Blue Monday

Pour on the Gravy

2010-11-30T23:35:00.005-05:00

Jake came home late from work this evening. The kids and I were already eating and when he came through the door, I got up to heat his dinner plate. We were eating Thanksgiving left-overs my mother-in-law sent home with us. I put gravy over his turkey, potatoes, and stuffing and popped his plate in the microwave. His salad bowl was already on the table so I told him he just needed to put dressing on. Then the microwave beeped. I pulled his plate out, grabbed a slice of bread and turned in time to see Jake spooning cold gravy over his salad.

"Uh-why are you putting gravy on your salad?" I asked him. He looked at me, looked at the jar in his hand and we both burst out laughing. He thought I had made some kind of special salad dressing.

He then proceeded to put 'real' salad dressing over the gravy and ate the whole thing. Bleck! I would have probably thrown it out. I suppose he could have just rinsed the salad and it would have been fine. Neither of us thought of it at the time.

A Little Christmas Crafting

2010-11-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

Now that the holiday season is upon us, it's time to start crafting with the kids. Here is what we worked on today:

Aren't they cute? The ornaments are just cut out of scrapbook paper. We also made paper chains out of construction paper to count down the days until Christmas. If you need some inspiration & ideas, two of my favorite kid's craft sites are Crafty Crow and Make & Takes. However I have a ton of other awesome sites and blogs in my sidebar.

I just wanted to add that this was supposed to post yesterday (on the 29th). I wrote it ahead of time but messed up on the post options for the date so here it is on the 30th.

Real or Fake?

2010-11-28T23:10:00.002-05:00

Christmas tree that is! So many people I know have started putting up their fake Christmas trees. I can't handle it! Especially not the ones that are pink, silver, or white. I love having a real tree. I know it is terrible for the environment but I love the smell and look of them. I can even deal with the pine needles all over the floor-it's only once a year.

Our tradition is to drive out to this great family owned Christmas tree farm a few towns over from us. We go with my parents & siblings and wander the property looking for the perfect tree. We usually find it after a few snowball wars and when we can't deal with the wind and cold anymore. Once it is tagged we head to the gift shop to pick out a wreath for our front door and enjoy some free popcorn and hot chocolate. And once we've paid and pet the family dogs (including one with only 3 legs) we load up our vehicles and head back to town for lunch. It's a great day of family fun. This year Olivia will be more aware of what is going on. I can't wait to see them both she and James out there.

Real Happy Family

2010-11-27T21:31:00.003-05:00

These are photos from McDonald's today. This was a McDonald's built this past year in the same location where they tore down the previous one. The inside is super swanky with modern looking chairs, a fireplace, and everything in the restrooms are motion operated. Love that!

Anyhow-we did another marathon Christmas shopping trip where we try and hit a set number of stores before the kids completely melt down. We did pretty good today and have a big chunk of our shopping done. I can't believe how far ahead I am!

Happy Family?

2010-11-26T23:32:00.003-05:00

I don't think so. This was in a pajama catalog I got in the mail today. Maybe I'm a weirdo but I find the image kind of disturbing. I don't know how to describe it. It's like I'm looking at a bunch of aliens standing around a christmas tree. What family does that? Who's that matchy-matchy?

You will never find Jake and I in matching butt-flap pajamas. I think I'd pee my pants laughing if I ever saw him in a pair.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Now that the Holiday Season has Officially Begun

2010-11-25T11:04:00.004-05:00

I read about this video in the newspaper:

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-24T08:18:00.000-05:00

I took this in January of this year. You can be wordless too.

Appreciation

2010-11-23T10:37:00.001-05:00

A mom from the mom's group I belong to posted this and I thought I would share. It's really good.

Appreciation

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"It was great, Dad."

"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.

"Oh yeah," said the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!

Have You Seen These?

2010-11-22T23:49:00.002-05:00

There is always one genius out there who is able to turn controversy into a money maker. Genius!

TSA-blocking briefs keep your privates private

Right Out of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

2010-11-21T00:08:00.000-05:00

We decided to take care of haircuts for Jake and James, errands, and some Christmas shopping today. We left the house at 11am, hit Great Clips, Target, ToysRUs, Home Depot, Sears, McDonalds, BJs, PetSmart, and Premier Liquor. We got home around 5 and Jake decided he wanted to string up the Christmas lights on the top story of our house because they are calling for snow at the end of the week.

So Jake is outside on the porch roof in the dark while I'm at our bedroom window feeding the lights out to him and the kids are playing in Jamie's room. Stringing up lights in the dark seems to be an annual tradition of ours. I think our neighbors would think we were nuts if we did it during the day time. This year we also replaced our icicle lights with LED because we've had problems the past two years with our old ones and lights going out.

As Jake is hanging onto the edge of the house, hooking the strand up to those little plastic clips, the lights inside the house flicker and go out. Whaaaat? I think, how could these LED lights knock out the power to our entire house? Then I look across the street and see the lights at all our neighbors houses are out too. We took out the neighborhood too? ha ha ha Jake is standing frozen on the roof while the kids are in the other room screaming as if they are being murdered. There is no gate at the top of the stairs anymore so I go running before one or both of them tumble down. James bursts into our room and I get out to the hallway and grab Olivia. The lights come back on but the kids continue to scream. I see a red ring around Olivia's mouth, she is bleeding. Upon inspection, it seems she split her top lip somehow.

The kids finally calmed down and hung out in our room reading books while Jake continued with the lights. Just when he was almost done, the power goes out again. It's about 6:30 and long story short, the power did not come back on until 9pm! Thank goodness for our generator. Jake fired it up at 7:30, while we played board games with the kids, we baked frozen pizza for dinner and just as we were about to put the kids to bed, it came back on. What a long day! I still have no idea why the power went out in the first place.

Gooey What?

2010-11-20T13:23:00.004-05:00

Looking for some Thanksgiving awesomeness to bring to dinner?? This is my favorite recipe to make and take for Turkey Day:

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Ingredients
Cake:

* 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
* 1 egg
* 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
* 3 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 8 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

Source: The Food Network

Yes-you read that right-this recipe uses two sticks of butter in typical Paula Deen style. It is so delicious but dangerous as you will want to eat a lot of it.

Random Friday Facts

2010-11-19T16:48:00.003-05:00

This morning when I got Olivia out of bed, first of all, she had both her earrings in. She's been pulling them out and shoving parts up her nose. (yeah-not real fun) Secondly, her diaper was dry. I decided to try putting her on the potty. I grabbed all her clothes and a fresh diaper and we went down to the potty. When we got there and I took her diaper off, she had peed but she sat down anyway. Well-she ended up peeing about 3 drops. And she wanted to wipe herself with paper. I guess maybe she is ready to potty train.

Last night on the way home, I was hearing a wind noise. Thinking that a window was not closed, I checked them all. The front passenger one sounded weird when I pushed the button but it seemed like the wind sound stopped. When I got home I tried the window button again and the window didn't move. It was night and dark so I just went inside. I park in the garage anyway. Today when I left the house, I noticed that the window was open a crack. Darn! Through out the trip and on the way home the window opened farther. I tried to manually close it but it would not budge. It seemed like the bumps in the road were what were making it open more until by the time I got home it was about 3-4 inches open. However, this time I was able to close it but pushing up on it with my hands on either side of the glass. Wonder if this will cost money to fix.

I wish I was on Oprah today. She shared her favorite things and gave away a ton of awesome stuff!

TGIF! I am so glad this crappy week is over.

Nightmares

2010-11-18T10:11:00.002-05:00

I hate bad dreams. Especially the super vivid ones. Last night I had a terrible dream. It was the kind that you wake up from and after falling asleep, fall back into it.

In the dream I had James and Olivia and there was another little girl I was watching who was around James' age. I don't remember her name even though this dream was super long! The gist of the whole dream was that Jake had this weird interest in this girl and spent a lot of time with her and her family. Come to find out it was because she was his daughter. He had cheated on me the first year we were married and the girl was the result. He tried to be sneaky and hide it but I found out. I was so devastated and just cried and cried. My heart was broken. I couldn't believe he would do it and especially not the first year of our marriage. I felt like all the years of our marriage were a sham and a lie and wondered if all the work trips he took were really work trips or time he spent with someone else. All the times he worked late, was he with another woman? Why was he still with me?

Today I feel sad because of it which is silly because I know it is not true and just a dream but I can't shake the yucky feeling.

Pregnancy or Old Age?

2010-11-17T23:38:00.003-05:00

Lately I've been experiencing all kinds of aches and pains and wondering if it is pregnancy related or if I am just getting old. For the past several weeks I have had a weird tightness and pain in the knuckles and joints of my hands. On my right (dominant) hand, when I give the "thumbs up" sign, my thumb is fine but when I bend it, I can only get about half way down before I feel stiffness and a pain. The pain feels like when you push on a black and blue mark. It is so stiff and painful, I can't even use my thumb to unbuckle my seat belt. I get the same pain in the pinky finger of my right hand. My left isn't so bad-but I have the pain in the pinky. Is this pregnancy induced carpal tunnel or am I experiencing arthritis already?

For the past two days I have had pain in my lower right side, just below my belly and I was worried-but then I remembered that while I was carrying the laundry basket the other day I bumped into my desk in the basement jamming it into my gut. Guess that's neither pregnancy or old age unless you classify it as pregnancy clumsiness. I've also had a massive headache for the past two days. That's a whole lot of fun when all you can take is Tylenol. I am an ibuprofen girl so this really stinks.

