De-Evolution

I'm not even sure that that's a word!  But our summer has definitely "devolved" from grand plans and exciting adventures to "nope, staying home today because mommy doesn't feel good."  Perhaps before school starts we'll get in a few more things that we had planned.  Perhaps.  Or perhaps not.

So downloading my pictures on my camera today resulted in 8.  EIGHT!  Pretty bad.  They tell a small, sad story.

Of course the 24th was Pioneer Day and I had grand plans.  A friend and I got together (here, in case I needed to make a run for it) and made pioneer bonnets for our girls (no, Megan wouldn't let me take a picture) and we planned to wear them to the Stake Pioneer Day Extravaganza.  But on the day of, we didn't go.  Chopper hates crowds (and they estimated from last year 1000 people -- whoa!) and I hate throwing up in public, much less fighting for a stall to throw up in.  Nope.  So we skipped it.  But on the actual day I did manage to make beans and bread and we talked about pioneers and watched some videos.  Hey, they learned something!

William is a climber!  Ok let me rephrase that.  William is a BOY!  He got up there all by himself.  He loves stairs, hearths, stacked pillows, anything with a ledge he can haul himself onto.  Also, as of yesterday he is an independent man!  He was weaned in 2 very large steps and did not like it at all.  However, the tantrums have stopped and he has taken to cow's milk really well.  But when he's tired, hurt, hungry, or whatever, he still wants mom and he just face plants into my chest and gets wet spots all over me where he's doing the lip sucking thing he does trying to nurse.  I'm not sure how long it will take for him to stop doing that! 

Yesterday afternoon I ventured out with Megan for a birthday party at a gym.  Like a gymnastics gym.  She had a great time and even tried out the rope swing!  She is so ready for kindergarten and I'm excited for her.  I think we're going to take a mommy / daughter date (Grandma's idea) in a few weeks to go buy all her school supplies and a new outfit or two for the start of school.  I love school supplies!! 

Gross Things

This post will NOT be accompanied by pictures for very good reasons.  And you are hereby warned so if you don't like the subjects of nursing or throwing up, don't read on.

At my first appointment with the OB she advised weaning William quickly.  Like within a week or two.  He was already on the chopping block even before discovering we were pregnant -- a year is about my limit -- but it's going a lot faster now and he is NOT happy.

Megan was a slow wean and we had no problems that I can recall.  Abby went cold turkey because she wouldn't stop biting me but she was ok with that.  William?  Oh boy.

Of course it doesn't help that I'm also just now making him sleep through the night.  Going from waking 3 times and being nursed to not at all and crying all night?  I'm a mean mom.  Now I've cut drastically back to nursing him just twice a day -- morning and night -- and he is MAD.  When it's time for him to nurse (well, on the old schedule) he's quickly escalating from whining and pulling on me to full-fledged, throw himself backwards tantrum.  I've discovered that pretty much the only remedy to this is to sit him on my lap and give him a cracker.  Then we try some cow's milk and another cracker and eventually he'll have enough of a snack that he can leave my lap and go play again.  It's ridiculous.  

Then you throw in my sick episodes every day and you can see that we're having an eventful summer after all!!  In reality, if we stay close to home and I eat small meals every 2 to 3 hours, I'm mostly ok.  But I am so sick of crackers, snacks, etc. already.  And peanut butter sandwiches.  But there's not much that's appetizing anyway.  William is spending a lot of time screaming because I have to put him down and make a run for it.  Abby usually follows me into the bathroom.  She told me she wants to see what I've eating which is completely gross.  She might be good in the medical profession someday though.  Maybe coroner?  They examine stomach contents.  Ok can't think about that -- it'll make me sick.

Stats for FOUR Children

Yes you read that right.  I had my first prenatal appointment Wednesday afternoon and my doctor does an initial ultrasound to confirm due date and see the heart beat.  So as of right now I'm about 8 weeks along, due February 27th and having a gummy bear!  Everything looks good but my OB wants me to wean William in the next week or two.  Which is fine with me.  And will probably be very much NOT fine with William.  We might just have to go cold turkey on this one.

Yesterday he and Megan both had well-child checks and Abby forced herself into the action so I do have a stat or two for her.

Megan was 35.2 lbs (9%), 41 inches tall (8%) and had a blood pressure of 101/61.  She also got to wear a "paper dress" and our doctor gave one to Abby too which was very sweet but I have no idea what the difference was between that and leaving their clothes on.

