The FDA is NOT my friend.

Byron J. Richards -- FDA Approves Viral Adulteration of Our Food Supply
If you can debunk this, I would love to know. It makes me just sick. AND ready to move out of country.

Ceci n'est pas un colibri

mental_floss magazine - Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix
Simply amazing, a hummingbird look-a-like moth. And a lobster one too.

Moving On

*sigh* One of my best friends is moving in two days to Raleigh NC. I know that it is not that far, about 2 hours, but it looms like an eternity. We only met this past winter, but are already, and were from the get go, fast friends. Change is a good thing, I would never want to stagnate... and I know that this is the best thing for her family... but I still hate to see it happen. More and more though this is what it seems to mean to be an adult... things change, people move, and we do the best that we can.
I just hope she knows how much I love her and value our frindship. It's really hard to believe that next Monday that I will not be able to drive over to her place and go visit. Well, technically I guess I can, it's just a TON more miles on the car.

A traumatic morning... *poop warning

--Either we will be in diapers for a long time or she will be fully self potty trained next week.--

Last Tuesday night as she was taking her bath she accidentally pooped in the tub. She commenced screaming her head off about the offending floater... and about how it was not supposed to be there. She sat on the potty for several minutes attempting to go more but could not and was very disappointed. I put her back in a clean tub for a rinse off, and she was, shall we say, less than thrilled.

Speed forward to Thursday night and she had been really dirty and in need of a bath and a diaper change... I didn't want to put a clean cloth diaper on her just to place her in the tub in a few minutes so I let her run around naked for the time span. She decided that she was hungry and sat in her chair that has straps that she always fastens and settled in for a bowl of coveted oatmeal. Then... dun dun dun dun.... she began to poop. She couldn't get away, she was strapped in- although she was doing her absolute best to stand up and get away from it. She commenced screaming her head off about the offending poop in the chair... and how it was not supposed to be there. *sigh*
Off to the bath... and more about how she 'could not poop' in the bath tub.

So, this morning.... oh yes, it continues.
After her oatmeal (diaper clad mind you) she was beyond a wipe down so I thought, "It's bath time!". She was all for it until I put her in the warm water. I have never seen her cry and scream and carry on like she did. Bath time just a short week ago was a great and fun time filled with toys, not listening to mommy about keeping water in the tub and 'swimming'.
As of this morning, that appears to be gone. She wanted to sit on the potty, she wanted back in the tub, back on the potty, back in the tub, and then into mommy's arms where she was covering her butt and claiming that she NEEDED a diaper. She even had me hold her butt cheeks closed as I was holding her for fear something would come out.
Then she saw the starfish that sits over the toilet (my stool for bathtime) we talked about how starfish and fishies poop in the water and it is no big deal... about how it is okay if Dory does too. She isn't buying it. [As a side note, I'm not even sure I want her to buy it... I don't care for fishing out floaters! Isn't the point of potty training to get them to understand that the potty is the place to go?!?! What else am I going to do to calm a frantic poop traumatized child though?]

We then placed a new diaper on her still oatmeal covered self and rocked for 15 minutes.... she is now sleeping because she wore herself out with the fear of pooping with out a diaper on. Apparently it's no big deal if her butt is covered in it as long as a diaper is on... she'll even lie about needing a new diaper if she's busy with something. :shock:

Tricia's "Chicks Night Out" Happy 25!

So, Tricia's birthday is actually tomorrow, but we celebrated tonight at a japanese restraunt in Greenville, SC. The dinner and conpanionship was wonderful!


Tricia loves to take twosie pictures...












The whole group!














Yummm... salad...




















Yummm... um, cake!

Where are the lacy undies I asked for? Huh? You mean the ink pen is the raciest thing tonight?!?!?











Friends are great, and very important... but sisters are forever.

Our weekend excursion to Lake Lure, NC

So as John puts it, on Friday morning when he woke up, I kidnapped him. I thought we needed a family vacation, and he agreed so off we went for Lake Lure, NC. That very afternoon we scaled Chimney Rock with the assistance of an elevator... (Hey, I'm pregnant!) We also took Dory on a kiddy trail that had lots of fun diversions. She really was not ready to leave even though Mommy had to find the nearest non-tree watering post. When we got up on Saturday morning we were greeted with a wonderful Austrian/German style breakfast rather than the traditional continental breakfast... I just can't help but rave about the B&B we found last minute! Gaestehaus Salzburg Bed and Breakfast After check out, we decided to drive up to Asheville for a good cup of coffee and some noodeling in the shops... We certainly had to stop by Malaprops! After that we headed back to Lake Lure for a boat tour of the lake.... and we figured out that it was Dory's first time on a boat. John was loathe to admit it. (If you can think of one, let us know!) After that we headed home! It was a wonderful one night trip, and we cartainly plan to do it again as soon as we can.... knowing that it might be another 2 years at this rate...

