SNAPPY TULIP

Addicted

2011-10-20T21:03:00.004-04:00

I am addicted to online shopping. It is a blessing and a curse.
It is really hard to shop withtwo little children and stores half an hour drive away. So online shopping is wonderful. I can shop in my pjs I can shop on the toilet. Its great.
However, it is always available....and is way to easy to type in the 'ol credit card number and hit "order". And I hate paying for shipping so I'll usually buy a minimum to get free shipping.
But I will take a moment to advocate ShopAtHome. It's a site that gives you cash back just for clicking on the links and shopping through it. It also provides coupon codes for % off discounts and shipping discounts.
I think I started using it in 2008 after little nicholas arrived and it was hard to get out. Since then I've saved over $400 in cash back. I use it for everything from clothes, gifts, computers, airline travel, you name it.
That's all I'm done.
Oh, look to the sidebar for a ShopAtHome link.

Yo Ho Ho

2011-10-03T11:41:00.002-04:00

The boys say "Yo Ho Ho"

Moving

2011-10-03T11:11:00.004-04:00

It's hard to say which theme wins out lately: moving or eating. Alexander is busy with both.
He isn't crawling yet but he rolls and sort of scoots. Mostly backwards. He'll scoot himself under the sofa with just his head sticking out. I am still trying to get a picture. But he usually ends up crying once he gets stuck. He gets up on all fours and rocks but then flops back to his belly.
He has mastered sitting himself up from a laying down position. It's so cute to leave him on his belly to come back and find him sitting up.
He also LOVES food. He is not happy with just a bottle anymore. For example, just yesterday we were in the car and he was ready for a nap. So I try to give him a bottle thinking it will put him out. No he screamed. I said fine here's a graham cracker. He proceeds to chow it down and fall asleep. I couldn't believe it! I weighed him last week at home and he's 18 pounds. My big boy.
He LOVES the cat. He wants to grab her. And gets excited when he sees her.
He is still a happy little baby and most of the time pretty darn easy.
He has 3 teeth, 2 bottom front and one top front. He is cutting his other top front and it is taking forever to come in. It really bothers him at times.
So here are a bunch of pictures. I've gotten several of the boys together. So cute.

Mrs. Clean

2011-09-25T15:49:00.002-04:00

I cleaned the top of my refrigerator today. Why? That's probably what you are asking. Well I got into the cabinets above the fridge to get out the roasting pan. Why wouldn't I roast a chicken when it's 85 degrees and humid. I digress.
My point is, it's amazing what a little Lysol spray and a magic eraser will do.

Alexander: 7 Months

2011-09-14T16:25:00.005-04:00

This is Alexander today. Exactly 7 months old.

I've said it before and I'll probably keep saying it: Slow down with the growing, already! This little guy is just developing so fast. I want my baby to stay a baby, well for a while longer at least.

So what's he doing?

Well he's rolling, scooting, sitting up, he gets up on his hands and knees and rocks. He scoots backwards. And just yesterday I watched him go from belly to sitting position. OMG! Not that he's mastered it by any means but this is what I am talking about. Slow Down!

He's interested in everything! Especially his brother's things. He loves watching Nicholas and other kids as well, I learned this week. He of course puts everything in his mouth.

Is he eating?

Why yes. He loves food. He is learning to like the spoon. He would much rather have pieces he can grab. So he pretty much eats anything I think he won't choke on: pancake, Puffs, peas, green beans, banana (a favorite), melon, sweet potato, butternut squash, acorn squash, apple, pear, bread. He likes that net thingy which I put apples and melon in.

He LOVES the cup. If you have a cup, he eyes it and wants it. I am so surprised he can actually drink out of it. He can.

Does he have teeth?

He has his bottom teeth he got at 5 months and is getting one of his top teeth now. I wouldn't be surprised that his other one soon follows.

He is just such a sweetheart. A happy little guy and silly personality.

First Day

2011-09-13T22:14:00.003-04:00

So of course I am a little behind on this.
Nicholas started preschool last Thursday.
He had to pose with the sword. I don't know why. The mind of a 3 year old. He was so super excited! And of course it was raining. So we're in full gear.

We've arrived! Nicholas asked me about a half hour before we left the house, "We go to preschool now?"

"Almost honey, almost."

I made him pose.

Then he sprinted off to the door. I couldn't be more thrilled for him.

He did fabulous his first week. And so bittersweet for us Mommas.

My little boy!

The Apprentice

2011-09-13T22:05:00.002-04:00

Nicholas loves it when I make cakes.
So of course he has to help.

He will be my little baker someday....hopefully. I think it a valuable skill

He's so proud.

The finished product. We decided they are worms on the cake.

I've been busy

2011-09-13T21:51:00.003-04:00

Cakes Cakes and more Cakes
I have been one busy baker.

My first assignment. A monkey for a little monkey turning One year old.
Here is her smash cake:

And the big cake:
I thought they turned out pretty darn good.

And yes, all this is done free hand. My second assignment. An artists' cake.

Here it is:

Someone was having a painting party.

7 Days

2011-09-03T20:57:00.000-04:00

This is said to be a lucky number. And I suppose it is for us today.Hurricane Irene hit in the wee hours of last Sunday morning. And with it came damaging ( this is really understating it) winds and lots of rain. So in these wee hours of last sunday morning, our power was knocked out. And 7 days later it has been restored.Yes folks it has taken 7 whole days for us to regain power. I will never again take electricity and running water for granted. We have been living in our house all week with no electricity or running water.Thank heavens for rain barrels. They have allowed us to carry buckets full of water inside the house to flush toilets.Our preparations ahead of time gave us a tub full of water to use for washing. Ice bags in the freezer saved our meat for 4 days when we moved it to a friends house. We lost everything in our fridge. Have been cooking on the grill.100% of our town lost power. 140 roads in our town alone were affected. You couldn't drive down a road without a downed tree or power line.Our road was blocked at one end due to a tree on a power line. We didn't even know if we could get off our road for a couple of days.Irene was actually downgraded to a tropical storm before it hit CT. And I tell you I feel for those that have have been through full blown hurricanes.I really hope you never have to experience this. And I hope I never do again.There is really only so much preparation that can be done. And then it happens. And you deal with the aftermath.And it was so surreal. Here we are living in the stone age while some parts of the state never lost power. And they were not that many miles away. Maybe less than 20.So I am thankful tonight to not have to brush my teeth by flashlight with a cup of cold tub water.And I will sleep well after a nice hot shower and clean sheets. And wake up to a cup of real ( not instant) coffee that I have to walk outside to the grill to make.

My First

2011-08-27T15:22:00.002-04:00

Hurricane Irene is coming. It's my first hurricane. No, I am not excited about this.
We are far enough inland to not get the worst of it but we will get high winds and rainfall.
I'm thinking worst case, downed trees and loss of power.
So we are preparing for that and hopefully we won't be out of power for too long.
I'll try to post when I can, in case power is out.
We are expected to get it on Sunday.
Say a prayer for all of us in the hurricane zone.

Wee Ooo Wee Ooo

2011-08-26T22:38:00.004-04:00

That is the sound coming from my 3 year old on a daily basis. It's actually a European fire engine. And above is a daily scene in our house. There is always a fire somewhere to put out. Right now it's the castle. And it takes all 3 fire trucks.

We've been visiting a local rescue farm for the last 3 weeks.
We get a farm tour. Pet some of the animals, feed the goats, do a craft, have a snack.
The highlights really are the pony ride.

And feeding/holding a guinea pig. They are cute little rodents. Here's Nicholas with cousin Abbey and the guinea pigs.

Slow down already, will you?

2011-08-26T21:44:00.005-04:00

I've been meaning to write this post for, well, probably 2 months now. Here it is....finally!
My baby is over 6 months old already! He needs to just stop. Slow down. He's so busy and changing fast.
But I have to say he is such a joy. I call him my little muffin. Because he is a sweet little muffin.
He already has a little sense of humor. And I *LOVE* that my kids know how to laugh and have fun. And have such wonderful personalities. So great!
He is weighing in at 16.5 lbs and 26 inches long. These figures put him in the 25th precentile. He's a little guy compared to others I guess. But he seems like a chunk to me. He's perfect for him. He's into his 6-9 month clothing.
So what's he doing?
Oh my! He is rolling everywhere! Rolling, scooting, squirming. Always trying to get something in his mouth. The play mat is officially out of commission. And he doesn't stay on a blanket anymore either. He's not completely mobile yet but he's getting there.
He's almost sitting up. There's a video at the end if it's working. I say he's a weeble wobble that will fall down.
He's started food. He likes his fruits, not so big on the veggies. He is so interested in what we are eating. He wants the big food. I try to feed him his on his little spoon and I'm lucky to get 2-3 bites in him before he clams up. Will.Not.Open.Mouth. I'd like to say it's cute, but it's not.
He loves loves loves the cup. A real cup. Not a sippy cup. (although he loves that too). He can drink from a cup. I kid you not. I have to get video of his craziness with the cup.
He's just such a little joy.
Okay pictures.

