So today I found something that Jared had written in an old notebook. I asked him what it was and he said he wrote it one night during Caitlyn's colic days. We used to sing to her to try and get her to stop crying. I thought this was so sweet....
Because she always takes care of me
When I'm sick, hungry and tired, she loves me
My mommy loves me with all of her big heart
She lets me play in the bath tub with my ducky
She makes me laugh when she blows in my face and
holds me in the air
He never finished it. Then he drew hearts all over the bottom of the page. Sleep deprivation will do funny things to a person! The thing is that usually he was the one that would get her to calm down and to sleep. She would fall asleep on his legs for periods of time longer than any other place during those days and nights. I am so happy we are past that and we now have the happiest little girl!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Celebrating 32!
Today I turn 32. Just another number! I actually like to celebrate my birthday all week. I think I need more than just one day! But today I took the day off work. Aunt Beth and I took Caitlyn to the zoo. I had sushi rolls from HyVee for lunch. I got sunburned while at the zoo. We came home and Caitlyn took a nap. I would have too...but I'm a horrible nap taker. I filled Caitlyn's pool so that she could go swimming in her little yellow polka dot bikini! Then Jared took me to dinner at Red Lobster. Yum! 
I am so thankful for another year. My life is good. I have great family and friends. I have a wonderful husband who loves me for me (even when I'm driving him crazy). I have my beautiful, loving, sweet, tantrum throwing, hug and kiss giving baby (toddler) girl. And we're embarking on another journey to try and grow our family. What more could a girl ask for? Friday, May 21, 2010
Frustration
The other day I picked Caitlyn up from daycare. One of her teachers asks me if when Caitlyn is upset or frustrated at home if she head butts. Um yeah. She's been doing this for awhile. I talked to her pediatrician about this at her 18 month appointment. She assured me that this is normal toddler behavior. That because she can't communicate with words she finds other ways to show she's upset or frustrated. When we went to Waterloo for Aunt Beth's baby shower with Uncle Josh's family she had one of these episodes. She got upset with me for telling her no (I don't even remember for what) and she hit her head on the HARDWOOD FLOOR! In front of all of these people that I don't even know. Hard enough that she had an immediate goose egg on her forehead. I was so embarrassed. Miss A (Caitlyn's teacher) said she had never seen this before. She's seen kids hit other kids, teachers & parents. But never the head butting. Great...thanks. The thing is...I understand the wanting to get the frustration out and not necessarily knowing how. And I can use words. But having the use of words doesn't always help either. It's just how Caitlyn copes at the moment. And we have to help her learn new less violent ways to vent that frustration.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Mommy Brain
When you get pregnant they tell you that you start to loose your memory. They call it pregnancy brain. It doesn't get much better once you have the baby. They just change the forgetfulness to mommy brain.
Yesterday Jared, Caitlyn and I went to Home Depot to get tomato plant cages. We get to the truck and Jared starts loading up while I take Caitlyn and put her in her car seat. I then proceed to get into the truck while Jared puts the cart away. We drive off. We get to our next destination...Babies R Us. Which is when I realize that I left my purse in the cart at Home Depot. I start freaking out. I got mad at Jared for not noticing. He blamed it on the fact that my purse is orange and blends in with the carts at Home Depot. Had we been at Lowes he would have seen it. We drive back. The whole way back I'm thinking about everything in my purse. My wallet. All our credit cards. Our checkbook. My phone. My personal notebook. I couldn't believe I didn't grab it!
We got back to Home Depot and luckily my purse was still in the cart out in the parking lot. It took awhile for my heartbeat to slow down. I turned to Caitlyn and told her that I was losing my mind...she looked at me and laughed.
Yesterday Jared, Caitlyn and I went to Home Depot to get tomato plant cages. We get to the truck and Jared starts loading up while I take Caitlyn and put her in her car seat. I then proceed to get into the truck while Jared puts the cart away. We drive off. We get to our next destination...Babies R Us. Which is when I realize that I left my purse in the cart at Home Depot. I start freaking out. I got mad at Jared for not noticing. He blamed it on the fact that my purse is orange and blends in with the carts at Home Depot. Had we been at Lowes he would have seen it. We drive back. The whole way back I'm thinking about everything in my purse. My wallet. All our credit cards. Our checkbook. My phone. My personal notebook. I couldn't believe I didn't grab it!
We got back to Home Depot and luckily my purse was still in the cart out in the parking lot. It took awhile for my heartbeat to slow down. I turned to Caitlyn and told her that I was losing my mind...she looked at me and laughed.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Vegetable Garden
I'm really excited about my gardening venture. I decided to start small this year and if it works then next year I'll do even more! About a month ago I cleaned out the spot that was riddled with weeds on the side of the house. Jared and I discussed for weeks where the best spot for my veggie garden should be. The side of the house already had a long narrow place which I think is going to be perfect! It's got sun light all day long. And the soil was already perfect for my veggies to grow!
