Musings......

For Mama K To Share at Work

2011-04-04T12:42:00.001-07:00

Stages of Rudy/Ideas

2011-03-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

We are in a fun stage (they have all been fun!) but it is more fun in the reality of mama letting Rudy decide what our plans are for the day.

I think in traditional parenting, if the mama has something to do, she just makes the child do it to (with fighting, battles, kicking, possibly screaming and such - it is THEIR agenda!)

BUT with Attachment Parenting, it is different and maybe it has nothing to do with AP, other than I want to nurture him and listen to HIS needs/wants.

So today for example, we had a toddler time we were going to go to. Rudy has been off kilter the last few days and today he was off still. I had invited a few friends to join us and so felt as if I NEEDED to be there (got a call from a friend 1/2 hour before reassuring her that we would be there as they weren't feeling up to par either but her son wanted to go since we would be there). Rudy let me change his diaper while watching TV, but didn't want his shoes on. It is raining buckets outside, although he didn't need his shoes for the car ride OR the gym time). Then he didn't want his coat. Once again, raining buckets...but off we went with coat in mamas hand and not on. We had to drop off K her lunch and Rudy was crying to not get to hug her. So, I took him out and we went in and hugged her as he laid his head on her shoulder and snuggled in. I am getting a feeling that he isn't feeling top notch (and one of his eyes has been watering for 2 days now) and he has been teething and waking earlier than he had been.

So in listening to his needs/wants (which I have been doing all along -- it is just now he has a voice/opinion!) he may not want to do some of these activities, up until the last minute. So, how do I not hurt others feelings IF we don't come because well, Rudy just doesn't want to and Mama isn't going to make him. (There obviously will be times that things need to get done, but even with those they can be planned way ahead/other options -- appointments, etc.)

We do have a music class we are in 1x a week. We will make sure the day before is a total down day so the car ride/class is extra fun.

Any thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

Mother of a Sale - ipad 2 GIVEAWAY!

2011-03-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

MotherofaSale.com is having an ipad 2 GIVEAWAY.

Will you please help me win!? :)

I need your EMAIL ADDRESS.

Thank you!!
Randi

Help Me Win

2011-02-14T08:38:00.000-08:00

Help me win a BUCKSHOT ESPRESSO gift card, please, pretty please? Go to their page on facebook and go to the "review" section and "LIKE" my review. I am currently in first place, but the contest goes until Wednesday at 9pm PST. Please help me win! If you would, post this as your status for me...my goal is 100+ likes!

Here is the link: RANDI'S REVIEW

Please spread the word!

Thank you!!

Inspiring Parents

2011-02-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

Watching other parents has always inspired me. I tend to learn a lot from hearing how others interact, what they say, how they deal with a situation, etc. In the past few days, I've really run into a few parents that I realize REALLY inspire me and if I could just hang out with them more, I think I'd be a better parent because of it! :o)

I'm not one to read books about parenting (although sometimes do dig a book out - like last night was reading Naomi Aldort Raising our Children, Raising Ourselves) but that is a rare occasion.

I'm not worried about the way we are parenting Rudy in any aspect, just hope that the words I use, the terms I use, the way I state things - doesn't put him down in any way, but helps him.

I really struggle with not "praising". We try not to say "Good Job" and instead might say "That was FAST running!" I tend to tell him he is CUTE ... A LOT! What else can I say? He IS freakin' adorable and charming....

This really is just rambling.....and I hear Rudy so gotta run.

FEEL FREE TO COMMENT!!

Stage of Rudy

2010-11-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

I've been contemplating, examining, and role playing in my head a lot lately with how to deal with, react to what Rudy does sometimes (lately it has been maybe 1-2x a day). Here was the situation this morning:

(preface to say we were awake at 4:30am - normally 7:30)

Mama was sitting on the floor and Rudy came behind me and peeks around me as Mama says "Where's Rudy" (a game we often play) Rudy then pulls Mama's hair and I gently pull him closer to me and say "Hair is not for pulling, that hurts mama" and then he proceeds to hit, kick and then he will try to bite everything in the near vicinity.

I've tried to think if I need to hold him closer (so he feels safe?) or let him have space and get the emotions out? This mornings situation I think could have been because he was tired (and) am going to try to really pay attention now to the other times he does this now and see if it is when he is tired.

So, Professional AP parents - what would you do? :)

Children and School

2010-09-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

Having a child now, makes me realize how much I don't want to be without Rudy. I don't want to send him to school. I want him to learn all he wants to know and I want to play daily with him with the things that most interests him.

School was not a bad place for me - I actually had a pretty good time. There were subjects I hated (M-A-T-H!) and it was mostly a social aspect for me. I got pretty good grades (other than M-A-T-H!) and enjoyed it.

I remember the morning hustle and bustle, the hurry up, get ready, get moving. The mornings we all left the house crabby because someone couldn't get moving fast enough, find a certain sock, shirt, or whatever the case be. Maybe we didn't get enough sleep the night before and just needed a little bit more.....who knows what the situation was.

So on the first day back to school, I think of the kids with butterflies (some good/some bad), the excitement for some - the dread for others, and I am lucky to have learned about unschooling and the many possibilities it has brought our family already and the endlessness it will bring in our future.

Just my thoughts this A.M.

She's THAT Mom

2010-08-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

She's that Mom that works 10+ hour days so that one of us can stay home with our son.
She's that Mom that gets to see one SUPER excited kid when she pulls into the driveway.
She's that Mom that is OKAY with nothing getting done around the house, because that's just the way it goes.
She's that Mom that is amazing in the way she be just as kid-like as Rudy is.
She's that Mom that stays up late because the other Mama who can sleep in until 8am can't function until 10pm (when she has to get up at 5am!)
She's that Mom that can feed Rudy AND get him to eat! (I can to, she just gets him to eat a more variety of things)
She's that Mom that spent Sunday morning cleaning out our room, taking down the side-car'ed crib (that she arranged for Rudy to sleep in 2x!) to once again re-arrange and put the beds on the floor.
She's that Mom that reads stories to Rudy every night.
She's that Mom that comes home with more energy to play than I'd imagine ever having.
She's that Mom that will come home, cook dinner, fold laundry, do diapers, water the lawn, pick fruit/veggies and not rest til 9pm....after starting at 5am.

She IS that Mom.

Rudy Anthony Shelton Punteney Birth Story

2010-07-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Rudy Anthony Shelton Punteney
Born July 7, 2009 7:26am
7lbs 4oz 20” long
Winni McNamara – Midwife
Mary Burgess – Doula
Sharon Avolio – Assisting Midwife

Preface:
I did not want to have the baby on the 4th of July – like I have much say in when “he” came out. We did not know what we were having…. But I will use HE since we now know. My mom lives 5 hours East of me and was here for the 4th of July and headed home on the 5th of July. We had a feeling she might get home and have to return…… but what a wonderful reason to have to!
Pre-labor: Sunday July 5th – we put in the car seat, went to Target got a nursing tank, birthing gown, and a few other necessities we still had needed to pick up. (I didn’t realize it at the time but now most call it “nesting”).
Sunday the 5th I spoke with my mom after her return home – about the weekend, the drive, going-on’s at her house, etc. In the midst of talking to her, I had some strong breath-taking pains. They weren’t contractions. They were almost as if the boy was kicking really hard and enough to take my breath away. Mom asked what it was…. Said I didn’t know but that not to get her hopes up. It happened 2 times in the midst of say a ½ hour conversation. Mom had told me that she hadn’t prepared to be gone before she left….. nor had she felt like stopping by the store when she got home to prepare to be gone for the birth. After speaking with me this night, she got back in the car and went to the store for cat litter, cat food, stopped to see her parents, and got all she needed to be prepared to leave on a whim. Moms know best 
Water broke: My water broke at 11:40pm on Sunday July 5th. Kauleen had asked me before heading to bed at about 10:30pm if I needed to put anything under me “just in case”. I told her nah, no need. I got up to go to the bathroom…. And felt something funny – almost like a pop. I had been using Evening Primrose Oil vaginally since 36 weeks so just thought maybe the pill had fallen out. No biggie. I got back in bed and laid there a few seconds and then go “Kauleen, I think my water broke!” and I get up…….. and sure enough there was a spot in the bed where I had leaked. Kauleen said “Couldn’t you have waited until the morning?!” (Now realize we’ve not gotten any sleep since Sunday morning….) (Randi insight: I had been hoping for a SIGN of labor – water breaking, etc. THIS really was amazing and awesome that it happened this way!)
We called the midwife and doula and gave them both a heads up that my water had broken. Their advice was “Get some rest as it could be awhile”.
Contractions: Contractions started about 12:40am (1 hour after my water broke) and being the anal people we are started writing down every contraction. At first they were about 10-12 minutes apart and felt like menstrual cramps – not too horrible and I was able to get some rest in between. We didn’t really sleep though. Every contraction we wrote down (some 6+ pages!) and we were anxious……. We’ve never done this before and have waited a LONG time for this!
We ended up getting up at 3am so Kauleen could get the birth tub set up and filled. That was the one thing on Sunday we didn’t get done. Kauleen didn’t want to be filling the tub while I was in active labor and we needed to be able to let the hot water tank fill. So at 3am, K’s setting up the pool, writing down contractions, and I’m doing whatever I feel like……. Cut some watermelon up, put away some dishes, etc.
We’d been told multiple times…… once the contractions are 5-6 minutes apart, about a minute each – that you need to call the doula/midwife. So at 6:00am we called my Mom and told her that my water broke……… told her to take her time it could be awhile. (She made it here in 4 hours!) We called the doula and let her know – but I was still coping very well with the contractions and able to talk/work through them.
Our doula (Mary Burgess) came down to check on us around 10:30 a.m. I was coping quite well even though the contractions were still 5-6 minutes apart. Mary decided to go run a few errands and if things had not picked up she would head back up to Bellingham. I tried to rest as much as I could during this time. Contractions remained fairly constant but still nothing I couldn’t handle. We even tried to take a nap although I don’t know how much sleep we got. Our midwife (Winni McNamara) called to check in on us and said she would be stopping by after her last appointment to check on us.
Winni arrived around seven that night…she had her own eventful evening. Her car had broken down after her last appointment and her husband drove her to our house. After checking me she said “yeah that’s kind of what I thought”. We were anxious to hear my progress…turns out I was 8 centimeters! Whoo hoo we were ecstatic that something had been happening all day. Now all we needed to do was get my contractions to get stronger. Winni gave me some Black Cohosh (sp) and some other homeopathic medicine to help out and told us to take a 15 minute walk and come back and take some more medicine. Winni zipped home with her hubby to get her own car and come back.
We cruised around the neighborhood in my birthing gown and bathrobe. I called my mom and gave her the news that I was 8 centimeters and that it shouldn’t be long. This was about 8 pm.
Winni returned and my contractions had started picking up. Mary was called and she headed back down. The assistant midwife (Sharon) showed up to help out. We were really excited now as Winni stated we could have this baby by midnight.
My laboring continued and midnight came and went. Kauleen was sent to get some sleep as she was wiped out by this point. I continued to labor switching positions, breathing, moving. Kauleen got up about an hour later to find the house dark and quiet. I was on the birth ball in Rudy’s room with Mary and Winni still laboring.
2 a.m Tuesday morning - Winni checks me and I am still not fully dilated and my contractions are still not where they need to be. We are all in the guest bedroom and Winni opens it up for suggestions as she is “out of her bag of tricks” If all options are out we are going to the hospital. Sharon states that I am coping well and that maybe I could try hands and knees. Winni says “that might help turn the baby but I am not sure it will help kick up the contractions.” So this is what we are going to do. They pile up the pillows and birth ball on the bed and hands and knees I go. The first contraction hits and I fly out of bed it is so strong. Sharon advises me that is what we need so I crawl back up in bed. I labor like this for the next four hours. We are hopeful that things will be moving along.
6 a.m Tuesday morning – Winni checks me again. I am still not quite to 10 centimeters but she thinks I have enough room to push the baby out so on the next contraction I am going to push and she is going to move my cervix over. Contraction comes and I push and she pulls and I hit my breaking point. I am crying, yelling – stop, stop, no, stop. I am done. We are heading to the hospital. I state “I need to go to the bathroom”. While in the bathroom, after re-adjusting the pain/thought process….
I have an idea of maybe heating up the birth pool so I can get in, relax a little and Winni can try again to move my cervix again. The ladies hustle around getting water warmed up and I go to the bathroom. Next thing I know I say to Winni I think I am pushing the baby out. I call out to Winni who comes and checks me and it is true. He has moved. Hurrah!! We are not going to the hospital after all. I labor for 45 minutes sitting on the toilet. Next they move me to a birthing stool in the guest room. I labor there for another 20-30 minutes. Now I am moved to the bed. One push, two push – Mary says “Kauleen you better look” and here comes the baby’s head and sloop out he came. They handed us the baby and it took us a moment to see we had us a beautiful baby boy! Rudy was finally here. I was exhausted and overjoyed all at once. I was utterly exhausted and Winni later told us it was if I was drunk. They kept trying to talk to me and I’d just fall asleep mid sentence. Everyone talked about this rush they get at the end of pregnancy – but it was all I could do to get cleaned up and in bed!

