Set your goals high but not your expectations. ~Dove

Friday, February 26, 2010

The day is mine...

and I can't decide what to do.

There was a crazy storm last night.  We had 50-80 mile winds last night and I'm really surprised we still have a roof.  The night was long and all 3.5 of us (1/2=cat) were up for the majority of the night as we listened to the winds howl through the screens.  The winds were so strong the windows sounded like they were going to pop out.  Sometimes we'd even hear something banging on our roof.  We have no trees in our yard so it had to be debris from our neighborhood.  Our sons swing set and our grill even had to be taken inside because they somehow moved across our yard.

This morning we assessed the damages and to our surprise we didn't see what we had expected.  Our shingles were still on our roof, but we had many shingles in our yard.  There was a litter box in our driveway, empty from litter but filled with water.  Part of our porch also needs some extra nails and screws, but other than that, we didn't float away like I thought we did. 

Despite the long night we all had, we relunctantly got up, showered, dressed, and left the house to start the day.  My husband was going in a few hours late so J & I said goodbye and loaded into the car.  I should also mention the weather this morning was gorgeous!  There was a beautiful glow and the air feels like spring.  It's like our Earth had been given an exfoliation scrub and we've been cleansed.  So as J & I drove out of the neighborhood and down the road, we really got to see what kind of damage was out in the world. 

There are so many trees and branches down in the roads.  The local news station is reporting which roads are closed by town.  Some roads have been floaded while others have live wires down and roads are blocked off.  We did lose power last night around 10:30pm but it came back on around 4:30am.  Luckily the roads I take to daycare were all open and I was able to arrive at daycare on time.  After saying goodbye to J, I headed to work.  Except when I got to work I noticed the parking lot was empty. 

I've been working in the same office since 2004 and I've never seen the doors close, for any reason.  But today, they were because they had no power.  No power?  I actually thought this was a joke or thought that I had my days mixed and it was really Sunday.  But no, there were a couple of people in the parking lot to let people, like me, know there really is no work today.  Seriously.

So this day is mine.  What do I do?  J is in daycare.  My husband is at work.  The weather is actually very pleasant and I could easily see myself getting out for a walk and enjoying the fresh air.  But I'm exhausted.  I spent most of my night awake and to be honest, I haven't done that since J was a newborn.  So then I started to think about what I could accomplish inside the house.  Between scrubbing the kitchen and doing MY laundry, that could easily take me all day to do.  But sitting on my couch under a blanket reading a book and enjoying a cup of Southern Pecan coffee sound much more inviting.  When do I even have time to do something like that?  I can clean and do laundry any time.  But to have the house to myself and nowhere to go??  I don't think I can miss this opportunity.

So thank you for letting me think this out, because I was honestly sitting here feeling guilty about the fact that I should do something.  But resting and doing something for me is just as important.

The day is mine, and I think I'll take advantage of that.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Rainy days

It's been raining for two days straight and looking at the forecast, this rain is going to continue through the weekend.  Oh with a possible mixture of snow.  But so far, it's rain.  It actually makes me think about spring.

With the weekend around the corner, I have hopes of making it to the Winter Farmer's Market at a local greenhouse.  However with all the rain we've been having, I hope it's not too crowded, although I hope the farmers are able to set up their tables.  I'm not sure how much space the greenhouse has, but I've read that this weekend's farmers market is supposed to be a good one to visit and there will be an opportunity to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  This will be a great opportunity for people to speak directly to the local farmers and ask questions about their business.  I've thought about joining a co-op with the local farmers, but I'm not 100% sure that we'd go through the vegetables and fruit as quickly as I'd like.  So I'm not sure if I will buy anything, but I think the outing will be fun for J & I as my husband has to work.

One of the vacations we took and visited the Public Market in Seattle


Who knew peppers could look so beautiful

We actually spent a whole morning here at the Public Market and watched the farmers set up



Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Mr Tax Man

It's that time of year again... gotta file those taxes.

We've had our fair share of being audited, thanks to my husbands line of work they like to question everything.  But hopefully this year, it will be different.

Since we've owned our house (over 2 years now), our short term goals in how we spend our time and money have changed.  Before we became parents, we rented an apartment and took multiple vacations a year.  Oh the life we had.  Then we bought a house and things changed. 

