This is too adorable not to share. My men are extra handsome on this Christmas Eve. I just love them. Every time I look at them, I'm reminded just how truly blessed I am.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Merry Christmas
Wishing all my ladies an amazing Christmas. Be thankful. Enjoy!
Love,
Robert, Courtney & Sully
Friday, December 14, 2012
Hug your babies extra tight
I can't even focus right now. I can't watch the news. This tragic shooting in Connecticut is so heartbreaking that I can't even put words together. Who in the hell goes into a kindergarten classroom and opens fire; mowing down 20 innocent children? My coworkers and I have been glued to our computers all afternoon. President Obama's speech was so fantastic and I cried like a baby watching our leader steel himself at the podium. I have been crying in my office all day.
I can't believe another tragedy has occurred. I can't fathom how those parents are feeling right now, nor would I ever want to.
Things We Need:
More access to mental health assistance
Stricter gun laws
PERIOD.
Please, pray for the families involved in this horrific act. Hug and kiss your babies extra tight tonight and pray for those whose arms are empty.
Courtney
I can't believe another tragedy has occurred. I can't fathom how those parents are feeling right now, nor would I ever want to.
Things We Need:
More access to mental health assistance
Stricter gun laws
PERIOD.
Please, pray for the families involved in this horrific act. Hug and kiss your babies extra tight tonight and pray for those whose arms are empty.
Courtney
Friday, November 30, 2012
Newborn Heart Defect Screening Awareness Day
Today, Cora Mae McCormick would have been 3 years old. She would have been having a princess party and eating too much cake. She would have running around and holding up three chubby little fingers to let people know how old she was.
Instead, she only lived for 5 days.
Cora had a heart defect that went undiagnosed... until it was too late.
Her defect may have been caught if a simple pulse ox had been done after her birth. The pulse ox could have alerted doctors and staff that there was something wrong.
Since the death of her beautiful daughter, Cora's mother, Kristine, has been a champion all over the country for the need for pulse ox screening. She truly is a hero and an inspiration.
We were one of the lucky ones. Because of my high risk pregnancy, a pulse ox was done on Sully when he was born. His O2 sats were in the 70's. His low O2s told the doctors that something was wrong and they ordered an echo to be done. They discovered Pulmonary Atresia with Tetrology of Fallot. Surgery saved Sully and it was all because the pulse ox showed abnormal O2 levels. I am so grateful that I have my son here with me today. I am so glad that I can hug him and kiss him and smell him. I don't know what I would have done if we had had a different outcome. I doubt I could have been as strong as Kristine.
Today I am wearing pink in honor of Cora.
You can also read Sully's story at:
http://babyheartscreening.com/family-stories/sullys-story/
It is so important to be informed. You are your child's only advocate. Know what to look for, and ask for the screening.
Big hugs to Kristine today and a big Happy Birthday to our angel Cora.
Love,
Courtney and Sully
Instead, she only lived for 5 days.
Cora had a heart defect that went undiagnosed... until it was too late.
Her defect may have been caught if a simple pulse ox had been done after her birth. The pulse ox could have alerted doctors and staff that there was something wrong.
Since the death of her beautiful daughter, Cora's mother, Kristine, has been a champion all over the country for the need for pulse ox screening. She truly is a hero and an inspiration.
We were one of the lucky ones. Because of my high risk pregnancy, a pulse ox was done on Sully when he was born. His O2 sats were in the 70's. His low O2s told the doctors that something was wrong and they ordered an echo to be done. They discovered Pulmonary Atresia with Tetrology of Fallot. Surgery saved Sully and it was all because the pulse ox showed abnormal O2 levels. I am so grateful that I have my son here with me today. I am so glad that I can hug him and kiss him and smell him. I don't know what I would have done if we had had a different outcome. I doubt I could have been as strong as Kristine.
Today I am wearing pink in honor of Cora.
You can also read Sully's story at:
http://babyheartscreening.com/family-stories/sullys-story/
It is so important to be informed. You are your child's only advocate. Know what to look for, and ask for the screening.
Big hugs to Kristine today and a big Happy Birthday to our angel Cora.
Love,
Courtney and Sully
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
New Doc, new outlook
Good morning and happy day before Thanksgiving!
I am really having trouble finding my motivation at work today so I figured I would blog stalk and post.. haha. That is an appropriate use of time, right?
Anyhow, I want to start off by saying a big, huge, giant CONGRATULATIONS to a fellow Blogger, K. She and her husband have had multiple pregnancy losses and IF, and recently attempted their first round of IVF. I am happy to say that it worked! They had 3 embryos implanted so they may have triplets. :-) Please pray that they get their take home babies! K, I am so happy for you!
Recently, I have been doing a lot of thinking. I was due for my yearly pap and gyno exam, so I figured I better get going a find a new doc. Most of you know my story and how unhappy I was with my last birthing and prenatal experience, so I decided to leave that hospital completely and go to someone else. I have been researching doctors for the past couple weeks and asking all my friends. I finally decided on Dr. E. She is a female, which I am also excited about. I had my first appointment with her yesterday. I was nervous all morning because my previous clinic had sent over all of my records and I was sure they were a foot thick.
I didn't want her to read them and think I was a loon or something.
When I got to her office, her nurse was extremely nice and seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say and was very on top of things. I assumed that I would have to strip and wait for Dr. E, but the nurse said that Dr. E likes to talk with patients first and she thinks that patients are more comfortable when they are dressed. Um.. yea we are! Why don't more docs think like this?
The nurse left and I waited for Dr. E. She came in and shook my hand and we got down to business. She asked me questions and our long, stressful story spilled out. I was hoping to make it out of this appointment without crying, but that wasn't the case. She patted my arm and just listened. Dr. E agreed that things were not handled properly during my stay at the other hospital and perhaps some things were missed during my prenatal care. Dr. E also explained how future pregnancies would go. It doesn't sound like it would be a walk in the park. Haha!
Robert and I aren't planning on trying for another couple of years, but this is a rundown of what it would be next time:
As soon as I find out I am pregnant, I would need to come to the clinic and get supplies for a 24 hour urine collection. Because I had pre-ecclampsia last time, I run a risk of it nex time, so they want to get a baseline of protein in my urine.
I would not only be watched by Dr. E, but also by Dr. O, a high risk MFM. I would be watched every 2 weeks throughout my pregnancy.
At 20 weeks, we would have a complete anatomy scan. They would check every system and take a billion vials of my blood to check everything.
At 22 weeks, we would go to Minneapolis to have a fetal echocardiogram to check for any abnormalities. Most people have a 1% chance of having a child born with a heart condition, but when you have a child born with a heart condition, your chances raise a little to 3%.
They would also be doing multiple urine collections to check protein throughout the pregnancy.
I will also get more ultrasounds, which is the one good thing about a high risk pregnancy.
I will still be on the progesterone supps for the first half.
I will also not be attempting a vbac. It will be a scheduled C Section.
After we talked for about a half hour, I had my exam and I was on my way. I felt so comfortable and relieved. I have a feeling she is going to be very good for me and it makes me feel more optimistic about any future children we may be blessed with.
We are hittin' the road tomorrow to head to Minneapolis for Turkey Day. I'm excited to see my hubby's family and eat turkey and drink wine. Since I don't have to cook at all, it will be even better. :-)
There is a ton for us to be thankful for this year so I hope everyone takes a minute and reflects on all the amazing blessings.
Colossians 3:15
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
And to all of my ladies out there:
Philippians 1:3
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.
Love to you are yours,
Courtney
I am really having trouble finding my motivation at work today so I figured I would blog stalk and post.. haha. That is an appropriate use of time, right?
Anyhow, I want to start off by saying a big, huge, giant CONGRATULATIONS to a fellow Blogger, K. She and her husband have had multiple pregnancy losses and IF, and recently attempted their first round of IVF. I am happy to say that it worked! They had 3 embryos implanted so they may have triplets. :-) Please pray that they get their take home babies! K, I am so happy for you!
Recently, I have been doing a lot of thinking. I was due for my yearly pap and gyno exam, so I figured I better get going a find a new doc. Most of you know my story and how unhappy I was with my last birthing and prenatal experience, so I decided to leave that hospital completely and go to someone else. I have been researching doctors for the past couple weeks and asking all my friends. I finally decided on Dr. E. She is a female, which I am also excited about. I had my first appointment with her yesterday. I was nervous all morning because my previous clinic had sent over all of my records and I was sure they were a foot thick.
I didn't want her to read them and think I was a loon or something.
When I got to her office, her nurse was extremely nice and seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say and was very on top of things. I assumed that I would have to strip and wait for Dr. E, but the nurse said that Dr. E likes to talk with patients first and she thinks that patients are more comfortable when they are dressed. Um.. yea we are! Why don't more docs think like this?
The nurse left and I waited for Dr. E. She came in and shook my hand and we got down to business. She asked me questions and our long, stressful story spilled out. I was hoping to make it out of this appointment without crying, but that wasn't the case. She patted my arm and just listened. Dr. E agreed that things were not handled properly during my stay at the other hospital and perhaps some things were missed during my prenatal care. Dr. E also explained how future pregnancies would go. It doesn't sound like it would be a walk in the park. Haha!
Robert and I aren't planning on trying for another couple of years, but this is a rundown of what it would be next time:
As soon as I find out I am pregnant, I would need to come to the clinic and get supplies for a 24 hour urine collection. Because I had pre-ecclampsia last time, I run a risk of it nex time, so they want to get a baseline of protein in my urine.
I would not only be watched by Dr. E, but also by Dr. O, a high risk MFM. I would be watched every 2 weeks throughout my pregnancy.
At 20 weeks, we would have a complete anatomy scan. They would check every system and take a billion vials of my blood to check everything.
At 22 weeks, we would go to Minneapolis to have a fetal echocardiogram to check for any abnormalities. Most people have a 1% chance of having a child born with a heart condition, but when you have a child born with a heart condition, your chances raise a little to 3%.
They would also be doing multiple urine collections to check protein throughout the pregnancy.
I will also get more ultrasounds, which is the one good thing about a high risk pregnancy.
I will still be on the progesterone supps for the first half.
I will also not be attempting a vbac. It will be a scheduled C Section.
After we talked for about a half hour, I had my exam and I was on my way. I felt so comfortable and relieved. I have a feeling she is going to be very good for me and it makes me feel more optimistic about any future children we may be blessed with.
We are hittin' the road tomorrow to head to Minneapolis for Turkey Day. I'm excited to see my hubby's family and eat turkey and drink wine. Since I don't have to cook at all, it will be even better. :-)
There is a ton for us to be thankful for this year so I hope everyone takes a minute and reflects on all the amazing blessings.
