All I Want For Christmas

Can't be put under a tree.  For the past probably 9 months or so Mr. Man and I have been working on making Little Man a big brother.  We have had no success.  I know it takes some families a long time to get pregnant, but after how fast it was to have baby #1 I thought it would be just as easy to have baby #2.  Was I ever so wrong.  9 months and nothing.  Each month it's like Christmas morning almost....am I going to get what I really want?  Each month it's total and complete frustration.  People have told me that if we stopped trying it would happen, but I don't understand why it's taking this long.  Telling me to stop trying isn't helping me not feel like there is something wrong with me.  All I want is to see my family grow.  Because of some of the tests results we got when I was pregnant with the Little Man I have decided that after 36 I'm not going to have anymore children.  So each month I'm a step closer to that and I see my dreams of a big family slip further and further away from me. 

Have you been dealing with any infertility issues?  What have you done?

Oh, and here's a family picture for you!

It's Finally Fall!

While technically fall started a few weeks ago, it still felt like summer around here.  Today we woke up and it was so nice out.  I was even able to dress Ethan in jeans!  He looked so cute.  See here's a picture.  


Fall is my favorite time of year.  I'm a big football person, especially college ball.  It's funny because my husband could care less about sports.  He's a car guy.  I guess my little man wins big because he's going to have me and his Pop to teach him how to play sports and his daddy to teach him how to work on cars.  I think it's good that he's going to have the opportunity to do both.  


Cooking in the fall is also wonderful.  Apples are one of my favorite things and they are actually "in season"  So far I've made applesauce, with no sugar of course and Ethan loves it.  I think though the next time I make it I'm going to use a little less vanilla.  My mom was up in the mountains recently and brought me home a big bag of different types of apples.  We're going up to the mountains in a few weeks and I'm hoping that we'll still be able to pick apples.  I think it would be lots of fun for Ethan.  


The creative bug is finally starting to bite again and I'm getting all geared up for Ethan's first birthday party.  It's going to be big by default because we have lots of local family.  As per family tradition (that would be my side of the family) he's going to have carrot cake for his birthday cake.  What's your favorite type of birthday cake?  I'm also finally starting to work on his scrapbook.  While I love scrapbooking I think that Facebook has really taken away from the art of it.  It's so much easier to post the pictures on Facebook by month and be done with it.  Have you found yourself doing this?


What is your favorite part of fall?

Being Okay with a Cesarean

I have several friends that had birth center or home births.  That is something that I really wanted.  But, that was not an option for me.  Very early in my pregnancy I was diagnosed with a placenta previa.  That automatically meant that the birth center would not let me deliver there, since there are so many risks.  Yes, it did resolve itself but by the time that happened I was put on bed rest for pre-eclampsia.  I was still wanting to transfer my care to the local birth center but, my husband who was so worried about me just didn't feel comfortable about it.  So, we stayed with the OB that we had and he was wonderful.  I did end up in the hospital on bed rest, but was able to bargain my way out of it.  Part of the deal was bi-weekly visits.  One to check me, one to check Ethan.  At this point it was a waiting game to see when we would have him.  The day my blood pressure hit 170/120 the doc's decided that I was going to have an emergency cesarean, but they also knew how important it was for me to have him naturally that they decided to try and bring my blood pressure down and induce labor.  At this point I knew that there were already things that I had compromised on that I originally said I wouldn't compromise on, but I also knew that there were some major consequences if I didn't give in (I knew a family who lost their baby right after I had Ethan because they wanted a home birth and let mom's blood pressure get so high she was seizing).  All the doctors and all the nurses didn't push a cesarean, but some of my family did.  Told me to just give in and have the baby that that was the wanted outcome a healthy happy baby.  Because of my blood pressure I wasn't able to walk around like I would have liked, but my husband was there the whole time cheering me on.  Finally after 4 days of induced labor I gave in.  I knew that I had given it my all, and that a cesarean was what was in the cards for me.   This is Ethan and I shortly after his cesarean birth.

Having said all that, it is still a painful subject for me and I need to learn not to read other blogs about why a home birth or a birth center birth is so much better than a hospital birth.  I have to know that I did what I could to have as peaceful of a birth as I could, and that my doctor gave me everything I could have asked for in the situation.  It still pains me to read those blogs and sometimes it even angers me because the people writing them don't express that a hospital birth is sometimes necessary and that it's okay if you have one, but to do the research on your hospital and see what their policies are.  Our hospital for example has a labor tub in each L&D room you can't birth in the water but you can labor.  The other thing I am learning is that you can't always have the birth of your dreams.  Sometimes God has something different for you planned.

Can't Sleep

I have never been the person who couldn't sleep. Ever, until I got pregnant that is. That is when I started having problems. Now here I am about once a week or so I find I either can't fall asleep or can't stay asleep. I have no idea why but it's very frustrating. Anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions on ways to help get some sleep?

Where has time gone?

Today, Ethan is 10 months old.  Where has all the time gone?  It seems like just yesterday that he was born.  I don't think I was aware of how fast time really moves.  He's got 2 teeth coming in, he's working on standing all by himself (well really it's only happened about twice when he's been standing holding on to something then let go for a second or two) eating more and more foods.  It just boggles my mind.  I guess it's time to start planning his 1st birthday.  Any suggestions for 1st birthday ideas?  I would love them!

Oh, and here's a little picture love.  Ethan had his 9 month photos recently and here's a preview of them.  It was a disaster of a day.  He cried 90% of the time we were taking pictures.  I felt so bad, not just for him but also for the photographer Christie Meresse.  She's wonderful!  I have been so happy with all the pictures we've gotten from her.

Hamburger Helper, But NOT from a Box

So, this post is a little late.  Sorry.  Little man has his first two teeth coming in, and well has been taking lots of time.  This is one of my husband's favorite meals of all time.  It's not very expensive and very easy to make.  I wish I had the cost break down, but I don't.   Anyway, here it is.  


Hamburger Helper


In a hot skillet brown 3/4 pound of ground beef, salt, pepper, onion and celery.   You'll notice in mine there is none of that.  I just use garlic powder because well, there are some picky eaters in my family.  Yes, I know the only people eating this right now are the adults.  Don't tease.

 

Cook one box of "crinkly noodles".  That translates to tri-colored rotini.  I didn't make up the name.  I swear.  It's what my wonderful mother in law wrote down in the recipe.  Oh, yeah.  This is one of her's by the way.  I love her cooking. I do add garlic salt to the water whenever I'm making pasta.  Yes, we eat lots of garlic in this family!

After the meat has been drained of all grease add 1/4 cup of frozen peas, 2/3 a cup of diced tomatoes and cooked pasta (once you drain them) to meat mixture

 

Top with 3/4 cup of shredded cheese.  Of course I tend to use more than that...way more.  Then just cover with a lid and let simmer till you're ready to eat!

 

There you go, quick easy and yummy hamburger helper!

 

A New Experiment

I recently had a Doctor's appointment and the outcome wasn't so good.  I am having major problems loosing baby weight from having Ethan and have found that what I'm doing isn't helping.  So, knowing that I need to eat more healthy I've decided that I'm going to venture into green smoothies.  I'll admit I'm not a big fan of vegetables, but I love fruit, so this might be a good thing for me to try.  Today is going to be my first experiment.  I'm going to try a combination of spinach, blueberries and apples.  As I get more into this I'll keep trying to change things up!  Here goes nothing!