June 2008

June 10

On my own again...

My folks left this morning after a breakfast at IHOP.  Elijah keeps saying he wants to go to the mountains with Oma and Opa... I'd love to send him, but I think that after a night or so, he'd want his mommy and dado.  Maybe next year...

This week was good.  But the weather was so freakin' hot it made it hard to do too much.  We played outside as long as we could tolerate it in the morning, but the afternoon was spent inside.    We got to the beach twice, once in the morning, and once in the evening.  The evening was really nice.  It was low tide and cool and the water felt great!  We met up with Rachel, Erin, and the kiddos on Sunday morning at a park, but even that was rather hot.  My folks played a lot of choo choos and fire truck with Elijah.  My mom and I took Elijah and Grace on a short boat ride while dad made some super yummy cookies to leave with us.

Jerry and I worked on getting the office organized this weekend.  We made good progress, but there is still lots to do.  We are still considering starting a web site this fall, so I needed to get stuff organized in there to see what I had and what I needed to make.   So that was good.

I do have to say that Elijah's schedule is all out of whack, but I think that it will get back on track today.  He didn't nap yesterday at all, sigh.  I woke him up this morning so maybe he'll go down easily for his nap this afternoon.

I guess that's it really.  I'll post the pics of the week, then it's off to play with the kiddos!

June 15

Happy Father's Day!

I hope that all the dads out there are having a good day.  Elijah, Grace, and I gave Jerry some seasons of Family Guy, some chocolate candy sticks, and a gift card to go to the movies.  He is at the movies now.  I don't know what he saw.  He narrowed it down to The Hulk, The Happening, and Indiana Jones.  All movies that are on my Netflix list already!  I guess that's a downfall to breastfeeding...but it's one I'm willing to deal with.  I think by October we'll be able to go see a movie or two while we are in the mountains for Homecoming.  We were going to go for a picnic on the beach this evening, but the weather keeps threatening storms, so another day.  We'll have a picnic on the floor here...or at the table.

So, we are still up in the air about launching a web site to sell my stuff.  I have had a few new ideas.  I think I may have mentioned the snuggle buddies.  I haven't tested them at You Are My Sunshine, but I will soon.  I have an idea for a card table playhouse (goes over a card table, then can be folded up...so no space.)  I saw something like this at my friend, Stephanie's' house.  I have been thinking about it since I saw it (almost 1.5 years ago...) and more so lately.  It was super cute.  I also got an idea for a dress up doll.  Rachel's mom got one for MR at a store in the mountains, and I think I can expand on the idea and make it my own.  It's pretty much a very simple doll with a piece of velcro on the front and then clothes cut out of scrap fabric, backed with interfacing, and then the opposite side of velcro...very cute.  I thought I would expand with boys and and different races...we'll see.  Of course, I will have my hats (summer and winter)... I'm on the fence about tie dying, as I have a friend that has her own website that sells kid's tie dye and I don't want to compete...  so we'll see.  It doesn't seem to be enough to have a website.  I guess we'll have the flannel boards as well.  I may make pillowcase dresses too...  But all this is a lot to do in by November...we'll see.

Jerry just got back... he went to The Happening.   He said it was really good.  He said he can't tell me what happened without destroying the movie for me... sigh... oh well... we'll live.

I'm going to get ready to go pick up our food for our picnic.  Happy Father's Day!!!!

PS After the storms have all passed, I'll be reconnected to the main server in the house and I'll upload pics then... but I do have new ones of the little kids!

