quick update October 31, 2009

Sorry, been bad about updating this. I am just sooo darn tired it isnt funny. I am hoping it will pass soon and I can start to feel a little more like myself. I am now officially 10.5 weeks prego. Still eating crappy food like french fries and potato chips because they tend to be the only things that make me feel better with the nausea etc. I have been a vegetarian for about 10 yrs and have been craving meat so badly all of a sudden that I have given in a little. Last week from my work cafeteria of all places I got turkey and mashed potatoes and it was delicious. Then, this week, went out to lunch and got a BLT. Nummy.  Today was craving a hot ham and cheese but my strict vegetarian husband instead got me fake ham and made me a decent sandwich at home.  I havent made a decent dinner in 4 weeks. Grocery shopping is terribly difficult when you are nauseated and without an appetite.

Took Anna trick or treating tonight. She was a little chicken and was very cute if I do say so.

Hope to post more soon. Send comments, ideas, pictures etc… actually what I do need is some new recipes/dinner ideas. Preferably vegetarian. Send some on if you wish!

random October 23, 2009

Just watched Anna fall asleep in her high chair eating an egg salad sandwich. She looked so darm cute.

8 weeks October 19, 2009

Had first Doctors appointment last week. I am now 8.5 weeks pregnant. Starting to show a little which is crazy. I guess you show earlier on your second kiddo because all the muscles have already been stretched out. Lovely. Still terribly nauseated and tired. Highly emotional as well. Yikes.  Feeling overwhelmed -which I guess is normal. Feeling nervous about having a 2 year old and a newborn. I guess people just do it. You just get through it and figure it out. We are starting to tell family and friends which is fun and sort of makes it hit home.

pregnancy October 19, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/index.html#marc_tremitiere

The above link is a great story from the NY Times about a couple who have to deliver their son emergently at home.————————————————–

Speaking of which, this woman I went to Grad school with delivered her first baby at home in her bath room. She didn’t realize she was in labor. Thought she was having gas all day. Then, started to feel a contraction or two, and then the sudden urge to push. Thankfully, her husband was home and helped until the paramedics arrived. They had a healthy little baby girl.

Pregnant again October 18, 2009

I feel like crap. I am pregnant. Yup, pregnant again with baby #2. Man, I never felt this bad with the first one. I feel miserable. wa wa wa..( me crying). I am nauseated. Not enough to actually vomit, but enough to feel on the verge of it. And the crappy thing is, it lasts ALL day long. Not just the morning or around certain smells. It is all day- morning -till bed. The only time I feel better is if I force myself to eat something and then maybe I get 30-60 mins of relief. I am starting to feel like a tug boat though because since eating makes me feel better – it is all I want to do. Yuck. Pile it on top with being very fatigued and I am a big ball of fun. Pregnancy is not always fun. For those that breeze through without any troubles, worries or complications, I hate you. No I really don’t hate you but you have no idea what it is like. Man, it is tough. I am starting to get cabin fever because I feel just sick enough to not want to do much but not sick enough to totally enjoy being cooped up. Ah… the joys of pregnancy.  On top of it all I have to keep up with an 18 mos old. What was I thinking.? I wish I had my mom to come over and make me dinner. Hopefully, it gets better soon.

quotes for the day October 12, 2009

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
-Mark Twain

random photo of the day October 9, 2009

My dog, Max. he is a cockapoo.

pizza October 9, 2009

i just went out and got both Anna and I a slice of pizza, she fell a sleep and I ate both of the slices. I am a pig.

parenting October 9, 2009

Being a parent can be hard at times. For those out there who say how easy it is for them, I think they are full of shit. I’m not saying it is always hard but there are tough times. I love my daughter, but at times it is the most challenging aspect of my life. Of course, it is also the most rewarding. I know it is an ever changing process. Just when you think you’ve escaped the tough times of no sleep with an infant and you are finally getting into a groove,  you are suddenly propelled into toddler-hood and it is a whole new ball game. For us, the past few months (ages 14mos-17 mos) were difficult. I think it is because Anna so badly wants to be verbal and express herself but doesn’t have the full vocabulary to back it up yet. It leaves her feeling frustrated.  ( as my mother in law would say, that was my one of my husbands first words: “I”M FRUSTRATED”. Now that more and more words are coming it is helping a bit.

