One thing you probably don't know about me is that I LOVE soundtracks to really good movies! Some of my favorites are:
The Chronicles of Narnia
Lord of the Rings
Pirates of the Caribbean
Harry Potter
Angels and Demons
...and I'm sure there are more that I can't think of right now.
This morning during Bubby's morning nap I read from Proverbs, Psalms and Ruth while listening to The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe Soundtrack and absolutely LOVED IT! God really gets me excited when I listen to such powerful music, especially when it's from an awesome movie like Narnia (one of my absolute favs!). It makes me imagine living in a world like the Narnians where there are talking creatures, epic battles, and fun adventures. It makes me excited for my life with Christ and all of the wonderful things he is doing and will do for me. Such JOY!
What brings you Joy today???
Friday, September 30, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
A Series on Apartment Living
I thought I should finally give you the official tour of our apartment. I'll take is slow so you can really grasp how much we have learned about living in a small apartment with a child, so I'll share about each room in separate posts through "A Series on Apartment Living."
Welcome to my kitchen! I tried to get pictures from all angles.
The back door leads into our storage room and the other leads to our hallway/entry way.
This doorway and window open to the living room.
Yes, the washer and dryer are in my kitchen.
This is the only counter space we have in our kitchen, very limited!
Our kitchen is actually quite large compared to our previous home. What I really enjoy about this kitchen is that we have enough room for the dining room table. It's really easy to put Bubby in his chair and leave him to eat while I do other things, like doing dishes, putting away groceries, or cooking. I also like how much space there is to get around. In our previous home there was a huge wall between our dining room and kitchen which would have made it challenging to get anything done while Bubby was eating.
If you can tell in the pictures, our floor is brand new linoleum that our Landlords put in right before we moved in. If you had seen the rotting wood floors that were here beforehand you probably would have thought I was nuts for moving in here. The cabinets were also freshly painted.
Some people are very particular about the location of their washer and dryer and you would think that the last place you would want them is in your kitchen. However, I actually really like having the washer and dryer in our kitchen. It's so easy to toss in a load when it's location is so easily accessible. When our washer and dryer were in the basement at our old house I would have to haul a load down the stairs, but now it is so convenient! I get a whole lot more laundry done now than I used to!
The kitchen is located in the center of our apartment which I love because I can easily do dishes or cook while Bubby is playing the living room. I also have a window that opens into the living room which really opens the kitchen up and allows for some natural light from the few windows that are in our apartment.
Even though there are many things I do like about our kitchen, there are LOTS of things I absolutely despise:
1) Our stove is awful. We were spoiled with a gas stove before we moved and now we are back to uneven coils and a slow cooking oven. I feel like I have to cook everything twice as long.
2) Our cabinet doors/drawers stick horribly! Sometimes I have to fetch my Hubby to get them open! The plus side to this is that I don't have to child proof my kitchen, the only doors that have a latch are the middle ones because they don't close.
3) Our freezer runs constantly and I can't figure out how to adjust the temp. So whenever I want ice cream I have to defrost it first. The door also doesn't close all the way which allows moisture in and creates a frozen seal which means I have to pull really hard to even get my freezer door open.
4) Old counter tops that stain. Hopefully some day these will get replaced. They are nasty and hard to clean!
5) No storage space. I am very limited on the amount of space to put things. Half of our old kitchen is now packed in our storage unit because we don't have room for it all here. I also have a cart in our storage room here with all of our appliances on it because we have no other place for them in the kitchen.
6) NO DISHWASHER! If you know me at all you know I absolutely despise doing dishes and now I have to handwash EVERYTHING! I think I do dishes about 6 times a day and they take up a lot of the limited counter space that I have available. This makes cooking difficult too because when your counters are covered in dishes you have no room to do anything. Can I just put the dirty dishes in the washer and turn it on "delicate wash"???? This is why I invented paper plate weekends and why when you come over for dinner we will serve you on paper plates rather than our fine china.
Welcome to my kitchen! I tried to get pictures from all angles.
The back door leads into our storage room and the other leads to our hallway/entry way. 
This doorway and window open to the living room. 
Yes, the washer and dryer are in my kitchen.
This is the only counter space we have in our kitchen, very limited!Our kitchen is actually quite large compared to our previous home. What I really enjoy about this kitchen is that we have enough room for the dining room table. It's really easy to put Bubby in his chair and leave him to eat while I do other things, like doing dishes, putting away groceries, or cooking. I also like how much space there is to get around. In our previous home there was a huge wall between our dining room and kitchen which would have made it challenging to get anything done while Bubby was eating.