And I think I might be having anxiety attacks. I've experienced a tightening in my chest, sharp pain to the left side and the inability to take a deep breath. The first time it happened I wondered, is this pregnancy induced asthma? But when I read up on it, typically those who get asthma experience it later in pregnancy when the baby is taking up a lot of room. The next time it happened I wondered if I was coming down with bronchitis or something as the pain in my chest was so sharp. But then it went away. It happened twice today and thinking back on it, both times were when I was extremely stressed and upset. As I was driving home I actually felt a little light headed from not being able to catch my breath.

I guess I just need to try and relax more and not let myself get so stressed out. It's not good for any age or pregnancy. Ugh-and I didn't even mention my sciatic nerve...

I Had to Do It

2010-11-16T14:37:00.003-05:00

What did I do? I had to pull out the maternity jeans today. I thought for sure I could go a few more weeks but no such luck. I pulled a pair of jeans out of the drier and tried to put them on-holy crap were they tight. There was no way I could wear them comfortably all day. I've surpassed the bloat look and right now I'm at that attractive beer gut stage. I can't wait for my belly to round out more so I look pregnant and not blubbery.

I have all my maternity clothes jammed into a plastic storage tote so of course they are all creased and wrinkled but thankfully the pants were folded on the bottom and not too bad. The bad news was, the first two pair I tried on were too big. I think they must be from my first pregnancy with James. When I was pregnant with Olivia I had to buy new pants because the ones I had with James were too big in the leg/thigh. The pair I have on fit ok. They are a little big in the thigh area which is cool because I have lost weight in between pregnancies but at the same time, I'm hoping I don't look really bad.

I'm already at 15 weeks and so many days. Next month on the 6th we will have our 18 week ultrasound. Can't wait to see the baby again.

Shopping!

2010-11-15T23:58:00.000-05:00

I have not been in the mood for Christmas shopping but the other night buckled down and ordered a ton of stuff for the kids. Now that I've got my mind set-it's no longer fun. I've been searching for particular items and am not enjoying the "shopping" for the best deals in terms of price and shipping. Right now I am trying to find a tub of K'nex for age 5+. The K'nex website wants $9 for shipping and they are in PA!

I did score a great deal on PJs at Kohls! We give the kids a new pair of PJs to wear on Christmas Eve as a gift. Kohls had pajamas 50% off, then I had a 30% coupon code and free shipping code. This is a much better deal than I would have gotten had I stepped foot into the store.

While I don't like waiting until the last minute to shop, I do remember getting quite a few good deals last year. How's your shopping going?

Supermom

2010-11-14T16:31:00.004-05:00

Lately the kids have been tying their playsilks around their necks like capes and running around the house like caped crusaders. So when I saw this tutorial at Puking Pastilles, I thought I had to give it a try.

I dug through the material I had in the basement and found some felt and started working on the project today. I plan on giving one to each of the kids for Christmas. Here is how Jamie's is looking:

It has a few little flaws but not too bad considering my level of sewing experience. Now I just have to sew on the liner fabric and add some velcro. I hope he loves it!

Testing 123

2010-11-13T18:58:00.002-05:00

I just downloaded a blogger app to my cell phone to make it easier to stay on top of my blog posting. It's the 13th already and I am still at it.

Content hasn't been the best but I'll get there. I hope this really works.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

TGIF!

2010-11-12T19:07:00.003-05:00

I am so happy when a week is over and the weekend is here. And check this out:

Thank goodness for the Tops Bonus card gas points. I spent $45 in gas to fill it up at this price. I saved .40 per gallon with points earned from shopping. When I first started driving, I remember paying .99 a gallon for gas. My first car was a Ford Taurus but it was six cylinders so it used a lot of gas. Then I drove a Chevy Cavalier. Gas lasted forever! When I got a "real" job as a teacher in a super rural district, I bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee to get through winter. Well-that used a lot more gas and then suddenly gas shot up in price! It's never come back down to that nice .99/$1.29 a gallon. Sadly I don't think we'll ever see that again.

Someday I'd like to drive a car again. For now with kids-the Jeep is good although we are wondering about how 3 are going to fit.

A Fine Arts Major You Say?

2010-11-11T13:13:00.004-05:00

Yes-I was. But somehow this was only the best I could do while coloring with the kids today:

Ick. Crayons are definitely not my first choice in medium.

My Husband Gets So Annoyed...

2010-11-10T13:28:00.005-05:00

...when I rearrange the dishes he puts in the dishwasher. But then he does crap like this:

Really? You couldn't move a few things around? He insisted that was a joke but I don't think so as he's used similar "loading techniques" before.

This is the same guy who comes in the house, takes his sneakers off, and leaves them on the floor in FRONT of the shoe rack. Every day. Even when there is space on the top shelf for them. Then he throws his jacket on the banister and walks past the closet to the kitchen for dinner. Nice.

Tastey Tuesday

2010-11-09T20:48:00.003-05:00

I made this tonight with butternut squash:

Roasted Winter Squash with Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients
1 small to medium winter squash (acorn, butternut or baby pumpkin, about 1 ¼ pounds)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups cooked and crumbled cornbread
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Cut squash into halves lengthwise and discard seeds. Brush cut sides with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place cut sides down on a baking sheet. Roast 25 minutes or until tender.
2. Soak dried fruit in hot water 10 minutes. Drain and discard liquid; set aside.
3. Heat remaining olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, sage and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Combine drained fruit, onion mixture, broth, pecans, cornbread, parsley, salt and pepper.
4. Place cornbread mixture into each squash half. Return squash to the oven and bake about 20 minutes, until stuffing is thoroughly heated and golden brown on top.

The only changes I made were that I used Bell Seasoning because I did not have any sage and I left out the pecans. It was so delicious and smelled so good cooking! We also had ranch pork chops which is where you coat both sides of the raw pork in Hidden Valley Ranch (from the packets) mixed with salt, pepper, & paprika and then bake them for 20 minutes at 450. You flip them once. And I also made roasted brussels sprouts. They were from our CSA share. You just steam them on the stove for about 8-10 minutes, then drizzle them with olive oil and salt, and roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes. What will I make tomorrow night?

Third Time's A Charm?

2010-11-08T09:38:00.002-05:00

I had an OB appointment this morning and so far everything is going really well with this pregnancy. I've only put on 2 1/2 pound so far which is awesome and I got to hear the baby's heart rate which was between 158 and 162.

A few weeks ago I had blood work done and a surprise glucose test. It wasn't a complete surprise. I knew I was going to have one earlier than the recommended 24 weeks because I had gestational diabetes with the previous two pregnancies but I did not realize the NP included it on the blood work script at my first appointment! I scheduled the blood work for a Saturday morning since Jake would be home and could watch the kids. I got up, made chocolate chip pancakes, ate, showered and an hour later left for my 11am appointment. My heart sank when phlebotomist told me I made it just in time for my glucose screening because they close at 12. I had not fasted for a glucose test! I expected failure for sure. Chocolate chip pancakes with real maple syrup plus the glucose drink on top of that???

Well-this morning I found out that I passed. Phew! I will get tested again at 24 weeks but I think that losing weight before I got pregnant has helped. I've also changed my eating habits quite a bit after the last two pregnancies so I am hoping that the combination of the two will be enough to avoid GD this time. If not, the diet is easy to follow. It just sucks pricking your finger 4 times a day.

If You Ever Buy Your Kid a Train Table

2010-11-07T00:59:00.003-04:00

Make sure to take many photos of him or her playing with said train table. Someday he or she may take the whole track apart and expect you to put it back together. I'm just sayin'.

A Nice End to a Loooong Week

2010-11-06T00:05:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I went to the hospital to have a First Trimester Screen. It's an evaluation to identify risk for specific chromosomal abnormalities including Down’s Syndrome Trisomy-21 and Trisomy-18. It combines a blood screening with an ultrasound while taking into consideration the mother's age and health history. Without factoring the blood proteins which take 5 days to process, I have a one in fourteen hundred chance of having a baby with one of these abnormalities. Considering my health history it looks like our baby will probably be born without any of these kinds of issues. Yay!

Another awesome perk was being able to see the baby! I still am in such awe over being able to see so much detail. I got to see our baby's brain, 4 chambers of his or her heart, stomach, bladder, and of course face, arms, and legs. Even though this is the third time, it still brought tears to my eyes. It makes it all even more real.

According to the ultrasound my new due date is May 9th.

Don't Cry Over Spilled Cake

2010-11-05T00:05:00.001-04:00

Remember the cake mentioned in this post? Yesterday I was digging through my fridge, trying to work around a stack of Tupperware leftovers, and vegetables from our last CSA share of the season to reach a 1/2 gallon of milk jammed in the back of the shelf. I finally reach the milk and as I yank it out of the fridge the bottom of it catches the edge of a plate laying at the top of the Tupperware tower. The plate with the cake on it! I fumble to try to catch it but it falls down to my feet. The plate clatters on the kitchen floor and I look to see where the cake is. SAFE! Jake's mom always double wraps with wax paper and plastic wrap and the cake fell upside down on the wrapping. I picked up the plate (face side up), flipped the cake back onto it, and shoved it back on top of the Tupperware. Jake better eat that cake!

Thursday Thirteen-11/04/10

2010-11-04T10:35:00.007-04:00

For lack of a creative blog post, I am going to participate in Thursday 13. I forgot how fun they are. Because this is a current theme in my house my 13 is:

13 Reasons Why I Hate When my Kids are Sick

1. The fact that I can't ever get by with just one being sick. One gets it and passes it to the other.

2. The amount of tissues that get wasted. I love how they barely wipe their face and then throw away the tissue which they can't even crumple up! They toss and walk away and because the tissue is mostly unused-I am forever picking up tissues that floated to the floor instead of into the garbage.

2. The coughing and sneezing all over the place! I get so tired of saying "Cover your mouth!"

3. All the extra spoons that get used. One for elderberry syrup, one for honey, one for Tylenol. This times two kids, multiple times a day. God forbid I want to eat some yogurt-all the teaspoons are in the dishwasher dirty.

