My Mom will be Proud!!

This week I am cleaning!!

Yesterday I took off work, did 6 loads of laundry. And almost all of it got folded. Tonight it will.

I also bought 2 more bins for Rogan's old clothes. That child has so many clothes! I've filled 3 large tubs with old clothes that don't fit any more.

So a note to future purchases for our second son... he does not need many clothes! We have plenty! Clothes we won't have are "little/big brother" clothes, which I think are super cute. And matching clothes for Rogan and Baby #2, which I also think is super cute. hehe.

So Rogan finally has a dresser full of clothes that fit, socks that are matched, and all of it is clean.

Our room, the disaster area where clothes and junk goes to die and be buried for eternity is also in better shape. Last night Ryan and I put many clothes away in their rightful spot, and changed our sheets (i love our new winter flannel sheets!). You can see our floor, which needs to be vacuumed. And it will!

Tonight's task is to tackle downstairs. All the toys need to be unboxed and organized so all the trash can be put out tonight/tomorrow morning. That will make our 1st floor look much more put together.

Ahh cleaning... not sure if it's nesting or just that it needs to get done!! But very happy about yesterday's progress.

Christmas 2011

Christmas in St. Louis with Ryan's family...

Rogan really isn't into opening presents yet.

"What is this boring box you want me to peel? I'd rather play with my toys I already know exist, run around, and watch tv. Thanks."

Santa brought half of his presents to Grandad's and half to Grandma's. His stocking was magically full at both too. hehe.He did oblige us for a few presents.

Opening gifts with Grandad...

Once he realized what was under the package, the word "open" immediately followed. Here he is trying to get at one of his new Cars toys.
Grandad gave Rogan and Leapster! Mommy might actually get her iPad back. We have to download a few things before it's fully functional, but Rogan is very excited about a new tablet just for him. I have know idea what my face is doing... I'm weird.
After presents, lunch, and a nap it was time to pack up. Here is me, looking *AWESOME*. I think I'm asking him if he remembered something. His response was to whip out the camera and snap a pic of me.

Off to Cheryl's (Grandma's/Mema's) we went... hot wheels!!

Rogan's main present from Santa was a Lets Rock Elmo!

Here they are jamming...

Do you think he likes music/elmo??? (he's lip syncing!!)



Note: we had to get elmo out in the car on the ride home too.

and we also had to have a talk with our new alphie:

AND HUGS

his cute new monkey hat!

needless to say he had fun and was totally spoiled with attention, affection, toys, and food. Tis the season!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Swimming at Christmas

The hotel we stayed at near Ryan's parents houses had an indoor pool! We made the mistake of showing it to him the night we got in, when we didn't have time to swim. Luckily 2 other mornings we had time to go swim, well... jump. He loved it.

Here are the videos!

I was right to be annoyed.

Suspicisons confirmed. That night I woke up at 2:30am with a splitting headache, and didn't sleep after that. And at 4:30am the icing on the cake... time to throw up! ugh. not my favorite. Baby #2 is certainly kicking my butt this time around. I remember Rogan being much nicer to me while I was pregnant with him.

So I stayed home yesterday to sleep and recover. By last night I still had a faint headache, but was doing better.

This morning I'm practically 100%. hurray! I don't want to be sick for Christmas (like I was for Thanksgiving!! That was no fun!)

Rogan's new phrase that cracks me up:
"no, yet" meaning "not yet"

Rogan, are you going to eat dinner?
no, yet

Rogan, we need to change your diaper.
no, yet.

Rogan it's time to go nite nite.
no, yet.

Annoyed

Tonight for the first time in a while I'm annoyed.... With everything,

I'm annoyed that...
Rogan fussed all the way home from daycare
He didn't want to take off his coat or shoes when we got home
My back hurts tonight
Rogan wanted to hang out on my shoulders tonight, further hurting my back
I have a dull headache that I'm worried will turn into a large one by morning... time for water!
I have stuff I want to do around the house and my body is saying no tonight
I wanted to put Rogan down to bed, but didn't have the emotional strength if he put up a fight so I had Ryan do it instead. And yes, he fussed.
Rogan insists on me being with him and not Ryan most of the time if he has the choice, forcing me to hide if I want a minute alone, or listen to whining if I refuse
I haven't had time to pick up my new contacts
My car is a mess, this is 95% my fault.
I can't drink a sugar free red bull until May.

Argh, just not my night I guess. Early to bed and hopefully a better mood in the morning.

So far a healthy Baby Boy #2!

