This is a HUGE deal. I am so very proud of my little darling!!!
Showing posts with label goings-on. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goings-on. Show all posts
Monday, June 9, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
>>DENVER TRIP
Every three to six months, we make a trip to Denver Children's Hospital to visit with different specialists for Clover. This trip we decided it might be better for Curtis and Henry to stay home and for just us girls to make the trip. I missed my boys terribly, but I also had some great bonding time with my little Clover.
We headed out Wednesday afternoon and she had a sleep study that night. This was our most successful study yet (it was her third one)! She didn't freak out when they attached the million wires to her body and she actually slept pretty well throughout the night. The results of the study were also better than last. Her apnea episodes decreased from 16 to 8 per hour and her overall oxygen saturation was higher. I think last time her average was 88 and this time it was somewhere in the 90s. I can't remember?? She still needs to wear oxygen at night to keep her levels in the higher 90s. I'm really hoping one day we will be able to ditch the nightly oxygen.
The next day she had a swallow study to make sure she is able to safely swallow liquids without silently aspirating. Results came back showing some mild trace of aspiration, but the doctors weren't too concerned. For the most part, she is able to protect her airway and the trace aspiration only happened one time when she was using a straw, so for now, we are holding back on the straw drinking.
The next day was a busy day at the PWS clinic. She saw a total of 8 specialists!! These clinics, while helpful, are also extremely exhausting....for both me and Clover. I was frustrated right from the start because the very first doctor she saw was the ENT and he decided he wanted to scope her....which means he had to stick a little probe thing with a camera on the end up her nose and down the back of her throat. Yeah, that's not at all traumatic for the poor girl!! So that kind of set the tone for the rest of the day....Clover wanted absolutely nothing to do with anyone else after that....and our day was just getting started. It was a very long day and emotionally draining.
The clinic ended with me learning that we would be staying one day longer than planned because Clover needed to have her g-tube site surgically closed since it didn't close up on its own. I knew this was something that needed to be done, but had been dreading it because I did not want Clover to have to be intubated. It's always a scary thing with any child, but even more so with PWS kids. They don't handle anesthesia well, they can't have any narcotics for pain and their breathing issues are always a concern.
The surgery went well though and I'm glad we stayed and got it over with. The hardest part about it all was coming back to see her after surgery and seeing the i.v. in her neck. I warned them that they would have trouble placing it, and I guess they tried and tried and as a last resort, placed it in her neck. That whole thing just made me really, really sad. Poor little thing. She was pretty upset when she first woke up, but after some cuddling and some apple juice, she was back to her happy self and even smiled and waved at the doctor when he came in to discharge us.
It was SOOO good to finally get back home. Four days away from Henry and Curtis was WAY too long. I'm so thankful though that my hubby is so dang awesome that he was able to take such good care of Henry for so long.....completely by himself!! That man....he's a sexy one!!
We headed out Wednesday afternoon and she had a sleep study that night. This was our most successful study yet (it was her third one)! She didn't freak out when they attached the million wires to her body and she actually slept pretty well throughout the night. The results of the study were also better than last. Her apnea episodes decreased from 16 to 8 per hour and her overall oxygen saturation was higher. I think last time her average was 88 and this time it was somewhere in the 90s. I can't remember?? She still needs to wear oxygen at night to keep her levels in the higher 90s. I'm really hoping one day we will be able to ditch the nightly oxygen.
The next day she had a swallow study to make sure she is able to safely swallow liquids without silently aspirating. Results came back showing some mild trace of aspiration, but the doctors weren't too concerned. For the most part, she is able to protect her airway and the trace aspiration only happened one time when she was using a straw, so for now, we are holding back on the straw drinking.
The next day was a busy day at the PWS clinic. She saw a total of 8 specialists!! These clinics, while helpful, are also extremely exhausting....for both me and Clover. I was frustrated right from the start because the very first doctor she saw was the ENT and he decided he wanted to scope her....which means he had to stick a little probe thing with a camera on the end up her nose and down the back of her throat. Yeah, that's not at all traumatic for the poor girl!! So that kind of set the tone for the rest of the day....Clover wanted absolutely nothing to do with anyone else after that....and our day was just getting started. It was a very long day and emotionally draining.
The clinic ended with me learning that we would be staying one day longer than planned because Clover needed to have her g-tube site surgically closed since it didn't close up on its own. I knew this was something that needed to be done, but had been dreading it because I did not want Clover to have to be intubated. It's always a scary thing with any child, but even more so with PWS kids. They don't handle anesthesia well, they can't have any narcotics for pain and their breathing issues are always a concern.
