Wednesday, June 8, 2011
working on a new blog
I am working on a new blog. I'll email you when it's ready and link it up to FB. This one will be deleted after I figure out what it is going to be. xoxo
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Is it ever really deleted?
We moved back to our old stomping ground two weeks ago. Before I left Rachael said she was curious as to how much I was going to post on this blog. Honestly, I was never much of a poster anyway. It was usually a way to divert my attention from doing the dishes or laundry. Whatever it takes, right?
It made me think that maybe I should just delete this blog? It was originally created to keep my family that was six hours away from us updated with pictures of the kids and our daily happenings so they didn't feel like they were missing out on much. The only people that even read the damn thing are my mother-in-law, my sister, and a few friends from Jersey (Hi pasty arms!! Miss you!!)
I can't really delete this thing anyway, right? Once you put things out there on the World Wide Web they are out there forever, aren't they? Ugh, what to do... what to do....
I seriously wish I was more creative. FB is just so much easier!
Should I update you as to what life is like since we moved?
We've been busy looking at houses and have narrowed down our search from four towns to one, my original hometown. This surprises the heck out of me because I never thought I'd want to move back here, but honestly when I registered Ellie for Kindergarten at the same elementary school I attended and the school nurse there remembered not only who I was but also connected the fact that my goddaughter was in the third grade there I was sort of happy. It was a comforting feeling really.
It's even better that this was Hubby's idea. I'm glad he's as happy here as I am. The first week was a little rough while Hubs transitioned to his new job and I attempted to unpack everything by myself. Who doesn't take a few days off between jobs? My husband, that's who. Two weeks later we are all unpacked. Our storage unit is packed to the gills and the kids are happily settling in to life here.
Ellie sends her BFF pictures in the mail occasionally and spoke with two of them on the phone last week. We've had play dates here with some friends and are going to the park and playing outside a lot.
Than got to meet some of his great-grandparents for the first time today. He's walking exclusively now. He had his 15 month appointment last week (a little late) and was 80% for height, 75% for head circumference and 20% for weight. He couldn't have his vaccinations because his old pedi didn't include his 12 month visit notes with his file. (Freaking pediatricians!! j/k Kel!) We go back next week for his shots and a physical for Ellie to get her K paperwork completed. Is this too much information? Are you bored now? Am I losing you?
There are a lot of things I miss about New Jersey. Weekends that aren't jam packed. Everything not being 20 minutes away. Monday/Wednesday play dates. My girlfriends. The Tortilla Press. And Wednesdays at Chick-Fil-a... just to name a few.
It made me think that maybe I should just delete this blog? It was originally created to keep my family that was six hours away from us updated with pictures of the kids and our daily happenings so they didn't feel like they were missing out on much. The only people that even read the damn thing are my mother-in-law, my sister, and a few friends from Jersey (Hi pasty arms!! Miss you!!)
I can't really delete this thing anyway, right? Once you put things out there on the World Wide Web they are out there forever, aren't they? Ugh, what to do... what to do....
I seriously wish I was more creative. FB is just so much easier!
Should I update you as to what life is like since we moved?
We've been busy looking at houses and have narrowed down our search from four towns to one, my original hometown. This surprises the heck out of me because I never thought I'd want to move back here, but honestly when I registered Ellie for Kindergarten at the same elementary school I attended and the school nurse there remembered not only who I was but also connected the fact that my goddaughter was in the third grade there I was sort of happy. It was a comforting feeling really.
It's even better that this was Hubby's idea. I'm glad he's as happy here as I am. The first week was a little rough while Hubs transitioned to his new job and I attempted to unpack everything by myself. Who doesn't take a few days off between jobs? My husband, that's who. Two weeks later we are all unpacked. Our storage unit is packed to the gills and the kids are happily settling in to life here.
Ellie sends her BFF pictures in the mail occasionally and spoke with two of them on the phone last week. We've had play dates here with some friends and are going to the park and playing outside a lot.
Than got to meet some of his great-grandparents for the first time today. He's walking exclusively now. He had his 15 month appointment last week (a little late) and was 80% for height, 75% for head circumference and 20% for weight. He couldn't have his vaccinations because his old pedi didn't include his 12 month visit notes with his file. (Freaking pediatricians!! j/k Kel!) We go back next week for his shots and a physical for Ellie to get her K paperwork completed. Is this too much information? Are you bored now? Am I losing you?
There are a lot of things I miss about New Jersey. Weekends that aren't jam packed. Everything not being 20 minutes away. Monday/Wednesday play dates. My girlfriends. The Tortilla Press. And Wednesdays at Chick-Fil-a... just to name a few.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Vitamin D
Today was gorgeous. We basically spent all day outside. The kids and I went to the park after we picked Ellie up from school with her preschool friends (and my Mommy friends). Ellie stayed busy with her friends which is why you'll only see one picture of her below. I had my eye on Charlie nonstop. That boy is a daredevil! Than enjoyed the swing, being carried around by me, and sitting in his stroller eating Chick-fil-a fries.
After we got home the boys went down for their afternoon naps. I decided to say a big "screw that" to cleaning the house and instead I spent my favorite time of the day outside with Ellie. Ellie and I laid on a blanket out in the back yard after we played with bubbles for a few minutes and I read to her for an hour and a half. She has an "Illustrated Stories for Little Girls" book from Usborne that we have had for a few months but haven't gotten around to reading yet. We got through "The Railway Children," "The Wizard of Oz" and some of "The Secret Garden." It was so nice. She just cuddled up on the blanket with me in the sun and looked at the pictures as I read, asking a few questions here and there. It was the best hour and a half of my day.
