A BIG sigh of relief!

So, I did it. I went back to work on Monday.

I've mentioned in my blog before that I have had some misgivings about going back to the working world. I love my job... I just hate that I have to leave my kids to do it! I was ready to quit, but couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to hang onto my job a little while longer 'just in case'.

I had thought about showing up and begging my boss to work out some kind of part time arrangement, but wasn't sure that my first day back was the best time to be asking favors. Especially when there are no part time employees in the entire office. But, turns out I didn't need to! Near the end of the day, Jack pulled me aside and asked if I would be interested in working fewer hours. I almost peed my pants with excitement! In my office the first few months of the year are the slowest time, but he explained that this year was forecasted to be especially slow. Needing to help out his P&L, he thought having me work fewer hours would be a mutually beneficial solution. But it gets better - I am still a full time employee! Should I need more hours, all I have to do is say so and I'll get my regular schedule back. And my vacation time and profit sharing wont be jeopardized. Hallelujah!

Jack wants to make sure I stay in the loop, so he'd prefer me not to take a week off at a time. Instead, he suggested I take one day off the first week and the second week I take two days off.

Did I mention my regular schedule is only three days a week? Three long days, but three nonetheless! Yay! So, the way things are shaping up, I'll work Saturday and Sunday this week, and next week it will only be Monday! My schedule should continue like that through March.

Today we may be celebrating a New Year, but me? I think it feels more like Thanksgiving! Thank goodness for answered prayers!

Mental Music

Have you ever woken up with a song stuck in your head? It's sometimes happened to me, but lately it's been an every day occurrence and I don't know why.

I wake up about 2-3 times each night, and every time a different song is playing in my head. Sometimes its a pleasant, uplifting song and sometimes its just annoying. It's hard to fall back asleep with a chorus running through your head over and over again. I also began to wonder why my brain picked the songs it did.

Everyday is different, no song has ever repeated. Here's an example of a normal night:

2 am - I wake up to feed Alli and am humming Christmas music. Okay, I am excited for Christmas and I probably heard the song any number of times throughout the day. It's pleasant and I can see some connection...

4 am - Now I am singing along to a primary song. Is it just a cute, comforting song? Or a reminder to focus more attention to the spiritual side of my life?

6:30 am - Do you remember Hansens MMMBop song? Apparently I do. Thank goodness that was the last song - try and fall asleep with that running through your head! WHAT AM I DREAMING ABOUT? LOL!

Rambling and Venting - please excuse

I go back to work one week from today. I'm not excited.

Even though I've been dreading leaving my girls, I have been slowly preparing myself and them. I've been giving Allison breastmilk and formula bottles once or twice a day, and she's been taking them without problem. But, I'm thinking I haven't done enough.

After dinner, I ran up to the store to pick up a few groceries and a few treats for stockings. I was gone less than an hour, when my cell phone rang. I could barely hear Cris asking me to come home over the screaming baby in the background. With the loud cry I was afraid she was hurt or sick, but he said she was just hungry and refused the bottle. "Ha!", I thought. I had planned on going home and sitting with him on the couch, reminding him of proper bottle feeding technique. (He's fed her some with the bottle, but I'm usually there, so I thought maybe he was doing something odd. He was more involved with feeding McKenzie, but it's been three years. Maybe he forgot?) But, when I got there, he was doing everything right. He looked so frustrated. He said he'd tried feeding, burping, walking, swaddling, singing, swinging, everything he could think of, and all she did was scream. And scream she did! Her face was bright red, and tears were running down her pudgy little cheeks.

She never cries, so this bloody murder scream had me worried. Maybe the little cold she got from McKenzie had caused an ear infection? I decided to give it a few more minutes, and then I would call the doctor. I sat down in my big comfy chair and cuddled her close. She quickly relaxed and calmed right down. She stared up at me with big, teary eyes that accused me of abandoning her.

I felt so bad. She didn't want a bottle. She didn't want to nurse. She just wanted her mommy. What a compliment... but what an ouch! What do I do with that? Since I already don't want to go back, I was ready to call up work and tell them I was through. But the sensible part of me started to nag and remind me why I'm going back at all. Right now, we need the security net. Cris works at the Metal-Allergic lab for the Kennecott Copper Mine. Rio Tinto, which owns Kennecott, announced that low copper prices have forced them to lay of thousands of employees around the world. Right now, we don't know where the layoffs will be. Kennecott recently renegotiated a $150,000 decrease in monthly costs from a few suppliers, so they are hoping they will be spared from laying anyone in Utah off at all. And the lab where Cris works (affectionately called the MetLab - yes, I tease him about working in a meth lab, you can laugh too) has been asked to double their test samples each day, and create new shifts. His job should be okay. But what if it's not?

I'm almost ready to take the leap of faith and trust that things will work out. SO not like me! And Cris will jump on board with me, if I feel strongly enough. But, it's not his first choice. He's worried. It would be a huge burden on his shoulders, and I can't feel good about knowingly placing it there. So, I'm back to the chain gang. In less than a week. Gulp!

