36 weeks, 4 to go

      So as we are nearing the end its been rather difficult to do daily things.  Such as anything with a sink(washing hands, etc).  The belly has become preventative now.  Some things include:

• holding M
•  seeing spilt food upon shirt
•  joy of marriage
•  dish washing 
•  about every clothing item
•  cooking on stovetop 
• any counter really  
• enjoying church
  
  
  
  
  WARNING: (Turn away now if you don't want to bother with my pregnancy at this point)
  
  
  This is starting to wear on me.  The pains aren't helping either.  A week or so ago I began feeling the aches in my "butt bones" as I tend to call them.  Doc says that is the norm; bones moving to make way for baby's passage.  You'd think i would remember these details from my last pregnancy but ironically im don't.
  
  My right side of belly is bigger than my left. This is due to her normal position in my belly; with her butt and feet next to my right ribs. Oh, did I mention they ache too?  She tends to like kicking/tickling that side alot...its REALLY annoying.  I remember at this point in my pregnancy with M that my belly visibly became lop-sided.  Well so be it with this one too.  My belly no longer resembles the perfect round basket ball...its more of an egg shape. :o( 
   I waddle too. Yup, just like penguins do.  Its embarrassing but Tin man kind of walks the same way...and i do feel a lot like Tin man with all me rusted hinges en' all!  And don't get me started on the tail bone! Ooooooh it hurts. It hurts! Its starting to feel like I have an abscess on it...like its swollen er something. 
  
  
  
  
  The turkey timer is still as protruding as ever.(AKA belly button).  I hate it.  I feel like im exposing something that shouldn't be exposed.  Its kinda the feeling when yr woo whoos get hard and you notice them through your shirt. Yeah, embarrassing right?! (sigh) But hey, at least soon that will be the least of my problems.
   Im starting to get excited about her being here and getting back to my norm again...but with that also comes the realization that life as I know it will never be the same.  All my current freedoms, gone.  I don't think Im ready for that yet...so I try to be happy with the aches/pains/lack of sleep/killing feet/ fat appearance/40 xtra lbs/exhaustion/and anemia.  Oh yeah, i forgot to mention, I am anemic again.  Darn too! Cause I thought I was getting away with it this time.  My glucose came back normal but not my iron. Can't win em' all i guess. However, I do have to note that it has not been nearly as bad as I was expecting.  I am not nearly as tired as I was with M.
  
  
    
  
   This baby has had a noted growth spurt.  On a Thursday my uterus measured 26 weeks perfectly on the dot. Came in the following Tuesday with an issue and my uterus measured 28 weeks. YIKES! I knew i wasn't crazy...I was sure my stretch marks were way more itchy.   
   My ankles and feet for the past 2 weeks have begun retaining water. Up until a few days ago my back hadn't hurt...now its at a subtle constant ache.
   I've begun the midnight wakes with feeling like I can't breath.  I just sit up a bit, regain my steady breathing, and lie back down again.  Ain't no lie, its crowded in there.
  
   Preparing

  
   As of late, my favorite things to do is Yardsale-ing(yardsaling, yard sale ing...aw whatever).  Getting up super early sat morning and driving around to all the local yardsales looking for good finds.  Do I dare share my findings? Okay, why not.
  •  2 three-legged round tables for $2.00
  • Gucci purse for $4.00 (its fake but I love it!)
  • 2 shirts for $1.50
  • spool of red satin ribbon .50cents
  • new glue gun .25cents 
  •  new lawn chair $1.00 
  •  lampshade to replace my broken one $1.00 
  • electric sander for $3
  It all started with this need to find a bookshelf for the baby's room and the table...which i got.  I've seen many yardsales with those darn plasterboard shelves but I wanted something sturdy and real.  Something  belly high and about 1 1/2yards across.  I need it to store stuff in the nursery:.  Heres an example:
  
  
  
  
  
  I did see a changing table...but it was in poor condition and would have been difficult to sand. Those do have some shelf space on them but the rest is worthless since I can't change babies perpendicularly. Do you or anyone you know have a bookshelf they don't want or could part with for a few bucks??? I need one quick.  My new sander would come in handy...can't wait to use it!
   I finally figured and bought the paint for the baby's room!  Thats a big step for me. . Now just painting it.  And i've got to get on the ball.  M came on the day i turned 37 weeks.  So Im thinking I'd better get into gear.  I don't think she'll be coming like M did...just because I have not lost any plug nor have I been nesting.  However Im not due till November but I do feel like she may be here before Halloween.  Or maybe in the back of my mind Im just wishing.  
  
