This and That

I thought I should write some sort of post, since it has been a while, and I decided this morning at Mass that I am giving up facebook and blogger during Holy Week. So it will be awhile before I'm back on here.

I can't wait for nice weather! We've had a few nice days here and there, but it's still been pretty cold and gloomy. A lot of our snow has melted, but we still have quite a bit of melting to do. If it warms up later today, Isabella might get to go out and play on her swing set for the first time this year! According to the forecast we might get into the 50's and even 60's this week, yay! We asked Isabella what the first thing she wants to do is when the weather gets really nice. She said, drive her Jeep, and plant the garden with Daddy, aww.

I'm feeling a million times better than I was for the first four months of pregnancy. I still have waves of nausea every once in awhile, but it's nothing compared to what it was. I haven't had a migraine in weeks, too!! I have quite a bit of lower back and pelvic pain, which I also had with Isabella, but I'll gladly deal with that over feeling like I have the stomach flu every day for months! I can even eat meat again, for the most part. It feels so good to be able to cook again, and know that my family is eating healthier once again. I can't believe I'm almost half way through with this pregnancy, and considering there's a very good chance this baby will be early (just hopefully not too early) I probably already am halfway through. I've still been having contractions off and on (more off than on, thank goodness), and I've noticed the only time I have a lot of them is after I've gone for a walk or have been on my feet most of the day. I'm hoping that's not a recipe for bedrest. :( We'll see what the next ultrasound shows in less than two weeks. And speaking of bedrest, since I know in the back of my mind, that it's a possibility, I feel like I've been nesting already, trying to get as much done around the house as I can, while I still can. Isabella and I met my mother-in-law for some shopping the other day, and we got her some much needed spring and summer clothes. So yesterday I went through all her clothes, and packed up all the 2T's from last summer to make way for her new 3T and 4T's. I apparently have a very disproportionate child, last summer she wore 2T tops with 12 or 18 month shorts and skirts. This summer she'll be in some 3T and some 4T tops with 24 month or 2T bottoms. That makes it impossible to buy anything that comes in a set. I've also been cleaning out cupboards, and am in the mood to get. rid. of things! That's probably because our house is pretty small, and I feel like we should get rid of some stuff in order to make room for baby.

As for an update to my last post, I'd say it's safe to say that Isabella is, um, totally "cleaned out"! Thank goodness! This is the first time in a VERY long time that it seems her digestive system is working normally, it's wonderful! I'm curious to see what her next set of X-Rays shows. And hopefully now that she knows they aren't going to hurt her, she'll be a little more receptive to having the X-Rays done.

Isabella accidentally clocked the elderly guy sitting behind us, with her palm this morning in church, needless to say, the palm was then confiscated.

I'm looking forward to everything going on at Church this week for Holy Week. Our plans for Easter are a little uncertain right now, it's our year to spend it with Monte's family. One of his sisters is due to have a baby any day now, so his parents aren't planning anything for Easter yet.

Father blessed the baby for the first time this morning, when I went up to communion, that brings a smile to my face. :)

Just as I had feared, I knew once I started feeling better, I would start eating like crazy. And I am. I feel like there's no stopping me. I'm now back up to my weight I started out the pregnancy at, but I have a feeling it's rapidly going up, *sigh*. I'm at a weird stage, I've been wearing maternity pants for, um, quite a while (yikes!), but most maternity tops look huge, while my regular shirts are getting too tight.

I hope you all have a blessed Holy Week and Easter!

My Poor Baby!!

I know I've mentioned it before on here, and also in my last post, about Isabella's major struggle with constipation. As of today it has been 10 days since she has "gone". I've given her two enemas in the last two days, and they didn't work! I can't believe it. Besides, the poor girl is traumatized, and I mean completely. traumatized. from having them. I absolutely cannot give her any more enemas, both physically and emotionally! Watching her sit on the potty and try to go brings me to tears every time, the only way to describe it is like watching someone in labor, seriously! We took her into to the pediatrician this morning, and he did something he hasn't done in the past when I have taken her in for this problem. He ordered that X-Rays be done to see what was going on inside. Thank goodness Monte came along because I couldn't be in the room with her while she was getting the X-Rays, because of being pregnant. Instead, I sat out in the waiting room and listened to her terrified screams of "Daddy, hold me!!!!" I told her they were just going to take pictures of her tummy, but when they told her she had to have her clothes off, she thought they were going to give her another enema, and she FREAKED OUT! She also told me later that she thought the X-Ray was going to fall on her, since she was laying on the table with it right above her. :( It's hard to imagine what was going on in that little 3 year old mind of hers. Anyway . . . I'm so glad we got the X-Rays done because they showed that she has 4 major blockages in her, and they are huge. One is down low where you would expect it, but the other 3 are way up high in her digestive tract, which is a little unusual. Who knows how long they have been there, possibly a very long time, which is why we can never seem to get ahead of the problem. The doctor said we need to give her half a bottle of magnesium citrate today and tomorrow, and that should clean her out. We also need to give Mira.lax for the next couple of weeks, and then gradually taper off. He said magnesium citrate is usually his last resort in little kids because it tastes so awful, and it's hard to get them to take it when they are as little as she is, but it really works well I guess. He also said he sees cases as bad as hers at least once a day in his office! That surprises me how common it is! She didn't put up too much of a fuss about drinking all of the magnesium citrate, but it did take her about 2 hours to sit there and drink it, and A LOT of coaxing from us, including bribes of playing Candyland and getting to watch TV when she was done!! The Dr. wants to see her back for more X-Rays in 2 weeks to make sure the blockages are gone. Hopefully we can get this taken care of, then maybe her high fiber diet we give her will start kicking in on it's own.

