Superman went through a growth spurt recently and needed some new shoes. We had one pair, but they were lace up and frankly it is hard enough to tie my own shoes with my belly in the way, tying his can be even more difficult. So I began the process of looking for affordable shoes that would be good for his little feet. I thought this would be easy. I was wrong.
I spent several days going to the stores in my immediate area (Payless, Famous Footwear, Ross, Target, Fred Meyer, etc.) and dragging Superman along with me. The poor kid would get so mad when we would spend a whopping 3 minutes at a store and get back in the car. Shoes were either too expensive, too clunky, or not in his size. I began to get desperate.
So I asked for help where everyone seems to be go for help these days....my personal Facebook account. The feedback I got was this: (1) shoes are expensive, but it is worth spending the money to get good ones. (2) Stride Rite has the best ones. (3) If you go to the outlets they are cheaper, but same quality.
So with this information we hopped in the car and drove to Washington Square Mall. (Side Note: I hate malls. I don't know why really, I mean all the stores in one spot? Awesome. I guess it is all the people, who apparently don't have to work or go to school just hanging out and getting in my way so that I can't accomplish the 3 things on my list.) I figured if I could get a pair of shoes for $30 or under, I would settle and be done.
Yeah, $30 at Stride Rite? It doesn't get you much. They did have a sale though (Buy 1, Get One @ 50%) and if I bought two pairs, the cost would come down to $30 a pair. Not a bad deal, I suppose, but it still seemed so expensive for little shoes. There had to be a better way.
So that got me thinking about the outlets at Woodburn. They were only another 30 minutes south of where I was...maybe I could just run down there and save even more money!
So that is what we did. We hopped on the freeway and headed south till I hit the Woodburn Outlets...at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, with limited snacks, no milk, and oh, it was pouring rain and I was going to head home in rush hour traffic. Okay so maybe this wasn't the best plan.
All in all it turned out okay. I got Superman a pair of sneaker type shoes and a pair of summer shoes (because they had the same sale going on at the outlet) and I saved about $16 on two pairs of shoes (compared to what I would have spent at the regular store). What I didn't factor in was my strong desire to make the trip "count" so I went scurrying from store to store looking for some good deals before we left. An extra $100 later I came home with 3 summer shirts, a summer hat, a raincoat and a pair of jeans for Superman and a snowsuit and 2 shirts for Baby #2.
Please tell me that I am not the only one that does crazy things like this!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Dog Dilemma
We have two dogs. Sometimes I think we have 2 dogs too many.
Lola: 7ish, 85 pounds, lab/pit/? mix, and a people kind of dog.
Clyde: 3, 60ish pounds, Aussie/lab, and a "whomever will give me attention, but you better approach me slowly" kind of dog.
When we had only Lola life was good. Sure it was tough when she was younger, but as time went on (and training had been done) she became and easy dog. She was cuddly, walked nicely on walks, played with other dogs nicely, and NEVER barked.
Then we got Clyde. He was a 10 week old puppy when we first got him (great prep for those middle of the night feedings once S came). At first Lola could have cared less. He was merely a nuisance and, although she would put him in his place ever so often, she didn't change much. In the beginning, he showed real understanding of how to walk on a leash and be social around other people. Unfortunately, there were gaps in what I exposed him to and he began to develop some skittishness.
Now Clyde barks at the slightest noise. If my husband puts his coffee down to loudly, he barks. If someone next door shuts a car door, he barks. And if someone dares to ring our doorbell or enter our home? Ugh!
Between the barking and the fact that Clyde tends to not really follow our "rules", Lola has begun to tweek out a little. She tries to control Clyde when he is being mischievous and he tries to argue back. As you can imagine this results in 140+ pounds of canine craziness. Not fun.
We also have a neighbor with FIVE dogs. They bark a lot. My dogs like to bark back at them and it got so bad that they began to fence fight.
Now, our once lovely dog that never barked, barks a lot. Our dog that barked a lot, now barks non-stop. We have tried several different no bark solutions and none of them seem to work for long. It has gotten so bad that I have a snow fence about 10 feet from the shared fence. It stopped the fence fighting...sort of. Clyde will bark at them, Lola will bark at them, and then Lola will get mad that Clyde is barking at them and goes after him pretty aggressively.
As you can imagine I hate letting them outside. We have resorted to only letting them out one at a time, and although that helps the fighting, it doesn't really help the barking. I can only imagine what our neighbors think of us. I hope they can hear us out there with the dogs trying to get them to stop it, because I have to let them out to pee once and a while.
I will be honest, we have more bark free trips outside than we use to have. I think that is the only thing that gives me hope.
I also know that if we could get them more exercise they would behave better. We don't give them walks like they deserve, but I don't know how to fit them in. I can't walk them together because of their "pack mentality" makes coming across other dogs a dangerous possibility for Superman, all the dogs involved and myself. We bring Clyde to day care once a week to try and help, but it isn't enough. I am hoping that once it gets warm out, I can start taking them out individually (with Superman) throughout the day. However, once the baby comes that will not be possible. My husband works hard and is tired, so adding another thing to his "to-do" list is not possible.
The whole thing is just exhausting.
I should be honest and say this isn't a real dilemma...we aren't going to get rid of our dogs, but
Lola: 7ish, 85 pounds, lab/pit/? mix, and a people kind of dog.
Clyde: 3, 60ish pounds, Aussie/lab, and a "whomever will give me attention, but you better approach me slowly" kind of dog.
When we had only Lola life was good. Sure it was tough when she was younger, but as time went on (and training had been done) she became and easy dog. She was cuddly, walked nicely on walks, played with other dogs nicely, and NEVER barked.
Then we got Clyde. He was a 10 week old puppy when we first got him (great prep for those middle of the night feedings once S came). At first Lola could have cared less. He was merely a nuisance and, although she would put him in his place ever so often, she didn't change much. In the beginning, he showed real understanding of how to walk on a leash and be social around other people. Unfortunately, there were gaps in what I exposed him to and he began to develop some skittishness.
Now Clyde barks at the slightest noise. If my husband puts his coffee down to loudly, he barks. If someone next door shuts a car door, he barks. And if someone dares to ring our doorbell or enter our home? Ugh!
