It started out to be an overwhelming day. The house needed cleaning and decorating. Alaska needed birthday pictures taken at 10am because that's when the light is the best in the house. I had to get showered and dressed and ready. Alaska needed to get showered and dressed and ready. It was a little too much to think about.
I got the backdrop for the pictures up and going first, letting the cleaning wait even though instinctively I would clean first. We got our pictures done and a video made and I began a whirlwind of cleaning. Took a two hour break when Alaska went down for her nap and began again as soon as we ate lunch afterwards. Everything was adorable and supercute by 5 pm and I could finally calm down and think about getting myself ready. Dominique had offered to come early and take Alaska to get frozen yogurt and I am so glad I took her up on it. The half hour they were gone I put left-over pizza in the oven and got dolled up.
The party started at 6:30 when grandma great and grandpa great came through the door with David. It was nice to have some time with just them as Alaska got over being a little shy and excitedly pointed to grandma great's shirt that had kitties on it. The party got bigger and more people came and we had just enough seats for everyone even though a couple of people stood. There was plenty of floor and folding chair that never got unfolded. It was so wonderful to have a house full of people who love on that baby girl and spoil her to death.
I didn't even have to serve cake or icecream. The teenagers were anxious to get that started and I helped Alaska with any 'extra sticky tape' that kept her from opening her presents. She had a blast of being the center of attention and only slowed down on the present opening when she opened a bag of candy and needed to take a little break to sample it all.
It was definitely a different time than what we had last year at her birthday with just Steve and I but they have both proven to be just as special. As long as we've got family this close I don't see any need to be inviting friends over for birthdays. That would just make too much of a crowd. But I do suppose people do a Sunday dinner with family and a birthday party with friends. Either way, I've got another year before I need to worry about that.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Saturday, January 18, 2014
January 17th
Tricky part of having my writing time in the middle of the day is that sometimes my day hasn't been too eventful as of yet in the middle of the day. So even if I write in past tense, saying yesterday and all that, I really am talking about the 17th. It just happens that I am writing on the 18th.
Yesterday afternoon I went to Steve's work to get my biometric screening done for an incentive. It was pretty cool. They took a little blood and found out all this cool stuff about me. Like how super duper healthy I am. Which was awesome. The next part of this deal to get the incentive is to go type all my numbers in a program that will tell me what I need to do to improve my numbers. I will interested to see what it thinks I should do as there was nothing questionable and nothing even within 5 points of being questionable. I was pretty much right in the middle of 'normal' or 'optimum'. Go me!
I was really nervous about it all because you had to fast for it. Right now I am off of my eating every 2 hours schedule but am currently on an eating every 4 hours schedule or I get terribly sick and end up visiting the bathroom and dryheaving into the toilet because everything has digested. Add a headache to that, that tylenol doesn't help, and you've got one unhappy sicky. Hence why I was nervous to take this test. But I said a prayer and did it.
Our appointment was in the afternoon so we were allowed a light breakfast. I am so confused now when I hear light. As in, does it mean a 'small' breakfast or a breakfast low in carbs? I ate oatmeal and a glass of raspberry tea. And then prayed. Seriously prayed. And put all my money down that I could make until 1:30 without food, to account for people going before me and getting out of there to somewhere where I could eat and all that. I got there an hour early and was LIVID when the manager went before me. Who did he think he was, cutting a pregnant lady?! I was furious. But then it was my turn and I came out of it ok and ran straight to the car where my goldfish crackers were waiting.
Last night I had the opportunity to go do baptisms with the youth. I was the only young women leader there and I don't know what the other three were doing, but they seriously missed out. I remember how special it was for me when I was a youth and my leaders were there. I loved seeing them in white and the peace that was all around us. And I also loved seeing different varieties of temple dresses. Which is one big reason why when I was able to choose my own temple dress I thought back to one that one of my leaders had worn and wanted one similar.
We had three girls that were going for their first time and I loved helping them with their simple questions and having one of them say, "That was so cool. I am definitely coming again." She had been a little apprehensive about the whole trip just because she likes to know what to expect and what to do next and everything.
To volunteer in the baptismal font they needed three workers, one to guide the girls when to go, another to help them out of the font and hand out a towel and a last to help them with the shower and make sure they have another dry towel and their suits are where they need to be and everything.
This last job. That is what I have ALWAYS dreamed of doing. I know. It's weird. But true. I have done baptisms before where that volunteer is missing and it was absolutely miserable. It's so nice to have someone there to catch your wet suit and wring it out for you and then hand you a dry towel and hold your key for you while you're in the shower so you don't lose it stripping your wet clothes off. It also gave me the chance to whisper to each girl about what they were feeling as we were in the locker room and not out where the baptisms were being performed. They are all such sweet hearts.
