Steak Dinners

My husband got his board score today. What a relief! He did very well and I'm so proud of him. It really made the 8 weeks or so of not really getting to see him worth it.

When I told my husband I had called my mom and sister to tell them how awesome he did he asked me if I had remembered to thank them for helping us through that time. I admit that I neglected to thank them. So to everyone that came to us for that two month time period,

Thank You!

From the bottom of our hearts. He could not and we could not have done it without you. We love you.

A Testament

When Daniel was on his mission in Chile he decided to buy a wonderful alpaca blanket. It was purchased for his future wife, which he had never met. Then I got it for Christmas the year we were engaged. I love this blanket.


When Daniel was 8 he realized how awesome all his brio train set stuff was so he packed it up and stored it. For his future children. Last vacation we were at his parents' place and we dug it out of all the stored stuff. We didn't have enough room to put it in our luggage home so Grandma LeAnn mailed it to us. It arrived yesterday and I took photos. They are a testament to Daniel's foresight and Grandma LeAnn's insight.


She had added a set of farm animal stuff.

And sent it in a big box full of packing peanuts.

For Katie

My sister says I don't show her enough photos. OK, so technically she says I don't take enough photos. Here are a few the I have taken recently.


This was after Charlotte's bath. She ran into her room and then said, "Char-lotte, Ah are you?" Which is my cue to come looking for her. I walked in and she was hiding/pretending to sleep with her stuffed animals.

I was trying to get a photo of his dimples. I know he has one, but I think he might have another one on the other side. I just couldn't time the picture right.
Here's the family after Greg's baby blessing. It is super cold in the photo so Charlotte and I are trying to fake being comfortable. I don't know if we convinced anyone.
Greg on his blessing day. He's wearing the same outfit that Daniel wore and the blanket Grandma LeAnn made especially for him.The first time I was actually able to capture a smile!

Behavior Problems

Charlotte is having behavior problems and I've got to do something about it. She's in the "MINE" phase right now and whenever she gets around her friends that are about the same age it always ends up in yelling and tears. She and the other kids feed off each other. I don't care what the other moms do with their kids but I don't want my kid to be yelling, fighting, and crying. At a loss as to what to do about this I called my mom. She gave me good advice and I'm going to implement it and see if it works. I certainly hope it does.

Because if it doesn't mommy's going to need a vacation.

Off On The Right Foot

Yesterday was the first day of Daniel's third year in medical school. This year is said to be the hardest one yet. Also, its the first year that Dan is finally no longer in the classroom. As he put it, "I'm finally out, after 18 years of being in the classroom." Needless to say he was pretty excited.

He had general third year orientation yesterday. Before that he and his group of buddies that played basketball in the mornings during second year decided to have one last hurrah game. With only a minute left of play, Daniel stepped on another guys foot and injured his ankle. He had to wear an ankle brace yesterday and when he took it off at home his ankle swelled right up. He had to wear it again today.

Today is the group specific orientation. His group is doing ambulatory internal medicine this month and he was reading stuff and getting ready for it last evening. He said the orientation started at 9 AM today. This morning at 8 AM he was finishing putting on his ankle brace and shoes and his friend calls him telling him that he needs to get to school right away. Apparently his group started at 8 AM. I quick grabbed him a bagel and cream cheese and a lunch for him and off he went. Then he had to circle back home to grab his white coat which he forgot in his mad dash out the door.

I feel so bad for him. I know this is not the impression he wanted to make on his first day. I hope that in spite of the bum ankle and the tardy arrival that today's orientation goes well for him.

4 Years

Yesterday was our 4th anniversary. We celebrated by going on an honest to goodness date. Dinner and a movie. It was so much fun just to be with Daniel and I realized how much I miss that recently. While getting ready for the date I was reminded of the change that happens with 4 years. The following conversation, that happened as we were getting ready, is a great example:

Dan: "I'm not going to shave. It hurts if I do it too much. The neck hairs have to be long enough or it will hurt."

Me: "That's OK. I'm not shaving either."

Dan: "OK."

I stinking love Daniel. He's so awesome.

Caught

While weeding the vegetable garden I am often so focused on getting out those nasty things that I don't notice much of what else goes on around me. This morning was no exception. We have two beautiful mature trumpet vines in our backyard right next to the vegetable garden. I love them, but have learned a few things about having trumpet vines. First, if you till up the area where a lot of the root stalk is to level out that ground for a garden bed you will cut some of the stalk into tiny pieces. If you leave these pieces in the ground they will become their own new plant that you then have to constantly pull out of the garden. Second, if you pull it out of the ground, but don't exactly throw it all the way out of the bed, it will re-plant itself. Third, if a vine from the original plant touches the ground long enough it will grow it's own root system and become another new plant. The trumpet vine is a very hardy plant.

