Christmas 2010

We were planning on staying home for Christmas, but all 3 of my brothers were going to be in WI, and I found really cheap airline tickets, so we spent it in WI instead.

Here is a brief outline of the highlights from the week....

(All photos are from my phone as I was too nervous to bring the expensive camera with me.) 


1- Time to spend with family.  I especially enjoy playing cards and lots of good food.  Daron brought Feifei home so we got to get to know her better.  Kevin stayed home for the first 2-3 nights before partaking is his more active night-life which was nice! :)

2- Visiting the Kestell's farm with the kids (also kindly referred to as Papa's farm).

 Erik loves feeding the calves.

(They are not grass fed! but still fun to feed.)

 Ready to feed the calves.  She held the bottle up 

to the calf for about 30 seconds and then wanted me to take over.

Erik would not get on this tractor - too big. 

3- Watching my brothers excel at the role of uncle.  Daron left a day after we got there so the kids spent most of their uncle time with Kevin and Colin.  Thank you boys for being willing to get on the floor and roughhouse, take the kids outside and build a snowman, answer "Why?" a hundred times, etc.  The kids love it. 

Erik bumped Colin on the head.  He felt bad and 

"fixed" Colin with a bandaid, which Colin wore for 2-3 hours.

4- Spending time with Grandpa and Grandma (my parents).   Some of the things they did with the kids include.. reading, baking, sledding (or being pulled on a sled), going out to the "big shed" to look at the tractor, playing. 

 Bedtime stories

5- Spending time with friends.  I was able to spend some time with my college friends Nicki and Liz in addition to my high school friend Katie.  I didn't make it to Waukesha this time which was disappointing but holiday visits are tough because everyone is busy.

6- Sledding.  I love to sled.  Winters in the DC area usually don't provide a lot of sledding opportunities (with the exception of last year).  My parents have a great sledding hill so despite being almost 28 weeks pregnant I did go down the hill a few times.  Fun!  Both Erik and Lainey were willing to sled this year but were DONE after 3 trips down the hill.  Baby boy is fine! 

The Hill!

Victor "smiling"

It was a nice way to wrap up 2010!  

Thanks for hosting us Mom and Dad!

Baby #3- 27 weeks

Physical:  

Still feeling great.  I really don't feel slowed down by the pregnancy at all.  Occasional heart burn - nothing significant.  My bladder/pelvic-floor muscles seem to have been weakened by 3 back to back pregnancies which is a little annoying.  I am quite tired but I think that is secondary to going to bed too late more than being pregnant.

Exercise:

Unchanged -- still weight lifting 3 times a week and doing cardio 3 times a week.  Trying to get walks in some days just to get outside.

Weight Gain:  

12 pounds -- we'll see how a trip home and  Christmas affects this

Baby boy:

Seems to be doing well.  At my appointment yesterday I measured 25 cm (should be about equivalent to the weeks you are).  I was always 2-3 cm behind when pregnant with Lainey too.  My doctor isn't concerned and says, " When you have no abdominal fat I expect you to measure a little small."  That comment alone makes him worth the 90+ minute drive!  

The baby is active but seems a little quieter to me than Erik and Lainey.  I wonder if I just have less time to notice him or if he is actually quieter.  

Dr. Kacedan did a brief ultrasound to check fluid levels and verify growth (since I was a little small and mentioned he is my quietest baby so far).  Everything looked good.  He is still a boy.  He measured around the 40% for weight --a little over 2 pounds now (2 pounds 3 ounces)!  He is still extremely low in my pelvis.  His head is down and so low it makes getting measurements of his head (via ultrasound) almost impossible.

I did my blood glucose test yesterday.  I don't have the results yet but will be shocked if I don't pass.  The last two pregnancies my blood sugar was always around 60 after drinking the glucose syrup.  It has to be over 140 to fail.  

My next appointment is in 4 weeks. 

We are about 80% certain of his name - still deciding between a few middle names.  We are excited to meet this little baby!

Baby Talk - Bird and Bees Style

This afternoon I was laying on the couch.  Both kids were sitting on top of me.  I asked Erik what he thinks we should name the baby (we still haven't decided for sure) which led to this conversation....

Erik:  We will have to name the baby boy in my tummy too. The same as yours Mommy!

Me: What do you think we should name him?

Erik:  I don't know Mommy.  He is still very tiny so we don't have to name him yet.

Me:  Well, the baby is actually getting pretty big now.  I showed him a photo of a 26-27 week baby and approximated with my fingers how long the baby is now.

Erik:  If he is that big Mommy how is he going to get out?

Me:  (Oh dear!)  Well, when the baby is ready to be born Mommy and Daddy will go to the hospital and the doctor will help the baby get out.

Erik: How Mommy?

Me:  Well, God makes a special opening for the baby when he is ready to come out.

Erik:  Through your penis Mommy?

Me:  Uh no!  A different opening that only Mommy's have.

Erik:  Where is it? 

Me:  (Great!) By my bottom.

Erik:  (Wide eyes)  Oh.  Okay. When my baby gets bigger I'll have to go to the doctor to get him out too.

Me:  Well, your baby is just pretend honey.

Erik:  No it's not!  It's real!

Me:  We'll see honey.

Erik:  Mommy, did you know that at the baby doctor there is a green tank with oil in it?

Me: No, I didn't.  Is it for baby's?

Erik:  Noooo Mommy!  It's for your car in case you need oil to fix it.

Me:  Oh.  Okay.  Thanks for letting me know honey!


