Stuff

I got a call from my OB's office tonight. They wanted to do a survey to see how satisfied I am with Dr. C. being my doctor. There was all kinds of feedback asked for ranging from wait time, receptionist friendliness, to doctor satisfaction. I thought this was a great idea, and I think more doctors should do this. I really don't mind answering surveys when the information can be used to either better a health service, or confirm that they are doing a good job. Which of course, I think he is doing a great job...or I wouldn't be driving over an hour to see him every month (and more often once I am even more preg).

Libby has a dentist appointment tomorrow morning. I hope everything goes well. She did great when she went to the dentist about 8 mos ago...but she is a different little girl since then! The terrible twos are a misnomer, three's are worse! Sometimes I wish we could fastforward a year. It HAS to get better than this...right? Today we were at Wal-Mart and she had one of those fits. Ya know the kind that makes everyone look at you because your child is going boneless, screaming, screeching, whining, thrashing, and crying. Yeah. She finally settled down thank God.

She had homework today from school. We are supposed to all outline our handprints on a piece of construction paper then give the teacher a family picture. I'm sure it will be a cute project when it's all through with. I just love all the artwork that is sent home with her. Today she had drawn on paper with chalk and she was just so proud of it, as was I.

K, Barney is off so I better get off my rear and go read some books to the girls. It's almost bedtime!

Update on Dinner

Tonight I bought Devoli's for dinner. We had:

(2) Lasagna w/ meatballs (gotta have my meatball fix and yes one of those lasagnas was for Joel)

(2) House Salads one with Ranch one with House (which is OH SO GOOD, they even sell bottles of it, which I have bought before)

(7) Homemade rolls with butter sauce (you know like the kind Papa John's would give but only better...and they aren't as stingy with it)

(1) Kid's Meal Spaghetti (eating out is going to be so much more expensive when the girls will start needing their own separate meals!...but for now it's more than enough).

MUCH better than last night's attempt at cooking which I was still depressed about today. Glad we splurged and ordered takeout. I even got my dad to come watch the girls so I could go pick it up my self instead of lugging them in there. Joel was still at work and my dad lives a couple of blocks away, plus it isn't really a kid friendly place and I wanted to avoid having two children run straight to the dining area. I was hoping that it would take longer than it did to get my food because I was having a nice time relaxing to the sound of adult conversations in the background.

Maybe not

Was going to blog but this is pointless. I'm tired.

Nevermind, let me ramble.

Oh i did manage to make expired Kool-Aid that tasted like crap...I hate the thought of Kool-Aid (red#40 + sugar= gross) but I had this weird craving for it and I found a package in my spice holder. Either I completely effed it up, or it was bad b/c it expired in 2007. And no I will not be buying any packets of KA at the store next week. The nasty stuff gave me an aversion to it.

And I made spaghetti casserole (big noodles, ground turkey, cheese, and tomatoey sauce stuff), and messed that up too bc I used freezer burnt meat. I kept thinking it would 'all be okay'. But it wasn't. Nasty stuff.

Can tomorrow's dinner PLEASE be better? Did someone say takeout?

Potpourri

I really don't have much time to blog...dishes in the sink (we are still one of those ppl without a dishwasher), naked children waiting to be bathed (not my duty tonight), and a messy house. But ah well I'm sitting here waiting for Joel to put the food up so I can wash the dishes so why not. At least he's putting the food away for me. I was going to do it all but then I decided I'd rather not. :P and just to vent why is he trying to throw everything away instead of putting it in a proper container. Do I have the only husband who despises leftovers? We had tacos, nachos, crock-pot pinto beans, rice, corn, and tomatoes out of my grandpa's garden. It was delicious.

Libby had her first day of pre-k and she liked it a lot. I took tons of pictures. I even drove by her school on her first day...I was on that side of town so why not? I saw her playing outside and it was so cute. I'm glad we decided to send her there, I think it's really good for her.

Tonight I'm completing the preview exercise with a LLL applicant from the group. We will have another Leader in the group now to help answer phone calls and lead series meetings. It will be easier to do outreach projects and organize fundraisers with another Leader. I've taken LLL meeting notices to OBGYN and pediatrician's offices, and they've all been very welcoming. But I'm only one person, and haven't gotten to all the doctor offices in the area. It would be great to accomplish that! Plus, I was putting together breastfeeding info bags for TMC to distribute. In my experience as a mom, I've only gotten formula materials when I've had my babies at the hospital. So biased I swear!!! But then again, no one makes any money off of breastfeeding (besides the pump companies) so that's a big reason there isn't a lot of info handed out so freely.