4. Sleepless nights. Someone is either coughing or crying and even if they do not need me, I can still hear it.

5. How crabby & disagreeable they are because they get no sleep.

6. Lack of appetites. They don't want to eat normal food, so you try to make something easy on them or appealing and they still won't eat it. What a waste!

7. The extra cleaning of germs all over the place. Even though they are sick, they still want to play with all their toys and so now I spend extra time after bed cleaning & disinfecting.

8. When they have so much phlegm that coughing causes them to vomit. It's especially the best when it is the middle of the night.

9. The extra laundry from number 8. Can't let that stuff sit around.

10. The whining, crying and often times clinging because they don't feel good.

11. Not being able to leave the house because they are sick.

12. All the extra hand washing. My hands are so dry and thumbs are starting to crack from washing my hands so frequently and disinfecting everything.

13. And the worst: No matter how hard I try with washing my hands, avoiding their coughs, taking extra vitamins and better care of myself, I usually end up with what they have.

Odd Injuries

2010-11-03T00:13:00.001-04:00

As I was skimming through the new topics on the mom's site I am a member of (BuffaloMommies.com) I saw that someone started a thread asking about odd injuries. Thankfully I have made it 33 years without a broken bone or any other major injuries-however, I have had a few odd ones.

When I was about 6 or 8 maybe? I was playing on the top step to our porch while my mother was working on the flower beds in front of our house. Someone, maybe my grandmother, had given me a metal shovel and bucket set (who the heck manufactures a metal shovel for kids?) and I had this with me. I sat on the top step resting my chin on the shovel and rocking my head. Then for some reason I had the shovel in my mouth and wouldn't you know, I rocked too far, jamming the shovel into my mouth and cutting myself with the metal edge. Boy did that sucker bleed! Thankfully I did not need stitches and my mother threw that shovel in the garbage.

When I was in college I read in a magazine about a photography contest. I had recently developed a great black and white photograph of grape vines in my photography class and thought it would be a perfect entry. Sitting in my dorm room I had an 8x10 print I made, an exacto knife, t-square, and a huge newsprint drawing pad that I was going to use as a cutting surface to trim the print on. When I picked up the exacto knife, I decided it was too dull and put a new blade on. I sat on my bed, lined the t-square up with the edge of the print and started cutting. For some reason the knife blade skipped up onto the t-square and I cut right into my left pointer finger. It was quick and painless. At first I wasn't even sure I really cut myself but I still jumped up and bolted to the bathroom and ran my finger under cold water. That's when it started to bleed and I saw the huge flap of skin move. I couldn't get it to stop so I had to take my shirt off to wrap around my finger to go back to my dorm room. Long story short, I ended up with six stitches and didn't submit the photo.

There have been more-double riding a Huffy bike down a steep hill and wiping out, punching myself in the eye somehow in my sleep...but those two are prominent in my mind.

Sweets & Treats

2010-11-02T08:05:00.002-04:00

Right now Jake is out of town for work. On Saturday we stopped at his parents so they could see the kids in their Halloween costumes. My mother-in-law gave us these two huge pieces of carrot cake she baked for Halloween to take home. Super delicious! Baked from scratch with walnuts and real cream cheese frosting. That night Jake and I split a piece. On Sunday night (Jake was already gone) I had half of the other piece. Last night I unwrapped the cake, got a fork, and was about to eat the last half when I thought of my husband. I actually debated with myself about it. He will be gone until Friday, it won't keep until then. His mom made it though-he'll want it. He doesn't really eat sweets... What the heck, I deserve it for taking care of the kids alone while he is away! Finally, feeling guilty, I wrapped it up and put it in the fridge.

Or maybe it was that I remembered we had Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia, Halloween candy (Twix & Kit Kats), Jingles, Kettle Corn and special Heads and Tails Oreos. Yes! We have all this junk food in the house! I think it is this pregnancy (we have Kid V3.0 due in early May). All I am craving is junk and sweets. The good news is I am totally exhibiting self-control. The Cherry Garcia is frozen yogurt, the candy bars are mini and I limit myself to two (a day). And Oreos, they are ok. I might have one or two.

If I were not pregnant, this would not be the case at all. Typically, I do not buy or keep sweets in the house. I am a HUGE chocoholic and if it is here I HAVE to eat it. In the beginning I'm good about limiting myself. If it isn't open it is safe. But if I have a taste...it starts out that I have a little bit each day but then a little bit isn't enough and I need to have "just a little more" and then a "little more" until finally my thoughts are: "Well, if I finish this now, there won't be any more to torture myself with tomorrow and I can be done with it!"

Where does that kind of logic come from?

And I'm Back!

2010-11-01T00:04:00.000-04:00

Today starts NaBloPoMo and I've decided to see if I can get back into the swing of blogging again. I've been so busy that this was the easiest thing to let go. I'm feeling a little concerned as this is my first post and I'm at a loss on what to write about.

So-hang in there as I get back in to the groove of writing. Will I be able to make it all 30 days? Will my writing equate to more than a snore-fest? I hope so. Stay tuned.

Free Movies!

2009-06-29T23:17:00.001-04:00

For the summer from Regal Cinemas on Tuesday & Wednesday mornings....

Check here!

Cloth

2009-06-22T20:52:00.003-04:00

I was just reading that there has been a recent push from disposable diaper manufacturers to appeal to mommy bloggers and offer up free samples and discounts because they know how influential we are. Here is a recent picture of Olivia wearing one of the new Blueberry Coveralls cloth diaper covers. We also own Fuzzibunz, Fuzzi Fannies, Bum Genius, Pocket Change, Happy Heiny, Rumparooz and unbleached Indian prefolds. There is something I like about each of them. I think my favorite diaper is the Bum Genius. I really like the AIO since it is the trimmest, but it takes way too long to dry. Aside from the all in one, I like the pocket One Size especially for overnight. We haven't had a leak yet. I love Fuzzibunz inserts and how the Pocket Change inserts come out on their own in the wash.

I would like to try more Rumparooz and the new Smartipants diaper which is very affordably priced. There are so many other great sounding brands. What's your favorite?

These are some shops that are great:
Cotton Babies
Moms Milk Boutique
Fuzzi Bunz Online
Mini Me Baby Gear
PinStripes and PolkaDots
Thanks Mama

Mystery Rabbit

2009-06-15T23:12:00.005-04:00

Two days after we finished our garden, this bench/bunnies randomly showed up. While I was attaching the dog to his line, I glanced over at the garden and there they were.

I instantly assumed it was my mom's doing. She is a garbage picker. (which is not a bad thing) She's found a lot of awesome stuff that people have trashed. Kid's bikes with just a few scratches, like new toys, furniture... and she usually does her picking late in the evening. The rabbits showed up the morning after she had been at our place. I imagine on the way home she spotted it and then sneaked back and stuck it in after we went to bed. She swears she didn't do it.

Next I thought maybe my MIL had done it. She does a lot of garage sale/thrift store shopping and I could imagine her spotting it and thinking it was so cute and perfect for our newly completed garden. She could have easily dropped by early that morning while we were sleeping and quickly stuck it in. She denies having any part of it.

Personally I think my mom is the culprit but she swears she did not do it. Who ever did it, also watered our plants. I told Jake to put it in the garbage as I really don't get into that kind of cutesy stuff. I hate to throw it out without knowing where it came from (and it really is junk-the wood isn't together well) and hope I'm not hurting someones feelings but what else can I do?

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-10T00:17:00.003-04:00

You can be wordless too! (And here too.)

Smartipants Cloth Diapers Giveaway

2009-06-05T19:31:00.000-04:00

Mama B: Product Buzz: Smartipants Cloth Diapers + Giveaway.

Click on the link above to stop by the Mama B blog for a chance to win a brand spankin' new Smartipants cloth diaper. I'd love to win one of these babies as they are supposed to be trimmer than other brands and contain a special leak guard. (not that cloth diapers really leak) Even if I don't win, I've been thinking of purchasing one to try since they are more affordably priced than some of the other brands out there.

E-I-E-I-O Part 3

2009-06-05T00:10:00.003-04:00

Today was share day. It's a favorite of Jamie's as he looks forward to seeing Patsy the dog. Unfortunately, Patsy hasn't been at the farm the past three weeks.

Colors of the Rainbow

2009-05-29T14:33:00.005-04:00

I need more! Olivia's cloth diapers are drying, so she's in disposables. I only have enough cloth to diaper her for a little over a day. Well, her disposable just leaked onto her clothes and the carpet. Irritating. (and why we are using cloth to begin with!) Cloth diapering is addictive. It's much like babywearing. I own 3 mei tais, a wrap, and a sling...but I want more. There are so many cool carriers. Well, in cloth diapering, there are a ton of awesome brands and styles out there! The only drawback is the initial cost. I try to buy the one size type so that I can use the same diaper regardless of her size-but $17-25 for a diaper is tough when you're watching your budget. So I just keep watching for sales and coupon codes and little by little I'll build up a stash. Hopefully I can phase the disposables out.

Sitting Pretty

2009-05-28T22:46:00.003-04:00

See what this little monkey decided to do on my birthday? She is growing up so fast. It seems so much quicker than James. At two months she was flashing smiles, laughing and rolling from her back to front at 4 months, rolling front to back & back to front at 5 months and now at almost 6 months sitting. She is on the verge of crawling too! She's got all the separate actions, now she's just got to coordinate her efforts.

E-I-E-I-O Part 2

2009-05-26T10:03:00.001-04:00

First-Jamie's bed is wet from stupid leaky diaper.
Second-he's freaking out because of his boo-boos.
Third-I had to wrestle him to get the non-stick pad that was stuck to his skinned knee and elbow off.
Fourth-He would NOT let me wash them.
Fifth-I had to wrestle him again to put a bandage with medicine on knee.
Sixth-Repeat 5th for elbow.

