I'm not going to post everyday, but thought I would write a little something after the first workout.
I'm not feeling too bad today after the workout last night... my muscles are a little sore, a good sore, but not so bad that I can't function.
I had read other people say that the day after the first workout they were wrecked, could hardly walk, were so sore they didn't want to move. I want to push myself in these workouts, but I don't want to be so sore I can't function the next day. So I didn't go TOO hard on the workout last night. It might be one of those things where I actually feel it more the second day, so I'll push myself a bit more tonight, and then see how I feel tomorrow.
I really liked the work out. It only about 20 minutes, and it's got a mix of cardio, strength and abs. A good all around workout. You do level 1 10 times, so I'm looking forward to seeing myself being able to do more each time.
I took pictures and measurements before the workout last night. I'm going to take pictures and measurements at the end of each of the 3 levels, but I don't know if I'll post the results each time, or if I'll hold out on you until the very end. We'll see.
As I told someone yesterday, this for me really isn't about losing weight, and it's not actually even about losing inches although a little bit would be nice. It's just that I was on bedrest for so long, and then had to recover from the delivery, that I just feel so out of shape. And when you have kids it's hard to find the time to really push yourself. Sure I can go to the park with the kids every day if I want, but I can only walk as fast as they do (which isn't very fast! How come when you want kids to run so you can get exercise they want to dawdle and smell the flowers... but when you want them to slow down, they run off at the speed of light in a million different directions?)
So this is about getting into a bit of shape. Eventually, when the weather warms up a bit, I want to try the running program on the iPhone that I had started when I got pregnant with Thea.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Jumping on the shred bandwagon
You heard me right, tonight I start the 30 day shred.
I'm afraid! I have a feeling I'm going to feel like I've been run over by a truck, and probably won't be able to get off the couch tomorrow...but here we go.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Babywearing
Babywearing is my new latest obsession.
It started with cloth diapers. With Finn and Elle (in Canada) someone just gave me the stuff, and I followed my mother-in-laws instructions - no research, no cost comparing, nothing. I enjoyed saving money, but I didn't really enjoy the actually cloth diapers. They always leaked and I hated actually putting them on the babies (in my research now I've learned there are lots of different types of cloth diapers - those were fitted, which some people love... the ones I have and love are pockets). Then we moved here and I started looking into cloth diapers and there's a HUGE community of cloth diapering moms. I found brands of cloth diapers that cost up to $35 a diaper!! I'm too cheap for that - haha, so I found a brand and spend less than $4.50 per diaper. But in the process I found some facebook groups with people selling used cloth diapers. These moms have a huge obsession. I mean, I think my diapers are cute, cuter than disposibles at least, but there are A LOT of patterns out there for cloth diaper covers. People get obsessed with getting different cute, sometimes special order one of a kind, diapers and thus 1. spend A LOT of money and 2. end up with a lot of diapers!
I have 50 diapers between 2 kids. I won't need more. There are moms on these facebook groups saying that they have to hide some from their husbands, hope their husbands don't see another diaper on the visa bill, have to "de-stash" (sell something from their stash to either have cash or else to buy another diaper they are eyeing). One mom I saw that shocked me the most said she had over 250 cloth diapers! 250!!! Granted some clothe diapers come in different sizes (so therefore you would need 20ish of each size) but still, that's rediculous!
BUT, back to babywearing.... before I had Finn my good friend Clare (Finn's god-mother) gave me a hugabug which is a stretchy long piece of material that you wrap around yourself (in a specific way, not just whatever you want! haha) and put baby in it. I used it a bit with Finn, but found myself just using the stroller more, because I could click Finn's car seat in it and he liked being in there... that way if I went shopping I had my hands free and didn't have to carry my diaper bag since it just hooked right onto the stroller as well. Then I had Elle and used it a little bit more, but I got a Phil & Ted's double stroller, and an attatchment so that again I could just click the carseat into it and have both kids in the stroller. I would bring the hugabub with me though in case Elle got fussy and then I could just wrap her onto me... but I didn't use it enough to get really comfortable with it, it takes practice to learn to tie it.
Well now I have Thea, and she doesn't like the stroller as much, the three times I've put her in it in a little cozy bassinet thing she has slept a bit but eventually wakes up while we're at the park or shopping and we end up holding her anyways... I can't be doing that when I'm chasing after Elle! haha. So out came the hugabub (I actually didn't bring it to Australia since I hadn't used it much with the other two... luckily I changed my mind and got my mom to bring it when she came). I've used it at least once a day since she was a couple weeks old. I can easily wrap it now without hardly thinking about it... and I can wrap it on me before we leave so then when I get to the store or whatever I just have to put Thea in. I wear Thea anytime we go to the park, when I'm doing housework if she's awake and fussing, and anytime I go out with here to the store... I even worn it to church the last few Sundays!
I should say the other reason I KNOW that I wear Thea more than I did the other kids is because I have housework I have to get done here, where we weren't living on our own before so I didn't have to do as much around the house, although I tried to do what I could when I could.
Anyways, at some point month or so ago I found this babywearing facebook group for moms in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver. Moms were putting up pics of themselves or their husbands (or sometimes even their older children!) "wearing" their babies and toddlers. Some of the wraps that they used were so pretty, and the different kinds of ways they had their wraps wrapped got me intrigued. I wanted to try some with my hugabub but the more I looked into stretchy wraps like the hugabub can only really be wrapped a couple different ways, and you shouldn't use them to wrap a baby onto your back, which is something I thought I wanted to try. So I learned that these other wraps were "woven" wraps instead of being stretchy like the one I have.
