Tough Day

Mommy had a tough day.  The boredom and anxiety of bed rest is driving me crazy and Grace is TOTALLY feeding off of me.  Neither of us do well being cooped up inside because of rules.  If it were just me being boring, it wouldn't bother us so much.  But since I've been told to stay inside, now it's like...the worst thing in the world!!

Not much more to say tonight.  I can't wait until Grace is back in school and all her therapies so that she can get her energy out.  I feel so bad not being able to take her outside and go on long walks and everything.

Ok, goodnight.

Amanda

Some Bedrest Activities

So, since I'm on bed rest I have been trying so hard to find things for Grace to do.  I feel so bad that I have to lay down, but when I'm up too much I can feel that I've been up too much.  So here's some things we've done....

 Oh, wait, first...ELAINE!  I had to put this picture in here :)  Baby Elaine in the swing we bought her.  She's so cute!!

 Ok, there.  One thing we haven't had out in awhile is this magnetic doll set.  I brought a shelf out into the living room with activities on it...but I wrote about that in another post.  Anyways, she goes to these constantly and will sit and play with them for at least 30 minutes, if not more.

 And here I am trying to put together Grace's preschool stuff but this is while we were watching Ice Age and so of course she was right there...all she wanted to do was color in them, so I had to put it away after a few minutes, but oh well.

 Here's girly watching Ice Age!  You think she's sick?  Or tired?  Nope.  She tucked herself in to watch the movie.  It was so cute!!!  She said, "Mom, I gotta get my blanket.  And my pillow."  So I told her where the blanket was (I had changed the sheet on the bed and so the blankets were thrown in the corner of her room), she ran off and came back, and was all total business setting herself up on the couch.  I have really seen this girly grow up while my pregnancy has been going on.  It's like Heavenly Father has helped her calm a bit, and have a bit more independence, as if he knew I'd need it.  Well, of course he knew I would, but you know what I mean.

And I probably posted this before but this was another activity.  Shaving cream in the bathtub.  She loves it!

Oh, one more thing.  It's so cute when she says, "Mom, can we go for a walk?"  I love hearing it.  Love it love it.  So of course I took her on a walk.  But just around my block, and even with that, I could feel some pressure so I can't do it every day :)

Here is our schedule for the day...

She was up at 7:30.  Brought her into the bedroom and let her watch Arthur until 9:30 while I slept.  Then we had some breakfast (waffles with grapes) and did...stuff...until around 11:30 when we watched Ice Age.  And then lunch afterwards and nap time.  She went down so well for me because we came up with a plan.  "Grace, if you go to bed and you lay down like this (I showed her), and if you sleep, you can have ice cream with me when you wake up."  I had tried this yesterday and she didn't sleep, so no ice cream.  She went to sleep perfectly!  Woke up about 3:45 pm and then we played for awhile and then I let her watch Caillou while I slept from 4:30-5:30 pm.  And then we sort of ate dinner (grazed) and then went for a walk.  And the best part was from 7-8 pm when we cuddled.  Grace talked to Dado on the phone for about 3 minutes and then I did for a little while, and then she and I cuddled for the next hour in the recliner and it was fabulous.  Absolutely fabulous.  She and I sang together, tickled each other, talked and talked, and it was just great.  These are the moments that I absolutely love.  And I'm so glad it happened.  Then she got ready for bed about 7:45 pm and then she went to bed so well!  I give her piggy back rides to bed and that really helps her to be compliant, which is nice.  I got her all tucked in, we said our prayers, and I just really enjoyed our evening together.  Actually, the whole day.

Amanda

Sunbathing at the Cabin

I forgot to post this picture :)  This is from the 27th and it was a beautiful morning.

This is what I do but in the recliner :)

Amanda

Whirlwind to Montana and Back

Well, Grace and I went to my ultrasound on Wednesday morning and got to see baby brother!

This was the ONLY profile picture we could get.  This little boy was just so shy and kept his face pointed right at my spine the whole time.  He's head down and low so it was hard to be able to push him around to actually get to see the face with 3D, but that's ok.  Grace did so well at the appointment, and would come over to me and say, "your a good girl, mom.  You're doing so good mom."  She was so sweet, and kissed me over and over again.  This is where we learned that I had been having a contraction or two when I took Grace to the park and back a couple days ago.

