The stockings were hung by the chimney with care... (okay the TV) 

In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there... 

Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow

They've been talking about a snowstorm all day long. Everyone has been in that pre storm frenzy feeling. I like the excitement that surrounds it, but I've been waiting ALL DAY for this damn storm to blow in. Well it's 9pm and sometime in the last hour it started falling and it's falling FAST! Everything has a solid white layer now. Maybe we will get that 8-15inches they are predicting!

Some Good News

Head over to Getupgrrl to see her good news!

Love

Emily needs a bit of love and support. Please go show her some.

I'm a Mommy's girl too. Mommy says I look just like my Daddy when I make this face.  

Mommy is so warm and comfy. 

Grammy, turn that camera off so I can have some dinner! 

Bitter Betty

Christmas is over for one side of the family. Yeehaw. And I'm glad it's over with. Let me just say though, that Erichs family isn't one for great gift giving and all. Not that I want to sound like the ungrateful bitch that I am, but ya know. My MIL gave Magdalena a christmas doll (that she bought while I was with her last year. I'm surprised she was able to hold on to it that long), some zwieback toast, and some biter biscuits. I'm really dumbfounded as to why she gave her food. Does she look malnourished or something? Oh and here is the kicker. She gave Magdalena a pair of pajamas that are 12-18 months. This would make more sense to you if I told you that Magdalena is just now starting to fit into 6-9month pj's and I TOLD her this before. She told me "oh she'll start growing really fast soon." Um, no? Weight gain and such tapers off at the END of the first year, not starts going like crazy. She's a good five pounds away from even being in the weight range for these pajamas. Well, I guess next year she'll have some warm pjs... urgh.

Here is where if you are recently pregnant/pregnant you stop reading because I'm about to go on a big whiney vent.


See, there are lots of people getting pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I'm really am happy for these people. But, I'm having a really hard time showing it. I'm really a Bitter Betty because **I** want to be pregnant. And my chart shows that nothing is happening down there and if I seriously have to sit through one more cycle of nothing to get clomid, I am going to go postal. It's hard to contain my unhappiness and let the happiness shine through for people who are pregnant. Because (I've said this before) I really AM happy that it worked for them. I'm really UNHAPPY with my body and it's inability to do one tiny simple thing... ovulate.

Hungry?

Here is the menu for this afternoons meal.

Portebello Mushroom and Cracked Black Pepper Pork Loin
Baked Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Corn Casserole
Steamed Carrots
Rolls
Dutch Apple Pie

I'm sure there will be leftovers. Why am I making such a huge meal for 7 people (plus Magdalena)? Oh yeah because it's Christmas and we didn't have a big meal for Thanksgiving.

GET TO WORK!

That is what is screaming in my head right now. Erich's family will be here in 3 hours and 45 minutes and I still have a sink full of dishes, no baking accomplished, Magdalena's in her pajamas (as am I) and I don't feel like doing any of it. Bah Humbug.

I did clean the LR and dining room (well made it more than presentable) and vacuumed. I'd like to get down and mop but need a babysitter (aka Daddy) to help with Magdalena so that I can do that. It doesn't **have** to be done but it always smells really good afterwards (not that it smells bad in here mind you.)

Yesterday, I got a rug from Lowes. Erich says it looks like a burlap sack. Merry Christmas Suzanne! It was no where near the expense of all the power tools that he got for Christmas. Can you tell we don't wait? lol We always end up shopping and then he sees something he likes that he wants for Christmas but he has to have it **now** because "I have a project that I'm working on that it would be perfect for!" So I always wrap the empty box. :) Hey, I can't spend hundreds of dollars on christmas and have an empty tree now can I? He also told me that he had wanted to buy me a dryer for Christmas. Man, we're getting old aren't we? Because honestly a dryer sounded pretty thrilling to me. :)

I'm going back to get to work. Magdalena needs her nap now since we've been up for about two hours. Maybe if I can get her to sleep I can mop quickly and start on the kitchen. I'll post pictures later of M in her Christmas dress and my rug. :)

Firefox

I'm using firefox now. Now I just need to figure out bloglines...

Merry Christmas! All of our gifts but two or so are under there! The pictures on the wall are of my father (who died when I was 9) and my mom and dad's wedding portrait. ( I have it since she can't really hang it up in her house with my stepdad.) 

This is our gift from Santa this year. He brought it a bit early. 

