To my at-home parent friends

Since I happen to have friends who are at-home moms and at-home dads, this is a post targeted to you in general. (In case the title was somehow confusing.)

Do you ever have days where you really honestly get very little accomplished? Days where you spend a good portion of it in bed, on the couch or otherwise plopped? Basically days when you are unjustifiably lazy? Do you feel guilty about it at all? Thinking about the fact that your spouse is off somewhere presumably working hard all day to provide for you (even if not entirely) and your child(ren)? Yes, I have had one of those today. I've done the dishes, fed and played with Sophie, folded some laundry, talked to my mom, sent some work-related emails, planned some weekend family fun and found some activity templates for Sophie. (I'll post pictures of the projects those templates will be turning into once they're done.) These are all things that could have been done easily in a morning. Craig will come home, not be upset at all, we'll make dinner and I will do my best NOT to be grumpy because I didn't get anything done.

I took my iron, have had plenty of good, healthy food today and most certainly have enough things that need to get done to keep any normal person busy. There is no real excuse for this. I figured today we could have company in 8-9 weeks. We could realistically have a full-term baby in 7-8 weeks (due date is in 10 weeks.) I need to get my butt in gear and get things taken care of around here.

I love weekends!

We had a LOT of fun together this weekend. Rather than writing a novel, I figured I'd let the pictures do the story telling! 

Except... 

We (well, me, really) decided to sell our huge 8 drawer dresser that was taking up a lot of room in our bedroom. We have a fabulous little "cove" that is asking for a dresser and was being wasted space. I posted our dresser on KSL and Craigslist Friday early evening and had about 8 offers before bed. By 9:30 the next morning, it was gone. We headed to IKEA and in addition to finding two little dressers that are doubling as night stands (see picture at the bottom), Craig found a $99 set that included TWO outdoor chairs, an awesome table AND a bench. I was hoping to find a bench for our front garden for less than $100 and wasn't expecting to leave with 2 dressers, 2 really pretty curtains, 2 chairs, 1 bench and a table that is my cutting table now. For just slightly more than what we sold our dresser for. I call that a successful transaction! 

Date night with daddy at India Palace. Sophie
thoroughly enjoyed her first bahji, naan and lamb
tikka masala. We couldn't give it to her fast
enough so she took things into her own hands...

Sophie helping build our raised garden bed
in the front garden of our house.

Perfect Sophie-size bench! 

Craig planted 6 different tomato plants in our garden boxes
while I got some things done at home and Sophie had
some "rest time." 

Onions are starting to sprout! 

Snap peas and green beans are starting to sprout, too!

The strawberries we thought died last summer have
pulled through- AND they're blooming! 

Our front yard complete with new bench! I have already enjoyed sitting on it
while Sophie blows bubbles or plays with some of the
neighbor girls in our yard. We added some more dirt and some plants this evening.
More pictures once it is done. Oh, and I fixed the window screen, too. 

My first gerbera daisy wreath and a couple
pots of plants. I'm not as good at picking
plants for pots as my mom is! 

New cutting table to hold the cutting
mat Craig got me.  (That floor cushion for
Sophie is the first project cut out on the mat.)
So excited to keep working on the "perfect"
craft/sewing room for us to use!

Turkey burgers, pasta salad and homemade
potato fingers in our back yard.

Sophie's first (and Craig, too)
lemon garlic butter shrimp & grits dinner

The gorgeous duvet my mom made while we
were visiting in Connecticut. 

Heavy draperies. I love that you can see the design on it
when the sun is shining through. Not really well in these
pictures but it's cool in person! 

Yes, Craig's side of the bed is the one with the crooked pillow.
He did the unthinkable- he sat on the bed after it was made.
That's what the bench at the foot of the bed is for, sillies! 

Easter 2012 (A little late)

Easter baskets in our
house get hidden.
Craig had a hard time
finding his. 

