Christmas....Hanna style

Christmas was great, until Piper threw up all over Karen's dining room (including a cloth covered chair), then again at our house, and again and again (4x, yep, thats right). In the middle of all that Sage started. So at 9pm last night Shawn was shampooing our carpets (grape tylenol vs white carpeting....emergency carpet shampooing) and I was setting Piper up on the couch with the garbage can. Poor kiddo.....Merry Christmas to the Hanna family.

Before the puking we had a great day! Shawn got me some Under Armour for running, and shirt and pants so now I am ready to tackle cold weather runs. My sister in law got me a great vest (Im a bit vest obsessed), Piper got a Barbie house, car, new Barbie, a sewing machine and lots of other stuff. Sage got toys. Lots and lots of toys. Shawn got long underwear, a new knife and a scabbard for hunting on horseback. We got a new grill from Shawn's mom and dad and Im sure we will be breaking that in tonight!

I thought alot this weekend about "belief". Why do we believe in Santa? The answer I got from Piper was because we have Santa Tracker to see where he is flying and reindeer food to attract Rudolph, plus Santa has email and a website. Kids today believe because they have technology telling them to. We believed because, well, because we went to bed early and got up early and VOILA....Santa had been there! No government agency tracking him across the globe, no Reindeer food guiding Rudolph (who didnt need any directions for hundreds of years) and Santa didnt write you a letter till you wrote him one. We believed because we did, thats just the way it was. Im kinda sad that my kids need so many reasons to believe. Im sad that they cant just believe because they are children and they can.

Brannon

I am a terrible mother. A terrible, blogging mother. I cant remember the last time I updated on Brannon. Compared to the other blogging moms who have great photos, awesome stories and are ON TIME with their updates (Geri)....I am a terrible, blogging mom.

So here goes....a very late Brannon blog!!

He is 10 weeks old today, around 12.5lbs and 22 inches long. We have had a long standing battle with acid reflux which we seem to be getting a handle on. Of course, the "tips" the doctor told us to do did not work, so we went with some good, ol' fashioned, been-there-done-that, experienced mom advice and whattya know....PEACE IN THE VALLEY!!!!

Aside from the screaming and crying, which I cant blame the little guy for...how miserable for him....Brannon Garnet is a great baby! He is getting to the age where we can interact with him more. He laughs and coos, he smiles and giggles (which often results in puking....work in progress) and we have so much fun with him!

Piper really doesnt pay much attention to him. He isnt very much fun for an 8 year old, not compared to her little buddy, Sage. But she loves to love on him, which lasts about 30 seconds, then give him back. A few more months and she will be all over him just like she is with Sage.


Sage thinks his little brother is great! He loves to pull his paci away and substitute his fingers. He also thinks that when the fingers in Brannon's mouth doesnt work, then he tries up his nose, but again, he just doesnt understand why Bran doesnt like that. As far as Sage is concerned having your fingers in your mouth or up your nose is normal and natural.

Thankfully Brannon is very laid back. This is obvious when you watch Sage crawl into the boppy with Brannon and proceed to give him kisses (which can be scary moment for seasoned parental figures) and Brannon just sits there. Sage crawls all over him, sits on him, lays on top of him and Brannon just chills.



Brannon loves to play on the floor with his daddy and thats when he gets to laughing and smiling the most. Sage tends to get very jealous of this so its a good thing that Daddy is strong and can hold Sage off while he plays with Brannon.
I am so lucky that all my kiddos are such great kids!

Cyber what??

I love Christmas but I really dont like shopping. I really, REALLY dont like Christmas shopping. Therefore the concept of Black Friday is one of pure torture and insanity for me and I choose to not participate.

I do most of my shopping, holiday or not, online. Partly because I live 90 miles from the closest Wally-world and partly because again, I hate shopping.

I so proud of myself this year, I have IDEAS for the kiddos, which is new. Usually I have to search the websites and let something jump out at me that says "Piper cant live without me!!!!". Not this year, I am PREPARED!! I am READY!!! I even set aside some Christmas money so that isnt a concern this year either. Im talking MOM O THE YEAR here!!!!

I was all ready on Monday for some free "Cyber Monday" shipping and great "Online ONLY" discounts. The boys were sleeping and/or occupied, my credit card was ready to go...then the websites start crashing. Things are not opening, links are bad, servers are crashed.....WHAT!!!! Right in front of my eyes my "place your order by noon for free shipping" was disappearing in a gigantic blob of technology.

This is Cyber Monday's version of getting trampled in a massive rush of people through the doors at Target at 4am on Black Friday.

So Im going to try again today. Im not nearly as prepared, Im sure that was the shopping goddesses way of getting back at me for all my complaining about shopping and how its so much easier online. Im hoping and assuming that I will find great deals just as soon as Brannon starts to scream, Sage falls in and then out of his toy box, again, and Shawn takes off with my car, and therefore my credit card.

Anyone else find it ironic that I can find a husband online much easier then I can buy Christmas presents?

My son, the spider monkey.

Sage's most favorite thing to do is climb. He will climb anything, regardless of if its in his way or just there. The "spider-monkey" is very good at what he does which is why we have come to terms with having to accept his new found love, instead of trying to curb it. So far we have had a couple of bruises, and some scraps but nothing permanment (or cast worthy).

Week 1 DONE!!

I finished the first week of the Couch to 5K program this morning and I feel great. I feel really accomplished because of being so out of shape and really not liking to run. I am finding out that I do like to run, which is amusing to me. If I wasnt so darn stubborn I could have figured this out years ago and HAD runners legs already....uhhhh!!!

I am remembering how much I love a good workout and being sweaty. Its a feeling of accomplishment that I think everyone needs.

I also found the first 5K that I am going to run in. Its not till June but that gives me plenty of time to get ready. Lots of time, you say, yes...but I have 3 kids, 2 babies and a husband. I dont always have alot of spare time.

Anway, the race is in South Dakota, in Deadwood, which is one of my favorite places so I figured it was the perfect first race. An actual reason to go to Deadwood besides gambling and ghost hunting.

C25K - Week 1 Day 1

I am facing my dread of running head on!!

Lets face it, runners have the best legs and if I want runners legs and a runners booty, deductive reasoning says I need to start running.

The Couch to 5K program http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/ is the roadmap that I am using to accomplish my goal. I am even dragging my little brother along for the ride with me!

Week 1, Day 1 consisted of 60 seconds of jogging followed by 90 seconds of fast paced walking, for 20 minutes. I felt like I was going to keel over at any time (mostly during the 60 seconds of jogging) but I didnt and I got it done and I feel great!!!

The plan is that we will run our first 5K together next year. There is one in town for our county fair next August but there are several in Denver in the spring and summer. Since he lives there, its easy for me to get there to enter races.

My motivation is to be healthier, and happy with how I look. I know what I am capable of doing and capable of looking and I am going to get back there.

My other motivation are these:

And these:

Good Feeling!!

One of the best feelings in the world is when I set a workout goal for myself, make it to my goal and then keep going!!

Today was day 2 of treadmill time, and my goal was 20 minutes (just like yesterday) however once I made it to 20 minutes, I didnt want to stop, so I kept going and did another 5 minutes!!