All while he is screaming bloody murder.

We haven't even had breakfast yet. I cannot wait to get out tonight without children.

E-I-E-I-O

2009-05-25T21:10:00.002-04:00

Woohoo! We got our summer garden in this weekend. Last year we waited so long it was difficult to find any plants. Since we get a CSA Farm share, we didn't buy too much, but wanted a few extras and thought it would be a great learning experience for James.

We planted two husky tomatoes, one cherry tomato, some snap peas, lettuce, and a strawberry plant. My mom gave us some mint, yam, pumpkin, and gourd plants. We'll see what happens. I gave up on green peppers. The last two years they've been small and some bug likes to chew holes in them. I'd love to grow cucumbers but I don't like the beetle it attracts that kills everything else off.

We got our first farm share on Thursday. We got 2 lbs of asparagus, green onions, rhubarb, and a cob of popcorn. I've never cooked with rhubarb before and tomorrow I'm planning on baking rhubarb bread. I can't wait to try it!

Time Flies

2009-05-18T12:31:00.003-04:00

I'm having such a hard time diligently updating for Olivia like I did with James. I haven't even filled in the details of her birth into her baby book. It is empty.

She is almost six months old now. At two months she was smiling, at three months giving me a little laugh and rolling from her back to her belly. Now at 5 months she can roll front to back and back to front. She has no teeth yet but is cooing and trying to "talk" to us. She is so close to crawling. She just needs to coordinate all her efforts. We've also been using cloth diapers with her because of her large frame. The disposable ones just leak all the time. These past few days it seems like she's made a huge jump in being aware of her surroundings and exploring her environment. She's totally a momma's girl and won't let me out of her sight which makes it difficult to have "me" time. She's getting better with Jake though and totally adores James. While she isn't sleeping through the night yet, at least she wakes up to eat and then goes right back to sleep. I am so glad to be out of the beginning, cry for hours, super gassy stage.

Next month James will be three! He is fast becoming a "big" boy. He's so smart and funny. I am amazed at his vocabulary and intelligence. We are hoping his allergies will be resolved at our next appointment. It would be awesome for him to be able to have an ice cream cone this summer.

Things are starting to become somewhat normal around here. I can finally do laundry and housework on a regular basis. I am looking forward to the warm weather and spending time with the kids at the park or outside. Maybe I can shed these last 15 pounds as well.

You Know You're a Mom When...

2009-05-11T15:22:00.002-04:00

It's Saturday morning and your hubby is showering with your kid...instead of you. And-you're ok with it. (and even grateful) Oh how the times have changed.

And Speaking of Cleaning

2009-05-07T00:24:00.003-04:00

Anyone know how to get puke out of the vacuum cleaner?

Gross. I know. Earlier this week, Jake and I were woken to the sound of puking. It was coming from the dog and at 6 something in the a.m. When we realized it was the dog we kind of groaned, rolled over, and went back to sleep. BIG mistake. I'll skip the gross details but say that unfortunately the color of the contents was red-probably from his dog food. (on our light grey carpet) This was at 9:30 am.

At 10:30 I still hadn't cleaned it but was reading online about it. I saw one article which said that if the vomit was dry-to vacuum it up and then clean the rug. At this time it was 11 and I thought-it must be dry by now. Mistake no. 2. Even though it looked dry-it was only the top layer.

Anyhow-I did manage to get it cleaned (using baking soda, Resolve, and cold water) but we still have a faint spot on the rug. And I still have puke in my vacuum. I am guessing I'll have to take it apart and hose it off outside. Can't wait for that! I'll also have to try cleaning our entire carpet up there because not only do we have a faint spot left, but the ring around the spot is cleaner than the rest of the carpet. Wahh wahh wahhhh. (Insert Debbie Downer here)

Vacuum Cleaner Tango & Magic Soap

2009-04-30T15:42:00.003-04:00

A bunch of moms from BuffaloMommies placed an order with the Frontier Natural Coop and yesterday I received my order of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap. I ordered the Peppermint, Citrus and Baby scents. I figured I could use citrus for washing our floors and to clean woodwork. The peppermint I thought would work well for sinks, tub, stove, and tile floor. I've also read that peppermint is a flea repellent so it would be good to wash the dog in it. And new baby I thought would be good to bathe the kids in.

Today I've spent hours scrubbing the kitchen. It's so clean-I don't want to cook or eat in there because it will get dirty again. I'm about to wash the floors now. Yesterday-in anticipation of cleaning, I dragged the vacuum cleaner from upstairs down to the first floor, slipping and falling down the last floor stairs. Thankfully my arm skidding on the wall (creating a huge brush burn on my elbow and wrist) stopped me from completely killing myself. My back is a little sore today.

It feels good to use soaps and cleaners that do not contain harsh chemicals. I just need to find a replacement for Windex! I've tried vinegar/water and it's ok-maybe I need a different recipe. I've also been using cloth diapers with Olivia. Her disposables keep leaking! I think it's her huge thigh to waist ratio. The only drawback is I only have enough diapers for one day and have to wash every night. But when she's worn them, she hasn't had a blow out or leak at all!

Good or Gross?

2009-04-23T10:39:00.003-04:00

I saw this posted at The Mommies Network and posted about it at the BuffaloMommies site but it's still been on my mind. I just can't imagine how this works....

-Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker.

-Crack 2 eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them.

-Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc.

-Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.

-Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes [we did 15 minutes]. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water.

-Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed.

Nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake; everyone gets involved in the process and a great conversation piece.

Imagine having these ready the night before, and putting the bag in boiling water while you get ready. And in 15 minutes, you've got a nice omelet for a quick breakfast!!!

I found another blog about this with pictures and a warning from Ziploc. Check out: Breakfast Blogger. The omelet doesn't look as bad as I thought. Wonder what the texture is like?

Bugle Call

2009-04-16T09:57:00.004-04:00

On the subject of baby monitors, I was awoken this morning to the sound of my son calling for me.

"Mommmmmmeeeeeeeeeee. Time for bweakfast. Mommmmmmmeeeeeeeee. Time to get me."

Ugh. Definitely not a cool way to be woken up and instant bad mood maker. I continued to lay in bed for 5 minutes ignoring him hoping that he'd just lay down and go back to sleep. No such luck. At least it was a quarter after 8 and not like 6 am so I can't complain too much.

Ghost Music

2009-04-13T11:27:00.003-04:00

One night a few weeks ago when I was woken by Olivia's slight stirring, I saw the lights flicker on the baby monitor for Jamie's room. Suddenly I heard soft music playing. WTH? I looked at the clock, it was three am-where was the music coming from? Jamie's cd should have ended hours ago. Could he have gotten out of his crib somehow? He is tall enough to reach the cd player now. I got out of bed and headed to his room. Opening his door a crack I listened. There was nothing. No music. What? I shuffled back to my room and climbed into bed. There was no music there either. Did I dream it? I closed my eyes and hoped to quickly fall asleep. About five minutes later, I heard it again. Soft, airy, classical music. I was feeling creeped out by it. Was it possible the monitor was picking up music from someone elses house? Can they pick up radio stations? I go to Jamie's room once more. Again-nothing! I go back to my room where I hear the music, climb into bed, and go to sleep.

The next day while James is napping, Jake and I were talking in our bedroom. I suddenly remembered about the monitor and told him about it. He thought it was odd and assured me that the monitor could not pick up radio. Suddenly as if on queue, it happened again! Jake looked at the monitor in disbelief. "Are you sure it's not from Jamie's room?" he asked. I went rushing down. No! But wait-yes! The music was coming from Jamie's room. Somehow the cd was playing again.

When James woke up-I took the cd out of the player. Turns out there was a little schmutz on the last track of the disc and it was causing the cd to pause and play at odd intervals. No phantom ghost music at all. It was pretty odd how it would play and then pause when I crept down the hall to listen though.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T09:43:00.002-04:00

Anyone Else See the Resemblance?

2009-04-03T20:25:00.002-04:00

The San Fransisco Treat!

2009-03-29T11:52:00.005-04:00

I don't know what made me think of it, but last night while I was brushing my teeth I was reminiscing about Rice-A-Roni. I just had to look it up to see if they still made it since I haven't had it in so long. My mom started making it when I was in high school and when I went to college, I bought boxes of the stuff at a time because it was so easy to make. I loved it! There was something about frying up the vermicelli first and then the rice cooking after wards that was awesome. My favorite flavor though was broccoli au gratin. Yum!

Honestly I have not had any since college. Since I got a rice cooker (from my friend Kelly's recommendation) I make a lot more rice because it is so easy! When she suggested I get one, all I could imagine is the scene from Breakfast at Tiffany's when the pressure cooker explodes all over the place. But I love it! It's nothing like that. You just set it and forget about it. So now my favorites are Zattarins or Uncle Ben's rices. Aside from those mixes I make plain brown rice or yellow rice. I can't remember the last time I made white. I don't know if I've ever bought white since I've lived in this house and that will be 5 years this summer.

Here's a quick recipe using rice that I like to make:

Quick & Easy Burritos

-1 box Zattarins red beans and rice or black beans and rice
-1 8oz can of tomato sauce or taco sauce
-1 pound ground beef
-1 packet of taco seasoning
-1 jar salsa
-1 bag shredded Mexican taco mix cheese or cheddar cheese or you can use slices of American cheese
-1 package of flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350.
1. Prepare rice according to directions.
2. Brown and drain ground beef, seasoning with taco packet. I also like Lowrey's seasoning salt if I don't have a taco packet.
3. Mix rice with beef and add the tomato sauce (or taco sauce).
4. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with a non-stick spray.

