Post Christmas, Pre-New Year Catch Up

Just a listed low-down on whats been going on in our neck of the woods.

• I have had less and less use of my laptop as my brother has commandeered it for WoW gaming and teaching Jim how to burn (legally, of course) DVDs on it. As my brother is currently asleep on my couch (at 8:30pm) I have stolen if back for a few minutes!
• Cade is relentless with wanting to play Rock Band. The minute he sees Josh he wants to "Rock Out!" However, his attention span for the game is very short. After about 3 minutes of playing (usually not even one song) he has moved on to something different.
• Josh brought with him from WI coffee called, "Icing on the Cake" and YES it is that good. Especially with Cinnamon Bun creamer. It is almost all gone. That is a bummer.
• Cade was soooo much fun on Christmas. He was spoiled beyond belief (is ANYONE shocked at that statement?) but he was truly interested in each gift. He is old enough to understand presents, but still young enough to not get sucked into just opening more and more. He would unwrap a present and say "op'n it?" because he wanted to play with whatever was inside. He was delightful. Something I am sure will wear off all too quickly.
• We have been contemplating baby names, like the name Zane. What do you think of when you hear it?
• It was almost 75 degrees here today. This time of year is why we stay in AZ.
• I had a doctor's appointment on Monday. I was complaining that I am sure that this baby is huge. However, my measurements and weight indicate that I am right on target. So how come I FEEL so humongous? I will be going in a couple of weeks for a third trimester ultrasound to check on the baby's size since my gestational diabetes does put me at risk for a large baby...and then at 32 weeks I will have to start going for non stress tests that keep an eye on the baby's heart.
• WE ARE GOING TO DISNEYWORLD! It is our Christmas present from my parents. We really knew before, but it is almost here now. I am not sure Cade really gets it, but he keeps telling people we are going on a plane to see Mickey Mouse. Hopefully he doesn't think Mickey will be on the plane. It will be fun, even if I will be hugely pregnant and unable to go on any rides. Cade's joy and hanging out with the fam will be more than enough!
• Tomorrow is New Year's Even and currently my parents have better plans than I do. The reality of being a parent of a small child and currently preggo. Oh well. When I am 50 years old, then I too shall have fun!

Happy New Year and whatever you do to celebrate, BE SAFE!

Merry Christmas!

Unlce Josh is here, so all Cade wants to do is rock out!

He LOVES playing Rock Band on the XBox with his uncle. That is all he wants to do! "Josh rock out?" is the phrase we hear most often.

We did tear Cade away from Rock Band long enough to help bake cookies at Nana's house. He was in charge of the sprinkles. Those snowmen cookies have A LOT of sprinkles.

Christmas Eve and Cade is ready for Santa to come. He wants to leave carrots for the reindeer--and "Mommy no help". We are also going to put out cupcakes for Santa. And Cade knows that baby Jesus is coming. Should be a fun Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Just So You Know...

Cade and I went to Little Gym today.

On the way home, Cade informed me that his tummy was full. Huh?! What does that mean? He had some what of a pained expression on his face, but he took his blankie and put it on his stomach and declared himself all better. So, I thought nothing else of it.

We went to Costco and did some shopping with Mom and Dad and had lunch there. We got home in plenty of time to play for a few minutes before it was nap time. I put Cade down for a nap around 12:45. Pretty routine...

However, Cade did not sleep. He did stay in his room, but he never slept. At one point, he started to look drowsy (I love my video monitor) so I went in to cover him up since he had thrashed his bed playing. I opened his door, told him I would tuck him in...pulled back his sheet...and there it was. POOP! On his sheets. It was just a little, but the fact that it had escaped his diaper bothered me. I cringed. I just wanted him to sleep. I wanted to sleep. But that was clearly not an option at that moment. I got Cade changed and all cleaned up. Got Cade back in bed and instructed him to SLEEP (because that works really well!) and headed to my bed to nap for a little bit.

Cade managed to stay in his bed for another 20 minutes...and I managed to fall into a deep sleep in that 20 minutes. Short lived nap on my part--and a complete lack of one on Cade's part.

Cade and I made cookies and chex mix to help pass the afternoon. Jim came home a little after 4:00pm and Cade fell asleep on the couch as I was washing up after our baking right around 5:00pm. After a few minutes of sleep he started coughing. Since we didn't really want him asleep at that moment--and more because he sounded like he was choking when he was coughing--Jim picked Cade up. Cade coughed, coughed, coughed, puked... Started crying. Coughed, coughed, coughed, puked. Poor Jim is getting puked on--and I am standing in the kitchen concerned for my son and dry heaving myself (I am a sympathetic puker--bad reaction!)

It was just that one episode of the coughing/puking, but it was enough. Now I know. When Cade says, "My tummy's full" be aware. It could be a sign of things to come...Just so you know.

Today

One of Cade's cute phrases is "Whatcha do today?"

He will even ask inanimate objects (like our inflatable Christmas Penguin who resides in front of our house) that question. It is adorable. I am pretty sure it stemmed from my Mom asking Cade, "What did you do today?"

Well, even though YOU didn't ask me that question, I will answer it.

Today I went to a Travel Health training for my work. It was pretty interesting. Pharmacists are in a perfect situation to provide travel health counseling, vaccines, and oral medications for those traveling outside the U.S. And my company has a pretty cool protocol. It will be interesting to see how well it takes off here, but I am pretty excited. So, if you ever have the need to travel to Cambodia, Thailand, or if you would like to participate in the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, I know what vaccines and precautionary measures you need to take. Kind of cool information even if I never plan on personally needing it!

Other than that, the day was pretty typical. Jim is currently watching "The Biggest Loser" on TV downstairs. He seems to find it inspiring, but I am finding it depressing. All the people on the show worked really hard and lost a ton of weight. I am lacking that motivation and commitment. Plus, being preggo means I am gaining weight no matter what I do! Oh well. This too shall pass. But holy cow! The contestants on the show look amazing!

Baby #2 I think has made a commitment to exercising. This kid is ACTIVE! Constantly. It is an amazing feeling but I could totally do without the bladder kicks! When I went to the doctor yesterday, the nurse at my appointment was trying to listen to the heartbeat. She was chasing the baby around with the Doppler trying to get him to hold still long enough to measure it. She laughed and asked if he always moved this much...and my answer was yes! Apparently at my next appointment I should be able to schedule my c-section. Hard to believe that I am anywhere close enough for that! But...I am less than 3 months out at this point!

