24 Weeks

I thought it was time, or past time, to do a little pregnancy update. I'll use the prompts that many people use for weekly posts and also add what's been going on recently. And no, there is no picture. I got home from my appointment today, and it was dark (bad lighting) and I had a little girl ready to eat pizza. By the time things settled down again, Ned had to go to a wreck. Since I'm not sure if I've been in a picture since July, I'll work on one over the next few days.

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 24 weeks

Size of Baby: Baby Center says a little over a pound and almost a foot long.  He was measuring over a pound according to the 20 week ultrasound, though.

Total Weight Gain:  In the last 4 weeks I gained 6 pounds...hello three Thanksgivings!  That brings my total for this pregnancy to about 11 or 12 pounds.  I didn't show any gain at my last appointment due to the stomach virus.

Maternity Clothes:  Very few regular shirts or sweaters still fit.  I can still wear most of my regular pants with the help of the band I picked up a few weeks ago.  I have a few pair of pants and jeans from when I was pregnant with Avery, and I'm wearing those too.  I just ordered my first maternity pants for this pregnancy.  Most of my tops and sweaters are maternity with the exception of a few more flowy tops I bought in Loft in the fall.  I like to buy regular things when I can because I think I'll wear it when I'm not pregnant, but that didn't happen after Avery.
 
Movement: We have another mover on our hands.  I started feeling movement around 15 or 16 weeks.  It's pretty consistent and getting stronger.

Gender:  It's a boy!  His name is Samuel Vincent, and we'll call him Sam.

Sleep:  I'm sleeping pretty well.  I've gone through a few spells of waking up in the middle of the night and staying awake for awhile.  I've also gone through some weeks where I start waking up every thirty minutes or so starting around 4:30 or 5 a.m.  I'm not really able to sleep in, even when Ned and Avery allow it.  I'm not yet having to get up to go to the bathroom.

What I Miss:  I initially really missed sleeping on my back and stomach, but I guess I've gotten used to it by now.  I also miss not worrying what's in food, like what soft cheese is in a pasta salad.  I miss eating turkey sandwiches on a whim, although I have had some.  I miss a downstairs bathroom!

Cravings:  I haven't really had any consistent cravings.  One week I'm eating a ton of kettle cooked chips, and the next week it's something sweet.  It took about a week for my appetite to return after being sick, but boy did it come back.  I'm eating ridiculous amounts of food between the time I get out of school and the time I go to bed.  My worst pregnancy craving problem is that I get a food on my mind and am not satisfied until I get it.  That's a problem when it's a sandwich located 2.5 hours away on the Outer Banks of North Carolina!

Symptoms:  Praise the Lord, I'm feeling good these days.  The stomach virus took quite a toll in itself, plus it worsened the common pregnancy bathroom issues and left me with horrible indigestion/reflux.  Tums weren't cutting it as I was recovering from the virus, so I started taking Pepcid.  I was taking it twice a day and sometimes still felt bad.  Luckily, after about a week, I was able to stop.  I've only taken it twice since then.  I wasn't on death's door or anything, but still weeks later I stop and think how nice it is to feel good.  I do have some shortness of breath, especially when stairs and/or Avery are involved.  I thought I had varicose veins coming on my left leg a few weeks ago, but the spot is gone now so I'm hoping it was a bruise.  I'd also say emotions are running higher in this 2nd pregnancy.

Best Moment This Week:  There were lots!  We celebrated Thanksgiving and (mostly) decorated for Christmas.  It's so exciting to think what our family will be like this time next year.  I also ordered Sam's bedding and got him an outfit for next fall/winter (smocked ducks of course.)  Finally, Avery wanted to show Sam a combine as she rode in the car.  It's special to see her include him in things.

What I'm Looking Forward To:  I'm looking forward to good results on at my glucose screening in 4 weeks.  I don't dread the actual test, because I get to pick a meal to eat instead of drinking the drink, but I do worry about the results.  I also look forward to continuing to hear good reports for Sam and I, especially concerning my blood pressure.  It's been perfect so far which is an answer to prayer.  Finally, I'm looking forward to continuing to plan for Avery and Sam's rooms in the new house.

There's So Much to be Thankful For

You may remember that I posted about some tests Avery had done to check the calcium level in her urine.  The condition that she could have could lead to kidney stones.  Ned talked to the pediatrician today so I don't know all the details, but I did hear just what I had prayed to hear...everything is fine!

I could be the dictionary illustration for worrier, and I must say I had done pretty well over the last 2 weeks as we waited for results.  I did Google the condition once, and I did think about it, but I tried really hard to pray for things to work out for the best, whatever that was.  The holidays and other busyness in our lives probably helped keep my mind off of it.  But, I was obviously worried, because when I got Ned's text today I could have cried right there.

I don't feel like I had on my best pair of thankful pants for Thanksgiving.  Or maybe I did, they were just hidden by the other "layers" moms wear.  I was thankful, and we did have a great Thanksgiving.  I also lost my patience, felt a little stressed, a little tired.  I'm sure the various gatherings that required accommodating family members and rearranging schedules, the two-year-old with a cough and random bouts of the twos, a hunting husband, and my own agenda for what needed to be done contributed to all of that.

