Tuesday, October 28, 2014

My BFF is back for her next adventure

"A good friend is a connection to life, a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world."   Leis Wyse

image courtesy of clipartbest.com

Yesterday I had the privilege of picking up my BFF at the airport, with my kids in tow naturally.  She's returned home after living in Texas for over 10 years to start her next adventure.   

She's been so far away for so long that it doesn't feel real that I can now get in the car, again dragging the kids with me, and just visit her. Ah Le sigh.....come on people you know you are out there...haven't you had that friend you've met in your adult years, okay maybe when you thought you were an adult, who just got you.  Someone who you could just look at and be like "did you just see that" and she rolls her eyes in return and cracks up too.  

Now don't get me wrong, we are not both cut from the same cloth.  While we do enjoy a lot of the same things we also have so many differences and that is what makes it work. 
She's seen me at my best, on my wedding day, has shared my joys at finding out I was pregnant, and at my worst as a young girl enjoying her freedom at 21.  Can you say Lemon Drop.  She's a bit braver than I am, living so far away from her family and I was her cheerleader (no pom poms people) and still am too.  

While she was away we came up with ideas to keep in touch, because when a friend becomes family that's what you do.  We started with a book club of 2.  We dedicated a night every so often and watched a Hallmark movie together over the phone, cracking up at the same parts and figuring out the ending long before the movie had ended. Once we both tried to incorporate a little drink, but its been so long since my 21 year old days that it was fortunate my cat knocked over my drink or I would have never been able to see the rest of the movie with her.  

She is definitely the key to my sanity as I would call her at odd ends of the day to vent over things at my old job, family weirdness, my new adventure as a stay at home mom and just around everything and I in turn would listen to her vent about her job, family weirdness and all around everything too.  

Now she's back and it's like she never left. We are planning on a movie night (in person at a theater!), walking adventures and dinner nights and who knows what.  I know this move back will be short as its a stepping stone to her next adventure but no fear, we'll keep in touch because that's what BFFs do.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Music Monday

One of my new workout songs. And it doesn't hurt that he's not hard on the eyes ladies. 


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Chicken Little's Birth Story

The first thing to know about my boys is that they like to be early.  Yup, V-Dub came into this world about ten (10) days early, and Chicken Little decided he wanted to come fourteen (14) days early. 

This time I thought to myself I had learned from before and made sure I was completely ready.  I had booked the C-Section 10 days early from the due date, my hospital bag was packed, made some freezer meals, washed the baby's clothes and thought I would take care of the last little things over the weekend before the baby came.  Yeah, wishful thinking because the Thursday before, around midnight, after I told my mother to go home, moving her from around the corner to about twenty (20) miles away, my water broke around midnight.

Did you know that only 10% to 15% of labors begin with the breaking of the waters?  Yeah go figure, but my luck it happened to me not once but twice.  This time I knew what was happening and yet I still thought no problem I can make it stop.  Crazy right.  A frantic call was placed to my sister and she came over to watch V-dub and mi esposo and I headed to the hospital.  

As I mentioned earlier, this baby would be brought into the world by C-Section for several medical reasons.  I searched the net for information, bothered every doctor and nurse in the practice (all questions no matter how silly were welcomed) and even watched birth videos to prepare, but reality is always different than what you expect.  

I was scheduled for an 8 am procedure and let me tell you when they say 8 am, they mean it.  Everyone was racing to meet the start time.  The nurse assigned was unbelievably nice, the anesthesiologist and his assistant were completely understanding and when he said here comes the bee sting, he was done!  Nothing, I felt no pain whatsoever. He asked if I was scared and said yes, but mostly because I was scared I would be cold and shake on the table so what did he do, that wonderful man went and got me a heated blanket so I had nothing to worry about. And my doctor and her assistant physician, I love that woman, she must have been about 90 lbs soaking wet but she tugged until she got that baby out and sewed me up like a champ, all the while making sure I was okay.  Love that entire team!!!!! 

The procedure lasted about an hour and I didn't feel a thing other than the tugging when she took out little mister and then put all my insides back in.  What I did find strange was I heard the clamps, I heard the clicking as the Dr. put them in place and my arms were strapped down but after the procedure started they took off the straps so I could hold my baby.  While I couldn't see Chicken Little right after he was born in all his gooeyness, I was able to hold my perfectly clean baby and press him to my check just as I held my first born.  After Chicken Little was born we had the choice of having mi esposo stay with me or follow the baby and I sent him to check out our newborn.  Honestly, he can't sew so he might as well head over and watch over our precious gift from God.  I hung around on the table and waited until everything was done which was about twenty minutes later. 

The recovery was different, but then again due to complications it took long to recover from my first born's birth so I was familiar with a long recovery.  One thing though, I felt a burning in one hip, turns out he was born in the oblique position, which occurs in less than 5% of pregnancies and means head in the hip, yup another rarity for me.  The burning was from having my muscles stretched on one side so the doctor could get the little bugger out, but it went away by the second week of recovery.  