The Dark Side...

Well, my friend, Jaime, finally took the plunge.

She has joined the blogging world. According to her email that announced her debut, I was her inspiration. Oh dear. She needs to find better sources. Seriously. In her first post, Jaime writes:

"I used to rate blogs with Harry Potter, and now the Twilight series - something I'm not going to read/do, just because of the insane popularity of it all. "

Apparently she has gotten over the popularity of blogging, but I am SURE she still hates Harry Potter. One of the few things we disagree on as I am a pretty big fan of HP.

Anyway, check out her blog. She has some adorable pics of her kiddos on there! Watch the slide show and you will see a cameo appearance of my little monkey--with way CHUBBY cheeks! (not that they are not chubby now, but HOLY COW!)

http://www.mysquishypeanut.blogspot.com/

Do You Believe in Santa?

Here are Cade's pictures with Santa.

As you can tell by the look on his face in this first pic, Cade was a little wary of Santa.


But then he talked to Santa...and told him he would like a Choo-choo train, please.

Then he was relaxed enough to look at the camera--even though he still didn't smile!

Change is Good!

SAYS WHO?

Seriously?! The pharmacy technician that has worked in my pharmacy for years decided it was time for a change and transferred stores. So, we were told we were getting a technician from a different store. Her first day at our store was supposed to be Monday.

Our new technician called the previous week to say that she had a scheduled doctor's appointment on her first day and might be late. Hmmm...not a great way to start out at a new store, but that is life.

So, Monday, she was late.

Tuesday, she called in sick.

Wednesday, she called in sick.

Thursday, she called in sick.

Anyone seeing a theme here?

I know that things happen. And I suppose it is very possible that this girl is very sick and might be a little embarrassed that she was late and sick all in her first week at our store. However, since was transferred out of her other store due to time and attendance issues, I think there is a strong possibility something else is going on. My secret hunch is that this girl is angry and is contemplating quitting--but not without using up some of her sick days first!

Lets hope I am wrong!

A Joyous Season

Whenever my Mom thinks that it has been too long since my last post, she sends me a "guest" post.

However, if I am not blogging it is because I am too busy, too stressed, too tired, too whatever, so I sometimes forget to put hers up. Sorry, Mom! But here is a post from Mom. Better late than never!

It is almost Christmas.
Having a two year old around makes the season even more joyous!
Here are some of the delights brought to us by Caden:

• We have an attachment to the Christmas tree that is a step on button on the floor. It allows us easy access to turning the tree lights on. You guessed it – Caden finds it fascinating to use his size 6 shoe to turn the lights on and then immediately off and then on….
• Caden is learning about Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. Caden sees it as his job to show baby Jesus every room in the house. So he plucks baby Jesus from the nativity and carries Him around. It is always a mystery where we will find the baby.
• We have snowmen on stakes (remember we live in a desert) in our front yard. Caden was my helper poking holes in the dirt with a screwdriver so we could place the snowmen along the riverbed. He was Granddad’s helper climbing the extension ladder to get a view from above, while Granddad hung the ice lights.
• Caden loves to swing. We have a ritual of singing while he swings. It is precious to hear him try to sing along with Jingle Bells (he is great at yelling Hey!) and Rudolph (nose so bite!).
• Caden went to see Santa in the mall. We watched and watched Santa talk to other children until it was Caden’s turn. He was very wary of the man in the red suit. He stood and looked and finally sat next to Santa. He did get up the courage to tell Santa he would like a choo-choo, please.

Love, Nana

What did I get myself into?

For the last 25 minutes Cade has been screaming.

I got on here to post and I looked at my "baby" timeline on the sidebar and realized I only have about 100 days to go before our new baby comes. Then I will have a screaming newborn and a screaming two year old.

What was I thinking?

Almost Christmas

Well, it kind of is...

When it was Halloween time, Cade was fascinated with the lights and decorations that people had up. He was not so entertained by our front room which he deemed, "spooky". When everyone took their decorations down, he was sad. He kept looking for pumpkins and lights. So, I told him not to worry that it was "almost Christmas" and that we would have to look for Christmas lights soon.

Basically, since November 1st, it has been "almost Christmas" to Cade. He has been in search of Christmas decorations ever since. Luckily, our neighborhood is full of overachievers and people who do NOT procrastinate and as of yesterday we can now see Christmas lights! We are no where close to having any of our decorations for Christmas up yet--I was happy to get my Thanksgiving pilgrims out! Hopefully this weekend.

Today Cade told me that it was "almost time for the baby." Well, I don't know who put that in his head...but it is definitely closer to Christmas than it is to baby!

High School?

Our church started a new women's fellowship time.

A chance for the ladies to get together, grab a bite to eat, and talk. Mom invited me to go with her. Most of the ladies I knew, but some I didn't. One asked me if I were in high school or college. WHAT?!

Now I know people go to college at many different times in their lives. So, that didn't shock me, but high school? I know I look younger (but these days I feel ancient) but not so young as to be in high school. I shocked this lady when I told her I was 30! It was entertaining.


I went today for an MRI for my ear problems. Just to make sure that the hearing loss I have in my left ear is not due to a tumor or something serious. It was NOT fun. I am generally only mildly claustrophobic..and only if I really start to dwell on it. So, I didn't want to worry about going in for an MRI or asking my doc for an anti-anxiety medication. So I didn't.


For those of you who have had the pleasure of an MRI, you know what I went though. You lay down on a narrow piece of metal...with your head in a "cradle" (vice). They lock your head in so you can't move using an apparatus which reminds me of the Hannibal Lector mask. (No, I am sure it wasn't anywhere near that bad) Then they slide you into this tube that I am sure if I were anymore further along in my pregnancy than I am, I wouldn't fit in there. I had to lie on my back. And you know when you lay on your back on a hard surface it almost feels like there is a ton of pressure on your chest? Well, imagine that but add like a 10 pound uterus to that pressure. I was really, really, really uncomfortable. You are enclosed. With the roof of the tube way too close to your face. Stuck. It is not fun at all.





But, I survived. And I hope I never have to do it again!

'Roid Rage and Other Happenings

Nightmare. I am living a nightmare.