But wow, it's shocking the obsession people have with these wraps! I think I've found that the average wrap is $200-$500 and some people on this facebook group have several. There's even some that go for auction for over $1500! (handwoven vs machine woven is the biggest reason for that cost, but also some limited edition designs)
I quickly decided I NEEDED one! haha. And after doing Conor's taxes I said that since I saved us money by doing it myself instead of going to someone, that I should get to buy a wrap! I found a company, "Little Frog", in Poland where I could get a wrap, and have it shipped here for $80... and I really liked the patterns!
So I ordered one and it came 2 weeks later. They say to wash it before you use it, to soften it up a bit, but I couldn't wait... I took it right out of the package and wrapped her right away!
I was pretty proud of myself with my first wrap job. With the hugabub you wrap it and have it all tied, and then put baby in. With these you do the wrapping with baby squirming on you, and you have to tighten it as you go...we are nice and snug the first go!
With these woven wraps, some come soft and floppy right out of the bag, others are as hard as cardboard and you need to "break them in". I've never even seen another woven wrap in person, so I have nothing to compare to, but I think mine was pretty soft right out of the bag, but I still wanted to break it in a bit. I washed it, braided it, sat on it, let the kids play with it a bit. But the biggest hit with the kids was when I made a hammock under the kitchen table with it!
They had a blast sitting in the hammock. Finn especially! So much fun.
I haven't actually worn her out of the house in this wrap yet, because like I said, you have to wrap them in it as you go, so the ends are hanging down on the ground and I don't want to get it all dirty! Plus I'm not confident enough to get it on outside quickly, with the other kids going crazy.... soon hopefully!
Conor doesn't understand how people can own more than one wrap... at the moment 1 is good for me, but there are so many pretty ones out there, and there are different lengths of wraps, that you can do different carries with... so we'll see if I stick with just 1 or not ;)
It started with cloth diapers. With Finn and Elle (in Canada) someone just gave me the stuff, and I followed my mother-in-laws instructions - no research, no cost comparing, nothing. I enjoyed saving money, but I didn't really enjoy the actually cloth diapers. They always leaked and I hated actually putting them on the babies (in my research now I've learned there are lots of different types of cloth diapers - those were fitted, which some people love... the ones I have and love are pockets). Then we moved here and I started looking into cloth diapers and there's a HUGE community of cloth diapering moms. I found brands of cloth diapers that cost up to $35 a diaper!! I'm too cheap for that - haha, so I found a brand and spend less than $4.50 per diaper. But in the process I found some facebook groups with people selling used cloth diapers. These moms have a huge obsession. I mean, I think my diapers are cute, cuter than disposibles at least, but there are A LOT of patterns out there for cloth diaper covers. People get obsessed with getting different cute, sometimes special order one of a kind, diapers and thus 1. spend A LOT of money and 2. end up with a lot of diapers!
I have 50 diapers between 2 kids. I won't need more. There are moms on these facebook groups saying that they have to hide some from their husbands, hope their husbands don't see another diaper on the visa bill, have to "de-stash" (sell something from their stash to either have cash or else to buy another diaper they are eyeing). One mom I saw that shocked me the most said she had over 250 cloth diapers! 250!!! Granted some clothe diapers come in different sizes (so therefore you would need 20ish of each size) but still, that's rediculous!
BUT, back to babywearing.... before I had Finn my good friend Clare (Finn's god-mother) gave me a hugabug which is a stretchy long piece of material that you wrap around yourself (in a specific way, not just whatever you want! haha) and put baby in it. I used it a bit with Finn, but found myself just using the stroller more, because I could click Finn's car seat in it and he liked being in there... that way if I went shopping I had my hands free and didn't have to carry my diaper bag since it just hooked right onto the stroller as well. Then I had Elle and used it a little bit more, but I got a Phil & Ted's double stroller, and an attatchment so that again I could just click the carseat into it and have both kids in the stroller. I would bring the hugabub with me though in case Elle got fussy and then I could just wrap her onto me... but I didn't use it enough to get really comfortable with it, it takes practice to learn to tie it.
Well now I have Thea, and she doesn't like the stroller as much, the three times I've put her in it in a little cozy bassinet thing she has slept a bit but eventually wakes up while we're at the park or shopping and we end up holding her anyways... I can't be doing that when I'm chasing after Elle! haha. So out came the hugabub (I actually didn't bring it to Australia since I hadn't used it much with the other two... luckily I changed my mind and got my mom to bring it when she came). I've used it at least once a day since she was a couple weeks old. I can easily wrap it now without hardly thinking about it... and I can wrap it on me before we leave so then when I get to the store or whatever I just have to put Thea in. I wear Thea anytime we go to the park, when I'm doing housework if she's awake and fussing, and anytime I go out with here to the store... I even worn it to church the last few Sundays!
I should say the other reason I KNOW that I wear Thea more than I did the other kids is because I have housework I have to get done here, where we weren't living on our own before so I didn't have to do as much around the house, although I tried to do what I could when I could.
Anyways, at some point month or so ago I found this babywearing facebook group for moms in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver. Moms were putting up pics of themselves or their husbands (or sometimes even their older children!) "wearing" their babies and toddlers. Some of the wraps that they used were so pretty, and the different kinds of ways they had their wraps wrapped got me intrigued. I wanted to try some with my hugabub but the more I looked into stretchy wraps like the hugabub can only really be wrapped a couple different ways, and you shouldn't use them to wrap a baby onto your back, which is something I thought I wanted to try. So I learned that these other wraps were "woven" wraps instead of being stretchy like the one I have.
