Wow. Is it really 2015? It's so hard to believe that, but yet, it's here….already been here for 14 days.
I haven't posted in a while but here's a quick update on the family:
Benjamin is 4 1/2 almost…what the what?!? It is so hard to believe my little boy will turn 5 years old this year. He's in preschool for his 3rd year. One more before kindergarten thank goodness. I'm not ready for that. He tried baseball last Fall, but didn't seem to enjoy it too much. He liked the dirt, and grass, but detested anything having to do with batting, catching, running, etc. He liked the uniform most…and the trophy. So, we're sticking with gymnastics, which he sometimes doesn't want to participate in, but most of the time, enjoys. Plus, it helps with balance and coordination, which every skinny little boy needs. He's so smart, and keeps me on my toes often. And, sometimes he outwits me. I'm not afraid to admit it.
Molly is 2 1/2. This girl has been through a lot. But, her personality says otherwise. She's so bossy, and large and in charge most of the time, despite her small stature. She's a petite little thing. But certainly commands the room. Al and I are actually working to tone it down a bit, without much luck. She loves to sing and dance. She's very silly. She HATES to share with Nicholas, but is always trying to "mother" him if he gets too close to danger, or puts something in his mouth he shouldn't. It's cute, but she yells at him a lot.
Nicholas is nearly 10mos old. I can't believe a year has almost passed since he joined our family. Things move so quickly. He's crawling now. Standing up, but not on his own that often. He is trying though, and beginning to gain confidence. He has enough teeth that he can grind them while riding in the car, which drives me batty! He's such a sweet little fellow though, and gets his feelings hurt more than the others, even. He is an expert at ejecting his bottom lip the minute he's sad, and has such a pitiful little old man frown. He's generally a happy baby, doesn't cry a lot, sleeps great and loves to belly laugh! Such a joy to have in our lives. There was a moment, after Molly, where Al and I weren't sure we wanted any more children. We didn't want to go through that ordeal again. I'm so glad we decided to try again! I couldn't imagine life without Nicholas now.
Al's job is going well. Not much to update there.
And, I'm doing my normal "mom" stuff. I've started BSF (Bible Study Fellowship). Though I've only been a time or two. I do enjoy it though. I'm still doing my MOPS group, which I love. And, Tuesday Bible Study at Campus. My days are busy. But, it's a good type of busy. I do look forward to the day all kids are potty trained and can entertain themselves independently a bit. I could use a little more time to clean and catch up on things around the house. But, those days will come. And then I'll probably regret it. So, I'm trying to cherish every day, even with the crying, fussing, etc. It is a good sound, most of the time. And my kids are always making me laugh (usually about the point I'm ready to scream and holler at them, oddly enough. God works in mysterious ways).
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Molly Update
We had a speech and dental visit for Molly today. First, I must say, I absolutely L-O-V-E her speech therapist Dr. Riski at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. He's so sweet, and very personable. AMAZING bedside manner (well, if there were a bed involved). He's just awesome!
Dr. J (that's what he is called), started by simply having a conversation with Molly, who was a bit shy at first. But once she warmed up, he was able to get some pretty good sounds out of her, overall. She's a tad bit nasal sounding with the "ah" sound from Mom and Dad. She also has some trouble with a few other sounds, but he was pleased overall. At this time, it's still not necessary for her to do any intensive speech therapy. So we are just monitoring every 6 months, and will adjust if needed.
He did tell us that she will most likely need another surgery when she's around 5 or so, after her tonsils and adenoids shrink down. I didn't ask the name of the surgery (because I was so surprised), but I'm thinking it's perhaps a pharyngeal flap surgery or perhaps a z-plasty. There are several other surgeries that perform the same function, and it seems to be a matter of opinion as to what surgery is performed. However, I have read up and most kids with a pharyngeal flap surgery end up with severe sleep apnea (which was part of her problem at birth). So, I'm not thrilled about that idea. But, I guess there's really nothing we can do yet, until she hits that stage. I do plan to ask her plastic surgeon for his opinion when we see him in January.
After we saw Dr. Riski, we grabbed some lunch and then waited for our dental appointment. Nothing really new there just yet either. Her teeth are light on enamel, but we already knew that. And, the teeth are crammed in her tiny mouth. We knew that also. Next time she goes, they'll do a cleaning on her, which should be interesting. And, as she ages, we know we'll have some pretty major teeth work to do. But, so far, so good.
