33 Weeks

Here I am at 33 weeks when pregnant with Lacey



Here I am today at 33 weeks with #2


I thought this was fun. I was going through some pictures and this was taken on 12/31/07...one year ago.


And here she is today on 12/31/08.
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2008

A year in review...

January- Please, please don't make me go back to work. I don't like that job anyway and I don't want to leave my little baby. I wish I lived in Canada and got a YEAR paid maternity leave.

February- I hate winter...I hate cold....can we move? Let's put our house up for rent and wait.

March- We have a renter! What?! Umm, okay, start applying for jobs...where? How about Seattle?

April- Mike actually got a job in Seattle? Whoa. That was quick. Pack up and head out.

May- Hello Seattle! Look all the flowers are in bloom and the grass is so green already!

June- Training is over, Mike starts at his new store. Doesn't get along with his boss. Great. Did we do the right thing? OMG, I am pregnant...

July- umm, where is the AC? I can't find the switch on the wall...are you serious, no AC? I am soooooo sick and my husband is working 60 hours a week. WHY did I think this was a good idea?

August- see above. Happy 2 year anniversary!

September- Finally it's fall. I am not so sick, and we can start to relax. Pumpkin Spice Latte anyone?

October- My baby girl is ONE! I can't believe it. I on the other hand am bored out of my mind. What I would give to get a job. Why did I want to SAH again?

November- ummm, why are we broke? what happened. Oh, right, its darn expensive out here. This sucks. I should get a part-time job, but no one wants to hire someone who is 6 months pregnant.

December- They are cutting your position....WHAT?!? But we have bills to pay! I am having a baby in 2 months. This can't be happening.

And into 2009. This should be interesting.

Present

A Christmas Present to My Mama....From Lacey:


She kicked the sack!!! No more pekemoe sack, she suddenly hates it.

Hallelujah!!!

Thank you!

Liquid Gold

What is it? Probably not what your thinking....

Unleaded Gasoline.

Here is how things typically go for us in Seattle. I hope I can paint a good picture for you!

We hop in the car at 3:00. We need to pick up milk for Lacey, drop of a DVD we rented, return some library books, and grab some gas (7.8 miles until empty). Since everything is within 5 blocks of everything else, we anticipated this to be about a 30 minute trip.

First stop, gas. Drive to the nearest gas station...OUT OF GAS. I have NEVER been to a gas station that was out of gas. Drive to the next nearest gas station...OUT OF GAS (5.3 miles until empty). Drive to the grocery store and return the DVD and go in to grab some milk. OUT OF ORGANIC MILK. What the heck? (they were out of eggs and cheese too...and slim pickings on the meat...weird). I dropped my basket and left. Get in the car. Drive to a third gas station (3.4 miles until empty). Finally get there...OUT OF GAS. No way! (1.4 miles until empty). Drive to the next suburb...Kirkland...stop at our 4th gas station...OUT OF GAS. Now we are starting to wonder if we will even be able to get gas (.4 miles until empty). Finally, at our 5th station we find 'liquid gold' and fill up. Then since we are all the way in kirkland and we still haven't returned the library books or gotten lacey milk we would just do that in kirkland. We have already been in the car for an hour. Go to the Kirkland Library (Redmond Library is closed for remodeling) so we figure we may as well go in and get lacey some new books. Nope. Closed due to weather (at this point we haven't seen snow come down for 2 days). Fine, whatever. Go to the grocery store nearby. Take Lacey out of the carseat. She leaked through her diaper. Go inside. Mike tries to find a bathroom to change her. NO BATHROOM! Doesn't matter...they are also OUT OF MILK (eggs, cheese, meat, you name it). Mike changes lacey in the car. Go to our THIRD grocery store. They actually have milk. Get back in the car. Get home. It is now 5:15 and we have been in the car for over 2 hours and have driven a total of about 8 miles.

Shoot me now.

Cheap & Easy...

1) Two things I wish my life was right now, but its the opposite.

2) Two things I will teach Lacey to never be.

3) Ramen: I had that for lunch yesterday. Need I say more?

4) 2 in 1 Shampoo. (My hair does not thank me while I am pregnant, but I will rescue it soon).

5) The Library.

Any more?

fatigue

i've hit the wall.

i do not remember it being like this before, but with 8 (seemingly long) weeks left until I can push this baby out I've had it. Done. Finished. If they offered me an induction tomorrow I may just consider it. By evening, I can barely walk from the couch to my bed. I finally make it into my bed only to have to get up to use the bathroom 8 times and take a few doses of tums. Last night my heartburn was so bad i felt like it was choking me.

I don't mean to complain, I really don't. Other than the heartburn and the feeling that I have been hit square on by a semi, I am feeling rather well. Still nauseous at night, (but obviously that isn't going away until this kid pops out), but no aches, back is okay, hips are fine, etc. I have less to complain about than most. But then that feeling hits. Its not the 'I'm so tired I need a nap and could sleep anywhere right now' feeling. It's the 'I don't know if I can physically bend down and pick up Lacey one more time, or the 'I don't think I could run away if my life depended on it' feeling.

I think I need a massage/starbucks/haircut/childless day. That would really make me feel better!

Deep Freeze

Many things bother me about where I live. I guess I just haven't gotten used to the way they do things around here.

However, lets all get one thing straight. When the windchill is -30, that is a "deep freeze." When you have to plug in your car (and if you know what plugging in your car means then you are one step ahead of most), that can be considered a "deep freeze." However, a high of 35 degrees can not and should not be considered a "deep freeze" because let's face it, it isn't even below freezing.

And yet out here in the 'ol state of Washington we are in the middle of a deep freeze. That is what the forecasters have decided to call it. Yes, you guessed it, the high today is 35. Ha. If it were 35 in Minneapolis right now, you would have loads of people running in shorts around Lake Calhoun because it is so warm out. I haven't seen a flake of snow in good 'ol Redmond, and yet all the schools in this entire county are closed today (???). I must say that since everyone is warned to stay put, the lack of traffic noise this morning did allow Lacey (and me) to get an extra 45 minutes of sleep.

To be perfectly honest, mike and i feel a little tougher than most. Do I dare say 'superior' in terms of the amount of cold we can handle?? Don't worry, I don't walk around telling people how "this is nothing compared to where I am from." I was put in my place when my neighbor told me that she went to buy chains for her car yesterday. My first thought (thankfully I kept it to myself) was "oh, to pull people out of the ditch who get stuck in the snow?" NO, silly me. Chains to wrap around your tires when you drive through the mountains. What?!? I thought only semi's had those and they were the only ones who pulled into those 'chain up' areas. Apparently not. I guess on some roads if you don't have chains you could get fined.

Hmmm, maybe if you don't know what plugging in your car is, you aren't so behind after all...

It's a Mom "thing"

I think every mom has a thing that she is determined to do with her child. Of course, before becoming a mom I insisted that I would never be the mom who opens food in the grocery store to keep their kid quiet, but alas, I am that mom.

Anyway, I have realized I do have a "thing" and here it is: I will not put a diaper on Lacey unless it is cloth or chlorine free (i.e. Seventh Generation, Generation Baby, or 365 Diapers from Whole Foods). She has not had a Pampers on her since the hospital, and has never seen the likes of a Luvs or Huggies.

Weird Huh?

