Every time I go to Little Caesar's to buy a pizza, I get overcharged. Now, it's true that it is really cheap pizza to begin with, cheaper than I can purchase any other place, and it's also true that I've only ever been overcharged there by a nickle, but still it rankles me.
Michael and I are doing the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace program this summer, and even though we don't plan to give up use of our credit cards as per Dave's instructions, we felt that for the duration of the class we really ought to use the envelope system as much as possible. Which is why I keep losing nickles. Because I've been paying cash. About which I have very mixed feelings.
But here's the sitch: Last week I was going to be smart about it. I couldn't quite remember whether the pizza was going to cost me $5.45 or $5. 55, and I didn't feel like looking it up or doing the math, which would have taken me two seconds, so I took what I had, which was a five dollar bill, two quarters and five pennies. The plan was to give her the change based on what she told me, and this time to be sure to ask for a receipt.
As I near the pick-up window I plan out exactly what is supposed to happen, but then I get to the window and all my plans fly out the window. The pizza costs $5.45. I give her all my money. She doesn't even look at it really, gives me no change. I ask for the receipt. "I should get some change," I tell her. "Didn't you give me $5.45," she asks. I tell her what I gave her and then I say...
Wait for it.
"I should get a nickle back." She complies and I say something to try to make sure she doesn't feel bad about it.
Crap, Crap, Crap.
"Mommy, what's wrong? What's wrong, mommy? What's wrong?" Isaac is in the back seat in the van with me. I'm so amused and frustrated with myself and Little Caesar's pizza that I have to call Michael about it. Which sparks even more questions of what's wrong from my two year old.
So this girl at the window isn't good at making change, but look, it's my money! And I used to work in retail. I know how to make change. It's my own damn fault! What outrages me and makes me laugh all at the same time is that I thought I was going to be all smart and not make a mistake. Epic Fail! Not only that, but the receipt doesn't even show what actually happened in the transaction. I doubt it would matter to you, but it matters to me.
I meant for this story to be funny, so if I've failed to make it so, please gently let me know in the comments.
Two more anecdotes:
1. Parker is four years old. A couple of weeks ago we're at CHOM and I hear him say to the lady at the craft table, "I'm four years old, but some people think I look older."
2. We've had a daytime guest at our house over the last several weeks, a friend of ours who is using our computer to take an online class. He walks into the living room one afternoon and tells us that he's going to have to find a school-age child to interview, someone six or older, for a class. Parker sweetly offers his services as an interviewee, even though he's younger than the lower age limit: "I'm tall!"
Showing posts with label Virtual Baby Book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virtual Baby Book. Show all posts
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Repair Bear, We Hope
A few days ago I posted on facebook that Isaac had thrown his bear into the toilet. This morning, from a seated position on the floor, in my husband's lap, Isaac lobbed his brother's bear across the room and into the toilet. Yes, it's true that the bear now smells of pee, but I can't just throw it in the washing machine and here's the reason why.
A few days ago Parker's bear began hemmoraging filling beads from a hole in it's lower back. This bear is so loved that he has been stitched up numerous times already, and there are runs like you'd get in panty hose all over his back. His fur is long gone, as is the brown neck ribbon that Parker used to pull at with is teeth. My husband is now attempting to restuff the bear with filling beads using a drinking straw, which works much better than the paper funnel he originally fashioned.
My son cannot sleep all night without his bear. He's done it exactly once. The second time we tried it he woke up in the night looking for his bear. We are not ready to try the experiment again so soon. When he finishes the refilling, we'll sew up the hole using travel sewing kit thread. Then I'll stick him in a lingerie bag and throw him in the washing machine using Tide with Bleach (because that is what I have) and cold water. I plan to repair the bear with a scrap of fabric held on with semi-permenant fabric glue. I'm not exactly the patch and mend type, which is why Michael is doing the sewing, and I'll be using whatever fabric I can scavenge. I'll have to figure out a way to cut the fabric in whatever odd shape is required for fit, keep the fabric from unravelling, and convince Parker not to pull the fabric away with his fingers. My genius idea for repairing the bear on Thursday was with masking tape. We really seem to know what we're doing here, don't we?
A few days ago Parker's bear began hemmoraging filling beads from a hole in it's lower back. This bear is so loved that he has been stitched up numerous times already, and there are runs like you'd get in panty hose all over his back. His fur is long gone, as is the brown neck ribbon that Parker used to pull at with is teeth. My husband is now attempting to restuff the bear with filling beads using a drinking straw, which works much better than the paper funnel he originally fashioned.
My son cannot sleep all night without his bear. He's done it exactly once. The second time we tried it he woke up in the night looking for his bear. We are not ready to try the experiment again so soon. When he finishes the refilling, we'll sew up the hole using travel sewing kit thread. Then I'll stick him in a lingerie bag and throw him in the washing machine using Tide with Bleach (because that is what I have) and cold water. I plan to repair the bear with a scrap of fabric held on with semi-permenant fabric glue. I'm not exactly the patch and mend type, which is why Michael is doing the sewing, and I'll be using whatever fabric I can scavenge. I'll have to figure out a way to cut the fabric in whatever odd shape is required for fit, keep the fabric from unravelling, and convince Parker not to pull the fabric away with his fingers. My genius idea for repairing the bear on Thursday was with masking tape. We really seem to know what we're doing here, don't we?
