tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37165752954743923442024-03-04T22:45:57.425-08:00The Spoken Mommy Truth Putting my M.S. not Mrs. to work!Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-43876497981809235522014-12-13T05:16:00.001-08:002014-12-13T05:16:35.041-08:00Distracted Mommy LandYep, thats pretty much my life. I chuckle at myself thinking back to college and being so naive in thinking I knew what distractions were all about. Skipping class to go hiking? SURE, why not thats a GREAT distraction....Cue to Mommy Scene...Okay let me try to get laundry A out of the dryer, into a basket, and put laundry B into the dryer. Nope someone is insisting on coming in to check on me to see if I'm okay. Wait you need something? Wow what a surprise there. Granted I'm asking for maybe four minutes tops in this scenario, but yes this is a perfect example of my constant distractions.<br />
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FlyLady talks about living in Chaos and I have to say she pretty sure knows what she's talking about. I did a FlyLady hotspot challenge the other day. She gives you two minutes to complete the task and I would have to say I only had two minutes without some kid distraction and I completed it. She usually asks to do fifteen minutes a day decluttering, but I no longer know what fifteen minutes uninterrupted looks like.<br />
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So you might be reading this and wondering how in the world I'm actually even typing this. Well thats a very good question and its due in part to my mommy internal clock telling me to get up. I do love these moments when everyone else is asleep and I can have a moment to myself. It doesn't happen often since my oldest seems to be a morning person....yep gotta run she is awake and senses me downstairs! <br />
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(To be continued)....Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-69535751102881928222014-08-28T10:23:00.001-07:002014-08-28T10:23:23.999-07:00I've Fallen In Love AGAIN!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHEgAhgNfouuRBB4vaFKyXF-2uHqWYM4iacKnyZjpfuMXeItCOsSbz4oW0SW1ldqGVHLeDNF8k1CRfizBRnhbbumTQQwkTUA_Gpg6CkyAR_RiPqIeG9g63ksUGK1yMvlqIkUwEnlG14NQ/s1600/5473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHEgAhgNfouuRBB4vaFKyXF-2uHqWYM4iacKnyZjpfuMXeItCOsSbz4oW0SW1ldqGVHLeDNF8k1CRfizBRnhbbumTQQwkTUA_Gpg6CkyAR_RiPqIeG9g63ksUGK1yMvlqIkUwEnlG14NQ/s1600/5473.jpg" height="200" width="193" /></a>Okay so both toddlers are down! I can actually spend a moment blogging. I think after the cancer scare that I needed to refocus and to find what I loved once more. I know this is going to sound crazy, but its the elliptical. Now I don't own one and I have to find precious time to go there, but I've lost seven pounds already. SEVEN! I go when hubby gets off work or when the babysitter is here. Yesterday, I was in a bit of a funk because my 16 month old seems to be having all her teeth come in at once and she has a cold on top of it. As hubby said, its like Ghostbusters with the slime. She slimed the crap out of me too the past few days. I am still nursing her so if you can just understand I felt gross the whole time. Anyway, last night I worked out at the gym and found how good it felt to get a workout in. I had been struggling with fitting in my clothes and I know I'm fat. Can we say that here? I get the whole you should love your body after babies thing, but come on thats just words to me. I needed to get up and move and move I did. So its been a month since I started my quest for looking better and now I'm once again fitting in my clothes. Its a good feeling. I had a girlfriend who thought I was pregnant and so did this nicer older lady and I wasn't offended at all lol. I probably should have been, but it made me more motivated to shed some pounds.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Pk2p4AQ3Lcn9WFMEsPE4HneVWoyS4JIjf_sESssJYBIXXnlCkg6whW7sus38RtYyir5xLKLQgT_AxOMShAGPMsyXPz82E-p3-pPX5p__RWOp75XU5cSElLiSIHwTTH1FmQJPd7VLy2v2/s1600/2499f3348526e64918770936df83051c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Pk2p4AQ3Lcn9WFMEsPE4HneVWoyS4JIjf_sESssJYBIXXnlCkg6whW7sus38RtYyir5xLKLQgT_AxOMShAGPMsyXPz82E-p3-pPX5p__RWOp75XU5cSElLiSIHwTTH1FmQJPd7VLy2v2/s1600/2499f3348526e64918770936df83051c.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a>The first time I worked out, I had on my largest clothes and I even resorted at times to wearing hubby's workout clothes because my medium shorts didn't fit me. Actually, I walked in wearing his I think and the guy checking people in had this smirk of you shouldn't even be here. Well he was carrying a few pounds himself and had this Hitler mustache thing going on and it just made me want to lose the weight that much more. I'm here to tell you that kind of behavior motivates me more to change. If you are reading this and need to shed a few pounds then make it count. Don't let their negativity pull you under and you'll see results. Don't hide behind the complacent remarks that you look fine either. I had gotten comfortable and needed to step out of my stay at home mommy routine. I have more energy and I've started to watch Chris and Heidi Powell's show. Have you seen it? They are absolutely amazing and if you aren't inspired by them then I don't know what to tell you. Chris seems as if he is the most genuine guy out there and I would give anything to meet Heidi and him. <br />
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So there you have it! I'm on quest now to lose weight AND to find a new jogging stroller. I want to start working out with the kids and I'm torn between a BOB and the Baby Jogger Summit X3. If anyone would like to give me advice on which one to get then I'm all ears. I want to find my love of walking again and rock the new mommy body...<br />
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OR????? This sexy beast?Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-8815909370529372862014-07-15T10:03:00.000-07:002014-07-15T10:03:51.229-07:00Umm about that singing....So just when I was singing my tune about not having cancer, the work gods decided to send my hubby for another little training session. That seemed to last forever and I was feeling as if I was in the titanic without anyone here to help. I didn't even have a babysitter at the time to spare me. Ha ha but I did survive with only four hours of sleep a night and made it up till the day before he came home. Yep, lucky me I somehow managed to fight the monkey bars while trying to save my daughter from falling and took a blow to my head. I have tried to make light of me having a concussion, but its been pretty bad at times. I've had memory and word retrieval issues these past couple of weeks. I am just now getting to be where I feel almost normal. If I overdo it then I'm weak and have to rely on hubby to help. I actually ended up having two fainting spells and not being able to drive for a week which just plain sucks. I think when 2014 is done and over with that I'll be happy. I won't go into the woes of Kerri because really who wants to hear every bloody detail. Trust me no one is THAT interesting and I'm definitely not. Witty at times, yes, but 24/7 interesting definitely not....Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-57834639730616061992014-06-23T21:54:00.003-07:002014-06-23T21:54:26.345-07:00The Hills Are Alive....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JsnidmhoZwKOBueVzwWIzg3wVN3sYvpI5A4yvpR-BeBu3swwuivprWFbIfg7Y8MizlIVmNl3rQ_YwvyPzwvEVLOPa1HKqwan_WvSNnl6YyqYP-_kZYJfBTmFhYeXl8cWPQfmuDZ4TZY8/s1600/976_976_22d96496e2db341c851a534fbe81.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JsnidmhoZwKOBueVzwWIzg3wVN3sYvpI5A4yvpR-BeBu3swwuivprWFbIfg7Y8MizlIVmNl3rQ_YwvyPzwvEVLOPa1HKqwan_WvSNnl6YyqYP-_kZYJfBTmFhYeXl8cWPQfmuDZ4TZY8/s1600/976_976_22d96496e2db341c851a534fbe81.jpg" height="186" width="320" /></a>Yes, yes do you know the next line??? Yep, with the sound of music! Think Julie Andrews and not Carrie Underwood though please. I can't begin to tell you what a wonderful word "benign" truly means to me. I have been so busy enjoying small moments with my girls and to be completely thankful I do not have cancer. Now I have to keep getting checked up on the nodule on a regular basis unless I feel its become larger then I need to go in before then. However, after the doctor told me the news, I cried. I had been so worried and wondered what life would be like if I wasn't here for the girls. No one should have to go through that and it actually makes me a bit misty eyed that this small ordeal can conjure up those emotions again. I tried to settle my affairs just in case and some little things like my daughter's christmas stocking I started to try to complete. Little things that you procrastinate because you think you have all this time in the world, but in fact you really don't. By the way, I found someone who can finish her stocking and I just need to pick out a color for it and life should be good. I have it hanging up so I can send it out next week so I won't forget. Hey, its almost Christmas in July isn't it?!? <br />
