Monday, February 28, 2011

MOPS Monday

I LOVE M(others)O(f)P(re-schooler)S Mondays. It's a time for mothers of kids aged pre-K and younger to get together and have some adult interaction, food, and time with God! My week always seems to start off better when I start it with MOPS.

First off, I get a nice hot breakfast. Seriously there is TONS of food. It's always nice to get the chance to eat a meal uninterrupted and without a little person begging for bites off of my plate. I can eat all the food on my plate without feeling guilty or having to cut everything into teeny tiny bites.

Of course the two hours of time I get away from Sarah is a nice break. (Not that my girl isn't the light of my life, but sometimes she's a handful.) She loves being in the church nursery and her teachers think she is such a doll. I think it's kind of nice for her to get the chance to interact with other kids her age too. I mean if I crave time with my peers why wouldn't she? The best part is that she usually keeps herself so busy playing that she doesn't sleep which means I have a tired baby on my hands on the way home. She passes out in the car and I can almost always count on a two hour nap once we get home.

I also love the time I get to spend with other moms. It's nice hearing what other moms are struggling with and knowing that I am not the only one who has a baby that's teething or refusing to sleep. Of course the encouragement and the prayers I get are some of the best things from this group, not to mention the lessons. Each week someone gives a talk on something that is pertinent to a MOPS mother. Today it was about friendship and how to handle the competition that sometimes occurs with moms.

This is something I currently struggle with. I'm the first in my core group of friends to have a baby (let alone a second) so I feel lonely a lot of  the time. I do have some close girlfriends, but they don't have kids and while they can empathize with me, it's not the same as having mommy friends. That isn't to say that I don't know anyone else with kids or have friends with kids, but they are scattered all across the state and I rarely get to see them. So the lesson today prompted me to be more outgoing and just say hi to other moms. I used to be so much more outgoing than I am now. I honestly think this was a good wake up call for me. God really got my attention and I will be looking for opportunities to say hi and possibly make new friends. I am so grateful I got the chance to be a part of this amazing group of women!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Monday Mind Dump

  • Getting out of the house puts me in a better mood. It forces me to get dressed and look presentable so I can go out in public which makes me feel better about myself if I am out of pj's or stained clothes.
  • Sunbursts from Nordstrom Espresso Bar are AMAZING! I worked there in high school and they were one of my favorite drinks then and they still are now. Ginger peach tea, raspberry syrup, and orange juice. It's so refreshing and yummy!
  • I love Sarah's dancing. It's so funny and she does it all the time now. Seriously, even commercial jingles make her get her groove thing on. And she loves if someone sings a song with her name in it.
  • We got Sarah some flash cards to help her learn to recognize different words and objects. I highly recommend them. They are touch and feel and fairly inexpensive. She already knows quite a few of them and can pick them out when you ask her where they are.          
  • Sarah went to the walking classroom at church yesterday and did very well! I was a little anxious about it because she's pretty small compared to some of the other "walkers". But my worries were unfounded because she did beautifully! Her teachers in the baby classroom miss her though.
  • Finances stink! I hate having to make a decision based on how much money is in the bank. With a second baby on the way, I have been feeling pretty guilty about not having an income. I know everyone has money stress, but sometimes I wish the "right" choice would just be crystal clear or at least have a neon sign pointing to it saying choose me.
  • My dogs are finally going to get a haircut on Friday. We've been putting it off for too long and I will be happy to not have to vacuum multiple times a day to fend off the dog hair.
  • Sarah learned to fake sneeze. It's quite something! She throws her head back and says "achoo" while tossing her head forward.
  • I need to have a girls' night out sometime soon. Or maybe just a coffee or lunch date with friends. Having me time is ESSENTIAL to all mamas. (Working or stay at home) Every mom needs to recharge so she can give her best to everyone that demands it.


    

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Food Problems

Sarah has reached the stage where she no longer wants to eat baby food. This wouldn't be a problem, IF she could eat regular food. She gags on nearly all stage 3 baby foods (the kind with bits of food in it) and she chokes a lot when eating table food.

This makes sort of a dilemma for me. I don't know what to feed her. She can comfortably eat crackers, puffs, and cereal. However the nutritional value of those things isn't exactly that high. I know she's hungry, but refuses to finish her baby food jars and isn't satisfied with just a bottle anymore. All she wants to eat is what's on my plate. Again, not a problem in theory. When she gets what's on my plate she either spits it out or gags/chokes. Sometimes we have success, but that usually ends in me not getting to eat because she wants every bite of mine.

Anyway, I guess I'm wondering if any other mamas out there have gone through this and if they have any suggestions on how to make it better. I don't want Sarah to be hungry but I want to make sure she is getting enough good stuff and not just fillers like crackers and such.

On a side note, this baby seems to be a health nut compared to Sarah. All I want to eat is fruit and veggies and big salads. When I was pregnant with Sarah, I was convinced she was surrounded with vegetable oil instead of amniotic fluid. This is a welcome change though. Hopefully this will prevent a 50 pound weight gain. So maybe Sarah's lack of interest in healthy foods started when she was a fetus...

