Our Breezy Beach Life

Phone Fun Friday

2012-01-27T07:35:00.001-05:00

Breaking Point

2012-01-26T12:59:00.008-05:00

Yesterday I hit my breaking point. After trying to be supermom and always telling everyone that I’m doing great when I’m really struggling to hold it all together I finally cracked and had a meltdown, at work, in front of my boss. And as embarrassing and unprofessional as it may have seemed I’m thankful to have a caring and understanding boss. I’m glad I was able to communicate it to not only her but to a handful of close friends and admit that I am overwhelmed and that being a “single mom” is really hard and an even bigger adjustment now with two kids.

Yesterday I took Enzo to the Doctor over my lunch hour because his belly button was still oozing and found out he has an Umbilical Granuloma

Of course they weigh him at every visit and I wasn't expecting much of a change from his weight of 12lbs, 12oz last Tuesday but our little chunker is now 13lbs 7oz!!

While at the office the Doctor also noticed that he is still congested so they gave him a nebulizer breathing treatment with albuterol. He wants him doing the breathing treatments 2-3 times a day until he can be re-evaluated at our appointment next week when he gets his 2 month shots. Last night a home health nurse brought a home nebulizer to the house and showed me how to use it and stressed the importance of cleaning it.

I started out yesterday morning sleep deprived then after going to the Doctor for a belly button issue and coming out of the office with breathing treatments and a home nebulizer I just couldn’t contain my emotions any longer.

I realize that I need time for myself and even though I’m a parent, I’m still a person. It is easy to succumb to the roles and responsibilities as a parent and lose yourself within it. It’s really hard to step away sometimes and admit you need a break without feeling guilty about it. It’s also hard for me to not get upset with Brian that I’m doing this all by myself but he is very supportive and I know he’s making sacrifices as well. Thankfully my Dad is coming back tomorrow and will be staying indefinitely to help me out. I’m BEYOND thankful for him!

Lots of times lately I find myself going to bed asking myself “Did I do anything today to make it a fun day for Addison” I feel so lost in the daily routines, work, schedules, Dr.’s appointments and trying to raise a toddler with manners and respect that I feel like Miss Hannigan when I hope that Addison sees me more like the fun and loving Mom I’m striving to be.

Two parenting quotes I found to best sum up this blog post…

There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings.
~ Hodding Carter

Raising kids is part joy and part guerilla warfare.
~ Ed Asner

Enzo's Birth Story

2012-01-25T07:43:00.000-05:00

My Doctor had scheduled an induction for my due date of November 23rd. She doesn’t like her patients to go past their due date and also the fact that the holiday was approaching she scheduled me for the day before Thanksgiving. She called the hospital to reserve a room for 6am.

The evening of the 22nd Brian surprised me and arrived at the house early. We were able to enjoy dinner together and Addison was beyond excited that Daddy was home. That night neither Brian nor I slept. We were anxious, excited and nervous. I set the alarm for 4:30a just in case but I was out of bed at 4am getting ready and packing my hospital bag. I was incredibly sad leaving the house that morning knowing Addison would wake up, be looking for us and we wouldn’t be there but I knew Papa would take good care of her.

On the way to the hospital Brian and I talked about our drive to the hospital when I was in labor with Addison and how much different it was.

We arrived at the hospital right at 6a, got registered, and then were escorted to our room in the labor and delivery ward. The nurse had me change into a gown, do a urinalysis and they started my IV. Since I have such a phobia of needles I asked for Lidocaine before the IV (I remembered when I had Addison that the IV hurt worse than the epidural). Thankfully the nurse did the Lidocaine and I didn’t feel a thing. When they started to take blood out of the IV to send to the lab I started to get lightheaded. The nurse brought me ice and a washcloth for my forehead. After the lightheadedness passed the nurse commented that I had turned white and looked like I was about to pass out.

When I arrived the nurses were surprised to find out that I was already 3.5cm dilated and 50% effaced. I was having some contractions before we arrived but they were sporadic.

The Doctor arrived shortly after 7a and broke my water. About 40 minutes after that the nurses started my Pitocin. They asked if I wanted an epidural at that point but I told them I wanted to wait and get several strong contractions before the epidural.

At 8a my contractions were 7 minutes apart but weren’t strong. They increased the Pitocin.

At 9a my contractions were 3 minutes apart and getting strong.

At 9:15a the nurse informed us that the urine culture I gave upon admission showed I had a UTI and they started me on an IV antibiotic.

At 9:30a 6cm dilated. I received the epidural. It took two tries. The first time I could feel the pressure of her finger as she was guiding the line up my spine. She then stopped, gave me another numbing shot and tried again. Thankfully the second try worked!

10a – Noon: Brian and I slept and watched TV.

At 12:20p I was 8-9cm dilated. Bloody show emerged. The nurse predicted I would be pushing soon.

At 12:40p I called the nurse into the room due to the amount of pressure I was feeling. She said I wasn’t a 10 yet but was feeling the pressure from the baby “dropping.”

At 1p I called the nurse back in and told her I had to push. She calls the Doctor and the Doctor told her to have me start pushing and she’d be there in 10 minutes. The nurse stated “There’s no way I’m having you do practice pushes because he’s right there and you will definitely get him pushed out before the Doctor arrives.”

At 1:09p The Doctor arrives and I begin pushing.

At 1:19p Enzo Anthony is born weighing 8lbs 15oz and 20 inches.

As soon as his head came out the Doctor commented “This one is going to be a football player. It looks like we have a big baby in there.” The Doctor as well as the nurses commented on how healthy and thick the umbilical cord was. They stated they haven’t seen a cord that healthy in a long time and that he was being well nourished. My Doctor was wonderful and took a few minutes before she left to congratulate me, give me a hug and ask about any concerns or questions. I could genuinely feel her concern/warmth. Our nurse was also wonderful and I was so thankful to have her.

They bathed him in the room as well as all the testing. It was nice that they don’t immediately take the baby to the nursery. The only time he went to the nursery was that night so I could get some sleep. I tried to breastfeed him but he wouldn’t latch on. I tried and he cried for the first 3 hours as he was hungry but not latching. The nurses suspected he wasn’t latching due to his badly bruised face (bruised due to coming down the birthing canal so quickly.) 4 hours after the birth the nurses stated we would have to try supplementing with formula because due to his large size and the fact he hadn’t eaten yet his blood sugar levels were dropping.

As for me after delivery I was having lots of pain in my pelvic bones (due to the large size baby) and having bad cramping from the uterus contracting back down. I had heard somewhere that the cramping of the uterus is worse with the 2nd child but I could never have imagined how painful it was. I was in tears a couple times because the cramps were more painful than the contractions during labor.

We were discharged the following day just 24 hours after his birth.

It was such a calm and peaceful experience. The entire morning that I was laboring, Brian and I watched TV, I was texting friends and we both slept. I didn’t feel like I was there to have a baby.

My favorite quote of the day was after Enzo arrived and Brian said “Childbirth is a lot easier than people make it out to be” The nurse quickly put him in his place and said “No, it’s really not. Your wife just makes it look easy!” Kudos to our nurse…lol!!

Tasty Tuesday: Crock Pot Recipe Overload

2012-01-24T07:54:00.000-05:00

I found this online over the weekend and had to share. This is a listing of several crock pot recipes.

Click HERE

Enjoy!!

Happy 30th Birthday!!

2012-01-21T08:01:00.000-05:00

Happy 30th to my wonderful husband!!

Phone Fun Friday

2012-01-20T07:45:00.000-05:00

Taking Care of Me

2012-01-19T07:55:00.004-05:00

While I was pregnant my Doctor noted that I was having microscopic amounts of blood in my urine and stated she wanted to look into it further after my pregnancy. When I went for my 6 week postpartum appointment she stated that there was still blood present and sent me to the lab for a full urinalysis. It came back with blood as she suspected and referred me to a urologist. She also wanted a couple moles looked at so I also went to a dermatologist as well last week and all is good.

I went to a urologist suggested by my OB/Gyn and he stated that I have Persistant Hematuria. He stated that it is usually hereditary but of course I couldn't offer up any family history due to being adopted. He stated that I needed to have a cystoscopy done and also a CT scan of my kidneys to look for bleeding, lesions, tumors or cancer. He believes everything is fine and that I just have idiopathic hematuria but wants to run the tests just to rule anything out. I've scheduled the cystoscopy for February but have yet to schedule the CT scan.

Watch Me Grow - Week 8

2012-01-18T06:28:00.000-05:00

Weight: 12lbs 12oz
Clothing: 3-6 Months
Diapers: Size 1
Feeding: 4oz every 2.5 - 3 hours
Night time Sleep: He's waking up once a night, occasionally he'll wake up twice
Updates: Holds his head up, rolls onto his side, has started smiling and will look for me when he hears my voice. He loves the swing and loves to lay and kick on his play mat. He'll only tolerate tummy time for a maximum of 5 minutes.

Monday night he was coughing, sneezing and was congested. He couldn't breathe well due to the congestion so I used a nasal aspirator to clear his nose. I took him to the Doctor yesterday and they tested him for RSV which was negative and the Doctor noted that his throat was red so tested him for strep (Addison was at the Doctor last week with this diagnosis) and that test was negative as well. Due to the red throat the Doctor put him on amoxicillian. If his cough worsens we have to go back to the Doctor and have a nebulizer treatment.

And on a really sad note...my maternity leave is over and today is my first day back to work :-( I can't believe how fast it went by. With the holidays, Addison being sick and doctor appointments it literally flew by.

Tasty Tuesday: Winter Squash Lasagna

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

WINTER SQUASH LASAGNA

Recipe and Image Source

INGREDIENTS:
1 container(s) (15-oz ) part-skim ricotta
4 ounce(s) part-skim mozzarella, coarsely grated
1/8 teaspoon(s) freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan
2 tablespoon(s) grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and pepper
1 bunch(es) spinach, thick stems discarded, leaves chopped
1 package(s) frozen winter squash purée, thawed
6 no-boil lasagna noodles

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, nutmeg, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; fold in the spinach.

