Monday, March 31, 2008

Soapbox

If I may just gripe for one minute...One thing I cannot stand is when people are so absolutely unaware of anyone around them. This is never more prevalent than when I go shopping, especially at Wal-Mart. I was trying to hurry in to get some diapers while Chris waited out in the car with the boys. First of all this woman was coming out the entrance and left her cart right in front of the doors so I had to move her cart to get in! Then as I was trying to maneuver through the aisles numerous people were taking up the whole aisle and walking very, very slowly. Everyone knows that Wal-Mart is always crowded and should try to be aware of others around them. And as I was leaving this woman was talking on her cell phone and trying to talk to an employee who was at the door; then she stopped right in the door way and started to back up. I almost hit her with my cart, on accident of course! I mean do people honestly think that they are alone in this world? Let's be a little considerate of others please. Okay, I need to end this post because I said I would just gripe for a minute but come on...tell me I am not alone in this. Am I too impatient?!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Happy (Late) Easter

I know this post is a little late but my camera battery died and so I was waiting on my sister-in-law to send me some pictures. I had my family down for a little Easter fun on Saturday. Everyone was able to make it except for Jake and Lexie (who we terribly missed!) It was a lot of fun. We flew kites and had an Easter egg hunt. The guys were glued to the TV seeing as how its March Madness but the girls and the kids had fun talking and playing. Gordon absolutely loves his cousins!
This is Ellie, Gordon, Spencer, and Ashlynn. The oldest one (Ashlynn) turned three last month, Ellie turns three next week, and Spencer and Gordon are three months apart so they are all really close in age and for the most part play really well together. It is so much fun.
Ashlynn is my brother Ryan's daughter. She is making such a sassy face here!
Spencer is my brother Chad's son and he is such a little rascal. He and Gordon never got along very well when they were younger but they had tons of fun on Saturday so there is still hope for them in the future!
Gordon had so much fun finding the eggs. He was so distracted, he couldn't even look away for two seconds to pose for a picture!
Ellie is my sister Sarah's daughter and I think she would want me to tell you that she did have her hair up really cute earlier in the day but she took it out and wouldn't even hear about anyone touching it.
This is my brother Ryan with his son Owen. Can you believe this little guy is only 7 months! He is so cute.
And this is Fisher; he is my brother Brett's little boy. It is always so fun to have family together. Thanks everyone for coming!

As a side note: It snowed last night! It melted by the afternoon but still...will spring never come?! Mother Nature sure is a tease!

Friday, March 21, 2008

New Pictures

I know I haven't posted in awhile. Things have been kind of crazy, I'm really tired. Two kids is fun but hard. Here are some new pictures of the kiddos.
Gordon loves to hold Edison and look at pictures of himself on the camera, hence the reaching. He is really soft and good with him. He always wants to hold him while I'm trying to feed him.
Gordon loves posing for pictures. He is so darn cute.
My cute little boys. Aren't they adorable.
I love cute little infant clothing that makes him look like a little man.

Tagged

I was tagged awhile ago and I also saw some others that were a little different so I decided to combine the two.

5 Things I was doing ten years ago:
1. I was 14, in the eighth grade and going to Robert Stuart Junior High
2. taking my first drama class and loving it
3. helping my friend Desarae deal with her newly discovered disease
4. participating in track- doing the triple jump was my favorite
5. and being boy crazy although I can't pinpoint exactly who I was crushing on at the time...

5 Things on my To-do list:
Well, since my day is mostly over...
1. Finish watching the Office
2. Blog
3. Feed Edison
4. Get ready for bed
5. Sleep

5 Snacks I enjoy:
1. Ice cream
2. Anything chocolate
3. Double stuff Oreos
4. Yogurt
5. Granola bars

5 Places I've lived:
1. Twin Falls, ID
2. Rexburg, ID
3. Vista, CA
4. American Canyon, CA (both CA locations in one summer!)
5. Logan, UT

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Buy a house
2. Pay off school loans
3. Invest
4. Save for kids' college/missions
5. Travel the world

5 Songs I know the lyrics to:
1. Meatloaf's I Would Do Anything for Love (I know, impressive and pathetic)
2. Les Miserables' On My Own
3. I Hate Everything About You
4. Hush Little Baby
5. And...Itsy Bitsy Spider

5 Bad habits:
1. Staying up to late
2. Procrastinating
3. Burping
4. Watching too much TV
5. Blog hopping

5 Things I will never wear again:
1. Stretch pants with baggy sweaters
2. Big bangs
3. Uncomfortable shoes (no matter how cute they are, they're just not worth it)
4. A flowered jumpsuit (hey I was in the second grade!)
5. Braces

