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From our family to yours, happy new year!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Decade in Review
Some ladies on one of my message boards were reviewing the first decade of the new millennium. Apparently, Time Magazine is calling it the worst decade ever and she wondered how the decade panned out for people individually. Here's my contribution (and my age will totally show here, LOL):
- 2000- Got a leading role in the school play, where I met Jake, Jake graduated high school and went off to college, I began my senior year in high school
- 2001- Got my hours cut at my waitress job and had to find a new job (very traumatic at 17/18), graduated high school, went to college, pledged Delta Zeta
- 2002- Jake went to basic training, so I wrote letters every day for a good part of the year, learned the way to Ft. Leonard Wood, got engaged, left Delta Zeta
- 2003- Got married
- 2004- Lost 43 pounds, got pregnant, Jake deployed to Iraq
- 2005- Pregnancy got all traumatic, had Spencer prematurely, Jake came home, did my student teaching (probably my worst year of the decade)
- 2006- Started a job teaching at NLR high school, worked at a bank the summer between semesters (worst job ever!), Marla had her car accident
- 2007- Jake got on meds (yea!), we decided to move to Mtn. Home over La Grange, GA
- 2008- Lived with Mom and Pop while trying to sell our house (no luck, but we did rent it out), finished my second full year of teaching at NLR then joined Jake in Mtn. Home, got pregnant again, Crickey died
- 2009- Got our first real profit sharing check, Jack was born at home, lost 26 pounds (and will still be working on that in 2010)
Best wishes for a very awesome 2010!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
A Very Thomas Christmas
Our theme this year for Christmas was very obviously "Thomas the Tank Engine." There wasn't a single non-Thomas item on Spencer's list, so Santa did her very best to accommodate that.
The Loot:
The Loot:
The fun:
Jack telling the grinch (aka Daddy) to cheer up and have a good time:
Jake is always in a terrible mood at Christmas. He's decided next year that he's boycotting it all, so for those who buy him gifts, just be aware. If he's going to be a scrooge about it, then he sure doesn't deserve anything.
All in all, it was a really great time. We were exhausted by the end, but I think that's to be expected with the amount of driving we did while corralling two kids. The best thing of all: Jack is getting better in the car. There was very little screaming on the way down to Little Rock or back. I don't think I could've asked for anything better!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Nestle Free Zone
I am trying to live a Nestle free life. Nestle. Yes, that Nestle. Makers of such goodness as Butterfinger, Hot Pockets, and Haagen-Dazs.
So why would I want to boycott such a tasty company? Well, strap in. It is kind of a long story.
Nestle is also the maker of a little thing called Nestle Good Start, which is artificial baby milk (further known as ABM, aka formula). Now I'm not quite insane enough to hold it against them for simply making formula. There are always women who need it (last I read, about 3% of women physically can't breastfeed). It is the way Nestle has marketed its ABM on a global scale that has had lactivists in a tizzy since the 1970s.
According to many sources, Nestle is (or was) doing dirty deeds in the marketing department, specifically in Africa. There are many reports of "nurses" (who are actually just women working for Nestle) going into African hospitals and giving breastfeeding "advice" (you can imagine how good it is) and free samples. They keep supplying "advice" and free samples until mom's milk supply is gone. Then, WHOOPS!, the free samples also dry up and now mom has to buy the formula.
As you can imagine, this can cause some problems in most of Africa, where poverty is so rampant. First of all, formula costs money. These poor women are now forced to buy ABM thanks to the underhanded marketing that Nestle practices. This often causes another big problem: watered down formula. This really doesn't sound so bad, but it can be really harmful. Infants who get watered down ABM aren't getting all the nutrients they need in the right concentrations. Formula is very specifically manufactured and tampering with it can be devastating.
Along with those problems, you have a water supply and cleanliness issue. Poverty stricken countries typically don't have great infrastructure, which tends to lead to things like lack of easily accessible water or dirty water. Many infants have died because of formula usage in Africa.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has actually issued guidelines for the marketing of
ABM. The recommendation was made in 1981. Obviously the US does not participate.
Nestle now claims that they are in full compliance with the code, but who knows. I doubt their self reporting.
As for my household and the boycott, I do what I can. It seems Nestle owns so much and every once and a while I stumble across something that they own and I had no idea. For example, I have a package of Hot Pockets (Jake's lunch food of choice) in the freezer. Lamespice for sure.
By far the hardest thing to avoid has been Gerber products. Yes, they own Gerber too. *sigh* So far I haven't been able to find freeze dried yogurt bites in any other brand, so Jack has had to do without. Which is a real pity, b/c he loves those things. To further complicate matters, in the big town of Mountain Home Gerber is pretty much it. Even Wal-Mart only carries a few items made by Parent's Choice or Beech Nut. The toddler feeding area is by far Gerber dominated.
Like I said, I'm doing what I can.
So why would I want to boycott such a tasty company? Well, strap in. It is kind of a long story.
Nestle is also the maker of a little thing called Nestle Good Start, which is artificial baby milk (further known as ABM, aka formula). Now I'm not quite insane enough to hold it against them for simply making formula. There are always women who need it (last I read, about 3% of women physically can't breastfeed). It is the way Nestle has marketed its ABM on a global scale that has had lactivists in a tizzy since the 1970s.
According to many sources, Nestle is (or was) doing dirty deeds in the marketing department, specifically in Africa. There are many reports of "nurses" (who are actually just women working for Nestle) going into African hospitals and giving breastfeeding "advice" (you can imagine how good it is) and free samples. They keep supplying "advice" and free samples until mom's milk supply is gone. Then, WHOOPS!, the free samples also dry up and now mom has to buy the formula.
As you can imagine, this can cause some problems in most of Africa, where poverty is so rampant. First of all, formula costs money. These poor women are now forced to buy ABM thanks to the underhanded marketing that Nestle practices. This often causes another big problem: watered down formula. This really doesn't sound so bad, but it can be really harmful. Infants who get watered down ABM aren't getting all the nutrients they need in the right concentrations. Formula is very specifically manufactured and tampering with it can be devastating.
Along with those problems, you have a water supply and cleanliness issue. Poverty stricken countries typically don't have great infrastructure, which tends to lead to things like lack of easily accessible water or dirty water. Many infants have died because of formula usage in Africa.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has actually issued guidelines for the marketing of
ABM. The recommendation was made in 1981. Obviously the US does not participate.
Nestle now claims that they are in full compliance with the code, but who knows. I doubt their self reporting.
As for my household and the boycott, I do what I can. It seems Nestle owns so much and every once and a while I stumble across something that they own and I had no idea. For example, I have a package of Hot Pockets (Jake's lunch food of choice) in the freezer. Lamespice for sure.
By far the hardest thing to avoid has been Gerber products. Yes, they own Gerber too. *sigh* So far I haven't been able to find freeze dried yogurt bites in any other brand, so Jack has had to do without. Which is a real pity, b/c he loves those things. To further complicate matters, in the big town of Mountain Home Gerber is pretty much it. Even Wal-Mart only carries a few items made by Parent's Choice or Beech Nut. The toddler feeding area is by far Gerber dominated.
Like I said, I'm doing what I can.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Slow November
As you may have noticed, November was kind of a slow month in my blog-o-sphere. Has there been a month in the past year that I've only done one post in a month? Hmmmm...
Anyway, there really wasn't much to report, until the end of the month anyway. I was out of work a few days with sick kiddos, but other than that we have just been maintaining the status quo.
Toward the end of the month, the boys got H1N1. Well, I guess we're assuming that's what it was. Apparently, docs aren't swabbing for it anymore. They just say, "Well, these look like flu-like symptoms, must be swine flu." Maybe they have magic H1N1 detectors? Who knows.
Jack had it first. He was running a fever and had a snotty nose, so I took him to the doctor, who said it was a cold (this was his second round of fever in about a week and a half). The fever lasted for about 2.5 days and then it was gone. So when Spencer spiked a fever, I just assumed it was the same thing and we went ahead and traveled to Little Rock for the holiday.
But Spencer's fever was persistent and, as the days passed, kept getting higher and higher. But he never really acted sick. He was still playing and having a great time. We took him to an after hours clinic where they diagnosed him with the dreaded swine flu and sent us on our way with a prescription for Tamiflu.
Four days after the fever began, he woke up fever free and stayed that way. "Hooray!" we all shouted. Swine flu defeated! We went to Chuck E. Cheese and Barnes and Noble and had a great time.
The next day, however, he woke up with a fever of 105.3. I'm not typically one to panic over a fever, but that is a high number. In fact, I'd never seen a number that high on a thermometer before. I managed to get an appointment with our old pediatrician in Sherwood, Dr. Miers (who ROCKS! If you are in the Little Rock area, I can't recommend her enough). She took one look and him and ordered blood work and a lung x-ray. Lungs looked good, blood work was crazy, so she directly admitted us to the hospital.
Spencer's blood had basically gone septic. He tested positive for streptococcus pneumoniae, which can cause all kinds of nastiness from sepsis to meningitis. But Dr. M caught it soon enough that the IV antibiotics were able to knock it out pretty well.
He ended up staying in the hospital for about 5 days, including over Thanksgiving.
I'm super grateful for Dr. M, that she was able to catch it. I certainly don't have confidence that our pediatrician here in Mountain Home would have (see the fact that Jack was diagnosed with a cold above. Dr. M said that with Jack being generally healthier than Spencer and breastfed, he probably had it and just kicked it really easily). I certainly wish I could clone her and bring a copy up here.
Hopefully I'll do better blogging in December. :-)
Anyway, there really wasn't much to report, until the end of the month anyway. I was out of work a few days with sick kiddos, but other than that we have just been maintaining the status quo.
Toward the end of the month, the boys got H1N1. Well, I guess we're assuming that's what it was. Apparently, docs aren't swabbing for it anymore. They just say, "Well, these look like flu-like symptoms, must be swine flu." Maybe they have magic H1N1 detectors? Who knows.
Jack had it first. He was running a fever and had a snotty nose, so I took him to the doctor, who said it was a cold (this was his second round of fever in about a week and a half). The fever lasted for about 2.5 days and then it was gone. So when Spencer spiked a fever, I just assumed it was the same thing and we went ahead and traveled to Little Rock for the holiday.
But Spencer's fever was persistent and, as the days passed, kept getting higher and higher. But he never really acted sick. He was still playing and having a great time. We took him to an after hours clinic where they diagnosed him with the dreaded swine flu and sent us on our way with a prescription for Tamiflu.
Four days after the fever began, he woke up fever free and stayed that way. "Hooray!" we all shouted. Swine flu defeated! We went to Chuck E. Cheese and Barnes and Noble and had a great time.
The next day, however, he woke up with a fever of 105.3. I'm not typically one to panic over a fever, but that is a high number. In fact, I'd never seen a number that high on a thermometer before. I managed to get an appointment with our old pediatrician in Sherwood, Dr. Miers (who ROCKS! If you are in the Little Rock area, I can't recommend her enough). She took one look and him and ordered blood work and a lung x-ray. Lungs looked good, blood work was crazy, so she directly admitted us to the hospital.
Spencer's blood had basically gone septic. He tested positive for streptococcus pneumoniae, which can cause all kinds of nastiness from sepsis to meningitis. But Dr. M caught it soon enough that the IV antibiotics were able to knock it out pretty well.