Between the barking and the fact that Clyde tends to not really follow our "rules", Lola has begun to tweek out a little. She tries to control Clyde when he is being mischievous and he tries to argue back. As you can imagine this results in 140+ pounds of canine craziness. Not fun.
We also have a neighbor with FIVE dogs. They bark a lot. My dogs like to bark back at them and it got so bad that they began to fence fight.
Now, our once lovely dog that never barked, barks a lot. Our dog that barked a lot, now barks non-stop. We have tried several different no bark solutions and none of them seem to work for long. It has gotten so bad that I have a snow fence about 10 feet from the shared fence. It stopped the fence fighting...sort of. Clyde will bark at them, Lola will bark at them, and then Lola will get mad that Clyde is barking at them and goes after him pretty aggressively.
As you can imagine I hate letting them outside. We have resorted to only letting them out one at a time, and although that helps the fighting, it doesn't really help the barking. I can only imagine what our neighbors think of us. I hope they can hear us out there with the dogs trying to get them to stop it, because I have to let them out to pee once and a while.
I will be honest, we have more bark free trips outside than we use to have. I think that is the only thing that gives me hope.
I also know that if we could get them more exercise they would behave better. We don't give them walks like they deserve, but I don't know how to fit them in. I can't walk them together because of their "pack mentality" makes coming across other dogs a dangerous possibility for Superman, all the dogs involved and myself. We bring Clyde to day care once a week to try and help, but it isn't enough. I am hoping that once it gets warm out, I can start taking them out individually (with Superman) throughout the day. However, once the baby comes that will not be possible. My husband works hard and is tired, so adding another thing to his "to-do" list is not possible.
The whole thing is just exhausting.
I should be honest and say this isn't a real dilemma...we aren't going to get rid of our dogs, but
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Baby #2: Week 25
How far along: 25 weeks
Baby's size: Eggplant (Month 6 - week 25-28) or Rutabaga for week 25 (I love saying rutabaga!)
Symptoms: Holy movement batman! I love doing kick counts because my whole belly moves when he kicks. I missed out on this with Superman because I had an anterior placenta. My back pain is getting better (thanks to the chiropractor)!!
Total Weight Gain:
Total weight gain= +4 pounds
Total weight gain= +4 pounds
Maternity clothes: Yes
Best moment this week: Watching my whole belly move when the baby kicks. (Also, going to the spa...it was amazing!!)
Movement: Lots and lots of movements!! The baby had hiccups last night at about 3am, first time of many I am sure.
Food cravings: apples and cheddar cheese
Gender: BOY!!!
Labor signs: none
What I miss: Enjoying a beer while watching basketball with my husband. I also miss wine, but wine doesn't taste good during pregnancy so I don't miss it as much. (Yes beer tastes good to me when I am pregnant...very annoying.)
What I'm looking forward to: I have an ob appointment this week and I am looking forward to "checking in". Unfortunately, I am not looking forward to the glucose test that I have to take.
Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): I need to listen to my body. The chiropractor has gotten me to pay more attention to what causes my back pain and then (I know, this is going to be shocking...), STOP DOING IT! Yeah, so I took a break from boot camp, made Superman walk a little bit more (even though that takes forever and a day to do anything), and low and behold my back started really feeling better. Now I need to start adding things back in slowly.
Milestones: seeing the baby make my belly move
Best moment this week: Watching my whole belly move when the baby kicks. (Also, going to the spa...it was amazing!!)
Movement: Lots and lots of movements!! The baby had hiccups last night at about 3am, first time of many I am sure.
Food cravings: apples and cheddar cheese
Gender: BOY!!!
Labor signs: none
What I miss: Enjoying a beer while watching basketball with my husband. I also miss wine, but wine doesn't taste good during pregnancy so I don't miss it as much. (Yes beer tastes good to me when I am pregnant...very annoying.)
What I'm looking forward to: I have an ob appointment this week and I am looking forward to "checking in". Unfortunately, I am not looking forward to the glucose test that I have to take.
Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): I need to listen to my body. The chiropractor has gotten me to pay more attention to what causes my back pain and then (I know, this is going to be shocking...), STOP DOING IT! Yeah, so I took a break from boot camp, made Superman walk a little bit more (even though that takes forever and a day to do anything), and low and behold my back started really feeling better. Now I need to start adding things back in slowly.
Milestones: seeing the baby make my belly move
Emotions: Still dealing with some anxiety, but I think it is calming down. I get freaked out about going through tunnels and over bridges, but it is all irrational fears that I am trying to move forward from. I have some calming techniques that seem to be helping. I dealt with A LOT of anxiety after Supeman was born and my psychiatrist said it is common to see it creep into the next pregnancy. So we are watching it and prepared to adjust treatment if needed.
Exercise:
Boot Camp: Friday (1 hour 15 minutes each)
Pregnancy Water Aerobics: none- spring break and they were closed
Stretching: every day (about 5-10 minutes each)
Total exercise time: only about 2 hours this week....this WILL be better next week.
Till next week!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Tenure, Teacher's Unions, and Schools: My Experience
Most of you know that I am a teacher. I am not currently working in a classroom, but I am, and forever will be, a teacher. This means that I have not stopped paying attention to education in the news, stopped worrying about my colleagues and their immensely strong desire to make a real difference despite all the challenges being thrown their way, or stopped worrying about the children that sometimes need so much more than we can offer them.
Last night my husband and I finally watched "Waiting For Superman". I have struggled all day to organize my thoughts surrounding the movie, the current economic crisis and its impact on education, and how much of the debate that goes on in the movie and in the news was not my experience.
The biggest discrepancy between what I knew to be true and what has been both in the news and this movie is about tenure and unions so today that is what I want to talk to you about. I will address the other stuff another day.
Let's start with tenure. According to the movie and the news tenure means that teachers can't be fired or if there is a process, it is so difficult to go through that one simple mistake or date missed stops it in its tracks. This is not what I know to be true. Is my experience not reality? Is it a reality only in California and Oregon? According to the movie and the news, most states aren't the same.