Colossians 3:15
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
And to all of my ladies out there:
Philippians 1:3
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.
Love to you are yours,
Courtney
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
365 Days - Dear Sullivan
My dearest Sully James,
Today is your first birthday. You aren't a little baby anymore. You are a big, toddler boy and your poor Mama still has whiplash from how fast this year has gone by.
I remember laying in the operating room just waiting to hear your first cry. As soon as I heard it, I cried harder than I have ever cried in my whole life. You were finally here. I can still remember the sounds and smells and at that moment, I knew all of my dreams came true. You are the answer to all of my prayers. I thank God every day that He chose ME, little ol' me, to be your Mama. What did I do to get so lucky?
You have taken us on such a roller coaster, but I wouldn't have changed a minute of it. If someone said I would have to go through all of it again, and the end result would be you, I wouldn't blink. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
Sully, you are the best kid a mom could ask for. After everything you have been through, you would have every right to be a complete crab if you wanted, but you are the total opposite. You are so happy and outgoing. You love to smile and laugh and I think you even tease me sometimes. :-) You love to socialize and be around people. You are a little ham and love to be the center of attention.
You also love to feed yourself. Mama tries to help you and you just get angry! You love hummus, peas, grilled cheese, string cheese and anything Mama and Daddy are eating. You also love snacks! I have found that you are partial to the Annie's Bunnies. :-)
You also love playing with your toys. You are such a curious boy. I love when you are exploring the toys and your all too expressive eyebrows raise... one at a time. Why so serious? :-)
I am pretty sure you are days away from walking. You don't like to sit still and you are always on the move. You cruise and crawl so fast that Mama can barely keep up with you. You are determined to get a hold of Bailey Cat and I think Bailey Cat fears you may succeed some time soon.
You still love to cuddle your Mama at night, and I love that. You have your bottle and sit in my lap. One thing you have done since you were a tiny baby is you hold your bottle with your right hand, or I hold your bottle with my right hand you always reach up with your left hand and hold my finger. You have done it from the beginning and I hope you do that always. It is our special little time and when you are a big, stinky teenager, I hope you still wanna squeeze my finger.
I can't wait to watch you grow, but slow down! You are movin' too fast for your Mama! I can't even begin to describe how much I love you. You are the reason I was put on this earth. Every time my heart beats, it is for you. You are my Monster, and I love you dearly.
Happy 1st Birthday Sullivan James!
Love,
Mama
P.S. I adjust the lyrics a bit when I sing this, but this is the song I sing to Sully most nights...
"Joy Of My Life" By: John Fogarty
I tiptoed in the room,
I know you got to have your rest.
She says, 'Come lay beside me,
I've been waitin' since you left.'
She's sweet to me;
Must be the luckiest man alive.
And did I tell you baby,
You are the joy of my life
First time that I saw you,
Ooh, you took my breath away.
I might not get to heaven,
But I walked with the Angels that day.
She takes me by the hand;
I am the luckiest man alive.
And did I tell you baby,
You are the joy of my life.
Some may have their riches;
Some may have their worldly fame.
Long as I have you;
I'll treasure each and every day.
Just take me by the hand;
I am the luckiest man alive.
And did I tell you baby,
You are the joy of my life.
And did I tell you baby,
You are the joy of my life.
Today is your first birthday. You aren't a little baby anymore. You are a big, toddler boy and your poor Mama still has whiplash from how fast this year has gone by.
I remember laying in the operating room just waiting to hear your first cry. As soon as I heard it, I cried harder than I have ever cried in my whole life. You were finally here. I can still remember the sounds and smells and at that moment, I knew all of my dreams came true. You are the answer to all of my prayers. I thank God every day that He chose ME, little ol' me, to be your Mama. What did I do to get so lucky?
You have taken us on such a roller coaster, but I wouldn't have changed a minute of it. If someone said I would have to go through all of it again, and the end result would be you, I wouldn't blink. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
Sully, you are the best kid a mom could ask for. After everything you have been through, you would have every right to be a complete crab if you wanted, but you are the total opposite. You are so happy and outgoing. You love to smile and laugh and I think you even tease me sometimes. :-) You love to socialize and be around people. You are a little ham and love to be the center of attention.
You also love to feed yourself. Mama tries to help you and you just get angry! You love hummus, peas, grilled cheese, string cheese and anything Mama and Daddy are eating. You also love snacks! I have found that you are partial to the Annie's Bunnies. :-)
You also love playing with your toys. You are such a curious boy. I love when you are exploring the toys and your all too expressive eyebrows raise... one at a time. Why so serious? :-)
I am pretty sure you are days away from walking. You don't like to sit still and you are always on the move. You cruise and crawl so fast that Mama can barely keep up with you. You are determined to get a hold of Bailey Cat and I think Bailey Cat fears you may succeed some time soon.
You still love to cuddle your Mama at night, and I love that. You have your bottle and sit in my lap. One thing you have done since you were a tiny baby is you hold your bottle with your right hand, or I hold your bottle with my right hand you always reach up with your left hand and hold my finger. You have done it from the beginning and I hope you do that always. It is our special little time and when you are a big, stinky teenager, I hope you still wanna squeeze my finger.
I can't wait to watch you grow, but slow down! You are movin' too fast for your Mama! I can't even begin to describe how much I love you. You are the reason I was put on this earth. Every time my heart beats, it is for you. You are my Monster, and I love you dearly.
Happy 1st Birthday Sullivan James!
Love,
Mama
P.S. I adjust the lyrics a bit when I sing this, but this is the song I sing to Sully most nights...
"Joy Of My Life" By: John Fogarty
I tiptoed in the room,
I know you got to have your rest.
She says, 'Come lay beside me,
I've been waitin' since you left.'
She's sweet to me;
Must be the luckiest man alive.
And did I tell you baby,
You are the joy of my life
First time that I saw you,
Ooh, you took my breath away.
I might not get to heaven,
But I walked with the Angels that day.
She takes me by the hand;
I am the luckiest man alive.
And did I tell you baby,
You are the joy of my life.
Some may have their riches;
Some may have their worldly fame.
Long as I have you;
I'll treasure each and every day.
Just take me by the hand;
I am the luckiest man alive.
And did I tell you baby,
You are the joy of my life.
And did I tell you baby,
You are the joy of my life.
Monday, November 12, 2012
You gotta fight, for your right, to PARRRRRRRRRTY!
Good morning and happiest of Mondays to you! It was quite the morning at my house today. Sully woke up and is teething like a madman. He is drooling everywhere, his nose is running like a faucet and he is being a bear. It was an absolute fight to get him dressed today. Just as I finally got him fed and settle down, he grabbed his lotion bottle and wanted to play with it and ended up accidentally hitting Robert in the eye.
Robert said it hurt really badly so we brought Sully to daycare and I ran Robert into the ER.
Lo and behold, Sully managed to give Robert a corneal scratch over his whole eye and pupil. He is getting some antibacterial drops for a few weeks and then gave him a tetanus shot as a precaution. It was crazy.
He is home resting now and I am at work. LAME SAUCE! It should actually be a fun week because it is our prize week from our awesome fundraiser. I am hoping for an awesome prize! :-)
Now, down to what you all really want to know, right? Sully's party was an absolute success. Everything went off without a hitch and everyone had a great time. There was about 45 people there and it was awesome. Everyone raved about my food and we actually ran out of meatballs towards the end! :-)
Sully was absolutely spoiled rotten and watching him eat his cake was hilarious! My friend H had a puzzle made for Sully with the letters of his name and I loved that! It was so special and thoughtful. He got lots of trucks and clothes and awesome toys. My friend Eileen and her awesome bakery gave us Sully's dream Bubble Guppies cake! The candy bar was a hit and I felt so amazingly blessed. It has been a crazy year and it felt so good to celebrate my happy, healthy boy.
I will be uploading more pics soon, but here are some of the fun that was had by all yesterday:
Sully and my mom riding the train at the mall while we did some pre-birthday shopping. :-)
The candy bar!!
Mmmmm CAKE
Opening the present from Auntie H. Cool name puzzle!
Excuse the house coat apron I'm wearing and my niece's orange hair.. but this was cute of us. :-) Teens... whattya gonna do with them right?
It was a great day. I was so exhausted when I got home. I watched some RHOA and crashed out.
Hope you all had a great weekend. I can't believe it is Sully's actual birthday on Wednesday! My big 1 year old boy!
Have a good Monday!
Courtney
Robert said it hurt really badly so we brought Sully to daycare and I ran Robert into the ER.
Lo and behold, Sully managed to give Robert a corneal scratch over his whole eye and pupil. He is getting some antibacterial drops for a few weeks and then gave him a tetanus shot as a precaution. It was crazy.
He is home resting now and I am at work. LAME SAUCE! It should actually be a fun week because it is our prize week from our awesome fundraiser. I am hoping for an awesome prize! :-)
Now, down to what you all really want to know, right? Sully's party was an absolute success. Everything went off without a hitch and everyone had a great time. There was about 45 people there and it was awesome. Everyone raved about my food and we actually ran out of meatballs towards the end! :-)
Sully was absolutely spoiled rotten and watching him eat his cake was hilarious! My friend H had a puzzle made for Sully with the letters of his name and I loved that! It was so special and thoughtful. He got lots of trucks and clothes and awesome toys. My friend Eileen and her awesome bakery gave us Sully's dream Bubble Guppies cake! The candy bar was a hit and I felt so amazingly blessed. It has been a crazy year and it felt so good to celebrate my happy, healthy boy.
I will be uploading more pics soon, but here are some of the fun that was had by all yesterday:
Sully and my mom riding the train at the mall while we did some pre-birthday shopping. :-)
The candy bar!!
Mmmmm CAKE
Opening the present from Auntie H. Cool name puzzle!
Excuse the house coat apron I'm wearing and my niece's orange hair.. but this was cute of us. :-) Teens... whattya gonna do with them right?
It was a great day. I was so exhausted when I got home. I watched some RHOA and crashed out.
Hope you all had a great weekend. I can't believe it is Sully's actual birthday on Wednesday! My big 1 year old boy!
Have a good Monday!
Courtney
Friday, November 9, 2012
It's the big weekend!
Hey ladies!