Cade has been on oral steroids for his croup for 4 days now. And it has manifested into one angry, easily agitated, over-acting 2 year old. He can't stop screaming and crying. I am sure he is absolutely miserable feeling the way he is emotionally, and I am absolutely miserable dealing with him. On one hand I am trying to realize that it is the medication that is making him this way, but I still can't completely control how angry it makes me when he acts out and screams for long periods of time. It has been a really rough day. Makes you appreciate even more having a spouse and family close by to help.

But despite the negative, two good things happened today. I got my clementine "Cuties" that are only available this time of year and they are delicious. Also, I had a really good shopping trip tonight. Let me tell you all about it...Yes, if the thought of this bores you, you may stop reading here.

Should have spent: $165.83

Savings: $126.12

Spent: $ 39.71

Saving %: 76

WOW! I rock!

I will give you a quick list of what I got so you can marvel in my amazingness.

• (3) Stoffer's frozen entrees
• (2) Betty Crocker frosting
• (2) Treetop Applesauce
• (3) Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
• (3) rolls Viva paper towels
• (3) Betty Crocker cookie mix
• (1) CH Cane sugar
• (1) CH brown sugar
• (3) Tollhouse chocolate chips
• (3) Smucker's Strawberry jam
• (1) Quaker rice cakes
• (1) Pillsbury crescent rolls
• (3) Powerade
• (1) dozen eggs
• (4) carnation evaporated milk
• (1) gallon of milk
• (4) Nesquick Milk single serve
• (3) Beech-Nut juice blends
• (2) Beech-Nut baby cereal
• (3) boxes Strawberry Pop tarts
• (1) Box Frosted Flakes Gold
• (2) Tic-tac Chill
• (4) cans Campbell Chunky soup
• (1) Sara Lee wheat bread
• (1) bag of fries
• (3) block Philadelphia cream cheese
• (1) bag of romaine lettuce
• (1) 3lb bag of clementine Cuties (YEAH!)

Catch up time!

Okay...I know I am a slacker.

Here is the low down.

• Cade is sick with the croup. Back on steroids and breathing treatments. Fun? TOTALLY!


• I have been busy working on my Grandfather's 85 birthday present which involves me pretending that I have some clue how to use Adobe Photoshop (I really don't, by the way!)


• I have also been busy working on a slide show for the Advent by Candlelight event at our church.


• I am now more than halfway through this pregnancy! Time flies when you are having fun.


• My gestational diabetes is proving to be a little harder to control this time around. Looks like I may have to go on medication. I really don't want the medication, but it is also really bad to have fasting glucose levels in the 160's. Okay, I know I can blame that on the brownie I had last night at our drug dinner. But how do you turn down a Ghiradelli Chocolate brownie with butterscotch chips in it--especially when someone else is paying?! I only ate half!


• Cade is doing really well sleeping in his new bed. Bath time is still a struggle to get his hair washed, but we are doing it. I am not above bribing with Halloween candy!


• Cade's new favorite phrase is, "I do it myself!" I suppose that is a good thing...except when we are in a hurry...or I know it is a skill he hasn't mastered yet. But I suppose he will never master it without doing it by himself!


• Thanks to Coupon Sense I was able to donate a ton of stuff to the food bank. They really needed toiletry items. And I was happy to clean out my closets! 37 tubes of toothpaste...along with shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, etc.

• And here, finally, are Halloween pictures. Some from our Halloween party...some from Halloween night. Enjoy!

Raggedy Ann came all the way from WI to visit us!

Cade makes a cute Handy Manny, doesn't he?!

Don't ask!

In case you can't figure it out on your own, they are Mount Rushmore. Clever, aren't they?

Torture?

I know that a historic presidential race just came to a close and that a new president of the United States has just been elected. You may find it amazing that I can even think of other things at this time, but I have pressing matters a little closer to home....

Cade has been traumatized.

Apparently a few nights ago when Cade was in the shower, Jim put shampoo in his hair and some of the soap (No more tears baby shampoo) ran into his eyes. It must have been a horrifying experience because now Cade refuses to take a shower or a bath or have any soap/water any where near his head. I know..as a parent, sometimes you have to force your kids to do things they may not want to do. I am usually all for that. However, this situation is a little harder.

Cade is terrified. I don't know what he experienced with getting that soap in his eyes. Supposed to not burn, but maybe it did a little? Maybe it just scared him? Maybe he couldn't see well and that scared him, too? I have no clue. But this isn't just a refusal based on control. This is pure, absolute fear.

So last night's shower was a nightmare. Tonight I figured a bath might be a little more relaxing. It took me about 7 minutes to coax Cade into the bath tub. And then he was fine until I brought out the wash cloth. The he screamed and cried and tried to climb out of the bath tub. Now I know I am bigger than him, but when he is slippery and desperate, it is hard to keep him where he needs to be. I got him washed up to his neck and that was a battle. Never did get his hair washed. As each night passes, I think he is getting more and more scared. How to break the cycle?????

I know. I need my nephew, Gabe. Gabe can convince Cade to do anything because Cade adores and idolizes his cousins. Hmmm...Can I borrow Brandon and Gabe for a few days???? PLEASE?

What a Surprise!

I was at work on Wednesday.

It was an extra shift that I picked up to help my co-worker out. I was working and hear some one come up to the counter and obnoxiously ask for something for a rash. I look up and there is KIM! Kim from far away. Who shouldn't have been standing in my pharmacy, but was!

So, the first thing that came out of my mouth was, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Okay, so it wasn't the squeal of glee or astonished look she was probably expecting, but it was what came out of my mouth. I was shocked and overjoyed--and stuck at work. But nothing really mattered because Kim came to visit! WOO HOO!

We had a great couple of days catching up...hanging out...shopping. It was so much fun. It was a wonderful surprise. Thanks for coming, Kim!

I must say that Kim's visit provided a lot of needed bonding time...and a lot of blog fodder. Look for stories to come!

Ultrasound Day!

Today was ultrasound day for baby #2!

We were totally excited to find out the sex of the baby. I think not knowing the sex of your baby is probably one of the ultimate surprises, but I am way to neurotic too not know. **WARNING!! THIS POST REVEALS THE GENDER OF OUR BABY. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW, DON'T LOOK AT THE PICTURES!**

The place we went to for the ultrasound sent us home with a CD of all of the pictures they took as well as a DVD of the entire ultrasound. It is pretty cool. Technology is an amazing thing. I have gotten somewhat used to seeing ultrasounds since we had quite a few at the end with Cade. But, I know they can kind of be hard to see...and almost alien-like. But still adorable!