All this adds up to a whole lot of weeding the stinking thing out of the vegetables. I was doing just that this morning when I looked up through the monstrous pumpkin vine and saw Suzie, our cat, walking up the back sidewalk. Happy to see her I put down my tools to start to pet her. Then she came a little closer and I saw she was bringing me a present. A live bird fighting to get free. And she was bringing it straight to me!

I did what any normal person would do. I jumped up and ran to the back door to get Daniel to save the bird. I was yelling, "Let it go Suzie! Let it go!" The door was locked so I couldn't get Daniel soon enough. Suzie brought the bird right to where I had been weeding and started to try to thoroughly kill it while I watched horrified at the back door.

Luckily this bird had a lot of fight in it because it got away and flew to the power lines by the time that Daniel got to the back door. Suzie was so disappointed. I went back to weeding and saw all the little feathers the bird had lost in the fight.

That poor little bird. Also, I'm very happy to report that the fight did not injure any of the asparagus they were tussling in.

As an aside, the garden is going fine. When we left I thought all the bell pepper plants had died, but lo and behold there's a single plant still out there. The peas unfortunately did not fare the hot weather without watering so very well. We had quite a few pea pods starting to grow before we left and when we got back they were all brown and dried. Oh well, I'll keep some for next year when we plant them earlier. The pumpkins are crazy and so are the carrots, so at least we'll have something of a crop.

Stats

Well, I forgot to let eveyone in on the 6 wk check-up!

Greg is:
12 lb 6 oz (75%) weight
23 in (75%) height
15 1/2 cm (75%) head circumfrance

So all around a very proportionate baby. Also, during the office visit the doctor put him on his tummy and he rolled onto his back. It was so awesome because she, Daniel, and I all saw it. Then he did it again at home later that afternoon.

Charlotte also had a well child check because we recently switched doctors.

Charlotte is:
27 1/2 lb (50%) weight
34 in (25%) height

Turns out she's a short little thing. The doctor said that since this was the first time Charlotte's height was measured while she was standing she might not have been standing straight. Who knows. But there you have it!

Don't Forget To...

Before we left on vacation we ate every last perishable item our house contained, and most of the other stuff too. Consequently when we got home we had exactly enough food to stretch it through 24 hours. That.was.it.

As we were eating dinner last night I thought about taking the kids grocery shopping with me on what I knew would be a huge stock the house back up again shopping trip. I decided it would be so much easier to just take one child than two. I turned to Daniel and said, "Would it be OK with you if, right after breakfast, Charlotte and I go grocery shopping and we leave you with Greg?" He said fine. So my plan was that I would make the menu and the list before bed and then we wouldn't even get really ready for the day. We would just quickly run out and back.

Well, that's not what happened. And I take full responsibility.

I didn't want to write out a menu last night and told myself Charlotte eats so slowly I'll have plenty of time to do that during her breakfast. That would have been fine if Charlotte hadn't slept uncharacteristically late to the unheard of hour of 7:30. We didn't get down to breakfast until 8. No big deal, we'll just start from there.

We got everything together and were out of the door by 9 (totally my fault because of course it will take longer to do the menu than I had planned). We went to Schnuck's and then did the big bulk item buy at Sam's Club and were pulling into the parking pad at 11. At this point I was feeling pretty darn stinking good. Look at me! I can do anything! I even got the whole thing done starting at least an hour behind schedule.

Funny thing about that hour behind schedule, your baby doesn't so much like it when you're an hour behind your schedule feeding him. And also, your husband doesn't much like it when you leave him with said baby.

Next time I will:

• Plan the menu the night before, like I was supposed to.
• Get out of the stinking bed when I'm supposed to.
• Not forget to feed the baby!

Oh wait, my husband is starting third year of medical school. There aren't going to be so very many occasions I can just leave him with the kids for a while. Oh well. I'm sure I can use this lesson somewhere.

Christmas Presents

I have had untold number of Christmas Present flops through the years. I can't even begin to count the number of presents I would gladly take back now if I could. But you can't and I'm blessed with loved ones that overlooked the photo of myself, or the tool that will never be used, or the hideous piece of clothing. Because they knew and know that I love them and the gift was given with love. I hope that I can in the future give not only my love, but much better gifts.

Years and years ago (don't ask me how many, because I don't remember) during a holiday season I was stuck as to what to get for my grandma. She already has so many wonderful things and being young, I couldn't fathom her needing anything or accurately assess her wants. So I got her a gift that reminded me of what she had taught me. The book was entitled Say Please, Say Thank You. Thinking back, a book about manners doesn't seem like a very wise present, but I was doing my best. I thought nothing of it after it was given. My grandma did not forget it though. Through the years it has floated around her house as she has read and re-read it. She has told me how much she enjoyed the book several times and I thank my lucky stars that it ended up being a good book, because, you know, the whole thing could have gone south pretty easily.

