Ok, but it's still one baby. They didn't mess up and miss another baby in there. I happen to think I would be a little bit bigger if I were having twins.
Sorry about the delay...I was playing phone tag for a little bit.
Anyway, we did have our ultrasound, and we are having another girl! It will be fun to do matching clothes with them. The ultrasound tech said that the baby looks perfectly healthy, and she was so active that it was hard for the tech to get some of the pictures! I guess we'll really have our hands full! She has all of her fingers and toes, which is always good to hear. She really was bouncing off the walls; I was actually surprised I didn't feel it more, but I guess the placenta is on top and serves as a kind of cushion to her kicks and punches. I do feel her kicking and moving sometimes, but I had no idea that she was that active!
I'm just going to keep guessing boy until I'm right. I just really feel like a boy will be coming to our family...eventually. He better hurry up! :)
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Amen!
"So frequently we mistakenly believe that our children need more things, when in reality their silent pleadings are simply for more of our time."
--President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 1994, 62
"Will prayers that do not demand much of your thought merit much attention from our Heavenly Father? When you find yourself getting into a routine with your prayers, step back and think. Meditate for a while on the things for which you really are grateful. Look for them. They don't have to be grand or glorious. Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your favorite food, or the sound of a loved one's voice. Thinking of things we are grateful for is a healing balm. It helps us get outside ourselves. It changes our focus from our pains and our trials to the abundance of this beautiful world we live in."
--Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Improving Our Prayers," Liahona, Aug. 2004, 18
--President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 1994, 62
"Will prayers that do not demand much of your thought merit much attention from our Heavenly Father? When you find yourself getting into a routine with your prayers, step back and think. Meditate for a while on the things for which you really are grateful. Look for them. They don't have to be grand or glorious. Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your favorite food, or the sound of a loved one's voice. Thinking of things we are grateful for is a healing balm. It helps us get outside ourselves. It changes our focus from our pains and our trials to the abundance of this beautiful world we live in."
--Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Improving Our Prayers," Liahona, Aug. 2004, 18
Thursday, May 29, 2008
So...
I still have a few phone calls I want to make, but dang peeps have to live on the East Coast! As in, it's much too late to call them right now, so I won't post the babial gender until I've talked to them. We were able to find out what we're having, so that's good. And it's really annoying that they keep telling me I'm not as far along as I think I am. Maybe the due date really is October 27th. But, dang it, I've already moved back one day! I like to pick a date and stay with it, and I don't like the constant shifting around because the baby happens to be measuring a couple of days smaller than what we're thinking.
Anyway, I certainly am very grateful for what looks like a very active, healthy baby. I'm also grateful for a Heavenly Father who reassures me when I feel like a woefully inadequate parent. There's a line in my patriarchal blessing that says I'll be blessed with the strength to be a strong, wise mother who knows how to raise her children. Heavenly Father sure knew what He was doing when He put that in there, because since I have become a mother, that line has comforted me when nothing else can, and I mean it has really calmed my soul and made me feel at peace when I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing as a parent. It sure helped me calm down today!
Anyway, the Schmenna is in bed, and I've got a movie due back at the library tomorrow, and fines are $1.00 per day. I'd say that's incentive to watch it, wouldn't you? :)
Anyway, I certainly am very grateful for what looks like a very active, healthy baby. I'm also grateful for a Heavenly Father who reassures me when I feel like a woefully inadequate parent. There's a line in my patriarchal blessing that says I'll be blessed with the strength to be a strong, wise mother who knows how to raise her children. Heavenly Father sure knew what He was doing when He put that in there, because since I have become a mother, that line has comforted me when nothing else can, and I mean it has really calmed my soul and made me feel at peace when I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing as a parent. It sure helped me calm down today!
Anyway, the Schmenna is in bed, and I've got a movie due back at the library tomorrow, and fines are $1.00 per day. I'd say that's incentive to watch it, wouldn't you? :)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
What's Goin' On
Sorry for the delay in postage. First of all, the "picture" of Blakely, to the left, is huge! He/she is getting so long and skinny. Kind of like Jenna's feet. I wonder who she gets that from...
