Sick

My lack of posting is due to sickness.  This past Sunday, Joseph was really cranky most of the day, but after his afternoon nap he was just acting miserable.  Not like he had a cold but just really needy and wanting me all the time.  That is a sign that he has an ear infection.  I didn't want to have a miserable night on Sunday, so we decided to take him to the Urgent Care right around the corner from our house.  Laura, Jonathan and Haidyn had come over for dinner on Sunday night, so I just took Joseph by myself to the Urgent Care while everyone else stayed at home.  Sure enough, he had an ear infection in his left ear.  The medicine helped him immediately and he only woke up one time in the middle of the night.

On Monday another one of his bottom teeth cut through, so that was most likely the reason for his ear infection.

I woke up on Monday and my left boob was killing me.  I am pretty sure I developed one of the worst mastitis I have had in a long time.  Joseph is cutting down significantly on breast feeding and I wasn't surprised that I developed a mastitis, but this one was terrible.  By Monday night I had a fever and it continued through Tuesday night.  During all this I also developed a massive head and chest cold.  Currently I am blowing my nose nonstop, coughing up a lung and feeling very sleep deprived.

The boys have been sleeping great at night.  Joseph has been waking up around 6 every morning and Samuel is sleeping pretty well, with little to no nightmares.

I don't think I have been sick for this period of time in a while.  It sucks.

I am looking forward to watching to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion tonight!

I am off to drink my tea and get some rest.  Hopefully Joseph will cooperate and take a little nap as well.

Who's the Boss?

We went from beautiful Miami to freezing cold and at least 6 inches of snow (for now) today in St. Louis.

We had such a wonderful time in Miami.  It was great to recharge, spend quality time together and just relax.  I wish I could say that we slept great while we were gone, but both Dave and I woke up many times each night.  I guess we are just not used to full nights of sleep anymore.  We ate at some wonderful restaurants and drank way too much wine.  I literally gained 2 pounds, maybe 3 while we were gone.  I am trying to work it off this week.  I ran 3 miles yesterday and I plan to shovel snow this afternoon while the boys are sleeping.

It has been a bit of a crazy week so far.  Samuel was getting a little bit of a cold while we were gone and by Monday evening he was sneezing, had a runny nose and a little cough.  I kept him home from school on Tuesday because I didn't want him to get sicker and I felt like one day of rest would help him fight his cold.  By Wednesday he was feeling much better, so he went to school.  Now today we have a snow day.  Last night around 12:15 Joseph woke up and was burning hot.  I gave him Advil in the middle of the night and by the time he woke up this morning (at 5 am) his fever was gone.  He feels a little warm today, but I took his temperature and he doesn't really have one, so I am hoping it was just a fluke in the middle of the night.

Today we have played out in the snow, built a fort and played many games of hide and seek.  It is 10 am and I am ready to get back in bed.  It is going to be a LONG day.

Samuel is turning into quite a comedian.  While we were gone my mom had some hilarious stories about Samuel.  He is having some very funny one liners.  Today I was dressing him in his snow clothes to play outside and he said "Mommy, I need to go to school and see my teachers because I am looking cuuuuute!"

A few nights ago, I heard him in his room making noises in the middle of the night.  I went into his room  and he was wide awake just lounging in his bed NAKED.  I was like, what the heck are you doing?! He said that he woke up and his diaper was wet and he didn't feel like sleeping in a wet diaper anymore, so now he is relaxing.  It took me a little while to convince him to put a new pull up on and more pajamas.  He was pretty comfortable just laying around naked in bed.  What a weirdo!

The funniest story my mom had from the weekend was when she was giving him a bath and she told him that he was done and needed to get out.  He stood up in the bath tub started shaking his finger at her (also when he gets really mad, his eye brows really frown in.  I am trying to find a picture because then you would understand how funny this was) and then he started yelling at her "You can't tell me what to do.  I am the boss!"  I have no idea where he learned that line from.  She said his ranting and raving continued for a least a minute.  She was trying so hard not to laugh or react or anything.  She said she kept a completely straight face and just stared back at him.  Then he said, "Hellllloooo!  Are you there? Can you hear me?  Hellllloooo!"  Now I definitely say that to him.  He always acts like he is ignoring me when I am talking to him (he learned that one from his Dad), so I say Hello, Can you hear me?
So then my mom said, "Are you done now?" Then Samuel started on his rant again.  I know when you are reading this is probably is not nearly as funny as it was in person.  Samuel is so independent and he never gets away with telling me what to do, so I think he saw an opportunity with my mom and went for it.

I am really enjoying Samuel's funny personality.  He makes everyday interesting.  He will be sure to tell you how cute and handsome he thinks he is too!

