The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The Good: Ellie legitimately laughed looking at herself in the bathroom mirror.
The Bad: The above occurred after we happened to fall down the stairs together.
Don't stress. It was just the last few stairs, I was wearing my thick socks (so toasty) and slid down to complete my descent. 
The Ugly: Me crying just as long (OK fine. Longer.) as Ellie. I am a horribly ugly crier.

Don't worry. No one died. We're not even critically injured. Not even bruised or bumped or scratched.
I did feel like a terrible mother, so I'm sure the laughing was Ellie's attempt at making me feel better. Thanks, baby.

Ellie: Stats

Well, we survived.
A big shout-out to my dear friend, Misty, for coming to the Pediatrician's office and enduring the first round of shots with us. It wasn't too terrible. I attempted to feed Ellie before we left, which failed miserably, so I fed her right after shots and she fell asleep, the sweet little thing...so naturally Misty & I went to lunch!

Current Stats:
Ellie is currently 11 lbs and 23" long.
Percentiles: Weight - 46th, Height - 62nd, Head Circumference - 51st

Next appointment is at four months. 
I plan on bringing a bottle and giving her some baby Tylenol beforehand.

Onward and upward!

Ellie: Two Months

Our little lady is now two months old.

Wow.

Don't even know how that happened.

We go for her 2-month pediatrician visit next week, so I will have official stats for you then (and probably a horrible story about how the first round of shots went), but for now here's what she is up to:

• still has her beautiful big blue eyes and brown hair.
• she is no longer bald on top! her hair grew in nicely and it is wonderfully soft, I love rubbing it against my face (and who doesn't love a whiff of baby-smell?!).
• unfortunately she has a bald spot in the back, just from a little rubbing while she's lying on her back. it's not the whole back of her head, just a patch on the right because she loves to lay on that side. hopefully it will fill in soon and as nicely as the top did.
• her neck & upper body strength are continuing to improve, but she is more fussy about tummy-time lately, so we have been getting a little less of that.
• she loves to smile. she will smile at basically anyone, for any reason, and her whole face lights up. it is the.cutest.thing.ever.
• she also coos and "talks" a lot more, I also speak baby, so I am positive we have incredible conversations I just don't understand.
• her vision is getting better, she will follow you around the room (if she can see you) and will look for you if you are talking to her and aren't in her direct line of sight
• she also tries to watch TV & our computer screens, we try not to let that happen, I read something about it being over-stimulating for babies, but hey, can't blame her for trying!
• she still enjoys her Soothie, but she is now trying to eat her fist/suck her thumb. unfortunately for Ellie, her thumb is always tucked tightly inside her clenched fingers, so she just gnaws on her knuckles.
• Ellie still loves the bath. these days I fill it pretty full and swoosh her around in it, leaning over so I'm about elbow-deep in water. she won't really smile in the tub, she just looks & listens, but she's starting to flail a little more, so that's fun.
• she is still very cuddly, which I absolutely love and I hope it never ever changes. she also doesn't mind strangers (yet) so just about anyone can enjoy her cuddly cuteness without her crying.
• we are attempting some sleep training...I now give her a bottle of breast milk at night so I can monitor how much she actually consumes at her last feeding. I have been trying 4-5 oz, but she doesn't always drink it all. my hope is that if she gets a hefty meal in she'll sleep a little longer...we'll see how it goes.
• and of course we are chugging along with our cloth diapers. a few friends have recommended using a disposable diaper overnight as she begins to sleep longer and that's been going well. washing the diapers isn't too terrible either, I use a disposable liner, that has helped with stains and catching #2 messes... slowly we're figuring out what works for us.

Ellie, you are a delight! We love you to the moon and back. 

