I've started the process of decluttering my mailbox, I decided tonight to start decluttering my inbox. I think from signing up for registries and coupons, I've ended up on 16 million email lists. With the iPhone, it's easier to just delete the emails when I receive them instead of unsubscribing. Which leaves my inbox at 384 new emails from the last 4 days. Seriously.
So tonight I took the time to sit down and viciously remove myself from email subscriptions. For example, a few months ago I was looking to order a pair of maternity scrubs online and wanted discounts. I signed up for the mailing list on a bunch of different sites to see which one sent me a better deal. But I never took the time to unsubscribe from any of them, more or less all of them like I should have. I tried to unsubscribe in the same fashion I clean out my closet. If I have not ordered from them in the last 6 months, they immediately were unsubscribed from.
But I also get email coupons for groceries, Costco, Children's Place, Target, etc. Places that I sometimes do need coupons and I don't want to miss out on those. But I don't need to read the emails every day...just when I'm going to get Ali a new hat or something. With gmail, I was able to create filters for incoming mail so that certain senders completely skip my inbox and go directly into other folders, such as 'Deals/Target' or 'Deals/Coupons'. I also get emails from Babycenter.com and Gerber.com with valuable child raising info. These are now sent directly into a folder 'Baby'. Now my phone won't alert me that I have new mail when I receive things from them, but once a day or so I can go into the folders and see if there's anything interesting. Another one I get is a million pizza offers. So now there is a folder 'Pizza'. Again, I didn't want to unsubscribe because we like discounts on pizza!
It's been a little over an hour and my inbox is down to 92. I still have some more 'filtering' to set up, but for now my ankle hurts way too badly and I'm going to call it a night. Weaning down to one crutch is making my arm feel slightly better, but it's a lot of pressure on my ankle and wow does it hurt. Mom took Ali and I out tonight to dinner and I think that's about all I can handle. I was supposed to go to the zoo tomorrow with Dad and Ali but luckily I opted out. I thought I could handle it but then I remembered the ridiculous amount of stairs at Conseco. Now I'm really glad I did, there's no way I could handle it. And poor dad would have to cart around me AND Ali! JM most likely won't be back in time from Toledo, so Uncle Greggy is going in my place. I'm so excited for Ali...she's going to LOVE it!!!
What used to be known as The Wonderful World of Shan is now The Wonderful Life of Miss Ali Vi and family.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Homefront update
We're surviving!!! JM has really stepped it up the last week or so and the house is being run almost as smoothly as if it were me ;-) The only problem has been when he's at work, but my parents have been a huge help during that time. My mom is taking Ali almost daily for playtime at the Y and she even spent the night one night when he was gone. My dad toted me to 3 doctors appointments in one day! They've been huge lifesavers. But when JM's home, he really seems to have it under control. Especially when he's home, we just want people to come over and visit. Give Ali and I a change of scenery! We're especially trying to take advantage of the days he is home to get Ali and I out of the house. Who cares if we have plenty of food in the freezer, let's go out to lunch! That food's for when we need help anyways, so why waste it on a lunch?!?
My sister- and brother- in-law were great when they were here on Saturday. Their girls entertained Ali and taught her how to use stickers. Siri did things like just saw the trash needed to go out and just did it. Brett noticed my toilet was running (that had been driving me nuts...I used the extent of my knowledge of jiggling the handle which didn't work) and just fixed it. There wasn't a whole "what can I do" or trying to butt it when I was trying to do things myself.
Especially with Ali. It's been almost 2 weeks since I've made her a meal or rocked her before bed or given her a nap or dressed her or even given her a bath. Since I've been feeling a little better the last couple of days I've tried to do these things myself. Granted, JM has to bring me Ali and her clothes, but it's giving me an opportunity to dress her. We had someone come over who tried to do those things claiming they never get to ...but thing is, I'm her mom and I haven't gotten to...and I get dibs. JM and I just wanted to scream 'let us do this'. It's frustrating enough to not be able to run your house and care for your daughter when those were your two major jobs. But then when someone comes in and tries to do the few things you can, or keeps trying to do things that don't necessarily need to be done, it makes it so much more frustrating. It makes me feel like people are noticing the house isn't perfectly clean. And it makes me feel like I'm falling behind and really stresses me out. If we're ok with how the house is, then let us live in our own little fantasy world!
I can tell Ali's bored at home. Her and I weren't social butterflies, but we did run errands and have playdates. Righrt now the Y is a saving grace for her. Someone offered to stay at our house the other day with her and I had to laugh. Poor thing needs out of the house as badly as I do!
She was having an issue in the tub. All of the sudden she wouldn't sit in it and would scream if you tried. We were only letting my mom or JM try to bathe her because of it. Not the time to introduce someone she's not comfortable with. So tonight we tried a few variations. We did bathtime about an hour earlier, thinking maybe she's just been too tired. Also, I started it. I got the water running and sat by the tub. She loves playing in the water so she came right in. I let her play leaning over the tub until she wanted to get in. Then I let her stand in the tub until she sat down herself. By the end, it was like old times. So it was either we were doing it too late and she was tired, or I'm usually the only one to give her a bath. It might have just been too many changes at once for her. She's been such a good sport and so accomodating with everything else, she's allowed a few breakdowns!
I haven't been able to fall asleep until about 2 every morning so I'm going to hit the hay. I think it's a combination of not being able to get comfortable and the addition of the iPhone. JM will be home all night so it's going to be a Unisom kind of night!
My sister- and brother- in-law were great when they were here on Saturday. Their girls entertained Ali and taught her how to use stickers. Siri did things like just saw the trash needed to go out and just did it. Brett noticed my toilet was running (that had been driving me nuts...I used the extent of my knowledge of jiggling the handle which didn't work) and just fixed it. There wasn't a whole "what can I do" or trying to butt it when I was trying to do things myself.
Especially with Ali. It's been almost 2 weeks since I've made her a meal or rocked her before bed or given her a nap or dressed her or even given her a bath. Since I've been feeling a little better the last couple of days I've tried to do these things myself. Granted, JM has to bring me Ali and her clothes, but it's giving me an opportunity to dress her. We had someone come over who tried to do those things claiming they never get to ...but thing is, I'm her mom and I haven't gotten to...and I get dibs. JM and I just wanted to scream 'let us do this'. It's frustrating enough to not be able to run your house and care for your daughter when those were your two major jobs. But then when someone comes in and tries to do the few things you can, or keeps trying to do things that don't necessarily need to be done, it makes it so much more frustrating. It makes me feel like people are noticing the house isn't perfectly clean. And it makes me feel like I'm falling behind and really stresses me out. If we're ok with how the house is, then let us live in our own little fantasy world!
