We have a winner!

Hey, remember when i had a giveaway?

My friend Sarah Chia won!

i really appreciated all of your ideas on making my life smell less, so i'm going to copy the tips into this post. They are tremendously helpful! The italics are mine.

From QuiteContrary1977:

For your stinking house: Get a jar of cinnamon from a dollar store, and toss a tablespoon in some water. Let it simmer on the stove. All the time. People still asked "What's that smell?" But in a good way!
For your stinky self: Get your own baby wipes! To that stack of wipes,add lemon juice,water and some squirt of your fave perfume. Pull out and wipe neck when you neeed freshening up!

From Nikki:

I've found that baking soda takes the smell out of anything. It amazing! You could sprinkle some in the diaper genie to absorb the smell. Every now and then I sprinkle it all over the carpet in my house and let it sit for a few minutes before I vacuum. I've even heard of people adding it to their laundry :)

From Jes:

Before switching to cloth diapers we had a diaper champ, I used to spray it with bleach water and rinse it out every time I changed the bag. Now with the diaper pail for the cloth diapers I sprinkle baking soda in the bottom, or I will drip some lavender oil on a paper towel and put it in the bottom. but I always, ALWAYS put it outside to air out for a few hours every couple days. that really makes a difference.

From Katie:

--New baby smell--every time you change her diaper, wipe with a diaper wipe under her chin to get the fold gunk off her neck.
--Breastfeeding smell--now is a sour milk smell, or a yeasty smell? If it's sour milk smell, change pads more frequently (and bras)--and after you've pumped or whatever you're doing right now--give your nipples air time so they dry off...if it's yeasty smelling you may have thrush...and you'll need to boil your bras and breastpads (if they're the washable kind)...and possibly take antibiotics. Are you trying to supplement your formula with breastmilk or are you trying to dry up--I've got tips for both of those as well!
--Formula smell...yeah...there's really nothing you can do about that..
--Toddler smell--save the diapers that are too small for Cadence--or donate them to a women's shelter--it's so not worth a huge load of laundry (or the hassle of changing clothes with every poopy diaper)--just switch up to the next size--it kills me when I have to do it too...but it's so worth it! Also, examine his diet--is it different from before he had a little sister or the same--that could say something about why he's pooping so much!
--New baby's smelly clothes--have a "dirty wet clothes" plastic tub--and once a day have your hubby throw it in the laundry (so it doesn't sit too long)--or if you're up for it--throw it in yourself once a day.
--I'm still working on this mildewy smell in my own clothes--I've experimented with tea tree oil and vinegar and combinations of other "natural" things...and I gotta say--laundry soap and add oxyclean really does the trick! For extremely smelly laundry, soak it first in the laundry soap/oxyclean combo, then when that's done wash it a second time...should do the trick. Also, add a second dryer sheet (if you're into those kinds of things--I AM) in the dryer and make sure they are SUPER dry (I always do a second dryer cycle on towels that got too moldy smelling)...
--Stomach flu--I'm glad you're better!
--Postpartum smell--well...I'll leave that alone! :)
--Diaper genie--ADD YOUR OLD DRYER SHEETS to the bottom of the pail--and sprinkle baking soda in it--OR douse it in vanilla and then after it sits for a while, wash it with bleach really good...
--House--enlist family or friends who love you very much to come help you...(i'll help if you want it!)... Borrow or rent a steam vacuum cleaner and get the couch (We own one so you can borrow ours or I can do it for you) and remember it's OK if your house isn't perfect--it's better to take care of your kids, yourself, and your hubby rather than a perfectly clean house! I guarantee you my house has been worse!


From Sarah Chia:

For mildew, my neighbor swears by the Shout/Oxyclean combo bottle they sell. It's a two-sided thing.

I haven't tried it yet, but she's pretty pumped about its results.


From Kristine:

I remember my mom saying something about using vinegar in your dishwasher. Sorry, I don't know.

P.S. Kristine, i think you're supposed to run an empty load with vinegar in your rinse liquid spot. i tried it and it seemed to help! love jessica

P.P.S. Everyone should check out Kristine's other helpful tips. If you go here, she's got awesome ideas for making your life easier.