I went and changed in the locker room upstairs but next time I will definitely just use the same locker room as the girls. I couldn't hardly find my way anywhere! When I came down the girls weren't out of the chapel yet where one of the workers was giving a spiritual message. I had a chance to get to know my area and where the towels were and how to change the mop and all that before they came and that was nice. I smiled at them all when they entered and ushered them to their seats to wait to get jumpsuits and three of them commented on how beautiful my dress was. And I secretly hoped that when they all had the chance to be sealed in the temple they would be able to choose their own dress instead of having to wear one of the rented ones.
On our way home we stopped at Dairy Queen and each kid had 3$ they could use to get a treat. I was able to connect with one of the Laurels over our icecream and that felt really good, just alone. I had gotten to spend so much precious time with each girl while I helped them at the temple that evening but even if I had not gotten to do any of that and was only able to have that 30 mins with that one particular girl, it would have been a win for the night. I have tried so hard to connect with each girl. To spend some amount of quality time learning about each one and this is near to one of the last. I was nervous that I would never get to because she's a hard egg to reach. But I did it! And it was wonderful and Sundays are going to be much better now. It's just so special to walk into a classroom filled with friends instead of just girls that you are going to teach.
Yesterday afternoon I went to Steve's work to get my biometric screening done for an incentive. It was pretty cool. They took a little blood and found out all this cool stuff about me. Like how super duper healthy I am. Which was awesome. The next part of this deal to get the incentive is to go type all my numbers in a program that will tell me what I need to do to improve my numbers. I will interested to see what it thinks I should do as there was nothing questionable and nothing even within 5 points of being questionable. I was pretty much right in the middle of 'normal' or 'optimum'. Go me!
I was really nervous about it all because you had to fast for it. Right now I am off of my eating every 2 hours schedule but am currently on an eating every 4 hours schedule or I get terribly sick and end up visiting the bathroom and dryheaving into the toilet because everything has digested. Add a headache to that, that tylenol doesn't help, and you've got one unhappy sicky. Hence why I was nervous to take this test. But I said a prayer and did it.
Our appointment was in the afternoon so we were allowed a light breakfast. I am so confused now when I hear light. As in, does it mean a 'small' breakfast or a breakfast low in carbs? I ate oatmeal and a glass of raspberry tea. And then prayed. Seriously prayed. And put all my money down that I could make until 1:30 without food, to account for people going before me and getting out of there to somewhere where I could eat and all that. I got there an hour early and was LIVID when the manager went before me. Who did he think he was, cutting a pregnant lady?! I was furious. But then it was my turn and I came out of it ok and ran straight to the car where my goldfish crackers were waiting.
Last night I had the opportunity to go do baptisms with the youth. I was the only young women leader there and I don't know what the other three were doing, but they seriously missed out. I remember how special it was for me when I was a youth and my leaders were there. I loved seeing them in white and the peace that was all around us. And I also loved seeing different varieties of temple dresses. Which is one big reason why when I was able to choose my own temple dress I thought back to one that one of my leaders had worn and wanted one similar.
We had three girls that were going for their first time and I loved helping them with their simple questions and having one of them say, "That was so cool. I am definitely coming again." She had been a little apprehensive about the whole trip just because she likes to know what to expect and what to do next and everything.
To volunteer in the baptismal font they needed three workers, one to guide the girls when to go, another to help them out of the font and hand out a towel and a last to help them with the shower and make sure they have another dry towel and their suits are where they need to be and everything.
This last job. That is what I have ALWAYS dreamed of doing. I know. It's weird. But true. I have done baptisms before where that volunteer is missing and it was absolutely miserable. It's so nice to have someone there to catch your wet suit and wring it out for you and then hand you a dry towel and hold your key for you while you're in the shower so you don't lose it stripping your wet clothes off. It also gave me the chance to whisper to each girl about what they were feeling as we were in the locker room and not out where the baptisms were being performed. They are all such sweet hearts.
I went and changed in the locker room upstairs but next time I will definitely just use the same locker room as the girls. I couldn't hardly find my way anywhere! When I came down the girls weren't out of the chapel yet where one of the workers was giving a spiritual message. I had a chance to get to know my area and where the towels were and how to change the mop and all that before they came and that was nice. I smiled at them all when they entered and ushered them to their seats to wait to get jumpsuits and three of them commented on how beautiful my dress was. And I secretly hoped that when they all had the chance to be sealed in the temple they would be able to choose their own dress instead of having to wear one of the rented ones.
