I'm going to be grateful. I'm going to count my blessings and say thanks for them.
* My kids. Healthy, happy, darling, sweet and mine. What would my life be like without them? I'd rather not know.
* My friends. We're all different, but we care about each other. The day-to-day would be bleak without them in my life.
* My sisters, born & married in. We're all different, but I know who they are deep down and love them for it. We're family - and always will be.
* My husband. My rock, my love, the provider for our family. My goofy man who is a better father than I ever dreamed of.
* My life and health. I know how blessed I am and have wondered, many times, how I got to be so lucky.
* My family. Even separated by distance, it's nice to know that there are people out there who think about you on a daily basis and love you, just because.
This day, I will give thanks for all the things that have blessed me and I will try to pay it foward and help make someone else's life a little better. You never know when this day might be all you have.
Heifer International
Friday, January 30, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
The New Deal
D & I were having some serious negotiations last night in regards to the baby issue. Here's the thing; he knows me. He knows how much I love babies and that I've always wanted 4 kids and he thinks I can handle anything. (Buttering me up?) He also knows me well enough to know how to make a deal that I really like.
He's making a good offer here.
1 - After Baby 4 is born, he gets a vasectomy; no complaints, and no putting it off.
2 - A lesser commitment to rugby. (My idea) This means he still plays, but instead of 2-3 practices a week, it's one. (They usually practice on Tuesdays, Thursdays and some Saturdays.) And he only goes out on Saturday if there's a game, not just for practice.
3 - Naming rights. He's not keen on giving this one up. I already get girl naming rights because I've had a girl's name picked out for the last 3 years and I'm not giving it up. However, since chances are good we'd get more blue I want final say on that too. I don't want to be the sole namer, but if we disagree (we will) then I want the final say. He hasn't agreed to this yet, but I think he might.
Now, lest you think I'm just playing games here, let's be straight. I know myself well enough to know that I would never regret having more kids. Once the baby is made, it's mine and I want it. This isn't for him alone, and I have to want it too, and that's why I'm seriously thinking about #4.
I have some rules for myself though too.
1 - Weight. I need to lose at least 20 more lbs (down 7.5! woot!) before I get pregnant. Pregnancy is hard enough on the body without doing more damage by being overweight. C's pregnancy was very hard on me and I want to be in better shape if we decide to do it again.
2 - I don't want gender disappointment. I need to make sure I'm OK with either gender before we get pregnant.
3 - No trying before May. I want C to be at least one.
4 - If I get depressed again, I will get help. This is major and might seem like a no-brainer, but it's hard for me. I need to make sure that I can take care of myself too.
It's not set in stone, but it feels more and more like we might indeed decide to go for baby #4.
In fact, I was just thinking about the way we'd move the bedrooms around and who would share and who has the bigger closet so my mind is definitely moving in that direction...
He's making a good offer here.
1 - After Baby 4 is born, he gets a vasectomy; no complaints, and no putting it off.
2 - A lesser commitment to rugby. (My idea) This means he still plays, but instead of 2-3 practices a week, it's one. (They usually practice on Tuesdays, Thursdays and some Saturdays.) And he only goes out on Saturday if there's a game, not just for practice.
3 - Naming rights. He's not keen on giving this one up. I already get girl naming rights because I've had a girl's name picked out for the last 3 years and I'm not giving it up. However, since chances are good we'd get more blue I want final say on that too. I don't want to be the sole namer, but if we disagree (we will) then I want the final say. He hasn't agreed to this yet, but I think he might.
Now, lest you think I'm just playing games here, let's be straight. I know myself well enough to know that I would never regret having more kids. Once the baby is made, it's mine and I want it. This isn't for him alone, and I have to want it too, and that's why I'm seriously thinking about #4.
I have some rules for myself though too.
1 - Weight. I need to lose at least 20 more lbs (down 7.5! woot!) before I get pregnant. Pregnancy is hard enough on the body without doing more damage by being overweight. C's pregnancy was very hard on me and I want to be in better shape if we decide to do it again.
2 - I don't want gender disappointment. I need to make sure I'm OK with either gender before we get pregnant.
3 - No trying before May. I want C to be at least one.
4 - If I get depressed again, I will get help. This is major and might seem like a no-brainer, but it's hard for me. I need to make sure that I can take care of myself too.
It's not set in stone, but it feels more and more like we might indeed decide to go for baby #4.
In fact, I was just thinking about the way we'd move the bedrooms around and who would share and who has the bigger closet so my mind is definitely moving in that direction...
Bag Meme!
Shelly Overlook tagged me for this one!
OK, so here they are! I couldn't pick just one because one is my bag that I carry when I go out with the kids, and the other is the one I carry when I go out by myself. I'm sure you can guess which is which...
