Home Improvement Saturday - Wall Tile

We have tiled the walls in three bathrooms (one int he old house, two in this house) and also tiled around the fireplace in this house. We choose to use floor tiles in each case, but you can use any tile on the wall really. The difference between wall and floor tiles is the quality/strength. Floor tiles are stronger and normally heavier and bigger as a result.

Tiling walls isn't much different from tiling floors. You use the exact same tools and same order of steps. The only difference is that gravity is no longer your friend. The thin set will slide down the wall if you aren't careful. Tiles can slide as well, so spacers are definitely necessary. You may also need supports for tiles if there isn't going to be a tile below them (or you haven't cut that tile yet). Small jobs like a back splash should be fairly easy because you are starting with a level surface (the countertop) and aren't going very high. Showers are a little harder because of the amount of tiles that will be in a column. We did our showers over a few days, building up a few rows and letting the thinset dry before going too high.

If you want a decorative border, you can go with listas. But, they are expensive ($5 a foot or more)! So, for this house we did the border using other types of tiles. In the master bath, we cut the corners off of a different style tile and used the triangles as the border. In the full bath (AJU5/guest bath), we used tile squares that come in 12x12 sheets. I liked the idea of this, but it turns out the height of the tiles was different, which made it look a little off in spots. So, be sure to check the thickness of the tile if you are going to use different ones on the same area!

Pictures:
Top Row: Master Bath (Back Wall), Full Bath (Shower Area) Full Bath (Shower Area)
Middle Row: Full Bath (Shower Area), Full Bath (Shower Area), Fireplace
Bottom Row: Shower in Old House

Product Review Friday - Picasa

Okay, I know some of you already use it, but Picasa is an awesome free program from Google.

Here are the features I use a lot (and love):

• I'm Feeling Lucky (auto color, etc)
• Batch Edit (with above most of the time)
• Black and White/Sepia (pretty cool that you can do this to any picture!)
• Collage
• Blog This
• Movie/Slide Show
• Red Eye
  

All of these are very easy to do as well. My current project is getting collages made for AJU5's scrapbook (we are having a ~36 hour scrapbooking marathon at our church on the 28th). I can star photo, then preview and edit them, and then make a collage. It will make the scrapbooking easier because I all have 8x10 sheets to just mat and journal, instead of having 50 million individual pictures to work with.

Have you used Picasa?
What do you like/dislike about it?

No More Unsipervised Play

I have been letting AJU5 play unsupervised downstairs. She only has access to the living room, kitchen, dining room, and entry/hall. The doors to the family room (which is still not done) and the bathroom are closed. There are a few cabinets she can get into, but they only have Tupperware in them. The living room just has her toys and the couches/recliner in it. The dining room just has the tables, chairs, and shoes in it. So, I wasn't worried about her getting into anything that would be too difficult to clean up or that would hurt her. This was the case until yesterday afternoon. She is now strong enough to open the freezer. We have a bottom freezer, so it is the perfect height for her to empty it. She had pulled out a bunch of ice cubes, her vegetables, and a few other items that just had to be put back. The ice had melted some on the floor, but it actually cleaned that area. She carried the bag of vegetables (corn, carrots, and peas) to her chair and then proceeded to empty the bag (there was a bit left in the bag - but there was definitely more on the floor). So, I had to clean all of that up too! I guess I should have checked on her sooner, as she had been quiet for longer than I expected (we had just had a snack after playing in the park). But, she has been known to sit and read her books for a while before coming and finding me. She then tried to re-empty the freezer while I was making dinner. I wish there was a way to lock the freezer, but I can't figure out an easy way for doing that. So, until we are ready to buy a new one or she learns to follow the rules, I am going to have to be on my toes!

Wordless Wednesday Take 2 - Shoes and Park

Wordless Wednesday - Big Helper!

Computer Issues...

The USB port on the front of my computer no longer works. It actually hasn't worked since we set it up in this house a few months ago. That means I can't easily plug in anything USB - pen drive, camera, MP3 player, etc. As a result, AJU1 is in charge of removing pictures from the camera. But, getting him to do this isn't always easy. It isn't that he refuses, but it involves me reminding him when he is at the computer. I have been wanting to get pictures off the camera for a while, but it just hasn't happened. There are som great pictures on there that I want to share with everyone, but they will have to wait!

I am due for a new computer once we stop the flood of money out of our accounts for the home remodel. AJU1 actually builds all of our desktops. My current one will probably got to AJU5 so she has her own (and stops beating up on ours). This computer is fine, but it gets a little slow when I try running a bunch of things at once. So, the new one will have a better processor (duh) and possibly more RAM. But, that is about all I need in terms of new things!

How is the computer situation at your house? Do you have your own? Is it a desktop or a laptop?

(I do have a laptop from work, but it is really slow. I just use it for the internet when I am down stairs mainly. AJU1 has his own computer, and we also have a server and HTPC.)

Rambling Again

I am pretty sure AJU5's molars are about to pop through. I can definitely feel the bottom ones through the gums. We think this is the cause of the slight sleeping issues. She woke up at 5 am on Saturday and Sunday. She laid in bed with us for about 20 minutes each time, then got some milk and went back to be until close to 7. Last night (Sunday) she woke up around 9:30. Milk wasn't enough, so I also gave her a dose of Motrin and she slept until 5:45ish. Then she got her snuggle time and milk before going back to bed until 7 again. Luckily this isn't too hard on us! Five isn't that early.

She is also a huge lover of the park these days. She didn't get to go yesterday (Sundays are weird with church, etc), but we went the four previous days. Saturday she got cold, so we didn't get to play as long as normal (bad mommy for not bringing her coat). She hates leaving the park though - there is a lot of screaming as we walk home.

I can't believe how much AJU5 eats for breakfast! She eats a whole package of apple cinnamon oatmeal (Quaker Oats) and about four or five frosted mini wheats (from my breakfast). She doesn't always eat as much at other meals though. But, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

I think that is it for now.

Oh - the next few weeks of Home Improvement Saturday will also be on tiling (walls and grouting). THen I dodn't know where I will go!

Home Improvement Saturday - Floor Tile

Welcome to the first installment of Home Improvement Saturday. We will start off with floor tile - the first thing we tackle other than painting (and well, painting is no fun to do OR talk about!).

In House #1, we tiled the kitchen, eating area, walkways, bathrooms, and laundry room all with the same tile (floors only). It was a little over 400 square feet! In House #2, we have done the same areas (although they are larger in this house), but have used a variety of tiles.

Tiling isn't that hard. One of the hardest parts is laying out the design and determining where to start. The big thing you have to avoid is slivers of tile in obvious places. To make our lives easier, we tiled under the cabinets. But, if you aren't removing these, you will have to make even more cuts. You can lay the tiles on the floor, draw lines, or make a drawing of the room to help you determine where to start with the full tiles.

Now, on to cutting tile. We are on our second tile saw. We bought the first one at Home Depot and it made it through our first house, a tile job at church, a tile job at the in-laws, and the kitchen and dining room of House #2 until we decided to replace it. The blade wasn't staying vertical anymore due to all of the use! So, we bought a new one at Lowe's. My husband prefers the Home Depot one, but both are very reasonably priced (~$200 I think). If you are just doing an entry way or other small job with only straight cuts, you can get the tile cutter thing that scores and snaps the tile. But, for big jobs or lots of cuts, the tile saw is worth it! It is no harder to use than a standard table saw if you go slowly (and don't have any crazy cuts that could cause the tile to break).