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day

It seems the meaning of love changes a bit when you become a parent. Shortly after we woke up, I got Sarah dressed in her cute Valentine's Day outfit (courtesy of Nana - Sarah's great grandma). I spent the day with my littlest love just playing and reading some stories. When Daddy came home from work, we took her pictures and gave her a card from us.

Yay for pictures Daddy!

A card for me?

Mommy reading Sarah's card to her.

Sarah reading her own card. (I spy something strange...)

She found the mirror on the inside of the card.

Friday, February 11, 2011

A Whole Lot of Random

I'm taking the time to enjoy the smaller things in life. Currently I am without a car (it's in the shop) so I am choosing to enjoy being at home today. I know I'm a stay at home mom, and I'm home all the time, but at least I have the option of going to the store or something.

So here are some of the little things I'm loving right now.
  • Sarah figured out what a phone is. She has a toy phone that she puts up to her and "talks" to whoever is on the line. On the other hand, my TV remote is constantly being stolen so she can "call" someone.
  • Mashed potatoes. We had some with dinner last night, and Sarah loved them. Here's concrete proof that this kid is mine. I could live off mashed potatoes and brown gravy. I got a second helping after dinner and was eating them on the couch and this girl RAN to come get bites.
  • Baby Dances! Sarah recently started doing this little butt shake thing whenever music is on or she sees someone dancing. It's hilarious.
  • Pointing. We have reached a new form of communication with Sarah. She can point to things or where she wants to go now. It's not always very clear, but it's progress.
  • Nods. Sarah is nodding when asked if she wants something now. I'm pretty sure she understands the meaning of what she's doing. Even if she doesn't, it's stinkin' cute.
  • A clean kitchen. My mom picked me up from the car shop yesterday and dropped Sarah and I at home. She stayed long enough to clean our kitchen immaculately! It's something I have been trying to get around to so it just made my day! Thanks Mom.
  • Funny faces. Sarah and I shared a pickle today. Her face was so funny! I thought she hated it, but she kept wanting more. This is a trend now. Anytime I eat something, Sarah wants whatever I have.
  • It's Friday! The weekend is almost here and my hubby will be home for two solid days and I can sleep in! 
What are the little things making you happy today?

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Sarah is Sick

So I thought her runny nose and fever might have been caused by cutting more teeth. When she's teething, she generally gets cranky and exhibits a few sick-like symptoms. Well I was wrong. Her current problem isn't related  to her teeth at all.

Apparently my darling child has caught some bug from the other kids in the church nursery. (At least that was the pediatrician's best guess as to where she caught it.) I work there every other week, and it infuriates me when parents knowingly drop off sick children. I'm all for going to church, but if you're sick or your children are, stay home. Our church even offers a live online service so you can watch it from home if for some reason you can't make it. I'd say sick kiddos qualify as a good reason to not make it to church. *steps off of soapbox*

Anyway, Sarah's fever got pretty high yesterday so Ryan called the pediatrician for an appointment today. She had a cold that has now developed into an ear infection.She also has a cough that the pediatrician said is going around and could linger for a couple of weeks. It sounds really painful and sometimes wakes her up at night. I had to get a prescription for antibiotics and I'm hoping that she likes taking this medicine because it should make her feel better in a few days. She has been sleeping A LOT which is a blessing! When she is awake, it's totally obvious that she is just feeling miserable. She whines and cries and wants to snuggle which is very unusual for her. I know her body needs the rest, so I have just been letting her nap as long and as often as she wants.

The good news about that, is I have been able to get a lot of neglected housework done. Although if I could, I would trade the finished chores for a healthy baby. So it looks like I may be a bit scarce this week, but I'll try and keep you all updated on how little Miss Sarah is doing.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Update on Our Little Bean

Today was my first real appointment with the OB for Baby #2. I'm not going to lie, I was kind of nervous. This whole first trimester is kind of nerve wracking. You can't feel the baby moving, there is no real visible evidence of a baby belly, and your emotions are all over the place. So I got both Sarah and I ready and headed out the door about 1:00 for our 1:30 appointment.

Ryan met us there and we waited for about half an hour before I asked the receptionist how much longer.
 "Oh I forgot to tell you Dr. G is out on a delivery. She should be back any minute."
Well, I'm not proud to say that I got a little irritated. First off, they should have notified me when I checked in that my doc wasn't there. Secondly, I now had to entertain a sleepy baby for who knows how long. But I waited it out. Finally about an hour after our appointment was originally scheduled for, we were taken into the office.

Dr. G asked me if I had any questions. Nope, I just did this not that long ago. So she got the doppler out and we got ready to hear our baby's heartbeat. Except for not. It took FOREVER to find it. Plus the doppler had a lot of interference. After what seemed like an eternity, she located our little mover way down low on my right side. We heard the heartbeat for a split second and then he/she was off again. Dr. G tried chasing that baby around forever trying to get an accurate read. When the baby finally calmed down we got a heartbeat read of 160 BPM! That was perfect. I was so relieved. Having been through a miscarriage, and knowing a lot of other who have been through one as well, I was a little hesitant to get too attached to this baby.

