Last night, our church held it's Thanksgiving service. This is the first time we've ever been able to go and I'm so glad we did. It was such a wonderful experience. The night alternated back and forth between singing and an open microphone for people to come up and give thanks. It was fun to have Aria in the service with us and see her reaction to the songs. There were several that she knew and she loved watching the gee-taws! :) I always enjoy the music, but the stories people were willing to get up and tell were very powerful. One tearful women described God's work in her life since her husband passed away a year ago. She was afraid of being alone when she lost her husband, but God helped her know she is never alone. There was a young girl, maybe 7 or 8 who talked about her visits to various churches, but this one helped her feel closer to God and was the best in her opinion! There was a young man who had just committed his life to Christ last week. It was just really awesome to hear people give thanks to God in front of strangers!
And if I wasn't so afraid of talking in front of a big group, here is what I would have said. Always at the front of my mind, when it is time to be thankful, is Aria. I am so very thankful to have a wonderful, healthy, beautiful daughter that is my very own. Our infertility struggle was a huge roller coaster. It was the worst low I have ever experienced. But coming up out of it was also the greatest transformation I have ever experienced. It took me a long time, but I am so glad we had our journey through IVF. I absolutely would not change what we went through. I would not be who I am without it. Through the entire process, we had the most amazing friends who listened, who cried with us, who celebrated with us, who LIVED the whole thing with us. It wasn't just our journey, but theirs, too. They were completely selfless and let our sorrow, our emotions, our joy, and our story take over a part of their lives. I am so very thankful for the R family, the I family, the H family, and the S family who were our small group when we went through IVF. We would not have made it without them.
But that was really what I was thankful for two years ago and last year as we experienced our success. This year, it takes on a whole new meaning because we now get to be the listeners. You know, once I was comfortable with sharing our IVF story, I prayed God would give us an opportunity to help someone through the very same thing. In my small mind, I envisioned being connected with a random couple through church or maybe even the U of I hospital and just chatting with them about the journey and encouraging them. God, however, has way bigger and more awesome plans than that. Shortly after Aria was born, God put a new couple in our lives as friends. Over the past year and a half, we have shared many meals, many games, many laughs, and just genuine friendship. And now, those people are very dear to our hearts. And they are going through IVF. You see, God didn't give me a stranger to mentor and speak with just a few times, he gave me a lifelong friend. He is allowing me to be the listener. He is giving me the opportunity to let their story take over a part of my life and it has! I pray for them every day, sometimes multiple times. I know what they are experiencing and I can pray specifically about it. I can't wait for their success. I can't wait to throw her a baby shower, just like I couldn't wait to have mine. I have hope that God will work a miracle in their life, just as he did in mine. It is hard because I know it is scary. When you've wanted a child for so long, it is hard to believe it could actually happen. IVF isn't easy. There are shots, blood draws, ultrasounds, trips to IC. But I look at my beautiful daughter and it is all absolutely worth it. I can't wait for my friend to get to say that about her child, too. Sure, it might not work. We had a failed cycle and it was devastating. But again, "...we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings because sufferings produce perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:2b-5 (emphasis mine) I have hope that only God can give.
My friend, I am so thankful God caused our paths to cross. I pray God will fill you with hope that this will work and you will be holding your child very soon!
11.23.2011
11.20.2011
Oh the Pacifier
Pacifiers. Not a fan. At all. Needless to say, my daughter needs one for sleep. We had quite the weekend learning that she does, in fact, need the pacifier. The story goes like this. On Friday, I put Aria down for a nap like normal. She always plays for 10 or 15 minutes before falling asleep. During that playtime I hear, "Uh oh mommy pa-bo (pacifier)" repeated several times followed by some frantic cries. It is a pretty rare occurrence that Aria loses her pacifier before going to sleep. She likes the thing so much, she doesn't lose sight of it when she is in her bed. So, being the nice, well-trained mommy I am, I went into her room and gave her back the pacifier she threw out on to the floor. Shortly after, Aria went to sleep. I settled in to my quiet time and it seemed the day would resume as usual.
After about 1.5 hours, Aria woke up crying frantically again. She often has wake-ups and I just ignored her, assuming she would go back to sleep like usual. Then I hear again, the dreaded, "Uh oh mommy pa-bo" between frantic tears. At that point I was near the end of an excellent book and I really just wanted her to go back to sleep so I could finish. Pretty selfish, I know, but all moms do need some 'me time' to remain sane. So, I went back in her room and gave her the fallen pacifier again. Aria went back to sleep.
About 40 minutes later, Aria woke up seemingly pretty happy. It wasn't exactly the best nap she's ever taken, but it would carry us through the day. Aria always gets about 30 minutes of play time in her bed when she wakes up from her nap. That alone time allows her to fully wake up and have a happy attitude for the rest of the day. She can get rather cranky if I don't give her that time. But as she was playing, yet again I hear, "Uh oh mommy pa-bo." This time it didn't have as many frantic cries to go with because she wasn't planning to go back to sleep, but she just kept repeating it over and over and over.