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Anyway, I have been so busy because hubby is back to coming and going again. My day when he isn't home in the evening is about a good 14 hours and sometimes it pushes into 16 hours. When I get five hours of uninterrupted sleep, I'm on top of the world. Isn't that just sad lol? I have a girlfriend in Texas and she was astonished I was already up and moving and I admitted to her I got more than my usual 3-4 hours. Those days when I get so little of sleep are the days I'm dragging. I pray my kids go down for quiet time at the same time and of course when I desperately want them to they seem to sense my weakness and like little barracudas pounce on me. Yes, yes I do love my tiny overlords, but dang they keep me busy. Anyway, this is just a quick update. Please know I have not forgotten my blog. I don't know how other mommy bloggers find the time. Although my new zest on life, I did join twitter. I tweet mostly about mommy things of course!!! Just don't ask me to explain hashtags yet #####!Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-30879635819647180382014-05-31T09:40:00.001-07:002014-05-31T09:40:30.002-07:00Ostrich Moments<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrpDQW3wri3fkkAAU7z1ebdjO03-jDzvUYZ0s_k29t8VpMRb4R93dVQF3OVcJc0ZBiWkpfxYkZxbvAUWwcD50T550w2C6171zwlIrb5QiHDrnHhdwM5UI29uDZOgohERel9pbHKsYIg05I/s1600/ostriches-head-in-sand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrpDQW3wri3fkkAAU7z1ebdjO03-jDzvUYZ0s_k29t8VpMRb4R93dVQF3OVcJc0ZBiWkpfxYkZxbvAUWwcD50T550w2C6171zwlIrb5QiHDrnHhdwM5UI29uDZOgohERel9pbHKsYIg05I/s1600/ostriches-head-in-sand.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a>So our brand new water heater had a leak in the drain pan and it was pouring water out. This soaked the carpet in the other room and we had restoration guys come out once again. Since my computer is in that room and I can't go in, I've stolen my hubby's computer for the moment to write a quick update. Hubby says soon I'll have my computer room back. I admit I haven't wanted to blog much lately. All I can think about has been my results of the biopsy that I just got done. It wasn't exactly pain free and I'm glad I didn't read too many Fine Needle Aspiration stories before going in. I read them afterwards. Some of them were downright scary and if you need one done then I would suggest staying away from the internet. Hubby had to watch the kids so I went alone to the appointment. There are times as a parent, you want someone to hold your hand. It doesn't happen very often, but I wish he had been there, bad jokes and all. During it, the one nurse touched my shoulder in a comforting manner and it is exactly what I needed. I needed to know someone cared and knew that I struggled as I laid there while they inserted needle after needle into me. I have had crazy thoughts of well maybe that nodule will just pop and disappear like a bad zit when they do the procedure. However, reality sits in and I must stop being the ostrich with its head in the sand. So I wait and wait some more. I try to spend my time with the kids and keep myself busy till I know.Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-87708943240335731242014-05-17T15:40:00.000-07:002014-05-17T15:40:20.360-07:00Bumblebee Moments<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkOWMF4bzn2LOrFZ8ti515j5pnz2_BFVno_WGBUJ7qHq_QujoBphHoSI0Wh6ke4pFV8SNxPlu7175-DoasxoHk25waQG4NWdZpnoKbVotwGtjEbfW8V2_zL-K588hqQWugq86rpiWboTi/s1600/PRO180_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkOWMF4bzn2LOrFZ8ti515j5pnz2_BFVno_WGBUJ7qHq_QujoBphHoSI0Wh6ke4pFV8SNxPlu7175-DoasxoHk25waQG4NWdZpnoKbVotwGtjEbfW8V2_zL-K588hqQWugq86rpiWboTi/s1600/PRO180_0.jpg" height="110" width="200" /></a>Has it really been a month since my last post? I'm not even sure where to begin anymore. My life has been thrown for a complete 180. I once read a fortune cookie that said to never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you. Well I think I'm in trouble and I'm not sure how to go about it. As you know I was expecting to get a clean bill of health on tests and right now I'm scheduled to do further testing. I once had a boss who told me that the reason he hired me was because I wasn't afraid of anything. I told him I think I'm afraid of everything. I was young then and grew into my own as an adult and didn't have much to worry about. I had a great journey and often times very painful, but I pulled through. Now I'm faced with something to really worry about. It has kept me up at night and my nights are filled with taking care of the baby and just thinking about the future. People will tell me it will be okay, but how do they know for sure? <br />
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We had our water heater go out a couple of weeks ago. Now I could have been extremely upset about the whole thing and trust me doing a rendition of Flashdance in the shower is definitely not as sexy as it seems. However, I was able to take my mind off of the medical appointments for just a tiny fraction and that made it bearable for me. Now there is not this huge distraction and I honestly can't wait for the upcoming appointments. The pot that never boils quote really holds true here. I have to wait till insurance figures out their part and that has taken an entire week. Throughout it all though, I'm still a mommy and I have mommy duties. I love my girls and they mean the world to me. In martial arts, we always talked about living in the moment and I've had some great moments. A couple of days ago, I showed my toddler this beautiful flying bumble bee which was enjoying the nectar of the flowers and it was such a great moment. Another awesome thrilling moment was when my one year old discovered my belly button. Best entertainment I think I've had in awhile. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdUE1w3sODMMIAyDxUUmQFKhPq3-6FuWMlhRPG1_bPI4CvFhAYdXkoKTiM74_P9AtVEaHLLCV84erJBuuN2JyGaN7azno4GlaasG-aYxG3EXlv9K3tZorYO4HuUH32r7U8L30xbyRCtSc/s1600/bumble_bee_062705_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdUE1w3sODMMIAyDxUUmQFKhPq3-6FuWMlhRPG1_bPI4CvFhAYdXkoKTiM74_P9AtVEaHLLCV84erJBuuN2JyGaN7azno4GlaasG-aYxG3EXlv9K3tZorYO4HuUH32r7U8L30xbyRCtSc/s1600/bumble_bee_062705_04.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>Thank you for hanging in there with me and understanding why I don't always post. If this is your first blog post read then I would suggest starting at the beginning. I had WAY more entertaining things back in the day. I'm hoping to get good news in the next few weeks and thats all I can do is hope for the best. Hope everything is okay and I get to see more bumble bees in the future. Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-47331793857067807842014-04-15T23:21:00.001-07:002014-04-15T23:21:31.648-07:00Facing the Facts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrQhK8qfKmdygCyAH9l1OSAwf47VvRFuK8aXnrEdGvtH0hOhr2vK47fMi_HNeMbwXI9p9Q3c8RyKUnNjO8pKJV6eZ5aqyyrNvzuvA3q80vy9WaqFsxiEm6k222YUbFUDZkJ_gvrcC9ynT/s1600/elder-care-doctor-visit-preparation.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrQhK8qfKmdygCyAH9l1OSAwf47VvRFuK8aXnrEdGvtH0hOhr2vK47fMi_HNeMbwXI9p9Q3c8RyKUnNjO8pKJV6eZ5aqyyrNvzuvA3q80vy9WaqFsxiEm6k222YUbFUDZkJ_gvrcC9ynT/s1600/elder-care-doctor-visit-preparation.png" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
So you are probably thinking this chic never posts anymore. Yep, I kind of agree with you. I've got my hands full being a Mom and I love being a Mom, but no one ever raises their hand and chooses to do it alone for the majority of the time. Well I'd been sick again and both girls were too. My toddler had her first ear infection which isn't too shabby since I know many little ones struggle with reoccurring ear infections often. Yes, RSV is nothing to sneeze at either. Right now I'm in the middle of trying to wash everything they came into contact and if they wore it once then it goes right into the laundry. During this RSV fiasco, I had my own doc appointments. Well I learned a valuable lesson. No one EVER wants to hear the C word when you are sitting in a doctor's office. I promise I'll explain more later when I get all the tests done. However, you do sit back and start thinking about things and since it runs in my family, I just have to wait till they give me that piece of paper saying I'm fine in order for me to be completely satisfied. Anyway, that about sums up the past two weeks. So if you are reading this then yes I had my hands full. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BhMpCCxMZiFvqT6_VuPmk_Kr_yk7ySLXQuThQ0wyGJ8Ma5uwbup9vTdwA-NR1qBhm_ixSqff6P33dBw1cwAB2WdbJ8YyGv7IL0Ti-aLcpC_3FIOCrKwt2cyT4HTChJeJ-bH0K8hmR291/s1600/mqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BhMpCCxMZiFvqT6_VuPmk_Kr_yk7ySLXQuThQ0wyGJ8Ma5uwbup9vTdwA-NR1qBhm_ixSqff6P33dBw1cwAB2WdbJ8YyGv7IL0Ti-aLcpC_3FIOCrKwt2cyT4HTChJeJ-bH0K8hmR291/s1600/mqdefault.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a>In other news, my daughter started speech therapy sessions and I am so excited about that. Its a hard thing to admit your toddler needs help in that category. I hear other toddlers just yap away and it makes me feel pretty much a failure when I'm around other kids. I do have a girlfriend who was pregnant the same time as I was and she has a similar struggle with her little boy. I made the joke with her that maybe they communicated via womb teleconferencing they would be a handful when it comes to speech. Okay, in all seriousness, it is a struggle for me to not hear my daughter say Mommy. She can say Daddy just fine, but I get mostly cries and whines when she wants something from me. I wish you knew just how much it tears me up inside to even admit all of this. However, this is my blog about mommy truth and if you have ever watched Stewie say Mommy a billion times and run away then honestly that is what I secretly crave. It's hard to face the facts and the speech therapist did say it had nothing to do with me, but sometimes it can't be helped. I think as parents we beat ourselves up over things and this is my struggle. If you are reading this and your child is not performing at the level they should then you are not alone. The assistance that my girlfriend and I are receiving is on a state level and we both have the same program even though we are in different states. It is called Infants and Toddlers and I encourage you to not wait if you suspect your child is not yapping clearly enough. <br />
