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..."
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Something a little lighter...
With my last depressing post I figured I needed to post something somewhat lighter. So here's a newer picture of Gabe. I love how the little guy looks in green - it's really a great color on him...now if we could convince his dad that he should wear something other than red we'd be in business. 
(Red is one of the main "Blind Guy" colors - so almost everything Cory owns now is red)
On a funny note in regards to that - when we were in Oregon a few weeks ago we went shopping at an outlet mall. We were in the Gap Outlet and I saw a couple of polo shirts that seemed perfect for Cory. There was one that had red, grey and a small gold stripe - that one screamed Cory's name, so I knew I was getting it for him. Then there was another one - that was navy, apple green, with a small gold stripe - this was my favorite. I debated on getting it and my mom even said - "It's not red, will Cory wear it?" But I liked it a lot, so I hoped he'd wear it for me.
Anyway, we were in line to pay and Gabe started fussing a bit. To distract him, I showed the 2 shirts to him and said, "Look what we're getting daddy." I had the red one in one hand, and the blue/green one in the other hand. Gabe pointed to the red shirt and said, "Daddy!" Then he pointed to the blue/green one in my other hand and shouted in his proudest voice, "Mom-ma!"
I got such a laugh out of it - and actually ended up putting the blue/green shirt I had fallen in love with back on the shelf. Even a 19 month old knows what Daddy will and won't wear!
In a spring "funk"
Does this ever happen to you? You get stuck in a "funk" - where you just don't feel like yourself. You feel exhausted, moody, grumpy, frustrated, irritated with things beyond your control (and even ones in your control), and totally unmotivated to get anything done - even the things you really love (and most especially the things you dread doing)? I guess in general a "funk" would be described as being kind of depressed.
Anyway, I seem to get into a "funk" every spring. I was telling Cory last night that I remember having a HORRIBLE spring when I was in 2nd grade - when I was 7. I got in a HUGE fight with all my friends for like the whole spring. It was horrible...and so began my dread of spring and my dreadful annual spring "funk".
Now I LOVE spring weather, spring flowers, spring clothes - getting out the capri's and flip-flops. I love that we can start playing outside, blowing bubbles, SUN....but for some reason when this time of year comes around, I end up just wanting to stay in my pj's and go to sleep.
It's not as bad when the weather is fabulous - but when the weather gets crummy again after being fabulous...that really gets me down. For instance our weather this week - windy, cold, gloomy, rainy, SNOWY! We even ran down to St. George last night to get some stuff for our new bathroom, and it was cold down there! That's not supposed to happen.
Anyway - pregnancy hormones (which I blame everything on) make this even worse. Add to it pregnancy exhaustion - and I'm just kind of a wreck.
So my question for you all is what do you do when you're in a "funk" - how do you get out? Do you eat? Sleep? Count your blessings? Grin and bear it? I'd love to hear your advice - I'm all out :)
Anyway, I seem to get into a "funk" every spring. I was telling Cory last night that I remember having a HORRIBLE spring when I was in 2nd grade - when I was 7. I got in a HUGE fight with all my friends for like the whole spring. It was horrible...and so began my dread of spring and my dreadful annual spring "funk".
Now I LOVE spring weather, spring flowers, spring clothes - getting out the capri's and flip-flops. I love that we can start playing outside, blowing bubbles, SUN....but for some reason when this time of year comes around, I end up just wanting to stay in my pj's and go to sleep.
It's not as bad when the weather is fabulous - but when the weather gets crummy again after being fabulous...that really gets me down. For instance our weather this week - windy, cold, gloomy, rainy, SNOWY! We even ran down to St. George last night to get some stuff for our new bathroom, and it was cold down there! That's not supposed to happen.
Anyway - pregnancy hormones (which I blame everything on) make this even worse. Add to it pregnancy exhaustion - and I'm just kind of a wreck.