Here's my "me" purse. I use this when I go out by myself, whether it's out with the girls, to the doctor or to the store.
Tagged:
Tracy
Jess
Semi-Desperate Housewife
Fine for Now
Have fun!
OK, so here they are! I couldn't pick just one because one is my bag that I carry when I go out with the kids, and the other is the one I carry when I go out by myself. I'm sure you can guess which is which...
Here's my diaper bag! I think it's pretty cute, as far as diaper bags go. It's not an original or anything, it's a pretty common one I would guess. It was about $15 or so.
Inside, we have the necessities. A change of clothes, some snacks, diapers, wipes, a few "church" toys, keys and a semi-empty spot for my wallet and phone.
Here's my "me" purse. I use this when I go out by myself, whether it's out with the girls, to the doctor or to the store.
Here's the inside, looking suspiciously empty. Methinks it's been too long since I went out by myself! 
I bought this purse in a cute little town on the Oregon coast when we were visiting my friend Susan. She lives in Cali, and we were in Seattle so we met halfway. Just the 2 of us went out shopping and we each got a purse. I bought her one for her birthday. Hers is identical to mine, but black. It was a maybe $25, which is a splurge for me! Definitely the most expensive purse I've ever bought! I love it though, and it's real leather and so soft and cute. Worth it.
Tagged:
Tracy
Jess
Semi-Desperate Housewife
Fine for Now
Have fun!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Non-Saturday
D has rugby today (and Tuesday and Thursday and ... ) so it's not really feeling like Saturday. It's just another normal day where I do all the childcare and he comes home late for dinner. *sigh*
Rugby season is always the time of year when I think that I definitely don't want any more children. He's helpful when he's here, but if he's rarely here, that's not much consolation is it?
I'm so conflicted about this. I don't mind him doing something for himself and rugby keeps him healthy and in good shape and goodness knows he needs a release too. However, 3 times a week seems a bit much. And we're talking daytime hours people. Hours when the kidlets are still AWAKE. I go out with my friends too, but it's usually at 7PM - after I've already fed the kids dinner and they're in the bathtub and on their way to bed and it's very rarely more than once a week. In fact, it's been several weeks since I've been anywhere fun without the kids. (I'm not counting the vet visit this morning. Spending $170 to get shots for your maybe-not-so-medium sized puppy is not my idea of fun.)
In any case, I can't imagine leaving the house on Saturday morning at 10 AM and not getting home till 6 or 7 or 8 or 9PM and HIM not minding. Maybe once, but not for 3 months in a row.
It's back to the old questions that come up every January. How can he get his free time without me resenting it? How to make this arrangement fair for both of us? I can scarcely believe ALL 3 of our kids have been born in rugby season and he's barely missed a game. He's luckythat I didn't kill him.
_____________________
As I mentioned, I took Miss Lucy to the vet this morning for her 16 weeks shots. Lucy was 6 pounds when we rescued her from the shelter at 9 weeks old. Lucy is now 24 lbs. We've had her for 7 weeks and she's gained EIGHTEEN pounds. She's tall, almost as tall as our 4.5 year old, 60 pound Penny. She is not going to be a medium sized dog. She is going to be a big dog.
Now, we knew she'd likely get to be a minimum of 40lbs when we adopted her, but I had no idea she would get so big so fast! It's like a mystery unfolding, waiting to see how big she's going to get. Our intention was to get a smaller/medium sized dog so that it wouldn't be quite so overwhelming for the kids. I think we failed on that mission. However, d loves her to pieces so it's not an issue. I do not love the chewing of EVERYTHING in sight, nor do I love that she will help herself to food left ON THE TABLE but other than that, things are going well. Good grief though, am I the only one who thinks pet care is outrageously expensive? Sheesh! I could have bought food for a week with what I just dropped at the vet. Good thing she only has to go back once a year from now on.
_____________________
Sometimes, being a responsible adult sucks. D's side of the family is all talking about traveling to Southern CA this summer. We thought that maybe we could visit Disney Land while we're there. However, I've tried budgeting for it and I'm just not sure that we're going to be able to swing the trip at all. What we REALLY should do is refinance our mortgage. It will cost us quite a bit of money, but it will save us so much more in the long run. We may have to go to Cali next year instead. I think we should aim for March, because O turns 3 in April so he and C would still be free and if we can manage to go on d's birthday, then he'll be free too. Traveling with kids is crazy expensive already, so might as well save as much as we can!
So, yeah, being responsible stinks.
_____________________
How do you take your coffee? I'm trying to cut back on calories and I don't want to waste 100 calories on creamer in my morning coffee. I've tried light chocolate soy milk, but it's too mild. I've tried fat free half and half, but it's not yummy. I've tried 2% milk and honey, but it's not low in calories. I've tried low fat creamer, but it has that "fake" taste and has a very limited selection in flavors. So, how do you take your coffee and what should I try?
