Woody's Journal

Workout Impossible

2012-01-09T21:36:00.002-05:00

In my last post, I wrote about my new year's goals. I call them goals, rather than resolutions, because I feel like resolution is a strong and oft-overused term these days.

One of my goals is to run a 5K, and in my quest to fulfill that goal, I downloaded an application on my iPhone called Couch-to-5K. This is a great application that takes someone with very little running expertise (read: ME) through a 9-week interval training program that eases you into running, gradually adding more and more jogging to your workout until you are comfortable as a runner. I don't run. I am pretty sure I laid that out in my last post. But I have been through four "runs" so far in this program and I have enjoyed all but one of them.

First of all, this gives me a half-hour of "me" time. Sure, when the kids go to bed, I can sit on the couch and watch TV. But then I tend to fall asleep and I don't really get much out of that time to myself. This gives me time to watch a show while exercising my body and doing something good for myself, and I have a clear head afterward so I can THINK.

Second, I don't really "run" through these workouts. I do a brisk walk for the majority of the workout, as per the instructions. I jog at a decent pace through the jogging intervals of the program, and I think fairly soon I will have fewer and fewer walking intervals as I prepare for the 5K. So it is a steady pace for sure, designed for someone like me who doesn't have much desire to run every day. But the more I do it, the more I enjoy it.

As far as losing the baby weight, well, I have gone in reverse there. It seems that whenever I begin an excruciating exercise regimen, I tend to put on a pound or two, and this time is no exception. I haven't altered my diet at all, so that doesn't affect anything. So I tell myself it is just that muscle weighs more than fat and I have to be patient. It's all about my clothes fitting better and my body getting healthier, right?

Yeah, I need to repeat that to myself every day. Because it is really frustrating to kill myself every day, 5 days a week, to see no difference on the scale.

As far as my other goals, we are taking baby steps toward them. Look for big changes in 2012!

So long 2011, bring on 2012!

2011-12-30T10:20:00.002-05:00

A Leap Year to boot!

2011 wasn't so bad, actually. I love the number 11, so maybe that has something to do with it. The year was really nice. My pregnancy was healthy and normal. My not-so-baby girl turned 3 years old. I gave birth to my baby boy, who is healthy and growing like a weed. Duane's job brought new challenges and opportunities, along with some much-needed extra money to pay off some of those hospital bills! My job, well, it is still there. I was promoted in May, then went on leave from August through most of October, then got to work short weeks when I came back, and now I am on vacation until 2012!

So my goals for 2012 are as follows (in no particular order):

1. Lose the baby weight. We're talking ALL the baby weight, going back to my pregnancy with Rachel. When I got pregnant with Gavin, I had just started to lose a couple more pounds, but I was basically 10 pounds heavier than when I got pregnant with Rachel. That 10 pounds, no matter what I did, would NOT come off. I exercised every day for a month, and 5 days a week for 4 weeks prior to that, and I didn't lose ONE pound. I was pretty tone, but not skinny. With this pregnancy, I only gained 30 pounds, and I have lost about 26 pounds of that. Given that I am still nursing, I am okay with this, and the Weight Watchers has helped a lot. But I need to combine that with exercise. Which brings us to #2.

2. Run a 5K. Now initially, this was "Run a half-Marathon" but I thought that might be a bit lofty for a goal. I don't have much time to exercise as it is, so training for a 5K might be more realistic, then I can start training for a 10K, and then we can bump it up from there. This will get me into exercising for a purpose other than to just lose weight. It isn't going to be easy, but it looks like there are lots of training programs out there to help me get started. And now that I know my bestest Kim Cotter is doing the same, it might help!

3. Spend more time with the family. This may seem crazy, given the first two goals, but I need to spend more time with my family. Before Gavin got here, I didn't get to spend much alone time with Rachel because I was working all the time. Now, I know I need to make time for her and Gavin, and ESPECIALLY my husband. We barely see each other when the kids aren't around, and I am instituting some sort of date night every week. Time without the kids. It is not easy to keep the fires alive with two kids and four jobs, but we have to find a way to do that.

4. Pay off as much debt as possible. Enter the aforementioned four jobs. I freelance, Duane works at the bowling alley (which we are trying to buy), and we also both have full-time jobs. With all of this, we should be able to pay off as much of our revolving debt as possible this year. I don't need to be rich, but I do want to be able to spend $100 on something without flinching. Or go out and buy a much-needed new car for our expanding family. My old girl has 230,000 miles on her, and if she makes it one more winter without major issues, I will be thankful. We're not poor, but living in debt is like carrying extra weight on your shoulders. You always think about it.

5. Be a better mom. It's hard sometimes, having two kids, two jobs, a husband, bills to pay, finances to balance, workouts to get in, housework to do, blogs to write... Sometimes (too often) I lose my patience. I want to be a more patient and loving mom. Not sweat the small stuff. Have FUN with my kids. I want them to be kids, not tiny adults. I need to focus on what is and isn't important and have more patience and understanding.

6. Be less judgmental. I am adopting the saying, "Walk a mile in his/her shoes..." because this year has shown me that I am not a perfect parent. I am not a perfect wife. I am not a perfect employee. I have been the parent with the screaming toddler and crying baby in the store. I have yelled at my toddler in public. I have made mistakes at work. I have judged others, and acted like I was perfect. And I am not. No one is. So I am really striving not to judge people, most especially when I don't know what they are going through. It is all part of being a better Christian.

7. Figure out what I want to do when I grow up. As much as I love my job, and I am good at it, it isn't where I will retire from. This year has taught me that, if nothing else. I can move around and adapt as the company changes, but in the long-term, I am not going to retire from The McGraw-Hill Companies. And that is okay. I am only 31 years old. That seems old, because I have two kids and I have worked there for almost 8 years, but in reality, it is just a decade of the four decades I will likely work before I retire. That is one-quarter of my career. So it is time to start thinking about what I want to do now that I am getting older. And it may involve going back to school, which I shudder about, because I have little time as it stands. But I need to figure it out sooner rather than later.

Blog FAIL

2011-12-13T17:57:00.005-05:00

I have been neglecting my blog again, so forgive me. I knew going back to work would be tough, but going back to work with two kids and a second job has been even tougher. I deluded myself into believing I would have time to go to the gym every evening, but some nights it is all I can do to get home and make something for Rachel to eat before slipping into a mental coma.

So work has been...interesting...the last few weeks. Just as I return from maternity leave and re-embrace my project that was supposed to be done before I ever got back, rumors begin to swirl about layoffs and re-orgs, etc. It soon became apparent that last Wednesday was D-Day (rather than Pearl Harbor Day -- my company can sure pick 'em). And when the e-mail went out from the first unlucky person called to HR, everyone in the company knew it was on, and we sat and prayed that our phones wouldn't ring. I survived the day, but we lost one of the people on our close-knit team, and that was tough.

So when I got home Wednesday night, I had to do a lot of reflecting. Work defines a lot of our lives, because most of us spend a good 40+ hours at work every week. I met some of my best friends at work. I am good at what I do. But if I were to lose my job, would I lose my identity? Would my life come to an end?

As if in answer to this question, Gavin slept a whopping TEN hours that night. I awoke refreshed, sad, but able to face the day after with more clarity than usual. And luckily I had my normal Friday vacation day to recover as well.

And I have been enjoying my kids a lot lately. As frustrating as it can be, I love being around them. We have been doing way too much to describe it all here. We have has Gavin baptized, met with Santa Claus, had sleepovers at grandparents' celebrated Thanksgiving, and started new routines. Gavin is on baby food now, and seems to enjoy that. Rachel has started a behavior chart to give her a bigger incentive to, well, behave. :) And I am just generally looking forward to spending the holidays with my family. Rachel finally seems to grasp the concept of Santa. She wants lots of purple presents for Christmas this year.

So I guess things are pretty good. Work is settling a little bit. Life at home is starting to become more routine. I am still hoping for a repeat of that 10-7 night of sleep, but we'll get there...

Back to Reality...

2011-10-23T12:07:00.010-04:00

Well, it has been 12 weeks since we brought Gavin home from the hospital. In late July, October seemed a lifetime away. And I have to say, I have really enjoyed my time off with the kids, with the exception of the complications I suffered and the extra surgery I had. But once that was behind me, I was able to get out and enjoy my time with them. And the bonus from the discomfort of that is that I got some vacation time back because I had to file a new short-term disability claim, so instead of going back to work with 1 day of vacation, I will have 11 days left when I return. While I considered extending my leave into November, I have always had it in my mind that I had to return on October 24th, so I arranged it with my boss that I would return for 1 full week of work, and then use my remaining vacation to work short weeks the rest of the year. Because of the holidays, it works perfectly, and I will even be able to take the week between Christmas and New Years off as well. So with the exception of this week and the week of November 7th, I will be taking every Friday off. And I have to say, that lessens to harsh feelings I was having about going back to work full-time.

Once that was settled, I focused on spending as much time as possible with my kids. Last Thursday, we went with my mom, sister, and nephews to Pigeon Roost Farms, which is a pumpkin patch and all-around Autumn playground. We didn't bring any pumpkins home (I am hoping we can get back there with Duane to do that), but Rachel had so much fun playing in the fun center with her cousins. It was a chilly day, perfect autumn weather, and I just had a blast watching her romp around.
Saturday Gavin and I went to my cousin's wedding, so Rachel had a sleepover at cousin Caden's. Judging by her crankiness when I picked her up on Sunday, she had fun. I enjoyed spending time with my family, and they were very helpful with Gavin so I even got to dance with my dad and brother.
Sunday, we attended Nolan's 1st birthday party! His mom did a Halloween theme (I don't know what she would have done if she had a kid that wasn't born around a holiday), so I made a pumpkin cake (actual pumpkin cake decorated like a pumpkin) and smash cake. Seriously, check out the video on Kim's blog. I have never seen a kid have that much fun with a smash cake.
Tuesday was my last real day of maternity leave with both kids, so I tried to get outside and spend some quality time with Rachel. I hadn't been able to do a lot of that, and I regret it, but we spent an hour outside blowing and chasing bubbles, playing in her car, and just generally running around.

Wednesday, Duane, Gavin, and I dropped Rachel off with the sitter and headed to Florida for Lori's wedding. I wish we could have taken Rachel with us, but I knew two kids would be a lot to handle for both of us, let alone the times when I had to do wedding things and couldn't be around to help. And because I am nursing Gavin, I didn't want to be away from him that long. So Rachel got to spend some days with Grandma and Hoppa, and we headed to Boca Raton.

The vacation was really fabulous, even though we didn't get to do much. Gavin could not have been better on the airplane. He fell asleep every time the engines kicked on. When we got there, we picked up our rental (a mini-van, much to Duane's chagrin) and drove up the coast from Fort Lauderdale International Airport to Boca Raton. It was gorgeous. There were so many yachts and mansions lit up in the night. Duane was instantly in love. Apparently we arrived during a beautiful pocket of nice weather too. It was 70s and sunny every day! Not even humid!

Our hotel was situated right on the beach, and I splurged on the ocean view room with a balcony, so we spent every morning sitting on the balcony just staring out at the ocean. I drank my coffee, and Duane just stared. We left the door open and listened to the waves crashing on the beach as often as possible. This was the view from out balcony.
And the wedding was probably the most beautiful wedding ceremony I have ever seen. Lori was gorgeous. I hope she doesn't mind if I post this picture.She is beautiful under the worst conditions, but as a bride, she was simply stunning.

She and Mike were married at a private club, in front of a pool with a fountain. As she came down the staircase, Mike started to cry, and I almost lost it too. The night could only have been more perfect if Duane and Gavin had been able to be there, but Gavin was extremely fussy and Duane sacrificed his evening so that I could spend mine with my friends. Everything was amazing. I am so happy I could share the experience with them.

So amazing that we really didn't want to leave on Saturday when the time came. I had scheduled a late afternoon/early evening flight to give us time to putz around on Saturday, and putz we did. Duane tried to convince me to go get Rachel and bring her back...permanently. He is already job hunting down there.

For now, we are just planning next year's vacation. I got some great tips from the woman who did my hair for the wedding. So I hope we can spend several nights in Boca and a couple in Orlando visiting a giant mouse and his friends. Until then, we may have to buy Duane a CD of ocean waves, crashing on the beach, to get him to sleep well at night...

Two Months!

2011-10-10T16:47:00.006-04:00

In ways, it feels like just yesterday that I was posting that Gavin was 2 weeks old, and in other ways, it feels like it has been 2 years. He has developed strong preferences, much like his sister had at his age. Duane says we let them do that -- and he might be right.

Although Gavin doesn't have the reflux problems Rachel had when she was an infant, he is very particular about how he sleeps and eats. Try as I might, he doesn't sleep well unless he is sleeping next to me or on his boppy. I have been trying to slowly break him of his boppy habit, but when I lay him to sleep on his back with nothing around him, he wakes within minutes. And I figure that him getting sleep is more important than whether or not he sleeps with his boppy. His neck muscles are strong enough to lift his head now, so I am not so worried about him suffocating, and I figure that eventually, he will be able to roll over and sleep however he wants. (I used to find Rachel like this in her crib!)
He has also definitely decided he doesn't care for formula when I am within smelling distance from him. I have attempted to give him formula at points recently when we have been out and about, and he will only take the liquid kind that comes in 2-ounce bottles. No powder for him! This only concerns me because we are heading to Florida next week for Lori's wedding, and we are taking Gavin because of the nursing, but if he is fussy about sleeping and/or eating with Duane while I am taking care of wedding obligations, it could cause issues.

In other sleeping developments, Gavin has been experiencing nightmares every few days. I can tell they are nightmares, because he will be in a deep sleep, and suddenly he begins to cry, with no wimpering or whining leading up to it. And when I lift him, he doesn't immediately wake up, as though he is stuck in the bad dream. It is so sad to see him experience that, because he is upset for several minutes after. I always wonder what babies dream about -- and apparently whatever he is dreaming about isn't good!

So other than the sleep situation, Gavin is doing well. We had his 2-month doctor appointment last Friday. He did really well. Unfortunately, at the 2-month appointment, he had to have 3 shots! He didn't care for those much. He was very fussy the rest of the day. But his measurements were all wonderful. He weighed in at a hefty 13 lbs 9 oz and was 24.5 inches long. That is 90th and 96th in percentiles, respectively. So I guess I am making enough milk!

I get lots of smiles and coos, and that is always nice to see. I am hoping that when Gavin starts daycare in a couple of weeks, he will settle into a routine, which should also help Duane settle in with him too. Soon after that, we should start solids, and I remember that helping Rachel sleep better and be a little less fussy about her eating. Here's hoping.
Until then, I am trying to enjoy my remaining time at home with the kids.

Where Did September Go??

2011-10-02T19:44:00.017-04:00

I know it is cliche, but I honestly feel like I just brought Gavin home from the hospital, and it is already October -- the month when I have to go back to work. I still have 3 weeks of maternity leave remaining, but at this point with Rachel, I was back to work. Twelve weeks just seemed like an eternity when I was anticipating leaving work, and now I am already building up to the dread of going back. :( I always have lofty plans for what I will do while I am off work. This time, I accomplished more of those plans, but definitely not all of them.

So what did I do with my September? I trekked down to Kentucky/Cincinnati on Labor Day weekend to celebrate my friend Lori at a bridal shower and bachelorette party.

Then I rushed back to Columbus to celebrate my brother's-in-law graduation from college. The following weekend, I made my first wedding cake! I normally wouldn't commit to making a cake for such a momentous occasion, but it was for a friend, and the wedding was small enough that I decided I could handle the pressure.

I had a little bit of a health issue this month. It is too personal to detail here, but it was the result of complication from laboring with Gavin, and after repeated trips to the doctor, it was determined I would need surgery to correct the issue. Now let me say, I have gone through childbirth twice now, including the recovery from childbirth. And I was a BIG BABY about the build-up to this surgery. It was outpatient surgery, but the doctor couldn't really predict what it would do to me or how long it would wipe me out. And having two kids around, I was worried about how to care for them. The surgery also required anesthesia, and that meant no nursing Gavin for 24 hours. And as much as I fretted about nursing Gavin in the early weeks of his life, the boy has definitely grown to love the boob. So he wasn't exactly pleased when I came home from the hospital and he didn't get to nurse. I had to pump-and-dump, which stinks -- breastmilk is like GOLD! But the upside of the surgery is that I had a lot of support from family and friends through the whole thing. Duane's job took him out of town all week, but my in-laws came through big time. They took me to and from the hospital and helped a bunch with the kids. My mom came to spend the night with me the night of the surgery, and things went very well. Then my mom and my sister both came over the next day to make sure I was doing okay. I just realized again how lucky I am to have so much support.

I have also been trying to get out of the house more this month. A couple weeks ago, I took Rachel to sign up for her first library card! She didn't understand the library, but she has enjoyed looking at the books. I am planning to take her to storytime one day this week, if I feel up to getting out. Two Wednesdays ago, I took Rachel to see her first movie in a real movie theater. My in-laws came up to sit with Gavin, and Rachel and I went to see an early showing of The Lion King. She was hesitant to go in the theater, but once she sat down and started eating popcorn, she was sold on the experience. I have never seen a kid who loves popcorn like that (my mother would be so proud!). I think she even ate a piece off the floor.

Then two Fridays ago, Mom and I took both kids to the Zoo. It was a bleak and rainy day, but Rachel had been looking forward to the visit all week, so we decided to brave the weather conditions. I am glad we did -- she enjoyed seeing the elephants and other animals. But more than anything, she loves riding the carousel at the Zoo. I hope we can make a trip back up there before I go back to work. Also on the agenda is a trip to the pumpkin patch!

And the kid just has so much personality now. She has figured out how to use the camera on my phone -- here is one of her self-portraits and just another example of her personality:
Gavin has turned on the personality lately too. He has grown like a weed this month. I had to reschedule his 2-month doctors appointment because of my surgery, so I don't know how much he weighs or his stats, but he seems twice the size that he was when he came out. I slightly miss the tiny fingers, hands, feet, etc. But I love all the things that come with his getting a bit older -- like the smiles! He smiles at me ALL THE TIME now. And there is no question that he knows who I am. He is carrying on a love affair with one of the lamps in our family room -- cooing, smiling, laughing at it. Duane was holding him yesterday, and it astounds me how much he has grown to look like his daddy. A lot of the dark hair he had when he was born has fallen out or faded, so he doesn't have much more than Rachel had at this age.

My kids are so wonderful and yet so frustrating all at once. I have days where I want to pull out my hair and days where I can't imagine not being around them like this all the time. They love each other -- that is quite obvious. Rachel always wants her "Baby Gavin" (because she won't call him just Gavin) with her at all times. She is one of the few people he recognizes and he smiles at her too.

And now the weather has turned cold, my football is in full blast (though my Buckeyes are definitely having a down year), and I am looking forward to Halloween for the first time in a long time. I don't think Rachel understands it, so I need to record some of the cartoons about it so she can get the idea a bit better. And I have two weddings to attend in October, one which will require traveling to Florida!

I signed up for Weight Watchers Online the last week of August because I am sick of feeling frumpy. So far, without exercising at all, I have lost 3 pounds. Granted, that is with some health issues, and I intend to start a serious exercise routine tomorrow to try to trim another 7 pounds in the next 2 weeks. But I feel better about what I am eating now. I tend to go crazy with my eating in the first few weeks of nursing, because I am ALWAYS hungry, and I am up all hours of the night. So I got it in check now, and I have a personal goal of getting back to my pre-Gavin weight by Christmas. :)

Sigh...now I am back to my leave. I need to experience every day to the fullest! I have a haircut slated for this week. I was trying to grow it out, but it has become too much of a pain every day. I need something easy!

Week "Off"

2011-08-27T17:24:00.009-04:00

Duane has been on vacation this week, and I must admit, it has been really nice to have him around. I think I have a pretty good handle on this two-kid thing, but I will freely admit to losing my patience a little more than usual with my overactive 3-year-old. She has a tendency to crave attention, and it can be hard when I am tending to Gavin and she is asking me to look at her run in circle for the 100th time in 5 minutes.

Having Duane around really helps with that, because he can wear her down by playing with her while I tend to Gavin. Then when Gavin goes down for his nap, I get a little bit of quality time with Rachel, and occasionally I can slip out to run errands with her while Duane stays at home to watch Gavin. It's also nice to have the adult company and to spend some nice quality time with my husband. We are so blessed that his job is going very well and they value him, but when he is home from work, he still isn't really "home from work." He is out of town 2 nights a week, and when he is home, he gets several calls at night and occasionally has to run into the Columbus plant. I am grateful for the added income his promotion brings, because it is allowing us to give our children nice things and to get ourselves in a better situation to where maybe we can get a house with some property down the road, but having him home (and somewhat relaxed) has been really refreshing.

Tuesday was my birthday, and Duane took Rachel to the store in the morning to let me "sleep in" (read: sleep until 8 a.m. rather than 6:45 a.m., which is the time at which Rachel's internal alarm has been set since Gavin's arrival). He also knows the key to my heart, because he returned with a Tim Horton's coffee, flowers, a cake, and a card.

Later in the day, when I was able to get ready and get Gavin situated, we went bowling at Gahanna Lanes, our favorite bowling alley. Rachel wasn't really interested in whether she knocked any pins down, but she really liked throwing the ball with all her strength and running back to watch it come up the return. And I bowled very well (ahem, using the bumper lanes).