This is a "mural" on his wall above the crib. They are those wall decals. LOVE them. They are all over his room. So fun!

The boys playing with a baby toy. Even Nicholas is entertained. I love it!

What a fun activity cube for a 6 month and 3 year old.

Having fun on the bed.

Look at that smile he gives his brother. He smiles whenever Nicholas comes close. It's love.

For now.

Such a roly poly.

I love this face. How can you not love this face?

He had to make a phone call. I think they weren't home by the look on his face.
Trying food. But the bib tastes better.
With Nana and Papa. Does he look like his Papa or what?

Okay all folks. Thanks for being patient with my lack of blogging and pictures of the kiddos.

Oh here's the video if it works. Hope so. It's cute.

Bite the bullet

2011-08-11T16:35:00.002-04:00

I may have to friends.
Join Facebook.
Noooooooo!
I have been holding out. I just don't want that chaos in my life. But,
I can get coupons through it (now I've been using my hubby's account. He never looks at it anyway but it could be embarrassing that he likes Huggies pull ups. Ha!)
Also my moms group wants to use it to communicate. And I like to be in the loop.
So I am still on the fence. But I have a feeling I am falling.....to the dark side.
Don't do it Anniken.

Today's shopping trip

2011-08-11T16:21:00.002-04:00

Now that I am extreme couponing, sort of, I feel the need to save money every time I enter a store.
Today I went to CVS to take advantage of two bargains.
I bought 3 Soaftsoap body wash = $9
Pampers Cruisers=$9
2- Huggies newborn diaper packs (for a gift)=$6.24, they were clearances at 75% off

I used
(3) $1 soft-soap coupons
(1) $2 pampers coupon
$14 in ECBs

Total before $25 and change
Total after $5 and change

Score for me!

Also went to stop&Shop for groceries
My big steal:
2 bottles prenatal vitamins=$24
I bought them for $2 total.
They were B1G1 free
I had a $1 coupon plus a doubler coupon
And a $2 coupon printed at checkout so I used that too.
Score!

I also saved $1.50 on Land o Lakes eggs, making them $1.70 a dozen. Not a complete steal but I get so annoyed about how expensive eggs Are. The store brand ( which I expect to be cheap) are $2.29/doz. What? So score on the eggs.

Overall I saved $14 just in coupons. They add up friends.

Got any good savings tips or shopping trips to share? I want to hear.
Leave me a comment.

Should we?

2011-08-11T15:58:00.002-04:00

So maybe it's too early to celebrate.
It's been one week since the poop in the closet, hasty decision to potty train.
It is actually going quite well. We have had no accidents since Monday. We have had successful poops on the potty all week.
Yesterday we even left the house in underwear! Wah hoo!
We went to MyGym. I thought this might be a good try because I knew they have the kids seat on the big toilets there.
We went pee right when we got there, it's a half hour a way. Then towards the end of the one hour class he said he had to pee. Yay!
He did fabulous!
He initiates it a lot but I am still encouraging often. I know he gets distracted.
He's wanting to do it by himself more. Pulling down his own pants.
I really can't ask for more than what he is doing.
He still in pull ups for nap and bed. He is not staying dry those times. But I am happy with what he IS doing.
It is actually going better than I envisioned.
I think it still makes me edgy. I am not sure I can totally trust him on his own with it.
But it's only been one week. This is a huge change for him.
Thanks to all of you for your supportive comments. Any mother that has been through this, knows.

Desperate

2011-08-08T15:58:00.002-04:00

I am in desperate need of a haircut.
It hasn't been cut since before Alexander was born.
Since I just pull it up in a clip for the hot weather I haven't bothered.
But I really like this style.
What do you think?

Our fault

2011-08-08T15:48:00.002-04:00

Mom and dad were slacking this weekend. We were out and on the go so much that we did not stay on top of the potty training.
So it's Monday and I am back on it.
I know I am not supposed to get frustrated with him but it is so hard not to.
I moved the potty from the bathroom to the living room today just to make it more accessible to him and give him a reminder.
Well he peed in his pants 4 tomes this morning.in like an hours time. I swear this kid could go every 15 minutes. He was two steps from the potty and decided to go behind the chair instead. I don't get it.
Later on after lunch, he kept holding his butt.
Nicholas, do you have to poop?
Yeah.
Okay let's get on the potty.
20 minutes later...nope
Again running around holding the butt.
Nicholas, do. You.have. To. Poop?
Yes.
Okay potty.
I left him do his business.
Came back to.......poop in the potty! Hurray!
It's a big victory.
But I know we still need to stay on top of him.

Let's just hope mom can hold on.

Day 3

2011-08-06T21:05:00.002-04:00

I feel like it sone step forward, two steps back. But I guess the bright side is we do have some forward steps.

Day 2 actually ended unsuccessfully with a pee and a poop in the underwear.
Day 3 has been not so focused on it. He has gone on the potty but has been in pull ups most of the day. Wee were out for over 3 hours this morning and he stayed dry. Then while eating lunch he said he had to pee. Okay let's go. I wad thinking it might be a stall tactic for eating. But he actually went.
Then we were out in the afternoon and evening and was in a pull up (I am not all about dealing with the mess while out). He did poop and pee in the pull up. But we weren't encouraging him to go and he was busy playing. So thats probably our fault.
Tomorrow is a new day and well try again.

And it begins

2011-08-05T15:33:00.002-04:00

So yesterday as I am changing Nicholas he decides to run around naked. Okay. I get it. Kids like to be naked. I get concerned about him peeing on the floor. He's done it before. So I am trying to get a diaper back on him and he's ignoring me and having fun and I'm laughing with him. Then he hides in his closet. We play the "where's Nicholas?" game. He comes running out,
"here I am!"
Then I see it.
Something comes flying off him.
Poop.
Yes, he went into the closet and pooped.
Oh no oh no oh no
I can not believe he did that.

So I am done with the child-led potty training. Waiting until he is ready? Nope.
It's hard core potty training.

So day 2
And it's going well. He was wetting his big boy underwear yesterday but today...nope.
We even left the house for 3 hours. I put a diaper on him for that. And he stayed dry! Even with drinking a whole cup of water and juice.
So little by little.
It is exhausting. I was taking him to go potty every half hour yesterday. I am hoping it lengthens as we go along and he gets it.

Owen and Urban

2011-08-03T21:52:00.003-04:00

Went to the Jake Owen and Keith Urban concert on Sunday with my mom.
It was saweeeeeeeeeeettt.
Keith performed for over two hours straight. He really did a great job.
Thanks Mom!

Doing it again

2011-08-03T21:51:00.002-04:00

It's been how long since I posted? Yea I am slacking again.
I'll try to get an update out on Alexander soon. He's growing so fast. And I can't stop it.

Cha-Ching

2011-07-09T08:11:00.004-04:00

So if you know me, you know that I love a bargain. My new hobby, obsession, possession. Couponing. Bargain hunting.
I've found two great sights and there are probably more but I am not overwhelming myself at the moment.
A wonderful blog: Living Rich with Coupons. Miss Cindy finds the deals and coupon match ups and posts them. Saves a lot of work for busy moms like me.
And Couponmom.com. Sort of the same thing but not in blog form.

So I went to Rite-Aid this week and these were my deals.
Crest mouth rinse-FREE
Crest toothpaste-FREE
Oral-B toothbrush-FREE
Gilette proFusion power razor-97 cents
2 Brilliant Brunette Conditioners-$1.75 each

It's like putting money in my pocket.

If you have any coupons or great deals, send them my way.

And I wANt to hear about your great deals too.

I also want to remind you about ShopAtHome. There is a link off to the side. If you do any online shopping you need to use this. It's a website that offers you cash back at your favorite stores. I use it all the time. Just this week I received a check for $32. My to date cash back is $289.00. How would you like that? So use the link at the right and we both earn extra cash.

And don't forget, keep couponing.

All Aboard

2011-07-08T15:02:00.002-04:00

Here are some pictures from Nicholas' 3rd Birthday Party. Thomas the Train themed.

Nicholas with cousins, brother and Great Aung Joann.
Nicholas with his cake. Made by me of course. He LOVED it!

The full cake view.

Opening presents with cousins and Grandma.

Boys

2011-07-07T15:03:00.003-04:00

This is what my boys are up to these days:

Nicholas "reading" his Toys R Us catalog on the potty.

Alexander: Pushing himself up after nap to look at me through the crib bars.

Does life get better than this?

Behind

2011-07-07T07:38:00.002-04:00

I am of course behind as usual. I have a ton of birthday photos to post of Nicholas' birthday. I haven't done an Alexander post in forever. And oh how he's changing. So keep checking back. I'll get to it one of these days.
Thanks.

Tears

2011-07-06T07:19:00.002-04:00

This day always makes me sad. It's the day my parents leave to go back home.
They have been here for six days. I love having them here. They are such great people.
It always makes me wish we lived closer. 4 states and 12 hours is just too far.
I am having a loss for words to express this adequately.
I miss them already. And it's only been 20 minutes.
I'll give my kids extra hugs today and be thankful for their visit and that we have each other.