A few weeks ago I got an email stating that she was buying the book for my sister and me because she thought we would enjoy it. Again, I didn't think too much about it. When it came I laid it on the side table next to my rocking chair in the living room. I figured it's got a pretty cover on it so that could be its home for a while. Then, while nursing, I got bored and picked it up. At that moment everything made a whole lot more sense. This book is awesome. It isn't about "manners" at all really. It's about giving people and God the respect they deserve. I have loved reading it. I highly recommend it to everyone, not because they have a thing or two to learn about respect, but because I have found it so enjoyable to read. It reminds me of all the things my parents and grandparents have taught me in the past, and why they taught it to me.

Who knew my young self had happened upon such a find.

Vacation

When we go to my in-laws house for holidays I rarely see my husband. This is because he has a need to not stop working and also wants to be of as much use to his parents as possible. Although part of me thinks he should take a stinking break already, most of me feels proud to have a husband with a work ethic like that.

Last Friday Daniel took step one of the boards and our entire household gave out a huge sigh of relief when he got home. Finally! He, and the rest of us too, could have a little vacation together! I am happy to say that we have gone to the Magic House, and Grant's Farm, and tomorrow Daniel will be taking his mother and Charlotte to the Zoo to give me a little time to get our house in order to leave for a family reunion.

Each afternoon of this vacation I have taken a nap. I figure take advantage of the help of Dan's mom while I can. When she leaves I'm on my own again. Daniel however thinks, "I've got to take advantage of the time I've got to get as much done as possible." When we were coming home from the Magic House Dan said, "I'm really tired, but I probably better not sleep." To which I replied, "You're on vacation. The definition of vacation is that you don't have to work." It's funny how we take advantage of this time in such a different way.

Almost out of the Tunnel

Well, I can see the light at the end of the step 1 boards tunnel. Dan takes his test Friday and then I'm sure is going to crash a bit over the weekend. I can't wait. It's been a long two months.

This last week hasn't been too bad though because Daniel's mom is in town to help me with the kids so he can focus on the boards. That planning was a stroke of genius on my part. Today I actually contemplated how much I loved my mother in law and maybe, just for today, it might actually be more than I love Daniel. She is amazing! She has let me sleep in, she lets me take naps, she has cooked us dinner, taken us out to lunch, and done the dishes. It has been such a great vacation. I especially appreciate it since I had a bout a week and a half of torture between when my sister and her husband left and when my mother-in-law came. And I must say that I love my family!

Maybe in a couple of days I'll actually be able to see my husband during the day. Wont that be nice? I think I'm going to make him take a little vacation here in St. Louis. On my list of things to do is: Zoo, Magic House, Suson Park, Grant's Farm. Even after living in St. Louis for two years he's not been to any of those except the zoo. Any other suggestions?

To Do with the Hair

Note: I am so woefully behind on what's happening with us right now, I'm not even going to try to update everyone.

Having red hair has always been a big part of how I define myself. How I see it defining me has changed so very much over the years, but it has always been a big part of who I am. I remember always hearing, "Where did you get your red hair?" and I continue to get comments on it quite a bit. Even through the years where I wasn't so much in love with my hair color, I never once thought about changing it. I often wished it wasn't so curly/big/unmanageable, but never did I wish it weren't red. I sort of liked that it made me different and I attribute that wholly to my mother. I got enough positive reinforcement that I could lean on it when I wasn't so sure myself. I clearly remember my mother saying, "You can do whatever you want with your hair, but I'm not going to pay to fix it." Meaning if you died it and it went horribly wrong you'd just have to live with it. Now that I mostly know how to manage my hair I realize that any perceived problem I had with my hair was just a matter of figuring out how to work with what it wanted to do naturally. And it is naturally thick curly red hair.

My daughter doesn't have red hair. Not even in the slightest does she have red hair. Despite that fact she does have noteworthy hair. She has the most beautiful curls I have ever seen. She gets comments on her hair, similar to what I used to get, all the time. I love that she is always getting comments and complements on it (smart and stupid). What I don't so much love is this type of comment, "What beautiful curls your daughter has! I wish I had curls like that! You know she's going to hate them when she gets older though. (Said with a sigh)" In my mind I think Gee thanks stranger. Why would you plant the seeds of her not liking the way she looks right now? Charlotte has absolutely no reason to hate her curls. They're beautiful. That is unless she hears often enough about how she's going to hate them. She's only 2 and I'm already feeling like a guard against negative self imaging for my daughter. Isn't it a bit early to do that?

