Last night was the WORST NIGHT EVER. Holy cow! My happy, seemingly-healthy little girl went to bed at 8:30 but that was certainly NOT the last I saw of her. Here's how our wonderful (HA) night unfolded:
- She woke up around 10:30 screaming hysterically and was pretty much inconsolable. She laid on my chest and rested, dozing off for a few minutes here and there. John usually gets home around 11:30 so my intention was to snuggle with her until then and then put her back in her crib. Well, unfortunately, when John got home she wanted NOTHING in the universe but to lay on her daddy's chest and every time we tried to put her back in her crib she would freak. Because she's a great sleeper and it's never and issue in our house, we let her sleep with us. We all fell asleep around 12:30 or so...
- At 1, I woke up to Brooke coughing really hard. Suddenly the coughing turned in vomiting. FUN! Luckily I spared our bed and our sheets of Brookie throw up, which is awesome. After getting cleaned up and consoling the poor girl, we all tried to go back to sleep. I didn't sleep well because I was on "high alert" for throw up. Seriously, every time the kid coughed I would get a towel ready to catch potential throw up. Thankfully there was none to catch the rest of the night!
- At 3:30 Brooke woke up screaming and shaking. I kissed her and she was burning up. My poor baby! I gave her Ibuprofen but it took both of us a long while to fall back asleep. She started doing this twitching thing so I sat there awake, just petrified that she would have a febrile seizure. Oh, the life of a mother!
-From 7- 7:30 Brooke was screaming again. I'm not sure what that was all about because she fell back asleep until 10 after that.
I am so confused because we've had a really good, "normal" day today. There hasn't been another fever, dirty diaper, throw up-incident, or grumpiness and she's had a great appetite and everything. This is how last night ended too, though, so I'm kind of nervous about tonight. WISH ME LUCK! I seriously NEED sleep so bad!
On a more positive note, this is John's very last night on the evening shift. Amazing, huh? I got through it and I surprised myself by really finding ways to enjoy it. I'm proud of my progress, if I do say so myself:-) The better news is that John will be working (drum roll, please).... THE DAY SHIFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The county's human health services building is always staffed with two deputies for safety purposes and John's one that they're putting in that position. The hours for this shift are 7:30-4, Monday through Friday, and he gets holidays, nights, and weekends OFF! So exciting! This is a 6-month rotation so he'll be over there until the end of June. Not too shabby, huh? John's never worked in one building all day long like this... He's used to being on the road patrolling, making arrests, etc, so I'm just praying that he won't go crazy being couped up.
I took all of my Christmas decorations down tonight, mopped all of the floors with my beloved new Wonder Mop (which has transformed my whole life! Lol) , and vacuumed so I think I deserve to curl up in bed with my Fun Dip (my nightly addiction) and wait for my husband to get home! It's a deal!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Poor, Pitiful Brookie:-(
My Brookie has had an interesting day! She woke up this morning at 8:30 (which is about an hour early for her) so I put her on my chest and brought her back to our bed. She rested quietly for about 15 minutes and then she started to throw up. It was just a mucousy throw up because she had nothing in her belly, so thankfully I was able to catch in a napkin that I had on the nightstand. She drifted off peacefully to sleep before she woke up to throw up again at 9:30.
I thought that our day would be a long day of throwing up constantly, but it turned into a far better day than that. She never threw up again! She was really thirsty at about 10 this morning and was also asking to eat. I reluctantly gave her some water and some dry cereal, but she proved to be fine. She has had some diarrhea and a low grade fever of 100, but other than that, she has been really happy and content. We took a long nap in my bed after John went to work and when she woke up she was begging for pizza, of all things. We ended up going to John's parents house, where they ordered pizza upon Brooke's request, and my girl at an ENTIRE piece of extra cheese pizza, apple sauce, and a rice crispy treat. I was leery about giving her much of anything to eat, but she was begging for food and had kept everything down all day so I thought she should whatever sounded good to her.
I had a really enjoyable day with my girl! We hung out in our PJ's and played with all of her new Christmas toys, watched a few "tartoons" while snuggled up in my bed, read lots of books, and cuddled a whole lot. There's nothing more gratifying than caring for someone who needs you so much. I love being a mommy so much and on days like today, I feel like a GREAT mom for some reason.
Anyways, the girl is sleeping soundly and I'm just hoping that tomorrow she's all better. I'm also hoping I don't get sick too. Wish me luck!
I thought that our day would be a long day of throwing up constantly, but it turned into a far better day than that. She never threw up again! She was really thirsty at about 10 this morning and was also asking to eat. I reluctantly gave her some water and some dry cereal, but she proved to be fine. She has had some diarrhea and a low grade fever of 100, but other than that, she has been really happy and content. We took a long nap in my bed after John went to work and when she woke up she was begging for pizza, of all things. We ended up going to John's parents house, where they ordered pizza upon Brooke's request, and my girl at an ENTIRE piece of extra cheese pizza, apple sauce, and a rice crispy treat. I was leery about giving her much of anything to eat, but she was begging for food and had kept everything down all day so I thought she should whatever sounded good to her.
I had a really enjoyable day with my girl! We hung out in our PJ's and played with all of her new Christmas toys, watched a few "tartoons" while snuggled up in my bed, read lots of books, and cuddled a whole lot. There's nothing more gratifying than caring for someone who needs you so much. I love being a mommy so much and on days like today, I feel like a GREAT mom for some reason.
Anyways, the girl is sleeping soundly and I'm just hoping that tomorrow she's all better. I'm also hoping I don't get sick too. Wish me luck!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Never Caught Up...
I'm starting to get really annoyed at my house because no matter how much I clean and clean and clean... It's NOT clean enough. I just don't get it. I feel like I could spend all day everyday cleaning and my house would never be up to my standards. It frustrates the living fire out of me!
Brooke's messes don't bug me because 1) she's my world and everything that comes with her is worth it and 2) she's a great "cleaner-upper." She definitely caught her mommy's cleaning bug and I am just fine with that:-) She rarely makes a big mess anyways because she gets very upset when she does and cries, "Messy! Need napkin!" Lol
As for Chipper messes (remember, the chocolate lab puppy who unfortunately lives in our home), I have NO patience. I find it impossible to have a clean house with him because every time I vacuum he gets a paper or a diaper or a crayon or any other object and rips it to pieces all over the place. I seriously don't know why I ever bother putting the vacuum away! I also try to mop the kitchen floor every day (or every other day when we're super busy) and it NEVER looks clean because I always have dog print everywhere, due to him spilling his water bowl every time he eats. Whoever thought of the idea of animals living in human homes... What were you thinking????????
Right now my house is also less tidy because of all of our many new Christmas gifts that don't have a home. Luckily Brooke's insane amount of new toys are stored happily in her playroom behind a closed door, but as for all of our stuff... We have no clue where to put everything! We have this humongous bag of stocking stuffers full of candy, gum, beef jerky, etc... And I have yet to find a home for it. It's so frustrating trying to find places for our new items to be stored. I guess it's a good problem to have though, right?
So, without further ado, I now need to go mop, do a few dishes, finish the laundry, scrub the toilet, and rid all glass surfaces and appliances of toddler fingerprints. Seriously, didn't I just do all of this????????????????????? I think I might lose my mind!
