I will post pictures in a separate post of the kids on Halloween night.
I always try to make sure to visit with grandparents on Halloween even if that means I have to rush and hurry around to get everywhere I feel that its important. So this year I had two kids to dress and take everywhere. Kenny had planned on going with me but at the last minute he had to help his Grandma. So I took Nathan and Blake to my grandparents house to visit and of course she gave him almost the entire bowl of candy. Then we headed to Dwayne and Connie's so they could see the boys and Blake was so excited to see if Dwayne was all dressed up. Even though Blake knew it was him under the mask he was still leery and a bit afraid to go near him. So Blake got even more candy and he got to play and run around having fun. April took several pictures of both kids. Nathan just watched everything and everyone and stayed quiet. After I finally convinced Blake we needed to leave so we could drop Nathan off at Papa Kenny's so we could go to town and Trick or Treat. We get to Pat and Kenny's and Blake decides he is done and does not need or want any more candy. So we called it a night, I wanted him to get to go door to door like I did when I was young but he just isn't interested and I am not going to force him. And we don't need all that candy laying around, he isn't a fan of candy which is a good thing.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Weight
I applied for health insurance for me and the kids since thru Kenny's work it is super expensive and it would take almost half of his weekly paycheck. So I looked and searched and finally picked BCBS online and applied well my quote I was given then was great and in what we would spend in one week with Kenny's ins I got the almost the whole month for.
I had tons of questions to answer about me and the kids, luckily none of us has any pre existing conditions and no medications we take daily which made that process easier. Then it came to my height and weight, and I feared that would cause me to not be eligible to get the insurance. So I filled it out and hoped for the best (not to mention asking a woman her weight 5 weeks post delivery is not very fair)
Yesterday I got the approval via email saying we were approved.... but that the premium was 20.00 higher due to my weight, OK I know I am over weight but dang didn't think it was that bad. So I emailed the agent to see if I lost weight in a few months if I could appeal and get the premium down and he said he would appeal it now stating that I had just had a baby. Not sure why insurance companies are so concerned about your weight if you have no health concerns or problems and have never had any. I am not sure what there range is for weight for my age and height I hope to find that out today.
So now I have even more motivation to workout and lose the rest of the dreaded weight to save myself money on insurance and my best friend is getting married in 7 months and I would love to be able to go shopping for a super cute summer dress and not be so self conscious wearing it and having pictures taken.
I have made it 9 days with no soda and yes a few of those have been difficult and I almost caved in and had a soda at my Grandma's on Saturday evening but lucky for me she didn't have any or maybe that was a sign that I really didn't need a soda. I think that if I have made it over a week and survived I can make it for several weeks and months. I just cant give up my coffee yet have to have something to wake me up in the mornings when I have only gotten 3-4 hours of sleep.
I had tons of questions to answer about me and the kids, luckily none of us has any pre existing conditions and no medications we take daily which made that process easier. Then it came to my height and weight, and I feared that would cause me to not be eligible to get the insurance. So I filled it out and hoped for the best (not to mention asking a woman her weight 5 weeks post delivery is not very fair)
Yesterday I got the approval via email saying we were approved.... but that the premium was 20.00 higher due to my weight, OK I know I am over weight but dang didn't think it was that bad. So I emailed the agent to see if I lost weight in a few months if I could appeal and get the premium down and he said he would appeal it now stating that I had just had a baby. Not sure why insurance companies are so concerned about your weight if you have no health concerns or problems and have never had any. I am not sure what there range is for weight for my age and height I hope to find that out today.
So now I have even more motivation to workout and lose the rest of the dreaded weight to save myself money on insurance and my best friend is getting married in 7 months and I would love to be able to go shopping for a super cute summer dress and not be so self conscious wearing it and having pictures taken.
I have made it 9 days with no soda and yes a few of those have been difficult and I almost caved in and had a soda at my Grandma's on Saturday evening but lucky for me she didn't have any or maybe that was a sign that I really didn't need a soda. I think that if I have made it over a week and survived I can make it for several weeks and months. I just cant give up my coffee yet have to have something to wake me up in the mornings when I have only gotten 3-4 hours of sleep.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Sleep Deprived
I don't really remember being this exhausted after I had Blake, but yet I only had him to take care of and now I have Blake and Nathan. There isn't enough coffee in the world to keep my eyes open and keep me energized each day. I know that this is only temporary and Nathan will start sleeping longer than half and hour to an hour at a time but today it sure doesn't feel like there will be an end.
Nathan is awake alot during the day, then of an evening he takes a half an hour nap if I am lucky and he is just wide awake and remains that way thru the night. Most nights I am lucky to get 2 hours total which comes in short periods of half an hour here and there. I often wonder if I am doing something wrong because everyone else I know who has a baby the same age they sleep for 3-4 hours straight.
I have been finding that I am getting very short tempered and very moody and I feel bad for Kenny and for Blake because I snap at both of them. Blake does great as a Big Brother and I feel bad for getting on to him for little things that shouldn't bother me. I am not sure how to find the balance to getting everything done in the evening and mornings and still not getting agitated in the process.
