is Emily's new favorite thing to say. This was her response to every.single.thing I asked her today.
me: "Emily, do you want a snack?"
E: "Yeah, I do."
me: "Emily, do you want to watch Barney?"
E: "Yeah, I do".
me: "Emily, do you want to play outside with Lilly?"
E: "Yeah, I do".
You get the picture. So stinkin' cute! I'll try to catch a little video of it tomorrow.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Kids say the darndest things...
Kason said the cutest thing today and I know I'm going to forget it someday (probably soon), so I thought I should probably write it down. And, I did, on facebook...but, come on, am I going to have facebook 50 years from now when I really want to remember? No. But, I am going to have this blog printed in the form of a book. So, expect random short posts every now and then of the cute things my kids say.
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Kason was pretending to go to work today. He got in his jeep and said, "Bye, Mommy, I'm going to work." I, in response, said, "Can Emily ride with you?", to which Kason replied, "No, Mommy. Girls can't go to work because it's miserable". I'm sure they will make some special girl very happy to hear someday.
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This one's from a few weeks ago when I told Emily to say, "I love you, Noah". She responded with, "I luh you, baby NoNo". When he's older, he'll have her to blame for his nickname.
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Kason was pretending to go to work today. He got in his jeep and said, "Bye, Mommy, I'm going to work." I, in response, said, "Can Emily ride with you?", to which Kason replied, "No, Mommy. Girls can't go to work because it's miserable". I'm sure they will make some special girl very happy to hear someday.
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This one's from a few weeks ago when I told Emily to say, "I love you, Noah". She responded with, "I luh you, baby NoNo". When he's older, he'll have her to blame for his nickname.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Making Memories Last
Kason needed a family picture for school this week and I realized we didn't have any with Noah, besides the ones from the hospital and those certainly aren't going to school. So, we had our neighbor snap this for us last night. I love it!
I have been reminded a lot this week that these times won't last forever and we're really going to miss them when they are gone. So, since I can't gather all these memories and store them in a bottle to bring out as I please, I have decided to do a few things to make sure I capture all those little moments in pictures, at least.
1. start a 365 blog
2. update the blog at least 1x/week
3. Complete a challenge posted by Jill, of BabyRabies - choose 4 days out of the year and take 1 picture each hour of regular things. No cheeses, no posing, just an ordinary day. If you choose not to visit her blog, you should at the very least see this video she posted. Have tissue ready.
The Gift of an Ordinary Day by Katrina Kenison
I have been reminded a lot this week that these times won't last forever and we're really going to miss them when they are gone. So, since I can't gather all these memories and store them in a bottle to bring out as I please, I have decided to do a few things to make sure I capture all those little moments in pictures, at least.
1. start a 365 blog
2. update the blog at least 1x/week
3. Complete a challenge posted by Jill, of BabyRabies - choose 4 days out of the year and take 1 picture each hour of regular things. No cheeses, no posing, just an ordinary day. If you choose not to visit her blog, you should at the very least see this video she posted. Have tissue ready.
The Gift of an Ordinary Day by Katrina Kenison
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
With Smiles Like These....
We're in for it. They always know how to flash those smiles at just the right time. They just might have their Mommy and Daddy wrapped around their little fingers.
That's so funny!
Yes, I know I'm cute!
I love you sooo much, Mommy!
This smile gets me out of a lot of trouble!
Cheese!
Shhh....
That's so funny!
Yes, I know I'm cute!
I love you sooo much, Mommy!
This smile gets me out of a lot of trouble!
Cheese!
Shhh....
Sunday, September 11, 2011
On this day, 10 years ago...
When the first plane hit the twin towers, I was a senior in college and in class. I vividly remember the steps between my two classes that day as news of a plane hitting one of the twin towers in New York was buzzing around campus in quiet whispers. After my second class, I heard of the second plane and called my mom. The reality and the seriousness of the situation didn't hit home until I was in front of a tv watching the towers falling to the ground, hearing the news of a plane hitting the Pentagon, and of the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. After watching the news for most of the day, I went to work at Dillard's, one of the only two stores in the whole mall that stayed open that day. We had 2 customers that night. The rest of the time, we huddled together in the shoe department, listening to the radio. There are few days in my life that remain such clear memories. September 11, 2001 is a day I, along the rest of America, will never forget.
I will never forget the great acts of heroism that took place that day and the days that followed. I will never forget the looks on the faces of those who survived the attacks that day and the grief on the faces of those who lost a loved one, a friend, a coworker.
Today, 10 years later, I continue to pray. I pray for all those who lost loved ones on 9/11 and all those who have lost loved ones in 9/11 related events. I pray for all the men and women who work to keep us safe and for those who fight for our freedom. I pray for our leaders, that God would put His will on their hearts. I pray just as hard for our 'enemies' as our friends and I pray for a better, more peaceful world for our children to grow up in.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Texas Wildfires
In case you haven't heard, Texas is on fire. Well, not all of it, but unfortunately, a lot of it. On our way home from San Antonio last weekend, we drove through the smoke of at least 4 of those wildfires. Please keep all the families who have lost their homes and especially those that have lost their loved ones, in your prayers.
Smoke from the Bastrop fire
Roadside burn
Cars leaving Bastrop county, lining up to get to the gas station. Can you see the haze in the air?