Mama Belle said:

The only thing I know of is bleach, Febreze, and B&BW candles & air fresheners. Probably all not good for the baby. Not a lot of help, I know.

You know, sometimes air fresheners are the only thing that work, especially when you've got people coming over and don't have time to bleach the diaper genie. Lord knows i believe in them, which is why i'm giving one away!


Thanks everyone for your awesome advice! Miss Sarah, i will be emailing you to get your lovely air freshener out.

A giveaway

First, a lengthy explanation:

i've been going around blogging for like 1.5 years now. You all have been extremely wonderful encouragements and faithful friends to me through all of my life's events. So lately, i've been trying to come up with a nice but also affordable giveaway to show you all how much i appreciate you.

Here's a tangent:

My life is smelly. Really. i just had a baby (4 weeks ago today, my water broke right about now) and i forgot about how much life smells after a baby. Here's a breakdown for those of you who may not know. These are in no particular order.

• You've got your new baby smell. i'm not talking about that "Oh, she smells like a new baby!" smell, i mean the baby that spits up 2x/daily and poos much more often. These are not particularly pleasant smells.The spit up also tends to hang out in the folds of her neck and that's gross.
  
• You've got your breastfeeding smell. i don't know about you, but when i breastfeed, it produces this...odor. i don't know. It's totally weird. i think, actually, the baby is supposed to smell it and get hungry? Not sure. But with breast pads and the milk and everything, there is just a smell.
• You've got your formula smell. i stopped breastfeeding like two weeks ago after my baby wasn't gaining weight, and i was getting too stressed out. The downside? The aforementioned spit up and poos of my child are quite a bit smellier. Yick.
• You've got your toddler smells. Mine has randomly starting pooing about 3-4 times daily since Cadence was born. No idea why. He used to be a 1 poo a day kind of kid. So now he smells a lot more often. And he needs to go into the next size of diapers, but i don't want to waste the old ones. So i'm having to change his clothes almost every time he poos now, because his diapers are too small, leaving smelly clothes.
• You've got your new baby's smelly clothes.
• You've got the mildewy smell from accidentally leaving all these extra clothes in the washer too long.
• i got the stomach flu. i won't go there, but trust me, i'm glad to be feeling better and have cleaned my bathroom!
• Another "i won't go there" bullet point: the post partum smell. 
  
• The diaper genie. There are so many extra diapers, but less time to empty the pail. It's very stinky, especially when i resort to tossing the diapers in any garbage can but my kitchen. (P.S. Does anyone know how to make diaper genies not stink? Even when mine is empty, it smells to high heaven! It is not dirty, either.)
• The house. i haven't cleaned my house in ages. It's gross. And for some reason, my couch is wet? My is my couch wet? So smell may be coming from there. i need to clean out my refrigerator. i know there's some food in there that would help things if it were thrown. i've got diapers in my bedroom and bathroom garbages. i've got stinky clothes around. 

So you see, my life stinks. :) One of my bestest real life pals, Liz, brought me a really good smelling body wash and lotion kit, complete with loofah, after Cadence was born. So at least i don't smell. (When i get to shower.) But i'm tired of being greeted with ugly smells every time i walk into a room. i have found i tend to buy air fresheners after i have babies. i bought a new one yesterday, the Airwick Freshmatic.You know, the one that automatically sprays? And i totally love it! Outside of it freaking me out every 9 minutes when it sprays, (i've always been a little jumpy though) it is wonderful, and it has made my open floor plan living room, kitchen, hall, and entry smell like holiday spice. i also like it because it takes batteries, doesn't burn a flame, and doesn't plug into anything. With a toddler, i can't really have anything plugged into sockets that looks fun to play with. It's a really great air freshener for me, so i decided to give one to you!

There were two different scents at the store to choose from, vanilla or the holiday spice one. i went for the spice, because even though i don't usually love that one, i find most fake vanilla scents to be a bit nauseating. And it's a very nice smell. So that's what the winner of this giveaway will get.

