one of those days

• skipped my run this morning
• have not eaten a vegetable today
• just opened a one pound bag of reese's pieces

News Flash!

No...I'm not pregnant.

winter running

So I went for another winter run this morning and here are some thoughts from while I was out...

• Running in snow is about like running in sand. It's hard to get traction and you often sink an inch (depending on how much snow there is) before pushing your foot off the ground. This often makes for a strength training run instead of trying to improve your time.
• Running is snow/ice often feels like your just out running on a treadmill. I feel like I'm running in place because it slows you down so much. So if I'm ever in your neighbor and I seem to just be running in place, it's most likely because I hit an icy spot.
• Before running, I used to get frustrated when I saw people out running on the streets. I often asked (in my head) if they just wanted to get hit since they're running down the road and I'm driving down the road, both in snow/ice is not the best situation. But now that I'm out trudging along, I see why people run in the streets and not on the sidewalks. Today was a great example.. this one sidewalk looked cleared so I ran down it, instead of the road. Got to the end and there was a huge drift from the plows. So I basically had to rock climb to get over it.
• Goodbye old running routes, hello to new ones. In the past, I often got to run on trails which was fun. Now I have to circle the neighborhood and stay mostly on roads. So, I'm still exploring different areas. So far, I've come up short on running time but have called it good enough. Today, I ran 30 minutes, which is good enough but I'd like to stick with 35-40.
• One last thing, running shoes are usually made to be 'breathable'. I'm not really sure why but it makes for a nice breeze to go through your toes when your out running. This is great in the summer time when it's hot and humid and you just want some air. But on cold days like today, it was a bit too breezy. So with my newly acquired gift certificate to Runner's Flat, I'm going to see if they make any special socks for winter running. I know I could double up on socks but I'm not a huge fan of that.

So there you have it, just a few thoughts from my run today.

update from the north pole

Lately, here in Iowa, it has felt like we live in the north pole. The snow just seems to keep coming, sometimes I wonder, where are we going to put it all?

This next picture is a little embarrassing but humorous at the same time. We had a window blow out and we never got around to getting it fixed resulting in the snow coming onto the porch. When Phil was shoveling, he had to shovel our porch out too... looks kind of messy, guess that didn't help matters.

On the bright side, I think we've gotten about two feet of snow in the past week ensuring a white Christmas this year.

These next few pictures show Wendell's new photography skills. I used to just delete the pictures but some are quite amusing so I've started keeping a few "good" ones ...

We've mostly been stuck at home the last few weeks. Wendell had a cold a couple of weeks ago so we didn't go out much (didn't want to make anyone else sick), then the snow came, and well the snow just keeps coming... hindering good travel weather.

On a fun note, I did run in another 5k last Saturday. It was my second one ever (my first one was at the Sweet Corn Festival in Adel in August of 2008) and I didn't do quite as well as my first one but I also had to "shuffle" through snow and wear a few extra layers to stay warm. My friend Sarah and I both ran three months post pregnancy. So on Saturday, Sarah and I (with her dad) ran at the Snow Shuffle at George Wyth Park here in Waterloo. They had Christmas music, carolers, hot chocolate and Santa handing out gifts. My mom came to cheer me on and took pictures but I'll have to get them at a later date. I must say it was quite festive and a very fun atmosphere. I even won a drawing prize of $10 off at a local store called Runners Flat. Unfortunately I just bought new shoes but maybe I can go buy some socks to keep my toes warm this winter.

I'm hoping to keep you posted on my running this winter. I can proudly say that I actually ran all of last winter, missing only a few days due to winter weather. Today, was another test to my endurance because it was dark and appeared cold when I peaked out the window when I woke up at 6:30am. However, it turned out to be a pretty easy run (as far as temperatures go). It was about 25 degree's out, but with wind of 6 miles per hour, it felt like about 17 degree's. I didn't have to wear all my winter gear because this is actually warm for a winter run. I had on one pair of sweatpants, (no leggings under the sweatpants), one pair of socks, a long sleeved tshirt, hooded sweatshirt, (no thermal shirt), scarf and stocking hat, and of course a sports bra and running shoes.

On a side note, I've found that I like running hills because they make me fee like I'm working harder so I ran a new path today (my old paths are on trails so I don't think I want to dig through that). I got through about 17 minutes and had to turn around because the snow was just getting deeper and deeper (the road wasn't quite as plowed as the others), and it was mostly uphill at that point, so I ran back home even though I only had another block or two to go. I also had to stop for a minute today because my side hurt... I actually can't remember the last time I had to stop because it hurt so bad, I wonder if it has to do with the cold or maybe it was the hills? But I did run about 34 minutes today... which is my normal running time so it worked out just fine.

Well, better go, my kids are calling me... next time I'll post on the Christmas plans for the year. We have 1 down and 7 to go; and a birthday party for Wendell next Sunday.

first snow...

Wendell's still fighting his cold but we couldn't resist playing for a little bit this morning...

