So today we were getting out of the car and getting ready to head into the cafe for dinner. My Mom came up alongside the car and Calleigh told her that she had her flip flops on because it was so warm out.
When Nana responded with "oh, that's cool"
Calleigh's response was as follows:
"NO Nana, it is not cold....that is why I am wearing my flip flops! Silly Nana."
Calleigh can alwaysmake me giggle.
Friday, April 24, 2009
summer plans
We are going to have a busy start to our summer this year. Aiden is going to be starting Tee Ball/instructional league in the coming weeks. He is very very excited about starting it and playing with his friends. Then he has Samba soccer camp as soon as basball ends. He loved this camp last year and is looking forward to it. The biggest thing we have is Wesley going to Kansas City for a week. He is very very nervous about this competition, even though I know he will do well! I am nervous for him as well as for myself. This will be the first time Wesley has been away from all of us for more than one or two nights. I know it may seem silly, but it is the first time he will be away and I will be home alone with the three kiddos. I know I basically do it alone right now because Wesley is so busy with school and working, but at least he was home at night and I had an adult to chat with and help out around here! I may ask my aunt to stay here at the house with me just to be here and have another person here, and the kids love having her here! I wish I could go with him, but he has to stay in the rooms they have reserved and I cannot stay in those rooms with him, even though we are married! I may just sneak away for a night or two before he goes to get my sanity in check before he leaves. I may need that sanity check by the time he gets home! Then once he gets home he will be on the job hunt or in the process of changing jobs which will be tough. He has been at the cafe for over ten years now and it has become a second home for him and for us.
Aiden's space party
So I am very lucky to have a sister who loves me-she let me use her computer again, for the millionth time! I am hoping to have my own computer up and running again soon. I want to start the "catch up" posts with Aiden's friend birthday party.
When we were thinking about the theme for Aiden's six year birthday party he had several ideas. First he wanted a soccer party, then a pirate theme, then the astronaut theme came around. It took about three weeks to settle (well convince) on the Astronaut theme. The first thing we knew we wanted to do was have glow in the dark constellations (we used glow in the dark paint on poster board and put them in the bathroom, the kids piled in and we turned off the lights to go on an adventure), then we decided to have space "goop" (cornstarch and water) for the stone scavanager hunt. I also did some searching online for ideas and there were some people that spent an outrageous amount of money on these really adorabole space helmets for each child. I opted for the low end version and we used paper bags turned inside out and a hole cut for the face. They were pretty adorable as well. As the kids were entering they each got to make their own space shuttles out of thick cardboard tubes. We went to the photo lab at Walmart and asked for the paper rolls from the paper they develop the film on. (these make great blocks as well!). These were the art supplies they had to use with their imaginations: Aluminum foil, egg cartons, yard sale stickers (the dots you write prices on colored blue, red and yellow), star stickers, markers, popsicle sticks and tape. It was wonderful to see what they came up with!
This years party was almost as big of a hit as last year's dinosaur party with the exploding volcano!
This is the "goop": Making the shuttles: decorating the helmets:
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
hoping to be connected again soon!
okay, so I have really not been on in quite some time! I am hoping to get back into the swing of things soon. Some upcoming posts will be Aiden's 6th birthday party, summer plans/changes and Mommy time. I am sure I will hae a lot more to write about as well. There will probably be many posts in one day! I hope to be able to keep up with all of it with spring/sumer coming things tend to get pretty crazy here!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Where has time gone?
Tonight was Aiden's 6 year birthday (family) party. At some point this past year we decided to stop doing more than one family party. We used to split it up and do my side and my husband's side at different times. I think just because of the size of our two families! So tonight, we had about 25 people in our home, all here to celebrate Aiden! His birthday is officially tomorrow but we wanted to keep it special for him since this year it happens to fall on Easter so we did cake and ice cream tonight. He helped me to make Devils food chocolate cupcakes with White and Blue frosting on them. We also had Chocolate chip ice cream.