After the boys woke up a friend came over with her kids and we did some more playing in the backyard. They left when Chris came home. The house was a mess. We ate leftovers for dinner. We managed to bathe the kids and get them in bed by 7:30 p.m. The kitchen managed to get cleaned, but the rest of the house is a mess. I'm hoping all the fresh air from today will help the kids get a complete night of rest.
I've noticed a lot of changes in the kids this week. Ellie can tie her own shoes and she can pump her legs on the swing now to swing high. She still asks to be pushed, but she doesn't need it. Charlie can roam free on the playground. I have to worry about him opening the gates and running away, but for the most part he listens and I can let him run around and play. Last summer he was in the stroller or in the swing. I can also let him walk around in the store and put him down on the ground while I close the door to the mommy van without worrying about him running in to the parking lot and getting killed. He listens pretty well now. It's crazy to think that this time next year we won't have any need for baby gates! Woo hoo!
Here are some pictures from our lunch date at the park:
After we got home the boys went down for their afternoon naps. I decided to say a big "screw that" to cleaning the house and instead I spent my favorite time of the day outside with Ellie. Ellie and I laid on a blanket out in the back yard after we played with bubbles for a few minutes and I read to her for an hour and a half. She has an "Illustrated Stories for Little Girls" book from Usborne that we have had for a few months but haven't gotten around to reading yet. We got through "The Railway Children," "The Wizard of Oz" and some of "The Secret Garden." It was so nice. She just cuddled up on the blanket with me in the sun and looked at the pictures as I read, asking a few questions here and there. It was the best hour and a half of my day.
After the boys woke up a friend came over with her kids and we did some more playing in the backyard. They left when Chris came home. The house was a mess. We ate leftovers for dinner. We managed to bathe the kids and get them in bed by 7:30 p.m. The kitchen managed to get cleaned, but the rest of the house is a mess. I'm hoping all the fresh air from today will help the kids get a complete night of rest.
I've noticed a lot of changes in the kids this week. Ellie can tie her own shoes and she can pump her legs on the swing now to swing high. She still asks to be pushed, but she doesn't need it. Charlie can roam free on the playground. I have to worry about him opening the gates and running away, but for the most part he listens and I can let him run around and play. Last summer he was in the stroller or in the swing. I can also let him walk around in the store and put him down on the ground while I close the door to the mommy van without worrying about him running in to the parking lot and getting killed. He listens pretty well now. It's crazy to think that this time next year we won't have any need for baby gates! Woo hoo!
Here are some pictures from our lunch date at the park:
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| Charlie on the slide. |
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| Amanda's pasty white arm :) |
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| Ellie on the swing with her buddy. |
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| Thanny soaking up the sun. |
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| Charlie being a cheese ball. |
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The best kept secret in Cherry Hill
Last night, with many thanks to my friend Amanda (one of a handful of people who actually read this blog), I stumbled upon the absolute best kept secret in Cherry Hill.
Premiere Immediate Medical Care is a little slice of heaven and that is in no way an exaggeration. For serious. The boys have had head colds for over a week now. I have been going back and forth the last couple of days about taking them to the pediatrician because it didn't seem to be more than a head cold and I was borderline approaching the deadline of my pediatrician rules....
"Pediatrician rules?" you ask. Yes. I have a few. Do you want to know what they are?
I do not bring my kids to the pediatrician every time they are sick. Why? No, not because I am a negligent mother. Through my countless visits to the pediatricians office between the three kids and many conversations with my pediatrician I have discovered the following things. They will not treat my kids unless they have had a fever for more than three days. They also will not treat my kids for a cold unless it's been over 7-10 days and they are not getting better. The few exceptions to this are if they seem to be in pain besides the normal "my head is stuffy, I can't breath out of my nose, I am not sleeping well" crankiness, if I suspect an ear ache, or if their fever is crazy high and it's freaking me out.
I love our pediatricians office. The doctor we try to see regularly, Dr. Sarah, is wonderful. The other doctors there we've seen are amazing as well. They do however take a long ass time to answer the phones which drives me crazy, but this cold season is insane as I've mentioned many times before so I can only imagine how busy they are. The other awesome thing about the pediatricians office is that they take you in on same day sick visits if you feel you need one even if that means they are there until 10pm.
Case in point, yesterday Than woke up from his afternoon nap screaming because he couldn't open his crusty eyes. At 3:30 I called the pedi office to take him in scared that it was pink eye. They had an appointment for both boys all right, but not until 9:30pm. Yikes! I scheduled the appointment but told them I was going to try out Urgent Care if we could get in there earlier.
Chris came home and off with the boys I went to Urgent Care, which is right around the corner from our house and is covered by our insurance with just a slightly higher co-pay, but 1/2 of what it would have cost me to take them to the ER. And you just walk right in without an appointment. Sounds good, right?
Wait. It gets better. We pull in to the parking lot and I am surprised by how empty the lot is. Oh what is this next door? A pharmacy that fills Urgent Care prescriptions in 5 minutes. It can't possibly get better than this. Until it does.
The place was immaculate. Every inch of the waiting room and office was clean. The staff were friendly. They were great with my kids! I fell in love. Instantly. Did I mention the part where we didn't even have to wait? We handed the receptionist our paperwork and as soon as I sat down and pulled out some entertainment for the boys we were being called back to the room. The nurse took their vitals and two minutes later the physicians assistant was in there taking care of them.