A little fresh air was good for us, and we were able to go out while Harlie was napping this morning. Not sure she'd appreciate snow at this point in her life : ) After about 1/2 an hour, Wendell actually volunteered to go back inside so that was nice since I was getting cold (he probably was too). I thought about making us some hot chocolate but didn't think he'd enjoy it since he's never had a hot drink... we'll see, maybe next time.

3 months old

This first picture is Harlie at 3 months old. I'm guessing she's at least 15 but not quite 16 pounds but I haven't weighed her in awhile so I don't have an exact amount. She's in 3-6 month clothes and will outgrow some of them very soon. One great thing is that she's starting to sleep really well through the night (most nights). One not so great thing is that she poops about once or twice a day and those tend to be massive explosions out the diaper. So here's Harlie at 3 months.This next picture is actually very precious for a couple of reasons. Not only is Harlie a sweet little "english" girl with a smile (the dress reminds me of the secret garden). But the dress and quilt were both made by my mom. The quilt is a five generation quilt with material stemming from my great grandma to Harlie. If I remember correctly, some of the material was from an outfit that my grandma wore when she was pregnant with my mom. We had our family Christmas last weekend on my moms side and she made this dress for Harlie as a gift. It has bloomers and hat to match!

And this last picture is a picture of Wendell taking out the garbage. So far he can take out the garbage (and replace the bag), take out recycling, vacuum, scoop Buster's food, set the table and put some dishes away. He actually can be helpful when he wants to be and it's fun to give him new challenges... sometimes we're amazed at what he can do.

deep thoughts

Just some 'deep' thoughts from Heather:

Recently, someone at our book study mentioned that she feels like being a mom/ wife/ homemaker takes so much energy out of her that she doesn't feel like there is time left for the other things and she asked the group if any of us feel the same way. And all, I can say is YES! YES! YES! There are so many things out there that I want to do, and sometimes feel pressured to do, like volunteering, social events with friends, and visiting family. Although, these are all great things.. I'm realizing that I can't do everything that I want to do even if my schedule is open. I feel like I must cut back on my activities (especially those with specific times). Last week, Wendell, Harlie and I hardly had anything on our calendar and it was one of the best weeks we've had in a long time. Why? Because I wasn't forcing two kids out the door to get somewhere at a certain time. We actually had a few mornings where we had nothing to do so we got to take our time, play, and just be a fun family. So, although most people are complaining about the sun going down early, I'm almost enjoying it because it makes me slow down and go home.

On another note, I thought I would report that I have my second ever 5k coming up in December. I ran one in August of 2008 after Phil and I started running and now being post baby then I'm getting back in the swing of it. Although, I can run the 3 miles, I am quite slow still. And, I still have about 10 pounds to lose to be pre-pregnancy so I think that's part of why I'm still slow. With winter coming though, I don't expect to improve my time too much and at this point, I just hope to not gain too much weight. On a good note, I can squeeze (literally) into my pre-pregnancy jeans so they will fit once I stretch them out a bit : ). Hopefully, I'll feel comfortable with going clothes shopping soon. I'd really like some new jeans and shirts but don't want to buy something that won't fit in two months.

One last thought. $$$ Why is it that every time about this time of year, we have no money? Phil works Friday night football to help pay for Christmas but the money is gone before we even start shopping. And he videotaped UNI football games this year to bring in extra $$$. It doesn't help that we've had unexpected car repairs, vet bills, and basically no pay check from me due to maternity leave but still.. every year we seem to have this? Instead of seasonal affective disorder, I think we have seasonal money disorder.

I suppose that's enough deep thoughts for now. I hope that everyone enjoys the Thanksgiving holidays and takes time to appreciate all the blessings God has given us .. like little babies and warm weather!

nothing

So I really have nothing to post about. I see that I haven't posted in awhile but I don't have any new pictures, video's, exciting stories, or drama in my life. We've been traveling a lot and last week we were busy with various things but really nothing too exciting. Wendell did get Harlie to laugh a couple of days ago playing peek-a-boo but I didn't get it on video nor has she repeated it since. Work hasn't been going so great but I have hopes that it will improve. Wendell and I continue to have our issues but it's getting better as well.

So I really have nothing to post about. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm sure I'll think of about three or four things to tell you.. so until then. Good night.

Halloween 2009

First we had to carve the pumpkin...

Then we had to get dressed up... Wendell was pretty brave going up to the houses but was awfully quiet when he said "trick or treat". Thankfully he had his younger cousin there to help him out.

And of course, enjoy the candy!

good books

For whatever reason, I like to keep track of books that I enjoyed reading. So here are some of the "good books" that I have read recently. Let me know if you have any recommendations as I like checking out different books.

