Christmas 2006 - AKA Overkill

As you can see, I went overboard, again. The poor kids still have presents under the tree that they haven't show any interest in opening. I think I am going to put them in my closet for next year, they'll never know. Gwendolyn got a doll house with all the trimming as her big Santa gift and Owen got an addition to his Thomas the Train wooden track. Like he cares at this point, but someday he'll like it. Little boys are hard to buy for. It seems all the aisles at the stores are geared for baby dolls or older boy toys like GI Joe action stuff. He had all of Gwendolyns baby toys and ride on and walk with stuff, so no need there. Poor second child.
I picked up a big toy box at Value Village this morning, so hopefully my living room will regain some sense of order. I feel like I am continually living in a state of clutter. I admit I am a packrat and that is a big step for me. I always feel like I would need that precious item in the future, so I better just hold on to it. Or, it was such a good deal that I just HAD to buy it for the someday-in-the-future need. Matt is starting to comment on it. His garage is not good example of no clutter. That makes us a good fit for each other. I have taken a liking to bargain shopping, such as thrift shops and garage sales. I do have to admit that I feel a little dirty after being in any thrift shop and I need to wash my hands. I like to find good deals for myself or even others. I bought a bassinet for a lady at my Church this morning, who is down on her luck and due in April. I like the feeling I get from helping others, all warm and fuzzy like.

I have a bridal shower and bachelorette party tonight. The bachelorette portion is called "wiggin out" and we are all to wear wigs and go party in the stretch Hummer. I don't know that I will do that part, no wig and no all night energy. I had a wig to borrow, but didn't follow up on it in time. I think some wine at the shower will do me just fine. It is for Karina Vogel, who is getting married in Alyeska on New Years Eve. I need to remember my camera.

Two days in a row, woohoo a new record for blogging.

It'a been a while

Hello strange world of blogging that I have abandoned. I like to read others blogs, but am lame about upkeep of my own. I was never good at keeping a journal as a child, so don't know why I though I would be good at this.
As you can see I survived a year of parenting two. Gwendolyn is still a ball of energy, but a blessing at that. She is trying to exert her opinion and test out feelings. If she doesn't get something she wants, she will resort to the statement "you make me sad" with a bottom lip sticking out for emphasis. Doesn't make it far, but it is kinda cute. She is mostly good with Owen, though he still gets knocked down on occasion. She has been completely day potty trained since between 2 & 2 1/2. I haven't pushed for night training, since I don't want to get up at night after just getting Owen to sleep all night. She has reached the point of being able to answer direct questions, "how are you?" will get an answer not a repeat. She loves Buzz Lightyear and singing Jesus Loves Me. About a month ago she started coming to our bed in the middle of the night to sleep with us. While cute, it is not something we want to encourage. She might stay with us for a while, but we end up sending her back because she does not share well.

As for Owen, he is still Momma's boy. He had a rough start into 1. Right after his birthday he ended up with a stomache bug that had him throwing up for 5 days, with runs ontop of that. His birthday was very fun with lots of kids and activities (floam critters). We went to the Dr for his 1 year check-up and shots the following Tuesday. The appt went well enough, but they were concerned about his lack of weight gain. He went from the 75% to less than the 5% during his year of life. What can I say, he doens't like to eat food. More on that later. So we get the news that we have to go get blood drawn after his shots to test his thyroid. Yippyy. Soo...I am trying to get him partially dressed in preparation for his shot. I reach to the floor for his socks and let go of his legs to get that extra inch of reach and flip he goes off the table! Onto his poor forehead. I felt like an ass and he cried so hard. Feeling like an ass and him not reacting bad, besides crying, I didn't admit it to the Dr. Poor choice and I know it. Anyhow, shots and blood draw later, then onto home. Early the next morning I hear retching over the moniter and go to check, but don't feel anything in his crib so I go back to bed. When he gets up for the day I see vomit all over him and the bed. Poor baby is sick and starts to retch on me. I send Gwendolyn and Duke down to Grandmas with Matt. I call the Dr to see if he is reacting to the shots or the drop on the head or just a bug. They are concerned and want me to rush there. I am borderline hysterical, so Matt meets me there. He is fine, but has a stomache bug. During his 5 days of vomiting, he lost a precious pound off his already small body. He weighed 18lb 5oz at his year checkup. We went back a week after the vomiting and he had gained it back, YEA. Now to keep feeding him. He got his first taste of food, rice cereal, at 6 months. Wasn't excited about that very much. I was lucky if I could get a small jar of food into him for the next 4 months. He still nursed lots and that is where he was getting 90% of his nutrients. He is now actively opening his mouth for a spoonful of food, but he is still a very picky eater and not very trustworthy of what you are offering him. I would estimate that 90% of what he eats now, foodwise, is jarred baby food. Not very into what is on anyones plate yet. He took his first few steps a couple days before his birthday, but being sick derailed that talent. He is just now at 13 months getting really confident and walking across rooms and turning. Crawling is still the fast method. His first word was Momma :) followed by ball (loves balls), then bye. Aapa (his second favorite adult) swears that he said Aapa last night when he was over to visit. He gives high fives and waves bye and is giving a silly grin that shows off his one top tooth, kinda wrinkled nose and snaggle tooth like. Adorable. He is always interested in whatever his big sister is playing with, of course.