Overall, she's doing great. I'm a little saddened at the thought of another surgery, though I did know it was always a possibility. She's been doing so well so far, and I was really hopeful she'd be that small percentage of kids who need nothing after palate repair. No such luck, I guess.
I guess we'll just wait it out and see. (I'm not good at that though!)
Dr. J (that's what he is called), started by simply having a conversation with Molly, who was a bit shy at first. But once she warmed up, he was able to get some pretty good sounds out of her, overall. She's a tad bit nasal sounding with the "ah" sound from Mom and Dad. She also has some trouble with a few other sounds, but he was pleased overall. At this time, it's still not necessary for her to do any intensive speech therapy. So we are just monitoring every 6 months, and will adjust if needed.
He did tell us that she will most likely need another surgery when she's around 5 or so, after her tonsils and adenoids shrink down. I didn't ask the name of the surgery (because I was so surprised), but I'm thinking it's perhaps a pharyngeal flap surgery or perhaps a z-plasty. There are several other surgeries that perform the same function, and it seems to be a matter of opinion as to what surgery is performed. However, I have read up and most kids with a pharyngeal flap surgery end up with severe sleep apnea (which was part of her problem at birth). So, I'm not thrilled about that idea. But, I guess there's really nothing we can do yet, until she hits that stage. I do plan to ask her plastic surgeon for his opinion when we see him in January.
After we saw Dr. Riski, we grabbed some lunch and then waited for our dental appointment. Nothing really new there just yet either. Her teeth are light on enamel, but we already knew that. And, the teeth are crammed in her tiny mouth. We knew that also. Next time she goes, they'll do a cleaning on her, which should be interesting. And, as she ages, we know we'll have some pretty major teeth work to do. But, so far, so good.
Overall, she's doing great. I'm a little saddened at the thought of another surgery, though I did know it was always a possibility. She's been doing so well so far, and I was really hopeful she'd be that small percentage of kids who need nothing after palate repair. No such luck, I guess.
I guess we'll just wait it out and see. (I'm not good at that though!)
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Family Update
Well, better late than never, huh?
Nicholas is now 4 1/2 months old. I was really anticipating a difficult summer, with all three children at home and no extra help. But thankfully, Nicholas sleeps well just as his brother and sister did, so he was sleeping through the night by around 9 weeks (12 hours at a stretch). Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a much better person when I've had my sleep. So, the fact that all of my kids are good sleepers (except at nap time) has certainly made being a mother much easier.
Nicholas is a chunk. Last time we checked, he was 14lbs 10oz. So he's bulking up quite nicely. He is on all formula now (a decision that was not easy, and I still waver a bit, but oh well, it is what it is). We've done a bit of rice cereal here and there, but he's not quite ready for it. Will start that when he's 5 months old I think. He's rolling over back to front, but can't do front to back just yet. He absolutely HATES being on his tummy, which means when he rolls back to front, he gets angry very fast. We broke him of the overnight car seat sleeping about 2 weeks ago, and the swaddle went with it. Since he rolls onto his tummy, he can't be swaddled anymore. To combat the rolling at night though, I've started putting a u-shaped pool noodle around him, so he can't roll over. It works, and seems to do the trick. Plus it makes him feel like he's being held. During the day he takes 2 long naps and usually one shorter nap. All in all, he's developing quite nicely. His head isn't as flat on one side as it once was, and hopefully it'll keep adjusting and won't be a big deal. Pediatrician doesn't seem concerned. Yay! He loves to jump in his bouncy (thanks Sarah) and in general he is a very happy kid!
Benjamin is still doing his gymnastics and seems to be enjoying it. I can certainly see improvement over this same time last year. He also just started Rookie T-Ball up at Bogan Park. Today was his first practice. Not the best, but he hung in there for about 30 minutes…which I guess is pretty good. He starts 3-year-old preschool September 3rd, and I can't wait! I hope he has wonderful teachers again this year!