But wow, it's shocking the obsession people have with these wraps! I think I've found that the average wrap is $200-$500 and some people on this facebook group have several. There's even some that go for auction for over $1500! (handwoven vs machine woven is the biggest reason for that cost, but also some limited edition designs)
I quickly decided I NEEDED one! haha. And after doing Conor's taxes I said that since I saved us money by doing it myself instead of going to someone, that I should get to buy a wrap! I found a company, "Little Frog", in Poland where I could get a wrap, and have it shipped here for $80... and I really liked the patterns!
So I ordered one and it came 2 weeks later. They say to wash it before you use it, to soften it up a bit, but I couldn't wait... I took it right out of the package and wrapped her right away!
 |
| The first time I ever wrapped her in it |
With these woven wraps, some come soft and floppy right out of the bag, others are as hard as cardboard and you need to "break them in". I've never even seen another woven wrap in person, so I have nothing to compare to, but I think mine was pretty soft right out of the bag, but I still wanted to break it in a bit. I washed it, braided it, sat on it, let the kids play with it a bit. But the biggest hit with the kids was when I made a hammock under the kitchen table with it!
They had a blast sitting in the hammock. Finn especially! So much fun.
I haven't actually worn her out of the house in this wrap yet, because like I said, you have to wrap them in it as you go, so the ends are hanging down on the ground and I don't want to get it all dirty! Plus I'm not confident enough to get it on outside quickly, with the other kids going crazy.... soon hopefully!
Conor doesn't understand how people can own more than one wrap... at the moment 1 is good for me, but there are so many pretty ones out there, and there are different lengths of wraps, that you can do different carries with... so we'll see if I stick with just 1 or not ;)
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Facebook Saturday [July 20-26]
My week according to facebook.
Saturday
Finn, Elle and Thea are going to have a little Aussie cousin soon!! You're in our prayers Jeanette Stobbe, hope it all goes smoothly!
Ugh, Elle's sick - looks like its gonna be a fun filled Saturday!!
My poor baby - she will be fine and then throw herself on the floor holding her tummy saying "sick"
it's been a long day of, well, bodily fluids. Kids are having a bath, and I'm hoping we all sleep without incidence and no one else gets sick.
Sunday
Congratulations Jeanette Stobbe on the birth on your baby boy Cameron! And congrats to the new first time grandparents Mary Stobbe and Harry Stobbe!
The Stobbe clan has grown by 5 in the last 12ish weeks
Elle was a bit lethargic all afternoon/evening and went to bed with a bit of a fever...praying she sleeps it off, poor muffin
Monday
Sick children and no running water do NOT mix!
Loving Elle's cuddles - but torn because Thea needs me too
There wasn't any point making any big elaborate meal for the kids, as Elle is still sick and Finn is so hard to get to the dinner table... so the kids are "eating" leftover soup, and we're gonna have steak after they go to bed!
Maybe we'll even call it a date night. haha
Tuesday
Finn has the stomach flu now too
And Elle is STILL sick. Could use a couple extra washing machines and dryers at this rate!!
Seriously, all the puking can stop now!
2pm, the washing machine has been going nonstop since 630am.
Finn looks awful, my poor baby. This has to end soon, right?!?
7 pm and we're all in bed - hopefully we all have a good nights sleep.
Wednesday
Update: over 12 hours since Finn was sick.
Kind of the same for Elle, but I think she might have dry heaved around 11pm
Praying we've turned the corner!
When the kids are up and running and driving me crazy - remind me that the flu is SO much worse!
Elle's starting feel better...and restless. So of course that means she wants to stand in front of the TV so Finn can't see, or touch his juice cup and a mischievous look in her eyes.
Thursday
Thank goodness Finn is finally eating! Hopefully his tummy will start digesting properly now. My laundry machine is getting very tired!
I'm so torn! Thea needs me, Elle's restless & bothering her brother, Finn keeps crying that his tummy's owie and I don't know what to do!!
On a positive note: Thea was so excited to have a bath last night (after a few days of neglected) that as soon as she was in the water she giggled for the first time!!
Well the kids are in bed (although Finn's not asleep yet). Flu day 6 is done... how many more?!?!
Friday
I woke up to Finn yelling at his sister and thought "I think someone's feeling better!!"
He's up and about, warring a little bit, and only complained once if being a but tired and needing a rest.
Finally!!
We have a toy magazine that the kids like to look at. One time I skipped over the Bratz page and said those are bad toys. Now when Elle gets to that page she says "bad book", turns the page and says "good book".
Finn took out all the clean dish cloths and is playing folding them...looks like a good first chore!
Looking forward to a MUCH needed girls night tonight! 🍹🍴
Saturday
Finn, Elle and Thea are going to have a little Aussie cousin soon!! You're in our prayers Jeanette Stobbe, hope it all goes smoothly!
Ugh, Elle's sick - looks like its gonna be a fun filled Saturday!!
My poor baby - she will be fine and then throw herself on the floor holding her tummy saying "sick"
 |
| Poor muffin just before she was sick again |
it's been a long day of, well, bodily fluids. Kids are having a bath, and I'm hoping we all sleep without incidence and no one else gets sick.
Sunday
Congratulations Jeanette Stobbe on the birth on your baby boy Cameron! And congrats to the new first time grandparents Mary Stobbe and Harry Stobbe!
 |
| Seems to be feeling better today - and she needs a haircut!! |
 |
| Big goof! |
The Stobbe clan has grown by 5 in the last 12ish weeks
Elle was a bit lethargic all afternoon/evening and went to bed with a bit of a fever...praying she sleeps it off, poor muffin
Monday
Sick children and no running water do NOT mix!
Loving Elle's cuddles - but torn because Thea needs me too
There wasn't any point making any big elaborate meal for the kids, as Elle is still sick and Finn is so hard to get to the dinner table... so the kids are "eating" leftover soup, and we're gonna have steak after they go to bed!