On our way home we stopped at Dairy Queen and each kid had 3$ they could use to get a treat. I was able to connect with one of the Laurels over our icecream and that felt really good, just alone. I had gotten to spend so much precious time with each girl while I helped them at the temple that evening but even if I had not gotten to do any of that and was only able to have that 30 mins with that one particular girl, it would have been a win for the night. I have tried so hard to connect with each girl. To spend some amount of quality time learning about each one and this is near to one of the last. I was nervous that I would never get to because she's a hard egg to reach. But I did it! And it was wonderful and Sundays are going to be much better now. It's just so special to walk into a classroom filled with friends instead of just girls that you are going to teach.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
January 16th, Thursday
Alaska's birthday day! Her saggy bottom diaper this morning was so endearing as she ran down the hall, hefting it up as she went. We shared lots of hugs and kisses this morning and after a melt-down at 11:30 I put her down for an early nap. She had a couple of friends coming over for a play date after lunch and they all played so well I was able to clear out two cupboards and the washer and dryer space. I could have done more but I got conned into playing their 'time machine' game. It was really sweet and we went so far back in time that we skipped the desert and went to Daniel and the Lions den. That was pretty funny.
Last night we had a missionary fireside for young womens. It was so perfect and sweet, exactly what every girl needs. We have two sets of sister missionaries in the ward right now and both sets were able to make it last night and explained how their days go and their weeks and what to pack and what not to pack and what kind of clothes are allowed and which aren't. And then, as any good girl conversation does, it turned to boys and whether any of the male missionaries they knew were cute. It was so sweet to see them giggle and laugh with the girls, although they never did say whether any boy was cute or not, they pointed out how much more attractive boys are who honor their priesthood and even more, those that work hard and use their priesthood for good. How their perceptions of what is cute has changed.
This girls ate every bit of it up and I thought it was a great activity. One of the senior girls had prepared it as her senior project combined with going out a few times with the missionaries.
Last night we had a missionary fireside for young womens. It was so perfect and sweet, exactly what every girl needs. We have two sets of sister missionaries in the ward right now and both sets were able to make it last night and explained how their days go and their weeks and what to pack and what not to pack and what kind of clothes are allowed and which aren't. And then, as any good girl conversation does, it turned to boys and whether any of the male missionaries they knew were cute. It was so sweet to see them giggle and laugh with the girls, although they never did say whether any boy was cute or not, they pointed out how much more attractive boys are who honor their priesthood and even more, those that work hard and use their priesthood for good. How their perceptions of what is cute has changed.
This girls ate every bit of it up and I thought it was a great activity. One of the senior girls had prepared it as her senior project combined with going out a few times with the missionaries.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Wednesday, January 15th
Quick update:
Baby is due the 30th of June. Did I already say that? 5 months left.
I have an ultra sound for the 29th at 11. Two weeks! Eeek! And it's on a Wednesday, so I can tell the girls almost as soon as I find out whether it's a boy or a girl. They are going to be so excited! I haven't even told them yet that I am pregnant. I just wanted to wait. Hold of the, "How are you feeling" questions for a little bit longer.
John was amaze-balls in his game last night. It was awesome to watch him play and get in there and toss the ball up at the hoop and all that. They got pummeled but it was a good game 'cause he got to play so much of it. Dominique only played one quarter since she had skipped school the day before for a mental health day. They won by 2 points and it was close the whole game. For how many points I felt like the other team was making, our team kept up. The climax was at the end of the game. Three minutes left and one of our girls ran into another girls mouth. She was bleeding all over the place and one girl was holding her nose, screaming in pain. Jenny didn't even know she was bleeding, and no one really looked over at her because the other girl was making so much noise. It wasn't until she had wiped something from her forhead that she had the realization and you could just hear the surprise/fear in her voice when she said, "It's me. I'm bleeding."
Baby is due the 30th of June. Did I already say that? 5 months left.
I have an ultra sound for the 29th at 11. Two weeks! Eeek! And it's on a Wednesday, so I can tell the girls almost as soon as I find out whether it's a boy or a girl. They are going to be so excited! I haven't even told them yet that I am pregnant. I just wanted to wait. Hold of the, "How are you feeling" questions for a little bit longer.