Then we went shopping for heaving to Montana for the Labor Day weekend and got unpacked just in time to head to another doctor appointment.  The first one was the neonatologist and she said I didn't have to see her again!!  Hurray :)  This second one is the general doctor.  After all was said and done, I was told we weren't going to Montana because of the pains I was having.  But do I ever listen?  NOPE!  We headed out about an hour after the appointment.  

We headed home the next day.  Yep.  Doc was right.  I had more pains so I headed back with Grace.  We went straight to the doctor and they checked me with another ultrasound.  The one on Wednesday showed my cervix as long...4.2.  It shortens as the body gets ready to have the child.  Once it gets to 0, then it starts to thin and dilate.  When I went in on Thursday I was at 2.8.  So I've shortened.  No good!  So now I'm on bed rest.  Which is nearly impossible with Grace because girly needs attention, fed, and she's got a lot of energy that has to be expelled!  But she was such a good day today nonetheless.  She played with her magnetic dolls quite a bit throughout the day, we watched some movies, and in the evening I had to water the garden and so she jumped on her trampoline.

She did so well getting ready for bed because I made sure to use her picture chart.  I need to remember to keep it up because it makes things go so much smoother.  Here's what we're working on in hopes that by the time Levi comes, she's more independent.

TASKS FOR GRACE:

1. I have a tray on the bathroom counter in her room, and we have her hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, her small drinking cup, and a smaller cup that will hold her vitamin and Singular.  The night before I'll put a patch on the tray and her medication, so that when she goes in there, she knows what things need to be done.  I also have picture charts in the bathroom that show her how to prepare for the morning.  I'm hoping to get to where she can brush her hair, teeth and take her medication on her own.  And then I'll help put the patch on and put her hair up.
2. I will make a picture chart of getting dressed, one piece of clothing at a time.  I have already started having her help more.  I put the shirt on her head and she puts her arms in.  I lay her pants/shorts on the ground and open the "cave" and she puts them on the rest of the way.  She puts her socks on and I do the shoes, and there we go!
3. We are working on her getting in her carseat on her own.  I know she can do it but sometimes it's so much easier just for me to do it.  So I just open the door and walk off, expecting that she will do it.  As well as her getting out on her own.  I opened the door and asked her to get out and she didn't, so I just walked inside with the groceries and by the time I came back out, she was out of the car :)  
4. I'm teaching her how to shut the car door.  I usually do it because of the chance of smashed fingers.  But I'm teaching her how to push it from the middle of the door instead of the edge.
5. She has started taking the diapers out to the pail on the porch, but only if the door is open.  I'm thinking about getting a diaper pail for right by the front door so she can put them in for me.  Then I don't have to throw them away each time I change her; she can.
6. She has a drawer full of snacks and gets two a day.  I will be putting two pictures on the drawer that signify the two snacks per day, and she'll cover the picture once she's had a snack.
7. I bargain with her if she makes a mess in her bedroom.  "If you want to...then you need to..."
8. She brings her own laundry to the laundry room in the basket.  Push, pull, carry...I don't care.  Just get it there!
9. I have a broom set coming for her birthday from her Dado and Papa, and she will be expected to clean her own messes, as well as help sweep the kitchen weekly.  I won't expect perfection :) 
10. I brought a shelf out into the living room and it has 5 activities on it and a basket with a few books in it.  This has been a great idea and I can't believe I didn't do it earlier!  She is great at putting the books back, and with gentle reminder, she puts the activities back on the shelf.  These will be changed weekly (or more if she gets bored) so that she's got quiet things to do in the same room as Levi and I will be in.
11. I have started using counting, and it's been working.  "Grace, if I get to 3 and you haven't....then it's time for a time out."  This, about 95% of the time, has worked.
12. If, then and time out has worked about 70% of the time.  I need to keep reinforcing timeout so that she understands that certain behaviors won't be allowed.  Once this boy gets here I really need her to be behaving appropriately, or at least better than she has been.
13. Grace has a bucket next to the kitchen table where she can put her dishes.  At this point, this is better than having her take them to the kitchen sink because she hasn't understood the idea that when she reaches up with the plate, all the food falls off at the sharp angle.  So she puts it in the bucket, and then we wash in the sink together with her stool.
14. Grace is learning to wipe.  "Dab, dab, dab, drop."  I still end up doing it, but getting her into the motion is good.