Our priorities shifted and we spend our time and money a lot differently.  I don't mind this change but I do miss the opportunities of traveling whenever we wanted.  Then we had a baby.

A baby changes so much, but not much at all.  We are still the same people we were when we got married, except now, our lives have expanded.  Every decision we make is based on how it will affect our family in the future.  I always knew this happened but never genuinely understood it.  But I guess we started thinking this way even before our son was a glimmer in our eyes.  We bought our house primarily for raising a family in a neighborhood that had many little children and parents who were friends for many years.  It really feels like Wysteria Lane sometimes. 

This past year we made some home improvements and also while having owned the home for a full year plus having a baby puts us into a different tax bracket. 



SO Mr Tax Man.  I say this to you:  Bring it on!
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Butter me up!

J's doctor called me today to discuss his blood work from last Friday.  She was thrilled to see how 'extremely healthy' he was.  I was happy that we could go on living and eating normally. 

As for his weight, she figures that since our last weight check last month, he probably had an off month due to his ear infection.  So I'm keeping my fingers crossed we do better over the next 6 weeks for our next weight check appt.

So we'll need to add more butter to his plate.  She recommended putting butter on as much foods as possible.  Anything bread or vegetables.  She actually had to say, "Except for the fruits of course."  I laughed and wondered why she really thought she needed to explain that to me?  I know I'm blond, but come on lady!

I knew in my heart that J was okay, but I have more reassurance with the test results.

Now I'm off to the market to buy that stick of butter!

Dreaming of the past

It just occured to me that I had a dream last night about breast feeding my son.  It was a dream that captured the emotions that develop while breast feeding a baby and the responsibility of the schedule or the routine of pumping during my work day.

Last nights dream was short, but for some reason it popped back in my head just now.  I have no idea what triggered this moment but for some reason I'm now left feeling melancholy. 

My son and I have developed other bonding moments that replaced the feeding time before bed.  I definitely enjoy these moments and look forward to them every day.  I love putting J down for bed at night, and so does he.  But my dreams remind me of what we had together, and I am grateful to have these cherished memories.

In the hospital

Cuddling in the hospital

First week home


Two weeks old

Monday, February 22, 2010

on a more serious note

J had his 15 month check up (routine shots included) on Friday.  I kept him out of daycare in the morning so I could take him to the appt, then planned on taking him to daycare and heading off to work myself.

The day didn't go as planned.  The first problem was, I thought the appt was at 11:00.  I didn't realize the real time (11:30) till later that evening.  J & I waited in the waiting room for almost 45 minutes.  He was doing well, but I hadn't planned on waiting that long.  While waiting, there were FOUR sets of twin babies coming in for their check ups.  So yes, the doctor was now running late thanks to poor time management by the office staff.  So 45 minutes later we got into the examination room and got J undressed and had a weight & height check.  Height: grew 1.5 inches.  Weight: lost 1 pound.  (WHAT?!)  This kid has a hole in his stomach, where is the weight going to? 

I've been struggling with J's weight since he was about 8 or 9 months.  He hasn't been gaining as much as the doctors would like him to.  His growth chart has been a little inconsistent but I guess it has become his consistent growth.   He's now at 18lbs 10.5oz, 30.5 inches tall.  The doctor could see my concern and also explained that she'd like to take precautionary measures and get a blood test done just so we can see IF there was anything going on that we need to address.  She mentioned that there was another child with similar weight issues and they didn't test her early but in the end they found out there was something going on with the girls kidneys. 

So our appt last a lot longer than I had anticipated.  Had I known we'd be out like this I would have at least brought a snack, drink, and diapers with us.  All of those were in the car and now that we were inside with the doctor, I couldn't leave now.  J was getting rambunctious and found the humor in going through the trash pail which was full of tissues and tounge suppressors.  But the doctor found his initial examination all well and good.  Except for his weight, or lack of weight gain. 

After our visit with the doctor I went across the street to the lab in the hospital so J could get his blood work done ASAP.  I couldn't wait around for this and had to just do it.  Except the wait, again, was forever and J loved to explore all the nooks and crannys of the offices.  This was his first experience getting blood work done, and I hope it's the last.  Oh did he cry.  The two nurses that were working with him were great and when they were almost finished, they asked him if he wanted to pick a toy for being so good.  Through his sobs he managed to answer, "YAH, YAH". 