As we all rode somewhere over the weekend, I had Josh Groban's Christmas CD in (Ned was loving it.).  I was really able to listen to Thankful for the first time.  Just like Avery's good report today, it was a quiet reminder.  No matter who you are, we all have times where we need to breathe, find a smile, and give thanks.

Thankful

Some days we forget
To look around us
Some days we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for

Look beyond ourselves
There's so much sorrow
It's way too late to say
I'll cry tomorrow
Each of us must find our truth
It's so long overdue

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And every day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for

Even with our differences
There is a place we're all connected
Each of us can find each other's light

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though this world needs so much more

There's so much to be thankful for

Construction ~ Week 23

It was a busy week at the house this week.  The electrician finished just about everything he can do right now.  I met with him twice to do walk through and check progress.  I only had a few changes from when we met in late summer and they were all easy, in my opinion.

Security came on Wednesday and did a lot of wiring as well.  I haven't met with them, so I don't know what all their boxes and wires mean, but someone did a lot of work considering that many things are wireless.

The electrician said that the insulation man had been to check things out, and that insulation and drywall were scheduled for this week.  I never hold my breath for what is supposed to happen, but it will be nice to see real walls.

We didn't get a lot of housing decisons done this week since it was a holiday week, but we did manage to fill our dining room.  Last Sunday Ned and I were discussing what would go in the dining room for right now and what I hoped to add later.  He got on Craig's List and immediately found a Duncan Phyfe set (table, leaf and pads, 6 chairs, china cabinet, and buffet/sideboard) for $600.  It looked really nice in the pictures but seemed too good to be true.  I called the lady from my parents' that night, and she was waiting to hear from a person who was interested.  I alternated between hoping it wouldn't sell so that we could go see it and hoping it would sell so we woulndn't spend the money.  It didn't sell so we went Tuesday and were very impressed.  It's old so it's not perfect, but it's in really good condition and was too good to pass up.  The lady was older and was down-sizing and did not have room for it anymore.  She graciously kept it until yesterday when Ned could pick it up.  Everything made it in once piece and luckily all fits in our dining room here.  We are completely out of storage room and struggled to find a place for the table and chairs we were using (and are keeping).  The only downfall so far has been that the lady was a smoker and now our house smells like an old, smoking lady.  I've Febreezed the chairs several times and am hoping the smell will continue to fade.  It's not horrible, but I don't want to recover the chairs until we're not using them daily. 

 (The Coupe and the kitchen disaster really add an extral touch of formality to the room.)

Ned can find some wonderful things online, and I credit him for the dining set and my cat, but I've told him not to go looking for anymore deals unless it's something we know we have to have.  We will NOT have a house full or new things, or even a full house at all.  There will be bare walls (because our duck/wildlife prints are not all coming out from storage) bare windows and floors, and partially empty rooms.  My living room will more than likely only have a desk with our computer and a piano.  I had planned all along for my dining room to just have a table and chairs...unmatched.  It would have been the first room I focused on after other necessities had been met.  I have wanted a china cabinet since we got married but held off.  Wedding and Christmas china have never been unpacked, and my silver has never made it from my parents' house.  I still can't believe that the room will be full now and we can finally host our families at one table.

Week in Review ~ 11/26

We have had a good, busy Thanksgiving week.  We stayed home from church on Sunday because Avery's cough still sounded bad, and her nose was still running.  We've had a healthier fall compared to last year, but I'm tired of germs and temperature fluctuations.  Plus, it never fails that we get Avery's ears straight and she gets sick again...probably from the ear check in the doctor's office last Monday.  While Avery napped I fixed corn pudding to take to my parents' for dinner.  After nap, we loaded up and headed to Lowe's to get a tree.  We threw ours away last year after Felix had chewed the wires so much.  It was time for a new tree anyway.  I did get a slim tree so that it wouldn't take up so much room in this house.  I knew the 9 or 12 ft tree I want in our family room wouldn't work anyway, so this one will be good in our dining or living room.  It was then time for Thanksgiving dinner at Lolli and Poppa's.  It was strange to have a holiday meal without Lily at our feet, but everyone had a good time.  Avery enjoys getting attention from my aunt and uncle and my cousin and his wife.  Plus, there was icecream.

After school on Monday, I met the electrician at the house.  Luckily, Ned came too, because Avery fell apart after her busy day not feeling the best, and Ned had to take her home.  Ned cooked spaghetti for dinner and Avery was in bed early.

Tuesday was another busy afternoon.  Lolli picked up Avery so that Ned and I could go look at a dining room set he found on Craig's List.  The deal seemed too good to be true, but the furniture was beautiful and we decided to get it.  We picked up dinner and took it back to my parents'.  I had a program at school, so Ned took Avery home and put her to bed.

