Granola anyone?

Posted on January 6, 2012 by themielkeway

So today I received an email from a reader asking me if I was a “crunchy mama.” I blinked a couple times and re-read the question, completely perplexed. Nope- it still said CRUNCHY. Then I went through every possible variation of words that she could have MEANT to say…it had to be a typo. I came up with nothing. I read the question again and all I could muster was “WTF?!” And moved on to the next email.

However, my brain kept going back to the whole ‘crunchy’ thing and I decided to look it up. I have never in my life heard of that term before- but my goodness- it exists… turns out I am the fool- not the lady who asked the question. I guess there is a first for everything 😉 haha

It turns out a Crunchy Mommy is a mom who is in to natural, organic, holistic, environmentally friendly eco-living.

I even found the following definition at urbandictionary.com–

Mother who supports homebirth, breastfeeding, baby wearing, cloth diapering, co-sleeping, gentle discipline, etc. One who questions established medical authority; tends to be vegetarian and/or prepare all-organic foods.

So, there you have it folks. Crunchy mommas are a real thing.

And to answer her question- I’m a wanna-be crunch mommy 🙂 I am way too big of a chicken for a homebirth- however, I think women who choose it are rockstars. And… there is no way I could ever be a vegetarian- I am a meat and potatoes kind of girl- but since getting pregnant, I have definitely been trying to eat organic and shop at whole foods stores more. Trader Joes is one of my faves.

And to further my amazement- there is actually a quiz that you can take to determine one’s level of CRUNCHINESS! Y’all have to check it out!

HOW CRUNCHY ARE YOU?

I scored 116 points.

Score: point(s)Score:
225-170 WOW!~Crunchier than Grape Nuts!
169-130 Super Nutty, Ultra-Crunchy, Granola Earth Mama!
129-90 Mmm! Love that whole-grain crunch!
89-60 Pretty crispy!
59-20 Sprinkled with granola!
19-5 Instant Oatmeal
4-0 Jello

Crunchy or not- Please give us a vote by clicking below 🙂 Thanks!

Momma Bear

Posted on January 5, 2012 by themielkeway

Did any of you hear about this MOMMA? <—–Read about this brave, teen mom by clicking on the link.

As Ian and I were laying in bed last night, the story came on the news. I had to resist the urge to FIST PUMP- Jersey Shore style, even though I’ve never fist pumped a day in my life. 😉 How awesome.

This 18 year old, widowed mom shoots a home invader dead to protect her 3 month old son- after asking the 911 dispatcher permission to shoot him! She even had the composure and maturity to put a bottle in her baby’s mouth to keep him quiet. I think I have a new hero.

Whether you agree with the right to own guns or not… this story is empowering for women everywhere. Personally, it made me want to go back to the shooting range asap.

Let this be a lesson to every “bad guy” out there…

In the words of Sarah McKinley herself, “There is nothing more dangerous than a woman protecting her child.”

HELL YES, SARAH. You rock.

Love,

Another Momma Bear

2011… what a phenomenal year

Posted on January 4, 2012 by themielkeway

Today is my birthday! 27 years old… To be completely honest, I FORGOT how old I was (oh my god… is it too early to have dementia?) and I’ve been telling people that I was 27 for the whole last year! Much to my surprise, I’m actually turning 27 today! lol… talk about getting a year of your life back. 😉

So, besides having completely lost track of my age, the last twelve months have been some of the best of my life. With that being said, and the fact that a few days ago we started a brand new year, I think it may be an appropriate time for a little reflection. Afterall, if I can’t even remember how old I am, whats to keep me from forgetting the events that made up the best year of my life thus far?

And for this reason- A brief recap of 2011

January 2011:

I celebrated my 26th birthday as a first time foster momma to three amazingly wonderful kids who I miss something awful. Ian took them shopping for my birthday and they each picked out a gift and card for me, each spending time looking for the perfect one. I will cherish those cards forever. We had just gotten a new jacuzzi on our back deck and we spent the unseasonably warm January evening cooking out, having a picnic on the back deck, and splashing around in the hot tub.

Night time picnic 🙂

Atlanta also experienced the snow/ice storm from hell- which equalled an extra 10 days of vacation for me! One more advantage of being a school teacher 🙂

February 2011:

Saying goodbye to our first three children was heart breaking to say the least. Although, knowing they were going home to their loving Momma made it easier. 9 days later, our lives were blessed with two new children… I can’t explain the love we have for all of our foster children, however, these two- we still hope and pray every day that they may become available for adoption at some point. They are and always will be a part of our family.

