Alyson's 4th Birthday!!!!!

Alyson had a great birthday!  She woke up to a Dora backpack and card outside her door...I think she thought santa came to visit she was so excited!  Mike made yummy breakfast and then we were off and running!  Got to the park at 8:45 and snagged all 5 tables they had!!  WOOHOO!  Started setting up the craft table, food table and then hid things for the scavenger hunt! 

Guests arrived and the party was a success!  Kids had fun playing, doing the scavenger hunt, their craft and then guessing how many goldfish were in the bowl (1,604 by the way-and yes, I counted them all out!)...Congrats to Alyson's little preschool friend, Joshua, who won and got to take home all those fish! 

Cake time (Chocolate with chocolate frosting) and then presents!  Her last present was her 1st BIKE!  She LOVED all of her gifts and didn't want to go to bed because she couldn't stop playing with everything!! 

She had her first bike fall, after most guests left the party....bandaid and she was good to go! 

Thank you for everyone that was able to come! You made Alyson's day very special! 

YAY!
Here's the link to the pics!
Love,
The Heath Family!

http://heathfam4.shutterfly.com/

August/September 2009

Hello!
I haven't been keeping up on my blog too much lately...just been busy with other things! :)

August was great-Molly's 1st birthday was awesome! Although the cake melted before the party started, it still was a wonderful party day and I think she had fun! She is getting so big now. She is 22 lbs. and 32"..she hasn't started walking yet-well, I should take that back. She has taken soem steps on her own...the most was 6 steps and it was so exciting!! But, she's working on it and I think within a month or so she will be on the move! She's very cute-signing "all done" and "more" and she blows kisses when she wants her nap. She finally got some teeth!! They came in all at once...one bottom and two top with another top one poking through now.

Alyson is doing well! I am homeschooling her with preschool this year and we do little activities almost every day and games and puzzles...she will be 4 years old this weekend! I've been busy getting party stuff ready! And, she is so excited to turn 4 years old! She'll have her doctor appointment next week and we'll see how much she's grown! She's so tall. :)

I've been doing alright. Still looking for a part time job. I went on an interview for just a part time teller job and was told that the only reason I didn't get it was because they went with someone with less experience....translation-We can pay them less. Frustrating, but that's how it goes I guess!

Mike is busy working hard for our family. He's been home a little more recently only because work is slow (which isn't good) but it should pick back up here soon as the holidays are approaching!

Last month, we went to the Fair with Aimee and Emilia-super fun day!  This month, we went to Lake Tahoe for a few days-it was awesome!  It hailed on us the first night when we were trying to have dinner on the beach...that was fun..ha ha...but other than that, the girls loved Tahoe and I love being there.  I want to go back! 

Here is our link to the Picture website!! 
http://heathfam4.shutterfly.com/
Hope all is well!
Love,
Angel

Summer Post!

Hello! Well, we over here in the Heath Family are definetly struggling-but we are still a happy family and have each other and two beautiful and healthy girls to keep us going! We are only struggling really financially and to top off our already hard times, the A/C in our Kia SUV went out completely on one very hot 106 degree afternoon when I was driving Alyson and Molly to swim...it was awful. Two quotes later, it's going to cost us $1200 to get it fixed-which we don't have. So, for the time being, I am driving the very small Toyota Celica with the two girls in the back...at least it has A/C right? hmmm...positive thinking! Have no idea when we will have $1200 to get that fixed...maybe by next summer!

Alyson is doing great! She has been taking swimming lessons since the beginning of June and just LOVES the water! We go almost every day to lessons, but they end this week for us. We had a little scare with her last month. We bought a Tri Tip from Costco to cook Mike for Father's day. We enjoyed it and all the leftovers. Right after eating it, the next couple of days she was having pretty bad #3 (diarhea) and then the continued for a couple of weeks and turned bloody. About a week after we ate that tri-tip, we had a voicemail that said there was a huge beef recall for Ecoli and we purchased the tri tip that was included and DON'T EAT IT!! TOO LATE! I took her to the doctor for testing (which was fun for me...ha ha...stool samples for 3 days! yikes!)...but after all testing came back, she was cleared! YAY!!! Other than swim, we have just been planning parties and enjoying time together around town.