After that we headed home for everyone's naps. I didn't take one, and I need to get back to doing that, but I didn't want to spend any of my birthday knocked out. I used the quiet around the house as an opportunity to tend to some things I have been meaning to do. And then my parents came by to watch the kids for us while Duane and I escaped to dinner. It was a really nice birthday, overall. Rachel has been doing so well with Gavin. Aside from some general frustration at having to wait a little longer to get what she wants when I am nursing him, she is very attentive. I feel like I have a side-seat mommy with me when she is home -- she does not like her little brother to cry, so she makes sure I know he is crying until he stops crying. She also runs to get me things I need when I ask her, watches almost every diaper change, and kisses his head several times a day. She is a delight to watch with him.

Wednesday, my friends Kim and Lawrene stopped over with their kids. We are all mommies of two now, so it is interesting to watch the interaction. Kim gave me this wonderful birthday gift:

Lawrene gave me a ton of boy clothes, and I let her go through the first bin of Rachel's clothes. It is pretty apparent that I spent way too much money on clothes for Rachel over the years. I have roughly 8 bins of clothes!

The rest of the week, we have tried to relax with each other at home. Duane has worked around the house, and I have had to convince him to take time for himself to relax. It will be sad when he goes back to work next week, because the company has been nice at home. I bought myself the book The Help today because I saw the movie with my mom and sister last Friday, and maybe it was just my hormones, but I LOOOOVED it. It was funny, sad, inspirational, and depressing all rolled into one big lump of emotion. So I figure I will read the book while I sit at home alone with Gavin.

Friday, I ventured out with both kids to have breakfast with my mom and sister. Rachel was very well-behaved, and Gavin slept almost the entire breakfast. But I will say, I had my first baby boy experience. Gavin pooped through his diaper...this I am used to. Rachel did it several times. However, when I went to change him, he began to pee. I quickly covered his little doodah with a wipe. After many seconds, I removed the wipe to continue cleaning the poop. He began to pee again. This pattern continued four times. I just laughed and shook my head. I finally got the little guy cleaned up, and then he spit up on himself. It was comical for me, but luckily I didn't have to go anywhere directly following the breakfast!

I also picked up Gavin's newborn pictures Friday. I love them! As you can see in my new header, Rachel was quite the character for the session as well. I wish I could post them all here, but here is one of my (many) favorites:

I also have a lot of cakes to make in the next couple of weeks, not the least of which is a wedding cake for a friend. It is a small wedding, and that is the ONLY reason I agreed to make the cake, because that is a LOT of pressure on me. I am already stressing about it.

And I can't believe it, but next Saturday kicks off the 2011 NCAA College Football season! I won't be in town for the first game, for good reason -- I am headed to Kentucky for my friend Lori's bridal shower and bachelorette party! I actually went to KY on Monday this week to plan and address the invitations with her friend Bethany. I am taking Gavin with me for the bridal shower and then my brother and his girlfriend will be babysitting for the bachelorette party.

Monday is my follow-up appointment with my OB/GYN. It is a little earlier than the typical 6-week follow-up, but I am hoping she gives me the go-ahead to resume exercise. I only gained 30 pounds with Gavin, which was my goal and a LOT better than the 42 pounds I gained with Rachel. However, I also hadn't lost the last 10 pounds of Rachel weight when I got pregnant again, and I still have about 12 pounds of Gavin weight on top of that. So all-in-all, I have about 25 pounds of weight that I would like to lose, and while I realize I just had a baby, my goal is to at least get close to my pre-Gavin weight by Lori's wedding in October. I have just about 7 weeks to do this. Then I would like to lose another 5-10 pounds by Christmas and be down to my pre-Rachel weight by the beginning of next summer. So not only am I eager to get back to exercising, I am probably going to join Weight Watchers as well. The problem with dieting and exercising too vigorously is that I have to take in extra calories and not burn too many calories while I am nursing Gavin, or my supply will dwindle. Gavin's nursing is another blog entry, but I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my nursing abilities until he is at least eating baby food around 4 months, so I have to balance my fitness goals with my mommy goals!

Stay tuned -- the next 2 weeks are going to be busy, but after that, I have about 6 more weeks of peaceful leave to enjoy before heading back to work. *Sigh* I never thought I could be a stay-at-home mom once I started liking my job, but now that I am home, I wonder...

Two Weeks and Going Strong!

2011-08-12T14:53:00.007-04:00

Do you hear that? That's the sound of a 3-year-old and a 2-week-old napping at the same time! How often does that happen?
Gavin and I have been home for about 2 weeks now, and we have a quasi-routine established. This week, we added Big Sister Rachel to the mix. I plan on keeping Rachel home 3 weekdays and only sending her to the babysitter on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the duration of my maternity leave (with the occasional third day, when needed). Some people think I am crazy for this, but I really want to spend some time with Rachel AND Gavin.
So far, Rachel has been great with her little brother. She calls him "My Gavin," and she loves to kiss his head and watch me change his diapers. Yesterday, he started to cry as I was brushing my teeth, and she rushed over to him and told him it would be okay. She has accepted him quickly as part of her permanent lifestyle, and I couldn't be more thrilled!
And I have to say, Gavin is an exceptional baby! I don't know if it is because I know more about being a mommy to a newborn this time or if it is just a difference in temperament, but he is so much easier to care for than I remember Rachel being. It also has helped that my recovery has been so much easier this time around. With Rachel, I didn't feel human again until 3-4 weeks post partum. This recovery took roughly a week--though I can't say I am 100% back to normal, I have been able to get out of the house several times on my own, with very little trouble.
Gavin only cries when he is hungry. I can set him down for a while in his swing and he is content to explore the room with his eyes. He sleeps most of the day, and he naps at night, so we need to get him on the right schedule, but I can't complain about that. He isn't colicky, and as long as he gets his food, he is a happy little guy. He weighed 8lbs 1 oz at his 1-week check-up, and everything is healthy and normal, which is a relief after the NICU scare! He is nursing a lot more efficiently, but we still supplement with some formula, though I can tell he prefers breastmilk.
He is also fascinated with his sister, so I am excited to watch them grow up together.
The only hiccup in the arrangement has been that Rachel wants a LOT of attention, and I just don't have a lot of extra time to devote to her right now. I was working on some freelance when I went into labor, and I have been struggling to finish it up (it is now overdue) so that I can worry about nothing except my kids. And it is possible that Rachel ALWAYS demanded a lot of attention, and I just never noticed because I didn't have anywhere else to devote it. But now that I have a baby demanding prompt feedings when his belly rumbles, it is hard for me to watch Rachel spinning in circles, hopping around, or showing me what she is doing every minute of the day. And it doesn't help that Daddy is traveling on business more than he used to, so she doesn't have him around to roughhouse with her every night. Duane and I have both had some issues in the patience department. I am working very hard to overcome that demon, because she has been such a great little girl through everything, and I don't want to stimey her imagination and love.

It will be wonderful here in a couple weeks because Duane is taking a week of vacation time, and we can take some trips as a family to get Rachel out and about. I think we will visit the Zoo, and possibly make a date with Mommy, Daddy, and Rachel only. Although Rachel might not like that, because she constantly wants to know where her little brother is! But I want to make sure to give her some time alone with us, and I will enjoy being able to have some girl time like we used to.
So everything through these first two weeks is great! I am tired, and I have been catching a lot of Big Brother After Dark (Showtime Channel), but it has been so much smoother than I really expected. I had been so nervous for a while at the end of my pregnancy, wondering how things would be with this new little baby in our lives, but I feel really blessed!

The Birth Story of Gavin Duane

2011-08-06T19:17:00.009-04:00

Back in November, when I learned I was pregnant with our second child and I tried to calculate my due date, I decided I wanted this baby to arrive on July 28th.

There were many reasons for this. First, I didn't want the baby to go past the due date of July 31st. Rachel was 4 days late, and it is just frustrating to be waiting around at the end of your pregnancy. Second, and most importantly, I thought the numbers would be perfect. Rachel's birthday is June 23rd, mine is August 23rd, and Duane's is April 28th. How perfect would it be to have a baby with July 28th as a birthday? We would all be perfectly linked together! Finally, my cousin/little brother Mark's birthday is July 28th, which would be just icing on the proverbial birthday cake.

So when I went to the doctor on July 25th, and she told me I was still only 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced, and we scheduled my induction for August 4th, I was discouraged. It isn't that I find anything wrong with being induced per se. I know a lot of people who have had to be induced, and everything turned out fine. But I know a lot of people who have had complications from being induced (e.g., longer labors, problems dilating, painful contractions, stress on the baby, emergency C sections, etc.), so I just really didn't want to be induced if I could help it. I was technically induced with Rachel, because I wasn't having contractions on my own when my water broke, so I knew everything would work out okay no matter how baby arrived. Still, I was hopeful...

So when my sister and mom invited me to join them at the Ohio State Fair on Wednesday, July 27th, I asked my boss if it would be okay for me to leave a little early. My boss is just awesome, and he agreed easily. I left work at 1:30, and I made it to the fair at 2 p.m. I spent about 5 hours walking around in the 90-degree heat with Rachel, my nephews, and my mom and sister. Rachel and I got home around 8 p.m. Duane was working late (luckily in Columbus as opposed to Indianapolis, where he usually spends Tuesday and Wednesday nights).

After I got Rachel to bed, I was laying on the couch, watching Big Brother on DVR. My abdomen was definitely sore from walking so much. Suddenly, I felt a bit of a trickle...

My first thought: "Oh man...did I just pee myself?" Then, I realized that I hadn't felt any urge to pee whatsoever. So as I debated about whether my water had broken and whether I should call the doctor, I was changing my pants, and the question was answered for me...because the small trickle turned into a much larger trickle, and it was pretty evident that baby was ready to come out!

At this point, it was about 10 p.m. I called Duane, but he didn't answer, so I sent him a text and then called my parents.

Around that time, I started having contractions. I had never had any contractions when my water broke with Rachel. Duane finally called back, and I told him what happened and he said he was on his way home. My contractions were about 10-15 minutes apart, lasting only about 20 seconds. When I got to the hospital, I was dilated to 3 cm. My contractions started coming much faster, but I was only feeling about 20 seconds of them. I asked that I be allowed to walk around to move things along, and in no time I was at 5 cm. Then, the baby's heart rate dropped. My contractions started coming 1 minute apart, right on top of one another. So no more walking, said the nurse. I decided it was a good time for an epidural.

The epidural with Rachel was easy and quick. So when it took several numbings and I started having pressure in my head, I was worried. I asked what was going on, and the anesthesiologist said there was a problem. Basically, he put the catheter in too far on the first attempt, which is called a wet tap. I began leaking cerebrospinal fluid, which caused the pressure in my head. He explained this leaking could cause severe headaches that would last 5-8 days, so I should monitor the headaches and he would check in on me the next day (Friday). He apologized profusely.

The pressure in my head moved to my neck and began causing severe spasms. I didn't know how I would be able to push when it was time. I couldn't feel any pain with the contractions anymore, but I could feel pressure. My contractions also slowed waaaaaaayyy down. So after 3 hours with virtually no progress, they started me on Pitocin to move things along.

I went from 6 cm to fully dilated in 90 minutes, and the nurse said she didn't think it would take much more than 1 push. The doctor peeked in and asked if she had time to change into scrubs and the nurse told her to hurry! Ten minutes after I started pushing, our baby was born, and I knew almost instantly that we had a son!

The cord was wrapped around his neck twice, and he was a little stunned and slow to become alert. But he got things moving and I heard him cry for about 5 minutes as they cleaned him up.

Gavin Duane was born at 10:38 a.m. on July 28th and weighed in at 7 lbs 11 oz, 20 inches long.

Because he was stunned in the beginning, Gavin's blood sugar was a little bit low, and they ended up taking him to the NICU overnight for a glucose IV. Until he could test consistently higher and feeding regularly, he would need to stay in the NICU. I went down to nurse him every 3 hours, but my neck spasms were still bad, so I had trouble making it down there once. I was terribly upset, but my nurses were amazing!!! Gavin's NICU nurse sat with me and kept me calm, and my nurse on Friday tracked down several doctors in an attempt to get me some relief for my neck pain.

Gavin returned from the NICU Friday afternoon, and we were discharged from the hospital on Saturday. The anesthesiologists couldn't figure out the neck spasms, but they didn't feel they were related to the botched epidural (despite the fact that they started right after).

I started having headaches Saturday, but they weren't terrible. But by the afternoon on Sunday, they were so bad that I couldn't see straight. So I called my doctor and she sent me to the ER at St. Anns. I was in extreme pain, and the ER doctor was not encouraging about the availability of an anesthesiologist to do a blood patch. However, in about a half-hour, the original anesthesiologist returned to do my blood patch, which clots the hole that is leaking fluid with blood. The headaches disappeared instantly, but I had to wait until the IV was done before I could leave. I was thankful that the anesthesiologist prioritize my case, because I was spent emotionally, I didn't want to be away from my little girl and my baby boy anymore!

I was sent home on bedrest for 1-2 days, which was rough with a newborn. But after a day, I was fully recovered.

The recovery since then has been smooth and easy compared to what it was with Rachel. Other than the low blood sugar and the wet tap problem, I have had no issues! Gavin is already up to 8 lbs and sleeping and eating well. I have been able to get out of the house a couple of times, and I am slowly learning to balance 2 kids. My mom helped all week, and Duane was even able to take some time off of work to help too. My back is still a bit sore, and I am not 100%, but I can't believe how quickly I am bouncing back this time.

So that is the long story of how we became a family of 4!!

Final Plans...Check!

2011-07-11T20:20:00.005-04:00

Months ago, my sister and I began planning the birthday party to celebrate Rachel's third birthday and my nephew Owen's fifth birthday. Unfortunately, though their birthdays are June 23rd and 26th, respectively, the local parks were booked up. So we slipped 2 weekends into July (the 9th, to be exact) before we could get the party planned. I was a little wary of this, but it was the best we could do at the time, so I made a deal with baby to have him/her respect big sister and stay in until at least July 10th.

Normally we hold the celebration at Blacklick Woods, but this time we went for a park in Gahanna called Friendship Park. It turned out to be a really nice shelter, very close to the playground (maybe a little too close, considering the little ones had trouble focusing on anything BUT the playground), and the weather couldn't have been more perfect.

And little brother/sister honored the deal and stayed put through the party.

This was my last set of plans before my due date. Everything else is loose and tentative, just in case this kiddo makes an early appearance.

Speaking of early appearances, it doesn't look like the kiddo will be making one. I am not 37 weeks (which is considered full term), but the doctor reports that I am still only about a fingertip dilated and not effaced at all. The baby's head is down and in position perfectly, but apparently my body is not giving up this pregnancy thing anytime soon.

I am not complaining too much. I remember the sleepless nights after having Rachel, and while I am none-too-eager to return to that level of zombie-hood, I am kind of done being pregnant for a while. I feel really large (despite everyone's comments about how small I still look for being so far along), and the pressure/pain in my pelvis is getting pretty old. Plus, I would really like to meet my new son/daughter!!

So for now I wait. I told my doctor I would like to let things go until August 4th or 5th before we talk induction, though I am hoping something happens before then. And chances are, it will, given Rachel's dramatic entrance into the world. I just might be one of those women who doesn't have contractions on her own -- I will wait around until my water breaks or whatever.

As for Rachel's party -- it couldn't have gone much better, with the one exception that the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake I made for her kept dismantling in the heat. It looked great while it lasted though!! And the kids had so much fun.

Next year we will have to see if we combine this little one's birthday with Rachel's!

Almost Full-Term

2011-07-06T18:53:00.004-04:00

It occurs to me that I really haven't done justice to Baby #2 in my blog posts. I realized this last week when I got back from the doctor. I had been experiencing an unusual amount of discomfort (even pain) since going to the Zoo on Rachel's birthday, so the doctor did an internal exam a week earlier than normal. During the exam, she discovered that Baby's head is very low. She also determined that I was just shy of 1 cm dilated. So I went back to figure out (from blog posts) how far along I was at 35 weeks with Rachel. That made me realize that I haven't been nearly as descriptive about the pregnancy with Baby #2. So I will have to try to make up for that in the remaining however-many weeks I have left!
To start, I had my mini-shower for Baby #2 on June 25th! My friends Kim, Lawrene, and Jen (also my SIL) organized this for me and I can't thank them enough! I had such a good time and got some nice things I needed for Baby #2. I had started a registry for Baby #2 with various small things (and a couple bigger ones I intended to buy myself) that you have to re-purchase when you have a second child. My awesome family and friends were so generous that I really don't have much left to get! I even got enough gift cards to get the glider I want. With Rachel, I always used a rocking chair, which was okay, but I remember being very uncomfortable at certain points, and I thought it would be really nice to have a more comfortable chair for the late nights with Baby.

The shower was a lot of fun. It even included a game centered around the gender of the baby. Apparently most people think this baby is a boy. I still waiver back and forth, but my inclination is leaning toward boy. I don't have a reason really, other than the difference in how I am carrying this pregnancy. I have gained less weight (28 lbs so far as compared to 39 lbs by this point last pregnancy), and the majority of it is in my belly (36-week picture posted below). But I have talked to a few moms who had this happen with babies that ended up both being girls, so I guess this doesn't hold much weight (no pun intended).

So anyway, as I mentioned, I have been in some pain since June 23rd. The best way I can describe the feeling is that it feels like I imagine a guy would feel after getting kicked in the balls, after the initial sting has worn off. It just feels sore and achy, like I pulled a muscle. The doctor seemed to think the baby being so low contributed to this feeling, and chalked it up to normal discomfort.

I was still feeling this at my 36-week appointment on Tuesday, and the nurse practitioner mentioned that if I am in a lot of pain at 37 weeks, they can try to strip my membranes to induce an earlier labor. It isn't guaranteed to work, but she said it might help. I haven't had any contractions that were noticable, and I didn't progress past the <1 cm from week 35, but I don't know if I will ask for the membrane stripping or not. I am in no real rush to get Baby out -- I guess I just hoped to make some progress from week to week to encourage me that the pain I was feeling had some purpose. My main goal was to get past this Saturday (July 9th) because we are having Rachel & Owen's birthday party that day. Once I am past that, I have no plans to do much of anything, so if Baby makes an early debut, I am fine with it. I have work in a pretty stable situation...the only issue is in a promotion I am hoping to interview for something this month. That's a whole other story though.

I feel pretty good about where we stand with baby-readiness though. I washed the carseat cover and installed it in my car. I ordered the extra carseat base using some gift cards we got for cashing in rewards points. I washed the bottles, the cover for the swing, the crib mattress pad, and some smaller gender-neutral clothes we had from Rachel, and the nursery is fairly clean. I even pre-paid the majority of our hospital bill.

Tune in next week for the latest news on Baby #2. I hit full-term on Sunday!

Happy 3rd Birthday Rachel!!

2011-06-24T17:04:00.006-04:00

It seems like just yesterday I was sitting around, waiting to have contractions so I could go to the hospital and meet my little girl. Maybe it feels so familiar because I am only 5 weeks away from my due date with the new baby. Three years ago, on June 22nd, at 11:45 p.m., my water broke and we went to the hospital knowing that we would soon get to meet our daughter Rachel. Almost exactly 13 hours later, we welcomed Rachel Louise Wood into the world.

I didn't know what to expect from having a baby. There were certainly a lot of people offering advice and wisdom. There were definitely sleepless nights. There was a big learning curve. But more than anything, there has been a LOT of laughter and a ton of love.
Rachel is such a joy to be around. Her smile lights up any room. And as she has grown up, her personality has developed into such a hoot! She has a great sense of humor, she is a social butterfly, she is intelligent, and she is sweet. I am not saying the kid is perfect (we have recently hit a phase where listening has become an issue), but she amazes me each day with how great she is.

For her 3rd birthday, we took the day off and went to the Zoo. We were lucky to have Duane come with us, and I could really tell that Rachel enjoyed it more when he was there to share experiences with. We saw monkeys, elephants, a tiger, some lions, and a various other animals. But I think the biggest hit of the day was when we let Rachel ride the carousel. She had been on one at Cedar Point last summer, but this time, she seemed to enjoy it even more.

We managed to escape the Zoo without getting rained on, and we headed home to enjoy the rest of our day. We got pizza for dinner and a Dairy Queen Reeses Blizzard Cake for dessert. Rachel enjoyed both, but I think she really just liked blowing out her candles. She asked for 4 candles, and when she blew them out the first time, she requested that we relight them and let her blow them out again, for good measure. (Hey, it was her birthday...)

And her birthday wasn't complete until her cousin and best friend Caden paid her a visit. I think that just topped off the whole day.

This morning, we went for her 3-year check-up (which for some reason required a urine sample), and she checked out remarkably. They really enjoy her at Dr. Dan's office. She is advanced in her speech and right on track developmentally. She is also advanced socially. She came in around 35th percentile for weight and 23rd percentile for height. Previously she had been in high percentiles for height, so I guess her genes caught up with her! Sorry kid!

Then we went for her 3-year pictures. She couldn't have been better. She was super excited -- I couldn't get her to stop running around, jumping and smiling. It seems like last time we were there she wouldn't smile at all!

I managed to limit myself in the picture selection, since I figure we will be getting more pictures done in about 6-7 weeks, but it is still amazing to see how much she has changed throughout these 3 years!