Fiction
Home Another Way by Christa Parrish
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Between Here and April by Deborah Copaken Kogan
All the Way Home by Ann Tatlock
I'll Watch the Moon by Ann Tatlock
Things We Once Held Dear by Ann Tatlock

Nonfiction
Labor of love: a midwife's memoir by Cara Muhlhahn

work update

A lot of people keep asking me about work so I thought I'd post an update. I start back to work part time this week. Although it's been a crazy last 9 weeks, it has been nice to just sleep in when I can and go to bed when I want. So starting Thursday (tomorrow) night, I go back in at 10pm and start up the old routine. On a good note, I will be getting 8 hours of sleep (assuming nothing goes wrong in the night) so that is nice. I think it will also be nice to get out of the house a bit and have some time where I don't have a child demanding my attention constantly. A little bit of freedom, I guess you could say. As far as breastfeeding, I will probably have to pump at work when I first get up but I don't think that will be a major issue since I do have my own bedroom for privacy and I'm already used to pumping. Phil says that he's ready to get up with Harlie in the night.. some nights she sleeps until 6am so maybe she'll start doing that more. (of course it would only be appropriate if Phil had to get up at least a few times in the night so he knows what I've been going through : ) And so far, Harlie has taken the bottle just fine so that's good too.

Anyways, I work one night this week, two nights next week, and will continue that until the end of November when I officially go back full time. My only worry at this point is that we have a new "client" since I've been at work so hopefully I can get into a good routine with her and all goes well with the change. Sometimes I don't like change, but I know it's necessary and usually turns out just fine. Another not so fun thing is that means the boring old meetings start up again and I have to make them up which means watching a video (usually 2 hours long). If I can find a babysitter then I might see if I can go the real meetings then I don't have to worry about the make up meeting.

On a very good note, I'm officially done teaching CPR/First Aid! I am so glad that I don't have to do that anymore. It was good for the time I did it but I'm ready to be done. If I need extra hours then I'll just pick up a shift - which means no prep work, no standing in front of people, and doing the the same training over and over. Finding a babysitter and setting up times/schedules was a lot of extra work for a simple training.

I guess another good thing is that I'll be getting back into a routine. Work also helps me appreciate the nights I'm home and the mornings I get to sleep in. So work, ready or not, here I come!

two pea's in a pod

Yesterday was Harlie's 2 month appointment and she's weighing in at a whopping 14 lbs already. Today I took some fun pictures of her and realized that I had a similar picture of Wendell. So here are my two pea's in a pod. Note: Wendell is 3 months old in his picture and is also about 14 lbs.

cause and effect

dessert anyone?

cause

effect

just rockin' -n- swingin' all night long..

just a snoozing my life away..

God is good.

foaming eruption's

Foaming Eruption's

1. Lately, our kitchen sink seems to be draining slowly. So last week we poured an entire bottle of draino down it to unclog it but it only seemed to make it worse. Instead of spending a ton of money on liquid acid, I decided to look online for a less expensive (and a little more environmentally friendly) way to fix our little problem. So this morning I looked online and found two suggestions: the first being baking soda and vinegar and the other being a bottle of coke (not sure if this one is environmentally friendly). I had a little bit of baking soda and vinegar on hand so I gave it a try this morning. I felt a little nervous like a kid doing an experiment because I wasn't sure how much to expect of my "foaming eruption". Unfortunately, I didn't have much vinegar on hand so I haven't been able to do the recommended 1/2 box of baking soda and a jug of vinegar to wash it down. But it was fun seeing the little bit I did (so far it hasn't helped with my sink situation). Hopefully later today I can go buy some vinegar so I can do the full dose. I think it will be a fun experiment.. I'll keep you posted on the outcome. (Let me know if you have any "home remedy" ideas of how to deal with this as it's a common occurrence in our home.)

2. My second foaming eruption wasn't quite so "fun" but yet quite the experience. Wendell, Harlie and I were playing outside today when I noticed that Harlie was clearing out her bowls (note: I had just changed her diaper about 20 minutes prior so I was feeling pretty safe). Well, on the third "toot" I thought I had better check out the situation. And, I must say, with this being my second child, I have NEVER seen this before. A FOAMING ERUPTION coming out the back of her diaper and up her back - just like boiling water spilling over the edge of a pan (bubbles and everything). It did eventually retreat back down into the diaper but not with a little (or not so little) spill down the side of my pants onto the steps by the door. First of all, I was in shock by what I had just witnessed. Then I realized I was alone.. well I guess I had Wendell and Buster outside with me.. but not so helpful. I couldn't just strip down outside... and I couldn't just leave Wendell (knowing this was going to take awhile to clean up) outside. But the good Lord helped out. I explained to Wendell the situation and that I needed him to come inside for a bit so I could clean up and he did without complaining! So amazingly, the clean up wasn't as bad as I anticipated and luckily I didn't get it on my shoes. But that is one for the books. And in case anyone is curious, Wendell rarely pooped or pee'd (maybe two or three times) on us and we have lost count with Harlie (at least 10+ times). Every time we change her diaper we have to be very fast or prepare to be squirted because she has projectile poop (like a bird) and a very sneaky way of peeing (the puddle that just keeps growing). I know this is all initiation of parenthood but does it have to be so gross??

break from blogging

As you can all see, I've taken a break from blogging... kind of unintentional but might become more intentional. Life with two kiddo's is a constant busyness. A friend of mine said the other day that I was putting out fires left and right.. well that is my new life. That and some days I feel like I'm being pecked to death by a chicken. Every time I start an email, blog, something I want to do and then something (or someone) interrupts. Every time I put in an email that the kids are sleeping then one of them wakes up before I've finished the email. Both kids have radars and they are tuned up on high right now so life has been busy. I think Wendell is awake from his nap so I need to go.

