2012 Wrap Up

Well we are at that time again. Hard to believe that it's almost 2013. I mean seriously where did time go?

January:
January was a fun month, in January we had a lot going on with the house. It was truly amazing to see our house transform and start to take shape. Mike worked at the Ski Hill again and had a great time taking Gabby out. He is hoping to have her on skis soon.

February:
Gabby started her new daycare. She LOVED her teachers! We went from having a screaming child at night coming home from daycare to a child who screamed because she didn't want to leave her friends and teachers. As much as it hurt to not have her want to come home, it made us feel great that she loved it so much there and all the staff loves her smiles. We took our annual trip up to Giants Ridge for Ski Challenge State competition. Gabby had a great time in the snow


March:
Exciting news came this month as we found out we were pregnant with Liv. We were over joyed as we had been trying for about 7 months to get pregnant. We couldn't wait to share the news. We also decided it was time to wean Gabby.


April:
We had our first ultrasound and got to see our little bean. She actually looked like a Gummie bear although we were calling her our Little Pineapple. We battled Pink Eye (mostly me) for what seemed like forever. We had a scare when my dad fell off the roof. We were lucky that he only broke his knee and not had something worse happen. (He has recovered fully and is doing great!)


May:
We had another great Race for the Cure. I raised another great amount of money. I decided not to take Gabby and I am glad that I didn't, there were too many people. We talked about in 2013 we might just get together and have a party and still raise money, but not do the actual walk. I need to come up with a cool name for it, if you have any thoughts let me know.


June:
We went on our annual family trip to Breezy Point. Gabby had a great time in the pool and we went mini golfing. Gabby got her first taste of Hand Foot and Mouth and I got pink eye. Yep yet again. it seemed to never leave us. But we still had a great  time.

July:
We celebrated Mike's birthday with a big bash at the house. We had hoped that our house would be finished, but we stalled out on the project at this point. Luckily we had a lot of it completed. We also found out that little Pineapple was going to be a girl. We were super excited about it!

August:
My baby girl turned 2! We had a great time with a big celebration at the house (again we had hoped that we would have the house done by this time). It was nice to celebrate with the entire family. Gabby also moved up to the next room at daycare and got to join Early Preschool 1 classroom. She couldn't have been happier!


September:
We were lucky enough to be involved in my good friend Shelly's wedding. We got to go to Breezy Point again for a fun weekend wedding. Thanks girl for letting us be involved. Gabby stayed at my parents for the weekend and it was nice to have some time away just Mike and I. Mike took a week off of work and went grouse hunting with his family. He had an awesome time. The carpeting got installed in the loft and we moved Gabby to her new room and she started sleeping in her big girl bed. Thanks to my best friend Aurora over at Red Organic, we had an awesome maternity photo shoot!


October:
I started getting weekly ultrasounds and it was a good time seeing Little Pineapple every week. They did a 3D ultrasound on her each time and it was amazing to see how much she looked liked Gabby. We also got to see all her hair on her head. Gabby also started Potty Training. And since then she is doing great! She has only had a few accidents and usually tells us when she needs to go.


We had a bit of a reality check this month. As we got ready to welcome our little Pineapple into our lives we also had the realization that our house would not be finished by the time she arrived. The Contractor that we choose to do the work went out of business and we found out that they did not pay their sub-contractors. We are currently in the legal process of trying to get some money back from them. It's been a very emotional few  months.

November:
Our most exciting month of the entire year. We welcomed our little angel into this world on November 16th at 1:55am. It was a super fast delivery but we are so glad that she is in our lives! We had a very Thankful Thanksgiving since we had a week old baby girl. Our family was so nice and brought all the food to our house so we wouldn't have to go out.

December:
Another great month. We celebrated a wonderful Christmas with our family and friends. And I had a great birthday and turned 29 ;)

As we come to a close on 2012. I really hope that 2013 brings us even more great memories and joyish occasions. As much as this past year was stressful with our remodel saga (as I call it) we are very blessed and thankful for all that we have. We have 2 beautiful girls, a roof over our head and jobs to provide for our family. Plus many great people in our lives and that's what matters. While money keeps us going it's only money and life is more than just money. I can earn more and while it might take us longer to get to some things we need I can't ask for anything more in my life.