He is thinking about this baby and very excited to meet his brother!

Baker Genes

Erik's middle is Wayne after my sweet, wonderful Grandpa. Grandpa is no longer with us but it seems some of his, less-than sought after genes, still are.  What might that be?  Puking.  Motion sickness to be exact.

Yep - Erik has inherited that gene.  I've know this since he was about 18 months old and am quite vigilant about keeping him drugged for all car rides over 30 minutes. 

Today, as we were on our way back from the library (only 2nd outing in 8 days due to the recent illnesses in our house), Erik vomited all over himself, his car seat, and Lainey's car seat.  How did he get it on both car seats?  Well, their seats are next to each other and Lainey's car seat is still backward so it was in the way. 

Poor Erik, Poor Lainey (she was actually spared but I am sure the visual was not great), Poor Mommy, and Poor Daddy (I left the worst clean up for him!). 

15 minute car ride - first 10 minutes he was looking at a book.  I knew better (I NEVER let him look at books in the car) but for some reason I made an exception today.  Lesson learned. 

I will have to think LONG and HARD before I give another child a Baker-related middle name! Ha!

Preschool Christmas Party

Lainey loves Erik's school and struts around as though she is one of the students.  It is pretty funny.  The teacher's know her by name (even though Erik has only been to school 5 times).  Lainey was very happy she got to stay at school for a little while today.

The Christmas party just consisted of 4 activities - kids were divided into groups of 4 or 5.  It was simple and the kids had fun. Lainey participated in all of the activities.  Erik was being a stinker and not cooperating if I was anywhere near him.  Err!  Annoying.  The teachers say he is a "model student" during the regular school days.

I am planning on putting Erik in the 3 year old class again next year because those are the kids he will be in kindergarten with (rather then keeping him with his current classmates who will be a year ahead of him).  Erik's teachers teach both the 3 and 4 year old program.  Assuming the teachers stay the same they will be teaching my kids for 6 years in a row!  Longer than that if we decide to have 4 kids (don't read into this - this is not the current plan).  We will know them well! 

2010- Erik 3 year program
2011-Erik 3 yr program
2012-Erik 4 yr program/Lainey 3 yr program
2013-Lainey 4 yr program
2014-Baby boy - 3 yr program
2015-Baby boy - 4 yr program

This makes me chuckle!  Good thing I really like the teachers!

"Sick" Update -part 5

Erik:
Much better! Yay!
Still has an asthma/bronchitis cough if too active - using the nebulizer 3x a day.
Went too school today - came home tired but otherwise fine!
They had a Christmas party so Lainey and I were there the last 45 minutes.  He was most definitely not the sickest kid in the room! Ugh!  I made him double scrub his hands before eating lunch.

Lainey:
Still congested and coughing but fever free.  Seems like a "cold" now more than anything.
Poor sleeping!
Still on amoxicillin 3xday, Bromax 2xday, and Ibuprofen as needed.
I am hoping and praying the fluid in her ears improves before we get on the plane on Saturday.

Sick Update-part 4

Erik:

Fever free
Appetite is improving
Still has little to no exercise tolerance -- if he does anything active it sends him into a huge coughing/vomiting fit

Elaina:

Pretty crummy
Fever ranging from 99-101
Bad cough - coughing fits if too active
Complaining that her ears hurt still

I am probably going to end up taking Lainey in again before we leave.  I have been using Erik's nebulizer on her as well as him which seems to help.

Clinic Confusion:

I talked to the practice manager this morning.  Thankfully, I was much less irritated about the closed clinic this morning than I was Friday evening and was totally calm and polite when talking to her.  Why is that so important?  Well, it seems the blame doesn't actually fall on the clinic but on my HUSBAND!  She quickly informed me that she talked to him on Friday and told him that the clinic would be closing early and we needed to reschedule.  He suggested that she call me.  She said she left a message on my voice mail (I didn't have a message) but during all the confusion and phone calls that were made on Friday night never once did Victor volunteer that he had been informed earlier in the day that the clinic was closing early.  Nor did he volunteer this info when I told him I put it in the blog or when I told him I was going to call the practice manager this morning to find out why the clinic was closed on Friday evening.

I was not quite as calm when I talked to him this morning (after looking like a complete idiot to the practice manager).

As I said, I like the doctor a lot, and since the clinic confusion was not the fault of the doctor's office we have no need to find a new doctor.  I am glad for that.

Notable Quotes- Erik

1) Erik loves his little sister.  I frequently called Lainey "Sweetie."  Erik mimics this but has his own version.  At least 2-3 times a day he will say to Lainey, "How are you my Sweet Tea?"  Two separate words.  So cute!

2) Erik is convinced that he also has a baby in his tummy.  It is a boy, just like mine, and for the past few months is going to be born in "2 more days."  He tells Lainey all about how we are going to have 2 new babies and has Lainey feel his baby kick.  I think this is so cute - not sure when he will figure it isn't really true. 

Feeling the baby

3) Erik is a pretty shy 3 year old therefore, he hasn't blurted too many embarrassing things outloud while in public.  Recently he was playing with Grandpa Miin and I overheard him ask, "Grandpa, Do you need to go poopies?"  We ask Erik this if he is extra gassy - I guess, when you are 3, it would only make sense to ask other people that as well.  Sorry Grandpa!