Open the package of tortilla shells. I microwave them one at a time for about 15 seconds so they are soft to work with.
1. Spoon meat rice/mixture onto middle of tortilla shell. Put about a tablespoon (or more) of salsa on top and then shredded or sliced cheese on top of that.
2. Fold top and bottom of tortillas over each other and then sides in.
3. Lay on baking sheet with folds down. If I am using sliced cheese, I'll lay a slice over the top.
4. Once baking sheet is filled, bake for about 15-20 minutes.

That's it! Enjoy!

And they Went Along, and Went Along, and Went Along

2009-03-21T14:30:00.004-04:00

Reading this story always makes me tired and want to take a nap. How many times can you say "Henny Penny, Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey, Goosey Loosey, Cocky Locky, Foxy Loxy" before you are tongue twisted?

And speaking of exhaustion, who knew that taking your kids to the circus could kick your butt? My inlaws wanted to go to the Shrine Circus so we decided to give it a shot. It was an ok experience. It doesn't compare to Barnum and Bailey but it was decent. There were some good acts like the trapeze artists and elephants. My bottom was sore from sitting on the bleachers for 2 1/2 hours and my back still hurts today even though we went on Friday. James made it the entire show even though he missed his nap. A few times it looked like he was going to fall asleep. I think it helped that grandma & grandpa bought him a blue light sword to hit people with.

I think we can probably wait a year or two to go back. It was too long and loud for me.

Sufferin' Succotash

2009-03-16T10:28:00.003-04:00

The other day I made succotash for dinner and wondered why corn and lima beans together got the name. Interestingly enough-this was a dish which was popular during the Great Depression. The name succotash comes from a Native American word which means boiled kernels. According to Wikipedia, succotash:

...was sometimes cooked in a casserole form, often with a light pie crust on top as in a traditional pot pie. In some parts of the American south, any mixture of vegetables prepared with lima beans and topped with lard or butter is called succotash. Succotash is a traditional dish of many Thanksgiving celebrations in Pennsylvania and other states. In Indiana, Succotash is made with green beans and corn instead of lima beans.

I can't imagine eating it like a casserole but I guess if times are tough it would make a filling meal of a veggie and protein. I wonder if there are other vegetable combos with interesting names.

BuffaloMommies Has a Blog!

2009-03-07T11:58:00.007-05:00

The mom's group I belong to now has a blog. We can be found here: BuffaloMommies. Even if you do not live in the WNY/Buffalo area, check it out because there are links to other blogs/sites which are part of The Mommies Network. There may be a mom's group near you!

ETA: This is just our blog. Our site where we have a discussion board and calendar of events is located at: BuffaloMommies.

Two Eggs

2009-02-28T11:37:00.004-05:00

Three yolks. I was hoping this was a symbol of good luck-but the only thing I could find out about it myth-wise is that it is a sign of fertility. Must be why I got my period back so soon while exclusively breastfeeding. I guess the yolks on me! (ha-ha poor joke) With James I at least made it to six months. With Olivia it showed up at 11 weeks. Such a bummer. I know some moms who breastfed for two years and had no period the entire time. That's lucky! But I guess I should be thankful that I am fertile and can have children as some women have difficulties TTC.

In my search about double yolks, I found this interesting website about eggs: Poultry Help.

Almost 12 Weeks

2009-02-23T14:35:00.005-05:00

Don't you just want to bite those cheeks? At the last doctor appointment at the beginning of the month she weighed in at 12lbs and 10oz. Last night Jake weighed himself and then the two together and we think she's up to 15 lbs already. She is a little chunky monkey compared to James. She's already half his weight! She's also been sleeping in 4 and 5 hour increments which is amazing since James didn't sleep through the night until between 6-9 months. *knock on wood* And she is smiling, cooing, and trying to talk. lol One of the best things is that she's a snuggler. As a baby James never liked to snuggle so I'm loving this.

And as for James-he's our resident smarty pants. I'm amazed at what he knows and the vocabulary he has. He is very intelligent. Sometimes I just ask myself, how does he know that? Or...I don't remember teaching him that. My mom attributes it to the fact that we talk and read to him a lot. He also has a great imagination and can make something out of nothing. In the photo he is giving us "sunny eyes". That's what he calls making him smile for photos. We're almost done with his big boy room. Now if we could only get him potty trained. I can't believe he'll be three this summer. 2 years until Kindergarten!

Happy Birthday!!!!

2009-02-16T11:55:00.003-05:00

To the Make and Takes blog who is celebrating her 2nd birthday. If you've never checked the site out-take a look! You'll find many fun crafts, recipes, and activities for you and your family. (It's where I got the yummy recipe from my previous blog post)

In celebration, Marie is having a give-away with awesome prizes. Go enter!

Addicted!

2009-02-13T20:57:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday I baked up some granola bars that I modified from a recipe on the Make and Takes. The Vegan lunch playdate I was supposed to take them on was canceled and I've eaten almost the whole batch myself! They are so good-you just can't stop. Here is my take on her recipe. (dairy, egg, peanut free)

Chewy Granola Bars Recipe:

* 2 1/2 c. Oats - quick rolled oats
* 1/2 c. Rice Krispies
* 1/4 c. soy nut butter (instead of peanut butter)
* 1/2 c. Enjoy Life Vegan chocolate chips
* 1/2 c. brown sugar
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 c. Earth Balance, softened (for butter)
* 1/4 c. maple syrup (instead of honey)
* 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Add all of the ingredients and mix together until combined. Press into a square 8×8 pan. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and score into bars. Let it set completely and then cut into bars. For thinner bars, press mix into a 9×13 pan.

Sorry-no photos....I think there are only three bars left. *insert blushing face here*

Unbelievable

2009-02-05T17:41:00.001-05:00

This is from the Buffalo News:

Woman’s wallet stolen in hospital lounge area

A woman told Buffalo police her wallet was taken from a lounge area in Women and Children’s Hospital on Sunday.

The incident happened at about 4:30 p. m., according to a police report.

The victim told police she put down her wallet, walked away, and it was gone when she returned.

It contained $700 in cash, a credit card, a driver’s license and other personal papers.

Really? Did this woman really think it was safe to leave her wallet out in the open in a public place in the city of Buffalo? Especially in a hospital with people wandering all around? *shaking head*

Tomorrow what will it be.....

2009-02-01T21:34:00.004-05:00

...spring on its way or 6 more weeks of winter? I'm ready for warm weather, fewer clothes and walks in the park.

EDITED TO ADD: damn groundhog!

Image Source: Groundhog.org

Evening Two

2009-01-28T20:54:00.003-05:00

...with a broken swing.

Monday night I heard a stirring from the swing where Olivia was sleeping. From bed, I glanced over to check on her and saw that the swing was not swinging. WTH? Typically Olivia starts her evening in the swing from 11:30/midnight until sometime between 3-4am. Then she sleeps in her bassinet or the co-sleeper in bed with us until 5-7am and then back in the swing. Tuesday when I got up, I tried turning it on and off, unplugging, everything and I've got nothing. The lights and sounds still work but there is no swing action. *sniffle* I think the motor must be toast. So much for Fisher Price quality.

So last night I thought-ok-so now she'll just have to sleep in the bassinet. Time to get over the sleep crutches and sleep on her own. OMG! WE NEED THE SWING BACK! Olivia was awake ALL night. Between 11:30pm and 6am when Jake got up for work, I only got about a half hour of sleep. Of course James was up at 8 and I've had a headache all day.

I'm not sure what's going to happen tonight. We have a small travel swing that her car seat snaps into-I may have to resort to using that. Maybe I should try and deal again but it's tough dealing with a 2 year old with no sleep. Thankfully he was well behaved today.

I Knew It Would Happen Eventually...

2009-01-25T13:07:00.002-05:00

But I wasn't prepared for it just yet. James is sick. Yes he's been sick before but not while we've had a baby in the house. I'm so afraid of Olivia getting sick. He has a nasty cough, runny nose and sore throat. My skin is dry and cracking from all the hand-washing I'm doing. I've also been drinking Emergen-C and taking Cold Eeze to try and keep it away since James doesn't always cover his mouth when he coughs. Febreeze antimicrobial, Lysol, and Clorox are my friends. We've made James a special "sick bed" ie: couch with blanket over it and a pillow in an effort to keep him in one place and from touching everything. This means he's been watching tv for three days straight which is not cool-but what are you going to do? When he's better, he'll be cut off again.

Unfortunately I still managed to get a runny nose. When I woke up this morning my throat hurt a little too but it's ok now. What makes me mad is that we've kept the kids home to avoid illness and germs. The only places they've been are my parents, inlaws, and the grocery store.

Re-Runs

2009-01-18T22:24:00.006-05:00

During the middle of the night, when Olivia wakes me up to nurse, I always turn the TV on. I did this when James was a baby too to try and help me stay awake. (It works the majority of the time)

Back in the summer of 2006-I was able to catch just about the whole A Different World series. It seemed like-no matter what time of the day or night I turned the television on, re-runs of this show were on. I never watched the series when it originally ran. I've always watched The Cosby Show and this show has a similar feel (and some of the same characters since it's a spin-off) but is a little more cheesy, predictable, and sometimes silly. I liked watching it because it was something different than what was on tv at the time.

As I wake up to feed the baby these nights-the re-runs that seem to be on all the time are for Roseanne. I used to watch this show when it originally ran and these nights when I'm turning the tv on-it's hit or miss as to whether I've seen the episode or not. So far, I've seen most of them. I really like the show though in terms of character development. Roseanne Barr and John Goodman do such a great job in role. It's impressive how well they portray the personas of a sometimes trashy, limited income family.

Although it's fun to be able to watch television all the time, I can't wait until Olivia is older and sleeping all the way through so I can also get some rest.