_____________________
How's that for a random post? Stay tuned tomorrow for Silent Sunday: My Blessings in Pictures.
Rugby season is always the time of year when I think that I definitely don't want any more children. He's helpful when he's here, but if he's rarely here, that's not much consolation is it?
I'm so conflicted about this. I don't mind him doing something for himself and rugby keeps him healthy and in good shape and goodness knows he needs a release too. However, 3 times a week seems a bit much. And we're talking daytime hours people. Hours when the kidlets are still AWAKE. I go out with my friends too, but it's usually at 7PM - after I've already fed the kids dinner and they're in the bathtub and on their way to bed and it's very rarely more than once a week. In fact, it's been several weeks since I've been anywhere fun without the kids. (I'm not counting the vet visit this morning. Spending $170 to get shots for your maybe-not-so-medium sized puppy is not my idea of fun.)
In any case, I can't imagine leaving the house on Saturday morning at 10 AM and not getting home till 6 or 7 or 8 or 9PM and HIM not minding. Maybe once, but not for 3 months in a row.
It's back to the old questions that come up every January. How can he get his free time without me resenting it? How to make this arrangement fair for both of us? I can scarcely believe ALL 3 of our kids have been born in rugby season and he's barely missed a game. He's lucky
_____________________
As I mentioned, I took Miss Lucy to the vet this morning for her 16 weeks shots. Lucy was 6 pounds when we rescued her from the shelter at 9 weeks old. Lucy is now 24 lbs. We've had her for 7 weeks and she's gained EIGHTEEN pounds. She's tall, almost as tall as our 4.5 year old, 60 pound Penny. She is not going to be a medium sized dog. She is going to be a big dog.
Now, we knew she'd likely get to be a minimum of 40lbs when we adopted her, but I had no idea she would get so big so fast! It's like a mystery unfolding, waiting to see how big she's going to get. Our intention was to get a smaller/medium sized dog so that it wouldn't be quite so overwhelming for the kids. I think we failed on that mission. However, d loves her to pieces so it's not an issue. I do not love the chewing of EVERYTHING in sight, nor do I love that she will help herself to food left ON THE TABLE but other than that, things are going well. Good grief though, am I the only one who thinks pet care is outrageously expensive? Sheesh! I could have bought food for a week with what I just dropped at the vet. Good thing she only has to go back once a year from now on.
_____________________
Sometimes, being a responsible adult sucks. D's side of the family is all talking about traveling to Southern CA this summer. We thought that maybe we could visit Disney Land while we're there. However, I've tried budgeting for it and I'm just not sure that we're going to be able to swing the trip at all. What we REALLY should do is refinance our mortgage. It will cost us quite a bit of money, but it will save us so much more in the long run. We may have to go to Cali next year instead. I think we should aim for March, because O turns 3 in April so he and C would still be free and if we can manage to go on d's birthday, then he'll be free too. Traveling with kids is crazy expensive already, so might as well save as much as we can!
So, yeah, being responsible stinks.
_____________________
How do you take your coffee? I'm trying to cut back on calories and I don't want to waste 100 calories on creamer in my morning coffee. I've tried light chocolate soy milk, but it's too mild. I've tried fat free half and half, but it's not yummy. I've tried 2% milk and honey, but it's not low in calories. I've tried low fat creamer, but it has that "fake" taste and has a very limited selection in flavors. So, how do you take your coffee and what should I try?
_____________________
How's that for a random post? Stay tuned tomorrow for Silent Sunday: My Blessings in Pictures.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Chocolate cupcake recipe
It's healthy! It's yummy! It uses beets! (Don't run away!)
I got this recipe from a friend and modified it just a tad. Enjoy!
Cake Ingredients:
About ¾ of a 15 ounce can of sliced beets
unsweetened apple sauce (approx 1 ¼ cups)
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1.5 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Cake Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Oil or spray your cooking pan(s), either a 9x13 or two 8 inch rounds or a cupcake tin. (It makes about 18 cupcakes.)
Pour beets into a colander and rinse with clear water then let and drain. Put about ¾ of the drained beets into a food processor or blender with 1/4 cup (clear) water, and process until pureed. (You don’t need to use the remaining ¼ can of beets for the recipe, so you can save for later or discard them.)
Put the pureed beets into a 2-cup measure. (they should fill to approx the ¾ cup line. It is ok if it is a little more or less). Add enough applesauce to reach the 2-cup line. Add the 2 tablespoons water, vanilla extract, and apple cider to the beets and mix well. It does have a strong beet odor at this stage, but this will be gone after the cake is baked.
