It's been so long since I've done a blog I had to go back read where I left off! We have had a fun (and HOT) summer, but we're all definitely looking forward to fall (and cooler weather).
July was another busy month, starting off with a visit from my mom. We all walked down to our local park and watched fireworks...and decided next year we'll watch from the driveway! Tiernan loves doing anything where he can be outside, so it was nice for him...but too hot for the rest of us!
July was also our month of museums! I watched my best friend's little girl, whom I lovingly refer to as my niece, this summer. Emma is in second grade so hanging out with Tiernan isn't exactly the most fun for her. To try and liven things up a bit, once a week I took Emma and Tiernan out to do something (I only watched Emma 2 days a week). We went to the Children's Museum of Phoenix which was a blast! Both Emma and Tiernan loved running around and exploring. We also went to the Arizona Museum for Youth out in Mesa. One of the exhibits was some weird Jap-Anime cartoon...I had no idea what it was, but Emma sure was excited about it! They also had a baseball exhibit that Tiernan loved. Along with the two museums, we went to SeaLife Aquarium again. When my mom came to visit in July she brought Tiernan a set of toy sharks, so the aquarium was even more fascinating for him this time around. We also made another trip to Toy Town so the kids good enjoy some pretend play. It was so wonderful to see both kids learning and having fun doing it!
Tiernan is still in preschool on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. It has been really great for him. There's usually a struggle at drop-off, but as soon as I'm out the door he's fine. He sings all kinds of songs now: Old McDonald, Allouette, Farmer in the Dell, ABC's, and many more! He also surprised Steve and I the other night by counting to six all by himself! It's amazing how much he can do now. At the Dr's office the other day, he was playing with an airplane and helicopter. I asked if they were going to zoom to the moon and he replied with, "no mom, it's not a rocket!" Then this morning, our cat was crying for food and Tiernan was petting her head. He gave her a hug and said, "Don't worry, I got you. I keep you safe." That's exactly what I say to him when he's scared of something, so it was sweet to see him use it on the cat. I wish potty-training was going as well as his vocabulary! He was doing really great for several months and now has no interest at all. After buying a box of diapers for Tiernan and a box for the new baby, I've decided we need to get Tiernan out of diapers, so we're keeping our fingers crossed the potty-training picks back up.
Tiernan is officially moved into his big boy bedroom. He does really well. Typically sleeps through the night and even if he wakes, he doesn't climb out of bed. He rarely even climbs out of bed to play when he wakes in the morning. It took him a while to understand that he doesn't get both his big boy room and the nursery, but I think he realizes now that the nursery is for the baby. I really thought this was going to be a much harder transition, but it was very easy! He loves his Disney themed room and his Thomas Train sheets and he just picked out a second set of sheets with airplanes on them. I think keeping him involved in the decorating and building really helped a lot.
August was a very exciting month for us. We went to CA and spent Steve's 33rd birthday at Disneyland! Chasing Steve and Tiernan around Disneyland for several days while pregnant was harder than I thought it would be, but somehow I survived. It was incredible how much Tiernan remembered from our last visit. For weeks before our trip he talked about going on the train, the Nemo Submarines, and the Teacups. There were tons of people there thanks to a conference that was taking place. Lots of people meant lots of waiting, but Tiernan did very well with waiting in line. He went on his first roller coaster and loved it! His favorites were still Dumbo, Teacups, and Small World (he can now sing the Small World theme song). He also developed a love for scary things this trip! He couldn't wait to watch Fantasmic! so he could see the dragon. And he wanted to go on Snow White over and over to see "Scary One" (the witch). He'll even tell you that Scary One has crows and what her laugh sounds like! It was truly amazing to see how much fun he had and to see how excited he would get for various things.
After Disneyland we drove down to visit some friends in San Marcos for a few days. They have a beautiful home and a nice backyard that Tiernan loves to play in. They also have a son that is two days younger than Tiernan and a sweet little girl who was only 6 weeks old at the time. Tiernan still talks about playing with their son Greyson and when he sees baby girls he'll say, "That's Baby Greta!" We sure wish we lived closer to them! We went to the beach one morning and it was unusually cold! Not only was the water freezing, but everything about the day was cold and gray. That didn't keep Tiernan from wanting to play in the ocean! When we visited last year, he ran straight to the ocean and didn't want to get out...this time, he wanted to play in the ocean, but by way of mom or dad holding him. So we took turns running into the water with him and then running away from the waves. Unfortunately, the one time Tiernan finally got down and ran along the beach, a bigger kid ran over him and knocked him right into a big wave. Poor Tiernan was shivering from the cold, so we decided it was about time to pack up and leave. This turned out to be a better idea than we knew. On the way home, Tiernan got sick to his stomach. By the time we got back to our friends' house, his temp was 102. We retreated to our hotel and Tiernan's temp continued to rise. At one point, it was over 105 degrees, but thankfully came down with some Motrin. His temp was stuck at about 104 for probably 8 hours and then finally came down just in time for us to drive home. We thought he was all better and then 20 minutes from home, he got sick again and his temp spiked back up to 103. I didn't sleep at all the night before, so I was about to fall over from exhaustion, but home was just around the corner and we would all be able to go straight to bed...so we thought. When we got home, we discovered that at some point, our AC had gone out. Our neighbor, who had been feeding our cats, said she thought it probably went out that morning. So now we have a toddler who just threw up, has a temp of 103, and the house is 93 degrees. Awesome. We try to do a cool bath to bring Tiernan's temp down, but this is AZ, and we don't have cold or cool water in the summer...everything comes out scalding hot. Steve finally reached an emergency AC repairman, so we went to Walmart to use their AC until he could arrive. Once the AC was fixed, we all crashed. Tiernan had a fever for a few more days, but nothing serious. After about a week of feeling somewhat icky, Tiernan seems to be totally better now.
Baby Durkee is doing well. We had an ultrasound on August 19th and managed to have the strength not to find out the gender. It was hard, very hard, but we refrained. Baby is measuring in the 40th percentile for size which is pretty close to average, but a little small. I was sure in the beginning that we were having another boy, but now I'm guessing we're having a girl. The baby's face has also started to resemble my face shape...so maybe we're not having another little Steve clone :) Baby Durkee weighs about a pound and a half and is about 13 inches long. Baby D moves a lot! Way more than Tiernan did my whole pregnancy. S/he also doesn't seem to have hiccups as often as Tiernan did, so we're hoping maybe that's a sign that this baby won't have reflux, or at least, not as bad as Tiernan's. Tiernan loves to "play" with the baby. He puts toys on my stomach or he'll talk to the baby and hug and kiss my stomach. His newest thing is to try and wake the baby up. He will say, "Wake up baby, wake up!" and then wiggle my stomach. So far it hasn't worked, but maybe he'll do it one day feel the baby move! We are very excited to meet our newest member of the family...only 15 more weeks!!
We're hoping that September turns out to be a quiet and relaxing month....but we'll see! Below are links to pics on my facebook page. Peace and love to everyone!
August Pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=468627&id=832970390&l=82ffcd9d59
Belly Pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=419191&id=832970390&l=55da6507e6
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Busy, Busy, Durkee Bees!
This summer has been busy already...every time I think I'm going to get a break, something else comes up! We spent the first couple of weeks of May in Montana and then as soon as we got back we celebrated my best friend Andrea's birthday. I think it might have been the first time that Steve and I actually went out with Andrea since Tiernan was born...since she's usually our babysitter!