Both boys are now on Augmentin for sinus infections and Thanny has eye ointment for his crusties, which she says are mostly likely do to the sinus infection. Last night was a doozy with both of them being up. I'm pretty sure I didn't get to sleep until 3:30 a.m. and Chris fell asleep on the boys bedroom floor. At least it's carpeted, right?
So, next time you're in South Jersey and you or your kids are sick. I highly recommend them. I have a feeling it isn't the last they've seen of us. For sure! They are open 9am - 9pm 365 days a year! Yes, you read that right. When you've stuffed yourself silly on Thanksgiving and think you're having a heart attack they'll be open. Feel free to stop by for a quick EKG.
I can't believe I have been driving by this place for the last two years and had no idea!!
Premiere Immediate Medical Care is a little slice of heaven and that is in no way an exaggeration. For serious. The boys have had head colds for over a week now. I have been going back and forth the last couple of days about taking them to the pediatrician because it didn't seem to be more than a head cold and I was borderline approaching the deadline of my pediatrician rules....
"Pediatrician rules?" you ask. Yes. I have a few. Do you want to know what they are?
I do not bring my kids to the pediatrician every time they are sick. Why? No, not because I am a negligent mother. Through my countless visits to the pediatricians office between the three kids and many conversations with my pediatrician I have discovered the following things. They will not treat my kids unless they have had a fever for more than three days. They also will not treat my kids for a cold unless it's been over 7-10 days and they are not getting better. The few exceptions to this are if they seem to be in pain besides the normal "my head is stuffy, I can't breath out of my nose, I am not sleeping well" crankiness, if I suspect an ear ache, or if their fever is crazy high and it's freaking me out.
I love our pediatricians office. The doctor we try to see regularly, Dr. Sarah, is wonderful. The other doctors there we've seen are amazing as well. They do however take a long ass time to answer the phones which drives me crazy, but this cold season is insane as I've mentioned many times before so I can only imagine how busy they are. The other awesome thing about the pediatricians office is that they take you in on same day sick visits if you feel you need one even if that means they are there until 10pm.
Case in point, yesterday Than woke up from his afternoon nap screaming because he couldn't open his crusty eyes. At 3:30 I called the pedi office to take him in scared that it was pink eye. They had an appointment for both boys all right, but not until 9:30pm. Yikes! I scheduled the appointment but told them I was going to try out Urgent Care if we could get in there earlier.
Chris came home and off with the boys I went to Urgent Care, which is right around the corner from our house and is covered by our insurance with just a slightly higher co-pay, but 1/2 of what it would have cost me to take them to the ER. And you just walk right in without an appointment. Sounds good, right?
Wait. It gets better. We pull in to the parking lot and I am surprised by how empty the lot is. Oh what is this next door? A pharmacy that fills Urgent Care prescriptions in 5 minutes. It can't possibly get better than this. Until it does.
The place was immaculate. Every inch of the waiting room and office was clean. The staff were friendly. They were great with my kids! I fell in love. Instantly. Did I mention the part where we didn't even have to wait? We handed the receptionist our paperwork and as soon as I sat down and pulled out some entertainment for the boys we were being called back to the room. The nurse took their vitals and two minutes later the physicians assistant was in there taking care of them.
Both boys are now on Augmentin for sinus infections and Thanny has eye ointment for his crusties, which she says are mostly likely do to the sinus infection. Last night was a doozy with both of them being up. I'm pretty sure I didn't get to sleep until 3:30 a.m. and Chris fell asleep on the boys bedroom floor. At least it's carpeted, right?
So, next time you're in South Jersey and you or your kids are sick. I highly recommend them. I have a feeling it isn't the last they've seen of us. For sure! They are open 9am - 9pm 365 days a year! Yes, you read that right. When you've stuffed yourself silly on Thanksgiving and think you're having a heart attack they'll be open. Feel free to stop by for a quick EKG.
I can't believe I have been driving by this place for the last two years and had no idea!!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Hallelujah it's 8 o'clock!
I remember back in the day, about four years ago, when my Heart Mama friend and I would both talk about how we can't imagine being one of "those mothers" that looked forward to nap time and bed time just so our darn kids would go to bed and we'd get some peace and quiet. OMG, what was I thinking? Most days, probably because I am greatly outnumbered for about 90% of the day, I can't wait for 8pm. By 8pm the kids are definitely in bed. The routine starts at 6:30 p.m. and some nights I get lucky and by 7:30 p.m. all three kids are down and the house is quiet. I don't even really want to talk to Hubby until 9ish. I just need the hour to decompress and regain a little sanity.
I was supposed to go to the gym tonight because sick boys have prevented me from going during Ellie's school hours, but Hubby wanted to run an errand so I figured skipping a night wouldn't kill me. He bought me an iced coffee while I was giving Than his nightly breathing treatment, so seriously, how could I say no to him? That guy knows all the keys to my heart!
It's a big night over here. Charlie is sleeping in a toddler bed. GASP! I don't remember how it came up, but we just decided on a whim that tonight was the night. Chris and I make a lot of our parenting decisions off the cuff like that. We'll see in about 18 years or so how that method has paid off. I'll keep you posted. Back to the big boy bed.... It seemed to go down without a problem. Chris actually put the boys down so I'm not sure of the specifics. All I do know is that Chris left them in there and Charlie hasn't tried to get out or cried, so in my mind that equals success. I should probably go check on him to make sure he's not asleep under his bed. I remember on the second night or so that Ellie was in her first big girl bed, I couldn't find her in the morning and it totally screwed me up when I saw an empty bed until I saw her cute piggies peeking out from underneath her bed!