For now, I'm signing off, maybe some night when Phil's around then I can post some cute stories and pictures but for now.. I'll attend to my family. And I think that is a good choice ~ someday I'll miss this craziness.

jogging again

Watch out Sarah Craft : ) I've started jogging again. I went a few days ago for about 10 minutes, then twenty minutes yesterday and then 2 miles today. I'm pretty slow still but I need to get my body back in the swing of things before I can push myself too hard. Today after I got done, I stopped at home and picked up Wendell and we jogged a mile today (Wendell pace). This was his first "run" at home so it was interesting. He was pretty good for the most part but had to make a few stops; like to pick up a leaf, sit on the bus stop bench, and push the crosswalk button. Wendell's first "competitive" run was in July when he ran in the JuniorBix when he ran with a bunch of other kids in Davenport. So anyways, here is a picture of us after our run today.



And here is our precious little one month old. She's officially over a month old and doing pretty good. We think she's close to 10 lbs now and just keeps growing. She's getting close to outgrowing her new born clothes but 0-3 month is a little big. For the most part she is sleeping pretty good at night. Although I did boot her to the crib in her bedroom that is upstairs because she was making so much noise at night time that she was keeping me awake. The funniest noise was when Phil thought he heard a sheep the other night, sure enough Harlie was baaaing like a sheep, but she also neighs as well (neh, eh, eh, eh). She also grunts and wiggles which also causes noise. She holds her head up really good and squirms and kicks a lot. Today she slept most of the day so I think she's going through a growth spurt. On a not so fun note, she seems to have a rash on her face that comes and goes but it doesn't seem to bother her. We think it's a heat rash but are not sure.. I'm hoping to remember to call the doctor tomorrow. We also think she got a fungus on her butt (which could be from me having to take an antibiotic when she was born) because she had a case of diaper rash that wouldn't go away. Unfortunately, it takes a week for it to heal and then two more weeks of treatment before it's completely taken care of. Oh and one last not so cute thing, she's going bald on top, as you can kind of see in the picture. She's loosing her hair on top but has it all on the back and sides.. just like an old man.



I would say we are settling into our new life pretty good. Wendell, Harlie and I have been getting out a lot so that makes our day go better. We did stay home today and didn't play outside much since it was so windy and Wendell did really good. He helped me vacuum, do dishes, and cook supper. We all got to take a nap today (at the same time) so that was really nice. And I let Wendell watch a movie. So a fun day at home for us.. a rare treat for me.

That's all for now. And if any of you know Sarah, then you know she runs a lot faster than I do so it really should say "watch out Heather" cause you're getting lapped again : )

Self Talk, Soul Talk

Just wanted to post about a Bible study that I just started with another group of women at church. The basis of the book is about our self talk which goes deep into our soul. After our first meeting today, I have two thoughts that I want to share in regards to self talk.

1. If I wouldn't say it to someone else then I shouldn't say it to myself.
2. I can either control my thoughts or they can control me.

One of the "assignments" is to go through the week and note some of my reoccurring thoughts; then ask if it's encouraging? discouraging? neutral? God driven? Satan driven? constructive? destructive?

I can already give you an example of one reoccurring thought I have and that is before I pray I often give myself a guilt trip that I should either be praying more often or just "talking to God" more often (especially when struggling as a mom or wife) and then most of my prayer is negative and I get the guilties. Today when I prayed, I made myself ignore that thought and made myself focus on who/what I wanted to pray for (yeah, the whole point of my prayer). I must say, it was much more enjoyable and I felt more connected to God as my friend than always feeling guilty/not good enough. So, here is an example of where I chose to control my thoughts and it was a much more positive outcome.

fussy pants

our daughter has become a fussy pants.. we are on day 3 of fussiness and everyday something different seems to be the solution. but we/i don't figure it out until after i have a headache or am exhausted.

today, she got swaddled and it seemed to be the trick so at least she's sleeping for now.

on a good note she slept from 9:30pm to 6am last night. yeah, sounds great but i woke up at 4am and couldn't get back to sleep right away even though harlie was sleeping (that's the time she would normally request my attention). then i woke up again at 5:30 leaking so i thought i better pump before i burst a milk gland. then she woke up at 6am requesting some breakfast and a diaper change.

phil, the super husband, let me sleep in until 8am so i must admit, i feel rested. however, i was planning to work out this morning and didn't get the energy to get out of bed in time.

