tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29026603493292982422024-03-05T00:47:54.516-08:00Oh, My Darling PartyMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-73926967649537770432014-04-01T14:08:00.002-07:002014-04-01T14:08:16.572-07:00Choosing a Baby Name: Naming PoppyNaming a baby is <b>hard</b>…unless you had a name earmarked since you were in 6th grade. And even if you did have a name selected, did you have <u>three names</u> picked for the same gender?<br />
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We wanted a name for our daughter that held some meaning for us. We wanted a name that would allow her the opportunity to be a college professor or an artist. We wanted a name that fit us as a family. <br />
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<u>Dive into our decision making process:</u><br />
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The Golden Poppy is the California state flower. Georgia and Harper (her big sisters) have names that sound very American, but this time we went a little more local and paid homage to our home state. </blockquote>
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Georgia, 6, realized we all have repeated letters in our names (two e's, for example). So the name we chose needed double letters also. Poppy wins with the triple "p". </blockquote>
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Poppy shares initials with her grandmother, my husband's mom. She also shares her middle name June. We like that Poppy has a unique name with sweet ties to her family. </blockquote>
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My dad chose to be called "Pop" rather than "Grandpa" as a tribute to his own grandfather. I love my dad, but wasn't going to name my daughter Basil-ina. This was as close as I could get. </blockquote>
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When selecting Poppy as our baby's name, I knew we'd meet some resistance. I wasn't mistaken. That's going to happen. To all of you in the process of baby naming, I advise you ignore it all. Find similarly minded individuals whose taste you appreciate and ask their opinion, if you feel like you need a sounding board. Otherwise, do what feels best for you.<br />
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Babies grow into their names, and Poppy is no different. It already fits her sweet smile and love for the outdoors. Can't wait to see who she becomes!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-37559461045727622562014-03-04T09:55:00.000-08:002014-03-04T09:55:06.534-08:00The Hospital Bag: The "Non-Essentials"There are some really great lists online of what to pack in your hospital bag when you're having a baby. But I've always been an over-packer, so here are some of the non-essentials I'll be bringing with me to the hospital.<br />
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<b>A Zero Candle</b><br />
There's so much to celebrate, and the birth of a new baby tops the list. I adore this idea of having a birthday party on the actual birth day. And since our baby won't be able to eat a cupcake, I'll just have to help her out with that.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqS9FoMshZ3symo-irSK413WydssUIYFuk_cAiDO-uzw5w3EFp1191J2OjRg99ie_GXmvnrlHAUAwpEH9dCKy1gk-LohOgv3hS3bVPaImcJ4EyASzOZdXHUNELp4_gtbxWBBg68zDNas/s1600/0+candle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqS9FoMshZ3symo-irSK413WydssUIYFuk_cAiDO-uzw5w3EFp1191J2OjRg99ie_GXmvnrlHAUAwpEH9dCKy1gk-LohOgv3hS3bVPaImcJ4EyASzOZdXHUNELp4_gtbxWBBg68zDNas/s1600/0+candle.jpg" height="246" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.spearmintbaby.com/?s=photo+of+the+day+candle&x=-1098&y=-547" target="_blank">Spearmint Baby</a></td></tr>
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<b>Name Banner</b><br />
I've been keeping our final name selection mostly under wraps. It's a hormonal thing…and I'm okay with being mildly crazy. So, the name banner is a sweet way to announce to all social media circles who may be waiting impatiently for that first photo shared. Plus, it's just so darn cute! Not so crafty? The Purple Pug has some sweet options.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6cjoWYP6jzb0g4rrfDr1TKRX2natFDgEcAp_xiXJTPCvTLxhH4-k5Z7fFNdFuFvVOHdxh6Exd_sE0F8CZyGw8uQd5jBwqpwKHxrppitqb8MLXlhyoTMFmzqDAP3wyMNXSb7SntDA_hg/s1600/bday+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6cjoWYP6jzb0g4rrfDr1TKRX2natFDgEcAp_xiXJTPCvTLxhH4-k5Z7fFNdFuFvVOHdxh6Exd_sE0F8CZyGw8uQd5jBwqpwKHxrppitqb8MLXlhyoTMFmzqDAP3wyMNXSb7SntDA_hg/s1600/bday+banner.jpg" height="202" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://thepurplepug.com/item_644/ballerina-monkey-birthday-suit-banner.htm" target="_blank">The Purple Pug</a></td></tr>
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<b>Food for Dad</b><br />
Included in a lot of hospital bag lists are snacks for Dad. It's true that he does have the ability to head down to the cafeteria or have other visitors bring him something, making this item technically a non-essential. However, I noticed that it was only when my husband left the room that the contractions would go up in severity. Dude, not cool.<br />
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<b>Soundtrack</b><br />
Music is a big part of our lives, and for the birth of each of our children my husband has compiled a soundtrack for the baby's first day. Some mommas use music as a method to calm themselves during labor. For us, it was more about starting the baby's life full of things we love. Our second child entered the world with Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA." No joke. My love for The Boss runs deep, and it was the 4th of July, after all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRc9gl3GFfFmmGR6MdfnxVWp0WDsEskSPThwqCtK5xqrLkCaNG0GwgbBApwUNyF-UWU1DaXyn-xH-vzrFSDNDQwtz5bMwOk9PErnSHP8HzecwOJ27O4fcuov-_U_J-t_r_c84ism2DLI/s1600/boss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRc9gl3GFfFmmGR6MdfnxVWp0WDsEskSPThwqCtK5xqrLkCaNG0GwgbBApwUNyF-UWU1DaXyn-xH-vzrFSDNDQwtz5bMwOk9PErnSHP8HzecwOJ27O4fcuov-_U_J-t_r_c84ism2DLI/s1600/boss.jpg" height="317" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Cred: <a href="http://brucespringsteen.net/" target="_blank">Born in the USA</a></td></tr>
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<b>Extra Room in Your Hospital Bag</b><br />
A hospital isn't a luxurious hotel with awesome travel-size shampoos, but there are lots of things that might just happen to fall into your hospital bag. An extra few diapers or pads for mama aren't going to be missed. <br />
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<b>Celebrity Magazines</b><br />
A vacation luxury in my world is sitting around reading OK or People. And since having a baby is like sitting a pool drinking margaritas, I like to recreate the experience by picking up some lighter reading material. Ha! Actually, it's a good mind-numbing distraction that you can in entertain yourself with between contractions. Double points if the magazine cover story is about a celebrity baby.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qCMImCUzdZ3usbA7gj0pqCsJm4fX1UuL8c1ON-sRG42oVrOJ1Be4QsmeWlGKkOMLtBtmiTLVuJQzeYH8FSu2gYgvkhrPnh2n4rPlgnnbi3NHoehgT7wmG7DcVOmiisK-9E1tSRxx4oI/s1600/people+mag.jpg" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="241" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://people.com/" target="_blank">People Magazine</a></td></tr>
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<b>A Code Word for Your Nurse</b><br />
Most of us don't remember when our babies were brand new because we were in a zombie-like daze so we've forgotten how hard it can be to have visitors. So if your well-meaning guests have outstayed their welcome, a way to alert the nurse to clear the room is a good idea. Let the nurse be the bad guy.<br />
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So get out your largest piece of luggage and fill her up! You, of course, won't want to forget to all the important stuff like clothing for yourself and the baby…but a few non-essentials can keep you entertained and a little more sane on the big day.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-26029238489161737072014-02-22T21:23:00.004-08:002014-02-22T21:23:48.133-08:0040 Weeks and CountingToday I shared this photo on my Facebook page. It was a joke really, but it turned out to earn quite a few more likes than I had expected. Only like 999, 875 and then, hopefully, she'll appear.<br />
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Now I'm quite sure that child's mother will indeed quit smoking if the goal is reached (sure, sure) or whatever else people seek out likes for on social media, but my primary goal was to let friends and family know that there's no baby yet and I've still got a sense of humor about it.</div>
