Glass Half Full

My Life in Bullet Points

2010-03-08T16:14:00Z

It always seems that I am on the go with something to do or somewhere to go or someone's birthday or event to celebrate. I get so wrapped up in the whirlwind that I forget to take a moment to breathe and to vent, which I intend to do now.

Good Things:
- Alex started sleeping through the night last week! He started on last Sunday night and has done it for an entire week, so I am thinking this is it! Thank you BabyWise for once again allowing me to function as a normal person. I often hear a gasp when I tell people I use this method, but truly, when used in the right way, there is nothing controversial about it. I am happy to share thoughts and tips if anyone is interested.

- I did a 12 person wine tasting party this weekend that was a total blast. This was my second class of the year, and I already have two other dates booked with hopefully more to come. I am thinking this is my year! Every class I do helps me to improve a little bit and tweak a little bit so I am excited to get the perfect structure down that works.

- For Christmas I got tickets to a wine tasting dinner that is next week. So super excited! I haven't been to one since I lived in Dallas, so it is long overdue. I am not sure life gets much better than delicious New Orleans food paired with great tasting wines.

- Drew starts Pre-K 3 in August, and he must be potty trained to go. I decided that I would start now in case it takes me until August to get him trained. The least pressure on myself the better right? This week has been extremely eventful, but the good thing is that he has started telling me that he has to go instead of when he's already gone. It has been a work in progress leading up to this poing (see potty training under bad things) but this is the positive thing that has happened.

Bad Things:
- Potty training is so freaking hard!! I have cleaned up more pee and poop than anyone should in a lifetime. I think the real issue with Drew is that he doesn't understand that he has the power to go. He knows how to hold it in, and the poor thing recently asked for a new set of privates because his hurt him from holding in the pee-pee so long. Seriously so sad :( He holds it and holds it until it just comes out by itself, which is not the way to do it. He will tell me, "I have to go, I have to go," but he doesn't want to go on the potty. No set of bribery or trickery works. He just is not ready to go on the thing. I even took him outside to try which worked better, but I am not sure that is the greatest idea. In fact, the child might just need counseling for the rest of his life as I am not sure what the heck I am doing. I don't operate with the same equipment, you know? So I have asked Brad to please get involved before I scar his child for life.

- I am still having blood pressure issues, so I now have to see an internist to figure out what is going on and try a different kind of medicine. It is quite possible I will have to be on meds the rest of my life for this stuff, which I am prepared for. My OB did tell me that I should not have any more children because it could be very dangerous for me. I was 98% sure I was done, but this just sealed the deal. I definitely don't want to have a stroke or something like that, and I am on a slippery slope right now. I am looking forward to getting on the road to recovery.

So that is a summary in the short time I have to create one. I am glad to see more good things than bad things on my list, and sometimes it helps to write this stuff down just to remember what to be thankful for.

In Sickness and In Health

2010-01-08T16:39:32Z

I married the greatest man ever. Seriously. Not because of Christmas gifts given (although it was an awesome gift this year :) or a great celebration of my birthday which included being able to sleep in and eat yummy food, but because in my time of need, he pulled through like a champ. I had a scare this past week. I went to my doctor for what I thought was a normal post partum check up. I was having no real issues except for a nagging headache which I chalked up to lack of sleep and meals that consist of goldfish snacks. When they tested my blood pressure, it was high. Dangerously high. So high that my doctor told me that I needed to go straight to the hospital. Yikes! Luckily Brad had called in that day and kept the boys at home while I went to the doctor. I thought I was going to have a nice little solo adventure for a change, but this is not quite what I had in mind :( I made the panic phone call to my hubby because he was going to have to pack me a bag, pack Alex a bag to room in with me (b/c I am nursing) and pack Drew a bag to stay the night with Grandma and Grandpa. When I called him, he was warming up the one bottle I made for Alex while the little guy peed all over his shirt, and Drew was screaming in the background because he wanted more milk and Brad was taking too long to fix it for him. My phone call was the icing on his cake to say the least.
But my hubby handled the pressure so well and arrived at the hospital within 30 minutes with both kids content and bags packed. He stayed the night with me and every time I had to feed Alex, he would hand him over from the crib then take him back when he was done and change his diaper because I couldn’t get out of the bed. So needless to say there was not much sleep involved for him. He is really my hero :)
After 24 hours, we got my pressure down, and I was able to go home. I have a monitor at home, so I checked, and for the next 3 days I had no problems. Until this week. Then it shot up again, so I was back at the doctor, this time with my mom and kids in tow, expecting to have to go back to the hospital. Instead, my doctor gave me a medicine to take 2x a day and so far it is working. In fact, it is the same medicine I was on when I had these problems after my pregnancy with Drew. Apparently your body still thinks you’re pregnant for 12 weeks after you deliver, so it is still trying to adjust. I just wish it would happen soon. This stuff is crazy.
Other than that drama, life is going well. When Alex first came home, Drew was pretty indifferent and ignored him, but now he likes to kiss him and hold his hands. I told him once that he was “so sweet” so now he likes me to tell him that every time :) I just have to watch because sometimes I will find a truck or a blanket on Alex’s head or lap because Drew is trying to be “sweet.” Alex is a good baby and only cries when he wants something, so it has been okay to manage. Some days are harder than others, but I am surviving it better than I thought I would. I think the hardest part is making sure I give them both the attention that they need and also be a good wife and keep my house clean and in order. Gosh I am exhausted just typing that :) Not to mention that I have started working a little bit and plan to be in full swing in a week or two. I think once I have a full routine down again, life will get to the new normal.
There is more I want to say about some exciting things I have planned this year and some Wines By the Class news, but time limits me, so I will save it for another post. I do feel like 2010 will be an awesome year, not just for me, but for many loved ones in my life, despite this initial craziness. Happy New Year Everybody!

