After I just posted that article I looked over and noticed that my pregnancy ticker on my blog says that I have 100 days to go in this pregnancy....WOW! It has gone by quickly at times, and slower than molasses at others, but I'm almost 2/3 the way there, and I think just knowing that as of tomorrow I'll have LESS THAN 100 days - that's pretty cool.
Since we're having another little boy, and we're really set with boy stuff, I haven't done ANY shopping for this little guy. NOTHING. We have ordered a bed for Gabe, and when it arrives we'll start the transition into his "big boy room" - but other than that, no preparations have been made. It's interesting how relaxed (or lazy) I am with this baby. At this point with Gabe I was having anxiety attacks becuase I wasn't totally ready for the baby. But this time we already have a crib, pack n play, changing table, clothes, swing, bouncy seat - we're set. I even think we have some size 1 diapers still from what Gabe out-grew. I'm not saying we're ready for the baby to come tomorrow (for MANY reasons) - but we're doing alright!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
good article
I came across this article last week on msn.com and really liked it. Unlike a lot of parenting magazine articles that make me feel guilty for not doing enough - this one made me feel like I was actually doing a few things right. Hope those of you who this applies to enjoy the article.
Top 10 Beneficial Parenting Tricks -- and You're Doing Them
By Bari Nan Cohen
It's so easy to second-guess yourself in the early days (and weeks, and months, and even years) of parenting. But the truth is, it's even easier to cut yourself some slack. Every day, you're doing things that will have a lasting, positive impact on your child's development. As proof, we've come up with 10 rituals, routines, and habits that experts say will help your child grow up happier, more secure, and more socially adaptable. Next time you're having a moment of self-doubt, remember this list and give yourself a break.
1. Giving hugs and kisses and saying "I love you."
Most new moms find it hard to keep their hands off their delicious little babies and toddlers -- and that's a good thing. "Touching is as nutritious as food -- if not more nutritious," says Harvey Karp, MD, creator of the DVDs The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block. "There have been studies on babies who were given food in orphanages but not picked up, and they didn't thrive. But if they were fed and touched, they did. Any kind of touching, massage, or tickling literally nurtures them."
All that touching is contagious -- hug your kids, and they're more likely to offer hugs to you, to their friends, and even to their siblings. "For me and my husband, hugging is a way of showing our kids that we're emotionally available to them," says Rachel Fox, who lives in South Pasadena, California, with her three kids, age 6, 4, and 7 months. "Rob and I started a 'family hug' tradition when our oldest child was little. Anyone can declare it's time for a family hug, and we all drop everything, lock arms, and squeeze each other tight. As a result, all three of our kids are comfortable showering each other with affection -- whether they need comfort because we've disciplined them, or because they're celebrating something."
2. Reading stories and singing songs, especially before bedtime.
The benefits here are twofold. First, hearing stories and songs is a key component to language acquisition. Barbara Bard, PhD, a speech language pathologist and professor emerita at Central Connecticut State University, is a big fan of wordless picture books (such as Good Night, Gorilla and Good Dog, Carl), which promote conversation. "You can talk to your child about the action on every page," she says. "Good reading experiences aren't about the story; they're about the way in which you talk about the pictures."
The second benefit to books and songs is that they can help form the structure of a daily routine for your baby. For instance, singing the same lullaby before turning out the lights can create a cue for your child that it's time to go to sleep. "If you incorporate certain songs into any routine -- such as singing before mealtime, bathtime, or bedtime -- it helps your baby anticipate what's coming," Bard says.
Recent research verifies this. Sleep expert Jodi Mindell, MD, partnered with Johnson's, the baby-product company, to study babies age 7 to 18 months at bedtime. They had parents follow a routine in which they gave their baby a bath, a massage, and then a few minutes of reading or singing before bed, with a 30-minute start-to-finish rule. They found that the babies fell asleep in a third of the time that it took them before the routine was implemented. As a bonus, the babies also slept for longer stretches and had shorter nighttime waking periods. "Consistency helps," Dr. Mindell says.
