Deanster Marteenster

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?

2012-01-13T10:16:00.000-08:00

http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/sesame-street-teach-kids-breastfeeding-185000424.html

Mommy Spit Up Her Boob

2011-12-18T16:47:00.000-08:00

I have to write this down before I forget. Another hectic night trying to get two babies ready for bed. Chris is in a rush to get out the door for basketball practice and trying to find the Benadryl for Cannon's snotty nose. Cannon is in his crib saying, "Get da Benadryl, Daddy!" It is nowhere to be found. Opal is crying and refusing my boob. Cannon has become quite the helper lately letting me know when Opal spits up. "Opal spit up." Finally I go to the kitchen with my boob hanging out only to find the Benadryl in the REFRIGERATOR! What!? Chris is notorious for not remembering where ANYTHING is or what HE did with it. So I go to give Cannon his Benadryl and set Opal down on his changing table. He says, "Opal spit up." I say, "Did Opal spit up? She didn't spit up." Then he starts saying, "Mommy spit up." "Mommy didn't spit up." He says it again only this time pointing to my shirt and saying it. I look down and see a big wet spot where my exposed boob had been leaking. I laughed and suppose I said something along the lines of "Oh my boob is leaking." Then Cannon proudly makes the following sentence, "Mommy spit up her boob!" He cracks me up!

A Baby Story

2011-09-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 29--I was feeling fairly certain that little Opal was going to be an August baby when I started having contractions throughout the day on Monday. I even called the doctor, but they never became consistent. I was feeling desperate so Chris and I went to Provino's for supper and I ordered the eggplant parmesan. (I've never actually known anyone that it really worked for). I ate my leftovers again on Tuesday.
Tuesday, August 30--I had a chiropractor/massage appointment. My massage therapist had been telling me to let her know when I was close enough to my due date and as long as I consented she could hit some pressure points that may help get things going. Again I'm desperate...DO IT!!
Later that day....I saw my regular doctor. I'm 38 weeks pregnant, but my belly is 44 "weeks" pregnant! really??!!! I'm miserable!! Don't worry, kiddo (I don't know why she always called me kiddo) only one more week. You're not going into labor on your own anyway. You're not dilated AT ALL or effaced and she hasn't budged. She's not going anywhere.

I'm still feeling stronger contractions here and there all week and I'm taking a shower every night just in case I wake up in the middle of the night and have to go to the hospital.

September 1 comes and goes and I'm a little disappointed that she's going to miss the deadline for Kindergarten. Silly I know, but that's the teacher in me! I'm convinced that maybe the doctor is right after all and I'm not going to go into labor on my own so I DON'T TAKE A SHOWER THAT NIGHT!!!!!

Friday, September 2, 6:15 AM--I wake up with a crampy pain in my crotch and a strong urge to go to the bathroom. WARNING!! IT'S ABOUT TO GET GRAPHIC!!! So I go to the bathroom and I feel "something" come out. I look and there is what seems to be a big bloody ball about the size of a softball. yikes...is that my "water breaking"? I start calling for Chris and of course he doesn't hear me because he's been sleeping like a baby for the past nine months. I start banging on the bathroom wall and finally he comes in and I make him observe my passing. I then call for my mom who thankfully is already at our house. We all observe "it" as my cramping/obvious contractions are getting worse. These contractions immediately after the strange bathroom occurance. I call the doctor's office and of course they tell me to come on in. The whole thirty minute car ride the contractions are getting worse and worse and I'm getting crankier and crankier because my doctor told me I wasn't going to go into labor on my own no way no how. Granted I did eat the eggplant! We get to the hospital around 7 and Chris drops me off at the door. I enter the main entrance to the hospital because there are no signs for a labor and delivery section like luxurious Northside Atlanta. I'm obviously in pain and I tell the lady at the check-in counter that I need to get to labor and delivery (should have taken that hospital tour!). She asks if I'm in labor...YES! A nurse with a wheelchair FINALLY comes to get me after taking her sweet precious time getting there only to cart me off to a corner in the hallway because THERE ARE NO ROOMS IN THE INN!!! Now I'm thinking this is what Mary felt like! I'm put in a bed, given an IV, asked a lot of questions, etc. and the whole time I'm thinking "why am I in the freaking hall?" No fault of their own, but there is some major lack of communication going on between these nurses.

Anyway, I'm checked for dilation and I am already 6cm! Really? My water broke an hour ago and I wasn't dilated AT ALL two days ago? These contractions are coming hard and I'm crying because it wasn't supposed to be like this and I was thinking even if I went into labor on my own, I'd just go straight to the hospital and I'd get wheeled off to the ER for my C-section. NOPE. I ask for the epidural several times. We can't give you the epidural until you're in a room and there are no rooms! Luckily I have this private screen in front of me and tall people can see over it and it's not awkward at all hearing someone labor in the hall as you pass by! I get some kind of pain meds to take the edge off...not really! The nurses keep asking me if I just want to go ahead and have a VBAC because I'm so close. NO THANK YOU I am not trying to push this baby out and I'm not even a candidate b/c she's not completely head down. GET ME A ROOM ALREADY!! Well here we are TWO HOURS LATER. Two long hours that I've been laboring moaning and groaning in the hall no telling how dilated I am now and I finally get a room! Not just any room though. A triage room that's not even prepped for a C-section! Talk about chaos! Nobody knew what was going on!

Finally after all the shaking and nausea and tugging and pulling "little" Opal comes out looking just like Mommy (according to my doctor) at 9:19 A.M. so cute and perfect looking like her big brother with her little button nose only chubbier! 9 lbs. 4 oz. of perfection. Was it worth it? of course! Will I do it again? NEVER! Sweet sweet Opal, you'll always be my baby girl!

Ten Things I Hate About You (OK...twenty)

2011-08-19T20:54:00.000-07:00

disclaimer: this post is not intended for YOU, nor do I actually hate anyone. It is simply more of a deep annoyance/frustration that I have with myself for not being able to be good at birthing babies and anything of the like.

1. You are a mom and you're wearing a bikini.
2. You are a mom and you're wearing a bikini and you gave birth two months ago.
3. You don't have stretch marks.
4. You are fully pregnant and you only gained ten pounds.
5. You only gained twenty pounds.
6. You gained less than fifty pounds.
7. You feel great!
8. You walked three miles the day before you gave birth.
9. You actually went jogging before giving birth.
10. You felt good enough during labor to give us a play by play on facebook.
11. You looked good enough after labor to post a picture of you holding your baby on facebook.
12. You had a euphoric natural childbirth.
13. You had a euphoric natural childbirth AT HOME.
14. You pushed your baby out of your vagina with or without drugs.
15. You felt good enough after pushing out your six pound baby that you left the hospital THE NEXT DAY.
16. You wore your pre-pregnancy clothes to your six week check up.
17. You offered me your maternity clothes AFTER I had given birth because you didn't need them anymore.
18. You can't wait to have another baby.
19. Your body was made for this.
20. You tell me that MY body was made for this.