How was your week? I have been like an antsy kid on Christmas morning waiting for this weekend to get here. Sunday is my Sully Monster's 1st birthday party! Ohmygoodness! How did this year speed by so fast!? I usually am hoping time will slow down but I want Friday to zoom by. I am really not sure how I am going to be able to concentrate on work so I may just fake it, til I make it. Haha! :-)
My Debbiemom is in town and we are going to go grocery shopping tomorrow. I wanna keep the menu tasty and and simple and easy to prepare since there will be 40 guests. I'm making southwest pulled chicken sandwiches, meatballs, pasta salad, baked beans, a relish trays, chips and dips and then my MIL is bringing fruit trays from Byerly's in Minneapolis. I have all the candy for the candy bar. Since we are doing Nickelodeon/Bubble Guppies theme, I bought Crabby Patty gummies, gumballs that I am going to call Bubble Bites, I have all the coloring pages and crafts for the kid's play area, I have all 4 sections of his timeline done, pictures printed, and about a billion other things. I have gone incredibly overboard, but it is all worth it. This kid deserves the party of the century.
And of course, I am driving Robert crazy! Haha! Just when he thought I was done being insane about this party, I decided to take a quick look at Etsy... :-)
I found these super cute cupcake toppers:
Sully is having a Bubble Guppies sculpted smash cake and then cupcakes for the guests. These are going to add extra pizazz to the cuppies. :-)
Then I found this lady that makes personalized shirts, so I had this one made for Sully to wear to the party:
He is going to be quite a stud!
We have the Flip charged and the camera charged so I will be taking a ton of pics. I still can't believe that the party is here!
On a separate note, I am sure you are all sick of election stuff, but I am so incredibly proud, not only to be an American, but to be a Minnesotan. Sully's health care is once again saved because of Obama, and I am grateful for that, but I am also grateful that the residents of my state, voted down two hateful amendments. One of them was calling for people to have a valid ID to vote. I am sure that some think, "What's the big deal? Everyone has an ID so it should be a no brainer to have to have one to vote." The truth is, everyone does not have an ID. And yes, while there are some ways you can get one for free, you need supporting documents to get that free ID. Case in point: There is a widow that was born in Texas. She came here with her husband after the war. She lives on Social Security and a pension. She lost her ID a few months ago. She doesn't drive, so she didn't rush out an get one. Had the amendment passed, she would have had to not only get herself to the DMV and spend $23.00 she doesn't have, she would need to call down to Texas, try and get their courthouse to fax or mail her birth certificate, AND then pay for that. Luckily, that amendment didn't pass.
Also, we voted down an amendment that wanted to change our state constitution, banning gay marriage in our state. The citizens of Minnesota stood up and said, "NO!" While same sex marriage isn't legal here yet, this is one step closer. Love is love. If a guy wants to marry another guy, that doesn't make my marriage any less special. And this deficit? Three words: Gay Bridal Registry. :-) If someone doesn't like gay marriage, they shouldn't get gay married.
There was a saying during the election that said, "Be Minnesota Nice, Vote NO Twice!"
That is just what we did on election morning! I am so proud! Sully wore his 'Future Mr. President' shirt. Isn't he so cute?
Well ladies, I hope you all have an amazing weekend! To K, I am thinking and praying for you! I hope the Saturday report from Dr. S goes swimmingly! Keep us updated! And to the Stay at Home attorney.... our babies will be 1 next week... AHHHHHH! :-)
Courtney
How was your week? I have been like an antsy kid on Christmas morning waiting for this weekend to get here. Sunday is my Sully Monster's 1st birthday party! Ohmygoodness! How did this year speed by so fast!? I usually am hoping time will slow down but I want Friday to zoom by. I am really not sure how I am going to be able to concentrate on work so I may just fake it, til I make it. Haha! :-)
My Debbiemom is in town and we are going to go grocery shopping tomorrow. I wanna keep the menu tasty and and simple and easy to prepare since there will be 40 guests. I'm making southwest pulled chicken sandwiches, meatballs, pasta salad, baked beans, a relish trays, chips and dips and then my MIL is bringing fruit trays from Byerly's in Minneapolis. I have all the candy for the candy bar. Since we are doing Nickelodeon/Bubble Guppies theme, I bought Crabby Patty gummies, gumballs that I am going to call Bubble Bites, I have all the coloring pages and crafts for the kid's play area, I have all 4 sections of his timeline done, pictures printed, and about a billion other things. I have gone incredibly overboard, but it is all worth it. This kid deserves the party of the century.
And of course, I am driving Robert crazy! Haha! Just when he thought I was done being insane about this party, I decided to take a quick look at Etsy... :-)
I found these super cute cupcake toppers:
Sully is having a Bubble Guppies sculpted smash cake and then cupcakes for the guests. These are going to add extra pizazz to the cuppies. :-)
Then I found this lady that makes personalized shirts, so I had this one made for Sully to wear to the party:
He is going to be quite a stud!
We have the Flip charged and the camera charged so I will be taking a ton of pics. I still can't believe that the party is here!
On a separate note, I am sure you are all sick of election stuff, but I am so incredibly proud, not only to be an American, but to be a Minnesotan. Sully's health care is once again saved because of Obama, and I am grateful for that, but I am also grateful that the residents of my state, voted down two hateful amendments. One of them was calling for people to have a valid ID to vote. I am sure that some think, "What's the big deal? Everyone has an ID so it should be a no brainer to have to have one to vote." The truth is, everyone does not have an ID. And yes, while there are some ways you can get one for free, you need supporting documents to get that free ID. Case in point: There is a widow that was born in Texas. She came here with her husband after the war. She lives on Social Security and a pension. She lost her ID a few months ago. She doesn't drive, so she didn't rush out an get one. Had the amendment passed, she would have had to not only get herself to the DMV and spend $23.00 she doesn't have, she would need to call down to Texas, try and get their courthouse to fax or mail her birth certificate, AND then pay for that. Luckily, that amendment didn't pass.
Also, we voted down an amendment that wanted to change our state constitution, banning gay marriage in our state. The citizens of Minnesota stood up and said, "NO!" While same sex marriage isn't legal here yet, this is one step closer. Love is love. If a guy wants to marry another guy, that doesn't make my marriage any less special. And this deficit? Three words: Gay Bridal Registry. :-) If someone doesn't like gay marriage, they shouldn't get gay married.
There was a saying during the election that said, "Be Minnesota Nice, Vote NO Twice!"
That is just what we did on election morning! I am so proud! Sully wore his 'Future Mr. President' shirt. Isn't he so cute?
Well ladies, I hope you all have an amazing weekend! To K, I am thinking and praying for you! I hope the Saturday report from Dr. S goes swimmingly! Keep us updated! And to the Stay at Home attorney.... our babies will be 1 next week... AHHHHHH! :-)
Courtney
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween!
Good morning and Happy Halloween!
We are right in the thick of Women Rock and the UW fundraiser so I don't have time for a big update; I am hoping to do that on Sunday. I am also still coming to grips with the fact that 2 weeks from today, I will have a ONE YEAR OLD. How did that go by so fast?!
Have a great and safe Halloween! (Sully wasn't so sure about my hat.... LOL)
Courtney
We are right in the thick of Women Rock and the UW fundraiser so I don't have time for a big update; I am hoping to do that on Sunday. I am also still coming to grips with the fact that 2 weeks from today, I will have a ONE YEAR OLD. How did that go by so fast?!
Have a great and safe Halloween! (Sully wasn't so sure about my hat.... LOL)
Courtney
Monday, October 22, 2012
Picture is worth a thousand words
Morning, and crappy Monday...
I am having a "just another Manic Monday" moment. Robert, Sully and I are getting colds and I really wished I could have stayed in bed and slept all day. Alas, I am here at my desk, gearing up for the week of insanity that lies ahead. I have to go on Wednesday afternoon to collect the donations I have rounded up for the UW campaign. I usually like this part, but with this cold, my ability to put on my "work/schmoozy" face is weaning. I have a community ed all on Thursday so I will be out of the office all day. Generally I like this, but, once again, it is fake face time.
We had a great weekend this weekend. We went to Boo at the Zoo and Sully looked so cute in his monster costume! He loved all the attention and loved seeing all the animals. The place was packed! I made a Thanksgiving turkey dinner on Saturday. I was craving turkey and green been casserole so it was wonderful. I even made biscuits. Sully and Robert gobbled it down. Yesterday, my mom came into town and we went out for breakfast and did a little shopping. We got these foam mats and made Sully a play area in our living room (photo below) and he LOVES it! He loves that he doesn't slip anymore because the mats cover up the hard wood floors and he has full access to his toy box. It is fantastic. Then for Sully, I made a portabella beef stroganoff in the crock pot. He chowed it down. I really don't understand why people buy store bought baby food. Yea, it is more time consuming, but it is so much better for them and it actually tastes good. Sully James is a champion eater. :-)
I am going to leave you will a few pics of Mr. Handsome... who, in just over 3 weeks, will be 1! OMG!
Sully enjoying his new play area!
Being silly guy on Sunday morning.
Someone had too much fun at the zoo and was tired out. :-)
Helping Mama in the kitchen in the morning.
I can't believe my Stinky Monster is going to be 1. Time surely flies. :-)
Courtney
I am having a "just another Manic Monday" moment. Robert, Sully and I are getting colds and I really wished I could have stayed in bed and slept all day. Alas, I am here at my desk, gearing up for the week of insanity that lies ahead. I have to go on Wednesday afternoon to collect the donations I have rounded up for the UW campaign. I usually like this part, but with this cold, my ability to put on my "work/schmoozy" face is weaning. I have a community ed all on Thursday so I will be out of the office all day. Generally I like this, but, once again, it is fake face time.
We had a great weekend this weekend. We went to Boo at the Zoo and Sully looked so cute in his monster costume! He loved all the attention and loved seeing all the animals. The place was packed! I made a Thanksgiving turkey dinner on Saturday. I was craving turkey and green been casserole so it was wonderful. I even made biscuits. Sully and Robert gobbled it down. Yesterday, my mom came into town and we went out for breakfast and did a little shopping. We got these foam mats and made Sully a play area in our living room (photo below) and he LOVES it! He loves that he doesn't slip anymore because the mats cover up the hard wood floors and he has full access to his toy box. It is fantastic. Then for Sully, I made a portabella beef stroganoff in the crock pot. He chowed it down. I really don't understand why people buy store bought baby food. Yea, it is more time consuming, but it is so much better for them and it actually tastes good. Sully James is a champion eater. :-)
I am going to leave you will a few pics of Mr. Handsome... who, in just over 3 weeks, will be 1! OMG!
Sully enjoying his new play area!
Being silly guy on Sunday morning.