Other tools you will need:

• Notched Trowel - size of notches depends on the tile size, etc!
• Tile Spacers - you can space by hand, but the spacers make things easier and are good for cleaning out the grout lines!
• Trowel or other tool to get the thin set out of the bucket with (and to help clean up the edges) - I prefer the offset kind
• Mixing Bar (looks like a big beater used for mixing the thin set)
• Corded Drill (to attach mixing bar to)

When you buy your tile, make sure to buy at least one full box extra. You will break a tile or two! Plus, with the cutting, some times you waste quite a bit.

Prep Work: Remove old flooring if it isn't the asbestos tile (if it is that tile, leave it unless it is coming up). If you aren't on a slab, install cement board first. I also recommend "mudding" and taping the boards with thin set and the mesh tape to prevent cracks in the grout (if they end up lining up with the seams in the boards). If you are on a slab, you might want to level the floor if possible. Small variations in teh floor aren't hard to deal with though.

Here are some pictures!

Top Left, Top Middle, and Bottom Right: House #2 Kitchen/Dining Room
Top Right: House #2 Hall/Half Bath /Entry (we did the triangle to prevent a sliver at the edge)
Bottom Left: House #1 Kitchen/Dining
Bottom Middle: House #2 AJU5/Guest Bath

Notice in top middle picture that there are three guys working. If you are doing a large area, at least two people are recommended - one to apply the thin set and one to lay the tiles. Guy #3 was cutting and mixing (tiling was done on AJU5's 1 month birthday and my first day back at work - with AJU5 in tow).

Product Review Friday - Snack Trap

The Snack Trap is a cup with a lid that allows kids to pull out their snack without spilling them all over the place. I bought ours at Babies-r-Us after seeing another kid using one. The idea is great. If the kid turns the cup upside down and shakes, the only thing that comes out are any crumbs you put in with the snack. But, when the kid goes to pull out the snacks, there can be problems. First, there are kids (AJU5 has done it) that take great joy in emptying the cup. This definitely is just as messy as if she had just dumped the whole container (but it did take longer at least!). Also, when she pulls one snack out, a few extra tend to come with it because she holds it sideways. This isn't a huge problem though because she has this issue with a normal cup as well - Cheerios get stuck between her fingers! Another possible problem we have yet to have (but I have a friend who had it) is that the lid can be removed fairly easily. If your child figures this out, the cup is just a normal cup!

It cost less than $5, so I think it is a fairly good product. It isn't perfect, but a lot depends on your child's mentality and how you use it. If you only give it to your kid when you are watching him/her, then it will probably be neater than most alternatives. Even with the past emptying by AJU5, she seems to have learned that if she empties it, then it disappears. So, she uses it properly most of the time now.

I will give this product a B+. The idea is great, but some kids are too smart or devious for it to work!

Storytime Comparison

Last week, the normal librarian/story teller was sick. So, one of the other librarians filled in. Here is a comparison of their styles:

Normal:

• Hand warm up
• Book
• Felt story
• Thumbkin
• Story (book or felt)
  
• Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
• Story (book or felt)
• Itsy, Bitsy Spider
• Bye activity (clapping, etc)

Substitute:

• Different warm up - but similiar
• Book 1
• Thumbkin
• Book 2
• Another song/activity
• Book 3
• Bye activity

The substitute's stories were all related (about lions) and she had a stuff lion/puppet to help her tell the stories. The normal librarian has no theme to the stories/activities. She does have more stories and activities and there is a routine, but I think I liked the theme! I know our normal story teller is fairly new at this (less than a year on the job). I wish she would get advice from the other librarian on the theme! It made the stories a lot more fun to listen to.

Oh, one other issue with story time today. During the felt story, she was supposed to have five fish. There were eight on the board. She didn't take three down before she started! So, she had the wrong number up (and admitted it through out the story). It was kind of annoying to me!

Do you go to a story time? What is it like? Where is it?

New Idea

So, we are FINALLY almost done remodeling the inside of this house. We just have flooring and finish work left. It has been over 15 months of work - a lot longer than we had expected. Between this house and our first house, we have done a wide variety of home improvement projects. Would you be interested in hearing a little about them? I was thinking of including the following in the posts:

• Pictures (of course!)
• Tools/materials needed
• Time required
• Skill level needed
• Muscle/Strength needed
• Tips and hints

If no one is interested in this info, I won't post it. So leave a comment and tell me how you feel about it!

Project we have done:

• Tiling - floors and walls
• Painting
• Railing (stairs)
• Cabinet installation
• Countertop installation
• Doors - interior, closet, standard exterior, French exterior, and sliding glass
• Window replacement
• Staining
• Light and bathroom fixtures
• And probably more that I can't think of right now!
  

AJU5 and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Hour or So...

I went to get AJU5 out of her bed yesterday afternoon (following a nap), and found a DISGUSTING mess (I will leave it to you to figure out what I am referring to there). So, off to the bath tub we went. I hosed her down, rinsed out her clothes, and started the bath for her. I then went and stripped her bed and threw everything in the washing machine (I had just run her stuff in the washer, so I just re-ran that load with the additional items). She was due for a bath last night anyways (we do every other day), so I washed her hair, etc. I left the shampoo on the side of the tub and just let her play. Next thing I know she is screaming because she pulled the shampoo bottle down. I think it hit her leg pretty hard, and it hurt (but I am not 100% sure - it could have also been the splash is caused as well). Needless to say, she wanted OUT of the bathtub then. So, out she came. Then came her next unliked event - diaper and clothing! She hates this time - probably because she is cold and just wants to snuggle. By the time I got her dressed, she was very thirsty, so she was even more miserable until I got her downstairs to her cup. But the cup was empty since she had lunch right before her nap. So, she had to wait for me to fix her another one.

After that, things were good! We went outside to get the mail, and she got to walk around some. The only mail we got was a catalog, so I let her carry it. she enjoyed being able to "freely" roam outside. I bet she would have stayed out there for hours if I had let her! Unfortunately, I was getting hot, so we went inside eventually. Then she became clingy later, but she was probably tired and just wanted attention (AJU1 was home late from work, and the clingy-ness started about when he should have gotten home). Today, she seems her happy self!

Some Random Thoughts About Food

AJU5 is a little silly about food. She is now refusing to eat somethings with her hands. Luckily, I figured this out! If I feed her with a fork or spoon, she eats it all. But, she won't eat them with her fingers any more. This is especially the case with vegetables. Unfortunately, they aren't easy to keep on a fork or spoon - especially corn. But, I am getting better at getting them into her mouth without dropping half first. She does try to do it herself some too, but she isn't always able to skewer the food due to aim and force limitations. But, she does have the idea!

She is also a snacker some days. Other days, she refuses her snacks. It is really hard to guess what the day will be too! The same goes for drinking. Saturday she only drank about 10-12 oz (although she did have a lot of juicy fruit). Yesterday she drank about 24 oz I think. This makes it hard to pack enough for church through - she had emptied her 10 oz cup by the end of Sunday School! Luckily I had some water that I put in her cup, but she didn't like it as much...

She pretty much eats whatever we are having. I do make her her own veggies most of the time - but that is just easier (she doesn't like broccoli and doesn't actually swallow lettuce). It only takes about 30 seconds to warm hers up anyways. But, other than that, she has what we have. Breakfast might be the only time she gets something "unique" - but it really isn't. She likes oatmeal, as does AJU1 - but he leaves way before she has breakfast. So, I make her oatmeal and then I eat cold cereal. She likes the cold cereal too, but it isn't as easy to feed her. When we have a hot breakfast, she gets some of what we are having and then some of her snack foods to supplement. But again, there is no extra work for me.

Tomorrow or Wednesday I am going to try to "roast" a chicken in our crock pot. Hopefully it will turn out well! I have had it in the freezer (with its twin) for about a month now. I took it out to defrost Friday afternoon, and it seems to be getting tehre finally! Then I need to clean it and possibly deskin it (still undecided on this - sounds like a lot of work for little benefit) and cook it.

