Come on Target, work with me.

This always seems to happen to me. I just got home from a trip to Target where I purchased a large box of Target brand diapers and a value sized can of Target baby formula. Guess what was in my mailbox upon arrival?

You guessed it. Coupons for Target brand diapers and formula. Seriously, work with me here.

Glee!!

Since it wasn't on tonight because of the stupid World Series, I am going to blog about it instead!

When Teri from work asked if I wanted to switch nights with her and work Thursdays instead of Wednesdays, I was a little hesitant at first. I liked working with Serena on Wednesdays and I had grown accustomed to my CSI on Thursday nights. Thank God for Glee!! While I was on maternity leave, FOX debuted this TV show and I am officially obsessed. I absolutely LOVE this show and I will literally build my evening around it because, since I don't have the luxury of DVR, I will be darned if I'm going to miss it!





Have you seen this show yet?

I'm already tempted to pre-order Season One on DVD, scheduled to come out in December. I really could watch it over and over. This might be my next "Gilmore Girl-like" obsession. That reminds me.....Ashley, will I get my Rory and Lorelai back someday?? :)

My future Badgers

The weather was pretty nice yesterday, so I decided to take the boys on a trip to campus to introduce them to their future college.....I mean, my alma mater. No pressure, boys! This was also our first outing with the double stroller and that made for some interesting moments. I had completely forgotten how to open the dang thing!! Here I am in the parking garage on Lake Street, cursing under my breath because I can hear Isaiah in the car yelling, "Mama??? Mama??" and I'm stuck behind the car trying to wrench the stroller open. Finally I got it figured out and got Isaiah all strapped in. I reclined the other stroller seat all the way back for Micah and even managed to get him secured without too much drama. I grabbed the diaper bag and the camera and we were ready to go! Not so much. How the heck do you unlock the wheels??

We had a very enjoyable outing! Isaiah loved being able to lean over and check on Micah and say, "Hi Baby!" whenever he wanted. He also said hello to many a passer-by along our way. The stroller itself worked out pretty well on our first adventure. It definitely has its drawbacks, but I had to make some sacrifices to be able to get a double stroller we could afford. I look forward to using it more when spring rolls around and Micah can sit up and enjoy the view like his brother!

First Smile

Micah has been smiling for a little over a week now, but he is a pro at clamming up the very second I get the camera out. Many a photo has been taken of the moments just before and after a smile, but only just today was I able to finally capture one of his smiles on camera. As a special bonus, he's rocking his Badger gear!!
For those of you playing along at home, I will try to get Snapfish updated with all the recent photos by the end of the week. Really, I will try.

I need new underwear.

Isaiah likes to help me "fold" the laundry.

Thank You Maribeth!

Waupun on Letterman

Speaking of Letterman, a friend from high school posted this little video on Facebook. Looks like all those fall decorations lining Main Street in Waupun are famous!




Hilarious! Anyone know who this was?? I'm just dying to know.

Letterman, Leno, and the BCS??

Bear with me for a moment because I'm about to go all political on you, but I just have to vent about this. It annoys me to no end that President Obama seems to have nothing better to do than to make appearances on late night television, as he has shown up on Letterman and Leno to joke around and promote his health care agenda. Seriously? Late night TV? Shouldn't he be, oh I don't know....in Washington running the country? I guess others have caught on to the fact that the President has some free time on his hands because now someone is trying to get him to reform the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) system! Now, I am a football fan. This is no secret. Do I think the BCS could use some tweaking? Sure. But, come on. This is not something the President should be dealing with, especially not with the economy in the toilet, a war on, and health care up in the air. But then again, Obama has made himself the "entertainment President," so why not?

Read all about it HERE: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091021/ap_on_go_co/us_bcs_championship_congress

Tom Dooley

This is as close as we have come to a "fall outing" so far this year. I really want to take the boys to the corn maze/pumpkin patch over on Hwy 60 between Sauk & Lodi, but I want to wait until Evan can be along with us. It's just one of those things that we need Daddy for. In the meantime, Grandma and I took Isaiah and Micah to Tom Dooley in Waupun for some apple square, cider donuts, and carmel apples. It started to drizzle about 2 minutes after I started taking pictures, so things got cut a bit short. I still managed to get a couple nice ones of Isaiah though!

Isaiah and the Breast Pump

I'll let the photos do the talking this time. Anyone care to create the captions for these??

Back to Work!

I just got home from my second night back at work and thankfully the boys have been absolute angels for my mother. She stepped in like a knight in shining armor when we found out that Evan was going to go back to China and offered to come stay with me and watch the boys while I was at work. It's been such a blessing because I don't have to worry about what's going on with my kids while I'm at work. I know they're getting taken care of and loved on like crazy and they've been so good for her. She and Isaiah even made homemade applesauce together today with apples from Grandma's trees! He ended up pretty much just having Goldfish crackers and apples for lunch today, but oh well! Isaiah loves to play with Grandma and he was apparantly really getting his snuggle on with her tonight while she was feeding Micah. Oh, and his lip is healing nicely.

