February 29, 2012

{Bleepin'} TV shows these days

Quite a few weeks ago, Trey came home and told me he read an article about how there was going to be more profanity on our popular TV shows coming up soon. Serious ones at that. I kind of thought that I'd believe it when I heard it. Surely, they wouldn't be dropping the F-bomb on Modern Family (that's the show I heard specifically would be doing it). I prayed that show in particular wouldn't, it's high up on my favorite list and I swore I'd write off any show that started using even more foul language.

Low and behold, the next episode we watched, the big F word was used multiple times. It was better played than I thought, I will admit. It was bleeped out (I literally thought it would be said openly) and it was used in a hilarious (of course) and relatable context. The little girl, Lily, started saying it much to the parents dismay and embarrassment. I think most of us deal with that at some point and can laugh at it.
I haven't heard any more of that out of this show.

The Office is the one I'm starting to have a problem with. Every single episode lately they are having to bleep something out. Listen, I'm really no prude. Especially after I've had a glass of wine or two. But on sitcoms? What's the point? It adds absolutely ZERO content to the show. You can tell it's a stretch. There's no need to it. It's like they're just throwing it in for giggles.

Here's my problem -
I'm afraid the envelope is going to keep being pushed further and further. It starts with bleeped out cuss words - scratch that. It started a long time ago. Most of us think nothing anymore of shows like Two and a Half Men. But soon the bleeped out cuss words aren't going to phase us and all of a sudden it won't be bleeped.
Do y'all know the last time I went to the movie theater, they showed an actual penis on  the screen? Granted, it was The Hangover II (don't judge, date nights don't happen very frequently over here and there was not much to choose from). I know it was rated R, but seriously? I couldn't believe it. Since when is it okay to show that kind of stuff in the movie theater?? This wasn't the unrated version released to DVD!

Am I just getting old? Did becoming a mother do this to me? Or are more of you noticing all of this as well?

Either way - Come on Office! Get your act together. I don't want to have to stop watching you, but I will. You are quite funny without the use of a bleeped out "F%&* You".

February 28, 2012

~ 18 months ~

Andrewsky, you are 18 months old on the dot today! Where as usually I will make some comment about how time just flies and I can't believe how big you are, I don't feel like that at all this month!

I do marvel at how big you are. You look ginormous in your crib! But the time actually feels like it has crept by. It was a very long month. We were all sick. You are now on your third cold-type-thing just this month. And also had your third ever ear infection.  Yikes! It's very heart-breaking to see you so stuffed up and coughing all night. Not to mention exhausting, but it's (sort of) hard to be annoyed when you are so sickly and sad looking. Hopefully we see the end to all of this very soon!

A sickly Super Bowl

Stats
We don't have your official 18-month well baby visit until Friday, but we've had you weighed pretty frequently this month with all of these trips to the doctor! You are just over 24 pounds and you are 33 inches tall.
You're wearing size 24 month tops and PJs, 18-24 month pants, size 6 shoe and size 6 diaper.

Words
You still aren't really "talking", but I swear you are so close.
When we go to your appointment, I know they are going to make sure you say 6 words other than "mama" and "daddy". First of all, you never call me "mama". Supposedly, you say it constantly when I leave you with anyone, but I rarely get to hear it! So does that count?
Also, when I say you have 6 other words, I'd be using the word "words" very loosely! Does it count as a word if no one else can understand it? I mean.. I know what you are saying, but it's definitely not technically a word. So I don't really know how to answer that question.
Everyone can tell when you are saying "car", that's for sure. That's the only clear one. Ish. Oh, and how could I forget "NO". That ones pretty clear as well.
Words that only I can make out:
Dog (daww)
Outside (outawww)
Again (I don't even know how to type that. If it weren't for the context, even I would have no clue)
Cheese (chssss) That one is also used for Geeze
This (thsss) I really need to be better with actually naming items instead of asking you if you want this or this. Everything is "thsss"
Ta Da (da daaaa)
Boo (bbbbb)

Your signing is really picking up. You know:
More. All done. Crackers. Milk. You are very close to having Thank you and Hurt down. We're working on Please a lot, but you just laugh at me.
You can tell what's most important to him. Ahem.