I still cannot believe that my *baby* will turn six years old at 4:15 tomorrow afternoon. These past years have flown by so quickly. I can still remember the day you were born. I had gone in for a routine appointment, but as soon as they did my weight and checked my blood pressure I could tell something was not right. Then when they asked me to pee in the cup I knew there must be something off. Turns out my blood pressure was very high and ther was protein in my urine. They immediatly asked me if there was someone that could meet me at the hosptial because I was going over right then and there. They even wanted to call me an ambulance! My doctor's office is literally 100 feet from the hospital entrance. I became very very nervous. You were almost 6 weeks early. You weren't ready. They couldn't have you yet. You still needed time. We weren't ready yet. I called Daddy and he was going to get someone to cover for him, he was basically the only one at the cafe so he had to wait for someone to get there. Nana was working at the hospital at the time so I called her and she met me up in Maternity. They immediatly hooked me up to IV's, gave me the medicine to make your lungs stronger, and started with the induction. 4 hours later you were here.
So tiny and small. You couldn't breathe on your own and you had to wear special light sensitive glasses in the incubator. It was heartbreaking not to be able to hold you for the first 24 hours you were here with us. I couldn't even see you for the first 4 hours. I was there as much as I could be though. Everyone wanted to see you and be with you. Some people were scared to go into the NICU to see you. They went and their hearts immediatly were bonded to yours. You came off of the respirator on the second day in the NICU and I was able to hold you. That moment was imprinted on my brain. You were so small and it was hard not to think I was breaking you when I held you. You were so strong and were fighting so hard to be a part of our lives. I left the hospital after three days, without you. It is nothing I wish for any other parent to go through. I know many parents have had to leave hospitals without their children, I just wish it was something that no parent ever has to go through. You struggled with eating for the first 4 days. You had a feeding tube but it was just not enough. I was trying to pump breast milk and bring it to you, but my milk was just not coming in. It was so terrifying to think I could not provide for my own child. And of course the judgemental ones that were pushing me to keep pumping and were sometimes down right harsh to me that I wasn't trying enough. Finally you began taking formula on the fifth day. You slowly began gaining weight and the feeding tube came out. You were getting so strong and had quite the fiery personality. You stayed in the NICU for seven days. The longest seven days of my life. You were then moved to the transition nursery at the Vermont Children's Hopital one floor down. You stayed there for three days while you got stronger and healthier and could keep the weight on you were slowly gaining. I hope I never forget the feeling in my heart that day when they told me you would be going hom. Pure Love and Joy.
We left to go and get your carseat because you had to be sat in it and tested before they would approve you to go home in it. I came back with Nana and Great Gramma to test it out. I will never forget driving to the hospital and I had just the seat itself sideways in the back seat of the car, it was not buckled or in the base because you were not in it. Well, we got pulled over! The cop came up to the side of the car laughing. He thought there was a child in the seat and not buckled! I was happy to know they would pull someone over with a seat like that, but hoped that nobody would ever have had a child buckled in an infant carseat that way! We went to the hospital and you did great in the seat with your breathing and your heart rate stayed steady. Daddy and I came and brought you home later that day. I am forever greatful for the wonderful people that helped us throught the first terrifying week of your life. There were people that were not helpful, but we ended up coming home with the most precious thing ever. A strong, healthy little boy.
I look at you now and I see the same thing. A strong, healthy, rambunctios (and yes stubborn) boy. Just not so little anymore. Where did the time go? Next time I blink you will be taller than I am, but I will always see that small, little boy that gave us all hope.
I love you Aiden James.
I still cannot believe that my *baby* will turn six years old at 4:15 tomorrow afternoon. These past years have flown by so quickly. I can still remember the day you were born. I had gone in for a routine appointment, but as soon as they did my weight and checked my blood pressure I could tell something was not right. Then when they asked me to pee in the cup I knew there must be something off. Turns out my blood pressure was very high and ther was protein in my urine. They immediatly asked me if there was someone that could meet me at the hosptial because I was going over right then and there. They even wanted to call me an ambulance! My doctor's office is literally 100 feet from the hospital entrance. I became very very nervous. You were almost 6 weeks early. You weren't ready. They couldn't have you yet. You still needed time. We weren't ready yet. I called Daddy and he was going to get someone to cover for him, he was basically the only one at the cafe so he had to wait for someone to get there. Nana was working at the hospital at the time so I called her and she met me up in Maternity. They immediatly hooked me up to IV's, gave me the medicine to make your lungs stronger, and started with the induction. 4 hours later you were here.