This seems like a lot, but I'm way low key, don't pressure, and the relaxed way I work with her really seems to support her and what I'm hoping she'll learn.  She starts preschool the second week of September and it will be great to get her back into that routine, as well as gym once a week and her three hour block of therapy on Thursdays.  I really think all these things will help balance her out.

Shew, that was a lot :)

Goodnight!!

Amanda

Fun Day :)

We went to a party at the park today :)  It was pretty fun, but Grace was tired so that didn't make it all that fun for her, but still, she did great.  We went about 2:30 and got home at 7.  A LONG day but worth it.  We had lots of popcorn, candy, and they had lunches there for all the people that came.  Grace enjoyed the chocolate milk and chips the most, that's for sure, but I got her to take a few bites out of the apple!  We got to see a friend that we haven't seen in quite awhile and Grace was so thrilled to get to spend time with her!!  It was cute seeing the two of them together.

 Time to eat :)  I'm so glad they started serving the food earlier than 4 because last year people lined up about an hour early and it took forever to beth the food.  This time they opened right after they set up the food, so people could trickle in here and there.

 Girly having popcorn.  At this point she's way tired and didn't want to get the popcorn all the way in her mouth.  Silly girl :)

Grace and her friend Samantha laying in the grass together looking at the "dog" clouds.  It was SO adorable.  They ran around chasing each other over and over, and then would play tag, or hide and seek, or would lay in the grass like this and tickle each other.

There's the girls!!!

All in all, a great day.  We walked home and Grace got a quick shower, and then off to bed she went.  And off to bed I go.

Amanda

Trip all Jumbled up

Ok well I am going to do a major photo bomb of the trip, and the days are all going to be jumbled up and all that, but one date for sure...August 20th, 2014 baby Elaine was born!  Here we go!

Our sweet girl hanging out while we drive :)

Playing dice with Papa!  We did this a lot!  Dado played as well but she was showering at this point.

There's Dado, Papa and girly :)  She LOVED staying with them, as did I.  It was so good to see them and I really wish we didn't live so far away.

Watching her morning cartoon.  Every morning she got a cup of chocolate almond milk with her laxative and had to wear her patch for an hour.  She would usually watch Mickey Mouses Clubhouse.

Playing in the pool!  Dado was being silly and poured water on her :)

And here we are :)  Oh it was so hard to leave them.

Dinner out at Cattlemans :)  It was really good!

 P.F. Changs.  This place was SO SO GOOD!  We had a shrimp appetizer that was TO...BEG...FOR.  And then we had lo mien with everything in it and Mongolian Beef.  Dessert was cream wontons with raspberry sauce and WOW.

Daddy filled up this card with money and they played games together!  She got so many tickets, and there's her rewards in the picture below :)

Lots of yummy candy.

They rode the carousel once...

Do you see the animal has changed?  Yep...Daddy hopped from seat to seat when the carousel went around!  Silly daddy.

 She swam all by herself every time.  Thanks to Janelle for the arm floaties!  They are life savers...literally and figuratively.

 I think Daddy and Grace swam just about every day.  There were the last two days when we stayed that they didn't swim because her eczema was SO bad from all the chlorine that we wanted her skin to rest.

 We went to frozen yogurt and BOY!  Was it good or what?  Grace and I shared French Toast, Chocolate and Cake Batter.  I think it was called Top it Off.

 We went to the park and Daddy and Grace played on the playground for all of 5 minutes or so.  It was SO HOT and I was ready to go.  Grace's face was flush red and she was sweating, so we headed back to the hotel and swam :)

Chinese food!!!!!  It was so absolutely wonderful.  They had the hot and sour soup that I loved, and Brad also got the Po Po Platter, which is the one with the little burner in the middle that you can cook over.  We were really treated this trip :)

After eating at Golden Corral!!  It was so darn good and I stuffed myself solid.  Daddy had a lobster tail and he thought it was really good :)  At this point, Sissy is SO ready to have the baby.

Visiting Sissy while being started on Pitocin for induction.  It was sad to see Sissy in pain and Grace did NOT like it, and it made her really uncomfortable.  We tried to comfort her but she just didn't like it.  I think it's because she didn't understand what's going on.  She kept saying, "Sissy ok?  Are you ok sissy?"