Joseph is so much fun too.  He is such a sweetheart.  He isn't walking yet, but is moving around everywhere.  He loves playing with all of the balls we have and likes rolling it back and forth.  He is talking up a storm.  I love it.  He doesn't really like to sign like Samuel did, he prefers to just talk, which is great.

I am going to find a movie now to put in so I can keep the boys busy for a little while longer.

No Nightmares

First night in many many weeks where Samuel did not wake up from nightmares.  It is almost 7 am and he is still asleep.  I know he needed a good night sleep, as did Dave and I.  However, Joseph didn't feel the same way.  Of course the one night Samuel sleeps all night, Joseph decides he wants to be up from 11:30 to about 1:30, then he was up for the day at 5.  We can't catch a break.

I do have a positive attitude this week because I don't care if it is cold and snowy or that I am getting little sleep because on Friday Dave and I are headed to Miami for the weekend.  My parents are coming in to stay with the boys.  I am so looking forward to a full night sleep!  We get in on Friday and I think Dave and I are going to relax all afternoon, then head to bed by 9.  I plan to sleep in until at least 9 on Saturday, then I have a day filled with exercise, spa treatments and quite time.  I can't wait, although I am pretty nervous about leaving Joseph for the first time.  He is very much a momma's boy and I am nervous for my parents.  I know it is going to be quite an adjustment for him, but I think it is needed for both of us.  I am really hoping this weekend will rejuvenate me and I will be back to a happy refreshed mom.

I have been so busy with the work I am doing for Woman's Place.  They finally gave me a title of Development and Outreach Coordinator.  I am dealing with all the volunteers and Task Forces.  I probably work at least 10 hours or more a week doing that.

I am starting to pack things up in our house and I am hoping by the end of January I will have all the books and pictures packed up and ready to go to our new house.  Our basement storage area is filling up quickly. I am so ready to get out of this house and start new!

I am off to make lists of things to do before we leave.

Recent Favorite Photos

Like Father, Like Son.  Love this picture

The house is further along then this, but it gives you an idea.

Joseph chilln' in his Michigan hat

My big boy!

Joseph checking out Haidyn

Samuel at the movie Tangled with me.  He loves his popcorn

Joseph new naptime antics.  Standing and changing the music instead of sleeping

Joseph loves his soccer ball.  

When I look at pictures like these it just makes me realize how different looking they really are.  

Making Faces

Walking around

11 month picture

Another happy 11 month old

Boys cooking us dinner!

Snow Day and Monkeys, maybe even Snow Monkeys

We have a snow day today.  Although it doesn't look that bad outside to me every single school is closed here in St. Louis.  They said on the news the roads are really bad and slick and it is supposed to get worse because the weather is going to continue to drop all day, but it just seems like any little bit of snow we get around here everything shuts down.  I know it is better safe then sorry.  I guess we are going to be baking cookies and playing lots of games today.

As I mentioned before Samuel has been having lots of nightmares at night and is waking up 3 to 4 times a night.  Last night was better because I think he just called out a few times and we only went in once.  Two nights ago he finally told us why he was scared when he went to bed.  He called Dave back upstairs after we put him down and he was so scared and said there were monkeys in his bathroom.  Dave took him into the bathroom, turned on the lights and walked around and showed him that there were no monkeys in the bathroom.  He seemed to be fine, but then about 30 minutes later he was calling me into his room.  He again was pretty scared and said that although Daddy told him there were no monkeys in the bathroom he was sure there was a little baby monkey and that the mommy and daddy monkey were there too.  I told him that there were no monkeys and everything was going to be fine.  He ended up going to bed, but he continued to wake up many times in the middle of the night.  Then last night when we put him to bed he again said he thought there were monkeys in the bathroom.  We have this nightlight that my Uncle gave to Joseph that is a turtle and projects stars on the ceiling of the bedroom and we have been putting it in Samuel's room to help him at night.  Last night Dave told Samuel that there was no way that the monkeys were going to get him because they are really scared of turtles and the turtle would protect him.  I think that really helped because as I said he only yelled out a couple of times last night.

I think he is having a combination of vivid imagination and night terrors.  I have noticed many times when I run into his room at night that he is still asleep, but yelling out.  His pediatrician had told me about the possibility of these happening.  The problem is that a kid will have a night terror, still be asleep, but freaking out and you basically have to calm them down until they wake themselves up and then as soon as they are out of their dreaming state they go right back to bed.  This is just hard because Dave and I are so tired from waking up all the time.  Hopefully he will get out of this stage soon.  I read some stuff that night terrors can occur when the child is going through a growth spurt, so maybe he will grow soon and everyone can get some rest.