Tiernan finished up his last month of Farm Tots at the Phoenix Zoo. He learned about chickens and turkeys. We learned that if we whistle at the white turkey they have, Floyd, he will puff up and make noises at us...so we just had to try it and it worked!
We also went to Schnepf Farm's Peach Festival which was so much fun! Tiernan loved running around and exploring new things. When we went last year, he ate three peaches all on his own...this year, he wasn't as excited about the peaches. He did, however, love walking through the orchard and picking peaches. Unfortunately, he was more interested in picking the peaches up off the ground than picking them off the tree.
Memorial Day weekend was pretty low key. It was the grand opening of our local Rotary swimming pool (Steve's in Rotary, so we went to support him). This kicked off Tiernan's love for swimming. Even though he's never had lessons, it's amazing how he already knows how to kick and move his arms in a swimming motion! He hasn't quite learned that he can't just jump in the pool without us, but hopefully, after a few more trips to the pool he'll understand and mommy can stop having mini-heart-attacks.
Baby Durkee continues to grow. Baby's heartbeat averages about 155 bpm. We'll have an ultrasound in probably a month or so. No, we're not going to find out if it's a boy or a girl! Being surprised with Tiernan was so exciting and besides, we have plenty of unisex clothes for the first couple of months. I know that I don't care if we have a boy or girl, I think there are pro's to having either one, but I'm not sure if Steve has a preference. I think we're both still so in awe of Tiernan that we're trying to figure out how to make the second baby feel just as special. My nausea is a little better...it's not as regular as it was, which is good and bad. I like that it's not every day or every other day, but on the other hand, it was nice to kind of know when I was going to have a good or bad day. The heat is seriously kicking my you-know-what. I try to spend as much time indoors as I can...and somehow, I've been able to keep our house temp at 78. I fully expected to turn the thermostat down to like 70 all summer! I'm still having trouble sleeping at night and my back hurts worse than it ever did with Tiernan. Week 14 was not the magical week my Dr said it might be...I'm still exhausted all the time. I go to the Dr tomorrow and hopefully my blood pressure has come up some. I've been doing pretty good about drinking fluids, but not so great with the protein every couple of hours. I started a prenatal fitness class last week and it kicked my you-know-what even more than the heat! I'm hoping I can continue it during my entire pregnancy. This past weekend I felt little baby twitches for the first time. I felt Tiernan move right at 14 weeks...so this baby is a few days later, but I'm also a few pounds heavier ;) I can't wait to feel some real jabs in my stomach...something to let me know baby is in there and happy.
Tiernan does so many new things now. He talks...nonstop. I keep joking that it must be because his mom never shuts-up. He has even started putting sentences together! He knows colors and shapes and is starting to memorize how to count. His favorite phrase at the moment is, "Happy Birthday!" He talks about Emma, Mimi, CJ, GG, and KoKo (my aunt's dog) non-stop and is still obsessed with trains, but has now added airplanes to the mix. We're still working on the potty training...he's pretty good about going poop on the potty, but still isn't so good with peeing on the potty instead of in his diaper. It'll happen and we're just excited that he's shown so much interest on his own! This evening he even made up his own bye-bye poo-poo song. I'm telling you, the kid cracks me up! Unfortunately, he is also going through a "mine" and a "no" stage. It's pretty annoying, but I'm just trying to ignore it and hope it ends soon...very soon.
Today was Tiernan's 2 year well-child check up. He weighs 27.5 lbs and is in the 50% for weight. He is 35 1/4 inches tall which is 75% and means he's tall enough for Matterhorn at Disneyland! And he's finally growing into his head which is in the 75% for size instead of the 95+%. The Dr said that he seems to be pretty advanced developmentally, which is always good to hear.
Next week, Tiernan starts preschool. We'll see how it goes....they have a policy about crying. If he cries for 30 minutes straight I have to come down and get him. I'm hoping he's okay because I really think that he needs some social interaction without mommy by his side. If it goes well, we'll probably keep him in the fall program.
We kicked off this month with Tiernan's birthday. We celebrated his actual birthday (June 4) with his favorite friend Emma. We went to a fun place that has lots of playhouses, dress up clothes, and things to encourage kids' imaginations. Then, Emma and I baked cupcakes while Tiernan napped. The next day, we had a party for Tiernan at Jeepers! Indoor Amusement Park. It was so fun to see the kids react to everything there. Some kids loved the rides, others were terrified, etc. Tiernan, daredevil that he is, loved it all. It was so great to see the kids have so much fun.
Four days after Tiernan's birthday is my birthday. Technically I turned 29, but I've decided to stay 28 for at least a few more years :) Thanks to all of you who reminded me this is my last year in my 20's....we celebrated my birthday by going out to dinner, taking Tiernan to play at the mall's playground (gotta find indoor things in this hot weather!), and then finishing with yummy cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory. I love that I can be totally happy with a low-key celebration like that! I can honestly say that I do not miss the all out, adults only parties of the past.
This summer is going to be busy and fun! I am watching Emma on Mondays and Fridays all summer, which Tiernan LOVES. He asks about her every day that she's not here. She is a great help and makes those days a little less stressful for me! We've planned a summer full of trips to museums for Tiernan and Emma...hopefully they will both enjoy it all!
I know there's so much that has happened that I haven't shared...I have pregnancy brain already and keep forgetting all the fun things we do! I finally posted some new pics on Facebook...the links below will allow anyone to view the pictures...there are a lot more to add, but it's hard finding time to get it done!
Tiernan Bday Pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=432490&id=832970390&l=cfd6cc3670
May Pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=432482&id=832970390&l=3462990ce7
Montana Pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=432352&id=832970390&l=acc7eeff4e
Belly Pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=419191&id=832970390&l=55da6507e6
Peace and Love,
Alyssa...and Tiernan, Steve, and Baby Durkee
Tiernan finished up his last month of Farm Tots at the Phoenix Zoo. He learned about chickens and turkeys. We learned that if we whistle at the white turkey they have, Floyd, he will puff up and make noises at us...so we just had to try it and it worked!
We also went to Schnepf Farm's Peach Festival which was so much fun! Tiernan loved running around and exploring new things. When we went last year, he ate three peaches all on his own...this year, he wasn't as excited about the peaches. He did, however, love walking through the orchard and picking peaches. Unfortunately, he was more interested in picking the peaches up off the ground than picking them off the tree.
Memorial Day weekend was pretty low key. It was the grand opening of our local Rotary swimming pool (Steve's in Rotary, so we went to support him). This kicked off Tiernan's love for swimming. Even though he's never had lessons, it's amazing how he already knows how to kick and move his arms in a swimming motion! He hasn't quite learned that he can't just jump in the pool without us, but hopefully, after a few more trips to the pool he'll understand and mommy can stop having mini-heart-attacks.