If you can tell in the pictures, our floor is brand new linoleum that our Landlords put in right before we moved in. If you had seen the rotting wood floors that were here beforehand you probably would have thought I was nuts for moving in here. The cabinets were also freshly painted.
Some people are very particular about the location of their washer and dryer and you would think that the last place you would want them is in your kitchen. However, I actually really like having the washer and dryer in our kitchen. It's so easy to toss in a load when it's location is so easily accessible. When our washer and dryer were in the basement at our old house I would have to haul a load down the stairs, but now it is so convenient! I get a whole lot more laundry done now than I used to!
The kitchen is located in the center of our apartment which I love because I can easily do dishes or cook while Bubby is playing the living room. I also have a window that opens into the living room which really opens the kitchen up and allows for some natural light from the few windows that are in our apartment.
Even though there are many things I do like about our kitchen, there are LOTS of things I absolutely despise:
1) Our stove is awful. We were spoiled with a gas stove before we moved and now we are back to uneven coils and a slow cooking oven. I feel like I have to cook everything twice as long.
2) Our cabinet doors/drawers stick horribly! Sometimes I have to fetch my Hubby to get them open! The plus side to this is that I don't have to child proof my kitchen, the only doors that have a latch are the middle ones because they don't close.
3) Our freezer runs constantly and I can't figure out how to adjust the temp. So whenever I want ice cream I have to defrost it first. The door also doesn't close all the way which allows moisture in and creates a frozen seal which means I have to pull really hard to even get my freezer door open.
4) Old counter tops that stain. Hopefully some day these will get replaced. They are nasty and hard to clean!
5) No storage space. I am very limited on the amount of space to put things. Half of our old kitchen is now packed in our storage unit because we don't have room for it all here. I also have a cart in our storage room here with all of our appliances on it because we have no other place for them in the kitchen.
6) NO DISHWASHER! If you know me at all you know I absolutely despise doing dishes and now I have to handwash EVERYTHING! I think I do dishes about 6 times a day and they take up a lot of the limited counter space that I have available. This makes cooking difficult too because when your counters are covered in dishes you have no room to do anything. Can I just put the dirty dishes in the washer and turn it on "delicate wash"???? This is why I invented paper plate weekends and why when you come over for dinner we will serve you on paper plates rather than our fine china.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Random Facts
I am joining in with my friend Karlee and sharing some random facts about myself! Enjoy my weirdness!
*I make the bed at night right before I go to bed instead of in the morning
*I am convinced that I am part OCD because often if I touch something a certain way with one hand I have to touch it again the same way with the other hand
*I have never broken a bone
*I use Matrix Conditioning Balm because normal conditioner doesn't work for my hair
*I had a perm in high school
*I was a dancer from elementary school all the way till I graduated college
*I was a cheerleader from middle school all the way till I graduated high school. I was even captain of the football and basketball squads for a couple years!
*I used to twirl baton
*I talk to myself often
*When I get angry sometimes I blast Alanis Morrissette
*I despise showering and brushing my teeth, probably because when I'm tired and ready to go to bed the only thing I want to do is sleep.
*I make the bed at night right before I go to bed instead of in the morning
*I am convinced that I am part OCD because often if I touch something a certain way with one hand I have to touch it again the same way with the other hand
*I have never broken a bone
*I use Matrix Conditioning Balm because normal conditioner doesn't work for my hair
*I had a perm in high school
*I was a dancer from elementary school all the way till I graduated college
*I was a cheerleader from middle school all the way till I graduated high school. I was even captain of the football and basketball squads for a couple years!
*I used to twirl baton
*I talk to myself often
*When I get angry sometimes I blast Alanis Morrissette
*I despise showering and brushing my teeth, probably because when I'm tired and ready to go to bed the only thing I want to do is sleep.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Friday Joy
Helpful Hubby!Let me just say how THANKFUL I am to have a Hubby that helps out!
So far this week he...
*Went grocery shopping and only spent $160 on 2 weeks worth of groceries (he's such a saver!)