Been There, Done That, Got the T-Shirt

2009-12-09T17:39:48Z

And I seriously mean got the t-shirt, but more on that in a minute. I do know that 11 hours of labor sure beats the heck out of 53 :). I can say for certain that this time was sooo much easier than the last. If I ever have another child, I think I could just pop that baby out without so much as a push. Okay, maybe tmi, but while I have a minute, here is the birth story of my little Alexander the Great:

As I have posted on here, I have had a hard time with the last few weeks of my pregnancy. I was an emotional wreck in a lot of pain all of the time. It wasn’t much fun at all. Well, the Lord heard me because when I went in to my doctor’s office last Wednesday and got checked, Alex actually went back up and my cervix had closed a little. The 2cm dialation progression I had achieved totally went away and it looked like the baby was content to stay in the womb forever. My doctor was concerned so we did an ultrasound to check the baby’s weight. He was 7lbs 10oz so everything looked fine there, but he said, “If you are going to have this baby the old fashioned way, we better induce because he’s not going to come on his own.” I said, “What time should I be at the hospital?” Seriously, I was so ready.
So we set the appt at the hospital, and Brad and I got there at 6am. It was about 7:30 or so when they put this little pill into my cervix to start contractions. They said that the contractions would be effective, but much less painful than a pitocin drip. Whatever works I said. After 4 hours and no real progress, another pill was inserted. This time it really caught on. I lost track of time at this point, but I know it was only 2 hours or so until I was dialated enough for the doctor to break my water. After your water breaks, the pain goes from tolerable to unmanageable in a matter of an hour or less, so I got the epidural and waited. Except I didn’t have to wait very long. I remember it was around 5pm or so that my doctor came in and checked me and said, “You will have this baby by 10pm.” Awesome I thought. I could swing that. But then a half hour later I started feeling a lot of pressure and really hard contractions. Although I had a continous flow of pain meds, I felt a lot of pain, and I couldn’t understand it. When I told the nurse, she checked me and sure enough the baby was there and ready to come out. We had to call the doctor back who had just pulled into his driveway (poor guy :) and he came back to deliver little Alex. I honestly think I only pushed through 3 contractions before I was holding a little boy in my arms. I wish I could describe in words what it is like to have your hubby beside you and the doctor and nurses urging you on, encouraging you to push out this bundle of joy that you have waited so very long for. But I can only say it is the most exhilarating, amazing thing you will ever experience. My sister in law actually shared this experience with us this time since this is her godchild, and I know she will never forget it either (maybe for more than one reason :). And just like that, we are now a family of four. Alexander Warren Duvieilh was born on December 3, 2009 at 6:53pm weighing 7lbs 13oz and measuring 21.5 inches long.

And just like Drew, he had a big welcome ceremony. If you remember, the whole family had Drew Dat shirts to welcome little Drew into the world. We had to give Alex the same warm reception, so we thought of Jeopardy shirts (like Alex Trebek if it is flying over your head.) The front of the shirt said this:

And the backs said multiple things like this:

And This:

Of course the nurses in the labor and delivery unit remembered us from last time (20 people with matching shirts are hard to forget) and they got a kick out of us again this time. I mean, who makes t-shirts for the birth of a child? Well my crazy family does. They all had a blast, and I love that we can have so much fun no matter where we go or what we do. Drew was so awesome and calmly played with his trucks and was spoiled with attention the many hours he was at the hospital that day. He is such an amazing child, and I hope his little brother learns a lot from him. I will have to have another post on the progression of how he does with a new baby in the house, but more on that to come.
Just want to say thanks to everyone for all of the support. We feel so blessed and lucky. Everything with Alex seems to be fine. We go to the doctor on Friday for his first checkup, but he has none of the issues that Drew had, and I have none of the issues that I had the first time. Things are going great so far, although I told Brad he cannot go back to work next week. Not sure what we’ll do about money, but we can figure it out right? :)

I am officially done

2009-12-02T19:36:28Z

Well I did it. I met the requests of my friends and family and got through Thanksgiving without having this baby. I then met the request of my pleading hubby not to have the baby during the Saints/Pats game. And when I say I did everything I could, I literally mean it. I have had a few contractions and I got in the bathtub and laid down and crossed my legs and prayed. Seriously. It has been tough. I didn't make this far with Drew, so I didn't know how hard these last few weeks could be. It has been tiring, painful and emotionally draining. I mean for God's sake people, I was hysterical about the finale of Jon and Kate. Mentally I am fully prepared, I am just waiting on my body to catch up. I have a doc appt today, so I am so anxious to get his predictions. Ugh :( Waiting is the hardest part.
To end this post on at least a smile, check out this You Tube video of Drew "reading." His pronunciations are off, so make sure you listen close.

The Revelation

2009-11-19T20:50:13Z

I had my revelation moment last night. You know, the moment when you realize that your whole life is about to change. I went to see my hairdresser and she told me, "The next time I see you, you will say you have kids." As in kids plural. As in not just one. And I thought, my gosh, she's right. In just a short period of time, I will be a mommy of two. It is both scary and exhilarating at the same time. Especially since these last few days have been really tough for me. I have had a lot of pain in my lower back and legs, which the doc attributes to the baby's increase in size and movement toward the birth canal. It just feels really tight, like there's not enough room for the both of us. He says, I know you're thinking, "Get it out, Get it out, but you just have to wait a little longer." "Okayyyy I said. I guess :)" He assured me that I will not have the baby this weekend while he is in Tampa at the Saints game. I told I would hold him to that :)
But this weekend will be special for another reason - It is my 6 year anniversary! Can you believe it? I can't. So much has happened in that time, it is amazing.
And Brad always plans a special surprise for me - a trip or a night out where he only tells me what to pack or what to wear and I have no idea where we are going until we get there. It is always romantic and special, and I enjoy every minute of it. We are sort of limited this year due to current circumstances, but I am sure we will have a good time.
Speaking of surprises, my sister and mother in law threw me a baby shower this past weekend. I was totally shocked, especially since this is my second boy and I have a lot of things from Drew. But now baby Alex will have plenty of his own clothes and toys, and I have enough diapers to last me for a few months. It was really sweet and special, and as I was washing and putting away all of the new gifts, I was really excited for what the future holds.