good day

Since I vented and shared my rough day then I thought I should share the good ones too. Today Wendell and I had a pretty good day (Harlie too). He was patient and listened and even volunteered to pick up some toys without my asking him (that was a first for him). We went to the park then did some shopping at Hy-Vee and I let him ride in the little vehicle cart so he feels like he's driving. Then he ate his meals pretty good and took a good nap. He even let me watch Oprah and didn't get into too much trouble or complain too much. Then we went for a "walk" and he rode his tricycle for almost a mile. It took him almost an hour to do it but he rode the entire way taking a few breaks here and there to observe his surroundings (glad I took the stroller and not the baby holder!). On a side note, he also picked up a leaf on the way (he's a collector). He loves to pick up leaves along our walks and his tricycle has a little compartment in the back so he puts them in there. Then he ate his supper with out any major issues and is now spending time with his dad. I might even get to publish this post in one sitting.. usually I have to stop and then come back to it later. So anyways, we had a good day. I trust that I will survive having two kiddo's.. although there will be more rough days and more good days! (sorry no pictures this post.. maybe next time?)

rough day

So the other day I had started this great post about how life is going pretty good and we were doing quite well with two kids instead of just one and then ... well, yesterday wasn't such a great day. First off, we all work up early so none of us really felt rested, then after Phil left for work I decided I'd like to shower and I thought, how am I going to do this? I really can't leave Wendell alone with Harlie as I don't quite trust him and yet if I took her downstairs with me then I knew he'd follow and then get into things he's not suppose to. Well, choiceless, I took her down with me and as I predicted, Wendell went down too and there I was trying to shower and he was jumping on the digital scale and turning the humidifier on and off and who knows what else. So eventually I just told him to sit on the stairs until I was done (which amazingly he did). Then we went up stairs and things just didn't get better. I'd ask him to do something or not do something and if I didn't know any better I'd think his ears needed cleaned out. We were going to go to the park or at least outside but then we got a couple of phone calls that took some time. By the time we could have left it was almost lunch time and quite honestly I felt like he didn't deserve to go outside and have fun because of his behavior. Is that wrong? After I reflected on the day, I did realize later that we should have gotten out of the house. If anything, it would have been for me to have some moments of freedom (my attention not directed at his behavior) not a reward for him. So then we have nap time and thankfully he fell asleep. Since Harlie was also asleep I thought maybe I'd just take a nap and try and refresh myself. 20 minutes later, Harlie wakes up so now I'm even more tired as 20 minutes was about half long enough. I get her quited down and decided to just lay in bed awhile to have a break. So about the time she falls asleep, then Wendell wakes up from his nap. I tried to put on my happy face but he just continued to be a rascal. I then decide I give in, he can watch tv for awhile and I'll just keep my distance but after about 15 minutes of that he didn't want to watch tv, what?? not watch tv? This should have been my final clue that Wendell just wanted some attention but by then I'm not in my right mind. So, we call Phil to find out what time he's coming home and he informs me that it'll be another 2 hours, what? I thought he was getting off in an hour, not two! So, I broke down. I should have just let it all out but Wendell was there and whenever he sees me cry he gets "concerned" so I get it together. By then, I've decided that supper is going to be easy BLT's, not the fancy stuffed chicken and homemade mac-n-cheese that I've been wanting to make. Wendell and I go outside while Harlie sleeps and he plays while I sit and watch. I finally got a moment of peace for the day. My neighbor actually came out and chatted for a bit which was a nice distraction from the day we'd been having. Phil came home, I cooked supper, and then we went shopping. Although we got home late, it was worth the trip. I think Wendell and I both needed out of the house.

Wendell and I've had days like this before so I know we'll be fine. It seems odd that taking care of Harlie seems so easy.. it's the 2 year old that can drive me mad! When does this stage end? It's starting to feel like NEVER... I'm hoping it's easier with Harlie.. maybe her and Wendell will play together and keep each other company? Or am I looking at double trouble in 2 years?

Really, when all is said and done, I'm just disappointed in myself. Every once in awhile, it all builds ups, I get so angry and then every little thing just makes it worse. How can I let go of the anger and "reset" myself so that it doesn't just build and build? Hmm... any advice for me?

Well, thankfully, time doesn't stop and yesterday did end. Today has been a little better but I can tell I'm still frustrated with the little guy. At least the weekend is here so hopefully we'll be busy enough to stay out of trouble.

One last thought. Looking at today's date, I realize I have no right to complain, it could be worse - much, much worse.

last free weekend

This is our last free weekend without Wendell for awhile. I must admit though, I miss the little guy. He was gone a few days earlier this week and when he came back I had forgotten how much fun he can be. He's just a "silly monkey" and likes to make us smile. But my parents have him for the weekend so I have a few more days alone with Harlie (and Phil). I do have a few things I need to get done so I'm glad he's gone for now. So far, Phil and I went out for lunch, then did a little shopping and came back home (none of which were on my to do list). Harlie was a peach through it all except the last few minutes when she decided she was hungry.

There are a lot of things that I'd like to get done before Wendell comes back. One thing is that I have been trying to journal Harlie's "birth story" and there is so much to write that I just need to get it done before I forget. I also have a baby book that I really want to get a good start on so I don't forget those little details either. And we have some gifts/decorations that need to be hung, pictures need to be ordered/picked up/organized, and get the house cleaned up. I'm sure there are many other things that I'm not even thinking of.