So tiny and small. You couldn't breathe on your own and you had to wear special light sensitive glasses in the incubator. It was heartbreaking not to be able to hold you for the first 24 hours you were here with us. I couldn't even see you for the first 4 hours. I was there as much as I could be though. Everyone wanted to see you and be with you. Some people were scared to go into the NICU to see you. They went and their hearts immediatly were bonded to yours. You came off of the respirator on the second day in the NICU and I was able to hold you. That moment was imprinted on my brain. You were so small and it was hard not to think I was breaking you when I held you. You were so strong and were fighting so hard to be a part of our lives. I left the hospital after three days, without you. It is nothing I wish for any other parent to go through. I know many parents have had to leave hospitals without their children, I just wish it was something that no parent ever has to go through. You struggled with eating for the first 4 days. You had a feeding tube but it was just not enough. I was trying to pump breast milk and bring it to you, but my milk was just not coming in. It was so terrifying to think I could not provide for my own child. And of course the judgemental ones that were pushing me to keep pumping and were sometimes down right harsh to me that I wasn't trying enough. Finally you began taking formula on the fifth day. You slowly began gaining weight and the feeding tube came out. You were getting so strong and had quite the fiery personality. You stayed in the NICU for seven days. The longest seven days of my life. You were then moved to the transition nursery at the Vermont Children's Hopital one floor down. You stayed there for three days while you got stronger and healthier and could keep the weight on you were slowly gaining. I hope I never forget the feeling in my heart that day when they told me you would be going hom. Pure Love and Joy.
We left to go and get your carseat because you had to be sat in it and tested before they would approve you to go home in it. I came back with Nana and Great Gramma to test it out. I will never forget driving to the hospital and I had just the seat itself sideways in the back seat of the car, it was not buckled or in the base because you were not in it. Well, we got pulled over! The cop came up to the side of the car laughing. He thought there was a child in the seat and not buckled! I was happy to know they would pull someone over with a seat like that, but hoped that nobody would ever have had a child buckled in an infant carseat that way! We went to the hospital and you did great in the seat with your breathing and your heart rate stayed steady. Daddy and I came and brought you home later that day. I am forever greatful for the wonderful people that helped us throught the first terrifying week of your life. There were people that were not helpful, but we ended up coming home with the most precious thing ever. A strong, healthy little boy.
I look at you now and I see the same thing. A strong, healthy, rambunctios (and yes stubborn) boy. Just not so little anymore. Where did the time go? Next time I blink you will be taller than I am, but I will always see that small, little boy that gave us all hope.
I love you Aiden James.
Friday, April 10, 2009
GOLD!
I am so excited and incrediby proud of my hubby! He is in school right now to obtain his Airframe and Powerplant Certificate. It will enable him to work on the engines and framework of planes. He has been working so hard and has sacrificed a lot of time and energy to do this for himself and us. Last year he competed in the statewide Skills USA competition at the secondary level and he won Gold. However, because it was technically a high school program (it was at Burlington Tech center and the new facility is not up and running yet) and he already had his high school diploma he could not go to nationals and compete in Kansas City. This year he competed at the Post secondary level and he did it again! He won the Gold! He was very very nervous and didn't think he had won it. This year he will get to compete at the national level in Kansas City. I am secretly hoping I can go with him. Not to watch him compete, because he says that makes him more nervous, but to get away and sleep and just relax and enjoy ourselves!
I just cannot put into words how proud of him I am. It as been a very long, hard and stressful two years and this was such a fantastic way for him to see his hard work paying off. He really is an amazing husband, father and person. I love you hun!
I just cannot put into words how proud of him I am. It as been a very long, hard and stressful two years and this was such a fantastic way for him to see his hard work paying off. He really is an amazing husband, father and person. I love you hun!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Planning Aiden's Party!
I am VERY excited about Aiden's birthday party with his friends! He decided (after many weeks and choices) to do a space/astronaut themed party. We then thought about different things he thought his friends would like to do and treats he would like. This is what we have come up with and the things I have ordered!
