Love...Love...Love...Homemade Valentines

Avery's pre-school class is having their "Friendship Party" tomorrow, and opposed to buying our valentines this year, Avery and I decided to make her own.
I figured that if we took a few minutes and looked around the house, we could figure out something fun to make that would
a.) not cost anything
b.)reuse some items from the house
c.)fully involve Avery in the process.

It didn't take long for us to find a favorite craft and make it into something new and fun.

CRAYONS!

First, we stripped all of the crayons of their papers and divided them into color families. By the way...stripping the crayons is the worst part of this process, but to make it a little easier you can use a knife or razor to help remove the paper.



My grandmother gave me a few silicone molds as gifts in the past few years. After sitting in a closet (because I'm not a good baker), I decided to give them over to the craft gods...and use them to MELT CRAYONS! You can't tell by looking here, but these molds are bugs, and the little individual ones are hearts.

Avery put the broken crayons into the molds. Some of them were done by color family, some were all mixed up. I just let her have fun with it.



We melted the crayons in the oven. If this were a recipe, I would say 350 for 10 minutes. Honestly, it doesn't matter. Just put them in there until they melt. AND...please, learn from my mistakes, and be sure to put foil or parchment under the molds. I am still attempting to get the wax off of my cookie sheet.



Let the crayons cool for about an hour, then peel them out of the molds. Make sure that the crayons are completely cooled and hardened, or else it will be a big ole mess.



We made....



Hearts!



Flies!



Butterflies!



Dragonflies!

And...


Ladybugs!


Then, Avery practiced her cutting skills and cut out a ton of hearts. I wrote her classmates' names on one side of the hearts and little messages on the other side, such as...
Hi Buggy, You color me happy!
or
Hi Friend, You color my heart happy!

Avery wrote her name and decorated each Valentine with stickers. It was so cute. I would give her a valentine, and tell her who it was for. She would pick out stickers for each kid, and said things like "Ellie LOVES Sleeping Beauty" or... "Oh, I HAVE to find a horse sticker for MJ, she LOVES horses!" I loved that she took the opportunity to think about what each classmate would like.

The only thing that I bought for this little project were the little ziploc party bags from the Dollar Store.




I would say that we're pretty happy with the way they turned out.

Things I love...on a Thursday afternoon...

I'm going to post a touchy-feely...feel good post. Why? Because it's a good day. I feel on top of it, and am in an all around good mood.
So, here are the things that make me happy today...

1.) Cal and Avery played like champs this morning and got along really well. When I came back from taking Avery to school, Cal said "I'll miss Avery while she's gone". Sweeties!

2.) My sisters are home this week, so I get to take Avery to school while they stay home with the other two kiddies. I love this little alone time that I get with Avery. We sing silly songs, get to school early (as opposed to running in all crazy), and hold hands as we walk in. It's such a little thing, and it amounts to about 25 minutes, but I love it.

3.) Lillian is such a good napper. When it's time for her nap, I get her blankie, and pick her up as we head up the stairs. We spend every little step of that walk up to her bed snuggling. I kiss her and hug her and tell her at least 50 times that I love her. She snuggles into my neck and gives me a little squeeze as I lay her in her bed. She doesn't make a peep, rolls over and falls right to sleep.

4.) Mae (the other little girl that I watch) realizes that Lillian is taking a nap and immediately starts asking for a blankie too. She would rather take a nap than stay awake without Lil. She is such a sweet little girl and loves Lillian (not as much as she loves Cal though;). She doens't care what blankie she sleeps with, just as long as she gets one. Right now, she is sleeping with my pink pashmina...because it was soft. She gets hugs and kisses too on her way to bed, and now after watching her for a few months, she lays right down and falls asleep too.

5.) While Avery is at school, and the babies are sleeping, Cal and I get to hang out a little. Right now, he is kicking my butt at Mario Party.


Maybe my happy attitude has something to do with my new Keurig coffee pot. Somehow, life seems a little easier with easy access to caffeine.

Mr. Dobbins

Mr. Dobbins holding Avery

Mr. Dobbins will always be one of my favorite people. He and his wife Betty (she will always be Mrs. Dobbins to me...and another one of my favorite people), were always a solid and loving couple in our church growing up. I appreciated both of them more than I ever told them.
Mrs. Dobbins passed away in 2005, and Mr. Dobbins went to be with her this past weekend 1-1-11. I've loved them so much and for long that the reasons why sometimes seem muddled...but here are a few things that I can sort out and that you should know. I hope that you all are lucky enough to have someone as strong and special in your life as Mr. and Mrs. Dobbins.

Mr. Dobbins would sit in the back of the church on the right side. Our family sat in the same pew, but on the left side. Sometimes, I would purposely go in on his side (we were always late), just so I could give him a kiss on the cheek. He never minded that I squeezed in past him, and was always happy to see us.

Mrs. Dobbins never held her tongue. She didn't need to...she was always right. Her opinion meant about as much to me as my own mother's. She was a strong woman who was able to carry the weight of the world, run a tight kitchen (seriously...don't you DARE make a mess in the church kitchen!), take care of her children and grandchildren and never seem stressed.

Mr. Dobbins was my Grandpa Cox's friend. My Grandpa Cox was much older when he joined the church, but found a friend in Mr. Dobbins. How lucky to find someone that you have something in common with later in life! I love that they found one another. I love that Mr. Dobbins visited my Grandpa in the hospital, and I love Mr. Dobbins even more for being a friend to my sweet soft spoken Grandpa.

Mrs. Dobbins was everyone's Granny. She would stay in her chair in the church lobby after church and welcomed all of the love that came her way. Mr. Dobbins would stand near her. Later, after Betty passed away, Mr Dobbins would sit directly across where she used to sit and be ready for the hugs and kisses too.

