tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43501727752382834452024-03-13T04:07:52.315-04:00Bargar FamilyUpdates on our day to day lives.Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-48164512273974089822013-03-14T14:43:00.000-04:002013-03-14T14:43:55.376-04:00NICU Week 1Dexter went in for his surgery on September 21st at around 2:30am. He was exactly 24 hours old. He was out of surgery in about 2 hours, and all went well. He lost only a minimal amount of his bowel. I was told that he would be in the nicu for a few weeks and that we would need to watch him to be sure he didn't have any leaks.<br />
<br />
I was up all night the first night. I was pumping every two hours for 15 minutes. After pumping and cleaning the pump parts each time, I only had about an hour before I had to start all over again each time. I was getting about 2-5ml of colostrum each session. It seemed like so much work for so little, but I kept it up because I knew how vital it was to Dex. I rented a hospital grade pump to take with me.<br />
<br />
9/21/12<br />
When I was discharged Debbie came and we went straight up to the children's hospital. When we arrived at the nicu Dex was still in too much pain for us to touch him. I visited with him briefly and then Debbie drove me home so that I could fill my prescriptions for my pain meds. Dexter had 3 apnea episodes and a CT scan was ordered. The neonatologist said that it could be from pain but most 37 weekers didn't have apnea so the scan would be precautionary. The scan came back about 7 hours later, and was normal. So they put a nasal condula on him to give him bursts of air with his episodes.<br />
<br />
When the transport team came to take Dexter from the hospital to children's I was given a rag doll called a snoedel. They told me to sleep with it in my shirt so it would have my scent and I could give it to Dexter. I put it in his isolette before we left the nicu, and it triggered his sucking reflex. I nearly had a break down right then.<br />
<br />
Once at home I tried to put my mind at ease and relax. I was in the shower around midnight when my phone rang. The nicu called to tell me they were starting Dexter on seizure medication as a precaution. The doctor had witnessed one of his episodes and was concerned it could be from seizures. I was terrified, and nearly rushed off to the hospital. They told me they would call with more information if anything changed and that they would be speaking to a neurologist in the morning.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/246615_3713152546973_444945842_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/246615_3713152546973_444945842_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/303157_3714302175713_819935662_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/303157_3714302175713_819935662_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
9/22/12<br />
The next morning when I arrived for rounds the news wasn't great. They had raised his morphine because he was in so much pain. They had cathed him because his legs were turning red. They said they would now have to watch him closely because with such a high dose of morphine he may relax too much and need to be intubated, his breathing was becoming shallow.<br />
<br />
He ended up being put on a ventilator later that day. But it allowed him to rest much more comfortably and I was able to touch his hand that night before I went home.<br />
<br />
I was also up to 20ml per pumping session. The nurses were thrilled.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/561562_3717995308039_1106653390_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/561562_3717995308039_1106653390_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/375774_3717964147260_114364772_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/375774_3717964147260_114364772_n.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/395301_3718279115134_1133027963_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/395301_3718279115134_1133027963_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
9/23/12<br />
I woke up and realized I hadn't gotten a call from the nicu that night. I was excited, hoping this would be a turning point.<br />
<br />
When I got to his bedside he opened his eyes to the sound of my voice. They had shaved his head and put an IV in. I signed a consent form for a picc line so that they could take some of his IVs out. They also switched his drainage tube out for a bigger one because they didn't want anything to pass through his bowels. He was still having apnea episodes even with the vent and the seizure meds so an EEG was ordered. He was hooked up and was going to be kept on it overnight.<br />
<br />
My milk finally came in, and the nurse had to give me bigger containers to pump into.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/580348_3721094105507_425257532_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/580348_3721094105507_425257532_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/246554_3720743176734_1433485170_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/246554_3720743176734_1433485170_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
9/24/12<br />
Dexter's EEG came back normal. The doctor said that she thought the episodes were still from pain. But, if they didn't stop she would be looking at his heart.<br />
I got to hold him for awhile. It was so amazing to have him in my arms again.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/425827_3725341531690_2121367304_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/425827_3725341531690_2121367304_n.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/548635_3725588577866_40947406_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/548635_3725588577866_40947406_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
9/25/12</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I got to hold Dexter skin to skin for the first time. He immediately relaxed and snuggled into me. It was heaven for both of us. They gave me a mirror to use to look at his face. The back said <span style="background-color: #edeff4; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 11.199999809265137px;"> </span><span style="background-color: #edeff4; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 11.199999809265137px;">"In this mirror you will see, the wonderful reflection of you and me. Hold me tight and snuggle close, this time together means the most. My skin next to yours has healing power, let's be together for at least an hour. Sit back and enjoy the view, there is nothing more I'd rather do."</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: #edeff4; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 11.199999809265137px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/487574_4556968641848_816317244_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/487574_4556968641848_816317244_n.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
9/26/12<br />
Dexter was completely off of the morphine and seizure meds. They had been weaning him down slowly. They removed the catheter, and let me change his first wet diaper. He was taken off the vent, and didn't even act phased. It was a huge day for us. I got to wipe his mouth with a swab soaked in breastmilk. He tried to suck on it and seemed very excited. I was able to hold him for over an hour. By this point I was also pumping over 3oz every two hours. They gave Dexter a pacifier, since his sucking reflex was so strong. He seemed much more relaxed and content.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/301091_3733161207177_1172918140_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/301091_3733161207177_1172918140_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
9/27/12</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At exactly a week old Dexter had made amazing progress. The NICU had 8 rooms. The lower the number room you were in, the sicker the baby. Dexter started out in room 2. They moved him to room 5 at the end of the day. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/5048_3736905540783_708956075_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/5048_3736905540783_708956075_n.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Amazing how much time and energy it took to write all this out. Will post about the rest of our NICU stay later. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-3266558896578460262013-01-17T13:02:00.000-05:002013-01-17T13:02:20.683-05:00Life after the NICUI still haven't had the energy to write out Dexter's NICU journey. The thoughts behind this post have been nagging at me and I decided to get them out first.<br />
<br />
Nothing can prepare you for an unexpected illness or birth defect in your baby. So many ultrasounds and tests are done throughout most modern pregnancies that it is easy to assume that you would know if something is wrong. I went into a complete state of shock when I found out about Dexter. I didn't cry and sob when they told me that something was wrong. I didn't break down when the transport team brought him to me so I could say goodbye. I shed only a few tears the whole time he was in the NICU. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I was just so shocked that I was numb. Nothing seemed real. My family who was there cried. They were terrified, and upset. I watched them and I wanted to cry too. I knew I should be scared. But I also knew that if I released, if I allowed myself to feel everything, that I would be of no use to Dexter. I had to stay focused so that I could comprehend and pay attention to every detail the doctors told me. I had to be strong for him. The only way I could do that was to shut out my feelings. So I did.<br />
<br />
When you first go in to the NICU at Akron Children's you get a lot of papers and information. One of the papers you get is "how you may be feeling." It talks about the fear, uncertainty, guilt, anger etc. that parents of NICU babies often feel. I remember reading over it and wondering why I didn't feel any of those things. Was that normal?<br />
<br />
So fast forward to 3 weeks after Dexter was born. I got to bring him home. I slowly adjusted to the idea that this little boy really was my son. I have TWO kids!? The shock started to wear off, slowly. I started to bond with him and connect with him more. And then is when MY journey really began. All those feelings I should have had while he was sick started to creep up on me. Just little things at first. He would smile at me and I would realize, "I almost lost him." I would read about friends on facebook having babies and I would get jealous. Why did they get a healthy baby and I didn't? They got all the newborn snuggles, and the bonding time. Dexter and I did not. We missed out on the first 3 weeks of "normal" mother/son bonding. I got angry. Why my baby? What if that missed time changes our bond?<br />
<br />
I felt guilt for a long time after Calvin was born. He was a c-section delivery and I had complications. I missed out on having him put on my chest when he was born. I missed out on the peaceful bonding time those first few days because I was so sick. So when Dexter was born and I got my VBAC I was so excited. I got to have him put directly on me when he was born. I got to snuggle with him and start the bonding process I had imagined. But then he wouldn't nurse, and he started puking, and 12 hours after he was born he was on his way for x-rays and tests. I was so close to the experience I wanted and it was snatched away. I was so angry...I AM so angry. What did I do to deserve this? What did he do to deserve it? Nothing.<br />
<br />
