IUD and MIA

Today was rough and long... I had my appointment this morning for my IUD to be put in - Mirena, like the commercials. It lasts for 5 years so if we decide to have another baby it will be a very deliberate decision. Because I will have to make an appointment to have the IUD removed. I can barely remember to brush my teeth every day, more less take a birth control pill... so this is a good choice for us. BUT - I had also planned on my marathon Thanksgiving cooking session today (after the appointment).

They told me to take 1000 milligrams of Ibioprophen before coming in, and I remembered this on the way to my appointment... oops. When they put it in it was like, "Oh! Ouch!, Oh, you're done... not too bad." But about 5 min into my drive home I started having cramps. And 20 min later when I got home I was in pain, really bad pain. So I took my 1000 mg of IBO and slept for about 15 min (which is a miricle in and of itself with 2 screaming kids). I spent the next 3 hours in pretty good pain. I called Cayce and cancelled coming over until later... then later... then until after naptime. I slept a little when the kids did and started to feel better. So I packed up all my stuff, food, kids, etc. and went over to Cayce's to cook.

It was a little chaotic, both of us cooking while the kids were running around and being crazy. Babies were crying and hungry on and off, and it was dinner time! But we got most of it done. I decided to do one of my dishes tomorrow morning instead and made an extra few pies for dessert... But I took NO pictures. I felt like crap, was super tired, there was no room to even put the camera down in the kitchen... So my pictures of the cook-fest will be MIA this year.

It's 9pm and all kids are sleeping, and I will be following them to bed in about 15 min. Tomorrow will be just as long, but hopefully less painful.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And to all a good feast!
(Maybe I will take some good food shots tomorrow of the finished products.)

Projects Update - November

• Loosing Weight - In Progress - No effort going into this these days... but I am still loosing a pound or two here and there... at least I'm not gaining them!

• Starting Roses from Clippings - In Progress - Still haven't put those suckers into real dirt yet - but I have new branches and leaves growing from the vase... I'm scared to kill it with dirt.
  
• 365 Project - 154/365 - In Progress - I'm still at least a week behind in photos and its getting worse... Holidays, doctor appointments... other projects... I'll catch up eventually
  
• Paying Off Debt - In Progress - well - this just isn't happening anymore. We obviously still pay our bills so technically we are paying off our debt, but my 3 year plan is out the window!
• Being 'Greener' - OnGoing - I bought a reusable grocery bag at Target... lame. I've started recycling all my formula can (even though half of them are on top of my fridge... I think I'm going to buy a composter for the kitchen... baby steps.
  
• Learning About my Camera - OnGoing - just taking pictures, no real effort here either. I need to take a photography class someday.

New Projects:

• ABC Photos - I'm trying to create a photo libraby of alphabet pictures. For my self and to give as gifts, and hopefully someday to sell. See this post to see what I'm talking about.
• De-cluttering my home - I need to get rid of things! I've become somewhat of a packrat! I think it's because I'm cheap (or frugal, or whatever you want to call it) but I have too much crap I will never use again! This will be a process! And I will need help!
• Potty Training! - oh the fun! It will be slow at first, but hopefully she will catch on and it won't be too hard.

And here's a picture - because posts are more fun with pictures:

American Idol - get ready!
And all you white toddler rappers,"Watch Out, Here I Pumm!"

SK Copycat - me!

I'm going to try and mimic - okay, just outright copy - the Smitten Kitchen Blog. I'm not going to go all foodie on you, but next week when it's super cooking time, I think I will try and get some good food photos of what I'm making (and I will include the recipes too).

Here's the menu:
Spinach Madeline
Sweet Potato Something or Another
Corn Mush
Sauteed Green Beans w/bacon & garlic
and for dessert...
Gingerbread Pumpkin Mini-Pies!

I will be partially cooking most of my menu at home on Tuesday, some at my sister's house on Tuesday as well. Then we are headed to my mother-in-law's for Thanksgiving on Wednesday where I will do the rest of my cooking (m-n-law is taking care of the turkey and stuffing).

So hopefully I will get some good pictures - or a least a good blog about it all!

"Stay Up Late"

Logan was 3 months old yesterday!
Here is a song we often sing to him...




And here is a picture of him in his "Little Red Suit" from yesterday...

Giant Babies!

The Jammie Twins!
Nola's jammies are a 3T - she just turned 2!
Logan is wearing 12 month sized jammies and he's only 3 months (almost)!
What is it with me and the giant sized babies!?
Look at that Chunk Monster!
And his super tall sister!
My kids will both look down on my by the time they're in Jr. High School.
Chunky Monkey better slow down or he's gonna be out of clothes!