There are a few lights at the end of the tunnel though. Work has been incredibly slow. After the Christmas rush, I understand there are talks of allowing people to schedule a full a weeks worth of voluntary time off as long as the lull lasts. I'm hoping that goes through. The people who want to work full time can keep doing just that, and I can retain my job "just in case" and work a whole lot less than my normal 12 days a month - and still be a full time employee! Plus, it will be nice to beef up the savings account with the money I do get from working. That would be another tension easier for my hubby.

I'm also hoping that copper prices start to rise, or at least stabilize some. Maybe by February Kennecott will have solid future plans, and Cris will feel safer in his job and in the economy. And maybe then he'll feel it's more work than its worth to leave the girls, and we'll all be happy transforming me into a homemaker. BAH! Who would have thought!?

My Own Personal Rudolph

Someone is having a major klutiness streak. I think I pick McKenzie up from a tumble, trip or fall at least 4 times a day. Growth spurt? Or is she taking after me a little too much?

This one happened at my parents house a few days ago. She was walking near the back door, and somehow ended up tumbling head over heels down the entire flight of stairs to the basement. Luckily it's just a bit of rug burn on the tip of her nose. Cris keeps teasing her, telling her that on Christmas Eve she better sleep with the covers over her face or Santa may mistake her for Rudolph and ask her to pull his sleigh!

The Best Part Of Making Fudge Is:

The changes a new baby brings...

A new baby brings all sorts of changes.

One example: laundry. I am constantly surprised at how many extra loads one so little can generate. Even though the itty bitty outfits are only this big I'm pretty sure some sort of baby magic causes them to reproduce and multiply in the laundry hamper, creating avalanche risks. Yes, even if every bit of laundry had been washed, dried and put away the day before, by morning a new mountainous stack threatens to topple and bury me should I speak too loudly.

Also, having a baby girl creates a new sub-category when washing clothes. In addition to separating darks, lights and levi's, I wash full loads of pinks and lavenders. It makes for an interesting rainbow of colors in my dryers lint trap. Simple pleasures, people, simple pleasures.

And of course, we are all aware how babies change bodies. Theres the usual array of stretched skin, saggy skin and my favorite: extra skin. But the ailment that is plaguing me now is hairloss. I'm worse than a long haired lap dog on a hot day! Warning: DO NOT WEAR DARK COLORS WITHIN 10 FEET OF ME!

Yes, I know that I am not losing extra hair... just shedding the extra that my body saved up during pregnancy, but this is getting ridiculous! It's been over 2 months! I'm tired of removing life sized wookie impersonators from the drain in the tub.

Today, when my vacuum wasn't working as well as it usually does, I turned it over and found what looked like a small animal trapped on the roller. I spent a good 15 minutes cutting and pulling and freeing about 10 pounds of Stacy hair from the Dyson, and touched up the floors only to find the beater bar clogged again. Ugh.

But, on the bright side, losing 5 pounds of hair a day only aids in my post baby weight loss, right? That, and maybe I can make some extra cash selling those wookies. Anyone interested? Makes a great last minute Christmas gift!

Bowling

After our party with Alex, Grandma Terri's side of the family got together, too. We met at the bowling Alley in Tooele and had our Christmas party in one of their party rooms. Afterwards, everyone bowled. It was nice to see everybody, and it was also relaxing having the party a little bit before everyones schedules were packed up like they get later in the month. This was the second year Terri planned the party, and it think it turned out well (even if I couldn't knock down a pin to save my life!)!

McKenzie with Cris' uncle Rick. He's always been especially sweet to our family, and treats our girls extra special.

For a good part of the game, McKenzie passed the time between her turns letting the fan style her hair. She thought it was pretty funny. What a nut!

With daddy's guidance, she did pretty well. I think I saw at least one strike and one spare! Although, it was nothing compared to my hubby, the professional, who took bowling in college at least 4 times.

"I will NOT smile!"

McKenzie and Ricks son, Collin, had fun dancing! I don't know where they came up with it, but it was darn cute! She kept calling him her 'brother' and kissed him goodbye when it was time to go. Precious!

I think 2 games with 7 players each made for a long evening for McKenzie. BUT, she was great for the first little while. I think Cris and I better take her back for a shorter game, and she'd LOVE it! That is, if we can pry her away from the crocodile game in the arcade!

Early Christmas

Cris' brother, Alex, is going to Michigan for the holidays to be with his girlfriend and her family. We're going to miss him! Since he'll be away for the Christmas hubup, we decided to have a little party with him on Sunday. Here are a few snapshots:

Grandpa Randy and the girls

McKenzie and Alex openiing a present. I think this gift was one that Alex gave her (a fisher price princess castle!) but it's hard to tell since McKenzie helped open pretty much every present in the room that day.

Alli getting some kisses from her papa

Travel safe, Al! We'll miss ya!

