tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80881543542366807902024-03-13T19:23:53.258-04:00still working on it.Hum...lets see. This is my blog. I am the kind of woman who can find wisdom from likes of anyone from Dr Laura to Howard Stern.I am a student, a Mom to three little girls, Alana, Josephine and Charlotte. I am also a devoted wife to my husband Jesse. We have a couple of dogs, a couple cats, and my mom lives with us. Pretty boring really...that's life at my house...funny, boring, crass, and so much more.Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-60629972176139940572010-11-04T14:25:00.002-04:002010-11-04T14:27:17.792-04:00I wear a lot of hats...And I look bad in all of them. The adjustment to being a wife, mom, daughter, and student has been a difficult transition for me. I feel like I can't be a great student, because I have other rolls that take time away from studies, I can't be a great wife, because I am a student and a mom, and I can't be a great mom, because I am a busy nursing student. So, I am only OK at all of those things. I realize it could be worse. I could be a really crappy mom (and lets be honest here...I have my crappy mom moments, more often then I used to), or I could be failing out of school! But the type A personality that hangs out in my most secret and honest heart is noisy. And I sometimes hear it louder than Charlotte at dinnertime (Charlotte likes to yell about how she is "AH DUN!" before I even put her little plate in front of her).<br />
What is boils down to is that I am having trouble coping with the change. I tell myself that I have adjusted my expectations, but when I get a B on a test, I am disappointed. I tell myself that I am so glad mom is home with Char, but when she accidentally calls Grammy, mama, I feel hurt. I tell myself that I am just going to have to be ok with a different level of "clean," but I get pissy on the weekend when I am wiping off layers of dust from the furniture...<br />
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Maybe the expectation I need to adjust is to be ok with not being ok. I shouldn't be happy that I get B's, but I can't dwell on it. I don't have to rejoice that the baby calls two women in the house mama, but I can let it keep me down. I don't have to like the dirt, but I have to live with it. <br />
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Well I'll keep you posted...*she says as she adjusts her many levels of shifting chapeau's.*<span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: #b5d5ff; cursor: default;"><br />
</span></span>Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-61649470370679797102010-10-13T10:23:00.000-04:002010-10-13T10:23:19.353-04:00Hello.Not sure anyone is out there anymore! I suck at blogging. That is a fact. Alana started first grade this September. She is in a first/second grade mixed class and she LOVES it. She is still an amazing artist. And when she reads she already uses inflection to tell the story, even voices sometimes. She is her Daddy's daughter. She is a fashionista too. We set aside her outfit for the next day every night and it is always a series of compromises that ends in her asking, "When can I just decided myself!?" To which I say, "when you understand that you can't wear a summer dress in the fall..."<br />
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Joey started preschool at Wayne State this semester. It is an all day preschool monday through friday and it is FREE! PRAISE GOD! She loves school. And we get a little extra time together in the car every day. Alana at this age was never really great at knowing the other kids names or terribly social. She used to be more into the school part than the social part (this has changed since she started first grade!) But joey knows all the kids in her class, AND the other class. She has about 15 best friends. In fact, they had to put her rest time cot next to the toads cause she would talk to anyone they put her next to at rest time. At least that way she isn't keeping anyone from resting but the amphibians. <br />
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Charlotte is still the danger baby. But starting next week she is officially a danger toddler. I can't believe how fast she went from tiny baby, to toddler. Before I know it I will be posting about how she is starting 1st grade too. Char loves baby dolls, the dogs, coloring on walls, and licking things (mostly people...) When she is tired, she likes to pinch, bite and punch...I have never pinched bitten or punched her, so I am not sure where she got it from...but oooooh boy...she is tough.<br />
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Alana told me the other day that she feels so grown up. And the the kindergartners at school are so "cute." I feel old today. :PLaurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-52512261753273379062010-03-09T09:41:00.005-05:002010-03-09T10:19:40.402-05:00Charlie...super danger girlCharlotte, my crazy danger daughter. You know, I am not used the this type of kid. Alana was so tentative about the world at this age, still is in some ways. If I told her something was dangerous, she didn't want anything to do with it. Joey was so mellow that if you put her in front of a toy she would be golden for like 15-20 min. If you put Char poo in front of a toy, she looks at it like, "can I fashion this into a shiv?" And if she thinks she can't (a thought process that take about 4.2 seconds, cause she is THAT good) she will just jimmy the gate to get into the kitchen and look at me like, "Hey, you got a knife? Cause, I would really like to make a shiv, and if I don't have a knife I don't think I can make it, in fact, I think if you just give me the knife I wouldn't even need a shiv...hey, have you got one in here under the sink? WOW... no knives in here...but these cleaning supplies look like they would be awesome for bomb making! What do you mean, 'how did I get into that?' Dude just pull on this then wiggle that and BLAMMO! You are in!! Hey, what are you doing?! Put me DOWN!!!!" Etc....<br /><br />You might be thinking...Charlotte?! Darling perfect snuggly CHARLOTTE! NO, I don't believe it. Well, I have photographic evidence. On the random occasion that the situation wasn't so dangerous that I had time to grab a camera, I have...<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxknRZNJPPdJQuAJV3QEbv5egX5JZolh0opLj3kpZXu152IvwgxdOwNuiJYxO3ZVVyCCKZSPBxjkOijd-UEJIVno9uJIRQg_2Nnn0EzyF7jUKfTbxp1mr3DkM0IF-MWKS3qmYu8A3aaB-X/s1600-h/IMG_0532.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxknRZNJPPdJQuAJV3QEbv5egX5JZolh0opLj3kpZXu152IvwgxdOwNuiJYxO3ZVVyCCKZSPBxjkOijd-UEJIVno9uJIRQg_2Nnn0EzyF7jUKfTbxp1mr3DkM0IF-MWKS3qmYu8A3aaB-X/s200/IMG_0532.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446648040688058226" border="0" /></a><br />Look to the left here...see her on the porch there...She has one shoe on, she bolted out the door when I let the dog out and is on her way to freedom.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRgGmIioR4C-aJbfBK8EyBh6Z2zcLBaQqRs5U7hCLOVnurRdd1Dj1CBEkO5sf-6mGrp2yDaZmN-IVQezOdRiFw7bRve1JA2LU7oSm87OIJL8_pMCtw-4WV1q4xIA06_hd2W1Q0-eFbdV9/s1600-h/IMG_0533.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRgGmIioR4C-aJbfBK8EyBh6Z2zcLBaQqRs5U7hCLOVnurRdd1Dj1CBEkO5sf-6mGrp2yDaZmN-IVQezOdRiFw7bRve1JA2LU7oSm87OIJL8_pMCtw-4WV1q4xIA06_hd2W1Q0-eFbdV9/s200/IMG_0533.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446648044972978642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />See, no looking back either...She got mud on her toesies...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzY9qYwcC96LSl04B9syWp6EuDDopuxPVWNadbRQHRF6FFtXJ7qe3HHHGC99Dh1Xs61_EiolhLjIvhNqeAOook7aKPX0qBe7sUh7iSwAqyCmLUzPP0R-GtujVqt5gIYx0b7y48sCH3QmTz/s1600-h/IMG_0467.