I can tell Ali's bored at home. Her and I weren't social butterflies, but we did run errands and have playdates. Righrt now the Y is a saving grace for her. Someone offered to stay at our house the other day with her and I had to laugh. Poor thing needs out of the house as badly as I do!
She was having an issue in the tub. All of the sudden she wouldn't sit in it and would scream if you tried. We were only letting my mom or JM try to bathe her because of it. Not the time to introduce someone she's not comfortable with. So tonight we tried a few variations. We did bathtime about an hour earlier, thinking maybe she's just been too tired. Also, I started it. I got the water running and sat by the tub. She loves playing in the water so she came right in. I let her play leaning over the tub until she wanted to get in. Then I let her stand in the tub until she sat down herself. By the end, it was like old times. So it was either we were doing it too late and she was tired, or I'm usually the only one to give her a bath. It might have just been too many changes at once for her. She's been such a good sport and so accomodating with everything else, she's allowed a few breakdowns!
I haven't been able to fall asleep until about 2 every morning so I'm going to hit the hay. I think it's a combination of not being able to get comfortable and the addition of the iPhone. JM will be home all night so it's going to be a Unisom kind of night!
Clutter attack!
My life was fairly organized when I was single. Then I added JM into the mix and clutter began to creep in. He is quite the pack rat. He is also afraid to throw anything away that may at some point be important to me. That part is my fault...a few fits after throwing away my Bath and Body Works coupons and I create a monster. The clutter was starting to make it's way into my life but then we moved into the house and had lots of room and doors to shut when the clutter was too much.
Then Ali came and everything was turned upside down. Anything I try to organize is 'unorganized' the minute I turn to the next project and she tries to imitate Mommy. But I thought I was starting to get the hang of it until...
I went crash in a Walmart parking lot. Now I sit here all day and watch as the clutter piles up and threatens to overtake my existence. I had my house where at least I knew where things were. JM and my family, for the most part, know where I keep stuff or why I do the quirky things I do. Other people, who think they're helping, are putting things whereever they think make sense and totally unraveling all the routines and procedures I have in place. Also, I never realized I'm the only one who gets and goes through the mail. I keep reminding JM to get the mail and then I discovered our mail basket (it's been a few days since I've been in the kitchen) is overflowing onto the counter (which now means clutter on the counter!!!) and my OCD gets kicked into overdrive. I'm not blaming JM. By far, I know I'm the one who's made him afraid to throw out anything.
I'm also ordering more online at this time. I might not be able to drive, but my fingers can still type in http://www.6pm.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/! A few months ago I started boxing up all of Ali's old clothes and such (thinking we'd have a break in between kiddos). I was keeping every single box that came through our house so JM was under strict instructions not to throw away boxes. God love him, he is still so scared straight that as I'm sitting here now on my couch, there are 7 boxes in my view. Yep. 7 big old cardboard shipping boxes. Either empty or filled with the clutter from the dining room table that was thrown in before Thanksgiving dinner.
So I decided today I'm going to start my attack. My first order of business was to go through the insane amount of mail. I actually filled our indoor recycling bin. It was absolutely ridiculous. Catalogs and ads from stores I've never even heard of, more or less signed up for. I know Ali hasn't signed up for anything and she's suddenly getting American Girl magazines (which totally freak me out...dolls that look like you?!?).
I did some research and decided my first order of business is to declutter my mail. It's easy and I can do it sitting ;-) I found https://www.catalogchoice.org/. You put in your address and any names that appear on mail for your residence...even 'current residence'. Then you can either go through all the companies names or search for ones and it walks you through 'unsubscribing'. I took all the catalogs I don't want and looked them all up on the website and submitted forms for every single one. The website even generates a generic email address for you so that you aren't giving out your email address and possibly, accidentally, subscribing to something else. Then it gives you another little form to copy and insert explaining what you want cancelled. So easy! And I'm thinking this time of year is the perfect time to attack because every company and their mother is sending out catalogs for Christmas.
I haven't decided which decluttering I'm going to attack tomorrow, but I'll let you know.
Then Ali came and everything was turned upside down. Anything I try to organize is 'unorganized' the minute I turn to the next project and she tries to imitate Mommy. But I thought I was starting to get the hang of it until...
I went crash in a Walmart parking lot. Now I sit here all day and watch as the clutter piles up and threatens to overtake my existence. I had my house where at least I knew where things were. JM and my family, for the most part, know where I keep stuff or why I do the quirky things I do. Other people, who think they're helping, are putting things whereever they think make sense and totally unraveling all the routines and procedures I have in place. Also, I never realized I'm the only one who gets and goes through the mail. I keep reminding JM to get the mail and then I discovered our mail basket (it's been a few days since I've been in the kitchen) is overflowing onto the counter (which now means clutter on the counter!!!) and my OCD gets kicked into overdrive. I'm not blaming JM. By far, I know I'm the one who's made him afraid to throw out anything.
I'm also ordering more online at this time. I might not be able to drive, but my fingers can still type in http://www.6pm.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/! A few months ago I started boxing up all of Ali's old clothes and such (thinking we'd have a break in between kiddos). I was keeping every single box that came through our house so JM was under strict instructions not to throw away boxes. God love him, he is still so scared straight that as I'm sitting here now on my couch, there are 7 boxes in my view. Yep. 7 big old cardboard shipping boxes. Either empty or filled with the clutter from the dining room table that was thrown in before Thanksgiving dinner.
So I decided today I'm going to start my attack. My first order of business was to go through the insane amount of mail. I actually filled our indoor recycling bin. It was absolutely ridiculous. Catalogs and ads from stores I've never even heard of, more or less signed up for. I know Ali hasn't signed up for anything and she's suddenly getting American Girl magazines (which totally freak me out...dolls that look like you?!?).
I did some research and decided my first order of business is to declutter my mail. It's easy and I can do it sitting ;-) I found https://www.catalogchoice.org/. You put in your address and any names that appear on mail for your residence...even 'current residence'. Then you can either go through all the companies names or search for ones and it walks you through 'unsubscribing'. I took all the catalogs I don't want and looked them all up on the website and submitted forms for every single one. The website even generates a generic email address for you so that you aren't giving out your email address and possibly, accidentally, subscribing to something else. Then it gives you another little form to copy and insert explaining what you want cancelled. So easy! And I'm thinking this time of year is the perfect time to attack because every company and their mother is sending out catalogs for Christmas.
I haven't decided which decluttering I'm going to attack tomorrow, but I'll let you know.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Bear
Most people know already, but we had to put our dog down on Friday. He was 10 1/2 and had just reached the end. We knew it wasn't going to get any better from the point he was at and the arthritis and thyroid pills were no longer helping. I never wanted to be the selfish owner who kept a dog alive after he couldn't get up or walk or was blind or any of that, so we made the horribly difficult decision and Friday we took him to the vet. We dropped Ali off with my mom so the poor dog could get a break from her :-) He had a McDonald's double and a chocolate candy bar and then we took him to the vet. Things went pretty smoothly, he laid his head in my lap for most of it. Turns out he had lost over 20 pounds in the last year. The vet said that was a significant amount for a dog his size so something was obviously going on with him anyways. At least this got to be before he was bad.