We had a nice "split" Easter this year. On Easter Sunday, we watched a great video on lds.org showing/telling the full Easter story followed by Craig explaining it to Sophie- who had stayed perfectly snuggled while watching the whole thing. After that, we did our Nas-ter-son tradition of finding little Easter baskets. Baskets in this house generally have things in them like tooth brushes, tooth paste, Craig got a razor & some shaving cream (no hints intended), a couple puzzles and some parts he had ordered mysteriously ended up in there, too. Sophie received several items to help her be a little quieter at church and to use on Sunday afternoons with daddy: a couple coloring books, toddler crayons, bubbles, a new picture of Christ, some wash cloths and alphabet letters for bath time. (I can't find the video of her finding her basket in the washing machine. I'll post it later if I find it.)

Craig was funny (as usual) in his contribution to the family-fun part. He hid a basket with some eggs in it in our crock pot. With a banana. Therefore, I got an Easter basket. In the eggs were clues to a surprise/treat. BEST possible choice for right now! ...I was the "mean" one who didn't do candy and I got a month supply (5 boxes) of thin mints. Oops.

Yes, he DID hide boxes
of thin mints in our
green bean food storage
box. 

We also enjoyed a very nice Easter program at church (very similar to ones a lot of churches do the Sunday before Christmas) and then spent the afternoon/evening celebrating our nephews birthday in PG at my sisters house. I wasn't thinking and didn't get any pictures of Sophie with her cousins at the birthday but she enjoyed getting to play with them even if David (now 3) still wasn't so sure about "Soapy" playing with his toys.

We did our own Easter dinner the following Sunday and had ourselves a little ham, bugs-in-rice, rolls and salad. Sophie has quite enjoyed eating the leftover ham warmed for breakfast, chopped and put in an omelet, sliced with cheese... It was a good purchase. :)

We tried doing an Easter tree this year (no pictures- I already put it away in storage) and while Sophie enjoyed taking the eggs off and pulling out the paper and item inside, she still isn't old enough to "get it." Basically, we got a little "tree" in a pot, hung 7 numbered eggs on it and inside each egg was a scripture and item that related to that scripture. There was one for each evening for the week leading up to Easter. It was a good idea and we did get through a couple nights but I think maybe next year it might work a little better with her being older.

Sophie Brooke- 16 Months

Our little girl helping build a raised
garden bed in our front yard

Since Sophie will be 17 months in less than two weeks, I thought it might be time for some Sophie highlights from her 16th month:

• Sophie sees babies and baby carries all over and gets really excited, points, holds her arms out and says something with B sounds that I'm sure is supposed to be "baby."
• Sophie enjoys going grocery shopping and holding "NaNaNas" on her lap and asking for green grapes. Yes, I am thrilled that she loves healthy foods. 
• She is turning into quite the little girly-girl. She has a dress-up room in our "Harry Potter" closet under the stairs in the basement that Craig has hung a mirror in for her. She has hats, scarves, sun glasses and some of my old bags she likes to model in front of the mirror while smiling at herself. 
• Her hair may be wild and crazy, but she loves to comb it. And mine. And Craig's. She tries to comb the cats but they get away. What a shame. 
• If I'm putting eye shadow or any sort of "beauty" product on, she wants some. When I'm doing my makeup, she'll come in and bug me until I "brush" some eye shadow on her. On a similar note, she really enjoys a special lotion called Eau de Rose. My mom gave it to me several years ago and it was my great-grandma's scent. We put a tiny bit on the back of her hands and she says "mmm!" as she smells it. I wonder if grandma got to take her scent with her and shared with Sophie before she was born.
• Sophie absolutely loves her good night routine and don't you dare try to change it- even a tiny bit. Just last night Craig tried to short her on her tooth brushing time and she about lost it. This routine consists of silly play time in the tub, getting wrapped in a big towel, brushing her teeth while wrapped in said giant towel sitting on the counter while daddy combs her hair, jammies, prayer (complete with Sophie folded arms) and her favorite- kisses and kisses and more kisses. Someday she might catch on that the kiss-fest means daddy is leaving her in her room. 
• The park is still a favorite place. That girl has NO fear and climbs up on things and slides down slides I don't want to go on. Daddy gets to do those with her- when he can catch her. 
• Sophie is starting to understand how to play WITH other toddlers and she really loves other people her size. She is really tall so generally people her size are closer to 2. She doesn't seem to mind. 
• I've started letting her watch movies and tv clips on my laptop this month and it is fun to see her try to interact or simply react to what is happening. "Elmo in Grouchland" offers lots of opportunities for "uh oh's" and giggles and "that! that!"s. 
• Sophie is more aware of others feelings and looks around to see the source of another crying child. She has tried giving hugs and kisses to her little playmates who have fallen on the playground and make things better. 
• Her little vocabulary is growing every week. She now says "bye bye" while waving and just generally tries saying anything we say. 
• Sophie is a good helper still (putting toys away, trying to help load/unload the dishwasher, laundry, throwing diapers away etc.) and I hope we can keep that up!