AND THEN WHAT THE WHOLE TRIP WAS FOR (OTHER THAN SEEING DADO AND PAPA!)

BABY ELAINE!!!  BORN AUGUST 20TH, 2014

  

She was so absolutely beautiful, gorgeous, precious and chubby!  It was so hard to leave them, but we had to get back home and back to our lives and responsibilities.  Grace was very nervous around her and only held her once, but that's ok :)  When they come for Christmas, she'll be used to holding babies because she'll hold her brother so much.

 

And here we are on the trip home.  She pretty much slept the whole way.  I wish I could have because it was a boring trip home, but oh well.  We drove straight through, Daddy in Ryan's car and obviously, I drove our car.  We got home about 4 pm and I was SO glad to be home and off the road.

A great trip all in all.  Very hard to leave Dado and Papa and MeMa (whom we got to visit a lot with as well), and really hard to leave Kailyn and Elaine, but having constant contact makes it numb a bit. I think it's been a daily occurrence that Grace has asked to see baby Elaine, and it's so sad to tell her that we can't see her.

Amanda

Way Behind

It was way too hard to keep up with the blog on vacation, so obviously there's going to be a lapse of entries.  Tomorrow I'll be sure to update, but it will just be one post instead of posts for every day :)

Until tomorrow!

Amanda

Blah Day Yesterday

It was such a blah day yesterday.  Dado was feeling miserable with a fever, chills, nausea and just wasn't herself.  I really hate seeing her like this.  And of course she said she's ok but I'm ready to call her doctor and give her a good talking to.  But I'm staying out of it as much as I can.  We stayed at the house all day and just watched TV, played play dough, and dominoes.  It was fun playing play dough with Grace because she lasted an hour!!  She's got a good attention span when it's something she really enjoys.

I don't know what we'll do today.  I've got laundry going, Grace is finishing up watching her Sesame Street with her eye patch on, and Dado is already laying down on the couch :(  Either today or tomorrow I have to go buy some more diapers since we are running low, but otherwise, that's all that needs to happen.  Now Grace's show is over and she'll be running over to me with her patch off.  What a good girl to leave it on for one whole hour.  Sissy still hasn't had the baby...ug.  Hopefully something happens today, but my guess?  Nothing will.

Breakfast time.

Amanda

Days Fly By

I can't believe how days fly by!  Not much has been going on :)  Sissy, Grace and I went to the Farmer's Market on Saturday in Roseville and bought so much stuff and only spend $13!!  My favorite buy?  CHERRIES!  We were only there for about an hour but boy, it was hot and I got so tired.  Kailyn has so much more energy then me!!  After the Farmer's Market we came back to Dado and Papa's house and MeMa was here visiting.  She stayed until about 3:30 pm and Grace had a wonderful time playing with her.  She went swimming and had a fun time showing off for MeMa.

Sunday we visited with Dado and Papa for the day.  Grace and I went out in the garden and pulled a bunch of weeds, and also pulled an old tomato plant out.  It was cute because I'd throw the tomato plant pieces onto the grass and then she would pick up the pieces (and the rotten tomatoes) and toss them into the garbage for me!!  And then I went around pulling weeds elsewhere and she followed me around and put them in a bucket for me!  Good girly :)  After awhile I pooped out and so we sat around with Dado and Papa and really enjoyed the cool breeze that came in every so often.  Lunchtime came and after that Dado and Papa's friends came over and visited until about 1 pm, so Grace got in a later nap.  She was SO tired she didn't wake up until 5 pm.  I, of course, took a nap with her awhile as well, but it was only about 20 minutes worth.  Oh well :)  We made spaghetti for dinner and then the rest of the evening was playing with Dado and Papa, and then we went on a walk about 7:30 pm.  It was nice and cool out!  Poor girly Grace fell down and scraped her knee and so the walk wasn't as fun as it could have been for her, but we made the best of it.  And then this stinker Grace didn't fall asleep until 10:30 pm.  But, that's to be expected when staying in nap time until 5.