 
 
 
  

 
 
 
  

 
 
  

and the Fuzzi Bunz have arrived!

Oh, I am just so excited, all of the new Fuzzi Bunz that I got a steal on came in today!!! I went to the lady's house to help sort the order, it was huge, and then I delivered to two friends on our way home... Dory even got a playdate out of one of the stops!
We now have 2 each of lavender, peach, bubble gum, aqua, periwinkle, baby blue, butter yellow, sage, baby pink and 2 baby pink training pants and inserts for all of them.... :) :) :) :)
The order for Jack should be here in another week.
Never again will I buy a package of disposable diapers! It makes me so happy... What a treat!

Getting Bigger!

29 weeks and 2 days:
  

Nesting

I am quite sure (but could be wrong) that for John, nesting should be about dusting, vacuuming, getting rid of dog hair, and other cleaning type rituals.
Too bad for him though, my nesting seems to take on project mode... Organizing, arranging, purging, aquiring and so on. I have to say though, that I am really happy with myself and the latest nesting accomplishments!
The laundry closet is now retrofitted so that the top of the dryer is a changing station for cloth diapers. The nursery closet now has been organized to an inch of it's life... Two bins hold Dory's old clothes that I can't part with and one holds clothes for Jack that are sized 6 months to 12 months. The top shelf has an extra shelf so that there is less wasted space and boxes that hold mementos. The cubby cubes below hold cloth diapers and socks and hats and shoes and bed linens and so on..... I'm so proud. Now, if someone else will just take care of the dog hair...


The Nursery Closet:

 
 
 



The Laundry turned Changing Station Closet:

  

One more thing...

I found out that the dryer hose has come off the back of the drier and the house now smells like clean laundry. :( I don't have it in me to fix it right now. So much for getting all of the laundry done. Is it a hazard to do laundry with the vent hose not properly attached? I'm guessing yes.

oh goodness... what was that crash in the nursery?

Terrible Twos.

So, after the baking soda, crayons, and peanut butter from the other day....

Today has been followed by lotion everywhere, soaping the floors, repeatedly grabbing things off the counter top and opening the DVD drawers.

-She wanted to see Kermit.
-She wanted lotion. (Got it off the counter top.)
-She gave herself a haircut. (Yes, she really did. She has a section or two that is nearly bald. The shears were beside the lotion.)
-She needed more soap, and then the soap was dirty.
-She is NOT listening. To anything I say.

And, no. I was paying attention to her. *sigh*
I need a break, and the house is a wreck.
I could keep going.....

CDC: Breastfeeding: Spotlight

Breastfeeding: Spotlight
This was great news... too bad I live in the South... Well, then again, I've helped raise the stats. :)

She is getting so big....

Well, we headed out to the presale for Tot Trade with Mrs. Sarah tonight and were there much longer than I could have guessed... But we did a great shopping job. That was why Dory was up so late tonight. It was 10pm when I finally dropped her over the baby gate at the nursery door to go and fill her water cup. When I got back she told me that she had water... But it was one that she couldn't take into the bed with her so we traded. She then put it in the bed and asked for the ritual hair. Instead of telling me that I needed to come in, she then closed the door on me and went straight to bed. All by herself. She is getting so big. She put herself to bed tonight.

That was after a day of smearing peanut butter on the furniture, spilling the entire contents of the baking soda box in the bathroom and marking the ottoman with a blue crayon.. I guess she was tired. I know that I am.

Muppet Personality Test

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know. You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems. Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green. Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

The Muppet Personality Test

Nesting

It has hit full force.
My current thoughts and 'list':

-It is taking all of my will power not to pull the crib out of the attic and set it back up... without a crib mattress!! It's still just too early...
-I want to get the diapers all set up in the laundry closet downstairs... that's a trip to Lowe's hardware for the shelf equiptment... we're doing cloth now and I saw a really cool picture of a laundry room set up for diaper changes on top of the dryer and there is no reason why we can't do the same. Looked like it was a great use of space.
-I have a huge stash of boy clothes now, and need to pack some away to make room for Dory's clothes in the closet. They have taken over. (But the closet is at least really organized now... I did that 2 weeks ago.)
-I have hit laundry mode, all of it in the house should be done by Friday...
-I want to put up a chair rail in the nursery, and paint with blackboard paint below that for Dory... and Jack when he is older.

The list keeps going....
*sigh*
Poor John.

Budding Artist

 
 
 
  

Probably Or....