Molly is such a little funny girl! She is almost 1 already! She is quite teh little eater! She loves avocados and pasta but can't really eat carrots these days. She is standing up on her own but not for very long-no walking just yet! She loves playing with her sister and they are just a funny little pair! In the early months when she was born, Alyson was a mean sister just doing anything she could to hurt Molly...now-she can't give her enough love and wants to always make sure she is safe and laughing. It's so heart warming and just what I had hoped for! I think they will grow their bond as sisters, as I have with my own sister. Molly says "Hi", "Dada", "Mama" and babbles a lot more as if she is saying something (but we just can't understand it!)..she baby signs "more", "all done", "tree" and she blows kisses now, too! She hates getting in her car seat, but once in she is just fine..she likes to study things-trying to figure them out which is really cute to watch. She also loves climbing stairs and giving lots of hugs. She finally got her first tooth (bottom) and unfortunately, likes to bite. I think she will be my biter/pincher. :( I'm trying to break that right now!

Mike is busy working really hard. We are actually entertaining the idea of him becoming an owner operator with his company and leasing a truck through them for 3 years I think and then he'll own it and can be out on his own completely. We just feel this will be the only way to really get somewhere. This is the field that he chose and this is the next step. It's scary though because he will be self employed pretty much and it will eventually be a family business.

I have been thinking of getting a job again...but really it wouldn't make sense to go back full time somewhere because of the cost of childcare! And, they would never see either their mom and dad all day every day and I do not want to do that to them-I can't. I want to be a mom and be there for them-I can't imagine leaving them for that long every day. I am still looking, however, for a part time job just to make a little extra $$$ for our family. Haven't found anything yet, but still looking!

Birthdays are coming up-My birthday this coming weekend! Going to see The Brody's (local band I love!) downtown at the free concert in the park on Friday and then Saturday alone with hubby all day!! That's a first in a really long time! hmm...wonder what we should do! Alyson and Molly are going to be well loved staying at Aimee's and Shelbie's :) THen-the next weekend is Molly's 1st birthday party!! Alyson and I have been getting things ready and I can't wait to celebrate!!! Alyson's birthday is in September, but I have been planning it since June (really)..>I just love the kids' birthday parties and want to make it special for her this year (since we will probably have a really small get together next year because our plan is to take her and Molly to Disneyland for their 5th and 2nd birthdays!!)..she is going to have a Dora and Diego Bike party at Safetyville! She is really excited! After that, Mike's birthday (have no idea what to do...but will figure something out! Just need to find the money!).

So, all in all-we have a lot of fun and good things going on. We may not be very good financially, but we are making it somehow and doing the best we can. We are trying to stay positive.

Here is a link to the Shutterfly page I created...scroll down and view the slideshow for July 2009! Some of the pics are from my friend, Lorilee's with her daughter Natalie and Molly...so cute! Molly just kept want to hug her and kiss her (open mouth-I swear that wasn't trying to bite her-that's how she kisses)...it was so fun to watch them! Molly isn't around other babies too often so that was a treat. There is one pic in there that shows Molly holding Alyson's hand in the car while Alyson is sleeping...it was so sweet...Alyson's hand was just hanging there while she was sleeping and MOlly scooted over just enough to reach out and hold her hand..the whole way home (about 20 minutes)...ahhh!! Their are a couple of pics from the Jelly Belly Factory-I took the girls one Tuesday and let me tell you-get there when they open!!! We had to wait over an hour and half in line just to start the tour! But, Alyson had a blast and there were no meltdowns about the waiting-it was more me being irritated (and hurting from carrying Molly that whole time-almost 3 hours on my feet in the Baby Bjorn).