3. Having conversations with your baby before he can talk.
My obstetrician loves to tease my husband, Jeff, about the fact that the minute she handed Lance to Jeff after the c-section, the new dad began introducing himself and telling our son everything he'd need to know about life. It was a torrent of words, starting with, "I'm your daddy and I love you, and this is your mommy and she loves you," then winding around to things like, "Your mom's no good at math, so when you need help with your homework, I'll do that." From that moment on, we narrated everything -- changing diapers, putting away groceries. I'd start every day by telling Lance, "First we'll change you, and then we'll go for a walk, and then we'll go to the store, and then we'll come home for lunch." To this day -- he's now 3 -- when I tell him we're going someplace, he'll respond with, "And then?"
Simply put, language begets language. "Language learning begins on day one of life, with the first cry," Bard says. "It's critical that you talk to a baby. You can engage in a one-way conversation -- 'I see you're hungry! Well, wait a minute because it takes a moment to get ready' -- and you're teaching words and concepts. You're also teaching babies how to anticipate. And if you narrate the routine, it makes kids feel safer."
4. Praising baby's accomplishments.
Obviously, building up your child's confidence is a good thing. But many parents don't realize that praise is also one of the primary ways to teach a baby words. "From 8 or 9 months, the easiest way to encourage communication is to connect what your baby is doing (putting his hands together) to what you're saying ('you're clapping!')," says DeDee Caplin, PhD, a pediatric psychologist and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Utah and the mom of Fischer, 3, and Sabine, 6. "The child has a reference point."
5. Teaching your toddler manners.
Instilling "please" and "thank you" into your child's consciousness is great for both of you. For you, it takes the edge off all those demands a child makes. (Who can resist the request "Mama, may I please have some chocolate milk?" when it's said sweetly?) For them, "manners help integrate a child into the adult world," Caplin says. They help children understand boundaries (you can't just run up and take something without asking), and they cultivate respect (it's best to say "excuse me" before addressing someone you don't know).
Leslie Schram, of Palm Beach, enjoyed teaching "please" and "thank you" to her three children -- now 5, 3, and 2 -- not just because they're important but because they sound cute coming from a 1-year-old. "From the time my kids were learning to talk, whenever I handed them a cup or cookie, I always made them say 'please' and 'thank you,'" says Schram. "We still laugh at the fact that when Lauren said 'thank you,' it sounded like 'ding dong.'"
6. Admiring your child's artwork.
Any reinforcement you give your child for his creations is a good thing, says Lori Barrett, the founder of Thinkertots, a creative learning centers franchise based in Bayside, New York. First, "praise means a lot more coming from Mom or Dad than from anyone else," Barrett says. Second, you're not just praising an accomplishment, you're praising your child's use of imagination, which will encourage him to continue to invent new creations. "Our 3-year-old son, Jackson, comes home from preschool with artwork every day. So we opened up an art gallery in our mudroom for him," says Shaun Dreisbach, who is also mother of a 5-month-old, in Essex Junction, Vermont. "We bought frames that make it easy to change what's on display, and he can see them every day when he puts on his coat or comes home. I made little cards to hang next to each piece, with the title and the name of the artist. We even had an opening, where we placed a ribbon across the door and let Jackson cut it with his little scissors."
7. Answering your baby's cries.
A whining 3-year-old is one thing, but a crying baby is quite another. "A lot of people worry they are going to spoil their child by responding to every cry," Dr. Karp says. "None of us want spoiled children, but in the first six to 12 months it's our job to teach babies that they can feel secure and trusting of the world. Inside the uterus, they are rocked and soothed 24-7, so even if you hold your infant for 18 hours a day, it's a 25 percent cutback from the baby's perspective." Don't worry about spoiling during the first year. "There's plenty of time after the first birthday to teach them that crying doesn't always get them what they want," Dr. Karp says.
8. Making regular trips to the pediatrician.
There are lasting effects from all those well-baby visits that are, er, nothing to sneeze at. "As an adult, someone who received preventive care from an early age can have a 'RealAge' that's 12 years younger than the age on the calendar," says Jennifer Trachtenberg, MD, a mom, a pediatrician in New York City, and the author of Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children (Harper Collins). (RealAge is an estimate of your body's biological age, based on a slew of health factors.) "Those visits also instill good habits -- pediatricians use those times to talk about topics such as bike helmets and safety belts," Dr. Trachtenberg says.
