Sunday, December 19, 2010
Almost forgot these!
I forgot to post some pics from Halloween....great timing, less than a week before Christmas! Oh well....
Countdown to Christmas
It's probably obvious by my lack of posting that our December has flown by. I have been looking forward to Christmas since Halloween because I knew Rece would love it this year.
We kicked off the season with tree decorating on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. He did really good with this,and after the initial "WOW" of the whole tree and ornaments thing he has been very respectful of the tree.
We also bought Rece the "Classics" on DVD for Rece, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph and the Grinch too. He is obsessed. He is actually singing most of the words to Frosty and Rudolph at this point and it is hysterical. And he will say "The Grinch Mad!" Bhahahahaha. He also lights up when he talks about Santa bringing him a "choo-choo!".
The week after Thanksgiving Grandma and Grandpa Barton came and Rece got to decorate Christmas cookies with Grandma!
So as it goes, we have been busy bees getting ready for Rece's second Christmas. He is getting Thomas the Train stuff from Santa, and clothes and some Elmo arts and crafts stuff and a Elmo puzzle from mommy and daddy. There was so much I wanted to get him, but I know there are certain Grandparents out there (you all know who you are) who have been shopping up a storm and his 2nd birthday is only 6 weeks after Christmas, so I wanted to save a few ideas for then as well.
We kicked off the season with tree decorating on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. He did really good with this,and after the initial "WOW" of the whole tree and ornaments thing he has been very respectful of the tree.
We also bought Rece the "Classics" on DVD for Rece, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph and the Grinch too. He is obsessed. He is actually singing most of the words to Frosty and Rudolph at this point and it is hysterical. And he will say "The Grinch Mad!" Bhahahahaha. He also lights up when he talks about Santa bringing him a "choo-choo!".
The week after Thanksgiving Grandma and Grandpa Barton came and Rece got to decorate Christmas cookies with Grandma!
So as it goes, we have been busy bees getting ready for Rece's second Christmas. He is getting Thomas the Train stuff from Santa, and clothes and some Elmo arts and crafts stuff and a Elmo puzzle from mommy and daddy. There was so much I wanted to get him, but I know there are certain Grandparents out there (you all know who you are) who have been shopping up a storm and his 2nd birthday is only 6 weeks after Christmas, so I wanted to save a few ideas for then as well.
Thanksgiving
We had a great Thanksgiving weekend. At some what of the last minute I decided to take some extra days off around the Holiday. Work had been so stressful and I had the never ending cold, that had started at the end of October and the week before Thanksgiving became walking pneumonia. So I took the Wednesday before and a half a day Monday after off for a nice long break. Carly came in from New Jersey on Tuesday night. We did all of the grocery shopping on Wed for our big meal, which we cooked on Friday since Jeremy's mom and dad were coming in mid-day Thursday. Carly made awesome Chilli on Wednesday for us to eat on Thursday and then Lynn, Carly and I cooked quite a meal on Friday. The menu was:
-Sage, Sausage, and Apple Stuffing
-Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast
-Apple and Challot Gravy
-Butternut Squash Rissoto
-Fresh Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole
-And "from Scratch" Apple Pie for Dessert
And yes it was as awesome as it sounds...
Carly and I did a some shopping and Rece went to see Santa. He did pretty good, didn't cry at all but didn't smile either, just kind of looked at us like "Why would you put me on this random dude's lap?" The best part was we walked right up to Santa - no line! It was Saturday morning, on a Penn State Home Game and I think just to early in the season for people to want to bring their kids. A perfect time to go!
We had a fantastic weekend, playing and playing and playing. All in all I was quite lazy which I enjoyed and really needed. Rece had a fantabulous time with Grandma and Grandpa and Carly. It was such nice break.
On the Monday after, I went to work in the morning to do an interview. But left at noon and went and did some shopping. I got pretty much 75% of my shopping done that day. By Tuesday, I felt ready to go back to work and much more refreshed.
A couple more pics from the Turkey Weekend:
-Sage, Sausage, and Apple Stuffing
-Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast
-Apple and Challot Gravy
-Butternut Squash Rissoto
-Fresh Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole
-And "from Scratch" Apple Pie for Dessert
And yes it was as awesome as it sounds...
Carly and I did a some shopping and Rece went to see Santa. He did pretty good, didn't cry at all but didn't smile either, just kind of looked at us like "Why would you put me on this random dude's lap?" The best part was we walked right up to Santa - no line! It was Saturday morning, on a Penn State Home Game and I think just to early in the season for people to want to bring their kids. A perfect time to go!
We had a fantastic weekend, playing and playing and playing. All in all I was quite lazy which I enjoyed and really needed. Rece had a fantabulous time with Grandma and Grandpa and Carly. It was such nice break.
On the Monday after, I went to work in the morning to do an interview. But left at noon and went and did some shopping. I got pretty much 75% of my shopping done that day. By Tuesday, I felt ready to go back to work and much more refreshed.
A couple more pics from the Turkey Weekend:
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Fall Photos in the Park
We had some family photos taken Halloween weekend by Heidi Lynne Photography in State College. Heidi also did Rece's 3 month pictures. Here is the link to the preview:
http://www.heidilynnephotography.com/rellinger/
http://www.heidilynnephotography.com/rellinger/
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The dose.
It's a bit like a title for an episode of Sienfeld. And that is a good fit for this story.
So.....
On Monday I decided to take Rece to the doctor, he had a nasty virus that they classified as Pharyngitis and it appeared as if it was gone...but then the cough and snot came back! And it was going on weeks so I wanted to make sure his lungs were clear. The doc said his lungs sounded great, (relief) but he thought the cough/cold was lasting a bit too long - his theory was: it could be a new cold on top of the old cold or it could be a sinus infection. Due to the length of the symptoms he suggested we try a 10 day course of Augmentin. I was both reluctant and okay with this - obviously you don't want to do antibiotics for no reason but Rece hasn't been on them since May, and then before that it was Jan. so a pretty good stretch. Anyway, he sends the script in.
I go to pick it up after work.
The pharmacist is one never seen before. She immediately starts on a high pitched tangent about how she doesn't agree with the dose. It is too high and she tells me she called the doctor and demanded to talk to him.
I ask "well did you talk to him"
She says yes and the doctor confirms that he is treating a sinus infection and also confirms Rece's weight. She continues to talk about the dose and what to do if he has a reaction. She does not listen to me when I tell her he has been on this before. During this whole conversation she starts to mix the suspension.
Next she tells me that there is 14 days in the mix and that I will throw the rest away after the 10 day course.
I get home and I am all frazzled about the drama around the dose. Even though the doctor confirmed it, I still worry. Then I look at the bottle. It looks only about 2/3 full. Weird.
My anal self grabs a clean glass and the teaspoon syringe and I start to measure how many teaspoons are in there. There are 20 - 21 max - there will be nothing to throw away.
I call the Pharmacist back and re-state to her what I understand about how much should be left. She says "where does the liquid come up to on the label"
When I tell her she says...
"Add some tap water"
WTH.
I am totally freaked out now, and I do not give him the meds before he goes to bed. He sleeps through the whole night no coughing. The next morning it seems better, and the next night and morning and night are the same. Tonight he barely coughs and the snot was minimal.
I guess sometimes things really do have a way of working themselves out.
So.....
On Monday I decided to take Rece to the doctor, he had a nasty virus that they classified as Pharyngitis and it appeared as if it was gone...but then the cough and snot came back! And it was going on weeks so I wanted to make sure his lungs were clear. The doc said his lungs sounded great, (relief) but he thought the cough/cold was lasting a bit too long - his theory was: it could be a new cold on top of the old cold or it could be a sinus infection. Due to the length of the symptoms he suggested we try a 10 day course of Augmentin. I was both reluctant and okay with this - obviously you don't want to do antibiotics for no reason but Rece hasn't been on them since May, and then before that it was Jan. so a pretty good stretch. Anyway, he sends the script in.
I go to pick it up after work.
The pharmacist is one never seen before. She immediately starts on a high pitched tangent about how she doesn't agree with the dose. It is too high and she tells me she called the doctor and demanded to talk to him.
I ask "well did you talk to him"
She says yes and the doctor confirms that he is treating a sinus infection and also confirms Rece's weight. She continues to talk about the dose and what to do if he has a reaction. She does not listen to me when I tell her he has been on this before. During this whole conversation she starts to mix the suspension.
Next she tells me that there is 14 days in the mix and that I will throw the rest away after the 10 day course.
I get home and I am all frazzled about the drama around the dose. Even though the doctor confirmed it, I still worry. Then I look at the bottle. It looks only about 2/3 full. Weird.
My anal self grabs a clean glass and the teaspoon syringe and I start to measure how many teaspoons are in there. There are 20 - 21 max - there will be nothing to throw away.
I call the Pharmacist back and re-state to her what I understand about how much should be left. She says "where does the liquid come up to on the label"
When I tell her she says...
"Add some tap water"
WTH.
I am totally freaked out now, and I do not give him the meds before he goes to bed. He sleeps through the whole night no coughing. The next morning it seems better, and the next night and morning and night are the same. Tonight he barely coughs and the snot was minimal.
I guess sometimes things really do have a way of working themselves out.
National Blog Posting Month
Cue the blog guilt. I neglect it already and then I remember, and see that many people are following National Blog Posting Month - posting one post each day. I read their posts, I enjoy them and I have more blog guilt. lol. I just haven't done a good job of posting lately. I found this link on another blog and it has some interesting prompts for posts, I may use a few.
http://www.nablopomo.com/page/prompts-1
http://www.nablopomo.com/page/prompts-1
Rece update
I have several posts drafted in my mind, just haven't taken the time to write them, so I am going to try and start knocking a few out. First as always is Rece. Or simply "man" as Jeremy and I call him. As in "how did Man do at school today?"
He will be 21 months old this weekend. I am not sure what is crazier that we are in the second to last month of 2010 already or that my son is going to be 2 years old in three months! Here's the thing, he looks and talks like he is going on 3, so I have long sense gotten over him not being a "baby" anymore but it's still amazing to think he has been in our lives for almost 2 years now. Here is what he has been up to:
He is somewhere around 34 inches tall and just weighed in at about 29 pounds. Which I was relieved by since I feel like he hasn't eaten anything in 4 weeks. (This is obviously an exaggeration, but sometimes that is how it feels)
He is finally off the preavicid and not having any issues with reflux!