Sunday Every Day

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. On Sundays my husband doesn't study, doesn't work on the house, or spend time on the hundreds of other things he could be doing. On Sundays he relaxes and plays with the kids and does any little chore I ask him to do. It is so much fun to have him around. I know Charlotte loves it too because today she didn't whine as much and she was much more fun to be around. This morning we relaxed and weeded some of the garden and helped her play in her little pool. He spent hours today just holding, talking to, and loving Greg. Right now he's doing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen. It's when he does these things for me that I know he loves me. He wants me to be able to face the week Monday morning when I get up for the day. We both got long naps and I think he's going to start his week refreshed as well. I must remember to tell him why I love Sundays.

Just In Case (The Delivery Post)

At the end of my pregnancy and into labor I found myself asking everyone around me, "Did this happen like this last time?" Turns out I have a bad memory and that there were many similarities and a great many differences between the two events. Just in case I forget again, here's what I want to remember about round two.

• I had cramping/abdominal pain for days before actually giving birth. Its normal.
• I felt really great when I could walk around the neighborhood at the beginning of labor. Moving=good. Stationary=bad.
• I've puked during both deliveries.
• IV's make my arm cold.
• Twice now, my body has hit a point where it decides that the normal labor timing just isn't going to work for me. I must have this child now. So I start to have contractions that either don't stop or could harm the baby.
• Both of my babies have not handled delivery very well.
• I've had to be given medication to be slowed down twice now.
• That medication sucks.
• Epidurals do not suck-except when they don't cover your whole body.
• It also is the hardest thing in the world to stay still laying on your side during a really strong contraction. I did it only because they had to monitor the baby's heart beat.
• The phrase "we might have to do a c-section" scares the crap out of me.
• It also motivates me to push that thing out of me a lot quicker.
• I'm also motivated when the one little section of my abdomen that still feels every contraction stops hurting when I push. "Push the pain away" was the most helpful phrase that the nurse told me. It's true.

The physical recovery from this one was a whole lot easier than last time. I think that's because I really listened when people told me to take it easy. All in all not a terribly traumatic delivery.

My Vanity Is Gone

When I get pregnant, I mean really pregnant, my belly button disappears. It just flattens out until you can't really tell that I even had one in the first place. Most women have theirs poke out, but not me, mine just hides. Also, I get stretch marks all around my belly button. I thought I had plenty with the first one, but somehow I managed to get more this time around.

Just thought I'd give you a little background information for the following conversation that happened as I was getting out of the shower the other morning. (Why is it that my daughter has figured out that she needs privacy in the bathroom, but not that I might like it as well?)

Charlotte: Is that you belly button?

Me: Yep, it's back.

Charlotte: Did you get old?

Me: What?

Charlotte: You wrinkled.


Gee thanks.

Photos

I could post and post and post photos, but I wont. Here are a few that I think are really good.


Greg's looking for food!

Sleeping as usual.

Closest to my heart!

There are times that I am totally struck by her beauty.Our little family on a trip to Tower Grove Park.

I hope you like them!

Dear Greg,

I love you so much it makes my throat hurt. Strange, yes. Difficult, no. Each time I slow down and look at your little face I feel the love for you well up so much that it spills out my eyes and I cry. Just before the tears start, my throat hurts.

I know everyone said that your sister looked like her daddy, but to me it is you. I look at you and I see him. There is a little of me mixed in there, but overwhelmingly I see your dad. You are the most handsome little baby boy that my eyes have ever seen. I love your brown hair, and your little nose. I love the way your cheeks are so full and round. I would spend hours just memorizing your face right now if I could.

You are the type of baby that everyone wishes they could have. You are a great sleeper, a great eater, and so very mellow. You hardly ever cry. And when you do your big sister rushes to your side to try to help calm you. Which then fills me up so much with love I cry, again. I know this could just be a phase, but I'm convinced that your demeanor is a blessing sent straight to me from Heavenly Father. It's like He's telling me that I can do this. I can be a mother of two. And I'm so grateful for that. It seems that all my fears that surfaced at the end of pregnancy were for naught. You are wonderful, your sister is wonderful, your daddy is wonderful, and I am happy. I love our family and I love you.

I want you to know that you are wanted and loved immeasurably by your daddy and me. Not only do we love you, but we love each other, and we love Charlotte. Our family is one I hope will always have the hallmark of love.

Love Always,
Mom

A New Phase

Well, Charlotte has officially begun the whining phase of her life. This oh so frustrating little habit of hers is starting to wear me thin. Any ideas for how to re-direct, cope with, or stop this behavior? I'm all ears.

One Week Later

Last Sunday I went into the hospital and came out Wednesday with a baby. He's beautiful. He's gorgeous. He's SUPER easy (for now anyway). I'm in love. I'd write more, but Daniel has commandeered our computer to study for the boards in four weeks. I'll post photos and whatnot soon. I promise. But for right now I've got to get back to cuddling my sweet little Daniel Gregory.

Stats:

Born: Monday May 11, 2009 at 1:44AM
Weight: 8 lbs 8 oz
Length: 22 in
Hair: Dark Brown