Sophie & daddy enjoying some
Indian curry on date night

We love our Sophie!

What a seriously lazy day

I'm pretty sure I completely wasted a perfectly useful, perfectly beautiful day. I know we got things done and even hit two tiny "milestones" but my use of the afternoon has left me feeling REALLY lazy and kind of grumpy as a result. Basically after we got home from visiting Craig and ate lunch, I plopped Sophie in her room (about 1:45) and she has been there ever since. Yes, I AM a bad mom today. She played by herself for a couple hours and is likely sleeping on a pile of pillows on the floor again. What did I do? Sent some emails, talked to a friend, updated our guard website, contemplated the meaning/usefulness of graduation, posted our dresser on KSL & Craiglist, started the washing machine and folded the basket of laundry on our bed. 4 1/2 hours and that is all I accomplished. No, pregnancy is not an excuse here. What a waste.

As for this morning... Sophie was ultra well-behaved and actually stayed snuggled in my bed & watched a movie while I was able to take a not my first of the week shower, she came into the bathroom after I got out and went to her potty chair and even used it a teeny tiny bit and then REALLY wanted to comb her hair and brush her teeth. After all of that, we snipped her tiny toenails not only without fuss but because she wanted them done. I was taking care of mine and wasn't offering her a pedicure so I assume that was the motivation. She enjoyed "filing" her toenails until I finally took it away from her. (She also happened to end up with some red polish that matches mine on them. Wonder how that got there!) After that, a little visit to see daddy at work, share some food and generally bring some cute to the otherwise pretty boring office. While Sophie was on her daddy lunch date, I was able to see a massage therapist and chiropractor who were in doing little consults today. I love massage but I've never had an "adjustment" before. I had no idea what to expect but some pushing, a little pulling and a big pop later, I can sit and walk with almost no lower back or hip pain. And yet, instead of enjoying that, I've stayed on my bed. Boo.

Hopefully I can actually get something productive done tonight and tomorrow. We'll see.

We went for it!

Everything separated and ready to be
put into labeled ziploc bags

After making our list and everything last night, yesterday morning Sophie and I went for it. We now each have a very basic 72 hour kit. At the moment it includes food but we'll keep working on them a bit at a time. The important thing to me is that we have something in case we have an emergency. Although, after our trip to the store yesterday and talking through some things with my mom, a few items and quantities changed. Our food kits look like this now:

• 6 Instant oatmeal 
• 4 Cheese crackers 
• 4 PB crackers 
• 4 Boxes raisins 
• 6 Granola bars 
• 12 Jolly ranchers 
• 1 Pack of "healthy teeth" gum 
• 1 Pack of beef jerky 
• 6 Juice boxes
• 3 Milk boxes 
• 8 Bottles water 
• 4 Pudding cups
• 2 Apple sauce cups
• 1 Giant bag trail mix (to share) 
• 2 Tuna kits 
• 1 Chicken salad kit 

Which means our menus now look more like this: 

Day 1: 