This morning when I was reading the news, I noticed that the CDC is in talks to now recommend that every U.S. boy be circumcised. Circumcision is something I just do not understand. I'd never surgically alter a part of my girl's genitals, or body (heck we don't even pierce ears). So why would I do it to a boy for cultural reasons??? The CDC is saying that men who aren't circumcised have a higher chance of getting HIV and that's why all newborn boys should be circ'd. I don't know if they've heard of this invention called the condom, but last I heard it's pretty effective warding off the AIDS buggies. Or how about the old fashioned idea of not being promiscuous. The whole idea of performing surgery on my *newborn* bc of what might or might not happen years from now is just so ridiculous to me. Call me crazy but we'll just take our chances...and if any son of mine wants to be circumcised once they can make the conscience decision, more power to them. The thought of it being any less painful at birth is just beyond fathomable to me. Babies are humans. Babies feel pain. bottom line. Most (if not all) of my friends have circumcised their boys, and that's fine. This paragraph is not intended to talk bad about any of their parent's choices to do so. I just personally don't understand it, never will, and would really rather not deal with another postpartum intervention that I'm going to be turning down at the hospital. *IF* we have a boy. Lol. It's probably a girl so I'm getting worked up over nothing.link to CDC statements

bleh

Today was ridiculous. And to write down all that happened would just remind me of how much un fun we had. Just one of those days...and I'm so glad it is almost over.

We did go to The Children's Museum around 2:30 and bought a yearly membership. Seems like it used to be more expensive. It's only $75/a year now and they have great membership perks like parent nights out, which Libby can go to. The place is kind of a death trap for Naomi so I have to be on the watch or she tries to climb the pirate ship ramp, or the steep stairs to the book clubhouse. But it's such a fun place to let the kids roam, play and socialize.

Today I realized that I have 6 months until my due date. Then I started thinking about elephants who are pregnant for 22 months. That is just pure agony. I read that their babies weigh about 250 pounds. OUCH! This made me think of when I went for my prenatal appointment and the estimated weight of baby on the chart said '8 pounds'. It was clearly a mistake since I am only 13 weeks. Dr. C and I had a laugh over this. I'd be one huge lady at the end of all this if my baby was already that huge. I did gain 6 pounds last month to my dismay. Ugh. How is that even possible??? The baby is the size of a SHRIMP! I'm making a conscience decision to walk a mile a day and eat better from here on out.

K I guess I better go, I have snacks to make and diapers to wash. Didn't I just wash diapers the day before yesterday? This is getting old. I'm buying more diapers with next year's tax return. Cloth diapers are expensive to start out with and a pain to wash but it is nice not ever having to buy diapers throughout the year.

Yesterday.

1. Went to Denton for a prenatal appt, love Dr. C.... said he makes it to all his VBACs unless his wife says it's time for a vacay and he ends up being out of town, no plans for late Feb/March though.
2. Came home, failed at getting Naomi down for a nap. I handed her to Joel and I passed out instead.
3. Went to Jessie's church where Joel played bass in this new praise band they are putting together. (wish I would have some rhythm...I'd LOVE to rock the drums)
4. Libby's pre-k open house. She LOVES it there. She has so many friends in her class (a perk from joining mom's groups). She just flat out loves it. I love her.
5. Picked up Jessika, Jessica, Tara...went to sing karaoke in Anna. The place was The Crow bar. Totally family friendly, non-smoking..."the" go to place for karaoke. I rocked the house even though I was completely sober. :)

Came home went to sleep. Libby woke me up at 7:30 this morn. This new early bedtime has it's drawbacks. yawn.