Molly is doing gymnastics now as well, and seems to really enjoy it. She's already doing forward rolls, and is pulling herself up on the bars too. She's certainly an athletic little girl, and isn't afraid of anything. She starts 2-year-old preschool this year also. And, I'm pretty sure we'll attempt to potty train her the weekend before school starts (sorry teachers, it's the only 3 day weekend we have coming up). She's telling us when she's wet and poopy, so I think she's ready to at least give it a shot.
I'm looking forward to the big kids going to school so I can enjoy some 1-1 time with Nicholas. I'm also looking forward to starting up my MOPS-ish group again, as well as my Tuesday Bible study.
And, that's about all we have going on right now. Very exciting business I know.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Molly is TWO!
WOW. Two years goes by pretty quickly. It's crazy to think about the whirlwind we were in at about this same time two years ago when Molly came into the world. I remember it like it was yesterday...the fear, the sadness, and the uncertainty. I wish there had been more joy and excitement, but there just wasn't...not for me at least. I look back on the photos taken in the hospital, and I look scared and sad in all of them....any hint of a smile looks forced and fake. That makes me sad. And I feel horrible for reacting in that way. But, when your healthy pregnancy results in a surprise at birth, it's hard not to be terrified.
The first six months were the worst, and we've only had minor procedures done since then. Molly has been a champ through them all. During her ear surgery Wednesday, several of the nurses commented on how well she did, how calm she was and how we'll she handled the procedure and all the prep before surgery. She didn't even cry when they wheeled her off to surgery and I stayed behind. On one hand, I love that she's been so brave. On the other hand, I'm sad. Because I know that her calmness and bravery comes from having gone through it all before. She knows the drill, loves the ID bracelets (she calls it her "pretty pretty") and this last time she pitched a fit over not being able to keep her pink hospital gown.
She's thriving overall. She's very verbal, though she does struggle with her speech lately. Her hearing was off at our last visit, and it does seem to be reflected in her speech. I'm hoping this new set of tubes will help and I'm eager to see what her Speech Therapist says at our visit in August. We will also have another dental check in August, and I'm always curious to see what they have to say.
At this point, we anticipate surgery to replace ear tubes every 6-9 months or so. Her ear canals are 1/10 the size they should be, so she has to use infant ear tubes rather than the larger tubes that last longer. We hope that as she grows, her ear canals will grow, but we have also been warned that she may need tubes into adulthood. We don't know yet whether there will be any long-term effects on her hearing as a result of all the tubes/surgeries. We are prayerful that hearing loss, if any, will be minimal and easily fixed/aided.
It has certainly been a journey, but through it all, we have seen the hand of God at work. We are so grateful He led us to Atlanta where I have friends and family so close and willing to help as I juggle doctor visits and kids. The hospital here has been fabulous and all her specialists have been amazing to work with.
We have signed Molly up for a program called Beads of Courage, a program that gives kids beads representing various treatments and procedures. We are on the waiting list right now, so it could be several months before we receive her beads. But, in preparation, I've been going through medical records and tallying all her different proceedures and categories.
Here's a few of the stats:
During her stays at Gwinnett and CHOA she had:
The first six months were the worst, and we've only had minor procedures done since then. Molly has been a champ through them all. During her ear surgery Wednesday, several of the nurses commented on how well she did, how calm she was and how we'll she handled the procedure and all the prep before surgery. She didn't even cry when they wheeled her off to surgery and I stayed behind. On one hand, I love that she's been so brave. On the other hand, I'm sad. Because I know that her calmness and bravery comes from having gone through it all before. She knows the drill, loves the ID bracelets (she calls it her "pretty pretty") and this last time she pitched a fit over not being able to keep her pink hospital gown.
She's thriving overall. She's very verbal, though she does struggle with her speech lately. Her hearing was off at our last visit, and it does seem to be reflected in her speech. I'm hoping this new set of tubes will help and I'm eager to see what her Speech Therapist says at our visit in August. We will also have another dental check in August, and I'm always curious to see what they have to say.
At this point, we anticipate surgery to replace ear tubes every 6-9 months or so. Her ear canals are 1/10 the size they should be, so she has to use infant ear tubes rather than the larger tubes that last longer. We hope that as she grows, her ear canals will grow, but we have also been warned that she may need tubes into adulthood. We don't know yet whether there will be any long-term effects on her hearing as a result of all the tubes/surgeries. We are prayerful that hearing loss, if any, will be minimal and easily fixed/aided.