He ended up staying in the hospital for about 5 days, including over Thanksgiving.
I'm super grateful for Dr. M, that she was able to catch it. I certainly don't have confidence that our pediatrician here in Mountain Home would have (see the fact that Jack was diagnosed with a cold above. Dr. M said that with Jack being generally healthier than Spencer and breastfed, he probably had it and just kicked it really easily). I certainly wish I could clone her and bring a copy up here.
Hopefully I'll do better blogging in December. :-)
Saturday, November 14, 2009
I Have Well Behaved Children.
Go figure, right? With as much complaining as I've been doing about them, I was pretty sure I was raising two demon spawn. I mean, I've got one who screams at most people and is terribly unsocial. The other has so much energy that he tells me he doesn't know how to be still (God speed to his kindy teacher next year). And we had to leave Wal-Mart two weeks ago b/c of a tantrum he was throwing. Like leave the shopping cart in the aisle and get the hell out of there type situation.
But apparently, they are better behaved than other children, especially when we dine out.
We don't go out to eat terribly often; we're much more likely to order take-out these days. About a month or so ago, we were complimented while at Sean's Restaurant as to how good the boys were. A week later, someone at McDonald's complimented me on their behavior. And yesterday, someone at Quiznos' told me how well behaved they were.
It seems to me that they must be pretty well behaved in general, even with what I assume are demon like behaviors that crop up every now and again. I'm going to start trying to focus on the good stuff as opposed to all the little negatives.
But apparently, they are better behaved than other children, especially when we dine out.
We don't go out to eat terribly often; we're much more likely to order take-out these days. About a month or so ago, we were complimented while at Sean's Restaurant as to how good the boys were. A week later, someone at McDonald's complimented me on their behavior. And yesterday, someone at Quiznos' told me how well behaved they were.
It seems to me that they must be pretty well behaved in general, even with what I assume are demon like behaviors that crop up every now and again. I'm going to start trying to focus on the good stuff as opposed to all the little negatives.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
November Is Prematurity Awareness Month
Some quick facts...
1. About 13% of babies in the United States are born prematurely (that's more than 500,000 a year), up 36% since the early 1980s.
2. The March of Dimes has concerns that a rise in late preterm births could be because of elective inductions, either for the "convenience" of mother or her doctor (ie- without true medical justification).
3. Prematurity can cause a huge laundry list of problems for babies. Some of these problems may not present themselves until childhood.
(Source: March of Dimes)
Prematurity is not a cause that I have always championed. Once upon a time, I was quite oblivious to all things preemie. I knew there were babies that were born too soon, but because I wasn't directly involved it wasn't something I thought about.
The whole world flipped upside down for me on March 16, 2005. At 20 weeks pregnant, my water broke. Not a leak. Not a trickle. A flood.
When I got to the hospital, they couldn't even get a good reading on Spencer's heart rate because he was too small and still had so much room to maneuver.
"What happens now?" I had asked.
The answer was: we wait. Wait for an infection. Wait for labor. Wait for general fetal demise. Should I develop an infection, we deliver the baby. Should I go into labor, they would not stop its progression. Should fetal demise occur, well... But regardless, until I was 24 weeks pregnant, almost a month away, the NICU couldn't even do anything for him if he was born.
So wait I did, for many long weeks. Jake called me in the hospital daily to fill me in on what they were up to in Iraq. Mom, my grandmother, stopped by with frappuccinos from the Starbucks downstairs. Dara, my sister, stopped in frequently, bringing pictures of the cats, bills, and, at least once a week, some dinner from beyond the hospital cafeteria.
With every week brought my new perinatologist, his ultrasound machine, and a bit of encouragement. Spencer was growing. His body was growing at an appropriate rate, which led us to believe his lungs were developing despite the lack of fluid.
By the time we reached the end of May, I was finally beginning to go stir crazy (my nurses said it usually happened in the 2nd week of hospital bedrest, LOL). I had reached the huge milestone of 30 weeks pregnant, 2 weeks past what my OB and perinatologist had wanted. So when I developed a small placental abruption, the decision was made to proceed with delivery (which was a c-section due to breech presentation).
Spencer was a robust 2 pounds and 14 ounces, a full 10 ounces bigger than estimated via ultrasound, and 15 inches long. He cried in the operating room, but quickly became strained so they intubated him.
This began our NICU journey. Suffice it to say that it felt like 7 years rather than 7 weeks.
Spencer's lungs were underdeveloped and the NICU team had a terrible time keeping his blood oxygen level where it should have been. They had to put him on an oscillating ventilator with nitric oxide (different from nitrous oxide like at the dentist), which can cause brain bleeds. However, things began to move in a positive direction at that point. Three days later, he was able to move to the conventional ventilator and get off the nitric. A mere 2 days after that he was put on the nasal cannula.
Then, something funny happened. At the same time they began feeding him, his tummy just kept getting bigger and bigger. The doctors feared it was necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which is a very serious problem with the bowels. He was rushed from Baptist Hospital to Children's, where emergency surgery was preformed.
Turns out it wasn't NEC after all, but that his nurse had poked a hole in his stomach with his feeding tube. I think I should have been upset about that, but the gratitude I felt in the fact that he didn't have NEC outweighed it all.
From this point, Spencer's stay in the NICU was fairly uneventful. He grew and grew, almost doubling his birth weight by the time he was discharged in July. When I took him home, he was 4 pounds and 5.5 ounces.
Every time I look at him, I am reminded of how fortunate I am that he is alive. Every time I think I'm going to go crazy if I hear him tell me about his trains one more time, I think about how many mothers of premature babies didn't get to take their children home.
Because regardless of what the television shows us, prematurity doesn't mean that a baby is simply small. Prematurity is complex and frequently devastating. Simply getting big doesn't solve their problems. And I am grateful for Spencer. Every day.
1. About 13% of babies in the United States are born prematurely (that's more than 500,000 a year), up 36% since the early 1980s.
2. The March of Dimes has concerns that a rise in late preterm births could be because of elective inductions, either for the "convenience" of mother or her doctor (ie- without true medical justification).
3. Prematurity can cause a huge laundry list of problems for babies. Some of these problems may not present themselves until childhood.
(Source: March of Dimes)
Prematurity is not a cause that I have always championed. Once upon a time, I was quite oblivious to all things preemie. I knew there were babies that were born too soon, but because I wasn't directly involved it wasn't something I thought about.
The whole world flipped upside down for me on March 16, 2005. At 20 weeks pregnant, my water broke. Not a leak. Not a trickle. A flood.
When I got to the hospital, they couldn't even get a good reading on Spencer's heart rate because he was too small and still had so much room to maneuver.
"What happens now?" I had asked.
The answer was: we wait. Wait for an infection. Wait for labor. Wait for general fetal demise. Should I develop an infection, we deliver the baby. Should I go into labor, they would not stop its progression. Should fetal demise occur, well... But regardless, until I was 24 weeks pregnant, almost a month away, the NICU couldn't even do anything for him if he was born.
So wait I did, for many long weeks. Jake called me in the hospital daily to fill me in on what they were up to in Iraq. Mom, my grandmother, stopped by with frappuccinos from the Starbucks downstairs. Dara, my sister, stopped in frequently, bringing pictures of the cats, bills, and, at least once a week, some dinner from beyond the hospital cafeteria.
With every week brought my new perinatologist, his ultrasound machine, and a bit of encouragement. Spencer was growing. His body was growing at an appropriate rate, which led us to believe his lungs were developing despite the lack of fluid.
By the time we reached the end of May, I was finally beginning to go stir crazy (my nurses said it usually happened in the 2nd week of hospital bedrest, LOL). I had reached the huge milestone of 30 weeks pregnant, 2 weeks past what my OB and perinatologist had wanted. So when I developed a small placental abruption, the decision was made to proceed with delivery (which was a c-section due to breech presentation).
Spencer was a robust 2 pounds and 14 ounces, a full 10 ounces bigger than estimated via ultrasound, and 15 inches long. He cried in the operating room, but quickly became strained so they intubated him.
This began our NICU journey. Suffice it to say that it felt like 7 years rather than 7 weeks.
Spencer's lungs were underdeveloped and the NICU team had a terrible time keeping his blood oxygen level where it should have been. They had to put him on an oscillating ventilator with nitric oxide (different from nitrous oxide like at the dentist), which can cause brain bleeds. However, things began to move in a positive direction at that point. Three days later, he was able to move to the conventional ventilator and get off the nitric. A mere 2 days after that he was put on the nasal cannula.
Then, something funny happened. At the same time they began feeding him, his tummy just kept getting bigger and bigger. The doctors feared it was necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which is a very serious problem with the bowels. He was rushed from Baptist Hospital to Children's, where emergency surgery was preformed.
Turns out it wasn't NEC after all, but that his nurse had poked a hole in his stomach with his feeding tube. I think I should have been upset about that, but the gratitude I felt in the fact that he didn't have NEC outweighed it all.
From this point, Spencer's stay in the NICU was fairly uneventful. He grew and grew, almost doubling his birth weight by the time he was discharged in July. When I took him home, he was 4 pounds and 5.5 ounces.
Every time I look at him, I am reminded of how fortunate I am that he is alive. Every time I think I'm going to go crazy if I hear him tell me about his trains one more time, I think about how many mothers of premature babies didn't get to take their children home.
Because regardless of what the television shows us, prematurity doesn't mean that a baby is simply small. Prematurity is complex and frequently devastating. Simply getting big doesn't solve their problems. And I am grateful for Spencer. Every day.
Friday, October 23, 2009
If I Had To Make A List...
of Jack's likes and dislikes, I think it'd look something like this.
LOVES
1. Mommy
2. Daddy
3. Spencer
4. Breastmilk from the source
5. Grabbing animal fur
6. Echos
7. Ceiling fans
8. Being held/carried
LIKES
1. Mom and Pop
2. Hannah
3. Biting people and things
4. Trying to eat paper
5. Breastmilk from a bottle
6. Making angry noises
7. Going outside and eating sticks/leaves/grass
8. Taking a bath
HATES
1. Most people
2. Loud noises
3. Car rides > 10 minutes
4. Being put down
5. Wearing clothes, especially footie pajamas
6. Taking a nap > 45 minutes
7. Shopping
8. Riding in the stroller/buggy
9. Mommy going anywhere and not including him
10. The sound of the washer and/or dryer while trying to sleep
11. Wind
12. Rain that gets on him
13. Being on his tummy
We're going back to Little Rock today. My hope is that he screams for one hour or less of the trip. Wish me luck.
LOVES
1. Mommy
2. Daddy
3. Spencer
4. Breastmilk from the source
5. Grabbing animal fur
6. Echos
7. Ceiling fans
8. Being held/carried
LIKES
1. Mom and Pop
2. Hannah
3. Biting people and things
4. Trying to eat paper
5. Breastmilk from a bottle
6. Making angry noises
7. Going outside and eating sticks/leaves/grass
8. Taking a bath
HATES
1. Most people
2. Loud noises
3. Car rides > 10 minutes
4. Being put down
5. Wearing clothes, especially footie pajamas
6. Taking a nap > 45 minutes
7. Shopping
8. Riding in the stroller/buggy
9. Mommy going anywhere and not including him
10. The sound of the washer and/or dryer while trying to sleep
11. Wind
12. Rain that gets on him
13. Being on his tummy
We're going back to Little Rock today. My hope is that he screams for one hour or less of the trip. Wish me luck.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Things I Wonder...