Other awesome news from the day, Ellie had her GI appointment follow up today. In the last three months since we've been there, E has gained one pound and grew a 1/4 of an inch! A pound in three months is huge for us. Especially considering she had that horrible stomach bug that is going around and she didn't really eat for about a week. Woo hoo!! That's my girl!! I was so happy. Her doctor said she thought she was exceptional! She is actually 5% on the growth chart for weight and at 10% for her BMI!! Yay Ellie!! We'll go for a follow up in another three months. The plan for now is just to keep everything as it is and hope the great gain continues.
I was supposed to go to the gym tonight because sick boys have prevented me from going during Ellie's school hours, but Hubby wanted to run an errand so I figured skipping a night wouldn't kill me. He bought me an iced coffee while I was giving Than his nightly breathing treatment, so seriously, how could I say no to him? That guy knows all the keys to my heart!
It's a big night over here. Charlie is sleeping in a toddler bed. GASP! I don't remember how it came up, but we just decided on a whim that tonight was the night. Chris and I make a lot of our parenting decisions off the cuff like that. We'll see in about 18 years or so how that method has paid off. I'll keep you posted. Back to the big boy bed.... It seemed to go down without a problem. Chris actually put the boys down so I'm not sure of the specifics. All I do know is that Chris left them in there and Charlie hasn't tried to get out or cried, so in my mind that equals success. I should probably go check on him to make sure he's not asleep under his bed. I remember on the second night or so that Ellie was in her first big girl bed, I couldn't find her in the morning and it totally screwed me up when I saw an empty bed until I saw her cute piggies peeking out from underneath her bed!
Other awesome news from the day, Ellie had her GI appointment follow up today. In the last three months since we've been there, E has gained one pound and grew a 1/4 of an inch! A pound in three months is huge for us. Especially considering she had that horrible stomach bug that is going around and she didn't really eat for about a week. Woo hoo!! That's my girl!! I was so happy. Her doctor said she thought she was exceptional! She is actually 5% on the growth chart for weight and at 10% for her BMI!! Yay Ellie!! We'll go for a follow up in another three months. The plan for now is just to keep everything as it is and hope the great gain continues.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Let's hope the next 8 years fly by this fast!
Yesterday Chris and I celebrated our 8 year wedding anniversary. 8 years. They flew by. It sort of makes me laugh to think about our life together in college where we met in 1999. Some people would call it "on and off" I would call it "giving each other room to grow." We were married in 2003. Had our first kid in 2006. Went to hell and back (a couple of times) in 2007. Celebrating eight married years together and sending our first kid off to kindergarten in the fall. Where did the time go? Am I really already that old?
Chris really out did himself this year. As I've mentioned before we don't really do gifts. Birthdays. Christmas. Anniversary. Each year we go back and forth, "are you buying me something?" "Are you buying me something?" Our life is comfortable enough that we don't really want for much and when we do we budget and save to get it when it makes sense for us to do so. I didn't get Chris anything this year. Nada. Not even a card!
I had my cycle-a-thon event to support Children's Hospital Boston on Sunday. Fearing I'd be incredibly sore and seeing that heavy rain was in the forecast I decided to stick out Monday in Massachusetts and drive back Tuesday morning. So in my defense I was planning on picking him up at least a card, but my plans were delayed so I didn't. Have you tried picking out a card at CVS with three kids with you? I didn't think so.
He vacuumed the entire house! I know, incredibly romantic!! The little things thrill me! He hid my card and gift in the sippy cup cabinet... but I didn't find it until he told me where to look. He replaced the earrings I lost a couple of weeks before we moved and this time they came with screw backs. Woo hoo! He did good. I am certainly a very lucky lady.
Happy Anniversary to my best friend and partner in love and life! We've so got this!
Chris really out did himself this year. As I've mentioned before we don't really do gifts. Birthdays. Christmas. Anniversary. Each year we go back and forth, "are you buying me something?" "Are you buying me something?" Our life is comfortable enough that we don't really want for much and when we do we budget and save to get it when it makes sense for us to do so. I didn't get Chris anything this year. Nada. Not even a card!
I had my cycle-a-thon event to support Children's Hospital Boston on Sunday. Fearing I'd be incredibly sore and seeing that heavy rain was in the forecast I decided to stick out Monday in Massachusetts and drive back Tuesday morning. So in my defense I was planning on picking him up at least a card, but my plans were delayed so I didn't. Have you tried picking out a card at CVS with three kids with you? I didn't think so.
He vacuumed the entire house! I know, incredibly romantic!! The little things thrill me! He hid my card and gift in the sippy cup cabinet... but I didn't find it until he told me where to look. He replaced the earrings I lost a couple of weeks before we moved and this time they came with screw backs. Woo hoo! He did good. I am certainly a very lucky lady.
Happy Anniversary to my best friend and partner in love and life! We've so got this!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
My weekend
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| 2C3 originals Heather, Jenny, Sonia, Sarah, Vern & Me! |
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| The first night. |
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| Big Girl movie night! |
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| Picture of all the minis except Charlie & Than who were in bed! :( Sienna, Addi, Sara, Avery, Ellie, Emme, Maya, Luke, Natalie |
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| Some of the minis - Sienna, Maya, Luke, Than & Avery |
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| The prettiest princesses ever! |
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| Westfield family dinner |
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| Avery getting lots of love from the biggies. |
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| Ellie with her buddies Natalie & Emerson |
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| more of the minis |
After calling our landlord the water company sent a plumber out. We are now on day 3 post trip and the plumber is still here. We have all new faucets, had the hot water heater flushed, and who knows what else. The only good thing is that we don't have to pay for any of it because the water company didn't let us know to run the outside water line because they had done work. I should have the water test back in a few hours to know if our water is safe to drink or not.
