Ben's mom and sister went in together to gift us this jogging stroller. I call it the Robocop of strollers. It's great!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Update
After 10 long days in the hospital, my brother came home yesterday evening. He's on loads of medicines, but he's feeling good. It's good to have him home. Here are some pictures from this past weekend.
Ben's mom and sister went in together to gift us this jogging stroller. I call it the Robocop of strollers. It's great!
Ben's mom and sister went in together to gift us this jogging stroller. I call it the Robocop of strollers. It's great!
Friday, August 15, 2008
2 Months
Sunday Gwen will be two months old. I can't believe it hardly. Today she got her first immunizations. To help keep me from crying I kept saying, "but now you won't have whooping cough." I can't help but think of the parallel between that experience and how God must think of us. He must really not like to see us in pain, but He knows the bigger picture doesn't He? Think of all the times I've learned from a painful experience.
Gwen weighed in at 11 lb 2 oz and 23 in long. She's in the 75th percentile whatever that means. :)
Gwen weighed in at 11 lb 2 oz and 23 in long. She's in the 75th percentile whatever that means. :)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Plants and Bugs
First it was the bamboo... and now banana trees. Ben is thrilled with his recent purchase of a "hardy banana tree". He has done his research and this banana tree can produce bananas, but it probably won't. It dies in the winter and comes back in the spring. Tonight while we were taking a stroll in the yard I spotted a praying mantis. Creepy!
Here Ben is with his hardy banana tree. We move all the way from Miami only to buy tropical plants. :)
hardy banana tree
Remember the free tree? Here it is and it's blooming. More are on their way. It's a beaut!
Here Ben is with his hardy banana tree. We move all the way from Miami only to buy tropical plants. :)
hardy banana tree
Remember the free tree? Here it is and it's blooming. More are on their way. It's a beaut!
Update
Please continue to pray for my brother Preston. We thought he would come home today, but it seems that he has a blood clot in his arm and will be in the hospital for 3 to 5 more days. His cardiologist was surprised... they thought it was an infection from all of the times they had to stick him with needles. He is definitely throwing a curve ball at all these doctors. He is not the typical patient it seems. His arm is red and tender and they are giving him blood thinners again to help with the clot. His cardiologist said he thinks it is his thyroid that is making him have the clots. His thyroid levels are coming down and it will just take time for it to tame down. He really wants to be out of the hospital and this news was difficult to hear. It seems that because of what his heart underwent that he has to watch his sodium intake very closely when he comes out of the hospital. Since I am his primary cook, that means we all have big changes ahead as far as eating. Eating at restaurants just isn't an option really. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
When You Can't Sleep
The other night when I had trouble falling asleep I thought of this scene. I had been watching this show that day and the scene made me laugh. This is a British show called "Vicar of Dibley" and it's hilarious. In this scene the vicar is the lady and the man is practicing his best man speech for a wedding.
Monday, August 11, 2008
My Brother
Hi everyone... some of you might have seen the post earlier about my brother Preston. I took it down because I thought I'd better ask if he minded me posting about his situation. If you missed that post, my brother had a heart attack on Friday due to a blood clot in his artery. It scared us all really bad. I took him to the ER and it happened there. He went to urgent care the night before and they said it was heart burn... went to his doctor the next morning and she said a virus... we were shocked when his heart stopped in the ER.
Here are the symptoms of a heart attack. I wish I had known these better...
Here are the symptoms of a heart attack. I wish I had known these better...
- Discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm or below the breastbone
- Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat or arm
- Fullness, indigestion or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn)
- Sweating, nausea, vomiting or dizziness
- Extreme weakness, anxiety or shortness of breath
- Rapid or irregular heartbeats
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Crazy For Como
Want to know something funny? My pediatrician sort of looks like Perry. Notice Perry and I are on a first name basis... ahem... yes, he may have died in 2001, but still...