Then there's the guilt. Was it something I did, or didn't do, that caused this? I'm overweight, I don't eat the healthiest, I forgot most of the time to take my prenatal vitamins. Did my body fail him? Is this my fault? The doctors all say it isn't. That these things just happen. Doesn't stop the feelings from coming. I'm his mommy. I'm supposed to protect him, and I couldn't. I couldn't do anything besides pump milk for him and sit by his bedside.<br />
<br />
I think the worst feeling of all is the fear. Now that it is all over I think about all the things that could have happened and I get scared. I feel sick. Every time he spits up I worry. Every time he doesn't have a bowel movement for a couple of days I worry. I laid awake so many nights listening to his breathing, afraid he would stop again. I bought a snuza monitor because I was losing sleep. I worry about him malrotating again. I worry about other things that "could" be wrong that we can't see. I have flashbacks remembering the puking, the goodbyes, the tubes. I remember the phone call I got that he had stopped breathing several times and they were going to intubate him. And now I can finally cry. I have anxiety attacks, and insomnia sometimes.<br />
<br />
I am not writing this post for sympathy. I have battled with myself over whether to write it at all. I don't want to sound like I'm "attention seeking." That's how I fear this will come out sounding. I am writing this post because I want other parents who have been through the NICU or other similar experiences with their kids to know that they are not alone. That just because your baby is home and doing well now, doesn't mean that you won't still have these feelings. People say to move on, and that it is over now. Well meaning people will tell you to not dwell on it, don't think about it, it is in the past. It's not so easy. I think it is comparable to grieving. Everyone handles it in their own way. For some people it takes longer to move on. Whether your baby is still sick, or he/she is home and you are still processing. Wherever you are in the journey, you are not alone. <br />
<br />
Dexter is happy and healthy. He is ok now. I'm not there yet, but I will be.Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-33751928038088406182012-12-28T15:09:00.000-05:002012-12-28T15:09:30.298-05:00Dexter's birth storyThree months later and I am finally sitting down to write this.<br />
<br />
I found out I was pregnant on 1/25/12. It seemed like too good to be true. We had been trying for almost a year. I was really early and I was scared that it wasn't true. Finally went to the clinic on 1/30 and it was confirmed! I was going to be a mommy again!<br />
<br />
I was desperate to know the baby's sex so I went to a place in Columbus and paid for an early gender scan. On 4/11/12 I found out it was another BOY! I was so surprised and excited. I was sure I was having a girl. John and I decided his name would be Dexter.<br />
<br />
After a lot of searching I had found a doctor who would allow me to try a VBAC. I wasn't a fan of his bedside manner, which was horrible, but I was willing to deal with anything to get my vbac. At my 36 week appointment I was already dilated to a three. He told me to let him know if I started having a lot of contractions. On 9/18 I went in for my weekly appointment. I was going to be 38 weeks on Thursday. Just as the doctor was about to leave the room he said "so Sept 30th right?" I stared at him for a moment "huh?" He told me he thought he had scheduled my induction for the 30th. When I shook my head he had his nurses call Aultman and schedule it. I was in shock. Induction? For a VBAC!? WHAT!? I was so shocked I didn't know what to do or say. It was all over the websites and information I had read, NEVER induce for a VBAC! I was terrified. I asked my T&C girls for their advice. Everyone was as shocked as I was. I had no idea what I was going to do, and I only had 12 days to decide. That night I had contractions all night that kept waking me up. The next day, Wednesday I was contracting all day. They were pretty consistent all day long and I was having bloody show. I texted my sister Debbie and kept her updated. Finally when John got home and the contractions were still coming Debbie called me. She told me to get my bag because she was coming to take me to get checked out. I didn't want to go. I was convinced it was false labor, or braxton hicks. I didn't go into labor on my own with Calvin, I was sure I couldn't be in labor at 38 weeks! I called my OB to let him know I was going in.<br />
<br />
We arrived at Aultman at about 6pm. I told them I was having contractions, so they took me into a room and hooked me up to a monitor. They asked me all the usual questions about previous births etc. I was hooked up to the machine for around an hour when a doctor came in to check to see if I was dilated. He checked me and looked surprised. He said I was at a 5 and my water was bulging. He said "I will go get ready and we will take you back." For some reason that wording confused me. I blurted out "I'm doing a vbac." He looked surprised and said "Oh, hold on I will go call your doctor" He left the room for a few minutes. When he came back he told me that my doctor was on his way and that they were going to move me to a room. I was so shocked, and excited! My baby was coming, and I didn't have to be induced!<br />
<br />
I got into a room around 8pm. I gave my L&D nurse my birth plan. She read it over and talked to me about each thing. She said we would need to go over it with my doctor. When the doctor arrived around 8:30 he went over my birth plan. I wanted as few interventions as possible. No pitocin, no breaking my water etc. He said "we aren't doing this without pitocin. I have a meeting in the morning, I'm not staying here all night." He told me if I didn't agree to the pitocin and breaking my water that he would leave. He said "good luck finding someone that will do a vbac, I have a 99.9% success rate." He chewed me out. He told me I was blind-siding him with a birth plan, and setting up "road blocks" for him. When he left the room he told me he would be in at 11 to break my water. I was so upset, but I was determined I could do this despite him being an ass.<br />
<br />
6:45 I was 6cm and -1 station. Eating a popsicle<br />
10:30 they came in and set up the table to break my water<br />
<br />
The doctor broke my water, which was extremely painful. Contractions immediately picked up and became very painful. He had a medical student try to insert an internal monitor. She tried for a long time, causing a lot of severe pain. Another doctor took over and inserted the internal monitor. By this time I was crying in pain, and asked for an epidural. I cried for quite awhile until they finally came in to do the epi. I got the epi, and my blood pressure immediately crashed. The nurse gave me meds to bring my blood pressure back up.<br />
<br />
12:45 at 8cm, had an epi but still in pain<br />
<br />
I started pushing at around 1:30 am. Dexter was born at 2:14am on 9/20/12!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/393695_3718122671223_560064233_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/393695_3718122671223_560064233_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
He was put on my chest immediately. I cried and cried as did Mommaw and Debbie. I just held him for a long time. A nurse came in and weighed and measured him. She did most of his evals while he was still on my chest. He was 7lb 8oz, 19.5in with apgars of 9 and 9. He got all cleaned up and they put one of my cloth diapers on him.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/644061_3718140791676_857220787_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/644061_3718140791676_857220787_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I tried several times to nurse him but he kept pushing his tongue forward and refusing to eat. He was very content and quiet. I assumed he was just sleepy or laid back. I had several nurses and lactation consultants try to help. They tried every trick they could think of but he still wasn't nursing. I put him in his bed and laid down to get a little sleep. Around 10am I woke up to him making a choking noise. He was puking up foamy fluid, and A LOT of it. I scooped him up and turned him over and yelled at my sister to get a nurse. He soaked his bed, his blankets, my bed, and my gown. Debbie ran out into the hall yelling for a nurse. They all laughed at her. They told her it was normal. A nurse came in and I showed her how he had soaked everything. She said that happens a lot with quick deliveries they can have a lot of fluid built up. She said that once it all cleared out he would probably want to eat. She said to go ahead and try to nurse him because he may eat after getting rid of some of the excess fluid. I tried again to nurse him. Again, he refused to eat. By this point he was 8 hours old and still had not had a bowel movement.<br />
<br />
A lactation consultant came in and I told her everything that was going on. She saw one of the blankets Dexter had vomited on and told me to leave it out and she was going to send the on-call pediatrician in to look at it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/293017_3710626523824_134059452_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/293017_3710626523824_134059452_n.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I waited for awhile and the doctor hadn't come. So I asked my sister to turn the lights down a bit. I put a pillow under my arm and cradled Dexter. I wanted to try to get a little sleep, I had been awake for about 24 hours. The on-call pediatrician came in. He turned the lights on and saw that I was holding Dexter while I napped. He snapped at me "Do not hold him while you sleep." He picked up Dexter's blanket that was covered in green vomit, barely looked at it, and said "this is normal." Then he looked at me and angrily said "put him in the crib" and stormed out of the room. I was too scared to put him down, I ignored him, and cradled my baby.<br />
<br />
We had a couple visitors. Sarah and Greg came, and a friend of Debbie's from work, Mai.<br />
<br />
The rest of the day I kept trying to nurse him, he continued to refuse and to vomit. The vomit looked like meconium, he still hadn't had a bowel movement. I told every nurse I saw, every doctor, every lactation consultant. When he still wouldn't eat a lactation consultant brought me a pump. She told me to go ahead and pump to make sure my supply would come in. I got about 10ml of colostrum. They told me to try to feed it to him, but he wouldn't eat. A lactation consultant came in. I told her what was going on. She took Dexter and put the bottle in his mouth. She moved it up and down, and he reluctantly ate. As soon as she was done and he had ate it all he puked all over her. Her whole outfit was covered. She said "this isn't normal, I'm going to go find the doctor." She handed him back to me and assured me that she would find someone right away.<br />
<br />
Mommaw and Norm were on their way to the hospital with Calvin by this point and grandma Walter was there.<br />
<br />
Around 6:00 they finally came and got him to look him over. They thought maybe he had swallowed meconium, but my water was clear when it was broken. They decided to do an xray. They said his bowels were not sounding the same on one side as the other, which meant they could be twisted. When the xray came back it showed that he had a blockage.<br />
<br />