Baby's First Concert

2011-05-11T21:38:00.000-04:00

When I was little, I remember my mom talking about some things that she did/happened to her while she was pregnant with each of us. It particularly stands out to me that she fell off a snowmobile while she was pregnant with my sister Julie, which I must say...explains some things. =) But the story made me think about what I have done since I have been pregnant.

When I was pregnant with Rachel, I got the opportunity to go to the National Championship game featuring my Ohio State University Buckeyes versus LSU. While the outcome wasn't what I had hoped for, it was a memorable experience nonetheless, and I was thrilled to share in it with my mom.

So what could I possibly do while pregnant with Baby #2 that could ever compare? Unfortunately, we didn't have the money to send me to the Sugar Bowl featuring my Buckeyes this year. However, when my friend Lawrene asked me if I wanted to go to the Bon Jovi concert when they came to Columbus, I readily agreed! I have been to 3 Bon Jovi concerts, and even though I am not an avid concert-goer, I love Bon Jovi. I can't say I have heard a song I didn't like.

When we planned to attend this concert, we were about 3.5 to 4 months pregnant. So it seemed quite far off, imagining our 7-month preggo bellies at a rock concert. Lawrene even made shirts for us that said "Future Bon Jovi Fan" in big, glittering letters. So when the concert arrived last night, we sported our shirts (and bellies) quite proudly.

Although we had a bit of a traffic hiccup, we made it to the concert in just enough time, and Baby #2 definitely enjoyed all the sounds he/she heard from the womb, because I felt a lot of movement throughout the night. I danced, I sang, I had a GREAT time. By the end of the night, though, I was DEFINITELY exhausted.

So looking back, I hope one day my Future Bon Jovi Fan will see these pictures and think of them fondly. If not...well, I still had a good time!

March

2011-04-02T17:56:00.007-04:00

So again, I have neglected my blogging for about a month. Not much has really happened. I have had to make a LOT of cakes lately. One for a very special 3-year-old boy named Aiden. Normally Aiden's mom requests a shamrock cake every year, because his birthday is very close to St. Patrick's Day, but this year, she decided to go for a Mickey Mouse-themed party. Luckily for me, they make Mickey Mouse pans. Shaped pattern pans are truly the best for me as far as decorating goes, so this cake went very well for me.

I also made various birthday cakes and a shower cake for a co-worker's baby shower (a teddy bear shaped pan). Then came the robot cake for my nephew Noah. I can't believe he is 7 years old! The robot examples I found online used candy and donuts for the pieces and parts of the cake, and Noah was really excited to have donuts and cake together! I think I definitely hit the sugar quota in this cake, and the kids were all really excited to get pieces of candy with their cake.

Finally, my sister-in-law requested a WWE cake for her nephew Landyn for his 8th birthday. This presented the most significant challenge for me, because he wanted it to have a WWE championship belt, which has a lot of detail to it. I knew I wouldn't be able to replicate all of the detail work, but I used the pictures below to come up with a cake for him. The picture doesn't show it, but I used fondant, which I painted with gold dust, and texturized the center badge to make it look like authentic gold. I was really worried about this cake because I have no idea what the WWE belts really look like and I didn't want to miss any key elements, but I think it turned out pretty well.

Baby #2 is doing great! It is moving around in there quite a bit these days. Sometimes it wakes me up in the morning with little knocks on my belly. I love feeling each kick, and Duane can even see him/her moving in there now. He has felt the baby kick a couple of times, and he is very excited to meet the baby. We had our 20-week ultrasound on March 16th. It was really exciting, but the ultrasound tech would not let us take video. She said she would give us all the photos we wanted. The ultrasound itself was great. I could identify the baby's parts on my own at times. I could see the baby's eyes and mouth and even counted the fingers on one of its hands at one point. We held strong in not finding out the gender, and the ultrasound tech told us to look away when we got to that part. She did use a pronoun for the baby at one point, but we aren't sure if that was a generic pronoun, so we are basically calling it nothing. She informed us that she wouldn't put the gender in the chart either, because there was nothing wrong with the sex organs, so there was no need for the doctor to be alerted. So I guess the only one who knows for sure is the tech (and God of course!).

But at the end of the ultrasound, the tech only gave us four pictures, and three of them were really blurry. It was very discouraging, because the ultrasound itself was so clear, and Rachel's 20-week ultrasound pictures were so much better than these, and I don't want our second baby to feel short-changed one day when we look back at the pictures. Even the nurse practitioner admitted the photos the tech had given me were not very good. So I scheduled a 3D/4D ultrasound with an independent ultrasound place, which I had been hesitant to do because we are worried about finding out the gender. However, the woman assured me that they are very careful to respect the wishes of parents who do not want to learn the gender, so I thought this would be a great way to give Rachel a chance to see the baby before it is born too.

I also decided to send some feedback to the doctor's office, because I was very discouraged about this ultrasound experience, and I learned that a couple of my friends who go to the same doctor also had a negative experience. So I sent some feedback via the internet form, just generally expressing my disappointment.

I received a call this week from the office offering me a complimentary ultrasound to get some better pictures. They claim the ultrasound machine at that particular office has been having trouble for a while, and they encouraged me to attend the other office. They even offered a 3D ultrasound this time. My appointment was supposed to be Thursday (March 31st), but when I arrived, the waiting room was packed, and I could tell there would be a long wait. Apparently the doctor has been using the machine for a while, so I was the seventh person in line for the tech. I rescheduled for this Thursday (April 7th). I am really eager to go, but I have to be very careful to have the technician hide the gender from me.

On the name front, we have a girl name picked out, but we have decided not to share names before the baby is born. We want to introduce our new baby to our families when they meet him/her for the first time. We are close on a boy name, but Duane is still searching for an Italian boy's name that I actually like. Strange that I (the Italian one in the relationship) don't like any of the Italian boy names. We are pretty sure we have the middle name, but it hinges on the first name, of course.

Rachel is doing really well. Her speech is very clear now, and she is starting to take some interest in the potty, though she still hasn't really gone on the potty. She talks to my belly and pats it sometimes. She tells the baby she loves it. I am not sure she knows what is coming, but I think she will be a great big sister.

Things are busy for both of us on the work front. Duane is traveling a lot for work, and his motorcycle racing season is fast approaching, which means 1-2 weekends a month on my own. It also means baby will be here before we know it! I bought coming home outfits of both genders!

So maybe there has been more going on than I realized...

Valentines Day and 10 things I like about Spring...

2011-02-17T16:08:00.005-05:00

We celebrated Valentine's day a bit different at our house this year. Rachel doesn't really understand the concept of holidays yet, but I wanted her to have something special for Valentine's Day, so I took her to Color Your World at Easton on Saturday while Duane was having lunch with a friend. That's where we worked together to create Daddy's Valentine's Day gift. (Picture to come when Daddy has received said gift, as it takes 7 days to finish.)

Because she was so well-behaved and it was a decent day for walking, I took her to Build-a-Bear in the main part of the mall. VERY CROWDED. I let her pick a bear and we waited in the agonizingly long line so that she could stuff her bear. She really enjoyed pushing the pedals to stuff him. I let her get him a headband to wear also, but we skipped the accessories otherwise, because she tends to undress her dolls and stuffed animals no matter what they are wearing. She seemed very pleased with her bear, but as we waited in line to pay, she had a bit of a meltdown. She wasn't screaming or crying -- she just wouldn't stay next to me, so that when I pulled her back to my side, she pouted and laid on the floor. (Might I add that if you see a mom in front of you with a grumpy toddler who keeps wandering off, it is NOT polite to try to move up in line ahead of her while she herds her child back into line. That does NOT help mom's disposition.) So by the time we left Build-a-Bear, I asked Rachel if she had fun and she said no. That broke my heart to hear, as the whole goal of that store is for the child to have fun creating their own stuffed animal (otherwise I would have bought a pre-made bear in the store for one-third of the price!).

We continued our Valentine's Day festivities on Valentine's Day. As a child, my favorite treat on Valentine's Day was a heart-shaped donut from Jolly Pirate's. My mom used to buy them for us on Valentine's Day (they also make eggs for Easter, shamrocks for St. Patty's, and pumpkins for Halloween). So I have carried on the tradition, it seems, because I buy them for my family on Valentine's Day. They are delicious and filled with so much cream! The texture of the donut puts all others to shame.

When I got home that evening, I received my gift from Duane. This year, I strongly hinted to him that I wanted some jewelry. I only have a few necklaces that I will wear, so I wanted something to show off. He delivered big time! I love my new necklace. I have worn it every day this week! It is made of white sapphires and rubies. He did such a good job picking it out -- I think he should get me jewelry more often!

Tuesday night was our official Valentine's celebration. My mom watched Rachel while we went to dinner at Red Lobster. We wanted to avoid the crowds from Monday, but we still had a 20-minute wait to be seated! It was worth it though. The evening was really nice. It gave us a real chance to sit down and talk without being interrupted every few minutes, and the meal was delicious.

The weather the rest of the week has been pretty wonderful. It is in the 60s now, which is unusually warm. I am not going to lie, I like cold weather. I don't complain about snow (though I do complain about ice) or cold temperatures (unless we hit 0 degrees). I like defined seasons. Summer is too hot for me, I love autumn as it cools off (though sometimes that isn't until November!), winter is nice because I get to wear coats, and spring is lovely (except for the rain). But I prefer to ease into each season and not be jerked back and forth between warm and cold. I guess I shouldn't live in Ohio. So this warm weather pocket has been very nice and I am trying not to focus on the fact that I am destined to be jerked back into cold, then warm, then cold another few times. So I have created a list.

10 Things I Like About Spring

10. Opening up the windows in the house to let a cool breeze come through.

9. OSU Spring Game! I really want to go this year, and I think it is Easter weekend, which is jam-packed with events for us. We'll give it a whirl though!

8. Not having to bundle Rachel in a thick coat, hat, and gloves when we leave the house.

7. Being able to wear jeans and a long-sleeve shirt and not be too hot nor too cold.

6. Sitting on our deck with Duane, watching nothing, talking, sipping coffee.

5. Tax refunds! I usually like to have this done in winter, but this year it will likely be close to spring :)

4. Easter! I think Rachel will get into the egg hunting this year!

3. Going up to the lake with my parents and getting out on the boat for the first time. Sometimes this doesn't happen until May, but I have a feeling it will be sooner now that they have their lakehouse.

2. March Madness. I never used to watch much basketball -- definitely more of a football gal. But I love March Madness. I run a bracket every year for people at work and their families and it is so much fun watching everyone's choices, especially when there is a big upset!

1. Taking walks to the park with Rachel so she can play.

Parties, Princesses, and Potbellies...

2011-02-08T18:32:00.012-05:00

Sunday was my parents' 40th wedding anniversary! In this day in age, 40 years is quite the accomplishment, so my brother, sister, and I decided to throw them a big bash to celebrate their blessed day. However, we wanted to pull off a surprise party, so we planned the event for Saturday night, and my parents believed they were going to dinner with their best friends.

Stressful though it may have been at times during the planning, it was all worth it when my mom and dad walked through the doors and everyone yelled "SURPRISE!" It literally took my mother 20 minutes to get her wits about her, as she fought back tears and worked to overcome the surprise she felt.

I have to say that my parents not only raised 4 great children (yes, I said 4), they also have some of the most wonderful friends in the world. I have grown up watching them all with awe -- they are all unique and each couple has its quirks, but they all celebrate life in such a way that you can't help but have a good time when you are around them. I have grown up to be the person I am because of the community of friends surrounding me, and as one of my parents' friends likes to tell me, he is honored that the children of his friends have grown up to be his friends as well.

All of these wonderful friends and family members contributed to the party by bringing a dish of food, and we had gnocchi and cake as well. There was so much food left over at the end of the night, we could have left it for the Superbowl party the next day! I can't express my gratitude to those who attended and especially to those who brought a dish of food with them.

My contribution to the party was a replica of my parents' wedding cake. I had to use a 40-year-old picture (see above) to get the design, and it lacked some definition, but I think I managed to make a smaller-scale version of the cake. I was pleased with it, and I am awfully picky about my cakes. And more importantly, mom and dad were happy to see it. They even cut it and relived their wedding day by shoving it up each others' noses!

Meanwhile, Rachel has been her usual adorable self. She received some princess dress-up jewelry and some "clacker" shoes (as she calls them) for Christmas. She looks so ladylike, with the exception of the nose-scratching! She is obsessed with her Leapster Explorer game. I love it because it is educational. She is learning to count, learning to write her letters, and every day she continues to amaze me with what she knows! She is very much a visual learner, and she watches the game do something and then attempts to do it herself. I am so proud of her!

Baby #2 was moving a little bit a week or two ago, but I haven't felt as much lately. I think it will pick up quite a bit over the next few weeks. I go to the doctor for my 16-week check up on Valentine's Day. I am excited to hear the heartbeat again, in the absence of feeling the movement. Duane and I tried brainstorming some names the other day...let's just say it didn't go well. He is looking for a name with meaning, possibly something Italian to represent my heritage. I hated all the Italian boy names and the girl names he suggested weren't what I would prefer. He felt dejected after a while, so he gave up. I will have to try to find some "meaningful" names and make a list so we can narrow it down from there. Luckily we have about 5 months, and we just have to get it narrowed down to 2 names of each gender.

Things with the pregnancy have gotten better. My nausea has faded to almost nothing, my energy is back, and I am popping out just slightly (see 14-week photo to your left). I need to start exercising -- I sound like a broken record about that, but I just can't make it to the gym after work because Duane's car is out of commission and his van doesn't have a back seat, so he can't pick up Rachel.

Speaking of Duane, it appears that he got a big promotion at work! We are thrilled. Nothing is in writing yet, but his Regional Manager announced it on a conference call with all the other regional managers, and apparently they think the world of him at his company. So one of us is being rewarded for our hard work! Maybe he will get a company car so I can get back to the gym...

Experimenting...

2011-01-23T21:40:00.006-05:00

I ordered a new lens for my camera, based on the experience of my friend Kim, so I have been taking random Rachel pictures to see if I can figure it out. However, Rachel rarely looks at me when I have the camera out, so I don't know how impressive they are.

In other news, I am starting to feel Baby Bean moving around in there. I couldn't tell if it was baby or gas at first, but tonight it was definitely Baby Bean. I am excited to feel that connection already! It will be odd going through the pregnancy without knowing the gender this time -- not being able to call Baby by his/her name. But I can't change my mind because I really want to experience that moment of surprise when he/she comes into this world.

12 weeks down, 28 weeks to go!

2011-01-19T18:42:00.004-05:00

I think the first trimester might be the worst trimester in pregnancy. Some women will tell you the third trimester is the worst, because of the swelling, the big belly, the discomfort, the contractions....but I have to say that none of that compared to the my first trimesters. The first 5 weeks are pretty much uneventful for me. I find out I am pregnant and then hope that everything is okay as I anxiously await my first appointment with the OB/GYN. Around week 6, the morning sickness kicks in, which for me consists of constant, ravaging hunger. With Rachel, it was a bit of a surprise, but I learned to carry a granola bar with me at all times, and I was good to go. With this child, I found myself waking up at all hours of the night, STARVING. I would go downstairs and eat a piece of toast and drink some milk, only to find myself waking a couple of hours later STARVING again. I also find myself falling asleep at 8 o'clock every night, but I never feel like I have slept well by morning. I also HATE pre-natal vitamins. They make me nauseated beyond belief.
Now that I am almost a third of the way through my pregnancy, the hormones seem to have balanced out, and I am getting back to a better place. I feel queasy first thing in the morning and after I dinner every night, but even those moments are getting easier to handle.
And with all the crazy eating I have had to do to keep this baby happy, I only gained about 3 pounds at the doctor between my first and second appointments, and the doctor didn't give me a hard time about my weight for once. I am really struggling to be healthier with this pregnancy, which is difficult when you have annoying cravings for tacos and french fries! My goal is no more than 30 pounds, but it would be better to stay around 25, if I can. The baby was healthy at the 12-week check, with a heart rate of 154 bpm. The doctor asked Rachel if she wanted to listen to her brother or sister's heartbeat and she flatly replied, "No."
Oh well, we'll get there.
My energy is starting to come back a little bit, and I hope to get to the gym soon. I aim to be one of those crazy women with the huge bellies going nuts on the elliptical machine. =)
I don't have a feeling about the gender one way or another, but I am excited to start thinking of names in the coming months.
I would also like to send out a HUGE congratulations to my friend Carie Adams and her husband, who welcomed their daughter Norah Lane on January 19th. She is absolutely gorgeous, and I am very happy for all of them. I can't wait to hear all about her!
Hopefully next blog I will be feeling perfect again. The second trimester is definitely my favorite!

Big Girl Bedroom

2011-01-04T14:06:00.008-05:00

It took us about 4 months of gradual work, but we finally got Rachel moved into her big girl bedroom last week. The transition was pretty seamless. She slept straight through the night the very first night she slept in her new room. She seems to think she isn't supposed to get out of bed without us, which makes me feel better that she won't be wandering around the house in the dark.

All we have left to do is some of the detail work in painting stencils on the wall. My brother designed some flower and bug stencils for us to use on the walls, and I need to get the paint matched against the bedding, and we will paint those on the walls. I also have some of the wall phrases that a friend gave to us when Rachel was born, and I have been saving them for her more permanent room. And obviously some window dressings. But this is the incredible transformation from a blue room with airplanes to a pink room with flowers and butterflies!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-31T23:21:00.007-05:00

I haven't blogged since we made our major announcement, so in case you don't know, The Wood family is expecting a new member in July 2011! We are NOT finding out the gender until the baby is born, so until then, we will affectionately refer to him/her as Baby Bean. My pregnancy has been quite different from the last one so far. The morning sickness was vicious at first, but it leveled out and has been far more predictable since. So long as I keep the baby fed, it doesn't bother me much. I also am surprised that with as much as I have been eating, and as big as my stomach is already swelling, I haven't gained much weight. I have basically gained back what I lost when I started Weight Watchers a few weeks prior to getting pregnant. I am aiming for a lower weight gain this time, but we will see where Baby Bean takes me!

That was the major news from November, although we did have a lovely holiday season all around.

Winter came early to Ohio, which I love. Though my dear friend Kim isn't too fond of the white stuff, I enjoy the 3-4 months a year where I can bundle up and see the beautiful snow on the ground out there. I am by no means a hot weather person. It will be interesting to see how I do with this pregnancy, which goes much farther into summer than I did with Rachel.

Rachel actually began to understand Christmas this year, though I had a difficult time explaining the difference between Santa and Jesus. The two seemed to intermingle in my Christmas talk. She loves the lights and the decorations, and she now requests Christmas songs with her normal lullabies (which include Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; the Alphabet Song; the OSU fight song; and Carmen Ohio). She had a great Christmas overall. Santa brought her a lot of learning games, a new Toy Story pull-out couch/bed, a motorized Quad (that goes a whopping 2 mph), and some dress-up clothes. She also got a lot of stuff for her new room, which I am happy to say is almost finished. We have her bed in there now, and she has been sleeping in there the last couple of nights, with no major episodes. The coolest "decoration" she received for her room was a new aquarium with two goldfish, which she decided to name "Dora" and "Boots."

Duane and I both have been off this week with Rachel, and we have really enjoyed the extra time with her. Duane especially enjoyed being able to take her to the doctor with me on Tuesday for her 6-month check-up. She went from the 10th percentile in weight to the 50th! She now weighs 29 pounds and is 34 inches tall. The doctor was really impressed that she knows all her letters and colors. In the car yesterday, I was amazed to hear her counting from 1 to 9...in SPANISH!

For NYE, we decided to stay in and relax. We had the hooplah last year, and although it was fun, it seemed more appropriate this year to kick back and be lazy without all the fuss. Next year we are trying to organize something kid-friendly, since most of our friends will have two kids by that time!

Happy 2011 to everyone! I am really looking forward to a new year!

Scenes from a Two-Year-Old's Life

2010-11-13T09:54:00.009-05:00

Rachel got ahold of my small digital camera a couple weeks ago, and it has become her favorite hobby to take pictures of everyone and everything. It is actually really cute watching her, because she will tell you to smile or say cheese, and yet the camera is pointing in the complete opposite direction from you as she takes the picture. Sometimes I try to dive into the picture at the last second so she will get a picture of me, but she usually dives when I dive, so that hasn't worked out too well!

In addition to that hobby, Rachel started her gymnastics last Thursday. For the first week, it was a challenge getting her to understand that she needed to listen to the instructions and do the activities that the instructor was telling her to do. With all of the different activities in the gym, she wanted to do what she wanted to do -- not what the instructor wanted her to do! However, when I took her back the second week (this Thursday), she did SO much better at listening and following instructions. She still gets a bit restless, of course, as most 2-year-olds do when being asked to follow instructions, but I was very happy with how she did. She loves to do anything involving flips and sommersaults. If she seems to continue to enjoy it throughout the next 5 weeks, I will probably sign her up for another session in January, since the weather will still be cold and she will need a good outlet for her energy. I also realized I haven't had many pictures with Rachel lately, so I tried to snap a quick one with her, but she wasn't happy I borrowed "HER" camera.

Looks like we have some ideas for Santa Claus already!!

