Friday, September 30, 2011
"I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it."
Actually, Jesus never said that. But there are times in life when we have to believe it and hope it's true. My good friend lost her 14 month-old boy in a tragic accident yesterday. He was so bright and full of life. There are things in life that are hard to comprehend, and the death of a child is one of them. I wonder what it is like for people who do not have a knowledge of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for the Atonement and for the sacrifices that Jesus made for us so that we could be healed of all our pains and cleansed from all of our sins. I believe it with all of my heart, but it's still hard to watch my friend in so much pain. Especially knowing that I can't take it away from her. But the Savior can, and I just need to hold on to that, having faith that He will heal her and her husband. I'm grateful for the covenants that we make in the temple that allow families to be sealed together for eternity. And I'm grateful that I had the privelege of knowing little Jonah. He was such a sweet little boy and his spirit was huge. He inspired all who knew him. I will miss him.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
DI or Craigslist?
I really enjoy going through closets, drawers, nooks, crannies, and shelves every once in a while to get rid of junk I don't need anymore. When I was single, I did this all of the time because I liked to travel light since I typically moved every year or two. I also like to do it because that's just how I was raised. My parents would make us go through clothes and toys every 6 months and take out some things to give to kids who didn't have stuff. Purging feels good, in a soul cleansing kind of way.
Robert is not like I am. It is difficult for him to part with possesions, especially ones that he worked hard to acquire or that he thinks might be worth something. He watches too many auction/picker shows and now thinks that everything has some worth to it. Sometimes this can cause problems. If we had a huge house with a basement, a garage, and an outside storage shed it wouldn't be so much of an issue to me (within bounds, of course). But since we live in a 2 bedroom condo, we need to get rid of stuff now and then.
One of the things we wanted to get rid of was a desk that was taking up a huge part of our living room and also a deathtrap for Maggie. She kept crawling under it and getting stuck, running into it, falling on it, and she just needs to not be around it. We decided to get rid of it. I just wanted it gone ASAP, but Robert likes to sell anything he can if he's going to get rid of it. Again, just different mindsets regarding old stuff.
We posted it, along with a few other things on Craigslist and KSL over Labor Day weekend, hoping to get rid of them quickly. The thing about listing things for sale on classifieds sites is that when they're hot, they're hot. I sold my car in 15 minutes on KSL. The desk, not so hot. We had a lot of people call wanting to come look at it, but flaked out and never came, and then a newly married couple came and looked at it and then said "We have to discuss this purchase, so we'll get back to you." I have an idea, if you're not interested, just tell me now because otherwise you're just wasting my time. And I love it when people ask you to hold the item for them while they look at other similar items. No. First come, first serve. My favorite was an email I received about a dress that I posted because I had missed the 30 day return period and the dress just wasn't going to work for me. The email was from someone named "Wyatt," and the email address was a girl/middle eastern/asian sounding thing. That was sketchy, but what was even funnier was that the email said, "Please, more information about this product." Um, well, it's a dress and this is the size. What else can you say about it? Do you want it or not? I never replied to the email just because everything that added up about it was fishy. It's been 3 weeks and the dress is still listed. It's orange. I bet that's the problem.
I like to give stuff to DI because I feel like it's a lot less of a hassle. You just bring it there and it's taken off your hands. Maybe someone in Haiti will get that orange dress and really love it. And most importantly, really need it. On the other hand, if I put it in the classifieds, somebody comes to my house and pays me to take it off my hands. And maybe they really need it, too, and they think they're getting a good bargain.
And then there are other things that just need to go to the trash. We got a lot of baby clothes from an acquanitance of Robert. Most of that stuff was ripped and stained with mud. How does a 3 month old get muddy and why would the tops of newborn socks and jammies be black and worn out? Babies that little don't crawl, or even roll over yet. That entire bag, with the exception of a few things, went to the trash. I didn't even feel like it was good enough for people in Haiti that had nothing.
My dad and I were talking about giving stuff to charity and the different requirements that people have when doing it. My dad said that when our ward would do DI drives, he witnessed that some people feel obligated to give everything to DI when they're finished with it because morally, that's what Jesus would expect of them. They get some really interesting stuff in there.What these people don't know is that even DI has some standards. Have you ever driven past DI in Provo and seen the dumpsters? That's where all of the stuff that DI doesn't accept goes.
So, here are my criteria. If it still has a lot of life left in it and it's in good condition, I try to sell it on KSL or Craigslist. Especially if it's furniture, appliances, vehicles, or other stuff that DI won't take like leftover house improvement stuff. Sometimes we take that stuff to Habitat for Humanity Re-Store.
Clothes, I always give to DI if they are in good condition. Or to friends. The orange dress is an exception because I never wore it and the tags are still on. I bought it for my sister's wedding and it didn't work out.
What do you do? What are your criteria for DI vs. Craigslist?
Robert is not like I am. It is difficult for him to part with possesions, especially ones that he worked hard to acquire or that he thinks might be worth something. He watches too many auction/picker shows and now thinks that everything has some worth to it. Sometimes this can cause problems. If we had a huge house with a basement, a garage, and an outside storage shed it wouldn't be so much of an issue to me (within bounds, of course). But since we live in a 2 bedroom condo, we need to get rid of stuff now and then.
One of the things we wanted to get rid of was a desk that was taking up a huge part of our living room and also a deathtrap for Maggie. She kept crawling under it and getting stuck, running into it, falling on it, and she just needs to not be around it. We decided to get rid of it. I just wanted it gone ASAP, but Robert likes to sell anything he can if he's going to get rid of it. Again, just different mindsets regarding old stuff.
We posted it, along with a few other things on Craigslist and KSL over Labor Day weekend, hoping to get rid of them quickly. The thing about listing things for sale on classifieds sites is that when they're hot, they're hot. I sold my car in 15 minutes on KSL. The desk, not so hot. We had a lot of people call wanting to come look at it, but flaked out and never came, and then a newly married couple came and looked at it and then said "We have to discuss this purchase, so we'll get back to you." I have an idea, if you're not interested, just tell me now because otherwise you're just wasting my time. And I love it when people ask you to hold the item for them while they look at other similar items. No. First come, first serve. My favorite was an email I received about a dress that I posted because I had missed the 30 day return period and the dress just wasn't going to work for me. The email was from someone named "Wyatt," and the email address was a girl/middle eastern/asian sounding thing. That was sketchy, but what was even funnier was that the email said, "Please, more information about this product." Um, well, it's a dress and this is the size. What else can you say about it? Do you want it or not? I never replied to the email just because everything that added up about it was fishy. It's been 3 weeks and the dress is still listed. It's orange. I bet that's the problem.
I like to give stuff to DI because I feel like it's a lot less of a hassle. You just bring it there and it's taken off your hands. Maybe someone in Haiti will get that orange dress and really love it. And most importantly, really need it. On the other hand, if I put it in the classifieds, somebody comes to my house and pays me to take it off my hands. And maybe they really need it, too, and they think they're getting a good bargain.
And then there are other things that just need to go to the trash. We got a lot of baby clothes from an acquanitance of Robert. Most of that stuff was ripped and stained with mud. How does a 3 month old get muddy and why would the tops of newborn socks and jammies be black and worn out? Babies that little don't crawl, or even roll over yet. That entire bag, with the exception of a few things, went to the trash. I didn't even feel like it was good enough for people in Haiti that had nothing.
My dad and I were talking about giving stuff to charity and the different requirements that people have when doing it. My dad said that when our ward would do DI drives, he witnessed that some people feel obligated to give everything to DI when they're finished with it because morally, that's what Jesus would expect of them. They get some really interesting stuff in there.What these people don't know is that even DI has some standards. Have you ever driven past DI in Provo and seen the dumpsters? That's where all of the stuff that DI doesn't accept goes.
So, here are my criteria. If it still has a lot of life left in it and it's in good condition, I try to sell it on KSL or Craigslist. Especially if it's furniture, appliances, vehicles, or other stuff that DI won't take like leftover house improvement stuff. Sometimes we take that stuff to Habitat for Humanity Re-Store.
Clothes, I always give to DI if they are in good condition. Or to friends. The orange dress is an exception because I never wore it and the tags are still on. I bought it for my sister's wedding and it didn't work out.
What do you do? What are your criteria for DI vs. Craigslist?
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
250th Post!
Don't get too excited. I don't really have anything great to talk about. I am going to get on my soapbox for a little bit and talk about my favorite subject lately: immunizations.