Maybe we'll even call it a date night. haha
Tuesday
Finn has the stomach flu now too
And Elle is STILL sick. Could use a couple extra washing machines and dryers at this rate!!
 |
| Poor sickies |
Seriously, all the puking can stop now!
2pm, the washing machine has been going nonstop since 630am.
Finn looks awful, my poor baby. This has to end soon, right?!?
7 pm and we're all in bed - hopefully we all have a good nights sleep.
Wednesday
Update: over 12 hours since Finn was sick.
Kind of the same for Elle, but I think she might have dry heaved around 11pm
Praying we've turned the corner!
When the kids are up and running and driving me crazy - remind me that the flu is SO much worse!
 |
| Nothing like sugary Popsicles for breakfast! |
 |
| Tummy time...right after lunch time...please excuse the spit up |
 |
| "Talking" to Elle's bunny |
Elle's starting feel better...and restless. So of course that means she wants to stand in front of the TV so Finn can't see, or touch his juice cup and a mischievous look in her eyes.
 |
| He was so sick his tongue turned green!! |
Thursday
Thank goodness Finn is finally eating! Hopefully his tummy will start digesting properly now. My laundry machine is getting very tired!
 |
| Daddy gave her a haircut - we can finally see her big eyes again! |
I'm so torn! Thea needs me, Elle's restless & bothering her brother, Finn keeps crying that his tummy's owie and I don't know what to do!!
On a positive note: Thea was so excited to have a bath last night (after a few days of neglected) that as soon as she was in the water she giggled for the first time!!
Well the kids are in bed (although Finn's not asleep yet). Flu day 6 is done... how many more?!?!
Friday
I woke up to Finn yelling at his sister and thought "I think someone's feeling better!!"
He's up and about, warring a little bit, and only complained once if being a but tired and needing a rest.
Finally!!
 |
| Someone's feeling better |
We have a toy magazine that the kids like to look at. One time I skipped over the Bratz page and said those are bad toys. Now when Elle gets to that page she says "bad book", turns the page and says "good book".
 |
| Love these cuddles |
Finn took out all the clean dish cloths and is playing folding them...looks like a good first chore!
Looking forward to a MUCH needed girls night tonight! 🍹🍴
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Facebook Saturday [July 13-19]
*I'm posting this on a Saturday... it's been a long day...
My week according to facebook.
Saturday
I blinked and 2 years went by since this beautiful little sassy girl was born.
Happy Birthday Elle!
Off to the zoo - Elle wants to see the "embelent" (Elephant) for her birthday!
Looks like the kids and I will be taking another trip to the zoo this week since Finn forgot his camera there
Sunday
Now, I feel like I need to celebrate Elle's birthday today too, since she was born in Canada - at this point we were at the hospital and I was being induced!
Thea these afternoon catnaps aren't cool - it takes me a long time to fall asleep and then you seem to start stirring as soon as I'm asleep!
I'm in utter shock. I bought Elle another birthday present - a potty.
I showed and told her what its for, she took off her pants and I took off her diaper, she sat down and peed!!
Monday
Elle's swatting at invisible flies, then looking at the fly swatter and saying "got it"
Tuesday
Finn started Catechesis of the Good Shepard today - I kind of felt like it was the first day of kindergarten or something! He did really well though and is excited to go again next week.
Wednesday
Thea's on day 4 or 5 of no-poo...and I'm NOT referring to her hair washing habits!
At this time one year ago we were killing time at LAX waiting for our flight to Melbourne... we've had some of our worst memories and some of our best this year!
Just had a stressful time getting Finn and Elle's immunizations. McDonalds was needed as much for me as for the kids!! — at McDonald's Doncaster.
Thursday
After getting his shots yesterday, they gave Finn a little goody bag with toys. One is one of those sticky man things that you throw at the wall and they "walk" down.
Elle is terrified of it!! Haha. And Finn is kind of scared of it too. Once it's on the floor he asks about 5 times "is it not moving?" Before he will go over and pick it up!
A year ago at this time we were trapped in customs at Melbourne Airport because the power was out!
Both kids have 2 word vocabularies today.
Finns is "but why?"
Elle's is "dang it"...whoops!
Friday
(Apparently I didn't write anything yesterday - Shocking!)
Past Facebook Fridays
Some other status' from the two weeks I missed- just for my own records :)
July 1st - This is the cold that doesn't end, yes it goes on and on my friend....
Thea was a total champ getting her immunizations today, hardly cried at all - hopefully she eats and sleeps well tonight.
AND we have her 8 week appointment on Thursday (even though she'll be 9 weeks the next day) - can't wait to see how much she weighs because she literally does not fit in her carseat anymore... good thing we have one for the next stage (and that we borrowed this one instead of paying for something that didn't even get used for 2 months!)
I'm an idiot. I have been trying for a week to get the straps on Thea's carseat to loosen cuz they were too tight, but they just weren't budging beyond a certain point so I figured she had outgrown it - took the base out of the car and everything.
Thought I would try ONE MORE TIME and this time actually turned it upside down to see, and of course the excess strap was just caught on something, so she has NOT outgrown her carseat at 2 months
July 2nd - Alright, finally feeling on the mend. Plan to vacuum the house sometime before naps... maybe even wash the kitchen floor, we'll see!
July 4th - Finn is running around the house waving his arms in the air laughing and all I can think if is "Home Alone" when he realizes he's on his own.
July 5th - grocery shopping was a success. The hardest part was getting Elle back into the car afterwards - because running around the parking lot like a crazy person is always a lot more fun
July 8th - It's been a long time coming, but Finn put on his own shirt, pants, shoes and jacket (just needed help putting in socks and zipping up the jacket)
Elle is playing "time out". She goes and sits on the stool. Pretends to scream and cry and kick her feet for a bit. Then she comes out to me and says "sowwie".
