The story of us...The Watts Family...and regular updates for those who are following...

3.22.2009

We're Waiting for Spring....

SLEEP is a precious commodity aroud our house...
But PLAYTIME is precious, also!!

This ornery stinker!! She is smiling ever-so-slyly for me, but at least she is smiling. LOVE THAT BEAUTIFUL, GUMMY SMILE!

Oh boy, I can't wait for warmer weather. Yes, I know it has been warm outside recently, but it just isn't dependable enough, you know? Like, one day it's beauuuuutiful and the next day it's 40 degrees! I am SO over winter...never liked it in the first place, but anyway...All the back-and-forth temperatures have made Todd sick. He's been sick for about a month and it's sad!! I'm really worried about him, but so far Molly and I have escaped the worst of it.


On a different note, this little turkey is almost 5 months old (she'll be 5 months exactly on April 6th) and her sleeping habits have gone out the window. Routine? Around here, lately, we are asking WHAT'S THAT?? She has no specific routine lately. The little turkey sleeps about 2 hours a day, AGAIN, and it's bringin' me down, fast and hard!!! I read in Baby 411 that around 4 months of age a baby's sleeping habits change tremendously, so I hope that is all this is. Molly wakes up around 6:30 each morning and I try EVERYTHING to get her to sleep until at least 7:30 or 8:00...I put the passy back in her mouth. I re-swaddle her from where she's worked those little arms of hers out of the swaddle during the night...I un-swaddle her....stuff passy back in her mouth. She flips. She rolls. She tosses and turns, OBVIOUSLY ready to get up. UGH!!! Last night she did not go to sleep until almost 10:30 and it was CRAZY when Todd tried to get her to sleep. Finally, he just had to lay her down and let her work it out herself. LOL...and she did!! She RARELY naps any more, although she is asleep right now...I had to sneak in this blog because I don't know how long she will actually STAY asleep. Lately, it's as if I am on pins and needles between allll the stuff to do around the house plus look after animals plus work, etc. Oh well. I know I should cherish this time while she is little, and I truly DO cherish it. It's just hard. Many evenings I can't even work until Todd gets home and takes his shower and gets ready to "take over" for his shift! LOL....

3.18.2009

Molly the Pretty Flower

Molly, sportin' some baby bling. Is she happy about it? I can't be sure...I had just put her into her car seat and she HATES her car seat, so I can't be sure if she wanted to smile at me or not....
Here is a HALF SMILE for you...in typical Molly fashion! A look on her face as if to say, "Is THIS all there is?!" LOL. She makes the funniest faces!

Molly and I hadn't been out of the house since Saturday, and today I had to go to Bartlesville to have some blood work done. We ended up going to the lab, the bread store, Wal-Mart, the meat market, and out for lunch. We must have worn her out because she slept from 6:00 to 8:45 this evening!

Before Todd got her to sleep, I had her on the floor on her blanket. She managed to roll from her back to her tummy for the second time EVER! I was so proud! She is *SUCH* a strong little girl! It cracks me up the way she almost WANTS very badly to stand on her own 2 legs already, even at just 4 months old. Put your thumbs in her fists and she pulls herself up, no head lag whatsoever. She pulls herself to standing position and tries to "scoot" and crawl when she is on her tum-tum.

Molly Piper, my pretty little flower and SUCH a delight to know that I am this glorious baby's mommy. I feel so blessed, so rich, even! God is so good!
Until tomorrow,
Liz and Molly and, well, when he's not watching baseball, Todd Watts...LOL


3.17.2009

All Dressed Up...







First Bites

On Sunday, Molly got her first "taste" of rice cereal from a spoon. She was NOT a fan! LOL. Seriously, she cried. Monday was better. Tuesday, we didn't even try! Wednesday, hopefully, we will have some progress! Check it!!!!


We are Blessed!

Molly's jammies say "Daddy's Lucky Charm" but really, we're not lucky...we are BLESSED!!! :) Molly Piper's first St. Patrick's Day--March 17, 2009...such a SWEET, SMART, healthy and beautiful baby girl... :)

Look, Uncle B! I can hold my own BaBa already!