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Today was the baby's due date. I'm fortunate in that I'm not miserable, but we are anxious and excited to meet Baby #3. So if rounding up some likes on photos encourages her, I'm all for it. </div>
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My older children came much sooner, so this is uncharted territory for me. I'm doing my research and reading up on inducing labor naturally. Some I've tried (mostly walking) and others I've dismissed. Castor oil? If the side effects are worse than the condition, I'm not going there. </div>
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<b>Do you have any tips for inducing labor?</b></div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-41672496872046876522014-02-11T16:32:00.001-08:002014-02-11T16:32:03.443-08:00Sharing Pregnancy with Friends2014 is the year of the baby. My group of friends will be welcoming<b> four</b> new babies this year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Babies due in February, March, May, and June</td></tr>
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My sister and I were both pregnant with our first babies at the same time, and it was so nice being able to go through the process of becoming mommies together. And now, we get to share the fun of pregnancy with two of our best friends. <br />
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Comparing kick counts, swapping wine for lemonade, and creating must-have lists for baby is so much more fun when it's with friends! So if you're thinking about having a baby, you may want to consider convincing your best friends to get on board!</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-18740306629960578892014-01-10T02:21:00.000-08:002014-01-12T09:50:46.588-08:00Maternity Leave GuiltThere are just 6 weeks left until Baby #3 is scheduled to arrive. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I'm assuming it won't actually be 6 more weeks. It's been an insanely easy pregnancy, but I am noticing that things are getting more challenging (putting shoes on, not having to pee constantly, etc) and the baby's hanging out so far down that her kicks catch me off guard.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was just a few weeks ago, but I swear I've doubled in size!<br />
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At my last prenatal appointment, however, I was a mess. The holidays, losing my sweet aunt to pancreatic cancer on Christmas Eve, sick kiddos...it just was more than I could handle all at once. So when I met with the nurse practitioner and asked about maternity leave, my desperation was coming through loud and clear.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas morning--I miss caffeine.</td></tr>
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Having her say that I might be able to go on maternity leave at 36, rather than 38 weeks, was such a relief. Just knowing that it was a possibility made me instantly feel better. <i>There's a nap in sight?</i> <b>Oh, thank God!</b><br />
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If you read my first <a href="http://ohmydarlingparty.blogspot.com/2013/11/not-scary-birth-stories.html">birth story</a>, then you may remember that my first daughter arrived prior to going on maternity leave. That morning I made my mom the longest and most bizarre shopping list, because I had planned on using the last 2 weeks to get ready. I don't want that to happen again!<br />
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After meeting with the nurse, I started stressing about work. <b>That's only 3 more weeks.</b> I've got two months of lesson plans to do, piles of grading I'm behind on, I still don't know who will be teaching my class, and I told the parents I'd stay as long as possible. <u>My worries about not being ready for the baby have been replaced with pangs of guilt for abandoning my classroom.</u> It's the difference of 2 weeks, but the way I play it out in my head you'd think I was forcing my students into slave labor.<br />
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To add to the guilt, I'm fine. Exhausted, drowning in to-do lists, and feeling unprepared for this baby...but, physically, I'm fine. I feel lazy for being so darn tickled at the idea of a few extra weeks to be at home. <br />
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Such is the life of a working mama. I feel bad for working when I should be focusing on the arrival of the baby and taking better care of myself. I feel equally as bad for wanting to not work anymore and leaving my class for 2 additional weeks. Just wait until the going back to work guilt sets in!<br />
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What's a girl to do?<br />
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Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-69833224197518109402014-01-08T04:10:00.000-08:002014-01-09T00:30:30.532-08:00My 5 Favorite Girl Baby NamesWe've got months until the birth of our baby girl, but the pressure is on to name this baby. We named our first daughter, Georgia, relatively quickly. It's a family name, but also had a old-fashioned American sound that we loved. Naming the next baby took a little longer. We loved Harper's name but difficulty picking a middle name had us doubting ourselves until we met her. Clementine was the middle name we chose, by the way.<br />
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<u>What are we looking for in a name for Baby #3?</u> It has to be a name. You have to take her seriously as your college professor. It can't be too similar or too different from her sisters' names, Georgia & Harper. It can't be in the Top 20 Most Popular names.<br />
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<b><u>Here are my favorite baby girl names of the moment:</u></b><br />
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<b>Poppy</b> Normally, I steer clear of floral names because they sound dainty. However, Poppy is spunky and free-spirited. The Golden Poppy is California's state flower, and that makes me love it even more.<br />
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<b>Sadie </b>A nickname for Sarah, this name has old-time charm without sounding too much like a porch-sitter.<br />
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<b>Harlowe</b> We can't use this name because of it's closeness to Harper's name, but I love the old Hollywood glamour it resonates.<br />
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<b>Hattie </b>We stopped watching the tv show <i>Parenthood</i> because each episode ended up being a bummer. One of the young characters on the show is named Hattie, and it's so unique. Tori Spelling ended up naming her baby, increasing its popularity.<br />
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<b>Penelope</b> I adore this name, and have ever since the Pinback song. It's just so darn popular right now that I don't see myself choosing it.<br />
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<b>What are your favorite girl names?</b><br />
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<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-2963344292362316702013-12-16T04:55:00.001-08:002013-12-16T04:59:59.040-08:00Not Scary Birth Story #2If you've already read about the birth of my first child, then you know two things: it was ridiculously easy and she was a little early. Those two things are exactly what I expected when I was pregnant with my next baby.<br />
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As I counted down the weeks to her arrival, my countdown stopped at 38 weeks. I just assumed she'd be on her sister's timeline. Ha! <b>Mommy Lesson #2: even though they have the same parents and are raised the exact same, each child is completely unique.</b> When I hit 38 weeks I remember saying, "I've never been this pregnant before" and feeling done.<br />
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Since my pregnancies had both been extremely uneventful, my appointments at the OB-GYN went like this:<br />
<b>Doctor: </b>How are you?<br />
<b>Me: </b> Awesome.<br />
<b>Doctor: </b>Any questions?<br />
<b>Me: </b>Nope. See you next week. <br />
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So when I walked into his office at 39 weeks, and said "I'm over being pregnant," I probably shocked him. But what he said next was a bigger surprise. He asked when I wanted to have the baby. <i>I get to pick? </i>He took out his smart phone, shared his work calendar, and said I was eligible for induction. I picked the next available date, which just happened to be the 4th of July.<br />
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Totally naive, I didn't realize there were such mixed feelings about being induced. When I hear people talk about it, it sounds like a full throttle, excruciating nightmare. However, that wasn't my experience at all.</div>