1. Who complained about our yard? And by yard, I don't mean the large visible space in the front. I mean the small (like 8X3) space on the side that I didn't even realize belonged to us until this summer. That we've never done anything with and that isn't that bad. Do the old people on my block not have anything else to do? Do they not realize that I have two young kids, a job, and a husband that works 60 hours a week (and who really doesn't do the yard anyway)? Come on!
2. Why did the bird have to be dismembered? Was he really not good enough dead? Did you just get a wild hair in you and HAVE to tear half of his little body off? And also, why could you not have done that outside? I really hate finding feathers in strange obscure spaces for days after the fact.
3. WTF are the ants after? I mean, do they have a death wish? Because that is all that will come from them invading my kitchen. It doesn't matter if the counters are dirty or sparkling clean, in come the ants. DIE, ants, DIE!
4. Why haven't I won the million on the McDonald's monopoly game yet? I'm waiting...
5. Why does Jack always pick the best part of my favorite shows to either A) decide it is bedtime or B) wake up and need to be nursed back to sleep? Seriously. I missed the best parts of "Glee" last week.
6. What is the deal with WIC giving so much freaking milk? My family cannot drink over 10 gallons of milk a month, and the fact that they give it to you basically all at once just means it is going to sit in my house and go bad.
2. Why did the bird have to be dismembered? Was he really not good enough dead? Did you just get a wild hair in you and HAVE to tear half of his little body off? And also, why could you not have done that outside? I really hate finding feathers in strange obscure spaces for days after the fact.
3. WTF are the ants after? I mean, do they have a death wish? Because that is all that will come from them invading my kitchen. It doesn't matter if the counters are dirty or sparkling clean, in come the ants. DIE, ants, DIE!
4. Why haven't I won the million on the McDonald's monopoly game yet? I'm waiting...
5. Why does Jack always pick the best part of my favorite shows to either A) decide it is bedtime or B) wake up and need to be nursed back to sleep? Seriously. I missed the best parts of "Glee" last week.
6. What is the deal with WIC giving so much freaking milk? My family cannot drink over 10 gallons of milk a month, and the fact that they give it to you basically all at once just means it is going to sit in my house and go bad.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Memories I Can't Keep
Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. -The Wonder Years
Ok, I just quoted the TV show The Wonder Years. I feel it applies here. ;-)
There are days that I wish I could hold on to every little thing my boys do. I look at Spencer with his shaggy hair (he's recently decided to grow it back out) and I see the way it falls across his eyes. I want to lock that picture away. And the way Jack looks when he is in full on belly laugh mode, with his mouth wide open, showing his two pearly white teeth, eyes closed, and head thrown back. I want to store it for later. And not just the picture of the things, but the feelings behind them. And the situations surrounding them. But I can't.
A few days ago, Jack was nuzzled into my neck and I noticed that, for the first time, he had bedhead. And not just a bit of temporary bedhead, but the kind that you can't just smooth down with your hand. And I realized in that moment how many memories I've lost with the passage of time. I'll probably lose that one eventually.
How much of Spencer's babyhood has left me? I don't remember how he smelled. Or where he was the most ticklish. Or what made him laugh more than anything else. And that's just what I've lost from his first year. What about the way he tottled around when he was just learning to walk? Or the first time he ever gave me a kiss? Or told me he loved me unprovoked? All gone.
This has made me want to hold on to whatever I can get while I can. Jack is still new enough that I remember how he felt, all warm and wet, when he was first placed on my chest. And I remember how his new baby head smelled so good even though we didn't bathe him for a week after his birth.
And I want to cling on to what Spencer is doing with new ferocity. He traced his name all by himself for the first time this week. And he's getting sneaky when he does something he knows he's not supposed to.
I guess the brain is only meant to hold so much. But it kills me that all these little things will leave me over time to be replaced with just the big stuff. I hope its enough.
Ok, I just quoted the TV show The Wonder Years. I feel it applies here. ;-)
There are days that I wish I could hold on to every little thing my boys do. I look at Spencer with his shaggy hair (he's recently decided to grow it back out) and I see the way it falls across his eyes. I want to lock that picture away. And the way Jack looks when he is in full on belly laugh mode, with his mouth wide open, showing his two pearly white teeth, eyes closed, and head thrown back. I want to store it for later. And not just the picture of the things, but the feelings behind them. And the situations surrounding them. But I can't.
A few days ago, Jack was nuzzled into my neck and I noticed that, for the first time, he had bedhead. And not just a bit of temporary bedhead, but the kind that you can't just smooth down with your hand. And I realized in that moment how many memories I've lost with the passage of time. I'll probably lose that one eventually.
How much of Spencer's babyhood has left me? I don't remember how he smelled. Or where he was the most ticklish. Or what made him laugh more than anything else. And that's just what I've lost from his first year. What about the way he tottled around when he was just learning to walk? Or the first time he ever gave me a kiss? Or told me he loved me unprovoked? All gone.
This has made me want to hold on to whatever I can get while I can. Jack is still new enough that I remember how he felt, all warm and wet, when he was first placed on my chest. And I remember how his new baby head smelled so good even though we didn't bathe him for a week after his birth.
And I want to cling on to what Spencer is doing with new ferocity. He traced his name all by himself for the first time this week. And he's getting sneaky when he does something he knows he's not supposed to.
I guess the brain is only meant to hold so much. But it kills me that all these little things will leave me over time to be replaced with just the big stuff. I hope its enough.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Week 4 Weigh-In
So this week rounds out my first month on Weight Watchers. As of this morning, I'm down another 2 pounds for a total of 15.6 pounds lost! Love it!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Week 3 Weigh-In
This will be quick b/c Jack is ready for bed, but I want to be accountable.
Monday is weigh day, so onto the scale I went this morning.
And I'm down another 3 pounds to make my total weight lost at this point 13.6 pounds. Woot! No complaints from me.
I really wanted to be at approx. 20 pounds down at the end of the month when we're having pictures made. I don't think I'll quite get there, but I'll be close enough to be happy with it.
Monday is weigh day, so onto the scale I went this morning.
And I'm down another 3 pounds to make my total weight lost at this point 13.6 pounds. Woot! No complaints from me.
I really wanted to be at approx. 20 pounds down at the end of the month when we're having pictures made. I don't think I'll quite get there, but I'll be close enough to be happy with it.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Body by Baby
Right now, I have a "body by baby." Technically, you could say I have a "body by babies" since I never got those last 5 pounds from Spencer off, but I got close enough, I think.
In April of 2004, I had hit my highest weight (to that date, at least) of 219.5 pounds. When I stepped on the scale, I was mortified. I had no idea that my weight had crept up so high; I just knew that Old Navy's sizing had obviously gotten smaller as I was wearing a XXL. Denial in its finest.
I stumbled across the Atkins diet on accident and decided to give it a try. At the time, I needed the rigidness it provided (you can eat these things, you can't eat those) and it worked out perfectly. Between April and November of 2004, I lost almost 50 pounds. It felt great.
That November, I found myself unexpectedly pregnant. At least I was married. Ha! Anyway, it isn't advisable to do Atkins while pregnant, so I threw it out the window and, man, did I throw it far. I was still eating reasonably, but I had added all the "no-no" foods back in; stuff like whole wheat bread, oatmeal, and tater tots. Ok, so I wasn't perfect, but I certainly wasn't out of control.
My weight gain stayed in check pretty well until my water broke and I landed in the hospital for 10 weeks on strict bedrest. I was doing my student teaching at the time and was on my feet, moving and shaking, for about 6.5 hours a day. Once I was in the hospital, the most I walked was the 5 feet between the hospital bed and the bathroom. Not the mention the fact that hospital food is incredibly unhealthy, go figure. My meals consisted of things like fried fish, double cheeseburgers, and huge slices of pepperoni pizza. By the time my pregnancy was over at the 30 week point, I'd put on over 40 pounds.
Once I was home from the hospital, I didn't resume Atkins (I was pumping for Spencer and Atkins also isn't recommended during breastfeeding b/c it can impact your supply) but I did keep an eye on what I ate. The weight began moving down, slowly but surely. After my milk supply ran dry (I will always thank the awesome doctor that told me to take sudafed, a drug that is WELL known to dry up milk *sarcasm*), I got back on Atkins and dropped down to 179, which was a mere 2 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight.
Then, in October of 2006, my step-mother was in a terrible car accident. My eating has spiraled out of control ever since and was on its way back up when I got pregnant with Jack (expectedly, this time, LOL) last June.
Man, oh man, did I have fun eating during my pregnancy! I even turned backwards on the scale at the doctor's office so I didn't have to see the damage (my midwife didn't weigh me). Looking back, I had to have gained at LEAST 50 pounds.
In the immediate 8 weeks or so after his birth, I didn't change anything. I didn't want to affect my milk supply, of course. And I couldn't exercise b/c I couldn't leave Jack. He wouldn't take a bottle and, if he got hungry, Jake would be SOL on feeding him. Excuses, excuses. And I actually GAINED weight while breastfeeding! Looking at pictures of me from a few days postpartum and then again at my sister's wedding, which was 8 weeks later, you can see the weight gain in my face. When I figured it out, I couldn't believe it.
So I decided it was time to take action. I did Weight Watchers back before my wedding in 2003 and thought it was terrible. I was hungry all the time and it took forever for me to lose any weight. But I knew they had a program tailored to breastfeeding mothers, so I looked into it again, and a lot has changed.
Two weeks ago I joined. And, wow, do I love the program. In the first week, I lost a bit over 5 pounds (which will slow down as my body settles into the plan; it isn't typical to lose so much on a week to week basis). I'm also planning on joining a gym soon. When I did Atkins, I worked out about 6 days a week and loved it. I want to do that again.
Mondays are my weigh days and I'll probably keep track of my weight loss here each week (and hopefully get some measurements eventually too). I think being public will keep me honest.
In April of 2004, I had hit my highest weight (to that date, at least) of 219.5 pounds. When I stepped on the scale, I was mortified. I had no idea that my weight had crept up so high; I just knew that Old Navy's sizing had obviously gotten smaller as I was wearing a XXL. Denial in its finest.
I stumbled across the Atkins diet on accident and decided to give it a try. At the time, I needed the rigidness it provided (you can eat these things, you can't eat those) and it worked out perfectly. Between April and November of 2004, I lost almost 50 pounds. It felt great.
That November, I found myself unexpectedly pregnant. At least I was married. Ha! Anyway, it isn't advisable to do Atkins while pregnant, so I threw it out the window and, man, did I throw it far. I was still eating reasonably, but I had added all the "no-no" foods back in; stuff like whole wheat bread, oatmeal, and tater tots. Ok, so I wasn't perfect, but I certainly wasn't out of control.
My weight gain stayed in check pretty well until my water broke and I landed in the hospital for 10 weeks on strict bedrest. I was doing my student teaching at the time and was on my feet, moving and shaking, for about 6.5 hours a day. Once I was in the hospital, the most I walked was the 5 feet between the hospital bed and the bathroom. Not the mention the fact that hospital food is incredibly unhealthy, go figure. My meals consisted of things like fried fish, double cheeseburgers, and huge slices of pepperoni pizza. By the time my pregnancy was over at the 30 week point, I'd put on over 40 pounds.