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Parker loves to jump on the bed
Yesterday Parker held Isaac for the very first time. Maybe now that he's six months old it's a little less scary for Parker. Isaac has also been practicing rolling over as you will see below.
Monday morning, as we were driving to the church to deliver something, we came to our turn onto Hargrove Road. Parker pointed to the left and said, "That way to the church." Then he pointed to the right and said, "That way to Granna's house, and to the Gleasons." Parker has such a great memory. We haven't even been to the Gleason's house in months and months.
I wish he didn't love jumping on the bed quite so much though.
Monday, May 18, 2009
My First Time Uploading Video to Blogger
This is just a little video of me playing with Isaac one morning a couple of days after Mother's Day. I tried to load it as a private video to YouTube, but for some reason we were unable to grant access to the people (mostly family) who we wanted to see it. If you are a friend simply checking in to see if I've written anything lately, you may not be interested in the video--although he really is cute, and this is an opportunity to see him smile.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Weight Panic at the Pediatrician's
Yeah, it's hard to get on here to write anything. A couple of weeks ago I took Isaac in to the Pediatricians Office for his two week check up. A few of you already know what happened there.
Before I get to the part where you find me in tears, I'll tell you this. I thought it was significant, but I always tend to think that these things are significant.
In the well-patient waiting room there is a television showing children's programming. The movie that was showing while we waited was the 1975 version of Charlotte's Web, starring Debbie Reynolds.
When I was a little girl I had a vinyl record of the soundtrack to this movie. I knew all the songs, and I used to act out Charlotte's death scene near the end. At the time I had neither read the book nor seen the movie, but I knew that song was sad and dramatic, and I would crawl up on my chest or table (I don't remember which it was) and pretend that I was Charlotte dying, not knowing the Charlotte was a spider.
Later in high school I would do the same thing with the death scene at the end of Antony and Cleopatra. It sounds crazy, I know, but it always made me feel better when I was low. It helped that all of the lines near the end of the play are given to female characters.
Anyway, Charlotte's web was playing, and I remembered the scene from my childhood, and I thought--this is a little treat from God, reminding me of something I enjoyed as a child. And I remembered the words to "Mother Earth and Father Time."
Back to the point of the post.
They called Isaac back, and of course the first thing you do upon arriving the examining room, is you undress your child down to his or her diaper so that a weight can be taken. I did this, taking extra time to change Isaac's diaper because it was very full, all the while telling him how I wanted to be sure to get an accurate weight. The nurse and I proceeded to the scale. The reading came back at 6 lbs. 0 oz. I told the nurse, "That's not good. He weighed more than that when we left the hospital. He weighed more than that a week ago when we weighed him at the Breast Care Center. This is very, very bad." The nurse, who must have been new, said nothing. She gave me nothing back. Just went about the business of administering Isaac's PKU. I wanted to ask her to weigh him again, but if you know me very well you won't be surprised that I didn't. I spent the next however many minutes waiting for Dr. Brown looking down at my baby, wondering how this could have happened and what I was going to do about it. Should I make an appointment with a lactation specialist immediately? Should I call my mother and tell her she was wrong, that he wasn't growing, that he didn't weigh anywhere close to 7 lbs?
Denise came in, and we talked about Isaac's feeding. I told her what had happened with the scale, and that he weighed 6 lbs 8.5 oz less than a week ago. She reassured me that it didn't sound right, and so we took him out to try the scales again. This time a more experienced nurse told us that sometimes the scales got out of whack when the mother's weight was removed from the scale as babies are being placed on the cradle. She jiggled it up and down with her own weight to make sure the calibration held. Isaac's weight came back at 7 lbs 7 oz.
I should have known immediately that feeding every two to three hours with an abundant milk supply and very little spittage could not possibly result in a weight lost of 8.5 oz. I should have known, but I didn't. Looking at Isaac you can see that he is growing. His little cheeks are filling out, and he now had a distinct bottom. He's already grown out of some of my smallest onsies.
That was a pretty scary and tragic twenty minutes for me though.
Before I get to the part where you find me in tears, I'll tell you this. I thought it was significant, but I always tend to think that these things are significant.
In the well-patient waiting room there is a television showing children's programming. The movie that was showing while we waited was the 1975 version of Charlotte's Web, starring Debbie Reynolds.
When I was a little girl I had a vinyl record of the soundtrack to this movie. I knew all the songs, and I used to act out Charlotte's death scene near the end. At the time I had neither read the book nor seen the movie, but I knew that song was sad and dramatic, and I would crawl up on my chest or table (I don't remember which it was) and pretend that I was Charlotte dying, not knowing the Charlotte was a spider.
