I am still hating the potty training over here. It seems to be much easier and more smooth for others. So, fine, you get that...but something else has to suck for you. Its only fair right, LOL. Just like you people whose kids sleep through the night at 6 wks old. It has to come back sometime....Ok, no, I don't begrudge bad sleep on anyone.
Last week Ryan peed on the couch. Not sure if I already blogged about that or not. That was the last straw an we took a break from underwear for a week. I was going to clean the carpet's for my brother's party and no way was I going to let him pee all over the floor after I did that. He cried about having to wear a diaper or pull up, but then all of a sudden didn't care. Yesterday was supposed to be Day 1 of underwear again but he said no thanks. I just open my mouth and go "uh..." I am irritated because I know he understands the process. He even has a little story he will tell anyone that will listen. It goes something like this:
"If i go pee pee on the potty I get a tic tac and m&m. If I poop on the potty I get a present."
See, he totally knows the drill. Obviously we are missing a vital connection somewhere. There is extra incentive at grandma's house. He gets a present just for going pee. That started because he has to go on the big potty and not a potty chair. My mom and I have bought every matchbox car in town. Those are the presents. But, still a no go over here. Its about control and he is stubborn. He dosn't want to do what we WANT him to do. I just don't know how long of a break I should do, or how much forcing I should do. I don't want this to be a bad experience for him. I also do not want him to be in kindergarten and in a pull up.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
white pants
The first time I wear white pants, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say EVER because I know my mother would not buy me white pants, and I KNOW I never bought any myself (oh wait, I did have a pair of white Guess jeans in middle school) I spill ketchup. I got some maternity clothes from a friend and there were white capris in the bag. I should have just passed them by...but they were my size, and its still hot here. Plus, the regular bottoms are almost completely eliminated from my wardrobe. I am down to a few pair of capris and a few pair of shorts. My "Bella Band" isn't working either...someone who shall remain nameless but is NOT me washed it and now it is too small and feels constricting when I wear it. If you don't know the Bella Band and are going to be pregnant anytime soon you should check into it. It allows you to wear your regular bottoms as long as you can get them up, you leave them unbuttoned and with this panel over them it flattens it out and no one can tell. Now mine is too tight and feels like wearing maternity pants w/ the panel and I don't do the panel. Its tight and it makes me itch. So, under the belly for me which I swear makes you look bigger, but whatever.
I even made it through a play group (where I told Ryan he couldn't have a juice box all due to white pants) with no stains. Then I had to bribe Ryan with french fries because he wouldn't leave, plus french fries are yummy. Why did I think I could wear white pants?
I know I still need to post pics of my brother's graduation, and I've got a lot of stuff going on in my head, but right now it is nap time. I gave them up for a while, but my bed is calling me. I haven't slept well at night because its been hot. I've actually went to the guest room where we have a box fan and sleep in there. Its noisy and crowded when the dogs try to visit me on a futon that is in the couch position. Why is the fan not in our room? Well, because my poor fragile husband would freeze.
I even made it through a play group (where I told Ryan he couldn't have a juice box all due to white pants) with no stains. Then I had to bribe Ryan with french fries because he wouldn't leave, plus french fries are yummy. Why did I think I could wear white pants?
I know I still need to post pics of my brother's graduation, and I've got a lot of stuff going on in my head, but right now it is nap time. I gave them up for a while, but my bed is calling me. I haven't slept well at night because its been hot. I've actually went to the guest room where we have a box fan and sleep in there. Its noisy and crowded when the dogs try to visit me on a futon that is in the couch position. Why is the fan not in our room? Well, because my poor fragile husband would freeze.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Another doctor visit
It seems that we can't stay out of the pediatrician's office. Ryan got a runny nose on Saturday that was flowing like a river, then abrupty stopped. Then we said hello to a very dry cough. It was windy outside and he was playing out there a lot, so I figured it was allergies. We had a party for my brother's graduation so all the windows and doors were open. He didn't sleep well Saturday night and ended up in our bed. The Dimetapp cold & cough didn't work like usual. He was up every 2 hrs coughing. Poor guy. Sunday Ethan noticed that he was wheezing, and breathing fast. Because Ethan has asthma it was very scary for him and brought back a lot of memories of when he was a sick. He spent a lot of time out of school and in the hospital before inhalers. Even at 33, he is still inhaler dependent everyday. So, he would have a severe case that he did not outgrow. Around 7:30 last night I thought we should take him to Urgent Care because I was scared to put him to bed. I bought some regular cough medicine, thinking the antihistamine was making stuff run down his throat and the cough worse. The new cough medicine was working, but the wheezing continued. How convenient is it that Urgent Care stays open during the week til 9pm but only til 2pm on the weekends? NOT CONVENIENT IS THE CORRECT ANSWER.
Ethan convinced me that because he was acting normal and eating that we could wait until today to take him to the doctor. He woke up at 1am coughing and I gave him more meds, and then he slept til 6. He hasn't coughed once today (ofcourse) but we wanted to have him checked out anyway. His doctor thinks it is allergies, especially because the cough came and went. He said he didn't think this particular time was asthma, but when I told him Ethan's history he said "that changes everything." He gave him albuterol for the wheezing and clariten to help with the allergies and cough, but it sounds like he is "pre-asthmatic" and its only a matter of time.
Its funny how stuff you except to happen doesn't and you are surprised, but then when stuff you expect to happen actually does--you're still surprised. When Ryan was a baby and diagnosed w/ excema I read that it can be linked to asthma, plus Ethan's history gives him a 25% chance. Add in the allergies my mom has had her whole life, and our weird sinus infection stufff, its not surprising. Ethan has told me the struggles he had as a kid, and I hope Ryan doesn't have to go through that. I know the medications are better and he'll be able to play sports just like the other kids, but it still sucks. Ofcourse it could be worse so I will leave it at that. Ethan asked that I don't give him the albuterol unless he was wheezing because of side effects. The clariten is a once a day thing, so I'll take it day by day. Oh...and a lot of saline drops!
I'll post some pictures of my brother's graduation later. It was nice and we are so proud of him. Today was his first official day as a sheriff wearing his badge!
