Nothing like it...

Nothing like parenting to make you feel like a complete and utter failure on a daily basis.  Phew, this kid is challenging!  Precious... yes, and difficult. 

Working on some discipline techniques I hope will one day pan out. For now I wonder how toddlers all survive the age and stage of tantrums and new found independence. That's all I have to say about that. 

CK has been out of town since early morning Monday so all the parenting/house duties have been on me. I have been keeping myself busy trying to 'spring' clean a bit. Bug has learned he likes to help so it's not too bad to go along and have a shadow, at least I know he's not dunking things in the toilet.  I do look forward to CK coming home tomorrow, the dog and the baby are used to a level of wrestling activity I just can't bring my butt to reach. 

I did make some awesome whole wheat/oatmeal/carrot cookies that are a hit. Anything I can make that gets some good nutrition into Bug as a snack (his only type of meal) I try to jump on. He still loves fruit but I can't get him to eat a meal to save his life.  I may also be sneaking some infant cereal into his morning bottle just so he gets some extra vitamins and fiber.

Trying a potty this week, although Bug is too young in my opinion to master potty training, he seemed interested and loves to sit on it first thing in the morning. Nothing happens but he's oh so proud of himself. He also learned to say potty this week, it's very cute (PAWEE).  Other new words, OW (with accompanied kissing sounds), CACKA (cracker), EASS (please)... and so many others.  It's an everyday thing to learn new words and perfect the old ones at this age.

Trying out this blogging thing again, let's hope I stay on top of it this time.

Sarah

30 Day Project - Day 1

Day One-Post a picture of yourself with 15 facts

01.  I lived in Germany for almost 2 years and speak MAYBE 20 words of German. 

02. I have a crazy thing for numbers and number patterns. OCD to an extreme. 11:11 is my fave number followed by 12:34

03. I got married on 07/07/07 and had a second wedding in Canada on 06/07/08

04. I met my husband Christmas Eve at a carnival in Rome, Italy

05. My husbands last deployment I flew by myself around the world for a trip to Japan on military airplanes and made stops in Newfoundland, San Diego, Las Vegas, Edmonton, Seattle, Sacramento, Hawaii, Okinawa, Tokyo, Hawaii (again), Sacramento (again), South AND North Carolina, and New Jersey... all in 2 months

06. I have been to most of the countries around Germany but still wish I had taken more opportunities to travel Europe.

07. I am starting to appreciate New Mexico and my new hometown but I still miss Canada every day.

08.  I went to karaoke almost every week for 4 years.

09. I have had a country song written about me.

10. I care way too much about what people think.

11.  I could eat BBQ ribs everyday for the rest of my life. Or Jello.

12. I never missed a single episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 7 years.

13.  I have the biggest crush on Jensen Ackles.

14. I am addicted to The Sims... and all Zynga games. I play them for days at first and then force myself to schedules.

15. I really need to get more organized. My house needs attention and so does my social life.

Lots of Little

The fact that I wanted to update my Facebook status a dozen times today probably was a good indicator that I had a lot to say! Then I remembered the blog and decided to get it all down here, even if none of it is really all that important.

I hurt my arm, really badly. I think I either tore or sprained my extensor digitorum (thank you Anatomy 101) while pulling myself up into our huge truck. I told CK that we needed a running board way back when I was pregnant but I had managed to not do any damage until yesterday.  Now I'm lucky that it's not constant pain but whenever I do anything involving my middle or ring fingers of my right hand I wince and get a hot, shooting ache up the length of my forearm.  It's amazing how often you use those fingers. I think the worst shock I had was trying to pull open that same door that got me the first time.  Ouch!

Bug is doing so well, I plan on going back and cataloging some of the changes we've gone through with him. He started probiotics today, first thing in the morning it's fruit and yogurt.  I think it's doing it's job because he ate really well and had a good 'clean-out'.  Now we'll see if it regulates him and lowers the amount of our surprise diaper changes throughout the day.  Might give his little bum a break.

This baby loves to eat! He will be 7 months old this week and is now eating nearly 4oz of fruits or vegetables with cereal 3 times a day.  He LOVES fruit, mostly blueberries and cherries for now, although peaches are a favorite several times a week.  He also eats any vegetable we give him (even if it makes Daddy gag). Bug is completely weaned which breaks my heart a little but now I know what he's getting into his belly rather than second hand through me, and can watch for reactions.

Speaking of reactions, we did have an urgent care trip last week when Bug had something in his bed/on his sheets that caused him to break out in bad hives. Luckily his immune system is strong and he fought it off quickly, but we have a prescription now for when or if it happens again.  I hope he doesn't get any severe allergies and can have a healthy diet without restrictions.