30 weeks 30 pounds

2011-07-23T16:05:00.001-07:00

Two and half weeks ago I was thirty weeks pregnant and had already gained thirty pounds. It was my goal not to gain as much weight this pregnancy which technically so far I haven't. I had already maxed out my weight gain when I was pregnant with Cannon at six months!! Well, at least I know this time that a huge portion of that weight gain is my "little" girl. At my regular twenty week ultrasound my doctor referred to her as "huge" because she was already weighing twelve ounces which was significantly larger than the average eight ounce baby at that stage. Who knew a few ounces could make such a big difference? The ultrasound technician also found some extra fluid in her kidneys. So the Dr. wanted me to have another ultrasound at twenty-six weeks. Still a little extra fluid on the kidneys and still a large baby, so they send me to an ultrasound specialist at thirty weeks. I was a little concerned because of course I look up online what it could mean. I am at least glad I will get to see my baby's sweet little face again. So, the kidneys are clear this time, but they found fluid between her brain and spinal cord which sounds a lot scarier to me! They assure me they are just being cautious and want me to come back in two weeks. Also, her weight gain is rapid as she's already weighing four pounds eight ounces at thirty weeks, which is about a pound and a half above average. So, at thirty-two weeks I go back to the ultrasound specialst and there is a definite space between her brain and spinal cord with extra fluid, but the doctor assures me that he is convinced she will be a "normal" baby and he has only ever been wrong once and that was in 1961. ha. He thinks that the extra fluid is due to her rapid weight gain because larger babies have a tendency to produce more fluid. She is weighing in at five pounds thirteen ounces! yikes! That's almost a thirty-six week baby! There is no way to know if she will have developmental delays until she is actually born and growing. BUT to be on the safe side he wants me to have an MRI next month to check things out becuase the ultrasound can only reveal so much information. He already used the word macrosomic which means "large" baby. A baby weighing more than nine pounds 15 ounces! Now, a baby cannot be labeled as macrosomic until birth, but at the rate she is growing she is going to be a whopper! Later that day I spoke to my OB about scheduling a c-section. I couldn't push out Cannon at 7-7 so there's no way I'm trying to push out a nine or ten pounder! Her head circumference was already measuring about thirty-seven weeks! I know that the birth weight can't be predicted precisely, but I'm not taking any chances. At least I have an excuse for this big ol belly of mine. I hate when people ask me my due date and I have to say September 14!!! Their eyes get wide like saucers and the look on their face says, "bless you"!! I already look ready to pop and feel that way, too. This brings me to some controversial pregnancy related topics which I will save for the next time...

Pregnancy Etiquette 101

2011-05-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

1. DON'T TELL ME HOW BIG I'M GETTING!!!!!!!! ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M ONLY 5 MONTHS PREGNANT!!! "Dang, did you grow overnight?" Really? cuz your belly's bigger than mine and you're not even pregnant!

2. I'm not naming my baby "Oprah."

3. "You must be having a girl b/c you're carrying WIDE!!!!" I should just wear a sign that says, "WIDE LOAD" I guess.

Church in the Nizow

2011-03-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

I recalled a memory from when I was pregnant with Cannon as I passed a familiar church yesterday. Chris and I stopped at this church over a year ago for a parking lot yardsale. It's one of those semi-new fangled church buildings that only partially resembles a church. I think I ended up buying a little golden book for Cannon, "Mickey's Christmas Carol" for twenty-five cents. While we were there, there were parking lot attendants handing out promotional literature. As we were leaving this one guy asked us if we "go here." Like "Do you go to church here?" Chris and I exchanged the same look and then politely replied no while smiling and accepting their flyer. We waited til we got in the car to make the same comment that if a person doesn't even know if they attend the same church as us then it must be a pretty big ol church--too big to not only not remember a name, but not even a face. I often hear people talk about hospitals or other companies that they like because they are a name not just a number. So, if it's not okay to be just a number when it comes to healthcare or finances, why is it okay to just be a faceless body in the crowd at what should be a very personal experience of fellowship and community?

I'm reminded of another church called "Church in the NOW" that sits ever so gaudily just off I-20 East. It's purple and yellow and conveniently displays the temperature and time on a scrolling marquee. I don't know about you, but that is the FIRST thing I look for when I'm going to church. Thank God they have the temperature here in both Farenheit and Celcius! Praise Jesus!

The Dirty 30

2011-01-03T17:39:00.000-08:00

When I was probably say 28 I thought it might be a good idea to make a list. I'd heard of them before. "30 things to do before I'm 30." Well, now I think that's silly. Why do we focus on numbers so much? I've never been good at setting goals and making lists. I'm more of a "fly by the seat of my pants kinda gal." (That's from Pretty Woman:) So instead of making a list of things I need to cross off and do before I'm 30, which will be here ever so shortly, maybe I'll just make more of a committment to live in the moment, not take life for granted, spend more time outdoors, try not to stress about the small stuff, kiss my baby, and just be happier this "year" than I was the year before that. Maybe I'm just copping out b/c I never got around to my list! Whatev....I'll be OK and I'll still be 30 with or without my list and life will go on. 30 is the new 20 right? ha. And what difference does it really make if I do something when I'm 35 or when I'm 29? I'll still have the memories.

Let It Snow.

2010-12-13T07:14:00.000-08:00

It's snowing. A rarity here in GA. It's well below freezing. And though it's a Monday and I should be working, Cannon and I are in our pajamas watching it snow and watching The Muppets Christmas Carol here and there. I made a big ol pot of cheesy buttery grits for breakfast and Cannon sucked them down as he usually does. It's too cold to go outside and Cannon thinks he's too big to snuggle apparently. He's got places to go and things to do. Though today is not officially a "snow day" I've declared it my snow day. A day to spend with my baby who is quickly approaching non-baby status here in a few weeks. These days are few and far between that I get to spend all day with my little boy listening to his squeals and squeaks, singing, babbling, and laughing. I simply wish every day was a snow day.

OPK

2010-11-12T11:24:00.001-08:00

This is a little acronym I use at work when I'm a little on the frustrated side. Other People's Kids. Other People's Kids are not my own. There are a handful that I wouldn't mind taking home with me, but for the most part I just want their parents to come get them. Now, I've only been a parent for going on 11 months, but I've been dealing with OPK from a "professional" stand point for a little more than 6 years now. I've recently taken on the task of first grade OPKs. They are super cute and sweet and they love you and want to hug you. A little one was all over me the other day and then started rubbing my belly and proceeded to ask me if I had a "baby in my belly." No....I already had my baby, but thanks for asking! Really shot down my self esteem after squeezing into and buttoning my pre-pregnancy pants earlier that day. But hey, Kids say the darndest things...So, I'm reading with this "small group" of six year olds and after we've learned some new words and written the words and spelled the words and read the words some more, I ask them if they know what it means to study. ??? some blank looks. I'm like you know when you go home and practice what you've learned that day and you read books, etc. After some deep thought one kid responds. "I ride my bike." "Oh yeah, and I have a skateboard." Great news!! We had read a book titled "Tigers, Tigers" and every time this one little boy saw it he said, "Lions, Lions!" What letter does it start with I'd ask. T! he'd proudly say. What sound does T make? t-t-T! What's the word? Lions! God bless him.