How to win:
leave a comment, and a tip for getting the smell out of some aspect of my life, ie my towels that won't stop smelling, my stinky dishwasher, my diaper genie, etc. Here's where it gets fun for me, because i don't know how many people read this blog. So it would be fun to see some people come out of the woodwork a little bit. If you're new and just stopping by, feel free to enter. i'd just encourage you to maybe check out my "about me" page, and if you like me, subscribe. i'm looking to expand my blog a bit, and would like to know more of you!

So anyway, i will be picking the entry from the random number generator next Thursday, Nov 13.

(i'm so sorry, but i will only be shipping inside the US. i know that sucks. i'm sorry.)

Good luck! i look forward to this!

Halloween 2008

We had a very nice Halloween. Kris had me paper mache half his head and face, and he used the mold and liquid latex to make his mask. He is Two-Face, from the Batman series, who i'd never heard of until seeing the Dark Knight. i guess true Batman fans have known about Two-Face forever.
We got David's costume last year right after Halloween for $4. It was awesome, because i saw the same one on sale again this year for $16. Now that i think about it, i should go buy next year's costumes before they're gone.
i got Cadence's outfit at Once Upon a Child a few months ago for $8. It was an one sized infant outfit. i wish i'd gotten her one that was A. softer and B. sized according to months. That lamb hat was way too big for her! She was pretty uncomfortable in that outfit, as the "wool" was kinda scratchy to her newborn sensibilities and the whole costume very uncomfortable in her car seat.
The day before Halloween, i dressed up the kids in their costumes and we went to the OB/GYN and my mom's work to show everyone how cute my offspring are. Friday night we visited lots of grandparents, and we also made a trip to Outback where Kris works.
We had the opportunity that night to go bowling with the Coen brothers, but because of Halloween stuff we couldn't go. :( However, on Thursday night the movie is having its wrap party, where i'll be able to partake of free food and adult beverages with the Coen brothers, Richard Kind, Adam Arkin, and all the rest of the cast and crew members from the movie. Kris will miss this movie. He's had a lot of fun with it, and it feeds him really well. For instance, lunch the other day for him? Craft services came over and was basically like "Mr. Gensmer, would you like lobster or prime rib or both?" He'll be home quite a bit more until January when he'll get his ambulance job, so that will be very nice. i miss him a lot. He's been working a ton. The day after i had Cadence, he worked from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM on the movie, while i was sitting there alone in the hospital with the new baby. November and December should help make up for that:)

Also, Kris is on imdb.com! Here's his profile. i'm married to someone famous!

i hope you all had a wonderful Halloween!

Wordless Wednesday- 10.29.08 Sleepy girl

Works for Me Wednesday

This is my first time doing WWFM, but i'm always inspired by my friend Kristine who does this, and for once, i came up with something i'm proud of and think is really clever.

At this point, i've been using my breastpump a lot. i hate sitting there holding the cups, but i didn't want to pay $23 for a bra like this

to avoid the hand cramps.

So, i took an old bra that i never wear and cut holes in it. i feel stupid for not thinking of it before! But it works just as well, and it repurposes an old unused thing instead of bringing another new thing into my life.

It works for me!

Find more stuff that works for others at Rocks In My Drier


*Image taken from Babycenter.com

Feeling a little down

This is a breastfeeding post. i'm just putting that out there. If you're squicked out by reading about breastfeeding, don't continue reading please.


Cadence was 8 lbs. 5 oz when she was born. When she left the hospital, she was 7 lbs. 15 oz. At her 5 day checkup, she was 7 lbs. 13 oz. 7 day? 7 lbs. 11 oz. The Dr. had me see a lactation consultant, who said i was doing well and to supplement with formula for one day, but was satisfied with my production. We saw the Dr. again today, and Cadence had only gained one ounce since Thursday, and she's supposed to gain an ounce a day.

The Dr. tried feeding her a bottle, to see how she eats. It turns out, Cadence is what the Dr. calls "A Chewer". She'll suck swallow, suck swallow, and then release the latch. Then she chews a few times and will suck swallow again. So even if i've been making enough, my breasts don't give her enough milk because she's not sucking correctly for them to function properly. Her skin is getting dry and she's dehydrating before our very eyes, poor thing.

