sleep crutch

Unlike Olea, who always slept with soft things (to my recollection),
Zurich likes to sleep with his favorite and most likely the hardest things he can find.
Doggy, Car, Foma (phone), he tried truck aka Mater, but too pokey,
but that didn't stop him from sleeping with
the bathroom vanity from Olea's doll house one night.
Though I did have to dig it out from underneath him at 4am when he rolled over on it and started crying.
The softest thing he sleeps with... his blankie, obviously.

But it's all good because he's sleeping in a big boy bed and is taking naps again most days.

Life is good he can sleep with Ramone and Doggy if that is what it takes.

Kindergarten

Last night Gary asked me, "So are you going to cry tomorrow when your baby starts kindergarten?"
"Probably not."

Olea was excited to go and woke up on her own at 7:45am. I didn't have her pick out an outfit or anything like that the day before, I didn't want her obsessed with clothes and appearance. I just told her yesterday that her hair had to be brushed and done by me for school and she could pick her clothes but that they had to match. This morning I asked her if she wanted to pick out her clothes or if she wanted me to. She chose for me to. I picked out an outfit and she didn't want the hoodie shirt and just opted for the plain white shirt. Nondescript is good. I cut her hair Wednesday but I'm not totally happy with it. I was trying to keep it long but short enough that brushing it wouldn't be such a fight. ohh... I remember the days Olea wanted her hair french braided almost every day and would actually let me brush it with out a fight.
Ready for school.

She wanted to ride her bike and was totally good about walking across the crosswalk and on school grounds.

She and her friend "Bumblebee" were happy to see each other and did a happy dance.

I was glad there was also a little girl I know in her class as well who is a good, but shy girl. I just hope Olea attaches to good kids for friends. So seeing potential was comforting.
She was totally good, "Bye Mom." aka "you can go now"

After she got home we had a Popsicle while she called her Dad and told him how things went.
The Verdict: It was pretty fun!
Would she go again? Ya, totally!
good, cause if you do it "right" you'll be in school another 17 years. And so it begins...

And how did I fare? Went home fed the baby, cleaned up breakfast dishes, played cars with Zurich. And back to pick up Olea. Time flies when you are nursing a baby. :)

With school in mind, here is some interesting stats I figured out last night.
When Olea is 10 Genève will be starting Kindergarten.
Olea and Zurich will likely never be in the same category of school.
Genève and Zurich will be one year apart in school. That makes the spacing between our kids seem even more dramatic.

Bet you didn't know...

I have my own Ranch.
Like my camping attire?
This little ranch is up somewhere near Sun Valley Idaho. I must be rich...
We found it while going camping for a family reunion.
SWEET!

Table redo

The 1/4 inch thick glass on our dining room table top got broken. Since replacing it was pricey we decided to try plexiglass. The table is pine, VERY soft pine so just using the naked table top is not an option.

You can, and will have to imagine the before picture because I was so busy doing I forgot to get a picture. But, it was just a bare table top that I'd slid a few pictures beneath the glass. This time we were going to screw down the plexiglass since the weight wasn't enough to keep it on. So I went through pictures trying to find a good spread of conversational, milestones and cuteness and had 100 printed up at Costco using free prints coupons. We figured it would only take 50-80. I used little strips of the adhesive tape to just keep them in place as I arranged the prints. The ones on the edges I had oriented to be correctly viewed from the closest sitting point, but all the center ones I varied between upside down and right side up so the eye travels around the table. (Gary's idea, I'll give credit where credit is due) Gary drilled countersink in the plexiglass. The kids practiced on a spare board we had from the basement construction.

Arrange pictures. Put on plexiglass, screw down and seal edges with clear caulk. Viola! Dining room table.

It's been really fun to have the kids point out things and memories as we eat, it also sparks their memories of other things. Zurich will often go get a snack and set down to the table to point out "Mama, Dada, Eah, Beebee and Bobo." It helps keep kids at the table long enough to eat. ...But now, Zurich really insists on sitting at the big table, probably almost time for it anyway. :)

Oh so Reading is good

I like to read children's books. Who doesn't, really? Lately, I have found a few books that make me laugh out loud, I just love the wit and the reality in them.
Finds as of late:


I love Julius, for it's fab portrayal of the older sibling's response to a younger sibling. In one picture the older sibling is sticking pins in a voodoo doll of her baby brother. Sooo hilarious.
The Hocky family, ah man just read it. One part is a game they play in the country: "Find the driveway" we totally had to do that growing up when it snowed. Super cute books.

I hear lots of people complain about our local library out where we live, just that it's small and such. But I still haven't read all the books in it yet, so I think it's big enough. I LOVE having a library I can walk to again (we did that growing up, good times).

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

This weekend we finally finished this... not because it takes long, just because it takes me long to get to things. It's a flannel story play board of the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
My sister, who works for an embroidery design company ( I also worked there for a summer in college) sent Olea some embroidered figures for her birthday, to avoid shipping issues I said we could make the board part of it. It was fun, Olea helped color it and tape the flannel to the board.
You can find the instructions here... so I didn't bother making my own. :) especially since we didn't do the embroidery part because I don't have a machine. They have lots of different fairy tale stories to choose from.