The Full Time Mom

2010-10-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

I've heard it alot. What do you do for a living? I stay at home with my kids. I'm a full-time mom! I hate that term. It suggests that the working mother is not a full-time mom, but merely a part-time mom? That's absurd. I have two jobs. One, where I take care of OPK, all the while wishing i was at home taking care of my own, and two a FULL-TIME mother! I think the two groups: working outside the home moms and stay at home moms probably have some strong opinions of each other.

Who would give up their "career"?(I use the term loosely because I don't consider myself to have a career. I have a job. I don't care to be a big dog or climb to the top of the ladder.) And what's a career worth in the end when you've missed so many precious moments with your babies? Technically, I only work about 36 weeks out of the year. It's what gets me through the work week...looking forward to the next break/holiday.

Not everyone has the chance to opt out of their "career." Some of us don't have that luxury. I'm still working on a way that I can work from home. Maybe if I work on my blogging skills I could make money that way!

I think i have it made alot better than alot of moms out there who have to leave their babies everyday and go to work at God-awful hours. I leave my house at 6:30 and am home at 3:30. That's nine hours away from my baby! Most moms probably don't get home until 5 or 6! That means they hardly see their children!

I've looked into some MOM groups online, looking for other working moms. Well, the MOM groups of working mothers are few and far between. MOM groups meet at like 9:30 AM. Well, I'm at work at that time. I've looked for baby/Mommy exercise groups. Guess what? They get together around 9, too!

With so many working mothers nowadays, wouldn't it make sense to have some groups available to that population? Maybe I'll start one! You know what else would make sense? On campus daycare! Then I could sneak in on my lunch break and hold and snuggle my baby! And give up breast pumping standing up in the bathroom:( I feel the need to start a movement! Mothers unite!

I am thankful for my blessings. I am thankful that Cannon has his daddy at home with him. And I am thankful for the afternoons and weekends that I cherish with my baby. I am however waiting patiently for the tables to turn in my favor:) I am just a tad bit jealous of all the SAHMs and SAHDs out there. It's a hard job, I know. But I'd trade places anyday of the week. Especially days like to day when the OPKs are working my nerves!

Seems like only yesterday....

2010-09-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

Cannon is almost nine months old. Good grief. Stop growing so fast little boy! Though it's been 3/4 of a year already...we've seen winter, spring, and summer....it seems like only yesterday that my baby boy was born. And I still get teary thinking about it. He amazes me everyday. I often say to Chris, "Can you believe he's ours?" "Can you believe he was inside of me this time last year?" The miracle of birth baffles me. So, when people use the term "miracle baby" I want to pipe up and proclaim that ALL babies are miracle babies. Yes, some of them have had rougher starts than others, but the "miracle of life" is called that for good reason.

A year is really such a short amount of time. I can recall very easily what was going on around this time last year. A flood for one! Other good friends giving birth. It bothers me when people say things like, "Oh, he's getting so big. He won't be a baby much longer." So people go to the extreme to tell me he's not a baby anymore right now! If he's not a baby, then what is he? He can't even walk or talk. I guess the actual birth of my baby is old news to most people, but it's not old news to me! I haven't even recovered 100%! My scar is still pink and sometimes tender to the touch not to mention the ten extra pounds I'm still carrying around (most of which is probably the weight of milk). People want to hear about things exciting and new. It still feels new to me. I haven't even finished thank you notes or sent out birth announcements yet! That's bad I know! Sorry Emily Post! But like I said it feels so recent to me.

And why don't people get as excited about the second baby as the first. Why do people react with "Wow, pregnant again so soon?" When the whole time the first baby was just a baby they were asking, "So, when's the next one coming?" I'm convinced people just want something to talk about. That's why the baby business and the wedding business will never go out of business. P.S. I'm not pregnant!

So, this blog may have turned into a blahg..... But Fall is getting close and I have the whole week off!!!! to spend with my BABY boy!

For the SOBs at Home Depot....

2010-08-30T17:42:00.000-07:00

I was that mom today. So, I got Cannon one of those umbrella strollers thinking he's love it since he would be able to see where he was going and everything. And he did love for about five minutes in Home Depot today. I had to get some paint. At Home Depot. By myself. With a baby. Going out alone with a baby is always unpredictable. It can be blissful or painful. Cannon is in that stage where he semi-shrieks if you take anything away from him that he wants. Sorry, son, for taking away the paint samples! And the car keys. Lately nine times out of ten I've ended up carrying him around in stores as opposed to enjoying a nice stroll. So baby in one hand, stroller in the other. I'm looking at paint samples one-handed for like thirty minutes. NO ONE apparently wants to help a lady with a cranky baby. I finally make some choices and replace the soggy, slobbery paint samples with fresh dry ones. I wait patiently at the paint counter on the guy who seems to be pretending to be busy. "I'll be with you in just a minute ma'am." Oh, thank you for finally acknowledging me. I had some questions about which coating I should get. "Just walk right over here to the display, ma'am. What are your questions?" Either this guy had a lazy eye or he just explained the differences between the paints to my bosom. Whatever. It will be about fifteen minutes to mix the paints. I stroll around the appliance section. A few people stop to tell me how cute Cannon is. Obviously. I pace back by the paint counter a couple times. Your paints ready, ma'am. That's a lot of paint. You might better get a buggy. Gee, thanks. No problem pushing a stroller and a buggy at the same time. Why don't you get it for me, Mr. Paint Man? That would be a nice gesture. I mosey on over to find a buggy . I'm pushing the stroller and attempting to pull the buggy by the handle behind me. A nice Home Depot man offers me the wonderful advice that if I turn the buggy around I can pull it easier. Thank you, empty handed, Home Depot Man for that sound advice. So, I turn it around and he's right. It pulls easier. I load the paint (all seven cans) into the buggy. A couple of EMPTY-HANDED, wandering Home Depot workers smile at me as I'm pulling my buggy of paint and pushing my baby in his stroller to the cash register. Surely someone is going to offer to help me to my car like they do at Publix. NADA. However, one Home Depot worker does comment as I'm pulling my buggy of paint and pushing my finally sleeping baby to the parking lot that "Man, you gotta lotta work to do." Thank you for noticing.

BBQ BABY

2010-08-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

So, Chris and his dad are working hard at the new house: ripping up carpet, moving the water heater, etc. Last night I go to get them some BBQ from a local BBQ restaurant. I take Cannon with me because he is in need of a nap and I know he'll fall asleep in the car plus I just want to spend time with my baby and let Chris and his dad get back to work. Of course he falls asleep in the car so I park close to the "to-go" entrance of the restaurant and take him inside in his carrier still asleep. No one is at the counter so I look over the menu. In bursts a very loud man through the door and shouts "Anybody home?" Luckily Cannon is sleeping hard and once the man realizes there's a sleeping baby in these tight quarters he apologizes, but still doesn't really get any quieter. That's OK I'm very used to people not respecting the needs of babies. So, I'm there first right? He doesn't acknowledge that or ask if I've ordered. Nor does the cashier that finally comes around. I say nothing. I'm not about that. I order next and when my food arrives I have to ask for every little thing. I have three BBQ plates and a gallon of sweet tea. I ask for some ketchup. I ask for some BBQ sauce. I ask for three cups. I ask for another plastic bag. I mean I have to carry all this out to my car and a baby! I feel bad asking for anything else. I fill the cups with ice, get my own napkins and am trying to stuff all this in the extra bag. Finally a nice young teenager asks if he can help me to my car! An older man that had come in later pipes up, "I was wondering how she was gonna carry all that. I was just waiting to see what she did." Well, let me tell you I could have done it! I can use the bathroom holding a baby and breastfeed standing up in a stall, mister! I kindly accepted the boy's help and thanked him alot. But why did it take so long for someone to offer to help? I guess it just surprised me because this is the type of place that is supposed to portray small town charm. I'm plenty independent, but am also still very grateful for people who take time to open doors for strangers or help old ladies with their groceries. Now, I'm not that old, but I did have quite the load! So thank you to the nice young man at BBQ Street who despite is young age is still a little old fashioned.