11 Month Review...

2010-06-07T09:43:00.001-07:00

What Really Matters

2010-05-12T12:38:00.000-07:00

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2 inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the student again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The students laughed.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."

"Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

What Really Matters

Couple Looking to Adopt

2010-05-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

We know what a struggle it was to try to get pregnant. This couple is amazing, wonderful, and they long for a little baby! Can you help me and help them, by posting this on your blog, facebook, or any other networking site - in hopes by Father's Day they have a lead on a baby on the way.

Thank you in advance.
Randi

Chuck and Lori's Adoption Site

Friday Fill-In

2010-05-07T12:52:00.000-07:00

1. Salsa and salsa and gucamole are yummy!
2. breastfed babies poop and you've even got mustard.
3. By the time I get home from running errands - we are ALL glad to be home!
4. Saving money is what I look forward to most when grocery shopping.
5. And I was dreaming of a full nights sleep?
6. Cuddling...is there anything else better?!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to burgers and Costco (again) with my family, tomorrow my plans include hanging with Rudy while K works a bit and maybe the Bellingham market and Sunday, I want to pick up a special present, go on a walk and have a picnic celebrating 2 MAMAS!! (our first offical Mama's day!)

Vote For Me

2010-03-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

I entered Rudy into a cutest baby photo contest! OUR FIRST ONE! Please help us win by votting on your favorite picture to the right....

ONE VOTE PER DAY UNTIL APRIL 4 @ 11:59PM

SPREAD THE WORD!!

Randi

Nursing Rambles...

2009-12-27T07:13:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd post something of significance since I'm sitting here nursing and have a little time........just realize all I write is typed one handed (so excuse any errors!)

We are almost to 6 months old....1/2 a year already! I cannot believe it.

We are so in love with you Mr. Rudy. You have changed our lives in so many ways. There have been many nights that you have let your mamas get 6 hours of sleep at a time. Then there have been nights where you wake every 2 hours...only wanting milkies and back to sleep you go. We love waking up to you looking around probably wondering what's coming up in the day ahead! Your favorite toy right now is your new Sophie, but you are also really interested in the plastic rings. You have finally mastered from BACK TO BELLY but have yet to master from belly to back. Mama thought you would do things a little differently :) You have 1 tooth and we think you are working on your 2nd one next door. You've had bananas for 2 days in a row....don't know how keen you are on them. You are loving your exersaucer...and go crazy in it. Your bumbo has been really helpful for you to sit up unassisted. You are close to sitting up by yourself....but tend to still topple one way or the other. You have begun grabbing at your feet (and other dangling things ;) just recently....your Mamas aren't to sure you are going to end up hurting yourself grabbing and not letting go. The car seat hasn't been bothering you as much lately....I'd say we are to 97% great in the car seat! I think you turned a corner.

We love waking up with you, your snuggles at nap time, and your huge grins. You are like a seal on your tummy with your arms to the side - although you are moving them out front more...it is quite funny to see you "seal" around! I love how Mama K can look at you and make you giggle and laugh. Cracks this mama up!

This Mama continually looks back on the birth and how amazing it was having you at home....how long and peaceful it was. The best experience ever....and I'd do it a million times (I just need my sleep!)

Love you Mr. Rudy!

Friday Fill-In December Style

2009-12-04T07:01:00.000-08:00

1. Wait! Wait, don't forget ????.
2. Wiggle wiggle followed at once by toot toot....
3. The trouble is temporary jobs don't provide health insurance.
4. The Sabo's are too many miles away and LIG isn't soon enough.
5. With a faint pop I knew I'd be having a baby soon.
6. ?? shadowy and ominous.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Chinese food with Grammie and Popi, tomorrow my plans include free pictures at the library, possibly Skagit Gardens with Grammie and the Relaxation Station thanks to the neighbor and Sunday, I want to hang with Kauleen and Rudy (maybe Grammie and Popi too?)!

I am not the best at thinking of things....... anyone want to add their thoughts in for my "question" marks? :)

Quote

2009-11-13T16:03:00.000-08:00

Got this one from Ronnie's Blog and thought it was an awesome thought.....

"It doesn’t matter how long I’ve been hurting this way: I can change. Perhaps not enough people have noticed my pain and taken it seriously, but I have noticed, and that is enough. My pain doesn’t make me alive, it shuts out countless possibilities by blocking them from my life. I deserve to be healed. I don’t need rescuing; I need help. There is always someone willing to help. I may not understand what is happening to me now, but if I undertake the healing journey, understanding will come." - Deepak Chopra

Enchanted Mama's Group

2009-11-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

Join me for a Mama & Child get together starting November 19th.

Details here: enchanted mamas weekly gathering

RANDI

Friday Fill In

2009-11-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

1. Plans and schedules are what I would hope to not run on - but am very much a plan it type person.

2. I'm happy when things work out just the way they should.

3. The last thing I drank was water al la bottle.

4. One of the most valuable things in my life is my family.

5. I like no cheese on my pizza, please!

6. Dear November, may you bring us ONE sunshine day in a weekend!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to burgers at home with the family, tomorrow my plans include BEHS Craft Fair and Sunday, I want to chill & get K ready for the new job!!

Been Busy

2009-10-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

I can't say that I'll keep up with the blog.... typing one handed most of the time - making blog posts (short or long) few and far between. I'm typing right now as Rudy is snoozing on his sweet Mama K :)

The last 3 months our life has changed so much, imagine that! It has been fantastic, the longest 3 months ever.... somedays we think as if Rudy has been around forever...... and yet it has only been 3 months!

The beginning of our lives together was a bit tough..... one Mama who NEEDS her sleep, whose milk was a bit late coming in (4 days), jaundiced baby, and just the whole adjusting to life with a newborn. We are ever so thankful for hearing the first 3 months called the "Fourth Trimester". TOTALLY made sense to us.

We are now past the 3 month mark.... Rudy is becoming more of a "character" with giggles, smiles, quirks, etc. It really is amazing. We waited so long for this miracle...... and we are so blessed to have him in our lives.

I'll post a few pictures here for you bloggers that are still reading.... AND yes, Facebook has taken over my life more than blogging...... short one sentence updates is way easier right now. Feel free to add me :)

Protect ALL Families in Washington State

2009-10-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

We VOTE to APPROVE Referendum 71 to preserve the domestic partnership law and asks that you do the same. This directly affects us and several of my friends, as well as thousands of other same-sex and senior couples/families in Washington State. Please help us to keep our rights.

This is very important to our family especially with the addition of Rudy. As a family we need to be able to get insurance benefits just like other families and even more important with the approval of Referendum 71 is our ability for K to adopt Rudy. Please VOTE TO APPROVE Referendum 71 and help us support our family. We'd appreciate you forwarding this on to all your friends and family in Washington State to help us APPROVE Referendum 71.

Comparisons of Rudy

2009-08-30T10:17:00.001-07:00

Rudy Punteney

2009-07-07T19:39:00.000-07:00

Rudy arrived this morning at home at 7:20something (don't have exact time yet!), 7lbs, 4 oz, 21" long

LABOR/WEIRD....which started with water breaking at 12:40am 6-6-09 and baby was born on 7-7-09 at 7:20 something.

I'll share the birth story soon........

we are all feeling very well and are resting......

Randi

Long Over Due - Short

2009-05-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

I asked K last night if she'd be willing to blog for me...... as it seems most times when I have the energy (A.M.) I just don't have the time. By night time, forget it.

I'm battling a snot filled nose......and pretty much feel like 100% crap right now. I made me an "anti-oxident" yummmy smoothie this morning to see if that'll help kick the cold. OJ, blueberries, strawberries and watermelon with lots of ice! K went to work, I'm staying in my PJ's all day curled up on the couch. I may even try to watch a MOVIE! (We've had Mama Mia now for probably close to 2 months!)

A quick summary of things.........

I've got pictures of the garden to put on here. We've planted yellow zuchhini, rhubarb, peas, cucumbers, onions, raspberries, and tomatoes. We killed a few over our trip Memorial Day Weekend so we'll need a few more starts....... it'll be fun having lots of fresh veggies with the baby on the way!

I am 34 weeks today, pregnancy wise. This pregnancy hasn't been bad at all - I haven't gotten "big" and can't imagine that ladies that are big - and how they feel. I mentioned to K on the way into the store last night "Why do people even get pregnant!?" I'm beginning to feel a bit of the aches and pains of it all.........just wanting to slow down. It's crazy that in 3 weeks I could safely give birth at home. (chances are I'll be late...being my first and all) but when we were doing the math yesterday I was like "HOLY SHIT!" :) I cannot wait to meet this little one......... a snuggle up for a good while getting to know each other earth-side........ sure has been fun getting to know them inside! :)

the Life is Good Conference was as wonderful as ever! The speakers were great, the funshops were great, the weather was awesome, the farmers market rocked our world, and we just had a very enjoyable time. I love meeting new people..... I LOVE watching families in action. One particularly amazed me this year was Pig and Tails (waving!) just enjoyed their interaction. I'm trying to think of a Circle Chat I may be able to host next year...... I love the smaller more intimate settings of them..........and think there should be millions ;)

We have our last birth class this week.......a blessingway of sorts. It will be lots of fun (if I'm not sick.........and will be majorly bummed if I can't go because of it!)