The surgery went well though and I'm glad we stayed and got it over with. The hardest part about it all was coming back to see her after surgery and seeing the i.v. in her neck. I warned them that they would have trouble placing it, and I guess they tried and tried and as a last resort, placed it in her neck. That whole thing just made me really, really sad. Poor little thing. She was pretty upset when she first woke up, but after some cuddling and some apple juice, she was back to her happy self and even smiled and waved at the doctor when he came in to discharge us.
It was SOOO good to finally get back home. Four days away from Henry and Curtis was WAY too long. I'm so thankful though that my hubby is so dang awesome that he was able to take such good care of Henry for so long.....completely by himself!! That man....he's a sexy one!!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
>>LIFE LATELY
It sure is hard to blog these days. When I'm not chasing Henry around the house or playing games with Clover, I'm either changing diapers, making bottles, doing laundry, loading or unloading the dishwasher, trying to sneak in a shower or I'm sitting down for a second trying to catch my breath. Taking care of two little babes is exhausting....but I love it and I wouldn't want to be doing anything else.
We've been busy with all sorts of fun stuff. I guess not really "fun" stuff....but stuff. We're looking to buy a home here in Casper, so we've spent plenty of nights out looking at what's on the market. It's exciting and scary and overwhelming all at the same time.
We took a trip to Denver this past weekend for some doctor's appointments at the Children's Hospital. We met with Clover's endocrinologist, ENT, pulmonologist, a sleep doctor, had some x-rays done and some blood labs drawn. Clover is doing very well, but she is still struggling with her sleep apnea. Her last sleep study which was done back in June showed that she quite breathing 14 times an hour. Ugh. I tell ya, there is nothing worse than watching your little baby sleep and then see them stop breathing. She is on supplemental oxygen at night and during naps and we have started her on a few different medications to try to strengthen her lungs and get her breathing better. She also has reflux so we are trying to get a handle on that.
Her tone has improved dramatically over the past few months. She can hold her head up like a champ and she just learned how to sit by herself. She still won't bear any weight on her arms or legs, so we are still working on that. I'm not sure if she physically can't or she just doesn't like to....probably a combination of both.
She is smiley and goofy and makes us laugh every day.
Henry is cute and sweet and doing all sorts of fun stuff. He is walking, he loves to dance and sing and his latest thing is to answer the question, "what does a cow say?" He does the cutest little "mooo." He is currently teething on both sides of his mouth, top and bottom. He has a huge eruption cyst on the top of his gums and if it doesn't drain on its own pretty soon, we will have to take him to a pediatric dentist and have it done surgically. Poor kiddo....he is pretty miserable, but still manages to smile and be a sweetie pie. He will be one in a couple weeks which makes me very sad. He is the little baby of the family and he is growing up way too fast.
Curtis and I are doing pretty well. Curtis stays busy at work and I stay busy at home. Most nights we are so dang tired we just have to laugh....otherwise we might cry. :)
I am really looking forward to celebrating the holidays this year with the kiddos. I love this time of year and it is exciting to think about starting new traditions with our little family.
So, there you have it....the "short" version of our life lately. We are happy, healthy and busy.
We've been busy with all sorts of fun stuff. I guess not really "fun" stuff....but stuff. We're looking to buy a home here in Casper, so we've spent plenty of nights out looking at what's on the market. It's exciting and scary and overwhelming all at the same time.
We took a trip to Denver this past weekend for some doctor's appointments at the Children's Hospital. We met with Clover's endocrinologist, ENT, pulmonologist, a sleep doctor, had some x-rays done and some blood labs drawn. Clover is doing very well, but she is still struggling with her sleep apnea. Her last sleep study which was done back in June showed that she quite breathing 14 times an hour. Ugh. I tell ya, there is nothing worse than watching your little baby sleep and then see them stop breathing. She is on supplemental oxygen at night and during naps and we have started her on a few different medications to try to strengthen her lungs and get her breathing better. She also has reflux so we are trying to get a handle on that.
Her tone has improved dramatically over the past few months. She can hold her head up like a champ and she just learned how to sit by herself. She still won't bear any weight on her arms or legs, so we are still working on that. I'm not sure if she physically can't or she just doesn't like to....probably a combination of both.
She is smiley and goofy and makes us laugh every day.
Henry is cute and sweet and doing all sorts of fun stuff. He is walking, he loves to dance and sing and his latest thing is to answer the question, "what does a cow say?" He does the cutest little "mooo." He is currently teething on both sides of his mouth, top and bottom. He has a huge eruption cyst on the top of his gums and if it doesn't drain on its own pretty soon, we will have to take him to a pediatric dentist and have it done surgically. Poor kiddo....he is pretty miserable, but still manages to smile and be a sweetie pie. He will be one in a couple weeks which makes me very sad. He is the little baby of the family and he is growing up way too fast.
Curtis and I are doing pretty well. Curtis stays busy at work and I stay busy at home. Most nights we are so dang tired we just have to laugh....otherwise we might cry. :)
I am really looking forward to celebrating the holidays this year with the kiddos. I love this time of year and it is exciting to think about starting new traditions with our little family.