*Cleaned up my mess in the kitchen on his day off
*Helped me pick up the house and put away our clutter
*Brought home some flowers for me
*Made the bed
*Played with Bubby so I could get some things done around the apartment
*Made some very yummy brownies so we could enjoy dessert every evening this week
*Took the dog to the vet
...and so much more that I can't even remember! He is amazing!!!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
My Thursday Thought: God's Healing
Over the past several years God has healed me of a lot of issues. Physical issues. If you didn't know, I struggle with a lot of digestive problems. The list goes like this:
Chronic Gastritis:
Swelling of the stomach and lower esophagus, possibly bleeding, due to acid reflux. It can lead to polyps and ulcers (which I almost had once)
Acid Reflux:
When acid goes up from the stomach, into your esophagus and gurgles in your throat (nasty!)
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Basically speaks for itself, a bowel that is easily irritated, lots of gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and is usually triggered by certain foods. (for me it's Mexican, Chinese and spicy foods which stinks because I love Mexican and Chinese food!)
Lactose Intolerance
Unable to digest lactose, which is in dairy products. Therefore I have to take Lactaid when I eat dairy. It's a digestive enzyme that helps break down lactose.
For a while there I also thought I had Celiacs Disease, but when I tried to eat gluten free it didn't really do much for me. All of this started in 2006 when I all of a sudden, no matter what I ate, I would get horrible reflux (literally anything I ate!). I ended up seeing a Gastroenterologist, having an upper endoscopy (when they stick a long tube down your throat with a camera on it to look in your stomach) and getting diagnosed with Reflux and Gastritis. They gave me some temporary treatment for it but it never helped so I just kept dealing with it and popping the Tums.
Then, right after Hubby and I got married I was having A LOT of problems. Throwing up, stomach pains, gas, bloating, reflux, and feeling very crummy whenever I ate. The only way to manage all of these issues was to take lots of medication. 2 Omeprazole in the morning, 1 Zantac (which is complete crap and did nothing!) at night, plus Milk of Magnesia for any "lower" issues. And on top of that still popping the Tums when I needed it. Whenever my IBS got really bad I would take the prescription Hyomax to help with those issues. I was convinced that this would be my life from then on and forever more. I would never heal, be taking tons of meds and still suffering. Plus, insurance companies don't help whatsoever with "pre-existing conditions" which meant I would never be able to really figure out what was wrong and try to fix it.
I've done a lot of praying over the years for healing and received lots of prayer, and God has definitely answered some of those prayers. One answer to prayer was learning that I was Lactose Intolerant, which was about 2 1/2 years ago. Learning that I couldn't eat dairy meant I was able to manage my diet by either cutting out dairy all together or taking Lactaid when I needed to eat my bowl of ice cream. This really helped to reduce a lot of my symptoms and now my IBS is a whole lot better. I also have learned to try to reduce the amount of spicy food I eat. Yes this means I have to eat bland tacos/fajitas and avoid eating lots of Chinese food, but my IBS really hasn't been a major issue in a long while!
On top of this I've been taking Probiotics. I know I've blogged about how great Align is and I would definitely still take it if it wasn't so expensive, but being that our family is now on a strict budget I've had to switch to Culturelle. It contains a different type of Probiotic but it works just as good and saves me $5-$10! I also drink a glass of Kefir every day or eat a nice big bowl of yogurt (while taking Lactaid!) to help give me the Probiotics I need. Probiotics have changed my life! Talk about my IBS issues going away, PRAISE THE LORD!
Reflux is still one issue that I struggle with and the Gastritis only acts up if my reflux isn't doing well. After changing my dairy diet and taking Probiotics, I've been able to stop taking the Milk of Magnesia, Zantac, and reduce my Omeprazole intake to 1 pill per day, rather than 2. This is AWESOME! It feels so good to only have to take 1 pill, and it saves money for me having to buy so much of it! I've tried cutting out the Omeprazole all together, but if I don't take it then by 10 a.m. I am feeling the reflux come on. I am trying to explore some natural remedies for Reflux that can help me manage this, like drinking Ginger Tea, Ginseng Tea, taking a Papaya Dietary Supplement, and drinking a glass of warm water in the mornings. We will see how this goes.
In the mean time I am 1. Praising the Lord for all of his help in healing me and giving me the answers and tools I need to cope with all of my digestive issues, and 2. praying for continued healing so that one day I no longer have to take Omeprazole! Wow that would be an awesome day!
