Yesterday (Jan. 23rd) was Craig's 35th birthday. We had an extremely low-key celebration: Craig doesn't like to go out (too much time spent away from home, eating in restaurants, due to work) and he told me not to get him anything--so I made him dinner and bought him a pair of jeans (he was in desperate need, only has one pair and pretty much wears them six days a week) because I figure a practical gift doesn't really count. ;o) From Ava he got a book about haunted places. Anyhow, for dinner we had lemon chicken, potatoes mashed with cream cheese and then baked, sauteed spinach with garlic, and then angel food cake with almond whipped cream and raspberry sauce. We attempted to watch the season premiere of "Lost" but were thwarted by a hyper 1-year-old who didn't want to go to bed...she finally went down and then around 11pm woke up SCREAMING and would not stop. I nearly panicked but luckily we finally got her to calm down with some Motrin, ear drops, and a bottle. I didn't even give it any time, just called the doctor's urgent care line and got us yet another appointment on a Saturday. It's so pathetic....we're on a first name basis with one of the nurses now, we're in so often. :P Long story short, Ava's right ear is infected AGAIN--we weren't even off of the last antibiotic for two weeks!--so we're on a stronger one and most importantly, we finally have a referral to an ENT. I called and left a message so hopefully we can get Ava in shortly and resolve this stupid ear mess. I feel so bad for her, constantly in pain. Luckily she went down easy tonight (fell asleep while I rocked her....after only SEVEN MINUTES. She rarely falls asleep when I rock her at night, and never that quickly) and we're hoping for some good sleep, we're all exhausted from a rough night and then not being able to nap today due to the doctor appointment and then having to vacate the house for a showing (the stupid people never showed up....this trying to move thing is getting so old).
Speaking of the house....they've finally started construction! Only about four months late! We were originally supposed to close on Feb. 27 but obviously that will not happen now...we're looking at May I think. It sucks. I don't want to complain too much because we're fortunate to be able to build a nice house in a beautiful neighborhood, but yeah.
That's it for now...I'm so going to bed.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Snow Day(s)!
For the second day in a row, I'm home due to the weather. Yesterday it was nice but now it's just getting annoying, because we're pretty much trapped inside and my lesson plans are getting completely messed up! ;o) Luckily it seems as though enough of the snow and ice has melted to make driving doable, so when Ava gets up from her nap I'm packing her up and we're going to Super Target. Among other things, I completely forgot to get my dear husband a card (gifts have been purchased already) for his upcoming birthday, and I would love to get something from Starbucks. (On second thought, I think we'll just go up the road to the grocery store and to the new coffee shop that opened...why not?) ANYHOW here are some pictures taken yesterday with all of the snow--enjoy!
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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Ava's first birthday party
I would have LOVED to have a huge bash for Ava's first birthday: for years before I even had kids, I had envisioned a first birthday barbecue in the backyard with tons of friends, neighbors, and family. However, Ava decided not to cooperate and was born in the dead of winter so that idea went right out the window. ;o) Due to space and money constraints, we ended up with a very small party which was just fine. A few family members and friends, some cake, and we were good to go! Ava was a little cranky at the party, probably because she's not used to so many people invading her space but for the most part seemed to enjoy herself, especially with the cake. At one point I was trying to come up with a good, somewhat healthy alternative for her and then I thought, the heck with it, you only live once. ;o)
Anyhow, here are a few pictures from the big day (and a few other random shots). I'm finally getting a chance to post them because we have a snow day today, woohoo! Naturally, the pictures from today won't be posted for awhile. :o)
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Anyhow, here are a few pictures from the big day (and a few other random shots). I'm finally getting a chance to post them because we have a snow day today, woohoo! Naturally, the pictures from today won't be posted for awhile. :o)
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Thursday, January 8, 2009
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AVA CATHERINE! :o)
Dear Ava,
Exactly five minutes ago on this day last year, you finally made your appearance and nothing has ever been the same! You are without a doubt the greatest joy in our lives and we love you more than we could ever describe. It's been such a pleasure watching you grow and learn new things during your first year and even though we don't want you to grow up TOO fast, we look forward to seeing what's next. Happy birthday sweet girl!