Once I was home from the hospital, I didn't resume Atkins (I was pumping for Spencer and Atkins also isn't recommended during breastfeeding b/c it can impact your supply) but I did keep an eye on what I ate. The weight began moving down, slowly but surely. After my milk supply ran dry (I will always thank the awesome doctor that told me to take sudafed, a drug that is WELL known to dry up milk *sarcasm*), I got back on Atkins and dropped down to 179, which was a mere 2 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight.
Then, in October of 2006, my step-mother was in a terrible car accident. My eating has spiraled out of control ever since and was on its way back up when I got pregnant with Jack (expectedly, this time, LOL) last June.
Man, oh man, did I have fun eating during my pregnancy! I even turned backwards on the scale at the doctor's office so I didn't have to see the damage (my midwife didn't weigh me). Looking back, I had to have gained at LEAST 50 pounds.
In the immediate 8 weeks or so after his birth, I didn't change anything. I didn't want to affect my milk supply, of course. And I couldn't exercise b/c I couldn't leave Jack. He wouldn't take a bottle and, if he got hungry, Jake would be SOL on feeding him. Excuses, excuses. And I actually GAINED weight while breastfeeding! Looking at pictures of me from a few days postpartum and then again at my sister's wedding, which was 8 weeks later, you can see the weight gain in my face. When I figured it out, I couldn't believe it.
So I decided it was time to take action. I did Weight Watchers back before my wedding in 2003 and thought it was terrible. I was hungry all the time and it took forever for me to lose any weight. But I knew they had a program tailored to breastfeeding mothers, so I looked into it again, and a lot has changed.
Two weeks ago I joined. And, wow, do I love the program. In the first week, I lost a bit over 5 pounds (which will slow down as my body settles into the plan; it isn't typical to lose so much on a week to week basis). I'm also planning on joining a gym soon. When I did Atkins, I worked out about 6 days a week and loved it. I want to do that again.
Mondays are my weigh days and I'll probably keep track of my weight loss here each week (and hopefully get some measurements eventually too). I think being public will keep me honest.
Friday, September 11, 2009
The Value of a Mother
Today I am faced with a question that I'm sure many "domestic engineers" have been faced with through the years: Am I worth less just because I don't work (or only work part time)?
Of course, I absolutely think I have immense value. I work part time, so I am able to contribute financially to our household, no matter how meager my wage. ;-) And I'm lucky enough to work for a Mother's Day Out program so both the boys come with me everyday. Because I only work 26 hours a week, I still consider myself a stay-at-home mom for the most part. I carry most of the child rearing and housekeeping roles.
So with all of this, why was I told this afternoon that everyday is a vacation day for me?
I, for one, do not feel like everyday is a vacation day. Vacation implies relaxation and, hopefully, a beach. Sure, I get spurts of down time, but they usually occur in 10-15 minute increments. Certainly not the mecca of relaxation that my partner apparently feels I experience on a daily basis.
Where do I go from here? I feel, well, I guess I don't know how I feel. What does one do when they realize they aren't valued like they should be? The answer escapes me at this moment.
Of course, I absolutely think I have immense value. I work part time, so I am able to contribute financially to our household, no matter how meager my wage. ;-) And I'm lucky enough to work for a Mother's Day Out program so both the boys come with me everyday. Because I only work 26 hours a week, I still consider myself a stay-at-home mom for the most part. I carry most of the child rearing and housekeeping roles.
So with all of this, why was I told this afternoon that everyday is a vacation day for me?
I, for one, do not feel like everyday is a vacation day. Vacation implies relaxation and, hopefully, a beach. Sure, I get spurts of down time, but they usually occur in 10-15 minute increments. Certainly not the mecca of relaxation that my partner apparently feels I experience on a daily basis.
Where do I go from here? I feel, well, I guess I don't know how I feel. What does one do when they realize they aren't valued like they should be? The answer escapes me at this moment.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Our Family Bed
There are a lot of names for what we do. Some call it the family bed. Others call it co-sleeping. I just call it having the baby in the bed.
For me, this is the epitome of lazy parenting. ;-) Our decision to put Jack in the bed with us from the day of this birth was twofold: we didn't really have the space for a crib and I didn't want to have to schlep to another room (or even across our room, to be honest) to get him for night feedings. By virtue of the fact that we planned to exclusively breastfeed (big success on that front!), I would be doing all the feedings at night. Additionally, breastfed babies tend to eat more often at night and need night feedings through the first year. That meant that not only would I be doing all the night feedings, I'd be doing a lot of them. Co-sleeping meant that I could simply roll over, latch Jack on, and drift back off to sleep.
For the most part, my pre-Jack idea of what co-sleeping would entail has been spot on. I know he still wakes up in the night, but I have no idea how many times a night or when those wakings occur. Every morning, I have a vague idea that I may have been woken, but my recollections tend to be spotty and blurry at best.
I don't think I know Jake's true feelings on the matter. He's been, theoretically, on board since the beginning, but I am getting the feeling that he may be falling out of love with the actuality of it. Several times in the past month he's mentioned being kicked by Jack at night or needing a bigger bed. Of course, I think he's A) a pansy and B) crazy. I try to treat the bed space like the Chinese treat unauthorized second children: Jack doesn't get his own bed ration, he shares mine. I do my best to make sure that Jake gets a wide berth at night, but of course I have no idea what is actually happening at 3 am. I'm asleep. :-D
I am hoping that we can continue the co-sleeping until Jack is about a year old. My ultimate goal is to get the boys bunk beds and transition Jack to the bottom bunk sometime next spring. If things go my way, I'll still be able to go sleep with Jack part of the night if he needs me. That way Jake gets a really wide berth.
For me, this is the epitome of lazy parenting. ;-) Our decision to put Jack in the bed with us from the day of this birth was twofold: we didn't really have the space for a crib and I didn't want to have to schlep to another room (or even across our room, to be honest) to get him for night feedings. By virtue of the fact that we planned to exclusively breastfeed (big success on that front!), I would be doing all the feedings at night. Additionally, breastfed babies tend to eat more often at night and need night feedings through the first year. That meant that not only would I be doing all the night feedings, I'd be doing a lot of them. Co-sleeping meant that I could simply roll over, latch Jack on, and drift back off to sleep.
For the most part, my pre-Jack idea of what co-sleeping would entail has been spot on. I know he still wakes up in the night, but I have no idea how many times a night or when those wakings occur. Every morning, I have a vague idea that I may have been woken, but my recollections tend to be spotty and blurry at best.
I don't think I know Jake's true feelings on the matter. He's been, theoretically, on board since the beginning, but I am getting the feeling that he may be falling out of love with the actuality of it. Several times in the past month he's mentioned being kicked by Jack at night or needing a bigger bed. Of course, I think he's A) a pansy and B) crazy. I try to treat the bed space like the Chinese treat unauthorized second children: Jack doesn't get his own bed ration, he shares mine. I do my best to make sure that Jake gets a wide berth at night, but of course I have no idea what is actually happening at 3 am. I'm asleep. :-D
I am hoping that we can continue the co-sleeping until Jack is about a year old. My ultimate goal is to get the boys bunk beds and transition Jack to the bottom bunk sometime next spring. If things go my way, I'll still be able to go sleep with Jack part of the night if he needs me. That way Jake gets a really wide berth.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Welcome To My Sty!
Jake and I had a row this week. (Watch for my cool new British slang! I've been reading a lot of British chick lit and it is seeping into my vocabulary, lol.)
At work, we've phased back into our 26 hour a week schedule. That means I'm working 6.5 hours, 4 days a week. It may not sound like a lot to those of you who work a full 40 hour week, but it is a relatively demanding job. I'm solely responsible for 4 babies and it is hard work! By the end of most days, I'm sweating and have gotten a pretty fair leg workout b/c I've been swaying and bouncing so much of the day.
Then I come home to more responsibilities, namely caring for Jack and Spencer, cooking dinner, and doing any housework that needs to be done.
Jake is really good help when it comes to the boys and dinner, but the housework is a point of contention. (Hi honey! I love you!)
He maintains that if the house isn't going to look like a showroom, like a picture in a magazine, all the time, that there is no point in cleaning it. The house is either clean (like spotlessly clean) or it is dirty. There is no middle ground.
I'm of the mind that a house can be dirty, messy, or clean. And clean doesn't necessarily mean magazine clean. A house can be clean but still have a bit of clutter. That doesn't make it dirty per se, just messy. I guess I feel there is a whole spectrum of house cleanliness options while Jake sees that there are only two.
So this weekend, I'm going to do my best to get the house in better shape. It'll probably be difficult, Jake has already told me he is going to work tomorrow, but I'm going to give it a fair shot. Hopefully I can get Jake on board to help. ;-)
I leave you with a pic of my sweet boys. I tried to get a picture of them together and this is the best I got. If one was looking at the camera and smiling, it was inevitable that the other was looking away, blinking, or just generally looked goofy.
At work, we've phased back into our 26 hour a week schedule. That means I'm working 6.5 hours, 4 days a week. It may not sound like a lot to those of you who work a full 40 hour week, but it is a relatively demanding job. I'm solely responsible for 4 babies and it is hard work! By the end of most days, I'm sweating and have gotten a pretty fair leg workout b/c I've been swaying and bouncing so much of the day.
Then I come home to more responsibilities, namely caring for Jack and Spencer, cooking dinner, and doing any housework that needs to be done.
Jake is really good help when it comes to the boys and dinner, but the housework is a point of contention. (Hi honey! I love you!)
He maintains that if the house isn't going to look like a showroom, like a picture in a magazine, all the time, that there is no point in cleaning it. The house is either clean (like spotlessly clean) or it is dirty. There is no middle ground.
I'm of the mind that a house can be dirty, messy, or clean. And clean doesn't necessarily mean magazine clean. A house can be clean but still have a bit of clutter. That doesn't make it dirty per se, just messy. I guess I feel there is a whole spectrum of house cleanliness options while Jake sees that there are only two.
So this weekend, I'm going to do my best to get the house in better shape. It'll probably be difficult, Jake has already told me he is going to work tomorrow, but I'm going to give it a fair shot. Hopefully I can get Jake on board to help. ;-)
I leave you with a pic of my sweet boys. I tried to get a picture of them together and this is the best I got. If one was looking at the camera and smiling, it was inevitable that the other was looking away, blinking, or just generally looked goofy.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Oh what a beautiful morning!
I am feeling really blessed by this weather today! The people in north central Arkansas are sure getting a treat; I don't think we typically see such cool weather until late September!
Jake and Spencer were up and out early this morning to go visit Ama (that would be Jake's mother), so Jack and I went to the farmer's market. As soon as I set foot outside, I thought I should've put Jack in some pants.
The goods at the market seemed kind of scarce today. Probably a byproduct of both the late time we arrived (after 10) and the lateness of the season. Seems like there are fewer and fewer vegetables every time we go. But I've really gotten quite fond of buying baked goods there; Spencer frequently gets a muffin or cookie when we go, I've gotten Jake a pie before, and I picked up some delicious zucchini bread today.