Now the fun stuff begins. Hopefully I start gaining some weight soon since I've lost 5 lbs since my first new patient appointment. I am excited to start looking pregnant and not like I ate too many burgers. Dr. G said I should "pop" about a month earlier than I did with Sarah. We also found out that we get to see our little bean in early April for our 20 week ultrasound! So sometime around Sarah's first birthday we find out if she gets a little brother or sister. What a great gift.

Physically I have been feeling pretty good lately! No severe nausea and my sleepiness is fading. This is great news for me. Emotionally, I'm afraid I've been a little short tempered and more moody than I was with Sarah. (Sorry honey!) So that's our good news for the day. I am so glad it was good news I had to report!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

10 Months

Sarah's 10 month "birthday" was yesterday! I cannot believe that in two short months we will be celebrating her birthday! It's crazy to think that I am a mom of an almost one year old. It's time to start party planning. I'm thinking butterflies... It seems like she just got here. I know I write that every time I do a monthly update on her, but it's so true. I wonder if I will ever stop feeling that way. (Maybe when she's a teen with a big attitude.)
Anyway here are a few facts about her this month.

  • She's still in size 3 diapers, has been for 4 months or so. We may move up soon though.
  • SHE WALKS EVERYWHERE! Crawling is used very rarely now a days. She prefers walking to any mode of transportation.
  • This cold weather makes her happy. Seriously she smiles every time the wind hits her face or when we are walking to the car. This obviously comes from her father. (See my previous post about snow days.)
  • We are currently experiencing attachment cycles. For two or three days all she wants is Mommy, then Daddy, then Aunt Codie. It's sweet but can get a little overwhelming.
  • Even though she's in the 40th percentile for weight and 48th for height she's rapidly outgrowing clothes. She wears 12 month pants and shirts mostly. With a few 9 month and 6 - 9 month things thrown in.
  • Laundry baskets, boxes, and tags are the most interesting things ever invented.
  • She still eats three solid meals a day with more table foods thrown in. She loved guacamole when she tried it the other day.
  • She claps anytime she hears someone say "yay" or hears applause on TV. She also claps whenever she takes a bite of food. (Maybe because we cheer her on so she will eat.) She nods when asked questions and it's SO cute. 
  • Her hair is coming in thicker! It's got curls!
  • Sarah has at least 6 teeth. I say at least, because she hates letting me look in her mouth. She will bite me if I try. Anyway I know she has 4 top teeth and 2 bottom. She's working on a few more though. They came in all of a sudden!
  • Finally she sleeps! It's not always through the night, but it's much longer and more consistent. Getting her to sleep is not such a constant struggle now.
That's all the new things in our world, anything new in yours?

P.S. Check out the poll on the left side and feel free to guess baby #2's gender.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Snow Day

I despise winter. Blame it on my southern roots or my rear wheel drive car. Whatever the cause, I hate winter. If it dips below 50 degrees, I start to get grumpy. I don't like being cold in the slightest. My husband can tell you stories about how I walk around in a hoodie and slippers claiming that our 75 degree apartment is freezing. I absolutely cannot stand my toes and feet getting cold. That's probably the reason I have a plethora of fuzzy socks and slippers. 

Anyway, here in the great state of Kansas, winter can mean anything from bitter cold to full on blizzard to near 70 degree weather. Right now we are experiencing the blizzard aspect of winter. There's about 10 inches of snow on the ground and more is still coming down. This makes the THIRD big snowstorm in three weeks. I am sick of snow. 

When I was in school, I never thought I would say that I was sick of snow.  I was still a cold weather wimp back then, but at least then the snow served a purpose. I got to be out of school. When the school closings would scroll across the bottom of the TV screen, I would hold my breath until my school was listed. Back then, a snow day meant I could stay in my jammies all day. I could watch The Price is Right, eat junk, play games,  and maybe go out sledding (but never too long).

Snow days have lost their magic for me now. All it means is that I am homebound. It's not like when I was a carefree kid/teen. I still have responsibilities and they're right here at home. I enjoy being home most of the time. But a sick and cranky baby makes me wish for those old snow days of nothing to do. (Sarah is starting to feel better, I think but her naps have been erratic and very short. This makes one fussy girl.)

Right now there is too much snow and too strong of winds to even venture out of the apartment. Not to mention that I will most likely have to dig myself out of the apartment. We have huge snow drifts everywhere. Luckily, we're stocked up on food and baby necessities. But it is kind of a bummer to know that we can't even leave the house to grab a coffee or go see a friend. The snow is beautiful to see, but it becomes a nuisance when it hinders my ability to go about my daily routine. This is why summer gets a lot more love from me than winter.

The good side of the snow is that we are all warm and safe in the house. Ryan was able to work from home and will be doing it again tomorrow. Sarah and I have made a game of watching the snow fall from the back door. We make it work. And maybe tonight, after Sarah's gone to bed, I can sit in my jammies with a hot cup of tea or cocoa and try to rediscover the magic of snow days.