We hope you are having a nice Summer! And, hope to see or hear from you soon!
Love,
The Heath Family

http://heathfam4.shutterfly.com/#

Summer Fun!!!

Just a quick little update on the girls....
Alyson is LOVING Swim lessons!!! She is a little fish! She started in the Polliwog class, learning how to put her head in the water and blow bubbles and such. By the end of the two week session, she graduated to a Tadpole already!!! On her first day of Tadpole, she was going under the water so well and even went down long enough to try to get a ring at her feet-which she didn't do but she was trying! She loves it and I love taking her and watching her progress-it's amazing! Also, out of the blue, she has been writing the letter "A", "H", "M" and "N"!!! On her own-I didn't force her or even encourage it-she just wanted to do it herself and did! She is so funny and really has turned out to be a very sweet sister to Molly these days. All those months that I was going crazy and struggling with her and her agressive behavior-she's turned around and now actually cares for her and doesn't want her to fall or get hurt or whatever. It's heartwarming!

Molly...wow, she is growing so fast!! Yesterday, her first tooth popped through, but today, it looks like it slid back in. I think they do that as they are wriggling out. She is 10 1/2 months old now, says "Hi", "Mama", "Dada" and almost says "Cat". We are working on "Sisi" for big sis Alyson. She can sign "more" and is starting to sign "all done". She also pats my breast when she wants to nurse. She stood all by herself (not holding on) twice, but only for a few seconds before plopping down to the ground. She transfers from one area to another while standing. I predict she will be walking by her 1st birthday, but we'll see. I thought she would do it by 10 months since she was crawling so early (right before 6 months).

Birthdays!! I love planning my kids' parties!! Molly turns 1 on 8/8/09 and we are having a Cupcake party for her at a nearby park. I ordered invitations and bought a Giant Cupcake Pan! So fun!! Alyson turns 4 on 9/19/09 and after I get Molly's party in order, I will work on getting her invitations done...she wanted a Dora and Diego party this year-which is super fun for me as I am planning a little adventure for the kids to do. We are having it at Safetyville-to those not in this area, Safetyville is a mini-town, which real streets and lights and everything-just kid size. Alyson wanted to invite all of her preschool friends, too...so this is perfect. There is plenty of space and the kids bring their bikes and ride those around. SO FUN!!

O.k...that's it for now! Hope everyone is well!! Drop a line sometime! Don't forget to check out the link below-more pics from this month!
Love,
Angel, Mike, Alyson and Molly!!!
www.heathfam4.shutterfly.com

Summer is almost here!

Hello!
We are good here at the Heath house! Alyson is now done with preschool and we have made the decision to not enroll her next year. Not that we didn't love the preschool, but I really want to keep her home with Molly and I and do those fun activities with her-enjoy my time with her before she heads to Elementary school! I am thinking about homeschooling, but definetly have not made up my mind yet. Alyson is excited about the summer and all the fun water play to come! She is enrolled in swim class throughout the summer months every day (M-TH). And, 4th of July coming up and Molly's birthday and her birthday-fun stuff!

Molly is doing great! She is almost 10 months old now (on June 8th) and at her last doctor visit, she weighed in at 19 lbs. 9.4 oz. and was 30 1/4" tall!!!! She is off the charts for height (like 103%) which means that she will be a tall one-doctor says possibly taller than Alyson! WOW!!!! Alyson was already slotted to be about 6'1" tall! WHEW! Molly is climbing stairs now like a pro-standing a lot (but not walking yet) and she has said her first words..."HI" was the official first and "Mama" is the second. I think she's very close to saying "Dada" and "CAT"! She uses one baby sign for "more"...trying to teach her all done (and many others). I am not really nursing anymore-only 2-3 times a day if that and they are not long sessions-maybe like 5 minutes each. Once solid foods were introduced and the bottle (because she would not sleep with just my nursing, so we started supplementing with a bottle), she has lost interest in nursing pretty much. We do it in the morning first thing and then again at night and maybe in the afternoon-but usually not. She's had one little sickness a few weeks ago-got a high fever and diarrhea (like sister) and then right after, broke out in a rash which I'm pretty sure was roseola.