I love her too... it's so sad she died of anorexia. Would someone tell brother Carpenter to let his sis do the singing?
I love her too... it's so sad she died of anorexia. Would someone tell brother Carpenter to let his sis do the singing?
Friday, August 01, 2008
Restaurant In A Gas Station
These photos of Gwen were taken today. This first one kind of shows the (maybe) dimple on her other cheek.
She looks so sweet in this picture I couldn't resist posting it.
Last night for our date night Ben took me to a restaurant in a gas station. Now, to most this would not be thrilling, but I'm the kind that finds this idea interesting. I love hole in the wall type places like this. I was amazed at how busy it was too. There were people lined up out of the door. You had to wait in line to order and you tell this guy what you want and he proceeds to yell it seemingly in a different language. Ben called it Barbequeez. It goes something like this.. "give me hog heaven, two fries and a ring." Look at the sign... you can get catering!
It's hard to capture the feel of the place really. This is Ben standing in the gas station part looking toward the restaurant.
This is what I had. It was good food. Can you believe that this is their regular sized sandwich and there is a larger one?
She looks so sweet in this picture I couldn't resist posting it.
Last night for our date night Ben took me to a restaurant in a gas station. Now, to most this would not be thrilling, but I'm the kind that finds this idea interesting. I love hole in the wall type places like this. I was amazed at how busy it was too. There were people lined up out of the door. You had to wait in line to order and you tell this guy what you want and he proceeds to yell it seemingly in a different language. Ben called it Barbequeez. It goes something like this.. "give me hog heaven, two fries and a ring." Look at the sign... you can get catering!
It's hard to capture the feel of the place really. This is Ben standing in the gas station part looking toward the restaurant.
This is what I had. It was good food. Can you believe that this is their regular sized sandwich and there is a larger one?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Lessons Learned By The One Handed Typist
Is typist a word? Well, it sounds a bit better than typer. Here are some lessons I've learned six weeks into motherhood.
1. Always, I repeat, always have a change of clothes in your diaper bag as well as an old bread bag. We had an "episode of the bowels" one day this week. I had the bread bag, but didn't have the extra outfit.
2. Cutting a baby's fingernails is nerve wracking.
3. You can give your baby a bath every day and somehow their hands end up smelling like Cheez-Its.
4. My neighbor told me that at bath time I should wash of her gums with a damp washcloth. Somehow I missed that in the books.
5. It's in the small details that you just are nuts over your kid and if you explained it to anyone else they don't really get it. Mine are the way she looks when she just wakes up, the sound she makes while nursing (similar to a hum), and our game in the mornings of me putting a cover on her legs when she sits in her swing and I'm making breakfast. She kicks it off, I go over to her and in a sqeaky voice tell her that she is a funny girl, she smiles and tries to coo, and I cover her legs again and it starts over again.
I went back to my "fitness for two" class tonight and saw one of the other girl's baby. It was great. By the way, I'm no longer a celebrity in there. Oh well...
1. Always, I repeat, always have a change of clothes in your diaper bag as well as an old bread bag. We had an "episode of the bowels" one day this week. I had the bread bag, but didn't have the extra outfit.
2. Cutting a baby's fingernails is nerve wracking.
3. You can give your baby a bath every day and somehow their hands end up smelling like Cheez-Its.
4. My neighbor told me that at bath time I should wash of her gums with a damp washcloth. Somehow I missed that in the books.
5. It's in the small details that you just are nuts over your kid and if you explained it to anyone else they don't really get it. Mine are the way she looks when she just wakes up, the sound she makes while nursing (similar to a hum), and our game in the mornings of me putting a cover on her legs when she sits in her swing and I'm making breakfast. She kicks it off, I go over to her and in a sqeaky voice tell her that she is a funny girl, she smiles and tries to coo, and I cover her legs again and it starts over again.
I went back to my "fitness for two" class tonight and saw one of the other girl's baby. It was great. By the way, I'm no longer a celebrity in there. Oh well...
