Friday, December 31, 2010

Year End Review

Yes, I know I skipped the Christmas post but I promise when I can get to go through all my pics then I will document it!

2010 was a year to remember.  Not everything was happy go lucky but we managed to make it to another year!

January-
Dominic turned 8...my baby...8 years old. Ugh, I am getting old!  We resumed our hunt for a house, for like the umpteenth time.  We were starting to think that maybe we just were not meant to own a home.  Nothing ever felt right.

February-
We looked at a few houses and made offers on 2 of them.  We lost the big fabulous house that we wanted.  Returned to the second runner up for another peak and just didn't know if the time was right.  We celebrated my Dad's 58th birthday with an apple cake from our favorite bakery and decorated by yours truly (since you know it is copy righted and the bakery cannot possibly put it on the cake).

March-
March 8, 2010 was the saddest day of my life.  My Dad passed away while we all stood bedside, tears running down everyone's face.  Not really feeling like it was real, although he had not eaten in days nor did he open his eyes much the day before. You can think you are prepared for something but when it happens, you know you really just never are.  After weeks of not working, helping my Mom and dealing with my household it was time to go back to work.  Try to make life normal again....so we resumed our house search.  We put an offer in on house #2.

April-
Offer accepted...ZOMG...we are going to own a house.  Crap, a mortgage! Decorating ideas running around my head since it was known from day one that this is a first house.  A flip that we wanted to accomplish together, Gary and I, and move on to what we want to grow old in. Paper work galore. Logan turned 6 months old.

May-
Stress of dealing with paperwork consumed us.  Stress of inspections and appraisal fail consumed us.  Stress of putting Logan in daycare and watching him cry as I left killed me inside. Keep pressing on, we must finish everything to get this house since we lost our loan since the appraisal did not pass.


June-
Appraisal pass!  New loan secured...Closing day moved by 2 weeks, which only gives Gary and I 3 days to rip out carpet, paint all rooms, clean like crazy (pets are nasty and smell when they go to the bathroom everywhere) and OMG moving day!  Replacing the rotted out toilet was an unexpected gross first on the list during moving day...thank you Amber for being an awesome friend and doing it while we scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. Baby cousin Ethan was born, welcome to our crazy family little man!  We love you :)

July-
Annual picnic at my Moms.  Totally different without my Dad at the grill.  Dominic started football and goodness he got his first broken bone. Fractured pinky finger...why hello Dr visits, xrays galore and 3 different casts.  Logan had his first fever of 105...scary stuff!

August-
Vacation to IL for my best friends wedding.  Congrats to Trisha and Troy-may you have a happy marriage for the rest of your lives.  Drive home from vacation consisted of Logan having a blow out in the car and Dominic throwing up everywhere in the car as well....GOOD TIMES people!  Dominic started 3rd grade, where does the time go?

September-
Found out we were expecting baby #3l!  Baby is due at the end of April/beginning of May.  We are beyond excited, thrilled and scared. Logan started walking.

October-
Really, my baby boy Logan turned 1 year old. ONE YEAR OLD. Already? It is unbelievable. He easily gave up the bottle 1 week before his birthday, does not like whole milk (only 2%) and started to run!  Talking more and more.

November-
Thanksgiving and black Friday shopping as always. Holiday was good...again completely different without my Dad.  We did have a mishap that the electric knife did not work and my poor Aunt had to run out and buy a regular good sharp knife in a flash.

December-
Found out that baby #3 is a GIRL!  Charlotte "Charlie" is going to melt everyone's heart...I can feel it.  Also found out that our friends Stef and Grant are expecting their baby #3 in August of 2011-Congrats to them!  We are so happy to not be the only crazy family of 5 ;) Christmas was super busy as always....we open presents 5 times in one day.  Its exhausting but my kids are so loved and blessed. Another first holiday without my Dad was difficult at times.  Logan fell down our basement steps, scariest thing I have ever had to deal with as a Mom.  I cannot even describe what the fear, helplessness and anxiety feels like as you are rushing to pick up your baby and nervously check him over....speed to the hospital and make frantic phone calls to the necessary people all at the same time. We learned that every person who walks into your house does not have common sense and will not close the door to the steps just because they see a walking around baby. Our house is gates a plenty now. We are fortunate to be so lucky that he is completely fine with minor injuries.  I, on the other hand, may not recover from the traumatic experience. We will be ringing in the new years at home with a few friends coming over.  We are big party people you guys!

I hope your 2010 was as memorable as ours....good or bad, memories last a life time.  May 2011 bring blessings, joy and happiness to all!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Hormones mixed with Anxiety is super fun

I am 22 weeks pregnant and am starting to get the fear of having 2 babies in the house.  It hit me like a ton of bricks last night when Logan woke up during the night and would not go back to sleep.  He is teething and well, as you other Moms know, sleep is crazy messed up during that time.  My neck was sore (thank you pregnancy belly that does not always allow me to get off the couch...laugh if you must), my husband was sick in bed and I was trying to sleep on the couch.  All mixed together perfectly, NOT!

So....I was watching 16 & Pregnant on TV (my first mistake apparently) and my hormones started to flow with watching those Moms cry and have their babies.  Tears running down my cheeks with my mind racing.  How am I going to handle having 2 babies at the same time.  Mix that in with working full time and having another child who already gives me the 'I do not get enough attention' spat all the time....I will be completely gray by age 33. 

What exactly scares me?  A) Diapers....changing them/paying for them/they will take over my life, I can feel it B) Having enough time for all my kids, its hard enough with 2...now I will have a helpless newborn, a toddler and a pre-teen ZOMG C) Being able to shower...kinda goes along with the having enough time D) Being able to have an adult conversation...these are few and far between right now and I am sure its only going to get worse.  E) Dealing with a toddler who is now not the baby...who I fear will throw stuff at his baby sister! Or that he will climb into her swing/bouncer whiles shes in it.  And well the list goes on from there.