Joseph is now 11 months old.  He is cruising along furniture and pushing around his walkers, but isn't quite ready to let go and walk yet.  He is talking up a storm though.  He is so different then Samuel in that way.  He clearly says Mama, Dada and ball.  He says other things randomly, but he is just so much more verbal then Samuel was at this stage.  Samuel didn't even say Dada until he was over 2 years old.  Samuel preferred to sign things.

I need to post some pictures soon of the boys and our house.  Things are really moving with our house.  Today the painters are coming to do the first coat of paint.  The interior doors were delivered yesterday too.  They look awesome, I am so excited.  Next Monday, the flooring guys are going to start installing our floors.  They are starting with the tiled areas, then the wood floors go in and then the carpeted areas.  I can't believe how quickly things are going.  It looks absolutely wonderful.  I have been really happy with the building process.  We have only had a few issues, but I think that is pretty good.

Lastly, I have finally had time to read a few books.  If you are interested in a really easy entertaining ready you should pick up the Hunger Games Trilogy (Hunger Games, Catching Fire and MockingJay).  They are considered young adult books, but they are pretty gruesome.  Once I started I couldn't put them down.  The first two books I was able to anticipate some of the story line, but the third book surprised me throughout.  I only anticipated one part at the end.  I really like books that aren't predictable.  I read all three in about 2 and a half 3 weeks.

I am about to start The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy.  I plan on starting those this weekend.

I will post some pictures later.  Everyone stay warm and safe!

In a funk

I don't know what my deal is lately.  I have no motivation, but have lists and lists of things to do.  I am so tired.  I also have a complexion like a kid going through puberty.  I think my hormones have gone nuts.  My entire face is breaking out like crazy.  I haven't seen it so broken out since I got pregnant with Joseph.  And don't go getting any ideas with that comment.  I am absolutely not pregnant again.  I think that my hormones are trying to get back to normal.  That could be why I feel like I am wiped out.

I spent the morning at our new house meeting with blind and shutter companies to pick out shades.  I decided to go very simple right now and just cover all the windows and then once we are in for a while I can decide if we want curtains or any other special window treatments.  I am not the kind of person that likes windows without shades.  I like to have privacy, but I also like a lot of light.  I think I picked out some pretty good stuff.  Now I am just waiting for the bids to come back.  Kind of scared about that.

They are making some great progress in the house.  They are taping and mudding all the drywall and should be done by Monday.  The siding on the outside will also be done by Monday.  Painters are coming on Tuesday to do the first coat of paint and then the flooring will be started a week from Monday.  Every time I go through the house now, I just get more and more excited.  I can't wait to get into the house.

Now I need to come up with something for dinner.

Happy New Year!

I am happy that 2010 is over and a new year is starting.  Even though 2010 brought me my beautiful baby Joseph and then ended with the arrival of Haidyn, we had a lot of loss in our family.  My grandfather and Bube passed away.  I started off the year with three living grandparents and ended with just one.  I am looking forward to a productive and fulfilling year.  

I have a long list of New Year's resolutions.  Some are small and others I just want to work on all year long and see what I can accomplish.  I will share one because I am in the process of doing it.  I wanted to do a week long detox/body cleanse.  I started it yesterday.  I am trying to eat healthier and taking the cleansing pills.  So far I don't feel any different, except for a little bloated because I am drinking this fiber drink twice a day.  I will let you know how it goes.  I should be done next Monday.  I would like to lose at least 10 more pounds in the next year (actually by March), if possible.  I figured this would give me a good start.  

Yesterday Joseph had Mother's Day Out and Samuel 's school doesn't start until Thursday, so I decided we would have a fun day together.  We headed to Trader Joe's to do some shopping so he could push the cart, then we went to see Tangled.  Let me just say, it wasn't exactly the day I was hoping it was going to be.  Samuel for once wasn't into shopping.  He didn't feel like pushing the cart and didn't feel like walking around the store.  It was a little disappointing.  Then when we got to the movie theatre, he ran straight for the arcade and screamed when I tried to drag him out of there.  We got popcorn and he ate for a really long time, but he doesn't really get the concept of being quiet in the theatre.  He was loudly telling me how good the popcorn was, that he needed to go pee pee, then he followed up with a big belch and a loud excuse me.  It wasn't exactly a happy parenting moment.  The theatre was actually pretty packed with families.  About halfway through Samuel was getting antsy.  I told him we could leave, but he decided to stick it out.  I didn't think he liked the movie much, but then last night he asked if I could take him back.  It was a cute movie.  

Okay, both of the boys are up now and going nuts, so I better drink me coffee and start my day.

Happy New Year!!!