So, there you have it....the "short" version of our life lately. We are happy, healthy and busy.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Saturday, July 6, 2013
>>COUNTY FAIR
We ventured out with the kiddos today to the good ol' county fair.
We lasted a full 10 minutes and I don't think the kids cracked a single smile.
We did manage to snap a few photos though....
See, not one. single. smile.
We lasted a full 10 minutes and I don't think the kids cracked a single smile.
We did manage to snap a few photos though....
See, not one. single. smile.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
>>ER VISIT
Yesterday we ended up taking Clover to the Emergency Room. This was her 3rd trip to the ER since we brought her home from the NICU. Poor little sweetie. She has had a cold for a couple of days now and her congestion just got to be too bad. I could tell she was struggling to breathe and she also had a lot of mucous/phlegm in her chest and throat that she kept choking on. She just isn't quite strong enough to do a good cough to get it out....so to the ER we went.
They started breathing treatments on her right away, then proceeded with x-rays and blood work. Getting blood is always a joke....it's complete torture for poor Clover and in the end, they are never able to get a vain and they end up poking her in the heal. It just breaks my heart every time.
Everything came back looking okay, but they wanted to admit her for the night because she was requiring more oxygen than what she is usually on at night.
I stayed the night at the hospital with Clover while the boys (daddy and Henry) slept at home. I think it was a loooong night for all of us.
Clover was able to leave the next day after having a pretty decent night and getting her breathing under control. Henry was SOOO happy to have his sister back. I could tell he missed her and didn't like having her away.
They started breathing treatments on her right away, then proceeded with x-rays and blood work. Getting blood is always a joke....it's complete torture for poor Clover and in the end, they are never able to get a vain and they end up poking her in the heal. It just breaks my heart every time.
Everything came back looking okay, but they wanted to admit her for the night because she was requiring more oxygen than what she is usually on at night.
I stayed the night at the hospital with Clover while the boys (daddy and Henry) slept at home. I think it was a loooong night for all of us.
Clover was able to leave the next day after having a pretty decent night and getting her breathing under control. Henry was SOOO happy to have his sister back. I could tell he missed her and didn't like having her away.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
>>HELLO, HELLO
Wow, it is sure hard to find time to blog with two little ones to dote on all day. It seems that whenever I have a free second, I have to hurry and do a load of laundry, wash bottles, take a shower, eat something, or even just sit and do absolutely nothing.
A lot has happened in the last 2 months since I last wrote. Things like....
A trip to Denver to attend a PWS clinic
Christmas
A very sick little girl on Christmas
An emergency room visit
A 10 year anniversary
The start of a new year
Another emergency room visit at Denver Children's Hospital
A sleep study
A diagnosis of sleep apnea
An oxygen prescription
A birthday
Lots of milestones
And lots and lots of diaper changes, midnight feedings, hugs and kisses, bedtime stories and "a bushel and peck" singing going on in our house.
Oh yeah....and did I mention we moved?
We've been in our new place for a week now. When Curtis was offered a new job, we felt like the timing was right and that moving was the right thing for our family.
My hope is to find the time to update the blog more often and update you on some of the events above.
The kiddos are growing like crazy. It is hard to believe that Clover will be 6 months and Henry 4 months old next week. I don't know how that is possible. Here are a few pics of the little cuties....
A lot has happened in the last 2 months since I last wrote. Things like....
A trip to Denver to attend a PWS clinic
Christmas
A very sick little girl on Christmas
An emergency room visit
A 10 year anniversary
The start of a new year
Another emergency room visit at Denver Children's Hospital
A sleep study
A diagnosis of sleep apnea
An oxygen prescription
A birthday
Lots of milestones
And lots and lots of diaper changes, midnight feedings, hugs and kisses, bedtime stories and "a bushel and peck" singing going on in our house.
Oh yeah....and did I mention we moved?
We've been in our new place for a week now. When Curtis was offered a new job, we felt like the timing was right and that moving was the right thing for our family.
My hope is to find the time to update the blog more often and update you on some of the events above.
The kiddos are growing like crazy. It is hard to believe that Clover will be 6 months and Henry 4 months old next week. I don't know how that is possible. Here are a few pics of the little cuties....
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
>>UPDATES ON US
Clover:
It is hard to believe that our little sweetie is nearly 3 weeks old (in just 2 days). She is already growing up too fast!
We are still in the NICU in Billings. I don't know exactly how much longer we will be here, but I'm guessing at least a couple/few more weeks. Our little Clover has made some good progress these past few days. She is eating a little better with her bottle, however, she still receives most of her food through a tube. The poor thing just likes to sleep more than she likes to suck from a bottle. She is still on oxygen and if she doesn't start improving with her breathing this week, we will probably visit with a pulmonary (lung) doctor soon.