So my question for you all is what do you do when you're in a "funk" - how do you get out? Do you eat? Sleep? Count your blessings? Grin and bear it? I'd love to hear your advice - I'm all out :)
Monday, March 26, 2007
Fun family weekend
This weekend Cory's family all came down to celebrate his 30th birthday. They got here Friday night, and stayed until Sunday morning - so it was a quick trip. But we had fun! We borrowed a slew of 4-wheelers and Rangers for everyone to ride and we took a trip down to Silver Reef - which is just outside of St. George. Lots of fun for everyone!
Gabe loved spending time with his cousins, and they had an equally great time I think.
Gabe loved spending time with his cousins, and they had an equally great time I think. 
This is Gabe with his little cousin Linzy. Now don't let the picture fool you - they might look the exact same size (and they almost are....) but Gabe is actually a full year older than Linzy. Those Mullen kids really have got some size on their side. Poor Gabe will probably be more of a shrimp like his mom and dad....
Some of the beautiful scenery we drove around in. The weather was GORGEOUS, and the landscapes we enjoyed were unbelievable! Lots of variety, and lots of beauty!
Cory tried to take it easy, and stay on trails...but he couldn't resist a time or two to take us "off road" and over some pretty bumpy terrain. There were 2 times on the ride when Cory said, "Uh, I think you might want to get out...." But interestingly enough - it was ok for Gabe to stay in....I guess it's just me being pregnant. (Sorry little baby #2 - I tried to tell him you didn't enjoy all the bumps...but he just doesn't listen!)
Gabe chilling while we stopped for lunch.
Look at these lovely Ellis ladies! (Ashley, Kori, Joanna & Mom "Tammy")
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The BIG 3-0!
Just wanted to give a shout-out to my soon-to-be 30 year old hubby. Cory's birthday is tomorrow (March 22nd) and he will be stepping out of his 20's and into the good-OLD-30's! I tease him because he will always be older than me (by more than 2 years!) - but it doesn't seem to bother him at all.....
Anyway, I wanted to just say how lucky I am to be married to such a motivated go-getter. Cory gets himself involved in so many projects, and so many work things - he has more energy than most people I know! He never complains about working hard, or all that he has to do - and he's great at taking care of Gabe and I. He actually had to go out of town at the beginning of this week, and more than ever I realized how helpful he is around the house and with Gabe - he's such a wonderful dad and husband.
Gabe loves him so much too - and that makes me fall in love with him over and over again. He loves taking Gabe out on Ranger rides, riding on the lawn-mower in the yard, or just taking Gabe to Home Depot to run errands with him so I can have a break. I love watching them together and appreciate Gabe having someone like Cory to look up to!
So happy birthday sweetheart. I hope (like the song says) that your 'next 30 years' will be awesome and I am pretty stoked that we get to spend them together. Love ya!
(P.S.) I'm sure that Cory would love to hear birthday wishes from all of you. He doesn't check the blog much, so email me and I'll pass them along to him.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Pregnant
(beware - pregnancy complaints ahead)
So here is a picture (one of the very few I've taken of myself in these past few months) of me and my ever expanding belly...This is a picture taken at the 1/2 way point - right before we went to our ultrasound. I hate pictures of myself pregant. My face gets so puffy, and even an hour after I put make up on, you can't tell (somehow that pregnant "glow" everyone talks about - is oil or something - makes my makeup fall off!) Anyway, enjoy this one - it might be one of the few you get to see :)
In a lot of ways this preganacy has been a lot easier than with Gabe...at least as far as being sick and throwing up constantly. I feel much better in that regard! But I'm also much more tired this time around. I guess chasing after Gabe will do that. There are also a lot of other symptoms that I have noticed sooner with this pregnancy.
Eating - when I was pregnant with Gabe I remember crying to Cory and saying, "I just want to enjoy eating again. I want to be excited about a meal, have it taste great, and enjoy it! I miss wanting to eat!" Well, my wish has come true with this pregnancy. I have quite the hearty appetite. And unfortunately I have let myself indulge a bit too much...but it is nice to enjoy food - and it's been funny the things I've enjoyed (one day I got Gabe a hot dog for lunch when we stopped at a fast food place. I took a bite, and Cory had to wrestle it out of my hands to give to Gabe - it was SO good! And normally I hate hot dogs).