Thanks to all that are in our lives and make us the people we are. We love you! Goodbye to 2012 and Hello to 2013~

Christmas in an instant

Those that know me know that Christmas is my favorite holiday. It's really the ONLY holiday I decorate the house for. I have like 5 or 6 boxes of decorations and a TON of ornaments for our tree, plus lights for outside (that Mike was kind enough to put up for me).

This year it seemed like I had been waiting for it forever. We got everything up the weekend after Thanksgiving - even with a week old baby girl. and now it's all over! I have been waiting and waiting and it has come and gone already.

Even though it was over fast we had a great time and survived our first Christmas with 2 kids. We are lucky that we don't have to go to holiday celebrations on the same day with our family. We have it spread out.

We made our annual Christmas trip to the MN Zoo. We started it 2 years ago and it's so much fun. There is usually no one there and this year was no exception. Saturday we got there at 9 when it opened and there were 2 cars in the parking lot we normally park in. Usually there are at least 20 to 30 already at opening.

Gabby had a blast as usual and loved the penguins, wolverines, and puma's. We were a  little bummed that the monkey's in the Tropic's Trail weren't there because they were cleaning out the enclosure, but I did get to see my favorite animal - the 2 toed sloth. They moved her to a different area since it's winter and she is much much easier seen now. so exciting.

Liv in the Stroller on her first trip to the Zoo

Gabby checking out the penguins.

This year we had the Meyer family Christmas on Sunday and Gabby had a blast! There are a lot of us Meyer's. We have to have it at a restaurant because we have too many people for a house celebration. So this year the kids had a great time, there was room to play next to our tables. Gabby threw a fit when it was time to go home and she didn't want to go to bed when we got home.

Great Grandpa Ed and Liv

My cousin Ali, Lilianna and Gabby playing with their new toys and stuffed animals

Mike ended up having to work on Christmas Eve, so Liv and I got the house all finalized for the Flipp

family Christmas. We had another great celebration and Gabby had a great time playing with her cousin Cali. Cali is getting so big - she just turned a year a few weeks ago - and it was great seeing the girls play together. I really can't wait until next year when Liv is a year and they can all play together.

Gabby got a table and chairs from my parents and totally was in love with it. She got super excited when she saw it. She also got baby dolls from both of my Aunts and has not stopped playing with them since. We don't have a crib, so I made one out of a diaper box. I plan on wrapping it in contact paper to make it look a little prettier.

Christmas eve night we put out cookies for Santa. My parents gave me a plate and cup set that I had when I was little for cookies and we used that. I plan on getting the girls each a plate they can leave cookies out for Santa for next year so when they have kids they can do the same thing. It's a great tradition.

Christmas morning was just the four of us (five with Mac) and Gabby was excited to see if Santa ate the cookies and sure enough he did. She was all excited too to open the presents from Santa and didn't even want to open the ones from us because Santa got her play-doh. Our living room is still a disaster, that's on my list to do today is to clean it up and put everything away.

At nap time we loaded up the car and headed to the In Laws for the Epp family Christmas. Another great celebration. Gabby had a wonderful time playing with her cousin Alyssa and loved opening the presents. She got a tricycle from Mike's parents and wants to open it now and ride it. It will be tough to get her to wait until Spring to actually use it. 

Mike was super sweet and took me out for my birthday with the girls to our favorite restuarant Kona Grill. We got some appetizers, sushi and a dessert. It was great!

Now just waiting until next Christmas!

Conversations I love

This was a conversation between Gabby, Mike and I this afternoon while we were trying to get her to go down for her nap

Me: Gabby, Do you want to go outside later and play play-doh?
Gabby: Yes
Me: Then you need to take a nap
Gabby: No, I don't want to play outside
Me: If you want to play play-doh you need to take a nap, or you don't get to
Gabby: I am not listening so I don't get to play play-doh.