I think that is a fair update of my kiddos and what they are doing. I will try to keep a better blog going. Maybe if I don't mention that I have it going again I will do better, not likely, but maybe. Personally I think it is a little depressing to see everyone else getting blog rolled and me not, but then I try to remember that I don't update often enough to get included in on the fun. But, on the other hand, I think I would update more if I though I had people reading what I was writing. Blogging shouldn't be a popularity contest, but it can feel like one. There, I bore a portion of my insecure soul for you :) don't tell anyone.

My Babies Birthdays

For Gwendolyn

You entered: 3/8/2004
Your date of conception was on or about 16 June 2003 which was a Monday.
You were born on a Mondayunder the astrological sign Pisces.
Your Life path number is 8.
The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2453072.5.
The golden number for 2004 is 10.
The epact number for 2004 is 8.
The year 2004 was a leap year.
Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 1/22/2004 and ending 2/8/2005.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Monkey.
The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 11 April 2004.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 25 February 2004.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 30 May 2004.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 6 June 2004.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Thursday, 16 September 2004.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Tuesday, 6 April 2004.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 24 February 2004.
As of 2/24/2006 8:12:53 PM ESTYou are 1 years old. You are 23 months old.
You are 102 weeks old.
You are 718 days old.You are 17,252 hours old.
You are 1,035,132 minutes old.You are 62,107,973 seconds old.
Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 0.281017612524462 years old. (You're just a pup!)
There are 12 days till your next birthdayon which your cake will have 2 candles.
Those 2 candles produce 2 BTUs,or 504 calories of heat (that's only 0.5040 food Calories!) .
You can boil 0.23 US ounces of water with that many candles.
In 2004 there were 4,091,063 births in the US.
In 2004 the US population was approximately 281,421,906 people, 79.6 persons per square mile.
In 2004 in the US there were approximately 2,181,000 marriages (7.4%) and — divorces (3.7%)
In 2004 in the US there were approximately 2,423,000 deaths (8.3 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.
Your birthstone is Aquamarine The Mystical properties of Aquamarine
Aquamarine is often used to experience love and mercy. It is said to help ease depression and grief.Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)
Jade, Rock Crystal, BloodstoneYour birth tree is
Weeping Willow, the Melancholy
Beautiful but full of melancholy, attractive, very empathic, loves anything beautiful and tasteful, loves to travel, dreamer, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with, demanding, good intuition, suffers in love but finds sometimes an anchoring partner.
There are 304 days till Christmas 2006!
There are 317 days till Orthodox Christmas!
The moon's phase on the day you wereborn was waning gibbous.

For Owen

You entered: 11/24/2005
Your date of conception was on or about 3 March 2005 which was a Thursday.
You were born on a Thursdayunder the astrological sign Sagittarius.
Your Life path number is 6.
The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2453698.5.
The golden number for 2005 is 11.
The epact number for 2005 is 19.
The year 2005 was not a leap year.
Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 2/9/2005 and ending 1/28/2006.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Rooster.
The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 27 March 2005.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 9 February 2005.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 15 May 2005.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 22 May 2005.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Monday, 3 October 2005.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Saturday, 23 April 2005.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 8 February 2005.
As of 2/24/2006 8:14:15 PM ESTYou are 0 years old.
You are 3 months old.
You are 13 weeks old.
You are 92 days old.
You are 2,228 hours old.
You are 133,694 minutes old.
You are 8,021,655 seconds old.
Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 3.60078277886497E-02 years old. (You're just a pup!)
There are 273 days till your next birthdayon which your cake will have 1 candles.
Those 1 candles produce 1 BTUs,or 252 calories of heat (that's only 0.2520 food Calories!) .
You can boil 0.11 US ounces of water with that many candles.
In 2005 there were 4,091,063 births in the US.
In 2005 the US population was approximately 281,421,906 people, 79.6 persons per square mile.
In 2005 in the US there were approximately 2,181,000 marriages (7.4%) and — divorces (3.7%)
In 2005 in the US there were approximately 2,423,000 deaths (8.3 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.
Your birthstone is Citrine The Mystical properties of Citrine
Citrine is said to help one connect with Spirit. Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)
Yellow Topaz, Pearl, Diamond
Your birth tree is
Ash Tree, the Ambition
Uncommonly attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with its fate, can be egoistic, very reliable and trustworthy, faithful and prudent lover, sometimes brains rule over heart, but takes partnership very serious.
There are 304 days till Christmas 2006!
There are 317 days till Orthodox Christmas!
The moon's phase on the day you wereborn was in its last quarter.