And speaking of Blakely, we find out (hopefully) tomorrow morning-ish if it is a he or a she. Like I put on ExpectNet and in an earlier post, I think it's a boy, but I'm not set on it like I was with Jenna. I'll be surprised if it's another girl, but not flat out shocked like last time. I just think it's funny that such a tomboy could have two girls right in a row. I may have to learn how to braid hair, aaaaaaaaaaah!! I'm sure I'll adapt if that's the case; I'll just have to ask some girly-girls for advice on girlish behavior. :)
In other news, the semi battle of non-wills continues. Jenna is doing a little better, but she still has a tendency to randomly pull off her glasses, especially if I leave the room. How dare I go to the bathroom!!! I have also tried the art of redirection, which actually rarely works, even though I'm quite animated about it. She is single to the eye of taking her glasses off once she starts. That girl is determined! I have actually become so frustrated on three occasions that I put her in the pack-n-play in the closet and shut the door for a few minutes, because I know she hates it in there. Boy, does that ever make me feel like a mean mommy! I have only done that if I know that she is being deliberately disobedient, which means ignoring my "NO, Jenna! Leave your glasses on", throwing them at me while running away and shouting "UHHHH!" That, my friends, I will not tolerate. I know she understands to keep them on, and when she acts like that, we need to do something else, and that's where the pack-n-play comes in. And actually, those occasions were also an opportunity for me to step away and calm down, too. Have you ever known that you needed to get away from a situation immediately? Yeah. There's just something about a child being deliberately disobedient that gets my goat like nothing else! However, the vast majority of the time, we just say "No. You need to keep your glasses on." and we put them back on her.
She may not understand why we want the glasses on, but she's a smart kiddo and she gets that we do want them on her. Overall, I think it's getting better, slowly, but it's still an ongoing battle.
And here's a thought: maybe you'd be able to see through them better if you wouldn't, oh, I don't know, rub them up and down the vent, try to force a lid shut on them, throw them over the baby gate onto the hard floor, etc!!! There are scratches galore on these glasses, let me tell you. And today, I had to call Braden at work to figure out where they were, because I absolutely could not find them this morning. I was worried, because part of the reason we had so much trouble a few months ago was because we lost them for a week, and Jenna didn't want to keep them on at all after that. That time, apparently she had buried them in one of her toy bins. Anyway, so I called Braden today, and he said, thinking back, that it was entirely possible that he put her to bed with them still on, because he was so out of it last night. Well, that was enough to make me start looking around her crib....and there they were, all the way under the crib, folded all nicely and half a foot from the wall. I'm still not quite sure how she managed to get them in that position, but hey, at least they have been found!
We will post the results of the ultrasound when we get back tomorrow. Stay tuned!
And speaking of Blakely, we find out (hopefully) tomorrow morning-ish if it is a he or a she. Like I put on ExpectNet and in an earlier post, I think it's a boy, but I'm not set on it like I was with Jenna. I'll be surprised if it's another girl, but not flat out shocked like last time. I just think it's funny that such a tomboy could have two girls right in a row. I may have to learn how to braid hair, aaaaaaaaaaah!! I'm sure I'll adapt if that's the case; I'll just have to ask some girly-girls for advice on girlish behavior. :)
In other news, the semi battle of non-wills continues. Jenna is doing a little better, but she still has a tendency to randomly pull off her glasses, especially if I leave the room. How dare I go to the bathroom!!! I have also tried the art of redirection, which actually rarely works, even though I'm quite animated about it. She is single to the eye of taking her glasses off once she starts. That girl is determined! I have actually become so frustrated on three occasions that I put her in the pack-n-play in the closet and shut the door for a few minutes, because I know she hates it in there. Boy, does that ever make me feel like a mean mommy! I have only done that if I know that she is being deliberately disobedient, which means ignoring my "NO, Jenna! Leave your glasses on", throwing them at me while running away and shouting "UHHHH!" That, my friends, I will not tolerate. I know she understands to keep them on, and when she acts like that, we need to do something else, and that's where the pack-n-play comes in. And actually, those occasions were also an opportunity for me to step away and calm down, too. Have you ever known that you needed to get away from a situation immediately? Yeah. There's just something about a child being deliberately disobedient that gets my goat like nothing else! However, the vast majority of the time, we just say "No. You need to keep your glasses on." and we put them back on her.