❤ ❤

We also started a tradition of attending the Annual Fish Fry in Ian’s hometown in Minnesota! It was a BLAST and I cannot wait to go again this year. I even got to meet Ian’s beloved Grandma Odie- WHO IS ALSO A RED HEAD!! 🙂

March 2011:

March 2nd… The two children’s grandmother regained custody. Have you ever cried so hard you couldn’t breathe? Multiply that by about 100… that’s how I felt. Horrible day… one of the worst. But what I learned from those children… and hopefully what they learned from us… is what kept me going. After dropping them off at DFACS, I couldn’t imagine going home to an empty house, so I drove to Target and walked all through the store, sobbing uncontrollably. Pathetic and pitiful, I know…I’m sure people thought I was insane. By the time I finally made my way home, three more children- 3 girls this time- were waiting on my porch with their DFACS worker and needing a place to stay. I gladly welcomed them and they lived with us for the next six months!

March 8th was a day I will NEVER forget. WE FOUND OUT WE WERE EXPECTING A BABY OF OUR VERY OWN!!

Read about it HERE!!!

We also planned a family trip to Las Vegas for my little brother’s 21st birthday!! This is where Ian and I shared our BIG NEWS with my amazing family 🙂 🙂

April 2011:

Easter Egg hunts and making Easter eggs with the girls 🙂
Ian’s 28th birthday
Lots of weekend trips- Charleston (girl’s first time at the beach!), Augusta, Athens (girls’ first Georgia Bulldogs football game)

goo dawgs!

May 2011:

Made our baby news public 🙂

My facebook status from that special day 🙂

Our first ultrasound 🙂

Our first baby picture 🙂

First Annual Rib Cook-off at our house

"Aint nobody touchin' those ribs but me!" says Ava

Bought my new soccer mom car- plenty of room for plenty for babies and doggies 🙂

JUNE 2011:

We found out that we are having a baby BOY!!!

JULY 2011:

Lots of travelling- North Carolina for Ian’s sister’s wedding shower and a trip up the East Coast with my family! I LOVE having summers off!

New York, New York with the whole Famn Damily

August 2011:

Back to school

Put the baby nursery together– read about it HERE!!

We made it to the THIRD TRIMESTER!

SEPTEMBER 2011:

The month of LOVE ❤ ❤ ….. AND…..

Weddings, weddings, weddings!! ITS TIME TO CELEBRATE!

Ian’s sister’s wedding in Charleston, one of my best friend’s weddings in my hometown in Wisconsin, and OUR FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

And I can’t forget to mention an AMAZING surprise baby shower with AMAZING FRIENDS… some that I hadn’t seen for years.

AND we got maternity photos taken by Jessica Gutzman 🙂

OCTOBER 2011:

Our hospital tour, which made this whole pregnancy thing even more “real”

ANOTHER fantastic baby shower thrown by one of my best friends from college

And we finally made it– FULL TERM!!

NOVEMBER 2011:

OUR WHOLE LIFE CHANGED WHEN WE WERE BLESSED WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BABY BOY IN THE WORLD ON NOVEMBER 15. Read all about it HERE!!

DECEMBER 2011:

Enjoying every single second of maternity leave with Baby Graeson. I can’t stand the thought of having to go back to work- even if its not for another month and a half!

Our first Christmas as a family of three was unforgettable. We have never felt so incredibly blessed.

So, as you can see… 2011 is a year that I never want to forget- not even one second of… It was full of more joy than I have ever known, tears, heart ache, and growth– not only my belly, but also individually and as a family.

So thankful,

Andrea

XOXO

Oh, and because it is my birthday, could you please click the box below to vote for my blog?? 😉 I’m trying my best at the guilt trip… 😉

Thanks!

To My Amazing Wife on her Birthday

Posted on January 4, 2012 by themielkeway

Just another day in paradise :)

Posted on January 3, 2012 by themielkeway

So I woke up this morning to the following interaction between Daddy and Baby Grae-

Ian (Kissing Baby G all over his face): “MWAH MWAH MWAH”

Grae: (wrinkling up his nose, turning his head from side to side in protest)

Ian: “I’m going to be kissing you just like this until you are at least 18 so you better get used to it, Buddy” (in his best baby talk voice).

