tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77502330572211858822024-02-19T01:37:49.886-05:00The Incredible Jellyfish and the Intangible HotdogChevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-19407307698742017382013-03-07T19:59:00.000-05:002013-03-07T19:59:33.207-05:00Science is Real!So we did an amazing science project on Tuesday which is "School Day" for us. This project was simple to set up, simple to clean up, and AMAZINGLY fun to do.<br />
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If you enjoyed the baking soda volcano of your elementary school days, then this project is definitely for you. <br />
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Supplies:<br />
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Dropper bottles or some other type of liquid transport device<br />
Vinegar<br />
Food coloring<br />
Baking Soda<br />
Baking pan<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSSOVjZXzk7W_6Bh3OSeUAKfIRyIYedTrNnm8eFWihzlTQHcvlGRcB3nIfFJ-ihWNbd8tG_241SPlvP3qAGposG7mVMe9LWOqtjV5uc2zlU8XwVWSBH2OQzrlxT5jEOWyYq1EoHYyXVQ/s1600/1+Science.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSSOVjZXzk7W_6Bh3OSeUAKfIRyIYedTrNnm8eFWihzlTQHcvlGRcB3nIfFJ-ihWNbd8tG_241SPlvP3qAGposG7mVMe9LWOqtjV5uc2zlU8XwVWSBH2OQzrlxT5jEOWyYq1EoHYyXVQ/s320/1+Science.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Put the baking soda in the pan and use the liquid transport devices of choice to mix vinegar w/food coloring. It doesn't take much food coloring, and the less you use the less likely you are to have an Easter colored child at the end of the project. You should be able to easily tell what color each bottle is.<br />
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Unsure of how messy this was going to be I dressed my child sparsely, and put a kiddie placemat under the pan. Then I let her loose with the bottles of color. <br />
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Nothing better than lots of colors and fizzing! As the colors got low we mixed them and had a bottle of green, and a bottle of purple. This was so much fun and was so easy. I think we all gave it 5 stars, because even Dad the photographer jumped in a few times to play.<br />
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We also discussed with her that this was part of science. How we were causing a chemical reaction that went FIZZ FIZZ FIZZ. I don't think that part mattered to her much, but she enjoyed saying fizz, fizz, fizz. <br />
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I will say that the bottles I chose were hard for her to squeeze. It prevented her from spraying it everywhere, but she also got a little flustered at times.<br />
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This project was all over the internet, but I stole it from <a href="http://becky-shattuck.blogspot.com/2012/08/100-attempted-ways-to-entertain-young_13.html">HERE.</a><br />
This woman is way more open to mess then I think I am - but I appreciate seeing her toddler projects and how honest her posts are. Good or bad they are there with an honest opinion on how she felt it went. Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-48414965326171300342013-03-07T01:08:00.000-05:002013-03-07T01:09:13.415-05:00How it goes So our attempt at a routine has been successful in some aspects, and not a complete failure in others. One of our successes is that Mandie is starting to have a better concept of days of the week, she can also use her chart to tell us what we are going to be doing that day. It has also been a good way of giving her something to look forward to, because as we put her to bed we remind her of what the activity is for the next day and she doesn't even fight going to sleep. <br />
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Where we haven't done as well is in pre-planning projects and following through with ideas. I knew we would have a hard time with this part, but I don't thing we have done horrible. Either way she has had fun and done something related to the activity for each day. We can work on the rest. <br />
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One way to help with the pre-planning projects, especially when you are super busy with a work project that is sucking all your time, is craft kits. I feel like it's cheating in a way, but Mandie loves them just as much as the kits I take the time to make. So in the end we still accomplish the same thing, and I can grab it from her craft box and she doesn't have to miss a day because I didn't have time to put something together. (I do have a goal of setting up several projects so they are ready to go - but that is still a work in progress.)<br />
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This is a <a href="http://www.crayola.com/products/my-first-crayola-washable-handprint-creations-product/">Crayola Kit</a> I found on sale at the toy store and not only does it come with everything I need right in the box, but it was fun, easy and SUPER CUTE.<br />
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It said it was for ages 3+ but it was easy to modify the steps so that she could do it. I traced her hand and cut out all of the pieces. Then I let her glue things into place. For the tissue paper spots on the giraffe I drew on the circles and put dabs of glue down and let her crinkle the paper and stick it in place. She loved sticking the green tissue paper on to make the tree. (I just noticed now that the piece we put down as grass looks a little like poop...it still turned out cute.)<br />
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This kit came with several handprint projects, so I look forward to doing more with her. I'll make sure to pre-cut the shapes though, because she quickly grew tired of waiting as I cut around each bump of the giraffe's mane. <br />
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Our science project was amazing so that will get a post of its own!Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-57888437399981037372013-02-19T00:03:00.004-05:002013-02-19T00:07:20.721-05:00Day 1 - Cooking!So as I stated in a post last week, we are starting a new thing with themed days this week. Today was the first day, and Monday has been declared cooking day! To introduce her to it, I put a chart up that shows two weeks and a simple image that shows what we are doing each day. I went through each one describing what we would do, then I asked her what we are doing today and she looked, gave me a big smile and said "Cooking!". She then went with her Dad to help make breakfast. She also helped make English muffin pizza's for lunch. (I forgot to take pictures - but there was a tiny apron involved.) While it was cooking, she painted a picture of Curious George eating ice cream.<br />
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Then way later than I had meant to do it, we made a little pretend pizza out of cardboard and self stick foam.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CTEFzsKOPBmnR6kEwlY42TSgKtUBwKnehchBSY19WZjc2yxg4QHeSMpI8jex11PwyQIWdC9p9ts5crF5cGs6PQuTvkRawm1JUBi6UIiQgRZuledUJM5CnPP25Bhlw9hjlEZldRLGJZE/s1600/1+Pizza+Parts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CTEFzsKOPBmnR6kEwlY42TSgKtUBwKnehchBSY19WZjc2yxg4QHeSMpI8jex11PwyQIWdC9p9ts5crF5cGs6PQuTvkRawm1JUBi6UIiQgRZuledUJM5CnPP25Bhlw9hjlEZldRLGJZE/s320/1+Pizza+Parts.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I pre cut the pieces and put them into prep bowls. The crust was just a scrap piece of cardboard, and the red marker was for the sauce.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdriRVP6WLICXw-HXHo58ZrBcUchQSV0MY0MknVSID03soADSY2VVhHzYvxRTqLtkgKv7u_JC44Uo6bzeei2WCVd3dXVJmu-21KZYO1sx5CRw7XjxWet68Iv5VtZZtx0ctV4G1IMkXu6s/s1600/2+Let%27s+Start.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdriRVP6WLICXw-HXHo58ZrBcUchQSV0MY0MknVSID03soADSY2VVhHzYvxRTqLtkgKv7u_JC44Uo6bzeei2WCVd3dXVJmu-21KZYO1sx5CRw7XjxWet68Iv5VtZZtx0ctV4G1IMkXu6s/s320/2+Let%27s+Start.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mandie was more than ready to get started.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUc410HnTt9mkBuddnQi1pTVaSLhuYzQQZyYAO48MFTU11_JtIJGRzXvp1mRtlFKUfTM9c6X5m2jAC6YFy0wHFhTMBHxJA3dUeOrS0Q07WEycl5ghi_EF2mhb1u5NAJNH8TChlwyyvYc/s1600/3+Pizza+In+Progress.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUc410HnTt9mkBuddnQi1pTVaSLhuYzQQZyYAO48MFTU11_JtIJGRzXvp1mRtlFKUfTM9c6X5m2jAC6YFy0wHFhTMBHxJA3dUeOrS0Q07WEycl5ghi_EF2mhb1u5NAJNH8TChlwyyvYc/s320/3+Pizza+In+Progress.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We counted pieces as we stuck them down.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJqCyoQf3NrODjKuPTFjnlHiE5hvTLT5BrEKiyLZCqUuBHFzdFge2N6SWd5B3rjRPATqm8yGJHdanptwxCBl0wISjdoj17USUpiR2qmZQKM9mMhSQaFmaKjSc_O_iiOIvKg2cZzAGyoY/s1600/4+Finished+Pizza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> <img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJqCyoQf3NrODjKuPTFjnlHiE5hvTLT5BrEKiyLZCqUuBHFzdFge2N6SWd5B3rjRPATqm8yGJHdanptwxCBl0wISjdoj17USUpiR2qmZQKM9mMhSQaFmaKjSc_O_iiOIvKg2cZzAGyoY/s320/4+Finished+Pizza.JPG" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All done!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkChJzKNeFAd6dYd5K98TagjAAlXqJv222ny3kWygHtb0ReJuZ8Pqjpmno4vRLkv9xvSvpfCT5V5GJ-rJ37iQ_dghkjowd8bY_xAW0J5WqBlpYsbI2Zta1URi8aBxZUS2AKdol8oGJLw/s1600/5+Eating+pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkChJzKNeFAd6dYd5K98TagjAAlXqJv222ny3kWygHtb0ReJuZ8Pqjpmno4vRLkv9xvSvpfCT5V5GJ-rJ37iQ_dghkjowd8bY_xAW0J5WqBlpYsbI2Zta1URi8aBxZUS2AKdol8oGJLw/s320/5+Eating+pizza.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nom Nom!</td></tr>
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So at the end of the day I took her back to the chart and had her cross off the the cooking symbol under Monday. I asked her what we were doing tomorrow and she exclaimed "COOKING!" ...so either she doesn't get it yet, or she really enjoyed today. <br />