I finally get a massage on Thursday after waiting since before April.........my massage person is undoubtedly amazing and everyone wants to go to her! I have 3 booked from here until July 9th! I decided heck, get them on the books now!

We have our home visit with the midwife on Thursday.....THAT makes it seem even MORE real. After the last appointment and she stated that I was like "whoa!" :) we'll get our birth tub around June 20th....... suppose we should get some stuff packed in a bag - in case?....gotta get me a few nursing tanks/bras.....otherwise I think we have enough stuff right now that if the baby were to come we'd be fine! :) boobs, clothes and diapers :)

Gonna snuggle up for a bit now......drink my smoothie and rest.

love you all.

LIG Henna Belly

2009-05-24T13:45:00.001-07:00

henna belly
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

33 weeks Henna Belly by my sweet friend Ginger :)

28 Weeks

2009-04-25T08:39:00.001-07:00

randi 28 weeks
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Here's a picture of me at 28 almost 29 weeks :)

Posting

2009-04-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'm going to post soon......... just not tonight :)

stay tuned.

Happy Birthday Poppi

2009-04-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

happy birthday! Hope you have a great one!

Love Randi, Kauleen and Chuck :)

Girls Night Out Donation

2009-04-18T23:10:00.001-07:00

The bottom left bingo square is the one I should've won $200 dollars on - if I hadn't missed B13 that had already been called.

I donated $200 to the lady who called bingo shortly after finding out I hadn't marked it.......

Sure had a great time though!! :)

Family Time, etc.

2009-04-12T19:32:00.000-07:00

We got off early on Friday and picked Dad up in Marysville and headed over for our first trip after winter to Grand Coulee for Easter! :) We got there about 8:15pm, unloaded, hooked up the water, turned on the water........ and water gushed out of our tankless water heater used for one year (last summer). We don't think it froze (had a heater outside the closet door which held the house to approx. 60 degrees all winter) but we did have power to it all winter with no water running into it....... which could've burned the coils. Nonetheless, we have a soggy tub anyways.... so we're just going to go with having some cold running water, a toilet that flushes....... and we're not going to worry about the hot water for now. Nonetheless, it was a bit of a bummer. There is a meeting the end of this month regarding getting the water lines replaced in Coulee (and water added to our area) along with possibly sewer...... if that's the case - we have many more options for what we could do with our "special place".

We woke up on Saturday to SUN! It wasn't expected to be sunny but we were really hoping for some, especially after hearing it was supposed to be kind of rainy at home. It was a windy chilly day but the sun was out all day. We took a walk to Gma and Gpas and had some lunch and then went to the rummage sale and got a few baby clothes at the church and then came home and went out and got some goods for Easter and then celebrated Dad's birthday with yummy chicken, broccoli salad and chocolate cake and ice cream (thanks uncle joe!) IT WAS FANTASTIC!!

Sunday we woke up...... Mom and Dad hid easter bags Ryan, Dewayne, K and I :) it was very fun! K then went and piddled at our place after breakfast, Mom and Dad left for Wenatchee to look at Dad's new digs, and then we met them in Wenatchee for our travels home. It was snowing pretty good on the pass........with some sticking to the road but not too bad! I was a bit stressed before leaving but really it wasn't all that bad. K drives wonderfully :)

I AM IN MY THIRD TRIMESTER and 7TH MONTH! Time is flying by now.... its crazy to think that by the end of June I could have a baby :) I didn't have a very restful weekend..... don't know if that was fear or rodents, lots of peeing, Chuck deciding to be awake at all hours of the night/morning, or just couldn't get comfy. My hips were kind of achy.... so that could've been it too. Nothing too bad honestly.....just didn't seem like a restful nights sleep either night.

We start birth classes on April 22nd :) Birthing from Within.........its crazy to think by the time we're done with them I could just about have the baby! We have lots of plans between now and then and lots of things to get done around the house........painting, etc. We decided to move the cosleeper into the "babies room" and have the baby sleep with us in our new king bed. We'll see how it all works out and what works best for us.........

LIFE IS GOOD CONFERENCE is coming up........ and I'm getting more and more excited for it every day. I wonder how Chuck will like the drumming circle? Amy Steinberg? :) Being henna'd? I just can't wait to hang out with friendly folk.....whom I care for dearly!! :)

I better go help my wife fold the laundry now......

oh and I didn't mention on here only on facebook........ I passed my gestational diabetes test. Yes, thank you, I've been eating whatever the hell I want to. I am going to moderate obviously the bad things (and it really made us aware of carbs!) so that we can make better choices for a healthy, normal size baby.

I'll leave with something I read last night in my Ina May Gaskin Book that I really liked..... and am thinking of starting a "birthing banner" to hang with quotes that will encourage and inspire :)

Rather than thinking in terms of "uterine contractions" think instead of "interesting sensations that require all of your attention"

With that off to fold laundry..........

Work, Work and More Work

2009-04-09T06:28:00.000-07:00

We have been working quite a bit of overtime lately! We're super busy, short handed, and to an almost 7 month pregnant person that = EXHAUSTING. I can't do mornings....we've come to realize it throws me off for all day and tends to make more emotional days. K left a bit ago (6:30) after we came home last night and went back to work and stayed until 8:30!

I'm going to have to moderate the overtime a bit I think..... maybe 2 days a week or 4 hours on the weekend. I love my weekends but can do a few hours and seem more rested up then the work week. Today I am tired. To bed after 10:00pm for 2 nights in a row is kicking my butt.

We did get our 10% back so that is very cool.

I'm ready for a vacation...... LIG (which is not necessarily relaxing....... but more of a FUN/EXCITING/ENJOYABLE/MEMORABLE time) which I'm glad I'm doing....because I like to do things for vacation..... and this will be my last hooray before the baby is here... and then before you know it will have the little one with us and I'll be tired but I'll be home for .... and we can all marvel in each other :)

Most that read this, probably read my facebook.........but just in case....... I haven't gotten my gestational diabetes test results back yet. I'm going to call at 9am this morning to get them. We'll see what she says.

May this day go by super fast..........Tomorrow is jeans day and we're having an "Easter Breakfast" with yummy waffles at work......sure wish I could find me a tall pair of tall old navy XL (16) pair of jeans........ for whatever reason they are sold out on their website. oh well.

what a post.........

One Awesome Chick

2009-04-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

A big thanks to Cousin Cori for the super fun and unexpected present in the mail! Our child will wear this with pride and his/her mothers will beam with joy. Cori you Rock! I think I like this idea of suprise packages in the mail. Thanks again :)

Good Night Sleep Here We Come

2009-04-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

We found a fabulous deal for a King Bed on Craig's List this weekend. It is a memory foam mattress with a washable cover (freshly washed) and a bed frame from Ikea. All of this for the low, low price of $475! With the help of our wonderful cousins we were able to bring it home and get it set up for our first night of dream sleep. It was soo roomy even the cats didn't bother us. Now all we need is a little one to put in between us!

100 DAYS!

2009-04-03T07:09:00.001-07:00

We are on the 100 day count down as of today!

We are very excited to meet this little one!!

Randi and Kauleen

For Soon-To-Be Grandma Punteney

2009-03-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

25 Weeks

2009-03-28T19:22:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures we took this morning of my "really not showing yet belly" :)

Weight & Gestational Diabetes Testing

2009-03-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

I have been concerned about my weight recently too. Since my last midwife appointment a month ago, I have gained 12 lbs. I am planning on having a homebirth and am worried about any complications that might arise from gaining too much weight.

The midwife has now put me on a strict low carb/no-low sugar diet. I'm not measuring big. I don't have any other symptoms really. She was going to allow me to eat something sweet rather than do the crappy drink....but now she says with the weight gain I have to do the crappy drink. I'll do it sometime next week to get it over with and for me to not have to stress about it!

We looked at a few things tonight at the store after getting a "carb counter" book and the most important thing for me to get is fiber in the morning..... my cereal has tons of carbs (right now it is frosted fiber one) and I am lactose intolerant so add the rice milk carbs and I'm wayyyyyyy over my carbs for one meal. AND if I don't eat my fiberous cereal for one day... I get plugged. TMI. We're just going to have to give on the cereal.... and we're really going to have to figure out for the rest.....

and exercise here I come. I've been doing a swim class one day a week......
got a prenatal yoga video to do at home........
the nights are longer so we can walk outside (if it isn't raining in the Pacific NW)
or I have a treadmill I could use inside too......

It stresses me out to no end to think I might not be able to have a homebirth so will kick it into high gear as much as I need to....to be able to have one. AND HECK, I may go through all of this and not even HAVE it..... just have gained weight (31lbs at 24.5 weeks!)

Any encouraging words you want to share?
Protein/breakfast ideas with lots of fiber but low carbs?

I will do the test next week......the sooner the better for me not to stress......

ugh.

Early Good Morning

2009-03-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

I got ready in record speed this morning..... expected to have to iron but thanks to some awesome family members who hunted me down some pants.... well I'm wearing a pair today that didn't need ironed! YEAH!!

I am almost on the 100 day countdown.....9 days to go. Isn't that crazy?! :) Kauleen started cleaning out the "room" in which the babies clothes, diapers, etc will go....yeah we're doing a "room" but plan on co-sleeping, etc. We just don't have enough room in OUR room for all the stuff! We'll start painting here someday soon.........

Did I ever post that I'm having a Partylite Candle party on April 4th and anyone who reads this is invited?! :) it is at 10:00am and should be fun. I'm going to get some bagels, cream cheese and some fruit too......... come and check it out!!

Work has been a little nutty lately. It doesn't look like the rates are going to change too much keeping us busy...which is great. Unfortunately, they took away our incentive....so 10%, now incentive, how great is that?

We are looking forward to a relaxing weekend of no specified plans. We've talked about garage saleing, we've talked about the Green Festival (which looks awesome!!), and we've talked about vegging at home doing NOTHING. It is our first weekend and last weekend for awhile with nothing planned......

We see the midwife tomorrow again for a check up :) we will start using the measuring tape to measure my belly. I'll post pictures this weekend......it sure has grown......but seeing others that are due around when I am........boy do I NOT look pregnant!! Oh well. I just carry differently. Gestational Diabetes testing and blood work this time around..... :)

I think that's it for now.....
Randi

The Big 3-0

2009-03-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY RYAN!

WITH MANY MORE TO COME........ we love you! :)

Random Thoughts for the Weekend

2009-03-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

We ended up locking Rosa out of the bedroom last night. For whatever reason, she has been walking on us, we throw her off the bed, she hops back up in one minute, and we play the game all night - making it an unrestful night for all of us. I tried to play with her a little last night, gave her some cat nip..... but at 3:00am sometime she decided it was time to take a trek on her Moms! I think it doesn't help me getting up to pee so many times a night....so she thinks its time to play? If we lock one out, we have to lock the other out... so about 5am Clover is screaming to come in.....We never heard a peep from Rosa to come back in. We let Clover come back in..... she played in the room with whatever she could find and was fine until I got up about 7:30am.