Visiting

2011-06-29T22:04:00.001-04:00

My parents are on the road. They will be here tomorrow.
Wahoo!

It's great to be 3!

2011-06-23T22:16:00.000-04:00

As usual I am a bit late but here it is anyway.
My "little man" turned 3 on Wednesday. He is no longer my "little man" and hasn't been for some time. He is now my Big Guy. I don't even remember what it was like before we had Nicholas.
What can I say about Nicholas?
We went to lunch at Friendly's yesterday and he picks the meal of broccoli and Mac & cheese. Go figure. He did actually eat it too. Given a plate of food he will eat his peppers first. He also right now is in love with turkey cheese burgers.
He is into pirates. Still loves fire trucks, dump trucks, trains.
He still tests my patience everyday.
He's so strong-willed. I hope this is an asset in his adult life.
He's got a great imagination. This winter shoveling snow was actually shoveling coal ( as into a steam train).
He's still our crazy man. But he is OUR crazy man, forever and always.

Here are some pics from the las t couple of months. I will try to get up the birthday pics soon. But check out the video for now.

Happy Birthday To Me

2011-06-23T09:15:00.003-04:00

Alexander Says Good Morning

2011-06-23T08:24:00.003-04:00

Making me smile

2011-06-17T16:14:00.003-04:00

1. The last couple of mornings, I have woken up at 4:45 to the sound of music.

This music:

Attached to my son's crib. I hear no other sound for 5-10 minutes.

My son finally begins cooing. I go into his room to find him flipped to his back. He rolls himself over and hits or kicks the button on his rainforest mobile.

It's so cute.
He then gives me the biggest grin in all the world.

Priceless!

I long to be...

2011-06-17T15:48:00.003-04:00

I have recently found this show on TLC, Extreme Couponing.
I love a good deal. I love to save money. These people are Ca-razy! They do these extreme shopping trips of hundreds or even thousands of dollars and get the totals down to nothing! Un-be-lieve-able!

I want to get free groceries!

Some of their shopping is for 77 bottles of mustard or100 bottles of Vitamin water. What?! Who needs that much?
But it is a great way to give to charity.

A some of the key tips I've learned:
1. Using a coupon with a sale price can sometimes give you money back. This is a great way to buy produce or meats that don't have coupons. Genius!
2. Online sites give you coupons and scout the deals for you. One I've checked out is couponmom.com. And I know there are more.

People spend hours couponing. It's a part to full time job. Oh boy! I don't know if I could do that.

But I will keep scouting the deals. And clipping my coupons. And saving money. Probably not hundreds in one shopping trip but I'll save.

4 Months

2011-06-14T20:44:00.005-04:00

My sweet Alexander is 4 months old. And he is growing so fast. I weighed him at home today and the scale said 15 pounds! I don't believe that's accurate. He may of had a full diaper I can't remember. We go to the doctor next week so I'll get his official stats then. But he is round and happy and that is all that really matters.
He is such a sweetheart. He smiles all the time. It's so nice to have a baby that wakes up happy and doesn't whine. He is so alert and loves to watch his brother and the tv. Of course he loves any kind of attention he gets. He really only whines and cries when he is hungry or tired. He's just such a joy.
It's funny how different it is to have a second child. I know Alexander is happier when he gets good naps at home. But having a toddler and the desire and need to get out of the house overrule sometimes. He naps a bit in the car but doesn't stay asleep when we stop. So he doesn't get his full nap in and can be a bit cranky the rest of the day.
He takes either 1 or 2 naps in the morning. One long one or two short ones. He will then likely nap a few hours in the afternoon. Which is so nice to have both boys down for naps in the afternoon. That means I can get one too sometimes. He is then ready for bed around 8 or so.
He has slept 2 nights completely through. The next night he did not but that's because he had a rough day and didn't get good naps or a proper feeding before bed. So we'll see what tonight brings. But before his sleeping through the night he is only up once. I can handle that.
I am not nursing anymore. I am however pumping 4-5 times a day. He is getting 90% breastmilk and sometimes we add in formula. It's not all of the time. Usually if he is going on an eating spree and/or the milk supply seems to be getting low. But it seems to quickly restock.
There really isn't a day that goes by that I don't want to stop pumping. It's hard to work in if we are out or just busy or the kids are fussy. And my nipples are really sore from the pump too.
So why did I go to just pumping? Well it just sort of happened. He never became a great nurser and I didn't work with him enough on it. He likes the bottle, he eats better and therefore sleeps better and I am not having to nurse him ALL.THE.TIME. It sort of happened over vacation when my mom was feeding him a lot and then totally when we were away from home for a weekend and it just sort of happened.
He has rolled over several times but always with no one watching. It is generally after he wakes up at night or morning and he rolls from his belly to his back. So by the time we go in to get him he's already rolled. I am trying to get him to do it for me but I think he knows I am there and I'll roll him over. He's grabbing toys and following everything. He's still wonderful at being on his own for a while.
He had his first trip to the beach this past weekend. We were a bit unprepared to have a baby at the beach and he got a bit more sun on his face than he should have. So he has a rosy nose and cheeks now. He enjoys being outside and looking at the trees.
Okay now on to the best part of this post. Pictures!

Here he is loving his bath today 6.14 at 4 months old. You can kind of see his pink face.

Sitting with Grandpa
Being doted on by Grandma
At the beach. This was a rare happy moment of the trip.
I love this picture! Nicholas wanted to hold him which is rare.
He's more than half the size of Nicholas.
Here he is down for a nap.

I love these little feet.
Just a happy smiling face. This picture is at least a week old.
Playing
Very excited! I think we just did a diaper change. He knows as soon as he is laid on his changing table. He often gets very excited. Oh and he sticks his little tongue out. So adorable! After a bath a week or so ago.

So cute his towel. His eyes are doing a funny thing though. Trying to look at me. Napping outside in his swing under the shade tree.

Okay that's all from us for now.

For this I am sure

2011-06-11T15:07:00.002-04:00

I am sure there are more productive things I should be doing while the boys are napping.
However, I am snuggled in my own bed reading this romance novel letting the cool damp air filter through the window.
Now that's a nice Saturday afternoon.

Reprieve

2011-06-11T14:58:00.003-04:00

After having 3 days of hot, humid and 90's, we now get a cloudy, drizzly 60's day. I actually like it. The house is a comfortable temperature and not in the 80's. We are in pants and socks. I like these days of reprieve in the summer. It makes me appreciate the hot days all that much more.

Yes once again

2011-06-07T07:33:00.002-04:00

I have been slacking on the 'ol blog.
I actually looked at the blog and went "What? My last post was about American Idol?"
Sorry guys.
I think if about a dozen different posts to write everyday. But time, motivation and energy do not allow me to blog.
But I'll be back soon.
We've got milestones approaching. Nicholas turns 3 in only a couple of weeks and Alexander turns 4 months old.
So more to come soon.
Thanks for checking in and being patient.

A. Idol

2011-05-24T21:16:00.001-04:00

Whose it going to be? Scotty? Lauren?

It's a hard choice. I have no idea.

Zumba

2011-05-24T21:02:00.004-04:00

In an attempt to lose that baby weight and feel okay about my body again, I started a Zumba class. Yay!
It's 6 weeks, twice a week.
The first class was last night. It felt good. I worked up a sweat. I was tired and it felt good to climb into bed. But I got up this morning. We even went for a walk.

I have a workout video called Yoga BootyBallet. And some of the Zumba moves are similar to the YBB moves. Just some slight variations.

I feel good about it. I am doing this for me.

13 weeks

2011-05-22T17:11:00.002-04:00

Alexander says 'Hi'

Day Out with Thomas

2011-05-22T16:44:00.004-04:00

We took Nicholas to ride Thomas the Train at the Essex Steam Train Station.
Here is riding the little roller coaster.
He's here riding the little fire trucks. He loved ringing the bell.

Alexander loved sitting in the stroller and taking it all in.

Nicholas on the train in my sunglasses.

Here's Thomas!

Alexander enjoying the train ride with Mommy.

Ohio Vacation

2011-05-22T16:00:00.005-04:00

A couple of weeks ago we took a vacation to Ohio to visit family and friends. It was a 15 hour drive across 4 states. The boys did fabulous.
Part of the reason for our trip was my 10 year college reunion-May Day. We got lucky and the rain held off until the afternoon. We had a brief but good time back on campus. Then my wonderful friends hosted 3 families at their house for kiddie naps and some good conversation. Thank you friends. It was a wonderful reunion of friends and thier families. The kids were great together.
These are some friends at the ceremony; Jen, in back; Kendra and her son Ethan in front.
Here's Nicholas at the ceremony.

My friend Dri snuggling Alexander.

This is my mom and Alexander

Nicholas enjoying a cookie.

My dad with Alexander. Alexander wanted to eat so he is knawing on Grandpa's shirt.