There's also a benefit to being a "doctor caller," which I will readily cop to from my own early parenting days. I checked in frequently with my son's pediatrician, particularly during the first colicky six months. Yes, six months. Those conversations not only helped me cope with the anxiety of having an inconsolable child, but, in the long run, they helped establish a great relationship between our family and the wise Dr. Ostler. "You want to have a good rapport with your pediatrician," says Dr. Trachtenberg. "She needs to be someone you can relate to and who can communicate with you in a way that inspires you to use her advice."
9. Encouraging your child to interact with others.
Yep, that coffee klatch you call a playgroup is good for your baby! While a young child won't "play" with others (at least until somewhere between her second and third birthday), getting her out in the world to see and hear other kids does both of you good. "For the parent, it makes you feel like you're part of a community," Caplin says. "You also get to watch how your child behaves apart from you. The more you see your child in the context of other kids, the more readily you're able to assess if there are any developmental issues -- which you can address sooner than later."
Meanwhile, for baby, those early roll-arounds near other kids and adults make socializing a normal part of her world. "If you notice that your child is unusually timid or has a harder time separating from you than other kids her age, you can use these times as 'practice,'" Caplin says. "Let your child know that you'll be just across the room and she can wave at you whenever she needs to -- and that you'll wave back."
10. Celebrating special events as a family.
"Kids like repetition and routine," Dr. Trachtenberg says. "So rituals at holidays have a cumulative effect." Birthdays, for instance, loom large to young children, who learn at an early age to anticipate all the elements: lit candles, the "Happy Birthday" song, cake, presents. It doesn't have to be their own birthday for them to get excited -- in fact, they're fascinated that mommies, grandmas, and uncles have birthdays too.
Even babies grasp the specialness of holidays. "As long as you make activities age-appropriate and don't expect little ones to sit longer than their attention span will allow, these will be positive family experiences for them," Dr. Trachtenberg says.
Nicole Shmuelov, of Plainview, New York, says her 1-year-old daughter, Ariella, seems filled with eager anticipation by the time they sit down for Sabbath dinner. "We usually have family and friends over, so the meals bring her closer to them," says Shmuelov. "The other benefit is that everyone wants to hold and play with the baby, so I actually find time to eat!"
Originally published in American Baby magazine, February 2007.
Top 10 Beneficial Parenting Tricks -- and You're Doing Them
By Bari Nan Cohen
It's so easy to second-guess yourself in the early days (and weeks, and months, and even years) of parenting. But the truth is, it's even easier to cut yourself some slack. Every day, you're doing things that will have a lasting, positive impact on your child's development. As proof, we've come up with 10 rituals, routines, and habits that experts say will help your child grow up happier, more secure, and more socially adaptable. Next time you're having a moment of self-doubt, remember this list and give yourself a break.
1. Giving hugs and kisses and saying "I love you."
Most new moms find it hard to keep their hands off their delicious little babies and toddlers -- and that's a good thing. "Touching is as nutritious as food -- if not more nutritious," says Harvey Karp, MD, creator of the DVDs The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block. "There have been studies on babies who were given food in orphanages but not picked up, and they didn't thrive. But if they were fed and touched, they did. Any kind of touching, massage, or tickling literally nurtures them."
All that touching is contagious -- hug your kids, and they're more likely to offer hugs to you, to their friends, and even to their siblings. "For me and my husband, hugging is a way of showing our kids that we're emotionally available to them," says Rachel Fox, who lives in South Pasadena, California, with her three kids, age 6, 4, and 7 months. "Rob and I started a 'family hug' tradition when our oldest child was little. Anyone can declare it's time for a family hug, and we all drop everything, lock arms, and squeeze each other tight. As a result, all three of our kids are comfortable showering each other with affection -- whether they need comfort because we've disciplined them, or because they're celebrating something."