Baby Durkee continues to grow. Baby's heartbeat averages about 155 bpm. We'll have an ultrasound in probably a month or so. No, we're not going to find out if it's a boy or a girl! Being surprised with Tiernan was so exciting and besides, we have plenty of unisex clothes for the first couple of months. I know that I don't care if we have a boy or girl, I think there are pro's to having either one, but I'm not sure if Steve has a preference. I think we're both still so in awe of Tiernan that we're trying to figure out how to make the second baby feel just as special. My nausea is a little better...it's not as regular as it was, which is good and bad. I like that it's not every day or every other day, but on the other hand, it was nice to kind of know when I was going to have a good or bad day. The heat is seriously kicking my you-know-what. I try to spend as much time indoors as I can...and somehow, I've been able to keep our house temp at 78. I fully expected to turn the thermostat down to like 70 all summer! I'm still having trouble sleeping at night and my back hurts worse than it ever did with Tiernan. Week 14 was not the magical week my Dr said it might be...I'm still exhausted all the time. I go to the Dr tomorrow and hopefully my blood pressure has come up some. I've been doing pretty good about drinking fluids, but not so great with the protein every couple of hours. I started a prenatal fitness class last week and it kicked my you-know-what even more than the heat! I'm hoping I can continue it during my entire pregnancy. This past weekend I felt little baby twitches for the first time. I felt Tiernan move right at 14 weeks...so this baby is a few days later, but I'm also a few pounds heavier ;) I can't wait to feel some real jabs in my stomach...something to let me know baby is in there and happy.
This pregnancy has been a little overwhelming emotionally. I tend to cry a little more easily than before, which I know is normal. I have also found myself falling more and more in love with Tiernan...which probably has nothing to do with being pregnant. I still wonder how I can possibly love another child as much as I love Tiernan. I know I will do it, but I am so amazed by him every single day. The poor kid is smothered in kisses all the time...in fact, the other day we were giving Eskimo kisses (you rub noses together) and he decided he wanted to call them rabbit kisses....so that's what they are now, rabbit kisses. He is so sweet and compassionate already. He likes to help, but likes to be independent, too. He gets sad when he's in trouble, even if it's just because he knows you're disappointed in him. He will cry if he does something he thinks is bad...even if he's not in trouble. I know he will be a great big brother, but I know we're going to have to make sure we find lots of time to make him feel special, too. I'm hoping it won't be too hard, but I still worry about how having a baby will affect him. He is my sweet little prince and I love him so much.
Tiernan does so many new things now. He talks...nonstop. I keep joking that it must be because his mom never shuts-up. He has even started putting sentences together! He knows colors and shapes and is starting to memorize how to count. His favorite phrase at the moment is, "Happy Birthday!" He talks about Emma, Mimi, CJ, GG, and KoKo (my aunt's dog) non-stop and is still obsessed with trains, but has now added airplanes to the mix. We're still working on the potty training...he's pretty good about going poop on the potty, but still isn't so good with peeing on the potty instead of in his diaper. It'll happen and we're just excited that he's shown so much interest on his own! This evening he even made up his own bye-bye poo-poo song. I'm telling you, the kid cracks me up! Unfortunately, he is also going through a "mine" and a "no" stage. It's pretty annoying, but I'm just trying to ignore it and hope it ends soon...very soon.
Today was Tiernan's 2 year well-child check up. He weighs 27.5 lbs and is in the 50% for weight. He is 35 1/4 inches tall which is 75% and means he's tall enough for Matterhorn at Disneyland! And he's finally growing into his head which is in the 75% for size instead of the 95+%. The Dr said that he seems to be pretty advanced developmentally, which is always good to hear.
Next week, Tiernan starts preschool. We'll see how it goes....they have a policy about crying. If he cries for 30 minutes straight I have to come down and get him. I'm hoping he's okay because I really think that he needs some social interaction without mommy by his side. If it goes well, we'll probably keep him in the fall program.
We kicked off this month with Tiernan's birthday. We celebrated his actual birthday (June 4) with his favorite friend Emma. We went to a fun place that has lots of playhouses, dress up clothes, and things to encourage kids' imaginations. Then, Emma and I baked cupcakes while Tiernan napped. The next day, we had a party for Tiernan at Jeepers! Indoor Amusement Park. It was so fun to see the kids react to everything there. Some kids loved the rides, others were terrified, etc. Tiernan, daredevil that he is, loved it all. It was so great to see the kids have so much fun.
Four days after Tiernan's birthday is my birthday. Technically I turned 29, but I've decided to stay 28 for at least a few more years :) Thanks to all of you who reminded me this is my last year in my 20's....we celebrated my birthday by going out to dinner, taking Tiernan to play at the mall's playground (gotta find indoor things in this hot weather!), and then finishing with yummy cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory. I love that I can be totally happy with a low-key celebration like that! I can honestly say that I do not miss the all out, adults only parties of the past.
This summer is going to be busy and fun! I am watching Emma on Mondays and Fridays all summer, which Tiernan LOVES. He asks about her every day that she's not here. She is a great help and makes those days a little less stressful for me! We've planned a summer full of trips to museums for Tiernan and Emma...hopefully they will both enjoy it all!
I know there's so much that has happened that I haven't shared...I have pregnancy brain already and keep forgetting all the fun things we do! I finally posted some new pics on Facebook...the links below will allow anyone to view the pictures...there are a lot more to add, but it's hard finding time to get it done!
Tiernan Bday Pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=432490&id=832970390&l=cfd6cc3670
May Pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=432482&id=832970390&l=3462990ce7
Montana Pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=432352&id=832970390&l=acc7eeff4e
Belly Pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=419191&id=832970390&l=55da6507e6
Peace and Love,
Alyssa...and Tiernan, Steve, and Baby Durkee
Thursday, May 13, 2010
April Showers Bring May....Snow??
Oh, this is gonna be a long one! So much has happened lately...I'll try to organize things so it's not too chaotic, but no promises.
April 28th we left for MT. We left the house shortly after 3 a.m. and thankfully made it to the airport, through security, and onto the plane with no problems. Tiernan was awake most of the flight, but he was so good. We had a 3 hour layover in Seattle and were able to visit with my dad, Steve's brother, nephew, and sister. It was really great catching up!
I knew MT was going to be cold...but we got off the plane and I was freezing! I had to wait outside for our carry-on luggage to be taken off of our little puddle-jumper and I thought I was going to freeze on the spot. Even though the weather was unpredictable, MT is absolutely beautiful. I actually got misty eyed upon seeing my family and their amazing home. The home, the property, the surrounding areas are just so gorgeous. Tiernan had so much fun playing with dogs, chasing his cousin Tristan, and playing out in the snow....that's right, he played in snow in May. He also got to see deer, chickens, a rooster, lots of different wild birds, a caterpillar, and hear coyotes. I couldn't ask for a better vacation for him.
My sister had warned me that not only would it be cold, but the weather was very unreliable. I was shocked at just how right she was! One minute it would be sunny and beautiful, the next, it was snowing or hailing or raining! It really didn't matter though. It was so great to just be around family and relax for a change. I actually read three books while I was there! I haven't read a book for pleasure since before I started ASU in fall of 2007! So I'm thankful that we were homebound for most of the time...if we were outside, I never would've been lazy enough to lay around and read!
Tiernan changed so much over the course of two weeks. Well, I guess it's not so much that he changed, but he learned a lot. Auntie Mimi taught him to say, "I love you" and he now says, "I'm mad", "I'm sad", "I'm scared", "deer poop", and a whole array of other phrases, too. He also developed a fear of monsters. Two nights in a row he didn't want to go to sleep and kept saying, "I'm scared. Monsters." He even woke up two nights in a row saying the same thing. Each time he wanted daddy, instead of mommy, to hold him and make him feel better. I'm hoping the monster fear didn't follow us back to AZ, but I do love how much he can communicate now!