love always,
Mommy and Dada
Exactly five minutes ago on this day last year, you finally made your appearance and nothing has ever been the same! You are without a doubt the greatest joy in our lives and we love you more than we could ever describe. It's been such a pleasure watching you grow and learn new things during your first year and even though we don't want you to grow up TOO fast, we look forward to seeing what's next. Happy birthday sweet girl!
love always,
Mommy and Dada
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Psycho Baby
Babies can be unpredictable, but with Ava, there are a few things you can count on:
1.) If you take something away from her that she should not have (a lamp, power cords, cat food) she screams like she's just been set on fire.
2.) She LOVES to eat her veggies, especially the green ones. A handful of peas or green beans and she's a happy camper.
3.) If you hide behind something and then peek out at her and say, "Rarrrr!" she will giggle uncontrollably and crawl toward you at top speed, only stopping when she bashes her skull into yours. (Assuming you are crouched down.)
4.) If you give her Duckie, she'll immediately stop whatever she's doing and cuddle him while sucking her fingers.
5.) She may be a loud sleeper (crying out, whimpering, moving around, etc.) but other than when she's congested or has an ear infection, she takes two naps per day at least an hour each nap, and sleeps for roughly 10 1/2-11 hours a night.
Well. #5 was completely blown out of the water yesterday when Ava launched a full-on sleep boycott. It started off fine: she took a good nap in the morning, we went to the mall, and at 2:00 I put her down for her P.M. nap. She would not go. I went back into her room after 15 minutes to check for poop or a lost Duckie (the only two things that prevent her from going right to sleep are a dirty diaper or losing Duckie over the side of the crib), she had a clean diaper and she had Duckie. For nearly two hours we let her fuss and talk to herself until fianlly it was pointless and we brought her downstairs. Predictably, she got tired around dinner time and dozed off for about 15 minutes, so I woke her up, fed her, bathed her, and had her down at 6:30. I figured she'd go down easy because during the entire getting-ready-for-bed process, she was fussy; rubbing her eyes and sucking her fingers.
She would not go down. We checked for Duckie, checked her diaper, repeatedly. We tried rocking her. We tried cuddling. We tried letting her cry. At one point she started screaming and crying so hard she threw up all over the crib. So, we cleaned her up, brought her downstairs, and let her play. I don't want her to think she can "win" like that--I'm a firm believer in not letting the kid run the show--but what can you do when the kid cries so much they throw up? And we only left her for 5-10 minutes, it's not like I'm some evil, coldhearted jerk who let her kid scream for five hours or something. Anyhow, as soon as she rubbed her eyes I gave her a bottle and some cuddle time on the couch, and at 10:15--TEN FIFTEEN!!!!!!--she finally went down. Did some screaming in her sleep about an hour later (no idea what that was about so I just rubbed her back for a few minutes until it stopped). Craig was certain she'd sleep in this morning (I highly doubted she would) but sure enough, she was up at 5:45. I'm actually grateful because it means we have a chance of getting back on schedule: she took a normal--but short--morning nap, and has been down for nearly an hour this afternoon.
I almost went completely crazy--Craig kept telling me that if I was tired just to go to bed and he'd handle it, but that wasn't it, I was freaking out because of HER lack of sleep. I was sure she'd never go down and just die of exhaustion or something. I know, totally irrational, but that's exactly how it felt. I seriously hope we have a better night tonight! Oh, and that she doesn't pull that business when I'm back at work. That would NOT be cool.
1.) If you take something away from her that she should not have (a lamp, power cords, cat food) she screams like she's just been set on fire.