June 16

On My Way To Target Today

1. I saw a woman mowing her yard in a sports bra and sweat pants.  if you are hot enough to take off your shirt... (side note...when I was in 4th grade I wrote a note to my teacher telling her I thought she was sweet, but I spelled sweet sweat (because that seriously makes much more since...sw-eat...come on...) and she read it to the whole class... I was SOOOO embarrassed and never wrote her another note!)
2. I almost got hit by a Fed-Ex truck that couldn't make a right turn to save it's life.
3. I listened to Kathy Lee Guilford and Hoodia whatever her last name is make women everywhere sounds stupid.  Honestly, how can any person turn the tragically early death of Tim Russett into a self centered rant about who she knows and where she's been... what a jerk.  I really hate the new third hour of the TODAY show.
4. Almost ran off the road laughing at some kid whose pants were almost down to his knees and he was wearing bright red boxers... ON PURPOSE.... seriously, the STUPIDEST fashion mistake EVER!
5. Decided to start the potty training train back up.  Causing me to by buy Thomas and Diego big boy undies... can't stand either of those characters, but Elijah picked them out and was happy about it.
6. Remembered to remind myself to get baby oil.  How we could have two kids in our house and no baby oil is beyond me...but we need it for Grace's cradle cap.
7. Talked to Elijah about the airport for the 12734089758917 time...but he still cracks me up!
8. Was amazed how Grace can simply fall asleep within seconds of the car starting.
9. Watched yet another person attempt to text and drive... how scary is that?
10. Was thankful the heat wave has quasi-passed!

June 17

Some days make it all worth it!

Last night before bed, Elijah broke into a death metal version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.   Jerry and I were laughing at it and wanted to catch it on video.  I love that he stopped to wipe up spit up off of Gracie and that once her realized the camera was on him, he started hammin' it up with his closed eye smile!  So without further ado....

June 19

seriously?!?!

After Elijah only taking a thirty minute nap (SIGH) and being a total grump (he lost all the toys on his floor he refused to clean up and his Curious George video) I decided we needed to get out for a walk.  So I pulled out the sit-and-stand and loaded Gracie into the car seat and into the stroller.  I hooked Elijah in and we took off.  I must say that this stroller is the best work out.  With both of them and the stroller, I am pushing well over 50 pounds... ANYWAY, we are walking and I'm talking to Elijah about this and that (he apparently is going to take a choo choo helicopter to see Oma and Opa...go figure...after today's afternoon, I'm ready to send him!) and we go by this woman's house who is planning a block party for the 4th of July.  She has a super cute little girl and I always try to speak with her when I pass her.  So here I am pushing the kids, sweating, and trying to get home to let Elijah ride his trike before having to fix dinner... and this woman stops me by saying, "Oh my, are you pregnant again?"  SERIOUSLY?!?!?  I just saw her like two weeks ago when I was walking with Grace in the sling...SERIOUSLY?!?!?!  sigh... "No, I just had her 7 weeks ago..."  "OH, well congrats!  She's beautiful."

What is wrong with people.  I know that I have more weigh to loose, but seriously, I don't look that pregnant.  In fact, if I ran into someone looking like me, I would have trouble telling if they were overweight or preggers... I WOULD NEVER ASSUME.  sigh...  so that was a great blow to the ego... I think she felt bad, but still.  If someone is pushing a stroller with a baby seat and a toddler...seriously?!?!?

Okay...that's all...

June 20

Again...seriously?!?!?! kiddo...

So after a very productive morning of playing outside on the trike and in the "agua" (Elijah only says water in Spanish...funny kid) we come inside out of the heat.  Diapers need to be changed, snack needs to be fixed...so I put down the cherrios and raisins and go change Gracie's diaper.  I come back out to find the following:

• Elijah standing at his table

• With a bottle of juice

• With the top off

• Trying to pour the juice into his sippy

• With the sippy lid on

• I asked, "Did you get that out of the fridge?"

• he says, "Yes."

• I sigh...seriously?!?!

• I make a move to take juice away

• He immediately starts trying to drink out of the bottle

• SERIOUSLY!!!!?????!!!!

• SIGH...all this with a crying, hungry, infant child in arms

• I take the juice
• He screams like I have taken his kidney

• I put up the gate to prevent further access to kitchen

• He melts into a heap of toddler screaming, "JJJJJUUUUUUIIIIIICCCCCEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  'IJAH JUUUUUUUIIIIIICCCCCEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!"