Mr. Dobbins always held my hands when I leaned in to kiss his cheeks. His skin was soft, and he was always so gentle. He wasn't a small man, but he was sweet, loving and careful. He always remembered what was going on in my life. He was just like a grandpa.

When Chris and I were dating, Mrs. Dobbins declared that he was a good guy, and she liked him. She was an excellent judge of character. I'm pretty sure that she didn't like anyone else that I dated, so this was a BIG deal. If I wasn't sure about Chris before this, her opinion of him would have sealed the deal. Luckily for him, he got the seal of approval.

I've never seen a more devoted couple in my life. They weren't ostentatious with their love, but you just knew how deeply and madly in love they were. They built such a huge life around them, and you could tell that ever corner of that life was filled with love.

Their youngest daughter Missy took care of both of them through her life. I am so lucky to have known her for the majority of my life and to call her a friend. I love her so much, and when I think about the reasons that I love her...they are for the same reasons that I love her parents. She is loyal, devoted, loving, giving, caring, she speaks her mind, and she is a wonderful friend...and good cook;) I am so thankful that both Mr. and Mrs. Dobbins live on in her.

Mr. and Mrs. Dobbins were loyal and loving. They were there for their kids, grandkids and anyone else that needed them. I am so thankful for both of them, and the positive influence that they made on me. They were a cornerstone in my life, and I will forever be grateful to them both for being such positive role models to anyone that knew them.

A New Year...

It's 1:11 on 1-1-11. I haven't blogged in over a year, so I thought, "maybe I'll start blogging again...or maybe not". Either way, I am blogging tonight.
I'm sitting alone in our living room waiting for the call to pick up my hubby from downtown GR and his gig at the Big O. Don't feel too sorry for me. We had a great night. My parents and sisters and our great friends, the Tenneys were all here to ring in the new year(s) with us. We ordered pizza, had snacks, played games and had our fake new year celebration at 9pm, right before Chris had to leave for his gig. Our pretend NYE was complete with a shiny ball that dropped from our loft as we counted down. *For the record, the "shiny ball" was really a giant bouncy ball wrapped up in Brandie's shiny sequined sweater...you'll have to ask her about the sweater;)

Since it's been over a year since I've blogged, I decided that it might be a nice time to reflect on my favorite memories from 2010...big and small...in no particular order.

New York City
We traveled with Kenowa's Band and Orchestra to NYC this year and brought Avery with us. It was an amazing trip and Avery was a great travel partner. If you ask her what her favorite thing about the trip was, she would say "when my dad stepped in gum...and sleeping on the bus". My favorites were playing on Evelyn's playground, and taking an art class in SOHO at the Children's Museum of the Arts.

Avery's 4th birthday
We are so fortunate to have birthdays that fall in the summer months. We can have fun parties without a whole lot of planning. This year, we did a Cinderella (of course) ice cream party with make your own sundaes. Of course, we set up the Bookie slip and slide (giant tarp with Mr. Bubble). Avery loved her giant dollhouse and still plays with everything she received. Age 4 has been good to us so far. Three was a little trying, but when she turned 4, it was a like a switch was flipped. She has been so mature and independent and loving...and funny. That kid cracks me up!

Lillian's 1st birthday
Lil had a fun Ladybug party this year, and was the little belle of the ball. It is so hard to believe that she turned one. Her first year went by in a flash. She started walking at 14 months, so her birthday was nice and easy to keep her interested. She has really started to develop a funny little personality. She is also my shy child, who is not a fan of strangers (or familiar people for that matter). While it can be tough at times, I sort of love that she clings to me. I don't mind that she is still my little baby...I like it that way.

Starting...and stopping working out
I started working out religiously in January, and stopped in April (I totally got out of the habit during my trip to NYC). I actually loved working out, so I don't know why it has been so hard to get back into it. I need to start again...the end.

Farmer's Market Saturdays
I stole away a few Saturdays this summer to hit the farmer's market in GR. I know this seems so simple and meaningless, but I LOVE the farmer's market, and I LOVE having a little snippet of time to myself.

Class Reunion
Was in June, and was a pain to plan, and I thought that we were going to cancel it, and it was stressful until the end, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. I'm actually looking forward to working on another one someday and seeing everyone again.

5 year anniversary
In July, we celebrated 5 years of marriage. Man, I love that man. He is so sweet and really loves us girls. We've gone through a lot in 5 years, and I've never felt more connected to him. He is such a great partner, and I am so lucky to have him.

Trip to PA
We took a whirlwind trip to PA after Thanksgiving and it was a blast. We visited the Diesner's, hit a few DDD restaurants and had lots of fun traveling with the Tenneys.

Wine tasting in TC
Wine tasting while not pregnant is much more fun that wine tasting while pregnant. I had a blast, and hanging out with the Lobbezoo brothers and sister-in-laws makes everything better.

Dance Class
Avery is in ballet, tap and jazz, and she LOVES it! I love taking her and listening to what she is learning. She is so fun and cannot wait until June when she gets to dance "ON STAGE"!

House full of kids
It's been a literal full house over here in 2010. We've had anywhere from 2-6 kids here and it's been a little crazy. I love all the babies that I've watched (Avery, Lillian, Alex, Cal, Mae, Brenna, Dylan) and they have all given me hilarious memories. They have also helped me fall asleep at night...because I am exhausted.