2. Spread 1/2 cup of the squash on the bottom of an 8-in. square baking dish. Top with 2 noodles and spread a third (about 1/4 cup) of the remaining squash over the top. Dollop with a third (about 1 cup) of the ricotta mixture; repeat. Place the remaining 2 noodles on top; spread with the remaining squash and dollop with the remaining ricotta mixture.

3. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbsp Parmesan, cover tightly with an oiled piece of foil (to prevent sticking) and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake until the noodles are tender and the top is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

To make ahead, refrigerate the cooked lasagna for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw, if frozen, then reheat, covered, at 375°F until heated through, about 20 minutes.

The Little Gym Birthday Party

2012-01-12T12:17:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we were invited to the 3rd Birthday party of a co-worker's son. Addison had so much fun doing gymnastics and playing with the other kids. The only bad thing about the party is that on Monday we received an email stating one of the boys at the party had strep throat and scarlet fever and wouldn't you know on Tuesday Addison's school called me and said she had a rash. I took her to the Dr and she tested positive for strep and had a scarlet rash but no fever. So once again she's sick...ugh!!

Tasty Tuesday: Tomato Tortellini Soup

2012-01-10T08:02:00.000-05:00

TOMATO TORTELLINI SOUP

Image Source

Ingredients:

1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) reduced-sodium condensed tomato soup, undiluted
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups 2% milk
2 cups half-and-half cream
1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Additional shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

Cook tortellini according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat through, stirring frequently. Drain tortellini; carefully add to soup. Stir in cheese. Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese if desired.

Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Watch Me Grow - Week 6

2012-01-09T08:14:00.000-05:00

Phone Fun Friday

2012-01-06T08:02:00.000-05:00

Mail from the White House

2012-01-04T08:01:00.000-05:00

Click Here to Request your own congratulatory letter from the President.

Family Pics 2011

2012-01-03T07:46:00.002-05:00

Our family was all together for the first time in 4 years so my Mom really wanted to get our pics taken. She hired an amateur photographer who came to the house and took some pics as well as the beach. Addison had a short nap prior to the photographer arriving and was quite the handful during the pics but for the most part the pics turned out fairly well.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-02T07:53:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year and were so excited to have my brother, sister-in-law and niece here for the holiday!

One Month Appt

2011-12-30T13:56:00.002-05:00

Today was Enzo's one month appt. Since one month fell so close to the holidays today was the soonest we could get an appt.

His 5 week stats are:

Weight: 11lbs 6oz (90th percentile)
Height: 22 3/4 inches (90th percentile)
Head: 15 1/4 inches (75th percentile)

Birth Stats: 8lbs 15oz, 2o inches

He received his first Hepatitis B shot since we never received one in the hospital. The Dr also put silver nitrate on his belly button because it had some drainage and granules. The Dr checked Addison's ears while we were there and her ear infection is cleared up.

Enzo is such a good baby. He was sleeping 18 hours a day until a few days ago. He is so content and rarely cries. He is waking up once a night and goes 5 hour stretches of sleep during the night. We've seen a few smiles out of him and they are the sweetest things ever! When you talk and interact with him his eyebrows raise up and he starts wiggling and moving his arms and has started to coo in response. Love it!!

Mobile Pic taken at the Dr's Office

Watch Me Grow - Week 4

2011-12-24T10:46:00.002-05:00

Addison also wanted in on the fun ;-)

Murphy's Law...

2011-12-21T08:03:00.002-05:00

states that the week of Christmas, Family pics, Celebrating Christmas with my brother and his family for the first time in 4 years and meeting my niece (who's 1) for the first time everything that can happen will happen...

Addison tipped her princess car over and landed face first resulting in a fat lip, scab on her lip, scab under her nose and chin. She also woke up from nap yesterday complaining of ear pain. I took her to the Dr and she has an ear infection and pink eye.

Enzo was repeatedly throwing up after each feeding (breast milk and formula) and having diarrhea for several days. Found out he has a milk allergy and is now strictly on soy formula that is non-milk based and lactose free.

As for me since I've slowed down on pumping one of my milk ducts became clogged...OMG was that painful!! Then I wake up this morning feeling like I'm getting a cold, ugh!!

Here's hoping the week ends better than it started!!

Tasty Tuesday: Scrambled Egg Brunch Bread

2011-12-20T07:59:00.000-05:00

SCRAMBLED EGG BRUNCH BREAD

2 tubes (8oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
4oz thinly sliced deli ham, julienned
4oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup milk
8 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 tsp. butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Unroll each tube of crescent dough (do not separate rectangles) Place side by side on a greased baking sheet with long sides touching; seal seams and perforations. Arrange ham lengthwise down center third of rectangle.

2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Separate one egg yolk; set egg white aside. Add the egg yolk, salt, pepper and remaining eggs to cream cheese mixture; mix well. Stir in red pepper and onions.

3. In a large skillet, melt butter; add egg mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat just until set. Remove from heat. Spoon scrambled eggs over ham. Sprinkle with cheese.

4. On each long side of dough, cut 1 inch wide strips to center within 1/2 inch of filling. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across the filling. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under.

5. Beat reserved egg white; brush over dough. Bake at 375º for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: 6 servings

CLICK HERE for a photo tutorial

Santa Pic 2011

2011-12-16T13:42:00.002-05:00

Parenting Fail = Not realizing your daughter put on her old scuffed shoes

2 Years of Separation

2011-12-13T08:15:00.001-05:00

This blog post may be all over the place so please forgive me as I try to put this all in writing.

2 years ago this month Brian was offered a promotion. This promotion meant our family having to move to South Florida. We weighed the pros and cons and ultimately decided that the promotion would be a great career move for Brian and he accepted the offer.

We had three weeks to find a place in South Florida, rent out the home we own in North Florida, pack up and move, and for me to find a job. Addison was 8 months old at this time.

During this time the job economy was suffering and jobs were hard to find. I was in this category and wasn’t able to find a job that meet my criteria. Thankfully my job (in North Florida) allowed me to work from home two days a week and be onsite three days a week. This began 2 years of commuting back and forth from North Florida to South Florida. On Thursdays after work I would pick up Addison from daycare, feed her, pack up the car and make the 2.5 hour drive to our condo in South Florida. I’d work remotely from the condo on Fridays and Mondays then Monday evening make the 2.5 hour drive back to North Florida. This being said since we had rented out our home in anticipation of me being in South Florida full time I had to find a place to stay (in North Florida) while working onsite during the week. Luckily my parents bought a 2nd home in North Florida that they use only a few weeks out of the year so I stay there during the week.

These last two years have been challenging to say the least. I never thought I’d be a “single mom” or be living separately from my husband. I try not to complain about it because we have so much to be thankful for but being a single mom while pregnant was really hard and now that Enzo’s been born I’ll be a single mom during the week to 2 kids.

Starting in the third trimester of my pregnancy with Enzo I no longer made the commute and stayed at my parent’s home in North Florida. Brian now makes the drive every weekend to see us but our time with him is just 24 hours before he heads back to South Florida. The distance has remarkably made our marriage stronger. We cherish the one day a week we get to spend as a family.

My Dad retired a few months ago and came down to help out the last few weeks of my pregnancy. He’s planning to stay through the holidays but will be returning to Nebraska in January. I will miss his help and having him around but he’s promised to return soon to help out.

So as I return to work in a month I will be taking care of two kids, doing two daycare drop-offs and pick-ups since Addison’s daycare doesn’t take kids until they are one, keeping up the house, bills, cooking, etc by myself. I never imagined raising two kids by myself and I can only imagine all the challenges that lie ahead. I get overwhelmed just thinking about it but I keep reminding myself that things have a way of working themselves out. I will remain patient and continue to be thankful for my family whether we all live together or not.

I hope that by next December we will be living as a family again.

Enzo's Birth Announcement

2011-12-12T08:01:00.000-05:00

Proud Big Sister

2011-12-09T10:45:00.002-05:00

Addison's favorite thing to do is hold her baby brother.

This funny facial expression is because Enzo was passing gas during the photo...lol!!

Addison's Video from Santa

2011-12-08T12:08:00.002-05:00

Click Here

Watch Me Grow - Week 2

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Weight: 9lbs 7oz
Clothing: Already outgrown most newborn clothes. Now wearing 3 Months.
Diapers: Newborn
Night time Sleep: Wakes every 3 hours to eat and be changed then goes back to sleep.
Updates: Got circumcised last week. Has an eye infection and is now on prescription ointment to clear it up. Addison had the same thing at this age.

Friday Photo Fun

2011-12-02T10:17:00.001-05:00

Watch Me Grow - Week 0

2011-11-30T07:45:00.001-05:00

Updates and Pics

2011-11-28T15:24:00.004-05:00

We are slowly adjusting to life with a newborn again. Enzo is doing great and had his first Dr. appt today. He weighs 8lbs 10oz. We have to go back again next week for another weight check. The Dr. said the bruising looks like it's healing well and should be completely gone by next weeks appt.

I'm sure I'm going to jinx myself with this statement but Addison has been doing really well with minimal jealously. The only thing is that if he is crying she tells him "Baby Boy - Stop Crying." She is a little helper and loves to hold his bottle, bring me his burp cloth and gives him tons of kisses everyday. The first thing she does in the morning when she wakes up is ask where he is and then tells him good morning and gives him a kiss.