Finally, I went in to get her up. We sat down in the chair and had a little conversation about the pacifier. It went something like this:
Me: Aria, if you want to have your pacifier, you need to keep it in the bed with you. Mommy isn't going to come in and give you your pacifier if you throw it out of the bed.
Aria: No
Me: You don't want your pacifier any more?
Aria: No
Me: Are you sure you don't think you need your pacifier to sleep with?
Aria: No. Ack
Me: So are you ready to say bye-bye to your pacifier?
Aria: Yea
Me: You don't want your pacifier any more?
Aria: No. Ack
Me: If we get rid of your pacifier, it will be all gone and you will never see it again.
Aria: Bye-bye pa-bo.
Me: You are ready to say bye-bye to your pacifier?
Aria: Bye-bye
Me: I think if you are all done with your pacifier, we should throw it in the trash.
Aria: Yea, trash.
Me: I think Aria should go throw it in the trash if you don't want it anymore.
Aria: Yea
And, she proceeded to hop down out of my lap, pick up the pacifier, take it into the bathroom and throw it away. I told her to say bye-bye to the thing one more time and that was it. We celebrated and I told her I was proud of her. I talked about her being a big girl. Daddy came home and was proud, too. At bedtime, I reminded her that she threw her pacifier away and she said bye-bye again. She whined a little bit before going to sleep, but fell asleep much faster than I anticipated. She had a few wake-ups in the night, but got herself back to sleep. I thought we really might have crossed the pacifier-need threshold.
Then came nap time on Saturday. Again, we talked about saying bye bye to the pacifier and she insisted she didn't want it. About an hour after I put her down for a nap, I went back in her room to settle her down because she had not gone to sleep yet. She laid down. I rubbed her back for a few minutes. Then I left and she went to sleep. Okay, a little frustrating, but she still went to sleep and took a fabulous nap.
Saturday night we went to a wedding reception for my cousin. We got home late and Aria was exhausted. She went right to sleep, no problems. She woke up in the 4:00 am hour and was up for about 30 minutes crying, talking, and whining. I knew she was missing her pacifier, but she eventually went back to sleep.
Now today at nap time. Aria was not excited about going to sleep without her pacifier. I had to go in and settle her down again. She woke up 40 minutes later. She fell asleep and woke up 40 minutes later. I could tell she was extremely exhausted. When I went in to get her up after the very short and interrupted nap, she said she wanted her pa-bo. I reminded her it was all gone and she burst into tears. I just dropped it because nap time was over and I figured she would be so exhausted at bedtime it wouldn't matter. I was wrong.
She started asking for her pa-bo in her bath. She didn't want to get in her bed when it was time. And when I put her in there, she started screaming hysterically. I had planned to give this no pacifier thing a week. I figured it would be a rough transition, but that I just needed to give her time to get used to not having it. I actually wasn't even planning to take it away yet, but she indicated she was ready on Friday, so I went with it. But, the hysterical screaming didn't stop. I tried to go in and settle her down, but she clung to me and began screaming the moment I tried to leave the room. We decided it wasn't worth it. We gave in and gave her a pacifier, not the one she threw in the trash.
All weekend long, I've had this sense of dread over me, worrying about that dumb pacifier. I thought it might come to what it did tonight and it sure did. I didn't expect her to go to sleep without it at all, so she fooled me for a day and a half. I wasn't happy with myself for giving in so soon right after she finally got calmed down. But now that I sit here and type the whole thing out, I actually feel a sense of relief. Yes, I still hate the dumb pacifier. I wish I never ever would have given it to her in the first place. But, I also can see it is a crutch my daughter needs at this point. I am not willing to go through hysterical screaming and extreme exhaustion for all members of our family just to be tough and take away the pacifier. She indicated to me that she was ready, but I guess she had second-thoughts. At some point, we'll revisit the topic again and she'll eventually not need it anymore.
I am glad Aria only wants the pacifier for sleeping. When she was about three months old, we only gave her the pacifier for sleep so she has never desired it outside of her bed. I wash I would have just taken it away then and she never would have desired it period. For some reason, when she was first born, I thought babies were supposed to have pacifiers. It honestly never occurred to me to not use one. Now, seeing the addiction, I would advise any new parent to not use the pacifier unless you absolutely have to. And if you do use it, take it away before your baby is nine months old. Don't let the baby become addicted. They should learn how to fall asleep all by themselves, without any crutch. Obviously that is just my opinion and I didn't even follow my own rules. Hindsight is always much clearer.