Someone had too much fun at the zoo and was tired out. :-)
Helping Mama in the kitchen in the morning.
I can't believe my Stinky Monster is going to be 1. Time surely flies. :-)
Courtney
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Terrific Tuesday
Hello! I am shocked at how much I have been able to blog this week! Are you sick of me yet? :-)
Shall we cut the witty banter and get right to the meat and potatoes? Here goes:
Citrines! With Sully's birthday coming up, I have been consumed by looking at all things citrine. I used to think it was kind of an ugly stone, but it is really growing on me. I have found a couple pieces that I am probably going to need to get. :-)
Target and their Wish Lists! I obviously knew about baby/wedding registries, but recently, a friend told me about this Wish List feature at Target and I am blown away! A million people have asked us what Sully wants or needs for his birthday and I always blank out when put on the spot. This way, I was able to go around with the scanner (which I love!) and take my time to think it through and pick out exactly what he will need! It's amazing!
Sully got an early birthday gift from one of the attorneys I work for and it was four Janet and Allan Ahlberg books. He got "The Jolly Postman" and "The Jolly Postman Christmas" in the stack. Let me tell you, if your kids don't have these books, BUY THEM! Amazon has them at a great price. They are adorable and interactive and I am ticked that I never knew about these before. I am going to have to make sure this is the gift I give at all baby showers now. It's adorable.
The Leap Frog Learn N Groove Activity Table! I think this is the one I want to get for Sully, but I am still on the fence. Do any of you have activity tables? Any one you recommend? I do prefer this one to the Fisher Price one, but I am still unsure.
Shall we cut the witty banter and get right to the meat and potatoes? Here goes:
Citrines! With Sully's birthday coming up, I have been consumed by looking at all things citrine. I used to think it was kind of an ugly stone, but it is really growing on me. I have found a couple pieces that I am probably going to need to get. :-)
Target and their Wish Lists! I obviously knew about baby/wedding registries, but recently, a friend told me about this Wish List feature at Target and I am blown away! A million people have asked us what Sully wants or needs for his birthday and I always blank out when put on the spot. This way, I was able to go around with the scanner (which I love!) and take my time to think it through and pick out exactly what he will need! It's amazing!
Sully got an early birthday gift from one of the attorneys I work for and it was four Janet and Allan Ahlberg books. He got "The Jolly Postman" and "The Jolly Postman Christmas" in the stack. Let me tell you, if your kids don't have these books, BUY THEM! Amazon has them at a great price. They are adorable and interactive and I am ticked that I never knew about these before. I am going to have to make sure this is the gift I give at all baby showers now. It's adorable.
The Leap Frog Learn N Groove Activity Table! I think this is the one I want to get for Sully, but I am still on the fence. Do any of you have activity tables? Any one you recommend? I do prefer this one to the Fisher Price one, but I am still unsure.
Click the link, laugh your ass off, and you will know why it made my Things I Love post... ::OBAMA::
Last, but certainly not least, I love my 11 month old Stinky Monster.. even with manicotti on his face.. He is my heart.
Have a great Tuesday ladies! And K, I am thinking of you and hoping everything goes well! :-) It's YOUR time!
Courtney
Monday, October 15, 2012
October 15
Good morning ladies. Not that anyone is this circle would go past this day without remembering everything we have been through, but today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. I wish none of us had to go through everything we had. I wish no babies were born sleeping. I wish no one had to look down and see blood. I wish none of the sadness was a reality.
I could go on forever, but to be honest, this topic makes me incredibly depressed. Don't get me wrong, IF and loss have made me the person I am today. I feel I am stronger for it, but I am still suffering some severe anxiety issues and this makes it worse. I still check on Sully multiple times a night and can't help but feel anxious all the time. I am hoping this goes away, but I don't foresee that happening any time soon. I pray every night for God to help me get the nervousness out of my heart, but even though what I have been through has shaped me, it has also made me cynical and worrisome.
I am extending a big hug and prayers to my friends that have been through what I have been through and to all the mamas whose babies were born sleeping.
"You'll never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only option."
While we will never forget, we have to remember that life goes on. We can't dwell on the sadness. Don't let the darkness overshadow the amazing light.
I don't even feel like I can form a complete thought today.
Thinking of you all today.
Courtney
I could go on forever, but to be honest, this topic makes me incredibly depressed. Don't get me wrong, IF and loss have made me the person I am today. I feel I am stronger for it, but I am still suffering some severe anxiety issues and this makes it worse. I still check on Sully multiple times a night and can't help but feel anxious all the time. I am hoping this goes away, but I don't foresee that happening any time soon. I pray every night for God to help me get the nervousness out of my heart, but even though what I have been through has shaped me, it has also made me cynical and worrisome.
I am extending a big hug and prayers to my friends that have been through what I have been through and to all the mamas whose babies were born sleeping.
"You'll never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only option."
While we will never forget, we have to remember that life goes on. We can't dwell on the sadness. Don't let the darkness overshadow the amazing light.
I don't even feel like I can form a complete thought today.
Thinking of you all today.
Courtney
Sunday, October 14, 2012
11 Months
That's right folks; I have an 11 month old. One month from now, Mr. Sullivan James will be a year old. I can't believe it. He's taking steps now when he holds our hands and speaking 2 and 3 word sentences. He eats like a champ and is the most easy going kid. I love him so much.
Happy 11 months, Monster!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Terrific Tuesday!
Hooray! I managed to get back to a Terrific Tuesday post! ::epic air high five::
I must admit, my enthusiasm is lacking today because I am so exhausted. I think Sully is teething multiple chompers because he was a complete bear last night. He didn't wanna eat dinner so he had a piece of bread, and a few bites of pears. He just kept throwing himself back in his highchair and crying and whining.
I got him ready for bed, which was a struggle in itself, and then he chugged an 8 ounce bottle and fell asleep shockingly well. I had rubbed his gums with baby anbesol so I was hoping he would just sleep off the crabbiness.
Wrong - O.
He was up at 10:30pm and wanting to eat. We fed him and he went back to sleep. Then he woke up again at 1am. I let him whine for about 15 minutes, and he went back to sleep. Just as I was falling back to sleep, he woke up again at 2am and he was actually crying this time so I gave him a few minutes and then I went in and got him and he chugged yet another bottle. Needless to say, I overslept this morning and now I am dragging tail.
Let's get right to it!
Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash... Don't worry, I have not abandoned my alliance to Diet Coke, but this stuff is so tasty! It only comes out in the fall and it is so refreshing. It also makes a fantastic mixer. :-)
This is Paul Thorn. He is one of the best musicians ever. I can listen to his stuff all day. His song "Things Left Undone" is beyond fantastic. He also does a lot of funny songs that can just make you laugh hysterically. "Joanie the Jehovah Witness Stripper" makes me pee my pants laughing.
The Fisher Price Click N' Learn remote has been a massive help. Sully has about a billion toys, but he constantly wants to play with our remotes. I have looked at a couple remote type toys and even purchased a few, but he always loses interest in them. When I saw this one, I noticed it has the rubber type buttons like an actual remote and for $9, it was worth a shot. The verdict, Sully loves it! I am also happy to report that as long as he has this, our remotes are safe.
The Fisher Price Laugh N' Laugh Paint Brush. Sully got this from my in laws this weekend (this boy is spoiled rotten.) It is pretty sweet. It is very interactive and it teaches colors, shapes and numbers. The brush part turns colors and then asks that you find something in your house that is that color. Sully and I go on little hunts to find the colorful items. He loves it. :-)
Ahh.. the good ole' Dollar Tree. As I told you before, I am selling some baby clothes at the Munchkin Markets this Friday and all the clothes have to be pinned on to hangers. I used some of Sully's hangers until I realized that I was selling 80 articles of clothing. I really didn't want to go to Target and spend $4 a pack for a few hangers so I took a chance and went to the D.T. and lo and behold; they have child hangers! They had a 6 pack for $1! I bought them out and ended up spending $11 on hangers and all the clothes are done and I still have a few extras for Sully's clothes.
This is Sully Monster's Halloween costume. I LOVE IT! I tried for months to find a Sulley costume from Monster's Inc, but they only had them in big kids sizes. :-( I found this cute monster costume on Amazon and I think he is just going to be too cute!
Well, that's what I am loving right now! Happy Tuesday ladies! :-)
I must admit, my enthusiasm is lacking today because I am so exhausted. I think Sully is teething multiple chompers because he was a complete bear last night. He didn't wanna eat dinner so he had a piece of bread, and a few bites of pears. He just kept throwing himself back in his highchair and crying and whining.
I got him ready for bed, which was a struggle in itself, and then he chugged an 8 ounce bottle and fell asleep shockingly well. I had rubbed his gums with baby anbesol so I was hoping he would just sleep off the crabbiness.
Wrong - O.
He was up at 10:30pm and wanting to eat. We fed him and he went back to sleep. Then he woke up again at 1am. I let him whine for about 15 minutes, and he went back to sleep. Just as I was falling back to sleep, he woke up again at 2am and he was actually crying this time so I gave him a few minutes and then I went in and got him and he chugged yet another bottle. Needless to say, I overslept this morning and now I am dragging tail.
Let's get right to it!
Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash... Don't worry, I have not abandoned my alliance to Diet Coke, but this stuff is so tasty! It only comes out in the fall and it is so refreshing. It also makes a fantastic mixer. :-)
This is Paul Thorn. He is one of the best musicians ever. I can listen to his stuff all day. His song "Things Left Undone" is beyond fantastic. He also does a lot of funny songs that can just make you laugh hysterically. "Joanie the Jehovah Witness Stripper" makes me pee my pants laughing.
The Fisher Price Click N' Learn remote has been a massive help. Sully has about a billion toys, but he constantly wants to play with our remotes. I have looked at a couple remote type toys and even purchased a few, but he always loses interest in them. When I saw this one, I noticed it has the rubber type buttons like an actual remote and for $9, it was worth a shot. The verdict, Sully loves it! I am also happy to report that as long as he has this, our remotes are safe.
The Fisher Price Laugh N' Laugh Paint Brush. Sully got this from my in laws this weekend (this boy is spoiled rotten.) It is pretty sweet. It is very interactive and it teaches colors, shapes and numbers. The brush part turns colors and then asks that you find something in your house that is that color. Sully and I go on little hunts to find the colorful items. He loves it. :-)
Ahh.. the good ole' Dollar Tree. As I told you before, I am selling some baby clothes at the Munchkin Markets this Friday and all the clothes have to be pinned on to hangers. I used some of Sully's hangers until I realized that I was selling 80 articles of clothing. I really didn't want to go to Target and spend $4 a pack for a few hangers so I took a chance and went to the D.T. and lo and behold; they have child hangers! They had a 6 pack for $1! I bought them out and ended up spending $11 on hangers and all the clothes are done and I still have a few extras for Sully's clothes.