So, long story short, thanks Mom!! It's only been two nights of you watching my boys for me and I am so thankful for you. I really love having you around.

As for Evan, he's just working! I spoke to him this morning (Friday night for him) and he told me about completing an audit at one of their vendors and about how they were going to be meeting with some folks from Tonglu. I'm not sure what's on tap for the rest of his trip, but he promised to send me an email with a blog if things got interesting. So far there have not been any baiju related incidents, so that's a plus. I'll keep you posted!

A Rough Start

Within half an hour of arriving home this afternoon after picking up Isaiah from the babysitter, we had trouble. I was feeding Micah and Isaiah was trying to climb all over me to get some attention and he scratched my face so that it actually broke the skin. About 3 minutes later, he tripped and fell forward into the coffee table and split his lip open. I now have a blood stain on my bra strap where I was holding his face to comfort him after his fall.

We are not off to a good start.

China: Day One

I've kind of been in denial about this whole Evan going to China again thing. I went to bed last night not even really thinking about Evan leaving this morning. Maybe it's a good thing that this trip was such short notice because I didn't have time to really get myself worked up about it. He got up at 3:30 this morning to go pick up a fellow traveler in Prairie du Sac and I spoke to him as he was waiting at his terminal at O'Hare to board his 14 hour, 21 minute flight. I let him borrow my Kindle....aren't I nice? :) So, here we are without Daddy on Day One of the ten day trip. Evan said to me over and over, "I'll be back before you know it." I sure hope he's right.

Oh, and did I mention what Evan left behind when he walked out the door this morning? A toilet that doesn't flush!! Yesterday I went to Target to get Micah a humidifier for his room because Isaiah gave him his cold (yup....both boys are sick!) and it came with styrofoam packing. Isaiah was having a ball playing with it and somehow ( I wonder.....) a chunk of it ended up in the toilet. Well, Evan used the facilties and saw a flash of white in the water and assumed it was toilet paper. It wasn't until he had already flushed and it was too late that he realized what it was and now the toilet is plugged. Not sure what I'm going to do about that, but I'll figure something out.

In the meantime, I am still trying to plan outings and/or playdates for next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Any takers??

Isaiah's Birthday Wishes

I can hardly believe that my little guy will be two years old in only a few weeks. Where does the time go? I look at Micah and I can barely remember Isaiah every being that small, but it really wasn't all that long ago. Anyway, nostalgia aside.....here is what Isaiah would like for his birthday!

• Winter boots (size 7)


• Winter hat and mittens


• Robeez soft sole shoes (for slippers when it's cold)


• Shoes (he'll be in size 7 very soon. Pediped and See Kai Run make AWESOME kids shoes!)


• Flashcards (letters and/or numbers)


• Clothes! (2T and up, this includes socks)


• Outdoor play equipment (obviously would be used after the winter passes)


• Board games (starting with the ones for the young'ins)


• Puzzles and puzzle rack
• DVD: A Bug's Life, Monsters vs. Aliens, Ice Age

**Please hear the pleas of the Mommy: NO NOISE-MAKING TOYS FOR HIS BIRTHDAY!!! He already has a lot of toys down in the playroom and there are other things he needs way more than another noise-maker. I'm begging you!!

Looking foward to celebrating Isaiah's birthday with you! The party will be at our house on Saturday, November 7th at 12:00 pm. We didn't send out a ton of invites, but if you'd like to join us, come on over! The more the merrier!

My Sanctuary

I may not have the fancy scrap table just yet and all my supplies may be strewn about all over the floor, but I can still appreciate the value (and potential!) of the basement office. For two whole hours tonight, I was behind the closed door of this room with Norah Jones playing on the computer and I got to work!. Ah.....it was wonderful. I'm still very behind on my scrapbooks, but at least I made some progress and had some me-time in the process.

New Mom Essentials

It seems like about 80% of the women I know on Facebook are either pregnant, about to deliver, or has an infant at home....myself included. Since my second little guy is a month old already, I thought I would share my thoughts on what the new mom really needs to survive that first month (and beyond) with a newborn and what she doesn't. I figure since I've done this twice now, I qualify as an expert! It's all about survival during those first weeks so this list is designed to help with that effort.

Must Haves: Do not pass GO, do not collect $200 until you have secured these items for your first weeks home with your baby. Trust me, you will be glad you did!

• Maxi Pads - Get the big ones, baby. If you deliver "the old fashioned way," you will be bleeding for a while.....longer than you might think. Save yourself the hassle and just have these ready to go. While you're at it, buy some TUCKS to lay on top of your maxi pads. You and your hemorrhoids will thank me.




• Boppy Pillow - If you are planning to breastfeed, this pillow is an absolute essential. It positions the baby perfectly for ideal access to the girls. When it's 3 am and you're needing to feed the baby while you can barely remember your name, this is a life saver. Just lay the kids down, pop 'em on the old milk machine, and doze off for a little while. It might just be the best chance you get to sleep! Oh, and don't forget to score an extra cover for your Boppy. After you've dozed off while nursing and you wake up to a big wet spot where you've dribbled all over your nursing pillow, you'll appreciate having an extra cover handy. (P.S. This pillow is awesome for bottle feeding too!!)