So, what is going on in your house with food? Are you feeding your kids what you eat? Are you trying out anything new?

I Am So Happy To See You!

Thursday Night:
Wake up 3 or four times with an interesting dream sequence.
Friday:
Debate with myself whether parts of the dream could be true. Continue to debate throughout the day.
Friday Night:
Sleep a little better, but I still think there was a dream or two that were "odd."
Saturday:
Think that the dream is probably not true. Things seems to be indicating this is indeed the fact.
Saturday Night:
Once I fell asleep after a little more debating with myself, I slept great.
Today:
AF arrived - yippie!

If you haven't guessed by now, I was a little afraid that I might be pregnant. We are using birth control, but the only 100% fool-proof method is not going to happen around here. I had these dreams back in November as well, and that time I was pregnant. I was also having PMS symptoms that are very similar to my pregnant symptoms. But, luckily AF showed up this morning. She wasn't late even (although I am still figuring out my cycles after pregnant-breastfeeding-pregnant and breastfeeding-weening and miscarriage). But, yeah, that was a fun few days!

The plan isn't to even consider starting to try again until this summer. My doctor said to wait until now (second cycle) at the minimum. Then I did a little math. If we got pregnant the first time around, we would have a late November/early December baby - not something we wanted to repeat (just too much craziness with the holidays and family living so far away). Then I thought some more and realized we wanted to be able to travel at Christmas. So, that would mean I wouldn't want to have a due date any earlier than March. That means we shouldn't start trying until at least the end of May if not June. So, that is the plan for now. God might tell us different, but at least that is our plan!

Product Review Friday - JcPenney Portraits

On February 4, AJU5 had her pictures taken at our local JcPenney. I had a coupon (from their webpage) for free sitting fee, free 8x10, and $3.99 for sheets of pictures (I could have also gotten a package for $7.99 instead). I had made an appointment two days earlier online (which is really handy!).

We showed up a little early, but it was lunch time for them (2-3pm), so no one was there. I took that time to get AJU5 cleaned up (hair fixed, face cleaned, etc) and just to let her play. The photographer showed up on time and we got started pretty quickly (she had to set up the back drop based on what AJU5 was wearing and get the camera ready). The flash wasn't working well, but after a few "fixes" it was ready to go. The photographer was really nice and let me have lots of control over what we did. Once all of the pictures were taken, we got to see them on the computer (after about a 5 minute wait for loading, etc). I picked what we wanted, paid, and we left. The total after the coupon was just over $20. It would have been over $60 without the coupon!

I ended up paying for SmilebyWire, which cost $4.99 (part of the $20). All of the photos and cute things they created for me to look at were loaded on the web for me. I was then able to downloaded small versions of each of these (about wallet size - just smaller than the preferred dimensions for a wallet from Costco). I can now put the pictures together to make a bigger picture and then have them printed at Costco for her scrapbook. Also, I can share these pictures with anyone and post them anywhere. I think it is a fairly good deal I guess.

We got 1 8x10, 4 5x7, and 16 wallets as well. I was supposed to be able to pick them up last Thursday, but they called and told me they weren't there (they weren't sure where they were, but they had been printed just not delivered to the store). They did say they would call me and tell me when they were ready (which was Friday). When I went to pick them up, the offerred me three more sheets for $19.99. I went ahead and bought them. In hindsite, I wish I had just order more things to begin with (would have been cheaper), but the pages had some cute things like two Valentines and three bookmarks with her picture on them.

All in all, I think it is a great deal! They may not have all of the cute props, but for the price, I don't know if you can beat it. Now, if you don't have a coupon, then it probably isn't worth it. But, I am considering taking her again in April for Easter pictures. I wish I had done this sooner though...

Here are a few of the pictures (made into a collage in Picasa):

Shoes and Walks

AJU5 is in love with shoes now! She will walk in mine (until she steps out of them). She will carry them around the house (mine and AJU1's mainly because hers don't have shoe laces - which makes them harder to carry around). She empties the shoe rack as much as possible (sometimes I get lazy and don't put them back). She also knows that shoes go on her feet and she tries to put them on herself. Sometimes she tries to put the second shoe on the foot that already has a shoe though... But, she also loves to take her shoes off and throw them! I guess it is a love/hate relationship! She is like her daddy and likes to have her toes free a lot of the time!

We finally got a walk in today! Monday she napped later than normal, so by the time she woke up from the afternoon nap it was time for dinner. Tuesday and Wednesday we had wind advisories, so I decided a walk would not be fun (walking to the mailbox was fun enough!). Technically we did walk a little on Tuesday though - at work when we went to pick up exams, etc. Today was still a little breezy, but we made it to the library and back. The other issue with walks these days is that AJU5 wants to do the walking. I either have to let her out of the stroller or listen to whining and crying. It makes it hard to get an hour walk in! Hopefully she will outgrow this or at least learn to walk faster :)

Honest Scrap

Corinne from The Story of Fynn and Paige tagged me for my first blogging award - The Honest Scrap Award!

To get the award I have to share 10 Scraps of information about myself, and then tag 7 other bloggers, how fun! Here goes:

1. I am addicted to the computer! I spend way to much time on here!
2. My husband and I met on the internet - ICQ if you have heard of that...
3. I love to snow ski, but unfortunately it looks like this will be year number two (in a row) of not going.
   
4. If God agrees with my plans, I hope to not be able to ski next year :)
5. I am not good at cleaning things up. I can definitely live with a mess for a while.
6. I am very introverted! I don't like asking for help or talking to people I don't know.
7. I am a terrible singer. I have no ability to carry a tune what-so-ever.
8. I can fall asleep anywhere even if there is noise- well, at least I could before AJU5 was born. I haven't tried it out much since then...
9. I haven't had alcohol since 2000, and I don't miss it. I wasn't a big drinker (I think I drank once or twice when I wasn't at a party/restaurant), so it was very easy to give that up.
10. I haven't had more than 8 ounces of caffeinated drink in almost 2 years. The only times I have had any were because there wasn't anything else available at that moment and I was thirsty!
    

Now... I have to tag 7 bloggers that I'd like to know 10 scraps about:

1. Sarah from Harry Times... All Jacked Up
   
2. Marianne from My Left Nerve
3. Jen L. from Hey, Y'all
4. Corrie from Corrie's Blog
5. Stacie from Stacie's World
6. Becca from Academomia
7. Sarah from No Whey, Mama
   

And no, you may not just copy and paste from your 25 Random Things Facebook lists :)

Can you relate?

Today's For Better or Worse comic strip totally hit home!

*******

AJU5 was crying at 5:45, so I got up. She had some milk, but she didn't seem to want to eat (refused to sit in her chair), so I put her back to bed. She whimpered for a while, so I got out of bed. By the time I had gotten my glasses out of the bathroom and gotten to her room, she was quite again. But, I am awake now at 6:45 am (I have been at the computer for a while - the office is next door to her room). Maybe I will get my stuff done today at this rate!

I haven't been able to get up 30 minutes before her lately because she has been very unpredictable with her waking up (and I want as much sleep as possible). I also haven't been able to walk the past week and a half. So, hopefully I can get back on the bandwagon this week, as we are both on the mend and life isn't so crazy!

Fourteen Things...