Spaghetti Face

Food
I was getting a little worried about your eating habits earlier in the month. You were hardly eating and definitely not digging all the healthy stuff you've always loved. Here it is, I thought. What everyone told me would happen. The dreaded toddler-picky-eater-syndrome.
Turns out you had an ear infection and I didn't realize it. It was hurting you to swallow, poor thing!
No worries, everything is back on track.


Naps
Still one a day after lunch. It lasts anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. I think I'll leave this topic out now that you are down to one.


Firsts
You love to walk backwards and your kind of an expert. It's pretty darn cute.
You know all of your letters (and say some of them) and some of your numbers. Your favorite number is 3, for the record.
You can do all of the shapes in your shape sorter.
You'll play peek-a-boo by covering up your eyes. Before you would just kneel down behind something and then pop your little body up. So this is new and fun.
You are getting big into pretending lately. Especially with fake food (that's been going on for a while) but now you like to take a phone, hold it up to your ear, and pretend you are chatting away with someone.
You love playing with balls. And you have a pretty impressive arm on ya, kid. You can catch it pretty well too! Next Tom Brady? Nahh.. you'll be better :)
You LOVE your mama! I get an unending amount of random hugs and kisses from you every day and I can't even express to you how much I love it. I soak up every single one and I hope you never stop being affectionate with me like that! Wishful thinking, I'm sure!

You are very independent. Very much so. I have to figure out new tricks when taking you to the store. You don't want to ride in the cart anymore. You want to push it yourself. Snacks and cars rarely work now. Mostly, we just go at the crack of dawn (well, whenever the store opens) so it's not as busy and you can push the cart and walk around until your heart is content.
Taking you out to a restaurant? That doesn't happen anymore. Not for now. It's just not fun.

See ya later, mum. Of to play with rocks!

We love you sweet boy! Here's to a much healthier 19th month!



February 24, 2012

Life without Facebook

I've been Facebook-free for 2 days now and am doing better than I thought I would. Does it sound like I'm trying to get off the bottle? That's what it feels like!

It feels good to not have the need to check in with it all the time! It sounds so silly, I don't know why I felt like I needed to see what people had to say to me 23948628765 times a day?! I'm not sure why I cared so much. Either way, now it's just not here and I don't have to worry about it. Win. I did, however, gasp out loud when I realized I'd be Facebook-free on my birthday. How are all 300-something of my friends going to leave me Happy Birthday wishes??? Lame. I can't believe I thought that thought.

My house is in... mmm.. while I wouldn't say tiptop shape... it's not a cluttered mess that's stressing me out either. Not that it was ALL THE TIME. But ughhh sometimes I would sacrifice a load of laundry here and there if I got sucked in to browsing. I did 5 loads of laundry yesterday. 5. And they're all folded and put up. Okay okay.. there are a few towels left in the dryer, but vast improvement, I tell ya.

I'm enjoying the little moments with Andrew a lot more. We had a picnic the other day. Technically it was before I pulled the plug, but I was already planning on it so it still counts.





We babysat for a friend last night. It was good to find out how incredibly jealous Andrew will be with a someday new baby. Better to be prepared, right? Also good to know that he will enjoy reliving his babyhood through baby equipment we'll have to bring back out.
Very serious about watching King of the Hill in comfort. Both of them. He freaked every time Trey stopped rocking him. Not lying.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who got/is so caught up in Facebook. Feel free to let me know how addicted you are so I feel a little less like a loser.


February 22, 2012

40 days!!

I can't believe what I'm getting ready to type up.

I'm giving up Facebook for Lent. Legitimately. Like deactivating my account for 40 days. I know it's really easy to get on and reactivate it with the click or two of a button, but I won't do it. It's going to be pathetically hard for me.

It's not even that I'm a practicing Catholic. Well, a Catholic at all for that matter. But now's as good a time as ever, right? Part of my NY resolution was to cut WAY back on my time on the addictive website. I was going to get on once a day. I failed miserably. Right from the start. I honestly don't know if I even made it a day.

So now I'm just going to go cold turkey. It can't be a bad thing. More time doing quality activities with Andrew. More time focusing on Trey (he is over the moon happy that I am doing this). More time in prayer and maybe finally starting that book I've been wanting to get around to, Calm My Anxious Heart (and do the actual Bible Study if my notebook ever comes in). More time getting stuff done that I WANT to get done. It's not like I sat in front of the computer for hours as it is, but it was up for the majority of the day. So I could always glance at it. I know Andrew knows that my attention wasn't fully on him when I was stalking FB. That's not really fair. I wonder what he would say about that if he could talk...