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Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-51233932775364681302013-02-15T10:54:00.001-05:002013-02-15T10:59:08.539-05:00Colors Project - Yellow!I decided to do some color projects with Mandie. When I yelled out to the living room to ask her what color she wanted to do, she responded with a bold and clear "Lello!". So I prepped to do yellow.<br />
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I started by cutting out all kinds of pictures from magazines - any picture I could find that was primarily one color I went ahead and cut it out. Then I gathered up 5 or 6 pom poms in different colors, and a few different foam shapes. I have a love hate relationship with the bucket of pre-sticky foam letters. I can never find the letter and or color that I need. 2 hours later I have finally found all of the letters to spell yellow in yellow.<br />
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Without sticking them on I traced the letters then brought everything and some glue over to the craft table.<br />
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Mandie, with her listening ears on, came over and started by placing each of the letters into the right spot. (She is good at this because of the <a href="http://www.tuaw.com/2013/02/13/daily-ipad-app-endless-alphabet-is-an-enjoyable-way-for-kids-to/">Endless ABC's</a> app. which is great for teaching letters and letter sounds.) Then she had to go through the magazine clippings and pick out all the yellow pictures. (There were about 12 clippings and 3 were yellow.) The same with the foam shapes and the pom poms - there were a few colors and she had to pick the yellow from that group. As she picked each out she got to glue or stick them down.<br />
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Here is the final product... <br />
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She is very proud of her yellow page and I am looking forward to doing more colors. The project is easy to set up, and fits right in with her attention span. A follow up project I would like to do this spring is to take a walk and have her point out items that are different colors. We'll bring her camera and she can take pictures of them - then we will do a collage. Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-65202780588274242742013-02-13T23:31:00.001-05:002013-02-13T23:36:03.966-05:00RoutineMandie has gotten very into planning and scheduling. It actually helps get her to go to sleep faster. Every night after I tuck her in I tell her, "You are going to sleep in your bed, I am going to sleep in my bed, because tomorrow we are going to do _____."<br />
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Really Mandie is just like most kids and likes routine. She likes having an idea of how/when things are going to happen. Taking her lead I have decided to start small and give each day a theme, with a goal of doing at least one big activity based on that theme. (I hope to do more than one thing each day, but I am admittedly easily distracted.)<br />
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So here is our chart for the first two weeks..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicg6v-LBUiCIYOJqzzexKJtJ60Gg7wUJrlihOftOtYrGr_DaFf4OyFsKG8xSi_MOiQ1msBi2fdzJDGToVNYbqkE6i06PxFo85v-JxHZegA-9WTq5UUsvIaVaMOFJNI2R8ud_Gmq2WlqQw/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-02-13+at+9.56.16+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicg6v-LBUiCIYOJqzzexKJtJ60Gg7wUJrlihOftOtYrGr_DaFf4OyFsKG8xSi_MOiQ1msBi2fdzJDGToVNYbqkE6i06PxFo85v-JxHZegA-9WTq5UUsvIaVaMOFJNI2R8ud_Gmq2WlqQw/s400/Screen+shot+2013-02-13+at+9.56.16+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking, school type learning, swim, crafts and sports </td></tr>
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Now if I was the Mom that I am in my head, Monday would go something like this.....<br />
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She would help a little with breakfast - maybe stir her eggs or something.<br />
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At some point after breakfast we would have a pretend meal that she would prepare in her toy wok.<br />
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Then in the afternoon we would make pizzas out of construction paper, including little paper mushrooms and pepperoni - the works!<br />
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At dinner time she would completely help with making 3 or so mini pizzas with different toppings. Some with new things that she hasn't really tried - and of course her favorite pepperoni and cheese. <br />
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What I know will happen is the pizza making. At least one pizza.<br />
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Let's hope that I can make at least some of the other stuff happen....and I'm hoping to get through the entire week. <br />
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<br />
Well I'll post what the outcome is next week...I'm really hoping that this will be a good plan.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-55143041651323390292013-02-11T13:19:00.000-05:002013-02-11T18:00:27.186-05:00Circles I love crafts, and apparently so does my two year old. She is even willing to clean up her play area, and eat vegetables to earn craft time. I have decided to take advantage of this and make craft time also learning time.<br />
<br />
Our routine goes as follows:<br />
<br />
With her safely gated in the living room, I set everything up so that there is not too much running around for miscellaneous items. This is because I know that if I step away from the craft table my daughter will manage to glue herself, or one of our pets to something or each other.<br />
<br />
Then I have her step just into the room and put on her "listening ears". To test the functionality of her listening ears, we do a toddler version of Simon Says - which is basically where I just tell her to point at parts of her body to see if she is listening. (BTW she has phalanges and sternum down.) If she passes this test she gets to go to her craft table. <br />
<br />
Last week we did shapes, so for circles I had a circle cut out of a nice colorful piece of paper. Then on a white sheet of paper I drew a larger circle and wrote the word circle at the top. <br />
<br />
Armed with a glue stick, she glued the pretty circle onto the page inside the circle I had drawn. We talked about the shape, and things that were shaped like circles. Then came her favorite part. Using a toilet paper tube and a plate of different colored paint, she got to "stamp" circles onto the sheet. She loved it so much I gave her a second plain sheet to do more. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stamping circles is serious work!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyO3CBzpH1Y_W_ZWL9EjlimsTIAC0fowYNWG0-ADONlAH-Pg75cUMgUx0eKsF90ljBKCywTwDuXWPcnelvDWnyMdtslpvHbPI_3bZec6hdQglTDXh8Wa_IOx3UEMDy5n7aLZD1d6lZK-8/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyO3CBzpH1Y_W_ZWL9EjlimsTIAC0fowYNWG0-ADONlAH-Pg75cUMgUx0eKsF90ljBKCywTwDuXWPcnelvDWnyMdtslpvHbPI_3bZec6hdQglTDXh8Wa_IOx3UEMDy5n7aLZD1d6lZK-8/s400/photo.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
We did the "okay, two more then we are done" and there was no fussing when the project was over. We followed it up with squares, triangles and rectangles on other days that week - and I made sure to review her previous projects before starting the new ones. <br />
<br />
She loved the projects, but I was worried that it had been too simple - then the other day she was playing a game and she pointed to the O and said "Circle Mama!". So now I am happy with the results. It has made her a better listener, given her a creative outlet, and she is learning. Happy Mama and happy kid. <br />
<br />Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-84265999591114361212013-02-10T18:37:00.000-05:002013-02-10T18:45:30.164-05:00It's a new year...So after the drama of last year and some rather sad posts, we are moving on. We have decided that we are content with our family, and we are opting to not do anymore rounds of IVF. This was not an easy decision, but we think it is the right one for us. It definitely wasn't our plan to have an only child, but "the best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry".<br />
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So now this blog will not be about IVF, but will be about life and my family. So if you are one of the many people who bitch about constantly hearing about someone else's kids (and at times what they do in the bathroom)....then this blog will probably not be for you. However if you enjoy hearing about my two year old, who is currently wearing mittens and using her drumsticks like chopsticks to pick up Legos, then you might enjoy my future posts.Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-42953916167998657252012-11-14T01:01:00.000-05:002012-11-14T01:05:24.476-05:00Life is messy...<style>
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Life is messy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I could never have predicted where I would be today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even with the planning that my type A
personality dictates, I could never have guessed the course my life would take.</div>
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No one can plan for everything, for every possible outcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I am angry …I am angry that I have to be responsible for
taking care of my parents when I still feel the sting of fucked up childhood.</div>
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I feel selfish for still feeling resentful about my
childhood.</div>
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I feel overwhelmed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I feel gypped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see