Later in high school I would do the same thing with the death scene at the end of Antony and Cleopatra. It sounds crazy, I know, but it always made me feel better when I was low. It helped that all of the lines near the end of the play are given to female characters.
Anyway, Charlotte's web was playing, and I remembered the scene from my childhood, and I thought--this is a little treat from God, reminding me of something I enjoyed as a child. And I remembered the words to "Mother Earth and Father Time."
Back to the point of the post.
They called Isaac back, and of course the first thing you do upon arriving the examining room, is you undress your child down to his or her diaper so that a weight can be taken. I did this, taking extra time to change Isaac's diaper because it was very full, all the while telling him how I wanted to be sure to get an accurate weight. The nurse and I proceeded to the scale. The reading came back at 6 lbs. 0 oz. I told the nurse, "That's not good. He weighed more than that when we left the hospital. He weighed more than that a week ago when we weighed him at the Breast Care Center. This is very, very bad." The nurse, who must have been new, said nothing. She gave me nothing back. Just went about the business of administering Isaac's PKU. I wanted to ask her to weigh him again, but if you know me very well you won't be surprised that I didn't. I spent the next however many minutes waiting for Dr. Brown looking down at my baby, wondering how this could have happened and what I was going to do about it. Should I make an appointment with a lactation specialist immediately? Should I call my mother and tell her she was wrong, that he wasn't growing, that he didn't weigh anywhere close to 7 lbs?
Denise came in, and we talked about Isaac's feeding. I told her what had happened with the scale, and that he weighed 6 lbs 8.5 oz less than a week ago. She reassured me that it didn't sound right, and so we took him out to try the scales again. This time a more experienced nurse told us that sometimes the scales got out of whack when the mother's weight was removed from the scale as babies are being placed on the cradle. She jiggled it up and down with her own weight to make sure the calibration held. Isaac's weight came back at 7 lbs 7 oz.
I should have known immediately that feeding every two to three hours with an abundant milk supply and very little spittage could not possibly result in a weight lost of 8.5 oz. I should have known, but I didn't. Looking at Isaac you can see that he is growing. His little cheeks are filling out, and he now had a distinct bottom. He's already grown out of some of my smallest onsies.
That was a pretty scary and tragic twenty minutes for me though.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The Birth Story, in Gory Detail (though not too gory I hope)
Notice what I say in the title of this post about gory detail. I would hide the rest of the article for those who do not wish to read it, but I don't know how to do that.
Saturday morning Michael and I moved quantities of frozen food from a deep freeze out in Coaling to one at another friend's house less than a mile away. Saturday evening Michael picked up the crib that John and Linda are loaning us to use with Isaac.
Anna Grace went shopping with me earlier on Saturday afternoon. It was the first chance we'd had to do anything together in a while besides cookie making at Cori's house the Tuesday before. At one point I told her I thought I might be having a contraction, but it's always been hard for me to tell throughout this pregnancy because not only have the been painless, but they've been few and far between.
That evening I noticed a hemorrhoid had developed, and I thought, "Damn that Starbucks. Every time I go there with Anna this happens."
Someone from Michael's office had given us a gift certificate to Longhorn Steakhouse on Friday. It was a long shot, but I asked Anna Grace before church Sunday morning whether she and Ben would be willing to sit with Parker for us so that Michael and I could go out. Typically when family lunch at the Bishop's has been canceled, Ben and Anna will try to have lunch with members of the youth group or their shepherding group, but this day they set aside their normal plans to let us go out. It was so nice for the two of us to be out alone together, even if only for a little while. Rarely do we have the opportunity for a date.
Damon came over to watch Hancock Sunday afternoon and he and Michael put the crib together that evening. I had gotten the mattress from Cori just that Tuesday.
Sunday evening Michael asked me if I could read to Parker and put him to bed. He could tell by looking at me, however, that I was tired and didn't feel up to it, so offered to go ahead and do it instead. Parker then requested that mommy read to him, something he never does, so I got to read to my darling in the evening before going into labor that night.
Normally I cannot sleep until Michael comes to bed, which he often doesn't do until 10:30 or 11:00. This evening he came to bed at 11:00 after checking in on Parker, and that's when it started. Literally. Michael got into bed, and I hopped out, thinking that I had just experienced the final indignity of pregnancy, a total loss of bladder control.
Beware gory details: I seriously thought that I had lost bladder control. It didn't matter that there seemed to be much more fluid involved than this could explain. I didn't bother to turn on the light in the bathroom, because at night I rarely do. I grabbed a sanitary napkin and tried to go back to bed. When I returned to the bathroom only moments later I noticed the napkin had turned pink, but I thought that was what it did when it got wet, having never used this particular brand before.
Then I became aware of the contractions. They were close, and they hurt, but I wanted to time them to be sure. I didn't want to be one of those women who goes into the hospital on a false alarm. We waited probably 45 minutes before even calling the hospital.