So now i've got to pump and feed her with a bottle, to train her to eat properly as well as monitor the amount she's eating. Hopefully she'll learn to eat better with the bottle and we'll be able to go back to the breast, but the Dr. was very bleak and said "chewers" don't tend to ever learn to breastfeed correctly.

Before i had her, i told myself i would breastfeed as long as it wasn't a hassle and we were both enjoying it. Well, not enjoying it. Wanna know a secret? i don't really like breastfeeding. i've never seen it as a real bonding experience. But as long as it was going well, i was prepared to keep doing it, because i think it is better than formula, though i really don't have anything against formula. It solved David's acid reflux problem right away and he's hardly ever been sick, either.

So anyway, i said i'd do it as long as it was easy. It has been 11 days and it's already not easy. i can't imagine that i'll have the ability to pump 8 times/ day for who knows how long until she may or may not be able to breastfeed again.

i've got a great pump, and i'll try it for a while. Please pray she learns how to eat, most importantly, so we don't have to worry about her shriveling up into nothing, and secondly, that she will learn how to breastfeed so we don't have to worry about any of this anymore.

i just feel...like a bad mom or something. i almost cried in the doctor's office. i know it's not my fault and that it happens, but knowing that for the last 11 days my sweet angel hasn't been getting nearly enough calories to sustain her makes me feel awful.

:(

Sweet baby Cadence

 

7 days ago, i was in labor with my beautiful angel. The days that have passed have been this incredible blur: this flurry of euphoria and amazement i can't even explain. She was 8 lbs., 5 oz., almost 1 1/2 pounds less than David was. So, as a result, her birth has not been nearly as hard to recover from physically as David's was. It's allowed me to enjoy both kids, and revel in the newness of life without being marred by the shadow of incredible pain. 

How's David taking all this? Wonderfully! He is very gentle with his sister, and was the first to meet her in the hospital. He was up on my bed with Cadence and i, and she started crying. He handed her his blanket. i could have cried, it was so sweet. That little move made me know having two will be ok. He doesn't appear to be very jealous of her, at least not yet. Whenever he sees her, he points and laughs happily. He brings me her blankets and her pacifier, tries to stick his sippy cup in her mouth, and mostly leaves her alone besides that. Whenever i feed her, however, he does not like her to be covered, which i do if men are over. It's very sweet, like he doesn't want her to lose any air while she's eating. He's fascinated by breastfeeding. He probably doesn't remember it, because i started him on formula at about 2.5 months. So he likes to watch me feed her. My mom said at some point, he will probably start breastfeeding his bear.

She is so sweet. She hardly cries, and has had a perfectly round head since birth. i've never seen a newborn without a bit of a cone head, but her head is so round, it's reminiscent of a cabbage patch doll. On the back of her head, she has a swirl of hair in a perfect circle. i call it her tornado. Her complexion is also perfect. i'll write more about this when i write out her birth story, but i think because i only had to push 4 times, the delivery was not hard on her. Thus: no cone head or weird patchy red spots or broken blood vessels. She has my nose, and the teeniest little legs and VERY long fingers. She will be an incredible cello player, not to mention pianist. She likes pacifiers, which David never did. She also seems to be ok with sleeping in her bassinet, as long as she's on the boppy pillow. She loves sleeping on it-like a little queen. 

i've really wanted to let you all know about her, but i've been busy and sleepy this week. i will let you know more, but i seem to have gotten the cold that everyone has, so i'm going to go take a nap while both kiddos are sleeping. i REALLY appreciate all your support and comments.

Also, a huge thanks to Liz from a Blonde Moment for blogging my labor and delivery times here as well as on her blog. She and her husband also watched David while i was in labor, and i am just so glad to have such great friends to call when i need a huge favor like that! And thanks to Jes from Beauty in Chaos, Mitch from Shot in the Dark, and Kacie from Sense to Save for blogging their congrats to me. i love all of you lovely readers, and am so glad to be able to share my life with you. 