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The morning she was scheduled to be born, I got up early & continued to Google baby names (we were 99.9% sure her name would be Harper, but her middle name was harder to select). Since we had some time to kill, we got Matt some breakfast at Starbucks. The barrista asked if we had any plans for the day, and I bet he didn't expect us to say we were having a baby in a few hours. <br />
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We checked into the hospital, got the meds started, and then waited. I read gossip magazines because that's what I do when I'm on vacation. Having a baby is kind of like a vacation, right??? <br />
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Around 1, I requested that Matt get the nurse. When she came in, she told us it was time. I can't remember what we were chatting about as she prepped the room for delivery, but she told me I had to stop laughing. Otherwise the doctor wouldn't have time to get there.<br />
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He arrived and, within minutes, so did Harper. My own little Miss America. It's fun to look back at baby pictures of her because there's just so much "Harper" in these. <br />
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Fortunately, my request to go home early were heard and we were able to leave early the next morning. I had never left Georgia overnight before and was ready to get our new family of 4 together. Seeing how tiny (6 pounds, 13 ounces) she was absolutely kills me.<br />
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Thankfully, my girls have been best friends from the second they met and the transition from a family of 3 to a family of 4 was relatively easy. Harper was the mellowest baby on the planet, which only seems fitting since her delivery was so stress-free. Maybe she's saving all the drama for her high school years.<br />
<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-44287880775445657452013-11-17T09:11:00.000-08:002013-11-17T09:12:25.128-08:00Not Scary Birth StoriesAs I get closer to the welcoming of Baby #3 into our family, I'm more and more obsessed with all things baby. My husband laughs at me whenever he catches me ohh-ing and ahh-ing over infants I have absolutely no connection to. One of the things I've been reading up on are <b>birth stories.</b><br />
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Having two children already, I'm pretty comfortable with the whole giving birth process. My expectation is that this delivery will go similarly to the last two. And even if it doesn't, I've got an amazing team of people to support me.<br />
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But reading all of these birth stories online has made it very clear why mamas-to-be are freaked out! Most sound like they are Halloween specials! Not so, ladies. Not so! <b>Having a baby can be a miraculously easy day.</b><br />
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So I wanted to share with you my stories...not too brag about my easy deliveries or make you think I'm Super-Mom, but just so the truth is out there. <b>People do have easy deliveries!</b><br />
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<u><b>Georgia's Birthday...</b></u><br />
Georgia was born on what was to be my last day of work before maternity leave. I was 37, almost 38 weeks, pregnant. And to be completely honest, I wasn't ready. I got up for work and was rushing around, trying to get to a parent/teacher conference on time. Then my water broke.<br />
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Being a first-time mom and in denial, I wasn't convinced I was in labor. It wasn't time yet! <i>Lesson #1 in Mommydom: Kids have their own agendas. </i>I woke my husband, we called our moms, and decided we should go to the hospital. At first, I was calm. We packed up some essentials and the dogs (they were staying at my parents', not joining us in the delivery room). It wasn't until about two hours later that I started stressing we weren't at the hospital yet.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"> Leaving my parents' for the hospital--I don't remember being that big!</span><br />
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After we arrived at the hospital and they confirmed my water had broken (did they think I had just been peeing constantly for hours???), I was checked in.<br />
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And then we hung out. Since I wasn't having contractions, I was given pitocin to give the process a jump start. At first the contractions were no big deal. As soon as they became painful, I asked for an epidural and ceased texting my out-of-town siblings.<br />
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<u>Everybody is different, and has a unique plan for their child's birth.</u> Mine involved high-fiving modern medicine and decreasing pain. If your birth plan is different than mine, awesome! It'd be really boring to Google "birth stories" if we all had the same one.<br />
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The epidural allowed me to take a nap. Sometime in the day (probably after administering happy drugs), I was asked if I would mind if the medical students were present during the delivery. I had imagined it would mean one or two extra people. Maybe my memory betrays me, but I feel like there were a dozen of them. Considering I'm actually kind of shy, I'm shocked that I allowed it.<br />
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The actual delivery was short...there weren't hours of pushing, swearing, or snarling at my husband. Just 20 minutes and then our sweet baby arrived. She was tiny with great big eyes and insanely long eyelashes.<br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">I was grateful at how easy the whole process had been (mostly for myself, but also for my sister who was also pregnant and due less than a month later). Honestly, that was it. I went into the hospital in the morning, had a baby in the afternoon, and hung out with my family until I was released to go home. And this was the more dramatic of my deliveries.</span></div>
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Cousins...born 2 weeks apart.</div>
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I'll be posting about the birth of Harper 21 months later next. Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-42162048869173807542013-11-08T14:36:00.000-08:002013-11-08T14:36:01.702-08:00Adjusting the Original Nestle Tollhouse RecipeToday was a return-to-the-original baking day. Today we rocked the Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie <a href="http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18476/Original-NESTL%C3%89-TOLL-HOUSE-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies/detail.aspx">recipe</a>. <br />
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While I stick pretty closely to the recipe, I do make a few adjustments. <u>One, I double the <b>vanilla</b>.</u> The recipe calls for one teaspoon, but two is twice as wonderful! <u>Second, I use <b>Crisco</b>.</u> I'll be honest, the idea of Crisco grosses me out. I don't exactly know what's in it, and that's probably for the best. I like how fluffy the cookies become when using Crisco.<br />
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I'm sure I'm not alone in my slight twerking of the traditional recipe. <b>What are your adjustments to the original? </b>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-32049183184660389872013-10-07T19:03:00.004-07:002013-10-07T19:05:52.266-07:00Bump Update: 20 Weeks20 weeks. <b>That means we're at the halfway point! </b> As much as it feels like this pregnancy has flown by, it also shocks me that there is still so much time before we'll be bringing our little friend home. <br />
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Well into the 2nd trimester, I'm feeling pretty darn fantastic. The tiredness of the 1st trimester has been replaced by the desire to eat (and eat and eat). There's a balance between eating the extra necessary calories and eating the Halloween candy that calls to me. </div>
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It's true when they say you feel the baby kick faster with each pregnancy. At first, I could just feel kicks moving in the evening when I finally sat down. Now it's more frequent and throughout the day. Each time I like to pause and see what else may happen. By 18 weeks, it was even noticeable to family members. Harper figured out when the baby was active, she could coral her by poking one side of my belly. Tormenting her younger sibling in utereo. </div>
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I have three different pregnancy apps on my phone (each has things I like, but none is perfect). They disagree slightly about things like the size of the bambino. The middle ground seems to be about the length of a banana. That seems huge! </div>
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That does not look comfortable!<br />