I'm pulling the plug on it tonight. My mom might cry because she won't see 1000 pictures of Andrew. My biggest fans might be screaming, "nooooo" right now because they won't be able to read the little thoughts that go through my head throughout the day. Don't worry, I'll be back in 40 days. My hope is that I won't be quite as into it when this is all over with.

This is going to sound so very egocentric to me, but I know some of my family only reads this little blog of mine when I post a link to it on FB. If you still want to see what my little family is up to, or see pictures of Andrew from time to time, you can always click "follow" on the sidebar to the right and keep up with us that way.
I'll also need a favor from my El Paso friends! Please tell me when all of these little events come up (you all know the ones I like to go to) so I'm still in the know! Ha! I don't know how to live without FB.. I'm telling you. It's so sad.

I hope that my good friends will keep me in mind when they are posting exciting news or an adorable picture of their kid to FB, and cater to me by also sending it to my cellie!

February 14, 2012

Looking up

I don't have much to write about... things have been pretty boring around here with us all trying to get in better health. I have been enjoying the downtime, but I'm beyond antsy to get out there to our normal activities as well.
While Trey and I are both feeling much, much better, Andrew got it pretty bad again. I took him back to the doctor yesterday afternoon and it turns out he does have an ear infection. Does anyone know when that starts to become a problem. When do tubes start coming up in conversation? His doctor was perplexed as to why the Urgent Care doctor only put him on an antibiotic for only 5 days. She said that is probably why his symptoms came back. So while I didn't even want to put him on the weak antibiotic, now he's having to take a much stronger one. As long as it clears all of this up, I'm okay with it!
Here's to hopefully being on the mend!

Happy Valentines Day!! While we don't celebrate too much around our household - I'm really just not a fan of the holiday.. it's my least favorite - I do like to see how much everyone else loves it. I love seeing everyone confessing their love for one another. It really puts a smile on my face to see my friends being surprised with flowers, candy, and the like. So, even though I'm not a huge fan, I'm not a bitter betty about the day.
Besides, I got the best news yesterday that I will consider my Valentine present. Hubs was supposed to be in the field next week and it got canceled. Yay for an unexpected week together :)

Andrew is a fan apparently -


Happy Valentines Day Ladies!!!

February 10, 2012

Fighting Bears

While perusing through my favorite blogs this morning, I came across a saying that while I've heard it many times, has never sunk in the way it did for me right now.

You can fight a bear for a little while.

I have just been in this funk for a little while now and I can't seem to shake it. I'm sure it's the combination of things:
This sickness that has been going on with all of us for a little over a week now, but feels more like a month. It's just been your typical winter cough and congestion, but goodness, that takes it's toll. Especially when you have a little one that doesn't seem to care that he can't breath, he just wants to play play play. I literally broke down and cried this morning because (Lord, I'm tearing up again.. what is wrong with me??) I want nothing more than to run around at the park with him, but I just can't do it. I completely lack the energy and break out in a coughing fit from walking from one room to the other. I REALLY wish I had his grandparents right down the street that could just pick him up and take him out to play. It's the little things...

We also have so many changes coming up and I am starting to think more and more that I'm letting the thought of them all get to me. I think we'll handle everything just fine, some of them will be harder than the others, but we'll get through. And probably stronger and happier than we are now. It's just the thought of everything. The waiting and thinking. I worry too much. While I love to have a plan, sometimes I think life would be so much easier for me if everything was just thrown at me at the last minute. No time to worry. In all honesty, I need to be praying more. I shouldn't be worrying. I need to learn to better give my worries to God. It really could be so easy... if I just did it along with writing about it. Let Him be the planner. His plans are perfect.. mine usually? Not so much.

But, I can fight a bear for a little while, right? None of this is permanent. We are all going to get over this crud. In fact, it's going to keep getting warmer and warmer outside and staying light later. We'll be able to get outside a lot more. While Andrew may be bored to tears, he won't remember this. And really, if he's not feeling good, he needs the down time too, like it or not.
And all of those changes, they are going to come. Like I said, we'll get through them. Not all of them are bad, maybe just scary at the time being. God knows what our future looks like and while I don't want to say that He won't give us anything we can't handle, I do know that if I trust in Him and turn to Him, I can handle anything with Him.