I took it fairly well the first day, but since then it's been rough. Even with a toddler, a loud husband and 2 cats, the house is incredibly lonely. It's turning into a huge mess because I'm having trouble being here. JM's on a road trip tonight so it's making it even worse. We've started looking at other dogs. For one thing, Ali won't stop asking where the dog is. She loves animals so much and it'd be nice to have one that liked her back. And then JM and I discussed the only way to get over this is to get another one.
The outpouring we've received from everyone is just amazing. Since I can't drink too much right now, a friend offered to bring me a brownie late Friday night. My family has been incredibly supportive. The boyfriend I had when I first got Kodi emailed me all the pictures he had of Kodi as a little guy. That was great because I had lost a lot of them when our hard drive crashed a few years ago. Everything has helped so much. Of course we had the one person call and never actually ask about us, but talk about the last dog they put down the whole time. How some people still manage to make things about them is just beyond me. But, oh well. I guess they had good intentions.
It's just amazing that he was such a huge part of my life for over ten years. He moved with me, when on trips with me, went through major life changes. He was truly the best companion for me over that decade. I feel like a whole era of my life is over.
I took it fairly well the first day, but since then it's been rough. Even with a toddler, a loud husband and 2 cats, the house is incredibly lonely. It's turning into a huge mess because I'm having trouble being here. JM's on a road trip tonight so it's making it even worse. We've started looking at other dogs. For one thing, Ali won't stop asking where the dog is. She loves animals so much and it'd be nice to have one that liked her back. And then JM and I discussed the only way to get over this is to get another one.
The outpouring we've received from everyone is just amazing. Since I can't drink too much right now, a friend offered to bring me a brownie late Friday night. My family has been incredibly supportive. The boyfriend I had when I first got Kodi emailed me all the pictures he had of Kodi as a little guy. That was great because I had lost a lot of them when our hard drive crashed a few years ago. Everything has helped so much. Of course we had the one person call and never actually ask about us, but talk about the last dog they put down the whole time. How some people still manage to make things about them is just beyond me. But, oh well. I guess they had good intentions.
It's just amazing that he was such a huge part of my life for over ten years. He moved with me, when on trips with me, went through major life changes. He was truly the best companion for me over that decade. I feel like a whole era of my life is over.
Friday, October 28, 2011
24 Weeks
We had our 24 week appointment today for Baby 2. JM's schedule has been all screwy this week but it worked out because he got to go with me, which meant Ali went, too. I haven't been able to take her with me to any kind of doctors appointment. We've discovered she does NOT tolerate seeing other people touch me. I thought it was just the OB appointments and somehow she knew to be jealous already, but I took her with me to the regular doctor the other week and she completely flipped out when they removed this little skin hemorrhage. Just today the girl took my blood pressure and Ali mean-mugged her beyond belief!
Anyways, baby is fine. Heart beat is around 150 and she kicked the doctor ;-) I've been working really hard on the exercises from physical therapy and I've had no symptoms of problems from the fistula. Sooooo...I was able to convince the doctor to not have a c-section! I know they're supposedly easier and all of that, but I didn't want one for a few reasons. One, I know what to expect the other way (and I know what the worst pain feels like!). Second, you can't lift for an extended period after a c-section and I just don't think that will work. I'll have a 17 month old who will be slightly jealous and need attention. And, I'll have a newborn and a 17 month old in the dead of winter who all need to be carried or put in the carseat, etc. JM won't be able to take much time (if any) off of work. My mom can probably take a few days off to help, but not the entire time I'm not allowed to lift! So anyways, I'm excited. JM's a little hesistant because there is the chance that it makes the whole situation worse. But, my main problem is the severed sphincter. Worse comes to worse, I tear again and then she can stitch that up after delivery. And I've now proven that I can decrease the problems with the fistula by physical therapy. So it works for me!
When we go back for our last 4 week appointment (the day before Thanksgiving) she wants to do another ultrasound. She said the baby is measuring big...well, the uterus size is big. I'm not concerned at all (a little excited to see the peanut!). For one thing, I've always thought my due date is two weeks before what the doctor thought. So this would just prove me right! Also, I seem to be carrying her incredibly high. Ali was high, but not like this. The lowest I've felt her at all is just about my belly button. I can already feel her pressing against my diaphragm and my lungs because it's hard to breathe. I'm sure it's one of those two things!
Ali dressed up in her Halloween costume for a party at the Y tonight. She handled it pretty well. I'll post pictures later when I upload them. Depending on when JM goes to work we're going to either go to the zoo or up to a festival in Noblesville for Halloween tomorrow.
Anyways, baby is fine. Heart beat is around 150 and she kicked the doctor ;-) I've been working really hard on the exercises from physical therapy and I've had no symptoms of problems from the fistula. Sooooo...I was able to convince the doctor to not have a c-section! I know they're supposedly easier and all of that, but I didn't want one for a few reasons. One, I know what to expect the other way (and I know what the worst pain feels like!). Second, you can't lift for an extended period after a c-section and I just don't think that will work. I'll have a 17 month old who will be slightly jealous and need attention. And, I'll have a newborn and a 17 month old in the dead of winter who all need to be carried or put in the carseat, etc. JM won't be able to take much time (if any) off of work. My mom can probably take a few days off to help, but not the entire time I'm not allowed to lift! So anyways, I'm excited. JM's a little hesistant because there is the chance that it makes the whole situation worse. But, my main problem is the severed sphincter. Worse comes to worse, I tear again and then she can stitch that up after delivery. And I've now proven that I can decrease the problems with the fistula by physical therapy. So it works for me!
When we go back for our last 4 week appointment (the day before Thanksgiving) she wants to do another ultrasound. She said the baby is measuring big...well, the uterus size is big. I'm not concerned at all (a little excited to see the peanut!). For one thing, I've always thought my due date is two weeks before what the doctor thought. So this would just prove me right! Also, I seem to be carrying her incredibly high. Ali was high, but not like this. The lowest I've felt her at all is just about my belly button. I can already feel her pressing against my diaphragm and my lungs because it's hard to breathe. I'm sure it's one of those two things!
Ali dressed up in her Halloween costume for a party at the Y tonight. She handled it pretty well. I'll post pictures later when I upload them. Depending on when JM goes to work we're going to either go to the zoo or up to a festival in Noblesville for Halloween tomorrow.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
It's October already?!?
