We just got home from a week stay at the B&B. I hate unpacking and getting settled back into the swing of things. I have so much to catch up on and start! So, this post is a little short and boring.
My brother is in town from NY, he has been accepted into the graduate program at CUNY and will start classes in August. Very proud of my little Uncle Johnny!
Mom was here over the weekend, she got to take Sarah to see The Lorax. Still no word from the doctor and pathologists, we're getting just a little annoyed.
I am creating a few treats to sell at Bills Place, will keep you posted on the final choices.
And, Grocery Gopher got a gig shopping for Ringling Brother Barnum & Bailey Circus this week. The elephants are performing an eating contest as part of their act and I am purchasing/delivering all of the produce. Super exciting!!!
That's all for now, picture update to come soon.
March 27, 2012
March 18, 2012
Irish Week
I have great intentions of writing another post tonight besides this week in photos post...I am no good at completing any task come 9:00pm so we'll see. So, here are our photos from the week-the week of St. Patty's day.
The sun is shining and we have gone to the park twice this weekend.
Sarah has mastered whistling and does it 24-7!!
I may be going to Columbus next week for my mom's surgery--believing God has removed the cancer completely and she won't even need surgery!!!
I have an itch to bake sugar cookies so if you want some let me know :)
Katie has mastered rolling over from her belly to her back
Signing off now to enjoy my margarita on the back porch...Cheers!
Sarah asked for colored eggs for breakfast, so, we had red eggs along with a cheese stick--Breakfast of Champions!
Sarah and Katie enjoyed some cartoons before bedtime during our stay at Julias.
I baked shamrock cookies to sell at Bills Place, they were super yummy. Shout out to Tete for use of her kitchen and to my Davey for helping me frost all 120 of them.
Green eggs for breakfast? Why not! Sarah may have been a little annoyed with me for taking her picture.
Just call me Martha! I made carrots for Katie, she loves her some carrots.
The sun is shining and we have gone to the park twice this weekend.
Sarah has mastered whistling and does it 24-7!!
I may be going to Columbus next week for my mom's surgery--believing God has removed the cancer completely and she won't even need surgery!!!
I have an itch to bake sugar cookies so if you want some let me know :)
Katie has mastered rolling over from her belly to her back
Signing off now to enjoy my margarita on the back porch...Cheers!
March 13, 2012
What a Ride
Here's a view of my world last week...
I finally gave Katie a hair cut, her bangs kept getting in her eyes. Can you believe how much I cut?! She's only 4 months old!
Sarah and I made this for Dave's class
Katie and I took our drive to Columbus to be with my mom. She is usually a terrible car rider but I discovered holding her hand helps her sleep...3 1/2 hours of driving with one arm behind me, anything for my kids!
Katie was a champ at the hospital. She napped in the stroller while we waited for mom to have her biopsies. We were at the hospital for a total of 7 hours, she napped like this three different times.
While in Columbus we tried carrots, she loved them. Not sure if she consumed any during this feeding, but practice does make perfect.
We went to the playground that's behind our house on Sunday. Can you believe this weather?! I love everything about our little family of four!!
Other random things that are racing through my brain:
- Dave and I celebrated 15 years of dating on March 9. He is truly a wonderful husband and I couldn't ask for anyone better
- Mom should find out today the results from her biopsies, still praying for her and trying to keep myself calm
- Started doing Zumba a couple of weeks ago. I can't believe the amount of sweat that is produced during this workout
- I'm going to be baking shamrock cookies for St. Patty's day and selling them at Bills Place on Saturday. Super excited!
March 4, 2012
March 4
This week in photos has a little more to it than just photos...
This Sunday ends an emotional week for me. Thursday I was told that my mom's doctor found cancer cells in a biopsy they did and today I was told of a friend who passed. Seriously, how can one process all of this in the matter of three days? I surely can't!
I will be leaving for Columbus on Tuesday with Katie to be with my mom. She is having a procedure Thursday and will get more details then.
I will also be attending a funeral while in Columbus. I have not had to experience death very often, it is overwhelmingly surreal to me. I cannot grasp the ugly truth that my friend is gone.
Please keep us all in your prayers!
Finally took some bath time pictures of Katie :)
We took a walk to the library (in February!)
Katie enjoyed Mickey Mouse while Sarah was at school
I baked a hoho cake for Davey
Sarah had a sleepover with her best bud, Landon
We enjoyed some french toast before church
I will be leaving for Columbus on Tuesday with Katie to be with my mom. She is having a procedure Thursday and will get more details then.
I will also be attending a funeral while in Columbus. I have not had to experience death very often, it is overwhelmingly surreal to me. I cannot grasp the ugly truth that my friend is gone.