The Good, The Not So Bad, and The Ugly

2009-11-12T20:28:40Z

The Good: Okay, this update about Drew is way late, but better than never right? When we went to the doc last month, Drew was 55% for weight at 29lbs and 90% for height at 36 inches. This means that if you take 36 * 2, he should be 72 inches tall as an adult or 6 feet. Yippee! He did not inherit my midgit gene (or little person, but I don't have to be PC about myself, right?)
He has a very large vocabulary and can understand words like dangerous and careful, which thrill me. He can say his numbers through 10, although he doesn't understand how much more than two there are of something. He knows most of the alphabet, although the difference between uppercase and lowercase letters are tricky for him, but we will get there.
But the most amazing thing is - He has a photographic memory. He loves to read, so we do that several times a day and most of the time it is the same handful of favorite books. He shocked me the other day by "reading" the book back to me and telling me what the page said before I read it. Of course in his own words. Example: Book: This dinosaur has a keen, eerie eye. Drew: Noar keen eerie eye. Too cute :)We have done this now with several books, and I am amazed every time. I will try to get this on video if I can. There are a million other things I can say, but I won't bore you :) I will just say that this is such a fun age, and I love discovering what he will learn and say next.

Also in the good column - I went on my annual girls shopping trip to the outlet mall in Foley, AL, and it was a total blast. In fact, I outshopped and outlasted those who are not preggers, and I was proud of myself. When I get in the shopping zone, I am unstoppable :) I got 95% of my shopping done which is awesome because I will not have the time for that in just a few weeks here. Also good was that Brad watched Drew for the weekend and took him to restaurants and the zoo for some father/son time. There are not many men that I know that would care for their son for the weekend, much less take him places by themselves, so I feel very blessed and lucky. This definitely earned him a spot on Santa's nice list :)

The Not So Bad: The two trials I have been having with Drew involved sleeping in his new bed and potty training. Well, we have made real progress on the bed front. I started getting brave and shutting the door while he slept so he couldn't get out. The first night was hell. He woke up every 20 minutes banging on the door to get out. But we got through it, and every night after that was a little better. Every now and then he wakes up somewhere around 1 or 2 and cries for about 10 mintues, but he never gets out of bed anymore and he puts himself back to sleep without me going in there. This leads to much better rest for all of us, and I am surviving my guilt of not letting him sleep in my bed. Take this as a note my friends - Do not let your child sleep in the bed with you. It is a hard habit to break, and it has been difficult for me. I don't regret it fully due to the health circumstances we've had, but I should have pulled the plug a long time ago. I am glad it looks like we are finally getting through it.
On the potty front, although I said I was giving up, I am not really a quitter, so I still got lots of books and rented and bought movies about the potty just so we can keep talking about it. We rented this movie from the library called, "Once Upon a Potty." It is the boy version about a boy named Josh who starts using the potty. The very first time we watched it, Drew said, "Be right back." When I went to see where he went, he was sitting on his potty. Seriously. He didn't go or anything, but this was a major breakthrough. Since that day, I have gotten him to go on the potty 3 times. He never asks to go and I let him walk around without a diaper on until I see that he has to go and put him on there so it is not like he is fully trained or anything, but it is a start. He now tells me whenever he is using the bathroom and if he doesn't have a diaper on, he does not go on the floor anymore like in the beginning. Even if he doesn't want to go on the potty, he will hold it for 3+ hours, so he is learning control. Another trick I used was a doll that goes pee-pee in her own potty. That wasn't that thrilling to him, but when I stuck raisins in her potty and told him she made poo-poo, he was amazed by that. It was the first time he went by himself on the potty. I think part of the problem I had in the beginning was that I thought this would be a quick process, but I think it will be ongoing, and I have learned to be okay with that. I will keep you posted for you future and current mommies who will need this in your file one day :)

The Ugly: Me. Okay too harsh, and I am not looking for sympathy, but it's just how I feel right now. This woman recently told me, "You seriously have one month to go? You look like you are going to pop. I can't believe you have to wait that long." Really? Not ok. I should have told her, "Well you're not looking so hot yourself with your flabby arms in that too tight halter." But I am not a bitch. Only in my mind :) The baby is head down, but he is still pretty high up there, so we keep waiting to see what will happen. I am a little over 35 weeks and oh so ready, although Brad is quite glad for some time to prepare. Not sure why the men always need time to prepare when the women bear the brunt of the work while the baby is both inside and out, but whatever.

Highlight Reel

2009-10-20T19:14:00Z

So this weekend was pretty awesome, and I just wanted to provide my highlight reel for future memory. BTW, have you ever gone back and read your old posts? They seem to capture time just as you felt it back then, and it is amazing how much things change in a matter of months. Go back and read some of them to see what I mean. Back to the present though........

On Friday night Brad, Drew and I went to try this new Mexican restaurant up the street from my house. This doesn't sound like a highlight, but whenever you take a 2 year old to a restaurant and it goes well without anyone having a tantrum or running around all the tables or spilling drink everywhere, you can pretty much relish in your small victory. The food was good, the weather was perfect, and it was a nice quiet dinner for my family of 3. Way to start the weekend :)

On Saturday, we drove out to a farm in MS that has a corn maze and a petting zoo and hay rides and all of the other neat things that farms usually do. I had no intentions of getting in that corn maze (Children of the Corn ranks as one of the scariest films ever for me, thus my fear), but it was part of our admission, and Brad wanted to go. This maze is over a mile long, so we walked along the edge of it for a while before turning around and going back. I knew it was bad when Brad wanted to go for fear of getting lost, and if you know me, you know that I would have ended up sleeping in the thing because my inward compass always points North regardless of what direction I really am. But I do think it's a cool idea. In fact, at night time they make it scary and have people hide in the corn and jump out at you. Worst nightmare for me, but I know some people who would eat that stuff up. Anyway, it was cute and sweet and a fun family thing to do.