Smoke from the Bastrop fire
Roadside burn
Cars leaving Bastrop county, lining up to get to the gas station. Can you see the haze in the air?
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Since I'm Up...
Our sheets are in the dryer and I hate our extra sheets, so we are waiting...
In the meantime, I think we could all use a little update.
Our little NoNo (Emily's nickname for Noah) is 2 months old. Poor little guy seems to be getting over a stomach bug that caused some slowed weight gain over the past 2 weeks and an eye infection. You'd never know it, though, as he is just a happy and content little man. His 2 month appointment was yesterday and he is weighing in at 13lb 1 oz and 25 in. Tall (94%) and lean (64%). We were hoping his weight gain would catch up a little since his stomach virus seems to be gone, but now that he has had his vax (Rotavirus, specifically), his multiple dirty diapers per day have resumed. So, it might be another few days before he really starts playing catch up.
How we take most of our naps around here
Noah has been an easy baby so far (*knocks on wood*), nursing every 2 hours or so during the day, but giving us loooong stretches of sleep at night, sitting happily in his swing/bouncy/boppy, etc, and smiling a majority of his waking time. In the past couple of weeks, we have taken a day trip and a weekend trip (he is a GREAT car rider *knocks on wood AGAIN*) to meet his two new buddies, Brendan and Owen. These are the babies of two of Kyle's very best friends and destined to be great buddies of Noah's.
Noah (8 weeks) and Brendan (2 weeks)
Noah and his buddy Owen (Noah is 3 days older)
I love you, Ollie the Octopus
Did I mention he's a happy baby?
Kason and Emily continue to love on their little brother, but are letting up just a little so that he is actually able to enjoy his toys now. It helps that Kason started school again last week. He loves his new teachers so far and is happy to be back with his buddies from last year. He does not, however, like to tell Mommy and Daddy about his day. Everything is a secret these days, from his friends at school to the songs they sang. A little reverse psychology, though, and he spills everything. :)
Lovin' on baby brother
More lovin' on brother
First Day of School
Grrrrrr....
Emily is still home with me and Noah and was none to happy about it on Kason's first day of school. She desperately wanted to stay and play with all the little kids and fun toys. We are planning on a January start for her if there are spots available. Otherwise, she will wait until next school year, which is fine by me. I am very much enjoying our time at home together. It is so nice to be able to get some one-on-one time with her while Noah naps and Kason is at school. She is also enjoying regular play dates with our neighbor and her best buddy (aside from Kason and Noah), Lilly. They are even able to play outside together in the mornings, because it is finally getting a little cooler. I can feel fall in the air and I can't wait to see pumpkins and scarecrows all around!
Too busy to stop for a pic
Emily sat next to Noah and said, "Cheese", insisting I go get the camera
Best Buddies (most of the time)
In the meantime, I think we could all use a little update.
Our little NoNo (Emily's nickname for Noah) is 2 months old. Poor little guy seems to be getting over a stomach bug that caused some slowed weight gain over the past 2 weeks and an eye infection. You'd never know it, though, as he is just a happy and content little man. His 2 month appointment was yesterday and he is weighing in at 13lb 1 oz and 25 in. Tall (94%) and lean (64%). We were hoping his weight gain would catch up a little since his stomach virus seems to be gone, but now that he has had his vax (Rotavirus, specifically), his multiple dirty diapers per day have resumed. So, it might be another few days before he really starts playing catch up.
How we take most of our naps around here
Noah has been an easy baby so far (*knocks on wood*), nursing every 2 hours or so during the day, but giving us loooong stretches of sleep at night, sitting happily in his swing/bouncy/boppy, etc, and smiling a majority of his waking time. In the past couple of weeks, we have taken a day trip and a weekend trip (he is a GREAT car rider *knocks on wood AGAIN*) to meet his two new buddies, Brendan and Owen. These are the babies of two of Kyle's very best friends and destined to be great buddies of Noah's.
Noah (8 weeks) and Brendan (2 weeks)
Noah and his buddy Owen (Noah is 3 days older)
I love you, Ollie the Octopus
Did I mention he's a happy baby?
Kason and Emily continue to love on their little brother, but are letting up just a little so that he is actually able to enjoy his toys now. It helps that Kason started school again last week. He loves his new teachers so far and is happy to be back with his buddies from last year. He does not, however, like to tell Mommy and Daddy about his day. Everything is a secret these days, from his friends at school to the songs they sang. A little reverse psychology, though, and he spills everything. :)
Lovin' on baby brother
More lovin' on brother
First Day of School
Grrrrrr....
Emily is still home with me and Noah and was none to happy about it on Kason's first day of school. She desperately wanted to stay and play with all the little kids and fun toys. We are planning on a January start for her if there are spots available. Otherwise, she will wait until next school year, which is fine by me. I am very much enjoying our time at home together. It is so nice to be able to get some one-on-one time with her while Noah naps and Kason is at school. She is also enjoying regular play dates with our neighbor and her best buddy (aside from Kason and Noah), Lilly. They are even able to play outside together in the mornings, because it is finally getting a little cooler. I can feel fall in the air and I can't wait to see pumpkins and scarecrows all around!