Mommaw, Norm and Calvin had arrived just in time for them to come in and tell me that they were going to transport him to Akron Children's and he would need surgery. They brought him in so that we could see him briefly. I held him and let Calvin kiss him, and we told him goodbye. They took him to the nicu to prepare him for transport. We waited for what seemed like forever. Grandma Walter went home, and I promised to call her with news. Mommaw and Norm needed to get Calvin home so we went down to the nicu so they could say goodbye. When we got to the nicu, Dexter was in an insolette. He had an iv, a drainage tube in his nose, and a heart monitor.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/534192_3718149551895_1000010276_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/534192_3718149551895_1000010276_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting his brother</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/307750_3718153351990_705435935_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/307750_3718153351990_705435935_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After Mommaw and Norm took Calvin home Debbie waited with me for them to let us know if he had been transferred. When the team arrived they put him in a huge transport isolette and wheeled him in to see me. I got to stick my hand in and tell him goodbye. They gave me an info pack from Akron Children's and told me that the doctor would call me when they knew anything. They left, Debbie left, and I waited for news.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I got up every 2 hours to pump that first night. Around 2:15am I got a phone call. They were just getting ready to take him back for surgery. He was exactly 24 hours old. The surgeon said he had a twist in his bowel, called malrotation. He said the best case scenario would be he untwists it and we just watch for reoccurance for the rest of his life. The worst case scenario would be if some of the bowel had died and he would need a bag, and possibly future surgeries. I was numb, and in total shock. I thanked him and hung up. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Around 4:15 his surgeon called back. He said he had done the Ladd's procedure on Dex. He had been twisted and also had a gap in his bowel. He said both had been fixed and he had lost very minimal bowel. He said Dexter would be in the nicu for a few weeks. He assured me that I could call the nicu any time for updates and that they would call me if anything changed. His official diagnosis was Malrotation and Jejunal Atresia. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I was discharged the next day and went straight up to the hospital to see him. More posts about our nicu journey to come later. </div>
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-48922963177595042812012-12-07T11:53:00.003-05:002012-12-07T11:53:19.919-05:00FinallyYikes! I can't belive I haven't written since March! Well, I guess that isn't entirely true. I have a few blog posts started that ended up saved as drafts for months. Ah well, such is life with a toddler and a pregnancy/newborn. I hadn't even updated my blog announcing the new pregnancy! So here is a brief overview, in no particular order, of what has been going on in the last almost year.<br />
<br />
Found out I was pregnant again in February<br />
In April we found out we were having another boy<br />
Went on family trips to Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Kentucky etc.<br />
Had a falling out with my mom, haven't spoken since<br />
Moved to a new house<br />
Got a van<br />
Sold the car<br />
Had a successful vbac<br />
Went through an almost 3 week NICU stay<br />
Started babysitting a little boy<br />
Calvin potty trained<br />
<br />
Calvin talks all the time now. He can say exactly what he is thinking, and he isn't afraid to tell you. He uses words and phrases like "indeed", "preferably not", and "of course" in everyday conversation. He has been an amazing big brother and adores his brother. More to come later on most of our big happenings. Just have to find the time to write.<br />
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-59077087213803928432012-12-05T13:47:00.002-05:002012-12-05T13:47:25.343-05:00"Good luck with that" Part 1: Cloth Diapers<b>Note: I wrote all of this months ago before Calvin was potty trained. So everything is present tense</b> <b>but he has been out of diapers for months. </b><br />
<br />
<br />
You've probably heard one of these condescending comments before if you have chosen to parent in a way that is "outside the norm".<br />
<br />
"That won't last long"<br />
"Good luck with that"<br />
"I did ____ and my kids are fine"<br />
"Ok, but don't feel bad if it doesn't work out because..."<br />
"Your kid is going to be spoiled"<br />
<br />
The list goes on and on. People feel like you are attacking their choices if you make a choice that they didn't. I had many friends, family, and even strangers tell me that cloth diapering wouldn't last, that I "might not be able" to breastfeed, that Calvin would never sleep if I didn't sleep train etc. So, two years later I thought I would post an update. A "so how's that going for ya?" kind of thing.<br />
<br />
<b>Cloth Diapering</b><br />
People are full of opinions about this topic. How it's gross, takes so much time, is so much harder, sends your water bill up etc.<br />
I started part time cloth when Calvin was 4 months old. By the time he was 6 months we were using cloth 90% of the time. Around 11 months old we went to cloth full time. The only bad thing I have to say about cloth, is that I wish I had started sooner!<br />
The realities for me have been:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I've saved tons of money</li>
<li>I never have to rush out to the store because I'm out of diapers</li>
<li>Washing doesn't add much extra laundry. Maybe 2-3 loads a week</li>
<li>They're CUTE ;)</li>
<li>NO blowouts. Really! I don't have to worry about him having those massive poo explosions all over his clothes. We have had a couple of small leaks (like little wet spots on his pants) if I forget to change him, or if his diaper shifts but never anything massive like we had in disposables.</li>
<li>It's not that gross. The reality of being a parent is you have to sometimes deal with poop, pee, vomit, snot, and all those other fun things. It comes along with having a baby. Yes, I sometimes have to deal with a really stinky diaper. But if you are picturing me with my arms in the toilet, covered in poop you totally have the wrong idea. Most of the time (I'd say 90%) when I have to clean a poopy diaper, it just falls out into the toilet and I flush it. No mess, no big deal. And I don't have to worry about taking those rancid diapers outside so they don't stink up the house :)</li>
<li>My water bill hasn't changed. </li>
</ul>
<div>
So, cloth has worked wonderfully for us. It isn't for everyone perhaps, but I CAN and I DID stick with it, and I'm so glad I did! All future babies will be full time cloth, from birth!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-39571754406603018892012-03-16T14:37:00.000-04:002012-03-16T14:37:46.231-04:00My baby is two!Veteran parents always tell the first timers "they grow up fast". I know I heard it all the time, and frankly got a bit tired of hearing it. I thought to myself "yea, I know I know". Really, I didn't know! I had no idea that "fast" meant warp speed! Where the heck did I get a two year old? When did that happen? Maybe someone is playing a cruel joke...But really, I can't believe it has been two years.<br />
<br />
So, here's some updates on our lives. And most importantly, on Calvin.<br />
<br />
<b>New Words/Phrases:</b><br />
Way too many to list everything but I'll list some that come to mind.<br />
<br />
__ o'clock<br />
pancake<br />
leap pad<br />
excuse me<br />
Gage<br />
poop<br />
green juice<br />
blues clues<br />
dragon tales<br />
drawing<br />
blue eyes<br />
please<br />
Ellee<br />
<br />
He can also make lots of 3-5 word sentences.<br />
<br />
<b>Actions/Gestures</b><br />
when someone is upset he rubs their cheek with his hand<br />
offers hugs and kisses often<br />
washes himself in the bath<br />
helps dress and undress himself<br />
asks to go "night night" when he is tired<br />
shares toys<br />
Identifies red, blue, green, yellow, black, brown, orange and pink<br />
<br />
<b>Favorite foods: </b>pizza, grapes, strawberries, green juice, cheese, pancakes<br />
<br />
<b>Favorite color: </b>green? blue? I think he likes them all :)<br />
<br />
<b>Favorite toys: </b>dinosaurs, animals, trains<br />
<br />
<b>Favorite shows: </b>dinosaur train, blues clues, dragon tales, Bob the Builder<br />
<br />
We had a great little family vacation for his 2nd birthday celebration. We took him to Independence, Ohio where we rode a train to Akron, boarded a trolley and went to the Akron zoo. Calvin had a blast, and so did John and I. Then he had his birthday party at the Moose. We had a good turn out and Calvin had fun playing with all his little guests.<br />
<br />
It has been getting very nice outside so we've had the chance to get Calvin out to play much more often lately. He is loving it!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/426519_2674579463295_1220434840_32149581_258642926_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/426519_2674579463295_1220434840_32149581_258642926_n.jpg" width="240" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating his cake at our mini party</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/424233_2733529297004_1220434840_32173275_1008849081_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/424233_2733529297004_1220434840_32173275_1008849081_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeding the goats</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429411_2682932432114_1220434840_32152759_878958344_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429411_2682932432114_1220434840_32152759_878958344_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out the fountain at the hotel</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/430323_2733496936195_880325972_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/430323_2733496936195_880325972_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here comes the train!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/419513_2733544937395_1220434840_32173323_775351179_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/419513_2733544937395_1220434840_32173323_775351179_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/420043_2810361777768_1220434840_32205104_1260322570_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/420043_2810361777768_1220434840_32205104_1260322570_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cal and his dino buddy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/419944_2812474910595_1220434840_32206291_177053103_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/419944_2812474910595_1220434840_32206291_177053103_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goofy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-31566704635369078812012-01-17T14:28:00.000-05:002012-01-17T14:28:11.719-05:00Calvin's 2nd ChristmasThis is a little late. But better late than never :). Calvin had an awesome 2nd Christmas! He loved opening all of his gifts, and 'helping' everyone else open theirs. He got excited about everything he opened, even the clothes. It was adorable.<br />
<br />
Some of his gifts:<br />
<br />
Mommy and Daddy- Play kitchen, Melissa and Doug wooden train, Thomas trains, Thomas bath stuff, angry birds balls, crayons, coloring books, travel easel, marble run, remote controlled thomas<br />
<br />
Mommaw- chipped in on the play kitchen, clothes, movies, thomas trains, workbench, cars<br />
<br />
Pappy- train table<br />
<br />
Grandma Lewis- Ride on thomas, aqua mat, clothes, shoes<br />
<br />
Aunt Debbie- animals, movies, trains<br />
<br />
Nanna and Chase- leappad, penbo, ty beany boo elephant, clothes, dinosaurs<br />
<br />
Dee and kids- Melissa and Doug easel with accessories<br />
<br />
Aunt Diane- Melissa and Doug pizza set<br />
<br />
Grandma Bargar- leapfrog car<br />
<br />
Grandma Walter- wooden blocks<br />
<br />