On Sunday of course was the big game. If you don't know what I mean, obviously you live under a rock because the Saints played the Giants and remain undefeated baby!!! You Cowboys fans should at least be happy about the NY loss. In fact, I saw several Dallas jerseys at the game. I guess if you don't have a Saints jersey and want to cheer against the Giants, it's the next best thing :)
Brad and I left early in the a.m. and went to a Blues and BBQ festival where I had a cochon de lait poboy, which probably ranked in the top 3 of my all time favorite sandwiches. Cochon de lait is roasted pig and if you've never had it, you should give it a try. Sounds weird, but if you eat BBQ pork, it is very similar. The music was great and I got a virgin bloody mary and I sat and enjoyed and had a "This is the great life" moment. After a while we walked over to the Dome and whooped and hollered for one awesome blowout game. I overdid it just a bit though because when we were walking back to our car I was in a bit of pain and I had to stop 3 times. In fact, when I got home, I took a bath and got into bed and waited for the tightness and the cramps to stop. Baby Boy was kicking the crap out of me, as if to say, "Hello! I'm still in here! Could you please remember that next time you want to jump up and down and walk all over town?" Ahem. Yes I am not invincible and I really have to watch myself. I will have to remember that for the next home game :)

So good weekend, and I hope the next one is just as good. It is actually quite hard to have a difficult time with such great weather. I just love this time of year :)

The Potty Diaries

2009-10-01T17:46:11Z

This has been one of the hardest weeks ever in my parenting life thus far. I am a pretty patient person, but I have never felt more tested in my life, and I am slowing down now to take a breath and remind myself that this is not about me at all. Never is, is it? :)
I will start by saying that about two weeks ago or so, we moved the crib out of Drew's room and gave him a twin bed. I thought he would transition smoothly being that he loves our bed, but I guess he loves us being in it more than the comfort. Duh, mommy ;) Anyway, he gives us a bit of a fuss when we put him in the bed for naps and nightime, so we stay in there with him reading and soothing until he is in la-la land. At night he usually wakes up around 3 or so and comes and wakes Brad up and Brad goes back with him to his room and puts him down until he falls asleep again and wakes up in the a.m. It could be worse, and I know that eventually he will stop waking in the middle of the night, so we have been a little lenient with him.
I decided to also add one more transition to the pot - potty training. In retrospect, I probably set myself up to fail. I mean this is a lot of change for one 2 year old kid, and I am pushing him to the limits. But I honestly thought he was ready. He shows all of the signs of being ready and intellectually capable of handling a potty, so I read all of the books and everything I could find on the internet, and Monday, I introduced the potty. I gave him big boy underwear - no more diapers- and I gave him a doll that pees and has its own potty so that he could see how it works.
He was all into it - the underwear and the doll with the potty, so I took him one step further and had him sit down and drink a million cups of (insert here: juice, milk, water, etc) and waited. And waited. And waited. And read every book. And waited some more. After 45 minutes of not going, I thought, Hmm, okay, he must have a really strong bladder. As soon as I let him get up, he goes into the living room while I clean up the bathroom and comes back to get me. He says, "Mommy, water." Water? What does that mean? I rush to the living room and lo and behold there is pee pee all over the floor. That little bugger was holding it in and waited until he got up to go. Okay, I thought, I've got a fighter on my hands, but I will get him eventually. Except he got me :) The past 3 days has been the same story over and over again. He likes sitting on the potty, but does not want to go on it. The minute, and I mean the minute the walks away, he will go on himself. He would rather do that than do it in the potty. Yesterday was the very last straw for me. First in the morning I let him walk around naked thinking that I was going to catch him in the act and hurry and sit him on the potty and teach him that way. Well all morning he didn't go, and he didn't tell me he had to, so things were okay. I decide to mop the floor and he is playing in the garage. I have my eye on him, watching him play with his toys. Well as I move toward the hallway with the mop, he moves out of my line of sight. It couldn't have been for more than 2 minutes. As soon as he did, guess what - accident on the floor of the garage. Big one. :( I collected myself and moved on and tried again. This my friends is the straw that broke my back. I knew he had to go after hours of drinking and not going, so I convinced him to sit on the potty. I told him that I was going to go get him some milk and he should stay sitting. When I came back, he was still sitting, but there was pee all over the floor. Seriously. And not like he tried to go and it sprayed everywhere. More like he stood up, went, and sat back down again. I called my mom in tears at my wits end, and she convinced me that it was nothing I did wrong but more that Drew isn't ready. And I guess she's right. I hate to give up. I mean it's only been 3 days. But I haven't left the house and I've mopped the floor more times than I can count, and I need a break :( I mean, if you are sitting on a potty and would rather stand up and go on yourself than go where you're sitting, you must have a serious aversion to it that I am not sure will be cured with more training. It was not a hit and miss with us. He never went on it. Not once in all 3 days. And I hate being a quitter, but for my sanity, I have to give us both a break. It's not like he's going to school, and he needs to be trained soon. I am even a little early on this maybe. I just had such high hopes. But this is God showing me that it is not about me or my schedule. This is about Drew, and he's not ready. And I am going to accept this. As hard as it is :)
I am looking forward to a good weekend and a date night with my hubby tomorrow and an electric football game in the dome on Sunday.

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-08T21:00:48Z

Labor Day weekend was awesome this year! Mainly because we threw a super cool party for Drew that he loved, and so did everyone else for that matter :) The petting zoo worked out great. There were chickens, goats, pigs, turtles, alligators, rabbits and a special surprise - a kangaroo! Seriously! It was awesome to see one up close, and all of the kids (and adults) had a blast getting in the ring and getting to pet everything. Drew is still talking about the "amils." I was really worried that it would be too over the top, but it was worth every penny, and I got so many calls and emails thanking me for a great party. Awesome!
And thanks to parents and in laws, my house is mainly clean except for the millions of new toys everywhere. Now we go through the fun part of sorting out the old stuff and filtering in the new. I actually don't open all of Drew's presents and save some of them for rainy days when he is bored. I am not sure how many years I can get away with this, but this is the second time I am doing it, and it is working out so far.

Drew's actual birthday is tomorrow, and I can't believe he will be 2 years old! I can remember his birth like it was yesterday. He is growing up so fast, and I just want to capture this time when he still needs me and isn't afraid to give me hugs and kisses. I know it will go by way too fast, so I am trying to take my own advice and live in the moment.