Last night I had the best all natural beef hotdog (hemplers) with no nitrates, etc. IT WAS FREAKIN AWESOME! I tried some smartdogs....I think they were tofu dogs? maybe turkey? they were disgusting even TRYING to disguise them with chili. Well, so I had a chili dog for dinner last night.... and am guessing Chuck doesn't like chili so much......I could not get comfortable in any position....we even went shopping for a little bit and still was miserable. I took a gas-x and a tum..... and finally fell asleep last night. Woke to major, major...magical music! YEAH!! :) We celebrate that around here....let me tell you. (maybe TMI for some but oh well) :)

I am beginning to notice it is getting harder and harder to bend down.....and not have the gumption to get off the ground. I need to realize I can't bend/stretch/maneuver like I used too....

Yesterday was K's niece/nephew (twins) 2nd birthday! We're going for a celebration today for them and Amelia who will be turning 6 on the 28th! It is always fun to hang with the family! :)

Tomorrow we'll go and pick up Madison and we're going to have a play date! :) we'll see what she feels up to doing....... we have a few fun ideas!

K's dad called us on Monday night and left us a message...... it stated "K, this is dad, I was in Everett and a lady hit me...I need you to come pick me up.... (lots of police scanner background noise) (dad asking police where at?) "I'll be at the denny's on Pacific way" thank you. SHEESH. We'd been out at my cousins for a get together of a family member that was in town.... and get home about 10 minutes after this message. My first instinct was to call Denny's on Pacific Way....so we did and they asked around...no dad. My dad then tries to tell us how to get to the Denny's and we then realize we're not being able to keep them in our heads as we just want to get going.... he suggests taking his GPS - GREAT! We get in the car...... K decides to call her step mom just in case someone else is already on their way....we really don't want to make the trek if someone is already picking him up. Someone was already on their way.....we turned around and came home. About 10 minutes after being home... Denny's was calling us. It was K's dad. He had just gotten dropped off there. (HE HAS NO CELL PHONE!!!!!!!!) Ends up....... a lady was getting on the freeway in Everett..... hit ice... Dad was in the middle lane.....the lady hit him went flying one direction and sent Dad flying another direction where he spun a few times then hit a concrete barrier. NO ONE WAS HURT and NO ONE ELSE WAS INVOLVED!!!!!!!! can you believe it!? His truck is totaled and he's using our truck for now..... He hasn't been sore, wasn't hurt or anything. We're glad everyone came out safe and not hurt!

This coming weekend we're hosting the "Girls Day Out" at our house! :) Our theme it "Cinco De Mayo Gay Bingo" with gay really having nothing to do with it....LOL Our initial thought was to do Gay Bingo in Seattle but I just don't handle the "party" scene all that well....and decided it'd probably send me over the edge....... so we'd make our own "safe" gay bingo at home!! I think we're going to have a taco bar and some homemade tamales .... mmmm. We'll also do a little celebration of Ryan and her 30th birthday on the 24th! (you're getting old!!)

On the pregnancy side of things....... I am 23 weeks today. It is crazy that we're half way through March... and come April I will have less than 100 days to go. We start birthing classes at the end of April that will go through the beginning of June. I've been feeling great. I did a pre-natal swimming class last Tuesday in Anacortes and will probably do it again this week. I need to start doing some walking. I also have a call into a dance instructor whom I heard through the swimming class that does prenatal yoga......I'm crossing my fingers. I really like the yoga. I may just be able to do a class here in Burlington and just amend it to be what I can do..... it relaxes me like nothing else. :) I felt hiccups for the first time this week..... it felt like my butt was twitching. LOL It hiccuped from the front to back it really was weird. I've been feeling Chuck kick a LOT more often too. He actually woke me up for the first time this morning.....

K and I are going to head to Coulee in April to check things out and chill out for a bit. It will probably be one of our last trips before the baby.... we may be able to go in June... we'll see. K will make the trek late April with Dad to go over and discuss them putting in new water lines. (They have had to send us notices since we bought the place that the arsenic levels were too high) and I think the health department is now cracking down on them. We're crossing, hoping, that if they replace the water that they do the sewer too. That would make our options for Coulee SKY ROCKET. (right now we can only remodel what we have - not tear down because our septic isn't to code...it IS grandfathered in... but not to code) We really don't care on the money side of the things..... we'll make it work - BUT this would really help our property values. The hard part is right now most people are strapped a little bit more for money and so paying quite a bit out each more per month for these things to happen... we'll see how the city council meeting goes. :) we at least know 4 houses that want to partake....... one being mom and dad!! :)

I'm getting excited for Life Is Good. I had such a hard time transitioning back to real life last time......really missed it..... so am really trying to prepare myself. It looks like I'll be getting a ride from a local friend that is coming from my area for the first time with her family (including a new baby!!) and then K will come down on Saturday to hang out for a day or 2... and then we'll drive back together. We can't both be off work......it just can't happen anymore. (the birth will be an exception and then she's only taking 2-3 weeks off)

K's up now so I gotta go and read the paper and eat my banana.

Quick Post

2009-03-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

baby ticker moved to...........

6 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Officially 4 months to go....... grow baby grow.

Free To Be Me by: Francesca Battistelli

2009-03-05T21:50:00.001-08:00

A song I heard today that I really enjoyed.........

crank it!

Saturday Morning Post

2009-02-28T07:59:00.000-08:00

Good Morning Fellow Blog Readers -

Another week down....... and boy did this week have some definite ups and downs! I woke up this morning to a catch/ache in my hip that just wouldn't stop unless I got up....it was 7:15 so now too bad. Nothing like waking up to it though......

Today I am going birthday shopping for Kauleen :) her birthday is Wednesday the 4th....I'm sure I'll find some good stuff :)

Tomorrow we watch Braxton in the afternoon and over night and then we'll drop him off at daycare and watch him on Monday night until Mom returns from a little vacation :) We were thinking of doing a children's museum....probably not here in Burlington is my guess because Chucky Cheese is right next door......and well........that place makes K and I go BONKERS!!! :) We'll see how he's feeling and what he's up to doing.......

We had a midwife appointment on Thursday and everything is moving along just as it should :) We are 21 weeks today (or tomorrow depending on my ticker....stupid thing). It is SO fun to hear the heartbeat every time....and this time it made a definite change! She had poked/prodded to find the baby and then when she did he slowed down a bit....was kind of fun! :) she said that was a good sign! We go back on March 26th and I'll have to get some lab work done....and then get tested for Gestational Diabetes.....she said she won't make me drink the crappy orange stuff I can just eat a gooey cinnamon roll!! :) cannot wait!! (Actually that sounds good now!!)

Watermelon has been my best friend latley. I can't get enough of it :) I've ate almost 2 small watermelons this week......still have a good portion of the 2nd to go.......but am going to Costco to get 2 more today!! LOL It initially was blueberries......yum. Then it was Mango...... YUM. Now it is Watermelon. At least I'm over indulging on good foods....... :)

Work has been work...... We've made some changes in a few aspects, some people have helped me a lot (THANKS CORRINA!) in simple ways that make a HUGE difference, and I've been given more responsibility........so we'll see what we can do. I had definite "hormonal crazyness" this week.....but thankfully I work with an office full of women who understand.....and some may even cry with me sometimes :) Oh the joys of being prego........

I'm still not really *showing* yet.... my regular t-shirts are now obviously touching my lower stomach...my upper stomach has yet to reach the lower. The midwife says being taller doesn't help as much for people to notice.....but I suspect in the next month of so I'll be showing more.....there is a definite round bump from top to bottom. LOVE IT.

I've been feeling the baby move quite a bit......I tend to feel "him" more on the weekdays then I do on the weekends moving around etc. I have an anterior placenta so the midwife did state that the movement may be a bit muffled....but in due time I'll get some good punches ;) baby isn't that big yet....but from what I read in the coming weeks we'll be growing some baby fat and gaining some weight! GROW BABY GROW! :)

I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THIS BABY ON THE 4TH OF JULY!
I want to be at the family celebration.............!!!

I'm getting excited for the Life is Good Conference in May!! :) I'll be 33 weeks then.......which is crazy to think about. I'm about 34 days to go and I'll have less than 100 days!!! It has gone by so slow....yet so fast in some aspects. :)

K is up now so I'm gonna go find me something to eat.......and read the paper.

20 Week Pictures

2009-02-22T12:51:00.000-08:00

more type later :)

Up & Ready EARLY

2009-02-17T07:08:00.000-08:00

K got up early this morning as she needed to get into work earlier than myself..... so we got up a bit earlier than we have been. She blessed me by ironing my pants for me.......so really all I had to do was get dressed and do myself up and I'm ready......and have almost an hour until I *have* to be at work..... although I'll probably be there before.

I ended up going to bed at 8pm last night.....that was as long as I could last. I slept pretty good...despite getting up every 2 hours. The baby is lying low so maybe that is what is causing me to pee so much?..... It's ok really, I go right back to sleep......... just try not to wake K every time I get up!

Short week this week! YEAH! This weekend my mom is coming over and we're having our 2nd Girl's Weekend up at Baker Lake doing crafts! K and I have signed up to go to a cloth diapering class on Saturday morning at our doulas house. We'll get to learn about all kinds of things.....I'm excited.

Tomorrow I get a half hour massage on my shoulders! CANNOT WAIT! I'll schedule one in another 6 weeks at night as she's been being booked for awhile.

Don't know what our plans are for tonight....... Dad's staying at Aunt Tom and Uncle Mary's tonight.

Gotta go!!!

Sleep, Sleep and More Sleep

2009-02-16T20:01:00.000-08:00

It seems come 7pm-8pm - I want to crash.

I then am up every hour going to the bathroom, trying to get comfortable, and fight sleep all night.

It is now 8pm and I've been wanting to go to sleep since 7pm.

To sleep, or not to sleep............

19 weeks - does it make one sleepier? I wasn't THAT sleepy in the beginning.........

Ultrasound & This and That

2009-02-16T10:02:00.001-08:00

I had planned on scanning in some pictures from this mornings ultrasound...... but we had an uncooperative baby :) "He" (used just because that's what we use) was laying really low with his arms in front of his body. He was butt up and feet near my belly button. I'm sure he was quite annoyed with all the pushing the technician was doing.....

The few things we found out:

80th percentile
anterior placenta
head isn't too big
we're growing right along....

The ultrasound tech took a picture of its foot.......but really you can't see it. She I think was just wanting to send us home with picture of sorts. She couldn't really get a good view of the heart...but said she saw enough that it looked good. She said that the practitioner may want to send us back for another ultrasound...... but I think we'll pass on that. Everything seemed to be moving right along.

Something the ultrasound registration person told me today made me so irritated, but then I realized maybe someone is being extra gentle right now on my body. I am 5 months - in the beginning of March I will beginning my 6th month. I am pregnant. I don't LOOK pregnant. I've never been one to wear tight fitting clothes....some of my tshirts are just now starting to touch my "lower" stomach..... and although my upper stomach has grown quite a bit in the past few weeks....(they are now growing more together as 1) I still don't *look* pregnant. Why do people tell me this though?! It is irritating....... although I may not LOOK it, I am - so just shut it. :) I do plan on doing a 20 week picture for the blog...... but as you'll see :) I'm not THAT big.