It has certainly been a journey, but through it all, we have seen the hand of God at work. We are so grateful He led us to Atlanta where I have friends and family so close and willing to help as I juggle doctor visits and kids. The hospital here has been fabulous and all her specialists have been amazing to work with.
We have signed Molly up for a program called Beads of Courage, a program that gives kids beads representing various treatments and procedures. We are on the waiting list right now, so it could be several months before we receive her beads. But, in preparation, I've been going through medical records and tallying all her different proceedures and categories.
Here's a few of the stats:
During her stays at Gwinnett and CHOA she had:
- 18 NG/OG tubes inserted to help with feeding)
- 37 IVs or blood draws
- a cranial ultrasound, an echocardiogram, eeg, ekg, cardiac ultrasound
- 1 sleep study
- 2 emergency room visits
- 2 nasal trumpets to assist with breathing
- 2 visits to NICU/PICU
- 28 times we had to turn the screws (one screw behind each ear)
- 23 nights in the hospital
- 11 visits from speech/feeding therapy team
- 130 infusions (medicine given via IV)
- 7 visits to the cranial facial clinic (dental, speech, genetics, feeding)
- 8 weeks of being in her welcome sleeves (AKA no-nos)
- 7/10/12 - jaw distraction surgery
- 8/21/12 - hardware removal surgery
- 12/11/12 - cleft palate repair
- 1/30/13 - 1st set of ear tubes
- 10/23/13 - 2nd set of ear tubes + ABR hearing test
- 6/18/14 - 3rd set of ear tubes
(This is what she looked like with the pins/screws behind her ears. Not sure why the video isn't working properly)
(Molly coming home from Gwinnett)
(During her sleep study)
(Following her Jaw Distraction surgery)
(with NG feeding tube in)
(coming home from CHOA after her jaw surgery)
(ear tube surgery)
(after palate repair, the black and white things on her arms are the no-nohs to keep her from bending her arms and touching her mouth)
(this girl loves her purse!)
(and she's so cute!)
(3rd ear tube surgery)
I hope and pray that this next year for Molly is even better than the last. She's starting pre-school in the fall, as well as gymnastics! Each year, this little girl manages to surprise us, and wow us, and teach us. She's so brave, and so full of life. She loves Doc McStuffins, bracelets and jewelry (aka "pretty pretty"), she loves having her toenails painted, and her hair done. She loves puzzles, playing with bubbles, riding in her wagon, holding her Baby Nugget, body slamming her Beme and dancing with her Daddy. She's sweet, funny, sensitive and crazy grumpy when she wants to be. She's gentle and dainty, but she can hold her own for sure and isn't afraid to speak her mind. She is our little princess! And while she came into this world with a bit of a struggle, I wouldn't change it for a minute. She has made me who I am today!
Wednesday, January 08, 2014
Long Time No Blog...
Let's see...since my last post...we have done the following...
Benjamin has continued with his gymnastics class and is beginning to show some progress. He still has trouble jumping with both feet, and he doesn't like to jump into the pit. But, he does great on the balance beam, and on the rings and parallel bars. We're not certain whether we'll continue with gymnastics once this year ends in May, but he has been enjoying it, and hasn't complained once. So that's a good sign.
Benjamin started his 2nd year of preschool. This year, he's in the older 2-year-old class because we held him back since he has a late summer birthday. I think it's been good for him, and hopefully we'll see some good results from this decision come Kindergarten or 1st grade.
We took a trip to Nashville in early September to visit with Al's parents, as well as friends. It's always nice to get up there and visit, but it's also quite crazy to travel with two kids. I have a feeling we won't do much traveling once Nugget arrives in March. I don't even want to think about it...
Molly had her first dental and speech visit....both of which were pretty good, given her young age. The speech pathologist didn't detect nasal speech, and said she was doing quite well. She's talking up a storm and I can't wait to see what he says when we visit in March. Dental was a bit of a bust, because they thought we were there for a cleaning, which is impossible to do on a baby. So, we'll get another chance to visit dental in March as well. She has more teeth now, and while they're most certainly cramped, they don't appear to be too crooked yet. They are pretty brittle teeth and some are already losing enamel. But, we aren't surprised. I'm guessing she'll have some pretty bad dental experiences between now and her teens...poor girl.