Speaking of the big guy, I was trying to explain God and Baby Jesus to Rachel yesterday to prepare her for the holiday season. Duane and I really excited this year, because she seems to be able to understand more abstract concepts now, so we are excited to watch her open her presents and realize what she got! However, I don't want the meaning of the holidays to be completely lost on her, so I have been trying to explain the extremely abstract concept of God to her. Not much luck there, but she very much enjoys the choir singing in church, and I am really excited to teach her some Christmas carols!

Today, I am headed to my second Buckeye game of the season with my mommy! We are going down to do a bit of pre-game drinking and then going to cheer on our Buckeyes! College GameDay is down at the 'Shoe this week, so it will be a madhouse, but I am really looking forward to it!!

October!!

2010-10-16T14:38:00.006-04:00

I love October. Not quite as much as I like November and December, but it sure beats August and September. I am definitely a fan of the cooler weather, and even though I never particularly cared for Halloween (at least not since I turned old enough to stop trick-or-treating), I am starting to enjoy shopping for pumpkins, buying costumes for Rachel, and all the fun stuff that comes with this very odd holiday.

Duane bought a 50 cc dirt bike from a friend of his, and he took Rachel for a ride a couple of weeks ago. She LOVES it. She is definitely her father's daughter. We had to go out and buy her a Dora the Explorer helmet because whenever Duane has that thing out, she wants to be on it with him. Duane is determined to get her into road racing.

This weekend, we went to Pigeon Roost Farm to take Rachel pumpkin shopping. This was our second attempt, but it was definitely a beautiful day to go. It was cool, but not cold, and the sun was shining. Rachel seemed to enjoy all the pumpkins, but she especially loved the animals. She stared at the billy goats for a long time, and I think we will have to take her back so she can go through the fun center and play on all the slides and interact with some more animals.

This week, I will continue working too much (freelance) and my best friend is having her second son on Monday!! I am taking Tuesday off to visit her in the hospital, and then Friday is another day off to go to the Circleville Pumpkin Show! I remember going to the Pumpkin Show when I was pregnant with Rachel. I was so excited to think that one day I would be taking my children to the Pumpkin Show and sharing the excitement of Fall with them. I hope she enjoys it!

We also get our new carpet in the next week or so! We ordered new carpet for Rachel's new room (pictures to come soon!) and our family room, which has had the same dirty white Berber carpet for far too long. Given the fact that we have a messy child and a dog that tends to pee a lot, we ordered longer shag carpet to hide the messes. I am so excited to be getting some of our house projects done!

MY GIRL!

2010-09-28T22:34:00.006-04:00

From the moment I found out I was having a daughter, I wondered what I would do when her hair got long enough that it would need to be styled. I am a bit bit handicapped when it comes to hair. I have just never had the skill to style my own hair. So I was a little worried about doing Rachel's. And until recently, that wasn't much of an issue, because her hair wasn't really long enough to style! But I decided a couple of weeks ago to try to put her hair in twin pigtails, so I asked her if she would like that and she agreed.

The first attempt was a challenge. The pigtails weren't even, and her hair is still too short in some spots, so she had a lot of bangs. I ended up buying a new brush for her, as well as a bottle to spray her hair and wet it down before pulling it back.

The latest attempts are pretty impressive! Rachel actually has become quite interested in styling her hair. She tells me, "I look pitty momma." I let her choose one thing at Target last Thursday because she was well-behaved, and she chose headbands. I guess her cousin Caden was fighting over those today.

And speaking of Caden, he is going to have a little sister! My sister-in-law Jen and brother-in-law Phil got confirmation yesterday that their baby is a little girl! We are so excited for Rachel to have a girl close to her age now. I have been teaching her how to say the name, and I am excited to go through all our baby clothes to see if anything will work for them.

This weekend I am looking forward to relaxing and watching football on Saturday. The weather has started to turn toward Fall weather, and I love that! There are good things in store for this Fall -- I can feel it!

Remembering

2010-09-11T08:58:00.005-04:00

It was 9 years ago today. I woke up, got my newspaper, prepared some breakfast. I started reading my paper in preparation for my first class of the day. This was a news media class, and the professor would quiz us on the headlines of the day.

I turned on Good Morning America to help cover more bases at once. About 15 minutes into my viewing, they cut over to NYC, as there were reports of a small plane hitting one of the World Trade Centers. Smoke billowed from the tower, and I looked on in amazement. How could a plane hit such a tall skyscraper? And as I sat there, horrified, I watched as another plane entered the picture and hit the other tower. It was then that everyone watching realized that this was no accident. We were under attack. I watched throughout the day as efforts were made to save the people in the towers, as we discovered that the Pentagon had also been hit, and that a plane had crashed in Pennsylvania -- a plane that was later revealed to be heading toward the White House, but fell short because the passengers refused to allow the terrorists to fulfill their plan. I watched with friends as the towers fell to the ground, and we cried together, stunned and filled with sorrow.

I had never been to NYC before 9.11.01. But I found myself living there nearly 2 years later, just on the other side of the river. Duane and I visited the site of the WTC a few times while we lived there, and I could only imagine having been there for the events of that horrible day. On September 11, 2003, we saw the lights they projected upward in remembrance of where the towers used to stand tall, and I was filled with pride of my country.

Even when I looked for some pictures to post to this blog, some of the images brought me such sadness that I had to stop looking. We lost so many wonderful people because of a terrible hatred that exists in others. People who went to work like it was any other day; firefighters, police officers, and EMTs who devoted their lives to saving the lives of others; people who got on planes just trying to get home to loved ones. I remember today all of those people and I am grateful for those who are still here with us. I remember what happened on September 11, 2001, and I pray that this world can find peace so that this never happens to anyone again.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND!!

2010-09-07T18:41:00.009-04:00

As soon as I found out the Buckeyes would be playing in a Thursday night game for their season opener, I requested the following Friday off of work. Because this was the Friday before Labor Day, that made for a nice 4-day weekend, but since I have been sandbagging my vacation days (due to my heavy work schedule), I was able to also request Tuesday off and create a nice 5-day weekend!

My friend Lawrene made the mistake of telling me she had never been to a Buckeyes game before. Given my fortunate ticket connections, I was able to work up some tickets for us, and we went tailgating and headed to the first game of the 2010 season together. Unfortunately for Lawrene, she had to sit with me. I am quite...spirited...when it comes to the Buckeyes. We were winning by 4 touchdowns, and I was still screaming at the defense to get their act together, still screaming at the offense to make smarter plays, still screaming at the coaches about the special teams blunders...

I don't feel I am a hindrance to others' enjoyment of the game, but I get my money's worth for sure. And I support my team.

My aunt's seats were quite excellent too, so I am hoping we can get some more tickets throughout the year, but I am always grateful to get those that I get. Duane found a nice tailgate connection too--right outside the stadium--so that is going to pay off. And I swear I saw Kirk Herbstreit and his family walking near the stadium! I don't know if I buy into the hype about the Buckeyes just yet, but they are better than last year!

Friday I actually had to head into work for a few hours, and my boss granted me a half-day of vacation time in return. Then I began painting Rachel's new room (pictures to come). It made me pretty excited for finishing it off and getting her moved over! Saturday we did some more housework and painting. Then Sunday we held our fantasy draft at the house. My team turned out okay, though I didn't get all the players I would have liked because I ended up last.

Monday morning, I headed up to Indian Lake to help celebrate my parents' new house on the water. They invited all of their closest friends to see the new place, and it was a great time. Rachel really takes to the water -- she helped her Hoppa drive the boat!

Then all the men left and we began the kickoff to Women's Week -- a tradition where all the ladies party at the lake for a week, with no men around! Lots of good food, cards, games, laughs, drinks, boating, and more. And it is even better in the new house -- we had some boat malfunctions today, but we just sat on the boat parked in the dock and ate and felt the wind and the water blow us around a bit. The new place is really several steps up from the old one. I had so much fun sharing my childhood retreat with my daughter and seeing it through her eyes as my parents must have seen it through mine once. I spent so many weekends at the lake when I was younger, and I just feel so blessed that my parents were in a position to provide that for us and for our family friends, who are more like family than anything. I just wish I didn't have to come home and go to work tomorrow! This is my last short week scheduled until my friend Kim has her baby -- it will be rough working 5-day weeks again!

But this weekend, I am looking forward to the rematch of the 2003 National Championship game (Buckeyes vs. Hurricanes)! And then next weekend I am throwing a diaper/formula shower for the aforementioned pregnant friend. Since this is her second boy, she doesn't need a ton of stuff, but diapers and formula always help! It is also a chance for her to relax for the evening and just enjoy being around her friends for a few hours, with some good food and some good cake!

VACATION!!!

2010-08-23T10:37:00.010-04:00

The first 7 months of this year were too similar to the previous 2 years for my liking (read: too much work and lots of stress), so back in March, when my family decided to plan their biennial vacation, I was really excited!

Two years ago, we went to that State Up North for our family vacation. Rachel was only 7 weeks old, and the car ride was about 7-8 hours, so it made for an interesting situation. But overall, the week was really enjoyable, so when we were planning this vacation, I knew it would be fun. Unfortunately, because of the economy, we couldn't afford another MI trip and we could only do a long weekend, rather than a full week. So we brainstormed and came up with Sandusky, OH, home of Cedar Point.

It was quite the vacation plan -- taking a 6-year-old, a 4-year-old, and a 2-year-old to an amusement park. We went on Thursday, figuring the lines would be a little less long on a weekday, and we couldn't have asked for much better weather. The sun was shining, the temperature was fair, and we had a blast! I hadn't been on a roller coaster in years, so I was kind of nervous to jump back into it, and Duane had never been to Cedar Point before, so my brother-in-law was nice enough to watch the kids first thing so that we could try out the Millenium Force, one of the tallest, steepest roller coasters there is. Standing in line, my mom looked up at the first hill and began to panic. We counted to time it took the cars to get to the top of the hill, so that she could close her eyes for that part. One nice thing about that coaster is that instead of the normal chain that pulls you up the first hill, you are pulled up by an elevator cable. It is much less disconcerting and doesn't yank you quite so much. However, when you round the top of that hill, you feel like you are going straight down (see picture), and you are going so fast that you barely have time to panic.

We survived it, and felt invigorated for the day after that one. It was the newest coaster there the LAST time I was at Cedar Point, so I was happy to ride it after only a half-hour wait (as opposed to the 2-hour wait it was when I was there before). Speaking of waiting, that is one thing we didn't do much of. In fact, I couldn't have asked for a more satisfying venture to the amusement park. Our longest wait was for the Millenium Force, and that was maybe half an hour; we ended up riding Magnum (15 minutes), Gemini (no wait), and Raptor (25 minutes) fairly easily, and we even sat in the front of the Gemini and the Raptor with very little extra waiting tacked on. I got to ride all the classics that used to be hour-long waits without waiting long at all! Duane also rode the Top Thrill Dragster, which blasts you forward at 120 mph and straight up a tower, then across and back down again. He said that was worth the admission fee to the park, and they only waiting about half an hour as well.

Rachel got to ride on several rides too. She started with the LolliSwings, and she seemed to enjoy that. When the ride ended, she told me she didn't want to get out. =) Then we took her on a car ride that went around an oval track and sped up around the ends as it turned. I was so proud of her -- she put her hands up! She also rode the carousel with Uncle Doug and Grandma and the bumper boats with Grandpa (or, as she calls him, Hoppa). She couldn't have been better at the park. My initial plan was to take her back to the rental house when she seemed tired so that she could take a nap, and I was worried she wouldn't want to ride in her stroller, but she was so well-behaved that I kept bragging about what a great kid I have.

After Cedar Point, we spent Friday morning lounging around the rental house. Rachel went swimming and then took her nap, and I ended up going to the wineries around the area with my family, a tradition we started on our MI trip years before. It is a lot of fun to taste different types of wine for a very small fee, because a lot of times I find something I never thought I would like, and it is a wonderful souvenier from the trip! Needless to say, my wine fridge is now stocked for some time to come!

Friday evening, my brother and I teamed up to make grilled pizza, buffet-style. You are thinking, "Grilled pizza?" But the flavor from the grill adds something you can't even imagine to the pizza, and it was fun trying all the different types of toppings. My brother also made us his signature guacamole and salsa, and I am eager to try out the recipe!

Saturday, my brother, my parents, and I went to Put-In Bay for several hours. I had never been there, and it was pretty similar to Key West (without some of the luxurious atmosphere), so we had a blast putt-putting around in a golf cart, visiting breweries and wineries, and touring the island. We visited the longest bar in the world, bought a growler, and rode the Jet Express (the ferry from Port Clinton).

That evening, we had another delicious dinner (prepared by mom and Julie), and relaxed a bit before getting packed up to leave Sunday morning. I wish we had a few extra days up there, because it was a blast, and it was pretty close to home, so we didn't have to worry about a long drive back with a toddler in the car. So in 2 years, we will have to find some way to top this vacation!!

Today is my 30th birthday. It has been a pretty great day so far. I woke up early to drop Murdock at the vet for his surgery (having a mole removed), and then took Rachel to Jolly Pirate on the way home. She had fun picking out her donut, and we relaxed a bit before we headed to lunch with Grandma, Aunt Julie, and her cousins. I have been a bit nervous about turning 30, but I feel okay with it right now.

My biggest regret is that I haven't lost any weight from the time I started my personal weight loss challenge. Well, I lost a pound, but that is hardly enough to be significant. I have worked out almost every day (sometimes twice a day) and I have eaten mostly sensibly for more than a month, so I expected to at least shrink a pants size by now, but unfortunately, my body seems to be fighting me. I plan to ask my doctor about this at my next visit, but for now, I will just keep plugging away. =)

Monster Truck Cake!

2010-08-05T19:47:00.007-04:00

I have been trying to upload a video for my latest blog post, but I am apparently inept at such things, so I will have to wait for that update.

In other news, Duane and I had a great time last weekend at his coworker's wedding. We rented a hotel room and Rachel stayed with her Uncle Phil & Aunt Jen for the night so we could stay over in Delphos and enjoy the reception. I had a great time meeting some more of the people Duane works with, but I wish we could have stayed later the next morning. We had a very nice hotel room and we were enjoying the continental breakfast and old episodes of Boy Meets World before we left. However, duty called! I had to get back to finish the cake for a very special 2-year-old boy -- Rachel's friend Brayden!

The cakes turned out pretty nice and they survived the 45-minute drive to the party, which made me happy. I used oreo cookie crumbs for the dirt, instead of icing, and I used smalled cake pans, but I think it worked out okay.

Here is the model:

And here is my version:

Last weekend, I attended my first-ever live auction. I was able to get a pretty nice office chair for our office and a great deal on a twin mattress and box springs for Rachel's new room. It was a strange experience, nodding at a man who is just rambling numbers out of his mouth. I was kind of sad too -- these were a man's possessions. I believe it was an older gentleman who passed away, but I couldn't help but think of how much he probably spent on these precious items and how much care he put into their selection. And there they were, being auctioned off for a fraction of their real value. A practically new pool table went for $140 because nobody wanted to have to move the darn thing!

Duane is off to the track again this weekend so I am hoping to get some work done around the house! Maybe I can surprise him and get Rachel's room painted and the new twin bed in place. Rachel and I get to go to Geema and Hoppah's new place on the lake Sunday. I am really excited about that! Hope the weather cooperates. Only a few weeks until my birthday, and even less until vacation!

I would post the latest weight stats, but not much has changed, despite upping my workout regimine to 4 days a week. But I guess I feel okay, so that is what matters...right?

Birthday Festivities!

2010-07-06T21:10:00.007-04:00

Birthday Festivities

2010-06-25T14:30:00.007-04:00

This week, my beautiful little girl turned 2 years old! I can't believe it. I was driving home in heavy traffic Tuesday evening, and I took some back roads because I heard the freeway was closed. I happened to drive by the hospital where Rachel was born, and I thought how strange it felt to drive by on that particular day, almost exactly 2 years after I showed up there because my water broke. I was so scared and excited that night as we drove to the hospital -- I was more than ready to meet this little baby who had been kicking me for a while, but I had no clue what would come from the birth experience nor from becoming responsible for another person's life!

Now I can't remember what my life was like before I was Rachel's momma. I remember being slightly thinner (see below re: weight loss battle), but I know I wasn't nearly as fulfilled with my life. Rachel and I got to spend 3 days together this week, and I really wish I could stay home with her every day, because I had so much fun. We went to the Zoo (as has become tradition) for her birthday. Her cousins, Aunt Jen, and Grandma Wood joined us and even though it was scorching out, it was worth it. Then I went home and made her Foofa cake just for her birthday.

Thursday we met my friend Barb for lunch and then spent the day outside having fun. And today we have been laying low, running some errands, but overall just relaxing. Tonight I am headed to Cincinnati for a baseball game with my parents and brother, and then Sunday is Rachel's and Owen's birthday party! I have a lot to do tomorrow to get ready for that, including baking two cakes! Pray the weather holds out!!

**WEIGHT UPDATE: 151

Weight loss to go: 11 lbs

Not exactly as much as I had hoped for, but I did miss all my workouts this week, and I had cake 2 days, so I guess that is okay. Back to work next week though!**

Day at the Gym

2010-06-15T21:15:00.003-04:00

Starting weight: 152
Week 1: 152
Weight loss to go: 12 lbs

I have decided to devote some of my blog entries to my weight loss journey. It kind of goes along with the theme of the blog -- it is life- and baby-related. I have about 10 pounds of baby weight left, and we are about a week away from Rachel's 2nd birthday, so I have run out of excuses for continuing to carry this weight. And before Duane and I start trying to have another baby, I would really like to get back to my original weight or lower, so I don't just keep adding to my weight in the end.

So one week has passed and I haven't lost any weight. I am not at all discouraged by this though, because some of the exercise I have been doing has involved weight training, and I know this adds muscle weight. My diet could be better, I suppose, but I have been incorporating more vegetables and cutting back on some of my portions.

My schedule to this point is Cardio on the elliptical Tuesdays and Thursday and AquaFit on Saturday mornings. I love AquaFit. At first, it is a bit disconcerting to be in this class, because you struggle to find a class member under the age of 65 when you look around. Then, the instructor came in. Now, I understand that you can be a less-than-fit fitness instructor and still know what you are doing. However, this particular instructor had cankles. Looking at her, I thought she was a class member -- she looked to be 60 or so...quite overweight...
And the cardio part of the class was somewhat disappointing to me in comparison to previous classes. But once we got to the resistance training, I was truly challenged. I left feeling refreshed and sore!

Walking around the gym, I see girls who are fit and trim and remember a time when I qualified as fit. This is my goal. I don't need to be skinny -- I just want to feel "in shape." I want to put on a pair of my old pants and have them be just a bit loose.

I have given myself the deadline of my birthday to lose these 12 lbs. That leaves me about 9 weeks, which is about 1.333333 lbs each week. That seems less daunting than an overall goal of 12 pounds. And ultimately, if I can fit into those size 8 jeans comfortably, I don't care if I lose 1 lb.

If I haven't reached my goal by August 23rd, I will get a trainer to force my butt to work harder. But, as frugal as I am, let's hope I can kick my own butt into shape. =)

Stress and Destressing

2010-05-25T23:14:00.012-04:00

So I have not been so great with the blogging and keeping in touch with friends thing lately. It's another year at work, and that means another round of corrections to a major state's math books. This makes year number 3 where I am working too many hours, stressing far too often, and I am struggling to find the motivation to keep it going. It is frustrating I guess, knowing that I have done this for 2 years now and it doesn't seem to have gotten me anywhere. But on the plus side, I do have a job, and even though I may complain, I am grateful. And I find that I thrive on the big projects much more than the little ones.

Duane's job is also a source of stress right now. Some management re-organization has led to some questions in where we are going to be in the next few months.

So for now, through all this stress, I am trying to leave the weekends for family and friends. Duane left for another round of races this weekend, so last Saturday Rachel and I headed out for a playdate at COSI. I hadn't been there since I was a Girl Scout, I think, so it was intriguing to me. Rachel even "Oooooo'ed" over many things we saw. She is getting so perceptive. Her daddy has taught her how to say some fun words (i.e., Alllllllll-riiiiight! and Oooooo-eeeeee-zzzzzy). She seemed to do really well through most of the day with no nap, and I enjoyed getting out.

This weekend, with my long project finally mostly behind me, I went out with some good friends to celebrate my friend Lawrene. Unfortunately, she was let go from our company suddenly, and Friday was her last day. So we sent her off in style, and I am confident she will find an even better job. It was a good way to celebrate the virtual end of this stressful project too, and even though there is no end in sight to my busy workdays, I am trying to stay positive.

I have some days off this month for Rachel's 2nd birthday! I can't believe my baby girl is almost 2! I still vaguely remember her kicking me late at night. I barely remember when we couldn't get her to sleep in anything but her swing. I slightly recall nursing her once or twice a night, wishing she would fall asleep so I could get some rest. Now I put her to bed and I am sad because I want to talk to her some more.

Her sentences are starting to become more complex now. I am excited to head to the doctor on the 18th for her check-up to see what he thinks. I just remember back to last month when it was a challenge to get two words from her, and now she is really communicating with us. She understands us completely, and she is learning how to ask us for what she wants without pointing and whining so much. This weekend, she looked at her cousin and said "Why Ca'en cy-ing Mama?" (read: "Why is Caden crying Mama?")

Last time I weighed her on our home scale, she was 24 lbs! (The fact that she is addicted to mini chocolate-frosted donuts may have something to do with that.) She has now officially outgrown her 18-month pants. She got her first real boo boo and handled it like a champ. She barely cried!