Morning Update

Bad mommy strikes again.

Yes, I fed my baby single grain rice cereal today, and she's only 2 and a half months old. Even though that picture looks deceiving, she really did love it. She's been interested in food for a while now. She smacks her lips and tries to get to my food when she's sitting on my lap at dinner time. A few weeks ago, my mom and I were having some apple pie and Allison was so interested in the smell, my mom let her taste a bit of the filling and she went nuts over it. She cried for more when she was done. Since then, she wants a taste anytime she smells food. So, I followed her lead and we broke the 4-month rule for foods last night. But, you know what? I don't regret it. She did great - didn't gag or choke, and had a really easy time swallowing the food - hardly any of it was pushed out of her mouth like most kids do when they learn to eat. She kept smacking her lips for more, and if I didn't get it to her fast enough, she'd try to eat her fist. After we were done, she danced in the chair of her swing, almost like she was celebrating. It may be time to break out the high chair!



McKenzie woke up last night leaking buckets of snot. Whats up with this kid lately? She goes a year without being sick, and in the last few months we've had the flu, an ear infection, strep throat and 2 or 3 colds! Not exactly the environment I wanted a newborn in, but what can you do? I broke out the humidifier, the Vicks, and the decongestant, but she still woke up often because she couldn't breathe. Poor thing.

Today she is doing better, but still snotty. (Why are kids always sickest at night?) She hadn't eaten much of dinner last night, and still refused food this morning. I tried everything from eggs, bacon, sausage, cereal, fruit to juices and she always said "no fanks" in her little nasally sick tone. But, a few minutes ago, she came up to me and asked for pizza. She even threw in the "Please, oh please?" So, I popped some pizza rolls in the oven and you should have seen the celebration! Of course, she only had two or three bites, but still I was her hero.

Don't worry, the feeling of joy only lasted until I had to wipe her nose. Then I was returned to my evil villain ranking. Oh the drama at the Dew house. :)

Angel... or Class Clown?

McKenzie had her preschool performance yesterday. I had a banquet to go to that morning so I couldn't make it :(, but luckily Cris recorded it for me. Both sets of grandparents and aunt Ashli went to watch her, too. She's such a lucky girl to have so many loving family members around to love and support her! Thanks, guys!

For being such a busy, energetic girl, I was surprised she sat so still waiting for it to start. She sang along a little, jingled the jingle bells just right, and seemed to do pretty darn good! I was impressed!

I did have to laugh at her class clown antics, though! During breaks in the singing, she would flip her head and knock her halo off onto the ground. The two little girls next to her were so sweet! They picked it up for her and placed it back on her head just so. McKenzie saw her opportunity and kept it up, with a mischievous little twinkle in her eye. The sweet girls next to her never were aware of the game, they just nicely helped her out and placed the halo back up for more abuse. So funny! We have it on video, but I'm having a hard time editing it down to a short clip. (I hate quicktime format! And I think my computer program, Roxio, agrees! Ugh!)


Anyway, she did well and I am proud of my little munchkin! I love ya, Z!

Every Day Annoyances

Hmmm... another post about being annoyed. Seems to be a common theme lately. Maybe I'm still coming down from the pregnancy hormones. Or maybe there are just a lot of crazy people and I'm no good at avoiding them. Who knows?

Either way, here are some things that have made me want to scream "WHY?!" over the last few days.

1. When I hadn't heard anything about the status of an online Christmas order, I wrote an email asking the company how it was coming. I got an email back saying "I'm not sure if we have any more of (what you ordered). We are closed on Mondays." So, after a few days of not hearing anything else, I write again. This time their email said, "I have already responded to your inquiry once. We are still waiting to hear if you want the (item) once it comes in from backorder." GRR!
2. Pulling up to the drive thru window and instead of them asking for my order, they ask how I am doing. I say fine. They tell me their name. Then recite the specials. And before I can order they are asking me if I want to try their number three in addition to my order. I don't want a 10 minute narration! Just give me some chicken nuggets already!
3. Finding out my toddler has a preschool presentation a week before the dress rehearsal. On a day I already have plans I can't change, so I wont get to see her sing. Oh, and she needs a costume!
4. Sending my preschooler to class dressed in her angel costume (thanks for sewing it, mom!)for dress rehearsal day, only to pick her up covered in frosting. WHO SCHEDULES GINGERBREAD DECORATING DAY THE SAME DAY YOU REQUIRE KIDS TO BE IN THEIR COSTUMES? Their white satin angels costume? She's three! Of course there's going to be an accident!

I'm pretty sure I was going mention something else, but venting has relaxed me so much that I can't remember it now. But, should you run into me at the grocery store and I seem a little off kilter, these are examples as to why! :)

Update: I'm glad you guys are catching the humor in my posts! I'm afraid people will read them and think I am an ornery old hag! Really, they make me giggle as I write them, and I hope you enjoy them too! Thanks for reading!

