Mother's Day 2012

Today has been a very lovely day. The children brought me breakfast in bed: pancakes, bacon, strawberries & orange juice. Wesley picked out a dozen red roses for me. Ben told me that the boy insisted they be red. Josie picked out Ghiradelli Dark & Sea Salt Caramel chocolate squares- she knows me so well. And Carlise having noticed my frequent use of my kindle, picked out a clip-on light for it.

After our leisure morning, we did some prep and hurried up to Enterprise to spend lunch with my Mom &  sister, JaNae. We had a lunch of chuck eye steaks, artichokes, pasta salad,  & a chilled salad w/ avocado. It was fulfilling being able to serve my mother a meal I prepared. A very tiny bit of payback for all the many she has given me.

Before returning home for dinner, we stopped in to see Ben's mom. Ben picked out some lovely tulips for her (the ones we gave her for Easter were already dead). We enjoyed our visit with her before the children started becoming cranky due to the lateness of dinner.

Ben did a fantastic job of making this day so lovely for our mothers and myself. Love that man!

Playing with our food

We've been working on eating healthier so that means more fresh food. Which means I can play with it to make it fun!

Big Girl!

Carlise lost her first tooth!!! Ben & I were a little freaked out at first. It was a new first and something we had no experience with. We felt like new parents all over again. After a a phone call or two to veteran parents we were assured it was normal and not damage caused by a massive sucker she chewed on the night before. The best thing is that she didn't freak out like she tends to do about everything else. The kids were eating dinner, Ben walked in and noticed Carlise was missing a tooth. I got on my hands and knees and scoured the floor for it. Oh yeah, it's the only white speck with blood on it. She wrote a note to the ToothFairy explaining her tooth would be under her pillow tomorrow night instead of tonight. We're going to Grandma's tomorrow and she's going to make a tooth fairy pillow for Carlise's tooth.

Potty

Wesley has been in underwear for the most part these past few months. If I put him in a diaper he wouldn't do anything on the potty. At least in underwear he would pee in the potty. But continued to struggle with going poop. Oh so frustrating for him as well as ourselves. Tonight he successfully did it!! He recognized the feeling and ran for the potty. He was so proud of himself! His fear has been that it will hurt so he holds it in and tonight he realized it really doesn't hurt. He had a huge grin on his face and had to call Nana & Grandma to tell them. He is really very proud of being a big boy.

Josie is potty trained as well. She's been absorbing everything with Wesley. On occasion she's inform us she needed to go potty, but wasn't consistent. And while dealing with Wesley we really didn't want to add another to that struggle if we didn't have to. A week ago she stayed completely dry in her diaper for a whole day. So the next day I had her in training pants. After that day she wanted back in the diaper but stayed dry and wanted to go on the potty. Saturday Ben asked if she wanted to pick out some underwear and she was so excited! She picked out Princess & the Frog and Ni Hao Kailan. She's been wearing them and has only had 1 accident. It was today and in the car on the way home. She told me but I misjudged how long it could wait, so its my fault. I now know to stop in a parking lot and let her use the mini travel potty in the van.

We are so excited that after 5 1/2 years we are finally done buying diapers! The pictures are from our Poopie Party at Chuck E. Cheese's. (It cost us nothing! =])

fyi

it's official. no more pregnancies.

a little vasectomy humor

New Jobs and misc.

I've been doing the training for my new job and then I get to start talking to new moms. The hardest part I've noticed so far is going to be using picture words to help a mom get a good latch since it's almost all over the phone. But that's what training is for.

Ben's new job is wonderful!! If for nothing else, he's not nearly as stressed. But, some of the other great things are that it's what he loves to do, what he's going to school for, and it's not a dead-end position.

Carlise is now old enough for school but will not be attending kindergarten. Kindergarten isn't required in the state of Alabama and since we feel she's not emotionally ready, she'll stay home with me this year. And I'll be making sure she's on the same level as the other kids for 1st grade.

Wesley is still my b.o.y. in all ways. We've discovered his laughter is intoxicating to us. He is very inventive and loves to destroy my living room to build whatever he's creating that day. As long as he helps clean up we're ok. He's still not potty trained but is working on it. He's trying to earn his reward of going to Chuck E. Cheese's.