  
  
  
  -aezra
   

My First Day of Gymnastics

I wanted to get my daughter into something fun and beneficial; I thought this was a good route.  Its a 1/wk program that runs till the end of the year.

This is her instructor Miss Kim.  There are only a handful of girls and 1 boy. I think its best that its a smaller class.  At this age learning to focus is a difficulty...not to mention cooperate.

Now dont be fooled by these pictures...she tends to be the outcast in a way that she tends to go off and do her own thing.  I was fortunate to snap these shots while she stayed long enough to participate.

See what I mean? lol Stinker!

the first 15 minutes is just basic "warm-ups" but the kids don't see it as that...they just think they are playing.

Here they are learning to run in a circle.

A smart tactic they've come up with while changing onto the next thing is to get them in a line and "chu-chu" over there while singing a song.  That way they all move onto the next together.

The instructor firsts shows them what she wants them to do, a routine, then they all try the sequence in which she's created.  Example: (crab crawl, beams, then donkey kicks)

Sometimes its as simple as walking across and sometimes you lift one leg high, step, lift other, step.  It varies.

Heres the "crab crawl" i mentioned.

Theres a few other things she does that I have not mentioned.  Just various activities and tumbles and how to land properly...of the sort. All in all she really does enjoy it, even if the instructor has to call for her through out class.  I just hope she grows out of it cause by far shes the youngest and a 1st timer.  So I just keep reminding myself of that. (sigh) "That Stinker" i say alot.  I often will call Sean and tell him all the funny things shes done.  We both just kinda have to laugh.

My hope is that she'll also gain some social skills, sadly she and I are kinda "homebodies".

Mystery Solved; M's derma appt.

Today we took a trip to Phx children's hospital to see a Pediatric dermatologist. 

History

 Ever since birth M has had this skin condition where the skin has multiple tiny bumps.  Covered her entire body. The doctors weren't alerted by it at all.  However, her pediatric doctor noticed it and said it shouldn't be of any concern.  By her 2 yr check up the bumps still remain; heavier on her limbs and back.  I felt so sad...you have this idea of your baby having soft, smooth skin...baby skin.  In her case, she never had that baby skin feel. Sad. It doesn't cause her any pain or itch...its just gross kinda.

So now that she's 3 the doctor said by this age I could get it checked out if no change. 

The Diagnosis

She has what is known as Keratosis (Sarah-toe-sis) Pilaris (Pil-heiress) .  Doc said she would have it all her life.  It wont minimize till puberty and that its a common skin issue. 

Wikipedia.org describes it as such:

"Keratosis pilaris (KP, also follicular keratosis) is a very common genetic follicular condition that is manifested by the appearance of rough bumps on the skin. It most often appears on the back and outer sides of the upper arms (though the lower arms can also be affected), and can also occur on the thighs, hands, and tops of legs, flanks, buttocks, or any body part except glabrous skin (like the palms or soles of feet).[1] Less commonly, lesions appear on the face, which may be mistaken for acne.[2]"

Why???

"Keratosis pilaris occurs when the human body produces excess keratin, a natural protein in the skin. The excess keratin, which is cream colored, surrounds and entraps the hair follicles in the pore. This causes the formation of hard plugs (process known as hyperkeratinization). Bearing only cosmetic consequence, the condition most often appears as a proliferation of tiny hard bumps that are seldom sore or itchy. Though people with keratosis pilaris experience this condition year-round, it is during the colder months, when moisture levels in the air are lower, that the problem can become exacerbated and the goose bumps are apt to look and feel more pronounced in color and texture.   Many KP bumps contain an ingrown hair that has coiled. This is a result of the keratinized skin's "capping off" the hair follicle, preventing the hair from exiting. The hair grows encapsulated inside the follicle."