Last week was a little rough. Clover had a whole slew of tests done including an echo cardiogram and MRI. She also had lots of blood work done....which completely broke my heart. Watching my little sweetie get poked over and over with a needle was agonizing. I couldn't help but break down a little at that point. Her heart and brain look great and all of her blood tests came back normal, so that was all wonderful news!
She has what the doctors call "low tone," meaning she is more "floppy" than normal. We will visit with a genetics doctor to see if he has any ideas as to the cause of her low tone since all of her other tests have come back normal. She is getting stronger though and is bringing her little hands up to her mouth and stretching them above head. She also picks up her feet and legs and holds them in the air. I know it sounds like what any baby would do, but for a long time she was pretty limp and her arms and legs would just sort of fall to her side. She no longer just sleeps through getting her temperature taken and her diaper changed, but puts up a fight and wiggles around and fusses a bit....which has been a very welcomed event.
She smiles a lot and is the absolute best snuggler in the whole world. My favorite thing to do is cuddle and snuggle with her while she eats. She truly melts my heart every single second. I can't help but just stare at her in awe and amazement at how perfect and beautiful and wonderful she is. I am so incredibly thankful to have her in our lives.
Millie:
No, we have not forgotten about our sweet Millie. She has been spending the past few weeks with a wonderful family back in Thermop. She is having the time of her life there and I'm sure has no desire to come back to our boring old house. She has a huge yard to run around in, other dogs to play with, chickens to chase and a horse to hang out with. She also has 2 little kids to play with which she is thoroughly enjoying. Curtis went to visit her while he was in Thermop for work and he said Millie didn't even really care that he was there. She was too busy running around the yard and having fun with the other animals. It has been so nice to not have to worry about her and to know she is being well taken care of and having such a good time.
Me and the Hubs:
We are holding up quite well. Curtis usually has to work during the week, but is able to spend the weekends in Billings with Clover and me. We sure miss him while he's gone and he definitely hates being away from our sweetie. I am now 30 weeks into my pregnancy which seems absolutely crazy. I am feeling pretty good except for my ribs....which I swear the baby has broken at least one of them. I feel him move around all the time and he is able to throw some pretty impressive punches. He loves his sister and squirms all around whenever I hold her.
It is weird to think that when we left our home nearly 3 weeks ago, it was summer. Now there is a chill in the air and fall is here. Today marks day 20 since I have been away from home. We are definitely looking forward to being back home all together as a family soon. Aww, family....I love love love my little family.
We are still in the NICU in Billings. I don't know exactly how much longer we will be here, but I'm guessing at least a couple/few more weeks. Our little Clover has made some good progress these past few days. She is eating a little better with her bottle, however, she still receives most of her food through a tube. The poor thing just likes to sleep more than she likes to suck from a bottle. She is still on oxygen and if she doesn't start improving with her breathing this week, we will probably visit with a pulmonary (lung) doctor soon.
She has what the doctors call "low tone," meaning she is more "floppy" than normal. We will visit with a genetics doctor to see if he has any ideas as to the cause of her low tone since all of her other tests have come back normal. She is getting stronger though and is bringing her little hands up to her mouth and stretching them above head. She also picks up her feet and legs and holds them in the air. I know it sounds like what any baby would do, but for a long time she was pretty limp and her arms and legs would just sort of fall to her side. She no longer just sleeps through getting her temperature taken and her diaper changed, but puts up a fight and wiggles around and fusses a bit....which has been a very welcomed event.
Millie:
Me and the Hubs:
We are holding up quite well. Curtis usually has to work during the week, but is able to spend the weekends in Billings with Clover and me. We sure miss him while he's gone and he definitely hates being away from our sweetie. I am now 30 weeks into my pregnancy which seems absolutely crazy. I am feeling pretty good except for my ribs....which I swear the baby has broken at least one of them. I feel him move around all the time and he is able to throw some pretty impressive punches. He loves his sister and squirms all around whenever I hold her.
It is weird to think that when we left our home nearly 3 weeks ago, it was summer. Now there is a chill in the air and fall is here. Today marks day 20 since I have been away from home. We are definitely looking forward to being back home all together as a family soon. Aww, family....I love love love my little family.
Monday, September 3, 2012
>>NEW ARRIVAL
Our little Clover Jane made her grand appearance early. The docs originally thought that she was about 2.5 weeks early, however, she is teeny tiny and they are now thinking she wasn't as far along as suspected and is closer to 6 weeks early. She is the most beautiful, precious, wonderful thing in the whole world. We love her to pieces. We were able to spend quite a bit of time in the hospital with her birth parents and their families which was pretty special. Adoption is truly the most amazing, beautiful, selfless thing and I will forever be grateful to Clover's birth parents for giving us this little miracle.