We never made it to daycare, or work.  Both J & I were exhausted and hungry.  We went home and had a snack and took a nap.  I was told that if there were any results I would hear from someone over the weekend.  Otherwise the doctor would call me on Tuesday. 

There were no phone calls this weekend.  No news is good news.  I hope.


One of his naps over the weekend.

cutting hair Organically

I visited a local salon this weekend and got my hair cut.  It's been a YEAR since I've had my hair cut, so I don't have any ties with my previous salons.  But finding a good salon was important to me.  My hair was well below my shoulders and my son kept patting my hair as if I was the cat.  So it was time for a change.  It seems this has become a pattern for me and only have 1 real hair cut a year.  What a cost savings!  hehe

When I found Acorns and read about how everything about them is all organic, I couldn't have been more excited to support their business.  I'm not sure how popular these salons are around the country, but here in my neck of the woods this is the only place.  It's been open for over a year and they cannot keep up with business.  They've even had to expand and include mani/pedi options, and even a reki therapist.  It's comforting to see how many people want to make a difference.  Acorns is also affiliated with the Green Alliance which is small organization that helps promote green options at a discount rate.  When you join the Alliance for a small fee, you'll receive a card and also many benefits and discounts from the Green Alliance community.

In the end I had about 5-6 inches chopped off and all of that will be donated to Matter of TrustMatter of Trust is a company that collects hair clippings and uses it to help soak up oil spills.  I wish more salons donated like this.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Can we really live CHEMICAL FREE?

I don't consider myself a hypochondriac, especially when it comes to myself getting sick or having a disease.  But lately I have unlocked a hidden door into my medicine cabinet and little did I know, there were these chemicals (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate & Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate) that could potentially harm me or my family.  Obviously I knew these chemicals existed, but did I ever educate myself on them?  No.  And why would I?  The less I know makes me feel like I'm invincible.  Either of these chemicals can be Googled and you'll see there are quite a few discussions about them.  I've actually become overwhelmed with all the facts, advice, opinions, and lists.  For now, I've turned off the web and will be taking a deep breath (of chemically free fresh air).

Since having a baby, my eyes lids have snapped back as I glanced over the typical baby products in the local drug store.  Of course there are dozens of choices on powders, shampoos, soaps, creams/lotions, ointments, oils, etc.  But which one will be the safest for my son?  The ol' stand by was what I grew up with: Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo.  But as I have discovered... this may not be the best choice.  What?!

So of course I've been doing some reading.  A LOT of reading.  And of course there are going to be loads of information leading to allergies, diseases, or even cancer.  But we all purchase these products with a little discretion, right?  One local blogger had some good ideas after sitting on a panel for Seventh Generation and the Evironmental Working Group (EWG).  I will honestly say I am slowly converting to Seventh Generation.  I have purchased a few of their products and feel my house shines and smells cleaner without smelling like chemicals.  It's actually very refreshing to be able to smell my house clean and free of any foreign smells.  The EWG has published a Health Tips for Parents printable guide.  Some of the information was common knowledge but was I fascinated with how in-depth their resources were and grateful for a simple page print-out for quick pointers.

As for my decisions with skin care and my baby?  I've learned through the Skin Deep database that maybe some of the products in my medicine cabinet are not as harsh as I thought.  So now that I can retrieve them from my recycling container and put them back in storage, I will have more knowledge of what I'm purchasing in the future.  Knowledge is power, right?

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Vanilla Oatmeal Bar

I've been using a vanilla oatmeal bar of soap for a couple of weeks and the aroma is very sweet and calming.  It's just enough to perk up my senses in the morning while my eyes still haven't focused on my day.  I'm left with my skin feeling refreshed and cleansed.  We've had a few harsh winter days where my skin has felt extra dry in the evenings, so I'm not sure if this soap best fits my needs right now.  But I do enjoy the scent so much that I'm dedicating myself to not only finishing the bar but also so I can see the long term benefits.  So far, I am not disappointed! 