A couple weeks ago I bought 2 tomato plants and cucumber and zucchini seeds. I planted the tomato plants right away. I waited until Mothers Day to plant the seeds. Thankfully grandpa Rich was there to help me plant the seeds or I would have done it all wrong. And I would have been attacked by killer bumble bees! Apparently these bumble bees like to bury their hives in the ground. That was not a fun experience! But we got my rows of seeds planted and now we just wait!
Last year grandpa Rich and grandma Kendy brought us veggies from their garden every week. Caitlyn loved the fresh cucumbers and zucchini they brought over. So I thought this year why wait for them to bring it for us...when we can just go out and pick what we need when we want it?! Hopefully this works. I haven't had the best luck with plants / flowers in general before. This is why I started small.
I had meant to take pictures along the way...but got so excited about pulling the weeds (I know crazy thought) and getting started that I forgot! So before and after pictures with my next post about this will be coming....
A couple weeks ago I bought 2 tomato plants and cucumber and zucchini seeds. I planted the tomato plants right away. I waited until Mothers Day to plant the seeds. Thankfully grandpa Rich was there to help me plant the seeds or I would have done it all wrong. And I would have been attacked by killer bumble bees! Apparently these bumble bees like to bury their hives in the ground. That was not a fun experience! But we got my rows of seeds planted and now we just wait!
Last year grandpa Rich and grandma Kendy brought us veggies from their garden every week. Caitlyn loved the fresh cucumbers and zucchini they brought over. So I thought this year why wait for them to bring it for us...when we can just go out and pick what we need when we want it?! Hopefully this works. I haven't had the best luck with plants / flowers in general before. This is why I started small.
I had meant to take pictures along the way...but got so excited about pulling the weeds (I know crazy thought) and getting started that I forgot! So before and after pictures with my next post about this will be coming....
Friday, April 23, 2010
Storm Chaser
Jared is in the wrong profession. He should have been a storm chaser. This man loves the spring / summer storm season. He's addicted to the Doppler radar on the tv / internet. He drives me crazy with it all.
For instance...he made me cry the day we got married. We had planned an outdoor wedding. It was raining when I woke up. Bethy had stayed the night with me and Jared had stayed at his mom's house. Bethy left early to go to the salon to get her hair done. I was freaking out because I didn't have a back up plan for rain. So I was calling rental places to see if we could get a tent. No such luck. You have to have permits for that in public parks. Of course you do?! So I left for the salon. It was raining on and off. Jared calls me at about 10 to say the radar is going crazy. It's all red. There's no way we are getting married outside. I start bawling. The stylist doesn't know what to do. I hang up with him. Everyone tries to calm me down. I finish getting my hair and make-up done. When we leave the rain has stopped and the sun is starting to come out. We end up getting married outdoors...just like we planned. But I will never let Jared live down that phone call.
When I was pregnant with Caitlyn we got woken up by sirens in the middle of the night. Jared's getting the lap top and rushing around the house getting stuff to go downstairs. I take my time and go to the bathroom. He yells at me for not going to the bathroom downstairs in the basement. I hate that toilet, the seat is broken. Our sirens go off every year...hardly ever is there an actual tornado. Except this year. The tornado hit 5 blocks from our house. We had some tree damage, but thankfully no damage to the house. This time he was right.
Last year we didn't have any severe storms. Our weather was pretty lame. But it's storm season again and Jared is all about it! I worry about the sirens going off and us having to wake Caitlyn to go into the basement. Once we wake her I worry that when the storm has passed she won't be able to go back to sleep. But I want her to be safe...so if / when the storms come we will all go downstairs as quickly as possible. Hopefully it won't scare her too much. Right now as we speak she is sleeping through the thunder and lightning. I'm hoping that lasts through the summer! As I've said before...my girl can sleep!
I'm praying for another quiet storm season. Deep down I know Jared is praying for a more active storm season. He loves the adrenaline rush from it all!
For instance...he made me cry the day we got married. We had planned an outdoor wedding. It was raining when I woke up. Bethy had stayed the night with me and Jared had stayed at his mom's house. Bethy left early to go to the salon to get her hair done. I was freaking out because I didn't have a back up plan for rain. So I was calling rental places to see if we could get a tent. No such luck. You have to have permits for that in public parks. Of course you do?! So I left for the salon. It was raining on and off. Jared calls me at about 10 to say the radar is going crazy. It's all red. There's no way we are getting married outside. I start bawling. The stylist doesn't know what to do. I hang up with him. Everyone tries to calm me down. I finish getting my hair and make-up done. When we leave the rain has stopped and the sun is starting to come out. We end up getting married outdoors...just like we planned. But I will never let Jared live down that phone call.
When I was pregnant with Caitlyn we got woken up by sirens in the middle of the night. Jared's getting the lap top and rushing around the house getting stuff to go downstairs. I take my time and go to the bathroom. He yells at me for not going to the bathroom downstairs in the basement. I hate that toilet, the seat is broken. Our sirens go off every year...hardly ever is there an actual tornado. Except this year. The tornado hit 5 blocks from our house. We had some tree damage, but thankfully no damage to the house. This time he was right.