Cadence Rae

Cadence Rae is here, born 9:23 pm!  She is 8 lbs and 5 oz; 20 inches long; and 14.25 inches around the head!  Mom, Baby, Dad, and big brother are all well!  However, I am sure once Cadence learns to crawl, big brother will be less well.

And now we return to our regularly scheduled blogging...

Liz from A Blonde Moment

We interrupt this blog…

To bring you a 39.5 week appointment test. Had there been an actual 39.5 week appointment, you would not be asked to stay tuned for further details. Stay tuned for further details.




Liz from A Blonde Moment

i've been tagged!

So my pals Jes and MIP both tagged me in the 7 random things about me blog virus that's going around:) So here's 7 random things about me!

1. i purposefully concentrate on speaking in a non-regional dialect. For instance, i take great pains to say "for" and not "fer" which is very common around here. There are other ones. Kris, in particular, makes fun of the way i say "bag" because i pronounce the a like hat, not like hate. But i hate the idea that people might think i'm from MN, simply by the way i talk, as the Midwestern accent is very ugly to me.i try not to say anything with a long "O", because i can't help my accent with that one.

2. i think the human gestational period is way too long. i think 6 months would be ideal. 9.5 months is FAR too long to go without roller coasters or hot tubs, not to mention a truly good night's sleep.

3. i'm a terrible artist. Really, really, awful. i'd like to take a drawing class or something someday, to develop basic drawing skills beyond stick figures.

4. Along those lines, my handwriting is also terrible. It didn't use to be so bad, but since i stopped going to school, i hand write things probably once every couple months. So it has gotten messy and unreadable, and it hurts when i write much more than a greeting card. Not sure what to do about that, other than write more by hand.

5. The first songs we've played on the belly for both babies is "Freebird". The second is Miles Davis' "So What."

6. i can't eat most seafood, due to very bad fish experiences when i was little. i can eat tuna salad and clam chowder, but that's pretty much it.

7. i'm addicted to chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast. It's delicious. i'm never hungry in the morning, but i regret it if i don't get some calories in me, so Instant breakfast is a wonderful invention. i'm pretty sure it was inspired by God.

So there you go. Most of my bloggy friends have done this. There are others who haven't, and i'd tag you, but really i've gotta take a nap. Sorry. Please do this if you haven't been tagged: i love reading these things!

PS No baby yet. And i'm resigned to the fact she'll be in there forever. i've got my 39.5 week appointment tomorrow afternoon, where hopefully the Dr. will schedule something so the baby doesn't get too big.

38.5 weeks

So i had my 38 week checkup this afternoon. i've spent all week doing all the stuff they say to do to go into labor, and i kept not going into labor. i was really afraid i'd go in and my dr. would say "You're 1 1/2 cm dilated, 50% effaced" like he had the last three weeks.

i'm 3 cm dilated and 90% effaced! Isn't that exciting? So i guess, even though i didn't go into labor, all the methods i was using were at least doing something. And i was thinking about it: sometimes it takes hours of hard labor to get to 3 cm, and i got there without feeling it really at all!

So anyway, i don't want to get my hopes up too high, but it's looking good for my going into labor, and soon. Cross your fingers!

Here's a picture of me taken last week. Have a great night everyone!

Mama Belle

There's this awesome lady i know. Her name is Mama Belle, from The Bayou Belles and Their Beau, and it's her birthday today!!! She's one of my bestest bloggy friends, and her Beau asked if i could highlight the fact that she's a total worship star. Seriously. this lady rocks! Check out this video!


This sweet video was taken at her church. Isn't she a great singer?

Do you know why i like her?

• She's hot
• She's a great mom
• She's a great wife
• She's got a great sense of style
• She is a wonderful friend to me, as evidenced by her always encouraging comments in my posts
  

So, happy birthday, Mama Belle! You are one awesome lady, and i'm proud to be your friend!

Wanna hear more about Mama Belle? Check out her other birthday posts around the blogosphere:

Jackie @ Moments and Memories
Wendi @ Miraculous Chaos
Jodie @ The Sky is Only Dark Between the Stars
Sarah @ Life in the Parsonage
Rachel @ A Future Pastors Wife
Amy @ Permission to Peruse
Julie @ Blessed with Five

What do you moms think?