Okay and I am finally getting around to posting me in my Saints maternity top. Tomorrow makes 26 weeks, and I look okay here, although my stomach (and thighs) seem to expand daily. All part of it I guess. As long as my hubby lies to me and tells me I am still beautiful, I can bear it :)

Die Hard

2009-08-21T15:23:46Z

After reading through my posts, I realize that most of them talk about sports of some kind, and I think that I have joined my husband in his obessive problem with this stuff.
Case in point - When we went to the Saints game the other night, we saw my doctor from a distance and realized that he has seats one section over from us. At my appt this week, I brought it up to him that I saw him and we started talking football. I told him that I thought there would be a few games I might have to miss at the end of the year due to the fact that my due date was so close and I would be across the lake from my hospital. However, maybe I wouldn't have to miss them after all since he would be there anyway. He said that maybe he could get a special pass to the ladies lounge and deliver the baby right there. I told him we wouldn't even have to miss a play since there are tvs everywhere broadcasting what is happening. The thing is, I am not sure if either of us was joking. Yes my friends, I have a problem :)

This pregancy is going really well, and I have no real health issues this time. I do have a little too much fluid, but I am going to work on that by drinking a lot more water and a lot less diet soda. It just seems like it is passing me by, but I think it's because I am so busy with the world around me. I do have a very strong feeling that this is a special child who will have a very big heart, but what parent wouldn't say that about their child :) I promise a belly pic very soon because it's getting more noticeable (and more uncomfortable) and I really need to take it before I stop looking 2nd trimester cute and start looking 3rd trimester miserable. It seems like you just wake up one day and you are huge and people give you sympathetic looks instead of smiling at the glow on your face.

Here's to a good productive weekend. Happy Friday!

Life Update

2009-08-13T18:48:06Z

My life always feels like a lot is going on, but then really not that much all at the same time. I guess it's not that much compared to some people I know, but whatev. First, I think I can use the name Alex again because my sister's sister in law is now choosing to go with Jackson. I really hope I can use the name because I had a premonition about it and nothing else feels right except for that. We did pick out his bedding which is a super cute sports themed set with all of the essential sports featured. Plus my mom is making him a jersey with his name on it and the number will be the date of his birth, which I can't wait to get. I also thought it might be cute to put up those pictures of famous athletes as little kids that you always see in random stores. Now that I want them, I can't think of where in the world to get them. Does anyone know what I am talking about? Or do I sound like a crazy person as usual?
We also got Drew a new bed, but we haven't set it up yet because first we have to clean out closets and move stuff around so we can fit everything in one room and make space for other things in other rooms. Blah Blah. But it is getting done a little at a time. I am really anxious for Drew to sleep in his new bed because we are being bad parents and when Drew wakes up around 3am and cries Daddy! Mommy! we feel so bad we go and get him and he snuggles in between us. I keep thinking it's because he finds our bed so much more comfortable than his, so hopefully his nice new bed will help. I know it's not true though and we will have to go through this again with the new bed, but I am determined to have this child sleeping in his own bed through the night before the new baby comes. It is a necessity actually because baby 2 will be waking up and I can't have two children not sleeping well because that will make for one very tired mommy.

Oh and I bought the book, Potty Training in One Day. I really think the ideas are spot on, and I plan to try it after Drew's birthday. He has begun telling me when he has to go 1 and 2 (although he calls both pooh-pooh, but okay), so I know he is ready. It's just a matter of me being ready. It is a big switch to have to worry about mess and a change of clothes everywhere, but I cannot wait until he is rid of diapers. Those things are mega bucks, and I can't imagine two children in them. I am vowing that it won't be me. We'll see ;)

In other exciting news, Saints preseason starts Friday, and I have ordered a Saints maternity top, and I cannot wait to get it. After all, I needed something to wear to all of the games now that we have season tickets. Ahem. Just thought I would rub that in one more time. I hope it comes by tomorrow. And it looks like an exciting year for our boys. I know we say that every year, but I love the changes made in the off season this year, and I am really hopeful. Of course we will end up being really great this year, and I know for sure I have to miss a few games in December due to the baby. Ahh the sacrifices we make, right?

You Tube Virgin

2009-07-28T17:07:58Z

Today I am no longer a You Tube virgin. Check out this video of Drew I posted learning the "word game." This was inspired from all of those commercials where 9 month old babies are learning how to read. I figured I could do it myself without paying $100 for flash cards :)

My Own Football Team

2009-07-28T14:50:06Z

If you hadn't heard by now, Drew is going to have a little brother. Truly, truly I am thrilled, and I feel so comfortable and confident because I know exactly what to expect and how to handle a little boy. A friend joked that we are the next Mannings, and honestly, I would be totally fine with that. I always wanted my own football team :)
Now that we know, I am ready to kick into high gear with re-doing rooms and buying new furniture. I think that we've decided that we are going to keep Drew's room the same - just updated for a toddler - and re-do the new baby's room to a sports theme. Gee, was that unpredictable or what?
Oh and speaking of sports, we have enrolled Drew in his first real activity - a soccer team for kids his age. I know, can you believe it? But I figure, I would much rather my kid in a sport than in Gymboree or something like that. Soccer is the one sport that Brad is not really into, but all of a sudden he is buying Drew mini uniforms and searching for toddler soccer balls. I think he is trying for Coach of the Year already :)
And Drew will be two soon, so that means I am planning his 2nd birthday party. I think it will be a farm animal party where we will get a petting zoo and pony rides. It sounds elaborate, but it's not really. It's really common for this area - there are petting zoos all over the place, and Drew loves them. He can make the sound for any animal on the farm. It's super cute. So I thought he might love something like that and the other kids will too. I just hope it won't cost me a fortune because by the time he turns 16, I will be in serious trouble.

