Marvelous Mondays-Just Being

Today, in particular, I am feeling a little weird.  We had a all too relaxing weekend and did not do anything in particular.  I guess It is just one of those days where I just feel like an awful Mom.  I think the lack of sleep (and I am not complaining) causes me to be a little impatient.  I hate being impatient, especially with Bailey.  I am talking about small small moments but none the less I feel like a awful Mom, wife, friend, person...everything.

But this is Marvelous Monday, so today I am thankful, as I am everyday, for my daughter.  No matter how impatient I am she just looks at me and smiles and hugs me.  I mean, who in the world does this, most of the time when we are impatient as adults we look at each other like "well, she really NEEDS a NAP!"...  Maybe we should be a little more patient with each other and learn to have compassion.

As I feel like a bad Mom I try to tell myself that I am just having a bad day, and to shake it off, but "Mommy Guilt" is a powerful thing and starts the day you find out you are pregnant and parades on you like no other.  Feeling like this to me, does not help anything, it just makes me feel worse, eats me up inside.  So today and each day, I will try to remember all the happy moments, all the reasons I am a good person, a good wife, and a good Mom.  I am trying.  I love Bailey's smile, it really does bring me through every sleepless night and whining/ crying day.  It is also what makes every single day bright.    Bailey helps relieve this guilt, and I think I must be doing something small right, because when I look at this, I am amazed.

Blog Hop Friday- Our Mini Vacation!

Welcome to the first, ever, edition of Blog Hop Friday, hosted by My New Life As Mom, Chubby Cheeks Thinks, Take A Mom's Word For It, Bree Bee's, This Adventure Our Life and Belly Charms! We invite you and your friends to link up every Friday and join us for a wonderful blog hopping adventure! We're all about making friends and having fun so come join us! Here's how you can join in on the fun;

• Link up to your blog, using our inlinkz link list, below.
• Follow the host/hostesses located in the first 6 slots.
• Follow any other blogs that you feel appropriate! :)
• Add the Blog Hop Friday button to your sidebar.
• When following a new blog, please remember to leave a little personal comment love.
• If you get a new follower, please feel free to reciprocate the love.

<center><a href="http://www.mynewlifeasmom.com/2010/05/blog-hope-friday-week-1.html"><img border="0" src="http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s317/stephaniesblog/button-2.png" /></a></center>

This is a new list every week, so please remember to come back and link up, every week!

Please remember to send a little comment love when you follow someone's blog. The point of this is to gain new followers and new friends, so please take a second to send a personal comment on their latest post, something you like about their site or maybe something you find interesting.

We understand that not everyone has time to follow and comment on every Blog Hop Friday Participant, just do what you can and are willing to do. We will do the same! Take your time and go at your own pace.

The link list is only open to add new blogs on Fridays but will be visible all week long.

So go link up and hoppy blog hopping!

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VOTE FOR BAILEY + be entered in a GIVEAWAY!! (and let me know in the comment): HERE (to see info about contest and giveaway, click here)

ALL you need to do: 
Click above 
Click "Vote for me" 
Type in question/ phrase exactly as seen (Has to be exactly as seen) 
Then if vote went through, it will say Thank you for your vote...

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A couple weekends ago we decided to go on a vacation to Lake Tahoe (precisely North Shore, on the Nevada side).  Last time we went it was in January... This time we left on a Friday morning and stayed through Monday.  We had our trip all streamlined this time...We cloth diapered, cloth wiped for the trip, we made it up in 9-10 hours  (which is more on par with time, our last trip, oh yes 13 hours on the road...my my!) and back in about 9 hours.  Bailey was a great traveler only whining when she wanted to nurse or needed a new diaper!  We had a nice and relaxing time together!  We just hung around, stayed up late, hung around in bed late in the morning, took a hike around a lake trail, and went to dinner at our favorite spots.  To us Tahoe is just a special place.  Here are some photos from our trip:

Beautiful views, serene, and calming.

Some rest and relaxation, just hanging out.

Playtime, and num numming Sophie the Giraffe! Aww, the life!

Family time, yep a weekend of that :)

Taking a little hike, Bailey is loving it!

Enjoying the views, how could we not?!

We had a great time! Let's go back soon.

Life Changes Perspective...

Life Changes Perspective

Bailey has changed the person whom I was in very many ways.

I think about her all the time.

To me, thinking about her all the time, is well, natural.

I do not think a moment goes by where she does not pass my mind.I thought about before she was born, before I was pregnant with her,

I really did not worry about anyone.

I could leave and it was just me, of course, with my husband and family on my mind.

Now, things have changed, my mind has shifted.

Everywhere I go and everything I do, I am thinking about her.

I would not have it any other way.

This is my life.

She is mine, mine to care for, mine to love, and protect.

I worry about her, want to protect her from harm, want to love her forever.

I can not imagine not thinking about her.

I think about happiness, Bailey continually is my thought.

I am a Mom, I do not think there will ever be a day where she is not on my mind.

I do not think I will ever not worry about her.

There will never be a day that I do not love her.

She will always be on my mind, and that is my happiness.