I'm sure I forgot some things on the list. We are so lucky to have such great family :). Calvin has loved all of his gifts. He plays with his easel the most. Every day he makes at least 3 or 4 pictures. His play kitchen doesn't get as much use as we thought it would, but I'm sure he will play with it plenty as time goes on.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/403746_2359094376365_1220434840_32024294_24857513_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/403746_2359094376365_1220434840_32024294_24857513_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/379169_2364902001552_1220434840_32029369_280152729_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/379169_2364902001552_1220434840_32029369_280152729_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/380150_2389918066938_1220434840_32041596_337147563_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/380150_2389918066938_1220434840_32041596_337147563_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-746533490439300262011-12-21T21:22:00.001-05:002011-12-21T21:23:50.959-05:0022 Months<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/295725_2093373213502_1220434840_31897411_95383829_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/295725_2093373213502_1220434840_31897411_95383829_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Walking at the zoo with Pappy and Daddy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">This parenting thing is so fast paced! I can't believe I'm going to have a 2 year old in two months!! I totally spaced on doing a 21 month blog post so I'll try to make this one a bit longer. In my last post I mentioned wanting to take Calvin to the zoo and also signing him up for gymnastics. I managed to do both :). Mommaw, Norm, John, Calvin, and I spent 3 nights in Columbus. We took Shai along too. We spent a day at the zoo and a day at COSI. It was a lot of fun! Calvin loved the petting zoo at Columbus zoo. He also really liked all the fish. And of course...the elephants! He was beside himself with excitement :). The only snag we hit was when he was tired and needed to nurse to sleep. I took him in a bathroom (bad bad breastfeeding advocacy right?). Cosi was a blast. I didn't think there would be much for him to do but they had a whole half of a floor with a Kidzone that was amazing! Gymnastics was great at first but Calvin just didn't take well to having to stay in specific stations so we decided to take him out for now and re-enroll when he is older. This month has been crazy with getting prepared for xmas. We have been on the go for the last two weeks. Calvin and I did manage to make it to a playdate on Monday though. First playdate since he was 8 months old and we first met Evelyn and Kyrie. We met up with Gage and his mommy Sara. Calvin was a little love bug trying to give Gage kisses and following him around giving him hugs. They even held hands for awhile while we walked around the mall. We got the boys each a balloon and took them to the playplace. Then we got some pretzals and headed for the park. Christmas in the park was packed. Gage was getting tired and fussy so they went home. We decided to stay long enough for Cal to ride the train. He was in awe. He sat still as a statue the whole ride and then got really excited when it was over :). Christmas is just 4 days away and I still have so much to do, but I will be posting a blog post about Calvin's second Christmas with plenty of pics (taken with my new CANON!) So here's what's new with Calvin....</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><br />
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/378762_2157639500119_1220434840_31943700_1205112785_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/378762_2157639500119_1220434840_31943700_1205112785_n.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Ready to go to the zoo!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Words/Phrases</b><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Dinosaur (dine or dine-sar)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">train</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">one, two, yay!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Wooo! Yay!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">house</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Nanna</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">I want that</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Debbie (bee)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Die die (playing with older cousins has drawbacks lol)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">cartoon on (toon on!)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">water</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">lemonade</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">ow</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">open</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">close</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">choochoo! gugguggug</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">pretty light</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/320100_2093391093949_1220434840_31897484_335391351_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/320100_2093391093949_1220434840_31897484_335391351_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Loving the petting zoo</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Spongebob (bob)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">wheel</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Go maw, pap, shai house</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Loki (lo)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">wait</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">me</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">pee</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">jump</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">hurt</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">I may have to stop listing all of his new words each month because his language is exploding! :)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><b style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Actions/Gestures</b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Makes you sniff his foot</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">plugs his nose and "gags" if he smells something stinky</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">covers his eyes and tries to hide if he thinks he is in trouble</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">running toward you and tackling</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">climbing on everything</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">tries to jump</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/319621_2098414339527_1220434840_31900873_28951916_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/319621_2098414339527_1220434840_31900873_28951916_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Heading in to Cosi</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">pats your back when you hug him</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">asks for kisses on boo boos</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">gives kisses on your boo boos</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Favorite Foods: </b>rice, noodles, pizza, peas, black olives, bananas, oranges</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 18px;"><b>Favorite Color: </b>red</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 18px;"><b>Favorite toys: </b>trains or animals</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 18px;"><b>Favorite movie: </b>Despicable Me</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/313049_2098425859815_1220434840_31900902_488872717_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/313049_2098425859815_1220434840_31900902_488872717_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Inside a real submarine!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: #101010; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/297768_2098434140022_1220434840_31900927_142894786_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/297768_2098434140022_1220434840_31900927_142894786_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Playing at the water table in kids zone</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/313439_2104108961889_1220434840_31905170_1130056936_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/313439_2104108961889_1220434840_31905170_1130056936_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Happy Halloween!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/388157_2316714116885_1220434840_32001265_924583825_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/388157_2316714116885_1220434840_32001265_924583825_n.jpg" width="191" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/380245_2127038935124_1220434840_31925061_536009262_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/380245_2127038935124_1220434840_31925061_536009262_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Vroom!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-20325344013276929062011-10-16T01:35:00.000-04:002011-10-16T01:35:41.600-04:0020 Months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s-hphotos-iad1.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/s720x720/320222_2037811824502_1220434840_31852935_1635292338_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s-hphotos-iad1.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/s720x720/320222_2037811824502_1220434840_31852935_1635292338_n.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>It seems like I JUST wrote the 19 months blog post! I can't believe how fast time is passing. In just 4 months my little boy will be TWO! OMG! This month was better than last. I named the baby and it helped me get some closure. Calvin went to a costume contest and trick-or-treating out at the campground and won the contest. It was great :). Hoping to take Cal to the zoo sometime soon. I also am in the process of getting him signed up for some gymnastics classes.<br />
<br />
New this month:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/297553_2041163508292_1220434840_31854952_668595384_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/297553_2041163508292_1220434840_31854952_668595384_n.jpg" width="191" /></a><b>Words/Phrases</b><br />
kiss you on the nose (Squee likes to lick everyone on the nose)<br />
no<br />
Pappy<br />
wait<br />
want ___<br />
orange<br />
red<br />
yellow<br />
blue<br />
purple<br />
yes<br />
rice<br />
noodle<br />
roll<br />
wee<br />
bowl<br />
elephant<br />
Mommaw<br />
cheese<br />
bat<br />
did it<br />
I'm sure there are more but I can't think of them all.<br />
<br />
<b>Actions/Gestures</b><br />
Identifies red and orange semi-consistently<br />
tries to wash himself in the bathtub<br />
helps pick things up, put things into containers etc.<br />
<br />
<b>Favorite Foods: </b>seaweed salad, noodles, rice, concord grapes, tomato soup<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Favorite Color: </b>red or orange<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Favorite toy: </b>thomas the train and stuffed curious george<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Favorite movie: </b>Finding Nemo<br />
<br />
Not much has changed this month other than learning lots of new words. Cal still loves animals, thomas the train, and curious george. He loves coloring now too. Jersi and Gionna had their first birthday this month and we went to their party. Cal had a great time playing in the preschool room.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/311478_2048439810195_1220434840_31861410_2083315394_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/311478_2048439810195_1220434840_31861410_2083315394_n.jpg" width="136" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swinging</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br />