Josie is in the transition from being baby to 2 year old. Sassy pants. She will probably be potty trained when Wesley is. She communicates very well and expresses herself pretty clearly. She loves to wear dresses, but not skirts so much. However, she absolutely insists on picking out her shoes by herself though.

working again

I got a small part time job doing something I am passionate about.

I am a W.I.C. breastfeeding peer counselor. It's only 10 hours a week spent on the phone either at home or the health department. I thought I was volunteering, but was then informed I needed to fill out another form because the state will be paying me. Whoo! I was very nervous to go in for a formal interview and get back in the work force. It didn't click until they asked me the final question in the interview

"Why do you think you'd make a good peer counselor?"

"Because I'm already doing it."

Mother's day

My munchkins enthusiastically planted pink & white flowers for me for my mother's day gift. They also helped plant some marigolds with my tomato plant. It's so beautiful to have color in front of the house now. Something about digging in the dirt just feels so good!

Despite what you might hear while on the phone with me, I really do enjoy them & love being their mommy. Ben & I were very happy in the first 2 1/2 years of our marriage, but then something happened and it changed everything- we had a baby. And instead of our world being flipped upside-down, it was actually more like bringing life into focus and we could truly see. And we became immersed in the bittersweet world that is parenting.

And now being in their shoes I am grateful for not only my Mom, but Ben's Mom as well. They both keep me grateful for how good I have it now with blessings such as affordable well-constructed diapers, bottles w/ drop-in liners & Mylicon to name a few! Mom H. has truly been a blessing for a mother-in-law. I could not have picked better! And my Mom is always there with advice for me, I don't always listen the first time, so I'm very grateful she's always there to repeat it for me!

My Oma is also such a blessing in my life! She is who I want to be one day. She's so loving, faithful, joyful, & hard working. Oh, and she makes the best jam ever. You can ask any of my family, it's like you can taste the love when you eat it. Now I just have to work on getting a dozen jars back to her for a refill.

My darling Grandma J. is gone, but I still think of her often. I can't smell a gardenia or pass a garden without thinking of her. Her memory is what gets me digging in the dirt. I feel such peace when I'm in the yard doing what she used to do and it brings a connection to me. A connection I want to pass on to my children.

So we dug in the dirt today and started our garden. And as it grows, and as they grow, we will share these experiences and I will share my memories of these wonderful mothers in our family.

Ben's Birthday

So for Ben's birthday we ended up doing a simple party at home. Just the kids & me plus 20 others! Ben is so difficult for me to surprise because one way or another he ends up ruining it, usually by accident.

But this year I got him!!

Snow Day!

Friday was a snow day for us. I don't remember it snowing this well since 1993. Ben got to come home at 2 and we all played in the snow. It constantly went between raining and snowing. We went to Nana's house because her snow wasn't at slushy as ours and we built a snowman.

Happy Birthday Mom!

I don't have my Mother's gift with words so I had to have some help. I love you Mom!

Each year I’m extra happy on your birthday;
Your day reminds me of God’s gift to me--
A mom who gave her all to raise me right,
A mother like the one I want to be.
-Joanna Fuchs

Mother, I wish you the best on your birthday;
No one has earned it like you.
You provide the love that makes our dream
Of a happy home come true.Your family loves and reveres its Mom;
You enrich everything you come near;
You’re our rock, our beacon and our pleasure,
And everything we all hold so dear.-Karl Fuchs

"Being a mother has never been an easy role. Some of the oldest writings in the world admonish us not to forsake the law of our mother, instruct us that a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother, and warn us not to ignore our mother when she is old (see Proverbs 1:8; 10:1; 23:22). "The scriptures also remind us that what we learn from our mothers comprises our very core values."

-Thomas S. Monson, "If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear," Ensign, Nov. 2004, 116

slow & steady progress

Josephine climbed out of the crib the other week and fell, so that meant it was time for a toddler bed. For the first time in 5 years we don't have a crib set-up in the house! Their room feels bigger somehow. Josie has done so-so about staying in bed. We've taken away the paci when she gets out of bed, but that doesn't seem to bother her, so we're going ahead and taking it away for good. =]

Wesley has kind of, sorta, decided he wants to potty train. I'm not really pushing it, because I get frustrated too easily. So he does better some hours/days than others, but he is making progress, so I think he'll be done in a month or two.