Twilight

2009-06-30T17:19:31Z

I am about to say something that might offend some readers - I hated the movie Twilight. I know, I know, but it just did not compare to the book. I am a little late (okay a lot late), but I just started reading the series once I was in Vegas. I thought the book reminded me of my old teen reading days when I was into the drama and romance, but I felt like Ms Meyer was building up to an epic love story, and I enjoyed that. I liked the family of vampires and found myself caring about them. But then there was the movie. Once day Bella and Edward hate each other, the next they love each other. Really? Cuz that's not how it happened. I just kept finding myself saying, "But what about this?" To be fair, I have only seen one movie that ever really captured the book and that is the old version of Pride and Prejudice - The six hour version - so it better capture the book. Maybe I will give Twilight another try in a few months. I know the new movie is coming out soon, and the second book was just blah for me, so maybe it will be better and renew my hope. I always feel like I am missing something when I don't agree with what the world seems to like (ahem ahem Slumdog Millionaire ahem ahem). Can someone convince me otherwise?

And Then There Were Two

2009-06-27T23:42:19Z

Yeah it was about that time. I am totally excited that we will get another baby for Christmas this year!!! I have waited a little long to post just to make sure everything was okay, but it is, and I have discovered that I am a pretty good secret keeper, although it is much easier that most of my friends on here I don't see face to face :) In 4 weeks we will know what the baby is, and I am freaking out because it seems like time is just passing me by. I am enjoying this pregnancy much more, mainly because I don't have the issues that I did the first time. I have learned major lessons like this one - Don't eat whatever I want just because I am preggers. I have only gained 5lbs and can still fit in my skinny jeans where as last time, I was already up a size. Weird though how your stomach seems to expand overnight and then people don’t know if you’re pregnant or just fat.

Now is it a boy or a girl? Who knows, and frankly, I have no preference. My first thought was that it was a boy and I am thrilled with that because I love my little boy and he would have a brother and I would already have his clothes covered for the first 2 years of his life. But if it’s a girl like Brad thinks, that’s lovely too, and I would love her and teach her to be a strong feminist just like her mommy.

I just really am excited, and I am now allowing myself to be excited about this without too much fear. I know what to expect this time, and it makes things so much easier. So far anyway. Ask me in another 10 weeks :)

Where have all the pink packets gone?

2009-06-22T15:44:32Z

I am a little bit obsessed with sweet n low. I have always used it in my iced tea, but I started using it in my coffee a few years ago when I realized I needed only two pinks compared to the six sugars I was using. Seriously I am a sweet junkie. Anyway, my beloved pink packets are becoming a thing of the past. I have noticed in the restaurants in New York, Disney World and Las Vegas that the choices are now Splenda and sugar - not even Equal makes the cut. McDonald's has stopped carrying it and so has my local gas station. I started carrying the packets in my purse in case of such an emergency because I just cannot do the other stuff. I know, I know - FREAK. A couple of years ago I bought the mega box from Costco for work in Dallas and was the subject of many jokes, but I still have that box at my house and I am thinking I should start using it sparingly. Ever saw the "sponge" episode on Seinfeld? I think I am going to have to decide if something is "pink worthy." I am thinking that I am the only one with such a dilemma because I don't hear anyone else complaining. Just another one of the many quirks I have :)

Viva Las Vegas

2009-06-16T17:21:08Z

So I'm back and after my fourth trip, I can honestly say that I never get tired of that town. Something so alluring about it. Anything you want is there at your fingertips - for a price of course :) We had a blast and I think we have created some future gamblers. Always the case, right? We acted like big shots in our lush hotel and we were able to get a cabana by the pool which included our own personal server, a flat screen to keep up with the games and our own fridge. Then we went to see Jersey Boys (totally awesome - I loved it!!) and we got moved from our top mezzanine seats to the orchestra at no charge. Crazy Lucky! No I am not big time, but somehow I always manage to pull off the impossible. Needless to say, it was an awesome time. Now it is back to real life. And it's funny how the same routine falls back into place right away. Even for Drew, who had a couple of crazy days with both sets of grandparents where he got to stay up late and eat whatever he wanted.
Oh and I have found a sleep trick that works! So before we left, we had one night too many of Drew kicking us and playing around in our bed before he went to sleep. Even though I thought I would have to start all over again after we came back, we started our new bedtime ritual. At about 8:15, I tell Drew - 15 more minutes till Deaux-Deaux (Ok - interjection here. Deaux-Deaux is a cajun word for bedtime or going to sleep. Back me up LA readers :) Then I tell him again at 10 minutes then again at 5 minutes. When time is up, we put him in his bed, pat him on the back and say, "We'll see you in the morning." He cries for less than 6 minutes (we timed it) and that is a wrap until morning. I am almost shocked at how easy that was. And last night, we had no issues as once in bed, he didn't even cry at all!!! I can't believe I waited so long to try this. I was so afraid of the meltdown that didn't happen. Well, lesson learned, and I am officially adding another notch to my belt.
Now I am waiting until my next vacation which is around July 24th - just a short trip to Destin, FL with the family. I have this vacay fever, and I just want to keep going. My hubby's friend asked him, "How do you get to go so many places?" To which Brad responded, "I don't drive a Lexus like you." Yeah we drive an 01 Nissan Sentra with 120K miles, but I think I am the one with my priorities straight :)

21

2009-06-04T14:50:49Z

My sister in law turns 21 today, and somehow I am the one that feels older because when I met her she was in the sixth grade. Wowzers! Time really flies. You know, the year I turned 21 was one of the best of my life. I graduated college, got married and moved to Dallas, and all of this was kicked off by a trip to Las Vegas that my parents got me for my 21st birthday. Thus I am paying it forward and hoping that our little celebration next week will kick off a fantastic year for her. Tonight we are going out to eat and she gets to order her first (legal) drink. How exciting! Here's to 21 and many more. Happy Birthday Ashley!

Real-Life Parenting

2009-06-02T17:21:20Z

Well, it has started. The terrible twos I mean, and this is scary, he's not even two yet. Yikes! The word no leads to fists pumping on the floor rolling around and lots of tears. None of these work for me, so I just walk away or ignore him and poof within 3 minutes, he is back to himself again. These are strange days I tell you, but I keep singing that Darius Rucker song in my head, "It won't be like this for long." Right? Right? :)
I am also going to have to change our bedtime routine. Currently at about 8:45 p.m. I will take Drew in my bed (wait, give me a chance to finish :) turn off all of the lights and just lay in complete darkness. He rolls around for a bit, talking and playing, and I just stay silent. Within 10 minutes he falls asleep and we bring him in his own bed and there is bedtime. I know, I know, not good. We have been avoiding the confrontation of putting him in his crib at 8:45 and letting him cry it out for a bit until he gets used to going in his own bed at this time. I am cheating and cheaters never win especially since I don't have TiVo and have to miss the end of most of my shows and watch them online. I told Brad we have to change this really soon. I am just wondering if I should wait until after Las Vegas next week because then we will have to do it all over again, and I can only take so much crying :) Hmm, something to consider.