Wednesday was a half-day at school, and it felt good to know we had made it to Thanksgiving break.  Avery went to work with Ned because we had her Christmas pictures that afternoon.  I knew I wouldn't have time to give her a bath after her nap, so I figured it best if she stayed with Ned.  She of course slept late and woke up sweaty, so I was worried about her hair and felt a little pushed for time.  We got there and things went just very well.  We usually take Lolli for added smiles, but she had a hair appointment.  Carol and Lynn were great as usual and Avery seemed to know just what to do.  Carol had our pictures to us Thursday morning, and I'm trying to decide if I should share them or wait until Christmas cards.  I had promised Chik-Fil-A after our appointment and then kind of regretted it since it was dark and seemed like a long way. It was also pretty busy since so many were traveling.  We did just fine and were happy to be home.

Avery started coughing at 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning and then couldn't go back to sleep.  Ned was hunting, so luckily she stayed in her crib another hour or so.  She was definitely in a "two" mood and the least little thing brought a host of tears.  The parade perked her right up though, and she asked to put on her jeans and go.  Everyone participated in naps that afternoon.  We went to my aunt and uncle's for dinner, and Avery was sure she had been invited to entertain everyone.  I took that over the tears that could come with a very late dinner and staying up way past bedtime.  We have a big crowd at that meal, and Avery ate at her little table with Lawson, who is a little older than her.  Eclair cake and overtiredness kicked in after dinner, and she alternated between marching, laughing, and yelling "Cake!" which made everyone laugh so it was of course continued.  It was almost 9 p.m. when we got home, and she hadn't fallen asleep.

Late nights rarely result in late mornings, so I was happy to not hear a peep until 6:45 Friday morning.  Ned hunted in the morning and Avery and I stayed in.  I tried to do some straightening up and weeded out some toys and books that could go upstairs, making room for Christmas decorations and soon the new toys and books.  I met with the electrician again, and then my parents arrived for Thanksgiving at Mimi and Vincent's.  We had another nice meal and learned that Avery and white table cloths don't mix, and neither do Dixie the lab and the platter of turkey and ham.  In defense of them both, I think they each behave like a typical 2-year-old and dog should, and I don't really expect anything more.  Avery had another late bedtime even though we were right down the street.

Ned went hunting again on Saturday morning, so Avery and I made it to the store fairly early.  When we got home, her Fisher-Price nativity had arrived, so after we put all the groceries away we got it out.  I had been pointing out Jesus in the catalog ad, and I tried to explain the other parts.  She did seem to like it but was just as excited about the packing peanuts that came in the box and spent a lot of time cooking them in her kitchen.  Ned helped his friend Brandon move a piano, and since he had the help of Brandon and Lucas, he decided to go ahead and get our dining room furniture.  I was a nervous wreck about the furniture's hour trip on an open trailer, especially the china cabinet.  Avery was getting up as they got home, so we went for a stroll while they moved it all in.  I get very nervous watching people move big things, and I'm sure they don't care for an audience either.  They were done when we got back, so Avery and I shared a cupcake on the porch and played Play-Dough.  Mimi came to see the furniture, and I made peanut butter icing to go on the cupcakes.  We had dinner in the living room since we are eating on the new table and I don't yet have a table cloth.  Avery went to bed early and we finally got the tree up.  I've chased Felix out of it too many times already.  I think that he won't be able to chew the wires if he can't get under it, so for right now I've stuffed all of Avery's toys around it.  I don't have any real presents to wrap yet, so I'll probably wrap some empty boxes and hope for the best. 

I'm sad that Thanksgiving has come and gone so quickly.  Our family has much to be thankful for everyday and we've enjoyed our multiple gatherings and meals.  Our calendar is filling up quickly, and while I'm excited about what we're doing, I know it will make time fly.  Perhaps these three weeks of school between breaks will fly, though!

Saving Savvy

A month or so ago, I picked up Saving Savvy by Kelly Hancock.

This is the type of book that I still buy in book form as opposed to downloading on my Kindle.  I like to be able to easily reference specific parts if I need to, and I can do that easier with a book.  I started reading it right away and basically finished all the parts that applied to me.  I picked it up again last week and reread so that I could really get down to business.

A little background on me as a shopper: We are limited to just a few places to buy groceries here.  I do most of our shopping at Walmart while watching MVP specials at Food Lion.  I would love to regularly shop at the pretty, nearby Farm Fresh, but I know I'm getting the best prices at Walmart.  I have been a member at Sam's before but didn't utilize it much since the closet one is about 40 minutes away.  Ned recently switched their business membership there and added me, and we both agree we need to use it regularly.  We are not in a house for buying in bulk right now which makes some of these deals a bit of a challenge.

Here's what I liked about the book:

1) I loved the idea of keeping a price list and have started working on one.  Sometimes I see an MVP special for Food Lion and wonder if that is a better deal than Walmart.  I've been writing Food Lion prices on my list and comparing while in Walmart and also using the Food Lion app on my phone.  A price list will lessen some of the time I spend in "research."

2) The tips on stocking up were great too, especially the section on putting your freezer to use.  I would love to be able to find great deals on meats and stock the freezer.  I also need to do better about freezing portions of meals and leftovers.  The book gave great advice on that, even down to what to freeze in.  I'm looking forward to a seperate freezer at some point once we move.