Just as a general update, we are all doing pretty good. Harlie sleeps pretty good for the most part waking every 3-4 hours but then goes back to sleep after I feed her. Overall, she's a pretty happy baby and doesn't cry that much except if she's hungry. I still can't tell who I think she looks like so I'm just going to say Harlie for now. Eventually I'll find my photo album that has Phil, Wendell and my baby pictures so we can compare them. Wendell continues to do pretty good with her, although he hasn't really been around her but for a few days. Physically, I am feeling much better than I did a week ago and am on the mend. I also think I'm starting to adjust to lack of sleep but next week will be the true test when Phil goes back to work and Wendell is here; if Harlie continue to wake up at 6am. Part of me wants to get back into a routine which includes exercise, play dates, eating healthy/cooking, and more structured life in general and part of me laughs at the thought of this and says that I should just wait a month before attempting to get my life back to a new "normal".

On a side note, I'm happy to report that I am "meeting" my nursing goal of being able to breastfeed Harlie in front of other people especially men. I've had the challenge thrown at me 4 times and 3 of the 4 times I did nurse (covered) in front of a man and the 4th time I had pumped and Phil gave her a bottle (which I'm perfectly happy with as well). I have also nursed in front of a couple of female friends without the cover and this I did not even do when Wendell was a baby. I am not completely comfortable with nursing in front of people as I have not mastered the nursing covers/cape/shawls (I have 3) but so far I'm pleased with what I've accomplished. I can tell I'm becoming one of those "freedom" breastfeeding women as I want to be able to do normal things and not feel like I have to hide when I feed Harlie but at the same time, I don't want to just whip it all out and be totally exposed. I'm sure I will find a good balance that makes me and others comfortable.

This next week, we have some outings planned during the day so it'll be interesting to see how I do with a toddler and nursing infant. Harlie has her 2 week appointment, I'm hoping to get a play date in with my friend Sarah, and am hoping to also do some traveling to see parents and my mom. So, at some point next week, I'll have to give you an update of life with Phil at work and me being a lone mom of two.

Well, enough rambling for now... here are some fun pictures.

we're home

We have now been home a few days and a small part of reality is setting in. So far, I'd say we are doing pretty good. I'd give it an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best.

Here are the top few questions that we get asked:

How is Harlie doing? Harlie has been sleeping pretty good for the most part.. last night we had some issues with her not wanting to fall asleep except when I nurse her - she doesn't take well to the transfer from my lap to the cradle so I spent the night on the couch last night with her laying on my belly... her princess pad as I called it last night. Yesterday, she wasn't latching on very good so I've been using the nipple shield which is kind of a bummer. I was really hoping to feel more comfortable nursing in public but with the nipple shield it makes it more difficult. on a good note, we tried a bottle yesterday and she took it really well.. and I was sitting right next to Phil (and Wendell) who were giving her the bottle.

How is Wendell adjusting? Wendell is "Mr. Helpful"; he gets diapers for us if we need one, likes to caress her head when she's sleeping, and loves to hold her for short amounts of time. I feel like we've been yelling at him a lot the last few days but I think that's because we're trying to get too much done and that means he gets in our way - ex. - I still don't have my bags unpacked because we've been busy with the obvious plus meals, soaks in the tub (for me) and just general pickup. I think now that we're mostly caught up then we can spend more time with him. I'm a little concerned that he's not going to like the new slow pace of life but we'll just have to compromise... me being willing to go more with an infant and him learning to play at home. Wendell is going to Phil's parents today so we'll get a few days without him. Hopefully I can get caught up on a few things like thank you's, hopefully visit the lactation consultant to see if I can do anything about this nipple shield, and visit some people at work.

How does the c-section compare to a VBAC? Well, honestly, the VBAC is a lot more painful from the tear. The fact that I have to sit on the sore makes it much harder to adjust, plus it makes walking, bending, lifting, etc. all more painful. I also think it's a lot more sensitive down there compared to my lower abdomen. I do think that the experience of a VBAC is much more exciting and just an awesome accomplishment. I've seen many different deliveries on t.v. but it's so different when it's your own. I would definitely do the VBAC again, in fact looking back on Wendell's delivery, I probably would have done things differently.

Who does she look like? If you had asked me this the day she was born, then I'd say she looks more like me then Phil. But today, she's gained some weight in her face so she is looking more like Wendell/Phil. So, not sure who she looks like, I guess just Harlie!

Other thoughts: I think the fact that this is our second child has made the experience a lot more enjoyable. We were so much more relaxed and patient then when anticipating Wendell's arrival. Even breast feeding and dealing with her crying have been a lot easier just because we've experienced it before. I'm definitely not as emotional as I was with Wendell and I think it's because I feel more in control and expect there to be hard times. Although, we had a rough night last night, I can see today being a little more like a normal day. I got to go outside and play with Wendell while Harlie was sleeping. Phil was gone a few hours and I survived just fine. Today, I even got breakfast before lunch time, unlike yesterday. I'm excited to have a Wendell gone for a few days but I'm also ready to get into normal life routines.

Baby Harlie is here!!

Baby Harlie is here and there is so much to write about! But we'll start with the fun pictures.
The first one is "mommy meeting Harlie" for the first time.