2. Reading stories and singing songs, especially before bedtime.
The benefits here are twofold. First, hearing stories and songs is a key component to language acquisition. Barbara Bard, PhD, a speech language pathologist and professor emerita at Central Connecticut State University, is a big fan of wordless picture books (such as Good Night, Gorilla and Good Dog, Carl), which promote conversation. "You can talk to your child about the action on every page," she says. "Good reading experiences aren't about the story; they're about the way in which you talk about the pictures."
The second benefit to books and songs is that they can help form the structure of a daily routine for your baby. For instance, singing the same lullaby before turning out the lights can create a cue for your child that it's time to go to sleep. "If you incorporate certain songs into any routine -- such as singing before mealtime, bathtime, or bedtime -- it helps your baby anticipate what's coming," Bard says.
Recent research verifies this. Sleep expert Jodi Mindell, MD, partnered with Johnson's, the baby-product company, to study babies age 7 to 18 months at bedtime. They had parents follow a routine in which they gave their baby a bath, a massage, and then a few minutes of reading or singing before bed, with a 30-minute start-to-finish rule. They found that the babies fell asleep in a third of the time that it took them before the routine was implemented. As a bonus, the babies also slept for longer stretches and had shorter nighttime waking periods. "Consistency helps," Dr. Mindell says.
3. Having conversations with your baby before he can talk.
My obstetrician loves to tease my husband, Jeff, about the fact that the minute she handed Lance to Jeff after the c-section, the new dad began introducing himself and telling our son everything he'd need to know about life. It was a torrent of words, starting with, "I'm your daddy and I love you, and this is your mommy and she loves you," then winding around to things like, "Your mom's no good at math, so when you need help with your homework, I'll do that." From that moment on, we narrated everything -- changing diapers, putting away groceries. I'd start every day by telling Lance, "First we'll change you, and then we'll go for a walk, and then we'll go to the store, and then we'll come home for lunch." To this day -- he's now 3 -- when I tell him we're going someplace, he'll respond with, "And then?"
Simply put, language begets language. "Language learning begins on day one of life, with the first cry," Bard says. "It's critical that you talk to a baby. You can engage in a one-way conversation -- 'I see you're hungry! Well, wait a minute because it takes a moment to get ready' -- and you're teaching words and concepts. You're also teaching babies how to anticipate. And if you narrate the routine, it makes kids feel safer."
4. Praising baby's accomplishments.
Obviously, building up your child's confidence is a good thing. But many parents don't realize that praise is also one of the primary ways to teach a baby words. "From 8 or 9 months, the easiest way to encourage communication is to connect what your baby is doing (putting his hands together) to what you're saying ('you're clapping!')," says DeDee Caplin, PhD, a pediatric psychologist and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Utah and the mom of Fischer, 3, and Sabine, 6. "The child has a reference point."
5. Teaching your toddler manners.
Instilling "please" and "thank you" into your child's consciousness is great for both of you. For you, it takes the edge off all those demands a child makes. (Who can resist the request "Mama, may I please have some chocolate milk?" when it's said sweetly?) For them, "manners help integrate a child into the adult world," Caplin says. They help children understand boundaries (you can't just run up and take something without asking), and they cultivate respect (it's best to say "excuse me" before addressing someone you don't know).
Leslie Schram, of Palm Beach, enjoyed teaching "please" and "thank you" to her three children -- now 5, 3, and 2 -- not just because they're important but because they sound cute coming from a 1-year-old. "From the time my kids were learning to talk, whenever I handed them a cup or cookie, I always made them say 'please' and 'thank you,'" says Schram. "We still laugh at the fact that when Lauren said 'thank you,' it sounded like 'ding dong.'"
6. Admiring your child's artwork.
Any reinforcement you give your child for his creations is a good thing, says Lori Barrett, the founder of Thinkertots, a creative learning centers franchise based in Bayside, New York. First, "praise means a lot more coming from Mom or Dad than from anyone else," Barrett says. Second, you're not just praising an accomplishment, you're praising your child's use of imagination, which will encourage him to continue to invent new creations. "Our 3-year-old son, Jackson, comes home from preschool with artwork every day. So we opened up an art gallery in our mudroom for him," says Shaun Dreisbach, who is also mother of a 5-month-old, in Essex Junction, Vermont. "We bought frames that make it easy to change what's on display, and he can see them every day when he puts on his coat or comes home. I made little cards to hang next to each piece, with the title and the name of the artist. We even had an opening, where we placed a ribbon across the door and let Jackson cut it with his little scissors."