</b>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-5592189885173554772011-09-27T02:54:00.000-04:002011-09-27T02:54:59.549-04:0019 Months!Calvin turned 19 months old on the 16th. This has been a crazy month for us! I turned 23, lost a baby, John turned 25, and John's grandma died. Lots of downs this month. But Cal keeps me going. Here's what's new with him.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/320685_1955307721951_1220434840_31785721_512253_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/320685_1955307721951_1220434840_31785721_512253_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still comfortably rear-facing :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Words/Phrases</b><br />
George<br />
Thomas (mas)<br />
run<br />
fish<br />
juice<br />
hand<br />
Shai (ssssay)<br />
roll dice<br />
money (min)<br />
necklace (lessss)<br />
hair<br />
big<br />
this way<br />
<br />
<b>Actions/Gestures</b><br />
pats his leg when he wants you to come<br />
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/307823_1955301841804_1220434840_31785696_933070_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/307823_1955301841804_1220434840_31785696_933070_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>leads you by the hand to show you what he wants<br />
put his sandal on by himself<br />
identifies his hands and fingers<br />
goes down slides alone<br />
<br />
<b>Favorite Foods</b><br />
seaweed salad<br />
gerber fruit twists<br />
bananas<br />
apples<br />
cheese<br />
concord grapes<br />
popsicles<br />
<br />
Calvin has become quite enthralled with the tv this month. We have recently decided to cut him down to one show a day, before bed. It's not going to go over well. He absolutely loves Curious George and Thomas the train. I bought him a stuffed curious george off of amazon. He carries it around and sleeps with it.<br />
<br />
Lately his favorite way to play involves putting objects in containers and taking them back out. We bought him a cheap set of dominoes and he loves to put them in the tin and take them back out. He also loves playing with coins (with supervision of course). Slides at the playground have been a big hit this month. He goes down even the really big slides by himself. He makes me so proud :).<br />
<br />
He loves animals. His current favorites are elephants and monkeys (thanks curious george). He gets really excited when he sees any animal and he likes to make animal sounds. I'm thinking he will be an animal for Halloween this year.<br />
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/306369_1983771313523_1220434840_31809288_242337515_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/306369_1983771313523_1220434840_31809288_242337515_n.jpg" width="191" /></a><br />
Calvin had his first trip to the fair this month. He loved seeing all the animals and even got to go on his first pony ride. I think in the future we will be saving "animal viewing" trips for the zoo though. Looking those beautiful, gentle animals in the eyes knowing what is going to happen to them is just too much for me. I wish there was a local branch of PETA because I would so be one of the "psychos" that would go to a protest at the fairgrounds >:). I so do not look forward to the day Cal finds out what happens to the animals he loves so much :'(.<br />
<br />
I managed to finally go through all of Cal's old clothes. I packed up a bunch of them to sell. I'm keeping a lot of them of course :). It was hard to get rid of them, but I know it's better to not keep everything lol.<br />
<br />
Enough rambling for today.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/300395_2007634670092_1220434840_31826170_1437395171_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/300395_2007634670092_1220434840_31826170_1437395171_n.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/294469_2003548647944_1220434840_31823211_954475062_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/294469_2003548647944_1220434840_31823211_954475062_n.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First pony ride</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/304519_2010961593263_1220434840_31830180_1973922846_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/304519_2010961593263_1220434840_31830180_1973922846_n.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/320575_2008683456311_1220434840_31827260_2026609972_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/320575_2008683456311_1220434840_31827260_2026609972_n.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-87225849966011131632011-08-24T22:18:00.001-04:002011-08-24T22:18:51.629-04:0018 MonthsAs of 8/16 Cal is officially...1 1/2! I can't believe time has gone so fast. Six months ago we were having his 1st birthday, and in 6 months we will be having his 2nd! It just makes me tear up. My baby is becoming a little boy :). It seems like he changes so much every month.<br />
<br />
New things this month:<br />
<br />
<b>Words/Phrases/Sounds</b><br />
Wha dis?<br />
Wha dat?<br />
<a href="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/281739_1885748703019_1220434840_31702516_5027653_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/281739_1885748703019_1220434840_31702516_5027653_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Wha is?<br />
Where is/ma/da?<br />
baby<br />
meow<br />
moo<br />
woof<br />
"elephant noise"<br />
mine<br />
read<br />
night<br />
mouth<br />
hat<br />
elmo<br />
<br />
<b>Favorite foods</b><br />
grapes<br />
cherries<br />
pasta<br />
cottage cheese<br />
strawberries<br />
watermelon<br />
<br />
Cal has started taking an interest in the potty. We are hoping to officially start potty training soon. He has gone pee in his potty once.<br />
<br />
Playtime mostly consists of him using anything and everything as a truck and making "vroom vroom" noises. He also really loves to play with his baby doll. He carries him around and tucks him in, then makes snoring noises and tells me "shhh". He also loves to pretend to be a kitty. He meows and purrs and rubs his head on everything. Then he will try to eat without using his hands. It is adorable.<br />
<br />
His favorite book right now is "Another Monster at the End of this Book". He loves when I read it to him and do Grover and Elmo's voices. We read it almost every night. He also loves any books with lift-the-flaps and/or anything that has trucks in it.<br />
<br />
This month has been pretty up and down. Cal, John, and I were all sick up until very recently for about two weeks. But we have still managed to go on some fun outings. Cal is getting much more social. He doesn't even take time to warm up most of the time. He will go right up to anyone and tell them hi. He of course has his shy moments though.<br />
<br />
He has visited with quite a few babies over the past month or so and he adores them. Gia and Jersi are 10 months old now and full of coos and smiles when we visit. We haven't been to see them recently because Jersi just had hip surgery but I hope we get a chance to go see them soon. Kiki has brought Jarryd over a couple of times and Cal just loves kissing and patting him. We have also gone to see Ellee a few times and even had their pictures taken together. I think he will make a great big brother when the time comes!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/254740_1885744302909_1220434840_31702497_4158938_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/254740_1885744302909_1220434840_31702497_4158938_n.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/226065_1904989784034_1220434840_31727748_3903673_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/226065_1904989784034_1220434840_31727748_3903673_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185381_1922593104106_1220434840_31748161_599765_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185381_1922593104106_1220434840_31748161_599765_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/317379_1924285586417_1220434840_31749852_5700972_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/317379_1924285586417_1220434840_31749852_5700972_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/307700_1924302946851_1220434840_31749906_5896020_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/307700_1924302946851_1220434840_31749906_5896020_n.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><b><br />
</b>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-49241595004327412262011-08-18T20:47:00.000-04:002011-08-18T20:47:16.688-04:00There are still loving parents out there<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12px;">When John and I had Cal at Walmart today to get his prescription I saw a very loving dad. It was really touching. He was in the store with his probably 3 year old little girl. He was so playful with her and patient! If she started to run off he would say "remember to stay where I can see you please." she would come back in site and he would say "thank you" and when she wanted to explore and look at stuff he would say something like "yea that's really cool isn't it? It looks like big hands." Then while they were standing in line so he could get his prescription he she kept pulling on the cart that his leg was resting on. Instead of getting irritated or mad at her he said "whoa hey! Be careful, don't pull daddy's leg off!" in a lighthearted way. It was really refreshing and made me smile. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12px;">One time she got too far out of his site and he reminded her to stay where he could see her. Testing her boundaries she said "but you could see my hand." I half expected him to get stern with her or something but he just said "but I couldn't see all of you. Stay where I can see all of you." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12px;">Then as they were getting ready to leave she said "I want to push the cart." He said "Oh I think we should do it together (it was very busy in the store). Come on hop on" she got on the cart and he said "Ok now we are going to go find the puppy food and then we're going home." She told him she could help and he told her "great." It was all very positive and playful. They seemed to have a great relationship.</span></span></span>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-24293080533255319062011-08-01T20:22:00.000-04:002011-08-01T20:23:00.001-04:00Co-sleeping SafelyI've been wanting to write up a blog post on CSing ever since Cal was born but I never seemed to get around to it. I finally decided to sit down and write it out. Before I got pregnant with Cal I was totally against co-sleeping. I had heard all the scary stories about babies suffocating, parents rolling on them etc. While I was pregnant I researched all kinds of things to do with babies. From diapering, to feeding, to sleeping, and so on. What I discovered was surprising to me. I learned that co-sleeping can be just as safe (if not safer in some ways) than crib sleeping WHEN YOU FOLLOW SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. There's the deal breaker. Just like crib sleeping has its "rules" so does co-sleeping. Most pregnant women and moms have read about or been told about crib safety. No heavy blankets, only breathable bumpers, no pillows, keep it away from windows and curtains etc. But co-sleeping is rarely mentioned as a safe and legitimate alternative. You may still be questioning or replaying stories in your mind that you have heard or read about. I hope that by the end of this post I will have shown that co-sleeping is not irresponsible or dangerous when done properly.<br />
<br />
Myths about Co-sleeping<br />
<ul><li>Increases risk for sids</li>