Brooke's messes don't bug me because 1) she's my world and everything that comes with her is worth it and 2) she's a great "cleaner-upper." She definitely caught her mommy's cleaning bug and I am just fine with that:-) She rarely makes a big mess anyways because she gets very upset when she does and cries, "Messy! Need napkin!" Lol
As for Chipper messes (remember, the chocolate lab puppy who unfortunately lives in our home), I have NO patience. I find it impossible to have a clean house with him because every time I vacuum he gets a paper or a diaper or a crayon or any other object and rips it to pieces all over the place. I seriously don't know why I ever bother putting the vacuum away! I also try to mop the kitchen floor every day (or every other day when we're super busy) and it NEVER looks clean because I always have dog print everywhere, due to him spilling his water bowl every time he eats. Whoever thought of the idea of animals living in human homes... What were you thinking????????
Right now my house is also less tidy because of all of our many new Christmas gifts that don't have a home. Luckily Brooke's insane amount of new toys are stored happily in her playroom behind a closed door, but as for all of our stuff... We have no clue where to put everything! We have this humongous bag of stocking stuffers full of candy, gum, beef jerky, etc... And I have yet to find a home for it. It's so frustrating trying to find places for our new items to be stored. I guess it's a good problem to have though, right?
So, without further ado, I now need to go mop, do a few dishes, finish the laundry, scrub the toilet, and rid all glass surfaces and appliances of toddler fingerprints. Seriously, didn't I just do all of this????????????????????? I think I might lose my mind!
Friday, December 26, 2008
A Christmas to Remember!
We have been so very busy over the last couple of days, but we had an amazing Christmas! We are so blessed to have so many to celebrate with us and love us. Here's how our holiday looked:
*Christmas Eve-
John had to work in the evening but he spent the morning finishing up his shopping so Brooke and I just hung around the house. That evening I went to my sister's to have Mexican food with my family (our traditional feast, of course) and then I swung by John's grandma's house to spend some time with that side of the family. Luckily it was slow enough in the county for John to be able to stop by and visit with all of us at his grandma's. That made my night!
*Christmas Day-
We had "4 Christmases" so we were VERY busy.
1. We woke up around 8:45 and John made us a nice breakfast before we opened presents. That would have been a nice enough Christmas present because I ALWAYS make breakfast, but he went all out on presents for me. He got me the most kind and thoughtful stocking you can imagine with all of my favorite things and then he got me some amazing gifts... 2 pairs of maternity jeans, new perfume (that smells amazing), a cast iron stove top grill that I've wanted for ages, a beautiful picture for my wall, socks, and some other little things. As for Brooke, she LOVED opening her presents and was hilarious because she could have cared less about the gifts.. She just wanted to open the boxes! At one point we looked over and she was opening gifts that we were going to be taking to people later in the day. Lol! We really enjoyed our morning at home for so many wonderful reasons!
2. We went to John's grandma's at 11 to exchange gifts with his large extended family. We draw names there because it would be ridiculously expensive to buy for everyone. We got so many nice gifts there that it was overwhelming. I think we left with a HUGE bag of presents plus lots of gift cards. People are so generous, let me tell ya.
3. We went to my parent's house to exchange presents with my family. It was only my parents, my sister and her kids (Nathan and Jenna) because Luke was sick (poor guy!) and my brother and his wife were out of town. It was very nice, despite the fact that so many were missing. We opened gifts, which included some awesome new maternity dress clothes for me, a precious piggy bank (from my sister) and a beautiful necklace for Brooke (to match her bracelet), John's Sport's Illustrated subscription, etc... I could seriously keep listing things! After that the kids played- or FOUGHT might be a better description! We then settled down to an amazing lunch of prime rib, twice-baked potatoes, broccoli and cheese, homemade rolls, and corn. It was a very nice afternoon!
4. Lastly, we went to John's parent's house to exchange gifts with his parents and siblings. As if we hadn't already been spoiled rotten, everyone there went all out on us too! I got some wicked cool maternity clothes (HOORAY!) plus a bunch of nice things for around the house that I had been wanting, and then John got a GPS, which has been a much desired thing for us. We always have to borrow one from my brother or John's brother when we go out of town. Brooke also made out like a bandit with two Mr. Potato Head's, an Aqua Doodle, an Magna Doodle, blocks, more balls for her ball pit, and an electric princess bike that moves when she pushes a button. It's a shame nobody loves us, huh?
When we finally got home we unloaded all of bags full of gifts into the living room and I'm telling you, you could not walk in there because of all of the presents. We kind of left the majority of the mess (which was hard!) and snuggled up to Christmas Vacation.
This has a been a crazy Christmas season, but yesterday was really special for so many reasons and all the chaos of planning and shopping was worth it. I hope that everyone else had just as merry of a Christmas as my family did!
*Christmas Eve-
John had to work in the evening but he spent the morning finishing up his shopping so Brooke and I just hung around the house. That evening I went to my sister's to have Mexican food with my family (our traditional feast, of course) and then I swung by John's grandma's house to spend some time with that side of the family. Luckily it was slow enough in the county for John to be able to stop by and visit with all of us at his grandma's. That made my night!
*Christmas Day-
We had "4 Christmases" so we were VERY busy.
1. We woke up around 8:45 and John made us a nice breakfast before we opened presents. That would have been a nice enough Christmas present because I ALWAYS make breakfast, but he went all out on presents for me. He got me the most kind and thoughtful stocking you can imagine with all of my favorite things and then he got me some amazing gifts... 2 pairs of maternity jeans, new perfume (that smells amazing), a cast iron stove top grill that I've wanted for ages, a beautiful picture for my wall, socks, and some other little things. As for Brooke, she LOVED opening her presents and was hilarious because she could have cared less about the gifts.. She just wanted to open the boxes! At one point we looked over and she was opening gifts that we were going to be taking to people later in the day. Lol! We really enjoyed our morning at home for so many wonderful reasons!
2. We went to John's grandma's at 11 to exchange gifts with his large extended family. We draw names there because it would be ridiculously expensive to buy for everyone. We got so many nice gifts there that it was overwhelming. I think we left with a HUGE bag of presents plus lots of gift cards. People are so generous, let me tell ya.
3. We went to my parent's house to exchange presents with my family. It was only my parents, my sister and her kids (Nathan and Jenna) because Luke was sick (poor guy!) and my brother and his wife were out of town. It was very nice, despite the fact that so many were missing. We opened gifts, which included some awesome new maternity dress clothes for me, a precious piggy bank (from my sister) and a beautiful necklace for Brooke (to match her bracelet), John's Sport's Illustrated subscription, etc... I could seriously keep listing things! After that the kids played- or FOUGHT might be a better description! We then settled down to an amazing lunch of prime rib, twice-baked potatoes, broccoli and cheese, homemade rolls, and corn. It was a very nice afternoon!
4. Lastly, we went to John's parent's house to exchange gifts with his parents and siblings. As if we hadn't already been spoiled rotten, everyone there went all out on us too! I got some wicked cool maternity clothes (HOORAY!) plus a bunch of nice things for around the house that I had been wanting, and then John got a GPS, which has been a much desired thing for us. We always have to borrow one from my brother or John's brother when we go out of town. Brooke also made out like a bandit with two Mr. Potato Head's, an Aqua Doodle, an Magna Doodle, blocks, more balls for her ball pit, and an electric princess bike that moves when she pushes a button. It's a shame nobody loves us, huh?
When we finally got home we unloaded all of bags full of gifts into the living room and I'm telling you, you could not walk in there because of all of the presents. We kind of left the majority of the mess (which was hard!) and snuggled up to Christmas Vacation.