LoL… Poor Graeson… he’s doomed. 🙂 🙂

I mean, seriously… Ian is one proud papa. Strangers even stop us to comment on how “proud” he looks when he’s carrying our little bundle around. lol… Here is a video I took last night, just so you can get a better idea. haha.

I love my boys. ❤

So, we got nominated on Babble for “Top 100 Mom Blogs” today!! I’m not sure who nominated us, but THANK YOU SO MUCH for your kind words and taking the time to submit a form to make us a nominee!

Now, I know I’m getting extra needy… and asking for one vote is A LOT… but we would REALLY appreciate you voting for us on Babble by clicking the link below, AND on topmommyblogs.com by clicking the brown banner at the bottom of the page to keep us in the Top 20. 🙂 Pretty please?? With a cherry on top??

http://blogs.babble.com/top-100/2012/01/03/themielkeway/

6 weeks old

Posted on January 2, 2012 by themielkeway

My Little Man

6 weeks old

SIX WEEKS OLD BUDDY!! AND YOU FINALLY SMILED AT US!! Daddy got the first smile on Christmas Eve- it was the best present EVER. And two days later, on the 26th- I got the first laugh! It was pretty uncoordinated- the actual sound of the laugh came before the smile- but it was a Grae giggle all the same. 🙂

Your hair grows more EVERY DAY… I swear if you watch closely you’d be able to see it grow!

You also took your first shower this week! Grandma said most babies are scared the first time in the shower because they don’t know why water is falling on their backs, but not you! You aren’t really scared of anything. You loved it, just like you love baths and diaper changes… You like to be clean. Don’t worry though, you’ll like digging in the dirt too when you get a little older.

The rash on your face is finally all gone- we have started washing EVERYTHING in baby detergent and Daddy and I even use Johnson and Johnson baby body wash so you don’t have a reaction to big people soap. I hope your skin isn’t always this sensitive. Your baby acne has also completely disappeared.

Your neck is getting SO strong- you are ALMOST ready to sit in the Bumbo seat by yourself!

You ate 9 ounces of milk at one time this week- that HAS to be some kind of record- I couldn’t drink that much milk at one time! Geesh! 🙂

WE LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!

Magical moments in time

Posted on January 1, 2012 by themielkeway

TWO YEARS AGO TODAY HE POPPED THE QUESTION… I SAID YES…then fell asleep. ;o) I know, I know… we all respond to change in different ways.

Don’t judge.

Happy engagement anniversary babe 🙂 Love you!

Christmas 2011

Posted on January 1, 2012 by themielkeway

What an amazing holiday. We were fortunate enough to spend time with both of our families and we even managed to stretch the celebration out for a good four or five days. We spent time in Atlanta, Augusta, and North Carolina! Good thing we have the world’s best baby who loves to travel. 🙂

We couldn’t have hoped for a better “First Christmas” for Baby Grae. Only six weeks old and already he has experienced the true meaning of the holiday, thanks to our families.

Here are some highlights from our Christmas 2011 adventures:

First Christmas at OUR house with my family- every other year we have celebrated in Augusta
Celebrated Dad’s birthday on Christmas Eve- complete with a scavenger hunt 🙂
Ooops, Christmas dinner (a giant, delicious prime rib) was left in Mom and Dad’s fridge back in Augusta… AND, by the time Mom remembered they forgot it, every last grocery store had closed for the holiday! LOL!
Stunning and delicious red velvet birthday cake…
Mandatory elf hats for everyone Christmas morning- our house, our rules 😉
Homemade blueberry french toast… Yum
AMAZING Christmas presents including a college fund for Grae- seriously- we can’t even explain how much that means to us
Deciding to drive 150 miles on Christmas for our dinner… except by the time we got there it was really too late to start the prime rib, so Mom whipped up her famous chicken enchiladas- I think this just might be a new Christmas tradition.
Prime rib brunch the next day… HELL YES- it was fabulous! And TOTALLY worth every minute of the drive
North Carolina bound- we were welcomed with a brand new, HAND CRAFTED by Uncle Khyle himself, Queen sized Murphy Bed… It was heaven….
Grae was greeted with his very own Winnie the Pooh Pack and Play- he slept the WHOLE night long!
Another fantastic Mielke style Christmas- Uncle Jonathan and I even got to crack our first Christmas crackers over dinner
A walk to the location of Grae’s future tree house- he was so excited he almost woke up ;o)
Pit stop in Augusta to break up the drive- Thanks for dinner Uncle Cason and Katie!
The dreaded trip back home… 😦 We miss everyone already.