Also on the agenda for the day is a trip to the library (I've got a book that is overdue by at least 6 months) and a voyage to the bookstore. I'm pretty sure I'm single-handedly keeping Hastings in business at this point. I've taken to reading while nursing Jack, so I'm going through quite a few books. Since he's been born, I've read the Twilight series twice (4 books in the series), books 6 and 7 in the Harry Potter series, books 1 and 2 in the Wicked series, and all 5 books in the Shopaholic series. I don't know what I'm going to get at the bookstore today.
Jake and Spencer were up and out early this morning to go visit Ama (that would be Jake's mother), so Jack and I went to the farmer's market. As soon as I set foot outside, I thought I should've put Jack in some pants.
The goods at the market seemed kind of scarce today. Probably a byproduct of both the late time we arrived (after 10) and the lateness of the season. Seems like there are fewer and fewer vegetables every time we go. But I've really gotten quite fond of buying baked goods there; Spencer frequently gets a muffin or cookie when we go, I've gotten Jake a pie before, and I picked up some delicious zucchini bread today.
Also on the agenda for the day is a trip to the library (I've got a book that is overdue by at least 6 months) and a voyage to the bookstore. I'm pretty sure I'm single-handedly keeping Hastings in business at this point. I've taken to reading while nursing Jack, so I'm going through quite a few books. Since he's been born, I've read the Twilight series twice (4 books in the series), books 6 and 7 in the Harry Potter series, books 1 and 2 in the Wicked series, and all 5 books in the Shopaholic series. I don't know what I'm going to get at the bookstore today.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Things I Love
Here is the much more positive sequel to the "Things I Hate" posting some days ago. I went to Branson yesterday and bought both the boy's clothes for fall and winter and, to top it off, Jack is taking a (much needed) PHENOMENAL nap. Those things put me in a very positive mood. ;-)
1. My Boys
Yes, both these pictures are old, but I didn't have anything better! I don't think I need to elaborate on this point.
2. Coconut Anything
Cakes, pies, drinks, anything coconut smelling....you name it, odds are I'll love it! I make a cake with cream of coconut poured down in it and it is freaking awesome.
3. A Clean House
I sure love the feeling of walking into a clean house. However, this is something I almost never have. Between playing with, feeding, and generally chasing the boys around all day, in addition to having a dog that seems to blow his coat year round, there just isn't enough time in the day. One day, I'll have at least a housekeeper to come scrub my toilets. *wistful sigh*
4. Mowing the Lawn
Jake is absolutely convinced that I am lying through my teeth every single time I say I love mowing the grass. Yet, he can't figure out WHY I lie about it. That's because I don't. I, seriously, love mowing the grass. It makes me feel like I've really accomplished something and I feel like I get some exercise while doing it. Love it.
5. Animals
You name it, I probably love it. Just ask Jake about the time Catch, our fierce hunter cat, brought in a bunny. I couldn't stand to see the bunny hurt, bleeding, or dead, so I called him home to deal with it while I hid in our bonus room. (The bunny managed to find and hide out in a cup and ended up being just fine, btw.) And I've hauled many a caught bird to the vet's office (but they all seem to expire before I can get there :-( ). I am an animal lover through and through.
6. Target
Known to some as the "hundred dollar store," it is probably my favorite place to shop. Need some clothes for the boys? Breastfeeding supplies? Cat litter? Dog food? Target's got you covered. And with better quality than other big box stores.
Yes, both these pictures are old, but I didn't have anything better! I don't think I need to elaborate on this point.
2. Coconut Anything
Cakes, pies, drinks, anything coconut smelling....you name it, odds are I'll love it! I make a cake with cream of coconut poured down in it and it is freaking awesome.
3. A Clean House
I sure love the feeling of walking into a clean house. However, this is something I almost never have. Between playing with, feeding, and generally chasing the boys around all day, in addition to having a dog that seems to blow his coat year round, there just isn't enough time in the day. One day, I'll have at least a housekeeper to come scrub my toilets. *wistful sigh*
4. Mowing the Lawn
Jake is absolutely convinced that I am lying through my teeth every single time I say I love mowing the grass. Yet, he can't figure out WHY I lie about it. That's because I don't. I, seriously, love mowing the grass. It makes me feel like I've really accomplished something and I feel like I get some exercise while doing it. Love it.
5. Animals
You name it, I probably love it. Just ask Jake about the time Catch, our fierce hunter cat, brought in a bunny. I couldn't stand to see the bunny hurt, bleeding, or dead, so I called him home to deal with it while I hid in our bonus room. (The bunny managed to find and hide out in a cup and ended up being just fine, btw.) And I've hauled many a caught bird to the vet's office (but they all seem to expire before I can get there :-( ). I am an animal lover through and through.
6. Target
Known to some as the "hundred dollar store," it is probably my favorite place to shop. Need some clothes for the boys? Breastfeeding supplies? Cat litter? Dog food? Target's got you covered. And with better quality than other big box stores.
Of course, those aren't all the things I love, but a pretty fair representation I'd say. :-)
Saturday, August 1, 2009
A Little Rock Kind of Day
Today is one of those days when I wish we still lived in North Little Rock.
In the city of Mountain Home, if it is raining, blisteringly hot, or cold, you are SOL for things to do. Unless, of course, you are rich enough to own a boat. Then you can go out on the lake in the heat. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people.
Today, it is raining. I can think of about a million things we could be doing in Little Rock. We could cruise Target or the mall. We could go to The Wonder Place for the boys to play. Heck, we could even go to the McDonald's Play Place for them to play! We could go to the Children's Museum or the Clinton Presidential Center. We have no such places here. We are pretty much stuck inside. And if you know Spencer, you know being stuck inside is not a good way to be.
(And, yes, I've tried to convince him to go play in the rain, but we can't find his other rain boot and he's refusing to go without them. *sigh*)
It is days like these that I yearn for the city. Or at least, the bigger city. I think Jake would be content to stay here for the rest of his life. I think I would go crazy if I had to.
In the city of Mountain Home, if it is raining, blisteringly hot, or cold, you are SOL for things to do. Unless, of course, you are rich enough to own a boat. Then you can go out on the lake in the heat. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people.
Today, it is raining. I can think of about a million things we could be doing in Little Rock. We could cruise Target or the mall. We could go to The Wonder Place for the boys to play. Heck, we could even go to the McDonald's Play Place for them to play! We could go to the Children's Museum or the Clinton Presidential Center. We have no such places here. We are pretty much stuck inside. And if you know Spencer, you know being stuck inside is not a good way to be.
(And, yes, I've tried to convince him to go play in the rain, but we can't find his other rain boot and he's refusing to go without them. *sigh*)
It is days like these that I yearn for the city. Or at least, the bigger city. I think Jake would be content to stay here for the rest of his life. I think I would go crazy if I had to.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Things I Hate
I read a blog that does a "things I love/things I hate" segment periodically and I really find it funny. Since I've been stranded in teething hell for the last two days, I'm kind of in a negative mood. Hence the "Things I Hate" title.
1. Teething
Don't let this smiley face fool you. The last two days have been fraught with screaming. If it isn't teething, I'm afraid I may have to call the Catholic Church and demand a priest be sent out to preform an exorcism.
2. Fevers
Spencer has been plagued with something viral for the last few days and I am over.it. I am grateful that Jake took the brunt of dealing with his illness overnight.
3. Misbehaving Dogs
Not our actual dog
Turns out that him digging in the trash (yes, he's figured out how to get the lid off the trashcan) is the least of our problems. He also eats all the food off the counter and poops in the garage (which leaves our house with a beautiful eau de poop smell). I came home this afternoon to find he'd eaten the last brownie off the stove. The brownie I was saving for after the boys went to bed tonight. Nice.
4. Staying Home
I am d.y.i.n.g. to go somewhere. Specifically, I'm dying to go to the Pacific Northwest (although I hear they are having a heatwave now, so I'll wait until their temps settle back down to normal). I've always wanted to go. In fact, when Jake and I took our Alaska trip in 2004 one of the places we toyed with going was Seattle. Well, I've wanted to go ever since. My desire has been exacerbated as of late since Jake is en route to Ft. Lewis (via Seattle) as I type. Of course, the fact that Forks (which is where the Twilight story takes place) is a mere 2 hours from Seattle has nothing to do with it. ;-)
I think that, at this moment, those are all the things I hate. The list is constantly rotating, though, so I may have to come back and add more later.
Don't let this smiley face fool you. The last two days have been fraught with screaming. If it isn't teething, I'm afraid I may have to call the Catholic Church and demand a priest be sent out to preform an exorcism.2. Fevers
Spencer has been plagued with something viral for the last few days and I am over.it. I am grateful that Jake took the brunt of dealing with his illness overnight.3. Misbehaving Dogs
Not our actual dogTurns out that him digging in the trash (yes, he's figured out how to get the lid off the trashcan) is the least of our problems. He also eats all the food off the counter and poops in the garage (which leaves our house with a beautiful eau de poop smell). I came home this afternoon to find he'd eaten the last brownie off the stove. The brownie I was saving for after the boys went to bed tonight. Nice.
4. Staying Home
I am d.y.i.n.g. to go somewhere. Specifically, I'm dying to go to the Pacific Northwest (although I hear they are having a heatwave now, so I'll wait until their temps settle back down to normal). I've always wanted to go. In fact, when Jake and I took our Alaska trip in 2004 one of the places we toyed with going was Seattle. Well, I've wanted to go ever since. My desire has been exacerbated as of late since Jake is en route to Ft. Lewis (via Seattle) as I type. Of course, the fact that Forks (which is where the Twilight story takes place) is a mere 2 hours from Seattle has nothing to do with it. ;-)I think that, at this moment, those are all the things I hate. The list is constantly rotating, though, so I may have to come back and add more later.
Monday, July 20, 2009
God Love PBS <3
Because I sure do.
I tend to think of myself as an environmentalist. I'm not the perfect environmentalist; I forget my re-usable bags sometimes and use plastic baggies way more than I should. But I do what I can in this day and age to reduce my family's impact.
There is a show on PBS called "Superwhy" in which the characters try to solve problems by changing around stories from books. It really is a cute little show. One episode focuses on a little frog named Tiddalick. He lives in the (I assume) Australian Outback alongside a kangaroo and a koala (I think). When it rains, all the holes fill up with water and everyone generally gets some to use for whatever they need. The kangaroo wants to take a bath and brush her teeth while the koala wants to water his plants. Tiddalick likes to play in the water and, so the story goes, jumps in all of it, wasting it, so that his neighbors don't get any.
So the neighbors have to go over with Tiddalick why this is a bad idea, to waste all the water. Apparently, Spencer has really internalized this message (and I know I've mentioned wasting water a time or two).
A moment ago, I was loading the dishwasher. I was about to put something down the disposal and had the water running. Spencer runs in, sees the water running and shouts, "Mommy, I think you're wasting water!!" What a chip off the old block. ;-)
I tend to think of myself as an environmentalist. I'm not the perfect environmentalist; I forget my re-usable bags sometimes and use plastic baggies way more than I should. But I do what I can in this day and age to reduce my family's impact.