My oh my, where does the time go? We've been busy bees and Ali is keeping us on our toes! I'm not sure if I mentioned this in the last post, but Ali had her one year appointment. She's growing like a weed...only gained 2 pounds but grew almost 6 inches! She no longer looks like a baby at all. Even the chubbiness around her face is gone.
Ali is still doing her music classes except Nani will be taking her from now on. I've switched my work day to Wednesday so that I can join the moms group at church on Tuesday nights. I think I'll sign her up for a painting class at the end of October so I can still take her to something.
We had her little friend, Addalyn's, first birthday party yesterday. It was quite fun and Ali had her first pb & j. Definitely a hit. They say to wait until about 2 years old for peanut butter because of allergies, but I realized I eat pb ALL the time. I put it on my waffles, sandwiches, ice cream...so she's been exposed plenty.
Jennie took her 1 year photos this week. It was an absolutely beautiful fall day (although it was about 80 degrees, we dressed like it was fall!). The leaves had changed and the sky was perfectly blue . JM got out of his class that day early so we even got family photos, which we hadn't gotten yet. We started out at Forest Park in Noblesville on the train tracks then finished at Potters Bridge with the river and covered bridge. Ali tolerated the pictures pretty well...luckily she adores Jennie because she was in a bit of a grumpy mood, we have some teeth coming in. Plus, Jennie brought her son, Cam, who is just a few months older than Ali and she's fascinated with everything he does! It was hard to get JM to act natural and not so posed, but by the end he was getting the hang of it. I don't like pictures where your hand is placed exactly here and your head is tilted slightly left! The more natural the better!
I finished my cake decorating class. I absolutely loved it and have to say, I can do some cool things now! The instructor runs Flying Cupcake so you know she's good. They've cancelled the second class for October so I'm hoping to take it in either November or December, but it will depend on the day and if I can find anyone to watch Ali those nights. I'd like to get all 3 classes in before the baby comes but I don't see that happening.
I've picked up some extra shifts so things are a bit more hectic, but it should help a bit financially. I start Wednesdays this week which will be an adjustment. I think it will work out nicely because I often pick up Sundays and it stunk to only have Monday off before the next shift. Now I'll have a bit more time to accomplish things. We have our first outing Saturday with the families of the moms group. We're going to the pumpkin patch we actually went to last year for our anniversary. Ali should have much more fun this year!
I can't believe we're about to hit our 3 year anniversary. With JM's on-the-job training and our financial situation we couldn't really get away or plan anything bit. So Ali is having a sleep over at Nani's and we got a hotel at the new JW Marriott downtown. I think we'll have dinner out and maybe grab a play and then just enjoy a night away from home.
Ali received her first Halloween package in the mail from Aunt Judy the other day. She was so funny opening it. She saw the stuffed pumpkin as soon as I opened the box and she had to grab it and hug it. Then I opened the first book and she grabbed that and started reading it to the pumpkin. She's so stinking funny! It's seriously something new every day. Just this week she learned how big she is (so big!), where her nose is, how to point, how to ask 'What's that?' (although it comes out 'dat!'), and where her shoes and her hat go.
Time to get back to work, hope everyone is doing well!
Ali is still doing her music classes except Nani will be taking her from now on. I've switched my work day to Wednesday so that I can join the moms group at church on Tuesday nights. I think I'll sign her up for a painting class at the end of October so I can still take her to something.
We had her little friend, Addalyn's, first birthday party yesterday. It was quite fun and Ali had her first pb & j. Definitely a hit. They say to wait until about 2 years old for peanut butter because of allergies, but I realized I eat pb ALL the time. I put it on my waffles, sandwiches, ice cream...so she's been exposed plenty.
Jennie took her 1 year photos this week. It was an absolutely beautiful fall day (although it was about 80 degrees, we dressed like it was fall!). The leaves had changed and the sky was perfectly blue . JM got out of his class that day early so we even got family photos, which we hadn't gotten yet. We started out at Forest Park in Noblesville on the train tracks then finished at Potters Bridge with the river and covered bridge. Ali tolerated the pictures pretty well...luckily she adores Jennie because she was in a bit of a grumpy mood, we have some teeth coming in. Plus, Jennie brought her son, Cam, who is just a few months older than Ali and she's fascinated with everything he does! It was hard to get JM to act natural and not so posed, but by the end he was getting the hang of it. I don't like pictures where your hand is placed exactly here and your head is tilted slightly left! The more natural the better!
I finished my cake decorating class. I absolutely loved it and have to say, I can do some cool things now! The instructor runs Flying Cupcake so you know she's good. They've cancelled the second class for October so I'm hoping to take it in either November or December, but it will depend on the day and if I can find anyone to watch Ali those nights. I'd like to get all 3 classes in before the baby comes but I don't see that happening.
I've picked up some extra shifts so things are a bit more hectic, but it should help a bit financially. I start Wednesdays this week which will be an adjustment. I think it will work out nicely because I often pick up Sundays and it stunk to only have Monday off before the next shift. Now I'll have a bit more time to accomplish things. We have our first outing Saturday with the families of the moms group. We're going to the pumpkin patch we actually went to last year for our anniversary. Ali should have much more fun this year!
I can't believe we're about to hit our 3 year anniversary. With JM's on-the-job training and our financial situation we couldn't really get away or plan anything bit. So Ali is having a sleep over at Nani's and we got a hotel at the new JW Marriott downtown. I think we'll have dinner out and maybe grab a play and then just enjoy a night away from home.
Ali received her first Halloween package in the mail from Aunt Judy the other day. She was so funny opening it. She saw the stuffed pumpkin as soon as I opened the box and she had to grab it and hug it. Then I opened the first book and she grabbed that and started reading it to the pumpkin. She's so stinking funny! It's seriously something new every day. Just this week she learned how big she is (so big!), where her nose is, how to point, how to ask 'What's that?' (although it comes out 'dat!'), and where her shoes and her hat go.
Time to get back to work, hope everyone is doing well!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
20 weeks
We're officially at the halfway mark so I thought I'd finally post :-) It's going to be just a lot of random updates because I worked all day and I'm exhausted!
Ali is still wonderful. She had her first birthday and a big party, which was all amazing. 45 people came to her party!!! JM's dad and his wife flew in from Texas, my aunt drove all the way from NJ, our nieces and my sister-in-law (and her mom!) drove in from Iowa...it was great. We had a better percentage turnout than for our wedding!!! We felt so blessed knowing that our daughter means that much to so many people. Ali was a little overwhelmed but was the perfect birthday girl, she never even whined when she was overtired. Her actual birthday was fun, too. JM was working second shift that day so the 3 of us had breakfast together, then we went to lunch with Dale and Claudia. My parents came over for dinner and then Uncle Greggy and Auntie Dara joined us for mommy-made cake. Needless to say, it took us all a few days to recover from all of the festivities. I said she'll never have that big of a party again, and Uncle Greggy pointed out 'not until she's 17 and you guys are out of town'...ha ha ha!
