We had planned to start potty training Brady as soon as we got back from Hawaii. That came and went and we decided we weren't really in that much of a hurry. Plus he was still in the toddler room at daycare, so there would be no potting training help going on during the days. We would randomly ask him if he wanted to go potty on the potty and the answer was usually no. We had tried sitting him on there just to get used to it, but nothing happened.
On Monday he started in the "2s" room. Their philosophy is every time we change their diaper we will ask if they want to sit on the potty. We thought great, now we have some support during the day, he'll see other kids doing it, etc. Guess what!? He went potty on the potty Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings.
Today was a whole other story. He had a bad night sleeping, he woke up earlier than normal, and wanted nothing to do with going potty. I'm hoping it was just because of the bad night/morning. I was really getting my hopes up that this whole process might be easier than anticipated. We were going in to it thinking it was going to be a rough go since he wasn't showing a ton of interest. Fingers crossed tomorrow is better!
Any tips/suggestions for potty training would be much appreciated! There's so many different theories on potty training out there. It's impossible to know which one, if any, will work for your child. God knows, none of the sleep training tricks have worked! At this point, I think we're going to take it slow and not push it. If he's not ready, forcing him to try to do it is only going to lead to frustration for everyone.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Monday, June 9, 2014
Two
Brady turned 2 yesterday. That also means that it's been 3 years since we've lost Claire. I can't believe it. Seriously, where did the time go.
We had a great day yesterday full of family, pizza, cake, and playing with water outside. I got a little emotional yesterday after everything was all over. Brady is my world. He means everything to me. I know I blogged about my pregnancy with Claire, but I'm not sure I was able to fully put in to words how I was feeling and what I was going through at that time. Yes, I got pregnant pretty easily with Claire and Brady, and I feel so blessed for that, but we went through so much to have a take-home baby. To have him here and healthy and turning 2...it's just so much to take in. He's so stinking smart and despite the tantrums every once in a while, he makes everyday worth getting out of bed. I'd have 10 more kids if they were all like him. Minus the sleeping issues!
Right now he loves music, playing in water, trucks, the minions from Despicable Me, and the Lion King. He has a couple best friends at daycare, Tommy and Eva, who he talks about all the time. He's awesome at puzzles and will talk your ear off. His favorite phrases right now are, "What's _______ doing?" and "What's that noise?" He still isn't sleeping through the night every night, but it's slowly getting better since he's had tubes put in. (At least I'm telling myself that.)
We had a great day yesterday full of family, pizza, cake, and playing with water outside. I got a little emotional yesterday after everything was all over. Brady is my world. He means everything to me. I know I blogged about my pregnancy with Claire, but I'm not sure I was able to fully put in to words how I was feeling and what I was going through at that time. Yes, I got pregnant pretty easily with Claire and Brady, and I feel so blessed for that, but we went through so much to have a take-home baby. To have him here and healthy and turning 2...it's just so much to take in. He's so stinking smart and despite the tantrums every once in a while, he makes everyday worth getting out of bed. I'd have 10 more kids if they were all like him. Minus the sleeping issues!
Right now he loves music, playing in water, trucks, the minions from Despicable Me, and the Lion King. He has a couple best friends at daycare, Tommy and Eva, who he talks about all the time. He's awesome at puzzles and will talk your ear off. His favorite phrases right now are, "What's _______ doing?" and "What's that noise?" He still isn't sleeping through the night every night, but it's slowly getting better since he's had tubes put in. (At least I'm telling myself that.)
Here are some pictures from our day yesterday -
He loved his #2 cake.
He was pooped after everyone left, so we let him take a cat nap on the couch!
Claire got a lot of love yesterday too!
Thursday, May 29, 2014
He Knows
I have probably said this about every stage, but I am loving this stage for Brady right now. We're able to have simple conversations with him. Sometimes I just can't handle the sweetness. Completely randomly last night Brady said, "Go see Claire Bear." I died. I love that he knows her, and points her out in pictures, and likes going to visit her. She will always be a part of our family. We will talk about her and visit her frequently. All of our children will know about their big sister, Claire.
She was probably fresh on his mind because we went to see her on Memorial Day. Here is a picture of Brady saying hi to her. I still get emotional going to the cemetery. And even more so now that Brady says bye to her and blows her kisses. This might sound cheesy to some people, but I truly believe that he and Claire have a special connection (more so than just sharing a birthday), that he knows more about her than we think. She was the angel that gave him to us.
On another note, Brad and I had a wonderful time in Hawaii. It was totally worth the plane ride. It really wasn't even that bad. Brady was so spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa that he didn't even care that we were gone! I'll try to post more about our trip later. The weather is finally nice and we plan to spend as much time outside as possible.
I'll leave you with a selfie. We're getting family pictures taken this weekend so I hope he'll smile for those like he does when we're playing around at home.
She was probably fresh on his mind because we went to see her on Memorial Day. Here is a picture of Brady saying hi to her. I still get emotional going to the cemetery. And even more so now that Brady says bye to her and blows her kisses. This might sound cheesy to some people, but I truly believe that he and Claire have a special connection (more so than just sharing a birthday), that he knows more about her than we think. She was the angel that gave him to us.
On another note, Brad and I had a wonderful time in Hawaii. It was totally worth the plane ride. It really wasn't even that bad. Brady was so spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa that he didn't even care that we were gone! I'll try to post more about our trip later. The weather is finally nice and we plan to spend as much time outside as possible.
I'll leave you with a selfie. We're getting family pictures taken this weekend so I hope he'll smile for those like he does when we're playing around at home.
