Texas Trip

This year my sisters and I decided that we would take a trip to visit our sister and her family who lives in near Houston. Nolan did a good job of working hard to help save up money, and I asked for money for my birthday and Christmas to go toward the trip. We were able to save up enough for me to go with the kids, Nolan couldn't go because he couldn't get the time off of work, and we planned to go in March when Rachel would be off of work because of Spring Break. We waited and waited for plane tickets to go down, and it looked like we might not go after all, and then about 3 weeks before the planned date, the tickets went down in price and we bought them! Well, my sister bought them, and then I paid her back. Luckily, I didn't have to pay for my kids since they were both under 2. We left on a Monday evening. Nolan took the day off of work so he could take us to the airport, and so we packed up in Mom's van, picked up Melissa and Sarah, and drove to the airport. There we said good-bye and went inside. We checked our luggage, and proceeded to go toward security. 3 adults, 2 children, several carryons, and airport security. Recipe for trouble. Luckily having 1 more adult than there are children makes things a little easier. So between removing shoes, and holding children, and setting off the alarms, and being patted down, it was just a tiny bit stressful. I know that being patted down sounds terrible, but the agents were very apologetic and seemed to really not want to do it, but they have no control over the rules; they are not in charge. Do I like it? No. Do I think they should profile? yes. Did those individual agents have any more control over the situation than I did? no. They are given the rules and they have to follow them. If we want to make a change then we need to elect different representatives in government. So armed with the iPad, Spongebob, fruitsnacks, toys, cookies, etc we boarded the plane. We flew from Sacramento to LAX. This flight was very easy. Oliver fell asleep. We all tried to sit on the same row but were told that each row has only 5 air masks. So Sarah sat in the row in front of us. Iliana began to cry just as we were about to take off so I nursed her as the plane took off. Since this was only an hour flight, it was really fast, and were getting off soon. We hung around LAX for a little bit, until our next flight to Houston. We boarded, this time I sat across the aisle with Iliana while Melissa and Sarah sat with Oliver in another row. We finally made it to Houston sometime after 11pm where Rachel was waiting for us. Melissa and Sarah picked up the rental car and drove to the hotel, while I drove with Rachel to her house where I was staying. Rachel was nice enough to ask around and was able to borrow 2 carseats for me to use while we were there. We got to Rachel's place and I got the kid's ready for bed, but with the 2 hour time difference and the recent daylight savings time change, we were really 3 hours earlier then them and so my kids did not fall asleep until 2:30 am, and by that time I was crying because I was so tired and just wanted to sleep, and I missed Nolan.

The next day, Tuesday, we decided to just take it easy. So we slept in, got ready slowly, and when Melissa and Sarah got there, we went for Hawaiian shaved ice! hmmmm. Delicious. I only get these once a year when the state fair comes around so this was a good treat. The kids sat on this bench that was practically on the ground and were so cute just sitting there eating their shaved ice. Even Iliana got to try. Then we went back to Rachel's, played outside, then left the kids with Rich, and went shopping. By the end of the trip we all wound up with the same wallet. I bought some costume jewelry to dress up for a party Nolan and I went to when we got back. Then we had dinner, and had a Blue Bell ice cream party. Roscoe kept taking the cartons and acted like they were all his. hmmm, ice cream.

Oliver's birth

I don't think I've written out the story of Oliver's birth, and since he just turned 2, here it goes.