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We announced (finally) to our family and friends the gender of our baby. The big sisters came with us to the ultrasound so they would be the first to know. The ultrasound technician was very patient with their badgering about the gender. Apparently, Georgia & Harper were less interested in knowing about the anatomy scan. Mama and Daddy were happy to hear everything looks great!</div>
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So...<span style="color: #ea9999;">pink</span> or <span style="color: #9fc5e8;">blue</span>? I posted the question on Facebook, and was amused by the number of boy votes. Probably just an assumption that after two girls, we'd for sure be having a boy. Not this time, ladies and gentlemen!</div>
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<b>We'll be inviting one more to the girl party! </b>It's all princesses and tutus here, and we can't wait to meet the little lady!</div>
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We took a zillion pictures, but the silly ones turned out to be my favorite. </div>
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Balloons make her so happy, and so did finding out she's going to have a second little sister.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-84719749934016026202013-09-10T20:43:00.000-07:002013-09-10T20:50:51.858-07:00Keeping Baby's Gender a Secret...for NowCall it Grandma Torture, but we know the gender of our baby...and we're not telling yet. <br />
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The normal schedule at my OB is to schedule an anatomy ultrasound around 18 weeks. During this appointment you can find out the gender if you're interested. We had an ultrasound at 12 weeks, and I thought it couldn't hurt to ask if I should start buying pink or blue clothing. Of course it was too early to tell. Because of swelling, boy & girl parts all kinda look the same that early on.<br />
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But then the magic happened! We went into <a href="http://www.b4stork.com/">Before the Stork</a> in Anaheim, and Terry was able to tell us definitely the gender even though I was less than 14 weeks pregnant at the time. The total appointment lasted about 10 minutes, but during that time she checked the parts from every imaginable angle. <br />
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The Gender Special package is advertised on their website for $59. Here's what it includes:<br />
<ul>
<li>10 minute 2D ultrasound</li>
<li>2 black & white photos</li>
<li>DVD recording of your session</li>
<li>GE Voluson 730 EXPERT System (don't exactly know what that is, but it sounds fancy!)</li>
<li>Viewing for all of your guests</li>
<li>Hearing baby's heartbeat</li>
<li>A sneak peek at a 3D ultrasound</li>
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We had previously visited <b>Before the Stork </b>to get a sneak peek at our older children. Technology is crazy! In addition to being able to see their sweet faces, we got to see some mannerisms and positions. <br />
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Baby Harper </div>
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So now, what are we waiting for? Call me crazy (or hormonal...I can blame all kinds of things on being pregnant that really aren't related), but I wanted the announcement to be just that, an announcement. Getting everybody together has been a planning dilemma. I'm still planning, and driving everyone crazy in the meantime. <br />
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Boy or girl, we're thrilled! Just a little big longer, and I promise I'll spill the beans!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-35671308443256971182013-08-31T20:27:00.002-07:002013-08-31T20:27:32.087-07:00A New Sibling Scavenger HuntIf you haven't heard the news, we're having a baby! Everybody is super excited, especially our older children. My husband and I were so excited about sharing the news with them, and wanted to make it a very special day.<br />
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Since our <a href="http://ohmydarlingparty.blogspot.com/2012/10/scooby-doo-party-mystery.html">Scooby Doo Mystery Party</a>, the girls have been pretty excited about mysteries and scavenger hunts, so we thought it'd be a fun way for them to find out they are going to be big sisters!<br />
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<b>The Hunt:</b><br />
Harper found the initial clue & instructions taped to her wall. <br />
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After solving each clue, they were rewarded with a letter (they spelled out BABY).<br />
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She wasn't sure what was in store, but it didn't matter she was thrilled!<br />
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Each clue was read by my husband. They were very simple rhymes so that both girls (they are 4 & 5) could help solve the mystery.</div>
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After they found the next letter! <br />
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This was the final clue that the girls found. <br />
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Georgia's reaction was priceless. She stared at my belly for a good five minutes. Her first statement was, "Congratulations! Thank you!" </div>
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We felt like there needed to be a gift for the new big sisters. Honestly, when isn't a gift a good idea? So the girls both got new Mickey Mouse ears, but instead of their names we had "Big Sister" embroidered on them.</div>
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Dancing for joy at the thought of a baby joining our family.</div>
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Adding a new member to the family is such an exciting time. I'm so grateful for the reaction both of the girls had when finding out the news. By making it a special day for them, we are letting them know how big of a party it will be when there's another member of our family.</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-14883808350365410472013-07-13T07:53:00.001-07:002013-07-14T20:07:52.969-07:00Hello Kitty Ladybug Mantle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our house has this odd extra room that was originally built to repair marching band equipment. It's a super fun space for parties. Part of the charm is the fireplace so the birthday girl and I decided it needed to be decorated for her Hello Kitty Ladybug Party. Here's what we did for next to no money and very little time. </div>
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We printed a picture of the birthday girl on the day she was born and then a picture for each year. Since she turned 4, using 4 pictures would have been logical...but there are 5 hooks!</div>
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The cost: The boards were leftover from her 1st birthday party, so I didn't have to buy anything new there. The red & black scrapbook paper was part of my collection so that was free too. Colored ink can be costly, but I printed them at grandpa's house (score!!!). </div>
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On either side of the mantle I placed spray painted flower pots with flowers I cut out on my Cricut. The flower pots were leftovers too, but I did have to buy the red spray paint. But since I begged grandpa to paint them for me, it saved me time (double score!!!). </div>
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Harper was super happy looking at pictures of herself. She made me transfer the newborn picture to her room, but she carried it around for a few days talking about how cute she was. This momma agrees!</div>
<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-71763016576138511542013-07-10T14:41:00.001-07:002013-07-10T14:41:12.452-07:00Build-A-Bear is like HGTVFor her birthday, Harper received gift cards for <b>Build-A-Bear</b>, a workshop where guests stuff and accessorize their own cuddly best friends. There's one located at Downtown Disney, and every time we go to Disneyland Harper asks if we can go into Build-A-Bear. She was super stoked to have the answer be "yes."<br />
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<b>Watching your child pick out a bear is like watching House Hunters.</b> How? Build-A-Bear is like House Hunters for three reasons: the least desirable option is picked, there's edited info, and the audience is hooked.<br />
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<b>You Picked What??? </b>Once you see all of the options, you're confident you know the one they'll pick. Build-A-Bear had a Hello Kitty bear, a My Little Pony, a Minnie Mouse, the list of perfect options for her goes on. <i>What does she pick?</i> The white bear with hearts & peace signs that wasn't even on our radar. <br />
