Smart Mommies

Yes, I believe smart mommies consign, resell, bargain shop, garage sale shop, and participate in marketplace toy swaps where you can get great things for your kids at lower prices.  After shopping at the Indy Kids Consignment Sale for the past three years, I decided I had enough great clothes to actually be a consignor in the IKC Sale this Sept 13-15.  My experience so far has been positive... Well, with the exception of the lady who made me feel like a put her out bc I arrived EARLY for my drop off appointment. (Really?! I'm pretty sure I've only been early once or twice in the past decade. My mere 60 items took no time compared to those that come unloading 100s of items.... She must have been having a rough morning, right?!). Back to my point, I have enjoyed my volunteer hours, and I will really ennjoy them when I shop early at the Presale!  But even for those who aren't shopping the Presale, this Consignment sale is one of the bests in Hamilton Co.  It is organized, up to date, clean/stain free, full of essential baby needs, equipment, toys gaore, and even furniture.  They are PICKY, which is ideal for shoppers.  You dont want to rummage through stuff that looks like it was purchased eons of years ago and you definitely don't want to buy something with stains.  The staff and volunteers make sure to collect quality in-season items.  Did I mention that it's one of those places where you will run into at least two people you know?  While volunteering, I met some great people.   Another bonus about the IKC Sale is that they have a fall and spring sale!  I'm sure my hubby will be so excited when I tell him I'm doing it again this Spring... Hehehe.  He wasn't a fan of my "work area" that I set up in our family room to prepare for the sale, but even he says it will be worth it if I make money and get to shop for cute clothes for my kids at smart prices.http://www.indykidssale.com/index.html

Tribute to Jones

After putting the kids down for a nap, I obviously have a million things on the list to do, but taking a moment to journal about my first baby, my four legged friend, is a must. Because our days with him are numbered. Jones is getting a new home. **tears** Yes, it's been forever since I've blogged. I don't have tome for it anymore... But I will make time to write about Jones Franklin as a thanks to him for being all we could have ever asked for... So here it goes. Typos will be fixed when I have more time! ------------ The story of Jones: Jeff and I were dating and loved puppies.  We started stopping by pet stores every chance we got.  One Sunday morning after church, we decided it would be fun to once again go see all the cute pups at the Castleton Mall pet store where one of my friends worked.  The store was as busy as could be, as usual in those days.  This was a few years before puppy mills became known and before this pet store closed (yes, we realize our little guy was definitely a product of puppy mills, sad... But at least he has had a good life post puppy mill days)!  Jeff had always liked pugs, but I thought they snored too much (a friend I'd grown up with had one).  I had heard about this new designer type of puppy that was the new hot thing- a puggle- a mix bn a pug and beagle.  I became obsessed with their cute faces!  When we walked up to the store that day, they had a litter of brand new puggles in the bin by the window!  We couldn't believe it and fell in love at once!  We scurried to find a sales rep available that could get a couple out for us to play with. She handed us a boy puggle and as we walked back to a play room, we passed another young couple leaving a play room holding two puggles from the same litter.  They saw us and said, "You have to take this one in, he is a LOVER.  But we already have a one year old puggle at home and he doesn't look a thing like him!". And that is how we found Jones Franklin.  Yes, he was definitely the most different looking puggle from the rest of his brothers and sisters....by. Far he was the cutest bc he had the most precious pug like scrunched up face and he was way less hyper and more snuggly than the others in his litter.  The brother we took to play with kept nipping our toes and jumping all around the room playing while Jones just snuggled up in our arms and seemed too timid to play just yet.  We fell in love with this one and immediately decided to make the plunge and get our first dog together, even tho ugh we weren't even engaged or living together yet!  Jeff paid for him, a big $400 which was a lot at that time!  He also bought a crate(that we tried various attempts at but just didn't work with Jones' people loving personality).  I'll never forget all the "oohs and ahhs" we got from strangers as we carried him out of the mall that day. He was definitely a little anxious in his first days adjusting to his new home.  I remember having to talk calm and sweet to him when he would shake if he wasn't being held.  He was truly a newborn.  We encouraged him to eat by using honey on our fingers.  Sleeping alone in his crate?!  Yeah right.... The sad moans and cries tore us up.  So up in our bed he snuggled.  He was used to curling up with his mommy and brothers and sisters, so it only made sense.  Well, when he got a little older, we decided a dog bed on the floor of our room next to ours was the best place for him at night, and he has been doing tht ever since.   Jones is one of those dogs that never knows a stranger, he'd love on anybody.  We used to say that a burgeler could come in our house and Jones would kiss, lick, and live all over him.  It is just his nature.  So sweet.   When I was 8 months pregnant in Aug. '09, Jones had a bad bout with some allergies (usually show up in the late summer/early fall months).  I was also bed rest with high blood pressure with our first child, and we had nurses that came to run tests on me and baby every day of the week.  We figured Jones could sense the stress and that it exasperated his allergies.  The shampoo and allergy food wasn't working, so we started using a small dose of benadryl.  It only gave partial relief, poor guy.  Then after begging on the couch with me for five straight weeks, I left him for a full six nights to go have my baby.  It was hard on all of us, as the delivery and our sons NICU stay prolpnged the happy moments of getting to bring baby home.  When we finallly came home for good, life with our very colicky newborn was stressful.  I felt so sorry for Jones having to hear the constant wailing of our little Will.  Jones is the type of dog that stays close by if you let him out to potty, but during this time, he began wandering the neighborhood!  I didn't blame the poor guy, he needed a break from all the crying and some fresh air (and smells) always does a dogs heart good.  :). He never ran away, we would just have to go looking for him a couple times.  And we'd always find him hanging out on the other side of our neighbors house sniffing away or playing on the front porch looking in at the barking dogs inside of a window.  So, we had to start leasing him for potty breaks! Life got a lot happier and easier as Will grew up, and Jones allergies went away that winter, thank goodness. Fortunately, we were able to move to a larger house with a big yard in July of '10.  We said goodbye to our first home and jones did so well with the move!  He loved the new smells outside and all the room to roam.  I was pregnant again (by major surprise), and I couldn't handle not trusting Jones to stay close by on potty breaks without being leashed.  We broke down and got a electric fence and Jones adjusted very well to it.  This pregnancy was much smoother, and Jones handled new baby Evy like a champ. My sons allergies kept getting worse, and we tried various different antihistamines, but we always saw negative side effects.  Will lived with a congested nose for about six months before we found something that worked.  But then we realized that this particular medicine (of which he was on a super high dose in order to see relief) just wasn't sitting well with his system.  Taking will off the medicine helped ease the negative side effects, but the constant runny nose, sneezing, and itching never stopped.  When Will started asking that Jones stay out of the playroom and asking for him to go away, we started to wonder.  Wills allergy test for dog came back positive a month or two ago, so we knew it was time to do what was right for both Will and Jones.  And it wasn't fair for Jones to hear Will be so negative toward him.  When Our littlest one, Evy, was tested forfood allergies, we also had them test dog just in case. She tested positive to dog also, but she LOVES Jones and doesn't seem to have any sinus issues with him (yet).   Bottom line, we love Jones and know he deserves only the best.  He needs more personal attention than we are able to give him.  He needs more short walks than time allows us to give him, and he needs a home where people aren't allergic to him. And Will needs us to do this, for him and his health. Shoot, I always called Jones my first baby.  We even took him to sit on Santas lap one year, for goodness sakes.  He was on all of our Christmas cards until 2011.  He's downright the most loyal and sweet dog, kid/people/dog loving and all, that anyone could ask for. At our garage sale a few months ago, everyone loved him.  When I randomly heard that there was someone looking for an older dog who saw his pictures and heard his story, I knew it was meant to be.  Jeff is having an even tougher time with this than I am.  We both hate being in this situation, but know we need to do what is best for all of us, including Jones.  Oh, we will miss him so. Story to be continued...  