What has been more embarrassing is when Anna attacks another kid at the play ground. The other day she literally thought the entire play ground was hers and only hers and she was ready to challenge any kid, no matter how big or small to it. To screamed at a 12 mos old, she jabbed her finger into a 3 year old’s eye and scratched another little boy. It was awful. We ended up having to leave with our tails between our legs and all the other parents were giving us dirty looks. As if I am the one that taught her that.  please. She is 18 mos old, give me a break.

It is getting a little better, but I know the terrible two’s are even worse. Being a parent, at least a good parent means being selfless. It is having to put many of your ideas, wants, wishes, plans on hold and fully giving your self to another human being. Now, you should still have some ” me” time and other interests because those outside the family interests will make you a better parent as well. I think Ryan and I recently have been having a hard time with juggling some of that. We are starting to get a little cabin fever because we are confined to our house, most nights of the week.  Often times it is one of us going out alone for the evening while the other one stays home.  Thankfully, tonight we are getting a well over due date night. Our friends Jon and Bestsy have volunteered to watch Anna for a few hours so we can go out together to dinner. THANK YOU. We do get baby sitters some times, but it gets pricey. I think that too is what makes it hard to be away from family.  Ryan and I are very lucky because we both have families that would love to watch Anna in a heart beat. Too bad we are 1500 miles away from them.

Pumpkin patch October 5, 2009

Fall

Summer vacations, road trips, National Parks October 3, 2009

What are we doing this weekend?

Today in Portland it is a bit overcast and chilly at 50 degrees. ( for those from MN be quite). We are going to take little Anna and our dog Max for are usual run around the neighborhood. Come home, have snacks, shower and then head out to Greek Fest!

Later, we are heading over to some friends for dinner.

Last night we did nothing. Well, I shouldn’t say nothing, we watched the Ken Burns series on PBS–National Parks. Oh how I love National Parks. I have only been to a hand full of them but then ones I’ve been to I’ve loved from first sight. My favorites are Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. I look forward to the day when we as a family all pile into the family automobile and road trip it out to a glorious week of camping, sight seeing, singing and fighting in the car, marsh-mellows by the fire etc. I have many a fond memory of the summer road trips from my childhood. We mostly went to various places in Minnesota and North and South Dakota. The iron range in Minnesota ( home of Bobby Dylan). The badlands of South Dakota and Mt. Rushmore.

I remember Wall Drug vividly. The cars, the souvineers, the crap. I was probably in about 6th grade when we went out there.  My sister was in 5th grade and my little brother in 2nd grade. At the time, George Bush Sr was the President and Dana Carvey from SNL was doing these great impressions of George Bush. The entire way out there I was imitating those impressions.  “Not in this juncture, wouldn’t be prudent”.  I also got in major trouble when I stole some rock, I think it was an agate, from a souvineer store. We were about 50 miles from the store when my dad caught on to my theft. Luckily for me, we were too far away to turn around and make me go return my stolen item. He still brings that incident up to this day.

I am glad there are these places called national parks that are set away to be preserved from development. The most beautiful places in America.

Anyways, as for tomorrow, I think we are going to head out towards Hood River, OR to what is called the fruit loop.  It is a loop of various farms, stores etc that sell fresh apples, pumpkins, cherries, pears, apple pie, apple cider, flowers etc.   Check it out:  http://www.hoodriverfruitloop.com/index.html

miracle on ice by little Rizzo October 1, 2009

be patient- it takes a bit to load.