Here is the profile view of our baby. You can see the spine along the bottom and the side view of the head and body. Isn't the baby cute?!

Here is the baby waving a hand to say, "Hi!"

And here is the picture that confirms the gender of our baby. Can you see why?

Hint...those are legs pointing to the left.

*****

*****

*****

*****

Yes, in the middle is HIS "outdoor plumbing".

It's a boy! And he looks as healthy as can be!

Probably Not the Best Response

I feel like I am dying.

I have a sinus infection that is so severe I would like to take a drill to my left sinus cavity and see if that helps relieve some of the pressure. The whole left side of my face is swollen and hurts. Hurts really bad. Bad like I took a narcotic pain reliever and it didn't really help. It did allow me to get three hours of sleep before the pain woke me up again, though.

The hard part is that being pregnant really limits the drugs you can take. I need a decongestant in a bad way and I can't take one. Therefore I am left with nasal saline and warm compresses. Both of which I have used and offered no relief.

So, after my short burst of sleep and feeling miserable from 3:30AM to 4:30AM, I was near tears. I woke Jim up. Well, I tried to for like 5 minutes. Finally he woke up enough to respond to me.

Conversation:

Jim: What?
Me: I don't feel good.
Jim: I'm sorry...
Me: I think I am dying.
Jim: No you're not.
Me: I really don't feel good. You don't know how I feel!
Jim: If you are dying call 911 or go to the hospital.
Me: Nice.
Jim: What? It is 4:30 in the morning. What do you want me to do?
Me: How about a hug? A little compassion? An "It will be alright?"

That is when I stormed out of the room and had a long cry which has now made my sinuses worse.

Probably not the best response to a miserable crazy pregnant woman who has convinced her crazy self that there must be a blood clot or other such horrible thing going on to cause this much pain.

Movin' On Up!

Tonight was the night.

Cade moved into his "big boy" bed. The room has been ready, but I have been holding out--afraid to make any changes that would disturb our sleep. Sleep is precious. Very precious. And there never seems to be enough time to do it! So, why did I pick tonight when I am 99% sure I have a sinus infection and just want to crawl into bed and curl up in a ball for many, many hours? Well, mainly because there will always be something going on...just time to do it!

So, we moved all of Cade's "friends" into his bed. Thumper, Puppy #1, Puppy #2, Shamu, baby Shrek, a giraffe, and the baby doll. Not to mention the octopus, fish, and starfish that are really bath toys, but apparently are now night time toys. He has his new MP3 player loaded with his Wiggles music. He has his cloth blankets...and his "bonkey" blanket. He has a brand new airplane night lite.

I got him in there...but he wanted me to stay and sleep in his bed. I layed down with him for a few minutes...then when I tried to leave, the protests started. He started climbing out of bed and wanted to come sleep in my bed if that is where I was going. I finally convinced him to stay--by putting Nemo on with the portable DVD player in his new room. So, he can have Nemo for a few nights until he is used to his room...and then we will wean him off that.

I just checked Cade on the video monitor...and he is asleep! YEAH! Of course, he is upside down...with his feet on the pillows. But, he has never had pillows before, so he doesn't seem concerned!

I Survived!

What a day.

It started early with a trip to the lab.

Remember me complaining a few days ago about having to go for a three hour glucose tolerance test? Well, I decided just to suck it up and go today. So, I convinced Mom to come and keep me company since Jim was home with Cade.

I didn't realize before that this test included a fasting blood test and then a test every hour for three hours. Okay...you saw what ONE needle stick did to my arm last week...and now they were going to do FOUR in one day?! I went to a different lab this morning...and everyone was really good--and used butterfly needles on me which my small veins need. So, the four sticks I got today were much better than the one last week. Still not fun, but I survived. The waiting was the hard part, but Mom was good company. So was the man who kept making the most awful snorting noises trying to suck snot back up his nose. When that failed to work after the first 50 snorts, he resorted to trying to blow his nose. LOUDLY. It was so gross it was almost funny.

Mom and I grabbed lunch to bring home to eat with Jim...and found Cade asleep on Jim in the recliner. I was kind of confused since Cade always naps in his crib...and generally prefers space to stretch out and sleep. Jim said he wanted to snuggle..that he was warm....and that he didn't eat lunch. So I picked him up to try to get him upstairs and his little body was HOT! He woke up when I moved him, so I grabbed the thermometer and his fever was over 101. I got some Tylenol in him...and apparently that and his little nap perked him up enough that he ate some lunch. But after a few hours of Cade continuing to burn up and be totally fatigued...and a strange rash on his chin...I decided to take him into the doctor.

We got into the doctor...there his fever was 102.6 (and that was after taking Tylenol) and he was miserable. Doc said he has Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease! Lovely. So it is viral...and there is pretty much nothing you can do but let it run its course. Remember, I thought he had this back in May. IT'S BAAAACCCKKKK!

Cade fell asleep on the couch as soon as we got home from the doctor. He was out! He slept hard for over an hour...before he rolled off the couch. I was afraid he was going to do that, so I had put pillows on the floor. I knew he wasn't hurt, but that is enough to wake you out of your sleep and make you cry! He just wanted to "snuggle" all night.

He is now asleep in his crib. And I am hoping the ibuprofen I gave him before bed lets him stay there comfortable most of the night!

Mommy Junkie!

So I got the results back from my one hour glucose tolerance test.

I failed it. Duh. I was pretty sure I would.

But, because it was somewhat borderline, my OB wants me to go for the second test which is a THREE hour glucose tolerance test.

So, I get to go...drink more nasty orange stuff...and sit in the lab waiting room for THREE hours. I can't leave. I can't get the drink and come back. I have to drink it there and stay there. Boy, doesn't that sound like fun...

And for what? To confirm what I can confirm already. Gestational Diabetes. Okay. I have it. Lets move on...

I still have a massive bruise from my first glucose test last week. The bruise is so big that I wore long sleeve shirts to work this weekend so no one would see it. I look like a drug user. Jim thought it would be funny to teach Cade to say, "Mommy junkie!" and "heroin". Lovely. And he was trying to get the kid who will repeat anything you say to say that as we were on our way to Bible study. Wouldn't that be cute in his little class... "Mommy Junkie!" My husband's sense of humor is great !?