Christmas Lights

I love Christmas lights. I love walking through temple square or downtown Salt Lake while snow flakes stick to my hair and the twinkling reflects in peoples eyes. I love the feeling they give me - warm, excited and filled with Christmas Spirit.

Almost every house in my neighborhood decks out their yard in beautiful Christmas displays. I love it! I love the homey feeling I get turning into the area. I usually keep the blinds open in the evening, so I can peek out enjoy the sight.

I also love videos of Christmas displays like this one.

But, as I have learned, having one of those shows in your neighborhood, is not fun.

Sure, it was cool the first day or two. Then, when the house was quiet, I started to get annoyed when I could hear the same song being played over and over again. (Mind you, this house isn't right next to me, its about 4 houses away from the entrance of my cul-de-sac!) I think some of the neighbors must have talked to them, because, the volume has gone down some. But, the flashing lights! I think I'm going to get a seizure!

Yes, I know that I'm whining about something trivial. Something other people really enjoy. Something someone obviously put A LOT of work into. But, dang it! Christmas lights will never be the same!

An Ode To Thumbs

Yesterday I woke up with sharp pains in my left thumb. It was annoying, but manageable. I was surprised because I wasn't sure why it would hurt - I can't remember falling, participating in any extreme sports (ha ha), or anything else that would injure it. I trudged on with slight whining.

This morning when I woke up it REALLY hurt! It began to swell, and I wasn't able to move it. Couldn't touch it. And sitting still even bothered it. I think I may have even asked Cris not to look at it! LOL!

Turns out it's broken. My first ever broken bone! It's just a hairline fracture, so it's pretty mild. But, my tendon is the main problem. I'm to keep it immobilized, anit-inflamed, rested and elevated for 10 days. My question is how? I never noticed how much I use my thumbs! This stinks! Changing a diaper is quite tricky - and you should see me hen peck this post! I have the feeling I'll be using some creativity to get things done this week - like putting the lid on a sippy cup, or opening my prescriptions - those were fun tasks! :)

So, has anyone else had any "mystery injuries"? Or embarrassing ones? Leave a comment or post about it, because I'm curious. And could use the entertainment. I'll be here wondering if I've taken up sleep walking. Maybe? I did have a big nasty bruise on my knee last week I have no recollection of. But for me, that is pretty normal. Klutziness and easy bruising don't mix. And apparently, neither do chicken bones! Ha ha!

** More funnies! Just before I clicked "publish post" Allison began to fuss. I manged to pick her up... and she spit up all over and inside my splint! What the heck? She never spits up! It's going to be an interesting 10 days! :)

2 Month Check Up

Today, Alli is 2 months old. (Can you believe it?!)

We went in for her well-child visit, and things looked great. She is now at 9 lbs 14 oz, which placed her in the 50th percentile. The doctor seemed quite happy, because she was in the 15th percentile at our last appointment. As for height, she remains in the 2oth percentile - but we're not too concerned about that, considering her genes. (I'm 5'4" and Cris is 5'6" so I don't think either of our girls really stand a chance of being basketball stars)

The doctor reviewed her cardiology reports and seemed quite pleased. He said he'll monitor her for the Noonan and Alagille Syndromes the cardiologist mentioned, but he seems even less concerned than our cardiologist (who wasn't concerned enough to send her for genetic testing). He also said that her murmur seemed quieter today, and he suspects that if things continue to go this well the cardiologist will space out her visits even further. So all in all, I'm happy. Yay!

Just Braggin'

No sense in hiding it, I'm just gonna come out and say it: this post is all about bragging about my little cutie pants!

But, look at that picture and tell me I'm not justified? :)

Allison is the happiest baby. Sweet, content, and very alert. She spends most of her waking moments smiling (although I am hard pressed to get an actual picture of a smile!) and cooing. And as for night? She wakes at 2 and 6am to eat, and goes back to sleep without a struggle.

She's holding her upper body up and steady, will mimic facial expressions, and is learning how to grab things. (Today she got her first handful of my hair.) And she loves being outside, looking around. Winter has bad timing, because I know she would absolutely love stroller rides through the neighborhood.

All of these changes seem like they've come so fast! They are exciting and fun, but remind me she's already out of the little newborn stage. Sometimes I wish there was a way to freeze time, pull my girls up on my lap, and spend forever cuddling them in a rocking chair. *sigh* She is turning 2 months on Wednesday, and in some ways it seems like such a short time. And other times, I feel like that makes her too old. Either way, I can't imagine things without her. We love you, babe!

McKenzie-isms

McKenzie was helping me make Allison smile one morning, and this is the comment I heard about her dimples:

"Oh, look how cute her dinkles are, mommy!"

-------------------------------------------------

At Thanksgiving dinner, McKenzie came running in from the living room

Me: Whats wrong?
McK: I don't like that Elk! He's mean!
(Grandpa Randy has a big stuffed elk hanging on the wall)
Me: It won't hurt you. It's not alive, it just sits there just like the toy animals in your room.
McK: BUT HE BLINKED AT ME!!!!