Remember how Polio was eradicated in all but 4 countries? Yeah, me too. I know elderly people who were stricken with Polio when they were children and they are crippled now. I used to visit teach a woman who got Polio when she was a kid, and is now confined to a wheelchair and is in a lot of pain because of the Polio she got 80 years ago. It's not pretty to watch. I never knew anyone my age with Polio because there wasn't anyone. Everyone had been vaccinated against it. And now Polio is on the rise again. Mostly in 3rd world countries because people cannot afford the vaccine. It costs $.30 to vaccinate a child. Polio is no longer extinct in the US either. Is that a money issue? Probably not. More than likely, a parent chooses not to vaccinate his or her child for various reasons. The great thing about America is that people can choose. Choice is also principle in the Plan of Salvation. I have no issues with people practicing their right to choose; however, sometimes people make decisions based off of false information and mass hysteria, and their choices, in turn, have consequences for themselves and others.
Last week, I got a call from a lady at church who babysat Maggie the week earlier. Her son had been exposed to Whooping Cough at preschool and at church by children who were not vaccinated. She took her son to the doctor, he was put on a prophylactic antibiotic, and she started making a list and calling everyone who he had contact with since being exposed to the infected children. Maggie was one of those children. I started thinking I needed to call everyone that Maggie had been in contact with to warn them. I was about to do that and then Robert told me to wait until I talked to our doctor. Dr. Berry was out of town the next day when I called, but I did get to speak to another doctor who told me that since Maggie and I were up-to-date on our vaccines that we had nothing to worry about - we couldn't get it, and therefore couldn't give it to anyone. I didn't need to call everyone and let them know about Maggie's possible exposure. I slept better that night knowing that we would be OK.
I also thought a lot about why a parent wouldn't want to give his or her child the most protection against diseases, and thus giving his or her child a better shot (pun intended) at a good life. There are those who say that immunizations cause autism. I just don't see enough evidence to support that theory. Granted, I don't have an autistic child, but my gut feeling is that kids with autism just come to this earth wired that way. Why? I don't know. I'll talk to God about that when I get the chance.
Others don't want to immunize a child because they're afraid that the small amount of inactive virus will cause their child to get sick, even if only temporarily. My husband says that every time he gets a flu shot that he gets sick afterward. I have news for him. The sick he gets after getting a shot is nothing compared to what the flu really is. The real flu makes you feel like death warned over for about 3 weeks, and it kills people.
There are all sorts of conspiracy theories running around out there that people use as excuses for not vaccinating their kids. Obviously, I don't believe in any of them. I actually considered not having Maggie get the Chicken Pox vaccine because I thought that Chicken Pox were a right of passage. And then I started thinking about it and I felt that if I could minimize the suffering that my child had to experience in this life, I would do it. Chicken Pox may be a drop in the bucket as far as suffering, but if I could help my child avoid it, I would.
I don't like living in fear. For those few hours before I could talk to my doctor, the whole neighborhood was in a buzz about whether or not they should quarantine their kids and get them on antibiotics pronto. I would call it hysteria. I didn't like that. And I have seriously hard feelings toward those people in the ward who chose not to vaccinate their children and then bring them to nursery to play with all of the other kids in the ward, who then go play with other kids in the ward. Wildfire. It spreads like that. And it spreads exponentially. I'll probably give those people nasty looks when I see them next. It's not the Christian thing to do, but I'm not perfect. I'll repent later.
My personal beliefs are that science and religion are complimentary. Really, they both work together for the benefit of mankind, and I believe that God gives us medicine especially to make our mortal experience better. Light, truth, and knowledge all come from the same source - God. I'm going to graciously accept His blessings and vaccinate my kids and myself. And go to the doctor when we're sick. I don't have any control over Robert, but I think this most recent experience helped him to think a little differently about things because he got his Dtap, or whatever they call it, on Saturday. Maybe I am actually chipping away at his hard, crusty, essential oiled exterior afterall. I don't think I'll have such success with his other family members.
So that's my Soapbox. Does anyone know when "Sister Wives" starts up again? I bet they don't immunize their kids, but I sure do like watchng that show.
Remember how Polio was eradicated in all but 4 countries? Yeah, me too. I know elderly people who were stricken with Polio when they were children and they are crippled now. I used to visit teach a woman who got Polio when she was a kid, and is now confined to a wheelchair and is in a lot of pain because of the Polio she got 80 years ago. It's not pretty to watch. I never knew anyone my age with Polio because there wasn't anyone. Everyone had been vaccinated against it. And now Polio is on the rise again. Mostly in 3rd world countries because people cannot afford the vaccine. It costs $.30 to vaccinate a child. Polio is no longer extinct in the US either. Is that a money issue? Probably not. More than likely, a parent chooses not to vaccinate his or her child for various reasons. The great thing about America is that people can choose. Choice is also principle in the Plan of Salvation. I have no issues with people practicing their right to choose; however, sometimes people make decisions based off of false information and mass hysteria, and their choices, in turn, have consequences for themselves and others.
Last week, I got a call from a lady at church who babysat Maggie the week earlier. Her son had been exposed to Whooping Cough at preschool and at church by children who were not vaccinated. She took her son to the doctor, he was put on a prophylactic antibiotic, and she started making a list and calling everyone who he had contact with since being exposed to the infected children. Maggie was one of those children. I started thinking I needed to call everyone that Maggie had been in contact with to warn them. I was about to do that and then Robert told me to wait until I talked to our doctor. Dr. Berry was out of town the next day when I called, but I did get to speak to another doctor who told me that since Maggie and I were up-to-date on our vaccines that we had nothing to worry about - we couldn't get it, and therefore couldn't give it to anyone. I didn't need to call everyone and let them know about Maggie's possible exposure. I slept better that night knowing that we would be OK.
I also thought a lot about why a parent wouldn't want to give his or her child the most protection against diseases, and thus giving his or her child a better shot (pun intended) at a good life. There are those who say that immunizations cause autism. I just don't see enough evidence to support that theory. Granted, I don't have an autistic child, but my gut feeling is that kids with autism just come to this earth wired that way. Why? I don't know. I'll talk to God about that when I get the chance.
Others don't want to immunize a child because they're afraid that the small amount of inactive virus will cause their child to get sick, even if only temporarily. My husband says that every time he gets a flu shot that he gets sick afterward. I have news for him. The sick he gets after getting a shot is nothing compared to what the flu really is. The real flu makes you feel like death warned over for about 3 weeks, and it kills people.
There are all sorts of conspiracy theories running around out there that people use as excuses for not vaccinating their kids. Obviously, I don't believe in any of them. I actually considered not having Maggie get the Chicken Pox vaccine because I thought that Chicken Pox were a right of passage. And then I started thinking about it and I felt that if I could minimize the suffering that my child had to experience in this life, I would do it. Chicken Pox may be a drop in the bucket as far as suffering, but if I could help my child avoid it, I would.
I don't like living in fear. For those few hours before I could talk to my doctor, the whole neighborhood was in a buzz about whether or not they should quarantine their kids and get them on antibiotics pronto. I would call it hysteria. I didn't like that. And I have seriously hard feelings toward those people in the ward who chose not to vaccinate their children and then bring them to nursery to play with all of the other kids in the ward, who then go play with other kids in the ward. Wildfire. It spreads like that. And it spreads exponentially. I'll probably give those people nasty looks when I see them next. It's not the Christian thing to do, but I'm not perfect. I'll repent later.
My personal beliefs are that science and religion are complimentary. Really, they both work together for the benefit of mankind, and I believe that God gives us medicine especially to make our mortal experience better. Light, truth, and knowledge all come from the same source - God. I'm going to graciously accept His blessings and vaccinate my kids and myself. And go to the doctor when we're sick. I don't have any control over Robert, but I think this most recent experience helped him to think a little differently about things because he got his Dtap, or whatever they call it, on Saturday. Maybe I am actually chipping away at his hard, crusty, essential oiled exterior afterall. I don't think I'll have such success with his other family members.
So that's my Soapbox. Does anyone know when "Sister Wives" starts up again? I bet they don't immunize their kids, but I sure do like watchng that show.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Scare of my life!
Today, I took Maggie to JC Penney with me. I had a $10 off coupon, and then I heard that there were sales of up to 80% off. I was looking on the clearance racks, when I came to a point that I couldn't push Maggie's stroller to the other side. I left her on one end of the rack, walked around it, and when I came back she wasn't there. And when I say I walked around, that's all I did. I didn't stop to look at anything or take anything off the rack. It took a total of about 30 seconds. I started panicking, running up and down the racks trying to find her. I didn't see her anywhere, so I started screaming, "Someone took my baby! Help me! Someone took my baby!" Everyone in the store just looked at me like I was on crack. Nobody offered to help me. None of the employees did anything. I started running up and down the aisles again, when a woman yelled, "There's a baby right here!" I went over and it was Maggie. About 4 racks away from the one I was looking at. How did she get there in that little amount of time without me seeing anything? Someone moved her. I don't know if she was moved so that a person could get past her, or if someone tried to take her and stopped when I started screaming. All I could do when the lady found her was pick her up and start sobbing. I was so glad that she was there and nothing was wrong with her.