3) The section on budgeting, determining your normal amount spent on food, and slowly increasing what you are able to save or stockpile was extremely useful.

4) The book listed several coupon websites to use that I have already printed from.  I used to always clip coupons, but we no longer get the paper.  I've been having my mom save her inserts for me.

I have always made a grocery list and a meal plan for the week, but the sections on both of those were very good too.

Here's what I need to work on:

1) She recommends meal planning based on what you have and what's on sale.  That is a fantastic idea, but it's hard to do without a huge stockpile, and I don't ever forsee me having months worth of food in the house.  I also have a tendency to want specific things during the week and may not be satisified with what's on sale.  It is something to work towards though.

2) I am fairly brand loyal, and that is discouraged.  I buy some generic things, but I'm far from 100%.  There are some things that I purchase each week, and they aren't always readily available in a generic brand or a brand that's on sale.  I'm even bad with sticking to brands of cleaning products, paper products, and laundry detergent.  My main reasoning behind this is that I'm a creature of habit.

3) The couponing tips weren't hugely helpful to me.  No stores around here double coupons, and I'm not going to buy multiple papers for the inserts.  I also don't think it's feasable for me to only buy something when it's on sale and I have a coupon.  I'm sure it's possible, it's just not something that's going to happen for me at this point in time.

Overall, I thought the book was filled with very useful tips and tricks.  I may not be able to follow it completely or save as much money as some, but I think over time I will start saving some, which is always better than none!  I did some stocking up over the weekend, and in addition to having nowhere to keep it, I went way over what I usually spend.  That wouldn't have been bad had I been buying food for many meals as well, but I wasn't due to our Thanksgiving schedule.  I did get good deals though, and the book says that spending a little more at the beginning can happen.  Definitely pick up Saving Savvy if you're looking to be a little more efficient in the grocery store.

Week in Review ~ 11/19

What I thought would be a slow week waiting for Thanksgiving actually went by pretty quickly.  On Sunday we were still getting caught up from our trip, finishing laundry, and going to the grocery store.  We took Mimi and her friend Nan to see the house while Nan was here visiting.  We also went to the storage unit so that I could go through baby things.  It is early, but I wanted to see just how many unisex sleepers I had already.  I also pulled out a few things I could sell.  Dinner went into the Crock-Pot, and I also made dinner for Monday night and a pumpkin roll.  It's one of my very favorite desserts.  All of that cooking provided our dinners and a few lunches for most of the week.

Avery had to get her ears checked Monday afternoon, so I met her and Ned at the doctor's office.  Ned went back to work, so luckily it was an easy appointment.  Her ear looked fine, and I talked with the pediatrician about the urine issue.

I had  hair appointment on Tuesday afternoon, and Ned picked Avery up so that I could do that and run a few errands.  We were all home on time Wednesday, so we went to the Mexican restaurant for dinner.  I have to laugh when we drive through town, because Avery calls out what she eats at each restaurant we pass.  Chips are what she associates with the Mexican restaurant.

I went and picked up some deals for baby Sam after I left school on Thursday.  I am in two local Facebook groups where people sell various items.  A friend was selling some baby boy clothes for a friend who hadn't needed them.  I got 5 Carter's sleepers, 2 Carter's gowns, and some bodysuits all for $25.  What a deal!  The challenge comes in finding a place to put it all since Sam has no room here.  I was excited to take them home to show Avery.  She was equally as excited to see that her black shoes and Christmas dress had arrived in the mail.  Avery was up for over an hour in the night fussing off and on.  She didn't want to get up, but she'd get quiet and then fuss again.  I finally gave her some Tylenol just in case and she went to sleep.

Everyone was excited to see Friday come.  We planned to go have our rings inspected and have dinner at Panera Bread if Avery seemed to feel well during the day.  Ned got off early so we wouldn't be so late, and we had a good dinner.  Avery was just sure that Lolli and Poppa would be there since they were at Panera in Easton.  We got treats at Starbucks before getting our jewelry checked and coming home.

Avery slept until after 7 a.m. Saturday and woke up so congested.  I wanted to go ahead and get my grocery shopping done, but I didn't want to take her out.  Ned was gone for the first day of duck season.  When I suggested Mimi come, she got her jeans and tried to get dressed, which I took to mean she wanted to go, so we bundled up and took off.  She was asking for her nap at 11 a.m., so we had an early lunch and took a nap around 12 p.m.  Early nap was working well until the phone rang before 2 and woke her up.  The ringer on the phone upstairs is usually off, and we are having battery issues, so I'm not used to the house phone ringing at all.  She did stay in her bed for awhile longer.  We had a pizza party for dinner, and then it seemed like the day got really long.  She was tired and not feeling well, and I was happy to see Ned come home just before an early bedtime.

We have started off a busy but exciting week involving 3 Thanksgivings, Christmas pictures, investigating an antique deal, and a school dinner.  There will also be Christmas decorating.  Life is busy but I'm so excited for the holidays.