Sick Update- part 3

Lainey:

-Fever around 101
-Bad cough
-Still eating and drinking okay; playful
-Basically seems to have a bad cold/cough; not as bad as Erik was

Erik:

-Fever is gone
-Still has bad cough
-Little more energy -- will play for 30-45 minutes at a time but if too active has coughing fits
-Still hasn't eaten anything since Tuesday at breakfast; drinking okay
-60% better I think -- much better than the "so sick all I can do is lay on your lap and cry" state he was in on Wednesday and Thursday

Since the kids are too sick to go outside I brought the outdoors in....

Erik was scheduled for a follow-up visit last night at 6:30 pm (I have the appointment card to prove it).  We showed up and the office was closed.  What??  This is the same clinic that caused this headache a few weeks ago.  I will be talking to the practice manager on Monday.  Ridiculous. 

I really like the pediatrician and feel as though Erik and Elaina received excellent care while we were there on Thursday.   It is hard to go to a medical provider that has a poorly run office though as it can really jeopardize patients care.  I am not sure what we are going to do but if the Practice Manager doesn't have a VERY good explanation as to why the clinic was closed during our scheduled visit (that was scheduled just 24 hours before) it will be the last time they see us. Sad because the physician seems excellent.

Sick Update - 12/17/10

Lainey:

If now febrile.  Great.  Only 100.5 so far but that is how Erik was at first.  She has a really junky cough and doesn't feel well.  She is already getting amoxicillin and bromax (cough syrup and antihistimine).  I am going to ask the pediatrician tonight if he is okay with me using Erik's nebulizer for her if she gets worse over the weekend. 

Erik:

His fever is lower this morning but he still isn't feeling well.  He is still coughing a lot (of course - he does have pneumonia after all). I have to bribe him to drink juice/water/milk and he won't eat anything at all (hasn't had food cross his lips since Wednesday).  He slept well last night (although Victor woke him up for the breathing treatment at 2 am).  He seemed a little more energetic this morning and did puzzles for almost an hour. He has since then resumed his position on the couch and is watching Veggies Tales.  I do think the breathing treatments are really helpful and give him a break from coughing for 1-2 hours after he gets them.  He has a follow up appointment tonight with the pediatrician.

It snowed here yesterday which, with the exception of 2009, is quite rare here.  Erik loves the snow and wants so badly to go outside and make "snow tracks with his shoes."  I may take him outside for 5 minutes while Lainey is napping.  I am sure it won't make things worse but I feel a little ridiculous taking my sick kid outside. 

99 days

Left until my due date!  I always like ticking down into double digits.  I feel like it is getting closer - about 2/3rds done.

Sick Update

Both kids are sick again.  As I mentioned in an earlier post Erik has a fever, cough, and stomach ache and has been extremely miserable since Tuesday afternoon.  I took them both in this morning.

Erik:

Has left-sided hilar pneumonia in addition to x-ray evidence of bronchial inflammation (bronchitis).
At the doctor he had to endure a strep test (negative), blood draw (in the arm), nebulizer treatment, and chest x-ray. 
He did really well; cried with the blood draw but was otherwise okay.  He cried hardest when they put on a band aid -- he HATES them and they irritate his skin (I forgot to tell the tech that).
His CBC showed WBC suppression which is indicative of a viral infection/pneumonia.
He is on Zithromax (although it may not be effective since the pneumonia is likely viral), Albuterol nebulizer q6hours around the clock, Bromax (a cough suppressant/antihistamine) 1-2x a day.
We are taking him back tomorrow evening for a follow up visit.
His pediatrician said he would assume at this point that Erik has asthma and will need to be seen by a pulmonologist after the pneumonia resolves.

Lainey:

Has been complaining that her ear hurts since Saturday. She has had a cold for about 2 weeks as well.  
I checked her ears earlier and saw that one was red but didn't look really infected.  Both ears were full of fluid.
Her doctor agreed that most of her pain is probably from the fluid but she does have a mild infection too (#7).
They did a tympanometry test today which test checks to see if her ear drums are moving.  They are not.  She pretty much had a flat line instead of a bell curve.  Great!
She is on Amoxicillin plus Bromax to try to alleviate the fluid.
We follow up in 2 weeks.  They will repeat the tympanometry test again then.  I assume she will be referred to an ENT in the near future as well.
I really, really don't want her to have to have tubes but it is looking like that is the way things are headed.

18 month stats:
Height: 32.75 inches (80%)
Weight: 22 pounds (17%)

Lainey doing puzzles

Here is a much better video of Lainey doing a puzzle....


Puzzle

18 Months

Lainey --

You are a sweet, funny 18 month old little girl now.  You have changed SO much this month.  You do not seem like a baby at all anymore.  Amazing how fast time goes!

Here is what you are up to now....

Eating:
-still picky; eat well some weeks and other weeks almost nothing
-No vegetables actually get swallowed except for black beans, olives, and corn
- Very good at eating independently with a spoon, fork, and regular glasses

Shirt off (because she kept taking it off) drinking out of a regular cup

Teeth:
-Still only have 8

Sleep:
-Still taking 2 naps a day.  The morning nap I limit to 30 minutes.  You usually sleep 1.5-2 hours in the afternoon
- You usually sleep from approximately 7:30 pm - 6:00 am (not at all uncommon for you to be up by 5:30)
-You sleep through the night unless you are sick - which recently has been quite a bit
- You have a favorite blanket now but will still sleep without it.  You do like to snuggle in it before bed and carry it with you when you first get up from sleeping.

Health:
-You had a double ear infection 2 weeks ago (#6).  You have a crummy cold again and your right ear looks a little pink again but not actually infected yet -- we'll see what the doctor thinks at your appointment Thursday.  I am hoping it clears on its own.