Peanut, our OTHER baby...he is almost 11 years old and SO NEEDY!!


Molly Piper, 4 months, holding her own bottle! WOW!!!



Upside down, boy you turn me inside out....round and round...upside down....boy you turn me inside out...round and round! Check the OSU bow her daddy bought for her!!!!!

HELLO to S.O.S!!!!

Hi, Uncle B!!! Oh, and Kiss my Butt, OU, even though my mommy told me NOT to say that!! What can I say? I love OSU just like Uncle B and my daddy!!!!!!
This bug ain't ruining MY mood!!!! GO OSU! Especially for Uncle B!




3.13.2009

Sugar Boogie, Ready to Go!

Yes, we have all kinds of nicknames for Molly Piper. She is just TOO CUTE; how can we NOT?! Well, Molly and I hadn't been out of the house since Tuesday for her 4-month checkup, so today Todd took us out to eat and shopping in Joplin! I was so excited! I got Molly all dressed and I even sat in the back with her (as I often do) allll the way there and alllll the way home! We had a great time! Todd went to a birthday party tonight in Tulsa and Molly and I are home by ourselves.... We had playtime when we got home and then I gave Molly her bottle, bathed and massaged her. I then swaddled her and lulled her to sleep. She is sleeping on her side on the couch now and I have been getting some work done! YAY for both of us! Molly's been SO resistant to sleep these last few days; I don't know if she's bored silly or teething or what the heck, but she will not sleep worth a darn except for at night! With Todd gone, I haven't been able to get a whole lot done but I did manage to unload the dishwasher and then load it back up. I'm gonna do a little more work and then we're gonna hit the hay! For now, here are a few pictures I took today!

3.12.2009

BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL

I just snapped a few pitctures of Molly sleeping on the couch. She stirred for a minute, and I tried to put her passy in her mouth but she just spat it back at me. The little turkey lips managed to work her arms out of her swaddler, which I never really LIKE to see...as she sleeps SO MUCH better when she is in a tight swaddle and feels most secure. In the mornings, around 5 or 6 AM, I will loosen her wrap so she can work her arms out if she so pleases, but doing it before then ensures an earlllly morning for me. Going to bed so late, this is not a good thing for me so I am kind of dazed in the mornings when I wake up with Molly. On the mornings when Todd's at home, he will get her up with him but he has to work tomorrow so I am HOPING and PRAYING that she sleeps until, oh, about 8:00 or 8:30.
I just snapped these pictures....aren't they simply adorable?

All About Nowata

It's my time of day, what can I say? I have ALWAYS been a night owl. The only exception? When I was pregnant I went to bed REALLY early and woke up around 3:00 or 3:30 every single night for a realllly long time!! But now?? Fuggetaboutit!! LOL. Molly is asleep; Todd is asleep (he has to work tomorrow or else he'd still be up hanging out with me!), and I am getting ready to finish up a scrapbooking project. BUT....



I just Googled Nowata, Oklahoma and this is what came up:



Geography
Nowata is located at 36°41′43″N 95°38′15″W / 36.69528°N 95.6375°W / 36.69528; -95.6375 (36.695409, -95.637546)[4].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8.0 km²), all of it land.

[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 3,971 people, 1,622 households, and 1,026 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,280.5 people per square mile (494.6/km²). There were 1,853 housing units at an average density of 597.5/sq mi (230.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.08% White, 4.66% African American, 16.02% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.38% from other races, and 8.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population.
There were 1,622 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,835, and the median income for a family was $31,836. Males had a median income of $26,556 versus $18,989 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,633. About 11.6% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.0% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Population
Nowata has had many famous visitors and residents,such as Teddy Roosevelt, Will Rogers, Tom Mix and J.Paul Getty. In addition, many outlaws roamed Nowata's streets, including the James Gang, Dalton Gang, Bill Doolin, Henry Starr and Cherokee Bill.