This has a been a crazy Christmas season, but yesterday was really special for so many reasons and all the chaos of planning and shopping was worth it. I hope that everyone else had just as merry of a Christmas as my family did!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Home Alone
This morning John took Brooke Christmas shopping and I had the house to myself for like three hours. I love my husband and my baby so very much, but holy cow, I can accomplish SO much around this house when they aren't here! I was a cleaning machine and I got a crazy amount of work done. Check it out:
-All of our laundry is folded and put away
-Every single wood floor has been cleaned (Mind you, I have no mop so I had to do it all on my hands and knees)
-All of our carpets have been vacuumed
-Every piece of wood furniture has been polished
-The fridge got some much needed attention and is now cleaned out
-I scrubbed both bathrooms
-All of our appliances and glass surfaces are now free of fingerprints
I feel so happy when I read that list:-) Lol! These are things that I routinely do around the house, but being able to do them all in one big space of time and not having anyone to interrupt me was heaven for a clean freak such as myself. I'm telling you... There are few things more gratifying than sitting back and looking at a spotless house. It's just the best!
Okay, as lame as this sounds, the Duggar's have a special on TV tonight that I'm eager to watch so I better be going to watch it. As much as that family perplexes me, I just can't seem to get enough of them. Am I the only one????
-All of our laundry is folded and put away
-Every single wood floor has been cleaned (Mind you, I have no mop so I had to do it all on my hands and knees)
-All of our carpets have been vacuumed
-Every piece of wood furniture has been polished
-The fridge got some much needed attention and is now cleaned out
-I scrubbed both bathrooms
-All of our appliances and glass surfaces are now free of fingerprints
I feel so happy when I read that list:-) Lol! These are things that I routinely do around the house, but being able to do them all in one big space of time and not having anyone to interrupt me was heaven for a clean freak such as myself. I'm telling you... There are few things more gratifying than sitting back and looking at a spotless house. It's just the best!
Okay, as lame as this sounds, the Duggar's have a special on TV tonight that I'm eager to watch so I better be going to watch it. As much as that family perplexes me, I just can't seem to get enough of them. Am I the only one????
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Who Has Time to Blog Anymore????
I have been SO busy so I'm going to do a very random post today. Bare with me!
*Friday was my 16-week appointment! Everything went really well except I had a little scare... It took the doctor a minute or so to find the baby's heartbeat. It worried me SO much because he's never not been able to find it immediately. He said, "I'm just going to need you to move your pants down a little bit more" and kept searching, but alas, there was my baby's beautiful heartbeat. The doctor says that it's very fast and healthy so I felt MUCH better. Phew! We also scheduled the BIG ultrasound for January 19Th, but I think I'm going to call and schedule it for the prior week because the lady at the front desk booked it for 5 weeks from Friday, not 4. NOT cool for an anxious mom-in-waiting! Lol!
*We ended up getting snowed in, as predicted, on Friday, but we had a GREAT day watching movies, making homemade pizza, and playing with Brooke. It's rare that all three of us get to stay home all day together. I loved it!
*Saturday we did some mega Christmas shopping! We went in the morning and got a bunch of people off of our list(and found some MEGA bargains) but then we had to come home to ship John off to our church's Live Nativity. He had to help set up, be a wise man (which meant standing in the cold for two hours), and then break everything down. What a trooper! Brookie and I stopped by for a few minutes but it was too cold to stay out long. After that, John's parents took Brooke so we could finish her Christmas shopping! We went to Target and finished up buying her gifts and then caught a late night showing of the new movie, Yes Man. It was a great day overall!
*Today we woke up to MORE snow... About 6 inches or so. YUCK! I couldn't make it to church early for worship practice because they hadn't even plowed our roads yet and I wasn't about to drive over all of that so we got there just in time for Sunday School.
Alrighty, I have so much to do around the house to get caught up from being so busy. The work NEVER ends, does it?
*Friday was my 16-week appointment! Everything went really well except I had a little scare... It took the doctor a minute or so to find the baby's heartbeat. It worried me SO much because he's never not been able to find it immediately. He said, "I'm just going to need you to move your pants down a little bit more" and kept searching, but alas, there was my baby's beautiful heartbeat. The doctor says that it's very fast and healthy so I felt MUCH better. Phew! We also scheduled the BIG ultrasound for January 19Th, but I think I'm going to call and schedule it for the prior week because the lady at the front desk booked it for 5 weeks from Friday, not 4. NOT cool for an anxious mom-in-waiting! Lol!
*We ended up getting snowed in, as predicted, on Friday, but we had a GREAT day watching movies, making homemade pizza, and playing with Brooke. It's rare that all three of us get to stay home all day together. I loved it!
*Saturday we did some mega Christmas shopping! We went in the morning and got a bunch of people off of our list(and found some MEGA bargains) but then we had to come home to ship John off to our church's Live Nativity. He had to help set up, be a wise man (which meant standing in the cold for two hours), and then break everything down. What a trooper! Brookie and I stopped by for a few minutes but it was too cold to stay out long. After that, John's parents took Brooke so we could finish her Christmas shopping! We went to Target and finished up buying her gifts and then caught a late night showing of the new movie, Yes Man. It was a great day overall!
*Today we woke up to MORE snow... About 6 inches or so. YUCK! I couldn't make it to church early for worship practice because they hadn't even plowed our roads yet and I wasn't about to drive over all of that so we got there just in time for Sunday School.
Alrighty, I have so much to do around the house to get caught up from being so busy. The work NEVER ends, does it?
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Snow, Snow... GO AWAY!!!
I am fed up with snow and it's only December. It is going to be SUCH a long winter at this rate! We just had that storm last Thursday and then a small storm on Tuesday night (about 4-5 inches). Now we're expected to have a HUGE storm tomorrow which is expected to dump 15 inches or so of snow on us. If THAT's not bad enough, we're supposed to get another MEGA storm on Sunday night and then another one on Wednesday night (Christmas Eve). ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????????????? I need to move to Hawaii or something!
I'm semi-excited about tomorrow's storm though because John's off and I look forward to being snowed in with him home! I have my 16-week doctor's appointment at 9:45 tomorrow that I'm hoping we make. We should be fine because the snow isn't supposed to start until 7 tomorrow morning. I then have plans to make homemade pizza and watch Christmas movies tomorrow. Fun, fun, fun! If you're going to live in this nasty weather, you have to learn to enjoy being trapped in the house!
I've decided that I don't hate snow when it's falling.. It's quite beautiful, actually! I just hate the aftermath: A driveway packed with snow, scraping off snow-covered cars, slushy roads and sidewalks, brown snow after it has been driven on, and wet socks every time you step in a pile of snow. I wish Spring was closer but it's so very far away:-(
I'm semi-excited about tomorrow's storm though because John's off and I look forward to being snowed in with him home! I have my 16-week doctor's appointment at 9:45 tomorrow that I'm hoping we make. We should be fine because the snow isn't supposed to start until 7 tomorrow morning. I then have plans to make homemade pizza and watch Christmas movies tomorrow. Fun, fun, fun! If you're going to live in this nasty weather, you have to learn to enjoy being trapped in the house!
I've decided that I don't hate snow when it's falling.. It's quite beautiful, actually! I just hate the aftermath: A driveway packed with snow, scraping off snow-covered cars, slushy roads and sidewalks, brown snow after it has been driven on, and wet socks every time you step in a pile of snow. I wish Spring was closer but it's so very far away:-(
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
I Hope Brooke is "Fixed!"
Brooke woke up this morning absolutely livid. She was extremely angry and she screamed so hard that she actually started to throw up (thankfully she had nothing in her belly so it was just a tiny bit of mucous). She then laid on my chest for two hours, refusing to move or eat. Finally she looked up at me and said, "Ear hurts, mommy." She had been tugging at her left ear for several days, on top of not sleeping, so I didn't doubt that what she was saying was true!