Talking:
-You talk a LOT!  All day long.  It is so cute!  I am sure you initiate saying at least 50 words but can say more than that.  Occasionally you will put two words together - not often though.
-You sometimes call Victor by name (like Erik does) which I find hilarious
-Short list of things you say....  Stop, Out, OW, Off, Uh Oh, Down, Up, Dog, Erik, Mama, Dada, Victor, Papa, Mine, No, Please, Milk, Water, Wet, Diaper, Butt, Poop, Baby, Duck, Truck, Hot, Fire, Button, Hat, Blanket, Bird, Cheese, Computer, Apple, Ball, Choo Choo, Kitty, Bed, Puzzle, Hi, Hello, Bye.  There are more but I can't think of them at the moment.

Diapers:
-You tell me whenever you poop and often when you have a wet diaper.  You will sometimes bring me a diaper and ask to be changed.  I am thinking about getting out the potty chair after Christmas and having you sit on it a few times a day to see what happens.

Development:
-You are already in the " All By Myself" stage!  Erik has never really gone through this so this is new for me! :)
-You can get your own pants on and off.  You try SO desperately to get your shirt and jacket on but can't.  You get SO mad when we have to get you dressed.  You like to take your shirt off and do frequently throughout the day.
- You know a lot of body parts -- hands, arms, feet, legs, head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, belly button, butt, bottom.
-You can do 2 eight piece board puzzles on your own!  I am so surprised that you are able to do this already.  I don't know if Erik just wasn't interested or if you are just "super smart" but I know that he didn't do puzzles until much later than 18 months.
-I have heard you "counting" 1,2,3 to yourself a couple of times.  I am certain you have no idea what it means but it is funny to hear you repeat what I must say to Erik throughout the day!
-You LOVE music and dance whenever it is playing.  At library story hour you are starting to be able to follow along and do the correct dance moves at the appropriate time.  This is so cute!  Erik on the other hand has never liked music and sits on the floor like a lump of coal during the musical aspect of story hour.  You want Erik to participate too and always grab him by the hand and say, "UP!" He doesn't listen!
- You also love coloring,  playing with Erik and imitating what he does, babies, and dogs!

You are really a joyful little girl.  You love people and attention.  You have a silly sense of humor and make me laugh out loud at least 2-3 times a day.  You are loved more than you know!

18 month stats:
Height: 32.75 inches (80%)

Weight: 22 pounds (17%)

(Erik was 32.5 inches and 24lb 12 ounces at 18 months.)

Baby It's Cold Outside

 Not quite as cold as it is in WI but still quite chilly (9 degrees with the wind).  Lainey didn't seem to mind and snoozed during our morning walk like most mornings.  She was wrapped up in 3 blankets in addition to her winter gear.

Erik is not feeling well.  He told me yesterday at lunch that his stomach was sick but didn't actually get sick at all.  Both kids have colds so he was coughing but had no other symptoms.  I sent him to school this morning - he was okay but looked really tired when I picked him up. 

He was still complaining of a stomachache after school but ate lunch and dinner.  This evening he had a temp of 101.3 and was fairly lethargic. I am guessing it is just a virus but if he is still sick on Thursday I'll have the doctor check for strep when I take Lainey in for her 18 month appointment.

I am hoping he is better in the morning.

Perspective

At the church we have attended the past few weeks the pastor has been focusing on Christmas.  He has been reminding the congregation of the importance what Christmas is really about - Christ's birth - and challenging people not to get distracted by the secular aspect of Christmas (spending, spending, spending).

Today I got a letter from one of the kids we sponsor through Compassion International.  Compassion is an organization that provides financial support for needy kids all around the world.  It costs about $40 a month to sponsor a child but this often provides enough money to keep the kids in school, clothed, and fed.  Compassion also offers other extra curricular activities for the kids to keep them off of the streets. It is a Christian based organization with a goal to teach kids about Jesus but while doing that they manage to save a lot of them from poverty and illiteracy.  There is very little overhead so you know almost all of your money goes directly to the kids and their families.

We sponsor 2 kids - a boy named Luis who shares Erik's birthday and a girl named Judith who shares Lainey's birthday.  Once baby boy is born I will pick a 3rd child that shares a birthday with him.  We sponsor the kids until they turn 18.  It is my hope that as our kids grow they will develop a heart to help those in need as well.

One neat aspect of Compassion is that you can write letters to your sponsored kids.  I have tried to send one letter a month and almost always get a letter and picture/drawing in return from the kids.  I love hearing from them!

We sent each child an extra $20 for Christmas presents.  Here is the thank you note from Luis (he is eight years old)....

" Dear Ann,

I greet you with much care wishing that when you receive this letter you will be very well.  I want to thank you for the gift you have sent me of 20 dollars.  I was able to buy a pack of cookies ($1), a bag of coffee ($1.55), a bag of milk ($2.50), a box of cereal ($2.50), 7 pounds of sugar ($2.75), mayonnaise ($1.25), cooking oil ($1.30), 2 pounds of salt (0.24), 2 packs of spaghetti ($0.70), 2 pounds of rice ($1.30), a bottle of spices ($1.40), detergent ($1.35), a toy car ($1.75), 2 cans of soup ($ 0.41).  Thank you very much.  My mother also thanks you very much.  I say good bye and I send you a strong hug.  

Love, Luis  "

I am sufficiently humbled.

If you are interested in sponsoring a Compassion child go here.  They take one time donations and have a special Christmas program available now.  