I'm currently pumping and using formula. Unfortunately he wouldn't latch so I'm determined to pump in order to give him breast milk but supplementing with formula. He is the total opposite as an infant than Addison was. He is so calm and laid back...at this point :-)

1st Dr. Appt

Close up of the facial bruising

Introducing our Newest Addition

2011-11-25T09:51:00.005-05:00

Our beautiful son, Enzo Anthony, was born Wednesday November 23rd at 1:19p.
8lbs 15oz
20 inches

The induction went well and once I was 10cm it only took 10 minutes of pushing before he was out. Due to the fast delivery he had some pretty bad facial bruising and swelling. My wonderful Dr and Pediatrician allowed us to be dismissed last night to be home for Thanksgiving so we spent just over 24 hours in the hospital. Last night was a long first night home and we are all feeling sleep deprived today :-)

I also want to say a HUGE thank you to my wonderful husband. He's been so helpful and supportive and I feel incredibly blessed.

I'll try and get the birth story posted sometime soon.

Shortly after arriving at the hospital...being Induced

Seconds after birth. Meeting Enzo for the first time.

Being evaluated by the nurse

Meeting Big Sister

Daddy admiring his son

Papa S

First Family Pic

Grandma

Nana

Ready to go home

Day 2

Dr. Appt Update and Induction Scheduled

2011-11-17T18:14:00.004-05:00

I had my 39 Week appt today. I'm still 2cm dilated and the Dr. decided to strip my membranes. She's on call tonight so she joked that hopefully she'd see me at the hospital. She's not on call this weekend but gave me a card allowing the hospital to call her if I go into labor this weekend. Usually you just get whatever Dr from the practice is on call but she said she would gladly come in this weekend if she needed to.

She also scheduled me for an induction next Wednesday (my actual due date) because they don't like their patients to go past their due date and she wants to spend the holiday with her family and not working (she has 2 small kids at home so that's why she offered to be "on-call" for me over the weekend to compensate for me possibly being in the hospital on Thanksgiving). The end is in sight and we are all getting anxious to meet him!

39 Weeks

2011-11-16T07:49:00.000-05:00

How far along? 39 Weeks
Weight gain/loss:
31 pounds gained so far

Maternity clothes?
Maternity Pants – Yes
Maternity Shirts – Yes

Stretch marks?
Yes :-( With Addison I never got a single stretch mark and now in the last two weeks I’ve had some start to appear.

Sleep?
Waking up 2-3 times a night

Best moment this week?
My co-workers throwing me a surprise Baby Shower

Food cravings:
Hot Chocolate
Sweets

Gender:
Boy!!

Belly button in or out?
Out

Movement?
Movement has slowed down as he is running out of room

What I miss?
Not having to go to the bathroom every 10 minutes.

What I'm looking forward to:
Meeting our little guy and revealing his name.

Milestones:
I’m 2cm dilated and feeling lots of pressure.

Bought a bassinet last week, washed all the newborn clothes and organized them in the closet and dresser, packed my hospital bag and will be installing the car seat in the next few days.

Today is my last day of work until the end of January. I’ll be taking one week of PTO then 8 weeks of maternity leave.

38 Weeks

38 Weeks

39 Weeks

Updates

2011-11-11T17:34:00.005-05:00

Addison's ear infection seems to be doing better. She hasn't complained about her ear hurting and she hasn't had a fever since starting on the antibiotic. Granted, she HATES taking the antibiotic and I don't blame her because it's so gritty. Now she has a cough and runny nose. The cough only occurs at night and last night we were up from 11a-2p...ugh!! I ran a hot shower, steamed the bathroom and sat with her in there for about 20 minutes. Once her cough stopped she was wide awake and wanted to play and eat, resulting in her not falling back asleep until 2am. I am one tired Mommy today and so was Addison as she took a 3.5 hour nap today.

I had my 38 week Dr. appt this afternoon. The Dr. said I've made significant changes since last week's appt. I'm now 2 cm dilated with a very soft cervix. The Dr said I have a 50/50 chance of delivering in the next week.

Yesterday I had a PTO day from work. I decided I needed a "me" day so I sent Addison to daycare for the day. My Dad and I had breakfast at the beach at a little cafe that reminds me of back home. It's a little shack with license plates hanging on the wall. It was voted best breakfast of 2011 in our local paper and it stood up to it's award. We then went shopping and I got a bassinet for the baby. I treated myself to a mani and pedi. Dad was a trooper and waited the entire time without complaining. We then went to lunch, got groceries then went home and did some cleaning. It was nice to have a day to pamper myself, spend time with my Dad and enjoy eating out without chasing Addison around a restaurant.

A few more pics from the fair last weekend.

A Day with Papa

2011-11-09T08:01:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we were able to get her prescription around 11a. She had a fever all night and morning leading up to then. I get to the pharmacy and they state that I must pay for the prescription before they mix the suspension because the co-pay with insurance was $80!! They asked if I still wanted the prescription - My daughter is suffering with an ear infection and fever for the last several days, of course I'm going to pay for the prescription :::insert pregnancy hormones::: After her first dose the fever went away but the suspension is oily and gritty and she gags everytime I give it to her. After a 3 hour nap yesterday she woke up acting herself and wanting to play.

Around 6p last night I get a call from daycare stating they will be closed today. What else?!?!? After working from home all week I knew I couldn't take another day at home especially when I will be out tomorrow on a PTO day. The daycare stated there was a boy at school who had a high fever and was highly contagious so they are closing to do a deep clean of the facility. They didn't give anymore details than that. (Thank goodness she is on an antibiotic for bacterial infection so when she goes back to school she hopefully won't catch whatever it is that the boy has)

Luckily Papa has been here for almost 2 weeks now so I told him that he would have to watch her. He's been here long enough to know her schedule and she's become accustomed to him being here. I kept her up late last night in hopes she'd sleep in for him...nope, she was up at 5:30a with a horrendous cough and runny nose. Luckily though with her waking up so early I was able to get her breakfast, give her the morning dose of medicine, get her dressed and situated, etc. I told her repeatedly that she was going to be with Papa all day while Mommy went to work to prepare her for me not being there. She cried a couple times but when it came time for me to leave she said "Bye Mom. See you later" as she waved and blew kisses. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly today and if not I'm only a phone call away and can leave work if needed.

So with the extra time I had this morning since there was no daycare drop off to do I stopped and got Dunkin' Donuts for my co-workers...let's just say they are extremely grateful :-)

A couple pics of Papa and Addison at the fair this last weekend.

The Never Ending Ear Infection

2011-11-07T15:04:00.009-05:00

Thursday night Addison started acting not herself. Friday she was whiney and not wanting to eat. Friday night during dinner she got out of her chair and wanted to sit on my lap. Next thing I knew she was asleep and slept from 6:30p until 7:30a on Saturday morning. Saturday she seemed fine most of the day as we went to the County Fair but that evening she was up from midnight until 2am crying and not wanting to sleep. She never would say what hurt but I knew she didn't feel well. Sunday she was once again clingy, whiney and running a low fever. We took her back to the Dr and her ear infection is back (after two rounds of two different antibiotics). The Dr said it is, but isn't common for two rounds of antibiotics not to work. She said they only see 3-4 patients a year that are resistant to treatment. The Dr gave us two options. She could get an antibiotic shot at the office 3 days in a row but I'm not into submitting her to something so traumatizing at her age, plus the Dr said the shot was painful because the antibiotic was thick - Nope, out of the question. Option 2: Take one more antibiotic for 10 days, come back in a week and also be referred to see an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist. So we chose Option 2. Of course this came with roadblocks as well...

The antibiotic that she is to take is called Cipro. Widely used in Europe but in the States it is not commonly used on the pediatric population. It is a powerful antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections and treat/prevent anthrax exposure (Nice, Huh?) The reason why the American Association of Pediatrics doesn't like to use it is because they don't want the Pediatric population in the States to build up an immunity to such a powerful antibiotic and studies have shown that repeated long term use can lead to cartilage damage. We take the prescription to the local pharmacy and the pharmacist called us back to inform us they don't have it in stock. She called around and none of the other pharmacies in town had it in stock either. The pharmacist stated she would call her supplier and try to get it in tomorrow which means Addison has to suffer through another night of fever and ear pain.

The Dr's office also set up a referral for the ENT specialist the day before my due date!! Some how some way I will make sure she gets to that appointment.

I'm really surprised the sleepless nights and stress of a sick child hasn't put me into labor yet. I find myself asking "Why is this all happening with 2 weeks left of my pregnancy?" I'm pretty sure I have enough on my plate the way things are then to add an antibiotic resistant ear infection on top of it. It has made me realize that children are worth every sacrifice that a parent has to go through and that even when you think you can't do anymore you somehow prevail.

This is how she spent most of today...sleeping on my belly.

37 Weeks

2011-11-02T07:55:00.003-04:00

How far along? 37 Weeks
Weight gain/loss:
29 pounds gained so far

Maternity clothes?
Maternity Pants – Yes
Maternity Shirts – Yes

Stretch marks?
None.

Sleep?
Waking up 1-2 times a night

Best moment this week?
Dad arriving and hitting the 37 week mark.

Food cravings:
Fruit
Root Beer Float

Gender:
Boy!!

Belly button in or out?
Out

Movement?
Lots of movement

What I miss?
Being comfortable. My belly constantly feels like it’s being stretched apart.

What I'm looking forward to:
Meeting our little guy and revealing his name.

Milestones:
I’m Full Term which means baby boy can arrive at any time!!

I interviewed a couple daycare providers last week and am still undecided.

My last Doctor appointment she said I’m 1cm dilated and my cervix is softening “very nicely.” She stated that since my cervix is softening so well I should be able to have another vaginal delivery with no issues. :::keeping fingers crossed::: She also reiterated the fact that the baby can arrive at any time – this week, next week or in two weeks.

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T12:57:00.002-04:00

Our little Minnie Mouse. She didn't like her costume and kept saying it was "itchy" even after I put a shirt underneath it. She told me she wanted to be a witch instead...lol!!

Pumpkin Carving 2011

2011-10-31T07:36:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we finally carved the pumpkins. Addison didn't want to get dirty so she wouldn't clean out the inside of the pumpkins. In her words "That is icky!"