The Specialist

2009-05-26T17:28:24Z

Drew's health problems have been no secret, but this time, I hope (with fingers crossed behind my back), I think we have kicked it - for now. After Drew got the tubes in his ears in December, he continued to have fluid leak out of them occassionally. The ENT doc said something has to be causing it, so in February she tested him for a bacteria. Turns out he had strep pneumoniae bacteria, which is the number one cause of ear infections and other bacterial infections in children. Untreated it can cause a ton of things like menigitis and pneumonia (duh). She gave him an antibiotic for 10 days. He took it, we went back to the doctor, and he still had the bacteria. We went on another stronger medicine. For 10 days, he took it. Back to the doctor. Had it ---AGAIN. At this point I am so frustrated because about every 3 days or so, Drew would spike fever. No other symptoms, but the fever as we all know affects this child tremendously, so I would give him alternate doses of tylenol and ibuprofen every 4 hours religiously with very little sleep for me :( We tried this strong medicine again, but once again, the tests came back positive for the bacteria. Now about the time of the last test, we took Drew out of day care. And what do you know? No more fever, no cough, not even one sniffle. Hmmm..... So we go see an Infectious Disease doctor last week to check Drew for the bacteria because this doctor can prescribe a very strong medicine that the ENT cannot. The specialist exams Drew head to toe and declares that he is the healthiest child he has seen in quite a while. He says that he thinks the last medicine worked and that the bacteria was being carried in the day care and that Drew just kept getting exposed it and picking it up again. Well, what do you know?
And you know, despite all of this, I am not anti-day care or anything. Parents need to work and thank God there are safe, government mandated places to bring your kids. And let's face it, kids will get sick if not in day care then the very first week they start preschool - I assure you. Kids have germs and spread them like wildfire, and this is just a fact of life. IBut I think Drew just has a weak immune system and we need to work on that a bit before he gets exposed to other kids on a daily basis. I am at total peace now with our situation, and I think (hope) we are on the road to recovery.

My Baby's Back (in his own bed :)

2009-05-07T19:25:14Z

Using the BabyWise method, (if you are unfamiliar with this, I am happy to explain), Drew was sleeping through the night at around 3.5-4 months. We had no issues other than the occasional teething setback until Drew had his first seizure. Then the boy who slept so great in his bed started sleeping so great in my bed, and hubby and I started not sleeping so great. We would work through it and get to the point where Drew would be back in his bed again, and then he would have another seizure. I was so afraid to leave him alone that I thought our bed of two might be a bed of three until he was 5. This did not make my hubby very happy, but we agreed it was for the best.

Now things have finally calmed down and we think we have finally figured out a major source for the seizures (more on this a little later), I thought it was about time to have Drew sleep in his own bed again.

The first night he cried for 20 minutes, but went back to sleep and did not wake until morning.

The second night he did not cry at all.

The total bonus – He wakes up around 5:30 a.m. because I think he hears Brad moving around for work. Since Brad is out of bed by then, I have been going to get him in hopes that he would fall back to sleep for a bit so I don’t have to wake up too. It totally works – He has been sleeping until 7:45 a.m.!!!

This morning I actually got to shower and get ready before he even woke up.

This is thrilling people, thrilling! I think for my hubby most of all ;)

One of the other exciting things in my life is our upcoming trip to Vegas next month, although nothing seems to be going as planned, but I hope it works out for the best. We are treating my sis in law and Brad’s cousin for their 21^st and what can be more exciting or special than a trip to Vegas, so whatever happens should be good, right? I remember my first trip to Vegas when I was 21 and my folks pulled out all of the stops, so of course, I am paying it forward. A spa trip, a show, the awesome Hotel at Mandalay Bay, I am looking forward to a little indulgence J Come to think of it, I pulled out all of the stops for my sis in law on her first “magical” trip to Disney. Hmm, I think she has a tab forming :)

Dear Drew

2009-04-21T16:24:03Z

Dear Drew,

On May 9^th you will be 20 months old, and I just can’t believe how grown up you are. It seems that every day you say a new word, and sometimes I am shocked when I hear you say it for the first time. I always think, “Did my baby really just say that?” Except you are not a baby anymore, but growing into a big boy.

You love cars and everything with wheels is a car in your mind. You love to wait outside for the schoolbus in the morning and wave high to the driver, shouting “Hi Car!” at the top of your lungs.

You love Elmo and anything Sesame Street. You also love Barney and make a roar when you see him on the screen (although I think Barney is the only dinosaur that doesn’t roar :)

Your favorite things to do are anything outside and to read books (also mommy’s favorite). You have started memorizing your favorite books and indicate what is coming next in the story.

Mommy is ambitious and bought a potty and has started teaching you about using it and the types of things that go in there. P.S. It’s not cars.

You definitely understand poop and when that happens, but when mommy let you walk around without a diaper, she realized that you still don’t have full control of your bowels. It’s a good thing we have wood floors :) Don’t worry, there is still plenty of time to learn.

You hate anything fruit, but you will eat most vegetables, which I will take any day. You have been throwing your plate and cup as a sign that you are finished, which you get in trouble for, so you are quickly learning that’s a no-no.

You are adventurous and sometimes it gets you into trouble. Mommy and Daddy are working hard on the discipline thing because you are so devastated when we fuss at you, but it is for your own good and we all must remember that :)

Since the day you came into this world, I felt you were a special child and you have such a profound effect on everyone you meet. You wave hi and smile at everyone, flirting with the girls and high-fiving the guys. Your daddy says you will be just like me, which is a good thing :) I love you dearly, and I am so glad to have this time with you.