We took a trip to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo during our visit. This is a lovely zoo if you get a chance to visit. It's not too big yet you feel it's worth the admission. They have a sky lift ride, boat ride and train ride as well as all the wonderful animals. It was easy to go through in 4 hours with a lunch break. Perfect for little kids.

Here's Joe and Nicholas on the sky lift ride.

Nicholas loved the mock safari vehicles sitting around. We had to all get in this one.
He checked this one out by himself. He had to pull all the levers and push the pedals.

Family picture.

Nicholas and Joe staying dry under a leaf in the rainforest.

On the train.

On the boat ride. Alexander took a nap on the rocking water.
Besides these two fun filled days, we took some time to hang out at Nana and Papa's house to play with the trucks and tractors and pool table. My mom and I went to get pedicures, which was lovely. We also invited over more family and friends to meet Alexander.

The trip was great. A true vacation for me as Joe takes Nicholas and my mom takes Alexander. I am relieved of my 24/7 mommy duties for a while. Thank you husband and mom.

We made it back in only 14.5 hours too. I am not sure we are anxious to do it again anytime soon but it wasn't hell.

Okay that was our trip. Thanks for visiting with us.

Love this store

2011-05-20T05:03:00.004-04:00

I first became a fan of Aldi while living in Germany. We had one right across the street where we lived.
While my husband went to post to work and I had no transportation to go anywhere and knew no one, I walked across the road to Aldi. I picked up a lot of German words.
And now that I am back in the States, I still love Aldi. They have super cheap prices and carry some German products which I miss dearly.
The only problem is the closest is 40 minutes away, gasp! So I don't get there often.
If you haven't been...GO! Take a quarter for the cart, you get it back. They only take cash or debit. And bring your own bags otherwise you will have to buy them.
They carry the brand Fit & Active. In which I have found an all natural fruit snack for Nicholas. He loves fruit snacks. And if you look at the label of Welches and other brands, they are full of sugar. But not these. No sugar added, all natural sugar.
Their other Fit & Active brands are good to.
The last time I was in I found little Nuremburg bratwurst. So super yummy. I really miss the German bratwurst.
So go check out the Aldi near you. You won't be disappointed.

Alexander: 3 months

2011-05-18T20:30:00.000-04:00

I've been trying to get this post out all week. So I don't have all the pics up but I'll post anyway and hopefully more pictures will soon follow.

Yes it is true. Alexander is 3 months old already. He's growing so fast both in time and size. I just can't believe it. My little baby is going to be gone before I blink my eyes.
He's over 12 lbs now and about 23 inches long. Since there is no doctor's visit this month we don't have official measurements. But I have been packing away all his 0-3 month clothing and bringing out the 3-6 month size. He's just pushing those toes right to the ends of his sleepers. And I was a little fearful he'd be swimming in this next size. But he's not. He actually fills them out well. Growing fast.
So what's he doing now?
He loves to lay on his playmat and kick and "play." His favorite toys are a lion and this star-smiley face that lights up and plays music. He just smiles and kicks when he sees them.
He has become sensitive to sound. He gets startled easily by loud noises. And let me tell you I have a very loud toddler. I sneezed today and it startled him into a cry. Poor guy.
He loves to smile. As I've said before he sleeps on his tummy. So I'll go turn him over when he wakes up and he'll look at me and give me a big 'ol grin. It's a beautiful sight
And he scoots. He'll scoot himself across his crib and even turn 90 degrees. Sometimes I think he's going to push himself up and roll over. But not yet.
He took his first vacation last week. A 15 hour road trip to Ohio to visit Grandma and Grandpa G. He's not a fan of his car seat. But he was a trooper. He liked the extra snuggle time with Grandma. He is now going through withdrawal.
How's his sleep?
Pretty good. He's up once at night and then a very early morning. According to babycenter.com, a baby his age typically "sleeps through the night" for 6-8 hours. So he does that. However his second stretch is only like 3 hours causing him to wake up early morning. That one could stretch a bit more for me.
How's he eating/feeding?
He eats ALL THE TIME. He took 7 oz last night before bed (and had his best night sleep yet). We've actually started phasing in formula with the breast milk. This is for many reasons. 1. He is just a poor nurser and will be hungry again in a very short amount of time. 2. To fill him up a bit more since formula digests slower than breast milk. 3. To stretch the breast milk further since I don't forsee myself breastfeeding for the whole 12 months. But I give you moms out there that can do this a whole lot of credit. It's not easy.

Alexander is just a little sweetie and so patient with us. I am excited to see how he keeps growing.

Staples

2011-05-18T07:42:00.006-04:00

No I am not talking about the office supply store.
But instead about the staples you keep in your fridge. The items you buy immediately when you run out. Besides the obvious milk, eggs, bread, I keep real Parmesan. Not that jarred, pre-grated fake stuff. No a block of real Parmesan cheese.
And a must have is the microplane grater. I have this style shown. I use my Parmesan on pasta, rice, bread, in breadcrumbs, meatballs, etc etc etc.
I am telling you, buy the real stuff. It lasts Forever! And if it gets a little mold on it. Just cut it off. It's cheese after all.

While searching for a picture of Parmesan cheesed I found this picture of cheese making. I did this. When I studied in Switzerland we made cheese. I am the one that got to scrape the curds out of the vat. We used a cloth like this but I had to hold one end in my mouth as well. It was a tough process but so much fun and an experience I will always treasure.

Another item always in our fridge is hummus and peppers. My son LOVES this. If given a plate of food such as hummus with peppers, chicken nuggets and pasta. He will eat the hummus and peppers first. And usually ask for more. I have to tell him to eat his nuggets.

He also loves cheese wraps, with the shredded cheese. So to keep all the cheese from falling out, I spread the tortilla with hummus first. He devours it.

PJ Day

2011-05-17T10:50:00.003-04:00

Today is a rainy day outside.
Inside we are having a lazy pj day. I love it. But we are going a little crazy keeping occupied.

This is not either of my kids, but how cute.

CatSkunk

2011-05-15T23:02:00.003-04:00

So we have a cat named Sophie. Well tonight I let her inside and immediately realized what a mistake. Our Sophie-cat met a skunk tonight. And apparently they did not get along.
She is currently in her cat carrier in the garage. We'll figure out what to do with her tomorrow. She is a feisty son of a gun so giving her a tomato juice bath does not sound like fun. I'm calling groomers in the morning to see if that's an option.
Ugh!
Our house reeks!

Ocho. Acht. Eight.

2011-04-29T08:57:00.003-04:00

Eight was the magic number for Alexander and sleep.
It only happened once.
But I'll take it.
It gives me hope for the future.

Chunky Boy

2011-04-26T08:22:00.003-04:00

The theme for the last week is...EAT! This kid must be hitting a growth spurt because he is ALWAYS hungry. He also LOVES attention. And if your attention is diverted...he whines. I thought second children were supposed to be more independant. I guess we have time to get there.

He's still a good baby. And growing like a weed. Very smiley.

His "red" hair is filling in slowly.

Alexander likes car rides, as long as the car is moving. But he isn't crazy about his carseat or sitting still.

He's doing great at 10 weeks!

Easter Fun

2011-04-26T07:58:00.005-04:00

Because I am always a few days behind, here are the Easter pictures.
Nicholas coloring eggs for the first time. He was interested for a whole 15 minutes.

I got one good smile out of him.

Look what the Easter Bunny brought!

Oooooo....candy.

Alexander and his basket. He was excited.

Alexander with Grandma

Nicholas and cousin Abbey hunting eggs.

Hunting eggs with cousin Noah.

Hangin' with my cousin Abbey.

That's all folks. Hope you had a great Easter too.

Birthday: Part 2

2011-04-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

So after Hibachi and a short nap. We got to enjoy cake after dinner. Joe and Nicholas made my birthday cake. It's the first cake Joe has ever made. And about the millionth Nicholas has made. It went very well.
Here they are stirring it up.

Icing it.

And adding sprinkles.

The finished product and me with my boys.

It was a very nice day with my family

Rainy sunny day

2011-04-23T14:01:00.003-04:00

It's rainy and windy and cool today.
But we have sunshine in our home.
Today is my birthday.
Forever 22.
I love birthdays. I think they should be celebrated and made special no matter how old you are.
Nicholas & Joe made me a cake ( pictures to come).
We went out for Hibachi. Yum! I got salmon. Yum!
And the day isn't over yet.
I've got presents to open. Eggs to color for Easter. Cake to eat.

Idol Toughts

2011-04-21T15:27:00.002-04:00

I am not much caring this week about Idol. I am tired.
But I do like Casey and Stefano. I think Casey could win.
I still like Scotty and Lauren. But they were predictable this week. I do think we will hear them on country radio in the future. Duets maybe? They have nice duets.
I still could do without James and Jacob. I just don't care for their styles.
My thoughts.

Not just a coffee break

2011-04-21T15:03:00.002-04:00

We have this coffee maker. And on Sunday, it died.
So I gave it to Nicholas to play with. It has a dispenser as you can see in the picture. It was fun. We had a little water party on the deck.