Post Nap Hair :-)

Wordish Wednesday: First Haircut

2011-10-26T07:55:00.000-04:00

I finally caved in and since this is the first weekend we haven't been sick (until Sunday) or had anything planned I took Addison for her first haircut. The lady I took her to was the one who took care of her at the home daycare for over a year. She now changed career paths and is doing hair. I was thankful that I was able to take her to someone she knew and was comfortable with.

She was quiet the entire time and still as a board. She was so proud of herself after wards and talked about it all the way home. As soon as we got home she got all the brushes and combs out and wanted to play "haircut."

Still Sick

2011-10-25T07:54:00.000-04:00

Addison finished her antibiotic on Sunday after taking it for 10 days. Throughout the course of taking it she was still getting a fever off and on and would wake up numerous times at night with a fever and crying. She also complained that her stomach hurt and wouldn't eat. We took her back to the Doctor to figure out why she was still having a fever after coming off of an antibiotic. Turns out she still has an infection in her left ear and now also has an infection in her right ear as well.

She has also had a horrible cough at night keeping her as well as me up all night. It has been a rough couple weeks and I was hoping she would get better...I never imagined she would still be sick.

Now she's on another antibiotic for 10 days. The Doctor said they don't like giving antibiotic back to back but since she's still experiencing a fever then they have no other option. The Doctor said the cough is allergy related and that her lungs don't have any congestion or wheezing sounds. The Doctor recommended giving her Benadryl at bedtime. Also since the combination of two back to back antibiotics totaling 20 days the Doctor gave us BioGaia probiotic straws in order to put the good bacteria back into her intestinal track.

I feel like we are over medicating at this point but I know it's short lived in order to get her better.

35 Weeks

2011-10-19T08:01:00.004-04:00

How far along? 35 Weeks
Weight gain/loss:
27 pounds gained so far

Maternity clothes?
Maternity Pants – Yes
Maternity Shirts – Yes

Stretch marks?
None.

Sleep?
Sleep is as good as expected for this point in the pregnancy. Had a few sleepless nights over the weekend due to Addison being up sick.

Best moment this week?
Finding out that my Dad (who recently retired) is arriving in a week to help me out for the next few months.

Food cravings:
Fruit
Cream Cheese

Gender:
Boy!!

Belly button in or out?
Out

Movement?
Lots of movement and hiccups.

What I miss?
Being able to move about freely. Addison always wants me to sit on the floor and play with her but it’s getting harder and harder to do.

What I'm looking forward to:
Addison being a Big Sister

Milestones:
I’ve reached my 35/35. 35 Weeks down, 35 days to go.

My struggle this week is finding a daycare. Currently the daycare Addison goes to does not accept kids until they are 1. We really love her daycare and don’t want to take her out. That means when we find a daycare for the baby I’ll be doing two drop offs and two pick-ups every day before and after work…the thought of that is stressing me out already.

Is this Week Over Yet?!?!

2011-10-13T21:40:00.007-04:00

What a week it has been. A week ago today I took Addison to the Doctor for a cough. She's battled through the week with cold like symptoms and even managed to pass it on to me. Needless to say, her and I have had a week filled with coughing, runny noses, fatigue, etc.

Today I had my Doctor appt. I discussed with her what happened on Monday night. She stated if I have another episode that I'm to call and they will get me in right away for an ultrasound to diagnose. If it is gallstones then I will have to have surgery after the baby is born to remove. She stated that she believes I passed a kidney stone. Let's hope it was that because I definitely don't want a repeat of the pain that happened on Monday. She noticed that I am battling a cold and stated that I need to be getting plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids.

After my appointment I went to daycare to pick up Addison. She was on the playground swinging. The teacher took her out of the swing and she ran to the fence to greet me. She was in a great mood and said "Bye" to all her friends.

As soon as we got home she started crying and wanted to be held. (not like her at all) I had bought a couple new things for her and she had zero interest in them. (once again, not like her) I kept asking her what was wrong and if anything hurt and she just cried and cried. After about 30 minutes I decided that we would get her shoes on and I'd take her to the pediatric urgent care. As we are putting her shoes on she vomits. Now her crying intensifies and she is inconsolable. I get her in the car and the entire 30 minute ride to the pediatric urgent care she is crying and screaming. I knew she was in pain because she's never screamed with every cry before. Next thing I know she's vomiting in the car. She vomited twice and I'm freaking out trying to get there as fast and safe as possible. By the time we arrive she is still crying. They immediately take us back and the Doctor gives her a dose of anti-nausea medicine for the vomiting. He then checks her stomach for appendicitis and her limbs for any signs of pain. Next he checks her ears and BINGO...she has a severe infection in her left ear. He said it was really bad. This is only her second ear infection. He puts drops in and she screams and cries. He stated that in young children when the pain gets so bad it can cause nausea and vomiting. He has us wait in the room until she would calm down. She continued to cry for another 10-15 minutes and he kept coming in and checking on her and pushing on her back and stomach to see if there could be anything else wrong due to her continuing to cry. They gave her a dose of Motrin then sent us off with a prescription for anti-nausea medicine and an antibiotic.

Now it's 8p and we are headed to the 24 hour pharmacy to get the prescription filled. Get to the pharmacy at 8:30p, sit in the parking lot for 30 minutes waiting for it to be filled then get home shortly after 9p. Addison slept the entire way from the doctor to the pharmacy to home (thank goodness!!). The Motrin and ear drops must have helped because she seemed back to "normal" as soon as we got home. I gave her a dose of the antibiotic and she feel asleep 20 minutes ago.

So now I should be resting like the Doctor told me to do but I hate having a sick child and will probably be up all night worrying about her. I'm relieved that we figured out what was causing her pain and that she will be on antibiotic. I'm hoping she feels better soon.

Now I'm off to start a load of laundry to wash our vomit soaked clothing. Tomorrow will be the task of cleaning the car and the vomit from the car seat. Oh parenthood...

Gallstones during Pregnancy??

2011-10-11T12:01:00.001-04:00

I’m convinced that I had a gallbladder attack last night.

Monday I woke up not feeling right. Partly because of catching Addison’s cold over the weekend but also I just felt off. I had a bad headache/pain in my right eye and a low grade fever with chills.

After dinner I got Addison in the bath and all of a sudden I started getting shooting pains across my shoulder blades that radiated to my right side beneath my rib cage. At first I thought maybe it was heartburn but it was too painful to be that. It got to the point that I couldn’t sit or stand and nothing made the pain go away. I ended up laying on the bathroom floor. All the time Addison is asking “Mommy why you on the floor? You play with Gizmo?” After about 3-5 minutes the pain went away. My mind was racing as to what is was and what was causing it. I can’t describe the intensity of the pain.

After Addison got out of the bath and dressed we went to the living room and started playing. I called Brian to tell him about it and when I was on the phone with him it happened again. I was crying from the pain. He told me to call the Doctor and see what they suggest.

I called the OB/Gyn office and spoke with a midwife who was on call…she was No help whatsoever. She kept thinking I was calling about pre-term labor and I explained to her it had NOTHING to do with the baby. She kept asking if the baby was moving, if I was having cramping, etc. UGH!!! I told her that I believed it was gallstones and she completely ignored what I was saying. She told me to take some Tylenol and lay on a heating pad. She was convinced I had slept wrong the night before. I then became a smarta$$ and said “Usually if you sleep wrong you feel it as soon as you wake up not 14 hours later” She then told me that if I felt the need I could go to the ER and get some pain meds. I had two more episodes of pain before falling asleep for the night.

I have a Doctor appointment on Thursday in which I’ll discuss with my Doctor everything that happened. I also left a message for my Doctor this morning and will be receiving a return call from her nurse today.

What I found online: Mentioned below are the most commonly observed gallstones symptoms during pregnancy.

I experienced 90% of these symptoms yesterday.

• Bloating in the abdominal region
• Constant pain under the right shoulder
• Gas
• Indigestion
• Pain between the shoulders
• Constant pain in the back
• Belching
• Tenderness in the abdominal region
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Pain in the abdominal region, especially the upper abdomen
• Sweating
• Cold flashes
• Light colored stool
• Fever
• Yellowish paleness in the eyes and skin
• Intolerance for fatty foods

http://www.livestrong.com/article/166818-gallbladder-symptoms-while-pregnant/

33 Weeks

2011-10-05T07:51:00.003-04:00

How far along? 33 Weeks
Weight gain/loss:
25 pounds gained so far

Maternity clothes?
Maternity Pants – Yes
Maternity Shirts – Some Maternity, Some Non-Maternity

Stretch marks?
None.

Sleep?
Sleep is better. I get up twice a night.

Best moment this week?
Buying a bunch of cute stuff from Etsy for the baby.

Food cravings:
Fruit
Chocolate
Sweets

Gender:
Boy!!

Belly button in or out?
Out

Movement?
Feeling more stretching movement vs. kicking. The baby has had hiccups a lot in the last week.

What I miss?
Sleeping through the night.

What I'm looking forward to:
Addison being a Big Sister

Milestones:
We have FINALLY decided on a name…to be revealed when he’s born. The only clue I'll give is that it is an Italian name.

With more and more baby stuff appearing in the house Addison had a couple weeks of acting out. (I didn’t think this happened until the baby was born) Luckily she seems to be past it now but let’s just say those were some challenging and exhausting days.

Tasty Tuesday: Olive Crostini

2011-10-04T07:55:00.000-04:00

OLIVE CROSTINI

Image Source

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup black olives
* 1/2 cup green olives with pimientos
* 2 medium cloves garlic
* 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
* 4 Tbsp butter
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 3/4 cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
* 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
* 1 baguette

Directions:

Chop olives in a food processor. Transfer to medium bowl. With machine running, drop garlic through the feed tube of the food processor and mince. Add Parmesan, butter, and olive oil, and process into a paste. Add butter mixture to bowl with olives. Fold in jack cheese and parsley. Cut baguette into thin slices and spread each slice generously with olive mixture. Cook under broiler until bubbly and lightly browned - about 3-4 minutes.