Chronic Gastritis:
Swelling of the stomach and lower esophagus, possibly bleeding, due to acid reflux. It can lead to polyps and ulcers (which I almost had once)
Acid Reflux:
When acid goes up from the stomach, into your esophagus and gurgles in your throat (nasty!)
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Basically speaks for itself, a bowel that is easily irritated, lots of gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and is usually triggered by certain foods. (for me it's Mexican, Chinese and spicy foods which stinks because I love Mexican and Chinese food!)
Lactose Intolerance
Unable to digest lactose, which is in dairy products. Therefore I have to take Lactaid when I eat dairy. It's a digestive enzyme that helps break down lactose.
For a while there I also thought I had Celiacs Disease, but when I tried to eat gluten free it didn't really do much for me. All of this started in 2006 when I all of a sudden, no matter what I ate, I would get horrible reflux (literally anything I ate!). I ended up seeing a Gastroenterologist, having an upper endoscopy (when they stick a long tube down your throat with a camera on it to look in your stomach) and getting diagnosed with Reflux and Gastritis. They gave me some temporary treatment for it but it never helped so I just kept dealing with it and popping the Tums.
Then, right after Hubby and I got married I was having A LOT of problems. Throwing up, stomach pains, gas, bloating, reflux, and feeling very crummy whenever I ate. The only way to manage all of these issues was to take lots of medication. 2 Omeprazole in the morning, 1 Zantac (which is complete crap and did nothing!) at night, plus Milk of Magnesia for any "lower" issues. And on top of that still popping the Tums when I needed it. Whenever my IBS got really bad I would take the prescription Hyomax to help with those issues. I was convinced that this would be my life from then on and forever more. I would never heal, be taking tons of meds and still suffering. Plus, insurance companies don't help whatsoever with "pre-existing conditions" which meant I would never be able to really figure out what was wrong and try to fix it.
I've done a lot of praying over the years for healing and received lots of prayer, and God has definitely answered some of those prayers. One answer to prayer was learning that I was Lactose Intolerant, which was about 2 1/2 years ago. Learning that I couldn't eat dairy meant I was able to manage my diet by either cutting out dairy all together or taking Lactaid when I needed to eat my bowl of ice cream. This really helped to reduce a lot of my symptoms and now my IBS is a whole lot better. I also have learned to try to reduce the amount of spicy food I eat. Yes this means I have to eat bland tacos/fajitas and avoid eating lots of Chinese food, but my IBS really hasn't been a major issue in a long while!
On top of this I've been taking Probiotics. I know I've blogged about how great Align is and I would definitely still take it if it wasn't so expensive, but being that our family is now on a strict budget I've had to switch to Culturelle. It contains a different type of Probiotic but it works just as good and saves me $5-$10! I also drink a glass of Kefir every day or eat a nice big bowl of yogurt (while taking Lactaid!) to help give me the Probiotics I need. Probiotics have changed my life! Talk about my IBS issues going away, PRAISE THE LORD!
Reflux is still one issue that I struggle with and the Gastritis only acts up if my reflux isn't doing well. After changing my dairy diet and taking Probiotics, I've been able to stop taking the Milk of Magnesia, Zantac, and reduce my Omeprazole intake to 1 pill per day, rather than 2. This is AWESOME! It feels so good to only have to take 1 pill, and it saves money for me having to buy so much of it! I've tried cutting out the Omeprazole all together, but if I don't take it then by 10 a.m. I am feeling the reflux come on. I am trying to explore some natural remedies for Reflux that can help me manage this, like drinking Ginger Tea, Ginseng Tea, taking a Papaya Dietary Supplement, and drinking a glass of warm water in the mornings. We will see how this goes.
In the mean time I am 1. Praising the Lord for all of his help in healing me and giving me the answers and tools I need to cope with all of my digestive issues, and 2. praying for continued healing so that one day I no longer have to take Omeprazole! Wow that would be an awesome day!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Friday Joy
What we've been doing lately...