Aside from kisses from my kiddos, thats one of my favorite feelings!!!

Out of the mouth of babes

My daughter is a witty child. Im not 100% positive where she gets it from because I am not usually called "witty"...I am typically a "smart-ass" but I think that is just the adult version of "witty".

Anyway, sometimes the most R-A-N-D-O-M things come out of her mouth.

Last year, her reply to asking "what would you like for christmas?" was "magical powers" and as a back up "a limo." I guess thats what you ask for when you already have a pony.

Last weekend as we were driving down to her soccer game she informed us that "it was really weird, this song came on my iPod and it made my socks get tighter."

Hmmmmmm.....

This morning, things went like this....

"MOM!!!!!! Look at my finger" (yes, YELLING and panicked while we were driving to school, so she was sitting right next to me).
"Why?"
"There is something wrong with it" She proceeds to put her finger right in front of my face.
"Could it possibly wait till I am not driving around a corner and directly into the sun?"
"No"
"Is it going to fall off?"
"I dont know" Clearly her "wit" does not comprehend my "smart ass"
"I dont think its going to fall off."
"I know whats wrong with it." Very reserved and defeated
"What?" Oh boy.....
"Im turning into an alligator."

Ummmm.....yeah.

Day 6

Day 6 of being the mommy to 3 and so far we have all survived!!

Piper - she is doing great, love loves LOVES her "littlest" baby brother and is a fantastic help with her "bigger" baby brother. She baby-sat for me once (while Brannon was sleeping) so I could take a shower. She may need a little work in that department because Sage ended up in the bathroom with me while she watched cartoons but hey, it was the thought that counts!

Sage - he is having a tougher time then I thought he would. Suddenly there is some serious seperation anxiety and I dont know if it has more to do with the fact that Shawn and I were gone for a few days or if its having a new baby in the house. I think its more us being gone because he really doesnt pay much attention to the baby but he is stuck like glue to us. I love it because for so long I wasnt able to do those things with him because it was to hard to lift him and wrestle him but now I can do more and more of that stuff. Minus the fact that his little feet and knees always find their way to my incision, ouch!

Brannon - such a good baby!! He had his nights and days mixed up for a few days but I think we may have solved that issue. Shawn and I are used to Sage who was in the NICU for 2 weeks so he was on a set schedule and routine when he finally came home. Plus we had 2 weeks to recover from having him before we had to jump back into night feeds and being up at night. Brannon we didnt get that plus add in another child and a post delivery surgery and things were a little rough. But we are doing better now, everyday I feel better so I can do much more with him.

As of now, he eats every 2.5-3 hours, is awake for 30 minutes to an hour after he eats and is back to sleep for 2-3 hours. Not quite the sleeping span I was hoping for but thats me and my happy world where kids come out sleeping 12 hours a night. I keep forgetting that while both of mine do that, they were several weeks old, not days, when we got to that point. Patience, Tara, patience!!!

Shawn and I - we are doing good....TIRED but good. Im really kinda amazed at how quickly we adjusted to having a 3rd child in the house. We are a good team, we always have been and he is such a wonderful, supportive husband that I dont have to ask him to help me. He knew that I was having trouble getting and standig because of the surgery so he just did it. He wrestled Sage and let me rest. There are days he cant be here to help which at first was kinda scary and hard but it was good for me to do it. Didnt hurt that I called Katie to come and hang out with me for the afternoon so I wasnt alone with the kiddos. And I sent Sage to Grandma's house for the day also. OK, so that was a hard day but thanks to a pep talk from a good friend telling me not to be super mom because Im not, she wasnt, none of us are and to give myself a break, I felt alot better.

He is HERE!!!

Introducing Brannon Garnet Hanna!! He made his appearance on September 21 @341am. He was 7lbs 7oz and 20 inches long. A few days early but great size and doing wonderfully!!

Here is the scoop. I have been feeling like crap for awhile now. The short version of numerous doctors appointments and those feelings was that the pre-eclampsia was coming back. Kinda what I figured and really expected to have happen. We were just very VERY happy that this time it reared its nasty little head at 37 weeks instead of 30 weeks.

On Monday morning, September 20, I just feel terrible. I had been having MASSIVE swelling in my feet and hands, which are tell-tale signs, plus a headache and then I had some spots in my eyes. All of which are symptons of PE. Took my blood pressure and it was, well the lowest that day was 137/99 and the highest (when we went to the doc) was 146/106. Needless to say we didnt think we would be leaving the hospital without a baby. Especially after I told the doctors just that.

The plan was to admit me that afternoon (around 2pm) and get my blood pressure under control to start. That night, we would start getting my cervix ready to induce on tuesday morning. Of course, Im 10 days before my due date with baby #3 and I was dialited to 1. So basicially not dialated at all. When its baby #3 and your that close to your due date, anything less then 5 means your not dialiated. In my opinion.

Anyway, checked into our room and at 8pm, I got the first dose of cytoteck, which basically kicks the cervix into gear and gets things ready to go. In some cases, it can trigger labor and thankfully that is exactly what happened for us!!!!

The second dose was due at 11pm, and when the nurse gave it to me, my water broke as well. Things got rolling and Brannon was born at 341am. Just about 8 hours after the first dose of cytoteck.

No, I did not have an epidural but I did get a couple doses of NuBain. Shawn was amazing!! Waaaay better then with Sage. This time around he had an idea of what to expect and while it went fast this time also, not nearly as fast as with Sage. He actually helped me count and I didnt have to drag him out of the chair to hold my hand. He was exactly what I needed, my rock, which he always has been and always will be.

The day after we did choose to have my tubal ligation so I am offically OUT of my child having days. I did not have to have a spinal, I had general anesthesia and am very happy overall. Im incredibly sore, more sore from the surgery then delivery but getting better everyday.

I am starting to get the balance between 3 kids, especially the little 2. Sage is doing great, but he wasnt nothing to do with me when I have Brannon. As soon as I put his brother down, he will come over and say HI. He will get used to him, it just takes time.

So thats the scoop. Im feeling much better today but that could be because both of them are sleeping right now and I got them down by myself!! I wouldnt think that would feel like such an accomplishment except for the 2 inch incision and sutures that are located exactly the same place my 10 month old loves to kick.

I am so looking forward to the rest of my life with my kiddos and my husband.

Typical Me

Today was supposed to start out with a quick and easy run to town for a doctors appointment. I got up before my alarm, had breakfast made, ok, well I had the Pop Tarts out of the package and warmed up before Piper asked for them. Sage was in a good mood so we were all good. We left the house ON TIME, which rarely ever happens, and this is the first time with all 3 of us leaving the house.

Once again I had a list of things to pick up and BROUGHT IT WITH ME.....WHOOHOOO!!!!!!

My doctors appointment went well. To well....my blood pressure was great. So great that my doctors doesnt see a need to induce me earlier then September 27. I know its only a few extra days but really, I am so tired of being pregnant, and I hurt all over, and I just want to get back to feeling like myself that I was really looking forward to having the baby a little early.

So I took my semi-distraught attitude and did what any good pregnant chick out do. I went shopping.