There is a show on PBS called "Superwhy" in which the characters try to solve problems by changing around stories from books. It really is a cute little show. One episode focuses on a little frog named Tiddalick. He lives in the (I assume) Australian Outback alongside a kangaroo and a koala (I think). When it rains, all the holes fill up with water and everyone generally gets some to use for whatever they need. The kangaroo wants to take a bath and brush her teeth while the koala wants to water his plants. Tiddalick likes to play in the water and, so the story goes, jumps in all of it, wasting it, so that his neighbors don't get any.
So the neighbors have to go over with Tiddalick why this is a bad idea, to waste all the water. Apparently, Spencer has really internalized this message (and I know I've mentioned wasting water a time or two).
A moment ago, I was loading the dishwasher. I was about to put something down the disposal and had the water running. Spencer runs in, sees the water running and shouts, "Mommy, I think you're wasting water!!" What a chip off the old block. ;-)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday Fun
Just some videos to perk up a Friday. TGIF! Jake has been in Little Rock doing his Army thing since Wednesday and took Spencer down to visit my grandparents while he worked. They'll be home in 2 days; I can't wait!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
No One Cries Alone In Jack's Presence
Maternity leave officially came to a close today. I am so grateful to my wonderful boss and co-workers that made it possible for me to take a full 4 months off work to tend to my new babe.
I'm a firm believer that one of the biggest reasons breastfeeding rates are so dismal is because women in this country aren't granted decent maternity benefits. If I was Canadian, I'd be getting 60% of my pay for a full year. (Well, I probably wouldn't as I only worked part time, but you get the drift.) That is amazing! As a veteran pumper (with Spencer), I know first hand how bad it sucks (pun intended, ha!) to not only have to set aside time to pump, but then you actually have to feed the baby and wash all the bottles and pump parts. It is super time consuming. And to top it off, some women don't respond to a pump very well so it is possible that, upon returning to work, their supply will drop off dramatically.
But, I digress. This blog topic is not supposed to be about the US's craptastic maternity benefits.
It is, however, about my first day back to work.
I am so fortunate to work at a place where I can bring my kids. Spencer spent all of last school year with me as his teacher and will be moving up to the 4 year old room this year. For my return, I made a deal with my boss that moves me from working with 3 year olds all day to working in the baby room.
This is a huge plus for me and Jack alike. I don't have to swap classes with anyone when he's hungry and I certainly don't have to worry about pumping. He still gets to hang out with mommy all day and can still pretty much nurse as much as he wants, when he wants.
However, for one baby in class, today was a very bad day.
Cole is one of the sweetest babies you'll ever know. He just turned one and is usually a barrel of smiles and giggles. His mother, Kibbin, has worked in the baby room since he was a newborn, so he is used to being with her all day. All the pleasures that Jack is now enjoying used to be Cole's.
Kibbin has relocated to the 3 year old room now. She has another son who is 3 and she'll be spending this year with him. But this is very black news indeed for Mr. Cole.
Cole spent most of today in tears. There was nothing I could do. I wasn't his mommy and that's what the poor guy wanted. If he couldn't have mommy, nothing else would do. He decided that he would just lay on me and cry, cry, and cry some more. As I held him, he cried. If I put him down, he cried harder. Maybe some food would help? More tears ensued. I could not make him happy.
Jack was dazed and confused by this noise, to be sure. He is actually pretty sensitive to noise and is a VERY light sleeper. I feel terrible at the number of times a day I have to "shush" Spencer (I'll contribute to his therapy bill for that, I'm sure), but Jack wakes up at some of the smallest sounds you can imagine.
So when poor Cole realized his mommy was gone, GONE!, he started to cry. And in response, Jack started to cry. Liam even cried a little, but sweet little Lucy managed to maintain her composure through it all. Thank goodness for Lucy.
When Cole would stop crying for a minute, so would Jack. But when Cole started back up, so would Jack. At one point during the morning, I had Cole straddling my left leg with his head on my chest and Jack straddling my right leg with his head on my chest. They both fell asleep that way, I wish I'd have had a camera.
I managed to get Jack into a bouncer w/o waking him up, but the minute Cole's body touched the crib sheets he was awake and forlorn once again. And so was Jack.
We went on like this until around 11:30. Cole finally zonked out and Jack, after a very fretful nursing session, did the same. And they both slept, along with Lucy, for quite a while. I took Liam with me out into the hall to have lunch and a break.
Jack missed his morning nap due to all the chaos and spent about 2 hours asleep in the swing. Cole woke up after a little over an hour and, since the 3 year olds were napping, got some quality snuggle time with mommy in the hall.
Really, it was a good day. Hopefully Cole will be a bit more used to me by next week and we won't have so much sadness in our little part of the world. That's my goal: less sadness, more sleep. ;-)
I'm a firm believer that one of the biggest reasons breastfeeding rates are so dismal is because women in this country aren't granted decent maternity benefits. If I was Canadian, I'd be getting 60% of my pay for a full year. (Well, I probably wouldn't as I only worked part time, but you get the drift.) That is amazing! As a veteran pumper (with Spencer), I know first hand how bad it sucks (pun intended, ha!) to not only have to set aside time to pump, but then you actually have to feed the baby and wash all the bottles and pump parts. It is super time consuming. And to top it off, some women don't respond to a pump very well so it is possible that, upon returning to work, their supply will drop off dramatically.
But, I digress. This blog topic is not supposed to be about the US's craptastic maternity benefits.
It is, however, about my first day back to work.
I am so fortunate to work at a place where I can bring my kids. Spencer spent all of last school year with me as his teacher and will be moving up to the 4 year old room this year. For my return, I made a deal with my boss that moves me from working with 3 year olds all day to working in the baby room.
This is a huge plus for me and Jack alike. I don't have to swap classes with anyone when he's hungry and I certainly don't have to worry about pumping. He still gets to hang out with mommy all day and can still pretty much nurse as much as he wants, when he wants.
However, for one baby in class, today was a very bad day.
Cole is one of the sweetest babies you'll ever know. He just turned one and is usually a barrel of smiles and giggles. His mother, Kibbin, has worked in the baby room since he was a newborn, so he is used to being with her all day. All the pleasures that Jack is now enjoying used to be Cole's.
Kibbin has relocated to the 3 year old room now. She has another son who is 3 and she'll be spending this year with him. But this is very black news indeed for Mr. Cole.
Cole spent most of today in tears. There was nothing I could do. I wasn't his mommy and that's what the poor guy wanted. If he couldn't have mommy, nothing else would do. He decided that he would just lay on me and cry, cry, and cry some more. As I held him, he cried. If I put him down, he cried harder. Maybe some food would help? More tears ensued. I could not make him happy.
Jack was dazed and confused by this noise, to be sure. He is actually pretty sensitive to noise and is a VERY light sleeper. I feel terrible at the number of times a day I have to "shush" Spencer (I'll contribute to his therapy bill for that, I'm sure), but Jack wakes up at some of the smallest sounds you can imagine.
So when poor Cole realized his mommy was gone, GONE!, he started to cry. And in response, Jack started to cry. Liam even cried a little, but sweet little Lucy managed to maintain her composure through it all. Thank goodness for Lucy.
When Cole would stop crying for a minute, so would Jack. But when Cole started back up, so would Jack. At one point during the morning, I had Cole straddling my left leg with his head on my chest and Jack straddling my right leg with his head on my chest. They both fell asleep that way, I wish I'd have had a camera.
I managed to get Jack into a bouncer w/o waking him up, but the minute Cole's body touched the crib sheets he was awake and forlorn once again. And so was Jack.
We went on like this until around 11:30. Cole finally zonked out and Jack, after a very fretful nursing session, did the same. And they both slept, along with Lucy, for quite a while. I took Liam with me out into the hall to have lunch and a break.
Jack missed his morning nap due to all the chaos and spent about 2 hours asleep in the swing. Cole woke up after a little over an hour and, since the 3 year olds were napping, got some quality snuggle time with mommy in the hall.
Really, it was a good day. Hopefully Cole will be a bit more used to me by next week and we won't have so much sadness in our little part of the world. That's my goal: less sadness, more sleep. ;-)
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
No Poo
And it isn't what it sounds like! ;-)
I stumbled across a thread on one of the forums I frequent about doing no poo (AKA not using shampoo). I was only mildly intrigued at first, but as I continued to read about various experiences with this method I became very interested. The women who do this method swear that their hair is so much nicer and easier to manage. Goodness knows I could use some easy to manage hair, especially dealing with it in the southern summers. The humidity brings havoc to my hair, making it stick up in about 800 different directions. There is nothing I've discovered, so far, that can tame it. I figured this was worth a shot.
I looked up a bunch of different no poo sites to see what the recommendations were. Most people do a "wash" with baking soda and water and then "condition" with vinegar and something that smells good to cover the vinegar scent (vanilla and cinnamon were what I went with).
So yesterday I mixed up two different bowls of stuff and headed for the shower. (As a side note, you should really not mix with cold water. Quite the shock when you pour it on your head.)
I put the baking soda mixture on my hair, massaging it into the roots, and left it for a few minutes. After rinsing (another aside, don't let that mixture run into your mouth. Yuck.) that out, I put the vinegar mixture on. After rinsing it off, I could actually tell that my hair had been conditioned, although it certainly didn't feel like it would with a commercial conditioner.
The real test was going to be drying and flat ironing it. But, remarkably, I couldn't tell a difference once my hair was all done.
The no pooers say that it takes your hair several days to scale back oil production. Apparently, commercial shampoos strip the natural oils from your hair so your body goes into oil super drive. I haven't noticed an overabundance of oil yet, but I'm on the lookout.
So today is day 3 of no poo. After a few weeks I hope to have pictures.
(And, yes, Jake thinks I'm crazy. I told him I'd buy him a bottle of Pert Plus. LOL)
I stumbled across a thread on one of the forums I frequent about doing no poo (AKA not using shampoo). I was only mildly intrigued at first, but as I continued to read about various experiences with this method I became very interested. The women who do this method swear that their hair is so much nicer and easier to manage. Goodness knows I could use some easy to manage hair, especially dealing with it in the southern summers. The humidity brings havoc to my hair, making it stick up in about 800 different directions. There is nothing I've discovered, so far, that can tame it. I figured this was worth a shot.
I looked up a bunch of different no poo sites to see what the recommendations were. Most people do a "wash" with baking soda and water and then "condition" with vinegar and something that smells good to cover the vinegar scent (vanilla and cinnamon were what I went with).
So yesterday I mixed up two different bowls of stuff and headed for the shower. (As a side note, you should really not mix with cold water. Quite the shock when you pour it on your head.)
I put the baking soda mixture on my hair, massaging it into the roots, and left it for a few minutes. After rinsing (another aside, don't let that mixture run into your mouth. Yuck.) that out, I put the vinegar mixture on. After rinsing it off, I could actually tell that my hair had been conditioned, although it certainly didn't feel like it would with a commercial conditioner.
The real test was going to be drying and flat ironing it. But, remarkably, I couldn't tell a difference once my hair was all done.
The no pooers say that it takes your hair several days to scale back oil production. Apparently, commercial shampoos strip the natural oils from your hair so your body goes into oil super drive. I haven't noticed an overabundance of oil yet, but I'm on the lookout.
So today is day 3 of no poo. After a few weeks I hope to have pictures.
(And, yes, Jake thinks I'm crazy. I told him I'd buy him a bottle of Pert Plus. LOL)
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Happy Anniversary to Me!