7. Answering your baby's cries.
A whining 3-year-old is one thing, but a crying baby is quite another. "A lot of people worry they are going to spoil their child by responding to every cry," Dr. Karp says. "None of us want spoiled children, but in the first six to 12 months it's our job to teach babies that they can feel secure and trusting of the world. Inside the uterus, they are rocked and soothed 24-7, so even if you hold your infant for 18 hours a day, it's a 25 percent cutback from the baby's perspective." Don't worry about spoiling during the first year. "There's plenty of time after the first birthday to teach them that crying doesn't always get them what they want," Dr. Karp says.
8. Making regular trips to the pediatrician.
There are lasting effects from all those well-baby visits that are, er, nothing to sneeze at. "As an adult, someone who received preventive care from an early age can have a 'RealAge' that's 12 years younger than the age on the calendar," says Jennifer Trachtenberg, MD, a mom, a pediatrician in New York City, and the author of Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children (Harper Collins). (RealAge is an estimate of your body's biological age, based on a slew of health factors.) "Those visits also instill good habits -- pediatricians use those times to talk about topics such as bike helmets and safety belts," Dr. Trachtenberg says.
There's also a benefit to being a "doctor caller," which I will readily cop to from my own early parenting days. I checked in frequently with my son's pediatrician, particularly during the first colicky six months. Yes, six months. Those conversations not only helped me cope with the anxiety of having an inconsolable child, but, in the long run, they helped establish a great relationship between our family and the wise Dr. Ostler. "You want to have a good rapport with your pediatrician," says Dr. Trachtenberg. "She needs to be someone you can relate to and who can communicate with you in a way that inspires you to use her advice."
9. Encouraging your child to interact with others.
Yep, that coffee klatch you call a playgroup is good for your baby! While a young child won't "play" with others (at least until somewhere between her second and third birthday), getting her out in the world to see and hear other kids does both of you good. "For the parent, it makes you feel like you're part of a community," Caplin says. "You also get to watch how your child behaves apart from you. The more you see your child in the context of other kids, the more readily you're able to assess if there are any developmental issues -- which you can address sooner than later."
Meanwhile, for baby, those early roll-arounds near other kids and adults make socializing a normal part of her world. "If you notice that your child is unusually timid or has a harder time separating from you than other kids her age, you can use these times as 'practice,'" Caplin says. "Let your child know that you'll be just across the room and she can wave at you whenever she needs to -- and that you'll wave back."
10. Celebrating special events as a family.
"Kids like repetition and routine," Dr. Trachtenberg says. "So rituals at holidays have a cumulative effect." Birthdays, for instance, loom large to young children, who learn at an early age to anticipate all the elements: lit candles, the "Happy Birthday" song, cake, presents. It doesn't have to be their own birthday for them to get excited -- in fact, they're fascinated that mommies, grandmas, and uncles have birthdays too.
Even babies grasp the specialness of holidays. "As long as you make activities age-appropriate and don't expect little ones to sit longer than their attention span will allow, these will be positive family experiences for them," Dr. Trachtenberg says.
Nicole Shmuelov, of Plainview, New York, says her 1-year-old daughter, Ariella, seems filled with eager anticipation by the time they sit down for Sabbath dinner. "We usually have family and friends over, so the meals bring her closer to them," says Shmuelov. "The other benefit is that everyone wants to hold and play with the baby, so I actually find time to eat!"
Originally published in American Baby magazine, February 2007.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Just have to brag...
...and say that I seriously have the BEST husband in the world. Really - the best!
Sure, there are times I complain about things he doesn't do - but at the end of the day - he totally ROCKS. Take for instance today:
- He called me up and asked me if I had eaten anything for lunch, and if I would like him to pick something up for me. Then decided it would be fun if Gabe and I met him in town for lunch. What a fun thing to get to do - middle of the week lunch date!