Now we have this coffee maker, see below. We hope this lasts longer than the other one which lasted less than 18 months. But we like the dispenser, carafe-less design. I ordered it from Walmart on Monday (with 97 cent shipping) and received it on Wednesday. Can't beat that.

Alexander: 2 Months

2011-04-17T09:45:00.000-04:00

Yes, my baby is now 2 months old. And I love it. He's smiling and reacting more now. I am excited about this. His reactions make all the hard work seem like a distant memory. Well, he's still a lot of work. He cluster feeds in the morning and evenings. Takes a good nap in the afternoon, usually. He still wakes up a lot at night but lately he's been going right back to sleep with no fuss and laying on his own. (two nights after I write this, he is up for 2 hours in the middle of the night.) Sweet! Now all this is subject to change at any given moment, of course. Because the only thing predictable about babies is their unpredictability. But I feel we are moving in the right direction. We are closer to sleeping longer and playing longer too. He's just the cutest thing. And even if we've had a hellish night, his morning smile makes me smile. How can it not? He seems to say, "I know you Mommy. Good morning." So let's see. His stats: He now weighs 10 lbs 9 oz. Almost 4 lbs above birth weight. Yay! And has grown an inch longer. His doctor check up was excellent. He seems wide to us. Little fat rolls on his upper legs. He's out of his size 1 diapers and filling out his 3 month clothing fantastically. Nicholas was such a small little guy that this is fantastic to me. Then again I never fed Nicholas like this. I thought he couldn't be hungry an hour later and would hold him off. But with Alexander it's eat eat eat. He loves to lay and kick and look around. He'll crane his neck around to look at what Nicholas is doing. He likes his rainforest music thing on his crib. I can see him being a lot of fun when he gets older. Nicholas says Alexander is going to grow big like him. And he's going to play with him. Because right now it's all about playing with Nicholas. Okay Picture Time!

Alexander napping in the living room. Yes he sleeps on his belly. Go ahead gasp, I'll wait. Moving on...I was trying to get a picture of him in his Patriots outfit including hat.

He looks like a little piggie in this one. I like this outfit. It's just nice.

Another cute hat. He was not amused.

Brother hanging out. Nicholas doesn't like to look at the camera and he's still all of about a milisecond.

Alexander is looking up at Nicholas. I love that face.

Being a good big brother.

Some propped up belly time. Again not amused. He looks so different in this pic too. His hair is slowly growing in on top of the head. And he's got some red hair. That's going to be interesting.

Looking like a little man in a collared shirt.

Love this smile!!

Me and Alexander. He was a little grumpy. It was the end of the day.

Again a great face!

He was groovin' and smilin'.

Look how big!

Okay until next time.

Roast Chicken

2011-04-14T19:37:00.003-04:00

I LOVE roast chicken. It is super easy to make. It tastes great. It's healthy. And with the leftover meat, I can make numerous dishes all week long. Like soup, casseroles, sandwiches, the list goes on. I'll even eat it cold...for breakfast.
If you think you can't do it, you totally can. Buy a bigger roaster that has a pop up timer and it's that much easier. You don't have to temp it or be afraid it's under- or overcooked. I am telling you, you'll love it.
The hardest part about it is picking all the meat off the bones.
You can even make broth from the bones. I usually don't do this but you can.
So roast yourself a chicken tonight. Impress the spouse.

The Bottom Three

2011-04-14T16:10:00.000-04:00

My Idol vote for the bottom three:
1. James
2. Jacob
3. Haley

Sleep

2011-04-10T22:13:00.002-04:00

Alexander slept in his crib all night. We've had him in the bassinet in our room since his birth.
We weren't planning to move him yet but his bassinet sheet was in the dryer when we went to bed so I put him in his crib.
He woke up to eat but otherwise did really well all night.
Yay!
Here's hoping for another good night.

(that is not him in the pic above)

Crazy Boy

2011-04-08T16:13:00.004-04:00

My crazy first born son. He is both amazing and frustrating. But the pictures below capture the amazing. This is Nicholas after licking the beaters from the red velvet cake we made Joe for his birthday. Here is Nicholas helping with the candles. He loves cake. Or should I say the frosting. He gets so excited about the whole process. But mostly eating it. Here is Nicholas with his breakfast. I'd like to say he ate it all but he didn't. He ate the yogurt, sausage and some of the blueberries. He left the toast. He's not a big fan of toast. He'd rather have plain bread.

Oh my! You never knew the many uses of the boppy pillow until you give it to a toddler. He loves this pillow.

Balancing an infant and a toddler is challenging. Entertaining the toddler everyday all day...what to do? I sent Nicholas on the deck with a container of water and a bunch of cups. I then added some food coloring to the water. He had so much fun. It kept him busy for well over half an hour. And I love that it's free. It's not some expensive toy. And we can do it again and again and change it up too. Kids love water!

He Did It

2011-04-08T15:43:00.004-04:00

Finally, Alexander smiled for the camera. He's been smiling for a couple of weeks now but he wouldn't do it while I had the camera on him. But I got him today. So precious. Those smiles sure make all these weeks of hard work well worth it.

My Idol Vote

2011-04-07T13:58:00.002-04:00

Based mostly on the previous nights performances.

Who can stay? Scotty, Casey (I have never been a fan of the grunting leprechaun, until two weeks ago after he was saved. He stopped grunting)

Who can go? Pia, James

We thought we had escaped

2011-04-05T10:25:00.005-04:00

Little did we know. We were just incubators. Nicholas got sick last week with a nasty cold, running a fever. Joe and I felt it a little over the weekend but we were okay. Then Monday came. Oh the dreaded day of Monday and ths one was more so. We all got sicker. Even little Alexander. Congestion, aches, sore throat, coughing, blowing, sneezing. Ugh! I just want to curl up in bed for days. Wait until it passes. Calgon take me away.

Success

2011-04-03T20:05:00.004-04:00

My to-do list got smaller this weekend.

Taxes-check
Alexander's birth announcements-check
Thomas the train tickets-check
Send evite-check

Things left to do:
Find a preschool
Paint Alexander's room
Pay medical bills

I would say it was a productive weekend.

More Idol

2011-04-03T08:16:00.002-04:00

So long Naima (I forgot she is one I could do without too) and Thia (sweet young Thia, just grow a bit more).

I liked Lauren and Scotty's duet. I didn't care for the others.

Break

2011-04-03T07:45:00.004-04:00

Give me a break. Give me a break. Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar. (you know you sang it.)

My uber-wonderful husband and the devoted father he is gave me a break yesterday. I took a nap (over two hours) then got ready and went out with a friend for dinner and shopping. Joe took care of the both boys for me. And Alexander was a pickle. Vey gassy and fussy all day. He didn't sleep from 2:30 in the afternoon until 9:00 at night. Now that is just way too long for my little 6 week old.

He may have needed some Mommy snuggle/nurse time. So that is what we did. And I was happy to do it. I missed my little guy after 7 hours.

I never left Nicholas that early, that long. But it's good for Alexander. He will propably be left way more than Nicholas.

It's funny how much the first child is the guinea pig and we try to adjust our ways a little with the second.

I am feeling refreshed and ready for a new week ( it helps that Alexander has been sleepy).

So thank you dear husband. I do know how lucky I am to have you.

The teen girl in me

2011-04-03T06:50:00.003-04:00

You probably don't Know that I really like teen movies and tv shows. The shows you find on ABC Family and Disney Channel. Some examples: Ten Things I Hate About You, She's All That, High School Musical ( yes I am entertained) and my latest find Another Cinderella Story.

I like watching song/dance shows (Save the Last Dance). Maybe because this is an area I have no talent. And who isn't uplifted by these two arts.

So with all that said, I like Selena Gomez. The girl from Wizards of Waverly Place and the above mentioned latest find (along with Jane Lynch, what a wacko, well her characters at least).

Selena is super talented. Read her bio here. Disney Channel also plays her music videos. A latest one, Who Says, is an inspiration for young women and all women really. Watch it here.

I think she is so cute. I hope she stays on this path and doesn't become another corrupt teen star.

My Idol Votes

2011-03-31T13:04:00.003-04:00

Yes, I watch American Idol. But I couldn't do it without my DVR. I forward through most of what Ryan and the judges say. I like listening to the songs. But I can even pass those by if I get bored. So...

Who can go? Jacob, Paul, James

Who can stay? Haley, Lauren, Scotty

The rest I could take or leave. Well Stefano is easy on the eyes but I don't think he is that great.

We'll see tonight.

A Classic

2011-03-30T17:08:00.002-04:00

What college kid didn't love Ramen noodles?
And who would have thought they make a great kid food too. (isn't that a great picture?)
I make them by cooking them in chicken broth. Then I either skip the seasonings (that's the stuff that is really bad for you) or use just a pinch to season a little.
They're fast and easy and what kid doesn't love noodles. Especially ones as fun as these.