I've spent the last 2 1/2 days sitting on my bottom catching up on my DVR and reading books to the kids. The laundry is piled high and as soon as this guy leaves I've got to get to it.
I felt sort of pukey on the way home from our trip. I dozed on and off not being much of a travel companion for Chris. I thought maybe my liver was shutting down in protest. Ellie got sick the night we were home with a stomach bug and threw up from 9:30 that night until 3:30 the next morning. She had a slight fever the next morning and spent the day asleep on the couch. Today she is much better. I kept her home from school because she didn't eat anything the day before and I figured she'd be cranky. I feel better today after thinking I was getting worse last night. The boys seem to be doing fine, thankfully!
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| No idea who won, but Dan & I didn't make it past the first round. Stupid tipped cup rule! |
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| I miss them already :( |
We are just working the daily grind for the next two weeks until I head back north with the kids for another long weekend. What have you been up to?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
So sad
Hubs got me the perfect valentine's gift... my Hunters boots! He even got me some grizzly socks to go with them. They arrived today and I was so excited to open the box and put them on. I was content to just walk around the house since there is neither slush nor rain outside.
But alas, I am too damn short for them... or at least the lower part of my leg is. The height makes them too uncomfortable to walk in and when I sit they jab into the back of my leg.(Which they are doing at this very moment because I have yet to take them off.) Not pleasant. I am so sad.
They have a short version at Nordstrom's at the mall that I am going to go check out. Maybe tonight if Hubby is game. He has to return his v-day present too and is going to pick out some new running sneakers instead. As you can see, I am awesome at gift giving, which is why we normally don't bother.
The kids were totally excited by theirs though. They each got a new book for the Tag Reading system. Well not Than, he got a package of dairy free fig newman's. The books are to keep them busy during our 6+ hour drive we have coming soon to spend a long weekend with my 2C3 hotgirls! All of us and our hubbbys and our 11 children for four days on the cape in a beautiful rental! Woo hoo!!!
Monday, February 7, 2011
I feel like every post should start with...
we're still here.
We moved last weekend. The move went well. We hired two guys to come help with the heavy stuff. Hubby started taking stuff over on Thursday night. He spent all day Friday going back and forth with boxes in the van. On Saturday we rented a UHaul and Chris, his boss, and the two hired hands got the rest of the stuff. Ellie spent the day with her BFF. I spent the time driving the boys around in the car shopping and napping before heading to the new house to hang out in the play room for two hours while the guys moved things in. The day went well and everything fell together a lot easier than Hubby or I had anticipated.
It's weird. This house is so calming. I don't know if it's the wall to wall carpeting or what, but all five of us are so relaxed. It's quiet. I haven't yelled in three days, but that's another story (thanks Super Nanny). We all settled in well right away. We love it. I'm glad we decided on this place, because in our past house hunting missions we always said we'd never consider a split level. Let me tell ya, it's awesome. It will be even better a year from now when we don't need baby gates!
We've already had our first company over (Hi, Amanda!) for a little pre-game play-date. Our pictures are up and most of our belongings have found a home. I think the fact that we decorated right away helped with the kids. No transition issues. At all!
The only thing I miss about the old house is all the closet space. We had some serious closet space.
E is sick with a fever again. No school for her today or tomorrow. She's sad, but not fighting me on it like usual. Thanny and Char are still getting over their head colds. The doc said it would be 10-14 days and I think we're on day 12. I'm hoping whatever E has stays away from the boys, but I'm sure that is just wishful thinking. Thankfully, my preschool Mommy friends aren't afraid of germs since our kids pass things to one another in school constantly. If Ellie feels better by Wednesday I can still go to our weekly preschool play-date, which at this point I'm pretty sure is more for me then it is for her.
Char had his EI screening this morning. He was borderline in his expressive language, but on target with everything else. Being borderline doesn't qualify so we fudged his evaluation a tiny bit just by leaving out "he says more than 20 words." Leaving out that little sentence helped him qualify. We have a meeting in early March to set goals and come up with a game plan. Everyone said he'd be fine without it, but I don't want him to get to school and then have problems. I'd rather work with him now and know we're doing everything we can to help him along.
I've been going back and forth about going vegan again. I lost my way after Thanny stopped nursing. I'm thinking about being an "at-home-vegan". Do you like the sound of that? I made it up, I think? Basically, I'll be vegan at home and do my best when I'm outside of the home, but if you invite me to your house I will eat whatever you make me... how does that sound?
Wow, long post. I'll leave it at that.
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| Ellie created this while I was typing my post and she was watching Black Beauty. She's getting good, right? |
We moved last weekend. The move went well. We hired two guys to come help with the heavy stuff. Hubby started taking stuff over on Thursday night. He spent all day Friday going back and forth with boxes in the van. On Saturday we rented a UHaul and Chris, his boss, and the two hired hands got the rest of the stuff. Ellie spent the day with her BFF. I spent the time driving the boys around in the car shopping and napping before heading to the new house to hang out in the play room for two hours while the guys moved things in. The day went well and everything fell together a lot easier than Hubby or I had anticipated.
It's weird. This house is so calming. I don't know if it's the wall to wall carpeting or what, but all five of us are so relaxed. It's quiet. I haven't yelled in three days, but that's another story (thanks Super Nanny). We all settled in well right away. We love it. I'm glad we decided on this place, because in our past house hunting missions we always said we'd never consider a split level. Let me tell ya, it's awesome. It will be even better a year from now when we don't need baby gates!