<li>Unsafe because parents will roll on baby, suffocation etc</li>
<li>Co-sleeping causes unhealthy attachment</li>
</ul><b>Increased risk for SIDS</b><br />
This is one of the top reasons that many people are against co-sleeping. The reality is that people often confuse SIDS with suffocation. SIDS is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. By definition sids is when a baby dies and upon autopsy there is no known cause of death. Therefore a parent rolling on a baby, the baby suffocating in a pillow or blanket (more on this later) etc. is NOT sids. There is a lot of evidence that shows that sids may actually be reduced by co-sleeping. In Asian countries where babies sleeping independently is basically unheard of the rates for SIDS are the lowest in the world. Babies are born neurologically immature. They are biologically programmed to be close to their mother/caregiver.<br />
<br />
<b>Unsafe</b><br />
Everyone has heard the horror stories. Mother/father rolled on the baby, dog or cat killed the baby, baby suffocated, the list goes on and on. The reality is that co-sleeping deaths are not nearly as common as many would think. A good analogy would be plane crashes vs. car crashes. Everyone knows that plane crashes are far more rare than car accidents. Your odds of dying in a plane crash range from 1 in 5.4 million to 1 in 9.2 million (<a href="http://www.planecrashinfo.com/cause.htm">Source</a>). Your odds of dying in a car accident? Car accidents are the cause of 2.2% of all deaths (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_collision">source</a>). So why is it that so many people are afraid of planes but not cars? Because plane accidents are far more publicized! The same can be said for co-sleeping vs. crib deaths. Do co-sleeping deaths happen? Yes. But because co-sleeping is less common in our society it is of course widely publicized when a co-sleeping baby tragically dies. How often do you hear of deaths of crib sleeping babies? Not very often? <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px;">9,664 infants were injured in crib related accidents in 1996 and 54 babies died. This is not including SIDS. Crib deaths do happen, just like co-sleeping deaths. Why? Because of human error. Parents make mistakes. Whether you co-sleep or put your baby in a crib you can make one of those fatal errors. That being said...<br />
<br />
Do I think co-sleeping is for everyone? No, but I do think that the safety precautions for those that DO wish to co-sleep should be more widely publicized. </span><br />
<br />
For anyone who's interested here are the basic co-sleeping safety "rules" (<a href="http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-problems/sleep-safety/safe-co-sleeping-habits">source</a>)<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">DOS:</span><br />
<br />
<ul style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Take precautions to prevent baby from rolling out of bed, even though it is unlikely when baby is sleeping next to mother. Like heat-seeking missiles, babies automatically gravitate toward a warm body. Yet, to be safe, place baby between mother and a guardrail or push the mattress flush against the wall and position baby between mother and the wall. Guardrails enclosed with plastic mesh are safer than those with slats, which can entrap baby's limbs or head. Be sure the guardrail is flush against the mattress so there is no crevice that baby could sink into.</li>
<li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Place baby adjacent to mother, rather than between mother and father. Mothers we have interviewed on the subject of sharing sleep feel they are so physically and mentally aware of their baby's presence even while sleeping, that it's extremely unlikely they would roll over onto their baby. Some fathers, on the other hand, may not enjoy the same sensitivity of baby's presence while asleep; so it is possible they might roll over on or throw out an arm onto baby. After a few months of sleep-sharing, most dads seem to develop a keen awareness of their baby's presence.</li>
<li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Place baby to sleep on his back.</li>
<li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Use a large bed, preferably a queen-size or king-size. A king-size bed may wind up being your most useful piece of "baby furniture." If you only have a cozy double bed, use the money that you would ordinarily spend on a fancy crib and other less necessary baby furniture and treat yourselves to a safe and comfortable king-size bed.</li>
<li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Some parents and babies sleep better if baby is still in touching and hearing distance, but not in the same bed. For them, a bedside co-sleeperis a safe option.</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">DON'TS:</div><ul style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Do not sleep with your baby if:<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1. You are under the influence of any drug (such as alcohol or tranquilizing medications) that diminishes your sensitivity to your baby's presence. If you are drunk or drugged, these chemicals lessen your arousability from sleep.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2. You are extremely obese. Obesity itself may cause sleep apnea in the mother, in addition to the smothering danger.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3. You are exhausted from sleep deprivation. This lessens your awareness of your baby and your arousability from sleep.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4. You are breastfeeding a baby on a cushiony surface, such as a waterbed or couch. An exhausted mother could fall asleep breastfeeding and roll over on the baby.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5. You are the child's baby-sitter. A baby-sitter's awareness and arousability is unlikely to be as acute as a mother's.</div></li>
<li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Don't allow older siblings to sleep with a baby under nine months. Sleeping children do not have the same awareness of tiny babies as do parents, and too small or too crowded a bed space is an unsafe sleeping arrangement for a tiny baby.</li>
<li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Don't fall asleep with baby on a couch. Baby may get wedged between the back of the couch and the larger person's body, or baby's head may become buried in cushion crevices or soft cushions.</li>
<li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Do not sleep with baby on a free-floating, wavy waterbed or similar "sinky" surface in which baby could suffocate.</li>
<li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Don't overheat or overbundle baby. Be particularly aware of overbundling if baby is sleeping with a parent. Other warm bodies are an added heat source.</li>
<li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Don't wear lingerie with string ties longer than eight inches. Ditto for dangling jewelry. Baby may get caught in these entrapments.</li>
<li style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Avoid pungent hair sprays, deodorants, and perfumes. Not only will these camouflage the natural maternal smells that baby is used to and attracted to, but foreign odors may irritate and clog baby's tiny nasal passages. Reserve these enticements for sleeping alone with your spouse.</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Use common sense when sharing sleep. Anything that could cause you to sleep more soundly than usual or that alters your sleep patterns can affect your baby's safety. Nearly all the highly suspected (but seldom proven) cases of fatal "overlying" I could find in the literature could have been avoided if parents had observed common sense sleeping practices.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">It is also a good idea to not allow pets in the family bed with a young infant. My biggest precaution while co-sleeping with Cal is positioning. I put Cal's head up close to the very top of the bed. My pillow is level with his waist (or his legs when he was littler). This is a good way to reduce the risk of rolling on the baby. I also do not allow him to sleep next to John because I know that my husband is a very heavy sleeper. </div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Use common sense. If you know you are a heavy sleeper for example; use a crib, sidecar, or co-sleeper.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>Unhealthy Attachment</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I could go on forever about this one. Studies have actually shown that the more "attached" you allow your child to be in early years the more independent he/she will be later in life. Reason being that he/she has a greater sense of security knowing that if he/she wants to come to you for snuggles etc. it will be allowed. So a co-sleeping child may take longer to sleep through the night, or to adjust to sleeping alone. But because he/she will go to bed knowing that you will respond if he/she needs you there will be a greater sense of security. Everyone has their own comfort level for when it will be cut off. But every kid will eventually sleep alone and want their own space. </div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
So to wrap this up I guess all I'm saying is; co-sleeping isn't for everyone. But when done <b>safely</b> it is a great option. I enjoy co-sleeping, and I do it safely. Someday when my son is off at college or married and living away from home, co-sleeping is just one of the many things I will look back on and say "I miss that."</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-12128378029893911312011-07-13T20:05:00.001-04:002011-07-13T20:10:56.715-04:00Nearly 17 monthsWell Calvin will be 17 months in 3 days. I have once again failed to keep the blog updated. So for now, here are the new things happening with Cal.<br />
<br />
<b>Words</b><br />
bird<br />
bath<br />
work<br />
car<br />
tree<br />
yes<br />
no<br />
pretty<br />
<br />
Cal understands most of the things he hears now. He follows directions (when he wants to) and has even tried a couple of short phrases "da buhbye work" etc. He climbs into his highchair at mealtimes and gets down when he is done. He loves when I sing "head shoulders knees and toes" and tries to sing along with the "eyes and ears and mouth and nose" part. He loves to try to mimic everything now. He wants to help lock/unlock the door, to dress himself, feed himself, wash himself, brush his teeth etc. It is amazing to watch him grow and learn.<br />
<br />
We took him to the fireworks for the 4th of July. I brought along these huge ear protectors so that the noise wouldn't scare him. He left them on the whole time and kept saying "pree" (pretty). He really enjoyed them and it was a nice family outing.<br />
<br />
He is still very attached to me and loves our nursing time. He has cut down on the night nursing a lot (except for during bouts of teething). I am very happy that I stuck with nursing and that I decided to nurse past 1 year. It hasn't been without struggle and frustration but it has been totally worth it.<br />
<br />
He is starting to take notice when I get him a clean diaper and he likes to pick which one he wants to wear. The minky ones are his favorites :)<br />
<br />
Current favorite foods are: cottage cheese, hummus, beans, strawberries, kiwi, bananas, applesauce (buddy fruits), and sweet potato maki<br />
<br />
Out in public he is still quite shy until he warms up to the situation. I guess I'm not surprised considering how shy I am. He likes to wave and say "hi" and "byebye" to people. He also LOVES babies and animals.<br />
<br />
His current favorite toys are cars, play food, and anything he can pretend to clean with<br />
<br />