Mix the dry ingredients together; then add the beet mixture and stir until well-combined. For a 9x13 pan, bake for about 25-35 minutes, for two 8 inch rounds, bake for 20-30 minutes (check cake for doneness at shortest cooking time) . Test by inserting a toothpick into the center; it's done when the toothpick comes out clean, or until it springs back lightly after you touch it.
Allow to cool completely before frosting. Frost with any type of frosting you like.
Frosting Ingredients and Directions
2-3 cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp sweet butter, softened
1/3 cup cocoa powder
Mix to desired consistency. Frost cupcakes!
I got this recipe from a friend and modified it just a tad. Enjoy!
Cake Ingredients:
About ¾ of a 15 ounce can of sliced beets
unsweetened apple sauce (approx 1 ¼ cups)
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1.5 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Cake Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Oil or spray your cooking pan(s), either a 9x13 or two 8 inch rounds or a cupcake tin. (It makes about 18 cupcakes.)
Pour beets into a colander and rinse with clear water then let and drain. Put about ¾ of the drained beets into a food processor or blender with 1/4 cup (clear) water, and process until pureed. (You don’t need to use the remaining ¼ can of beets for the recipe, so you can save for later or discard them.)
Put the pureed beets into a 2-cup measure. (they should fill to approx the ¾ cup line. It is ok if it is a little more or less). Add enough applesauce to reach the 2-cup line. Add the 2 tablespoons water, vanilla extract, and apple cider to the beets and mix well. It does have a strong beet odor at this stage, but this will be gone after the cake is baked.
Mix the dry ingredients together; then add the beet mixture and stir until well-combined. For a 9x13 pan, bake for about 25-35 minutes, for two 8 inch rounds, bake for 20-30 minutes (check cake for doneness at shortest cooking time) . Test by inserting a toothpick into the center; it's done when the toothpick comes out clean, or until it springs back lightly after you touch it.
Allow to cool completely before frosting. Frost with any type of frosting you like.
Frosting Ingredients and Directions
2-3 cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp sweet butter, softened
1/3 cup cocoa powder
Mix to desired consistency. Frost cupcakes!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Picture Day!
Baby C
Brother love!
Penny & Lucy
(the cat is too cool for pictures)
Cheese!
O on the balance beam at a birthday party!
The babies watching the Inauguration.
A laundry list
Things I dislike, an incomplete list:
1 - Laundry.
2 - People who throw cigarette butts out of their car windows. Thanks for sharing your nasty trash with the world.
3 - Self-centered people who expect others to always change for them.
4 - That wine has so many calories.
5 - That dark chocolate is only good for you if you only eat a tiny bit.
6 - That my husband is TRYING very hard to GAIN weight for rugby and is only marginally successful. Bite me.
7 - A dog who insists on chewing up things that should NOT BE CHEWED.
8 - A cat who bites your ankles if you don't pet him in a timely fashion.
9 - That a Sonic Mocha Java Chiller has almost 800 calories. Buzz kill.
10 - Husbands who are late.
Things I like, an incomplete list:
1 - Bedtime. Also? Naptime.
2 - Not being pregnant.
3 - Watching the Inauguration.
4 - Coffee.
5 - Creamer.
6 - Seeing the scale go down instead stubbornly staying the same, or worse, going UP!
7 - Kids. Especially when they behave in public and all nap at the same time.
8 - Kids. Especially, when they throw their arms around you and hug you and love you.
9 - The sun.
10 - Asparagus.
11 - Wine.
12 - A husband who puts an air freshener in your car because you mentioned, in passing, that it was stinky.
13 - Facebook.
1 - Laundry.
2 - People who throw cigarette butts out of their car windows. Thanks for sharing your nasty trash with the world.
3 - Self-centered people who expect others to always change for them.
4 - That wine has so many calories.
5 - That dark chocolate is only good for you if you only eat a tiny bit.
6 - That my husband is TRYING very hard to GAIN weight for rugby and is only marginally successful. Bite me.
7 - A dog who insists on chewing up things that should NOT BE CHEWED.
8 - A cat who bites your ankles if you don't pet him in a timely fashion.
9 - That a Sonic Mocha Java Chiller has almost 800 calories. Buzz kill.
10 - Husbands who are late.
Things I like, an incomplete list:
1 - Bedtime. Also? Naptime.
2 - Not being pregnant.
3 - Watching the Inauguration.
4 - Coffee.
5 - Creamer.
6 - Seeing the scale go down instead stubbornly staying the same, or worse, going UP!
7 - Kids. Especially when they behave in public and all nap at the same time.
8 - Kids. Especially, when they throw their arms around you and hug you and love you.
9 - The sun.
10 - Asparagus.
11 - Wine.
12 - A husband who puts an air freshener in your car because you mentioned, in passing, that it was stinky.