I can't believe how big you're getting...time goes by too fast!

the start of a smile

straight-face

Ellie: One Month

Today Ellie is officially one month old...which is technically older than 4 weeks because of the way the months played out, but really, who's counting? (me...obviously)

Some things to make mention of:

• she currently has blue eyes & light brown hair.
• she's chunking up with chubby cheeks and a double chin.
• we experienced some head-trama:
• she went bald, just on the top of her head so she is rocking the Old Man Horseshoe hair.
• her head is still very lumpy, which is fine, but Jordi seems to be overly concerned about it.
• her skin was also incredibly dry and flaky, so we threw on some EVOO and gently scrubbed with her baby brush while she bathed (shampooing afterwards), it really helped.
• speaking of, she loves the bath; she just lays there in awe of how awesome bathing is.
• she doesn't mind tummy time, which is helping strengthen her neck, but she flops after a few seconds. (Her head is just so dang big and heavy!)
• she is a fast eater, a few minutes on each side and she's done. 
• she's not a screamer...she tends to whimper or gradually cry so you know she wants something. (And by then she better have what she wants!)
• she is beginning to coo, will stick her tongue out, and there are a few smiles, but she generally scowls or is in wide-eyed-awe
• she likes her Soothie (pacifier, sucky, whatever you call it) and staring at toys, the owls on her crib bumpers, windows, and anything with a big color contrast
• sleeping in the crib continues to be a success, there are still ups and downs, but overall it is going well
• unfortunately we don't have a set schedule yet, but we're working on it

One Month Old

Ellie, we are so blessed to have you in our family!

WE LOVE YOU!

Flying Solo

It has happened.

Far sooner than I expected.

Eleanor slept in her crib in her bedroom last night.

All night.

Alone.

She looks so small in her crib!

And she was fine. In fact, it was one of the best nights we've had yet!

(We have had some seriously lousy nights.)

After her 2-week check-up yesterday she ate and fell asleep nicely in the crib. So I left her there instead of transferring her to the bassinet. After her next feeding the same thing happened, and she was sleeping so soundly, so why tamper with it?

By the end of the night I figured we might try to leave her in there overnight and see how she does compared to the bassinet. We got her all ready to go, put an ipod on with some soothing sounds (light waves washing on shore) and closed the door.

It was so odd to not have her in our room, but at the same time it was probably good for me. 

For all of us, I'm sure.

I bet Jordi is really happy about it! 

We'll see how things go, but I'm thinking this will stick. 

I'm a tad sad, I feel like she's still so tiny and new, but if she's able to sleep better and we are able to sleep (period) than it's obviously what needs to happen.

She's just growing up so fast!

Ellie: Two Weeks [Stats]

Ellie had her 2-week check-up with the pediatrician today.
Despite me being worried about taking her out (and how she'd behave), everything went very well, she was a champ!

She is currently 8 lbs and a little over 21" long.
Percentiles: Weight - 39th, Height - 84th, Head Circumference - 50th

Drawing blood for tests wasn't the most fun we've ever had, but I offered to take her for ice cream and she calmed down. (I will cash that promise in a few years from now...)

I asked all my questions (I had an entire list) and Dr. Buchanan did an excellent job consoling and relating to a first-time mom, I am definitely happy with the pediatrics office we've selected.

Our next appointment is at the two-month mark and Ellie will be getting some shots at that point, so there may be more empty promises for treats.
It feels like it's for-ev-er away, but hopefully until then she continues to grow and develop as she should.

Ellie & Her Canadian Moose
approx 2 weeks old

We love you, Eleanor! We feel so blessed to have you here!

Sharing is Caring

This is a portion of an e-mail I received from Amy last yesterday (Sept 29), it's so awesome I can't help but share:

...I decided to treat the boys to a Happy Meal...Bennett ate his fries first, then some of his chicken nuggets and apple slices. Then he put the leftovers in his little box, closed the lid and said, "This is for my Birthmom Jaylene." Ha! So cute, so amazing, so funny that he referred to your fondness of McDonald's and that he wanted to give you the leftovers. Cheeky.

I am pretty confident that I have the best birth-son a woman could ever wish for.
From my heart to yours, B. <3

Borrowed from Amy's Blog
Posted Aug 2013

Adjustments

Sundays are a wonderful day at our house.

It is a day of rest, relaxation, and family time.

There is time for snacking, reading, napping, walking...it is marvelous.

Alas, with a new baby in the house, we have had to make some adjustments...

Walking now takes far more preparation, equipment, and everyone needs to be in a good mood

(*cough Ellie cough*)

 

Reading can still happen...with some creative positioning

Napping is a harder one (for me) with the little lady operating on a 3-hr feeding schedule all day, every day.