The trip home was good. We didn't have an early morning flight (thank the Lord!). We had another 3 hour layover in Seattle and were able to visit with family again. Tiernan fell asleep before the plane even left the runway, but when Steve and I tried to switch-off holding him, he woke up and didn't go back to sleep until we were in the car. Thankfully, going to bed late meant he slept in this morning!!
Two weeks went by so fast, but I am very thankful we had the opportunity to be with family. I'm hoping I can convince them to come down for a visit to AZ sometime :)
The pregnancy is still going well. It is still totally different than my first pregnancy. With Tiernan, I craved watermelon around the clock...this time, I tried a couple pieces of watermelon and spent the next 24 hours feeling like I would throw up at any minute. Now, I can't even look at watermelon...I still can't even look at muffins without feeling sick. I have started to really crave salad, but I crave bleu cheese dressing with it...which is supposed to be a no-no during pregnancy. My nausea isn't as frequent as it was before the trip, but when it hits, man it wipes me out. I'm glad that it's only nausea and not worse than that, but it's still not much fun!
We heard the baby's heartbeat with the doppler we rented on April 30. I was about 9 1/2 weeks then. It was a beautiful sound...little galloping horses trotting along at 177 beats per minute. I've listened to it frequently since then and when Tiernan sees the doppler he says, "dady (baby) heart."
Tiernan is going to be such a sweet big brother. He loves to kiss my belly and even tried to share his milk with the baby! He put the nozzle of his sippy cup in my belly button and made drinking sounds...and today, he pointed to my stomach and said, "dady heart" and then tried to play trucks with the baby. He hasn't seemed to notice that my belly is growing each week, but I just know he is going to be so wonderful when the baby is finally here.
I promise, someday I will post pics. I know people want to see update pics of Tiernan and of MT. I just have to steal Steve's laptop and get it done...
April 28th we left for MT. We left the house shortly after 3 a.m. and thankfully made it to the airport, through security, and onto the plane with no problems. Tiernan was awake most of the flight, but he was so good. We had a 3 hour layover in Seattle and were able to visit with my dad, Steve's brother, nephew, and sister. It was really great catching up!
I knew MT was going to be cold...but we got off the plane and I was freezing! I had to wait outside for our carry-on luggage to be taken off of our little puddle-jumper and I thought I was going to freeze on the spot. Even though the weather was unpredictable, MT is absolutely beautiful. I actually got misty eyed upon seeing my family and their amazing home. The home, the property, the surrounding areas are just so gorgeous. Tiernan had so much fun playing with dogs, chasing his cousin Tristan, and playing out in the snow....that's right, he played in snow in May. He also got to see deer, chickens, a rooster, lots of different wild birds, a caterpillar, and hear coyotes. I couldn't ask for a better vacation for him.
My sister had warned me that not only would it be cold, but the weather was very unreliable. I was shocked at just how right she was! One minute it would be sunny and beautiful, the next, it was snowing or hailing or raining! It really didn't matter though. It was so great to just be around family and relax for a change. I actually read three books while I was there! I haven't read a book for pleasure since before I started ASU in fall of 2007! So I'm thankful that we were homebound for most of the time...if we were outside, I never would've been lazy enough to lay around and read!
Tiernan changed so much over the course of two weeks. Well, I guess it's not so much that he changed, but he learned a lot. Auntie Mimi taught him to say, "I love you" and he now says, "I'm mad", "I'm sad", "I'm scared", "deer poop", and a whole array of other phrases, too. He also developed a fear of monsters. Two nights in a row he didn't want to go to sleep and kept saying, "I'm scared. Monsters." He even woke up two nights in a row saying the same thing. Each time he wanted daddy, instead of mommy, to hold him and make him feel better. I'm hoping the monster fear didn't follow us back to AZ, but I do love how much he can communicate now!
The trip home was good. We didn't have an early morning flight (thank the Lord!). We had another 3 hour layover in Seattle and were able to visit with family again. Tiernan fell asleep before the plane even left the runway, but when Steve and I tried to switch-off holding him, he woke up and didn't go back to sleep until we were in the car. Thankfully, going to bed late meant he slept in this morning!!
Two weeks went by so fast, but I am very thankful we had the opportunity to be with family. I'm hoping I can convince them to come down for a visit to AZ sometime :)
The pregnancy is still going well. It is still totally different than my first pregnancy. With Tiernan, I craved watermelon around the clock...this time, I tried a couple pieces of watermelon and spent the next 24 hours feeling like I would throw up at any minute. Now, I can't even look at watermelon...I still can't even look at muffins without feeling sick. I have started to really crave salad, but I crave bleu cheese dressing with it...which is supposed to be a no-no during pregnancy. My nausea isn't as frequent as it was before the trip, but when it hits, man it wipes me out. I'm glad that it's only nausea and not worse than that, but it's still not much fun!
We heard the baby's heartbeat with the doppler we rented on April 30. I was about 9 1/2 weeks then. It was a beautiful sound...little galloping horses trotting along at 177 beats per minute. I've listened to it frequently since then and when Tiernan sees the doppler he says, "dady (baby) heart."
Tiernan is going to be such a sweet big brother. He loves to kiss my belly and even tried to share his milk with the baby! He put the nozzle of his sippy cup in my belly button and made drinking sounds...and today, he pointed to my stomach and said, "dady heart" and then tried to play trucks with the baby. He hasn't seemed to notice that my belly is growing each week, but I just know he is going to be so wonderful when the baby is finally here.
I promise, someday I will post pics. I know people want to see update pics of Tiernan and of MT. I just have to steal Steve's laptop and get it done...
Monday, April 19, 2010
Random Happenings...
Yesterday I baked mini-muffins. A lot of mini-muffins. I baked blueberry muffins and cinnamon carrot muffins. By the end of the night, the smell (and thought) of muffins was making me very nauseous. Unfortunately, I already thawed out bananas for banana muffins which I'll have to bake at some point today. Bleh.
It's interesting to me how sick I often feel with this pregnancy. With Tiernan, the only symptoms I ever had this early on were sinus problems, extreme tiredness, and running to the restroom every 5 minutes. This time around, I have sinus problems, frequent bathroom breaks, nausea, exhaustion, lower back and hip pain, shortness of breath, and I am always hot. It's insane how different this pregnancy already is. I am ecstatic to be pregnant, but honestly, I could do without feeling sick all the time! Also, when I was pregnant with Tiernan I craved healthy foods. I craved cucumbers, carrots, and watermelon the most. I would eat a salad, especially caeser, any time of day. This time, I crave junk food. Greasy hamburgers, fast food, giant steaks, chocolate milk, brownies, and french fries are among some of the things I yen for. Oh, and everything smells weird. I keep smelling stinky feet and cigarette smoke...both of which make me want to heave.