Mike is doing well..working a lot still. He's been home more lately only because work is slow (which isn't good for the paycheck). I am looking maybe for a part time job-doing whatever! But, I have to make it work with childcare and all of that but if I can bring in a little extra money, that would help. We had to break my retirement account-totally did not want to do that but we are struggling to make those ends meet and didn't have any other choice. It was that or file bankruptcy to get rid of this credit card debt (which we pay $600/mo on). I know in the long run, that was a dumb thing to do-but right now, it got us over our hurdle. We had no other alternative. It sucks but I know we will be o.k....just need to work work work. That's all we feel like we ever do. Work!

Mike and I went out on a date last Saturday-first in months! We had sushi and it was kind of a little celebratory dinner-for an early anniversary! 4 years next week (June 4th) and we've almost been together total for 7 years!! WOW!

I started Weight Watchers officially at the beginning of May. Have lost 4.4 lbs. so far (didn't weigh in this week-3rd weigh in-because they were closed on my day). Feel good about it and slow and steady wins the race, right?? I have about 75 lbs. to lose total, so I have a ways to go! I will get there!

Here is a link to some pictures. I've created a little site through Shutterfly now. Dropped Kodak Gallery-was having problems with their site. I hope this one works!
Love to all and happy summer!
Angel :)

http://heathfam4.shutterfly.com/

8 Months and it's SPRING!

A little update...
I'm going crazy. I think really because I can't turn my back for a second (literally) without Alyson doing something to her sister Molly. I don't want to give Alyson a bad wrap here, but out of nowhere and for no good reason, she hits her, pinches her, squeezes her, tries to pick her up and throw her to the side...this is why I'm going out of my mind.

Molly is 8 months old! She has been crawling since just before 6 months and is doing great pulling up to standing position now and balancing pretty well. She's climbed our two flights of stairs all by herself (I was behind her of course)! I couldn't believe it! She eats like you wouldn't believe! She is 18 lbs. now! I'm actually nursing less because I think she's just not getting what she needs from me now. I still nurse her probably 3-4 times a day, but she also gets solids 2-3 times a day and I'm trying a new thing for naps and night time...a bottle!!! Today it worked and i'm hoping tonight she sleeps through better than she has been.

Alyson is 3 1/2 and loves preschool-which will be over for the summer on May 20th. She can spell her name now out loud and she can write the letter A. She draws little face pictures-pretty cute actually-when she is feeling happy or sad or whatever. I ask her to draw how she's feeling when we are having difficulties. It calms her down.

Mike is working hard, as usual. I hate not having him home, but it's keeping me home and that's the sacrifice right now. At least until our debt is paid off-then he won't have to work so hard!

I was working part time, but it didn't work out so I had to quit. I am looking for a little part time job I can do at home-if anyone knows of one!

Here are a link to some new pictures-including ones from Easter! :)

Love to All!
Happy Spring!
Angel, Mike, Alyson and Molly!
http://adobe.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=hdc0iwz.83qajb23&x=0&y=-caxak3&localeid=en_US

Funny Video!

Hi! We are all doing well...here is a funny video. Love the bootie shake done by cousin Nicole! So funny! Shake it, shake it! I have another video, but too large to upload here darn it! Angel :)

Growing Growing Growing!!

Hi!

Well, we had doctor appointments today! Here's the stats!

Molly is almost 7 months weighs 17 lbs. 7 oz. and is 28 1/4" tall!! WOW!!
She is already crawling and pull up on things. She will be an early walker (I say by 10 months....anyone want to take bets?)! She babbles a lot. She's sleeping better and eats like a little piggy! She's still nursing, but also gets solids at every meal. Aunt Aimee has started making her homemade yummy food! The applesauce is SO MUCH BETTER than the canned stuff at the store...I think I need her to show me so I can make it for me and Alyson!