BUT, all in all  we still loves Sunday and we love the little lady who has turned our lives upside down.
Here's to many more marvelous Sundays as a family and not just a couple.

tired Proud New Parents

Introducing

Eleanor Mae

Born Sept 18, 2013 at 7:16 pm 

7 lbs 1 oz, 19 inches long

Everyone is happy & healthy and excited for our new adventure.

More photos to come.

Super-Nesting

Here's 38 weeks.

Yesterday I was pretty impressed with myself.

I acquired a mini freezer a few weeks ago and have a goal to fill it with yumminess for when Baby comes, that way we won't starve and Jordi won't have to endure Big Macs 3x a week. 

(I have no problem with that idea, but he's not big on fast food.)

Anyway, I managed to complete 3 different meals for the freezer yesterday as well as the weekly laundry (including the sheets! You're amazed! I know! Me too!)

Today I'm hoping for a similar afternoon, I'll let you know how things play out. 

I'm hoping this surge of Super-Nesting Powers is a precursor this baby coming, soon! 

Our next Dr's Appointment is tomorrow (Wed) so we'll see how things are going, wish us luck!

Oh, and if you'd like to know what I'm cooking, here's yesterday's recipes:

Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Filled 3 8-inch circular foil pans

Crock-Pot Turkey Chili   (I tweak this one a bit just to suit our tastes better)

Filled 3 small-sized freezer bags

Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups (Stolen from Budget Bytes)

I prepped the rolls and wrapped them individually, when ready to cook I will take as many as I need out, let them thaw and then cook them with the sauce in the oven

Full Term

Well.

Here we are.

37 Weeks.

Full-Term.

 Am I ready? Goodness no.
I am finishing up my last week at ACE Hardware, 

my house needs a good cleaning,

and my deep freezer needs to be filled with food for when Baby comes!

But I'm feeling good, measuring on-track and life is wonderful over-all.

I have some mega water retention, my ankles don't exist, but that's OK, it's temporary.

I'm starting to feel "done" with pregnancy, but it won't be long now!

my "done" face

The apartment has undergone some major changes, I'll have to post some pictures soon!

Happy Tuesday!

Three Weeks or Less until MOTHERHOOD!

(weeeeeeird!)

Lady Lump

Sorry, that phrase reminds me of the trashy song by the Black Eyed Peas from my high school days... I couldn't help myself.

I also had the urge to listen to that song and chair-dance a bit...turns out the video is pretty awful.

Well.

Here's the latest bump shot:

24 Weeks

And we are 100% confident it is a lady lump, that is to say, we are expecting a GIRL.

"I'm a Lady!"

Jordi was a tad disappointed, simply because he is much more comfortable with little boys, but after confirming that she can indeed ride a motorbike despite being a girl, he is a happy dad-to-be.

The pregnancy is going very well, I have no complaints to voice.

Life in general has been a delight.

...I shall now knock on wood until my knuckles hurt in hopes of it staying this way...at least for a little longer.

Thankful

I know, I know. It's not Turkey-Time, but I have a lot to be grateful for this week, and despite the fact that I have no stuffing in front of me (I have a deep love and appreciation for Stove Top), I still want to acknowledge all the blessings we have received lately.

Last weekend was our one-year wedding anniversary. We didn't make a big deal out of it, but it felt good to reflect on everything that's gone on this year: all that we've been able to accomplish, and all the ways we've been able to learn and grow.

Unfortunately, The Hubs came down with some awful stomach sickness and has been hurting for a few days now. We finally got him to a doctor yesterday and he received a prescription, but he was still feeling miserable and had no desire to eat or drink anything. (And if you've seen this kid, you know he doesn't need to lose any weight.) Last night we discussed having someone come give him a Priesthood Blessing, but we weren't sure who to ask.

I sent a text out to a neighbourhood friend at like 10pm (that's late for us, FYI), asking if her husband could come bless Jordi today, and of course they came right over last night. It is truly wonderful to have friends that come to your rescue in your time of need. The Husband was able to fall asleep OK and although he isn't at work today, he has been eating and drinking a little, so I'm considering this to be a huge improvement!