Sometimes the cravings are so strong I can't resist indulging in them. Last night, I did a late night Taco Bell run. I was starving and really needed something fattening and greasy. While waiting to order in the drive thru, the car in front of me ran out of gas. There were three people in the car, yet the driver decided it was more appropriate to get out and ask me if I would push their car because it just ran out of gas. I assumed he meant push with my car...so I politely told him that my car had been backed into and the bumper wasn't on as securely as it should be. He gave me a somewhat confused and annoyed look. Certainly, he wasn't asking me to get out and physically push the car with my body?!? Just then, I heard the voice from inside the little "Order Here" box say, "One of our guys is going to come out and push you. He'll push you to the first window so you can pay, then the second window so you can get your food, then out of the drive-thru." I was certainly impressed that this employee was going way above the fast food call of duty! As I was leaving the drive thru (after getting my three soft supreme tacos) I saw that this employee was actually pushing the car down to the gas station which is a good quarter of a mile away. Crazy. Two things about this incident shocked me. First, how awesome it is that I live in a town where people will do things like that for others. Second, there were three people in the car. The driver was not a small man and he appeared perfectly capable of doing what the Taco Bell employee did. When I explained that I could not push his truck, he got back in and sat down. Like he had absolutely no idea what to do. The other two passengers never budged from their seats. Am I the only one that thinks it's weird that nobody in the car attempted to rectify the situation on their own? Well, anyway, kudos to the awesome Taco Bell employee.
I keep watching the video of the baby's heartbeat...just to make sure I didn't dream it, I guess. I am still a little anxious about something going wrong. I try to rest as much as possible and not push myself. It's very hard not to think about what could happen. Every day that I feel good and don't seem to have a lot of symptoms, that worry comes out. I'm thinking of renting a fetal doppler to try and help me accept that there really is a sweet little baby growing healthy and strong. I had one with Tiernan and it was wonderful to hear his little heartbeat whenever I wanted.
Being pregnant with Tiernan around is a lot of fun. If you ask him where mommy's baby is, he'll kiss my stomach. We're still trying to help him understand that he can't jump on mommy's tummy like he used to, but I really think he's going to be an amazing big brother. When Tiernan was born, I cried for months because I didn't think I'd ever have any more kids. Not because of physical problems, but I couldn't imagine that it was possible to love another baby as much as I love him. Sometimes I still wonder if it really is possible. Even after working in childcare with kids his age, I am still amazed by the things he does every single day. There is definitely no way to describe the powerful love a mother feels for her child.
Since getting his tubes, his speech has really blossomed. He had a good vocabulary before the surgery, but he's saying 2-3 new words everyday now. His articulation is also improving. He is starting to say, "wawer" instead of, "ba" for water and is starting to differentiate between the "b" and "d" sounds, as well as, the "m" and "n" sounds. In fact, he just walked up to me with a packet of parmasean cheese (he loves exploring the refrigerator) and I told him it was for spaghetti...and he goes, "dighetti?" Then he grabbed my hand and said, "eat?" and led me to the kitchen. He climbed up in his booster chair and said, "Eat? Dighetti?" He is now happily chowing down on his very own dish of "dighetti".
Another new experience is the exiting of the Terrible Two's. There have barely been any temper tantrums for weeks now. Tiernan doesn't seem to get as frustrated as he once used to and the banging his head on the floor/walls/doors/etc has pretty much ceased. I'm really hoping the Terrible Two's don't show their ugly faces again, but I know, that may be an unrealistic hope.
Life as a family is nothing short of amazing. I love my husband and my son so much. I know there's room in there for at least one more child. I can't wait to continue to see our family grow.
Next week we leave for Montana and I could not be more excited. Don't get me wrong, I hate packing for trips. I am the worst over-packer ever, but I am in dire need of some rest and relaxation. Sure, I can lounge on the couch and not clean the house here in AZ, but I still have to tend to Tiernan which is exhausting! I am excited to see my family and for them to finally meet Tiernan! This is definitely a year full of blessings!
It's interesting to me how sick I often feel with this pregnancy. With Tiernan, the only symptoms I ever had this early on were sinus problems, extreme tiredness, and running to the restroom every 5 minutes. This time around, I have sinus problems, frequent bathroom breaks, nausea, exhaustion, lower back and hip pain, shortness of breath, and I am always hot. It's insane how different this pregnancy already is. I am ecstatic to be pregnant, but honestly, I could do without feeling sick all the time! Also, when I was pregnant with Tiernan I craved healthy foods. I craved cucumbers, carrots, and watermelon the most. I would eat a salad, especially caeser, any time of day. This time, I crave junk food. Greasy hamburgers, fast food, giant steaks, chocolate milk, brownies, and french fries are among some of the things I yen for. Oh, and everything smells weird. I keep smelling stinky feet and cigarette smoke...both of which make me want to heave.
Sometimes the cravings are so strong I can't resist indulging in them. Last night, I did a late night Taco Bell run. I was starving and really needed something fattening and greasy. While waiting to order in the drive thru, the car in front of me ran out of gas. There were three people in the car, yet the driver decided it was more appropriate to get out and ask me if I would push their car because it just ran out of gas. I assumed he meant push with my car...so I politely told him that my car had been backed into and the bumper wasn't on as securely as it should be. He gave me a somewhat confused and annoyed look. Certainly, he wasn't asking me to get out and physically push the car with my body?!? Just then, I heard the voice from inside the little "Order Here" box say, "One of our guys is going to come out and push you. He'll push you to the first window so you can pay, then the second window so you can get your food, then out of the drive-thru." I was certainly impressed that this employee was going way above the fast food call of duty! As I was leaving the drive thru (after getting my three soft supreme tacos) I saw that this employee was actually pushing the car down to the gas station which is a good quarter of a mile away. Crazy. Two things about this incident shocked me. First, how awesome it is that I live in a town where people will do things like that for others. Second, there were three people in the car. The driver was not a small man and he appeared perfectly capable of doing what the Taco Bell employee did. When I explained that I could not push his truck, he got back in and sat down. Like he had absolutely no idea what to do. The other two passengers never budged from their seats. Am I the only one that thinks it's weird that nobody in the car attempted to rectify the situation on their own? Well, anyway, kudos to the awesome Taco Bell employee.
I keep watching the video of the baby's heartbeat...just to make sure I didn't dream it, I guess. I am still a little anxious about something going wrong. I try to rest as much as possible and not push myself. It's very hard not to think about what could happen. Every day that I feel good and don't seem to have a lot of symptoms, that worry comes out. I'm thinking of renting a fetal doppler to try and help me accept that there really is a sweet little baby growing healthy and strong. I had one with Tiernan and it was wonderful to hear his little heartbeat whenever I wanted.
Being pregnant with Tiernan around is a lot of fun. If you ask him where mommy's baby is, he'll kiss my stomach. We're still trying to help him understand that he can't jump on mommy's tummy like he used to, but I really think he's going to be an amazing big brother. When Tiernan was born, I cried for months because I didn't think I'd ever have any more kids. Not because of physical problems, but I couldn't imagine that it was possible to love another baby as much as I love him. Sometimes I still wonder if it really is possible. Even after working in childcare with kids his age, I am still amazed by the things he does every single day. There is definitely no way to describe the powerful love a mother feels for her child.
Since getting his tubes, his speech has really blossomed. He had a good vocabulary before the surgery, but he's saying 2-3 new words everyday now. His articulation is also improving. He is starting to say, "wawer" instead of, "ba" for water and is starting to differentiate between the "b" and "d" sounds, as well as, the "m" and "n" sounds. In fact, he just walked up to me with a packet of parmasean cheese (he loves exploring the refrigerator) and I told him it was for spaghetti...and he goes, "dighetti?" Then he grabbed my hand and said, "eat?" and led me to the kitchen. He climbed up in his booster chair and said, "Eat? Dighetti?" He is now happily chowing down on his very own dish of "dighetti".