My reality is that in the districts that I have worked in, tenure did not mean you couldn't be fired. In fact, not one single person in education has ever told me that...not a fellow teacher, not a principal, not a union member, not my tenure letter, no one. What I have been told is that under our union contract, there are procedures that must be followed when a teacher isn't performing before they can be fired. Tenure really only meant that I was guaranteed 'due process' in the event an administrator did not feel I was doing my job.
Does that mean that it is easy to fire teachers? No. Does that mean that there are no bad teachers in any of the districts that I have worked for? No. Does it mean that things can't be improved? Not sure.
But it does mean that when the system works correctly, teachers that need to improve are given the opportunity to do so. When an administrator does their job and provides a clear, evidence based review of an employee that states that there are specific areas for improvement, there is a system in place to provide the teacher with the support needed to make those improvements. If they don't make those improvements, they can be fired (this is over simplified but basically this is how it works). Based on my conversations with my husband about how it works at the big corporation he works for, it is pretty much the same system. (Note: if they choose to cut the number of teachers, they can do this without this review process. The same is true if a project is canceled at my husband's company.) Why isn't anyone pointing this similarity out in the news?
Now if in fact there are states out there where tenure means that teachers can't be fired, I am outraged. I do not think we are doing service to our children when teachers aren't being held accountable. In the movie they talk about how "bad teachers" that are tenured are rotated around the district each year since they can't be fired. This idea makes me sick. How is this best for our children? No wonder people are furious.
So next up is teacher unions. I am aware that teacher unions are political. Every election time the teachers are encouraged to vote for the particular candidates that the union supports. Sometimes I agree with the unions (being the left leaning person that I am) and sometimes I don't. I vote the way I believe, not the way they tell me to vote. "Waiting For Superman" suggests that unions are the largest campaign contributor, therefore giving them more power than any other contributor, power that is being abused. The movie suggests that the unions are the sole reason tenure has not been changed.
The idea that the teacher's unions are so powerful that they have become blinded to the damage they are doing by protecting these teachers is really scary. (Note: I am making the assumption that they are the ones blocking any change to tenure. I tried to quickly search and see if this is true and the only document that looked promising was dated 1972.) How can they say that they are focused on educating children when they stand in the way of placing quality educators in the classroom?
Just to be clear, I am not anti-union. I think that unions provide protection for teachers that didn't exist prior to their existence. I think that unions allow for better bargaining during contract negotiations. I think that unions provide services that districts sometimes can't provide, like staff development, prep courses for the variety of exams teachers take, and even random things like workshops on financial planning or wills and trusts. I also think that there are unions that try to balance the needs of the teachers with the needs of students.
Most recently I was part of a union that, in the face of huge budge cuts, worked with the district to reduce the number of teachers that lost their jobs (that would have resulted in increasing class size) and limit the cutting of school days from calendar. When the district proposed cutting district level personal, a few school days, and pay freeze (technically this meant a loss in pay because when they cut school days they adjust teacher's pay accordingly- 1% of days cut, 1% of salary cut), what did the union recommend the teachers do? Take it and run. They did this because they knew that class size was important to student learning. They knew that a loss of even more days would cause a reduction in student learning. They knew that teachers would rather take home less money than see some of their colleague take home none. Does this sound like the unions you hear about in the news? See what I mean about a difference between what you read and my reality?
However, just like governments and school systems have gotten bogged down with bureaucratic nonsense (more on this another day), so have some unions. In many cases (not all), they have lost their way, gotten drunk on power, and begun to cause some damage.
So the question that has been bugging me all day is this: How do we move on from here? Do you have any answers because I have no idea. It frustrates, saddens, and annoys me that bureaucracy stands in the way of making any real change (not just in our school systems, but in government as well).
I try and tell myself to focus on what I can control, to focus on what is in my immediate area. The problem with that is this: We chose where we live because of the reputation of the school system and I was even more pleased to find that it wasn't just a fluke (or because of affluence), but that the reason for the success was that most of the administrators, teachers, and other staff were amazing! In schools that were struggling (because even good districts can have schools that struggle) I found teachers working so hard to learn about worked in other schools with similar demographics and challenges and then using that knowledge to make REAL changes to their system. They didn't blame the parents or the students or the community, they looked at children's needs, the research, and the capabilities of the staff within their building and created a plan to improve learning. (Note: I could go on and on about these amazing teachers, but will save that for another day because this is already long enough.)
So do I put blinders up and ignore the situation in the rest of the country? Well it certainly is the easy solution, but not who I am. I mean, heck, I am not even in the classroom and I am spinning on this. But I don't have any answers...at least no realistic answers. So what will it take for us to see real change?
Last night my husband and I finally watched "Waiting For Superman". I have struggled all day to organize my thoughts surrounding the movie, the current economic crisis and its impact on education, and how much of the debate that goes on in the movie and in the news was not my experience.
The biggest discrepancy between what I knew to be true and what has been both in the news and this movie is about tenure and unions so today that is what I want to talk to you about. I will address the other stuff another day.
Let's start with tenure. According to the movie and the news tenure means that teachers can't be fired or if there is a process, it is so difficult to go through that one simple mistake or date missed stops it in its tracks. This is not what I know to be true. Is my experience not reality? Is it a reality only in California and Oregon? According to the movie and the news, most states aren't the same.
My reality is that in the districts that I have worked in, tenure did not mean you couldn't be fired. In fact, not one single person in education has ever told me that...not a fellow teacher, not a principal, not a union member, not my tenure letter, no one. What I have been told is that under our union contract, there are procedures that must be followed when a teacher isn't performing before they can be fired. Tenure really only meant that I was guaranteed 'due process' in the event an administrator did not feel I was doing my job.
Does that mean that it is easy to fire teachers? No. Does that mean that there are no bad teachers in any of the districts that I have worked for? No. Does it mean that things can't be improved? Not sure.
But it does mean that when the system works correctly, teachers that need to improve are given the opportunity to do so. When an administrator does their job and provides a clear, evidence based review of an employee that states that there are specific areas for improvement, there is a system in place to provide the teacher with the support needed to make those improvements. If they don't make those improvements, they can be fired (this is over simplified but basically this is how it works). Based on my conversations with my husband about how it works at the big corporation he works for, it is pretty much the same system. (Note: if they choose to cut the number of teachers, they can do this without this review process. The same is true if a project is canceled at my husband's company.) Why isn't anyone pointing this similarity out in the news?