When Dr. Emig asked me if I'd had any unusual discharge I said I didn't think so. I didn't realize that what I was experiencing had anything to do with amniotic fluid.
Dr. Edwards had checked me the Wednesday before, and there had been no activity. He had told me Isaac probably wasn't going to be a Christmas baby, and to try to wait to have him until he was back in the office the following week. So far Dr. Edwards hasn't gotten to deliver either of my babies, but I think he's a great doctor anyway.
Dr. Emig told me she didn't usually have mother's come in unless they were in pain, and I assured her that I was. She told me to come on.
We arrived at the hospital at 1:3o Monday morning. I wanted an epidural. I didn't get one. Isaac was born at 2:58 a.m. Labor took a total of four hours.
When the nurse checked me I was three or four centimeters dilated. When the doctor admitted me I was five. They had trouble getting my blood sample, because veins that are usually easy to tap wouldn't bleed. The IV was difficult to establish. There was some other problem with one of the machines. The anesthesiologist didn't have time to get there.
I didn't call Jill because at first I didn't want to wake her up if this were nothing, and later because I didn't want to insult the nurses in attendance. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, because labor was so fast she probably wouldn't have been able to get there in time. I got to spend some time with her in the hospital anyway.
Delivery was hard, and it was painful, but it was fast, and the recovery was wonderful. I was able to walk around within hours, and the pain has been entirely manageable, apart from the headaches that recur from lack of sleep. I have stitches, but they have caused me fairly little discomfort.
Isaac is perfect, although his feet and hands remind me of a little bird's, long and often flexed at odd angles. He has very little body fat, and his knees stay bent much of the time. They tell me this is because he had very little room to move around prior to birth, although he was always a kicker from early on. The most uncomfortable aspect of pregnancy was how often he would catch me in the ribs.
We're still getting used to each other, but he seems to get a little cuter everyday. Even though he doesn't look a lot like Parker to me, there are things about him that remind me of Parker when he was that small. At some point I'd like to post pictures of both of them.
Saturday morning Michael and I moved quantities of frozen food from a deep freeze out in Coaling to one at another friend's house less than a mile away. Saturday evening Michael picked up the crib that John and Linda are loaning us to use with Isaac.
Anna Grace went shopping with me earlier on Saturday afternoon. It was the first chance we'd had to do anything together in a while besides cookie making at Cori's house the Tuesday before. At one point I told her I thought I might be having a contraction, but it's always been hard for me to tell throughout this pregnancy because not only have the been painless, but they've been few and far between.
That evening I noticed a hemorrhoid had developed, and I thought, "Damn that Starbucks. Every time I go there with Anna this happens."
Someone from Michael's office had given us a gift certificate to Longhorn Steakhouse on Friday. It was a long shot, but I asked Anna Grace before church Sunday morning whether she and Ben would be willing to sit with Parker for us so that Michael and I could go out. Typically when family lunch at the Bishop's has been canceled, Ben and Anna will try to have lunch with members of the youth group or their shepherding group, but this day they set aside their normal plans to let us go out. It was so nice for the two of us to be out alone together, even if only for a little while. Rarely do we have the opportunity for a date.
Damon came over to watch Hancock Sunday afternoon and he and Michael put the crib together that evening. I had gotten the mattress from Cori just that Tuesday.
Sunday evening Michael asked me if I could read to Parker and put him to bed. He could tell by looking at me, however, that I was tired and didn't feel up to it, so offered to go ahead and do it instead. Parker then requested that mommy read to him, something he never does, so I got to read to my darling in the evening before going into labor that night.
Normally I cannot sleep until Michael comes to bed, which he often doesn't do until 10:30 or 11:00. This evening he came to bed at 11:00 after checking in on Parker, and that's when it started. Literally. Michael got into bed, and I hopped out, thinking that I had just experienced the final indignity of pregnancy, a total loss of bladder control.
Beware gory details: I seriously thought that I had lost bladder control. It didn't matter that there seemed to be much more fluid involved than this could explain. I didn't bother to turn on the light in the bathroom, because at night I rarely do. I grabbed a sanitary napkin and tried to go back to bed. When I returned to the bathroom only moments later I noticed the napkin had turned pink, but I thought that was what it did when it got wet, having never used this particular brand before.
Then I became aware of the contractions. They were close, and they hurt, but I wanted to time them to be sure. I didn't want to be one of those women who goes into the hospital on a false alarm. We waited probably 45 minutes before even calling the hospital.
When Dr. Emig asked me if I'd had any unusual discharge I said I didn't think so. I didn't realize that what I was experiencing had anything to do with amniotic fluid.
Dr. Edwards had checked me the Wednesday before, and there had been no activity. He had told me Isaac probably wasn't going to be a Christmas baby, and to try to wait to have him until he was back in the office the following week. So far Dr. Edwards hasn't gotten to deliver either of my babies, but I think he's a great doctor anyway.
Dr. Emig told me she didn't usually have mother's come in unless they were in pain, and I assured her that I was. She told me to come on.