I don't know why I am so anal about this, I can only assume that when I read about what goes into making diapers it scared me enough to never want to use them.

So, if you are a mom, what is your thing? Is there something that isn't a 'hot topic' (i.e. vaxes, breastfeeding, co-sleeping etc). that you are really passionate about? Some quirky thing you have going for you?

Do share! Do share!

Randoms.

1) I floss every.single.day. without fail. It's kind of become a game for me, and I would be extremely upset if I missed a day. I also rinse with ACT anti-cavity mouth wash per the dentist's recommendation. Pregnancy does a number on your teeth, I had to have 2 root canals and all my fillings replaced (read: all TEN of them) after Lacey was born. That is not happening again.

2) Math is BY FAR my favorite subject. I used to think that everyone loved math, until I grew up and realized most people hate it. I consider myself lucky. On the other hand I am a terrible speller.

3) It has been a lifetime goal (okay, maybe not lifetime, but you get the point), to run a sub 1:38 half marathon. Why sub 1:38? I have no clue. Having 2 kids in 2 years hasn't helped, but you can bet your bottom dollar that once this baby is out, I will be training hard, just as soon as I can. I am thinking that pushing a double jogging stroller may be the ticket. Ironically, I have never had any desire to run a marathon, but Mike would love it if I did.

4) There are 2 stores that I will never stop spending money at, no matter how broke I am. They are Starbucks and Target. Not only are both places completely relaxing, but they are both complete money suckers. I just love them both. On the other hand, I will gratefully never step foot in a Wal-Mart again if I don't have to.

5) I have a fear of flying. Yep, most people look at me like I'm crazy, but I always think that since someone's plane has to go down, nothing could stop it from being mine right? Especially if there hasn't been a crash in a while. I get nervous when friends and family fly as well.

6) I am anal about having a clean car. Thankfully, so is my husband. So far Lacey seems to have the same "clean" attitude seeing she will shriek "oh no, oh no" when a drop of something (water/milk/cereal) lands on the floor. It's quite traumatic for her, yes she is a drama queen.

Our Economy

Yes, the poor economy has affected us, but until now we've chalked it up to 1 less income + living in a more expensive state + paying WAY TOO MUCH in rent.

Then yesterday mike came home with words no penniless wife wants to hear: "you may have gotten your wish"

That would be my wish to leave Washington and move back to my friends.

To Be Continued...




I was not kidding when I said "when it rains it pours"

June 2009

That is supposedly when Mike will take over a Jamba Juice.

Which one? Who knows.

Will it be in Washington? Maybe. Maybe Not.

Can you tell I just love living blindly?

when it rains it pours

you know that old saying 'when it rains it pours?' well that pretty much sums up the last 4 weeks of my life. don't worry, i am not going to go into all the details and complain about the last 4 weeks, who wants that? I just hope it ends soon.

anyway, we've had a whirlwind of a week since i've posted last. One Wednesday the 26th, we made the 12 hour trek to Chico, CA to visit mike's brother, his wife, and their 2 little boys. A 12 hour car ride + a young toddler = pure disaster. Well, it really wasn't that bad, but I can't go so far as to say it was fun either. Nope, no fun at all.

We had a good couple of days in California, the weather was perfect. Lacey did medium, nothing like sleeping in a pack-n-play for a couple of nights in a row. Plus she is used to our nice calm quiet house. That is not the case with a 3 year old and a sick 16 month old...

Mike was running the seattle marathon on sunday so we had to somehow make it back earlier in the day on saturday in order for him to go to the race expo and pick up his registration packet. Plus we wanted to have time to eat a good dinner and wanted to make sure lacey would go to sleep that night. So rather than driving all day Saturday, we decided to leave Friday night and drive through the night. I'm not sure what possessed me to do this.

We left Chico, Friday night around 7:30. The first 3 hours went great. Mike and I were just chatting away, Lacey was snoozing in the backseat, and we pretty much gave ourselves the 'parents of the year' award for our perfect plan. But all good things must come to an end...lacey woke up around 10:30 crying of course. She stopped crying but then started staring off into space (poor thing). Mike and I were running out of subjects to talk about, we were in thick fog in the mountains (I was having flashbacks to our accident on the way out here), and we still had 3 hours to go until we stopped for gas.

We finally made it to Eugene, OR around 2:15 am, which was our halfway point. At that point we both felt like death. We filled up with gas (or should I say they filled us up, since it is illegal to pump your own gas in OR...did you know that?). Went to the bathroom, changed diapers since lacey was wide awake and had been since 10:30, mike bought 5 hour energy and we headed back out. Mike was doing well, I was fading fast, but since mike falls asleep at the wheel I had no choice but to stay awake. It was a terribly long night. We pulled into our parking garage at 6:58 am, right as Lacey woke up (perfect huh?), got in, took showers, ate breakfast, put Lacey down for a nap and crashed for a couple of hours. Then went to pick up the registration stuff, ate dinner and were all 3 in bed, sound asleep by 7:00 pm.

Marathon day, started off well. We got downtown, got good parking for free and walked to the starting line. Race started with no issues. I went to find a starbucks and walked and walked and walked for what seemed like miles before I found one (ummm, this is seattle it shouldn't be that hard). I was so tired, and I swear had I been 38 weeks rather than 28 weeks I would have gone into labor (I'll remember that...). Then I met up with my friend Tanya who lives across the puget sound, we hung out and tried to entertain lacey as best we could. I expected mike to come in around the 2 hour 50 minute mark, give or take 5 minutes. When he wasn't there by the 3 hour mark, I got a bit worried. He came limping in at 3 hours and 3 minutes (so not terrible), with one blood soaked shoe and one busted up shin (I forgot to mention he got hit in the shin with a baseball while in Cali, but we didn't think it was a big deal). We came home and he was stiff, of course, but we didn't think too much of anything. Unfortunately, Lacey was running a fever at this point as well.

Monday morning mike calls me from work telling me that his entire shin in swollen and bright red and he can't walk on it. So he took some sick time and came home. It looked terrible. Lacey was also running a fever and refusing to eat anything so I had my hands full. After some rest, ice, and pain meds mike was feeling better. I didn't know what was up with lacey and was out of motrin. Mike decided to take Tuesday off as well, which was nice because lacey was still sick and hadn't eaten more than a few bites a day for 3 days. I finally got my butt to the store and bought her some motrin and then she started to act more herself.

Mike is back at work, although still sore. Lacey is still bouncing back and forth between feeling good and feeling sick. And I am just here, hanging out, hoping I don't catch anything and actually wishing it was a bit colder so that it would feel more like December.

28 Week Appointment

Weight: 112.8....I've gained 13 pounds.

Baby's Heartbeat: 157 bpm

I am measuring 'normal' which is +/- 2 weeks from where I am at. I am assuming its a little less, because I am carrying so small. My OB said she is pretty confident I will NOT be having a big baby (I could have told you that!). Right now, my guess is 6lbs 10 oz, if I go full term. Less if I don't of course.

We registered at the hospital...Less than 3 months to go! Hooray!

#7

yep, her SEVENTH tooth came through. I need to get a new toothbrush (one that doesn't go over my finger) because OUCH.

Back to writing college essays. yuck!

27 weeks.

Yesterday I said 'hello' to the 3rd trimester!