My mom said she had a similar experience with me at JC Penney, except I was about 3 years old and it turned out I was hiding between the clothes so that she couldn't find me. She said she almost passed out from the fear that someone took me. Now I get why some parents put their kids on a leash. I'm going to put the stroller on a leash so that never happens again.
My mom said she had a similar experience with me at JC Penney, except I was about 3 years old and it turned out I was hiding between the clothes so that she couldn't find me. She said she almost passed out from the fear that someone took me. Now I get why some parents put their kids on a leash. I'm going to put the stroller on a leash so that never happens again.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
How Would You Answer This Question?
This was posted by a friend on Facebook yesterday. He clearly doesn't think highly of Christians, as evidenced by earlier posts. How would you answer this?
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Let me explain--No. There is not enough time. Let me sum up.
First of all, I am an idiot. I cannot figure out how to add more than 5 pictures at a time, so nothing is in chronological order. Newest stuff is basically first, but not really. Here are the last 11 months of Maggie's life summed up in pictures. And secondly, news announcement... Maggie is walking! Well, I say that 8 steps in a row is walking. She still prefers to crawl, but I'm counting every step as "walking."
Aug. 6, 2011 - Aunt Stacy got married to Evan Faust in the Los Angeles Temple
July 4, 2011 - Maggie pointing at something she likes in the Provo 4th of July parade
July 3, 2011 - Firepower! Maggie loved the fireworks. She "oohed" and "aahed" for Stadium of Fire and clapped her hands when we went to Aunt Karen's house to light these
June 30, 2011 - Naked alert! This girl can't wait to get in the tub.
June 22, 2011 - A face that only everyone can love.
June 17, 2011- We entered Maggie in the Freedom Festival Baby Contest. She didn't win. Don't get me started.
June 6, 2011 - Maggie's first time in the pool. She loves to splash and kick her legs.
May 29, 2011 - Not into sweet potatoes.
May 10, 2011- The first time that Maggie got on her hands and knees and started rocking back and forth. And, yes, those are my underwear. Don't worry, they'd been decommisioned.
May 4, 2011 - Maggie loves to do whatever her daddy does.
Apr. 26, 2011 - Papa Wayne gave Maggie a taste of a fresh orange from his yard. She won't eat any other kind. Like that grass? It's fake.
Apr. 24, 2011 - Easter Day. I love how Maggie sticks her tongue out like that. I can't figure out how she smiles and does that at the same time. This grass is not fake.
Apr. 19, 2011 - Maggie wouldn't eat rice cereal like normal babies. Yogurt was one of the first things she would eat consistently, and started to say "num, num, num" while she ate it. To this day, if she sees yogurt on the counter, she won't eat anything else you try to give her.
Mar. 27, 2011 - This little one has always enjoyed her baths. Her favorite thing to do it suck on the washcloth. We now bathe her in the regular tub and she has learned how to turn on the cold water and play with the stopper. She gets so excited that she will step out of her clothes willingly and try to climb in the tub.
Mar. 29, 2011 - I thought it was hilarious to put my glasses on her and make her go cross-eyed.
Apr. 5, 2011 - Robert gave her a piece of paper to play with. She was in heaven!
Apr. 11, 2011 - The best $30 I ever spent! The only way I could take a shower without Maggie freaking out was if I put her in this bouncer outside the bathroom door so that she could see where I was. The best part: the hysterical laughs she would let out when I opened the shower curtain. Thanks for making mommy feel good about her appearance.
Apr. 14, 2011 - Sitting on her own. Don't tell Papa that is a boy's outfit.
Jan 13, 2011 - We would swaddle Maggie at night and then find her like this when she'd wake up. We called her "Little Houdini."
Jan 24, 2011 - Maggie has a ready smile and laugh. This is about the time that her personality started to shine through.
Feb 14, 2011 - My blue-eyed Valentine!
Feb 17, 2011 - My sad attempt at getting a picture of Maggie's first tooth. For the record, she now has the front four teeth on the top and bottom, a bottom molar on the right, and she's in the process of cutting the bottom left molar and canine.
Aug. 6, 2011 - Aunt Stacy got married to Evan Faust in the Los Angeles Temple
July 4, 2011 - Maggie pointing at something she likes in the Provo 4th of July parade
July 3, 2011 - Firepower! Maggie loved the fireworks. She "oohed" and "aahed" for Stadium of Fire and clapped her hands when we went to Aunt Karen's house to light these
June 30, 2011 - Naked alert! This girl can't wait to get in the tub.
June 22, 2011 - A face that only everyone can love.
June 17, 2011- We entered Maggie in the Freedom Festival Baby Contest. She didn't win. Don't get me started.
June 6, 2011 - Maggie's first time in the pool. She loves to splash and kick her legs.
May 29, 2011 - Not into sweet potatoes.
May 10, 2011- The first time that Maggie got on her hands and knees and started rocking back and forth. And, yes, those are my underwear. Don't worry, they'd been decommisioned.
May 4, 2011 - Maggie loves to do whatever her daddy does.
Apr. 26, 2011 - Papa Wayne gave Maggie a taste of a fresh orange from his yard. She won't eat any other kind. Like that grass? It's fake.
Apr. 24, 2011 - Easter Day. I love how Maggie sticks her tongue out like that. I can't figure out how she smiles and does that at the same time. This grass is not fake.
Apr. 19, 2011 - Maggie wouldn't eat rice cereal like normal babies. Yogurt was one of the first things she would eat consistently, and started to say "num, num, num" while she ate it. To this day, if she sees yogurt on the counter, she won't eat anything else you try to give her.
Mar. 27, 2011 - This little one has always enjoyed her baths. Her favorite thing to do it suck on the washcloth. We now bathe her in the regular tub and she has learned how to turn on the cold water and play with the stopper. She gets so excited that she will step out of her clothes willingly and try to climb in the tub.
Mar. 29, 2011 - I thought it was hilarious to put my glasses on her and make her go cross-eyed.
Apr. 5, 2011 - Robert gave her a piece of paper to play with. She was in heaven!
Apr. 11, 2011 - The best $30 I ever spent! The only way I could take a shower without Maggie freaking out was if I put her in this bouncer outside the bathroom door so that she could see where I was. The best part: the hysterical laughs she would let out when I opened the shower curtain. Thanks for making mommy feel good about her appearance.
Apr. 14, 2011 - Sitting on her own. Don't tell Papa that is a boy's outfit.
Nov. 12, 2010 - I'm not sure whose child this is. My sister thinks she looks like Vern Troyer. I think she looks a little like her Grandma L in this picture.
Jan 13, 2011 - We would swaddle Maggie at night and then find her like this when she'd wake up. We called her "Little Houdini."
Jan 24, 2011 - Maggie has a ready smile and laugh. This is about the time that her personality started to shine through.
Feb 14, 2011 - My blue-eyed Valentine!
Feb 17, 2011 - My sad attempt at getting a picture of Maggie's first tooth. For the record, she now has the front four teeth on the top and bottom, a bottom molar on the right, and she's in the process of cutting the bottom left molar and canine.
Monday, September 19, 2011
One check or two?
OK, so Rob and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary on Saturday night by getting a babysitter so that we could go to the temple and then go to a nice restaurant afterward. It was awesome! Our anniversary is actually today, but Saturday worked best for going out. After we finished our dinner at Tucanos, my favorite place for meat, the waitress asked if we would like seperate checks. I looked at her and said, "well, two checks would be kind of awkward since we're here celebrating our wedding anniversary." Things that make you go hmmm.
We've been having a hard time with getting Maggie to sleep through the night lately. I know that she's getting a molar and a canine right now, so she's probably uncomfortable and cranky. But none of her other teeth affected her like this. We never really sleep trained her because she would just sleep, wake up to eat, and then go right back to sleep. And since she doesn't need to eat in the middle of the night anymore she has been sleeping "through the night" by medical standards, but still waking up at 5 or 6 am. Then, last week, she started this thing where we'd put her down and she'd wake up 45 minutes later. We'd rock her back to sleep and then the process would start all over again. After a really hard night, Rob and I decided that it was time to let her cry it out. We'd tried a few times before but it always resulted in projectile vomit, and to be honest, I'd rather go in and get her and rock her than clean up barf. I hate barf.