Last year we didn't have any severe storms. Our weather was pretty lame. But it's storm season again and Jared is all about it! I worry about the sirens going off and us having to wake Caitlyn to go into the basement. Once we wake her I worry that when the storm has passed she won't be able to go back to sleep. But I want her to be safe...so if / when the storms come we will all go downstairs as quickly as possible. Hopefully it won't scare her too much. Right now as we speak she is sleeping through the thunder and lightning. I'm hoping that lasts through the summer! As I've said before...my girl can sleep!
I'm praying for another quiet storm season. Deep down I know Jared is praying for a more active storm season. He loves the adrenaline rush from it all!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Baby Dedication
Jared and I were both raised Catholic. We both went to Catholic Elementary school's and Jared even went to a Catholic High School for a couple of years before that school shut down and he transferred to public school. I've really struggled with the direction of my faith since a bad experience at my Catholic church with the priest there at the time. I stopped going altogether for a long time. Then I met Jared and he and I started going to different church services with his dad and Kendy for holiday's. Usually Christmas. The first time we went to an Interdenominational service it was way too different for me. The Christmas service felt more like a Christmas pageant than a church service. So Rich & Kendy would find other services that were closer to the catholic service so that we could all still go together. And I would be more comfortable. Then Jared and I started going to the regular church services sporadically through out the year on non-holidays. And I started to fall in love with the music and the sermons and the people. In the past couple of months we've gone to a couple of services at All Nations Church which worships in the auditorium of Millard South High School. The people and the Pastor's are so welcoming! They all already know Rich and Kendy so that probably helps, but it amazes me how they have opened their hearts to us and they remember who we are. It's an awesome feeling!
In the Catholic Church babies are usually baptized as a new baby. At All Nations (and I'm assuming most Interdenominational churches) they believe that baptism should be a decision that you make as an adult. You should be able to CHOOSE if you want to be baptized or not. So instead they do baby dedications. They dedicate your baby to God. We decided we wanted to do this for Caitlyn. So last Sunday (April 18th, 2010) we invited our immediate family and Caitlyn's God Parents (Nicole and Donnie) to the church service and the dedication and then to our house for lunch and dessert afterwards. There were 13 families there dedicating their baby or child to God. Pastor Murdoch was presiding over the dedication of the children. They had all the families come up to the front and stand in a half circle. Then they called each family to the center one at a time. Pastor Lincoln put his hands on Caitlyn and said a prayer. Then he was silent for a moment. Then he started talking about what he felt on his heart from the Lord about our baby girl. He said he saw art and flowers and colors. I missed part of it because I was holding Caitlyn and she was starting to squirm. But Jared told me on the way home that he also said he felt music from her. This was spot on! She loves playing music on her instruments. Grandma Kendy is already showing her the piano and she is so interested! She loves dancing whenever a good dance song comes on the radio. Sometimes in the car I'll look in the mirror and she'll be sucking her thumb and bopping her head or waving her hand to the music. So when Jared told me that it floored me! Anyway...back to the moment. We went and sat down after Pastor Lincoln finished sharing about her. It was such an overwhelming feeling that I can't find the words to explain. I had no idea what to expect from this. I had never participated or seen anything like this before. So I was a little apprehensive going into it. But I am so happy that we did it! What a wonderful thing to share together as a family!
In the Catholic Church babies are usually baptized as a new baby. At All Nations (and I'm assuming most Interdenominational churches) they believe that baptism should be a decision that you make as an adult. You should be able to CHOOSE if you want to be baptized or not. So instead they do baby dedications. They dedicate your baby to God. We decided we wanted to do this for Caitlyn. So last Sunday (April 18th, 2010) we invited our immediate family and Caitlyn's God Parents (Nicole and Donnie) to the church service and the dedication and then to our house for lunch and dessert afterwards. There were 13 families there dedicating their baby or child to God. Pastor Murdoch was presiding over the dedication of the children. They had all the families come up to the front and stand in a half circle. Then they called each family to the center one at a time. Pastor Lincoln put his hands on Caitlyn and said a prayer. Then he was silent for a moment. Then he started talking about what he felt on his heart from the Lord about our baby girl. He said he saw art and flowers and colors. I missed part of it because I was holding Caitlyn and she was starting to squirm. But Jared told me on the way home that he also said he felt music from her. This was spot on! She loves playing music on her instruments. Grandma Kendy is already showing her the piano and she is so interested! She loves dancing whenever a good dance song comes on the radio. Sometimes in the car I'll look in the mirror and she'll be sucking her thumb and bopping her head or waving her hand to the music. So when Jared told me that it floored me! Anyway...back to the moment. We went and sat down after Pastor Lincoln finished sharing about her. It was such an overwhelming feeling that I can't find the words to explain. I had no idea what to expect from this. I had never participated or seen anything like this before. So I was a little apprehensive going into it. But I am so happy that we did it! What a wonderful thing to share together as a family!
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