I took her to the doctor to have her checked out and as it turns out, her left ear (the ear that she's been messing with) was full of wax that was lodged in her ear canal. The doctor had to scrape it out and there was TONS of it. He said that the excess wax likely caused discomfort and some difficulty hearing out of that ear, which would explain the fussing and restlessness. I've had that happen to me before and I know from experience that it caused me to feel kind of dizzy and it hurt like heck. I can identify with the poor girl! Thankfully the doctor took care of her and she was happy for the rest of the day. Hopefully her normal sleeping patterns return soon!
I'm so excited for Deliver Me tonight on The Discovery Healthy Channel. Does anyone else love that show besides me? It's the highlight of my Tuesday night! It's a show about three friends who are OBGYN's and not only does it show you their patients, but you also get to see inside of their personal lives and homes. It's my favorite! Alrighty, off to clean a little before my show...
I took her to the doctor to have her checked out and as it turns out, her left ear (the ear that she's been messing with) was full of wax that was lodged in her ear canal. The doctor had to scrape it out and there was TONS of it. He said that the excess wax likely caused discomfort and some difficulty hearing out of that ear, which would explain the fussing and restlessness. I've had that happen to me before and I know from experience that it caused me to feel kind of dizzy and it hurt like heck. I can identify with the poor girl! Thankfully the doctor took care of her and she was happy for the rest of the day. Hopefully her normal sleeping patterns return soon!
I'm so excited for Deliver Me tonight on The Discovery Healthy Channel. Does anyone else love that show besides me? It's the highlight of my Tuesday night! It's a show about three friends who are OBGYN's and not only does it show you their patients, but you also get to see inside of their personal lives and homes. It's my favorite! Alrighty, off to clean a little before my show...
Monday, December 15, 2008
Sleeping Struggles?
I just got back from the most wonderful visit with my new niece and let me say, she is absolutely precious! I can already tell we're going to be buddies:-) Brooke and Nathan did a great job of keeping one another busy tonight so that allowed for some special moments with Jenna. I can't wait to watch her grow!
Now onto something less pleasant... SLEEP. Brooke has been a great sleeper for a long, long time now but recently we're having some issues with her. First of all, she has refused to take a nap for the last 5 days, despite us leaving her in her crib for over an hour. I know she needs her nap still because she's grumpy without it and falls asleep in the car if we go anywhere in the evenings. It's so frustrating for her to be refusing naps! Also, at nighttime, she SCREAMS hysterically if we turn the light in her room off. I've been leaving it on for her and then turning it off after she falls asleep, but something tells me that I should just teach her that sleeping with the lights off is not a big deal. I don't know... Lastly, she's been waking up in the middle of the night saying, "Afraid!" The other night she was up at 2:30, which is totally NOT normal. She sleeps until 9:30 most mornings, which is my saving grace at this point, but I have not idea what her issue is!
I feel so wiped out now because I have this constant awareness in my sleep of Brooke. Do you know what I mean? She hasn't been sleeping well so I'm always expecting to hear her, which doesn't allow me to sleep very soundly. I've also been enjoying an afternoon nap during her nap time for the last couple of months, but I haven't been able to have that over these last couple of days. I'm so exhausted that I could fall asleep right in front of this computer! I hope Brooke reverts back to her old ways QUICKLY!
Alrighty, I'm off to take a nice hot shower and then relax while I wait for John to get home. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a good night's sleep tonight!
Now onto something less pleasant... SLEEP. Brooke has been a great sleeper for a long, long time now but recently we're having some issues with her. First of all, she has refused to take a nap for the last 5 days, despite us leaving her in her crib for over an hour. I know she needs her nap still because she's grumpy without it and falls asleep in the car if we go anywhere in the evenings. It's so frustrating for her to be refusing naps! Also, at nighttime, she SCREAMS hysterically if we turn the light in her room off. I've been leaving it on for her and then turning it off after she falls asleep, but something tells me that I should just teach her that sleeping with the lights off is not a big deal. I don't know... Lastly, she's been waking up in the middle of the night saying, "Afraid!" The other night she was up at 2:30, which is totally NOT normal. She sleeps until 9:30 most mornings, which is my saving grace at this point, but I have not idea what her issue is!
I feel so wiped out now because I have this constant awareness in my sleep of Brooke. Do you know what I mean? She hasn't been sleeping well so I'm always expecting to hear her, which doesn't allow me to sleep very soundly. I've also been enjoying an afternoon nap during her nap time for the last couple of months, but I haven't been able to have that over these last couple of days. I'm so exhausted that I could fall asleep right in front of this computer! I hope Brooke reverts back to her old ways QUICKLY!
Alrighty, I'm off to take a nice hot shower and then relax while I wait for John to get home. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a good night's sleep tonight!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Welcome, Miss Jenna Caroline!!
This is going to be short and sweet because I'm exhuasted, but I would just like to congratulate my sister and her husband, Luke, on the birth of their little princess! Jenna was born around 1:30 this afternoon, weighing in a 7 pounds, 11 ounces and is absolutely gorgeous. Isn't life such a miracle? I'm so in love with my niece and thankful that God brought her into our family safely:-)
Friday, December 12, 2008
All I Want for Christmas is... A VBAC!!
I've been thinking a lot about giving birth lately... Probably because my sister is four days past her due date and is expected to deliver any day now. That's enough to make any pregnant woman's mind stir. I'm so silly... I have 5 months left of my pregnancy but I'm SO concerned about having the repeat C-Section. I know that I have months to plan and prepare and get used to the idea, but do you know what occurred to me? I'm petrified of being on that operating table again. I know this odd because I have been through it before, but I think that's why I'm so apprehensive. There are times at night when I can't sleep because I think of my fears that I'll have before the surgery and I know these are things I have to do deal with.
I've thought long and hard and this is why I think that my C-Section was so "traumatic" for me...
1. I felt like a total failure as a woman because despite laboring and pushing (non-medicated) I couldn't get the "the job" done naturally. That killed me for a long, long time.
2. Because I was going through a midwife (who obviously couldn't perform the C-Section), I was forced to have some stranger deliver Brooke. I was used to a kind and sensitive midwife and the doctor who took over was a gruff man who I just couldn't relate to.
3. During my surgery I was looking around and happened to look up at the lights above the operating table... I actually SAW THEM CUTTING ME in the reflection of the stainless steel fixture. That was horrible... I'll never look at the lights again.
4. This is what kills me and still brings me to tears to this moment... I only got to see Brooke for a few seconds before they took her into the nursery. I could hear her crying the whole time and I wanted nothing more than to hold her for the first time. Finally they finished my surgery and took me into the recovery room. I looked at the nurse and said, "Okay, please get me my baby!" She said, "Jillian, you have to have a sponge bath first because you're not sanitary for your baby." I said, "I don't care. She's crying. She needs me. Please don't give me a sponge bath." So, after hearing my newborn baby screaming uncontrollably in the other room, I lied helpless and numb on the bed without being able to help her... All for a stupid sponge bath. That was the worst feeling as a new mother.
5. I had this vision of my whole family coming in and welcoming Brooke into the world, but instead they told me that only one person could be in the recovery room with me at a time. Instead of this big celebration that I had so desired, each family member had a rushed 30 second visit with Brooke to make way for the next person.
6. The recovery was miserable. I had a horrible reaction to the spinal, which resulted in an awful rash over my entire body. In addition, the pain medication for after the surgery sedated me to the point of not enjoying Brooke so I refused to take it, which resulted in some unnecessary complications. I realize that that part is my fault...