Well, Dory's vocab is coming along very quickly... She recently has begun to use and understand the words probably and or. If I ask her where her Auntie is, she will answer, "Probably at school...."! Last night she used 'or' in a grammatically correct sentence. John and I were both stunned.

She has also learned to lie. Hahahaha.....

The Zdeb Family

The Zdeb FamilyGo Sara!!! You finally got your page up!!! Glad to know I'll be able to see Jeremy grow when you guys move. (boohooboohoo)

Blood Work & Trypanophobia

I neglected to tell you that last Thursday I had all of my pregnancy bloodwork drawn. This is a huge deal for me because I am associative/resistive trypanophobic. Basically I am a needle phobe.
Anyway, it went better than any other experience I have ever had. Hands down by far. I know I was close to a panic attack, but for the first time I can remember I didn't actually have a full blown one.
For me, we figured out when I was still in therapy for it, it is often about control. Doctors and Nurses often tell you that they have to do something when in fact, they don't. They just really want to. So, now that I understand that, and can walk in and say to myself, "I am doing this for me, not for them," and tell them that they have 'just one chance to get the blood or we are done', it has become easier for me. I am now in control of the situation, not them. It is still not easy, I do have panic attack symptoms, but it is easier. (I can tell even now thinking and writing about this that my stress levels are elevated...)
So, anyway, back to last Thursday... We found the best stick in the office and bless her, I wish I could hire her out for all of my bloodwork! She was hands down exactly what I needed.
Moving on... Yesterday I got a call from Nancy, one of the Certified Nurse Midwives, and while my glucose levels were fine, my iron was not. Levels should be between 12 and 14 and I was a 10.9. The hematocrit was 32 and low is 34.
So, now I am dumping blackstrap molasses into my oatmeal and considering all sorts of other things as well. I went to the grocery last night and was reading labels even more closely than I normally do. And believe me, that makes for a long trip because I read the labels quite thoroughly and put most things back on the shelf where they belong, not in my body. It should be up in no time.

A Toddler 'Joke'

Georgia Aquarium Trip

It is the largest in the world and even has whale sharks. (That impressed John.) It holds 8 million gallons of water, has ,ore than 100,000 animals and 500 different species.
We went today with out Sunday School class and had a grand time! Dory got to ride a school bus for the very first time, she played with Maddy, and saw LOTS of fish! She, by the way, was also a saint- she was so well behaved. It was a long trip, over 4 hours each way, but it certainly was worth it... but next time I would rather go on a weekday. It was so crowded you could barely turn around at times.


Bus excitement! The very first time on a real school bus! (No, she is not throwing a gang sign... she is holding dearly to one of my hairs in the two folded fingers...)

We had lunch at The Varsity in downtown Atlanta... it was John and Dory's first time... so of course they both had to wear the traditional hat. John was a bit reluctant; I have a pic to prove it... but I don't want him to leave me so I won't post it. :)

Dory and Maddy playing for the few minutes we allowed them to stare out the back window as we drove down the highway. We didn't allow them back there again.

Mr. Turtle says hello.

Dory and I look for Horseshoe crabs to touch.

One of the most impressive things is the tunnel through one of the aquariums. The walls were 33 inches thick and made of acrylic. Shown here is a flock of stingrays and other schools of fish as well as one of the Whale Sharks in the background. From the GA website:

The Great Barrier Reef is known to everyone, but an equally impressive reef occurs only a short one-hour plane ride from Atlanta: the Meso American Barrier Reef of Central America (MAR). The Ocean Voyager gallery is themed to represent the diversity of marine life of the MAR, as well as the success stories of Belize and Mexico to manage the MAR and associated fisheries. This exhibit was specially designed to house the whale sharks, the largest fish species in the world. Toothy cubarra snappers, schools of predatory trevally jacks, squadrons of small and large stingrays, an enormous goliath grouper and hammerhead sharks, all ply the waters of this captive ocean habitat containing more than 6 million gallons of saltwater. With 4,574 sq. ft. of viewing windows, a 100 ft. long underwater tunnel, 185 tons of acrylic windows and the second largest viewing window in the world at 23 ft. tall by 61 ft. wide and 2 ft. thick, visitors will have multiple opportunities to view all of these magnificent animals. No other aquarium in the world has featured the MAR, and no other aquarium in the world has ever attempted to manage the variety and size of fishes in this major exhibit.

The one toddler meltdown for the entire trip... Dory was tricked by an optical illusion and fell face first into the bubble dome wimndow when she expected it to be right there and flat.

Still crying, but now you get to see my preggo glory!

This was one of John's faves... the tiny eels that made up a garden!

Another pregnant shot! Dory in the Onbu sling that I made in front of the tropical fish tank.

The Leafy Sea Dragons, kin to the sea horse. There are several of them in the picture.