He says some funny stuff, here are a couple of his latest:
- He will grab a cup and pretend to be drinking - when you ask him what he is drinking he says "having a coffee".
- "I boogers in my nose" when you wipe them out he says "I see them?"
- He often talks about people coming to see him, since our family is always coming to visit. He will say "Grandma coming to see you?" (you meaning "me"?) or "Bubba Coming?" (Bubba is my dad) The latest is : "Santa! - he coming!"
He had a pretty nasty cold a couple of weeks ago, but it never went to his chest (hooray for flow vent!) It may have stuck in his sinuses, still TBD.
It has been a good fall so far and I can't wait to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with my "man".
He will be 21 months old this weekend. I am not sure what is crazier that we are in the second to last month of 2010 already or that my son is going to be 2 years old in three months! Here's the thing, he looks and talks like he is going on 3, so I have long sense gotten over him not being a "baby" anymore but it's still amazing to think he has been in our lives for almost 2 years now. Here is what he has been up to:
He is somewhere around 34 inches tall and just weighed in at about 29 pounds. Which I was relieved by since I feel like he hasn't eaten anything in 4 weeks. (This is obviously an exaggeration, but sometimes that is how it feels)
He is finally off the preavicid and not having any issues with reflux!
He says some funny stuff, here are a couple of his latest:
- He will grab a cup and pretend to be drinking - when you ask him what he is drinking he says "having a coffee".
- "I boogers in my nose" when you wipe them out he says "I see them?"
- He often talks about people coming to see him, since our family is always coming to visit. He will say "Grandma coming to see you?" (you meaning "me"?) or "Bubba Coming?" (Bubba is my dad) The latest is : "Santa! - he coming!"
-One morning I woke him up from a dead sleep and he says "What's daddy doing?" which he says every morning. But then he followed with " Daddy Poopin?, Me see." Boys.
-When getting my flu shot, he sees that I am going to get a poke and yells "No Mommy, Get Up!" He was so sweet I thought he was going to cry when he saw I was going to get a shot.
He is obsessed with Thomas the Train.
He is also very interested in the "going potty" he mostly just wants to sit on the toilet and pull paper off the roll. But now he has added making a "psssssssssssssss" noise when he sits there. And he talks a lot about getting the pee-pee out - but we haven't see any in the toilet as of yet. He will have a down right fit if we don't put him on the potty when he asks.He had a pretty nasty cold a couple of weeks ago, but it never went to his chest (hooray for flow vent!) It may have stuck in his sinuses, still TBD.
It has been a good fall so far and I can't wait to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with my "man".
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Crock-Pot Gourmet? Please share!
Now that fall and winter (eeek!) are here we have basically stopped grilling which is where 90%+ of our dinners came from this summer. It also helps that Jeremy does almost all of the cooking in the summer. NOW we are back to our normal rush around after we get home from work feeding Rece and trying to figure out what we are going to have for dinner. That type of "meal planning"....or lack there of doesn't always lead to the best food choices. So I am making a conscious effort to better plan for and shop for our dinners - taking that a step further I want to start using a crock-pot to cook a couple of dinners per week. So I researched and waited until this little bad boy went on sale:
I got it for $35 with my Kohls cash! The best part, it can be set to cook on low/high etc for x# of hours and then it will switch to "warm" . This is key as I have dried out many a chicken dish trying to get the timing just right between the crock-pot and my commute. And it also has a temperature probe function if you are cooking a roast it will heat the meat to the proper internal temp - and then again, magically switch to "warm". Anyway, I am super excited to try it out.
That is where I need YOUR help! I have Crock-pot book that is really uninspiring, and there are of course a zillion recipes online but what is better than tried and true recipes that you know and love. Please share your fave recipe, link or book that makes you a Crock-Pot Gourmet!
Thanks in advance!
I got it for $35 with my Kohls cash! The best part, it can be set to cook on low/high etc for x# of hours and then it will switch to "warm" . This is key as I have dried out many a chicken dish trying to get the timing just right between the crock-pot and my commute. And it also has a temperature probe function if you are cooking a roast it will heat the meat to the proper internal temp - and then again, magically switch to "warm". Anyway, I am super excited to try it out.
That is where I need YOUR help! I have Crock-pot book that is really uninspiring, and there are of course a zillion recipes online but what is better than tried and true recipes that you know and love. Please share your fave recipe, link or book that makes you a Crock-Pot Gourmet!
Thanks in advance!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
3-0
I turn 30 tomorrow.
How did this happen?
I am not consumed with thoughts of "getting old", having said that I can't believe 30 years have come and gone. Where does time go? So many milestones have come and gone. Here are some thoughts I have pondered.
- I have been a mommy for almost 2 years
- I have lived in PA over 3 years
- I have been a wife for 5 years and we have been together nearly 10!
- I have been a homeowner for almost 6 years
- I have been working in my career for 6 years after Graduate School
- I have been able to drink (legally) for 9 years
- I have been able to vote for 12 years
- I have been out of High School for over 12 years
- I have been driving for 14 years
That is where time goes...and I can't wait to see what the next 30 holds.
How did this happen?
I am not consumed with thoughts of "getting old", having said that I can't believe 30 years have come and gone. Where does time go? So many milestones have come and gone. Here are some thoughts I have pondered.
- I have been a mommy for almost 2 years
- I have lived in PA over 3 years
- I have been a wife for 5 years and we have been together nearly 10!
- I have been a homeowner for almost 6 years
- I have been working in my career for 6 years after Graduate School
- I have been able to drink (legally) for 9 years
- I have been able to vote for 12 years
- I have been out of High School for over 12 years
- I have been driving for 14 years
That is where time goes...and I can't wait to see what the next 30 holds.
Rece News
The little monkey is going to be two before we know it, here are some updates:
- He is so much steadier on his feet than even a couple of months ago and wants to run everywhere.
-His hair has lightened over the summer and has a tint of red to it
-We struggle with his pinching and hitting when he gets frustrated. We have taught him that it is not nice and to say "Sorry" and give a hug if he is not nice. But that seems to have backfired since he is so good at the "Sorry" and hug part, he seems to think he can just check that box and move on...
-He is remembering things, everything. And then he talks about it over and over and over again when he recalls something. The things he remembers are amazing to me.
-He is repeating phrases a lot more now - every day we tell each other "Bye-Bye & See you later" and we also will get the "Had a dood day!!" (ie. Have a good day)
-He will tell you who he played with at day care and what they did. It is most often, Piper, or Liam or Eli and their favorite pastime is "running"
-He went through a few week phase where he was a BEAR at bedtime, luckily that has passed and he is back to his normal bed loving self. We did add two stuffed animals to the routine during that time, and now he has to have both "Bunny and Bear" when he goes to sleep.
-He is perfecting the tantrum. I think his strategy is "practice makes perfect" - not cool.
-He has discovered his fingers fit in his nose, and there are "burgers" up there. Since Jeremy and I did not dedicate teaching time to this skill, I would like to think his booger picking buddy from day-care, whomever that might be. Again - not cool.
-He is on a Flovent Inhaler for the fall and winter to protect his airways from inflammation and hopefully keep every cold from needing a chest x-ray to determine bronchitis or pneumonia He had a cold earlier this month and it was a normal kid cold. I couldn't believe that is what it could be like!! No trips to the ER- WHAT!?! ;-)
-We are also in the process of weaning him from prevacid. We went to a 1/2 pill each day for a few weeks and now we just took him off completely. His reflux has been good, we are crossing our fingers it will stay that way.
-He has started to say "I love you" - I.heart.him.
- He is so much steadier on his feet than even a couple of months ago and wants to run everywhere.
-His hair has lightened over the summer and has a tint of red to it
-We struggle with his pinching and hitting when he gets frustrated. We have taught him that it is not nice and to say "Sorry" and give a hug if he is not nice. But that seems to have backfired since he is so good at the "Sorry" and hug part, he seems to think he can just check that box and move on...
-He is remembering things, everything. And then he talks about it over and over and over again when he recalls something. The things he remembers are amazing to me.
-He is repeating phrases a lot more now - every day we tell each other "Bye-Bye & See you later" and we also will get the "Had a dood day!!" (ie. Have a good day)
-He will tell you who he played with at day care and what they did. It is most often, Piper, or Liam or Eli and their favorite pastime is "running"
-He went through a few week phase where he was a BEAR at bedtime, luckily that has passed and he is back to his normal bed loving self. We did add two stuffed animals to the routine during that time, and now he has to have both "Bunny and Bear" when he goes to sleep.
-He is perfecting the tantrum. I think his strategy is "practice makes perfect" - not cool.
-He has discovered his fingers fit in his nose, and there are "burgers" up there. Since Jeremy and I did not dedicate teaching time to this skill, I would like to think his booger picking buddy from day-care, whomever that might be. Again - not cool.
-He is on a Flovent Inhaler for the fall and winter to protect his airways from inflammation and hopefully keep every cold from needing a chest x-ray to determine bronchitis or pneumonia He had a cold earlier this month and it was a normal kid cold. I couldn't believe that is what it could be like!! No trips to the ER- WHAT!?! ;-)
-We are also in the process of weaning him from prevacid. We went to a 1/2 pill each day for a few weeks and now we just took him off completely. His reflux has been good, we are crossing our fingers it will stay that way.
-He has started to say "I love you" - I.heart.him.
What we did this summer!
Ahhhhhh, the days of fall, I LOVE fall. Summer is okay and all, but quite frankly there are days when I loathe the heat. To me, the best part of summer is that Jeremy is off of school and our mornings are not as rushed, and because Jeremy is home most of the week, he has time to do enough things around the house that it frees up our weekends to spend as a family.
We had an absolutely wonderful summer. Here is a snapshot of our fun times:
- We spent lots of time at Spring Creek Park playing on all of the slides etc. and even spent some time in the very cold creek.
- We took advantage of our new deck and new grill spending lots of time using both.