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Magic Moments
This song is called Magic Moments and is sung by Perry Como. This week Ben has been singing the whistle part of this song and it's very catchy. Why don't we still have dreamy singers like Perry Como? :)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Date Night
Last week Ben initiated "date night" for us by asking his mom to come and watch Gwen for a few hours so we can get away by ourselves once a week- Thursday nights. He told me that when our kids grow up and move away he didn't want us to look at each other and say, "who are you?" :) Last week we went to dinner and a movie and I did fine except for at the end of the movie I was a little fidgety and I was really wanting to see Gwen. This week Ben took me to dinner and then we went to the Overland Park Botanical Gardens and Arboretum. It is free and beautiful. Here are some pictures we took from there.
They had a hut to represent the Indians that once lived in Kansas. (I think) Here Ben is supposed to be discovering fire via rubbing two rocks together.
I'm supposed to look like an angry Aboriginal person, but Ben was making me laugh.
Ben picked up this fruit from a tree and said "this is a worthless piece of fruit." I don't think you can eat this kind of fruit.
Pretty rose.
Isn't it nice?
After the garden, Ben wanted to go over to Ace Hardware near our house because he saw they had a sale on the plants there for 75% off. He noticed a tree in the trash can and... you guessed it... he went in and asked it he could have it. He told the guy he could "take it off his hands for him." So, he got a tree for free. He was thrilled. I suggested next week we go ice skating. He suggested that we try lazer tag.
They had a hut to represent the Indians that once lived in Kansas. (I think) Here Ben is supposed to be discovering fire via rubbing two rocks together.
I'm supposed to look like an angry Aboriginal person, but Ben was making me laugh.
Ben picked up this fruit from a tree and said "this is a worthless piece of fruit." I don't think you can eat this kind of fruit.
Pretty rose.
Isn't it nice?
After the garden, Ben wanted to go over to Ace Hardware near our house because he saw they had a sale on the plants there for 75% off. He noticed a tree in the trash can and... you guessed it... he went in and asked it he could have it. He told the guy he could "take it off his hands for him." So, he got a tree for free. He was thrilled. I suggested next week we go ice skating. He suggested that we try lazer tag. 
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
My Precious
My sister Stephanie said "no more bug stories.. we want more Gwen." So... what can I say to that? Here she is this morning. By the way Steph, I'm just trying to educate my loyal blog readers... all 4 of them. :)
She's grinning more and more. I think she's also sometimes trying to coo, but it's not quite there yet. By the way, Aunt Stephanie got her this outfit!
She's beautiful!
I think it's pretty definite that she has my nose. HA!
Is that a dimple on the left cheek? We'll just have to wait and see!
She's grinning more and more. I think she's also sometimes trying to coo, but it's not quite there yet. By the way, Aunt Stephanie got her this outfit!
She's beautiful!
I think it's pretty definite that she has my nose. HA!
Is that a dimple on the left cheek? We'll just have to wait and see!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Amusing
FOR NORTHERNERS COMING SOUTH
In the South: If you run your car into a ditch, don't panic. Four men in a four-wheel drive pickup truck with a tow chain will be along shortly. Don't try to help them, just stay out of their way. This is what they live for.
Don't be surprised to find movie rentals and bait in the same store. Do not buy food at this store.
Remember, "y'all" is singular, "all y'all" is plural, and "all y'all's" is plural possessive.
Get used to hearing "You ain't from round here, are ya?"
Save all manner of bacon grease. You will be instructed later on how to use it.
Don't be worried at not understanding what people are saying. They can't understand you either.
The first Southern statement to creep into a transplanted Northerner's vocabulary is the adjective "big'ol," truck or big'ol" boy. Most Northerners begin their Southern-influenced dialect this way. All of them are in denial about it.
The proper pronunciation you learned in school is no longer proper.
Be advised that "He needed killin" is a valid defense here.