A neighbor shared this recipe with me over the summer and although I rarely make "appetizers" this one was delicious. It is perfect to make for a social gathering, football party or just for the fun of it.

Hayride, Pumpkin Patch and a Corn Maze

2011-10-03T07:50:00.000-04:00

Sunday we took Addison to Sykes and Cooper Farms. Every October they open the maze to the public. They have a petting zoo, bounce houses, play areas for kids, tractor rides, hayrides and the infamous corn maze. Being on the hayride reminded me of back home...it was bittersweet.

Show Your Spirit Saturday

2011-10-01T13:16:00.002-04:00

GO BIG RED!!!

3 above pics taken with my point and shoot

cell phone pic

Labor Day Weekend 2011

2011-09-27T07:56:00.002-04:00

I'm several weeks behind on getting these pics posted but I'll blame it on being exhausted from the pregnancy + chasing Addison around. Labor Day Weekend we met up with Brian's brother and Lyla. It had been awhile since we last saw Lyla. She's so cute and so petite for her age. (21 months) The girls had fun playing together on the beach and in the inflatable pool.

Videos: Addison Singing

2011-09-20T07:54:00.002-04:00

30 Weeks

2011-09-14T07:56:00.003-04:00

How far along?
30 Weeks

Weight gain/loss:
20 pounds gained so far

Maternity clothes?

Maternity Pants – Yes
Maternity Shirts – Some Maternity, Some Non-Maternity

Stretch marks?
None.

Sleep?
Sleep is actually better than it has been. Getting up twice a night.

Best moment this week?
Having the Dr tell me that she believes he is no longer breech!!

Food cravings:
Oranges

Cereal

Carrots w/dip

Gender: Boy!!

Belly button in or out?
In…Barely

Movement?
Lots of Movement

What I miss?
Having energy

What I'm looking forward to:
Meeting our little boy

Milestones:
Only 10 weeks left!!

I passed my Gestational Diabetes but found out my Iron levels were very low. I’ve started a prescription in hopes to raise my levels before delivery.

We’ve narrowed down our name choice to two names…now we just need to finalize what it’ll be.

Dr. Appointment Update

2011-09-09T15:57:00.005-04:00

I had my 29 week Dr. appointment today. The Dr. reviewed the results of my blood work from last week. The good news is that I passed my Gestational Diabetes test, the bad news is that my iron levels are dangerously low. I've had anemia all my life but when you are pregnant your body needs extra iron. I've been taking OTC iron supplements on a daily basis(35mg) but it's obviously not enough.

My iron level is currently 7.2. I found this online: Iron level of 7 is actually dangerously low... You could be damaging your heart and other internal organs from lack of oxygen. Low iron can lead to dizziness, confusion, being out of breath and being tired all the time as said above but also has many other symptoms, odd cravings, bleeding easily or longer from even small cuts. Your body isn't getting what it needs and your risking deadly consequences if you don't get it taken care of soon. A normal iron level is for males is between 75-175, women 65-165. A nurse wrote: I once had a woman walk into the ER by some miracle with an iron count of 6. She was near death.

My Dr called in a prescription so now I'll be taking Ferrous Sulfate (324mg) twice a day until I deliver and for several weeks after delivery. Anemia in pregnancy can lead to excess blood loss at the time of delivery, blood transfusion, etc. Ahhh!!

My iron levels were low when I was pregnant with Addison as well but I don't think they were in the 7's. I did have some excess bleeding after delivery with Addison but thankfully everything turned out fine. Keeping my fingers crossed!!

The Dr believes that Baby Boy has turned head down. He had a strong heartbeat and is doing well. Only 11 weeks to go!!

Updates

2011-09-02T07:52:00.003-04:00

I’ve made it to the third trimester!! Only 12 weeks to go. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long 12 weeks. I’ve been so uncomfortable the last few days. My pregnancy with Addison was great. I don’t think I was uncomfortable until the very end. This little boy definitely has other plans.

Last week I put headphones on my lower belly with music in attempt to get him out of the breech position. I could actually feel him as he turned and his feet were no longer kicking my bladder. The next day though he turned back to breech. A couple days later I coaxed him head down again with the music but I believe he’s turned slightly since then. He doesn’t feel completely breech or head down…I’m almost thinking he’s transverse judging by the position of kicks/movements. That being said my pelvic has been aching SO BAD. It hurts to the point that every time I stand up I have to take about 5 seconds to fully extend slowly upright because my lower abdomen feels so tight. My back has starting aching as well. Many people have been right when they’ve told me that being pregnant with a boy is totally different than a girl…I’m learning the painfully uncomfortable way.

So to try and lessen the discomfort I treated myself to a pregnancy massage yesterday after getting all my blood work done at the lab.

Of course I can never have an easy time with blood work which is why I probably will never get over my needle phobia because something always happens. My list of blood work included 7 different things. I drank the orange drink and had to wait an hour before they could do the blood work for the gestational diabetes test. I sat in the reclining chair and had the same phlebotomist as last time. As soon as she stuck the needle in my right arm I could tell that it wasn’t right. She kept pulling my arm forward and moving the needle around. She told me to keep my arm still and in position but from what I remember she was the one moving my arm all around. It took forever and I could tell that she wasn’t getting what she needed. At this point she took the needle out and said she was only half way done and that she’d have to try the other arm. Are you kidding me?!?! Did you not hear me say I have a phobia of needles and blood work…ugh!!! As I’m lying there worried about yet another needle stick in my arm another staff member walks by and looks at me and says to my phlebotomist “Is she okay. She looks really pale.” Hello!! Where is these people’s etiquette? Do they not teach you to not say something like that to a patient with a needle phobia? After that I pretty much zoned out. As she did the draw in my left arm it hurt…bad. I started getting light headed and tears started flowing. Luckily she was able to get the vein and quickly finished up. I laid there for what seemed like forever. My friend Francesca whom I brought along for support was great at giving me some juice to drink, keeping me laughing and trying to distract me. They put a wet towel on my forehead and made me sit in the chair for close to 15 minutes. I’m now praying that I passed the test so I don’t have to go back.

One more thing that happened after the blood work was completed as I was lying in the chair it felt like my pulse was in my ear. My left inner ear kept pulsating. As soon as I got home from the lab I looked it up online and one of the cause’s states: Venous Hum. Pregnant women or anemic patients often have thyroid problems. Such problems increase the blood flow of the Jugular vein. Such vein travels from the brain back to the heart. So now if there is increased blood flow, you can hear a pulsating or humming sound because the Jugular vein somehow passes near the auditory nerve.

Ending the week on a good note. Addison's school/daycare went paperless this week. So now in addition to getting a weekly E-Newsletter with school info, etc., we get a daily email of how Addison's day went. All the classroom's now have an ipad and they use Baby Connect. The email list's when she was changed, when she sat on the potty, what she ate and when, playtime, activities, her mood, drop off/pick up times, and any additional comments from the teacher for the day...oh how I love technology!! Another big milestone is that Addison went #2 on the potty for the first time!!

Leap Frog DVD Rave

2011-08-31T07:55:00.000-04:00

I’m not one to sit Addison in front of the TV often…in fact I’m very strict on how much TV I allow her to watch. Part of her routine though is that she is able to watch a 30 minute video before bedtime every night. Last Christmas we bought her a Leap Frog 3 Pack DVD’s. She wasn’t interested in them at the time because she was in her “Dora” phase but the last couple months she’s been choosing to watch Leap Frog every night before bed. The three DVD’s in the set are “Let’s Go to School” “Talking Words Factory” and “Letter Factory.” She always watches these so quietly and you can tell she is soaking up the information.

So the other night she grabbed a letter off of her art easel…it happened to be the letter “R.” She turned to me and said this letter makes the “RRRR” sound. I was surprised and shocked. I told her to pick another letter and tell me the sound. She chose the letter “T” and made the “T” sound. She also relates the letters to the correlating word shown in the movie. So if she sees the letter “P” she’ll say its sound then say “Popcorn”, “S” Snake, “C” Cold, etc. At this point she may not know all the letter’s names by sight but she knows their sounds and words associated with that letter and I contribute it to these Leap Frog movies. I’m definitely impressed!!

27 Weeks

2011-08-29T07:42:00.000-04:00

How far along? 27 Weeks
Weight gain/loss:
14 pounds gained so far

Maternity clothes?
Maternity Pants – Yes
Maternity Shirts – Some Maternity, Some Non-Maternity

Stretch marks?
None.

Sleep?
Sleep is not good. My sciatic nerve has really been bothering me lately.

Best moment this week?
I have all the baby boy clothes on hangers and in the closet.

Food cravings:
Oranges
Salads
Veggie Wraps

Gender:
Boy!!

Belly button in or out?
In

Movement?
Feeling lots of movement in the last couple weeks.

What I miss?
Sleeping through the night

What I'm looking forward to:
The baby hopefully turning head down…he’s currently breech and kicking my bladder.

Milestones:
Only 13 weeks left!!
I have my Gestational Diabetes test this week and full blood panel screen…again (my Dr. does this panel at the beginning of the pregnancy and at 28 weeks). The thought of 7 vials of blood being taken again makes me want to pass out…which I almost did last time but ended up bawling like a baby instead. At least when I started crying the phlebotomist started filling the vials faster than what she was doing. I have a major needle phobia…GAH!!!

New Office Assistant

2011-08-26T07:36:00.001-04:00

Last week during my time off I decided to take Addison into work to meet some of my co-workers. The last time I brought her to work she was 5 weeks old. She had a blast opening and closing my door over and over and over. Then she wanted to play with the phone. When anyone asked who she was talking to she said "Dora."

