To Much On My Mind

Yesterday I got a little mommy "break"...well I don't know if you could classify it really as a break because I had to go to Weber State for my Threats and Crisis in Nursing class. (A.D.D. moment...Blake will tell me that I get at least one break a week from Brody when I go to work, oh please, it's a break taking care of postpartum women and there whiny newborn infants, what a "break"!) Anyway, I am really enjoying this class. My previous plan if there was a crisis was to get the h*!L out of dodge and the last place that I would EVER choose to be is at the hospital...although I still feel that way, because my husband and my child come first I am more apt now to maybe help someone, on my way out of town. We watched a terrible video about Chernobyl in class, there should've been a disclaimer "DO NOT WATCH THIS IF YOU ARE A HORMONAL BREASTFEEDING FIRST TIME MOTHER!" I now know where to send some charitble donations to WHEN I win the powerball. Our professor also shared with us a report from the Department of Homeland Security where they predict by 2012 there will be a large scale biological terriorist attack on the United States greater than 9/11. So at least I have three more good years ahead of me?!?

I also cowboy'd up and finally cleaned my living room and kitchen floors. Not a big deal to some, but I hadn't cleaned them since I had Brody. Oops. There was probably a whole meal that I mopped up off the kitchen floor. It sounds stupid, but I'm proud of myself for this accomplishment.

Is it bad that it's January and I'm already looking forward to summer. I better start saving now for my winter home in Phoenix so when I'm old, driving a caddy, getting a shampoo and set every Friday, worrying about my bowel movements at least I'll be warm in the sun.

I also won a contest off my friends blog (THANKS KARIANN!) so as part of the rules of winning my prize I have to do my own giveaway on my blog, so stayed tuned...

Brody giving Mom Kisses!

And the Little One Said...

Isn't it puzzling that as a mother you get excited over the littlest of things. For example, poopy diapers, blowing raspberries, getting your child to giggle on cue and this week...rolling over. Brody can now roll himself from him back to his tummy, and kind of topple over stomach to back.

He's goes from here...

To here...He thinks it's a really fun game because everytime he rolls I clap my hands and loudly say, "yeah yeah yeah who's a big boy?"

I also decided to get my ingrown toenails finally taken care of. They have been bothering me for YEARS and since I've already met my deductable for 2009 I bit the bullet...somewhat literally and had both of my inside of my big toenails done. Everything was going well until the podiatrist severed a nerve and blood vessel in my right toe. So after I was there for 1.5 hours trying to control the bleeding he finally let me go home. It's still really numb and tingly today and so hopefully I will regain some feeling in the toe. But if I don't, face it, it's a big toe, I'll deal with it. Also, I had a pregnancy present: a wart removed from the side of my right toe. He injected it with this gun looking thing (after he did it he told me it is still experimental) full of chemotherapy. (I didn't ask if that was safe to do when breastfeeding, I assume so...if not Brody's hair might fall out.) When I took off the bandages this morning, it looks like this big hole.

The picture does not do it justice.

Our Presidential Slogan

Brody told me today that he thought this whole Presidential Inauguration was too much! So he came up with his own slogan. Yes, all you mothers out there should be jealous because my 4 month old is talking. Also, I'm back to being mother of the year. I'd like to thank the academy, Dr. Church, and my son for sleeping through the night once again. All it took was 2, yes 2, two, the one right after one, before three, deuce, deux, nights of letting him cry for 15 minutes and now, no crying, no whimpering, no nothing. Asleep by 10:30p.m. sleeping until 6:30-7:00. I am pretty amazing. I am available for consultations, appointments, etc...