other people my age enjoying a relationship with their parents, who are just
appreciating seeing their grown children start families for themselves.</div>
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I worry that I’m not giving Mandie enough of my time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That I am so focused on my career, which we
are financially dependent on; that I am neglecting to give her what she really
needs, which is my attention.</div>
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I feel like my job takes advantage of me, but that I also
allow for that to happen.</div>
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I feel bad for my sister who has to deal with my parents as
well.</div>
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I have an amazing daughter and a husband I love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have the best sister I could ever ask
for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for these
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wish there was less
pressure everywhere else, so that I could spend more time enjoying the good things I have in my life.</div>
Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-85547848826384583122012-07-29T21:07:00.000-04:002012-07-29T21:07:41.185-04:00Moving ForwardSo we don't find out for sure until tomorrow but I'm pretty sure that this round of IVF was a bust. We've decided to go right into another round. I thought I didn't want to do this again when I was suffering through the ovary over stimulation issues, but once I recovered I got over it pretty quickly. We are disappointed that it didn't work, but hopefully we will have a better go this round.<br />
<br />
Now I'm going to post some happy things.<br />
<br />
Paul was invited to test the new Wii U that is being released before Christmas. We went to a fancy hotel in DC where they had set up the conference room like a swanky club...that was filled with geeks that did not have on nearly enough deodorant. <br />
<br />
It was still fun and Mandie even got her own lanyard and swipe card. She danced to "Call me maybe" which was one of three songs they had for the singing game demo and was the only song everyone picked to try. She also enjoyed her Wii U cookie...<br />
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Then her Daddy won first place in a new Donkey Kong game and got her Luigi, he has become her favorite car companion.<br />
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<br />
And in even bigger news ... Mandie has decided that she is ready for the potty. We had not planned on potty training this early. We were definitely not trying to potty train while going through IVF, but Mandie decided it was time. <br />
<br />
The other day while getting her bath ready she sat herself down on her potty and went pee. She had peed on her little potty before, but it would be if she woke up with a dry diaper I would let her try. That's kind of cheating because I knew she had to go. Her choosing to go on her own was a big step forward. I still didn't think she was ready...but then she started wanting to try more often and every time I put her on there she would go. So today we bought her another little potty for downstairs. When we got home from Target her diaper was still dry and she immediately tested her new potty out. Later after another trip to Target and a trip to the playground we noticed that her diaper was still dry. She hopped on the potty and earned another sticker. We put on her training pants expecting an accident, but amazingly enough about a half hour later she came to me trying to pull them down and after I helped her out of them she sat down and peed again! She did eventually pee a little in her pants, but she was quick to let us know that it had happened. Overall she is doing amazing considering that she has basically done all of this on her own. Though I wasn't ready for this step I am very proud of her quick progress.Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-54137708476846878322012-07-13T21:18:00.001-04:002012-07-13T21:24:42.381-04:003 Amigos(This post jumps around more than a Vonnegut novel...but it is really how it all felt.) <br />
<br />
So on Wednesday we had the egg retrieval. I had been feeling pretty crappy the days before, but the day of I wasn't feeling bad at all. It's a quick wham, bam, thank you ma'am procedure, where you go in they knock you out, they stick a needle through your vaginal wall and into each ovary stealing the eggs. It takes 15-30 minutes. I handle the anesthesia well and hopped right up and was ready to go both times. This time though I was fine as I got home but then started to be in quite a bit of pain. Then it started hurting when I would breathe ...all the way to my collar bone. I couldn't lay down and I was miserable. It turns out I had some <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004549/">over stimulation</a>, probably because they couldn't retrieve all of the eggs due to respiratory issues I was having. If I laid down I was in excruciating pain from my belly button to my right shoulder. And I was exhausted so all I wanted to do way lie down. <br />
<br />
I was worried because they had only retrieved 6 eggs. Last time they retrieved 19 and only had 4 that were mature enough and only 2 that fertilized. So now I felt like the odds were really against us. I was scared that they were going to call and say we had no mature eggs. We were still at Shady Grove when the doctor told us this and I almost wanted to fight and say ..no let's go back in and try to get more. I didn't.<br />
<br />
The next day, even though I couldn't breathe I was thrilled to hear that once again we had 4 mature eggs and that this time 3 had fertilized! I was so excited that I didn't even tell the doctor the pain I was in. (Later when it became unbearable I did call and tell the nurse.)<br />
<br />
So now on day 2 post retrieval we still have 3 good embryos. (And though my abdomen still hurts, it stopped hurting when I breathe.) We have an appointment to put them back in tomorrow. Now we could still receive a call saying to wait until Monday, but we have to be ready for tomorrow. I am excited and nervous. It will take two weeks after the transfer to find out at the office if we are pregnant. I will cheat and pee on a stick before that. I am just not patient enough to wait.<br />
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This round of IVF has been much more rough on me than the last one. I am looking forward to the bed rest after the transfer because I could really use a nap.<br />
<br />
(As a TMI side note I have to take pill in my vagina 3 times a day to keep my uterus fluffy.)Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-780810435453968292012-07-08T20:53:00.001-04:002012-07-08T20:53:46.601-04:00Hopefully only a few more daysThis is going to sound like whining and it probably is ..but I hope it is also helpful to anyone else who might be going through this. <br />
<br />
So I have been on meds for 10 days now. I feel horrible. I don't remember feeling this horrible last time, but I also had the ability to sleep when I felt like it. I have had a headache for pretty much the entire time I've been on the meds. Then I started having cramping and pulling at my ovaries around day 3. I do have at least 13 follicles between 14 and 18mm as well as several smaller ones crammed in there. This is a good outcome but I feel like I'm dragging my ovaries behind me. <br />
<br />
I have appointments everyday now with blood work and a transvaginal ultrasound. Which means even when Mandie will sleep in I have to get up. I did however spend most of today laying down because I just don't feel like moving. <br />
<br />
They think I will trigger tomorrow, which means one injection in the morning, then one big one at night, then we are done with the at home shots. YAY! A couple days later they should retrieve the eggs. Something that confused me last time was that I still felt like I was dragging my ovaries after the retrieval, and it turns out it was because they only take the eggs not the follicles which means I'm still carrying around the equivalent of the egg carton. <br />
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The next couple of days will be rough because we are both working, which means full time work and Mandie duty for me. And I have become the ultimate slug. I literally went from laying down in bed, to laying on the couch, to resting my head on the dinner table while I waited for Mandie to finish eating. I'm really hoping this works in one try again, because I'm not sure how well I would handle going through another round.<br />
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Right now it is not quite 9pm and I am laying in bed and I don't think I will be getting up again until it is time for my appointment in the morning. Fingers are crossed for triggering tomorrow.Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-4000092869298951212012-07-01T16:02:00.000-04:002012-07-01T16:05:17.255-04:00I feel like poo today...<br />
Last week ... <br />
<br />
I got home after my blood work and ultrasound and realized
that based off of simple math I did not have enough Menopur. It was
like a flash back to 5th grade math...<br />
<br />
Kristie needs to
take 150IU of Menapur each night for the next 12 nights. Each vial of
Menopur is 75IU and she has 17 vials. What does Kristie need to do...<br />
<br />
The answer is call my doctors office.<br />
<br />
Me: I only have 8 1/2 days of Menopur.<br />
<br />
Lady who orders meds: Well how many vials do you have?<br />
<br />
Me: 17<br />
<br />
Her: Well my papers say you are only taking 75IU a night.<br />
<br />
Me: All of mine say 150IU and I just saw the nurse today, do you need me to email the paper she sent me?<br />
<br />
Her: (In a not nice tone.) Well you are going to need to hold while I go talk to your nurse.<br />