This is Sully Monster's Halloween costume. I LOVE IT! I tried for months to find a Sulley costume from Monster's Inc, but they only had them in big kids sizes. :-( I found this cute monster costume on Amazon and I think he is just going to be too cute!
Well, that's what I am loving right now! Happy Tuesday ladies! :-)
Monday, October 8, 2012
There are just not enough hours in the day
The road to my blog is paved with good intentions... I feel like such a failure when it comes to keeping up with all my gals. Last week was really tough and I am just starting to get back in my groove. I do have some pretty awesome news though.
After I blogged to you all about my bill with Children's, I got a call back from Justin in the financial department. His tone was weird and it took me a minute to realize he was kind of crying. Of course I was all freaked out and then he told me: Children's had reviewed our file and decided to FORGIVE the remaining balance on our account and we now owe NOTHING. I am pretty sure I stayed silent for almost a full minute; then I burst into tears. I told him how grateful I was and I must have thanked him a million and one times. He said that he was happy he could help and he would send me an email receipt.
When I received the email from him, I was going to move it to my bills folder, when suddenly I was hit with a genius idea. This guy works in an office and never gets to see the people he is helping. Before I knew it, I had hit reply and I was sending Justin a personal thank you note. I included pics of Sully was his surgeries and then pictures now of Sully, Robert and I as our happy, healthy family. Shortly after I hit send, he emailed me back to tell me how glad he was that he was able to help us. He said it was amazing to actually see the people he had just helped to take a huge weight off. It really was an awesome moment. I have said it before, but Children's hospital is just amazing. I don't know where we would be without their expertise and support. How cool is that?
In other news, Sully is teething like a madman and he is kind of a bear. I can't believe he will a year old next month. It is crazy pants. This past year has been the most intense of my life, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
I am a little behind on some stuff so I had to make this short, but here are some pictures of my buddy:
Eating a yummy egg yolk omelet. :-)
Say what?!
This is one of my favorite pics ever... he is driving the cart at CVS
Shovelin' in the snacks. :-)
Happy Monday Ladies!!
After I blogged to you all about my bill with Children's, I got a call back from Justin in the financial department. His tone was weird and it took me a minute to realize he was kind of crying. Of course I was all freaked out and then he told me: Children's had reviewed our file and decided to FORGIVE the remaining balance on our account and we now owe NOTHING. I am pretty sure I stayed silent for almost a full minute; then I burst into tears. I told him how grateful I was and I must have thanked him a million and one times. He said that he was happy he could help and he would send me an email receipt.
When I received the email from him, I was going to move it to my bills folder, when suddenly I was hit with a genius idea. This guy works in an office and never gets to see the people he is helping. Before I knew it, I had hit reply and I was sending Justin a personal thank you note. I included pics of Sully was his surgeries and then pictures now of Sully, Robert and I as our happy, healthy family. Shortly after I hit send, he emailed me back to tell me how glad he was that he was able to help us. He said it was amazing to actually see the people he had just helped to take a huge weight off. It really was an awesome moment. I have said it before, but Children's hospital is just amazing. I don't know where we would be without their expertise and support. How cool is that?
In other news, Sully is teething like a madman and he is kind of a bear. I can't believe he will a year old next month. It is crazy pants. This past year has been the most intense of my life, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
I am a little behind on some stuff so I had to make this short, but here are some pictures of my buddy:
Eating a yummy egg yolk omelet. :-)
Say what?!
This is one of my favorite pics ever... he is driving the cart at CVS
Shovelin' in the snacks. :-)
Happy Monday Ladies!!
Friday, September 28, 2012
Feeling lost
Morning ladies.
I regret to inform you that I am not my usual, witty scribe today. I have had a not-so fantastic week and I am feeling a little lost. I pride myself in my ability to stay positive, not to worry, and to dig down deep and find strength you didn't know you had. The whole time we were trying to conceive, and then Sully's surgeries, we always lived by the saying, "You'll never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only option." Well, that is true... but I am feeling very overwhelmed.
Warning: Pity Party about to commence.
We have one outstanding bill left with Children's. Granted, the bill is only $1,500 and that is minuscule compared to what we could have paid, but it is $1,500 that we just don't have right now. I tried to work out a payment plan with them yesterday, but they won't take anything less than $100 a month, and I just can't do that. After basically stifling my cries talking to the payment department, I ended the call and sat and cried in my office. A short while later, I got a call from another financial guy and he says to me, "Wow, you guys have been through a lot, huh?" Um.. is that all you called me for?! You don't think I know that!? He must have sensed that I was really not in the mood, so he back tracked and said that he wants to see if there is any more help they can give us on the bill. Also, he said that just because Children's won't set up an officially payment plan, as long as we send something, they won't send the bill to collections. I guess that is a piece of good news. Robert and I have worked hard for our perfect credit and I am really not inclined to flush it down the drain.
My other pea under my mattress is Sully's doctor wants us to meet with a PT next month if Sully isn't cruising. Now, Sully is not yet "pulling up" to stand and cruising. He crawls, sits, talks like an 18 month old, and everything else, but the doctor wants him pulling up. While I understand that yes, perhaps he *should* be doing those things, do people forget that he had to spend 6 weeks with limited mobility TWICE?! How about we take a sawzall and cut your breast plate open not once, but two times, and then see how good you feel! For everything he has been through, Sully is a freakin' champ! I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but it did. We basically have a month to get him to pull up of some physical therapist is going to come in and "access" him. Ya know, I want people to just leave my child alone. I really do.
Also, I don't want to be a hypocrite, because I tell people all the time not to worry about it so I am just going to say, MONEY SUCKS.
Lastly, to end my crap-tastic day yesterday, I came home to a water main break on my street and no water! Yep.. awesome. No water until the MORNING. I had to send Robert to the grocery store to grab a couple gallons of drinking/hand washing/teeth brushing water and some organic food pouches for Sully. I was planning on making Sully food last night, but that was not gonna happen. I ended up putting Sully to bed and then crying in my bed for a good twenty minutes before passing out cold at about 8:30pm.
Thank goodness it's Friday. I need a break.
Thanks for putting up with the vent. I needed it.
Courtney
I regret to inform you that I am not my usual, witty scribe today. I have had a not-so fantastic week and I am feeling a little lost. I pride myself in my ability to stay positive, not to worry, and to dig down deep and find strength you didn't know you had. The whole time we were trying to conceive, and then Sully's surgeries, we always lived by the saying, "You'll never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only option." Well, that is true... but I am feeling very overwhelmed.
Warning: Pity Party about to commence.
We have one outstanding bill left with Children's. Granted, the bill is only $1,500 and that is minuscule compared to what we could have paid, but it is $1,500 that we just don't have right now. I tried to work out a payment plan with them yesterday, but they won't take anything less than $100 a month, and I just can't do that. After basically stifling my cries talking to the payment department, I ended the call and sat and cried in my office. A short while later, I got a call from another financial guy and he says to me, "Wow, you guys have been through a lot, huh?" Um.. is that all you called me for?! You don't think I know that!? He must have sensed that I was really not in the mood, so he back tracked and said that he wants to see if there is any more help they can give us on the bill. Also, he said that just because Children's won't set up an officially payment plan, as long as we send something, they won't send the bill to collections. I guess that is a piece of good news. Robert and I have worked hard for our perfect credit and I am really not inclined to flush it down the drain.
My other pea under my mattress is Sully's doctor wants us to meet with a PT next month if Sully isn't cruising. Now, Sully is not yet "pulling up" to stand and cruising. He crawls, sits, talks like an 18 month old, and everything else, but the doctor wants him pulling up. While I understand that yes, perhaps he *should* be doing those things, do people forget that he had to spend 6 weeks with limited mobility TWICE?! How about we take a sawzall and cut your breast plate open not once, but two times, and then see how good you feel! For everything he has been through, Sully is a freakin' champ! I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but it did. We basically have a month to get him to pull up of some physical therapist is going to come in and "access" him. Ya know, I want people to just leave my child alone. I really do.
Also, I don't want to be a hypocrite, because I tell people all the time not to worry about it so I am just going to say, MONEY SUCKS.
Lastly, to end my crap-tastic day yesterday, I came home to a water main break on my street and no water! Yep.. awesome. No water until the MORNING. I had to send Robert to the grocery store to grab a couple gallons of drinking/hand washing/teeth brushing water and some organic food pouches for Sully. I was planning on making Sully food last night, but that was not gonna happen. I ended up putting Sully to bed and then crying in my bed for a good twenty minutes before passing out cold at about 8:30pm.
Thank goodness it's Friday. I need a break.
Thanks for putting up with the vent. I needed it.
Courtney
Friday, September 21, 2012
Fantastic Friday!
Hello and good day! How are we all doing? Once again, I lost track of time yesterday. Lame, I know. Before I get to the goods, I just have to vent a second. Mr. Sully James is getting FOUR teeth cutting through on the top. He is kind of being a bear. I mean, really? Poor kid is healing from a circumcision and now four stinkin' teeth are coming through. ::Ugh:: He is still going to bed without too much complaint and he sleeps like a rock and then BOOM! At 2am or so, he is up, super crabby, and wants to drink a bottle. All the books I have read and doctors say to let them cry for a little bit and go back to sleep. Well, I let him cry for 10 minutes or so (and it wasn't a full on cry, more like whining) and then he must have dozed off again. I tried to go back to sleep and about 15 minutes later, Sully was back at it again. I got out of bed and gave him a bottle. He went back to bed and slept the rest of the night. By the time I tried to go back to sleep it was after 3am and Robert was snoring like a chainsaw. I barely slept anymore and then my alarm went off at 5am. Then, as I sleepily made my way to the bathroom, I stubbed by baby toe and ring toe on the corner of my bedroom door. I swore like I sailor under my breath and wanted to tear the door off.
*^)()(_*&*%^%^&&)IJUIH*(&%&^%^&
Anyone have any tips for a teething boy? We are letting him chew on washcloths and basically anything that it safe to gnaw on. I tried Tylenol and Anbesol, too. I will take any ideas you have!
Well, let's get to the good stuff:
I just love this hat. I got it on clearance at Target last week and it is so cute! Sully looks beyond adorable in it. We are entering winter with a gusto this week here in Minnesota so this hat is much needed now.