Ethan convinced me that because he was acting normal and eating that we could wait until today to take him to the doctor. He woke up at 1am coughing and I gave him more meds, and then he slept til 6. He hasn't coughed once today (ofcourse) but we wanted to have him checked out anyway. His doctor thinks it is allergies, especially because the cough came and went. He said he didn't think this particular time was asthma, but when I told him Ethan's history he said "that changes everything." He gave him albuterol for the wheezing and clariten to help with the allergies and cough, but it sounds like he is "pre-asthmatic" and its only a matter of time.
Its funny how stuff you except to happen doesn't and you are surprised, but then when stuff you expect to happen actually does--you're still surprised. When Ryan was a baby and diagnosed w/ excema I read that it can be linked to asthma, plus Ethan's history gives him a 25% chance. Add in the allergies my mom has had her whole life, and our weird sinus infection stufff, its not surprising. Ethan has told me the struggles he had as a kid, and I hope Ryan doesn't have to go through that. I know the medications are better and he'll be able to play sports just like the other kids, but it still sucks. Ofcourse it could be worse so I will leave it at that. Ethan asked that I don't give him the albuterol unless he was wheezing because of side effects. The clariten is a once a day thing, so I'll take it day by day. Oh...and a lot of saline drops!
I'll post some pictures of my brother's graduation later. It was nice and we are so proud of him. Today was his first official day as a sheriff wearing his badge!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
No more naps
FOR ME. Ryan is still napping, thank goodness. If I nap, then my nightime sleep is non-existent and I end up on the couch watching Sanford & Son. The last two days I didn't nap, and actually slept in my own bed, only waking up once or twice. Woo hoo.
Fall is coming and I cannot be more happier. I tend to "radiate heat" as Ethan would say when I'm pregnant and I'm always hot. I am also a person who needs a blanket to sleep, so I end up getting no sleep because I go between blanket and no blanket and its annoying. Yesterday it was only 77 at 5:00pm. Yay! We are planning our Halloween carnival for playgroup and I am doing a "station", and then we scheduled a pumpkin playgroup for Ryan's birthday as well. Poor kid, I'm sure it will annoy him when he gets older that his birthday is the day after Halloween, but as for now, he is too young to care so I"m gonna work it. I agreed to hold an October playdate and we picked the 30th. The next day I realized "duh, Ryan's birthday!!!!" Might as well do them together. I am hoping little pumpkins are cheap and we're going to do a pumpkin hunt in the backyard, and make pumpkins on paper using our fists and washable paint...OUTSIDE.
As for the house hunt, the inventory in the 3-4 neighborhoods we are looking in is low. We are supposed to see some tonight, but everything seems to say "needs some TLC" or "some damage." Well, everyone's definition of damage and TLC is different, and the realtors seem to be out there on what they will call "some." I've walked through a pot house, that was obviously a pot house, with added ducting, wiring, and aluminum foil on the windows. That house had no mention of needing any work at all. Totally move in ready. Then I've seen houses without any toilets, holes in walls the size of ME, exposed pipes in a bathroom that were from an obvious leak, homes where there was no padding under the carpet...like we aren't going to notice? And my favorite, "some water damage." Um, the house reeked of what at first I thought was cat pee, but then realized it was mold. We walked into the kitchen/family room and the entire ceiling was exposed to the upstairs. Rafters and all. Just a bit of water damage.
I drove through a neighborhood today that was never on our list because it is older, it was actually here when I lived here. We have been looking at areas that are 10 yrs or less. I was curious because I had babysat in that neighborhood before and I remember thinking it was cute. The houses are Cape Code style, I think they also call them salt box. The garages are not attached which at the time I thought was weird and my dad went on and on about how no one wants that. But as I drove through I fell in love. It is such a well maintained area, and some of the houses have the long driveway that can be fenced off, just like our favorite house that we bid on and didn't get. I like that they aren't modern or contemporary like every other newer neighborhood. They just have so much character. There is a school and park within walking distance which is always a plus. Something I did notice was that THERE WAS NOT ONE FOR SALE SIGN IN THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD. NOT ONE. The neighborhood is basically a big loop, with courts that split off to the sides so I was able to see the entire area. So either no one is putting signs out, which sometimes they don't, or everyone in that neighborhood knows how to manage their $ and didn't buy a house they couldn't afford. I e-mailed the realtor and told her that its now on my radar and we'll see what she says.
In other news, I gag and almost throw up everytime I brush my teeth. I am still eating like 2 cows. My brother graduates from the policy academy on Saturday and I'm having 30-40 people over and my house looks like CRAP. I have the biggest house so I usually handle all the get togethers which is fine, normally, but my house has not recovered from the 3 wks of sickness. At least the old fridge is supposed to get picked up tomorrow, between 10-2...I hope its 10. It would be a bit embarassing to still have the old fridge hanging out. So, i've got a lot of cleaning to do. My sister is coming tonight to mop and clean the downstairs bathroom. I am taking Ryan to grandpa's tomorrow afternoon so I can clean the carpets. Good times. And now, its time to shower and start my cleaning before I have to pick Ryan up from school.
Fall is coming and I cannot be more happier. I tend to "radiate heat" as Ethan would say when I'm pregnant and I'm always hot. I am also a person who needs a blanket to sleep, so I end up getting no sleep because I go between blanket and no blanket and its annoying. Yesterday it was only 77 at 5:00pm. Yay! We are planning our Halloween carnival for playgroup and I am doing a "station", and then we scheduled a pumpkin playgroup for Ryan's birthday as well. Poor kid, I'm sure it will annoy him when he gets older that his birthday is the day after Halloween, but as for now, he is too young to care so I"m gonna work it. I agreed to hold an October playdate and we picked the 30th. The next day I realized "duh, Ryan's birthday!!!!" Might as well do them together. I am hoping little pumpkins are cheap and we're going to do a pumpkin hunt in the backyard, and make pumpkins on paper using our fists and washable paint...OUTSIDE.
As for the house hunt, the inventory in the 3-4 neighborhoods we are looking in is low. We are supposed to see some tonight, but everything seems to say "needs some TLC" or "some damage." Well, everyone's definition of damage and TLC is different, and the realtors seem to be out there on what they will call "some." I've walked through a pot house, that was obviously a pot house, with added ducting, wiring, and aluminum foil on the windows. That house had no mention of needing any work at all. Totally move in ready. Then I've seen houses without any toilets, holes in walls the size of ME, exposed pipes in a bathroom that were from an obvious leak, homes where there was no padding under the carpet...like we aren't going to notice? And my favorite, "some water damage." Um, the house reeked of what at first I thought was cat pee, but then realized it was mold. We walked into the kitchen/family room and the entire ceiling was exposed to the upstairs. Rafters and all. Just a bit of water damage.