BUT with that being said..... I've had back surgery before and that has been a concern of ours that hopefully my back could with hold the pregnancy..... well so far I haven't had any back issues but that is moreso because I haven't been carrying all out front - which is great for that aspect. Something I didn't realize until the lady said it today...... and I was like "yeah, I guess it is a blessing in disguise". I've also been told..... I'll be big enough before I know it...... enjoy it while I'm not :)

We had a wonderful weekend together :) Friday night we came home after work and got into our comfy clothes and just chilled. It was nice! :) Saturday we got up.... puttered around the house for a bit and then we went to the library to look up Consumer Reports for lawn mowers, went to JCPenny to return a few things, and then went to Ace Hardware to look for said consumer report lawn mower :) They didn't have the model at the MV Ace Hardware so they called to Anacortes Ace Hardware....... and sure enough they had it. We came home, had some lunch, and then made the trek to Anacortes for the lawnmower. Upon our return, we stopped at Christenson Nursery and picked up some tulips and also got a 7 year old blueberry tree (that will bear fruit this year!) We then came home, Randi mowed the lawn..... and Kauleen planted the tulips. We now have tulips and daffodils growing in the garden ever so nicely.

Sunday we got up and got ready to head down South. We started off at Alderwood Mall and then made our way to Babies R Us. After that we headed to K's sisters house to see the gang. We hung out there for a few hours and then headed home. We stopped at Red Robin to eat and then headed to the grocery store to pick up some bananas and mango......yep, been craving it! :) never bought a mango before but MAN it is yummy. We're talking about heading to Costco to see if they have some cut up :)

We have today off....and are just chilling out! I will take a nap today for sure! I was awake every hour from 8pm-1am......and then finally slept until 6:13am.

Also, we had bought a cheapo heartbeat doppler at a used store quite awhile back..... and have been listening every so often to see if we could hear the heartbeat. A few nights ago, we finally heard it! :) So now we should be able to hear it whenever we want to!! :) It's pretty cool.

That's it for now.........

Our Cat Rosa

2009-02-08T18:53:00.000-08:00

Hair

2009-02-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

I've posted a lot of pics.....(see 2 other posts) but here is the new do...... I decided there will come a day where I'm going to be too hot.... and it will be summer.......so why not chop it now? :) It is really freeing................I don't have any before pictures really (forgot to take the camera to the beauty shop!)

Cute Couple

2009-02-08T16:16:00.001-08:00

Love you Mom and Dad

Mason's 4th B-Day Party TIE-DYE BASH!

2009-02-08T16:09:00.001-08:00

Little Post

2009-02-03T18:49:00.000-08:00

We've got a busy week this week....... seems to be something going on every night of the week.

Right now, Dad is doing the dishes..........*big smile* and I'm playing on the computer. Kauleen's finally on the otherside of her cold with a little bit of drainage left.......but is on the mend. Dad and I are trying NOT to get it........but tonight possibly both feel it coming on.

People at work have been sick..... so its going around.

We got a call from the midwife tonight and we'll have an ultrasound on February 16th :) We are excited.

This weekend Mom's coming over.....that'll be fun. We'll hang out, maybe do a little shopping and just chill.

I felt the baby A LOT today. I've still only had ONE good kick. It is almost like it is every other day that I feel him a lot and then others I don't. I "felt" him in there today when sitting. It was just a hard mass...... just made me smile. Kauleen reminded me tonight "5.5 more months" :) THAT'S CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm contemplating chopping all my hair off on Thursday...... literally. I've decided come summer being 9 months pregnant (I'll be hot) and who wants to mess with their hair!? (heck I don't want to mess with it now) I'm thinking maybe Ellen DeGeneres style maybe? maybe shorter....... I need to look up a few pictures for some ideas......We'll see what ends up happening...I'll take before and after pics!

I think that's it for now........

Life Is Good Conference

2009-01-31T12:17:00.000-08:00

I officially have these days off now!! :)

Lots of details to still get organized with allowing me to actually make the weekend work.............. but I really want to be there!!

Cannot wait to hear Ronnie's talk, Gillian's talk, knit and chat, henna the baby, hang with Holly and boys, meet lots of new people......... and just have a blast! :) CANNOT WAIT!!!

Randi

Midwife 16 Week Appointment

2009-01-29T20:27:00.000-08:00

The day started off with me wondering if I'd make it out of the shower without pukeing after having a few weeks of feeling great. I ended up flying out of the shower, dumping the bathroom trash on the floor and grabbing the garbage can for a bucket. I never ended up getting sick (THANK GOODNESS!) but..... I felt like complete crap until about 1pm. I then felt pretty good the rest of the day...

We had a midwife appointment today! :o) We got to ask a few questions, got to get a few things checked out, and got a prescription for some special nipple cream :) She stated that with my symptoms now....is really a sign of how things are going to be during/after breastfeeding. They aren't horrible now.......just itch and wake me in the night ... itching. ITCH, ITCH, ITCH. :)

We also got to hear the heartbeat again........ that was spectacular!! It makes everything seem so real.

We will be having a 18-20 week ultrasound. We weren't planning on it in the beginning.... but have decided to do it. We will not be finding out the sex of the baby....we will just make sure everything is growing as it should be.

I felt the first real kick today. I've felt the baby move for quite a few weeks now on and off.... but today was the first real KICK that made me go...HEY! YOU JUST KICKED ME! lol can't wait for more.

That's it for now.........

Happy Birthday Uncle Tom!

2009-01-29T06:55:00.000-08:00

Hope you have a great one! :)

16 Week Photo

2009-01-25T13:36:00.001-08:00

Special Post

2009-01-23T19:18:00.000-08:00

Brought to you by Ginger's Blog...

So here is the deal:

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me. I will try to make these be about or tailored to those five lucky people. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
- What I create will be just for you.
- It’ll be done this year
- You have no clue what it’s going to be.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you have to put this in your blog/journal as well. Please link to your blog so that I can visit and read in case we are new friends.

Co-Sleeping

2009-01-21T19:18:00.000-08:00

So we've had to do some adjusting lately in the bed so that I don't lay on my back, which come to find out, is the position I tend to lay in most (although never really realized it). So now I have a pillow helping to prop me up a bit that I can lay on......but to adjust this pillow can be quite the chore, pulling covers, shifting covers, dragging covers...... all the mean time trying not to wake K.

Last night was unsuccessful and she told me that I got 3/4's of the bed and she got the other piece. I realize this pillow isn't very sufficient in our queen bed.... with 2 cats...... but for now it will have to do and I have to have the pillow otherwise I will sleep on my back.

Now to co-sleeping...... you co-sleeping families...... do you have king beds? queen beds? multiple twin beds? boxsprings? mattresses on the floor? I'm thinking a king bed with our queen bed...... that'd take up probably our whole room...... (if that would even fit) but we want box springs... (our bed is on the floor right now with a box spring) we'd just have to find the right height for them to be even........

Just wanting an idea.....if the pillow isn't working....... the co-sleeping part of it shall be interesting. (but totally different too I'm sure!)

Cama Beach Resort Camano Island MKL Weekend 09

2009-01-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

I've doubled posted......... so make sure you scroll down to see the juice of these posts in the previous one!! :)

Beautiful Day

2009-01-19T14:25:00.000-08:00

The sun has now shown on the Pacific Northwest (especially in my town) for 2 days now. It is wonderful! It is very chilly... but man is it nice to see the sun!! We were able to get all of the Christmas lights down and off the roof yesterday...now the work begins to put them all away. Right now the garage is filled..........

K and I went to Cama Beach Resort (on Camano Island) to check it out for a family get together possibly. I had heard about this resort in the Sunset Magazine over a year ago and have been really interested in seeing it. It wasn't really all I had hoped it would be - but it was a dry place to stay and somewhat warm. LOL

These cabins were built in the 1930's and are now on the historic registry. They re-did them but had to keep them as original as possible. Nonetheless, there was major air cracks in the door, the heater did the loudest THUD every time it came on and off......(hence why I woke up Saturday morning and said "I'm ready to go home!") We were somewhat smart on Saturday night and cranked the heat then went to bed. 2 hours later got up to go to the bathroom....... and it was already 50 degrees in the cabin!!

The nice thing with the cabins is they had a shower and a bathroom, sink, microwave and a fridge. It was $42 a night with a view of the water (and about 75 feet away!) It really was a fun time and I could see how in the summer it'd be even more spectacular.

Nonetheless, it isn't for the family........

Sure is nice having the day off today..... although we did go to work for a few hours, it still is nice. We then went to Costco to get kitty items and then came home. We'll probably go for a walk in a bit........I need to start doing something. Maybe I'll look into swimming or yoga or something. I know the more I'm in shape now.....the better I'll be for birth.

Speaking of birth........ some days I feel pregnant, other days I question it - nice huh? There are just sometimes where it seems so real, my stomach feels so big, and I just KNOW I'm pregnant. Then days like today when I don't FEEL so big, and just wish I'd grow a belly....... am kind of anxious for my midwife appointment on the 29th to hear the heartbeat again hopefully. I've felt the baby........ but still want the reassurance of the heartbeat.

For those who have been pregnant, what did your first kicks feel like? I'm 15 weeks so it may still be a bit early for kicks.... but was it like a nudge? a painful poke? I'm just curious what to expect......

Mom's been having some gallbladder issues for about a month now...... (she's been on a special diet and now adding back in fat is causing some issues) so she'll be going in on Friday to remove her gall bladder.

Dad's been having some pain in his upper stomach/under breastbone too........ he may be having the same issues.......(on the same diet)...... so we'll see what happens.

I'll post some pictures of the cabin in my next post..........

Baby Wiggles

2009-01-13T20:18:00.000-08:00

I felt the baby today for the first time! :) I originally thought it was my keyboard tray touching my stomach but when I looked down I was a good distance from it.......and I said "oh I'm feeling something!"...and at times had a huge grin on my face....just from the movement and tickles.

Makes it seem more real.......and can't wait for K to feel it.

Off to bed.................

Works crazy, crazy, crazy......... everyone and their dog is refinancing.......job security.

Randi

Sunday Morning Post

2009-01-11T09:04:00.000-08:00

Pants & Adverse Weather

I ordered some pants back a week ago from JCPenny and from Old Navy. I ordered the pants from JCPenny to arrive within 2 days, so that I possibly could have something comfy to wear with our "casual" clothes on Friday (no jeans). I had a pair of khaki and a pair of black "docker" type pants coming. Well, because of "adverse" weather conditions - although planes were flying and the main road between Redmond and myself were open........ still my pants have not arrived. So I begin the work week once again......with 2 pairs of maternity pants. One dress brown and one dress black. My beautiful outfit on Friday consisted of: Polyester brown maternity pants, white cotton grandpa socks, tennis shoes, a Chicago title sweatshirt. I was comfy and that is all that mattered. Heck, I'm pregnant right? :)

Doula

We had plans to meet with our possibly to be "doula" on January 24th to see if she was a match for us. I got an email from her the other day stating her husband was working towards his PhD and she needed to be able to take time to focus on the family. I was so bummed!! I had emailed a few doulas and most of the people who had responded didn't really make me go "this is the one!" other than Mary. :( So, now we are back on the hunt for a doula......... and I'll know the perfect person when I meet them.