From this point forward, I'm not sure when I'll attempt to coax the thing away from her. My original goal was to have the pacifier gone before we switch to a toddler bed. One transition at a time. We'll see. I'm probably going to be gun shy now. However, I have learned one lesson. I will not be going in to give her the pacifier if she throws it out of her crib anymore. She'll just have to suffer the consequences. She did prove she could go to sleep without it.
Oh, the joys of parenting. Here I am writing about her needing a pacifier. I'll blink and I'll be posting about whether or not to get her a cell phone. :)
After about 1.5 hours, Aria woke up crying frantically again. She often has wake-ups and I just ignored her, assuming she would go back to sleep like usual. Then I hear again, the dreaded, "Uh oh mommy pa-bo" between frantic tears. At that point I was near the end of an excellent book and I really just wanted her to go back to sleep so I could finish. Pretty selfish, I know, but all moms do need some 'me time' to remain sane. So, I went back in her room and gave her the fallen pacifier again. Aria went back to sleep.
About 40 minutes later, Aria woke up seemingly pretty happy. It wasn't exactly the best nap she's ever taken, but it would carry us through the day. Aria always gets about 30 minutes of play time in her bed when she wakes up from her nap. That alone time allows her to fully wake up and have a happy attitude for the rest of the day. She can get rather cranky if I don't give her that time. But as she was playing, yet again I hear, "Uh oh mommy pa-bo." This time it didn't have as many frantic cries to go with because she wasn't planning to go back to sleep, but she just kept repeating it over and over and over.
Finally, I went in to get her up. We sat down in the chair and had a little conversation about the pacifier. It went something like this:
Me: Aria, if you want to have your pacifier, you need to keep it in the bed with you. Mommy isn't going to come in and give you your pacifier if you throw it out of the bed.
Aria: No
Me: You don't want your pacifier any more?
Aria: No
Me: Are you sure you don't think you need your pacifier to sleep with?
Aria: No. Ack
Me: So are you ready to say bye-bye to your pacifier?
Aria: Yea
Me: You don't want your pacifier any more?
Aria: No. Ack
Me: If we get rid of your pacifier, it will be all gone and you will never see it again.
Aria: Bye-bye pa-bo.
Me: You are ready to say bye-bye to your pacifier?
Aria: Bye-bye
Me: I think if you are all done with your pacifier, we should throw it in the trash.
Aria: Yea, trash.
Me: I think Aria should go throw it in the trash if you don't want it anymore.
Aria: Yea
And, she proceeded to hop down out of my lap, pick up the pacifier, take it into the bathroom and throw it away. I told her to say bye-bye to the thing one more time and that was it. We celebrated and I told her I was proud of her. I talked about her being a big girl. Daddy came home and was proud, too. At bedtime, I reminded her that she threw her pacifier away and she said bye-bye again. She whined a little bit before going to sleep, but fell asleep much faster than I anticipated. She had a few wake-ups in the night, but got herself back to sleep. I thought we really might have crossed the pacifier-need threshold.
Then came nap time on Saturday. Again, we talked about saying bye bye to the pacifier and she insisted she didn't want it. About an hour after I put her down for a nap, I went back in her room to settle her down because she had not gone to sleep yet. She laid down. I rubbed her back for a few minutes. Then I left and she went to sleep. Okay, a little frustrating, but she still went to sleep and took a fabulous nap.
Saturday night we went to a wedding reception for my cousin. We got home late and Aria was exhausted. She went right to sleep, no problems. She woke up in the 4:00 am hour and was up for about 30 minutes crying, talking, and whining. I knew she was missing her pacifier, but she eventually went back to sleep.
Now today at nap time. Aria was not excited about going to sleep without her pacifier. I had to go in and settle her down again. She woke up 40 minutes later. She fell asleep and woke up 40 minutes later. I could tell she was extremely exhausted. When I went in to get her up after the very short and interrupted nap, she said she wanted her pa-bo. I reminded her it was all gone and she burst into tears. I just dropped it because nap time was over and I figured she would be so exhausted at bedtime it wouldn't matter. I was wrong.
She started asking for her pa-bo in her bath. She didn't want to get in her bed when it was time. And when I put her in there, she started screaming hysterically. I had planned to give this no pacifier thing a week. I figured it would be a rough transition, but that I just needed to give her time to get used to not having it. I actually wasn't even planning to take it away yet, but she indicated she was ready on Friday, so I went with it. But, the hysterical screaming didn't stop. I tried to go in and settle her down, but she clung to me and began screaming the moment I tried to leave the room. We decided it wasn't worth it. We gave in and gave her a pacifier, not the one she threw in the trash.