AJU5 is fourteen months old today! Can you believe it? Here are fourteen things about her:

1. She likes to disect her food. The specimen so far have been granola bars and pizza.
2. She prefers to be barefooted but will accept socks and shoes if she is walking around enough (or just plain forgets she has them on).
3. She hates me doing her hair. Luckily, I am still stronger than she is and can distract her long enough!
4. She loves to put things around her head - lanyards, bags, clothing, what ever else she can find. I have to make sure and remove said articles before leaving the house or putting her down for a nap.
5. Another one of her favorite hobbies is leading us around the house. Although she can get to all of the places on her own, she prefers to have a finger and lead us!
6. She has re-found the love of eating paper. She ate part of a cardboard puzzle pieces and gnawed on books until we took them away.
7. She sleeps! It has been almost two weeks of success - oh, how I love my sleep!
8. She has an ever-changing food preference scheme. She loves pretzels and then won't eat them. She loves green beans and then she refuses them. It is so hard to determine what she wants to eat!
9. She doesn't have many words that we understand. But, she is very clear in what she wants. She leads us to where it is and points. If it isn't what she wants, she will refuse it or give it back. Now if only she would use the words so we can avoid the guessing sometimes...
10. She can drink out of a straw. Unfortunately, she also prefers to pull the straw out of the cup. So, she doesn't get too much practice. But, at least we can take her to restaurants and not worry if she is out of milk!
11. She will play in her crib for a while if she is tired but not sleepy. This makes it hard to determine if she has actually slept though.
12. She is a sound sleeper most of the time. I left my cell phone in her room while she was napping (accidentally), and AJU1 called. It beeped every few minutes to tell me of the missed call, and she didn't stir! I can also move her from the car seat or stroller to her bed most of the time. But, if I open the door at the wrong time, she wakes up!
13. She does not like it when certain doors are shut. She will lead you to the door and push until you open it. She can also open and close her door (as long as it isn't latched).
14. She is not a fan of the toilet. After a few too many code browns in the bath tub, I bought a toilet seat (there are warning signs). Unfortunately, she refuses to sit on the toilet. Hopefully this will change in the near future!

AJU5 is getting better I think. She is definitely more willing to play on her own. The cough and runny nose are still present though. AJU1 is now getting sick as well. Hopefully they will both be better soon!

Happy Valentines Day!

AJU5 one year ago!


AJU5 on 2/4/09 (JcPenney Portrait - more of these to come!)

At least she has gained some weight!

AJU5 is sick. We went to the doctor today just to make sure it was just a virus (she has had the cough since Sunday, runny nose for over a week). She is finally up to 19 lbs 5oz. That means she still had 11 oz until she has to move out of the infant seat (yes - she still fits in her Graco SnugRider). It is in fact just a virus, so hopefully last night was the worst! She woke up around 8:30, then midnight, around 1 and around 2. At that point I took her down stairs and we slept on the recliner together until AJU1 came down for his breakfast (which she wanted to join in). Then she was up until 7:30 when my parents left. That was followed by a two hour nap and a bath. Luckily I could also join in the nap with her (in our own beds)!

I am kind of glad my parental units are gone. I liked the extra help playing with AJU5, but my mom is very loud (has no volume control) and I like to have life back to normal. My dad understand that we can only handle a few days with Mom - that is why he golfs as much as possible and is out of the house quite a bit.

Now to get some things done while she is napping. I gave her Robitussin (as directed by the doctor), and hopefully it is helping!

Mommy Survey

I know some of you are on Facebook - have you seen the Mommy Survey? I did it, and some of my friends from high school have done it recently. Here is what I posted (note- AJU5's age is not up to date - I am just cutting, pasting, and removing personal info!):
Here you go mommies - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your first born! Just copy and paste it in a new note for yourself!

Let's see how much you remember!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
NO!!!

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
Yes

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
Umm, this isn't our plan... God - why?

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
28-29

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
HPT!

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
AJU1 (husband)

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?
NOPE!!! Why ruin a perfectly good surprise?

9. DUE DATE?
December 18, 2007

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
Yes - that is what clued us in to the fact I might have been pregnant. Lasted until week 16.

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Sandwiches - although I don't know if it was a craving or just what I could stomach.

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
Itchy belly

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?
Girl

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
AdJU1 definitely wanted a boy. I wanted him to be happy - so I guess that would be yes.

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
About 35

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
Yup - thanks K for throwing it!

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
I knew about the shower

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
Kidney infection at week 18 (spent 48 hours in the hospital as a result).

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Pres. Hospital

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
About 13 (although if she wasn't stuck it probably would have been even less)

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
AJU1

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
AJU1 and everyone else in the OR (I have no clue who was there!)

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
C-section

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
Yup - narcotics first. Then epidural once it wore off. Nitrous oxide during the c-section. Probably something else too during the c/s.

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
8lbs 3.4 oz

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN?
Dec 14, 2007 (10:0?am)

30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
A J - about 46 hours later :)

31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?
13 months 3 weeks 1 day

What surprises me is the number of people that did it totally natural! With the exception of the people I know here, none of them had to have c-sections. I gave up shortly after going to to the hospital (I was 8cm dilated at the time though) and got the IV pain stuff. It worked some (about 2 hours) until they thought AJU5 was coming (and then they wouldn't give me more as a result). I really think natural birth is coming back into favor. I know I was willing to try. But, I know others who wanted the epidural as soon as they got to the hospital.

I hope to either deliver completely natural or have a c-section with the next one. The infection I got (and made her go to the NICU was probably due to having my water broken and then having an internal contraction monitor placed. So, I am definitely not going to allow those next time around. Some of her breathing issues may have been a result of the drugs, but some of it probably was her position as well (which is why she never dropped and had to come via c-section).

How do you feel about totally natural birth? Did you consider it? Did you do it? Are you considering it for a future birth?

A Plan

My parents should be arriving within the hour for a two night stay before heading on to their time-share in the mountains for skiing (we are sort of on the way). Last night I had a break down. The house was a mess, and I hadn't had enough time to clean. AJU1 finally realized this (after I got a little frustrated) and helped get the downstairs cleaned up. But, the big issue is that I let it get bad. Yes, some things don't have homes yet due to the remodeling still in progress, but it shouldn't have gotten this bad. So, from now on:
I am going to get up at least thirty minutes before I think AJU5 will get up. This means about 6am most days (unless she has woken up around 5 - then I can go until about 7). During this time I will get my Bible reading done, check my emails and deal with work things (except Mondays when I will just check how many things I need to deal with), and empty the dishwasher if necessary. If I still have time, I will probably shower and get dressed.
That then will allow me to put dishes in the dishwasher after meals (I can't empty when she is around because she climbs in, etc) and pick up during her naps (I have been showering, reading, etc during naps lately). Hopefully this will keep the house picked up at least. Once the remodeling is done, I can also spend about 30 minutes each evening vacuuming, etc.

Now to make sure everything is ready for the parental units. Not that their house was that clean at Christmas before we got there though....

Walks, Parks, and Other Thoughts

Last week we went to four parks. There are actually four parks on our normal walking routes, and each is quite different. We didn't visit one of those last week, but we did visit the one near church. I am really liking the walks, but unfortunately I haven't been up for them in a few days (more on this later). AJU5 on the other hand is getting less interested in the walks. She wants to do the walking! She actually pushed her stroller about 3/10 of a mile one day - and wanted to go for more! So, I am trying to find a better time to go for her so she is happy to be in the stroller for about an hour!

Now on to the parks:
The one closest to our house (less than 3/10 of a mile away) doesn't have swings. It has lots of grass and two jungle gyms though - one for big kids and one for little kids. The only thing I don't like about the little kid jungle gym is that it isn't safe for AJU5 to be on it alone. There is a suspension bridge that could be very deadly - as well as other exits that are to be expected (slides, stairs, and one fireman's pole). All in all, I give that park a B for AJU5.
Then, there is the one NE of us (about a mile away). It has swings and one jungle gym. It also has some grass and a rope climbing thing (that I haven't investigated in detail). The jungle gym is DEFINITELY for bigger kids, with no small slides, etc. So, we only go there for swinging and climbing. This park gets a C for AJU5 (currently only - it will be better when she is older).
Then, there is the park to the SE of us (less than a mile away by roads/paths). This park is more of a nature park than the others - with a big rock outcropping and nature trails. But, it does have a little jungle gym and two swings. We have only stopped at this one to swing so far (and AJU5 isn't a big fan of swings right now). So, it gets a current grade of a D.
Near the library (about a mile away - NW), there is also a park. this one is older than the others in terms of equipment. It has the big grass area that is nice, but the equipment and surrounding area aren't the best. We went with some of the moms/kids from story time, and none of us were that impressed. You definitely can't turn your back on the kids at this park with all of the dangers. Grade - F!
Near our church, there is also another park. This park is fairly nice, although it doesn't have swings (there are swings at the elementary school next door though that can be used). The older kid jungle gym is very cool! It is the best one I have seen in town. The little kid one is similar to the one near our house, but it doesn't have the draw bridge. So, this is the best one - A!