6 years ago today, at the ripe old age of 20, I married my best friend.
Jake graduated from basic training the day that we invaded Iraq and, even though he was a reservist, I knew eventually he'd probably be pulled to go. Jake kind of wanted to wait to get married, but I told him I wouldn't "shack up" with him beyond the summer.
"Marry me this summer, or I'm going to book a dorm room."
I guess he loved me enough that he didn't want me all of a quarter mile away at the dorms. And, seriously, who are we kidding? I would've never been able to stay in a dorm while he had a cozy apartment within walking distance of campus.
It has been a wild ride of a marriage, I'll tell you that much. We have been through some crazy stuff! But I wouldn't have it any other way.
Jake graduated from basic training the day that we invaded Iraq and, even though he was a reservist, I knew eventually he'd probably be pulled to go. Jake kind of wanted to wait to get married, but I told him I wouldn't "shack up" with him beyond the summer.
"Marry me this summer, or I'm going to book a dorm room."
I guess he loved me enough that he didn't want me all of a quarter mile away at the dorms. And, seriously, who are we kidding? I would've never been able to stay in a dorm while he had a cozy apartment within walking distance of campus.
It has been a wild ride of a marriage, I'll tell you that much. We have been through some crazy stuff! But I wouldn't have it any other way.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Ch-ch-ch-changes!
I spent most of this morning scouring the interwebs for a new blog layout. I started out looking for someone to do a custom layout, but those get really expensive pretty quickly. Turns out there are quite a few free layouts ripe for the picking, you just have to sort through 1.7 million of them until you find the one you like.
I'm not totally pleased with this one, mainly b/c of the nice advertising stripe across the top. Of course, I get it. If you pick up something for free, expect it to be stamped with an ad for the person who created it. But I still don't like the location.
If this layout proves hard to read or something, please comment and let me know. I don't want anyone suing me for damages b/c they got eye strain.
I'm not totally pleased with this one, mainly b/c of the nice advertising stripe across the top. Of course, I get it. If you pick up something for free, expect it to be stamped with an ad for the person who created it. But I still don't like the location.
If this layout proves hard to read or something, please comment and let me know. I don't want anyone suing me for damages b/c they got eye strain.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
A Woman Obsessed
For a long time, I thought it was beneath me. Something teenagers were doing. I thought I wouldn't like it, or that it wouldn't interest me.
But I slipped. I slipped, and the obsession took hold. And it turns out, there are a lot of adults who are totally into it. Who waste their days thinking about it. Who read blogs talking about it.
Yes, everyone, I am a Twi-hard.
What is a Twi-hard, you ask? Well, its very simple. I have fallen prey to the saga they call Twilight. Never read it? Unless you want the obsession to take you over as well, stay far away.
I've become a total fan girl. I have 4 Twilight blogs that I check daily, although none of the authors "know" me (I did email one today about something *shame*). Multiple times a day I check newmoonmovie.org, which houses information on the next Twilight movie, New Moon. If poor Jake thinks we won't be schlepping to the movie theater opening weekend in November, he is sadly mistaken.
I find myself wanting to buy shirts with witty Twilight sayings or pictures of the cast on them. I actually bought Jack a Twilight diaper last week. A $34 Twilight diaper. ONE diaper. And now I don't want him to use it b/c it will get ruined! Where's the logic in that! Its a diaper! You can certainly bet that I'd have been stalking the Twilight set with other Twi-hards if I happened to be in Vancouver during filming.
In all honesty, I pretty much do the same thing with all things Harry Potter. When Spencer was a baby, he had Harry Potter longies and I intend to make some for Jack this winter as well. But I don't know if I'll be able to resist also buying the boys "Twilight Orphan" t-shirts to go along with all the Gryffindor stuff.
So, now I leave you. I feel better now that I'm "out." Jack is asleep and I'm re-reading Twilight for the 3rd time.
But I slipped. I slipped, and the obsession took hold. And it turns out, there are a lot of adults who are totally into it. Who waste their days thinking about it. Who read blogs talking about it.
Yes, everyone, I am a Twi-hard.
What is a Twi-hard, you ask? Well, its very simple. I have fallen prey to the saga they call Twilight. Never read it? Unless you want the obsession to take you over as well, stay far away.
I've become a total fan girl. I have 4 Twilight blogs that I check daily, although none of the authors "know" me (I did email one today about something *shame*). Multiple times a day I check newmoonmovie.org, which houses information on the next Twilight movie, New Moon. If poor Jake thinks we won't be schlepping to the movie theater opening weekend in November, he is sadly mistaken.
I find myself wanting to buy shirts with witty Twilight sayings or pictures of the cast on them. I actually bought Jack a Twilight diaper last week. A $34 Twilight diaper. ONE diaper. And now I don't want him to use it b/c it will get ruined! Where's the logic in that! Its a diaper! You can certainly bet that I'd have been stalking the Twilight set with other Twi-hards if I happened to be in Vancouver during filming.
In all honesty, I pretty much do the same thing with all things Harry Potter. When Spencer was a baby, he had Harry Potter longies and I intend to make some for Jack this winter as well. But I don't know if I'll be able to resist also buying the boys "Twilight Orphan" t-shirts to go along with all the Gryffindor stuff.
So, now I leave you. I feel better now that I'm "out." Jack is asleep and I'm re-reading Twilight for the 3rd time.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Oodles of stuff
Man, do I have a bunch of stuff to blog about tonight! Thank goodness both the boys are snoozing so I have the time. ;-)
First off, happy birthday to my big 4 year old! You read right, my little 2 pound, 14 ounce shrimp is 4 years old today. That sounds too old, but I guess every mother must feel like that when her kid gains another year. I'm sure my poor father and mother are just cringing that I'll be 27 on my next birthday (golly, when did I get so old???).
I have a hard time believing that my spunky little guy has been around for 4 whole years. What a nightmare it was to get him here! The situation surrounding his birth affected my life in such a profound way that I cannot even put it into words. He is sure worth every bit of it though.
Pics from his little preschool party and video of his birthday song:
In other news, the wee one (that would be Jack) is cracking Jake and me up with his giggling. He's started belly laughing which is just about the cutest thing ever. I managed to get it on video tonight. PLEASE ignore my baby talking. If it wasn't for that I couldn't get him to do it and entertain the masses. I'd claim that the sound of my voice makes him laugh, but you should see Jack giggling for Jake. I can't decide who is cuter sometimes, Jack or Jake!
Baby woke up, so I must go nurse him back down. Think I'll join him in sleeping this time. LOL
First off, happy birthday to my big 4 year old! You read right, my little 2 pound, 14 ounce shrimp is 4 years old today. That sounds too old, but I guess every mother must feel like that when her kid gains another year. I'm sure my poor father and mother are just cringing that I'll be 27 on my next birthday (golly, when did I get so old???).
I have a hard time believing that my spunky little guy has been around for 4 whole years. What a nightmare it was to get him here! The situation surrounding his birth affected my life in such a profound way that I cannot even put it into words. He is sure worth every bit of it though.
Pics from his little preschool party and video of his birthday song:
In other news, the wee one (that would be Jack) is cracking Jake and me up with his giggling. He's started belly laughing which is just about the cutest thing ever. I managed to get it on video tonight. PLEASE ignore my baby talking. If it wasn't for that I couldn't get him to do it and entertain the masses. I'd claim that the sound of my voice makes him laugh, but you should see Jack giggling for Jake. I can't decide who is cuter sometimes, Jack or Jake!
Baby woke up, so I must go nurse him back down. Think I'll join him in sleeping this time. LOL
Friday, May 1, 2009
Healing and Other Musings
I always thought that a second pregnancy would make or break me mentally. Even though I didn't show it too much, the time after Spencer's birth was very hard for me. And, like many mothers of premature babies, I had the desire to have another baby as soon as possible. A chance, perhaps, to do things the "right" way. To not feel so broken or like a failure.
Well, my "as soon as possible" wasn't until over 3 years later. It turns out you need a willing partner for baby making. Who would've thought? LOL
My pregnancy with Jack was one of many emotions.
The first I found myself feeling was terrified. All I could do was run the complications I had with Spencer through my head. And what would I do this time when it wasn't possible for me to curl up in a hospital bed for 10 weeks? I had a 3 year old to take care of! The middle of my pregnancy was the worst since that's when the complications hit with Spencer.
And then something wonderful happened: nothing. And with every week I made it past the 20th, I felt more and more relaxed. I felt better able to enjoy the pregnancy for what it was. After the passage of the 24th week, I took a deep, deep breath and knew my baby would have a fighting chance. After the 28th week, I was elated because I knew my baby would not only live, but have a good life. After the 30th week, I knew what to expect if he was born, but at the same time I finally had the confidence to say I thought I would go the distance.
My pregnancy with Jack healed me in so many ways. I no longer feel like my body failed Spencer. For so long, people told me that it was a fluke, but I didn't truly believe them. I felt flawed, like I couldn't do the one thing women's bodies are supposed to do.
I know now that my body is strong. Not only did it carry my beautiful, 9 pound boy to exactly the right time, but it birthed him without problem or complication. I would easily say it was one of the most memorable moments of my life. His birth left me feeling strong, like I could do anything.
So thank you Jack for healing me. Thank you Jake for being there through the craziness and always having faith that things were going to be just fine. And thank you Spencer for doing your best to keep my mind off of it!
Well, my "as soon as possible" wasn't until over 3 years later. It turns out you need a willing partner for baby making. Who would've thought? LOL
My pregnancy with Jack was one of many emotions.
The first I found myself feeling was terrified. All I could do was run the complications I had with Spencer through my head. And what would I do this time when it wasn't possible for me to curl up in a hospital bed for 10 weeks? I had a 3 year old to take care of! The middle of my pregnancy was the worst since that's when the complications hit with Spencer.
And then something wonderful happened: nothing. And with every week I made it past the 20th, I felt more and more relaxed. I felt better able to enjoy the pregnancy for what it was. After the passage of the 24th week, I took a deep, deep breath and knew my baby would have a fighting chance. After the 28th week, I was elated because I knew my baby would not only live, but have a good life. After the 30th week, I knew what to expect if he was born, but at the same time I finally had the confidence to say I thought I would go the distance.
My pregnancy with Jack healed me in so many ways. I no longer feel like my body failed Spencer. For so long, people told me that it was a fluke, but I didn't truly believe them. I felt flawed, like I couldn't do the one thing women's bodies are supposed to do.
I know now that my body is strong. Not only did it carry my beautiful, 9 pound boy to exactly the right time, but it birthed him without problem or complication. I would easily say it was one of the most memorable moments of my life. His birth left me feeling strong, like I could do anything.
So thank you Jack for healing me. Thank you Jake for being there through the craziness and always having faith that things were going to be just fine. And thank you Spencer for doing your best to keep my mind off of it!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Better late than never.
Baby Jack is here!
Born 3.5 @ 9:51 pm after a 28 hour drug free labor
9 pounds, 21.25 inches
VBAC homebirth!
It was seriously one of the most empowering things I've ever experienced, and I would bet all the money in my checking account that I could never have done it at the hospital. Being tethered to the bed would've been absolutely miserable.
Jake is calling me to nurse the baby, so I'll be back with pics soon.