I was 38 weeks along, and had been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia a few weeks before (although later they decided that maybe they were wrong and I just had hypertension. I could have told them that since I only had high blood pressure and there are other symptoms that would have indicated pre-eclampsia. I'm still tiffed at that) and so my doctor decided that they should induce me. I was admitted on Monday May 4th, no where near close to being in labor. They started the induction process with trying to soften my cervix, and I was not allowed to get out of bed at all because they had me on an anti-seizure medicine which basically made my muscles too weak to walk. Finally after a whole day of trying to soften, they decided I was at a 2. WARNING: this next part is really weird. They stuck an uninflated balloon up my cervix then they inflated it and pulled it out which got me to a 4, just the right number to start the pitcocin. So they hooked me up and it started. The contractions began and were not too bad at first, I had my mom and Nolan there. Then a little while later they broke my water, probably around 3pm on Tuesday, which really got the contractions going and painful. They just became more and more painful and then it started to feel like it was a never ending barrage of contractions. I asked for an epidural, which didn't come until an hour later. They got me set up and jabbed the needle in, which I flinched at, and then I felt a cold wash go through me, but no relief from the pain. They told me to wait for it to work, but it never did, so they gave me some more, which still didn't work. Eventually they gave me a button to push to give myself some more, but I could only use it every 10 minutes. I pushed it on the very next contraction, and then threw it away from me because it was useless. Finally they decided that the epidural just wasn't going to work because I was progressing too fast, so I just started to cry waiting for it to be over. Sometime around 7pm, my sister called saying that she just got off of work and asked if she could just come then, being in the middle of contractions I just didn't really care, so come she did. Finally around 7:30 they told me I was at a 10 and could start pushing. So I pushed and pushed, and then he was almost here, and when I tried to take a break, it hurt more not to push then to push so I kept going. When he started crowning they told me to stop, and let him come out more slowly, they also used their fingers to stretch out my cervix to help prevent tearing. I was actually amazed at how much control I had over those muscles to get him out. Then his head was out, and the rest of him just slid right out. Oh my gosh, what a relief! It was over. I tried to push the placenta out, but I was too tired so I gave up, and just looked at my little boy. I counted his fingers and toes, and just looked at him. Everyone was already at the hospital when he came out, so basically my room was full after he came out. I was completely surrounded by the people I love, to welcome this new little person into the world. Then they stitched me up, and let me nurse him, which he took to immediately (indicative of what was to come). We stayed in the hospital until Thursday night, the worst experience of my life basically. So terrible that I hate to talk about it. But we had some nice visits from friends and family, and disgusting food that was almost inedible. It was such a relief to go home that I cried. We stopped at Jack in the Box on our way home, and then took a picture of Oliver in the bassinet to show how small he was.

I love my little man!

Oliver is 2!

My little man turned 2 a little bit ago, and I just want to talk about him. At his Dr. appt. here are his stats:

Weight: 30lb 6.8 oz (78%)

Height: 2'11.75" (84%)

Here is what he is doing:

-Can say 2-3 word phrases.

-Can pick up on a word after only hearing 1 or 2 times

- Can understand when I tell him to throw something in the trash or sink

- Wants candy or chocolate all the time and asks for with words.

- Favorite drinks are apple juice and milk.

- Favorite fruit is apples

- Favorite cartoons are Elmo and Spongebob

- Favorite animals are any that say Roar.

- Favorite activity is reading books.

- Favorite playground activity: swings

- Favorite place: outside

- Can climb out of his crib, so we switched to a toddler bed.

- Can climb ladders (scary!)

- Favorite food: fruit snacks

- Loves his cousin Sam

- Can recognize Mommy's and Daddy's clothes.

-Calls me Mama, and Nolan Daddy

- Will not fall asleep until 11pm.

I love my little man, but he sure does try my patience.

3rd anniversary

This year I did not want to do any of the planning for our anniversary and I wanted to be surprised with what Nolan could come up with. Yup, a big leap of trust to let your husband plan everything with no input from me. So we celebrated 2 days before our actual anniversary since it was on a Sunday this year. That day Nolan got off of work early, and got the kids ready for an overnighter with their cousins. We dropped them off at Brandon and Kami's and tried to go to dinner, but we ran out of time, so we got an ice cream cone at a place near where we were going, which was a play! We went to the Folsom Sutter street theater where we saw There Should Be Roses, which is this really cute play about an old man at a retirement home who breaks out in order to visit his wife's grave on their 60th anniversary. It was a comedy and very appropriate for the reason why we were out. It was such a tiny theater that it felt very intimate and private, and afterward the actors were outside so everyone could talk to them. We went home, where Nolan made me Mac and Cheese and hot dogs (no restuarants were open when we left the theater). Then we turned on Shutter Island, and I fell promptly asleep. Then we got up, stayed awake for a while, and then took naps, and didn't wake up til 1pm! Picked up the kids, hung out with Brandon and Kami, and came home. I love going to the theater, and it was such a nice surprise. Here's to a lifetime and beyond with my sweet husband.

Worries of a mother

It's hard to be a mother and not worry. Some worry is normal and good. Without worry we wouldn't try to improve and grow as a mother. However, it seems like a mother today has too much to worry about and we never do anything right.

It starts as soon as we see that plus sign on the stick. What if we don't eat right, read the right books, take the lamaze class, register for the right equipment, take the right vitamins, get enough exercise, get to all of our appointments, get enough sleep, etc, etc. And if we don't do everything right we feel like we've screwed up right from the beginning.

Then time to deliver. Natural or drugs, midwife or doctor. Vaginal, c-section, water birth, hospital, home... What is the right way?!

