VBlog~ Sorry for the tears...

Weekend Social Mix Blog Hop 12/14-12/16

Welcome to the weekend everyone! 

Weekend Social Mix Blog Hop: 

We want our Blog Hop to include everyone so it's a Social Hop!

Follow the Hosts & Co-Host:

From Grandma With Love

Marine Wife, Mommy & Life
Plush Pink Allure

If you like what you see please leave a comment with how you're following and your bloggy address so we can return the L♥VE if we like what we see!

Link your blog post up using the linky tool below! It can be ANYTHING! Why? Because it's FINALLY the weekend! Ya baby!!

Everyone ready? GO!

Email us, if you'd like to be a guest co-host, at MWML11@Yahoo.com 

Baby Mikey is 8 Months Old!

I say it in every monthly post, because it is true, time keeps flying by way too fast!

Mastered/Advanced Skills: 

~ Crawling

~ Sitting Up

~ Holding own bottle to feed himself

~ Feeds himself snacks

~ Pulling himself up to standing position in his bed, on couches, tables, and people

~ Searches for items when hidden from him, (especially shoes)

 Weight: 22lbs +

Height: 26-27in. (He moves too much!)

Mikey has just started saying baba 2 days ago. He has also started saying his P's over and over again. Trying to get this recorded has become my new mission!  He is a talker, yeller, purrer and growler!

Sticking his tongue out is his new action. (Don't ask me where he got that from.) :p

That's right, the big 8 months!

He knows when he's been busted for doing something he shouldn't (finding the cords/remotes to various items) and when his name is said sternly he coyly turns and looks at you with a shit eating two-toothed smile. 

Naps.... Ha! What naps! 20-30 minutes top every 3-5 hours until bed time. Then he'll sleep soundly through the night until 6-7am. 

Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, makes it's way to his mouth. Shoes, rugs, toys, edge of the vacuum cleaner, jewelry, articles of clothing... If he can grab it that is where it is headed.

The only way I can get him to sit still for nail cutting, getting dressed and changing his diaper is to sing to him. Maybe it has to do with me singing all the time while he was in my belly or maybe I have just stunned him with my terrible voice....

Baby food is devoured within minutes (just like his dad with his own food). Two feedings a day, full food jars or cereal. We have not given him any type of fruit since the prunes incident. Instead it has been various veggies and mixed veggies with meats.

He will walk with hands held.... I know full on walking is going to come sooner than it did for our oldest because he tries chasing after everyone, especially his big brother already!

***Milestone Stickers are from Project Baby Smiles!

Giveaway/Review: Dog Tags Ebook by K. Foley

I was lucky enough to be one of the first people to read this book. It is written by a great friend of mine who I met while we were both in the Marines.

Review:

Dog Tags brings the life of one Marine family into an event that nightmares are made of when stationed in another country. The worst that can happen does. The wife, Megan, is kidnapped by terrorists on her way to see her husband at work. Pain, heartache, confusion, intense occurrences, strong-will and the love of a family coming together come to light with the radical events that unfold. As you read this you will turn the pages quickly to see what happens next, you will re-read portions while asking yourself, "Did I read that right? Did that just happen?"

 

Book Description:

Megan Stanley is the wife of a Marine, mother to three children, and the daughter of two prominent individuals. Her husband, Jeremiah, is the Detachment Commander of the American Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, a battle hardened Marine, and the son of two highly respected, retired members of the military. But when a terrorist attack rocks the embassy, Megan and Jeremiah's lives are thrown into complete chaos. Kidnapped and injured, Megan prays desperately to God to save her. In Tel Aviv, Jeremiah will navigate an unraveling web of family secrets all the while clinging to his faith as if his wife's life depends on it.
A story of hope and truth among despair and deceit, the race is on to locate the mastermind terrorist who brings their happy home crumbling on the Stanleys, before someone is forced
to pay the ultimate price. 

You can buy your own copy (Ebook) to read of Dog Tags  HERE!

Follow the Rafflecopter entry below and enter all of the entries for a better chance to win! (Some you can enter daily to earn more points!) 
 

*   Winners will be emailed their prize notification and have 24 hours to respond to claim their prize.  Any winner who does not respond within that time will forfeit their prize and a new winner will be chosen.

All entries will be verified at the end of the giveaway. 

Most importantly become a Facebook Fan to the author Kathleen Foley HERE! 

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Santa Is Real!

I grew up believing in Santa. Yes, even the fact that he could squeeze through a chimney or in the case of the house I grew up in, an air vent. Could travel magically at light speed and deliver presents to all the good boys and girls and coal to the naughty ones.

There was a time when I was younger that I woke up one Christmas Eve, walked into the living room and can swear to this day that I saw Santa putting presents under the tree, turn to me, sssshhh me, and I scurried my butt back to bed under my covers with my eyes closed tight! Was it just a dream? I'd like to think not.

I also remember one year finding little wrapped presents with other children's names on them trailing to Santa's departure area. Coal for those kids that were bad that had fallen out of Santa's bag.

My oldest who is 8 still believes. Still writes a letter to the North Pole addressed to Mr. Santa Clause.  Still loves being read/now reading the Polar Express this time of year. Still leaves cookies and milk for Santa and a couple of Mrs. Clauses favorite cookies (white chocolate macadamia nut) ;) and carrots for the Reindeer. 

I love this innocence about him! Hopefully he will still believe for a couple more years and have the Christmas Spirit always!

When the believing does end, we will talk about it in detail. We will discuss the importance of helping his little brother continue to believe. 

I did this with each of my brothers. It was wonderful to know but was even sweeter to see their faces light up over Santa having left them fun gifts!

What do you tell your kiddos about Santa? How old were you when you found out?