- We took a long and FUN trip back home to Michigan where we:
-Went to a Michigan Wine Fest
-Rece spent a whole week + with both sets of Grandparents
-Jeremy & I went to Myrtle Beach
- We all spent some good time at Lake Isabella with Family
- We went to State College Arts Fest and the People's Choice Arts Show in Boalsburg
- We went to NYC: Central Park Zoo, Times Square, Rockefeller Center and spent the weekend with Carly in NJ.
-We watched daddy play baseball at State College Spikes Stadium
- We went to a Penn State Tailgate as a family
-We went home to Michigan for Labor Day weekend which included another week with the Grandparents for Rece and a stop in Cleveland at the Children's museum on the way home.
- Rece grew, and grew and grew. and did not have 1, not 1, cold all summer! It was great!!!
Here is to a fall as wonderful!
We had an absolutely wonderful summer. Here is a snapshot of our fun times:
- We spent lots of time at Spring Creek Park playing on all of the slides etc. and even spent some time in the very cold creek.
- We took advantage of our new deck and new grill spending lots of time using both.
- We took a long and FUN trip back home to Michigan where we:
-Went to a Michigan Wine Fest
-Rece spent a whole week + with both sets of Grandparents
-Jeremy & I went to Myrtle Beach
- We all spent some good time at Lake Isabella with Family
- We went to State College Arts Fest and the People's Choice Arts Show in Boalsburg
- We went to NYC: Central Park Zoo, Times Square, Rockefeller Center and spent the weekend with Carly in NJ.
-We watched daddy play baseball at State College Spikes Stadium
- We went to a Penn State Tailgate as a family
-We went home to Michigan for Labor Day weekend which included another week with the Grandparents for Rece and a stop in Cleveland at the Children's museum on the way home.
- Rece grew, and grew and grew. and did not have 1, not 1, cold all summer! It was great!!!
Here is to a fall as wonderful!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
18 months!
Wowza. My little man is a year and a half. Rece hit the 18th month milestone on Saturday, we celebrated with a trip to a new park where he terrorized a flock of ducks. He chased them from one end of the park to the other screaming "DUCK"!! Thankfully, his "D" is well pronounced. :-)
He changes and grows and develops so much everyday that it is hard to keep track of all of the milestones he is surpassing. Here are a few highlights:
-He is a running fool. He loves to "RUN" around the house, around the yard, and pretty much always in the opposite direction that you want him to.
-He is a complete chatter box. No idea how many words he has now - a 100, more, hard to say. But he can answer questions with a definite yes or no and is still perfecting the yes head shake, currently his whole body moves up and down when he answers yes. :-)
-He loves Blues Clues - They say "handy dandy..." and he yells "notebook"
-His favorite book is now "LET'S GO BLUE!" and he is perfecting his "Go Blue" yell and his "hail" fist for football season.
-Speaking of football, he is obsessed with football and baseball things. His toys, when it is on tv, or an ad in Target marketing the fall clothes, he gets down right giddy about football and baseball. He has two bats which he runs around swinging yelling "BOOM".
-He has his big boy look now. He doesn't look like a baby anymore :-( He has to have grown an inch or two at least this summer and is now wearing 2T shirts and 18mos - 2T shorts depending on the brand.
-He has become quite the eater this summer and he loves flavorful foods so much so he is not a good eater of things we leave bland. He will eat a chicken brat that has quite a zip to it or a spicy marinara sauce on spaghetti. He loves veggie burgers and yogurt as well. and FRUIT oh man does he love fruit. Veggies....not so much, we got him to eat some broccoli the other day because we told him it was cheese, besides Fruit, Cheese is the number 1. Recently, we went to our favorite breakfast place and the people in the booth next to us sat and watched in awe as he ate 1/2 banana, 2+ silver dollar pancakes, 1 link of sausage, 1 slice of bacon and kept asking for more. The lady watching said "Wow, he is a good eater"
- He is a smooching machine, he loves to give kisses, and we love that.
He changes and grows and develops so much everyday that it is hard to keep track of all of the milestones he is surpassing. Here are a few highlights:
-He is a running fool. He loves to "RUN" around the house, around the yard, and pretty much always in the opposite direction that you want him to.
-He is a complete chatter box. No idea how many words he has now - a 100, more, hard to say. But he can answer questions with a definite yes or no and is still perfecting the yes head shake, currently his whole body moves up and down when he answers yes. :-)
-He loves Blues Clues - They say "handy dandy..." and he yells "notebook"
-His favorite book is now "LET'S GO BLUE!" and he is perfecting his "Go Blue" yell and his "hail" fist for football season.
-Speaking of football, he is obsessed with football and baseball things. His toys, when it is on tv, or an ad in Target marketing the fall clothes, he gets down right giddy about football and baseball. He has two bats which he runs around swinging yelling "BOOM".
-He has his big boy look now. He doesn't look like a baby anymore :-( He has to have grown an inch or two at least this summer and is now wearing 2T shirts and 18mos - 2T shorts depending on the brand.
-He has become quite the eater this summer and he loves flavorful foods so much so he is not a good eater of things we leave bland. He will eat a chicken brat that has quite a zip to it or a spicy marinara sauce on spaghetti. He loves veggie burgers and yogurt as well. and FRUIT oh man does he love fruit. Veggies....not so much, we got him to eat some broccoli the other day because we told him it was cheese, besides Fruit, Cheese is the number 1. Recently, we went to our favorite breakfast place and the people in the booth next to us sat and watched in awe as he ate 1/2 banana, 2+ silver dollar pancakes, 1 link of sausage, 1 slice of bacon and kept asking for more. The lady watching said "Wow, he is a good eater"
- He is a smooching machine, he loves to give kisses, and we love that.
Face-cation
I have decided to take the rest of the summer off....of facebook. I don't think that I spend an inordinate amount of time on it or anything but I do know that it gives me an excuse to just sit and "play" on the computer in the evenings after Rece has gone to bed. Whether I'm bored or just want to do nothing that requires any thought - I do find myself perusing it almost every evening. This is time I could be using to weed flower beds, read, exercise (vacation and it's aftermath has not been kind to my waistline), or just hang out with my husband on the deck. Whom, by the way despises facebook and does not think I can give it up. Which motivates me even more. ;-)
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
So Small
So I had a REALLY craptastic week at work last week after I got back from vacation. I don't blog about work details but just know that I needed a serious break from thinking about it over the weekend to keep my sanity. So here we are, Sunday night. I went for a walk with the Ipod and I was shuffling through trying to find a album or songs that would get my blood flowing and get me pumped for the week ahead. I was looking for something that would make me think of kicking a little "butt". What I oddly landed on was "So Small", by one of my faves Carrie Underwood. Ironically, this was just what I needed and really says it all. I won't paste the whole thing, but I really love this part:
It's so easy to get lost inside
A problem that seems so big at the time
It's like a river that's so wide
It swallows you whole
While you're sitting around thinking 'bout what you can't change
And worrying about all the wrong things
Time's flying by, moving so fast
You better make it count 'cause you can't get it back
Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you've been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands
Oh, and when you figure out
Love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small!
Hoping for a better week and going to keep in mind that work is just that work. Not my life.
It's so easy to get lost inside
A problem that seems so big at the time
It's like a river that's so wide
It swallows you whole
While you're sitting around thinking 'bout what you can't change
And worrying about all the wrong things
Time's flying by, moving so fast
You better make it count 'cause you can't get it back
Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you've been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands
Oh, and when you figure out
Love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small!
Hoping for a better week and going to keep in mind that work is just that work. Not my life.
America!
We had a great 4th of July vacation! We finished out our Myrtle Beach portion of the trip and headed to Lake Isabella where both sides of our family were waiting, and of course we were dying to see our little man. He was almost stunned to see us, he gave us big hugs but looked so surprised that we were there. After that the next few days flew by! We got to see lots and lots of family, ate entirely too much and had plenty of tasty beverages! I will post some pictures as soon as I have them as well as some more "stories" from our Myrtle Beach excursion. But the real meaning of this post was really to say a Happy Belated Birthday to America! Jeremy makes fun of me because I like various Country Music Artists, (not all Country, some of it plain annoys me) but what I really like is how Country Music tells a story. Call me a sap but I often find myself impacted by a song. So the this post and the next will have this link. The song below, always makes me smile and reminds me of how proud I am to live in the U.S. of A! Hope everyone had a great 4th!
It's America Lyrics - Rodney Atkins
Drivin' down the street today
Saw the sign for lemonade
They were the cutest kidsI've seen in this front yard
As they handed me my glass
Smiled and thinkin' to myself
Man what a picture perfect postcard this would make
Of america
It's a high school prom
It's a springstein song
It's a ride in a cheverlet
It's a man on the moon
And fireflies in June
Kids sellin lemonade
It's cities and farms
And open arms
One nation under god
It's america
Later on when I got homeI flipped the t.v on
I saw a little town that some big Twister tore apart
People came from miles around
Just to help their neighbors out
And I was thinkin' to my self
I'm so glad that I live in america
It's a high school prom
It's a springstein song
It's a ride in a cheverlet
It's a man on the moon
And fireflies in June
Kids sellin lemonade
It's cities and farms
And open arms
One nation under god
It's america
Now we might not always get it right
But there's nowhere else I rather build my life
Cause it's a kid with a chance
It's a rock n roll band
It's a farmer cuttin' hay
It's a flag blowin' in the summer wind
Over some fallen hero's grave.
It's a high school prom
It's a springstein song
It's a welcome home parade
It's a man on the moon
And fireflies in June
Kids sellin lemonade
It's cities and farms
And open arms
One nation under god
It's america
It's America Lyrics - Rodney Atkins
Drivin' down the street today
Saw the sign for lemonade
They were the cutest kidsI've seen in this front yard
As they handed me my glass
Smiled and thinkin' to myself
Man what a picture perfect postcard this would make
Of america
It's a high school prom
It's a springstein song
It's a ride in a cheverlet
It's a man on the moon
And fireflies in June
Kids sellin lemonade
It's cities and farms
And open arms
One nation under god
It's america
Later on when I got homeI flipped the t.v on
I saw a little town that some big Twister tore apart
People came from miles around
Just to help their neighbors out
And I was thinkin' to my self
I'm so glad that I live in america
It's a high school prom
It's a springstein song
It's a ride in a cheverlet
It's a man on the moon
And fireflies in June
Kids sellin lemonade
It's cities and farms
And open arms
One nation under god
It's america
Now we might not always get it right
But there's nowhere else I rather build my life
Cause it's a kid with a chance
It's a rock n roll band
It's a farmer cuttin' hay
It's a flag blowin' in the summer wind
Over some fallen hero's grave.