2.) She LOVES to eat her veggies, especially the green ones. A handful of peas or green beans and she's a happy camper.
3.) If you hide behind something and then peek out at her and say, "Rarrrr!" she will giggle uncontrollably and crawl toward you at top speed, only stopping when she bashes her skull into yours. (Assuming you are crouched down.)
4.) If you give her Duckie, she'll immediately stop whatever she's doing and cuddle him while sucking her fingers.
5.) She may be a loud sleeper (crying out, whimpering, moving around, etc.) but other than when she's congested or has an ear infection, she takes two naps per day at least an hour each nap, and sleeps for roughly 10 1/2-11 hours a night.
Well. #5 was completely blown out of the water yesterday when Ava launched a full-on sleep boycott. It started off fine: she took a good nap in the morning, we went to the mall, and at 2:00 I put her down for her P.M. nap. She would not go. I went back into her room after 15 minutes to check for poop or a lost Duckie (the only two things that prevent her from going right to sleep are a dirty diaper or losing Duckie over the side of the crib), she had a clean diaper and she had Duckie. For nearly two hours we let her fuss and talk to herself until fianlly it was pointless and we brought her downstairs. Predictably, she got tired around dinner time and dozed off for about 15 minutes, so I woke her up, fed her, bathed her, and had her down at 6:30. I figured she'd go down easy because during the entire getting-ready-for-bed process, she was fussy; rubbing her eyes and sucking her fingers.
She would not go down. We checked for Duckie, checked her diaper, repeatedly. We tried rocking her. We tried cuddling. We tried letting her cry. At one point she started screaming and crying so hard she threw up all over the crib. So, we cleaned her up, brought her downstairs, and let her play. I don't want her to think she can "win" like that--I'm a firm believer in not letting the kid run the show--but what can you do when the kid cries so much they throw up? And we only left her for 5-10 minutes, it's not like I'm some evil, coldhearted jerk who let her kid scream for five hours or something. Anyhow, as soon as she rubbed her eyes I gave her a bottle and some cuddle time on the couch, and at 10:15--TEN FIFTEEN!!!!!!--she finally went down. Did some screaming in her sleep about an hour later (no idea what that was about so I just rubbed her back for a few minutes until it stopped). Craig was certain she'd sleep in this morning (I highly doubted she would) but sure enough, she was up at 5:45. I'm actually grateful because it means we have a chance of getting back on schedule: she took a normal--but short--morning nap, and has been down for nearly an hour this afternoon.
I almost went completely crazy--Craig kept telling me that if I was tired just to go to bed and he'd handle it, but that wasn't it, I was freaking out because of HER lack of sleep. I was sure she'd never go down and just die of exhaustion or something. I know, totally irrational, but that's exactly how it felt. I seriously hope we have a better night tonight! Oh, and that she doesn't pull that business when I'm back at work. That would NOT be cool.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Sorry for the lack of posting....
...but Bubbleshare has been on the fritz and tonight is the first time I've been able to make a picture slideshow. It's only the first part of December though....Christmas pics will be downloaded and follow eventually. Anyhow, things are chugging along in the Haynor house: I've been off of work for a week (it's going by way too fast!) and about ten times a day I go between wishing I was always home with Ava and then being grateful that I have my time with her balanced with a job...don't get me wrong, I love her to death but she is a HANDFUL. She seems to have inherited my personality. That's not a good thing, because that means she's going to have some especially terrible two's. (Starting, oh, about two months ago!) On the upside, other than having a bad temper I never got into any REAL trouble growing up, so we'll see.
Our first Christmas as parents was sweet, watching Ava tear into her presents with Daddy's help and then attempt to devour the wrapping paper. We didn't travel, which, as much as we would've liked to be with family, was good--there's no way Ava and her *ahem* exuberant personality would have survived a two hour flight to Chicago. We would have been THOSE parents with THAT child, and that would not have been fun.