Thankful

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share a few things I love about my family. Truly, I have been blessed.

McKenzie

1. You are so strong. Your stubbornness can sometimes grate on me, but honestly I am glad you have it. I know your determination will carry you through life and nothing will stand in your way.
2. Your great big eyes. I was so happy when you were born and had your daddy's bright blue eyes! They are so expressive, and nothing gets by your eagle eye.
3. Your enthusiasm. You make me take time to stop and appreciate the everyday things - for example, you literally make me stop and smell every flower we pass. With you, an average day can be so exciting.

Allison

1. I love cuddling you. You love to be held, and nothing makes me happier than holding you close. Feeling you relax against my body as you fall asleep is an amazing experience. But, even better is when I feel you melt against me, and I realize you aren't asleep at all. You are soaking up the moment wide-eyed and loving the cuddle as much as I.
2. I love that you need me. You love seeing new people and spending time with family, but after a few minutes, you are ready to come back to mom. Knowing that you recognize me and won't accept an imitator makes me feel so important.
3. You are so easy. I don't know a better way to explain it. You are easy-going, happy, and rarely make the smallest of cries. I think Heavenly Father knew that I needed a patient, even tempered little one to get me through the adjustment of having two kids. Knowing that makes me feel humble and appreciative.

Cris

1. You balance me. You are the strongest in my weakest areas. And I think I compliment you, as well. Together I think we make the perfect team.
2. You support me. You've never once stood in my way. If I feel strongly about something, or am just up for a new adventure, you may try to talk some sense into me. But not once have you ever told me 'no'.
3. We need each other. Sure, sometimes we may fight. But, even in the biggest of our disagreements, we can't stay mad at each other for long. Not five minutes after an argument, we're back to our playful selves, laughing out loud.

Today I am especially grateful for each of you. You all have unique qualities and abilities that make me stand in awe. I love you all.

We're Back!

My Grandma Dona wanted to get away for her birthday, so I loaded up her, my sister, and my girls, and we drove down to Grandma's condo near Mesquite. The warmer weather was a welcome distraction and encouraged us to get out and enjoy some sunshine. In fact, it felt so nice, we decided to stay an extra day!

Across from Grandmas house is a nice park with a firepit and pavillion. During a little bit of down time, McKenzie and I snuck out and took a few snapshots:

On Grandmas birthday I cooked some cornish game hens, made some bacon-cheddar mashed potatoes and we had a nice dinner in. We even surprised Grandma with a few of her favorites: pumpkin pie and sparkling apple juice!

Malory and Grandma

McKenzie and I

We went for a nice drive through gorgeous Snow Canyon. Each time we go, I hope to catch a glimpse of the tortoises that live there, but I still haven't succeeded. But, we did see six big horn sheep in the gorge!

Every time we drove through the gorge, McKenzie was so intrigued by the Virgin River. She would get excited each time she saw it and beg to get close to it. "Oh please, oh please, mommy!" So, after a few tries, I finally found a spot we could hike down to the river. It ended up being a beautiful spot with a red sand beach, a little vegitation, and some big red boulders. Allison stayed behind with grandma while we went out (thanks, Grams!) but this summer, I'm hoping to take both girls back. The river was wide, shallow and slow moving there, with no rocks. As long as the water flow isn't too fast this summer, I think they would have a ball splashing in the water. Almost like a beach day! :)

I'm noticing now that I don't have any pictures of Allison out and about, which really makes me sad since she was such a super smiley girl! (Other than a day she had a tummy ache. I'm learning I need to be much more careful about what I eat. She's not a fan of onions.)

The girls were better than I could have hoped on the way home! McKenzie napped and spent lots of time pointing things out through the window, and Allison didn't make a single peep until we were about 15 miles from home. Not bad for two little ones on a all day car ride! It was so wonderful because I had such a nice time talking with my Grandma. We laughed, cried and shared lots of stories. I learned a lot about her childhood, family history, and her opinions. It was such a nice mini-vacation. Thanks for running away with me Grandma! And thanks for tagging along, Mal, and helping me round up the kiddos!

Mom, It's NOT Okay!

This weekend I invited Terri and Ashli to see the Madagascar movie with the girls and I. We stopped at McDonalds on the way and made an afternoon of it. At the movie, McKenzie had a little bit of a hard time sitting still through the whole thing, but we let her stretch her legs by standing in front of the empty seats near us. She thought the show was pretty funny, and I considered the outing a success. It was such a nice afternoon!

On our way out of the theater, McKenzie stopped walking and said, "Oh no!" She had spilled a little bit of her root beer on her sweater and had a horrified look on her face. I told her that it was okay, and we'd clean her up at home. She put a determined look on her face, told me "It's NOT okay!", threw her sweater on the floor, and stormed off with her arms folded and her chin stuck up high in the air.