• I remain calm (somehow) and say, "I'm going to feed your sister, if you can calm down then you may have some juice.  If you are going to scream, you may go to your room."

• amazingly (and this is the FIRST time this has happened) he calms down and eats his cherrios and raisins.

• After I finish feeding Grace, he asks (again amazing...) "'ijah juice please."

SERIOUSLY....this toddlerhood thing is a mystery to me.

June 23

If you are going to be an total racist...

Maybe you should learn to spell!  This qualifies as a HUGE WTF!!!!!  I gotta say that maybe I'm glad that this person isn't voting for Obama...but maybe should have paid more attention in school...or heck, even to FOX News... for the most part at least they can spell....

Jerry took this on his way to lunch in a parking lot for a local BBQ diner.  Whatever!  I'm all about free speech and whatnot, but seriously?!?!?  Gotta love the south... Apparently they are all about the previously coked up Yale wanna be running our country oh so well now... sigh...

June 27

There's stuff to say...

It's just that our power cable is doing funky things and the battery life of the laptop isn't great.  I have new pics, but I don't think I have enough battery to upload them currently.  I will work on that this weekend.

The kiddos are good.  Cute as ever.  Elijah is totally acting his two year old self and I'm trying really really hard to have patience with him.  Grace is doing great.  She loves to talk to her bears on the mobile in her bassinet and smiling at her mama and dado.  She's getting tall!

This week has been really hot, but we are surviving.  We get outside in the morning and play inside in the afternoon.

Apparently, I smoked some crack and am hosting our playgroup here on Thursday and we are tie dying with red and blue dye!  I think it will be fun, we just have a TON of stuff to get done.

okay, my low battery light is flashing.  I'll try to write more later.

June 28

Saturday's Jam Day!

What a productive day.  It's amazing what the prospect of hot dog day can do to motivate me.  We got up this morning and headed outside to mow and weedwhack the yard.  Elijah played in his pool and Grace slept while we got the grass under control.  I gotta say that the downfall of the reel mower is that if the grass gets too high it won't cut it...hence the weedwhacker.  Nevertheless, we got a large part done this morning.  We then went to KMart to get some canning supplies and other ends and outs...then to JETER'S HOT DOGS for lunch...yum-o!!!  After running into the grocery store to get the pectin and a quick trip to Home Depot we came home, put the kiddos down for a nap and I proceeded to peel and pit the plums.  Claire mentioned freezer jam a while back and I looked up a recipe on line for plum freezer jam.  I don't mind making the jelly and jam, it's the canning that annoys me, so this sounded great.... in theory.  I ended up with 9 cups of plums + 18 cups of sugar + 2 1/2 cups of water and pectin = 22 jars of freezer jam.... GREAT... in theory... It's the freezer space that didn't occur to me...hmmmm... I'll be giving A LOT of this stuff away in the next couple of weeks, but until then I have to keep it frozen... oh well, it can sit out for 24 hours, so I'll do some massive rearranging tomorrow.  Maybe if I'm really on top of things I'll make some bread for our party on Thursday.

This next week will be crazy.  I need to get a few more supplies for the party.  We are going to finally get the landscaping tarp down under the swing set...not the mulch yet, but it's a step in the right direction.  I gotta get new sand for the sand box arrange the yard for Thursday.  That's about it.  I'm excited about the party.  I just hope it's not 5000 degrees out.  We'll have the pool and sprinklers going as well as frozen fruit bars, but still... Ahhh, it'll be fine.

I will say that I feel good about getting stuff done today.  The yard was my biggest hurdle and there still is lots to go, but the fenced in back yard is done!

I really should make a list of things I want to blog about, I know there was more...alas, alack... Once I figure out why the computer is ignoring my camera's card, I'll upload the 120892345 pics I have...plus a cute video of Grace talking to the bears on her mobile!