Pulled into the parking lot, got the car, Sager loaded into the cart and started walking into the store just in time to come face to face with a 3 foot bull snake. In the parking lot. I didnt really have a choice but to walk around/near him and when I informed the employee on a smoke break in the outdoor flower section (nice) about it, she said "again, we just moved him a few minutes ago." Well he was back and another reason for permanment relocation.

Got all my shopping done, didnt forget a single thing. I actually remembered a couple things that were not on my list but I knew we needed.....so proud of myself!!

Sage was a little fussy so I wanted to open the new $1.99 toy key chain I just bought him to keep him entertained for the last errand and our trip home. This was when my day got worse.....when the knife I was using to cute the stupid zip tie off of the back of the $1.99 toy, slipped and went into my finger. The blood gushed good, which I expected because finger cuts always bleed really bad. I was not prepared for the flap of skin and grossness found below the flap of skin.

Long story short, my go-to RN (aka, sister in law) was in town and I had her check it out and made the decision to have someone look at it, just to be sure.

Of course, my doctor was the ONLY one with an opening at that time. Not the on-call doc, not a PA but my doc who I knew was going to give me a serious load of you-know-what because of this little incident. And the fact that I had just left his office an hour before.

He glued my finger back together, laughing the whole time (Im so happy I can keep him entertaind) and told me to "behave, not mess with knives"...sounds just like my husband.

So all before noon I was told I wont have this baby anytime soon, faced a stupid snake in a store parking lot and attempted to cut my finger off.

Its safe to say, I am better off staying home for the remainder of the day. Its safer for all involved.

Almost Done

Only a few more days!!! Depending on the nursing situation at the hospital (according to my doc) I could be induced on Thursday, September 23 or Monday, September 27. Thursday really works better for us, and not just because its 4 days sooner. I will be home that Sunday or so, and babysitting for the other 2 kiddos is much easier on the weekends.

Last week at my appointment my blood pressure was back up. My swelling is getting worse, and there are some symptons in my urine that they have been kinda waiting for. Basically, the pre-eclampsia could be starting again. This time, though, I am 37 weeks instead of 29 weeks. As my doctor said, if things get worse, we induce earlier rather then later.

Im really not worried this time around. Maybe because I know what to expect. Maybe because I did the preemie thing with Sage so a 37 or 38 weeker doesnt really phase me.

Im excited that he will be here soon, and I am very excited to not be pregnant, but at the sametime, I am just not finding the balance needed with 2 kiddos. Im not ready to have to split myself in 3rds versus in half and share again. I know I will be the moment he gets here, but as of now I am loving spending my time with Piper and Sage. Its hard to believe that I will be able to add in another little one and still be able to give the attention to them that they need and deserve.

So exhausted

I tell people I am tired and they nod in agreement, probably because I look like I have been run over by a mac truck. I know that the moms know how I feel, but Im not sure they actually remember how exhausting and sore they were 3 weeks before they had their little darlings. I know I certainly dont rememeber feeling this crappy with Piper.

Just to let everyone know just how tired (and slightly more then irritated) I was last night, I had a snake encounter and didnt have the energy or desire to flip out. Well, not totally, I wanted to flip out but I wasnt sure exactly how I could get my aching body on the hood of my Durango without causing some major injury to myself, the car or whatever dog happened to be under me when I fell off.

After cleaning the whole kitchen (that was clean this weekend however the pizza fairy left boxes and left overs all over the place, along with a sick full of dirty dishes (s)HE didnt feel necessary to attend to) putting away the groceries, while helping Piper with her homework and taking Sage back into the living room with his FATHER because he really isnt any help in the kitchen, I finally made it outside to feed the dogs (who were looking at me with big brown pleading eyes cause they think they are starving). Fed the dogs, turned to walk back into the house and there was the snake....slithering past the door and around the corner of the house.

My initial reaction was to scream, but again....energy. My other reaction was to walk to the other side of the house and go in that door...but again...energy. So I sucked it up, hoped the snake was around the corner enough that I wouldnt have a baby in the landing, and walked to the front door and into the house. (I did make sure to shut the door TIGHTLY) behind me.)

Went into living room and asked my dear husband if he would please go kill the snake by the door.

"What?"
"Please go kill the snake by the door. The one I just calmly and rationally had to walk past to get into the house and I am not having a fit about it. Go kill it."
"Where is it?"
"The door, the porch, the place I am always worried they will get into because someone doesnt shut the door tightly all the time and you say, they wont get there, they dont come that close to the house."
"Oh, that door."
"Yes, please go kill him."

Turns out it was just a little guy, a harmless water snake about 16 inches long (I cant believe I just wrote that out....uhhh...harmless and little in reference to a snake BY MY HOUSE) and he has since been sent to where snakes go when they have losing battle with a shovel. I dont care. He isnt in my house and he isnt in my yard anymore.

There you have it....I didnt have the energy to flip out over a snake. If that doesnt tell you something, well then nothing will.

How Ironic

At my baby check up yesterday I made the decision to have a tubal ligation after Brannon is delivered. The induction is set for September 23 and on September 24 they will do the tubal. I also found out yesterday that I will still need the flippin' epidural done. I have avoided an epi like the black plague for 8 years and have no reason to think I would need one for Brannon's delivery. I am not anti-drugs while in labor, oh no, I am all for them, but I am terrified beyond belief of the stupid needle in my spine, therefore, I dont get epidurals. Yep, bring on the pain and keep the damn needle as far away from me as possible. Now I find out that because my husband is a big baby, I will have to have one anyway to get my tubes tied. I dont need one to have a baby, but I need one to not have a baby. The irony is not lost on me.

Ok, so he isnt a big baby...well, ya, he kinda is but regardless, its makes more sense financially to have the tubal done as my insurance will cover more of it then will over the procedure for him. He is lucky because otherwise he would be putting on his big boy pants and dealing with it.

Infestation

Grasshoppers. That our infestation. A real infestation, not the kinda I invent in my head when I think there may be a snake in the front yard but I am convinced there are hundreds of them out there.

I mean, THOUSANDS of grasshoppers. Don't believe me....check out the picture....thats a very small portion of the recently departed critters in my front yard. Hubby sprayed for them again this morning and now, they are dead. The ground literally looked like it was moving before. Now I have thousands of little critter corpses but hey, Im ok with that. Especially after being covered in grasshopper guts while weed-wacking around my flower bed yesterday.

They eat everything. Well so far, everything but weeds (of course). Including our alfalfa, potatos, tomatos, you name it, they will eat it. Then after we make that list we can talk about the grasshopper guts I had in my mail because one got smashed in the mailbox. The ones who made it into my car before I remember to shoot the windows (that was early on in the invasion). They have no purpose here....they must go.

And they did.

RIP little critters. You will NOT be missed.

9 month appt and......

WE ARE FINALLY ON THE GROWTH CHARTS!!!!

Whoohoo....I would say visualize me doing a happy dance right now but thats probably not a vision anyone wants or needs right now.

At 9 months old Little Man weighs 16lbs 11oz and is 26 inches long. That puts him on the full term growth charts for the first time EVER. Albeit the 3rd percentile but hey, its a goal that I had for him to be on the charts before he was a year, and he is.

My little man is a rockstar!