Quoteables
I've had 2 new ones that crack me up:

1.) While in the car, Ricky Martin's La Vida Loca comes on...
Cal: (YELLS from the back seat) WAIT! That's my dad's favorite song!
Me: Ricky Martin sings your dad's favorite song?
Cal: Yup...he loves to dance and sing to that Spanish song!
(you have to know Jamey Tenney to really appreciate to hilarity of this story)

2.) While changing our clothes...only happened just last week...
Avery: Mom, are you cold?
Me: Nope, I'm just getting dressed.
Avery: Do boobs get bigger when you are cold?
Me: Um...what?
Avery: Do boobs get bigger when it's cold? Cuz...yous boobs are huge....like bigger than my head"
Me: Um...no, boobs don't get bigger...only nipples get bigger in the cold.
Avery: OK...good. (and she runs to play)
Me: *relieved to have dodged a more uncomfortable conversation

Repainting the porch
Chris worked his tail off to refinish and repaint the porch (I did a little painting too). It makes our house look so much better. I don't hate looking at it....the end.

Bookie Drive-ins
We held 2 Bookie Drive-Ins this year. We hang a sheet from our back deck, make a fire, pop popcorn, and watch movies in the backyard. It's a lot of fun, and the kids love it.

Lillian's first steps, first words, and lots of other firsts
What can be said? It's amazing to see Lillian move from crawling to standing to taking tentative steps to attempting to run to chase the kids. Her first words happened almost simultaneously and were "Mama" and "Dada"...perfect. Now, her favorite thing to do is to point, and say "that" and shake her head "no".

A Stroke-Free Year
Since being diagnosed last December with CADASIL, I was worried that I would immediately see some effects of the disease. Luckily, this has been such an uneventful year in regards to my health that there are times that I get to forget that I have it. I thought that it would always be on my mind, so it's nice.

Conversations about Tito
Avery has an on again, off again relationship with Tito. He is an ever-evolving entity in our lives. Apparently, he lives in Florida. Sometimes, he is her boyfriend, sometimes he is her friend. Sometimes he is old enough to drive, sometimes he is 4.
She told me that Tito isn't in love with her anymore, and I had to check myself to remember that he wasn't real...because, I almost went to his house in Florida and kicked his 4 or 16 year old tail.

Sean and Steph's anniversary
Sean and Steph celebrated a year of marriage at the end of October...we love her, and I love to celebrate the day that she became a Dick. Chris surprised them by sending their wedding DVD to their hotel room.

Christmas 2010
Cookie the Elf made another appearance and kicked of the season. Avery was REALLY into Christmas, and Lillian was REALLY into the tree. We had a great Christmas (I got a Keurig!) and I was so grateful for the great kids and family that I have.

Lots of visits to Romulus and lots of visits from my parents
While I have no interest in ever living on the east side again, for some reason, I always want to be there visiting. I can't get enough of my family. I love them all so much, and whether we are there, or they are here...I always want us to have more time together.

These are just to name a few, and I KNOW that I am forgetting some. I know that 2011 will bring more fun memories. I mean, I live with a house full of characters, how could I NOT laugh my way through another year. I wish you all a great 2011 too.

The Whole Story

I got some bittersweet news the other day. I've been holding onto this story for awhile. I wasn't quite sure that I wanted the world to know my "stuff". More importantly, I want to go on living my life as usual, as opposed to "someone with..."

Well, let me back up and give you the whole story....

The day after I had Lillian, and while still in the hospital, I had what we are calling "an episode". I was laying in the hospital bed with a room full of visitors including friends and family (10 people to be exact), and I was trying to nurse Lillian. As I was holding her, my fingers started to feel numb. I thought "hmm, this is weird, I must have pinched a nerve or something". Then, my whole hand went numb. I immediately called Chris over to take the baby as I felt the numbness move up my arm. I still thought that it might have something to do with an IV that was in that arm earlier in the day. The numbness eventually moved through my arm into my shoulder and head, and down my torso and legs...all the way to my toes. My entire right side of my body went numb. When I started to talk, I could feel the right side of my mouth droopping. I pushed the button to call the nurse, and I could tell by the look on her face that she was concerned. She went to call the resident on duty. Then, as quickly as it started, I began to regain feeling in my fingers..then my hands and arms and so on. The entire "episode" lasted less than 5 minutes, but was pretty scary.

Over the course of the next day, I went through a few tests (CT Scan, EKG, EEG, Ultrasound, and MRI). The results all seemed indicative of MS (Multiple Sclerosis). So, while we should have been celebrating and taking Lillian home, instead, we had a bit of a damper put on our day.

Throughout this time, I was also telling everyone and reminding them of my family history with CADASIL.

As we left the hospital with the news that I probably had MS, I scheduled a follow up visit to the neurologist a few weeks later. The result of the follow up visit left me feeling a little discouraged, as the Dr. was pretty certain that I had MS and were ready to start my daily doses of protein shots. I once again reminded them of my family and CADASIL. I received a call a couple of days later requesting a genetic blood test and a Lumbar Puncture (spinal tap (which was not at all as painful as I expected)). The diagnosis was still MS, but the Dr's wanted to be sure to rule out everything.

Throughout this all, Chris and I decided to tell only some friends and immediate family. We did not want it to take over our lives, and we definitely did not want people always asking questions (especially when we didn't have answers). If you were not one of the people that originally heard the news, then I'm sorry...we were just attempting to rid our lives of any undue stress.

So, fast forward to December 8 (about 4 1/2 months after my initial "episode"), and I finally had another meeting with my Dr. The good news is that I don't have MS. The bad news is that I do have CADASIL.

Unfortunately, CADASIL does not have a "cure". I can potentially lower my risk by eliminating common risk factors in strokes, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. I also have the pleasure of taking a baby aspirin everyday. I am choosing the grape flavor;)

While I was prepared for CADASIL, and am relieved that I don't have MS, I am still scared. I'm not so much scared for myself, but for my sweet, perfect little girls who now have a 50% chance of having CADASIL.