<br />Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-88478868944877179272014-03-31T22:32:00.000-07:002014-03-31T22:32:23.431-07:00Pennies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQChkfr4dBXuch6NsqAQatozsIJoALWsZLflMwZ30sosGuSxC3iyOmNKj35COCFaxYUcrDEg_ZlhV77KbVlmzyfn9d8eSEXuNIbJ6ht_8BZKAIm1tB63cj8hOxl5t74Bp3LovXKLCSSOb/s1600/stack_of_pennies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQChkfr4dBXuch6NsqAQatozsIJoALWsZLflMwZ30sosGuSxC3iyOmNKj35COCFaxYUcrDEg_ZlhV77KbVlmzyfn9d8eSEXuNIbJ6ht_8BZKAIm1tB63cj8hOxl5t74Bp3LovXKLCSSOb/s1600/stack_of_pennies.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a>Do you believe in pennies sent from up above? I think I do now. I know my last post was not very forthcoming, but I think I had to process it first before I wrote about it further. A week after I wrote my post, my cousin lost his eight year battle with cancer. In one week, he was gone and I never got to tell him goodbye or what he meant to me. The next night as I took the girls swimming, I was a bit all over the place and couldn't concentrate. It was apparent to me when I couldn't even multiply four times eight and yes, I do feel a bit silly now for that error. However, I still wanted to keep my routine for the girls and so I took them. In the locker room, I had been by this bench several times especially when I was getting the girls dressed after swimming. I bent down to try to maneuver my little girl into her outfit and there was this penny. Something prompted me to look at the date as I picked it up and put it into my pocket. I walked out with my girls in tow about two minutes after that. Later that night, I asked his sister if that year was significant to her brother and she told me it was the year he graduated high school. It completely took me off guard and yet it comforted me at the same time. What are the possibilities and the likelihood that I would find a penny with that specific year? <br />
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So maybe I got to say goodbye after all. If I could have written to him before he passed away, I would have told him I had always looked up to him. He was someone who never belittled me or made me feel like I was just this pesky little kid. He was funny, smart, and of course handsome and thats the way I'm going to remember him. When my girls meet that someone special, I hope its someone like my cousin. He was THAT nice and I really wish cancer had not taken him away from his family. I am truly a blip in all the people who knew and loved him, but I was lucky to have known him. I was lucky to find that penny too. It means a lot to me now and I have kept it. I'm not sure what I'll do with it just yet, but I think in time I will…Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-74564622838910423922014-03-05T21:16:00.002-08:002014-03-05T21:16:11.233-08:00Today & Tomorrow Today I received some rather sad news and it's been on my mind for the better part of the day. I'm not sure how to process it right now. I watched my children play at my feet and knew they had no idea the turmoil I was involved in. I know this is rather short and it's not suppose to be very witty because honestly there are going to be days that just are sad. There will be happier times, but if I didn't write it then you would only have this rose colored picture what my life is like. I do hope this finds you well and as you peek upon your children, do yourself a favor and savor those moments of innocence. Be happy that you are there to protect your loved ones and make an effort to do something nice for them tomorrow. Give them a hug or take a break from your computer and go for a walk with them. I'll let you decide, but whatever it is I hope they remember that moment with you. Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-60291810242222072352014-03-01T20:23:00.003-08:002014-03-01T20:23:39.254-08:00How Do You Rate?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSJatFgUkhxH0bYjFYMlaJKhDchxNqcabmNTElNOGK2hK3fF4zBF5m0LRrdaMAWVShuVUPKNJROVyPRCAcVbigTe-eAjNHqhekSJIrOeDbAqEn53zQpQjEp3ffAjru4nS1NPEdEUfSEyt/s1600/091_DiaperLitter-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSJatFgUkhxH0bYjFYMlaJKhDchxNqcabmNTElNOGK2hK3fF4zBF5m0LRrdaMAWVShuVUPKNJROVyPRCAcVbigTe-eAjNHqhekSJIrOeDbAqEn53zQpQjEp3ffAjru4nS1NPEdEUfSEyt/s1600/091_DiaperLitter-3.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a>Have you ever seen an abandoned dirty diaper on the side of the road? Do you wonder what kind of parent would just leave their child's waste behind like that? Today I was in the park playing with my girls and we walked by the picnic tables and right there laid a diaper. I have to admit its pretty disgusting to just see trash lying around in a park where your children play, but its an even worse offense when you see a dirty diaper. Now granted I didn't see any waste receptacles in the area and if I had spent maybe two hours, I could have cleaned up the litter leading into the park too. The sonic ice cream cups, the empty beer cans, and plastic waste. I watch Survivorman and in almost every episode he seems to find some kind of leftover human rubbage. I highly doubt though he would have used the diaper. Maybe I should email Les and see if he would have done something with it. Would he even dare touch it?<br />
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In all fairness, I admit I'm kind of tired of being part of the Waste Management Team. I've been a horrible cloth diapering mama and you can be critical all you want, but trust me this upheaval in our lives has not been easy. I still use biodegradable diapers and when they make a mess, I'll do the right thing by disposing it into the toilet. So in five hundred years when they search landfills for clues to our human existence, I know that my child's DNA should be long gone. Seriously, we should chat about my thoughts on being put into a coffin and rotting…okay that was definitely a joke since we all know how long it takes a body to decompose these days once they pump formaldehyde into our corpses. I remember a story about how they pulled a body from a grave to solve a case from fifty years ago and the body was in mint condition. MINT CONDITION. Think about that when you start your burial plans and yes we all go at some point in our lives. <br />
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Anyway, back to that dirty diaper on the ground and how those parents would have been given a D minus in Waste Management. They did fold up the diaper so its not an F per say. However, I feel sorry for the child who sees their parent just leave trash and not do the responsible thing. How hard is it to take it home or toss at the nearest gas station? We are ultimately teaching our kids its okay to leave a mess and our trash behind. Once out of sight, out of mind, right? Well tell that to the park guy or to the person who comes across that dirty diaper and thinks "REALLY?!? What kind of parent does this?" Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-71826308899479664092014-02-07T19:46:00.002-08:002014-02-07T19:46:49.146-08:00My Nostradamus<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7b3aDzdAGu9w2yF3hBkHMvDEjRVwjlq5vR_m1ZzcKrWyt62LGxZ-bkw-Zb6NrzZlejtK_IGv5dXeVMx3hf9FKmaWZnEta0gH3XsR5shTVcNmqlTsLXA875_rCvze4nLkYVfPYbCSV2dv/s1600/nostradamus-dt-431x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7b3aDzdAGu9w2yF3hBkHMvDEjRVwjlq5vR_m1ZzcKrWyt62LGxZ-bkw-Zb6NrzZlejtK_IGv5dXeVMx3hf9FKmaWZnEta0gH3XsR5shTVcNmqlTsLXA875_rCvze4nLkYVfPYbCSV2dv/s1600/nostradamus-dt-431x300.jpg" height="138" width="200" /></a>Many individuals know of Nostradamus and if you don't then you need to start reading a little more than just my blog. He is associated with predictions and that is what most people think of when his name pops up. However, did you know he was a plague doctor? During the time, I was past 40 weeks with my now toddler and I was desperate to have that baby. I researched EVERYTHING and I came across rose hips as a way to help the body go into labor. The rose hips did not help me and I finally had my little girl at 42.4 weeks. Well during my research, I came across Nostradamus as using rose hips during the plague. He was lancing the boils and helping the victims overcome this wretched disease with the use of rose hips. Sadly, he lost his family while he was away trying to save others and they say he lost credibility for not being able to save his own family. It is actually a really interesting read if you want to delve into it sometime. Honestly, I haven't paid much heed to his predictions so I am rather out of touch of what has come true and what hasn't. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5CPLH7uWkt34SM2OSfiVFRziaUBapyb0BExinxIjlNoxCdzO5n-Ye94uxBvTikrkIPw8QkISVhnLDL_-igoHRSMqNQXHMburcpiS2HyF3OHetO2eaBd3q3eP_JHC7vnYr1efYY3uiSeE/s1600/Flu-Buddy-2013-e1357941088828.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5CPLH7uWkt34SM2OSfiVFRziaUBapyb0BExinxIjlNoxCdzO5n-Ye94uxBvTikrkIPw8QkISVhnLDL_-igoHRSMqNQXHMburcpiS2HyF3OHetO2eaBd3q3eP_JHC7vnYr1efYY3uiSeE/s1600/Flu-Buddy-2013-e1357941088828.png" height="320" width="212" /></a>Well my husband was away for work and both girls and I came down with the flu. It was pretty miserable. I was dealing with a baby throwing up all over and that one morning, I woke up throwing up myself into a small hand towel and not being very successful in missing the carpet. It was an absolute nightmare for me. I felt so bad that the one day all I could do was give my toddler crackers for lunch. I felt like the worse parent on the planet since I couldn't even get off of the couch. Luckily, I only gave her crackers since she had horrible diarrhea when I did give her real food that evening. That was definitely an eye opener. Anyway, I Skyped with my parents and I asked my mom to come. I was pretty desperate for any help whatsoever and I would have understood if she had said no, but she didn't. I felt as if I was the luckiest daughter ever to have a mom willing to travel a few hundred miles just to come help. <br />