#5 and #6

Surprise! Top 2 Molars came through! Didn't even know they were on there way. I thought for sure the teeth to the right and left of the front teeth would make there entrance next (since I can see them and all...).

Teeth in the last 4 weeks: 5

Times I haven't slept through the night in the past month due to teeth: 0

Hallelujah!


(knock on wood)

what i've been up to....

It's been quite a while since I've blogged about anything. Partly because I don't have time, since Lacey hates it when I am on the computer (and her little nap strike isn't helping), partly because I don't know what to write. Anyhow, here is what i have been up to lately...

I got a Blackberry....because you KNOW that i have such a busy life and am bombarded with loads of emails.

Filling out college applications, writing essays, requesting transcripts.

Trying to figure out how to stay sane while planning to start school again 5 short weeks after the baby's due date (hey, its now or never right).

Cleaning up after Lacey. Constantly.

Enjoying the SUN and 60 degree weather.

Balancing my checkbook (okay that is only a phrase because I do online banking) and seeing how broke we are and mourning the loss of Starbucks for now.

Packing for our trip to Norther California for Thanksgiving.

Reading "The Shack" for the second time...this time with Mike.

Waxed my eyebrows.

Cursed Jamba Juice for not paying my husband enough considering he is constantly and forever at work.

Cursed the construction since they are waking lacey up from her nap a short 45 minutes after she falls asleep...3 days in a row...

My big girl

We packed up and put away the crib. For a couple of months anyway.

I can't believe how easy this transition was for us. The best advice I got from other people was "do it early" so we did and it worked like a charm. For the past two nights she has slept in her new big girl bed with no problems. She waits for me to come in and get her in the morning and hasn't tried to climb out (yet)!

So my advice, if there is a reason you need your first out of the crib (assuming you don't want to have 2 cribs). Make the switch early!

Here is her bed. From Pottery Barn, but we got it off craigslist : )

Severe Weather Headed Our Way...

Can I add this to the list of "yet another reason why people in this city are crazy and misguided?"

So I am watching the news last night, the "breaking story" is about how all this severe weather is headed our way. It caught my attention because since living here, i haven't seen so much as a thunder storm. What could this severe weather be???

HEAVY RAIN

yep, let's get all worked up about some actual rain fall. Gasp. It is going to be doing something besides misting!! Oh no!

The really sad thing is, no one here knows how to drive in rain. No, I am not joking, if you see the accidents on this morning's commute you would believe me. You may think, how does someone living in Seattle NOT know how to drive in rain? It rains all the time in Seattle! First, no it does not. They are all in denial. Second, it usually 'mists' here so they never really have to deal with the rain.

When are people in Seattle going to get a clue about their weather? Trust me, heavy rain is not severe weather, a blizzard when you can't see the end of the driveway is severe. 40 degrees is not cold, 40 below is cold.

this list is neverending, more to come...

13 months.

Each passing month is a little bittersweet. It means that I am one month closer to having to share my attention between Lacey and her sibling, and I hope that it really does come naturally, and that I really am a good mom to 2. At the same time, it is probably one of the most exciting things I can think of! I seriously cannot wait until I have another little baby in my arms (and as a result, I am not pregnant), I can't wait for that first smile, that first giggle, the first time they play together. Ahhhh. It will be delicious..

Lacey has made quite the change this last month. You know they say "oh, they change so much every month", well I didn't completely believe it until this last month.

On October 29th, Lacey started walking independently, meaning not just between Mike and I. Now, just over a week later she is cruising all around the house, like some old pro. If she falls, she just pops right back up and keeps moving. This has also resulted in 2 minor bumps and bruises on the head. Poor thing. But she was more concerned that I put her back down so she could keep walking, than comforting her...

We also pulled away her eating before bed. Now she doesn't get milk right before bed. I decided to do this for a couple of reasons. But mainly because I didn't want her to be so addicted to it that it would be a fight later on (like around the time of the arrival of #2). She didn't fuss once when we took it away. Hopefully by the time February rolls around she won't even remember what a bottle is.

Lacey went from 1 tooth at her 1st birthday to 3 at 13 months. I can see numbers 4, 5, and 6 ready to pop through at a moments notice. Another benefit of late teething/taking away the bottle is that now we brush her teeth with her 'Mo' toothpaste (Elmo), before bed, so her teeth don't sit in milk all night long (Thanks to a mama who is obsessive about dental hygiene...).

Lacey also went from 2 naps to 1 nap, much to my sadness. She does well with 1 nap, but often wakes up a bit earlier than I would like, leading to a crabby baby in the evening, an early bedtime, and as a result, an early wake up time....

Lacey will soon be moving into a toddler bed. This is a hard one for me, because is she really ready? However, like most things I have read, if you have to do it, do it sooner rather than later, the adjustment is easier. Plus everyone I know who has moved their kids early like this, says their child still waited in the bed for them to come in. I am sure you will here more about this transition to come. On the plus side we found the PBK toddler bed with a mattress on craigslist for a mere $85 bucks. Saves us a ton of money (you'll see that too, we pick it up tomorrow).

We are still in size 3 diapers. We tried size 4 and laughed at how big they were.

She drinks about 12-16 ounces of 2% milk a day. Depends on the day and if she is into eating that day or not.

My once "i will eat anything you put in front of me" child has started to become a bit more picky, but we are still doing pretty well over all. She is a big breakfast eater, and then it kinda goes downhill after that.

She talks constantly and has lots of legible words. I often find her practicing in her crib before she falls asleep, or after she wakes up. She can string together one phrase now which is "bye bye daddy" (although, mike doesn't like this too much). She also knows what the cow says and what the kitty says. She is also beginning to get interested in puzzles and trying to put the pieces where they belong.

Oh, and she found her "button" (belly button) and is obsessive about finding it, and then finding mine and mikes. Weird kid, but she is super cute!!


Giving her doll a hug.

Not in the budget...yet.

One band for my husband.
One band for Lacey.
One band for this little one.

1.08 carats for me!

Thankful Thursday

Since November is Thanksgiving Month, I decided to take blog space each Thursday and remind myself what I have recently been Thankful for.

I am thankful that my mom fixed the elastic in my cloth diapers so that I didn't have to go buy more new ones.

I am thankful that Lacey doesn't seem to be a fussy teether.

I am really thankful that Starbucks has their Christmas cups out now, so I can get me some Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha in a seasonal red cup!

I am thankful that they aren't drilling the concrete outside of my house...today.

I am thankful for the beautiful fall in Washington.

I am really thankful for friends back in the Midwest, who remind me where home really is.

I am thankful that Lacey has never had an ear infection.

I am really, really thankful that I have no problem getting pregnant and growing healthy babies.

I am thankful for my "date nights" even if it is just a rented movie and a frozen pizza after Lacey has gone to sleep.

If you have a child...

it should pretty well be understood that you do not benefit from the extra hour of sleep.

Really though, I was telling mike; "all the adults at church today were extra happy because they got more sleep, all the kids were screaming because they are missing their nap."

Lacey was no exception.

I can't wait until I lose an hour of sleep, so it feels like we are getting up late...

I miss the midwest.

It's been a little rough lately, I miss the familiarity of Minneapolis. I talk to friends on the phone, email, facebook, whatever, and it makes me miss it all the more.

I miss Caribou Coffee's seasonal drinks.