WBV and other stuff

This morning I took Naomi for her 15 month WBV. The appointment was at 9:30 this morning. I had to set my alarm for 8:30 since we normally sleep until 9:00. I got ready then at 9:00 scooped Naomi up out of bed, got her out of her pj's then took her to the potty and she went pee again. (YAY!). We didn't have enough time to do breakfast so I just made her a sippy and got a granola bar for her to eat on the road. The child hardly eats breakfast anyways, ya know. When we get there I put her in the sling and head up to the dr. office. The office is in a big building on the second floor, so I needed some assistance carrying her and the stroller can be a pain sometimes. Libby stayed home with Daddy so we could avoid the usual whining nonsense when the doctor is examining Naomi bc Libby is used to being the center of attention. So we get upstairs and I forget that she hasn't had any milk or nursed since about 4am. After I turn in the insurance form I sit down and nurse her while using my sling as a coverup. Man that thing comes in handy! We got in pretty soon to see Dr. L and his nurse and him were as nice as always. The nurse asked if we were vaxxing and I told her no, not until Naomi was 2 and that was the end of that. Dr. L looked her over and asked me normal doctor stuff and of course Naomi is as healthy as can be and gaining right on track. She's 50th percentile for weight, 80th for height. He asked if I was still bfing and when I said yes he said that's cool. All in all the visit was pretty good. Sometimes when we go for WBV the nurse gives us a Scholastic book that someone has donated...maybe the library? I don't know. Here's the bookIt's about how people carry their babies in all sorts of cultures. Of course we use strollers sometimes, too. But, I think babywearing is a very smart and useful option, not to mention the bonding it facilitates.
After the dr appointment I stopped by a friend's house to borrow The Time Traveler's Wife. There is a 'no kids allowed' book club that I'm joining and this is the first book we are reading. I am excited about the idea, I haven't read a non parenting book in ages. Plus to have something to talk about besides babies, children, etc will be refreshing. I hope that this is something that keeps up for awhile. Although, I'll have to take time off after the baby is born bc I don't like to leave new babies even for a few hours until they are well into their second or third month. Even then it's a pain in the butt bc I have to make sure I have enough milk stored and I'll have to pump while I'm gone.
Came home and made whole grain pancakes, eggs, and turkey bacon for lunch. We had cantaloupe from my grandpa's garden and it was delicious!
Tomorrow is my appointment with Dr. C. I was looking forward to the appointment so I could hear the heartbeat for the first time. But, a friend let me borrow her fetal doppler and I heard it yesterday...here at home. It's way cool. But I'm not sitting here using it every five seconds bc I know that it's probably not good to be bouncing soundwaves off my uterus constantly. I need to remember to ask Dr. C about what happens if I go into labor when his not so VBAC friendly co-doctors are on call. Hoping he will say that he will be there when I go into labor no matter what but that may be pushing it! And speaking of labor PLEASE God let me go into it this time!!! Preferably at 39, 40 weeks, lol if it isn't too much to ask.
Going to post a picture of Libby in the IKEA pet tent that I found behind the bed yesterday. We got it when she was a baby but she was too scared of it back then. She is having fun in it now! Too cute.

Meeting went well!

Meeting was great! It was only four of us but that's okay. We only got through O doing the ABC's of breastfeeding. We kept coming up with all kinds of advantages and branching off to discuss them and how they've helped us in our mommy careers! Big advantages we discussed is how amazingly FREE it is to nurse our babies, how it's easy bc there is no late night bottle making or figuring out how many bottles to pack for outings, how healthy our children have been (no bowel issues, less dr visits,), how diverse our milk is...it is an ever changing tissue (like blood) and has different and changing flavors from day to day. The chubby girl in me just can't imagine eating the same thing day after day after day. I think it is so frickin awesome that my babes get to drink virtually something different everyday since my diet is forever changing. (strawberries one day, ramen noodles the next!) the list goes on and on. Had a lot of fun with the other moms!

After I left the meeting I realized that I need to change the time. Libby is starting preschool and I will have to pick her up from school on Mondays at 11:30. Joel is off work but he is starting EMT classes so he's going to be at school during that time. I would like to start a night meeting that way working moms would be more likely to come. There is a member in the group who is becoming accredited as well, so the plan was to have a morning and a night meeting every month anyways. She should be done soon...so I may go ahead and start with the evening meetings. Hope that doesn't make it too difficult for the SAHMs to come. Although I remember when I started going to meetings, they were at 7pm. So why not? hmmmm that will interfere with the new bedtime we've got going on but it's just once a month so it should be ok.

K, well i'm off...Got to go get Libby's vaccine affadavit notarized this afternoon.

On a Sunday before a meeting, thoughts on my mind...