World of Convenience

My dear husband has an issue. He feels we are living in a world that accepts laziness and expects convenience.

I understand and dont disagree with this statement. Being 8 months pregnant and typically having a 9 month old child with me when I go places, I tend to enjoy a world of conveniences.

So does hubby, but I dont think he will ever admit it.

Right now his rant is his recent discovery of drive thru windows at pharmacies. Really, I dont know where he has been, these are not a new concept but hey...he just experienced it for the first time last week and he has had issues with it since.

It all started innocently enough....I had to refill a prescription. Simple enough and he was going to town anyway, so we (I) invited ourselves along. **Sounds so much better when I blame the baby also**

I told him to pull up to the drive thru window....he looked at me like I was crazy.

"What?"
"The drive thru window. That place right in front of you that has 2 lanes, and works like McDonalds."
"They have a drive thru at the pharmacy?" I took this as a question but apparently, judging by the look I got, it was more of a statement.
"Yes, they do...why?"
"We live in such a lazy world. Everything is convenient, everyone expects things to be convenient."
"Yeah....so?" Big mistake
"A pharmacy? If your to lazy to get out of your car and pick up your prescription then you shouldnt be leaving your house."
"Or you might be leaving your house only to pick up your meds and are unable to get out of your car because of an illness or, oh I dont know, a 9 month old, 16lb baby that takes more time to get out of the car seat and into the store then it does to be in the store."
"Well, whatever....its sad."
"Its reality."

At this time we find out my script isnt ready yet, so we drive around to get something to drink. Pulling into the McDonald's I comment on how packed the parking lot is and he says "thats why we are going to the drive thru."
"Oh we are now...feeling to lazy to stand in line or just wanting the convenience of not getting out of the car?" HA, take that Mr. Lazy and Convenient

Going back to the pharmacy he pulls into the parking lot, bypasses the drive thru and parks. Then he looks at me.
"Seriously" I say....
"Seriously" he replies. Damn, thats why you dont smart off to the driver.
"This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen you do. You are really having problems with the drive thru pharmacy thing and I think you need to seek some professional help."
"Maybe so but right now, I am not using the drive thru and your not driving so its my call."
"Big baby"

OK, so maybe it wasnt one of our more mature conversations but still....he has a seriously problem. I think Mr. Lazy and Convenient needs to think about the food drive thrus he uses, the pay at the pump gas stations, the remote control, microwaves, cell phones and various other means of "convenience" before he starts in on the drive thru pharmacy.

However being a man, he never will. And even if he does, he certainly wont share his thoughts with me, espcially when he realizes that I am right :-)

Mr. Independent

Oh boy....here we go!!

He is soooo close to being mobile its scary. Well, he is very mobile with crawling, which he started doing in Michigan while we visitied my parents. No more frogger :-( But now, we got him a new toy....a Fisher Price singing walker. The kind they can sit in front of or walk behind...and Little Man is L-O-V-I-N-G walking!!

In the past 5 days he has gone from pushing the walker slowly to pushing fast to pulling himself up on the walker without any help and walking wherever he wants and now he will walk next to me while I hold just 1 of his hands!!!

It wont be long and my Little Man will be walking all by himself. Im excited and scared all at the sametime!!!

Finally had THAT appointment

Uhhh....all the mommas out there know which one I am talking about. The one where the doc looks at you and says "you gained alot of weight this month". With a certain "look" that can only be compared to your kindergarten teacher standing over your desk, looking disapprovingly at the messy paper of colors not within the lines of the picture.

Yep, thats the one. I have been waiting for it for a few months. It happens every pregnancy, but in the first 2, it was in months 4/5. At least this time it was month 6. A few weeks later and frankly, I wasnt suprised. I was surpised at how much, but not that it was more then usual. Then I thought to myself, I just had a birthday and attended a 4th of July party, then had another supper celebration at my mother in laws house with more great food and cake, plus I had cake here.....so yea, I guess I cant be to surprised with how much I put on.

Still sucks regardless of the reasons. Thats why my goal for my next appointment, which is in 2 weeks because as my doc says, I am special like that, is to put on NO MORE the 2 lbs but I would prefer to not put on anything. Then I will have put on alot of weight in 6 weeks instead of 4 and that is better, right???

Now if you will please excuse me, I have some homemade chocolate chip cookies to make........

Back Up "Hired" Help

Being a ranch wife means alot of things. Among things like gate guards, errand girl (only screwed up rake teeth once, yeah me!), chef (ok, not one I participate in as of yet) and back up hired help.

Well.....not sure about the hired part but back up help for sure.

This happens to be one of my favorite parts.....I love,love, LOVE being "another body" when we move cows, and I am very happy driving out into the hills to check water. Today I found my way into the hayfield.


I didnt mind, I volunteered for the job and I was happy to do it. It wasnt terribly hot, the wind was cool and blowing (for Shawn is was a royal pain, but perfect for me and my mission) and I wasnt out there that long.


The most amusing part when when hubby was "teaching" me how to drive the tractor. The conversation went something like this:


Me:Turn the key to start it?
Him:No, just push this button over here


Me:Where are the brakes?
Him: Over there but they dont really work so just use the clutch *Got it..clutch to stop*


Me:How come Im not moving?
Him: Take it out of Neutral and put it in Low.
Me: It is out of Neutral and on Low *duh, I do know that much*
Him: Well, push it a little past Low, till it stops moving...dont worry about the grinding sound, just keep pushing until it starts to move....about 1/2 between Low and High but closer to High *great...grinding is an OK sound*


Him:Make sure the discer is up when you turn the corner
Me: Ok, how do I do that?
Him: Push this lever under the seat down to move it up and up to move it down, but not to far down because then it wont work, just a little ways down and a little ways up...just try it until you see it move but make sure you are watching where your going at the sametime, dont hit the fence when you do that. Make a sharpe turn, but not to sharp, dont want to clip the discer on the tires.
Me: OK. Watch discer behind me yet watch where I am driving at the sametime...check. *Keep in mind that I am 7 months pregnant, so the lever UNDER the seat is not in the easiest place for me to reach. That whole bending at the waist thing....*

Me:What do I do if I see a critter?
Him:Run it over but only get the porcuppines with the discer not the tires. The quills will go right through the tires and that bad. And expensive.
Me: Ok, avoid critters.
Him: No, run them over, just not with the tires.
Me: Like I said, avoid critters.
Him: OK.

All in all, it was a success!! The rows were fairly straight and I didnt miss many areas. I didnt hit a fence, snag the discer on the tires, or hit a critter. I did get 2.5 hours outside of my house, away from my kiddos, without TV or my cell phone. I had my I-pod but the battery died so after an hour, it was just me and sounds of the wind and the tractor. I was dirty, wind blow and sunburned and happier then I had been in awhile. Its amazing what a break will do for a mom/pregnant chick. An afternoon outside without any crying or diapers or food in hair (mine and his) does wonders for my mental health. I am sure there are lots and lots of cowboys who would disagree with me but to bad boys, thats my story and I am sticking to it!

Happy Birthday!!

Dear Stinkerbell,

I cant believe that you are 8 years old today!! Seems like just yesterday I was sitting in the hospital in Midland looking down at your sweet baby face and wondering about all the adventures we would have together.

