Heidi Kukoly - Real Life, Real Talk

Yep.  I said it!  Okay, so, I'm a new mommy...I mean, my son is only 8 months old and I am already realizing this is a REAL thing.  I mean, come on!  Mommy Wars?! Before I had Emil I had KINDA heard about this but always pretty much blew it off since I wasn't a mom yet. But, now, WOW!  I'm really surprised by this.  I'm blown away at the reality of "mommy wars" and how women are really treating each other.  Okay, so here's the deal....although I'm already sure you know....  Moms are judging each other, coming down on each other, talking about other people's kids (my kid's maturing faster than yours, mine sleeps thru the night and yours doesn't, na na na na boo boo!) and the list goes on.  WHAT!?  I am a HUGE advocate of NOT JUDGING others and trying to always be nice to others (understanding not everybody's perfect) so this is absolutely ridiculous to me. I personally think women that do this are sad, ugly, lowlife, with nothing bet...

Hello!!  It's been a little while since I've posted:) I've been quite busy with life stuff....being a wife, mommy, daughter, friend, employee etc!  We've had lots going on and Emil is now 2.5 months old!  Over the past month we've been doing well!  Emil has really adapted well to being able to fall asleep on his own. YAY!  We had a bit of a rough patch with that transition but it was short and now it's way better.  During the day we typically let him take his naps in his swing or, when he's with E.J., on the couch...lol.  We just lay him down and he will have his eyes open for a little bit then he dozes off to sleepy land:)  At night he does GREAT...Oh my gosh!  I'm so thankful...we have a very good baby:)  I feed him between sometime 8:30-10pm and he will sleep for anywhere between 6-7.5 hours straight!  It's fantastic.  Then I'll feed him again around 3:30-5pm and he'll sleep another 3-4 hours!  Last night I fed him at 9...

Well, good afternoon!  I've named this post Parenting 101 because I've gotten so much advise from...well, basically everyone.  I don't know even what to think about it!  As a first time mom (FTM) you hear so many things you should do and shouldn't do and usually you'll hear that same advise in reverse, which does nothing but make you think you're crazy.  I've been just trying to do the best thing for our son and our family.  Our biggest currently hurdle is "falling asleep."  Sweet baby boy is really a good baby...he just loves to be held and rocked/bounced/swung to sleep.  This is something we are trying to change and it's been tough...  I'll update on how it's going next post.  Other than that Emil is on a pretty good feeding schedule that he's actually set for himself.  He eats every 3 hours during the day and during the night it's about every 3-4ish...last night it was longer.  I'm keeping up with him on this during the...

Well, hello!  I have been so busy that I haven't been able to update my blog..among many other things! HA!  Wow, being a mom really is a 24/7 job and people that don't think being a mom is a job can suck it.  Seriously, I've never been so busy in my life!  Our "regular" days consist of about 8-10 different feedings, multiple diaper changes, lots of holding and trying to get Emil to sleep and every 3rd day a bath!  Okay, so that's not that bad but in between all that I am cooking, cleaning, working and occasionally showering...among the many other responsibilities of a wife!  Now, let me tell you I am most certainly not complaining about this.  I absolutely love my life as a mommy and wife:)  I love that my husband and son need me.  I would love being able to do things in my time like hit the gym and catch up with friends over dinner etc but none of those are more important to me than my little family.  And I know that those things w...

Happy Wednesday...Hump Day!  Well, today little Emil is 23 days old!  I can't believe that he's already almost a month old...as usual, time is flying!  Since I last wrote we've just been trying to adjust to life as we now know it, PARENTS!  Every day is a little different in regards to schedule and temperament (sp).  Emil has been a pretty good baby for the most part but we have certainly had our moments.  Around 2 weeks he was extremely fussy and it was pretty tough.  Since then he's gotten better, or maybe we have?!  Either way, things have calmed down a little bit (seriously, I'm knocking on wood right now!!).  I am pretty sure last weekend he started a growth spurt because our "feeding schedule" (if you can really even call it that.  I was feeding him about every 2-3 hours) went out the window.  He seemed hungry ALL THE TIME so E.J. and I found that it's common for babies at that age to go through a growth spurt and want to...