All weekend long, I've had this sense of dread over me, worrying about that dumb pacifier. I thought it might come to what it did tonight and it sure did. I didn't expect her to go to sleep without it at all, so she fooled me for a day and a half. I wasn't happy with myself for giving in so soon right after she finally got calmed down. But now that I sit here and type the whole thing out, I actually feel a sense of relief. Yes, I still hate the dumb pacifier. I wish I never ever would have given it to her in the first place. But, I also can see it is a crutch my daughter needs at this point. I am not willing to go through hysterical screaming and extreme exhaustion for all members of our family just to be tough and take away the pacifier. She indicated to me that she was ready, but I guess she had second-thoughts. At some point, we'll revisit the topic again and she'll eventually not need it anymore.
I am glad Aria only wants the pacifier for sleeping. When she was about three months old, we only gave her the pacifier for sleep so she has never desired it outside of her bed. I wash I would have just taken it away then and she never would have desired it period. For some reason, when she was first born, I thought babies were supposed to have pacifiers. It honestly never occurred to me to not use one. Now, seeing the addiction, I would advise any new parent to not use the pacifier unless you absolutely have to. And if you do use it, take it away before your baby is nine months old. Don't let the baby become addicted. They should learn how to fall asleep all by themselves, without any crutch. Obviously that is just my opinion and I didn't even follow my own rules. Hindsight is always much clearer.
From this point forward, I'm not sure when I'll attempt to coax the thing away from her. My original goal was to have the pacifier gone before we switch to a toddler bed. One transition at a time. We'll see. I'm probably going to be gun shy now. However, I have learned one lesson. I will not be going in to give her the pacifier if she throws it out of her crib anymore. She'll just have to suffer the consequences. She did prove she could go to sleep without it.
Oh, the joys of parenting. Here I am writing about her needing a pacifier. I'll blink and I'll be posting about whether or not to get her a cell phone. :)
11.17.2011
Lemonade
Lately, Aria has expanded in her abilities to entertain herself. I love secretly watching her as she plays. She is really starting to develop an imagination!
So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore
Recently I got to read and study So Long Insecurity with my awesome friends! What a book! The main idea is that women, in general, are insecure. We have many things that cause or spark our insecurity and there are many places it comes from. But we don't have to be insecure! A verse that is repeated throughout the book is Proverbs 31:25a: "She is clothed with strength and dignity." God gave each one of us the strength and dignity to be who He made us and to not have to worry about what someone else thinks.
There are so many lessons I took away from this book. I can't begin to write them all. I will highlight a few of the ones that hit me the hardest.
1. Fear is a huge part of insecurity. Moore suggests when I feel an outbreak of insecurity I should stop and ask myself, "what am I afraid of?" If I can get to the root of my fear, then I can ward away the insecurity.
2. To go along with that, Psalm 112: 7-8: "[She] will have no fear of bad news; [her] heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. [Her] heart is secure, [she] will have no fear; in the end [she] will look in triumph on [her] foes." I don't have to have fear because God will take care of me. Moore encourages her readers to "trust God period." Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him." Sometimes it is really hard, but here is another phrase you can say to yourself, "Lord, I don't know if I can trust (fill in the blank of your worldly fear), but I can trust You!"
3. There are three things that can help me stop feeling insecure. First, I need to stop comparing myself to other women, other moms, other Christians, etc. I try not to, but it is a constant battle. Second, I need to realize that other women are imperfect people, just like myself. I pick out a perfect characteristic of a friend or acquaintance and I think that person has no problems and I can't live up to her. In fact, she does have problems, just maybe not ones I choose to see. Third, in the opposite sense, I need to stop pointing out the insecurities of others. People have bad days. Kids scream, cry and throw tantrums in Target. That doesn't tell the whole story. If I don't focus on others' insecurities, I won't end up making them my own.
4. Psalm 84:1, "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!" This means me! I am the dwelling place of the Lord and it is time I start seeing myself for the beautiful woman he made me.
5. I already knew this, but I have a living, breathing almost two-year-old little girl who will be watching me to learn how to become a secure woman. How can I teach her if I'm not there myself?
6. Quote from Beth Moore, "Those of us who have struggled with chronic insecurity(that is me) have made a life practice out of attaching it to every other negative emotion we feel." I had never really thought about how I attach emotions to everything. Moore gives some great examples, "You can hurt my feelings, criticize me and even be right, embarrass me, or intimidate me, but you cannot have my security." God gave all of us our security and we don't have to give it away when others hurt us! This was a big lesson for me. When someone does hurt me in those ways, I immediately think I am less of a person. But, Beth Moore pointed out to me that I can be hurt without being insecure.
Those are the biggest points that stuck with me. I could certainly provide several more ideas that I really enjoyed from the book, but I think you should read it yourself...if you are a woman. Not that a guy couldn't read the book, but it is written for women. Seriously, whether you think insecurity is a big problem or just a tiny one, read this book and it will lift your spirits and give you some encouragement to be who God made you.