Memory Lane

2011-03-30T10:14:00.006-04:00

About two and a half years ago we took Nicholas on his first pilgrimage to Ohio. He was 6 weeks old (the same age Alexander is now). Alexander will make his trip when he is almost 3 months old. So here are some pictures to remember Nicholas' first trip to Ohio. The first time he met his Grandpa G. (Papa) and numerous other relatives.

And, yes, we drove. It took us 11 hours to reach eastern Ohio where we stayed with friends. And then the next day we covered the other 4 hours across the state. With that in mind we will try this driving trip again with a 2 year old and a 3 month old. Fun times! How did our parents do it? When I was young my parents took us to Florida every year. That was a 17+ hour trip. We did it in the car. People didn't fly back then the way we do today. I just wonder how often we will make this trip by car. And will it get easier? I guess kids have it made these days with portable dvd players, DS game systems. We had travel bingo and license plate games. Crayons and coloring books.

One fond memory of our drive to Florida. We would always reach the border of FL in the morning (my dad would drive all night long while we slept in the car, gosh he must have been smoked). We would stop at the FL welcome center for fresh orange juice out of those little paper dixie cups. I wonder if they still do that? Maybe someday I will do that with my kids. And I hope we will make many more memories such as this.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the memories. Thanks for making the sacrifice and showing us more of the country. And giving us a love for travel. I have so many wonderful experiences because of it and I hope to have many more too.

Nicholas smiling at Daddy. Nicholas with his tractor and daddy. With Nana and Papa

a) Meeting Great-Grandma.

b) being held by Grandma c) saying hi to Grandpa, or sleeping.

Photo Comparison

2011-03-26T14:38:00.005-04:00

Nicholas at 6 weeks.

Nicholas at 6 weeks. Nicholas was smiling.

Alexander at 6 weeks. A. is just starting to smile a little. He won't let me get him on camera yet. But it's sort of a whole open mouth smile.

I am not pleased

2011-03-25T11:31:00.002-04:00

Looking in the mirror is not so pleasant these days. I know, 5 weeks after having a baby. But still, I want to feel good about myself.
I think of myself as a pretty good eater. I incorporate veggies and fruits, balance grains and protein. So I started tracking my food on Livestrong.com. A program called my plate that calculates calories, fat, nutrients, etc.
Let me tell you the calories add up quick. My downfall is the sweets. I have a serious sweet tooth. And being home all day, I just want to snack. It's a boredom breaker. It's not that I am not busy. With two kids I am. But trying to play with a non attentive toddler gets boring.
So any way. Try this just for one day. It may shock you at what you actually put in your mouth.

Five

2011-03-24T02:26:00.002-04:00

Alexander is five weeks old this week. To celebrate I thought I would list five of his likes.
1. A dry, clean diaper.
2. Car rides. (the car seat is a different story).
3. To lie and kick and look around.
4. Sleep nestled on my chest or on his belly.
5. Nurse. And often for comfort not just for food. Sometimes nothing else will do.

I LOVE coats

2011-03-22T11:51:00.003-04:00

It's true. If I could have a whole closet dedicated to many many different kinds of coats I would. I never feel like I have the right coat for the right occasion. I love coats, but I don't buy many. I actually feel like I have too many now. But that's because I don't like many of them. The next coat I would like to buy, a trench coat. I have nothing good for the rain. So I would like a trench coat in tan, with buttons and a belt. Also preferably with a hood.

I like naps

2011-03-20T21:32:00.002-04:00

Naps are good. I look forward to nap time everyday. For many reasons. A break for Mommy in more ways than one.
Today I got two. Yes, count them two naps. A 45 min in the morning and an hour and a half in the afternoon. It was nice.

Alexander's Birth Announcemet

2011-03-20T15:21:00.002-04:00

Here is one of the birth announcements I made of Alexander's Birth. I ended up making 3 different ones on Shutterly.com. I just couldn't decide on a design.

Mod Block Boy Baby Announcements

Birth announcements, Valentine's cards, & invitations by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

A good day

2011-03-19T10:16:00.002-04:00

Friday.
We ventured out. We had a dr appt for Alexander. I decided to throw in extra stops too. I know I was asking a lot from all of us.
So we went to the doctor.
Alexander now weighs a whopping 8 lbs 11 oz. And grew another inch. He is almost 2 lbs above birth weight. Yay! He had a great check up. Nicholas was only mildly disruptive. He took a bunch of tongue depressors out of the canister to use with his trucks. Then pushed everything on the floor. He did pick them up. Then tried putting the sticks back in the container. Oops. One made it in and got lost. So I guess that won't be so sanitary.
Ok leave dr office and head to the balloon store. Joe's birthday Saturday so we had to get balloons. Mission complete.
Get gas.
Head to McDonald's for a quick snack. Two trips through the drive thru. My friend called and wanted something just as we finished. After we were pulling out for the second time I forgot to order myself fries. I wasn't going through again.
So off to the playground.
It was near 70 degrees, sunny, breezy. I was smokin'. Alexander was only in a light sleeper and a hat. He was smokin too all nestled in the Jeep front carrier. We all ate, then we played...for two hours! Alexander just slept. He is such a good baby. By the end Big Man and I were tired and ready to head home.
Home we came. Nap time for all of us.
For supper I grilled chicken legs.
It was a good day.

We did it

2011-03-16T07:20:00.002-04:00

Our first adventure to the yard. Just the three of us. I bundled Alexander up in his "way to big for me" fleece pram. Hooked on the Jeep carrier to my bodice. Bundled up Nicholas and threw on a jacket myself and away went went. Out the door. It was cloudy and maybe topping 40 degrees. But we made it. A. slept the whole time! Wahoo! So N. swung, pushed the mower chasing mommy, played in the sand box, picked up sticks, drew with chalk. It lasted a generous hour. It felt good. We were out. We can do it. Now we just have to get the weather on board. Expecting 60 on Friday. So exciting!

Take it away

2011-03-16T06:56:00.003-04:00

I think 1-ply toilet paper should be banned. It's like using tissue paper. Probably better for the septic but not so good on the body.
Take it away. I could do without.

Call us Crazy

2011-03-16T06:48:00.002-04:00

Lock us up. Throw us in the looney bin. That would be Crazy with a capital C.
We have decided to drive to western Ohio.
That's 745 miles. Over 12 hours.
1 car. 4 states.
1 two year old. 1 three month old.
2 crazy parents.
Plane tickets would be $1000
I guess you can put a price on sanity.

It's coming!

2011-03-14T16:22:00.002-04:00

I saw a few of this bird, The Robin, on my lawn this morning. Spring is coming. Yay!

Growing

2011-03-14T08:51:00.007-04:00

When I upload photos they always go before my text. So photos will be first. Enjoy.

Oh, my sweet Alexander. You're one month old today. I can't believe the feeling of you moving inside of me is now a distant memory (as is sleep). You, my boy, are doing great. You have pretty much outgrown your newborn sleepers. You were swimming in them when we brought you home. Now you are stretching out your legs and filling them out. It's sad you wore them such a short time. But you are growing just as you are supposed to be. Your face and head look fatter. Your body is longer. You are heavier and meatier. You are just...growing. Yay for Mommy's milk. Your eyelashes are filling in. as is your hair. Which I am still curious how the color will develop.
The feeding has been challenging but I feel we may be settling into a rhythm of eating and pumping. However you still throw me sometimes. You are a champion (albeit slow at times esp. At night when you are sleepy) eater though and let us know when you want more.
You still love to sleep a lot either snuggled on us or in your swing. But you also love to just lay on your own and look around. You are still so relaxed. And for this I thank you.
You are just the sweetest thing. I am curiuos to know who you will become. What your personality will be like. I imagine you to be a gentlier spirit than your brother. To have you smile at me. Grab a toy. Wave your hand. I look forward to all these many things and so much more. But don't grow up too fast. You are my baby.
Nicknames I have for you: snuggle muffin, fat boy, beefcake, sweetheart, chompers.
I love you, Muffin.

Celebrate

2011-03-14T08:46:00.002-04:00

Because of all the trials we've had on the breastfeeding front, I thought it important to celebrate one month of breastfeeding. Wahoo! There was a time I didn't think I would make it this far. Thanks to my husband for being so supportive. And thanks to Alexander for plumping up and making it worth it.