Baby #3- 25 weeks

25 weeks

Physical: 
Feeling really well.  No complaints except for being more tired than normal this week.  I have been needing to be in bed by 9:30 every night.

Activity:
Still going to the gym but the last two weeks my routine has been a little off.  We celebrated Thanksgiving, our Anniversary, and hosted the Chens. Plus it has been unseasonably cold so outdoor activities have been difficult and Victor was out of the house 2 nights this week for volleyball (he played a total of 11 matches instead of the normal 3).  Anyway, I have been feeling a little caged in and gross from eating more than I normally do. 

Weight gain:
10-11 pounds -- doing fine but it has been accumulating fast the past 4-5 weeks.  I am hoping it slows down a bit the next couple weeks.

Baby:
Baby boy is quite active.  I love watching him flop back and forth.  I think he is probably close to 2 pounds now.  I feel like he will be the biggest baby of the three - we'll see.

Other:
No stranger has openly assumed I am pregnant yet.  The weightlifting instructor this morning (who I have only seen once before) said, "Welcome Back!" to me at the end of the class.  I must have looked a little confused because she then said, "Oh, I thought you were someone else."  I am guessing she was welcoming me back from a 6 week maternity leave/break (she put her hand on HER stomach).  At first I was a little insulted but then I realized that being mistaken as 6 weeks post-partum when you are really 6 months pregnant is pretty funny.  I don't know how she didn't know I was pregnant because I had a skin tight shirt on. She seemed a little embarrassed/awkward -- I didn't say anything.  I assume she will figure it out soon enough and won't feel bad (if she does at the moment).

Soon I am sure it will be obvious to all and strangers will start commenting. (When are you due? Boy or girl? First baby? etc.)  Hasn't happened yet.

All in all the pregnancy is going very well -- easiest of the 3 of them I think.  At 25 weeks I always feel like I have forever left to be pregnant and get a little impatient.  We look forward to meeting this (nameless) baby boy in March. 

Tuscan Tortellini Soup - courtesy of Mom

1/4 lb bacon cut in small pieces
2 cloves of garlic
4 cups of fresh spinach, chopped
16 oz. of diced (crushed) tomatoes
1 red pepper, diced
1 can of white beans
4 cups chicken broth
8 oz. cheese tortellini

Saute bacon and garlic until bacon is brown.  Remove from pan.  Cook spinach in pan drippings until wilted.  Stir in broth, beans, tomatoes, and pepper and bring to a boil.  Stir in pasta and sinner until pasta is al dente.

Both kids like this soup.  I usually serve it with homemade cornbread.  Enjoy!

Hair Help!

I'm taking Lainey in for 18-month photos this weekend and I am not sure what to do with her hair.  We are growing out her bangs so it is in an awkward stage at the moment.  How would you fix her hair for photos??

Below are three options.  If you have other ideas let me know!

  1) One side barrette/ponytail... (She had a hat on earlier in the day so it would be neat for photos.)

 2) Tucked behind one ear; no ponytail; probably a barrette to keep it in place

3) Pigtails...

Best Buddies

Erik and Lainey are, for the most part, best buds!  They are excited to see each in the morning and after naps.  Erik laughs and laughs at some of Lainey's antics and Erik is able to make Lainey giggle better than anyone else.  My best days are the days when they are inseparable.  I love to see them play and have fun together.  I can't imagine life for them without the other. 

They are normal of course and fight sometimes. Lainey has good command of the words, "No, Stop, OW!, and Mine!"  She also is not afraid to push Erik away if being bothered!

I hope their affection for each other is life long and look forward to seeing how baby #3 fits into the mix!

Nikon D3100

I have been coveting one of these cameras for about 2 years but just haven't been willing to spend so much money on a camera.  Well, Santa came to visit with a 25% discount on anything and everything from target and took us to get the long sought after camera.  I am SO excited to have a new camera--thank you grandpa Miin.   I have only taken 3 pictures so far (and haven't made it through the manual yet) but even the first few pictures I have taken are much better than any photos on any other cameras I have owned.


Hopefully with some practice, and maybe if I have time to take a class or two, I will become a proficient photographer.  Here are the first photos I took of the kids on my new camera....

First Day of Preschool!

Erik started preschool today.  He had a great day!  His teachers seem really wonderful -- they are both young grandmas -- late 40's/ early 50's (although one has an 11 year daughter at home--  her oldest kid is 25 years old).  They were really kind and friendly.  They said that Erik had a fun time and acted as though he had been going there for weeks already.  

He seemed quite comfortable when I dropped him off and was a happy little boy when I picked him up.  He is old enough now to relay a lot of his day to me which is cute. Here are a few things he said about his first day at school.....

1) Were any kids sad?

"Yes, a little girl named Elisa was crying because she wanted her dad.  She felt better after the teachers gave her a hug."

2) What did you do?

"The teachers read a book to us about a pretend ship.  I climbed the reading tower.  I brought a bag up in the tower with 2 bottles and 3 balls in it.  There was another little boy in the tower with me.  I don't know his name."

3) What was your favorite part of the day?

"Playing outside.  There is a big playground but the swings were wet so they were closed today.  I rode a trike and a scooter."

4) Did you do anything else?

"We did a project with stars.  The water table was closed today though.  It had a blue lid on it.  The teachers put the water into the sink."