- When he came home this afternoon he had forgotten to pick up the one little thing I needed him to get for me for our Young Women activity tonight. First he offered to take Gabe into town to pick it up for me, but then he had an even better idea - and offered to watch Gabe while I went to town. I don't get much alone time, and it was fabulous!
- When we had a little catastrophie with our activity, and no one had shown up to help me set up, he quickly packed Gabe in the truck and came to rescue me. And then when I realized I'd left stuff at home he ran back and picked it up for me.
- He came back to the church with all the stuff I'd sent him to get (and kept calling him to tell him more things to remember) and I talked him into watching my friend's little girl for the night (her other little girl had gotten hurt at the church and she had to run to the emergency room). He so willingly put her in the car with Gabe (and even grabbed an extra car seat to do so!) and then watched her for the evening. Not just watching Gabe for me - but filling in when I volunteer him to help others - HE ROCKS!
- And lastly, when I came home he had Gabe down for bed! Granted, Gabe has been chattering away in his bedroom - but he's in bed, and I don't have to do it.
So this little blog post has 2 purposes. First off - to tell you how awesome Cory is (although most of you have a pretty good idea....) and secondly to remind me how lucky I am. I get too caught up in the things that don't get done, that too often I forget all that he does get accomplished, and all he helps me with. I might not have married the most romantic man in the world, but I sure married a good one, one who helps others, wants to make my life easier - and dog-gone-it, is pretty dang cute!
Love you sweetie!
The Tax Man....
Have I ever expressed on my blog my utter hate for taxes? I just get so stressed out about the whole ordeal and seriously loose sleep. Since having our own business this has just gotten about 10 times bigger of a deal, and caused me 10 times more stress.
Anyway, I stressed about it so much, and put it off for so long that we had to file an extension for our business (how unfair is it that business stuff has to be filed by MARCH 15th?!?) Anyway, I always forget that business stuff is due sooner - because APRIL 15th is so ingrained in my brain. So our accountant took care of all of that - but I wanted to have it all done by the personal filing deadline. So I got all of our stuff together, organized and ready for the accountants last week.
And since then - every day Cory hears, "So, have you heard from the accountant yet?" "What do we owe?" "How bad is it this year?" They've worked on them and last night we got a call saying that they weren't finished, but would be today. We asked for a round about estimate of what it looked like we owed - it was ugly. Not as much as it's been some years, but more than last year. I was sick. I was also very anxious to hear the FINAL number.
So - are you ready for this??? Cory calls me back this afternoon after stopping by to talk to our accountant, and - get this - WE DON'T OWE! There were a few things that were entered under 2006, that should have gone under 2007, and after fixing those it appears we will be getting a refund! That hasn't happened for us for a LONG time. The accountant (who I now am in love with) said he is sure that we don't owe anything, but he wants to be able to go over everything with a fine toothed comb after all the hullabaloo settles downand he has a fresh set of eyes so he can be sure to get us back all that we should be getting back. So he'll be going with an extension and getting it wrapped up in the next few weeks. At this point I simply would be happy to break even!
Moral of the story (no, it's not that it's ok to procrastinate your taxes....) is that sometimes stressing out can lead to a happy ending :)
Anyway, I stressed about it so much, and put it off for so long that we had to file an extension for our business (how unfair is it that business stuff has to be filed by MARCH 15th?!?) Anyway, I always forget that business stuff is due sooner - because APRIL 15th is so ingrained in my brain. So our accountant took care of all of that - but I wanted to have it all done by the personal filing deadline. So I got all of our stuff together, organized and ready for the accountants last week.
And since then - every day Cory hears, "So, have you heard from the accountant yet?" "What do we owe?" "How bad is it this year?" They've worked on them and last night we got a call saying that they weren't finished, but would be today. We asked for a round about estimate of what it looked like we owed - it was ugly. Not as much as it's been some years, but more than last year. I was sick. I was also very anxious to hear the FINAL number.