We put her in the crib and resolved not to open the door until 6 the next morning. And then the hysterical crying turned into projectile vomiting. And then dead silence. I knew that something was wrong, so we went in and sure enough, she was gagging on her barf and couldn't breathe. We stayed up with her all night because after the hysterics, she wouldn't settle down for anything. We decided to try it again the second night and after giving her a bottle, she fell asleep and I put her in her crib. I was planning on putting her in the crib after the bottle, asleep or not. But she fell asleep. She woke up about 45 minutes later, but we just let her cry. She did that several times through the night, but we never went in there and she'd always fall asleep on her own. Each night, it has gotten better.
I'm learning to recognize when she's crying out of protest or whether she is crying because she really needs something. I did go get her on Saturday night because it was a different cry. She had a major poopie and also was so hungry that she drank an entire bottle. But then she went back to bed. Right now, she has a runny nose, so she woke up again on Sunday night with the "I need help" cry. I'm pretty sure it's a teething runny nose because she seems fine otherwise. Except that she wasn't very interested in eating yesterday. She has done that every time she's gotten a new tooth, so that's par for the course.
We're going to get through this one way or the other. One thing I have also learned is that sleep training a child "by the book" isn't always the best way. I have really sought the help of Heavenly Father through this whole experience, and through the Spirit, I've had thoughts come into my head like "maybe if we do this, or "try this" it will work. And it has been working. It's just not going to work in 24 hours like I would hope for. She's growing up and changing, so as a parents, Robert and I need to be flexible and changeable to find the best solutions for her.
I feel a little bad that the first child is the "practice child." The next time we have a baby we'll know to get him or her sleep trained pronto. I have always just enjoyed rocking and holding my little girl so much that I haven't wanted to give it up. And now it's biting me in the rear. Oh well.
I have crafted a blog post with pictures of Maggie from the last 11 months, but I'm not sure how to post a bajillion pictures without the formatting getting all crazy. Does anyone know how to add multiple photos at once? We're talking like 30 or so.
We've been having a hard time with getting Maggie to sleep through the night lately. I know that she's getting a molar and a canine right now, so she's probably uncomfortable and cranky. But none of her other teeth affected her like this. We never really sleep trained her because she would just sleep, wake up to eat, and then go right back to sleep. And since she doesn't need to eat in the middle of the night anymore she has been sleeping "through the night" by medical standards, but still waking up at 5 or 6 am. Then, last week, she started this thing where we'd put her down and she'd wake up 45 minutes later. We'd rock her back to sleep and then the process would start all over again. After a really hard night, Rob and I decided that it was time to let her cry it out. We'd tried a few times before but it always resulted in projectile vomit, and to be honest, I'd rather go in and get her and rock her than clean up barf. I hate barf.
We put her in the crib and resolved not to open the door until 6 the next morning. And then the hysterical crying turned into projectile vomiting. And then dead silence. I knew that something was wrong, so we went in and sure enough, she was gagging on her barf and couldn't breathe. We stayed up with her all night because after the hysterics, she wouldn't settle down for anything. We decided to try it again the second night and after giving her a bottle, she fell asleep and I put her in her crib. I was planning on putting her in the crib after the bottle, asleep or not. But she fell asleep. She woke up about 45 minutes later, but we just let her cry. She did that several times through the night, but we never went in there and she'd always fall asleep on her own. Each night, it has gotten better.
I'm learning to recognize when she's crying out of protest or whether she is crying because she really needs something. I did go get her on Saturday night because it was a different cry. She had a major poopie and also was so hungry that she drank an entire bottle. But then she went back to bed. Right now, she has a runny nose, so she woke up again on Sunday night with the "I need help" cry. I'm pretty sure it's a teething runny nose because she seems fine otherwise. Except that she wasn't very interested in eating yesterday. She has done that every time she's gotten a new tooth, so that's par for the course.
We're going to get through this one way or the other. One thing I have also learned is that sleep training a child "by the book" isn't always the best way. I have really sought the help of Heavenly Father through this whole experience, and through the Spirit, I've had thoughts come into my head like "maybe if we do this, or "try this" it will work. And it has been working. It's just not going to work in 24 hours like I would hope for. She's growing up and changing, so as a parents, Robert and I need to be flexible and changeable to find the best solutions for her.
I feel a little bad that the first child is the "practice child." The next time we have a baby we'll know to get him or her sleep trained pronto. I have always just enjoyed rocking and holding my little girl so much that I haven't wanted to give it up. And now it's biting me in the rear. Oh well.
I have crafted a blog post with pictures of Maggie from the last 11 months, but I'm not sure how to post a bajillion pictures without the formatting getting all crazy. Does anyone know how to add multiple photos at once? We're talking like 30 or so.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
I'm Back!
OK, so having a baby rocked my world in a way that I just hadn't anticipated. I'm just going to say right now that nursing was difficult, I was in pain from an undiagnosed gall stone, and I had post-partum depression that I refused to acknowledge for almost 6 months. I felt crazy and sad all of the time, and lo and behold, I was. I have Zoloft and a very patient husband to thank for pulling me out of the rut I was in. Oh yeah, and I don't have a gall bladder anymore. Life is better.
I guess I feel a need to explain the absence from writing on my blog in order to start over and begin a new precedent for what I want to accomplish on my blog. One of the many reasons I took almost a year's hiatus is because I felt very vulnerable to comments that were sometimes harsh and hurtful - not only on my blog, but also on the blogs of others. The Internet isn't a wall we can hide behind as we hurl nasty comments at others. If you wouldn't dare say it to a person's face, don't write it on the Internet. And I'm saying that for myself just as much as I am others. Until now, I haven't been thick-skinned enough to handle opening myself up to others in the way I had before. Granted, there isn't much I wouldn't say to a person's face... and believe me, I've said some doozies, but from now on, I am going to write my blog as a form of personal and family history.
I want to keep friends and family informed about what Rob, Maggie and I are doing as a family, and also keep a record for myself and my posterity. Since I was once told at a scrapbook party that I could "start my page over again," I've steered clear of anything involving paper, scissors, and glue. A blog is a perfect way for me to include pictures as well as the written word. I will still write about random stuff that happens to me and insert my opinions here and there, but I'm going to refrain from posting things about people I know who hoard and/or who don't treat their kids well, and other stuff that just doesn't need to be said. I know a lot of people like that, so it kinda reduces the amount of material I have to draw from. But I will get along.
Rob and I were very careful about posting pictures of Maggie for a long time, but I feel OK about it now. One thing that I do ask is that if you see a picture of Maggie that you just can't live without, and want to grab it from my blog, please ask permission before doing so. And please ask before you re-post or link from my blog. I know I can only protect our privacy so much if I'm posting things on a non-private blog, and that has been one of my biggest concerns with blogging since Maggie has been born, but I don't want to go private because I have friends and relatives that don't know what Google is and wouldn't know how to access a private blog if it hit them in the face.
The last year has been difficult. I learned things about people that I didn't want to know. I've seen things that have destroyed lives and families, and I have had to rethink my relationships with people in order to provide my family with the things I hope for them, and protect them in the process. I won't go into details, but the last year has been emotionally draining, and I felt like I wanted to write about these things on a blog but couldn't because A) Nobody likes a whiner; B) I was trying not to dwell on the bad; C) I needed to separate my family from some people and keeping myself off of the Internet was one of my ways of doing that. And don't worry, if you're reading this blog right now, you're probably not one of the people we needed a separation from.
Maggie keeps me on my toes, so I can't guarantee that I will blog daily. I will however, catch upon what Maggie has been doing the last year and then keep it up. Right now she's standing by me and slapping my leg. She wants me to get up and play with her. And so I will.
I guess I feel a need to explain the absence from writing on my blog in order to start over and begin a new precedent for what I want to accomplish on my blog. One of the many reasons I took almost a year's hiatus is because I felt very vulnerable to comments that were sometimes harsh and hurtful - not only on my blog, but also on the blogs of others. The Internet isn't a wall we can hide behind as we hurl nasty comments at others. If you wouldn't dare say it to a person's face, don't write it on the Internet. And I'm saying that for myself just as much as I am others. Until now, I haven't been thick-skinned enough to handle opening myself up to others in the way I had before. Granted, there isn't much I wouldn't say to a person's face... and believe me, I've said some doozies, but from now on, I am going to write my blog as a form of personal and family history.
I want to keep friends and family informed about what Rob, Maggie and I are doing as a family, and also keep a record for myself and my posterity. Since I was once told at a scrapbook party that I could "start my page over again," I've steered clear of anything involving paper, scissors, and glue. A blog is a perfect way for me to include pictures as well as the written word. I will still write about random stuff that happens to me and insert my opinions here and there, but I'm going to refrain from posting things about people I know who hoard and/or who don't treat their kids well, and other stuff that just doesn't need to be said. I know a lot of people like that, so it kinda reduces the amount of material I have to draw from. But I will get along.