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<b>What? Why? </b>I've perfected my House Hunters guessing. If the most logical choice is #2, I know that won't be picked. If #3 seems absolutely insane, that'll be the one the hunters purchase. I'm sure it's all in the editing. HGTV editors are cutting out the scene of the couple gushing about the house reminds them of Grandma's house or how they could imagine spending the rest of their lives there. <br />
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So what's up with Build-A-Bear? Why does the birthday girl pick the bear that seems the least likely? An unknown factor (well, forgotten factor) was that the last time we went to Build-A-Bear, Harper made an almost identical bear. This is the HGTV editing, but done by my overly-stretched mom-brain. She picked the bear that reminded her of the bear she loved (and then totally forgot about).<br />
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<b>Let's Try This Again </b>I don't doubt my real estate wisdom when watching House Hunters. Even if my choice doesn't match the new homeowners, I picked the best choice based on the information provided by the show. Perhaps it's a ploy to get me to keep watching...producers hoping that I'll improve my accuracy. Who knows...maybe that's what my daughter is doing. She's picking the worst bear (in my opinion) so that I'll keep bringing her back until she picks a good one.<br />
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It's all a good ploy on her part. After seeing how happy the day made her and how sweetly she cares for the bear, maybe I will bring her back sooner rather than later...right after I'm done watching House Hunters.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-38314648160646188702013-07-02T14:46:00.004-07:002013-07-02T14:49:31.829-07:00Pros & Cons of Goodie BagsWe celebrated Harper's 4th birthday over the weekend (pictures coming soon), and I decided to forego goodie bags this time around. I didn't send guests home empty-handed, of course. Since the birthday girl is obsessed with flowers, we decorated terra cotta flower pots and allowed our little gardeners a chance to plant their own flowers. <br />
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As each of my tiny guests was departing, it felt strange not to hand them a bag full of goodies to take home. It got me thinking. <i>Are goodie bags necessary for kids' birthday parties?</i> Then I started thinking of the pros and cons of goodie bags.<br />
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<b><u>Pros:</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Everybody Feels Special </b>It's hard to understand, as a child, that there's only one star of the show. Why does the birthday girl get all of the presents? I know that this is an important life lesson, but I feel like it's one that can be eased into. The birthday girl received piles of presents, and everybody else gets one smaller gift bag. </li>
<li><b>Fight the Birthday Beast</b> On a day where the birthday girl or boy is being showered with attention and gifts, it can be easy to turn into a birthday beast. Goodie bags allow an opportunity to stop, say thank you, and give (rather than just keep getting).</li>
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<b><u>Cons:</u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><b>Expectations</b> Isn't going to a party enough? We have gotten to a point where kiddos expect to get something every time they go somewhere. We go to Target, they want an icee. We go to the doctor, they want lollipops. Every errand ends in a reward for not making me pull my hair out. But at a birthday party with fun activities and yummy treats, do they really need more?</li>
<li><b>I Don't Need Any More Junk in my House </b>I'm sure you put together fantastic goodie bags. Mine, however, are normally full of things like candy and novelty toys. The kids play with them for two minutes, and then they break. I've got buckets full of tiny, assorted toys that we just don't need. So save the money and skip it.</li>
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As you can see, I'm torn. What are your thoughts? <b>Are goodie bags necessary?</b></div>
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Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-55943355515548769602013-06-22T20:38:00.004-07:002013-06-22T20:39:20.337-07:00Multiple Party Themes<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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In just a few short weeks, my younger daughter will be
turning four. In honor of her birthday,
we are having a <b>Hello Kitty/Ladybug/Ninjago/Lilo & Stitch Party</b>. Not joking.
That’s the theme she picked.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcK8BhlVByhcxUyLz_RCYIqqsqK3OtKwSZDyVzZSuJuBgRWZs7blgCT_8Tkhcn2wMUV92M29eJYrHYg-HVlur5BzIMeP8uacln6465E_9s5S2mkPrfPF_quq8VvZcO52gPkT_P44jo7-M/s1600/hk+pinata.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcK8BhlVByhcxUyLz_RCYIqqsqK3OtKwSZDyVzZSuJuBgRWZs7blgCT_8Tkhcn2wMUV92M29eJYrHYg-HVlur5BzIMeP8uacln6465E_9s5S2mkPrfPF_quq8VvZcO52gPkT_P44jo7-M/s320/hk+pinata.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It began with a Hello Kitty Ladybug party, and that will
remain the main theme. In a sweet
concern for her boy cousin, she added Ninjago.
This allows the boys at the party to have their own theme. I tried to narrow it and leave
off the Ninjago part, but to no avail.
She won’t let it go. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, Lilo & Stitch…that’s totally random. She’s not a huge fan of the movie, we haven’t
read that book recently, and we certainly haven’t been on an island
vacation. She saw a Lilo & Stitch
balloon and decided that we needed to include this element as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m having an internal struggle between embracing all of the
themes she’s picked and making her party what I consider cute and
well-planned. The main point to remember
in this inner battle is that it is <b>not my party</b>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So Hello Kitty/Ladybug/Ninjago/Lilo & Stitch it is. Happy Almost Birthday, Little One!<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-14332110853055651762013-05-15T21:44:00.002-07:002013-05-15T21:44:20.104-07:00Don't Wait to CelebrateOver the weekend, my sister was surprised with a birthday party in her honor. When talking through party details with her husband, one comment he made stuck with me: she deserves a party. This year, it was totally true. <br />
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My sister was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect in the fall of 2012 that was treated at the end of last year. Now she's got a properly wired heart and ready to hit up the marathon circuit again. <br />
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As adults, we don't celebrate every birthday with a huge shindig the way we did when we were kids. Ask most moms what they did on their actual birthday and you'll probably get a list of chores, plus hopefully a nice dinner thrown in. But on those "significant" birthdays (things ending in 5's and 0's), we might do something a little more note-worthy, something a little more extravagant. But it seems so arbitrary.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbToq5SbbCyQmb1HKfCH7MxSAlVNsBRxJp16V8pJqJBv5lYouNGRpesIc931rgNYAxatg2rVufo8-5GpeyQ3wTeKWDSW3oWO0P6tMIbNhBQX6YcNTMdxx_Q293KQQh3VTc67CofaUt7I/s1600/IMG_5089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbToq5SbbCyQmb1HKfCH7MxSAlVNsBRxJp16V8pJqJBv5lYouNGRpesIc931rgNYAxatg2rVufo8-5GpeyQ3wTeKWDSW3oWO0P6tMIbNhBQX6YcNTMdxx_Q293KQQh3VTc67CofaUt7I/s400/IMG_5089.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Might I suggest instead not waiting to celebrate at those pre-determined intervals? Just because Hallmark makes a card specific to individuals turning 50 makes it no more valuable a birthday than those turning 49. <br />
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<i>Just as an aside to my beautiful, young, and vibrant sister: This is merely an example, and I am not insinuating that you are 49. However, to my brother that is 49: you are also <strike>beautiful</strike> handsome, young, and vibrant.</i><br />
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I'm so grateful my brother-in-law had the insight to throw a party in spite of the fact that this year isn't a nice round number. This year was an especially great time to celebrate her life.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-81349876114638971942013-05-12T20:54:00.000-07:002013-05-12T20:54:01.228-07:00How I Met Your Mother DayBarney Stinson may celebrate "Not a Father's Day," but we celebrated <b>How I Met Your Mother Day</b> here. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It started with the <i>secret</i> plans of our 5-year-old to make me breakfast in bed. She's not the most discreet and when you add in comments like "Mommy, you're going to need to sleep in a lot tomorrow," you kinda know what's going on. Along with the sweet card she made at preschool, Georgia brought me <u>How I Met Your Mother Season 5</u>. </div>