Daybook for March 16 , 2010

I've been seeing these daybooks going around, so I thought I would give it a try . . .



FOR TODAY



Outside my window... it is gloomy and dreary AGAIN, we haven't seen the sun in about 2 weeks, blah! Snow is melting, but it has a long way to go.



I am thinking... that I have no idea what we are having for supper tonight.



I am thankful for... this sweet little baby, and that everything seems to be okay for now! I had a scare last week when I started having contractions ALREADY! I was in denial about them at the beginning of the week, but couldn't keep ignoring them by the end of the week. I had them constantly from 24-34 weeks with Isabella, so I knew exactly what I was feeling. I was really upset that I was having them already, but after a trip to the doctor, and a check of the ol' cervix, everything is good for now. I have a different kind of ultrasound scheduled in a little under 4 weeks (I'll be 20 weeks then!), and if anything has changed, my doctor says he's sending me to a much bigger hospital/clinic about 100 miles away. I am having a lot fewer contractions this week, so THANK YOU for all the prayers!



From the learning rooms... Now that I'm feeling better, and spending my days off the couch, rather than on, I've been helping Isabella figure out some harder puzzles. She loves doing them, and asks me to get them down (they are up high in her closet) for her all the time.



From the kitchen... Um, not a whole lot going on in there yet. I still have my meat aversion. I did make some bars to take to a new mom from our church yesterday. My biggest challenge is trying to get more fiber in to Isabella's diet. She's extremely constipated, and I'm not sure what else to do. She eats lots of fresh fruit, takes probiotics, eats about every product that Fiber One makes, drinks prune juice, I made her bran muffins, I don't let her eat too much of constipating foods like cheese and bananas, etc. She now hasn't "gone" since I gave her an enema a week ago today, sigh . . .



I am wearing... navy blue sweatpants and an Ol.d Na.vy long sleeved T shirt.



I am creating... lists (I love lists!) of things that need to be organized around the house. Monte and I are also creating in depth family trees for both of our families. We've been using ancestry.com, and getting tons of good info, it's both fun and addicting.



I am pondering... what Lost is going to be about tonight!



I am reading... oh so many things - Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother by Carolyn Mahaney (for Bible Study), Going Rogue by Sarah Palin, Mommy Teach Me by Barbara Curtis, Man and Women He Created Them, A Theology of the Body by John Paul II, Theology of the Body Explained by Christopher West



I am hoping... my migraines stay FAR away! It's been 8 days since I have had one, which is huge for me! I still get headaches every single day, but a headache I can handle, a migraine I cannot!



I am hearing... Isabella playing with her Schleich horses and sheep.



Around the house... things are looking good (except my bedroom, that is a disaster right now)! Isabella and I spent all morning cleaning, she loves to clean, and while it slows me down a bit, I don't want to discourage her! I felt the best about finally getting her room organized and cleaned. We went through her toy bins and threw out one smallish sack of junk (happ.y meal type toys, diapers for her babies that no longer have sticky tabs, etc.) and we went through her stuffed animals and I packed up half a garbage bag to give away. We also packed away some babyish toys that she was more than happy to save for her new baby!



One of my favorite things... feeling the baby move!!! I started feeling the first few flutters last week, and they are getting stronger every day!



A few plans for the rest of the week... hopefully cleaning the rooms I didn't get to today, laundry, a possible visit from Sister Mary Edwin tomorrow, Bible Study on Thursday, and my parents might be coming to visit for the weekend!

Mc.Donald's

I just overheard this in the other room:

"Daddy, I know of 7 Mc.Donalds, there's one in _____(name of nearby town), one in heaven, one in . . ." (etc.)