Oh and back in the day when my sister was putting together the tutorial for the project she shared some of the boards with us when she came down and she used a picture of Olea playing with them in her tutorial.

4 month curse

I guess when my babes get to 4 months I start slacking... maybe that was Zurich's problem. I don't rightly know. But when I took Genève in for her 4 month check the nurse weighed her at least 5 times before we just did the whole my weight plus holding her and got the exact same number. So why did the nurse weigh her so many times?

Because she looked chubbier than 13.8 lbs. remember....

This is what I think it is: I think a few weeks ago she was more like the 15 lbs the nurse and I expected her to be, but then she got all distracted and so did I and I didn't make sure she ate her normal time and so she was just getting enough to get by. When I tell people that the child would starve if I didn't pay attention, it's true. She's just so darn pleasant and really doesn't cry. So after my trip to the doc I started paying attention to how long she was actually eating for... way less than she used to. OK so I need to start watching the clock again and making sure she's not distracted by the mass chaos that is life with Olea and Zurich. They are just so much fun how can she sit there with her line of sight so boring and hear all the fun they are having? So I have been paying attention and helping her to get a full feeding.

Genève loves to watch TV. I had her already out of the bath and I had turned on the TV to keep Zurich still while I diapered and dressed him after a bath and here she is arching and turning onto her side to get a look at it. She can also play with stuff, she eyes something and has enough control to get it and play with it for a while. She still doesn't LOVE tummy time but she is doing great but when she's done she'll just put her head down and close her eyes. She turns her head into a blanket from her Aunt (just like Zurich and Olea who like to have their blankies against or over their faces as they sleep) and loves to watch Olea and Zurich play and showers them with smiles when they turn their attention to her, well she's still a little leery of Zurich.

Other than being slightly down on her growth she checked out beautifully and handled the shots very well. Better than Olea... who wasn't even getting the shots, who cowered in a corner with her fists in balls shaking a little, panic plain on her face near to tears for her little sister. I wasn't kidding when I said she had needle trauma. Zurich was interested but more wanted out of the stroller because I was more than two feet away from him. After we got home he would come up and touch her band aids and say, "owie," and kinda tisk a little and then give her kisses on her shots because he's WAY into getting every little owie kissed. Ya, I took all three, what else am I supposed to do?

By the way, can I just say I Love our family doctor. He's just what we need in a family doctor.
While I was there he asked about a wrist I had wrapped (for some reason it's been hurting and I was trying counter pressure) and how I was feeling on the new thyroid replacement. I mean seriously, most doctors wouldn't even answer my questions with out pulling out a new chart for billing purposes, but he cares enough to know and suggest that next time I bring the baby in I get my levels checked again so I don't have to pay to have a separate visit with him, he knows what kind of insurance we have and is sensitive and helpful to that. As well as his nurse who is wonderful, once she carried Zurich out to the car for me in the rain and this time suggested an alternate way to do one of the vaccines that our new insurance won't cover, so that it reduced or negated the cost to us. I've recommended him to everyone new to the area who asks... which I should probably stop doing or I won't be able to get an appointment when I need one. ;)

Necessity is the mother of invention...

and time constraints seem to be the mother of my creativity. Last Saturday we were headed to my friend's daughter's birthday party and though my friend didn't expect us to bring a gift... her daughter is old enough to care, and young enough to expect it. :) So I asked Olea what we should do. Olea suggested I make her earrings. I was thinking beading so I shot down that idea the night before because I knew I didn't have time. So the next morning as the rain comes down in sheets I was nursing the babe and thought... I have those flat posts... for gluing. I could tat some simple little pretties that aren't over the top for a young girl and add a crystal (like unto the Tatties) for some necessary bling. Olea approved after she saw them.

And I am going to make myself a similar pair because I just thought they looked adorable on that sweet girly girl...too bad I didn't get a pic... and though I am not that young or cute, I do think they would look just fine on me. :)

We were late though due to who knows what (because the earrings I did with said nursing baby in my arms) and when Olea heard she had missed the DANCING... well that was sad. So my friend promised her that next time we came we could dance. I'll let Olea do the dancing.

dumb

I hate it when Gary's not here: I'm not adult enough to go to bed.

on the *fritz*

Have you ever half lived your life through no fault of your own?
i feel like i have done just that the past two months or so due to the ever impressive far reaches of the the human thyroid... or in my case the lack of it.
(complete thyroidectomy some years ago, it was a good thing but there are still some challenges to it)
Since having the surgery and experiencing periods of stability I realize that my thyroid was on the fritz most of the time post puberty and possibly before.

When it comes up and people ask what a thyroid does I can only sum it up like so: EVERYTHING.
From weight to mood, ability to cope to muscle weakness, temperature regulation, libido, headaches, anxiety, digestion, ability to concentrate, forgetfulness oh you know I could go on...