She may not understand why we want the glasses on, but she's a smart kiddo and she gets that we do want them on her. Overall, I think it's getting better, slowly, but it's still an ongoing battle.
And here's a thought: maybe you'd be able to see through them better if you wouldn't, oh, I don't know, rub them up and down the vent, try to force a lid shut on them, throw them over the baby gate onto the hard floor, etc!!! There are scratches galore on these glasses, let me tell you. And today, I had to call Braden at work to figure out where they were, because I absolutely could not find them this morning. I was worried, because part of the reason we had so much trouble a few months ago was because we lost them for a week, and Jenna didn't want to keep them on at all after that. That time, apparently she had buried them in one of her toy bins. Anyway, so I called Braden today, and he said, thinking back, that it was entirely possible that he put her to bed with them still on, because he was so out of it last night. Well, that was enough to make me start looking around her crib....and there they were, all the way under the crib, folded all nicely and half a foot from the wall. I'm still not quite sure how she managed to get them in that position, but hey, at least they have been found!
We will post the results of the ultrasound when we get back tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Monday, May 19, 2008
The Semi-Non-Battle of Wills
We took the Bear in for her second opinion glasses-wise this morning. Since we switched insurance, we can't continue to see the same doctor as before, so we saw a different pediatric eye doctor. Good news is that he doesn't think her eyes are crossing enough with the glasses to warrant eye muscle surgery (the other doctor said it was very likely she'd have surgery at around a year old). I expressed my concerns about her never wearing her glasses, and he said keep trying. So as of now, we are laying the smack down about Jenna's glasses. It's been about two months since we just gave up at home since she would never wear them, but now since the doctor said the prescription is correct, we're doing our best to make sure she does wear them all the time.
Today has been a struggle, to say the least. It is really very, very difficult to keep glasses on a baby, especially a highly mobile one. A few people say that they had no problems keeping them on their baby because the baby couldn't see without them. Well, sure!! However, Jenna can see without them...she just crosses her eyes to do so, which is what we don't want. If she continues to do so, her brain will shut off one eye, so that she only sees out of the dominant eye. That's what happened to Braden and I believe Dad E. as well.
My questionable "methods", since I have no idea what I'm doing:
I briefly tried saying "NO" loudly and holding her in my lap for a minute while telling her to keep them on, but after 3-4 tries of that we were both pretty upset, and she now runs away from me after pulling them off. Glory be and Hallelujah to that. Hopefully, she'll have forgotten that I tried that by tomorrow. I was trying to make it not fun for her to pull them off, but then I read online that positive reinforcement is key and to avoid battles of will. Which I agree with. So now I'm trying to be nice about it, but say no and put them right back on or within a minute or two. We do have eye drops to dilate her eyes, which we can use for the next 3 days, which makes it hard for her to see without her glasses. I hope that helps.
In the meantime, I know it will take time, and I'm trying to have patience...
Today has been a struggle, to say the least. It is really very, very difficult to keep glasses on a baby, especially a highly mobile one. A few people say that they had no problems keeping them on their baby because the baby couldn't see without them. Well, sure!! However, Jenna can see without them...she just crosses her eyes to do so, which is what we don't want. If she continues to do so, her brain will shut off one eye, so that she only sees out of the dominant eye. That's what happened to Braden and I believe Dad E. as well.