Friday, April 25, 2014
5 on Friday
I haven't done one of these in a while!
1. Brady got the all clear from the ENT on Wednesday! Everything is healing and looking as it should with the tubes. He doesn't have to wear ear plugs in the bath tub anymore. Yay! They're kind of a pain to keep in an almost 2 year old's ears. He's had a cold the past week or so and his ears still look great. This is such a huge relief for us, and for him too I'm sure.
2. We leave for Hawaii in 2 weeks. Holy crap. I'm excited about it, much more so than I was when I wrote a post about it a while back. I am still really anxious about leaving Brady for that long, and for the plane ride. We can SKYPE or FaceTime with Brady as much as we want and I will just have to suck it up with the flying. You bet I will be stocking up on some Dramamine.
3. I have a confession. I broke my February and March shopping ban....badly. Although this is no excuse, we finally got some good shopping around here. A new strip mall with a DSW, Banana Republic Outlet, Gap Outlet, and Charming Charlie's opened up in March. I couldn't resist. I love to shop, even with Brady in tow (at least most of the time). Our best local options for clothes prior to this were Kohls and Target, so yeah, this was really exciting for me. I've gone a little crazy. I tell Brad that it's for our trip. He kind of believes me. After going in to Charming Charlie's for the first time, I was almost overwhelmed with the amount of jewelry to pick from. It's a great store. They also have really cute, affordable boutique-like clothes. I was never big on accessories, but I've really been in to statement necklaces lately. I just bought a bunch from Forever 21, so I'll share those with you and do a review when I get them. They really do add a lot to an outfit.
4. I think I've also gone a little crazy with the clothes and accessories lately, because I know we will be trying to have another baby soon and my shopping days will be over until after the baby is born. I have enough maternity clothes from my 2 previous pregnancies that I do not need to buy more. The only thing I could think that I may need are some skinny jeans/pants. It is starting to get real that I may be pregnant again some time in the next few months. Yikes! Am I ready? Yes and no. I think Brady is ready for a sibling. He will be a great big brother. I'm also feeling better about things now that he has tubes and is sleeping better. I'm not as worried about being pregnant, sick, and up in the middle of the night every night with him anymore.
5. You know what I can't stand? The people at work who you say hi to and get no response. I just don't get it. How hard is it to say hi to someone? Or at the very least give a little smile. I work with some really wonderful people, but as in every office there's always those few people that are just plain not friendly. What can you do, I guess. I'll still say hi to them. Maybe one day they'll change their mind!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
1. Brady got the all clear from the ENT on Wednesday! Everything is healing and looking as it should with the tubes. He doesn't have to wear ear plugs in the bath tub anymore. Yay! They're kind of a pain to keep in an almost 2 year old's ears. He's had a cold the past week or so and his ears still look great. This is such a huge relief for us, and for him too I'm sure.
2. We leave for Hawaii in 2 weeks. Holy crap. I'm excited about it, much more so than I was when I wrote a post about it a while back. I am still really anxious about leaving Brady for that long, and for the plane ride. We can SKYPE or FaceTime with Brady as much as we want and I will just have to suck it up with the flying. You bet I will be stocking up on some Dramamine.
3. I have a confession. I broke my February and March shopping ban....badly. Although this is no excuse, we finally got some good shopping around here. A new strip mall with a DSW, Banana Republic Outlet, Gap Outlet, and Charming Charlie's opened up in March. I couldn't resist. I love to shop, even with Brady in tow (at least most of the time). Our best local options for clothes prior to this were Kohls and Target, so yeah, this was really exciting for me. I've gone a little crazy. I tell Brad that it's for our trip. He kind of believes me. After going in to Charming Charlie's for the first time, I was almost overwhelmed with the amount of jewelry to pick from. It's a great store. They also have really cute, affordable boutique-like clothes. I was never big on accessories, but I've really been in to statement necklaces lately. I just bought a bunch from Forever 21, so I'll share those with you and do a review when I get them. They really do add a lot to an outfit.
4. I think I've also gone a little crazy with the clothes and accessories lately, because I know we will be trying to have another baby soon and my shopping days will be over until after the baby is born. I have enough maternity clothes from my 2 previous pregnancies that I do not need to buy more. The only thing I could think that I may need are some skinny jeans/pants. It is starting to get real that I may be pregnant again some time in the next few months. Yikes! Am I ready? Yes and no. I think Brady is ready for a sibling. He will be a great big brother. I'm also feeling better about things now that he has tubes and is sleeping better. I'm not as worried about being pregnant, sick, and up in the middle of the night every night with him anymore.
5. You know what I can't stand? The people at work who you say hi to and get no response. I just don't get it. How hard is it to say hi to someone? Or at the very least give a little smile. I work with some really wonderful people, but as in every office there's always those few people that are just plain not friendly. What can you do, I guess. I'll still say hi to them. Maybe one day they'll change their mind!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Monday, April 21, 2014
Happy Easter
I hope everyone had a Happy Easter! Yesterday was beautiful around here. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. The Easter bunny brought Brady some sidewalk chalk, so that's what we were doing all morning until we had to drag him inside for lunch. I knew he would like the chalk, but holy cow he LOVED the chalk. After his nap, we went over to the in-laws for dinner and an Easter egg hunt. We had a wonderful and very busy day.
I find myself loving the holidays so much more now that we have a kid. The build up and planning to get them excited about it makes me excited also. But you know what I hate about the holidays (at least more so on the holidays). The fact that our baby girl is not here with us to celebrate and that we have to go to a cemetery to be with her. Of course we went yesterday and took her some fun spring decorations. Brady was very excited to go see Claire Bear, and always says bye to her when we leave. It melts my heart and breaks it all at the same time.