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My mom showed up and we quickly started to sanitize everything in the house and to work on the piles of laundry. I had not eaten or drank much in about two days because I just could not stomach it and I didn't have the time to sit in the bathroom tending to myself when I had two babies who were sick too. Although I am surprised at how energetic sick kids can be. The moment when I almost fell over because I was so weak and my mom caught me sticks in my head. She was there for me and I thought to myself that I hope someday I am willing to go into the lion's den to help my children. My mom knew what she was getting into when she came, but it did not stop me from feeling guilty when she came down with it too. It is a bit amusing that out of it all, my mom told me she did enjoy her visit with her grandkids. I guess I never expected that to be the tone of her visit, but they truly enjoyed seeing my mom again. My little girl actually came running into the living room looking for her Grandma and when she couldn't find her, came back, and gave me this confused look. It was a bit heartbreaking to tell her that Grandma had to go back home. <br />
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So my mom was my Nostradamus last week. She didn't come bearing rose hips with her, but she did come prepared to help us get out of our misery and to make our lives organized once again. I hope I'm never that ill ever again and I think the last time I recall being so sick was when I was in high school. Yep, those moments kind of stay with you and I hope I can look back at this time knowing I had the best mom I could have ever asked for. It is a wicked flu season and I know people across the country who have come down with it. There are the lucky few who seem to be immune to it. My one girlfriend who got thrown up on by my daughter didn't get it nor did her children. I've had friends here get it without even seeing me so I know its making its way across the USA. Just be prepared if you do succumb to it and if you lose a few pounds like I did then be happy about one small positive outcome of it. However, I definitely wouldn't recommend it as your weight loss regime though. Not one single bit….Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-68547069497978096402014-01-15T21:41:00.001-08:002014-01-15T21:41:32.927-08:00What's Your Focus?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGsS_RAmfocrCFDNk3JA6aUnpUHyRyFkJBLt5stz8vMfCSxEPjZj_nLeroeA5cdboXFQ4G8fRW5CycoYPES_ZFwnWwsvw8lSdNg-xocQamCRRurcuZx-IbGIEPPzsCj8or6zjAFymfYXz/s1600/Snake_plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGsS_RAmfocrCFDNk3JA6aUnpUHyRyFkJBLt5stz8vMfCSxEPjZj_nLeroeA5cdboXFQ4G8fRW5CycoYPES_ZFwnWwsvw8lSdNg-xocQamCRRurcuZx-IbGIEPPzsCj8or6zjAFymfYXz/s1600/Snake_plant.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>So where have I been??? Ha I can't even tell you the level of insanity that has occurred since we moved in August then again right before Christmas. If you need a one through ten kind of guess then try fifteen! I have missed blogging though. It is my outlet, but my kids come first and so I walk away. I believe as a parent you need to set down the computer tablet and focus on parenting. I used to do martial arts and the grandmaster was discussing how to focus on just one task. If you are watering your plants then you are not trying to talk on the phone at the same time. Live in the moment was the lesson for the day. I know we don't do this enough. My tiny overlords keep me so busy that I don't do this enough. I'm just trying to survive so the house doesn't go up in flames. <br />
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The next time you sit in your car at a stoplight, pay attention to the people around you. You will notice they are not focused at all on the road. It is rather scary since you will see how distracted as individuals we have become. Is parenting the reason behind our lack of focus? Toddler needs this and the baby wants to be held and to manage it all takes skill which I'm afraid I don't always have. Hubby wants attention too, but I'm so touched out especially since I nurse the baby that I would just rather hide in a closet. Honestly, that is my focus and sadly I look to find opportunities to just be alone. <br />
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I know if I sit in the car for an extra five minutes while the kids are asleep that I might get a few more precious moments right then for some me time, but at the same time sacrificing later in the day. If my toddler gets a nap late in the afternoon, it is an absolute fight for me to get her to go to bed at a decent time. She is in that transition of not having a nap at all and when she does take a nap it is pure heaven for me. I get to focus on spending quality time with the baby or having a moment to cook lunch without a toddler being underfoot. <br />
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So what do you focus on as a parent? Do you know right away what is sacred to you? Its funny to me all the things I used to enjoy five years ago, is pretty much irrelevant to my life now. I used to enjoy retail therapy and now if I have a clean shirt right before I walk out the door, I'm doing a good job for the day. My direction has changed and that's okay. I just have to live with the guilt as I look at my poor dead plant to know its my children who keep me from watering it. Yes, I admit I'm a plant killer...<br />
<br />Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-63409566674678239702013-10-10T22:14:00.003-07:002013-10-10T22:14:59.121-07:00A Sleeping Toddler...Is that just a myth? <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpQiCbumk2AMETzU9oby3jR7udPkyep7rhfHRhMxP7CNEfvB4aAQbQVjZbJwC3xpOh4od_f3-fD5yirGkzdgHzgbdRZJEoYHUswAq4pltxCjJ5yIX3LZoIIp1_XgcfvpbiMryfF76lkfi/s1600/1016610_10151715565801840_797211035_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpQiCbumk2AMETzU9oby3jR7udPkyep7rhfHRhMxP7CNEfvB4aAQbQVjZbJwC3xpOh4od_f3-fD5yirGkzdgHzgbdRZJEoYHUswAq4pltxCjJ5yIX3LZoIIp1_XgcfvpbiMryfF76lkfi/s320/1016610_10151715565801840_797211035_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Okay so I always feel when I get the toddler down that I have achieved the ultimate success. Its been tough on her after we moved and I have found myself comforting her by staying in her room till she falls asleep. I can get her to sleep for naps without this routine, but she likes our ritual reading and for me to stay when she goes to bed at night. I have found myself waking up off the floor and for some reason I don't mind. I think its the only true quiet time I have in our small apartment. We have a heater in her room and I'm bit of a cold blooded snake and I just gravitate towards her room.<br />
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So am I wrong? Am I going to make her the one who is fifteen years old who can't fall asleep without someone right next to her? I sure hope not! I want a happy toddler and as you know, toddlers are rarely happy unless they are getting their way. I will say that we had plenty of sleepless nights because she would crawl into bed with us. It was not working out with nursing baby and two adults in a queen sized bed. When we had moved we honestly couldn't find her bottle which we gave her to go to bed with. Yes, I'm a bad mommy...usually it was water or chamomile tea and yes I regret doing the easy way when she was only 8 months old. <br />
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It was kind of great that the transition to no bottle was relatively simple, but then we had the midnight and two o'clock wakeup with her crawling into bed with us. During the move, our daughter figured out that sleeping with mommy and daddy rocks! The one night we went grocery shopping and she literally drank almost my entire smoothie. However, slept the entire night in her own bed. This made me realize she was probably hungry and not getting enough before bedtime. So we tried a few smoothies and I am no expert at making them and ended up drinking most of it, but she still slept in her own bed the whole night. <br />