The Blood-Sucker

Because I had gestational diabetes with Cade, my OB wanted me to go for an early glucose tolerance test.

For those of you who have not had the pleasure of this test, let me explain it to you.


You go to the lab, drink 12 ounces of a sickeningly sweet tang-like drink that makes you want to puke, then sit for a hour to wait to have your blood drawn. It is so much fun. Then for the rest of the day you regurgitate the nasty orange drink. Ughhh.... The good news for me is if this test doesn't show and glucose intolerance, I GET TO DO IT AGAIN in 12 weeks! WOO HOO! Can't wait....


Yes I can.

Well, I hate having my blood drawn, but usually the anticipation is much worse than the actual blood draw. Not in this case. You can see in the picture below where the blood was drawn...which seemed strange to begin with as the vampire prepared my arm for the blood draw...and more than strange, it hurt! This is what my bruise looks like 24 hours later. It is much prettier in person!

A Little Linkey Love....

Wow! Alliteration.

Okay...My friend, Miss Angelia, has a Pay It Forward contest up on her blog. Wanna enter? It is easy peasy to win. Follow my link and comment on the post. That is ALL you have to do. Amazing, isn't it?

http://hishuttdog.blogspot.com/2008/10/pay-it-forward.html

Thanks for playing!

Whatcha Doin?

Ahhh...Cade's new favorite question to ask.

Whatcha doin? Whatcha doin? Mama, whatcha doin? Over and over and over again.





Well, I am going to tell you what we have been doing since I seem to have large lapses in my blog posts.

Cade is all done with his pacifier. No more whining at night or asking for them. It is awesome. What is even more awesome is that we left Cade with my parents for 3 nights so we could go to Las Vegas...and they got to finish the transition from Nuk to no Nuk. Thanks Mom and Dad! (I keep saying that when we are serious about potty training that I am going out of town again. They do such a good job!)

Our trip to Vegas was so much fun. We met up with two of my cousins and their spouses and Josh and his girlfriend, Lisa. We had great accommodations at a time share close to the strip and had fun gambling, hanging out, eating, and playing cards. Can't wait to plan our next get together! Here is the motley bunch after having lunch at Margaritaville.


We were lucky enough to have Josh come and stay with us for a few days after our Vegas trip. It was so nice to have some time to catch up and play Rock Band 2. Here is Cade (naked because he ran through the sprinklers and his clothes were wet) rocking out on the guitar.

Jim and Dad finished the new bed for Cade. I looks great. Now that Cade's Nuks are gone, our next transition will be to the "big boy" bed. Still need to get a bed rail, though and figure out how to lock him in his room at night so he isn't wandering...

Baby Jesus Haircut

Since Mom knew we were going to be gone for a weekend, she sent me a substitute blog so I would have something up even thought I wouldn't get a chance to post.

Of course, even thought the work was done for me, I was still slow and to lazy to put it on here, but here is her post about Cade:

Baby Jesus Haircut

Only a two year old would logically connect those two phrases. In Caden’s mind it makes perfect sense. Maybe you are thinking that Caden believes that Baby Jesus needs a haircut. No it goes beyond that.
I received the Fisher-Price catalog and shared it with Caden. We love to look at the toys for sale. We especially love to look at the Fisher-Price nativity set. We name the principal characters, Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, angels, and name all of the animals. So Baby Jesus is fresh in his mind.
Last Saturday, Courtney, Caden and I were shopping at Kohl’s. Caden was so excited to see the Christmas department with the lighted trees and ornaments and decorations for sale. He recognized some nativity ornaments and pointed and repeated, “Baby Jesus! ‘Nother Baby Jesus! More!” He was very excited.
We continued to look around and saw on the shelving on the wall an entire winter wonderland with fake snow and evergreen trees and a village set up in the snow. We looked carefully at each building and saw a school, ice cream parlor, a church, a Christmas tree lot, a barber shop, a school, a law office and several houses. Caden was impressed with the people and animals set up in the scene and the ice skating rink where the figures actually moved around.
Time to move on. We were on a mission to buy Jenae a birthday present. Courtney and I were looking at clothes and Caden was not thrilled. He said, “Baby Jesus! Haircut! Baby Jesus! Haircut!”
It took a minute but I finally figured out that he wanted to go back to the Christmas department and look at the Baby Jesus ornaments AND at the village, especially the building where someone was getting a haircut! It made perfect sense to Caden! And once I understood, it made perfect sense to me.

The Broken Nuk

Well, I have been putting it off long enough.

If the pediatrician had her way, Cade's pacifiers would've been gone by the time Cade was 1.

The pediatric dentist was not so pushy, but said that the longer we wait to take it away, the higher the orthodontist bills will be later.

So, I stopped making excuses and just did it.

My plan was to slowly wean him off by poking holes in it so it would be less and less satisfying. The first night I poked a hole in the pacifier with a safety pin. Since Cade was going to my Mom's the next day for baby-sitting, I called her to do the same.

Apparently the hole I poked in the pacifier was not big enough since it didn't seem to deter Cade's use of it at all. However, the hole my Mom cut in the pacifiers at her house was visible.
So, I ran home before work and cut more of the pacifier off since I didn't want to be inconsistent between nap and bed time.

Needless to say, Nana and Cade had a rough nap. Cade was brokenhearted that his Nuks were broken. He fell asleep crying and woke up crying.

So, that night, when I put Cade in his crib, he knew right away they were "broken". He didn't even want them in his crib. I had to take them out of his room and put them in the trash. That does NOT mean he was happy about not having them. It was a tough night. I was such a sucker and let him have the portable DVD player in his room with Nemo on so he could fall asleep. When he woke up he would moan and say, "Mama". It was sad. Then, he was awake at 5:15am since between 5:30 and 6:30 was his usual "lounging" time where he would drift in and out of sleep and have his Nuks and play with them.

Tonight he whined for a while. But, he is so tired that he could only complain for about five minutes before he passed out. I am hoping tonight is better than last night!

Wish us luck!

Since Nothing More Exciting is Happening...

I don't have any great stories to tell you.

I haven't experienced anything creepy like Josh has lately.

But, I did save a heck of a lot of money at the grocery stores today!

Let me impress you with my list...or drive you away.