Too busy to stop for a pic
Emily sat next to Noah and said, "Cheese", insisting I go get the camera
Best Buddies (most of the time)
Saturday, August 13, 2011
1 Month as a Family of 5
Actually, it is closer to 6 weeks now (Monday). Over the past 6 weeks, I have come to realize that the transition from 2 to 3 is pretty easy. It was the transition from 0 to 1 three years ago that rocked our world. We've got this baby thing (a.k.a., sleepless zombie thing) down now.
The past month (and a half) has been a big one in the Ottinger household. Mommy celebrated her 31st birthday, Noah was born, Emily turned 18 months, Kason turned 3, and Kyle went to Portland for a work trip.
Kason's 3rd birthday was spent at the aquarium, per his choosing. I will admit, though, I was quite happy when he chose the aquarium over a birthday party. I was really not looking forward to planning a summer party with a newborn. He loved the aquarium, as usual, and especially loved his new Jeep.
New babies and birthdays meant we spent a lot of time at the doctor's office this month. Kason and Emily are both healthy, but were not too happy after receiving shots at their well visits. After hearing about the shots he would receive at his 4 year check, Kason was quick to tell me he does not want to turn 4 and reminds me of it often.
Kason's Stats: 33lb 2oz (68%) 38in (68%)
Emily's Stats: 22lb 14oz (25%) 32.75in (77%)
We also took Noah for his 5 day check, 2 week check, and a 1 month check. At 5 days, he was almost back to birth weight at 8lb 11oz. At 2 weeks, he was well above birth weight at 9lb 9oz (70%) and 22.5in (95%), but developing a little breastfeeding jaundice. Breastfeeding jaundice is different than newborn jaundice and totally harmless, but his pediatrician wanted to check him again after 4 weeks. At his 1 month appointment, he was jaundice free and weighed in at 10lb 11oz. Now, 1.5 weeks later, he is up to 11lb 9oz.
In conclusion, all the kiddos are healthy. :) Kason and Emily continue to love on their baby brother every day. Noah's still figuring out how he feels about them, though. Most of my days are spent protecting him or trying to find a safe place for him to go to sleep. A baby on the floor, in the swing, in the bouncer, or laying on the boppy = fair game for his two loving, but not so gentle, siblings. The days around here are hectic, but fun, and so worth it!
Hey Mommy, look what I found!
Guess who's 1 month old today (Hint: It's not the bear)
Checkin' each other out
**More pictures to come when blogger stops acting up**
The past month (and a half) has been a big one in the Ottinger household. Mommy celebrated her 31st birthday, Noah was born, Emily turned 18 months, Kason turned 3, and Kyle went to Portland for a work trip.
Kason's 3rd birthday was spent at the aquarium, per his choosing. I will admit, though, I was quite happy when he chose the aquarium over a birthday party. I was really not looking forward to planning a summer party with a newborn. He loved the aquarium, as usual, and especially loved his new Jeep.
New babies and birthdays meant we spent a lot of time at the doctor's office this month. Kason and Emily are both healthy, but were not too happy after receiving shots at their well visits. After hearing about the shots he would receive at his 4 year check, Kason was quick to tell me he does not want to turn 4 and reminds me of it often.
Kason's Stats: 33lb 2oz (68%) 38in (68%)
Emily's Stats: 22lb 14oz (25%) 32.75in (77%)
We also took Noah for his 5 day check, 2 week check, and a 1 month check. At 5 days, he was almost back to birth weight at 8lb 11oz. At 2 weeks, he was well above birth weight at 9lb 9oz (70%) and 22.5in (95%), but developing a little breastfeeding jaundice. Breastfeeding jaundice is different than newborn jaundice and totally harmless, but his pediatrician wanted to check him again after 4 weeks. At his 1 month appointment, he was jaundice free and weighed in at 10lb 11oz. Now, 1.5 weeks later, he is up to 11lb 9oz.
In conclusion, all the kiddos are healthy. :) Kason and Emily continue to love on their baby brother every day. Noah's still figuring out how he feels about them, though. Most of my days are spent protecting him or trying to find a safe place for him to go to sleep. A baby on the floor, in the swing, in the bouncer, or laying on the boppy = fair game for his two loving, but not so gentle, siblings. The days around here are hectic, but fun, and so worth it!
Hey Mommy, look what I found!
Guess who's 1 month old today (Hint: It's not the bear)
Checkin' each other out
**More pictures to come when blogger stops acting up**
Noah's Birth Announcement
Storytime Blue Baby Announcements
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View the entire collection of cards.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Happy Birthday, Kason!
Three years ago, you made me a Mommy! We love you soooo much!
Happy, happy birthday, little dude!
Happy, happy birthday, little dude!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Noah's Birth Story - Happy 4th of July!
Confession: I was hoping that Noah would arrive, just as Emily did, the day after the Waiting post.
And, he did. Noah Samuel made his arrival, July 4, 2011, at 1:06 pm weighing 8lb 13oz and 20.5 in long. He also has the most beautiful, highlighted, head of hair! I just love his hair!!!
As I said in the last post, the days and weeks leading up to Noah's arrival were full of "I can't believe how big you are" comments. So, I was on a mission to make sure I didn't go overdue and have to make the big baby induction decision. After Kyle's mom arrived two weeks ago, I decided to take it easy the first week since my doctor was out of town. After she arrived back on July 3, though, we were ready to get him out.