Okay - so, that was probably a lot of randomness because 99% of you have NO IDEA were I live! But, I have been thinking about the parks for a while. What are the parks near you like? Do you like the design or not? Do you have options near you?

Oh - and why I am not up for walking - allergies! I am stuffed up and sneezing like crazy these days. On top of that, AJU5 is stuffed up and has a little cough. Hopefully we will both be better soon!

Product Review Friday - Laugh and Learn Puppy

AJU5 got the Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Puppy for her first Christmas from my parents - way before she was able to play with it. I have mixed feelings about this toy. It has lots of fun sayings and songs. It is definitely interactive and a learning tool.

So, what is the problem? It isn't predictable! You push a button and you don't know what you are going to get! It can be very frustrating for a little one who wants to hear a certain song again to have to repeatedly press a button until the song comes back.

The other problem is that the off/learning.song button is very easy to touch - it is on one of the feet and is identical to the other buttons for playing. I wish it was a switch so I could lock it in one setting!

Overall, I think this is a good toy. It is definitely one that can grow with a kid.

Grade: B!

Wordless Wednesday - Messes!

Grandparents

All of my grandparents are dead - my grandfathers passed away when I was in kindergarden, my mom's mom died in 1997, and my dad's mom passed away this weekend (not unexpected - she was giving up for a while, etc). My husband still has three grandparents left. One set (grandfather passed away when AJU1 was young due to Alzheimer's) lived on the same piece of land as he did until he was a teenager. The other set lived farther away, but they are pretty involved in our lives still (we see them almost every time we see the rest of his family).

I was never close to my grandparents though. We moved away when I was a few months old. I really don't have any memories of my granddads at all. I do remember my grandmas, but we still weren't close.

I wonder how close AJU5 will be to her grandparents. They don't live close, but we are going to try and see them at least twice a year (which is more than I saw my grandparents growing up). With Skype, we can video chat with them as well, so she can "see" them and talk to them. But, will she remember them if they die while she is still young? I hope so.

How close are you to your grandparents? What are you doing to make sure your kids have a good relationship with their grandparents?

Yeah, I didn't want to sleep all night last night...

Hi. It is AJU5 here - as I have commandeered Mommy's computer to type my own post.

I did not sleep through the night last night, but Mommy wasn't too upset with this. I woke up at 10:30 and then at 4am. Then I slept/played in my crib until almost 7:30. So, Mommy did get a good night sleep. I highly recommend letting your Mommy and Daddy get a good night sleep guys (Jack, Paige, Wesley - I talking to you!). As Dean, Nathan, Kara, and your older brothers can attest to, when Mommy and Daddy get a good night sleep, they are in a better mood!* Mommy didn't get nearly as mad at me for throwing food on the floor this morning. Mommy and Daddy were both happy to play with me yesterday afternoon. I even didn't get into as much trouble when I emptied out the cabinets yesterday. I definitely recommend it!

Also, walking is kind of fun. Just make sure the area around you is clear of legs when you go to sit down. Sitting down on a 5 year old's leg is not easy - you are likely to fall backwards and hit your head. This is especially not fun when there is no padding on the floor! Luckily Mommy was there to pick me up and hold me.

* I know I forgot some of my friends in this post. If I forgot you, I am sorry. Please identify yourself so I don't forget you next time!

** Pictures and Video to come when Daddy removes them from the camera (he has to do it on his computer - which Mommy doesn't have the password to).

Hallelujah!

I didn't not have to get out of bed last night! She was definitely cranky from about 3pm until 6:30 when we put her down. I gave her some Motrin before bed (teething like crazy again on top of the runny nose - but no fever). We heard her around 8:30, but it was a very short cry period. I think I heard her again around 10:30 - again very short. I didn't hear anything from then until 5:30* this morning! Now, she could have cried and I didn't hear it. AJU1 shut the door to our bedroom, so hearing her is slightly harder. But, I have heard her before with the door shut (and did around 10:30, but I wasn't asleep yet).

I woke up around 3:30 and was surprised it was so late! I then woke up quite a bit until she cried at 5:30. But five good ours of sleep is great! A year and a half ago I would have thought that was bad sleep! Now if she will only keep it up!

*I think around 5 the alarm on AJU1's cell phone went off - AJU5 must have turned it on last night when she got a hold of his cell phone (and he hadn't locked the keys). Luckily I was half awake anyways!

Product Review Friday - Tadoodles Scribble and Sing Art Station

So, I have decided to review items we have bought or that were gifts. I am only going to review items we love, have concerns about, or I think other parents are going to consider buying.

Item 1: Tadoodles Scribble and Sing Art Station

AJU5 got this for Christmas from one of my aunts. It is a Crayola Beginnings product, designed for 18+ months. The concept is great - big markers that fit in the hand well that don't need caps and won't dry out. The station stores five of the markers (that come with it) and talks/plays music based on which marker is in the center location. The center also works with the Tadoodles paints, but it doesn't work with the crayons.

Problems: When the markers are upside down for any length of time and then pressure is applied to the tip, the flow is fairly quick. I ended up with a huge puddle on the paper after only a second. It was a big enough puddle that it soaked through the paper and was still puddling! Luckily they are washable, but it was a big mess! I have a feeling the same result will occur with the paints, as they work on the same principle as the markers.

I also wish the crayons worked with the station. The shape is the same, but the bottoms do not have the ridges in them to activate the machine (there are sensors on the bottom that tell it what color is being used). I think this may be because the crayons can be replaced (Crayon Beginnings triangular crayons fit if broken in half) so the color doesn't have to always be the same. But, the crayons aren't as messy!

I did report these issues to Crayola, and they are supposedly sending me a coupon. I plan on buying the Tadoodles crayons (we currently have the bath tub ones) and some of the replacement crayons (depending on the value of the coupon of course).

Grades:
Concept - B+
Design - D
Overall - C-

***************************************

In other news, AJU5 is doing better. We forced the saline and nose blowing a few times last night (she hates both more than whipping her nose). She eventually went to bed around 9:30. She woke quite a bit between then an 3 am (I think 3 times?). But, we forced her to cry it out around 3 because she had bitten me for the second time that night (and fourth time overall). So I was done nursing for at least 2 hours! Well, after she was done crying, she didn't wake until 7! So, there is hope for the CIO!

MIssion: Aborted

Well, actually more like postponed. AJU5 is sick. When I got back from church last night (she stayed home with Daddy because she was napping), she was definitely running a fever. After some food, Tylenol, and playing, she slept okay. She did some 2 hour stretches, one 1.5 hour stretch (stretch #2 - when Tylenol dose 1 had worn off and she was stuffed up), and I think a 3 hour stretch. Tylenol seems to be keeping the fever under control. So, the only thing we have to really deal with is the runny nose. It is a fountain during the day, and she hates me wiping it! At night she got a little stuffed up for a while (probably because she was laying down). Hopefully it will go away soon. I think it is a combination of allergies (we have had quite a bit of wind here) and a virus. I am a little stuffed up, but I don't seem to be having any other issues.