Benjamin turned 3! WHAT? This year we had a Transformer cake and theme since he's big into the rescue bots show on TV. We're still just having family/close friends at parties. Maybe some day I'll venture out and do a party with friends, but right now, that scares me to death!
We survived the furlough in October thank goodness!
Molly got another set of ear tubes put in, and was finally able to pass a hearing test!
Benjamin had his first big dental cleaning with Dr. Moscattini and did wonderfully! I had a cavity....blerg!
Several of my childhood friends have lost parents this year, so this fall was a bit gloomy. But, I suppose if you're going to have a memorial service to attend, doing so dressed as a pirate is a good way to make the best of it. :) And it was a wonderful way to pay tribute to a great man!
Sallie, Scott and Owen came for Thanksgiving. Wow! What a whirlwind that was. Between our normal Thanksgiving plans and just spending time together as a family, we celebrated the wedding of Mike and Keely.
I celebrated my 37th birthday.
We had a great Christmas with family, including Sallie, Scott and Owen again. We went to Catch Air, visited a Fire Station (which included a ride in a fire truck), had typical holiday illnesses, stayed up way too late, and had lots of food and fun! New Years Eve, we hung out at my parents house with family and played cards as usual.
And, now it's 2014. What!??
The next few months I hope will be a bit more low key. I'm hoping to get things ready for Nugget (yes, HE has a real name now but we'll share that later). We've hired a cleaning lady to come once a month and help out with things on the house...it's more than I can do right now, and I know I'll need the extra help come March.
Molly is due to have an Orthopedist, Cardiologist, Plastic Surgeon, Dental and Speech visit between now and March as well...none of these is major. We're FINALLY to the once-a-year checkup with all her different doctors...a huge blessing!
Aside from all the busy running around we've been doing, I've enjoyed reconnecting with some old friends, making some new friends, and just spending some time at home with my kids.
We are anxiously awaiting Nugget's arrival, and praying that we will not face Pierre Robin again. We have done some genetic testing and have been able to rule out Down Syndrome and other Trisomy disorders. We have attempted to get an ultrasound showing his profile/chin, but we've not be able to. However, at the last visit, just a few weeks ago, the doctor was able to detect what he thought was a proper palate. My understanding is that you can't have Pierre Robin without the cleft palate, so that makes us feel pretty good that Nugget is going to be just fine. We won't know for sure until birth, and we're still preparing, just in case. But overall, we're hopeful.
Benjamin has continued with his gymnastics class and is beginning to show some progress. He still has trouble jumping with both feet, and he doesn't like to jump into the pit. But, he does great on the balance beam, and on the rings and parallel bars. We're not certain whether we'll continue with gymnastics once this year ends in May, but he has been enjoying it, and hasn't complained once. So that's a good sign.
Benjamin started his 2nd year of preschool. This year, he's in the older 2-year-old class because we held him back since he has a late summer birthday. I think it's been good for him, and hopefully we'll see some good results from this decision come Kindergarten or 1st grade.
We took a trip to Nashville in early September to visit with Al's parents, as well as friends. It's always nice to get up there and visit, but it's also quite crazy to travel with two kids. I have a feeling we won't do much traveling once Nugget arrives in March. I don't even want to think about it...
Molly had her first dental and speech visit....both of which were pretty good, given her young age. The speech pathologist didn't detect nasal speech, and said she was doing quite well. She's talking up a storm and I can't wait to see what he says when we visit in March. Dental was a bit of a bust, because they thought we were there for a cleaning, which is impossible to do on a baby. So, we'll get another chance to visit dental in March as well. She has more teeth now, and while they're most certainly cramped, they don't appear to be too crooked yet. They are pretty brittle teeth and some are already losing enamel. But, we aren't surprised. I'm guessing she'll have some pretty bad dental experiences between now and her teens...poor girl.
Benjamin turned 3! WHAT? This year we had a Transformer cake and theme since he's big into the rescue bots show on TV. We're still just having family/close friends at parties. Maybe some day I'll venture out and do a party with friends, but right now, that scares me to death!
We survived the furlough in October thank goodness!
Molly got another set of ear tubes put in, and was finally able to pass a hearing test!
Benjamin had his first big dental cleaning with Dr. Moscattini and did wonderfully! I had a cavity....blerg!