Balance

2011-03-06T15:04:00.008-05:00

Alexander is 3 weeks old already. Time and events are referred to as "before He was born" and "after He was born".
So how are things?
Things are going ok. Monday began the real challenge. All by myself with the two boys. My mom was here this past week but she is home now. I wish she could stay a month. Or better yet just not live so far away so that our time together could be more spread out. But unfortunately that is not the case nor will it happen.
How is eating and sleeping?
Well he sleeps really well, as a newborn should. I feel like the eating thing has been an uphill battle the whole way. A few highlights; cracked bleeding nipple, painful letdown, finger feeds. He just doesn't eat well at the breast. He gets lazy. He falls asleep. But he's still hungry. He just won't work for it. So he ends up snacking all the time. And it's frustrating. I would love to just sit and feed my newborn and hold him all day. However, life with a toddler does not allow for that. So my goal is to find balance. We all need to be taken care of, physically, emotionally and mentally. It's finding the right balance for us all. But it is exhausting to feed and pump and feed and pump. It leaves little time for anything else.
Have you been out with the two by yourself yet?
Why, yes. Monday I took Nicholas to MyGym. Of course I was trying to plan out feedings for Alexander. And of course he had different ideas. Luckily though he likes to sleep in the car so he slept the whole time. Even at MyGym. It was really nice because I didn't know how I was going to chase Nicholas and feed Alexander. MyGym is active for Mommies too. But it worked for this week. We'll try again next week and see how it goes.
How is Alexander?
I haven't described much of his features. He has auburn hair and when the light hits it, it looks reddish. He has Joe's wide flat nose. My head, it's small and round and so soft. I just love to touch and kiss it. His eyes seem to be turning brown. Go figure.

He is such a good baby. He likes to lay by himself and just look round.
He's getting long. Filling out his newborn sleepers. He had a dr visit last Friday. He weighed 7 lbs 5 oz and 19.5 inches. So he grew an inch and is 7oz above birth weight. Thats good in my book.
He likes to suck on his thumb. When he finds it. I think he will do well with a pacifier. I am just waiting to get this eating thing settled before giving him one. We've thrown a lot of things at him in three weeks.
How is hubby?
What a guy. I could never do this without him. He takes so much on himself. He not only goes to work for ten hours a day, he comes home to a distraught wife, a super active toddler with meltdowns and a messy house. He takes care of us all. Gives me time to sleep and chill with Alexander. Plays with toddler and puts him to bed. Feeds baby. Gets ready for another day of work and does schoolwork. He is my Superman.

Okay here are some pictures. I haven't taken that many. I guess it's second baby syndrome.

Alexander with cousin Abbey

Me and my boys

Cousins: Abbey. Alexander, Nicholas and Noah

Cousins and Aunt Kerri

I'm 3 weeks old!! And losing the puffy newborn face.

Addicted

2011-03-06T15:00:00.003-05:00

I LOVE this stuff. Vaseline cocoa butter body oil. I haven't thought about dry skin all winter.

1 Week Already

2011-02-23T21:09:00.007-05:00

I had to start with a little teaser. Look at that precious face.

Alexander is over a week old already. The week has really flown by. We are all still adjusting to having a newborn in the house. I wanted to do question form for this post. Here goes.

How is the feeding going?

Better. He started latching better. Still with the shield but that works for now. We actually started giving a bottle. It seemed easier than the finger tube feed thing. However I think it has disrupted his latching. So we may need to lay off the bottles for a bit longer yet. However, it was nice because Joe could do some night feeding and I would pump. It goes much quicker than feeding him. He likes to fall asleep during feeding and then as soon as I put him down he is awake again and wants to eat. So it can take me an hour to feed him in the middle of the night. It's exhausting. But the kid needs to eat.

Milk is in full swing. We had him weighed at 1 week and he was only 3 oz under his birth weight. Yahoo!!

What kind of baby is Alexander?

He is so sweet. He loves to snuggle and be held. It's easy just to sit and hold him. I get nothing done. But I decided to cherish this time because once Joe's back at work. I won't be sitting any longer.

He loves to sleep. Which is super nice. He is such a chill baby. I sure hope it stays that way.

He does really well just laying awake on his own for 20 mintues or so. And he spent a whole night in his bassinet without sleeping on one of us.

How is Nicholas handling his little brother?

Oh, my spirited child. He is very good with Alexander. He brings him toys when he cries. He thinks mom should pick him up when he cries. Alexander's feet were hanging out the other day and Nicholas thought he needed socks. He's been helpful in small ways too. Getting things for us on occasion. We aren't pushing that. He's not the parent.

He has done some acting out. Fit throwing over the small stuff. We expected some of this. We just weren't prepared for how to handle it. But can you really prepare? We are all working through this together. And I can only hope it gets better with time.

He has done some good things. Peeing on the potty...once. But it's a start. And sleeping in his toddler bed for nap today. He has never been interested in the big boy bed.

It goes to show you that you just never know.

Okay I won't bore you anymore and get on with the pictures.

Big Brother helping to feed

Leaving the house, feeling good

After my first bath.

Mom's men

There's those eyes.

Squishy face

Home from the hospital

A little more alert at the end of week 1

I love to have my hands up by my face to sleep

My favorite place to sleep...on Mom

Sleeping, burrito style

Alexander's Entrance

2011-02-20T11:41:00.004-05:00

I have been meaning to write this post all week. It has rolled around in my head and taken many shapes. So now with Alexander one week old and snuggled up on my chest and my two older "boys" wrestling in the living room, I will write the entrance of Sir Alexander into our world.
It will probably sound uneventful here in these words but if you have ever had a child or attended a labor/delivery or adopted a child, you know that it is not uneventful to you. It is your story. Of your child.
So it began on Valentine's Day morning. The only day I told this baby growing inside of me it couldn't be born. Well "he" had other plans. The contractions started around 8:30 am and were very mild, 15 minutes apart. I called Joe after this went on for an hour.
"honey, I am having contractions. They are 15 min apart so I will see if they develop into anything. Just so you know."
Now I knew these weren't Braxton Hicks. But with 10 days to go I just wasn't sure if they would progress.
Well they didn't.
They started stretching further apart to every 20-25 minutes. I was becoming disappointed. Joe too. I emailed him with an update.
However, I did start to lose the mucous plug with some bloody show. After a quick reference on the www I discovered this could happen days or even weeks before labor. Ugh!
I was feeling a lot of preessure and had to pee every 15 minutes.
Around 2 pm I put Nicholas down for nap and continued to let the contractions roll when they so desired. I laid down for my own nap thinking it could be a long night ahead.
Well I couldn't sleep. Are you serious? I might be having a baby.
The contractions began to pick up around 3 pm. They were 10-15 minutes apart and growing in strength. But totally manageable. I called Joe around 4pm encouraging him not to be late tonight. He said he was leaving very soon and would call from the car.
At 4:15, I redialed my husband.
He answered with a " i'm leaving soon."
I answered with a "you need to leave now."
It would take him 30 min plus to get home.
Contractions kept flowing. Now coming 7-10 minutes apart.
Nicholas woke up. Joe rushed in the door to find: me and Nicholas chillin' on the couch watching tv.
The contractions were manageable, coming 7-8 minutes apart.
I called my dr around 5:30 pm. Telling her they were averaging 6 minutes apart. She didn't seem concerned and said if they were manageable then stay home and call the on call dr later when needed.
Joe's parents were on their way from MA to stay with Nicholas. I took a shower. Joe and Nicholas ate supper. We were getting ready but doing good.
By the time joe's parents arrived after 7 pm I was ready to go to the hospital and have my epidural. That was the plan. I don't like pain. I did not want to be a hero.
The contractions were 5 min apart. We called the on call dr to say we were coming in. He seemed a little more "ready". So we left the house at 8 pm. It is a 30-40 min drive to the hospital.
About half way there the contractions came 2 minutes apart. Yikes! They hurt.
We made it to the hospital. 8:30 pm. A nurse brought me in with a wheelchair. She said get in the gown and she'd check dilation. She gave us our first verbal lashing for waiting. Second baby and all.
She checked. I was soft and 8-9 cm. What?!?
Nurse rushed out to get the team. A hord of people flooded the room preparing pans and instruments and the dr in his gown and goggles and cap.
They were starting the IV in my arm, no time to find the vein in my hand.
It was while all this was happening that I realized I would be receiving no pain meds. The contractions were still coming on strong, mind you. I think I may have squeezed some blood out of Joe's hand. My head just kept saying, "I can't do this. No meds? Oh my gosh!"
my dr rushes in. I was relieved to see her. I like her. It took her 2.5 min to get to the hospital. She had just moved. Otherwise her 12 min drive might have made her late.
Contraction coming. I wanted to push. I said so. She checked, 10 cm! Okay, next one push.
Contraction came on ( I think I was clawing my husband's chest at this time) and I pushed. I could feel the baby's head enter the birth canal. Weird. Okay stop pushing. Breathe, relax.
Here comes another one. Push! Baby slides a bit further.
Water has not broke. Dr comes in with a hook to break my water.
Another contraction. Push! With the membranes out of the way I could really feel baby just right there, ready to pop out. I just kept pushing. I wanted baby out. Then pop! Baby's head came out. Checked for cord. All good. Push, and out slid my new baby. It is quite a feeling. It was now 9:14 pm. Only 45 min after arriving at the hospital.
I hear Joe say, "it's a boy". My new baby boy was then placed on my chest and Joe and I just stared at him. He was here. Finally, here. And I had done it. I birthed this son with no drugs. I will wear my badge of honor, thank you very much.
The nurse asked his name. And funny enough, we didn't know. We had picked a girl and boy name probably in the second month of pregnancy and it never changed...until. Until I threw a curve ball on Saturday saying I didn't know if I liked Alexander. So I thought and came up with another name. So now we had two boys names. And we had a little baby boy in need of a name.
It only took a few minutes and I just started talking to my son and out came Alexander. I immediately looked at Joe and said, it's Alexander. Alexander Thomas.
This is how Alexander came into the world. And this is his story as much as mine.