Here are the finished products!!!

March 2006

March 08

minus 27 plus 7

so i had my post baby check up yesterday.  everything is great!  i've lost 27 pounds...though i think most of that was baby and goop, but still it's very refreshing to know that i may one day be back to my old weight.  i had them re-weigh me while i was holding elijah and he weighs 15 pounds...7 up from his birth weight.  he's already wearing 6 month old clothes...eeekkk!  we packed up all the clothes he's grown out of last week... there were things in that box he never wore.
my parents and aunt mavis are here-ish this week.  they are in a condo out at the beach.   but they've been very helpful coming over and doing little things around the house and watching the baby while i clean and stuff.  it's been really nice.
with elijah weighing 15 pounds he's going to have to move into his crib from his bassinet.  i'm not sure i'm ready yet...but i guess i have to be.  we're trying to get him used to it with naps and stuff...but the hands that want to hold him are greater his week.  but he'll be fine i am sure.
today we are maybe going to airlie gardens and then tomorrow to a park.  the weather is supposed to be grand for the foreseeable future.  i hope that this means spring is here.  i am trying to not get to happy yet as it could take a dip back into winter at any moment.
this weekend we are going to visit jerry's parents and on sunday erin and rachel are coming over to help get the garden started!  i'm really excited about this!  i hope that our crop is good. i love fresh veggies in the summer and to be able to pick them from our garden will be great!  we've been thinking about purchasing a deep freezer to freeze the extra veggies and stuff for later.
i guess that' about it.  elijah has a doctor's appointment next week for his first immunizations and check up so that should be exciting.  okay, i have a wiggly baby in my arms so later...
March 10

and the help leaves...boooo

this week had been really nice.  i've had built in babysitters.  now they are going to be gone.  my dining room table will become the place for clean laundry to live again....sigh....
i've eaten lots this week too.  my parents and aunt really took care of me...not to mention the baby.   they bought me a clothesline for my birthday (which is still a month and some days away...)  and this is very exciting!   of course the weather may not cooperate for a week or so for me to try it out, but i look forward to it.  it will force me outside!  one would think this should not be a problem, but when you have a little one that has to go with you...it is sometimes easier to stay right where you are.
anyway, it was nice. tomorrow we go to visit jerry's parents. hopefully his sister will be there with her girls.  it would be awesome for all the kids to be together.
that's all for now....
March 15

wednesday already?

this week has seemed to go by rather fast.  this weekend we went to see jerry's folks.  that was very nice.  then rachel and erin came over to help with the garden (and by help i mean that jerry and erin worked while rachel and i watched and played with the baby....) this went okay.  we are going to have to rent a hard core tiller to get the garden patch started.  but it was fun hanging out with erin and rachel and duke won their game sooooo it was all good!  we can't wait for rachel to have her baby.  it'll be awesome for our kids to grow up together and stuff.
so this week i have been trying to break little elijah of the habit of sleeping in my arms during naps.  it's rather hard for me to get stuff done.  today he slept well on the couch, but he's going to start rolling over soon so the couch will be out.  however, i did get a chance to try out our new clothes line while he was napping.  the weather this weekend was soooo nice and now it's chilly comparatively.  i'm so ready for spring!
friday we go for elijah's two month check up and his first shots....jerry's going to have to go in with him for that.  i know that if my baby cries i will cry.
tomorrow i am eating lunch with a bunch of women and their babies.  rachel will soon be joining in on this so it'll be even more fun.  it's a once a week thing.  i guess eventually it'll be a built in play group.  though i think that elijah may be the only boy.  we'll have to have another play group with jerry's co-worker and our next door neighbor both bonnie's by the way, and both having boys.
that's it for now....american idol results show is on and the boy is stirring....
March 17