Yes child, your idea of heaven would have a Mc.Donald's!

This and That

I can't believe I can finally say this, but I'm feeling better! I still have some really bad days, but at least I'm not sick all day, every day anymore. I've still been having migraines a couple of days a week, and that has by far been the worst of this all! If you've never had a true migraine before, I can't even describe how painful they are, I think I would rather go through labor. It has definitely been a good lent of suffering for me. Although, I've come to the conclusion I'm not very good at suffering.

And big news around here, I cooked tonight for the first time in months! I threw together a rice, beans, and cheese in tortillas concoction, and it felt so good to cook once again! I still can't handle the smell, taste, etc. of meat, but hopefully that will come soon. I have my appetite back for the most part (except for the whole meat issue) and I'm obsessed with bean and cheese burritos and yogurt! I was with Isabella, too. I'm surprised that I have the exact same cravings this time.

And PLEASE moms, tell me you showed sooner after you had your first, because I KNOW I was not this big at 15 weeks with Isabella! I've read that this is the case, but I can't help but be a little shocked.

Our priest started a Theology of the Body study group in a neighboring town. We meet every other Monday evening, and it's pretty long term, he thinks it will take a couple of years to get through the material. Monte and I are really enjoying it! And Isabella does great at just sitting quietly next to us. I do bring a few quiet activities for her to do, but she mostly likes to just sit and act like she's an adult! The first night we were there, Father asked if we were waiting for anyone else, and someone mentioned that yes, we were waiting for Dr. F. I couldn't believe it, that's my OB doctor. I was so excited to know he would come to something like that! He hasn't come yet, but I know he's super busy, and on call several nights.

Last Monday Isabella and I went with Monte on a little trip he had to take for work. It was the highlight of Isabella's winter, for sure! Monte dropped Isabella and I off at the mall for most of the day, while he went and did his work. I got some great deals on maternity clothes, everything I got was on a really good sale, I payed between $4 and $9 for every item I got! Thankfully I felt really good that day, we waited until that morning to decide if we would go, since I didn't know how I would feel. Isabella was SO excited to go swimming with Daddy in the hotel pool, she had a blast! I sat on the side and watched, as I won't be going anywhere near my swimming suit for quite some time! I was excited to check out On.ce Upo.n a Child for the first time, it was definitely the best used kids clothing store I've been to! The next day we headed home early as I had a migraine, the car ride home was not fun, but I will say it was a good thing I had done a little shopping, so I had some plastic bags to, um, use . . .

Here she is in the hotel.

Can you tell how excited she was right before we went down to the pool! She likes her "new" (garage sale find) swimming suit a lot.

Our weather has warmed up to the 30's every day lately, which means there is finally some melting going on. As you can see, though, we still have quite a bit of snow! Isabella has been asking for months to play on her swing set, I think it will be a little while yet . . .

A random picture for a random post . . .

Who needs fancy toys, especially when she spends more time doing this than actually playing with her toys. She moves my rug out from the kitchen, buckles up her baby in it's car seat behind her, and uses a frisbee for her steering wheel, and voila - it's a car. Oh the places she has gone in that car! :)

And that reminds me of how she spent an entire day a couple of weeks ago. She played with nothing other than a beach ball and beach towel. She laid out the beach towel in the living room and pretended she was at the beach. She did all sorts of things at her beach, and she honestly spent hours at it! I love seeing her imagination at work, and obviously someone is ready for nicer weather!

At the end of last week, Monte had to work in the area by where his parents live. He made a last minute decision to take Isabella with him and stay with his parents for a couple of days. While they were gone, I did something I had been wanting to do for months, get my haircut. It was bad, I've been inspecting my split ends for months now, but in no way felt like going anywhere unless I absolutely had to. Now that I'm feeling better, I decided to get it chopped. I don't have a before picture, but it was a little past my shoulders. (And yes that is Isabella's outdoor basketball hoop in the background, we've resorted to bringing some outside toys inside, spring PLEASE come!)

I'm looking forward to my next Dr. appt. on Friday. We didn't find out what we were having with Isabella, we wanted to be surprised. This time we're thinking we might find out at some point, especially since I have an ultrasound at every appt! If we do find out, though, we're not going to tell anyone. Monte and I both think it's a girl, which brings me to my next point . . .

We told Isabella about the baby quite a while ago. To say she is excited would be an understatement. She talks about "her baby" a lot. She says she's going to help a lot, and that she's going to change the baby's diapers, and I won't even have to help her! Ha! She also wants the baby to sleep in her bed with her. I also will add that she insists she's having a baby brother, no matter how much we try to convince her it could be a girl. She's always saying she has a baby in her tummy, too.

Wordless Wednesday