His post-nap wake up was very difficult though.  He only slept 1 1/2 hours this afternoon and has been going to bed late this week because we have visitors and have let him push his normal bedtime a bit.  He ended up spending quite a bit of the afternoon crying and hiding out in his room (I locked his door for about 5 minutes and then opened it but he just stayed up in his room crying and throwing a fit for about an hour).  I am not sure what started it but it was a long trying afternoon for all of us.

I am so happy that he seemed to love school though!  It makes me feel good about putting him in that program.  From a diversity stand point I was shocked -- there are 19 kids with 2 teachers.  2 mixed kids from what I can tell (including Erik) and 2-3 Asian kids (I can't remember for sure).  I thought they would all be straight up white kids -- happy that there is some diversity.

Church Hunt

Finding a "good" church is always a process.  There are lots of important things to consider... the pastor's teaching style/ability, music, size of the church, belief/biblical background the church is based on,  activities (bible studies, mom's groups, etc.) offered by the church.  There are other things that we consider as well:  is the congregation friendly (did anyone notice us and say hi?), location (how far do we have to drive), etc. 

Anyway, since first becoming a Christian and attending church (1997) I have always gone to some sort of non-denominational church.  I've liked them and overall had a great experience. 

The options for a non-denominational church here in Southern Maryland is a little limited.  There are two.  There are a couple Bible Churches as well but only two true "non-denominational" churches.  Both of them are small and don't actually have a church building. 

We tried out the one closest to us (20 minutes away) and thought it was okay but not the one.  I think picking a church this time is more important than it has ever been because we will likely live here for a long time and the church will hopefully play an influential role in our kids lives as well as our own. 

Today we tried the First Saints Community Church.  It is the church that runs "preschool #4." It sounds like a non-denominational church based on it's name but it isn't. It is a Methodist church.  This is sort of comical to me because both my parents were raised in Methodist churches (we were raised in a church at all though).  Anyway, we really liked it. 

Here are a few facts about it...

Size: 400 attendants last weekend (over 3 services)

Worship style:  2 contemporary services and 1 traditional (we went to a contemporary service and the music was really good)

Pastor:  One head pastor who was educated at the Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas; the assistant pastor was educated at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. The pastor who spoke today was a really good speaker.  He held our attention and we his sermon.

Biblical Basis:  I need to look a little closer at the methodist church's beliefs however from what I can tell it seems like the churches beliefs are similar to ours.

Kids services:  Sunday and nursery are provided.  Erik didn't want to leave.  Lainey was quite ready to go -- apparently she did fine but was crying when I picked her up because a bigger baby had just knocked her over.  The preschool is there as well (wait list at the moment).

Bible studies/Marriage classes:  They have groups/bible studies called life groups.  I am not sure what else is offered.

Other:  If we chose this to be our home church we would need to get the kids baptized.  The churches we have attended before don't baptize people until they are old enough to profess their faith.

Anyway, we will go back again next week to see if we still like it.  I'm curious as to what you think?

Baby #3 - 23 weeks

23 weeks 11/27/10

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23 weeks 11/27/10

23 weeks down... ? to go!

The last 2 weeks have been quite chaotic due to Erik and Lainey being sick but the pregnancy front has been uneventful.  This pregnancy has been quite enjoyable (especially after the 16 week point).  I am getting excited to meet this sweet little boy.  I wonder if he will have a thick head of hair like Erik or will he be bald like Lainey?  Brown eyes again?  It is fun to think about.  I am still hoping, like I did with Erik, that he doesn't have coarse stick-up hair.  (You should see Victor's baby pictures!).

Erik is so excited about the new baby.  He knows it is a boy and has picked out a name.  We actually like the name so we won't share what it is in case we use it.  He tells me I can leave Lainey and baby boy with him and he will take care of them.

I asked how he would get the baby in the crib for naps.  He said he would just climb up the crib, put the baby down, and climb back out.  He even said he wants to change his diapers!

Lainey of course has no idea what is coming but she LOVES babies!  She points at and shouts, "Baby!" every time she sees an infant car seat on a stroller.  So cute!  She begs and begs to go say hi to all of them too.  I know she will love being a big sister -- probably too much.

I am growing although no stranger has asked me (or assumed out loud) if I am pregnant yet.  Soon I am sure it will be obvious to all.  I always grow A LOT between weeks 20-27 and then it kind of slows down (or the changes become less obvious) so I am going to try to take pictures every 2 weeks for a while.

Physically I feel fine.  I do have a little pelvic pressure/discomfort - a really heavy/uncomfortable feeling.  I have had occasional heartburn but nothing major.

I have had mild lower back pain as well - had it with Lainey too.  It went away when she was about 6 months old and is back again.  It doesn't limit my activity but I do notice it from time to time.  I have been trying to do extra stretches and exercises to help it.

I am still going to the gym 6 days a week.  I LOVE my weight lifting class (Body Pump) and do that 3 times a week; the other days I just do cardio.  I am up 7-8 pounds so far.

Baby boy is quite busy; similar to Erik.  I can see him flop from side to side now which is fun!

I can't wait to snuggle and kiss this newest baby!

Thanksgiving

We have had a very nice, quiet, relaxing Thanksgiving.  We were planning to spend it in Philadelphia with Mike, Sonja, et al. but after our dramatic week we decided to stay put.  Sandy, Irene, and Miin flew into Philadelphia today and will visit us next week.

I was a little worried about spending the day by ourselves but it turned out to be quite wonderful.  We spent lots of time as a family -- playing at the school playground, doing craft projects, eating meals as a family, etc.  It was nice and refreshing. 

On a walk today I was thinking about how we have spent Thanksgiving in the past.... 