Several of my childhood friends have lost parents this year, so this fall was a bit gloomy. But, I suppose if you're going to have a memorial service to attend, doing so dressed as a pirate is a good way to make the best of it. :) And it was a wonderful way to pay tribute to a great man!
Sallie, Scott and Owen came for Thanksgiving. Wow! What a whirlwind that was. Between our normal Thanksgiving plans and just spending time together as a family, we celebrated the wedding of Mike and Keely.
I celebrated my 37th birthday.
We had a great Christmas with family, including Sallie, Scott and Owen again. We went to Catch Air, visited a Fire Station (which included a ride in a fire truck), had typical holiday illnesses, stayed up way too late, and had lots of food and fun! New Years Eve, we hung out at my parents house with family and played cards as usual.
And, now it's 2014. What!??
The next few months I hope will be a bit more low key. I'm hoping to get things ready for Nugget (yes, HE has a real name now but we'll share that later). We've hired a cleaning lady to come once a month and help out with things on the house...it's more than I can do right now, and I know I'll need the extra help come March.
Molly is due to have an Orthopedist, Cardiologist, Plastic Surgeon, Dental and Speech visit between now and March as well...none of these is major. We're FINALLY to the once-a-year checkup with all her different doctors...a huge blessing!
Aside from all the busy running around we've been doing, I've enjoyed reconnecting with some old friends, making some new friends, and just spending some time at home with my kids.
We are anxiously awaiting Nugget's arrival, and praying that we will not face Pierre Robin again. We have done some genetic testing and have been able to rule out Down Syndrome and other Trisomy disorders. We have attempted to get an ultrasound showing his profile/chin, but we've not be able to. However, at the last visit, just a few weeks ago, the doctor was able to detect what he thought was a proper palate. My understanding is that you can't have Pierre Robin without the cleft palate, so that makes us feel pretty good that Nugget is going to be just fine. We won't know for sure until birth, and we're still preparing, just in case. But overall, we're hopeful.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Eggs in a Nest
Yep. We're expecting another little bird to arrive in our nest come March! We are really excited and a little bit scared at the same time. Because of the complications we've experienced with Molly, and other difficulties that can occur as a result of "advanced maternal age", we were very cautious in making the decision to try for a third child.
After Molly's genetic testing came back negative (which means she has no clinical and no genetic diagnosis of Stickler Syndrome, even though it's still suspected) Al and I chose to believe that her case was isolated. That means that it's hopefully NOT something we'd pass on to another child. Molly also showed us both that we can persevere and plug ahead even in the most difficult times (or at least, what seemed like the most difficult time). And Molly has showed us that God's plan is perfect, even if unexpected. Totally unrelated - she took TWO STEPS today!!!
Our attitude in this situation might be a little naive to some, but we are choosing to place our faith in the One who helped us, challenged us and blessed us with Molly. We know there are some who think we should have stopped after Molly, who think I'm "too old" to have another child, or just wouldn't want us to be burdened with another. We are aware of the risks. We know that three makes us outnumbered...that restaurant booths, amusement parks, airplanes and much of life seems geared toward anything BUT a family of 5 (what?!?). And yes, we know having three so young can be a challenge. We are terrified to a certain degree. But neither of us wanted to make decisions out of fear. We did not want to leave our family incomplete, just because of "what ifs". Our hearts were longing for a third child to complete our family, and we just could not ignore that tugging. So, Al and I have entered in to what is yet another GIANT leap of faith in our short 4-year marriage.
It's been a wild ride. But through all the ups and downs, we have learned to lean on one another, and on God. So that is what we are choosing to do in this case. As of today I am 8 weeks and 5 days along. It's still early. It's still a risk. There always are risks, even after the baby is born (we are calling him/her "nugget" right now). Life is one big risk, but we are embracing that with everything we have and trying to just trust in the One who blessed us with this little baby.
Please join us in praying for Nugget to continue to grow big and strong, for me to stay healthy and free of complications, and for the outcome of this pregnancy to be just as God intended. We are very hopeful to conclude this chapter in our lives with a healthy, happy, bouncing baby boy or girl.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Four Years
Our wedding day was beautiful. The weather, for July, was moderate and almost abnormally cool. My Grandmother (Molly is named after her) was born on that date, and I like to think she had something to do with our wonderful weather.