One of the helpful hints I found online was to order the healthiest items on the menu especially soups and hot tea.  Apparently drinking warm liquids helps you pass gas and digest solid foods which is what all the nurses are hoping for, this means that your stomach and intestines are back on track and everything was put back together the right way. wink, wink.  This completely worked and I advise you to DO IT!  I hated being stuck in the hospital for four days, I missed my V-Dub so much I couldn't wait to get back to him and this little tip made sure I was well on my way. 

Walking as soon as you can was another helpful hint and I believe which helped speed up my delivery.  The day after my son was born, the nurse came in, removed the catheter, yup had it and then had it removed easily and painlessly, and started to walk, slowly, very slowly but it worked.  I jumped (yeah right more like hobbled) into the shower and instantly felt soo much better.  Oh and one thing when you are taking a shower, they tell you to take off any tape the doctors may have used, just don't do the steri-strips.  I took one of them off and boy was that a mistake.  I kept having dreams my insides were going to fall out.  Anyway I recommend walking; take your newborn baby for a stroll along the corridors.  Chicken Little and I met all the nursers and some of the new moms and babies on our strolls. 

Oh and another thing, don't be surprised if a nurse sees you the first day while you are on IV and then on the third or fourth day and doesn't recognize you.  Apparently I was so swollen from you know the pregnancy not to mention all the fluids that they pumped in me and when said nurse came back to check on me on day three she literally jumped back in surprise thinking she had the wrong room.  

And the last tip, wear flip flops if you can, your feet will be twice their size because all the fluid will pool to your feet, this is a good thing so don't be alarmed.  It means you are walking, things are going well and if the excess fluid hasn't all been released from your system it will head to your feet but should be gone within a couple of days.  

After that I had smooth sailing but had to remember to take it easy, not something I'm good at, but this time I had a good reason to be stationary as I was holding this little cutie.....


So now that I've had both a regular delivery and a C-Section, I can definitely say both have their positives and negatives but ultimately I was able to receive two wonderful gifts from God and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Music Monday

I created a playlist with songs that reminded me of mi esposo this weekend.  You know just for fun and I have about thirty-three songs so far, but its this song I keep playing over and over again. 


I think I've played it over twenty times already.  

Plus I'd love the Mini Cooper from the video too.  

Friday, October 10, 2014

A Delightful Girl's Lap Quilt

Remember this post when I promised to share pictures of my creation from the bright and fun fabric I had, well I've finally kept my promise. Here it is!




This lap quilt was created especially for my Aunt's first grandchild, a beautiful, blue-eyed cutie.  The pictures were taken back in May (notice my helper's sandals) when the quilt was completed but I couldn't deliver it until a month later as I had a cold. There was no chance I was exposing her to any illness, so once I received a clean bill of health from the doctor off I went to meet the newest member of our family.  

Honestly, it was surreal to hold her, such a sweet precious baby, for several reasons. You see I was pregnant with my own little blessing and kept imagine holding him and I could also remember holding this little beauty's father, my little cousin, when he was a baby. Whenever he came over with his family to visit, my sister and I would always ask to hold him, feed him, and give him lots of kisses and hugs.  Now he's a grown man and has his own family.  My has time flown. 

Welcome to the family little one! I hope you enjoy this creation made especially for you. 

P.S.  Can you see my little helper in the last picture, he's hiding a smile behind the quilt. Oh how I love him! 

Monday, October 6, 2014

October 2014



"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn't it?"  Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables.

I love October!  Right outside my window I can look at my beautiful tree and admire God's handiwork as its leaves turn colors from green to a beautiful shade of red and yellow. Pumpkins, scarecrows and monsters are put on display announcing the arrival of fall and Halloween.  The weather changes and the brisk winds blow in a new season.  We can break out jackets and make gingersnap cookies or s'mores while having a nice hot cup of chocolate.  In my house, this is also soup season and to welcome October here is a recipe for Potato Soup that I treated my in-laws too, and I'm happy to say they loved it! 

Potato Soup
Ingredients:  
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 cup of chopped Onions
  • 11 cups of diced Potatoes
  • 7 1/2 cups of Water
  • 3 Chicken Bouillons, crushed 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano and Salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon of Black Pepper
  • 3-4 cups of Milk
  • 1 cup of Cheese (Cheddar works best)
Directions: 
  • On low to medium heat, melt butter in a large dutch oven
  • Add onions to the melted butter until softened
  • Add water, potatoes, spices and crushed bouillon cubes to the pot, cover and bring it to a boil
  • Remove the lid, reduce heat and allow some of the water to evaporate, about 10 minutes or so
  • Remove the pot from the stove and take out some of the potatoes and puree in a food processor or blender.  You can take most of the potatoes out or leave some in, all to preference, I like to find potato chunks so I typically puree about 2/3 of the potatoes
  • Return the puree mixture to the soup and stir in milk and 3/4 cups of the cheese
  • Serve and garnish with remaining cheese, scallions and even bacon bites
Enjoy and Happy October!!!!