Another new experience is the exiting of the Terrible Two's. There have barely been any temper tantrums for weeks now. Tiernan doesn't seem to get as frustrated as he once used to and the banging his head on the floor/walls/doors/etc has pretty much ceased. I'm really hoping the Terrible Two's don't show their ugly faces again, but I know, that may be an unrealistic hope.
Life as a family is nothing short of amazing. I love my husband and my son so much. I know there's room in there for at least one more child. I can't wait to continue to see our family grow.
Next week we leave for Montana and I could not be more excited. Don't get me wrong, I hate packing for trips. I am the worst over-packer ever, but I am in dire need of some rest and relaxation. Sure, I can lounge on the couch and not clean the house here in AZ, but I still have to tend to Tiernan which is exhausting! I am excited to see my family and for them to finally meet Tiernan! This is definitely a year full of blessings!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Oh baby!
I had my first ultrasound today and not only did we see a tiny little baby (smaller than a grain of rice!), we saw and heard the heartbeat! AMAZING! I was so anxious sitting in the waiting room...after being in that office so many times and hearing, "We don't see anything." or "We did see something, but it's a mass in your tube." I was petrified that I'd hear those words again. I haven't been having any abnormal symptoms or reasons for concern, but it's still been on my mind that something could go wrong.
As soon as the tech started the ultrasound I saw the black bubble and knew there was something in my uterus...but was it viable? 6 weeks is sometimes too early to see or hear the heartbeat on ultrasound, but there it was! A little flicker that made me hold my breath so we could get a better look.
I know it is still early, so it's not really safe to assume that everything will be a-okay, but the chances of miscarriage drastically decrease once you see the heartbeat. We are so excited to welcome another Baby Durkee into our family in early winter.
Here is a quick clip of the baby's heartbeat. I guess there isn't sound on the video, but you can see a little flicker right in the middle and that's the beating heart!!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
March Happenings
March has been a very busy month for the Durkee family. We started the month off by going to Disneyland to celebrate my grandmother's birthday. She hadn't been to the park in about 40 years so it was really exciting to be able to share such a fun experience with her. Tiernan had a blast playing with Grandma Melodie and GG Rachel and showing them all his favorite rides. We expected very large crowds, but it wasn't bad...in fact, we got to go on Small World two times in a row without even getting off the boat! I promise I will post pics, unfortunately, my laptop doesn't have a place to put my memory card.
Tiernan also had tubes put in his ears this month. He was a champ! I was very worried that when the nurse came to take him to the surgery room he'd scream the whole way...but he didn't even bat an eye! Apparently, while he was in the surgery room he gave all of the Dr's and nurses high fives. Coming out of sleep is usually a bit traumatic for kids, but he did just fine. We are so blessed to have such a sweet little boy.
This month Tiernan decided he was ready to start potty training. We don't really push it, if he wants to go he tells us. He really likes feeling like he's a big boy and we are just amazed that he started it all on his own!
He also decided he was done with his crib. So, we went along with it...for a few days. Two nights in a row he decided he wanted to sleep on a pile of stuffed animals on the floor. We decided to put his crib mattress on the floor and see how he slept. He did really well, except normally if he wakes up in the wee hours of the morning and he's in his crib, he'll go right back to sleep...not so much outside of the crib. We decided that his 5 a.m. wake up routine and shortened naps were depriving us all of sleep, so back into the crib he went and he appears to be very happy there now.
Earlier this week Tiernan went on his first Easter egg hunt. Once he understood he was supposed to be looking for eggs and not playing in the rocks, he did really well! Thanks to the Yi family for hosting the hunt.
Our family also celebrated Passover with the Zaragoza family. It's a tradition Steve has shared with their family for almost two decades! It is by far, one of our favorite traditions. Unfortunately, Tiernan didn't have a very good nap that day, so he wasn't as excited about it as we were...but it was still a lot of fun! Thank you so much to Carl and Antje for putting together such a wonderful get-together. We love being included year after year.
As pretty much everyone knows, March was a big month because Steve and I decided to start trying for baby #2 again. Many of you have asked me how it's going...I am in fact pregnant! It is very, very early and we didn't plan on sharing the information for at least another month, but I've had so many people ask about it, I figured I may as well share. I am only 4 weeks pregnant so anything could happen at this point, but we're thinking positive and praying a lot and I'm making sure to rest and take good care of my body. I would certainly appreciate prayers from my family and friends for the health of this pregnancy. Being pregnant after losing a pregnancy is much different than when I was pregnant with Tiernan. I never worried about the "what ifs" the first time around...this time, I am much more aware of how delicate an early pregnancy is. I have decided not to do an ultrasound until we should be able to see a heartbeat, but I can't wait much past 6 weeks in case this pregnancy is also tubal. Please keep our family in your prayers as we wait patiently for good news.
April is going to be another busy, exciting month! Grandpa Dave will be here next weekend and will stay for a whole week! Then, at the end of April we will be going to Montana to stay with the Wilson family for two weeks...I AM SO EXCITED! I haven't seen the Wilsons in almost three years! For those who don't know, the Wilson family (Mommy Gail, Daddy Bud, Melissa, and Jeff) started watching me soon after I was born and have been a very important part of my life. I call them mom and dad and consider Jeff and Melissa to be my brother and sister. This will be the first time they get to meet Tiernan and I know he will love running around their property and playing with Melissa's son Tristan.
I hope that the month of March has treated all of you and your families well. Please know that our family is so thankful to have you in our lives...our family and friends are a true blessing.
Peace and Love,
Alyssa
Tiernan also had tubes put in his ears this month. He was a champ! I was very worried that when the nurse came to take him to the surgery room he'd scream the whole way...but he didn't even bat an eye! Apparently, while he was in the surgery room he gave all of the Dr's and nurses high fives. Coming out of sleep is usually a bit traumatic for kids, but he did just fine. We are so blessed to have such a sweet little boy.
This month Tiernan decided he was ready to start potty training. We don't really push it, if he wants to go he tells us. He really likes feeling like he's a big boy and we are just amazed that he started it all on his own!
He also decided he was done with his crib. So, we went along with it...for a few days. Two nights in a row he decided he wanted to sleep on a pile of stuffed animals on the floor. We decided to put his crib mattress on the floor and see how he slept. He did really well, except normally if he wakes up in the wee hours of the morning and he's in his crib, he'll go right back to sleep...not so much outside of the crib. We decided that his 5 a.m. wake up routine and shortened naps were depriving us all of sleep, so back into the crib he went and he appears to be very happy there now.
Earlier this week Tiernan went on his first Easter egg hunt. Once he understood he was supposed to be looking for eggs and not playing in the rocks, he did really well! Thanks to the Yi family for hosting the hunt.
Our family also celebrated Passover with the Zaragoza family. It's a tradition Steve has shared with their family for almost two decades! It is by far, one of our favorite traditions. Unfortunately, Tiernan didn't have a very good nap that day, so he wasn't as excited about it as we were...but it was still a lot of fun! Thank you so much to Carl and Antje for putting together such a wonderful get-together. We love being included year after year.
As pretty much everyone knows, March was a big month because Steve and I decided to start trying for baby #2 again. Many of you have asked me how it's going...I am in fact pregnant! It is very, very early and we didn't plan on sharing the information for at least another month, but I've had so many people ask about it, I figured I may as well share. I am only 4 weeks pregnant so anything could happen at this point, but we're thinking positive and praying a lot and I'm making sure to rest and take good care of my body. I would certainly appreciate prayers from my family and friends for the health of this pregnancy. Being pregnant after losing a pregnancy is much different than when I was pregnant with Tiernan. I never worried about the "what ifs" the first time around...this time, I am much more aware of how delicate an early pregnancy is. I have decided not to do an ultrasound until we should be able to see a heartbeat, but I can't wait much past 6 weeks in case this pregnancy is also tubal. Please keep our family in your prayers as we wait patiently for good news.