If you hear a Southerner exclaim, "Hey, y'all, watch this," you should stay out of the way. These are likely to be the last words he'll ever say.
If there is the prediction of the slightest chance of even the smallest accumulation of snow, your presence is required at the local grocery store. It doesn't matter whether you need anything or not. You just have to go there.
Do not be surprised to find that 10-year-olds own their own shotguns, they are proficient marksmen, and their mammas taught them how to aim.
In the South, we have found that the best way to grow a lush green lawn is to pour gravel on it and call it a driveway.
AND REMEMBER:
If you do settle in the South and bear children, don't think we will accept them as Southerners. After all, if the cat had kittens in the oven, we wouldn't call 'em biscuits.
In the South: If you run your car into a ditch, don't panic. Four men in a four-wheel drive pickup truck with a tow chain will be along shortly. Don't try to help them, just stay out of their way. This is what they live for.
Don't be surprised to find movie rentals and bait in the same store. Do not buy food at this store.
Remember, "y'all" is singular, "all y'all" is plural, and "all y'all's" is plural possessive.
Get used to hearing "You ain't from round here, are ya?"
Save all manner of bacon grease. You will be instructed later on how to use it.
Don't be worried at not understanding what people are saying. They can't understand you either.
The first Southern statement to creep into a transplanted Northerner's vocabulary is the adjective "big'ol," truck or big'ol" boy. Most Northerners begin their Southern-influenced dialect this way. All of them are in denial about it.
The proper pronunciation you learned in school is no longer proper.
Be advised that "He needed killin" is a valid defense here.
If you hear a Southerner exclaim, "Hey, y'all, watch this," you should stay out of the way. These are likely to be the last words he'll ever say.
If there is the prediction of the slightest chance of even the smallest accumulation of snow, your presence is required at the local grocery store. It doesn't matter whether you need anything or not. You just have to go there.
Do not be surprised to find that 10-year-olds own their own shotguns, they are proficient marksmen, and their mammas taught them how to aim.
In the South, we have found that the best way to grow a lush green lawn is to pour gravel on it and call it a driveway.
AND REMEMBER:
If you do settle in the South and bear children, don't think we will accept them as Southerners. After all, if the cat had kittens in the oven, we wouldn't call 'em biscuits.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Fireflies
Something we didn't have in Miami but we do have here are fireflies, or lightning bugs as I call them. I guess it was a few years ago when I found out that lightning bugs light because they are looking for a mate, but that's about all I know about them. So... I decided to do some research about them and let you guys know what I found.
This is an adult lightening bug.
*Around the world there are about 2000 different species of lightening bugs. Each species has its own flashing pattern so that two bugs of different species don't mate. Some lightening bug species don't flash at all.
*Lightening bug larvae are found underground and they eat slugs, earthworms, and snails. Adult lightening bugs (that live up to a couple of months) probably eat plant nectar. A few adult lightening bug species practice an especially tricky kind of cannibalism. Already-mated females emit flashes similar to the female responses to male Lightning Bugs of other species. When the male of the other species lands, the female emitting the false flashes pounces on the poor male and eats him!
This is a larvae.
*Fireflies were a part of Mayan mythology, often being associated with the stars. They also were associated with cigar smoking.. don't ask me how!
In addition to fireflies (or lightening bugs), Ben and I saw a bug in Miami once that was so unusual I set out to find out what it was. It is called an eyed click beetle.
This is an adult lightening bug.
*Around the world there are about 2000 different species of lightening bugs. Each species has its own flashing pattern so that two bugs of different species don't mate. Some lightening bug species don't flash at all.
*Lightening bug larvae are found underground and they eat slugs, earthworms, and snails. Adult lightening bugs (that live up to a couple of months) probably eat plant nectar. A few adult lightening bug species practice an especially tricky kind of cannibalism. Already-mated females emit flashes similar to the female responses to male Lightning Bugs of other species. When the male of the other species lands, the female emitting the false flashes pounces on the poor male and eats him!