My birthday facts

http://www.paulsadowski.com/birthday.asp

You entered: 8/30/1975
Your date of conception was on or about 7 December 1974 which was a Saturday.
You were born on a Saturdayunder the astrological sign Virgo.
Your Life path number is 6.
The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2442654.5.
The golden number for 1975 is 19.
The epact number for 1975 is 17.
The year 1975 was not a leap year.
Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 2/11/1975 and ending 1/30/1976.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Rabbit.
The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 30 March 1975.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 12 February 1975.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 18 May 1975.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 25 May 1975.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Saturday, 6 September 1975.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Thursday, 27 March 1975.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 11 February 1975.
As of 2/24/2006 7:57:43 PM ESTYou are 30 years old.
You are 366 months old.You are 1,591 weeks old.
You are 11,136 days old.You are 267,283 hours old.
You are 16,037,037 minutes old.You are 962,222,263 seconds old.
Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 4.35851272015656 years old. (You're still chasing cats!)
There are 187 days till your next birthdayon which your cake will have 31 candles.
Those 31 candles produce 31 BTUs,or 7,812 calories of heat (that's only 7.8120 food Calories!) .
You can boil 3.54 US ounces of water with that many candles.
In 1975 there were approximately 3.1 million births in the US.In 1975 the US population was approximately 203,302,031 people, 57.4 persons per square mile.
In 1975 in the US there were approximately 2,152,662 marriages (10.1%) and 1,036,000 divorces (4.9%)
In 1975 in the US there were approximately 1,921,000 deaths (9.5 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.
Your birthstone is Peridot
The Mystical properties of Peridot
Peridot is used to help dreams become a reality.
Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)
Sardonyx, Diamond, Jade
Your birth tree is
Pine Tree, the Particularity
Loves agreeable company, very robust, knows how to make life comfortable, very active, natural, good companion, but seldom friendly, falls easily in love but its passion burns out quickly, gives up easily, many disappointments till it finds its ideal, trustworthy, practical.
There are 304 days till Christmas 2006!
There are 317 days till Orthodox Christmas!
The moon's phase on the day you wereborn was waning crescent.

Changing Everyday

Just shy of 23 months, Gwendolyn started forming sentences with all her little words.  It is amazing to watch her continue to learn and expand.  For being an independant child, she is trying even harder.  Now she has to try doing all the dressing and shoe putting-on.  My lesson, plan far ahead, don't need to leave the house fast, at all.  Won't happen.  She has been great about the whole potty training plan, usually telling me when she has to go,  For the past week she has had the stomache flu/runs.  Practically every hour, she needed to go potty.  She always knew in enough advance to tell me.  The only problem this has caused is she doesn't ask to go potty now unless it involves some "action".  This means no more peeing on the potty.  I Guess I would rather change wet diapers than stinky.

Owen has been real good to me the last few nights and slept a 5 hour stretch.  Sleep is fabulous, in my book.  He is 2 1/2 months and that is also when Gwendolyn started sleeping in a longer stretch like that.  I hope he takes on her napping abilities.  Right now he likes to nap while being held, preferably by me.  argggg  That means I get nothing done during that time.  He has pretty good control of holding his head up, there is still a little bobble on occasion.  Mornings are his happy time, but he is still a night owl.  I look forward to the day when he wants to go to sleep before 8pm, not after 10pm.  I am still waiting for him to decide if he wants to be a thumb or finger sucker.  He is constantly putting the side of his hand in his mouth and trying to suck.  At his 2 month check he was 11 lb 4 oz.

We are flying out to Spokane in 3 days with my mom and sister in law and her baby.  Should be interesting.

Native girl

Just some recent Gwendolyn shots in her parka and kuspuk.

Time flies

Owen is now 2 months old.

He is 11 lb 4 oz and 22 inches.  We are doing wonderful, busy but wonderful.  2 kids under 2 is a huge handful.  Gwendolyn loves on him more than she hits him, most days.  Yesterday she tested my patience alllll day long, wow she sure was a terrible twos all day.  Today she dragged poor Owen off the couch and dropped him on the floor.  She just doesn't get it.  Bless her heart, she has good intentions, but bad thoughts.

Owen is sure a mommas boy.  I blame Gwendolyn for that.  I can't leave Owen laying anywhere for fear she will hit him or try to take him somewhere.  So he is always in my arms.  That is where he prefers to sleep as well, next to me in bed.  We have made huge steps the last few days.  He has slept in the bassinet for 3/4 of the night the last 2 nights.  Such progress.  I am afraid if I don't work on this now, he will always need me next to him to sleep or he will always be in our bed.  I think that time is important for a couple.