I know that I have A LOT to be thankful for because I have a thriving, healthy, gorgeous little girl, but those instances of sadness with her birth cause so much anxiety within me. This time will be different for a number of reasons though... First of all, John will take off extra time to help me recover because we'll know what to expect in that area. Also, I will have a relationship with the doctor who performs the C-Section so I think I'll be so much more at ease. Another good thing this time around is that I won't have labored for hours and hours on end so I won't be dirty and sweaty which means... No sponge bath! I can have my baby quicker:-) Lastly, I have gotten over feeling "inadequate" for not being able to do this all naturally, so there will be none of those feelings associated with this C-Section. Those feelings are something that I asked God to take from me.
I suppose that the only thing that remains is my fear of having surgery... It's awful but I'm horrified that I'll die on the operating room table and leave John with two kids. I realize that C-Sections are routinely done and they are so commonly practiced, but there's just always a chance that something could go wrong.
I still have a tremendous desire to have a VBAC. I want it so bad and I would love to be able to avoid all of the hassles of a C-Section, but my doctor does not think that's a very prudent decision. We've discussed all the pros and cons and the bottom line is that my pelvis is small. Instead of trying to argue the facts, I would like to just prepare myself for the inevitable C-Section that I'll be having in May.
I keep reminding myself... The main objective here is to have a healthy baby. How he/she gets her shouldn't matter!
I've thought long and hard and this is why I think that my C-Section was so "traumatic" for me...
1. I felt like a total failure as a woman because despite laboring and pushing (non-medicated) I couldn't get the "the job" done naturally. That killed me for a long, long time.
2. Because I was going through a midwife (who obviously couldn't perform the C-Section), I was forced to have some stranger deliver Brooke. I was used to a kind and sensitive midwife and the doctor who took over was a gruff man who I just couldn't relate to.
3. During my surgery I was looking around and happened to look up at the lights above the operating table... I actually SAW THEM CUTTING ME in the reflection of the stainless steel fixture. That was horrible... I'll never look at the lights again.
4. This is what kills me and still brings me to tears to this moment... I only got to see Brooke for a few seconds before they took her into the nursery. I could hear her crying the whole time and I wanted nothing more than to hold her for the first time. Finally they finished my surgery and took me into the recovery room. I looked at the nurse and said, "Okay, please get me my baby!" She said, "Jillian, you have to have a sponge bath first because you're not sanitary for your baby." I said, "I don't care. She's crying. She needs me. Please don't give me a sponge bath." So, after hearing my newborn baby screaming uncontrollably in the other room, I lied helpless and numb on the bed without being able to help her... All for a stupid sponge bath. That was the worst feeling as a new mother.
5. I had this vision of my whole family coming in and welcoming Brooke into the world, but instead they told me that only one person could be in the recovery room with me at a time. Instead of this big celebration that I had so desired, each family member had a rushed 30 second visit with Brooke to make way for the next person.
6. The recovery was miserable. I had a horrible reaction to the spinal, which resulted in an awful rash over my entire body. In addition, the pain medication for after the surgery sedated me to the point of not enjoying Brooke so I refused to take it, which resulted in some unnecessary complications. I realize that that part is my fault...
I know that I have A LOT to be thankful for because I have a thriving, healthy, gorgeous little girl, but those instances of sadness with her birth cause so much anxiety within me. This time will be different for a number of reasons though... First of all, John will take off extra time to help me recover because we'll know what to expect in that area. Also, I will have a relationship with the doctor who performs the C-Section so I think I'll be so much more at ease. Another good thing this time around is that I won't have labored for hours and hours on end so I won't be dirty and sweaty which means... No sponge bath! I can have my baby quicker:-) Lastly, I have gotten over feeling "inadequate" for not being able to do this all naturally, so there will be none of those feelings associated with this C-Section. Those feelings are something that I asked God to take from me.
I suppose that the only thing that remains is my fear of having surgery... It's awful but I'm horrified that I'll die on the operating room table and leave John with two kids. I realize that C-Sections are routinely done and they are so commonly practiced, but there's just always a chance that something could go wrong.
I still have a tremendous desire to have a VBAC. I want it so bad and I would love to be able to avoid all of the hassles of a C-Section, but my doctor does not think that's a very prudent decision. We've discussed all the pros and cons and the bottom line is that my pelvis is small. Instead of trying to argue the facts, I would like to just prepare myself for the inevitable C-Section that I'll be having in May.
I keep reminding myself... The main objective here is to have a healthy baby. How he/she gets her shouldn't matter!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Snow Day
The weather here is absolutely AWFUL! We're supposed to get an inch of ice as a base and 9+ inches of snow on top of it, which makes driving pretty much impossible. We woke up this morning to sleet and freezing rain so we didn't dare go out. Then John left for work at 2 this afternoon, so it's been a pretty boring day, to say the least. I'm the type of person that likes to get at out at least once a day and when I don't I start to feel a little bit stir crazy! I didn't even get out of my PJ's today, which only ever happens when I'm deathly ill.
When John left I was really dreading the rest of the day because I was so eager to get out and go somewhere, but Brooke and I ended up really enjoying our time at home! We played with blocks, made dinner, did lots of laundry, changed the sheets on the beds, had a nice long bath, played with dolls, and colored. She refused to take a nap today (after babbling and fussing in her crib for an hour) so I was worried she would be a wreck, but she was in a great mood! She went down to bed about a half hour early to make up for it though.
John has called me from work several times and he keeps telling me how awful the roads are and how many accidents he has had to go take care of. I hate thinking about him out there in the freezing weather but I also hate to think about him driving all over the place. I know it's wrong, but I worry so much about his safety on days like this. I will be VERY relieved when he comes home safely tonight!
Now that my princess is sleeping I think I'm going to try to lay down and get rid of this nasty headache. The second trimester is famous for giving me yucky headaches... But it's for such a great cause:-)
When John left I was really dreading the rest of the day because I was so eager to get out and go somewhere, but Brooke and I ended up really enjoying our time at home! We played with blocks, made dinner, did lots of laundry, changed the sheets on the beds, had a nice long bath, played with dolls, and colored. She refused to take a nap today (after babbling and fussing in her crib for an hour) so I was worried she would be a wreck, but she was in a great mood! She went down to bed about a half hour early to make up for it though.
John has called me from work several times and he keeps telling me how awful the roads are and how many accidents he has had to go take care of. I hate thinking about him out there in the freezing weather but I also hate to think about him driving all over the place. I know it's wrong, but I worry so much about his safety on days like this. I will be VERY relieved when he comes home safely tonight!
Now that my princess is sleeping I think I'm going to try to lay down and get rid of this nasty headache. The second trimester is famous for giving me yucky headaches... But it's for such a great cause:-)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Happy Birthday, John!
Today is John's 26Th birthday! Wow, I'm seriously married to an old man now, huh? Lol! I know that that's young but I've known him since he was 18 and have been with him since he was 21, so 26 just sounds really old to me.
We have had a wonderful day of celebrating today! First of all, Miss Brooke didn't wake up until 10! She usually sleeps from anywhere between 9 and 9:30.. But 10??!?!?!??!?! Anyways, I'm sure that John enjoyed the gift of sleeping in! We went for a nice lunch with John's mom and brother and then came home for a relaxing afternoon. Tonight we went to my parent's house where we ate John's favorite meal... Bacon cheeseburgers! My dad even grilled them for us in the dead of winter. Thanks, Daddy! My parents also had a nice ice cream cake for John, which is his favorite, so they were very thoughtful and sweet when they thought of his party. My siblings and parents also had some nice gifts for John, too! On Saturday John's family is having a joint party for the both of us so I look forward to that. After that it seems like our birthday festivities will be over for another year.