Ali is sooo close to walking. I think it will be another bittersweet milestone. I'm so excited for her, but I love this stage. Although, I've loved every stage so I'm sure the next one will be great. She now gives these little hugs where she wraps her arms tightly around your neck, just precious. Nani gave her a little playground for the yard for her birthday and she'll stand at the backdoor and yell and pound till we go swing. We're figuring out a date with Jennie to take her one year photos. We were going to do a 'shoot', but some of the best pictures Jennie captures of her are when her and Cam are playing, so I think we'll just do playdates and see what happens. I'm much more of a 'candid' photo person instead of the studio pics.
JM is doing well with the new job. The last couple of weeks have been a tad rough on the family. Last week he started road jobs which wouldn't have been bad, but he left Monday expecting to be home Tuesday and didn't get in till late Wednesday. Then he left Friday planning to be back Saturday and it wasn't until Sunday afternoon. A lot of last minute begging for babysitters and such. Thank goodness for Nani and Miss Chelsea! This week it's just one night trips so it should be better, knowing when he'll be home at least.
My job is the same, nothing new on that front. Next month I'll be switching to Wednesdays instead of Tuesdays so I can go to a moms group at church which I'm very excited about.
Baby girl (oh, yes, for anyone who didn't know...it's a girl!) is doing great. We had been thinking it'd be a boy for a few reasons, but obviously thrilled it's a girl. We do such a good job with girls, why rock the boat? ;-) I must have finally popped a bit, people at work are noticing and Ali keeps trying to push my belly out of her way so she can hug closer. Honestly, if it weren't for the belly I wouldn't even notice I was pregnant this time. Not sure if it's an easier pregnancy or if Ali is just that time-consuming!
Of course, I have just about everything planned out for the arrival already (of course I do, you know me!). I think we're planning on making it a bit more private this time for a few reasons. One, it's a surgery so I want time to rest before people come in the room afterwards. And since it's surgery, although very routine, we'll have a bit more on our minds. And we'll want time with just Ali in the hospital introducing her to the baby. With Ali we invited anyone who wanted to be there to be, but this will be a little more low-key. We don't want it to be any more overwhelming for Ali than it already will be. JM's parents weren't able to make it out for Ali because there was only a couple of weeks notice to the date, so I'm sure it will be the same here. I think we had about 5 weeks heads up for Ali on what day she'd be born and this will be less. Last time our doctor knew what weekend she was on call and scheduled it then, whereas this will be whatever day her schedule looks lightest. Obviously, still not having anyone stay at our house. Ali will be with my mom while we're in the hospital. We want her to be where and with whom she'll be most at ease since she'll be too young to understand what's happening. It's not the time to have people she's not familiar with taking care of her.
I think we have it narrowed down name-wise. We originally had a name picked out then decided to try a few out. We like a few, but keep going back to the original. We'll tell when we decide. I don't think we're going to just publicly announce it. We had someone make fun of people who pick babies names ahead of time and we obviously aren't comfortable sharing with that person now. It's not to be negative or vengeful or anything like that, this is just something we enjoy and don't want someone else to bring it down for us.
Ok, really time for bed now. I have to be up bright and early for Ali's music class!!! She's hilarious, I'll try to get a video and post it. She dances the entire time!
Ali is still wonderful. She had her first birthday and a big party, which was all amazing. 45 people came to her party!!! JM's dad and his wife flew in from Texas, my aunt drove all the way from NJ, our nieces and my sister-in-law (and her mom!) drove in from Iowa...it was great. We had a better percentage turnout than for our wedding!!! We felt so blessed knowing that our daughter means that much to so many people. Ali was a little overwhelmed but was the perfect birthday girl, she never even whined when she was overtired. Her actual birthday was fun, too. JM was working second shift that day so the 3 of us had breakfast together, then we went to lunch with Dale and Claudia. My parents came over for dinner and then Uncle Greggy and Auntie Dara joined us for mommy-made cake. Needless to say, it took us all a few days to recover from all of the festivities. I said she'll never have that big of a party again, and Uncle Greggy pointed out 'not until she's 17 and you guys are out of town'...ha ha ha!
Ali is sooo close to walking. I think it will be another bittersweet milestone. I'm so excited for her, but I love this stage. Although, I've loved every stage so I'm sure the next one will be great. She now gives these little hugs where she wraps her arms tightly around your neck, just precious. Nani gave her a little playground for the yard for her birthday and she'll stand at the backdoor and yell and pound till we go swing. We're figuring out a date with Jennie to take her one year photos. We were going to do a 'shoot', but some of the best pictures Jennie captures of her are when her and Cam are playing, so I think we'll just do playdates and see what happens. I'm much more of a 'candid' photo person instead of the studio pics.
JM is doing well with the new job. The last couple of weeks have been a tad rough on the family. Last week he started road jobs which wouldn't have been bad, but he left Monday expecting to be home Tuesday and didn't get in till late Wednesday. Then he left Friday planning to be back Saturday and it wasn't until Sunday afternoon. A lot of last minute begging for babysitters and such. Thank goodness for Nani and Miss Chelsea! This week it's just one night trips so it should be better, knowing when he'll be home at least.
My job is the same, nothing new on that front. Next month I'll be switching to Wednesdays instead of Tuesdays so I can go to a moms group at church which I'm very excited about.
Baby girl (oh, yes, for anyone who didn't know...it's a girl!) is doing great. We had been thinking it'd be a boy for a few reasons, but obviously thrilled it's a girl. We do such a good job with girls, why rock the boat? ;-) I must have finally popped a bit, people at work are noticing and Ali keeps trying to push my belly out of her way so she can hug closer. Honestly, if it weren't for the belly I wouldn't even notice I was pregnant this time. Not sure if it's an easier pregnancy or if Ali is just that time-consuming!
Of course, I have just about everything planned out for the arrival already (of course I do, you know me!). I think we're planning on making it a bit more private this time for a few reasons. One, it's a surgery so I want time to rest before people come in the room afterwards. And since it's surgery, although very routine, we'll have a bit more on our minds. And we'll want time with just Ali in the hospital introducing her to the baby. With Ali we invited anyone who wanted to be there to be, but this will be a little more low-key. We don't want it to be any more overwhelming for Ali than it already will be. JM's parents weren't able to make it out for Ali because there was only a couple of weeks notice to the date, so I'm sure it will be the same here. I think we had about 5 weeks heads up for Ali on what day she'd be born and this will be less. Last time our doctor knew what weekend she was on call and scheduled it then, whereas this will be whatever day her schedule looks lightest. Obviously, still not having anyone stay at our house. Ali will be with my mom while we're in the hospital. We want her to be where and with whom she'll be most at ease since she'll be too young to understand what's happening. It's not the time to have people she's not familiar with taking care of her.