Love,

Mommy

Buying Generic

2009-04-03T14:58:11Z

In order to save money, we have started buying generic/store brands on a lot of our grocery items. Everything from tylenol to toilet paper. It is crazy how much cheaper this stuff is and most of the time it is the same exact ingredients and made by the same company. But there are a few things that I just cannot buy generic on because the quality is not as good. Peanut Butter is one. It has to be Jiff for me. The other stuff doesn't taste as creamy. And Brad is a Crest kid, so we have to always buy Crest toothpaste. Just curious if other people have this quirk?

Catch Up

2009-03-30T17:44:16Z

A lot has happened since my last post. A whole lot. So forgive the length of this blog, but I am airing it all for those who care. The two of you? Or maybe more (I hope :)

As of Monday, April 6^th, I am official a part time employee of my company. This has been a project in the works for me for a little while, and it is finally happening. The very long version of this story is

here:

As you may or may not know or remember, about 8 months ago, my company went through a turmoil with a former employee (a very long confrontational story :) and I had to take over managing the Dallas office remotely while still maintaining my current responsibilities. In order to do this task properly and effectively, I decided that Drew would have to go into day care because I needed to commit 8 full hours every day to manage everything and I couldn’t afford to pay someone to watch him at the house for that amount of time.

I wasn’t totally happy and at peace about this, but I didn’t know what else to do. I found a place that I thought was great and had a real curriculum for toddlers and a special air filtration system for germs and a webcam to monitor your child and basically everything you could ask for in a child care center. Drew started going in September and I cried for two weeks every time I dropped him off J. And while Drew learned a lot and made special bonds with his teachers and gained lots of social skills, he ended up with lots of viruses, ear infections, runny noses and 3 febrile seizures. I know this is all part of being a kid and you can get ear infections and colds when you’re not in day care, it just seemed like it was one thing after another and every single time Drew had even a sniffle, I felt super guilty. After this last seizure, I had enough. I know it’s not the day care that causes the seizure, but there are two things that get me: 1.) Is he more prone to get them with the bacteria/viruses he picks up there? And 2.) What if he has one there and I am not there? I can’t bear to think of it without bursting into tears every time.

So Brad and I sat down with our finances and figured out a way that I can work part time and afford for someone to come and watch Drew at our house a couple days a week while I do that. The thing is, even at the small wage I am paying for 3 days a week, it is still a ton more money for a “nanny” than day care is. And it should be, especially for the person to come to my house while I am there. But I had to really work to budget for that because it is worth it for me to know he is here.

I am a little nervous to how Drew will get used to the transition of not going to day care every day and to my abilities to carry on with the curriculum the child care center was using, but mostly I am excited to take him to the library and the children’s museum and teach him things while still carrying on with my career that I have worked so hard for and that I am good at. Forgive my modesty :) The struggle to be both a great mom and have a great career is the most challenging thing I have ever done, but I think that I have found the balance that is right for me.

Brad also has some career changes going on. He is starting another job with another government contracting firm. I won’t get you all up in his business on my blog, but do know it is a very interesting story full of drama and a little divine intervention (email me if you want details). He starts on Monday, April 13^th, and we are pretty excited. It is the next step in his career and he deserves it.

He has one week off before he starts his job, so we are going to take a small family vacation to Callaway Gardens in GA http://www.callawaygardens.com/. I am so excited to get away and take a trip with just the 3 of us, which we haven’t done since Drew was much younger. I can’t wait to take Drew swimming and sight seeing around town. I am a little nervous about the 6 hour car ride to GA, but hopefully DVDs, plenty of stops and a long lunch break in a children’s play area will help.

Oh and speaking of divine intervention……

When Brad and I first moved back to LA in 2006, the very first thing Brad did was put his name on a waiting list for Saints season tickets. A very long waiting list, filled with thousands of names – no exaggeration. We didn’t hold our breath or anything, especially since Brad’s pawpaw is a season ticket holder and we get to go to a couple of games a year. But Brad has always wished for his own tickets. Well, my friends, dreams do come true because we got a call from the Saints two weeks ago asking if we were interested in season tickets. There were quite a few things available, but there were some unbelievable seats open in the club level section underneath the suites. I am talking maxed out seats and special access to the best food in the dome. Of course they were way more than I thought we would spend, but when my hubby looked at me with those puppy dog eyes and said, “You know, I don’t have many dreams in life, but this is one of them,” I knew it was true and I couldn’t say no. I can’t wait until the first game to check out our seats and wear my special club level pass J

I could probably say more, but that is quite enough don’t you think? Next time I won’t wait so long in between posts, especially since I have been on other people about that lately ;)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

2009-03-05T18:45:39Z

What happened to my usually cooperative, healthy body? In the last 3 weeks, I have been hit with the following:

1.) 24 hour stomach bug causing uncontrollable vomiting. Fun and gross right?

2.) Flu - which by the way, I can't remember ever having and it sucks. I literally could not get out of my bed one day. I called Brad crying because I didn't know how I was going to bring Drew to Mimi's house that day. After some phone calls, Brad got it taken care of, and I stayed in bed from morning until night. That was two days ago, and while I feel a little better, I am still not 100%. Does anyone get the flu shot? I am definitely considering it now because I can't afford to lose this many days of my life.

3.) H.Pylori www.mayoclinic.com/health/h-pylori/DS00958 - When I had the endoscopy done, they also did a biopsy. Turns out I have a bacteria in my stomach that is causing me to feel so bad and have all of these acid issues. It is very common and treatable with strong antibiotics. I told the nurse that I was kind of glad they found something because I have been on Nexium for a few weeks now and it had not been working. I thought I would be feeling much better by now. Check out what I have to take to make it better........

4 pills in the a.m. 4 pills in the p.m. for 14 days. Awesome.

Do you think the universe is trying to tell me something?
Me and Drew to tell you the truth. I think some big changes need to be made around here and I am working on what that may be. More to come soon.........

On a positive note, I have discovered that Flickr www.flickr.com/photos/jackieduv/ lets you upload videos. Please check out this awesome video on my site to experience my greatest accomplishment as a parent so far. You may think I am crazy, but at least you will smile :)