Please keep us all in your prayers!
February 28, 2012
Week in Photos
I know it's Tuesday but I want to share photos of our week, starting with last week. I thought this would be a cool way to share photos of the girls and the activities we do. Hope you enjoy.
We made pizza, Sarah told me what ingredients to use. Like the headband??
Katie rolled over in her crib
Sarah helped me wash the bottles, she may be slightly OCD
Katie ate rice cereal for the first time
I made strawberry muffins for Dave's class
My husband was kind enough to take a photo of my roasted red pepper cream sauce making skills
Taught Sarah how to play Nintendo...yes, we love Mario
I had a blast baking cookies, took about 5 hours and I loved every minute of it
Sarah shopping at the mall, love her style!
Cheers to another great week!
Cheers to another great week!
February 9, 2012
That ugly "F" word
Failure...it's probably the worst "F" word you could say to me. I was forced to face it today. It sounds pretty trivial when I say it outloud, but my failure today sent me into a stressed-out slump.
I've been gearing up to bake cupcakes, from scratch, for about 2 weeks now. I received a fancy cupcake book and thought I'd give it a shot. Yesterday I went to the grocery store and bought the ingredients that I needed...I was able to do this only because I had a sitter to watch my anti-grocery shopping baby!
So, when Sarah was at school and Katie was sleeping I got my book out and started at it. The cupcakes were pretty easy and not too time consuming. The frosting on the other hand was a different story! I literally spent 2 hours in the kitchen mixing three different batches of the same frosting recipe. For all you bakers out there...the first batch didn't peak properly, the second tasted like I was eating a stick of butter and the third turned to soup when I added a carmel sauce that I also made from scratch.
I gave up when it was time for dinner. I was overwhelmed with this frustrated feeling that I couldn't shake. I knew I shouldn't be so upset that the frosting didn't turn out...it was only cupcakes! After staying in this slump for about an hour I realized it was more than the frosting not being perfect (edible at that), it was about me failing. Ugh, what an ugly truth.
I don't have any inspirational, motivational mumbo-jumbo to share after discovering this; but I do have an appreciation for learning something about myself...ugly and all.
Isn't it amazing what baking can teach us!
I've been gearing up to bake cupcakes, from scratch, for about 2 weeks now. I received a fancy cupcake book and thought I'd give it a shot. Yesterday I went to the grocery store and bought the ingredients that I needed...I was able to do this only because I had a sitter to watch my anti-grocery shopping baby!
So, when Sarah was at school and Katie was sleeping I got my book out and started at it. The cupcakes were pretty easy and not too time consuming. The frosting on the other hand was a different story! I literally spent 2 hours in the kitchen mixing three different batches of the same frosting recipe. For all you bakers out there...the first batch didn't peak properly, the second tasted like I was eating a stick of butter and the third turned to soup when I added a carmel sauce that I also made from scratch.
I gave up when it was time for dinner. I was overwhelmed with this frustrated feeling that I couldn't shake. I knew I shouldn't be so upset that the frosting didn't turn out...it was only cupcakes! After staying in this slump for about an hour I realized it was more than the frosting not being perfect (edible at that), it was about me failing. Ugh, what an ugly truth.
I don't have any inspirational, motivational mumbo-jumbo to share after discovering this; but I do have an appreciation for learning something about myself...ugly and all.
Isn't it amazing what baking can teach us!
January 13, 2012
50mg
The baby started screaming the evening we came home from the hospital. We had never experienced anything like it. We played a guessing game everyday of 'what could be wrong with Katie?'.Dave was able to take three weeks off, which temporarily saved my sanity. During those first three weeks we were able to switch back and forth with who got to hold the baby, because God forbid we lay her down. There were not too many day time naps, and the nights were awful. Katie would literally scream for hours at night, sometimes from 6-11pm...solid, non-stop screaming. Nothing worked to calm this baby. Eating, swinging, walking, changing diaper...nothing worked.
We went to the doctor three times in two weeks and I called every day in between visits. First we were given drops for colic...no change at all. Then, we were given Zantac and Lactalose...diagnosis of reflux and constipation. Oh the joys of parenthood!
The medicines seemed to be helping but there was still screaming, a lot of ear piercing screaming. Then the day came when Dave had to go back to work. Seriously, you're leaving me?!
I felt like a prisoner in my home, specifically to my bedroom. I would spend so much time pacing my room trying to get Katie to sleep, and to stop crying.
Did I mention I also have a four year old who needs attention too? Talk about my mom guilt being at it's highest. There were so many hours I spent trying to comfort the baby while shooing Sarah out of the room so she wouldn't see me crying out of frustration.