Now if in fact there are states out there where tenure means that teachers can't be fired, I am outraged. I do not think we are doing service to our children when teachers aren't being held accountable. In the movie they talk about how "bad teachers" that are tenured are rotated around the district each year since they can't be fired. This idea makes me sick. How is this best for our children? No wonder people are furious.
So next up is teacher unions. I am aware that teacher unions are political. Every election time the teachers are encouraged to vote for the particular candidates that the union supports. Sometimes I agree with the unions (being the left leaning person that I am) and sometimes I don't. I vote the way I believe, not the way they tell me to vote. "Waiting For Superman" suggests that unions are the largest campaign contributor, therefore giving them more power than any other contributor, power that is being abused. The movie suggests that the unions are the sole reason tenure has not been changed.
The idea that the teacher's unions are so powerful that they have become blinded to the damage they are doing by protecting these teachers is really scary. (Note: I am making the assumption that they are the ones blocking any change to tenure. I tried to quickly search and see if this is true and the only document that looked promising was dated 1972.) How can they say that they are focused on educating children when they stand in the way of placing quality educators in the classroom?
Just to be clear, I am not anti-union. I think that unions provide protection for teachers that didn't exist prior to their existence. I think that unions allow for better bargaining during contract negotiations. I think that unions provide services that districts sometimes can't provide, like staff development, prep courses for the variety of exams teachers take, and even random things like workshops on financial planning or wills and trusts. I also think that there are unions that try to balance the needs of the teachers with the needs of students.
Most recently I was part of a union that, in the face of huge budge cuts, worked with the district to reduce the number of teachers that lost their jobs (that would have resulted in increasing class size) and limit the cutting of school days from calendar. When the district proposed cutting district level personal, a few school days, and pay freeze (technically this meant a loss in pay because when they cut school days they adjust teacher's pay accordingly- 1% of days cut, 1% of salary cut), what did the union recommend the teachers do? Take it and run. They did this because they knew that class size was important to student learning. They knew that a loss of even more days would cause a reduction in student learning. They knew that teachers would rather take home less money than see some of their colleague take home none. Does this sound like the unions you hear about in the news? See what I mean about a difference between what you read and my reality?
However, just like governments and school systems have gotten bogged down with bureaucratic nonsense (more on this another day), so have some unions. In many cases (not all), they have lost their way, gotten drunk on power, and begun to cause some damage.
So the question that has been bugging me all day is this: How do we move on from here? Do you have any answers because I have no idea. It frustrates, saddens, and annoys me that bureaucracy stands in the way of making any real change (not just in our school systems, but in government as well).
I try and tell myself to focus on what I can control, to focus on what is in my immediate area. The problem with that is this: We chose where we live because of the reputation of the school system and I was even more pleased to find that it wasn't just a fluke (or because of affluence), but that the reason for the success was that most of the administrators, teachers, and other staff were amazing! In schools that were struggling (because even good districts can have schools that struggle) I found teachers working so hard to learn about worked in other schools with similar demographics and challenges and then using that knowledge to make REAL changes to their system. They didn't blame the parents or the students or the community, they looked at children's needs, the research, and the capabilities of the staff within their building and created a plan to improve learning. (Note: I could go on and on about these amazing teachers, but will save that for another day because this is already long enough.)
So do I put blinders up and ignore the situation in the rest of the country? Well it certainly is the easy solution, but not who I am. I mean, heck, I am not even in the classroom and I am spinning on this. But I don't have any answers...at least no realistic answers. So what will it take for us to see real change?
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Nap Update
We had been doing great on one nap a day, but then on Friday Superman came down with a cold. He ended up taking a short second nap that day. Saturday he did one nap (and did fabulously), but Sunday, Monday, and today he has taken two naps. Today's second nap is questionable. He is more resting than he is sleeping at this point (25 minutes into the nap). I almost didn't put him down, but he rubbed his eyes a little bit and seemed okay with the idea of putting him down (although if he put up a fight I probably would have just been more convinced that he needed a nap, so I suppose that is silly for me to list as a reason for putting him down). I figure he will either sleep, rest or play and if he ends up playing, I will just go up and get him so he can play down here.
So all the people that told me that it is a process dropping a nap were right...especially when a cold is involved. We will get there someday and until then...I will gladly embrace two naps a day!
So all the people that told me that it is a process dropping a nap were right...especially when a cold is involved. We will get there someday and until then...I will gladly embrace two naps a day!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Baby #2: Week 24
March 12, 2011
How far along: 24 weeks
Baby's size: Papaya (week 21-24 or month 5)
Symptoms: Lots of kicks, some more acid reflux than normal, and braxton hicks on Friday (I think I was dehydrated). The back pain is still here, but it is a lot better. I am learning what aggravates it and am avoiding the things that I can (obviously I still need to pick up S, but I use a stroller more when we are out and about). I am now wearing a hip brace to hold everything together. I got it yesterday so I am not sure how much of a difference it makes really yet. However, it is comfortable (unless I am sitting on the floor) and I like how it feels nice and snug on my hips.
Total Weight Gain:
Total weight gain= +4 pounds
Total weight gain= +4 pounds
Maternity clothes: Yes
Best moment this week: Superman is really starting to notice my big belly. He likes to rest his head on it and hug it when he is in the shopping cart. If I am sitting on the floor he will rest his head on it as well.
Movement: Lots and lots of movements!!
Food cravings: Twizzlers, bananas, and anything mint.
Gender: BOY!!!
Labor signs: none
What I miss: Being able to tie my shoes without having to move my leg out to the side. I guess I am grateful that I can still tie them though.
What I'm looking forward to: Today I am going to the spa! I have a prenatal massage, facial, eye brow wax, and pedicure scheduled. Bring on the relaxation!!! (Also, being able to feel the kicks easily from the outside.)
Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): I am slowing down already! I can't imagine how slow I will be by the time I get to the end of the pregnancy.
Milestones: nothing this week
Best moment this week: Superman is really starting to notice my big belly. He likes to rest his head on it and hug it when he is in the shopping cart. If I am sitting on the floor he will rest his head on it as well.
Movement: Lots and lots of movements!!