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Me: (In an equally snarky tone.) Okay you do that.<br />
<br />
Then the nurse picks up.<br />
<br />
Nurse: You have enough Gonal-F<br />
<br />
Me: I didn't even do the math for that. I am saying I don't have enough of the Menopur.<br />
<br />
Nurse: How much do you have?<br />
(She says this like there is no way I could have figured out the complicated math.) <br />
<br />
Me: 17 vials which will cover 8 1/2 days.<br />
<br />
Nurse: Oops I order it wrong. I ordered it at 75IU a night. Just go ahead and call the pharmacy and ask for a refill.<br />
<br />
Me: Okay thanks.<br />
<br />
<br />
Guess what I figured out last night????<br />
I don't have enough Gonal-F either. Apparently my nurse failed 5th grade math. <br />
<br />
So
my meds started on the 30th instead of my birthday. On the 30th I had
the worst migraine I have had in FOREVER! By the end of the night I
thought I was going to die. It was during this time that I established
that I did not have enough Gonal-F. I left my nurse an email notifying
her. I ended it saying "Just thought I'd let you know in case there was
something you needed to do on your end"(like math). I didn't put the
"like math" part but it was there in spirit.<br />
<br />
I did my injections and the Menopur burned more than I remember, so I'm really glad I had to order more.<br />
<br />
I'm
guessing that screwing with my hormones and the crazy weather are
trying to kill me. I don't remember feeling this shitty last time, so
I'm hoping that I start feeling better in the next few days.<br />
<br />
I
am also going to contact my doctors office and tell them that I'm not
happy with their lack of math skills because the pharmacy confirmed that
it means that I have already paid double for my meds. I don't normally
like to complain, but this round of IVF has been so unorganized on the
admin side of things that they really need to look into it. Hopefully
this works in one round for us and we will be done!<br />
<br />
<br />Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-23684694192114666412012-06-20T13:57:00.005-04:002012-06-20T19:38:30.602-04:00Hurry Up and WaitSo I haven't posted for a while because IVF is very much a hurry up and wait process. Right now we are getting back into a hurry mode. We dealt with some issues with getting the meds because apparently Shady Grove didn't submit the pre approval paperwork to the insurance. So several phone calls later (and we found out the financial person in our office was "no longer employed at this office") we had the approval we needed and the meds were only slightly delayed. Then I receive a phone call from the pharmacy saying that the one drug was out of stock. Me being me I get super grumpy ...not with the pharmacy but with Shady Grove for letting the ball drop on the paperwork in the first place. The meds were there when they were going to ship them initially, but because of the hold up now they are out. So more phone calls. Shady Grove says have the meds they do have sent and they reassure me that we will get the other med in time. The meds lady for Shady Grove is super nice and sensing my apprehension tells me if it comes down to it they have some there that they can give me. Awesome ..that works...I call the pharmacy back and they ship the drugs.<br />
<br />
Our insurance covers most of this but we do end up paying $159 out of pocket. So now our running total is $484. So in just over a month that is what we have spent not including travel, and food, and cleaning up a puke covered child. It is a lot of money and money that we don't really have, but we make it work and are very thankful for our insurance because many other people are paying much more for this.<br />
(Update: We received a bill today for the genetic testing so we are now at $584.)<br />
<br />
<br />
So drugs are always shipped next day and with this pharmacy you have to sign for them. (Some of the drugs have to be refrigerated.) So then we are in stealth mode because our Fedex guy is really good at ding and dash and we have missed shipments before because we couldn't run to the door in time. If that were to happen in this case I could lose my meds and miss my cycle, so at 0800hrs we start watch. We take turns making sure that someone is always in the living room so that we can make it down to the door. At 1300 the meds show up and that is when I realize that I never put on a bra. I run to the door anyhow and then attempt to awkwardly use the box as a shield for my lack of support. I sign the scanner dealy while balancing it on the box and then quickly shut the door.<br />
<br />
This is what you get when you get the drugs...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjhrqMCk10ahgyohABG6C3krkR2NuzELz9-h71QEuuajX8a_rUnbWCKjYZGd3gP2FHcBxpoi2IwUfhdrAIEPLMjrJC5SAjKh4O-gDP-uTgaV2AAC-Rr225XEpx_QoFXwBGVemfZtf1pk/s1600/Meds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjhrqMCk10ahgyohABG6C3krkR2NuzELz9-h71QEuuajX8a_rUnbWCKjYZGd3gP2FHcBxpoi2IwUfhdrAIEPLMjrJC5SAjKh4O-gDP-uTgaV2AAC-Rr225XEpx_QoFXwBGVemfZtf1pk/s400/Meds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Honestly the first time when this came in I was in complete shock. I was expecting a shoe box and instead I receive a box large enough to be used as an end table. Okay maybe not that large. But it is a big box.<br />
<br />
Amazingly enough inside the box are the meds that they said they were out of. I almost jump for joy that I have one less thing to worry about. I don't know if the drugs came back in stock or if they had already packed my box last week when it was supposed to ship, but either way YAY!<br />
<br />
So I have been on the birth control they put you on for the last two weeks. The stuff is nasty. I've never had a problem with the pill but my skin looks terrible, I've had migraines and I was nauseous for the first week of it. Sunday is my last pill though. Then on Monday I go in and have blood work and another trans-vaginal ultrasound to make sure things are ready to go. <br />
<br />
I will start injections on my birthday. Birthday hormones yay! Not really, but hopefully we will go one round and be happily pregnant with our second child.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-72097748443857560242012-06-04T09:47:00.000-04:002012-06-04T09:47:42.644-04:00Stressed<style>
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Disclaimer: This post isn’t very funny but it’s real and
part of how it really is to go through IVF.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So an IVF cycle starts with taking birth control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You contact your nurse on day 1 of your
period and they give you your “protocol”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The protocol tells you when you will take what drugs, for how long, and
approximately when you will do the egg retrieval and transfer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Of course my period starts on Sunday when I can’t call to
get my protocol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t remember if
you start the birth control day 1 or not, so I was frantically emailing my
nurse last night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew it wouldn’t be
a huge deal, but it was enough for me to start to feel stressed out.</div>
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I get a response this morning and you don’t start until day
3, so yesterday was really an overreaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The “REAL” drugs will start on my birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is exciting and overwhelming to see the
protocol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It gives me an approximate
date that they will do the transfer and that is exciting, but now the reality
is setting in on all the steps to get to that point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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For the last few weeks I’ve been able to kind of just be
excited about the prospect of having another baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I have to focus and deal with all of
this, and quite honestly today I would love to just hide and not have to deal
with anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I have a toddler who
needs me, so I paste on the happy face and sing songs and be silly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I have work, so I do my work and just
appreciate that it is a virtual company where I don’t have to dress up or interact
very much.</div>
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I will admit though this hasn’t been the first bad day in
this process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week I found myself
feeling very resentful of Paul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For us
to have a baby he has to jerk off into a cup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have to endure shots, and exams, and blood work, and hormones all
before I even get pregnant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I told him I was feeling resentful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to hurt his feelings but so he would know
how I felt and he got angry with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
said he already felt bad enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So now
I don’t really feel like I should say anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is probably why I feel like being alone for today; I don’t want to
make him feel guilty but I want to be able to be a little angry about all of
it.</div>
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The reason I’m putting all of this here in my blog is
because if by chance someone else is reading this and going through the same