William was 20 lbs. 1.5 oz (11%) and 28.5 inches (11%) and his head was 44.75 cm (9%).  Somehow he has gotten smaller and smaller but what actually does worry me is that he weighs the same as his 9 month appointment.  He is eating but he relies so much on nursing.  I'm going back for a weight check next month to see how he's doing once he's been cut off FOREVER!

Abby weighed 27.8 lbs and I can't remember how tall she was -- I didn't write it down but don't worry, she's still tiny.  

Then I threw up in the car on the way home so those are MY stats!!!  My nausea hasn't been quite as bad as it was with William.  My OB says it's because as a nursing mom my hormones are already elevated and while I'm glad, it's still not fun.  Plus my fatigue has made me the laziest person on the planet and turned my house into a war zone and I haven't accomplished anything.  Except the laundry.  At least I know there's an end in sight!  And bonus -- my next appointment we may be able to find out gender because we're going to the first trimester screening.  Now that would be fun!

Happy Birthday William!!

We celebrated William's first birthday on Friday!  It was a very low-key affair made even more anti-climactic by the fact that William didn't really DO anything!

We took some cute pictures in the great outdoors while we were in Michigan.  I thought I'd try the chair thing, and the hat thing (props!) and they turned out pretty cute!

But we waited to celebrate until we were actually home with Chopper.  The cake idea came from Pinterest and is totally self-explanatory and super super EASY! 

He watched in shock as we approached him with candle lit and was mesmerized by that single, tiny flame.  Of course, given his recent reaction to fireworks, now I kind've wonder if he wasn't paralyzed with fear that something was going to happen! 

But the girls were more than happy to pitch in and blow out the candle.  In fact, Abby tried to take over the birthday pretty much single-handedly.  Once we were done with cake she was very excited to go help William open presents! 

 He didn't eat any of it!  Not even when we gave him a spoon!!  Chopper force fed him a small piece and at one point he did lick a finger covered in frosting but neither or those events spurred him on to actually eat the cake.  I couldn't believe it!  

But of course he still needed a back and then we tried to get him to open presents -- just some fun board books I wrapped.  Again, I thought for sure once the tearing began that he would get into it.  He just sat there. 

Oh well.  We've been enjoying the cake so it's not a total loss!  He's just such a turkey.  His 1 year appointment is on Thursday and I'm excited to see where he's at.  We went ahead and switched him ride in the car forward facing.  I know the new "recommendations" are 2 years old but he's been screaming every time we get in the care lately and I can't take it so forward he went.  To and from church today he was so focused on the world going by.  It even kept him from falling asleep on the way home which is a major deal since he's been forced to cry it out the past two nights and has been really tired these past two days.  But he needs to give up on nursing 3 times a night -- yes, 3 times a night.  So cry it out he does and while I feel terrible about it, he doesn't seem to resent me in the morning so we continue forward!

Let's see -- one year old and not walking yet but he's starting to cruise a little bit around furniture.  Still has just the 4 top and bottom front teeth.  He is smart and starting to imitate sounds and things.  He loves lift-the-flap books.  We have a few small ones that keep him well entertained at church.  He is eating well for the most part although definitely prefers salty and savory foods to sweet foods but he is so stubborn and insists on feeding himself so we're having some issues getting a good volume of food into him.  When he wants things he screams at the top of his lungs and balls his little hands into fists and shakes them.  It's like the Incredible Hulk and it's over in about 5 seconds -- if he gets what he wants.  He LOVES iPads, tablets, smart phones and knows that if he swipes his fingers over them they'll do stuff.  So he tries swiping the camera, computer, other screens that don't do that.  He'll push buttons on the phone and then hold it up to his ear.  The girls still adore him and Chopper and I are rather fond of him as well!!  But very glad that he's survived the first year!

Very Long Vacation Post!

You've Been Warned.

Plus I'm going to cheat just a little and start with our 30th of June Festivities (because that's when the Oak Point Freedom Fest is) . . . 

It involved of course, patriotic clothing (cute skirts from Walmart, pumpkin shirt at Megan's insistence of course)

For attendance at the World's Shortest Parade

(this just might be the only actual "float") 

Followed by free lunch, snowcones (Abby's legs ended up red from spilling and of course I had a mommy moment where I thought it was blood) 

Flag waving

bubble blowing, and just generally having a good time with the family celebrating our freedoms!