Needless to say we lost this battle, she didn't take a nap - although she did stay in her room for an hour for "Quiet time" and she didn't play outside.

I came back up after an hour to find her naked, putting her diaper (thank goodness it was dry) on her monkey, with all her clothes around her bed.

Blessed

As I sit here cuddling with my baby girl I realized how blessed I am. In the wake of all that's happened in this world recently with the shootings - specifically the one in CT. I am truly grateful for my baby girls and my family.

Mike and I have what we thought was a tough year with our remodel going the way that it did. But as I was meeting with lawyers, the contractors, calling subs, finding out all the times we had been lied to I was reminded all the time that things could be worse.

This year we were able to watch Gabby - our sweet big girl grow up into the wonderful and joyful child that she has become. While she has her moments (I mean what adults don't), her smile always brightens someone's day. A mom at daycare said to me just last week that she looks forwards to Gabby's smiles because she always has one on her face.

We welcomed our sweet little girl Olivia into this crazy world and it's definitely a bright spot in all this sadness. While I am not able to spend as much time home with her as I want, I need to instead enjoy the weeks I do have with her. Enjoy the cuddles and coos' she gives me. Enjoy the smiles that she has - even though I am still convinced some of them are gas bubbles.

20 parents lost their sweet boys or girls and they will be forever 6 years old. I know there are a lot of parents that are hugging their children a lot harder. I know I was when I picked her up from school on Friday. I thank God that my family is healthy and safe, that I have a roof over my head, that both Mike and I have jobs (and jobs we enjoy) and that we have money to provide for our family.

I pray that our society can find ways to stop this violence. That we can help remove the stigma surrounding mental illness. That we can reach out and help those that need it and not just push them off to someone else to deal with. My extended family has been having to deal with mental illness this year and it was not an easy road for them. We as society should help those that need it not turn our backs on them. I don't have the answer, if I did I would be taking it to congress, to mental health resources, but there are people in the fields that know what needs to be done and we really need to figure it out before more people suffer.

I pray that the families of these little children can find peace and be able to move through their pain, as I know they won't be able to get over it. Especially when it seems so un-sensible.

I pray for the family of the shooter, the fact that he felt this was the only way and took his mother's life and his own.

Finally I pray for all those that have lost loved ones too early. Parents should not have to bury their children no matter the circumstances.

Wordless Wednesday

1 Month

1 Month

 

Weight

Around 9lbs maybe more

Clothing Size

Newborn to 3 months

Diaper Size

Up and Up & Pampers size 1

Feeding

Mama's milk all the way. You are doing pretty well at nursing and are going every 1 to 2 hours throughout the day, sometimes more. At night you are doing even better and starting to sleep 3 to 4 hours at a stretch which is great for mama. 

Milestones

* You are reacting more to our voices and your name

* You are starting to look us in the eye and follow our faces

* You are moving around a ton more, but not as startled

* You are smiling at us and I know it's not all gas

Wordless Wednesday

2 Weeks

Weight: About 8lbs 11oz maybe a bit more

You are doing so well and are such a great baby. Your dad and I are truly blessed to have you in our lives.

You are nursing great. Although you tend to cluster feed every hour at times which makes it hard for me to have a break. Sometimes those cluster feedings are in the middle of the night. Which makes it really hard for me to sleep. But I know you need me right now and hopefully I can sleep when you are 18.

You are such a laid back baby. Your dad and I joke that we don't have a baby but we have a pterodactyl dinosaur. Because you tend to just grunt and squeak more than actually cry. We know that if you cry fully that you ate really upset.

Your sister Gabby really loves you and wants to be around you all the tine. I think when you get older you guys will be best buds.