10 months now!

At ten months old, Evy is an avid crawler and cruiser (walking while holding onto objects), she loves to pull up on furniture, cabinets, and people (big brother does not enjoy being an object to be pulled up on though:).  Evy's favorite finger food is cooked carrot slices.  She is a momma's girl, says bye-bye, da-da, and ma-ma.  And...she has EIGHT teeth.  We are a little fearful that she is in a hurry to grow up on us!  Evy looks up to Will & has so much fun with him, and the two are really enjoying each other...most of the time!  :) 

My cutie pie

She is getting so big too quick!

Here's how big/or small Evy was at her nine month check up that she passed with flying colors this morning:

Length:  79th percentile at 28.6 in

Weight:  9th percentile at 16 lbs 10 oz

Head:  15th percentile

Evy loves feeding herself real people food.  Here she is eating green beans and a graham cracker.

Crawling around everywhere is her new hobby.  If mommy leaves the room, she loves that she now has the ability to follow me. :)  Now, I have two shadows!

I usually find Evy sitting up playing and talking to herself after nap times and in the morning.  You can see Will's hands on the side of the crib...He loves going in to get her with me!

we got a crawler!

 Hard to believe she is 9 months!  Here are her 9 month chair pics. 

CLICK "GROWING SO FAST" and scroll down to see the new 8 month picture I just uploaded from a month ago. :)

some more flattering pictures:)

My second allergic child... A very scary night for all.

We rushed Evy to the closest ER on Friday night when her lips started to show a small blister that very quickly proceeded to swell into this not so attractive look.  Her whole is swollen below.  Only three weeks ago, Evy had an episode of eye swelling, itching, and rash following a nursing session after mom had eaten several peanut butter chocolate treats.  The most recent reaction below was much more drastic and frightening.  We are in the process of scheduling an appointment with my son's allergist/pulmonologist, Dr. Leickly, to help narrow down a cause if she is even old enough to allergy test. 

Thank you for your prayers!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Will (2 years and 3 months)

 Evalyn (8.5 months)