Clover has been doing pretty darn good considering how early she is. Her oxygen levels are pretty stable, but her respiratory rate is fast and she is just too tired to eat. She ended up being flown to Billings, MT which is where we are now. We will probably be here at least a couple of weeks. The nurses and doctors are taking such good care of her and hopefully we will all be on our way home before too long.
And now for the best part, pictures of our sweetie pie!!
Clover has been doing pretty darn good considering how early she is. Her oxygen levels are pretty stable, but her respiratory rate is fast and she is just too tired to eat. She ended up being flown to Billings, MT which is where we are now. We will probably be here at least a couple of weeks. The nurses and doctors are taking such good care of her and hopefully we will all be on our way home before too long.
And now for the best part, pictures of our sweetie pie!!
@ the birthing hospital....
[very soon after she was born]
[she is so, so tiny!]
[with her papa]
[trying to open her eyes]
[the cutest angry face I've ever seen]
Flying to Billings....
[Curtis flew with Clover to Billings and I drove and met them up there.
He got sick on the flight, but our little peanut just slept right through the bumpy ride.]
He got sick on the flight, but our little peanut just slept right through the bumpy ride.]
@ the NICU....
[basking under the heat lamp]
[eating from her tube]
First Family Photo....
We are so in love with this little girl. There are simply no words to describe the love in our hearts. Clover Jane is the best thing to have ever happened to us and I could not be more grateful to have her in our lives.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
>>10 THINGS
2. Growing a garden. We're keeping our fingers crossed that our 2 tomato plants and 1 pepper plant survive.
4. Angel Food Cake Explosion. Who knew that my pan (that I just bought because I thought it was cute...and because it was yellow) is too small for a standard box mix of angel food cake? My house filled with smoke and it still smells like burnt cake batter.
6. I finally got around to making our year's supply of homemade Strawberry Jam. And by homemade, I mean good ol' pectin. Easy and fool-proof....just what I need!
8. Family walks. We try to take Millie on a walk every night. It's the only way to settle her down. Plus, it's just nice to get out of the house....and it's fun to watch Millie drag giant branches down the street.
10. Growing a belly. There is a cute little boy growing in that belly of mine. We are pretty super duper excited about it!! And in just 2 short months he will have a new little brother or sister! Holy cow, we can't wait!!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
>>OUR WEEKEND
My blog posts are quite sporadic these days. During the day I'm busy trying to keep up at work and my evenings are typically spent feeling sick and throwing up. But don't you worry.....life is good.
This weekend we hosted our first ever Cheney garage sale. We started at 7 feeling pumped up and ready to roll. By 9 we put up signs that read "EVERYTHING FREE" and went inside. Occasionally we would peek out the window to see who was going through our piles of free stuff. Hopefully that is the last garage sale we ever host.
This weekend was also Father's Day. I'm thankful for the fathers in my life...my dearest grandpa who raised me and who I love and admire, my dad who it has been wonderful reconnecting with, and my father-in-law who has the kindest heart and who raised a pretty spectacular son. And lastly, to my sweetheart who in just a few short months will become a daddy. It makes me giddy just thinking about it.
Other recent happenings include Millie getting stung by a bee (or bees possibly). I opened the door to let her inside and this was what I found...
It scared me to death, but after giving her a benadryl and lots of loves, she returned back to her chipper, cute self. She was back to chasing the bees in no time.
Lastly, here's a little video that I love. Enjoy and have a good week!
Tomorrow I'm off to 4-H camp! Oh the joys. Lets hope I survive...
This weekend we hosted our first ever Cheney garage sale. We started at 7 feeling pumped up and ready to roll. By 9 we put up signs that read "EVERYTHING FREE" and went inside. Occasionally we would peek out the window to see who was going through our piles of free stuff. Hopefully that is the last garage sale we ever host.
This weekend was also Father's Day. I'm thankful for the fathers in my life...my dearest grandpa who raised me and who I love and admire, my dad who it has been wonderful reconnecting with, and my father-in-law who has the kindest heart and who raised a pretty spectacular son. And lastly, to my sweetheart who in just a few short months will become a daddy. It makes me giddy just thinking about it.
Other recent happenings include Millie getting stung by a bee (or bees possibly). I opened the door to let her inside and this was what I found...
Lastly, here's a little video that I love. Enjoy and have a good week!
Tomorrow I'm off to 4-H camp! Oh the joys. Lets hope I survive...
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
>>FIRST BBQ OF THE YEAR
Today was a wonderful day.
It was sunny,
we didn't have to go to work,
and we used the grill for the first time this year.
mmmmm, dinner fresh from the grill...nom, nom, nom.
There is just something about the sun shining down on me combined with that sweet BBQ smell and sizzling sounds from the grill that make me feel content with the world.