It wasn't behavior I would encourage, but none of us could do anything because we were laughing so hard! What a little diva! She had the whole crowd in stitches.

If this is any hint of what we are in for when she's a teenager, I'm a little frightened! :)

Painfully Polite and Hilariously Hostile

I found a website that laughs at passive-agressive notes people leave for each other. (Well, maybe some are just plain agressive) I thought it was a good time waster. Check it out if you get bored. Enjoy!

http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/

Tagged by Amy

Seven TV Shows I watch:

1. House
2. The Office
3. Househunters (and all the other HGTV shows)
4. Celebrity Rehab (guilty pleasure)
5. The Utah Jazz (I have a husband who is addicted)
6. Maggie & The Ferocious Beast (I have children)
7. Sponge Bob Square Pants (ditto)

Seven Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Watched McKenzie paint with watercolors
2. Visited my parents (and mooched a free lunch!)
3. Made foam turkey magnets with Mckenzie and my mom
4. Napped with my cuddle baby snuggled against me
5. Made homemade sugar cookies
6. Delivered cookies and magnet to Grandma and Grandpa Dew and visited with them
7. Went shopping at Wal-Mart (and saw Mindy Palmer and Amber Sagers!)

Favorite Places to Eat:

1. Cafe Rio
2. Olive Garden
3. Rodizio Grill
4. Ocean City (Chinese food)
5. Taco Bell
6. In 'N Out Burger
7. Mimi's Cafe (for their artechoke dip! Yummy!)

Things I Look Forward To:

1. Cris coming home from work
2. McKenzie coming home from preschool
3. Our family vacation in April
4. Christmas!
5. Allison learning to laugh
6. Getting the kids to bed and having a few quiet moments
7. Seeing the play 'Wicked' in April

Things On My Wishlist:

1. Getting the backyard completely landscaped
2. Having a garden
3. Cabinets in my laundry/mud room
4. A new couch
5. A playroom in the basement for the kids
6. Wood floors in the living room
7. A BIG snowstorm just before Christmas

I tag:

1. Malory
2. Shelese
3. Kylee
4. Sara
5. Mindy Palmer
6. Mindy Black
7. Kyra

Lub Click Whoosh Dub

Yesterday was Allisons' cardiology appointment at Primary Children's. After the usual height, weight, and other basic stuff, they covered her with stickers and plugged her into the EKG. Even though I knew that we were having these tests done to help her, it was still so hard to see so many wires attached to my baby.

The doctor came in afterward and listened to her heart. He said that something definitely wasn't right. My heart sunk. Instead of the normal "lub dub" sound of a healthy heart, Allisons goes "lub click whoosh dub". He told us he suspected a faulty heart valve and thought there was also a hole in her heart. He told us she would need an ultrasound, and said he would try and get us in for the test that day. We were on our way to the waiting room, bracing for a long, agonizing wait, when they thankfully called us right back.

They hooked her up to another EKG machine (after we had just ripped about 10 stickers from the last test from her sensitive little skin) and started an ultrasound. Two technicians were in the room, discussing the terms and acronyms I didn't recognize as they did the test. They were very focused and it was obvious they had found the problem, but didn't tell us what it was. They took pictures and measured and discussed for over an hour. We knew they were looking at her lungs and were so scared. They left the room to show the doctor the images and make sure there wasn't anything else he needed. While they were gone Cris told me that he was sure that one of her valves wasn't right from seeing it on the screen. From all of the measurements they took, we thought they gathering information for surgery.

The doctor met with us a short time later and explained the problem. Her pulmonary valve is very thick and isn't opening as it should. The heart is having to use more pressure than normal to get the blood to flow through, and the valve cups out as the blood flows past. He also thought that instead of the valve having three flaps that close, hers only has two.

However, her case is fairly mild. Right now there is no danger to her health. Often children grow and the problem never gets worse. If thats the case, she should have no restrictions and require no treatment. She will see the cardiologist every 3-4 months for the next 2 or 3 years to check the amount of pressure her heart is putting out. If it starts to require more pressure to pass the valve, they will either use a balloon to stretch the valve out, or do heart surgery. If it gets really bad, she will have a valve replacement. Right now, they don't want to do any treatment because it can cause leakage, and the risk would not outweigh the benefit. Luckily they did not find a hole in her heart - even one that the majority of babies have at her age.

He also said that the valve problem is commonly linked to two syndromes, one that effects the liver. It's something the cardiology team and our pediatrician will monitor, but right now, she shows no symptoms. If they start to see some of the physical characteristics on her face (like a very pointy chin) they will send us for genetic testing, but didn't think it was necessary.

So, unfortunately, there is a problem. Of course I wish they would have sent us home with a clean bill of health, but, if my baby has to have a heart problem, this one isn't comparable to some of the horrible problems other people have to go through. We are very thankful. Thankful for the good news, thankful we have caring doctors with amazing equipment, and thankful for a good outlook.

My mean little trick

So, if I hadn't done so already, I have officially crossed the line and become a mean mom.