I have also been looking for a job lately. It didn't have to be much, just something part-time, minimum wage, where I could putter-around. I always want to work when I can to help contribute a little something to the family (other than cooking, cleaning, laundry, and cuteness). I didn't think there was much hope for me, the first few weeks of job-hunting was a little deflating, but I ended up getting a position at the local Ace Hardware, and it fits me perfectly! I am able to work part-time, the dress code is perfect (jeans and a shirt...and my awesome red vest), it pays a bit more than minimum wage, and my co-workers make working there really fun! 

Heavenly Father continues to bless us with things we need, right when we need them. 
Funny how that works out, huh.

"My point is to urge you to find ways to recognize and remember God's kindness. It will build our testimonies....you will be blessed as you remember what the Lord has done..."   (Henry B. Eyring, October 2007 Conference)

Wide Load

Today I ripped a pair of my pants...with my butt.

Now, to be fair, these are not maternity pants.

And they are about 6 years old.

And I already ripped a hole in the same area previously on the other butt cheek 

(while not pregnant)

So I'm not feeling too bad.

I guess my butt is growing right along with my belly.

I don't know if I should be happy or upset about that.

Perhaps it's time to give maternity pants a try, before I ruin all my normal-people pants.

Inertia

Lately I have noticed that if I rush somewhere, especially up or down stairs, my belly continues to blob along 

(yes, I coined that phrase myself) 

long after I have stopped moving.

Baby Inertia?

Baby inertia has made it very easy to tell where the [bulk of the] baby is...

*butt-dances in chair to stir up the womb*

Large mass baby is currently on my left side, with some movement on the right side.

(I'm assuming that's limbs, and not digestion, but it could go either way.)

<3

A Word of Warning

If you happen to find yourself pregnant and getting over a snotty cold, be sure to only blow your nose when your bladder is empty. 

If you blow too hard and your bladder is burdened, you may lose more than just snot.

...just sayin'.

[I may or may not know this from real-world experience]

Plus One

Well.
All you baby-crazy people out there that have been waiting for a new baby to smell, hold, and talk nonsense to, rejoice!

We are expecting!
Well, I am expecting. I supposed Jordi is also expecting, but I am the one expecting the baby to come out of my womb. He is expecting me to do all the baby-making. And he's around for moral support. So I'm told.

The Facts:

• How Far Gone: 16 weeks 5 days along (as of today).
• Due Date: September 24, 2013.
• Nickname: Bean. 
• Gender: Unknown. Hoping to find out at our next appointment. Jordi is hoping for a boy. I am hoping for a baby (I like to go in with low expectations and be pleasantly surprised).
• Names: We've discussed names we like, but we aren't set on anything. I like names that are either super old-school or just plain weird, so Jordi hasn't been very accepting of my name submissions.
• Barf Bag:  Nope. I'm good. I've been fortunate and only had one day of tummy troubles, and that was not baby's fault.
• Cravings: It depends on the day. Some examples: rainbow chip cupcake batter, pickled beets, garlic-jalapeno stuffed green olives (but who wouldn't love those on any day!), cucumbers, smoothies, bagels & cream cheese (spicy jalapeno cream cheese, does that not sound amazing?!).
• Can't Stand: ...Well, Jordi made me oatmeal once and I gagged pretty good, but then I ate it anyways.
• Body Issues: I was super tired for a while, but lately I'm finding more energy. I pee a lot (Go figure). I've also had more break-outs than normal, but hey, if that's the worst that I get, I consider myself very lucky.

Did I miss anything? I have no idea what people want to hear from a pregnant lady. Weird, right?

We are way excited, way nervous, but still way excited...and did I mention nervous?

Here's me and the belly earlier this week. It's recently begun showcase itself in public, despite my efforts, hence me (finally) telling the world that I'm making a baby, not just eating Big Macs every day all day...Although I would probably do that if I could afford it.

Sorry it's not a great shot, I made Jordi photograph me in our bathroom so I didn't look yellow and the background wasn't something weird.

Oh. This is also my new Spring Haircut! I had it chopped on Easter Weekend. It's still pretty long, but I miss my longer hair. Oh well, it grows back. I needed a change.

More to come as things progress. If there's something you need to know, tell me and I'll include it along the way.

Hooray for a terrifying new adventure!

