Feeling like a clueless mom right now!!!!

I will be the first one to admit I am not a reader. Even before Addison was born, people suggested books for me to read in preparation for her and the only thing I read was the "Week by Week" book. Things have been going fine but Addison has definitely reached the pre-toddler stage, throwing fits and demonstrating defiant behaviors. This has prompted me to do some reading. So I spent 2 days soaking up this "Baby Wise" book (5-15months). All of a sudden my child rearing world that was doing just fine turned upside down. I began to think I was doing things all wrong and I didn't have her schedule regimented enough and that I needed to be more in control etc. So...I decided to put some of their techniques into practice starting 2 days ago. The book said that even at this age you can start "time out." This was new to me but I tried it anyways. So I set up her pack n play and used that as her time out space. I knew I was going to get some resistance, being that this was a new thing to her. Well...she screamed a scream that I have never heard for FOREVER!! The book doesn't say how long to leave her in there. I mean if I follow the rule of one minute for how old she is then she will not have calmed down in one minute. Is the goal to get her to calm herself down or to do one minute and take her out...but then what?? Do you comfort her because she is sooooooo upset she can't calm herself down or do you just distract her by reading a book?? Well I decided to give it another go today. Between trying to get her to go down for her usual morning nap and being in the time out space 3 or 4 times, the entire morning was nothing but screaming and crying. After one hour of this I felt soo defeated and just cried. I don't want to put her through all this if it doesn't mean anything. If I know this is just a period of time and then it will get better than I can push through it, but I honestly have no clue what I am doing and if this is the right time to start this. That book made it sound like if you don't do this now then you will have a wild child when she hits 2. I spent all day today feeling like a failed mother. All I wanted to do was go in and hug and love on her but then felt like it would cancel out everything I had already tried to do. I told myself I would give the time out thing one week and see if she recognizes the consequence but I just don't even know if I am doing the right thing right now. This is my first start at disciplining and I hate it already. There is no formula to creating the perfect child. I was so eager to read more books but now I am honestly scared to. I feel like I have created a monster in the last 24 hours, one that screams and cries non stop when I try to put her time out! She was better before the time out. So I wonder if this is making it worse? To you moms out there: When did you start time out with your children? What did you do when they threw tantrums? Any encouragement would be sooo appreciated!!

We are still alive!!

It has been a very long time since I have updated everyone in the lives of the Sigmon's! I am sure you all have heard that we are expecting a baby boy this June and we are very overjoyed about it. Addison is so sweet to my growing belly. She kisses it and lays her precious head on it all the time, almost as if she knows! We have been enjoying this odd warm weather we are having and have been going to the park 3 times a week. Addison has grown to love the outdoors and will stand at the storm door until we go outside. I am amazed at how much Addison has grown up and how she changes every day. She has been taking random steps on her own but with lots of encouragement and bribing. Today for the first time she just took off! No bribing or anything. It's like she won't stop. It is so precious and I can't stop laughing just from being overjoyed!!

We are still living in Conover, NC and are continuing the process of buying the dental practice here, however some things have changed and we are seeking God's guidance in questioning if this is the right opportunity for us. This is such a draining decision and so difficult to make on our own. Praise God we don't have to do it on our own!! Ryan and I are going on a babymoon the end of March for the weekend. We will be gone for two nights in Asheville and staying at this amazing bed and breakfast called "1900 Montford Inn." We are soo excited about it and are looking forward to the time together!!

Here are some pictures that we have taken the past month.

The park with Hannah and James!
Daddy is soo much fun at the park!
She loves the slide (sliding down AND climbing up).


Our Valentine's date.

Feeding herself yogurt.

Addison is 14 months and can do so many things...

• waves hi and bye
• says: hi, bye, ball, book, eye, dada, baby, can moo like a cow, mama, up
• walks unsupported all over the house
• can point to her head, ear, nose, eye, teeth, tongue, elbow, tummy, and toes
• knows her socks and shoes go on her feet
• loves books and will spend 30 minutes solid just looking at them
• dances and sings on command
• loves to dance
• feeds herself from a bowl with a spoon
• takes two naps a day
• sleeps all night until 8 or 9 (thank you Lord!)
• starting to look interested in potty training
• has 16 teeth and can eat almost anything

It's a boy!!

So we found out last Friday that we are going to be blessed with a precious baby boy! We are so thrilled. Honestly, I went into the ultrasound convinced it was going to be a girl. I secretly really wanted a boy but just in case it wasn't I told myself it was going to be a girl. I had already thought of girl names to get myself excited about having another girl, and of course I would have still been delighted to have girl. During the ultrasound, the tech announced that it had 3 legs and my immediate thought was, "oh no! There is something wrong with our child." She quickly cleared up my confusion and told us it was a boy. I was so surprised, my eyes watered. Ryan was very excited. God was going to be great no matter what but when we found out it was a boy I thought, "seriously God!?!?! You are awesome!!!!" I can't imagine what having a boy will be like but I can't wait to find out. I have been feeling him move since 17 wks and I am 19 wks now. I am definitely in maternity clothes and finding it harder to pick Addison's toys off the floor. Anyways almost half way there.