I never realized how bare my office walls were until I saw these pics. We've been in our new office space almost a year already. Looks like I need to get some pics hung up soon!

Smartphone Pictures Pose Privacy Risks

2011-08-25T07:55:00.000-04:00

Warning: If you or kids take pics from your phone? WATCH THIS!

This is truly alarming - please take the time to watch. At the end they'll tell you how to set your phone so you don't run this risk!

PLEASE PASS THIS INFO TO ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO TAKES PICTURES WITH THEIR CELL OR
SMART PHONE AND POSTS THEM ONLINE.
I want every one of you to watch this and then be sure to share with all your family and friends. It’s REALLY important info, about what your posting things on your cell phones can do TO YOU!!!
Too much technology out there these days so beware...........PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO WATCH THIS VIDEO, AND TAKE THE RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS.
If you have children or grandchildren you NEED to watch this.

Wordless Wednesday: Dr. Addison

2011-08-24T07:54:00.001-04:00

2 Going On 20

2011-08-22T07:35:00.000-04:00

Every time I look at this picture I can't believe how grown up she looks.

Daytona Beach Children's Museum

2011-08-19T07:35:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we went to the Children's Museum in Daytona Beach. It had been almost a year since we last went so I thought that Addison would be more interactive this trip. It was getting close to nap time when we arrived so we only stayed for an hour but were able to see and play with each exhibit.

Also this week while out and about Addison has been doing excellent with potty training. I was afraid she would be too scared to go potty on a big potty without her potty ring but she went at every place we visited this week...so proud of her!!

Museum of Science and History/Planetarium

2011-08-18T07:24:00.000-04:00

Day 3 of our "Being a Tourist in Your Own State" took us to downtown Jacksonville to MOSH and the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium. The museum was mainly focused for children with lots of hands on exhibits. They even had an area called the "Florida Naturalist's Center" which had many aquariums with different snakes, turtles, birds and alligators that are native to Florida.

The second level of the museum is where the Planetarium is. They had a big sandbox for the kids that replicated an archeological dig. At the Planetarium we watched Sesame Street's One World, One Sky. It was 25 minutes long (perfect for a toddler's short attention span). Addison kept looking around, clapping and singing along with Big Bird and Elmo. It was a great experience.

Outside of the museum they had a large fountain that was synchronized to music. It overlooked the river and Jacksonville Landing. We stopped to watch it for awhile and Addison laughed hysterically every time the mist from the fountain reached her.

Cell Phone Pic

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
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Marine Science Center

2011-08-17T07:29:00.000-04:00

Day Two of our adventures led us to the Marine Science Center. I haven't been here in several years and was glad to see more exhibits and aquariums. They have a turtle and bird rehabilitation center. Addison was fascinated with the turtles so that's where we spent most of our time. She also touched a snake for the first time...after much hesitation.

A Day at the Library - Pics & Video

2011-08-16T07:31:00.000-04:00

This week I took off of work due to Addison's daycare/school being closed all week in preparation for the school year (it's a daycare combined with a private school). I have a list of things I want to do with her this week to make it fun and memorable. Yesterday we went to the local library. They've added an extra room since the last time we were there and Addison was in over stimulation mode.

All photos taken with my point and shoot

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Thankful Thursday

2011-08-11T07:52:00.000-04:00

I'm thankful that our ultrasound yesterday went well. The ultrasound tech was able to see all 4 chambers of the heart and said the heart rate was perfect. What a relief!! The baby is in the breech position but he still has plenty of time to turn head down.

Hello Again ;-)

2011-08-10T07:36:00.001-04:00

Hello!! I’m still here :-) The last few weeks have been crazy busy.

In summary:

Family came to visit for a week (still haven’t uploaded the pics to the blog yet)
Mom backed into my new car. Taking it to the auto body shop next week to repair…they said it’ll take 3-4 days. (Grrr)
TMI: Addison had diarrhea for almost 2 weeks. Had to take stool samples to the lab (I hope I never have to collect stool samples again…NOT FUN) Still awaiting the results.
Parent Teacher Conferences at school (Can’t believe these have started and she’s only 2!!)
Finally took time to sort through the storage unit. Went through all of Addison’s old clothes and took baby items out of storage in preparation for Baby Boy.
Thought we finalized a name for Baby Boy only to have Brian decided the following day that he is still on the fence. (We won’t be revealing the name until Baby Boy is born)
We have another ultrasound today to check the chambers of Baby Boy’s heart. Praying for good results.
Mom leaves today after being here for the entire summer.
Trying to plan a family vacation before Baby Boy arrives.
Trying to potty train Addison. We were doing well until we had the set back from her 2 weeks of diarrhea. I think we are back on track now. :::Keeping my fingers crossed:::
Teaching Addison to swim. She’s become more comfortable with the water this summer and getting more courageous. I’m positive she’ll be swimming on her own next summer.
Got new renters in our rental property. Besides having an A/C technician go out to the house twice in one week because the renter thought the house was too hot but it turns out nothing was wrong with the A/C unit, they seem okay so far…
I’m addicted to my new Nook and have now traded my computer time for reading time.

I’m hoping to find some more time to blog (if I can peel myself away from the Nook…lol). I went from taking photos every day to taking almost zero photos in June. I feel like I’m slacking but like they say “Life gets in the way.”

Below are a few photos I've taken with my phone over the last several weeks...

Video: Love to Dance

2011-07-29T08:01:00.001-04:00

Last week my cousin and her husband came to Florida for a week. Their son is 3 years old and him and Addison became best buds. This video was taken at a restaurant we went to for dinner one night at the airport.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

23 Weeks

2011-07-28T08:24:00.002-04:00

How far along? 23 Weeks
Weight gain/loss:
11 pounds gained so far

Maternity clothes?
Maternity Pants – Yes
Maternity Shirts - No

Stretch marks?
None.

Sleep?
Sleep is fairly good. Only get up a couple times a night.

Best moment this week?
Addison putting her ear up to my belly and saying “I hear baby boy heartbeat”

Food cravings:
Sushi (cooked)
Onions
Raspberries

Gender:
Boy!!

Belly button in or out?
In

Movement?
Feeling lots of movement in the last couple weeks.

What I miss?
Sleeping through the night

What I'm looking forward to:
Another ultrasound in August

Milestones:
I’m over the halfway mark already!! Seeing and being able to feel the kicks on the outside.

Care Package from Boston

2011-07-21T07:50:00.001-04:00

My in-laws from Boston are the best!! They always send care packages for Addison every holiday and even randomly surprise us with a care package out of the blue. Last week we received a box in the mail from them. Below are pics of some of the items they sent. We love Boston gear so receiving these items made our day!!

"Wicked Smaaht" Maternity Shirt

Onesie for Baby Boy

This picture is on a navy blue hoodie for Addison

Binkys for Baby Boy

Wordish Wednesday - Daytona Lagoon

2011-07-20T07:52:00.000-04:00

After telling Brian that Addison was too scared to go into the water at the zoo's Splash Park on Saturday he decided that we take her to a water park on Sunday. He wanted her to be more comfortable around water. She loves the pool at the house but hates having water in her face. As soon as we arrived at the water park she was hesitant but after awhile she loved it. By the end of the day she was going down the water slides with Daddy and floating around in the kiddie pool. She even got brave and would walk around the kiddie pool by herself without having me or Daddy right by her. It was a really fun day!!

Ultrasound Update

2011-07-18T17:00:00.000-04:00

I called the Dr this morning and she reassured me that they believe nothing is wrong with the baby or his heart. The only reason they could only see 3 chambers is strictly because of his positioning. And the only reason they need another picture of the face is because they need a profile shot which they were also unable to get because of the baby's position. She said there is absolutely NO reason to worry. ::Phew:: I'm feeling so much better and relieved after the phone call this morning.

Central Florida Zoo

2011-07-18T07:41:00.000-04:00

On Saturday Nana and I took Addison to the Central Florida Zoo. It's a small zoo but they've added several things since my last visit 7 years ago. They've added multiple zip lines, laser tag, a splash park (which Addison was scared of...lol), updated their exhibits and added several wooden walkways in place of mulch. Addison's favorite things were the playground, carousel and the train.

21 Week Ultrasound Appt - Unanswered Questions

2011-07-16T08:35:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was my 21 week ultrasound to look at all the vital organs. The baby was in a position that made it hard for the ultrasound tech to get all the pictures she needed. The baby is head down, spine up. The baby is measuring on target, heartbeat was 160.

When the tech got to the heart I noticed that she typed "3 chamber heart" Immediately I knew that a heart consists of 4 chambers. I watched as she looked at the heart for 10 minutes or more getting several photos. I noticed in one she put rt ventrical, lt ventrical and the heart looked like it was shaped normally. She then asked me to lay on my right side because the baby's position made it hard to get another view of the heart that she needed. The baby wouldn't move out of it's position so she then had me lay on my left side...nothing. I got up walked around and dealt with Addison having a breakdown because this was during her nap time and not only was she tired but we waited 45 minutes in the lobby before getting called back for the ultrasound then spent another 45 minutes in the ultrasound room. She was not a happy camper.

Once I got back on the table the baby hadn't moved out of position. Addison was bawling, kicking and crying for Mommy. The ultrasound tech said I'd have to have another ultrasound at my next appointment to get another view of the heart and another picture of the face. At this point I was somewhat concerned but Addison was more than a distraction at this point. I remember looking at the screen while the tech was typing and saw "Unable to see 4 chambers of the heart. 3 chambers are visible." Then it went on to say something about the baby's position. But I didn't finish reading it because she clicked off the screen.

We then were taken into a different room to wait for the Doctor. Addison still continued to cry because she thought we were finally leaving and was upset to be put into another room. Luckily with Addison crying the Doctor quickly made it to our room. She stated that I will have to get another ultrasound at the next appointment (in 4 weeks) because they were unable to get all the photos they needed. She seemed a little concerned and asked a couple questions she hasn't asked before but that was it. So now I'm worried.