So, as a result, we aren't pushing the sleep thing until she is better. AJU1 is out of town some next week, so if she is better by then, we will start. Otherwise we will wait for the weekend. Hopefully we can get her to sleep at least 6 hours at a time before too long (i.e. meaning I only have to get up once a night)!

Who Needs Sleep?

Well, hopefully the song is not correct. I do hope I will get some good sleep someday soon!

AJU5 is on sleep refusal mode. She napped for a total of about one hour yesterday - at 3pm. By that time most days, she has had two naps, each at least one hour long. Then, she didn't go to sleep until a little after 9 (normal bed time is about 7pm). On top of that, she woke up every 1-2 hours (there may have been one 2+ hour sleep period, but I don't remember).
So...

Let the sleep training begin! I can't handle this lack of sleep. I was loosing it this morning with her (at 5am when she didn't want to sleep or eat or play). She was a little warm yesterday, but she doesn't feel warm now. So, I don't know for sure what is going on. But, the plan is to make her go at least 2 hours at a time tonight, 2.5 hours tomorrow night, and then 3 hours for the next week. Then each week we will add another hour. Hopefully by 15 months I can get some good sleep!

Annoying!

Here is a list of things that annoy me!

• Sidewalks that aren't passable with a stroller
• Sidewalks that don't have ramps at the ends
• Sidewalks that just end without any warning
• Drivers that get mad at you for following the law (not going on a yellow light)
• Drivers that are just rude
• People who talk on their cell phone everywhere (restaurants, doctor offices, etc)
• People who talk while someone else is talking - especially at meetings
• Students who are taking an online class but are fairly completer illiterate
• Students who think you need to know ever detail of their life and email you about it regularly!
• Costco changing where they put things so you spend extra time trying to find things
• People who complain about how something is done but won't help fix the issue

Okay, so those are the ones I can think of right now. What annoys you?

Lunch with Friends

Yesterday we went to lunch with friends from church. We had a missionary in town, and a group of us took him out to lunch before he headed back home (his mission field is about 4 hours away on an Indian* Reservation). This was the first time AJU5 had eaten at a real restaurant since Thanksgiving weekend. She did great! First, we found she likes raspberry lemonade out of a straw (I fill the straw, put it in her mouth, and she drinks away). She drank quite a bit of lemonade! All of the others with us were old enough to be grandparents (only one couple wasn't, and their daughter is our age), and they had fun watching her eat. If it came from our plates, she at least tried it. Unfortunately, we hadn't planned on going out to eat, so we didn't bring her place mat or utensils. The forks at Red Lobster are a little big for her mouth - but she managed to get the food off the fork. She had bread, lettuce, and chicken tenders along with a snack of fruity cheerios and raisins while we waited for the salads.

All in all, it was a great lunch. We were there for about an hour and a half. She only cried at the VERY end when we were getting ready to leave/finishing up conversations. She fell asleep in the car on the way home. Unfortunately, my husband was unable to get her from the car seat into bed without waking her... She napped for at most an hour yesterday. I got over an hour of nap though because AJU1 got her when she refused to sleep for the second time.

* I know Native American is the politically correct term. I actually normally refer to where this missionary (and two others we support) by the actual tribe. But, because I didn't want to give away where we live, I refrained from using the tribe name. And Native American Reservation just doesn't sound right!

HAIR!!!

This is a post about hair - AJU5's, AJU1's, and mine!

First - AJU5
She has just enough hair to try to put it in a pony tail. I am using little clips because she won't sit still long enough for me to put in a pony tail holder (and she pulls it out even faster than the clips). Below are the first attempt - one pony tail. Last Sunday, I gave her pigtails. Unfortunately, her hair is so fine and short that it is hard to keep them in!

Second, AJU1
He has growna beard. This is a fairly annual event, but he seems to be keeping it longer this time. I am not a huge fan of it! I understood why he started to grow it this time (had to buy new blades for his electric razor - plus he was taking care of both AJU5 and I at the time so he didn't get to go to the store for a while), but I am ready for it to go. Unfortunately, the more I talk about it, the more he wants to keep it. So I just have to stay quiet...

Finally - ME!
I need to do SOMETHING with my hair. It is about time to get it cut. I have had the same style for years - since we have been married at least. Normally I just get it cut/trimmed. The length has varied from chin to mid-back (this past summer). But it has always just been a straight cut. I want to be able to pull it up into a pony tail when I want, but I also want to have it look good down. My hair is naturally - well - funky. It has some waves in it, and both sides aren't the same waviness. Any suggestions on what to do with my hair? Below are two pictures of what it has looked like the past 2 years!

How many children?

I was reading the Stanfield Journey, a blog written by a fellow Christian mom, this morning. Her post wasn't directly about this question, but it was part of the story she was sharing. She lost one son (middle child) shortly after birth due to Trisomy 18. When asked how many children she has, she says three.

This made me think how I would answer the question. Right now I just say that AJU5 is our first. It is the easy way out. One of my friends says how many pregnancies she has had and how many children she has on earth. I know I have one here on earth and one in heaven. But, I don't want to have to explain the one in heaven. When picking out AJU5's outfit for the day, I saw her big sister shirt. She has yet to get to wear it - and won't until I am at least 12 weeks pregnant with our next child. But she is a big sister. She has a baby brother or sister in heaven waiting for us. But, she isn't a big sister here on earth. She doesn't have a little brother or sister to look after and help take care of.

So, how will I handle this question when AJU5 gets older? I don't know. I hope time will help me decide the answer to this question...

*********
A little AJU5 news: she is standing a lot longer these days. She still doesn't want to walk on her own, but hopefully in the next few weeks we will be there!

What is up?

So, first AJU5 is still waking quite a bit. Tylenol helps a little - giving me about 3 hour periods of sleep. But, I am ready for her to get these teeth! She is willing to take her cup some at night though. But, it is a pain to do it all night. I don't want to have to go down stairs, get her cup from the fridge, go back upstairs and give it to her, go back down and put it away, etc. This might be a good idea when she is waking up once or twice a night so I can completely wean her, but for now it is only being done on the first (and sometimes second) wakings because I am still awake.

She has been waking up around 5:30 in the morning. I bring her downstairs to have a little breakfast with AJU1, and then she goes back to sleep - for about an hour. Then we get up and have "second" breakfast - which for her is mainly eggs (well, carton eggs because they have less cholesterol). I do give her fruity cheerios and fruit, but they get left most of the time on the tray.

It isn't until 8ish that I am actually awake. I have been VERY cranky lately. I don't know if it is hormones or the lack of sleep. But either way, I am ready to be past this. I don't like snapping at AJU1 and AJU5.

Oh - and AJU5 did find the stereo power button and the computer cd and dvd buttons. She has had a lot of fun with these! Luckily I don't mind it for now...

Now to go see what has made AJU5 a little upset (I am guessing a pinched finger)...

Bad Day?

1. AJU5 woke up every 1.5 to 2 hours last night. We hope it is either because she napped horribly yesterday (and today) or teething (maybe tooth 9 is on the way???). She had been doing fairly well before this!
2. She found the power button on my computer. She turned in on and off repeatedly. Hitting her hand and telling her no did nothing to stop her. Now there is tape over the buttons.
3. While I dried my hair and AJU1 took a shower, AJU5 was in our bath tub. She found the faucet and got herself soaking wet! Luckily there was enough time to dry the clothes int he dryer before church.
4. AJU5 choked on pizza crust. She forgot to finish eating.swallowing it before drinking. So, she coughed up a nice milking bread mixture.
5. AJU5 has also gotten in trouble for trying to empty the trash can, pinching, biting and scratching.
   

It has been a long 24 hours... Luckily I got a little nap while she napped after church.