Construction ~ Week 22

Whew, it is great to do a construction post again!  Things really picked up again this week.  It dried out somewhat so that the yard could be leveled and dirt put down.  Ned had 4 big loads of dirt brought in, but by the looks of water still standing, I'd like some more.  The driveway was moved more toward our property line, and our stoops were poured on the two sets of steps in back.  I'm most excited about this progress though:

I have been waiting to see the porch trim finished and the columns go up.  I couldn't be more pleased with how it looks.  We'll have railings too, but I'm excited with how it looks so far.  Black shutters were ordered this week, and although I know those are sometimes one of the last things to be done, I may have to beg for them to be put up so that I can see how it all looks.

On the inside, our electrician and heating/air people are back to work.  I peeked in this morning and saw lots of wires downstairs and our two breaker boxes.  I hope to get in the house tomorrow and see what else was going on.  We don't have garage steps yet and it's just too hard to hoist Avery (and myself) into the house alone.  We'll meet with the electrician this week to check what he's done and make any changes.  Security was ready to start this week but is waiting until this coming week since many people were working inside.  This will be a short work week due to the holiday, but the electrician should finish because insulation and drywall are scheduled to start the following week.

In the past few weeks, we've been acquiring a few things for the house as we found good deals.  Two of the light fixtures I wanted went on sale, so I ordered those.  This will hang in either the foyer or the dining room.

And this will hang in the breakfast room.

When our Lowe's was closing, I got another chandelier for either the dining room or foyer.  I'm praying that I don't see something I like better, and that if I do, I can return it.  (Just don't tell Ned that.)  We also got our washer, dryer, and pedestals on sale and have now had to rent another storage unit to hold all these things.  We are working with someone local on appliances, and he is ordering them as he finds good deals.  We ordered our refrigerator while we were on our way to Maryland.  Luckily, he will hold those items for us.

We are still working on cabinets, counter tops, and pricing.  Local has once again been cheaper than Lowe's, which I admit shocked me greatly.  Cabinets are expensive!  I'm so excited about my kitchen and laundry room and love how the drawings look.  It will be nothing fancy, but they'll be so functional which is all I want.  I'm thankful that the majority of the decisions have been made in those rooms; we're just trying to get our prices straight.  The only appliance I have left to chose is a dishwasher, so it's nice to have that out of the way too.

My goal before Christmas is to get our flooring picked out and to finalize my paint colors.  I want my Christmas break to be a break, so I'd really like to have all of that done.  I'll also need to start furniture shopping soon.  We're not buying a house full of new furniture, but we do need a few things.  We'll use some of what we have, and some rooms will just be a little bare for the time being.  One thing that everyone needs is new bedding, and I need to decide on Avery's so that I can pick her paint.

I'm looking for good prices on chairs and bar stools like these in black if anyone can be of assistance.

Pottery Barn has had them on sale for awhile, and it seems like a good price compared to what I have found.  As I type I'm wondering how these seats will do with children's messes, but I really like them.  The chairs we're using now are going into the dining room so we've got to have something in the breakfast area.

I think that's about all.  It's a lot of stress and aggravation, and it still doesn't seem like it's ours, but when it's a house you've wanted since high school, it's an awful lot of fun to dream about making it home.

Quick Prayer Request

Nothing Earth shattering, but I've mentioned a few times that we were having some issues with Avery's urine.  While all her symptoms are gone, we're still dealing with what her first analysis showed, which was calcium in her urine.  Our pediatrician consulted a specialist, who said that this could show a predisposition to kidney stones.  The specialist suggested either another analysis to compare the level of calcium to something, or an ultrasound.  Our pediatrician suggested another urine analysis first, since that was easier and did not result in a trip to CHKD.  We dropped it off last night and are praying for clear results.  This is the 3rd one we've done, but the second did not check for calcium.  I'm thinking we should know the results by the first of next week, so any prayers and positive thoughts would be appreciated.  This is obviously not a terrible thing, but no one wants to think that their child may have to deal with kidney stones down the road.

We've known this for awhile, but I mention it now to not only request prayers, but to also remind everyone that our life is not just sunshine and roses while we build houses and make babies.  Life is good, without a doubt, and we are blessed with far more than I can even fathom us deserving.  But, it's life.  Right now life with all it's blessings is also extremely hectic.  Pregnancy brain has been compounded by a challenging school year, building a house, living in a rental with our belongings in three different places, and most importantly, being a wife, mother, and family member.  I'm not falling to pieces, but I'm forgetting, I'm late getting things done, and this tiny rental could stand to have a few less piles of stuff.  I think I'm pretty honest in my posts, but no, it doesn't include every squabble, every terrible two moment, or every issue of life.

I've also been honest lately when I do forget to remember or just simply can't get things done.  I'm not used to being rather scatter-brained, and I don't love it.  I don't feel like I owe an explanation to anyone but my family, but I do try to give an honest apology when I feel I've fallen short.  I think that's been accepted by some and not by others.  (I'll stop here and say my biggest snafu has probably been the car registration oversight, so it's not like I've misplaced a child or had my car repossessed.)  Moms understand the mom issues, people who have dealt with construction understand those stresses, teachers can always sympathize with a good story, and so on.  But whether or not you've dealt with all of these situations or none, an important lesson is that no one can walk in the shoes of another, because no one's situation is exactly the same.  Blogs, Facebook statuses, and quick e-mails are just a glimpse into a life, a life where certainly a lot of living is going on.