13 - Facebook.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Silent Sunday: My blessings in pictures
I'm starting a new series, Silent Sunday. I'll post a favorite picture of one/some of my many blessings, as a way of giving thanks for them. Without further ado, the first Silent Sunday.
Baby C and my good friend, Tracy.
Friday, January 16, 2009
More baby talk
Ah, babies on the brain. While I know that you can only plan things to a certain extent, we've been talking a lot lately about having one more baby. Rather, D is talking about having one more and I'm talking about NOT having one more. It's not that I don't want more babies. I love babies! I love MY babies! I just don't know if I can handle more.
We really like the 2 year age gap, and that would mean we'd have to get pregnant this spring. Um, NO!
D says, "We can revisit it again when Baby C turns 1." Um, dude. That's in 4 months. I'm hoping that in 6 months I will have reached my goal weight. I really don't want to get pregnant this year especially, if at all.
I don't know. Maybe I'll change my mind?
Chances are good that D won't. He now says he's 80% in favor of having another baby. He's even been busting his booty around here helping out more than normal when he's home. Which is GREAT. It's FANTASTIC! But, he's not home that much!
And he keeps bringing up girl things, which pulls at my heartstrings. But, as some of you pointed out, that is inadmissible evidence!
I keep bringing up that this is like the puppy thing, where *I* wanted the puppy more than he did and now *I* do all the puppy work. But if we have a baby that *he* wanted more than *I* did, do you think he will do all the baby work? No. Not even possible! And I don't know if I want to/can.
And yes, I realize we have LOTS of time to decide, but I have nothing else to talk about so humor me, k?
CONS:
1 - Expense
My kids can already eat 2 dozen bananas in 4 days and a carton of strawberries at breakfast. Our grocery bill is growing already!
Plus, when they get older there's sports, lessons for this or that, parties, trips, etc. Adding another child to our family could literally mean the difference between taking a summer vacation or not. This is one of the only points that affects D, he's a very frugal man.
2 - Physical Stress
My poor body has been through a lot and I'm not over it yet. I want a bit to get back in shape, lose these extra pounds and have my body be mine again for awhile. While I'm a big fan of breastfeeding, I'm already planning to wean C when he turns 1. (If he doesn't wean himself.) I just need a break, selfish or not.
Plus, I'm just not sure if I want to tackle the back pain, weight gain, heartburn, stretch marks and stitches again. Not to mention the depression.
3 - Attention
There are many days that I feel like the 3 kids I have don't get enough undivided attention. There are plenty of days when I know that I'm stretched too thin and snap at them or turn on the electronic babysitter. There are LOTS of good days too, but I'm just saying that it's not always rainbows and kittens.
4 - Room
This one is minor, but we have a 4 bedroom house so right now everyone has their own room. Sharing is not that big of a deal, but still a minor consideration.
5 - Everyday Life
This one if my biggest concern really. It's time consuming and sometimes frustrating getting 3 kids in and out of car seats to go into preschool, taking 3 kids to the store, to music class, or out to eat. If we have 4 kids I may never leave the house again! Granted a lot of this problem is that my kids are close in age, but they are what they are and I can't change that now. Also, we could put a bigger age gap between #3 and #4 if we decide to go that route, but 4 is really IT for us so I'd feel like hypothetical #4 (hereinafter referred to h4) was left out a bit.
And what about when d is in basketball, O is in football, C is in soccer and h4 is in ballet or baseball? I doubt that I'll get less busy as they get older.
PROS:
1- BABY!!
Sweet, soft little cuddly baby. Chubby legs, quiet nursing moments, first teeth, first steps, first words. I mean, this is a big one. Babies are awesome. But babies will always be awesome, even if I have 4 I'd think a 5th would be and even if I had 12 I'd still think 13 was awesome. So, I'm not sure that counts.
2 - Siblings
I absolutely adore watching the kids bond and play together. I feel a lot of comfort knowing that they have each other and even if something happens to D & I, they'll have each other. Of course, maybe they won't be friends when they grow up or whatever, but I like to think they will.
3 - Middle child
If we had 4 we wouldn't have a middle child. Silly, I know, and it's a very trivial factor. I mean, I'm a middle child and I turned out alright! Still, O definitely displays signs of middle child syndrome already...
4 - D
Would he resent me? Would it be something he would regret in years to come? Would it be something I would regret?
So, there you have it. No answer. In any case, I guess we won't be making a decision for awhile. We'll keep on with what we're doing and not plan anything permanent either way. I'm sure I'll continue to think about it and wonder about it and think of evidence in my favor.
We really like the 2 year age gap, and that would mean we'd have to get pregnant this spring. Um, NO!