Decorations: We found a Bulletin board space theme (you know, the ones schools use), it has realistic looking pictures and information. Black and silver plates with blue tablecloths and silver stars scattered around. We also have pictures from the Nasa website printed out and we have a "simulated" space shuttle walk through (basically just a cardbord roof and walls with white Christmas lights on the inside. There are pictures of Earth from space, a spaceship blasting off and a few others.
Food: Slices of the moon (Pizza) and Moon pies (white swirl whoopie pies with creemee inside)
Games: Pin the helmet on the astronaut, Space lava (basically oobleck/goop), make your own space ship and helmet, starry skies (glow in the dark adventure)
Goody Bags: Glow sticks, mars mud (their own goop to take home), make your own space themed sticker set, planet stickers, lollipops, rock candy. Then they also have their space ship helmet and name badges (official looking NASA badges).
I am very very excited and so isn't Aiden! We are doing it at the Cafe after they close and it is the best place to have it because the kids can run around and really enjoy their space (haha!) and time with Aiden! I am also happy I have most of the planning and purchasing done with a week and a half to go! That is a first for me, although I ordered most of the goody/decoration stuff online so I *had* to order it now!
I just still can't believe he will be six this weekend. Where did the last six years go?
Decorations: We found a Bulletin board space theme (you know, the ones schools use), it has realistic looking pictures and information. Black and silver plates with blue tablecloths and silver stars scattered around. We also have pictures from the Nasa website printed out and we have a "simulated" space shuttle walk through (basically just a cardbord roof and walls with white Christmas lights on the inside. There are pictures of Earth from space, a spaceship blasting off and a few others.
Food: Slices of the moon (Pizza) and Moon pies (white swirl whoopie pies with creemee inside)
Games: Pin the helmet on the astronaut, Space lava (basically oobleck/goop), make your own space ship and helmet, starry skies (glow in the dark adventure)
Goody Bags: Glow sticks, mars mud (their own goop to take home), make your own space themed sticker set, planet stickers, lollipops, rock candy. Then they also have their space ship helmet and name badges (official looking NASA badges).
I am very very excited and so isn't Aiden! We are doing it at the Cafe after they close and it is the best place to have it because the kids can run around and really enjoy their space (haha!) and time with Aiden! I am also happy I have most of the planning and purchasing done with a week and a half to go! That is a first for me, although I ordered most of the goody/decoration stuff online so I *had* to order it now!
I just still can't believe he will be six this weekend. Where did the last six years go?
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Blah.
Blah. That is the best way to describe the past few days. The weather has been gross, grey and rainy. I have had a very nasty cold that has consumed my head and feels like it is in for an extended stay. I can only hope that it exits as quickly as it came on. It is the kind of thing where bending over brings tears to my eyes. Not voluntary ones, the kind that just stream down your face from the pure pressure that exists from the force of bending over. It is also oh so much fun to be standing there and all of a sudden having a very runny nose. The best thing is when you are trying to drive and you sneeze and almost go off of the road! Yeah...it' oh so lovely. I can just hope that it stays *seemingly* non-contagious. I say this because the kiddos seem to be in very high spirits and think climbing the walls and screaming are the best ways to spend the day.
Sanity would be my friend right now....or at least a lot of Dayquil and several hours of sleep.
Sanity would be my friend right now....or at least a lot of Dayquil and several hours of sleep.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Family time
Last night was Family time at our house. We are trying to make it a point to do something fun that involves all five of us on Saturdays after my husband gets home. Yesterday we rented Space chimps and we all snuggled and watched it after we had a very yummy Shepard's Pie for dinner. We also got our pots ready for planting. We feel like we are running behind this year with the gardening stuff. It could just be because we always feel rushed these days. That is why we are making time for each other. If we, as a family, have learned anything from my husband being in school full time and working two jobs; it is that nothing is more important than the time we spend together. It is very little these days and more than a couple of hours is few and far between. The kids seem to be growing up and changing at light speed pace and we both want to be a part of their experiences. We are all looking forward to June when my husband will be done school and (hopefully) either into another job already or looking. Either way he will be home much more and Aiden will be done school for the summer. I am not naive, I know that there will be other challanges with this new undertaking, but if we can make it through he last two years....we can get through almost anything.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Whining? Me? noooo....must be the toddler.