We arrived at the hospital at 1:3o Monday morning. I wanted an epidural. I didn't get one. Isaac was born at 2:58 a.m. Labor took a total of four hours.
When the nurse checked me I was three or four centimeters dilated. When the doctor admitted me I was five. They had trouble getting my blood sample, because veins that are usually easy to tap wouldn't bleed. The IV was difficult to establish. There was some other problem with one of the machines. The anesthesiologist didn't have time to get there.
I didn't call Jill because at first I didn't want to wake her up if this were nothing, and later because I didn't want to insult the nurses in attendance. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, because labor was so fast she probably wouldn't have been able to get there in time. I got to spend some time with her in the hospital anyway.
Delivery was hard, and it was painful, but it was fast, and the recovery was wonderful. I was able to walk around within hours, and the pain has been entirely manageable, apart from the headaches that recur from lack of sleep. I have stitches, but they have caused me fairly little discomfort.
Isaac is perfect, although his feet and hands remind me of a little bird's, long and often flexed at odd angles. He has very little body fat, and his knees stay bent much of the time. They tell me this is because he had very little room to move around prior to birth, although he was always a kicker from early on. The most uncomfortable aspect of pregnancy was how often he would catch me in the ribs.
We're still getting used to each other, but he seems to get a little cuter everyday. Even though he doesn't look a lot like Parker to me, there are things about him that remind me of Parker when he was that small. At some point I'd like to post pictures of both of them.
Timing-Provision/God has been Very Good
Isaac, gentleman that he is, waited to arrive until after Michael's immediate obligations as special events deacon at Grace had been fulfilled. He chose to come before my Dad had to commit to whether or not he would travel to New Orleans to lecture for the Marine Corp. He waited until after Michael and I had the opportunity to go to lunch alone together just that afternoon.
I have often been disappointed in thinking about the neat ways God hasn't provided for us and for our needs. He's never given me an automobile out of the blue (something I have always dreamed would happen). He's never given us a specific amount of money immediately before or after we have needed.
But here's what He has done.
We needed a baby bed and mattress for Isaac to sleep on. John and Linda are loaning us a bed. Cori has provided a mattress. We needed a place for Isaac to sleep until he's old enough to make it through the night without nursing, when he'll join Parker. Shelly bought us a bassinet for a dollar at a yard sale. We needed a cover for the bassinet. Elizabeth had that would fit.
The automatic breast pump I need to establish nursing has been provided without cost beyond it's use of electricity. Heather and Anna Grace were available without question to spend parts of the night with Parker the night Isaac arrived.
Isaac has diapers because Michael's office gave us a diaper shower the Friday before Isaac was born. Linda watched Parker while I got my driver's license renewed only the weekend before.
Anna gave me clothes to wear the last couple of months of my pregnancy. Isaac has clothes to wear because Laura and Tina and Elizabeth and others gave us their old ones. Isaac has his own new blankets thanks to Pam and others. My parents live close by so there was never any question of where Parker would stay while Michael and I were at the hospital with Isaac.
Our kitchen range was dying, and so Michael's parents helped us to purchase a new one over Thanksgiving. My parents have bought us groceries since Isaac has been here, as well as various household needs. My mom often buys me clothes when I need them and she's available to help me with the boys until I adjust to nursing with a two year-0ld in the house. Daniel and Shannon were able to be here the day Isaac arrived.
Our mortgage is low, which as been a tremendous help in coping with the rising costs of living. We get the dependant tax exemption for 2008 even though we had no expectation. God didn't exactly GIVE us a car, but in reality He did, because we were able to buy a mini-van this year from someone we know and trust, who provided a complete maintenance history and even had the oil changed and the tires rotated after the sales agreement had been made. Best of all, two car seats fit in it easily, which they never could have in our other car.
We have our own washer and dryer this time around to cope with the tremendous amounts of laundry a new baby generates.
Michael has been able to take time off work to be with me and Parker and Isaac with very little difficulty, and he's off again tomorrow for New Years.
How has God not provided for us?
He is good anyway, by the way, apart from anything He may or may not do for us. I have to tempt disaster and thank Him because this is His due.
I have often been disappointed in thinking about the neat ways God hasn't provided for us and for our needs. He's never given me an automobile out of the blue (something I have always dreamed would happen). He's never given us a specific amount of money immediately before or after we have needed.
But here's what He has done.
We needed a baby bed and mattress for Isaac to sleep on. John and Linda are loaning us a bed. Cori has provided a mattress. We needed a place for Isaac to sleep until he's old enough to make it through the night without nursing, when he'll join Parker. Shelly bought us a bassinet for a dollar at a yard sale. We needed a cover for the bassinet. Elizabeth had that would fit.
The automatic breast pump I need to establish nursing has been provided without cost beyond it's use of electricity. Heather and Anna Grace were available without question to spend parts of the night with Parker the night Isaac arrived.
Isaac has diapers because Michael's office gave us a diaper shower the Friday before Isaac was born. Linda watched Parker while I got my driver's license renewed only the weekend before.