Anyhow, we had dinner with MJ and her family which was fun, because last year when we did Christmas together, our babies were still in the oven, so to speak. :o) It was really cool to think about how much our lives have changed in the past year, definitely for the better.
As for Ava herself, she's growing and learning new things so quickly we can hardly keep up!! She's able to take about two or three steps at a time before she falls or, more often, just gently lowers herself to the ground. Her lunches and dinners are almost entirely finger foods. She seems to understand all kinds of things, all at once: she'll clap if you ask her to, throw a ball, and occasionally wave or point. The CUTEST thing she's ever done happened yesterday: Grandma Pat gave her a baby carriage and a dolly for Christmas, and we're currently keeping them in her bedroom because she doesn't seem to really understand that the carriage is for strolling the baby, and she tries to throw it across the room. Anyhow, yesterday she was playing on her bedroom floor with one of her pacifiers (she's always just used them as toys, never for comfort) and she crawled over the the carriage, pulled herself up, and tried to stick the pacifier in the dolly's mouth! It was so sweet--I never realized that, still a baby herself, she could have made a connection like that. You've never seen two parents as proud as we were, watching her. Of course, the moment was shattered when she dumped a bucket of toys on the dolly's head but it was adorable while it lasted...
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Our first Christmas as parents was sweet, watching Ava tear into her presents with Daddy's help and then attempt to devour the wrapping paper. We didn't travel, which, as much as we would've liked to be with family, was good--there's no way Ava and her *ahem* exuberant personality would have survived a two hour flight to Chicago. We would have been THOSE parents with THAT child, and that would not have been fun.
Anyhow, we had dinner with MJ and her family which was fun, because last year when we did Christmas together, our babies were still in the oven, so to speak. :o) It was really cool to think about how much our lives have changed in the past year, definitely for the better.
As for Ava herself, she's growing and learning new things so quickly we can hardly keep up!! She's able to take about two or three steps at a time before she falls or, more often, just gently lowers herself to the ground. Her lunches and dinners are almost entirely finger foods. She seems to understand all kinds of things, all at once: she'll clap if you ask her to, throw a ball, and occasionally wave or point. The CUTEST thing she's ever done happened yesterday: Grandma Pat gave her a baby carriage and a dolly for Christmas, and we're currently keeping them in her bedroom because she doesn't seem to really understand that the carriage is for strolling the baby, and she tries to throw it across the room. Anyhow, yesterday she was playing on her bedroom floor with one of her pacifiers (she's always just used them as toys, never for comfort) and she crawled over the the carriage, pulled herself up, and tried to stick the pacifier in the dolly's mouth! It was so sweet--I never realized that, still a baby herself, she could have made a connection like that. You've never seen two parents as proud as we were, watching her. Of course, the moment was shattered when she dumped a bucket of toys on the dolly's head but it was adorable while it lasted...
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Well, THIS is new!
I'm keeping this short, sweet, and picture-free because I'd really, REALLY like to get more than five hours of sleep tonight.... ;o)
Ava might have RSV...we're currently hoping, praying, and crossing our fingers, but it doesn't look pretty. Ava's buddy Will--her baby-sitter's little boy--came down with it last week and naturally Ava was exposed (RSV is basically a bad cold that can get REALLY bad in toddlers and babies--like, hospitalization bad) and sure enough, she started some terrible coughing on Monday. Thus far it's been a lot of heavy coughing but no real fever, tonight she had a temperature of 99.1 but I don't think something that low even counts. She did sound like she was breathing heavier but I could just be paranoid...at any rate, I'm going to just listen carefully and monitor her temperature and hope for the best! Poor little Will was very fevery and looked so miserable last time I saw him, so I'd say Ava is very lucky thus far not to be that sick! I have come to the conclusion that there is just no way to win--you either keep your kids in solitary confinement and then when they HAVE to go out in public they spend the next year very sick, or you expose them to the real world as babies and build their immune system up, but have to watch them be miserable in the meantime. UGH!!!