Hello. i was talking with my mom yesterday, and she mentioned that after my 6-week well-baby checkup,she didn't take me back to the Dr. unless i was sick.She also took me for my vaccines at the public health clinic, which is evidently much cheaper.

!!!!!

i didn't know you didn't have to take your kid to the doctor all the time. i've faithfully been taking David all the times they said, even if he wasn't sick and i wasn't worried about him. We pay 20% of our health bills after the deductible, so if we could avoid some of the well-child checkups, and only pay for his occasional vaccines much less expensively than at the doctor, we'd save quite a bit of money. (i think we paid about $600 for him to see the doctor his first year of life.)

It was comforting, taking him to the Dr.and getting him weighed and getting his "percentiles". The Dr.would tell us when we could give him solid foods, and when we could start him on milk, etc. The thing is, did i really need her to tell us those things? This information is easily available online and in books. Was it worth the $80/visit to have a Dr. tell us those things?

i will definitely take Cadence to the Dr. until she's for sure settled in with at least a couple good weigh-ins, a good eating routine, and all those things you worry about with the new babies. But when we're all comfortable, it might be nice to avoid the less necessary checkups, if she isn't sick.

i know David well enough to know when something is wrong, so i feel confident that my kids wouldn't be suffering from some disease because i failed to take them to their well checkup.

What do you all think? Should i continue to take them to the Dr. for well checkups, or should i save the money, and only take them when they're sick or need vaccinations? The medical bills will only get worse with two kids: i just don't want to waste money, but also don't want to be irresponsible with my kids' health in the name of frugality.

What do you think?

Little Manster

You know, it's been an awfully long time since i posted about my favorite little guy. i feel kind of guilty about it now that i think about it! But here's what's going on with him:

• He is 19.5 months old
• He says "Up" along with "Ba" (ball) and can make cow and doggie noises
• He fake coughs whenever he hears anyone cough, an adorable quirk that will soon get old
• When given a napkin, he will wipe off his mouth and hands, and then the area in front of him. He seems to enjoy cleaning, and will turn his sippy cup upside-down onto a surface just to clean it up. 
• He loves animals, and opens and closes his hands whenever he sees one, no matter on tv, in person, or in books. Anything fuzzy merits a smile and opening and closing his hands.
• On that note, he is very gentle with my parent's cat. He LOVES her. And she, despite pretending to be annoyed with him, doesn't often leave the room when he's there. i think she likes the attention.
• He points at my stomach when i ask him where the baby is
• He points at his nose and his eyes when i ask him where they are. We're working on mouth and ears. It's been a slow process.
• He fell at the Dr.'s office the other day, right on his forehead on a shiny hard floor, poor guy. We iced it, but he had a lump there for a couple days. The next day, he bumped his chin against the side of my parent's deck, and has a big scab there, which thankfully he does not pick at. Considering my husband and brother's track records, it was pretty much hereditary for David to be accident-prone.
  
• He gives kisses about 75% of the time you ask for them. Even cuter, sometimes he'll come up to Kris and i, purse his lips for a kiss from me, then move right over to his dad for the same thing. He then resumes normal activity. i LOVE that!
• He loves cucumbers and green beans. In fact, today at an Asian buffet, he rejected the onion rings and cheesy tater tots, and instead ate garlicky green beans the whole meal.
• He is getting very naughty. i suspect he's becoming aware that something's happening or about to change. He'll start doing something, and i'll say "No David" and he will look me in the eye and do whatever it is, anyway. Then he runs away, knowing i won't chase him. Ugh. It's normal, though, right? 
• He is sleeping about 11 hours at night and will nap (if he falls asleep) about 3 hours during one nap a day. 
• He has a strong attachment to his certain blanket still, and also is attached to a blue stuffed bear, which he enjoys "feeding" with a spoon and a cup. Pretty cute! i think we'll be using that as "David's baby" once Miss Cadence comes home.

So those are the recent developments in my boy's life. He's really the sweetest thing, and i'm very proud of him. i'm sure he'll make an awesome big brother!