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It's my favorite tv show, but I'm sure I am rapidly approaching the age when the innuendos stop going over my daughters' heads. Thankfully for this Mother's Day, we aren't there yet. Amusingly, Georgia kept mixing up the name of the holiday and has renamed it <b>How I Met Your Mother Day</b>. </div>
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So after a day full of pancakes in bed, lunch with the in-laws, a birthday party (yup, we went to a classmate's party too), I'm back at home and watching my beloved show. If this is how I spent every Mother's Day, I'd be pretty stoked. </div>
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And just an aside to my daughters, please don't date Barney. </div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-57065386924328892382013-05-07T21:07:00.000-07:002013-05-07T21:07:04.964-07:00What to Expect From a D&C<b>Super huge disclaimer:</b> I'm not a doctor. I'm just a totally regular momma who had to have a D&C. The purpose of writing this is I wanted to know what to expect when having a D&C, and the internet in all its internet-ly glory provided answers.<br />
<br />
One thing to point out was I had a choice of whether to have a D&C or not. The drawback of not having one would mean waiting for things to happen naturally, which could have been another few weeks. Since I had already been waiting for a month, I just wanted to move on. I just wanted to be done. I know now, weeks later, it was the right choice for me. <br />
<br />
Two days prior to having a D&C, I had a barrage of tests. Blood, urine, IQ...well, maybe not the last one. I'm not queasy about any of that stuff, thanks to years of donating blood. <br />
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<b>The D&C: </b>My husband and I arrived at the hospital at 5:30 A.M. An admitting nurse had a few more forms for us to fill out & sign. Since I had already pre-registered, it took less than ten minutes. Matt wasn't allowed to come with me initially when I was taken back into the surgical ward. Once the IV was done, he came back to hang out. <br />
<br />
After seeing the doctor and anesthesiologist, I was ready to go. Wheeling down the corridors of the hallway were a little nerve-racking. I had read all of the documentation provided in advance, but I was going through the same steps as the dude with prostate cancer or the lady getting her torn something or other repaired. <b> </b><u>What I didn't expect was how surgical the actual day would be.</u><br />
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We had conflicting estimates about the duration of the procedure. Honestly, it was about 10 minutes. Matt didn't have time to start worrying before the doctor came to tell him everything was over and went well. Within a few hours, we were on our way home. <br />
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<b>Recovery: </b> I slept off the anesthesia for a few hours from the comfort of my couch. I had been shown a pain scale with happy and not-so-happy faces. Leaving the hospital, I was about a 3 out of 10. Uncomfortable, but nowhere near miserable. Some over the counter generic ibuprofen was totally enough. However, for the first two days I was bummed when the ibuprofen started running out because of cramping.<br />
<br />
There is some bleeding after having a D&C. It varies from a few days to few weeks, depending on the person. It's the universe's way of making up for not having to have a period while I was pregnant, I guess. Laaaaame.<br />
<br />
<b>Life After: </b>Now that I'm a month out from the whole ordeal, I really am confident I made the right choice for me. Of course, that doesn't make it the right choice for everyone. It gave me an opportunity to start moving on at a time when I desperately needed to move on. Life's back to normal, and that's a really comforting thing.<br />
<br />
I have the ultrasound pictures the technician gave me at our first ultrasound. I just can't throw them away. Actually, they're in my purse. Not because I pull them out and torture myself, but honestly because it's a really big purse and I don't clean it out enough. Everything else pregnancy-related has been packed away. Gone are the freshly laundered maternity clothes, the baby books, the pregnancy apps. I'm not saying they won't be back (and hopefully in the not too distant future), but I didn't need them as a daily reminder. <br />
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If you are having a D&C, I promise you'll be able to look at pregnant women and not kinda hate them. I promise you'll be able to be happy when others announce they're expecting. I can't say for certain how long it will take, but you'll get there. If you want to talk while you're coming up with excuses to not hold a friend's new baby, I'm here. Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-64508881873784006682013-04-14T13:53:00.000-07:002013-04-14T13:53:33.013-07:00Awaiting an Inevitable Miscarriage<u>This was not how I wanted to be spending my spring break.</u><br />
<br />
Matt and I found out April 2nd that our family was growing. My husband had been speculating for days that I was pregnant, but I was trying not to get my hopes up since it was still pretty early. When picking up a prescription for one of my kiddos, I also picked up a pregnancy test. And lo and behold, it was positive!<br />
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<b>We decided to keep it a secret for a while.</b> I'm horrible at keeping secrets (like I give presents before people's birthdays because I can't wait), but this was such a sweet time with my husband because of all of the giddy texts, wishful thinking, and planning. Part of our reasoning for keeping our news quiet was we wanted to wait until the end of the first trimester to tell our preschool-aged daughters, but it also meant we hadn't shared the news with our closest friends or relatives either.<br />
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It's a good thing we decided to wait. At the first ultrasound, the baby measured small. <i>Well, </i>I told myself, <i>I guess I could have been wrong about dates.</i> What the technician didn't mention during that first ultrasound was the heart rate was also slow.<br />
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I went back the next week for a follow-up ultrasound. The less than warm technician asked why I was back. Ummmm. Because I was told to come back?<br />
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The baby measured even further behind at this ultrasound, again with a slower than acceptable heart rate. The doctor said there was a 5% chance the baby will make it. 5%. That's just enough to ensure that I didn't go get a beer. Actually, Starbucks sounded nicer.<br />
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We went back for a third ultrasound. The baby's heart rate should have been well over 100, but measured at 50. Just like before there was nominal growth. The doctor said the baby was "incompatible with life." It was a hard pill to swallow. Up until that point I had held onto the idea that I was wrong or that we would be having a baby with a heart condition. I could handle that. My sister has a congenital heart defect that hadn't been detected until after she ran her first marathon as an adult. She had a full repair in December of 2012 and although she's adjusting to the changes it's brought to her life, she's fine (fine-ish???).<br />
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My doctor said to go two weeks with conditions such as mine is rare, but to go three weeks was "uncharted territory." It was sweet and traumatizing at the same time that the baby was holding on. So now what? We kept doing what we've been doing. We waited. <br />
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I pretended to not be pregnant but keep taking my prenatal vitamins and avoiding caffeine. I tried not to get too focused on that 5%, on the hope that the baby would survive. I knew in my head not to get attached. <b>I felt like my uterus was hospice for a baby whose days were numbered. </b>Because I realistically knew that I wouldn't be bringing a baby into the world in six-ish months, I was even less inclined to share the news with others.<br />
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The waiting was tormenting. We'd go back the next week for yet another ultrasound...and then another and another. As much as I was looking forward to this experience being over and being able to move on, it brought a lot of guilt. Was I hoping for my baby's heart to stop beating? That just didn't seem right when we were hoping so much for the pregnancy test to be positive. <br />