The only complaint I have about the book is that I felt it spent a little too much time on where insecurity comes from. As I was reading, I could relate to so many of the things she said about why women are insecure, but I kept thinking, "so how do I fix it?" Eventually she got to it and I appreciated all the advice in the last few chapters, especially the specific Scripture references.
I'm not so great at writing concise book reviews. It is hard for me. But, I can give you my thoughts and I can give you my praise of the book. I definitely recommend you check it out!
There are so many lessons I took away from this book. I can't begin to write them all. I will highlight a few of the ones that hit me the hardest.
1. Fear is a huge part of insecurity. Moore suggests when I feel an outbreak of insecurity I should stop and ask myself, "what am I afraid of?" If I can get to the root of my fear, then I can ward away the insecurity.
2. To go along with that, Psalm 112: 7-8: "[She] will have no fear of bad news; [her] heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. [Her] heart is secure, [she] will have no fear; in the end [she] will look in triumph on [her] foes." I don't have to have fear because God will take care of me. Moore encourages her readers to "trust God period." Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him." Sometimes it is really hard, but here is another phrase you can say to yourself, "Lord, I don't know if I can trust (fill in the blank of your worldly fear), but I can trust You!"
3. There are three things that can help me stop feeling insecure. First, I need to stop comparing myself to other women, other moms, other Christians, etc. I try not to, but it is a constant battle. Second, I need to realize that other women are imperfect people, just like myself. I pick out a perfect characteristic of a friend or acquaintance and I think that person has no problems and I can't live up to her. In fact, she does have problems, just maybe not ones I choose to see. Third, in the opposite sense, I need to stop pointing out the insecurities of others. People have bad days. Kids scream, cry and throw tantrums in Target. That doesn't tell the whole story. If I don't focus on others' insecurities, I won't end up making them my own.
4. Psalm 84:1, "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!" This means me! I am the dwelling place of the Lord and it is time I start seeing myself for the beautiful woman he made me.
5. I already knew this, but I have a living, breathing almost two-year-old little girl who will be watching me to learn how to become a secure woman. How can I teach her if I'm not there myself?
6. Quote from Beth Moore, "Those of us who have struggled with chronic insecurity(that is me) have made a life practice out of attaching it to every other negative emotion we feel." I had never really thought about how I attach emotions to everything. Moore gives some great examples, "You can hurt my feelings, criticize me and even be right, embarrass me, or intimidate me, but you cannot have my security." God gave all of us our security and we don't have to give it away when others hurt us! This was a big lesson for me. When someone does hurt me in those ways, I immediately think I am less of a person. But, Beth Moore pointed out to me that I can be hurt without being insecure.
Those are the biggest points that stuck with me. I could certainly provide several more ideas that I really enjoyed from the book, but I think you should read it yourself...if you are a woman. Not that a guy couldn't read the book, but it is written for women. Seriously, whether you think insecurity is a big problem or just a tiny one, read this book and it will lift your spirits and give you some encouragement to be who God made you.
The only complaint I have about the book is that I felt it spent a little too much time on where insecurity comes from. As I was reading, I could relate to so many of the things she said about why women are insecure, but I kept thinking, "so how do I fix it?" Eventually she got to it and I appreciated all the advice in the last few chapters, especially the specific Scripture references.
I'm not so great at writing concise book reviews. It is hard for me. But, I can give you my thoughts and I can give you my praise of the book. I definitely recommend you check it out!
11.15.2011
A Little Role Reversal
Dealing with Justin having surgery on vacation hasn't been the only adjustment I've had to make with the whole ordeal. Obviously, people don't just have surgery then get up and be perfectly normal. However, it is just really odd to have Justin not quite himself. He is rarely sick and when he is, it doesn't slow him down much. In the 10+ years we've been together I can only remember him vomiting on three separate occasions, a few colds here and there, his wisdom teeth removed, his varicocele surgery, and now this. That's not much of a resume of sickness. I feel very fortunate that he is so healthy.
But this week, he needs to rest. He is slow moving around. He can't pick up or play with Aria like he is used to. I actually have to take care of him. In my title, I call it role reversal because Justin has very often taken care of me. I suffer from chronic migraines, which are much better now because of my chiropractor, but still afflict me occasionally. I was pregnant and deserved all sorts of pampering. I tend to get a pretty nasty cold/bronchitis/laryngitis once a year that wipes me out. Anyway, my point is that I am probably a bit more of a baby about things than him. Okay a lot more. He does an excellent job of taking care of me when I'm down. He fixes meals. He takes care of Aria. He gives me massages.
