My life as a not so typical wife and mother: January 2011

Friday, January 28, 2011

I suffer from mom brain

Wow! I already have my extra-because-of-my-oops on my first list. So now I still need to come up with one more.

I've got it and I know it's not on my list......drum roll please............

Ok, I lied. I don't have it yet, but I will. And soon. Very soon.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Oops

So on my list of 100 things I did one twice- go to another country. I am adding another one

~ Have Zach teach me how to juggle

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Take the kids to Cave of the Winds
Walk the beach at sunset
Go hiking in the Rocky Mountains
Go whitewater rafting
Have a GNO at Canvas and Cocktails
Try my hand at fishing
Take Briana to check out the Stanley Hotel
Tailgate at a Denver Broncos game
Go snowboarding
Go green at the St. Patrick's Day parade
Get zombified at the Zombie Crawl downtown
Take my picture next to a palm tree
Go camping
See the Aspen's changing
Watch 4th of July fireworks over Lake Dillon
Take a tour of Celestial Seasonings in Boulder
Take a dip in the hot springs
Try a pole dancing class
Try Rocky Mountain oysters
Finally go to the Colorado Renaissance Festival
Go to the Dragon boat races
Jump off a boat into a lake or river
Go to the Winter X Games in Aspen
Do a zipline
Drink a green beer
Go to a Solara wine tasting
Try a dessert from Bar D Desserts
Go water skiing
Take a ride on the Rio Grande railroad
Eat dippin' dots at the Denver zoo
Take a shot of Patron with Zach
Join a softball team
Go horseback riding
Watch a movie at Red Rocks
Listen to the bands play down the street
Take out a paddle boat
Go watch the hot air balloons in Colorado Springs
Go to the movies with Zach
Try my hand at kayaking
Go picnic at 7 Falls
Take a photography class
Visit another country
Visit the museum with the kids
Take a pottery class
Go to a Mammoth game
Take Briana rock climbing
Take a tour of Coors field
Dress up for Halloween
Pay for someone's order behind me in the drive thru
Go to the Wild Animal Sanctuary
Rent a bike downtown and ride around
Take mine and the kids picture with Blue Bear downtown
Go visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park
Take the train up to Pikes Peak
Take the kids to the Dinosaur Resource Center
Go to the Ghost Town Museum
Go have dinner at the Iron Springs Chateau Melodrama Dinner Theater
Finally go see the Royal Gorge Bridge
Go eat at White Fence Farms
Check out the Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Go to a college football game
Take the kids to Disney on Ice
Find and join a church
Make pasta from scratch
Check out the Snowmass Mardi Gras Parade
Go to the Red Rocks Indian Art Show
Go to the Gunnison River Festival
Check out the Brighton Parade of Lights
Go to the Castle Rock Winefest
Go ice skating
Check out a car show
Learn how to make a chocolate lava cake
Have a laugh at Comedy Works
Go to a dueling piano bar
Visit another country
Play volleyball (or some other sport) in the park with friends
Sign up to read stories to kids in the hospital
Raise money for a good cause
Sing karaoke
Take a dance class
Go on a roadtrip without knowing where I am going in advance
Read 5 books
Go snorkeling
Have Zach teach me how to juggle
Organize a park picnic/BBQ with a bunch of friends
Take the kids swimming at the Cherry Creek Reservoir
Ride a roller coaster
Go down a big water slide
Plant a tree in memory of everyone I've lost
Get a new tattoo with Zach
Visit the Mother Cabrini shrine
Go see a local artist exhibit
Re-stain Briana's dresser
Hike to Hanging Lake
Go on the Boulder Ice Cream tour
Try a new top rated restaurant
Have a drink on a roof top bar
Go to a Rockies game
Donate hair to lock of love

I came across a 2011 Colorado bucket list and it has inspired me to make my own bucket list. I'm going to do a list of 100 things I'd like to do by December 31st, 2012. Having young kids I think I need a bit longer than a year.

I think it should be fun to see all I have done over the year and challenge myself to try some new stuff as well.

I plan on having the list done by Saturday and posted.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

An open love letter

Well maybe not totally open.

I got married on July 11th but I would have to say we are not your average newlyweds. We have two kids- one was mine coming into the relationship but we had a son together. And I think as any parent knows, having a child is hard on a relationship. It teaches you so much about the other person.

We also left great jobs we loved and moved across the country to Ohio. When we got there we didn't get the jobs we thought we would, we didn't like it like we thought we would, and then we found out we were having a baby.