We have had many!!! I think back to all the mischief you caused and the laughter that I couldnt hold in during most of that mischief making. We had traveled and laughed, sang songs and read books. You became the little woman and friend I always hoped you would become.

I miss you terribly while you are gone and I hate not spending your birthday with you. Its so nice to hear your voice and know that you are having a good time and happy. Doesnt change the fact that we miss you, but it does help to know you are happy.

I look forward to when you come back and we can sit and talk again like we have done many times. Your not my baby girl anymore, but you will always be my little girl. You will always be the ONLY girl, and I am sure with 2 younger brothers, that will be a good thing for you to fall back on! We will need our girl time, just us and I cannot wait for the mischief we will cause when those days happen.

I love you very much, and I have enjoyed being your mom every step of the way. You have already because such a beautiful young lady and while I would love to stop time and keep you my little girl at the sametime I look forward to watching you continue to grow in the young woman I know you will be.

Happy Birthday my Stinkerbell,
Love always and forever,
Momma

Cheerio Coma

Many moms spend hours and days looking for something to help their kiddos fall asleep. I didnt have to.....he found it all by himself. Cheerios act as a sedative for Little Man :-)

There 2 pictures are from Day 2 and Day 3 of lunchtime "Cheerio Coma". Day 1 my camera batteries were dead and I didnt take a picture of it today because while its super cute to see him sleeping in what would be extrememly uncomfortable positions to people without the flexibility of babies, I dont want to be considered obsessive in the photo op department.

My Little Man keeps me entertained, even when sleeping!

Guard Dogs.....or not.

Vicious looking aren't they? Husker and Junior are 2 of the BEST dogs I have ever owned. And I grew up with collies and a wonderful german shepherd. These two take the cake. Both are amazing with my kiddos, good in the house and for the most part, dont leave the yard. Except at night, when Husker makes his nightly "rounds" to check on all the cows and whatever else he feels he needs to supervise. Oh yea, and they are best buds also, obviously by looking at the picture of them.

Husker is our cow dog and while he is still learning, its in his blood and something that is natural for him. He has quickly become one of hubby's best helpers. He will head down to the meadow across the street and if the calves are out, or close to out, he will go put them back without being told. Thats a good cow dog!!

Junior is DH hunting buddy and while he hasnt hunted with him in awhile, he is still good at what he is trained to do. He can track and point out a pheasant without any problems, even with 1 eye.

Great friends, companions and workers. However they are apparently lacking in the guard dog department.

This became very evident to us yesterday when we took this picture out the boys bedroom window:

This little buck walked through out backyard, not 10 feet from the house and maybe 30 feet from sleeping beauty #1 and #2. Yes, sleeping. Very soundly. Sound enough that this little guy hung out back there, eating some leaves and grass and rubbing his neck on the branch before casually wandering back into the hills behind the house.

Yep...my guard dogs missed him.

They can find a skunk 1/2 mile away and go make friends with him (which is why they are spending extra time outside these days) but they miss the deer in the backyard, 30 feet from their heads.

Good thing they are cute!

7 Month Mile Stone

What a BIG BOY!! One day before his 7 month birthday Little Man started standing on his own! He has been pulling himself up for a week or so now, on Daddy's legs and on the couch, but today was the first time he did it all by himself!

I am so proud of my little man. He had a rough start at life in the NICU and being so tiny. He is a little small for his actual age but his gestational age of 5.5 months, he is right in the middle. He is doing his version of crawling, which looks more like "the worm" but it gets him where he wants to go. He is such a happy little boy, he makes me very proud to be his mommy.

It's a BOY!!!!

Its offical...baby #3 can now be called baby BOY Hanna. The ultrasound tech today said she was extrememly confindent in letting us know this one is a boy....and a very proud one at that. Much like his older brother.

Extremely squirmey and not horribly interested in participating in things like measurments of his head or legs, but we finally got it done. Little Man was the same exact way. I guess I just always thought ultrasounds took 90 minutes, because all of mine have.

We are now moving on the the name game. Hubby and I can only agree on a girls name, which is exactly why we have 2 boys. I still have my favorite I am holding out for, and he actually seems to be caving in slightly. I wont tell until it is official which probably wont happen until the delivery.

I am excited about 2 boys. I have my girl and she is more then enough!! I am excited to be the mom of boys, especially that close together. I am sure they will grow up to be friends and enemies, teammates and competitors, and most of all, best friends. What more can a mom ask for!!!

You get what you ask for

I belong to a baby message board for moms of kiddos born in December 2009 (when Little Man was actually due) and September 2010. I have learned alot from the ladies on this board. The most important thing is that when you ask a question, your going to get an answer. From these answers I have also learned that I am a terrible mother.

How can I be a terrible mom with 2 1/3 healthy, happy children? I will tell you....in no particular order, many of the reasons I and others have been ripped apart by the "perfect" mothers of the world:
-I eat deli meat, often times with mayo
-I feed my son formula (aka as rat posion)
-I use a bumper in the kiddos cribs
-I let my kiddo CIO (cry it out)
-I dont measure each and every ounce of food that Little Man eat.
-I drink caffiene. Mt. Dew to be specific.
-I sleep on my stomach (when possible). Or at least how I am most comfortable but apparently I should be sleeping on my left side. Or maybe the right.
-I dont wash baby clothes in "special detergent" - I am only SEMI bad in this catagory...I did at first, but now that its run out, I use regular detergent.
-I ride horses, ski, snowmobile, go to football games and have FUN when I am pregnant. Or try to at least.
-I have no problem leaving my children with my very capable family, so that hubby and I can have sometime to ourselves.
-I take my infants outside well before the 6 weeks recommendation....and much sooner then the one lady who hasnt left her house in the 4 months since her child was born.
-I trust my husband to take care of the kiddos. This one really makes me sad...I cant imagine not trusting my husband alone with OUR kids. I didnt know what I was doing when Stinkerbell was born and people left me alone to figure it out. How is it any different for the guys?"
-I take my babies into a bar (lol....gotta know where I live to understand this one :-)
-I dont make people sanitize their hands before holding my kiddos.
-My daughter drinks soda and eats candy.
-I drink soda and eat candy.
-I dared to put my 4mth old on an airplane!! THEN I did it again at 6mths and will again at 8mths. In November I will put my 1 year old and 1 month old on an airplane.
-I take medication to help with my post partum depression that starts during my pregnancies. Apparently if I cut out caffiene and visualize a happy place, that will make it all better. I dont think we should talk about what happens to me when I cut out caffiene....lets just say its better for all involved if I drink the Mt. Dew.
-I dont enjoy being pregnant
-I am not supportive of the need for "pregnancy photos".
-I follow my babies leads more then the American Academy of Pediatrics "recommendations".
-I use a family physician....not a pediatrician or an OB. Same doc all rolled into one. I trust him completely.
-I use a doctor, not a doula or midwife. And I am perfectly OK with medications during pregnancy.
-I dont understand the concept of home births, water births or silent births. At the sametime, the people on the boards who participate in those methods cant understand why I would want my child born into a "harsh instituion". That would be the hospital.
-My children will not be in the room when Baby #3 is born. Neither will my parents or in-laws, photographers or newspaper reporters.
-I put my infants in their cribs as soon as they come home. Little Man was the exception to the rule but only because his room wasnt ready. Baby #3 goes into the crib as soon as we get home.
-I dont co-sleep. Hubby and I can barely make it through the night without stealing the covers or someone ending up on the very edge....put a baby in there also and oh my.......
-My 6mth old is currently playing with an empty potato chip bag and watching TV....I am sure he is scarred for life.
-I vaccinate.