Rob and I were very careful about posting pictures of Maggie for a long time, but I feel OK about it now. One thing that I do ask is that if you see a picture of Maggie that you just can't live without, and want to grab it from my blog, please ask permission before doing so. And please ask before you re-post or link from my blog. I know I can only protect our privacy so much if I'm posting things on a non-private blog, and that has been one of my biggest concerns with blogging since Maggie has been born, but I don't want to go private because I have friends and relatives that don't know what Google is and wouldn't know how to access a private blog if it hit them in the face.
The last year has been difficult. I learned things about people that I didn't want to know. I've seen things that have destroyed lives and families, and I have had to rethink my relationships with people in order to provide my family with the things I hope for them, and protect them in the process. I won't go into details, but the last year has been emotionally draining, and I felt like I wanted to write about these things on a blog but couldn't because A) Nobody likes a whiner; B) I was trying not to dwell on the bad; C) I needed to separate my family from some people and keeping myself off of the Internet was one of my ways of doing that. And don't worry, if you're reading this blog right now, you're probably not one of the people we needed a separation from.
Maggie keeps me on my toes, so I can't guarantee that I will blog daily. I will however, catch upon what Maggie has been doing the last year and then keep it up. Right now she's standing by me and slapping my leg. She wants me to get up and play with her. And so I will.
Friday, December 31, 2010
It Must Be Serious if Larry the Cable Guy is Endorsing It!
While visiting my mom and dad in California, I woke up one night with terrible back pain and figured that I must have had a kidney stone or a kidney infection or something, so first thing the next morning, Robert took me to an urgent care while my dad watched Maggie. Turns out it was a bladder infection (I still think I have a kidney stone, but whatever), and it took 4 hours for someone to tell me that. While waiting for the doctor, I picked up an Us Weekly and started reading. My attention was drawn to a picture of a little baby with some sort of apparatus keeping his legs apart and hips flexed. I started reading the article, and it was about Larry the Cable Guy's little boy being born with hip displacia. He had to wear that apparatus to fix his hip. The article also said that if the problem wasn't fixed, it would cause arthritis and other hip problems in adults. Larry the Cable Guy has started a hip displacia awareness campaign to make sure that little babies like his get their hips fixed.
For the last several years, I have had hip problems. My doctor said I'm much too young for that and I'll probably need a hip replacement one of these days. And when I say I have hip problems, sometimes it gets so bad that I can't walk. Cortisone shots have been helpful, and there was this one drug, but it got recalled. Since having Maggie, it has gotten really bad. And who woulda thunk that I had hip displacia when I was a kid? I knew there was something wrong with my hips as a child, but my mom never really told me what it was. After reading the article, I asked my mom and she said that she didn't know what was wrong with my hips, but she pointed out how Maggie can bring her legs all the way up to where she looks like a frog. I couldn't do that as a kid. The pediatrician told her to put two diapers on me and that would take care of the problem. It didn't.
So, listen to Larry the Cable Guy, and me, and if your baby has hip displacia, get it taken care of the right way.
For the last several years, I have had hip problems. My doctor said I'm much too young for that and I'll probably need a hip replacement one of these days. And when I say I have hip problems, sometimes it gets so bad that I can't walk. Cortisone shots have been helpful, and there was this one drug, but it got recalled. Since having Maggie, it has gotten really bad. And who woulda thunk that I had hip displacia when I was a kid? I knew there was something wrong with my hips as a child, but my mom never really told me what it was. After reading the article, I asked my mom and she said that she didn't know what was wrong with my hips, but she pointed out how Maggie can bring her legs all the way up to where she looks like a frog. I couldn't do that as a kid. The pediatrician told her to put two diapers on me and that would take care of the problem. It didn't.
So, listen to Larry the Cable Guy, and me, and if your baby has hip displacia, get it taken care of the right way.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Shutterfly Offer
I've found that my days are so full lately with caring for my little one, that I barely have time to shower and brush my teeth. I've had to prioritize things and sometimes neglect some areas so that I can get the things that are the most important finished.
One of the things that I am making time for this year is sending out Christmas cards. Because I'm so limited on time, I need a way to send out cards that is going to be easy and worry-free. I also want my cards to be darling because, well, I'm darling and I need to at least keep up the appearance.
Shutterfly has some really great designs. They are contemporary, clean, beautiful, and totally easy. And what's better than easy? Free. This year, Shutterfly is doing an offer for bloggers to get 50 free cards. That's not going to cover my whole list (Robert's family will take up most of that 50), but that's OK because Shutterfly's prices are way good.
Shutterfly doesn't just do cards, but you can also create things like calendars. I'm going to need one of those to keep up with Maggie's doctor's appointments.
Anyone planning a New Year's bash? I am. In my little girl's nursery. She will definitely be up at midnight to celebrate. Sorry, none of you will be invited to that party. But if I were throwing a party, I would totally get the invitations at Shutterfly.
One of the things that I am making time for this year is sending out Christmas cards. Because I'm so limited on time, I need a way to send out cards that is going to be easy and worry-free. I also want my cards to be darling because, well, I'm darling and I need to at least keep up the appearance.
Shutterfly has some really great designs. They are contemporary, clean, beautiful, and totally easy. And what's better than easy? Free. This year, Shutterfly is doing an offer for bloggers to get 50 free cards. That's not going to cover my whole list (Robert's family will take up most of that 50), but that's OK because Shutterfly's prices are way good.
Shutterfly doesn't just do cards, but you can also create things like calendars. I'm going to need one of those to keep up with Maggie's doctor's appointments.
Anyone planning a New Year's bash? I am. In my little girl's nursery. She will definitely be up at midnight to celebrate. Sorry, none of you will be invited to that party. But if I were throwing a party, I would totally get the invitations at Shutterfly.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
It's a Trap
Ever since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I've been dreaming about all of the things I can eat again once the baby is born. Nevermind what my doctor says about needing to follow the diabetic diet for the rest of my life because just having GD makes me twice as likely to develop type II diabetes at some point in my life. I'm planning on making some adjustments to my diet, but for a little while after I have the baby I am going to take a break and eat things that I have missed. I told Rob that after the baby is born, I expect a pound of See's chocolate. He said he would "see what he could do."
Last night, we went to Costco, and Rob started looking at some Kirkland Signature assorted chocolates and asked me if I would be OK with getting those because they were so cheap. I told him to keep on walking to another part of the store where he could buy a gift certificate for a pound of See's. We got to where the gift certificates were and he's looking at the package and he started complaining about how much more expensive the See's candy is above the Costco brand. I said, "What, I'm not worth the See's?" This guy walking buy with a cart full of kids says to Rob, "Don't answer that. It's a Trap!"
Needless to say, Rob got the See's certificates.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
T Minus 5 Days
Not that anyone cares for an update on my cervix, but there has been no change since last week. Still 1 1/2 cm dilated and 80% effaced. My mom, Rob's mom, and the labor and delivery nurses kept telling me that I would go into labor before my induction next Monday but apparently all of the pressure in my pelvis hasn't been doing a darn thing. Now I know why a lot of doctors don't even do progress checks... it's just dang frustrating when there's no progress during a week. And you know what my doctor said to me? "Frankly, I'm glad that there's no progress because I'm going out of town tomorrow and I don't want you to go into labor while I'm gone." Well, OK. When he puts it that way...
I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, but the last few weeks have been really hard. I've never known such discomfort in my life, and just when I think that the discomfort can't get any worse, it does. I am grateful, though. I start to think about the miracle of bringing life into the world and the more I think about it and the more I get into actually doing it, it seems like more of a miracle. I'm simply fascinated by how it all happens and it's been a huge test of faith. It would be an understatement to say that I like to have control over a situation. In this situation, I have had to give up all control to Heavenly Father and remember that my little girl was His daughter before she will be mine and that I have to trust that He will take care of her and me. It's still hard, though. And the next few days will be hard, too.
And speaking of hard... who knew that pregnant bellies were as hard as they are? I've always been a little squishy around the middle and expected the squishy layer to surround and protect the bump. Not so. And since I never made it a habit of rubbing pregnant women's bellies, I never knew they were so hard.