thing, I hope they know they are not alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know that I am just a little down and things will get better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emotionally it wasn’t as hard the last time,
because we didn’t know what to expect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We will get through this though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am just going to push through to the next step, and the step after
that because I know I want another baby so that is what I have to do.</div>Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-91403907797571466382012-05-16T18:17:00.002-04:002012-05-16T18:22:15.668-04:00Spermsicles are expensiveSo I'll start with the funny part of yesterdays appointment. Not my uterus measuring but bringing in a "sample" from Paul. His sperm had a 0930 appointment. They actually had to have their own appointment...which I find funny.<br />
<br />
Since I had an appointment at 1030 I said I would just carry his sample in and then wait for my appointment while he took Mandie to the mall. (I get the crappy end of that deal but he couldn't carry my uterus in a little brown bag.) So as we drive I am holding the brown bag and he mentions that he should have drawn manly things on the bag, like hammers and shark's teeth. I would have thought that was awesome and would have been more than happy to carry that bag. When I get in for the appointment I check in at the front desk and I keep trying to hand her the bag, because that is what they did at the other office when we were trying to have Mandie. After attempting to hand it to her several times she explained that a nurse would come out to get it and to have a seat. I laughed awkwardly and as an attempt to explain said, "I keep trying to hand this to you because I don't want it." She laughed and said, "Well neither do I." <br />
<br />
I sit awkwardly holding this bag in the lobby until this lady came out and called me back, and I tried to hand her the bag, but apparently she didn't want it either. They took me to a small room and I suddenly realize that this is THE room. It is the room where guys jerk off. Now I am trying to not physically be in contact with anything in the room including the floor. So she hands me the pen and clipboard that were in the room and asks me to fill out the form. I DON'T WANT TO TOUCH THE PEN! but I take one for the team and fill out the form. Then she hands me a sticker and asks me to stick it to the sample cup. I haven't opened the bag this entire time, and I don't really want to now but I do and the contents are obvious. I slap the label on it and FINALLY and I am rid of the cup.<br />
<br />
So now for the not so funny part.<br />
<br />
This morning while I am still very much asleep the phone rings. It is our doctor and he apologizes for waking me then proceeds to give me info that my brain is not quite ready to process. Apparently Paul's sperm count is even lower than the last time and is now at .5 million. (The average is 20-40 million.) The doctor says that this could be part of Paul's normal range, which we already know to be low, but to be on the safe side we should schedule an appointment to have a sample frozen. The risk we take if we don't have a frozen sample is that we have no sperm when they go to fertilize the eggs.<br />
<br />
Being half asleep I hadn't asked some of the questions I needed to. So I make a call back to the office and find out that making a spermsicle is going to cost us $250 up front, and that we are going to be doing this in the next couple of weeks. We aren't broke but we aren't rich either. As much as we try to save things always come up. This month there have been several things, so this isn't a cost we are ready for. We have it figured out and are going to make it happen, but it is just one more thing.<br />
<br />
I'm pretty good with it now. Not happy obviously...I don't think anyone still trying to have kids would want to hear the news we did today, but initially I was angry. Worse than being angry is having no one to be angry at. There is no one to blame and no one to direct your anger at. Now I guess I am just resolved in the fact that it is what it is.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZI5xvuT5gAYJF0Ws0hCozoLOU6BYnWjFwFmu0RDRwAhmPV_kQX5JNRJ-ZupqRc1gm3BLyXV2Ai9byndw6_5tE3w50e-TnUrYNLogHVp0LsH5QGjUnUG3aTkmWFL2xTNyrRpQW0TIy90/s1600/MandiePic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZI5xvuT5gAYJF0Ws0hCozoLOU6BYnWjFwFmu0RDRwAhmPV_kQX5JNRJ-ZupqRc1gm3BLyXV2Ai9byndw6_5tE3w50e-TnUrYNLogHVp0LsH5QGjUnUG3aTkmWFL2xTNyrRpQW0TIy90/s320/MandiePic.png" width="256" /></a></div>
Either way we already have a beautiful sweet little girl!Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-37743731320667856432012-05-15T20:14:00.001-04:002012-05-15T20:16:23.310-04:00I didn't throw up!So today they measured my uterus ..they call it a mock embryo transfer but I'm not sure which is really more accurate. Last time when I had this done was the only time that I really remember any of this process being painful. What looked like a 12 year old boy did the procedure and and what was advertised as painless almost made me pass out or throw up or both. The part where he said "This might cause a little cramping" caused nothing and then out of nowhere there was blinding pain and effort to not puke on his head.<br />
<br />
So last night I decided to panic about having the procedure. Then I go on the internet which is always a bad idea because you can easily convince yourself you are going to die. So by the time I get into the office today I basically begin rambling as I try to explain to the nurse that I think I almost died the previous time.<br />
<br />
The doctor comes in and says he will be careful and I continue to try to justify my fears aloud to him as I lay back on the table.<br />
<br />
All said and done it took 5 seconds and didn't hurt at all. Apparently, unlike the rest of me, my uterus is small. This doesn't cause a problem but he said if the other guy went in blindly, which is probably a bad phrase in this case, that he could have hit the top of my uterus which apparently makes you think you will die.<br />
<br />
I didn't die and I didn't throw up, all in all a good day!Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-56288430251315408092012-05-09T14:30:00.000-04:002012-05-09T14:30:50.302-04:00And so we beginLET ME WARN YOU NOW THAT THERE IS LOTS OF TMI IN THIS POST AND THAT PROBABLY WILL BE THE CASE FOR MANY OF THESE POSTS.<br />
<br />
<br />
It actually began yesterday with the consult but since my next appointment was this morning less than 12 hours later I decided it could be one post.<br />
<br />
And with it all came some drama...<br />
<br />
So my sister was very excited that she was going to watch Mandie while we went to our appointment. (Very understandably they prefer you not bring children into the office seeing as most of the people in there are struggling to obtain one. Not that they would steal her, but as we remember, it is hard to see cute little babies when you are struggling to have one.) Well first my sister's kids got sick, and so we rearranged plans and she was going to stick her husband with her sickly children to come spend time with mine. Then yesterday, the morning of our appointment, my sister wakes up sick. She had left me a message so I called her to see how really sick she was, maybe she could just not touch Mandie much. She was really sick.<br />
<br />
Now we don't have child care. I call the office to see if I can go and Paul can skip it, and they say that they prefer we both be there. They also explain that the next appointment available if we reschedule is way out, and I know that with where I am in my cycle I can get several of the tests out of the way if I go now. So she and I talk and she looks at the schedule and we are the last appointment of the day so she says to just bring Mandie.<br />
<br />
We load Mandie up with toys and after scoping out the waiting room to make sure it was empty we go in. Of course after we get registered people show up out of nowhere. Now we feel bad and we look foolish as we try to kind of hide Mandie and keep her quiet. Then we get called back. We go through the forms and the doctor tells us what changes he thinks will help this go round. Everything is pretty standard until I comment on his MANY terrariums, then he is suddenly all "WOW YOU SHOULD GET THIS PLANT" ..which is very nice of him but I don't own a terrarium.<br />
<br />
So then the nurse comes in and gives us lots of papers and instructions and gives Paul a cup. Then the financial lady comes in and says that our insurance basically will cover everything ...which we knew but is always awesome to hear. I schedule an appointment for today for hormone testing and ultrasound. We stop at Target to fill the prescription for birth control that I will have to take next month. I come home and order the prenatals that the doctor wants me to switch to and order my genetic screening kit to test for things including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_muscular_atrophy">SMA</a>. After learning about <a href="http://averycan.blogspot.com/">Avery</a> I felt that this was important. 1 in 40 adults is a carrier, that is scary.<br />
<br />
We fill out paperwork that includes having to decide what to do with any embryos that are fertilized but not used. These are the first big decisions you make when going through this. The first time we had to discuss and figure out what we wanted to do. This time we had both already agreed that we are not going to freeze any for future use because we hope everything works on the first try AND because insurance will completely cover another round of IVF but will not cover the cheaper option of freezing and using frozen embryos. I offer mine up to science. It's either science or trash, and I feel like if we can learn something from them then that is awesome.<br />
<br />
My appointment for the next day is at 0715 and we all know I don't like mornings but we'll make it work ...