Since I haven't blogged in a while I thought I would also update on the craziness that has been our life lately. After waiting about 6 weeks to get in to the ENT, Brady finally had his appointment. Brady borderline failed the hearing test on his left ear, and had fluid in there still from a previous ear infection. After telling the ENT how many ear infections he's had in the last 6 months, coupled with his genes from Brad, there was no convincing him to put tubes in Brady's ears. Brad had surgery 2 days later and we have seen a noticeable different already. He's slept through the night 4 of the last 7 nights. This is unheard of for him. We go for our 2-week follow-up on Wednesday. Fingers crossed everything looks clear.
For a while, I was very against him getting tubes. I'm all about the natural remedies, chiropractic care, etc., but his sleeping was horrible which I was scared would affect him developmentally, it pained me knowing how much pain he was in during the depths of a double ear infection, and I was tired of him being on antibiotics ALL.THE.TIME. He was already immune to Amoxicillin.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, sometimes things are medically necessary. This was genetic for Brady. Brad had the exact same issues when he was younger and had tubes. It was inevitable. I honestly feel bad that we didn't do it sooner. This will be such a wonderful change for Brady. We're looking forward to a healthy, fun summer!
I had to share these pictures. You know you watch too much Doc McStuffins when your kid comes up to you, lifts your shirt up, and says, "Time for your check-up." Brady is very in to checking our moles right now and Brad has way more than I do, so he's usually the patient.
I find myself loving the holidays so much more now that we have a kid. The build up and planning to get them excited about it makes me excited also. But you know what I hate about the holidays (at least more so on the holidays). The fact that our baby girl is not here with us to celebrate and that we have to go to a cemetery to be with her. Of course we went yesterday and took her some fun spring decorations. Brady was very excited to go see Claire Bear, and always says bye to her when we leave. It melts my heart and breaks it all at the same time.
Since I haven't blogged in a while I thought I would also update on the craziness that has been our life lately. After waiting about 6 weeks to get in to the ENT, Brady finally had his appointment. Brady borderline failed the hearing test on his left ear, and had fluid in there still from a previous ear infection. After telling the ENT how many ear infections he's had in the last 6 months, coupled with his genes from Brad, there was no convincing him to put tubes in Brady's ears. Brad had surgery 2 days later and we have seen a noticeable different already. He's slept through the night 4 of the last 7 nights. This is unheard of for him. We go for our 2-week follow-up on Wednesday. Fingers crossed everything looks clear.
For a while, I was very against him getting tubes. I'm all about the natural remedies, chiropractic care, etc., but his sleeping was horrible which I was scared would affect him developmentally, it pained me knowing how much pain he was in during the depths of a double ear infection, and I was tired of him being on antibiotics ALL.THE.TIME. He was already immune to Amoxicillin.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, sometimes things are medically necessary. This was genetic for Brady. Brad had the exact same issues when he was younger and had tubes. It was inevitable. I honestly feel bad that we didn't do it sooner. This will be such a wonderful change for Brady. We're looking forward to a healthy, fun summer!
I had to share these pictures. You know you watch too much Doc McStuffins when your kid comes up to you, lifts your shirt up, and says, "Time for your check-up." Brady is very in to checking our moles right now and Brad has way more than I do, so he's usually the patient.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Grab some kleenex...
You guys I just had to share this video. It's a tear jerker. I see and hear some sad things from working at a non-profit that focuses on people with mental illness. Sadly, this girl's situation is not uncommon. It makes me strongly think about adoption as a possibility. Every child deserves to be loved.
Sorry you have to click on the link. I couldn't get the video to post directly on blogger. I'm sure there's a way, I just couldn't figure it out. Please watch it.
http://www.faithit.com/?s=Removed
Sorry you have to click on the link. I couldn't get the video to post directly on blogger. I'm sure there's a way, I just couldn't figure it out. Please watch it.
http://www.faithit.com/?s=Removed
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Overwhelmed
I apologize for the lack of posts lately. That is not my intention. I would love to do a post a day, but that's just not going to happen. Honestly, I've been a little overwhelmed lately. I'm struggling with juggling work and family. I thought work was starting to slow down a little bit, but turns out it's not. I've hardly even taken a lunch break the last week and a half. I don't see any signs of things slowing down any time in the near future either. Until they do, I will probably be slacking in the blogging department.
Home has been crazy lately too. March madness has taken over, especially since the Cyclones are still in it. I'm currently winning my work bracket. Woot Woot! I have had a few doctor appointments of my own, and Brady has ANOTHER ear infection. Unbelievable. We have an appointment with the ENT on April 8th. We will be pushing for tubes. Something has to be done. Brady cannot live his life with ear pain everyday. It's unhealthy.
I had a 2 hour glucose tolerance test on Friday and an appointment yesterday to review the results. After they blew my veins - I am still bruised from the blood draws - I passed the test! No high numbers! That was such a huge relief. I will continue to watch what I eat, but I believe I have narrowed down the foods that give me high blood sugar and will avoid them from here on out. I don't have to see my endocrinologist for 3 years, unless I fail the pregnancy glucose tolerance test. I'll have to find something other than Cheerios and crackers to help with the horrible nausea next time around.
GO CYCLONES!
Home has been crazy lately too. March madness has taken over, especially since the Cyclones are still in it. I'm currently winning my work bracket. Woot Woot! I have had a few doctor appointments of my own, and Brady has ANOTHER ear infection. Unbelievable. We have an appointment with the ENT on April 8th. We will be pushing for tubes. Something has to be done. Brady cannot live his life with ear pain everyday. It's unhealthy.