We set him up a playroom in the spare bedroom, but he really doesn't like to be up there. I am hoping that will change once the weather cools down and it isn't roasting hot in there.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/261495_1773150488134_1220434840_31603560_4955325_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/261495_1773150488134_1220434840_31603560_4955325_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/270607_1781228330075_1220434840_31612627_3365087_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/270607_1781228330075_1220434840_31612627_3365087_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/261481_1821001164371_1220434840_31620204_7332034_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/261481_1821001164371_1220434840_31620204_7332034_n.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-61939503864640921632011-05-14T20:06:00.000-04:002011-05-14T20:06:15.274-04:00Silent Saturday 5/14/11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/227275_1705286191569_1220434840_31513521_4363517_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/227275_1705286191569_1220434840_31513521_4363517_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/226448_1705286511577_1220434840_31513522_5054602_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/226448_1705286511577_1220434840_31513522_5054602_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/226647_1700260025918_1220434840_31507363_6380503_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/226647_1700260025918_1220434840_31507363_6380503_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-72485422109983590552011-05-14T19:50:00.000-04:002011-05-14T19:50:18.027-04:00Vitamix Friday 5/13/11Seems I keep posting these updates one day late. Ah well, at least they are getting written which is better than I was doing :).<br />
<br />
Lately I have had two favorite things to make with the vitamix. Here they are:<br />
<br />
<b>Lemon slush</b><br />
Squeeze two lemons into the vitamix<br />
Add 1 tray ice cubes<br />
blend until slushy<br />
sweeten to taste<br />
<br />
<b>Quesadilla sauce</b><br />
blend up 1 roma tomato, 1/3 onion, fresh garlic, 1 jalepeno pepper<br />
season to tasteBeckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-38931863463905892552011-05-11T23:58:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:34:24.189-04:00Weekly Updates 5/11/11So this will technically be published 5/12 but in my book it is still Wednesday because I say so ;).<br />
<br />
This week has been pretty emotional for me.<br />
<br />
Sunday was Mother's Day. Saturday Debbie and I went out for lunch with Calvin, dad, Shelley, and grandma Walter at Dutch Valley. There wasn't much I could eat but it meant a lot to grandma so I was satisfied. For dinner Debbie, Cal, John, and I took Mommaw out for dinner at Cracker Barrel. Then we went to Target for awhile and walked around while John and Cal napped in the van.<br />
<br />
John was off Monday night so we went to a cookout at Michelle's with all our friends. It was pretty fun but Cal got restless so we left. I decided we should go to Walmart and get stuff to make quesadillas. While we were there one of John's co-workers saw us and said "I hear congrats are in order. You're an aunt and uncle."<br />
<br />
Apparently Sam had her baby and nobody contacted me, Debbie, or Jen. We are all pretty pissed off and hurt over it. I was hoping that the four of us could patch things up before she was born but I see no hope now. I will never be able to forgive her for not allowing us to be there for the birth of our niece. I am slowly getting over it and moving on though. I am hoping I will at least get to be involved in Jarryd's life when Kiki has him. I know I'm not his aunt or anything but Kiki and I have always been super close and I think it would be great for our boys to grow up together.<br />
<br />
Calvin is doing great. He has started to say phrases now. The first one was when he was playing he picked up John's old cell phone, put it up to his ear and said "You do what you do. Bye." John and I were just amazed at how clear it was. The next day John was laying on his back and Cal crawled up and said "Daddy bellybutton". Then he pulled John's shirt up and did his "Oh no" sign. It was hilarious. He has also been saying "daddy byebye" and today when we dropped John off at work he said "I love you bye". All of these things aren't perfectly articulated but they are definitely clear enough to understand. He absolutely loves books and we read three every night. He had his 3rd haircut last week and he did great. He sat still the whole time and didn't cry even when she used the clippers on him. He is turning into such a sweet little boy. He amazes me everyday with his affection. He is also becoming quite the little outdoorsy type.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/224216_1698816909841_1220434840_31505249_1154607_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/224216_1698816909841_1220434840_31505249_1154607_n.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/226933_1698341657960_1220434840_31504714_5107456_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/226933_1698341657960_1220434840_31504714_5107456_n.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-70209833676279911392011-05-09T20:09:00.001-04:002011-05-11T03:16:40.860-04:00Hot Topics Monday: Extended Rear-Facing Sorry for the delay in getting this posted I had a couple really busy days.<br />
<br />
Some people won't consider this a "hot topic" but I have seen discussions on online groups get extremely heated over this issue. Hopefully after reading this it will clear up why ERF is so important. Please take the time to read the information, do your research, and watch the videos. Or if you do not have time to read this a least PLEASE watch the video. It is under 4 minutes long and it may save your child's life.<br />
<br />
Most people when seeing this title will probably be thinking "What the heck is Extended rear-facing?"<br />
<br />
Extended rear-facing (ERF) is keeping your child's carseat rear-facing past the "1 and 20lbs" requirements that is law in most states. Most people have no idea that there are significant safety benefits of keeping your child rear-facing. This will hopefully change soon as the AAP recently changed their recommendations. They now state that children should remain rear-facing until at LEAST age 2 (<a href="http://babyproducts.about.com/b/2011/03/21/aap-recommends-rear-facing-car-seats-until-age-2.htm">source</a>) or until they reach the maximum height or weight for rear-facing in the convertible carseat.<br />
<br />
The most important question is: WHY extended rear-face?<br />
There are many reasons<br />
-It is proven to be 5x safer than a forward-facing carseat.<br />
-The back of the seat cradles the baby preventing severe spinal injuries and even internal decapitation<br />
-Convertible carseats can easily fit a child rear-facing well into their second year and sometimes beyond.<br />
<br />
There are a few common concerns that parents have regarding ERF<br />
1. Scrunched legs<br />
-Touching the back of the seat is not a problem. While it looks uncomfortable to us it really isn't for them. When you see a child playing on the floor how do they usually sit? With their legs crossed. Children are naturally more flexible than we are. Even when sitting in a chair most of them curl their legs up under them rather than leaving them dangle when they can't reach the floor.<br />
2. Broken legs<br />
-Many parents are concerned that their child's legs being against the seat will cause a broken leg in the event they get rear-ended. There has never been a single case of a child breaking a leg due to being rear-facing. But even if it were to happen, it is far less of a concern than a broken neck from forward-facing too early. Remember:<br />
Broken leg=cast it<br />
Broken neck=casket<br />
3. Getting rear-ended<br />
-This is a big one and in my experience generally the reason most parents who have read about ERF give for turning their child around. Parents mistakingly think that if they are hit from behind and their child is rear-facing they will have the same risk for a broken neck as a forward-facing child in a head-on collision. And because being rear-ended is the most common accident this is a somewhat logical concern. HOWEVER this concern can be laid to rest also. First of all while being rear-ended is a common car accident it is the LEAST common form of SEVERE auto accident. Also, if you are hit from behind YES your child's head will go forward until the vehicle comes to a stop however it is simple physics that it would be far less severe whiplash than if your child were forward-facing. Remember "an object in motion stays in motion". Your vehicle is traveling say 35mph forward and comes to an abrupt stop, you and your child are going to be thrown toward the front of the vehicle when it stops regardless of what direction you are hit. When forward-facing the spine hyper-extends and can cause internal decapitation in a young child. When rear-facing the back of the carseat is there to cradle your childs neck and spine and acts as a cushion against the impact.<br />
*Car accidents are the leading cause of death of children ages 2-14 in the US<br />
*2.9% of those deaths are caused by spinal injuries<br />
4. Convenience<br />
-This one I simply find ridiculous. Many parents turn their children forward-facing simply because they say it is less of a hassle to put him/her in the car. This one is a no-brainer. Why put your child at 5x greater risk simply because it is easier?<br />
-Many parents say their child "likes it better." How does your child know there is any other way to ride in a car if he/she has only ever been rear-facing? He/she doesn't know the difference. In fact I remember being around 7 years old and fighting with my sisters over the rear-facing seat of my dad's station wagon because I liked looking out the back window and propping my feet up. And frankly when it comes to safety, I will do what is safest not what is easy or what I believe my child will like better.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kvyIv9QVRBE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/199827_1606698406936_1220434840_31388823_8148533_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/199827_1606698406936_1220434840_31388823_8148533_n.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calvin ERF age 13 months </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-70587573187321553822011-05-08T23:12:00.000-04:002011-05-08T23:12:40.439-04:00Silent Saturday (on Sunday)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/230984_1688564053526_1220434840_31488106_2256001_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/230984_1688564053526_1220434840_31488106_2256001_n.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/218033_1643156038354_1220434840_31429571_7493135_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/218033_1643156038354_1220434840_31429571_7493135_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-44943161090121777842011-05-06T08:53:00.000-04:002011-05-06T08:53:59.780-04:00Vitamix Friday 5/6/11Well it's my first post for "Vitamix Friday". We have made a lot of tasty things using the vitamix so far but this one is by FAR the best.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Most of this will have to be started simultaniously. Read through the recipe first to be sure you won't skip anything.