In the meantime, look at this handsome face I get to look at all day:


With all of that cuteness, nothing can be TOO bad, right?

February 8, 2012

A little lost today

I like to leave personal information off of my blog when it involves others, but I'm just going to throw this out there today and not name names.

It's a natural thing for some relationships to fall to the wayside when someone moves away. Once you leave, I've learned, it's never really "home" again (home is such a vague term these days) and only the people whom you were closest to will continue to be a significant part of your life. It takes work and effort to keep in touch, only a select few will do so.
And, most of the time, that's okay. It's a natural part of life and usually there are no hard feelings involved, it just happens. You realize some people are more of acquaintances than real friends and life moves on.

But what happens when the people who aren't making an effort are an irreplaceable part of your life? People you want and need in your life? People who are so important to you, but slowly you start admitting to yourself that things have clearly been one-sided. You rarely, if ever get phone calls from them. If you get a text or email, it's a chain email.. you know.. sent to 15 others as well. Nothing personal. No "hey.. just checking in. How are you handling life? How's Andrew? Oh, do you want to hear about our big news for the week? Let me fill you in on things going on with me."
And when you do call them, because you will always try, no matter what, it sounds to you like they could take or leave your phone call. There's always something more important going on.

It's exhausting and heart-breaking, these (what feels like) one-sided relationships. It makes you feel kind of worthless. Unimportant.

I'm going to turn off commenting on this post. I'm not really looking for answers.. I don't think there are any. I know most of you will say that, eventually, you just stop trying. That's not an option for me.
I just had to get this out there. I've been burdened with it for a while now and it's really starting to take it's toll on me. I guess I just had to see if typing it out would help me gather my thoughts.

And maybe someone out there reading it will realize how I'm feeling. Because I'm indirect and non-confrontational like that. Big fault of mine, I know. Really I'm afraid of hurting feelings and am more worried about that than how I've been feeling.

Psychiatrist needed, ya think?

February 7, 2012

Summin' up the Weekend

It wasn't the worst weekend I've ever had, but let's just say it wasn't one for the books either. Well, apparently it was since well.. it's going in "the book".  Moving on -

I'm loving my new-to-me Swagger Wagon. Could not be any happier with it. Other than the fact that there is already a chip in the windshield - easy enough to have fixed - and the side doors won't close by themselves once you start them anymore. After what? 2 days. I think I pressed the wrong button and turned that function off or something. I may just take it up to the dealership.

On to more thrilling subjects:

I decided to go ahead and give Drewsky the antibiotic. I like to avoid them when at all possible, but it was such a low dose and only necessary for 5 days. Today is the last day in fact. Plus, if that mess he had turned into something worse (ear infection) and I could have prevented it, but didn't.. I would have felt terrible. So, tomorrow I'll try and schedule a follow-up with "his doctor" whoever that may be this time and make sure everything looks good. Besides a cough and being a little more irritable than normal, he seems to be fine.

Probably because the little angel passed IT on to me. And I must say - if he felt anything like I felt yesterday, he handled it better than I did! Yuck. My skin hurt to touch and I was pretty much confined to the bed. Luckily, that part is gone and today I just can't breath. Here's to all of this passing quickly.

We were routing pretty hard for The Patriots around here on Sunday. Super Bowl Fail.

It was heart-breaking, but they didn't deserve to win that game. Silly mistakes that they don't usually make. It would have been pretty cool to be a double championship household this year, though. Remember - Alabama is my husband's Patriots.
I thanked the stars above that he had the day after Super Bowl off to take care of me. What? The Day After Super Bowl isn't a national holiday? Oh. According to his unit it is. He won't be watching it from our comfy living room next year, so I guess it's well deserved :) The least the Patriots could have done was won the thing!

So, that was our exciting, fun-filled weekend. Nursing sicknesses and hearts. There's always next weekend, right? Let's place bets on whether or not Trey will be ill for that one.

February 3, 2012

My sick baby (advice wanted)

What a day yesterday ended up being!

Andrew went down for a nap like it was any old day, woke up, and felt a little hot to me. Not enough to stick the thermometer in the forbidden land, but enough to where I touched his forehead, cheeks and neck every 15 minutes or so, probably irritating him even further. His nose was a little runny, but besides the fever, that was the only symptom he had.