Man, I am SO tired tonight. I dozed off while on the couch a little bit ago. Naomi is watching Barney right now, eating a snack. The bedtime routine hath begun! Libby is playing yahtzee with Joel and my in laws. I however cannot peel myself out of this comfy chair. So I figure why not blog. again. I've done this for quite a few days consecutively!
Tomorrow is a LLL meeting. The topic is 'advantages of breastfeeding'. I'm planning on having everyone list advantages by playing 'The ABC's of breastfeeding'. We will go through the ABC's and list an advantage for each letter. There are multiple possibilities for each letter, so I'm sure it will go great. And kind of fun, too. I went to a LLL meeting in Denton last week bc I've always been curious to how other meetings flow, and what they do. The meeting topic there was weaning. A mom was getting suggestions at how to wean her three year old. There were breastfeeding toddlers (one Naomi's age), but mostly pregnant moms. Denton is a pretty natural-birth friendly town considering there is a birth center there as well as the infamous Dr. C (whose grandma was a midwife I've heard). All of the pregnant moms there were pregnant with their second child planning their second natural birth. There were some differences between our meetings and theres, mostly being they are more formal and legit. I always forget to offer book sales or memberships. bleh.

It is just so liberating almost, to be in a room full of like-minded mamas. I mean can you imagine the weaning advice that would be given to the mom of the three year old had it been in a regular, normal mom's group? or the looks? or the thoughts? idk maybe I'm just paranoid about stuff like that but I sometimes feel like I am the weirdo of regular mom's circles, and my peers. Not that I in any way think that we should all think alike/act alike/parent alike. But some of the choices I've made as a mom are just so different or foreign to other people.

I do wish that the LLL group that I am a part of can flow into one that represents all mothers. The crunchy ones like me, the ones who want to breastfeed but are adamant that they will stop at a year, the working moms, and the moms who are nervous about the whole idea of it. I really hope to prevent any cliques that sometimes form within groups, outside friendships of the group is fine but I don't want new moms to be misled. Just because you want to breastfeed doesn't mean you HAVE to do it until the child weans himself, or that you HAVE to post news articles on their FB pages (that's me!), or that it is an all or nothing thing. Sure, I have my personal beliefs on the subject and I hold it to high importance as my duty as a mother, as a Christian...

LLL's goal, and my goal is to help ANY mother that wants to breastfeed do so by providing accurate and up to date information...and most of all support whatever her breastfeeding goals may be.

lol. Sometimes I feel like all I ever talk about is babies, mommas, or nursing babies. I am curious to what my future 40 year old self will be and if I will still be chatting everyone's ears off about this sort of thing. This is what is important for me right now...what I feel like I've been called to do.......I can't help but be passionate about it.

All for now. Got to go read some Sandra Boyton books. :)

Reading Books!

Just wanted to post a recent pic of Libby on here bc it's been awhile since I've done that. Need to go finish reading books to them (Joel is in Lib's room right now with the girls). We've been cutting Libby's naps in hopes that she will go to bed earlier and it's working. We sleep till 9am anyways so she technically doesn't really even 'need' the nap bc she had been staying up until almost midnight bc she just wasn't tired! Anywho! Better go!

Oh and btw, me and some friends are going to do this karaoke thing on Wednesday night. I'm super excited about it. Idk why but I love doing stuff like that. I think I've already got the songs picked out that I want to sing...lol I'm SUCH a DORK. Please note that I can in NO WAY sing well, and I know this. It's just plain fun...wow I'm such a dork.

Oh yeah and sue me for there being a bottle in the background of this pic! Naomi drinks some milk with her after bath snack and since she isn't nursing as much (I am preg ya know), I offer her some milk in that bc I feel bad that she's half way weaned bc I got knocked up again. I wonder if she is going to nurse through this pregnancy like her older sister did when I was pregnant with her.

Listening to: "Use Somebody" Acoustic Cover by Lynzie Kent and Rich G on Youtube.

Rambling again

Today Naomi has used the potty TWICE! Once to pee, the other time to poop. When she is wet, she has a habit of bringing me a new diaper. I guess she is somewhat ready to be potty trained, or is this wishful thinking??? I know that she can't verbalize that she has to go beforehand, but it's kind of like if I put her on the pot at the right time she will go. Cool huh?

Tonight some friends from high school might be coming over to stay the night. I'm looking forward to catching up with them, and hope they really do end up coming over.

Oh, I got excited when I opened the mailbox today. I got the affidavit that I needed for Libby to start pre-school. I had to send a form to Texas Health Services saying that we don't give her all the required vaccines because of a 'reason of conscience'. I was worried that it wouldn't get here in time, but it is! She has most vaccines, the only ones she is missing is the MMR, chicken pox, and Hep A. We will prob go ahead and do the MMR before she goes to kindergarten...not sure yet. Naomi has only ever had that one DTAP shot (that sent her to the hospital for 3 days...105.6 fever at the E.R. being 80 days old). Under her doctor and my agreement, she will not have any vaccinations at all until she is 2 years old...and definitely no more DTAP shots!!! School starts Aug. 24. She is only going to be going on MWF from 8:30-11:30. This will be great once the new baby comes and I go into sequester mode for a month or so, probably less. I will leave the house and go anywhere on Joel's days off with a new baby. But I'm kind of scared about leaving with three little ones. But I guess I will have to get used to it before too long!