Long Profile from Donor

We paid $25 to get a long profile about our donor..... #434 :) the long profile didn't really say anything more than the short profile, honestly. It was really a waste of anticipation and almost a waste of $25. Dad had a good point that thankfully it was only $25.00 as we would've paid anything to get it. I guess this was one downfall about using this cryobank because they didn't have all the "extras" the cryobank we used before had. They had baby pictures, videos, voices, etc. Just different things you could get (and of course pay a fortune for). Oh well....and this donor is also willing to meet the child at legal age....which we thought may be wanted some day down the road :)

Work and its crazyness

With all the refinances lately, work has been going nuts-o! We've had a few employee changes (for the better) but makes it a little harder/tighter on everyone else. AND last week, we had a lady trapped at her house with mudslides on the major highways..... so we were even more short handed. (AND another lady had appointments that she had already rescheduled) It was a nutso week. We had so many people doing so many different jobs......and everyone pitching in to make sure everything got done. It really was an amazing effort on everyone's part. Our boss bought us all lunch on Friday which was nice! :)

Heartbeat doppler 14 weeks :)

We bought a heartbeat doppler at a local consignment shop to see if we could hear the babies heartbeat. Well, this doppler after reading online can read at 15 weeks. Nonetheless, it was fun poking around and listening to the rumbles, gurgles, and bursts of air running through my system. AND BOY WAS IT LOUD!! :)

It is crazy to think I am 14 weeks pregnant! I noticed yesterday that my upper and lower chub and beginning to gather as one. That was pretty exciting. I know kind of funny, but fun. I'm beginning to feel more pregnant and less fat. I know this may be too much info for my dad and any other men, but oh well...... LOL My nipples itch like freakin crazy! I hate lotion and/or anything that is slimy. But I've been being very faithful at putting something on them every night now. I've had it where my boobs itch, but this is my nipples. I have very dry skin already...so doesn't really surprise me.

K and I went to a local LaLeche League meeting on last Wednesday too. We are so lucky to have got to start going so early in the pregnancy. We met some really cool moms! We learned quite a bit and I'm sure will continue to do so. I don't know if dad's normally come to LaLeche, but I love having a wife that gets to be part of it and come with me.... :)

Unschooling Conference & Friends

I am really excited go to to the Life Is Good Conference in May. I'm struggling a bit with figuring out how I'm going to make it work. K and I get 12 weeks off (combined) for maternity leave. That leaves 6 weeks each. That isn't very much time. So any extra time taken off.....just isn't going to be doable. Here are my options:

1) Ask for that Thursday and Friday off...... and make up the time.
2) Ask to leave early that Friday and just make it for the weekend.

K has stated she really has no interest in attending this year. That throws more of a wrench into things.... as I really don't like doing things without each other. I guess it will just be a wait and see. I have rooms booked already.

I will be there.....whether it be just for the weekend or the whole conference - guaranteed. :)

December 26th

2009-01-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

Oh Roooooooooonnnnnnniiiiiiiiieeeeeeee :) I'm here........

I didn't realize I haven't posted since December 26th.......geez........... that's a long time. I must say I have thought about it ;) and we were going to take a belly picture this morning, but decided a few more weeks would be more of a difference!

We're headed to a girls family gathering with Mom's side of the family this afternoon.......playing games, hanging out.

I have lots to post about.......so maybe I can get my rear in gear and actually do some of it tonight.... here's my list for those that want to see and/or anticipate my writings...

Pants & Adverse Weather
Doula
Long Profile from Donor
Work and its crazyness
Heartbeat doppler
14 weeks :)
Unschooling Conference & Friends

I think that's it for now....... gotta go dry my hair, and figure out what to have for lunch! FOOD!!

:)

This N That

2008-12-28T16:09:00.001-08:00

I haven't posted for quite some time about this and that..... so here's a post just about that (with a few pictures to spice things up!)

WORK: We had to lay our courier off and so now I'm back to being the courier, word processor, etc. Right now the workload makes it ok for me to do a few different jobs, but there are times where it gets to be too much. At let me tell you, I'm very thankful for the people in my office that did the courier'ing for me last week during the snow! I love the snow, but haven't driven in it!! :)

CHRISTMAS: K and I just hung out at home for Christmas. We enjoyed a nice lazy day, made an awesome prime rib type roast, and just hung out. We didn't even put a tree up this year.....other than the one my dad drew for us on a box ;) By the time we thought about it....it was like 12 days until Christmas and we thought why go through the hassle. We're thinking of getting a fake tree for next year.........that way we can put it up the beginning of November and keep it up until we feel like taking it down.

PUNTENEY CHRISTMAS: We're celebrating Christmas with the Punteney family this coming weekend. We'll take the train for a non-stress ride over the pass...... we are all looking forward to it!

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS/DIAPER DRIVE: We had quite a few people come by this year and look at the lights........doesn't seem not nearly as much as last year. The weather probably didn't help. We've gotten close to 500 diapers for our diaper drive. Not as much as I had hoped to get..... and don't really have any idea as to what I was expecting........but at least we got a few! Thank you to all the family members who donated! (We got 2 strangers, otherwise the rest was family!)

PREGNANCY: Yesterday I was 12 weeks. I was thinking at 4am this morning while laying in bed....that come the end of February I'll be half way!! That is just nuts. I'm still having days of nauseas-ness, but hope that will soon be on its way out. I'm on my way off of the progesterone shots too! YAHOO!! No more pains in the butt........I have 5 more shots then I'm done! (I'm sure the neighbor is rejoycing too!) We're going to go to our first La Leche League meeting on January 7th :) I suppose it is never to early to start learning all the info we can :)

Here's the pictures of cats, neices and newphews visiting for Christmas, etc.:

Belly Pictures

2008-12-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

another post with writing later...............

Package Delivery Frusterations

2008-12-24T16:38:00.000-08:00

The weather here has been a bit off..... lots of snow for an area that would maybe get a few inches. For that, I can understand the delay of a package or 2. The problem I'm having is more so with the company I ordered from....... and then having to wait even longer because of something I wasn't notified of.

Let me explain.........

We called our Cryobank back on December 6th and Kauleen ordered a long profile from our donor (gives more in depth information) and we were going to order it once we got pregnant. Weeks go by.... I call around December 12th......and they said "Are you a current client with us" Well, no....technically K is not a client...I am. So, now not only is the profile not on its way.......we have to get it ordered again. (All this time realize, we're a little leary because of the issues we had with the bank...... and our first conversation with them being this one)

I, Randi, order the profile back on the 12th of December... wait a few days....call and ask how long it is supposed to take to get here...... and they say it goes 2 day Fed-Ex.

We receive a call this week from Fed-Ex....verifying our address and they had it as BELLINGHAM. So, not only has it taken well over 2 days...they shipped it to the WRONG CITY!!

AND ... FedEX hasn't been able to deliver, air and/or ground....... so I was hoping for a Christmas present of our donor profile.......and it is Christmas Eve with I don't know how long until we get it..............

I plan on posting info here when we do receive it.

December 20th Midwife Appointment

2008-12-20T20:50:00.000-08:00

So I was very bummed about not being able to have my midwife appointment on Thursday (in which the midwifes secretary forgot to call and tell us her appointment was cancelled) This afternoon I got a call from Winni asking me if I had gotten her message earlier (which I had not) and she said she was coming into town and felt bad that the communication was not there for Thursdays appointment........SO she was coming into town today and called to meet us! I was so ecstatic! We were OK with not having had the appointment, because there is a reason for everything. Since I am just 11 weeks today, maybe we wouldn't have been able to hear the heartbeat, etc. She scheduled us for January 5th and by then we would've for surely heard it. BUT, since she was planning on coming in...we thought....why not go in. So, I had a physical of sorts, and then...... the rest follows below!

Turn up the volume on the movie AND on the computer!

Midwife Appointment

2008-12-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

I was supposed to have a midwife appointment today at 5:30pm. We trekked to the office, only to call about 10 minutes later that she wasn't going to be able to make it - and we were missed the by secretary to call us and tell us. Oh well. We don't live THAT far from the office...... but I was a bit disappointed in not being able to hear the heartbeat. But then again, at almost 11 weeks........ we weren't sure if we'd hear it and had been pre-warned that we may not. So.... now we wait until January 5 - I'll be into my 13th week and we should be able to hear the heartbeat loud and clear. I try to tell myself, there is a reason for everything. :)

K and my dad just knocked snow off of the christmas lights before they freeze and it gets stuck and then we break the lights.

that's enough for now..........

December 18 AM

2008-12-18T06:18:00.001-08:00

Snow, Snow, Beautiful Snow - 11" officially measured

2008-12-17T16:48:00.001-08:00

Snow In the Northwest

2008-12-14T10:59:00.000-08:00

Here is what our house looks like this morning (and some of our very covered decorations)

Hello Friends!

2008-12-11T20:02:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I've updated....but nothing really to update on. Guess what? I'm tired tonight :) surprise, surprise....... I'll be lucky to make it to the 9 o'clock hour..... but that's cool with me :)

Works picked up quite a bit with the rates being low......lots of refi's. It's good business wise, but not so helpful being so short staffed.....we're all doing our best to make due! I'm now the courier part time and still doing my normal job. It works out most of the time.

I just finished eating a few sugar cookies we had in the freezer from the last huge batch of sugar cookies we made..........yum.

Pregnancy is moving right along. On Saturday I will be 10 weeks! CRAZY!! Only a few more weeks and I'll be past my first trimester....I have bouts of nausea that tend to send my body out of whack because they just happen and it is weird. This instance happened the other day at work from about 9-11.... I was grey, green, and our receptionist said "hang onto it Randi!" I felt pretty crappy, crying, and yucky. K had told me to go upstairs and lay on the couch......but all that would've done for me is to lay upstairs and think about pukeing. At least if I stayed in my seat I could at least try to focus on something else. I made it through. A lady at work also called her husband and he brought in the sea bands. I've wore them all day yesterday and all day today. I felt pretty good today.....only a few times where I felt really off kilter.

We have our work Christmas party this weekend........that should be fun. They are calling for some snow here........... so we'll see how interesting it makes it.

We see Winni the midwife the 18th for a physical and see if we can hear the heartbeat :)

that's it for now as I'm falling asleep trying to figure out what to write!!

xoxoxoxoxo

Wizards in Winter 2008

2008-12-08T21:27:00.000-08:00

MUCH BETTER IN PERSON........ but you get the drift ;o)

Rosa & Clover Kitty Fun

2008-12-08T21:07:00.000-08:00

Wordless Friday Night - North Cascade Mountains

2008-12-05T22:11:00.000-08:00

Midwife Appointment

2008-12-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

We are so blessed to be able to see a midwife! :) I've said this before, but am so thankful I could call Winni at anytime and know that I'll get a call back and/or even get to talk to her! I thanked her in person tonight for taking that phone call at 9:30pm at night......and comforting us in the midst of bleeding!

I thought more would go on in our appointment today, but it was more like a consultation.......us getting to ask her questions, getting to know her, and her getting to know us. It really was awesome! :)

Bummer news being is she has a 40 year reunion on the weekend July 12th. (she stated 5% give birth on their due date) Her husband has his 40 year reunion on July 25th....... we have a 5 week "period" 3 weeks before, to about 2 weeks after........ and of those weeks..... approx. 2 of them she would be gone. Sometimes that's how it is.......and we liked her enough to take the chance. She will have a backup midwife that we'll get to meet.......so that'll be good. She already has an idea of someone for us!