Olivia Helen's Birth Story

Olivia's Birth story

I was Admitted at 7pm on Thursday night. When the nurse checked me I was already at 4 to 5 cm at 8pm. After some monitoring they gave me the cytotec. I started having some small contractions after about an hour. Mike and I walked but the contractions were less than 5 minutes apart. I tried the ball like I had with gabby but they were so intense and not in my back so it didn't feel good at all.
She was moving around a ton and I got my 2 rounds of antibiotics for GBS around 9:30.
Labor really started around 10:30. When they checked me I was at 6cm. They broke my water at this time too. I was in the bed for my entire labor because laying down in the fetal position and squeezing mikes hand was the only thing that felt good. The contractions were coming so close. Without mike I wouldn't have made it through. I got a dose if Fentanyl around 1am. I took the edge of for a bit but not like it had the last time. Looking back I realize this is because I was all set to deliver where with gabby I needed pitocin to increase the contractions and put them closer together. At 1 Mike said to me "I bet we have her before 2" I thought he was mincing me and tht this labor was going to last forever. I was having a really hard time breathing through the contractions at this point. Around 1:20 my midwife came in to start but the woman next door needed her so they called the ER doc up just in case. But he had 3 patients waiting in the ER. Keep in mind we are at a smaller hospital in a country community. So chances of this are crazy. The ER do was pretty rude. He said to the nurses after barely introducing himself to me "either we are delivering this baby now or I am leaving". So because of that and because I was ready thy got the bed ready and put my feet on the foot rests. I liked it better with mike and the nurse holding my legs and feet.
I needed oxygen because I was panicking a bit and not breathing long breaths. The ER doc left and my midwife came in. We finished pushing her out by 1:55. It was the hardest thing I have ever done and I don't know that I would have been able to do it without Mike there.
They had 2 NICU nurses there because there was mirconiuem in my water when she broke my water. But little miss Olivia did great and got a 9 on both her agar scores. She weighed 8lbs 5oz and 20in.
She is doing great. Nursing wonderful. Her blood sugars were a little low so they had to check it for 12 hours on the first day.

I can't believe that I have this much love in my heart for her and Gabby. I really didn't think it was possible. She is the most precious thing ever.

Olivia

Olivia was welcomed into this world at 1:55am on Friday November 16th.

She weighed 8lbs 5oz and measured 20 inches long.

Wordless Wednesday

I love you Daddy

Can I have some tea please?

Tonight Mike and I were playing with Gabby. We had a grand ole time. She wanted to play with her kitchen and serve us some food, this is how it went along for 30 to 35 minutes.

Gabby: I make you food.
Mama: Okay, what are you giving us?
Gabby: Cupcakes
Daddy: Can I have some tea please?
Gabby: Would you like tea (pointing at me)?
Mama: Sure I would like some tea.
Gabby: Okay, Mac wants tea too
Daddy: Yes, pour her some tea

     *Gabby goes and gets her tea pot.

Gabby: It's too warm, I put in the freezer
Mama: Can I eat my cupcake
Gabby: No - Wait until you get tea
Daddy: Is the tea ready??
Gabby: I go test it....
   * Gabby goes and opens her "freezer" (which is the microwave on her kitchen) and puts her hand on the teapot
Gabby: It's still too warm, not ready yet.

The testing, and not ready yet went on for 20 to 25 minutes. It was pretty cute.
She finally brought out the teapot and left it by Mike, Mike poured me a glass of tea and I sucked it down only to get yelled at because it was too hot and I should have waited.

My daughter has to be the most adorable kid in the world....Okay I know I am biased but still.

Dear Pineapple

Dear sweet baby girl,
Well it's almost time, can you believe that? In 9 days or less you will be in my arms and hopefully sleeping (hehe). I am sitting here typing this while you have the hiccups, I have heartburn and insomnia. It's all worth it but I would rather be staring at your beautiful face while I am up and not sleeping.

Your big sister is getting excited to meet you, she keeps talking about you a lot. She will only talk to you if she pulls up my shirt which I think is totally adorable and she whispers to you, which I know you can't hear that so I tell her to talk louder and of course she screams at you then that she loves you.