Road Trip Tricks

We just completed our longest car trip and our first hotel stay with Avery, so I wanted to record what worked and what didn't for future reference.

In the Car

Our total drive was about 4.5-5 hours, so as I mentioned before, we planned our leaving time to allow for lunch and nap to break the trip up a bit.  I took a lot of snacks and used them whenever I thought they would help.  I also let her hold some random tickets and her special ink pen with no ink, and that entertained her several times for long stretches.  I kept all of this easily accessible to me in my big Thirty-One bag between the middle seats, and I only got slightly tired of turning around.  I am only slightly concerned as to where baby Sam will fit as his seat was full too.

For the bathroom situation, we took Avery's potty in case of emergency, but I also put a pull-up on her.  I knew that at some point each way she'd take a nap, and she wears one then anyway.  I also knew I would have no way of washing a yucky car seat cover if there was an accident.  She stayed dry the whole time, but I think she has her mama's holding abilities.  We never had to make an emergency stop, but I was glad to have the potty because she definitely had her opinions about where she would go at each stop.

For the last hour or so each way in the car, we turned to DVD.  We do not have one in the car, because when we got this car, we weren't exactly car shopping at the time and therefore weren't searching for certain features.  For right now, I'm thankful it's not installed, because once she saw one DVD, she asked for them the whole trip.  I don't think that's the worst thing in the world, but I wouldn't want to hear a request for a movie on our ride each day.  However, a well-timed DVD was glorious because the kid was so fascinated she never made a peep.

We won't let Ned run errands with us in the car before our next trip anywhere, because that added time in the car seat, but we weren't actually traveling.

In the Hotel

We had an end room in the hotel, which was just luck, but it's certainly what I'll request from now on.  There was less talking, less doors slamming, and no elevator noise.  When early bedtimes and naps are involved, that's key.  We did take her sound machine to drown out noise and to make it more like home.  Right before the trip I realized we should have at least looked into a suite because that would have more than likely given us two rooms.  I knew by then the hotel was probably full, and that it probably would have been unnecessary for two nights.

We set up Avery's pack-n-play near the door and bathroom since it was like a little hallway.  I knew once she went to sleep at night, we could come and go in the bathroom as we needed.  I just didn't think she would fall asleep if she was right in the middle of us.  With a 7:00-7:30 bedtime, Ned and I didn't want to think we'd have to go to bed too.  When it was time for bed, we turned out the lights but left the TV on mute.  We needed something to do, and I knew if the TV was on, we could slowly turn it up.  The first night she fussed and I tried sitting beside her, but she actually did better once I went and laid where she couldn't see me.  The 2nd night took about 30 minutes again to fall asleep, but I think that's because she was pooping, which we still choose to do at night and nap.  Once she was asleep we could watch TV and move around somewhat.  I tried a to leave a light on the 2nd night but turned it off when it was taking awhile.  I didn't try to turn them on again because you have to push those hotel light buttons so many times to get them on and off.

We did the same for her nap, except I was in the room by myself with her.  She is a light sleeper during her naps and I didn't trust Ned to be quiet and still.  It took her almost an hour to fall asleep, but Avery is one who has a hard time falling asleep for her nap if she's been too worked up before.  We came right from lunch out and tried to do nap without any down time because it was after 1:00.  I still think Avery has a "nap window" between 12:30 and 1:00 so I was thankful she went to sleep.

Because of the long rides, small room, and lots of stroller riding, I had to let go of some of my "Control Mom" in the hotel.  The first night we sat in the lobby after dinner, and there was some loudness and some getting on the floor.  No one else was around so I tried not to think she...and Lolli...were disruptive.  I also don't think she ever walked down the long hall to our room.  Her run is quiet and more like a gallop, so I told her to run.  By the time she needs to learn hotel etiquette she won't remember this trip.

We stayed in a Hampton Inn with really good free breakfast.  It also had a fridge and microwave.  We didn't use those, but that would have been good for a longer trip.  I also like that they always have water out to fill Avery's cup.

Sightseeing

We saw and did what we could as it worked around Avery's schedule.  To me, that's most important, so while we made a few exceptions, we mostly stuck to our normal routine.  I don't mind missing an afternoon of sightseeing to fit in a nap.  We have only travelled with Lolli and Poppa and they know that I stick to our normal, which means early meals, etc.

Avery wore underwear all around town and luckily used the potties where we were.  I never considered that being a problem until we stopped for lunch the first day and she wouldn't go.  Luckily, when the pink potty wasn't around she clung tight to me in the ladies' room.

As in the hotel, we let her break a few restaurant rules as well.  She stood beside us some and sat with different people at the end of our meals.  I didn't allow her to be loud, carry food, or get on the floor, but I figured she had done enough sitting.  She's never had 3 days of eating out, and I think next time I would take some fruit and vegetable cups since kid's meals always seem to involve the same thing.