Born 3.5 @ 9:51 pm after a 28 hour drug free labor
9 pounds, 21.25 inches
VBAC homebirth!
It was seriously one of the most empowering things I've ever experienced, and I would bet all the money in my checking account that I could never have done it at the hospital. Being tethered to the bed would've been absolutely miserable.
Jake is calling me to nurse the baby, so I'll be back with pics soon.
Monday, March 2, 2009
T-H-O-M-A-S
Jake posted the video with no commentary, so I felt the urge to add some.
I took Spencer to the doctor today and they were discussing Spencer's Thomas train. The doctor made a comment that Thomas' name was on the bottom and Spencer flipped it over and nonchalantly did what you see in the video. My eyes almost popped out of my head. I had no idea he could identify all those letters!
I'm a proud mommy today. :-)
I took Spencer to the doctor today and they were discussing Spencer's Thomas train. The doctor made a comment that Thomas' name was on the bottom and Spencer flipped it over and nonchalantly did what you see in the video. My eyes almost popped out of my head. I had no idea he could identify all those letters!
I'm a proud mommy today. :-)
Saturday, February 21, 2009
37 weeks
Just sharing a recent pic. Jake is never home to take it when I'm all freshly showered and stuff, so you'll just have to put up with the dirty mirror and no face. :)
Friday, February 20, 2009
Another one bites the dust...
1. 20 weeks, 5 days-Oct. 29-Gestation at which my water broke with Spencer PASSED!
2. 24 weeks-Nov. 21-Viability PASSED!
3. 30 weeks, 3 days-Jan. 5-Gestation at which Spencer was born PASSED!
4. 37 weeks-Feb. 20-Full term PASSED!
5. 40 weeks, 1 day-Mar. 15-Overdue
I am full term today. If you'd have asked me 37 weeks ago if I'd make it to this point, I'd have probably done two things: say probably not and pass out at the thought.
Physically, this pregnancy has gone swimmingly well. Emotionally, its been really rough getting to this point. You know scary things can happen in this world, but until you experience them its just someone else's problem. You might feel bad for them, but you are secretly so grateful it isn't you. That is kind of how I felt during this pregnancy. I experienced something terrible and scary in my pregnancy and with Spencer's NICU stay. I was terrified to repeat it. (I feel the same way about driving the stretch of I-40 where my step-mother had her car accident. It almost makes me hyperventilate.)
I am so grateful to have made it this far. There are no words.
2. 24 weeks-Nov. 21-Viability PASSED!
3. 30 weeks, 3 days-Jan. 5-Gestation at which Spencer was born PASSED!
4. 37 weeks-Feb. 20-Full term PASSED!
5. 40 weeks, 1 day-Mar. 15-Overdue
I am full term today. If you'd have asked me 37 weeks ago if I'd make it to this point, I'd have probably done two things: say probably not and pass out at the thought.
Physically, this pregnancy has gone swimmingly well. Emotionally, its been really rough getting to this point. You know scary things can happen in this world, but until you experience them its just someone else's problem. You might feel bad for them, but you are secretly so grateful it isn't you. That is kind of how I felt during this pregnancy. I experienced something terrible and scary in my pregnancy and with Spencer's NICU stay. I was terrified to repeat it. (I feel the same way about driving the stretch of I-40 where my step-mother had her car accident. It almost makes me hyperventilate.)
I am so grateful to have made it this far. There are no words.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Yarn Love
I'm so totally in love with this yarn. I hope I have enough for newborn longies and small shorties for the summer!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Is gradual the way to go?
This is one of my favorite times of the year. Even better than Christmas. Its tax return and profit sharing season! *spreads confetti all around*
Last year it was easy to decide what to do with our profit sharing (to be further called PS for simplicity's sake). We knew we'd need to live on it from September to this March. We paid off a little bit of debt and shoved the rest into our savings account. We've done pretty well living on it and will drain the account in about the next week or so. Perfect timing.
This year we are getting a bit more of both our tax return and of PS. I think Jake and I are going to have a pretty moderate conflict relating to how to go about spending this money.
We have quite a bit of debt. My first student loan payment will come due next month and I have no intention of putting them on forbearance any longer. The interest they've accrued in the last 3 years makes me sick. Jake's student loans are much smaller and we've been paying on them for several years already. We also have a credit card with a nasty balance, one with a relatively small balance, and still owe 2 years worth of payments on my car.
Jake wants to pay off as much debt as possible and adjust our tax exemptions to cover the difference. He basically wants to spend all the tax and PS money on debt. I get it. Debt sucks, its no fun shelling out all that money every month on interest and junk.
I want to sock that money into our savings account again and draw an allowance. What we are getting for PS would cover our expenses from this March to next March. I am especially hesitant to adjust our tax exemptions b/c I know how much we love to get our money back every February. We are able to pay off things in bulk or buy big ticket items we need. I'm also afraid we'll end up owing next February, which could be catastrophic given that PS might not be as good next year b/c of the economy.
I know there is middle ground to be found here, and we'll find it, I just hate it when we aren't on the same page about stuff. He wants his way more than I want mine, but I just feel like we're shooting ourselves in the foot if we spend all the money and save none for expenses.
Last year it was easy to decide what to do with our profit sharing (to be further called PS for simplicity's sake). We knew we'd need to live on it from September to this March. We paid off a little bit of debt and shoved the rest into our savings account. We've done pretty well living on it and will drain the account in about the next week or so. Perfect timing.
This year we are getting a bit more of both our tax return and of PS. I think Jake and I are going to have a pretty moderate conflict relating to how to go about spending this money.
We have quite a bit of debt. My first student loan payment will come due next month and I have no intention of putting them on forbearance any longer. The interest they've accrued in the last 3 years makes me sick. Jake's student loans are much smaller and we've been paying on them for several years already. We also have a credit card with a nasty balance, one with a relatively small balance, and still owe 2 years worth of payments on my car.
Jake wants to pay off as much debt as possible and adjust our tax exemptions to cover the difference. He basically wants to spend all the tax and PS money on debt. I get it. Debt sucks, its no fun shelling out all that money every month on interest and junk.
I want to sock that money into our savings account again and draw an allowance. What we are getting for PS would cover our expenses from this March to next March. I am especially hesitant to adjust our tax exemptions b/c I know how much we love to get our money back every February. We are able to pay off things in bulk or buy big ticket items we need. I'm also afraid we'll end up owing next February, which could be catastrophic given that PS might not be as good next year b/c of the economy.
I know there is middle ground to be found here, and we'll find it, I just hate it when we aren't on the same page about stuff. He wants his way more than I want mine, but I just feel like we're shooting ourselves in the foot if we spend all the money and save none for expenses.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
I'm lodging a complaint.
But its not pregnancy related, so I feel like its ok.
I have a sinus infection and I am so miserable. I started sporting a headache tonight when Jake and I went to dinner, but I thought it was caused by the massive toothache I was having. Sometime around 2 am I woke up to roll over, and snot poured out of my nose. That is all I had to know to diagnose myself.
I haven't been able to go back to sleep yet. The pain is pretty moderate, bad enough that I can't lay on or touch the right side of my face. My teeth and jaw are killing me, not to mention the pouring snot again. I did some googling and it turns out that it is pretty common to have toothaches in the top molars during a sinus infection (any guesses as to where my tooth pain is?).
I have a baby shower to go to tomorrow, so I'm really hoping I can get back to sleep soon. I'm at my grandparents' house this weekend and there isn't a tylenol to be found anywhere in the house. I took some Tylenol Sinus but it hasn't kicked in good enough for me to doze back off. I may wake up my poor sister and get her to get me some. She's quite the hypochondriac so I know she's got some stashed in her room somewhere.
Off to try to sleep...
I have a sinus infection and I am so miserable. I started sporting a headache tonight when Jake and I went to dinner, but I thought it was caused by the massive toothache I was having. Sometime around 2 am I woke up to roll over, and snot poured out of my nose. That is all I had to know to diagnose myself.
I haven't been able to go back to sleep yet. The pain is pretty moderate, bad enough that I can't lay on or touch the right side of my face. My teeth and jaw are killing me, not to mention the pouring snot again. I did some googling and it turns out that it is pretty common to have toothaches in the top molars during a sinus infection (any guesses as to where my tooth pain is?).
I have a baby shower to go to tomorrow, so I'm really hoping I can get back to sleep soon. I'm at my grandparents' house this weekend and there isn't a tylenol to be found anywhere in the house. I took some Tylenol Sinus but it hasn't kicked in good enough for me to doze back off. I may wake up my poor sister and get her to get me some. She's quite the hypochondriac so I know she's got some stashed in her room somewhere.
Off to try to sleep...
Monday, January 19, 2009
Jack Attack!
I had a sudden urge today to get out Jack's stuff and see what I've got and what I still want or need.
Clothing
Newborn:
That's it as far as clothes. Again, let me kick myself for throwing everything of Spencer's out. He had some really cute stuff.
I also inventoried by diaper stash today. I'll spare you the details about who made what and what type of diaper it is and just show you the cuteness.
The first pic is all his newborn sized stuff. I also have 6 preemie sized prefolds and 24 infant sized prefolds coming still. (And I have 4 snappis to do up the prefolds.)
The second pic is his newborn sized PUL covers.
The third pic is all his newborn and small sized wool covers. All the knitted stuff was knit by me, so it is far from perfect.
The last pic is his small diapers (the infant prefolds should still fit while he's in smalls).
You might notice a little green train in some of the pictures. That is Spencer's contribution.
Jack probably does need a few more clothing items, but I can't really think of anything else that is a need. I do want a few babylegs for him so that I can let him hang out without a cover on his diaper and his legs won't be cold. I'll probably order those within the next few weeks.
As I was talking to my grandmother today, I realized I have just over 3 weeks left until I'm cleared for my homebirth (36 weeks). I can hardly believe it! It'll be here before I know it.
Clothing
Newborn:
- 1 LS onesie
- 1 SS onesie
- 1 LS shirt
- 7 SS shirts
- 2 footie pajamas
- 2 pairs of pants
- 4 LS onesies
- 1 SS onesie
- 4 LS shirts
- 3 SS shirts
- 4 footie pajamas
- 1 pair pants
- 3 gowns
- 3 SS onesies
- 3 SS shirts
That's it as far as clothes. Again, let me kick myself for throwing everything of Spencer's out. He had some really cute stuff.
I also inventoried by diaper stash today. I'll spare you the details about who made what and what type of diaper it is and just show you the cuteness.
The first pic is all his newborn sized stuff. I also have 6 preemie sized prefolds and 24 infant sized prefolds coming still. (And I have 4 snappis to do up the prefolds.)
The second pic is his newborn sized PUL covers.
The third pic is all his newborn and small sized wool covers. All the knitted stuff was knit by me, so it is far from perfect.
The last pic is his small diapers (the infant prefolds should still fit while he's in smalls).
You might notice a little green train in some of the pictures. That is Spencer's contribution.
Jack probably does need a few more clothing items, but I can't really think of anything else that is a need. I do want a few babylegs for him so that I can let him hang out without a cover on his diaper and his legs won't be cold. I'll probably order those within the next few weeks.
As I was talking to my grandmother today, I realized I have just over 3 weeks left until I'm cleared for my homebirth (36 weeks). I can hardly believe it! It'll be here before I know it.
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