From the Mouths of Babes

2010-08-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that we were all once innocent creatures. Did our parents really love us as much as we love our children? It's hard to fathom. I love my little boy more and more each day and I'm certain that love will continue to grow. If this is true of all parents, could it be that my parents in fact love me more than I love my own child? I don't think so! I'm in awe of the love and sweetness that is portrayed in Cannon's eyes. His smile. I can tell he loves me so much. The way his face lights up and his arms start flapping when I talk to him. What if I still flapped my arms when I saw my mom? I'm sure it would fill her heart with joy still. My mom's just like that. But year by year innocence is lost. He doesn't know that though. I know that ten years from now instead of laughing with his eyes he'll probably be rolling his eyes at me. And I know I'll love him all the same. I believe there's nothing like a mother's love for her child. I believe that all mothers love their children, though I witness every day the neglect and heartache of hundreds of children. I've come to the conclusion that maybe not all mothers know how to show their love to their children. Maybe they become consumed by the evils of the world and give in to selfish ways. Maybe they believe that their children don't need them anymore. Children will always need their mothers. It doesn't matter how young or old.

I hear people say all the time to enjoy this stage while it lasts. They grow too fast. They won't be babies for long. It's very true. I can't believe eight months has passed and I still haven't written all my thank you notes! But I still don't necessarily like to hear it. He's getting so big...time for another one. Like the fact that he's not a little baby anymore needs to be replaced with a newborn. He's still just a baby! He is growing so fast and these precious moments are fleeting, but I'm trying to take it all in. I've even had people say things like oh it's cute now, but just wait til they start talking back. Really? Why are people so quick to point out the negative? Am I really going to look at Cannon as a teenager and forget how sweet he is as a baby? Maybe...but I sure hope not! I believe children are a product of their environments. I hope and pray that Cannon's environment helps nurture him in every way possible and that he will always know just how much his mommy loves him forever and ever and ever with all my heart:)

My Sweet Boy

2010-07-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

There is this song by George Harrison, "My Sweet Lord," that Chris changed the words to "My Sweet Boy" and he sings it about Cannon. It's really sweet and cute and Cannon LOVES it.

My Sweet Boy
I really wanna hold you
I really wanna squeeze you
I really wanna kiss you
On your chubby cheeks
Cuz you're my boy
My sweet boy
Cannon Cannon
My sweet boy

Cannon,
You are doing so much these days now that you are 6 months old! You have really gotten the hang of rolling from your back to you tummy now. Your daddy swears you are going to be crawling soon. You reach for everything especially the dogs and water. Any time you see a cup of water you open your mouth and get really excited. You love when Daddy sings to you too. He's a better singer than Mommy:) You are making all sorts of noises and squeals. It's super cute. We finally have a baby book for you and we started filling it out. My how fast these moments pass by. You still love sleeping, but there is so much to do and see that you don't want to miss anything so you fight it a little bit. You are eating big boy food now. You really seem to like sweet potatoes, sweet corn casserole, corn and sweet potatoes, applesauce, squash, butternut squash, and you will eat sweet peas pretty good when I mix it with corn, apples and blueberries, mashed bananas and you ate mashed potatoes that I made and some mashed potatoes form Mrs. Winner's! You love being naked and you do not like your clothes being pulled over your head or your face being wiped! You love getting your sink showers. You open your mouth like a little bird and try to get the water as I'm rinsing you off. When you are good and super sturdy we'll start having bathtime in the bathtub. I know you will love it b/c you love water in every shape form or fashion. You also love your stuffed animals.You have so many of them! I don't know why I think yvou need so many of them, but I loved stuffed animals when I was little and so did your daddy so we know you will too! I recently bought you a Tigger, Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore from Kohl's. I also bought four matching books to go with it. They have a special every few months. You seem to like Tigger the best. I think it's because he has a tail! And of course you love Teddy II. At night you love sleeping with your Daddy's baby blanket that your great-great grandmother made or my baby blanket. They are super soft and you look so cozy on your belly with your blanket snuggled around you. Then when you roll over on your back in the morning I find you hugging the blanket and chewing it! You still love your mobile! Now I'll stand you up in your crib and you try to grab for them. When you want something or like something you start flapping your arms. Also when you are trying to tell me something you get this look of determination on your face and grunt and flap your arms. I wish I knew what you were thinking. And you let me know when you are sleepy by rubbing your eyes and then starting to grunt. That sleepy man gets you everytime! He's coming to get you right now!

Will Jesus Buy Me a Double Wide? 'Cause I Need More Room for My Plasma TV!

2010-07-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't actually read this book yet, but I like the title. I've been pondering simplicity lately and I like the idea of simplifying my life in this world in ways that I have control of. I'm trying to avoid biggering and biggering (in the words of Dr. Suess's "The Lorax"). America is the land of plenty and many Christians fall right into the ways of keeping up with Joneses. Think about how many TVs the average American family has in their home. I googled it and on average there are more TVs per household than people! why? We have one TV in our house and NO cable! Most people cannot believe this and automatically crinkle their noses and ask WHY? I haven't had cable in about 5 years. I'm not trying to sound self-righteous here. I'm just as guilty as the next person for getting sucked in to the TV. I spent several hours a day on vacation addicted to HGTV! and I like LOST just as much as the next person. But I don't know why anyone needs a TV in the bathroom!

Since the 1950's the average home size has increased from about 1100 square feet to double that! Why do we need bigger homes? Because we have more stuff! In the past five years, I've moved 4 times. You never realize how much stuff/junk you have until you go to move it. And we've downsized every time. But there's always some new junk to replace the old. My parents have lived in the same house for 30 years. I would HATE to help them move!

The house we live in (rent) now is approximately 1100 square feet, built in the fifties. It has two bedrooms, 2 baths, a kitchen, dining room, and living room. It even has a "bonus" room dedicated to what else, but STUFF! We rarely go in there. We've been throwing our money away renting for the past...well forever, so we've decided to venture into becoming homeowners. Now, most people when they decide to buy a house, they upgrade. Bigger and better. Well, like i said, my goal is to simplify. We've spent so much money in rent, it's been hard to save enough to buy a house. So my goal in buying a house has been to reduce my monthly payments. So, how do you do that? You downsize. And you have to move further away from the city. We found a quaint little house with 3 tiny bedrooms and ONE bathroom. yes, one bathroom! I said I'd never live in a house with one bathroom. Well, never say never, right? So, we'll actually cut our rent in HALF! in HALF! yes, HALF!!! good grief! and the house is even smaller than the one we live in now, so we'll be cutting our stuff in half, too!