D says, "We can revisit it again when Baby C turns 1." Um, dude. That's in 4 months. I'm hoping that in 6 months I will have reached my goal weight. I really don't want to get pregnant this year especially, if at all.
I don't know. Maybe I'll change my mind?
Chances are good that D won't. He now says he's 80% in favor of having another baby. He's even been busting his booty around here helping out more than normal when he's home. Which is GREAT. It's FANTASTIC! But, he's not home that much!
And he keeps bringing up girl things, which pulls at my heartstrings. But, as some of you pointed out, that is inadmissible evidence!
I keep bringing up that this is like the puppy thing, where *I* wanted the puppy more than he did and now *I* do all the puppy work. But if we have a baby that *he* wanted more than *I* did, do you think he will do all the baby work? No. Not even possible! And I don't know if I want to/can.
And yes, I realize we have LOTS of time to decide, but I have nothing else to talk about so humor me, k?
CONS:
1 - Expense
My kids can already eat 2 dozen bananas in 4 days and a carton of strawberries at breakfast. Our grocery bill is growing already!
Plus, when they get older there's sports, lessons for this or that, parties, trips, etc. Adding another child to our family could literally mean the difference between taking a summer vacation or not. This is one of the only points that affects D, he's a very frugal man.
2 - Physical Stress
My poor body has been through a lot and I'm not over it yet. I want a bit to get back in shape, lose these extra pounds and have my body be mine again for awhile. While I'm a big fan of breastfeeding, I'm already planning to wean C when he turns 1. (If he doesn't wean himself.) I just need a break, selfish or not.
Plus, I'm just not sure if I want to tackle the back pain, weight gain, heartburn, stretch marks and stitches again. Not to mention the depression.
3 - Attention
There are many days that I feel like the 3 kids I have don't get enough undivided attention. There are plenty of days when I know that I'm stretched too thin and snap at them or turn on the electronic babysitter. There are LOTS of good days too, but I'm just saying that it's not always rainbows and kittens.
4 - Room
This one is minor, but we have a 4 bedroom house so right now everyone has their own room. Sharing is not that big of a deal, but still a minor consideration.
5 - Everyday Life
This one if my biggest concern really. It's time consuming and sometimes frustrating getting 3 kids in and out of car seats to go into preschool, taking 3 kids to the store, to music class, or out to eat. If we have 4 kids I may never leave the house again! Granted a lot of this problem is that my kids are close in age, but they are what they are and I can't change that now. Also, we could put a bigger age gap between #3 and #4 if we decide to go that route, but 4 is really IT for us so I'd feel like hypothetical #4 (hereinafter referred to h4) was left out a bit.
And what about when d is in basketball, O is in football, C is in soccer and h4 is in ballet or baseball? I doubt that I'll get less busy as they get older.
PROS:
1- BABY!!
Sweet, soft little cuddly baby. Chubby legs, quiet nursing moments, first teeth, first steps, first words. I mean, this is a big one. Babies are awesome. But babies will always be awesome, even if I have 4 I'd think a 5th would be and even if I had 12 I'd still think 13 was awesome. So, I'm not sure that counts.
2 - Siblings
I absolutely adore watching the kids bond and play together. I feel a lot of comfort knowing that they have each other and even if something happens to D & I, they'll have each other. Of course, maybe they won't be friends when they grow up or whatever, but I like to think they will.
3 - Middle child
If we had 4 we wouldn't have a middle child. Silly, I know, and it's a very trivial factor. I mean, I'm a middle child and I turned out alright! Still, O definitely displays signs of middle child syndrome already...
4 - D
Would he resent me? Would it be something he would regret in years to come? Would it be something I would regret?
So, there you have it. No answer. In any case, I guess we won't be making a decision for awhile. We'll keep on with what we're doing and not plan anything permanent either way. I'm sure I'll continue to think about it and wonder about it and think of evidence in my favor.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Reviews
I've tried a couple of new things lately and thought I'd share my opinions, not that anyone's asking.
1 - Schick Intuition Razor
I'm a SAM's club member but just a "regular" member. If you're just a regular person like me you can't go shopping till 10AM but if you have their "gold" membership you get to start shopping at 7AM. Well, one day I really needed some things at SAM's and we got there RIGHT at 10AM. The greeter at the door said she had ONE sample left and asked if I'd like to have it. (Apparently, gold members get awesome samples, unlike us lowly regular people.) Anyway, it was the Schick Intuition Razor. I have always been a disposable razor kind of girl, but I thought I'd try it out. Suffice it to say - I am a convert!
It's AWESOME!! I don't have ingrown hairs anymore, I never nick myself and it leaves my skin smooth and not dried out! I've never bought fancy, expensive razors but this thing is *that* great.
I'm definitely going to be picking up a refill when I go to the store next time.
*Photo from Schick Intuition website.