My questionable "methods", since I have no idea what I'm doing:
I briefly tried saying "NO" loudly and holding her in my lap for a minute while telling her to keep them on, but after 3-4 tries of that we were both pretty upset, and she now runs away from me after pulling them off. Glory be and Hallelujah to that. Hopefully, she'll have forgotten that I tried that by tomorrow. I was trying to make it not fun for her to pull them off, but then I read online that positive reinforcement is key and to avoid battles of will. Which I agree with. So now I'm trying to be nice about it, but say no and put them right back on or within a minute or two. We do have eye drops to dilate her eyes, which we can use for the next 3 days, which makes it hard for her to see without her glasses. I hope that helps.
In the meantime, I know it will take time, and I'm trying to have patience...
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Blakely News
So some of you may not know that I've been having some not-so-fun symptoms as of late, which I won't go into here. We did go see the midwife a little early just to make sure everything is fine, and it is, thank goodness. Also thankfully, the symptoms seem to be getting more tolerable, so I'm grateful for that.
Anyway, Blakely, as of around Wednesday, has started kicking up a storm. I've felt kicks for weeks, but now the baby is a lot more active. Except, of course, whenever Braden tries to feel the kicking, in which case it stops immediately. Jenna was the same way. It's like they know. :)
On to other Blakely news, we have our ultrasound scheduled in a little less than 2 weeks, where the question of babial gender will be resolved once and for all. At least it better be, because if you can't tell at 19 weeks, then what kind of an ultrasound tech are you???? :)
Anyway, Blakely, as of around Wednesday, has started kicking up a storm. I've felt kicks for weeks, but now the baby is a lot more active. Except, of course, whenever Braden tries to feel the kicking, in which case it stops immediately. Jenna was the same way. It's like they know. :)
On to other Blakely news, we have our ultrasound scheduled in a little less than 2 weeks, where the question of babial gender will be resolved once and for all. At least it better be, because if you can't tell at 19 weeks, then what kind of an ultrasound tech are you???? :)
Friday, May 16, 2008
A Little Good Tubes
Some YouTube videos (and a couple from Metacafe) that I have come across lately:
1. I love Mr. Bean. This may just be my favorite Bean clip.*
2. Manny Ramirez not only makes an amazing catch in Left Field, he then turns around and throws to first in time to double-up the runner who was off the base. So what, you say? How about throwing in a high-five to a fan right in the middle? Impressed now? Me neither. I did that yesterday just because I was bored.
3. Now to get you angry. Here we have a Dad going to jail because his daughter didn't pass the GED. I'm sure there is more going on in the background here, but even trying to consider the most generous scenario, this is still pretty outrageous. In fact, the lawyer they bring on to argue for the judge's side has to admit that it is out there.
4. Back to baseball, what are the odds of this happening?
5. Finally, a hidden-camera prank that involves switching out the signs on the changing rooms at a beach so that the guys walk into the ladies changing room. There are a few swimsuits shown but nothing more than you would see at the YMCA that I saw.
* You can't hold me to this, because I pretty much love every Bean clip and could claim them all as favorites.
1. I love Mr. Bean. This may just be my favorite Bean clip.*
2. Manny Ramirez not only makes an amazing catch in Left Field, he then turns around and throws to first in time to double-up the runner who was off the base. So what, you say? How about throwing in a high-five to a fan right in the middle? Impressed now? Me neither. I did that yesterday just because I was bored.
3. Now to get you angry. Here we have a Dad going to jail because his daughter didn't pass the GED. I'm sure there is more going on in the background here, but even trying to consider the most generous scenario, this is still pretty outrageous. In fact, the lawyer they bring on to argue for the judge's side has to admit that it is out there.
4. Back to baseball, what are the odds of this happening?
5. Finally, a hidden-camera prank that involves switching out the signs on the changing rooms at a beach so that the guys walk into the ladies changing room. There are a few swimsuits shown but nothing more than you would see at the YMCA that I saw.
* You can't hold me to this, because I pretty much love every Bean clip and could claim them all as favorites.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
A Question of Babial Gender
Braden directed me toward the ExpectNet online baby pool, and I'm just curious as to why out of 6 guesses, I am the only one who thinks Blakely is a boy? It's just a little unusual to see everyone guessing that.
I have to say, I was so convinced that Jenna was a boy, that when we found out she was a girl, I was completely shocked. This time around, I do think it's a boy, BUT I'm not as convinced. It obviously could go either way! :) I just wouldn't have pictured me with two girls right off the bat, especially since I've always been such a tomboy. We've got about 4 weeks to go until we find out, and I will say that I'll certainly be surprised if it's another girl. But Jenna is so freaking cool that I think I'll be able to handle the surprise better this time. :)
I have to say, I was so convinced that Jenna was a boy, that when we found out she was a girl, I was completely shocked. This time around, I do think it's a boy, BUT I'm not as convinced. It obviously could go either way! :) I just wouldn't have pictured me with two girls right off the bat, especially since I've always been such a tomboy. We've got about 4 weeks to go until we find out, and I will say that I'll certainly be surprised if it's another girl. But Jenna is so freaking cool that I think I'll be able to handle the surprise better this time. :)
Friday, May 9, 2008
David Day
My friend Jen informed me (through her blog) that today is David Archuleta Day in Utah. Looks like he'll be really busy for a day and a half, and this during a week where he has to prepare to sing 3 songs! For those who don't watch American Idol, there are only 3 contestants left, and he is the last Mormon (Brooke White was voted off last week). I still think he'll win; he has such a beautiful voice.
Here is the link.
Here is the link.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Crispy Christy
This is from babynamesworld, when I looked up Christy:
"My third grade teacher botched one day in geography class and said "Corpus Crispy" in place of "Corpus Christi," and after that people called me Crispy for a while."
Let's just say that this made me laugh...a lot.
Also, Mom, thank your lucky stars you weren't a kid in the Simpsons era, because many with your name said that they were called Krusty the Clown!
"My third grade teacher botched one day in geography class and said "Corpus Crispy" in place of "Corpus Christi," and after that people called me Crispy for a while."
Let's just say that this made me laugh...a lot.
Also, Mom, thank your lucky stars you weren't a kid in the Simpsons era, because many with your name said that they were called Krusty the Clown!
Some More Pics
Ker here again. I wanted to share these pics of Jenna from April 20th. She's wearing a dress from Granmom E., and it's a bit longer than a lot of her other dresses, although it still fits her. In any case, dresses in general are very hard to crawl in, and this dress was even worse for her, but very humorous for anyone who happened to be watching her attempts to crawl. What she settled on was making her legs completely straight while continuing to crawl normally with her hands. Hee hee. This was shortly before she began walking, and we were briefly tempted to just keep her in dresses until she figured out it is much easier to walk in a dress! I kid. No, Jenna actually learned in her own time and is doing a great job with walking now. Anyway, here are some (blurry) pics:
On an unrelated note, I was looking around in a Burlington Coat Factory a few weeks ago and came across some interesting Diego and Dora face puppets. They seriously looked like scary old ladies or something. Certainly not the friendly, inviting faces we all know and love. Take a look:
On an unrelated note, I was looking around in a Burlington Coat Factory a few weeks ago and came across some interesting Diego and Dora face puppets. They seriously looked like scary old ladies or something. Certainly not the friendly, inviting faces we all know and love. Take a look:
Some Walking Pictures
This is Kerry. My computer is dumb and slow, and therefore will not let me put any more stuff on it. I need to do a thorough cleaning and get rid of old files and such. I have no motivation to do that right now, though, so in the meantime, I am using Braden's computer to post pictures and videos.
These are from last Saturday when we were at the mall down south and introduced Jenna to the bigger play area there. She later had fun pushing the stroller backwards until Braden's patience was tested and he ended up putting her in it...much faster that way!