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzY9qYwcC96LSl04B9syWp6EuDDopuxPVWNadbRQHRF6FFtXJ7qe3HHHGC99Dh1Xs61_EiolhLjIvhNqeAOook7aKPX0qBe7sUh7iSwAqyCmLUzPP0R-GtujVqt5gIYx0b7y48sCH3QmTz/s200/IMG_0467.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446651424885226210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />And here she is doing her I can't go over it, I can't go through it, gotta go under it trick...classic. Thank goodness the HUGE cloth diaper butt stopped her! BOO FOILED AGAIN!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0x2TTUM-RQEDR8mpCkXo9XtIrQHTgUWOYH7lIS1Qupj2yMVlFoMm9V1c7bnGBjMtzqGFMbgEtrBvvEmzOS9pxWvkB4mUHxDrHZowtPWqwue4PxAMoqV67LjOJPM6yMgvTQarOtGGfXslM/s1600-h/IMG_0538.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0x2TTUM-RQEDR8mpCkXo9XtIrQHTgUWOYH7lIS1Qupj2yMVlFoMm9V1c7bnGBjMtzqGFMbgEtrBvvEmzOS9pxWvkB4mUHxDrHZowtPWqwue4PxAMoqV67LjOJPM6yMgvTQarOtGGfXslM/s200/IMG_0538.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446648029011398722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Some times she is quiet for a long time...then you find her with the door shut, in her sisters room, that looks something like this...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />And if you still have ANY doubt at all, I dare you to look into these eyes...I shudder to think what is going on behind them in her little baby brain..... <br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGyj9fThqbufuRKQ4AKbZKaLRxuO-bN9MC2oUA4vGKOv75fRXi6pqBxb1eISklWCFU0JZP3_AbGpghf2P8ZpEu4IN8_kVVnyEacv1vUbRicqlMdCu2d_QX5PktkuPDL2bqD8D-wttHvJC/s1600-h/IMG_0542.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGyj9fThqbufuRKQ4AKbZKaLRxuO-bN9MC2oUA4vGKOv75fRXi6pqBxb1eISklWCFU0JZP3_AbGpghf2P8ZpEu4IN8_kVVnyEacv1vUbRicqlMdCu2d_QX5PktkuPDL2bqD8D-wttHvJC/s200/IMG_0542.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446648068360699698" border="0" /></a></div>Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-72902883433633557582010-03-03T14:57:00.003-05:002010-03-04T09:26:55.388-05:00Playing catch upThought I would post some pictures of Alana's birthday. She turned 6 on the 2nd of Dec. She picked out a dress to wear to school, and she came home to a bunch of presents and a cake that her Dad bought for her. I was at school late that day, so I was home just in time to bring home dinner. Jesse and I bought a cake...I know...crap happens...it was decorated with arts stuff which made her very happy. She got...<br />Books More books A hello Kitty And a ton of art supplies<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKRsT2OXV9SHShKB8sSAldKuihWL-13ptTTXTeUqQ9FKNih_0PuyZ5lrFzg_M7wkHg_JbrdL2MKzcYbe8cDMZAuQFc7xjATNsLuq2yJH3FINvgMEjETBxVHgJcAd-53-eE-7WKBi0AYXE/s1600-h/DSC_0341.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKRsT2OXV9SHShKB8sSAldKuihWL-13ptTTXTeUqQ9FKNih_0PuyZ5lrFzg_M7wkHg_JbrdL2MKzcYbe8cDMZAuQFc7xjATNsLuq2yJH3FINvgMEjETBxVHgJcAd-53-eE-7WKBi0AYXE/s200/DSC_0341.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444499833705240706" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Iho_kH_BIPX__8pXFZ0RUANyWzHa4jdwIuQXXw8b-HADLAzH95qHrsRe7Kv56GkTZbz-AsXA2asEl08IUnZQWc4yf-5FUymOh2mF5MJDnjX9a1m5B9G3XanN1aT44__VmRKUi3dhi7Zs/s1600-h/DSC_0345.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Iho_kH_BIPX__8pXFZ0RUANyWzHa4jdwIuQXXw8b-HADLAzH95qHrsRe7Kv56GkTZbz-AsXA2asEl08IUnZQWc4yf-5FUymOh2mF5MJDnjX9a1m5B9G3XanN1aT44__VmRKUi3dhi7Zs/s200/DSC_0345.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444501561728934130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZKDetsuWrBTkqerG64pP4LLpwHXAkUcNisGw31-Vhh-GZT65gidzbDdtNnRqWpiaDTIbu-1mEe9hSm3JqcR4KLshUm7EmdX5lq0vUh5f0PE64aPQ5CNs3u0fscAHTXa7-KHGqjiLrXiv/s1600-h/DSC_0350.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZKDetsuWrBTkqerG64pP4LLpwHXAkUcNisGw31-Vhh-GZT65gidzbDdtNnRqWpiaDTIbu-1mEe9hSm3JqcR4KLshUm7EmdX5lq0vUh5f0PE64aPQ5CNs3u0fscAHTXa7-KHGqjiLrXiv/s200/DSC_0350.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444501564766707090" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7aniu-ZqG_LgN96nKOWOcISMmFkrJ9n8ahsfsr6rJfgS71VVheJWio3ZQ9B1_Mu_wPEYljdAJD38aNmECiB7ZkZF_CzYaGXhwehjDmvmtqG4fg60fZxfaDXd3Gfc-0jRlcFzWBcrVCSA/s1600-h/DSC_0378.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7aniu-ZqG_LgN96nKOWOcISMmFkrJ9n8ahsfsr6rJfgS71VVheJWio3ZQ9B1_Mu_wPEYljdAJD38aNmECiB7ZkZF_CzYaGXhwehjDmvmtqG4fg60fZxfaDXd3Gfc-0jRlcFzWBcrVCSA/s200/DSC_0378.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444501587598909490" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Charlotte and Joey had a great time watching her open presents, and helping her play with her toys...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivH6rMI7vtnCJLLUrYKiBrLvlsMxkuptJpfbI9DjyREXYRd0npbxW7RhSlPK763By0AK0AYfpzaHOQP-JfIFuuHAFqEg82ylUAxelFCMZ2fm-BRZrrdIdeyM6uLVPQlDslAKAbmpHyess/s1600-h/DSC_0373.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivH6rMI7vtnCJLLUrYKiBrLvlsMxkuptJpfbI9DjyREXYRd0npbxW7RhSlPK763By0AK0AYfpzaHOQP-JfIFuuHAFqEg82ylUAxelFCMZ2fm-BRZrrdIdeyM6uLVPQlDslAKAbmpHyess/s200/DSC_0373.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444501580388626338" border="0" /></a>After Alana opened her presents I asked if she wanted cake...SHE SAID NO. Can you believe that!!! She said she just HAD to start making some art first. Then later she would make time for cake. What a girl... We had a party for her with friends later the following weekend. I am sure I have so pictures of that in my camera...I will try to see if I can't find them. Oh, and I have some great pictures of that baby eating cake on her birthday...I will upload those and keep catching up over the next few days (or weeks or month or years...no promises, ok?)<br /><br />Oh yeah...And this happened too...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9oSrMujue4-bXQmdf7Ubn9zv3O1dW_5KYGuJRdLlj9q7NowbWuTtX9Ml-2ryW5fZJHEXZAz_ga4lZlH-Mb6ugQW_ixrbs83yqq1h_j_zWdjmPwQblI_P4vfqv05dUDNNPJEGfMqSeo6J/s1600-h/DSC_0356.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9oSrMujue4-bXQmdf7Ubn9zv3O1dW_5KYGuJRdLlj9q7NowbWuTtX9Ml-2ryW5fZJHEXZAz_ga4lZlH-Mb6ugQW_ixrbs83yqq1h_j_zWdjmPwQblI_P4vfqv05dUDNNPJEGfMqSeo6J/s200/DSC_0356.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444501574681831586" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Weird, huh?Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-12463883130280433442010-03-02T09:04:00.002-05:002010-03-02T09:27:06.873-05:00...hello? I think I got spider webs in my hair...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCHtscMpVK_vJAm8O5dofJPuww_Z9OEQeX3mlGngdfJpvj4z6Tix_Rf22q642DKqn3B794zu-y2hatOaBw9i9TmHlo4YVuXisXV9lIQbe1O1VbF69inXU4yW9h8rnDQHHqZLD5zVedH8U/s1600-h/DSC_0072.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCHtscMpVK_vJAm8O5dofJPuww_Z9OEQeX3mlGngdfJpvj4z6Tix_Rf22q642DKqn3B794zu-y2hatOaBw9i9TmHlo4YVuXisXV9lIQbe1O1VbF69inXU4yW9h8rnDQHHqZLD5zVedH8U/s200/DSC_0072.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444042891918158114" border="0" /></a><br />It is dusty in here. And dark. Here, lemme open a window or too, lets get this place aired out, huh? Geeze, been a while huh? My friend Darla has a cool new blog, and reading it made me feel like it was time to get back on the bloggy horse. Also, Mary Schumacher told me that it was dusty in here, and I HATE dust.