I had a 2 hour glucose tolerance test on Friday and an appointment yesterday to review the results. After they blew my veins - I am still bruised from the blood draws - I passed the test! No high numbers! That was such a huge relief. I will continue to watch what I eat, but I believe I have narrowed down the foods that give me high blood sugar and will avoid them from here on out. I don't have to see my endocrinologist for 3 years, unless I fail the pregnancy glucose tolerance test. I'll have to find something other than Cheerios and crackers to help with the horrible nausea next time around.
GO CYCLONES!
Friday, March 14, 2014
Friday Funny
Brady wanted to try my robe on this morning. We then preceded to go show daddy. It was pretty hilarious. And yes, he is also carrying some of my makeup!
Wanna hear something not funny? Brady has hand, foot, and mouth disease. Seriously, if it's not an ear infection it's something else. The poor kid can't catch a break. HFM is going around at daycare. There's no antibiotic for it, so we just have to let it runs it's course.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!! The weather is finally getting warmer here.
Wanna hear something not funny? Brady has hand, foot, and mouth disease. Seriously, if it's not an ear infection it's something else. The poor kid can't catch a break. HFM is going around at daycare. There's no antibiotic for it, so we just have to let it runs it's course.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!! The weather is finally getting warmer here.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Confession
I have a confession to make. I ate lunch at Hooter's today...by myself...just so I could watch the 2nd half of the Iowa State game. It's the closest place to work that I knew would have the game on. I was definitely the only girl there eating by herself. Thank God they won!
That's all! Have a good day!
That's all! Have a good day!
Monday, March 10, 2014
Another First
Brady had his first haircut on Saturday. As you can imagine after 21 months, his hair was pretty long. I am a huge fan of long hair on little boys. (Go ahead, call me a hippy.) But we were verging on a mullet guys. I decided it was time. I really just wanted him to get a trim, but as you'll see it ended up being quite a bit more than just a trim.
Brady did really well. He wouldn't sit by himself in the chair even with daddy getting a haircut next to him, so he ended up on my lap. I think that calmed him down because he sat perfectly still the rest of the time. The guy even used an electric shaver towards the end and he was fine.
My mother-in-law couldn't believe it, but I didn't save any of his hair. I know it's probably a mommy fail, but seriously what would I have done with it. Of course we have some of Claire's hair. She had a ton of beautiful dark hair. We wanted every bit of her that we could to take home with us since she didn't get to come home with us. I just didn't feel the need to keep some of Brady's hair I guess.
Here's a picture of his new haircut and blue mouth and face from the sucker he got for being so good. I think he looks even more like a little boy now. He wasn't too thrilled about taking pictures.
Brady did really well. He wouldn't sit by himself in the chair even with daddy getting a haircut next to him, so he ended up on my lap. I think that calmed him down because he sat perfectly still the rest of the time. The guy even used an electric shaver towards the end and he was fine.
My mother-in-law couldn't believe it, but I didn't save any of his hair. I know it's probably a mommy fail, but seriously what would I have done with it. Of course we have some of Claire's hair. She had a ton of beautiful dark hair. We wanted every bit of her that we could to take home with us since she didn't get to come home with us. I just didn't feel the need to keep some of Brady's hair I guess.
Here's a picture of his new haircut and blue mouth and face from the sucker he got for being so good. I think he looks even more like a little boy now. He wasn't too thrilled about taking pictures.
Friday, March 7, 2014
5 on Friday
I missed a 5 on Friday or Friday funny last week. I worked late and then we were in the midst of packing for our waterpark trip, but I'm back this week! It's nothing too exciting, just some things that have been going on with us the last couple weeks.
1. We've been working on counting with Brady lately. I by no means expect him to be able to count yet, but he seems to catch on to things pretty quickly so we thought we might as well give it a try. I know they also work with them on numbers, colors, etc. at daycare. Well, he counted to 5 last night! I got him started with 1 and he went from there. Slowly, but he still did it! I'm not sure it's a consistent thing. If I asked him today, he may not do it, but we know he can if he wants to.
2. I am addicted to Diet Pepsi. Like you don't want to be around me if I don't have my one a day. I know the aspartame probably isn't the best thing for me, but I can't drink regular pop and don't drink coffee, so this momma needs her caffeine somehow! I will not drink it during my first trimester of pregnancy so I've got to get my fix in now.
3. I confirmed the reason why I got back in to working for a non-profit yesterday. I was at a career fair at a local college. A gentleman stopped by who formerly served in the army, and is now suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He made the comment about looking for something where he could help others who have been in a similar situation as him. When he was at his worst, the only people he wanted to talk to were those who have been through the same thing and really know what it's like, so now he wants to be that person for others. I was so happy he stopped by. I do have the perfect job for him, and I hope it works out.
People say I'm too empathetic, and maybe that's true, but he was all I could think about last night. I have not been through what he has, but I knew 100% what he meant about only wanting to talk to those who have been there. After we lost Claire, I felt like the only people who could really understand how I was feeling were those who have also been through a still birth. Talking to him made the 3 hour, non-busy career fair worth it.