• 2 instant oatmeal packages 
• 1 cheese cracker pack
• 1 PB cracker pack
• 2 boxes raisins
• 2 granola bars
• 1/3 bag beef jerky
• 2 juice boxes
• 1 milk box
• 2 1/2 water bottles 
• 1 pudding cup
• Some trail mix
• 4 jolly ranchers
• 1 apple sauce cup
• Tuna kit 

Day 2: 

• 2 instant oatmeal packages 
• 2 cheese cracker packs 
• 2 granola bars
• 1 PB cracker pack 
• 1 box raisins 
• 1/3 bag jerky 
• 2 juice boxes
• 1 milk box
• 4 jolly ranchers
• 2 1/2 bottles water
• 2 pudding cups
• Some trail mix
• Chicken kit

Day 3: 

• 2 instant oatmeal packages 
• 1 cheese cracker pack
• 2 PB cracker packs
• 2 granola bars
• 1 box raisins 
• 1/3 bag jerky
• 2 juice boxes
• 1 milk box
• 3 bottles water
• 1 pudding cup
• 1 apple sauce cup
• 4 jolly ranchers 
• Some trail mix
• Tuna kit 

It's 72-Hour Kit time!

For some reason, working on long-term food storage isn't nearly as intimidating to me as putting together decent 72-hour kits. It's only 3 days, for crying out loud! Actually, I think the intimidation comes from trying to get everything together and into backpacks, rolling duffles or whatever in such a way that Craig or I or, heaven forbid just one of us, could also haul 2 kids, too. I've been reading websites & blogs, watching little information videos and getting as many suggestions and ideas as I can during the last several weeks and this is what I've come up with. So, tomorrow for our "FHE" we will be doing a little shopping and getting our kits as together as we can. After a great trip to Dollar Tree earlier this week (their latest shipment included a lot of name-brand items and emergency kit supplies they don't normally stock in the SF store) I am planning to stop there first and then hit Walmart for the other things we might need. Here is our working list for now:

Codswallop Family 72-Hour Kit List

One for EACH family member

Update every 6 months

Food:

6 (8 oz.) boxes juice


3 (8 oz.) boxes milk

6 granola bars


3 mini m&m bags


6 instant oatmeal packages

4 (2 oz.) pkg. trail mix


5 boxes of Raisins


6 peanut butter crackers

6 Tuna or chicken pouches/kits

3 pudding cups

1 Package of beef jerky


Hard candy, cookies etc.

1 package gum

6 water bottles

Clothing:

1 sweat shirt

1 t-shirt

1 pair of pants

3 pairs clean socks

2 rain ponchos
Unders

Hygiene (individual items only as needed):

Travel toothbrush

Travel toothpaste

Hair rubber bands

Lady products (8)

Spoon, fork (or metal spork) and knife

Bar soap

Small bottle liquid dish soap

Wash cloth

Hand towel

Wet wipes

Tissue

Toilet paper

2 trial size hand sanitizer

Plastic trash bags

Emergency Supplies (family kit):

1^st Aid Kit

2+ Tarps

Rope

3 Space blankets

Hand warmers

Whistle

Pocket mask

Cash

Gloves

Glow sticks

Pocket knife

Matches or lighter

Flash light

Extra set of batteries

Duct tape

Family information binder

Note pad

Pen, pencil & permanent marker

Battery or wind up radio

3 big garbage bags (1 for toilet use)

Small games/distractions for time passing

Baby Items:

15 diapers

Wipes

3 bottles

1 sample size can formula

Extra outfits

Sleeper

Grab Items:

Sleeping bag

Small camping tent

EMERGENCY MENU

DAY 1

1 Milk box
2 Juice
 boxes
2 Oatmeal packages
2 Granola bars
2 Tuna kits
1 Pudding cup
1 Package M&Ms
1 Pkg. trail mix

2 Pkgs. Raisins

2 Pkgs. sandwich crackers

1/3 Package jerky
2 Bottles water

DAY 2

1 Milk box
2 Juice
 boxes
2 Oatmeal packages
2 Granola bars
2 Tuna kits
1 Pudding cup
1 Package M&Ms
1 Pkg. trail mix

2 Pkgs. Raisins

2 Pkgs. sandwich crackers

1/3 Package jerky
2 Bottles water

DAY 3

1 Milk box
2 Juice
 boxes
2 Oatmeal packages
2 Granola bars
2 Tuna kits
1 Pudding cup
1 Package M&Ms
1 Pkg. trail mix

2 Pkgs. Raisins

2 Pkgs. sandwich crackers

1/3 Package jerky
2 Bottles water

Hey moms, guess what? You don't work!