Carlise is no longer taking naps. Not because she doesn't want to, but because even though she gets in bed at 8, she doesn't fall asleep until 9:45. On the plus side she gets to do some activities by herself that she couldn't do if the younger two were up. We're still trying to decide about her going to school next year.

And I actually updated my private blog.

so far this year

After feeling gypped of our 2 weeks of Ben at home (recuperating from the 1 inch hole the Dr. cut into the back of his neck for an infection), we had record lows in our area at the same time our heater stopped working. We were able to get the home warranty people to call someone out here to check it out, but since it was the weekend they couldn't get the part until Wednesday. Pam lent us 2 space heaters and after tripping a couple breakers, realized we have a screwy wiring set-up in our house. Unplugging the washer outside & running an extension cord through the old doggy door, we were finally able to get them both working and keep the house warm & toasty.

The day after the heater was fixed the water heater stopped working. Are you laughing yet? Called the gas company and for only $100 they could give us a new 50 gallon water heater, install it, and fix the piping/venting necessary(we had a 30 gallon tank) and they were able to come over that day. So awesome!

As they left, the water heater guys informed me that my main water line was now leaking, but they couldn't get my water turned off, so I'd need to fix that soon. I wrote down what they said I needed to buy and what to replace. Ben got Pa-pa Joe to come over and the two of them got it all taken care of - after the water company came out to turn off the water (the shutoff valve was seriously stuck).

So after that trying week, we have a much better outlook over here. We are very grateful for the modern conveniences we are blessed with and now know we can make it through imperfect times as a family.

Thank You Uncle Denny!

Merry Christmas

We went caroling as a family last night to a few homes. We sang "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "Jingle Bells". The kids did great and even sang along. Then we went to my parent's home and opened gifts with them. The kids kept following Jotty around and if he disappeared from view they would walk in a line calling for him. There was some bad weather last night and we got home just before the worst got here.

Our Christmas started at 2 am when Ben woke me up because he couldn't sleep due to serious pain he was having. We gave him some pain meds and realized a trip to the ER was unavoidable because he needed antibiotics. Ben's very funny on pain meds so I drove him while his Mom slept on our couch. I kept myself entertained by reading friends blogs. This post gave us a great laugh. We got home right when the kids woke up at 6:45.

They were so excited!! They loved their stockings and instantly dumped them and started on the chocolate. We read from Luke 2 and talked about what we're really celebrating today. We followed up with Charlie Brown's Christmas and then opened presents. Our favorite moments: Carlise calling her Barbie - Darbie, Wesley dumping his stocking & getting 3 pieces of chocolate in his mouth with lightning speed, Josie's instant love of her Raggedy Ann doll.

Now, to just get some sleep.

My sister

Stacy took this picture of my sister Anna during our Family Reunion this summer. She said it was her favorite even though you can't see half of the kids faces and I agree with her. I love the by chance symbolism of her sitting in the center and you can see in this picture that she is the center of her home. So sweet!

Thanksgiving

This has been a rough week for us. And it has made us even more grateful for our blessings. We are thankful for our eternal family, Ben's job, our good health, and never ending entertainment & joy in the form of our 3 toddlers. Of course there's lots more, but come on it's 2 am. =]

bilateral papilledema update

My vision has gotten so much better. The day I was admitted my vision was 20/60. My two week check-up it was 20/35 and last week it was 20/25. It's still a little hard for me to see letters and numbers clearly because it's so off from my previous 20/13. Dr. Fortin has been taking pictures of my eye each visit and it is resolved except for a small hemorrhage in my left eye (a result from my optic nerve being stretched) and that it should take care of itself.

I fired my neurologist. Waste of my time and money. My physician has agreed to monitor my case.

When I visited my physician last week I expressed my concerns regarding my 500 mg/twice a day dosage of Diamox. While on the higher dosage I had these horrible tingles in my hands and feet all the time. He cut my dosage in half and in 6 months we'll begin weaning me off the Diamox to see if my condition truly was brought on by the steroid and antibiotic I was taking. While this last lumbar puncture was the least risky one I've had and provided almost immediate relief, we hope we don't have to do it again anytime soon.

