Levi is 6 Months Old

Last Friday I took Levi to his 6 months appointment. He got 4 shots and was not happy about that. He's 15lbs, 22" (15% in both areas) and a big head coming in at 65%. He's a little guy, still wearing 6 month clothes.

We found out he has Plagiocephaly. His little noggin is misshaped therefore making his ears uneven. Its not that bad right now but we were referred to a plastic surgeon (which we saw Tuesday) and he thinks a cranial helmet will fix this in 3-4 short months. We are waiting to hear back from our insurance to see if they will cover. Dr. said chances are they will NOT cover it (considered to be a cosmetic fix) and we are looking at 3-4k for the helmet and treatment. He said that we could do without the helmet and HOPE that his head corrects as he gets older but it could also get worse. I don't want to take those chances. I want to get it over with now and move on. I was very upset about this (even though I knew his head had a flat spot, I was just in denial) and I've cried my tears, but I know that things will be okay. He's small and wont remember. I just get my feelings hurt easy when it comes to my kids. Looking at these pictures now, I can tell how bad it is. In person he's moving so much you don't notice AS bad. my poor guy. Prayers that the helmet works, and works fast will definitely be appreciated!! Oh, I forgot to mention. this is not painful to him, it is not affecting his brain in anyway, and the "fix" will not be painful either. They are hopeful that it will not get any worse and no surgery will be needed. Thank you God!

We are taking 6 month pictures with the wonderful Amanda Adams with Day-Z Photography on Saturday, and I'm thrilled!! I can't wait to see what she comes up with. She's nearly 33 weeks pregnant and still working hard...she's super woman! 

Duck Pond

Saturday we took Cori (and sleeping Levi) to a local, Beautiful, cemetery that has a very pretty pond.    As a kid my mom would take us there to feed the ducks. Cori loved it and I had a fun time watching her do exactly what I did as a child. It also gave me an excuse to use my camera. I shot in manual and, Holly, I feel like I suck at it too. I also have NO clue how to edit photos in PSE yet....I'm going to miss Picnik.....a.lot.

**Side note: One of James' best friends, Elisha, is here as well. He was killed in a car accident in 2007. We miss him so much. After we fed the ducks we searched and found his headstone and sat around and talked for a few minutes (James and I talked, to each other) We could not believe it has been 4 years already. He was SUCH a loving person and cared about his family & friends so much. I still feel sad that shortly after the accident I found out I was pregnant with Cori and he never got to meet our babies. I know he would have loved them & been a great addition to their lives!!!

Cori got a Big Girl Room!

When I found out we were pregnant with Levi I knew that I wanted him to have the same great nursery that Cori had . You always hear that the 2nd baby less than the first and I didn't want that to be the case. Because we could not afford to do two rooms at the same time I decided that Levi would get the cute room. Cori was already sleeping in her crib with no rail so it was time for a toddler bed. She kinda got moved into the playroom. We added her bed, a bookshelf with a TV and a table for coloring. But the walls were never painted, nothing was hung on the walls, and I never bought bedding for her. She didn't care, but I felt bad. Levi's room turned out adorable though!! 

I decided that it was time to get my little girl fixed up. Her room (especially when messy with toys) looked like a play room with a bed thrown in there. Her closet was filled with our crap that we have no place for so she didn't use it. I'm pretty sure she never realized there was anything behind those doors until I opened them for the first time in over 2 years. YIKES. We need more storage space.

I looked and looked and went back and forth with different decor ideas and finally found what I wanted at Pottery Barn Kids. {My new favorite store} Her bed and dresser came from Ashley Furniture, and we only bought two pieces b/c I couldn't get rid of the bookshelf she had in there....my daddy made it for me when I was little. Also, the butterflies on the wall had to stay because my Memaw bought those for Cori before she was even born and now that she's looking down from Heaven, I knew she'd like to see them in her new room. So the bedding and stuff had to go along with that. I am SO pleased with how her room turned out. There are still a few finishing touches I need to complete: curtains, paint book shelf, get rug cleaned ect. but I couldn't wait to show it off.

These pictures are deceiving. They were taken AFTER I cleaned out the closet and organized most of her toys in there with tubs, toy boxes, and baskets! The wall that looks empty by the pink chair in the corner was stacked with toys!! She had a huge toy box shelf thing, that is now in the closet and two boxes full of babies & barbies. These before pictures don't really do good BEFORE justice. Anyway, these are BEFORE pictures:

   

I am BROKE now, but so happy with her new room, and she is MORE than thrilled! She knew she was getting new furniture, but I didn't show her exactly what and she knew nothing else about the room as far as bedding, paint or decor! My mom picked her up from school so I could finish getting it together after they delivered the furniture and she was SO happy when she came home!

These pics were taken from my iphone so the color is bad but you get the idea ;)

Coupons!!