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Ingredients</strong></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1 5lb bag yukon gold potatos</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1 pint heavy whipping cream</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">olive oil</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1 red onion</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1 jalepeno pepper</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">3 cloves garlic</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1 cup parmesean cheese</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1 stick butter</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">8oz cream cheese</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1 can unsalted sweet peas</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1 can unsalted french style green beans</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1 can sweet corn</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">5oz fresh spinach</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">2tbs classico pesto</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1 small ginger root</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">16oz vegetable broth</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1. <strong>Alfredo sauce</strong>-Add whipping cream, 1tbs pesto, cream cheese, butter, and parmesean to a small pot. Cover and put on simmer until everything else is done. <strong>Do not let it boil. </strong></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">2. Finely dice onion, garlic, and ginger root</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">3. In a separate pot put enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot, and 1tbs pesto. Saute finely diced onion, 3 minced cloves garlic, and ginger root until golden brown.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">4. Peel and chop 1/3 of the potatos and boil until tender (about 20 minutes)</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">5. If saute is golden-brown add vegetable broth and reduce heat to medium. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">6. Peel and finely chop remaining potatoes and set aside. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">7. Stir alfredo</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">8. Drain potatoes. Put water back in the pot and add the potatoes you set aside in step 6</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">7. Add cooked potatoes from step 4, jalepeno pepper, spinach and saute sauce from step 3 to a blender (do more than one blending session if needed). Blend all together until smooth. <strong>The end result is pretty nasty looking (think toxic sludge). But trust me, it tastes good (even a non-veggie friend agreed)</strong></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">8. Open canned veggies and drain. Add them to a pot of water. Cook covered for about 10 minutes on low</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">9. Stir alfredo</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">10. Drain potatoes and veggies. Add to concoction from step 7.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">11. At this point we separate some out for Calvin so that he doesn't get the alfredo part.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">12. Add alfredo sauce.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">ENJOY! And if you try it please leave a comment and let me know how you liked it! :)</div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-67090915001102602342011-05-05T03:21:00.001-04:002011-05-05T03:32:48.875-04:00May-UpdatesSo, I really need to update more often....<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Anyway, the last time I posted was about Cal's first ER visit. Turns out he didn't get any better so I took him to the pediatrician. He was put on two different breathing treatments and some claritin. It cleared up within just a few days. I give credit to his super mommy-milk for such a fast recovery :).</div><div><br />
</div><div>Cal also started walking. On March 15th, the day before he turned 13 months old he just stood up in the middle of the living room and took off across the room. He practiced and practiced and was walking 90% of the time within a couple weeks. Now he runs everywhere. It is so cute to watch. I love having a toddler! I find myself looking back and missing his tiny baby days though. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Cal is learning new things all the time. He can say a bunch of words now including mom, dad, bellybutton, stairs, shoe, eye, book, byebye, hi, that, this, egg, ball, paci, and bear. He also repeats a lot of other words. He can understand so much now and he surprises me every day with how smart he is. He absolutely loves books. He quietly sits and looks at them a lot. In fact he is "reading" a Disney baby book right now. We usually read about 3 books before bed. He really likes ones with animal sounds. I think he just likes to make mommy feel silly :).<br />
<br />
Calvin also got to experience his second Easter. He enjoyed the eggs. He was convinced they were balls and kept trying to throw and kick them. It was adorable. He was holding one and said "ball" to Debbie. She said "no, egg" and he responded "ohh, egg" LOL!</div><div><br />
</div><div>John used his spending money from our tax refund to buy a vitamix. At first I was a little skeptical but after seeing what this thing can do I am soooo amazed. It was worth every penny of that nearly $400. It makes perfectly smooth smoothies, soups, and nut milks. It even heats the soup right in the container. I am sold :)</div><div><br />
</div><div>I've decided that in order to get going on keeping this updated I'm going to try to have a few "theme days" like a lot of blogs I read. So...</div><div><br />
</div><div>Monday: Hot Topics</div><div>Wednesday: Random family updates</div><div>Friday: Vitamix recipes and experiments</div><div>Saturday: Silent Saturday (picture posts)</div><div><br />
</div><div>I think that will be a good start. Maybe I'll add to it as I go.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/228695_1672846780604_1220434840_31468421_3063125_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/228695_1672846780604_1220434840_31468421_3063125_n.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little guy walking</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217287_1669055325820_1220434840_31462295_6028878_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217287_1669055325820_1220434840_31462295_6028878_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easter eggs I colored since Cal fell asleep :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208411_1643162198508_1220434840_31429591_8159256_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208411_1643162198508_1220434840_31429591_8159256_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting a breathing treatment</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/216055_1661072446253_1220434840_31453715_7866576_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/216055_1661072446253_1220434840_31453715_7866576_n.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking to mommy<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215869_1669047165616_1220434840_31462271_6308140_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215869_1669047165616_1220434840_31462271_6308140_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He loves brooms</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-88869170941870207542011-04-01T19:56:00.000-04:002011-04-01T19:56:06.388-04:00Long dayCal has had a fever since Wednesday night. Today I finally decided to take him to the er because he was starting to sound a little raspy and was still acting sick. They gave him a nasal swab and a chest x-ray. The chest x-ray was hard to watch because they had to strap him into this contraption and I had to hold his arms above his head. Poor little guy just cried and cried he was so scared :(. Everything came back fine and the doc said that he probably just has a viral infection which they can't do anything for. He said to just keep his fever down and give him motrin every 6 hours and to bring him back if he gets worse. To top off everything when I was coming downstairs with Cal this morning I tripped and really hurt my toe trying to keep from falling. Luckily I didn't fall but my toe is killing me. I think I might have broken it. What a day :(<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I1FJP4mlhuI/Rjx7KQypcvI/AAAAAAAAADU/9CinX3HFfgQ/s400/pig-o-stat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I1FJP4mlhuI/Rjx7KQypcvI/AAAAAAAAADU/9CinX3HFfgQ/s400/pig-o-stat1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His restraint looked similar to this<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Oh, little guy weighed 21lbs 14oz.Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-49250080529721358322011-03-19T02:33:00.000-04:002011-03-19T02:33:01.025-04:00Unconditional Parenting Chapters 5+I finished reading UP awhile ago and I just now have a chance to write about it. The first few chapters where difficult to get through because it is such a "culture shock" for lack of a better term. Now that I've read the whole book I am completely IN LOVE with it! I love how the author including so much research to back up his philosophies. I am so happy that I read this book.Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-72951252788572995522011-03-09T01:00:00.002-05:002011-03-09T01:00:46.736-05:00THESE are the videos they should make you watch in the hospital!<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">When I had Calvin there were a bunch of videos that every new mom is required to watch before leaving the hospital. Shaken baby syndrome, how to bathe a baby, carseat safety etc. WHY doesn't that carseat safety video include anything like this? If they would show these videos in the hospital and/or in birthing classes it could save a lot of babies. Just had to vent about this somewhere. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psmUWg7QrC8" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psmUWg7QrC8</a> GREAT video</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8</a> If this wouldn't make people think nothing would</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWKm7SenDHU" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWKm7SenDHU</a> </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">I am so glad for WTE and BBC. I probably would have never heard the term "extended rear facing" if it wasn't for those groups. I'm so glad I did and so glad that I researched it when I realized it was a term I wasn't familiar with. </div><div><br />
</div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4350172775238283445.post-79545804938542420312011-03-06T23:44:00.000-05:002011-03-06T23:44:51.985-05:00Continued diaper sewing attempts<a href="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/180527_1575363463582_1220434840_31343812_6776060_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/180527_1575363463582_1220434840_31343812_6776060_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>So far I've sewn a total of 4 diapers. I have gotten better with each try but they are still far from perfect. I have tons of fabric to make more including tie dye, space monsters, and light blue plaid :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/183914_1575362663562_1220434840_31343808_2241949_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/183914_1575362663562_1220434840_31343808_2241949_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/197251_1589179728980_1220434840_31365184_7287732_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/197251_1589179728980_1220434840_31365184_7287732_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/183508_1589179968986_1220434840_31365185_3912713_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/183508_1589179968986_1220434840_31365185_3912713_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569524225139762977noreply@blogger.com2