We bought a Jeep yesterday!  I had to drive my Intrepid to Canada earlier this year and sell it up there due to import difficulties. We managed to get a great deal on  Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, with very low miles. There is some body damage we need to repair but after some extra effort on our behalf, Bug and I will have a great vehicle to do our running around in.  Bug also gets a new carseat this week, not because of weight (my skinny mini) but height!  Never thought my child would be so tall but he is and those little feet stick out the end of his infant seat meaning it's time for a big boy ride.

Last point, at least for today... I might have a job come October!  It is a job with a private tutoring company and while only 3-5 hours a week, pays $50/hr!  So it'll be great extra income to make sure we can get some of the things we want, and help towards saving for a big downpayment for our own house.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that to work out. Hopefully it leaves me some time to go 'home' for a visit, it's been months now since my family got to see Bug.

All for now, have a great day!

Moving on...

So my parents have left to go back home. They had been here in the Southwest with us since just after Christmas playing golf and waiting on Bug's birth. It was so nice having them here to spoil us, help us with our home (thanks Mom) and spend the quality time with Bug. He won't remember any of it but we have special pictures to show him how much Grandma and Grandpa loved him right from when he was born!  It was also such an easy transition to being Momma myself with my own mother right here. I stayed calm and had help so I could rest and enjoy the baby. I also ate a lot more of the 'home' food that I'm used to having them around, rather than planning meals for my over-the-top flavor lover of a husband. (*I like that food too though)  I can't even think about them being gone really or when I might get to go 'home' next because it makes me cry. I just know I'm very thankful for the technology of webcams and Skype so that Bug will know his grandparents just like if they lived here.

We've had a couple more rougher days with the baby and it seems he's learned to cry. Our easy baby never cried unless I was pulling him out of the bath but now I hear it a few more times a day when he's hungry, has a full diaper or is just generally having a grumpy moment.  Overall he's still such a wonderfully easy baby and we are very blessed. I am hoping after he gets over a little bit of tummy troubles (or I figure out what it was that I ate he didn't tolerate) that we go back to the calmer version of Baby K.

Being a mommy is so wonderful. He's growing so much everyday, and I like the fact that it did come naturally to know what he wants and needs and that he wants and loves us. I am fully convinced he has real smiles (not just gas) and of course that he is the best and brightest baby around, lol!  My family so far seems supportive of my photography habit and ritual posting of new pictures on Facebook. It's amazing to see how much he's changed in just 23 days!

Now it's time to look for a bigger house, get a job for CK that he likes and can throw himself into and get all the paperwork sorted for our first trip to Canada with Bug! I am sick of being 'lazy' for the lack of a better word and want to start getting busy and organized again! Like the title says, it's time to move on to bigger and better things!

 

 

Birth Story

My baby boy has arrived!!

Little Bug was scheduled to arrive Jan 16 with the help of an induction, just 1 day past my due date to end the constant 'false' labor I was experiencing.  At my 40 week appointment my Dr thought I wasn't going to progress further on my own regardless of my contractions because of some scar tissue so I agreed to the induction. I was excited to see my boy!

It was nice being induced on a certain day, I had time that morning to enjoy a small breakfast, have a shower and recheck my hospital bags and most of all get mentally prepared for what the day would bring. We arrived at 8am and got checked in, changed into the hospital gear and I was then hooked up to the IV's and the Pitocin drip. After about an hour they let my mom in (who was going to be there for the birth) and the contractions had started getting stronger already. They started off right away at 4 minutes apart and I had come in at 3+ cm dilated so they broke my water. I labored for about 4 hours on my own with no drugs but then I was checked and only at 5-6cm so looking at at least 4 more hours (average is about 1cm per hour) I decided I wanted the epidural.  30 minutes later I had the lovely epidural in, CK and my mom both watched them do it and told me how cool it was. It was less painful than the IV at the beginning so I was thrilled with that.

After the drugs kicked in (almost immediately) my head nurse decided to put me on my side to see if the baby would turn. We knew he was 'sunny side up' and that can make for a more difficult delivery so I was willing to try a few things. I actually managed to doze off  because I couldn't really see anything but the side of my bed.  Less than an hour later the nurse came in noticing something on the monitor, checked me and said I was complete!  We were in total shock that it was time, since we had just sent my dad, CK's dad and step-mom to go eat lunch, thinking it was going to be a longer process.  After a quick text to get everyone headed back to the hospital CK and my mom held my legs and I started pushing. Pushing was NO pain because of the epidural, just a lot of hard work. It was hard to know I was doing it right since I couldn't feel much but in another 45 minutes he was out and screaming!