It's a high school prom
It's a springstein song
It's a welcome home parade
It's a man on the moon
And fireflies in June
Kids sellin lemonade
It's cities and farms
And open arms
One nation under god
It's america
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Vacation Ulceration
Day 1 of our vacation in Myrtle Beach...in a word...sucked. Let me run you through it:
Starts off ok with bloody mary's at the airport bar in NYC
THEN we get to Myrtle Beach...
We are at the rental counter for almost an hour. Why? Because they were trying to charge us $512 for 4 days of rental instead of the $164 I have reserved it for. So we FINALLY get that figured out and get on the road. I won't even go into what time we have to return the car ahead of our flight on Thurs, it is going to be ridiculous.
We get to the Hilton - we are starving and need some food badly, but our room is ready - YEA! So we check in - they tell us they know nothing about our "bed and breakfast" rate, which we booked through Orbitz that is supposed to include breakfast at one of the Hilton Restaurants each day. They tell us Orbitz isn't allowed to give out that rate - well that's funny because that is what we booked! And we had printed confirmation - they still don't honor it! And tell us to take it up with Orbitz.
So by this time I am pretty sure if I don't eat I am going to get very unreasonable with this woman behind the desk. So we head to the hotel grill and we decide to get something simple to share since we are both starving. We decide on Grilled Chicken Nachos - YUMMMMMMM!.......They take 45 minutes to get to us and they weren't busy. I am about to lose it, but the nacho's have homemade chips and were awesome. So I regain perspective and we go back to the room to call Orbitz.
Orbitz tells us we are right, we should get breakfast each day, they call the Hilton Front Desk for us, this takes about an hour. Orbitz comes back to us and says that Hilton is providing incorrect information to their 3rd party vendors and they are going to "work on it" and get back to us. Meanwhile, even though Orbitz is telling Hilton this is indeed what we booked and Hilton is saying that this has never happened before, they STILL do not honor the rate. We are talking satisfying the customer with breakfast - read...CHEAP FIX. Just do the right thing people. NOPE, they continue to point back at Orbitz and leave the customer in the middle. Well done, oh king of the hospitality industry...
As this is all going on at the front desk, this woman is really smug about the fact that it is not her problem and Orbitz has the issue. I know my limits so I was already letting Jeremy do the talking, but it is so bad, I can't even stand there any more. So I proceed to tell her I can't stand here and listen to this anymore, I don't have time for it and I am supposed to be on vacation and I walk out of the hotel. It was the last straw. I felt like I was at work, putting out fires all day and banging my head into a wall.
The bright spot, I am here with my hubby and we will eventually get to relax and just spend time together. Day 2 has to be better.
Oh and did I mention it is POURING rain?
Starts off ok with bloody mary's at the airport bar in NYC
THEN we get to Myrtle Beach...
We are at the rental counter for almost an hour. Why? Because they were trying to charge us $512 for 4 days of rental instead of the $164 I have reserved it for. So we FINALLY get that figured out and get on the road. I won't even go into what time we have to return the car ahead of our flight on Thurs, it is going to be ridiculous.
We get to the Hilton - we are starving and need some food badly, but our room is ready - YEA! So we check in - they tell us they know nothing about our "bed and breakfast" rate, which we booked through Orbitz that is supposed to include breakfast at one of the Hilton Restaurants each day. They tell us Orbitz isn't allowed to give out that rate - well that's funny because that is what we booked! And we had printed confirmation - they still don't honor it! And tell us to take it up with Orbitz.
So by this time I am pretty sure if I don't eat I am going to get very unreasonable with this woman behind the desk. So we head to the hotel grill and we decide to get something simple to share since we are both starving. We decide on Grilled Chicken Nachos - YUMMMMMMM!.......They take 45 minutes to get to us and they weren't busy. I am about to lose it, but the nacho's have homemade chips and were awesome. So I regain perspective and we go back to the room to call Orbitz.
Orbitz tells us we are right, we should get breakfast each day, they call the Hilton Front Desk for us, this takes about an hour. Orbitz comes back to us and says that Hilton is providing incorrect information to their 3rd party vendors and they are going to "work on it" and get back to us. Meanwhile, even though Orbitz is telling Hilton this is indeed what we booked and Hilton is saying that this has never happened before, they STILL do not honor the rate. We are talking satisfying the customer with breakfast - read...CHEAP FIX. Just do the right thing people. NOPE, they continue to point back at Orbitz and leave the customer in the middle. Well done, oh king of the hospitality industry...
As this is all going on at the front desk, this woman is really smug about the fact that it is not her problem and Orbitz has the issue. I know my limits so I was already letting Jeremy do the talking, but it is so bad, I can't even stand there any more. So I proceed to tell her I can't stand here and listen to this anymore, I don't have time for it and I am supposed to be on vacation and I walk out of the hotel. It was the last straw. I felt like I was at work, putting out fires all day and banging my head into a wall.
The bright spot, I am here with my hubby and we will eventually get to relax and just spend time together. Day 2 has to be better.
Oh and did I mention it is POURING rain?
Friday, June 11, 2010
Breathing easier
Rece had his specialist appt today with the allergist/asthma doctor. The doctor is new to our pediatrics practice and she was so great. She was so understanding, and told me that Rece's "reaction" to colds was not normal/acceptable and that we can make it better. First they tested him for 20 indoor and outdoor allergies, there was zero reaction. This is VERY good news. Allergies at this point in life would be a signal/sign that he might indeed have true asthma later in life. She said what she is sure he does have is "reactive" airways. When he gets the common cold, his airways inflame and we get the horrible cough, wheezing, and the secondary infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia etc. So what she suggested was that we start him on an anti-inflamatory steroid (which we have done during colds in the past and has worked ok) on a preemptive strike type basis, from September - May rergardless if he has a cold. To cover ALL of cold and flu season. She said normally he might have to do this one or two more seasons and then he and his airways will grow and this problem will fade into history...and we will only have the story to tell about how rough he had it the first year or so. So we go back to her in August to get our meds and equipment to help us through cold and flu season, unless he gets another episode sooner and then we start and just continue it until further notice so to speak.
I feel like we have a resource now that is focusing on his specific symptoms and can truely help. I really like Rece's primary care doctor but he is really there for acute care, treat, make better for the time being and release. Maybe we will actually get to a time when if my son rolls over and coughs at night I don't loose two hours sleep laying awake with anxiety about how we are going to take time off work and how long and how bad the next cold will be.
I feel like we have a resource now that is focusing on his specific symptoms and can truely help. I really like Rece's primary care doctor but he is really there for acute care, treat, make better for the time being and release. Maybe we will actually get to a time when if my son rolls over and coughs at night I don't loose two hours sleep laying awake with anxiety about how we are going to take time off work and how long and how bad the next cold will be.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Man Talk
I have wanted to make a note of all of the words that Rece uses consistently already at 15.5 months old. I love his talkative nature and his vocabulary and that fact that I can already have a semi-real conversation with the kid. I want to be able to remember all of the cute things he was already babbling at this age, and I also realize that this might be the one and only time his word list fits into a blog, so here is the list of the ones I can think of that he uses clearly, in no particular order:
1. Mama
2. Dada
3. Emma
4. Elmo
5. Big Bird
6. Gabba
7. Milk
8. Truck
9. Bus
10. Where they (or daddy or mama) go?
11. Uh-oh
12. Ank eww (Thank You)
13. Eyes
14. Nose
15. Mouth
16. Teeth
17. Blues Clues
18. Bat
19. Ball
20. EiEi-O
21. Walrus
22. Door
23. Cat & Meow
24. Dog & Woof
25. Sheep & Baaaaaa
26. Pa-cock - (Peacock)
27. Elmigo (Flamingo)
28. Hi & Heewo (hello)
29. Bowl
30. Nana (Bananna)
31. Cheese
32. Uffs (Puffs)
33. Outside
34. Mess (he likes to clean up after himself)
35. Apples
36. Wawa (water)
37. No
38. Pee-Pee
39. Clock
40. Box
41. Nih Night
42. Baf (Bath)
43. Duck
44. Bwrd (Bird)
45. Unny (Bunny)
46. Book
47. Spoon
48. Down
49. Bye-bye
50. Wha's that?
51. Piper (his best buddy at daycare)
52. Cast :-(
53. Shoes
54. Socks
55. Mouse
56. Balloon
57. Walk
58. Light
59. Ming Ming
60. Tuck
61. Linny (the above 3 are the wonder pets)
62. Yuck!
63. Baby
64. On
65. Off
66. Bubbles
67. Owwwww (as he pinches you he will say this)
68. Inside
69. Mail
70. Keys
71. Moose
72. Mine
73. Rece
1. Mama
2. Dada
3. Emma
4. Elmo
5. Big Bird
6. Gabba
7. Milk
8. Truck
9. Bus
10. Where they (or daddy or mama) go?
11. Uh-oh
12. Ank eww (Thank You)
13. Eyes
14. Nose
15. Mouth
16. Teeth
17. Blues Clues
18. Bat
19. Ball
20. EiEi-O
21. Walrus
22. Door
23. Cat & Meow
24. Dog & Woof
25. Sheep & Baaaaaa
26. Pa-cock - (Peacock)
27. Elmigo (Flamingo)
28. Hi & Heewo (hello)
29. Bowl
30. Nana (Bananna)
31. Cheese
32. Uffs (Puffs)
33. Outside
34. Mess (he likes to clean up after himself)
35. Apples
36. Wawa (water)
37. No
38. Pee-Pee
39. Clock
40. Box
41. Nih Night
42. Baf (Bath)
43. Duck
44. Bwrd (Bird)
45. Unny (Bunny)
46. Book
47. Spoon
48. Down
49. Bye-bye
50. Wha's that?
51. Piper (his best buddy at daycare)
52. Cast :-(
53. Shoes
54. Socks
55. Mouse
56. Balloon
57. Walk
58. Light
59. Ming Ming
60. Tuck
61. Linny (the above 3 are the wonder pets)
62. Yuck!
63. Baby
64. On
65. Off
66. Bubbles
67. Owwwww (as he pinches you he will say this)
68. Inside
69. Mail
70. Keys
71. Moose
72. Mine
73. Rece
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Super Quick Update
Haven't posted in two weeks so here is a fly by update:
-Rece is doing well with the cast, he wears his walking boot all the time and always wants to be standing walking etc in it. He needs a hand when walking b/c the cast throws off his balance. It comes off in less than two weeks. May 28. Whoot Whoot!