We've already had our first company over (Hi, Amanda!) for a little pre-game play-date. Our pictures are up and most of our belongings have found a home. I think the fact that we decorated right away helped with the kids. No transition issues. At all!
The only thing I miss about the old house is all the closet space. We had some serious closet space.
E is sick with a fever again. No school for her today or tomorrow. She's sad, but not fighting me on it like usual. Thanny and Char are still getting over their head colds. The doc said it would be 10-14 days and I think we're on day 12. I'm hoping whatever E has stays away from the boys, but I'm sure that is just wishful thinking. Thankfully, my preschool Mommy friends aren't afraid of germs since our kids pass things to one another in school constantly. If Ellie feels better by Wednesday I can still go to our weekly preschool play-date, which at this point I'm pretty sure is more for me then it is for her.
Char had his EI screening this morning. He was borderline in his expressive language, but on target with everything else. Being borderline doesn't qualify so we fudged his evaluation a tiny bit just by leaving out "he says more than 20 words." Leaving out that little sentence helped him qualify. We have a meeting in early March to set goals and come up with a game plan. Everyone said he'd be fine without it, but I don't want him to get to school and then have problems. I'd rather work with him now and know we're doing everything we can to help him along.
I've been going back and forth about going vegan again. I lost my way after Thanny stopped nursing. I'm thinking about being an "at-home-vegan". Do you like the sound of that? I made it up, I think? Basically, I'll be vegan at home and do my best when I'm outside of the home, but if you invite me to your house I will eat whatever you make me... how does that sound?
Wow, long post. I'll leave it at that.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
I'm dreaming of Hunters
I was doing very well and getting fabulously fit until about November. The kids got sick. The holidays happened. The kids were still sick. I started eating cow products again. Birthdays happened. The kids are still sick. I haven't gotten to the gym much the last two months. I know it's all excuses because if I was dedicated I would go at night when Chris got home since I can't bring the kiddos with me when they are sick. But seriously, who wants to go to the gym at night in the cold after the kids are in bed when you really just want to be in bed too? Not me. I'm not that good.
Lately, I've been coveting a pair of boots. I first noticed them on a preschool mom, then my friend Tracy got a pair for Christmas. I am lusting after them big time. I showed them to Chris and he basically said I was crazy. I'm not a trendy girl. I don't care about name brands or labels, but I am seriously obsessed with these boots. Obsessions like these don't come often for me, I assure you! Angelina Jolie wore a red pair in Mr. & Mrs Smith. Hello, they are that cool they scored her Brad Pitt!
In an effort to get myself back in the game I struck a deal with Hubby. When I lose 15 more pounds I can buy my boots. I flipping can't wait. He then proceeded to tell me that by the time I can get the boots they won't be in style anymore. He assures me that the meaning I drew from that isn't what he intended. (I believe him. Sort of.)
Lately, I've been coveting a pair of boots. I first noticed them on a preschool mom, then my friend Tracy got a pair for Christmas. I am lusting after them big time. I showed them to Chris and he basically said I was crazy. I'm not a trendy girl. I don't care about name brands or labels, but I am seriously obsessed with these boots. Obsessions like these don't come often for me, I assure you! Angelina Jolie wore a red pair in Mr. & Mrs Smith. Hello, they are that cool they scored her Brad Pitt!
In an effort to get myself back in the game I struck a deal with Hubby. When I lose 15 more pounds I can buy my boots. I flipping can't wait. He then proceeded to tell me that by the time I can get the boots they won't be in style anymore. He assures me that the meaning I drew from that isn't what he intended. (I believe him. Sort of.)
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
We're still here!
I feel like it's been ages since I've written about something besides birthdays. Yes, I didn't write a post about Than's first birthday. Maybe that makes me a bad mommy, but seriously we've been crazy over here. We're moving this weekend and weren't sure where until a few days ago! We ended up finding a nice house the next town over that I am sure will make a lovely home. The location isn't ideal, the kitchen leaves much to be desired, but the space is great. The kids will have a playroom and a fenced in backyard to play in. I think those two things outrank location and a dishwasher any day!
Than had his 1 year well visit today. He had three shots and has been mighty cranky today. I'm just praying it's the shots (which he normally handles fine) and not another dreaded sickness. We've had a few healthy days so I'm sure we've reached our limit for the month. He weighed 21 pounds 12 ounces and was 30 1/2 inches tall. I feel like he lost weight since his 9 month appointment. He was a little fatty for a while there when we switched to soy formula, but for the life of me I can't find his 9 month statistics anywhere. They just switched to electronic files at the pedi's office and his 9 month visit info wasn't there. She wasn't worried. He's in the 73% for height and 23% for weight. I could have screwed that up by a few percentiles, but basically he's long and skinny. Hubs and I were saying the other day how much he has thinned out and looks like a little boy now instead of a baby. He's officially a toddler so I guess it fits, except that he does no toddling. He isn't close to walking and I am okay with that. He gets into enough trouble crawling and cruising so I don't think we're missing much. He says Mama, Dada, Hi and Bu-Bye. It's pretty cute. He says baby, but only when prompted so I don't think that officially counts. He's doing great. My most favorite thing is the way the boys interact with each other. When "talk" to each other from their cribs. They laugh so much. Than gets a huge smile and laughs whenever he sees Charlie. They truly enjoy one another. I love it!