Growing Boy

Brody had his 4 month appointment yesterday with Dr. Church, who by the way I really like as a pediatrician, and he is getting so big! He is 15lbs 3 oz (75%), 27 inches (95%), and 43 cm head circumference (75%). He met all of his developmental milestones, except rolling over. Dr. Church said we could start cereal, so last night we dove head first, literally, into Rice Cereal. Brody really liked it! We're just going to supplement one feeding a day right now with Rice Cereal and see how it goes. I started to tell Dr. Church about how Brody had been sleeping through the night and now has gotten into a naughty pattern and before I even got 1/4 of the way through my story he said, "you've got to just let him cry." What?!? Just let my little boy, my little innocent smiling boy cry? You're kidding right? So last night he went to bed about 10:45 p.m. and he started crying at 11:57 p.m. I let him cry until exactly 12:12 a.m., 15 minutes, which is what Dr. Church said I had to wait before I went into comfort him. I was seriously looking at the clock every minute and counting down until I could go into his room. He slept until 4 or so when, according to Blake, he couldn't stand hearing him cry, not for the same reasons as me, but because he had to get up in 3 hours for work and wanted to sleep in peace. Dr. Church said if we let him cry for 15 minutes before we went in and gave him the binki that in 4-7 days we could possibly change the pattern. So I'll keep you updated if it works =).

Slightly Disturbing

So I'm at Walmart yesterday, which is strike 1 against me. I HATE HATE HATE going shopping now with Brody. Inevitably he always ends up having a meltdown in the store. On a good day he spirals downward as we're checking out. He just hates sitting in the carseat strapped in without me picking him up. Can you blame him?? And like I'm going to take him out and sit him in that germ invested, one lick away from a Pediatric admission and antibiotics basket. Anyway, I'm over buying Brody's poly-vi-sol vitamins (the reason why he is taking vitamins is another post) and this elderly couple turn down the aisle. The gentleman is approximately 324.7 lbs, wearing oxygen, and is in an electronic wheelchair. The lady should be in a wheelchair and is moving at the speed of a pregnant holstein heifer. She weighs maybe 120 lbs wet, and could probably be blown away with a good headwind. I moved my cart off to the side, smiled politely and watched. They proceeded to head down the aisle to the, how shall I say, "pregnancy prevention" products. Not wanting to pass this golden moment up I followed them down the aisle and pretended like I was looking at feminine hygiene products. Their conversation proceeded something like this:

Gentleman: Those ones are too small.

Lady: But I like them.

Gentleman: Get the other brand.

Lady: I'll get what I want.

Gentleman: How about some of that oil stuff.

Lady: What do we need that for.

I was seriously looking around for Ashton to jump out and tell me I'd been punked. I could not keep a straight face. I was snickering and giggling so bad that I pulled out my cell-phone and pretended like I was talking to someone on it. (Don't act like you haven't ever done that)

The only thing that I could've done, as a professional RN of course, was to politely inform them that once you're approaching death, you really don't need to use condoms anymore.

Really?!?

Grandma Hall: Taryn, Stephanie and Donna are the only ones that are pregnant right now, or at least those that will admit it.

Jessica: Well I'm certainly not one of those who won't admit it, don't be looking at me.

Grandma Hall: Oh, that's ok. I'll give you a couple more months.

Jessica: (Eyes really wide, possibly tearing up, gasping in the back of her throat). Wow.

You're A Bonnie Wee Lass

My sister, Alyson, A.K.A Stinky, A.K.A. Miss Manic, left for a six month internship with the Scottish Parliament in Edinborough Scotland this morning. Brody and me will miss her very much. She is my best girlfriend ever. We didn't even start liking each other until I was about 16 years old, before then we had a very unhealthy distain for each other.

Case and point...I had literally like punched her in the face one night because she was being a jerk (I can't remember the exact reason now). The next morning I get up to shower and get ready for another glorious day as a 8th grader and as I'm putting conditioner on my hair, it feels really hard as I'm going through my head. Hard and sticky. I get out of the shower because my hair has now completely froze to my head and lo and behold, Alyson had dumped a whole bottle of liquid adhesive into my conditioner bottle to get back at me. Good times. Anyway, I will be updating and blogging quite a bit the next 6 months because besides the blog, email and skype, we cannot communicate with each other.