I'm sure there are things that I'm forgetting and will need to add later.  I don't know when our next trip will be, but I'm sure it will involve two kids.  I'll need these tips plus many more I'm sure.

A Just Ducky Trip

We are home from a fun few days at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Maryland.  This was my 4th trip as I went twice with my parents in middle school, and Ned and I went with my parents the fall after we got married.  My dad started going when he started collecting duck decoys and tries not to miss a year.  Ned is all about duck hunting, so that works out well.

We loaded up the car around 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning and finally left town around 10:00 after a few errands.  Avery did pretty well for the first leg of the trip.  She ate snacks, talked to Bitty, and played with her tickets and ink pen (minus the ink).  She started to get restless and hungry as we approached the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, so we really started talking that up.  She like seeing the beach, the boats, and the water.  She whined in the two tunnels but then asked to go back when we were back on the bridge.  Luckily the bridge was an overall hit since it's over 17 miles long.  We stopped at Sting-Ray's on the Eastern Shore of Virginia at lunch.  Avery was not pleased with their potties so she took care of business in the car.

After lunch we pulled out our nap time essentials, and Avery slept for about an hour.  There are so many stoplights on the Eastern Shore that I was impressed she made it that long.  We passed a Sonic while she was sleeping, so I used my phone to find another near Salisbury, MD.  We stopped for Happy Hour and bathroom breaks.  Avery was still doing pretty well at this point so we continued without the DVD player.  Shortly into the ride we decided it would be good to pull it out, so we stopped and Ned hooked it up.  Avery was amazed and thrilled as you can see.

One Barney DVD later, and we were pulling up to our hotel in Easton about 4:00 p.m.  Lolli and Poppa had been there since Tuesday, and they came out to great us.  We visited for awhile, checked in, and made our way to Target.  I wanted one of those maternity bands for my regular pants, and Avery needed a hat.  We were in the store about 15 minutes and I spent almost $200.  Targets are apparently dangerous no matter what state you're in.  I was able to get a few sweaters and more cotton maternity shirts like I like and my band which I'm hoping will expand my wardrobe.  We met Lolli and Poppa at Panera Bread, had a good dinner, and then visited in the lobby for awhile.  Avery was wound up, but I knew she was tired, so we worked on bath and bed.  We took her pack-n-play, turned off the lights and left the TV on mute, and she was asleep in about 30 minutes.  I tried to stay up for Grey's Anatomy but couldn't make it.

Avery woke up about 6:30 a.m. and was excited to realize I was in the same room as her.  She enjoyed some Wheels on the Bus while I got ready and then got dressed in her warm clothes for the big day.

We ate at the hotel and then realized we were a little early for all of the festivities.  We drove downtown to leave my car for after lunch, went to the bookstore, then headed back to the high school.  It was SO windy and cold, but Avery was a trooper.

The high school gym is set up with many dealers selling decoys, art, duck calls, and a variety of other things.  I personally have zero interest in any of it and find it hot and crowded.  Pushing a stroller in the madness didn't help, but Avery never made a peep.  We got her her much-anticipated rocker like she tested out at Emerson's birthday.  They didn't have a goose so Avery chose a duck.  The carver signed it just for Avery.  We wanted one when we came last time, but we were just days into knowing about our pregnancy and were afraid we would jinx ourselves.  Avery had to test it out right in the lobby.

School buses take visitors to various stops and into downtown.  I knew this would be the hit of the trip, and it was.

Before our stop downtown, we were the last ones on the bus, so we even broke out into "The Wheels on the Bus."  We had one happy little girl.

We made our way through downtown to Washington Street Pub for lunch.  The town is really pretty, and this was one of the few times I had been with the sun shining.

After lunch, Lolli, Avery, and I headed back to the hotel for naps.  Ned and Poppa stayed to explore some more.  It took Avery quite awhile to get to sleep with me in the room, but once she did she slept about 2 hours.  Ned had planned for us to meet him back downtown for dinner, but he saw all he wanted.  He had to hang out in the lobby until Avery woke up.  We then got ready for dinner at Hunter's Tavern.

We left in time to browse the toy store, and Avery found a new love.  She's seen Thomas previews on Barney DVDs, but that's it as far as I know.  She would have played here all night.  Santa may add a few Thomas items to his bag, but Avery will have to wait for brother Sam to be old enough for the whole train table.

Dinner was pretty good, and it was nice to finish up and get back to the hotel.  I tried to get Avery to go to sleep with a light on, but after 30 minutes I gave up.  She had two times of crying in the night, which is rare for her.  I think she just couldn't get comfortable, because she never asked to get up.

Avery slept until 7:30 a.m. Saturday which was a nice treat.  We all headed to breakfast at Easton Diner so that Avery could get pancakes.  Ned wanted to visit one store before we left, so he did that after breakfast while Avery and I packed up.  Lolli and Poppa left, and we weren't far behind them.  We had pretty much the same traveling schedule as Thursday: drive, lunch, nap, bathroom break, drive a little more.  I think Avery would have slept for a long time had we not had to stop and pay to go across the bridge.  We stopped at Starbucks for bathroom and a snack.and then hooked up Barney again.  It was a little after 4:30 when we got home.