<br /><br />Ok, so updates. Alana is in Kindergarden! She is reading like a champ. Her teacher loves her. She says that her class has a large population of high energy boys, and that Alana is such a good listener that she functions as a example for the rest of the class! Well that's what a mom likes to hear! She was Student of the month in November, and kindergarden writer of the month in January. I am very proud of her. She is grumpy in the mornings and doesn't seem to remember that she likes school when I go in to wake her up. She is wacky in the evenings, I think she spends a lot of energy on following rules and instructions at school that by the time she gets home she drops all attempts at being normal and goes BANANAS. Sometimes, it is funny...mostly it is frustrating. We have started having Mommy-Alana time for the first few moments after she comes home from school. We go to her room and read, and snuggle for a little while before I release her back into the wilds of the basement. Seems good so far.<br /><br />Joey is THRIVING in preschool. She wakes up every morning asking if she can go to school today. Her teachers say she is the loudest singer, the best dresser and she has cute headbands. They describe Joey as a free spirit who gets along with everyone, but who is learning to stand up for herself so she doesn't get walked on. She is already starting to read a bit, which I think is a function of Alana playing teacher with her. We are throwing around the idea of putting her in the early childhood education center at Wayne state next year. I think she would love it, particularly if I end up going back to school next fall.<br /><br />Charlotte...my darling, sweet, littlest girl has emerged from the rolly-polly snugly baby cacoon and she has transformed into a danger seeking, mess building, trouble making, walking, squealing almost toddler. This child has a radar for all things breakable or dangerous, and she wants to seek, and destroy, preferably by putting it in her mouth. She likes to crawl up the back of the couch and throw things off the breakfast bar. She Had her first Xray the other day because she got into Alana's backpack, took out a necklace that was a present for Alana's teacher and destroyed it. We found the pendant in her mouth, but not the metal piece that held the pendant to the ribbon. I was pretty sure she swallowed it. Thank GOD she didn't. But this is the kind of experience that I expect will be more and more common raising baby choo char. She is an adventurer.<br /><br />As for me, I went to school this last fall, to get my Math competency so I can apply to wayne states nursing program. This winter has been tough for me. I spent most of it fighting bout after bout of tonsilitis. LAME SAUCE. I got the nasty things out last thursday and I am recovering pretty well. I am planning a HUGE garden this spring, and I can't wait to be done with the snow!! I have all sorts of plans!<br /><br />Now, no promises. I am not gonna say, I will post every day! Or even once a week....but, friends, I will try harder.Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-41417283400417495872009-04-21T22:50:00.002-04:002009-04-21T23:02:25.592-04:00Charlotte...6 months old!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyu7aLFZvZ73Xobx9ix2zjM-DcnU_qplqyX4fR4eAcJUxm8qzdwrMlt3EjyHYSmEV3LfLnKQIDukO2DA6Zcw7mgIgxsjqx6l5cIBMOHLaofRtLqXbk2hMEV08eosRDcA4xTN-4A2vS2OMi/s1600-h/IMG_0160.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyu7aLFZvZ73Xobx9ix2zjM-DcnU_qplqyX4fR4eAcJUxm8qzdwrMlt3EjyHYSmEV3LfLnKQIDukO2DA6Zcw7mgIgxsjqx6l5cIBMOHLaofRtLqXbk2hMEV08eosRDcA4xTN-4A2vS2OMi/s320/IMG_0160.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327345536882507618" border="0" /></a><br />Is 6 months already! Where did my little infant go??!! She is 16 lbs, and she looks so tall! She loves the jumperoo, she makes people smile everywhere we go with her bright eyes and easy attitude. She has almost always got a grin on. She loves to babble and I think I have to just admit that her first word is Dada. She says it all the time. Though I think she thinks it is what you say to get a parent to come and look at you. She will roll around on the floor for a hours happily as long as she has something to chew on. She rolls from her tummy to her back, but will only go from her back to her side ( I think she just <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZlmMmstMELScrx_mT5p9eknvakyhPZVmFLbtMq6U4rrPDnM7sFLQz8i6HOef6DrHIm9KxXNEarrpgivJw7JEalh1l4VDNtK1ekTtJvfslxxoCWqRukM8jVRNkxyXfW4kLaxvu9P2116h/s1600-h/IMG_0159.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZlmMmstMELScrx_mT5p9eknvakyhPZVmFLbtMq6U4rrPDnM7sFLQz8i6HOef6DrHIm9KxXNEarrpgivJw7JEalh1l4VDNtK1ekTtJvfslxxoCWqRukM8jVRNkxyXfW4kLaxvu9P2116h/s320/IMG_0159.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327345535565287922" border="0" /></a>HATES being on her tummy still). She isn't interested in progressing in the physical stuff. Which is FINE by me. But her fine motor skills are really good, and she is strong. She loves to sit in her bumbo in the play room and watch the girls play. And she LOVES baths. She has learn how to splash, which is altogether surprising and hilarious to her. She reaches for people (even strangers). She thinks the dogs ears are fun to play with, and I think she really wants to chew them badly. I was holding her today rocking her before bed, looking at her sweet face, her hair in a little piggy tail at the top of her head, her eyes doing that slow blink and rolling up back, and I could have cried, I like her so much.Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-52971474065112333182009-03-05T20:47:00.002-05:002009-03-05T21:51:58.328-05:00Things I never want to forget about AlanaI haven't been very good at keeping a tally of all of my kid's first. I didn't keep a date book with first step, word or tooth. So in an effort to catch up a bit...here goes.<br />Alana was 7 lbs 7 oz. She came out and had HUGE eyes. She was quiet and watching us, like she knew what she was seeing and she didn't want to stop looking. I remember holding her the first time and thinking, "Ah...this is what it is all about...I can do THIS!" She took her first nap on her dad's chest while I was sleeping. Alana was a pretty easy baby. I never had enough to nurse her exclusively, and it took a few weeks of her nursing 24-7 to learn that I would not be enough. She was brought into the world with the hope that my Dad would get to meet her before he passed on, and he stuck around for 8 weeks after she was born. He used to wake up and ask if she could, "do any tricks yet?" She always had these big, bright, knowing, eyes. We moved 3 times before Alana turned one. When she was born we lived in a little apartment in Gresham, then we moved to Corbet, then we bought our portland house. She was so good at riding in the car, she would just zonk out. She was a scheduled baby. She took two naps a day for a long time. She loved baths, and BOOKS right away. One of the first things she ever wanted to sleep with was a book. I don't remember when she rolled or when she got her first tooth, but I know that she was crusing at camp that summer. She was just 8 months old. She had these perfect little curls at the nape of her neck. Oh and she was REALLY in love with her bink and her White booboo. She fell in love with this one white bear that her Grandma Alice gave her before she was born. When she was old enough to talk I asked her what his name was. I called her booboo as a nickname for a time, and she decided her bear was white booboo. Her first word was Dada. I could get her to eat anything by calling it a cookie. We had cheese cookies, not cheese sandwhiches. She has always liked drawing, give that girl a crayon and paper and she will be busy for hours! She decided that she was missing a name at some point, and decided her name was Alana Fay Merz Banana. This year she convinced her teacher of that and her teacher had to ask us about it after class...already a good actor. Alana has always loved to sing and make up songs. She made up one when she was, maybe 3, it went, "when the clouds go by I realy love the clouds, the sun and the moon and the sky! When the clouds go by I REALLY love the clouds, the sun and the moon and the sky!!!!" When she gets tired she gets really silly, in fact we used to call her wacky baby at the end of the day.