Mount Nebo Loop

It Sucked and Then I Cried

I just finished It Sucked and Then I Cried by Heather Armstrong of the popular website dooce. As far as memoirs go, I really enjoyed it. It did do both of the things that most memoirs do that bug me- she over exaggerated a lot of things and at times contradicted herself. But like I said, the majority of memoirs do, so I just deal with it. She is a hilarious writer, and her experiences in parenting are interesting and heart-warming. Here are some quotes I just loved:

"You LOVE the changing table. You love it more than the swing or the bouncy seat, and sometimes you love it more than being held by me or your father and we promise not to hold that against you, at least not until you come home with piercings in your face and then I WILL TOTALLY HOLD IT AGAINST YOU." (I loved this quote because it's the same way with Brayden)

"There were transcendental moments when I'd look at her and she'd look at me and there were traces of recognition and THE WORLD STOOD STILL I LOVED HER SO MUCH."

"Just when I think my love for you couldn't be any bigger, I wake up and discover that I love you even more, and I worry that my body isn't big enough to hold this much love. I worry that my insides may explode because there isn't any more room. I am drunk on my love for you, a sloppy drunk who can't see straight or speak in coherent sentences, a drunk who giggles every time you fart."

I would recommend this wholeheartedly to moms, especially real moms. She is a great writer, and can make even the hard aspects of parenting seem funny.

Horrible picture with a cute smiling baby



In other news, I made crockpot brown sugar chicken yesterday. It was okay. The sauce is too sweet, but if you don't scoop up additional sauce it tastes better. The experience did tech me something though. Thigh meat actually is really tender and I liked it. I never gave it a chance because I don't like working with skin and bones and didn't know you could get it without. I know... I'm still learning about what tastes good because I wouldn't give much a chance.

Random story... Adam was at work tonight so I was home alone with the baby. I was flipping channels and America's Most Wanted came on. I immediately changed the channel. Back when I was like 14, I watched it one afternoon before I went to babysit. After the kids went to bed, I noticed there was a guy who possibly looked homeless at the bus stop (the house was a corner house with a bus stop right there). It was almost dark, and I knew the bus didn't run that late. I was so freaked out. Finally the neighbor across the street pulled up, went over to talk to the guy and apparently offered him a ride after telling him the bus was done for the night. You would think I was over it by now, but apprently not since I couldn't watch it by myself today.

Cuteness overload

I took pictures yesterday, but none of them were very good. I got some great ones today. I officially became the mom who puts their baby in funny hats just to get a cute picture...



Later on, Uncle David came over for a bit, and I got another great one.



At work today, I got to bottle-feed a cute little kitten! One of my co-workers is fostering a litter of kittens for the Humane Society until they are old enough to be adopted out. They are so adorable!

The Biggest Loser

I am a sucker for this show! Season 5 started right as I started Weight Watchers last January, and I have been hooked ever since. I realize that the show is unrealistic, but I still find it so inspiring. Especially at the beginning, before all the game play begins.

Last night's episode was a tear jerker. One woman on the show lost her husband, 5 year old daughter, and 2 1/2 week old son in a car accident. I bawled the first time she told her story and then again when she talked about death on the weigh-in scale. I've always known that losing a child is typically one of the worst things that could happen to someone, but now that I am a mom... I cannot even imagine. I also cried when another contestant collapsed and had to go to the hospital during the first challenge.

Jillian, one of the trainers on the show, has a workout dvd called The 30 Day Shred. Some people at my work have been doing it, so I went out and bought it. I did it last Thursday, and I was sore all weekend. The point of the dvd is to do it every day... but with my job being so physical (shelving books) it would make work too hard. My plan is to do it at least twice a week on the weekends until I get better at it. I really recommend it. I've never felt so sore after only a 20 minute workout!

Profile

And no, he's not smiling at one of us. For some reason, he found the evening news to be hilarious!

Pictures galore

Here is today's picture (September 13th). I got this onesie as a Father's Day present for Adam. If you can't tell, it says "I love Daddy." It's 3-6 months, so it hasn't fit him until now. If you are a fan of the tv show Friends, you will appreciate this story. Adam doesn't always smile naturally in photos. Well, he was smiling weird today and this last week I had watched the episode where Monica and Chandler get their engagement photos taken and Chandler also doesn't smile naturally. I was telling Adam about it, and it made him laugh and so he was finally smiling naturally so I could get a good picture!




We went to the Greek Festival this weekend with Andy and Jackson. Great food, although it was a bit overpriced. Brayden actually did really well in the carrier. It had been years since I had eaten cotton candy, so I got some for Jackson and I to share. Funniest moments: Jackson running under the ropes almost into the sanctuary of the Greek Orthodox church and then Adam's crazy driving (he definitely needed a navigator and was not always paying attention to lights).