4. This one could have been a Friday funny. I almost wish Brad had taken a picture of how ridiculous I probably looked. I fell asleep on the chair last night with the lap top in my lap, email open, hands on the keyboard. I'm drained, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
5. Parenting is hard work. I call BS on anyone who says that their marriage is so much better after having kids. Marriage is hard work in itself, add in kids, especially one entering the "terrible twos", and things can get pretty stressful. I'm not going to go in to details because that's ours to deal with, but we have gone through a bit of a rough patch. I think we both have our frustrations. Communication is key and we need to work on that. Lack of sleep doesn't help either. We'll get through it, we always do, we love each other, and we love Brady to no end.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!
1. We've been working on counting with Brady lately. I by no means expect him to be able to count yet, but he seems to catch on to things pretty quickly so we thought we might as well give it a try. I know they also work with them on numbers, colors, etc. at daycare. Well, he counted to 5 last night! I got him started with 1 and he went from there. Slowly, but he still did it! I'm not sure it's a consistent thing. If I asked him today, he may not do it, but we know he can if he wants to.
2. I am addicted to Diet Pepsi. Like you don't want to be around me if I don't have my one a day. I know the aspartame probably isn't the best thing for me, but I can't drink regular pop and don't drink coffee, so this momma needs her caffeine somehow! I will not drink it during my first trimester of pregnancy so I've got to get my fix in now.
3. I confirmed the reason why I got back in to working for a non-profit yesterday. I was at a career fair at a local college. A gentleman stopped by who formerly served in the army, and is now suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He made the comment about looking for something where he could help others who have been in a similar situation as him. When he was at his worst, the only people he wanted to talk to were those who have been through the same thing and really know what it's like, so now he wants to be that person for others. I was so happy he stopped by. I do have the perfect job for him, and I hope it works out.
People say I'm too empathetic, and maybe that's true, but he was all I could think about last night. I have not been through what he has, but I knew 100% what he meant about only wanting to talk to those who have been there. After we lost Claire, I felt like the only people who could really understand how I was feeling were those who have also been through a still birth. Talking to him made the 3 hour, non-busy career fair worth it.
4. This one could have been a Friday funny. I almost wish Brad had taken a picture of how ridiculous I probably looked. I fell asleep on the chair last night with the lap top in my lap, email open, hands on the keyboard. I'm drained, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
5. Parenting is hard work. I call BS on anyone who says that their marriage is so much better after having kids. Marriage is hard work in itself, add in kids, especially one entering the "terrible twos", and things can get pretty stressful. I'm not going to go in to details because that's ours to deal with, but we have gone through a bit of a rough patch. I think we both have our frustrations. Communication is key and we need to work on that. Lack of sleep doesn't help either. We'll get through it, we always do, we love each other, and we love Brady to no end.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
A Chance to Breath
It's been a week since my last blog post...oops. I had no intention of that happening, but this is literally the first chance I've had. My boss was on vacation for a week and a half leaving me to cover her job on top of hiring approximately 15 new people. My life has been chaos. This is the first day in over a week I've been able to sit down and have lunch at noon and, fingers crossed, be able to relax and enjoy my lunch break without any interruptions.
Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather be busy at work, but I also love my lunch breaks. I think everyone needs a break sometime during the day to stop thinking about all things work-related.
Being a full-time working mom is hard stuff. The last week has been rough. My brain is mush. I told Brad last week that I feel like I've used up 150% of my brain. I know that sounds stupid, but I don't know how else to describe it.
We had a little getaway over the weekend and took Brady to a water park with his cousins. It was such a nice break in the insanity and Brady had so much fun. We were a little hesitant about going, because we went last year and the water was cold, we had to stay in the baby pool because Brady was just too little still, etc., but it was much better this time. He was able to go down the slides, wanted to play in the main pool area, it was just all around a much better experience. It was a much needed fun weekend for all three of us.
My boss is back to work now, most of the 15 people are hired, and I see things gradually slowing down a little bit. Hopefully I'll be back to doing at least a couple posts a week. Honestly, it helps me to write about what's going on, but I have a whole post in the works about that topic.
Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather be busy at work, but I also love my lunch breaks. I think everyone needs a break sometime during the day to stop thinking about all things work-related.
Being a full-time working mom is hard stuff. The last week has been rough. My brain is mush. I told Brad last week that I feel like I've used up 150% of my brain. I know that sounds stupid, but I don't know how else to describe it.
We had a little getaway over the weekend and took Brady to a water park with his cousins. It was such a nice break in the insanity and Brady had so much fun. We were a little hesitant about going, because we went last year and the water was cold, we had to stay in the baby pool because Brady was just too little still, etc., but it was much better this time. He was able to go down the slides, wanted to play in the main pool area, it was just all around a much better experience. It was a much needed fun weekend for all three of us.
My boss is back to work now, most of the 15 people are hired, and I see things gradually slowing down a little bit. Hopefully I'll be back to doing at least a couple posts a week. Honestly, it helps me to write about what's going on, but I have a whole post in the works about that topic.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Finally a Parenting Win
Brady had a bit of a rough week last week. Daycare was closed Monday so Grandma watched him. I love that we have that option, and Brady loves spending time with Grandma, but boy does he get spoiled. It's crazy how one day makes such a difference. When I dropped him off at daycare on Tuesday he bawled. He hasn't done that in forever. I just figured it was a bad day, no big deal. I go to pick him up and there's a sheet for me to sign saying that he had bit someone for trying to take a toy from him. Seriously?! He has bit me before out of frustration, but has never even attempted it with anyone else.
I prayed the next day would be better, but we had a repeat performance. This time I cried dropping him off. It's heartbreaking to have to leave when he's bawling, reaching for you, and calling your name. I of course started questioning whether daycare was the best thing for him, and decided I needed to quit my job. Brad quickly talked me down after I had a good cry.