Should be interesting when she gets a REAL time out!
My week according to facebook.
Saturday
I blinked and 2 years went by since this beautiful little sassy girl was born.
Happy Birthday Elle!
Off to the zoo - Elle wants to see the "embelent" (Elephant) for her birthday!
Looks like the kids and I will be taking another trip to the zoo this week since Finn forgot his camera there
Sunday
Now, I feel like I need to celebrate Elle's birthday today too, since she was born in Canada - at this point we were at the hospital and I was being induced!
 |
| Wearing the dress I wore as a baby for my dedication |
Thea these afternoon catnaps aren't cool - it takes me a long time to fall asleep and then you seem to start stirring as soon as I'm asleep!
I'm in utter shock. I bought Elle another birthday present - a potty.
I showed and told her what its for, she took off her pants and I took off her diaper, she sat down and peed!!
Monday
Elle's swatting at invisible flies, then looking at the fly swatter and saying "got it"
 |
| Middle of winter - I'm in a tshirt, capris and flip-flops (later in the week it even got to 21!) |
Tuesday
Finn started Catechesis of the Good Shepard today - I kind of felt like it was the first day of kindergarten or something! He did really well though and is excited to go again next week.
Wednesday
Thea's on day 4 or 5 of no-poo...and I'm NOT referring to her hair washing habits!
At this time one year ago we were killing time at LAX waiting for our flight to Melbourne... we've had some of our worst memories and some of our best this year!
|
| Bought a woven wrap! #babywearing #littlefrog |
Just had a stressful time getting Finn and Elle's immunizations. McDonalds was needed as much for me as for the kids!! — at McDonald's Doncaster.
Thursday
After getting his shots yesterday, they gave Finn a little goody bag with toys. One is one of those sticky man things that you throw at the wall and they "walk" down.
Elle is terrified of it!! Haha. And Finn is kind of scared of it too. Once it's on the floor he asks about 5 times "is it not moving?" Before he will go over and pick it up!
|
| "Breaking in" my wrap...hammock under the table!! |
A year ago at this time we were trapped in customs at Melbourne Airport because the power was out!
|
| Elle's having a banana in the hammock while Finn watches a show |
Both kids have 2 word vocabularies today.
Finns is "but why?"
Elle's is "dang it"...whoops!
Friday
(Apparently I didn't write anything yesterday - Shocking!)
Past Facebook Fridays
Some other status' from the two weeks I missed- just for my own records :)
July 1st - This is the cold that doesn't end, yes it goes on and on my friend....
Thea was a total champ getting her immunizations today, hardly cried at all - hopefully she eats and sleeps well tonight.
AND we have her 8 week appointment on Thursday (even though she'll be 9 weeks the next day) - can't wait to see how much she weighs because she literally does not fit in her carseat anymore... good thing we have one for the next stage (and that we borrowed this one instead of paying for something that didn't even get used for 2 months!)
I'm an idiot. I have been trying for a week to get the straps on Thea's carseat to loosen cuz they were too tight, but they just weren't budging beyond a certain point so I figured she had outgrown it - took the base out of the car and everything.
Thought I would try ONE MORE TIME and this time actually turned it upside down to see, and of course the excess strap was just caught on something, so she has NOT outgrown her carseat at 2 months
July 2nd - Alright, finally feeling on the mend. Plan to vacuum the house sometime before naps... maybe even wash the kitchen floor, we'll see!
July 4th - Finn is running around the house waving his arms in the air laughing and all I can think if is "Home Alone" when he realizes he's on his own.
July 5th - grocery shopping was a success. The hardest part was getting Elle back into the car afterwards - because running around the parking lot like a crazy person is always a lot more fun
July 8th - It's been a long time coming, but Finn put on his own shirt, pants, shoes and jacket (just needed help putting in socks and zipping up the jacket)
Elle is playing "time out". She goes and sits on the stool. Pretends to scream and cry and kick her feet for a bit. Then she comes out to me and says "sowwie".
Should be interesting when she gets a REAL time out!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Crazy day!
Wow yesterday was a crazy day! *I apologize now, but this ended up being really long!! Haha*
I went grocery shopping in the morning with the kids. Afterwards we went into the play place there and all was going well. Then my friend walked past saying that the elevator was broken.
This shopping center has a small parking area up on the roof, and right below it is Aldi, where we do our shopping, and the play place is right in front of Aldi. It's great parking upstairs because there is usually "parent" parking stalls available (and if not, not many people park up there so you usually get a spot pretty close), and then the elevator brings you right to aldi, whereas if I parked anywhere else I would have to walk through half the shopping center to get to aldi.
Problem is, if the elevator is broken, then you have to walk all the way around the mall (well there ARE stairs, but can't take a buggy up there obviously!) and then walk up to the roof the way you would drive...with 3 kids...and a full buggy...and the buggies here are AWFUL to steer!
As my friend was telling me this and making her way, with her three kids and full buggy, to her car, Elle was saying "peep peep peep" and taking her pants off in the play place. So after getting her pants back on, getting them out of the play place, and getting their shoes on, I decided to check on the elevator myself and prayed it was working again...and it stared working just after I got there!! (I got out of the elevator and my friend was just reaching the parking lot, poor mama!!)
Then we get to the car and someone was parked RIGHT beside Elle's door, so I buckled her into the passenger seat so I could drive to another stall where I could get her in her door and into her carseat - another mom gave me some pretty terrible looks!!
