Meadows vocabulary

now includes:

Momma
Dadda
Dazie
No
Milk
Night Night (she will go into her room saying night night, night night... when she is ready for bed)
Yes

I think I have also heard her say Meadow...but I am not sure. With Night Night it took me awhile to figure out what she was saying.

Update on my deep thoughts

Things are getting better--we have been keeping the communication lines open. It is still a struggle at times, but I feel we are making progress.

Chris has been receptive to what I have to say, and he is listening. He still interprets my words as nagging or yelling when I am not raising my voice or using a different tone.

He has been treated for depression before, and is reluctant to be treated again. After some research (that was easy to get) I found out that the treatments he had before had REALLY bad side effects. That was over 10 years ago. I think there are new methods out now that are better. I think there may be more natural ways to treat his depression.

I know my hormones will come to an end in a few weeks...

Deep Thoughts by April...

Lately, I have been really troubled. Nothing is good enough for me. I can't seem to get happy...

Chris and I have had 3 conversations about it, and I feel like nothing gets resolved. He says he is willing to fix whatever is making me unhappy, but I don't know what it is...so how can I give him a solution when I really don't know what the problem is.

I have gotten to a point to where I don't really do anything anymore--outside of my house and my relationship with my family. Why? Because twice now I have said something and it got back to Chris out of context. It made me mad that Chris didn't try to figure out what I said and not defend me.

I really don't want to turn this into a Chris gripe, but maybe there are some underlying things that are getting to me. At this point in my pregnancy with Meadow he was so understanding and helpful. Now nothing. I have to beg him to do laundry and unload the dishwasher. These are two things I physically can't do. I can't reach to the bottom of the washer. I can't stand on anything to put dishes away. Bending over is another story. My center of balance is off.

I fell last week end, and now I am afraid it will happen again. What am I to do? Last week end I missed the last step going down to the basement, so now I refuse to go down there. Last week end I am glad that I was able to catch myself before I hit my belly hard. My right arm and leg took the brunt of the fall.

I guess while I am at it...one thing that really bothers me about Chris is he has let his hygeine go. He hasn't showered all week end. He wonders why I don't want to be close to him...he stinks. I tell him to shower and it is like he doesn't care. I gotta go...I have realized I have a whole bunch of stuff I need to talk to him about...

April News

Because it has been so long since I have posted anything about myself. There have been a couple of developments in my life.

My pregnancy has been going well. As in pretty uneventful, which is good. DH and picked out a name awhile ago. We found out that the baby is a girl, and her name will be Lily Christine. It was a real painful. For days I was coming up with lists of names and DH kept rejecting everything. Finally he asked, "What would you name the baby if I weren't involved?" I said Lily. He actually thought about it and agreed to Lily. You cannot imagine how many times I brought the name up!

In the whole coming up with a name process I was also interviewing for a promotion. So, after 7 months of working in a challenging area of outerwear and cold weather accessories, I nailed the promotion and am now the Associate Technical Designer for Boys Knits. The process was painful, also. The previous time this position was open in a different area they only did one round of interviews, and a decision was made that week. With this opening, the managers and director met several times to hammer out a decision.

After a week of trying to come up with a decision they had it narrowed down from 5 candidates to 2. I had less than 24 hours to prepare for the 2nd interview which was a practical exercise in fit, which I was not comfortable doing. I didn't have much experience with. I must have done darn good because they offered me the job a couple of days later. They also restructured the area to help the other candidates gain better experience in the spots they were weak.

I have spent the past three weeks learning my new role and new area as well training the person to fill my shoes. Now we are working on trying to figure out what to do while I am on maternity leave.

It's been over a year

It is so hard to believe that a year has passed since I had Meadow. It is hard to believe I am sitting here waiting for her to fall asleep. She is playing around in her crib and jibbering. I feel like she has accomplished so much. She is saying Dadda, Momma, Dazie, Night Night, milk, and then there are her favorite babbles.

Yesterday she had her one year check up. She got her MMR and Pnuemonia vaccine. She is in the 90th percentile for Height coming in at 30 1/4" and the 50th percentile for weight weighing in at 20# 4 oz. She wasn't sure about the doctor poking and probing at her. She kept looking at me and DH to see if what he was doing is OK.

Meadow's party was a success I think. I got the house clean enough. Every one seemed entertained. She enjoyed her cake. As soon as I can figure out how to get the video uploaded here I will post it.

More Milestones!

So, all week I was frustrated that Meadow would not walk for me. Everyone from the daycares she goes to--to DH told me how good of a walker she is. What? She won't walk to me...Well, Friday she finally started walking when I am around. She really has to concentrate on what she is doing, but still it is a big accomplishment. She has also started climbing. That happened last week end. She climbed on a booster seat that was at grandma and grandpa's house. She also climbed up the stairs. I am aware she was doing it at daycare too, but we don't have many toys for her to climb on.