Playing "So Big' and making big toy messes
Playing "So Big' and making big toy messes
Building "Binky" towers and knocking them down
Going on LOTS of walks in our new umbrella stroller (once or twice daily)
Reading lots of books...and Mommy cleaning up all the books that Bubby pulls off the shelf*Funny Story: After his bath, I dress Bubby on the floor...well, sometimes he sneaks away while I gather his clothes/diaper and he pulls all of the books off the shelf completely naked. Normally I would rush over so he won't accidentally pee all over them, but I did manage to get a picture once. For obvious reasons I won't post it, but it's pretty cute!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Belated Thursday Thought:Da' Blues
Sorry I haven't really had much to say in awhile. I haven't been in the best of moods lately. I think there are a few reasons for this :
1. I no longer have employees to socialize with which means my days are spent listening to my own thoughts (which aren't always interesting...most often I just talk to myself in my head)
2. I am learning what it's like to be a stay at home mom and lately (rather than intentionally spending some quality time with Bubby and cleaning my house) that has consisted of changing lots of dirty diapers, feeding a cranky baby, and watching a lot of The Office on Hulu. I did manage to make a decent grocery list, mop my floors, and shop for some consignment clothes for Bubby this week, that is quite an improvement!
3. I have been really disconnected from people, even God, and Satan has really been making me feel devalued (is that even a word???), worthless, and alone.
So I decided to pick up my Bible and read....and you know what I read?
1 John 3:1-3
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that the world did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears we will be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure."
I guess I don't need to feel so crummy because you know what, someone DOES love me! My Father! And sometimes I forget that he is my King. And you know what TRUE Kings do? They take care of you. As a mother, do you ever wish someone was there to take care of you? You spend all day changing your child's diapers, cooking for them, feeding them, playing with them, rocking them, cuddling them, and loving them that don't you ever feel just plain neglected? Why can't someone come and take care of me all day? What if I don't want to cook? What if I don't want to change diapers? What if I need to be cuddled or rocked? Sometimes I just forget that my King does all that for me (and no I don't still wear diapers...haha, but I bet if I did Jesus would change them!). I have a lot of fears and worries about my future and especially my role as a mother, but I do not have to fear. This is just my temporary home and I don't need to give into what this world has to offer. I have King Jesus to raise me up! And you know what? He is Beautiful!!!
1. I no longer have employees to socialize with which means my days are spent listening to my own thoughts (which aren't always interesting...most often I just talk to myself in my head)
2. I am learning what it's like to be a stay at home mom and lately (rather than intentionally spending some quality time with Bubby and cleaning my house) that has consisted of changing lots of dirty diapers, feeding a cranky baby, and watching a lot of The Office on Hulu. I did manage to make a decent grocery list, mop my floors, and shop for some consignment clothes for Bubby this week, that is quite an improvement!
3. I have been really disconnected from people, even God, and Satan has really been making me feel devalued (is that even a word???), worthless, and alone.
So I decided to pick up my Bible and read....and you know what I read?
1 John 3:1-3
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that the world did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears we will be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure."
I guess I don't need to feel so crummy because you know what, someone DOES love me! My Father! And sometimes I forget that he is my King. And you know what TRUE Kings do? They take care of you. As a mother, do you ever wish someone was there to take care of you? You spend all day changing your child's diapers, cooking for them, feeding them, playing with them, rocking them, cuddling them, and loving them that don't you ever feel just plain neglected? Why can't someone come and take care of me all day? What if I don't want to cook? What if I don't want to change diapers? What if I need to be cuddled or rocked? Sometimes I just forget that my King does all that for me (and no I don't still wear diapers...haha, but I bet if I did Jesus would change them!). I have a lot of fears and worries about my future and especially my role as a mother, but I do not have to fear. This is just my temporary home and I don't need to give into what this world has to offer. I have King Jesus to raise me up! And you know what? He is Beautiful!!!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Friday Joy
Thursday nights are our new date nights. Last night was our first one and it was great! We had a babysitter come and put Josiah to bed while we went out and had some good fun! Sometimes I forget how much joy a husband can bring to your life. There are times when I feel like I need taken care of (since I spend the majority of the day caring for someone else) and he totally meets that need! He makes me feel loved, cared for, appreciated, and special. Last night we:
*Played a round of disc golf, even though I stink at disc golf! But Hubby taught me some cool moves and I started to get better as the night went on.
*Went on a walk while watching the sunset...and we held hands! I know, kind of cheesy, but when's the last time you took a walk without your kids, during the sunset and held hands with your hubby? It was special.
*Sat under the stars and prayed for our family.
*Had a campfire with some friends.
*Ate Smores and roasted marshmallows.
It was amazing! I feel so refreshed today after having such a great night with Hubby.
What brings you Joy this Friday?
*Played a round of disc golf, even though I stink at disc golf! But Hubby taught me some cool moves and I started to get better as the night went on.