Then we had lunch at home and everyone went to bed. I haven't been able to sleep at naptime lately and it's mostly my own fault. See Thea sleeps best with the fan on for white noise, and with me in the room (to give her the soother if it pops out, preferably as soon as possible so she will fall back to sleep), BUT then I can barely hear if Finn is calling from his room. So I try to sleep but then I keep thinking I hear Finn, so I get up hoping to not wake up Thea, listen, and he's not even calling! I do this a number of times...I call it the "phantom Finnian". It's so frustrating!!
One of the times I got up to listen and I was startled by loud knocking on the door - my new baby wrap had arrived (a post on that to come!), then I was just plain too excited to sleep! Thea woke up and I tried (albeit not very hard) to get her back to sleep, but instead we tried out the new wrap and she fell right to sleep in it!
The kids got up and watched some shows while I mentally prepared myself to take them to get their immunizations. Conor came home and off we went. I told Finn that we were going to go to a doctor to get medicine for him and Elle do that they don't get sick, and then we would go to McDonalds for dinner. Where we go there's a big room with a partition wall. They do vaccinations there I think 3 times a month: once during the day, and twice in the evenings. You grab a number, and someone at a desk calls you up and looks through your booklet and gets your details and then you sit down and wait for the nurse to call you into the other side for the shots (where there 2 or 3 nurses giving vaccines in one open room). It's complicated for us because most of their vaccines were given in Canada, so I had to get their details transferred and there's still always a little bit of confusion. Anyways we decided I would go in first with Finn, and then after he was done, Conor would go in with Elle. Finn had to get two shots and I was NERVOUS! We got back there (mind you this was after the desk person had already looked over the stuff and confirmed the 2 shots he needed) and the lady looked at his book and started saying he also needed a third shot...so I had to give them all these papers and they kept looking into this binder of theirs, meanwhile Finns getting antsy on my lap and keeps asking me a billion questions about what's on the table, while I'm trying to answer the nurses questions. They get it sorted (he DIDN'T need a third shot) and then the nurse starts taking 4 hours going through the possible reactions with me, LADY, I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS A HUNDRED TIME, JUST GET IT OVER WITH! when Conor and Elle and Thea come into the room causing more confusion because the nurse called the wrong number ...ugh, I'm getting frustrated again just writing this!! Finn gets his first shot and starts bawling and doesn't understand what's going on, meanwhile I can hear Elle's about to get hers and my heart is tearing! Then they give Finn the other one and I just want to talk to him and sooth him but the nurse starts yapping again about something (I realized after that she was then going on about the reactions ELLE might have, don't know why the other nurse didn't just tell Conor since he was the one with Elle).
Anyways, it was FINALLY over with, and the kids got lollipops so they were happy, although Finn still looked a little betrayed. You have to wait 15 minutes afterwards so Conor took them to walk the halls while I tried to relax! After a minute or two Finn came in and said "It's okay, Finn likes medicine now!" Haha, what a weird kid! I don't want him thinking all medicine is like that though, so I told him that was the last shots and now he'll just get medicine in his mouth which doesn't hurt.
We went to McDonald's after - I think I needed that more than the kids did!
What a day!
1 year
It's been 1 year since we moved to Australia.
It's funny because I was so terrified when we moved to Italy when Finn was not even a year old. I didn't know how I would manage "on my own" with him, as we had been living with my in-laws who were such a big help. Those 2 years were hard, and we missed out families a lot, but they were good years.
Then when we were preparing to move to Australia I was so excited. Looking forward to seeing some of our old friends again, and especially of getting on our own and starting to settle down a bit more. But wow, this year has been so hard in many ways. I think this has been by far the hardest year in our marriage (and I don't mean FOR our marriage, just in the time that we've been married).
I didn't realize how much of an adjustment it would be for me to have Conor out of the house working, as (other than a bit one summer) he's never worked since the kids were born...and even with studying he was never really out of the house that much. I also didn't realize how hard it would be for me on my own with Finn and Elle, as again, Conor was almost always home AND Conor's parents and siblings when we were living in Canada.
Then Elle had her breathing problems and we experienced our first 3, or was it 4, hospital trips and stays with a child.
Then of course I got pregnant and we were excited to have baby #3, and everything was going smoothly until I got admitted into the hospital on strict bedrest....and then Elle had to go to hospital again and Finn had to stay with virtual strangers (who are now very close friends, we are so grateful to them and our families have become great friends since)...and then Elle had her seizure and had to go back to the hospital.
Then we were blessed with Thea's (very quick!) arrival - but it's been an adjustment with 3 kids.
Yeah - it's been a VERY hard and challenging year. But you know what? I wouldn't change it for the world.
I love having our own place again and for the first time in our marriage getting to decorate (and learning I have no clue what I'm doing!).
Elle has gone 6 months now without a hospital stay - while I don't love having her on a steroid inhaler everyday, at least it's doing its job and hopefully it's not forever.
During Elle's sickness and my bedrest we made some great friends. It is so hard being away from family but so many people stepped up and helped us, by watching Finn and by making us food, but even more importantly by keeping us in their prayers.
Even though it wasn't planned, and now feels to me like it wasn't even necessary since Thea ended up being overdue, our parents all came to help us from Canada. It was so great getting to visit with them and for the kids especially, we wouldn't have seen them at all this year had it not been for "the crisis".
And of course Thea herself - she is such a little blessing - for everything that has happened this year she is the rainbow at the end of the storm, and our family wouldn't be the same without her.
So one year gone....looking forward to our next year here, and hoping it's a lot less dramatic/traumatic!