I am excited to see what this month brings. I know it will be stressful, but it should be rewarding. My best friend Kim finds out the sex of her baby on Thursday (I am betting on a girl!), and I am psyched for that!! Then, I am headed to the track this weekend to watch Duane race. =)

My Blog Award

2010-04-25T20:04:00.003-04:00

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
2. List who gave you the award and use a link to her blog.
3. List 10 things that make you happy.
4. Pass the award on to other bloggers and visit their blog to let them know.

Ten Things That Make Me Happy
1. My husband. Even though we lose patience with each other on occasion, we have endured a lot and managed to come through it together. He is generous and wonderful, and I too often take him for granted.
2. My daughter. I look at her and can't imagine how she came from Duane and me. Her personality has flourished so much in the last year, and she really is just an easy kid. She doesn't fuss too much (though she has phases of clinginess) and she sleeps easily at night. She is beautiful and full of life and I thank God every day that she is healthy.
3. My friends. If you know me, you know it takes a lot for me to let you in. I will be friendly to just about anyone, but I don't trust easily and I am very guarded. So my friends are very special to me, because they know me and know my ways and put up with me and all my sarcasm.

4. My jobs. Yes, plural. My first job sustains us, and I really do enjoy it, because I house more knowledge about our products than most people could ever hope to. My second job has helped us get back on track to being normal people who can go to dinner without worrying about where the money is coming from. On that note, my husband's job makes me happy because it was the lifeline we needed at a very rough time and it holds MUCH potential for the future.
5. Shopping for my "new" car. I am very much looking forward to purchasing it, after test-driving a Honda Pilot yesterday. I am admittedly nervous though, as I was very uneasy driving a car that is not my Accord. I have grown to be a part of my car, so that I know just how to steer to take a turn with ease.
6. Buckeye football. The spring game was a horrible tease for the upcoming season, and I can't wait to go to a Thursday night game in September. I am even thinking of planning an away-game trip.
7. Thinking about redecorating Rachel's new room this summer. I am by no means talented at this, but I am excited to make a better room for her, now that we know more about her personality.
8. Thinking of future children we may have, if we are so blessed to have them. Not just yet, but maybe soon.
9. Online TV/audiobooks. I love listening to these as I get ready in the morning or while I am at work, doing something mindless.
10. Making cakes in my spare time. Though this is extremely stressful to me, it is always fun to see how they turn out.

I'm passing this on to...

Allison, my very wonderful friend who always has such sweet things to say

Easter & Anniversary

2010-04-23T15:03:00.010-04:00

We had a lovely Easter, but something wasn't quite right about it for me because we didn't get to visit my family. Overall though, I think it was nice. We did go to church and brunch with my parents, but a scheduling glitch meant that we didn't get to visit with any extended family.
Rachel had a fun time playing with her cousin Caden and searching for her Easter basket, as it is the tradition in my in-laws' family to hide easter baskets and have people find their own.
Last weekend, Duane was at the racetrack for another motorcycle race, so Rachel and I hung out and relaxed. I didn't get enough done around the house, but I got it pretty clean in his absence. I also made a cake for a friend's daughter's First Communion. I don't generally do that, but this particular friend is the daughter of some very dear family friends who have done a lot for Duane and me. So a cake was the least I could do! I was very worried about it, because First Communion is a very big deal, but it turned out okay. I even made some roses!
Speaking of roses, Thursday was our 4-year anniversary. I wasn't sure if I should mention this to Duane or test him about whether he remembered. Thursday morning, Duane gave me a kiss before he left for work and I said "Happy Anniversary." He obviously hadn't remembered, because he said "Today is the 22nd." To which I replied "Yes, we got married on the 22nd." To be fair, my birthday and Rachel's birthday are both on the 23rd of their respective months, and I think he got confused. But he went out and got me a dozen roses and a beautiful card, so all is well!
This week is his birthday and I just ordered his birthday gift, so I am very excited to see what he thinks.
This weekend we have Quentin's birthday party and we are going out with some friends tomorrow evening. Then Sunday I was supposed to walk in the March for Babies, but unfortunately that fell through. But I raised more than half of my individual goal, which isn't terribly considering what I did last year.
We have decided to try to trade in Duane's car for something new. I was going to get a new car next year and trade in my Honda, but Duane wants to get something that can haul his trailer now, so he is willing to sacrifice his car and drive my Honda so we don't have to pick up an extra car payment. We are looking at Acura MDXs, Honda Pilots, and possible a Kia Sorento. All seem pretty comparable in their reviews, so it just comes down to what kind of deal we can get. :)

Darth Cake

2010-04-08T18:52:00.006-04:00

It was designed based on this:

And turned out like this:

What do you think? The bottom cake was meant to be smaller because she didn't need as much cake.

Girls' Weekend

2010-03-24T09:19:00.007-04:00

Last Thursday, Duane headed out to his first motorcycle race of the season. So while he was gone, Rachel and I got to have a Girls' Weekend! It is kind of nice that Duane has these races over the summer, because it gives me a chance to have some real alone time with my daughter. Growing up, I never thought I wanted a daughter because I was a bit of a tomboy (imagine that!) and I wasn't sure I would do well with a girl. But I must say, having spent the last 21 months with this little girl has taught me how wrong I was! I love how sweet and cuddly she can be, and I already love taking her shopping for clothes and teaching her little girly things to do that I don't even do myself! I love that she has a baby doll, that she likes to have her nails trimmed, and that she enjoys picking out her own clothes (which I love buying for her because they are darling!). I can't wait to continue our girls' weekends as she gets older.

The only downside to the weekend was that I caught Duane's and Rachel's cold. But I was determined to have fun anyway. The whole weekend started off great because of the NCAA Tournament! I love this time of year. The first weekend of the Tourney is so exciting because there are so many games as once! I run a bracket through work, and it is so much fun to see everyone's picks and watch as upsets happen.

On Friday, I took the afternoon off and went to see Avatar in 3D with my friend Lawrene. She wanted to see it badly, but everyone she knew had already seen it. So I told her I would be glad to go with her, even though I had little desire to see it. I must say, it was a spectacular movie. The special effects and cinematography were exceptional. It was a bit too intense for a Friday afternoon, but I have few complaints about it.

Saturday, I was still sidelined by the cold, and it kept me home from celebrating my nieces' and nephew's birthdays because I didn't want to continue spreading the virus to others. So Rachel and I caught some March Madness and cleaned the house. Later, I took her shopping for some more spring clothes. She needs some more jeans and bigger pajamas. I bought her several T-shirts and a couple new toys as a special treat.

Then Sunday, we wrapped up our weekend by going to the playground near our house and getting some fresh air. Rachel has gotten so big that she walked halfway there by herself. She seemed overwhelmed by the playground as she tried to pick which activity to do first. Her favorite was definitely the slide. Then we went home and Aunt Julie came by for a visit, and then we watched some TV together. Duane got home late that night/early the next morning and Rachel and I were excited to see him. Maybe next month we will go with him.

Cake lady

2010-03-16T20:01:00.008-04:00

Not a lot to report here. Work is about the same. Rachel is still crazy. She picks up a new word every day, it seems. Duane heads to his first motorcycle race of the season this Thursday, so we are excited for him, and I am excited for some Mommy-Daughter time too. I think I will take Rachel shopping for some more spring clothes. She is in between 18 months and 24 months right now though. She is tall, but her waist is still too tiny for 24 months! Though I prefer cooler weather, it has been nice to have some warmer days, because I think she likes to go outside and play. I need to make a habit of getting outside with her more than I do.

I made a bunch of cake last week for various occasions. The first was a practice smash cake for my friend's son Eli's first birthday party. She wanted a cake with small pendants on it, but she wanted them to be flat, not fluffy, so I wanted to show her how it would look with buttercream icing, rather than fondant (which isn't great for a smash cake). Then I made the smash cake itself and decorated a bigger cake that she purchased from a store to match. He looked like he really enjoyed the cake from the photos of the party. He dug right into it!

Then on Sunday, we celebrated with Kim's son Aiden for his 2nd birthday. Wow. TWO YEARS! I can't believe how time just flies. Aiden is quite the conversator too. Very articulate.

For Aiden's cake, I used the same shamrock pan I used for his 1st birthday party last year. Kim just wanted a slightly different twist on the theme this year, so I made a leprechaun with special icing that hardens into a candy and placed it on top of a more colorful shamrock.

I think it turned out well, though I wish I had been able to do a slightly better job on the smash cake for Eli. I just couldn't quite get the flags to be flat enough. :(

The next cake is in a week or so for Noah's 6th birthday party. My little dude is SIX! Wow. He wants a Darth Vadar cake. That is A LOT of black icing. We shall see how is goes. :) We also have another big event next Friday. We get to meet my brother's girlfriend. Yes, my brother the bachelor has a girlfriend. Hopefully his crazy family doesn't scare her away.

Perspective

2010-03-10T09:40:00.003-05:00

So, I was having a really bad day yesterday. Things weren't going well at work, I have a busy week ahead, and I was just frustrated with how my life was going.

Then I heard that Layla Grace had passed away.

Nothing like a terribly sad story to put things in perspective.

I have been following the story of Layla Grace for a while now. She was about 7 months older than Rachel, and she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was 16 months old. Before she was diagnosed, she was a beautiful and bubbly little girl with 2 older sisters and loving parents. Over the past several months, she went through a littany of procedures and diagnoses. He battle was well-documented because her parents shared her struggles with the world through their blog and Twitter. Soon, it became clear that Layla would not survive her battle, and her parents took her home to spend her last few weeks. According to the updates, she slowly faded away, finally going to "dance with the angels" yesterday morning.

I don't know why Layla's story affected me so dramatically. Even as I type this, I am tearing up. Maybe it's because Rachel is almost the same age. Maybe it is because I can't imagine ever having to watch my child suffer and pass away as I hold her in my arms.

But as I went home yesterday and held my daughter tight, one thing did become clear to me: all the things that made my day horrible meant nothing next to the fact that I have a beautiful and healthy little girl who means the world to me.

A friend of mine told me yesterday that I shouldn't worry so much about work, because my job is not what defines me. After hearing about Layla's death, that advice took a new meaning to me. I am not defined by this job -- I am defined by what kind of mother I am to my little girl. I am convinced that God put me on this earth to be her mommy and to teach her to be a good person. And I really believe that Layla Grace was put on this earth to be a message to the thousands of people who have followed her story: Live each day being thankful for those you love. Cherish the gifts you have been given. Life is precious.

Rest in peace Layla Grace. I didn't know you, but you have had such a huge impact on so many people. I hope you and your family can now be at peace.

A Case of the Mondays...

2010-02-28T20:28:00.003-05:00

So I might as well admit it...I am in a full-fledged funk. It isn't like me. I am laidback and pretty good at finding the bright side of things in most situations, but for the past 3 weeks, I have been positively dreary.
I couldn't quite put my finger on why this started. One day, I just woke up feeling hopeless and sad. I figured it would pass, but each day just reinforced my negative mood. After about a week, I had to take a moment to sit back and analyze why my mood was so drab.
I think it is because I don't really have anything to look forward to right now. Normally, I will have vacation, or some big milestone or life plan to look forward to. But the rest of this year has very little on the horizon for me. While I can look forward to Rachel's 2nd birthday in June, and I am so very grateful for the 2 amazing years with my healthy and happy little girl, I can't say that this event has been enough to drag me out of this haze.
I don't have real vacation plans. I basically just live at work or doing work most of my day. I wake up at 5:30, I get ready and go to work (after dropping off Rachel), work till about 4:30, go pick up Rachel, go home, feed Rachel, play with Rachel for about an hour or two and relax, work until about 10 or 11, then go to bed, just to look forward to another day of the same.
The weekends? Well, I work, and I get time with Rachel, but I don't get out and do things very much. Duane has been working just as much as, if not more than, I have, so what little time we have, we are usually trying to relax and catch up on sleep.
Next weekend, I am looking forward to having a manicure/pedicure with my friends, but I really think I need to make some more time to look after myself. I am blue, and I need to adjust my attitude, because I am losing myself.
So I have been looking into various hobbies. I would really like to learn how to knit or crochet. These seem like hobbies I can pick up and put down quickly, and Rachel can't cause too much havoc with the materials (which is pretty much why scrapbooking is out of the question). I am also getting back into making my cakes, because it is birthday season. I would love to have more time to practice decorating techniques, but it can be hard to take the time needed to do this.
I am also going to take a photography class online through www.betterphoto.com. I want to learn how to take some better pictures with the high-powered camera I bought. That starts in April, so I am trying to rev myself up a bit for it.
And Duane and I have decided to move Rachel into our spare bedroom and switch the spare bedroom to the current pink room. We are also converting our front room into an office. So I am hoping that once these things get rolling, I will find my good-natured positivity again. I am enjoying looking at decorating ideas for Rachel's new room. So if anyone has suggestions, I am all ears! I want it to be girly (*GASP*), but not pepto bismol-esque. Then we will probably buy new furniture for the nursery whenever baby #2 comes along.
So I have accepted my funk, and I guess that is the first step toward recovery!

What a Difference a Year Makes!

2010-02-21T13:31:00.007-05:00

I was looking at some old pictures of Rachel, and I came across this one from last Valentine's Day. I couldn't believe it! I hadn't noticed how much my little one has grown in the last year and how much hair she has compared to where she was a year ago.

The latest development in the Wood household is Rachel's interest in the potty. I don't think she is quite at the "potty training" stage yet, but she enjoys the concept. I bought her a second potty to keep downstairs, and she has taken a lot of enjoyment in pulling her pants down and sitting on it, then pulling her pants back up again. I also bought her some pull-ups to wear while she is home, so if by chance she does get the urge to try using the potty, she can.

It made me realize how beneficial socialization can be for little ones' development. Because I think most of Rachel's interest in using the potty stems from both watching her parents and watching the slightly older toddlers at the sitter's house. There are two 3-year-olds at the sitter's who are potty training, and the sitter has mentioned that Rachel is a little bit fascinated by watching them. It isn't the first time that I have seen Rachel take an interest in something because a child at the sitter's house has been doing it. And I wonder if she would be so far along in her development without that impact. I suppose we will never know, and there are plenty of kids who stay home with their mom or dad who probably are way ahead in developmental stages, but I am still in awe of everything that Rachel learns from watching other kids.

So it looks like we will start official potty training this summer (ideally when Rachel is wearing shorts more often, so it is easier for her to go on her own). If we can have her potty trained by December, I will be happy. I don't know what we will do with the money saved from buying diapers! But we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

Snow!

2010-02-07T16:27:00.005-05:00

I love snow. I am one of those people. I think snow makes winter a whole lot more bearable, because it is pretty and pure and brings back tons of childhood memories for me. So whenever the weathermen are predicting the doom and gloom of a big storm, I get all excited like a 10-year-old kid hoping for a snow day.

Friday was that way for me. As others groaned while the flakes started to fall in Columbus, I smiled. My boss told us that we could leave early at our own discretion (have I mentioned how much better my new boss is compared to the last one?), so I stuck it out until 3 o'clock and then bailed to get Rachel from the sitter. Sometime around midnight, our power went out, then came back on, then went out again a bit later. But when you are asleep and warm in your bed, it doesn't bother you so much that the power went out.

Saturday morning, we awoke to what appeared to be just shy of a foot of snow. Duane started a fire, and I had a hot cup of coffee. Then I went out to shovel the driveway (after much argument from Duane because he said he would do it), and I got Rachel all bundled up in the snowsuit I bought her last year when it was on clearance for $10 (normally $65!).

I am not sure how Rachel liked the snow. She didn't have much reaction to it at all, except bewilderment. She couldn't walk in it because it was one-third of her height. At one point, she said "Brrrrrr." But overall, she dealt with it for the 15 minutes she was outside. Then I sent her back in and proceeded with shoveling the driveway. I didn't mind it, actually. I hadn't shoveled in years, and it was great exercise for me. The cold went away after 20 minutes because I was working so hard, and all the neighbors came out to shovel theirs (except the neighbor with the snowblower, but I can't complain too much because he ended up doing my half of the sidewalk), so it was pretty pleasant.

We even had a man on a frontloader come through to clear the court, and he was nice enough to clear everyone's approaches so that we could get out of our driveways!

Today, we woke up to a more frigid morning, and the snow had been covered up with a thin layer of ice. As a special treat, my mom had asked me to go to the OSU Basketball game with her. The doctor she works for was in the Bahamas for a conference (must be rough), and so he offered my mom his tickets, so she asked me. It was cool. I am not the biggest basketball fan in the world, but I enjoy going to the games whenever I am offered a chance. My competitive nature gets into just about any sport if I am at the game, so it was a good Sunday excursion. When I got back to my parents' house to pick up my car, my mom gave me my old baby doll cradle to take home. It has my name on it, and a mattress (read: long pillow) and pillow. When I brought it home, I showed Rachel what it was, and she has spent the afternoon loading her baby dolls in and out, saying "Nigh' nigh'."

Tonight, we are having a low-key Super Bowl experience. Duane made his turkey chili, and I plan to wind down the weekend watching the last of my football for the season. I don't know that I care who wins -- I guess I prefer the Saints since they haven't been there before. I like both teams though, so I won't complain either way.

2010-01-31T15:35:00.006-05:00

Not a lot has changed for me this month, with one major exception -- I CAN SEE!! For the first time in 17 years, I can see clearly without the aid of glasses or contacts. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I can see the clock without fumbling for my glasses, inevitably knocking them on the floor and having to search for them. It's wonderful. I had LASIK at Bloomberg Eye Centers on January 7th. I can't describe to you how great this feels. People ask me how I feel, if I can see better than before. The answer: No. I see exactly the same as I did with my contacts. The difference: I don't have to put them in every morning and take them out every night. I don't get aches in my eyes when they start to go bad, and I don't have to invest $200 in contacts a year and $10 a month in solution anymore.

I am still working, still enjoying my new department, for the most part. Duane's job continues to demand a lot of his time, but we can't complain -- we have been blessed to profit in a time when a lot of people are suffering. We have the luxury of being able to go out and buy things that we need (and some things we want) when we need them.

trying to figure out what I want to change in my life. I am still trying to lose that last 10 pounds of baby weight. Try as I might, nothing seems to stick. I suppose if I ate better and worked out in combination, that would probably bring about better results, but I have trouble with the concept. I like to reward myself for exercising. :)

Aside from the physical, I know there are things I would like to change. For one thing, we are laying out plans for a major overhaul of the house. I worked up an Excel spreadsheet, room by room, of everything we would like to do to the house over the next couple of years. We aren't sure if we will stay here for the long haul or try to move before Rachel starts school. I think we would like to get closer to the Gahanna or Westerville area, if we can. But even if we were to move, the house needs some work, and we finally have the funds to support all of our lofty dreams. So the plan is to tackle one room every couple of months.

Personally, I would like to take up a hobby that will keep me happy. I don't have a lot of time to spare, so I want to do something that won't be too involved. I always thought I should try to learn to knit or crochet. That is something you can come back to at your leisure, without having to get a lot of equipment out or invest a lot of time in one stretch. I love my cake decorating too though, and I have been wanting to invest more energy into getting better at that.

Also, I have researched some camera classes online, because I have this fancy schmancy camera and I barely know how to use it. Hence, I get a lot of pictures of Rachel, but only a couple that I actually think merit the use of such an expensive camera. So I think I will enroll in the class next month.

Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed by everything I want to change. It can give me anxiety that causes a lot of pent-up frustration. But I just have to remember to take baby steps and enjoy each day. I feel very blessed right now.

Speaking of blessed, here are a few pictures of the thing I am most grateful for when I wake up in the morning...my healthy little girl! She is a character. Her latest quirk is mean-mugging Duane and me and then bursting into laughter, then turning back to a mean mug again. She has learned "Please" (which comes out "Peas"), and we had to lock the pantry to keep her from breaking into it and stealing cookies when we aren't paying attention. She got baby dolls for Christmas, and she carries them everywhere with her. I forgot to take baby with us to the sitter's one day last week, and when she wasn't there when Rachel got to the car, I heard about it.

Bring on February!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T19:55:00.009-05:00

I know I haven't posted since Halloween-time, but I have been very busy at home. I have had a lot of freelance work since August, which has been wonderful for me and my family. With that and Duane's new job, we were able to have a very nice Christmas with each other and our respective families. Normally, I try to buy nice things for the people I love, but I have to draw the line at a certain amount, and I feel like a cheapskate. I know that it shouldn't matter how much I spend, but I like to get nice things for the families -- especially for all the nieces and nephews. And now that Rachel is more aware of what kinds of toys she enjoys, it was really nice to be able to buy her some nicer presents, instead of the many clothes she received from Santa last Christmas. And then Duane and I got to buy real presents for one another as well, and we didn't exchange anything last Christmas.

I have also fully transitioned into my new position at work, and it is much better than I had ever anticipated. I like being part of a smaller group of people. It is a strange feeling, not working IN the actual math department. I felt like a big part of that group. But the first day I went back downstairs to look for something, no one so much as said hi to me downstairs. A few of my friends always stop me to chat, but everyone else acts like I am an alien. I never would have thought I would be so easily dismissed by the people I used to work so closely with, but there you have it. To add to the weirdness, Kim and I sit farther apart than ever before. We see each other far less than usual (only once or twice a DAY!), so the adjustment has been strange. But the job itself is great! It took aware the part of my job I disliked the most and added some other operations aspects instead, and I have really enjoyed it. The people are nice, my boss couldn't be much more of an improvement (if you know what I was going through in the past, you would be chuckling right now), and I really don't mind going to work every day.