The last three months it has been really difficult to get McKenzie to stay in bed at night. We read stories, give big hugs and cuddles and anything else we can think of to anticipate her needs before we tuck her in. Somehow, though, she comes out with a million different requests: "I need to hug my daddy again. My nightlight is too bright. I need a different cup of water. I need to potty for the 100th time in the last hour." You get the picture. It had gotten to the point where Cris and I are both losing our temper and night times were not looked forward too.


So, the other day when McKenzie and I were taking down Halloween decorations, I was a little desperate, and used a little creativity. When I started packing up our scary rat, McKenzie stayed far away and kept telling me how frightening it was. There were no tears or anything, but she was definitely wary.


While we worked, I told McKenzie that the rat watched for naughty girls who didn't go to bed like they were supposed to. She asked a bunch of questions and somehow decided that the rat would eat her bellybutton if she didn't stay in her bed. Everytime she walked by the box of decorations, she would cover her stomach, walk far away from the box as possible, and say "Rat, I go to sleep good."

So, being the mean mom that I am, when night time rolled around, I pulled out Mr. Rat and totally took advantage of the situation. I told McKenzie that he would never go into her room, but would wait for her to sneak out when she was naughty. I tried to explain that it was okay to get up and go potty if she really needed to, but he knew if a little girl tried to lie or not. On our way to her bedroom, I sat Mr. Rat in the hallway. McKenzie climbed right into her bed, and after stories and kisses and hugs, rolled over and went right to sleep. That was Monday. We have not had a single sneak out or even a single tear at nap time or bed time since Mr. Rat has been on patrol. It may be evil, but you know what? The peaceful evenings make it SO worth it! :)

First Day of School

McKenzie started preschool today! Our neighbor runs a preschool and had an opening after one of her students moved away. She called and invited McKenzie to join now that she's officially 3 years old. It's just for 2 hours 2 days a week, but I think that's perfect!

I had been wondering how she would do in class, but when I picked her up they said she had been wonderful! She participated in every activity, and even though she was a little nervous when I left her, she didn't have a problem at all. She even got to be the class helper and pass out snacks. She was so proud and happy when I picked her up. I can't believe how fast she is growing up! (sob, sob!)

Funny Things

Our Little Missy has been very vocal lately. She's definitely a three year old, as demonstrated by her constant need to ask 'why' every thirty seconds. She's also been quite funny. Here's a few snippits from our daily life:

On Sunday, we were at my parents house when a young man from the ward stopped by to collect fast offerings. While my mom filled out the paperwork, McKenzie stood in front of that poor boy and stared at him the whole time. She had a fruit roll up hanging out of her mouth, and still refused to take her eyes away from him. When the boy left, McKenzie pressed her face up against the glass of the door, sighed and said, "I love him!"

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Allison was crying one night a few weeks ago, and Cris asked McKenzie what she thought was wrong with her sister. She said, "She needs to eat moms boob!"

BAH! I can't wait for that conversation to come up at the grocery store! Needless to say, we've had several conversations about nursing, and talked a lot about using it's proper name.

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Kennecott had a big party to celebrate the concentrators 20th anniversary this September. Since Cris was in charge of part of the big shin-dig, we went to check it out. We didn't get to spend much time with Cris, but we did get our picture taken in front of a backdrop. Kennecott mailed us the photo the other day:

Is it just me, or does it look like someone just picked something out of her nose?

Halloween Kitties

Grandma Terri and Aunt Ashli had bought McKenzie and adorable belly dance outfit while they were in Turkey this year. I had planned on putting it over a leotard and having it be her Halloween costume.... but McKenzie had other plans. She found a costume at my moms house that she had made for my brother more than 20 years ago, and she fell in love with it. I think it was originally a white tiger, but McKenzie couldnt decide if she wanted to be called a tiger or kitty more, so we alternated throughout the night. But that worked out great, because Allison had been given a kitty costume at a baby shower!



The girls, my parents and I did the Tooele main street trick-or-treat. We had so much fun! And it was so nice not to buckle and unbuckle car seats at a million houses!

While we were crunching through the leaves, my mom saw this tree outside city hall, and suggested we take McKenzies picture in it. I love it!

After Cris got home from work, we had dinner and played cards at home. Trick-or-treating was fun, but actually I think McKenzie had more fun being at home passing out candy to the kids who came to our house. What a silly little girl!

Cutie Babe

Vacation! (Advice needed!)

My parents decided that this year they wanted to do something a little different... they are taking the entire family on a cruise as their gift to us for Christmas! They had been researching and pricing and investigating for months, and finally found the one they wanted. They chose an 8 day cruise through the Mexican Riviera onboard the Norwegian Star. The ship is newer and a has a lot of fun things!

This is the atrium (doesn't it seem weird that that could be in the middle of a boat?