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Tonight before bed we fed her some banana and almond butter which she loves, a few baby carrots, and a slice of cheese. It wasn't an amazing smoothie, but enough to keep her in her own bed for the entire night. A bedtime snack I don't find entirely wrong either. I'm sure some nutritionist will tell me I'm leading my child to a road of obesity, but one its not formula and two she still has a good 12 hours before her next meal. When she was waking up, it was a good 14 hours or more before her next meal. I know I can't go that long so why expect a toddler to be able to do this?Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-54558657017008531192013-09-16T20:13:00.000-07:002013-09-16T20:13:05.235-07:00Super Heroes So where has time flown? Oh, thats right we just moved a billion miles from anything we recognized as our home. When you live in any one place long enough it really becomes home and I have to say that this move has been rough. We still have boxes at our apartment and its not a lack of trying either. We are just exhausted with trying to keep up with a toddler and a small baby. The drive didn't seem like it was going to end and when we finally made it, it still wasn't the end. <br />
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Our toddler has been upset and trying to figure out that she must have her crib facing the door took us a couple of weeks. Hubby wanted her to just sleep with us and I thought there is no way I'm going to have two children in bed with us. I have heard of parents never getting kids out of their bed and I don't know how they keep their marriages alive. It kind of scares me that our youngest is so happy and content to sleep snuggled right up to me. I have actually been found to be pushed into the co-sleeper more than once. She snuggles and I move slightly away and this goes on and on until I'm almost off the bed. I need my room! <br />
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Well the diastasis recti doesn't help much either. I literally don't have the abdomen strength to pick her up and put her back into the co-sleeper. So this is a vicious cycle in which she ends up in our bed nursing on me all night and sleeping with us. She used to sleep 4-6 hours straight and right before the move decided that wasn't good enough. I love her, but I'm afraid she will be three years old still climbing into bed with us. I scoffed at friends who allowed their kids in their beds and thought I'll never do that. Well here is my biggest fear coming true. Now granted our youngest is not even five months old yet so maybe I shouldn't worry yet, but I don't want to set a precedent for things to come. <br />
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Well I must get going...What always happens is someone needs something and sadly, I must stop what I'm doing and help them because didn't you know that mommies are super heroes....I just wished benefits were included!<br />
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<br />Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-9544389929614743272013-08-17T18:30:00.005-07:002013-08-17T18:30:56.839-07:00Moving Tip of the Week!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQbqnqyQwUcUFKg69nzECfRoeO9xRGvkS_WMF2EKMPWyQCrjbIiO1BpUF3kVjlni7woCbLEnI5zoDcOa_q8exvejfrVXp4BshdTAALUfYq_WR3_QH2Cs25nqzVgiXkWiH9sszPnZSGyIi/s1600/recycle-vhs-tapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQbqnqyQwUcUFKg69nzECfRoeO9xRGvkS_WMF2EKMPWyQCrjbIiO1BpUF3kVjlni7woCbLEnI5zoDcOa_q8exvejfrVXp4BshdTAALUfYq_WR3_QH2Cs25nqzVgiXkWiH9sszPnZSGyIi/s200/recycle-vhs-tapes.jpg" width="200" /></a>PURGE PURGE PURGE! If you have been wondering what happened to me, I guess you could say I'm in moving nightmare. I have found VHS and cassette tapes and of course thought what do I do with these? I found one that stated my graduation date for my bachelor's degree and wondered how skinny I must have looked in that...you know those videos of pre-babies and before my life of diastasis recti and spanx. So if you have tapes and before the technology goes completely away that you can get the video off of these tapes then start hunting for a place to get these "I wish I still looked like that" moments off of them. <br />
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I know some places charge $20 per every two tapes and I think that is a scam. If you have a bit of geekism then invest in doing it yourself. Its probably what we will do after this move. I do plan to take them with me on the first journey and to make sure they get done. The cassettes were easy and we found a device on amazon to help get the recordings off of them. I wish I had known about it a month ago or else I think we would have been doing this, but we just came across the box I had completely forgotten about it. Hey, at least I am selling my old stereo for $30 which of course takes up a huge cargo container. I seriously don't need to keep something like that and technology has advanced to the point I will most likely never use it again. Yep, purge now before you think wow why did I keep this! Top that with now you have kids and space is a much coveted thing especially when you have two!!!<br />
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So those bottles of wine I have probably should go to good use while I'm packing! Maybe if I convince everyone to stop by I can have a packing party!!! Of course this probably won't happen, but its a nice dream for me. :)Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-80547698342598139332013-07-22T19:01:00.001-07:002013-07-22T19:01:04.158-07:00Diastasis Recti Go Away...Far Far Away!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I used to do forestry work about a decade ago and I could lug around a chainsaw with ease. Today though is a different story. I am frumpy, poochy, and just feel more like Jaba the Hutt than Princess Leia. Although I don't think I ever felt like her in the first place, but I think you get the picture. I have found out that my muscles tore apart and its going to take some time to get them to close again. It is called diastasis recti and you literally have no abdomen strength. There is a hole in your abdomen muscles and your organs are exposed till you can get the muscles to bind back together. I asked my physical therapist how long it took for her to close the gap and she admitted to me it took a year...WTF?!? A whole year?!?<br />
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Geez this whole business of having babies definitely takes a toll on your body and if you are a man then spare me the I understand phrase. Yes I get that you made the choice to become a couch potato and to lose your definition. My choice was to have a baby, but not in a million years did I think it would lead to a gaping hole in my abdomen. I guess it is more likely to occur with subsequent pregnancies and yet it is not frequently discussed amongst pregnant women. I had never heard of it till my physical therapist showed me why I was struggling just to pick up my daughter. <br />
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Well I'm on my way to recovery and who knew that I would be pulling up a pair of spanx over my jiggles. I certainly had no clue that diastasis recti would make me succumb to buying a pair of spanx. I mean who wants to wear a binding like corset in this day and age. Now I don't wear it all the time, but if I am doing a lot of activity then its definitely spanx time! Good news is that after wearing the one size for about a week, I'm almost ready to jump into the smaller size that they have. On a good note, I found out that wearing it has helped the gap get smaller. I really wish I had tried it earlier and I keep telling my pregnant girlfriends that they need to think of spanx the moment they have that baby. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiC3LJR0dTfSvyJOyA873CpBDciqgThoEXtawOY2VkN3pWKS0os9Uk0cVsMlMFuFoORmn1AMYM4GoW6gf349V47nZpQ0MvJHZHK4DFSc71PR8CCjJI86MNuiIdTa6KfYwGPPC5r3u6_VuT/s1600/1285504333300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiC3LJR0dTfSvyJOyA873CpBDciqgThoEXtawOY2VkN3pWKS0os9Uk0cVsMlMFuFoORmn1AMYM4GoW6gf349V47nZpQ0MvJHZHK4DFSc71PR8CCjJI86MNuiIdTa6KfYwGPPC5r3u6_VuT/s200/1285504333300.jpg" width="139" /></a>Now there are exercises you can do to help heal and I wear the spanx when doing them. I kind of visualize the muscles coming closer together as I do them. I can't help, but think "knit faster, knit faster." A girlfriend of mine suggested kayaking and I thought wow I don't have the abdomen strength to do anything like that. I sometimes have to ask my husband to pick up our infant daughter from my arms and then help me up off the floor. Yeah, diastasis recti is no joke. So back to the exercises I'm rocking right now and I admit I don't find myself dedicating the time that I need to. I am just that busy most days. If you google Sahrmann exercises, you can find a plethora of information or watch the exercises on youtube. Best part is if you are a LOTR fan then you can conjure up the name it closely resembles. I swear I wondered what my physical therapist was saying the first time she pronounced it. <br />
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Anyway, please don't think you are some badass who can skip to exercise five before you complete the first one. This is not a race and as I said before diastasis recti is no joke. If you have ever done the 100 in pilates then the first step of moving your tummy to the ground should be an easy concept for you. Trust me I'm a long way off from ever doing those 100s. However, I'm not afraid to admit I'm not ready to do even one pilates move. You just had a baby so please be easy on yourself. I think this is even harder because we know how we once were. <br />
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Yes a long long time ago...<br />