Dominic is very self sufficient, however, he procrastinates and does things half assed.  This is a pet peeve of mine...oh how I hate telling him 70 billion times to get dressed, brush his teeth, eat or wash his whatever it may be.  Dominic is very needy still with some things and...the child NEVER stops talking. EVER. He walks around even talking to himself, oiy! Logan is in no way shape or form self sufficient.  He can play by himself with his toys, which is a huge bonus, that could change once a baby is introduced into this house. Logan loves his 'B', which I wanted to take slowly away.  I know that I cannot do that now, for he will just take his sisters when she arrives at home. 

Fears are building up...I am sure its only going to get worse as I enter into my third trimester and then get ready for delivery.  Speaking of which, anyone want to come stay at my house while that happens with the 2 cute little boys?

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Taking a night off

Gary came home from work not feeling well and went straight to bed.  I hurt my neck at lunch today and can only move my head so far. (thank you pregnancy for making it hard to get off the super comfy soft couch) With these things as a sign, I decided to take the night off.  I am not doing a thing, including cooking. Hello PIZZA.

I needed to go to Giant Eagle and Wal-mart.  Those will have to wait till tomorrow or Thursday.  No way my 5.5 month pregnant butt can carry around Logan with a stiff sore neck.  Not to mention, I cant turn my neck to drive. Instead Dominic, Logan and I are going to hand out and watch some Christmas movies and relax.  I am not even going to think about anything...going to try to be stress free!  *wish me luck on the no stress with 2 kids*

Saturday, December 18, 2010

First Flu

This week was full of illness :(

Logan caught the stomach flu.  We were all ready to get out the door to our annual Christmas Party with our close friends at Amber's.  All of a sudden, blah....Logan gets sick all over himself and me.  Yuck!  Gary and I scramble to get him changed, myself changed and figure out what is going on.  Is he really sick?  Did he eat something off the Christmas tree, AGAIN? He was not warm, acting normal and did not appear sick.  We sat down for a little bit and discussed the options.  We were going to be around other families with kids and pregnant women. I was not comfortable allowing anyone to go just in case we carried it to someone else.  Its the week before Christmas...not to mention that I am serious when it comes to germs.  I find it rude when people come around others when they are sick and I would not put another family in jeopardy.  So we made the call to stay home.  Gary ran our gifts to the party and tried to hurry home...good thing because Logan was sick twice more when he was gone and Mama needed a shower!  The flu lasted about 2 days with cranky kid, tired kid and just plain poor looking kid.  It's hard to believe that no one else caught it in our house.  Well, I mean, I do clean and use sanitizer (haha) but you know what I mean!  Gary had caught a cold/flu but was nothing like my baby.

I am happy to say that it has since passed and we are free and clear for Christmas....which is in a week. OMG can't believe that!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

20 weeks down

Its official, we made it half way through this pregnancy.

My LAST pregnancy.EVER. I made that clear at my very first Dr. apt. and the last one as well that I want my tubes tied. 3 is plenty. A great number.  I did have a few people ask if this baby was going to be another boy if we would try again, um, no people...no way! lol

We had our sonogram this am.  The sonogram tech said something like "do you have a feeling of what it is". I said" no, not really but I did just see a bump down south.  Not sure if that is a toe or a boy but I would really love to have a little girl!" She giggled and said she has yet to determine the sex. We waited patiently for 45 more minutes of pictures, pushes and giggles to get the baby to cooperate. Finally, she said from what she could tell that it is a girl but there is no 100% until the baby is delivered.  She shows us the 3 lines and repeated that there is no "bump."  I laughed and repeated what I read online: a hamburger for a girl and hot dog for a boy, 3 lines is a hamburger...YAY!  I had tears in my eyes and Gary was squeezing my hand.  It was a moment that I will never forget, ever.

We had not really planned on having our 3rd child for another year.  We were pleasantly surprised and SCARED to find out that we were going to have 2 under the age of 2. In diapers. Oh my!  From the moment I peed on the stick, I thought from the timing that it had to be a girl...but really you just never know.  I was determined to not get my hopes up or get set on a particular feeling of what gender this baby was.  My Mom has been correct with all 3 of my kids.  This one she held back a little on her predictions.  Not sure if its because she didnt want me to get too excited, or herself!

So I get to shop for pink bows, shoes, dresses, hats and shoes!  Oh my the shoes this kid will have ;)  I have always loved shopping for friends little girls and my niece so it will be a dream come true for me to find that first perfect outfit.  I have already started online...although they are still sitting in my cart because once I click to pay, it will all be really real. A GIRL IN OUR HOUSE! WOW!!!

We have not determined a middle name at this time but her first name will be Charlotte.   Her nickname will be Charlie as we are naming her after my Dad.  I consider her my angel sent from him :)

Go team pink. As my friend Jen said "finally someone on my side."

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Our Christmas House

This year we did not go all out with decorating since well you know, we have a TODDLER who gets into EVERTHING!

Christmas is my favorite holiday.  Not because you get presents but because you give.  I have been teaching my boys since they were born that giving is important.  We adopt a family or a child, donate to toys for tots and recently started to donate all of our outgrown coats.  I am very proud to say that Dominic has taken to this with delight.  He loves to help out others and be giving.  Christmas is also a favorite of mine because of the lights and decorations.  Seriously, who does not like to drive around all the neighborhoods and look at everyone's lights? I love the shine, glimmer and feeling that you get at this time of year.









Our decorations are up and my kidlets are getting excited.  Okay, I will admit, I am getting excited.  We are almost done shopping and are well on our way to being fully ready!