I called Early Intervention today for Charlie. I talked to his pediatrician at his two year visit because his speech seems a little off. He talks - a lot! But we don't always understand what he's saying. Nobody seems worried that he won't catch up, but if we can give him some extra help, why not? They should be calling me back within two days, so we'll see!
Ellie is doing fine. Sleeping has become an issue for her lately (yes, again). She just wakes up whaling for me or Chris. It's terrifying to wake up to and when there isn't anything wrong it gets old pretty quick. Do I need to remind anyone how cranky I am when woken up at night? It's not my thing. At all. I try to be sweet and nice and sympathetic, but I'm not. I feel horrible about it when I replay the previous nights events in my head when I wake up in the morning. To get a decent nights sleep she either has to be in bed with us or one of us ends up falling asleep in her bed. It needs to stop. Now. And I'm sure there are plenty of co-sleepers out there that are just like "let her sleep with you if that's what she needs." But I am not and I won't. It's just (for us) a horrible habit to get into. It does no good for Chris or I. It's not happening. So I need a solution. Any advice? On a positive note, day time accidents are officially a thing of the past. Yay!
Hmmm... what else is going on in the armpit of the country? Nothing much really. The house is a half packed up disaster area. Chris and I have been pretty proactive in the preparing for the move department so I think this weekend should go fairly smooth. We have movers coming for a few hours on Saturday to move the big stuff. I'll post some pictures when we're settled, which could take a while. For now, here are some pictures from Than's first birthday.
Than had his 1 year well visit today. He had three shots and has been mighty cranky today. I'm just praying it's the shots (which he normally handles fine) and not another dreaded sickness. We've had a few healthy days so I'm sure we've reached our limit for the month. He weighed 21 pounds 12 ounces and was 30 1/2 inches tall. I feel like he lost weight since his 9 month appointment. He was a little fatty for a while there when we switched to soy formula, but for the life of me I can't find his 9 month statistics anywhere. They just switched to electronic files at the pedi's office and his 9 month visit info wasn't there. She wasn't worried. He's in the 73% for height and 23% for weight. I could have screwed that up by a few percentiles, but basically he's long and skinny. Hubs and I were saying the other day how much he has thinned out and looks like a little boy now instead of a baby. He's officially a toddler so I guess it fits, except that he does no toddling. He isn't close to walking and I am okay with that. He gets into enough trouble crawling and cruising so I don't think we're missing much. He says Mama, Dada, Hi and Bu-Bye. It's pretty cute. He says baby, but only when prompted so I don't think that officially counts. He's doing great. My most favorite thing is the way the boys interact with each other. When "talk" to each other from their cribs. They laugh so much. Than gets a huge smile and laughs whenever he sees Charlie. They truly enjoy one another. I love it!
I called Early Intervention today for Charlie. I talked to his pediatrician at his two year visit because his speech seems a little off. He talks - a lot! But we don't always understand what he's saying. Nobody seems worried that he won't catch up, but if we can give him some extra help, why not? They should be calling me back within two days, so we'll see!
Ellie is doing fine. Sleeping has become an issue for her lately (yes, again). She just wakes up whaling for me or Chris. It's terrifying to wake up to and when there isn't anything wrong it gets old pretty quick. Do I need to remind anyone how cranky I am when woken up at night? It's not my thing. At all. I try to be sweet and nice and sympathetic, but I'm not. I feel horrible about it when I replay the previous nights events in my head when I wake up in the morning. To get a decent nights sleep she either has to be in bed with us or one of us ends up falling asleep in her bed. It needs to stop. Now. And I'm sure there are plenty of co-sleepers out there that are just like "let her sleep with you if that's what she needs." But I am not and I won't. It's just (for us) a horrible habit to get into. It does no good for Chris or I. It's not happening. So I need a solution. Any advice? On a positive note, day time accidents are officially a thing of the past. Yay!
Hmmm... what else is going on in the armpit of the country? Nothing much really. The house is a half packed up disaster area. Chris and I have been pretty proactive in the preparing for the move department so I think this weekend should go fairly smooth. We have movers coming for a few hours on Saturday to move the big stuff. I'll post some pictures when we're settled, which could take a while. For now, here are some pictures from Than's first birthday.
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| Peek-a-boo! |
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| Vegan Pancakes - His favorite! |
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Happy 5th Birthday, Ellie!!
Dear Ellie,
When you were born, the doctors told us that most kids with HLHS that experience problems have them in the first five years of life. Today at 4:31 p.m. you will be 5 years old. You have no idea right now, but I hope in the future I can find the words to explain to you how monumental this day is for me. You woke up a lot last night so Daddy ended up putting you in bed with us. Maybe it was the anticipation of your big day? You spent the night digging your knees in my stomach and pulling my hair. I may be one grumpy Momma in the middle of the night, but I am profoundly grateful that you are here to steal my pillow and elbow me while I try to sleep.
We have a fun filled day today. It was suppose to start with your birthday party at school, but the snow, freezing rain and two hour delay put a stop to that. At 11:30 we have your birthday party at Bounce U, followed by your five year check up with Dr. Sarah and then we get to sing to you tonight after dinner with cupcakes and presents! I can't wait!!
At 10:45 a.m. while we were getting on our socks and shoes to leave for your party, you noticed Charlie had already started to open one of your presents. You finished the job and were excited to be the new owner of Chutes and Ladders... I'm not going to lie, I am pretty excited to play that game with you later because it was my favorite as a kid! I hope you get hours of enjoyment out of it.