The doctor did listen to her lungs when we went for her follow-up ear appointment on Monday and said they sounded clear....and the right ear was infection-free but there was fluid in the left one, which may or may not turn into another infection. I'm hoping for NOT.
I feel so bad for her--Ava is such a solid sleeper when coughing, congestion, and painful ear infections aren't keeping her awake, it's just heartbreaking listening to her pitiful cry when she wants so badly to sleep but she just can't. Luckily the last few nights she's woken up at a not too horrible time (9:30-ish) and a warm bottle and some rocking have soothed her and seemed to alleviate the coughing a bit. I've always said I'd let my babies cry it out and thought it was silly to pick a baby up the first time they made a noise (plus I did read that a lot of babies cry to let off some steam before they fall asleep, or they cry out when they're falling into a deeper state of sleep) but really, we've been VERY lucky to rarely have to test our willpower on the issue: Ava either goes right to sleep for me, or does some fussy noises and playing in her crib for about 15-20 minutes before falling asleep. Occasionally she'll cry out in her sleep but by the time I'm fully awake, she's quiet again. The times she has really cried, it's either been because she had a dirty diaper or she's sick and in pain/unable to sleep. Which, of course, I consider definite exceptions to the crying-it-out rule. ;o)
Okay, I'm babbling. Lack of sleep and frantically trying to keep things together the last week before Christmas break will do that to ya....just pray for less illness and more sleep around the Haynor house! :)
Ava might have RSV...we're currently hoping, praying, and crossing our fingers, but it doesn't look pretty. Ava's buddy Will--her baby-sitter's little boy--came down with it last week and naturally Ava was exposed (RSV is basically a bad cold that can get REALLY bad in toddlers and babies--like, hospitalization bad) and sure enough, she started some terrible coughing on Monday. Thus far it's been a lot of heavy coughing but no real fever, tonight she had a temperature of 99.1 but I don't think something that low even counts. She did sound like she was breathing heavier but I could just be paranoid...at any rate, I'm going to just listen carefully and monitor her temperature and hope for the best! Poor little Will was very fevery and looked so miserable last time I saw him, so I'd say Ava is very lucky thus far not to be that sick! I have come to the conclusion that there is just no way to win--you either keep your kids in solitary confinement and then when they HAVE to go out in public they spend the next year very sick, or you expose them to the real world as babies and build their immune system up, but have to watch them be miserable in the meantime. UGH!!!
The doctor did listen to her lungs when we went for her follow-up ear appointment on Monday and said they sounded clear....and the right ear was infection-free but there was fluid in the left one, which may or may not turn into another infection. I'm hoping for NOT.
I feel so bad for her--Ava is such a solid sleeper when coughing, congestion, and painful ear infections aren't keeping her awake, it's just heartbreaking listening to her pitiful cry when she wants so badly to sleep but she just can't. Luckily the last few nights she's woken up at a not too horrible time (9:30-ish) and a warm bottle and some rocking have soothed her and seemed to alleviate the coughing a bit. I've always said I'd let my babies cry it out and thought it was silly to pick a baby up the first time they made a noise (plus I did read that a lot of babies cry to let off some steam before they fall asleep, or they cry out when they're falling into a deeper state of sleep) but really, we've been VERY lucky to rarely have to test our willpower on the issue: Ava either goes right to sleep for me, or does some fussy noises and playing in her crib for about 15-20 minutes before falling asleep. Occasionally she'll cry out in her sleep but by the time I'm fully awake, she's quiet again. The times she has really cried, it's either been because she had a dirty diaper or she's sick and in pain/unable to sleep. Which, of course, I consider definite exceptions to the crying-it-out rule. ;o)
Okay, I'm babbling. Lack of sleep and frantically trying to keep things together the last week before Christmas break will do that to ya....just pray for less illness and more sleep around the Haynor house! :)
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