Plans

I know I have had a few posts rattle through my head, but I can't remember them right now. So, I thought I would share some plans with you.

1. Work on getting AJU5 down to one wake-up a night in February. AJU1 will be out of town twice during the month with work, and those end up being good times to train her.
2. Wait until at least May before TTC. This is for two reason: To let my body get on to a regular cycle which it has yet to do since AJU5 was born and to ensure that we will be able to travel at Christmas (i.e. I don't want to be hugely pregnant at Christmas!).
3. Finish inside of house by mid-March. We got the family room re-drywalled yesterday. We had torn off most of the old stuff because it was in bad shape. So, AJU1 and our friend D got all of the walls covered back up. This is actually the first time in AJU5's life that one wall has had drywall on it! Now we just have to finish that room and do some trim/finish work. Our closet may or may not be done by then, but that is more of a money issue (should only take a few hours to install).
4. Spend at least one day in March scrapbooking. I have yet to start AJU5's scrapbook. Luckily she sent out monthly emails and I have this blog for reference! We also have a lot of pictures that I need to weed through and determine which ones to get printed. the main reason for waiting until March is to find some of my supplies which are in a box in the closet (and probably at the bottom of the stack since I can't locate the box yet).
5. Finish a box for Junior #2. I made a CD with picture related to that pregnancy, but I forgot some of them. So, I need to make another one. I also need to find some ribbin to wrap around the box and keep it closed. Otherwise it is done. I do have to figure out where I am going to keep it - currently I am thinking it will go on a shelf in our closet, but I am not sure.

Well, the pizza is cooking, AJU5 is playing, and AJU1 is upstairs on his computer (I am using my laptop downstairs). I guess I should go check on the pizza because I am getting hungry!

A Few Things I Have Forgotten...

First, I now weigh less than I did in September! I had gained a little weight with the pregnancy (I only had very mild morning sickness), but now I weigh 148 pounds (I was 150 in September). My goal is to maintain between 140 and 145 pounds.

Second, AJU5 definitely knows the difference between her cup and me. In the middle of the night, she will sip out of the cup, and then throw it. It will take playing, etc to get her to go back to bed. So, nursing is a lot less painful for me.

Third, I m getting good at getting her into bed while asleep (from a walk). The hardest thing is getting her jacket and shoes off! But I am two for two after story time!

Finally, thank you to everyone that prayed for me and encouraged me through the miscarriage. Although it was a sad time, I think it was also a growing time for me. Thank you!

Thirteen Months Old!

AJU5 is thirteen months old today! It is hard to believe it. A year ago today I went back to work (with her in tow). Then we came to this house and saw the progress AJU1 and two other men from church had made on kitchen and dining room floor tiling. I am pretty sure we went home after that (to the old house), ate and napped as usual. She was so tiny then and didn't do much of anything. Now she is getting into everything! She explores everything she can. She loves to take things in and out of containers (my wallet has been emptied a few too many times the past two weeks!).

She still hasn't mastered the walking yet, but she is able to take 4 or 5 steps in a row when she wants to. Sometimes she will even walk away from us. But crawling is still easier and faster!

We are down to just middle of the night nursing sessions. I got rid of the before bed on last night and it didn't seem to affect her in the least. So, now I just have to wait until she is sleeping through the night to be done completely. I really hope that isn't too far off! If you would have asked me year ago (which my doctor did at my 6 week post baby appointment) how long I would breastfeed, I would say until she bit me. Well, that day has long come and gone. Her refusal to take a bottle after about a month was the kicker. I have enjoyed the time of bonding, but I am ready to be done I think. She doesn't seem to miss it during the day either. She is just not willing to go back to sleep well without it yet. She would probably do okay if we fully woke her up and fed her solids, but that is too much work (and probably not a good idea). So, waiting it is!

I wonder what the next 13 months will hold for us?

AJU5 and Doctor's Appointment Update

First, for an AJU5 update:

She is figuring out how to use a fork! She knows how to use it once the food is stuck to the tongs. She isn't always great at getting the food stuck though (due to lack of force only). We figured this out last night when she was refusing to eat her chicken. She kept reaching for something on our plates (or so we thought). But, her meal was identical minus cream of mushroom soup on the chicken. So, when he was done, AJU1 gave her some from his fork (from her tray). She ate it! So we gave her the fork and let her do it. We still have to help her get the food on, but most of the time she is just as happy eating with her free hand (one hand is holding the fork of course).

She also slept from 1ish to 6ish this morning (after two wake ups before that). She did cry twice in the night, but it wasn't loud enough or long enough to warrant me getting out of bed. So, hopefully she will keep up the decent sleeping (and improve!).

++++++++++++++++++++++

Now on to the doctor's appointment (warning - if you don't want to hear about women things, stop reading):

My doctor thinks the leading possibility for the miscarriage was that my body just wasn't ready to be pregnant again. I had only had three periods since AJU5 was born (and not the same length). So, she thinks the baby may have been on the downward spiral even back in December when she saw me (all hindsight on her part - we had no idea when we had conceived, so anything was possible as to gestational age). But, it isn't something that is like to rear its head again.

She told us to wait at least two cycles before considering trying again (i.e. prevent it until then). I also have to have lab work done one more time, as my HCG level was a 56 on Friday (it was over 7000 on 12/31). So, now my goal is to wean AJU5 before we are ready to try again. That will make being pregnant even easier on my body...

So now the wait...

A Hard, Yet Good Conversation

There is someone at our church (small church - about 60 at Sunday morning service) with my same name. She is pregnant and due one week before my due date. I had defriended her in Facebook last Tuesday because it was just too hard to see her pictures of the baby and related "stuff." But, I decided to talk to her yesterday after service. We aren't close. Her and her husband are about 7 years younger than we are. They lead the worship team, and we are not always fans of the way they do that. So, we don't spend much time around them. Plus, they only attend morning service, so we don't have much chance to interact with them at church (AJU5 is normally starving after service, so we leave fairly quickly).

But, I had to make sure she understood why I had defriended her (I did send an email, but they aren't always the best way to communicate). It turns out she had found out about the miscarriage last Sunday. My husband had told one person that I had miscarried by saying "Name had miscarried." Well, since I hadn't shared the news with this person, they assumed the wrong person had miscarried (and went up to her and said she as sorry for the loss).

It was hard to talk to her, but it was also good. It turns out she is using amidwife in the same group as my doctor (she even thought about using my doctor before deciding to go with the midwife). This pregnancy wasn't planned for them either, so we could talk about that (I have yet to try to conceive!). Then our husbands ended up talking about work (they work for the same company) and we ended up playing with AJU5 in the nursery while they finished talking. I was able to share advice on baby products, etc.

The first few minutes were hard, but as we talked, it got a lot easier. I wish we would get to know them more. Maybe when the house is done we can have them over...

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Doctor's appointment tomorrow...

Baby Meltdown...

We were having breakfast - the second of the day for AJU5 who gets one when she wakes up as well (which was at 5:45 this morning). I made breakfast burritos for AJU1 and I and gave her a good portion of egg (about 1 egg). She finished hers and then asked for some of ours. Tortilla wasn't going to work this time (some times it does), so I pulled out a piece for her. I repeated this until I was out. AJU1 was also almost out. She had a melt down. It was so sad to not have anymore egg!

I think half of it was that she was sleepy. When she wakes before 7, she ends up taking an early morning nap - which she is working on now. In the past I would have just let her nurse and put her back down at 5:45, but because I am trying to wean her, we have gotten rid of the early morning session. Actually, we are down to the bedtime and middle of the night feedings. Now if she would just sleep through the night!

A Week Later...

I don't know if this week has flown by or gone by really slowly. All I know is that it doesn't feel like it has been a week.