So I wake up at 0515 when the baby gets up and once we give her her milk I go to get ready. It is day 4 of my cycle and they are going to be doing a transvaginal ultrasound, which means they are going to be in my junk. The thought of this is is not one I enjoy, but if it's going to be done I can at least make sure things are neat. At 5 something in the morning you do what you can but I honestly just hope it doesn't look like I have mange.<br />
<br />
We get in the car and get on the highway. I'm excited that we aren't late and everything seems to be going well. Mandie is being fussy, but she tends to be that way as she is falling asleep in the car. Then suddenly as we are in the middle of traffic she makes a noise and for the first time EVER throws up. There is lots of throw up, and anyone who knows me knows I don't do throw up. I'm handling it well though. I am calm and I am talking to her and the smell, though gross, is not making me sick. She calms down and we are turning off of our exit so I'm glad that we'll be able to get back to her to take care of her. Then I see a stink bug inches from my head by my visor. Paul says to get it out of the car but I could see that turning into an accident when it flys and hits him in the face or something, so I let it wander and just keep an eye on it.<br />
<br />
When we pull into the parking lot for the appointment I am thankful that I have to go in and Paul will be doing clean up.<br />
<br />
I get into the office and feel oddly comfortable. I guess this being my second time makes it easier in that sense. They call my name take my blood then take me back and look at my ovaries. Everything looks good (and I just received a call that the hormone levels are all where they need to be).<br />
<br />
Now we need to get our labcorp blood tests done for HEP and HIV and stuff. Next Tuesday I go have my uterus measured and Paul has to be a cup humper.<br />
<br />
Oh and on the ride home the stink bug, who Paul thought he got rid of, reappears and I have to shoo him out of the car. All of this before I even started my work day!Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-81091957661493578782012-05-05T03:14:00.000-04:002012-05-05T11:32:08.742-04:00We're having another baby ...hopefully...<p>So I decided that though my Friday facts were fun I got bored of them pretty quickly. I just don’t think that I’m interesting enough every week to garner a post.</p>
<p>So now I’m going to try posting about our upcoming attempt at having baby #2. If you think this is going to be a dirty blog, you'll probably be disappointed. Most anyone who knows us, knows that this isn’t going to involve sex (at least that I know of). Paul and I conceived Nugget without even being in the same room. Mandie is a test tube baby …or to be more accurate a petri dish baby.</p>
<p>The process involves many ups and downs, and lots of emotions. Right now we are on excitement. Our first consult appointment is on Tuesday May 8th. I’m thinking much like we forget the pain of childbirth, that I may have forgotten some of the pain and stress of going through fertility treatment.</p>
<p>Let me start by saying it’s his fault. You might think this is mean of me to say, but really we have come to terms with this. He even likes to joke about it. We are lucky in that we don’t have to use a donor, and the silver lining is that because my junk is healthy we have a good environment to host a fetus.</p>
<p>I will admit that as we decided that we were ready to do this again some of the memories of what I went through with this process came back. The shots and hormones and uterus measuring…yep all of that came back to the forefront. I can deal with all of that. The hard part is all of the waiting and uncertainty.</p>
<p>
Anyone who has tried to get pregnant knows about the stress of waiting to find out if your pregnant, but you also know that you can try again next month. For IVF it is a rough 2 month cycle that involves lots of shots, and appointments (daily), and pain, and waiting. Knowing that it might not work is a scary prospect. We were lucky with Mandie and it worked on the first try, but that isn’t a guarantee that it will be that easy again.</p>
<p>As a plus we have Mandie. On our first try we were childless, and that put it’s own stress on the situation. The fear of not being able to conceive at all was very present. I thank science that everything worked and we have our beautiful baby girl.<p>
<p>So we start the process with a consult. You have to fill out lots of paperwork. We were surprised that we had to fill ALL of it out again this time, and though we didn’t lie about anything we wonder if we answered anything “wrong”.</p>
I also honestly wonder how many people’s fertility issued are resolved by this question…
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN70TJbJpWE_sqpLiUHiWg_o4shSAtkcGINE-YYSkvirxX-ZKuHOVM9M0kTGNWq2Ids7WZ4NnxZ2rJAPxdZihQdux25ju8sltjpABT53SPBRcLlmaXUWt94w7E4-mWTmtm7Wy6GJM6fD0/s1600/funny+question.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="232" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN70TJbJpWE_sqpLiUHiWg_o4shSAtkcGINE-YYSkvirxX-ZKuHOVM9M0kTGNWq2Ids7WZ4NnxZ2rJAPxdZihQdux25ju8sltjpABT53SPBRcLlmaXUWt94w7E4-mWTmtm7Wy6GJM6fD0/s400/funny+question.png" /></a></div>
Okay, well welcome to the ride. I will try to post anytime there is anything even mildly interesting happening. I hope this blog helps anyone who was maybe curious about IVF, or got here by Googling things because they are having fertility issues. If you have questions feel free to contact me.Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-82979154221646705452012-04-13T20:53:00.000-04:002012-04-13T20:53:27.392-04:00Exhausted1. I am incredibly exhausted this week. <br />
<br />
2. This adorable child is wearing me out.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5TrH1dXOO_Jca2OqhJPomUGC5nTpPUOM7FdgENu4seTz2_og-U_akoX3PWhnYvhWX5CS8MSIUT64SK-_GD59W3W8OHW2fnPjukNYXFNJP9PlSYvNVSrxE5AAP42pyqP_PpKFNXfVBAs/s1600/Mandie+Ears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5TrH1dXOO_Jca2OqhJPomUGC5nTpPUOM7FdgENu4seTz2_og-U_akoX3PWhnYvhWX5CS8MSIUT64SK-_GD59W3W8OHW2fnPjukNYXFNJP9PlSYvNVSrxE5AAP42pyqP_PpKFNXfVBAs/s320/Mandie+Ears.jpg" /></a></div><br />
3. We can't find a swim suit that fits her. We have been through three so far, the third one was so small we didn't even take a picture.<br />
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4. She has been super fussy this week for various reasons. <br />
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5. She has also been super clingy and lovey which is sweet, and that balances the fussy enough that we can't stay mad.<br />
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6. We had this Easter egg that made us feel guilty about eating it.<br />
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7. Mandie got super good at Easter egg hunts.<br />
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8. We signed Mandie up for swim class and we are super excited. They acted as if it were strange that Paul and I both wanted to attend with her. <br />
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9. Tomorrow the quest continues for Mandie's bathing suit. I managed to get a bathing suit for myself that I feel okay about even though it is not the equivalent of a swim parka.<br />
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10. I am on vacation ..it started tonight and I don't go back until Friday! YAY!Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-17521070510900850742012-04-06T19:21:00.000-04:002012-04-06T19:21:42.148-04:00Mandie is in trouble1. Mandie is in time out right now and got a pop on the thigh for going out in the street after being warned not to do it. (I was right there with her but it is a lesson she needs to learn.)<br />