The soap lathers rather quickly and has a creamy lather with large bubbles.  The oats in the bar provide enough exfoliation for my sensitive skin.  It actually felt really good against the dry patches on my arms.  As I rinsed the soap off, I did not feel squeaky clean but my skin felt nourished and hydrated.

Sweet Grass Farm is local for me and was able to find their product in the Heath Food Center.  It was actually cheaper to buy the soap in the store than it was to order it online.  I'd be interested in purchasing other products from Sweet Grass and may stock up on a few different bars of soap depending on the season.

On my Bubble scale of 1 to 5, I'd give this Vanilla Oatmeal soap 4.5 Bubbles.

K-cup update

I've been using the Keurig brewer since Christmas, and have not had any disappointments with the quality.  My only concern is about the K-cups.  So I sent an email to the Keurig customer service center and inquired about recycling their K-cups.  Here was their response:

Thank you for your inquiry. The current structure of the K-Cup includes Oxygen and moisture barrier materials in order to maintain coffee freshness. As a result, the K-Cup is not recyclable. This is a universal issue throughout the food packaging industry and challenging for the companies to find environmentally friendly packaging materials. Keurig is currently engaged and aggressively investing in R&D to find alternate materials that will be recyclable and/or bio-degradable.


Keurig is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., which is a leader in corporate social and environmental responsibility. With Green Mountain, we support local and global communities by investing in Fair Trade Certified coffee, offsetting 100% of our direct greenhouse gas emissions and donating at least 5% of pre-tax earnings to social and environmental causes. GMCR is the first company to be ranked #1 on the Business Ethics list of America’s most ethical and socially – responsible business two years in a row.

Again, thank you and if we can assist you further, please do not hesitate to contact us.


I know Keurig has the reusable K-cup but I have really enjoyed picking individual flavors each morning.  So for now, I will wait and see how Keurig will find a solution to the compromise.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

the little explorer

We've had a few mild days lately and have taken J out in the yard to explore.  He hasn't seen much of it over the past few months so everything seems new again.  J has a hard time walking on our driveway as there is a slight incline and his little legs end up going into overdrive and he can't stop.  I keep imagining him falling flat on his face because he is still too young to realize he needs to put his arms out when he falls down.

So the other day I had J on top step leading into our house and he ended up tripping on the mat that is kept outside.  His face met with the doorway and ended up getting multiple cuts on his lip.  It was the first time we experienced a (minor) bloody lip.  He had a fat lip for most of the day.  He wasn't too happy about the ice I had for his lip but he let me put it on him from time to time.

It's been a few days and his lip is starting to look normal again.  We ventured out into the yard and while he was playing on his slide, he learned he could climb the rock wall leading up to the top of the slide.  He was SO proud of himself he was glowing, or maybe that was due to the brisk air.  Either way, he couldn't get enough of playing in the back yard and running on the winterized grass.

His lip looks a little better here

Monday, February 15, 2010

Camping with Kids


My husband and I enjoy camping and I really want to camp as a family this year.  We tried it last year and had J sleep in a pack n' play but for some reason, things just didn't work out.  This year though, I really want to give it a go, perhaps in our own back yard.

We don't camp very often, and we are lucky if we go more than once.  But there should be a disclaimer to new parents when camping with kids.  I still haven't figured out what we'll need and what to leave behind.  I'm currently looking for a good family tent, and I'm undecided about having one with a screen room option or just the multiroom option.  I think J would enjoy camping, especially in our backyard.  The one thing that worries me is that he has become a creature of habit.

Maybe taking a vacation to our backyard is as far as we need to travel.  We'll be able to create all the camping activities that we'd do at an actual campground.  So who knows, maybe we'll have some new fun and crazy habits to add with the old ones.

But I'm curious of how other families have started out with their camping traditions.  What were their best and worst moments?

Friday, February 12, 2010

Another LONG week

I guess I should start by saying J has been healthy.  No temperatures, no ear infections, no vomiting, etc.  He has the occasional drippy nose and sneezes, but other than that, he's A-OK.  It's been 3 whole weeks without getting a phone call from daycare.  For a while I was getting a call 3 out of the 5 weeks and I had to go pick him up.  I've made more visits to the pediatrician's office than I'd like to admit. 