My sciatic nerve has acted up really badly, and there are times I have a hard time just getting up from sitting or lying down. Of course, the dr says that's "normal" for pregnancy.
Carpal tunnel. When I was pregnant with Gabe I had ocasional bouts of this - my right hand fallign asleep and waking me up in the night because of the tingling. But it was maybe the last month. I'm already having problems. And it's much worse. For instance, if I try to read a book for longer than 3-4 minutes in one position, my hands fall asleep. And all through typing this entry I have to keep taking a break and shaking my hands to wake them up. Not fun. It also wakes me up several times a night. The dr suggested some splints to wear at night, or when it's bugging me, and I just need to go get them.
Mood swings. Oh goodness - poor Cory, that's all I have to say. A few weeks ago I said to him, "My mood swings haven't been nearly as bad as before - in fact I'd say my mood has been pretty even keel the last couple months!" Shouldn't have said that! The last weeek or so I've been a wreck. Daily meltdowns - and even sometimes several times a day. The smallest things set me off and become catrastophies. Cory said, "I just don't think get why you make such a big deal out of little things". But at the time they're not small things - there are no small things to a hormonal pregnant woman. Finishing this basement has not been a good addition to the pregnancy induced hysteria.
Anyway, that's my pregnancy in a nutshell. More than you wanted to hear - but there you have it!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Cute Gabe-isms
So do you ever have so much to do that you don't do anything? (I think I've started a blog post with this same phrase before...) That's how I'm feeling right now. I'm super stressed about getting my house back in order, and life back to 'normal' after our trip that I spend all my time stressing over my every expanding "to-do list" and not much time getting any of it done. It's crazy to me how taking a week off of life can really wipe you out. Both because it takes a lot to get out the door with a 19 month old, and because since you were gone for a week it takes twice that to catch up on the things you miss.
Throw in the idea of being pregnant and exhausted from chasing after Gabe who has more energy than about a million adults - and I'm pooped! Oh, and add to that the idea that we're in the midst of finishing our basement (2 bedrooms, 2 storage rooms, and a bathroom).
Anyway, while I was stressing out about how we're ever going to get our basement finished and the house cleaned back up (this whole sheetrock deal is taking longer than they said it would and is making a way bigger mess than I remember it making last time we worked on the basement!!!) - I had a few sweet moments with Gabe.
He has been talking up a storm lately! Granted, anyone else probably has no idea in the world what he's saying - but I am really starting to get the words he shouts out. And the amazing thing is how he'll spit out new words so quickly! This morning alone he added his own versions of sticky, sticker, sucker, turtle, Elmo, door, money, and penny to his vocabulary.
Some other words he spits out now are Daisy, Sadie, stinky, Ranger, walk, down, go, candy, balloon, Ganga (Grandma), George (for Curious George), baby, Mom, Mom-ma, Daddy, bath, cheese, snack, go, movie, teeth, eyes, more, please, thank you, bed, hat, Ginky (for his binkie), owie, ouch, pancakes, apple, oranges, cracker, cookie, rock, and tonz more.
He's also loving to sing, or listen to me sing. I'll finish a song and before the last note is out he'll say, "more!" and do the sign for more (one of his favorite sign language signs) - and promptly start crying if I don't keep singing. So if I'm going to start singing to him I better be ready to do it for at least 5 songs! He's catching on more and more with the songs too and loves to watch me do the actions (and frequently chimes in).
Just the last couple of days he's started making this hilarious face. I'll say, "Show me how cute you are" and he'll give me the biggest, goofiest grin. It also works sometimes when I say, "Are you cute?" It's a lot like the "CHEESE" face he makes too. Sometimes he'll even put his hands on his cheeks like - look how cute I am! I'll try to catch a picture of it one of these days.