<br /><br />Well that seems like a good start. Maybe, I will end this entry with a recent thing I don't want to forget, Alana loves to make Jewelry. She makes necklaces with buttons my mom gives her. Today My mom brought her home some lettered beads. Alana has ALWAYS been interested in letters and words. Her abilities to recognize and spell words has TOTALLY exploded lately. She made 2 necklaces today, one for me, it says Mom. And one for her sister, it says Jojo. She taught Joey how to spell JoJo too. But joey says, "My name is spelled j and j and o and o. JOSEPHINE!" Alana is a good little teacher!<br /><br />I am going to post old stories as I remember them, trying to keep a record. A woman at swim class today, one of the grammy's there with her grand kid touched me on the shoulder today, and said, "THESE are the best most golden years. " I smiled and said, "I know."Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-25207131271859870312009-02-17T12:44:00.002-05:002009-02-17T12:57:08.596-05:00Night sleeper!On Friday morning at 7am I woke up, cause my boobs hurt. I don't have a lot of milk, so I don't experience that feeling very often. I realized that I had put my littlest girl down at 9:30 the night before and had yet to hear a peep from her. Right away, I thought, WHOOPY!!! SHE SLEPT ALL NIGHT!!!! Then a feeling of dread creeped in...she must be dead. Seriously. Isn't it funny how the mothers brain has to go to the worst possible scenario? I laid in bed, awake, trying to keep from going in and putting my finger under her nose. I had the same moment with both the other girls. More then once I am sure. And with them I did, I just got up out of bed and ran into their rooms and poked them till they breathed or moved a little. But I have gotten more patient, more controled. It just takes effort! At 7:30 Jesse woke up and I told him that she had slept all night. He was so excited and impressed by her. Then I told hm my secret fear that she was in there dead. So he got up out of bed and sneaked into her room and gave her a little poke. She wiggled, then went back to sleep. MY HERO.<br /><br />Since that night she has woken up once or twice a night nearly every night, just needing her binkie back. The last 2 nights she woke up before 7 and was just awake. Fine by me. I am thrilled that she has already learned to sleep so well on her own. And somehow, there is this little loss of her need for me. And that is always bitter sweet.<br /><br />Char is such a dear. A big talker. She is gonna give the big girls a run for the money in the attention department. She is already noisy, engaging, and fun. Good news is, the big girls are as glued to her as I am.Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-56977029877613345152009-01-26T22:12:00.003-05:002009-01-26T22:27:21.910-05:00Rub a dub dub, 3 chicks in a tub.Whenever I take a bath, the big girls BEG to get in with me. I almost always say no. I get very little time to just relax like that by myself, so I usually tell them I need privacy and bribe them with sesame street. But Sunday we were having a mellow day at home, waiting for Mr. Merz to come back from NYC. The baby was sleeping in her swing, Alana and Joey had fallen asleep during "rest" time. So I got in the bath! Sweet quiet time! About 10 min in, Joey all red faced with sweaty, matted hair and glassy eyes, stumbles into the bathroom. "I gotta go pee." Right on her heels is Alana. I could tell right away that she was grumpy. She had some kind of scowl on, and she was stuck on WHINE. She was all hot and bothered cause she couldn't get her blanky to wrap around her just right. So Joey, all fresh from her pee, wiped and hands washed, starts taking her clothes off and saying she is getting in the tub. Alana is crying cause she doesn't want me to help her with the blanket because my hands are wet...eventually I just invited them both in the tub. We are definitely getting to the point where we can't all fit in there comfortably. But we made it work. There is something so pretty about their long wet eyelashes, and the way their hair floats in the water. When I was washing their hair, we would say, "You look like a mermaid!" They were putting the wash cloths up on their bodies like dresses. All giggles and silliness. And with that the post nap grumpies were washed away. I didn't get my quiet bath, but I got two happy (and clean!) kiddos and that is worth something too! Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-35553015794031074502009-01-21T08:12:00.003-05:002009-01-21T08:16:38.355-05:00True or false, Fact or opinion?Alana is really interested in the difference between fact and opinion lately. We were talking about it this morning she was getting opinion and false mixed up. So in an effort to help her see the difference between false and opinion, I gave her this example, "Alana has blond hair, that is true, Alana has black hair, that is false, Alana has pretty hair, that is an opinion." To which Alana said, "MY HAIR IIIIIIIIIISSSSS pretty Mom! That is a FACT!"<br /><br />Can't say she isn't self confident, that's a fact!Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-52490431037105763692009-01-20T21:57:00.002-05:002009-01-20T22:02:47.514-05:007 am on the dot...Jesse has been out of town for the last several days, and for the couple of days running up to him leaving, Joey started climbing into be with us. Well, now that he is gone, 7 am every morning, nearly on the dot, Joey come clomping up the stairs. Opens my door, closes it hard and climbs into bed with me. She tosses one chubby arm around my neck and breaths into my face. She flops around for several min and finally her legs are still and we sleep a little. It is eating into my extra sleep plans, but I must say, I do love her snuggles. There is something sort of flattering about a kid wanting to be that close that consistently. Sweet.Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-30751907521019566882009-01-14T13:28:00.002-05:002009-01-14T13:36:31.704-05:00Three chicks in a rowThe baby likes to babble now. Usually right after a feeding she will look up at me with milk mouth and smile big and start gurgling. And then she has "chats" for 10-15 min before getting cranky with the whole thing. Well yesterday we were on the couch chatting and Alana came to sit with me. We watched her and listened and giggled at her sounds together. Not long after that, Joey came and made me scoof over and make room for her too. It was just us three chicks in a row on the couch listening to her raspberry monologue and giggling at her. It was just one of those nice moments that break up the day.<br /><br />I was watching ALana and Joey in the pool in swim class yesterday, they were so cute kicking around in the water on those noodles, and I could see from the observation booth that they were talking to each other and laughing about something or another. I just felt so glad that they like each other! (for now...hehe)<br /><br />Yesterday after nap and rest time, I set the jumparoo up for Char. I put her in there and the girls came out to make faces and bounce her up and down in it. All three of my girls have been in that jumparoo now. It was fun watching them trying to teach her how to use it. All of a sudden it was sort of quiet (never a good sound really unless they are sleeping!) and I looked over. Joey and Alana were taking turns petting Char's little fuzzy head. And Char was just looking up at them with great big eyes.<br /><br />Guess I had a lot of those moments yesterday!Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-75611761512092825452009-01-10T13:15:00.002-05:002009-01-10T13:32:44.054-05:00Snow Bunnies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1767/131/98/692885432/n692885432_5198031_7800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 604px; height: 402px;" src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1767/131/98/692885432/n692885432_5198031_7800.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1767/131/98/692885432/n692885432_5198028_7126.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 604px; height: 402px;" src="http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1767/131/98/692885432/n692885432_5198028_7126.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1767/131/98/692885432/n692885432_5198033_8228.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 604px; height: 402px;" src="http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1767/131/98/692885432/n692885432_5198033_8228.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The big girls LOVE the snow. Over the last couple days we got 4-6 inches, and it is still coming down out there. It is a really beautiful site. I LOVE to watch the snow. I have even embraced the zen of shoveling. I kinda dig the extra work out. But as much as I think I like it, Joey and Alana have me beat. They will spend an hour in the snow. The can hardly walk in it when it gets this deep, they kind of half crawl through it, leaving little tunnels in the snow behind them. It reminds me of that old comic, family circle, where it was a picture of their back yard and little foot prints that showed the path the little kid took and what they were doing. Joey does this thing where she crawls a few feet and then sings "Dig dig dig dig dig dig dig" to the tune of twinkle twinkle. She digs down as far as she can, then moves on and starts again. Alana likes to play like she is on a mission, she takes one of our spoons out with her, tosses it into the snow then run/crawls to it and says, "OH, LOOK, A CLUE!!!" digs it out, tosses it and starts again. They come it all red faced, joey usually has a long stream of snot coming down her face. I stood at the door and just watched them for a long time. Sometimes, laundry can just wait.Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-80847426000085162692009-01-09T14:14:00.005-05:002009-01-20T22:42:29.938-05:00PooPoo Snafoo and fond farewell to napsSo the other day I was saying that Char seemed to have a hurty owie tummy right? Well yesterday morning we found out why. I pulled her out of the swing to get her ready to go to the gym with me and I thought she smelled a little poopy. Well I unzip the sleep sack and there is poo all over her little thighs. Then I open up the onesie and pull up her legs and seeping through the onesie from the inside is poo, from her butt all the way up to her HAIR! BLECH BLECH BLECH!!! Laugh on future me... I has to throw her in the tub, rinse her off, clean the tub then give her a bath. She loved the bath part, but hated the poo cleaning.<br /><br />In other news, Joey and Alana are done napping. They haven't been able to sleep properly at nap time for a long time, and lately we put them to bed at 8:30 and they don't sleep till 10-10:30!! So bye bye naps. I would rather have kiddos that go down easily at night then fight for a nap and fight for bed time. And while I do miss that little bit of time I used to get to myself (including the chance to lay down myself on occasion) They have suprised me with how much they can help with the little things I do when they are usually sleeping. Helping me tote laundry, pick up the livingroom, bring me dishes from all over the house. Alana is a great little house keeper. She begs to wipe down surfaces. Pretty cute! Maybe she will be better at keeping house that me some day! And it does seem that since we have asked them to hep with keeping the bedroom and playroom clean, they have been keeping it from getting too messy in the first place.<br /><br />Today is Charlottes last day in most of her 0-3 month stuff. I should consider myself lucky, Joey was out of them mear weeks after she was born. Alana on the other hand was a tiny little stick baby and wore the 0-3 month stuff till 4 months. It is sad to put those things away...She still seems so little to me. Getting bigger and funnier everyday. She sort of chats now. I say stuff to her like, "how was your day" and she gurgles and smiles and coos. Pretty cute. She has been nodding at me when I nod for a while now, but last night I shook my head no and she shook hers right back at me. Freaking CRACK up that kid. I tried to catch her on the video camera on my compy, but darn that kid, she has her own mind. I will post it soon.<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyKJZHSi-FhFISWXGOWy_ayZ3NgTbuYDHriM5RfFAKYxj-1mKR98hofSfanjSLWBUBWpg7BjKalwhvwDuleCw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Laurel Merzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398245194863589247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-86555712490320355952009-01-07T21:13:00.002-05:002009-01-07T21:40:29.474-05:00I figured it out...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFP4eFQ-y_lsdka2MIco8p6fD1qCa6xaQ7LFk3XZ4nF7q2mxvAuG7adKUkPKyM7f6qkA_eon55Wqb7S2vHSCVZLUt0PniXgE4zVxCz_fNwX4afEFAo6s20JJCo_1Yl1UnmPDkwub13Wai/s1600-h/Photo+119.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFP4eFQ-y_lsdka2MIco8p6fD1qCa6xaQ7LFk3XZ4nF7q2mxvAuG7adKUkPKyM7f6qkA_eon55Wqb7S2vHSCVZLUt0PniXgE4zVxCz_fNwX4afEFAo6s20JJCo_1Yl1UnmPDkwub13Wai/s320/Photo+119.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288747198834331122" border="0" /></a><br />I don't know what most peoples intentions are when they start a blog. I don't really know why I started one in the first place. But it struck me today that I NEED to keep a better history of life today. Because I will want to look back on it with a mix of longing and thankfulness tomorrow. So that is what my blog has got to be about. From here on out, I will keep a log of the little things my children do that make me laugh or pull my hair. How they are growing, how they impress and inspire me, even when they make mistakes. It is my new years resolution to find more patients for my kiddos, and in trying to do that, I have found moments of peace in the midst of frustration. All my kids have given me those moments today.<br />Alana- today she sat at the table, playing one of my least favorite games, the "I haven't tried it yet, but I don't like it game." We had chicken with peanut sauce. I even put honey on it cause she thought it would help. She ended up in time out. I get so FRUSTRATED with the eating situation (future me is laughing, but current me is scowling). When she finally tasted the chicken, she was humble enough to admit that she did like it. And she ate it all. AND once she had eaten she was pure joy. She made a measuring tape on her drawing tablet and she measured all our hands. Then Grammy marked down everyone's names where she had measured them. It is one of those little pieces of paper treasure that I know I HAVE to hold on to, so I can draw my finger down the page when all those hands are grown.<br />Joey, who I think lives in a world where art happens everywhere, drew on the bedding in the play room. Green and red all over the down comforter and a beautiful quilt. Non water soluble ink too... Grrrr. When Jesse and Alana discovered it, Jesse was very disapointed. Which made Joey cry...A LOT. Poor Girl. I know that feeling. I am still pissed at myself for having Katie Dunn write that note for me for gym class in 6th grade. When my mom found out and told me she was dissapointed in me, I was so upset with myself, I couldn't eat dinner that night! I came in to check out the damage and that just made it worse for her. I sat down next to her, and pulled her close. Jesse asked to her appologize, and it took a while, but she did. I thought she would fight me when I reached to her to pick her up and hold her, but she gave right in, and her head against my shoulder was so big tonight. I forget that she is still a toddler really. I think of her as being so close to Alana's age. She is so independent and capable, I just forget that she is still a baby in some ways.