Oops, i forgot!

i did forget to tell you all how my 36 week (and 4 days) checkup went: i'm 1.5 cm dilated, and 50% effaced. Does that sound familiar to you? Oh, it's because that's the exact same place i was at last week. So all the contractions i've been having, the dull aches in my back, the insane nesting i've been having: all for naught. No progression this week, and once again, it seems i have gotten my hopes up prematurely. i have a feeling it will be a very long next 4 1/2 weeks, guys.  The swollen ankles and the hours i can't sleep from about 4-6 AM? Icing on the cake that is the end of pregnancy. Except, of course, this pregnancy won't end.

On the other hand, my nesting at least has helped me accomplish some things!

Waiting for me in the freezer:

• Lasagna casserole, known around here as "garbage lasagna"
• Chicken, broccoli & potato casserole
• Cheesy chicken & rice casserole
• Chicken, bacon and ricotta stuffed shells
• Bacon mac 'n cheese 
• Cooked ground beef
• 4 pork chops for easy crockpot cooking
• Ground turkey (for burgers i will prepare when i get some dill)

So that's good! We'll have plenty to eat after Cadence is born. i can't believe i prepped all that food in one afternoon though. It's all labeled and sitting in my freezer. It's been there 3 days, and i've already had some difficulty resisting the temptation to eat it.

i have been making lists up the wazoo, and am making my way through them, including a big one: cleaning our living room carpet. We have hideously dirty carpet. It was once beige i think, but the people that sold us this house had 9 kids, so most of it turned a delightfully ugly gray. My brother was kind enough to come over with a carpet shampooer this morning, and he worked and worked and got the carpet almost beige again! It still has very ugly spots, and some blue paint from when we painted a while ago, but it looks much better, and satisfies my nesting need to have the carpet looking as good as it ever will.

i still have a ton of stuff to do, but it looks like i've got some time. Oh well.

Comment some love for me, friends. i need it. i feel a little down. :(

A laugh for you all

Hello. Our Miss Cadence is still gestating. Because of this, i'm not feeling very bloggy, nor is my brain working well enough to write posts of any value.

So here is a picture i took (on my phone, sorry bad quality) when i was flipping channels a few months ago. i came across this lady on Judge David Young, and she makes excellent choices when it comes to button placement. Isn't it fantastic? God bless 'er, this picture makes me laugh every time!

No baby yet

Don't worry. Haven't had a baby yet. i have not been very bloggy lately, either. Well, i read blogs, but i mostly just read them and nap and take care of David.

Today i prepared a ton of meals that are all happily labeled in the freezer. i think they total about 35 servings of food, give or take. And the kitchen is now clean. Gotta love nesting!

It is 10 PM. i'm totally beat. See ya later everyone!

i'll blog about what i cooked later.

A New Hope

This post is written with an extreme amount of careful excitement.
i have been having a lot of contractions lately. Yesterday, they were regular and painful. They went away after i laid down for a bit, but they must have been doing something, because at my 35 1/2 week checkup today, i was 1 1/2 cm. dilated and 50% effaced! Little Miss' head is down, and her bottom is up, exactly where it should be. i am in good shape. The Dr. likes how my pelvic bones are widening out. This means two very good things:

1. There is a good chance i will actually go into labor this time, and not have to get induced at 41 weeks.
2. There is a good chance i will go into labor soon, and most likely we both will be fine. 

***************The squeamish should not read the following sentence*************************
i also lost my mucus plug the other day.
***************Resume reading, you squeamish ones*************************************

The Dr. wants Kris and i to refrain from marital activities for a while. He wants the baby to stay in at least another week.

In other good news, Dr. said that i should take Zantac for my heartburn, God bless him. i have been having it really badly lately. He said i should take one at 8 AM and another at 8 PM and my heartburn will get 100% better. So that's yay, because my trusty Tums hadn't been working that well lately. In fact, i drank a glass of water last night and got heartburn. So hopefully this will help, and i'll be able to resume normal activities.

Want to know some irony, though? Kris and i had been abstaining from marital activities, because my heartburn always flared up at opportune moments. Now the heartburn is gone, and we're not supposed to celebrate:) i'm ok with it though. Really. i feel bad for Kris, but i'm doing alright.