For the past few mornings J has become very reluctant about going for a car ride.  I've had to try an con him into the idea by bribing him with food.  Lately he's been eating bits of my bagel in the car.  He loves bagels lately.  But even that has stopped working for me.  I should preface that when I was pregnant, I had time to think about what kind of parent I wanted to be, what I wanted to try and be.  It's really great to have support from other young mothers.  But when it comes down to it, when you're in the midst of confronting your toddler, the stress or anxiety or frustration will only affect me at that time.  I decided early on that I would be the kind of parent that treats their kid as a little person.  There is a fine grey line here, but I try to take J's feelings and opinions into account when we make decisions.  Of course these are small decisions.

So when we're getting ready in the mornings and I have to go to work, the big decision we have to tackle is:  Do you want to go for a car ride?  This seems to have been the most simplist question for him to understand.  And he would get very excited to go in the car.  He even talks about how the car goes vroom vroom as we leave the house.  For a while I could ask him if he wanted to go see so-and-so (kids at daycare) and he'd get so excited and respond with 'YAH-YAH'.  But lately that excitment has been extinguished.  I thought maybe he wasn't happy at daycare anymore, but when we get there, he runs off and plays.  He has been there since he was 8 months old, there have been a lot of changes there, but the same kids go there so I didn't think that could be the big issue.

Since I've been having this issue this week I have been finding myself not even approaching J with the question or letting him know what we'd be doing.  In the lack of time in some mornings, we just need to go.  Now.  There is very little time for debate.  I quickly stopped myself from being this kind of person because it's not who I want to be.  I obviously realize that whatever J is feeling in the mornings has to be put on the back burner because we do have to leave.  But I do try to make a concious effort that leaving the house in the morning is part of J's interest too.

We all have days where we want to stay in bed for a little while longer.  I think this week has been that kind of week for J.  It seems he just wants to stay at home a little longer.  He loves playing with Mommy, Daddy, & Marble (our cat).  We have a 3 day weekend coming up, Presidents Day is on Monday and daycare is closed.  Nana & Grandpa will be up to spend the day with J while we're at work, but I think the long weekend at home will be good for him.


J meeting Marble


J at 9 months playing with Marble

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Baby Proofing Cabinets

My husband and I made the decision to not lock any of our cabinets in our kitchen.  We feel there are going to be other homes that have not baby proofed anything, and it seems logical that J needs to learn his limits and when not to touch something.  We are constantly reminding him when he shouldn't open the cabinets under the sink.  He has shown no interest to what's beneath the sink, he just enjoys opening and closing the cabinet doors.  So we tell him, "That's not your door, no thank you".  Sometimes he's stubborn and other times he listens.  But we do give him a couple of cabinets where he can play with the pots and pans and strainers. 

Last night was the first time he wanted to go IN the cabinets.  Maybe because most of the items were on the kitchen floor that he decided it could be a fun game.

Perhaps we'll baby proof later if things really get out of hand.  I still haven't decided on what to do about the gas stove knobs.  He only spends time in the kitchen if we're in there too.


This is where the cat food is stored, but for now, this is his hide-out spot.

He was playing peek-a-boo with the cabinet door

He has been known to take out all those pots & pans and scatter them throughout the kitchen and living room.  The strainers are there too, you just can't see them from this angle.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Sunny days, sweeping the... clouds away...

We made the decision to plan our vacation!  This will be our first vacation as a family.  We've done sleep overs and weekends away, but this time: It's the real thing.  The only difference in our trip this time is that we're not flying anywhere and we're staying local. 

We picked a week in June because it's before the crazy summer, touristy times, and also my husband can actually take some time off from work.  I'm sure he'll still have voice messages on his cell phone though.  Either way, we're packing our bags and jumping in the car and doing the local thing. 

So far, we've agreed on staying in the mountains the first half of our week, taking a train ride and going to a kiddie park for J.  The last half we'll spend by the ocean, play in the sand, jump some waves, and check out the local zoo.  Weather permiting of course.  All of this is close to an hour away from our home, and it will be a long enough drive that J won't go crazy and scream at us.