<br />Then Charlotte. She had the most lovely long hours of alertness tonight. She sleeps a lot durring the day, just 11 and a half weeks old, that is pretty normal. But in the evenings she is awake for a LONG time. And today she was all smiles, and she was monkeying my noding yes and shaking my head no, I was laughing so hard. Then she sat on my lap and made baby noises till she got sad. I think her tummy hurts tonight. Sometimes she has these almost hard poo's and they make her REAL cranky. She was all tears, clean diaper, swaddle and everything, none of my normal tricks were working. I was on the verge of a bout of really crankiness myself when I proped her up straight against my shoulder and she stopped. I was rocking back and forth from foot to foot and she was wide eyed, but quiet. And I told myself, just enjoy it. That is something I tell myself a lot. I forget. I get caught up in how something sucks and I forget how really lovely those moments can be. Seeing a trend? Midnight feedings, soothing a sad baby, all these moments can be really calming moments. Historic moments. Moments that won't last. So I savored it. I rocked her and patted her, felt her baby duck fuzz hair against my chin, smelled her baby sweat, and kissed her cool little forhead until she fell asleep.<br />I heard someone say that a mothers job is to try to put herself out of a job. So I think I will try to enjoy myself while I have it...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-85855440193857691232008-11-30T23:36:00.002-05:002008-11-30T23:44:49.519-05:00Stupid face<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v701/141/110/808943/n808943_43215255_3038.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 604px; height: 402px;" src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v701/141/110/808943/n808943_43215255_3038.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v701/141/110/808943/n808943_43215248_1318.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 604px; height: 402px;" src="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v701/141/110/808943/n808943_43215248_1318.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v701/141/110/808943/n808943_43215251_2035.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 604px;" src="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v701/141/110/808943/n808943_43215251_2035.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v701/141/110/808943/n808943_43215246_827.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 604px;" src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v701/141/110/808943/n808943_43215246_827.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v701/141/110/808943/n808943_43215240_9456.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 604px; height: 402px;" src="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v701/141/110/808943/n808943_43215240_9456.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />So apparently there is this guy. He has a blog where he tries to make the stupidest face he can. I think I can take him. I think I could WHOOP HIS STUPID FACE BUTT. I make AWESOME stupid faces. It is just a fact about me. I am not being full of myself either. It is a natural God given talent. Proof of that is that my baby is good at it too. Enclosed for your consideration are some examples of my stupid face prowess. Enjoy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-29276870791910940302008-11-26T10:02:00.002-05:002008-11-26T10:12:52.404-05:00THANKSGIVING!!!I am sooooo excited. Thanksgiving in my house and I am in charge of the food! It is just us this year, Mom and Jesse and the kids and I. Plus one more special guest! Our friend Sylvi who lives in NYC! We are having fresh green beans with caramelized onions, Turkey roulade with spinach, goat cheese and cranberries, Homemade buns, Twice baked garlic and chive potatoes, Vegitarian stuffing, spinach salad with balsamic vinagrette, spice cake and apple pie! Dude, feast ever??<br /><br />Then Friday I am venturing out on black friday for the first time ever!! I think we will just go to target, oldnavy and khols. I don't really need anything. I would love some cute brown boots, and Jesse needs a new winter coat. Other than that, I don't think I will buy much.<br /><br />On another note, Jesse may want to stop eating death...And after I saw the sarah palin video on you tube with the dying turkeys behind her, I may be willing to consider!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-71516120212610533462008-11-25T07:42:00.000-05:002008-11-25T08:00:41.450-05:00Birth story...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGf-fABXa0z-dRdXPld7hNWIs_GsMFbWUBvKxP8t_CJygkcRHPCrVKcI16KaXeavM8zqUbSaea_z7ipeRR1al4H61SBanMw4hy7DO2uGzIrfI-x7NlQjfou5S0DQsEdACc-DlVoAYU6yq/s1600-h/DSC_0551.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGf-fABXa0z-dRdXPld7hNWIs_GsMFbWUBvKxP8t_CJygkcRHPCrVKcI16KaXeavM8zqUbSaea_z7ipeRR1al4H61SBanMw4hy7DO2uGzIrfI-x7NlQjfou5S0DQsEdACc-DlVoAYU6yq/s320/DSC_0551.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272579308486642658" border="0" /></a><br />I posted this message to my online gal pals the day we brought Charlotte home.<br /><br />I called my Ob Sunday afternoon I was having contraxtions ever 3-4 min and he said that if it kept up, I should come in in the next 45 min or so. So I walked around the house, putting a few extra things in the bag. Jesse grabbed a few things, and we were off. We came into triage, and the nurse checked me. She said I was nearly 3 cm but thinning out from my last check. I thought they would send me home. But she came back a few moments later with a midwife, who measured the baby on U/S and approximated the weight at 8 lbs and then gave me a gown and a personal item bag. She said, you are staying, lets go break you water. I got a little nervous, cause they said once they break my water I can't get out of bed! I was PISSED. But ready to be done, so I said whatever...when we got there and the triage nurse left, I asked the nurse who was checking me in if I would be allowed to move around, use a birthing ball all that, and she said OF COURSES. PHEW! Everything went really fast, and fun after that. I was still having good labor, contrax every 3-4 min. They broke my water, HUGE AMOUNTS OF WATER, and then we all sat around a chatted for a while, me and my nurse (jill, so nice!) and the 3rd year resident, also really sweet, and the nurse who was going off shift, she stuck around to set up the telemetry monitors so I could get up, use the birthing ball and use the bathroom on my own. After they left the first time, I got up to go to the bathroom, and dripped the whole way...I seriously couldn't walk anywhere without making puddles. The nurse came in and helped me clean up, and set the birthing ball up for me. Jesse and I chatted with Jill, laughed at each other a lot. Jesse kept saying he felt like it could still be next weekend somehow. He was playing funny songs like, Geogre W, because I got high, and we watched Simpsons and the family guy. A couple hours after they broke my water, I could feel the back labor coming on. My contraxtions were lasting a min, and then I would get 10-15 secs, and go into another one