I drove through a neighborhood today that was never on our list because it is older, it was actually here when I lived here. We have been looking at areas that are 10 yrs or less. I was curious because I had babysat in that neighborhood before and I remember thinking it was cute. The houses are Cape Code style, I think they also call them salt box. The garages are not attached which at the time I thought was weird and my dad went on and on about how no one wants that. But as I drove through I fell in love. It is such a well maintained area, and some of the houses have the long driveway that can be fenced off, just like our favorite house that we bid on and didn't get. I like that they aren't modern or contemporary like every other newer neighborhood. They just have so much character. There is a school and park within walking distance which is always a plus. Something I did notice was that THERE WAS NOT ONE FOR SALE SIGN IN THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD. NOT ONE. The neighborhood is basically a big loop, with courts that split off to the sides so I was able to see the entire area. So either no one is putting signs out, which sometimes they don't, or everyone in that neighborhood knows how to manage their $ and didn't buy a house they couldn't afford. I e-mailed the realtor and told her that its now on my radar and we'll see what she says.
In other news, I gag and almost throw up everytime I brush my teeth. I am still eating like 2 cows. My brother graduates from the policy academy on Saturday and I'm having 30-40 people over and my house looks like CRAP. I have the biggest house so I usually handle all the get togethers which is fine, normally, but my house has not recovered from the 3 wks of sickness. At least the old fridge is supposed to get picked up tomorrow, between 10-2...I hope its 10. It would be a bit embarassing to still have the old fridge hanging out. So, i've got a lot of cleaning to do. My sister is coming tonight to mop and clean the downstairs bathroom. I am taking Ryan to grandpa's tomorrow afternoon so I can clean the carpets. Good times. And now, its time to shower and start my cleaning before I have to pick Ryan up from school.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Fun in Capitola (no pics)
I really cannot get myself to take pictures, especially if Ryan isn't with us. I have no real reason, so just deal with it. Ethan and I just got back from an overnight trip to Capitola. My friend's family has a beach house and she offered it to us for our belated anniversary/belated birthday. Yay!
The house was amazingly charming. Craftsman, totally old school. It was one block from the ocean! We walked everywhere. We had to go down some pretty steep stairs into the "village" which I didn't really enjoy, especially the up part. I kept reminding Ethan that I had felt like crap for about 3 weeks and didn't do anything, so it is taking me a while to get back into life. The under belly maternity capris/pants is at least helping with comfort :)
We arrived Saturday around lunch time and got a tour of the house. Its a small, 2 bedroom 1 bath, with a separate guest house in the back, attached to the garage. There is no bathroom out there so we decided to stay in the main house. Pregnant people need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. It just is that way. The house has a beautiful front porch, the kind you would want to read the paper and drink coffee on, and the backyard is nicely landscaped. She set up a table, umbrella and chairs out there for us too. She really spoiled us (sparkling cider in the fridge).
After my friend left we walked down into the village to have lunch at a place my mom recommended. The view is fantastic because the deck is right on the water, but the service was iffy and the food was just ok. Then we walked around the town, realizing it is very small. We got a bit worried since there wasn't much to do that I could do. I get sea sick so no going out on a boat, no kayaking due to being pregnant, etc.
We walked back to the house and I should mention, the house didn't have a TV. I thought it was quaint, forcing you to relax, which is why we were there. It has been a rough few weeks for us, Ethan worked a lot, so we needed to just hang out. But, Ethan uses TV or video games to relax after a long day at work. Something about how his brain works. We talked about bringing the laptop or the portable dvd player, but didn't. I think he was panicked. I brought a book so I was ok, but have recently been waking up in the middle of the night and watching TV so I was a little worried. Ethan decided to take a nap and I went out into the backyard to read. Peace and quiet.
Then it was time to change into pants (ug!) and get sweatshirts (ah!) and head back to the village for dinner. We went to a very nice Italian place, stopped by the market for some toothpaste and drinks and headed back home. I think it was before 9:00! We got in the car to get gas, and stopped by a bakery for pie. YUM. Then I read some more while Ethan read the newspaper and worked on his paper that is going to be published in a professional journal. We managed without TV! I am kind of proud of us, though I would have liked to check my e-mail or snuggle up during a movie. It was cold enough to need blankets at night. That is my kind of weather.
This morning we got up, showered, and walked back to the bakery where we had some fantastic stuff. Then walked back to the beach for our last view, and headed back to the house to pack up. Ethan was having Ryan withdrawls. We stopped at Trader Joe's on the way, and now we are home. Ryan should be up from his nap soon, and parenthood begins again.
The house was amazingly charming. Craftsman, totally old school. It was one block from the ocean! We walked everywhere. We had to go down some pretty steep stairs into the "village" which I didn't really enjoy, especially the up part. I kept reminding Ethan that I had felt like crap for about 3 weeks and didn't do anything, so it is taking me a while to get back into life. The under belly maternity capris/pants is at least helping with comfort :)
We arrived Saturday around lunch time and got a tour of the house. Its a small, 2 bedroom 1 bath, with a separate guest house in the back, attached to the garage. There is no bathroom out there so we decided to stay in the main house. Pregnant people need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. It just is that way. The house has a beautiful front porch, the kind you would want to read the paper and drink coffee on, and the backyard is nicely landscaped. She set up a table, umbrella and chairs out there for us too. She really spoiled us (sparkling cider in the fridge).
After my friend left we walked down into the village to have lunch at a place my mom recommended. The view is fantastic because the deck is right on the water, but the service was iffy and the food was just ok. Then we walked around the town, realizing it is very small. We got a bit worried since there wasn't much to do that I could do. I get sea sick so no going out on a boat, no kayaking due to being pregnant, etc.
We walked back to the house and I should mention, the house didn't have a TV. I thought it was quaint, forcing you to relax, which is why we were there. It has been a rough few weeks for us, Ethan worked a lot, so we needed to just hang out. But, Ethan uses TV or video games to relax after a long day at work. Something about how his brain works. We talked about bringing the laptop or the portable dvd player, but didn't. I think he was panicked. I brought a book so I was ok, but have recently been waking up in the middle of the night and watching TV so I was a little worried. Ethan decided to take a nap and I went out into the backyard to read. Peace and quiet.