About an hour later, it was time for the thermometer. His whole little body was on fire. 103.2 - color me panicked. Called Tele-nurse, they had me take him to urgent care, and the chaos and incompetence ensues. It was just pretty obvious that I wasn't at a Pediatric clinic.. that was for sure. I won't even get into everything that infuriated me there, because after very minimal sleep I don't have the patience to type all that out, and it just not being the point of this post, I'll spare those fun details.

Basically, we left there with the genius advice of - we have no idea what's wrong with him. His throat is a little red, and it's clear by the almost 104 degree temperature that his body is fighting something, but we don't know what. Here's a script for an antibiotic. That should kill whatever it is.

Seriously?

It was late when we left, and his temperature had fallen a little bit, so I planned to either get it filled this morning, or make an appt with his Ped to double check everything.

Silly me for thinking we were in the clear. We spent almost all night up and my poor baby was miserable. His temp got back up to 103.8 around 2:30am. We tried to drink water, made a makeshift bed in the living room, and watched Cars.

He finally did go back to bed and woke up this morning in a pool of sweat. His fever finally broke! He ate his breakfast and is now playing with trucks and stacking his blocks. Yay!

Now, here's my dilemma for any nurse types out there reading this -
Give the antibiotic or just let it go? I tried to get him seen by the Pediatric office today to double check, but nothing is available. I hate to give him the meds if this is just a little viral cold. But I also don't want to see him go back to where he was last night, or worse, develop another ear infection.

Thoughts?

February 2, 2012

This and That

Happy Thursday! Thursdays are happy days around here because it's "Iron Soldier Time" in other words family day, in other words, theoretically my husband comes home around 3:30 instead of 5:30-6:00. Me likey. Although, I do wish this happened on Fridays instead of Thursdays. When he gets home early on Thursday my mind jumps to weekend mode, only to be let down when he gets up and gets dressed for work Friday morning.

I have a good friend here, Ashley, who has started a blog recently called The Way I See It. She has promised me that she is going to write in it more, and this time I believe her ;) I think you all would really enjoy her. She's witty, funny, and sickeningly creative and crafty. I almost literally turned green this morning when I saw what she's done with her laundry room. You can go check her out here.

Yesterday was a bad day for the babe and I. Well.. a bad day for him apparently, which in turn made my day bad. Lots of tantrums. Some in public. Echhh. By the end of the day I had just had enough of that cry and the word "NO". Today has been great though and I'm thoroughly enjoying him again. We all have our days, right?

This Sunday is the Super Bowl. Some of my new readers may need to be aware of the fact that I'm a die hard Patriots fan. So this weekend is kind of a big deal. Super Bowl Sunday ranks pretty high up there on my list of favorite days of the year. I love the sport of course, but the commercials excite me greatly as well. Plus the food... ughh.. perfect day. So while I'm ecstatic that The Pats are playing.. ahem.. again.. this year, I think it's much more fun when I could care less who wins. A little part of me feels that way. Of course, if it's a blow out and I don't have to be pacing and on my way to a heart attack, then all the better. That would be the ideal situation.

What's the big deal about Giselle sending out an email for her friends and family to pray for Tommy? I'm not sure why people are getting upset about that. She's supporting her husband. And why is it any of our business?


I'm still loving my van.. aka.. the Swagger Wagon. Ha! Thanks for that one Jaci! I'm even slowly getting better at parking it. It only took me one try to get it parked in the garage this morning!

February 1, 2012

Just call me Soccer Mom

Yesterday was a HUGE day for me. HUGE.

It involved a day at the car dealership and the official loss of my careless youth. Ha!

Yesterday, we traded in this cute little (old, broken and inconvenient in so many ways) SUV:

The white car right in back of us. This was Trey's BCT graduation at Ft. Jackson, btw.
 For this:



Dear God.. I'm driving a VAN! A van. I drive a van. There, I said it.

Ha! I don't feel right driving it. I still feel like I should be 19 years old. Not almost 29, driving to and fro in a van, toting around a child and planning kid #2!

All jokes aside, I actually LOVE it! It's kind of sporty looking for a van. And the space.. ohh my the space is unbelievable! Once we have two kids, I'll still be able to fit 5 more people in there including myself! This solves the issue of family coming to visit and us having to ride separately wherever we go! The sliding doors.. love.. trunk space.. ahhhh!

Now, to master parking! Since I backed into my parents garage in their little KIA... I think I have some practicing to do.

When did I become a real grown-up???