before a 2 min break. I decided that would be a good time for an epidural, but only if I was 5 cm or more. So the doc checked and sure enough, in 2 hours I went from not quite 3 to 5 and totally thin! The Epidural man was there really fast, and he was a crack up. We were bouncing jokes off each other and laughing really hard, I set off extra contractions I was laughing so hard. He got the meds in and I was feel much better. I still felt every contraction, but they were less painful by enough of a degree that I was able to nearly talk through them. I thought it would be a fun time to call my girlfriend Kerry and waste some time. I had only had the epidural for about 30 min. I called Kerry, and told her I was 5 cm. And I was saying that the epidural was helping me a lot, and that I was starting one, but that I felt I could still talk through it, and then everything got very pressured and full and burny down stairs. So I told Kerry, something was happening down there and I had to go. We maybe talked 3 min...it was funny really! My OB came in and said, lets wait for the next one and see what happens. I started getting one and BOY did my pooper hurt! I felt like I needed to poop out a watermelon. So I told her that, and we all laughed again. She checked me, and I was ready to go! We got to the hospital at 5, admited at 5:45, and pushing at 10:15!! I started pushing, I felt it all down there. That was a first for me. I was totally numb down there with the other girls! YOUCH! So after a lot of noisiness, And 3 pushes Charlotte came popping out! Jesse called out, "it's a girl!" And I laughed some more! It was such a fun birth. Probably the funnest part of the whole stay at the hospital. Charlie is SO cute. She has a LOUD cry, but she rarely uses it. She didn't open her eyes much yesterday, cause they are all swollen from the quick trip. She looked really asian the first day, Jesse was asking me if there was something I needed to share with him... <img src="http://www.mothersintersection.com/miforums/Smileys/classic/giggle.gif" alt="Giggle!" border="0" /><br /><br />That night sucked. Charlotte and I just wanted to sleep, but they came in every five freaking seconds let me look at your ass, let me look at your vag, let me look at how much pee you can make. I HATE hospitals. She latched really well right away. But I feel like I could tell right away that things just still aren't right with my boobs. We started advocating right away to go home. So they picked up the pace (they usually make you wait at least 42 hours) My OB gave me the clear, cause I had no stitches and no big tears this time (my vag feels like I gave birth a couple weeks ago, not 2 days ago!) and my Pedi gave the same to Charlotte. Then the lactation consultant came in. We had a long talk. She thought our latch looked professional. And I told her about my troubles in the past, and my concern about glandular tissue. So she felt my breasts. She felt the "big" one first. She felt the very top, then the middle then the bottom. She said she only felt any glandular tissue in the middle. She felt the other side and said there was much less on the left. I said, I have often felt like I have like 50% less than what I should, and she agreed, even said that was probably an overstatement. We talked about it, and I am not going to do the whole routine trying to get my boobs to do something they simply aren't capable of doing. So no extra pumping, no fenugreek, no SNS, none of that. And they can't even give me a script for the domperidone...She says it wouldn't help anyway, my functioning glandular tissue will make what it can, I just have to feed her as often as possible. I am really sad. I cried a lot. But I am trying to be positive about it. At least this time, my poor baby won't have to starve for a couple weeks while I try to do something that can't be done.<br />Shortly after that, at 5:45 (exactly 24 hours after we were admitted to give birth) They let us go! We took our new baby girl to whole foods and picked up some formula. Came home, had white castle, and I BF then gave charlotte her first taste of formula. It was hard to do, but it feels more and more ok.<br /><br />She will breast feed first, then we wait, change diapers, hold her off a bit to see if she needs it, and give her milk if she wants it. She takes about an ounce at a time. Sometimes an ounce and a half, and she has no trouble going between the two so far. Last night she fell asleep at 11:45, so I went to bed then too. I woke up at 3:30 with HORRIBLE cramps, totally forgot to take motrin before bed...DON'T DO THAT! I got up and got some meds, then went up and got back in bed. Charlie didn't wake up till 4:45!!! So I had a chance for the meds to kick in before we went down and had some bf and bonding time. I changed her diaper, and fed her some bottle. Then she pooped AGAIN! Wow...it was back to back, and a new thing for her. Clearly, she was hungry <img src="http://www.mothersintersection.com/miforums/Smileys/classic/giggle.gif" alt="Giggle!" border="0" /><br /><br />We went back to bed at like 6:30, and we stayed in bed till 9:30! I am hoping that is the routine, cause that totally works for me! My girls both started doing that at 6 weeks ad 4 weeks, now I think about it, and that is when we started supplementing. Poor things, were probably awake before that cause they were hungry...<br /><br />Anyway. We are home and happy. I have to make an appointment for her today. But other than that, we are gonna rest.<br /><br />The girls LOVE her. And we are all fitting in well together. She is so mellow and easy to please. Her hair is so cute! She is finally able to open her eyes for more than a second and her face is cuter by the min cause she is getting less swollen. I will post some new pics soon.<br /><br />As for me, the cramps are pretty hard, but I just have to stick to taking something every 4 hours! I feel so good otherwise. I told Jesse I feel like I went from look 24 months pregnant, to 4 months pregnant. It is a pretty big difference, and still somehow funny to look down and see a belly with nothing in it!<br /><br /><br /><br />*Update- Charlotte remains a great baby! She is very easy. Such a happy easy to please little thing. We are still breastfeeding and supplementing. She is up to 2 oz after every feeding, and she is gaining weight well. She's now 9lb 15oz and in the 90th% for height. She sleeps pretty well, we all go to bed together around 10, she wakes up at 2 to breastfeed and we go back to sleep. She usually wakes up at 5 or 6 and I can usually get her to nurse herself back to sleep for an hour or so. She has a very strong neck, and a HUGE open mouth smile. I have yet to catch it on camera though.<br /><br />She has a little case of the sniffles so the last 2 nights have been less fun. But I have only had a handful of bad nights with Char, so, I feel pretty blessed.<br /><br />All in all it is moving way too fast. I put away her Newborn clothes (stuff I couldn't even use with JOE!) this week. That was hard. She fits in with the rest of my kids, makes me want to be that Dugar lady, all these kids are so nice, I wish I could have more! But this uterus is DONE. RETIRED. OUT!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-4071474092484320892008-11-03T09:58:00.000-05:002008-11-03T12:50:39.665-05:00Well...I suck at blogging<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEl_4_VVRhY2N-uJGYgKiVFMncqD6YChgYZp9Nf_407n5X8jk910dyX0q-TQVhKv3kes_eFQ6mGuDYdWO0Vdx1sn1BBkGa8NpPHIjFoLuEtLzI-_jxFX-4GPbVo6JQEJ7i9eWg7BzlM7X/s1600-h/DSC_0549.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEl_4_VVRhY2N-uJGYgKiVFMncqD6YChgYZp9Nf_407n5X8jk910dyX0q-TQVhKv3kes_eFQ6mGuDYdWO0Vdx1sn1BBkGa8NpPHIjFoLuEtLzI-_jxFX-4GPbVo6JQEJ7i9eWg7BzlM7X/s320/DSC_0549.