*Went on a walk while watching the sunset...and we held hands! I know, kind of cheesy, but when's the last time you took a walk without your kids, during the sunset and held hands with your hubby? It was special.
*Sat under the stars and prayed for our family.
*Had a campfire with some friends.
*Ate Smores and roasted marshmallows.
It was amazing! I feel so refreshed today after having such a great night with Hubby.
What brings you Joy this Friday?
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Some days are just rough!
You know those mornings when you wake up, have your cup of coffee and think to yourself "hmm...this will be a good day" and then all of a sudden your day does a complete 180 and you think to yourself "Lord, get me through this!" and it just keeps getting worse and worse? Well, today was one of those days!
Bubby decided to wake up at 5:45 this morning, not sure why, but at 6:15 I decided to end the crying and get him up. He was a big grump (but trying to stay positive I just prayed that he would take a good morning nap). I thought 45 minutes of a nap was decent when he woke up, but turns out...he was still a big grump. We had to leave to go visit my grandma so I had hopes that his spirits would turn and maybe 1. he would be a happy boy for his great grandma, or 2. he would take a nap when we got there and THEN be a happy boy for his great grandma. However, neither of those happened. He was just a BIG GRUMP. I tried nursing him, rocking him, playing with him, feeding him lots of food, and nothing worked. It was not awful.
At 11:30 (after letting him cry for 25 minutes in the pack n play) we had to take off for a chiropractor appointment. Which by the way...never schedule an appointment during your child's nap time! I am SO BAD at this! I never ever think about his nap time when scheduling things and today I definitely learned my lesson. Bubby fell asleep immediately in the car and then I had to wake him up 20 minutes later when we got to the chiropractor, which meant he was a big grump at his appointment. Then I had to schedule him a doctors appointment (since his eye has been looking red/puffy and I wanted to avoid any weekend trips to the doctor) and since we were already in town I asked for the first appointment they had available. It was unfortunately an hour wait, so what did I do for an hour with my grumpy child? I drove around...for an hour...so he could nap and stay asleep in the car. It was not fun. Do you know how much road kill there is in Ames? I think I saw the majority of it today, including innards of a little rabbit spewed all over the road (sorry, probably too much info). And there is TONS of construction, which was super annoying. Thankfully I didn't run into any trains. There was one time that I did pull over at a park, rolled down the windows and rested my eyes a bit, but I drove the majority of the time.
After an hour we headed to the doctor to find out Josiah doesn't have pink eye (thank the Lord!) but instead a bacterial infection in his eye. The doctor thinks he may have gotten something in his eye and then it got infected, so now he is on antibiotics (so glad it's not contagious!). Well, after the doctor we headed to the pharmacy, which meant another small nap on the way there and then a screaming kiddo in the stroller as we walked through the store for 15 minutes while they filled his prescription. By the way...did I mention that I hadn't had lunch yet? So it was about 2:30 in the afternoon and I was starving. Bubby wailed the majority of the way home (probably because it had been 5 hours since he had eaten as well!).
When we got home I thought maybe things would lighten up. I nursed him, gave him his snack and then laid him down in hopes that maybe he would actually get a decent nap. But he refused and cried and cried and cried some more. And the stinky part is that we were heading to some friend's home tonight for dinner and I really wanted him to be in a good mood. So the evening was really not that good. I barely got to eat my dinner or talk with my friends. All in all, it was really nice when he went to bed tonight. I couldn't be happier to have him asleep and to have the day behind me!
Lessons I learned today:
1. Never schedule an appointment during your child's nap time
2. Impromptu trips to the doctor should be avoided, especially if you are breastfeeding and able to use breast milk as a temporary antibiotic
3. Pack a bottle! (being able to feed Bubby while waiting for his prescription would have made things easier)
4. Driving around to keep your child asleep is a good alternative to keeping them up, even if it means seeing gross road kill, getting caught in construction, and using extra gas
5. Pack a snack for yourself when leaving for the day, especially water!
*What are your suggestions on being prepared for impromptu days when things just don't go as planned?
Bubby decided to wake up at 5:45 this morning, not sure why, but at 6:15 I decided to end the crying and get him up. He was a big grump (but trying to stay positive I just prayed that he would take a good morning nap). I thought 45 minutes of a nap was decent when he woke up, but turns out...he was still a big grump. We had to leave to go visit my grandma so I had hopes that his spirits would turn and maybe 1. he would be a happy boy for his great grandma, or 2. he would take a nap when we got there and THEN be a happy boy for his great grandma. However, neither of those happened. He was just a BIG GRUMP. I tried nursing him, rocking him, playing with him, feeding him lots of food, and nothing worked. It was not awful.