I have a pretty good record with self diagnosis so after having my sweet baby I assessed how I felt and adjusted my thyroid replacement with what I had in stock at home. I know doctors advise against this... but you know sometimes it's just easier than waiting the 4-8 weeks in hellish conditions just so they can get an accurate reading to tell me what I already know, but they write the Rx so I guess it must be put up with.

So at my six week visit I was advised to go up a dose (from where I put myself) just so they could get an accurate reading I was supposed to stay there for 8 weeks not the typical 3-6. I tried to explain that I was feeling good where I was and I had moved it down because of symptoms indicating I was too high (for me personally)... but since I couldn't get them to right me a new Rx I had to go up. In my puny little brain I thought, I'll show them, I'm right, especially since the fight had all gone out of me since I lost. Oh ya, I'm a real smarty, feeling like I have the last few months totally showed her... nope. She has no idea.

Every week, and every day it got worse, I added symptom after symptom to my list. My father in law would always ask if I was okay, if I was depressed when he called... obviously I haven't been myself for a while.
So what was the turning point?
I started to make a list and as I did so I got on my knees and started listing them to the Lord and I asked for strength to get the help I needed to fix it and to fix what I could on my own.
No progress is ever made without God. You can ague the point all you want but I am solid on that. I think I am pretty smart/ talented sometimes but I know it's all a gift, inspiration, it's not me as much as I jokingly claim it.
I'm not very overt about my religion I just realized, here on my blog. And I'm not going to douse you with it now more than is my personality to do so.

I would have had to get my dose adjusted sooner or later as the Rx would have expired but going the route I did gave me the fight (the fight I haven't had more the past months) to get the labs done without seeing a doctor (also having a very understanding doctor helps) due to the new "insurance" we have that was a necessary arrangement.

So can I just say how utterly relieved I was when the nurse called to tell me I needed to adjust my dose? Drop to my knees and pray relieved, grateful.
Sounds dramatic?
You should try having a TSH level of .01 for months with a brand new baby and a 17 month old and a 5 year old and a whole bunch of other changes that require a brain.
(it takes a while to level out due to half life of the replacement but already life is better)

Ode to the moth

A while back Gary was taking out the garbage with Olea, when they came back in Gary had a butterfly moth trapped in his hands. Apparently in his elementary school they had to make bug collections.
I would have loved that as a mother... and now as a mother... well, anyway so he put it in a Tupperware with a cotton ball soaked with deadly fumes.... I was not so convinced with the deadly fumes becasue it took the thing a half hour to die.

The whole time I was saying, "are you sure it's alchohol? He's sure is taking a long time to die." etc. But the kids thought it was great.

They were jumping around screaming with delight as it flitted about for its life.
That's why we have dads right? Anyway so after a while it stops twitching and so Gary gets a piece of cardboard and pins and mounts it to the cardboard.

Ok, now what?
Stick it to the bullitin board, obviously.

I would like to say that the thing was dead when it was mounted...
I cannot.
The next day Olea walked past the board to go to the potty and alerted me to the fact that the thing was still moving it's antennae.

GROSS.
So a while back we were purging the bulletin board and we finally got to throw it out.
Sorry nasty little thing.
It was there for almost a whole month.
Olea now sees the picture and says, "his eyes were really cute."
I think it was supposed to be Acetone, not alcohol.
Apparently Gary would have loved to have had such a specimen in Elementary school. Glad he got to live his dream at 29. :)

memories and comparisons

So we are kinda, sorta, trying to start potty training Zurich...
wow.
I sound confident.
He prefers to be naked while he is on the potty so I think it would be inappropriate to post a pic.
But I was looking through old pics today to place under the Plexiglas we just got for our kitchen table (Olea broke the tempered glass that we have had for 6 years and who knows how long Gary's parents had it before then).... and found this

Who needs a diaper? I don't need no diaper, diapers are good for nothing, 'cept maybe a cool hat.

And because we are on the subject of potty training, Olea was potty trained in a size three diaper. Zurich is younger than her but at a size four... here is Genève, oh the glorious fatness, she is 4 months old and in a size three diaper. I'll say it again; I am so proud of this.

And while we're, or rather I, am on the subject of Genève, here she is doing her cute little finger sucking with her other hand around her head, its there or tugging on her ear (she's still wearing a 1-2 diaper because we were going to make use of everyone on of those expensive poop catchers before we bought a new size).

A new find

The week while the two kids were with their grandparents Gary and I discovered the show "Family Guy". Terribly irreverent and hilarious. There are some key moments that I totally giggle over. Stewie is my favorite because I think they capture a baby and what they might be saying pretty well. Here's a favorite clip. Who's kids haven't done this? Zurich is at this stage now.

We are...

You know the song "Innocent" by Our Lady Peace...
Here it is if you don't.

Olea likes to sing it, what she thinks she knows of it anyway... but the chorus she sings like this...

"We are, we are all Pegasus
We are all Pegasus
We are, we are..."

Gary has tried to convince her that it is "innocent" not "Pegasus" but I just let her believe life is as magical as Pegasus.


Here's some coloring pages of Barbie and Pegasus, because I found them for her, someone else should benefit.