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2. I have not been sticking to eating healthy like I should, but I also have not put on any weight so that is a plus.<br />
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3. Speaking of eating healthy...I should have gotten Cold Stone instead of Starbucks today.<br />
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4. I had a sewing fail today ...luckily the fabric can still be used, so it isn't a complete waste.<br />
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5. I finally scanned in the pic of Mandie with the Easter Bunny.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UhiLYvUfo1ky5MVU_xQUhQiILfgVzFjPo8p8FwUIftOv_dlPR7zcLrK7FZ9iuMftemPLOMQaehGTzDYy_Mb08mmlfZX0O3niczEtkJtKSL1aETng1sk_n5l_YNMl3o94bwX7DkvNZkI/s1600/MandieBunny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UhiLYvUfo1ky5MVU_xQUhQiILfgVzFjPo8p8FwUIftOv_dlPR7zcLrK7FZ9iuMftemPLOMQaehGTzDYy_Mb08mmlfZX0O3niczEtkJtKSL1aETng1sk_n5l_YNMl3o94bwX7DkvNZkI/s320/MandieBunny.jpg" /></a></div><br />
6. I had a comment here about an elephant at the circus pooping, but the comment was not nearly as amusing without being there, so I deleted it.<br />
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7. I don't agree with elephants and tigers being in the circus ..but I wanted Mandie to get a chance to experience the Ringling circus. Her amazement was worth it. It was Mandie and Paul's first time at the circus.<br />
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8. I took Mandie to the library today but didn't want her to touch anything because of how germ ridden everything in there appears.<br />
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9. We are going on Monday to sign Mandie up for swim lessons. We are very excited.<br />
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10. We did make it to the kite festival last Saturday. This is the most amazing picture ever!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1P3qy3YaLdH-nhrbznKa0C1ygBOTypfJ94PNdTYvLwgRG-VLKEkZuafSFtPCTK46HU9abwSvtYoCtuUdwR_rMIPwyizZWz9ghjbddwsCuKB_q2hZFdFiiJcEp-8QqoRkX2pLdlgYu8s/s1600/Kite+Festival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1P3qy3YaLdH-nhrbznKa0C1ygBOTypfJ94PNdTYvLwgRG-VLKEkZuafSFtPCTK46HU9abwSvtYoCtuUdwR_rMIPwyizZWz9ghjbddwsCuKB_q2hZFdFiiJcEp-8QqoRkX2pLdlgYu8s/s320/Kite+Festival.jpg" /></a></div>Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-6876894706105480572012-03-30T22:01:00.000-04:002012-03-30T22:01:39.799-04:00Good Week1. This week went by fast!<br />
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2. I ate at a Lebanese restaurant and it was amazing. I will be going back.<br />
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3. Mandie is ready to go pro.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_wL4n5ge9OE4ehl2xhUZCsQY9vHvhSF_4Ahw1zcHCFEnB2QbmzATgUYzeqRxehDzzMabyBmgL_dLMbjUgrQqfiYItAAm0ewGeqrkEgDbvIbgZfYd_Gd-eibyZhjwaXXYfAVo-MAFQ8Y/s1600/Mandie+Skateboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_wL4n5ge9OE4ehl2xhUZCsQY9vHvhSF_4Ahw1zcHCFEnB2QbmzATgUYzeqRxehDzzMabyBmgL_dLMbjUgrQqfiYItAAm0ewGeqrkEgDbvIbgZfYd_Gd-eibyZhjwaXXYfAVo-MAFQ8Y/s320/Mandie+Skateboard.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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4. Our family is having super fun with the arrival of spring. We have planted some things and cleaned some things and now Mandie is big enough to help. It also means lots of playtime outside and walks with Sam. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE81GdnOigEJ3CbGaCo2mOrbaBfBa6ZzEICNLSESecNeFXb5-gp1iQBzbO-475Hc6ejRNApvuqBrfMCHXlk3B904L15pLLRHRNy_nTuxr4f_-4M6qsTQFaxg5BEQvXtYnV9CfnU7Q_ksk/s1600/Helping+Dad+Garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="258" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE81GdnOigEJ3CbGaCo2mOrbaBfBa6ZzEICNLSESecNeFXb5-gp1iQBzbO-475Hc6ejRNApvuqBrfMCHXlk3B904L15pLLRHRNy_nTuxr4f_-4M6qsTQFaxg5BEQvXtYnV9CfnU7Q_ksk/s320/Helping+Dad+Garden.jpg" /></a></div><br />
5. We aren't going to go to the kite festival because of the stupid rain :(<br />
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6. When I am at home I feel like Mandie has WAY too many toys, but when I go out I feel like there are so many things I want to buy for her.<br />
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7. At the Lebanese restaurant they had an awesome water pitcher that they poured water all fancy with....I think it made the water taste better. It also reminds me of my Ecce Romani Latin book I had in school.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JlxQWwvVsxRjMG7LlY8E44RtB96bX4DnswY0HgCbENYyCCcNdpHJvQTlmlKDlCdwA_WugoyCn7HvPEdh344rrO0_JYKs5ZMTwQkZ8HGujsxdOVL94_AQ4-V9eLW0Q2qiXaNyp70VJTQ/s1600/water-picher-colored.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JlxQWwvVsxRjMG7LlY8E44RtB96bX4DnswY0HgCbENYyCCcNdpHJvQTlmlKDlCdwA_WugoyCn7HvPEdh344rrO0_JYKs5ZMTwQkZ8HGujsxdOVL94_AQ4-V9eLW0Q2qiXaNyp70VJTQ/s320/water-picher-colored.jpg" /></a></div><br />
8. The world doesn't want me to exercise ..I tried to go for a walk with Mandie and Sam today and it started raining so we had to run home. I decided to cut through the common area and hit a tuft of grass with the stroller and almost launched Mandie home.<br />
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9. You know you are fat and lazy if you have to look up how to spell the work exercise. It just never looks right to me.<br />
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10. I am excited that I'm going to go visit my sister tomorrow.Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-68775913241329537962012-03-23T20:48:00.000-04:002012-03-23T20:48:10.161-04:00TEN TEN TEN TEN1. I don't feel like posting today.<br />
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2. I have lots of crazy socks and some I haven't even worn so I'm looking for sock crafts.<br />
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3. I sometimes get frustrated because people (and my husband) assume that because I work from home I don't really work.<br />
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4. I think that I am going to ignore my diet tonight and drink a Kahlua Mudslide after the baby goes to bed. <br />
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5. I love when Mandie plays with silly hats on her own...even better is when she cracks herself up doing it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88p0OO8fgFMd8sfuNhtiou2m_sqlbkvEwHmI4fWVLcuyT1BpPVuSAP2Sc5r9tjD0MbJwpn1bTc8gDb6HYxJ4pzqlK7Cvlk78HCaPfZwxC18KizLGqXOzMnHEZxs2uiMjkLdSvGvlgQGs/s1600/Mandie+hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88p0OO8fgFMd8sfuNhtiou2m_sqlbkvEwHmI4fWVLcuyT1BpPVuSAP2Sc5r9tjD0MbJwpn1bTc8gDb6HYxJ4pzqlK7Cvlk78HCaPfZwxC18KizLGqXOzMnHEZxs2uiMjkLdSvGvlgQGs/s320/Mandie+hat.jpg" /></a></div><br />
6. We are super excited about the kite festival next week. <br />
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7. PARENT FAIL...We got Mandie a little bike and she was doing really well on it so I let go and she bonked her head. <br />
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8. Now she is scared of the bike but she is enjoying the helmet that I did not have on her when she fell.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuWTwE6Wt69Ytx-4ClWDX2jIngPAYusEoKrRq5p4nT8bsyVduu5dhBYSBZPRJgT91qbb0aQmo__TOEfDNVYtLq02IaZpE9xWAMala-1RznFNWQP5ovyCzpRxM_3Tt4y0SG8RkcL8Pu9w/s1600/Mandie+Jockie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuWTwE6Wt69Ytx-4ClWDX2jIngPAYusEoKrRq5p4nT8bsyVduu5dhBYSBZPRJgT91qbb0aQmo__TOEfDNVYtLq02IaZpE9xWAMala-1RznFNWQP5ovyCzpRxM_3Tt4y0SG8RkcL8Pu9w/s320/Mandie+Jockie.jpg" /></a></div><br />
9. I flashed the Easter Bunny.<br />
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10. I had some crazy dreams the other day that involved all kinds of people from my past...and needing to go on a helicopter to go fishing.Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-71344149373924160032012-03-16T21:38:00.002-04:002012-03-16T21:38:26.459-04:0040 is the new 2001. I found out through playing Drawsome that I didn't know how to spell the word omelet.<br />