Christmas and everything after...

Yeaaaaah for snow! Today was an awesome snow day. Ryan didn't have to go in for work and our great friends Brie, Matt, and their son James came over for a snow date. We took them sledding, drank hot cocoa, and ordered pizza...is there anything better to do with friends?!?!

Daddy in Addison's princess play house. To be honest, we get in her play house way more than she does.

Daddy was just about to start brewing his beer when Addison decided she wanted to get into his big pot. So to your relief we did not cook our daughter.

Look how well she is standing on her own. Of course she always finds her goldfish inside my diaper bag...I still haven't learned to close it. Thanks Mimi for her precious dress.

Addison loves to drink from my large water jug...she is obsessed with it. I have to hide when I take a sip from it...or she will cry if I don't give it to her.

More snow days...This was actually Christmas day!
She totally knows how to work the phone. Right now she is on an important call!

Need I say more...
This was before she met Santa...nice and happy.

Addison is ONE!!

Addison turned one December 26th!! I can't believe our baby is barely a baby! It has been a crazy, wonderful Christmas/Birthday weekend. We went back to back with parties. I really think Addison knew this particular party was all about her. She woke up fresh from a nap with 18 people waiting on her and she greeted them with smiles. She never fussed one time during her entire party. She strutted her stuff in a custom made outfit from Badas boutique ( adorable!) We had such wonderful family all around and there was so much love in the air. Addison is so blessed to have the amazing extended family that she has. We were so blessed with such awesome gifts that Addison is definitely getting plenty of play time with. Thank you so much to my beautiful family for helping with food and always being so generous. Enjoy the cute pictures.

The cake pictures got uploaded backwards but you can see the progression.

What else really needs to be said here...She loves her sweets!


You can see how excited she is to see the cake (below). Then she just can't wait for the candle to be blown out and she takes and taste from the icing (above).

Mommy and daddy gave her a pink piano and she loved it! She wouldn't stop playing it during the rest of the party. She dances as she plays (bounces and sways) and tries to sing.
Aunt Lindsay gave her super cool pink Crocs, which might I add, they are the ONLY shoes that actually stay on.
Great Grammy gave her a birthday bear from "Build a Bear." Her name in Noelle.
Aunt Tammy gave Addison her second favorite gift, pot/cook set. She plays with it all the time. Today she was trying to feed me with the spoon and would dip it back into the pot and then bring it to my mouth. Then she proceeded to try to spoon feed her baby doll. She amazes me!



Addison is one and...

• stands unsupported roughly 8 seconds
• says "bye" and waves
• says "dada"
• blows kisses
• give open mouth kisses
• know how to use a phone
• tries to feed her baby doll
• pretends to cook
• plays the piano (baby style)
• in 18 month clothes
• weighs 25 pounds
• 30 inches tall

Another Bun in the oven!

Most of you may have already heard but I will officially shout it out that, WE ARE PREGNANT! I am now 12 weeks and feeling great. I feel better than I did with Addison. It was kind of a surprise but we are very excited. The baby is due June 28th. Can't wait to find out if it is a boy or girl. I have many people telling me it will be a boy. The kids will be 18 months apart and hopefully best friends. Everyone tells me that this next one is going to break all the rules, since Addie has been the most amazing baby. I think I am destined to have perfect children! Well as least perfect in my sight :) Thank you to everyone for sharing in our joy!!

It's been a while...

I have been super busy lately with Christmas cards, shopping, decorating...oh and trying to get all this done with a baby. She won't be a baby for long. She turns one December 26th. What am I to do. Anyways she had a recent doctor's visit and weighs 24.6 pounds and is 30 inches tall. That puts her into the 90th percentile. She is still crawling all over the place and loves to use her walker, although is timid with it as well. She has 8 teeth and is getting her lower canine an top molar. I think I can officially say her first word is Dada. Of course consistency will tell for sure.

We have our real Christmas tree up and Addison has not gone towards it once. Ryan and I toiled over where to put it so she would be less likely to get into it. I even thought I was going to have to buy this expensive gate...she has not even gone to check it out. So surprising!

Ryan and I are doing well. We are still trying to assess if Conver/Hickory is our home. We think it is but for some reason it's just hard to make it official. Ryan has started the process of potentially purchasing the practice. There is a lot of legal jargon and things that have to come together before the deed is done. Ryan and I volunteer at the dental free clinic two Tuesdays a month, where I assist him. I have learned a ton about dentistry and have figured out that using the suction is the most important thing I can do to help Ryan. It was also the most awkward tool to get used to. It always seemed to gravitate towards everything but where I was wanting to suction.

Here are some pictures from the last month.