Chanting...

"I love my husband he is the greatest. I love my husband he is the greatest...."

So for a few days there has been this soury smell in the kitchen. I've been searching high and low for it. I put a new refridgerator deodorizer in, searched for rotten food, moved the microwave, and cleaned the drains out with baking soda and vinegar. Erich always says it's me, haha. So anyways, I decided to move this dresser and mop underneath it. I was on the phone with Erich while doing this. So I move the dresser and what do I find? A banana. A black banana that is. I say, "oh gross Erich there is a banana under here." His response? "Oh yeah, I meant to go after that. Man that was a long time ago." Grrr.

BB#2

Okay, so here is the lowdown. I started my period again. It is obvious by my last chart that ovulation did not occur. Dr. B (my obgyn) wants me to cycle 2 more times and then we can do clomid.

At the appointment on November 22 we talked about my PCOS. She believes that I am very borderline if I have it at all and was not pleased with the way things were handled last time. She thinks that since I didn't bleed when they gave me clomid that I might have already been pregnant or ovulated on my own. She doesn't have a problem with TTC and breastfeeding but she wanted me to wean when I got pregnant. (Heh, that won't happen but I thought it best to leave that discussion for another day) So three cycles (1 down and I'm in the middle of the 2nd cycle) and then the drugs will come my way. I don't have to wait the 6 months since I have a previous diagnosis of infertility due to PCOS. Wee.

Before anyone may think of leaving a comment and flaming me for my decision to take clomid while nursing, please know that I have done my share of research on the subject. I have made an educated decision with the help of breastfeeding peers who have taken clomid, LLL leaders, LLL friends, and my healthcare provider. Please know that I would never intentionally do anything that would harm Magdalena, myself, or any future children.

We did talk a great deal about a VBAC and how my labor was handled. I'll have to address that in a different post, but it was very interesting. I'll try tomorrow, okay? :)

Magdalena is chilling in my lap. She's in that half second right before your eyes shut permanently. 

Apparently nursing wasn't needed, she fell asleep in my lap. 

Update

Wow, where does time go? Every time I approach the computer Magdalena decides she wants to wake up/nurse/me to play with her... The list grows. I've been writing down things that I'd like to update you on when I sit down to read my favorites quickly. Magdalena was playing happily with her keyboard but that has ended. ---- There now she's nursing. We rearranged some furniture and made ourselves an L shaped computer table which has made it a little easier to nurse an ever growing baby. So here goes with the list (and it's long folks...)

• Magdalena has the stomach flu. I called the doctor only to see if it was okay to give her some Pedialyte. I figured she was fine and has the runs considering that she was happy and wet (eyes, nose, mouth, bottom.) The triage nurse made it sound like I was awful for not wanting to bring her in since "little babies get bad fast." SO I felt like bad mother of the year and took her in. She needed the second dose of prevnar anyways so I figured I could kill two birds with one stone. (I'm not paying that copay to often. And January 1st our copay goes from $10 to $20. Ouch.) Magdalena weighs 17lbs 3oz. (3oz of diaper) So I'm not thinking she is going to make my prediction of 18lbs. We saw the doctor on call and I DO NOT like her. She quizzed me trying to find something "that I'm doing wrong." (her words) When she couldn't find anything ie am I giving her cows milk (yeah through my milk. heh) she started to hassle me about giving her vitamins. Grr. She doesn't need vitamins. My milk is perfect for her and she's been drinking city water and gets exposed to sunlight. The lady drove me nuts. Oh well.

• Magdalena can now climb an entire flight of stairs without trying to sit down or losing her balance. We've caught her standing on her own and can walk along things with one hand now. She does the "indian call" and she also claps Patty Cake. (She claps and says Pa Pa Baby Pa Pa Baby. Very cute) She also likes to crawl over the tub and stand up and say "Baa Baa!" It's amazing the things she picks up on a daily basis. She's a little sponge.

• Chris has become a blog I check frequently. I really like her, she's funny, and she's about to have a baby! So if you haven't discovered this wonderful woman, please do so.

• Magdalena is cutting teeth like crazy. I've discovered the teeth numbers 7 and 8 have appeared and I can see the white nubs of numbers 9, 10, 11, and 12. Wowee. Poor baby.