It was sunny,
we didn't have to go to work,
and we used the grill for the first time this year.
mmmmm, dinner fresh from the grill...nom, nom, nom.
There is just something about the sun shining down on me combined with that sweet BBQ smell and sizzling sounds from the grill that make me feel content with the world.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
>>ANOTHER POST ABOUT YOU KNOW WHO...
I know you might be tired of posts about Millie, but I simply can't help it. If you think she is all I post about, just wait 'til we have kids....muwhahahaha.
The thing is, our lives are pretty boring...we go to work, come home, go to work, come home, etc. So now that we have Millie, we have something to come home to....and it's pretty fun.
Here are a few facts about the pup...
She currently goes by: Millie, Mills, Millie-girl, Milicent, Millie-vanilie, and Millie, NO!
She farts a lot.
She LOVES to cuddle.
She sleeps in her kennel and wakes up every morning at promptly 5:00. We then take her out to the bathroom and then she runs into our room to cuddle in bed with us until 6:00. It's a pretty good system we've got going on.
She knows how to "sit," "shake," and we are working on "high-five."
She loves socks, shoes, underwear, toilet paper and anything else she can quickly grab and run away to her hiding place (the office).
She finally learned how to go down the stairs. It's adorable....now she runs up the stairs just so she can come back down.
Her face is very expressive....she has all sorts of looks....happy, curious, nervous, etc.
She is caring....the other day I was pretending to cry and she ran over to me and put her paw on me....so so adorable.
She pouts. If we get mad at her, she walks away, lays down, and sighs. Then she looks up at us with the most pathetic eyes you've ever seen.
Last weekend she took her first ride in the VW bus. There's really nothing cooler than riding around town in a beat-up bus with a dog hanging out the window....even if the bus did die every time we stopped.
She's adorable and has totally stolen our hearts!
Try not to be too jealous of our totally awesome (and fake, mind you) wood paneling down our stairwell. That stuff is cool here in the wild west....not a house in town without it.
The thing is, our lives are pretty boring...we go to work, come home, go to work, come home, etc. So now that we have Millie, we have something to come home to....and it's pretty fun.
Here are a few facts about the pup...
She currently goes by: Millie, Mills, Millie-girl, Milicent, Millie-vanilie, and Millie, NO!
She farts a lot.
She LOVES to cuddle.
She sleeps in her kennel and wakes up every morning at promptly 5:00. We then take her out to the bathroom and then she runs into our room to cuddle in bed with us until 6:00. It's a pretty good system we've got going on.
She knows how to "sit," "shake," and we are working on "high-five."
She loves socks, shoes, underwear, toilet paper and anything else she can quickly grab and run away to her hiding place (the office).
She finally learned how to go down the stairs. It's adorable....now she runs up the stairs just so she can come back down.
Her face is very expressive....she has all sorts of looks....happy, curious, nervous, etc.
She is caring....the other day I was pretending to cry and she ran over to me and put her paw on me....so so adorable.
She pouts. If we get mad at her, she walks away, lays down, and sighs. Then she looks up at us with the most pathetic eyes you've ever seen.
Last weekend she took her first ride in the VW bus. There's really nothing cooler than riding around town in a beat-up bus with a dog hanging out the window....even if the bus did die every time we stopped.
She's adorable and has totally stolen our hearts!
Try not to be too jealous of our totally awesome (and fake, mind you) wood paneling down our stairwell. That stuff is cool here in the wild west....not a house in town without it.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
>>I AM HAPPIEST WHEN I'M HOME
I finally made it home from my week long training in Albuquerque.
I never want to do that again.
I think this was my hardest time being away from home. I hated leaving Curtis and Millie behind for that long. And the 2 days of driving to get there and the 2 days of driving to get home totally sent me over the edge.
New Mexico itself was fun (despite being homesick) and I did enjoy hanging out with some fun work folks, but boy does it feel good to be home!
When I arrived home, Curtis had flowers waiting for me and Millie had a new trick to show me. She can now sit and shake on command. It was a wonderful welcome home from both of them!
We're still working on getting down the stairs with Millie....but we'll get there eventually. While she is still little, I will continue to enjoy scooping her up in my arms and carrying her down the stairs.
It is so wonderful being home with my sweetums...and with Millie (even though she doubled in size while I was gone)....and sleeping in my own bed last night was pretty darn peachy too.
Awww, home....thanks for being awesome!
I never want to do that again.
I think this was my hardest time being away from home. I hated leaving Curtis and Millie behind for that long. And the 2 days of driving to get there and the 2 days of driving to get home totally sent me over the edge.
New Mexico itself was fun (despite being homesick) and I did enjoy hanging out with some fun work folks, but boy does it feel good to be home!
When I arrived home, Curtis had flowers waiting for me and Millie had a new trick to show me. She can now sit and shake on command. It was a wonderful welcome home from both of them!