So - are you ready for this??? Cory calls me back this afternoon after stopping by to talk to our accountant, and - get this - WE DON'T OWE! There were a few things that were entered under 2006, that should have gone under 2007, and after fixing those it appears we will be getting a refund! That hasn't happened for us for a LONG time. The accountant (who I now am in love with) said he is sure that we don't owe anything, but he wants to be able to go over everything with a fine toothed comb after all the hullabaloo settles downand he has a fresh set of eyes so he can be sure to get us back all that we should be getting back. So he'll be going with an extension and getting it wrapped up in the next few weeks. At this point I simply would be happy to break even!
Moral of the story (no, it's not that it's ok to procrastinate your taxes....) is that sometimes stressing out can lead to a happy ending :)
Monday, April 16, 2007
Star of the show!
The pictures aren't so bad in real life...awful photo of the layout. But this will have to do until I someday get a large format scanner....(dreaming.....)
Journaling reads:
Star of the show! Gabe is certainly the star of the show at our house – and pretty much anywhere we take him! His cute tricks, adorable vocabulary and stellar smile – he’s bound for stardom! (4/4/07)
Friday, April 13, 2007
quick redo
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Ok, I looked closer at that layout and didn't like it at all...now I've changed it AGAIN, and I'm still not sure if I like what I changed...oh well, Cory's hollering at me to come to bed - so I better be done for tonight at least.
Have a great weekend!
on a digital roll....
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Another digital layout. One thing I love (and hate) about digital scrapbooking is that you can change a layout as many times as you want - to get it just right. Unfortunately a person like me can drive themselves crazy with this. So sometimes I just have to walk away. This is one of those times. I hate the balance of the layout - but it's done eh?
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Love for the dr.
I had my monthly dr visit today. Cory offered to come with me to watch Gabe instead of getting a babysitter (which we'll rethink next time....). Anyway, at the end of the visit we were all walking out of the room and Gabe turned around to the Dr and said, "Gank Goo" (Thank You), "I-wuv-ewe" (I love you). I got a kick out of that. I "love" my dr - he's the best dr I've ever had, and I guess Gabe's picked up on that.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
cheese
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So I got some of my to-do list done, and rewarded myself by literally throwing together another quick digital layout. I acutally think I'm going to add some more to the layout, but for now, it's done!
Easter
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Here's our little Easter sweetheart. I have other pictures of an Easter Egg hunt, and Gabe with his Easter basket - but I'll post those later. For now, here's a quick digital layout. I always think I can do them in a few minutes....and the perfectionist in me takes much longer. But it was still a "quick" layout.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Is it possible to fall sleep while posting on my blog....?
Yes it is....I'm pooped!
I have been having pregnancy insomnia issues lately. Once I FINALLY fall alseep I'm ok until about 3:30-4:00 am. Then I'm wide awake. Not wide awake like I feel like I have any energy...but wide awake in the sense that I cannot get back to sleep! This morning I didn't get back to sleep until almost 7:00 am (after waking up at 3:30). And then Gabe woke up at 7:30. This was a total bummer because the last few weeks he's been sleeping in until at least 9:00 (and monday morning it was until 11:00 am!!!!).
Anyway, now I'm pooped and want a nap desperately. But it's Tuesday, and that means I have a Young Women activity tonight to get ready for. I'd love to call in sick (or exhausted if that would count) - but I feel like I need to be there tonight. So until then - I'm yawning, nodding off, and purely pooped!
I have been having pregnancy insomnia issues lately. Once I FINALLY fall alseep I'm ok until about 3:30-4:00 am. Then I'm wide awake. Not wide awake like I feel like I have any energy...but wide awake in the sense that I cannot get back to sleep! This morning I didn't get back to sleep until almost 7:00 am (after waking up at 3:30). And then Gabe woke up at 7:30. This was a total bummer because the last few weeks he's been sleeping in until at least 9:00 (and monday morning it was until 11:00 am!!!!).
Anyway, now I'm pooped and want a nap desperately. But it's Tuesday, and that means I have a Young Women activity tonight to get ready for. I'd love to call in sick (or exhausted if that would count) - but I feel like I need to be there tonight. So until then - I'm yawning, nodding off, and purely pooped!