I am pretty much in love with the Carter's outlets. We got Sully the cutest stuff there last week and I can't believe that he is in 12 month clothes. Insane! We call him out little Stinky Monster and we got him this beyond adorable outfit:
The shirt says, "Mommy's Little Monster" and then there is a monster on the butt... :-)
Yep, another one of my addictions. They make this website so easy to use and send you so many coupons.. it is like crack. I can't wait to make Sully's timeline for his birthday and have his photo books on display. The latest one I did is so cute I can't even stand it. I used lyrics from songs that I sing to Sully as the captions on the pages. It will be here Monday. I can't even wait.
OK, I know what you are thinking, 'Did you she really just post a cart cover?" Yep, I did. We actually got one as a shower gift and I thought it was so ridiculous that we returned it. Well, hind sight is 20/20. These are actually super handy. My mom bought us one when Sully started sitting in high chairs at restaurants. They work with them too. And if your child is anything like mine, they chew on everything.. including cart handles and high chairs. Now, I just throw this in our diaper bag and now he can chew away because he is chewing on his own stuff. Don't mock until you use it!
The V Tech Lean N' Dance Zoo. Warning: this toy can get extremely annoying, but Sully loves it! The Yellow and red stick is like a joystick that makes the orange monkey dance. The colored bars teach about animals, animal sounds and colors. It really is an awesome toy!
Ah yes... the Cozy Truck. Debbiemom just informed me that this is what she is getting Sully for his birthday. I am so pumped. He loves trucks and driving trucks so I am thinking he will love this! And besides, it is so cute. :-)
I will leave you with a picture of my adorable Sully James intently reading his cow book:
He looks so serious. :-)
Have a great weekend!
Courtney
*^)()(_*&*%^%^&&)IJUIH*(&%&^%^&
Anyone have any tips for a teething boy? We are letting him chew on washcloths and basically anything that it safe to gnaw on. I tried Tylenol and Anbesol, too. I will take any ideas you have!
Well, let's get to the good stuff:
I just love this hat. I got it on clearance at Target last week and it is so cute! Sully looks beyond adorable in it. We are entering winter with a gusto this week here in Minnesota so this hat is much needed now.
I am pretty much in love with the Carter's outlets. We got Sully the cutest stuff there last week and I can't believe that he is in 12 month clothes. Insane! We call him out little Stinky Monster and we got him this beyond adorable outfit:
The shirt says, "Mommy's Little Monster" and then there is a monster on the butt... :-)
Yep, another one of my addictions. They make this website so easy to use and send you so many coupons.. it is like crack. I can't wait to make Sully's timeline for his birthday and have his photo books on display. The latest one I did is so cute I can't even stand it. I used lyrics from songs that I sing to Sully as the captions on the pages. It will be here Monday. I can't even wait.
OK, I know what you are thinking, 'Did you she really just post a cart cover?" Yep, I did. We actually got one as a shower gift and I thought it was so ridiculous that we returned it. Well, hind sight is 20/20. These are actually super handy. My mom bought us one when Sully started sitting in high chairs at restaurants. They work with them too. And if your child is anything like mine, they chew on everything.. including cart handles and high chairs. Now, I just throw this in our diaper bag and now he can chew away because he is chewing on his own stuff. Don't mock until you use it!
The V Tech Lean N' Dance Zoo. Warning: this toy can get extremely annoying, but Sully loves it! The Yellow and red stick is like a joystick that makes the orange monkey dance. The colored bars teach about animals, animal sounds and colors. It really is an awesome toy!
Ah yes... the Cozy Truck. Debbiemom just informed me that this is what she is getting Sully for his birthday. I am so pumped. He loves trucks and driving trucks so I am thinking he will love this! And besides, it is so cute. :-)
I will leave you with a picture of my adorable Sully James intently reading his cow book:
He looks so serious. :-)
Have a great weekend!
Courtney
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Sully Update!
Hey ladies!
Yesterday was extremely insane and I meant to post but time got away from me. I will do a Wonderful Wednesday post tomorrow to make up for my lack of Terrific Tuesday. For now, I will update about Sully's appointment from Friday.
Well, as you remember, I was not looking forward to going without Robert to this thing. I don't have a penis, so I was not looking forward to going to the circ. I left work at noon on Thursday and picked up Sully from daycare. I of course forgot my nook AND formula so before I got him, I had to swing by our house, which I was not thrilled about.
Anyway, I finally get Sully and get on the road. I was going to stop in Pine City to get gas and lunch. Well, Mr. Sully James had other plans. About 13 miles before Hinckley, he woke up from his nap and decided that he was hungry and wanted to scream his head off. I was able to make to the Hinckley, which is a pretty famous halfway point between Duluth and Minneapolis. I am pumping gas and Sully is screaming in the car. I take him out and I go into the bathroom to change his diaper. Just my luck, there is no changing table in the bathroom. Awesome. I had to lay his changing pad on the sink and then two women using the bathroom decide to forgo the silent paper towels and instead op for those deluxe dryers that blow at about 50 decibels. So, Sully then starts crying again and doesn't stop until I get him into the car and a bottle in his mouth. He still had a really runny nose so I am sucking that out with the Nosefrida and feeding him a bottle in the back seat of my car in a White Castle parking lot. ::ugh::
There was a bunch of construction for the second half of my trip so by the time I reached my in laws, I was frazzled and starving. On a better note, they took us out for a nice dinner at the Tavern, shopping at Target, and then stopped at Byerley's for a Chocolate Symphony for dessert. It was really nice.
Sully had a rough night sleep and he couldn't eat anything after midnight so that made it more difficult. At about 9pm, I started to feel pukey. Sully woke me up for the last time at 4am and I just figured I would get up. I finished packing our things. I had my mother in law hold Sully while I packed the car. All of a sudden, I don't know if it was nerves or what, but I leaned over in the middle of the street at 5:45 and yaked. (You've got to be kidding me!!?)
I loaded Sully in the car and we set off for the 6 block trek to Children's. My mom and Ken were already there waiting for us. We went to the surgery waiting room and waited for them to call us back. While we waited, my mom pushed Sully around in a little cozy coupe and he loved it:
Sully was such a good boy! i am sure he was hungry, but he was having too much fun playing. :-)
He went back for the circ and I cried a little. I know it wasn't a big deal, but every time you see your child be taken into surgery, all those feelings come rushing back. The circ was only about 30 minutes and he was back, and he was STARVING! He chugged 10 ounces and didn't even spit up! We sat in recovery for about an hour and then he was back to his old self! I swear, this kid is such a trooper! We went to the CVCC floor and brought our treats. The docs and nurses loved them. It was nice to see everyone and they were so excited to see how perfect Sully is.
Making funny faces in the cafeteria!
We stopped at the cafeteria for a quick snack and then walked across the street to the heart clinic for our appointment with Dr. V and an echo. Sully was getting a little angry at that time and when we weighed him, he peed everywhere! He is now almost 18lbs and 28 inches long! He is growing like a weed! :-)
We had the echo first. I hate that the techs can't tell us anything. It always makes me on edge. Then we met with Dr. V for the results of the echo. Everything with Sully's valve is great. He thinks it will last longer than originally thought; maybe until Sully is in 1st grade! That is great news! His O2 levels are perfect and everything looks great. The only downer of the appointment is that Sully's left pulmonary artery is still a little narrow. We knew this before and it comes with the territory of Pulmonary Atresia. It could still grow as Sully grows, but we are going to recheck it in March and if it isn't getting wider, we will go to Children's when he is 2, stay overnight and then they will go through his groin with a balloon and stretch out that artery a little bit. When he has his next surgery, they will put a patch on it and that will be the permanent fix. It isn't anything bad and won't limit him or anything, it is just another procedure. :-( And much to my dismay, just to err on the side of caution, we are going to keep him on the blood pressure meds until March. Oh well. At least my boy is healthy, right? And so damn adorable!
On our way back to Duluth on Friday, my mom and I stopped at the Carter outlet store... bad idea! :-) $200 later, Sully has tons of new duds! My little man is now in 12 month clothes! Holy cow! Where was the baby I brought home that barely fit in a newborn size? :-)
As for the rest of the weekend, we did lots of family stuff. We went to a fall fest on Saturday and Sully rode a shuttle bus! He loved seeing all the people. I gave him a bite of my corn on the cob too and that was a hit. :-) We spent Sunday watching football and hanging out with the grandparents. It was pretty awesome.
Well, sorry that was obnoxiously long, but it was a big update! Thanks for the support ladies! It means a lot!
Courtney
Yesterday was extremely insane and I meant to post but time got away from me. I will do a Wonderful Wednesday post tomorrow to make up for my lack of Terrific Tuesday. For now, I will update about Sully's appointment from Friday.
Well, as you remember, I was not looking forward to going without Robert to this thing. I don't have a penis, so I was not looking forward to going to the circ. I left work at noon on Thursday and picked up Sully from daycare. I of course forgot my nook AND formula so before I got him, I had to swing by our house, which I was not thrilled about.
Anyway, I finally get Sully and get on the road. I was going to stop in Pine City to get gas and lunch. Well, Mr. Sully James had other plans. About 13 miles before Hinckley, he woke up from his nap and decided that he was hungry and wanted to scream his head off. I was able to make to the Hinckley, which is a pretty famous halfway point between Duluth and Minneapolis. I am pumping gas and Sully is screaming in the car. I take him out and I go into the bathroom to change his diaper. Just my luck, there is no changing table in the bathroom. Awesome. I had to lay his changing pad on the sink and then two women using the bathroom decide to forgo the silent paper towels and instead op for those deluxe dryers that blow at about 50 decibels. So, Sully then starts crying again and doesn't stop until I get him into the car and a bottle in his mouth. He still had a really runny nose so I am sucking that out with the Nosefrida and feeding him a bottle in the back seat of my car in a White Castle parking lot. ::ugh::
There was a bunch of construction for the second half of my trip so by the time I reached my in laws, I was frazzled and starving. On a better note, they took us out for a nice dinner at the Tavern, shopping at Target, and then stopped at Byerley's for a Chocolate Symphony for dessert. It was really nice.
Sully had a rough night sleep and he couldn't eat anything after midnight so that made it more difficult. At about 9pm, I started to feel pukey. Sully woke me up for the last time at 4am and I just figured I would get up. I finished packing our things. I had my mother in law hold Sully while I packed the car. All of a sudden, I don't know if it was nerves or what, but I leaned over in the middle of the street at 5:45 and yaked. (You've got to be kidding me!!?)