Ever since I was discharged, it has felt like my Celexa hasn't been working. And I can't be a good mommy if I don't have my mental health. I can handle pain and illness until it prevents me from being a good mommy to these precious little ones entrusted to my care. Apparently the higher dosage of the diuretic was flushing it out of my system too fast. So far, so good on the lower dosage.

the what happened?

So last Friday my vision started going a little funny looking. And it still is, so please forgive any typos The very center of my focal point was swirly and later Friday I started getting a killer migraine. By Saturday morning my focal point was now blurry & swirly and the migrain was from hell , and my neck was killing me. Nothing would shake the migraine, my vision was progressively getting worse, and my head felt too heavy for my neck. And I had no apetite because I was fighting nausea from the migraines. I love phenegrane. It basically just knocked me out so I didn't feel so bad and I slept alot.

Ben had been taking care of the kids for the whole weekend by himself. He was off on Friday, but had to work until 2 on Monday. Monday morning while Leighann watched the kids for me (and read phone numbers for me) I made 3 appts. 1st to an opthamologist Dr. Roten for my eyes 12:45, Chiropractor at 2:15 for my neck, and my internist Dr. Connor at 4pm for the migraines. Aubrey came over to watch the kids while i went to my first appt. and i insisted the kids take their nap (they didn't the day before & were horrid for Ben) and drove myself to my eye appt. That was Stupid! Especially when I easily could've put her kids's carseat in the van and had her drive me. So they do a little looking at my eyes and he noted my left eye was dilating a little funny and off center (what?! my vision has always been excellent. 20/13 to be exact) I ask him what time it is and make mention I have another appt. I need to get to. Then he informs me that I need to skip my next appt. and got straight to an eye specialist because he thinks I have psuedo tumors and my optic nerves are swollen. I agreed to go of course, but I had to wait for them to call Ben so he could drive me. So Dr. Roten called and got an immediate appt. for me with Dr. Fortin at Eye Center South. After getting over there, Dr. Fortin looks in my eyes and immediately says "yup, they're swollen, psuedo tumors, here's a note for your doctor. You must make your appt. and I strongly suggest he consider doing a n MRI." Called Dr. Connor's office and they said come on in early and put me in the hospital.

Apparently a medication I was taking caused an over production of cerebral fluid, it wasn't draining fast enough and created lots of pressure making my Optic nerves swell, migraine headaches, and the back of my neck/head sore & tender. The lumbar puncture was almost immediate relief! now I have to let my eyes heal and hopefully they will get back to normal. Dr. Fortin took pictures of my eyes and I'll see him again in 2 weeks so he can compare and see how they're doing.

Lost a Job... but not really!!!

Miracles truly do happen everyday. July 23rd, 2009 I received word from the management at the company that I work for that as of October 23rd, 2009 my position would be eliminated. Anyone that has been faced with this type of trial knows the weight that was immediately placed on my shoulders to find replacement employment to provide for my family. I started to beat the streets attempting to find suitable work. I sent resumes to probably 25 different businesses and organizations. After a month I started to get calls back and started negotiations. Two job offers then came before me. The first job offer was with a company that is very stable and the work was in the engineering field, which is what I want to eventually wind up doing. The second was with a much smaller home-grown company and was very similar to the job that I have now. I went back and forth between the two comparing salary and benefits. After praying about both jobs together a definite answer could not be found concerning which job was best for our family. As we were about to accept a job without really KNOWING if it was right, we had visitors at my office. The area sales manager who is my boss' boss and the southern division HR rep came to lay-off my current manager. In the meetings and conversations that were held concerning my manager, the topic of my employment came up. I was asked, "Have you made a decision yet about your future employment?" I replied "No why?" Well, there may be an opportunity to keep your position here and not go thru the layoff. Well to make this long story short, today I accepted to stay with my current employer. And in answer to our prayers, the answer was pretty much "DUH!", all the logic is telling you to stay where you are. We took it as a miracle and blessing that we were once again being looked after and blessed by the our loving Heavenly Father. I have been down and depressed for the past two months facing this trial, trying to make the best of it. Now a huge sigh of relief is being felt in our home. Tonight we celebrated with our favorite Subway sandwiches and spent time with our little munchkins. The Lord works in mysterious ways!