When I got there to pick him up that night, he had bit someone again. Two days in a row. I was beside myself, felt like I was failing at being a parent, what was I doing wrong, etc. I was later reassured that he's not the only one whose ever bit another kid. It was probably just a phase. We talked a lot with Brady that night about using his words instead of his mouth, and that he should say, "no, no friend" if someone tries to take something from him. I know he understood what we were telling him because he's since told me "no,no mommy" a couple of times. He hasn't bit anyone since, so fingers crossed the biting phase is over.
This week has been much better. We had a huge parenting win at our house tonight. (I am in no way trying to tell anyone how to parent. It is 100% your choice.) We've struggled at times with how to discipline. We will never spank our children. I'd be telling a bold-faced lie if I said I've never yelled, but I don't believe that is the answer either.
Lately when Brady throws a fit for not getting his way, or when he does something naughty, we have him go sit on the stairs by himself for a little bit to calm down and think about what he did. We usually have to stand there and watch him so he doesn't get right back up, but tonight after spilling a puree pouch on the carpet and himself, he got upset about it, and in the midst of us cleaning it up, he had gone over to the stairs and sat down all by himself. He waited for us to come over to him, we talked about what happened, and told him he could get up. It's such a relief to know that this option is working for us and that he understands. I actually had to laugh about it. It was pretty cute.
I prayed the next day would be better, but we had a repeat performance. This time I cried dropping him off. It's heartbreaking to have to leave when he's bawling, reaching for you, and calling your name. I of course started questioning whether daycare was the best thing for him, and decided I needed to quit my job. Brad quickly talked me down after I had a good cry.
When I got there to pick him up that night, he had bit someone again. Two days in a row. I was beside myself, felt like I was failing at being a parent, what was I doing wrong, etc. I was later reassured that he's not the only one whose ever bit another kid. It was probably just a phase. We talked a lot with Brady that night about using his words instead of his mouth, and that he should say, "no, no friend" if someone tries to take something from him. I know he understood what we were telling him because he's since told me "no,no mommy" a couple of times. He hasn't bit anyone since, so fingers crossed the biting phase is over.
This week has been much better. We had a huge parenting win at our house tonight. (I am in no way trying to tell anyone how to parent. It is 100% your choice.) We've struggled at times with how to discipline. We will never spank our children. I'd be telling a bold-faced lie if I said I've never yelled, but I don't believe that is the answer either.
Lately when Brady throws a fit for not getting his way, or when he does something naughty, we have him go sit on the stairs by himself for a little bit to calm down and think about what he did. We usually have to stand there and watch him so he doesn't get right back up, but tonight after spilling a puree pouch on the carpet and himself, he got upset about it, and in the midst of us cleaning it up, he had gone over to the stairs and sat down all by himself. He waited for us to come over to him, we talked about what happened, and told him he could get up. It's such a relief to know that this option is working for us and that he understands. I actually had to laugh about it. It was pretty cute.
I also wanted to share what I wore today. I tried a new combo that I liked a lot.
Blazer: Stitch Fix , Top: Kohls, Pants: Express, Necklace: Kohls
Someone wanted to be a part of the picture!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
New Bedroom Furniture
This is going to be short. I am crazy busy at work right now. We are in the midst of hiring approximately 20 new people. Yours truly is in charge of screening resumes, scheduling interviews, background and reference checks, offer letters, among other things. I'm lucky to even have a break right now to type this.
We had an exciting weekend. Our new bedroom furniture was delivered on Saturday! Hello king-sized bed. I love it, and am so happy that the comforter we picked out matches perfectly. I don't have a picture of the dresser, but it matches the nightstands. Since I have OCD, we will be spreading out the décor on the wall above the bed, even though Brad doesn't want to. We also apparently need king-sized pillows which I didn't even realize existed.
We had an exciting weekend. Our new bedroom furniture was delivered on Saturday! Hello king-sized bed. I love it, and am so happy that the comforter we picked out matches perfectly. I don't have a picture of the dresser, but it matches the nightstands. Since I have OCD, we will be spreading out the décor on the wall above the bed, even though Brad doesn't want to. We also apparently need king-sized pillows which I didn't even realize existed.
And just for fun here is a picture of Brady from Sunday. He loves wearing Brad's hats!
Friday, February 21, 2014
Friday Funny
Brady loves this song. He calls it "The Monkey Song". We listened to it about 4 times last night, and then a half hour later while taking a bath he asked to listen to it again. He tries to do their head movements and sing along. It's hilarious. I think it's safe to say we have a Bruno Mars fan on our hands, and I'm 100% OK with that!
Since it's Friday, my boss is on vacation, and I don't feel like doing anything, here's The Monkey Song, also known as The Lazy Song.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Scared to Try Again
I'm going to really put myself out there with this post. No holds barred.
Brad and I decided, before I was even pregnant with Claire, that we would like our first 2 kids to be about 3 years apart. My brother and I are 4 years apart, and I thought that was too much. Of course, after we lost Claire, we threw that idea out the window. We knew we would try again right away. I needed to be pregnant again right away. After having Brady, I really needed to give my body a chance to get back to "normal". We were back to our original plan of waiting a couple years to start trying for a 3rd.
So here we are...quickly approaching Brady's second birthday. Brad and I have talked. We're still both on board with our plan. We're going to Hawaii in May, and I definitely don't want to be pregnant for that, so we'll probably start trying after we get back. That's in 3 months (insert "oh shit" face here).