-He is getting his two bottom "eye" teeth and not doing so well there. Not that I should be even a little surprised since every time he cuts a set he gets a nasty cold at the EXACT same time. This time he is a major mucus head with cough and a very high fever. Up to 103.9 - not cool. I feel so bad for him he is in rough shape and to complicate matters I fly to Pasadena on Tuesday...of course I do....
-Rece is a certified Jr. Webster. He is a walking toddler dictionary. I think he can say and identify meaning to like 35-40 words, maybe more, I don't know any more. Frankly I am scared of his vocabulary! lol. And have begun to spell things I don't want repeated or that I don't want him to get excited about before they are ready like "m-i-l-k". The other night I was reading the Polar Bear, Polar Bear book and he opened it to a back page and said "That's Walrus" as clear as I just typed it.
-We have been really busy, baseball (all 37 leagues that Jeremy is involved in, okay 2) are in full swing and my work is packed to the brim with action action action. I am involved in some really cool stuff, but there aren't enough hours in the day.
-We booked our vacation to North Myrtle Beach - I got a great deal at the Myrtle Beach Hilton and flights - 5 days, 4 nights for under a grand. I really struggled to select a locale and then a hotel. But ultimately I made it simple. The criteria came down to: On the beach, nice pool(s) and pool bar was a must. Check, Check, Check. Oh and it has a Starbucks in the lobby. Bonus. Cannot wait.
-Rece is doing well with the cast, he wears his walking boot all the time and always wants to be standing walking etc in it. He needs a hand when walking b/c the cast throws off his balance. It comes off in less than two weeks. May 28. Whoot Whoot!
-He is getting his two bottom "eye" teeth and not doing so well there. Not that I should be even a little surprised since every time he cuts a set he gets a nasty cold at the EXACT same time. This time he is a major mucus head with cough and a very high fever. Up to 103.9 - not cool. I feel so bad for him he is in rough shape and to complicate matters I fly to Pasadena on Tuesday...of course I do....
-Rece is a certified Jr. Webster. He is a walking toddler dictionary. I think he can say and identify meaning to like 35-40 words, maybe more, I don't know any more. Frankly I am scared of his vocabulary! lol. And have begun to spell things I don't want repeated or that I don't want him to get excited about before they are ready like "m-i-l-k". The other night I was reading the Polar Bear, Polar Bear book and he opened it to a back page and said "That's Walrus" as clear as I just typed it.
-We have been really busy, baseball (all 37 leagues that Jeremy is involved in, okay 2) are in full swing and my work is packed to the brim with action action action. I am involved in some really cool stuff, but there aren't enough hours in the day.
-We booked our vacation to North Myrtle Beach - I got a great deal at the Myrtle Beach Hilton and flights - 5 days, 4 nights for under a grand. I really struggled to select a locale and then a hotel. But ultimately I made it simple. The criteria came down to: On the beach, nice pool(s) and pool bar was a must. Check, Check, Check. Oh and it has a Starbucks in the lobby. Bonus. Cannot wait.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
On The Bright Side
Ok - Fresh perspective. Deep Breath.
Trying to find the positives in our current situation:
The Top Five Reasons to be positive after Rece's broken leg:
5. I can easily clip his toenails on the left foot without him moving his toes everywhere
4. We can use his cast as the latest art project for the toddler room
3. We are back to him not being able to beat me to objects he is not supposed to have
2. The cast adds weight which tones the arms
1. I finally have a use for all the one off baby socks!
Trying to find the positives in our current situation:
The Top Five Reasons to be positive after Rece's broken leg:
5. I can easily clip his toenails on the left foot without him moving his toes everywhere
4. We can use his cast as the latest art project for the toddler room
3. We are back to him not being able to beat me to objects he is not supposed to have
2. The cast adds weight which tones the arms
1. I finally have a use for all the one off baby socks!
Par for the Course
Warning to all readers: The following is going to be a complete and utter gripe fest complete with "whoa as me" and more whine than is in my winerator...
Let me start by saying WTH? Why is our "normal", as parents with Rece a complete freakng muddle of ridiculousness and struggles?
In case you are a reader who hasn't heard, Rece broke his leg at daycare this week. YEP. BROKE IT. And I am pissed off. Not at the daycare, actually I have ZERO complaints about this place and I think the teachers are great they absolutley love him and are just as devestated as we are. They should know that for us this is just another stupid crazy thing to add to the list. And it was just that, Crazy. He was climbing on a activity center thing, similar to one we have at home, he slipped, like he does all the time because he is still learning to walk steadily and he fell on his butt. BUT, his foot got caught as he was falling and it twisted and it broke. So he has a cast and he will wear it for 4 weeks. I am ticked that this happened. This freak thing. It sucks. This kid can't catch a break.
To reinforce this point, lets go back in time....one week. Last Tuesday night we were getting ready to give Rece a bath and we take off his shirt and his Left Nipple is all red and puffy and when I touch it a pus head comes to the surface. WTH!?!?!? So me being the freaked out first time mom that I am take him in the next morning, and the doctor (whom is one of the Peds Dr.s we have never seen before) becomes very serious and tells me he has a Mastitis and "it could become very serious" if it is not treated properly. Oh wait, yes, I said Mastitis - a breast tissue infection. The doctor tells is it is "rare" but they do see it and it can occur in both boys and girls of any age. He also tells me that the "bacteria" just gets in through a pore, in this case it was a pore on his nipple. OH, and the "bacteria" are often like a staph or a MERSA. Anyway, we get antibotics, which we haven't had since Dec. (Thank You Ear Tubes) for this infection and they work like a charm, Rece wasn't even phased. When I took him back three days later to make sure the infection was gone, the Dr. kept Thanking me for brining him in. Ummmm, that is a first. Then he proceedes to tell me - he once saw a little boy with this infection and he lost half of his chest wall to the infection. Glad he didn't tell me that the first day I saw him.
Since Rece was born here is what he and we have dealt with:
-GERD
-A nasal tip hemangioma
-Cold after Cold after Flu after Cold
-250 ear infections - ok not that many but a bunch
-A mastitis
-A broken Leg
That equals out to something happening every 2.3 months. If you divide out all the terrbile colds and Flu's this winter, that drives the average down to what like every two weeks?
I actually asked Jeremy last night after we got home from the hospital - "Do you think this is God's way of telling us to only have one kid?" We laughed - but seriously. What are we doing wrong here? Rece is a GREAT kid, the perfect kid for all of this to happen to actually because he is a tropper but he deserves a break - and I do not mean another limb. And the problem is I don't know how to get him that break. I am feeling so helpless as a mom, like I can't protect my kid. This is stupid but I seriously picture his medical file at the pediatrics office, I cannot even imagine what a new doctor would think scrolling through his history. All I can imagine them saying is "what are these people doing?????"....what are we doing? Sigh.
I think I am done feeling sorry for us. Myself. Rece is still smiling.
Let me start by saying WTH? Why is our "normal", as parents with Rece a complete freakng muddle of ridiculousness and struggles?
In case you are a reader who hasn't heard, Rece broke his leg at daycare this week. YEP. BROKE IT. And I am pissed off. Not at the daycare, actually I have ZERO complaints about this place and I think the teachers are great they absolutley love him and are just as devestated as we are. They should know that for us this is just another stupid crazy thing to add to the list. And it was just that, Crazy. He was climbing on a activity center thing, similar to one we have at home, he slipped, like he does all the time because he is still learning to walk steadily and he fell on his butt. BUT, his foot got caught as he was falling and it twisted and it broke. So he has a cast and he will wear it for 4 weeks. I am ticked that this happened. This freak thing. It sucks. This kid can't catch a break.
To reinforce this point, lets go back in time....one week. Last Tuesday night we were getting ready to give Rece a bath and we take off his shirt and his Left Nipple is all red and puffy and when I touch it a pus head comes to the surface. WTH!?!?!? So me being the freaked out first time mom that I am take him in the next morning, and the doctor (whom is one of the Peds Dr.s we have never seen before) becomes very serious and tells me he has a Mastitis and "it could become very serious" if it is not treated properly. Oh wait, yes, I said Mastitis - a breast tissue infection. The doctor tells is it is "rare" but they do see it and it can occur in both boys and girls of any age. He also tells me that the "bacteria" just gets in through a pore, in this case it was a pore on his nipple. OH, and the "bacteria" are often like a staph or a MERSA. Anyway, we get antibotics, which we haven't had since Dec. (Thank You Ear Tubes) for this infection and they work like a charm, Rece wasn't even phased. When I took him back three days later to make sure the infection was gone, the Dr. kept Thanking me for brining him in. Ummmm, that is a first. Then he proceedes to tell me - he once saw a little boy with this infection and he lost half of his chest wall to the infection. Glad he didn't tell me that the first day I saw him.
Since Rece was born here is what he and we have dealt with:
-GERD
-A nasal tip hemangioma
-Cold after Cold after Flu after Cold
-250 ear infections - ok not that many but a bunch
-A mastitis
-A broken Leg
That equals out to something happening every 2.3 months. If you divide out all the terrbile colds and Flu's this winter, that drives the average down to what like every two weeks?