Adam's dad was in town this weekend, so we went to visit him. Here's Brayden with Grandpa and Grandma Bishop. Thanks for the great dinner!

Cooking

Confession time: I have only cooked two real meals (like not from a box) since Brayden was born. The first was for the potluck we had after Brayden's blessing. I made a chicken stuffing casserole, and I had Adam's help. See, if Adam is around I always let him deal with the raw meat. I like to cook, but I hate that part of cooking (I also hate the cleaning up part, so he usually gets stuck with that too).

Anyways, I made the second meal yesterday. All by myself! Aren't you all so proud? I made a black bean and chicken casserole found at The Sisters' Cafe. I'm trying to really push myself to try new things and not be such a picky eater. I don't want Brayden to be picky, so I need to be more willing to try new things. I normally don't like beans, or green chiles, but I actually really liked this recipe.

Another goal I have (to help me accomplish the first one) is to try one new recipe a week at least for the rest of the year. I've started compiling a list tonight and I am really excited!

If any of you have recipes you love, send them my way. I'm especially interested in ones with black beans now that I know I like them. Also, if you know of any good recipe sites or blogs, send me the links please. I am doing Weight Watchers again, so they need to be reasonably healthy.

September 10th- Fussy right before bed... ironic choice of pajamas, right?




September 11th- Right before he woke up- he actually slept really well!




September 12th- Splashing and smiling in the bath

Blah day

That's how I would describe today... blah.

-I really didn't want to go to work today. Some days are harder than others I guess. It probably didn't help that I talked on the phone today while I was on the way to work to a friend who is a stay-at-home mom with a baby the same age as mine... just got kinda jealous. I have to keep reminding myself the good things coming from my working- insurance, Brayden having a close relationship with family, Brayden learning the value of work, etc. AT least I know from today's pictures that he had a good time.
-I got some family news that could end up being a big deal, but I need to wait and see what happens. But it's weird, let me tell you. It could end up being really cool, but how it ends up isn't in our hands, so we'll have to see.
-A conversation with someone who is a good friend left me feeling bad about myself. I'm sure she didn't mean to, but it did and now I'm trying to get over it. It's about smething I had already beat myself up over (emotionally), and I thought I had resolved my feelings about it, but they got stirred up again.

Enough with all the negative, here's my pictures from today. Brayden smiles a lot when you pump his legs (I hope you know what I mean- that's the only way I can think of to describe it). Anyways, I showed it to my parents and Nicki. I guess they did it while I was at work, and that's when they took these pictures.

Grandma (and Grandpa and Nicki too)

So, as a preface, Brayden was spoiled before he was ever born. He was spoiled from the moment my family knew he existed. We all bought stuff for him. This onesie is something my mom bought, obviously. If you can't read all of it, it says "My Grandma <3's Me." I know that both of our families love him, and I am so grateful for that.

I am especially grateful to my parents and to Nicki for tending him while Adam and I work. Even if I made enough to pay for daycare, I don't think I could leave Brayden with strangers. So thank you, Mom, Dad, and Nicki!

Labor Day

I was so happy to have a paid day off this week! We all enjoyed sleeping in together, and then we got a lot of cleaning done because Adam was home too. I am proud of the cleaning, but it wasn't my biggest accomplishment this weekend. Want to know what that was? I'm sure you're all dying to know....

I got sick of my hands being blistered from carrying the car seat. I was going to have my brother-in-law sew (he's awesome and knows how to do pretty much everything) a cover for the handle. But then we were at Walmart in the baby section and I noticed the cushiony type things they sell to go over the safety strap over the baby's shoulders... and I thought to myself, "Wouldn't that fit on the handle too?" Sure enough, it did. I gladly forked over $4, and hopefully my blisters will soon disappear!

Anyways, here is today's picture. Yes, it is yet another one showing off his huge, beautiful eyes (I know I brag about him too much, but I'm allowed to, right?). When people see him for the first time, they usually say one of two things: "He's such a big boy!" or "He's so bright-eyed!" I love his big eyes! It also shows the beginnings of his dimples because I caught him at the beginning of a smile.

Brainwashing

If what President Obama is going to tell America's school age children tomorrow is brainwashing, I am all for it. Although I would rather refer to it as a motivational speech about working hard, trying again after you fail, and being a productive member of society.

I think it's a great speech. Hopefully there are not that many parents who are seriously going to keep their kids home from school just because they don't like President Obama (great way to teach your kids to respect authority- not). Hopefully the kids that hear it will actually take some of it to heart and not just tune it out. Here are the parts I loved:

Every single one of you has something you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide. Maybe you could be a good writer — maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper — but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor — maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine — but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life — what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home — that's no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That's no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That's no excuse for not trying.