• Erich continues his job search. He has a job now, but since completing his degree he is working on finding a better job. He is currently in a situation where he really has no room to grow. He is applying internally for different branches and is really just looking everywhere. He is look at even relocating though hasn't looked on the East Coast (where some of my favorite blogger gals live. hrmph.) He's looking at Cincy, Chicago, and St. Louis but honestly I'd like to stay around here. I like being close to my Mom. I'm hoping he finds something around here. I don't mind moving to Illinois or Ohio but I DON'T want to move to Missouri.

• I'm thinking about Magdalena's Birthday Party. We are having a princess party because she is a princess, remember? More details to follow once I get there. I should start thinking about it but honestly I'm trying to get through the holidays.

Okay, I need to update about BB#2 but I need to nurse Magdalena to sleep. I'm going to update the BB#2 stuff in two minutes. Promise.

BB#2

Okay, so yesterday I typed us this nice post telling you about my doctors appointment last week and all the Baby Business #2 stuff. I'll update about the appointment later because Magdalena is due for another nap, but I will say that I was worried that I didn't ovulate and that I was none to thrilled about waiting around for something that wasn't going to happen. So I called my OBGYN and they said I needed to wait until I was on CD42!!! Ah, that's a long time away. But you see I started to bleed today, cycle day 26. Weird. So **insert evil snicker** the nurse told me to fax the chart when I completed one full cycle or completed the first level (which is 42 days.) Since I started bleeding I'm officially on CD1! yippee. Now I'm going to fax this chart over on Monday and see what she can make of the screwy numbers that is my chart. For reference you can see it here and tell me what you think of it. It kinda looks like those stock market charts to me. ;)

IOU

an update, but I have a list of reasons why it isn't going to happen tonight. I have a sore throat that is getting worse and I seem to think I've caught Erichs sore throat. I'm EXHAUSTED. Magdalena has ripped everything out of every drawer in reach so I must take these 45 minutes that she is asleep and pick it up before I go back up to her and get stuck there. (I put her to bed around 8ish and she sleeps 45minutes to 1hour and then I go nurse her again and she sleeps till about 1am.) My Xmas decorations exploded all over the living room and really really need to be sorted, tossed, or put in their proper home. My husband is extremely upset that the explosion occurred Sunday evening and I'm having trouble cleaning up the rubble. There are dishes to be done, floors to be mopped, and scratches on the wood to be dyed brown with Old English. (With Ella gone, there isn't a crazy dog running wild putting scratches here and there but mainly on the stairs. I'm happy to report that she is still alive and happy and healthy and Gracy is very happy to be alone again! :) )

The lady I watch in the mornings is in the hospital (due to my great care. I didn't make her sick I promise, but I did catch that something was wrong and got her to the doctor.) I'll post about that stuff later. Oy. It's been one helluva week in that part of my life.

Excuse me while I retire to my bed for some desperately needed rest.

I got my haircut today, what do you think? I can't help that my face isn't perfection... heh. I'll take a better picture when I look better, but how is the cut? It's my xmas present from my Mother who constantly bugs me about the state of my hair. 

Netflix

So how do you think that I can convince someone in my family to buy this for me for Christmas? Please keep in mind that half don't have internet access/use the internet on a regular basis and the other half "don't trust online buying". Right, I don't think I'll get it either. Hrmph.

Baby #2 Business

Okay, so my "girly friend" seems to have retreated after 9.5 days! Yikes! How much fluid can one little uterus hold I ask you. So I need to change that ticker at the top since ovulation will most likely be postponed a few days since I bled a bit longer.

I'm feeling very hopeful. My appointment is on MONDAY! My temps are looking like they are doing what they are supposed to and I'm excited to get this cycle going! My OPKs and pregnancy tests should be here tomorrow and we'll get this party started. I told a friend that I feel very empowered. My body is both lactating and menstruating and it feels wonderful that it is doing the things it should be doing correctly! :)

So for those of you playing along at home here is the link to my chart. Someone send me some baby dust!

Who loves sleeping baby pictures? 

More Monkey Business

I forgot to tell you that Magdalena likes to fake laugh. It's seriously hilarious. Her friend Silas likes to fake cough so you can hear the two of them together coughing and laughing. And you're probably wondering how a 10 month old has an actual friend. Silas is 7 weeks older than her and seriously they LOVE to play together. They get along well and share toys and everything. It's friendship at the most basic level and it is pretty cool to see.