However, I don't know how much of a role reversal it is. My husband is a busy body and doesn't sit still much. He can't stand not having something to do. He was beyond frustrated with just laying around on Sunday, two days after his surgery. I have had to remind him to be careful and slow down a few times. The only things I've really had to get used to are him being home during the day and I have to pick Aria up every time she needs it. We usually take turns putting her to bed, but I need to lift her in and out of the crib. Today, it was nice out and Aria wanted to swing. I had to lift her in and out. At mealtime, I have to help Aria in and out of her booster seat. I know what you are all thinking, big whoop-ti-do, right? Exactly right! I am so thankful my husband has a high tolerance for pain. I am so thankful that he doesn't like to be waited on. I am so thankful that he always wants to be helpful. I appreciate the strong, task-oriented, hard-working, caring, loving, and wonderful man God made him!
But this week, he needs to rest. He is slow moving around. He can't pick up or play with Aria like he is used to. I actually have to take care of him. In my title, I call it role reversal because Justin has very often taken care of me. I suffer from chronic migraines, which are much better now because of my chiropractor, but still afflict me occasionally. I was pregnant and deserved all sorts of pampering. I tend to get a pretty nasty cold/bronchitis/laryngitis once a year that wipes me out. Anyway, my point is that I am probably a bit more of a baby about things than him. Okay a lot more. He does an excellent job of taking care of me when I'm down. He fixes meals. He takes care of Aria. He gives me massages.
However, I don't know how much of a role reversal it is. My husband is a busy body and doesn't sit still much. He can't stand not having something to do. He was beyond frustrated with just laying around on Sunday, two days after his surgery. I have had to remind him to be careful and slow down a few times. The only things I've really had to get used to are him being home during the day and I have to pick Aria up every time she needs it. We usually take turns putting her to bed, but I need to lift her in and out of the crib. Today, it was nice out and Aria wanted to swing. I had to lift her in and out. At mealtime, I have to help Aria in and out of her booster seat. I know what you are all thinking, big whoop-ti-do, right? Exactly right! I am so thankful my husband has a high tolerance for pain. I am so thankful that he doesn't like to be waited on. I am so thankful that he always wants to be helpful. I appreciate the strong, task-oriented, hard-working, caring, loving, and wonderful man God made him!
11.14.2011
The Wisconsin Dells Ordeal
Last week, my mom had a conference at this awesome resort in the Wisconsin Dells. She had been to the conference twice before and insisted we come with to enjoy the resort. Well, we were in for quite the weekend and not a whole lot of it had anything to do with the resort.
It all started in the snow last Wednesday. My mom, Aria, and I left in the morning and drove through the snowstorm, which only got worse as we got into Wisconsin. We actually stopped for an extended lunch because I just needed a break from the 40 mph snow driving. We also stopped at a unique shoe store for another break. The trip was a lot longer than expected, but it was exceptionally pretty. The roads were curvy, hilly, and two lane with beautiful wooded countryside covered in snow. I thought driving through the snow would be the funny memory of the trip.
When we finally got to the hotel and checked in, Aria was long overdue for a nap and my mom was late for her first session. So, I stayed in the room with Aria while she slept and my mom caught the last part of her conference for that day. After that, we got some supper at one of the restaurants and put on our swimwear.
Let me just take a moment to describe how humongous this place is. We never did, but if you walked from one end to the other, I think it would take at least 30 minutes, if not longer. On one end was an amusement park with a Ferris wheel, arcade games, a bowling alley, go-karts, a cool toddler play area, and more. As you pass through one section of rooms you'll find the first of four restaurants. The main lobby is pretty cool with a great water fountain containing their many African-themed animals. If you go one direction off the lobby you go through the convention center area, where my mom had her conference and at least two other conferences were going on at the same time. If you pass on through the convention center, you find the second set of rooms. The other direction from the lobby was the water park and another game room. There was also an outdoor water park. It is so hard to put into words how big it is. And really awesome, too.
Back to our time Wednesday night. Inside the water park, all kids under 48" had to wear a life jacket, which I thought was a nice rule. It was helpful because Aria was so excited about the water. Inside the water park there was a wave pool, a lazy river, a huge kiddie area where all the slides had a 100 pound weight limit, six or seven adult slides, a pool with basketball hoops, several hot tubs, and this surfing simulator thing. It was massive. Aria wasn't quite ready to go down the kiddie slides all by herself and I couldn't go with her because of the weight limit, but she did a couple. The best part of the night was taking Aria on the "family raft ride" where all three of us could ride in a raft down a big water slide. It was gentle enough I felt Aria was safe sitting in front of me with my legs wrapped around her, yet exciting enough that I enjoyed it, too. Every time we got to the bottom, Aria would say, "more please!" She loved it! That was probably the best part of the trip!
My dad and Justin came up after work Wednesday evening. They arrived just before 9:00 pm. We just hung out in the room when they arrived because Aria went to bed. Then, at about 3:30 am, Justin woke up with what appeared to be the stomach flu. He was up several times the rest of the early morning, sick. My mom left early for her meetings and my dad and I took Aria down for breakfast. Justin stayed in bed and we hoped this bug would pass quickly. We checked out the theme park, played in the toddler area, and rode the carousel and the swings. Then, Aria and I took my dad to the water park and took him down the fun water slide. All the while, Justin just didn't feel good. Around lunch time, we checked on Justin to see if he wanted to try eating. He actually felt bad enough we decided to have my dad take him to an urgent care place while I stayed with Aria, who was taking a nap.