Offered Remedies

 
Truly there is no way to remedy it.  However, to help the skin, moisture is the best key.  Something a little more powerful than lotion- body cream. Even better? Body cream with some cosmetic fighting power.
 
Cerave

found at major drugstores

image here

found at major drugstores

image here

 
If itch does occur at anytime (not due to above products but in general) apply
Hydrocortisone cream 2-5.1-which i have prescription for in case.

Im sEEiNg sPotS

Due to pregnancy, i blame, i thought that the small gathering didn't start till 11:30 am.  But that wasn't what i put on the invite which was set for 11am.  So of course guests start to arrive and im completely trashed. No hair, no make-up, no clothes, no sense of time...i was so embarrassed to begin with.  And when your flustered from thes start it makes it harder to make things flow and have some order.  But the show must go on!

M had 1 friend she could play with and have fun.  Which was perfect! 

She and Katelyn started the party with a refreshing swim.

Then the pizza arrived and we were all ready to eat.

A "polka-dot" pizza, watermelon holes, and spots on the wall I think made out well with my theme.

(candid shots are the best!)

Perhaps squeeze in some ping pong too

Next order of business was Cake and Ice Cream! 

I am happy to say that I went above and beyond my norm and made a fondant polka-dot cake along with Homemade vanilla ice cream. 

 I've always wanted to make a fancy cake.  Somehow i got the courage to do my first trial run on M's birthday party.  Not a smart idea but nevertheless it turned out delicious! 

  And then to tackle the task of making the ice cream too!  stupid idea.  Good intention but stupid.  I really just wanted cheap solutions for the party.  But cheapest doesn't always mean easiest.  A fact I forgot about.  So I spent all of my morning in the kitchen preparing everything.  Dumb.

Oh well, it was worth it because everything was delicious! 

Then it was time for presents! (post later)Ponies, a game, shoes, and books.  She and katelyn of course were both taken with the ponies.  It was a very good day.

Happy 3rd Birthday!

Im a big girl now

So as it turns out, my baby girl is no longer a baby. She has proved me otherwise and I am proud of her and would not have it any other way. Today marks the 3rd day of her letting-go-of-her-bottle routine. And she has been very successful...with the help of:

• many conversations(reiterations) about "babies have bottles, Big girls dont"
• acknowledgments of her sadness and understanding
• Popsicles...about 2 aday
• TONS of encouragement, love, and most of all...
• Praise

My expectations coming into this were high up there on the scale of "Horrific". I had expectations of her waking up in the middle of the night and wanting a bottle, about neither anyone in the household getting any sleep, perhaps hours and hours of screaming and crying, fighting going on between my husband and I...mainly arguing about whether or not to give in to the bottle, just all sorts of bad outcomes. But I actually never thought about the good outcomes...there was never any elbow room for a good "what if..?" Goes to show you that I am quite the negative thinker. Am not proud to admit that.

So...want to know how I did it? Well, it wasnt entirely thought up by me. I had help from this. And the hubs and i threw in a few other things to help tie it all in together. Like every time she wanted a bottle..reminding her that if she held true she could get a Popsicle later. My husband took the credit for that. He is the smart one! It all started with a countdown..in fact, I made a calender and called it "The countdown to "Im a Big GirL!!!". I gave her a weeks notice that we'd be counting down to the day where we throw away the bottles and start receiving treats. To the day, we woke up, I grabbed all the bottles, took her to the kitchen, had her place them into a small grocery bag, reminded her that this was the day, opened the trash can, and let her drop the bag of bottles into the trash. She thought that was a cool thing to be able to throw something away in the Big trash(i guess since she doesn't do that often).