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264490044564589746" border="0" /></a><br />Last time I blogged I had a tiny baby in my uterus...now I have a big beautiful girl sitting on my lap! I was living in California, but now I am just outside of Detroit Mi. Crazy. Our new home is a really lovely rental in Birmingham Mi. We moved here at the end of August. With our baby due then end of October, it was altogether the worst and most perfect timing for a move that big. The worst because I couldn't really lift anything, I cried all the time and I spent a lot of time feeling really sweaty. But it was great timing because I had a VERY strong nesting impulse, I had been saving it up for a few months, because we really had no idea what our house would be like until we got there. We rented it having only seen pictures! So I nested myself crazy and we were mostly moved in by the time baby came.<br /><br />It has been a productive last few months, and in the next few days I will do my best to get this page up to date.<br /><br />For now I will leave you with a picture of my newest little girl, Charlotte, born Oct 19th at 10:26, at 8 lbs 1 oz and 21 inches long.<br /><br />Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-56686188317610889552008-04-22T20:29:00.000-04:002008-04-22T20:52:25.424-04:00It's not easy being green...Seriously...what MORE must I DO!!!! It seems like every day I add some new thing to my day to try to SAVE the PLANET. I have been beaten into a guilty submission...I think it helps that I am a naturally easy to guilt person. I have a home full of halogen light bulbs. I turn off lights and TV's everywhere I go. We keep the heat at 62 degrees in the winter (don't like it, wear a sweater!) and 76 in the summer. I switched to cloth diapers even though my youngest was nearly 2! I hadn't realized the impact I was making and I refused to make it ANY longer. I switched to organic milk, eggs that are from cage free veg fed farms. I try to buy fruits and veggies from local (I try for within 150 miles of where I live) farms. This last one is easy when you live in California the LAND of MILK and HONEY! Where you can get tomatoes nearly year round...But it will be tough when we get to detroit. I am going to have to learn how to cook with turnips I think...I also try to buy second hand first, use reusable bags, and try to NEVER BUY FROM CHINA. Or Walmart.<br /><br />In any case. The point is not to toot my green horn. The POINT is this, WHAT MORE MUST I DO??? I am reading this new Green magazine put out by national geographic, and watching the Human Foot print (to be candid, I really made it through the first 15 min...ok 5 min before I had to turn it off cause I was so guilt ridden!) and I don't know if I can make the next steps people.<br />In order of maybe can do to LEAST appealing way to save the EARTH...<br />- Switch to Pthalate free Eco-friendly cosmetics, cleaners, and body/hair cleansers.<br /> This one isn't so bad, I just really like the cheapo stuff I use, and shelling out the extra cash would be tough...Also they are tough to find sometimes!!<br />- Switch to BPA free plastics or glass.<br /> Again, this is less of a huge hassle, and more of a financial issue. I have a good friend who is willing to sell me her glass bottles for baby number 3. Which will be really nice. And I guess when we move I will just sell the stuff I have a buy new better for us stuff when we get to detroit.<br />- Buy Eco friendly clothes<br /> I half keep up with this by buying mostly second hand, but when I buy first hand...I have a hard time shelling out the cash for organic, re-purposed clothing and shoes.<br />- Become a VEGITARIAN!!!<br /> WTH. No. No way. I can't. I love meat!! They are saying if you want to help save the PLANET the best move is to not eat MEAT! Particularly red meat. Which is fine cause I eat very little red meat. BUT this also includes products that come from cows, milk, cheese (PLEASE GOD!!! NOT CHEESE!!!) yogurt, the LIST GOES ON...Now every time I eat a piece of meat, I feel like I am eating a bit of the EARTHS heart!! EATING my CHILDRENS future EARTH AWAY!!!<br /><br /><br />Ok...this has all become very dramatic. I draw the line. I DRAW IT!!! I will not stop eating meat and DAIRY. But...I will try to buy meat that is from organic as close to local sources as possible. THERE HAPPY!!?? Who am I talking to?? THE EARTH??? I wish I could just live on a self sufficient farm.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8088154354236680790.post-30815748258754886502008-04-21T20:02:00.000-04:002008-11-04T23:29:38.327-05:00MY FIRST BLOG!!!Honest to BLOG. It's my first. I am 13 weeks and 2 days pregnant. Woohoo, welcome to the second trimester me! And I have to be honest, in some ways this has been a WAY easier pregnancy. The nausea has been much less debilitating than it was with the girls. I don't know it it was the b6 I was taking every night, or I am trying out growing some new type of genitalia, but it is actually something I can handle. Really that is what I was most scared of when we decided to get knocked up again, even more than LABOR! The only crappy thing is that I have a subchorionic hemorrhage. It led to a big scary bleed one Sunday and a trip to the ER. Little toughy baby in there is hanging in and looking GOOD! But I spent 2 weeks on restricted activities, and now I am up and about, but I am still on pelvic rest...which has be hard and lame. I have dreams of a (tmi coming here) sexual nature nearly every night. It has been tough. But I am mostly done bleeding and I am hoping after my appointment on May 1st I will be allowed to be *ahem* intimate with my dear husband again.<br />So that is that as for the pregnancy, for now...beside being pretty tired...<br /><br />I had a moving company come today and give me a quote for moving to detroit...it is crazy spendy to move across the country...but what was really funny was that the guy heard that I was listening to Howard. You have to know, if you don't listen, or hate him, or whatever, that he has this sidekick, Artie Lang, who I love. Well he got in a big fight on the show a week and a half ago. He threw water at his assistant, and tried to punch him! Anyway, so he says that day that he isn't coming back. This to me would be a real problem for me. I love Howard, but I would miss Artie so much that I would have a hard time listening to some other douche try to be as funny as him. So today, Howard is finally back from a week off, and he says he will announce if Artie is back or not. Well, long story longer, he is back and will continue on the show, but it was a big day and I HAD to listen. I was pretty frustrated that I had to turn it off long enough to get this quote...silly I know. So the guy sits down to do the quote after looking at my pea pickin messy house, and I turn it back on. We ended up having a long conversation about Howard and all that has happened since he moved to Sirius. Then as he was leaving we were talking about other talk show people, and I brought up Dr Laura, I get crap all the time for liking either one of these people, I say, they both have plenty of good things to say, and you don't have to agree 100% with someone to think they are smart, or worth listening too. Anyway, I think it is a good combo really cause they agree sometimes...they both think you should have lots of sex with your man to make him happy...I am telling you it works...and I HATE PELVIC REST! That may be the only thing they have in common...Oh, heck they both piss people off...that is another thing. So moving guy and I bonded over Stern. Gotta love it. Howard Stern and Dr Laura, bringing people together!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0