Monkey Girl

An Update on Ella: Ella is doing well in her new home. I had many many dreams last night revolving around her being cold. Mom said they tried to put her in the garage, but she kept scratching the door so they let her back out. She said that Ella ran around and barked and barked all night long. My stepdad said he wanted a watch dog, believe me she will bark at anything and everything. Mom isn't sure where she slept last night or if she did sleep but she appeared this morning when they called her. Mom put some food out, but Ella hadn't eaten it when I talked to her this morning. That's very typical for her though. She said that Ella is napping on the deck in the sunlight. I'm sending her big fluffy dog pillow bed back with my Mom tonight along with a few of her toys. Mom said that as it gets colder they will try to get her used to sleeping in the garage.

Just so you don't think this is becoming an Ella blog, Magdalena is up to some crazy tricks lately. She's pushing lots of stuff around and walking behind it, including her gobble up hippo. She figured out how to climb off of the bed last week and sometime over the weekend she got the knack of climbing upstairs. She has been trying for about 2 weeks, but finally mastered it. It looks like teeth numbers 7 and 8 will be stepping up to the plate pretty soon. She's super super super clingy lately too. Everybody tells me that I've spoiled her because she only wants me. That drives me INSANE.

She's Gone

We took Ella to my parents house. Originally they were going to take her, but I didn't want her to have to ride the hour drive in the back of the truck. I also wanted a better way to say so long, so Erich agreed. We got there and walked her to the back tree line where there is already a dog house. Then I let her off the leash. She was so happy just to run and run and run. After about thirty minutes she came back to the house. She stayed on the back deck as we played Monopoly inside in the dining room (which faces the deck.) When we were getting ready to leave she came right up to the car and was ready to get in. :( My stepdad held her collar as we drove off. We could see her struggling to get away and come to us. I miss her already. I'm worried that she'll be cold tonight since she'll have to stay outside. She's never spent the night outside before. It's really quiet here right now. I know she'll be happy, but it doesn't make it any easier. She has loved me unconditionally and always knew how to cheer me up when we had those really rough days before Magdalena was born. She always rested her head on my big pregnant belly, adn looked so surprised by the thump thump thump that eventually came. I've given up part of my family. It's really an awful feeling. I wish there was a way to keep her, but there isn't. Not unless we move to a farm. That won't happen anytime soon. **tear**

Ella

I have to tell you that Ella is leaving today. She is going with my mom and stepdad to live on their farm and run free. She needs a house with no babies and no other dogs. She also needs attention that I don't have to give her. I'm very very sad. There is a chance that she may not stay close enough on their farm, but the other choice is to put her down, and I can't do that. I love her very very very much and I'm really going to miss her. Hopefully, she'll be good and enjoy the five acres that they live on I'll be able to come visit her. So Goodbye Ella, I love you.

I think this will be the saddest picture I have to take. Dani asked to see something that was really important to me, but not so much now that Magdalena is here. That would be Ella. **sniff**  

Kitchen part 1: Allison wanted to see my kitchen. I have to take it in three parts since you can't capture it all in one picture. 

Kitchen Part 2: Here are the cabinets and work space. I'm not kidding when I tell you that these are ALL the cabinets in my kitchen. Not much, eh? This picture also doubles as my LEAST favorite place in the house because the kitchen sink is always full. Feh. 

Kitchen part 3: This dresser accumulates junk like CRAZY.  

Dani wanted to see the street in front of my house. I'm standing on the sidewalk in front of my house and this is what I see when I look to the left. 

Dani wanted to see the street in front of my house. I'm standing on the sidewalk in front of my house and this is what I see when I look to the right. 

Here's Magdalena in the doll stroller I used as a child. I have to much free time, don't I? 

This is Magdalena last night in her size 0-3 month snowsuit. 

Here's Magdalena again in March of this year wearing her snowsuit. 

Thursday?

What happened to the rest of the week? Don't have enough time to play catch up but tooth numbers 5 and 6 are finally through. **insert angelic singing here** So we're back to normal around here (whatever that is). Erich has the day off, I had to work, and now we are heading out to see some friends.