We're still working on getting down the stairs with Millie....but we'll get there eventually. While she is still little, I will continue to enjoy scooping her up in my arms and carrying her down the stairs.
It is so wonderful being home with my sweetums...and with Millie (even though she doubled in size while I was gone)....and sleeping in my own bed last night was pretty darn peachy too.
Awww, home....thanks for being awesome!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
>>LIFE LATELY
A Birthday...
We celebrated his birthday by eating a delicious sushi lunch and then playing with Millie in the park. It was wonderful.
Millie...
We have now had Millie in our home for 3 weeks. I can't believe it has been that long...For most of the time she is the sweetest thing ever and we can't get enough of her. Although, she has her moments (about 1 hour every night) where she transforms into this ball of energy and leaves us wondering what we just got ourselves into. She is growing like a weed but is still as adorable as ever!
Work...
At work I am teaching a group of kids in an after school program. They are ages 5-8. The other day I was teaching them about being kind and treating other people nicely. Then the kids started talking about how they hate Tim Tebow (Denver Broncos QB). I told the kids that it's not nice to talk like that and I made them each say one nice thing about Tim Tebow. Once we done, one girl piped up and said, "my mom said that Tim Tebow is an idiot." I tried...
Work Part 2...
Today I am headed out to New Mexico for a week long conference. Oh how I am going to miss home. My stomach hurts just thinking about it. (Nate/Gretta...any tips on surviving Albuquerque for a week?) I spent last night burning CD after CD to make the drive bearable. If anything, at least I will have some sweet tunes.
Book Club...
This month I hosted book club and we read The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim. It was delightful. If you haven't already read this book, do it now. It's free on the Kindle and only $1 on the Nook. It's a fun and easy read. When you're done reading, let me know what you think....then lets head to Italy and enjoy some sunshine and wisteria.
Date Night...
Actually it was a date day. We went to a matinee yesterday and saw We Bought a Zoo. I loved every minute of it. It was sad and happy and full of inspiration. I already can't wait to see it again.
That's life lately in a nutshell.
Adios friends.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
>>MOVIE NIGHT
I have yet to read the Twilight books and I'm behind on the movies, but tonight the girls are going to the midnight showing of Breaking Dawn and I'm tagging along. I've got nothing else going on at midnight...and sleep is overrated anyway, right? And not to mention it should be a fun night out with the ladies.
Plus, I love Ellen and I hear she's in the movie.
Note to self....take nap immediately after work today, bring enough money for XL caffeinated beverage, and turn off morning alarm clock.
Should be fun!!
Plus, I love Ellen and I hear she's in the movie.
Note to self....take nap immediately after work today, bring enough money for XL caffeinated beverage, and turn off morning alarm clock.
Should be fun!!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
>>INFERTILITY WOES
I remember my thoughts so clearly as I pulled into the driveway of our Kaysville home one afternoon. I thought to myself, "I would die if I found out I was pregnant." At that time, we had only been married a couple of years...but we married young and were by no means ready to be parents. Just the thought of getting pregnant sent me into a panic.
My thoughts are definitely different these days. We now have 9 years of marriage under our belt and would love nothing more than to have a baby.
It was March of 2007 when both Curtis and I said, "it's time!" So...we ditched the protection and began our quest to making a baby....a task we didn't think would be so difficult.
4 years and 8 months later...still no baby. Not even a pregnancy.
It's tough. It's hard to describe the feelings that come with infertility. Maybe because the emotions that come with it are all over the place.
One moment I am optimistic. Then the next moment I am in a tizzy upon learning that the closest infertility specialist is 3-1/2 hours away (one way...darn you small town Wyoming). Sometimes I think, "it's okay, it will happen....eventually." Other times all I can think about is how much I want a baby NOW. There are feelings of anger, jealousy, frustration, confusion, etc. But there are also feelings of peace and contentment. I love my husband and I love the uninterrupted time that we have had together. I love the bond we've created and the experiences we've shared.
Sometimes I just have to laugh and say to Curtis, "can you believe we don't have kids?" "Isn't that crazy!?!" It's usually followed by, "can you believe we live in Thermopolis....isn't that crazy!?!"
Life is what it is and I guess we just have to learn to roll with the punches. And to enjoy all the good, happy things.
Last week Curtis said to me....
"You know what I'm going to miss when we have kids?
. . .Walking around the house naked."
So...by golly, I will continue to enjoy that too!!
My thoughts are definitely different these days. We now have 9 years of marriage under our belt and would love nothing more than to have a baby.
It was March of 2007 when both Curtis and I said, "it's time!" So...we ditched the protection and began our quest to making a baby....a task we didn't think would be so difficult.
4 years and 8 months later...still no baby. Not even a pregnancy.
It's tough. It's hard to describe the feelings that come with infertility. Maybe because the emotions that come with it are all over the place.