At 11:30 (after letting him cry for 25 minutes in the pack n play) we had to take off for a chiropractor appointment. Which by the way...never schedule an appointment during your child's nap time! I am SO BAD at this! I never ever think about his nap time when scheduling things and today I definitely learned my lesson. Bubby fell asleep immediately in the car and then I had to wake him up 20 minutes later when we got to the chiropractor, which meant he was a big grump at his appointment. Then I had to schedule him a doctors appointment (since his eye has been looking red/puffy and I wanted to avoid any weekend trips to the doctor) and since we were already in town I asked for the first appointment they had available. It was unfortunately an hour wait, so what did I do for an hour with my grumpy child? I drove around...for an hour...so he could nap and stay asleep in the car. It was not fun. Do you know how much road kill there is in Ames? I think I saw the majority of it today, including innards of a little rabbit spewed all over the road (sorry, probably too much info). And there is TONS of construction, which was super annoying. Thankfully I didn't run into any trains. There was one time that I did pull over at a park, rolled down the windows and rested my eyes a bit, but I drove the majority of the time.
After an hour we headed to the doctor to find out Josiah doesn't have pink eye (thank the Lord!) but instead a bacterial infection in his eye. The doctor thinks he may have gotten something in his eye and then it got infected, so now he is on antibiotics (so glad it's not contagious!). Well, after the doctor we headed to the pharmacy, which meant another small nap on the way there and then a screaming kiddo in the stroller as we walked through the store for 15 minutes while they filled his prescription. By the way...did I mention that I hadn't had lunch yet? So it was about 2:30 in the afternoon and I was starving. Bubby wailed the majority of the way home (probably because it had been 5 hours since he had eaten as well!).
When we got home I thought maybe things would lighten up. I nursed him, gave him his snack and then laid him down in hopes that maybe he would actually get a decent nap. But he refused and cried and cried and cried some more. And the stinky part is that we were heading to some friend's home tonight for dinner and I really wanted him to be in a good mood. So the evening was really not that good. I barely got to eat my dinner or talk with my friends. All in all, it was really nice when he went to bed tonight. I couldn't be happier to have him asleep and to have the day behind me!
Lessons I learned today:
1. Never schedule an appointment during your child's nap time
2. Impromptu trips to the doctor should be avoided, especially if you are breastfeeding and able to use breast milk as a temporary antibiotic
3. Pack a bottle! (being able to feed Bubby while waiting for his prescription would have made things easier)
4. Driving around to keep your child asleep is a good alternative to keeping them up, even if it means seeing gross road kill, getting caught in construction, and using extra gas
5. Pack a snack for yourself when leaving for the day, especially water!
*What are your suggestions on being prepared for impromptu days when things just don't go as planned?
Friday, September 2, 2011
GermFest 2000
Today we took a walk around the mall and you know those kid play areas (Kid Zones) that are typically set up in a large area of the mall? The place with all the giant animals that have slides coming out of there mouths or stairs going up their behinds or tunnels going under their bellies? Hubby and I like to call those places "Germfests." Every time we walk by one we start chanting "Germfest 2000" to each other. We just can't imagine the amount of germs in those places! You want to learn an interesting fact about those "Germfests"? They may or may not be sponsored by your local medical center, at least the one in our mall is! What a smart idea (sarcasm button)!!!! Attention all medical centers, you want a way to make more money??? Sponsor a Kids Zone in your local mall and get them all sick so that they all come to YOU to get loaded up with antibiotics!
*Note: you should know that I am kind of a germ freak. I've been washing Bubby's hands under the sink for awhile now. Once he starts walking I plan on getting him a large step stool so we can really start pushing the hand washing for after diaper changing and before/after meals. Maybe that's why I didn't like having him in a day care center that much. I have relaxed a little since he's been home so often, for instance I'm not as picky as I used to be with giving him a bath every day and I don't rush to wash off his binky when it falls or sanitize a toy if the dog licks it (or him!) but I'm still a little freaked out to let my child play in a kids zone such as the one at the mall. Heck, I don't even let him play with toys that they provide at clinics and offices!
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