To be 100% honest, I'm excited and terrified all at the same time. I really want another baby, and actually would love 2 more kids, but I am having some anxiety this time around. After Claire, there was no time to really think about things. We just tried right away, because that's what we needed to do. This time around I've had 2 years to think about being pregnant again. I have so much running through my head. How will Brady take it? Will I be so sick/tired in the first trimester that I won't be able to give him all of the attention he deserves? What if we have another girl? What if I carry a gene and have another baby with a heart defect? There's no way I could go through that again. What if I have GD (gestational diabetes) again and that causes a problem with the baby?
I know I absolutely want more babies, but I'm just so worried about being pregnant. I know it's normal after what we've been through. And I know I will be so stinking excited the day I see those 2 pink lines again. I have 2 great midwives that will talk me through every single worry I have. I have to keep telling myself we will have another healthy baby, maybe even 2 more healthy babies. Our angel is always watching over us.
Brad and I decided, before I was even pregnant with Claire, that we would like our first 2 kids to be about 3 years apart. My brother and I are 4 years apart, and I thought that was too much. Of course, after we lost Claire, we threw that idea out the window. We knew we would try again right away. I needed to be pregnant again right away. After having Brady, I really needed to give my body a chance to get back to "normal". We were back to our original plan of waiting a couple years to start trying for a 3rd.
So here we are...quickly approaching Brady's second birthday. Brad and I have talked. We're still both on board with our plan. We're going to Hawaii in May, and I definitely don't want to be pregnant for that, so we'll probably start trying after we get back. That's in 3 months (insert "oh shit" face here).
To be 100% honest, I'm excited and terrified all at the same time. I really want another baby, and actually would love 2 more kids, but I am having some anxiety this time around. After Claire, there was no time to really think about things. We just tried right away, because that's what we needed to do. This time around I've had 2 years to think about being pregnant again. I have so much running through my head. How will Brady take it? Will I be so sick/tired in the first trimester that I won't be able to give him all of the attention he deserves? What if we have another girl? What if I carry a gene and have another baby with a heart defect? There's no way I could go through that again. What if I have GD (gestational diabetes) again and that causes a problem with the baby?
I know I absolutely want more babies, but I'm just so worried about being pregnant. I know it's normal after what we've been through. And I know I will be so stinking excited the day I see those 2 pink lines again. I have 2 great midwives that will talk me through every single worry I have. I have to keep telling myself we will have another healthy baby, maybe even 2 more healthy babies. Our angel is always watching over us.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Friday Funny
I was thinking last night about what I was going to put in my 5 on Friday, but then something really funny happened this morning, so I decided to do a Friday Funny instead.
It's snowing...again...that could be the Friday Funny by itself, but don't worry there's more. Just like the American figure skater last night, I fell on my ass/left hip this morning in the daycare parking lot. I wish I had a video or picture to show you, because that would be even funnier. Good thing I have a little padding, and thank God I wasn't carrying Brady at the time, because holy shoot I fell hard.
But with the figure skater as my inspiration, I sat there for a minute, composed myself, got up gingerly, brushed myself off, and carried on with my morning. Of course I didn't have thousands of people cheering me on, but that's probably for the better. Spring, please feel free to come any time now. This winter shit is getting old!
This is pretty much what I looked like this morning -
It's snowing...again...that could be the Friday Funny by itself, but don't worry there's more. Just like the American figure skater last night, I fell on my ass/left hip this morning in the daycare parking lot. I wish I had a video or picture to show you, because that would be even funnier. Good thing I have a little padding, and thank God I wasn't carrying Brady at the time, because holy shoot I fell hard.
But with the figure skater as my inspiration, I sat there for a minute, composed myself, got up gingerly, brushed myself off, and carried on with my morning. Of course I didn't have thousands of people cheering me on, but that's probably for the better. Spring, please feel free to come any time now. This winter shit is getting old!
This is pretty much what I looked like this morning -
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
National Heart Month
February is National Heart Month, and this week specifically is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. I feel it is my duty to raise awareness about congenital heart defects. Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common type of birth defect, affecting close to 8 of every 1,000 births. There are so many different types of CHDs, ranging in severity.
Here is an article from the Huffington Post on Monday about CHDs. I fully agree that the pulse-ox screen should be mandatory before a baby leaves the hospital. Many heart defects aren't detected until a week or more after the baby has left the hospital. Early detection could save the lives of so many babies. A pulse-ox test takes all of 1 minute. It seems like a no-brainer to me.
Unfortunately, there are many people in my family who have been affected by heart defects. Except for Claire Bear, they are all still here with us today. My grandpa was born with a CHD. He has had multiple heart attacks, but is still kicking. He turns 80 this year! Growing up, my grandparents lived only a few blocks away. They live in Arizona now, so I don't get to see him as much. At least I have a great reason to go to warmer weather! My grandpa is the most stubborn person in the world, but I couldn't imagine my life without him.
Just last year, my mother-in-law started getting short of breath very easily. It got to the point where she couldn't get up the stairs, and finally where she couldn't even walk from her car to the house. She used to be Brady's daycare everyday. With as much as she loved watching him, we knew there was something seriously wrong when she finally told us she couldn't do it anymore. After many tests, they found she had a mitral valve leak along with a couple other issues including fluid around her lungs. They scheduled her for open heart surgery. That was an extremely scary time for our family. She just turned 60, way too young! Thank God, she made it through and is pretty much back to normal now. She's picking up Brady, no problem, which is not an easy feat considering he weighs almost 26 pounds.