This second one is one of the first pictures of Harlie after she was born, she was very bright eyed and bushy tailed.

And this third picture is Wendell checking out Harlie, observing from a safe distance.

We'll start with the stats. Her name is Harlianne (Harlie) Rene` Hunt. She was born Tuesday August 25th at 4:46am, 8lbs 2oz, and 21 inches long. She was successfully born VBAC after 27 hours of labor!

We just got home today (Thursday) and are curious to see how our night goes. She's been taking short naps and then nursing for short amounts of time. We're a little worried that this will continue or she'll wake up and want some attention throughout the night.

Overall, we're doing pretty good. Wendell seems to be doing well. He has held her quite a few times and likes to give her kisses. I think after a few days, her presence will settle and he might become a bit more clingy.

One quick funny story, about 15 minutes after we got home from the hospital, Harlie had her first explosion and Phil volunteered to change it (prior to knowing it was an explosion). Once I saw what she'd done, I had to grab the camera to take a picture as it was quite comical. So poor Phil was requesting help and I was just laughing taking pictures. Once we were both working to change the diaper, the phone rings and of course Wendell answers it. By the time I got to it to say hello they had hung up. Then a few seconds later, Phil's cell phone goes off and it was his boss so he answered. Anyways, the task got completed and it took all three of us (Wendell included) to get the job done.

Well, I'm pretty tired and need to go to bed so I'll have to give you more stories and pictures another time. Thanks to all who have prayed and visited/called us!

Harlie in a couple years?

Is this what Harlie will look like in a couple of years?

another doc. appt.

I wish I could say she was here but not yet... stubborn little girl is very comfortable in her little cocoon. We had another appointment today and they hooked me up to be monitored. I was very happy for this as Harlie hasn't been moving quite as much as she had been, which is somewhat to be expected. But they monitored her for about 20 minutes and she had a good heart rate, moved at least 3 times, and I even showed some "contractions". Well, that would apparently be Braxton Hick Contractions because after my doctor checked my cervix, he reported no change since the last appointment... meaning, I'm still not dilating/effacing (I've been at 1 cm for 3 weeks now). On the good side, I'm happy to report that after all the debating thoughts of inducing vs. c-section vs. VBAC that we have officially scheduled a C-section for Tuesday. Because I'm already contracting (and have been for almost a week now) and they are doing nothing for my cervix then that implies that inducing would not be useful (all it really does is cause more contractions). So, unless something happens in the next few days, I don't have to think about the group strep B infection, whether to get an epidural, whether to try inducing, what to do if I go in labor at midnight and Wendell is sleeping peacefully in bed, and all the other things that I've been worrying about. On a good note, my doctor says they'll do a spinal block (not epidural) for the surgery which means it should wear off a lot faster than an epidural. I'm hoping that by not having an epidural or pitocin then it will be less medications than when I had Wendell, which means less swelling and time needed to recover. I feel like Tuesday is a long ways from now but at least it's an end day to look forward too. Then a new chapter in life will begin!

40 weeks

Well, I'm actually 40 weeks and 2 days pregnant... making me officially 2 days overdue my "estimated" due date. Since Sunday (my due date), I've already felt calm, giddy, relaxed, etc. because I feel like I've made it to the end of my race. I had been kind of bummed about not being able to go running this summer so I told myself that instead of training for a "running" race, I'm training for a "baby" race. And the race is almost done. So that's what I tell myself. In reality, I realize that I still have a lot to do - like the actual labor/delivery and then managing life with 2 kids. But for now, I'll enjoy my calm sense of peace. I'm also officially on leave from work and have completed most of our "to do list" tasks that I wanted to have done. I plan to relax and enjoy my last few days of the simple life. Watch a few movies, go for walks, and read some books are the main things that I hope to do.

So here are some pictures of me. If you'd like to come up with some funny quotes for them, feel free as I was just having some fun on my photo shoot and wanted some fun pictures of me being pregnant.

question of the day

I'm reading a book about a woman who just had a baby. In process of pushing during labor, she got these giant hemorrhoids that she referred to as the size of grapes. I've had hemorrhoids before and remember how "unfun" they can be. Can anyone remind me why I'm pushing so much for this VBAC?

baby hog

Just a quick funny that I have to share. Phil and I were talking last night about how we're getting a bit tired of waiting for Harlie mostly because we're excited to have her here. Anyways, he makes the comment that it's not fair because right now I'm kind of a "baby hog" because I "get to hold her all the time". He of course understands that that is just how it goes but it was still cute and funny to hear him say it. So proud Daddy will be holding his little princess soon!

desperate for a nap

What would you do for a nap?