<br />
So there we sat, awaiting the inevitable. The fourth ultrasound was scheduled. Every other ultrasound appointment had a wait time of five minutes. Of course, ultrasound #4 was the longest wait. All of the adorable round-bellied women finding out the genders of their babies left the waiting room with glee-filled smiles. Matt and I sat, waiting our turn, waiting to see if our baby was still alive.<br />
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The fourth time, we had a different technician. When entering the room she informed us that she was limited in what she could say. She did, however, turn the monitor towards us. We didn't need a doctor to tell us...we could see it on our own. There was our baby, still mildly fish-like. There was our baby...but there was no flickering. <b>There was no heartbeat.</b> Confirmed after another excruciatingly long wait by our OB-GYN, it was officially over.<br />
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Four long weeks of awaiting an inevitable miscarriage were over. Although I knew it was coming and had had four weeks to prepare for the news, knowing our baby was gone was heart-wrenching. There had always been that 5% in the back of my mind. I had been lying to my husband and said I wasn't believing the baby would make it. I had been lying to myself. How could I not hope? How could I not hold onto any chance, regardless of how remote?<br />
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I'll be sharing a little bit more of the story for a few posts. My reasoning is one to fill those nearest and dearest on what we've been going through. Perhaps more importantly, in all the sleepless nights of the past four weeks, I think I've read every blog, message board posting, etc relating to miscarriage. They brought me understanding and comfort, and I wanted to pay that forward. Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-54985913142580495652013-01-30T18:19:00.002-08:002013-01-30T18:19:38.387-08:00Super Bowl SundaeI'll be honest, sports aren't for me. When I accompany my basketball/soccer/baseball/collegiate women's bowling-loving husband to sporting events, my focus is "What am I going to eat?" <u>Eating churros is how I support the team.</u><br />
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Since the "Big Game" is this weekend, I'm already planning what I'll be eating. The answer is ice cream! My husband and I are having simultaneous parties this Sunday. He'll be watching football, and I'll be throwing an ice cream social. It's a tie! Everyone wins! <br />
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Do you have any favorite game-time snacks? Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-44668658074818987682013-01-27T12:43:00.003-08:002013-01-27T19:30:16.742-08:00Talking to My Children about Dominic<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">5 years...it's been such a long time. 5 years ago, our world fell apart with the sudden loss of my nephew, Dominic. He had been sick with a barrage of normal kid things, but the one that took his life was unknown to all. Dominic had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, an extremely aggressive form of cancer. The heart-wrenching part was not being able to say goodbye to him; however, there is solace in knowing that his last days were spent frolicking happily through the snow with his buddies.</span></div>
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Dominic was an incredible human being. He was so caring and thoughtful. He loved, loved, loved stuffed animals, even at ten. He was creative and incredibly intelligent. The last time I saw him was Christmas, and he had received a kit to make your own sock monkey-type creature. I wish I had made it with him. </div>
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Georgia was three months old when Dominic died. They had only met on that Christmas trip (my sister and her family live in Maryland). Georgia, of course, didn't remember that holiday or the trip cross-country for his funeral. Harper, the younger of my children, wasn't even born. It broke my heart to know that they missed out on getting to know how amazing their cousin was. I was determined that they knew about him, which meant they needed to know that he was gone.</div>
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Dom had been reading Each Little Bird That Sings when he died, a book ironically about a young girl who deals with death regularly as her family runs the town's mortuary. I read it to my class of 4th graders each January. When my girls are older, I'll read it to them, too. </div>
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I feel it's important for our children to know that death is real, but not in a scary zombies are going to attack way. It happens, and we grieve and then, when we're ready, we go on living. Living is different without Dominic, but that's to be expected.</div>
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Part of my going on living after Dominic was to keep in our hearts and our conversations. We talk about him whenever the Beatles come on, when we find giraffe stuffed animals, when there's a pretty bird, or when we replace the toilet paper roll.</div>
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I know the picture is inappropriate, but a donkey using a urinal? C'mon, that's funny. It makes me happy to share Dominic with my girls. I'd love to share him with you also at <a href="http://dominiczahlis.com/">DominicZahlis.com</a>.</div>
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Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-33808685716634829752013-01-25T18:54:00.003-08:002013-01-25T18:54:57.027-08:00The Backyard: Before & After???<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2l1fkUItGTDCMcGKLEbERPtdlD73jHWTsTAA4XmpwxTjG2lAxA8KLaeNwdrypF_CDhuTczZ_GW7C1C98EI9KayaMpovBMkfXc3shIxL6ybADXIHJnbLHjSe5h-FRYi14bHBiEGmpkmz4/s1600/yard+before+&+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2l1fkUItGTDCMcGKLEbERPtdlD73jHWTsTAA4XmpwxTjG2lAxA8KLaeNwdrypF_CDhuTczZ_GW7C1C98EI9KayaMpovBMkfXc3shIxL6ybADXIHJnbLHjSe5h-FRYi14bHBiEGmpkmz4/s400/yard+before+&+after.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our next door neighbor asked the man who flipped our house why he wasn't going to do anything about the backyard. His response was that backyards are very personal and everybody has their own idea about what they want. What we wanted was <b>grass, lots and lots of grass. </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyH4er3NTotXrvgb8HcBmHuMUEi5n2hfT2Z54AZkZuF-XZit38nwGFO2cYI_UffTM1RIiOXkL580T_W-NeSSJNQpGa0-sxTCp1Q-kvDp5V-hKlXN2dA24_bOsWd6ii-KUCrGYo31RzSg/s1600/IMG_4419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyH4er3NTotXrvgb8HcBmHuMUEi5n2hfT2Z54AZkZuF-XZit38nwGFO2cYI_UffTM1RIiOXkL580T_W-NeSSJNQpGa0-sxTCp1Q-kvDp5V-hKlXN2dA24_bOsWd6ii-KUCrGYo31RzSg/s400/IMG_4419.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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The yard started out as weed/dirt/trash pit. Seriously, how old is that milk carton? The girls would go and "explore" and find shards of glass and other such treasures. </div>
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The yard is super long (83 feet, according to our measurements) and skinny. Originally, we had two unidentified shrubs and two avocado trees. Yum, right? Can you imagine the amount of guacamole I could make with <u><b>two</b></u> avocado trees? I just need a lime tree, and I've got a fiesta!</div>
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The gardener who was going to install sprinklers delivered some heart-crushing news. If we wanted grass for half of the yard, this avocado tree had to go. No grass could grow with the incredible amount of shade it provided. I was consoled by the fact that I still got to keep one tree.<br />
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So out came the tree and away went the garbage. Except to Georgia, it wasn't garbage. To my sweet five-year-old it was her "grotto" and the sticks that disappeared were her "stick family."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQPFFJDGGBfpXO8QbwhfbUAA0HBhzXo3y9tWyUPxaAqIRLOUd7E8kzuE5Oi-4_aP5n6jol_jDvlCLO2Shwnkw_sRaHxcgez_6xLiQ8OfUpVdesxmBRxcDPwW3ePatKj7SuhZaG4f3tTM/s1600/IMG_4427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQPFFJDGGBfpXO8QbwhfbUAA0HBhzXo3y9tWyUPxaAqIRLOUd7E8kzuE5Oi-4_aP5n6jol_jDvlCLO2Shwnkw_sRaHxcgez_6xLiQ8OfUpVdesxmBRxcDPwW3ePatKj7SuhZaG4f3tTM/s400/IMG_4427.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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After seeing the backyard devastation, she laid on the floor in the fetal position and said, "This is how you destroy a home." Wow! Totally harsh. I promised that she would love having a place to play, that we would go hunt for new sticks, and the original stick family had gone to build homes for small woodland creatures.</div>