2004- In Minneapolis - with Victor and his parents (my first time meeting them) - ate at a buffet
2005- At my parents - all 3 boys were home -- preparing for the big wedding day
2006- We hosted in our new house in Waukesha  -- both sides of the family were there.  We may have mentioned that we were hoping to get pregnant and it was taking longer than we would like.
2007 - Erik was 2 months old and we were living in DC.  We drove up to Princeton and celebrated with the Lee's and Chen's.  Erik screamed for about 3 hours on the way home.
2008- We hosted in our Alexandria, VA house.  The Chens plus Hanna, Clara, and Kathleen were there.  I was 9 weeks pregnant with Lainey (unannounced and not feeling well).
2009-We were in WI - all of my brothers were home.  Both Erik and Lainey had ear infections.
2010 - At our new house in California, MD -- just the 4 of us, plus baby #3. Quiet, peaceful, and relaxing.

We had a nice day.  I think it was a good way for our family to recuperate and spend time together.  We sure have lots to be thankful for!

Tired but still thankful

There have been a lot of unpleasant things to deal with this week....


1)  Erik's terrible allergic reaction....

He is on day 3 of prednisolone.  He still has hives but they are about 75% improved.  I have been able to cut back on the benadryl a little -- sometimes giving him 6mg instead of 12mg but he still needs it every 4-6 hours.  He will be on the prednisolone through Thursday.  I am hoping the hives are completely gone by then and don't get worse when we stop them.  We have seen enough of the ER.

2) Elaina's double ear infection....

She is still miserable.  The antibiotics she is on (omnicef) are giving her terrible diarrhea.  She has pooped 20+ times since yesterday even waking up in the middle of the night with a dirty diaper.  She threw up once this morning from it too (first time the baby has ever thrown up). 

3) Poorly run pediatrician's office...

I called this morning to try and make a follow up appointment for Erik.  We are supposed to be seen this week and as I mentioned I am quite nervous that his symptoms will come back after the steroids are finished since his hives are still present.  They told me the earliest they could see me is next Monday.  The entire office is closed for the week.  What?!  Nice.

To top that off I told them about how miserable Lainey is on the antibiotics and asked the receptionist to please leave a message for the pediatrician on call so we can switch it.  She said that wasn't possible but I could make an appointment for her on Monday (approx. a week from now).  Right!  That's an acceptable option.  She said the only way we can get her different antibiotics is to have her seen in the office which is closed until Monday.  If we can't wait a week to change her antibiotics we need to take her back to the Urgent Care/ER.  I asked if she was going to pay my $100 deductible for all ER/Urgent Care visits.  She didn't find that amusing.  Seriously who has to take a baby back to the doctor just to have them switch to a new antibiotic.  Not standard practice at any other clinic we have been seen at.  So now I am left with a baby with 2 red, infected ears terribly miserable from the antibiotics with no good option to get new drugs.  I am going to try to call and talk to the after-hours on-call doctor tonight to see if he/she is any more helpful than the receptionist. 

4) Phone trouble...

Today at the playground an little girl was trying to drink from our water bottle which was in the back pocket of the stroller.  Her mom took it from her and put the water bottle on top of the stroller which happened to be open and right next to my (very expensive) phone.  I didn't realize this until we got home only to find that my phone had been sitting in a deep pool of water for 30+ minutes.    It will not turn on and I am certain will need replaced.  We do have it insured but I am fairly confident they don't cover water damage.  Wonderful.

The other mom has no idea what happened and is really nice - not her fault really but so frustrating.


Anyway, it has been a very looong week.  However, never for a second will I forget how grateful I should be for all the blessings in my life... loving and hard working husband, healthy kids, new baby on the way, beautiful new house, ability to stay home with my kids,  supportive friends and family.  My heart is especially sad for my cousin's family who truly has to search for (and finds) reasons to be thankful this season after their sweet baby Jake died.  Give those you love an extra tight squeeze this season for the moms and dads who can't hug their babies until they see them in heaven and try not to lose sight of how wonderful your life is even when things seem not so great.  It's helps to keep things in perspective -- at least it seems to help me.  Happy Thanksgiving - if I don't update again before that.

Dial For Men -- safety info

Go here to see more safety, or should I say danger, info regarding Dial Body Wash...

Harmful product info

Clearly Dial is aware of these possible reactions and has done nothing.  This makes me want to shake someone and scream and yell at them. 

For a list of safer products go here....

Safer soaps

According to the cosmetic database these are the top three ingredients most likely to have caused such a severe allergic reaction....

	FRAGRANCE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, DMDM HYDANTOIN

What Caused It?

Wouldn't it be nice to know exactly what ingredient inVictor's "Dial For Men" Body Wash caused Erik to break into one giant hive, who couldn't breathe well on Friday night?

Here are the ingredients.  Feel free to take a guess at which one it was.  I have no idea what the answer is so your guess is as good as mine.  All I know is that the 5-10% of products that had been in our house with this type of ingredient list (I had already replaced most of them) are now gone.

Dial
Water
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Peg-8
Sodium Chloride
Fragrance
Glycerin
PPG-2 Hydroethyl Coco/isostearamide
Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride
Polyquaternium-10
Polyquaternium-7
DMDM Hydanton
Citric Acid
Tetrasodium EDTA
Blue 1
Red 33

Doesn't that sound refreshing??