This is a larvae.
*Fireflies were a part of Mayan mythology, often being associated with the stars. They also were associated with cigar smoking.. don't ask me how!
In addition to fireflies (or lightening bugs), Ben and I saw a bug in Miami once that was so unusual I set out to find out what it was. It is called an eyed click beetle.
The "eyes" are actually light organs on the insect's "shoulders," and have nothing to do with the vision of the beetle. If you flip one on its back, it will snap a spine into a groove on its "chest," propelling the insect into the air.. thus the name, click beetle. It will, after a couple tries or so, eventually land right side up! Amazing!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The many poses of a newborn
I'll admit we've posted some of these pictures before. But maybe you didn't realize exactly how Gwen was communicating? Well after being her father for over a month now I've started understanding just how complex her method of body language communication can be.... observe!
Flaring-nostrils-opera-singer Gwen (I'm sure she got this from Meredith):
Alien-eyes-making-rude-hand-gesture Gwen:
Quit-hitting-yourself Gwen:
I'm-not-sure-how-much-longer-I-can-stand-this-conversation Gwen:
Concerned-for-your-well-being / Sympathetic Gwen (a perfect pose to use if she grows up to be a funeral director.... or perhaps a vasectomy surgeon):
Mutant-Batwing Gwen:
Mutant-hammerhead-shark Gwen:
Deep-thinker Gwen:
Rebel-Anarchist Gwen (Power to the People!):
Puffer-fish-cheeks Gwen:
I'm-about-to-kick-your-butt Gwen
Queen's-Wave Gwen
Nile-Delta-Wrinkles Gwen (click for close-up):
... and finally, last but not least: Chinese-Elf Gwen!
I'm sure she'll be communicating even more as she gets older, although I can't imagine her messages getting any more complicated. Stay tuned for more updates!
Flaring-nostrils-opera-singer Gwen (I'm sure she got this from Meredith):
Alien-eyes-making-rude-hand-gesture Gwen:
Quit-hitting-yourself Gwen:
I'm-not-sure-how-much-longer-I-can-stand-this-conversation Gwen:
Concerned-for-your-well-being / Sympathetic Gwen (a perfect pose to use if she grows up to be a funeral director.... or perhaps a vasectomy surgeon):
Mutant-Batwing Gwen:
Mutant-hammerhead-shark Gwen:
Deep-thinker Gwen:
Rebel-Anarchist Gwen (Power to the People!):
Puffer-fish-cheeks Gwen:
I'm-about-to-kick-your-butt Gwen
Queen's-Wave Gwen
Nile-Delta-Wrinkles Gwen (click for close-up):
... and finally, last but not least: Chinese-Elf Gwen!
I'm sure she'll be communicating even more as she gets older, although I can't imagine her messages getting any more complicated. Stay tuned for more updates!
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Latest
Well... lately my days have felt like one giant circle in three hour increments. When asked what I do during the day I have to stop and think because I'm not sure when a day starts. One of my daily activities is loading the dishwasher. That's not blog worthy you say? I beg to differ!
I have been meaning to do a blog post about lightening bugs and why they light up, but I haven't found the energy just yet.
Gwen has been awake most of the day here lately and then early evenings deciding to sleep. It makes for a tiring day, but a better night that way. I'm just now relaxing more and realizing that she is my daughter. Last night I was looking at her sleeping in her bassinet and started crying because she is excruciatingly beautiful. Yesterday we went to a La Leche League meeting and it was weird. An Israeli woman grabbed me (I don't think I need to explain where) without so much as a "hi how are you". I don't know if I'll go back although I appreciate the help with positioning. We also went to the doctor yesterday and she weighed 9 lbs, 3 oz and has grown an inch and a half from birth. She's now 21 1/2 inches long. She's a month old. I've decided that instead of saying she's 5, 6, 7 weeks old I'm just going to say 1 month until she is 2 months. It's easier that way in my mind.