So, we ended up bringing home a chair, which she likes to stand on. It is made of plastic, so today DH decided to buy her a plush chair. We were afraid that she would fall off the plastic chair, because it is not so stable. She seems to like to lounge in her new chair though.

Also, her top two teeth have been giving her problems for about the past month. What was really frustrating is that we could see them about to break skin for a few weeks now. Today, one finally broke through. It must have happened last night, because it wasn't there when I put her to bed...so hopefully the next will make an appearance soon.

Meadow updates

Words she can say: Dada, Mama (only used when she is mad), Dayday (for Dazie). She can wave bye bye, and shake her head no.

Tonight she walked a about a yard on her own. I had to pretend I wasn't watching. I have noticed if she knows I am watching she will drop to her knees and crawl to me.

She has been eating so much at meals. Tonight she ate a meatball, 1/2 a jar of broccoli, carrot and cheese baby food, plus a half a banana. I wonder where she is putting all the food.

Now, I am going to work on planning her b-day party...1 is coming up fast.

Tag...Your It

In response to being tagged by Heather...here are 7 random facts about me.

1. I tried really hard to think of something random, then I realized it wouldn't be random if I thought about it?

2. I put new bedding on my bed today. By new I mean it has never been on a bed before.

3. Meadow isn't feeling well...I think it is teeth...I am having a hard time with it too.

4. I had an ultra sound 4/30. We couldn't tell the sex of the baby b/c it's legs were crossed. The doctor ordered another ultra sound to monitor the baby's growth for June 6th.

5. In college I was rarely in bed before 2, and now I am lucky to make it to 9.

6. When I was real young I bit through my tongue while playing on a trapezee bar at a campground. I got to eat ice cream the rest of the night. I have scar in the middle of my tongue from that, and having my tongue pierced.

7. I was going to say that I have never had stitches, but I remembered I had them 10 months ago from having Meadow.

Noticing new stuff of sorts

I have some much needed blog catch up to do. Hopefully, I can get to it by the end of the week end...so that is my blog challenge to myself. First I will be participating in Heather's Wednesday Blog Challenge. This week's topic is to seek out something in your normal routine that you have not noticed before. This was difficult for me since my normal route to work in now detoured for construction. I couldn't really find anything profound. A couple of things though:

The outdoor tables at work only 1 does not have an umbrella. On a glorious day who wants to spend their lunch break under an umbrella when you have to be stuck inside the rest of the day?

There is a gas station in my town that all week has been $0.05 than the rest of the stations. Now that the rest of the station are at $3.19 that is a real important note.

They don't carry the really yummy brownies in the convenience store at work...just the cafeteria. Who has time to walk to the cafeteria when they want a snack when I work above the convenience store?

The USPS mailboxes through out the town I live in are brown not blue (except the one by the post office and the one on the main street).

I think that is about all the noticing I did this week.

Quirks

I decided to participate in Heather's blog challenge. For this week she has challenged her readers to make a list of their quirks. I think I decided to do this one, because it is actually challenging for me. I actually have to think about what makes me quirky. I have to do this on my own, because there is no one to ask. I could ask DH, but his responses would be biased to his opinion. OK, so here it goes--deep breath:

1. I read all sorts of blogs and never comment.
2. I don't make my bed, because chances are I will sleep in it again.
3. I talk to my dogs like they are humans. Sometimes DH and I have respond for the dogs.
4. I waste a lot of time on the internet.
5. I wear my clothes several times before washing (this does not include undergarments).
6. I am obsessed with cleaning my ears. I had a bad blockage in junior high, and ever since I am determined to keep minimal wax in there.
7. I barely write in my own blog, but expect others to update theirs regularly.

I think 6 is enough for now.

Exciting Milestones

Meadow took her first two steps while playing with her daddy and Grandpa Saturday, while Grandma and I were shopping. I completely missed it. Then on Sunday she took another two steps toward daddy again in going from our couch to him.

Tonight she said, "Mama". DH didn't believe that she said it, so he said, "Mama". She repeated, "Mama". I was so excited--I almost cried.

Meadow has...

tooth #2! It must have come in either last night or today. It wasn't there at dinner last night. It is the left lower tooth.

She is also standing on her own for short periods of time. Once she made it for almost 30 seconds. I had to hold my breath to wait for her to do something. The something was she fell on her butt.

Out of the mouths of babes

Meadow has become quite comical. I can't believe the things she is doing. I have two funny stories I want to share.

Meadow has started the "d" and "b" sound in her babbles. Anyway, last week she crawled to the baby gate while I was getting ready for work. She then pulled herself up, and started "talking". When I looked at her she was holding on to the gate with one hand and swinging the other like people who talk with thier hands. I thought it was so cute.

