Inspired Tuesday - April 29th

Sorry it is up late! I had it scheduled... but it didn't post.

Happy Tuesday everyone!
You guys linked up some really awesome posts last week! It was very hard to choose a couple of you to feature. But, here are two featured posts from last week:

I really love the story shared on Framed by God.
I also really love the reflection that was shared on Special Moments in Time.

And here is this weeks free printable:

You can download it HERE.

What is Inspired Tuesday?

Each Tuesday Not So Ugly Ducklings hosts Inspired Tuesday along with two awesome co-hosts Dawn's Disaster and Peanut Butter and Jelly, where we offer up a free printable with some encouraging words.

Me and my co-hosts believe that any post written can inspired someone else, whether it is a personal story, a photography, a recipe.. whatever, so I invite everyone to link up their posts no matter the topic.

The rules are simple:

1) Follow Not So Ugly Ducklings, Dawn's Disaster and Peanut Butter and Jelly  in any way of your choosing.
2) Follow this weeks featured blog(s).

3) It would be nice if you added the Inspired Tuesday button to your post, or even just a link back to the link-up.
4) Try to visit others and be inspired!

That's it.

Here is the button if you would like it:

<div align="center"><a href="http://notsouglyducklings.blogspot.com/" title="Not So Ugly Ducklings"><img src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh540/sommerfugldesign/inspired-tuesday-button_zpsa22cc19f.png" width="150" alt="Inspired Tuesday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Little Olivia

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about my struggles with breastfeeding. I ended the post on a positive note, wish a plan in mind and the plan to continue to breastfeed.

Well I hate to say it but I am conflicted again. We took Olivia for her weight check at the doctors office. We left with a referral to see a specialist. Olivia just did not gain enough weight. I was very disappointed. It  wasn't all bad. The doctor was very nice, and she said she doesn't really think something is wrong, developmentally Olivia is ahead, she is very active, but we need to check it out to be safe.

Since about the same day we have been having a struggle with Olivia. We can not seem to get her to eat more than a few bites. Due to no allergies in the family we were given the green light to give her just about anything to find something she will eat. She doesn't seem to want to eat anything.

She is also nursing less due to me working during the day. While I am working my husband gives her some formula. But that too is a struggle.. she will drink some, but never more than a couple ounces. She is no longer nursing or eating at night. I don't think I am producing as much milk as before. She has become a bit fussy and is not as happy all the time as she used to be.

This stresses me out. A huge amount. The husband usually has more luck getting food into than I do. She will always take a boob from me, rarely food, and almost never a bottle.

We see the children's nurse again this week. We do not know yet when we will see a specialist. I hope we can get some tips this week. We need her to eat and gain weight. I need her to eat food that I give her. My husband goes back to work here in a couple of weeks and I will be taking the role of stay at home mom again for a couple of months.

Anyone have experience with a picky baby that won't eat? Got any tips?

Life lately...

I keep mentioning that life lately has been hectic. It has. There has also been a lot of stress. In all honesty I feel like we are in this really torrential stage right before everything just falls into place. I can see the silver lining  and it feels like we are just about there, but getting there is proving to be very tough..

So here is what's been happening lately that is causing a lot of stress (both good and bad).

1. Olivia.
Our little one. She is extremely active (crawling, sitting up on her own, exploring the entire house on her own). As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago in this post, we are having a bit of a problem getting her to gain weight. We went for a check up last week.. it was not great. She did not gain enough weight over the last month. We have been refereed to a pediatrician to have her looked at. Generally, the doctor doesn't think there is anything is wrong do to her being happy, and developmentally ahead. Still it needs to be looked into, as dropping down 3 curves on the growth chart is not good.

2. The Studio.
The photography studio kind of turned into this never ending project. Finding the time to get it down was difficult. We managed and it is just about finished. Yay!

3. Julius
Julius's reflex anoxic seizures started happening again. It has been months since he had any. It sucks to see them happen again.

4. Just setting up the house.
We have been spending so much time with the studio, that we really have not finished setting up the house. There are still boxes.. we are mountains behind in laundry...

5. Potty training.
Elisabeth decided to ditch diapers. She is good most of the time... but not all the time. Julius has decided that he likes to take off his diaper, but has yet to go pee in the toilet.

6. Another business venture.
I am working with my husbands cousin in starting another business... more details at another time.

7. Just the strain of it all.
My relationship with my husband is a bit rocky at the moment. We 3 kids under 3 we just don't get any quality time together. We feel it. We need more quality time. We are working on it.

8. Danish
Right now I can not take danish lessons due to a teacher lockout. This stresses me out. I really need to get a better hold of this language. Not being confident in the native language here gives me a lot of anxiety  I feel like I am being judged because I can  not speak much of the language. I feel like I should have mastered it by now. The reality is, I am struggling with it. But I plan on taking a new approach with it (taking classes in person instead online), but I have to wait to start...

So that is a little glimpse in my life right now. Honestly just writing it all out kind of takes a tiny weight off my shoulders.

But like I said... I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.. The photography business is coming together well. If this other business comes together, then financially we will be comfortable, which will also take a lot of stress of. Things are looking up, even if at the moment they feel pretty dark.