We learned something about circumcision tonight......that it is elective and insurance does not cover it - it is like a facelift! WHAT THE HECK?! Everyone in Europe does not circumcise........so why do we!? other than to make the penis look better?? (some say for health reasons)..... nonetheless, K and I were quite shocked.........no mind has been made up...... but I'm pretty sure we're both leaning towards not doing it if it were a boy.......... :)

We will go back in 2 weeks to hear the heartbeat......and to do a bit of a physical...go over medical history etc. If we don't hear the heartbeat, we'll go back in 2 more weeks to hear a heartbeat.... we are very excited!

I cannot wait for the next 4 weeks to get over with.........get me onto my 2nd trimester!!!

That's it for now.............

2 month Pictures

2008-12-02T19:41:00.001-08:00

can you see a difference???????? I think I can....... but then again.... and I haven't really gained any weight............

Goth Name

2008-12-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Mary, I decided to see what my new Goth Name would be....

Avenging Anal Leak

funny nontheless.......but kind of disgusting. Made me laugh though ;)

K right now is at the neighbors house across the street trying to help the older lady get her Christmas lights on. She spent so much time and effort to get all these lights up this weekend....and now they aren't on. (The previous people had some electrical issues...along with quite a few people in our area).

K's had the past few days off......hasn't really got to relax all that much.... Between fixing extension cords, plugging in a light for our diaper drive sign, etc. She ran to Costco today to pick up a few things, etc. I'm so thankful for her and all that she does for me!

I felt pretty horrible on Sunday and Monday.......nausea city. Monday I wasn't sure I was going to make it without throwing up..........but I did it! I think sometimes the things I eat trigger it....I can't really remember what I had ate .... but know I had quite a bit of dairy and pizza was in one meal......... I think K and I have decided that if we go out - I need to get a sandwich. Also, sometimes on the weekend my eating schedule gets messed up (unlike my more routinely eating on the weekdays) and that may not have helped. Nonetheless, I felt like a whole new person today.

Have I said how excited I am for the midwife appointment on Thursday? :) It makes it seem even that much more real! :)

Also, wanted to put a little plug in for my friend and new mom Lori and her care and love for her new baby Jacob and the openess they have for Jacob to do what's best for Mom and Dad and baby. Yeah for co-sleeping and hands-free slings!! :) WAY to go Lori and Eric!!

That's it for now............. more later!!

Meme

2008-12-02T06:37:00.000-08:00

Meme from Frank...and saw on Gingers...Join in if you wanna!

A) Four places that I go to over and over:
1. Grocery Store
2. Work
3. Bathroom
4. Refrigerator

B) Four people who e-mail me regularly:
1. Kauleen
2. Mothering.com Forum
3. Christi
4. WashingtonUnschoolers digest

C) Four of my favorite places to eat:
1. La Hacienda - Mt. Vernon, WA (Carne Asada!)
2. Max Dales - Mount Vernon, WA (Prime Rib!)
3. Thai House - Mount Vernon, WA
4. Hong Kong - Mount Vernon, WA

D) Four other places I would rather be right now:
1. Visiting Ginger - I miss you!!
2. Hanging out with the "4th of July" gang (Canonicas, Maiers, etc.)
3. Hanging out with Mom!
4. at a Non-con or an actually conference ;)

E) Four people I think will respond:
Hopefully someone!

F) Four TV shows I watch:

I have to say, I don't watch TV that much.....I usually fall asleep....... but here are the shows I "begin" to watch ;)

1. King-5 News
2. Biggest Loser
3. Survivor
4. that's about it.....

Happy Birthday Aunt Debbie

2008-12-01T06:38:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT DEBBIE!!

Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again.

~Menachem Mendel Schneerson

8 weeks

2008-11-30T07:24:00.001-08:00

I am officially 2 months pregnant! :) Crazy!! At about Christmas, I'll have 2oo days to go! :)

We have our first midwife appointment this week........ which we are VERY excited for!

I guess I really don't have much else to say on the pregnancy aspect of things?...

I have days where I feel more nauseas, days I feel great, days I don't feel so hot.......?... but pretty much feel pretty good! :)

AND did I mention I have now ate babybel cheese, ice cream, and pizza with cheese on it WITHOUT lactaid and not had any trouble??? too too too weird..... but YEAH for me!!

I'll post pics of my 8th week sometime today...when K is awake......

6:30 A.M.

2008-11-30T06:32:00.001-08:00

My body has been wanting to go to bed before 9pm but is getting up at 6:00-6:30 A.M.! Oh well, I enjoy so peace and quiet throughout the house....K asked me "what are you doing?" and I said " getting up" and she goes "ugh!" LOL She's snuggled as a bug in a rug still in bed.....I love watching her sleep ;)

We did go shopping the day after Thanksgiving, but didn't start off until about 8am. We bought $160 d0llar sheets for $40! We each got a $10 gift certificate to the local outlet mall which we then both used at a consignment shop we hadn't ever been in! We were looking for a few maternity clothes. My jeans are beginning to feel a little too tight......and Fridays now at work at blue jean Fridays....today we'll probably go look at Old Navy where I'm told they have longs and maternity - if not - I can order some online.....We ended up finding me 2 shirts and a pair of brown dress pants (long enough!!). The dress pants were brand new w/tags for $13.90! Did I mention how long it took me to find dress brown pants NOT maternity? FOREVER. I'm pretty excited because I have a few shirts that are stretchy that'll last me awhile....and they go best with my brown pants. We got a few other Christmas gifts....and would've been home by 11:00am had we not had someones kitties to feed :)

Ok, so my neighbor just scared the crap out of me. I'm sitting here typing this post....6:40am and someone knocks on the door!! We have no peep hole...so I say "who is it?" and I hear a little laugh....and I thought initially, just kids playing........ but at 6:40am!? Then I hear a little voice say "It's your paper"...and I thought well that's weird that the local newspaper would deliver it to my door?....but ok...opened the door and it was the neighbor being a friendly soul bringing our paper to us.......but only because she told me to sleep in and not get up early!! LOL She's the sweetest soul ever. She's come over now for over 2 months and given me a shot every night.... we are down to less than one month.......my butt will be thankful, as I'm sure Karen will too.

Yesterday, we got up at 7:30am! I SLEPT IN! We had some coffee, read the paper and it was probably close to 10:00am before we headed outside. It was raining, surprise, surprise. The weather man had said that it was to let up.......well, it rained, rained, and rained. We were pretty soaked, soaked, soaked. We connected extension cord, after extension cord....... (after we dried each plug off, taped it with electrical tape and then plugged it back in). We plugged things in, had things plugged in wrongly (red running one way, white the other), swore at the staple gun, rolled eyes at each other....... and did I say we got wet? At one point I stood at the road and yelled "QUIT RAINING!" Yes, at one point, I wanted to say TO HELL with it all..........

Nonetheless, we turned it on last night (minus a few other small un-show making things) to plug in today (which the weather man has told me it is to be a SUNNY day!) and we'll get those hooked up, get our Diaper Drive bin out for Basics for Babies and we should be set for the next 30 days.

K has tomorrow and Tuesday off which will be nice as she could really use a rest. She has worked her butt off to get this show working. She's the best est wife ever. We've come to realize we can't give a date so much as to when we are starting it....to allow us some flexible time to get stuff set up. If we needed 2 days yesterday to do it....we could have stopped, rested, and finished Sunday....although, we were ready to have it done. Oh did I mention we came in at 5:30pm? :) that's a long day outside in the rain......... but we DID it.

Now, if you have the chance to come by and see it...... or you know someone who lives in the area and can - please SPREAD THE WORD!! I want as many people to see it as possible!!! We have like 16 songs.......so if you come......it is kind of a long show to watch the whole thing - but WORTH IT!!!

I'll do a pregnancy post next ;)

Exhausted!

2008-11-29T20:30:00.000-08:00

I've hit a milestone, have taken pictures to put on here........but for today all I can say is...

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, CHRISTMAS LIGHTS and CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

We're plugged in - enough said.

we are both exhausted...............

check it out:

SKAGIT CHRISTMAS

Video of this years show will not be on anytime soon....... but I do plan on having video on for those who are long distance and can't see it in person.

Putting Up Christmas Decorations....

2008-11-24T20:26:00.001-08:00

Simple Green Salad Recipe

2008-11-23T17:52:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:

6 Cups torn pieces of iceberg and/or romaine lettuce
2 small tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
1 medium size cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 medium size sweet green pepper, cut into rings (we used red pepper)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

THE DRESSING:

2/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Follow these directions:

Toss together lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber in a serving bowl. Top with green pepper rings (or red pepper) and feta cheese. Set aside. Whisk together all the ingredients for the salad dressing. When ready to serve, toss salad with the dressing. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Sunday Crunchies

2008-11-23T15:48:00.000-08:00

I sit and type as my wife sits next to me crunching corn nut..... oh the music of my ears. LOL (and she'll love me posting that!)

So.... thanks to my good friend Deb aka Too, we decided to spend a little bit more money and buy a laptop without having to go out in the wee hours of the morning to buy a laptop that I don't know *quite* everything that is on it but the basics. My wife is so good to me! This laptop will get SUCH good use!! It should be here this week..... thank you to expedited shipping! :)

Today, we spent the entire day....hanging Christmas lights. We have everything (minus some tall candy canes) and the green LED's that should be arriving in the mail tomorrow.... we'll get them up hopefully on the Friday after Thanksgiving and we'll be good to turn it on!! CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!!!

I was not feeling all that hot yesterday.....but we believe it was because we ate Jack in the Crack for lunch.....seasoned curly fries, and grease gut bomb....no wonder I didn't feel good and the baby must not have liked it. Nonetheless, today I've been eating like a pig! I've been hungry alot! Also, another side note.... I ate a piece of cheese with no lactaid today.........and have not pooped!! I have hoped and hoped that this pregnancy would help my lactose intolerance.... I'm not going to push it....but was kind of exciting!!

That's it for now.........

Not Our Cat - But Hilarious

2008-11-22T10:53:00.000-08:00

Roomba Driver @ Yahoo! Video

Week 7

2008-11-22T00:01:00.001-08:00

There are lots of posts down below.... I had to catch up :) don't miss any.......

here's for this week - and I'll take a picture too.

We're almost to 2 months!! I can't wait to get past the first trimester............and feel a little bit more settled......

Bouts of nausea this week.....once in the early morning (which I took very easily, got dressed, and laid in bed), Friday, nausea most of the mid-morning......but not early morning...... but so far so good........

WEEK 7 FETAL DEVELOPMENT

Life As We Now Know It

2008-11-21T20:05:00.000-08:00

Warning........ maybe TMI following...... you are been warned ;o)

We had planned for a night with some friends on Tuesday night - and also got a surprise visit from another friend who had found out we were pregnant. We were having a great time sitting around, chatting about pregnancy, midwives, etc. and all the fun stuff......

I was feeling a bit crampy......not uncommon, but was having some trouble getting comfortable. (later I found out Molly - the surprise guest - had heard me taking some deep breaths to get through it)

Molly was getting ready to leave and I stood up to give her a hug and felt as if I needed to go the bathroom immediately. I then saw blood...... lots of it. I yelled for K who was in shock too as to what was going on. I couldn't move as my body was in total control of what was going on and I had no option then to let what needed to come out. I explained to K to let the guests know what had happened and what an odd feeling for them - but what was I to do? it was kind of weird the whole scenario.