You know, my mom reads this blog. Sorry, mom. i should have made a separate "Mom don't read this" paragraph for the previous information.

i've got Cadence's little tiny clothes in the dryer right now. i wasn't going to pack anything for another couple weeks, because once i pack, then it seems like forever. But i realized that she really could come at any time now. And now this is becoming like a normal pregnancy, with actual contractions and everything! In fact, i'm having one right now. Honestly, it just feels so good to know that they're doing something that i don't mind them one bit! (Yet.)  i will pack a suitcase tomorrow for me, and one for David, for wherever he stays while i'm in the hospital and the few days after the birth.

i'm really excited. i'm trying not to get my hopes up too high. i know there is a chance she won't come at all, and i'll have to be induced in 5 1/2 long weeks. But i think since i'm so much more active this pregnancy, and with having contractions and everything, i think i won't have to worry about that 41st week.

Have a wonderful night, everyone. i am so glad to know you and that i'm able to share my life with people who care. i really appreciate you all, and i pray for you all.

Pregnancy update

i felt like i should tell you all something, so you'll be prepared when the time comes.

i am gestating an octopus. When i had my 20 week ultrasound, she looked like just a normal baby, but it is becoming increasingly clear that she is morphing into an octopus, as i am feeling jabs from at least 6 different directions simultaneously.

How will i prepare for this? Well, i'm considering donating her to the zoo, to get free memberships for life. Or otherwise i will have a lot of altering to do on her clothes. Still trying to figure out how to fit 8 limbs in the car seat.

5 1/2 weeks left, folks. And i'm becoming less and less confident, but more and more impatient to become a mom of two.

My bones are very stiff and sore from sleeping in one position all night. i have also started to take Tums at 10 PM, and that seems to ward off the heartburn i normally get at about 10:30. i've been waking up with headaches, which doesn't make much sense as i'm extremely well hydrated, but it's nothing too bad.

My new OB is pretty cool. He can hear me, and cares about how things are going. He even read my chart before he came in and seemed to retain the information as long as the visit lasted,which is already better than my last two OBs. My only beef with him is that he doesn't think having a giant baby is a big enough deal to induce early. i talked to him about how long it took to heal, and how things still aren't completely right from having a baby with a 15" head the last time, and he just said "We'll see where you're at at about 39 weeks with an ultrasound, and we'll do some 'vigourous' exams to try to bring on labor. When you're at 40 weeks, we'll weigh your options." So it sounds like i'll be going to at least 41 weeks this time. Oh well. It happens. Maybe he'll stitch me up better than my last doctor. Or maybe my body will be used to having watermelon babies.

i'm just really certain that i won't go into labor. i just don't go into labor. My body evidently is quite good enough for babies to hang out in for....ever.

However, i'd like to extend a hearty cheer for Baby Caylee, my pal Jes' daughter. She came at a very healthy 37 weeks. Yay!!

i will be 35 weeks on Sunday. i'm hoping Cadence will take her lead from Caylee and actually want to come out. i mean, how great would it be to go into labor? i'd save money on pitocin and other labor-inducing costs, and i could turn to Kris (as per my dreams) and say something like "Kris, it's time." And he'd get up (because we would be in bed in the middle of the night) and fumble around and forget to put on pants and would put his wallet in the cupboard and a granola bar in his pocket. Can you tell i watch too much tv?

It's time to go take a nap. i'll start adding more sleeves to the baby girl outfits later this afternoon.

Ba!

Oh yes, guess what? Last week was a very important one for David.

We were at Walmart, and he pointed at something and said "Ba". i looked where he pointed and it was one of those huge bins of bouncy balls!

i wish it had been me who taught him that. Not that we haven't worked on it, but the night before it happened, my mother-in-law spent a good portion of the night trying to teach him to say ball. And the next day, he did. Oh well, sometimes you need to learn from different places, right?

Anyway, i feel like i can really say with confidence that his first word (finally, at the age of 18 months) is "Ba(ll)".

Yay!

On to the Gettysburg address!