October 2006 Archives

Top two photos by Craig.

Anna loved being outside trick-or-treating tonight. She hasn't been outside in the dark that much so that in itself was a novelty (I'm disappointed that we likely won't be here for all of the Christmas lights on the houses as I think she'd really love to see that this year).

We started down the driveway with her holding on to her big piece of cheese that Grandma & Jake & Sam made for her but when she realized that "someone put candy in trick-or-treating bucket" she wanted to hold the bucket instead. Funny that she didn't even know what "candy" was, but she felt pretty good about having some in her bucket!

We went to three neighbors houses and then I walked her down to Claire & James' house (a pretty good hike for little toddler legs). She was excited about it all. When we got back to our house we sat in the driveway and passed out candy for a bit and she literally ran circles around me until she got dizzy and fell down. And she hadn't even had any candy yet!

She was repeating the following phrases for most of the night:
"be [a] mouse for Halloween"
"someone put candy in trick-or-treating bucket"
"Happy Halloween"
"[the] park is spooky at night"

When we were outside she definitely needed her mouse ears on (if they fell off she would stop in her tracks and say "mouse ears fell off" until they were replaced on her head). Once we came back inside she wanted the mouse costume off. So, she was admiring her loot in her diaper-only. She got about ten pieces of candy and we'll spread them out over the next couple of days.

Anna & I met up with Darcie and her kids Vincent and Colette at the zoo today (they just moved back to the US from Korea). We got to see the new baby elephant and he was super cute. When we were looking at the tiger exhibit, he walked by with his tongue sticking out of his mouth (because it was pretty warm yesterday) so for the rest of the day Anna kept "sticking her tongue out like a tiger." I'll try to get a picture of that because, although it looks ridiculous, it's pretty cute, too. The kids probably had the most fun on the train ride at the end.

Anna always likes to sit on the shelf and read a book while I'm picking out new books to check out from the library.

Anna worked on some new Halloween Artwork for the fridge (I'll have to post some pictures of her sticker-art sometime) while I carved the jack-o-lantern. She seemed to like it but wasn't sure what to think when I lit a candle inside and turned off all of the lights in the house!

Anna The Mouse with her friends The Bee and Tigger.

Apparently, Anna knows her alphabet already (or at least the song that goes with it) as she sang most of the song when she saw this board. She also enjoyed pointing out all of the letters she knows.

Some of my friends from playgroup: Sara, Leslie, & Michelle. Photo by Jill T.

Anna had a blast at the Co-op Halloween party today. I was actually surprised that we had to prod her to leave after almost two hours of playing at the park. She was wiped out by the time we got home though. Even Craig can be quoted as saying "it was a big hit"—and if you can get a him to say that it must have been a good party!

We went to a Halloween party at the park with the co-op so I decided to take some portraits before we left in case Anna didn't want to wear the whiskers again. She loved having her mouse costume on and had a ton of fun a the playground. Grandma Adele mailed a piece of "cheese" for her to hold but we didn't get it until this afternoon. We'll get in the mouse costume again on Tuesday and try to get some pictures with the complete look.

We have had six showings of our house since it listed last week. At first it was fine, but both yesterday and today they wanted to come between 2-4. Stupidly both times I said they could come between 3-5 instead (because Anna naps from 1-3 or 4).

Yesterday I took my chances and then didn't see the Realtor pull in the driveway. When I let them in, I said I'd go get my daughter and we'd step out. They insisted that I let her sleep and they just poked their heads in her room and she slept another hour after they left.

Today they came right at 3 so I ran into Anna's room and it was just awful. She didn't cry but looked like she wanted to. She was also clearly confused why she was awake. I plopped her in the stroller and we did a loop around the neighborhood. When we got back the people were gone and I said, "let's go to your room and read and just be quiet for a while." When I got up there, I half-jokingly said, "don't you want to just curl back up and get into bed?" She smiled at me, I laid her down, she grabbed a pacifier and it has been silent in her room for 30 minutes. I really don't believe it myself.