Here is my favorite quote:

Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

What Republicans call brainwashing I apparently see as inspiration. Oh well.

September 6th

-My dad holding Brayden at the park

September 5th

I don't have very many pictures of me with Brayden, so I finally had Nicki take some tonight. Don't mind how I look, just pay attention to the cute baby!



I'm posting this picture because it's hilarious to me that one day my nine week old is sitting in thi, and the next day my four year old nephew decides it would be funny to sit in it... and he actually fit. He's a skinny kid and I like to call him "chicken legs" sometimes because of his cute and extremely skinny legs.

September 4th

I can't believe he's big enough to sit in the Bumbo seat and hold his head up! Crazy, I tell you! Next thing I know, he'll be off to college. :)

Quick note to self: NEVER brag about how Brayden's been going to bed at 8 every night without giving you any hassle-

1- He'll be irresistibly cute one night wanting to play, but not go to bed until 10.
2- The next night, he will finally drift off at 8:30, but only with you standing over him in the crib holding his hand to reassure him.

Not that I mind either scenario...he likes to keep me off guard and I don't mind. I just need to remember not to brag about anything sleep-related. I'll just jinx myself.

Health Care

This video was made by the talented young adult author John Green and explains our options in a way that is easy to understand.


I saw this video on The Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC.


And here's a link to a funny one, thanks to my brother-in-law John.


Very simply put, I (like many Americans) think we NEED health care reform. At the very least, no one should ever have to declare medical bankruptcy. No one paying for insurance should be denied due to "pre-existing conditions." People should be able to get affordable coverage that is not through their employers (simply because people change jobs a lot more than they used to). In an ideal situation, I think there should be a public option. Or at the very least, there should be non-profit insurance programs.

And just so no one assumes I want a public option because I don't have insurance, or that I have crappy insurance... I work for the county so I have government benefits. They are pretty amazing benefits. The total costs of my prenatal care and Brayden's birth were about $8,000. For those of you who have not had a kid, this is actually pretty low because I used a midwife instead of an OB, did not have to pay for an anesthesiologist and epidural, and had no complications. My total out of pocket for all of this was about $500, so less than 10%. Government benefits rock and I wish everyone had access to benefits like this.

P.S. I'm also annoyed about the whole "controversy over President Obama's upcoming speech to school children, but Kerri and Stephanie both express it a lot better than I could.

September 3rd

Brayden... of course

I know I'm a day late, but I decided today to take a picture of Brayden every day in September. And luckily for me, I took some of him yesterday so I'm actually just posting it late.

September 1st


September 2nd


Brayden is 2 months old today! I still cannot believe how fast time has gone. My friend warned me the first 12 weeks are the hardest, and that is most likely true... but it is getting easier and easier every day. I'm used to sleep deprivation, we've mastered nursing and I've mostly mastered pumping, and I'm getting returns for all my hard work in the form of smiles and coos. It reminds me of a quote I read soon after we brought him home that gave me hope for this phase. It said something to the effect that in the first month or so, you are working for a boss who only complains and doesn't reward.

His checkup was today. In the pictures you can see his bandaids from his immunizations. He got 3 shots, an oral vaccine, and I got a flu shot since he can't have one yet. That was so sad to watch, but there was another issue with his circumcision. Just reaffirms my belief that it is a weird custom and it shouldn't need to be done. Yeah, I know there are some hygiene issues, but I still wish it wasn't so prevalent in our society.

His stats are as follows:

14 lbs 8 oz- This puts him above the charts. Although, in his defense...he was big at birth. In fact, I think the way they do the weight charts is messed up anyways. For the first year, they should just measure (for percentiles) how much they have gained since birth. Because babies on either extreme (small at birth or big at birth) are likely to stay there until things start evening out when they become more mobile.

24 inches long- This is 95% percentile. I guess he has grown quite a bit lengthwise, because he was 19 inches long at birth, which I thought was on the short side.

17 cm head circumference- I think it's in cm anyways...not exactly sure. Anyways, this is off the charts too. It makes sense he has a big head since I had to get an episiotomy.

Missed chances

I am so sad I missed the chance to capture a memory tonight, so I figure if I write about it I can at least remember it. Now, Brayden has always seemed to like the bath, but tonight he made it obvious. He was smiling a lot, but not only that...he splashed and kicked around for the first time! It was so cute and funny, especially when he splashed water in his face and it really shocked him.

What is sad is that just last night my friend Amberlynn told me to take as much video as I could...she has a toddler and said she was already forgetting some of the infant stuff. Adam was at work, so I couldn't videotape it! I've learned my lesson- I'm making sure it is charged and keeping it around to try to catch some of these sweet moments! And when I get some, I can hopefully share them here.