At the urgent care place, they told Justin he just had the flu. They prescribed an anti-nausea medicine and sent him back to the hotel. Well, the pain just never got better. He continued to vomit and have a burning pain in his abdomen. After Aria went to bed, I looked up appendix information on the Internet and I was positive that was Justin's affliction. So, Justin, my dad, and I headed for the hospital. The doctors in the ER were pretty confident it was his appendix, as well. Something I never really considered, they said it is a lot easier to diagnose in men because they don't have much else in their lower abdomen, where women have ovaries, fallopian tubes, a uterus, etc. So, they called in the surgeon to do the appendectomy. When the surgeon came and examined him, he was leery of doing the surgery because he thought Justin's pain was too low. So, he ordered a CT scan. Long story, short, Justin's appendix just was a lot lower in his abdomen then normal. So, it was his appendix and they prepped him for surgery. The took him in around 4:00 am Friday morning. It felt like I had been awake for 24 hours, even though I had slept some here and there since the first puking episode.
Everything went well with the surgery. The surgeon actually brought the appendix out to show me when he was done. It was cool, but gross. It was actually about twice the size it should be and about ready to fall apart, according to the surgeon. Thankfully, they did the surgery when they did and it was successful. I got to see Justin about 5:30 am and we actually left the hospital by about 12:30 pm. The staff there was so good to us. They knew we were on vacation and felt bad. They said as soon as Justin could walk and pee, we could head home when we were ready. We just wanted to get home.
I am so thankful we were there with my parents because Aria stayed with my mom at the resort and didn't have to be at the hospital with us. I am also thankful we were close to a hospital and the staff was all so friendly. It was quite nice that neither of us had to drive home, too. It wasn't exactly the ideal vacation. Justin didn't seen any of the ginormous hotel, except for our room. On the way home, I almost forgot that it was snowing on our way there. The snow was all gone in Iowa and it felt like we'd been gone for weeks. We will have to try the trip again because it was sure an awesome place. I would have enjoyed it more had I not been worrying about and feeling bad for my sick husband. At least we can be sure we won't have the exact same experience again!
It all started in the snow last Wednesday. My mom, Aria, and I left in the morning and drove through the snowstorm, which only got worse as we got into Wisconsin. We actually stopped for an extended lunch because I just needed a break from the 40 mph snow driving. We also stopped at a unique shoe store for another break. The trip was a lot longer than expected, but it was exceptionally pretty. The roads were curvy, hilly, and two lane with beautiful wooded countryside covered in snow. I thought driving through the snow would be the funny memory of the trip.
When we finally got to the hotel and checked in, Aria was long overdue for a nap and my mom was late for her first session. So, I stayed in the room with Aria while she slept and my mom caught the last part of her conference for that day. After that, we got some supper at one of the restaurants and put on our swimwear.
Let me just take a moment to describe how humongous this place is. We never did, but if you walked from one end to the other, I think it would take at least 30 minutes, if not longer. On one end was an amusement park with a Ferris wheel, arcade games, a bowling alley, go-karts, a cool toddler play area, and more. As you pass through one section of rooms you'll find the first of four restaurants. The main lobby is pretty cool with a great water fountain containing their many African-themed animals. If you go one direction off the lobby you go through the convention center area, where my mom had her conference and at least two other conferences were going on at the same time. If you pass on through the convention center, you find the second set of rooms. The other direction from the lobby was the water park and another game room. There was also an outdoor water park. It is so hard to put into words how big it is. And really awesome, too.
Back to our time Wednesday night. Inside the water park, all kids under 48" had to wear a life jacket, which I thought was a nice rule. It was helpful because Aria was so excited about the water. Inside the water park there was a wave pool, a lazy river, a huge kiddie area where all the slides had a 100 pound weight limit, six or seven adult slides, a pool with basketball hoops, several hot tubs, and this surfing simulator thing. It was massive. Aria wasn't quite ready to go down the kiddie slides all by herself and I couldn't go with her because of the weight limit, but she did a couple. The best part of the night was taking Aria on the "family raft ride" where all three of us could ride in a raft down a big water slide. It was gentle enough I felt Aria was safe sitting in front of me with my legs wrapped around her, yet exciting enough that I enjoyed it, too. Every time we got to the bottom, Aria would say, "more please!" She loved it! That was probably the best part of the trip!