At 11:30 we had your birthday party at Bounce U in Cherry Hill. We went in the first play room. You had a great time jumping in the bounce houses with your friends. Your guest list included: Audrey, Sam, Jules, Matt, Nicholas, Dane, Shay, Lilah, Elliot, Katerina, Sammy, Stevie, Jenna, Gigi, and your BFF Molly. In the second bounce room you continued to have some fun with your friends. There was a big blow up slide that you were nervous to go down. After going down a few times with one of the staff members you decided to go with just your friends, holding hands with Jenna and Sammy. After that we were off to eat pizza and have cake. You lit up when your friends sang you Happy Birthday.
As soon as we got home you opened a few presents before I dragged you off to your five year well visit with Dr. Sarah. She was very pleased with your development. You weighed in at 32 pounds and you were 40 inches tall. You had to get two shots, but were brave and didn't cry at all. Dr. Sarah let us know you wouldn't need anymore scheduled shots until you were 11, except for your yearly flu shot! On the way out, you grabbed a pink lollipop and we were on our way back home so you could open the rest of the presents from your friends.
After Daddy and I finished opening and sorting all of your presents we had dinner and sang Happy Birthday to you again, just the five of us. You opened your presents. I think your favorite was a tie between your Hello Kitty rain boots from Charlie or your T-Rex excavation kit from MiMi. Daddy is going to help you with that this weekend!
Ellie, I hope we gave you the perfect 5th birthday. We are so blessed to have you in our lives. I am so proud to be your Momma.
Love,
Me
xoxo
When you were born, the doctors told us that most kids with HLHS that experience problems have them in the first five years of life. Today at 4:31 p.m. you will be 5 years old. You have no idea right now, but I hope in the future I can find the words to explain to you how monumental this day is for me. You woke up a lot last night so Daddy ended up putting you in bed with us. Maybe it was the anticipation of your big day? You spent the night digging your knees in my stomach and pulling my hair. I may be one grumpy Momma in the middle of the night, but I am profoundly grateful that you are here to steal my pillow and elbow me while I try to sleep.
We have a fun filled day today. It was suppose to start with your birthday party at school, but the snow, freezing rain and two hour delay put a stop to that. At 11:30 we have your birthday party at Bounce U, followed by your five year check up with Dr. Sarah and then we get to sing to you tonight after dinner with cupcakes and presents! I can't wait!!
At 10:45 a.m. while we were getting on our socks and shoes to leave for your party, you noticed Charlie had already started to open one of your presents. You finished the job and were excited to be the new owner of Chutes and Ladders... I'm not going to lie, I am pretty excited to play that game with you later because it was my favorite as a kid! I hope you get hours of enjoyment out of it.
At 11:30 we had your birthday party at Bounce U in Cherry Hill. We went in the first play room. You had a great time jumping in the bounce houses with your friends. Your guest list included: Audrey, Sam, Jules, Matt, Nicholas, Dane, Shay, Lilah, Elliot, Katerina, Sammy, Stevie, Jenna, Gigi, and your BFF Molly. In the second bounce room you continued to have some fun with your friends. There was a big blow up slide that you were nervous to go down. After going down a few times with one of the staff members you decided to go with just your friends, holding hands with Jenna and Sammy. After that we were off to eat pizza and have cake. You lit up when your friends sang you Happy Birthday.
As soon as we got home you opened a few presents before I dragged you off to your five year well visit with Dr. Sarah. She was very pleased with your development. You weighed in at 32 pounds and you were 40 inches tall. You had to get two shots, but were brave and didn't cry at all. Dr. Sarah let us know you wouldn't need anymore scheduled shots until you were 11, except for your yearly flu shot! On the way out, you grabbed a pink lollipop and we were on our way back home so you could open the rest of the presents from your friends.
After Daddy and I finished opening and sorting all of your presents we had dinner and sang Happy Birthday to you again, just the five of us. You opened your presents. I think your favorite was a tie between your Hello Kitty rain boots from Charlie or your T-Rex excavation kit from MiMi. Daddy is going to help you with that this weekend!
Ellie, I hope we gave you the perfect 5th birthday. We are so blessed to have you in our lives. I am so proud to be your Momma.
Love,
Me
xoxo
Monday, January 17, 2011
Laundry Day!!
My normal laundry day is Thursday. I babysit and have no where to go, so I spend parts of the day at my dining room table folding and sorting. This week is very busy. We have Ellie's birthday tomorrow, Than's is Wednesday and we're also hosting our preschool play date here at the house. I am babysitting Wednesday, Thursday & Friday this week as well. In between wrangling the kids I also have to pack, though we still don't know where we are going. Yikes!!
Since my week is already full, today will be laundry day... I know things are pretty wild and crazy over here, right? To make things even more exciting I may even go to... wait for it... BJ's before taking Ellie to Tae Kwon Do. Seriously, I don't know if we can handle much more excitement over here!
On a positive note I think it's safe to say (totally disrespecting the jinx here) that Charlie is healthy, Ellie is healthy and aside from an occasional runny nose Than is pretty healthy as well. Nothing like a party tomorrow at a germ infested bouncy play place to put an end to that though.
Until tomorrow, my friends!
Since my week is already full, today will be laundry day... I know things are pretty wild and crazy over here, right? To make things even more exciting I may even go to... wait for it... BJ's before taking Ellie to Tae Kwon Do. Seriously, I don't know if we can handle much more excitement over here!
On a positive note I think it's safe to say (totally disrespecting the jinx here) that Charlie is healthy, Ellie is healthy and aside from an occasional runny nose Than is pretty healthy as well. Nothing like a party tomorrow at a germ infested bouncy play place to put an end to that though.
Until tomorrow, my friends!
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