Oh, and I started my period over the weekend. Which means two things. I ovulated this month as suspected and I had to take an emergency trip to see a friend and buy some cloth menstrual pads sorta like these but made by a WAHM. I love them. I don't have enough. And Erich is angry that I didn't buy more. Now mind you, had I bought more, he would have been angry I spent so much money. Men. Anyways. This household has gotten pretty crispy and we've started some other stuff that would just boggle some peoples minds. If you are really curious and can't stand it, you may email me and I'll tell you what's going on around here. It isn't all that interesting but I'm sure many of you are probably scratching your heads and wondering why I even mentioned it. I mentioned it because it feels great to have made this change in my household and I'M LOVING IT!

Oh we also watched the movie "supersize me" and have vowed to never eat fast food again. :)

**sigh**

I'm tired. Dead tired. I keep going to bed early and filling my night with 8 hours of sleep but it isn't working damnit. Magdalena is cutting two teeth right now. The others have always come in pairs, but one at a time. These are coming out together and the girl is driving me nuts. She doesn't know what she wants. She wants me to hold her, now nurse, now set me down, NO pick me back up, nurse, I don't want to nurse... do you get the picture? Her most annoying habit right now is that she wants me to hold her while she pushes me away. I go to set her down (because she's pushing me away) and she SCREAMS! Those bloddy teeth. Teeth are EVIL. My lack of sleep is probably not helping matters AT ALL.

The furnace boys are here. I say boys because, seriously, these guys couldn't have graduated high school. Heh. Are they getting younger or am I getting older? Don't answer that. Oh, and Furnace Boy #1 is drinking my last coke. Grr. I offered so it's my fault, though I didn't realize there was only **one** left. They've been here since before 8:30 am so I was being nice. I just can't get another one right now because well I have to be here since they are here.

I guess this post has nothing important to reveal. So move on...

Read The Care Instructions

This is pretty funny!

A Day In The Life of Joe Republican

Joe gets up at 6 a.m. and fills his coffeepot with water for his morning coffee. The water is clean and good because some tree-hugging commie liberal fought for minimum water-quality standards.

With his first swallow of coffee, Joe takes his daily medications His medications are safe to take because some evil lefty bomb-throwers fought to insure their safety and that they work as advertised.

All but $10 of Joe's medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan because some fire-breathing lazy ass union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance - now Joe gets it too. Never would he turn it down.

He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some girly-man liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

In his morning shower, Joe reaches for his shampoo. His bottle is properly labeled with each ingredient and its amount in the total contents because some crybaby liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is healthy because some environmentalist wacko trouble making militant fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air

Then Joe walks to the subway station for his government-subsidized ride to work. It saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees because some fancy-pants limp-wristed free thinking asshole fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day. He has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some fire-breathing Viet -Cong-loving union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these high standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union in. So Joe benefits from what others have gained.

If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed, he'll get a workers compensation or unemployment check because some stupid pinko troublemakers didn't think Joe should lose his home because of a temporary misfortune.

At noontime Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some godless liberal red wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Great Depression. He can thank that Stalinist UnAmerican Franklin D. Roosevelt for that.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage and his below-market federal student loan because some elitist pointy-headed liberal decided that Joe and the whole society would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime. That's okay, but the bastards tricked him because he has to pay taxes. Bush will fix that, he tells himself.

Joe gets home from work. He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive. His car is among the safest in the world because some America-hating liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. His was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers' Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electricity until some big-government New Deal Stalinist liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification.

Joe is happy to see his father, who is now retired. His father lives on Social Security and a union pension because some wine-drinking, cheese-eating Marxist made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to.

Joe gets back in his car for the ride home, and turns on a radio talk show. The radio host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't mention that over the decades the beloved Republicans have fought to defeat every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day.

Joe agrees with the talk-radio loudmouth: We don't need those big-government liberals ruining our lives! After all, I'm a self-made man and a good Republican and I believe all Americans should take care of themselves, just like I have!

**Note on this - the last paragraph isn't quite accurate Back in the day, it was actually the Republican party that fought for social reform (think Lincoln). They gradually traded these principles for corporate sponsorship. **

Hi Ho Hi Ho It's Off To Work I Go...

I've had lots on my mind lately. Lots to update about, but of course as I sit down to type I can't remember a thing I wanted to write down. I have some pictures to post that Allison and Dani wanted to see for that photo project thing. I've yet to be able to take a picture of us as a family. It seems I constantly forget and weekends are crazy and that is when the three of us are together.