They quickly cleaned me up, gave me my boy to hold skin-to-skin and then prepared the room for his after-birth procedures. We let the rest of the family in and we all got to watch Bug get his shots, footprints taken, and CK giving him his first bath.

Both baby and I were released from the hospital just 25 hours after he was born, I had no tears or complications and other than a little jaundice Bug was very healthy!  We have been loving life at home getting to know our little man and so far he's a very laid back, easy and happy baby.

Here are some pictures of the day

 

  

  

 

Almost 34 Weeks!

Holy heartburn Batman!!  Last night was so awful with the heartburn. I was told that it is quite common in late pregnancy but seriously all night I felt like I was breathing fire, or about to puke... either way it SUCKED.  Oh I hope this isn't a nightly thing because I already get very little sleep with my partyboy in the belly.  I know I should focus on the blessing of a very healthy/active little guy (with a head full of hair if the wives tale holds true) but right now I just want to whine!!   Today I will go pick up some pregnancy safe heartburn medication and make sure I start that routine before bed, then hopefully I don't have to deal with this anymore.

Going for my 34 week appointment on Thursday, I am very excited to get some more time with the Dr since I'm still showing signs that he might be coming early.  It always feels so good to hear the heartbeat and be told everything is great.  I cannot believe we are only 6 weeks away!  I hope my mom makes it down here before Baby K makes his appearance.  Too much to look forward to.. I have a babyshower here on Saturday, it's my birthday next week, then Christmas, my mom and dad coming down, New Years and then baby!!  It'll go so fast.

Thank goodness we've gotten most of our Christmas shopping done already as I'm sure I'll get grumpier as I get bigger.  This year it seems we are all going in together to buy one big thing for everyone. I'm looking forward to seeing how this family does holiday traditions but I'm missing my Canada family so much!  I have so many cousins/aunts/uncles that I am close to and I sure miss all the traditions we have up there (ice skating, banana cream pie, present stealing game!) I'll have to bring some of the fun down here, although there are NO ice skating rinks in this part of New Mexico, lol. 

Well I think that is all the updates I have so far, after the babyshower and birthday I'll have more pictures to share so keep checking back! 

Thanks for reading,
Sarah

Already Break Time

I'm sorry I wasn't consistent with the updates the past little while, I was out of town for 5 days and then I just couldn't get motivated to write a big post about it.  Time to get my behind in gear so I can keep documenting all the things happening down here in the Southwest.

I went on my first desert camping/hunting trip!  As most that know me could expect I didn't shoot anything but I feel like I was supportive of CK and his mom and step-dad while they did.  I got to ride on the quad (4-wheeler) with a very cushy rear end support pillow and enjoy high temperatures even in November!  I took so many beautiful pictures of the desert scenery that is just so unique from what I know at 'home' in Canada.  There are so many things growing in that dust that can hurt you, it was a learning experience for sure.  Thank goodness it's getting a little late in the year for rattlesnakes and other critters and I didn't end up sleeping on top of the trailer.

 

 

 

It was also an experience watching the different stages of the hunt as we scouted sometimes as early as 5am and all day long, to finding the deer, and then hearing the gunshots in the canyon after the boys went chasing after them and then finally the whole process of preparing the meat and the trophies to take home. I didn't help as much as I'm sure they'd have liked but I am proud that I didn't have an emotional meltdown (anxiety and sadness come with death for me, even more so in pregnancy) and I stomached some things I didn't think I could. Maybe in time I'll get more used to it, but even if not I can enjoy the camping.

My favorite part was the stars by the campfire each night. Even though they look different than at home it is always amazing to see the stars when you are out in the middle of nowhere. You could clearly see the Milky Way streaked over head every night and we would sit around burning collected Mesquite branches and enjoying the smell of that.  I love camping.

Baby is doing really well, I have scheduled a 3D ultrasound for early next week. I am headed to El Paso for my sister-in-law who is having a baby hopefully any minute here and found a lab that will do a private one well within our budget. I am looking forward to seeing the baby's face and getting to know him a little better! He is still a very active little man, even though Mama is on pretty strict relax and rest orders to see him to full term. I'm just very glad I didn't go into labor while camping near the Mexican border!

Mostly I'm just trying to enjoy online episodes of shows I've been behind on, reading books, and visiting blogs of amazing ladies that inspire me to either redecorate my house or bake something for 50!  I'll really enjoy getting to cuddle a sweet baby girl when she decides to make her appearance in El Paso just 9 weeks before her cousin arrives. So much to do coming up but I'll try to keep updated on here, time is still flying!

Sarah