So after we left the appointment I started thinking and all these questions popped in my head that I didn't get to ask while we were there due to being distracted by my overly tired toddler. "Why do they need another view of the face" I remember seeing the face a couple times. I even have a picture of the baby yawning that they sent home with me and another pic of him facing the screen. I remember the u/s tech pointing out the lips, mouth, nose, etc.

Then I have a hundred other questions about the heart. The tech looked at the heart for a long time. If she had a good enough view to see 3 chambers why couldn't she see 4? I couldn't sleep last night thinking about all the "what if's" My only positive reassurance is that if they thought it was something severe they would have me come back sooner than 4 weeks...right??? Now that I've had time to think about it more and replay the events of yesterday I'm going to call and talk to my Doctor on Monday to ask these questions and gain a little bit of reassurance that everything is okay.

Phone Fun Friday

2011-07-15T07:30:00.000-04:00

Updates

2011-07-14T08:32:00.004-04:00

The pregnancy is going good so far. I'm 21 weeks and 1 day!! I have an anatomy scan at the Dr.'s office tomorrow so I will act excited when they tell me it's a boy :-) They will also look at all the vital organs, heart chambers, brain, spine, etc. Addison loves to come to my appointments and then at home she'll find toys and put them on my stomach mimicing an ultrasound and say "I hear baby boy's heartbeat."

She's doing great with potty training. Thank goodness my Mom is here this summer for advice and guidance. She's been a huge help with this. I would always ask Addison "You want to go potty" and the response I received would be the typical toddler response "No." My Mom said don't ask her just take her to the toilet. So as soon as she wakes up I say "Mommy is going to take you to the potty" She then says "Okay Mommy, I go potty." She has been going potty on the toilet every morning and every night before bed and on the days I work from home she'll go after naptime. Slowly but surely. My goal is to have her out of pull-ups by the time the new baby arrives.

We've decided to be done with the baby monitor for now due to recently picking up frequency from someone else's house. There's a bit of a back story to this and it may be totally unrelated but you never know. The neighbor lost her husband on July 4th. My Mom has become friends with her since they are both around the same age. The lady shared a couple stories of her husband communicating with her after he passed by doing a couple different things to let her know he was still around. So Saturday night she came over to the house to visit for a little while. While she was there we turned on the baby monitor because Addison had just went to bed. As soon as I turned on the monitor I heard music. Brian and I both looked at each other stunned. We didn't have any music on in her room...the only thing running was the humidifier. We listen for a little bit longer and could hear a baby crying. At this point Brian once again with his sarcastic humor said that it was like the Poltergist movie...Eek!! We then turned off the monitor. On Sunday while Addison took a nap we once again turned on the monitor. This time we heard parents talking and a baby crying. It sounds like a newborn so our monitor must be picking up a frequency from another home in the area...it's just creepy how it started after the neighbor came to the house with her stories of her husband communicating after his death. :::Chills:::

Wordish Wednesday - 3 Bananas

2011-07-13T07:54:00.000-04:00

On Sunday we took a scenic drive to a restaurant on Crescent Lake that we'd never been to before. The drive was a little longer than expected and to my surprise there is lots of farmland in Florida. Addison enjoyed seeing all the horses and cows in the pastures on our way there while Brian inserted his sarcastic humor that he didn't realize we were back in Nebraska :-)

photos taken with my point and shoot

Tasty Tuesday: Fish Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Crema

2011-07-12T07:55:00.000-04:00

FISH TACOS with LIME-CILANTRO CREMA

Image and Recipe Source

Ingredients:

Crema:
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
Tacos:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets
(mahi, tilapia or shrimp)
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage*

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare crema, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

To prepare tacos, combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through garlic powder) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage* and 1 tablespoon crema.

*You can use crisp lettuce such as romaine in place of cabbage. Peeled and deveined medium shrimp as an alternative for the snapper. Cook two minutes or just until shrimp are done.

My Mom's Florida neighbor shared this recipe and she made it last week. The crema sauce is delicious!!

Random Pics

2011-07-11T07:29:00.000-04:00

Phone Fun Friday

2011-07-08T07:50:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday: Another Reason Why I Love Target

2011-06-29T07:50:00.000-04:00

Tasty Tuesday: Redneck Turtle Burgers

2011-06-28T07:54:00.000-04:00

Redneck Turtle Burgers
for your 4th of July Bar B Q!

Here's a new twist on how
to serve burgers at your next BBQ

Handmade ground beef patties, topped with sharp cheddar cheese, wrapped in a bacon weave,
(use the cheese to keep the bacon shell on)

Next step: Add hot dogs pieces as the heads and legs with slits for toes and shape a tail. If ya really wanna get artistic you can carve a hot dog head with eyes and a mouth slit!

Next Step: Place gently on your grill and cover with an aluminum foil dome and only turn once or if it's a raining' you can place yer turtles on an oven rack, covered loosely with foil dome and baked for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees.

A little crispy, not too crunchy!

Just how a turtle should be, right?

Slap them Turtles in a
hamburger bun and serve!

(see if your guests eat'em head or tail first)

Phone Fun Friday

2011-06-24T07:37:00.000-04:00

Addison brought home artwork from school this week.

Photo taken with my HTC EVO

Gender Reveal...

2011-06-20T07:45:00.001-04:00

It's a BOY!!!

Heartbeat was 140bpm, he had hiccups, growth is right on target and he was moving all around. Brian didn't get to go to the U/S but my Mom and Addison went. We had the tech not tell us the gender and they sealed the pics. We also got a CD with over 40 pics and a DVD of the entire session. When Brian got home from work last night he got to see the DVD of the baby moving and we all found out the gender at the same time. It's so surreal and I'm still trying to absorb it all. I'm trying to figure out how to upload the video...if I get it figured out I will definitely post it.

17 Weeks

2011-06-16T07:56:00.000-04:00

Wordish Wednesday

2011-06-15T08:06:00.005-04:00

Here's a couple pics my brother sent me of Emerson having her first taste of food. Hard to believe she's 6 months old already!!

16 Weeks

2011-06-09T08:03:00.002-04:00

How far along? 16 Weeks
Weight gain/loss:
4 pounds gained so far

Maternity clothes?
Maternity Pants – Yes
Maternity Shirts - No

Stretch marks?
None.

Sleep?
Sleep is sporadic. I know I’m supposed to be sleeping on my sides but I keep waking up in the middle of the night on my back.

Best moment this week?
Feeling a small kick

Food cravings:
Watermelon

Gender:
Find out June 18th!!

Belly button in or out?
In

Movement?
Felt the first small kick on Tuesday while at work.

What I miss?
Having energy, eating oysters, feta cheese.

What I'm looking forward to:
Finding out the gender

Milestones:
Can’t believe I’m 4 months pregnant already. I’m excited to find out the gender so I can start planning…clothes, bedding, etc. I was also happy at my Dr. appt that I have only gained 4lbs so far. I told the Dr. I am determined not to gain as much weight as I did with Addison (50lbs…yikes!!)

Weekend Recap

2011-06-08T07:49:00.002-04:00

Friday I had my 15 week checkup. My weight is good, blood pressure was good but my urine sample came back with higher than normal levels of blood. The Dr. was concerned and asked me several times if I’ve had any bleeding. My answer was repeatedly “No” (WARNING: TMI)I explained to her that back in college when I was seeing a gastroenterologist that they found microscopic traces of blood whenever I went to the bathroom and they believed this was causing my lifelong anemia. The OB/Gyn didn’t seem convinced and stated in my first urine sample in April there was some blood (not visible to the eye) but a low level. She stated that I need to be drinking 64oz water a day and after I have this baby I need to see a urologist and have a scope done of my bladder…fun times!

It took her awhile to find the baby on the Doppler but once she did the heartbeat was strong and the baby kept moving and rolling away from the Doppler. I go back in 4 weeks for another checkup, then two weeks after that for the gender ultrasound.

Since we are excited to know the sex of this baby and don’t want to wait 6 more weeks for the Dr.’s office to do it, we have booked a separate appointment at an ultrasound spa to find out the sex on June 18th. (The day after my b-day and the day before Father’s Day) We are super excited!!

We chose a package that includes:
• 25 minute 3D/4D ultrasound session
• 1 DVD video of your session set to soothing lullaby music ~ Great for family movie night!
• 1 CD with up to 100 pictures perfect for printing, emailing and facebooking
• 10 photos 3D prints
• Gender determination (100% accuracy)
• Listen to your baby's heartbeat
• Diaper Bag with baby sample products and an exclusive 15% OFF Babies R Us coupon
• Sonostream LIVE availability (Only $12.95). We can broadcast your ultrasound live privately across the internet with anyone in the world!
• Bring up to 7 guests to share your experience with you. Kids are welcome!

We have a few names picked out but probably won’t reveal the name until the birth this time around.

After the Doctor appointment Mom, Addison and I headed to Orlando. I had a work related event to attend on Saturday so we got a hotel in Orlando on Friday night. Friday afternoon Addison was really clingy and tired. She threw up Friday evening at the hotel (only the 2nd time ever) She wouldn’t eat or drink anything for 24 hours and had a high fever. Friday night in the middle of the night she threw up a second time. I didn’t sleep well because I was worried about her. I felt bad leaving her Saturday morning for the work event but I knew Mom would take care of her. On our way back from Orlando Addison’s fever spiked again and she was totally lethargic. We took her to the pediatric urgent care on our way home and she has strep throat, so now she’s on antibiotic for 10 days. After 2 doses of her antibiotic she was back to normal and seemed 100% improved.

One a happy note Addison didn’t cry yesterday or today when I dropped her off at daycare!!