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<br />Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-86472233245159962992013-07-15T18:53:00.001-07:002013-07-15T19:02:34.173-07:00Too Much Stuff Part 2!Okay do you remember where I spoke about having too much stuff? I am blown away at how much stuff I truly do have! So about a month ago we got news we would be moving due to my husband's job. It has been about four years since we have moved anywhere and its amazing at how much has been accumulated in that time frame. I decided this month that I would spend trying to clear the clutter before taking the ceremonial moving step and taping a cardboard box and coming to terms with packing everything I own. <br />
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Now you might be saying, but ahhh just throw it in a box Kerri, who cares about how you pack. Well I could do that, but then the move takes twice as long to accomplish<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ldYKWC-ppOHl902_okGuCdMxdtz82aR6cJptTCLH3NoG2-YCGU4KzjEpCO6uHqkCQc7RWsd4VFBYMMIzfC0ZrHJ1zLFM6H-DZBwlTJabOJxTdWAwY8FrzJfHQtWCfW1oEwQNjXp6KUxI/s1600/yard-sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ldYKWC-ppOHl902_okGuCdMxdtz82aR6cJptTCLH3NoG2-YCGU4KzjEpCO6uHqkCQc7RWsd4VFBYMMIzfC0ZrHJ1zLFM6H-DZBwlTJabOJxTdWAwY8FrzJfHQtWCfW1oEwQNjXp6KUxI/s200/yard-sale.jpg" width="200" /></a>and then there is the unpacking on the other side. I have done quite a few moves in my time and this time I truly want to be organized. I want to pack the items I truly want in my life. The things I do not are either recycled, trashed, or given away to people. We had a garage sale a couple of weeks ago and I realized why I haven't done a sale since 2007. It is a lot easier to just give it away!!! I had a girlfriend who wished me luck because she said she was done with the haggling and being petty over small items. Overall it was a good sale and we were able to get rid of things. HOWEVER...you had to know that was coming! However, there was a gal who was bound and determined to get a brand new maternity gown for a dollar less. I finally sold her the item, but in all honesty I wish I hadn't. She was that snooty I could have gotten it cheaper at such and such store kind of person. What a pain and I seriously feel sorry for the kid she is going to have. <br />
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No I'm not sorry I just said that either. This is the truth blog so I will go ahead and admit it. Some people were not meant to be parents I don't think. Anyway, back to my move. Since we plan to go galavanting across the country I want to get rid of items. Yes, I have been giving things away free on a website I'm a member of. Well problems crop up on that site too. People want you to drive here or there for them to get something free or even worse never show up at the agreed location. One gal who failed to show up wanted another item I had posted and I politely told her that I was planning to give it to the next gal in line on the forum. She was upset about it and I told her I had held the first item for three days and she failed to come pick it up. Seriously, why would I waste my time in trying to give her another item? So there you go. My horror stories about giving away something for free. I do think that when the times come, I'll just make a large run to Goodwill, but I had wanted to give to people in need first. Why does that have to be so difficult?!?Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-63260139549544401812013-06-30T22:17:00.002-07:002013-06-30T22:17:51.652-07:00Summer Colds & Bullies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Why must these things be even a part of our lives? If you have children, I think getting the cold is a sure sign you are a parent or at least work around parents. When we didn't have kids and hubby worked in the office he would still get a cold and bring it back to me. Well last week was a killer and I'm not sure even as I type this how I survived. I was miserable and I know I went through a couple of boxes of Kleenex. I learned a long time ago that instead of suffering the raw I blew my nose too many times look was to get the kleenex with lotion. You also don't know how bad colds can be till you are in the middle of suffering from one. I could barely skype that week because it made me so dizzy. I was lonely, in the middle of trying to just survive with two little ones, and I wanted my own mommy. I even told my mother that she should fly here just to take care of me. Hubby tried as best as he could to give me breaks and to let me sleep if he came home for lunch, but I felt I could go to bed and stay there the whole time. However, as a mom you just can't. Kudos to those moms who have to stay on bed rest during a pregnancy and have a toddler at the same time. I honestly don't know how they do it. My toddler tore my house apart and I didn't even have the energy to stop her. <br />
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I am just now catching up on laundry and yes I still did my towels on Monday. For those of you just reading this one page then you should go back to tips of the week because that is the day I picked to always wash my bathroom towels. I think it is important even when you are sick to try to maintain some level of sanity because it will just be worse when you wake up from your cold induced state. I knew the moment I started to feel better was when I started to clean the kitchen. It had looked like a mini bomb had gone off that whole week while I was out. No I hate to admit to that of course, but this is a mommy truth and I would hate for you to think I'm perfect. Ha! Didn't I tell you once about how I couldn't see how all these mommy blogs make themselves out to be so darn perfect looking? Well no mommy is perfect and if I ever come across as a know-it-all then call me out on it. <br />
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Hey, we could go back to the days of MTV when they actually played videos and had The Real World <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPz5KFS8TSjIJ01f7e-poijWZpu7PLbP4StULubc3iQrPJvG-TYQnnklviuj6Va5niuEQibd34JoPw2DuPUCrWlTa9x9uRSSpu_vHcrKj8Rj9zjXndwwHcG3Q-IxEswlGt0xxbWEgt-tbd/s620/6a00d8341c630a53ef015433597b44970c-800wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPz5KFS8TSjIJ01f7e-poijWZpu7PLbP4StULubc3iQrPJvG-TYQnnklviuj6Va5niuEQibd34JoPw2DuPUCrWlTa9x9uRSSpu_vHcrKj8Rj9zjXndwwHcG3Q-IxEswlGt0xxbWEgt-tbd/s200/6a00d8341c630a53ef015433597b44970c-800wi.jpg" width="200" /></a>with that guy named Puck keeping it real for us. Please don't make me use their tag line of the series, but hopefully I keep it real enough on the blog that you aren't screaming FAKER as you read my last sentence. Anyway, you should look up what happened to Puck. I can't say I'm too surprised by how his life has turned out. He did antagonise the guy who was terminally ill and I can't say I feel sorry for Puck at all. I do believe in karma and although it might take a few years, it will eventually happen. Case in point, I had a classmate while growing up who was just mean mean mean. She tormented me and excluded me from all those reindeer games. Well I have found out she got a divorce because she was cheating on her husband and her kids really weren't too happy with her. I chalk it up to karma and how she treated not only me, but others around her. Funny she even told a mutual friend of ours to tell me hello and I thought wow miracles do happen! Although I don't foresee us singing kumbaya with one another anytime soon. It is hard to shake the memories of torment that I had to endure from her and others of her ilk. <br />
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As a mommy, I worry about this for my own kids because I don't want it to happen to them. I want them to grow up without the teasing and torment that happens so often in schools. I don't think adults are necessarily blind, but sometimes we are so overwhelmed with just trying to make it through the day especially when we are sick that we fail to see what is truly happening in front of us. I am sure it is a crossroads that will come up and how I answer their questions I don't know yet. I spent a good decade doing martial arts and a little part of me wants to teach them how to defend themselves against bullies and when you should just walk away. I know I started out whining about my summer cold and it materialised into whether or not I will teach my kids how to kick ass and take names instead. However, sometimes thats what blogging is all about and both colds and bullies ruin the fun albeit just in a different form. I suppose as a mommy, I probably shouldn't have used that word up above either, but come on I said I wasn't perfect and when is kicking someone's derriere sound tough? HA! I can guarantee you it doesn't. Say it out loud if you don't believe me. Did you do it? Well I have a little while before I decide if I need to teach them those things. Right now they need my love and for me to laugh with them as they swing and use the slides in the park. One mommy moment at a time. I'm afraid I'll blink and I'll be at their high school graduation next. Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-81484383467337323522013-06-24T11:00:00.002-07:002013-06-24T11:00:39.167-07:00Stolen Moments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As chaos reigns, steal a moment. That is my best advice this week. The other day while our little girl was at the table making another mess and the baby in her bouncer, our paths crossed for just a moment and my husband and I hugged. It was probably the best moment for me. Don't forget you have a partner in crime and you NEED one another. I don't want to be an empty nester looking at this person beside me and finding myself that I don't know him any longer. These are what those stolen moments are for. It still might happen to us and I hope it doesn't, but I'm going to do my best to prevent from saying "I don't know you and I don't love you anymore." How cruel would that be? You just spent a couple of decades raising children together and now you don't have anything in common. We found common ground before children and survived quite a few years without them so its important to me to keep that connection alive. <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhahBL26HU2xAgcxer6-E6vuFfxQRgQEZSITlShFZStrXM3ycpws0ta3ieo8wjaixY8PFXzR60Ww3K7E1VzDta2pAD-SM49aBkQwtW9_6dPE_WE2vnhDrjNhPX-2OsDrvH8PkwlkQ6sEYh/s1600/Marshall_Lily_Marvin_06.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhahBL26HU2xAgcxer6-E6vuFfxQRgQEZSITlShFZStrXM3ycpws0ta3ieo8wjaixY8PFXzR60Ww3K7E1VzDta2pAD-SM49aBkQwtW9_6dPE_WE2vnhDrjNhPX-2OsDrvH8PkwlkQ6sEYh/s320/Marshall_Lily_Marvin_06.png" width="320" /></a>Now you might scoff about one simple hug, but it can truly save your sanity and connect you to the person you decided to marry. Now I don't always listen to when I need to slow down and to provide that loving support. I'm frantic to solve the chaos going on at that very moment. However, the other day proved to me that I still need those moments and I'll try to accept them more. Thinking of hugs, I enjoy reading Dear Prudence and there was a woman who was getting hugs from a co-worker. She said her husband never wanted to provide any cuddling and she resorted to accepting hugs from another man. I think this is a dangerous realm for her to be in and I'm glad my hubby still wants to give me a hug. It made me realize how lucky I am! So steal a moment away with your spouse and enjoy it even as chaos reigns around you. The house isn't on fire so go ahead and get your hug today!!!</div>
Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-21498456836592024412013-06-17T19:55:00.000-07:002013-06-17T19:55:11.803-07:00Tip of the Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As Moms, we sometimes mistakenly drive around parking areas as if we are cruising the boulevard in the old days when we were young, dumb, and single. Instead of checking out who else is driving their vehicles, we look longingly at other vehicles to see if they are going to pull out of a parking spot closest to the store. Wait though! Just wait! Seriously, why are we checking out the areas closest to the store? Those parking spots shouldn't be even in your Mom Radar. The ones you really should be coveting are the ones closest to the cart holders. Okay so you might just leave the cart wherever if you are a Mom and don't want to leave the kids in the car to put the cart away. However, this truly solves your dilemma in regards to making sure the ever patrolling public doesn't accuse you of being a bad parent and you can truly place the cart where it belongs. Btw, bonus points if you can find a cart holder that has a couple of clean carts in it so you can put the kids right into the cart and push them into the store!Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-91026847622522907662013-06-14T19:24:00.001-07:002013-06-14T19:24:05.890-07:00What Have You Done For Me Lately?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdahKgyXTQC0TPaDSwWHrWuYRmb6LpCIo5crYLRnDdAzUpPTxVQnczob6OWnbnWzUW2Ew7p65qW3bU69NOzTfkN7RRFbFnhycX2m3kDo5mW_H3JlkKydUQnz8CYzMjCDiRWikrPJhJxRgT/s1600/doogie-howser-md.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdahKgyXTQC0TPaDSwWHrWuYRmb6LpCIo5crYLRnDdAzUpPTxVQnczob6OWnbnWzUW2Ew7p65qW3bU69NOzTfkN7RRFbFnhycX2m3kDo5mW_H3JlkKydUQnz8CYzMjCDiRWikrPJhJxRgT/s320/doogie-howser-md.jpg" width="243" /></a>As I navigate the waters of having two children under the age of two, I'm besieged with a constant <br />
messy house and trying to survive on very little of sleep. I keep hearing how children will be different and it is definitely true. Our toddler never slept and did not need to be held. Well during my pregnancy with this last one, I seem to recall telling hubby that I wanted a cuddler. Wow wow wow and wow! I should eat my words right now. Our baby wants to be held all the time...literally ALL THE TIME. Someone told me they got their business started while holding their baby, but I think the game changes when you have two of them. I have wanted to blog and the other day I tried writing a post. Really I did. I got the title completed that you see and two words, "As I." The baby started fussing and I had to stop. Although if it comes down to it, I think my kids are more important than my so called feelings on a blog. This isn't Doogie Howser where each episode you learn a lesson about life. I believe there was a 90s show called my so called life too. Claire Danes I thought was in that one. I'm so sleep deprived I'll let you research that one. <br />
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Yes, I'm very sleep deprived and instead of blogging I'll go and lay down to take a nap. Naps are rare because when one sleeps it seems the other wants to be awake. It is a tiny miracle when both are down at the same time and trust me I try to navigate this. The newborn who rarely wants to be put down gets<br />
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Well I am blogging for a brief moment and I am amazed I am actually working on a new post. Things I took for granted especially when I just had one baby in tow are now long gone. I think all mommies should feel like Gollum saying "Precious" when there is just a smidge of peace. Last night at almost midnight, I thought I would have a chance to write a condolence card and guess what?!? Hubby kept interrupting me discussing such mundane things as how he added more water to our cat's food dish so she would eat the rest of her meal. Yes I am being quite serious. I think your spouse, children, and even pets have this innate sense of when you are trying to accomplish something without them. They can happily spend hours in the same room with you not chatting with you very much then all of a sudden when faced with that you are not 100 percent focused on them, they strike. Have we been reduced to hiding in places our families can't find us? One mom told me today she shuts the door to the bathroom to get little things done. I don't want to resort to that. I want them to respect that I am not a door mat and for them to not fall into the same trap as my newborn. See What Have You Done For Me Lately Syndrome doesn't just affect the very young. It strikes at any age...<br />
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Now with this video I'm not trying to insinuate the rest of your family are sneaky little hobbits and you as Gollum, but dang the part where he says "he wants it, we needs it, must have the precious" is how I basically feel about alone time!!! Ha! <br />
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<br />Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-81651990222817446722013-05-23T15:55:00.001-07:002013-05-23T15:55:25.497-07:00I Hate GoodbyesWhere has time gone? I know it has been a little while since my last random thought and maybe its a good thing I haven't been on. Seriously! Last week, our sixteen year old kitty went downhill quickly due to kidney failure and on Thursday we decided to put her down. It was probably the most difficult thing I have had to do in about five years. My husband travels for his job and so I literally spent almost every single day with her. I was completely crushed I had to say goodbye and if you have lost a pet you have had a long time, you end up grieving for them. I am still grieving for her, but the reality that she will never be here again is starting to sink in. I know this is not the most happy post, but I think I needed time away from my blog and to come to terms with everything. <br />
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Her litter mate stopped eating for two days which did not help and only started when we came back from the vet office without her sister. I have been trying to give her extra attention and to make sure her appetite is back. They had a love hate relationship which I found entertaining. They could sleep next to each other and later they could fight and hiss at each other like crazy. If you have never heard a cat fight, the best way to describe it would be a bar brawl at full tempo. Although my favorite fight scene would have to be between Colin Firth and Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones's Diary. Most fights are not so comical, but this one is. I really am going to miss the ruckus that my two fuzzballs would make when attacking each other. They never harmed each other and in sixteen years I never had to take them to the vet for their love fights. It was love, right?!?<br />
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Anyway, I have traveled down memory lane these past few days and I think the memory that keeps coming back is the one I was making a road trip from Colorado to Texas. I had a jeep back then and it was loaded to the gills with even the spare tire on top. I probably looked like a traveling hoarder although in reality I was just a college student headed home. The two fuzzballs were with me and I was traveling 80 mph when all of a sudden my passenger back tire comes flying off past me. I watched it go up the side of the on ramp and stop. The jeep literally just came to a halt and I think I was in complete shock. Apparently, the people who had rotated my tires did not tighten the lug nuts back on very well. I heard quite a few times from people I was lucky my vehicle did not roll over and that I survived. Well all three of us survived that day. Now I have to live without one of those kitties and this just proves to me we went through so much together. <br />
