a Boppy around him). He finally rolled both ways and he's getting interested in things that are out of his reach, so he'll probably be mobile soon!


Jude is also starting to get the hang of solids, though I think he's going to be a picky eater like his mom (his dad is not going to be happy about that!). He hasn't liked any vegetable baby food or baby cereal. So far, he likes Puffs and potatoes. I know, shocking right? (I am a potato fanatic) I did try baby food peaches this morning and he took a couple of bites, so hopefully that one will become a "like". He also still has no interest in the sippy cup, though he knows how to use it. I think he somehow knows that once he drinks from a sippy cup, he will not be nursing as much and he LOVES to nurse.

I've been feeling really trapped in the house lately. First, Jude is not a big fan of the car. Second, he no longer nurses in public easily. The distractions are too much. Third, he still requires a nap about every 2 hours and one of them is his 3-hour afternoon nap. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the 3-hour nap! It is my sanity. But, the combination of the short morning nap and the not eating in public makes it hard to be out of the house for very long in the mornings. I can usually get in one or two errands max per day. Of course, the winter weather isn't helping. Hopefully Jude will be a good stroller baby this summer and we can go on walks pretty regularly.

Come on, Summer!!!

Charlie, Ray, and Jude (in his basketball diaper)

No More Braces!

Mommy and Jude before (can you see his two bottom teeth, can you???):



Mommy and Jude after:

A Post About Teeth

I had an orthodontist appointment last week where it was confirmed that I get my braces off on January 5th! Yay!!! I'm really, really excited. I have been in orthodontic care for 3 years now and have had the braces for 2.5 years. It is time to be done with it!

In completely related news, Jude already has his first two teeth! He got his first one a week before Christmas and I felt the second one on Christmas morning. Here is a picture from a couple of days before Christmas where you can definitely see one tooth and I can even see a little of the second tooth about to pop through:

Ok, I'm not sure if you can see it on the blog, but it's really obvious on the picture on my hard drive :) I guess you'll have to take my word for it for now. I'm sure there will be more tooth pictures in the future. Maybe I'll try to get one of us together after the braces come off!

Baby + Christmas = Toys Galore!

Jude's first Christmas went very well. He was spoiled by our families, of course. Knowing that, Ray and I kept our gift buying very light. All Jude got from us was sippy cups and "Where the Sidewalk Ends".

On Christmas Eve, we went to my parents' house and met up with all of my siblings. My family does a name exchange that I insisted Jude be a part of (and requested that his only gift be the name exchange gift). Aunt Liz got Jude's name and still managed to spoil him! He received a musical seahorse, two books, a teether, two cute onesies, and an ornament from Aunt Liz. Of course, that also meant that Jude had to give a gift - he bought Uncle Neil a shop vac. He also got an outfit, ornament, and Toy R Us gift card from Grandma and Grandpa.


On Christmas Day, we had Ray's family over. I really think we need to start a name exchange with Ray's family because I can't even list everything that Jude received from that side of the family. A picture will have to do:


What a lucky little boy! I think Jude would have to say that it was a great first Christmas.

Blizzard Aiden

Thanks to Aunt Leah, Jude was completely prepared for his first blizzard (it is seriously an awesome snowsuit!):



I think we need to work on the snow angel skills! Jude has the laying down part all figured out. Waving the arms and legs? Not so much.