Week of June 24th

Sunday June 24th
Lydia is now six months old.  I find it amazing that one half of the year is already over.  She is trying to eat everything and is so anxious to eat more foods.  I'm not so anxious.  I'm content just nursing her.  I give her rice cereal and little bits of fruits and veggies but I haven't done more yet.  ::sigh:: I guess I'll have to let her grow up sooner or later.

Somebody loves to eat!

That spoon is sure fun to teeth on

Daniel was still sick so Brent stay home from church with him.  I teach Sharing time for one month every 3 months and June was my month so today was my last sharing time for awhile.  My wonderful friend, Vikki, takes Lydia for me almost every week while I take care of my primary responsibilities.  I'm so grateful to her and the other ladies that so generously tend her.  It makes my life easier. I made a super yummy pot roast for dinner and the rest of the evening was low-key. I enjoyed the quiet evening with Brent and the kiddos.  It was needed.


Monday 25th
Had another round of Physical Therapy this morning.  I didn't cry this time, even though I wanted to.  One of the workers there showed me some exercises to do, as we talked she told me she also had also had an SI joint injury.  She's the first person I've talked to that has had the same problem as I.  It was so nice to talk to somebody that completely understood how I feel and could suggest things that had helped her.  I have more exercises to do than I have time for, but I'm doing all I can.  I don't see any running in my near future but I do have hope for pain-reduced days soon.

Daniel was well enough today so after naptime we went to Karate.  He was so much better today!  He participated 30 of the 45 minutes.  I was so pleased.  I have hope for him after all.

Brindy and I went to our second class of hot yoga.  This time I sweat more and I was dizzier.  I followed the modifications my physical therapist suggested and I didn't hurt as much afterwards.  It felt great.  My lungs feel so open and clean.  It was an easier class and the 90 minutes felt faster to me.  Good times.

Tuesday 26th
The boys were climbing our maple tree in the backyard.  They do this often.  Jacob got higher then ever before and wanted me to see.  I snapped  a picture while I was at it.

Lydia got whatever Daniel had and today she was one unhappy girl.  She didn't sleep well, has a runny nose and is constantly sneezing.  On top of that she's teething.  Poor girl.

I had a really hard afternoon and evening and fled to cooking group as soon as I got Lydia down for the night.  I stayed up too late talking with Brent about how we should be parenting (especially Jacob right now).  We are struggling with him right now and our normal discipline tactics aren't working.  I feel like I am warning him or disciplining him most of the day and that's exhausting!  What do you, my few readers, suggest for disciplining?  Specifically, he is experimenting with spitting and he has spit on several people but mostly Daniel.  He also uses inappropriate talk about his body, like pretending to pee or hold himself and wiggle.  It sounds innocent enough but when he did this in front of the mirrors at Karate yesterday I was so embarrassed by his poor behavior.  We currently use time outs, or he looses game/tv privileges, and with "potty talk" he gets hot sauce.  None of these methods are solving the problem nor do they seem to be enough incentive to keep him from doing these things.  I'm worried because I see him getting worse.

Wednesday 27th
Lydia slept the night through (though fitfully at times) and finally woke up to nurse just before 6 am.  She was so congested that nursing was difficult.  After 10 minutes she lifted her head up and threw up all over me.  It was like a waterfall flowing out of her!  I couldn't believe she could possibly have that much in her tiny stomach.  I called for Brent to come in and clean her up so I could shower, it was THAT bad!  She was up for another hour after that and then I spent the next hour holding her, walking with her and trying to get her to sleep.  She'd fall asleep and then wake up and whimper or look around to make sure I was there.  So I just held her.  After a long while of that my arms were tired, I was tired and so I put her down praying that she'd stay asleep.  She did and I was able to get another hour of sleep.

I declared a sick day and we didn't go anywhere.  I took care of only the minimum around the house and we just hung out together.  I made some delicious banana bread and the day went ok considering all.  It was such a beautiful day (after several days of rain) that it would've been nice to take the kids to a park.  I hope we get more days like that soon.

Thursday 28th
Lydia had her 6 month well-child visit and round of immunizations.  She did so well.  She is growing and developing perfectly.  She is now 2'2.5" and 18 lbs.  I was sad to hear they are closing our pediatricians office and I will need to find a new doctor unless I want to drive 20 minutes to follow our doc. to his new location.  Sad times.  Having the kids' doctor only 1.5 miles from our home has been so nice.

After lunch while the sun was still shining I packed up the kids and we went to, what we call, the "Dump truck Park."  It's a 10 min. drive but so fun.  The boys had a blast and Lydia enjoyed pulling all grass out she could reach.  It started getting cloudy when we got home so I'm glad we went when we did.