I loaded Sully in the car and we set off for the 6 block trek to Children's. My mom and Ken were already there waiting for us. We went to the surgery waiting room and waited for them to call us back. While we waited, my mom pushed Sully around in a little cozy coupe and he loved it:
Sully was such a good boy! i am sure he was hungry, but he was having too much fun playing. :-)
He went back for the circ and I cried a little. I know it wasn't a big deal, but every time you see your child be taken into surgery, all those feelings come rushing back. The circ was only about 30 minutes and he was back, and he was STARVING! He chugged 10 ounces and didn't even spit up! We sat in recovery for about an hour and then he was back to his old self! I swear, this kid is such a trooper! We went to the CVCC floor and brought our treats. The docs and nurses loved them. It was nice to see everyone and they were so excited to see how perfect Sully is.
Making funny faces in the cafeteria!
We stopped at the cafeteria for a quick snack and then walked across the street to the heart clinic for our appointment with Dr. V and an echo. Sully was getting a little angry at that time and when we weighed him, he peed everywhere! He is now almost 18lbs and 28 inches long! He is growing like a weed! :-)
We had the echo first. I hate that the techs can't tell us anything. It always makes me on edge. Then we met with Dr. V for the results of the echo. Everything with Sully's valve is great. He thinks it will last longer than originally thought; maybe until Sully is in 1st grade! That is great news! His O2 levels are perfect and everything looks great. The only downer of the appointment is that Sully's left pulmonary artery is still a little narrow. We knew this before and it comes with the territory of Pulmonary Atresia. It could still grow as Sully grows, but we are going to recheck it in March and if it isn't getting wider, we will go to Children's when he is 2, stay overnight and then they will go through his groin with a balloon and stretch out that artery a little bit. When he has his next surgery, they will put a patch on it and that will be the permanent fix. It isn't anything bad and won't limit him or anything, it is just another procedure. :-( And much to my dismay, just to err on the side of caution, we are going to keep him on the blood pressure meds until March. Oh well. At least my boy is healthy, right? And so damn adorable!
On our way back to Duluth on Friday, my mom and I stopped at the Carter outlet store... bad idea! :-) $200 later, Sully has tons of new duds! My little man is now in 12 month clothes! Holy cow! Where was the baby I brought home that barely fit in a newborn size? :-)
As for the rest of the weekend, we did lots of family stuff. We went to a fall fest on Saturday and Sully rode a shuttle bus! He loved seeing all the people. I gave him a bite of my corn on the cob too and that was a hit. :-) We spent Sunday watching football and hanging out with the grandparents. It was pretty awesome.
Well, sorry that was obnoxiously long, but it was a big update! Thanks for the support ladies! It means a lot!
Courtney
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Almost done...
Hey ladies!
This post may be short, because I simply cannot focus. I am getting off work at noon today, getting Sully from daycare, and then we are heading to Minneapolis. Tomorrow morning, he is having his circ and then his LAST cardiology follow up for a YEAR. I am so excited that I can't even stand it. Tomorrow, he also gets to be done taking medications. He is currently only on one med, called Captopril. It was to help keep his blood pressure low so his valve could adhere to this heart. He has basically grown out of the dose so they are going to stop it tomorrow.
After tomorrow, these 10 months of pure anxiety and stress will be over. To say I am not a little scared, would be a lie. I was extremely nauseated this morning. I am just ready to be officially done. Not done as in, "Well we have his circ and followup in a few weeks." But done as in DONE. After tomorrow, no more medicine, no more appointments except for his yearly exam, no more NOTHING! We will be just completely normal. I am so excited to put this behind us. I am excited for them to stop poking and prodding my sweet boy.
Sully will have to be under some slight general anesthesia again, which I am not particularly pleased about, but it is for the best. When he is asleep, they are going to give him a caudal block as well, which is a shot near his anus, sort of like an epidural, except it lasts about 8 hours. It will also help with pain after the circ. Nobody wants to wake up from a 20 minute surgery and have a painful wee wee.
After the circ, we will grab some lunch in the good ole' Starz cafe in the hospital and then we have an echo with Dr. V at 1:15.
I love our team and Children's. I really cannot say enough about them. I have spent the entire week baking treats for them as a surprise. Last time I went down there, we made S'mores Pops and they went quick. The night after his surgery, we went to Lund's and bough a bunch of lunch meat, cheese, crackers, hummus and buns as a snack for the nurses and they loved it! This time, I made sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, chewy M & M monster bars and rice krispies. I am going to decorate the sugar cookies tonight when I get to my in-laws. I made everything from scratch... I am pretty proud of myself. I pride myself in my baking so it was a good time.
Well, The morning is flying by and I better close up some files and head outta here.
Send prayers and good vibes our way! I will keep everyone posted!
Courtney
This post may be short, because I simply cannot focus. I am getting off work at noon today, getting Sully from daycare, and then we are heading to Minneapolis. Tomorrow morning, he is having his circ and then his LAST cardiology follow up for a YEAR. I am so excited that I can't even stand it. Tomorrow, he also gets to be done taking medications. He is currently only on one med, called Captopril. It was to help keep his blood pressure low so his valve could adhere to this heart. He has basically grown out of the dose so they are going to stop it tomorrow.
After tomorrow, these 10 months of pure anxiety and stress will be over. To say I am not a little scared, would be a lie. I was extremely nauseated this morning. I am just ready to be officially done. Not done as in, "Well we have his circ and followup in a few weeks." But done as in DONE. After tomorrow, no more medicine, no more appointments except for his yearly exam, no more NOTHING! We will be just completely normal. I am so excited to put this behind us. I am excited for them to stop poking and prodding my sweet boy.
Sully will have to be under some slight general anesthesia again, which I am not particularly pleased about, but it is for the best. When he is asleep, they are going to give him a caudal block as well, which is a shot near his anus, sort of like an epidural, except it lasts about 8 hours. It will also help with pain after the circ. Nobody wants to wake up from a 20 minute surgery and have a painful wee wee.
After the circ, we will grab some lunch in the good ole' Starz cafe in the hospital and then we have an echo with Dr. V at 1:15.
I love our team and Children's. I really cannot say enough about them. I have spent the entire week baking treats for them as a surprise. Last time I went down there, we made S'mores Pops and they went quick. The night after his surgery, we went to Lund's and bough a bunch of lunch meat, cheese, crackers, hummus and buns as a snack for the nurses and they loved it! This time, I made sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, chewy M & M monster bars and rice krispies. I am going to decorate the sugar cookies tonight when I get to my in-laws. I made everything from scratch... I am pretty proud of myself. I pride myself in my baking so it was a good time.
Well, The morning is flying by and I better close up some files and head outta here.
Send prayers and good vibes our way! I will keep everyone posted!
Courtney
Monday, September 10, 2012
25 Things You Didn't Know About Me
Good morning! How did Monday get her so quickly again! I had to completely change this intro because I had started this post on Friday and never got to finish... oh well.
I was reading UsWeekly and they had Michelle Obama do the 25 Things You Didn't Know About Me section and it was awesome! She is such a class act and I adore her. Mrs. Obama is my inspiration for today's post. I think sometimes, us moms, especially moms that struggled, tend to focus wholly on our tots. While that is fine and dandy, we need to remember the WOMAN that brought that child into this world. Did you leave her behind since you got your new title? I know that I forget about myself sometimes. I would much rather be with Sully, or think about Sully, or talk about Sully; but I can't forget about Courtney.
This morning, I decided to take a minute and talk about Courtney... Honesty, here we come.
25 Things You Didn't Know About CourtneyAnna
1. I am TERRIFIED of snakes. Not like the, "Eww gross," kind of terrified; but the run-scream-and-feel-like-I'm-gonna-die scared. I have actually even fainted once. I have also incited a stampede of kindergartners when a class pet that was a four foot long gray snake, got loose in the building while I was subbing there for a month.
2. I have a ketchup obsession. I put it on everything. Thanksgiving turkey, chicken, Christmas ham.. love it. I get quite a few stares..
3. I really, really hate one of my coworkers. I am only nice to this person to preserve the sanity here, but if given the chance to get away with it scott free... I would punch them directly in the face.
4. I hate the word "moist." It just grosses me out.
5. I secretly want to be an Old Lady to one of the Sons of Anarchy. Preferably Jax Teller. I could be a totally bad ass. I remember when I started watching the show on Netflix, I was pregnant with Sully and Jax's son Abel is born with a heart condition and needs surgery. I remember thinking, "How sad! That little baby needs heart surgery!" Little did I know... :-)
6. I wish more people read this blog. I feel like I have lost some people and even though I hate to admit it, it makes me sad. I really love some of the people I have met through it and sometimes I feel unappreciated. Maybe that is just my slight insecurities coming through.
7. I pray for the bloggy mamas that are currently TTC, every night. :-)
8. I am a clean freak. I hate when people leave dishes undone in the sink after dinner. It is just gross. It take minutes to wash a load and there is no excuse for a dirty kitchen... or a dirty bathroom... ICK!
9. I also don't like when moms blame their kids or spending time with their kids for why their house is a sty. Your house is a sty because you don't clean. Unless you kid stays up until midnight, everyone can take half hour and do a quick buff of the house.
10. If I ever won the lottery, the first thing I would do is buy my dad tickets to see the Rolling Stones. He has wanted to see them forever, but their tickets are so expensive. I looked once and they were almost $200 a ticket and the show was in Chicago!
11. I am a sucker for stupid movies. I love them and watch them over and over again. Robert just shakes his head and leaves the room. Examples, "Troop Beverly Hills," "Dad, the Angel, and Me," and 'Surf Ninjas." I don't know what makes them so appealing.
12. I wish I had an unlimited cash flow so I could be the "Secret Millionaire." I can't watch that show without bawling my eyes out.
13. I love Facebook. I am a Facebook creeper and there are some people that I stay friends with only so I can be a creeper. Sad, I know, but you gotta have something that is just for entertainment right?
14. I am an iTunes junkie. If I had every dollar back that I have spent on iTunes, I could probably pay off my mortgage. I don't believe in pirating music. Since my dad is a musician, I wouldn't feel right about "stealing" music.
15. I secretly hope my dad becomes rich and famous from his music. He sooooo deserves it. Listen and ENJOY!
16. My mind is like a Rolodex for song lyrics. For some reason, I can remember almost every lyric to every song I have ever heard. It is weird. My friends tell me I need to go on that game show about song lyrics.
17. I drink Diet Coke like it is going to be outlawed. I am the freak that doesn't eat McDonald's food, but will go through the drive through just for a fountain diet coke when they have the larges for $1. I am that weirdo. I am currently drinking what's left of a two liter for a little jolt.