Well, I best get off the computer so that I can get ready to go to my mom's house for dinner then be back over here for friends that may be staying with us.

(Listening to Rosa Parks by Outkast)

Tire(d)

So, interesting morning. We go to Wal-Mart to go shopping. (YAY for grocery money!!!) We have our usual borderline no-fun time....Get them some chicken at the deli, Libby stays in the back of the cart until she gets too claustrophobic from food, Naomi eventually brings on the waterworks.

Anyways, oh wait. Naomi is up from her nap. Gtg for a lil bit.

Ok It's been an hour; I'm back now.

So, I go through the checkout line (YAY no wait!), and I give the lady my cloth bags. oh, cashiers seem to hate these. I don't really know why. Maybe because it is something different and they can't bag the groceries in their normal manner. ???? The nice older lady remarks "This is so frustrating", while bagging my stuff. geez, sorry lady. Saving the environment isn't motivation enough for me to not use the plastic stuff. If I'm using cloth bags it means less trips from car to house since they hold more. This is the main reason I use them.

Wow this post is getting boring.

I go outside and what do you know? I have a flat. Joel offers to leave work to help me out. please....that would take 45 minutes since I'm all the way at the denison wal-mart. (speaking of which can we PLEASE get an HEB round here?). So I tell him I'll take care of it. Which doesn't mean necessarily that I will take care of it bc I know jack (pun intended) about cars. I go to the gas station and some nice man helped me put air in it and alas we made it home. Milk still good and everything. It could be flat out there right now. I don't know. don't care. it's too hot outside to go look. Maybe I will peek at it the next time Kip has to go out to pee.

Man I'm tired. Can't nap bc Naomi slept on the way home from the store + an hour so she is playing. I haven't bothered putting Libby down for a nap bc she stays up past midnight when she does nap. If she doesn't nap she will go to sleep at 9. This seems like a no brainer to me. Not napping doesn't effect her behavior that much so we're going with the flow. Of course if she says she needs a nap I'd let her go lay down. (if it was before 3!).

I need to start taking pictures of them again. I'm such a bad mom! They were really cute in Cinderella dress up clothes the other day but I didn't want to leave the room to get the camera. laziness is my middle name I guess.

I know what I'm going to name the baby if she is a girl. (which I think she will be). well, heck I won't know for sure until I see her. But I've got a front runner.

Woah

So a lot has happened and I'm going to try my best to start doing this again. I am pregnant with # 3 and I am 12 weeks along. I've decided to try the VBAC route again (studies still say it's safe even though most doctors in this country are so knife happy anyways). Going to Dr. C. in Denton (THE go-to guy for VBACS after 1,2,3,4,5 c-sections), even if I end up with a repeat c, I had such a good experience last time and hope for the same again in that event. Denton Presby postpartum rules are kind of cruddy. One adult has to be awake the entire time for a baby to be allowed to room in. I called the heads of Women's Services and they are giving me an exception since I complained about my stay last time. Which reminds me...I need to call the lady and get her to fax me the exemption in writing so that I can put it in my birthplan. Oh yeah I'm one of 'those' women who feel the need to express my desires for labor and delivery. I really don't understand why someone WOULDN'T want to. I mean I write lists for my babysitter, for myself, for my husband why wouldn't I make a list of wants for something so important as my child's birth. Speaking of which, we won't be finding out the sex until the baby is born. We found out with our first child what she was going to be, and not with our second. We prefer the surprise! Not that it isn't a surprise at 16wks, 20 wks whatever. It's just different. (better) for us at least. personal preference. All in all I'm excited about the whole pregnancy. I can't wait for that moment when I can see the baby move with my own eyes through my skin. For when I can stop looking in the mirror asking myself if I look pregnant or fat bc soon there will be no mistaking it...Or when it gets down to the nitty gritty and the baby is on his/her way. Then when I get to FINALLY hold my newborn and immediately feed that child. Awww. the whole process is bliss. Memories that last a lifetime.

Just hope everything goes smoothly and safe and that I am growing one healthy baby in my ute--ee and that she (or he???) stays healthy on the outside. Praise God I've been able to have a third baby. My life is blessed. bliss.