• (20) Powerade Zero
• (2) 24-packs of Dasani water
• (1) Bertolli frozen dinner
• (2) Pictsweet frozen veggies
• (1) loaf Sara Lee bread
• (2) Skippy Peanut butter
• (2) Ortega Taco shells
• (1) Ronzini pasta
• (2) bags Poore Brother potato chips (yes, Josh..they are for you)
• (2) Gallons milk
• (2) Prego pasta sauce
• (2) cans Spaghetti-Os
• (6) cans Campbells Chunky soup
• (2) Red peppers
• (2) yellow peppers
• (3) cans pringles
• (2) Lunchables Jr.
• (2) Dole salad kits
• (2) Peaches
• (1) bunch green onions
• (1) box Eggo waffles

I paid $50.71 for $143.83 worth of groceries. That is a savings of around 65%. Not super great, but every little bit helps, doesn't it? I was pretty happy with it!

No Problemo!

PROBLEM:
1. Grasshopper came into the garage when I pulled in.
2. Grasshopper followed me into the house
3. My fear of bugs and inability to kill them.

SOLUTION:
1. Scream
2. Throw large diaper bag over grasshopper on the floor to keep it there.
3. Place Cade's football on the diaper bag to ensure it doesn't escape.
4. Pray it stays there until Jim gets home from work.

Stupid Computer Games...

Yeah, yeah, yeah..it has been forever. I know.

But I blame my Mom and her introducing me to the game Gem Shop. I got addicted and couldn't stop playing long enough to blog.

So what has been going on in the decade that I haven't posted?

• I turned 30. Luckily, not as bad as I thought it would be.
• Jim, Mom, Dad, and I went to see Nunsense at the Arizona Broadway Theater for my birthday. It was hilarious. Fun times.
• I had a couple of different tests done for my hearing problems and most likely ruled out Meniere's Disease...which is a good thing.
• I have been praying for Jenn and Brian...and so glad things have gone well so far!
• I have been planning Halloween outfits and getting excited about having a Halloween party! Can't wait.
• Cade is going to be Handy Manny for Halloween, and luckily his Nana is "handy" with a sewing machine to make the cheap store bought costume better!
• I am "showing" like I am 25 weeks pregnant and I am only almost 15 weeks. Ughh...
• I have been researching double strollers...expensive...but I suppose that is the only thing I will really have to buy this time around.

Well, even though it has been almost 2 weeks since I posted, this is the best list I can come up with. Do I have any readers left???

Monday's Excuses

Sick husband, sick kid, sick Mom, sick me.

Blah. I hate it when everyone is sick. Jim started it...passed it to Cade....then Mom...then me. Luckily, I think I have the most mild case of the cold, but that is good since I am the only one who really can't take anything! Tylenol only does so much good.

But the good news is this: Cade made it through this cold without big breathing problems. Normally when he gets sick, even a mild cold, it goes straight to his chest and we have to do oral steroids and breathing treatments. However, since he is currently on Singular and Claritin as "controller" medications, he pulled through this cold like a champ! We only did one breathing treatment and that was just to stop his cough.

I am so glad that the Singulair is working because it is non-steroidal and it is a chewable tablet and NOT a breathing treatment. He was doing really well on the Pulmicort, but doing two breathing treaments a day was a nightmare. Literally a nightmare.

So was Cade's first trip to the dentist. We went Friday morning. Jim tried to get out of going with us, but there was no way I was going this one alone. We took Cade to a pediatric dentist whose office was totally cool. Really. CHECK this place out. Cade liked the video games, the movies...but the whole, "lets look in your mouth" thing kind of put him off to the dentist. Lets hope it is like haircuts..it gets better with each visit!

This and That...

Sunday night already. Where does the weekend go?!

Here is a rundown of what has been going on:

• Cade had his 2-year-old well check at the doctor on Friday. He "passed" with flying colors. He weighs in at over 35 pounds and is over 37 inches tall. That is gigantic. He is in the 97 percentile for height and weight. To put it simply, he is taller and heavier than 97% of kids his age.


• I went for my second OB appointment and everything looks great. They did another ultrasound and the baby is growing perfectly and wouldn't hold still for the pictures!


• Cade has adopted my American Girl doll, Kirsten, as his new friend since the other baby is "broken" and we have to "fixth it." Jim is a little concerned about Cade playing with dolls, but I think he is so cute with her and luckily she is not made out of porcelain.
• 


• Jim and Dad finally started working on the bed and they got SO much done this weekend! It looks awesome. Cade loved being in the garage "helping" Daddy by hammering things with his toy hammer and using the broom to "sweep" up the sawdust. Generally, he was in the way and making a mess, but he loved it!

Baby Broken...

My Mom has a doll. My aunt, her sister, made it for her. It is a cute baby doll.

Well, Cade found it. He adopted the baby doll as his own. It was cute. He would hug her...feed her, carry her around, put her in his rocking chair so she could watch Nemo, too. It was absolutely adorable.

But then came the accident. I think it was somewhat more on purpose that an "accidental" drop. More like a "grab-her-by-the-leg-and-toss". Unfortunately the baby's head was made of porcelain. Not good when it makes contact with a tile floor. I heard the crash..,then saw the ear. I am still hoping Cade doesn't repeat the words I said when I heard it hit the floor.

The ear was laying on the floor. I picked up the doll and her severed ear and realized her skull was destroyed. I panicked and removed her hair so I could see the extent of the damage. It was bad. Jim got Cade ready for bed...and once he was asleep, we started our surgery on the poor dolly. I didn't get a good "before" picture (I was still horrified) but you can see her brains leaking out as Jim tries to piece her skull back together.

Skull pieces and the super glue...
More tools for the surgery. TAPE and SCISSORS.


A mostly patched skull (thank goodness this wasn't a bald baby!)
She looks pretty good, doesn't she? If you look closely, you can see the line in her ear that is where the ear fell off!

Here is the dolly as good as new. Her skull is a little fragile, but on display she will be just fine. We just have to hide her from Cade.

I brought the recovering dolly back to my Mom's today. Since Cade was coming into the kitchen, Mom put her on top of the fridge so Cade wouldn't see her. It only took him about two minutes to notice her. "BABY!" he said. I said that the baby was still broken. So he couldn't have her. He was okay with that as he was distracted by something else quickly.