Kenny doesn't understand how exhausted I am because he goes to bed by 10 and sleeps until 6:30 or later on weekends and has no clue of how many hours a night I am up feeding Nathan, rocking him and trying to get him to sleep so I can sleep and then I get frustrated that he doesn't help at night or in the mornings, not that I expected him to because he never once helped at night with Blake but maybe I had thought that he could this time since I have Nathan and Blake to take care of daily.
This past week and a half Nathan will not lay in the play pen when he sleep he wakes up as soon as I lay him down. So I tried the swing same thing works for 20 min then he wakes up, I even tried laying him on the couch no luck. The only thing that works is if I sit on the couch and lay him across my lap and propped up on the pillow I guess he doesn't like laying down flat but I can't continue to hold him like that each night its really wearing me down not to mention making me super sore from sitting in an awkward position so he can sleep. He has been having sinus drainage and I am sure that laying flat makes it worse but yet I need to find a solution so that I can try and sleep while he does.
So if anyone reads this and has an idea please let me know becuase I am willing to try just about anything to be able to feel normal and not be so exhausted and moody.
Nathan is awake alot during the day, then of an evening he takes a half an hour nap if I am lucky and he is just wide awake and remains that way thru the night. Most nights I am lucky to get 2 hours total which comes in short periods of half an hour here and there. I often wonder if I am doing something wrong because everyone else I know who has a baby the same age they sleep for 3-4 hours straight.
I have been finding that I am getting very short tempered and very moody and I feel bad for Kenny and for Blake because I snap at both of them. Blake does great as a Big Brother and I feel bad for getting on to him for little things that shouldn't bother me. I am not sure how to find the balance to getting everything done in the evening and mornings and still not getting agitated in the process.
Kenny doesn't understand how exhausted I am because he goes to bed by 10 and sleeps until 6:30 or later on weekends and has no clue of how many hours a night I am up feeding Nathan, rocking him and trying to get him to sleep so I can sleep and then I get frustrated that he doesn't help at night or in the mornings, not that I expected him to because he never once helped at night with Blake but maybe I had thought that he could this time since I have Nathan and Blake to take care of daily.
This past week and a half Nathan will not lay in the play pen when he sleep he wakes up as soon as I lay him down. So I tried the swing same thing works for 20 min then he wakes up, I even tried laying him on the couch no luck. The only thing that works is if I sit on the couch and lay him across my lap and propped up on the pillow I guess he doesn't like laying down flat but I can't continue to hold him like that each night its really wearing me down not to mention making me super sore from sitting in an awkward position so he can sleep. He has been having sinus drainage and I am sure that laying flat makes it worse but yet I need to find a solution so that I can try and sleep while he does.
So if anyone reads this and has an idea please let me know becuase I am willing to try just about anything to be able to feel normal and not be so exhausted and moody.
Halloween
Here a a few of the pictures that I took this morning before leaving the house. Blake was so excited to get to wear his costume to school. Well he actually wears his chaps, boots, vest and hat several times a week pretending to be a bull rider, but he couldn't wait to show all of his friends at school.
We decided not to get a costume for Nathan so I got him the little pumpkin sleeper which I am sure will be more warm and comfortable for him to wear anyway.
I hope to get more pictures of the kids tomorrow and will try and post those next week.
Happy Halloween to everyone!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Goodbye Soda
Yes that is right I said goodbye to Mountain Dew on Saturday (and all other sodas) I know it will be hard but its calories I don't need to consume daily not to mention it no longer keeps me awake and it doesn't taste as good as it used to so I took that as signs to say see ya!
Yesterday was hard I had a headache all day not sure if it was from lack of sleep or from not having soda but today is much better. I decided to allow myself 2 cups of coffee at work during the week. I am curious to see if it will affect the scale in a positive way in the days to come.
I will miss the Mountain Dew and I am sure that I will eventually crave one but I have to be strong and resist it. I went 6 months without it last year from Oct. til May and I know I can do it again. So wish me luck that I succeed!!!
Yesterday was hard I had a headache all day not sure if it was from lack of sleep or from not having soda but today is much better. I decided to allow myself 2 cups of coffee at work during the week. I am curious to see if it will affect the scale in a positive way in the days to come.
I will miss the Mountain Dew and I am sure that I will eventually crave one but I have to be strong and resist it. I went 6 months without it last year from Oct. til May and I know I can do it again. So wish me luck that I succeed!!!
Life and Stress
The last four weeks have been more stressful and trying than I had expected. I knew that having a new baby would create stress but I hadn't anticipated all of the other things that have happened.
The day after we had Nathan my dad and sister came to see us at the hospital and he slept the whole time there so neither one of them held him. The following day my dad called to tell me they took my sister by helicopter to Children's Hospital in St. Louis and that she had HNN1 flu. Totally scared me considering we just saw her the day before lucky for us no one else in my family got it and they think that she had just started showing symptoms that day. They found that along with her respiratory problems that she has had since birth that she had pneumonia. She remained in the hospital for over two weeks and at one point they didn't know if she would pull thru. Thankfully she did and seems to be back to normal.