John was amaze-balls in his game last night. It was awesome to watch him play and get in there and toss the ball up at the hoop and all that. They got pummeled but it was a good game 'cause he got to play so much of it. Dominique only played one quarter since she had skipped school the day before for a mental health day. They won by 2 points and it was close the whole game. For how many points I felt like the other team was making, our team kept up. The climax was at the end of the game. Three minutes left and one of our girls ran into another girls mouth. She was bleeding all over the place and one girl was holding her nose, screaming in pain. Jenny didn't even know she was bleeding, and no one really looked over at her because the other girl was making so much noise. It wasn't until she had wiped something from her forhead that she had the realization and you could just hear the surprise/fear in her voice when she said, "It's me. I'm bleeding."
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
January 14th (one month until valentine's~!)
Is it weird. Probably. But I just LOVE Valentine's Day. I'll count down the months and the weeks and the days until pink and red and white and glitter take over the world just for one day. But it's more than the colors.
It's the "I love yous" that are sometimes not always said. Or the "I love yous" that are said but are said even louder on that special day. It's the reaching out to people and telling them how much they mean to you. And it means something. 'Cause everyone kind of expects something for Christmas. And birthdays. But Valentine's is MY day to celebrate with surprises and sweets.
I am finally coming around. I have cleaned the house three days in a row and kept it clean and organize a dresser here and there. I am crossing my fingers that I'll be making Valentine's cookies.
My sickies aren't all the time and I don't have to eat every two hours anymore. It can be stretched to every 4, but not much longer than that. I haven't puked for a week and a half! Who has to count stuff like that? Last week I was 16 weeks along at my doctor appointment. This week will be 17 weeks. And then three weeks until we can get our long awaited ultra sound to discover that all my jives have been correct and we're having a boy.
Oh, and I am totally getting a camera, in other news. A canon rebel ti4. Used, so it will cost the same amount as a ti3 would new, but will have the added feature of 9 point focus and a video camera. Maybe I could be content with a ti3 if I had a smart phone, but I don't, so I get to go all out on a camera. Which will taker better product anyway. I am really excited. I haven't taken many pictures of Alaska because I feel like it's more aggrivating to have crappy pictures than no pictures, and believe me, we have nothing that takes good pictures. There's not enough light or the shutter is too slow. Pains. But it will all be remedied soon.
It's the "I love yous" that are sometimes not always said. Or the "I love yous" that are said but are said even louder on that special day. It's the reaching out to people and telling them how much they mean to you. And it means something. 'Cause everyone kind of expects something for Christmas. And birthdays. But Valentine's is MY day to celebrate with surprises and sweets.
I am finally coming around. I have cleaned the house three days in a row and kept it clean and organize a dresser here and there. I am crossing my fingers that I'll be making Valentine's cookies.
My sickies aren't all the time and I don't have to eat every two hours anymore. It can be stretched to every 4, but not much longer than that. I haven't puked for a week and a half! Who has to count stuff like that? Last week I was 16 weeks along at my doctor appointment. This week will be 17 weeks. And then three weeks until we can get our long awaited ultra sound to discover that all my jives have been correct and we're having a boy.
Oh, and I am totally getting a camera, in other news. A canon rebel ti4. Used, so it will cost the same amount as a ti3 would new, but will have the added feature of 9 point focus and a video camera. Maybe I could be content with a ti3 if I had a smart phone, but I don't, so I get to go all out on a camera. Which will taker better product anyway. I am really excited. I haven't taken many pictures of Alaska because I feel like it's more aggrivating to have crappy pictures than no pictures, and believe me, we have nothing that takes good pictures. There's not enough light or the shutter is too slow. Pains. But it will all be remedied soon.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Ridiculous Doctor Appointments
Alright. There is more than a couple of reasons I have waited so long to get myself to the doctor. One being it is a total waste of time for someone to tell me I am fine. This first appointment was just with a nurse answering questions and stuff. Which, halfway through, I was so mad that they don't schedule those two appointments together. LIKE HELLO! I can talk to a nurse for 30 minutes and then see a doctor. I don't need to come in on two different days. Ridiculousness number one. And I told her so.
Number 2: They make you take a pee test EVERY time you come in. To check or sugar and protein. And then still do a glucose test. Can you say OVERKILL!? So ridiculous.
Also. The nurse came in all bubbly and happy and was all like, "Congratulations!" And I was in one sour mood and I just gave a little nod of thanks. No, congratulations is not the right words here nursey-poo. What you should be saying is "Thank you". Thank you for putting your body through this horrendous cycle of having a baby. Thank you for sacrificing your life to make the future a little better. Thank you for being a good mom and having a child who will grow up with standards and moral and not be attached to electronics and need medication for ADD. Thank you for being a strong lady and knowing that after the pregnancy, after the birth and after the first 4 months of baby-life things are going to be ok. And for knowing that the year between that time and now is just a little compared to the long-term. Not congratulations. Please, give me a break. This is not a happy time. This is a nightmare. You want to know one more thing? I don't even like babies! Sure, I can tolerate them, but you can bet your best dollar that out of all the women in a room I will be the last to even stroke a baby's head, let alone want to hold them. They freak me out. All the what ifs and unknowns of their little world.