I'm going to cut this short so I can go spend some time with the birthday boy! He has training at work tomorrow from 8-4 which stinks because we won't be able to stay up real late tonight, but it's also good because he'll have tomorrow night off. Anyways, time to go relax with my man!
We have had a wonderful day of celebrating today! First of all, Miss Brooke didn't wake up until 10! She usually sleeps from anywhere between 9 and 9:30.. But 10??!?!?!??!?! Anyways, I'm sure that John enjoyed the gift of sleeping in! We went for a nice lunch with John's mom and brother and then came home for a relaxing afternoon. Tonight we went to my parent's house where we ate John's favorite meal... Bacon cheeseburgers! My dad even grilled them for us in the dead of winter. Thanks, Daddy! My parents also had a nice ice cream cake for John, which is his favorite, so they were very thoughtful and sweet when they thought of his party. My siblings and parents also had some nice gifts for John, too! On Saturday John's family is having a joint party for the both of us so I look forward to that. After that it seems like our birthday festivities will be over for another year.
I'm going to cut this short so I can go spend some time with the birthday boy! He has training at work tomorrow from 8-4 which stinks because we won't be able to stay up real late tonight, but it's also good because he'll have tomorrow night off. Anyways, time to go relax with my man!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Our Amazing Trip to Albany
We just got back a few hours ago from our trip to Albany. We had such a wonderful time, despite missing Brooke so much. It was really a great time for John and me to spend some quality time talking, laughing, and catching up. I'm all for a romantic trip with my husband from time-to-time. I love that guy so much:-)
Anyways, yesterday we checked into the hotel, which was absolutely beautiful. Then we walked all around downtown Albany, where we found a nice place to eat a late lunch/early dinner. After that we still had a couple of hours before the show so we went back to the hotel for a long, relaxing nap. It was heaven!
We saw the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert and they were seriously phenomenal! Their music, in and of itself, is breathtaking, but seeing them in concert was insane! They have a light show with all of their songs and it is intriguing. Even John, who is not a music lover like me, was amazed at the performance. If you've never been to see them in concert, you should definitely go! It's crazy because they play typical orchestra songs with electric guitars, drums, electric keyboards, and two insanely amazing violin players. I always thought of the violin as a conservative, tranquil instrument, but the way these people played it was so unique. The whole thing was INCREDIBLE and I was very sad when it was over.
After the show last night we walked back to the hotel (which only took us about two minutes) and ordered some take-out from a local Italian place. It was a lot of fun doing that because we don't generally do stuff like that!
Today we did lots of shopping at two of Albany's enormous malls and then we went to The Cheesecake Factory for lunch. It was our second time at that restaurant and we are in love with that place. HOLY COW! Everyone needs to go there because there's just no place like it. We don't have one right by us so it's such a big treat to be able to go there.
When we got home, we were thrilled to see Brookie and she was semi-interested in seeing us. I've really enjoyed loving on her and playing with her this evening. She's such a precious little girl:-)
Now that we're home I'm sad because our trip is over and I don't have this to look forward to anymore, but I'm really happy over the wonderful time we had. It's nice to get away, but it's always nice to come home, too! Luckily John took off tomorrow, which is his birthday, so tonight we're watching a movie and then spending the whole day together tomorrow. YAY!
Oh, and I have to point out that my sister is due with her second baby today and I was VERY thankful that my niece didn't come yesterday because I would have been sad to miss her birth. Okay, little girl.... Please come out NOW!!
Anyways, yesterday we checked into the hotel, which was absolutely beautiful. Then we walked all around downtown Albany, where we found a nice place to eat a late lunch/early dinner. After that we still had a couple of hours before the show so we went back to the hotel for a long, relaxing nap. It was heaven!
We saw the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert and they were seriously phenomenal! Their music, in and of itself, is breathtaking, but seeing them in concert was insane! They have a light show with all of their songs and it is intriguing. Even John, who is not a music lover like me, was amazed at the performance. If you've never been to see them in concert, you should definitely go! It's crazy because they play typical orchestra songs with electric guitars, drums, electric keyboards, and two insanely amazing violin players. I always thought of the violin as a conservative, tranquil instrument, but the way these people played it was so unique. The whole thing was INCREDIBLE and I was very sad when it was over.
After the show last night we walked back to the hotel (which only took us about two minutes) and ordered some take-out from a local Italian place. It was a lot of fun doing that because we don't generally do stuff like that!
Today we did lots of shopping at two of Albany's enormous malls and then we went to The Cheesecake Factory for lunch. It was our second time at that restaurant and we are in love with that place. HOLY COW! Everyone needs to go there because there's just no place like it. We don't have one right by us so it's such a big treat to be able to go there.
When we got home, we were thrilled to see Brookie and she was semi-interested in seeing us. I've really enjoyed loving on her and playing with her this evening. She's such a precious little girl:-)
Now that we're home I'm sad because our trip is over and I don't have this to look forward to anymore, but I'm really happy over the wonderful time we had. It's nice to get away, but it's always nice to come home, too! Luckily John took off tomorrow, which is his birthday, so tonight we're watching a movie and then spending the whole day together tomorrow. YAY!
Oh, and I have to point out that my sister is due with her second baby today and I was VERY thankful that my niece didn't come yesterday because I would have been sad to miss her birth. Okay, little girl.... Please come out NOW!!
Friday, December 5, 2008
The Girl that Keeps her Mommy Laughing
Brooke is so funny! I don't think that 60 seconds ever go by (when she's awake) that I don't find something the laugh about. She's hilarious! Here are some of her latest antics...
*She likes to put the "eee" sound on the end of her words. For instance, she'll say, "Go to Sam's Clubeee (Which, by the way is her favorite place in the world, Alissa!)." She also likes to call Chipper "Chippy," and call her crib her "pibby." It's really funny because she looks at me and laughs every time she adds this sound to her words so I know that she does it to get my attention. It certainly works!
*She's now reverted to saying "peeya" instead of "please." I don't get why she does these things but it's funny to hear her say her words differently.
*Instead of saying "I am," Brooke says, "I min." All day long I hear, "I min getting juice." "I min getting stickers." Etc, etc, etc... She's got the right concept but the wrong word. She'll get there soon!
*I get weekly pregnancy updates to my email account and one day Brooke saw me looking at a picture of what the baby should look like at this point. Now every morning she runs over to the computer and says, "See brother sister!" She gets VERY upset if I don't let her, too. She also saw me reading Tristyn's blog one day, which has Hudson's picture on it, so now we have to rotate back and forth between Hudson and "brother sister." It's great times!
*Brooke's latest thing is questions that start with "can." She said to me today, "Can Brookie sit on counter?" Such a big girl sentence! Whenever she gets mad she yells, "Can Brookie bite this?" Today she tried to bite her wall after she asked that question. It was all I could do to not laugh at her!
*Brooke loves to go to Barnes and Noble (almost as much as she likes to go to Sam's Clubee) so all day long we hear about going to "Oboe's." Most mornings that's all she talks about. One time when we were there the play area was swarmed with kids so we told Brooke to go play and that the kids wouldn't hurt her. Now she says, "Go Oboe's. Kids no hurt you there." Good memory, kiddo!
*Brooke REALLY enjoys our "Pissmas" tree and stares at it constantly. She rarely touches it, which has been a pleasant surprise to me!
*Brooke brought me a diaper today and said, "Mommy, Brookie needs fresh diaper." It occurred to me that I DO say that a lot, but it cracked me up coming from her. She's always saying "Need go potty" and she lets me know immediately after dirtying her diaper so I'm hoping that soon she'll be ready to potty train. I don't want to push it too early though.