I said SIMPLIFY! Less is more! I'm not saying I'll never buy a bigger home. But for now, we are going to cuddle up and get cozy in this 50 year old, 900 sq. ft., one bathroom, dishwasherless, dining roomless home.

It's going to be an adventure, but my hope is that it is a humbling experience. I just want to sit still for a minute, appreciate life, appreciate my family, raise my son with good values, and hope that he'd rather read a book than watch SpongeBob! I'm going to read the book, "Will Jesus Buy Me a Double Wide ('Cause I Need More Room for My Plasma TV)" by Karen Spears Zacharias (a Christian author), be thankful for what I have and blog about our small space living experience.

Mount Saint Cannon Butt

2010-06-29T19:28:00.000-07:00

There's this position that Cannon sleeps in that is so stinkin cute and i just can't see how it could be comfortable. He's on his belly with his little hands tucked under his head and his lips pressed against the mattress in a way that they part. And his butt is so far up in the air that is looks like he might topple over if you poke it. And his little feet are tucked under his butt with his toes touching. He looks so cozy when he sleeps like this, so secure. Chris calls it the "Mount Saint Cannon Butt" position.

This just makes me think of how safe and secure he feels in his own bed. He trusts us, his parents, with all his little heart. It really baffles me how much trust he puts in us. How does he know that Mommy and Daddy are going to take care of him no matter what? It's the love he feels. He's felt it from day one. The hugs. The kisses. The I love yous. The doing whatever it takes to make my baby feel safe, loved, comfortable, secure.

Today Chris was singing a song to Cannon that went like "I would give everything I own, give up my life my heart my home, just to be with you again, just to have you back again." And I would. I started teasing him and singing Meatloaf's song "I would do anything for love." Then we ended up having meatloaf for dinner. haha. Anyway, I would give everything and I would do anything for my sweet baby boy. I love him so much. Sometimes I ache to hold him and I just can't get enough of him. It's the strangest love. The most amazing love. There's no love like this love.

Some thoughts on Cannon....

2010-04-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

I usually find it annoying when mothers talk in first person as if they were the baby, but I've found myself doing it, too. Let's just face it--it's more fun that way! I used to think it silly when mothers would write facts about their babies as if they were writing to them, using the pronoun "you" instead of "he" or "she." But here I am doing it too!

I want to write down the little stuff before I forget. My mom is always telling me how she wishes she could remember certain things like when I first smiled or rolled over. She wishes she had written it down. Funny how "writing it down" isn't so literal anymore. So, I'm "blogging it down" I guess. Maybe I'll get around to making one of those cute baby books some day!

First off, Cannon, you are getting so big!! You only weighed 7-7 when you was born despite everyone's concern for you being quite a large baby (Daddy weighed 12-13!). You were born a puny little thing comparatively. One week later, at your first check up, you weight 7-11.

We had to take you to the doctor for an old snotty nose when you were three weeks old and you weighed a whopping 9-2 (granted you had a full diaper, but Mommy and Daddy were still so proud of how big you were!).

At your one month check up (which was really at about 6 weeks) you weighed 10-15! And at your two month check up (around 9 weeks) you weighed 12-15! You have been in the 75th%ile for weight and your head size...well, you take after Mommy's big head....was in the 100th %ile. You had to get some shots at that 2 month appointment. It was really pitiful. You were just cooing and smiling at the nurse and out of nowhere something got you!

Now you are over 3 months old (15 weeks tomorrow) and I'm thinking you weigh a good 15 or 16 pounds! You've outgrown those size one diapers and most of your 3 months clothes. You are getting so long! I got the measuring tape out and you are 2 feet long! You can't even stretch out in your sleepers so we had to buy you some 6 months clothes!

You can hold your head up pretty good now. It's still a little wobbly, but I think that is just due to it's massive size! It's hard to hold up all those brains! We are still working on rolling over. You LOVE your mobile! Your face just lights up whenever it comes on and sometimes you start fussing when it stops just so Mommy or Daddy will start it up again! You've been smiling now for a little over a month. Mommy is learning new tricks to get you to smile. Sometimes in the morning all I have to do is talk to you and your face lights up. You sure do wake up in a good mood now! You wake up talking to your mobile and sometimes you fall asleep talking to your mobile. Lately you've liked when i blow in your face. You have the cutest reaction. Mommy has got to get a video camera! You love your sleep. Boy do you get cranky when you are tired! I think you get that from Mommy too! You have been sleeping good at night too. You go to bed around 8. We let you get good and asleep on your belly then we flip you over. Sometimes you can sleep until 5 or 6, but of course last week when Mommy had to go to work you were waking up at 4:30. So close! You've never really been a fan of the swaddle, but it seemed like a sin in Mommy World not to swaddle you! When you were really little I would leave one arm out for you because you always managed to get it up by your face. Then I started leaving 2 arms out for you. Then one day I went in and you had your arms and legs out of that swaddle! Let's face it you are a sprawler when you sleep! That must come from Daddy because he is always hogging the bed! Since Mommy started going back to work I've been putting you in the bed with Daddy after I feed you. You like to go back to sleep for your morning nap. You usually sleep until 8 or so. Mommy sure does not like leaving you in the mornings, but I know Daddy is taking good care of you. And there are only 6 more weeks til summer vacation and we can spend all day together again!

During the day you and Daddy have a lot of fun. Daddy reads to you and makes up songs for you on the guitar. He even manages to do some laundry. You've started trying to copy some of the sounds Daddy makes for you. You are so smart!

You don't seem to mind the bath. it's more like a shower I guess. You don't smile, but you don't fuss either. I think you are still trying to figure out what's going on. And boy do you LOVE to be naked. Whenever I take your clothes off to change them and then take your diaper off, you do a little naked dance! You start kicking your legs and making all sorts of noise! It's quite entertaining. Mommy has to be careful so you don't pee on me!

We've already made lots of family memories since you've been born. You've been quite adventurous...you've been to the beach and the mountains already! And you love going to grandmama's and granddaddy's house in the country! You are a good sport and a really good baby. You are the best Christmas present ever!

It's on...