2 month check up

So our baby is a healthy one.  He is in the 97% for weight and average for height and head size!  I cant believe that there are babies out there bigger than ours. I'm attaching two pics to this blog entry.  When we first tried the diaper wraps they were so big...now they fit perfectly.  It's just a sign as to how big is has grown in such a short time! He also got his first shots today.  He did not like this at all, but he only screamed and cried until it was over and then we gave  him lots of love and I fed him.  He's sleeping very soundly right now.  We hesitated in giving him his shots this early, but I think tht we made a good choice.  I just can't see risking it.
ANYWAY, I went to a luncheon with a bunch of other mother's yesterday.  There were six of us and Elijah was the only boy!  I can't believe it!  He was really good.  I knew three of the women there form our birth class.  Rachel said she plans on joining us once her baby is born.  It was very nice to be out and not have to worry about what people would think if I started nursing in the middle of a conversation.  Carmen is looking to start a nursing wear line. Her mother is designing things.  She was getting input from us.  I must say that this is a grand idea.  I get so frustrated looking for good nursing clothes.  none of the openings seem to be in the right place and it is very hard to find something that still covers your tummy.  On the web sites I've looked at the women are all super thin.  This is not reality.  After you've just had a baby you are not super thin!  So anyway, it sounds great!  We talked about our babies and things we're going through and stuff.  It was really nice.  Margaret hosted it this week.  She has a very beautiful home. I am so glad they included me.  We are each different and yet the fact that have brand new babies brings us together.  I can't wait for Rachel to join us!
We have decided to make the trek to Black Mountain for Easter.  It should be very interesting.  I am sure that Elijah will be fine, but I am sure we will have to stop much more frequently.  It will be good to see the extended family and for them to meet Elijah.
I'm starting a two month old photo thing.  I hope that no one is overly bored with al the pics.  But again it is for the family...
OH YEAH!  Happy St. Patty's Day!
Things I have learned since child birth:

• a diaper bag and my purse are now one in the same.
• no matter what the commercials say ABSOLUTELY NO DIAPER is leak proof.
• you can fall in love every day with a baby.
• you can fall deeper into love with your spouse.
• i am no longer grossed out if i get baby poop on me.
• cloth diapers make awesome breast pads during the night when your baby starts sleeping six hours straight and then wakes up and wants to eat every two hours during the day.
• big boobs are painful!
• big boobs full of milk are even more painful!
• babies change your life forever and i would never change a minute of it...though ask me if this still true when he turns 16!

March 18

MOTS

We went to the mother of twins sale this morning.  i got a chair, lots of toys, and some cute summer outfits...of course all for the boy.  Rachel bought some cute things for her neice, Alexis.
Jerry worked on the garden today.  We rented a hard core tiller.  We had to rent it for an extra day because the ground is so tough.  But it's all good.  Once it's tilled up it'll be all ready to plant and stuff.  I planted strawberries ina planter today.  We didn't want them in the garden since they spread all over the place.
DUKE WON!  WHAOO!  though this wasn't that surprising.  I was a little bummed for UNCW being beat by Geroge Washington, but I'm over it.  I'm proud of Wichata State for beating UT (sorry dad...)
Anyway, that's about it.  I put up some new picks of the boy in his new chair and stuff.  He's so cute!
March 21

rain shmrain

Today was rather rainy and cold.  We stayed in.  Yesterday we went to Rachels and watched Chocolat.  Very good movie...one must eat chocolate while watching it.  Jerry worked in the garden on Saturday and then worked for work all day Sunday.  He's taking Friday off though so that will be nice!
In reference to Claire's comment about the nursing clothes.  I think nursing camisoles are great.  However, I do need a lot of support in my areas.  Also I am very hot blooded since giving birth.  Currently I am in sweat pants and a nursing tank top.  This would be all well and good, but the tank top straps are not as supportive as I would like and the front is not long enough to cover my belly.  Also the openings for nursing are in completely the wrong places.  sigh... But thanks for the comment Claire.  For those who don't need the support the camisoles are fab-o!
We still haven't done our taxes.  It is looming over me now.  Elijah is such a cuddly baby that I am lucky to get a load of laundry done during the day.  His new chair is coming in handy, but he will only tolerate it long enough for me to eat or go to the bathroom.
Speaking of house work, I need to go do some while Jerry's having daddy time with the little one...
March 26