Definitely Related

2009-01-10T12:51:00.003-05:00

This is not the best picture of either of them, but I think you can see that Olivia looks alot like James as a baby. She's growing so fast! We need to start taking more pictures. (BTW-Olivia is the pic on the right)

On Equipment Cleaning

2009-01-05T17:09:00.004-05:00

Can I just say that diaper maintenance for boys is so much easier than girls? Although I am a female and "familiar" with the parts-I feel so much uncertainty about what I'm doing when I'm changing Olivia.

First of all-there are all the folds and creases. I don't remember Jamie's legs creasing like hers do where they meet her body. Everytime I open her diaper I think about shar peis and all their wrinkles. Secondly I can never tell if what I am looking at is normal. Does she look red down here? Do I need to put on cream? Is this irritation? And with the whole wiping front to back I feel like I use twice as many wipe because I'm paranoid about giving her an infection and if I "contaminate" a wipe, I can't bring it anywhere near her other areas again.

And speaking about equipment and diaper changing-I am so ready for James to be potty trained. His #2 diapers are pretty gross now. Two days ago he used the potty chair (Woohoo!) but nothing since. We've only been talking about it for about 6 months-he's played with the chair, read books, talked about it and "helped" by getting toilet paper and flushing for us. We even bought pull ups which feel cold when you wet them-but there's been nothing from him. Then when he was in the tub the other day, I reminded him that there is no pooping in the tub and he started saying he was scared and needed a diaper change. I seized the opportunity and asked if he wanted his potty chair. Lo and behold he went #1 & #2 on his chair. So I think I just need to be more proactive about it and hopefully we can get him out of diapers shortly.

Christmas Cuteness

2008-12-28T17:18:00.004-05:00

Unfortunately I have no cutsie pictures of James in his Christmas attire. (Bad mama!) But here's our girlie:

Two Weeks Old

2008-12-20T23:33:00.004-05:00

and the rest of my story...

We got to the hospital at 9:45. I was bummed when we were given the small labor room near the nurses station that was without a jacuzzi tub. With James I had a room with a tub and couldn't use it because my water had broke and I had to be induced. The nurse told me that there was a patient who was almost done with a room with a tub and maybe we could move later.

My contractions were uncomfortable but not unbearable yet. When the midwife checked me she said she thought I was about a solid 4cm. She said that she and my doctor had decided that we'd see if labor progressed and have us stay over night regardless because of the distance of our home and the weather. If I didn't dilate anymore by morning, I'd be discharged.

About an hour later, my water broke and everything started getting really uncomfortable. I tried breathing through contractions. They kept getting stronger and more painful. Jake tried to comfort me. At first it felt nice for him to rub my back. Later, I didn't want him to touch me. I couldn't believe how intense they were. The midwife asked if I wanted an epidural and I told her yes please!!! I kept trying to focus on the crappy impressionist painting on the wall next to the bed. It was a garden scene with wicker furniture and lemonade on a table. I tried to imagine being there-but I was doing a terrible job and had little relief.

I kept waiting and waiting for the anesthesiologist to show up. At one point I even swore in anger and pain. The midwife checked me again and she and the nurse were giving each other glances and talking to each other quietly. I was suspicious. The made Jake leave and they said the anesthesiologist should be there any second that they told him he needed to come asap. I was worried he wasn't coming. My contractions were so strong that I couldn't even sit up to get the epidural. They had me curl up in a ball on the bed. It turns out that I was completely dilated (which is why the contractions were so painful!) and almost lost my window for pain relief. I was annoyed that it took the doctor so long to get to me. Thankfully he was willing to still do the procedure even though I was so far along. I was grateful!

Finally! Feeling more comfortable, I was able to lay back and rest while we waited for my doctor to show up. I didn't have the urge to push yet which was good.

Finally the OB showed up and I was ready to push. Olivia was born at 1:30am. I don't think I even pushed for half an hour. I don't know if it was because I went through it before and was more effective at pushing this time but her head came out a lot quicker and easier than when James was born.

So 3 hours and 45 minutes of hospital time was all it took! My OB was not kidding when she said the second one would come a lot quicker than the first and not to dawdle when I felt like things were happening. She's only been here two weeks but it feels like much longer.

One Week Old

2008-12-13T18:23:00.003-05:00

And it only took her that long to realize that nights are for sleeping! I forgot how "fun" it is getting on a sleep schedule. The first few nights home I only got about 2 hours of sleep a night because Olivia was awake all evening. Not only was she awake but she also wanted to nurse frequently. Last night was the first night she actually slept in intervals of hours at a time.

James was born at 38 weeks and 2 days. Olivia came at 38 weeks 3 days. Nice to see my body is consistant. Friday the 5th I had an OB appointment where I was told that I was already 3-4 cm dilated. As the day progressed I was feeling funny-and not sure if what I was feeling were contractions or not. I started timing them around 6 pm and by 7:30-8 they were consistantly 5-7 minutes apart and about a minute long. I called the doctor and was told to go into the hospital. I had to pack my bag and get things together because I was unprepared. And of course the weather was terrible! The day before all the remaining snow had melted and as we packed and loaded the car it was snowing and the roads were covered and icy. After dropping James at my parent's house we got to the hospital around 9:45pm.

Will continue next post....

Here She Is....

2008-12-06T13:43:00.001-05:00

Olivia Katherine! 12/06/08 8lbs 3oz 20 1/4inches

Wordless Wednesday

2008-12-03T16:33:00.002-05:00

Haven't done this in awhile but I took this photo today at the OB's office:
(You can be wordless too!)

Holy Cannoli!!!!!

2008-11-25T20:35:00.003-05:00

You can order cannoli kits online that come with fresh ingredients. Check out this page at Mike's Pastry.

Special Packaging. "10CT Cannoli" from the pastry category, are shells that are carefully dry-packed in a genuine Mike's Pastry Box and individually wrapped. Underneath, a small styrofoam cooler contains the cream filling - shipped frozen to ensure its safe and fresh arrival. The cooler contains as well 3 sealed plastic cups with Cannoli trimmings, chocolate chips, Green Mixed Nuts and confectioner's sugar.

Unfortunately I can't eat cannolis right now with the gestational diabetes-but this is an idea to file away. Yum-yum-yum!

And Speaking of Pregnancies

2008-11-19T17:32:00.002-05:00

(Besides the fact that I am 36 weeks today) have you read about THIS? While I have no issues with the fact that he and his wife want to have another baby and that he'd like to live life as a man...I have a problem with the fact that he is being referred to as "the pregnant man" everywhere. At least CNN put it in quotes. He is not a man. He still has a uterus and female genitals (with the exception of what testosterone treatments have altered). So he is not physically a man-yet. I don't care if he has facial hair or has had reconstructive surgery on his chest either.

My favorite part of the Larry King interview is this quote from Larry:

The two of you, really, I think you're terrific. I think what you've done is not the easiest thing in the world and especially to come forward.

Really? Larry thinks they are terrific? Ok.

When Good Toys Turn Bad

2008-11-10T23:55:00.003-05:00

It really isn't funny-but everytime I think of these they make me laugh out loud.

1-James has a Toy Story Woody doll he got as a gift last year. The legs are really floppy and loose. Yesterday he and Jake were making Woody and Keko (his toy monkey) dance to the tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider from his Fisher Price piano. Everything was fine and dandy until one of Woody's legs swung up and "kicked" James in the head above his eye.

2-For his first birthday, my inlaws bought James, Tickle Me Elmo Extreme. One time after "tickling" Elmo, James decided to give him a hug, just as Elmo bent over to start laughing and rolling around. Elmo's ultra hard plastic(?) eyeballs smashed James right in the mouth/teeth. Elmo was not so funny anymore.

Counting Down...

2008-11-08T13:18:00.002-05:00

This is a photo from last week at 33 weeks because I'm too lazy to work with the photo from this week. Not many weeks left. After my next OB appointment on the 21st, I start going for weekly visits. They also made me schedule 3 appointments in advance. James was born on week 38 day two so I am wondering if this baby will be early too. We have the name list narrowed down to 4 that we love and are having a difficult time selecting just one. I think we may just have to come up with middle names for all of them and then decide when we see her in the hospital. Speaking of which-I need to pack a hospital bag.

The basement is not completed yet. We have painted walls. Jake is at Home Depot as I type this looking at door kits. We have to get doors & trim up and then paint them. After that I think we start moving stuff down. I still have no baby items washed and have not unpacked anything as I wait for the basement to be finished. Yes S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D is a bit how I feel. I haven't even started Christmas shopping yet. I'm just so anxious about so many things.

A Few Images from Our Trip

2008-11-04T23:09:00.007-05:00

This past weekend we took a trip to Macungie, PA where a friend of Jake's got married. It was the first time we left James in someone else's care for more than a few hours. While it was great to be away and have a break from taking care of him, I did miss our little guy.

The hotel was very nice. I loved the way the rooms were decorated. Very stylish and homey. The wedding was lovely too. The bride and groom had alot of nice little touches. She wore a magenta and black colored dress. Their favors were chinese take-out boxes with a fortune cookie. After you ate the cookie-you took the box to a candy station they had set up and filled it with your favorites.

The day after the wedding we drove out to the town where Jake used to live to check out his old apartment and place of employment. We also made a "diner tour" stopping to eat at one diner for breakfast and another for lunch. We don't have any diners in our area so it was a treat to stop at not one but two. One was called the Starlite Diner and the other was the Bethlehem Diner. I didn't get a pic of the Bethlehem one because of where we were parked.