Kyle and I went on long evening walks the nights of July 2 and 3, telling our neighbors we were walking the baby out. The night of the 3rd, we went to bed quite late convinced it would be at least a few more days before Noah made his appearance.
I woke up frequently, as I did every other night, having to pee and having contractions each time I woke. This was nothing unusual, especially at this point, though. I was pretty much contracting just a few minutes apart day and night. At 6am, the morning of July 4th, I woke up to pee again. I noticed that my contractions were slightly more painful, but went back to bed.
Shortly after going back to bed, Emily started making noise on the monitor. This, combined with the contractions, made it impossible for me to go back to sleep. So, I got back up for a while and paced the bathroom. At 6:30, I woke Kyle and told him I might be in labor, but wasn't too sure. He suggested I get in the bathtub.
After a few minutes in the bathtub, Kyle decided to get up and take a shower. I still wasn't sure if it was the real thing. The contractions were getting more intense and were consistently 2-2.5 minutes apart, but nothing I couldn't easily manage. After about 30 more minutes, though, we realized this was the real deal. We got a few last minute things together and headed downstairs.
Both kids were up at this point and Kyle let his mom know what was going on. He heated my rice sock and I pressed it into my back during each contraction. Right before heading out the door, I was moaning through a contraction and Emily got very concerned. She wanted me to hold her, which I did, but did not want me to leave. She cried as I handed her over to Grandma and it broke my heart. Grandma explained to them after we left that Mommy was okay, but needed to go to the doctor.
We arrived at the hospital at 8:20. Kyle dropped me off at the front doors while he went to park the car. As soon as I got out of the car, I had a contraction. I walked over to one of the pillars and moaned into my pillow. A few women stopped and asked if I was ok or if I needed a wheelchair. I declined a wheelchair and one of the nice women led me to the chairs inside the cool lobby. I had one more contraction as people walked about the lobby while waiting for Kyle.
We headed up to the 3rd floor - L&D. Kyle called on our drive to let them know we were on our way. My doctor was on 24 hr in-hospital call, so no worries there. We headed in and a nurse greeted us at the doors of L&D. I stopped to lean against a wall through a contraction. The nurse asked if we were going natural and we said 'yes'. All of our worries about going natural in the hospital were immediately alleviated. The nurses were amazing!
As we were checking in, they hooked me up for my 20 minute strip on the monitors, to get paperwork signed,my hep-lock placed, and an initial internal (5cm and 90% effaced). After this, we were free to use the shower and tub since my water was still in tact. The water from the shower was amazing on my back, but I soon wanted to sit. The jacuzzi was also great. There were a few points early on where I felt like I was losing control a bit, but the water gave me enough of a break to recompose myself. I remembered from the many birth stories and books I read that one coping technique was to count breaths through the contractions. This helped me so much that Kyle actually asked me if I was even still having contractions.
After about an hour, at 10am, my doctor came in and told me if I wanted to get out of the tub, she would break my water to speed things up. So, after a few more minutes, I got out. She checked me and to my great surprise, I was 9cm! I was thrilled. I had made it to 9cm and wasn't even thinking about an epidural. Dr. L said she had another patient ready to deliver, so she didn't want to break my water or she would miss the delivery.
So, we waited about 30 minutes for her to deliver the other patient. She came back, broke my water, and everyone got ready for delivery. But...I was still 9cm....for a loooong time. Noah was posterior (face-up) and seemingly stuck. I panicked - thinking about Kason's birth (stuck at 9cm for 3+ hrs) and the back labor was getting to be absolutely horrific. Kyle later told me that my back had a large bulge where Noah was pressing on it. Contractions were 1.5 minutes apart, lasting 1 min+ each. With such little time to collect myself in between, I lost it. After being stuck for so long, my nurse suggested an epidural and I jumped at it. They pushed fluids quickly and the anesthesiologist arrived shortly after. This was my savior.
The pressure was excrutiating, but nothing I couldn't handle. Once I finally reached 10cm around noon, Noah still had not turned, so I chose to labor down instead of wasting energy pushing. My doctor came back in around 12:45 and Noah had finally turned. We started pushing and he was born at 1:06pm.
He was immediately placed on my chest as everyone exclaimed that he was sooo big! He was purple, though, and not wanting to breathe on his own. We immediately knew it was concerning when Dr. L clamped the cord and had Kyle cut it right away (she typically waits for it to stop pulsing and knew this was one of our wishes). Noah was taken over the the warmers where he still didn't want to breathe right away. His APGARS were 5 at 1 minute and 8 at 5 minutes. While he did perk up, they decided it would be best to be taken to the transitional care nursery right away to be monitored. I got to hold him fora few minutes and Dr. L convinced them to take his weight before leaving, though...8lb 5.8oz.
The TCN nurse didn't buy the 8lb 6oz, so re-weighed him in the nursery. Imagine our surprise when he was almost a half-pound larger at 8lb 13.4oz. This put him in the 90th percentile and classified him as an LGA (large for gestational age)baby, which meant heal pricks before every feeding to monitor his blood sugars for 24 hrs. After a couple of hours in the nursery, he got the all clear and was released to our room for the remainder of our stay.
We came home on Wednesday and are thrilled to be a family of 5.