18. I wish I had more "fun money" to get my nails, hair and eyebrows done on a consistent basis. I am not saying I let myself go or anything because I still like to look nice, but I have completely abandoned coloring my hair and I haven't gotten my nails done since Christmas. Every time I think about spending that much money, I always think of something I could buy Sully instead.
19. I secretly wish I could be a stay at home mom. I talk about big game about working, but I would love to stay home, have a brother or sister for Sully if my uterus would cooperate, and I would cook and bake, and play with them all day. Instead, I work full time... lame.
20. I hate when people try to "keep up with the Jones'." Too many times on Facebook and IRL, I see people trying to front or show off their "stuff." I hate that. Life is not about "stuff." No one cares if you got new Uggs or the fanciest car... I drive a Kia... and I love it. :-)
21. Speaking of my Kia, We have a 2008 Kia Optima. I love it. People made fun of us for buying a Kia but, if you look at the safety ratings and gas mileages, Bert and I are laughing all the way to the bank. We get almost 500 miles to a tank of gas and have every safety feature available. That is more important that a beeping back up camera or a car that will parallel park for you.
22. I feel like I have ADHD sometimes. I really lose focus and end up beebopping from one thing to another. Luckily, I always get things done.
23. I think I take on too much. I have a hard time saying, "no" to people. I am the coordinator of multiple charity events and my weekends are usually full. Sometimes I wish I could say, "no" without guilt and spend the entire weekend in my jammies.
24. I am ADDICTED to Shutterfly. Here is another avenue that I could spend a billion dollars. It doesn't help my addiction when they keep sending me these amazing coupons. You can't pass up a free photobook, right?
25. ..... I am totally going to go on Shutterfly and order a photobook... damn you and your amazing coupons! I am such a sucker for a good coupon!
I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed writing it. Have a great week ladies!
Courtney
I was reading UsWeekly and they had Michelle Obama do the 25 Things You Didn't Know About Me section and it was awesome! She is such a class act and I adore her. Mrs. Obama is my inspiration for today's post. I think sometimes, us moms, especially moms that struggled, tend to focus wholly on our tots. While that is fine and dandy, we need to remember the WOMAN that brought that child into this world. Did you leave her behind since you got your new title? I know that I forget about myself sometimes. I would much rather be with Sully, or think about Sully, or talk about Sully; but I can't forget about Courtney.
This morning, I decided to take a minute and talk about Courtney... Honesty, here we come.
25 Things You Didn't Know About CourtneyAnna
1. I am TERRIFIED of snakes. Not like the, "Eww gross," kind of terrified; but the run-scream-and-feel-like-I'm-gonna-die scared. I have actually even fainted once. I have also incited a stampede of kindergartners when a class pet that was a four foot long gray snake, got loose in the building while I was subbing there for a month.
2. I have a ketchup obsession. I put it on everything. Thanksgiving turkey, chicken, Christmas ham.. love it. I get quite a few stares..
3. I really, really hate one of my coworkers. I am only nice to this person to preserve the sanity here, but if given the chance to get away with it scott free... I would punch them directly in the face.
4. I hate the word "moist." It just grosses me out.
5. I secretly want to be an Old Lady to one of the Sons of Anarchy. Preferably Jax Teller. I could be a totally bad ass. I remember when I started watching the show on Netflix, I was pregnant with Sully and Jax's son Abel is born with a heart condition and needs surgery. I remember thinking, "How sad! That little baby needs heart surgery!" Little did I know... :-)
6. I wish more people read this blog. I feel like I have lost some people and even though I hate to admit it, it makes me sad. I really love some of the people I have met through it and sometimes I feel unappreciated. Maybe that is just my slight insecurities coming through.
7. I pray for the bloggy mamas that are currently TTC, every night. :-)
8. I am a clean freak. I hate when people leave dishes undone in the sink after dinner. It is just gross. It take minutes to wash a load and there is no excuse for a dirty kitchen... or a dirty bathroom... ICK!
9. I also don't like when moms blame their kids or spending time with their kids for why their house is a sty. Your house is a sty because you don't clean. Unless you kid stays up until midnight, everyone can take half hour and do a quick buff of the house.
10. If I ever won the lottery, the first thing I would do is buy my dad tickets to see the Rolling Stones. He has wanted to see them forever, but their tickets are so expensive. I looked once and they were almost $200 a ticket and the show was in Chicago!
11. I am a sucker for stupid movies. I love them and watch them over and over again. Robert just shakes his head and leaves the room. Examples, "Troop Beverly Hills," "Dad, the Angel, and Me," and 'Surf Ninjas." I don't know what makes them so appealing.
12. I wish I had an unlimited cash flow so I could be the "Secret Millionaire." I can't watch that show without bawling my eyes out.
13. I love Facebook. I am a Facebook creeper and there are some people that I stay friends with only so I can be a creeper. Sad, I know, but you gotta have something that is just for entertainment right?
14. I am an iTunes junkie. If I had every dollar back that I have spent on iTunes, I could probably pay off my mortgage. I don't believe in pirating music. Since my dad is a musician, I wouldn't feel right about "stealing" music.
15. I secretly hope my dad becomes rich and famous from his music. He sooooo deserves it. Listen and ENJOY!
16. My mind is like a Rolodex for song lyrics. For some reason, I can remember almost every lyric to every song I have ever heard. It is weird. My friends tell me I need to go on that game show about song lyrics.
17. I drink Diet Coke like it is going to be outlawed. I am the freak that doesn't eat McDonald's food, but will go through the drive through just for a fountain diet coke when they have the larges for $1. I am that weirdo. I am currently drinking what's left of a two liter for a little jolt.
18. I wish I had more "fun money" to get my nails, hair and eyebrows done on a consistent basis. I am not saying I let myself go or anything because I still like to look nice, but I have completely abandoned coloring my hair and I haven't gotten my nails done since Christmas. Every time I think about spending that much money, I always think of something I could buy Sully instead.
19. I secretly wish I could be a stay at home mom. I talk about big game about working, but I would love to stay home, have a brother or sister for Sully if my uterus would cooperate, and I would cook and bake, and play with them all day. Instead, I work full time... lame.
20. I hate when people try to "keep up with the Jones'." Too many times on Facebook and IRL, I see people trying to front or show off their "stuff." I hate that. Life is not about "stuff." No one cares if you got new Uggs or the fanciest car... I drive a Kia... and I love it. :-)
21. Speaking of my Kia, We have a 2008 Kia Optima. I love it. People made fun of us for buying a Kia but, if you look at the safety ratings and gas mileages, Bert and I are laughing all the way to the bank. We get almost 500 miles to a tank of gas and have every safety feature available. That is more important that a beeping back up camera or a car that will parallel park for you.
22. I feel like I have ADHD sometimes. I really lose focus and end up beebopping from one thing to another. Luckily, I always get things done.
23. I think I take on too much. I have a hard time saying, "no" to people. I am the coordinator of multiple charity events and my weekends are usually full. Sometimes I wish I could say, "no" without guilt and spend the entire weekend in my jammies.
24. I am ADDICTED to Shutterfly. Here is another avenue that I could spend a billion dollars. It doesn't help my addiction when they keep sending me these amazing coupons. You can't pass up a free photobook, right?
25. ..... I am totally going to go on Shutterfly and order a photobook... damn you and your amazing coupons! I am such a sucker for a good coupon!
I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed writing it. Have a great week ladies!
Courtney
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Wonderful Wednesday!
Hello there! I was so excited to see the positive reaction to yesterday's post. It warms my heart knowing that it made people feel better. That is one thing I am loving today! :-)
I am slightly pressed for time today... shocker. I swear, every week, I tell myself, "This week will finally be the week that things slow down. This week I will relax and not run around like a chicken with my head cut off." Yet, every week, I run myself ragged. I am hoping for a slow down, but there really isn't one in sight. Luckily I have my other bloggy mamas to give me those few minutes of calm while I read their posts. :-)
Anyhow, this is what I am lovin' this week:
I am slightly pressed for time today... shocker. I swear, every week, I tell myself, "This week will finally be the week that things slow down. This week I will relax and not run around like a chicken with my head cut off." Yet, every week, I run myself ragged. I am hoping for a slow down, but there really isn't one in sight. Luckily I have my other bloggy mamas to give me those few minutes of calm while I read their posts. :-)
Anyhow, this is what I am lovin' this week:
The Sharpie Accent Highlighter... OBSESSED. For someone as anal retentive as I am, this thing rocks. I have Sully's medical binder highlighted everywhere and I use this at work every day. I run them down to the nub. I just got a GIANT box of them from our business supply place and I can't wait to highlight everything that comes into the office.
I love this brand of clothing! I didn't really know what it was until I had picked up a few for Sully at the Munchkin Markets (more on that next...) They have the cutest clothes! I got one for Sully that has a construction crane on it that says, "My Mom Digs Me." How cute is that!?
Oh for the love of the Markets! When I was pregnant, my friend turned me on to the Munchkin Markets. They are all over the country and basically what it is is a bunch of moms getting together and having a huge consignment sale. You can't sell anything broken or stained. It all has to be nice condition. It has about a billion articles of clothing, toys, strollers, and basically anything you could need for your little fart blossom. I get a ton of Sully's clothes there. They grow so fast and everything is so expensive nowadays that it is nice to get a good deal! And, you can sell your stuff there too! I sold a few items at the spring Market, but I am planning on selling a lot more this time! I am finally going to go through Sully's clothes. There are a few things I plan on keeping for sentimental reasons and then a few outfits in case we have another baby someday, but other than that, out the door they go! I am going to use the Market money for Sully's party. If you sell, you get 65% of your proceeds! It is a win win!
This oatmeal rocks! I usually miss the oats myself, but Sully has never really dug the texture, but he loves oatmeal. I was looking at alternatives and I found this. Sully loves it! The texture is more smooth and it is delicious. I sometimes add maple and cinnamon or fruit for an extra kick. :-)
The people I love the most: My hubby and Sully! How cute are they? This is right before we went to the carnival on Sunday in Hinckley. ::Note Sully's adorable red board shorts in the background... so cute!::
I just love them. Every time I am having a crappy day or I am just feeling stressed, I look at my handsome, happy boys and all is right with the world. :-)
I will leave you with a couple more uber cute Sully James pics:
Having a snack!
Oh ya know... just sitting in the recliner... brushing my teeth... like you do... :-)
Have a great Wednesday!
Courtney
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