Well, I wanted to put this out there. I wanted it to be known, but I don't want to talk about it all of the time. This is one part of me, but does not define me.

Top Ten

After being a mother of 2, I've had some time to think and evaluate my job as a mom. So...I've developed my own Top 10 list of how you know that you are a mom....

10.) When your child looks like they might puke, you do not run away...instead, you form your hands into a cup, and shove them under your kids chin.

9.) You use your pinky finger to pick your childs' nose.

8.) You stop double checking your hair and makeup in the mirror before leaving the house, and instead, double check your back...to make sure there is no spit up running down.

7.) You wake up in the middle of the night, sleeping curled in a ball on the bottom of the bed, with no pillow...because your child is sleeping sideways on your pillow, and the bottom of the bed is the safest place NOT to get kicked.

6.) You switch purses, not to match your outfit, but instead to accomodate multiple diapers, juice boxes and toys.

5.) You have over 5 layers of nail polish on, because the only way your child would sit on the potty long enough to go #2, was to allow her to paint your nails...over and over and over.

4.) You've read more pages of "Good Night Moon", "Olivia", and "Go Dog Go" than you've read of any grown up magazines or books in the past year. (Hello...I have "The Lost Symbol", and "The Book Thief" sitting unread on the end tables).

3.) Instead of contemplating politics, world issues, or the meaning of life...instead you find yourself thinking..."why doesn't Little Bear wear pants?", or "Why is Dora's map so dang snotty?"..."Where the heck are Max and Ruby's parents?"

2.) You realize at 5pm that the only thing you've eaten all day was a spoonful of leftover mac and cheese and a half eaten apple slice with hair on it.....yet you still gain weight.

1.) You drive home alone in the car, only to realize that you were listening to your kid's CD the whole freaking way...AND singing along to 5 Little Monkeys...ARGHHH!

What would you add?


I love being a Mom. The End.

National Coming Out Day

As some of you know, today is National Coming Out Day, and I am feeling compelled to come out in my own way. I want to come out as a full fledged, Ally and Advocate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered individuals.

While I may not be gay, I believe that it is just as much my job to fight for equal rights for individuals and the individuals themselves. Some of the people closest to me are LGBT, and I love them, and I beleive that the overall world would be a better place if we were not only accepting, but celebratory about about all people. I feel that LGBT individuals not only have a place in our world, but make the world a better place by existing in it and being open and happy with themselves...so, here I am being happy with them.

Please know that while I use the term "coming out" as an Ally, I do not want to diminish the real meaning of "coming out", or make light of the importance of this day.

I bet that my audience of readers is split in regards to what they are thinking right now....

1/2 of you are probably thinking...well...duh Michele, we knew it all along, this is nothing new. You've seen me wear my "There are two types of women, Lesbians and those who wish they were" or "Gay...fine by me" shirts, or seen the Rainbow "Ally" Button, or "Safe Harbor" Sticker in my office. Anyways..to those that already know me in this capacity...welcome back...you can stop reading now!

For the other half of my friends, we may have never talked about this before. You may have never seen my shirts, stickers or buttons. We may not have talked since high school (when honestly...my views were quite different than what they are now).

So, why do I feel the need to "come out" as an Ally? Well, I think it's important for people to know where I stand. I think that as a straight person, I have lots of rights and priviledges that my lesbian and gay friends do not. The number one priviledge that I have is to sit quietly by, and choose to either care or not care about equal rights. My LGBT friends do not have that choice. Rights are removed from them everyday...from walking safely down the street ...to the right to marry. It's sad to me that people work so diligently to shut others' out...and remove their right to live the same way as others.

I hope that I live my life in a way that opens doors for others as opposed to closing doors. I pray that Chris and I are able to raise Avery and Lillian to be a caring, loving, open individuals. I want this next generation of children to be able to erase hate from the world, and fill it with child-like innocence and love. I know that if one or both of my girls come to me someday and tells me that she is lesbian, gay, bi, trans, or questioning...that I will open my arms to her, love her even more for her strength and continue to work to make the world a better place for her and everyone else.

Well, with that said...

Happy National Coming Out Day everyone!

MLDB

8 weeks later

There is a blog I love. I've mentioned her before at dooce.com. She is hilarious and poignant and all over sassy. I dig her.

ANYWAYS...the reason that I bring her up (again), is because she has 2 daughters too, and had her second daughter was born about 4 weeks before Lillian. In one of her earlier blogs, she described having two kids as
"...to imagine having a jazz band blasting an improvisational set in your left ear while listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing Christmas carols in your right ear, and there you are, a drummer in a rock band, and you're on stage in front of 30,000 people trying to keep the beat to an acoustic version of "God Save the Queen" by the Sex Pistols." (Could you find a quote MORE perfect for our family?)

Now, I wouldn't be that dramatic about it, because in all honesty, Lil is easy. She's a laid back baby with lots of patience and a sweet sweet smile that even makes her crying cute. Being a mom of two seems pretty natural. We've found the rhythm and are just praying that one of the girls doesn't all of a sudden go off the charts.

Our schedule is getting there. We're attempting to keep the beat. It's Marching Band season, which means that Chris is busier than normal, so I get to do more things on my own. Here's our normal week:
Monday- Wake up at 7:30-ish...shower and pump before kids wake up...Cal comes for the day....hang out all day with Avery, Cal and Lillian...stay sane. Have dinner ready by 5:15 so that Chris can be out the door by 5:30.
Tuesday--Wake up at 7:15-ish...shower and pump before the girls wake up...get Avery up and ready for school. Drop Avery off at school...work out...come home or hang out for 20 minutes, pick up Avery. Have dinner ready by 5:15 so the girls can make it back to campus for class.
Wednesday-Same as Monday
Thursday-Wake up at 7:15-ish...shower and pump before the girls wake up...get Avery up and ready for school. Wait for Cal to be dropped off. Drop Avery off at school...work out...come home or hang out for 20 minutes, pick up Avery. Have dinner ready by 5:15 so the girls can make it back to campus for class.
Friday-Same as Monday and Wednesday (without the rush on dinner)-BREATHE!