Next time a request for 2-4 comes in though (the Realtors must book a showing through a centralized system), I'm going to say they have to wait until 4 PM. Craig makes fun of me saying it must be hard to be a "nap nazi" but I truly think it would be harder to not care if your child is well-rested & pleasant to be around.

I guess if the house doesn't sell before we move, we can blame it on me and my insistence on Anna's restedness.

I also find it annoying that they request a two-hour window for a ten minute showing. You'd think they could narrow it down to a one-hour window since they're apparently planning their showings in advance.

Gertie and Anna hung out on the couch together while I made breakfast this morning.

Anna has lately become obsessed with "going pee" on the toilet. This consists of me taking off her pants and diaper, setting her on the toilet (where she gets nervous after a few seconds and demands to get down), wiping with toilet paper, putting diaper & pants back on, flushing the toilet, and then washing hands.

She will do this several times in a row within a few minutes if she thinks of it and it's gotten to the point where I'm scared to go to the bathroom because I know she's going to want to do the whole routine when I'm done. Next time we go to Target I'm definitely going to get some Pull-Ups so she can learn to at least do the diaper & pants part.

I do have a potty seat for her but I am not going to take it out until after we're in Qatar because I don't want to use it now and then have to stop using it while we're in transit. So, she can sit on the big toilet for now. So far she hasn't actually done anything anyway so I'm thinking this might be another one of those obsessions that lasts a week and then fades. If not, and if it gets more intense then I'll rethink starting the training process before we go (with mental preparation for regression during & after the move).

I finally got off of the waiting list and into the Babysitting Co-op. I had to use it for the first time today so I could go to the ultrasound without Anna. Craig was unable to get out of work early today so this was really the only option since the ultrasound appointment would take so long.

I was super nervous about it and didn't sleep well the night before, but Anna did a great job (so the mom reports). I dropped Anna off at the mom's house and the mom said the hardest part was keeping her boys (ages 3.5 years and 8 months) away from Anna. (Anna is pretty big into personal space—especially around strangers). Anna didn't cry or otherwise freak out.

Craig picked her up and they went out to dinner and I got home shortly after they did. Such a relief to know that Anna will be able to survive in the wild if she needs to!

Skelator Baby! (head on the right: Baby is looking at you!)

Profile shot (head on the right).

I had the ultrasound and blood-draw for the Integrated Screen this afternoon. The ultrasound tech looked at the baby forever, gave me two pictures, and then gave me a quick tour of the baby (I couldn't watch the screen while she was doing her measuring). Oh well, what little I saw was pretty cute. Baby was stretching and wiggling and rolling around a bit.

I hate to jinx myself, but last Thursday was probably my worst evening of morning sickness so far. I also had several headaches last week. This week, although I'm still not back to eating necessarily the same things as Anna & Craig, I feel a little less nauseous around food. Except that on Monday night Craig was making something in the toaster oven and just the smell of the toaster oven heating made me have to go upstairs for a while to get away from the smell. The past couple of days have been more about heartburn than nausea (although some nausea is still there).

According to Your Pregnancy Week by Week, Baby is almost 2.5 inches (61 mm) in length and weighs between .3 and .5 ounces (8 to 14 grams).

Anna didn't get a nap yesterday since we were driving back from Galveston at her usual nap-time and she doesn't sleep in the car. When we got home we still put her in her crib for about an hour where she talked happily the entire time. Today she was super sleepy at the coffee shop and then at story time at the library. She was draping herself all over me which was actually pretty sweet but I felt bad for her that she was so sleepy!

She had fun wearing the dinosaur necklace we made in story time though and she is not aware that the "beads" are edible.

We decided to drive down to Galveston on a whim this morning. Unfortunately, it was pretty wet, breezy, and cool. Anna was happy when we put her sunglasses over her eyes and her windbreaker on though. She had a ton of fun chasing Craig on the beach and seemed pretty impressed with all of the water, sand, and seashells. I'm glad we stopped by but I wish we could go back on a nicer day so we could stay a bit longer.