Still Bored...

Still stuck in the house with nothing to do... except clean, which I'm way to bored to actually do! Here are a few highlights of my day:

Nola peed in the potty for the first time today - ever! Twice!

So, that's about it.

Pretty freaking exciting around here!
Maybe later she'll really brighten my day by pooping in the potty - Oh what a thing to look forward to. That's just how bored I am.

I'm Bored

So very bored.
Been in the house for days on end with nothing to do and no extra money to go spend.... No grocery shopping to be done... Laundry is mostly caught up... Meals are planned out... Thank You cards sent... Bills paid.... I'm Bored!

Husband is at work, two kids running around... family is all busy or sick... I'm Bored!

I finished a blanket and don't feel like jumping into another quite so soon... I have no good books to read (like I have time to read!)... I've taken pictures of just about everything interesting in my house, and most things not so interesting too... I'm Bored!

TV sucks on Saturdays, when it's actually my turn to watch something (aka not cartoon time), TV sucks most of the time really.... I can't watch my Netflix until after bedtime for the kiddos, and then I'm super tired... Geez! I'm Bored!

Did I mention that I'm bored?

The Kids

They were just cute today and I was super bored and took lots of pictures... here's a cute one!

Finished a Blanket!

I finished the blanket I'm making for my upcoming niece. My brother in law and his wife will be here for Thanksgiving so it's just in time!

Here it is:

Hello Ladies!

Nola wanted to say hello to my most frequent readers... okay, my only readers!

Hello Lucy




Hello Cayce

Birthday Cake

I asked Nola a few weeks ago what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday... She said she wanted a red cake with pink icing and purple flowers... and chocolate. I did the best I could.
Food coloring works wonders to make 2 year old wishes come true.

I started with the cake batter and added some red food coloring...



Almost an entire bottle... and I only got dark pink. But it was a pretty pink...


Then I worked on the icing. I started with regular white icing and added a few drops of the red food coloring


Mixed it together in hopes of light pink... you can't take back food coloring


And then came pink! Yeah!


So with my light pink icing and dark pink batter I started baking cakes...
Four round layers.


And many timers later and with a sturdy decorating hand... and the help of some Princess Shimmer Icing (that would be Snow White Silver, Belle Purple, Aurora Pink and Cinderella Blue) here's the cake I made!


There is no chocolate... but I don't think she'll remember her request at all anyway. Let's just hope it tastes good!

Two

She's two. Two whole years old. I still can't believe I have kids sometimes and it's been two years! Two years since I've worked outside the home, two years since I've slept in late, two years since I could truly be selfish. I've been a mom for two years. And like most families, mine has the wonderful tradition of getting to hear your birth story every year on your birthday. At least parts of it. So I guess I'd better start working on mine... Here is what I have off the top of my head:

About two years ago today I was enormously pregnant and overdue. I waited and waited to go into labor but it just never happened. I had a scheduled induction for November 5th at 8pm. We went to the hospital and by 9pm I was in a bed and gown, hooked up to IVs and on Pitocin. They told me I was 2cm dilated when I got there and having contractions (but I couldn't feel them). I think we watched TV for a while. By 10pm or so Kirk was asleep and the contractions had begun. I had my iPod and was listening away to soothing music, drifting in and out all night. By early morning I was in some real pain. My mom came up around 8 or 9am I think... I was definitely in pain by then. And I think I was somewhere around 3 or 4 cm at that point. A nurse came in and I asked when I was allowed to have an epidural. I wasn't begging or anything, I was still doing okay. I assumed it would be several hours before epidural time. She said I could have one whenever I wanted.... and with the next contraction I said okay, now.
After the epidural kicked in it was smooth sailing. Pain wise. But waiting sucked. The hours kept passing by but I wasn't making any real progress. My OB kept checking on me... and started mentioning the possibility of a c-section. I didn't want one. I really didn't want one. So we waited. They had me on this side and then that side, turning like a rotisserie chicken. I sat up, lied down, upped the Pitocin... and I only made it to 5 or 6 cm. Then in the 5 o'clock hour they had me turn over and get on my knees. I was basically on all fours but the bed was positioned so that I was able to lay my head on pillows. Then all of a sudden the machines in the room started to beep. One after the other... lots of beeping. The alarms were going off. My mom and sister and aunt were all there, and kirk of course (there may have been others, I honestly don't remember). The nurses came quickly in and said we were going to do a c-section. It was very rushed but didn't seem like that big of a deal. My mom looked scared... Kirk looked nervous... I was almost excited. Here we go!
They prepped me and Kirk and whisked me off to an OR. Kirk had to wait outside the room while they got me ready. I remember wheeling past my mom and sister on the way in. I think Mom was crying. When Kirk came in the room he asked if I was okay... I asked him if my mom and Cayce were okay... and if he was okay... We were all okay. And then I got scared. I started listening to some of the nurses and it finally hit me that we were in an operating room. And I was about to be cut open. And it was an emergency surgery. Emergency. My baby.... would she be okay? What was wrong with her? What the hell was taking so long? I desperately wanted to see my baby girl. To hear her cry.
When my OB came in I found out her heart rate had dropped and they needed to get her out fast. And they did. It was a blur of noises, smells, pulls and tugs. I was short of breath as they pushed my insides all over the place and then a whole lot of pressure and she was out. It didn't hurt... but it wasn't pleasant. And then the most glorious sound... the first cry. And I turned my groggy head to the side as they were rushing her over to the table and saw her. Nola. My little Nola. She was HUGE! And LOUD! A giant baby who's scream just wouldn't stop. I looked up at Kirk and asked if she was okay. He didn't know. He was holding my hand. I was terrified and tearing up. And then came the first sacrifice as a mother. I needed him to hold my hand and be with me... but I knew that she needed one of us with her. "Go. Go make sure she's okay." He looked down at me and I knew he didn't want to leave me there alone on the table. "Go. It's okay. "
I watched him across the room and tried to listen to what was going on. And it took everything I had inside of me to stay awake. My body and mind were shutting down and I needed to close my eyes... but I knew if I did I would be asleep and I needed to know that the baby was okay. Finally he came back and had her in his arms. She was just fine. Perfect. And then I cried, kissed her face, thought to myself that I couldn't believe something that big had been in my belly, and then fell asleep. I drifted in and out for the next hour or so... And then I was back in my room, people all around... chaos. I was tired, relieved, scared, confused, tired, tired and more tired! But she was born, she was healthy and I was okay.

Happy Birthday Dear Nola!
Happy Birthday Two You!

A Wonderful Speech

I stayed up way too late last night watching the outcome of the election... midnight! But Obama's speech was worth staying up for. Several times I had goose bumps or tears in my eyes... watching history is always worth being tired for the next day.
Every generation has their historical moments that they will always remember. Mine are when the Challenger space shuttle blew up (I was in grade school, we were watching it on TV), where I was on 9/11 (in my car on, the way to work, hearing it all on the radio and stopping in the middle of the highway like everyone else in shock), and voting for and watching the acceptance speech of the first black president of the United States of America.

Here are some excerpts of his speech that really got to me:

“It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America.

“And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation’s next first lady Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the new White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother’s watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure. To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you’ve given me. I am grateful to them.

“There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage or pay their doctors’ bills or save enough for their child’s college education. There’s new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair. The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

“And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

“America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves — if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made? This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

“This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes, we can.

~President Obama

If you didn't see it, you should read it or watch it if you can...

Early Prediction

She's just too cute!

Election Day

This morning at 6:45 my husband went out to vote. Our polling place is a 2 min drive from our house and he was back by 8:00. Nola was upset that he was leaving the house so early. After he left she cried even harder because she wanted to go "on the Boat too..." So cute! I had to try and explain the Papa was going to Vote, not to a Boat... She still doesn't get it... But if you ask her who the president is her quick response is, "OH-Bama!" (If things go wrong today I'm going to have some explaining to do....)
When Kirk got back it was like a relay race - he walked up the front steps, handed me his keys and said, "Go now - there aren't any lines!" It was like I was passed the voting baton! I was on the phone and wasn't even wearing a bra - but off I went! I got off the phone first and had on a sweatshirt over my T-shirt (and did a quick, 'do I look okay' thing with the Mr.) but I was out the door by 8:05.
When I got there the lines were inside the school (I expected them to be around the block). I opted for a paper ballot because the lines for the touch screens were longer. I filled out all that I felt informed enough to vote on. Then I turned in my ballot for my shiny new sticker that tells the world I voted! No, I'm not going anywhere today but yes, I will have on my sticker. If the kids don't rip it off.
I feel good about voting and I can't wait to glue myself to the TV this evening to see what CHANGE is to come - hee hee hee.... (Drink one for me Pops!) I just can't belive this is the first time I've ever voted... shame shame on me!

In other news - Nola's birthday is Thursday! Wow - two years old....
And I'm in a good mood today so I'm not even going to weigh myself for Biggest Looser Tuesday... It will just piss me off. Maybe next week.
My rose clippings are totally growing! It's a gardening miracle!
Thats all I think....

GO VOTE!