Meeting Noah for the 1st time
First Family Pic
Ready to go home
Welcome Home, Noah!
I'm a cutie-pie!
Noah brought us a present (a water table)
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Waiting, take 2
Shortly before Emily was born (the day before, actually), I wrote a blog post about waiting on her arrival. I was worried about taking something away from Kason...but, after the addition of Emily to our family, I realize that we were giving something to Kason. While they have their moments, they definitely love and adore each other and I have no doubt they will love and adore their baby brother just the same.
So, here we are again, waiting...
I will be 39 weeks tomorrow and while I am nervous to be a mommy of 3, I am ready to meet our newest addition. I have had constant contractions for many weeks now, I am 2cm dilated and 60% effaced (as of Thursday), and I am HOT!!! It is so hot. I took my wedding ring off a while ago. While I can get it on in the morning, it is stuck within 30 minutes, so off it went. I am, in the meantime, wearing the James Avery band we bought in anticipation of swelling that never happened when I was pregnant with Kason. It is getting good use now, though.
I get comments everyday from people about how big I am. I was recently asked by a random lady in the grocery store when I was due. I told her less than 2 weeks and she followed up with, "Is it just one?". Why, yes, it is. She caught me again later and asked if it was my first. After telling her it was my third, she said, "Were the others this big?". Neighbors have been telling me for many weeks that I look like I am going to pop and could not possibly get any bigger. They immediately follow up with, "It is all belly, though". These comments, along with our growth ultrasounds have me a little anxious about his size, but I am hoping it is true what they say--your body will not grow a baby too big for you to birth. I am convinced he will be somewhere in the 8 - 8.5 lb range, which I am totally comfortable with. We shall see.
In the meantime, we would appreciate any prayers you could spare for happy, healthy baby and mama, a safe delivery, and an easy adjustment period for Kason and Emily. The next time you hear from me, I hope it will be with a birth story (unless I find some time to post some pics of the kiddos in their 4th of July outfits).
So, here we are again, waiting...
I will be 39 weeks tomorrow and while I am nervous to be a mommy of 3, I am ready to meet our newest addition. I have had constant contractions for many weeks now, I am 2cm dilated and 60% effaced (as of Thursday), and I am HOT!!! It is so hot. I took my wedding ring off a while ago. While I can get it on in the morning, it is stuck within 30 minutes, so off it went. I am, in the meantime, wearing the James Avery band we bought in anticipation of swelling that never happened when I was pregnant with Kason. It is getting good use now, though.
I get comments everyday from people about how big I am. I was recently asked by a random lady in the grocery store when I was due. I told her less than 2 weeks and she followed up with, "Is it just one?". Why, yes, it is. She caught me again later and asked if it was my first. After telling her it was my third, she said, "Were the others this big?". Neighbors have been telling me for many weeks that I look like I am going to pop and could not possibly get any bigger. They immediately follow up with, "It is all belly, though". These comments, along with our growth ultrasounds have me a little anxious about his size, but I am hoping it is true what they say--your body will not grow a baby too big for you to birth. I am convinced he will be somewhere in the 8 - 8.5 lb range, which I am totally comfortable with. We shall see.
In the meantime, we would appreciate any prayers you could spare for happy, healthy baby and mama, a safe delivery, and an easy adjustment period for Kason and Emily. The next time you hear from me, I hope it will be with a birth story (unless I find some time to post some pics of the kiddos in their 4th of July outfits).
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Lucky
I'm putting this here, not only in honor of Father's Day, but also in case my kids ever need a little reminder of just how lucky they are to have a dad like Kyle (or, in case I ever need a little reminder of just how lucky I am).
Each and every day, he comes home from work, cuddles with the kids, changes into his own version of play clothes, and takes the kids outside or in the play room. Every.single.day. He is ready for just about anything they are. He gives baths (almost every night now that I am pregnant and miserable), helps with dinner, wakes up in the middle of the night, gets up with them on the weekends and makes them pancakes, etc, etc. All he wants is to make sure his family is happy and he does a mighty fine job. It makes me feel good to know that, not only does he tell them he loves them everyday, but he shows them.
Happy Father's Day, Kyle! We love you!!!!
**I will leave you with a great article about just what it means to be a great dad.**
A Father's Day Wish: Dads, Wake the Hell Up
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Kason's Last Day of School + 32 wk appt
Today was my little guy's last day of school for the year. It really made me sad, even on the verge of tears a few times. I know he is going to miss his friends and his teachers sooo much! Hopefully, we will see his friends at church and other activities throughout the summer. Mostly, I'm sad because he adores his teachers and talks about them all the time. He doesn't quite get that school is out for summer and I am sure I will be asked about it several times over the coming weeks.