I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, but the last few weeks have been really hard. I've never known such discomfort in my life, and just when I think that the discomfort can't get any worse, it does. I am grateful, though. I start to think about the miracle of bringing life into the world and the more I think about it and the more I get into actually doing it, it seems like more of a miracle. I'm simply fascinated by how it all happens and it's been a huge test of faith. It would be an understatement to say that I like to have control over a situation. In this situation, I have had to give up all control to Heavenly Father and remember that my little girl was His daughter before she will be mine and that I have to trust that He will take care of her and me. It's still hard, though. And the next few days will be hard, too.
And speaking of hard... who knew that pregnant bellies were as hard as they are? I've always been a little squishy around the middle and expected the squishy layer to surround and protect the bump. Not so. And since I never made it a habit of rubbing pregnant women's bellies, I never knew they were so hard.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
T Minus 12 Days
I had 2 doctor's appointments today... one with the perinatologist and one with my regular OB. Last week, my regular OB said that there was not a chance that I would be induced early because first time moms and inductions usually turn into a c-section. Today, after having an ultrasound and seeing that this little baby isn't so little (7 lbs 14 oz) with almost 3 weeks to go, the perinatologist suggested that I be induced sometime next week (38 weeks), but not later than 39 weeks. Well, my OB is subscribing to the no later than 39 weeks instructions and I'm being induced on Oct. 18. Which is a little weird, since I'll be 39 weeks next Saturday. But whatever... 5 days early is 5 days early. I'm excited, but a little scared. I just hope that everything goes well with the induction and that, to quote the perinatologist, my "cervix is favorable." At my appointment today, I was 1 1/2 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I don't even know if that's good. I just keep reminding myself that whatever it takes to get this baby here, and here in good shape, is what has to happen. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Will Your Parents Protect You?
When I was growing up, I never doubted the answer to that question. I always knew that as long as I told my parents the truth about what happened, they would both go to bat for me. My dad told me that he would even stand up for me if I smacked a bully in the face and got sent to detention... as long as I tried other non-violent means before I resorted to face smacking.
Lately, Rob and I have been talking about how important it is for our children to know that we will always protect them and stand up for them. That's what parents do. And when something bad happens to your child, they need to know that you will protect them if they tell you. Like in the case of bullying or heaven forbid, something even worse.
I was watching Today on NBC and they were interviewing a disabled girl, who was a victim of bullying, and her parents. If you haven't heard the story, the girl comes home and tells her dad that kids on the school bus have been making fun of her, calling her names, and even throwing condoms at her. The dad walks onto the bus and goes nuts, yelling at the kids and even cursing at them. Now, I'm not so sure I would have done it the way that he did, but I would have defended and protected my child from that sort of treatment, too. Now this dad has been charged with some sort of misdemeanor for "assaulting" the kids on the bus. What about all of the assault that was committed against his disabled daughter? Where is the justice in this situation? Why is their no punishment for the bullies and their parents, or even the bus driver?
I probably would have contacted the school before charging onto the bus and unleashing a tirade of profanities. But if the school didn't take any steps to stop the bullying, I probably would have taken matters into my own hands. What would you have done?
Lately, Rob and I have been talking about how important it is for our children to know that we will always protect them and stand up for them. That's what parents do. And when something bad happens to your child, they need to know that you will protect them if they tell you. Like in the case of bullying or heaven forbid, something even worse.
I was watching Today on NBC and they were interviewing a disabled girl, who was a victim of bullying, and her parents. If you haven't heard the story, the girl comes home and tells her dad that kids on the school bus have been making fun of her, calling her names, and even throwing condoms at her. The dad walks onto the bus and goes nuts, yelling at the kids and even cursing at them. Now, I'm not so sure I would have done it the way that he did, but I would have defended and protected my child from that sort of treatment, too. Now this dad has been charged with some sort of misdemeanor for "assaulting" the kids on the bus. What about all of the assault that was committed against his disabled daughter? Where is the justice in this situation? Why is their no punishment for the bullies and their parents, or even the bus driver?
I probably would have contacted the school before charging onto the bus and unleashing a tirade of profanities. But if the school didn't take any steps to stop the bullying, I probably would have taken matters into my own hands. What would you have done?
Thursday, September 30, 2010
If I Could Sum Up an Entire Decade...
The dude on the far right in the acid washed denim suit, cowboy boots, plaid shirt, skinny tie, and mullet would be the epitome of the 80's. Nevermind the geeky guy on the far left. I married him.Friday, September 17, 2010
Warning: Late-Night Coupon Clipping Can Be Dangerous
Last week, the Costco coupon book came and I was so excited because there were coupons in there for lots of things I need, like diapers, wipes, laundry detergent, toilet paper, Cascade, and other basics. One of those other basics happened to be maxi pads. I haven't used a maxi pad since I learned the fine art of tampon use back in 1995. And I must say that life has never been better. Whoever invented maxi pads should be shot. Well, maybe not shot, but flogged with something. Neverthless, the time will soon come when I will need the maxi pads. Which was why I was so happy about all of the coupons that Costco had this month. I was patiently waiting until the sale date started.
I couldn't sleep last night, much like every night, so I got up and decided to make my Costco list and clip the coupons I needed. I saw the Costco book sitting on the bookshelf and began looking through it. For some reason, I wasn't finding what I thought I originally saw but then I found the maxi pad coupon. I started clipping it and thought to myself, "I know it's been a long time since I bought these things, but since when do they come in sizes S-XL?" I dismissed my thought and finished cutting it out again only to notice a line that said "Comes in both mens and womens styles." That really threw me off for lots of reasons. The first being that men don't need maxi pads. I looked at it again and was pretty sure I cut out the right coupon. The picture looked right. The box colors were right. But for some reason, the brand name wasn't sounding right. I know about Always, Stayfree, and Kotex. But Depends? Yes. That is right. I thought I was cutting out a coupon for maxi pads, but I was really cutting a coupon out for adult diapers. Not that there's much of a difference between the two. And to make matters worse, I was looking in the wrong book. I'd picked up last month's. I need help.
I couldn't sleep last night, much like every night, so I got up and decided to make my Costco list and clip the coupons I needed. I saw the Costco book sitting on the bookshelf and began looking through it. For some reason, I wasn't finding what I thought I originally saw but then I found the maxi pad coupon. I started clipping it and thought to myself, "I know it's been a long time since I bought these things, but since when do they come in sizes S-XL?" I dismissed my thought and finished cutting it out again only to notice a line that said "Comes in both mens and womens styles." That really threw me off for lots of reasons. The first being that men don't need maxi pads. I looked at it again and was pretty sure I cut out the right coupon. The picture looked right. The box colors were right. But for some reason, the brand name wasn't sounding right. I know about Always, Stayfree, and Kotex. But Depends? Yes. That is right. I thought I was cutting out a coupon for maxi pads, but I was really cutting a coupon out for adult diapers. Not that there's much of a difference between the two. And to make matters worse, I was looking in the wrong book. I'd picked up last month's. I need help.
Monday, August 23, 2010
The Dog Days of Summer
The summer is winding down and so is my pregnancy. I'm in my 32nd week and I keep thinking that 8 weeks seems like such a long time, but really it will go quite fast. And depending on how big this baby gets, it might even go quicker than I can even imagine.
I've been working really hard at controlling my gestational diabetes, but it is pretty hard. My doctor put me on a medication that is supposed to help, but my blood sugar is still all over the place so I'm not really sure. What I am sure of is that as soon as the baby is born I am going to eat some potatoes and a brownie sandwiched between 2 pieces of white bread. With a side of white rice. And some fruit. And some carrots. Oh, how I miss all of those foods.
I'm supposed to start once weekly non stress tests this week. I'm not really sure what that involves except for going to the hospital and getting hooked up to some monitors for a while. I guess it's just to monitor the baby's movements and heart rate to make sure the baby isn't under duress. I've been promised that I can watch TV while I'm there.
Rob has been working hard at getting some things done around the house in preparation for the baby. Well, I'm not so sure that the baby cares about having a new water heater and the hole above the shower fixed, but it sure does make me feel more prepared to have a baby. Rob starts school again this week, so we're kind of in a hurry to get the baby's room cleaned out now. Because once Rob starts school again, UVU will own him.
We went to the temple the other day and performed a bunch of sealings for my ancestors. It felt great to get that work done. I want to try to go to the temple as much as I can in the next little while because I know that it will be pretty infrequent once the baby comes. While I was there, I was being directed to the end of the locker room and then also down to the end of a long row of lockers. I was waddling pretty good because I had to go potty and it was super hot. The lady directing me to the locker said, "I'm sorry to make you walk so far, but it's just good that you're up and around this late in your pregnancy. All of this walking will make that baby come any day now." I then told her that I had 2 months left. She then said, "Oh, by your size and the way you were walking I just figured you were almost done." I know she meant well, but she didn't do much for my self esteem.