We were surrounded by many of our friends and family, and even those who weren't present on that day, were still with us in spirit.
I remember only a tiny bit of stress on that day, unaware of surprise cheesecake that arrived due to a catering mixup. We never placed an order for any cheesecake. Thankfully that was worked out, only after some terse words, I'm sure. But, thankfully I never knew. It was only when I got the wedding photos several weeks later and saw pictures of cheesecake that I thought, "what happened here?"
I remember lots of laughter in the dressing rooms (not sure about Al and the guys, but we girls sure had fun). I remember lots of tender moments with family. I remember silent giggles as I walked down the isle with Dad, and as he stood uncomfortably long up front before "handing me over" to Al. I believe, though I'm not certain, that Mark (the preacher) forgot to release Dad of his duties and came back to it later, after speaking for quite some time. Or, perhaps he knew that Dad and I needed just a bit longer.
Since that day, Al and I have had quite the adventure. Our son Benjamin was born in 2010 and we moved to Georgia shortly thereafter, nervous about his new job and thankful for friends and family nearby as we got settled. We got our house in 2011 and that was followed by more job changes and news that another baby was going to be joining our family. Molly was born in 2012, and the first six months after she was born were quite crazy! But we have been so blessed!
Our lives are fuller than we ever imagined. And, all the stress and chaos of doing so much, so soon after our marriage began, has brought us closer together. We've had to lean on one another, and when Molly was born, I got to see a much deeper side to Al. He was so strong during that time, and was truly a ROCK for me to lean on, when I was at my weakest.
I'm grateful to be married to a man who is such a wonderful husband, father and provider for this family. He works so hard every day, and loves to come home and play with his children. I'm grateful for his job, and while he works early in the morning, while all of us are asleep, it is wonderful to have him home early in the afternoon. He is getting some real quality time with our kids that many men aren't lucky enough to have.
He's a patient man. He's never one to say bad things about others. And he's truly forgiving of me and my faults, which are many. He's funny, witty, and crazy brilliant! It is truly a blessing to have him in my life! He's my friend, and listens to my crazy rants. And loves me anyway. He is a wonderful giver of support and encourages me in whatever endeavor I'm seeking. I love his smile!
It's been a crazy four years, but it's been incredibly rewarding in many, many ways.
And, I look forward to our 5th year together!
Friday, July 12, 2013
PB2!
I took a trip to whole foods the other day, with the kids. So, I didn't really get to shop around as much as I'd have liked. BUT, I did get some chia seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds to add to my smoothies. And, I think while venturing down the peanut butter isle....I fell in love! I have had friends tell me about PB2 which is a powder that you can turn into peanut butter. I haven't actually tried it. And, Whole Foods was out of it. Sad face. BUT, the Heaven's smiled on me, and what I did find, might be even better....it's PB2 with Chocolate!
I haven't actually used this to make peanut butter but I have added a scoop to my smoothies to give it a little sweetness, and I love peanut butter and chocolate together. This is where I wonder if I'm not really a biological member of my family, because they all seem to hate chocolate and peanut butter together! They're such weirdoes. To each his own though.
Anyway, it's only got 45 calories per serving. AND, it really does make my smoothies taste great! I suggest you try it. In or out of a smoothie. Yummy!
Hopefully Whole Foods will have regular PB2 in stock next time I go...since I can't find it in normal grocery stores.
I haven't actually used this to make peanut butter but I have added a scoop to my smoothies to give it a little sweetness, and I love peanut butter and chocolate together. This is where I wonder if I'm not really a biological member of my family, because they all seem to hate chocolate and peanut butter together! They're such weirdoes. To each his own though.
Anyway, it's only got 45 calories per serving. AND, it really does make my smoothies taste great! I suggest you try it. In or out of a smoothie. Yummy!
Hopefully Whole Foods will have regular PB2 in stock next time I go...since I can't find it in normal grocery stores.
Saturday, July 06, 2013
Nutribullet
So, I've been trying to lose weight lately, and in an effort to consume more fruits and veggies in their raw/unprocessed forms, I started thinking about juicing. I almost started juicing several years ago after hearing about the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. You can read more about that here. I looked at juicers but they're crazy expensive. So, I started looking at The Nutribullet. Convinced it was just an as-seen-on-TV flop, I passed it over and several years passed.