[edit] Nowata filmography
Nowata was the setting for the 1998 movie Possums (movie). In the movie a man played by Mac Davis tries to bring back the town's cancelled high school football program. Scenes were filmed in town and guest starred Barry Switzer and many locals.

[edit] History
Nowata served as a train-stop of Native Americans from the East being resettled by the government. The Delaware tribesmen who passed through named it "nuwita," meaning "friendly" or "welcome." In Cherokee, the town is called ᎠᎹᏗᎧᏂᎬᎬ (A-ma-di-ka-ni-gunh-gunh, roughly), which means "Water is all gone," translating what it sounded like the word meant: No Water.[5]



I was actually SURPRISED that there are less than 4,000 living in Nowata at this time! We do NOT shop here but anytime we veture out anywhere in Nowata, I rarely see familiar faces. Prices too high? Groceries beyond their date of expiration? Yep, these reasons would be why we buy our groceries out of town, yes indeedy!



Anywhoo, this is my daughter's blog and my goal is to document how her town is while she is "itty bitty", you know, for later, like for when she has children, etc. (By the way, I don't EVEN want to think about how old Todd and I will be when THAT happens! LOL). Anyway.



I was actually in the Possums movie. Yes, that's right. At one time, I was in a movie! How else can I put it? It was such an exciting summer! Most of the filming took place during the balmy, hot summer nights that year, I remember. The football field lights shone with excitement and the promise that Nowata could actually be more than just a "ghost town" and I longed to be a part of it. I got my chance, and was in the movie! We have that movie, and I love watching it! Not because I am in it, of course, but because there are good values conveyed: No cursing; good sportsmanship, and ultimately, HOPE!!! It's surprisingly well-written and there are a few big names in the feature presentation....


...It's SO hard to believe that was, oh, about 13 years ago almost that the movie was filmed here in our small town. The main setting was filmed in my Grandpa Reed's home. Still, I hope some day Molly will watch it and be proud that her mommy was actually included in a Hollywood presentation. YAY for Molly's Mom!! :)

Exciting Things Ahead for Us!

I am still in utter disbelief that Our Molly is 4 months old and weighs 15.9 and is 25 inches long! I look at her and all that goes through my mind is..."What?? How?!" and I kiss her 41.5-centimeter head and think, "Wow, you're growing but you're also so SMALL!" Every day, she simply amazes me. Daily, I am more and more and even more proud to be her mommy. I'm growing more confident, as is Todd, and I guess that's what it's all about: getting "in sync" with each other, learning a baby's personality and how to deal with said personality! Here at home, Molly has been good. Sometimes she is very demanding of our attention; I believe she gets bored easily!

Last night, Todd gave Molly his first bath by himself. I just HAD to get pictures! Todd was nervous, but Molly was just chillin'!!! She would smile and coo and it looks to me as if the expression on her face is, "Chill out, dad! You're doing a great job!" :)

Today, I took a few pictures of Miss Molly Piper while we were still in our jammies! Yeah, since I work at home, I have that luxury. I have to admit, sometimes I miss dressing and getting ready for a day filled with hitting goals and whatnot, but I ALSO must admit that I truly enjoy being here at home with Molly. It's great to get to see her do all the things that I've always dreamed about my child doing: rolling over, sitting, learning to hold her bottle, etc. I really am very blessed to be here at home with her, even if I AM very poor! LOL. That big, gummy smile makes it totally worthwhile, though, BELIEVE ME!! My heart melts and I just kiss her chubby wubby cheekie weekies! LOL.
Molly LOVES Miss Turtle!! She puts the different-colored feet in her mouth and the turtle makes crinkle sounds! She wears Miss Turtle like a bracelet, already! It's so cute to watch her chow down on Miss Turtle's feet! LOL....
xooxx
liz

3.10.2009

Molly Visits Dr. Doyle...

Molly's 4-month well child check happened this morning. WOW, Molly has grown!