Since we haven't been to PA in a long time I forgot about a popular menu item down there:

SCRAPPLE! Neither Jake or I ordered it-but from what I've heard it's like Spam-but looks very grey in color. Wikipedia says:

Scrapple is a mush of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and flour, often buckwheat flour. The mush is formed into a loaf, and slices of the scrapple are then fried before serving. Scraps of meat left over from butchering, too small to be used or sold elsewhere, were made into scrapple to avoid waste. Scrapple is best known as a regional food of Delaware, South Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

and

Scrapple is typically made of hog offal, such as the head, heart, liver, and other scraps, which are boiled with any bones attached (often the entire head), to make a broth. Once cooked, bones and fat are discarded, the meat is reserved, and (dry) cornmeal is boiled in the broth to make a mush. The meat, finely minced, is returned, and seasonings, typically sage, thyme, savory, and others are added. The mush is cast into loaves and allowed to cool thoroughly until gelled. The proportions and seasoning are very much a matter of the region and the cook's taste.

Sounds great, doesn't it? *gag* I guess I shouldn't say anything as I have never tried it. It just doesn't sound delicious to me. The other interesting thing we saw was at a Sheetz gas station. (We don't have Sheetz in our area-so that was interesting in itself) But check out this picture:

There is a sign next to the gas pump saying "place order here". When is the last time you ordered food from a gas pump? Interesting concept.

My favorite part of taking trips is checking out towns and seeing different/new things. So it was alot of fun driving around.

McDonald's New Salmon Salad

2008-10-31T22:15:00.002-04:00

Well not really, but it certainly looks that way. lol This was the side salad I ordered as we were traveling on our way to Macungie, Pa. Don't those carrot shavings look like sushi salmon?

An Allergy Update

2008-10-28T00:00:00.003-04:00

Last Thursday we took James to the allergist for his yearly check up and to see the condition of his food allergies. The week prior he had bloodwork done and the doctor was going to perform a skin test at the appointment and give us the results of both.

According to the RAST (blood test) James is allergy free. He was retested for milk, egg, and peanut and his levels came up less than .35 which pretty much means non-existant. Hooray! The skin test however showed he had a slight reaction to milk & eggs. They increased the doseages and perfromed a second skin test. This showed a clear reaction to the milk & egg but still nothing to peanut.

So....we have been told to avoid milk & eggs for 6-12 more months and then we'll test again. The doctor is confident that he will outgrow these allergies. With the peanut, we are going to participate in a peanut challenge. Next week we will go to the allergist's office with peanut butter which James will consume and be observed for any reactions.

The idea of having peanut butter in our home again is so exciting! I was the most worried about the peanut allergy as typically it is the most fatal. I was so anxious just thinking about James heading off to Kindergarten and trusting he would be safe from these foods out there in other peoples care.

And not to mention, I love peanut butter! I was devestated by the Peter Pan recall and then when the recall was over, I still couldn't eat it because of Jamie's allergies. I hope the challenge goes well.

Another Yummy Allergy Free Cookie Recipe

2008-10-11T00:00:00.001-04:00

Orange Cranberry Cookies (Recipe with Allergy Mods)

3/4 cup Crisco Butter flavored Shortening
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk (I used soymilk, oat or rice will work too)
1 tablespoon orange extract
1 large egg (I used Ener G Egg Replacer)
1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup Craisins Dried Cranberries (orange flavor)

Directions:

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, milk and orange extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in cranberries.
DROP by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
BAKE 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.

30 Weeks

2008-10-10T13:02:00.003-04:00

Just ten weeks (or less!) left until we meet our little girl. Now I'm starting to get anxious. Our basement is in the midst of construction where we'll be moving our office so James can move into a new room. Once James is out of the nursery-that will become baby's room. We still haven't decided on a name yet. I haven't washed any clothes yet as I have no place to put them yet. And I have to unpack all the stuff I feel like I just packed away like bassinet, swing, and car seat. Oh-we'll also need the baby tub and I have to buy diapers too!

I've had to follow the diabetes 2000 calorie diet again. It's going ok. I'm bummed that Starbucks has new hot chocolate drinks out that I can't sample. Hopefully the drinks will be available through the new year so I can have some after the baby is here.

The doctor has said that she is head down already and it's looking like she will probably be bigger than James was at birth. When she moves and stretches I can feel that she is pretty big & long. She's also a stronger kicker than James! This time around I have the birth announcements all set. I just need to plug in a picture and the details and we'll be ready to go. Last time around Jamie's didn't get sent out until around 6 months after he was born.

The clock is ticking and we've got to get moving!

Mess Makers!

2008-09-28T22:15:00.006-04:00

TaDoodles Washable All-In-One Paints are the right size and shape for a child's first palm grasp to help in developing gross to fine motor skills. With their unique design, All-In-One Paints won't dry out and can be reactivated by simply dabbing them on a piece of paper several times. No dipping or spilling! The unique brushes allow your child to experiment with how movements create different lines and swashes. With each scribble, dab, and wiggle, your child's imagination will grow!

Did you catch that? No dipping or spilling! However they forgot to say, your child will get paint all over their hands and proceed to touch the table, their face, get paint all over the tool itself and booster seat. (You can see the paint is up to his elbows in the photo)

I recommend using paint and a brush as I had significantly less mess.

Yikes...

2008-09-12T16:48:00.001-04:00

How embarrassing for her. Better brush up on politics.

I Still Remember

2008-09-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

9/11. Do you? I posted my story last year.

I HEART Thursdays

2008-09-05T00:08:00.003-04:00

Because that's when we get our CSA share. Every Thursday I can't wait for Jake to get home from work with our basket of goodies.

This week we got alot of yummie vegetables including corn on the cob, cherry tomatoes, a zucchini, fingerling potatoes, and radishes. I love when we get new things to try too. Last week we got some potaotes that were purple when you cut them open.

This week we also got opal basil which is also purple. How fun is that?

It's kind of challenging trying to use everything we get before we get more the following week. From last week I still have corn on the cob, beets, tomatillos, and bokchoy to use up. I'll be sad when the season is over. I think we are on week 15 of 25.

Easy Beer Bread

2008-08-28T11:48:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I made a yummy cream of potato & leek soup to try and use up some veggies from our CSA share. I wanted a quick bread to make and serve with dinner and remembered reading about Beer Bread. A quick Google search brought me to this recipe:

Beer Bread

3 cups flour (sifted)
3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1 teaspoon salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 (12 ounce) can beer
1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 cup will also do just fine)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients and beer.
3. Pour into a greased loaf pan.
4. Pour melted butter over mixture.
5. Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

This came out great! I used a bottle of beer which only has 11.5 ounces but it still worked. I also sprinkled basil, garlic powder, and a few other spices over the melted butter before baking. To make this Jamie safe-I also used soy butter instead of regular butter.

Inspired-today I made another loaf. To the mixture I added two teaspoons of orange extract and about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of craisins. I also sprinkled cinnamon and brown sugar over the butter before baking. So yummy!!!!

Lasagna Recipe

2008-08-22T14:31:00.001-04:00

Last night I made a great lasagna recipe:

Ingredients
- a cup of cooked peas
- 1 medium zucchini shredded and squeezed to remove excess water
- a box of lasagna noodles (I use the kind that you don't have to cook first)
- 2 jars of sauce (sauce to use and then to have to heat and put over when it's done)
- 15oz container of ricotta
- 8oz bag of mozzarella cheese
- parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 lb of ground beef
parsley, basil, garlic salt, pepper

This will make a 9x12 pan of lasagna.

Directions
1. Spray baking pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
2. Fry the ground beef. I seasoned with Lowrey's seasoning salt. Use your favorite. Drain & set aside.
3. In a bowl, beat the egg, and mix with the ricotta cheese and peas. I added parsley, basil, and parmesan cheese. I didn't measure any. I'd guess it was about a half cup of cheese. Adjust according to desired taste.
4. In the baking pan layer in this order:
- cover the bottom with a thin layer of sauce
- lay down a layer of lasagna noodles
- use a plastic spatula to spread the ricotta layer down over the noodles
- sprinkle all ground beef over the ricotta layer
- cover the beef with sauce
- another layer of lasagna noodles
- lay the zucchini down (I seasoned with garlic salt & pepper)
- sprinkle the entire bag of mozzarella on top of the zucchini layer
- another layer of lasagna noodles
- cover with sauce
5. Cover the entire pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for an hour and twenty minutes.
6. Remove from oven and away from heat and let set for 10 minutes tightly covered with foil.

I heated the leftover sauce to serve over top of cut pieces.

Almost 23 Weeks

2008-08-17T21:07:00.001-04:00

Check out this belly:

A PSA from Pregnant Women Everywhere

2008-08-17T00:43:00.003-04:00

I don't know where this originated but it's awesome. Wish I had the guts to share it with some people I know.

Dear Non-Pregnant Person,
I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. If you are thinking, surely she doesn't mean me- then you should probably read this twice.

1) The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations!" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you an ####.

2) Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase "my baby".

3) On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in #2, the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it.

4) The body of a pregnant women should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone's stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.

5) Likewise, no women wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about is pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is "You look fabulous!".

6) By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.

7) There is a reason that tickets to L&D are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, MIL or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt and genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents.

8) Like everything else is life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital and the parents home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to "help out". If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

9) If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10) The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.

I hope this helps- it sure makes us feel better.

Signed,
All Pregnant Women

Magic Beans

2008-08-06T23:01:00.002-04:00

I've written previously about our CSA vegetables and these are purple beans we received as part of our share last week. I have never seen purple beans-but the cool part is that when they were cooked-they turned green! Sorry I'm a dum-dum and forgot to take an after photo.

