Yeah for Chloe!!

Well Chloe has grown up so fast. She started army crawling right after she turned 6 months old and only a month later she was pilling herself up to everything and cruising (walking with support). Well we weaned at 6 months and at 7 months she was eating table food. We've been seriously pushing the crawling thing and the baby food. Well we finally have success, yesterday she ate regular baby food and she also started crawling (the table position, on all fours and off the ground). I've been told and have read that the crawling is so important for their drain development and also even to prevent ADHD. I'm a very hyper person and I know my kids will also be hyper but I refuse to put them on drugs so any natural method to taming the hyper thing is a good thing. Well I don't have a good reason to push the baby food thing except she actually gets food down her when she lets us help her. She still loves her self feeding food but I'm just glad she'll take sweet potatoes, yogurt and bananas through a spoon.

When she is able to actually feed herself (which probably won't happen until she is 1) we'll be more than happy to give her the option to feed herself. I know self feeding is a messy business but I want the kids to be independent. Speaking of independence, the other day while I was shopping at my favorite thrift store the store manager noticed that I've gotten better at juggling the two kids and that Chloe was very independent. And it wasn't until she said that when you have a baby that grows up to fast it makes room for another baby. Well I already miss some of the baby things she used to do. Like sleep all the time (wait a second she didn't ever sleep all the time, well she did sleep more), I love cuddling and holding a sleeping baby (it's too bad that my arms and hands don't love it as much as I do, that darn carpel tunnel thing), I love nursing (I swear this next baby is going to nurse the full year if I have any say in the matter, I know I don't and I have to do what’s best for baby), and while I'm reminiscing baby moments I'd like to say I love being pregnant. I miss feeling the baby move, eating anything and everything for the baby, and I've never gotten sick while I'm pregnant (just another blessing from the Lord for fulfilling my calling as a mother). Well I can't be pregnant right now (I have a surgery to think about) but when the time is right the Lord will bless our lives with another one if his precious children.

By the way I just remembered the surgery, not sure if I've told many people about it but I want my kids to understand my thoughts and feelings going into it. I'm scared silly of anything bad happening, but I know I just need to remember that I'm on the Lord side and he's watching over me and then I feel much better. I'm not looking forward to the recovering part (6 long weeks) or the not being able to eat anything for 6 weeks. I know that this is the best options for me and that doing this now rather than later is preferable. Well to fill in any of the details that might be in your head. I've been wearing braces for the past 15 months and now its time for phase 2 of the plan, surgery. The (world renown) surgeon will cut my jaw into pieces and screw it all back together. I'll only be in the Hospital one day and I'll stay will my mom for the first week. I know Sariah is going to love being around all her cousins. After the surgeon sees that I've fully healed and recovered I'll go back to my orthodontist. He'll make minor adjustments and straighten my 6 and 11 teeth (those are the canines) and then I'll be free to floss like a normal person and eat anything I want (I've been craving some popcorn ). Now besides all the pain, I think it will be worth it. I hope to help if not stop all together the popping and locking of my jaw completely. I also am going to hopefully enjoy being able to eat things I haven't been able to eat all my life. I sure wish this meant I'd also not be as picky and like more foods but I think that’s mostly all in my head and maybe tongue. We'll just have to wait and see. They say it won't be as bad as having my wisdom teeth out so we'll have to wait and see on that one too.

I'll be gone most of the week next week and while I'm gone I'll see the surgeon ask questions and talk about anything I may still have concerns about, like how I'll look afterwards. I'll also start filling out insurance paperwork and making any other arrangements. Wow that's a lot but it feels great to get it off my chest. I don't think the kids will remember and I've tried to explain to them that I'll go away but their Grammy and aunts and cousins will be there and I'll be coming back. I don't think I can explain to Chloe what this is going to be like or that everything is going to be fine. I'm just praying she doesn't cry the entire time I'm gone. She's got stranger danger bad, which means I don't leave her for any reason. I think the actual surgery will be fairly short and Chloe can come to the Hospital, that'll be one of the questions for the surgeon/hospital staff. I'll be staying with my Mom for the week before to hopefully get the kids comfortable with everybody. I'm so glad (even though she isn't for it) my mom has been more than willing to watch the kids and let me crash at her place for the week before and after surgery. I know she doesn't want to see me in pain, but I hope it means I will be able to use my jaw in the future. Well I didn't post today to think about the upcoming surgery but it kind of just went that way. Well as a final word I just want to say I love my kids and hope I am helping them become all that they can be. Well more updates and photos next week, so until next time.