My cousin, Bailey, was born with a serious heart defect. She had all the chambers of her heart, but they were working the opposite of how they should. My Aunt and Uncle had no idea that Bailey had a heart defect while my aunt was carrying her. They had no warning and fully expected to have a completely normal delivery and get to bring their baby girl home like everyone else. As soon as she was born, the doctors could tell there was something wrong. They immediately took her away. They ran some tests, discovered her defect, and started making plans for where she would have open heart surgery. Her surgery was a success, and Bailey just graduated high school this December. She is extremely active, playing every sport possible, and pretty much has no remnants of her heart defect except for the "13 inches of proof" as she calls it (her scar).
Make sure you give extra hugs to anyone you know that has a heart defect this month. Let them know how thankful you are that they are here. To anyone you've lost to a heart problem, my heart goes out to you and them. I know how hard it is.
Monday, February 10, 2014
How We Spent Our Sunday
We had an unexpectedly eventful day yesterday. And by unexpectedly eventful, I mean horrible! The day started out like a normal Sunday, Brady slept in a little, we went down and ate breakfast, got dressed, and went to the grocery store. No big deal. We get home from the store, and usually Brady loves helping to put the groceries away. Well, Brad went outside to shovel while we were unloading, and Brady freaked out, crying uncontrollably, the entire time he was outside. We literally went through a box of Kleenex.
I thought nothing of him being that upset while Brad was shoveling. He's been having some major separation issues lately. However, Brad came back in and the crying didn't stop. We tried snacks, lunch, holding him, etc. Nothing worked. We finally decided that either his teeth hurt or his ears were hurting. He is never like that unless, he's truly in pain. I think I failed to mention that he's had another cold the entire week. It never fails that colds lead to ear infections for Brady. We tried some Tylenol, rocked a little bit, and he fell asleep. Sometimes a nice long nap makes everything all better (for kids and adults!).
2 hours later, he woke up screaming crying. Still no consoling him. We finally got him to come downstairs and drink a little bit, but knew something was really wrong. We made the decision to go to Urgent Care as our normal pediatrician is not available on Sundays. The doctor was wonderful. He "magically" pulled stickers from behind Brady's ear, and let Brady hold the otoscope. (I had to look up what it was called. I didn't think it was appropriate to put, "the light up thingy that looks in your ears"). Brady didn't even flinch. The doctor drew us a picture of the ear and throat canal and explained to us what was going on. No one had done that before.
Sure enough, Brady has an ear and throat infection. This is his fifth ear infection this fall/winter. We've only been off antibiotics from his last one for 10 days. I think tubes are in his future, although I'm avoiding them like the plague. He is on 2 antibiotics this time. Fingers crossed it does the trick. The poor kid deserves to be healthy for more than 10 days at a time!
I thought nothing of him being that upset while Brad was shoveling. He's been having some major separation issues lately. However, Brad came back in and the crying didn't stop. We tried snacks, lunch, holding him, etc. Nothing worked. We finally decided that either his teeth hurt or his ears were hurting. He is never like that unless, he's truly in pain. I think I failed to mention that he's had another cold the entire week. It never fails that colds lead to ear infections for Brady. We tried some Tylenol, rocked a little bit, and he fell asleep. Sometimes a nice long nap makes everything all better (for kids and adults!).
2 hours later, he woke up screaming crying. Still no consoling him. We finally got him to come downstairs and drink a little bit, but knew something was really wrong. We made the decision to go to Urgent Care as our normal pediatrician is not available on Sundays. The doctor was wonderful. He "magically" pulled stickers from behind Brady's ear, and let Brady hold the otoscope. (I had to look up what it was called. I didn't think it was appropriate to put, "the light up thingy that looks in your ears"). Brady didn't even flinch. The doctor drew us a picture of the ear and throat canal and explained to us what was going on. No one had done that before.
Sure enough, Brady has an ear and throat infection. This is his fifth ear infection this fall/winter. We've only been off antibiotics from his last one for 10 days. I think tubes are in his future, although I'm avoiding them like the plague. He is on 2 antibiotics this time. Fingers crossed it does the trick. The poor kid deserves to be healthy for more than 10 days at a time!
Friday, February 7, 2014
5 on Friday
Happy Friday!
1. We like to have dance parties at our house. Brady especially likes them. Bruno Mars is one of our favorites. If anyone is interested in going to Chicago to see him on June 20th, let me know. Needless to say, we thoroughly enjoyed the half time show of the Superbowl. If it wasn't for the half time show, we probably would've stopped watching. That was the most boring Superbowl ever! For your viewing pleasure, here is Brady clapping and dancing along. Sorry it goes sideways in the middle.
2. The Luke Bryan concert was last night. It was as good as expected. He can shake it for me any time. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
3. Anxiety is a real thing, and it sucks.
4. I took a vacation day today. I've been very unproductive, but I've loved every second of being home with Brady. It's making me re-think what I said about not being able to be a stay-at-home mom. I just love his age right now. He is talking more and able to tell me what he wants, yet still loves giving hugs, blowing kisses and cuddling with mommy. As I'm typing this he's pretending to talk to his cousin, Blake, on the phone. He's starting to play some on his own, so I get a little bit of a break every once in a while. Which, let's be honest, we all need a few minutes to be an adult after playing with trucks, animal puzzles, and lego towers all day.
5. The Little Mermaid was on TV while we ate lunch today. I was way more excited about it than Brady. I love Disney movies. I was singing along to all the songs. It's amazing what you remember from your childhood. It also amazes me that the old Disney Movies (Cinderella, Dumbo, Peter Pan), Mickey Mouse, Curious George, etc. are just as popular today as they were when we were kids, or even when our parents were kids.
I hope everyone has a great weekend. Stay warm!
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