Scary, part 2

We ended up in the ER again last night.  Erik's hive got significantly worse yesterday afternoon.  For the early part of the day they were primarily all over his legs but between 3 and 5 pm they spread across his chest, back, neck, and face again.  He wasn't having the same respiratory issues but it seemed like it was heading in that direction so back to the ER we went.

I should mention that he got a total of 68 mg of Benadryl during a 22 hour period yesterday (maximum allowable dose was 75 mg in 24 hours) and his hives got significantly worse despite that. 

In the ER we saw the same PA who quickly went to get the ER doctor.  She was concerned and consulted the pediatrician (no peds ER here).  Anyway, the pediatrician felt it was unusual, but not unheard of,  for the hives to get worse after a dose of decadron (he was given that Friday night).  The pediatrician suggested they give Erik a 30 mg "bolus" of prednisolone and then keep him on it for 5 days (15 mg bid).  In addition we need to keep up with the 12.5 mg of Benadryl every 4 hours until his hives are gone - never going over 75mg in a 24 hour period. 

They sent us home with the instruction to bring him back if we hadn't noticed improvement by 11 pm and they would admit him overnight - primarily for observation in case he developed respiratory symptoms again.

He fell asleep around 9 pm on the couch. At 11 pm things looked about the same/maybe slightly better so we tucked him into bed (Victor slept with him last night). 

This morning he is better again.  Most of his hives are from his butt down.  His face and neck are pretty clear and there are only sporadic patches on his chest and back.  I am hopeful that the steroids will be the fix and it will only get better from here.  I will let you know.  We are supposed to take him back to the ped tomorrow for an ER follow up visit.

To make this weekend even more fun Lainey is also sick.  She has had a cough/cold for 2 weeks.  I checked her ears on Thursday evening and noticed they looked red but kind of forgot about it until we were back in the ER last night.  Thankfully, the PA just added her on and confirmed a bilateral ear infection (#6) so she is now on Omnicef.  Hopefully, soon our kids will both feel better and start sleeping again.

Here are a few photos of ER trip #2 (no tears from me this time)...

 It's hard to see on these stellar photos but basically his entire face was covered in hives along with his neck and large areas of his chest, back, arms, legs, butt, and groin.

I think that my sweet, although recently-temperamental boy, may get just about anything he asks for this week.

Scary

Poor Erik ended up in the ER last night with a significant allergic reaction to Dial Body Wash.   I had been able to control the hives pretty well throughout the day with Benadryl and Claritin (It started at 6:15 in the morning after he took a shower with Victor who innocently scrubbed him up with his body wash).  It was still the worst hives he has ever had by a long shot but he wasn't having any other symptoms.  I talked to the pediatrician around 1 pm to make sure I was giving an appropriate dose of Benadryl.  I was -- he told me Erik could have a total of 30 mg during the day plus the 5mg of Claritin I had given him.  I should wake him up at night after 6 hours to keep him "dosed".

Anyway, things were fairly well controlled. I looked at his rash the last time around 4:30pm.  It was still bad but not any worse than the rest of the day.

I left for a doctor's appointment and ran some errands.  When I got back around 7:30 Erik was due for the last 6 mg of Benadryl and itching like crazy.  Victor gave him the dose and took him up for a bath.  I went to check on him and saw that his hives had spread over approximately 75% of his body.  Way way worse than a few hours ago.

We headed to the ER around 8pm.  When we got there he started coughing and coughing.  It was fairly mild but after about a half an hour or so his cough became very intense, he could barely catch his breath in between, and started vomiting.

I suspected this was a respiratory response/distress secondary to the allergic reaction.  I called the nurse who confirmed that he had wheezing throughout his lungs.  His pulse ox was 95% so not really low but he was very uncomfortable.

They gave him another 12.5 mg of Benadryl (now up to 43 mg for the day -- a lot for a 33 pound kid) and a dose of Decadron (steroids).  He was able to calm down over the next 30 minutes or so and within an hour was sound asleep in my arms.

We got home around 10:30 pm.  He slept until 5 am (with me right next to him - not really sleeping).  I gave him another 12.5 mg of Benadryl and was able to get him to go back to sleep until about 8 am.

This morning his rash is down to about 30-40% of his body -- much less angry than last night.  He is still coughing some and has mild wheezes throughout his lungs.  The steroids max effect should peak later today so I am sure he will be okay but hearing him cough and wheeze always makes me anxious.

We are supposed to give him 12.5 mg of Benadryl every 4-6 hours until the rash is gone.  Please pray that it goes away quickly and his cough/wheeze resolves.  I think he will be fine but definitely makes me nervous.

I am so thankful that I took him in when I did.  I am not sure what I would have done if he started coughing/wheezing/vomiting while I was home still?  Would I have called the ambulance?  given him the epi pen? or just sped as fast as I could to the ER?  I am glad I didn't have to make that decision.

I was able to hold it together completely until the drive home from the ER.  I just cried the whole way home.  It is still is making me cry to think about it and I am so thankful he is okay.

One comical moment -- he puked all over his pants/underwear while in the ER which got wrapped up in the sheet and put in the laundry.  I had an extra set of clothes in the car but I wasn't able to go get it so I had to carry him outside in his shirt with a hospital gown wrapped around him.  He didn't wake up when I put him in the car so he rode home with a naked bottom half.  Good thing it is still mild weather here!

Here are some photos I took on my phone while in the ER....

I didn't take any photos of his legs but they were pretty much one large red welt.  His bottom and groin were even affected.  Awful!


Leg photos at 11:00 am on Saturday (30 hrs after initial reaction - post 70mg of benadryl, 5mg of claritin, and decadron).....