Since we're not flying anywhere, we're happy to spend the extra cash and reserve a family style suite in each destination.  I'm hoping this allows some space that we'll need and not feel so squished.  This will be the first true test for my husband and I.  How will we hold up by the end of the week?  Usually our vacations are very relaxing, but since having J, my husbands neurotic tendencies drive me crazy.  I always see his frustration and stress creep up and things usually feel like we're walking on a tight rope.  I hope that by staying local we can work out any traveling kinks that we may have because traveling is something we really enjoy doing.  Taking J and all of his 101 accessories will be a puzzle but I'm sure once we find our system, everything will flow as if it was second nature.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Coloring

We introduced J to coloring when he was around 12 months old.  Even though his interest only lasted a few minutes, I found it a fun activity to do with him.  He seemed to hold the crayons well, for his age.

J is 14 months and he has become obsessed with coloring.  Obsessed!  We used to keep the crayons and coloring books on our hutch, above his little arms reach.  Then we had to move it on top of the refrigerator.  He sees and knows these items live there.  We now have to keep them in a closet because he would hover around the crayons and yell for them and babble his mumbles at me with anxiety. 

Today we played with the crayons and colored.  Well, my husband and I colored, but J just likes to play with the crayons.  Sometimes he'll attempt to color.  We encourage him and try to help him with coloring.  He is stubborn though, and likes to do things on his own.  "OKAY"  I say and let him do what he wants, to some degree. 

We try to make a rule that the crayons need to stay where the coloring book is but he still attempts to walk around with the crayons.  We also make a point to let him pick 2 crayons to use at a time.  Usually he picks the same colors, green and orange.  Today he picks yellow and white.  (WHITE)  He's actually coloring with the white crayon and me being me, tries to explain why he can't see the crayon on the paper.  I try to strike a deal and trade a crayon for his white, but he whines and fusses and pouts that I'm taking his crayon away.  So we sit there and he colors with a white crayon. 

His coloring is only a few swipes of the crayon, but he spends the majority of his time looking at all the crayons. 

He loves them lined up, and how they look in the box. 

Always trying to get a taste...

Using those eyes to convince me he wasn't doing anything wrong

But after a half hour of doing this, I turn it into the 'clean up' game.  He usually loves this, but not when it comes to putting the crayons away.  Unfortunately he comes close to tears when we're done coloring.

Friday, February 5, 2010

___ for granted.

I don't mean to take ____ for granted, but I do.

Pretty much anything can be filled in the blank.  I do remind myself every day to be thankful for this or that, and remember to say please and thank you. 

I walk by many people everyday and work in the same building but not even know their name or mutter anything more than 'hi' in passing.  Someone holds the door open for me, 'thanks' is what I say and keep walking.  We all have things on the back of our minds and it plays a huge part in how our attitude is throughout the day.  I try to remember this and when some fellow has a scowl on his face I wonder... did he not sleep well?  did he lose a family member?  is he sick?  As I type this, this really sounds like a strange thing to do, but it's something that I do.

This week has had many troubling news throughout the community.  Deaths and illnesses have been sweeping over the internet by people I know of and I find myself as a parent feeling very sad for these circumstances.  My heart has ached for these people, friends, and families and I am guilty for having so many blessings in my life.

So today I want to take a moment and list five things that I'm greatful for.  I know my list could be much longer but these are my top 5.

1~ I'm greatful to have a baby, and to have been able to carry him through 40 weeks of pregnancy is a blessing.  Not a moment passes when I think about him and feel so lucky.
2~ I'm greatful to have a husband who is so supportive and nurturing.  I never realized how strong my relationship was until we had our son.  "He is the cheese on my macaroni" :)
3~ I'm greatful for my health.  I've had a head cold lately, but my overall health is perfect. 
4~ I'm greatful for my parents.  Without their respect and unconditional love, I wouldn't have been able to have the confidence that I do today.  I can call them at a moments notice if I need them for anything... they'd be right there.
5~ I'm greatful to have a place I can call home.  It's a place where I feel safe and cannot imagine being anywhere else right now.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Bitten by the bug--- again

Can you pass me the tissues please?

I've been feeling 'off' for a few weeks now, thanks to my buddy J.  Obviously things are bound to happen and I expected it to be this way.  But there are only a few times when I feel like I've been hit by a truck or I'm living under water.  That's how I'm feeling today.