Monday, April 09, 2007
So sweet!
I had to post about something sweet Gabe did yesterday before I forgot to write it down (I use my blog a lot like a journal to refer to in the future).
Anyway we were in church, and it was fast and testimony meeting (a time when people from our congregation stand up and express their gratitude and love for the gospel, our Savior, their families, etc.). There was a young girl, around 10 years old, who was up at the pulpit and said, "And I love my mom and dad". Gabe was standing on up on the chair between Cory and I. When he heard her say that he leaned over to me and gave me the BIGGEST hug and said, "Momma, i-wuv-ewe". Then he turned to Cory and did the same thing with, "Dad, i-wuv-ewe". It was so sweet that we didn't ask for a hug, but he heard what she had said and had to express his love for us too.
Have I ever said how much I love this mom gig?
Have a great week everyone, and Easter pictures will follow soon.
Anyway we were in church, and it was fast and testimony meeting (a time when people from our congregation stand up and express their gratitude and love for the gospel, our Savior, their families, etc.). There was a young girl, around 10 years old, who was up at the pulpit and said, "And I love my mom and dad". Gabe was standing on up on the chair between Cory and I. When he heard her say that he leaned over to me and gave me the BIGGEST hug and said, "Momma, i-wuv-ewe". Then he turned to Cory and did the same thing with, "Dad, i-wuv-ewe". It was so sweet that we didn't ask for a hug, but he heard what she had said and had to express his love for us too.
Have I ever said how much I love this mom gig?
Have a great week everyone, and Easter pictures will follow soon.
Friday, April 06, 2007
I'm so glad....
Gabe really enjoys singing - whether he's belting it out like Ariel from the Little Mermaid (Ahhhh - Ahhhh - Ahhh.....), or trying to keep up with the actions of his favorite nursery songs - he loves it. Most of all though, he loves to have me sing songs to him while I make a fool of myself doing the actions.
Anyway, I've been trying to teach him the song "I'm So Glad When Daddy Come Home". His favorite part is "pat his cheeks, and give him what?" He loves to pat our cheeks - it's adoreable! So here Gabe's patting his cheeks.
So I thought I'd list a few of things that make me "so glad":
- Last night I found my favorite sound. I was downstairs in our basement while Cory said he was going to go check on why Gabe was screaming (he was supposed to be in bed). I waited a few minutes and decided to turn on the monitor and hear what was going on. Cory was reading Gabe a "Bob the Builder" book to calm him down. I could tell they were snuggling in a chair, and Gabe kept saying his word for blanket (he calls it a nink) and Cory sweetly read to Gabe to calm him down - I LOVED it. I had been watching TV, but I turned it off and sat and listened to the rest of the story.
- Yesterday Gabe and I drove down to St. George to get some shopping done. We took a break to go on a picnic on some grass across the street from the St. George temple. We stopped at a drive-through to get part of our lunch and when the employee handed us the food Gabe yelled out from the back seat, "Gank You!" (his version of thank you). I loved that what I'd been teaching him is sinking in. He's been good at saying it when I prompt him, but to hear him blurt it out on his own was sweet. He's done it a few times more this morning and it melted my heart.
- Last week we were on a little evening drive on our Ranger. We were spotting deer and it was so fun! We had stopped for a minute and I said to Gabe, "What is your favorite part of being in our family?" He patted my leg and yelled out, "Momma!" and then patted Cory's leg and said, "Daddy!" The happiest tears filled my eyes and I said a little prayer that I could remember that moment when he was a teenager and was saying he hated us (not that I'm hoping for that...just preparing myself in case it ever happens).
- Last week I was having "one of those days" - it was just rotten. After Cory came home he told me to go and run some errands to get out of the house by myself. It was perfect. But I stopped by a book store to look for a book I had seen advertised. While I was there, and feeling kind of run down I looked over at a display with some great wall hangings and found an answer to an unsaid prayer. I found this quote,
"In all living, have much fun and laught. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." --President Gordon B. Hinckley
- So this weekend - enjoy life! Have a wonderful weekend so you can also sing, "I'm so glad..."
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