I actually asked Jeremy last night after we got home from the hospital - "Do you think this is God's way of telling us to only have one kid?" We laughed - but seriously. What are we doing wrong here? Rece is a GREAT kid, the perfect kid for all of this to happen to actually because he is a tropper but he deserves a break - and I do not mean another limb. And the problem is I don't know how to get him that break. I am feeling so helpless as a mom, like I can't protect my kid. This is stupid but I seriously picture his medical file at the pediatrics office, I cannot even imagine what a new doctor would think scrolling through his history. All I can imagine them saying is "what are these people doing?????"....what are we doing? Sigh.
I think I am done feeling sorry for us. Myself. Rece is still smiling.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
1 Kid and 100 Posts and Counting
This is my 100th Blog Post. I started the blog on August 31, 2008. When I went back and found that date - I couldn't believe it. 2008. Seems like forever ago. I was only 2 months pregnant for instance...and now I find it funny that I measure time, as in when an event happened, in three time buckets: before I was pregnant, when I was pregnant and after Rece was born. Since that time, I have found I enjoy blogging quite a bit, when I actually get to it, and I wish I could post more - not so every mundane detail of life could be read about by others (I have FB for that, should I so choose ;-) but for me to be able to look back and remember more about the stage that is "After Rece was Born". Time seems to have accelerated to warp speed since we started this stage of life and it sad to think there will be a time where all of the little daily memories we are making now are hard to recollect. Hopefully we will enjoy looking back and remembering our crazy life - one post at a time ;-)
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Spoiled
Our "spring" weather has been so incredible that we have been incredibly spoiled. Easter weekend was 80+ and Sunny everyday for goodness sakes...And even since then we have had very few days that weren't 65+ and sunny. So today, being that it is the middle of April I can't help but be bummed that the weather is so cold and windy and well....seasonal. This is the kind of weather we are "supposed" to be having. Yuck.
Anyway, since I am a baseball widow today and Rece is quietly watching Yo Gabba Gabba and having a snack of milk and goldfish crackers, I thought, no better time to draft up a blog post.
So what has been going on you ask? Well lots I suppose.
Big Rece news: He started taking independent steps! He has been walking behind push toys and using a mommy or daddy finger as support for a while, but now he is doing it all by himself a few steps at a time.
He is also starting to use mini sentences - no joke here, I am no Dr. Sears or anything (and I could be a wee bit biased) but I think his vocabulary and speaking ability is pretty stellar. Jeremy and I counted about 25 "words" that he has now, and I am sure we are forgetting some. He is also putting things together: Thank You, What's That?, Where they go? He loves books and sits patiently (most mornings) waiting for mommy and daddy to get ready and reads to himself, just flipping through one board book after another. He is so social, we go to Target and he says Hi to everyone we see throughout the store and then after we have checked out he switches to Bye to everyone on the way out. This weekend the guy at Lowes said "Hey buddy, you can probably do my job" - he was the guy who hangs out at the door greets you and directs you to the department you are looking for. He also likes to tell you what is his, example the other day he took the lady at day-care's flip flop off and kept telling her "shoe, mine!". For 14 months old, I think he is a genius. But like I said I could be a little bit biased. ;-)
Other than that, we think (Rece's pediatrician and I) that Rece may have seasonal allergies, so we are trying some children's claritan to see if his symptoms improve.
Other than Rece's happenings, work has been good, busy as ever before but I like it really, I like the intensity and I feel like I get more done when the pressure is on. Jeremy is in a word "baseball". He is coaching the High School JV team and they are playing 3-4 games a week and then he is playing in two leagues which have started to "practice" - good lord ;-)
Lastly, a couple of products/things I have discovered and love lately:
Steamfresh single serve veggies - peas in particular - Rece LOVES peas. Go figure.
Green Giant "Just for One" veggies - especially Cauliflower with cheese sauce ;-)
Shutterfly Share sites - great way to share pictures without having to email them.
Kids consignment sales - I got Rece's entire summer wardrobe for next to nothing.
My new virtual wallet account at PNC - IT ROCKS!
Zyrtec and Flonase - Need them both to surrvive my allergies this time of year.
Anyway, since I am a baseball widow today and Rece is quietly watching Yo Gabba Gabba and having a snack of milk and goldfish crackers, I thought, no better time to draft up a blog post.
So what has been going on you ask? Well lots I suppose.
Big Rece news: He started taking independent steps! He has been walking behind push toys and using a mommy or daddy finger as support for a while, but now he is doing it all by himself a few steps at a time.
He is also starting to use mini sentences - no joke here, I am no Dr. Sears or anything (and I could be a wee bit biased) but I think his vocabulary and speaking ability is pretty stellar. Jeremy and I counted about 25 "words" that he has now, and I am sure we are forgetting some. He is also putting things together: Thank You, What's That?, Where they go? He loves books and sits patiently (most mornings) waiting for mommy and daddy to get ready and reads to himself, just flipping through one board book after another. He is so social, we go to Target and he says Hi to everyone we see throughout the store and then after we have checked out he switches to Bye to everyone on the way out. This weekend the guy at Lowes said "Hey buddy, you can probably do my job" - he was the guy who hangs out at the door greets you and directs you to the department you are looking for. He also likes to tell you what is his, example the other day he took the lady at day-care's flip flop off and kept telling her "shoe, mine!". For 14 months old, I think he is a genius. But like I said I could be a little bit biased. ;-)
Other than that, we think (Rece's pediatrician and I) that Rece may have seasonal allergies, so we are trying some children's claritan to see if his symptoms improve.
Other than Rece's happenings, work has been good, busy as ever before but I like it really, I like the intensity and I feel like I get more done when the pressure is on. Jeremy is in a word "baseball". He is coaching the High School JV team and they are playing 3-4 games a week and then he is playing in two leagues which have started to "practice" - good lord ;-)
Lastly, a couple of products/things I have discovered and love lately:
Steamfresh single serve veggies - peas in particular - Rece LOVES peas. Go figure.
Green Giant "Just for One" veggies - especially Cauliflower with cheese sauce ;-)
Shutterfly Share sites - great way to share pictures without having to email them.
Kids consignment sales - I got Rece's entire summer wardrobe for next to nothing.
My new virtual wallet account at PNC - IT ROCKS!
Zyrtec and Flonase - Need them both to surrvive my allergies this time of year.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A list of random updates from a blog slacker
That's me. I am a slackerpotamus. The last post I had was for Rece's first birthday and things have just been so hectic since then. I traveled for work during 3 separate weeks and Rece was sick once - our first "cold" that did not result in antibiotics for an ear or chest infection. WHOHOO! Rece transitioned into the toddler room which means sippy cups and big boy food (which I have also been a slacker with) and work has been so crazy that by the time I get home and try to figure out what to feed a toddler (now that I can just grab a jar or two of something)I don't have much ambition left to do anything - including blogging ;-)
So anyway, enough excuses and on to updates:
Rece is on a teething rampage - and they are flipping huge molars. How is it that the molars of such a little person, in such a little mouth can be sooooooooo big? He finally cut his other set of bottom incisors and has one bottom molar about 50% through, with the other bottom one all swollen and ginormous. He won't let me anywhere near his gums most of the time so I have no idea what is going on up top, but Jeremy swore he saw a swollen mess up there as well. When he got his vaccines last week in combination with the teeth I thought colic had returned to my house. He moved to the "Toddler Room" on March 15th, he has done really well, they do all milk, sippy cups and table food over there so that has been a fun adjustment. He has picked it up well and faster than I thought he would since his table food choices are limited at home and although he could handle the sippy, the bottle was still his primary beverage delivery system. Rece is about as adaptable as it gets though and has not missed a beat. Most amazing to me is that the kids nap on cots in the toddler room and all I could picture is Rece crawling around during nap time poking other kids in the eye but he has been a great napper on the cots. His vocabulary is amazing I have lost count of his words at this point, as there are many. Yesterday he picked up "bwrd" for bird because we saw so many on our outdoor adventures.
Ahhhh, the outdoors, I have missed you. Thank god it is spring. It is so energizing to be able to go outside and take the little man to the store or to the park without spending 20 minutes layering him with winter gear. Rece is not accustomed to the outside and thus far is not a fan of being on the ground by himself but we will work on that. Jeremy has started baseball and it seems to be going well so far they have had great weather which always helps. On my end, my most exciting news is - I am getting a cleaning lady! Rece's daycare rate dropped a bit and in May I will be getting a raise and well.....I don't have to justify it, I want a clean house and with my work schedule and Jeremy in baseball, I can't keep up and it drives me nuts. She is going to do a "spring clean" over the next two Tuesdays and then will come every other week to do our "maintenance" cleaning. I am at the point that I would give up coffee or wine or whatever it took to get this into the budget. (ok maybe not quite THAT extreme but you get my drift)
Randomness:
* We are changing banks, I hate ours because the Internet banking is awful and I rely on Internet banking heavily so I did research and found that the PNC Virtual Wallet is perfect for us. It has a high yield savings that you don't have to have millions of dollars saved to earn the rate and the e-banking is second to none it even has financial tools like what I used to use on Wesabe built right in! Time saver! If you have PNC by you - check it out.
*I cannot make a decision on our June vacation - first it was Mexico, then Seattle, and now?????? All I have decided is that I want to stay and spend our money in the US.
*Our next big house project is going to be replacing our Front Door and Storm Door. For any readers who have done this...put it in ourselves? Or pay Lowes to do it? We are cheap, but it IS our front door so we want it to be done right...the debate rages on...lol. ;-)
*I am trying to build a new wardrobe for myself. Being pregnant last year, I didn't really do any shopping and I also have hung on to a lot of clothes from college that either will never fit the same, or are a little to "young" for what I would feel comfortable wearing now. So I am purging a lot of stuff (goodwill) and trying to buy some quality pieces that mix and match well and that will last a while. With a budget this won't happen overnight, and I need to get out of my typical pattern of "but it's only 7 dollars" when it doesn't really fit or look good.
*Since I slack on this blog, I REALLY slack on the other blog I started, so I am going to delete it. I am on this kick around simplifing life and that means getting rid of things you don't use or need. One last update: I only have 5 lbs or so to go to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight and I wore a pair of my size 8 jeans to work last Friday and they were no longer tight around the waist. I am not normally a number sharer, but seriously, YEA for me!