Then it was time to change into pants (ug!) and get sweatshirts (ah!) and head back to the village for dinner. We went to a very nice Italian place, stopped by the market for some toothpaste and drinks and headed back home. I think it was before 9:00! We got in the car to get gas, and stopped by a bakery for pie. YUM. Then I read some more while Ethan read the newspaper and worked on his paper that is going to be published in a professional journal. We managed without TV! I am kind of proud of us, though I would have liked to check my e-mail or snuggle up during a movie. It was cold enough to need blankets at night. That is my kind of weather.
This morning we got up, showered, and walked back to the bakery where we had some fantastic stuff. Then walked back to the beach for our last view, and headed back to the house to pack up. Ethan was having Ryan withdrawls. We stopped at Trader Joe's on the way, and now we are home. Ryan should be up from his nap soon, and parenthood begins again.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Mini meltdown
I guess things have just caught up to me and I had a mini meltdown today. Poor Ethan. He works his ass off, and does not need to come home to a crazy wife. He was at work at 7am yesterday and didn't get home til 9. Today it was more normal, but dealing with an almost 3 yr old with a new DEMANDING personality has not been pleasant. Everything is "do this" or "give me this" or "i need that." I spend my entire day correcting him, but it doesn't seem to take. STUBBORN. I talk about using nice words and how daddy does not like it when he is mean to mommy. Then there is his attitude to the dogs who he says he loves. Several times a day he is on time out for pushing them out of his way or chasing them with a chair. And to top today off, he peed in his underwear and shorts twice. Twice. Both times within 5 min of me asking him if he needed to use the potty. We had a screaming match (I am not proud of) about him needing to wear diapers again if he was going to act like a baby. He doesn't want them and says he is a big boy, I am just tired of dealing with pee clothing in general.
Then there are the ants. I have spent the last few days cleaning out cabinets, which means my entire counter space and island are full. I feel like I can't move around in the kitchen. Its making me chlostrophobic. I don't want to spray ant stuff in the house while i'm pregnant, and with Ryan and the dogs, but it seems to be a losing battle. Ethan keeps spraying outside but nothing is working. Today there was a trail from the sink, across the counter, down to the floor, and around the corner. And Ethan didn't notice it this morning! I am just tired of ant clean up.
I panicked today about having 2 kids. Doesn't it seem a little early for that? I am a very realistic person and feel like I am prepared. We had a very hard first year with Ryan, and I figure if I can do that, I can do it again. Ofcourse I'm hoping to fix the sleep issue much sooner than that, but just in case, I know what I am capable of. My family is here, and I know I'll have lots of help. But on a day like today when nothing seems to be right, I just wonder if I can do it, actually no, I know I can do it, but can I do it well? And really what else could have made today better, but having no bras that fit. We seem to be hitting critical mass very early. The problem is that I am already large chested and most stores only carry one cup size larger than my normal size. This means I'm going to have to hit the "special" stores and pay lots of money for a bra--that I will outgrow in a few months and need another. And another.
Wow, pity party for me. I think I'm just tired. I was up 4x with Ryan last night for no reason. And when I went to check on him he would just scream demands at me. I need a good nights sleep tonight. We will have to start CIO again. Sad, but after a week of sleeping with us the transition is super hard and he needs to know he has to go back to sleep on his own. We also need to really discuss the transition from crib to bed. I am petrified. PETRIFIED. But, our crib was recalled and I have to dismantle it before I can get the voucher for the new one. Once they send us the voucher we only have 6 months to use it at BRU. I was hoping to wait til we found ou the gender of this baby because if it happens to be a girl I would like to get a white convertible crib. Either way we're getting a convertible this time because I've looked at the cost of beds and WOW. We have a place here called Kids Cribs and Teens which is an "alternative" to Pottery Barn. A regular twin bed, no matress was $500. It was nothing special, just a bed frame and headboard.
I digress. Ethan is getting Ryan out of the tub. The night is almost over. I'm going to relax, look at my ultrasound photo and pray for a better tomorrow :)
Then there are the ants. I have spent the last few days cleaning out cabinets, which means my entire counter space and island are full. I feel like I can't move around in the kitchen. Its making me chlostrophobic. I don't want to spray ant stuff in the house while i'm pregnant, and with Ryan and the dogs, but it seems to be a losing battle. Ethan keeps spraying outside but nothing is working. Today there was a trail from the sink, across the counter, down to the floor, and around the corner. And Ethan didn't notice it this morning! I am just tired of ant clean up.
I panicked today about having 2 kids. Doesn't it seem a little early for that? I am a very realistic person and feel like I am prepared. We had a very hard first year with Ryan, and I figure if I can do that, I can do it again. Ofcourse I'm hoping to fix the sleep issue much sooner than that, but just in case, I know what I am capable of. My family is here, and I know I'll have lots of help. But on a day like today when nothing seems to be right, I just wonder if I can do it, actually no, I know I can do it, but can I do it well? And really what else could have made today better, but having no bras that fit. We seem to be hitting critical mass very early. The problem is that I am already large chested and most stores only carry one cup size larger than my normal size. This means I'm going to have to hit the "special" stores and pay lots of money for a bra--that I will outgrow in a few months and need another. And another.
Wow, pity party for me. I think I'm just tired. I was up 4x with Ryan last night for no reason. And when I went to check on him he would just scream demands at me. I need a good nights sleep tonight. We will have to start CIO again. Sad, but after a week of sleeping with us the transition is super hard and he needs to know he has to go back to sleep on his own. We also need to really discuss the transition from crib to bed. I am petrified. PETRIFIED. But, our crib was recalled and I have to dismantle it before I can get the voucher for the new one. Once they send us the voucher we only have 6 months to use it at BRU. I was hoping to wait til we found ou the gender of this baby because if it happens to be a girl I would like to get a white convertible crib. Either way we're getting a convertible this time because I've looked at the cost of beds and WOW. We have a place here called Kids Cribs and Teens which is an "alternative" to Pottery Barn. A regular twin bed, no matress was $500. It was nothing special, just a bed frame and headboard.