I know this hasn't been all that exciting of an update, but there's not much going on around here. Now that I'm finished with school, I don't have a lot stressing me out except for the baby preparations. I'm not getting out much these days except to the doctor and Costco, so nothing really funny to report.
I've been working really hard at controlling my gestational diabetes, but it is pretty hard. My doctor put me on a medication that is supposed to help, but my blood sugar is still all over the place so I'm not really sure. What I am sure of is that as soon as the baby is born I am going to eat some potatoes and a brownie sandwiched between 2 pieces of white bread. With a side of white rice. And some fruit. And some carrots. Oh, how I miss all of those foods.
I'm supposed to start once weekly non stress tests this week. I'm not really sure what that involves except for going to the hospital and getting hooked up to some monitors for a while. I guess it's just to monitor the baby's movements and heart rate to make sure the baby isn't under duress. I've been promised that I can watch TV while I'm there.
Rob has been working hard at getting some things done around the house in preparation for the baby. Well, I'm not so sure that the baby cares about having a new water heater and the hole above the shower fixed, but it sure does make me feel more prepared to have a baby. Rob starts school again this week, so we're kind of in a hurry to get the baby's room cleaned out now. Because once Rob starts school again, UVU will own him.
We went to the temple the other day and performed a bunch of sealings for my ancestors. It felt great to get that work done. I want to try to go to the temple as much as I can in the next little while because I know that it will be pretty infrequent once the baby comes. While I was there, I was being directed to the end of the locker room and then also down to the end of a long row of lockers. I was waddling pretty good because I had to go potty and it was super hot. The lady directing me to the locker said, "I'm sorry to make you walk so far, but it's just good that you're up and around this late in your pregnancy. All of this walking will make that baby come any day now." I then told her that I had 2 months left. She then said, "Oh, by your size and the way you were walking I just figured you were almost done." I know she meant well, but she didn't do much for my self esteem.
I know this hasn't been all that exciting of an update, but there's not much going on around here. Now that I'm finished with school, I don't have a lot stressing me out except for the baby preparations. I'm not getting out much these days except to the doctor and Costco, so nothing really funny to report.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
I'm an all-you-can-eat buffet!
It's been quite a while since I've blogged. From my blogger surveys, I know that blog readers don't like it when bloggers don't post regularly without an excuse. So here's my excuse, and I think it's a pretty good one. I'm pregnant. 'Nough said, right? My brain doesn't function normally right now - it's a condition called "Pregnancy Brain." I know this because that's what my doctor told me. I seem to forget everything. About a month ago, I got a call from the girl who does my eyebrows and she said, "You missed your appointment. Is everything OK?" Yeah, I guess everything is OK. I just completely forgot. And have you ever had those dreams where you have a test/paper due, and you forgot to do it? That happened to me, too. And on the same day I forgot about a test, I got a phone call from a friend's kid who sells knives saying, "I'm just calling to confirm my appointment with you, is 4 still OK?" That one really had me because usually once someone reminds me that I've forgotten something, it all comes back to me just like Celine Dion says in that one song. But this time, it didn't all come back to me. I think he was the confused one and not me.
So I have to say "Bravo!" to every pregnant woman who has been able to keep things together during her pregnancy and live a somewhat normal life. I haven't been able to do that. And I've felt a lot of guilt about it. I can't keep up with things like I used to be able to, and the smallest thing like doing the laundry has become a major chore. We finally got rid of the cat and decided to de-cat our bedroom first. We washed every surface in there and vacuumed everything. After we were done, I needed 2 days to recover. That's not normal for me. I don't think that's normal for anyone. And then after that whole thing, I ended up being put on bedrest because my blood pressure was so high. And for some reason, the bedrest stressed me out even more since I only had 3 weeks of school left. I was cleared to be off bedrest by my perinatologist, with the order to continue tracking my blood pressure at home and to monitor myself for things like severe swelling, headaches, nausea, and pain in the upper right abdomen. So far, the BP has been cooperating at home. It's just when I go to the doctor that it's high.
After I thought I was through with the bed rest thing, I had to go take my glucose screening test. I failed. I had to take the glucose tolerance test next. I hope to never have to do that again because it was the most awful thing I had ever experienced. Until the next day, when I woke up with a searing pain in the rear. Robert took one look at it and said we needed to go to the hospital right then. So we did, and it was an abcess and it had to be surgically dealt with. Even with numbing, the pain it caused was worse than a kidney stone. I cried and screamed, and the doctor just kept saying, "Just let it all out, cry if you have to." I'm glad I had his permission, but at that point I didn't think I needed it. The crazy thing about it was that Robert had an abcess back in June and I laughed at him when he acted like he was going to die. Now I know that he really thought he was going to. Even after we got back from the doctor, my whole body started to hurt and I came down with a really high fever that night. That was scary because I wasn't able to feel the baby move during that time. We went back to the doctor as soon as we could, and they gave me some antibiotics and let me listen to the baby's heart. I felt better after that. So I guess the moral of the story is not to laugh at your husband's pain because it might just turn around to bite you back. And abcesses aren't even contagious.
One thing I'm learning not to think or say is "it can't get any worse than that," because it can and often will get worse. My results came back from the glucose tolerance test and I failed that as well. I have gestational diabetes. For the baby, that means that she is at Chuck-a-rama 24 hours a day. There's too much sugar in my blood and it is going straight to her hips, thighs, and butt. Or I should say that it can. The biggest danger is that the baby gets too big and comes too early with underdeveloped lungs, or that she stays in me for the full term and becomes a giant 12 pounder. In that case, a vaginal delivery might not be an option. She could also have problems regulating her own blood sugar once she is born and the Chuck-a-rama kicks her out. For me, the danger is that if I don't control my blood sugar that the diabetes would stick around even after the baby is born. Gestational diabetes can also lead to toxemia. So it's no good for any of the parties involved, really.
I've been hooked up with a blood sugar monitor and am testing 4 times a day. The diabetes nurse was really hoping that my diabetes test gave a false result since I had the abcess and an infection, but after monitoring for a few days, it doesn't look like that's the case. I'm able to keep my blood sugar really low during the day, but after dinner it goes up way high and stays that way during the night. Physical activity helps, but it doesn't seem to be making too much of a difference at night. It is possible that I just need to eat on a more regular schedule so that my body can anticipate when I will be eating and start producing insulin to get ready for the food. I'm finding that it's a lot of trial and error in seeing how my body reacts to different foods and different activities. I hope that I'm able to control my blood sugar with diet and exercise alone, but as the baby gets bigger, it gets harder for me to move.
Along with feeling guilty about not being as spry as I once was, I feel guilty for all of these problems that have cropped up during pregnancy. I feel like I can't even do what I was created for and that I'm already a bad mother even though the baby isn't born yet. I keep thinking that if only I were younger, skinnier, and didn't like brownies so much that I wouldn't be having these problems. My doctor says that my genetics are playing a bigger role than anything else because he has young, skinny moms that have high blood pressure and diabetes and heavier moms that don't have any problems. My mom didn't have any of the problems that I'm having, but my sister did and so did my grandma.
If you've even gotten this far, you probably think that I'm complaining and I just need to buck up. It has been extremely hard, but I have felt a lot of tender mercies along the way and have experienced more joy than I ever have. If anything, the difficulties I'm experiencing have helped me to feel a greater sanctity for life and for the divinity involved in creation. My mom reminded me that women are in partnership with Heavenly Father to bring souls into this world. I'm feeling like the lazy partner right now, but that's OK because my partner is God. I've also learned a lot about faith during this pregnancy. I have a tendency to want to control everything around me, but I have just had to sit back and have faith that God will take care of me and this baby. I've learned a lot about forgiveness, too. Especially how to forgive myself. I've heard of rough times tearing couples apart, but as I have had to depend on Robert for more and more, I feel like our marriage has become stronger. When we got married, I absolutely knew I had made the right decision but didn't really have the foresight to see all of the ways that our marriage would bless both of our lives. I am grateful for my husband and especially grateful for the covenants that bond us together for eternity.
So on those days when I feel like things can't get any worse than they already are, and they do get worse, they also get better because I realize how blessed I am. I also realize that I'm a lot tougher than I thought I was and that I can do harder things than I ever thought I could do. With help. Which is why I have decided to get an epidural ;)
Friday, July 2, 2010
The Burbs
When I moved to Provo from LA, I was expecting Provo to be some sort of Mayberry or wherever Beaver Cleaver lived. Not that anything bad ever happened to me while I was living in LA, except for maybe the one time when there was a drive-by shooting at the gas station on the corner, or the time that we got locked into our elementary school while the police were searching the area for an armed and dangerous fugitive. But those were minor incidents. Provo turned out to be a lot more exciting than I thought it would be and I've seen more action in this town than I have in LA.