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<br />Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-77221728435761065972013-05-15T22:20:00.003-07:002013-05-16T11:29:12.771-07:00Random Thought of the DayYes, I think I have more random thoughts these days with having a newborn than an entire paragraph. I am still trying to remember my name at times. If sleep deprivation equaled love then I would definitely win the love award for the year. Seriously! What do you call sitting up trying to not doze while you put your daughter back to bed? You know the head bobble that we all do as parents. I think last night I might have gotten a full hour of sleep and I'm not sure how I functioned without coffee. Maybe my body remembered what it was like just a year ago. I am abiding my time to actually finishing a whole tv episode without falling asleep in the evenings. Yes, I know I will get achieve a whole hour someday again. I have so many Dr Who episodes to catch up on though that I'm not sure if I'll get through them before summer is officially here. By the way, who is NOT loving the new Dr Who? I really miss those Ponds. I think I miss sleep more though! Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-34497379347899517872013-05-11T19:31:00.000-07:002013-05-11T19:31:23.611-07:00The New Parent TV...Baby MonitorsAs a new mom, I researched baby monitors very carefully and finally threw my money down on a product called AngelCare Baby Movement and Sound Monitor. It got great reviews and I kind of ignored the not so positive reviews on Amazon. I should have read them and I wish I had. As I recall, the monitor was closer to 200 dollars when we purchased it. They no longer cost that on amazon anymore as I have noticed. It is probably because they are too complicated to use. Hubby even said he considers himself a pretty savvy technical guy and I would have to agree with that, but when something frustrates him then its definitely not a good product. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEINHTETU9HhM0KT9gXmApccarBY5279NPyExMR0wAd6YnmHwm-OP8Al2O-jAt5cE6ZRJoqB_klWqoyuKeyhhlMfpHPZx4Bh093iOJ0pMzoB3qZbpew2Ww2s_FlL3wGp9ggQQ3qdWzPnf/s1600/angelcare-movement-monitor-detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEINHTETU9HhM0KT9gXmApccarBY5279NPyExMR0wAd6YnmHwm-OP8Al2O-jAt5cE6ZRJoqB_klWqoyuKeyhhlMfpHPZx4Bh093iOJ0pMzoB3qZbpew2Ww2s_FlL3wGp9ggQQ3qdWzPnf/s200/angelcare-movement-monitor-detail.jpg" width="197" /></a>So what was frustrating about the AngelCare you might ask. Well we were definitely excited when we got it. It was the after getting it that was when the trouble started. We had a heater in her room and a sound ocean machine to help her sleep. We didn't think those would be an issue, but the AngelCare was so sensitive that it picked up the slightest noise and we had to go back to looking at the settings. We fixed the setting so it wouldn't pick up the ocean sounds and heater and go off, but then you couldn't hear it at all. We would test it and couldn't hear the other even speak in a reasonable tone. So it was either going off all the time or not going off at all. By the way, when it starts beeping, it is the most irritating sound. </div>
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With all the hassle of trying to set it up for sound level, we did not even make it to the motion detector phase. Although some of the reviews of having to turn it on and off in the middle of the night because you picked the baby out of the crib to change their diaper made me realize it was not the most convenient monitor. Amazon was fantastic about having this item returned and it is one of the reasons I enjoy shopping with Amazon. I had waited quite some time to finally box it up and send it back and Amazon did not give me any grief about it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0oM7HIBjM0SVvp3chC1oqQj6CoMVDH_3-1TCGICpW4D1MT5fgDBDoMhVQ5WUXgiYyrXQTLsD7vbdUh1tU6WnZqzS69J077sjLpI69m7-IYkM5Il4tX-PdDCiuo809877qKZ1pr5n64hv/s1600/sC_b002vl2vro-prod01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0oM7HIBjM0SVvp3chC1oqQj6CoMVDH_3-1TCGICpW4D1MT5fgDBDoMhVQ5WUXgiYyrXQTLsD7vbdUh1tU6WnZqzS69J077sjLpI69m7-IYkM5Il4tX-PdDCiuo809877qKZ1pr5n64hv/s200/sC_b002vl2vro-prod01.jpg" width="200" /></a>Our next baby monitor was the Motorola 3.5 inch video screen with night vision and zoom. It did not have the baby motion detector, but definitely had video which AngelCare did not. I absolutely loved it!!! Now the life of the battery is not my favorite part of the Motorola baby monitor and they really need to increase battery life because it seemed like I was always grabbing the electrical adaptor for it and plugging it into an outlet. You can definitely get another battery which is something I need to do now, but sometimes you just don't have the time or keep forgetting you need to get one. </div>
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We started using it right after we stopped using the co-sleeper in our room and put her in the crib. So far it has been going strong for almost a good year. I have had no issues with it and yes I can hear the heater, but its not so sensitive that it the only thing I can hear. It is more of a background noise and the sound of my daughter is very clear on the Motorola. The video is the best part I think and we watch her with this parent glee and it has become our newest entertainment. There are buttons on the monitor so you can position the camera and keep up with your young ones movements in the crib. Our daughter was not a fan of the music option on the monitor, but maybe yours will enjoy it. Of course they have a volume control and I believe we have ours set on the second lowest one and that is enough for me to wake up. I am a pretty light sleeper so it really depends on how deep you sleep. Motorola even has a walkie talkie feature on it so if you need to speak to your child through the monitor you can. Overall, a very cool set up for us.</div>
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I recommend this baby monitor pretty highly. However, I have a friend who purchased one through Babies R US online and paid for it by a paypal account. Motorola guarantees the purchase for a year. Well Babies store only will accept returns I believe for 30 days after purchase. Her Motorola worked great for awhile then started to have lines at the top of the screen where she can no longer see the temperature setting on it. Motorola had been giving her a bit of a run around because she used her paypal account. Well finally I took it upon myself to get a hold of corporate regarding my friend's issue and they did help her with this issue, but it should not have taken this much effort to get such a simple issue fixed. So if you plan to buy their baby monitor I would NOT use paypal as a form of payment. <br />
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Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716575295474392344.post-27852399103679520642013-05-08T18:31:00.001-07:002013-05-08T18:31:25.531-07:00You Must Do This!I have been quite sick with the stomach flu this past week. I'm just starting recovery mode as of today and life with a newborn and toddler have been crazy. Sleep deprivation, fevers, and intestinal upset have been what I'm working with. I thought I would be blogging to help the sanity with having two babies, but with the added benefit of the stomach flu I was barely holding on. Of course I blame going to the pediatric clinic a billion times so the docs could tell us my daughter was under her birth weight. Breast fed mommies I am sure have been pressured just like we were to supplement and that is another issue I'll have to address. I so wonder what people did a hundred years ago when formula wasn't available. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJIvGTthIASpx0Dprz26cVoDJz8z54DnNmqZBMqdIalXSvKd0gFuZDzvbgwJWIV8e9N6d9PHQWYsh3_n0M8TeNWXzNqO5n9UzZeNr9C7mxYx-gvfy_b6C0K-dJunCvnb224zdocLlYz5W/s1600/cell-phone-bacteria.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJIvGTthIASpx0Dprz26cVoDJz8z54DnNmqZBMqdIalXSvKd0gFuZDzvbgwJWIV8e9N6d9PHQWYsh3_n0M8TeNWXzNqO5n9UzZeNr9C7mxYx-gvfy_b6C0K-dJunCvnb224zdocLlYz5W/s200/cell-phone-bacteria.bmp" width="200" /></a>Anyway, I digress about the real reason for this post and what I find very important this week. Since I was in the germ filled pediatric clinic I have thought what other germy (yes that was not a typo) things we come into contact. I just saw a news program too about this same subject. They were discussing how often we clean our phones. They found some nasty germs on user's phones that they had collected. I didn't think much of it and never cleaned my phone. Well after getting the stomach flu, I took a damp cloth with some soap and wiped my phone down. If you do clean it, don't go drenching it with water. I don't want to be the cause of your phone to kick the bucket. However, do look up the best way to clean your phone and then clean it. I really think this is important and you should try to get it done today. I might not be able to save the germ filled pediatric clinic, but I can save your phone! Right?!? Kerrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098999829782768933noreply@blogger.com0