Duane has also fully transitioned into his new job, and on top of the perk of a bigger paycheck, he gets to decide when he wants to work OT, and he doesn't have to deal with the distraction of working with family anymore, which has improved his relationship with his parents quite a bit.

On top of all the work stuff, Rachel has blossomed into quite the little lady. Santa treated her very well, and she received her very first potty. She isn't ready for potty training just yet, but she takes a great interest in the concept of using the bathroom, so we decided to put the potty out so she can grow used to it. The first night it was out, she sat down on it and smiled. Maybe we will have her out of diapers by the time we decide to have another baby! (Don't get excited -- it won't be anytime soon.)

At her last doctors appointment, Rachel was 21 pounds (12th percentile), 32 inches (52nd percentile), and had a head circumference in the 90th percentile. So my child is long and lean with a BIG head! HA! Maybe she is a genius. She has developed so much in the last few months, adding more words to her vocabulary and developing new talents and interests. She really enjoys coloring, music (she also received a piano from Santa), and playing mommy. She carries her cabbage patch baby around with her and gives her a bottle. She still loves to play tea party too! Her latest words include "Happy," "Cheese," "Go-Go" (she calls most dogs this, because the sitter's dog is named "Cocoa"), and the sound effect "Shhhhh." She is very good at repeating what you want her to say, in her own way. By far, though, she is most interested in food. She can now reach our door handles, and she is accomplished at getting into the pantry and trying to get her graham crackers out.

As for our Christmas, Duane bought me a bed (the headboard and footboard) and a television for our bedroom. It has been WONDERFUL. I used to look at our bedroom and sigh, because it looked like a bachelor pad -- just a room with a bed in it. Now it feels like OUR bedroom. I got him, well, a motorcycle. He bought a motorcycle from his friend to replace his current motorcycle, which he might sell, or he might keep it as a streetbike. I also got him a new helmet, some cologne, and 2 tickets to an OSU men's basketball game.

I have been on a mission to lose some weight since Rachel was born, but I seem to have gone in the opposite direction lately. I started walking on our treadmill while I watch TV. I figure I am watching TV anyway, I might as well walk. It makes me feel pretty good about myself, though I haven't lost weight yet, so I am going to have to start a diet to cut down on the junk. So stay tuned for updates. I need to lose about 15 pounds before I will be happy with myself.

Duane and I decided to have a New Year's Eve party this year. It was quite an endeavor, because we never do anything halfway, but it was a lot of fun. Usually we make plans with one couple for NYE, and the plans generally fall through because the other couple is sick or something comes up. It is just our rotten luck. So we decided to have a full-fledged affair this year. I don't think we will do it again next year, but we hope that one of our friends will pick up the reins and it can be a rotating thing. We had a great time -- it was just a LOT to handle all at once, so it isn't something we would do every single year. And I think I am ready to move on to a more tame atmosphere too. After all, I am turning 30 this year. I can still have fun, but I'm definitely not in college anymore. My body suffers more for my decisions more than it used to.

The most exciting thing happening now is my LASIK eye surgery scheduled for this Thursday!!! I went in for a consultation, and I was a little disappointed with what I found out about the price. Then my friend referred me to Bloomberg Eye Centers and I was much more impressed. It is a big step for me, and even though the surgery is relatively routined, I am a bit worried. But the prospect of waking up in the middle of the night and being able to see the clock immediately, without reaching for my glasses, for the first time since I was 12 years old...well, I will take the risk. And for an extra $100 per eye, I am going to be able to have my vision retweaked at any point during my lifetime. It is my "motorcycle" of sorts. Duane doesn't understand fully because he has near-perfect vision, but for those of you out there who wear contacts or glasses, you know how frustrating it is to wake up in a blurry haze. And if we do plan to have another child, I would like the comfort of waking up for midnight feedings without having to find my glasses.

So moving forward, I will try to be better about updating my blog. Hopefully I didn't lose my faithful readers during the hiatus!

The Tulip Fairy!

2009-10-07T08:07:00.010-04:00

It's been a long while since I have posted, but I haven't been taking many pictures lately, and I hate to post a blog with not pictures -- what fun is that? So let's see...Duane's new job (if you haven't heard, he got a new job as Operations Manager, which was our big and exciting news!!) is going splendidly. It's fast-paced and a lot of work, but he loves it because it is on his own terms.

My job is a bit different. Right now, I am doing 100% of my old job, 100% of my new job, and 100% of a job that needs to be covered because someone else left. I have had one interview and I am hoping to have another for a different position. I love my company, but the work that my new job entails isn't thrilling me right now. So I am just feeling things out, trying to determine what I want to do with my life. If we had the money, I would stay home with Rachel every day. I have really enjoyed the days where I can stay home and spend time with her.
Speaking of Rachel, she is also doing very well. We went for her 15-month check-up and she weighs 20 lbs 7 oz (which is about the 20th percentile), she is 30 inches long (47th percentile), and her head circumference is in the 73rd percentile...my little genius baby! She has gone from walking to running and dancing. She has mastered it, and she is so proud of herself as she moves around. I can't imagine a time when she couldn't walk now!

She is enjoying her new sitter and all of the children there. She has a couple of favorites, and there are little girls for her to play with, which is nice.

On our most recent playdate, Lawrene had a Halloween theme for the kids, so they all wore their costumes and went on a scavenger hunt for candy and treats. It was really lovely. Rachel is a tulip fairy this year, and she looks darling. Her outfit, as you can see, is quite pink. Again, I use the excuse that she hasn't enough hair to make her instantly girly, so I have to put her in girly colors. Plus, she just looks so cute in pink!! She seemed to have fun with her Halloween basket, so I am hoping she will enjoy the real Trick-or-Treat here in a couple of weeks.

Countdown to Fall!

2009-08-30T12:51:00.006-04:00

The weather has turned a bit more mild, and I am just ready for Fall to be here. It is by far my favorite time of year. Partly because you can wear longer clothes, and I love warm clothes. And partly because it is football season!! Rachel has a couple of OSU outfits, so this week I put one of the cheerleader outfits on her to see how it fit. It looks pretty cute! And it got me in the mood for football, so I am really excited that the start of college football season is only 6 days away! We had our NFL fantasy football draft last night, which also stoked me up for football season. I have to beat Duane at least once this year, because last season he beat me BOTH times.

This week was wonderful, because I had a whole week of vacation to spend with my baby girl. On Monday, we went to my work to visit people there. Rachel was a bit moodier than usual, but she still enjoyed playing and visiting with people. Tuesday morning we left for the cabin, after I went to get my new license (bleck to the pink licenses!) and spent the morning cleaning up after Murdock's latest stomach issues. The first day was a bit hectic. Rachel spent time exploring and getting her sea legs on the boat. Then Julie and the boys came up and we got to spend time with them as well. It was a good time and very relaxing. Watching the kids play in the water reminded me a lot of the time I spent at the cabin years ago.

Friday we got some VERY good news, which poses a pretty picture for the future of our family. I will elaborate more later, but I still can't believe it; I am in a state of shock. I also got a freelance job that promises to pay nicely. It will be a lot of work, and I am nervous about it, but the payoff will be amazing, so I can't pass it up.

I am SHOCKED that my vacation is over already!! I am enjoying this last day with my family, and we are headed to my parents' house to celebrate August birthdays today. That should be fun too. I enjoy spending time with my family. They are a good group of people.

The goal for this week is to get back to working out, despite the fact that my ribs are really sore. I think I have finally recovered from my cold and cough, but now my ribs are bothering me with every twist and turn. However, I need to get back to working out because I can feel the tone I built up starting to fade again. No pain, no gain, right?

Happy Birthday to Me!!

2009-08-23T11:50:00.007-04:00

So, I am 29 years old. My first 29th birthday. It is a strange feeling. I used to look at late twenties as this time when I would be having kids and be all grown up and mature. And I do have a beautiful little girl, a good husband, and I am grown up. Mature? Well, sometimes. I still have a lot to learn about life, even though I like to pretend I have all the answers. I talk a good game, but I get plenty of doses of humility to bring me down a peg.

I have learned that I need to surround myself with people who have a positive impact on my life. I have good friends, some of who I have just befriended in the last 2 years. It isn't easy for me to make new friends, but I have learned that I need to open my life up and be vulnerable to people. And I need to remember not to take myself down to the level of people who try to hurt me. Because strangely, they are out there, and I need to be a better person and ignore it. Because letting them have the satisfaction of getting to me and affecting how I behave is worse than just leaving things alone.

Now, off my contemplative soapbox, I am posting pictures from my last day of being 28 years old! It was a great time. Duane paid for me to get a mini-makeover. I got my hair cut and highlighted, and the last few times I have gone to get my hair cut, I have said I wanted something different. But I would always end up with the same haircut after about a week, and my hair would look so plain after a month. So this time, I told the stylist that I wanted some wispy bangs. I haven't had bangs since I was 17 years old! I painstakingly grew them out because they were annoying! But after I had Rachel, some of my peach fuzz at my hairline grew out and I had this hint of bangs that got me thinking that I might be ready for bangs again. They turned out great, and I really like the results.

After that, we dropped off the baby with my in-laws and went bowling with my friends Kim & Lawrene and their husbands and our friends Heather and Jeremy. It was so much fun, I can't even describe it fully here. I love bowling, and bowling with friends is even better. We all just hung out and enjoyed ourselves, and then afterward we went to a Sports Bar, played pool & darts, and just hung out. It was exactly how I wanted to spend my birthday eve, and it really reminded me of how lucky I am to have people who care about me.

Today, I am spending time with my own little family. I have the whoooooole week off work, and I am going to the cabin with Rachel for a few days of Women's Week. The other days, I will just relax with my girl...possibly paint our bedroom...take Rachel to work to show her off...and enjoy the peace and quiet. It has been a hectic year!

Walking and Talking...

2009-08-09T21:56:00.006-04:00

Rachel has become such a toddler in the last month. She is taking steps, literally, and really developing her personality and expressing herself. Though she doesn't have the confidence to walk for very long on her own, she has taken as many as 8 steps at once, and every day she tries harder to take one more step before plopping down on the floor. She also walks like an expert behind her push-along toys, zooming so fast that I can barely keep up with her.

She is becoming quite the talker too, though I can only discern a little bit of what she is trying to say! She likes to yell...and she laughs at us when we tell her "No!" now, so I fear for the teenage years. Duane and I have been singing the alphabet song to her, and she repeats "Ahhh-bayy" back to us. She seems to enjoy that song the most. And she "reads" constantly, which makes me very happy. I always loved to read as a child, so I encourage her reading.

But our new favorite game is "tea party." My cousin gave Rachel a tea set her daughter no longer uses. I showed Rachel how to pretend to eat out of the bowls and how to pour tea in the cups. She LOVES it! She grabs it and pulls out the plates and forks and stabs at the pretend food and "eats" it. She even makes noises while she pours tea!

We are very close to finding a new babysitter for her, which is bittersweet because we will dearly miss Melissa. She has been such an important person in Rachel's 1st year of life that I can't imagine the impact she has had on my daughter. However, I am very hopeful that the new sitter will bring new friends and experiences for Rachel and be another positive influence in her life.

On another note, my job is still in the transition stage, and I know very little about where I am going. I know that my responsibilities will definitely change. I welcome the adventure, but I worry because I am going from a very large department to a very small department, and I am not sure how I will fare in the new environment. All my friends are being scattered as well...it is the end of an era.

But I am taking this transition and using it across my life. I have been really trying to do better to lose this last 10 pounds of baby weight. I go to Kickboxing on Tuesdays and AquaFit on Saturdays. I try to go to workout on Thursdays too as well, and I have been trying to adjust my diet to a healthier style and smaller portions. I am also trying to take on a healthier attitude about things -- most especially the people with whom I associate. I have said it before, but this time I am making a stronger effort to weed out negativity from my life.

I hope to have even better news in the next few weeks (no, I am not pregnant!). Stay tuned!

Wow...

2009-07-17T20:32:00.002-04:00

I am almost speechless now. This has been one of the roughest weeks in a long time, so forgive me because this post won't be adorned with cute pictures of Rachel.
This week my company launched their infamous re-organization plans. It involved the loss of 550 employees nationwide, and 2 of these people worked in my department. That was Wednesday -- it began with a mass firing of people who were rumored to be "on probation." Word spread throughout the building, and with each name someone gasped. As the day progressed, you would hear whispers of another name, and it seemed like the lay-offs were stemming up through middle management. Then we would hear about people at the building at Easton, where even more lost their jobs. Some knew it was coming...some didn't. By the end of the day, we were emotionally spent, wondering who was next and when it would be over. But we learned that if you still had a job by the end of the day, you were safe.
Safe became a rather relative term at that point. Safe meant you had a job. It didn't mean you had your job.
Part of the re-organization became clearer on Thursday, when we learned that all the inner companies within McGraw-Hill School Education Group were no more. They were being re-merged into 4 Learning Solution Centers. And I learned that my job probably no longer existed as I have known it for 5 years.
It's kind of funny, because Sunday is my 5-year Anniversary with McGraw-Hill. And just days shy of reaching it, the role I have gotten down to a science is now changing.
But I am lucky. I don't have to start from scratch. Many of my peers were told that they would be thrown into a pool of people who would be used to fill whatever positions needed to be filled -- regardless of job skills.
I bawled all morning on Thursday, thinking I was going to be starting over...basically losing any and all seniority I had built up...having to reprove myself to a new manager, who wouldn't begin to understand how hard I have worked for these past 2 years. All those hours, all those hours wasted thinking they would do something for my career -- hours I could have spent with my daughter and husband...
I was at my wit's end at lunch Thursday, and then I got an invitation to a meeting. I had a new role -- a specific job function. A job not so different from what I have been doing, really. I had been selected as 1 of 8 people who would work on reprints for the ENTIRE company. WOW. That's a LOT of reprints.
But as I said, I am lucky. I know that my new boss will be a nice person (he coincidentally is married to my former colleague). I know that I will have people I know with me on this new endeavor. And I am 1 of 2 people in Math Production who is doing anything remotely close to what I did before.
But I am no longer an employee of the Math Department. That part of my career is over. I don't like that. I like my department. I like most of the people I have worked with over these 5 years. I have friends who won't be going with me -- like Kim, one of my dearest friends, and Jessica, whom I adore.
But I have a job, and I have to remind myself to be thankful of that. Because there are 550 people who don't, and as much as I talked a good game about it not making a huge different to me if I lost my job, I thank God that I don't have to worry about that...for now.

RaChEl FaCeS!!!

2009-07-13T21:37:00.007-04:00

Just a quick post with some of Rachel's many faces...the kid is a character!

Happy Fourth of July!

2009-07-05T09:04:00.005-04:00

We have had a really nice Fourth of July weekend so far. I had Thursday off from work, so I spent the day with Rachel, which I love. Friday, we played and ran some errands. Then Friday evening Rachel got to visit Aunt Steffie, Uncle Brian, and her cousins while Duane and I went to dinner for my friend Lawrene's 30th birthday.
We came home and watched Red, White, and BOOM on TV (that is the only way we really got to see fireworks this weekend). You can kind of see the downtown fireworks from the roof of our house, but I wasn't all about climbing on the roof to watch.
Saturday, Duane went to Mid-Ohio Racetrack with his friend Sam and Rachel and I went to Indian Lake to spend some time with my family. I took a couple of pictures of her in her July 4th outfit (which I purchased last yea

r on clearance). She is such a good baby -- I can set up her playpen and she will play in there while all the adults sit around and chat.
Then Grandpa Burkey and I went and bought her a lifejacket so that she could take a ride on the boat. I had to go with him to pick one out and to keep him from buying anything else. I almost got him to buy a waverunner, but our good sense prevailed. Anyway, Rachel was quite a sight, all bundled up in this lifejacket. It didn't really bother her though. Unfortunately, the weather was dreary and cool, with drizzle. So the boatride wasn't quite as enjoyable as usual. But it is always nice to get out on the water, and because it was Rachel's first boatride, it was even more fun. She wasn't used to the wind, and I bundled her u

p in her blanket, but she didn't cry (except when she kept remembering she had the lifejacket on). She just sat back and looked around. I think it made her sleepy after a while. But I really hope she enjoys the water as much as I do. We putt-putted around and looked at houses on the water -- she even got to see my dream home. I loved sharing the experience with her.
I had planned to go down to my sister-in-law's parents' house for fireworks when I got back, but Rachel was tired by the time we got back to town, so we went home and listened to the fireworks outside as Rachel slept.
Today, Duane was supposed to work, but luckily he didn't have to work the whole day, so we can spend some time together! Also, I got a GREAT deal on a gym membership, so I am going to go workout later. I am determined to lose 15 pounds and/or 1-2 pants sizes in the next 3-4 months. They have a pool and all that state-of-the-art equipment and classes, so I have no more excuses. So if anyone wants to help by watching Rachel once or twice a week...

Pool Party!

2009-06-29T20:58:00.006-04:00

This weekend was another busy one. We had friends over Friday night and ended up staying up until about 5:30 in the morning! Then, Rachel and I had a playdate with Quentin/Lawrene and Aiden/Kim on Saturday. Lawrene set up a couple of baby pools in her backyard and, after a scrumptious lunch, we all went out in the 90-degree heat and let the babies go wild.

Rachel was skeptical about the pool at first. She would scream whenever I put her anywhere near it. Aiden, on the other hand, was like a fish. He crawled so quickly across the pool that he looked like he was really swimming.

Quentin liked the water, but he generally would just get in long enough to get a toy and then would climb out again. I ended up pulling up a chair and sticking my feet in the water. And Rachel scrambled around the yard, exploring. She eventually crawled to me and I put her on my lap and gradually introduced her to the water. Once she figured out that she could splash around, she was in the water permanently until we left!

Saturday evening, Kim, Lawrene, and I all went bowling. I have been feeling pretty down lately, for various reasons, so Duane told me to get out! ha! It was a wonderful time. We had fun bowling and then squeezed into photo booth for keepsakes.

Sunday was my nephew Owen's birthday party. In the future, we will combine his with Rachel's party, but I wanted Rachel to have her own birthday party for her 1st birthday. Owen turned 3 on Friday, and I baked him a Wall-E cake for his birthday. He seemed to like it, though you can't get the kid to sit still very long! Oh, to be 3 again! It was a lovely party, and we had a great weekend altogether, though it was really busy.

By the time I got home Sunday night and finished my last cake for a co-worker's retirement gathering (which was today), I was wiped out. It was all I could do to get myself upstairs for bedtime. :)

This week is a short week, but Duane and I are going out of town Wednesday, and we won't get back until late. Rachel is spending the night with Grandma Wood so I can sleep in on Thursday! Then I have Happy Hour Thursday afternoon to celebrate the end of the reprint replacement cycle! =) I have busted my butt this year so far, so it has been nice that things have wound down somewhat. Friday is another day off, with a birthday dinner for Lawrene that evening. I don't think we will go to Red, White, and Boom, but we will try to find some fireworks for Rachel to watch. Perhaps I will take her up to the lake one day this weekend too. We shall see...

One Year...

2009-06-23T15:49:00.015-04:00

My dear Rachel,

What a strange and exciting year this has been. This time a year ago, I sat in my hospital room, learning how to feed you, with the protection and help of the nurses and hospital staff. The coming weeks brought more challenges and adventures -- I had to go home and learn how to care for you without the help of all those hospital workers. I didn't have much experience with babies, and you were proving that you definitely have a mind of your own. You wouldn't sleep on your back (we found out later you had pretty bad acid reflux), you liked to stay awake all night and sleep all day, and you had to be put to bed just right or you would wake up crying after 5 minutes.

But Daddy and I learned that we could put you in your swing to sleep, right next to the bed. And when you would stay awake all night, Mommy would be up with you, laying next to you on the floor and watching old movies and TV shows. And, after a while, I learned how to put you to bed the way you liked.

Those first 3-4 months were the hardest of my life -- but they also allowed me to get to know you even better. I learned that your needs will always come first with me and that I care more about making you happy than anything else in this world. When you learned to smile at me, it was one of the best moments in my life.

And what a smile you have! Charming and ornery, you flash that little grin and no one could ever ignore you or be mad at you.

I still marvel at you -- how could your Dad and I have created such a wonderful and amazing little person? You bring so much joy to both of us. And as you have grown older over this year, you have become the most pleasant little person to be around. You love to have fun, you are affectionate and sweet, and you speak your mind constantly.

I can't wait to see what this next year brings. You are weeks away from walking, and you learn how to communicate a little more each day. You are this amazing little person now, and I cherish every day we spend together. These last few days especially have been wonderful.

As we went to the Zoo today, on your 1st birthday, I realized it was quite appropriate -- I went to the Zoo a couple of weeks before you were conceived, and then once you were safely tucked away in the womb, and then finally again on the day before you were due to join us in this world. So it seemed right that we celebrated your first year by going to the Zoo again. Hopefully we will be able to make it back there often, perhaps every year for your birthday.

Thank you for being my dear sweet daughter. You are the truest blessing in my life. I love you.