Monday...oh boy.  I'm SO SORE!!  This really tells me that I'm out of shape.  It's from all the bending and all that stuff from gardening.  Sad, isn't it?  But at least we go for walks almost every day.  So far it's been busy.  Grace and I went to Elk Grove and went to shopping centers.  Tuesday Morning, Once Upon a Child, JoAnns, and Chipotle for lunch.  I got baby boy Levi a pack and play that has a floor that rises from Once Upon for $45, which is really good compared to online prices.  So now we have a bed for baby for going to the cabin, and Utah for Sister Grace's appointments.  There were so many adorable clothes for boys, and tons were church and winter, so I was a good girl and left before buying everything!  Now Grace is supposed to be in bed *sleeping* but instead she's in there hollering and having fun!  Sissy is supposed to be due tomorrow with Baby Elaine but we'll see what happens.  I'm hoping it's soon so we can get home on time, to Brad's hike on time, and then moving right into our normal home routine.  Rest of the day?  Laying low at Dado and Papas.

Amanda

Lazy Day

We didn't do much today :)  Which is nice because now I don't have much to report!  Grace is down for the night...or at least in bed, and I don't know what we're going to do tonight.  Me and Grace are going up to Roseville to see Sissy and go to the Farmer's Market with her, so that will be fun.  It's 8:21 pm now and Dado and Papa are playing dice while I write here and text with Kailyn and Brad.  

Amanda

Visiting a Friend on Wednesday and a Lazy Day

A quick post today since I'm beat!!  

Yesterday we went to Elk Grove and visited the horses again!  We got to see our other friend Jean that used to work there but then she retired.  So that was a lot of fun :)  Grace, of course, wanted to ride again but we can't because we live out of state and didn't have permission from the doctors.

There's our sweet girly :)  After that we went to Round Table and had lunch with Pam, and then we were going to see her house that's being built but the office was closed, so we went to Toys R Us instead.  Pam bought Grace an alphabet board for her birthday and bought 2 footie pajamas for baby boy!  So fun!!  But Grace was getting so tired so we headed home instead of heading back to Pam's new house.

The rest of the day was a resting day :)

Thursday, today, was a good day.  Nice and calm.  Grace also got to swim after nap time!!!

And then some random drawings from Grace!  Good girl!!  

I made broccoli and beef for dinner tonight, and it was so good!  We had egg rolls and egg drop soup with it, and boy I was happy!  I'll definitely use the beef and broccoli recipe again.  Mmm...

And now we are going to have lemon cake and ice cream.  YUM!

Amanda

SISSY DAY!

We got to hang out with Sissy today, and that was fun as usual.  It was going to be a quiet day with Dado and Papa but it was such a nice day that I decided to go see Kailyn up in Roseville.  So off we went.  Trust me, photo bomb for sure!

Visiting Baby Elaine's room.  She really wished it was her room, but nope!  That little girl better show up soon.

And then we went to the park for a while, but it was so smelly because of all the smoke from fires and it was so yucky muggy, so we headed to the mall (galleria?).  Grace was totally spoiled by sissy...see!!

GRACE'S FIRST EVER BUILD A BEAR

Grace picked out a pink bear, and now she's choosing the characteristics for her bear to have.  Fun, happy, kind and...smiley I think.

Now it's time to fill up the bear!

Sissy is helping Grace push the pedal for the fluff.

Giving the bear a bath...we don't have a name yet.

 

Picked out an outfit!!  So darn cute :)

Grace did NOT want to let go of her bear!!  So the woman quickly scanned the bear and gave it back. 

 There's sissy and Grace with "Strawberry Bear."

And then we were off to walking again, but very quickly we saw the Disney store and HAD to go in.  I knew it would be crazy but she deserved to have a little fun :)

 Jack and the Neverland Pirate Section!!  I was in love in this section...and of course Grace was as well.  It was REALLY hard for me to leave this section...especially because I wanted the toy on the bottom left.  It's Bucky the boat with all the characters, and the boat turns into a submarine!  But $60 was a bit much...way a bit much.  See that she has Izzy in her arms!

And into the princess castle!  She was so amazed with this castle...I mean, more than I've never seen before.  Ever.  No exaggerating.  I was so happy and my heart was so full with joy to see Grace having so much fun.

 Finally, it was time to eat...2:30 pm or so...YUMMY!  At this point Grace was so tired that she was a bit fussy and kinda crazy, so I didn't really mind that she didn't eat much.  I let her suck down her milkshake, or the soda, or watch her show on Netflix.  I didn't really mind :)  When we got home she tuckered out and I put her down for a late nap, and the rest of the day was resting.

FUN DAY!!!

Amanda