He also likes to pat my cheeks (from the song "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home". It's so sweet. Especially if he folows it up with a great big kiss!
It's such an exciting time to be his mom and to enjoy watching him learn! So while I'm stressed about dusting the house (for the 100th time since I came home on Monday), or how I'll ever really get all the way unpacked from the trip - I need to sit back and remember that what really matters is spending time with Gabe and cherishing these awesome learning moments.
Throw in the idea of being pregnant and exhausted from chasing after Gabe who has more energy than about a million adults - and I'm pooped! Oh, and add to that the idea that we're in the midst of finishing our basement (2 bedrooms, 2 storage rooms, and a bathroom).
Anyway, while I was stressing out about how we're ever going to get our basement finished and the house cleaned back up (this whole sheetrock deal is taking longer than they said it would and is making a way bigger mess than I remember it making last time we worked on the basement!!!) - I had a few sweet moments with Gabe.
He has been talking up a storm lately! Granted, anyone else probably has no idea in the world what he's saying - but I am really starting to get the words he shouts out. And the amazing thing is how he'll spit out new words so quickly! This morning alone he added his own versions of sticky, sticker, sucker, turtle, Elmo, door, money, and penny to his vocabulary.
Some other words he spits out now are Daisy, Sadie, stinky, Ranger, walk, down, go, candy, balloon, Ganga (Grandma), George (for Curious George), baby, Mom, Mom-ma, Daddy, bath, cheese, snack, go, movie, teeth, eyes, more, please, thank you, bed, hat, Ginky (for his binkie), owie, ouch, pancakes, apple, oranges, cracker, cookie, rock, and tonz more.
He's also loving to sing, or listen to me sing. I'll finish a song and before the last note is out he'll say, "more!" and do the sign for more (one of his favorite sign language signs) - and promptly start crying if I don't keep singing. So if I'm going to start singing to him I better be ready to do it for at least 5 songs! He's catching on more and more with the songs too and loves to watch me do the actions (and frequently chimes in).
Just the last couple of days he's started making this hilarious face. I'll say, "Show me how cute you are" and he'll give me the biggest, goofiest grin. It also works sometimes when I say, "Are you cute?" It's a lot like the "CHEESE" face he makes too. Sometimes he'll even put his hands on his cheeks like - look how cute I am! I'll try to catch a picture of it one of these days.
He also likes to pat my cheeks (from the song "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home". It's so sweet. Especially if he folows it up with a great big kiss!
It's such an exciting time to be his mom and to enjoy watching him learn! So while I'm stressed about dusting the house (for the 100th time since I came home on Monday), or how I'll ever really get all the way unpacked from the trip - I need to sit back and remember that what really matters is spending time with Gabe and cherishing these awesome learning moments.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
It's (going to be) a BOY!
Well, since Paul kind of gave it away.... :)
Yup - it's a boy! We are all super excited. Gabe doesn't quite grasp the difference between boy and girl yet, but he is super excited about the baby. He went with us to the ultrasound yesterday and climbed up next to me and kept patting my belly saying, "Baby". Then when she put the projector on so I could watch it on the screen he got pretty excited (at least after the disappointment wore off that he wasn't watching a movie. He thought we were watching "George" - for Curious George, or Mermaid). He'd pat my tummy and say baby, and then point to the screen.
It was amazing to me how totally clear the pictures were! I could see details we didn't see with Gabe. We could count the fingers and toes, see a great profile, point out specific bones - it was awesome!
And the good news is - I'm right on with my due date. The bad news is...I'm right on with my due date and not earlier :) Looks like another August baby boy. The actual date is August 2nd.
And he was moving around like crazy - but here are a few of the still shots we got.
He was all bent in a funny shape for a lot of the ultrasound - his head was so curled up under himself - something I doubt we'll be seeing once he's born (I don't think it's humanly possible!)
A profile shot.
A cute shot of his little foot. He was moving his toes all around - it was cute!
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