Okay, so this is going to probably be one of those whiney posts that I do a lot of complaining in.....so I urge you now.....stop reading if you are not in the mood!
My day did not start off well when I was awoken by a 19 month old screaming at the top of is lungs. It was almost a painful scream, and it lasted for almost an hour. This was after yet another night of no sleep and the same type of screaming when he was put to bed last night. He has been a very crazy today and goes from happy to cranky and then back again. Nothing seems to make him comfortable or very happy. I hope it is just the cold and teething and that we do not have to make another trip into the doctor's office to see them again!
I had also been having a lot of back pain yesterday and today as well as some constant bathroom trips so I figured I had better have it checked out. Turns out I have a UTI and a kidney infection. It is a lot more painful than one might think and makes it difficult to deal with a cranky toddler. I am also past the point of exhaustion. I am going on the third day of no sleep and I am a person that likes my sleep. My husband always tell me I must sleep more than the average Mom-I disagree. I get only about 6 hours of sleep a night, sometimes 7 or 8 if I am lucky. Just because he can go on 5 hours of sleep, does not mean we all can! (Sorry hun).
My house. Well let's just say...it has seen better days. The couch is piled high with clean laundry (at least it's clean) and there are dishes in the sink from dinner last night. The floors could use a good hands and knees scrubbing and I am seriously considering shaving the dog. I can't stand the daily piles of dog hair I pick up. I know most of the problem is his winter coat is making it's disappearance, but enough already! I can't take it being all over the clothing, couches, and floors. I love you Jerry, I really do. I just hate your hair right now!
I am hoping that tonight brings some sleep and some help. Wesley still has to work late at his internship right now after school and he is planning on going to Home Depot to get planting supplies to start the garden stuff going. I hope he gets home before bedtime though because the kids have not seen him since Sunday night. Literally. He is gone before they get up and he gets home after they go to bed and are asleep. They miss him, so do I! I am proud of everything he is doing, he has been amazing and it must be equally as tough for him.
I think I have complained enough, I just needed to get it out and vent for a minute. If you didn't heed my advice and you read all the way throguh...thanks.
My day did not start off well when I was awoken by a 19 month old screaming at the top of is lungs. It was almost a painful scream, and it lasted for almost an hour. This was after yet another night of no sleep and the same type of screaming when he was put to bed last night. He has been a very crazy today and goes from happy to cranky and then back again. Nothing seems to make him comfortable or very happy. I hope it is just the cold and teething and that we do not have to make another trip into the doctor's office to see them again!
I had also been having a lot of back pain yesterday and today as well as some constant bathroom trips so I figured I had better have it checked out. Turns out I have a UTI and a kidney infection. It is a lot more painful than one might think and makes it difficult to deal with a cranky toddler. I am also past the point of exhaustion. I am going on the third day of no sleep and I am a person that likes my sleep. My husband always tell me I must sleep more than the average Mom-I disagree. I get only about 6 hours of sleep a night, sometimes 7 or 8 if I am lucky. Just because he can go on 5 hours of sleep, does not mean we all can! (Sorry hun).
My house. Well let's just say...it has seen better days. The couch is piled high with clean laundry (at least it's clean) and there are dishes in the sink from dinner last night. The floors could use a good hands and knees scrubbing and I am seriously considering shaving the dog. I can't stand the daily piles of dog hair I pick up. I know most of the problem is his winter coat is making it's disappearance, but enough already! I can't take it being all over the clothing, couches, and floors. I love you Jerry, I really do. I just hate your hair right now!
I am hoping that tonight brings some sleep and some help. Wesley still has to work late at his internship right now after school and he is planning on going to Home Depot to get planting supplies to start the garden stuff going. I hope he gets home before bedtime though because the kids have not seen him since Sunday night. Literally. He is gone before they get up and he gets home after they go to bed and are asleep. They miss him, so do I! I am proud of everything he is doing, he has been amazing and it must be equally as tough for him.
I think I have complained enough, I just needed to get it out and vent for a minute. If you didn't heed my advice and you read all the way throguh...thanks.
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