BUT, a friend of mine posted about hers the other day on Facebook, so I thought...maybe I'll look into it. We got one last night, and I immediately went to work making my first "blast". Since I didn't have anything really to go by just yet, I just put in some pineapple, orange, blueberries, strawberries, some oats, some almonds and milk. It was a little "mealy" for me probably because I put in too many oats. So, I'll alter that next time. But the flavor was great.
The second one I tried was pretty much the same, minus the almonds and oats. I added a lot more water too it also. And it tasted much better, with a smoother texture.
This morning, I made an iced coffee with it....delicious, but a little weak. I think I may make ice cubes from brewed coffee, and maybe then it won't be watered down so much, since no water is really used. Hmm....
Overall, I'm interested to see if this is a sufficient way to get more fruits and veggies into my diet. We shall see.
I'm going to the store later and will get ingredients to make this:
1 cup strawberries
1 banana
1/2 cup oats (will grind them before adding)
1/4 cup almonds (will grind them also)
1 cup vanilla yogurt
water
We'll see how it goes.
BUT, a friend of mine posted about hers the other day on Facebook, so I thought...maybe I'll look into it. We got one last night, and I immediately went to work making my first "blast". Since I didn't have anything really to go by just yet, I just put in some pineapple, orange, blueberries, strawberries, some oats, some almonds and milk. It was a little "mealy" for me probably because I put in too many oats. So, I'll alter that next time. But the flavor was great.
The second one I tried was pretty much the same, minus the almonds and oats. I added a lot more water too it also. And it tasted much better, with a smoother texture.
This morning, I made an iced coffee with it....delicious, but a little weak. I think I may make ice cubes from brewed coffee, and maybe then it won't be watered down so much, since no water is really used. Hmm....
Overall, I'm interested to see if this is a sufficient way to get more fruits and veggies into my diet. We shall see.
I'm going to the store later and will get ingredients to make this:
1 cup strawberries
1 banana
1/2 cup oats (will grind them before adding)
1/4 cup almonds (will grind them also)
1 cup vanilla yogurt
water
We'll see how it goes.
Thursday, July 04, 2013
Why So Slow?
Benjamin is so slow! That seems a bit odd to say given that he NEVER sits down most of the time, and is always moving around. BUT, when I ask him to do something, he just seems to take forever. Even when I try to be patient with him, and give him the benefit of the doubt, he seems to do things in his own sweet time.
The biggest area that we have trouble with this is at meal time. We used to watch one of his TV shows during meal time, to keep him sitting in his booster seat and focused. But now he's so into his shows that he won't eat. SO, we have stopped eating and watching TV at the same time. Lesson learned.
But now, he just takes forever to eat. He plays with his fork, or lines his carrots up as weapons, or pretends that his food is a space ship orbiting the Earth. He does anything but eat. If I sit and feed him, he does just fine. But, naturally, I shouldn't have to do that.
So, I found this neat little app on iTunes called Lickety Split Kids Timer. And, it's helping.
It's not a perfect app, since you can't do too much customizing. But, for $.99 I guess you can't be too picky.
There are two different modes. "Beat the Timer" and "Count Down". "Beat the Timer" consists of some daily tasks (get ready to go, make bed, get dressed, clean room, pjs on, meal time). Each has a certain time limit and a song to go along with it. You can do a custom time Between 1-4 minutes, or add in your own song of any length. The goal is to finish your task before the duck quacks and laughs at you. In "Count Down" mode it's pretty much the same thing, but it's more of a timer to do something for a certain length of time...like reading for 5 minutes or studying for 10 minutes. I tend to use this mode the most because of the 10 minute timer. That's the one we use for eating, and I play it over 3 times for a total of 30 minutes. If after that time, he hasn't finished, it gets taken away and we move onto something else.
We've only done this for a few days, but so far, it's helping. We use the shorter timers for going potty, brushing teeth, or picking up toys.
All in all, it's a good app, and I'm pleased with my purchase. Hopefully it'll have him eating a bit faster before too long. Eating for 2 hours isn't really any fun unless it involves a babysitter for the kids, a bottle of wine, and some yummy dinner!