The furnace guy just left and they will be coming back on Friday to install the new furnace. We are going from a 50%-60% efficient furnace to a 92% efficient furnace with an ultra cool media filter that is supposed to suck 80% of the dust, dust mites, and general crap that is in our air. Of course, the cost of this new furnace is raping breaking me. But it takes money to make money. Then there is that gas leak thing.

The newest electric/water bill came since having our ultra cool super efficient front loading washer. :) It's $20 less than last month! :) We are looking forward to saving even more money with a furnace that isn't sucking the life out of us too. We will be able to watch how it affects the actual charge of gas, but we won't feel it since we are on a budget and pay the same amout year round for gas. They will readjust our rate but that won't be until next summer. We're hoping that the increase of gas they are predicting really won't hurt us with the new furnace and that we'll break even or be a bit better off. We'll see.

I started this entry to tell you guys what I am doing when I am "working." I know you guys know that I take care of an elderly couple at an assisted living village place but I thought you might be interested on what I actually do.

**From here on out I will refer to the couple as Jack and Jill to protect the innocent and what not.**

I'm there five days a week now. I generally get there between 7am- 7:30am and leave around 12:30pm. Tuesdays I don't leave until about 1:30 because Jill gets her hair done. Basically I'm there for Jill, but Jack needs help as well. He can't remember to take his medicine so I'm there to give him a gentle reminder. He has some real mood issues to say the least. The tiniest thing can set him off. I was told that he has a brain tumor that affects him, but to be honest, I think the mood swings seem more dementia related. So I try to stay away from him as any tiny thing will set him yelling at me. He walks with a cain and I've already had a dream that he beat me with it, so I steer clear if you know what I mean. ;) I apparently wear a sign that says, "beat me please" because I've been hurt multiple multiple times in nursing home situations.

So I'm mainly there for her. I get her up and take her to the bathroom. I help her dress and brush her teeth and comb her hair. I do her accu check and make her breakfast. I also give her her meds too. After she's up and eaten and such, I tend to go and tidy the apartment. I make their bed, vacuum, wash dishes, empty trash, and do general tidying. Remember, during this entire time I've also got T and Magdalena to tend to. And on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays I have to run T to and from preschool. On Tuesdays, I strip the linens and wash all the sheets and blankets. On the other days, I do other laundry. He has accidents so I try to do a load every day or at least every other since things sometimes get odor-ous. Tuesdays and Fridays I give her a shower which is a bit of a task. And Fridays I set up all of the AM and PM meds for both of them for the next week. I take her to the bathroom upon her request. Every other Thursday she gets her nails done and every Tuesday she gets her hair done. :) I take them down to lunch then come back and take care of T and Magdalena's lunch. (Magdalena's lunch has to be the easiest. heh) I do have some idle time. If Magdalena is asleep than I can do some needlework or read a book.

They have a two bedroom apartment. In the back bedroom there are some toys that Magdalena can play with and a TV. I try to only let T watch educational videos or PBS and Sesame Street and such. I feel bad because she watches entirely to much TV but I try to compromise by never letting her watch TV when we're at my house. I'm mean and make her play with toys and use her imagination. ;)

Gee, that doesn't sound like much does it? But I do feel like I'm constantly running while I'm there. Do you have any questions about what I do?

More T-isms

Here goes another round:

• Last Friday, T had a Halloween party at preschool. She went as a princess. After dressing her.... Me: "Okay your royal heiness, where's your wand?" T: "Suzanne, a princess doesn't have a wand. Only fairies have wands. " **rolls eyes**
• (While watching the food network.) Suzanne this show is where they take yucky kitchens and make them into neat kitchens to make food. It's the foodnetwork but I really like Rachael Ray because she makes super secret easy recipes that are SO delicious."
• (While leaving work to go home for the afternoon." Me: "We're going to run a few errands and then go home and take naps. Doesn't that sound like fun!?!" T: "NO. YOU only think it sounds like fun because I have to take the nap."

I'm not making this up. How could I?

Mommy made me a diaper, do you like it? 

Ladybugs! Take Cover!

The ladybugs have invaded our house again in search of warmth. (Obviously they didn't get the memo that the furnace has a gas leak and could possibly blow up. I'm kidding, just kidding. Kinda.) I took some pictures to show you. Scroll down. :)

The ladybug flew to the coffee table and played with the iron for a bit. 

One of the ladybugs was really hungry and flew in to get something to eat. 