But when I stood up on the 11th and promised to Zach that I will fight for this relationship, I meant it.

Started 7/28/200911

I never thought I would be married and I never thought it would be like this. I am happy, extremely happy.....annoying happy I am sure.

So this is my form of an open love letter, something to look on when the road gets tough, when life starts to get to be too much, when kids are screaming and I haven't had time to get in the shower. I am happy. This is worth fighting for. This is worth everything.

**I just found this, and had forgotten about it but am now going to post it. Zach and I have added another baby to our family and I'm still extremely happy. Our life isn't perfect for everyone and the road gets rocky and money is tight but it's perfect for me. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

My wonderful daughter

A lot of people say they have great kids and I shout it from the rooftops. My daughter is amazing. She turned 12 almost a month ago and I'm amazed at how much she's grown and changed. Where did my baby go?

Even as a 2 year old Bri was always laid back, listened so well and shared like a pro. She was truly a blessing, my angel.

She is in 6th grade now and getting straight A's, which makes me so proud. I never got good grades and always struggled in school, Briana is involved and really enjoys getting good grades. I'm more proud than words can express. She's simply amazing.

Bri is in band this year, playing the alto sax. She has her first solo coming up this month, I can't wait to go watch!

She tried out for the school play and wants to try out for more.....so proud!

I see wonderful things in her future because she's well.....simply amazing.

Monday, January 3, 2011

It's 2011

I've been struggling with my weight since I had my son, Jameson and when I got pregnant with Dominic I have 35lbs to lose. As of today I have 15 to go! So as this new year comes in I have new resolutions.

1. Lose this last 15lbs and get back into my size 8 jeans (currently size 10-12 depending on the brand)

2. Be a better housewife. I struggle with this a lot, I enjoy being home with my boys but I don't enjoy cleaning the house or doing laundry. It seems so effortless for some moms but not me, I have to put lots of effort into keeping this place halfway decent.

3. PLAY MORE! I want to laugh more, enjoy life more, just play more. I want to play with my kids outside more, splash in the pool more, blow more bubbles, join a softball team.....just play more.

These are all very important to me and I know they are things I can keep up with. I know this going to be a great year!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Looky looky

It's 2011 and I'm failing at my blog again. New years brings new resolutions and one of mine is to keep up on this more.

Well, today is going to be Dominic's birth story. I finally have space again and it feels oh so good.

On Monday I just felt crappy, nothing I could pin point but just off. I was 37w4d pregnant. We did all our 4th of July stuff but missed fireworks because of rain, luckily we had gone the night before to see some.

I told Mary Lou, my mother in law, I just didn't feel so hot, just kinda off and she guessed I would go into labor soon. I woke up around midnight with cramping, but I had been having that on and off for a while so I brushed it off. But it was strong enough I couldn't get back to sleep so I got up for a bit.

I noticed they were coming every few minutes so we called Mary Lou to come on over. She got here around 2:30 and we were off to the hospital. I asked Zach before we left, "Do you think this is it?"

He simply answered, "No, not yet."

He was wrong.

I was 4cm dilated and contracting every 4 minutes when we got there. By 8am I was 5cm and still contracting every 3-4 minutes. I could feel them but they weren't painful so I just talked to Zach.

Then it hit me.....we are having another baby. Today. I kept hoping that Jameson would be a good big brother and I would fall into being a mom of three with ease. But I was nervous. I was also nervous because I didn't want an epidural.

I didn't have an epidural with Briana and it hurt like hell so I had one with Jameson and I hated the feeling of it.

I couldn't feel or move my legs and just didn't like it. So no epidural it was.

My water broke at 9:25ish and the fun really began. Zach made sure to ask if I wanted epidural at least 3 times. Goof, but he was worried seeing me like that, he'd rather I felt nothing. I like to feel my body change with each contraction, even if it hurt.

At 9:45ish I called in the nurse, the pain was so intense I wanted something to take the edge off in my IV. She checked me and I was 7cm. She went to go ask the doctor about my IV options and at 9:50 I told Zach to get someone in there NOW!

It was time to push.

The nurse rushed in and sure enough I was ready and my body was taking over. There is no "not pushing" when it's time, your body knows what to do and it does it. The doctor rushed in just as Dominic was crowning and my beautiful baby boy was born at 9:58am. He weighed 7lbs 1oz and was 19.5 inches long, perfect. Sheer perfection.

Poor little rushed out of the birth canal so fast his little face was bruised but he was still perfect. And now, almost 6 months later, he's still sheer perfection.

He also has a pretty awesome big brother, but more on that later.