I seriously cannot believe how much Brooke is growing! She speaks in complete sentences all the time and I spend most of my days astounded by what she's capable of. Holy cow! It's funny, because when Brooke was a baby I used to worry about the toddler years and if I would enjoy them and/or know how to handle them, but these times have proven to be wonderful, amazing adventures and I truly can say that I am in love with Brooke and motherhood. I can't believe I was ever afraid of these days!
*She likes to put the "eee" sound on the end of her words. For instance, she'll say, "Go to Sam's Clubeee (Which, by the way is her favorite place in the world, Alissa!)." She also likes to call Chipper "Chippy," and call her crib her "pibby." It's really funny because she looks at me and laughs every time she adds this sound to her words so I know that she does it to get my attention. It certainly works!
*She's now reverted to saying "peeya" instead of "please." I don't get why she does these things but it's funny to hear her say her words differently.
*Instead of saying "I am," Brooke says, "I min." All day long I hear, "I min getting juice." "I min getting stickers." Etc, etc, etc... She's got the right concept but the wrong word. She'll get there soon!
*I get weekly pregnancy updates to my email account and one day Brooke saw me looking at a picture of what the baby should look like at this point. Now every morning she runs over to the computer and says, "See brother sister!" She gets VERY upset if I don't let her, too. She also saw me reading Tristyn's blog one day, which has Hudson's picture on it, so now we have to rotate back and forth between Hudson and "brother sister." It's great times!
*Brooke's latest thing is questions that start with "can." She said to me today, "Can Brookie sit on counter?" Such a big girl sentence! Whenever she gets mad she yells, "Can Brookie bite this?" Today she tried to bite her wall after she asked that question. It was all I could do to not laugh at her!
*Brooke loves to go to Barnes and Noble (almost as much as she likes to go to Sam's Clubee) so all day long we hear about going to "Oboe's." Most mornings that's all she talks about. One time when we were there the play area was swarmed with kids so we told Brooke to go play and that the kids wouldn't hurt her. Now she says, "Go Oboe's. Kids no hurt you there." Good memory, kiddo!
*Brooke REALLY enjoys our "Pissmas" tree and stares at it constantly. She rarely touches it, which has been a pleasant surprise to me!
*Brooke brought me a diaper today and said, "Mommy, Brookie needs fresh diaper." It occurred to me that I DO say that a lot, but it cracked me up coming from her. She's always saying "Need go potty" and she lets me know immediately after dirtying her diaper so I'm hoping that soon she'll be ready to potty train. I don't want to push it too early though.
I seriously cannot believe how much Brooke is growing! She speaks in complete sentences all the time and I spend most of my days astounded by what she's capable of. Holy cow! It's funny, because when Brooke was a baby I used to worry about the toddler years and if I would enjoy them and/or know how to handle them, but these times have proven to be wonderful, amazing adventures and I truly can say that I am in love with Brooke and motherhood. I can't believe I was ever afraid of these days!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Hormone City
Do you ever feel like a complete and total basketcase? Well I do from time-to-time and today was just my day to be a hormonal wreck. My poor husband! He handled my freak outs very well, but it leaves me feeling so insane!
The first instance happened today after lunch when stupid Chipper (I HATE that dog) pulled a wooden spoon out of a pot of Ramen Noodles. I was upset because he made a mess of my freshly cleaned floors from what was on the spoon (that he, by the way, obtained by climbing on my counter) and because he chewed the spoon in half. Normally I would have screamed at the dumb dog and gotten angry, but today I just sat there like a mad woman and cried hysterically. I complained to John that I should never clean or have nice things because the dog won't allow it. John was wonderful! He said, "Honey, calm down! We can buy wooden spoons and we can clean the floor. Settle down!" I replied angrily, "That was NICE wooden spoon." Lol.. Seriously, I freaked out big time over a WOODEN SPOON!
The second instance is a bit more legitimate, in my opinion... I was in a hurry to run some errands before my sister's baby shower tonight so I locked up and ran out the door. I strapped Brooke in her seat, buckled my seatbelt, and when I went to start the car I realized that I locked my keys in the house:-( John was at shift briefing and work and he doesn't get a signal at the office, so I could't even have him bale me out. I sat in the freezing car and bawled because I was just so frustrated and spent at that point, which is a rididculous way to respond, I realize. Thank God for good old dad, though, because he has a key to my house and drove out to let me in as soon as I called him. He even gave me a hug to wipe my tears!
Luckily I pulled myself together and enjoyed the shower! Sometimes I feel like I have no control of my emotions and I just need to snap myself out of being a spaz. I guess it comes with the territory but there's not excuse to be a maniac!
The first instance happened today after lunch when stupid Chipper (I HATE that dog) pulled a wooden spoon out of a pot of Ramen Noodles. I was upset because he made a mess of my freshly cleaned floors from what was on the spoon (that he, by the way, obtained by climbing on my counter) and because he chewed the spoon in half. Normally I would have screamed at the dumb dog and gotten angry, but today I just sat there like a mad woman and cried hysterically. I complained to John that I should never clean or have nice things because the dog won't allow it. John was wonderful! He said, "Honey, calm down! We can buy wooden spoons and we can clean the floor. Settle down!" I replied angrily, "That was NICE wooden spoon." Lol.. Seriously, I freaked out big time over a WOODEN SPOON!
The second instance is a bit more legitimate, in my opinion... I was in a hurry to run some errands before my sister's baby shower tonight so I locked up and ran out the door. I strapped Brooke in her seat, buckled my seatbelt, and when I went to start the car I realized that I locked my keys in the house:-( John was at shift briefing and work and he doesn't get a signal at the office, so I could't even have him bale me out. I sat in the freezing car and bawled because I was just so frustrated and spent at that point, which is a rididculous way to respond, I realize. Thank God for good old dad, though, because he has a key to my house and drove out to let me in as soon as I called him. He even gave me a hug to wipe my tears!
Luckily I pulled myself together and enjoyed the shower! Sometimes I feel like I have no control of my emotions and I just need to snap myself out of being a spaz. I guess it comes with the territory but there's not excuse to be a maniac!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The Gourmet Tastes of Brooke
Brooke cracks me up with her eating habits. Remember how I used to complain on and on about what a horrible eater she was? Well, all that has changed now... Thankfully! She is a GREAT eater- IF she has the foods that she loves the most in front of her. Here's her list of "acceptable foods:"
*For breakfast:
Pancakes
Waffles
French Toast
Cereal
Crackers with peanut butter on them
Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat
NO eggs
*For lunch/dinner:
Chicken nuggets- If you ask Brooke, she would tell you that they had to be from McDonald's. She seriously hyperventilates and screams "MCDONALD'S every time we drive past one. She hates french fries so she always gets apples with her Happy Meal instead, so I feel less guilty.
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, or as she says, "Mocky cheese." This is another one of those foods that she gets very excited about. She'll eat the delicious homemade stuff, but with hesitation and much begging from me.
Soup- Put it in broth and the kid will eat it. It's a phenomenon!
Pizza- Especially from Sam's Club
Taco's- The kid can polish off an entire Taco Supreme on her own (PLUS an entire bowl of refried beans)
Tortilla chips with refried beans
*For snacks:
Yogurt
Shredded Cheese
Bananas- NOT cut up though... Only if she can have the whole thing.
Dry Cereal
Pretzels
Cheese Sticks
Some occasional cookies and candy (No diet can be perfect, right?)