Then you have an infant. If you don't breastfeed them have you screwed them up for life, dooming them to a life of illness and obesity? Should you let them cry it out to sleep to learn independence? Co-sleeping (will you make them too dependent), pacifiers (will they suck on them for life?), thumb sucking (are they going to have crooked teeth forever? Looming orthodontia bills!). Is your carseat installed correctly? Have to see a fireman to make sure, cause we can't do it ourselves! Disposables vs. cloth. Will I ruin the environment single handedly with all my kids' diapers?

Starting solid food. If I start too early will it lead to obesity the rest of their lives? What should Istart with? What if they won't eat veggies? What foods are they not supposed to eat? There's too many to remember! Will starting with fruit rather than veggies really make them like sweets more, dooming them to always hate veggies?

Toddlerhood: Are they walking too late? Are they talking too late? Are they eating enough fruits and veggies? Are they eating too many sweets? Do I brush their teeth enough? Too much juice? Enough exercise? Am I reading to them enough? How do they compare to other children? Playing enough? Am I handling discipling correctly? Will they grow up to be hoodlums because I failed at discipline?

aaaaagggghhhhhhh! It's enough to drive a person insane! How are we supposed to do everything in a single day that we are supposed to be doing? Homecooked meals (heaven forbid we feed our children processed or restaurant food), exercise (us and them), breastfeeding, reading, playing, appointments, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, clothes shopping, bill paying, yard work, work, sleep, eat, baths, showers, clipping coupons, birthday parties, playdates, church, diaper changing, potty training, relaxing. But really, when do we have time for the last one? hobbies (Waht are those again?) date night (an endangered species)

There is just not enough time in the day to do everything. And it feels like we are attacked on all sides. We hear about how we are failing from dentist, doctors, magazines, internet, friends, family. Nothing we do is good enough, and there is always something we could be doing better, or doing something we shouldn't be doing, or something we're not doing that we should.

Good luck to all moms out there!

Echo and Mommy's little helper

Today Iliana had her echo to check on how she's doing. And everything looks good! Blood flow through the aorta is good,VSD is small, bicuspid valve is not leaky, and I was told that the vein leading from the brain to the heart is usually on the right, but hers is on the left! Who knew so many things could be different but still be ok. So we'll just keep watching with routine echo checkups. She was so cute during her appointment. She started licking the tech and the doppler wand with her super long tongue. She has no desire to move at all. She sometimes rolls over from front to back, but has never rolled over from back to front. But for the most part when I put her on her tummy she just lays there, but she doesn't scream at the floor at much as she used to. We got an exersaucer from my friend, and she really likes to play with the toys on it. Oliver likes to play in it too.

Oliver, in between ornery spells, has become such a good helper. On Saturday I wanted to do something with him to see how grown up he is, so we decided to try to make chex muddy buddies with him. Easy to make, and I gave him his own bowl and spoon to mix the cereal with chocolate and peanut butter. He didn't really get the hang of mixing it together, and really just wound up crushing it with his spoon. Then it was time to shake it up with powdered sugar in a bag. I thought he might just crush it some more, but he shook it up pretty well. The other day he saw that Iliana had spit up before I caught it, and by the time I noticed and got a towel, he had already gotten a towel and started to clean her up! I love my little man.

Solid food and terrible twos

In an attempt to stave off having to buy formula, we decided to try Iliana on solid foods on Sunday. We have had two attempts and they have not been successful. She wants to try but can't figure out how to swallow the food yet. Oliver likes to watch her eat, and then he thinks he wants some too, so I let him try rice cereal and he just made yucky faces. But he loves to feed it to his baby sister! It's his new favorite thing to do. So I think we're going to stop and try again in a few weeks. I have no problems using formula except the cost, and frankly I am tired of breastfeeding. I know all the benefits of it, and it's great for her and me, but oh, my, gosh, it hurts so much! This girls has the strongest suck ever! But I will keep breastfeeding to keep Iliana from getting sick, and to spare us the expense of formula.

Oliver has very much started his terrible twos even though he's only a year and a half. His favorite words right now are "mine" and "no". Oh my goodness some days are so hard! Sometimes I think to myself, I don't even like him. And then he does something so cute, or has a really good day to make up for the bad ones. Today is one of those good days. We went to the doctor's this morning for Iliana to get a syneges (sp?) shot, and then straight to a birthday party for a little boy in our ward, and he hasn't given me hardly any trouble. Then we came home he ate the rest of his breakfast, some lunch, and then played quietly while I started dinner, and did the dishes. It's heavenly when he behaves this way. On top of that, Iliana is taking a long nap. Life is good. He certainly can throw a tantrum though. Church has become a time when we try to teach him how to not jump on the bench instead of listening to the talks.