Thank God for my family who would take Sarah out for the day, or even better, a sleepover.
After receiving advice from a friend I switched Katie to soy formula. Again, my guilt was at an all time high. I breastfed Sarah for four months, it had only been a month for Katie. How unfair, right?
The soy formula made a difference almost immediately. I can't believe we hadn't thought of it sooner. Sarah was allergic to my milk when she was an infant, that's why I switched her to formula. I guess my brain quit working from all the crying!
At six weeks old, Katie was starting to make a turn for the better. Don't get me wrong, there was still that ear piercing screaming, but it seemed the formula was helping.
Around this time you might think I was doing back flips. Instead, I was still crying. It had become a daily thing for me. I would cry when I had to pace with Katie, I would cry when I couldn't play with Sarah, I would cry when Katie would cry for three hours in the evening. I just cried!
One night Dave had seen enough. He texted my mom and asked for her to call me. He needed someone to calm me down and give me some comfort.
Through my tears, my mom was giving me the advice to call my doctor and ask him for medication. The people who love me most could see me struggling and knew I needed help. I wasn't thrilled about the idea, I had never been on any kind of depression medication before. I felt like it would be taking the easy way out, why couldn't I handle this baby on my own?
That night, Dave took care of Katie while I slept. The next morning, I asked Dave to call the doctor for me. I still felt a sense of pride and to me, calling the doctor was a sign of weakness.
I have been on 50mg of Zoloft for five weeks now. I can't believe what a difference it has made. The biggest thing I have noticed is my ability to remain calm during Katie's crying fits. My guilt over sharing my attention between my two girls has subsided as well. My doctor recommended staying on Zoloft for three months and then slowly cut back.
The emotions that come out after having a baby are no joke! I encourage any woman experiencing similar struggles to call her doctor. There is no shame in taking medication to get you through a rough time. I know where I was; physically, mentally, and emotionally and I know I'm in a much better place now.
We went to the doctor three times in two weeks and I called every day in between visits. First we were given drops for colic...no change at all. Then, we were given Zantac and Lactalose...diagnosis of reflux and constipation. Oh the joys of parenthood!
The medicines seemed to be helping but there was still screaming, a lot of ear piercing screaming. Then the day came when Dave had to go back to work. Seriously, you're leaving me?!
I felt like a prisoner in my home, specifically to my bedroom. I would spend so much time pacing my room trying to get Katie to sleep, and to stop crying.
Did I mention I also have a four year old who needs attention too? Talk about my mom guilt being at it's highest. There were so many hours I spent trying to comfort the baby while shooing Sarah out of the room so she wouldn't see me crying out of frustration.
Thank God for my family who would take Sarah out for the day, or even better, a sleepover.
After receiving advice from a friend I switched Katie to soy formula. Again, my guilt was at an all time high. I breastfed Sarah for four months, it had only been a month for Katie. How unfair, right?
The soy formula made a difference almost immediately. I can't believe we hadn't thought of it sooner. Sarah was allergic to my milk when she was an infant, that's why I switched her to formula. I guess my brain quit working from all the crying!
At six weeks old, Katie was starting to make a turn for the better. Don't get me wrong, there was still that ear piercing screaming, but it seemed the formula was helping.
Around this time you might think I was doing back flips. Instead, I was still crying. It had become a daily thing for me. I would cry when I had to pace with Katie, I would cry when I couldn't play with Sarah, I would cry when Katie would cry for three hours in the evening. I just cried!
One night Dave had seen enough. He texted my mom and asked for her to call me. He needed someone to calm me down and give me some comfort.
Through my tears, my mom was giving me the advice to call my doctor and ask him for medication. The people who love me most could see me struggling and knew I needed help. I wasn't thrilled about the idea, I had never been on any kind of depression medication before. I felt like it would be taking the easy way out, why couldn't I handle this baby on my own?
That night, Dave took care of Katie while I slept. The next morning, I asked Dave to call the doctor for me. I still felt a sense of pride and to me, calling the doctor was a sign of weakness.
I have been on 50mg of Zoloft for five weeks now. I can't believe what a difference it has made. The biggest thing I have noticed is my ability to remain calm during Katie's crying fits. My guilt over sharing my attention between my two girls has subsided as well. My doctor recommended staying on Zoloft for three months and then slowly cut back.
The emotions that come out after having a baby are no joke! I encourage any woman experiencing similar struggles to call her doctor. There is no shame in taking medication to get you through a rough time. I know where I was; physically, mentally, and emotionally and I know I'm in a much better place now.
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