I'm pissed and as such, this may or may not be the most unbiased analysis of the situation. Before I continue, I don't have a political agenda here at all (I don't really care for any politicians at the moment). Anyway, the situation of which I type is the one involving Hilary Rosen of CNN accusing Ann Romney of "never working a day in her life." Yes, I am aware that this sound bite/quote has been taken a bit out of context and the point she was trying to make was that the Romney's are out of touch with the "common" American but I find the comment inexcusable, nonetheless.

Here is what I have to say to Hillary.

Honestly, I think YOU are the one who is really out-of-touch with us "commoners." To say that mothers (or dads who are home raising kids) don't work is one thing. To believe it enough to say it on a national news station is quite another. To insinuate that a parent who is home raising their child isn't doing something of worth, benefiting society as a whole or is somehow getting off "easy" has never really been a parent.

ALL moms work.

I have two sisters. Both of them have kids. Both of them work. One of them works at home by raising her kids. The other one is employed AND raising her kids. To say that either of them don't work is insane and absurd. I'm pretty sure my sister with 3 boys works a whole lot harder than the dentists I've worked with. I wonder how many women- if given the choice with the financial stability their family would need- would choose to stay home at least while their children were young. I know of several who would love that opportunity.

I keep typing & then deleting a whole bunch of other things but really, I think what Dr. Ablow wrote in an article today pretty well sums up the whole issue with Rosen Vs. Romney:

Hilary Rosen vilifying women who choose to be stay-at-home wives and mothers is particularly ironic, given that she has chosen an alternative lifestyle raising twins with a female partner, meaning no father-figure is present in her home. To enjoy the benefits of her alternative lifestyle while denigrating the lifestyle of Ann Romney shows that her seemingly infinite bandwidth for alternative lifestyles flows in one direction:  only alternative.

Source

A Mash-up of Tuesday Stuff

I was hoping to write both an Easter post and a 16 month update about Sophie today but after she has had THREE difficult days in a row (pulling crap out of the trash can, smashing goldfish into the carpet, throwing dirty work shoes into a clean basket of laundry, teething again, refusing to nap at all... to name a few) I'm not thinking it would be the kindest of posts. Instead, I think I might take a me time-out and grump a little, be happy a little and who knows what else.

I'll get the grumps out of the way first:

• I dislike inconsiderate drives in construction zones. There are PEOPLE working on the road. If you hit them, you will likely be just fine but they won't. Slow the heck down!! 
• I hate unsolicited advice, as well-meaning as it may be. Honestly, I don't care that you have been pregnant before, have 5+ kids and all of the answers. Unless I ask you for advice or we are already discussing a specific topic, please, save your breath and don't bring something else up by tell me I'm doing something wrong because I'm doing something differently than you would. 
• Double standards pretty much make me want to kick a puppy. 

Some happy stuff: 

• Sophie and I FINALLY got out today and spent some time with a friend. We were able to meet up with James and Ceci, share some lunch and fun and enjoy the sunshine. If I can get the little video off my phone, I'll post Sophie and James thoroughly enjoying splashing their feet in one of the fountains at Riverwoods. It was hysterical. 
• We made it through another winter guard season. Saturday was the LAST competition and now we get to start working on Summer and Fall which are much more laid back. I LOVE winter guard (it is my favorite season) but it is absolutely exhausting. 
• Vacation discussions have begun again. Long-term goals and thinking about spending time away are happy things in this house. 

