Celebrate!

The results are in!!

Good news before a long break is always nice :)

Weekend

Our weekend started off great.  We went to breakfast Saturday morning, then ran a few errands, followed by Doctor Day at the Science Center.  While we were there, Owen got to play in a fire truck and ambulance, check out medical equipment, make a doctor bag, and take home a rubber glove balloon.  He was in heaven considering his favorite thing right now is an ambulance.  

Checking out the blood pressure cuff:

Owen wrote his name ("O") on his doctor bag:

After his nap we took him to our neighborhood playground.   Pat usually takes him up there on his bike, but today we decided to drive.  He had fun showing me all of the equipment.

After church today we went to Costco (where he got a new bike helmet since his is too small), we met Nanny and Pops for lunch, and then back home to take a nap.  

new helmet:

When he woke up from his nap we ran one more errand.  That's when things got interesting.  Owen hadn't eaten much all day and was acting very sluggish and grumpy.  All he wanted to do was rest on teddy in the grocery cart.  When we asked him what was wrong, or if something hurt on his body, he pulled his left ear and said, "Ear hurt".  We knew right then we were faced with another ear infection.  After leaving the store we took him to an urgent care near our house.  Their website said they closed at 6:00.  When we got there at 5:35 the doors were locked and the door said they now close at 5:30 on Sunday.  I was pissed.  We rapidly drove to another urgent care across town that closed at 6.  When we got there at 5:55 the doors were also locked.  I could see the receptionist inside and I knew we still had 5 minutes so I banged on the door.  She told me they were already closed.  In my desperate mommy voice I said, "But it's not 6 yet.  We still have 5 minutes".  Thank God she let us in and we didn't have to wait until tomorrow to see his doctor!  After a brief exam, it was confirmed that Owen had another infection in his left ear.  This time he got a stronger medication since he is due for tubes in a week.  We are super nervous about the surgery, but now we know we are making the right decision since he's had 6 ear infections since December.  Let's just hope the tubes help!

*Owen used to get upset when we went to the doctor, but now he is a pro!  He is very cooperative when they take his temperature, see how much he weighs and how tall he is, and check his blood pressure.  He even sits still when they look in his ears!  At this rate, he probably thinks the doctor's office is his second home!

Happy Friday!

Huffington Post

Did anybody else happen to read this article??

As a parent and a teacher, I had to comment.  I couldn't resist.  Here was my response:

As a teacher, we celebrate ALL holidays at school. By celebrate, I mean we explain to them what the holiday actually is. We discuss the fact that not everyone celebrates the same holidays and that’s OK- we are all different. We invite families in to talk to us about holidays they celebrate. Sometimes this means we get to listen to a special book, eat a special snack, or “see” traditions that take place. It’s important for children to know the true meaning. I’m sorry if you feel overwhelmed. We celebrate at school because many children don’t get this opportunity at home. Parents don’t feel comfortable explaining holidays they aren’t familiar with. As teachers, we take an unbiased approach. How much you chose to do for each holiday with your family is in your hands. Some families, like mine, see this as an opportunity to stimulate creativity. So many children don’t know how to think outside of the box anymore. Let them be creative as long as they are willing. As far as Christmas goes, talk with your children about the true meaning of Christmas and volunteer at a food drive. Take all your negative energy and do something positive. I’m sad to see that you didn’t enjoy the 100th day celebration. What a perfect opportunity to practice numerous skills (sorting, counting, patterns, fine motor development, categorizing, patience) with your children. I’m sorry you ended up doing all of the work for them. I’m sure that wasn’t the teacher’s intention.

Sometimes we just have to agree to disagree...

Baby girl

I am 24 weeks pregnant today!  

Here is my 24 week belly pic with Owen:

It's amazing how fast this pregnancy is going by!  Things have been a little different this time around.  The biggest thing I have noticed is the amount of pressure I feel- especially when I stand for long periods, or when I get out of bed.  At times, it feels like I have to cross my legs just to keep everything in!  I asked my doctor about this and she said it is completely normal with second pregnancies.  Another difference is the weight gain/distribution.  With Owen, I was all belly.  This time, I have noticed "thickening" in my hips and thighs.  Interestingly, I've gained the same amount so far, it's just gone to different places!  Putting on a bathing suit this summer will be comical!

Some of you have asked about baby girl's name.  We did decide on one, I just forgot to post it!  Her name is:

Bunny Day 2013

Today we took Owen to the annual Bunny Day at the Science Center.  The past two years we went he really enjoyed looking at, and petting, all of the bunnies.  This year, however, he looked at a few bunnies then said, "All done."  He was more interested in going outside and seeing the other animals.  His favorite thing about the Science Center is definitely the petting zoo!

While going through some files on our computer, I came across this video of Owen on his tractor.  I absolutely love it!!  

I will say his driving skills have improved a little bit since this video was taken!

Wordless Wednesday

Nursery Progress

Forgive me for not updating in a while!  I've been working on lots of DIY projects for baby girl's nursery!  Things are slowly starting to come together.  Here are a few things I recently finished:

Crib mobile (when Owen used this, it had little boats hanging from it):  I couldn't find one I liked for a little girl, so I just took the boats off and attached little flowers.

Framed "E":  Instead of ordering nursery letters, I decided to make my own.  I found the letter at Hobby Lobby.  It was originally white so I painted it pink, glued random buttons all over it, covered the frame backing with fabric, and pieced it all together.  I was really excited with the way it turned out!

Flower vase:  Trying to find a flower vase that I really liked (in the size and color that I wanted) was nearly impossible.  I knew I already had one that would work, but I didn't like it because it was glass.  After looking at several ideas on etsy and pinterest, I decided to cover my glass vase with twine.  Add a large hydrangea, and it's complete! 

Milestone

We hit a BIG milestone in our house this week!  The other night at dinner, Owen picked up his carrots and ate them without us bribing him!  I always put vegetables on his plate, however, he rarely eats them.  Over the past two days, he's eaten carrots and tasted green beans!  He said he didn't like the green beans, but at least he tried them!  We still gave him his dessert because he made an attempt to choke one down!  Hey, it's all about the baby steps :)

In order to make meal time a little more exciting, We've been working on appearance: