Friday, February 29, 2008

Good Heavens!

I just switched the carseats around for what the 3rd, 4th time now?? Now I'm hot and tired. Well I was already tired but now I'm out of breath too. Bella's seat is in the Civic (love that new car smell), Logan's seat is now behind the passenger in the Pilot and in order to get Logan's in, I had to undo Ian's and reinstall it back in the middle. Bella will be behind me when it's reinstalled in my truck. Phew!

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On another note, I hurt!! This groin pain is getting worse. It's only on the left side too. It hurts to walk. It all has to do with the pregnancy and hormones and will go away but it's getting tougher to get in and out of bed, much less just roll over in bed. I waddle now because of it too. Lovely. Come on baby....3 weeks left.....

This is hilarious!

Jennifer and Jim kept getting huge water bills. They knew beyond a doubt that the bills weren't representative of their actual usage, and no matter how they tried to conserve, the high bills continued. Although they could see nothing wrong, they had everything checked for leaks or problems: first the water meter, then outdoor pipes, indoor pipes, underground pipes, faucets, toilets, washer, ice maker, etc. -all to no avail. One day Jim was sick and stayed home in bed, but kept hearing water running downstairs. He finally tore himself from his sick bed to investigate, and stumbled onto the cause of such high water bills. Apparently this was happening all day long when they were not at home. Knowing that few would believe him, he taped a segment of the 'problem' for posterity -

http://summitprops.com/WaterLeak.htm

For the little traveler in your life....

I present the Playmobile Security Check Point.

ROFL

I saw this on the bargain board this morning. Do they also carry a strip search toy? Does it come with any contraband like tweezers?

Scary videos

Came across these while doing some research online on an unrelated subject....

Why you should never hold your infant while driving!



Thursday, February 28, 2008

Just one more story...

This article would be why Rearfacing in a carseat is safest and even extended rear facing is better than turning your child just because they turned a year old.

Post o' Misc.

I'm not one to be in a hurry but I can't stand sllooooowwww drivers. 35 in a 55? Come on! The same driver got on the interstate and tried doing 40 into a 70mph zone on the on ramp. I zipped around him quick! I'm sorry, but I think it's more dangerous to go so damn slow!

On the way home on the interstate, once again I got stuck behind someone who thought doing 55-60 in a 70 in the MIDDLE lane was okay. Argh! Move over!

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The boys' fighting is driving me nuts. Ian screeches and it's like nails on a chalkboard. I'm ready to sell them both to the circus.

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Things I didn't know:
per Logan- the long necked dinosaur is a "stretchosaurus" (he was talking about the dino over by Dino World off the interstate)
In Florida, cars don't turn into Transformers (I guess they do in other states?)

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Almost 37 weeks!! Had a MW appt today and they were surprised to see me. Apparently I had the time right and the date wrong. Oops! I swear they told me Thursday. Luckily my midwife was there doing a postnatal appt and had me wait.

I told her just how high Bella seemed to be which is so different than the boys ever were. When she was checking my belly, she was surprised at just how high she really is. I'm hoping she drops sometime soon.

I got my Group B strep results and they were negative. Yea!!! No IV for me!! I also found out in order to take oral antibiotics for GBS, you'd have to take them for 21 days. Wow! Also, the IV is only good for 6 hours. If you are still laboring after that, you're getting another IV.

I go back next Wed. for my weekly checkup.

Wow!

Now here's a shocking story for you... She's a miracle baby!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Horrible?

My ever so sweet dh wants to take me to Bern's Steak House either this weekend or next as a last hurrah before the baby comes. How bad is it that I really don't want to go? I have nothing to wear and honestly, at this time nothing on the menu sounds very good to me. If I wasn't pregnant, I'd probably jump at the chance though. Am I horrible? Maybe I'll change my mind tomorrow although I still have nothing to wear!

ROFL

Ever wish you had a voodoo type doll for that prick in your life? Ever wish you could rip your uterus out and hurl it against a wall when you are PMS'ing? Go check these cute pin cushions out! I love it!!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Here it is...

This is what dh bought me for my birthday... so far it's very cool, but not easy to learn. There's just SOOO much this thing does!! It has GPS, a 5mp camera with Carl Zeiss lens, a lower end camera, video, MP3 player, internet, radio....and I'm sure there's more. The only downside is it's not a supported phone in the US yet so I can't just download stuff from my provider for it. Not to mention, I don't have internet service on my phone plan so some of the stuff on here can't be used yet unless I'm in a free WIFI network.

Ask me in a year if I like it or not. Hopefully by then, I'll be able to use it! Haha!


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Oh and as for dinner....mmmmmm...my BIL/SIL came by and ate too. I got the Chicken Madiera which was so tender I was able to cut it with a plastic knife. Dh got the Incredible Eggplant Sandwich which he loved. We got the Fire Roasted Artichoke which was okay. I'd heard good things about it. There's still a whole artichoke left though. And we got the Avocado Eggrolls which dh likes more than I do. Warm avocado just isn't my thing. They do taste good though. He also bought 4 slices of cheesecake for all of us to share (including the boys). Yummo!

My gift is....

Not here yet!!! (insert drumming fingers on desk) Where is UPS?????

On the plus side, I'm getting Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Yum!!

Today is my birthday!

And so far I've had to break up fights, explain to both boys that need to share, taken Logan to school, gone to SuperTarget for groceries (it's supposed to storm tonight so I'd rather fight Ian in the store than the rain later), gone to the bank, come home and put away groceries and made lunches. I've also taken phone calls from my Dad and dh wishing me a Happy Birthday(and just now my eldest BIL). Still no gift yet....UPS is supposed to drop it off today and it has to be signed for. Hmmm wonder what it is!!!

Here are a few highlights about my birth day!

#1- I was born!! What would your life be like without me in it?? :)

1975 Prices
Bread: $0.28

Milk: $1.40
Eggs: $1.26
Car: $4,950
Gas: $0.57
House: $42,600
Stamp: $0.10
Avg Income: $15,546
Min Wage: $2.10/hr

US President: Gerald Ford

Hot new toys/fads: Holly Hobbie Oven, Hello Kitty, Rubik's Cube, Mood Rings, PEZ candy, Magic 8 Balls

People who share my birthday: Fats Domino, John Kellogg, King Wenceslas, Buffalo Bill Cody, Erykah Badu, Micheal Bolton, Levi Strauss, William Frawley (I Love Lucy), Jackie Gleason...

UFO Siteing: http://www.ufoevidence.org/cases/case269.htm

Monday, February 25, 2008

Argh!

We picked up the new Civic tonight. I have to get used to such a small car. I felt like my head was going to bump the roof! Dh fits in it though and that's what really matters.

Now what's the problem? It will NOT fit 3 carseats. Not a chance in hell. The slimmest seat on the market is the SK Radian at 17" wide and 2 of those don't leave enough room for even the slimmest of slim carseats/booster seats and definately no room for just a child to sit. (This is going strictly from measurements and not actually trying out the seats. SKR's website says I need 51in of room and I have 50" for 3 across)

Soooo now we have to decide what to do. Do we keep our van as a backup 3rd vehicle or if something happens to my truck, do we just rent a vehicle for the few days it takes to fix it? (I love my Pilot and do not want to get rid of it) Keeping it means an extra $67/mo, maybe less if we take off full coverage for insurance. Or we've discussed selling both vehicles and buying a newer van BUT again, we still don't have a back up vehicle that will fit all 5 of us. ARGH!

The Yucks

I was down and out yesterday. Logan woke me up at 7:30 having tummy issues of the kind I needed to wash him up afterwards. Nice. So into the shower he went. He had more tummy issues through out the rest of the morning too but for the most part he made it to the bathroom.

Of course, then I had to start too. Mine was worse though as it lasted all day. So I woke up at 7:30 and was back in bed by 10:30am, slept til like 1pm, got up til 3:30 and back to bed again until like 5:30. I finally gave up and took some Immodium which didn't work the first time but did work the second time. Thank goodness! I went to bed at midnight thinking I'll never be able to sleep after all that napping but surprisingly I was able to sleep pretty well. Guess I still had some recuperating to do. We both seem to be okay this morning but I'm keeping him home just in case.

I'll be back to hopefully post some pics of my baby shower later!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Pampered Saturday

I didn't do much yesterday. I woke up and got ready to go get my hair done. Had my hair colored, highlighted and cut. Came home, ate some lunch and took a nap. Sounds like a relaxing afternoon doesn't it?

I had a Mom's Night In last night so after I got up from my nap, I started in on my cheesecake cups. Everyone said they loved them. I ended up filling my little thimble sized chocolate "shot" glasses with regular cheesecake and some I had mixed with strawberry puree. Mmm. Got ready to go to Jen's and my keys were gone!! I only have one key to my Pilot and I was flipping out that it had disappeared. I knew I always put them in my purse when I walked into the house but they were not there. Ian was the #1 suspect. Little did I know....

Dh ended up "finding" them about 10min later so off I went. I still didn't suspect a thing. Got to Jen's, ate some food and was hanging out with the girls when Jen and Julie came walking out of the bedroom with a cake (cupcake cake). My first thought was that it was to celebrate Amy and my birthday but it wasn't! It said "It's a Girl, Princess Bella" and had a crown and sceptor on it. Awww. It was so cute. Turns out, I had a surprise baby shower! I got some gift cards, cute clothes for Bella, beautiful picture frames Andrea made and I still have a couple of things coming like knitted baby booties from Amy and a knitted dress from Julie. I have some wonderful friends!! After that, we played a game and just sat around and gabbed until after midnight. Julie had me in tears laughing at one point.

What a great way to end my relaxing day!

A great big thank you to all my friends!!!!

Saturday, February 23, 2008

My Birthday gift! ;)

My birthday is this coming Tuesday and lookie what I'm getting....



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It's a 2008 Honda Civic EX-L.

White with tan leather (ohhhh)

Moonroof (ahhhh)

Isn't it purty??

I can see my girlfriends reading this right now thinking OMG! She's so spoiled! Yeah I see you Julie and Jen!

But fear not, this car is not really my gift...it's dh's new car for getting back and forth to work and I'll be driving it only at night or if I'm going somewhere by myself. You won't see me arguing though. I LOVE cars with moonroofs. I miss my moonroof. And I love the new car smell. Mmmm. I can't wait to see the car in person. It's brand spanking new but had some scratches on the bumper so they are fixing those first.

So what will I really get for my birthday this year..... stay tuned!

Friday, February 22, 2008

Today's fun!

Our playgroup had their first Mom's Enrichment playdate today. Basically, we decided to start doing a playdate once a month that was mom oriented and today we had 2 CPST(child passenger safety technicians) come over to my house. Both were from the Sheriff's office. We had a great turnout and a lot of info was shared, not only about car seat safety but also about other stuff like predators/sex offenders and fingerprinting. I think everyone took something away from today's meeting.

The best part for me was the fact that at least 3 of our neighbors/friends were worried about the cop cars outside! My next door neighbors (in their 80s) came over to see if I was alright. Bless her, she was really, really worried about me. The neighbor behind us called dh and I guess the neighbor's relative (also a friend of ours) had driven by and also called dh to make sure everything was okay. For a split second, dh forgot about our meeting too and nearly freaked. He quickly recovered though. :) I'm glad there are people looking out for us though!

Oh My!!!

Do you see that ticker over there??


Yeah, over there <---- and down some.


Do you see what it says?!


30 days left....I have 30 days left....OMG while I want to meet her so much, I'm NOT ready!!!

Thursday, February 21, 2008

I'm Naked

Okay, not me, that wouldn't be a very pretty picture (unless you count pretty scary!).

Anyone else have a 2yr old that thinks it's absolutely hilarious to get "naked" and pronounce it to the world? Thankfully we live in a warm state. He doesn't get all the way naked, usually just his shirt and/or shorts but it's funny to him none the less. He also talks about his feet being naked if he's taken his shoes off or his belly button is naked when he lifts his shirt. Too cute. I wish I could bottle some of that cuteness. Just now, he ran away from me after asking me to help him put his shorts back on. When I asked him to come here, he said his "toes don't work". Where does he get this stuff?

Lunar Eclipse

Last night was the last total lunar eclipse until something like 2010 which is only 2 years away. Not like it's the last one in the next 100 years. It was still a pretty cool sight to see. The weather was mild last night and not buggy so it was nice. Dh and I set up the tripod and got out our long range lense to try and capture a few pics. You'll see some progression in our pics as we switched from Auto to Manual for the first time ever. Yes, I really need to take some kind of camera class! Here are just a few of our many pictures:
Around 9:15ish
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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Hmmm

I've been visualizing a certain day in March to have my baby girl. Well after talking about the lunar eclipse tonight with dh and knowing that more labors start on full moons, I decided to look up March's full moon schedule. It looks like the date I chose just so happens to be a full moon. We'll see if the moon helps me out or not!

Photo Contest

Our playgroup has started doing a monthly photo contest. There's no big prize. You get a tiara and the winning photo is put up on the homepage for the month. This month's theme was Heart. I will admit, my photo was not all my idea. I did take the inspiration from another photo I saw and made it my own creation. I'm happy with the photo though for the most part. Here's my submission:

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No more backwash!

I've discovered a simple little white lie that works so far every time. Ds always wants to drink what I'm having but he always backwashes food into it. Yuck! So after tasting my chai tea and not liking it I've discovered anything I don't want him to ask for, just tell him it's tea! He says "eww yuck" and I get my drink all to myself. Yea! (Go ahead and flame away if you must)

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Funniest thing I've read all day...

"My hoo-ha is hiccuping!" Taken from the March '08 birthboard. I so know what she's talking about too which is what makes it all the better. Baby is hiccuping and baby is head down thus it feels like your hoo-ha is hiccuping!

Top 10 most ridiculous baby products

Top 10
Would anyone actually buy a pair of fake hands? Or a fur diaper changing pad? I'll admit, I never thought about the stroller issue. I've seen a lot of people recommend that particular stroller and love it (Phil & Ted E3). It doesn't look so bad on their site and if they kids are properly strapped in, I'm not sure where the problem would lie. Now after having 2 boys, I can say that the PeePee TeePee wouldn't work. It would however shoot across the room along with the pee!

ETA: After visiting the BH board today, I found some more! Go check out this blog and this Craigslist ad!

Monday, February 18, 2008

It's official

I'm a whale. I gained 3lbs over the past week! I've put on over 40lbs this pregnancy which I think is the most ever out of all three kids. I still have a month left! Just staple my mouth shut now. Is it coincidence that I posted the top 20 worst foods and that my pants don't fit anymore all in one day? Think about it....

I did have a midwife appt today and for the first time ever there was a laboring mom there! I can't remember ever seeing (well hearing as I never actually saw her) a laboring mom in all the appts I've been to. I heard her moaning though and all I could think was "poor thing...I've been there". I hope by now she's holding her baby. I did get to see MaryAnn(mw) and Amanda(asst) in action though. They really do take care of you and are with you always. They were calling in the other assistant too before I left. I guess Mom was close to delivery.

As for my appt, I had a finger prick for iron and that came back fine. Bella's heart rate was great and Kim (student midwife) was able to tickle her feet and get her heart rate to speed up which I guess means she's responding. I don't know what the purpose was to that. I also had the Group B strep test which wasn't so bad. I'll get those results next week. If I'm positive, I'll have to have IV antibiotics for a short time during labor. Lovely.

I paid for my waterbirth tub. There are 3 other girls due around the same time who already paid too. It's first come, first serve when it comes to the tub so if two of us are laboring together and she paid first, she gets the tub. Guess I should have done that class sooner! Apparently they've never had that happen but I'm so special that if it's gonna happen, it will happen to me. Haha! I'm really looking forward to that tub too. Keep your fingers crossed!

Maternity vent

I need to get thru the next month with exactly 3 pairs of pants. Yes, just 3. Seven days a week, three pairs of pants...you do the math!

All of my shorts are now way too tight for this humongo belly. I can get them on but they roll right under my belly and then my shirts don't cover my bump. I don't want to go buy more clothes just for the next 30+ days either. Why is it the clothes all fit for 8 months and now they don't? Too many Starbucks chai frapps? Maybe I need to invest in some yoga type pants. Does Target carry those? I just need something to get me through the next month or two until she's out and those pregnancy pounds are gone!

Top 20 Worst Foods!

From MSNBC/Today Show Wow....just wow....

20: Worst fast-food chicken meal
Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips from McDonald's (5 pieces) with creamy ranch sauce
830 calories
55 grams (g) fat (4.5 g trans fat)
48 g carbohydrates
The only thing "premium" about these strips is the caloric price you pay. Add a large fries and regular soda and this seemingly innocuous chicken meal tops out at 1,710 calories.


19: Worst drink
Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 fl oz)
900 calories 10 g fat
183 g carbs (166 g sugar)
Jamba Juice calls it a smoothie; we call it a milk shake. In fact, this beverage contains as much sugar as 2 pints of Ben & Jerry's butter pecan ice cream.


18: Worst supermarket meal
Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie (whole pie)
1,020 calories 64 g fat
86 g carbs
The label may say this pie serves two, but who ever divided a small pot pie in half? The sad truth is, once you crack the crust, there will be no stopping -- which makes this 300 calories worse than anything else you'll find in the freezer case. (I used to eat 2 of these at a time!)


17: Worst 'healthy' burger
Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger
1,145 calories 71 g fat
56 g carbs
We chose this burger for more than its calorie payload: Its name implies that it's healthy. (Have you ever see the stats on their veggie burger? It's ridiculous!)


16: Worst Mexican entree
Chipotle Mexican Grill Chicken Burrito
1,179 calories 47 g fat
125 g carbs
2,656 milligrams (mg) sodium
Despite a reputation for using healthy, fresh ingredients, Chipotle's menu is limited to king-size burritos, overstuffed tacos, and gigantic salads -- all of which lead to a humongous waistline.


15: Worst kids' meal
Macaroni Grill Double Macaroni 'n' Cheese
1,210 calories 62 g fat
3,450 mg sodium
It's like feeding your kid 1 1/2 boxes of Kraft mac 'n' cheese. (Logan loves mac & chs when we go out. Time to start ordering something healthier!)


14: Worst sandwich
Quiznos Classic Italian (large)
1,528 calories 92 g fat
4,604 mg sodium 110 g carbs
A large homemade sandwich would more likely provide about 500 calories.


13: Worst salad
On the Border Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef
1,450 calories 102 g fat
78 g carbs 2,410 mg sodium
This isn't an anomaly: Five different On the Border salads on the menu contain more than 1,100 calories each.


12: Worst burger
Carl's Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger
1,520 calories
111 g fat
Carl's Jr. brags that it's home to this enormous sandwich, but the restaurant chain also provides convenient nutrition info on its Web site -- so ignorance is no excuse for eating it.


11: Worst steak
Lonestar 20 oz T-bone
1,540 calories
124 g fat
Add a baked potato and Lonestar's Signature Lettuce Wedge, and this is a 2,700-calorie blowout.


10: Worst breakfast
Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Cream Stacked and Stuffed Hotcakes
1,540 calories
77 g fat (9 g trans fat)
198 g carbs (109 g sugar)
Five Egg McMuffins yield the same caloric cost as this stack of sugar-stuffed flapjacks, which is truly a heavy breakfast, weighing in at a hefty pound and a half.


9: Worst dessert
Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
1,600 calories
78 g fat
215 g carbs
Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That's the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish. Clearly, Chili's customers get their money's worth.


8: Worst Chinese entree
P.F. Chang's Pork Lo Mein
1,820 calories
127 g fat
95 g carbs
The fat content in this dish alone provides more than 1,100 calories. And you'd have to eat almost five servings of pasta to match the number of carbohydrates it contains. Now, do you really need five servings of pasta?


7: Worst chicken entree
Chili's Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce
2,040 calories
99 g fat
240 g carbs
"Crispers" refers to an extra-thick layer of bread crumbs that soaks up oil and adds unnecessary calories and carbs to these glorified chicken strips.


6: Worst fish entree
On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans
2,100 calories
130 g fat
169 g carbs 4,750 mg sodium
Perhaps the most misleadingly named dish in America: A dozen crunchy tacos from Taco Bell will saddle you with fewer calories.


5: Worst pizza
Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza
2,310 calories
162 g fat
123 g carbs
4,470 mg sodium
Downing this "personal" pizza is equivalent to eating 18 slices of Domino's Crunchy Thin Crust cheese pizza. (holy crap!)


4: Worst pasta
Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce
2,430 calories
128 g fat
207 g carbs
5,290 mg sodium
This meal satisfies your calorie requirements for an entire day.


3: Worst nachos
On the Border Stacked Border Nachos
2,740 calories
166 g fat
191 g carbs
5,280 mg sodium


2: Worst starter
Chili's Awesome Blossom
2,710 calories
203 g fat
194 g carbs
6,360 mg sodium


1: The worst food in America
Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing
2,900 calories
182 g fat
240 g carbs
Even if you split these "starters" with three friends, you'll have downed a dinner's worth of calories before your entrée arrives. (They are OH SO GOOD though! I used to get a mini version when I went to the hockey games Mmmm)

Sunday, February 17, 2008

A productive Sunday afternoon

It all started when I went to clean out my car. What a mess! Dh came out to help and when he was done, he started cleaning his van and then washing it. While he was washing his van, I decided to install Bella's infant seat. Well that was fun! I decided to move things around a bit and Bella is now on the outside seat with Ian in the middle and Logan behind the driver. I think it will be easier to get the bucket seat in and out plus she's more protected than Ian would be in an accident. All seats are in tight, tight, tight! Logan's seat is also tethered finally as he's hit that over 50lb mark in his Husky. To anyone that has a Honda Pilot- you CAN get 3 harnessed seats across! It's going to take some getting used to trying to buckle Ian in the middle though- especially with my big belly in the way! I may have to kneel over the front seat to do it.
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Yes, I know I shouldn't have that mirror there, but dh will be putting some zip ties on it so it won't fly off in an accident. I have to be able to keep an eye on Bella with Ian sitting next to her.
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After installing the seats, dh washed my car and the boys helped. Then the real fun began... how many states do you know that you can do this in the middle of February? It was a beautiful warm, breezy day. Perfect for playing in the water.
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Oopsie! This is what happens when you're a skinny kid and your pants are wet!
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Saturday, February 16, 2008

New 35wk 3D ultrasound PICS!!

Here's Bella! We got a pretty good look at her today. She doesn't appear to have a head of hair so it sounds like she'll be just like her brothers in that aspect. She does appear to have dimples though! I love dimples. And the same Gerber baby lips the boys had. I can't believe there are just 36 days left til her due date. I keep thinking Friday the 21st sounds like a good day to have her though...we'll see!

If you see a squiggly looking thing over her cheek, it's her cord. She was sucking on it at times or it was laying across her mouth. She is head down, anterior position- perfect for delivery!

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Look at her yawn! Awww
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Friday, February 15, 2008

Ticker??

Why is the baby in my ticker spinning like it's in a washer? LOL It used to just float in there and now it's like it's on the spin cycle!

ETA: Now it slowed back down. Weird!

Chocolate and shoes?

Aren't those 2 of women's best friends? Check out what I came across last night. FWIW, I was doing a completely different search when I came across them. Gayle's Chocolates OMG, aren't they cute?! If I had a SITC (Sex in the city) kind of friend that adored shoes, I'd buy one. They make some pretty cool chocolate animals too.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

New baby carrier

I'm still researching new baby slings to use with Bella. I came across the Baby K'Tan last night and really like it. It looks like it would be easy to nurse in and not difficult to use. I wasn't a huge fan of my Maya wrap but this looks interesting. So in reading reviews, I also came across this contest at TheStylishMom's blog to win one! Go check it out!

And then there were 3...

There are only 3 bloggers left in our little contest! We lost 3 this week alone. We'll miss you Julie, Jen and Scarlett! I had each and every one of my blogging friends on my daily read list and it's dwindled down to nearly nothing. :( Even Andrea who is new to blogging (and not in the contest) hasn't posted in a week. At least Heather's still hanging in there- even though she took herself out of the contest at the beginning of the month. Way to go H! I'm not sure how much money is in the original pot but I think it's like $85. Divide that by 3 and we finally get some moola. Yea!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's that day again. Dh and I decided not to do much this year. He did go out to the mall last night though and picked me up 2 boxes of Godiva dark chocolates. Mmmm. I got them last night too- something about not wanting to leave them in his car. I got this box and this box (I think those are the right ones).

I looked for a new movie for him but nothing was sticking out to me. Of course, when I'm out and about in the area (right after 9am) nothing is open except Target. I thought about getting him some weights (too $$$ plus store closed) or a new game (store closed) or some new Crocs (store closed) so I came home. I would have started earlier and should have gotten something last week but again, I'm a procrastinator. Oh well...I'll make him a card later today. We'll probably get some take out or something tonight. I'm certainly not braving the crowded restaurants.

ETA: These are the kind of weights we're looking for. We had regular dumbbells but they took up too much room so we sold those.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Getting ready

I've decided to start packing... my birth center bag that is. I started out with my smallest suitcase and had to upgrade to the medium size one. I still haven't even finished or even come close to packing everything I have to bring either. I hope it's big enough! It's not like a hospital where they give you everything there. I have to pack diapers, overnight pads (menstrual), dh's robe (for walking around the house- that takes up ALL the room), gowns for labor, nursing bras/tanks/swimsuit top or whatever for being in the tub, baby clothes, socks, onesies, underwear, swimtrunks for dh, extra set of clothes for dh, cut up towels for compresses, going home outfit for me....and that doesn't include the cooler we have to bring full of food and drinks for both of us or any sundries. I also need to pack my handheld fan, video camera, camera, ipod.... whew! Think I can just hitch the house to some wheels and drive it to the birth center? It might be easier!

So because I've decided to start packing, I also had to go shopping. I realized I have barely anything for this little girl. No hats, no onesies, no sleepers or socks or baby blankets. Well, I have blankets but they aren't pink (haha) and they are up in the attic somewhere and heaven knows when I can get dh to get up there to get them, so I bought a few new ones! I didn't use them that much with the boys so I figure the 4pk I got will be enough.

In the next few weeks, I'll be shopping (by myself!!) for some nursing bras/tanks. I refuse to take little man with me to clothes shop. I also need to get a fish net. No not stockings, an actual fish net for fishing "stuff" out of the birth tub if needed. Sounds interesting, doesn't it?

I can't believe I have just over a month left!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Flushable diapers

While on the prowl for new blogs to read, I came across this site... gDiapers. They are basically cloth diapers with a flushable, biodegradeable liner. You can even use the wet liner in your compost pile. Even by the case, they are probably 0.10 more per diaper but so much better for the environment. It's a great concept, I'm just not sure if I'm ready for it personally. A breastfed baby poops a LOT!

Labor

Since I'm planning on a natural labor again this time, I thought I'd share this Virtual Labor tool. See how you'd handle a natural birth.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Fair day- Part 2 animals

We walked over to the Mooternity ward to see all the babies. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get very good shots of them. It was packed inside. There were some cuties though!! Here's a cow that didn't look particularly happy. She was busy being milked. It was interesting to watch. The kids each had a chance to do it but Logan refused.

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I took this pic for Amy... a Texas Longhorn!
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There were also a few animals you just don't see as much in the U.S. like a Watusi and a Yak. Here's a Watusi. The horns were HUGE. I tried taking a pic from the front but couldn't fit all the horns in.
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This turkey is only relaxed bc it's not Thanksgiving yet. Haha!
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After the ward, we walked over to the stables where all the horses are kept. I love horses! I so want to go riding one day. There were some beauties there. The largest horses there are Percherons (I think that was what they were). They are just gorgeous and so big! They towered over guys that were 6ft and taller.

Here's one that just had a bath.
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These are a couple that came flying down the road. I'd hope he could have stopped those horses had people been in the way. I don't think so though as I heard him comment about it after he'd stopped.
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Here you can see just how big the horses are...
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These were a couple of cute donkeys.
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And a horse named Sky. Isn't she pretty? Look at those eyes!! Okay, it's hard to see in a smaller pic but they are a beautiful pale blue.
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And that's the end....

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Fair Day Part 1- food!

I wasn't sure we'd have enough time but we decided to go to the fair this morning anyway. There wasn't too much in the way of people watching though which was really surprising. Everyone actually seemed fairly normal. You had the occasional guy in camo shirt and hat but that's pretty normal in the south. We walked thru Cracker Country a little bit first and then on to the exhibits hall. Nothing really caught my eye that I had to have. There were some cute bags/backpacks that were supposedly "homemade" that I thought about using as a diaper bag. I didn't stop to really look though. After that, we just wandered around.

It was just about lunch time so dh and the boys stopped for some pizza. I can get pizza anywhere so I looked around but didn't spot anything I wanted. Once again, I didn't eat lunch! I had some diet Pepsi though while they were eating and a little of Ian's leftover pizza so I didn't starve.

The boys were ready for dessert though so we opted for some Deep Fried Pepsi (infused dough with Pepsi Cola and Pepsi syrup, deep fried, and served on a toothpick with Pepsi syrup drizzled over it and a flurry of confectionery sugar) and Deep Fried Reeses Cups. Mmmm...heart attack in a paper bowl... The DFP was good- but it wasn't anything I'd have to have again. The DFRC though were to die for. Ooey gooey melted chocolate with a Reeses center wrapped in fried dough. Mmmm. I really wanted to try the DF cookie dough but they had already run out!! The nerve of them. Apparently it's very popular!

On the left are the Pepsi balls and on the right are the DF Reeses.
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A close up of the DFRC
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Just before we left, we got some smoothies too. The boys had strawberry ones which were super yummy. Dh and I got a version of Pina Coladas that needed some sugar. They were blah. I didn't get any pics of those. Sorry!

There were also a few other new items we didn't try out like Fried Bologna (my dad used to make this) and some new hispanic food items. Oh and a Walking Taco- it's apparently a bag of Fritos or Doritos and they add all the taco fixins to the bag. You walk around holding the bag and eat from it with a fork. I didn't see anyone with one though.

Okay so here are some pics!

A shot from the bridge
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Pirate ship! There's actually a small (free!) 3 hole golf course to play next to the ship.
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Laundry????
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Ohh the good stuff...
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Can someone tell me what Crispy-Googy Good is???
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Saturday, February 09, 2008

Quite sad really

I'm Mom now...not mama...not mommy...just Mom according to Logan. I don't want to be Mom yet. I like being a Mama. It makes me feel like he's growing up too fast...it's all quite sad. I'm still hoping it's a phase and I'll go back to being Mama soon.

Another lazy Saturday

I've done nothing today except make food for the family. Seriously, frozen waffles and cereal for breakfast, pb&j for lunch( I don't think I actually ate lunch...I can't remember!) and chili for dinner. Oh and since dh and I were watching a chocolate show on Food Network, No Pudge brownies for dessert. Mmmm. I need to go dig into those while they are warm. Dh did get the side of the house primed and painted though so he accomplished something. It started raining and he ran out of primer so that was the end of that. I need to do so many things and I have no energy or desire to do them. Oh well!

Tomorrow I have a group meeting with my playgroup but before that, we are thinking about hitting the fair. Who doesn't want some Fried pepsi, fried cookie dough and fudge, or fried fruit on a stick? What's the fair without a little heart attack? I like seeing all the exhibits and people watching. There are some strange people at the fair! We'll see how quickly we get up and moving in the morning.

Friday, February 08, 2008

Whining

OMG the whining is driving my insane. It's like nails on a chalkboard. We took the boys to Best Buy tonight. Dh was hoping to find a keyboard for his PC at work. Ian was in the cart (back) and kept climbing back and forth, back and forth, between the back and seat of the cart so after a few warnings, I buckled his little butt in. I'm not going to have him fall out on his head. After that, all he did was whine, whine, whine. Dh pushed the cart and I walked away. LOL He has a much higher tolerance for it I guess. I should really know better than to take the child anywhere but I keep trying. I'm a glutton for punishment I guess.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

LOST

Is it just me or does everyone else get more and more LOST watching LOST? I love the show and it's one of 2 shows dh actually watches every week. Tonight's episode (and every episode for that matter) just leaves me with more and more questions. How will they ever wrap this show up???

Naptime

Argh why is it that naptime is such a struggle? He knows it's naptime. He tells me he's tired. We go thru the whole routine only for me to have to go tuck him in (aka put the blanket over his head) over and over. Does he not understand Mommy wants to take a nap too? Mommy is 8 months pregnant and NEEDS a nap! We struggle with this for at least 30-40min every day. I even threaten to close his door if he doesn't stay in bed. I just put him down one more time. Let's see if it holds...

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Kid songs...

Anyone else get them stuck in their head? My 2yr old loves Dora and has been singing either Arriba- Up, Abajo- down or Abre- open, sierra- close (I know Spanish and English too, I like them both, How about you?) for a while now. I think it's great he's picking up spanish so easily. Heaven knows I can't remember it. Wanna hear something even better, I couldn't remember that second song so I just asked him what open and close is and he told me the words in Spanish. It amazes me. Dh told me Logan was counting the other day in English and Ian piped in to finish in Spanish. If only dh would teach them both more words... English is his first language though and since I don't speak Spanish, I think it's just natural to speak English at home.

Tagged again

Julie has tagged us yet again. Maybe she's bored with what we're writing. LOL So she wants to know what 10 things would you buy if you had 10 million dollars to spend. It has to be spent on yourself, no giving it to charity. So now I have to think...why do you make me think Julie??