Mommy

First Birthday Party/Father's Day

2009-06-21T20:26:00.011-04:00

Busy busy weekend!! I took Friday through this Tuesday off, and on Friday I went with Rachel and my mom to get Rachel's one-year photos taken. She was less than enthused about the whole ordeal, and I was really worried we weren't going to get any good shots. It could have been the torrential downpour outside or just that she doesn't like professional pictures, but she wasn't staying put or smiling much, which is VERY unlike her.

So I was more than a little pleased when I saw the pictures. They are GORGEOUS! I was able to control my urge to buy all of them, but I came away with a nice set. The pictures capured her ornery nature and her girliness too. And, although I spouted off about how my daughter would not wear pink often, I have to admit she looks really good in it, and she wore pink outfits in all of her pictures. She even sported a bow (!) in a couple of them.

Saturday was Rachel's first birthday party. In future years, we will combine her birthday party with her cousin Owen's party because Owen's birthday is just 3 days after Rachel's, but I wanted her to have her own party for her very first birthday. The weather forecast called for thunderstorms all week, which was not a good sign, because the party was supposed to be at Blacklick Woods park. But it cleared out in the early morning Saturday, and we were blessed with a beautiful day. It was a bit hectic getting started. We had a lot of different people contributing different pieces and parts to the party, so gathering them together at the last minute stressed me out, but the end result was amazing. All of Rachel's family and most of her friends were there. When she went to have some of her Blue's Clues smash cake, I expected her to dig right in because she really likes cake, but she was dainty and lady-like. She got about two good hunks of it, but the rest was just a lick here and there. I felt like it was MY birthday, actually, because Rachel got a whole new summer wardrobe, which not only saves me from having to buy clothes for her, but it allows me to skip a few loads of laundry! I think that because Rachel is the only girl among MANY boys, people must get the itch to buy those girly clothes! I have NOOOOO problem with that!! She also got lots of fun new toys, so I went through her toybox and got rid of some of the stuff she doesn't play with much anymore. No sooner did I get it piled to the side than she crawls in and starts playing with all of it, as if to say "NO MOM! This is my favorite toy!"

There were a lot of little boys at the party, so Rachel is probably going to be a tomboy as she grows up, but I will be delighted that she will have so many "older brothers" there to look after her as she gets older.

Sunday we celebrated Duane's first official Father's Day with Rachel. I made him a DVD of photographs of Rachel's first year and a book of photos as well. We spent all morning together and then traveled to the grandparents. It was another lovely day, and this whole week is supposed to follow suit, which is good because I am taking Rachel to the Zoo on Tuesday for her first birthday!! I love being able to take some days to spend with her. I used to worry that it would be rough because she was kind of a difficult baby, but now I can just relax and play with her a bit and spend a lovely day with my daughter. This year has been a whirlwind, but as we approach the last day of Rachel's first year with us, I can honestly say I am a better person for everything that has happened. I have a beautiful and personable daughter, and my family is a blessing to me.

First Sleepover

2009-06-15T20:36:00.005-04:00

Rachel had her first sleepover this weekend. She stayed at my mom and dad's house Saturday night so that I could drive to Akron and watch Duane race. It was a good time, very surprisingly to me. I don't usually get into motorcycle races when Duane is watching them, but it was really neat to see the people and the riders. I saw a couple of wrecks (thankfully not Duane!), and I got to support Duane in something that truly makes him happy.

I also took a few photos with my fancy camera. Not sure how great they really turned out, but they made Duane happy!

Rachel did really well on her sleepover -- Mom and Dad said she was a very well-behaved little lady and they very much enjoyed the time with her. And even though I enjoyed having a night off, I was really happy when they dropped her off Sunday afternoon!

This week is spent planning Rachel's birthday party! The forecast still calls for rain on Saturday, but I am hoping it will end Saturday morning and we will have some nice weather, since we planned an outside party! Otherwise I will need to clean my house and figure out how to let everyone know the party has been moved...

Baby on the Move!

2009-05-25T19:20:00.008-04:00

She is going to kill me for this one day, because somehow these pictures will surface when that really hot guy has just asked her to prom, but I couldn't resist. Rachel has been suffering from a fairly bad diaper rash for the last several weeks, and the doctor diagnosed her with a yeast infection. I guess this is pretty common in babies, and I was given some cream to use on her. However, after a couple of days, her rash got so bad that I started leaving her naked in her pack 'n' play for a good two hours a day. This, as you can imagine, can get quite messy at times, but she actually seems to like being in there.

She has learned to occupy herself for up to 2 hours at a time independently. She sits with her toys and books and plays and babbles. Some people are amazed by this, but I am pretty happy with this because it allows me to get my chores done without constant interruption. I am very very proud.

Speaking of proud, Rachel is now a fully funtional crawler. She always managed to get around, because she pulled herself along with her arms. Talk about upper-body strength! However, in the last 3 weeks, she has mastered the full-fledged crawl, and she gets this look of determination on her face whenever she is headed off somewhere. She gets those legs churning and smiles from across the room and just zooms toward whatever she is after. I wish I had it on video here, but vimeo is not cooperating with me.

Rachel now has two official teeth. I spent a good 10 minutes trying to get a good picture of them, because she has a skill for hiding them with her tongue whenever I have the camera out. I think I got a couple good ones here, though not necessarily in a good picture of Rachel overall. We have started her on some more solids, and she will munch on raisins and pretzel rods and various other things we give her. She

uses the sippy cup more regularly and really enjoys yogurt juice -- yogurt and juice mixed together is not a pleasant thought to me, but apparently it is quite tasty because it is the only drink she consistently downs without taking 5 or 6 hours.

But with all of these amazing developments, I think my favorite has to be that Rachel blows kisses now. Granted, she puts more effort into placing the kiss on her hand with force than she gives to sending the kiss to whomever she intends to receive it, but the thought is definitely what counts here. I don't have a good picture or video yet, but I intend to make that my next photojournalistic endeavor. As you can see, her personality continues to thrive, and it makes for lots of fun pictures along the way! :)

Mother's Day Weekend

2009-05-10T21:43:00.007-04:00

We had a wonderful weekend in the Wood household. Saturday evening, we celebrated Duane's 30th birthday with my family. Good times all around -- cornhole, cookout, cards, and cake! I am really proud of the job I did on this cake. I have had some bad experiences with my two-layer cakes in the past, but this one remained intact and I even got some good practice on my roses.

We loved the visit with family, but Duane had to work on Sunday, so it was just me and Rachel for our first Mother's Day post partem. We went to church, and then we picked up some bagels and headed to my parents' house for bagels, chicken salad, gardening, and some relaxation.

Then this evening, Duane gave me a lovely note and fed and bathed Rachel so I could relax. I was glad he got to experience what I do every evening with her -- kind of appropriate for a Mother's Day gift.

Rachel also reached a milestone this week -- her first tooth! I will post more on that later, when I can nab a picture.

Overall, the weekend was just lovely. Back to the grind tomorrow...

Beautiful Weekend!

2009-05-08T08:57:00.011-04:00

We had a wonderful weekend full of surprises and fun in the sun!

Friday evening, Duane and I were heading out for what he thought was our combination anniversary/his 30th birthday dinner. Actually, his friend Donovan and I had organized a surprise 30th birthday gathering at the restaurant for Duane and his friends. I told everyone to be there at 7 p.m. and our reservation was at 7:30. However, I told Duane our reservation was at 7:15. Knowing Duane, he hates to be late, so it was challenging to stall him without letting him know that we weren't running late. He complained the first 5 minutes of the drive to the restaurant because he thought we were running late. The last 5 minutes of the drive he spent complaining about me taking him in the wrong parking lot. The in-between was pleasant though. =) Once we pulled in the parking lot, I saw everyone standing outside. I knew Duane would soon see them too. As we drove around trying to find a place to park, he saw them all standing together and the jig was up. We had a great meal and I am so thankful everyone could make it on short notice. I think Duane had an excellent time!

On Saturday, we attended Quentin's 1st birthday party. It was blustery but bright and beautiful outside. Rachel got to sit in the grass and soak in some rays with Aiden. After, we listened to the OSU spring game on the radio and some of the NFL draft. Sunday, Rachel and I took part in the March of Dimes March for Babies! We raised $40 personally and $400 as a team and walked a 1-mile trek among thousands of participants. It was wonderful to see so many people taking part in a good cause. Next year, I think we will do the 5-mile walk!

Then we spent the rest of the day relaxing and taking in some rays. Rachel is still a little confused when I sit her in the grass!

Rachel's 1st Plane Ride and Visit to Washington D.C.

2009-05-08T08:38:00.009-04:00

This was an interesting decision for me. I have been wanting to visit my dear friend Amy and her daughter Anna for a while now, but they live in Alexandria, VA, and I knew I wouldn't be able to make that kind of a drive with Rachel. So I checked airfares and decided that we would have to fly out. Some people looked at me as though I were crazy, trying to travel alone with an infant. I must admit, it was challenging.

Duane dropped us off at the airport Friday morning. No complaints from Rachel. She was extremely well-behaved. We had a half-hour flight to Cincinnati, and that went extremely well. I had several nice people who offered to help stow my carry-on for me, which was much appreciated. However, the layover was where the challenge arrived. I had to walk about a quarter-mile from my arrival gate to my departure gate, and though that may not seem like a lot to you, try carrying an 18-pound sack of potatoes on your hip and dragging a rolling suitcase, a purse, and a diaper bag with you. Not so easy. I didn't bring a stroller with me because I would have been charged $15 each way to bring it on the plane, and frankly, my umbrella stroller isn't even worth $15.

When I finally boarded the second flight, things went well. Rachel apparently is not fazed by flying whatsoever, so long as the people on the plane understand that she should be given all of their attention. She is a hopeless flirt -- women, men, other kids, it doesn't matter. And people really respond to her flirtations. I know my child is absolutely adorable to me, but I have never had so many random people tell me how precious she is!

But I digress. If I spent all my time telling you how many people stopped to comment on her, I wouldn't get to the rest of the weekend. Rachel fell asleep on the plane about 10 minutes before we landed in Baltimore. By the time we got off the plane, she had been sleeping about a half-hour. I was hoping she would sleep in the car on the way to Alexandria, but this would be the pattern of the weekend. She fell asleep when she was exhausted but was disturbed somehow after 30 minutes or so and would not go back to sleep later.

Once Amy picked us up, we headed to Virginia. We got some lunch at a lovely spot in Old Towne and then headed to her house and spent the day fawning over our girls. I had a yummy dinner (prepared by Scott, Amy's husband & former chef), and then I regrettably fell asleep as we watched a movie. Sorry Ames!

Then Saturday Scott took Anna for the day and Amy, Rachel, and I headed to Washington, D.C. We saw all the big monuments -- The Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Wall, the Korean War memorial... -- and then headed to get some lunch at a beautiful restaurant. Rachel was extremely excited by the whole experience, but we finally found a couple of people who did not appreciate my daughter's personality. She jabbered away while we ate, but the women next to us asked to be moved. It was my first experience of that nature, and Amy was fuming over it. How could anyone not appreciate the sounds of a HAPPY baby? Alas, some people don't feel the same about kids as we do, and we laughed it off and tipped our waiter quite well for the loss of the table.

Saturday evening, Scott again graciously watched the kids (though Rachel was snoozing already) so Amy and I could get out. We went to an Irish bar as a prelude to her trip to Ireland. =) We talked and laughed and had a wonderfully enjoyable time. I didn't realize just how much I missed her until I saw her again.

Sunday, Rachel and I flew back to Columbus. She again found friendly faces on the first flight. The man next to us was wonderful with her -- he entertained her the whole flight back and was very helpful when I was deboarding the plane in Detroit. Rachel fell asleep just as we prepared to board our second flight to Columbus and she slept the entire flight back. It was nice to get home and relax a bit after all that excitement. I then got to spend Monday with Rachel, one-on-one, and we had a lot of fun just hanging out. It makes me wish I could spend more time with her throughout the week. Maybe someday...

Rachel's 1st Easter

2009-05-08T08:30:00.006-04:00

I am going to catch up on my blogs now, so I will be posting several at a time. :) My computer, thanks to my husband (who fixed it) and the generous people at Best Buy (who finally stopped holding it hostage), is back in business, but runs very slow. Now I am trying to sort through things and figure out which pictures I have already posted where, etc.

Rachel's 1st Easter couldn't have been much better. We woke up and gave her her first Easter basket, which was filled with a new Dora doll and book, a Curious George Anthology (I absolutely adored Curious George as a child!), a set of her very own keys, and her brand new cell phone! She seemed extremely curious about the whole basket, but was not particularly fond of the fake grass inside.

After church, we headed to Grandma & Grandpa Burkey's and celebrated with the maternal cousins. Rachel got to take part in her first Easter Egg Hunt. She got 5 eggs! The Grand-Easter Bunny filled each with a piece of candy and a coin. However, cousin Owen got a bit restless and started cracking open the eggs and taking the candy. So one of Rachel's eggs only had a coin in it. Not that she noticed; she cared more about the egg itself than its contents!!

Then we headed to Duane's parents' house for the Wood Easter. Rachel got a new toy bunny that she carries everywhere now. It is that bendy material, like a Gumbee. She enjoys chewing on him. =)

Overall, it was a lovely day. The weather cooperated, and I must say that Rachel looked lovely in her Easter dress!

Hiatus

2009-04-29T08:47:00.002-04:00

Soooo...my computer is down again. It is being officially repaired this time. I use the one at work and Duane's at home, but I can't download the pictures from my Washington trip or the last week or so since then. There are lots of updates, but I am waiting for the visual aids to really post anything. But since I posted last, we have celebrated our third anniversary (!) -- there were a couple times I NEVER thought we would make it this far -- we have celebrated Duane's 30TH birthday, and we have been out and about in the beautiful spring weather.
Rachel has been in an awesome mood lately, until Monday evening, when she started to get cranky. I can see her bottom front teeth ready to poke through, so that might have something to do with the mood swing.
My workload has started to diminish slightly, which is really nice. I like being able to be at home more often and play with my daughter and spend time with my husband.

So hopefully I will have pictures to post soon!!

Back Again!

2009-04-11T22:49:00.006-04:00

My computer continues to experience some technical difficulties, so I haven't been able to upload pictures for a while. And I don't find a blog without a picture interesting, so I haven't posted much of anything lately.

So here are your updates...

Rachel went to the doctor for her 9-month visit on March 23rd (when she was exactly 9 months old). She weighed in at 16.5 lbs and 28 inches, which makes her long and lean with a large head, apparently. She is a healthy, happy baby!

Her faces continue to amaze me. I adore spending time with her. She loves to laugh, and she is learning to express her emotions in her body language. She is also learning more vocabulary every day. She now knows "dog" and we are teaching her other basic words. She points a lot now, and she pulls herself up on everything! She actually got a push-walker for Christmas and has just started using it more and more lately. I think she is a few weeks from walking on her own.

Also, I am posting a picture of Rachel's eyes...up close. They haven't really turned yet. Everyone thinks they are brown when they see pictures, because they always appear brown. Some days, I think they are brown. But then the next day, they look hazel. They seem to be blue-green with brown centers, and I think I have finally capture that on camera.

Rachel had a playdate with her friend Brayden a couple of weeks ago. Apparently she didn't feel like sharing her toys with him. Poor Brayden...the latest in a string of boys my daughter abuses.

This weekend, we are going to visit my dear friend Amy and her daughter Anna. We are SO excited, but mommy is very nervous to take Rachel with her on a plane trip. But we get to visit Washington, D.C., and I haven't been there since I was about 9 years old. I am thrilled to share that with my daughter (though she won't understand it yet), and I will be sure to take lots of pictures!

Until then, HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!

Playdate and Duane-less Weekend

2009-03-22T18:54:00.008-04:00

So Duane left on Thursday morning for his first official race weekend -- a thing which he has spent much of his time, energy, and money on of late. It sounds as though everything went well, albeit after one of his buddies was involved in a couple of accidents. I am just thankful my husband is coming home in one piece.

Without Duane around, Rachel and I spent a LOT of quality time together. It reminded me a bit of my maternity leave, except without Duane coming home every evening. I spent a good portion of the weekend following the NCAA basketball tourney. I don't even really like basketball much, but I run the tournament at work, and it is so fun when a team is upset and all the brackets take a sudden turn.

Also, we hosted the second official playdate between Rachel and her friends, Aiden and Quentin. The weather was nice enough for us to take a walk. We must have looked like the baby brigade as we walked single file to the little park at the school a few blocks from our house. The kids seemed pretty unimpressed by the park -- Aiden hated the swings and Rachel was just disinterested in pretty much everything.

Then Sunday I made a date to see a movie with my sister. I went to church with mom, who agreed to watch Rachel while I was at the movie. Rachel made it pretty easy on her though -- she slept the whole time I was gone.

Now we are just waiting on Duane to get home. The weekend seemed to fly by, but that is good. We missed the big guy.

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T18:30:00.002-04:00

So, it's St. Patrick's Day. But I am not wearing green. Threaten to pinch me, if you want. I'm not Irish. I don't take the day off to go drinking. I didn't really drink on St. Patrick's in college. Really, I would say St. Patrick's Day lost its novelty for me when I graduated from high school and stopped getting the day off to celebrate.
Don't get me wrong -- I enjoyed the day as a child. I liked having the parties at school. I wore my green. It was fun. My mom bought us Shamrock donuts from Jolly Pirate, which are THE best because they are FULLLLLL of rich cream. So, to carry on the spirit, I dressed Rachel in green this morning, despite the fact that she, also, is not Irish.
I won't ruin the holiday for her, just because I don't get into it. But I just can't do it. I haven't been able to get into it for years now. So if you see me today and I am not wearing green, pinch me if you feel the need. But I probably won't wear green next year either...or the year after.
I guess we'll see what happens when Rachel starts to notice her mom's defiance. Maybe then, for her, I will dig up something green to wear to make the day fun for her. And of course, I will always make sure she has her very own Jolly Pirate Shamrock donut. :)

Walkabout.

2009-03-09T21:36:00.007-04:00

So the weekend didn't start well for our family. I had a bad day at work Friday, and unfortunately I carried it home with me and couldn't recover until early Sunday. I did spend a nice day with my girl on Saturday as Duane decided to play golf with his friend. We hung out, went shopping a bit, and then enjoyed some quality family time.

Sunday, Duane worked on his homework and then went to the OSU basketball game with a friend. Meanwhile, Rachel and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and took a walk around the neighborhood. It was a good time, and it reminded me slightly of a time when she was about 6-7 weeks old and I took her for walks around the block in the summer. The difference is that now she isn't fussing quite so much and she loves to sit up and watch all the people. We really do live in a wonderful neighborhood. We watched as people played with their kids, walked their dogs, and gathered in driveways to talk to one another.

When we got home, I took some pictures of the little sprout. I can't believe how big she is getting!

BABY TIME!

2009-03-05T17:54:00.009-05:00

Duane started classes this week, so I had a great excuse to leave work somewhat ontime to go and pick up Rachel from the sitter. It was really enjoyable spending some quality time with my baby girl. It made me realize how much I am missing when I am at work. She is getting so big. Her latest development is that she talks a LOT more than she used to. She varies from "DaDaDa" to "NaNaNa" and "MAH!"
She is still not up on all fours, but she has some spectacular upper body strength, because she drags herself around the house, chasing after everyone. We are starting to give her some dissolvable solids, but she doesn't appreciate the texture much. She makes an icky face and spits a lot of it out. Every now and then she seems to like it, and rumor has it that her friend Ben (a little boy at the sitter's) likes to feed her Cheerios!
Being home so much has given me the opportunity to take a couple more pictures. So here they are!

Forgive me!

2009-02-22T22:16:00.006-05:00

I have been realllllly busy at work, then my computer went down for a week, so when I actually had new photos to upload, I couldn't. Ugh.

We celebrated Valentine's Day in style in the Wood family. Rachel wore her special sweetheart shirt, and we got Chipotle for dinner. If you know Duane, you know he hates crowds, so with V-Day being on a Saturday, he wasn't much up for going anywhere too fancy. It was nice though. We spent time with Rachel and each other, and it was much needed.

Rachel does "The Sprinkler."

How can you resist that face?

She tends to crawl right out of her pants!

Festivities

2009-02-01T10:42:00.009-05:00

Sorry, no Rachel pics in this post. I do, however, want to send congratulations to my oldest friend, Stephen. Stephen got married yesterday to a wonderful woman (Natasha). I couldn't be happier for both of them, as they are amazing people who deserve all the happiness in the world. Stephen and I have been friends since before we were born, I think, and we have a picture together from every major event in our lives. I think Rachel will have a lot of those with the boys in her life too (i.e., Aiden, Brayden, Caden...).

On another note, we had a great time at the reception. Aunt Julie was willing to watch Rachel so that I could relax for a while. I got to take some great pictures and danced with my dad. He is a bit of a crazy dancer. He is extremely talented, but the more he drinks, the more you feel like a rag doll that he is tossing around the dance floor. :)

Pic Post

2009-01-19T16:56:00.007-05:00

Normally I have something to talk about in a blog and I like to highlight it with pictures, but not too much has happened lately. So instead of blathering on about something for this blog as an excuse to post these pictures, I am just going to post them. There are a couple funny leftovers from Christmas, and then I took some on Saturday of this big girl perfecting her sitting skills.

The only real change is what I call "the face." It is this new face Rachel gets, and the funny thing about it is that when she is wearing the face, I can't tell whether she is excited or irritated until she starts "talking."