The nice thing in all of this is that the girls are making it pretty easy on me.
Like I said, Lillian is a pretty easy baby. She is happy to sit in her swing and just chill. She will lay on the floor and watch the kids run circles around her. She is on a pretty regular schedule of eating about every three hours. She starts stocking up at about 7pm, goes to bed at 9:30-ish and will sleep for about 6 hours before waking for her next feeding. We are lucky.

Now, that's not to say that there aren't challenges. Avery's bedtime has been a little difficult when Lily is wide awake. I've started giving them a bath together (Lil in her baby bath, while Avery is in the big bath with her). I'll read books to Avery with both girls on my lap, then attempt to lay Lillian down while I tuck Avery in (and lay down with her for a few minutes). It's tough to try to keep both girls happy enough to fall asleep at the same time. By the time I come downstairs to clean up, I'm exhausted. BUT, I don't dare go to bed because only God knows when I'll have a little time to myself again.

Tough time #2 is dealing with not having my body to myself. I feel like if I'm not hooked up to a pump, then I'm holding a baby, or having Avery climb all over me...it's tough. I love loving the kids, but sometimes, I need a little space.

I was so worried about having the love and time to spend with both of my girls. I've been proven wrong once again. There is no way that I could love either of my girls any more than I already do, which means that I make the time to give them that love. I can't believe that I am the mother of 2 beautiful little girls, and amidst all of the craziness, I know that I am blessed beyond belief.

Pumping....

nope...not iron. I wish. I should totally be working out more. Instead, this post is about pumping milk. I know..gross right? Well, suck it up, because being hooked up to a pump takes up such a large chunk of my life right now that I can't think of anything else to blog about.
Well, of course, there are my adorable and sweet little girls, and I should blog about them because I know that you would prefer to hear about them instead of my boobs. But...my boobs are the topic today...so deal.

I spend 20 minutes every three hours of every day pumping. That means that I spend about 200 minutes a day pumping hooked up to a machine that extracts milk from my body. Because of this, I have set up a pretty comfy little station upstairs in our bedroom. As I pump, I usually turn on a show from DVR or see what's on TV. The worst times are the times either in the middle of the night or when the DVR remote isn't working, and I can't watch TV. Do you know how long 20 minutes are when you're just sitting there? Well...it's long!
When the TV is working, I've watched hours upon hours of CSI (I LOVE THIS SHOW, and luckily it's on Spike almost all of the time), I've also watched lots of reruns of America's Next Top Model, even though I know how they end. It really sucks when the DVR remote won't work, and I'm stuck watching Wow Wow Wubbzy or some other Noggin show....arghh...and I can't change the channel...double ARGHH!

Other things I do to keep myself busy when the TV doesn't work are:
-Attempt to recall of the winners of ANTM (and runner's up)
Adrienne (Shannon)
Naima (Kaitlyn)
Eva (YaYa)
Nicole (Nik)
Danielle (Joni)
Caridee (Melrose)
Jaslene (Natasha)
Saleisha (Chantal)
Whitney (Anya)
McKey (Samantha)
and...I stopped getting CW, so no more ANTM :(

-Make up recipes in my head (only to fall asleep and forget them)

-Pretend I'm exercising and in turn getting skinny.

-Singing all of the words to various songs. Songs that I tend to sing/hum at night are:
Amazing Grace
Oh Canada
Baby Got Back
and others...

-Daydream about upcoming events
Sean's wedding
Avery starting school
Grocery Shopping
My next haircut

...oh yeah, and sometimes I fall asleep..only to wake up 45 minutes later with really sore boobs.

The End.

Birth Story

The day before Lillian was born

Lillian Michael Bookie was born at 8:16am on Monday, July 27th. I, her tired and slacker mother am just getting around to posting about it. I can't blame my lack of posts to the new baby, because I haven't posted since July 7th...I am just a slacker. The end.

Let me start by saying that this birth story is leaps and bounds different from Avery. Here's the brief version of Avery's story: I was 4 days overdue, went into labor at 1am (before I fell asleep), labored for 19 hours at the hospital, then begged for a C-section. Avery was born at 9:36pm at 6lbs 6oz, and was very anemic. All in all, it was an exhausting and emotional event. I was dramatic, tired, and overwhelmed. It was wonderful in it's own right, but it was pretty intense.

Lily on the other hand, was a totally different story. Chris was painting the basement until 10pm on Sunday night, and we left for the hospital at 5am on Monday morning...to say we were busy was a huge understatement. It was so different to KNOW exactly when we were having the baby. We hardly slept at all, and when I woke up at 4:15 to shower and pack, Avery woke up too...she stayed awake until we left then met us as the hospital at 6:45am with my mom. It was so surreal. The house was quiet, and we knew that we were leaving in order to have a baby...so odd.

Not my best look

We got to the hospital at 5:30am, where they were waiting for us. I spent about an hour filling out paperwork, and getting prepared. Brandie and my family started getting there around 6:45am, and we sat around waiting for my turn in the OR.

Everyone waiting (not so patiently), and Avery boinging her curls.