I think we have it narrowed down name-wise. We originally had a name picked out then decided to try a few out. We like a few, but keep going back to the original. We'll tell when we decide. I don't think we're going to just publicly announce it. We had someone make fun of people who pick babies names ahead of time and we obviously aren't comfortable sharing with that person now. It's not to be negative or vengeful or anything like that, this is just something we enjoy and don't want someone else to bring it down for us.
Ok, really time for bed now. I have to be up bright and early for Ali's music class!!! She's hilarious, I'll try to get a video and post it. She dances the entire time!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
New Baby Doctor Appointment
I had a routine appointment for the 'new' baby today. The doctor and I talked a lot about the effects of having this baby and the damage that's been left from having Ali. The symptoms of the fistula seem to be increasing as this pregnancy progresses. I discussed this with my colorectal doctor the other day and he said the only thing he can do while I'm pregnant is a laparoscopic colectomy put in place during my pregnancy. But, he highly advised against it due to the risk the procedure would create to the fetus. My ob doesn't seem to think there's a risk and she's encouraging me to have it done. I put some thought into it, and I'm not doing it. I'm not going through the next 7 months with a bag of poop...plain and simple. My ob doesn't think the fistula should get any worse during the rest of the pregnancy because once the initial moving around of things during the first trimester, the baby shouldn't be resting on those muscles. But, she also said she didn't think the fistula should get worse as it already has.
We did get to hear the heartbeat outside my stomach...which she said really shouldn't happen this early on, so that was exciting. It took forever to find and she only caught it for a sec, but it was there. She's going by the ultrasound, so I'm currently 12 1/2 weeks along with a due date of 2/12/12. Again, I'll have a c-section so it will be scheduled somewhere around 2/5/12.
I thought the nausea was easing up a bit this week, but today has been pretty rough. I went to yoga and the first time in down dog I went straight to the bathroom...which just makes my stomach upset for the rest of the day.
Hopefully no new news on the baby front until the next appointment in 4 weeks!
We did get to hear the heartbeat outside my stomach...which she said really shouldn't happen this early on, so that was exciting. It took forever to find and she only caught it for a sec, but it was there. She's going by the ultrasound, so I'm currently 12 1/2 weeks along with a due date of 2/12/12. Again, I'll have a c-section so it will be scheduled somewhere around 2/5/12.
I thought the nausea was easing up a bit this week, but today has been pretty rough. I went to yoga and the first time in down dog I went straight to the bathroom...which just makes my stomach upset for the rest of the day.
Hopefully no new news on the baby front until the next appointment in 4 weeks!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
So much to do, so little time...
Having a toddler is a lot of work!!! Obviously, by the lack of posting I do! A lot has happened since the last time I posted...let's see...
We're pregnant again! Yep, surprises all around! I think I'm 12 weeks now, the ultrasound showed a few weeks different than the calculations. I go to the doctor this week and I'm going to ask what she's considering my due date as. It's either 1/31 or 2/12. I will have to have a c-section because the doctor said the fistula from having Ali is too weak to sustain labor. She's planning on performing the c-section at 39 weeks as of now. Which, if we go by 2/12, will be Superbowl Sunday in Indy! So far the pregnancy hasn't been too rough. No where near as rough as Ali, but I still have awhile. Nausea and vomiting hit about 2 weeks ago but I'm hoping we're at the tail end of that. Ali doesn't quite understand, "Hold on, Mommy doesn't feel good."
JM found a full-time job! Well, technically I found him a full-time job, but he has one! He's a freight conductor for CSX. He spent 6 weeks in Atlanta for training and came home 2 weeks ago. Now he does on-the-job training for 18 weeks and then will start working for real. He absolutely loves it. He's mentioned a few times that he can't believe he gets paid to play with trains.
Because of JM's full-time job, I've been able to drop down to 2 days a week at work, which is great. He watches Ali on the weekends and then my mom takes care of her on Tuesdays. It's been a blessing for Ali, myself, and my mom to have that time with her and not have to send her to daycare. She spends some of those mornings in childwatch at the Y while my mom puts in some hours, but I don't think she spends a whole lot of time 'in' childwatch. Everyone's passing her around and letting her have the run of the place! After summer camp ends they'll start back up some mommy and me type classes so Ali and I will enroll in those.
My work is fine, same old, same old. They're opening up a new hospital by our house so I'm toying with the idea of applying there. So far they haven't opened any supplemental positions yet, only full and part time. I would take a huge pay cut to switch to full or part time so I'm going to hold out for now. After JM gets through training I may be able to cut down even more on working so I need the supplemental flexibility.
We're about to do some re-grouping with our house. Obviously, we're going to have 4 people living in a 3 bedroom house...we have to do something! We're getting rid of our guest room, first of all. I think we've had people stay with us a total of 5 times since moving in, and that's in over 2 years! Definitely not a reason to have a guest room furnished anymore. So we're getting rid of the bed and I think most of the furniture in there. We'll move the computer into that room and make it into an 'office' type space for the time being. We figured the newborn will stay in our room for the first month or two anyways, so no need to change it now. Then the office, which is the open room in the back of our house that leads to the backyard, will be changed into the playroom. Mom, Ali and I are going to head to IKEA soon to get some storage systems and I already have the paint. Mom and I are hoping to get that finished before Ali's birthday party.
Which leads me to Miss Ali. She is absolutely wonderful. In every single way. She's pulling herself up to her feet and even 'cruising' within the last couple of days. She babbles all the time. The other night I swear she said Momma. JM was changing her on her table and I was picking up her room and she couldn't see me. She yelled out "Momma!" and I peeked around JM. As soon as she saw me she clapped, so I'm pretty sure she was calling me. We're trying to decide what to do for her one year photos which a friend of ours will do for us. So many neat ideas for the big 1! I could go on and on about her. She's mastered finger foods. Just hoping she'll get a few more teeth. There's not a whole lot more she can do with only the 2 bottom teeth. I'm starting to wean her from nursing. It breaks my heart and you can tell she's not happy with it, but my supply is diminishing because of the pregnancy. Right now we're replacing one feeding with a bottle and will gradually make the switch. I think it'll be for the best, then at least when she turns one we're not weaning her from the bottle AND me at the same time.
I'll post some new pictures on our picasa (which you can access to the left) when I get a chance. We haven't taken as many pictures lately...she just keeps us too busy!
I'm taking a stand and switching the blog back to public. I've been told by many people that the blogs about the miscarriage are helpful so I want that to be readily available. And the 'ex' friend that I hid it because of doesn't concern me anymore. She's completely removed from JM and I's life and I have to say, it's been nicer. Not seeing her negativity on fb is great. The family member that was the cause, well, I'm not going to let it get to me anymore. They've made their choices and well...you know. I know that's not very Christian-like, but sometimes it's just more than you can handle.