5 Jobs I've had:
1. Wendy's cashier
2. Pizza Hut waitress
3. receptionist at Glanbia
4. Boys and Girls Club "staff member"
5. Rexburg Opinion Center surveyor

5 Things people don't know about me:
1. I am double jointed in my arms
2. It's impossible for me to take a shower for less than 15 minutes
3. I talk to myself
4. I am a Michael Jackson fan (just the music, not the person)
5. I have a birth mark on my neck that looks like a hickey

Now for tagging
1. Katie
2. Michelle
3. Kyla
4. Venesha
5. Julie

Friday, March 14, 2008

Apple Dumplings

These are the best things ever! I love them especially right now because I can't eat chocolate when I am nursing and for any of those who know me, know I have a sweet tooth (more like a sweet obsession). I have to give credit to Pioneer Woman, that is where I got the recipe. They are so easy to make and soooo delicious!

Apple Dumplings

2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

The Day I Was Born

Have you ever wondered: What was going on in the world the day I was born? What were the hit songs that year? What was the price of bread, a gallon of milk, or a gallon of gas? Well, you can go to this website to find out. http://dmarie.com/timecap/ Here's my info:

Tuesday March 13, 1984

Top News Headlines This Week:
Mar 13 - Last day of 1st-class cricket for G Chappell, R Marsh, B Laird Mar 13 - Western Australia beat Queensland by four wickets to win the Sheffield Shield Mar 13 - WA beat Queensland by four wickets to win the Sheffield Shield - nothing really interesting

Top Songs for 1984:
Against All Odds by Phil Collins
When Doves Cry by Prince - love this song!
What's Love Got to Do with It by Tina Turner
Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr.
Like a Virgin by Madonna
Karma Chameleon by Culture Club
Jump by Van Halen
Footloose by Kenny Loggins - love this song too!
I Just Called to Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!

1984 Prices:
Bread: $0.54/loaf Gas: $1.20/gal
Milk: $1.94/gal House: $97,000
Eggs: $1.16/doz Stamp: $0.20/each
Car: $11,450 Avg. Income: $31,052/year
Min. Wage: $3.35/hour - can you believe these prices! I find it interesting that everything has at least doubled except for the Min. Wage and Avg. Income.

Academy Award Winners:
Best Picture: Amadeus Directed By Milos Forman
Best Actor: F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus
Best Actress: Sally Fields in Places In The Heart

On TV in 1984:
Family Ties
St. Elsewhere
Cheers
Miami Vice
Night Court
Cagney & Lacey
Knight Rider
The Cosby Show
Hill Street Blues
Remington Steele

Hot New Toys in 1984:
Body Boggle - does anyone know what in the world this is?
Sweet Secrets Lockets
Axis & Allies
Rollerblades - yes, I loved these!
GoBots
Sweet Secrets Transformable Jewelry - transformable jewlry, no way; why don't we still have this?!
WWF Action Figures

Top Books in 1984:
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Robin McKinley

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Need a Laugh

I thought this was so hilarious; it made my day! I thought I would share it all with you. Go to this blog: http://thepioneerwoman.com/2008/03/_this_is_not_a_paid_advertisement.html and have a good laugh. Enjoy!
CAUTION: Don't look around on this blog too much or you will be sucked in and before you know it an hour has passed. I'm telling you this from experience.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Brotherly Love

Everyone has been asking how Gordon is coping with having a baby brother in the house. Well, my answer thus far as been, he is doing great. Not to be pessimistic, but I keep wondering when he will start being a monster. Gordon is so sweet with Edison. Every time I change Edison's diaper Gordon has to be right there, patting his head and telling him everything will be alright. He just says, "its okay Edison" over and over again. It is so cute! He also likes to hold him and he is really gentle. He is always trying to stick his pacifier in his mouth whenever Edison starts to whine. He tried to feed him a bottle with some water in it today and got very upset when I wouldn't let him. I hope he continues to be such a good helper and that they become really good friends.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Momnesia?

I have been hearing this word a lot lately--momnesia. I first heard it on the Regis and Kelly show and then I saw a commercial for some nightly news program that is doing a special on how having children affects your memory. Click here to read a news article about it. I have to agree to some degree. I know I feel a lot dumber (is that even a word?) when I am not exercising my brain. But I wouldn't go as far as to say that I attended a wedding and then later forgot that it even took place. I just usually can't remember things like what I wore two days ago or to move the wet laundry over to the dryer - I'm guilty of that one several times over. Have any of you experienced severe momnesia?