I miss the Galleria/Southdale Mall/Running around Calhoun and Harriet/Going to Whole Foods for "lunch"

I miss Super Target (oh, I really miss super target).

I am already missing the Hollidazzle Parade.

I miss being able to call up a friend and go to their house.

I miss being able to drive a few hours to my parents house.

I miss shows being on Central time rather than Eastern/Pacific time. (everything is on an hour later here...grrr.)

I miss seeing my husband more than a few hours a week.

Mike assures me that by the time Lacey starts school we will be living in the midwest. Actually, we both think it will be sooner than that. It's not that we hate it here, it's totally fine and we are making friends etc, but the culture is just so different. The schools are some of the worst in the nation, and it is beyond expensive to raise a family (I mean a box of cereal is $6.99). I think that while things have been good, we always looked at this move as a "temporary" separation. It was not necessary to move, rather it was more an adventure. We wanted to step out of that comfort zone a little bit and see what we were made of. While we are out here we are gaining experience and learning a lot about ourselves. But, we both know that while this is the place to be right now, it probably isn't the place we are going to be forever. That actually makes me enjoy my time out here more!

12 month stats

ok, well, really almost 13 month stats.

Lacey had her 12 month appointment today. She did well, but it was the first time she was leary of the doctor, which was very interesting.

She is 30 inches long.

Weight is 21 lbs 11 oz.

She got the flu shot and that was it for vaccines. I was on the fence about even giving her that one because she stays at home with me, and if she were to get the flu its not the end of the world. But with me being pregnant and then having a newborn in the middle of flu season I felt okay getting it.

Appointment Update

Heartrate: 148

Measuring: 24 weeks

Weight gained in the last month: 1

Weight gained total: 13

I had my gestational diabetes test today (puke), but it went fine.

Started scheduling appointments for every 2 weeks (scary), after my appointment on 11/24.

Lacey met a 2 year old girl in the waiting room and loved playing. She will make friends easily.

That's all. Happy to report everything is very typical.

PS. Lacey got TWO teeth suddenly this week. Her other bottom one and one of her top ones. No real fussing. She also dropped to one nap. That was sudden as well.

pregnancy brain

For a long time (well, since last monday) I have been looking forward to my hospital tour of the maternity ward on Friday. Apparently this is one of the premiere hospitals in Washington, it is 5 miles from my house, has jacuzzi tubs in every.single.room, and has the most plush rooms you can image, which include a little kitchenette, a tv, dvd player, wireless internet etc. In fact, that is how I picked this hospital, (and as a result my doctor). I went online to the hospitals that were closest to my house and found the ones with the nicest rooms. That is where i was going to have my baby. This time I am not going to be in a hospital that has the maternity ward under construction. I am not going to deliver on the 4th floor, have my recovery room on the 7th floor, and have the baby nursery all the way back on the 4th floor. Nope, not happening.

Anyway, I was so excited, except I have heard a tiny little rumor that this hospital has NO BABY NURSERY, so my dreams of Mike taking Lacey home so she can sleep, and me sending this baby to the nursery, while I get 2 full nights of sleep may not be a reality. But how does a hospital NOT have a nursery to send your baby to? You see, I needed to go to this tour to find out. Yesterday came and went and....





I completely forgot about the tour. I went to Panera and Starbucks instead.

GRRRRR.....

23 WEEKS

only 17 to go!

Don't try to take this away from her.

If you think I am getting this back, then you are very wrong.

it all goes down a little easier with TUMS.

Actually, I think even Tums give me heartburn.

Anyway, I think I will be asking, no begging, for a prescription for something a little stronger at my appointment next week. When you don't remember what it is like to not have a burning sensation in your chest something might be wrong. This baby better come out with more hair than Lacey currently has.

I will also be taking up the doctor on her offer for weekly "prescribed" pregnancy massage. My back isn't handling carrying around a 20-something pound human being. Massage, could it get any better than that? It's my last pregnancy, better milk it for all its worth.

my house is a mess. blech.

really, I have zero motivation for cleaning it, because in the past 9 days my husband has worked 100 hours. i haven't seen him much because when he comes home he is so wiped that I don't get much help. Believe me, the last thing he wants to do coming home is help me clean. Ironically he still goes on 14 mile runs, but the marathon is in a little over a month so what do you do?

Do you know what is really sad? I ask Lacey "Where is dad?" She waves and says bye bye.

He finally has tomorrow and monday off (hooray!) so I am so willingly going to neglect the computer....and maybe i will clean today to help the day go faster...

I think life will get back to normal after that. Fingers Crossed!

and I thought pregnancy was long.

I have a friend who is pregnant with her second. She had her first a few weeks before Lacey was born and now she is having her second a few weeks after our second arrives. Too bad she lives in MN.

Anyway, she went in for her anatomy u/s yesterday. Her due date is somewhere around March 20th, which would put her at about 18 weeks. Well, THEY MOVED HER DUE DATE TO APRIL 17TH.

I would have died. Couldn't do the anatomy scan since the baby was only 14 weeks (apparently).

The oddest thing is that she felt little movements around 12 weeks (or 8 weeks according to the u/s). Well you can't feel movement at 8 weeks, I think the baby is only the size of a lima bean then, and trust me, a lima bean ain't kicking you.

Poor thing. She is baffled. Says it is impossible because she knows when she got pregnant.

i've never heard of anything like that.

more construction

they jackhammered outside our window today. this morning actually.

according to the city rules, they are only allowed to work from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

I kid you not, I looked at my watch when the noise started....it was 7:01 a.m.

Jerks.

As I write this a car alarm is going off.

Can I please move to a neighborhood?

Not Me Monday

I'm trying it out. I hope I can keep it going, although I often forget Mondays!



First, I certainly do not snooze my alarm twice every single day, even if I know that L is awake. I most certainly do not stumble in her room take her out of the crib, feed her the same breakfast and leave her in her pajamas until after her next nap. No, i would never do that.

I did not have a baby turn one last week, and time is not going fast at all.

L did not take steps on her own, she is much to unstable on her feet for that!

L also did not pee in the potty for 3 days straight. I would never try to potty train a 12 month old.

I do not get heartburn after everything I eat, this baby who does not make me get up 3 times a night to pee and this baby who does not kick me every day would never give me heartburn.

My husband and I did not order one sandwich from Jimmy Johns and make the poor driver deliver that one sandwich to our house.

I did not make mini blueberry muffins and eat almost all of them, in one day.

I did not leave a $1.25 tip at TGIFridays for our appetizers. I did not want to keep my $5 bill for Dairy Queen later.

I am not obsessed with The Hills and I have no plans of staying up until 10:00 to watch it. Never. Why would I care what LC is doing?

Finally, I did not buy a pair of pants at Gap Kids for myself when I am 22 weeks pregnant. Are you kidding!

and she is ONE!!

We had a great day. Went to the zoo and then later had a little birthday party. I'll post more details later, but thought I would share some pics of the day.

First of all, the zoo. It was FREEZING. The sun was out but there were so many trees that the sun couldn't get through them to heat me up. (All this after returning my drink to Starbucks TWICE because I wanted it extra hot..so i could walk around with it...I am not sure how hard it is to understand "heat it to 180").