Xmas came early to Ryan and I on Friday, when we had an ultrasound confirming that 1) we are having another boy, and 2) that he looks perfect.

Because of my diabetes, I'm considered a "high risk" pregnancy. Usually I don't mind this one bit. I can handle the extra appointments, and it means I get extra ultrasounds to see our new baby more often and I get to be induced early, which saved me from up to 2 weeks of being pregnant last time. Thanks! But with it of course comes the risks. Because I've been pregnant before (and done well, since Rogan is as healthy as a horse, knock on wood), I feel that the docs have been a little easier on me this time, which I appreciate. I know what CAN go wrong, and I'm doing everything I can to be a good little diabetic and keep myself and Baby #2 in control.

As hard as I try though, I know I'm not perfect. I'm darn close. I know that. But still my body doesn't work quite like it should. My last A1C (basically a measure of how good your sugar levels have been the last 3 months) was 5.7 back in October. I know a "normal" person can usually have a level up to 6.0, so I'm well within the "normal" range, which should usually mean my kids have no more of a chance at having a "defect" than any other woman.

So that part gives me comfort. But things can still happen. Even the healthiest of mothers can have a child with special needs. Physical defects could happen diabetic or not. So that's what it scary.

The ultrasound we had on Friday measured all the major bones in the baby's body, as well as his major internal organs. They basically made sure all of them were the right size and developing normally. They also check for all chambers of the heart and parts of the brain. Then to top it off they look at the face, lips, spine, etc. It's quite a long list of stuff the tech measures, all while not telling Ryan or I anything about what she sees. argh.

But all is well when the doc comes in after reviewing the measurements and says we have a physically healthy boy so far. hurray!!!

I'm very excited to meet our new boy in late April or early May. I dont think I'll be wishing for an earlier delivery than that since we will be doubling our children!! Until then I will be enjoying the time I have with Rogan as our only child. He's amazing.

Here he is in the bath last night with 2 of his favorite things: his "hat" and lightening mcqueen.

Fudge that will not disappoint!

Here is my g-ma's recipe for fudge. It is easy, and delicious. I've eaten this at Christmas since I can remember. Certainly puts me in the holiday spirit!

Put these ingredients in medium saucepan
2/3 cup evaporated vitamin d milk
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
7oz jar marshmallow fluff
4 Tbsp butter

Bring to a boil on medium high heat, stirring constantly.
Boil for 5 mins while stirring lightly.

Take off heat and add
1 1/2 cups semi sweet choc morsels

Stir until smooth.

Add 1 tsp vanilla

Stir until combined.

Pour into a buttered 8x8 dish, makes about 2 lbs. Let cool completely on counter and enjoy!

A Night with Rogan...(videos)

The sound is off on this video, and it freezes since I took it on my phone, but still a cute one.

When you are raising a son...

Sometimes it's wrestle mania night. And it just so happened this time it occurred when I was flying solo.

But I did my best! I pinned him several times, mixed in with throwing him from side to side on the couch. He got me too, of course. But I think I won. :)

When he starting trying to climb over the back of the couch we changed activities... But oh man, I see an injury in the future from going over that thing when I turn my back.

He also counted from 8-13 tonight. I don't know why he likes to start at 8, and I can't get him to start at one. Occasionally we start at 2. And we usually miss 4 and go straight to 5, but he is getting great at counting. Our favorite number right now is definitely 8. I repeated him and he kept going all the way to 13! And it was distinguishable! He kept going after 13 for a while, but they all sounded like 13. Haha. So I know he knows there are similar sounding "teen" numbers next, he just can't make them out yet. It amazes me how much he is learning and how well he retains information.

And now, we sing...

Rogan that is... or me, when asked. Usually I am asked to sing in the car on our way home from day care. The requests range from twinkle twinkle, mickey mouse, abc's, oso, or itsy bitsy spider.

Requests from Rogan, that is. Ha, remember when he couldn't talk?

Now, he loves songs, and sings what he can. He can hum entire toons. And then he fills in words that he knows and hums the rest...

this is rogans twinkle twinkle:

tink tink hmm humm uh uh STAR!
hmm hum hu hu hm hm ARE!
up uh hmm mm hmm hmm HIGH!
hmm mm uhh uhh mmm mm SKY!
tink tink hmm hmm STAR, hmm hmm, uh uh, hmm hmm ARE!!!

followed by "YAY!! I DID IT!!"

very sweet. there is also some dancing involved, that involves butt-wiggling. will try to get video for future blackmailing when he's a teenager/