Food cravings: Twizzlers, bananas, and anything mint.
Gender: BOY!!!
Labor signs: none
What I miss: Being able to tie my shoes without having to move my leg out to the side. I guess I am grateful that I can still tie them though.
What I'm looking forward to: Today I am going to the spa! I have a prenatal massage, facial, eye brow wax, and pedicure scheduled. Bring on the relaxation!!! (Also, being able to feel the kicks easily from the outside.)
Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): I am slowing down already! I can't imagine how slow I will be by the time I get to the end of the pregnancy.
Milestones: nothing this week
Emotions: I have struggled with some anxiety this week. All the talk about possible radiation reaching Oregon and potential earthquakes on the west coast leads to a lot of irrational worry on my part. I know in my head that we are going to be fine, but it is all the "what-ifs" that lead to the irrational concerns. Fortunately, my husband is GREAT at listening to me and making me feel better.
Exercise:
Boot Camp: Monday and Friday (1 hour 15 minutes each)
Pregnancy Water Aerobics: Thursday (1 hour class)
Stretching: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday (about 10 minutes each)
Total exercise time: 4 hours 40 minute
Till next week!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Falling for the Madness
I graduated from a small SUNY school in the middle of the Catskills. The school I went to was not much of a sports school. The teams we had were Division III and unless you knew someone playing a particular sport, you didn't go and watch the teams play. I grew up as the daughter of a wrestling coach, so basketball wasn't really a sport that I paid much attention to at all.
My husband is a graduate of University of Kansas. The teams are all Division I, part of the Big 12. To say that they like basketball would be an understatement, I mean their first men's basketball coach at KU INVENTED the sport! They consistently have solid teams and have the most winning seasons in the NCAA (92 seasons). All of this means that there is a lot of history surrounding the team and a lot of tradition.
So when I met my husband, he introduced me to NCAA basketball. I was almost immediately hooked. Not only did I love learning about the players and watching the games, but I was giddy about the traditions surrounding games (the KU chant, waving the wheat, etc.). I wished that I had been a student at KU to experience these things in person as my husband had.
Now all these year later, I would say that I am just as much a fan of KU Basketball as most former students. I watch the games with him, wear all the gear, and get excited when I see former KU grads play against our Portland Trailblazers in the NBA.
So here we are in March, Kansas is a number one seed and President Obama has them winning it all (hopefully he is right this time). I am a mix of emotions. Excited to watch the games, confident in our team, and nervous that sometimes crazy things happen. I filled out a bracket to keep me occupied in between KU games and the basketball games have been on the T.V. almost every moment that I have been home. Today KU plays against Boston University and despite the fact that KU should win, I am nervous. We are wearing our KU gear for good luck and I am hoping that "our boys" are on today. I will be relieved when the game is over, but won't waste time before beginning to worry about the next game.
Had my husband told me how stressful being a fan of a team can be, I may have been a little less eager to join the Jayhawk fan family, although nothing could convince me not to follow them at this point. I love them through the good and the bad, no matter how stressful....please let it not be too stressful this tournament!
Do you have a team in the NCAA tournament? Leave me a comment about your team and tell me your favorite tradition surrounding the game, your team specifically, or the tournament.
So when I met my husband, he introduced me to NCAA basketball. I was almost immediately hooked. Not only did I love learning about the players and watching the games, but I was giddy about the traditions surrounding games (the KU chant, waving the wheat, etc.). I wished that I had been a student at KU to experience these things in person as my husband had.
Now all these year later, I would say that I am just as much a fan of KU Basketball as most former students. I watch the games with him, wear all the gear, and get excited when I see former KU grads play against our Portland Trailblazers in the NBA.
So here we are in March, Kansas is a number one seed and President Obama has them winning it all (hopefully he is right this time). I am a mix of emotions. Excited to watch the games, confident in our team, and nervous that sometimes crazy things happen. I filled out a bracket to keep me occupied in between KU games and the basketball games have been on the T.V. almost every moment that I have been home. Today KU plays against Boston University and despite the fact that KU should win, I am nervous. We are wearing our KU gear for good luck and I am hoping that "our boys" are on today. I will be relieved when the game is over, but won't waste time before beginning to worry about the next game.
Had my husband told me how stressful being a fan of a team can be, I may have been a little less eager to join the Jayhawk fan family, although nothing could convince me not to follow them at this point. I love them through the good and the bad, no matter how stressful....please let it not be too stressful this tournament!
Do you have a team in the NCAA tournament? Leave me a comment about your team and tell me your favorite tradition surrounding the game, your team specifically, or the tournament.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Day 2: Nap Transition
Sorry I didn't get a post up yesterday. My husband and I went to the Blazer game last night and I was exhausted when we got home.
Yesterday went really well in the big scheme of things...overall I just want a well rested kid that is happy when he is awake and yesterday that is what I got. In order for him to get there though? He needed a second nap.
Here is our day yesterday:
Wake up on Tuesday: 7:00-7:20ish
First Nap: 11:20am-12:40pm
Second Nap: 3:00-4:40PM
Bedtime: 7:00PM
At about 2:30 yesterday he started to get a bit cranky. I gave him a snack and he started to rub his eyes. I decided to try and put him down for a nap and he went down SO EASILY! It isn't like I thought he would just drop his second nap all together, I was just surprised since he hadn't had a really good afternoon nap in a while (normally he spends 45 minutes of it playing and then crashes for about 30 minutes). His mood the rest of the day was pretty good. He was a little upset when we left him with the sitter, but she said he calmed down relatively quickly. She ended up putting him down about 15 minutes earlier than Monday night because he was starting to get tired (love that she was that attentive to him!).
So today we have plans in the afternoon so we shall see how it goes. He has been asleep for almost an hour now so if he can get another 30 minutes he might be good for the afternoon. Stay tuned!!
Yesterday went really well in the big scheme of things...overall I just want a well rested kid that is happy when he is awake and yesterday that is what I got. In order for him to get there though? He needed a second nap.