2 - 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels
I've heard about this video from many different friends and bloggers so I decided to give it a try. This video is the reason I cannot get up out of this chair without whimpering.
I did the workout for the first time on Monday night. Tuesday I was sore, tired and jelly legged. I made myself do the workout again Tuesday night, but it was harder because I was so sore. Not so bad once I got warmed up, but it still kicked my tail. Even D was panting and sore from it, and he's in good shape!
Tonight will be night 3 if I can get up off of my couch to do it. Yes, I'm THAT SORE. I have NEVER in my LIFE worked out harder. I have to say though, that I'm already seeing the difference. I've lost another pound in just the last few days, despite an unfortunate run in with a chocolate bar.
If you want a true workout and what feels like a personal trainer, get this DVD. Maybe in 30 days I'll show you some pictures and you can decide if I'm shredded or not. I have a feeling that I will definitely be in much better shape than I am now.
*Photo from Amazon.com
1 - Schick Intuition Razor
I'm a SAM's club member but just a "regular" member. If you're just a regular person like me you can't go shopping till 10AM but if you have their "gold" membership you get to start shopping at 7AM. Well, one day I really needed some things at SAM's and we got there RIGHT at 10AM. The greeter at the door said she had ONE sample left and asked if I'd like to have it. (Apparently, gold members get awesome samples, unlike us lowly regular people.) Anyway, it was the Schick Intuition Razor. I have always been a disposable razor kind of girl, but I thought I'd try it out. Suffice it to say - I am a convert!
It's AWESOME!! I don't have ingrown hairs anymore, I never nick myself and it leaves my skin smooth and not dried out! I've never bought fancy, expensive razors but this thing is *that* great.
I'm definitely going to be picking up a refill when I go to the store next time.
I have the blue one, but apparently, they make lots of different kinds! Who knew?!
*Photo from Schick Intuition website.
2 - 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels
I've heard about this video from many different friends and bloggers so I decided to give it a try. This video is the reason I cannot get up out of this chair without whimpering.
I did the workout for the first time on Monday night. Tuesday I was sore, tired and jelly legged. I made myself do the workout again Tuesday night, but it was harder because I was so sore. Not so bad once I got warmed up, but it still kicked my tail. Even D was panting and sore from it, and he's in good shape!
Tonight will be night 3 if I can get up off of my couch to do it. Yes, I'm THAT SORE. I have NEVER in my LIFE worked out harder. I have to say though, that I'm already seeing the difference. I've lost another pound in just the last few days, despite an unfortunate run in with a chocolate bar.
If you want a true workout and what feels like a personal trainer, get this DVD. Maybe in 30 days I'll show you some pictures and you can decide if I'm shredded or not. I have a feeling that I will definitely be in much better shape than I am now.
*Photo from Amazon.com
Friday, January 09, 2009
Resolution Update
Remember those resolutions I made last week? I've already been working on them so I thought I'd give you all an update.
These are the ones I've got an update on:
1 - Get to church 3x a month.
One Sunday down, a new habit is being formed already.
2 - Stick to my diet plan and be 50 lbs lighter by July 4th.
Well, I've done great this week eating well and exercising. I've lost 2 lbs already! Obviously, I still have a long way to go, but I'm excited about it.
3 - Get involved in a charity that focuses on reducing world hunger.
Thanks to Astarte @ The Muddled Sage an awesome charity has come to my attention. After some research on MANY different charitable organizations, this is the one I decided to support this year: Heifer International
I mean, you can give bunnies, cows, chickens and lots of other things to provide families in need with resources to make a better life. Much more interesting than just plain old cash and it's a great cause. (I gave chicks this month!)
4 - Start each day by dressing enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to answer the door. Including fixing my hair.
Check!! This one is going rather well and has the added benefit of making me feel better throughout the day.
That's it for now. Not bad for 9 days into the New Year.
These are the ones I've got an update on:
1 - Get to church 3x a month.
One Sunday down, a new habit is being formed already.
2 - Stick to my diet plan and be 50 lbs lighter by July 4th.
Well, I've done great this week eating well and exercising. I've lost 2 lbs already! Obviously, I still have a long way to go, but I'm excited about it.
3 - Get involved in a charity that focuses on reducing world hunger.
Thanks to Astarte @ The Muddled Sage an awesome charity has come to my attention. After some research on MANY different charitable organizations, this is the one I decided to support this year: Heifer International
I mean, you can give bunnies, cows, chickens and lots of other things to provide families in need with resources to make a better life. Much more interesting than just plain old cash and it's a great cause. (I gave chicks this month!)
4 - Start each day by dressing enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to answer the door. Including fixing my hair.
Check!! This one is going rather well and has the added benefit of making me feel better throughout the day.