Photo by Adele

We had a good time at the pumpkin patch even though it was threatening rain. Of course Anna won't make eye-contact with the camera so I'm a bit disappointed with the pictures but I won't dwell on that. I asked her to give the little dracula cutout a hug which she did promptly and then proceeded to give him a little kiss as well. Too bad she was scared to sit on the witch's lap (I think she must have thought she was real) for the picture with my mom.

I had my doctor's appointment this morning. My mom and Anna came with so Grandma got to hear the heartbeat (165 bpm). We got in relatively fast but by the time we were done with the doctor, we'd been there one hour.

My family doctor on Monday really thought I should get the flu shot and he said I should ask the OB about it and she also suggested I get it. I have never gotten the flu shot before so I didn't really want to, but since everything I read says it is recommended for pregnant women and both doctors acted like they thought I should, I said OK.

I asked my mom to take Anna downstairs to get a change of scene while I got the flu shot. A few minutes later, the nurse came in to administer it, asked which hip I preferred and said it might sting going in because they keep it refrigerated. As soon as she took the needle out and I felt the vaccine going in I felt really nauseous so I told the nurse, walked over to the exam table for steadying, and the next thing I knew I was lying on the floor with three nurses and my doctor standing above me.

They gave me a juice drink and listened for Baby's heartbeat again. Baby had apparently moved behind the placenta because they had a pretty hard time finding it. The nurse that was with me when I fainted was pretty shook up and was still shaking when she insisted on walking me down to find my mom & Anna. I felt fine but I don't know that I really convinced her of this.

Anyway, I don't think I'll be getting the flu shot again. I think I'll just keep taking my chances like I have been all of these years.

In pregnancy news, I have been feeling nauseous a lot and I have been getting a lot of headaches. I think the headaches are from not sleeping well and stress about our move as I am definitely hydrated. Not too much I can do about it but try to relax. Fortunately, Craig has been really good about taking over with Anna when I need him to.

Also, according to my home scale, I have lost 3.5 pounds since October 2 where I was not gaining or losing before that. Hopefully I will be able to eat regular meals again soon. I think last time I was pretty much done with this at this point, but I'll have to go check Anna's journal to be sure.

According to Your Pregnancy Week by Week, Baby is 1.75 to 2.4 inches (44 to 60 mm) in length and weighs about .3 (8 grams)—about the size of a large lime.

Anna really wanted to play with the tools we have for play-doh today so we spent a long time checking out each tool. I think I need to start coming up with some more interesting craft-time activities for her since she seems to like making new "artwork" a lot.

We met with our realtor tonight and our house will go into the system tomorrow. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to keep the house tidy with Anna's playing habits and all of the stuff we're collecting to bring with us, but I'm guessing that somehow it will just get done like everything else around here!

Anna is showing a lot of interest in learning letters. I have had her name written in alphabet letters on the fridge for a while so she can name a lot of those. Last week I had a hard time reading through one of her Mother Goose books because she stopped to point out every "w" and "m" in the book. She also likes the number 9. We're not doing any "formal" training with her, but I try to talk about the letters as she asks about them or points them out. Last week she spotted a "k" in "Stroller Parking" at the Children's Museum.

I put out some Halloween decorations last week and a couple of the things I have say "boo" on them. So we've been jumping out at each other (and daddy has gotten in on the action, too) and saying "boo" and then the other person says "you scared me!" It's pretty cute because she really thinks she's being sneaky when she does this.

Craig taught her how to hug, but we've been calling it a "squeeze." It feels so good to have her little arms squeeze around your neck!

Also, she has finally climbed up onto the couch on her own several times the past few days. Sometimes she still says "need some help" but she can do it pretty well on her own ("all by myself").

All of a sudden she can say "pig" correctly. She had been saying "kig." She is working on using the word "and" as well. It's so cool to hear her speech and language develop.

The two things we need to go to Qatar are medical clearance and Visa approval. Anna & Craig are finished with theirs (I just need to pick up Anna's records from her doctor) and I went in this morning. The company provides a letter with a list of things we're supposed to have done and then Craig's (company) doctor verbally added a couple of blood tests and a chest x-ray. We asked my OB about the x-ray and she said it was fine as long as I wore the lead apron to cover the baby. My regular doctor, however, would not do it unless he had it in writing from the company. I'm not terribly excited about the x-ray during pregnancy but it sounds like the only hesitation on the family-practice doctor's part is that I'm still in the first trimester. So I'm waiting for him to call back after he talks to Craig's work, hopefully sometime today.