Here is the look I get from her a lot these days.
Here's her look after she has been fed and she's in a good mood. It's like she's seeing someone she went to college with and she's saying "hey!"
Ben and I are both pretty sleep deprived lately, but of course it is worth it all. I tell Ben sometimes I feel like I've been to a lock in with middle schoolers to describe that feeling. ha!
I have been meaning to do a blog post about lightening bugs and why they light up, but I haven't found the energy just yet.
Gwen has been awake most of the day here lately and then early evenings deciding to sleep. It makes for a tiring day, but a better night that way. I'm just now relaxing more and realizing that she is my daughter. Last night I was looking at her sleeping in her bassinet and started crying because she is excruciatingly beautiful. Yesterday we went to a La Leche League meeting and it was weird. An Israeli woman grabbed me (I don't think I need to explain where) without so much as a "hi how are you". I don't know if I'll go back although I appreciate the help with positioning. We also went to the doctor yesterday and she weighed 9 lbs, 3 oz and has grown an inch and a half from birth. She's now 21 1/2 inches long. She's a month old. I've decided that instead of saying she's 5, 6, 7 weeks old I'm just going to say 1 month until she is 2 months. It's easier that way in my mind.
Here is the look I get from her a lot these days.
Here's her look after she has been fed and she's in a good mood. It's like she's seeing someone she went to college with and she's saying "hey!"
Ben and I are both pretty sleep deprived lately, but of course it is worth it all. I tell Ben sometimes I feel like I've been to a lock in with middle schoolers to describe that feeling. ha!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Trip to Bama
Hey all my Alabama blogging friends! I'm planning on coming to Alabama from Aug 20-Sep 1st. I thought maybe we could all get together. Let me know what day is good for you. It would be great to see you all and for you to meet Gwen in person.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Weekend Fun
In latest news Gwen has developed a little bit of infant acne. It's very common and usually goes away in a couple of weeks. They say it is due to the hormones that she got from me within the womb. Like the trip down the birth canal wasn't enough! I've read online that if you eat organic yogurt that it helps with clearing it up and so for the past four days I've eaten organic yogurt. It's probably an old wive's tale started by the yogurt people. She is trying to smile now and I finally captured in on camera! Isn't she beautiful?
This weekend her Aunt Beki came to visit. Gwen's middle name is after her- Rebekah. I love this photo of them. I guess Gwen was tired. :)
We went to a beautiful wedding this weekend of Ben's cousin Caleb and his bride, Megan. I got several pictures, but failed to get a picture of the bride and groom! Oh well... here's a buffalo head instead. ha! This was at the reception site... a place called the Stony Creek Inn. The theme of this hotel is kind of buffalo and the prairie.
Here's Ben and I at the reception. It really was beautiful with all the strung lights and all, but you can't tell from the photo.
Here's our little family.
Here's Grandma finally getting to hold Gwen. Gwen had a little accident on the other dress I put her in earlier, so she got to wear the bandanna dress to the reception. This dress is from my sister's baby clothes that my mom saved.
This weekend her Aunt Beki came to visit. Gwen's middle name is after her- Rebekah. I love this photo of them. I guess Gwen was tired. :)
We went to a beautiful wedding this weekend of Ben's cousin Caleb and his bride, Megan. I got several pictures, but failed to get a picture of the bride and groom! Oh well... here's a buffalo head instead. ha! This was at the reception site... a place called the Stony Creek Inn. The theme of this hotel is kind of buffalo and the prairie.
Here's Ben and I at the reception. It really was beautiful with all the strung lights and all, but you can't tell from the photo.
Here's our little family.
Here's Grandma finally getting to hold Gwen. Gwen had a little accident on the other dress I put her in earlier, so she got to wear the bandanna dress to the reception. This dress is from my sister's baby clothes that my mom saved. 
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