Anna gave me clothes to wear the last couple of months of my pregnancy. Isaac has clothes to wear because Laura and Tina and Elizabeth and others gave us their old ones. Isaac has his own new blankets thanks to Pam and others. My parents live close by so there was never any question of where Parker would stay while Michael and I were at the hospital with Isaac.
Our kitchen range was dying, and so Michael's parents helped us to purchase a new one over Thanksgiving. My parents have bought us groceries since Isaac has been here, as well as various household needs. My mom often buys me clothes when I need them and she's available to help me with the boys until I adjust to nursing with a two year-0ld in the house. Daniel and Shannon were able to be here the day Isaac arrived.
Our mortgage is low, which as been a tremendous help in coping with the rising costs of living. We get the dependant tax exemption for 2008 even though we had no expectation. God didn't exactly GIVE us a car, but in reality He did, because we were able to buy a mini-van this year from someone we know and trust, who provided a complete maintenance history and even had the oil changed and the tires rotated after the sales agreement had been made. Best of all, two car seats fit in it easily, which they never could have in our other car.
We have our own washer and dryer this time around to cope with the tremendous amounts of laundry a new baby generates.
Michael has been able to take time off work to be with me and Parker and Isaac with very little difficulty, and he's off again tomorrow for New Years.
How has God not provided for us?
He is good anyway, by the way, apart from anything He may or may not do for us. I have to tempt disaster and thank Him because this is His due.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
What a Week
This has been quite the busy weekend.
Wednesday we were graced by the presence of various guests. My Uncle Billy and Aunt Barbara drove in from Georgia for an all too brief visit. They came bearing gifts for Parker from a yard sale given by my cousins. We visited on the front porch of my house, as the weather was so nice. Parker enjoyed seeing them.
Thursday, of course, I failed my one-hour blood glucose test.
Friday morning Parker and I left the house early to pick Granna up so we could all attend the Little Lambs Consignment Sale at First United Methodist downtown. We were there a full two hours.
I am claustrophobic, which means it is nearly impossible for me to enter an aisle that is already jammed with people. This becomes a distinct disadvantage when it comes to huge consignment sales. Thankfully my mom was with me. We found winter clothes for Parker, the random toy or two, as well as a crib mobile for the coming baby, and some maternity clothes for me. By the time were were finished I was numb. The ability to make decisions soon evaporated.
Friday evening I had one of those lovely emotional breakdowns that come about as the natural product of pregnancy. The fact that I haven't yet started taking my iron supplements doesn't help. The catalyst for this was a disastrous last-minute trip to Winn-Dixie which resulted in the purchase of eight containers of Yoplait Yogurt for 75c each. I'll rail against Winn-Dixie and other grocery stores that require the use of a plastic card to obtain sales prices, and cashiers who ignore their customers very existence, on some other occasion.
Saturday we celebrated Parker's birthday with my family, along with a brief visit from Heather and Ceilidh. This only after having portraits made for our church's new photo directory, photos we chose not even to see since we knew it wasn't a good time for us to buy. I don't think the photographer was well pleased by our lack of interest. I spent the entire day getting ready for both events and washing all of the clothing purchased on consignment the day before. Parker failed to nap at all on Saturday.
Today I learned how to use a baby sling, and I attended the memorial service for an acquaintance whose passing has made me very sad. Tomorrow I go in for the three hour blood-glucose test. I can have nothing but water after midnight tonight. Tomorrow morning they'll give me twice as much of the sugar soda to drink, and I will have my finger pricked every hour for three hours thereafter. I have to pass two out of three finger-pricks. If I fail I will go on a diabetic diet for the remainder of my pregnancy, but the doctor doesn't expect me to fail and neither do I. I wish I didn't have to go in for another test however. It would have been so much more convenient to get it over with the first time.
I had hoped to post some pictures, but the device doesn't seem to be working this evening.
Wednesday we were graced by the presence of various guests. My Uncle Billy and Aunt Barbara drove in from Georgia for an all too brief visit. They came bearing gifts for Parker from a yard sale given by my cousins. We visited on the front porch of my house, as the weather was so nice. Parker enjoyed seeing them.
Thursday, of course, I failed my one-hour blood glucose test.
Friday morning Parker and I left the house early to pick Granna up so we could all attend the Little Lambs Consignment Sale at First United Methodist downtown. We were there a full two hours.
I am claustrophobic, which means it is nearly impossible for me to enter an aisle that is already jammed with people. This becomes a distinct disadvantage when it comes to huge consignment sales. Thankfully my mom was with me. We found winter clothes for Parker, the random toy or two, as well as a crib mobile for the coming baby, and some maternity clothes for me. By the time were were finished I was numb. The ability to make decisions soon evaporated.
Friday evening I had one of those lovely emotional breakdowns that come about as the natural product of pregnancy. The fact that I haven't yet started taking my iron supplements doesn't help. The catalyst for this was a disastrous last-minute trip to Winn-Dixie which resulted in the purchase of eight containers of Yoplait Yogurt for 75c each. I'll rail against Winn-Dixie and other grocery stores that require the use of a plastic card to obtain sales prices, and cashiers who ignore their customers very existence, on some other occasion.