Once I was capable of getting off the toilet, we decided a call to the midwife was in order...(9:00pm). (Little side note......can I tell you how thankful I am for a phone number in which I can call and talk to the midwife at any hour......and get her voice, not an answering service, to page some on call doctor to contact me?!) We called Winni and she said that she felt like an ultrasound was in order. She told me to be on bed rest for the rest of the night and then she'd call me in the morning with the time of the ultrasound. (Also, to be off of work the next day....which just happened to be an in between day of people having it off - which worked out perfect!)

We weren't planning on having any ultrasounds....but for medically necessary things it was ok.

I bled once more that night....then nothing else. Everytime I woke to pee in the middle of the night, I'd wake up and go...... nothing else? what the hell!? I do not know how many times that night K and I woke up and said "what the hell!"?

Wednesday morning K did some research online and we had been told by our friend, by the midwife, etc. that it is very, very common for one to lose a twin, but still have a live baby inside. We had hopes.

Through all of this, I was essentially very calm. K was quite shocked. (I'm normally not the calm one) but for some reason had a feeling all would be all right. (Don't get me wrong, I still was in shock, and didn't understand what was going on) . K said "Since you're so calm, you realize what's going on...I take some of that and try to stay calm about it too!".

Another side note...... the night before I had stated to K and Dad that we needed to focus on their only being one baby and not 2....until we found out for sure we were having 2...... intution by chance? :)

Our President was coming to speak at our Wednesday morning work meeting....I had told K to leave her cell phone on her desk and just to check it upon her return from the meeting. Well, the midwife had called at 8:45 and I was to be there at 9:00am and it takes about that many minutes to drive from where I am to the hospital I was going to........and now, how do I get a hold of K whose in the meeting?! I try to call work and get the receptionist..... no one answers. I try, and try again........ no answer. I finally clue in there are some people who don't attend the meeting and got one of them to go upstairs and get K to get to the phone......while I'm on the road driving.....

I tell her - I'm on my way, you've gotta leave now if you want to be there on time - she said "I'm outta here!".

She met me JUST in time (at registration) for the ultrasound....

The ultrasound tech was a SUPER AWESOME guy! He did some checking of dates (the difference of IVF vs. last period date), etc. how far along we were, etc. One date said 6 weeks, one date said 6 weeks 3 days....... he was honest and said " You're pretty early to see anything, we'll do our best but just letting you know you might not see anything".....

He then put the ultrasound on my stomach and within a few seconds we saw a heartbeating! It was pretty dang amazing! He probed around a bit (with a very full bladder!) measured kidneys, etc. then he did an transvaginal ultrasound (which I wasn't too keen on having had bled and didn't want the chance of miscarriage.....) but we did it too.......which he pretty much measured most of the same things - other than like my ovaries, etc.

I came home and called the midwife, she was ecstatic. K went back to work. I laid on the couch literally all day long.......I really wanted to go to work....... but I had to take care of me and the baby.

So, long story short..... we had quite the scare...... we now know there is 1 baby inside me, with a heart beat, growing greatly....... we are blessed.

We won't know and don't know wether the bleeding was me losing a twin, sloughing off some lining, etc. We are assuming it was a twin....but everything happens for a reason.

Stick With Me!

2008-11-21T19:59:00.001-08:00

Thanks fellow blog readers for sticking with me in the midst of me not wanting to take the time to post......sometimes it's just like that. :)

First things first.........I finally got a BAG OF CRAP. I was *ahem* working yesterday and happened to check WOOT throughout the day...for their what seems to be monthly woot-off, and got me a bag of crap. I had originally chose to get 3 bags of crap...... but K reminded me that if I really wanted one, I'd better just go with 1......and be thankful I got that! :) So, my one bag of crap should be arriving sometime in the next week.....

Secondly, we ordered a memory foam queen pillow topper thingy from overstock. K hasn't really liked our mattress for some time and so this will hopefully help. It was a very good deal......it should be here sometime this week.

Thirdly, the green LED lights that we ordered....... well they should be here this week too.

Lots of fun stuff to get in the mail! CAN'T WAIT!!

Anyone here planning on going shopping on Black Friday? Now, you can't say NO WAY unless you've done it once.......I'm pretty sure once you go one time - you'll be hooked - if not to buy anything - to watch all the crazies. LOL We'll head out on Friday, don't know what hour.... we're on the hunt for a laptop (which I'm hoping to buy for nearly the same price online before having to stand in line at the ungodly hours of the morning) and also half price socks at Fred Meyer. We'll buy some Christmas presents and be done :) It really is a lot of fun!!

This was the fun post........ now onto a pregnancy post :)

Beans Beans Magical Fruit

2008-11-17T20:35:00.000-08:00

Ok, so really this post has nothing to do with the beans I ate at lunch today in a very yummy burrito with some taco meat, salsa and guacamole - those beans - which are blowing my gut up at this hour- STILL. :) and no it isn't the pregnancy.......its just my system.

We had a busy night tonight. We came home, checked email (a nice surprise...more in a minute), chatted with dad about the days happenings, headed to the library to return a movie, went to Costco for some nuts/cheese for dad and cat litter for us, to the teriyaki place to get some teriyaki with fried rice (the fried rice which they never gave the pregnant lady!!) and then we came home.......just in time for my nightly shot, then finally about 8pm we sat down and ate dinner...... I'm now writing to all of you while using my dad's laptop (thanks dad!) while K is watching Chuck..... then Heroes.

SPERM and BACTERIA - We were told before doing our cycle that there was an issue with the sperm donor and his sample. There was bacteria in it, making fertilization null without our ICSI step (injecting sperm into the egg). This is just a short blurb.... tonight we were pleasantly surprised that our clinic had called our cryobank and we will be refunded all of our last 6 vials that we ordered - a good chunk of change. :) great news.

WORK & BABY STUFF - I said to K as we were pulling in this morning "We're going to bombarded by everyone when we walk in!" By about the 1st hour and no one had said anything, I was beginning to become a bit leary.....but the Congratulations began rolling in... and there were a few I was a bit concerned about.....but everyone took it great and we got a congratulations out of our friends and the people who care about us most :) We really are blessed. There were a few questions........ and will probably be a few more as time goes along. All went well.........and those cookies are awesome!!

that's it for now........

Quick Weekend In Review

2008-11-16T21:38:00.000-08:00

I'm tired and just don't have the energy to say much tonight........and hope I'll have more energy and/or feeling like writing more........ but then again I'm blogging without obligation too ;) just don't want people to get bored and never check my blog because I don't ever update it!!

This weekend K and my dad hung lights, hung lights, and hung lights. We realized pregnant lady should not be touching lead full Christmas lights.......we turned the ones on tonight that we got on the roof, the Merry Christmas Sign, and it looks GREAT. We have green LED's coming this week and we will get them on the roof when we can....... and we'll set the yard up probably sometime Thanksgiving ish.......

We made cookies for those at work to tell them of our pregnancy......... and took them there late tonight. Everyone has 2 cookies - one pink and one blue with a little poem on it ;o) we shall see the shock factor tomorrow.........

That's it for now...........

6 Week Baby

2008-11-15T18:45:00.000-08:00

I'll post more later...... but for now - we've made it finally to 6 weeks! (which has seemed to take f-o-r-e-v-e-r!) and now our midwife appointment to get here.....is seeming to take f-o-r-e-v-er!!!)

FETAL DEVELOPMENT WEEK BY WEEK

Bacon, Bacon, Bacon

2008-11-14T07:54:00.000-08:00

I'm wanting tons of Bacon!

My sweet wife is upstairs here at work cooking some leftover bacon from our breakfast on Wednesday..........

here's to hoping eggs come with it..............

drool.

Happy Birthday!

2008-11-13T07:18:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Mom!

WE (Randi, Kauleen and baby) LOVE YOU!!

Happy Birthday!

2008-11-13T07:14:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT DEBBIE!

Ryan's Surgery

2008-11-10T20:40:00.001-08:00

See this post for the update on Ryan's surgery.....and also her hospital room/number if anyone wants to send her special treats :)

Ryan's Surgery Update

Thanks for all the well wishes and support!!

Weekend Happenings

2008-11-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends! :)

We have had a somewhat relaxing, somewhat quiet, and a very enjoyable weekend.

Friday night we hung out at home. I was a bit ancy to do something, but by the time we ate, got my shot, etc. I was ready for bed! We did watch some of the Womb movie (which we *finally* finished - without me falling asleep!)

Saturday morning we got up and went Garage Saleing. There weren't that many to go to and it was raining.... but we got a pie pan and a few movies for the boy to watch (Saturday night). We then came home and had turkey sandwiches on sourdough bread with some chips. YUM. (This has been my staple latley). K then took a nap, I played on the computer, and then we started to put Christmas lights up........

(Silly us with all the lead, etc. in Christmas lights...... so I washed my hands and put gloves on.....) We got part of the house done with red and white....(we are having to re-clip all the lights which is time consuming!)

Saturday night we had Braxton over for a sleep over :) We watched Free Willy 2, played some Wii Bowling, Baseball, and Tennis and played in the water :) It was fun! K slept with him..... and I slept in our bed. Sure like it better when we sleep together! :)

Sunday we're just cleaning house, doing laundry, and relaxing a bit.

Dad's been gone since Thursday..... he went to Aunt Tom and Uncle Mary's and then headed over to Grand Coulee to spend some time with Mom...... so he'll be home here in a few hours.

We are having, guess what? TURKEY for dinner. We got a turkey from Costco....it is herb rubbed turkey breast and is YUMMY. So, we'll eat that tonight and have sandwiches the rest of the week with it!

Ryan goes in tomorrow for her surgery....... she's a bit nervous about it, which I would expect one would be.....so thinking a bit extra about her today. Everything that is meant to be, will be......

People have asked me what my numbers are......I don't get tested anymore for numbers. I got 2 checks - one for the positive and the 2nd for the doubling. Now, I'm pregnant :) I'm just like any other pregnancy.....(and some may get more blood checks then others). I have my first midwife appointment on December 4th....... and as you can see above..... I was one week ahead of myself last week...... so we are just now into our 5th week..........it seems like it has been forever already!!

That's it for now..........

Have You?

2008-11-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

Have you?

From Frank from Ronnie from many others....

Bold the things you’ve done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain- elevation 2,409 ft (Big enough mountain for me!)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang/played a solo - maybe in elementary school, I don't remember
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping - never have but ALWAYS wanted to!!
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community - I'd love this too!
36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone - in a guys shirt...LOL
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car - DUMBEST car ever!
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Making a baby ;o)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee - ask my mom about this one!!

And...I VOTED FOR OBAMA!!!

Quick Morning Post

2008-11-06T07:04:00.001-08:00

We are very grateful Obama won in our household....... and that our baby will have him as a President until he is about 4 - or maybe even 8! :)

Secondly, am feeling good.....haven't really had any bouts of nausea lately and is kind of just an "unknown" time and hope that my numbers are continuing to increase and we have our first midwife appointment on December 4th! :)

Thirdly, thinking about my sister who will be going in for biopsy/surgery on Monday to remove an ovary and/or uterus......and will be off work for some time (and have the financial stress of that). That she have some peace now...and until Monday and keep her mind off of it. Mom and Grandma will go down for the surgery. (The doctor does not believe it is cancerous).

That's it for now.................. more later.