April is going to be another busy, exciting month! Grandpa Dave will be here next weekend and will stay for a whole week! Then, at the end of April we will be going to Montana to stay with the Wilson family for two weeks...I AM SO EXCITED! I haven't seen the Wilsons in almost three years! For those who don't know, the Wilson family (Mommy Gail, Daddy Bud, Melissa, and Jeff) started watching me soon after I was born and have been a very important part of my life. I call them mom and dad and consider Jeff and Melissa to be my brother and sister. This will be the first time they get to meet Tiernan and I know he will love running around their property and playing with Melissa's son Tristan.
I hope that the month of March has treated all of you and your families well. Please know that our family is so thankful to have you in our lives...our family and friends are a true blessing.
Peace and Love,
Alyssa
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
February Adventures...and a couple of misadventures, too!
Somehow the month of February just flew right by! In general it was a pretty uneventful month...which is a good thing!
During the month of February Tiernan went to movement classes every Friday. In these classes he is able to run around a room that is set up with floor mats, a trampoline, hula hoops, balls, and other fun, toddler-size gym equipment. He loves the freedom of doing whatever he wants and Coach Mike is great at encouraging the kids to discover new ways to use the toys. Coach Mike also encourages parents to sit back and let their kids learn how to move on their own instead of hovering over them. After the first couple of classes I was able to sit down and just watch and last Friday Tiernan actually managed to get onto the balance beam on his feet all by himself (he usually gets on and scoots across in a sitting position)! He even took a few steps across the beam without holding onto anything! It is truly amazing to watch him learn and grow.
On Tuesdays Tiernan was going to an art class, but he really didn't enjoy it so we decided to play hooky the last couple of classes and visit GG Rachel instead. Tiernan would much rather play trucks, pick up golf balls for the golfers, and watch the ducks out in GG's backyard than smear weird paint substances across paper. Even though he didn't enjoy the class, I was able to learn some neat tricks to do at home for art projects. We're just going to stick to the movement class and regular visits to GG's house until he turns two...then maybe we'll try a music class....maybe.
In the past few months Tiernan has become obsessed with putting things in his mouth...especially coins or anything small enough to swallow. I thought once he got out of the "baby" stage I wouldn't have to worry about things like that! About mid-February Tiernan decided to swallow one of my small ponytail holders. Of course, this brand doesn't have any metal on it (which is a good thing) so we wouldn't be able to see it on an x-ray. We spent over a week checking to see if it had...ahem...passed into his diaper with no luck. Since he isn't sick or in pain the doctor said not to worry about it....sure hope she's right!
Then, a week or so later, Tiernan was eating popcorn with Steve. It's one of their favorite snuggling activities. Steve and Tiernan snuggle into the couch with each other and snack on popcorn. On this particular occasion Steve kept telling Tiernan not to eat the seeds. Tiernan kept picking them up and would put them back when Steve asked him to. Then, I looked at Tiernan and noticed he seemed to be picking his nose...kind of. At that point, I realized he had shoved a popcorn seed up his nose!! Tiernan was calm and fine until we tried to unsuccessfully dig it out. Steve finally got the idea to suck it out with a straw. That's right, Steve sucked out the popcorn seed by sticking a straw up T's nose...and just as I was screaming, "It's obviously not working!" out came the straw with seed stuck to the end of it. My son is such a boy.
Tiernan had another ear infection in February so we took him to an Ear, Nose, Throat specialist (ENT). He said that the number of infections Tiernan has had is on the high end, but not necessarily worrisome. However, there was fluid behind both of Tiernan's ear drums that were preventing the ear drums from moving. This, along with my family history of needing ear tubes, and some minor speech issues Tiernan has been experiencing gave the doctor reason to feel that putting tubes in Tiernan's ears would be justified. So, on March 22 Tiernan will be getting tubes in both ears. It's a very quick, 10 minute procedure that is not painful and has virtually no side effects. Putting the tubes in will relieve pressure that has built up behind the ear drums and allow Tiernan to hear better. It will also aid in preventing future ear infections. We hope that by helping improve Tiernan's hearing it will leviate some the frustration he's been going through because he will learn how to communicate by using his words more clearly.
Tomorrow is the first day of our journey to Disneyland with GG Rachel! It's supposed to rain for most of our trip, but hopefully we can still create a memorable, fun weekend for GG's birthday!
Peace and Love,
Alyssa
During the month of February Tiernan went to movement classes every Friday. In these classes he is able to run around a room that is set up with floor mats, a trampoline, hula hoops, balls, and other fun, toddler-size gym equipment. He loves the freedom of doing whatever he wants and Coach Mike is great at encouraging the kids to discover new ways to use the toys. Coach Mike also encourages parents to sit back and let their kids learn how to move on their own instead of hovering over them. After the first couple of classes I was able to sit down and just watch and last Friday Tiernan actually managed to get onto the balance beam on his feet all by himself (he usually gets on and scoots across in a sitting position)! He even took a few steps across the beam without holding onto anything! It is truly amazing to watch him learn and grow.
On Tuesdays Tiernan was going to an art class, but he really didn't enjoy it so we decided to play hooky the last couple of classes and visit GG Rachel instead. Tiernan would much rather play trucks, pick up golf balls for the golfers, and watch the ducks out in GG's backyard than smear weird paint substances across paper. Even though he didn't enjoy the class, I was able to learn some neat tricks to do at home for art projects. We're just going to stick to the movement class and regular visits to GG's house until he turns two...then maybe we'll try a music class....maybe.
In the past few months Tiernan has become obsessed with putting things in his mouth...especially coins or anything small enough to swallow. I thought once he got out of the "baby" stage I wouldn't have to worry about things like that! About mid-February Tiernan decided to swallow one of my small ponytail holders. Of course, this brand doesn't have any metal on it (which is a good thing) so we wouldn't be able to see it on an x-ray. We spent over a week checking to see if it had...ahem...passed into his diaper with no luck. Since he isn't sick or in pain the doctor said not to worry about it....sure hope she's right!
Then, a week or so later, Tiernan was eating popcorn with Steve. It's one of their favorite snuggling activities. Steve and Tiernan snuggle into the couch with each other and snack on popcorn. On this particular occasion Steve kept telling Tiernan not to eat the seeds. Tiernan kept picking them up and would put them back when Steve asked him to. Then, I looked at Tiernan and noticed he seemed to be picking his nose...kind of. At that point, I realized he had shoved a popcorn seed up his nose!! Tiernan was calm and fine until we tried to unsuccessfully dig it out. Steve finally got the idea to suck it out with a straw. That's right, Steve sucked out the popcorn seed by sticking a straw up T's nose...and just as I was screaming, "It's obviously not working!" out came the straw with seed stuck to the end of it. My son is such a boy.