So one year gone....looking forward to our next year here, and hoping it's a lot less dramatic/traumatic!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Elle's Birthday Weekend
Saturday was Elle's birthday here, and the day we actually celebrated her birthday - but since she was born in Canada, and Sunday here was the 13th there, I'll pretend that was her birthday as well!
Since I was kind of stressed out from planning Thea's Baptism last week (even though it all worked out perfectly, things just hadn't gone exactly as I had originally planned), we decided to just celebrate Elle's birthday on our own. It wasn't the sunniest day, but we headed to the zoo. The kids got to choose some animals to see, and then the played in the playground there afterwards while I went and nursed Thea. Elle loves the elephants, so we saw them, and there were some otters around that way, as well as the orangutans. There's a baby orangutan that seemed to really like the kids that came around. Everytime there was a kid near the glass he would start playing with a burlap sac... but Elle didn't really like it!
As we were driving home, Finn innocently asked us where his camera was. Unfortunately this meant that he left it at the zoo! The place where I was nursing Thea was an indoor kids zone with toys and stuff, and I knew that I had seen him wearing it when they came in, and we left right from there. So when we got home I called the zoo and it had just been turned in, so Thea and I went back on Sunday after naptime to get it!
After naps on Saturday, I wrapped up Elle's presents while the kids watched some TV. They both really like this toy kitchen that our friends have, but we don't really have room for one, so I bought them some kitchen toys. A set of pots and pans, a little tea set, and then a bin of play food. It was for Elle's birthday, but I knew they would both enjoy it.
Finn had a really hard time not opening Elle's presents! AND, he's having a really hard time sharing Elle's presents, but hopefully once the novelty wears off, then Elle will be able to play with it without him trying to take everything!
After that we had dinner and then cake time! We started to sing to Elle and she thought it was hilarious. I wasn't going to take a video of us singing (just pictures of her with the cake) but the giggling was so cute, I had to!
On Sunday we went to church in the morning and then got home, sat down for lunch and had a chat with Conor's family on the computer. They sang Happy Birthday to Elle and she just sat there without even cracking a smile - what a weird girl! She usually just sits there staring at the screen, so you think she's not really into it, but if you try to move the screen away, she gets really mad!
As I said before, after naptime on Sunday I quickly popped over to the zoo to get Finn's camera, and then stopped by Big W to get another last minute present for Elle - a potty and some undies!
I showed it to her when I got home and told her what it was for and asked her if she wanted to sit on it, so she did with her clothes on. Then I told her if she had to pee we would take off her pants and diaper and she could sit on it and put the pee in there. She said she wanted to, so I took of her pants and diaper and she sat but didn't do anything. Then she brought the potty into the kitchen (still with no diaper on), she sat on it again and then got up and I heard Conor say she went pee. Went to look and sure enough she had peed in it! Unfortunately she got a bit excited and put her hand in it to feel it... AND she was wearing a onesie and even though it was undone, when she sat down it hadn't been lifted up so she peed on that too - but thats okay cuz she peed on the potty!!!
We're not going to pressure her though. It will just be here for now for her to see and if she wants to sit she can...if she starts doing it more then I will go for it, thus buying the undies, might as well be prepared!
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| Birthday Girl! |
Since I was kind of stressed out from planning Thea's Baptism last week (even though it all worked out perfectly, things just hadn't gone exactly as I had originally planned), we decided to just celebrate Elle's birthday on our own. It wasn't the sunniest day, but we headed to the zoo. The kids got to choose some animals to see, and then the played in the playground there afterwards while I went and nursed Thea. Elle loves the elephants, so we saw them, and there were some otters around that way, as well as the orangutans. There's a baby orangutan that seemed to really like the kids that came around. Everytime there was a kid near the glass he would start playing with a burlap sac... but Elle didn't really like it!
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| Thea slept the whole time until I took her out to feed her before we drove home. |
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| Seriously this boy is so handsome! |
As we were driving home, Finn innocently asked us where his camera was. Unfortunately this meant that he left it at the zoo! The place where I was nursing Thea was an indoor kids zone with toys and stuff, and I knew that I had seen him wearing it when they came in, and we left right from there. So when we got home I called the zoo and it had just been turned in, so Thea and I went back on Sunday after naptime to get it!
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| Elle getting to see the "embelents" |
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| Thea keeping warm :) |
After naps on Saturday, I wrapped up Elle's presents while the kids watched some TV. They both really like this toy kitchen that our friends have, but we don't really have room for one, so I bought them some kitchen toys. A set of pots and pans, a little tea set, and then a bin of play food. It was for Elle's birthday, but I knew they would both enjoy it.
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| Both kids were so excited to open presents! |
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| Finn was "helping" - Elle was a little overwhelmed |
Finn had a really hard time not opening Elle's presents! AND, he's having a really hard time sharing Elle's presents, but hopefully once the novelty wears off, then Elle will be able to play with it without him trying to take everything!
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| Opening here present from Grandma Peters |
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| Her new bib with cakes on it |
After that we had dinner and then cake time! We started to sing to Elle and she thought it was hilarious. I wasn't going to take a video of us singing (just pictures of her with the cake) but the giggling was so cute, I had to!
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| Birthday girl with her 2 candles |
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| Yummy |
On Sunday we went to church in the morning and then got home, sat down for lunch and had a chat with Conor's family on the computer. They sang Happy Birthday to Elle and she just sat there without even cracking a smile - what a weird girl! She usually just sits there staring at the screen, so you think she's not really into it, but if you try to move the screen away, she gets really mad!
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| Playing with her presents |
As I said before, after naptime on Sunday I quickly popped over to the zoo to get Finn's camera, and then stopped by Big W to get another last minute present for Elle - a potty and some undies!