Friday night I had a friend over for dinner and game night. We put Meadow in her exersaucer to keep her out of trouble. To keep her from fussing DH gave her some Gerber puffs. He said to her, "Tell me when, " as he poured them onto her tray. When she had quite a bit, DH said, "when?", and Meadow shook her head "no." It was so funny.

Then, DH said, "What do you mean no?"

Meadow shook her head again, as to say, "No means no...I want more!"

The big announcement again

I was trying to keep this secret until our family knew, but I am pregnant again. I am due the last week in August. So Meadow and baby #2 will be 14 months apart. I am really excited that they will be close in age. I feel so distant from my brother b/c he is almost 10 years younger than me. DH and his brother are 5 years apart and even as BIL has entered adulthood they still seem to be a different maturity levels. DH of course is insisting it is a boy. I am trying to plan incase it is a girl and he isn't budging.

Guess what Meadow has!?!?!

This morning I looked in her mouth, and her bottom left tooth finally broke through! She has been struggling with teething for such a long time. She had the worst symptoms for a month. I felt so bad for my little peanut, but I was overjoyed when I saw the little bit of tooth poking up from her gum.

Public Service Announcement

The lady who found our dogs said that she appreciated how well we had our dogs IDed. I want to stress to any pet owner how inexpensive and easy it is to make and ID tag for your dog. Most Wal*Marts have the machine near the check outs that makes them and it is under $5 for tags. They do have more expensive designs. Usually you can put up to 4 lines of information. Our dogs only have their name and each of our cell phone numbers on their ID tags.

Even if you have a cat it is important to make sure he/she has identification. When I was talking to my aunt about the ordeal, she said her cat got loose. She lives in an apartment complex. The cat was found across the street from the apartment complex.

Our dogs are also microchipped. Some of you may think it is unnatural. I think it is crucial if you have pets who go outside. There is an ID tag they get with the microchip. The ID tag has the 1-800 number for the recovery agency (our dogs have different agencies for their microchip) and an ID number. A lot of Humane Societies and Animal Shelters have scanners and will scan animals as they arrive. Some vet clinics even have policies where they scan all new patients. Each microchip cost under $30, and it is inserted between the shoulder blades. It is about the size of a grain of rice. Some agencies require a yearly fee, while others it is just a one time fee.

Dazie has the Companion Animal Recovery (CAR) microchip from AKC. Miischka has the HomeAgain microchip. The reason it is different is because of the vet that they got it at. It just depends on what the vet carries. If you want anymore information, let me know. Both are easy to update with information if you move.

Also make sure they have their current rabies tag. That has the dispensing vet's information on. Vets have records of which dog has which tag number. That has assisted a friend of mine when her dog was lost. They called the vet office and the vet office contacted her with the finder's information.

They are home safe and sound

Just wanted to let you know the search is over. The dogs were found 5 miles from home. They were attracted to a house with dogs and horses. They are pretty pooped out and are sleeping in their normal sleeping places. Miischka does have cracked paws from the elements. She has a missing nail on her back right paw. Dazie is fine.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and well wishes!

24 1/2 hours later and stll no sign....

I feel like some one ripped out my heart. At 4 am, I checked atound the house again...The treat pile was still untouched. I hate the look on Meadow's face. It does look like she lost her best friend. Her and Miischka were, I mean ARE, good buddies. It is very difficult to remain positive at this point in time. Last nighy I convinced myself that if Dazie got snagged, she would chew her leash off...afterall she did it with her Gentle Leader halter. I am hoping they are still together. I am praying like I have never prayed before. We are good puppy parents, help lead our girls back to us.

REWARD!!!!

REWARD!!!!

My dogs ran away this morning. I called the sheriffs department and they said the girls were spotted South of town on the busy highway. Dazie has a blue collar on with a purple leash (and the collar did report that the dogs had a leash on), and Miischka just has on a purple collar. If you want to see my adorable dogs I have pics of them here. Dazie is the brown and white on, Miischka is the black and white one with her head in the water bowl.

At this point in time they have been missing 14 1/2 hours. My DH is out again looking for them. I have called vet clinics, the Humane Society, and Sheriff's department (several times).

I believe I have posted pics of the girls before. I will try to post some more if I can get them downloaded.

Why does this stuff happen to me?

Last week FIL called and offered to babysit Meadow. Well, my car was leaking oil, so we couldn't get her to FIL's (2 hours away). This week end MIL offered to babysit Meadow so DH and I could celeberate a late Valentines Day. Guess what!?!?! both dogs ran away this morning. DH is out looking for them. To top it off, my great aunt passed away last week. Meadow also had a fever Thursday and Friday. It just doesn't seem like we have had good luck lately.