Green beans (She like them cold out of the can)
She'll usually eat a great breakfast, an equally as wonderful lunch, and then for dinner refuse to eat much of anything. We always have a nice dinner and the things that John and I would consider nice are not on Brooke's "okay list," but I figure that if I keep trying to introduce them to her she'll cave. She drinks lots of milk through the day, on top of those two solid meals, so I don't worry that she's hungry anymore. She's a tiny little thing so it just doesn't take much to fill her!
Alrighty, I'm off to go do some laundry and mop all the wood floors. BLEH! I took yesterday off and now look at me... It was worth it though:-)
*For breakfast:
Pancakes
Waffles
French Toast
Cereal
Crackers with peanut butter on them
Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat
NO eggs
*For lunch/dinner:
Chicken nuggets- If you ask Brooke, she would tell you that they had to be from McDonald's. She seriously hyperventilates and screams "MCDONALD'S every time we drive past one. She hates french fries so she always gets apples with her Happy Meal instead, so I feel less guilty.
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, or as she says, "Mocky cheese." This is another one of those foods that she gets very excited about. She'll eat the delicious homemade stuff, but with hesitation and much begging from me.
Soup- Put it in broth and the kid will eat it. It's a phenomenon!
Pizza- Especially from Sam's Club
Taco's- The kid can polish off an entire Taco Supreme on her own (PLUS an entire bowl of refried beans)
Tortilla chips with refried beans
*For snacks:
Yogurt
Shredded Cheese
Bananas- NOT cut up though... Only if she can have the whole thing.
Dry Cereal
Pretzels
Cheese Sticks
Some occasional cookies and candy (No diet can be perfect, right?)
Green beans (She like them cold out of the can)
She'll usually eat a great breakfast, an equally as wonderful lunch, and then for dinner refuse to eat much of anything. We always have a nice dinner and the things that John and I would consider nice are not on Brooke's "okay list," but I figure that if I keep trying to introduce them to her she'll cave. She drinks lots of milk through the day, on top of those two solid meals, so I don't worry that she's hungry anymore. She's a tiny little thing so it just doesn't take much to fill her!
Alrighty, I'm off to go do some laundry and mop all the wood floors. BLEH! I took yesterday off and now look at me... It was worth it though:-)
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
A Wonderful Birthday
Today is my 23Rd birthday and it has been a great day! John, along with many of my family members, has gone out of his way to make me feel like royalty... Then again, I always feel loved and special, so I guess today wasn't too different.
Anyways, we woke up this morning and John took me to Cracker Barrel because I LOVE breakfast and I especially love eating it from there. At the restaurant he and Brooke each gave me a special card and then I got my present. Ready for what John came up with? On Sunday he's taking me to Albany (It's about a 3.5 hour drive) to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert. They play amazing Christmas music and hearing them just gives me the chills! For the night, we're staying at the Crown Plaza and I can't wait! It's going to be a wonderful, romantic couple of days with us, filled with lots of couple time and a nice dinner out. As much as we love our baby, it's always nice to be able to get away and focus solely on one another.
This afternoon we decorated our Christmas tree and our entire house, too! It's a true Christmas fest over here! Brooke slept for 3.5 hours this afternoon so I also got a good nap in too! During Brooke's nap I put garland on the stair-rail and when she woke up she went down the stairs and said, "What is that?" She then REFUSED to touch it and cried. Lol! I love that kid:-) I definitely need to take some pictures of my house though because it's sure looking festive around here!
Tonight my mom made me homemade taco's, at my request of course, and Alison made me a beautiful, delicious chocolate cake. For my birthday Alison and Amanda (my brother's wife) got me new silverware (that they gave me a week ago so I would have it on Thanksgiving) and today my mom and dad got me two really nice new pairs of MUCH needed shoes and some dishes to go with my pattern. Oh yes, and Ali also got me a McDonald's gift card so I can buy some fountain sodas. They're my favorite!
John and I are about to watch a Christmas movie. I can't wait!
Thanks to everyone who made my birthday so special by sending me messages and thinking of me. It means a lot!
Anyways, we woke up this morning and John took me to Cracker Barrel because I LOVE breakfast and I especially love eating it from there. At the restaurant he and Brooke each gave me a special card and then I got my present. Ready for what John came up with? On Sunday he's taking me to Albany (It's about a 3.5 hour drive) to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert. They play amazing Christmas music and hearing them just gives me the chills! For the night, we're staying at the Crown Plaza and I can't wait! It's going to be a wonderful, romantic couple of days with us, filled with lots of couple time and a nice dinner out. As much as we love our baby, it's always nice to be able to get away and focus solely on one another.
This afternoon we decorated our Christmas tree and our entire house, too! It's a true Christmas fest over here! Brooke slept for 3.5 hours this afternoon so I also got a good nap in too! During Brooke's nap I put garland on the stair-rail and when she woke up she went down the stairs and said, "What is that?" She then REFUSED to touch it and cried. Lol! I love that kid:-) I definitely need to take some pictures of my house though because it's sure looking festive around here!
Tonight my mom made me homemade taco's, at my request of course, and Alison made me a beautiful, delicious chocolate cake. For my birthday Alison and Amanda (my brother's wife) got me new silverware (that they gave me a week ago so I would have it on Thanksgiving) and today my mom and dad got me two really nice new pairs of MUCH needed shoes and some dishes to go with my pattern. Oh yes, and Ali also got me a McDonald's gift card so I can buy some fountain sodas. They're my favorite!
John and I are about to watch a Christmas movie. I can't wait!
Thanks to everyone who made my birthday so special by sending me messages and thinking of me. It means a lot!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Completely Inappropriate
****Update to the rude person who anonymously left me a comment: I don't care if people read my blog... I care if people read my blog and JUDGE me. There's an enormous difference.
To the "anonymous commenter" on my previous post:
1) I do NOT need parental advice from a total stranger. If I knew you and respected you it would be one thing, but really, I never asked for someone I never met to tell me that how I raise my child is wrong.
2) What are you? A stalker? I publish my thoughts and I realize that they're subject to being reviewed, but it's just a little rude for you to read about my life, judge my parental decisions, and then not even tell me who you are.
3) I believe in spanking and the smacking of the hand, yet I am still a loving mother. Nothing YOU tell me will change that. I raise my child according to Biblical principles and I strongly feel that an occasional spanking is necessary. When my husband or I spank our child it is followed by prayer and love and ALWAYS a hug and kiss. And just for the record, I set a good example for my daughter so I don't need you to tell me that I'm not being a good mom by smacking my child's hand. I guess you think you're a better mother than me, but I happen to know that I'm a darn good mother.
Who are people? They think they can just barge into your personal thoughts and tell you how to raise your kids? Get a life.
To the "anonymous commenter" on my previous post:
1) I do NOT need parental advice from a total stranger. If I knew you and respected you it would be one thing, but really, I never asked for someone I never met to tell me that how I raise my child is wrong.
2) What are you? A stalker? I publish my thoughts and I realize that they're subject to being reviewed, but it's just a little rude for you to read about my life, judge my parental decisions, and then not even tell me who you are.
3) I believe in spanking and the smacking of the hand, yet I am still a loving mother. Nothing YOU tell me will change that. I raise my child according to Biblical principles and I strongly feel that an occasional spanking is necessary. When my husband or I spank our child it is followed by prayer and love and ALWAYS a hug and kiss. And just for the record, I set a good example for my daughter so I don't need you to tell me that I'm not being a good mom by smacking my child's hand. I guess you think you're a better mother than me, but I happen to know that I'm a darn good mother.
Who are people? They think they can just barge into your personal thoughts and tell you how to raise your kids? Get a life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)