Saturday we celebrated Parker's birthday with my family, along with a brief visit from Heather and Ceilidh. This only after having portraits made for our church's new photo directory, photos we chose not even to see since we knew it wasn't a good time for us to buy. I don't think the photographer was well pleased by our lack of interest. I spent the entire day getting ready for both events and washing all of the clothing purchased on consignment the day before. Parker failed to nap at all on Saturday.
Today I learned how to use a baby sling, and I attended the memorial service for an acquaintance whose passing has made me very sad. Tomorrow I go in for the three hour blood-glucose test. I can have nothing but water after midnight tonight. Tomorrow morning they'll give me twice as much of the sugar soda to drink, and I will have my finger pricked every hour for three hours thereafter. I have to pass two out of three finger-pricks. If I fail I will go on a diabetic diet for the remainder of my pregnancy, but the doctor doesn't expect me to fail and neither do I. I wish I didn't have to go in for another test however. It would have been so much more convenient to get it over with the first time.
I had hoped to post some pictures, but the device doesn't seem to be working this evening.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Parker's amazing strength
I failed my one hour blood glucose test this morning, but only by three points. This means I get to go back to the office one day next week for the three hour test. No surprise. The exact same thing happened when I was pregnant with Parker. Dr. Edward's thinks I'll probably pass the second test, which requires that I pass two out of three blood sugar measurements.
Tuesday morning Parker and I were working in the church library. At one point Parker got away from me (I was trying to reshelve books, after all), and guess where I found him. Inside the darkened ladies bathroom. With the door closed. The surprise was that he was heavy enough to open it on his own in the first place. Later I learned that Parker is able to open the front door to the church all on his own, because he made it out the door and halfway across the parking lot before I caught him. That was scary, but now I know.
Tuesday morning Parker and I were working in the church library. At one point Parker got away from me (I was trying to reshelve books, after all), and guess where I found him. Inside the darkened ladies bathroom. With the door closed. The surprise was that he was heavy enough to open it on his own in the first place. Later I learned that Parker is able to open the front door to the church all on his own, because he made it out the door and halfway across the parking lot before I caught him. That was scary, but now I know.
Friday, September 12, 2008
I only have to be up as early as any other morning tomorrow, but here are some pictures of Parker.
Right now I'm simply trying to figure out how some of Google's new features work. This is the face we call smiling at the sun, which recently has become the expression he gives whenever I ask him to smile at all.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Animals
GG got Parker the cutest little stuffed monkey (with bellybutton and long weighted tail). Parker hasn't shown any interest in it just yet, but I'm in love with the thing.
I was never really the stuffed animal type myself. I had a teddy bear named Bear Bear that I slept with every night, but little else. I tickled that bear so often that he had bare patches all over his back and stomach, much as Parker's black bear has bare patches where his tag used to be. I would get upset when my mother tried to trim my fingernails because, I said, "I can't tickle Bear Bear anymore."
When I was pregnant with Parker, Carol (that's GG) bought a green and purple dinosaur stuffed animal that I also loved. There's something about being pregnant that makes me care more about stuffed animals. I slept with Parker's monkey tucked up in my arms most of Saturday night.
GG and Grandpa, I want you to know that Parker played with his lion, tiger, elephant and giraffe this morning. He came into our bedroom where I was dozing, with plastic lion in hand saying, "Roar, Roar, Roar." I roared back at him and he laughed back at me.
Also for the sake of the record, Parker has begun practicing the word "No." He said no to everything today whether he meant it or not. My sister asked him "Parker, do you love me?" and he said no every time. And we know that's not true.
He was so tired before his nap this afternoon that he tried to hold every piece of sidewalk chalk in his tiny little hands, and he cried as though his heart were breaking every time he dropped a piece. Michael said it was as though he thought the chalk were being taken from him if he couldn't hold them all in his hands. Eventually we convinced him to return the pieces to the plastic zip-lock bag in which they are stored and hold the bag while drawing with one piece of chalk at a time. He likes to draw on himself, the cement slab in our backyard, and on the Spalding basketball that rolls away every time he lets go of it.
I got some good pictures over the weekend (some of him playing with a water sprinkler in GG and Grandpa's backyard). I'll try to post some of these sometime in the next few days, but we've got a busy week ahead, so I make no promises.
I was never really the stuffed animal type myself. I had a teddy bear named Bear Bear that I slept with every night, but little else. I tickled that bear so often that he had bare patches all over his back and stomach, much as Parker's black bear has bare patches where his tag used to be. I would get upset when my mother tried to trim my fingernails because, I said, "I can't tickle Bear Bear anymore."
When I was pregnant with Parker, Carol (that's GG) bought a green and purple dinosaur stuffed animal that I also loved. There's something about being pregnant that makes me care more about stuffed animals. I slept with Parker's monkey tucked up in my arms most of Saturday night.