She is sharing with you already, although most of what she is sharing with you are things she doesn't want anymore with her toys, but it's sharing none the less.

Your dad and I are excited to meet you, he wants you to wait a few more days so your birthday doesn't interfere with deer hunting - but I know he is just joking. Maybe when you get older you can just go deer hunting with him and spend your birthday that way.

I am really excited to meet you and I can't wait to hold you in my arms and pinch those chubby little cheeks of yours that you seem to have on the ultrasound I see every week. I am excited to see how much hair you have, and what kind of personality you are going to have. Are you going to be like your sister, or completely different? Take after your dad, or myself? be stubborn like all three of us or totally laid back and bring a new perspective to this household.

Are you going to sleep through the dog barking and your sister making all her wonderful noises? or are you going to keep her up at night, so none of us get sleep? No matter what we can't wait for you to come into this world.

With much love,
Your mama!

Wordless Wednesday



Little Pineapple at 38 Weeks 3 Days

Pineapple's Hand

Another picture of her chubby cheeks

38 Weeks

Here I am at 38 weeks. Mike went out of town this past weekend - I was totally thinking that the little girl was going to make her presence known when her daddy was 3+ hours away, but she decided to stay put which is better for me.

Gabby and I went down to my folks for the weekend and I was spoiled. Thanks mama! I am feeling pretty good I have to say for being 38 weeks. But I am still uncomfortable. Sleeping is a chore it seems, I can't sleep on the same side for a long time so if I don't wake up and move I am in a bit of pain, however some Tylenol and a pillow between my legs seems to help a great deal. So hopefully that will stay the same and not get worse.

I am definitely feeling more pressure and just overall heaviness. Not sure if she is dropped as it doesn't feel the same as it did when I was this pregnant with Gabby, but I guess we will find out tomorrow at my appointment. I have another ultrasound and appointment with my OB tomorrow.

At my last appointment on Monday my Midwife was talking about if she doesn't come on her own that she would induce either the 16th or the 19th. So I am voting for the 19th, just because honestly it will be easier on our schedule, but the 16th would work too. We will see how I am doing and if they think I will be "ready" for an induction. But honestly I am hoping that she decides to come on her own and not have to be evicted like her sister was.

Gabby really didn't want to take a picture this week, so this was the best we got with her.

Wordless Wednesday

Trust

I just want to point out before I start this post that I normally don't like vague posts on blogs or facebook, but I am going to be a little vague with this post. I have to get my feelings out on "paper" and this is the way I can do that so bear with me.

When we are younger we learned that if you treated people as you wish to be treated, they would do the same back onto you. As I have grown up and become an adult I still kept a sense of this trust, but sometimes I wonder if it's to a fault. Hence why I am writing. Recently Mike and I have put our trust into something that has betrayed us. We did all we needed to figure out this is what we were going to do and wanted and have been taken advantage of.

I am very saddened and stressed by recent of events (If you really want to know what this is about please email me or message me). We are supposed to be welcoming our baby girl soon and enjoying this time and we can't because of this other nonsense. I pray that it will be cleaned up soon and we can move on to happier times with the holidays coming up and the birth of our baby girl.

37 Weeks

Well it's getting to the point where it could technically be any day now, so I am taking weekly pictures now. I am feeling a lot more uncomfortable. I think the little girl has dropped because she doesn't seem all up in my ribs lately which is nice, but at the same time puts pressure in other areas.

The heartburn is less - also why I think she has dropped. Sleeping is getting harder and harder at night, I just can't get comfortable, but hopefully I will get some sleep soon.

Still having my weekly appointments and weekly ultrasounds. They are talking about letting me go until 40 weeks or right before it so that's nice. So in less than 3 weeks I will have our little girl in my arms! Exciting!

 

Gabby's Room

I have posted a bit about Gabby's room but now it's completely finished. I am super excited that both my girls have their rooms all ready.

So here are the final pictures for Gabby's new Big Girl Room.