I'm really excited about the fun stuff for the kids! There's several indoor and outdoor pools, plus the kids have their own pool areas, and McKenzie will get to go to the kids club where she can do crafts and play games and all sorts of other fun things with other kids. And, I think its going to be great going with my whole family - there should always be someone to buddy up with when trying something new, and the ship is big enough we can hide from each other, too! Hehehe.

We'll be leaving from Los Angeles April 4th and visiting Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, which is all new area for us. We're hoping to get some beach time in, some sightseeing, and maybe try some deep sea fishing.

Cris and I have gone on a few cruises before (Cris' boss gave him one a few years ago, and we had so much fun we booked one to Belize 2 years ago) so we feel comfortable with the cruise details. But, what really scares us is traveling with kids! We've never taken kids on airplanes, don't know what to do with car seats, and a million other things we probably don't know that we don't know! :) So, if you have any good advice on flying or cruising (or touring Mexico) with kids, we'd love to hear it! Thanks!

Dear Sick Toddler,

Oh my poor little girl. I know you aren't feeling well. You've been a trooper through the flu the last few days, but now a fever has taken over and I am not quite sure what to do with you. You are cranky, mean, and disagreeable. I am trying my best here, please understand. Also, please know that screaming "I DON'T LIKE YOU! I WANT MY DAD! I WANT TO GO TO GRANDMAS HOUSE!" over and over again doesn't help.

Last night you really didn't like me. In fact, you didn't want me in the same room with you. Your father took much joy in being your hero, and encouraged your tirade. We found out that you like daddy, Allison, Grandpa Ken, Devin and Beans. Just not mom. What? You like Grandma's dog more than your own mother!? Daddy even asked you if you wanted to find a new mommy, and not only did you say yes, you went outside to look for her! BY YOURSELF! IN THE DARK!

We also need to discuss the timing of your urgent needs. When you finally decide that there is a task that mommy could preform for you, you will only voice your demands at the precise moment I begin to nurse your sister. AND IT MUST BE DONE NOW! Or tears and fits and screaming will rain down upon me. Again. Yes, I know that this could be a sign of insecurity from having a new sister in the house, but honestly, I think you are just ticked off that I wont let you hold and touch Allison. Sweetheart, you are sick. Allison is not. I didn't invent the theory of germs to punish you. And although I find it endearing when you wipe your mouth off with the back of your hand in an attempt to kiss your sister, it just doesn't cut it.

So, honey, please have a popcicle. I'll wrap you up in a quilt, sing you a song and read you a book. I'll kiss your fevered brow as we watch your favorite movie, and rock you to sleep. That's how being sick is supposed to work at this age. Because, just so you know, you aren't supposed to hate me for another 10 years.

I still love you,
Mommy

Saturday Fun

I had been looking so forward to this last weekend. It was the first official time our family could all be together for a weekend. We planned a fun day on Saturday at Thanksgiving Pointe. Malory and Devin decided to meet up with us, so we decided to go to the dinosaur museum first while we waited for them to drive up. It was our first time there, and actually went really well. McKenzie had a hard time going through some of the exhibits slowly so Cris and I could read some of the displays, but there were plenty of places for her to get some energy out.

Her favorite spot was the water area. There was a fountain area filled with sand and plastic dinosaurs and trees. It was designed to show kids how fossils were formed, but pretty much, the kids just played and had a good time.

Another big hit was the fossil digging area. A giant sandbox filled with buried dinosaur bones.

After a nice lunch at their cafe, we went to the boo at the barnyard with Mal and Devin. McKenzie got to play games, decorate cookies and RIDE A PONY!!! My favorite part was hearing her talk to her pony "Hi leetle ponee! I am going to ride on you, okay? Pony, you are a bumpy ride! I need to go now, pony, daddy says I have to go. Buhbye!" I wish I had the video camera! In fact, I wish I had pictures. Our camera batteries konked out halfway through the day, so that was disappointing.

The boys couldnt handle being so close to Cabellas withough stopping in, so we had to sqeeze that in, too. It was a busy day and we all had such a good time!

We were looking forward to going to church together on Sunday, but an hour after we went to bed McKenzie and I woke up with the flu. Since I was incapacitated, poor Cris had to change McKenzies sheets and clean up the mess solo. I was impressed! He HATES vomit more than anything, but he did it all without complaint. And he did a pretty good job... even if the sheets, bedspread, pillow and a blanket were all put in the same load in the washing machine.

Halloween Party

On Friday we carved our pumpkins. McKenzie was so excited she could hardly sit still. At first she was grossed out by the slime inside the pumpkins, but soon the excitement won over. Here's a few carving pictures:

Afterward, we dressed the girls up in their costumes and headed out to the ward Halloween party. McKenzie was so excited to go and play with "her kids" she unfortunately tackled a few in her enthusiasm. There were all sorts of game booths set up for the kids to play in, and she had a great time! Allison was also very good, and snoozed through most of the fun.

Here is a picture of McKenzie in a tiger costume my mom made for my brother years and years ago. Oh the memories!