Wendell stayed with my parents over the weekend (which was a huge blessing!) and today we met for lunch so I could pick him up. On the way home, he fell asleep about 20 minutes from home (an hour long drive and he waits until we're almost home to fall asleep). As most of us know at Wendell's age, he won't go back to sleep once I wake him to take him inside and 20 minutes is not really a nap for a 2 year old, so being sleepy myself I parked in the driveway when we got home and we both took naps in the vehicle. He ended up sleeping about an hour and I slept about 20 minutes. So although, this wasn't the most comfortable place to take a nap, I was quite pleased with my decision.

quick update

Well, I'm pretty much feeling the same here only a few pounds heavier. I had a doc appt today and nothing has changed since last week. Most likely I will end up with another c-section or induction if I choose (which was useless last time). I see a different doctor next week (mine's on vacation) so I'd like to hear their opinion on the matter.

The weird thing is, that if I wanted a c-section then we could be doing that on Monday, like in 3 days Monday, but that's not the plan so it won't be happening (assuming there are no issues that occur over the weekend). I will at least wait 2 weeks for my doc. to return from vacation, assuming I don't go into labor before then.

Not sure what to think of all this. The questions I need to answer are: how long do I want to continue being pregnant (42 weeks being the longest I can go) and is it worth trying pitosin again even though it didn't do much last time? For now, I'm glad that my doc. is on vacation next week so then I don't really need to decide right away as I'd rather wait for him to return.

That's all for now..

so close.. yet so far away

It looks like it's time for an update on my blog but I really don't have anything exciting to post yet so I guess I'll just post some random thoughts.

First of all, I thought that July would be my hardest month to get through as far dealing with the pregnancy. And I must say I was so busy that July flew by. It's August already.. next thing I know August will be half over! Although I'm due in less than two weeks, I am "planning" on going about 1-2 weeks overdue. I guess you could say I'm going to push for the VBAC as long as there is no major reasons to do a C-section. The doc says he'll let me go two weeks overdue and then we'll have to schedule a C-section which puts us at the end of August. I don't think that I'll be terribly heart broken if I end up with a C-section as long as I know that I at least tried a VBAC. Anyways, I have been feeling pretty darn good physically since I've slowed down and sit around most of the time. According to the scales, I have gained way too much weight but I get a lot of comments from people saying I look great so either they're just being nice or I still look like a healthy pregnant chick. Who knows, but for now I'll take the nice comments.

We have a few things that need to be done before Harlie comes, like get the cradle up to our room, the car seat in the car, and bags packed but really there isn't anything major. There are a few house cleaning things that I'd really like to have done like cleaning the carpet, thoroughly clean the bathroom and clean out a few cupboards but these are things that Phil plans to help with.

The last exciting thing is that Phil has the next 4 days off and we are going to be home! I don't work this weekend so we should have at least one final relaxing weekend before Harlie comes. Phil has a lot on his to do list but I'm also hoping to do some fun things as well.

My parting gift is a video of Wendell playing with his "choo choo's". As you can see, he loves to say "chuga chuga choo choo". Hopefully it works okay.

check: completed

So, you've all heard me whining about my sewing projects and I can officially say they are "check: completed". Meaning, I can check them off my list because they are finally done. I love being creative and thinking of new fun things to make but for some reason, me and sewing machines just don't get along. So here is the latest of Heather's home made fashions.

The first picture is the car seat cover that I made. I'm not sure Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh would have been my number one pick but there wasn't much to choose from that was girlie and matched the blue car seat. So, I've tacked this piece of material, over the original slip cover. Thanks to my mom for helping me with this project! (If you look back in my posts you can see a picture of Wendell "swinging" in the car seat with the original blue cover).

This next picture is actually two projects. The top orangish looking thing is a new cover over my nursing pillow. (The nursing pillow is an "antique" used by my step mom and passed on to me and it actually works really well.) Although this orange color isn't my number one pick, it was material I had on hand and is super soft so it will be very nice for Harlie to lay her little head down on. The black thing with flowers is my "nursing cover". After scoping several on the internet this is the one that I chose to try to make. (see below)

So this is me, sporting the "nursing gear". I must say it wasn't really fun taking this picture as the thought of nursing a baby doesn't really excite me. On a positive note, I think once I don't have a mound on my belly and I don't get hot easily then the thought of snuggling up with a baby sounds delightful. On a side note, last time I did the whole nursing thing I wasn't very "open" about it, in fact every time I nursed I hid in a room alone where no one could find me. My goal this time, is to at least be able to nurse in front of other women (playdates, family, MMO, etc) with some type of covering. Once I am good with that then maybe I'll feel comfortable in front of men (outside of Phil). This will be a huge challenge for me since I'm a very private person about my body but I'm sure I can do it.

And this last picture is one of the cutest. It has some of the new clothes we've picked out for Harlie to come home in. There are a few p.j.'s, outfits and a cute onesie that I plan to take along. Right now, she'll be coming home in the purple outfit that says "I'll always be Daddy's Little Girl". And down below is the new diaper bag we just got. The brown and blue/turquoise is a nice mix so Phil doesn't have to carry a "girl" bag. On a side note, I can't believe how expensive diaper bags are! This one was $25 and that is the average price... I would have expected $10-15.

Well, that's all for now. Once again, I hope you've enjoyed the slide show. I need to keep up on my posts because here soon, I won't have time to do much. 2 1/2 weeks left before she's due.. I'm starting to think I can make!