One moment I am optimistic. Then the next moment I am in a tizzy upon learning that the closest infertility specialist is 3-1/2 hours away (one way...darn you small town Wyoming). Sometimes I think, "it's okay, it will happen....eventually." Other times all I can think about is how much I want a baby NOW. There are feelings of anger, jealousy, frustration, confusion, etc. But there are also feelings of peace and contentment. I love my husband and I love the uninterrupted time that we have had together. I love the bond we've created and the experiences we've shared.
Sometimes I just have to laugh and say to Curtis, "can you believe we don't have kids?" "Isn't that crazy!?!" It's usually followed by, "can you believe we live in Thermopolis....isn't that crazy!?!"
Life is what it is and I guess we just have to learn to roll with the punches. And to enjoy all the good, happy things.
Last week Curtis said to me....
"You know what I'm going to miss when we have kids?
. . .Walking around the house naked."
So...by golly, I will continue to enjoy that too!!
Friday, July 22, 2011
>>TAP, TAP, TAP
this thing on?
Is today seriously the 22nd?? Holy crap...where has summer gone?
This month has been busy busy. I have been home only a few short days this entire month. No joke...I've slept in my own bed only a handful of times the entire month of July.
I can't really complain though. I think I do better when I'm busy.
So, what have I been up to all month? Here's a peek....
Local Rodeo.
Always fun to be had at the rodeo. Not to mention the deliciousness that is kettle corn and snow cones.
Bar J Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
We went to the Bar J Chuckwagon and watched the Bar J Wrangler perform. If you ever have the chance to see them perform, jump on it. They are a hoot!
Climbing in Jackson Hole.
This is a lot harder than it looks. Nearing 30 years old = no muscle strength whatsoever. The problem is, once you climb up, you have to get back down.
This is my favorite picture....my grandma helping my aunt climb.
Shooting with Best Friends.
This was so much fun. I never thought I would enjoy shooting, but I had a great time. I even managed to hit the target a few times....not too shabby. Plus, we got to hang out with two of the best peeps I know.
Cheney Family Reunion.
Look at these kids. I LOVE my nieces and nephews! Aren't they just the cutest things you've ever seen!?! Don't they look like they need another little tiny baby cousin to play with? I agree. Hopefully we can get on that soon.
4-H Camp.
That's right...I went to 4-H camp. Surprisingly, I had a splendid time. I thought I wouldn't because, well, I don't like camping and I was also terrified of being mauled by a grizzly. The kids were darling, they got along so well, and I had a great time. And, I didn't get eaten by a bear. However, a grizzly was spotted on our way out of camp the last day....dun, dun, dun....
Well, there you have it. My July so far. There is still lots more fun to be had. In a few short days I will be consumed with county fair and then state fair, but I will do my best to include you in on all the fun!
Happy weekend to you!!!
Is today seriously the 22nd?? Holy crap...where has summer gone?
This month has been busy busy. I have been home only a few short days this entire month. No joke...I've slept in my own bed only a handful of times the entire month of July.
I can't really complain though. I think I do better when I'm busy.
So, what have I been up to all month? Here's a peek....
Local Rodeo.
Always fun to be had at the rodeo. Not to mention the deliciousness that is kettle corn and snow cones.
Bar J Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
We went to the Bar J Chuckwagon and watched the Bar J Wrangler perform. If you ever have the chance to see them perform, jump on it. They are a hoot!
Climbing in Jackson Hole.
This is a lot harder than it looks. Nearing 30 years old = no muscle strength whatsoever. The problem is, once you climb up, you have to get back down.
Shooting with Best Friends.
This was so much fun. I never thought I would enjoy shooting, but I had a great time. I even managed to hit the target a few times....not too shabby. Plus, we got to hang out with two of the best peeps I know.
Cheney Family Reunion.
Look at these kids. I LOVE my nieces and nephews! Aren't they just the cutest things you've ever seen!?! Don't they look like they need another little tiny baby cousin to play with? I agree. Hopefully we can get on that soon.
4-H Camp.
That's right...I went to 4-H camp. Surprisingly, I had a splendid time. I thought I wouldn't because, well, I don't like camping and I was also terrified of being mauled by a grizzly. The kids were darling, they got along so well, and I had a great time. And, I didn't get eaten by a bear. However, a grizzly was spotted on our way out of camp the last day....dun, dun, dun....
Lastly, we are again knee deep in another house project. This spring, as you may know, was super super soggy wet, resulting in a wet basement. With the smell becoming gradually worse, we decided to bite the bullet and tear up our basement floor. Doesn't it look fun? More to come on this later...
Well, there you have it. My July so far. There is still lots more fun to be had. In a few short days I will be consumed with county fair and then state fair, but I will do my best to include you in on all the fun!
Happy weekend to you!!!
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