AND THEN the lady had the odasity to be all like, "Oh, you're still sick? Now that we're going into the second trimester you could take some (insert medication that start with z). For now though you can take (insert over the counter medication that is with the sleep aids that starts with a u) and a B6. AS IF I am going to take medication and most especially a sleep aid. Please lady. I don't need to be more miserable. I don't need to be groggy. I may be a stay at home mom and won't be driving a car but that doesn't mean that I need all my awakeness to take care of the child I already have.
AND THEN - this is the real true kicker - she's all like, "Oh. You're taking a folic acid and two child vitamins? You really should move up to a prenatal." No lady. I am not going to move up to a prenatal. Are you crazy? Those things are horse pills and make me sick to my stomach. You're lucky I am taking anything at all. Let me alone. And then she was all like, "Yes, some people don't take any prenatals, or they "forget"." Right. Well I haven't forgotten to take my child vitamins. Because I can take them whenever I want. I don't have to remember to take them with food and then forget and then not want to eat something so I try to remember to take them with my next meal but then forget again. So yeah, forgetting is a real things for some people that have no schedule. But I am not going to sabotage the good I am already doing by trying to do something I know I do not have success at. So thanks, but no thanks.
I went out of their storming mad and ready to cry. Waste of time. Total waste of time. And I had to pee in a cup. And will have to do it again. And again and again. I got myself some french fries and an ice cream cone on the way home after picking up our dry cleaning.
Number 2: They make you take a pee test EVERY time you come in. To check or sugar and protein. And then still do a glucose test. Can you say OVERKILL!? So ridiculous.
Also. The nurse came in all bubbly and happy and was all like, "Congratulations!" And I was in one sour mood and I just gave a little nod of thanks. No, congratulations is not the right words here nursey-poo. What you should be saying is "Thank you". Thank you for putting your body through this horrendous cycle of having a baby. Thank you for sacrificing your life to make the future a little better. Thank you for being a good mom and having a child who will grow up with standards and moral and not be attached to electronics and need medication for ADD. Thank you for being a strong lady and knowing that after the pregnancy, after the birth and after the first 4 months of baby-life things are going to be ok. And for knowing that the year between that time and now is just a little compared to the long-term. Not congratulations. Please, give me a break. This is not a happy time. This is a nightmare. You want to know one more thing? I don't even like babies! Sure, I can tolerate them, but you can bet your best dollar that out of all the women in a room I will be the last to even stroke a baby's head, let alone want to hold them. They freak me out. All the what ifs and unknowns of their little world.
AND THEN the lady had the odasity to be all like, "Oh, you're still sick? Now that we're going into the second trimester you could take some (insert medication that start with z). For now though you can take (insert over the counter medication that is with the sleep aids that starts with a u) and a B6. AS IF I am going to take medication and most especially a sleep aid. Please lady. I don't need to be more miserable. I don't need to be groggy. I may be a stay at home mom and won't be driving a car but that doesn't mean that I need all my awakeness to take care of the child I already have.
AND THEN - this is the real true kicker - she's all like, "Oh. You're taking a folic acid and two child vitamins? You really should move up to a prenatal." No lady. I am not going to move up to a prenatal. Are you crazy? Those things are horse pills and make me sick to my stomach. You're lucky I am taking anything at all. Let me alone. And then she was all like, "Yes, some people don't take any prenatals, or they "forget"." Right. Well I haven't forgotten to take my child vitamins. Because I can take them whenever I want. I don't have to remember to take them with food and then forget and then not want to eat something so I try to remember to take them with my next meal but then forget again. So yeah, forgetting is a real things for some people that have no schedule. But I am not going to sabotage the good I am already doing by trying to do something I know I do not have success at. So thanks, but no thanks.
I went out of their storming mad and ready to cry. Waste of time. Total waste of time. And I had to pee in a cup. And will have to do it again. And again and again. I got myself some french fries and an ice cream cone on the way home after picking up our dry cleaning.
No Pants No Problems
Alaska and I, we are the same. I had some errands to do and put on a bra and jeans. As soon as I was home I was back in my pajama pants and no bra. As soon as Alaska got back home she took off her pants to run around in a diaper. This has become the usual around here and I wonder how long it will last.
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