GG and Grandpa, I want you to know that Parker played with his lion, tiger, elephant and giraffe this morning. He came into our bedroom where I was dozing, with plastic lion in hand saying, "Roar, Roar, Roar." I roared back at him and he laughed back at me.
Also for the sake of the record, Parker has begun practicing the word "No." He said no to everything today whether he meant it or not. My sister asked him "Parker, do you love me?" and he said no every time. And we know that's not true.
He was so tired before his nap this afternoon that he tried to hold every piece of sidewalk chalk in his tiny little hands, and he cried as though his heart were breaking every time he dropped a piece. Michael said it was as though he thought the chalk were being taken from him if he couldn't hold them all in his hands. Eventually we convinced him to return the pieces to the plastic zip-lock bag in which they are stored and hold the bag while drawing with one piece of chalk at a time. He likes to draw on himself, the cement slab in our backyard, and on the Spalding basketball that rolls away every time he lets go of it.
I got some good pictures over the weekend (some of him playing with a water sprinkler in GG and Grandpa's backyard). I'll try to post some of these sometime in the next few days, but we've got a busy week ahead, so I make no promises.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Pictures of Parker From Before Our Yard Was Destroyed
It's kind of funny, tonight we saw the episode of Little House on the Prairie where Laura and Almanzo lose everything but the baby. Almonzo get dyptheria, their crops are destroyed, their house is destroyed in a tornado, and Almonzo loses the use of one side of his body. It's the first episode I saw last year, which is what got me interested in seeing the entire series. This episode makes me feel better about the damage to our back yard. At least we don't have any debts against it.
I'm Really Not Supposed to Give My Baby Chocolate, Right?
Last week sometime Parker and I were home alone together. This was one of the days when I wasn't feeling very well. Parker is, as I've said before, tall enough to reach a lot of things now, and he's become an excellent climber.
There was a plastic wrapped piece of chocolate cake on the table behind our sofa. It had been there for several days already, so when I left the room I remembered to take my yogurt with me, but never gave the chocolate cake even the first thought. This is what I emerged from the bathroom to discover:
There was a plastic wrapped piece of chocolate cake on the table behind our sofa. It had been there for several days already, so when I left the room I remembered to take my yogurt with me, but never gave the chocolate cake even the first thought. This is what I emerged from the bathroom to discover:
Monday, May 12, 2008
Parker and Me on Mother's Day
Parker spent the day exploring his Granna's yard. I spent the day napping in my sister's room. We managed to squeeze most of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in there too. Sean Connery's character in that movie reminds us so much of our Dad, especially the quotable bits of dialogue.
One of my Dad's favorite lines:
"Did I ever tell you to eat up? Go to bed? Wash behind your ears? Do your homework? No. I respected your privacy..."
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Question(s) of the Day
1) Name for me your favorite child-friendly outdoor pesticide. We sprayed the back yard several weeks ago, but due to rain etc., the fleas and ticks may already have come back.
2) How about some easy recipes using ground beef? I'm getting tired of cooking chicken all the time, and nothing in my refrigerator has sounded good to me this week.
Friday, April 18, 2008
My Visionary Woes
I woke up with pink-eye this morning, which I must have inherited from Parker in reverse. His seems to be much, much better. Mine seems to get worse by the moment. Maybe I need a patch to put over the one eye that is giving me such trouble. Anyway, I asked Michael to take pictures when he took Parker out to play this afternoon.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Parker Plays on the Quad
I simply haven't been in the mood to write lately, which is probably why I am reading a book right now on the value of non-reading. For some reason that seems ironic to me.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Parker Pictures
I thought that I would be able to choose some pictures of Parker to post yesterday, but, obviously by now, it didn't happen. So now here they are. Parker playing all over the place.
Parker is looking up at the sky to see the airplane he hears thundering overhead in my parent's back yard.
Beautiful, beautiful boy. Can you believe those eyelashes and those dark eyes?
I've decided to call this Parker's Mark Darcy stride. Or is that his Colin Firth stride? I'm not sure I can tell the difference.
There's that tilting of the chin that I have such trouble capturing on film. I see it every day while Parker is playing, but so often the camera has a slightly different perspective then does my eyes, and I am often disappointed in the results.
Parker loves to play peek-a-boo, especially when there is some large object he can use to hide his eyes. Sometimes he laughs when you yell boo!
Parker is looking up at the sky to see the airplane he hears thundering overhead in my parent's back yard.
Beautiful, beautiful boy. Can you believe those eyelashes and those dark eyes?
I've decided to call this Parker's Mark Darcy stride. Or is that his Colin Firth stride? I'm not sure I can tell the difference.
There's that tilting of the chin that I have such trouble capturing on film. I see it every day while Parker is playing, but so often the camera has a slightly different perspective then does my eyes, and I am often disappointed in the results.
Parker loves to play peek-a-boo, especially when there is some large object he can use to hide his eyes. Sometimes he laughs when you yell boo!
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