At the Airport Saying Goodbye to Brody

Another Cliche Blog

So everybody always blogs about how great there husbands are yada yada yada...but...I want to give a shout out this morning to my homeboy Blake. Here are just a few reasons why telling my telling Blake "thank-you" isn't enough:

.Blake is an amazing father (I had a "ah-ha" moment yesterday when Blake was holding and playing with Brody, I looked at them and suddenly my love for him grew. That's a crappy way of explaining how I felt but I saw him interacting with Brody and I was just warm.)

.Blake cleaned the front room and kitchen floors on Saturday. I was feeling terribly sick and although I had to prompt him "Blake I left the vacuum out for you to do the floors," he actually did it for the first time in our 3 1/2 year marriage.

.Blake is the epitomy of service. I cannot even tell you how much he helps other people out. Whether it is construction related, church related, neighborhood related, family related, friends related, I don't think that there is one person a five mile radius of our home that he hasn't done something for and I love him for it!)

.He never complains about how much money I spend. I have certainly cut back a TON on spending since we got married, but he never begrudges me or tells me not to spend money. In fact, most of the time he encourages me to go by clothing or to do my crafting.

.He does things just so he can say he did them. Let me explain. When we first met he had a fully functional fish pond in the living room. Now who in there right mind would put a 6x5 foot fish pond in a living room. When I asked him why his response was, "well I just wanted to see if I could build one." He has been doing hours of research lately on starting up his own smoking catering business. Again, just so he can see if he can do it. This is another reason why I get so nervous when he goes snowmobling and I put search and rescue's number on speed dial. He sees a hill/cornice/mountain peek and says, "hmmmm I wonder if I can make it up this hill," and then he tries (and sometimes fails).

.He willingly goes to work every morning and HARDLY ever complains. I mean he really does not whine about his job. Amazing.

Somedays You Just Wanna...

Today has just been one of those days, and it's only 1:45! Guh! First of all, I am sick. I have some sort of coughy, flemy, junky, crudy stuff. And everything just gets to you more when your sick. Second, Brody is driving me crazy! The kid will not settle down. He was up like every hour last night. (No I don't think that he is sick...yet...) It's like I get him on a schedule for a couple of days, praise myself for being mother of the year, think of how I can brag at work that I am such a good mom and then it's like he just says, "forget you mom, I'll do what I want!" He is taking like an hour plus to eat sometimes (like I don't have ANYTHING better to do then to sit there for an hour and try and coax him to finish eating.) Is it possible to have ADD at 4 months old!?! I came across these illustrations awhile ago, but today they pretty much sum up how I feel about my child, especially the calming and containing baby!

Resolve to Not Make Resolutions

First off, let me say I am not one to jump on the "New Years Resolution" band wagon. But, now that I'm a mom I feel like I should be grown-up and set myself some goals. So, for all of you out there that care...

In 2009 I will...

1. Lose 20 pounds (Now your thinking to yourself sarcastically "oh how unique," but, I really want to get back to pre-prego weight. I've already lost 30 pounds, but these last 20 are going to kick my butt. No I don't want to look like Courtney Love, but it's a good illustration.)

2. Become Debt Free (Thanks to Dave Ramsey, we're close. But I'm really going to try living off off of "Beans and Rice, Rice and Beans" and agressively be debt free by June. Which is why I need the Sonora Grill Gift Card Angela!) 3. Graduate In May with my BSN. I'm 99% sure this will happen, so it is a pretty attainable and realistic goal. (At least there will be one resolution for sure I will accomplish.)
4. Exert more patience. With my husband, my son, and my patients. (Now I again know your're thinking "But Jessica is the kindness, most unopinionated, humble and beautiful person I know!" But despite this finding I really need to not be so Witchy with a B. I think that now that Blake is almost done with his huge side job remodel that this will be more easily accomplished.)

5. Attend the temple once a month with Blake. (I know there are others out there who are "religious" hehehe about attending the temple, but since I found out I was prego, we haven't been once together. At first it was because I was sure I was going to vomit during the session, then it was because I knew my dress wouldn't fit, then it was because I was so freakin' hot all the time that I didn't think it was appropriate to bring a towel to mop my face with during the session. I guess part of this resolution should be to stop making excuses.)