During that time I helped move a friend twice in the same week, which was very tiring on me but was good to get out of the house and to actually do something but I was surprised at how tired I became doing so much. Then another friend of mine found out she had cancer on her cervix and had surgery to remove the cancerous cells and they think it was a success which I hope and pray they are right.
I had my 3 week check up with my OB doctor and I had lost all the baby weight plus an extra 5 pounds which made me happy, my blood pressure was back on the low side again which was also great news. When I the doctor walked in the room she said let me tell you about your placenta. I had already knew there was problems since week 20 when I had cramps and spotting and the Doctor in Columbia told me it had a partial tear. Also during the C-Section she made mention of bleeding that was more than normal and the day she released us she told me she was very glad we did the C-Section both times I didn't ask why I was just glad me and Nathan were fine. Well she proceeded to tell me why, my blood vessels that attach to the placenta were only attached on the surface instead of attaching farther in which is why when I did to much or lifted things I would cramp and spot. She informed me that if we would have went ahead with a normal delivery that there was a good chance I would have hemorrhaged. I am very glad that the Doctor in Columbia said we should do the C-Section and very glad I listened to my gut instinct to go ahead with the C-Section. I had a fear all along that something would happen in delivery if we went in to labor.
I got my tubes tied after she got Nathan out and I am glad I did, I really don't think I could go thru another pregnancy and there would be a high risk of having complications again and a risk of another miscarriage. I am perfectly happy being the mom of two wonderful healthy boys and happy that I am healthy. People keep saying you will regret it but I thought about the decision the entire pregnancy and knew deep down that I was making the right choice.
The day after we had Nathan my dad and sister came to see us at the hospital and he slept the whole time there so neither one of them held him. The following day my dad called to tell me they took my sister by helicopter to Children's Hospital in St. Louis and that she had HNN1 flu. Totally scared me considering we just saw her the day before lucky for us no one else in my family got it and they think that she had just started showing symptoms that day. They found that along with her respiratory problems that she has had since birth that she had pneumonia. She remained in the hospital for over two weeks and at one point they didn't know if she would pull thru. Thankfully she did and seems to be back to normal.
During that time I helped move a friend twice in the same week, which was very tiring on me but was good to get out of the house and to actually do something but I was surprised at how tired I became doing so much. Then another friend of mine found out she had cancer on her cervix and had surgery to remove the cancerous cells and they think it was a success which I hope and pray they are right.
I had my 3 week check up with my OB doctor and I had lost all the baby weight plus an extra 5 pounds which made me happy, my blood pressure was back on the low side again which was also great news. When I the doctor walked in the room she said let me tell you about your placenta. I had already knew there was problems since week 20 when I had cramps and spotting and the Doctor in Columbia told me it had a partial tear. Also during the C-Section she made mention of bleeding that was more than normal and the day she released us she told me she was very glad we did the C-Section both times I didn't ask why I was just glad me and Nathan were fine. Well she proceeded to tell me why, my blood vessels that attach to the placenta were only attached on the surface instead of attaching farther in which is why when I did to much or lifted things I would cramp and spot. She informed me that if we would have went ahead with a normal delivery that there was a good chance I would have hemorrhaged. I am very glad that the Doctor in Columbia said we should do the C-Section and very glad I listened to my gut instinct to go ahead with the C-Section. I had a fear all along that something would happen in delivery if we went in to labor.
I got my tubes tied after she got Nathan out and I am glad I did, I really don't think I could go thru another pregnancy and there would be a high risk of having complications again and a risk of another miscarriage. I am perfectly happy being the mom of two wonderful healthy boys and happy that I am healthy. People keep saying you will regret it but I thought about the decision the entire pregnancy and knew deep down that I was making the right choice.
Life as a mom of 2
So its been over 4 weeks since I last made a post. And in that time Nathan Steven Allen was born on September 25, 2009 at 8:08 am weighing 7lbs 5 oz and was 20.5 in long.
I have attached a picture of Blake and Nathan, it was the first time Blake got to see his new baby brother and he was excited and happy. I had feared he would be jealous or rebel and not be his calm happy self. Lots of friends told me not to worry he was excited to be a big brother and all would be fine but I still worried. Well I had nothing to worry about because he has done great and each time he comes home he kisses Nathan on the forehead and when he goes to bed he gives him a kiss good night. I am so thankful that he accepted a new baby so well.
As for me the lack of sleep is about to do me in, I keep telling myself it wont last forever but some days I really start to wonder. Only getting one to two hours of sleep a night makes me extra moody and I have a hard time maintaining patience with Blake when he is tired and grumpy and with Kenny because he sleeps all night and never hears Nathan cry (or he just tells me that so he don't have to get up) I am not much of a morning person so I have started doing all that I can at night before bed, getting lunches ready, clothes laid out diaper bag packed and it helps but I am still not morning person and not sure that I will ever be.
But we have survived one whole month and Nathan has already changed and grown he smiles when he hears Blake or Kenny's voice. I will have to post the picture I took of Blake with Nathan over the weekend in a later post.
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