It doesn't help that I work inside an office that of course isn't very clean.  There are cleaning crews but you know what I mean.  It's the season for germs and I just can't seem to shake this thing that I have.  I've been drinking lots of tea (today is Green Tea and Goji Berry) and trying to eat something when I have some kind of appetite.  But as I sit here typing this entry, my head is resting on the back of my chair. 

I put pressure on myself to be 2 steps ahead of the sick game and I've fallen behind.  What is a Mum supposed to do??  How do other Mums handle themselves when they're run down?  Maybe they don't let themselves feel sick, I know I try to ignore my symptoms for as long as I can.  But when it starts to affect my hearing and breathing, I begin to wonder... How am I supposed to keep it all together??

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Out to Lunch

Today I chose to have lunch a small market/deli store.  There were a few tables inside (4-5) and of course there was one empty.  The market was very busy so I decided to keep it simple and order a soup and pasta salad.  I didn't have any crazy scenerios as I did last month.  So I sat there and people watched.

Car repair guys, nurses, business men, and women who looked like they were running errands were coming in and ordering their food and leaving.  The patrons that dined in the market were busy socializing and finishing off their lunches with Kettle Brand chips.

A half hour later I got in my car and drove around to relax and think about nothing.  I usually keep the radio on low and let me thoughts leave my brain and enjoy the hum of the car and the background noise of the music.  The roads here have many frost heaves and some of them were so brutal I actually thought I popped a tire.  The air was cool but dry and refreshing enough that I cracked my windows and let in the ocean air.  Driving around the bay has it's perks but I can't always drive along the waters edge.  So I spent some time down by the local marina.  I found out they have a new restaurant and will probably check it out once the weather gets warmer and I can sit outside for a picnic during my lunch break.  All the boats were out of the water and wrapped and stowed away for the winter months.  I wish I had my camera with me because seeing them all lined up looking very majestic seemed magical. 

Today's lunch really helped rebalance my soul.

Remembering the Multi-Vitamin

I just can't seem to remember to take my vitamins.  Why is that? 

I'm very inconsistent and last night I ended up taking my multi-vitamin before bed.  BIG mistake.  I don't know if this happens to other people, but for me, I got all this energy and my mind was wired.  I was up for a while and when I finally did fall asleep, it only lasted a couple of hours. I was up from 2 till 4:30ish, wide awake.  By the time my alarm went off this morning, I was in a sound sleep and had to hit snooze 3 more times.

I need to find a routine with the vitamins.  I had no issues being diligent with my prenatal vitamins, but my mind was set up to take it religiously for the baby.  Now that I'm taking it for myself I'm just can't remember to do it.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

aka: the interpreter

J is almost 15 months and I feel like I've entered a new realm of parenthood.  He's been babbling for a while and now he's starting to form words; more than we realize.  Every once in a while he'll blurt out a word, out of nowhere, and out of context.  And when we hear it, we stop and wonder if we heard him correctly.  So we sit, and wait for him to say it again.  But he never does. 

But there are some words that J knows, and he understands more than we think he does.  We'll be reading a story and I'll ask him to point to a certain animal or Sesame Street character, and he knows them all.  I'm actually amazed that he does and has known them for a while.  He started showing us he knows them since he was 13 months.  His memory is growing every day and I'm constantly wondering what he'll remember tomorrow.  It also makes me check my attitude when I'm around him because if I've had a bad day at all, he'll pick up on that.  I only get to spend about 2 hours a day (weekday) with him, and that's stretching it. 

So on weekends my husband and I like to spend as much time with our little guy as possible.  It's during these days that we learn more about J and realize he does actually have developed more words and phrases than we knew he had a week ago. 
"I see you", "Peek A Boo", "Winnie the Pooh" are just to name a few phrases and for some reason my husband and I are the only ones that can understand anything he says.

Prior to being a Mum, I used to see other parents interpret their kids babble talk to others who didn't have the same ears as they did.  But now, we've become those people who have to interpret to our family what J's saying.  We've actually had discussions over whether or not he was actually saying the words.  It's like they have more experience on our son than they do.  We've only been living with him every day since he was born. 

I'm proud to be an interpreter for my son.  Of course there are days when I don't understand him and he gets so frustrated with me.  His reaction falls into a temper tantrum but I've grown to have patience for these small episodes (for now) as I can clearly understand his frustrations and see that he's frustrated because he can't communicate properly.  So we work on it with him, and sometimes I repeat what I think he wants to say, and other times I repeat the babble back to him.  He thinks that's silly though and giggles at me.