(a popsicle for breakfast? i know, but only for a little while)

Then off we went to go about our day as usual. Constantly in the back of mind I kept dreading the afternoon nap, for she would surely "not be having a nap today" i thought. I let out a big sigh and just hoped for the best. I tried to be a little more busier than usual...hoping that she might tucker herself out. Well it must have worked. 2:30pm came rolling about and nap time was in que. Sure enough she went to the trash can where she remembered where she put her bottles(course by this time i'd already taken them out and hid them). I just got level with her and reiterated that she was a "big girl" now, that bottles were for babies and she no longer needed one. With understanding and hesitation she followed me into her room. I proceeded to comfort her and acknowledge her sadness but also emphasizing how yummy a Popsicle would taste after she woke up from her nap.

(zoned out)

"okay", she'd say aloud, but im pretty sure it was to comfort herself rather than acknowledging me. Like "okay, I can do this" I walked quietly out of her room and shut the door and waited.......................silence............................still silence.....................I was half expecting some crying or her at the door, but I got none. It was cool! Now bedtime i'd say was the worst. But still not as bad. Just mostly the same thing i was doing before. I'd say between my constant visits to her bed it took about 30minutes or so before she finally gave in to the fact that she wasn't getting a bottle and went to sleep. And she Slept!....through the entire night without getting up. Mission Completion! Of course, it also probably helped that we made sure to get some food in her tummy before going to bed each night.

so that does it I guess. Will keep updating.

Here come a BUNCH of quickies these next few days/weeks

its been a long time, trust me, its a cloud hovering over my head. So I have much to catch up on. so Imma making them short and sweet, brief and neat. One day, in the month of Novy, I was picking up around the house while the little misses was eating at the table. Then from across the house i could hear a faint call for "Hep!",.... "Hep!". So I go up stairs to find Lelou like this... (laughing) needless to say, Yes, she did need some "hep". being stuck like this is not fun with those little legs. Funny little thing.

Just plain cute/ Stats

my sweet two year old's foot...I just love playing with it. She has the most adorable little squeals and giggles. She reminds me of the little girl on Monsters Inc, Boo. (sniffle) there comes a time when reality sets in...and now is one of those times. My baby is no longer a baby anymore. She is TWO! Crimenitly! As of July 15th, 2009 Stats:

Height 35 inches making her @ the 77% Weight 25 lbs 11oz making her @ the 30% head cir 46cm making her @ 15%

Her doc said shes just tall and slender ands got the perfect sized head to go along with it. He's not worried about her growth, so neither am I.

all shots are up to date till the Big 4! Yay, no more torcher!

Uh...can't think of what to call this one???

Well heres a whole lot of nothing but I keep putting it off so today is the day. I need to squeeze this in before the next event is written.

So as time ebbs and flows change takes place. A change for me would be a newly found love for Rice Krispies.

I have a bowl nearly every morning. I enjoy it because its low fat, 4 grams of sugar, filling and delicious. I don't add any sugar but some days i'll feel a little adventurous and add some pecan granola. For some reason I just can't stand any other kind of cereal in the mornings...it makes me feel sick and unmotivated. I tried protein shakes in the morning too but those just make it worse. Like i can almost feel it churning in my stomach. Im beginning to fear it may be the milk.

Here is Emmery in her new "Klingon" bib. As long as it works throw fashion out the door.

Here is a result from watching Rachael Ray. Its called "Leftover Crudites" . its great really, after a party usually there are left over veggies from the veggie tray or what not and you have so little time to eat them all. So all you do is combine them all in a dish pour over one cup Chicken Stock, add salt-pepper...add there is more to it but im too lazy...read here. Very very simple and good!

I did have to improvise a little...i didn't have the right cheese so i used colby jack instead. Note to self: to speed up the process stem veggies before baking.

She also did an Apricot-brandy glazed chicken...well, as for the Brandy i just left that out. Aint it beautiful!?

This is my first "perfect" Candy yams. Gorgeous and so good that even emmery kept eating etc.

It was a great meal and it surprised my mister man. Chef Ashley in the House!!!!!!!!!!

Splish-Splash havin' a blast!

Yesterday was the 1st Emmery had been in the pool and she was loving it...however the pictures say otherwise...but they were takin an hour after we'd been in the pool. besides it was nap time too. Sad as it is she has got more color than me. Im just porcelain what can I say.