I went to hot yoga tonight and enjoyed it.  I can already see improvement (though small) in my flexibility.  The modifications I am making keep my joint pain to a minimum.

Friday 29th
I started feeling like I was coming down with what Daniel and Lydia had.  My throat is sore and I feel tired.  So I took it as easy as possible.  We had a going away party in the evening for some good friend's of ours and we had a great time.  Three of my good friends have either moved or will move all in this past spring and upcoming month.  I feel so bittersweet about it.  The moves were all great for each of them individually but I am so sad to not have them around any longer.  They have made my life here in Oregon, without family nearby, easier.  I know friends come and go but it is still hard.

The bishop called today to ask us to speak in Sacrament meeting on July 8th.  Topic is Eternal Families.  Oddly, I am not nervous about it.  However, Brent might be getting an ulcer.  Poor guy has a lot on his mind and this being added to it doesn't help.

Saturday 30th
We did a lot of errands and projects around the house.  I continued to take it easy.  We have been looking into finding a shed and it's proving to be a lot harder than I anticipated.  We purchased fireworks and the boys got to go down and gigantic (20' tall?) inflated slide shaped like a shark.  Jacob thought it was the coolest thing ever.  Daniel not so much.

Sunday July 1st
Today was a nice, laid-back day.  I made meatloaf for dinner.  It was awesome.   Another week gone.  This upcoming week is going to be another busy one and we hope to go camping at the end of it if the weather stays nice.

Readers: Do you mind this journal style of writing on my blog?  Would it be easier to break it up vs. having one week all in one chunk?  Thoughts?

An attempt to start blogging again...

Hello friends and family.  I've been feeling for a while now that I should return to blogging so I could keep you updated on our lives.  I hope to blog once a week or so (ambitious, I know) maybe on Sunday nights reporting about the previous week and what we have coming up.  We are so far away and I want you all to feel like you are still in our lives.  We love and miss you.

Week of June 17th

Sunday was a lovely Father's day.  The boys were so excited to give Brent the cards they made and their gifts.  Daniel made him a fun tie in his primary class.  I made him fried chicken for dinner.  Our friend Polly joined us.  Her hubby was out of town and, like me, she has lost her father.  After dinner we all went over to another friends house for smores.  The kids had a great time and the adult conversation was entertaining.  It was a great day.  I am so grateful for Brent.  He is a wonderful father.

Brent with the kids before church.  Too bad D's eyes weren't open

Monday

(Most of you know about my sacroiliac joint pain.  If you don't, email me for details.)  I started physical therapy on Monday morning.  It killed to have my joint worked over and it brought me to tears.  As of today I am feeling some improvement already and have hope that this just might work. I can't wait for this trial to be lifted from me.

Monday night mom and dad Turner came to stay the night on their way home from Canada.  We had a lovely time chatting late into the night.  Brent was feeling unusually under the weather and went to bed early.  So unfortunate for him to feel that way on the rare occasion of his parents being here.  They left bright and early Tuesday morning.

Tuesday was an average day.  I went to a relief society service night in the evening.  I enjoyed the hour I was able to spend there sewing pillow cases for the local children's hospital.

I love finding my boys playing together.  I often find them sitting on our deck rail staring off into the distance.  I had to capture the moment.

 

The boys started Karate this week.  They go on Mon/Wed.  Jacob did great.  Daniel was a pickle and a half!  I wanted to thump him on the head.  His antics were embarrassing!  I think this was the first time I've been truly embarrassed because of my child's poor behavior.  He isn't ready for that kind of discipline yet and has a difficult time following instructions.  So I've decided to still take him (since I paid for it) and have him just sit on the side and watch and participate as he chooses.  With that in mind Wednesday went a lot better.  I had high hopes for him but he just isn't ready yet.

 
Thursday was a gorgeous day.  We had Jacob's friend Kiara over and we all went to the park to have a picnic lunch and play.  It was fun to swing and let Lydia pick at the grass.  There was a friendly Mexican family there and the dad was very active running around with his kids.  Pretty soon my boys were chasing him around too and it was so fun to hear their constant laughter.

That night my friend Brindy and I tried Bikram Yoga for the first time (also known as hot yoga) 90 minutes of fast paced yoga in 108 degree heat was intense!  I was hurtin' by the end of it though and I thought I was taking it easy.  Gotta go even easier next time.  I can't wait to be able to get back the exercising and it felt really good to work my body last night.  It was quite an experience.