I think that's the update for now. Nothing major going on, but life is constant, wonderful and full!
We're pregnant again! Yep, surprises all around! I think I'm 12 weeks now, the ultrasound showed a few weeks different than the calculations. I go to the doctor this week and I'm going to ask what she's considering my due date as. It's either 1/31 or 2/12. I will have to have a c-section because the doctor said the fistula from having Ali is too weak to sustain labor. She's planning on performing the c-section at 39 weeks as of now. Which, if we go by 2/12, will be Superbowl Sunday in Indy! So far the pregnancy hasn't been too rough. No where near as rough as Ali, but I still have awhile. Nausea and vomiting hit about 2 weeks ago but I'm hoping we're at the tail end of that. Ali doesn't quite understand, "Hold on, Mommy doesn't feel good."
JM found a full-time job! Well, technically I found him a full-time job, but he has one! He's a freight conductor for CSX. He spent 6 weeks in Atlanta for training and came home 2 weeks ago. Now he does on-the-job training for 18 weeks and then will start working for real. He absolutely loves it. He's mentioned a few times that he can't believe he gets paid to play with trains.
Because of JM's full-time job, I've been able to drop down to 2 days a week at work, which is great. He watches Ali on the weekends and then my mom takes care of her on Tuesdays. It's been a blessing for Ali, myself, and my mom to have that time with her and not have to send her to daycare. She spends some of those mornings in childwatch at the Y while my mom puts in some hours, but I don't think she spends a whole lot of time 'in' childwatch. Everyone's passing her around and letting her have the run of the place! After summer camp ends they'll start back up some mommy and me type classes so Ali and I will enroll in those.
My work is fine, same old, same old. They're opening up a new hospital by our house so I'm toying with the idea of applying there. So far they haven't opened any supplemental positions yet, only full and part time. I would take a huge pay cut to switch to full or part time so I'm going to hold out for now. After JM gets through training I may be able to cut down even more on working so I need the supplemental flexibility.
We're about to do some re-grouping with our house. Obviously, we're going to have 4 people living in a 3 bedroom house...we have to do something! We're getting rid of our guest room, first of all. I think we've had people stay with us a total of 5 times since moving in, and that's in over 2 years! Definitely not a reason to have a guest room furnished anymore. So we're getting rid of the bed and I think most of the furniture in there. We'll move the computer into that room and make it into an 'office' type space for the time being. We figured the newborn will stay in our room for the first month or two anyways, so no need to change it now. Then the office, which is the open room in the back of our house that leads to the backyard, will be changed into the playroom. Mom, Ali and I are going to head to IKEA soon to get some storage systems and I already have the paint. Mom and I are hoping to get that finished before Ali's birthday party.
Which leads me to Miss Ali. She is absolutely wonderful. In every single way. She's pulling herself up to her feet and even 'cruising' within the last couple of days. She babbles all the time. The other night I swear she said Momma. JM was changing her on her table and I was picking up her room and she couldn't see me. She yelled out "Momma!" and I peeked around JM. As soon as she saw me she clapped, so I'm pretty sure she was calling me. We're trying to decide what to do for her one year photos which a friend of ours will do for us. So many neat ideas for the big 1! I could go on and on about her. She's mastered finger foods. Just hoping she'll get a few more teeth. There's not a whole lot more she can do with only the 2 bottom teeth. I'm starting to wean her from nursing. It breaks my heart and you can tell she's not happy with it, but my supply is diminishing because of the pregnancy. Right now we're replacing one feeding with a bottle and will gradually make the switch. I think it'll be for the best, then at least when she turns one we're not weaning her from the bottle AND me at the same time.
I'll post some new pictures on our picasa (which you can access to the left) when I get a chance. We haven't taken as many pictures lately...she just keeps us too busy!
I'm taking a stand and switching the blog back to public. I've been told by many people that the blogs about the miscarriage are helpful so I want that to be readily available. And the 'ex' friend that I hid it because of doesn't concern me anymore. She's completely removed from JM and I's life and I have to say, it's been nicer. Not seeing her negativity on fb is great. The family member that was the cause, well, I'm not going to let it get to me anymore. They've made their choices and well...you know. I know that's not very Christian-like, but sometimes it's just more than you can handle.
I think that's the update for now. Nothing major going on, but life is constant, wonderful and full!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Thank you
I wanted to send out a sincere thank you to all those who have sent out your support during the loss of our uncle. Uncle Mark was very dear to us and played a big part of our lives. Even our friends called him "Uncle Mark". But we appreciate all the emails, calls and help with Ali and our houses while we were in NJ.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Banana-avocado
I started Ali on bananas this week. I know I said I was going to move on to sweet potatoes but I couldn't get to the store and we had bananas on hand. I hadn't been able to take a picture yet because she eats it so fast!
Today I mixed a square of banana with a square of avocado. I didn't add any baby milk because 1) she had a couple of ounces first and 2) I had used the food processor on both fruits so they were very smooth and thin. She ate both squares! Such a big girl! You could tell she didn't like it as much as just the banana, but I want her to get used to different tastes.
Side note, I miss baby milk-only poop!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
We're mobile! Kind of...
And we're rolling!!! Woo hoo!!! Ali was wanting to be difficult and had yet to roll over. I wasn't real concerned, it's not like she's going to end up being 18 and still not able to roll over, but it was annoying! The 'average' baby rolls from belly to back around 4 months and then back to belly around 6 months.
Leave it to Ali to do things backwards and all at once. Nani was watching her today and she rolled from her back to her belly (so advanced!) for the first time. And you know what for? The remote!!! If there was any question before, it's clear now that this is DEFINITELY JM's child :-) Here's a pic...
Luckily for me, Ali repeated the roll when I got home from work. But I was still annoyed that she wasn't doing the roll she should have been doing a month ago! So, I'm doing her nightly baby massage and she's on her belly. She sees her teething ring a little to the side, reaches for it but can't get it. You can actually see her thinking about it, then she flips her head back, throws her body, and rolls from belly to back to grab the ring. She reached 2 milestones today!!! Silly girl. Guess there just needed to be something she wanted badly enough!
Leave it to Ali to do things backwards and all at once. Nani was watching her today and she rolled from her back to her belly (so advanced!) for the first time. And you know what for? The remote!!! If there was any question before, it's clear now that this is DEFINITELY JM's child :-) Here's a pic...
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Avocado
We tried our first "real" food today! Technically our first food was rice cereal and we did that a few days after our 4 month check up, but most babies start on rice cereal. We are counting avocado as our first food!