I digress. Ethan is getting Ryan out of the tub. The night is almost over. I'm going to relax, look at my ultrasound photo and pray for a better tomorrow :)
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
33, DMV, peanuts & sleep
As of Sunday at 4:10pm I am 33. Another birthday spent pregnant with no alcohol. Add the bonus of a sick kid...wew, what a day. Ethan did take me to Red Robin because I love their hamburgers and chocolate milkshakes. Very low key, but we are going to my friend's beach house in Capitola this weekend so it should make up for it.
Something I noticed on Sunday was that my license expired. Normally you would get a renewal notice in the mail, but that only happens if you let DMV know that you moved. Which I didn't. I'm sure I meant to. My dad was convinced I was going to be locked up with a cell mate named Bertha. I made an online appt for Friday, but took a chance on Monday morning by going without an appt. Less than an hr. I know! For a California DMV. That is ridiculous. I just knew Monday was going to be a good day after that. My dad was jealous because he had an appointment and it still took him longer than that. Ha Ha.
Monday we got to see the peanut. I am only calling he/she a peanut because it really did look like a peanut. Ryan looked like a seahorse. They dated me at 9.5 wks, and my due date is now April 8. The baby was actually moving already and we got to see and hear a heartbeat. That really is so cool. It also makes it really REAL. I'm not sure if everyone does, but until I have that first ultrasound I'm always wondering 'is there really something in there?' Yes, there is. And thank goodness, there is only one peanut. So, yay!
Ryan is recovered from his virus. I took him to the doctor yesterday for a recheck. His tonsils weren't red anymore, the strep test was negative. I showed the doctor where I noticed his gums were red and swollen. He said some viruses actually can cause gingivitis. Who knew? I even googled it when I got home and herpes is one of those viruses. I had a cold sore 3 days before Ryan got a fever, and I wonder if I passed the virus onto him, but his body handled it differently. He never got a cold sore. Hand/food/mouth is going around too, but he never got the rash. So, again we get the "just a virus" diagnosis. Turns out his lack of appetite didn't have much to do with the fever, but was more related to his sore gums. He is eating better today and got the all clear to go back to school.
Last night he slept in his own room til 5am. You have no idea how great that was after a week of sharing a bed with him! I actually slept 4 hrs straight (a record for recent memory) and would have been longer but I had to get up and use the bathroom:( It was much needed sleep had by all.
While Ryan went to school I had a scheduled OB visit. Blood work good, bp good, weight gain fine (1lb in 4 wks). And I got to hear the heartbeat again.
We are coming out of the den of disease....its gonna be a happy healthy rest of September for us!
Something I noticed on Sunday was that my license expired. Normally you would get a renewal notice in the mail, but that only happens if you let DMV know that you moved. Which I didn't. I'm sure I meant to. My dad was convinced I was going to be locked up with a cell mate named Bertha. I made an online appt for Friday, but took a chance on Monday morning by going without an appt. Less than an hr. I know! For a California DMV. That is ridiculous. I just knew Monday was going to be a good day after that. My dad was jealous because he had an appointment and it still took him longer than that. Ha Ha.
Monday we got to see the peanut. I am only calling he/she a peanut because it really did look like a peanut. Ryan looked like a seahorse. They dated me at 9.5 wks, and my due date is now April 8. The baby was actually moving already and we got to see and hear a heartbeat. That really is so cool. It also makes it really REAL. I'm not sure if everyone does, but until I have that first ultrasound I'm always wondering 'is there really something in there?' Yes, there is. And thank goodness, there is only one peanut. So, yay!
Ryan is recovered from his virus. I took him to the doctor yesterday for a recheck. His tonsils weren't red anymore, the strep test was negative. I showed the doctor where I noticed his gums were red and swollen. He said some viruses actually can cause gingivitis. Who knew? I even googled it when I got home and herpes is one of those viruses. I had a cold sore 3 days before Ryan got a fever, and I wonder if I passed the virus onto him, but his body handled it differently. He never got a cold sore. Hand/food/mouth is going around too, but he never got the rash. So, again we get the "just a virus" diagnosis. Turns out his lack of appetite didn't have much to do with the fever, but was more related to his sore gums. He is eating better today and got the all clear to go back to school.
Last night he slept in his own room til 5am. You have no idea how great that was after a week of sharing a bed with him! I actually slept 4 hrs straight (a record for recent memory) and would have been longer but I had to get up and use the bathroom:( It was much needed sleep had by all.
While Ryan went to school I had a scheduled OB visit. Blood work good, bp good, weight gain fine (1lb in 4 wks). And I got to hear the heartbeat again.
We are coming out of the den of disease....its gonna be a happy healthy rest of September for us!
Friday, September 5, 2008
How many? 8...
Don't have a heart attack, not 8 babies. Wow, can you even imagine? 8 is the number of vials of blood I had drawn today. I hope I still have some blood left. This was my "prenatal" panel. I actually remember having 8 drawn when I was pregnant with Ryan, but I want to say it was more around the glucose testing time. I know I was in full maternity clothes. Why am I always able to remember what clothes I was wearing at certain times? But when I did it in San Diego I had a totally icky experience. The lady started but then realized she forgot the holder so she asked me to hold them. I had to hold my own blood. And it was warm. SO GROSS. It shouldn't give me the willies because it was my own blood but it did.
Today when the lady sat me down and pulled out all the vials I said wow, thats a lot. She said it was the standard prenatal panel, plus my doctor had added in a few. I told her I was fine, just please don't make me hold them. She cracked up so I told her the story. She said she would never ask someone to hold their own vile. I appreciate that. It goes quickly and it really doesn't bother me much. Ethan would have been dead on the floor. Then I rewarded myself with a burrito. Gotta get all my vital nutrients back in.
I just put a call in to Ryan's ped. 3 doses of antibiotics have not helped. He still has a fever if he doesn't take motrin every 6 hrs and it goes high at night. He told me that if it was strep he would be back to normal today with no fever, so I guess its not strep. I just don't want to get stuck in a weekend situation where we have to go to Urgent Care or something if it gets worse. I also don't like having him take meds so often. On Sunday it will be a full week of fever. I really wanted next week to be good for us. I'm feeling better and want to get a lot of stuff done. I was hoping Ryan would be back at school. I have my ultrasound on Monday and a doctor appointment on Tuesday. I feel like after two weeks of blah I am ready to get back to normal--even cook dinner now that I have a working fridge!
And Sunday is my birthday...Ethan might have to work, Ryan might still be sick. Super Fun.