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2. I almost got pooped on by a dog at the Super Pet Expo. Sam had a great time though.<br />
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3. I already knew this, but my Nugget is a beautiful princess!<br />
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4. I didn't have enough Nike Fuel points the other day, so I ran in place for 20 mins after I put Mandie to bed. I also established that a treadmill would fit perfectly in our bedroom.<br />
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5. I love sewing! I bought my sewing machine a new foot....I wish they were called shoes because it would sound cuter to say I bought my sewing machine a new shoe.<br />
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6. I made Mandie a dress, and it is the first thing I have made that I would actually let her wear in public.<br />
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7. Paul and I have not smoked in over two years now.<br />
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8. Mandie has been much more fussy when we go out because she doesn't want to be in the stroller/cart, so I bring enough snacks for her to eat the entire time we are out.<br />
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9. I asked for 40 crickets at Petsmart and the lady gave me over 200. I didn't correct her because she wrote 40 on the bag and even said 40 as she handed them to me. I just hurried home and tried to figure out how I was going to house that many crickets.<br />
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10. I really like it on Pinterest when strangers repin something that I made.Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-31566761515950316292012-03-09T15:12:00.002-05:002012-03-09T15:12:29.596-05:00I've got lots to do this weekend...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwv7JIU58S91kzHUJdFuKpNUTBW1LfqbcKj-jpqtFSpqNCKzXP8cDPfBQLa9s_-uGoJRNWUgN8E6cFv-uGmSnWLx5UyJEonMHuKet1uaKkhg2kQBbotQ5Rr52Wm7Z86DOGWIYTP66CQA0/s1600/Mandie+Shades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwv7JIU58S91kzHUJdFuKpNUTBW1LfqbcKj-jpqtFSpqNCKzXP8cDPfBQLa9s_-uGoJRNWUgN8E6cFv-uGmSnWLx5UyJEonMHuKet1uaKkhg2kQBbotQ5Rr52Wm7Z86DOGWIYTP66CQA0/s320/Mandie+Shades.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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1. I have made two different toddler bed rails this week...it was much more difficult than I expected.<br />
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2. I lost 7.6lbs this week and I am really enjoying eating healthy. I also got a Nike Fuel Band and it motivates me to move more.<br />
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3. I am posting this now because I am excited about going downstairs and pimping out my sewing machine. I didn't want to get to involved and forget to post.<br />
(Pictures will be posted!)<br />
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4. Now I'm wondering if I should have pimped my sewing machine out first so that I could post the pictures.<br />
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5. I need to call and check on my Dad.<br />
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6. I have major spring fever today. I went out and cleaned up all of our planting bins and was super excited to see baby leaf lettuce.<br />
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7. I'm in Mandie's room and I can hear Paul snoring from here. (Both bedroom doors are open.)<br />
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8. I made a peppermint lotion mix. Not only did it get repinned a ton, but my hands are soft and supple and smell minty fresh.<br />
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9. My Nugget did so well sleeping in her big girl bed last night.<br />
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10. Paul is making Quinoa salad and Tilapia for dinner...YUM.Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750233057221185882.post-44349418538917107512012-03-07T04:27:00.000-05:002012-03-07T04:27:57.612-05:00Hardest thing to do as a parent is let them grow up...So for the last 14 months I have spent my nights cuddled up with my sweet sleeping little Nugget. Her precious face usually just inches from my own. My arm her pillow as we snuggle close.<br />
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I never intended for her to sleep in our bed. I was adamantly against it before she was born. Several weeks of very little sleep will adjust your priorities. <br />
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It was supposed to be temporary. We kept saying that we were going to get her into her own bed, but quite honestly it was convenient to have her in our bed and we enjoyed being so close to her.<br />
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We made some half assed attempts but our heart wasn't really in it.<br />
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So what changed now? You might ask. If you don't, then I'm not sure why you are still reading this.<br />
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What has changed is that she has gotten bigger and more independent. Sometimes she snuggles and is sweet. Other times you get kicked in the face while you are sleeping and she is rolling around like an alligator. <br />
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So since she isn't sleeping well and we aren't sleeping well, it is time for her to sleep on her own.<br />
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In many ways we regret that we didn't do this sooner when it would have been probably easier on all of us...but we didn't. So now as she has just discovered how to throw a tantrum we are trying. <br />
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For real this time. <br />
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It is 4 in the morning and I am in a chair in her room writing this. She is in her bed sleeping. She went down just fine at her bed time, then at 1am she woke up. I tried to comfort her and even rock her to sleep, but each time when I got her to her bed she woke up and screamed. If she were just crying I would probably have given in, but she was throwing a fit and we are trying hard right now to stop her screaming fits. <br />
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Finally I went all <a href="http://www.supernanny.co.uk/">SuperNanny</a> on her. I did just like I had seen on the show. I laid her down and told her "night night" then turned my back to her. She got up and screamed and only when she would try to climb out of bed would I get up and lay her back down without speaking to her. Very quickly she figured out that she was not going to get her way....and she laid down and went to sleep.<br />
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I feel terrible as I do this, but I know in my heart that I am doing the right thing. I am teaching her to be independent, giving her structure, and also giving her a better nights sleep. I will miss her sweet little face when I wake up in the morning, but it was time to let go. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRK7sWdgYCbQvntG0jHfWwZa6HlsyWbalYhkgZ16nT-AT0puS6p8vlj4Bm31R2dD5NNnX9W_5u78T0mEAvzZDXGKsP3hwV6HLRFgy4Ui6Uhq_5yOIhlV21AhbVtdgz2ZvowkU8CSG5ZI/s1600/IMG_3114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRK7sWdgYCbQvntG0jHfWwZa6HlsyWbalYhkgZ16nT-AT0puS6p8vlj4Bm31R2dD5NNnX9W_5u78T0mEAvzZDXGKsP3hwV6HLRFgy4Ui6Uhq_5yOIhlV21AhbVtdgz2ZvowkU8CSG5ZI/s320/IMG_3114.JPG" /></a></div>Chevitanondrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10060281425516795510noreply@blogger.com0