Some other random junk:

• I don't want more than 2 kids. I have an incredible amount of respect for parents/mom's who are able to successfully and happily raise big families. I don't believe I have the physical or mental ability to really take care of more than two. Hell, weeks like these have me questioning my ability to take care of one without screwing her up for life. 
• Anemia sucks. I'm pretty well out of energy and motivation by about 2:00 every day. Low energy & motivation = less patient me. I'm glad to know that this isn't just me being a loser, at least, and we're doing something about it but it still sucks right now. 
• I don't know that I have ever wanted this much junk food in my life. Key lime pie, chocolate mousse, thin mints, margherita pizzas... As of my last appointment, I had only gained 14 pounds total. I'd really like to not over-gain but if I can't get these cravings under control, I just might! 

Today I am extremely thankful for good health insurance and employment that provides good insurance.

I guess I did learn something useful

Remember when I considered changing my major a couple years ago and then just decided to take a bunch of extra biology, microbiology and nutrition courses instead? {It wasn't actually a choice at that point. I tried to change it but had too many credits. Who comes up with those rules, anyway?} Turns out they didn't just delay graduation!

Anyway, with Craig being gone again tonight for another nerdmonger conference, I did some reading on iron-deficient anemia. All of those things we learned about started coming back. Heme versus non-heme irons, how adding some heme to a non-heme based dish can increase the body's ability to absorb more of the non-heme and my FAVORITE part of it all, vitamin C significantly increases the absorption of both types of iron in natural and supplemental forms. Why does that make me happy? I love orange juice which is an amazing source of vitamin C but, for the sake of the food budget, don't usually get it unless it's on sale. I won't buy the affordable, sugar-loaded, glorified melted popsicle stuff. However, now that I remember the benefits of it and know that this will help me get my iron stores back where they need to be prior to O's arrival, I think I can justify the extra $3  $6 a week (Craig will drink it if it's in the house).


By the way, for my price-matching, couponing friends, Tropicana and Trop50 IS on sale at Maceys for $2.49 this week.

A very quick follow up

Amazingly, I didn't die while taking the glucose test this morning. Close. I even had a nice pink bucket to keep me company. And remind me NOT to return the product as that would result in having to drink the stuff again.

Thank you, granny Pam & cousin Salem for coming to get Sophie and taking her to play while I was fighting to keep that sugar water down.

Lab- thank you for actually getting the results quickly AND sending them to my doctor so fast.

Legacy OB- thank YOU for relaying the information to me equally quickly.

Body- THANK YOU for being just enough over the line to NOT make us go through the 3-hour test of doom! We'll just get to monitor levels like we have been doing and all should be fine.

Body- NO THANK YOU for being "severely anemic." You know how much I love meat right now. We'll be sharing- in addition to the prenatals- some truly charming iron supplements for a while/until the levels get better/until the doctor decides something stronger is needed/I'm dead. I'm sure some other little "softy" friends will be joining the party, too.

It is coming...

And I'm not excited. I have my first glucose test first thing tomorrow morning. I failed with Sophie about as failingly as you can fail. How am I preparing? Craig and I are going to eat some super carbylicious meal that will probably include a lot of brown or wild rice. I looove wild rice. And whole wheat toast with the tiniest bit of jam. And milk. And maybe even a little chocolate cake. Oooh, yummy.

I'm just so glad I get to go through this again since I obviously have every single one of the risk factors associated with GD:

• Age greater than 25 {not until the end of September!} 
• Family history of diabetes-type 1
• Personal history of type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes/HIGH blood sugar {I have hypoglycemia} 
• Previous delivery of a 9+ pound baby
• Nonwhite race. {Uh... is this even a question? Look at my daughter, for crying out loud!}
• Sedentary lifestyle accompanied by unhealthy/incomplete diet

And my personal favorite...

• Overweight or obese prior to or during pregnancy. 

If anyone dares tell me that I am overweight now, take this as fair warning, I might slap you. Or stomp on your foot. Or take your thin mints. Probably just take your thin mints.    :(