Lets hope he is nicer with his future sibling.

Talking With Nana...

My Mom said she had a guest post for today...one that shows Cade and Nana's "secret" language.

Enjoy!

At one point, Caden’s pediatrician was concerned that Caden did not have enough words in his vocabulary for his age. Caden went for hearing and speech evaluation and was found to be on target after all. It is amazing to me how children acquire language and are able to communicate their needs and wants. Here is a sample of how Caden has trained ME to know what he wants me to do:

Caden says: “Ta-da!” translation: “Nana, would you please play in the sandbox with
me? Fill a cup with moist sand and turn the cup over
and say, ‘ta-da’ when you reveal the sand cake.

Caden says: “No Timber!” translation: “Nana, would you please stay by me and
help me guard against Timber eating my snack right
out of my hand?”

Caden says: “Munch? Puppies?” translation: “Nana, would you and Granddad please
take me to the mall for lunch? When we are finished
eating, can we please go look at all the puppies in
the pet shop?

Caden says: “Clap? Clap?” translation: “Nana, would you please put the music CD in
the player in the car? I would like to listen to the
one that starts with the song ‘If you’re happy and
you know it CLAP your hands?’”

Caden says: “Stay!” translation: “Nana would you please play the game in the pool that
we invented that I call stay? You place me on the top
step and tell me. ‘Stay, Caden’ Then when you turn
your back I giggle and swim off the step. And we
have to do it over and over!”

Caden says: “Baby!” translation: “Nana would you please play the game we invented
Where I hand you an old bib I used to wear. Then you
put it on me. I take it off and throw it down and run
away. You chase me and catch me and put the bib
back on. And we have to do it over and over.


There are many more examples of one or two word phrases that convey so much meaning. As Caden makes sense of his world, the repetition is important to him to get his message across. He is a pleasure to be with.

It Is Easy to be Ignorant

I was contemplating what I had to blog about. I came up with nothing.

Nada

Zip

Zero

Zilch

I thought how sad is my life that I have absolutely nothing to blog about. Then it occurred to me. I am looking at this ALL wrong! How blessed am I that I really have nothing to blog about?

No serious health problems, no job security worries, no housing issues...I am not in a path of a hurricane or tornado. I do not have to evacuate my home picking a few precious belongings to bring with me knowing that everything I leave behind might be destroyed. Read_More

I do not live in Sudan...where they have to worry about life and death EVERY SINGLE DAY. Where millions have been killed or displaced by fellow humans. Humans that have declared themselves more worthy than others. Read_More

I am not persecuted for my race, my gender or my religious beliefs. I can go to church. Pray out loud. Tell others about God. And not be killed for it. (Read More)

I live in a country where democracy is the way of life. Doesn't make life perfect, but it makes us free. A country where we live by these words...."We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

I have the freedom of speech. To speak up about things I find wrong--even if it is against the government that provides me with that freedom.

So, I may not have any stories of my own to share with you today, but the world has enough going on without me.

Welcome Back!

Between my ear problems and baby-sitting difficulties, I hadn't been to work in two weeks.

Until today.

Two weeks doesn't sound like a LONG time, but long enough. On my short drive to work, I was making sure I remembered all my passwords to the computers, etc. It is amazing how quickly your mind forgets things you don't use. And that are important. Non-important things I tend to retain. Forever.

So, I went into work. Started up the computers. Started printing prescriptions that needed to be filled. I get six labels printed and the printer jammed up. I calmly opened the compartments, pulled out the ink cartridge, removed the jammed paper...put the cartridge back in. Closed the compartments. Hit GO! Ahhh...problem solved!

Spin...spin...BEEP! Jammed. I roll my eyes and head back over to the printer.

I opened the compartments, pulled out the ink cartridge, removed the jammed paper...put the cartridge back in. Closed the compartments. Hit GO!

Spin...spin...BEEP! Jammed. I muttered obscenities under my breath at the printer.

I opened the compartments, pulled out the ink cartridge, removed the jammed paper...put the cartridge back in. Closed the compartments. Hit GO!

Spin....BEEP! Jammed. I was ready to take the printer and throw it.

Once again, I opened the compartments, pulled out the ink cartridge, removed the jammed paper--oh no. Not all the paper came out this time. I can see it stuck on the roller in the printer. I reach in there to pull it out...and yelped. I kneeled down to look in there and then noticed the warning :

Caution. HOT! 356 F

Wow...it was hot. For sure. Now I am cursing the computer, cursing the pain in my hand...and still unable to print ANYTHING.

So, I called the help desk. They said they would send someone right out...and to switch to our back-up printer. Ummm...our back-up printer? Doesn't work! It was as effective as having a spare tire in your car that is flat. What good does it do? NONE!

We waited for help. A tech came out (almost two hours later, but still he came!) and replaced parts on our primary printer and back-up printer. Finally, I could get to work.

That I guess was a great welcome back to work. I need Josh's schedule where I can have a five-day weekend. (Shhh..most of the time, I do!)

I had things to say...

But I have learned that if I don't write things down, they disappear from my mind.

So instead I will just bore you with my second trip to the ENT. More suction was done and my ears were declared CLEAR! Yeah! The audiologist did a hearing test on me to make sure everything was okay...and it is not. I have pretty good hearing loss in my left ear--which I have had for years. So, this is not the result of my recent ear problems. However, the doctor (who I found out is also a pharmacist--so I like him even more now!) is concerned because hearing loss should not be so drastically different in your ears like mine is. So, while one set of ear problems is corrected...a new one has blossomed. I will have to undergo tests to find out what is causing the hearing loss. The ENT thinks it possibly is Meniere's Disease. Which, when reading the symptoms seem like it could be. You can go here to read more if you are interested at all about Meniere's Disease. Not a pleasant diagnosis, but better then a tumor in my ear--which the ENT says there is a SMALL (less than 2%) chance that it is. I am not sure that I will be able to have the tests done while I am pregnant, especially since it is not an emergency situation, so results may take a while... But, I am sure everything is fine!

Crib Contents

Cade is napping.

In his crib with him is:

• A sippy cup with water
• A plastic bowl with a few remaining Yogo's from his morning snack (he doesn't want to eat them, just has to have them close)
• Three hard board books
• A fleece "Bonkey" (monkey blanket)
• Three cloth diapers blankies
• Three Nuks
• And a partridge in a pear tree

Okay, so that last one is not true. There are NO trees nor are there birds in Cade's crib. (At least, not that I can see...)