Alyson is 3 1/2 years old now. She weighs in at 38 lbs. and is 41 3/4" tall...the doc estimates that she might be close to 6'2" when she's an adult! WOW!!! I predict the same for Molly. She is doing very well in preschool. She now can draw circles and make faces which are so cute!

Mike is still working all the time...working hard! Although it's been a little slow so he has gotten home a little more often which we like! But that means he isn't making the money that we need to sustain this luxurious life (ha ha...that was a joke of course). :)

I started working from home for Foss Marketing Group as an assistant. The owner, Erik, is my good friend Nichole's hubby. I'm learning all about the internet marketing world and google ad campaigns and such...it's pretty cool! I like it!

Here is a link to pictures over the past couple of months since Christmas. Some are from a field trip, another when Mike and I went out with my mom for a Crab Feed night, a couple from Sierra's 5th birthday party and then some random ones at Aimee's or my house.

Happy March! Can't wait for summer and swimming and Molly to be walking!

Love to all,
Angel, Mike, Alyson and Molly
http://adobe.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=hdc0iwz.9fohbv8r&x=0&y=wx3gpq&localeid=en_US

What a Month!

Hello!

Well..I quit my job at the bank! WOOHOO!! Very excited about this new chapter in my life, but am quickly realizing that I need help. Not every day, but when things get challenging and I am exhausted, I need help and unfortunately because daddy is gone so much for work (Sunday-Friday night straight) I don't have any help. Sucks for me, huh? I know other people have it worse and blah blah blah...I get that. But it still doesn't lessen my feelings and sometimes I really think I'm going crazy when Molly cries all day long because she's teething or growing pains...whatever. I reach a point and just can't take it any longer-but I have to. That's the thing. Most people would have someone to take over-usually it's a husband, or a grandmother...I don't have anyone like that to be able to say, at a given time, hey-need you to come over and take over for an hour because i'm losing my mind. No-I just have to lose my mind and try to keep it together and after one month of that-I'm exhausted. So, how am I going to do it continuously? Have no idea. I'm just venting now because I need to because at this moment, I have a quiet house for a few minutes-both kids fell asleep in the car and they are now sleeping (one on the couch, the other in the car seat still) in the living room and I am trying to enjoy it while I have it. I'm stressed...then I get stressed about being stressed and then I get angry that I'm alone and then I get depressed that my mom and dad are not here to help me...then I feel guilty because I know that there are other people, single moms and such, that have it way worse than me. So, all kinds of ups and downs for me EVERY DAY. And, I don't get a break. And when Mike is home on his one day off a week and I could take a break, I feel bad about leaving because I never get time with him-so the one day I get to see him-I leave because I need it. AHHH!! I just cannot wait until our credit debt is paid OFF and he can go back to his normal schedule and come home every day or so. I know the light is at the end of the tunnel...and we just have to go through this tunnel for another 2 years-but to me, it's a LONG TUNNEL!! Then I think-maybe I shouldn't have left my job-but then all the money would be going to daycare for the two kids and I'd really never get to see them. So, it's a crapshoot isn't it? Why can't we win the lottery or something? Wouldn't that be nice.

Anyway-enough. Alyson is doing great...loves preschool. We did her valentines for her class (no candy) and just found out that we shouldn't put the names on the cards....didn't know that and already did it. Too bad-don't sweat the small stuff, right?

Molly is o.k....she's not letting me sleep very good these days and that's a huge part of my struggles right now. I really think that I need a good 6-7 hours of straight sleep to function well by myself with the two girls. But, I don't get that so then I"m grumpy. She is sitting up now pretty good and she gets around the room by herself...kind of scooting rather than crawling. She's starting to move her hand forward to crawl and then move her opposite knee forward but then she falls down. So, I predict by the end of February, she'll be crawling. She's 5 1/2 months now. SHe babbles a lot and loves pears and apples. She doesn't like diaper changes (wiggle worm) and she's a pick pocket...she tries to get a hold of anything and everything!!!!

Love,
Angel
"Stressed out Mama"