Today was pretty low key at home.  I cleaned and made lots of cookies for tomorrow.  We're hosting a BBQ/baby shower at our home tomorrow.  We have a covered deck and rain is forecast so it got relocated to my house.  We'll have 40+ people in our home.  It will be crazy fun.

UPDATE
Saturday was spent continuing to ready our home for the party.  We had a wonderful time with our local friends and the pot luck spread was one of the best (variety wise) we've had.  The kids had a ball and fun was had by all.  Except poor Daniel.  He was greatly anticipating the evening with friends and then woke up from his nap with a fever.  He spent the evening cuddling with Brent or I and went to bed early.  =(  Poor "little D".

Lydia cut her first tooth yesterday.  She is six months old tomorrow (Sunday the 24th) and is fussier then normal but otherwise unaffected by the teething.

31

Yesterday I celebrated my "baskin robbins" birthday. I am sad to see 30 go - I had a wonderful year. I worked so hard before turning 30 so that I would be in the best shape of my life and enter this new phase/decade head on and strong. I achieved that goal. I was in a great place as a wife and mother, planned for baby #3 and I look forward to having a girl. I will always look back on this past year as being one of the best years of my life. I hope to continue strong and make every year a good one.

We took some pictures before going out to dinner to celebrate my birthday. I am 30 weeks along (7.5 months) and feeling great. I can see the weight gain in my face now... hopefully I can start running again after she's born.

HALLELUJIA!!!

This day has been 3 years in the waiting. Daniel saw his surgeon this morning and was cleared to no longer wear braces! His feet look fantastic and he is expected to do well long term. He doesn't need to be seen for another year or 2. I am all smiles and beyond happy. This has been such a long journey and to see it end is thrilling. Of course will still have issues to deal with (mega wide shoes, low muscle tone, etc.) but that is all nothing compared to where we've come from.

Take a look at the before and after of his feet.

1.5 weeks old

3 years old (taken today trying to recreate baby pose)

sitting normally

And to top it all off, my brother called me on Monday and while he and his family were in Brazil they learned that Vanessa's cousin has an infant born with clubfeet and they are struggling to pay for the shoes/braces and clothes to fit him. Plus, they are using the old style Dennis Brown Bar and Daniel had the far superior Ponsetti style brace. So I am going to donate Daniel's shoes and bar plus some of his baby clothes to this family. It makes my heart happy to know I'll be helping out another mother going through this journey and making life more comfortable for her little one.

Can you think of a happier ending?! We've had so many prayers on our behalf along the way that have helped lift us up. To be at the end vs. the beginning of this is an incredible feeling and I couldn't be happier on this day.

24 weeks Preggo

Hey everyone. I've had several people ask me for a preggo pics so I had Brent take these of me this morning. I hadn't put on makeup or done my hair yet... so just look at the belly. :o) I am in my 24th week (6 months along) and for those who don't know yet, we are expecting a girl. I'm feeling good and all is well. Can you believe I still have 3 more months?! I'm going to get as big as Jupiter I'm sure.

Almost a year?

I can't believe it's been almost a year since I posted. Sorry for the long, unintentional, hiatus. SO much has happened in a year. I guess I'll just bullet point some of them.

*I reached and exceeded my weight loss goals. I lost a total of 50 pounds and for the first time in my life I was in the 170's, a size 12, and at a healthy BMI.
*I completed my first half-marathon in October and my second half-marathon on April 23, 2011. Both were fabulous experiences!
*Jacob had his tonsils and adenoids out in December. Thank goodness my mom was here over the holiday's to help me.
*Jacob finished his first year of preschool (a co-op I did with some friends in my ward). He loved it. He is so excited to be going to a "real" school this fall for pre-k.
*Daniel completed one year of early intervention speech therapy and has improved so much he is no longer eligible for services! YAY! He is such a fun 2-almost-3 year old.
*We have owned our home for one year now!
*We have lived in Oregon for 4 years and Brent is still enjoying his job.
*I was released as Compassionate Service leader last August and am now the Primary chorister. Brent teaches Elders Quorum. Jacob is a CTR4 and Daniel still attends his beloved nursery.

and the biggest news of all...

*We are expecting baby #3 - due in December!

For all the ladies...

because the guys wouldn't get it.

Yesterday I put on a size 14 and it was comfortable - not too tight! I haven't worn a size 14 since I was 15 years old.. that was half my life ago!!!! So I'm very proud to say that I've put all the size 16 items in the closet.

One more pound to lose before I hit another big milestone - 40 pounds lost.

I am beyond excited about it and had to share.