Here is our day yesterday:
Wake up on Tuesday: 7:00-7:20ish
First Nap: 11:20am-12:40pm
Second Nap: 3:00-4:40PM
Bedtime: 7:00PM
At about 2:30 yesterday he started to get a bit cranky. I gave him a snack and he started to rub his eyes. I decided to try and put him down for a nap and he went down SO EASILY! It isn't like I thought he would just drop his second nap all together, I was just surprised since he hadn't had a really good afternoon nap in a while (normally he spends 45 minutes of it playing and then crashes for about 30 minutes). His mood the rest of the day was pretty good. He was a little upset when we left him with the sitter, but she said he calmed down relatively quickly. She ended up putting him down about 15 minutes earlier than Monday night because he was starting to get tired (love that she was that attentive to him!).
So today we have plans in the afternoon so we shall see how it goes. He has been asleep for almost an hour now so if he can get another 30 minutes he might be good for the afternoon. Stay tuned!!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Using DST To Our Advantage
So we decided to use day light savings to our advantage (even though I am not terribly thrilled with the idea).
Superman's afternoon naps have been hit or miss as I have mentioned before. I suspected he was getting ready to drop the afternoon nap and (despite my desire to keep two naps for as long as possible) just needed to figure out a plan to get him into the new schedule. Enter daylight savings time!
So here we are dropping the afternoon nap all together and moving his bedtime earlier (or rather to the new 7pm) to compensate. Maybe it would be easier if I showed you the two schedules.
Old Schedule (before time change):
Wake up: 6:20-6:40AM
First nap: 10:30-11AM to about 12:30-1:00PM
Second nap: 3-3:30PM to about 4:30-5 PM
Bedtime: 7pm
New schedule:
Wake Up: 7:00-7:30 (hopefully)
Nap: 11:30-12 to ????? (hopefully at least 2 hours)
Bedtime: 7pm (hopefully)
Today worked pretty well. He slept for about an hour and a half when he went down at 11:30am. He was really in a good mood most of the afternoon, except when he was hungry and needed a snack. The only time he really struggled was at the end of the evening. Our plan was to put him to be at 7:30PM since he went to bed at 8PM yesterday (thanks to DST). Well he was tired and we took a toy away from him causing him to throw a huge tantrum. Then my husband went to get him ready for bed and he really just wanted me. I finally went up and did the rest of the night time routine and he was in bed about 7:30. He cried off and on for the first hour, but he then fell fast asleep. Hopefully it is a restful night and he sleeps in!!
I will update you all on how he does tomorrow!! In the meantime, how did you go about dropping a nap with your child? What bumps did you hit along the way?
Superman's afternoon naps have been hit or miss as I have mentioned before. I suspected he was getting ready to drop the afternoon nap and (despite my desire to keep two naps for as long as possible) just needed to figure out a plan to get him into the new schedule. Enter daylight savings time!
So here we are dropping the afternoon nap all together and moving his bedtime earlier (or rather to the new 7pm) to compensate. Maybe it would be easier if I showed you the two schedules.
Old Schedule (before time change):
Wake up: 6:20-6:40AM
First nap: 10:30-11AM to about 12:30-1:00PM
Second nap: 3-3:30PM to about 4:30-5 PM
Bedtime: 7pm
New schedule:
Wake Up: 7:00-7:30 (hopefully)
Nap: 11:30-12 to ????? (hopefully at least 2 hours)
Bedtime: 7pm (hopefully)
Today worked pretty well. He slept for about an hour and a half when he went down at 11:30am. He was really in a good mood most of the afternoon, except when he was hungry and needed a snack. The only time he really struggled was at the end of the evening. Our plan was to put him to be at 7:30PM since he went to bed at 8PM yesterday (thanks to DST). Well he was tired and we took a toy away from him causing him to throw a huge tantrum. Then my husband went to get him ready for bed and he really just wanted me. I finally went up and did the rest of the night time routine and he was in bed about 7:30. He cried off and on for the first hour, but he then fell fast asleep. Hopefully it is a restful night and he sleeps in!!
I will update you all on how he does tomorrow!! In the meantime, how did you go about dropping a nap with your child? What bumps did you hit along the way?
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Baby #2: Week 23
March 12, 2011
How far along: 23 weeks
Baby's size: Papaya (week 21-24 or month 5)
Symptoms: Lots of movements and no more Braxtin Hicks contractions.
My lower back pain is still there, but I went to the chiropractor on Friday. She says my Coccyx (or tailbone) is tilted toward my left side and causing the rest of my spine to be crooked. I have a flat spot on my upper spine that she says indicates some curvatures (left to right). My hips are also out of whack because of the tailbone too. She says that because of the pregnancy hormone, Relaxin, she may need to do on-going treatments because my spine won't likely stay in the right spot, but that between on-going treatments and possibly a brace over my hips she could get me feeling better. I was a bit worried about being "adjusted", but it wasn't too bad. I felt quite a bit of relief till the end when she adjusted my hips and then my back started hurting again. She didn't want to readjust the back (not really clear why), but I go back on Monday (and Wednesday). She also gave me some exercises to do to help.
My lower back pain is still there, but I went to the chiropractor on Friday. She says my Coccyx (or tailbone) is tilted toward my left side and causing the rest of my spine to be crooked. I have a flat spot on my upper spine that she says indicates some curvatures (left to right). My hips are also out of whack because of the tailbone too. She says that because of the pregnancy hormone, Relaxin, she may need to do on-going treatments because my spine won't likely stay in the right spot, but that between on-going treatments and possibly a brace over my hips she could get me feeling better. I was a bit worried about being "adjusted", but it wasn't too bad. I felt quite a bit of relief till the end when she adjusted my hips and then my back started hurting again. She didn't want to readjust the back (not really clear why), but I go back on Monday (and Wednesday). She also gave me some exercises to do to help.
Total Weight Gain:
Total weight gain= +4 pounds
Maternity clothes: Yes
Best moment this week: The baby kicking a lot while I am reading stories to Superman.
Movement: Lots and lots of movements!!
Food cravings: Nothing really this week
Gender: BOY!!!
Labor signs: none
What I miss: Nothing right now (besides my back not hurting)
What I'm looking forward to: Being able to feel the kicks easily from the outside.
Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): Don't drink the water!! So many people are pregnant right now. I am guessing that I know about 12-15 people right now and I learned about two more just this week!
Milestones: nothing this week
Best moment this week: The baby kicking a lot while I am reading stories to Superman.