The list really does go on and on and on. Its sad isn't it? That in this day when there is so much going on in the world, so much bad stuff, moms cant unite together and at least agree to disagree on the methods each uses to raise their children. At least be polite. I mean, these boards can get nasty! One mom made the comment in regards to an article about the benefits of formula feeding (because FF moms often get raked over the coals for their decision) that stated "since she couldnt find anything nice to say about the rat poison we willing feed out children, she wouldnt say anything at all."

I feel sorry for the first time moms who dont have any idea that its OK to follow the guidelines but do what works best for you. That each person has an opinion and is more then willing to share that opinion but its up to the mom to determine what is the best option for them. I always say "this is what works for me" or "I tried this and it worked great but it might not for you". Others are not so friendly and put out there "I do it this way because the AAP says I should and any other way is bad for your baby".

In a perfect world the moms could come together and help raise our kiddos to be good people. Happy, healthy people. I believe that this starts in the beginning, with acceptance of people with different ideas and perspectives on life. No two people are the same, no two babies or family situations are identical so what would make anyone think that everyone should do everything exactly the same? Its in the decision making that makes us individuals. If we cant even accept the fact that people will make different decisions regarding the raising of their children, how can we expect people to accept different decisions when they get older?

Your FIRED!!!

For those of you who dont know me well I need to inform you that I am PARANOID of snakes. I am a total irrational freak when it comes to snakes and I am ok with that. I have survived 30 years like this and I dont anticipate that changing anytime soon.

My hubby assured me that while we live in an area where their are very large, very mean snakes, our dogs will take care of them. Junior specifically....he is a snake killer! He will bark at them, get them to strike at him and when they stretch out, he grabs and shakes and kills them dead. PERFECT FOR ME.

Well, not quite "perfect"....that would mean there weren't any snakes anywhere within a 100 mile radius but since my husband doesn't believe that is going to happen, second best is a snake killing dog.

I found out today just how "reliable" the snake killer is. Or isn't is the better term.

The dogs started barking insanely and I thought the dreaded UPS man has pulled in the drive way. I looked out the window just in time to see the snake strike at the boys. Yes, Husker was helping but he didnt last long...he ran and hid and left Junior to take care of the snake all alone. I wasn't to worried...after all, he was a "snake killer"!

Junior barked and barked and the snake coiled and struck out at him. They repeated this little dance several times while I waited and watched. Waiting for the kill! Waiting for my hero to rescuse me from the 4 foot snake that was 6 feet from the window.

My hero seemed to have a different idea as he continued to bark and circle and bark. For 30 minutes. Yes....MINUTES!!! Apparently the "killer" instinct takes time to formulate a plan. In the mean time, I am proceeding to flip out. To which I needed no plan for. Its just a natural talent I have.

The approved method for sandhillers to kill the snakes is the shovel method. Wacking them in half or 3rds, or really however many times you feel necessary to kill them. This is not a method I approve of. Do you know how close I have to get to wack a snake with a shovel???

Hubby said my approved method was to shoot them. OK, that would have been fine and I would have done it except for the fact that the gun I know how to use was in the pick up that hubby had out on the ranch with him. I debated just grabbing one from downstairs but thought better of it when I realized I didnt know what kind of ammunition to use in which gun, and would probably end up blowing off my hand and missing the snake.

I called my dad (in Michigan) and asked him for help and he recommended the shovel method. I reminded him how close I would have to get and that wasnt going to happen. I called my mom (in Michigan) and she agreed the shovel method wasnt going to happen, to close (thanks mom!). I called my mother in law who said the shovel method was an option but not one she would use, just to encourage the dog. Father in law didnt answer the phone.

Why didn't I call hubby...well because his phone was in the living room right next to where I was sitting. Gotta love hubbies and cell phones....I still don't know why we pay for one for him.

Finally, as I was pacing in the house, cancelling my plans for the gardens in the front and side yards, I hear the barking slow. I go to check it out thinking that the "killer" found his instinct.

Not so much. He was instead laying down about 4 feet from the snake.....his exhaustion kicking in. The snake was also uncoiling so I guess he was tired also. They needed a "time out" from the mutual hate and agression for each other. That whole "pretending to bite" on both sides was exhausting.

Finally....hubby appeared in the window. He was ready to kill the snake...with a shovel. I choose at this time to start yelling at him through the window and he ignored me. Rightfully so until he killed the snake. THEN the dog jumped into the game. Once it was dead. Yep...he's a killer all right.

Hubby came into the house and I told him "we have to talk about the snake killer" and he said "What about him?"

REALLY????

"He is FIRED" was my reply. We are going back to my original plan of ringing the entire front yard with moth balls and planting marigolds along the sidewalks to the garage. And anything else I could find when I googled "how to protect your yard from snakes".

"Well, he needed his partner in crime to distract the snake so he could move in for the kill. He has only killed 2 or 3 in his life, he is still learning."

My fearless defender is a rookie.

My husband had me convinced that it was safe to walk into the yard KNOWING my paranoia because Junior, the snake killer, would go with me and protect me. He conveniently left out the part about Junior needed back up to take out the reptile. I may never forgive him for that.

I may never walk outside again. I know that isnt an option but I can tell you the odds of my having my boots on everytime I leave the house is extremly high.

As for the "snake killer" he is currently resting in the sun. It took alot of energy to entertain a 4 foot snake for 30 minutes. Or as my hubby says, a 16 inch snake...but why should Ibelieve him. HE is the one who also told me that Junior had a black belt in snake killing and we all know the truth behind that now dont we. Its a good thing he is cute...and that goes for BOTH of them.


The standoff begins.
He looked to me like he was 4 feet long....this picture just doesnt show it.

No Touch Zone

I am one of those pregnant people that give other pregnant chicks a bad rap. There is nothing fun or exciting, to me, about being pregnant.

1) I find nothing amusing about my ribs and bladder being used as part of a circus act, especially in the middle of the night.

2) The "miracle of life" hits me when the baby is here, not before. Prior to delivery its more like that scene from Alien when the Alien crawls itself out of Sigourney Weaver's stomach.

3) I dont glow. Its excess oil on my face and its also causing my break outs. So lets not talk about it because mentioning "the glow" simply makes me think about my zits. Thanks.

4) Touching. Why do people, friend or foe, feel it necessary to touch my increasing waist line???

Its the last one that had me going today. I just dont understand what is so amusing about touching my stomach? So you run the chance of maybe getting kicked....its not that much fun. Or maybe it is and I am just missing the amusement. Either way.....as far as I am concerned, it isnt ok to touch.

I wondered if Iwas alone in my feelings so I posted an informal poll on the internet baby website that I am member of asking just that. The responses were not all that surpising to me.....the poll and resulting answers were:

Are you ok with people touching your belly?
Yes - Doesnt bother me at all.
No - Stay away, stay far, far away.
Depends on who it is.