Ducks are not really my thing, but the trip was wonderful and worth it for Ned and Avery to really enjoy themselves.  We are also thankful for the time we were able to spend with Lolli and Poppa.  I was very nervous about our first trip in a room together, and I'm proud that we did so well.  I'll be posting some tricks and tips soon for what worked and what didn't, not because I'm now a pro, but because I'll want to remember for the next time.  I had to chuckle when the lady at the hotel asked if we wanted to book for next year.  It's definitely not a trip we'll make with an infant, and several times along the way I asked Ned how he'd manage with a double stroller.  We may not venture back next year, but there will certainly be more fun family trips.  Maybe next time I won't be pregnant.

Week in Review ~ 11/12

We had a good beginning to the week and a fun trip to finish it up.  Avery did well with the time change and woke up Sunday morning about 6:30 a.m.  I thought we were going to church and instructed Ned to get ready while I put dinner in the crock pot.  He did not move quickly enough and I was not in the mood to rush, so we stayed home.  We really do have a goal of doing better for Avery.  The time change may have thrown off Avery's nap, or the shortness could have been due to a noisy neighborhood.  Ned was shooting his bow at his parents so Avery and I strolled down.

Avery loves her jeans...

...and her pockets.  She's not actually trying to undress.

The rest of the work week went by slowly and quickly.  Ned took my car to get serviced on Tuesday, and when he picked it up, our friend asked it he realized the plates (and therefore my registration) had expired in August.  A.U.G.U.S.T.  We're well into November.  Ned called me and I of course go into a total tizzy.  I hate overlooking small things, and this is not small.  I take care of my car, so this was on me.  I can at least say that I know what happened.  The renewal notice came around the same time as my new registration with our new address, so I didn't pay attention to it.  I guess I thought it renewed when I updated our address, and I paid no attention to the money totals on the form.  I had terrible thoughts of penalties and punishments running through my mind.  And, I knew that we needed to drive the car on our trip.  Ned remains much to calm in these situations, which in the grand scheme of things is good, but in the heat of the moment it irks me even more.  My parents assured me that you can renew and get stickers at the DMV (I've done it online for so long I've forgotten).  So, I decided I would throw Ned under the bus and make him take care of it on Wednesday.

After all that stress, the universe smiled on me Wednesday with a 2-hour fog delay.  I didn't get to sleep in, but the extra time at home was nice.  On top of that, we had duty-free lunch, and it was my last work day of the week.  Ned hunted that night after successfully renewing my plates and registration for two years.  Avery and I had dinner at home and then got ready for our trip.  I had done most of her packing on the weekend, but there are always underwear to wash.  I finished her up, and packed myself and all the other odds and ends we needed for 2 nights away.

Stay tuned for a post about our wonderful trip.  And, I'm really hoping a trip to the house tomorrow will result in the need for a construction post.

Week in Review ~ 11/5

I'm hoping we are finally all on the right track to getting and staying well.  That wasn't the case at the beginning of the week, though.  Sunday was another sick day.  My mom brought Avery home just before lunch, and Ned was at a meeting at the fire house.  Luckily, I was able to get lunch for Avery and then get her down for a nap.  I was taking Phenergan for nausea and it was really knocking me out.  I was still running some fever at night and decided to go ahead and tell my principal I couldn't work.

Monday was Halloween, and I was determined to be better.  Avery went to Jennifer's, and I didn't take any medicine to see how I would feel.  I talked to my nurse practitioner and told her I thought my indigestion/heartburn/reflux was really the problem for me still feeling bad, so she had my try some OTC medicine instead of just Tums.  I'd been having to get up each night and prop up on the couch because it was so bad.  Trying to take a shower and get ready to trick-or-treat almost killed me, and I kept having to take breaks.  The rain started as we were having dinner, and it was a downpour instead of a drizzle.  Many kids still trick-or-treated, but I didn't see any need for Avery to be out in the rain.  We went to Mimi's and she watched the kids and took plenty of Mimi's candy.

I made it through the day Tuesday at school and was just really tired.  I think our big day on Wednesday helped out a lot.  The rest of the week was long at school, but it was nice to be feeling better.  The pediatrician called at school Friday and said Avery's urine culture was still abnormal, but it doesn't classify as a UTI.  As long as she's doing ok we'll just assume it was a fluke.  We went out to dinner Friday night to celebrate being well.

Avery slept in Saturday morning but of course I was up.  I went out in the morning and ran some errands and got groceries.  While Avery napped Ned went hunting.  We had a girls' night at Chik-Fil-A, and Avery was entertained by a birthday party going on there.

We'll have a busy week this week as we prepare for our trip.  Keep us in mind as we share a hotel room.

On a sad note, my parents lost their sweet Lily today.  She had been having issues with fluid in her lungs and a leaking heart valve, but she had seen a cardiologist this week who seemed to think she was doing ok.  She started again with a bad cough last night that lasted throughout the night and into the morning.  My dad left to take her to the emergency vet and she passed away shortly into the ride.  They got Lily during my freshman year of college, so she was a big part of our family and will be greatly missed.