Oh my goodness!!!  We are parents!  Words can't express what an amazing, emotional journey we have been on the last 10 days.  Our sweet angel is 10 days old today.  He's absolutely amazing...he's a miracle...he's our beautiful angel...we are in love.  Okay, so let me start with Day 1....after a pic of course  We left the house for the hospital Monday 1/28 around 9:30am...off we went, to deliver our angel (I'm already getting emotional just writing about that day).  I was emotional that morning in the car, just thinking about what was to come...we were having a baby...one of the most amazing life experiences was only momens away from happening...to us...  (yep, tears are now flowing).  We get to the hospital and got checked in, waited about 30 minutes and then they came and got us.  We went back into the pre-op area.  They started my IV and put the monitor around my belly so we could hear the baby's heartbeat.  It was nuts...

38  weeks complete!  That's right!  Now the next step is delivery...on the first day of week 39:)  This week's been really good.  Work finished up fantastic and everything else is just wrapping up great as well.  Friday I had my Pre-op appt then my final dr's appt.  E.J. went with me and everything went well:)  Afterwards we went to Steak and Shake and had a delicious dinner together.  I completely pigged out because after this baby comes it's time to eat a little better!  I had a cup of chili, guacamole burger with all my fries and a small vanilla milkshake!!!!  SOOO GOOD:):):)  It was a fun afternoon and night with my hubby!  Saturday I went to my cousin's baby shower and got to see her (she's about 6 weeks behind me)...  Goodness it seems like just yesterday she was calling me to tell me she was pregnant.  Time...Flies....  It was good to see family! Today we spent our last day as a family of just u...

Well, happy Sunday night!  I am resting on the couch, which is all I've done ALL day long!  I am so lazy...my energy is non existent, which is crazy because I'm a busy, go go go, kind of girl and normally don't like to just lay around and do nothing.  Oh well!:)  This week was good!  I was busy with work trying to tie up loose ends before I'm out!  E.J. finished up the thresholds on the flooring which is awesome.  I cleaned up a little bit and straightened things up so the house is becoming more "orderly", so to speak.  We still have some stuff to get done but it'll all happen this week...it has to...we have 8 days to go!  That's right!  8 days!!!  I can't even believe it's here...or pretty much here!  Again, time is flying by!  Other than that, I had my belly cast done last night by my dear friend, Kristin, and that was fun!  E.J.'s got some really great ideas for the finished product so I can't wait to see what we...

Happy Sunday!  Today wraps up my 36th week!  I can't believe how quickly time is flying by!  How has this pregnancy flown by so fast?  How are we so close to meeting this little boy?  This is nuts!  This week was a really good week!  E.J. got lots more done and I was able to get more done myself.  This weekend my Dad and Pat came over to help us get a few more things done.  Dad helped E.J. with the thresholds and Pat helped me get the Christmas tree down & one of the fake trees out of our bedroom, replacing them with the baby's swing and the basinet!  Now the only thing left for the baby's room is to get the old TV out and then we can put the crib in there...so close!  I think we'll get that done early this week, yay! :) Work was good this week and I taught bodyflow twice which was great!  I'm hoping I can get several more good workouts in within these next 2 weeks.  That's right, 2 more weeks...from tomorrow!  ...

Happy New Year!!  It's now 2013 and our little guy will be here so very soon!  For New Years Eve E.J. and I hung out at home and relaxed.  We cheered sparkling grape juice and kissed for the 14th year in a row!  My how the years have flown:)  For New Years Day I cooked our traditional meal...fried chicken, collard greens, black eyed peas and corn bread...this year adding peach cobbler.  My Dad and Stepmom surprised us around dinner time so we had them join us.  It was delicous and we had a good time.  My birthday was Thursday.  It was a really good one...E.J. bought me some boots that I've wanted!  THEN, he surprised me by making an offer on a car and the guy accepted it so Saturday we went and picked it up!  Sooooo, I have a new 2010 Honda Accord EX-L!  It's super nice...leather enterior black, heated seats, xm radio, and so many other bells and whistles!  BUT most of all, it's reliable and SAFE (and will get good gas mil...