Then we had a little party, Lacey didn't really eat cake, but liked making a mess of it! She liked the cake part, but not the lemon filling and she didn't like the frosting. She got a few gifts that she was thrilled about and loves, loves, loves her PBK Anywhere Chair.

Oh and she took about 5 steps by herself yesterday!! I can't say that I have a walker, but I do have an Almost-Walker : )

prayin' for daylight

These are the images from outside my bedroom window (Lacey's too). Notice the Taco truck in the last picture. Yeah it comes by everyday at 11:00 and all the guys run for it....

Anyway, its really annoying. Not only am I constantly dealing with dusty dirty windows and a dirty patio, but we are constantly dealing with the noise. That noise was brought to a whole new level last night...

Mike was closing the store so I was home alone. Around 6:30 I saw the construction workers putting up huge flood lights. The was a little weird to me because they normally leave at 3:00 everyday (Thank the Lord!). Anyway, so they are putting them up and then are working on something. It gets dark pretty early now, plus it was cloudy so I figured they are probably needing to work until 8:00 or 9:00.

I put Lacey to bed at 8:00. At 8:30 they started drilling with a JACKHAMMER. It was loud, but I went in and started Lacey's CD again and they were done about 10 minutes later. I did however call the non-emergency police number to see if someone could go get them to stop. The police called me back and said there was nothing they could do because they had obtained a permit from the city to work past 7 p.m. Great. I figured they would be working all night...like until 11 p.m. or so.

HA.

Well at 1:00 a.m. mike had had enough and called the police back because ummm...its 1:00 IN THE MORNING. Cop says they had someone go check it out and they can't do anything about it. grrr. Then at 1;30 they start using the Jackhammer BELOW LACEY'S WINDOW. I kid you not, our house was vibrating. I was pissed. I hadn't slept yet and now my child woke up screaming. I called the cop a THIRD time, you know the "i've had it, i have a baby and i am pregnant and no one in our vibrating condo is sleeping" call? "i;m sorry ma'am, there is nothing I can do. Good Luck." I wanted to kill.

They jackhammered for 2 solid hours. From 1:30-3:30 our house was rumbling. We brought Lacey in bed with us, and turned itunes on repeat. She did not sleep, but she just laid there and wanted to sleep. She actually did well. Then when they stopped running the jackhammer they started vacuuming/sucking up something with a VERY LARGE, VERY LOUD vacuum. Obviously right below our window.

Time they stopped with the loudness?

5:00 a.m.

Someone is getting a call on monday...that is absolutely unacceptable to me!

Oh, i should add. When Mike was headed to work at 6:00 this morning (after his glorious hour of sleep), he went out the door right where they were working. Here is their conversation:

Worker: did you get much sleep last night?
Mike: no, that window right there is actually my bedroom.
W: oh, man, sorry that sucks.
M: yeah, well we have a baby who didn't sleep last night. That is what was the worst.
W: Oh, yeah.... (you so dont get this until you have stayed up all night with a child!)
W: One lady came out and yelled at us from her patio
M: yeah that was my wife...

I swear I am not crazy.

Mother Warriors

I cannot wait to read this book. There is already 45 holds on it at my local library....

I guess I am going to have to make the purchase. It looks so good.

rounding the corner to toddlerhood.

She won't be my baby much longer.



Lacey turns one in less than a week.

so cool.

Yesterday I had my 20 week ultrasound. The BIG ultrasound as it is so often referred to, because although it is really to check for a healthy baby, you have the BIG chance on finding out the gender. The gender will be a surprise for this little one, but the baby is healthy as can be.

However, they also give you a bunch of pics. I just wanted to share this little ones profile picture and lacey's profile picture. It is ABSOLUTELY unbelievable how much they look alike. Its so weird. But see for yourself....

Here is baby #2....



And this is Lacey....

the sad state of our economy...

...kept me up last night for a while!

Oh, alright, it was probably 'pregnancy insomnia' coupled with the fact that mike made loaves and loaves of banana bread (that is what we do with Jamba Juice's going bad bananas) so our house was extra warm and since I threw on the flannel sheets the other day and the 'winter' duvet cover, I was roasting.

Whatever the fact, thinking about the bills I have to pay (car insurance is due this month...), the amazingly, ridiculous, price of groceries, and the stuff we need for the new baby (don't even get me started on 'if this is a boy'...) really, really, adds up.

So this morning I put my financial management class to work for me (actually one of the most fantastic, kick you in the butt classes I have ever had to take...but I got an 'A'). I made a budget. Mike and I really are good with our money (we are forced to be so that I can stay home for a bit), but there is always the little things you can cut.

So it may not be the most elaborate holiday season we have ever had, but this is how it is. Once I am willing and able to go back to work things will loosen up a bit. But for now I am counting my financial blessings. We don't have credit card debt, mike has AMAZING medical insurance so we will only have to pay $175 co-pay for this little one, we have a solid savings account, and we get free Jamba Juice (which means we don't have to buy OJ or much fruit because we get a lot from that)...haha!

4 things you should know about me before you invite me over...

1) I hate debates/political discussions. There are 3 things you never discuss at work: Religion; Politics; Money. Goes for the dinner table as well.

2) I kinda need dessert after a meal. I just don't feel done until I've had something sweet. If you have decaf coffee to go along with it, that's even better.

3) If it is getting close to Lacey's bedtime then I will probably be thinking about needing to put her to bed, as opposed to what you are saying to me. Oh, and no, I can't just put her down at your house.

4) I prefer to talk as one big group rather than split up in groups of men and women. So if you see it headed that way. Intervene!!

Your Turn!

Is something wrong with me...or this town?

Okay, there is a thrift store in Redmond, Value Village. Gross name I know. But everyone here talks about it and how great it is. Redmond is NOT a poor suburb. Everyone here works for Microsoft, AT&T, Nintendo etc. People in Redmond have loads of money. So I should trust them right? Here are some comments friends have told me recently:

"I know a couple that furnished their whole house from Value Village. They have such nice stuff!"
"I got these Gap jeans at Value Village for $2"
"I found a practically brand new J.Crew. sweater at Value Village for $3"
"Value Village has 1/2 price Tuesdays and you can get tons of stuff for soooo cheap!"

Okay, so I needed a lamp for my Living Room. Apparently Value Village has "such nice stuff" I thought I would try to be practical and get one for a steal.

Maybe I should have thought first about the fact that I don't think I have ever found something at a thrift store. But I didn't.

I pull into the parking lot. It is packed. I have to circle twice to try to find a spot and end up parking a block away. So then I make a last minute decision to leave the stroller in the car. I'll just put lacey in one of the (germy) carts. Mistake #1. They are out of carts. I'm walking up to the door and swarms of people are walking out with bags of things. Bread machines, shoes, Halloween costumes, coffee makers, lamps, clothes, bedding. I find a cart that is being unused and I am ready for my mission. I head in with excitement.

EVERYTHING.IS.NASTY.

Now, I am not a wealthy person who thinks they are too good for a 2nd hand store. But come on. I cannot buy a brass plated lamp for my living room, or a mauve ceramic one. I don't want a lime green couch, a teal easy-chair, or a blender from 1972 (for $9.99). I don't feel comfortable buying lacey pajamas that are piling or diapers in plastic bags. I can't buy her shoes with dried mud on the bottom. I just can't.

We went to "Mom's Club" (a.k.a. Target) and I bought a very nice Oil Rubbed Bronzed 3 way lamp for 50% off. It was the very last one in the store.

Eat that Value Village.

baby, oh baby.

I'm feeling lots and lots of baby kicks!

AND I LOVE IT!

Its the one thing I miss about pregnancy when I am not pregnant and I am happy to have it back.

18 weeks.

18 Weeks with my FIRST pregnancy:



18 Weeks with my SECOND pregnancy:



Still holding it all in, nice and tight and just how it should be : )

Foods to Avoid that first year...

Strawberries- oops, we've had them since about 8 months when I realized she was drinking a jamba juice with strawberries. I was just so excited she was using the straw...

Honey- we are holding out on this one still.

Citris- ummm....her father works for jamba juice, mama's been cravin' OJ, she loves drinking out of a straw....get the picture?

Egg Whites- I'm more than certain she has had these since they are baked into everything, but I've never intentionally given her eggs, although I've been tempted.

Shellfish- I don't think I"VE ever had shellfish....

Cow's Milk- Yep, but only as of a few days ago. No problems.

Peanuts/Peanut Butter- I definitely have not given this to her, but I did fish a peanut out of her mouth about a week ago. Dad dropped it while eating trail mix...I'm assuming she is not allergic since she was sucking on it.

We're not doing so well with this...

We bought this...

After much stroller debate we have decided to go with a double umbrella and a double jogger. So can I just say how I love Craigslist? A lady bought this stroller took it out of the box and put it together and then decided she wanted a double jogger instead because they are moving to TX and she figures that the weather will be nice enough to run year-round. Why she didn't return it to Babies R Us is beyond me. It retails for $319.99 plus tax and shipping. She sold it to us for $180!!! She never even took it outside....

This is from Baby Planet. Its a fairly new company. The stroller is comparable to the Maclaren Twin Techno. One thing that the company does is it will pay for you to send your used stroller back to them and they will either donate it to charity or recycle the good parts and then get rid of the rest for you. I think that's better than seeing a 5 year old stroller on craigslist that someone is trying to get an arm and a leg for (which brings me to my biggest annoyance on c-list...does anyone else get angry at all the expired carseats on there???? I saw one the other day and she said "this was manufactured in 2004 so you still have YEARS of use out of it...ummm...no you don't....I digress).

Anyway we really like it and you can steer it one handed and lacey is very happy riding around in it.

pregnancy gods.

My sister-in-law, who also has tough pregnancies, informed me last time of pregnancy gods. Here is how it goes. Tough pregnancy with bad morning sickness, terrible heartburn, swelling, back pain, carpel tunnel, or anything along those lines. Then you will have an easy labor/delivery/recovery and first few weeks at home.

BUT, for those who just glide through pregnancy, never get sick, feel great (other than the occasional ache and pain...that does not count), etc. Then unfortunately you may be more likely to have that tough delivery or a rough road to recovery, or those first few weeks at home may be a complete blur because you CANNOT get your bearings.

Well, this was true for me. My pregnancy sucked, but labor was a BREEZE. Recovery was a BREEZE. I lost all the weight in like 5 days, my body felt completely normal 2 weeks later so I went running. Lacey slept 3-4 hour stretches from the day she was born. It was fabulous.

I keep reminding myself of this because when you are STILL THROWING UP at almost 18 weeks it gets a bit depressing.

However, I also know people who had it easy both ways...lucky.

What do you think? Was this true for you?

This time vs. Last time

So, comparing the first 17 weeks of pregnancy.

Last time: I craved OJ, Gummy Candy, Fruit. Tacos for about 2 days, lemonade, white tea. Loved veggies after about 15 weeks, but hated them before that, couldn't take prenatals until 36 weeks when I found out my iron was low, nauseous from 6-18 weeks, threw up weeks 9-16. Hated garlic, onions, and any sort of asian/indian food. Couldn't walk through the produce section at the grocery store. Heartbeat was always 160 or above.

This time: SAME AS ABOVE, except I was nauseous from 7 weeks til now (so a week later) and threw up from 8 weeks until 17 weeks (so an extra week on both ends). They never tell me the heartbeat, but finally did yesterday...it was 146. Boy?

11 Months

In one month we say good by to baby-hood and hello to toddler-hood. I am really excited.

Lacey's growing independence has shocked me in the past month. It is like she finally not only realized she can move, but that she can go places without me. There is no danger in her world. Last month she followed me from room to room. Now, I follow her.

Last week we took her in to the doctor and she was 20 pounds 8 ounces.

Games- She plays a lot of games now:

This month she started hiding things, under the couch, under her crib, behind the chair etc. She is very familiar with what things are. If we are in the Living Room we can hide her stuffed bunny or baby doll under her crib and then ask her to find it. She will crawl around the living room for a bit and then crawl into her room and find it for us. It is a fun game! Her favorite objects to hide are: pens, pacifiers (they've always been a better toy than their actual use in our house), bunny, baby, books, and her blanket.

Another fun game is taking every toy out of the little tub (she uses the small inflatable tub), putting them in the big tub, and then taking them out of the big tub and putting them back in her little tub. Over and over.

Along those lines is taking toys and placing them on top of the end tables. Then taking them back down. She gets a lot of satisfaction from this and gets frustrated when her toy won't stay put.

Finally, she likes taking toys and stacking them in a pile in the room. Then separating them and stacking them again. I love watching her brain work.

Lacey- "helps" me load and unload the dishwasher, loves standing by the oven watching things bake, and crawling into the fridge and looking at the fruits and vegetables in the crisper drawers.

She loves standing by the toilet and knows how to flush it. She also knows that toilet paper can be great fun.

She is getting less and less "portable"- we used to be able to go to Starbucks and she would sit in the highchair and play with an empty cup. Now that she wants to move we take our coffee elsewhere! It is more fun that way anyway!

She still wears size 3 7th Generation disposable diapers and has for months now. They fit with ease. During the day we are using the bumgenius diapers on the medium setting with ease as well.

Lacey has tiny feet. She can still wear 3-6 month shoes! (maybe her feet need to grow so she has more balance! I have small feet too so I am not surprised).

Teeth- we have ONE!! Bottom left (okay, well it hasn't popped through yet but I am counting it anyway because I can see it and feel it and I really want her to get teeth!).

Walking- Nope. She isn't standing alone either. Up until yesterday she didn't like walking with us much either. But then when we were at church she suddenly didn't mind holding onto my hand and walking around. A lady at church said she will be walking anyday, but I personally don't think it will be before her first birthday. I am guessing a couple of weeks after that.

Sleep- We have had some redemption here! Now that it gets dark out by her bedtime her room is cool and she goes to bed without a fuss. Sleeps about 11.5 hours at night and takes two 90 minute naps a day in her crib with no fuss.

Bottles- We are trying to get rid of these. This month we will start phasing in cow's milk slowly. Up until her bout with Roseola last week she was taking sippy cups fine. Then 3 days of nothing but bottles and cuddling during her bottles made her disregard the sippy cup. Now she will only take a sip or two before she is done with it. We are working on this.

Words- I've lost count on what she will say, but its a lot. She understands even more and can understand simple sentences.

Food- She eats whatever we eat. We know when she has had enough because she starts throwing it on the floor...

I love her to bits and pieces and it seems that every month as she grows and changes she becomes more and more fun to be around and interact with.