2010-03-10T08:35:00.001-08:00

well, the weightloss extravaganza has officially begun. chris and i weighed in on saturday and every saturday will be a weigh in day. while chris has lost 3 pounds doing pretty much nothing, i've decided NOT to step on the scale every single day due to the disappointment it causes me. so i've decided to wait until saturday. plus i've convinced myself that a person's weight can fluctuate 5 pounds on any given day. chris refuses to believe this though. anywho, i went out and bought a scale for the first time in my adult life. i snagged one at bed bath and beyond for $14.99 b/c it was the display model. and it's digital, which i think has it's downfalls. i really don't need to know what's after that point! i'd rather round down! anywho...here's what i've been doing so far. i've decided to keep a record of it this way just b/c i'm a faster typer than writer and it will be well documented.

saturday 3/6-walked daisy to the park by our house. i clocked it in the car to the entrance of the park and back is 1.1 miles, BUT i walked into the park and did the loop trail which i don't know the exact milage of but i am estimating a total round trip of 2 miles.

monday 3/8-walked daisy again to the park and back. went to the community center which is FREE and got my ID. did 30 minutes on the stationery bike and 30 reps on this pull down thing you do with your arms. i got a class schedule, too. THEN when i got back it was so beautiful outside, chris and i took cannon for a walk on the SCT. thankfully they have mile markers there and we walked 3 miles! now needless to say i was pretty pooped after that eventful day. i think i overdid it actually considering i haven't exercised really in almost a year due to the pregnancy and birthing of the baby.

tuesday 3/9-walked daisy again. she is loving this! then burned lots of calories cleaning and rearranging furniture.

wednesday 3/10- rainy day:( but it was nice to sleep in when it's raining outside. so i broke out the pilates video that i've had for probably 6 years, but hey it still works. i used to do this video pretty regularly and was surprised today at how little flexibility i have left. plus it was hard to do some of the exercises over the pillow which is my belly. i do always feel nice and stretched afterwards and it really helps with breathing. so i'll keep doing it. there is also a part to the video that involves weights which i'm thinking about doing. i'm also contemplating busting out the carmen electra video! and maybe a class tonight at the community center. sorry daisy, no walk today. well, time to feed the baby=more calories burned! thanks, cannon!

the motivator.

2010-03-04T20:04:00.000-08:00

at school we have this paragraph, well it's more like an essay called "the motivator." it's one of those things kids have to write when their discipline is lacking. it starts off, "i am in school to learn..." and goes on mentioning things like success and education and being the best you can be. the kids read it and copy it in hopes that some of the words will sink in. however, most are capable of copying the whole thing, which takes up their notebook paper front and back, without being able to tell you one thing they have written. does it work? well, it works in the sense that they straighten up thier attitude so they won't have to write "the motivator" anymore. does it help them want to reach for the stars and strive for achievement? probably not. they're ten.

i'm thinking i need a "motivator."

chris and i have a bet going. a weight loss bet. i'm still carrying around the weight of two more babies! last week we went on vacation. we walked or rode our bikes every day! one day we walked over 5 miles! i almost didn't make it on that day...i was on the verge of flagging down the elderly in their golf carts. seriously two senior citizens passed me on foot. i am slowly getting back out there. then we got home and stuck back in this hustle and bustle of everday life. the day flies and before i know it it's dark and i'm too pooped to play. but i feel like scarlett o'hara. tomorrow is another day.

i am going to put down the m&ms and wipe the dust off my carmen electra "fit to strip" dvd! or i will have to write "the MOTIVATOR"!

Ka-WRONG...nice lies your friends (or strangers) tell you. Along with Christmas Day 2009.

2010-02-25T20:49:00.000-08:00

1. you look great.

2. just breastfeed, the weight will come right off....ka-wrong again...i weigh 3 MORE pounds than i did three weeks ago.

3. just rub lotion on yourself and you won't get stretch marks...ka-wrong again... i used lotion everyday and i will never wear shorts or a two piece again. i'm saving up for a one piece with skirt.

4. oh a c-section will be easy...you'll be fine.

i'm not bitter...just thinking of joining "The Biggest Loser" season 10! Still carrying around 20+ extra pounds, but not to worry cuz i have a plan!

so, it's been a whole 2 months since my sweet baby boy was born and we are having so much fun. he's starting to coo alot and smile and even giggle every once in a while. it's hard to catch those sweet moments on camera, though. i don't EVER want to go back to work and leave my baby boy, and i am EXTREMELY jealous that his daddy gets to stay home with him! i still have four more weeks to spend all day with him though. maternity leave in america is a joke, but that's a rant for another day...

i'm going to back track a little...i can't believe it's been 2 months since cannon's birth....i do wish i had recorded more facts as i went along. i've got to get on that baby book, too. my mom is always saying, "write this down so you won't forget b/c i sure have."

As much as i had rather him not come on Christmas Day, he sure enough did! and now i wouldn't have it any other way b/c that makes his birthday extra special. i guess if he has to share his birthday with anybody, it might as well be Jesus!! though some will argue (namely my husband) that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 at all...anywho....

So, about three weeks before cannon was born i was not feeling so hot at all! i did not think i was going to make it to my due date, nor did anyone at work. they actually had a betting pool going as to when he was coming! don't think i didn't try to get in on that action. i bet the 26th...so close! Month 8 was a rough one...rougher than month 9 in my opinion. but that passed and i kept showing up to work, and people kept saying, "you're still here?" "haven't had that baby yet?" blah blah...you know. well, about 10 days before he got here, i started having braxton hicks contractions very consistently (i had been having them for a long time, but they just got consistent). every 15 minutes like clockwork. i started to think i'm going to have this baby anyday now! i really wanted to make it til christmas vacation, though. lord knows i did not want to go into labor at school! that went on for about a week and 3 days before Christmas (aka cannon's birthday) i started having REAL contractions. at first i thought i just had to go to the bathroom. you know that crampy constipated feeling. ha. i made chris time the contractions, but they weren't consistent and they subsided. this went on for the next 2 nights. wednesday night 9the 23rd) they were more consistent, but still not the "real thing." finally thursday, Christmas Eve, around 4 in the afternoon they started coming closer together. i knew for sure that i was having this baby soon! so the WHOLE family was already coming over for Christmas Eve dinner. my family and chris's family. i knew i better eat up b/c i heard they won't let you eat at the hospital when you're in labor. only those d^&% ice chips! so i ate everything i could and two desserts.

i was thinking these contractions aren't so bad i can handle this. i would just kinda cringe until it passed. definitely uncomfortable, but not unbearable. definitely not a time i won't someone rubbing my belly like chris's mom asked to do right in the middle of a contraction! so i started sitting on my "birthing ball" aka the same thing as an exercise ball that i purchased earlier in the week b/c i read that it helps. well, it helps with those early contractions yes. 7 cm is a different story where no stupid ball is helping except to throw at the people who want to touch me.

so 10pm i'm going to try to get some sleep b/c i'm thinking tomorrow i am having a baby...baby yes, sleep no. the contractions started coming closer together and lasting longer. chris still wasn't convinced that this was "it" after three days of contractions. he made me the sock with the rice that you put in the microwave. he rubbed my back and helped as much as he could by rubbing my back and pressing hard. my goal was to stay at home as long as i could. after every contraction i would have to go to the bathroom. at 1:00 we called the midwife. yes, sounds like you are in labor. i would guess 3 cm at this point. i lasted about another hour and then i had to go.

the car ride was NOT fun. especially since chris was driving and could rub my back. i was moaning and groaning and carrying on and chris was calling people to say we were on the way to the hospital and that he was fairly certain this was the real deal. excuse me? fairly certain? ok ok certain. no fairly. luckily there was zero traffic at 2 am on christmas morning, but it was raining.

we made it to the hospital and again not a soul... i later learned that one poor lady did not make it to the hospital and ended up having her baby in the car in the parking lot at the hospital!

i was already dilated 5 cm at this point and beginning to think i am not going to make it to 10!!! I was trying really hard to focus and breath, but the contractions at 5 cm were ALOT different than the contractions at 2! so i moaned and groaned for about 3 more hours until the contractions were coming so fast and hard i just physically could not take it anymore. i was shaking and exhausted. i had made it to 7 cm though!