A Proud Daughter

Ever since I was a little girl my Dad has been there for me.  He has always made sure his family was taken care of, even if it meant he would be working all hours and days.  He made it possible for my Mom to stay home with us as we were growing up.  I have always been very proud of my Dad, we may not always get along, but I know if I need something or when it comes down to it, he is there.  He always tries hard to make sure we all have everything we need.  He helped all 3 of us get through college (we all have degrees now, with thanks to my Dad and my Mom).  He has helped me countless times to pursue my career aspirations.  He encourages me to set high goals for myself and to never give up.  I speak my mind thank you to his influence.  Although sometimes that is well, just an okay trait!  He has become a amazing grandpa with Bailey!  We appreciate his help more than we can thank him.  

In the past year he has embarked on the road to becoming fit, and losing a lot of weight.  I am more than thrilled with his success, because this is a long journey, and a hard one to embark on.  He has been working really hard at it.

Today, Bailey, Tony, and I went to watch him run a 10K (6.2 miles).  

We waited at the finish line, and were proud to see him run through.  

Congratulations Dad, thanks for always being a great Dad.

Coming to the finish line

Way to go Dad!

Left is Thomas my cousin with My Dad

Sharing a little Spring

I took these photos in my backyard, I thought I would share them...They remind me of Spring

I love to take photos, see my other flower photos in this post...

Today I hope to capture that Lilly opening up again because I like it!  

Blog Party 2010, Join in with our Adventure!

WELCOME to This Adventure, Our Life! I decided to join in the fun after visiting my blogging buddy Kim over at Who Need's Sleep, Thanks Kim!

We love to hear what you have to say, so please follow our adventure and leave a comment so we can follow your adventures!! 

This is our blog and life ADVENTURE (thus the name!)  My name is Cindy, I am wife to Speed Racer (aka Tony), Mommy to our beautiful baby Bailey.  I am a mostly stay at home mom who loves cloth diapering, baby wearing, photography, cooking, architecture, while trying to be more environmentally friendly.  Most of the time you will find me avoiding what I need to do while playing around with my little one and our crazy dog, Roxy!

I am trying to journey through this adventure while living in the NOW. Join me in the fun.... Here is my family, my life and all that goes along our journey of becoming a family.... (I could go on and on) But you can read all about us here in this blog, that is what it is for, and we know you are here for pictures anyway, so here they are: 

This is Us, Our little Family (minus our crazy dog)

Oh yes, and here she is our crazy dog, Roxy!

This is me, Cindy, the one responsible for blogging this adventure!

None of this would be possible without my husband,

 the real live Speed Racer

(yes, this is my husband driving and I get to take photos from the side!)

And we know you are really here to see our little one, BAILEY!

I mean, who can resist her, num num num!!

Thanks for stopping by, we enjoyed having you, please come again!! If you have not please follow our adventure and leave a comment so we can come and visit your adventure.  

Oh yeah, Bailey loves comments and will love you for leaving one, and hey, she's cute, she's a baby, so who can resist!!

Happy Sunday

I took these yesterday and I thought they were beautiful...

Hope you have a good day!

Little Layla Grace

I can not stop thinking about Layla Grace.  I keep praying for her comfort, as well as her family.  She is dying right now of Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.  Parents should not have to watch their children die, it is just not right.  I will never never understand this.  It breaks my heart to hear her story, she has touched so many peoples lives in her short time here.  This is a heartbreaking as well as incredible story of a strong little girl.  There was a post a little while ago, that really touched my heart, ever since than I just can not stop thinking about it.  It made me stop and appreciate every single thing I have, especially my little Bailey.  Often we get caught up in the stress of life, but life itself should be our focus.  Check this post out:  http://laylagrace.org/448_sleep-valentines-and-regrets.html  .  

In sharing her story of her life they are trying to raise awareness about Neuroblastoma.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  

Here is part of her story from Layla's website:  http://laylagrace.org/

Layla has always been a healthy child, 80th percentile for weight, a great eater, a great sleeper. She is sweet as pie and a little cuddle monkey (she won’t let you put her down!). She has a very advanced vocab for her age which really helps us manage her pain and give her what she needs as her care continues.

Layla had a great 15 month checkup. At around 16 months her sleep habits and appetite started to change and she started to become more irritable. Mid March appetite began to decrease. At the time we thought we were dealing with a “picky eater”. Beginning of May Layla woke up one morning with a swollen eye. We took her to the doctor and she was treated for an ear infection and the doctor said the swelling was just a result of the ear infection. At the same time we noted that her belly was hard and somewhat distended. She had not had a bowel movement for a few days and we were concerned that she was becoming constipated.

The next day we took her to the pediatrician who put her on Mirilax over the weekend and told us to call back Monday. By Monday morning she was not eating at all, still no dirty diaper, her activity level had decreased and was rubbing her belly and lower back and saying “owie”.

Our pediatrician referred us to a GI specialist to see why she was so constipated and wasn’t eating. On Thursday May 7th as we sat in GI specialists office expecting to be told that Layla would need some kind of treatment for constipation we instead hear words like “Cancer” and “Leukemia”. A series of X-rays and tests were ordered and we were sent home to wait on the results.

That evening about five minutes after we walked in the door we got an urgent call from the GI specialist telling us that the test results were in, that things were not good and that we were to bring Layla into the ER immediately and that a team of doctors would be waiting for us.

Layla has a massive cancerous tumor (Stage 4 Neuroblastoma) in her abdomen. It extends from above her left kidney, around her side, over her belly and wraps around her aorta. In addition, the cancer is in her bone marrow.

Our sweet Layla went from normal happy and healthy to lethargic, in pain, and skin and bones in a matter of a week and a half.