As I expected, the results were mostly for "depends on who it is with 42 out of the 70 responderes choosing that option. If I was a more understanding pregnant person I could see this option. However I am not. Even fully medicated, I am not. And my doc says my welbutrin is about as high of a dosage as he is willing to go so I guess the world it outta luck in that catagory.

I was a bit more suprised that so many people, 16 in fact, said that they didnt have any problem with people touching their belly's. Thats something I cant even get a grasp on....just being ok with people, family or not, just walking up, putting their hand on your stomach and hoping to feel the baby moving. Umm...NOOOOOO!

There are at least 12 other people who understand my position because they belong to the same group. I like to think we are the normal ones even if we are the minority.

I will add here that my discomfort does not apply to my hubby or my kiddos. Stinkerbell thinks its amusing and while I creeps me out, I allow her to. I worry more about scarring her for life and the resulting therapy bills if I dont just let her feel the baby kicking. Hubby, thankfully is just as weirded out by the whole thing as I am, so he isnt overly touchy feeling. Well, he isnt overly touchy feeling period, I just dont bother him about it when I am pregnant. I think that is his favorite part, lol!!

My feelings do expand to my family, much to my moms dismay. Sorry mom, I know your reading this. Just understand that it isnt just you.....anyone who dares runs the risk of losing a limb.

I cant help my feelings....and I wont apologize. Its how I am....cant change it and I wont try. No reason to....only a few more months and then I am done...yahooo!!!!!!!

I am THAT mom

Its official. I am THAT mom. THAT mom of THAT child. You know...the child who screams on the airplane for 2 hours and 13 minutes out of a 2 hour and 33 minute flight.

Yep, that was me.

I did it to myself. When the nice lady who was traveling with her 3 month old daughter asked "does he travel well?" I should have said "nope...he is a holy terror" but oh no...I said "yes, he is great!".

Me and my big mouth.

He was so good on the last flight...it was only 2 months ago...what happened to my agreeable, snuggly baby boy?? I must have left him in Nebraska cause he sure didnt make the flight with me.

Maybe something happened to him in security....maybe something in the screening process fried the agreeable genes and left me with his evil twin.

I mean he found new levels in his voice that didnt know a boy could hit. Even a boy child shouldnt be able to scream at that pitch. I hope there weren't any small animals in cargo cause he probably caused them much pain.

Mariah Carey has trouble reaching those notes!!

Oh my I tried everything....I had extra bottles and he took them all within 45 minutes of the flight. I gave him tylenol TWICE, didnt work. I rocked, I begged, I PLEADED. I even promised him a pony but that didnt work.

Thankfully the plane was full of kids and many of them were making noise. Of course, for Little Man this was a competition. And he wasnt going down without a fight. A LOUD fight.

He won.

Yes, another Mom O' the Year day for me...keep me posted friends on the blog world and if anyone posts anything about the obnoxious child on Frontier Flight 222 into Detroit on May 18th please let me know....I need to send an apology letter.

And somehow prepare myself for the return flight on Saturday....oy!!!!

Baby #3 update

The update on baby #3 is that their big brother stole the show at the doctors office. Yeppers, Sage had his flirty face going big time this morning as he attempted to charm his way out of his car seat and into the arms of anyone who was willing to rescue him.

Seriously....I spent more time talking about Sage, who our doctor and nurse see all to often lately because of me and my "issues", then we did talking about the reason for my appt which was baby #3.

Here is the jist of the appt (post Sage Rage):
Dr. M: Anything you want to talk about?
Me: Can you increase my Welbutrin?
Dr. M: Why (giving me that look)?
Me: Well I realized that I am on a lower dose then last time and I can tell the difference. So can my husband.
Dr. M: Done...anything else?
Me: Nope, I am good.

Now this is where it gets interesting. You need to know my doc to really get the visual...he is about 6'3" and reminds me alot of House. You know...the incredibly frank, outspoken and subtle doctor on television. Well Dr. M isnt nearly as rude (at least to me) but he is as subtle and to the point as a person can get and I really like him. Anyway....

Dr. M: (sideways glance which tells me he is starting to tred in murky waters but he is going to do it anyway) I know its early to talk about this but have you.....thought about....birth control...."
Me: (cutting him off) you mean the permanment kind right? We talked about this? Did you forget already....one of us is getting permanently fixed." (how can he forget these things...my kids will be 11 months apart...OF COURSE I thought about birth control!!)
Dr. M: Ok, well I thought you said something about it before but it was an emotional time and I....
Me: Doc...it was probably the only rational thing that did come out of my mouth in that week/month after finding out.
Dr. M: OK, just checking to make sure.
Me: Dont worry, I will remind you again.
Dr. M: I am sure you will.

We did do important stuff like check the heartbeat (good and strong) and measure my increasing size (good and growing...YUCK!!!) and we did schedule the Ultrasound for Monday morning! That is exciting and Stinkerbell will be accompanying me on this one. Hubby has to go to a branding and wont be able to get out of it (unless Mother Nature actually gives us rain when we want, but that never happens) and she really wants to go. Next time I post I should be able to say if we are Team Pink or Team Blue.

Knowing our luck, we will stay Team Green...my kids have a way of making life interesting.

NICU Mom

I always knew I wanted to be a mom. In kindergarten when teacher asked "what do you want to be when you grow up" my reply was "a mommy". Probably because I had such a great roll model in my mom.

Regardless of why, it was all I ever wanted. I got my wish in June 27, 2002 when Stinkerbell made her appearance. My girlie girl, my future partner in crime was perfectly healthly. And rearing to go.

What I didnt except to be was a NICU mom. I dont think any one who belongs to this club ever expects to be a member however its a very large group. I joined this club on November 3, 2009 with my 34 weeker weighing 4lbs 3oz.

Joining the NICU club is tough regardless. However being a MOM before a NICU mom was especially difficult. I was already predisposed to the mommy thought process of "its ok, I will make it better." The kick to the stomach for NICU moms is that we cant make it better. If we had the ability and skill set to make it better then our babies wouldnt be in the NICU. They wouldnt be hooked up to monitors and feeding tubes. They would be in the hospital room with us and not in an incubator. We would be the first ones to change their diapers not the nurses. We could hold them as soon as their were born and not have to wait till the following day (or much longer for some NICU mommies). Instead of learning to sounds of our babies cries, we learned the sounds that each monitor makes when things aren't quite right. We also learn the difference of sounds in relation to a problem with our babies, and a loose wire.

We gage our lives in terms of grams and ounces, minutes and hours.

NICU moms learn how to put 1 foot in front of the other as we walk down the hall, away from our babies, out the front door and into the car for home. With an empty car seat in the back. I thought it would get easier, but never did. I held on tight to hubby's hand so I couldnt turn back. He did the same to mine.

I dont know about the rest of the club members but I faced alot of guilt when I looked at my NICU baby. I wondered what did I do wrong? Why did my body have to turn on us and put us in that situation? Especially with this being my second pregnancy and the first was completely normal. What did we do to deserve this and why was my baby all hooked up to IV's and tubes instead of home with us? Its a guilt I still struggle with and probably will for a long time.