My dad and Justin came up after work Wednesday evening. They arrived just before 9:00 pm. We just hung out in the room when they arrived because Aria went to bed. Then, at about 3:30 am, Justin woke up with what appeared to be the stomach flu. He was up several times the rest of the early morning, sick. My mom left early for her meetings and my dad and I took Aria down for breakfast. Justin stayed in bed and we hoped this bug would pass quickly. We checked out the theme park, played in the toddler area, and rode the carousel and the swings. Then, Aria and I took my dad to the water park and took him down the fun water slide. All the while, Justin just didn't feel good. Around lunch time, we checked on Justin to see if he wanted to try eating. He actually felt bad enough we decided to have my dad take him to an urgent care place while I stayed with Aria, who was taking a nap.
At the urgent care place, they told Justin he just had the flu. They prescribed an anti-nausea medicine and sent him back to the hotel. Well, the pain just never got better. He continued to vomit and have a burning pain in his abdomen. After Aria went to bed, I looked up appendix information on the Internet and I was positive that was Justin's affliction. So, Justin, my dad, and I headed for the hospital. The doctors in the ER were pretty confident it was his appendix, as well. Something I never really considered, they said it is a lot easier to diagnose in men because they don't have much else in their lower abdomen, where women have ovaries, fallopian tubes, a uterus, etc. So, they called in the surgeon to do the appendectomy. When the surgeon came and examined him, he was leery of doing the surgery because he thought Justin's pain was too low. So, he ordered a CT scan. Long story, short, Justin's appendix just was a lot lower in his abdomen then normal. So, it was his appendix and they prepped him for surgery. The took him in around 4:00 am Friday morning. It felt like I had been awake for 24 hours, even though I had slept some here and there since the first puking episode.
Everything went well with the surgery. The surgeon actually brought the appendix out to show me when he was done. It was cool, but gross. It was actually about twice the size it should be and about ready to fall apart, according to the surgeon. Thankfully, they did the surgery when they did and it was successful. I got to see Justin about 5:30 am and we actually left the hospital by about 12:30 pm. The staff there was so good to us. They knew we were on vacation and felt bad. They said as soon as Justin could walk and pee, we could head home when we were ready. We just wanted to get home.
I am so thankful we were there with my parents because Aria stayed with my mom at the resort and didn't have to be at the hospital with us. I am also thankful we were close to a hospital and the staff was all so friendly. It was quite nice that neither of us had to drive home, too. It wasn't exactly the ideal vacation. Justin didn't seen any of the ginormous hotel, except for our room. On the way home, I almost forgot that it was snowing on our way there. The snow was all gone in Iowa and it felt like we'd been gone for weeks. We will have to try the trip again because it was sure an awesome place. I would have enjoyed it more had I not been worrying about and feeling bad for my sick husband. At least we can be sure we won't have the exact same experience again!
11.09.2011
Update
The green food coloring oatmeal produced green food coloring poop. Too hilarious not to post!
11.08.2011
Green Oatmeal
Yes, green oatmeal is what we had for breakfast this morning! No, it did not contain any mold or even spinach for that matter. It was regular oatmeal with a little green food coloring to spice up our morning! Most of the time, when asked what color something is, Aria responds with ye-yow. It must be her favorite. So, I have been making sure to label the colors of everything lately to expand her color horizon. The past two mornings I have color-coordinated her cup, bowl, plate, and utensils so we could talk about that specific color. Today, it randomly crossed my mind to color the oatmeal, too. Aria thought it was great! She laughed and had fun pointing at all the green items saying, neen. Success!
Aria was never much of a mushy substance eater, once she could have more solid things. It has been a chore for me to get her to eat oatmeal, ever. I had actually given up on making it for her until she wanted to try mine one day recently. She liked it and I have been making it more lately. She still usually doesn't eat much, but today she chowed down 3 helpings! It had to be the color effect! It also helps that I add applesauce and a little brown sugar. Unfortunately, when Daddy (prompted by me) asked her what color her oatmeal was this morning, she still said, ye-yow. So, it was a short-lived success. I guess that means we'll just have to do it again!
Aria was never much of a mushy substance eater, once she could have more solid things. It has been a chore for me to get her to eat oatmeal, ever. I had actually given up on making it for her until she wanted to try mine one day recently. She liked it and I have been making it more lately. She still usually doesn't eat much, but today she chowed down 3 helpings! It had to be the color effect! It also helps that I add applesauce and a little brown sugar. Unfortunately, when Daddy (prompted by me) asked her what color her oatmeal was this morning, she still said, ye-yow. So, it was a short-lived success. I guess that means we'll just have to do it again!
11.02.2011
The Difference of One Year
I am a nostalgic person (A-look it up in the dictionary). Throughout this entire year, I have loved looking back at where Aria was at this time last year. So, as the season of fall leaves, pumpkins, and Halloween costumes has passed, I thought I would put together a video of some great pictures of Aria, with a few 2010 flashbacks for comparison! Enjoy!
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