People keep asking me if I have any new crazy neighbor stories, and this time it just happens that I do. Remember the people who threw the dirty diapers out on the porch? They moved out. That condo has been unoccupied for some time and the landlord has been around a lot showing people the place. She rejected a lot of people for stupid reasons like having a dog or being Mexican. And then she started harping on me for not taking care of the rose bushes that the previous owner had planted and not picking up trash on the grass. I told her that the last time I checked I paid the HOA $135 a month to do the yard work for me. And then she called the fire marshall to report that the people downstairs had too many children in their condo and that she was sure they were breaking some kind of fire code. Turns out 3 kids in a 3 bedroom condo is just too many in her eyes. And she also keeps calling me Amanda or Amber... no matter how many times I have told her that my name is Jen.
So one day, we hear from another neighbor that the place next door was finally rented. I kept wondering when the people were going to move in because I hadn't seen a truck or any movement really. I could just tell that the light above the stove was on and I'd hear a dog bark every once in a while. I thought that was strange since she turned other people away for having a dog. We'd heard on Friday that someone had moved in and on Saturday there was some sort of commotion going on outside. We opened the door to find 3 police officers standing on the porch between the husband and wife while they hurled insults at each other and their two kids stood by. I heard one officer tell the wife that they were going to take her to jail on some other charges if she didn't pipe down. And she kept yelling at the husband that she had receipts for the iPods that she had and that she didn't steal them. And I must say that they both looked really buzzed on something.
Later that day, we ran into another neighbor at the grocery store and she said that her husband had gone down on Thursday night to ask them to turn off a fan that they'd had running for a long time and that the house smelled like drugs when he walked in. He also said that the husband's eyes were bloodshot and he was having a hard time getting words out. He did, however, manage to get out that the fan was on in order to hide the sound of his wife beating him. I don't know, maybe I'm old fashioned, but telling someone you've just met something like that is awkward.
We heard from the police and other neighbors that the husband was escorted off the property and asked not to come back. The police told us it was just the stress from moving that caused the domestic dispute. Again, maybe I'm old fashioned, but I don't know anyone who has become so stressed from moving that they needed to get the police involved.
Knowing that the husband was gone, I thought it strange when she left her kids home alone that night and didn't come back for several hours. I thought about calling the police, but I wasn't sure how old the kids are and I am pretty sure that I was babysitting when I was 9 or 10. The oldest boy seemed like he was about that age.
Rightly so, people in the complex were angry about the things that had been going on with the new neighbors. Our condos might look like something straight outta 1978, and a little ghetto, but I can tell you that most of the people who live here are not ghetto. We have a neighborhood watch, and other stuff like that. I say most because just yesterday Rob and I saw a drunk guy taking a leak on a tree. And we're not sure that he actually lives here. Anyway, so many people were upset about the new neighbors, that the landlord received a bunch of complaints and decided that she needed to evict the tenants.
She came on a Tuesday and told them that they needed to leave and that they had 24 hours to do it. They told her they'd be gone by 2 pm. At 2:30 pm, there was no stirring in the condo. The landlady came over and apologized to me for renting to such crummy neighbors. I asked her if she'd checked any references or anything before letting them move in and she said that she didn't because they paid her with a check from the church, and she thought that if they were church people they would be good tenants. From what I could tell, there wasn't a whole lotta churchin' going on with those folks. But whatever.
A few minutes later, their door opened and they started carrying things out to their car. They had everything but their food out of the condo within 20 minutes. And they left all of the food. The landlady came over and asked if she could borrow a broom and a dustpan because they had left a mess. I brought it over to her and saw that they'd left more than a mess. It did smell like drugs over there, and laundry detergent. I'm not sure if they did it to be spiteful or to cover up the smell of drugs, but they poured laundry detergent over all of the carpet. Their dog had messed on the carpet, there was a ton of trash on the floor, and holes in the walls. I felt bad that the landlady had to clean all of this up, but not too bad because she should have done a little background check before she let just anyone move in. I offered her our vacuum and gave her some trash bags but didn't stick around because I'm not sure what they were smokin' in there, but I was pretty sure that it wasn't going to be good for our baby.
So what's the moral of the story? Willowbrook knows how to keep it classy. Also, never rent to someone without doing a background check. The other moral of the story is that we need to sell this place and buy a house with no conjoining walls.
People keep asking me if I have any new crazy neighbor stories, and this time it just happens that I do. Remember the people who threw the dirty diapers out on the porch? They moved out. That condo has been unoccupied for some time and the landlord has been around a lot showing people the place. She rejected a lot of people for stupid reasons like having a dog or being Mexican. And then she started harping on me for not taking care of the rose bushes that the previous owner had planted and not picking up trash on the grass. I told her that the last time I checked I paid the HOA $135 a month to do the yard work for me. And then she called the fire marshall to report that the people downstairs had too many children in their condo and that she was sure they were breaking some kind of fire code. Turns out 3 kids in a 3 bedroom condo is just too many in her eyes. And she also keeps calling me Amanda or Amber... no matter how many times I have told her that my name is Jen.
So one day, we hear from another neighbor that the place next door was finally rented. I kept wondering when the people were going to move in because I hadn't seen a truck or any movement really. I could just tell that the light above the stove was on and I'd hear a dog bark every once in a while. I thought that was strange since she turned other people away for having a dog. We'd heard on Friday that someone had moved in and on Saturday there was some sort of commotion going on outside. We opened the door to find 3 police officers standing on the porch between the husband and wife while they hurled insults at each other and their two kids stood by. I heard one officer tell the wife that they were going to take her to jail on some other charges if she didn't pipe down. And she kept yelling at the husband that she had receipts for the iPods that she had and that she didn't steal them. And I must say that they both looked really buzzed on something.
Later that day, we ran into another neighbor at the grocery store and she said that her husband had gone down on Thursday night to ask them to turn off a fan that they'd had running for a long time and that the house smelled like drugs when he walked in. He also said that the husband's eyes were bloodshot and he was having a hard time getting words out. He did, however, manage to get out that the fan was on in order to hide the sound of his wife beating him. I don't know, maybe I'm old fashioned, but telling someone you've just met something like that is awkward.
We heard from the police and other neighbors that the husband was escorted off the property and asked not to come back. The police told us it was just the stress from moving that caused the domestic dispute. Again, maybe I'm old fashioned, but I don't know anyone who has become so stressed from moving that they needed to get the police involved.
Knowing that the husband was gone, I thought it strange when she left her kids home alone that night and didn't come back for several hours. I thought about calling the police, but I wasn't sure how old the kids are and I am pretty sure that I was babysitting when I was 9 or 10. The oldest boy seemed like he was about that age.
Rightly so, people in the complex were angry about the things that had been going on with the new neighbors. Our condos might look like something straight outta 1978, and a little ghetto, but I can tell you that most of the people who live here are not ghetto. We have a neighborhood watch, and other stuff like that. I say most because just yesterday Rob and I saw a drunk guy taking a leak on a tree. And we're not sure that he actually lives here. Anyway, so many people were upset about the new neighbors, that the landlord received a bunch of complaints and decided that she needed to evict the tenants.
She came on a Tuesday and told them that they needed to leave and that they had 24 hours to do it. They told her they'd be gone by 2 pm. At 2:30 pm, there was no stirring in the condo. The landlady came over and apologized to me for renting to such crummy neighbors. I asked her if she'd checked any references or anything before letting them move in and she said that she didn't because they paid her with a check from the church, and she thought that if they were church people they would be good tenants. From what I could tell, there wasn't a whole lotta churchin' going on with those folks. But whatever.
A few minutes later, their door opened and they started carrying things out to their car. They had everything but their food out of the condo within 20 minutes. And they left all of the food. The landlady came over and asked if she could borrow a broom and a dustpan because they had left a mess. I brought it over to her and saw that they'd left more than a mess. It did smell like drugs over there, and laundry detergent. I'm not sure if they did it to be spiteful or to cover up the smell of drugs, but they poured laundry detergent over all of the carpet. Their dog had messed on the carpet, there was a ton of trash on the floor, and holes in the walls. I felt bad that the landlady had to clean all of this up, but not too bad because she should have done a little background check before she let just anyone move in. I offered her our vacuum and gave her some trash bags but didn't stick around because I'm not sure what they were smokin' in there, but I was pretty sure that it wasn't going to be good for our baby.
So what's the moral of the story? Willowbrook knows how to keep it classy. Also, never rent to someone without doing a background check. The other moral of the story is that we need to sell this place and buy a house with no conjoining walls.
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