I am procrastinating sending out my mass email about Gertie. I guess I'm in denial but realistically I know I need as much time as I can get to find her a good new home.

This entry was added on 4 January 2007.

I spent Saturday & Sunday feeling nauseous in Colorado, too. I spent a lot more time on the couch than I wanted to. Luckily Anna was in a good mood so she didn't seem to mind and the new toys were distracting her from me. Sunday night my mom went to the grocery store and I asked her to get some Luna bars for the next few days (I didn't bring any with me). Monday I had a Luna bar first thing when I woke up and I felt great the rest of the day. Same thing Tuesday. Not sure how or why, but I'm going to be eating a Luna bar first thing every morning for a while. I guess Saltines weren't enough to get me going for the day and since I usually have a Luna bar right away at home, it would explain why I felt so much worse in Colorado for the first several days (minus the virus-day, of course).

Otherwise, nothing much new to report. I still have not gained any weight nor have I lost any. This is fine by me except I have very few comfortable clothes. I guess I'll have to get some new maternity pants because the ones from last time feel too tight already when last time they were falling off at this point.

According to Your Pregnancy Week by Week, Baby is 1.25 to 1.68 inches (31 to 42mm) in length and weighs close to .18 ounces (5 grams) and is about the size of a small plum.

Gertie is looking for a new home.

I emailed a kennel and a vet in Qatar that I had found on one of the online message boards about Gertie's two needs that need to be met in order to go to Qatar with us:

1. her prescription for BuSpar (buspirone, an anti-anxiety drug) needs to be filled there as our vet will only give us a few months' supply
2. her urinary-tract-health cat food because she had crystals in her urine

The vet was able to assure me about the food but seemed stumped on the medicine. We thought we might need to talk to a regular pharmacist about it since it is something we get filled at the pharmacy for Gertie as it is usually prescribed to people, not pets.

Craig got in touch with the company doctor while in Qatar last week and the basic answer is that mood-altering drugs are illegal in Qatar (you can get them but it is a difficult process—and that's for humans, probably not even possible for my cat). That means that I can't bring the drugs with me even if my vet would give me a three-year's supply.

So, Gertie needs a new home. I'm going to ask our pet sitter if he knows of anyone, send out a mass email to anyone I ever met to see if they or anyone they know is interested, and then, last options are the no-kill shelter if there is room and then the regular shelter.

I am really upset about it as she is a perfectly good and loving cat (still a scaredy-cat though) when she is on her medicine (when she is off she has been known to not use the litter box). I've had Gertie since May 1998 (she is about 9 years old now) and she's good at hunting mice & roaches (things I wish I didn't know she was good at, believe me!). She would probably do best in a home with no other pets and either no kids or older kids who wouldn't try to attack her. I know she has a lot of needs and requirements but I'm hopeful that she can find a place—even if it's just for the time we are overseas (2-3 years).

Anna had her eighteen month checkup today (at nineteen months!) and here are her stats:

21 pounds 11 ounces (15th percentile)
32 inches tall (75th percentile)
19 inch head circumference (95th percentile)

She wasn't due for any shots today but we gave her one anyway. She got a Hepatitis A shot for our upcoming move to Qatar. She already had the Hepatitis B and the Typhoid shot is for ages two and older. Her doctor signed off on the forms we need for medical clearance for Craig's work and then I requested all of her records as well so we can have that information with us in Qatar. I go for my physical on Monday and Craig has already had his.

Anna really did not like interacting with the doctor or the nurse but recovered quickly after each interaction. The only thing I mentioned to the doctor for "concern" was that although she likes getting on and off of a riding toy, she shows no interest in moving forward or backward on her own. She can go backward but the most I've ever seen her go forward is one push. Her doctor didn't think this was a problem but that Anna has been focusing more on intellectual things rather than physical. She does climb up and down the stairs and likes to climb up ladders (with assistance, of course) at the park.