I tried my hand at couponing today. I'm do not have time to do this in a huge way, but little savings here and there are better than nothing...right? I'm a bad momma and forgot diapers for Levi this morning so the daycare called me. I had to go get him some and take them up to him on his lunch break. (I gotta brag real quick.....my son will be 6 months old next week and this was the FIRST time I had to purchase diapers.....and I wouldn't have had to except the diaper stock is at home and I was at work. My mom started stocking up the day she found out I was pregnant. I was hoping to go the whole first year. Maybe I wont count this tiny $11 pack that I bought) I used this time to try a few coupons on things that I knew were already on sale at Walgreens. Here is how it went:

Listerine.
Reg. $6.49 each.
On Sale $3.99
$1 coupon attached to bottle (BONUS!)
$1 printed coupon
$.50 Sunday Coupon
Total price $1.49

Reach Toothbrushes (I bought 2)
Reg. $4.49 each.
On Sale $2.99
$2 printed coupon
Total Price $ .99 each

Clean and Clear Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub
Reg. $6.49
On Sale $4.99
$1 printed coupon
$2 Sunday Coupon
Total Price $1.99

Enfamil Formula
Reg. Price $24.99
$10 printed coupon
Total Price $14.99

Total Savings $24.50

I'm excited. These are things I use and buy anyway. I will not become a crazy shopper that clears stock of stuff that they have no use for or already have 15 at home stored in the garage. That is just nuts. The ONLY way I would be nutty like that is if I donated anything extra that I would not be using. Like I said, with 2 kids and a full time job I don't have time for binders and hours of coupon cutting but in the future I will search for a coupon for things I'm headed to the store for and I usually do not pay full price for anything, except those stupid diapers mentioned above!

2012 Goals

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I HOPE 2012 IS AS GOOD AS 2011 WAS.
{I still can not believe that another year has come and gone!!!}

I will post pictures of Christmas/New Years soon.

Here are a few of my Goals for 2012
{I like how Holly calls them goals, rather than resolutions!}

• Get and Stay organized at home and work - I'm usually pretty good at this anyway, but with 2 kids and a small house, this gets away from me sometimes. 
• Be a better wife. 
• Cook more often, and healthier
• Start and Finish DIY projects around the house. Pinterest has me hooked......this also goes along with being more organized. I have some closet projects in mind! 
• Become Debt Free - this doesn't count my car note, or mortgage. I am SO CLOSE that I can taste it but over Christmas that {stupid} credit card got used more than I would have liked. It's okay. I've created my 2012 weekly/monthly budget and it will be paid off in no time. I want it to stay that way. 
• Stick to the budget I created, mentioned above. 
• Exercise regularly. I always say I want to lose weight, and it's something I struggle with. I REALLY hope to get in a good routine......this is probably my hardest "Goal" to achieve. I do have an incentive to lose weight. Now that I am done mostly likely done having babies, there are 2 perky "updates" I have in mind and I can't wait!!! One of the stipulations holding me back is I need to meet my goal weight. I think I can, I think I can.
• Be a more involved mommy. I work full time and I'm tired {especially since my adorable little man won't sleep all night.....} I want to spend more time on the floor with them, coloring, reading, or playing "Barbie Dogs" with Cori. Rolling over, drooling & kicking with Levi. 
• Say "I Love You" more, to everyone I love. 
• SPEND LESS MONEY. I'm spoiled, always have been. I pride myself in making my own money to do whatever I want and get whatever I want, but there has to be a stopping point. Last year I started saving money and it feels great to log on to Wells Fargo and see my savings account have a healthy balance. Its actually more fun to save than it is to spend....weird?? Saving money is a huge part of my budget I created....
• I know I just said spend less in my previous goal....but in 2012 James and I will hopefully purchase property for our dream home. We went at least an acre (two would be nice) in a nice area and that will pricey. Paying it off before we build is the route we want to take. The sooner we purchase, the more we save and the quicker we pay it off, the sooner my dream home will become a reality. I dream about it at night. Can.Not.Wait.
• Be sweeter. To everyone, even myself. 
• Use less sarcasm. I am so sarcastic and I love sarcastic people but some people don't get it and definitely do not like it. I give bad impressions of myself sometimes. I want to change that. I want people to know that I am SO caring and loving and truly feel hurt when other people are hurting. I think I come across as selfish and uncaring sometimes....that is totally not me. 
• Drink less. {I do not have a problem lol, I just like to have a good time} This goes back to being more healthy and saving money. I have gotten into a bad habit of every-time we eat out, I order a drink or two. It's wasteful. More Water and less Margaritas :) I will probably not give up beer on the late night 4wheeler rides though. Something about the woods, 4wheelers, mud, and loud country music make me want beer. I love being a country girl at heart.  
• Wear less black. 
• Use better language. (This is a BIG one....I have a horrible mouth)
• Continue making lists upon lists on my iphone of things that need to get done and deleting them as they are complete. I think I may have a bit of OCD with my list making. I enjoy it. It's a hobby. I even try to push 'list making' on everyone else. Its sick. Thank god apple for the note pad on my phone. It is MUCH better than a handwritten notepad in my purse, or a bazillion (yes that is a number in Casey world) sticky notes stuck all over my desk and computer monitor at work. 
• Check my goal list often to make sure that I am keeping on track.
• Laugh More
• Love More