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Dear Gordon,

I hope you know how much your dad and I love you. I am sure you are having fun at Grandma and Grandpa's house but we sure are missing you here. I miss your sweet kisses when I get "hurt", your help doing dishes, and your funny jokes. It is so quiet here your dad and I don't know what to do with ourselves. Edison misses you too. He needs to hear you tell him that it's okay when he gets his diaper changed and he misses playing peek-a-boo with you too. You are an awesome big brother and help mommy and daddy so much. You are such a sweet little boy and you fill our lives with so much joy. We can't wait to have you home again. Make sure you be a good boy and listen to Grandma. Love you tons!

Love,
Mom

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Signs that a toddler lives here

My mom came for awhile to help me with Edison and Gordon and then she took Gordon back home with her for the week because Chris has mid-terms and I am still trying to get Edison on some sort of schedule with nursing...Anyway, as I started to miss that little rascal running around our home I noticed little signs of his, stating, "Gordon was here."
  1. Fingerprints all over the TV screen
  2. Multiple stains on the carpet in the dinning room
  3. Toys and books in every room of the house
  4. All "breakables" on the top shelf of our bookcase
  5. Outlet covers in all electric outlets
  6. Elmo's World movie sitting on top of our TV
  7. Child-proof handles on all doors
  8. Fingernail polish painted on our table
  9. TV buttons taped down so he can't turn the TV on or change the channels...
  10. The kitchen rug lying in a heap in the corner so he can push his cars around on the only hard surface area we have in our house

Monday, March 3, 2008

Who'da Thunk?!

Just a life-saving tip I learned to deal with engorgement: cabbage leaves! The lactation nurse at the hospital told me to put cabbage leaves in my bra for 20 minutes at a time to treat engorged breasts. Sounds crazy but it works. Just be careful not to do it too much because it will dry you up completely. I did it once and it helped a ton. I thought I would pass along this helpful advice for anyone dealing with the joys of nursing.

Edison's Birth Story (really long, sorry)

This is me on Sunday, two days before I had Edison. So for those of you complaining about how "lucky" I am to have my baby three weeks early...you can see how huge and uncomfortable I was! I was getting sick of the "any day now, huh" or "you look like your ready to pop" comments.
I went in for my scheduled doctor's appointment Monday at 11:30 and was surprised to find out that I was dialated to a 4 and 80% effaced but my doctor also reminded me that some people can be that far along for a month. I knew in my gut it was happening that day. Chris didn't take me seriously since I had been telling him everyday that week that "it's going to happen any day now, I can feel it." I soon started having contractions although they weren't very regular so Chris still wouldn't take me seriously. He kept reminding me not to get my hopes up and that I probably still had another week at least. As my contractions got more painful we started getting everything ready to go and four hours later the contractions still weren't regular. Gordon saw us getting the baby car seat ready and wanted to sit in it and be a baby for awhile.
I wanted to go in to the hospital as my contractions were getting pretty painful. My biggest fear was that I would get to the hospital and the nurse would tell me that I was too far progressed to get an epidural. That could not happen! Chris was adamant that the contractions had to be 2-3 minutes apart for an hour before we should go in to the hospital. I finally convinced him to take me to the hospital at around 7:00. We dropped Gordon off at our neighbors house, picked up some Frostys at Wendy's and checked in. It took forever to go through all the procedures and by then I was definitely ready for the epidural. My nurse informed me that the anesthesiologist was in the O.R. and would probably be a half an hour. My doctor came in and broke my water which made my labor progress faster (meaning more frequent and painful contractions). Two hours later, the high and mighty anesthesiologist appeared! I was complaining and making such a fuss that I think the doctor gave me the max dosage and even a little more. Fine with me! I really didn't think I was going to be able to make it until he saved me. For those of you who labor without an epidural--I applaud you. I honestly don't know how you do it. Chris had nail marks in his hands from me gripping him so hard. At least I wasn't yelling and cursing, not yet anyway. Who knows what would have happened if I didn't get that epidural. After I was numb from the waist down, I rested for about two hours and then it was time for the pushing. I was really nervous for this because I didn't have to push at all with Gordon and so I had no experience whatsoever. The nurse informed me that the average pushing time is two to three hours so to expect that. Well, after 45 minutes I had a slippery, slimy baby on my chest.
I cannot express the emotions that rushed over me as I saw my little baby for the first time. I honestly wasn't expecting to feel so much love. I feel bad saying this but, I was not excited to have another baby. But when they gave me my tiny little baby that had been kicking inside of me for 9 months, I had tears of joy. I think because I didn't get to see Gordon until seven hours after his birth and I wasn't actually awake for his birth, I never really experienced that bond that I felt with Edison. It truly was a very special moment for me.