Movement: Lots and lots of movements!!
Food cravings: Nothing really this week
Gender: BOY!!!
Labor signs: none
What I miss: Nothing right now (besides my back not hurting)
What I'm looking forward to: Being able to feel the kicks easily from the outside.
Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): Don't drink the water!! So many people are pregnant right now. I am guessing that I know about 12-15 people right now and I learned about two more just this week!
Milestones: nothing this week
Emotions: My heart goes out to those in Japan. I am so shaken by the devastation there. I know this has little to do with my emotions, but when I think of emotions right now, this is all I can think about.
Exercise: I have been doing more stretching than yoga this week. I will be honest 30 minutes seems like a long time to take out of S's nap time to work on my back. I found that I can do all the necessary stretches in about 10 minutes so that is what I have been doing.
Boot Camp: Monday, Wednesday and Friday (1 hour each)
Pregnancy Water Aerobics: Tuesday (1 hour class)
Yoga: Tuesday (30 minutes each)
Stretching: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday (about 10 minutes each)
Total exercise time: 5 hours 10 minute - up 10 minutes from last week! :)
Till next week!
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
The Mom Pledge
I came across a post this morning about "The Mom Pledge" over at The Adventures of Goober Grape and Monkey Man. I have been so frustrated lately by comments made on other blogs and Facebook (not my page) that just aren't helpful and in some cases are really hurtful to other moms. This seems like a great reminder that we are all in this together. We should be trying to support each other, not tearing each other down. So I am taking the pledge and, if you have a blog, I am asking you to take the pledge too.
Can you agree to this? If so go here and join the community!
Will you take The Pledge?
Taking The Pledge is easy. All you have to do is:
- Read the pledge and commit to its principles
- Post the Take the Pledge badge prominently on your blog
- Add your site to the blogroll on The Community page
- Write a post about what The Pledge means to you
- Spread the word and encourage other Mommy Bloggers to Take the Pledge
The Mom Pledge
I am a proud Mommy Blogger. I will conduct myself with integrity in all my blogging activities. I can lead by example.
I pledge to treat my fellow moms with respect. I will acknowledge that there is no one, "right" way to be a good Mom. Each woman makes the choices best for her family.
I believe a healthy dialogue on important issues is a good thing. I will welcome differing opinions when offered in a respectful, non-judgmental manner. And will treat those who do so in kind.
I stand up against online bullying. My blog is my space. I will not tolerate comments that are rude, condescending or disrespectful.
I refuse to give those who attack a platform. I will remove their remarks from my blog with no mention or response. I can take control.
I want to see moms work together to build one another up, not tear each other down. Words can be used as weapons. I will not engage in that behavior.
I affirm that we are a community. As a member, I will strive to foster goodwill among moms. Together, we can make a difference.
Can you agree to this? If so go here and join the community!
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Baby #2: Week 22
March 4, 2011
How far along: 22 weeks
Baby's size: Papaya (week 21-24 or month 5)
Symptoms: Lower back pain still. I am doing yoga and stretches almost daily now and that seems to be bringing some relief. I am hoping that after another week of doing the yoga and other stretches the pain will be gone.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that I am having been braxton hicks in the late morning for the last couple of days (and I had them last weekend). They aren't painful, but kind of take my breath away. I don't think I had them last time with S and certainly nothing this early. The contractions I had with S were in the last month and were painful...still not sure if they were real contractions or braxton hicks.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that I am having been braxton hicks in the late morning for the last couple of days (and I had them last weekend). They aren't painful, but kind of take my breath away. I don't think I had them last time with S and certainly nothing this early. The contractions I had with S were in the last month and were painful...still not sure if they were real contractions or braxton hicks.
Total Weight Gain: Decided that there is too big of a discrepancy between my doctor's scale and my home one so I will update this after each appointment (which is 1x a month right now). So according to the doctor I have gained another pound. Considering the baby weighs a pound, I am really happy with the little amount gained.
Total weight gain= +4 pounds
Maternity clothes: Yes
Best moment this week: My husband has felt the baby kick!! It is still soft, but he felt it. I am so thrilled that he gets to be a part of this experience (last time I had an anterior placenta and couldn't feel the baby move till really late in the pregnancy and then only on the sides).
Movement: When this baby gets moving, he really moves!! It seems like his most active time is right before I go to bed.
Food cravings: Everything bagels and strawberry cream cheese from Noah's.
Gender: BOY!!!
Labor signs: none
What I miss: Nothing right now (besides my back not hurting)
What I'm looking forward to: More and more kicks from this little boy
Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): Each pregnancy truly is different. It is amazing to have the placenta in the back this time and feel the baby so much. I find myself stopping and pausing when I feel the little kick. I feel more connected with the baby this time around.
Milestones: My husband feeling the baby kick.
Best moment this week: My husband has felt the baby kick!! It is still soft, but he felt it. I am so thrilled that he gets to be a part of this experience (last time I had an anterior placenta and couldn't feel the baby move till really late in the pregnancy and then only on the sides).
Movement: When this baby gets moving, he really moves!! It seems like his most active time is right before I go to bed.
Food cravings: Everything bagels and strawberry cream cheese from Noah's.
Gender: BOY!!!
Labor signs: none
What I miss: Nothing right now (besides my back not hurting)
What I'm looking forward to: More and more kicks from this little boy
Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): Each pregnancy truly is different. It is amazing to have the placenta in the back this time and feel the baby so much. I find myself stopping and pausing when I feel the little kick. I feel more connected with the baby this time around.
Milestones: My husband feeling the baby kick.
Emotions: Same old, same old...little more emotional than normal.
Exercise: I said last week that I had hoped that I could get back on track this week and I did!!
Boot Camp: Wednesday and Friday (1 hour each)
Pregnancy Water Aerobics: Thursday (1 hour class)
Yoga: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and today! (30 minutes each)
Total exercise time: 5 hours!!!
Tandem Nursing:
Officially over.
Till next week!
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Superman is 14 Months Old!
I can't believe that Superman is 14 months old today. Time continues to speed past me and has me routinely searching for a pause button.
I realized today that I hadn't done a "Favorite Moments Friday" in a long time and wanted to take the opportunity to update you all on Superman.