But I am still trying to figure out how he sleeps comfortably in there?! Last night he had a plastic ball in there too. A little crowded for my tastes!

Hearing is Believing

Wow. I can hear! It is amazing.

I went to an ENT today. He worked wonders. He used suction to get the wax out of my ears. It was a crazy experience, but once I could hear, I almost kissed the ENT. He said I still have a LOT of build up in my ears and he thinks I have an infection in the right ear...which is what may have triggered this whole thing. So, I have to go back in a week for another treatment but I CAN HEAR! Of course, I am very aware now how loud the new toys are that Cade got for his birthday. And I realized that not hearing Cade's screaming was definitely a bonus. However, I am very glad to not have to say WHAT to everything someone says to me. Things you take for granted until they are gone...

Another wonderful thing happened today. I found Heaven on Earth. What was previously only available to us during trips to Wisconsin...has found its way to AZ! Pure happiness in the form of a Culvers Concrete Shake. Don't know what that is? I feel bad for you. You are totally missing out. AND they have cheese curds. Delicious deep fried golden balls of cheese. What more could you want out of life? (besides the heart attack that is likely to ensue should I become addicted to this--luckily it is just far enough away that we won't want to make the drive as often as I will crave the food!)

What? No, seriously, WHAT?

I am having ear problems. Major ear problems.

Go ahead and say it, "WHAT?"

It started last week. A kind of fullness and difficulty hearing in my right ear. Got really bad on Sunday (of course just in time for Cade's birthday party!) and was a nightmare by Monday. Went to the doctor on Monday. He said that I have an excessive amount of wax which is blocking my ear drum...thus causing the pain and difficulty hearing. Told me to use some wax softening drops and come back in a week if I needed to. I bought the drops. I used the drops. I woke up Tuesday pretty much deaf in both ears. Like being in a tunnel.

Survived all day...went to urgent care that evening. The nurse practicing tried a Water Pik to "spin" some of the wax out. Not very comfortable--kind of makes you want to puke...and no real success. She sent me home with instructions to use different ear drops and to come back in 5 days if not better.

Woke up this morning and I could hear barely anything. Seriously. I don't hear the phone ring...people talking to me...the TV...Cade's nebulizer (which is super loud). The pressure and pain is miserable...add to that the fact that I can't hear and I am going crazy. Jim had to call the doctor for me (the volume on the phone doesn't go up loud enough so I can hear) and got me in again. My doctor also tried to WaterPik to flush out my ears...but no success again. He said I probably need to go to an ENT. Meanwhile, I am supposed to work tomorrow...and I CAN'T HEAR!

So, I miraculously was able to get into an ENT tomorrow. I am hoping that this doctor will be able to help me. Because I am seriously going to have a breakdown if this doesn't get resolved soon!

Again, I am sorry Miss Angelia for bailing on work and leaving you with "Dependable" pharmacists...hopefully they live up to their name!

Happy Birthday, Cade!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Cade!

We had a great day! It got off with a rough start since at 2:30am Cade was standing in his crib--eyes wide open--yelling, "MAMA! MAMA!" The more I ignored him, the louder he got.



(WHY oh WHY do the never call for Daddy in the middle of the night??)



So, I went in and he demanded "Finding Nemo". So, I put the little portable DVD player in his room with Nemo on and let him fall back asleep watching Nemo. I will probably warp him forever by allowing him to watch a movie in the middle of the night, but alas. At 2:30 in the morning, it is hard to care.



So, Cade was a wee bit of a grump this morning when he got up. I kept telling him it was his birthday...he had to be happy. Didn't really make a difference. Until after breakfast. Then he was great for the rest of the day.

Before his birthday party, we gave Cade his bike. His big present from Mom and Dad. He was not interested AT ALL! He wanted the balloons attached to the bike and that was it. Oh well...





His party was this afternoon. He got waaayyy to many presents, but he loved them all. It was to the point where he didn't want to open more as he wanted to play with the ones he already opened. We finally made it through the stack of gifts and he took off to play with some of the new toys that had been unpacked and battery powered.




We had some dinner...




Then of course, CAKE! If you look very closely at the picture, you will see the string of SPIT coming out of Cade's mouth as he blows out the candle. Don't worry...no one ate Elmo's nose which is where the string of saliva landed. At least, I think that is where it went...



Cade enjoying cake with his Nana.

A Strange Little Monkey

Cade has finished his course of oral steroids.

Thank God that is done because I don't know how much longer we all could handle "MEAN CADE". He was mean. I know it was the medications he was on for his breathing, but wow. Doesn't make it easier to deal with. So luckily that part of his treatment is done. We still, however, have to do breathing treatments for at least another week to get his lungs all cleared up. Cade still HATES doing breathing treatments. Especially two in a row.

When I went to pick Cade up from my parents house after work, he was at the end of his rope. He was tired. He was angry about the breathing treatments. His poor little bum is all red and irritated again. So, when Mom went to go pack his clothes (he was in his PJs already) for me to take home, he started crying for his shirt. He likes his flowery Hawaiian shirt. We had to put it on him over his pajama shirt. And he had to have it buttoned. And he wouldn't let me take it off him when we got home. So, he is sleeping with two shirts on. I guess you have to pick your battles--and that is not one I was willing to fight him on. He might be a little warm, but he will survive. Just hope he will take it off in the morning!

Cade's Two Year Old Pictures

I love these pictures. He looks so "big" to me. It was rough going at first, but Cade ended up doing really well for the photo shoot. Yes, friends and family, I have copies of pictures for you...expect them in the next 6 months!

To See Who Reads My Blog

My Eggo is Preggo.

What?

YES!

I am pregnant. We are having another baby. Crazy? Yes. Excited? Totally.

I had my first doctor's appointment on Friday. The baby measured 8 weeks and looked good. Due in March. That is the good news.

The bad news is that Cade is sick. Again. More oral steroids and albuterol for his breathing treatments. That means twice a day we are doing TWO breathing treatments in a row since he is also on inhaled steroids. He loved that this evening! Yeah, not really. But we got through most of it the best we could. Hopefully this will pass quickly. He is sleeping quietly right now (quick! Knock on wood!) whearas last night he coughed almost continuously all night long. Poor baby.