1.) Buy a huge custom RV that is retrofitted so carseats can be used in it (no you can't use carseats in normal RVs). Tour the USA/Canada in it. Hire a tutor to go with so noone misses any school.

2.) Buy a bigger home with a pool and huge yard. Hire a housekeeper.

3.) Start a college fund for my children. (Crap, I checked the rules and this can't be an answer but it would be an answer! Dumb rule Julie!)

4.) Send dh to college and maybe myself.

5.) Buy a second home(summer) in another state or Canada.

6.) Buy dh his dream car (undoubtedly a sports car that goes too fast), a family vehicle (enviromental green car) and a convertible for me (Mercedes, Audi, Lexus...).

7.) Once all 3 kids are old enough, travel through Europe. Bring a tutor.

8.) Take classes and learn how to use my camera and photo software. Buy all the accessories and start a photography business.

9.) Get LASIK done and get braces for dh and I. Hold onto some money if the kids need braces later on.

10.) Hire a chef and personal trainer to get dh and I into shape. Make sure the kids know all about good fitness.

11.) (since #3 didn't count)... I'm still thinking

Ah Ha!!

I knew I wasn't crazy. I knew I was right and now there's proof! Pregnancy really does make you forgetful! Check out this LINK.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Here she is!

Briana Elizabeth....
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Look at the head of hair!
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Things have changed a bit since I was last at the hospital. It's like Ft Knox to get in! You have to go to the security guard, hand him your ID and then you have your picture taken. You get a badge with the room # and a name tag/sticker with your picture and other ID-able info. Then you can go upstairs. If you are headed to L&D, you have to push a button and they have a camera there too before you are allowed in. My sister had not 1 or 2 ID bracelets, but 4! And the baby had an ankle bracelet on like you'd see someone on house arrest. LOL I'm glad they have security but WOW!

And the Mother of the Year award goes to....

This woman! Seriously?! WTF was she thinking? Ohhhh that's right, she wasn't. Heaven help if her precious beer was hurt in an accident, but ehh the baby will be okay.

I'm going to be an Aunt again!

My sister is having her C-section today. I can't wait to meet my new niece! Hopefully dh will get off at a decent time tonight so I can go up to the hospital. Everyone please pray that all goes well and that they both come thru the surgery okay.

ETA: She's here! She was 5lbs, 13oz and 18in long. Everything looks good!
ETAA: She's being observed in the nursery right now. She may have fluid in her lungs still and won't cry or stay awake.

Monday, February 04, 2008

33 week appt

I had my 33wk appt today. I'm actually measuring 34wks. Bella's HR was 160. She has at least one foot stuck up in my ribs non stop it seems. Everything looks good with me- my heart palpitations didn't seem to be out of the ordinary but I should let them know if it happens anymore and my blood pressure is fine. I go back in 2 weeks for the Group B test. Yippee. Not.

I also took a Waterbirth class tonight. It was rather impromptu though as the instructor wasn't told she had a class tonight. Oops! She didn't have any of her materials with her so she just had to wing it. It was just me and one other mom there. I learned some new stuff though and I think I may go forward with it. It does seem more glamorous on TV, even when it's a reality type show but after I told dh what to expect, he's not sure he wants to get in the tub with me. Big sissy! LOL I'll be packing his swim trunks just in case! Has anyone seen a waterproof iPod case lately? I think I'll probably need one.

ETA: if anyone wants to watch waterbirth videos (haven't seen anything gory yet), you can go to Youtube.com and there are many to choose from.

Sunday, February 03, 2008

A Disney Picture Post

Feel free to skip it OR post comments!

We'll start with my flower pics... I really need to learn how to use this camera in something other than Auto mode.
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Don't you love the spiderweb on the above pic?

When I say there are still things I've never seen at Disney, I really do mean it. Here are the gardens in Canada. We've just never walked down that path before. I wish my yard looked like this!
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A pic of the boys in England...
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Holly Hobbie was apparently in England too. Okay, she wasn't really HH. Dh thought she was a cast member. Uh nope. That's just what they call fashion in Japan I'm guessing. I wish I could have gotten a front pic. The shoes laced up around the ankles too.
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And now we move over to France. I love how I can go around the world in 8 hours. LOLPhotobucket
Here's Ian and Marie from Aristocats
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And my little boy hugging on a Princess (Sleeping Beauty). Isn't he cute?
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Another spot I'd never seen. This was part of the Beast's library from Beauty and the Beast. I know why I'd never seen it- it's in the store with all the smelly perfumes.
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A "hidden" Mickey, I actually spotted another one on the Mexico ride but didn't have my camera out...next time!
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Just 3 more...almost done!
This was China. The acrobats do some cool stuff! I took these as he did his tricks. Notice he's balancing and the bowls and spoon flying thru the air...they all landed on his head.
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And although I could keep going, I thought I'd leave you with just this last picture. Mr. cranky pants....Photobucket