Her Stats:

Weight: 15.9 (at the 90th percentile)
Height: 25 inches! WOW! (at the 75th percentile)
Head Circumference: 41.5 centimeters (at the 70th percentile)

Dr. Doyle was pleased with how well Molly is doing! She's hit all of her normal milestones at this point, and bears weight like a champ! Dr. D seemed impressed with how well she holds her chest and neck up when she is on her tummy, how she looks around and back and forth from side to side!

Bless her baby heart, she had her 4-month shots today. Today, there were a few tears! Todd picked her up and she just cried like, well, a baby! Tears and all...but then about a minute later she was just fine and happy again. She's sleeping right now. So is Todd! We went to Walgreen's for pictures, then to McAlister's for lunch (we LOVE McAlister's!) and then to Wal-Mart, then to pay car insurance, etc., etc. Busy, busy day! I sat in back with Molly on the way home and slept, so now it's Todd's turn! :)

YAY for Molly Piper for doing so well at your checkup today! Mommy and Daddy love you and we are SO very proud of you!

xoxo
liz

3.09.2009

You've Got Mail, Molly Watts!

Molly received her first piece of mail today! My Aunt Rose (Molly's "G") sent her a magazine and the first issue came today.

We can't wait to read it with her and ask her about all the animals in the photos! Thanks, "G!" What a great surprise for our Princess Molly Piper!

3.06.2009

Molly on the Gooooo!

Okay! I think we have a baby who likes to go...We hadn't been out for a few days and Molly has been super fussy. We think she may be teething, really, but still...FUSSY baby, not sleeping well, yah-yah-yahing her way through the day. Drooling like a fool, too! Chewing on EVERYTHING as if it were her very own "chew" toy! haha.

Anyway, today we started the day and have been gone alllllllll day. We visited, we shopped, we visited some more! I gave her a bottle at my grandma and grandpa's house and then finally we arrived home and I swaddled her and she fell asleep in, like, 2 minutes! RECORD TIME!!! She's asleep now....butchaknowwhat? I think Molly Piper likes to goooooooooooooooooooooo. Seriously. On the days when we are out and about, she is in a much better mood! The house must totally bore her! The problem? I don't know how to fix that! We have books, Baby Einstein, soft things for her to touch and play with, teethers...a Bumbo, a bouncee, a jumperoo, a swing...you name it, she probably has it...but still, when we are out among people, she does really well and then comes home and sleeps like a dream for me.

A quick note to remind myself: As the weather begins getting warmer, maybe I ought to try and get her outside more often and get her around people. She really likes people! She just smiles that beautiful little grin and flashes it when people acknowledge her and talk to her! I love it!

Wish us luck tomorrow at the contest! I've been forgetting to pack my camera but I'm putting it in the diaper bag TONIGHT!!!!! LOL.


xoxoxo

liz and Molly

3.04.2009

SCARY MORNING!

Yes, Molly Piper sleeps with us. Ultimately, we get a LOT of flack about it, too. But this morning, at 4:30, I was THANKFUL that she sleeps with us...she woke up and started flailing her arms and legs, which in turn, woke ME up. Alarmed, I thought she was having a seizure...so I grabbed her up, threw on the light, woke up Todd and pounded her on her back practically upside down...

Molly had bubbles coming out of her mouth!! She was not breathing and I was horrified. We got up with her and, still concerned that she had had a seizure, we waited with her. We put saline in her nose and suctiond out her mouth. Oh, the Phlegm! MY GOODNESS, the phlegm!! Eventually I decided that it must just have been the phlegm that passed that made her not able to breathe.


Still, it was difficult, considering the fact that she was FINE and DANDY when we put her to sleep the night before! She scared the pee wadddlings out of us.

ANyway, we suctioned out her mouth with the bulb syringe, which she thoroughly detested, adn tehn she was able to fall asleep. FINALLY! I kept waking up to make sure she was okay, and finally Todd just got up with her for the day. Here are some pictures of the Little Turkey, still pullin' that smile in bed while I was a nervous wreck....