• Nursing Pads - The nursing mom simply cannot live without these. Once that milk comes in, you had better make sure you've got these on hand and ready to go. Check them and change them often and make sure to adjust their position before you try to go to sleep or you will soak through your shirts quicker than you can say "Lactate!" Buy a TON of these! I literally went through a box of 60 in my first 2 weeks postpartum! (P.S. If you are NOT nursing, you might want to grab a box of these anyway to use when your milk comes in. Engorgement can lead to leaking and you'll want to use these to protect your clothes.) I love the Lansinoh brand. They're soft, discreet, and they can absorb a lot of breastmilk.




• Mylicon Gas Drops - I made the mistake of only buying one of these the last time I was at Target. My boys both have had issues with getting really gassy after feedings and they will grunt and scream like crazy until I give them this stuff. Safe enough to use at every feeding, I can't imagine life without it. Be sure to get the dye-free variety. The pink stuff stains!



• Coffee - I think this explains itself.

Skip It: Sure, these things may sound nice, but they are hardly essential to your transition into Mommyhood. Save your money for more diapers, wipes, and Mylicon.

• Wipe Warmer - I know some people swear by these, but I just don't get it. Perhaps the tendency of our generation to coddle our children begins with this ridiculous contraption. Just use the cold wipe out of the box. Their little butt will survive, I promise.


• Nursing Pajamas - I seriously thought about getting some sleepwear specifically designed for nursing. After I soaked breastmilk through my third tank top in one night, I realized that would have been completely futile. Just throw on some loose-fitting comfy clothes and you'll be just fine.

That's all I've got for right now. Any of my other mommies out there care to add to this list? What are your favorite essentials for the new mom?

Book Review: What I Thought I Knew by Alice Eve Cohen

Imagine being suddenly stricken by mysterious symptoms that have both you and the numerous doctors you are seeing perplexed. Ultimately, you are sent for an emergency CAT scan and you are terrified because you're sure it's going to reveal a life threatening tumor in your abdomen. Instead.....surprise! You're six months pregnant!

This is what happens to Alice Eve Cohen and she describes her incredible journey to becoming a mother to her second (and only biological) child in her memior, What I Thought I Knew. After spending her entire life being told she was infertile and taking daily hormone treatments, 44 year old Cohen is given the shock of her life that turns her world upside down.....

To read the rest of my review of What I Thought I Knew, visit The Book Nook Club!

Just Me and the Boys

Evan is gone on a business trip again! This time, he will be gone for four days out east. I'm not even sure what exactly he is up to on this trip, so I can't even share that with you. What I am concerned about is missing out on the chunk of sleep that I rely on when Evan takes a feeding with Micah for me! I know.....it's not all about me, right? But, with being wiped out by the mastitis right now, I really could use all the sleep I can get. Typically I will feed Micah around 9:00 or so and then I go to bed. Evan stays up for his next feeding and then puts him down in his crib, so I usually get to sleep from around 9:30 to 1:00 or so when he wakes up for his next feeding. Then it's all me for the rest of the night. It's only a few nights that we'll be without Daddy so I am sure we will manage, but I know we'll be missing him. He comes back on Friday from this trip.

Unfortunately, this is not the only trip Evan will be leaving on this month. He just found out this morning that he has another 10 day long trip to China coming up this month. He'll be gone the 14th through the 24th. I'm kind of upset about this because I had already let the restaurant know that I was coming back to work on the 14th so that Serena (who is due with her baby in November) could plan on being done on the 18th. My mom has already stepped up to say that she will stay with the boys if I need her to, but I'm still pretty upset about the whole thing. I'm really not a fan of the idea of being a single parent for such a big chunk of time, especially with Micah being this young. Not a fan at all.

Mastitis

I have mastitis again. I got it with Isaiah when he was about 3 weeks old and here we are again with Micah. My right breast started to hurt on Friday evening and has just gotten worse since. It's hot to the touch and I just sit and cry while Micah nurses from it. Today I started to develop the flu-like symptoms associated with mastitis - fever, hot/cold flashes, etc. So, even though it didn't come on suddenly in the middle of the night like with Isaiah, it would appear that I'm in for a repeat performance. It figures it would happen over the weeken too, when I can't just go in to the clinic but would have to go to the hospital and pay for either Urgent Care or an ER visit. No can do, buckaroo. I'm going to call the clinic right away in the morning tomorrow and describe what is going on and hopefully Dr. B can just call in the scrip to Walgreens for me. It would be super to not have to bring the boys into the clinic if I can help it!!

Micah's Newborn Photos

Although it was technically arranged as Micah's newborn photo session, Isaiah just couldn't resist trying to steal the show a little bit. Here are just a couple of the great shots Jenn Van Wyk (http://www.jennvanwyk.com/) took last week!

Plus there are about 3 dozen more photos for me to choose from, so I have quite the task ahead of me!