Tiernan had another ear infection in February so we took him to an Ear, Nose, Throat specialist (ENT). He said that the number of infections Tiernan has had is on the high end, but not necessarily worrisome. However, there was fluid behind both of Tiernan's ear drums that were preventing the ear drums from moving. This, along with my family history of needing ear tubes, and some minor speech issues Tiernan has been experiencing gave the doctor reason to feel that putting tubes in Tiernan's ears would be justified. So, on March 22 Tiernan will be getting tubes in both ears. It's a very quick, 10 minute procedure that is not painful and has virtually no side effects. Putting the tubes in will relieve pressure that has built up behind the ear drums and allow Tiernan to hear better. It will also aid in preventing future ear infections. We hope that by helping improve Tiernan's hearing it will leviate some the frustration he's been going through because he will learn how to communicate by using his words more clearly.
Tomorrow is the first day of our journey to Disneyland with GG Rachel! It's supposed to rain for most of our trip, but hopefully we can still create a memorable, fun weekend for GG's birthday!
Peace and Love,
Alyssa
Monday, February 22, 2010
Stay-at-home-mommy
I realized several months ago that I was doing SAHM things I swore I would never do. For instance, when going grocery shopping I sometimes let Tiernan sit in the basket instead of the designated seat part of the shopping cart, my house is nowhere near as neat and clean and organized as I swore it would be when I could stay home all the time, although I always offer a healthy snack first, my kid prefers junk food over the nutrient rich good for you stuff and occasionally I give in...but I'm not fretting over any of this stuff. Now that I'm home full time I have a better understanding of why moms do those things I once found so horrible. Never in a million years would I have thought staying home would be so exhausting...even on lazy days when I don't get much done, I find myself dead tired at the end of the day. My mom always said once you have kids you'll never go to the bathroom alone again...she's pretty dead on. As a SAHM you never, ever get a break. I think part of it is cabin fever, I tend to feel more energized when I go out and do something fun during the day, but the other part is that you never really get to rest. Even during naptime, my mind is constantly going--waiting for Tiernan to wake up, thinking about what to make for dinner, planning for the upcoming days, and so on. As I'm chasing Tiernan around the house, pretending like he's too fast for me to catch him, or as I'm trying to keep him out of the kitchen sink while I cook dinner, or as I'm trying to convince Tiernan that naptime really is fun, I find myself wishing he had a pause button...like, "stay right there, let mommy have an uninterrupted rest, and then we'll resume." Then, as I'm trying to rest during naptime or at bedtime I frequently find myself wishing my brain had an off switch. Still, with all the chores that I feel like I should've done but didn't, through all of the tantrums, and with the extreme lack of privacy or down-time, I would never trade my job for anything.
This is why Steve and I made the decision that, unless financially necessary, I will be a SAHM until our youngest child is in school full time. Most people who know I recently finished my degree assume I'm going to start teaching right away. When I explain that, at best, I might substitute teach a day or two a week, I usually get very concerned looks. Steve and I knew as soon as we found out I was pregnant, actually before that even happened, that I would stay home with the kids as long as possible.
I feel incredibly lucky that I get to experience life as a SAHM and I don't regret "wasting" my degree. I am so blessed to have a hard-working husband who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep me at home. So for anyone concerned that my degree will not go to good use, don't worry, I use what I learned in college everyday with Tiernan. To those who are worried about us not having a two income household, don't worry, we have made wise financial decisions and are pretty good at living within the boundaries of our paycheck. Like every couple, we have rough patches we go through, but in general we are one happy family...and I am one happy SAHM.
This is why Steve and I made the decision that, unless financially necessary, I will be a SAHM until our youngest child is in school full time. Most people who know I recently finished my degree assume I'm going to start teaching right away. When I explain that, at best, I might substitute teach a day or two a week, I usually get very concerned looks. Steve and I knew as soon as we found out I was pregnant, actually before that even happened, that I would stay home with the kids as long as possible.
I feel incredibly lucky that I get to experience life as a SAHM and I don't regret "wasting" my degree. I am so blessed to have a hard-working husband who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep me at home. So for anyone concerned that my degree will not go to good use, don't worry, I use what I learned in college everyday with Tiernan. To those who are worried about us not having a two income household, don't worry, we have made wise financial decisions and are pretty good at living within the boundaries of our paycheck. Like every couple, we have rough patches we go through, but in general we are one happy family...and I am one happy SAHM.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Welcome! 2009 wrap-up...bring on 2010!
After seeing so many of my friends' family blogs, I decided I should start one for my own family. Gone are the days of writing individuals letters, or even emails, to share news with loved ones. I will try to update this blog frequently...it will be easier now that I'm a stay-at-home-mom!
2009 was a pretty busy year for our family. Tiernan turned one, Steve recieved his MBA, and I completed my student teaching and recieved my BA in Elementary Education.
With the completion of my degree, I am finally, 100% a stay-at-home-mom (or SAHM). Tiernan and I have fun playing, but the terrible two's are already showing their ugly faces. To combat tantrums I try to keep Tiernan busy. On Tuesdays we go to an art class, which Tiernan dislikes...I'm not a big fan of it either. On Fridays we go to a movement class where Tiernan can run around and go crazy...we both LOVE this class! The instructor is great, encouraging parents to sit back and let their kids explore. Once a month Tiernan learns about farm animals at the Phoenix Zoo....this month he got to feed the cows! Plus, we go to visit GG Rachel as much as we can.
As some of you already know, most of you don't, Steve and I are trying to expand our family. We got pregnant last fall, but unfortunately, it was a tubal pregnancy. My doctor has encouraged us to wait until April or May to try again, but after much prayer we've decided to try again in March. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday...so maybe we'll celebrate the holiday, the anniversary of our engagement, and the birth of a new baby all at once this year! We are very hopeful that my body has had enough time to heal and is ready for another baby. Please keep my health and our family in your prayers.
2010 promises to be a great year. We are starting the year off by taking GG Rachel to Disneyland to celebrate her birthday in March! This will be Tiernan's third visit to Disneyland...he loves it there! I'm sure the rest of the year will hold many more adventures.
Peace and Love to you all,
Alyssa
2009 was a pretty busy year for our family. Tiernan turned one, Steve recieved his MBA, and I completed my student teaching and recieved my BA in Elementary Education.
With the completion of my degree, I am finally, 100% a stay-at-home-mom (or SAHM). Tiernan and I have fun playing, but the terrible two's are already showing their ugly faces. To combat tantrums I try to keep Tiernan busy. On Tuesdays we go to an art class, which Tiernan dislikes...I'm not a big fan of it either. On Fridays we go to a movement class where Tiernan can run around and go crazy...we both LOVE this class! The instructor is great, encouraging parents to sit back and let their kids explore. Once a month Tiernan learns about farm animals at the Phoenix Zoo....this month he got to feed the cows! Plus, we go to visit GG Rachel as much as we can.
As some of you already know, most of you don't, Steve and I are trying to expand our family. We got pregnant last fall, but unfortunately, it was a tubal pregnancy. My doctor has encouraged us to wait until April or May to try again, but after much prayer we've decided to try again in March. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday...so maybe we'll celebrate the holiday, the anniversary of our engagement, and the birth of a new baby all at once this year! We are very hopeful that my body has had enough time to heal and is ready for another baby. Please keep my health and our family in your prayers.
2010 promises to be a great year. We are starting the year off by taking GG Rachel to Disneyland to celebrate her birthday in March! This will be Tiernan's third visit to Disneyland...he loves it there! I'm sure the rest of the year will hold many more adventures.
Peace and Love to you all,
Alyssa
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