Busy Bees!

2009-01-13T20:16:00.006-05:00

There isn't much to update on my life or Rachel's, because we haven't done much together and I have spent the last week and a half working more than I honestly should. Every year in January, the reprint world falls to pieces and I spend a lot of time putting it all back together. I have had tremendous help, but I am mentally exhausted!

So I get home just in time to feed Rachel dinner, bathe her, and put her to bed. She has not responded well to my absence. Even though Duane is doing a great job with her while I am working, and I appreciate that more than I could ever describe here, her mood is anxious and irritable. That could be partly because her teeth are bothering her again, but she doesn't like when I am in the room and not holding her these days.

So for the update part of the blog, you have to read a lot of "Duane says" statements. Even though she isn't 7 months yet, here is the latest news:

Duane says Rachel crawled backward in her crib! Quite the accomplishment, I think.

Duane worked a lot with Rachel on sitting last week, and she can pretty much stay in a seated position now for a while. She eventually topples over, but it is nice to put her in her crib sitting up with some toys scattered around her. I do that in the mornings when I am getting ready.

She is on half formula, half breastmilk now. My production plummeted about a month ago, and I am making less than half what I had been. I guess that's okay, but I really want to get her to 9 months before I wean her completely. Plus, formula is really expensive. I can't imagine what it must be like to formula feed exclusively for this long.

Picture Tag

2009-01-08T20:47:00.002-05:00

This is a picture from my honeymoon. I take a lot of pictures of myself, because Duane doesn't take a lot of pictures and I am to shy to ask other people. I love this picture, because it was a rare occasion where my curly hair cooperated with me and my teeth were still white from my pre-wedding bleaching. Plus I was skinnier back then. :) Check out the muscle tone.

The rules of a picture tag:

1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer.

2) Select the 4th picture in the folder.

3) Explain the picture.

4) Tag 4 people to do the same. NO CHEATING! (cropping, editing, etc!)

I tag Duane, Jessica, Allison and Abbo.

The Difference a Year Makes

2009-01-02T18:13:00.006-05:00

I was thinking about my New Year's Resolution the other day, and it made me reflect back over the course my life has taken this year. I went from being an expectant mother to a mother. My whole attitude about life changed. Instead of everything being about me, and how I wanted things to go in my life, I started thinking about our family, our life, and my daughter's happiness and well-being. Not only that, I have gained a deep appreciation for how precious life is.

It hasn't been easy. Those first few weeks at home from the hospital, I was convinced I had the most difficult baby ever born. I was tired, sore, and couldn't get her to sleep at night or on her back. It wasn't the glamorous coming home they broadcast on TV and in the movies. After some painful complications during delivery, I felt like I had been torn inside out, and then they make me almost solely responsible for this little 7.5-pound human. Wait, WHAT?!?

I couldn't just pick up and go to the store anymore. Heck, I couldn't even take a shower or go to the bathroom on a whim. I felt like I was under house arrest. I was constantly afraid to go anywhere with Rachel because if she woke up, she would probably cry or fuss or want to be fed when I had nowhere to feed her. Not to mention if I did manage to get out, I felt like something out of Night of the Living Dead. I watched Duane somewhat settle into a normal life again, and I was amazingly envious. I was either feeding, changing, or comforting the baby...and possibly sleeping while she slept or attending to the tatters I called my home.

But I cherished the time I had with my daughter. With every day, I felt like I was becoming more of a mother and less of a shocked individual wondering where her freedom went. As Rachel got older, I got to be more of an adult. Going back to work also helped. I felt like I had a place to be me again, as hard as it was to leave Rachel in the beginning. Once I could bear to talk about her, I was able to share pictures with people and feel more like a proud mommy.

And now I can run errands and just take Rachel with me. I have found that people are far more understanding about a crying baby than I give them credit for, and I have the timing down pretty well so that she rarely starts to fuss until we are standing in line getting ready to pay.

But I would say the biggest change in my life this year has been my appreciation for it. I will watch a television show where the bad guy dies, and I find myself welling up with tears, wondering what his mommy would think about her baby boy dying all alone. At first, I thought it was my hormones, but 6 months out, I am still an emotional mess when I see someone die on TV, in a movie, or in real life. I think it is because I was there when a life started. I went through the 10-month progression from making a baby, to worrying about keeping something the size of a grape safe, to becoming a walking incubator for this little being who kicked and turned and wriggled inside me, to caring for this precious child who looks so much like me that sometimes I forget we are two different people.

After going through something like that, I guess it's just natural to look at all life as precious. Everyone had a mom and a dad at some point, and maybe they are out there wondering about their child's safety the way I worry constantly about Rachel's.

So even though my New Year's resolution is actually to finish losing this last 6 pounds of baby weight, I feel like I have already really accomplished a lot in the last year. But I am sure plenty more life lessons will follow, so keep reading.

6-Month Check-Up (Belated)

2008-12-30T11:35:00.009-05:00

I took Rachel for her 6-month Dr. Appt. last Tuesday and she did a great job! She got three shots, which she didn't really appreciate, but she was a very brave little girl. Here are Rachel's latest stats:

She weighed in at 14 lbs even, which is only 6 ounces more than she weighed 2 months ago. It puts her in the 10th-25th percentile, which is a bit of a drop from last visit. But the doctor says she is perfectly healthy, so I will just keep feeding her all those yummy foods!

She gained a half-inch over 2 months, even though she seems so long to me! I can't believe how big she is getting.

The doctor gave the okay to start the sippy cup, though he said she would probably reject it at first. I went out and bought a couple and some juice to put in them. I diluted the juice with water and gave her one. She seems to like it, but doesn't understand that she has to tilt the cup to get the juice out!

The doctor also gave the okay to start cereal at 8 months, which makes mommy VERY nervous. My sister says she cut the cereal up for the boys, so I may try that, or I will try using the dissolving puffs that Gerber makes.

Rachel is REALLLLLY close to crawling. She has started pulling herself up on her hands and knees, and she lunged forward once the other night. Looks like we need to babyproof the house!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T22:56:00.004-05:00

Here are a couple pictures of Christmas Eve at the Wood household. We were all very blessed to get a lot of gifts, the most special of which was Rachel's cousin, Caden Phillip. Then she woke up Christmas morning to lots of presents under the tree, just for her!

Merry Christmas everyone!

New Camera from D-Wayne Claus!

2008-12-16T21:32:00.007-05:00

I was getting kind of frustrated with my old camera, because all of my pictures seemed orange, and when I would turn he flash off, they were too dark or blurry. And I want to take good pictures of my daughter, but it didn't seem like anything helped. I didn't know whether it was my poor photography skills, my camera, or the weird lighting in our house. So D-Wayne Claus came a little early, and we picked out a nice new digital camera for our Christmas gift.

I am still a little uneasy. I suffer from big-time buyer's remorse after almost every big purchase, so I have been questioning whether or not this camera is for me. It is a heavy-duty deal...lots of gidgets and gadgets that I probably don't need or won't understand. And looking at the pictures on my LCD screens on the cameras, they didn't look that different from my other camera.

But I fiddled with it a lot tonight (all the different modes and lighting options), and when I loaded them onto the computer, I could see a difference in the clarity and lighting.

Duane said I should sign up for an online photography class, so I think I am going to try that. There are some that teach about my new camera specifically, so I may use any money I get from my next freelance project to do that. I used to be a fairly decent photographer, but if you don't use it, you lose it, I guess!

Let me know what you think about the pictures. The top two are from my old camera, and the bottom few are from my new camera.

p.s. I am selling my old 35-mm Canon Rebel. Everything is digital now, but if anyone knows someone who could use it, let me know and I will make them a good deal.

Christmas Pictures!

2008-12-15T13:08:00.005-05:00

So, we had a fun Sunday in the Wood Family. I really wanted to get Rachel's Christmas pictures done so I could put them on our Christmas cards, and I figured we could just do her 6-month pictures at the same time. Foolishly, I neglected to think that everyone else in the city of Columbus would be scheduling Christmas pictures too. I told Duane it would only take an hour or two and he agreed to come with me to the photo studio.

So off we went. It took 20-30 minutes to take the actual pictures, and Rachel was very tired, so she wasn't too cooperative. We managed to get a couple happy-ish pictures and a very nice Christmas photo for the cards. I would have loved to have a few more options on the Christmas photo, but she was just too tired at that point. Every time I put her down, she burst into tears. I can't blame her...there were strange adults with cameras and little kids and parents running around everywhere.

So, the photographer said it might take 5-10 minutes to get to view our pictures. Over an HOUR later, I went to check the status and there were still 2 groups ahead of us. So an hour and a half passed and I was finally able to see my little angel and deliberate over the best poses. I didn't take long -- I narrowed 45 poses to 4 and then just had to wait another 15 minutes for everything to print.

Needless to say, at this point, Rachel was very cranky. She slept most of our wait to view the pictures, but once she woke up, she was both hungry and confused...and probably sick of sitting in her carseat! The whole ordeal took about 4 hours from when we left the house to when we got home, 3 of which was spent at the studio.

I am really hoping D-Wayne Claus will get me a magical camera for Christmas so perhaps we can avoid this in the future and stick to yearly portraits...in June...when nobody is around.

But there is no knocking the pictures -- they are gorgeous!

Expansion!!

2008-12-10T08:28:00.002-05:00

I got an e-mail from my sister-in-law yesterday and she has progressed to almost 3 centimeters and 80% effacement, so baby Caden could arrive any day!! He isn't due until the 21st, and the doctor was going to induce her on the 20th for medical reasons, but the doctor thinks he will come sooner anyway. Here's hoping!!
I also found out that a friend from work who is due with a boy on the 22nd is also 3 centimeters and she just lost her plug, so her baby boy could also arrive any day!
BABIES EVERYWHERE!!

Here Comes Santa Claus!

2008-12-03T21:18:00.007-05:00

The last few days have been fairly uneventful in the Wood household, but I can say that we have our Christmas tree up. It isn't decorated, but all in due time. Our babysitter, however, has a beautifully tall tree that is perfectly decorated with giant bulbs and pretty lights, complete with tinsel and a big red star on top. Rachel loves to stare at it, and I am excited to get ours finished so she will have yet another distraction in our house.

It is getting more and more difficult to keep the child entertained, and I really fear that she is growing smarter than I am. Her sense of humor is so well-developed, and she just has to watch us do something once and she immediately attempts to do it herself. She is very independent and very strong-willed, which makes me both proud and frustrated.

I am really excited for the holidays this year, and I am hoping my attempt to take the days around Christmas off of work will be successful. Last year I was close, but then I snagged the ticket to the National Championship game in New Orleans, so I had to switch my vacation days because I was too busy at work to do both. This year I am only planning on working the Monday before Christmas and possibly New Years Eve. We never really do anything for NYE anyway, and I can't see that changing with the little one around. Maybe we will pop open the bottle of champagne that has been in the fridge since last NYE.

But the main reason I am excited for the holidays is sharing them with Rachel and Duane. I am excited to see what Santa brings her, excited to watch her reaction to things, and I am just really excited that I have her in my life to enhance the holidays for me. Tonight we watched Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as we went through our nightly ritual, and I haven't been so interested in that show in years. Everything that I have forgotten about from childhood holidays make me very excited to relive things through my daughter. And we are getting pictures with Santa soon too!!

First Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T15:29:00.004-05:00

Well, it has been an exciting couple of days for us! Rachel experienced her first Thanksgiving and her first Black Friday.

On Thursday, we headed to my in-laws' house at noon for Thanksgiving dinner. We got to visit with them, and Rachel was very well-behaved and interactive. She seemed to enjoy the time with her grandparents and cousins. She even got to have Grandpa Wood feed her some sweet potatoes at the table like a big girl! Although I think she was clearly in control of the situation, because grandpa seemed intimidated when she would grab the spoon from him.

She should have another cousin here in a few short weeks, because Jen is about ready to pop! The poor girl has had terrible tailbone pain lately, and she may end up with a C-Section. We just hope for a healthy delivery all-around.

Then we headed to my parents' house for dessert and a light meal. They had already eaten when we arrived, but we spent some time with the family and Duane ended up eating some of the traditional Thanksgiving lasagna my dad prepared. I partook of some pecan pie, which is my absolute favorite guilty pleasure on Thanksgiving. I skipped the light dinner just so I could have a piece.

Friday, Rachel and I headed out around 9 a.m. for shopping. I always go to one store each Black Friday, and I always rediscover why I only end up going to one store. I can't take the crowds. Rachel was a model baby. She just chilled in her stroller as we waited in line at a certain retail store so that we could get her cousin's batman gifts. So as a reward, I bought her yet another Christmas dress. :)

Then we entertained my family to celebrate Grandpa Burkey's birthday. We had yummy pizza, some beer, wine, and I made a trifle for the first time, which is a fruity dessert. I am not a fruit fan, but it was what my dad wanted, and it seemed to go over well.

So we are officially in the Christmas season, so Rachel and I are just waiting for Duane to get home so we can decorate!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T23:21:00.004-05:00

Looking back on this whirlwind of a year, I think about how last year at this time, I was praying to get through every day without something going wrong with my pregnancy. Now, I look at Rachel and I realize that I have gained new understanding of what it means to be truly thankful for all my blessings. She grew safely inside me for 10 months, she had a healthy delivery, and she continues to flourish before our eyes. I am blessed to have such a healthy and beautiful little girl, a wonderful husband, and amazing friends and family.

All About Tradition

2008-11-22T23:21:00.010-05:00

It may not have been the most exciting game in the rivalry's history, but Ohio State defeated That Team Up North today, 42-7, and I was there. It was my year in the 6-year rotation for the coveted M*chigan ticket, so today I attended The Game with my mom. It was similar to the last time I attended The Game, 6 years ago, in one way: VERY COLD! Mom and I were in the very top row of C Deck, so we bundled up really snug and climbed a million stairs while clinging to the handrail. Once we were up there, it wasn't so bad. I warned everyone in the vicinity that I am a very loud fan, and I only cursed once. (It slipped out when we got a roughing the kicker penalty.)
I had a great time -- it was nice to get out and be an adult for a while. I am exhausted, sore, and I am losing my voice again, so it must have been fun!

Here's to the fourth straight Big 10 title for our beloved Buckeyes. It was a great year, and I am kind of glad we don't have to play the likes of Oklahoma -- 65-14 in the fourth quarter vs. #2 Texas Tech...YIKES!

Here are a couple pictures of me and Rachel from the other day too. Just for kicks. She seems like she doesn't like looking at the

camera when I am trying to get our picture together.

2008-11-17T22:26:00.002-05:00

Murdock doesn't get much play on the blog, and I was practicing my lighting the other day, so I snapped a quick pic of the little guy. He doesn't look too happy about it...poor dude has had some major adjustments to make in these last 5 months. I have been very impressed with him to this point. He gets jealous every now and then, but he minds us very well and even seemed a bit concerned the other night when he could hear Rachel on the monitor but he couldn't find her. He searched for her everywhere, sniffing in her car seat, her piano bouncer, the fireplace(?)...

With this being M*chigan week, I had to post a picture of my little bean in her OSU duds. She looks a bit like a boy, doesn't she? She must be thinking "BOO M*chigan!"

BABY!

2008-11-11T21:46:00.010-05:00

I got a break from Mommyville this weekend, because I attended a baby shower for my sister-in-law on Saturday while Duane watched Rachel. Normally I would have taken her, but I didn't want to steal the thunder. My sister-in-law tried to get pregnant for a while before she and the brother-in-law had success, so I wasn't about to take anything away from that.

In the spirit of the shower, I made a shower cake. It wasn't the typical shower cake -- no baby booties or storks. It was a square yellow cake with chocolate frosting and a blue bow and polka dots. Duane actually baked the cakes for me, because my first cake burned and I had to tend to Rachel. And I iced them with homemade chocolate frosting and made a fondant bow. It wasn't my best effort, because I wasn't used to working with fondant or chocolate frosting, but it tasted pretty good!

Baby Caden got a LOT of clothes. I kept teasing that he is going to have to switch rooms with them because of all the clothes he got.

After the fun was over, I went home and watched the recording of the OSU game, hung out with Duane, and relaxed the rest of the weekend.

Rachel is doing very well. She is eating almost a jar of baby food at each sitting. I have been mixing rice cereal into the baby food and she seems to tolerate that pretty well. She is on green foods. She likes sweet potatoes and green beans the best so far. Her diapers have taken quite a stinky turn since she started solids, let me tell you.
Her next doctor appointment is December 23rd, so I will update her stats then.

Other than that, we are just busy getting ready for Rachel's first Christmas. I am determined to decorate the outside this year, as I was promised by Duane that he would handle it last year and he never did. Wish me luck with that!

A Change is Coming

2008-11-05T12:08:00.002-05:00

I view myself as an independent. I really don't like the two-party system. I don't like political parties in general. I like to vote for the best candidate. While I lean more toward the liberal side of things, I try not to let that control my vote from year to year. My parents are Democrats and my brother is a devout Republican. It makes for some lively conversations at family gatherings.
I honestly didn't know who I was going to vote in this election. I actually really liked Hillary Clinton, but she lost the primary. So I was kind of left stumped. And I didn't really care. I mean, I even considered not voting at one point. I voted in 2000 and 2004, but it didn't matter then, so why should it matter now?
When I went to vote yesterday, I overheard a few people behind me who were very vocal in their support of Barack Obama. I found it amusing at first -- I would never vocalize my tendencies at the polling place. I generally don't vocalize them to anyone who isn't my friend or family member. But these people were passionate about Obama's message, and it really got to the heart of this election.
People finally care.
This country is in disarray. The economy is declining fast; gas prices are unstable; jobs are being shipped overseas; companies are going belly-up; and we are still involved in a war that I honestly don't think we can win.
So as I stood there holding my 4-month-old daughter, I looked at her and started to tear up a little bit. Because even though I didn't care in 2000 or 2004, I care now. I care about what happens for her future in this country. I care whether she will be able to go to college and find a job that she enjoys, whether she will be able to afford the gas for her first car, and whether she will be able to live in a time when this country isn't at war.
I don't know if Barack Obama can fix everything. I don't subscribe to the belief that as soon as he takes office in January, everything will be sunshine and roses again. But I believe he cares, and I have seen how people have responded to his message that things can change for the better again.
We need to care, and we need someone to care about us, the middle and lower classes.

Trick or Treat...Smell My Feet...

2008-11-01T08:02:00.007-04:00

Rachel celebrated her first Halloween as a RAT! I prefer to think of her as a mouse, but the costume definitely looked more rat-like. She wore her costume to the sitter, and underneath she was wearing her Halloween outfit. When I picked her up Halloween afternoon, I changed her back into her costume and we sat outside with Daddy and handed out candy to all the trick-or-treaters who happened by. We usually only get about 20-30, because we live in a deep court in a neighborhood full of twists and turns.

We visited with the neighbors and got our first "treats" and then Grandma and Great Great Aunt Ann came to visit the little rat! It was a fun night!

4 Months

2008-10-27T21:01:00.007-04:00

First, I have to apologize because I was mistaken -- Rachel's doctors appointment was today, not Friday. I am glad I discovered this before Friday, or I would have been pretty irritated with myself.

Rachel turned 4 months old on Thursday. I had been suffering from a cold since Sunday, and Rachel decided she didn't want to sleep more than an hour at a time last week, so by Thursday I was pretty miserable. I actually gave warning at work that I probably wouldn't go in to work Friday because by the time I left work on Thursday, I couldn't see straight because of the pressure in my sinus cavity. So poor Rachel and I didn't have a great week, but on Friday I got lots of sleep while she was at the sitter and I was rejuvenated by the time I had to pick her up.

Saturday was a HUGE milestone for Rachel because she ate her first few bites of rice cereal! I don't think she liked it much.

But she held it down and by Sunday I think she started to get the hang of it. I snuck her some applesauce on Sunday too, and she liked the taste of that better, so I think she is ready to be a big girl eater.

We also decided to let her cry-it-out on Saturday because she wasn't taking her naps when I would lay her down. The sitter tells me she is very scheduled, requires no swaddling, and goes right to sleep around the same time every day for a few hours. Yet for my weekends, she won't sleep when I set her down. So we set her in her crib, turned the monitor on but left the volume down (so we could see the lights but not hear her crying), and retreated to the basement and waited for her to fall asleep.

Normally I am not a proponent of letting a baby cry, but I also think that Rachel has gotten to the point where she needs to learn how to put herself to sleep. I have gotten tons of advice from tons of mothers. Nothing has worked so far, and even though Rachel is only 4 months old, neither of us is getting any sleep right now, and that isn't healthy for either of us.

Today, the pediatrician confirmed that we need to let her cry herself to sleep. Most people tell me this will take about 3 rough nights, but that at the end of the week, she will be sleeping through the night, or at least for longer than 3-hour spurts. Wish us luck!

Okay, here are the 4-month stats!

13 lbs 10 oz. (50th percentile)

25.5 inches (90th percentile)

The doctor says she is remarkably strong. She was trying to stand on the table while he was examining her!

October Sunday

2008-10-19T20:01:00.010-04:00

Duane has been working a lot, so Rachel and I have been hanging out. And Mommy has been shopping for fall gear for Rachel! Here are some photos of our lazy Sunday! (If I look tired, it's because I am. Rachel has yet to return to sleeping through the night. We shall be asking the doctor about this on Friday.)