wow

i didn't realize how long it has been since i last wrote.  let's see....   elijah and i went to our little mom and me lunch on thursday.  it was really nice.  dana hosted and made soooo much yummy food.  jerry took friday off since he worked his butt off last sunday.  it was so nice to have him home for three days straight!  so friday it was raining and chilly.  we had some gift certificates so we went to kmart and then over to rachel and erin's.  they wanted to borrow our sander and we wanted to borrow their tiller, so we traded and hung out for a bit.  then we chilled and went grocery shopping.
saturday we cleaned the house...new feat with both of us trying to do things and watch a baby at the same time.  we cleaned because we had a cook out last night with rachel, erin, cora, bill, and alexis.  is was really nice.  elijah woke up long enough to watch alexis play with his toys.  he was so attentive.  you could almost hear the cogs in his little brain learning what to do with the toys.  it's amazing how fast he is starting to do things.  he is holding his head up so well now and can hit things he's aiming for if he really concentrates.  he "talks" a lot more and is so smiley!  anyway, we had a very nice dinner and hanging out.  everyone was annoyed that duke lost on thursday so we had the basketball game on as sort of a background thing.  obviously rachel is still pregnant... but we all think any minute we'll get the call that she's had the baby.
today we went to toys r us to return some items that we got but were way to small and walked around there for a while.  when we got home jerry re-tilled the garden (we should  be ready to plant next weekend!) and worked on a side garden for some flowers to go in.  elijah and i chilled a bit.  when jerry was done he took over and i went and rode 5 1/2 miles on our stationary bike and didn't some toning/abs workout on the fitness ball.  my goal is to look decent in a bathing suit by july.  i think this is feasible.  we are trying to not eat out or order in for a while.  we did really well this weekend.  there was lots of temptation to just stop and pick up something while we were out, but we came home every time!
so that's about it i guess.  jerry goes back to work tomorrow...sigh....
OH...we are trying to get elijah to take a bottle so we won't have to stop all the time on the trip home.  however, his is not working so well.  jerry is giving it to him.  he'll drink for a few minutes and then refuse to eat.  i pumped 4 ounces of milk and he drank only 1 1/2 ounces.  we tried a sippy cup and a different nipple on the bottle...nothing!  sigh.  we will try again in a few days.  as for now, he knows where the milk is and will eat like there is no tomorrow from me....  we'll figure out something i guess....
okay, speaking of....the little man is getting fussy...
March 29

lunch

This week we had our lunch on Wednesday instead of Thursday.  I thought I wasn't going to get to go because our washing machine broke this weekend and they told me that the repair guy wouldn't be here until wednesday between 8 and 5...but then the guy showed up on Monday!  Turns out there was something stuck in the drain.  It was a breast pad...how embarrassing!  However, it was so swelled up (it must have been in there for some time...) that Jerry didn't even know what it was.  EWWWWW!!!!  So now we will put all small things into laundry bags.
Tomorrow i am taking Rachel to meet a former co-worker of ours for lunch.  She still hasn't had her baby.  But I talked to Erin today and he said that things were moving along and he had her out running laps...so maybe I won't pick her up and she'll have had her baby....I'm so excited for her and I can't wait for Maya Rose to join us!
Our little group went on a walk today.  It was sooooo nice out!    I think spring is finally here.  It's supposed to be 81 degrees by Monday!!!!!!  WAHOO!!!  Anyway, all the trees are blooming and the azeleas are blooming and it's just so nice!
I am making cookies because here is no chocolate in the house and that SUCKS!  the buzzer is about to go off....so i'm off..