These are from last Saturday when we were at the mall down south and introduced Jenna to the bigger play area there. She later had fun pushing the stroller backwards until Braden's patience was tested and he ended up putting her in it...much faster that way!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
News
Yes, the Bear is walking. As of about a week ago, although she still crawls from time to time if walking isn't doing it for her fast enough. I shall endeavor to get some pictures and videos up sometime, if Jenna ever lets me out of the living room and onto the computer, which has been extremely rare lately.
Allow me to explain: I have a term I like to use when Jenna is not in a good mood: "Cranky booty". As in "Jenna is cranky booty today." Not "Jenna is A cranky booty", just so we're clear.
Jenna is CRANKY BOOTY. She has been since, I don't know, last Friday or so? Either the teething has gotten more painful, or there are more teeth coming in, or I don't even know. I kept her home from church on Sunday, and man, was THAT ever an excellent call. She was worse on Sunday than she'd been on Saturday, and she was pretty bad on Saturday. And that was on a full night's sleep, which she would not have gotten if I'd taken her to church, since Braden worked at 7am, and I'd have had to drive him. Don't you just feel soooooo tempted to let your kid sleep in the crib and run real quick to drop your husband off at work? Yes, you do. I can sense it. And sometimes I'm tempted, too. But I don't give in.
For which I deserve a Butterfinger Blizzard. Thank you.
Allow me to explain: I have a term I like to use when Jenna is not in a good mood: "Cranky booty". As in "Jenna is cranky booty today." Not "Jenna is A cranky booty", just so we're clear.
Jenna is CRANKY BOOTY. She has been since, I don't know, last Friday or so? Either the teething has gotten more painful, or there are more teeth coming in, or I don't even know. I kept her home from church on Sunday, and man, was THAT ever an excellent call. She was worse on Sunday than she'd been on Saturday, and she was pretty bad on Saturday. And that was on a full night's sleep, which she would not have gotten if I'd taken her to church, since Braden worked at 7am, and I'd have had to drive him. Don't you just feel soooooo tempted to let your kid sleep in the crib and run real quick to drop your husband off at work? Yes, you do. I can sense it. And sometimes I'm tempted, too. But I don't give in.
For which I deserve a Butterfinger Blizzard. Thank you.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Forgiving Others
I read a chapter each from the Book of Mormon and the New Testament online every day, and when I click on the "Completed" link, it takes me to readthescriptures.com where there is a quote, usually from General Conference. I really liked this one, and wanted to share it:
"What is our response when we are offended, misunderstood, unfairly or unkindly treated, or sinned against, made an offender for a word, falsely accused, passed over, hurt by those we love, our offerings rejected? Do we resent, become bitter, hold a grudge? Or do we resolve the problem if we can, forgive, and rid ourselves of the burden? The nature of our response to such situations may well determine the nature and quality of our lives, here and eternally. A courageous friend, her faith refined by many afflictions, said to me only hours ago, “Humiliation must come before exaltation.” It is required of us to forgive. Our salvation depends upon it."
--Marion D. Hanks, "Forgiveness The Ultimate Form of Love", Ensign Jan. 1974, 20
"What is our response when we are offended, misunderstood, unfairly or unkindly treated, or sinned against, made an offender for a word, falsely accused, passed over, hurt by those we love, our offerings rejected? Do we resent, become bitter, hold a grudge? Or do we resolve the problem if we can, forgive, and rid ourselves of the burden? The nature of our response to such situations may well determine the nature and quality of our lives, here and eternally. A courageous friend, her faith refined by many afflictions, said to me only hours ago, “Humiliation must come before exaltation.” It is required of us to forgive. Our salvation depends upon it."
--Marion D. Hanks, "Forgiveness The Ultimate Form of Love", Ensign Jan. 1974, 20
Baby Guessing Game
Hello faithful fans!As we approach our mid-prego ultrasound, it is time to kick the guessing game into high gear. For all those who care, please pop on over to ExpectNet and plug in at least your guess for Blakely's gender... and while you are there, add in your guess for weight, length, and birthday, too.
Winner gets something cool.
Friday, May 2, 2008
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