The Great Baby Quest

As promised, I'm going to update you on the TTC plans. They aren't much right now. I've had a freaky week though and my mind is constantly turning things over. My official appointment to start metformin (which is SAFE during breastfeeding woo!) is November 22. That's like 3 Mondays from now. Wow.

I had a crazy dream the other night. --- I dreamt that I was pregnant and I started going into pre-eclampsia like I did with Magdalena. They told me they needed to induce, but since I had already consented for an elective c-section (failure to progress, cephalopelvic disproportion) they would section me that evening. I called Erich on the phone so that he could be there. I'm not really sure if he ever made it there. Anyways, they rolled me in for my csection and took the baby out. This entire time I thought she was a she because apparently I had an ultrasound or something. Anyways I was like 36 weeks and a bit early so they took the baby to the NICU to make sure she was okay. They stitched me up and I stood up off the table (pretty cool trick after having a csection huh?) and walked (heh) to the NICU. When I got there, I asked for my baby. The lady said "I believe she is that one over there." The baby she pointed to was the HUGE baby and I said "this can't be my baby. She's to big! I have small babies and the tag doesn't say my name." The nurse replied, "well, then your baby is probably underneath that one." (???) So I rolled this big baby over and underneath was this itty bitty baby who looked ALMOST identical to Magdalena as a newborn. And the baby wasn't a girl, but a boy. I went to nurse the baby and found out he was tongue tied to like Magdalena was. At the end of the dream I was in search of the doctor that clipped Magdalenas tongue, so she could clip Baby Boys tongue too and Magdalena and Baby Boy were both squirming to nurse. --- Now is that a crazy dream or what? Whatcha think it means???

So with that crazy dream on my mind I decided to take an OP test (ovulation predictor). I had some leftover in the bathroom from last years TTC days. And it came out... drumroll... positive. LH surge with ovulation predicted in the coming days. And today.... drumroll... my temperature dropped signaling ovulation. I took another OP and it was negative which means that LH surge is over which would make sense because the LH surge comes BEFORE ovulation. Looking back at the chart I conceived Magdalena with, I surged, temp dropped, ovulated, pregnant. Which is what is currently happening.

See the thing that has me all nervous and such is that I can't possibly believe that my body is doing what it is supposed to be doing. And I hate this waiting. My entire body is tense with the what ifs. And I should relax because if my body did go ahead and release an egg like it was supposed to since I had all the signals of ovulation and need to be calm for that little egg and sperm to meet and make Magdalena a big sister. Oy.

And even though all these things happened, it doesn't mean that my body actually released the egg. My body has done crazier things. I need a glass window to see what is going on in there. This is driving me nutso.

Oh, and I've lost 15 pounds to date. Woot.

I Feel Pretty...

well, actually I feel special. I was just going through my sitemeter referrals and seeing how Blogexplosion has really upped my traffic and noticed that I had a referral from Cootiehog.com. Anyways, Cootiehog has added me to her own special list of blogexplosion blogs she likes which makes me feel very special. :)

Oh, and I'm stuck in my computer chair. Magdalena is trying to figure out how to move between objects while standing up. She actually trying to take steps and her feet just ain't doin what she wants them to do. So I'm stuck in my chair because somehow she got to me and is holding on to the back and if I move she'll fall and I'll be named "Bad Mommy of the Year." This girl is going to walk soon isn't she? **sniff**

Must Haves and Have Nots

Being poor really makes you want to shop, ya know?

I'd really like this Olive Green Maya Wrap.

I'd like these Pink Dragonfly Robeez in size 6-12 months for when Magdalena outgrows her little kitty ones. (Currently she is wearing 0-6 month. I'm not lying when I say my child is tiny.)

And I'd really like the collection of Dr. Sears Parenting Books, but really The Baby Book to begin with. **sigh** I keep checking it out of the library, but sometimes I'd like it for reference ya know?

Completely off topic here, I just finished the book "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" and I REALLY liked it. I think I may venture to Half Price Books and see if they have a copy I can give to my mom for Christmas. I think she'd really enjoy it. And maybe my Dad is waiting for me his own heaven, waiting to talk to me about how he was supposed to die young and how it changed me forever for the good. I guess I'll never know huh? (I'm a firm believer that it is pointless to buy new books when there are plenty of used books needing loved.)

It Gets Better Right?