I showed it to her when I got home and told her what it was for and asked her if she wanted to sit on it, so she did with her clothes on. Then I told her if she had to pee we would take off her pants and diaper and she could sit on it and put the pee in there. She said she wanted to, so I took of her pants and diaper and she sat but didn't do anything. Then she brought the potty into the kitchen (still with no diaper on), she sat on it again and then got up and I heard Conor say she went pee. Went to look and sure enough she had peed in it! Unfortunately she got a bit excited and put her hand in it to feel it... AND she was wearing a onesie and even though it was undone, when she sat down it hadn't been lifted up so she peed on that too - but thats okay cuz she peed on the potty!!!
We're not going to pressure her though. It will just be here for now for her to see and if she wants to sit she can...if she starts doing it more then I will go for it, thus buying the undies, might as well be prepared!
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Elle - 2 years old!
This girl - sometimes I still think she's still my little baby girl, and then other times I wonder when she turned into a teenager!
She is just so funny, I can't even describe it properly. She has the cutest giggle, such pretty big eyes that can just melt you, some sass that can make you laugh out loud and shake your head in fear at the same time.
She can communicate with words so well that I wonder how we ever managed Finnian at this age only saying 5 words. She loves to sing and have "dance parties" with her big brother. She loves to put on "pity" dresses, loves to go to the park, and loves her binky (she has three different ones: the regular one "binky", the newborn one that Conor had to buy at the hospital when she was admitted and he forgot hers at home "baby binky", and then this other round tipped one that I bought at Kmart when we first moved here and we were going to Ikea and I had forgot hers "funny binky")
If she wants you to come play with her she'll yell out "come on" with the cutest voice while urging your forward with her hands... but if she wants you to leave her alone you'll hear "TOP IT!" with her hand out (think "talk to the hand")
She has a love hate relationship with Finnian. And vice versa. When the planets are aligned he will want to play with her and she will comply and you will hear giggles and terrifying (but delightful) screams. But when she's done with that she'll say no and walk away - if he doesn't lock her in the room with him! And when she is tired of playing alone, but he's in a groove with his toys, she will needle needle needle, pushing all of his buttons just to have some interaction. The later two situations cause a bit of a head ache for me!
She loves her baby "sitter", "Fea". She still just wants to "watch it" everything Thea does. When I'm changing Thea's diaper she runs up and pulls up a chair, she plays a game where she grabs things off the change table and asked me if I "need it" and I say no. She likes to hold her and kiss her... but if she's not getting her way with me, and I'm holding Thea, she takes it out on Thea.
I'm afraid I might need to potty train her soon, and I'm not ready for it! This past week she has been so weird. One day I was nursing Thea and I heard Elle keep saying "uh oh" from the other room and "peep". She came into the living room and was taking off her pants and trying to take off her diaper, saying "peep, peep". So I asked her if she had to pee and she said yes, and I asked her if she wanted to go in the potty and she said yes! So I put Thea down and we went and set up the potty and she sat on it for a second... and then freaked out yelling "off, off!" haha. I might have to go out and get her a small potty instead of a seat on the big toilet and see what happens. I don't know if I'm ready for this though! Finn was a whole year older than her!
She loves to cuddle up to us with books, and loves to watch "bob the B" (bob the builder). She's going through a bit of a picky eating phase, but certain things she will ALWAYS eat (spaghetti and yogurt!)
There's so much more I could say about her - but most of all she can be so sweet and I can't wait to continue watching her grow :)
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| I've only recently started brushing her hair after bathtimes... she HATES it as much as she hated it then! |
She can communicate with words so well that I wonder how we ever managed Finnian at this age only saying 5 words. She loves to sing and have "dance parties" with her big brother. She loves to put on "pity" dresses, loves to go to the park, and loves her binky (she has three different ones: the regular one "binky", the newborn one that Conor had to buy at the hospital when she was admitted and he forgot hers at home "baby binky", and then this other round tipped one that I bought at Kmart when we first moved here and we were going to Ikea and I had forgot hers "funny binky")
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| I think Thea looks alot like Elle in this picture! |
If she wants you to come play with her she'll yell out "come on" with the cutest voice while urging your forward with her hands... but if she wants you to leave her alone you'll hear "TOP IT!" with her hand out (think "talk to the hand")
She has a love hate relationship with Finnian. And vice versa. When the planets are aligned he will want to play with her and she will comply and you will hear giggles and terrifying (but delightful) screams. But when she's done with that she'll say no and walk away - if he doesn't lock her in the room with him! And when she is tired of playing alone, but he's in a groove with his toys, she will needle needle needle, pushing all of his buttons just to have some interaction. The later two situations cause a bit of a head ache for me!
She loves her baby "sitter", "Fea". She still just wants to "watch it" everything Thea does. When I'm changing Thea's diaper she runs up and pulls up a chair, she plays a game where she grabs things off the change table and asked me if I "need it" and I say no. She likes to hold her and kiss her... but if she's not getting her way with me, and I'm holding Thea, she takes it out on Thea.
I'm afraid I might need to potty train her soon, and I'm not ready for it! This past week she has been so weird. One day I was nursing Thea and I heard Elle keep saying "uh oh" from the other room and "peep". She came into the living room and was taking off her pants and trying to take off her diaper, saying "peep, peep". So I asked her if she had to pee and she said yes, and I asked her if she wanted to go in the potty and she said yes! So I put Thea down and we went and set up the potty and she sat on it for a second... and then freaked out yelling "off, off!" haha. I might have to go out and get her a small potty instead of a seat on the big toilet and see what happens. I don't know if I'm ready for this though! Finn was a whole year older than her!
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| So so pretty |
There's so much more I could say about her - but most of all she can be so sweet and I can't wait to continue watching her grow :)
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