Tasty Tuesday: Raspberry Swirl Frozen Dessert

2011-06-07T07:55:00.002-04:00

RASPBERRY SWIRL FROZEN DESSERT

Recipe and Image Source

Ingredients:
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
5 teaspoons sugar

FILLING:
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
1 cup sugar, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1-1/2 cups reduced-fat whipped topping
1 package (10 ounces) frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press into an 11-in. x 7-in. dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, for filling, in a small heavy saucepan, combine the egg yolks, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160° or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Cool quickly by placing pan in a bowl of ice water; stir for 2 minutes. Set aside.

In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and remaining water and sugar. With a portable mixer, beat on low speed until mixture reaches 160°. Transfer to a small bowl; beat on high until soft peaks form.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in egg yolk mixture. Fold in whipped topping, then egg white mixture. Drain raspberries, reserving 3 tablespoons juice. In a small bowl, crush half of berries with 1 tablespoon juice. Set remaining berries and juice aside.
Spread a third of cream cheese mixture over crust; spoon half of crushed berry mixture over the top. Repeat layers. Cut through with a knife to swirl raspberries.

Top with remaining cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with reserved berries and drizzle with remaining juice. Cover and freeze for 5 hours or until firm. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before cutting

Daycare Updates

2011-06-01T10:10:00.005-04:00

Tuesday was Addison’s first day at her new school. As expected it was a rough transition. The first day as we arrived she was mixed between excitement of all the new toys and shyness due to not knowing anyone. She would start playing then run back to me ensuring that I was still there. After about 30 minutes I decided to leave and head to work. I had told her that I would be leaving so she expected it but I snuck out while she was playing. As I walked to the car I had started to cry. I felt like I was leaving her at daycare for the 1st time all over again. I felt sad that she was in a place in which she knew no one and nothing was familiar to her.

As soon as I got to work I vented to my friend about it and started tearing up again. She reassured me that everything would be fine and that Addison would adjust to the new environment. After relying on her several times throughout the day for support she had me laughing so hard with her stories of Addison attempting to escape daycare on one of the tricycles, riding home and showing up in the driveway saying “I’m not going back Mommy. That daycare is not for me”

I called around 11a to see how she was doing. The teacher was very honest and said that Addison was having a rough morning and had been crying a lot but had found a favorite teacher already and had snuggled up in her lap all morning…while pointing to the door saying “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy”…tears started again. My motherly instinct was to leave work and go get her but I knew that this is part of the transition and it will eventually get better. The teacher did say that at snack time and outside play time that she did perk up and participate.

I called again after nap time and they told me that she slept for about 1.5 hours and woke up perfectly fine. Her little personality emerged after her nap and she was playing, talking and engaged. What a relief!! I was counting down the hours until I could get off work and pick her up.

As 5 o’clock rolled around I was off work and headed to pick up Addison. Murphy’s Law intervened and on my way to pick her up I was re-routed because of wildfires. So instead of getting there on time to pick her up on her first day I was late and she was only one of 3 kids left. As I pulled up they were outside playing. She didn’t notice me pull up but as soon as she heard my heels on the sidewalk she looked up and saw me and said “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy” She was beyond excited.

Once we got home she was full of energy. She was so excited to see Nanny (she’s renamed Nana to Nanny). She was running back and forth between me and Mom giving us hugs and showing off. She actually sat at the table and ate her entire dinner. We talked about school and I said to her “I told you Mommy would come back and pick you up” So all night all she would say is “Mommy will come back” It was her reassurance that I wasn’t leaving her somewhere and I told her I would always come back and get her.

To celebrate her first day at school we decided to make Ice Cream Sundaes but she decided that her Italian genes wanted Italian ice instead(her Daddy was so proud…lol) After eating some of the Italian ice she laid on the floor and said “I’m tired” THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED. Usually I’m trying to get her to go to bed for at least 30 minutes. She was exhausted. She went to bed and went straight to sleep and I even had to wake her up yesterday morning because she wasn’t awake by the time she usually gets up.

Wednesday morning she cried initially when I handed her over to her teacher but I told her Mommy would be back after work. When I called later in the day they said she only cried for a couple minutes after I left but was great all day. When I picked her up she was playing outside on the playground. She came running when she saw me and gave me a big hug. As soon as I picked her up she said "Where's Nanny. Go see Nanny." Once again last night she was exhausted and ready for bed. She even went to bed without trying to pull her usual delays by telling me "I'm hungry, I'm thirsty."

Wordless Wednesday: 15 Weeks

2011-06-01T08:05:00.002-04:00

Lots of Updates

2011-05-30T07:30:00.000-04:00

After several weeks of not many blog posts/updates I'm finally feeling back to normal. The 1st trimester of this pregnancy was beyond horrible. I've never felt so sick, nauseous and fatigued in my life. The nausea and fatigue were 10 times worse than I experienced when pregnant with Addison. Just in the last week or two I'm beginning to feel better...that is until Addison graced everyone with her most recent cold this last week so we've spent our long holiday weekend sick and are trying to get past that.

Also, over the last couple months in addition to feeling like crap I've been playing part time Realtor trying to get tenants in our rental by the 1st of July. Our current renters are moving out the end of June(So thankful for this). I fielded so many calls, emails, house showings that it was overwhelming at times. Then count the no-shows which is beyond annoying. Last weekend we found renters and I'm positive that they will be great. They have lived in their current place for 3 years and never had an issues or been late with rent. As long as I can have a stress free renter I'll be happy!!

Mom arrives today for the summer and I'm excited to have her here. As always she has a million things planned for the summer and likes to keep everyone busy :-).

Addison starts at her new school/daycare tomorrow. I'm excited for this next step for her. I hope she adjusts well to the change. She is such a talker and I'm so amazed at how clearly she speaks, how many words she knows, the sentences she says...our little girl is growing up!! She hasn't fully comprehended the "new baby" yet. But she does say "Mommy has a baby in her belly" then will point to herself and say "I'm the sister."

My Dr. doesn't do gender ultrasounds until 22 weeks so we will probably go to an ultrasound spa like we did with Addison and find out sometime next month what the gender is. With Addison I knew right from the start she was a girl. I had such an overwhelming instinct. This time I have no clue. Brian and I aren't picky on gender. All we want is a healthy baby and will be thrilled if it's a boy or girl.

Phone Fun Friday

2011-05-27T07:37:00.000-04:00

Images taken with my HTC EVO

Wordless Wednesday: 11 Week Ultrasound

2011-05-25T07:47:00.002-04:00

05.05.11

Phone Fun Friday

2011-05-20T07:32:00.000-04:00

Addison starts her new school/daycare in a week so we ordered her a new lunchbox since she'll now be taking her own lunch and snacks to school.

Picture taken with my HTC EVO

Wordless Wednesday...Coming Soon!!

2011-05-18T07:50:00.000-04:00

Expected Arrival: 11.23.11

Tasty Tuesday: Walking Taco

2011-05-17T07:52:00.003-04:00

WALKING TACO

Image Source

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper, to taste
10 bags (2 3/4 oz. size) Fritos or nacho cheese Doritos chips
2 cups lettuce, shredded
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 can black olives, drained
Taco sauce to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Brown hamburger, onion, garlic salt, salt, and pepper.

Cut 1/4" top off chip bags. Crush chips slightly. Fill bags with cooked hamburger mixture. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and olives.

Stick fork in bag and serve. Offer taco sauce.

Whenever we had a horse show to go to they always served these. One of my childhood favorites!!

2 Year Updates

2011-05-16T07:15:00.002-04:00

Addison had her 2 year checkup last week. Here is a recap and a list of her favorites:

Weight: 28lbs (50-75th percentile)

Height: 1/4 inch from 3 feet (90th percentile)

Talking: Uses 5-6 word sentences

Food: I'm a picky eater. I prefer to eat several small snacks as opposed to a meal. My favorites are pasta, peanut butter, waffles, cream of wheat and veggies.

Clothes: Whatever Mom puts on me. Not picky about clothes but I have to pick out my shoes by myself and put them on by myself.

Music: Twinkle little star, Mary had a little lamb, Dora the Explorer Theme Song

Animals: Dogs and Horses

Books: Wheels on the Bus, Dr. Suess, Any book on Colors or Counting, Tickle Monster, Bubbles and Cuddles

Toys: Balloons, Balls, Baby Stroller, Tent, Baby Dolls, Play-Doh, Puzzles

Activities: Play outside, Beach, Go to the park, Swing, Slide, Swimming Pool

Wordless Wednesday: Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-11T07:47:00.000-04:00

Tasty Tuesday: Summer Fruit Salad with Sambuca

2011-05-10T07:40:00.000-04:00

SUMMER FRUIT SALAD with SAMBUCA

Recipe and Image Source

Italians call this marinated fruit salad a macedonia, and it is a favorite way to end a meal. Feel free to vary it according to the fruit available, adding raspberries, peaches, oranges or melons. Adjust the sugar, lemon juice and sambuca to suit your taste. Kirsch or another fruit brandy can be used in place of the sambuca, if you prefer. The critical step is the long maceration, which allows the flavors to blend.

Ingredients:
* 1 pint strawberries
* 1 mango
* 1 plum
* 1 nectarine
* 1 cup blackberries
* 1 cup blueberries
* 1/4 cup sugar, plus more as needed
* Grated zest of 1 lemon
* Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus more as needed
* 2 Tbs. anise liqueur, such as sambuca or anisette,
plus more as needed
* 1 banana

Directions:
Hull the strawberries and halve or quarter if large. Peel and dice the mango. Dice the plum and nectarine.

In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, mango, plum, nectarine, blackberries and blueberries. Add the 1/4 cup sugar, the lemon zest, the juice of 1/2 lemon and the 2 Tbs. sambuca and stir well. Dice the banana and stir into the salad. Taste and add more sugar, lemon juice or sambuca, if needed.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the flavorings before serving. Serves 4 to 6.