I'm sick of being a grownup. So, today Erich left for work at 11am. He had a job interview via phone at 10:30am. I'm trying not to get my hopes up that this may be the job for him. Anyways, I warmed up some chili for him, we chatted about furnaces and he headed out the door at 11am. I started frying up some potatoes (buy one 10lb bag, get one free at Marsh this week. Needless to say, we're going to eat a lot of potatoes soon). Anyways at 11:34am Erich called to tell me that he has a flat tire, he's in the process of changing it, but wants me to come to him and switch cars. Urgh. **this is where you insert a mumble with a bit of profanity about how no one ever lets me eat a meal in peace I know I know it wasn't his fault but still** So I pack up the girls and head out.

The thing is that the Saturn (which he drives) needs 4 new tires. We've been putting that off for a few weeks. It also needs a muffler, I can hear the boy coming 2 blocks away. Anyways, with a flat tire that had two holes and is bald, it seemed pretty pointless to just put plugs in. And when buying a new tire, since they're sorta bald, I can't just buy one I have to buy two. Then I have to consider that last time we only bought 2 and the one with the flat was one of the newer ones and we'd talked about how we didn't want to be constantly buying 2 new tires. So basically all this babble boils down to that I had to drop $192 for 4 new tires at Sams Club.

Is it ever going to end? $200 for tires, $3000 for a furnace, a little here a little there and I feel like I'm suffocating. And I'm TTC? Am I nuts? Being a grownup bites.

What A Difference A Day Makes

Wow. There's a lot going on around here. Yesterday started out really crappy. I can't think of a poetic way to say it and really crappy seems to fit. It started with T. We got up and I started getting her ready for school. I sent her in to the batheroom to "potty and brush your teeth." While she was brushing her teeth, she says, "Suzanne, I need to go to the bathroom." So I say," well then go." "I already did in my pants." **insert internal rage here** I asked her why she didn't go sooner if she had to go so bad. Her response was, " I didn't realize I had to go until it was running down my leg." So I started my day with a floor full of pee. Joy.

Then the furnace guy came to clean the furnace. You see where this is going, right? So he's down there with his little vacuum sucking all the crap out that sits in your furnace and I'm upstairs dreaming about how nice it's going to be when it's all warm and toasty in here. After all, I've waited this long to turn on the furnace, I deserve it right? So the guy finishes up and come to tell us that he found a "slight" problem. There is a leak on the valve where you turn the gas on and he may have to tag it and SHUT OFF THE GAS! **insert panic here** Our dryer, washer, water heater... all of that is gas powered. So he comes back after speaking to his boss. They agree that it is a relatively minor leak and that it won't hurt to leave it on for a while. Erich and I made sure we wouldn't "blow up or anything." He comes in after being on the phone for probably 20 minutes and says it's going to cost something like $400 to replace the valve. On our 20-25 year old furnace, that's a lot since it's only probably worth that much. Hrmph. So they sent a guy over to give us an estimate on a new one. I called two other places and one sent a guy over last night and another is coming this morning at 10. The heat is on and it feels delicious but I can't keep it this way. I'm scared to death with the babies in here. So it's going to be like $2500 and that sucks. But it comes with a 5 year warranty (the guy last night offered a 10 year warranty) and we are looking at the 90% efficient which will save us money since ours is probably 55% to 60% efficient. It comes with being a homeowner right? I am glad that I went ahead and had the guys come out and clean it and find this leak so that we didn't go the entire season with this leak and not know about it until something really bad happened.

Starting tomorrow, I'll be working with the old folks five days a week. Joy. The money is going to be fantastic but it's going to be exhausting. So today, we're just lounging around the house enjoying our free time.

Magdalena has gotten really good at standing up, cruising, and recently she's learned how to sit herself back down. Every Mom knows that that is a good thing because there is nothing worse than a baby that is standing and screaming for someone to help her back down. She's also started trying to transfer herself between things like the table and couch. Occasionally she trys to stand up in the middle of the room. Oh, and remember how I said she was crawling on all fours 75% of the time? Right after that she started doing it full time. :)

That's all for now, but wasn't it enough?

Toddlerhood?

I'm TRYING to clean the house in preparation for the graduation party we're having for Erich tomorrow. But... Magdalena has other plans. How do you clean your house when your almost toddler like baby tears everything up that you put away? Following are some pictures of baby girl. :)

That's the look of mischief. :)