20 Week Update

2008-07-30T16:39:00.003-04:00

Ok-here's the half way mark belly shot. My belly has such a weird shape. I had my 20 week appointment today and everything looks great. My blood pressure is normal, I've only gained 5 lbs so far, and the doctor said that everything from our 18 week ultrasound looked great. (which reminds me I need to scan those!) My belly is measuring a week ahead at 21 cm and we're still on track for a December 17th due date for our baby girl. Her heartbeat was at 160 which is good. I'm having a pretty normal and uneventful pregnancy which is A-OK with me. At my next visit I'll be seeing a midwife. It should be interesting. I'll also get the prescription/sheet for the fun one hour glucose tolerance test then too. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I pass but I have a feeling I'm going to fail.

I am feeling pretty good. A bit tired but no other complaints. I feel like I'm huge already but when I compared with my belly shots of James, I look about the same. At our first heartbeat visit, the doctor thought I was measuring at least a month ahead. She asked if I was sure that my dates were correct and I assured her yes to which she asked if twins ran in the family. *gulp* Uh-nooooo. She asked if we'd be willing to get an ultrasound done if we could be fit in to ensure the dating was accurate and that there were not twins in there. Early picture of our baby(ies?) of course we would! They could fit us in about an hour and a half later so we wandered around the Target near the doctor's office nervous, excited, and scared. So when we went back-guess what-just one baby in there. Phew! Twins would be a blessing but I don't know if I could handle it all.

That's about it. I haven't bought anything girly yet as I'm always skeptical about the ultrasounds. Even though James was correct and the tech told us she was 99% sure this was a girl, I don't know if I believe it yet.

Our Little Arteest

2008-07-29T12:22:00.004-04:00

I just wanted to share Jamie's first painting masterpiece. Even though I bought the supplies to fingerpaint months ago I finally decided to let him make a mess this morning. He was pretty funny as at first he only wanted to use brushes. I finally had to take them away before he'd finally paint with his fingers. Sheesh-maybe I ought to pull out my watercolors if he wants to paint by brush.

We're pretty proud of him. I didn't really talk about his second birthday which was in June as it was low key. No huge 80 person bash with dad blowing his knee out in the a.m. this year. But it was nice and of course James was spoiled. I am so amazed at how his vocabulary keeps growing and growing. He is quite the chatter box these days! He can count from 1 to 10 and can recognize most of the letters of the alphabet. He loves to be read to, he loves music and singing or when we sing to him "dada ying!" "mama ying Bingo!" and playing outside. We couldn't ask for a better kid.

I'll update on Baby 2.0 later or tomorrow. I'll just say-"It's a girl!"

This About Sums It Up

2008-07-21T22:28:00.002-04:00

Only the Finest!

2008-07-14T12:11:00.002-04:00

Months ago I read an interview in the newspaper about Bret Michaels and ripped out the last question because I found it humorous. I can't find the interview online to quote/post the source so you'll have to take my word: (it was published in the Buffalo News)

What are you hiding under that bandanna?

My hair is combined of my hair and the finest extensions Europe has to offer. I do the show without it on all the time, and they won't film me. They are like, "Put your bandanna back on. It's your image." It is my signature thing.

LOL. Either that or maybe those extensions really aren't that fine.

Requested Random Cuteness

2008-07-08T00:00:00.001-04:00

Update about #2

2008-07-07T11:53:00.003-04:00

I've been meaning to write more about this announcement as well. I know I blogged a ton when I was pregnant with James but at the time I wasn't as busy as I am now.

Things are going well. This Wednesday I'll be 17 weeks along. Last month I suffered from terrible headaches and by the end of the month-I was convinced something was wrong as I had no relief for three days and it seemed to be blood pressure related. My blood pressure is fine though and that seemed to be the worst of it. I've had a few tiny headaches since but nothing like before. I remember having them with James too and think it's just the influx of hormones and way my body deals with it.

I am still very tired. Last night I got about 8 hours of sleep (not counting getting up 3 times to pee) but woke up feeling hung-over. Just foggy, tired, and blah. I'm waiting for my energy to return! I've also only gained a pound so far. Since I had the GD last time, I am really trying to eat healthy and be more active. (though I have indulged in icecream MANY times) I am hoping since I am starting this pregnancy at a lower weight than last time, that maybe I won't have the GD issue. MY new OB also said that if I fail the one hour glucose test, rather than put me through the torture of the three hour test, she'll just put me on the diet since I did well with it my last pregnancy. I think that is totally fair.

Next week we get our 18 week ultrasound for measurements and to hopefully discover what the gender is. I think it's another boy but Jake is thinking pink. Last time I totally thought it was girl and was wrong. I am not rooting for one over the other. I think it would be cool to have another boy. We'd be set on most things and since we already have one-I'd feel confident about it. And James would have a little buddy! A girl on the other hand would be great too. I'd have to do a little shopping to get some girlie things and we'd have one of each gender-but I feel like there is more I'd need to know since she's a girl. I know that's a silly thought since all babies do basically the same thing (eat, sleep, poop). There'd be no circumcision issue with a girl too. :-)

Anyhow-I have taken some belly pics too. I am curious to how they compare with last time. I'll have to post next time. This baby is measuring ahead and we even had a twin scare. lol I'll share that next time too.

CSA Veggies

2008-07-06T16:29:00.003-04:00

I've been meaning to write about the CSA share we receive each week. CSA stands for:

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a relatively new socio-economic model of food production, sales, and distribution aimed at both increasing the quality of food and the quality of care given the land, plants and animals – while
substantially reducing potential food losses and financial risks for the producers. It is also a method for small-scale commercial farmers and gardeners to have a successful, small-scale closed market. CSA’s focus is usually on a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of vegetables, sometimes also flowers, fruits, herbs and even milk or meat products in some cases.

The CSA farm we purchase our share from is called Promised Land. There are 2 types of shares offered: a regular share for $250 and a fruit share for $200. These fees cover a 25 week growing season. We opted to get the regular share which gives us vegetables, some fruit (like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), herbs, and flowers. According to Promised Land:

A share is approximately enough produce for two adults for a week. However, the amount of produce will vary during the season, but you can expect 3-8 items in your share each week.

We get so many vegetables! There are some nights where I cook two veggies instead of one vegetable and a starch because we have so much. If you can participate in a CSA share I highly recommend it. The cost is also so much more economical than what you pay at the grocery store. Our share equals out to be $10 a week. There were three weeks where we received two pounds of asparagus as part of our share in addition to other vegetables. At the grocery store asparagus was running $3.99 a pound!

Another great thing about the CSA is getting to try vegetables we've never heard of or cooked before. I've never heard of garlic scapes or kohlrabi. This week we got beets which I've never cooked either. The other benefit is that the produce is fresh and local. I really like knowing where my food came from and supporting local farmers.

I had never heard of CSA's until someone mentioned them in the mom's group I belong to so I thought I would spread the word. This website allows you to put in your state or zipcode to search for CSAs in your area. You should definitely check it out if you can afford to do it. Even though the season is in full swing, some places might still offer shares at a reduced rate. If you cannot participate in a CSA try to support your local farmers through farmers markets.

Duh!

2008-07-03T13:23:00.002-04:00

Ok, now I feel like an even bigger schmuck. When telling my cousin about this dilemma I had he said, "Why didn't you just add two more 1/3 cups and then the 1/4?" Hello!?! Could that be any more of an obvious answer? Definitely no Martha Stewart here.

I Know Friday is July 4th....

2008-06-30T16:51:00.004-04:00

...but was it really necessary for one of my neighbors to shoot off fireworks last night at 12 am? Maybe it's just me, but I think that's a bit too early to start Independence Day festivities. Especially at MIDNIGHT! Whoever it was sucks.

I Need to Invest in Some Tupperware!

2008-06-28T08:54:00.004-04:00

This is the what I came up with to store 23 cupcakes until I could frost them today. (Not 24 because I had to taste one to make sure it was good. ;-) )The bottom layer is a dollar store plastic container that used to have this great lid with a handle on it. But I dropped it once and the latch cracked. On top of that is an inverted cooking pot lid. To make sure the lid is air tight, I placed the plate on top with more cupcakes and to keep those fresh is an inverted mixing bowl. I'm definately not a Martha Stewart but more of a MacGyver of the kitchen.

Why Math Class is Important

2008-06-25T12:53:00.004-04:00

This morning as I was making chocolate chip cookies, I accidentally dumped in 1/3 cup of brown sugar instead of the 1/4 of 1 & 1/4 that I needed. Crap! (no-I could not just start over because the sugar was in a bowl with shortening) So I grabbed a scrap of paper and began computing fractions and came up with only needing to add 11/12 cup more. Uh-ok. Now on paper I was trying to remember how to convert this fraction back to thirds or fourths. Do you get a common denominator? Divide by fourths? Multiple by 4? DAMN! Throw everything in the garbage and start over?

Lucky for me I'm married to a genius and after 15 minutes of frustrating math, I texted him. And of course he figured it out! Thanks for rescuing me yet again and Happy Anniversary Honey!

In case you are wondering:
1 & 1/4 minus 1/3 equals 11/12.
11/12 is equal to 8/12 plus 3/12.
8/12 plus 3/12 is equal to 2/3 plus 1/4.

Seems so simple now.

Terms of Endearment

2008-06-21T22:50:00.002-04:00

While in the shower I was thinking about the negative sounding names people call little kids like little buggers or brats. Then I switched to thinking about more positive pet names like peanut, buddy, or rugrat. I guess I'm slow because it suddenly dawned on me how totally NOT positive the term "rugrat" is. I thought about the popular Nickelodeon television cartoon and wondered how they got away with THAT for 13 years?

A Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T22:25:00.004-04:00

I love this dad. *hugs*

I also wanted to share this tidbit of info:

I was going to hold out for Wordless Wednesday but we've been keeping this baby under wraps (literally) for almost 14 weeks now. We told our families today and I am soooo ready to pull out my maternity jeans.