i got the epidural. well, i waited for the epidural guy to get there first. they sure do take their sweet precious time! oh and you have to be still when they put that thing in. kinda hard to do if you're having a contraction. but i did it. i prayed really hard. this is what they tell you. you will feel the first contraction. the second one will be less evident. and you shouldn't feel it by the time you get to the third one. wrong. i still felt it. i was crying. i thought you weren't supposed to feel it. why do i feel it? i wouldn't have got it if i could still feel it. tears. finally kicked in. really kicked in. couldn't feel a THING.

thought i would take a nap. nope. shaking. shivering. 2 more hours passed. time to start pushing. looks like we'll have a baby here in about an hour or so. 7 am. push. i am pushing. no you're not. push harder. i can't feel anything. i don't know if i'm pushing or not. push. throw up. throw up. no water. only ice chips. push. push. push. the baby hasn't "dropped" yet. i didn't know this, but you have to get from 0 to 4 and i was only at zero. i pushed and pushed and pushed. still not good enough. turn the epidural down. didn't know you could do that. well once you turn it down apparently you can't turn it back up cuz i felt it. i pushed for 2 hours and guess what? still at zero!! i am crying and crying. i can't even hold my legs up. the midwives and nurses start to whisper. i know what they are going to say....c-section. failure to descend is what they call it. his head is too big and my pelvis is too small. on the inside. my pelvis is plenty big on the outside.

more epidural. hurry up. i can feel it. i'm watching my contractions on the contraction monitoring screen. those things were spiking up really high and lasting really long. lots of epidural. i have to be numb up to my chest for the surgery. the major surgery. people talk about c-sections so casually like it's nothing. well, it's something. finally numb. maybe too numb. my hands start to feel tingly too.

9:53 am. he's here!! 7 pounds 7 ounces! so tiny. so beautiful. so perfect.

Ramsey Shamsey

2009-09-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

If Dave Ramsey really wants to help get you out of debt, why does he charge you $125 to tell you how? Um, do you take Visa, Dave? How about monthly installments?

The baby in my belly....the rump in my rib

2009-09-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

So, I've been reading that book...you know the one, What to Expect When You're Expecting. Well, there's a lot you should be expecting...they don't tell you all of it though. Apparently my uterus is now the size of a basketball! So...I guess I look like I swallowed a basketball...a 20 pound basketball at that! The baby, however, only weighs about one of those pounds. Therefore my uterus (that is such a wierd word) is a big ol swimming pool to him. He's down, he's up, he's doing flips, he's kicking, he's punching, somersaults, flips, and even wedging himself into corners. I've mostly felt him moving around down south, but I swear the other night he was stuck under my ribs. I think he swam up there, bent over, and couldn't get out for about half a day. You know like when Winnie the Pooh got stuck in the rabbit hole and couldn't get out so Rabbit put a frame around his bum, which by the way I think is going to be my halloween costume...a frame around my belly with a squiggly smiley face on it...

The other side...Pregnancy Positives!

2009-08-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

1. When people can tell you're pregnant now and make sweet comments even if they are lying. Oh , you look so cute! Your belly is perfect! You're glowing! Your boobs look awesome! Then they want to rub it which I don't really mind now (if I know the person, no strangers please!). It wasn't ok when I was like 2 days pregnant!

2. Awesome cleavage!

3. I can't lift that I'm pregnant.

4. I'll get it. You rest.

5. Naps!

6. Hearing the baby's heartbeat!

7. Seeing the baby on the blurry screen doing flips!

8. And finding out if it's a boy or girl on Friday!

Pregnancy Pet Peeves aka Triple P

2009-07-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

When you tell people you're pregnant one of the first things they ask you is, "Were you trying?" I cringe at this question every time! I always want to come back with a smartass answer like, "Well, we were having sex." And then proceed to go into the gory details. Or, "No, we accidentally had sex. We didn't mean to." I mean ultimately it is a good possibility that the outcome of sex will be creation of a baby. But I'm not going to get any more into that. I usually just smile and giggle and say something like, "Well, we just thought we'd see what would happen." (by having "unprotected" sex!) That's #1.

2. It's time to announce you're pregnant (you being the one that's actually going to birth the child). You and the baby daddy say together at the same time, "We're pregnant!" WE???? um excuse me, were you gagging this morning while you were brushing your teeth? Did you get up five plus times in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom? Have you gained ten pounds already? (Well, probably yes b/c you're having "sympathy" cravings! whatever). Are your boobs spilling out of your bra? I'm pregnant and yes you helped and yes you will be there to love and support me and help raise our child, but you my friend are not pregnant. Therefore you are not allowed to use the term, "We're pregnant!"

3. Slang for "pregnant." Really? preggo (Isn't this a spaghetti sauce?) , preggers (sounds like chiggers), bumpies, (do I have the mumps?) Whatever happened to the good ol fashioned terms for being pregnant? with child, bun in the oven, knocked up? I might as well start referring to the baby as the fetus in my uterus or I could make is slang and say the feet in my ute. Well, no, that's silly and absurd as are some of the aforementioned slang terms in my opinion. Let's call a spade a spade: I'm pregnant.

4. In addition to slang there are acronyms as well. For example, I couldn't help myself and logged onto www.thebump.com (another slang!) and kept seeing the abbreviation TTC. What is TTC? Well I finally figured out that it is short for "Trying to Conceive" Honestly? I don't even know what to say. This just seems a little demeaning of what for many people is a sensitive issue. It shouldn't bear a "tag" like TTC.

5. To each his own. People keep asking me where my belly pictures are. Well, they are non existent. For some people this is cute and acceptable. For myself, I do not feel so inclined to do so. I usually respond by asking if they'd like to see a picture of my ever expanding nippular area. Now that is worth documenting! Good Grief! Really though, when I get good and pregnant (meaning full term) I would like to have pictures taken with my belly and my husband to remember this special time.

6. Do you know what it is yet? Yes, it's a baby!!

To be continued....

30 before I'm 30!

2009-04-03T05:03:00.000-07:00

Well, today I am having an age crisis. Though I'm not in my "early" twenties anymore I still consider myself pretty young. When I mentioned having to get my license renewed in a couple of weeks to a coworker, that person said, "How old will you be, 30?" My mouth dropped! Then I started thinking, "Wow, do I really look 30?" Most people I know who are 30 do not even look 30! I even faithfully use eye cream and face lotion. I blame my mother-in-law for the stress lines and wrinkle appearances. (and gray hairs!) So, I've decided this spring break is time for a makeover! Facial, eyebrows, haircut/color, makeup, mani/pedi, and of course some new clothes! I've also decided to make a list of things to do before I am 30...you've seen it before...30 before I'm 30. Where did the twenties go? And now I only have barely more than 2 years left!! I'll post my list ASAP. I'll have to give it some major thought and consideration. Clock is ticking! haha To Be Continued.....