HIGHLY Recommend.

I heard this was good for getting the "stink" out of microfiber inserts.

Yes, this delivered. Big time. Not only are our diapers stink-free, they are super absorbant once again. In fact, why should I stop with the diapers.

The bathroom rugs got disinfected....

and

All our bedding is fresh and clean....

and

Towels are fluffy and smell like limes.

I haven't been this motivated in months.

Do you want to know what my favorite thing about this product is? Its the "In case of accidental swallowing" warning.

"In case of ingestion, do not induce vomiting; drink plenty of water to dilute" Try putting that on a container of bleach.

Not.Happening.

Because I am so behind...

Here is our rashy baby. Probably not the greatest pictures but I hope you can see it. It can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Her's lasted about a day. Mostly on her face, spread a bit to her neck and back. Overall not too bad.


Lacey used to sit and eat at her highchair. But when she got sick last week out went the solids. Now I can't seem to bring them back (??). She is getting a tooth on bottom so I am hoping this is why. I can't even get her to eat cheerios.


Lacey loves pens. They were a good play toy until she figured out how to click them. Now it's open/close/open/close all day. But I am not willing to have pen everywhere so this won't be a toy much longer...



Here is our Lacey when she is tired.


Here is Mike and Lacey at her first Twins game. We thought we would be in MN, so figured we would be going to many of these games. Notsomuch. Well, we figured we would get her in this outfit at least once and were praying it would fit (its 6-9 months...) It did. We had a good time but she got fussy so I only took a couple of pictures and none with me. It will be nice when she is older and can enjoy this more. Overall we had fun.



This was actually our reason for going on the Ferry, Mike ran a race on the other side of the sound. Just a 5K, he took 10th place and was dissapointed because his time was 18 minutes even and its been a LONG time since he hasn't been under 18 minutes. Umm, 18 minutes is fast, I don't feel too sorry for him either!


Here we are on our first Ferry Ride. It was pretty uneventful but considering it was around 75 degress outside it was absolutely FREEZING on the ferry. Lacey loved watching the Seagulls right above our heads.

I lied.

It is Roseola.

We have a rashy baby : )

Pics will come.

Update

Well the news is good news.

Its not Roseola and its not a UTI!!!

I only gave her motrin once yesterday...at 5:00 in the morning. Her fever stayed down pretty much all day, it was lingering around 100 at bedtime so she got a second dose to make it through the night.

This morning when she woke up she was completely fever-free! I think it was 94.6 or something really low. She wasn't sweating and wasn't lethargic.

Now I have my baby back (which also means she doesn't want to sleep without her sack anymore either...grrr).

Waiting for a Diagnosis

Lacey has been running a fever going on 3 days now. Monday morning it was 99.3, I figured it was teething since it wasn't too high. Monday night it was 99.6.

Tuesday morning we woke up to a fever of 101.2, gave her some Motrin and started to wonder if it was something else. I read online that often fevers and teething go hand in hand but unless it was over 102.0 it probably wasn't an ear infection. Last night before bed it was only 99.7 and she hadn't had Motrin in 12 hours.

Today she woke up screaming around 5:00. Mike was already gone to work so I figured I would just bring her in to our bed and let her sleep there. She screamed and screamed and screamed. Poor thing. She was HOT. I fed her a bottle, which helped and then went to change her diaper. I took her temp and it was 103.3 so I knew in a couple of hours we would be visiting the doctor.

She drank some more formula and then she fell asleep next to me in my bed. It was probably about 6:30 at the time and she slept until around 9:00. I called the doctor right away when we woke up and they could get us in at 9:30. This is the major benefit of living 3 blocks from the doctors office. Her ears are fine, but teething does not cause fevers of 103 so we have 2 possible diagnosis.

1)Roseola
2) UTI

I am just pushing fluids since she has zero interest in anything else.

If the fever doesn't break by Friday we have to bring her in and get a cath on her...something I really hope to avoid. The ped said not to chance it and to be overly cautious...as in if you think it is starting to come down, still call and come in. So now we just wait. I just want my normal baby back!

*I must say at least she is still sleeping and napping pretty well.

Did you know?

Final clearance prices at the Gap always end in a 7.

So if the price is $5.99 it will be discounted at least once more. If the price is $3.97 then that is their final offer.

Success

Lots of things are happening around here.

First, Lacey slept without her sack on last night. It took her a while to fall asleep but she didn't fuss too much.

Secondly, I probably chose the worst time to take it away because she is also cutting her very first teeth! They are so close to coming through, but that means fussiness and whimpering and fevers. Poor baby.

Here is a rundown of last night.

8:15 We put her in her crib. No pekemoe sack on. She fussed for a bit, but nothing out of her normal "routine." She was asleep by 8:30.

2:00 a.m. I wake up to go to the bathroom. Realize that the house is FREEZING. I figure Lacey is also freezing so I go to cover her up but she is squirming in her crib so I don't want to disturb her. I go to bed but can't sleep because she is probably cold. I venture in there and cover her up, she doesn't see or hear me. We are safe.

2:35 a.m. I can't fall asleep but don't feel good. Get up, close all the doors and went to the bathroom and threw up. Blech! Not fun.

3:00 a.m. Lacey wakes up crying. I go into her room and rub her back. She falls right back asleep. Amazing. I go to bed she wakes up crying.

3:05 a.m. Realize she is HOT and sweaty. Move her to the center of the crib. Roll her onto her stomach and pat her back until she falls asleep...takes about 10 minutes. Remind myself to scratch that method of putting her back to sleep off my list because you know it only works once.

4:45 a.m. Hear her crying, sort of. She will cry, then stop, then cry etc. I don't do anything because I literally couldn't piece together what was going on. It was weird but I guess I was tired. She stopped though and fell asleep shortly.

7:30 a.m. She was up and FUSSY and running a fever (this is her first fever she has ever had...it was 99.3 rectally), so I gave her some Motrin with breakfast. When I pulled up her shade she started screaming/crying. It was the weirdest thing. Now all she wants to do is sit on my lap. Poor baby. She screamed going down for her nap, but calmed down quickly. Thankfully she fell asleep because I am sure she is tired.

I hope this passes quickly.

Leg Cramps, Headaches, and Heartburn OH MY!

Welcome all those 2nd Trimester symptoms! Wish the 1st Trimester symptoms had diminished. I am STILL nauseous, and I still thorw up about once a day, AND I am still TIRED all the time. Blech.

Hmmm, can you tell I am NOT a fan of being pregnant? I think I have mentioned that once or twice : )

Mike only worked a day and a half this week so we were busy. Lacey took her first ferry ride because Mike ran a 5K on the other side of the sound and she also went to her first baseball game where the Seattle Mariners played the MN Twins. She did good all week considering she missed one nap a day for 3 days in a row.

She's been going to bed really well still (thanks to her army of toys in her bed) so I think I am going to pull the wrap for naps today and tomorrow...cold turkey. And then pull it for nighttime on Monday or Tuesday night. My motivation is that is may get a little warm next week. She's ready anyway. I will put on her CD and let her chill out to that for 30 minutes and then start it again if she still isn't asleep. Either way she will get an hour of "rest" Eventually, she will 'get it'

Stroller update: We, after MUCH deliberation, have decided to go with the pricey Phil & Ted's Vibe. My main reason is because I REFUSE to push around a double wide stroller when Lacey wants to walk, but I can't go with just a single because she will want to sit at some point. We need something will air filled tires since we do more walking than driving. A lot of people have suggested the Sit and Stand stroller but I think Lacey will still be too young for that. Plus with the Phil & Ted's it can be a double or single stroller with a push of a button. I am excited, but not sure where we will find that money!!