Today was also my 32 week appointment and growth ultrasound. We had the ultrasound first and our newest addition is estimated at over 5 lbs (89%), a full pound more than Emily at 33 weeks. This estimate puts him somewhere around 9.5 lbs on my due date. Dr. L thinks he will be more around 8.5, though. He has measured big at every ultrasound since my NT scan, but usually around a week ahead. Today, though, he measured 2 weeks ahead, so we think today's might have been a little inaccurate. We will have another check in a month, though, to make sure he is not humongous. If he is still measuring big, we have the option of talking about induction, but I think regardless of the outcome at 36 weeks, I will skip the induction. So, really, what's the point of the ultrasound? A chance to see my little guy on the inside one more time before he makes his appearance. :P
Today was also my 32 week appointment and growth ultrasound. We had the ultrasound first and our newest addition is estimated at over 5 lbs (89%), a full pound more than Emily at 33 weeks. This estimate puts him somewhere around 9.5 lbs on my due date. Dr. L thinks he will be more around 8.5, though. He has measured big at every ultrasound since my NT scan, but usually around a week ahead. Today, though, he measured 2 weeks ahead, so we think today's might have been a little inaccurate. We will have another check in a month, though, to make sure he is not humongous. If he is still measuring big, we have the option of talking about induction, but I think regardless of the outcome at 36 weeks, I will skip the induction. So, really, what's the point of the ultrasound? A chance to see my little guy on the inside one more time before he makes his appearance. :P
Monday, May 9, 2011
Here we go again...
I had my 30 week appointment with Dr. L last week and everything was great. I don't think I've mentioned how happy I am with her. The rumors were true, she is just like a midwife, only she has an MD. For mamas that intend to go natural, she encourages small snacks and drink during labor, no IV, intermittent monitoring, can't remember the last time she had to cut an episiotomy, waits for the cord to stop pulsing before clamping/cutting, etc, etc. She never makes me feel rushed and even after just two appointments, makes me feel as if she knows me and I am not just a number. While I realize this is probably because she reviews each chart carefully before entering the room, it still makes me feel good.
At my last appointment (Thursday), we discussed all of the typical things, belly measuring appropriately, heartrate is great, contractions few and far between, etc, etc. We thought everything was great and were thrilled that I had been having only a few contractions a day.
That is, until Friday morning came around. I was feeling crampy and having an off/on backache when I realized that these were contractions. Feeling my tummy, there was no doubt. I was a little concerned because these were not my typical, painfree BH contractions and they were coming every 3-5 minutes. Since the office closed at noon, I told Kyle I would give it until 10:15 before calling. They went away around 10am, after a couple of hours of contracting.
A couple of hours later, though, they began again. Some crampy, some not. Again, after about 2 hours, they went away. At 5:30, though, I got in the car and they started yet again. This time 2-3 minutes apart, but not crampy. They did last, though, for a solid 16 hours straight before giving me a bit of a break. Saturday morning, Kyle was really trying to convince me to go to the hospital, but given that the contractions were relatively painless and not increasing in intensity, I chose to stay home, rest, and drink a lot of water.
Today, at 31 weeks exactly, I am still contracting frequently, but they have slowed down a lot from the weekend. I called Dr. L's office this morning and will be seen tomorrow. I told the nurse that I am not particularly worried about them, but that I am going out of town over the weekend, so I want to get checked to make sure all is well. She agreed that as long as they have slowed down, I am probably ok, but that I should take it easy and be checked before leaving town. She also said if they pick back up today, to call and she would try to fit me in or send me to the hospital.
So, here we go again. 9 weeks to go, give or take.
At my last appointment (Thursday), we discussed all of the typical things, belly measuring appropriately, heartrate is great, contractions few and far between, etc, etc. We thought everything was great and were thrilled that I had been having only a few contractions a day.
That is, until Friday morning came around. I was feeling crampy and having an off/on backache when I realized that these were contractions. Feeling my tummy, there was no doubt. I was a little concerned because these were not my typical, painfree BH contractions and they were coming every 3-5 minutes. Since the office closed at noon, I told Kyle I would give it until 10:15 before calling. They went away around 10am, after a couple of hours of contracting.
A couple of hours later, though, they began again. Some crampy, some not. Again, after about 2 hours, they went away. At 5:30, though, I got in the car and they started yet again. This time 2-3 minutes apart, but not crampy. They did last, though, for a solid 16 hours straight before giving me a bit of a break. Saturday morning, Kyle was really trying to convince me to go to the hospital, but given that the contractions were relatively painless and not increasing in intensity, I chose to stay home, rest, and drink a lot of water.
Today, at 31 weeks exactly, I am still contracting frequently, but they have slowed down a lot from the weekend. I called Dr. L's office this morning and will be seen tomorrow. I told the nurse that I am not particularly worried about them, but that I am going out of town over the weekend, so I want to get checked to make sure all is well. She agreed that as long as they have slowed down, I am probably ok, but that I should take it easy and be checked before leaving town. She also said if they pick back up today, to call and she would try to fit me in or send me to the hospital.
So, here we go again. 9 weeks to go, give or take.
Emily's 15 mo. Appt
I took Emily a couple of weeks ago for her 15 month appointment. She is doing great. Still petite, at 21 lb 0.5 oz and 30.25 in. We are still battling the never-ending diaper rash, though. At that appointment, Dr. T gave me a prescription for a concoction of nystatin, cholestyramine, and aquaphor. She said it should be clear in a week. A week and half later, she still has the rash. I did start adding some corn starch on top of all of that, though, and it is finally clearing up! Hallelujah!
Just like Kason, she has a love for Barney and will run right to her chair in the playroom if the big purple dinosaur is mentioned. She is also trying to say more and more things, including singing her ABC's. She has ABCD and a few other letters here and there. So cute!