So anyway, enough excuses and on to updates:
Rece is on a teething rampage - and they are flipping huge molars. How is it that the molars of such a little person, in such a little mouth can be sooooooooo big? He finally cut his other set of bottom incisors and has one bottom molar about 50% through, with the other bottom one all swollen and ginormous. He won't let me anywhere near his gums most of the time so I have no idea what is going on up top, but Jeremy swore he saw a swollen mess up there as well. When he got his vaccines last week in combination with the teeth I thought colic had returned to my house. He moved to the "Toddler Room" on March 15th, he has done really well, they do all milk, sippy cups and table food over there so that has been a fun adjustment. He has picked it up well and faster than I thought he would since his table food choices are limited at home and although he could handle the sippy, the bottle was still his primary beverage delivery system. Rece is about as adaptable as it gets though and has not missed a beat. Most amazing to me is that the kids nap on cots in the toddler room and all I could picture is Rece crawling around during nap time poking other kids in the eye but he has been a great napper on the cots. His vocabulary is amazing I have lost count of his words at this point, as there are many. Yesterday he picked up "bwrd" for bird because we saw so many on our outdoor adventures.
Ahhhh, the outdoors, I have missed you. Thank god it is spring. It is so energizing to be able to go outside and take the little man to the store or to the park without spending 20 minutes layering him with winter gear. Rece is not accustomed to the outside and thus far is not a fan of being on the ground by himself but we will work on that. Jeremy has started baseball and it seems to be going well so far they have had great weather which always helps. On my end, my most exciting news is - I am getting a cleaning lady! Rece's daycare rate dropped a bit and in May I will be getting a raise and well.....I don't have to justify it, I want a clean house and with my work schedule and Jeremy in baseball, I can't keep up and it drives me nuts. She is going to do a "spring clean" over the next two Tuesdays and then will come every other week to do our "maintenance" cleaning. I am at the point that I would give up coffee or wine or whatever it took to get this into the budget. (ok maybe not quite THAT extreme but you get my drift)
Randomness:
* We are changing banks, I hate ours because the Internet banking is awful and I rely on Internet banking heavily so I did research and found that the PNC Virtual Wallet is perfect for us. It has a high yield savings that you don't have to have millions of dollars saved to earn the rate and the e-banking is second to none it even has financial tools like what I used to use on Wesabe built right in! Time saver! If you have PNC by you - check it out.
*I cannot make a decision on our June vacation - first it was Mexico, then Seattle, and now?????? All I have decided is that I want to stay and spend our money in the US.
*Our next big house project is going to be replacing our Front Door and Storm Door. For any readers who have done this...put it in ourselves? Or pay Lowes to do it? We are cheap, but it IS our front door so we want it to be done right...the debate rages on...lol. ;-)
*I am trying to build a new wardrobe for myself. Being pregnant last year, I didn't really do any shopping and I also have hung on to a lot of clothes from college that either will never fit the same, or are a little to "young" for what I would feel comfortable wearing now. So I am purging a lot of stuff (goodwill) and trying to buy some quality pieces that mix and match well and that will last a while. With a budget this won't happen overnight, and I need to get out of my typical pattern of "but it's only 7 dollars" when it doesn't really fit or look good.
*Since I slack on this blog, I REALLY slack on the other blog I started, so I am going to delete it. I am on this kick around simplifing life and that means getting rid of things you don't use or need. One last update: I only have 5 lbs or so to go to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight and I wore a pair of my size 8 jeans to work last Friday and they were no longer tight around the waist. I am not normally a number sharer, but seriously, YEA for me!
Monday, February 22, 2010
My Blue Eyed Boy
On Sunday February 14th - our beautiful baby boy turned one! What was truly amazing, other than the fact that an entire year has gone by, was that over the last 2 weeks I have felt like I have seen Rece make the transition from baby to toddler - he has started talking A LOT and getting so close to walking, and even the way he looks, he is losing some of his little rolls and has the newly emerging frame of a little boy and less and less of a chubby baby. What stays the same, amazingly enough, are his beautiful dark blue eyes. I never in a million years pictured Jeremy and my child with big blue eyes, and when Rece was born with hair as dark as mine I figured his eyes would follow and turn my dark brown or at the very least a hazel like his daddy. His hair has lightened considerably, but not those eyes, they have not changed, they have stayed that gorgeous sparkling blue.
Quick Stats @ 12 Months
* 24 lbs - 68th percentile
* 31 inches long - 86 percentile
I truly cannot believe the first year has come and gone. Some months have moved faster than others....but now it seems like the days go by at warp speed. I can't tell if it is getting easier - like everyone kept saying at would as he got older, or if we are just getting better at being parents. Nothing like on the job training I guess. For me, I feel like I spent the first few months of Rece's life, "managing" motherhood, just getting through it, wanting it to pass. Over the last several months though, I feel like I am finally enjoying being a mom. I have even had a micro thought, about a thought, about thinking about, having another one someday.... (don't get to excited Grandparents...it is going to be a while yet)
Anyway, I digress....for his big day we went home to Michigan and he and daddy flew! So he actually had his first airplane ride before he was a year old. We had two birthday parties, one at my mom and dad's on Saturday and one at Jeremy's parents on Valentines Day - his actual Birthday. Both were a lot of fun. He isn't much into soft or fluffy foods so he more or less smashed the cake and licked the frosting off his fingers.
He got lots of cool toys and clothes and a bunch of people also went together on a HUGE outdoor toy for this summer. Can't wait!
A few more pics of the milestone!
Happy Birthday Rece! We love you bunches!!!
Quick Stats @ 12 Months* 24 lbs - 68th percentile
* 31 inches long - 86 percentile
I truly cannot believe the first year has come and gone. Some months have moved faster than others....but now it seems like the days go by at warp speed. I can't tell if it is getting easier - like everyone kept saying at would as he got older, or if we are just getting better at being parents. Nothing like on the job training I guess. For me, I feel like I spent the first few months of Rece's life, "managing" motherhood, just getting through it, wanting it to pass. Over the last several months though, I feel like I am finally enjoying being a mom. I have even had a micro thought, about a thought, about thinking about, having another one someday.... (don't get to excited Grandparents...it is going to be a while yet)
Anyway, I digress....for his big day we went home to Michigan and he and daddy flew! So he actually had his first airplane ride before he was a year old. We had two birthday parties, one at my mom and dad's on Saturday and one at Jeremy's parents on Valentines Day - his actual Birthday. Both were a lot of fun. He isn't much into soft or fluffy foods so he more or less smashed the cake and licked the frosting off his fingers.
He got lots of cool toys and clothes and a bunch of people also went together on a HUGE outdoor toy for this summer. Can't wait!
A few more pics of the milestone!
Happy Birthday Rece! We love you bunches!!!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
My winerator is bare - help me fill it...
I need to restock the winerator. I love wine but I want to branch out, so please suggest your fave whites and reds for my tasting pleasure. I am ready to try some new ones!!!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Mr. Rece's Neighborhood
Jeremy's mom and dad got us an AWESOME flip share camera for Christmas. (I think they may want to see video of Rece ;-) We love it. I am hoping this link will work to "Mr. Rece's Neighborhood" which is our Flip Share Channel. I will post it from time to time when we add to it. If you want to pee your pants watch the one where he is in the walker. All are good, but that is my fave.
*****For some reason it is now requiring a login id and password- I have my hubby working on this hopefully he will fix it soon****************************
*****For some reason it is now requiring a login id and password- I have my hubby working on this hopefully he will fix it soon****************************
Saturday, January 16, 2010
2009 - The Year Of The Rolaid
I figured that I should probably aim to get my "new years" post done before the end of the first month of 2010. So here I am.
What a year. It was a good year for our little family, as we added our beautiful son and had many, many wonderful moments and laughs watching him grow and develop. I will hit all the highlights of Rece three weeks from now when he turns 1. Unbelievable!
It was also an a stressful and anxiety filled year for me personally. And with all seriousness, came with a good deal of heartburn and hence....Rolaids....Let me re-cap by month,it's a long one so if you aren't up for it that is ok - it is just as much for my therapy as it is for your reading pleasure:
January - Pregnant. Getting things ready at work and at home. Preparing for baby. The economy sucks and we announce a wage freeze at work. We take childbirth classes and hospital tours and infant CPR. Oh and I get the stomach flu at 35 weeks preggo. Rolaids.
February- Nerves start to kick in about Rece's impending arrival - his due date is March 5th. Heartburn is in full effect due to giant baby pressing on all acid pumps. Rolaids. On Friday the 13th I went to the OB to have them check some fluid I was noticing. I was sure it was fine....but....just in case. After an hour at the office of testing and re-testing the OB gives me a piece of paper and points his finger through the lobby - I say "I get to go home" - he says "Nope - over to the hospital" he tells me I am going to be induced. ROLAIDS.
I was supposed to go directly over to the hospital. But I call Jeremy and decide I will go home first. I need to finish "getting ready" and I need to eat. I remember in child birth class that they don't let you eat once you are induced. I go home and I eat a granola bar and two pieces of toast as fast as I can. I am induced at 4pm - 3 weeks early. I spend the first two hours sending work email and finishing up things I thought I would have another two weeks to get done. Pop pop go the Rolaids.
I get an Epidural at 5 am on Valentines Day. It only numbs one side fully. This proves to be an issue during transitional labor. For this - Rolaids did not suffice. At 3:30 Rece was born. Our lives were blessed and bettered forever. You know that old wives tale about heartburn during pregnancy and the amount of hair babies have? Rece had a TON of hair. Thank you Rolaids.
What a year. It was a good year for our little family, as we added our beautiful son and had many, many wonderful moments and laughs watching him grow and develop. I will hit all the highlights of Rece three weeks from now when he turns 1. Unbelievable!
It was also an a stressful and anxiety filled year for me personally. And with all seriousness, came with a good deal of heartburn and hence....Rolaids....Let me re-cap by month,it's a long one so if you aren't up for it that is ok - it is just as much for my therapy as it is for your reading pleasure:
January - Pregnant. Getting things ready at work and at home. Preparing for baby. The economy sucks and we announce a wage freeze at work. We take childbirth classes and hospital tours and infant CPR. Oh and I get the stomach flu at 35 weeks preggo. Rolaids.