I will try to download some new pics a.s.a.p. I am pretty lazey with that!

Are you excited or what!

S-E-V-E-N NIGHTS OF NO CRYING/FUSSING BEFORE BED!!!

okay, so its dark(er) now when she goes to bed and I think that is what helps us out tremendously (*Note to self, do not move into another house where the sun sets into her room). But still, it has been a dream week. She has consistently been sleeping from 8 pm until 7 am without a peep.

I just had to share my good news.

*Also she is currently napping WITHOUT her sleep sack on. And she fell asleep instantly.

One thing I will miss about MN

Renter's Rebates.

They (the State) sends you a check for up to 19% back on your rent. Yes, there is a cap.

I got my $800 in the mail yesterday and couldn't be happier!

Bringing Home Baby-some observations

Okay, this show is on everyday during Lacey's naptime. So when I can't find anything else on I flip to it.

Now, I LOVED this show before and during my pregnancy, but now I sorta can't stand it. Although, it is nice to watch once in a while to remember those first few days (not so much the nights!)

1) Rarely, is the baby buckled correctly in the carseat. For some reason I am very obsessed about parents learning how to do this properly and it DRIVES ME CRAZY when they don't tighten the buckle or something, and then show it on camera. Just watch, it's rarely done correctly.

2) I also laugh at the annoying over-stressed parents. I can only say this because I have been there. So since that has been me at one point I can say it. It's also funny to see the parents who are like "we are doing a schedule and hope to be on that schedule in a week or so" Umm, i've been there too! Good Luck with that!

3) I would say 95% of the time they have 4857 family members come over. Now, maybe its because they are on camera so everyone decides to make an appearance but regardless of the reason I can say that it seems like 100% of the time, the over stressed out, exhausted mom ends up taking the baby and going into the bedroom to 'get away'. I again did the same thing. It is SO emotionally draining having a newborn and your emotions are out of whack and I think people need to learn to keep their distance. These poor moms, we go crying into the bedroom wishing everyone would leave, and then feeling guilty like we should do it all (like entertain and share our baby etc).

Anyone else have anything to add?

sleep

we've had 3 nights of no crying before falling asleep.

i hope i don't jinx it but I wanted to share my excitement. I say its all thanks to the cloudy weather, the sun isn't blaring in her room when she is trying to sleep.

FYI: Pumpkin Spice Latte's make their appearance on Wednesday September 3rd.

By the Numbers

Today marks our 2 year Anniversary. Funny that it has ONLY been 2 years. Most people talk about how fast time flies, but for Mike and I we sit back and think about the 62,000 things that have happened to us in the past 2 years.

We've both started school and then stopped, since we've been married.
We've moved 3 times, one of those times being across the country.
Mike has had 5 jobs.
We have become pregnant twice.
We have become parents.

I have been pregnant 13 of the 24 months or 54% of the time.
I have been stricken with morning sickness for 7 of the 24 months we've been married or 29% of the time.
We have been parents for 10 1/2 months of our married life, or 44% of the time.

The pregnancy one kills me. I am looking forward to that percentage decreasing every year from here on out!

Still Alive

We've just been busy.

Friday night- 45 minutes of crying then sleep.

Saturday- Mike's Bday! It was like 100 degrees out, we went to Whole Foods and picked up an AMAZING New York Cheesecake for Mike, then we walked to REI to find a gift. We ended up with a Marmot hoodie. It was a winner! But its hard to find a sweatshirt this time of year AND it is weird buying a sweatshirt when its 100 degrees out. At night we went to Maggianos. Lacey did AMAZING! She was so happy, and ate her pasta and bread with no mess and then only fussed when it was time to leave. Time it took lacey to fall asleep: 35 minutes.

Sunday- HOT AGAIN. I wore a sweater to church because I am usually freezing during the service. When I walked in my friend was like "how are you wearing a sweater?!?" I said the AC always makes me freeze. Her response..."there is no air conditioner" WHAT?!? YEAH IT WAS WARM. Plus I was drinking HOT tea. We had friends over for dinner that night. Time it took Lacey to fall asleep: 1 hour 30 minutes....

Monday- Mike was off again so we just bummed around and ran errands. The hot spell broke and I think the high was like 68 or something. We picked blackberries on the bike trail, came home put lacey to bed (cried for 5 MINUTES!!!!!) and then drank chai and ate cheesecake while watching the Olympics/The Hills season premiere (my husband likes it just as much as I do). I ended up throwing it all up though : (

That's all we've been up to.

Appointment Update

I had my 13 week appointment today. Lacey and I (yes, I had to bring her...) left here at 12:30 for our 1:20 appointment. It is truly amazing how long it takes to do things with a baby. Plus I needed to make a pit stop at Starbucks for some Berryblossom White Tea (because I knew that would settle my stomach).

1) I couldn't find my wallet. I had seen it in the stroller and then when I went to load the stroller in the car I couldn't find it. Lacey had been crawling around by the stroller. I figured she had taken it out. So I had to run back upstairs (dreaded thing about a condo) to look for it. Couldn't find it anywhere, but risking being late for my appointment and therefore risking Lacey falling asleep in the carseat on the way home, therefore destroying naptime. I had to go. I was depressed. No money= No Starbucks.

2) Then I remembered while I was driving that I had put the wallet in the top of the stroller (Thank-you STUPID pregnancy brain). Swung into Starbucks and we were good to go. Noticed as I was leaving their drive through is open 24 hours. Decided that if I am in labor in the middle of the night, I am going to stop there and get a caffinated latte on my way to the hospital. I kind of hope I go into the hospital around 2:00 a.m.

3) Got to my appointment, did the whole pee in a cup thing (oh the things you would like to forget). Went back and this weird nurse was checking my weight/BP etc. She was nice, but talked about her grandchildren non-stop. I weighed in at 96.6...haven't quite gained a pound. DARN IT. I had gained like 7 pounds with Lacey at this point. Whatever, it will come.

4) The weird nurse tries to listen to the baby's HB with the doppler. She can't find it, but she is talking about her grandkids the whole time. I just wanted her to shut up and concentrate. We heard the HB at 10 weeks with Lacey, so now at 13 weeks we should be able to find it right? She says the doctor will find it for me. She can barely find MY HB with the doppler.

5) Doctor comes in checks for HB. Can't find it either. Can't even hear the blood swooshing sound. At this point I am like, can we just get another machine or something? Because seriously. Nice, Kind, Doctor goes and gets the u/s machine. Hard to see anything since I had an empty bladder, but we saw the HB and the baby squirming around. If you have ever been pregnant, you know what a smile that will put on your face. She tells me that it doesn't matter if i take pre-natals or folic acid (since I don't). She said folic acid only is REALLY needed the first 3 weeks of pregnancy. Good I took it then. She talked to my about my weight. Basically just said that I can gain as much weight as I want and not to worry about it. Duh, I am not planning on dieting. And that was that. Pretty typical. Lacey did great.