She loooves to play outside and as soon as you mention outside, she will go get her shoes and bring them to you to put on. She and Kason have even got to play in the sprinklers a couple of times and had a blast, even though they were freezing!
Her and Kason are all settled into their new sleeping arrangements and after a few trial nights, are doing very well! I have a few more things to get finished and put up on the walls in their room and in the nursery before pictures are posted, though. I will say, though, that both rooms are coming along nicely.
Just like Kason, she has a love for Barney and will run right to her chair in the playroom if the big purple dinosaur is mentioned. She is also trying to say more and more things, including singing her ABC's. She has ABCD and a few other letters here and there. So cute!
She loooves to play outside and as soon as you mention outside, she will go get her shoes and bring them to you to put on. She and Kason have even got to play in the sprinklers a couple of times and had a blast, even though they were freezing!
Her and Kason are all settled into their new sleeping arrangements and after a few trial nights, are doing very well! I have a few more things to get finished and put up on the walls in their room and in the nursery before pictures are posted, though. I will say, though, that both rooms are coming along nicely.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Osama bin Laden is Dead
The attacks of 9/11 happened years before my children were born, but that day, will still be a big part of their history, just as yesterday will be. I remember very clearly walking across campus the morning of September 11, 2001 and hearing the hushed voices of my fellow Aggies talking about the plane(s) that flew into the World Trade Center. The actual reality of this, though, didn't hit home until I walked into my duplex, sat down on the couch, and turned on the news.
Devastation. The trade centers were collapsing, another plane had crashed in Pennsylvania, and yet another into the Pentagon. What was happening to our country? The man behind these terroristic plots/attacks? Osama bin Laden.
In the years since the attack, it has faded to the back of my mind. Still there, but not really thought of unless brought up on the news or in a political conversation. I knew no one at the WTC or in the Pentagon or in the four planes that crashed that day.
Yesterday, though, the memories from that day all came flooding back as the announcement that U.S. Navy Seals had brought Osama bin Laden to his demise. On May 1, 2011, Osama bin Laden was shot and killed in Pakistan. That day will undoubtedly be an important piece of history for the U.S.
This morning, there are, of course, interviews on every major news station with the family members who lost their loved ones in the attacks of 9/11. As I was watching the Today Show, one interview hit me really hard. The interview was with the mom, dad, and brother of a woman who died in the World Trade Center that day. At the end of the interview, the mom spoke of the last phone call she received from her daughter. Her daughter told her she was on the 104th floor, she was hot, she was scared, and she asked her mom for help. "Mom, help me. Get me out of here."
A few months ago, we were at Chick-fil-A and Kason was playing in the play land. There were a lot of older kids who were paying no attention to the toddlers in their way. At one point, Kason got stuck in the corner of a tunnel where we couldn't see him, but could hear his cries, "Mommy, Daddy, help me. Mommy, Daddy, help me." My heart was breaking that day as I couldn't get to my son as he was crying for help.
This was all I could think about as she was recounting that phone call. How must your heart break when you can't save your child? How do you recover from that? I pray that I never have to find out.
I ask that you pray for all those who lost that day and as Mother's Day approaches, I hope that you will say a special prayer for all the Moms who lost a child on 9/11 and for all the Moms who perished that day.
Please also continue to pray for the leaders of our country, that they have the wisdom to lead and guide us through whatever lies ahead, and for our military men and women, as they continue to serve and protect, and for their families, who sacrifice every day. The coming days/weeks/months will almost assuredly bring backlash from al Qaeda and bin Laden followers and it is important that we not forget those who lay their life on the line to protect our country.
Devastation. The trade centers were collapsing, another plane had crashed in Pennsylvania, and yet another into the Pentagon. What was happening to our country? The man behind these terroristic plots/attacks? Osama bin Laden.
In the years since the attack, it has faded to the back of my mind. Still there, but not really thought of unless brought up on the news or in a political conversation. I knew no one at the WTC or in the Pentagon or in the four planes that crashed that day.
Yesterday, though, the memories from that day all came flooding back as the announcement that U.S. Navy Seals had brought Osama bin Laden to his demise. On May 1, 2011, Osama bin Laden was shot and killed in Pakistan. That day will undoubtedly be an important piece of history for the U.S.
This morning, there are, of course, interviews on every major news station with the family members who lost their loved ones in the attacks of 9/11. As I was watching the Today Show, one interview hit me really hard. The interview was with the mom, dad, and brother of a woman who died in the World Trade Center that day. At the end of the interview, the mom spoke of the last phone call she received from her daughter. Her daughter told her she was on the 104th floor, she was hot, she was scared, and she asked her mom for help. "Mom, help me. Get me out of here."
A few months ago, we were at Chick-fil-A and Kason was playing in the play land. There were a lot of older kids who were paying no attention to the toddlers in their way. At one point, Kason got stuck in the corner of a tunnel where we couldn't see him, but could hear his cries, "Mommy, Daddy, help me. Mommy, Daddy, help me." My heart was breaking that day as I couldn't get to my son as he was crying for help.
This was all I could think about as she was recounting that phone call. How must your heart break when you can't save your child? How do you recover from that? I pray that I never have to find out.
I ask that you pray for all those who lost that day and as Mother's Day approaches, I hope that you will say a special prayer for all the Moms who lost a child on 9/11 and for all the Moms who perished that day.