Pictures as Promised

2011-02-19T16:22:00.004-05:00

Big Brother Nicholas
With Grandma and Grandpa

Sleepy Boy

Daddy and Alexander
His ear is the size of my thumb. So adorable.
A happy Mommy and Daddy
Chillin' on the scale
All snuggled up. Look at the scrunchy face.

Day 5

2011-02-19T06:46:00.002-05:00

And it begins...the fatigue, the hormones, the impatience with all those in the household (even the cat, yes, she's a real Bit#@, can I say that on the Internet.) It might not be so bad if Alexander were latching well, but he is not. So we are battling feeding issues and weight gain and sore nipples and tired frustrated Mommy. Alexander is actually doing great. He's such a chill baby.
So after meeting with the office lactation consultant and a doctor ( not ours), Alexander had a frenotomy (with another dr in another office). That's where they take scissors and cut the little frenulum that holds our tongue down. And the dr cut the part under the upper lip too. Run your tongue up there you'll feel it.
It was a rush decision because the dr doing it was going away for weeks. So Joe and I aren't feeling the most comfortable with it but what is done is done. He bled quite a bit. I didn't watch. I do not like blood. And when it is your 4 day old son, it is hard.
The reason for doing it? To get him a better latch for breastfeeding. That is the main reason. He isn't moving his tongue forward and opening his mouth wide enough. Causing him to bite down, sore nipples and not nursing well. The poor latch also does not stimulate the breast enough to allow good milk production. So I am also pumping. It is a lot. It is overwhelming.
Sorry for all the details. But here we are. Still trying. Working through it.
He is such a sweetie though.
The hubby is fantastic. Dealing with all this and pitching in PLUS dealing with an outward acting 2 1/2 year old.
Yes, Nicholas is working through his own issues with all this. Funny though, he actually used his potty for THE VERY FIRST TIME the other night. Crazy.
Pictures soon, I promise.

It's hard

2011-02-18T07:39:00.001-05:00

Breastfeeding that is. And if anyone tells you it's not...they are lying.

Sweet Baby Boy

2011-02-18T07:35:00.002-05:00

Alexander has the sweetest perfectly round head. I think it is more like mine. Joe and Nicholas have the same head but it is more square at the crown. I hope Alexander's head stays like this.
And it is so ridiculously soft. I love to just stroke it and kiss it.

My Baby Valentine

2011-02-17T12:48:00.002-05:00

Sorry to keep anyone in suspense.
Alexander Thomas was born on February 14, 2011 at 9:14 pm. He weighed 6 lbs 14 oz and is 18.5 inches long.
He is perfect and healthy and cute as a button.
He's a sleeper. Please let this continue. However he is sleeping and won't wake to eat. We are working on breast feeding. He's having latching issues and my nipples are quickly getting torn to shreds. Ah what we do for our babies.
I'll try to get a post out about the birth soon and some pictures.
You'll be hearing a lot more about this little guy and of course my Big Crazy Man.
Joe is fabulous! What a guy. He held Alexander for 3 hours last night so I could sleep. Lovely.

Still going

2011-02-14T18:23:00.001-05:00

Still having contractions. They've picked up in frequency and strength. We will most likely be heading to the hospital sometime tonight. Hopefully tomorrow we can introduce our newest addition.

Waiting

2011-02-14T10:15:00.002-05:00

I started some contractions this morning. But they are really far apart. So we'll see if they develop into anything.
I'll keep you posted.

Prepping

2011-02-12T16:08:00.002-05:00

My body is getting prepped for birth. I've been having contractions everyday. They are just Braxton Hicks but every time I wonder if it's for real. I feel nervous and excited at the same time. But alas it's all been false alarms. But we are getting close to meeting this baby girl or baby boy.

Addendum

2011-02-11T08:28:00.003-05:00

I do have something to add to my last post. I was thinking about the growing baby. It will never cease to amaze me. The creation of life. The growth of life. For 38 weeks this life has been growing inside of me. And soon it will be here to hold. And it will continue to grow and to change. Nobody teaches this or makes this happen. It just does, all on its own. Although women get pregnant every day and babies are born every day, It truly is amazing.
We were looking at Nicholas' newborn pictures. The day he was born and the weeks after. I don't even remember who that baby was. I don't remember him being so swollen and puffy looking. He just looked perfect to me. And he still looks perfect to me today. I guess that is part of being a mom. Your child is always perfect in your eyes.
So.even though this baby isn't even born yet, it is still perfect in my eyes right now. Growing, developing just as it should, perfectly.

38 Weeks

2011-02-10T20:27:00.003-05:00

I think I say this every week, but I can't believe it! Only 2 weeks to go. Every day I wonder If today is going to be the day. It could be. But I have a feeling this baby is holding on for next week,39 weeks. I am ready. But not as anxious as I was a few weeks ago. I know it's coming soon so we'll wait and be ready for when it happens. The room is ready, as it is going to get. Things are washed. Bag is packed. Friends and family are set up to jump in with Nicholas. So when the baby says so, it's go time.
I'm tired tonight so I don't have much to say tonight.

Week 37

2011-02-03T19:49:00.003-05:00

Still hanging in there. Saw the dr today and all is good. She just delivered a baby this morning so she is all ready for this one. We decided Baby could come on the 15th. Both our schedules are free. Hee hee
I've been feeling some Braxton Hicks. Which probably means nothing. Just more uncomfortable for me. Baby gained another pound and a half this week. It was probably the brownies Baby was eating.
Okay all for now.

In the quiet

2011-02-03T12:59:00.002-05:00

It's in the moments when I am rocking my son to sleep and he goes still. Or when we are snuggling on the couch watching t.v. It is in these moments I don't want things to change. I want it to be me and him and our family of 3 forever. I like knowing I can just be wih him and all the other million and one things that should be done can just wait. They will still be there waiting for me. And for now we are enjoying this fleeting moment. For someday he won't want to be rocked or held or even want me in the same room. And as ready as I am for this baby to join our family, I'll miss this.

Food budgets

2011-02-03T08:56:00.003-05:00

If you have a family to feed, you spend a lot on groceries. I was emailing a friend some tips for cutting your food costs. I thought I would share them with the world.

1. Make a menu every week. Try to include all meals so you don't miss anything. Also this keeps from over buying things. If you can plan them around what is on sale that way you aren't buying pricey items. Start simply with recipes you know and are easy. Then it won't be so overwhelming. It takes some time in the beginning but it will save time throughout the week because you aren't thinking about what to fix every day and not be prepared. I'll do it once I sit down at night and watch some tv (if you get this time).

2. Take advantage of sales and stock up on things. Especially canned goods.

3. Buy in bulk and buy meat only when it is on sale. Freeze the extra. I break up the packages In freezer bags so I am not thawing too much and then wasting it because it doesn't get cooked. Don't buy pricey cuts, go for the cheaper ones. They can be just as good. Meats can really drive-up the bill so stretch the amount you use in the dishes you make, soups and casseroles are good for this.

4. Be creative and substitute with what you have on hand, don't Always buy what the recipe calls for. You can typically substitute and it is just as good. This is also a good way to use up little amounts of things you have leftover in the fridge. If you can't use it right away, freeze it.

5. Check unit prices. Sale items are not always cheaper because they are name brands. The larger package is not always cheaper than something that is on sale. So always compare.

6. Join a wholesale club. The savings pays for the membership.

7. Clip coupons. You can print online, but I have found this tedious. I don't buy a paper because it would be a waste. I found my local paper will deliver a small section of ads and coupons on Sundays.

8. Make a list and don't impulse buy.

9. We don't like to eat the end slices of bread. So I throw them in the freezer. When they pile up, I grind them for bread crumbs and store them back in the freezer. I don't have to buy bread crumbs. I also throw overripe bananas in the freezer and make banana bread from them.
10. You can always go without something until it goes on sale so just improvise.

11. Try some budget recipes from websites such as, kraftfoods.com, all recipes.com, etc.

12. Plan. Plan. Plan.

I am always open to new ideas. So please share. I want to hear them.

It's here

2011-02-02T15:16:00.003-05:00

February has arrived. The month this baby should be born. It can come any day now. Well, except the 14th. I feel this baby needs it's own special day and not have to share it with the whole entire society.
Nicholas came only 2 days before his due date. So we'll see how comfortable this wee one is in it's current home. Mommy is quite uncomfortable.
But baby if you are listening, you come whenever you are ready. Preferably this month though.

The injustice

2011-02-02T15:02:00.003-05:00

I'm watching this movie with Ashley Judd. I think she's adorable. But she's wearing all these cute little skinny clothes. I sit here almost 37 weeks pregnant. I have about 5 pieces of clothing that actually fit. I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to wear those skinny clothes again. Ah, time will tell.