Today when the lady sat me down and pulled out all the vials I said wow, thats a lot. She said it was the standard prenatal panel, plus my doctor had added in a few. I told her I was fine, just please don't make me hold them. She cracked up so I told her the story. She said she would never ask someone to hold their own vile. I appreciate that. It goes quickly and it really doesn't bother me much. Ethan would have been dead on the floor. Then I rewarded myself with a burrito. Gotta get all my vital nutrients back in.
I just put a call in to Ryan's ped. 3 doses of antibiotics have not helped. He still has a fever if he doesn't take motrin every 6 hrs and it goes high at night. He told me that if it was strep he would be back to normal today with no fever, so I guess its not strep. I just don't want to get stuck in a weekend situation where we have to go to Urgent Care or something if it gets worse. I also don't like having him take meds so often. On Sunday it will be a full week of fever. I really wanted next week to be good for us. I'm feeling better and want to get a lot of stuff done. I was hoping Ryan would be back at school. I have my ultrasound on Monday and a doctor appointment on Tuesday. I feel like after two weeks of blah I am ready to get back to normal--even cook dinner now that I have a working fridge!
And Sunday is my birthday...Ethan might have to work, Ryan might still be sick. Super Fun.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
The never ending day
Yes, the new fridge is here. She is magnificent. I took pictures, but the cord that is always plugged into the computer is unplugged. I do not mess with plugs and wires. Ethan told me to unplug the scanner, the un plug something else, then plug the camera back in. Nope. He just needs to do it for me. I'm not gonna climb under the desk and mess around with that crap. So, hopefully he does it soon. My fridge is lovely :) She deserves her own post.
As for today, Ryan still has a fever. Just when I think he is ok, his temp goes up. This is the longest its ever happened. Usually its 2-3 days max. Yesterday I thought we had turned the corner because at 5pm it was only 101.5, the highest it had been all day. I decided to hold off on the motrin and give it to him before bed. At 8:00 his temp was 104. Sometimes my decision making kinda sucks. The strangest thing was that at 104 he was acting FINE. Usually 103/103.5 is where I actually notice a difference in behavior. If you didn't touch him, you would not know he had a fever. Then he had a terrible night last night, he kept waking up, he slept with us...or tried. I ended up on the floor because he took my entire side. Then there was a 3:00 wake up, which has become the standard to do a temp check. 98.8. Yipee! The lowest it had been at that time ever. Woo hoo. Til 7am when it was back to 101.5. Damn. Let's just say that out of 8 preschool days Ryan has been to 4. I paid a whole lot of money for 4 days of school :( And tuition is due again tomorrow.
I got Ryan an appt today at 11:00. They close at 12 on Thursdays, and she told me they were double booked. When I told her he had a temp since Sunday she put us in, but apologized in advance that it would take a while. No big deal. I'll take what I can get. The family friend we have that works there wasn't there when we got there, which means we had to wait in the lobby with all the other sick kids (yuck). And Ryan wanted to play with the toys. I sanitized his hands when we got to the room, then again at the car. I told the doctor I was really starting to worry that there was something wrong because he keeps getting these high fevers. We were there in February for the same thing. He checked him for any type of rash, though he said it was too late for roseola. His ears were perfect (as usual) but he said his tonsils were read and "congested" but not enlarged. He wanted to do a strep culture and give antibiotics. The doctor kept asking Ryan if his throat hurt and he said no. He is drinking, but hardly eating. I still have no idea how he can be in such a decent mood with whatever infection is going on.
Turns out the doctor doesn't do cultures in his office anymore. He did when we were growing up. So, down the hall to the lab we went, with more sick people. Ryan wanted to eat one of his pops and I told him he had to wait until after his throat test. He ended up falling asleep on my lap. Poor guy. An hour later, it was his turn. I had to wake him up. He was so excited and said "they called my name?" He still had his pop in his hand, and I told him right after he was done he could have it. The lab tech said strep was going around...yay...not. She was great with him, told him it was some kind of "wand" and he totally bought it. He gagged a bit, but nothing bad. We should have the results in two days, though the doctor said tomorrow. He gave us antibiotics anyway and said to start them ASAP. If it is strep he should be 100% by tomorrow. If not, hopefully it will kill whatever is causing it, unless its just a virus. This is Ryan's first time on antibiotics so I am on allergy patrol.
We left our house at 10:45, got home at 2:30. I hadn't had any liquids. Thank goodness I was feeling well enough to eat breakfast before we left. I did hit the drive thru and Jamba Juice on the way home from the pharmacy. Ryan has hardly eaten anything and I wanted to get something in him. He had his first dose at 2:00 and I'll give him another dose tonight before bed. Crossing our fingers that the fever is totally gone by tomorrow. It was 102.3 when we got home and I gave him another dose of Motrin. And if he still has a fever on Monday we have to go back, most likely to have blood taken. I am worried that there is some "condition" but nothing comes up on my internet searches for high fevers and no symptoms. At least this time there was something with the tonsils. Every other time he has been FINE, ears-nose-throat-and even blood work. They did blood work the first time this happened, when he 10 months old, and his counts were a little high showing there was an infection, but nothing serious.
Our friend that works at the doctor's office thinks maybe he is just a healthy kid and his body uses fevers to fight everything off, and doesn't show symptoms. Who knows. I remember having strep as a kid and my throat HURT. It just seems like a lot to digest lately: the colds, sinus infections, ant infestation, fridge breaking, still looking for a house, the pregnancy yucky feelings...I think I'll go nap. I let Ryan fall asleep at 3:00 (something I would never do) but he's sick and I know he didn't sleep well last night. I'll wake him up at 5:00.
And, unrelated. Though I am an indepenent with more liberal views, I have to say I got a bit misty eyed when I saw a female take the stage to accept the vice presidential nomination. It was just cool, whether you like her or not. And surprisingly, I kinda liked her--or at least what she said. We all know they can say one thing and change their mind the next, but she seemed real. Maybe its the mom in her, I don't know. I don't think there is anything that can be done to change my vote (assuming my change of county went through) but I felt she was real and I appreciated that.