Facebook Status Posing as a Blog Post

Fighting A Cold = Suck.
Trying To Clean The Apartment [when you really rather watch shows on Hulu] = Suck.

Trying To Do Both Simultaneously [minus the sweet Hulu-watching] = Super Suck.
Doing It Anyway = Epic Victory.

{Suck it, housework!}

Silence Is(n't Always) Golden

Tonight we had two of my neighbors' kids over for a bit while their mom tended to a family issue.
After a few minutes of small-talk with the kids, Ammbri, who is a sassy little gal full of spunk, pipes up and says: "Oh, so that's what Jordi sounds like."
...Apparently my husband is a bit on the quiet side...

To be fair, Ammbri is a pretty chatty girl, so I don't know how many opportunities Jordi has to get a few words in around her.

Bennett's Second

Happy Birthday, Bennett!

He wanted the camera.

Today is B's 2nd Birthday.

Can you believe it?

He. Is. TWO. (as in years. two. years. old.)

And lucky for everyone, he isn't terrible (yet).

We had the privilege of spending Sunday with my favourite family to celebrate the occasion.

It was a blast.

But I won't lie, it was hard to focus on the last session of Conference when I was in such excellent company and with cute kids everywhere.

After Conference the family began to pour in, ready to share in all the fun and games. The kids were noisy and crazy (as it should be) and everyone had a great time. 

Amy made an epic Farm Cake for Bennett, seriously, that woman has more talent than she will openly admit.

Bennett received some stellar gifts, including a bike that has no pedals! It helps kids learn to push themselves along with their legs, then they can learn to coast with their legs up, thus learning balance, and eventually when their little legs get long enough they will be able to pedal a normal bike. This thing is awesome.

Enjoying A Cupcake

As for Bennett, I don't mean to brag, but this kid is pretty impressive.

• He is quite shy around people he doesn't know, it took him a while to warm up to Jordi & me...and I am pretty sure he still isn't sold on Jordi's beard.
• Once he warms up, he is quite the talker. He can repeat almost anything, can form complete sentences, and can even count to 19 (he does get a little confused in the teens, but really, who doesn't).
• He walks, runs, and jumps around with impressive balance and coordination, rarely biting the dust.
• He will try almost any food at least once, but isn't a huge fan of carbs (he didn't get that from me!).
• I am told he does have his moments, but for the most part is a really happy and healthy little guy!

I couldn't be more proud!

Bennett, you are one of the very best things that has ever happened to me. 

Thank you.

My heart speaks to yours.

<3

Googling

I was writing an e-mail to a friend and I was lamenting about my struggle with the winter months and my apparent inability to function during that time. And me, being the hilarious person that I am, wanted to comment that I had "self-diagnosed mononucleosis" 
...Only problem was I couldn't think of the word mononucleosis. 
Oh well. No worries. Google will help me sound smart.

My Google Search:
"kissing disease that makes your really tired"

Perfect.

Google to the rescue!

What's Cooking

In case you didn't know, I love food. I love preparing it, cooking it, and of course, gorging on it. I don't even mind doing the dishes afterwards!

Since getting hitched I have full-reign of my kitchen and grocery shopping list, something that was on-hold for a while when I was completing school. It is exciting...and nerve-wracking. With a hard-working Hubs, there's definitely a standard that has to be met. This man needs meat and carbs and even vegetables (shout-out to Momma Pincock for always making her kids eat veggies!) So Ramen wasn't going to cut it, and the choice between chicken or ground beef every day got old fast.

So it was time to take a hard look at recipes and figure out what was feasible for me to do. Many times I will drool over recipes and then read what's in them and realize I don't know what half those things are, or that they are way out of my price-range. Time to get smart about cooking.

My two favorite food blogs are:

Skinny Taste    : offering healthy recipes that are still loaded with flavor. Her food always looks delicious, partially because she's a big fan of food photography (my skills in that area are pathetic). She also provides WW Point values for everything so that's a plus to those who keep track. 

Budget Bytes   : her slogan is "My stomach is full and my wallet is too." Great recipes that don't cost a fortune with excellent tips on how to cut costs with food. She notes the price of every recipe (and price per portion) and let's you know which ingredients cost what, all in a nifty little spreadsheet along with step-by-step photos and instructions.