Anna & I went to story time yesterday with Rachel & Sam. Their story time is much better than ours right now since our good librarian moved out of state and they have yet to find a replacement for her. The lady who is filling in for ours is not animated at all and reads too many books for the age-group. The craft is still always fun though and Anna does seem to like it so we keep going back for more.

Anna did really well on this trip; it is definitely the best trip to Colorado with her so far. I think every other time she has been sick and has not been very much fun. This time she was giggly and social (to a point). It also helps that she can kind of keep up with her cousins a bit and I think playgroup has helped a lot to make her less nervous around other kids who might be a bit more wild & crazy than she is (that's not hard since Anna is pretty mellow).

Anna did a great job on the flight home—she needed much less attention than on the way there. I think because I had to get her out of bed at 4:45 AM she was just a little too tired to be needing constant entertainment. Grandpa flew back with us so we all sat together and then he even came out to the parking lot to re-install Anna's carseat for me (something I don't feel very confident doing).

After a good nap, Craig came home from work and he and Anna spent some time at the park getting reacquainted. Anna was a littel leary at first but it didn't take much to warm up to him again after almost two weeks apart.

The picture doesn't show it, but Anna thought wearing Sam's firetruck pajamas was a lot of fun.

We were lucky enough to have Great Grandma Eldora come out for the time we spent in Colorado although Anna never really warmed up to her, she did give her kisses goodnight and let Great Grandma interact with her a bit.

Grandma & Grandpa with all three grandkids.

Jacob, Sam, & Anna checking out the cockpit.

Anna at the controls.

I got super sick on Wednesday night through Thursday so I spent about 35 hours in bed while Anita took sole care of Anna for me. In a way it was good that I got sick while I was at Brian & Anita's because I don't know how I could have cared for Anna on my own that day. Too bad we had to cancel our dinner plans with the rest of the family though as I was still not feeling well by the time dinner rolled around.

Friday I felt really nauseous (morning sickness) so we didn't do much when we got up to Grandma & Grandpa's house. Saturday I felt a little better and we went out to the airport to take some pictures of the kids on Grandpa's airplane. I later determined that I needed to eat more than just Saltines for my morning nutrition upon waking (I had been eating a Luna bar at home but didn't bring a week's supply with me to Colorado). Too bad I spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday feeling miserable before the revelation on Monday morning after I ate a Luna bar and felt mostly great the whole day!

This entry was added on 4 January 2007.

Anna & I flew up to Colorado on Wednesday and then I caught some sort of stomach virus and spent all of yesterday in bed; only getting up to throw up and re-fill my water cup and cheerios bowl multiple times. Thankfully I wasn't alone as I really don't know how I would have taken care of Anna—and I would have exposed her to whatever I had even more. A day like that makes me wonder how I'll care for two kids at once, but I have a feeling that, if I'm not sick, it won't be as bad as yesterday!

I felt a lot more nauseous today than I have in a while, but at least the virus seems to be done.

According to Your Pregnancy Week by Week, Baby is .9 to 1.2 inches (22 to 30mm) in length by the end of this week—about the size of a medium green olive (is that specific enough for you?).

With Owen & Raisa

Nana & Papa with all three grandkids.

Running with Nana, Owen, & Raisa.

Anna & I packed our bags and flew up to Colorado today. Craig is in Qatar for the week so we thought we might as well go see the grandparents & great-grandparents (and aunts, uncles, & cousins) one more time before we move to Qatar.

Anna did really well on the flight and took an awesome nap once we got settled into Nana & Papa's house. Corrine, Owen, & Raisa came up for the afternoon & dinner so we got to spend some time with them. Anna just thought anything Owen & Raisa did was the coolest. She really wanted to run with them on the road but would only get so far away from me to do it. She seemed to remember being at Nana & Papas from July because she kept saying "go for a walk" which we did last time we were there (and she never says that at home since we take the stroller to the park).

The other day in the grocery store parking lot, Anna commented, "loud pickup truck drove by" when, well, a loud pickup truck drove by!