Finally, at about 7:45, I was escorted down to the OR, where I walked in to find 5 people getting everything ready. It was pretty indimidating to see all of the sharp instruments sitting on the table and to know that they were going to be cutting me open shortly. I was so awake and aware of everything, whereas with Avery, I was drugged, tired and blissfully unaware of what was going on. I walked in, sat on the table, and they started the spinal block. I was completely aware of how naked I was, and how many people were in the room with my bare butt exposed. I was laid down on the table, and Chris came into the room. I didn't feel anything. I made Chris talk to me so I wouldn't hear any weird noises, or wouldn't hear what the doctors were saying. The next thing I knew...there was a baby cry! It just happened...they said it was a girl, and I became aware of how sure I was that I was going to have a boy...I mean, I was SHOCKED to have another girl...very happy, but SHOCKED! She looked exactly like Avery, and I swore that I must have given birth to twins, just 3 years apart. She cried immediately, which was a great sound (Avery didn't cry..just sat and stared for a while), and I was able to hold her right away. Simply amazing!

Can you tell who is who?

After everything was said and done, we went to recovery, where we waited for about an hour until I was taken to my room. I got to feed Lillian for the first time (or try), and held her forever. It was such a surreal, and perfect experience.

We were taken up to our room, and everyone was finally able to meet her. We held everone off for a minute, and had Avery come in first. We wanted her to be the first one to hold Lillian. Avery brought in a bunny that she made for Lily at build a bear, and Lillian "gave" Avery her gifts (a baby doll and a book). Avery was as sweet as could be and didn't want to let go of her "new baby". There were lots of kisses shared and Avery thoroughly inspected all of Lily's fingers and toes.

She's the best big sister!

We had 10 more people pile into the room with us, so it was a little "much", and I got sick (for the first time). But, it all passed, and we were able to sit and relax a little with the new baby.
The rest of the hospital time was good. There were some ups and downs (which I'll blog about later), but all in all it was nice to "relax" a little before we came home. I sent Lily to the nursery for a few hours every night, so we got a little sleep. The nurses came in every hour or so, so it wasn't the most restful sleep, but it was sleep. Speaking of the nurses...they were great! I can't say enough about the nurses that helped us out. (Here's the shout out to Jessica, Kim, Sue #1 and #2, Barb, Bridgette...and the others that I am forgetting.) They were all wonderful and so attentive.

So...Lily is here. She is wonderful, and sleeps well, and is now eating well (I am pumping, so she is eating from the bottle...and eating a lot!). She lost 9.6% of her weight while in the hospital, so they almost didn't let us leave. She was also a little jaundiced, so we really needed to pack her full of food. I'm proud to say that she came home at 5lbs 9oz, and was 6lbs 1oz 4 days later. She weighed in at a whopping 6lbs 13oz at her 2 week appointment...so she is packing on the pounds, and growing like a weed!

Here's our Lily-bug.

Gro Babies Cloth Diapers

Chris and I have decided to cloth diaper the new baby, but are still researching the options out there. My sisters used cloth diapers as babies, but the new types of diapers have come a LONG way! Now, they have removable inserts, snaps, velcro and can be used from infant all the way through toddler/potty training. We figure that we will save at least $400-$600 by using cloth diapers. The biggest reason that I plan to cloth diaper is for environmental reasons. I used disposable diapers for Avery, and I figure that I've added way too much to the landfills already.

With all that said, I'm debating between a few different types of cloth diapers. I've received positive feedback in regards to BumGenius diapers, and have heard good things about Fuzzibuns too. I'm really intrigued by diapers made by work at home moms, but it's hard because they don't come with a lot of referrals. I also really like the idea of GroBaby diapers. We found them at our local baby boutique yesterday, and I love that they are organic, natural and come with snap in liners, so I only have to change the liners instead of the whole shell every diaper change. This leads to a lot less washes. Also, because the shells don't have to be changed everytime, we don' t have to buy as many diaper shells.

GroBaby is doing a free giveaway right now, so I am hoping to get a diaper to try out for myself. http://www.thenaturalbabyco.com/grobaby%E2%84%A2-ic-11_16.html

Let's hope it all works out! I still have to convince Chris about the cloth diapering...I think he's a little tentative about dealing with the nastiness.

Any suggestions out there are readily accepted!

Oldies but goodies

When I was pregnant with Avery, I started a blog over on MySpace (which I rarely use anymore). For whatever reason, I decided to check it out this morning and reread some of the blogs that I posted over there. I know that this is cheating by not posting a new blog, but here are some of the oldies from my pregnant days with Avery.
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Sunday, September 03, 2006 She's HEERRREE!!!!! Hello friends and family, First of all thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, visits and phone calls. It is amazing to Chris and I how lucky we are to have you all with us! Well if you haven't heard already, our little baby girl was born this past Thursday. So let's cut to the chase and give you the facts. Avery RoseLea Born: 8/31/06 Time: 8:38pm Length: 18 1/2 in Weight: 6pds 6oz Her middle name is the combination of both of our mothers' middle names. His mom's name -Rose, and my mom's - Lea. Avery and I are both doing very well. I had a C-section so we were at the hospital until this (Sunday) afternoon. Let me tell you, the birthing process is the scariest and happiest event of my life. After over 19 hours of labor followed by a C-Section, my baby girl was here...and nothing else mattered. Now, don't get me wrong...there was pain, but seeing her little face was the best drug in the world! The second best thing in the world...seeing Chris as a dad. He is the best dad. I wasn't able to do much moving around, and he cared for her and I both for the entire time that we were in the hospital. He's so great! Avery is perfect. The minute that I saw her, I knew that she was both beautiful and smart. I can't believe she is ours. She was much smaller than I expected. I mean...really, look at Chris and I...we were expecting at least an 8lb baby, so when she came out less than 7, everyone was shocked..even the Doctors. Avery was a little pale when she was born, due to anemia and low hemoglobin counts, but she is doing much better. Her counts are up, and they aren't too worried. She also has a touch of jaundice, so we were sent home with a bilirubin blanket that she wears all the time. She is our sweet little glow-worm. Talk to you soon, Mama, Daddy and Avery P.S. Chris is working on putting together a page of all of her pictures. We have taken more photos in the past 2 days than we did on our entire honeymoon. Powered by English Albanian Arabic Bulgarian Catalan Chinese Croatian Czech Danish Dutch Estonian Filipino Finnish French Galician German Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Indonesian Italian Japanese Korean Latvian Lithuanian Maltese Norwegian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese

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Sunday, August 20, 2006 1 week left Arghhh... no baby yet. I've realized that I have to preface every phone call, voicemail, e-mail and conversation with "no baby yet". I am one week away, but I have been praying that she will come early. If she is anything like her mama, she will be late because she is still trying to pick out the perfect outfit. We've officially attempted everything to get labor going. I won't go into complete details, but we tried spicy Indian food...long walks, and some other stuff...and no baby. AND....I ate a whole McDonalds cheeseburger today. I'm not sure what type of drugs they add to those things, but GOD it was good. Now, I just have to wait to see if I get ill tonight. On the other hand, if I go into labor tonight, it's back to Mickey D's all the way! So, in the meantime, here we are...Chris and I...just waiting. I love this man! He rubs my swollen puffy feet, and doesn't make fun of my waddle. He even takes the blame when I burp in public. He's the best, but I know that deep down, he is hoping and praying that he will get his pre-pregnancy, less hormonal wife back soon. So, hopefully the next blog will be a happy announcement. Until then....the end. MLDB

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Monday, July 24, 2006 5 more weeks and counting..... I've hit the 5 week mark. 34 days to be exact! The nursery is done, her diaper bag is packed, all we need to do is insert the baby into the picture and we will be one happy family. For those of you that have been following this pregnancy, here is what I have learned in the past few weeks: 1.) Once a stomach sleeper..always a stomach sleeper. I try to roll to my belly every night, only to find that I am laying on top of a bowling ball. 2.) Being pregnant gives you many rights that you never had before, like: taking the elevator up only one flight of stairs, eating ice cream ANYTIME you want, getting the front seat (even when someone else calls shotgun), and most important...acting crazy (blame it on the hormones). 3.) People will touch your belly whether you want them to or not. I figure...let em' touch it...shoot...I'm sure I won't even want to look at it once this baby is out. 4.) Pregnant clothes are MUCH more comfy than regular clothes. I am afraid that I won't want to make the transition back to button up jeans once it's time. 5.) Waking up 4 times to go to the pee is normal. Falling asleep on the toilet...is not, BUT-it's pretty darn convenient and saves you that extra trip to the bathroom later. There's my Deep Thoughts..by Michele Lynn-Dick Bookie. The End.

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Thursday, June 29 Fryburgers I have a problem. I haven't had red meat/pork in about 14 years. Now, at almost 32 weeks pregnant...I want a McDonald's cheeseburger. As I am explaining my dilemma to my friend Brandie, she tells me about the fryburger. You order a cheeseburger (no meat), and add french fries. So...I tried it! It's not exactly what I remember a cheeseburger tasting like, but I do believe it did the trick! I don't want cheeseburgers...or fryburgers anymore! So, when in doubt...make do. Now, if I can only find an adequate substitute for the ice cream that I want every minute of every day. The End. Powered by English Albanian Arabic Bulgarian Catalan Chinese Croatian Czech Danish Dutch Estonian Filipino Finnish French Galician German Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Indonesian Italian Japanese Korean Latvian Lithuanian Maltese Norwegian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese

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Wednesday, June 28, 2006 OK...I think I'm ready The nursery isn't done, and I'm still a few weeks from having this little one, but I think I am done. I'm not sure, but I think that I have experienced almost everything there is to experience in regards to pregnancy. I wake up AT LEAST 4 times a night to pee. I toss and turn all night. I can feel my little girl stretching into my ribs and my pubic bone at the same time. Sometimes I feel like I might have a foot-shaped bruise imprinted just to the right of my belly button. Only about 8 weeks left, but I sure hope they go fast..or I wish that I could at least sleep them away. Being pregnant has been pretty easy, so I can't really complain...but I'm ready to be done for sure. The End. M Powered by English Albanian Arabic Bulgarian Catalan Chinese Croatian Czech Danish Dutch Estonian Filipino Finnish French Galician German Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Indonesian Italian Japanese Korean Latvian Lithuanian Maltese Norwegian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese

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Friday, May 12, 2006 Hi...my name is Michele, and I have a problem... ...I am nesting. Well...not your traditional nesting, but I am shopping/nesting. It's garage sale season. I have never been a big "saler", but I have become addicted. My child still has about 3 more months of belly time, and I have purchased more clothes for her than I have for myself. I think I have a sickness. My baby is going to be the most frugally, but best dressed kid around. So, if you see me lurking in your neighborhood, call Baby Clothes Anonymous...because I need help. The End

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Tuesday, May 09, 2006 My Belly Button..better known as the Grand Canyon. Current mood: contemplative When I was in high school (and smaller than I am now). I wore this cute little two piece bathing suit to Cedar Point. I remember standing in line with my friends, and measuring who had the deepest belly button. I won by a landslide. Now..I am six months pregnant. You would think that this baby inside me would help push the belly button out. NOPE. I still have a CRAZY deep belly button. It's insane to me...I swear that if I push in it, I will turn inside out. That's my pregnant rant for the day. That...and my unborn daughter keeps kicking me directly in the "you know what". The End