So with these two blogs in my bag of tricks, I soon had stacks of recipes that I wanted to try out. I have tried to make a point of including at least a few recipes in my Monthly Menu, and it has been a lot of fun.

Tonight's Trial: Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups

I made a few changes:

• I cooked 16 lasagna noodles because the blog make 14, but I only managed to fill 11. It was still plenty for the two of us and leftovers, I managed to eat 2 roll-ups and Jordi stuffed himself with 3 (with Caesar salad). My dish would have only fit 12 anyway, so it worked out great!
• I put in 3 TBSP of stuffing per noodle, and that seemed to be a nice noodle-to-stuffing-ratio.
• Instead of using homemade marinara sauce, I bought a bottle of Prego Marinara from the store, it was a bit more than she used of her homemade stuff (23 oz bottle compared to 2.5 C), but it wasn't too saucy, so go for it!
• I also added a bit of garlic powder and some chopped-up mushrooms to the cheese mix, just because I like both of those things...and of course you can tweak that however you like!

Bon Appetit!

But it was super simple, super easy and really, really yummy. I dare you to try it. Double. Doggy. Dare. 

If you are a fan of lasagna but wish it was simpler, with less layers, this is for you!

Lock-Down

Approx 1:00 PM

Looking for the most pathetic/embarrassing story of the day?

I have it!

It’s about me!

Earlier this afternoon I discovered that I was locked inside my own apartment.

Yes. That’s right. I am locked inside and I can’t get out…not by the front door anyway.

We discovered this when my neighbour-friend came over to my apartment to chat about a few things. I then discovered I couldn’t open our steel/glass storm door. The handle just wouldn’t go anywhere. From the inside AND the outside.

So we just talked through the door for a bit and then I continued to battle the door.

Now. Just so we all know, I’m not a complete idiot. There is not a deadbolt that I can turn and simply unlock my door! There are keyholes on each side, and there is no other apparent way to unlock the door.

We have never had this happen before, nothing even remotely close to this. We didn’t even know the door could lock, so this is news to me.

The Outside.

The Inside.

Now, since we are apartment managers, I do have a junkload of keys lying around. I have tried every.single.key. we have around here, nothing worked.

I would also use a screwdriver and see what I could do about taking the entire door knob off, or jimmy the door off or something, but the small tool kit I usually keep in our home is currently hanging out in The Husband’s truck. He took them with him to work on his truck. So I am left with butter knives and hair accessories. Yes. I have tried both. No success.

And so, here I am, still in my apartment. Don’t worry; I have food to eat, laundry to fold, and Facebook posts to humiliate myself with.

So enjoy your dear, sweet freedom. There may come a day when you can’t leave your apartment. And on that day I will make fun of you. Just to be fair.

Obviously.

And to boot I wore a horizontal stripped shirt. It was as though my sub-conscious knew I was going to be locked up for the day.

How I Feel About Right Now.

2:45 PM

Prison Update:

I have been released!

My dear friend Jen & her hubby Tyler came by and we shimmied the door open. It wasn't the lock, it was the inner parts of the latch, the spring must have lost its sprung and therefore it didn't move the latch, LOCKING ME IN!

Jerk Door.

But hey, between Tyler, me, a butter knife and a screwdriver I attained sweet freedom.

Hooray for the rest of Tuesday, and the chance to go outside if I want to.

Enjoy.

Pizza Taxonomy

The Husband came home today and as we were discussing how our days went I let him know we were having pizza for dinner. 
This was not on the monthly menu, but lately I have been straying from my schedule and doing what I feel like rather than what I felt like three weeks ago.

He asked if the pizza was "homemade" or if it was the "purchased" variety.

Who knew there were so many variances when it came to a pizza-pie!

I lovingly replied that it was of the purchased-homemade variety! The best of both! Magical! How did I manage such a feat?
Papa Murphy's = prepared fresh pizza you stick in your oven to cook for 15 minutes. Brilliant!
And just saying, their double-stuffed pizza is ah-maz-ing. But be prepared for a cheese overload (if that's even possible).

If you know any other classes of pizza, feel free to share. 
Homemade. Purchased. Day-Old. Left Under the Bed Indefinitely. Loner Crusts.
The possibilities are endless!