February- Nerves start to kick in about Rece's impending arrival - his due date is March 5th. Heartburn is in full effect due to giant baby pressing on all acid pumps. Rolaids. On Friday the 13th I went to the OB to have them check some fluid I was noticing. I was sure it was fine....but....just in case. After an hour at the office of testing and re-testing the OB gives me a piece of paper and points his finger through the lobby - I say "I get to go home" - he says "Nope - over to the hospital" he tells me I am going to be induced. ROLAIDS.
I was supposed to go directly over to the hospital. But I call Jeremy and decide I will go home first. I need to finish "getting ready" and I need to eat. I remember in child birth class that they don't let you eat once you are induced. I go home and I eat a granola bar and two pieces of toast as fast as I can. I am induced at 4pm - 3 weeks early. I spend the first two hours sending work email and finishing up things I thought I would have another two weeks to get done. Pop pop go the Rolaids.
I get an Epidural at 5 am on Valentines Day. It only numbs one side fully. This proves to be an issue during transitional labor. For this - Rolaids did not suffice. At 3:30 Rece was born. Our lives were blessed and bettered forever. You know that old wives tale about heartburn during pregnancy and the amount of hair babies have? Rece had a TON of hair. Thank you Rolaids.
We get home and I have major baby blues. For the first week I cry because I am no longer pregnant and I miss feeling the baby move. Then nursing sucks and does not work for us and Rece is colicky and begins to reflux. Rolaids.
March - Nursing goes from bad to worse. It is all screwed up for us. Rece's reflux gets worse and he barely sleeps. When he does sleep, I cannot and lay awake with anxiety and worry. I stop eating any dairy and soy, tomatoes, coffee, onions, garlic and the list goes on and on. I do however eat Rolaids..... ;-) The days are long and blurry. The nights are short. I pretty much cry on and off all day and often think "what was I thinking"? Jeremy is coaching baseball and has long days away.
April - See March.
We switch to formula. I go on bender of eating cheese and pizza and wine and coffee. I gain back any weight I have lost when I couldn't eat anything. Rolaids sweet Rolaids. Things slowly start to improve.
May - Rece starts daycare and I go back to work. We all get the stomach flu the second week he is in daycare. But miraculously he begins to sleep at night waking only once each night at around 4am for a bottle. We get into a pretty good little routine. I am pretty sure I have died and gone to heaven.
June- Routine continues. Baseball seems to be never ending. Rece gets his first ear infection after being "stuffy" since literally the end of March. Even though Rece is sleeping now and I am sleeping too, I am so so so tired all the time. I am slapping myself in the car on the way to and from work to try and stay awake. I have no energy and I am unable to lose any baby weight. I am stuck. Pass the rolaids please...
July - We road trip home for vacation. Rece gets a second ear infection on the 4th of July when we are in Traverse City. We survive the road trip of mammoth proportions traveling with a 5 month old.
August - Rece turns 6 months old and I am still WAY over my pregnancy weight. Ugh. But the summer closes nice and the munchkin stays pretty healthy all month. Yea! My car dies randomly on the way to work and my engine is completely shot. The infamous "bolt" is not under warranty. For this I consider Tums...but settle for Extra Strength Rolaids.
September - We start a new daycare that we had been on a waiting list for. The month is enjoyable and pretty much uneventful - I am sure we had an ear infection or cold or two but can't remember the details now. I finally begin to feel a little bit like my old self.
October - The swine or not the swine - that is the question. Rece gets sick and I mean SICK. He is out of daycare for a week and is in miserable shape. The nebulizer finds a new home at the Rellingers. And begins Rece's very own "steroid era". Work is crazy when I can get there consistently which is hard when your child is sick ALL OF THE TIME!!! Plus we begin to have issues with the daycare...small at first.... and then they get worse. You know what is coming. I'll take three, Rolaids that is.
November - We continue to chalk up the ear infections, one after another. I find an egregious violation of basic care at the daycare and have a complete melt down. I have to find a new place. Jeremy is super sick and they even consider that he may have Whooping Cough. Thank goodness he doesn't but he misses an entire week of school. In addition, Angel wakes up one day and her back legs do not work anymore. She is put to sleep one week later. Rolaids do not suffice. Much wine is consumed.
December - Tubes go in after 7 ear infections in 6 months. It goes well and we have a marvelous Christmas and New Year and I consider and hope that 2010 will be a calmer less acid inducing year than the one prior. I resolve to try and not sweat the small stuff (above)...and it's all small stuff.
Happy 2010. May it bring more laughter and require less rolaids....
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
First Christmas!!
We traveled home to Michigan for Rece's First Christmas! He had his ear tubes put in on December 21st so I was a little worried about the travel in the event that something could get infected etc. But he did really good, in fact he was a pretty happy and healthy boy the whole time. We left late afternoon on December 23rd hoping Rece would be able to hang out for a few hours and then have dinner and head off to sleepy land for the last 4 or so hours of our drive. It pretty much worked, and we had great driving weather. We got to Jackson at midnight and put him to bed in a crib that my parents are borrowing from my Aunt Luann - he went right out again - until 5 am when he woke up wondering where in the world he was. I have to admit it was the first time since he was born that I have brought him into bed with us - I was sooooo tired, since we had gotten unloaded and to bed after 1am. He laid on my chest and slept another hour. Funny thing is - he moves so much - I didn't get any more sleep!
On Christmas Eve we went to Christmas Eve Children's Mass and he was fantastic - I was worried but he did really good. He was totally interested in the reading and singing and flirted with the girls next to him. He ate some puffs and had himself a great time. We came home and Rece went to bed and we all had some wine/beer & Pizza from Little Cesar's (Barton Tradition on Christmas Eve ;-)
Then came Christmas Day - Rece woke up at his normal early time and we opened presents, he did some paper tearing and some looking at the gifts....and....that was about it. He did however have a ball playing with the toys all week and since we have gotten home. Santa, Mommy and Daddy, Uncle Clint and Auntie Taylor, and Grandparents R & B, and so many others as well, were all very good to Mr. Rece. He got to many awesome toys to list and a whole new 18 month wardrobe for this winter. It was so much fun to see him play.
We had a great rest of the week at home, visiting with friends and family. Rece played and played and even went out in the sled. And Jeremy even got a chance to get away for a date night. All in All we ate to much, drank just the right amount, and had way to much fun throughout the whole week!!
We got back on Wednesday the 30th - and Jeremy's mom and dad came back to State College with us. The weather for the trip back was great and thankfully, Steve and Lynn caught a traffic alert on the radio that warned us of a horrible chemical spill and highway closure approaching on I-80. We stopped and got a map and made up a detour. After we got home we found out that the chemicals were horrible to breathe and people were evacuated and were not allowed out of cars or to roll their windows down and the highway was closed for HOURS!!! That would have been fun with a 10 month old.
On new years eve we went to the State College First Night Ice Sculptures - we got Rece all bundled up - but I don't think he cared for it so much - he was all trapped in the stroller with all of those bulky layers. Stink. As for ringing in the new year - of course a separate post to come on that. But we were in bed by 11 - and that my friends is staying up late!
OH MY - And I almost forgot - the last "event" of our winter break was...the first haircut.
His bangs were so long he couldn't see....I really didn't want to.
Here are pictures from our great, great week.
Playin with Grandpa R
Playing with our Stack and Surprise Silly Town - Thanks Grandma & Grandpa R!!
Riding Grandpa' B's Deer
Playing Basketball with Uncle Clint - Thanks for the hoop Aunt Becky and Uncle Ron!
Opening our Sit n' Scoop Tonka Truck! Thanks Grandpa & Grandma B!!
As Grandpa B would say - Cruisin for a bruisen....
The new hair cut.
On Christmas Eve we went to Christmas Eve Children's Mass and he was fantastic - I was worried but he did really good. He was totally interested in the reading and singing and flirted with the girls next to him. He ate some puffs and had himself a great time. We came home and Rece went to bed and we all had some wine/beer & Pizza from Little Cesar's (Barton Tradition on Christmas Eve ;-)
Then came Christmas Day - Rece woke up at his normal early time and we opened presents, he did some paper tearing and some looking at the gifts....and....that was about it. He did however have a ball playing with the toys all week and since we have gotten home. Santa, Mommy and Daddy, Uncle Clint and Auntie Taylor, and Grandparents R & B, and so many others as well, were all very good to Mr. Rece. He got to many awesome toys to list and a whole new 18 month wardrobe for this winter. It was so much fun to see him play.
We had a great rest of the week at home, visiting with friends and family. Rece played and played and even went out in the sled. And Jeremy even got a chance to get away for a date night. All in All we ate to much, drank just the right amount, and had way to much fun throughout the whole week!!
We got back on Wednesday the 30th - and Jeremy's mom and dad came back to State College with us. The weather for the trip back was great and thankfully, Steve and Lynn caught a traffic alert on the radio that warned us of a horrible chemical spill and highway closure approaching on I-80. We stopped and got a map and made up a detour. After we got home we found out that the chemicals were horrible to breathe and people were evacuated and were not allowed out of cars or to roll their windows down and the highway was closed for HOURS!!! That would have been fun with a 10 month old.
On new years eve we went to the State College First Night Ice Sculptures - we got Rece all bundled up - but I don't think he cared for it so much - he was all trapped in the stroller with all of those bulky layers. Stink. As for ringing in the new year - of course a separate post to come on that. But we were in bed by 11 - and that my friends is staying up late!
OH MY - And I almost forgot - the last "event" of our winter break was...the first haircut.
His bangs were so long he couldn't see....I really didn't want to.
Here are pictures from our great, great week.
First Sled Ride
Playin with Grandpa R
Having the fave snack - Ritz and Cheese!
Playing with our Stack and Surprise Silly Town - Thanks Grandma & Grandpa R!!
Riding Grandpa' B's Deer
Playing Basketball with Uncle Clint - Thanks for the hoop Aunt Becky and Uncle Ron!
Opening our Sit n' Scoop Tonka Truck! Thanks Grandpa & Grandma B!!
As Grandpa B would say - Cruisin for a bruisen.... 
The new hair cut.
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