Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Changes!

Wow, what a whirlwind month of February! Allison turned 3, she started gymnastics classes, JR got 2 more teeth, he started walking, and James is changing jobs... I'm tired just writing it all down!

Just after Allison turned 3 I decided to take her to open gym at a local gymnastics place. It is free (trying to get more kids in their classes) on Wednesdays for an hour. The kids get out and play with all of the equipment and run around like maniacs. She had so much fun that I asked about classes. Ironically, it was the first week of classes and they had a class starting on Friday. I signed her up for a trial class. Her teacher put her in the class with the older 3 year olds and 4 year olds because she's so big. After her first class, it was a good decision. She's the same size as the other 3 kids in her class! If she was in the 2-3 year old class she would tower over them!

In 2 weeks she's learned so much. They do all 4 gymnastic events (beam, bars, floor, and vault) every week. She isn't a big fan of beam or vault (she's afraid of heights) but she loves to tumble and can do a rotation on the low bar and swing herself! It's adorable to watch. I was worried because she'd never been apart from me or listened to someone who isn't family but that fear was unfounded. She does great with Mr Eric. The other kids have had meltdowns or left the floor, not Allison. She only gets mad when it's time to go!

JR took his first steps on Sunday. He was in the bedroom with James and I hear come to Daddy, come to Daddy. I sneak in just in time to see him take 6 steps to James! He still prefers to crawl most of the time but he's getting better! In no time I'll be complaining that I have to chase him everywhere!

James is very tired of his old job. They don't appreciate him or pay him all that well. It's enough to get by on one income but there isn't much room for extras. James went to talk to a friend of his who owns a well drilling company in town (but doesn't do many jobs locally). He has really wanted James to join his crew for a while but Friday they talked about it seriously! He offered James $2 more an hour and guaranteed 20 hours of overtime a week. The only drawback is he will be working out of town and working 10 days on and 5 days off. It's not that big a deal for me because my dad has moved back and is willing to move his trailer to our property to help out with the kids! The extra money will be nice and the extra days off will be great too!

It's hard to believe that I'm already making plans for summer! Our local movie theater does cheap movies (10 movies for $7 a person) during the week all summer. It's a different kids movie each week. You pick a day and go the same time each week. I have been telling Allison about going to the movies and we are planning on going with a group of friends every Tuesday morning! It's just going to be just the 2 of us because JR is too little. He'll be staying home with my dad! Should be fun :)

Monday, February 11, 2013

Allison's Third Birthday

This time three years ago today I was having my wonderful little girl! I can't believe how time has flown.

Saturday, we went to the Phoenix Zoo for her (and another friend's) birthday. We saw a ton of animals, ate way too much junk food (snacks all day, cupcakes, and cake for the girls), Allison rode her first Merry-Go-Round, and had a wonderful time! The only complaint was the weather- it was 50 degrees, cold, rainy, and windy. Allison didn't care- we brought the giant double jogging stroller/bike trailer and blankets. When she would get cold, she'd climb in and snuggle under the blankets. She thought it was like riding in a princess carriage. JR was perfectly happy to sit in his ring sling, with a blanket and my coat over him. He took a couple of great naps walking through the zoo.

Sunday, we went out to breakfast at Golden Corral. Allison loves going there because we let her have all the veggies she wants and don't force her to eat meat! I'm sure the cotton candy doesn't hurt either :)

Overall, it was a great weekend to celebrate Allison's third birthday.

I'll update with pictures when I have a chance!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

February 6th

Today would have been my mom's 63rd birthday. I have spent today looking at pictures, laughing and crying over crazy memories of my mom and my best friend! It's been a crazy roller coaster of emotions for me today- I've been happy, sad, angry, and giggling. The happy has been thinking of how much she loved her family (even JR who she never got to meet). The sad has been the missing seeing her interact with JR. I remember seeing her in the first moments of Allison's life and how much she loved being with her. Angry that Allison and JR will miss having their "Nina" (Allie's name for my mom) in their lives. I've been giggling over some of the silly stuff my mom and I did together.

She was a SAHM until I was 17 and a junior in high school. She was the first person I saw every morning, the last person I saw every night, she took me to school every day, picked me up every afternoon, taxied me to my activities, and was room mother for my classroom (even when I didn't want her to be!), I miss the long phone calls when I was driving somewhere- I live in the boonies so those were some LONG phone calls :)

This was the church directory photo for our church- Allie's 3 months old! I was finally a normal color and able to carry Allison.
 
Looking in the nursery window at Allison for the first time. James took the picture from inside the nursery for me. It never fails to make me smile from the sheer happiness on her face!
 
My parents at my wedding (at the county courthouse). They'd been married 37 years at this point and 42 years when she passed.

 
 
Wedding day- standing in front of "my fountain" I have always been in love with that fountain- 28 years or so!
 
 
Momma modeling the new wig she was given (she hadn't been a blonde in 55+ years) She hated that wig and only wore it home that day- she re-donated it the next week at chemo. She prefered to wear a scarf or nothing. It was an adjustment to see Momma with her "spit shined" head but she didn't care!




Saturday, February 2, 2013

Whiny Mommy!

I have rheumatoid arthritis. I was diagnosed at 22 but probably have had it since childhood. Most of the time- it means I move a bit slower in the mornings (or wake up earlier to compensate) and have swelling and pain in various joints. I have taken different meds over the years to combat the disease but I have been off major meds since before I got pregnant with Allison, 3.5 years ago. By the time I started feeling the need to go back on my meds after I had Allison, I was trying to get pregnant again so I just did a couple of Prednisone tapers and felt fine.

The last couple of weeks I have been feeling pretty icky, my hands are swollen, my feet are swollen (had to go back to wearing my old Crocs that I wore during pregnancy), and generally, super tired. I know, I know, I have a 9 month old, I should be tired but he sleeps from 7 pm to 6 am with one wake up at 11 pm. I know that's not causing my exhaustion! I called my rheumatologist and asked what I should do, since I'm still breastfeeding. He said to try a Prednisone burst and see how I felt. I'm a week in to a month long prescription and still feeling crappy :( Normally, by this time, I'm ready to run a marathon! I called on Thursday and was seen on Friday. He said it might be time to start thinking about meds. He wasn't sure what ones are breastfeeding safe (he'll check with the LC at the local hospital, I gave him the number!) but in the mean time to try using my braces and resting as much as possible.

I wore my foot and wrist braces last night, for the first time in ages! I wish I could say they helped and I felt great. But I woke up with numb fingers (like usual from the swelling) and sore feet. I shuffled through Lowes and Fry's to get the errands done and came home and spent the rest of the day on the couch with ice packs! I'm still swollen.

I know I'll go to work on Monday, probably wearing at least a couple of ring (finger) splints and maybe one of my foot braces. I hate wearing them in public. It always feels like everyone is watching me. I always say, I'm not sure they help but I'd hate to see the alternative!

Oh well! Mommyhood doesn't stop for issues and I have 2 awesome kids to take care of. I feel a bit better after this whining session so that's a plus :)