WALKING
Superman is officially walking! He still hasn't figured out how to stand up without pulling himself up on something or someone, but that will come in time. He has gotten so good at walking that he can walk and drink from a sippy cup, dodge our dogs and their tails, change directions easily, and has even broken in some hard soled shoes for when it is wet outside.
TEETH
He has 14 teeth!!! The most surprising part about that is that he has gotten 4 of them in the last week (the two bottom molars came in last Wednesday, the upper right canine came in on Friday and then his upper left canine came in on Monday).
SLEEP
Superman goes to bed about 7pm and wakes about 7am. Although sometimes the wake up can be earlier and sometimes it can be as late as 7:30am. He is still doing 2 naps, although the second nap is hit or miss in terms of quality and length. Part of me really hopes that he will hold onto the second nap, but the other part looks forward to being able to go on bigger adventures in the afternoons.
TALKING AND SIGNING
He says, "dada" and other versions like "da" and "dad" for both his dad and the dogs. He will say "yeah" for yes and has started saying a mumbled "night night" when someone waves goodbye to him. He has said "mama" and meant me twice. I am sad that he doesn't say it consistently, although I am trying to appreciate the fact that some day I will want to change my name from Mama because I will hear it non-stop. He is also starting to really babble with more sounds and intonation. He will even hum or sing to music when we are in the car.
I think he is on the verge of signing A LOT more. I think it is a matter of taking the time to teach him them. He signs 'all done' pretty routinely. He will sign 'more' when he is reminded and when I ask him to ask nicely instead of grunting, he will sign 'please'. He will also sign 'eat' (by sticking a finger in his mouth) and 'drink' (open palm to mouth as if to blow a kiss goodbye) once and awhile. He waves 'goodbye' and signs 'milk' and I can usually differentiate between the two.
PLAYING
We have been going to an indoor playground for about a month now and I am constantly amazed at the things he picks up. He will frequently find older children that will engage him in peek-a-boo or other game. He will also mimic what the older kids are doing. He loves to go down the little slide and can do so just holding onto my hand. He is beginning to want the toys other children have and I am learning how to coordinate sharing with the other children and their parents. I am grateful that the other parents are so understanding.
My husband taught Superman how to put the mega blocks together. It is so fun to watch them build structures together. S seems to be very thoughtful in the blocks that he chooses. He will sometimes only want the blocks with one connector and then other times he will want ones that are the same color.
S is very cuddly and huggable lately. He loves giving hugs to his stuffed animals and his baby doll. The other day he put his baby doll on his little ride-on toy and pushed her around, just like his dad does with him. My heart melts every time he shows how caring he is through hugs and sharing his toys and food with us. I really look forward to seeing how he uses his kindness as he gets older.
We went swimming at the local pool recently and I was glad we had went. He took a little bit to get used to the water and that really surprised me. He finally got comfortable and enjoyed blowing bubbles in the water and just putting his face in the water. We have plans to go more regularly now so that he doesn't forget how much he likes it. (smiley face)
I think that is it, you are all caught up! Till next time...
I realized today that I hadn't done a "Favorite Moments Friday" in a long time and wanted to take the opportunity to update you all on Superman.
WALKING
Superman is officially walking! He still hasn't figured out how to stand up without pulling himself up on something or someone, but that will come in time. He has gotten so good at walking that he can walk and drink from a sippy cup, dodge our dogs and their tails, change directions easily, and has even broken in some hard soled shoes for when it is wet outside.
TEETH
He has 14 teeth!!! The most surprising part about that is that he has gotten 4 of them in the last week (the two bottom molars came in last Wednesday, the upper right canine came in on Friday and then his upper left canine came in on Monday).
SLEEP
Superman goes to bed about 7pm and wakes about 7am. Although sometimes the wake up can be earlier and sometimes it can be as late as 7:30am. He is still doing 2 naps, although the second nap is hit or miss in terms of quality and length. Part of me really hopes that he will hold onto the second nap, but the other part looks forward to being able to go on bigger adventures in the afternoons.
TALKING AND SIGNING
He says, "dada" and other versions like "da" and "dad" for both his dad and the dogs. He will say "yeah" for yes and has started saying a mumbled "night night" when someone waves goodbye to him. He has said "mama" and meant me twice. I am sad that he doesn't say it consistently, although I am trying to appreciate the fact that some day I will want to change my name from Mama because I will hear it non-stop. He is also starting to really babble with more sounds and intonation. He will even hum or sing to music when we are in the car.
I think he is on the verge of signing A LOT more. I think it is a matter of taking the time to teach him them. He signs 'all done' pretty routinely. He will sign 'more' when he is reminded and when I ask him to ask nicely instead of grunting, he will sign 'please'. He will also sign 'eat' (by sticking a finger in his mouth) and 'drink' (open palm to mouth as if to blow a kiss goodbye) once and awhile. He waves 'goodbye' and signs 'milk' and I can usually differentiate between the two.
PLAYING
We have been going to an indoor playground for about a month now and I am constantly amazed at the things he picks up. He will frequently find older children that will engage him in peek-a-boo or other game. He will also mimic what the older kids are doing. He loves to go down the little slide and can do so just holding onto my hand. He is beginning to want the toys other children have and I am learning how to coordinate sharing with the other children and their parents. I am grateful that the other parents are so understanding.
My husband taught Superman how to put the mega blocks together. It is so fun to watch them build structures together. S seems to be very thoughtful in the blocks that he chooses. He will sometimes only want the blocks with one connector and then other times he will want ones that are the same color.
S is very cuddly and huggable lately. He loves giving hugs to his stuffed animals and his baby doll. The other day he put his baby doll on his little ride-on toy and pushed her around, just like his dad does with him. My heart melts every time he shows how caring he is through hugs and sharing his toys and food with us. I really look forward to seeing how he uses his kindness as he gets older.
We went swimming at the local pool recently and I was glad we had went. He took a little bit to get used to the water and that really surprised me. He finally got comfortable and enjoyed blowing bubbles in the water and just putting his face in the water. We have plans to go more regularly now so that he doesn't forget how much he likes it. (smiley face)
***************
I think that is it, you are all caught up! Till next time...
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