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One week later, the grass came in. We were out of town when the sod was laid, so it was such a fun surprise to come home and see <b>green for miles and miles. </b>Okay, feet and feet. </div>
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Now, we've got a totally prepped blank slate. Our goals for the backyard:</div>
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<li>Replace the Frankenstein fence</li>
<li>Make a new and improved "grotto"</li>
<li>Incorporate a fun place for grown-ups to read and drink coffee</li>
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We're not quite sure what the grotto should include. A play house? A rock wall? A chicken coop? Please don't vote for chicken coop unless there are magical chickens that lay Cadbury Creme Eggs. Do you have a backyard play structure or other favorite feature? I'd love to hear what we need! </div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-76188070977719471292013-01-21T19:24:00.000-08:002013-01-21T19:24:32.446-08:00Mommy Doesn't Play DoctorOne component of being a mom that I'm not comfortable with is playing doctor. Nurse, yes. Doctor, no. I can comfort and soothe, clean up bodily fluids, or turn on another Disney movie with no problem. What I can't do is diagnose.<br />
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Croup again?!?!</div>
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I am very comfortable yielding to the professionals. I, of course, want to have a voice in the medical treatment of my children. However, I am becoming so disappointed by my increasing role as medical diagnostician.<br />
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My girls have been sick <b>a lot</b> the past few months. Ear infections, the flu, croup, countless cases of sniffles...the list goes on and on. We don't rush to the pediatrician for every bump or bruise, but with such an expansive assortment of ails recently we have seen the good doctor a bunch. Each time I go I get asked things like, "Do you want to do a strep test?" If there's a chance she has it, yes. I elected to torture Georgia with a blood test for mono after weeks and weeks of not improving. I never thought mono was a possibility until it was brought up, but then I was asked to make the call.<br />
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<u>Here's how I'd like the visits to the pediatrician to go...</u><br />
<b>Me:</b> I'm concerned about <i>fill in symptoms.</i><br />
<b>The Doctor: </b> I think the cause may be <i>fill in possibilities </i>and I'd like to do the following tests: <i>some stuff I saw on House. </i>Do you have any questions or concerns?<br />
<b>Me: </b>Nope, awesome.<br />
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Ask me what my children had for dinner the past month, and I can tell you. But I just want a doctor to tell me what my sick children need to get better...and I'll even pay you! Okay well, my insurance will pay you. Is that really so much to ask?<br />
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Although I like the pediatrician a great deal personally, I'm contemplating finding someone new. Is this a common experience, or am I expecting too much?Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2902660349329298242.post-20120743546028615292012-12-29T22:28:00.000-08:002012-12-29T22:28:26.428-08:00Top Celebrations of 2012As the year winds down, it's a time for reflection on the past year. I thought I'd share with you our family's best celebrations from 2012.<br />
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<b>1. Jori's Open Heart Surgery</b><br />
Surgery as a celebration? Well, there was an evite that went out. Why it qualifies is it means that my sister is healthy. That makes it the best day out of the whole year. <br />
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Jori had a congenital heart defect that went undiagnosed until this year. The catalyst for her seeking medical help was running in the Disney 1/2 marathon with other members of our family. We are so incredibly grateful that Jori's doctors took the time to do all of the tests to correctly diagnose her. I mean, she's such a rock star that even with a mis-wired heart she could pass the stress test at the hospital.<br />
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<b>2. Moving Day</b><br />
If you've been following along, you already know that less than a month ago we moved into our first house. It's been an busy time for us, but we are getting settled in. We knew the moment we first stepped in the front door that this was our home. It just feels right, just feels like us.<br />
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<b>3. Matt's Graduation/Job Hunt</b><br />
Matt had gone back to college and in 2012 he graduated with a degree in philosophy. Starting from scratch, he had four years to complete. There were semesters of 20+ units and lulls when the California education budget cuts prevented him from taking any classes at all. Watching him walk at his graduation was a great moment for us to appreciate his dedication to improving his/our future. <br />
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After the graduation ceremony, we had a fiesta! So much fun! Infused tequila, cactus decorations, and awesome prayer candles were just some of the features. You can check out more of the party <a href="http://ohmydarlingparty.blogspot.com/2012/05/adios-month-of-fiestas.html">here</a>.<br />
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We had mentally prepared ourselves for a long job hunt. The unemployment rate news wasn't promising and considering he hadn't worked in four years would make it challenging to find a suitable position. Fortunately, that wasn't the case. His graduation was on a Saturday, and on Monday he interviewed for a job. The position is at Cal State Fullerton, from where he had just graduated. <br />
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<b>4. Celebrating Mom's 70th Birthday</b><br />
I adore my sisters, but with us living on both sides of the county it can be a challenge to get to spend any real time together. That's why celebrating Mom's 70th birthday together was such a special event. We went to Temecula, CA to hit up some wineries and spend some time together. <br />
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<b>5. Getting Ready for Lyla</b><br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">2013 is bringing a new baby girl into our world. We got to celebrate the momma-to-be with a super fun gender reveal party and a baby shower. The happy parents filled black balloons. Party guests stomped and stomped, trying to find the balloon holding the results. Go Team Pink!</span></div>
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We can't wait to meet her and include baby Lyla into the parties for 2013!</div>
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<b>6. Harper's Birthday/4th of July</b></div>
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Harper was born on the 4th of July. Since a lot of our family and friends are out of town for the holiday, we decided to have her party the weekend before. At the suggestion of her aunt Honey, Harper had a "Rainbow Unicorn" birthday. <a href="http://ohmydarlingparty.blogspot.com/2012/07/rainbow-unicorn-party.html">Here's</a> the party overview. I put everyone to work for this one, and am so grateful my their hard work. I adored all of the felt crafts, like the hobby horse unicorns and personalized gold medals.</div>
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Of course, we couldn't let her actual birthday go unrecognized. So we made reservations at Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel. The buffet-style restaurant hosts a variety of characters who visit diners at their tables. The birthday girl (and big sister) were so enchanted by Cinderella and the rest of their favorite Disney characters.</div>
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<b>7. Georgia's Scooby Doo Party</b></div>
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I said I wasn't going to go overboard for this one. Whatever I got done was all that I could do. Ironically, it was one of my favorite parties yet. The birthday girl loooooves Scooby Doo. I lucked out on decorations since Halloween is the same month as her birthday. </div>
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The kiddos solved a case involving a disappearing cake, made Shrinky Dink dog tags, took photos in the Mystery Machine, and snacked on dogbone-shaped treats. </div>
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It's been such a busy and exciting year. I can't wait to see what's in store for 2013!</div>
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<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458157827723935099noreply@blogger.com