Please also continue to pray for the leaders of our country, that they have the wisdom to lead and guide us through whatever lies ahead, and for our military men and women, as they continue to serve and protect, and for their families, who sacrifice every day. The coming days/weeks/months will almost assuredly bring backlash from al Qaeda and bin Laden followers and it is important that we not forget those who lay their life on the line to protect our country.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Daydreaming about the Kids' New Rooms
I have, for months, now been thinking about how to decorate a combined space that both Kason and Emily would love. You see, even though we have 4 bedrooms, one is downstairs. I am not yet willing to put Kason down there alone, so he will be moving into Emily's room very soon.
So far, we have a new bed for him. The IKEA Kura bed. It is a low loft bed. For now, we will have the bed on the bottom, but later on, when Emily is ready to move out of her crib, we will flip it and build a small frame on the bottom making it low bunk beds.
The Kura bed (we got the tunnel to go with)
Now, the hard part was coming up with a theme, or even colors, that would work for both. Then, I became inspired. The walls are a beautiful olive green, but I was having a hard time coming up with boy bedding that would fit the room. That is, until I found my inspiration.
My Inspiration - this bouquet of flowers + the navy dress in the background = the perfect mix of colors for a boy and a girl and the olive walls
Emily's bedding, for now, will be just a pink sheet with a frilly bed skirt. Later on, she will move into a twin bed with a raspberry comforter (already purchased). Kason will have a navy comforter (also, already purchased). Sheets are still up in the air, but I am leaning towards letting them pick their own, as they won't really be seen and doing a solid color sham with a navy/white throw pillow for each.
I plan to make curtains in the same, or a coordinating navy/white fabric as well as a small curtain to cover their hanging clothes in the closet. Since the doors of the closet open up into the room and I want them to have as much space as possible, we will be taking the doors off. So, hanging clothes will be covered at the top, with their dresser and large toys at the bottom.
After coming up with the color theme, I finally decided on a 'theme theme' for the room...Dr. Seuss. More specifically, Oh, the Places You'll Go and I Can Ready with My Eyes Shut. Kason loves Dr. Seuss and these two books will go together nicely. So, now, I am in extreme planning/buying mode to make this room come together. This weekend, we will put Kason's bed together and make a quick trip to IKEA to return some items and pick up a couple more things.
*****
Now, for the new nursery...Kyle really doesn't want to change Kason's bedding out, but I really want our newest addition to have his *own* space. So, I purchased some Route 66 fabric that will go nicely with the blue walls and will be making a quilt. The fabric is my inspiration for the room. I would like to find some old road signs to put up, along with a few framed pics of vintage cars and places along Route 66. I'm still in the very early planning stages, so we will see how it comes together. Since Kyle really doesn't want to change it (mostly doesn't want to spend the extra $$ when we already have nursery stuff), I am going to have to be very thrifty here.
The Route 66 fabric
Stay tuned in the coming weeks to see what comes of all this....
So far, we have a new bed for him. The IKEA Kura bed. It is a low loft bed. For now, we will have the bed on the bottom, but later on, when Emily is ready to move out of her crib, we will flip it and build a small frame on the bottom making it low bunk beds.
The Kura bed (we got the tunnel to go with)
Now, the hard part was coming up with a theme, or even colors, that would work for both. Then, I became inspired. The walls are a beautiful olive green, but I was having a hard time coming up with boy bedding that would fit the room. That is, until I found my inspiration.
My Inspiration - this bouquet of flowers + the navy dress in the background = the perfect mix of colors for a boy and a girl and the olive walls
Emily's bedding, for now, will be just a pink sheet with a frilly bed skirt. Later on, she will move into a twin bed with a raspberry comforter (already purchased). Kason will have a navy comforter (also, already purchased). Sheets are still up in the air, but I am leaning towards letting them pick their own, as they won't really be seen and doing a solid color sham with a navy/white throw pillow for each.
I plan to make curtains in the same, or a coordinating navy/white fabric as well as a small curtain to cover their hanging clothes in the closet. Since the doors of the closet open up into the room and I want them to have as much space as possible, we will be taking the doors off. So, hanging clothes will be covered at the top, with their dresser and large toys at the bottom.
After coming up with the color theme, I finally decided on a 'theme theme' for the room...Dr. Seuss. More specifically, Oh, the Places You'll Go and I Can Ready with My Eyes Shut. Kason loves Dr. Seuss and these two books will go together nicely. So, now, I am in extreme planning/buying mode to make this room come together. This weekend, we will put Kason's bed together and make a quick trip to IKEA to return some items and pick up a couple more things.
*****
Now, for the new nursery...Kyle really doesn't want to change Kason's bedding out, but I really want our newest addition to have his *own* space. So, I purchased some Route 66 fabric that will go nicely with the blue walls and will be making a quilt. The fabric is my inspiration for the room. I would like to find some old road signs to put up, along with a few framed pics of vintage cars and places along Route 66. I'm still in the very early planning stages, so we will see how it comes together. Since Kyle really doesn't want to change it (mostly doesn't want to spend the extra $$ when we already have nursery stuff), I am going to have to be very thrifty here.
The Route 66 fabric
Stay tuned in the coming weeks to see what comes of all this....
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