Then it was home to pack for our vacation to Grandma and Grandpa's in Michigan.  Flying.  By myself.  With the kids.  You see, Chopper and I apparently have this ritual -- I go on vacation with the kids, he stays home and drinks Dr. Pepper, eats pizza and Panda Express and watches Band of Brothers.  He might be getting the better end of the deal.

I seriously debated just packing William.  Just kidding. 

Flying direct it's only about a 3 hour trip but then another 2 1/2 hour drive to their house.  They were long days of traveling.  Made worse by first trimester nausea.  And now if you're one of the 5 people who actually read my blog and I haven't called you already, you are in the know!  I tell people early on because quite frankly if I'm going to suffer, I want sympathy!

Michigan was beautiful and so we made sure to do lots of activities that involved being outside.  We went to the Potter Park Zoo and rode camels 

Fed the birds 

Were amazed by all the peacocks and tried to find loose feathers but had no luck.  I tried to get Grandma to just pull them out of their tails but she refused!

We've been working on advancing William's eating skills.  He is doing so much better although we also still nurses constantly and refuses to let ANYONE feed him.  He has to do it himself.  So we're having a problem with getting the right volume of food IN him and not ON him.  Case in point: 

But he LOVED the truck.  Apparently, it's amazing.

Mt. Pleasant has this great little Children's Museum.  Now I ask you, if a small, in the middle of nowhere town like Mt. Pleasant can have a great children's museum, why can't we?  Makes no sense to me and I might have to start one because we NEED one for those crazy hot summers (started hitting 100 degrees while I was gone!). 

I just love this little picture.  William is all over the place and starting to cruise a little bit.  He'll probably set the record for walking as well as crawling.

I don't remember now why Abby was upset because they actually LOVED this giant beehive thing.  But I love the picture.

Dressed in a kimono and bringing me "tea"

 Practicing their Japanese writing and I have no idea what it's called.  These are very neat metal plates that they drew with water on and they get darker and then dried for the next practice.  The museum was just very well done.  Oh Megan refused to wear a kimono.

Pool noodles hanging from a grate on string!  Fun for days!

William LOVED hanging out what Grandpa.  He was so good for him.

I am now investing in a Flowbee.  My mom has used one for years and I meant to get William a haircut before we left but it didn't happen so I thought we could try it.  He buried himself in me but wasn't upset and it didn't take too long and looked good.  And since children's haircuts are on average $15 a pop I am so investing!!!  Plus it's a Gasser tradition! 

For the REAL 4th of July we had a BBQ and fireworks at home with Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Jeff.   Everything but the fireworks was great.  Grandpa did a great job and managed to get a package that did not include any screamers but the pops were still too loud for Megan.  So it ended up like this: Abby sat outside asking for more (and wanting to help), Megan watched from inside behind the sliding glass door, and I tried to watch from inside as well but William fought and screamed and cried and tried to get away.  He HATED them. 

 Please don't let these ADORABLE pictures deceive you.  They only love each other sometimes.

 1st Fourth of July!!!

The day after we all went to Lake Michigan to go to the beach.  It was pretty packed and the water was freezing but the girls insisted on wearing their swim suits and get in and they really did.  They love the beach and I do wish we lived closer to one so that we could go frequently. 

Yes, there are waves!  It's that big!

Uncle Jeff was awesome and played and took them into the water because he was the only one willing to freeze to death along with the kids.  There were a ton of people doing this wind surfing kind of thing where you're on a short board holding onto a type of parachute and letting the wind pull you over the water and doing tricks.  It was pretty cool to watch.

We didn't actually go in the lighthouse.  I'm not such a fan of heights the older I get and my mom and Jeff tried to go with Abby but there are 130 steps and you can't carry anyone so she didn't get up.  She came back to tell me that she didn't get to go see Rapunzel in her tower . . . but she was ok with that.

I don't know that I have too much more to say because I don't take a lot of pictures of just spending quality time with family but even though the traveling part was long and tiring it was so worth it and I'm grateful we're able to do this with my parents so far away.  It means a lot to me that the kids get to spend quality time with them and that I get a break too!!  I'll probably post more as I recall it, but for now, this is good because I need a nap!