As for today, Ryan still has a fever. Just when I think he is ok, his temp goes up. This is the longest its ever happened. Usually its 2-3 days max. Yesterday I thought we had turned the corner because at 5pm it was only 101.5, the highest it had been all day. I decided to hold off on the motrin and give it to him before bed. At 8:00 his temp was 104. Sometimes my decision making kinda sucks. The strangest thing was that at 104 he was acting FINE. Usually 103/103.5 is where I actually notice a difference in behavior. If you didn't touch him, you would not know he had a fever. Then he had a terrible night last night, he kept waking up, he slept with us...or tried. I ended up on the floor because he took my entire side. Then there was a 3:00 wake up, which has become the standard to do a temp check. 98.8. Yipee! The lowest it had been at that time ever. Woo hoo. Til 7am when it was back to 101.5. Damn. Let's just say that out of 8 preschool days Ryan has been to 4. I paid a whole lot of money for 4 days of school :( And tuition is due again tomorrow.
I got Ryan an appt today at 11:00. They close at 12 on Thursdays, and she told me they were double booked. When I told her he had a temp since Sunday she put us in, but apologized in advance that it would take a while. No big deal. I'll take what I can get. The family friend we have that works there wasn't there when we got there, which means we had to wait in the lobby with all the other sick kids (yuck). And Ryan wanted to play with the toys. I sanitized his hands when we got to the room, then again at the car. I told the doctor I was really starting to worry that there was something wrong because he keeps getting these high fevers. We were there in February for the same thing. He checked him for any type of rash, though he said it was too late for roseola. His ears were perfect (as usual) but he said his tonsils were read and "congested" but not enlarged. He wanted to do a strep culture and give antibiotics. The doctor kept asking Ryan if his throat hurt and he said no. He is drinking, but hardly eating. I still have no idea how he can be in such a decent mood with whatever infection is going on.
Turns out the doctor doesn't do cultures in his office anymore. He did when we were growing up. So, down the hall to the lab we went, with more sick people. Ryan wanted to eat one of his pops and I told him he had to wait until after his throat test. He ended up falling asleep on my lap. Poor guy. An hour later, it was his turn. I had to wake him up. He was so excited and said "they called my name?" He still had his pop in his hand, and I told him right after he was done he could have it. The lab tech said strep was going around...yay...not. She was great with him, told him it was some kind of "wand" and he totally bought it. He gagged a bit, but nothing bad. We should have the results in two days, though the doctor said tomorrow. He gave us antibiotics anyway and said to start them ASAP. If it is strep he should be 100% by tomorrow. If not, hopefully it will kill whatever is causing it, unless its just a virus. This is Ryan's first time on antibiotics so I am on allergy patrol.
We left our house at 10:45, got home at 2:30. I hadn't had any liquids. Thank goodness I was feeling well enough to eat breakfast before we left. I did hit the drive thru and Jamba Juice on the way home from the pharmacy. Ryan has hardly eaten anything and I wanted to get something in him. He had his first dose at 2:00 and I'll give him another dose tonight before bed. Crossing our fingers that the fever is totally gone by tomorrow. It was 102.3 when we got home and I gave him another dose of Motrin. And if he still has a fever on Monday we have to go back, most likely to have blood taken. I am worried that there is some "condition" but nothing comes up on my internet searches for high fevers and no symptoms. At least this time there was something with the tonsils. Every other time he has been FINE, ears-nose-throat-and even blood work. They did blood work the first time this happened, when he 10 months old, and his counts were a little high showing there was an infection, but nothing serious.
Our friend that works at the doctor's office thinks maybe he is just a healthy kid and his body uses fevers to fight everything off, and doesn't show symptoms. Who knows. I remember having strep as a kid and my throat HURT. It just seems like a lot to digest lately: the colds, sinus infections, ant infestation, fridge breaking, still looking for a house, the pregnancy yucky feelings...I think I'll go nap. I let Ryan fall asleep at 3:00 (something I would never do) but he's sick and I know he didn't sleep well last night. I'll wake him up at 5:00.
And, unrelated. Though I am an indepenent with more liberal views, I have to say I got a bit misty eyed when I saw a female take the stage to accept the vice presidential nomination. It was just cool, whether you like her or not. And surprisingly, I kinda liked her--or at least what she said. We all know they can say one thing and change their mind the next, but she seemed real. Maybe its the mom in her, I don't know. I don't think there is anything that can be done to change my vote (assuming my change of county went through) but I felt she was real and I appreciated that.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Let's recap, shall we?
REFRIGERATOR
Ethan and I went fridge shopping on Saturday. I had nice comparison printouts for him for Home Depot, Sears and Best Buy. I hate Best Buy, so I didn't really want to buy it there. Plus, they are big on LG right now, and I had an appliance guy tell me not to buy an LG. Apparently LG electronics are great, just not appliances. Then I also had the information from two local appliance stores, one where my parents know the owners and they get all their appliances there. That would be the easiest way to do it. So, we saw the two fridges there that met our needs. Our needs being 1) new 2) side by side 3) ice/water 4)stainless or fake stainless. Now, don't be all "yay Ethan" for supporting the new fridge. He tried to talk me into a used one, there was talk of Craig's List, but I put the kybosh on that so fast you have no idea. I WILL HAVE A NEW FRIDGE AND IT MUST WORK. PERIOD.
Then we had a nice lunch at Olive Garden, walked around Sears and Best Buy and well, Ethan threw a wrench in my chain. I believe it was something like "wow, digital temperature controls on the door-that is a must." What? I had not done any searches for that. What? I could hear my dad in my head saying "Brandi, that is just one more thing to break." I could actually hear Ethan saying that in my head too. Mr. Engineer failed me on this. So, we went home to research the digital temp controls. No, not we, ME, because he fell asleep while Ryan played at grandma's house. I came to the conclusion that the ones that are true digital temp controls that actually allow you to set a temperature are much more expensive. The others are just the 0-9, just like the regular temperature knobs on the inside of the fridge. Keeping his pepsi chilled to a specific temperature was not worth the cost difference, and he told me to go back to the appliance store and get either of the fridges there. Tuesday. Holiday weekend. Damn.
ANTS
Sunday morning I take Ryan downstairs for breakfast at approxmately 7:10 am and to my horror there are ants crawling up the side of my fridge, into the freezer (where they kindly die) and also in the fridge. WTF? One of the major problems with the fridge is that the door seals aren't good, and air leaks out. Duh. But ants fit in :( I woke Ethan up, told him to deal with it, then called my mom and said we were coming over for breakfast. When we got back Ethan had defrosted the freezer, cleaned everything out, and claimed it was all in working order again. It just needed a defrost. HELL NO. I'M BUYING A NEW FRIDGE. PERIOD.