Cravin' Vacation

February always sends me into a tizzy.  I'm tired of the cold weather.  I'm tired of bundling up to go outside.  I'm desperate to open the windows and will do so when the temperature reaches 40 degrees.  I usually don't leave them open very long, but they're opened a crack to air out the house. 

So instead, I've been daydreaming about past vacations to warmer places.  Oh how I wish I were back there now.

Downtown Sedona AZ


Grand Canyon


Sedona AZ


Disney World-Epcot


Cabo San Lucas


Key West, FL


St. Croix, Virgin Islands


Kaui'i Grand Canyon of the Pacific

Soapy Business (5 of 5 Reviews)

Finally... the last bar of soap from my small sample collection... the Cocoa Body Bar was a pleasant surprise!

Description: (provided by the seller)
Enjoy the highly moisturizing natural properties of Cocoa Butter. Soothe, soften, and rejuvenate your skin with this Cocoa Butter Body Bar.
Ingredients: Olive Oil, Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Essential Oil Blend

This bar of soap quickly lathered in my hands and felt very creamy on my skin.  I was pleasantly surprised at the soft scent the bar had as I couldn't really tell what the essential oils were.  It could have been cocoa, but it smelled more of the oils blended together.  Either way, I was happy with this soap and how my skin felt afterwards.

On a scale of 1-5 Bubbles: I give this soap 5 Bubbles (I have nothing negative to say about it!)

Monday, February 1, 2010

Muppet Mayhem

I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I like the Muppets.  Okay... I love them.  Some people have asked me who they are and I actually feel like asking them, who are you??!  Where have you been, where did you grow up? 

The Muppets, according to my parents, were a show I immediately loved at 18 months old.  I grew up watching the show and loving each of the characters: Animal, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Rowlf, Beaker, Bunsen Honeydew, and the Swedish Chef... just to name a few popular ones.  But the whole cast--Love 'em!  My favorite movies by The Muppets are 'The Muppets Take Manhattan' and 'The Muppet Family Christmas'.

So there has been discussion over the past year about a new movie coming out sometime in the near future.  This Muppet movie is not going to be like The Muppets' Wizard of Oz or Muppet Treasure Island.  I never had an interest in seeing those movies because the characters weren't themselves, they were playing other characters.  So the new movie that is being made now will have the same 'muppet-esque' feeling that the older Jim Hensen movies had.  I can't wait!

The new movie just got a name and was released over the weekend.  It's called 'The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made' and is being written by Jason Segel (can be seen in Forgetting Sarah Marshall or How I met your Mother) and directed by James Bobin (co-creator of HBO's flight of the Conchords).  There are no dates set for when this movie will be premiered, but I know I'll be marking my calendar when the dates are released... :o)

Soapy Business (4 of 5 Reviews)

Today I tried the Honey Milk Body Bar.  I picked this bar of soap because the description indicated honey.  After reading the description today (apparently I didn't read into the descriptions when I picked the 5 samples), I noticed there is no honey in this soap.

Description (provided by the seller):
Made with natural ingredients, this bar is highly nourishing. Infused with the vitamins and minerals of goat's milk and honey, this soap will give a smooth, soft feel to your skin, long after bathing.

Ingredients: Olive Oil, Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Goat's Milk, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Vitamin E, Spearmint Essential Oil

I was expecting more of a honey scent but only experienced the spearment EO.  When I selected this soap I didn't realize there'd be spearment mixed with these other ingredients. 

The soap lathered immediately into small sudsy bubble and worked great with my skin.  I suppose smelling spearment in the morning helped awaken my senses, but made me feel like I was at the dentists too.  After rinsing the soap off my skin, I was left feeling clean but not the squeaky clean as the other soaps did.  I also didn't need to apply lotion after my shower.

I think I would personally like this soap more if the spearment EO was not included in the mixture.  Maybe there are some people out there who enjoy this added EO.  For me, not so much.

Overall, on a scale of 1-5 Bubbles; I would rate this soap 4 Bubbles (would have gotten 5 if I could have smelled any honey).

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