Update...Rice cereal went over pretty well. I had hoped to wait until Ali turned 6 months to start solid foods. The American Association of Pediatricians now recommends waiting till 6 months as it's starting to be shown that the earlier solid foods are started the higher the baby's chance of obesity later in life. Obviously, JM and I are tall (and bigger) people so she is going to be pre-disposed for this anyways and I had hoped to decrease any outside chances for her. Our pediatrician, however, is very pro-4 month starting. Another reason it's recommended to wait until 6 months is for allergies but JM and I have no food allergies so I wasn't concerned about that.
I went back and forth and finally just let Ali decide. There are a few criteria to see if the baby is ready to eat solids and she was well past ready! She was INCREDIBLY interested in our food, to the point that when you would put something in your mouth she would watch and chew as well. She was trying to take food off our plates...she was ready. She took to rice cereal pretty well, it obviously took a few days to get the hang of it. She still gets bored with it easily, but eating isn't for caloric intake at this time, just to introduce her to eating.
Then I had to decide which food to start first. Again, they're debunking the idea that starting with bananas makes the baby not want veggies in the future so that wasn't a big concern for me. Plus, has anyone else tried breastmilk? Honestly, you can confess. It's so freaking sweet that if anything's going to cause her to have a sweet tooth it'll be that! But then I read how good for you avocadoes are and it seemed a little unique so we went with that. The first day she did NOT like it, but a friend of mine told me that it takes about 30 days to develop a taste for the baby so we're sticking to it. The next day she still didn't care for it much so I mixed it with her cereal and she ate it happily. I kept mixing more and more every bite and she never seemed to notice until I ended up with a whole ice cube square in the cereal and there was much more avocado than cereal and she ate the whole bowl. Here are some pictures of the happy girl! I'm at work and can't get them to align correctly so please excuse the un-aesthetically pleasing alignment!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Making the blog private
Unfortunately, I've decided to make my blog private. We have some issues going on (ridiculous, but a family member telling a mutual friend stuff and then that friend posting it on facebook...seriously, I feel like I'm on Springer or something lately) and I'm just not comfortable letting the world have access to this. Not like I post anything too bad, there's just some people that I don't want able to read it...trying to decrease the drama ;-) I'll be sending out an 'invitation' to have access. If you don't receive an invitation and would like one, please let me know! Shannon.Ladislas@gmail.com
Sunday, February 6, 2011
I can help shovel!!!
Like most of the country, we had ridiculous weather the last week or so. A few inches of ice and then a few inches of snow on top of that made for some horribly slick roads and driveways...including ours. The day of the ice storm JM was in charge of Ali while I was at a friend's funeral so we didn't get a head start on the driveway. This was one of the first days when you could make any headway on the driveway so JM was out working in it. He only has one day off a week and I felt bad, so Ali and I went out to help him (even though she wanted a nap). I don't think we were much help ;-)
 |
| Daddy and his helper |
 |
| Mommy and Ali weren't helping at all |
 |
| Snow cute! |
 |
| Family in the snow |
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| Saying bye to Daddy so we could go nap while he kept working |
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Nicknames
I realized as I put Ali to bed tonight that we have 5 million nicknames for her. Well, that might be a SLIGHT exaggeration, but you get the point.
Ali
Ali V
Ali Vi
A.V.
Miss Vi
Ali Bear (to go along with Kodi Bear and Boo Bear)
Miss Ali Vi
And that's just what we do with her name. It doesn't include Sweets (JM), Boog (me), and many others. Poor thing is never going to learn what her name is ;-)
Ali
Ali V
Ali Vi
A.V.
Miss Vi
Ali Bear (to go along with Kodi Bear and Boo Bear)
Miss Ali Vi
And that's just what we do with her name. It doesn't include Sweets (JM), Boog (me), and many others. Poor thing is never going to learn what her name is ;-)
Monday, January 17, 2011
4 month check up
Just a quick update before little Miss Vi wakes up from her nap. She went in for her 4 month check up today and was a stellar patient. Everything's looking good. She has a bit of cradle cap but the doctor said that's normal given how dry it is right now. Everything else is perfect (which we already knew!). She did a good job growing...she's just over 15 pounds (82% percentile) and almost 26 inches (a 3-4 inch growth from last time!). She needs to start rolling over, but a lot of that is our fault. She needs less tummy time on us and more on the floor ;-) But how can you NOT hold her??? Hee hee. Dr. Christy gave the green light on solids and said whenever Ali seems ready. She said it's important to do it when she's ready, there's a small window of opportunity and if you wait she'll lose interest. Of course, Ali is VERY interested right now. She watches, amazed, as we eat and even chews when we chew. Her and I stopped at Meijer on the way home and got some rice cereal and baby bowls. We didn't get a chance to try it today though, she had some more shots and they've knocked her out. I even have to go wake her up now just to make her eat and go to bed!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Ha!
Ali has started to laugh...kind of! She gets out the initial HA and then the rest is silent. I took a Flip video of it that I'll post, but I accidentally talk over the HA so I'm not sure if anyone else will pick up on it. She laughs a lot more at JM than me, he must be much funnier. She still is smiling all the time though. She even squealed at him the other day while he was making her fly!
I've been working some night shifts still and while it stinks, there is a wonderful bright side. I get to take naps with her! Today (yesterday) we took 3 naps all snuggled up together in our bed. She naps so much better when I'm with her! I don't sleep real well, but I love every second of it.
I did just get the thank you's for her dedication finished and will be putting them in the mail for later today. I know, almost a month late. I'm slacking! But we really do appreciate everyone thinking of her.
If you haven't checked them out yet, you can see her 3 month/Christmas pictures at http://www.momentsphoto.biz/. Click on client moments and our password is Ali. Our good friend did the pictures (as well as her newborn pics) and we LOVE them. She also designed our Christmas cards which I thought were so unique! If you're in the market for a photographer definitely contact her. She did Greg's engagement and wedding photos which you can see on the site as well. She has true talent and artistic ability (and at least Ali loves to smile at her!) and she works hard to get you the photos quickly.
I've been working some night shifts still and while it stinks, there is a wonderful bright side. I get to take naps with her! Today (yesterday) we took 3 naps all snuggled up together in our bed. She naps so much better when I'm with her! I don't sleep real well, but I love every second of it.
I did just get the thank you's for her dedication finished and will be putting them in the mail for later today. I know, almost a month late. I'm slacking! But we really do appreciate everyone thinking of her.
If you haven't checked them out yet, you can see her 3 month/Christmas pictures at http://www.momentsphoto.biz/. Click on client moments and our password is Ali. Our good friend did the pictures (as well as her newborn pics) and we LOVE them. She also designed our Christmas cards which I thought were so unique! If you're in the market for a photographer definitely contact her. She did Greg's engagement and wedding photos which you can see on the site as well. She has true talent and artistic ability (and at least Ali loves to smile at her!) and she works hard to get you the photos quickly.
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