FEVER VIRUS
Sunday afternoon was the chosen time for Ryan's fever virus to appear again. High fever, no other symptoms. He seems to get this every 4-6 months. 3-4 days long. This also happened right around the time of my nauseau party. Woo hoo. We were able to keep him comfortable, and the fever below 103. His fever rage, and can go from 100-104 in an hr. Its crazy. Motrin is a life saver for these high fevers. Tylenol only brings it down a degree or so, but I sometimes have to use it in between motrin doses. Sunday night and Monday night he woke up at 4:30am with a fever of 103.5. Poor baby. Luckily motrin works quick, and he was back asleep (in our bed) in an hour, and slept past 7 each morning. Today I thought the fever had broken, he woke up at 7:30 and had a normal temp, but he was back to 101 by 11:30am. And he missed another day of school.
SEABANDS
I made Ethan go buy me some Seabands. My OB recommended them to me. I had no idea they look like 1980's exercise wrist bands. I look like I jumped at of an Olivia Newton John "Let's Get Physical" video. I think they helped. Today I am feeling much better.
MORE ANTS
They are in the pantry today. You have no idea how close I am to losing it. Ethan doesn't think the rental company will pay to have the outside of the house sprayed. I want out of this house bad. I just told our realtor I'm pregnant and that the "no rush" has been changed to a "let's kinda hurry" and that I would like to be settled by the end of the year. Please don't make me move and be 8 months pregnant. Liz, you are a much stronger woman than I am.
THE NEW FRIDGE
The new fridge will be here tomorrow between 12-3. If I weren't so pissed about the ants I would be giddy. I paid extra so the ice maker is in the door, giving us more freezer space. And its stainless. I actually wanted fake stainless because they are easier to clean, but they didn't have it with my ice/door option so forget it. Right about now it could have been $5,000 and I wouldn't have cared. Ethan hasn't even asked which fridge I chose. There is a $300 difference. Oh well. Just think, in a few days I will have ice--whenever I want it. Luxury.
Ethan and I went fridge shopping on Saturday. I had nice comparison printouts for him for Home Depot, Sears and Best Buy. I hate Best Buy, so I didn't really want to buy it there. Plus, they are big on LG right now, and I had an appliance guy tell me not to buy an LG. Apparently LG electronics are great, just not appliances. Then I also had the information from two local appliance stores, one where my parents know the owners and they get all their appliances there. That would be the easiest way to do it. So, we saw the two fridges there that met our needs. Our needs being 1) new 2) side by side 3) ice/water 4)stainless or fake stainless. Now, don't be all "yay Ethan" for supporting the new fridge. He tried to talk me into a used one, there was talk of Craig's List, but I put the kybosh on that so fast you have no idea. I WILL HAVE A NEW FRIDGE AND IT MUST WORK. PERIOD.
Then we had a nice lunch at Olive Garden, walked around Sears and Best Buy and well, Ethan threw a wrench in my chain. I believe it was something like "wow, digital temperature controls on the door-that is a must." What? I had not done any searches for that. What? I could hear my dad in my head saying "Brandi, that is just one more thing to break." I could actually hear Ethan saying that in my head too. Mr. Engineer failed me on this. So, we went home to research the digital temp controls. No, not we, ME, because he fell asleep while Ryan played at grandma's house. I came to the conclusion that the ones that are true digital temp controls that actually allow you to set a temperature are much more expensive. The others are just the 0-9, just like the regular temperature knobs on the inside of the fridge. Keeping his pepsi chilled to a specific temperature was not worth the cost difference, and he told me to go back to the appliance store and get either of the fridges there. Tuesday. Holiday weekend. Damn.
ANTS
Sunday morning I take Ryan downstairs for breakfast at approxmately 7:10 am and to my horror there are ants crawling up the side of my fridge, into the freezer (where they kindly die) and also in the fridge. WTF? One of the major problems with the fridge is that the door seals aren't good, and air leaks out. Duh. But ants fit in :( I woke Ethan up, told him to deal with it, then called my mom and said we were coming over for breakfast. When we got back Ethan had defrosted the freezer, cleaned everything out, and claimed it was all in working order again. It just needed a defrost. HELL NO. I'M BUYING A NEW FRIDGE. PERIOD.
FEVER VIRUS
Sunday afternoon was the chosen time for Ryan's fever virus to appear again. High fever, no other symptoms. He seems to get this every 4-6 months. 3-4 days long. This also happened right around the time of my nauseau party. Woo hoo. We were able to keep him comfortable, and the fever below 103. His fever rage, and can go from 100-104 in an hr. Its crazy. Motrin is a life saver for these high fevers. Tylenol only brings it down a degree or so, but I sometimes have to use it in between motrin doses. Sunday night and Monday night he woke up at 4:30am with a fever of 103.5. Poor baby. Luckily motrin works quick, and he was back asleep (in our bed) in an hour, and slept past 7 each morning. Today I thought the fever had broken, he woke up at 7:30 and had a normal temp, but he was back to 101 by 11:30am. And he missed another day of school.
SEABANDS
I made Ethan go buy me some Seabands. My OB recommended them to me. I had no idea they look like 1980's exercise wrist bands. I look like I jumped at of an Olivia Newton John "Let's Get Physical" video. I think they helped. Today I am feeling much better.
MORE ANTS
They are in the pantry today. You have no idea how close I am to losing it. Ethan doesn't think the rental company will pay to have the outside of the house sprayed. I want out of this house bad. I just told our realtor I'm pregnant and that the "no rush" has been changed to a "let's kinda hurry" and that I would like to be settled by the end of the year. Please don't make me move and be 8 months pregnant. Liz, you are a much stronger woman than I am.
THE NEW FRIDGE
The new fridge will be here tomorrow between 12-3. If I weren't so pissed about the ants I would be giddy. I paid extra so the ice maker is in the door, giving us more freezer space. And its stainless. I actually wanted fake stainless because they are easier to clean, but they didn't have it with my ice/door option so forget it. Right about now it could have been $5,000 and I wouldn't have cared. Ethan hasn't even asked which fridge I chose. There is a $300 difference. Oh well. Just think, in a few days I will have ice--whenever I want it. Luxury.
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