That's it for now. Not bad for 9 days into the New Year.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
The Resolutions
I know it's almost the 5th, but I've been mulling around some resolutions so I may as well get them down.
1 - Get to church 3x a month. This is lofty considering the amount of church we've missed this year, but I think it's do-able.
2 - Stick to my diet plan and be 50 lbs lighter by July 4th.
3 - Get involved in a charity that focuses on reducing world hunger.
4 - Start each day by dressing enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to answer the door. Including fixing my hair. (I'm embarrassed that THIS has to be my goal...)
5 - Teach the dogs to be WALKED rather to WALK ME.
6 - Teach O his letters, d to read more words and Baby C his colors. (later in the year for C...) Also, start baby signs with C.
7 - Spend less money. Go to store less and start keeping track of finances more effectively.
8 - Save enough to fence the remaining 1/3 of the yard.
9 - Paint our boring walls.
10 - Move O into a toddler bed and be a one crib household again. (This will probably be later this year. Why mess with a good thing?)
11 - Consider and attempt potty training for O. Ug. (On the other hand, I can't even remember the last time I only had ONE in diapers!)
1 - Get to church 3x a month. This is lofty considering the amount of church we've missed this year, but I think it's do-able.
2 - Stick to my diet plan and be 50 lbs lighter by July 4th.
3 - Get involved in a charity that focuses on reducing world hunger.
4 - Start each day by dressing enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to answer the door. Including fixing my hair. (I'm embarrassed that THIS has to be my goal...)
5 - Teach the dogs to be WALKED rather to WALK ME.
6 - Teach O his letters, d to read more words and Baby C his colors. (later in the year for C...) Also, start baby signs with C.
7 - Spend less money. Go to store less and start keeping track of finances more effectively.
8 - Save enough to fence the remaining 1/3 of the yard.
9 - Paint our boring walls.
10 - Move O into a toddler bed and be a one crib household again. (This will probably be later this year. Why mess with a good thing?)
11 - Consider and attempt potty training for O. Ug. (On the other hand, I can't even remember the last time I only had ONE in diapers!)
Friday, January 02, 2009
The New Year
Some random thoughts about the new year.
* Rugby season is starting on Tuesday. (Practice 2x a week and either an additional practice or a game on Saturday.) You have rants and raves to look forward to till May. Aren't you excited? I know I amnot.
* We had a lovely party on New Years Eve and on New Years day I woke up with a terrible sore throat (can I blame the wine?) and now have a full blown cold. Not the best way to start the new year.
* New blog look for the new year. Might as well start fresh, right?
* I'm excited to start losing some weight again. My brother got married yesterday and D and I watched our wedding video, just for kicks, today. I still can't decide if that was a good idea or a bad idea. 1 - It was so sweet and sentimental! 2 - I was in my pj's with a stuffy head and nose and not exactly channeling a beauty queen. Seeing myself MANY pounds lighter and glowing and gorgeous was a bit... sad. *sigh*
* Oh yeah, did I mention my BABY brother got married yesterday?! He's almost 22, but in my head he'll always be 12. They eloped, so we didn't get to attend the wedding. I still can't believe my baby brother is married.
* You know another freaky thing about watching your wedding video? We counted a minimum of 4 people that had died and lots of "kids" who are now in college. Eeeps! That made me feel old fast.
* I think 2009 will be an interesting year. I'm worried about the state of our country as a whole, but my own personal life should be fairly smooth sailing. I can't wait to see what it brings!
* Rugby season is starting on Tuesday. (Practice 2x a week and either an additional practice or a game on Saturday.) You have rants and raves to look forward to till May. Aren't you excited? I know I am
* We had a lovely party on New Years Eve and on New Years day I woke up with a terrible sore throat (can I blame the wine?) and now have a full blown cold. Not the best way to start the new year.
* New blog look for the new year. Might as well start fresh, right?
* I'm excited to start losing some weight again. My brother got married yesterday and D and I watched our wedding video, just for kicks, today. I still can't decide if that was a good idea or a bad idea. 1 - It was so sweet and sentimental! 2 - I was in my pj's with a stuffy head and nose and not exactly channeling a beauty queen. Seeing myself MANY pounds lighter and glowing and gorgeous was a bit... sad. *sigh*
* Oh yeah, did I mention my BABY brother got married yesterday?! He's almost 22, but in my head he'll always be 12. They eloped, so we didn't get to attend the wedding. I still can't believe my baby brother is married.
* You know another freaky thing about watching your wedding video? We counted a minimum of 4 people that had died and lots of "kids" who are now in college. Eeeps! That made me feel old fast.
* I think 2009 will be an interesting year. I'm worried about the state of our country as a whole, but my own personal life should be fairly smooth sailing. I can't wait to see what it brings!
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