Masta D

2009-03-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

So, you've probably seen those ridiculously silly billboards with the Snickers commercials? i.e. Sir Snacks-a-lot, Master P-nut, etc. Corny as corn on the cob. Well, you can just call me Masta D, cuz i'm done, son. That's right, I'm an offical master's degree holder. Now, how 'bout that raise? Which I will certainly need since apparently we're receiving a 2% paycut for the upcoming year. Budget cuts, budget cuts....blah, blah....BUT the good news (according to the board) is that we will still receive 98% of our salary. Whooppee. Thank goodness they did that math for me! I'm gonna have to get a 2nd job to pay off the Gs I borrowed to get the degree in the first place!

A sad note....today is the last day of my bowling league:( What am I going to do on Mondays now?? The good news is I get my very own customized bowling ball drilled to fit my fingers precisely and we're having pizza party today! Bowling alley pizza...YES!!

Exciting notes.....babies! I just became an "auntie!" Now, I know that technically I am not my cousin's baby's aunt, but to this one I am! And I am going to be an "auntie" again in july, august, september, and october consecutively! Lots of babies being born! Lots of boys so far. Come on Chinese calendar!!

http://www.thebump.com/calculators/ChineseGenderChart.aspx

Bowling Burns!

2009-02-06T04:56:00.000-08:00

So, in December I joined a bowling league! Let me tell you it is so much fun and at the end of the season bowlers get their very own bowling balls! Thank goodness bowling burns calories (over 200 for one hour!)...which is just enough to burn off the Coke that I drink while I'm bowling! I figure it's OK to indulge at the bowling alley...I've been strong enough to resisit the nachos and pizza also served there. My team is called the "Spare Tires." haha. We all joined the Biggest Loser competition at work. I've already lost one whole pound! woo-hoo! So after this competition we can change our name to just the Spares. Cuz we know how to pick 'em up! I found this calorie burning calculator to help with the weight loss challenge.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/tools/calorie

Yogi Panda

2009-01-14T12:52:00.000-08:00

Well, thank goodness for yoga Wednesdays! Last week there was a big crowd which I think it is great that more people want to take up yoga, but I kinda like the smaller crowd better. I'm able to concentrate more. I'm glad one of my work friends has decided to join me every week! This week I've been a little "off" if you will. I missed two meetings at work! All because I was in my own little world not paying attention to what's going on. Evidently I didn't miss much, though. I'm looking forward to clearing my mind at yoga tonight so maybe that will help me think more clearly. One perk for working for the government is MLK day coming up. Thank goodness Martin had a dream! It's gonna be a cold one so bundle up.

Death Becomes Us

2009-01-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

Death is a strange thing. We all know it's coming, but there's nothing we can do to prepare for death--that of a loved one, or our own. It's very emotional, traumatic, and awkward. Death is shocking--even if you know today is the day that it's "coming." Wow, I just saw that person yesterday, I just talked to him, her, I just hugged that person. Now, I'll never physically see that person again. No one ever knows what to say when a loved one dies. What can you say? Close friends and family will mourn with us, but sooner or later we start to act like nothing ever happpened. Well, yes that was hard to lose a family member, but it's been three months now, why are we still talking about it? Because it's still fresh. Because it still hurts. Because it happened. Death is such a hush, hush topic. Don't bring it up. Don't remind that person that he or she lost someone. I think we have to talk about it. Death is a natural part of our life cycle. Sure some people feel invincible and may feel like they will live forever. Some people even spend their whole lives preparing for death. Preparing for the "next world." Heaven to most people I presume. Many people use that as a comfort. "Well, we know she's with the good Lord now." "God was ready for her." "He needed her more than you do." "This is a test of your faith." "God took that person from you so you'll be closer to Him." "Cling to God." Does God really go around picking people to take so He can have them with Him in Heaven? To teach us a lesson? I don't think God is that selfish. He's not selfish at all really. I can of course find comfort with God during difficult times. I just don't believe that God "takes" people to teach others a lesson, to use the families as a testimony. We are a living testimony. Our lives are testimonies. Not our deaths. Life is short. Death certainly makes us realize that. We wish we had more time. We wish we would have done more, said more, been more. People are important. All people. Young and old. Especially old.

3.2 BABY!!!

2008-10-13T11:33:00.000-07:00

Last night I ran the farthest I've ever run in my whole life (in one stretch)! That's right...3.2 miles! That is the distance of a 5K, which is fortunate because I signed up to run a 5K this coming up weekend. So I know I can do it. It may take me an hour, but I'll get it done. I plan to run 3.2 miles two more times this week before the race. I may get motivated and run 3.25 or possible 3.3. Whatever the case, I'm more focused on completion rather than competition. AND I get to sport an official t-shirt! Sure I have 5K t-shirts, but none of them have been earned only acquired. I'll be so proud!

Save the Hemlocks

2008-09-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/hemlockfest

Run like hell...

2008-09-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

So I ran two whole miles tonight with the help of my fast as crap husband. He kept me moving. He's my personal trainer. Then we raced to the top of the jungle gym on the playground. It was a swell of a time. I sure do love him. Well, I'm planning on running my first "race" in October. I'm not really so much into competition as completion. ha. We'll see.

Life isn't about finding yourself...it's about creating yourself.

2008-09-18T12:38:00.001-07:00

So, I started doing yoga once a week at a real yoga place. Hands down best thing I've done for myself in a long while. I totally believe in taking care of my own needs first before I can even begin to think about trying to help meet the needs of someone else. Yoga is all about mindfulness. And it works. I feel so good and I've only been twice. I definitely recommend yoga. I'm becoming a yogi.

Did you know...?

2008-09-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

Did you know that 3,600,000,000 plastic bags are being consumed per hour out of which only 1% is recycled. This fact was quite alarming to me. I haphazardly use plastic bags pretty much every day. I've recently started to make a conscious decision to ask for paper instead of plastic. Most people probably don't know that most grocery stores still offer paper bags as opposed to plastic. You just have to ask. So while at Publix last week I proceeded to ask for a paper bag. I had only bought one item (shocking I know), and the "bag girl" looked at me kind of funny. The product failed to fit in the small paper sack. With a disgruntled look on her face she asked me if I still wanted paper...a bigger paper bag. Yes. She seemed annoyed. Whatever. Paper is far more user friendly than plastic and it can be recycled. When I was little my mom saved all the paper bags for me and my brother to paint. We created some awesome art work. Anywho, the next time I went to Publix, I asked for paper again. All of my items fit in one sack! If I had used plastic, it would have taken about six bags. I felt good about it though. Every little bit helps. Next time, ask for paper. It will throw the cashier or bag person for a loop. I promise you'll catch them off guard.

P.S. 7000 to 14000 barrels of oil are being consumed per hour to produce plastic bags.

Bloggity, Blog, Blog, Blah

2008-09-10T12:13:00.001-07:00

I'm gonna blog now.

Did you know that by the year 2030 there will be no more glaciers in Glacier National Park? That's in Montana if you're wondering. Right here in the good ol U.S. of A. That's why the polar bears are dying. Global warming to be more exact. Not only are the polar bears dying, but that's why there are so many hurricanes. Global warming. What causes global warming? people essentially. Carbon and crap in the air. So, how environmentally friendly are you? What's your ecological footprint? Take the quiz:

http://www.footprintnetwork.org/gfn_sub.php?content=calculator