I am a lucky NICU mom. My baby only stayed 13 days. Many, MANY babies stay for months. Many NICU babies dont make the walk down the hall with their parents. Instead they make the journey to heaven.

My NICU baby is still a little guy, but what he lacks in size he makes up for in personality. Little Man commands attention and if you dont give it, then he will just command LOUDER! Stinkerbell is the best big sister in the whole world and together, my kiddos are perfectly wonderful. What more could any mom ask for!

On this Mother's Day I celebrate the mom I became on June 27, 2002 and the mom I became on November 3, 2009. Both taught me lessons about myself and both changed my life forever. Both made me the mommy I am today. I also find myself thinking about the moms spending their Mother's Day listening to the humming of monitors and feeling the heat of the temperature controlled NICU. I hope they each have one of those little moments each lives for. A gram gained, an extra ounce taken, a look of recognition when they talk to their babies. Happy Mothers Day to all the mommies!

Oh Daddy!

All momma's know that getting you kiddos into a routine is essential and at times, close to impossible. Just when you get them focused something (or someone) comes along and messes it all up.

Or in their words "helping".

Hubby is a huge help, I wont even pretend for the sake of my blog that he is anything but a great daddy! He gets up with him when he knows I am exhausted or having trouble sleeping. He plays with him all the time, gives baths, even changes his fair share of non-poopy diapers....he is great with Little Man. Which is why I didnt think having him feed Little Man his dinner/supper a few nights ago would be a big deal.

Apparently he needed more instuction then "1 tbsp of cereal mixed with formula and 1 container of baby food, he will eat it all". Then I left to go pick up Stinkerbell. Came home, everything is gone, everyone is happy and life is good.

Fast forward to the following day....I followed the same steps I had instructed hubby with however this time....Little Man refused. He refused everything. He spit it out all over his high chair and me (he is getting good at aiming for my glasses). I couldnt figure out what was wrong....he was hungry as he wanted to eat, he would just spit out all his cereal. Was it to hot? No, temp was good....was it to thick?....Nope...same as always. Did it taste funny?...it always tastes funny but not worse then normal. As I am sitting there begging my 5 month old to tell me what was wrong by using his indoor voice and nice words, in comes hubby. He takes one look at the disaster that is me attempting to feed Little Man and he says "you dont mix them together?"

Hmmm, well....lets try that and VOILA...we have a happy, hungry Little Man.

It isnt a big deal by any means. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a "winging it" kinda girl. Whatever works is what we go with so mixing his food and cereal is good with me. However it was not included in the instructions I left with daddio therefore it was not on the top of my list of things to try. Leave them alone for a few minutes of guy bonding time and it results in a 25 minute ordeal that resulted in my tasting the baby cereal.

I can promise you that after tasting it I wouldnt eat that junk either without mixing it with something else! YUCK!!!!!

The Circle Continues

There are moments in life that words cant express. Well, I never seem to run out of words to express myself but hubby is a quiet man. He doesnt say much and he certainly doesnt talk about his feelings or emotions. So its lucky for him I am always armed with my camera so I can capture those nonexistent emotions on his face!

The look on his face in that picture is the proudest I think I have ever seen him.

Horses are an major part of our life. Not only are they a key "tool" for working on the ranch, they are friends, therapist (for me and him though he will never admit it) and occasionally (until the age of about 9) babysitters. Our kids are around horses from the time they are born and our horses know the kids. This is how hubby was raised, its how I wish I was raised and it is how our children are being raised.

I dont think there is anything that could have made my cowboy any happier and more proud in life then taking his son on his first horseback ride. Except for the fact that our Little Man obviously has the "horse fever" as he loved it as much as his daddy did.

And that is how the circle continues.

Old Married Woman

Yep, thats me. I wish I could deny it. Well, the old part, but it's true. I have officially become an old married woman.

I am super excited that hubby bought me a new vaccum cleaner!!

I have killed, and yes, killed, dead, finineto one and am currently working on finishing off the second one. I do not blame myself however I am sure that hubby does to a point. Judging by the looks I get when he is sitting on the floor "fixing" them over and over, I can rest assured, he does blame me. I can't help the dog fur or the sand tracked in, however I probably could have paid a little closer attention to the paper clips, Barbie shoes, or the stringy thingy that got wrapped up and somehow managed to create a wicked burning smell minus smoke.

After walking in our house last week to the mixed aroma of something burning and Febreeze, he sat down and bought me a new one. Not brand NEW, but new to me. Used off of eBay but I am super excited. It even have a shampooer!

Hopefully this one has a much longer life expectancy then the rest of them. There is a vaccum doctor that specializes in the brand of my new cleaning partner in North Platte, so there is hope for professional intervention should this one have a mishap with a Barbie shoe. I wonder if they will give me the same look hubby does??

Language Barrier

My husband and I do not speak the same language. I know, NEWSFLASH!!! But no, seriously in this case, we do not speak the same language. I speak Midwestern Michigan and he speaks Great Plains Sandhills. We do both speak English, which is helpful. At times.


For example out here we have breakfast, dinner and supper. No Lunch. Well, do have lunch but it isnt called lunch. Lunch is dinner and dinner is supper. Throughly confused. Yep, me to and its almost been a year.


Thankfully, hubby and I are not the only couple afflected with this problem. Most of the "imported" significant others grew up eating LUNCH at noon and DINNER at 6. From Oregon to South Dakota to Michigan. Maybe its the Sandhillers who got it backwards.


Another example was provided to be my our Pastor. He is from New England yet has been here for years and he still faces the language barrier. His example was when he told his congregation that Easter dinner/supper was "dish to pass". He was met with looks of confusion until someone caught on and informed him it was called "carry in" here.


My favorite example of course involves my husband and a simple conversation of evening plans for a few days down the road. I told him we were "going to have dinner at the bar after I got back into town from picking up the girl scout cookies."


"OK" was the response. So I figured communication had happened. His receptors had successfully received my the message.


Speach Class 115....whoohooo...I DID learn something in college!


Fast forward 2 days and I am cleaning out the horse trailer at 1145am the day of cookie pick up, which didnt start until 5pm and he knew this because I had ask/begged him to drive the trailer down with me to get the cookies. He comes out to the trailer and says "Are you ready?"


"Ready for what?" Thinking "do I look ready for ANYTHING".....I am cleaning out a horse trailer that hasnt been cleaned in MONTHS and during that time has hauled horses, cows, pissed off cows and random lost calves. In nonranch wife terms (pardon my language): it was full of shit. Literally.


"Ready for dinner?"


Uh oh....message may have been received by his receptors but it was an inaccurate message on my part.


Language barrier.

"Uhhh...oops. I meant supper." He just shook his head, went into the house and proceeded to make his own dinner.


Of course there is more to that situation then just Midwestern Michigander vs. Great Plains Sandhiller speach. There is the concept that if, just IF, hubby had listened to the entire conversation about dinner/supper and meeting in town AFTER the cookies had been picked up at 5pm he MIGHT have figured it out then. He could have decoded the message he received.


Alas that is a whole different chapter in the on-going language barrier between men and women.