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Monday, April 10, 2006 We had our ultrasound, and it's a..... Current mood: excited GIRL!!!! We are so excited. I'm not surprised. I had a feeling all along that we were having a girl. I think that Chris is still reeling from the idea of having a daughter. He's already starting to "bulk" up for her first date. We got to see her kicking and punching and rolling all over the place. I think she is going to be a drummer just like her daddy. Have fun everyone. M

My MJ Memory

Thriller came out when I was in the first grade. My parents bought me the record, and I would open it to expose Michael in a white suit with the tiger cub, and give him little kisses.
My elementary school hosted a MJ day, where we were encouraged to dress up as Michael OR wear all of our MJ paraphernalia. So, I dressed in my 3/4 sleeve screened t-shirt, one woven glove and a zippered coat with lots of MJ buttons.
The principal came around to all of the classrooms and asked those of us that dressed if we were ready for the big contest. I (being 6), got in line and followed all the rest of the kids to the music room. As I stood with the other kids in the music room, I listened as each kid was introduced to the stage to be in a MOONWALK CONTEST...WHAT? I thought that this contest was to determine who had the best clothes? So, I cried. I walked over to the principal and told him that I didn't want to Moonwalk...I wanted my mom.
You know...I never did learn how to moonwalk.

34 months and 34 weeks

I get a weekly e-mail from babycenter.com, and have been getting them since I was pregnant with Avery. They send updates about pregnancy or child development. Since I've been pregnant this time, I've received 2 e-mails a week (one to chart the pregnancy and one to chart Avery). Anyway, there was a theme is this week's e-mails. Avery is 34 months and I am 34 weeks pregnant. I know it's meaningless, but it seemed like such an odd coincidence that I thought it was blog-worthy.

This coincidence also got me thinking about what it's going to be like to bring another baby home, and how different it will be this time. I feel like I spend more time thinking about Avery and her feelings and reactions to this child than I do spend thinking about the baby itself. I know that she is going to be a great big sister...I have no doubt. She plays baby all the time, and is always interested in helping (especially if a baby in involved). On the other hand...I love her so much that I can't stomach the idea of her feeling left out of anything. Tears are in my eyes right now as I think about the fact that she won't be able to spend the nights in the hospital with us. I'm so excited for her to meet her new brother or sister, but scared to death that my heart might explode from loving two kids too much.

I'm overwhelmed today. I have a million things running through my head. I haven't done ANYTHING to prepare for this child. Well, I guess I've done a few things (like gestating), like returning Avery's old bottles for BPA free, and dusted off the swing, and sorted through Avery's old cloths. But, other than that...nothing. Avery and the baby will be sharing a room, and we never took the crib down when we moved in...so that's done...but, that's it. I feel like I did so much preparing for Avery's arrival that this baby is getting the short end of the stick.

I'm also a little nervous about how I'm going to be able to balance it all. I'm really hoping to breast feed (better than I did with Avery), so how do I go about my normal day with a kid on my boob? I want to teach Avery patience, but I don't want to tell her "wait" all of the time and make her feel like she is second. I'm so thankful that I'll have Chris and family here for a few weeks (and my sisters moving in in August), but I also understand that it will be up to me to keep a lot of these balls in the air. It's going to be interesting at the least, and I'm sure there will be a meltdown or two along the way.

I know that I've mentioned my favorite blogger before. Well, she recently had her second child, and gave a vivid (and very appropriate example considering our family's love of music and Chris's profession) about what it is like to bring a second child home.
"I think the best way to describe what it's been like to bring a second child into the family is to imagine having a jazz band blasting an improvisational set in your left ear while listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing Christmas carols in your right ear, and there you are, a drummer in a rock band, and you're on stage in front of 30,000 people trying to keep the beat to an acoustic version of "God Save the Queen" by the Sex Pistols."

Oh God....what have I gotten myself into?

Daddy's Girl

I am really blessed to have a husband that is really involved with parenting. He is a great husband and an even better dad (even when he does Avery's hair in a CRAZY ponytail, and dresses her in old t-shirts). I realize that being a stay at home mom would never work for me if Chris weren't willing to come home and pitch in. He sweeps in, takes care of business, and usually gives me a much needed break.

On the other hand, I'm jealous. Because Chris works everyday, Avery has an opportunity to miss him. She never misses me (because I'm always here). Between Avery missing Chris, AND her developmental phase (hello Freud)...she is going through a HUGE Daddy phase. I can't compete. She wants him for everything. He has to put her to bed. He has to give her a bath. She wants to be next to him, holding hands and snuggling all the time. Don't get me wrong...she still seeks me out when she needs a drink, or gets hurt, or is tattling on the other kids. I just don't get the snuggles as much now as Chris does. I have to wrestle her in order to get a goodnight kiss.

This Daddy phase may be really good timing, as we prepare for the new baby, maybe she won't get as jealous when I have to spend time with the new baby. She'll have Chris's attention..but maybe she'll start to miss me a little too.

Part of me is happy for the relief, but the other part of me hopes she grows out of this stage soon.
I love this little girl more than I can explain...I make sure to tell her everyday, and I'll wait until she wants to be Mommy's girl again.

Great Wolf Lodge

We had fun...we played in the water...we were tired...we came home...the end!

Avery was a daddy's girl for most of the weekend.

Here's the bed that Avery never slept in. She insisted in sleeping in our bed instead. No romance for Chris;)

Avery's favorite activity was sitting in the "warm pool"....she's definitely my kid! (Please ignore the overly large woman sitting next to sweet Avery. She showed up in the mirror one morning, and won't leave until after July 27th).

Avery had a "friend pick-up line". She would go up to little girls and say "Where's your mommy?" in a concerned voice. Then she would say "what's your name". It was sweet. After meeting the friends for a few minutes, she would give them a hug and move on.

Here's the slide that we spent HOURS on.

All in all, it was a great weekend!