About this time last week I was happy that I had been able to sit up for 10 minutes without feeling terrible. I was preparing myself for my ultrasound at noonish to confirm what I already knew. I was watching AJU5 demolish our bedroom while AJU1 helped a friend load all of the rubble from our family room into his truck to take to the dump (he did check on us regularly to make sure we were still doing okay).

Between 11:40 and 12:20, I sat in a chair at the doctor' office waiting for our turn. I felt terrible, but I survived. Then we went back and I was HAPPY to lay down. It felt so much better to not be upright. The sonographer was very meticulous, and finally went to see if my doctor wanted to see the images. When she left the room, AJU1 asked if what we were seeing was normal (he didn't go to the ultrasounds for AJU5). I told him no - if the baby was there we would have seen it. My doctor came in and looked at everything and then told us the baby was gone. She said she was sorry. And I shed a few tears. I could really tell she was sorry for us. She was actually very comforting while not saying much at all. That is why I love my doctor - I feel so comfortable with her.

Later today I have to go get another blood draw. I hate needles. But, I will survive.

BLOOD DRAW UPDATE:
Okay, that was a HUGE pain! First, they faxed the paperwork over to the lab place (not in the same building), but the lab's fax is not working. So, they call the doctor's office and complain that they hadn't gotten it yet. The doctor's office faxes it again. I wait 30 minutes and then the lab lady recommends I just go and get the paperwork (the doctor's office is just a couple of small blocks away). So, I go and get it (have to wait a tiny bit, but not too long for them to make a copy, fax it again, and then give me the hard copy). When I get back to the lab, I deal witha different intake person. I ask if the fax number is right, and she says it is but they have been having problems with it. The other intake person I had dealt with agrees! Why didn't she tell me this earlier? I could have just gone and gotten it to begin with! Then, I go back to have the blood draw and the first person misses. Luckily the second person doesn't. So, after 1 hour and two sticks, I was finally done! Now I am home. I picked up a Whipped Chocolate Mousse yogurt on the way home as a sympathy gift to myself. It is gone now...

Randomness

First some AJU5 updates:
She LOVES music. She "dances" to the music from any of her toys. If she is crying, all we have to do is start the music. Unfortunately this means I have to listen tot he same songs over and over again!
Sleep has been hit and miss. Last Friday she slept for 8 hours with little to no peeps at all. This was a huge relief because both AJU1 and I were exhausted (and I wasn't up to doing much of course). Then she went back to her 4/2-3/2-3 mode until last night. She did her usual early wake up and then didn't need me until 5:30. She did stir once, but I am 99% sure I didn't get up. Hopefully she will do the 8 hour thing more and more so I can get better sleep!
She is very close to walking. She is standing a lot on her own. She even steps occasionally when not provoked. But, she still prefers to have something to hold on to or lean against (walls work just fine for her).

Now, on to me.
Tuesday night was hard. I couldn't sleep and ended up getting out of bed and writing a letter to Junior #2. Since AJU5 woke up quite a bit that night, I was cranky yesterday. On top of the that, the 7 vitamin pills I take a day are making my stomach do flips. Normally it calms down within an hour or so, but it is still a pain.
I go back to my doctor on Tuesday. If you can think of things I should ask her, please comment. I love my doctor, but like others have said, I tend to forget the questions I have. So, I have started a list of questions that hopefully I will remember to take with me to the appointment.

Now to go get AJU5 out of bed. She seemed sleepy, but she hasn't slept!

Dear Clothing Manufacturers...

Why do you insist on making small head holes on so many of your cute outfits? And why do you insist on not using buttons or snaps to allow the neck area to expand? It means outfits that are otherwise a little large are just able to be worn. It is very annoying!

Pictures from Christmas

Opening the "Grandkids" gift (AJU5 and all of her cousins)

Sitting on her present - a box of cool bathtoys!

Still on the bath toys - with her steering wheel.

Opening her birthday presents (notice that Cousin G is as interested in her presents as she is).



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Things are going okay today. I had a headache in the night and had to sleep in this mroning until it calmed down. AJU1 stayed home until I was up. Physically, I would say I am about 75% these days. Emotionally I am about 90% (didn't cry much at all yesterday). So, hopefully things will continue to improve. I don't see my doctor again until the 13th (she is on call at the hospital today and then on vacation for the rest of the week), so hopefully by then I will be almost 100%.

Looking at the bright side...

Today was the day we were going to share our pregnancy with those at church. I also planned on announcing it on here today or tomorrow (whenever I had time). But, that is in the past...

Here are the positives I can think of so far for this miscarriage. I know some of them are petty, but it helps for me to still count them.

1. This baby will never have to experience the pain and tortures of this world. Instead, he/she is already in heaven with God waiting for us. This is the biggest positive!
2. We are no longer responsible for this child spiritually. This child is already with God and no longer requires that we raise him/her in the nurture and ammunition of the Lord.
3. AJU5 doesn't have to grow up any faster than she is ready to. She will be our baby AT LEAST until November.
   
4. My body will have a longer time to heal after the c-section - making a vbac more possible.
5. We aren't as rushed on the house (I wanted the inside done before Junior #2 arrived).
6. Financially, it will be easier. We can hold off on buying a new(er) car for me for a little while longer. And there will be one less set of diapers, etc for a while.
7. I will be able to go to my brother-in-laws high school graduation without any concerns (it is 2 months before my due date).
8. I will get to go on a mission trip (VBS) this summer. It will most likely be the week of the due date, so I think being away from home and with church friends will be good!

This pregnancy wasn't planned. It was always in God's hands. Remember this has made it easier to handle the loss. I still cry, but I think I am ahead of the game on the grieving side of things at the moment. Now if only my physical recovery would speed up. I am tired of the headaches! I am tired of being worn out all of the time. I am tired of not being able to care for AJU5 like I had been (luckily AJU1 has been a big help). But, I know my body should recover in the next week or two (or so everyone says)...

Not a good start to the new year...

Thursday - New Years Day - marked 10 weeks of my second pregnancy. That night, I bled like crazy, miscarrying Junior #2. I had an ultrasound yesterday to confirm what had happened. The hardest part for me right now is I have pictures of this Junior from an ultrasound on December 9th. I haven't looked at them the past few days, but I know they are there. My husband has been great through all of this. AJU5 wasn't happy yesterday because I couldn't care for her (I passed out twice while returning to bed from the bathroom). But today I am doing better (I can actually sit up for more than 10 minutes without getting light headed - yippie!).

I don't know how much I will write about this in the upcoming days and weeks. I might just read blogs and not comment. Who knows how I will feel...

The New Year

Not much is going on here. We didn't even try to stay up until midnight last night - something we gave up at least 2 years ago. This week AJU1 has been working some on the family room - removing the last bits of the fire place surround and damaged drywall. Now we have to reinstall drywall and get everything put back together. We have finally decided on the layout for the room, which was a big pain because there are 4 doorways/hallways and one cove to work around plus the fireplace.

AJU5 still isn't walking, but she is getting more adventurous everyday. She is standing up a lot more without holding on and is stepping to us without being coaxed. I think she is just working on the balance thing with her large head and all. Hopefully by the end of the month she will be a true walker! She has been sleeping okay - except for the waking up an hour later around 4am this morning. Other than that, she has been going at least 3 hours each time with at least one 4+ hour stretch a night. I am going to start "requiring" 4 hours here soon I think...

We are also weaning her. She no longer nurses during the day and is drink 12-16 oz of milk (with a little yogurt mixed in for flavor) during the day and then nursing to sleep and in the middle of the night. Until she sleeps through the night, this is about as good as we are going to get! AJU1 tried to give her milk out of her cup at 4ish this morning - but she refused it (as she has done for me before).

Now to go be lazy some more! Hope everyone is having a great new year!