Small Slice

My Memories Review and Giveaway!

2011-12-28T19:40:00.005-05:00

~ GIVEAWAY CLOSED ~

It's been so long since I actually sat down and put together a scrapbook page. After Weesie was born I would go to my sister's house with my pictures all organized and scrapbook the day away. She had boxes of paper and embellishments to use. It was really fun and I got some great books done. Back then Weesie was just a little baby rolling around on a blanket so it was easy. Now that she is 4 it's not that easy.

I was recently given the opportunity to try My Memories digital scrapbooking software. I jumped at the chance to try out this software. I have so many pictures that I would love to lay out in a beautiful scrapbook page. This software allows to you make entire scrapbooks! I have taken a few days to really test out this software and all it has to offer. There are premade layouts available or you can create your own paper design. There are so many options in this software that I think it's really a great value at $39.97.

I chose this layout specifically for my little "diva" poses. There are a lot of different templates to choose from or you can choose a solid or textured background. You can also choose the size you want your page to be. There are so many great features to this software you should really try it out for yourself!

Buy it! Purchase this software on MyMemories.com and get $10 off using code STMMMS88576.

Win it! (Mandatory Entry) Head over to My Memories Suite and choose your favorite digital paper pack or layout, then leave me a comment below telling me which is your favorite.

For additional entries:

(1) Follow me on Twitter @smallslice
(1) Follow @MyMemoriesSuite on Twitter.
(1) Follow me on Google Friend Connect.

Giveaway ends Jan 4th. ~ GIVEAWAY CLOSED ~

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I received the product mentioned above for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

I Love My Babies!

2011-11-28T20:16:00.000-05:00

Two of my loves at Thanksgiving dinner #1 :) (Picture courtesy of B)

My babies at Thanksgiving dinner #2.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-31T11:24:00.000-04:00

July 2008 13 months old!

Foundit Review and Giveaway

2011-08-14T18:30:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I was introduced to the company Foundit, which reunites people with their lost possessions. For a fee the company supplies you with stickers, and tags with your unique ID number on it. When someone finds your item they simply text your Foundit ID number to a phone number on the sticker or go to Foundit.net and enter your ID. The owner of the item is then texted and emailed with the contact information of the person who has your item.

I was offered the MacDaddy Family Package which retails for $24.99. This package includes:

4 years access to FoundIt Network
Set of 62 stickers
2 key tags
3 bag tags
1 luggage tag/ID card
2 round tags (pet tag)

This came just in time! B was set to go to Maine on vacation with his grandparents. I placed stickers on his ipod touch, camera, and cell phone. I placed a key ring tag inside his backpack as well. I then texted the number to see how it worked. Almost immediately I got the text and email. Luckily he didn't lose anything so we didn't have to use it.

This is such an easy way to keep track of your personal items without putting your name or personal phone number all over them. Which makes it perfect for kids. It gives you piece of mind that if someone picks up your item you have a chance to get it back!

Buy it!

The starter package is $7.99 and comes with 1 year access to the Foundit Network and a set of 10 stickers. The premium package is $14.99 and comes with 2 years access for the Foundit Network, 36 stickers, 1 key tag, 2 bag tags, and 1 luggage tag/ID card. The MacDaddy Family package is $24.99. You can also recieve 25% off by using the code "Smallslice" at checkout.

Win It!

A MacDaddy Foundit Package which retails for $24.99.

Mandatory entry:

Leave a comment below telling me how you would use the MacDaddy Foundit Package.

Additional Entries:

(1 entry) Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.

(1 entry) Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway. Leave a link to your tweet in the comment.

(1 entry) Like Foundit on Facebook

Giveaway will close on August 28, 2011 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chosen via random.org. This post was sponsored by Foundit. All opinions are my own.

Pre-sports physical can prevent sudden death among athletes

2011-07-28T14:55:00.001-04:00

Pre-sports physical can prevent sudden death among athletes

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-04T09:07:00.000-04:00

Old Dog Love

2011-03-24T16:44:00.000-04:00

He doesn't look very happy but trust me he is!

Cinda Wella!

2011-01-28T20:33:00.002-05:00

I asked her if she was ready to put on her PJ's. She replied with "I'm gonna wear a dress to sweep cause I'm Cinda wella"!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-26T12:37:00.002-05:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Etsy Finds...

2011-01-17T15:59:00.014-05:00

I don't know anyone that doesn't know about Etsy. It's such a great place to find unique one of a kind gifts. I've listed below a few Etsy shops that I really like.

Lirola - They've been on Etsy selling handmade women's clothing since 2008. Their styles look comfortable and easy to wear.

HauteTotes They offer made to order custom totes, purses, and cell phone bags. They have a huge variety of really cool funky fabrics.

DK Designs - They specialize in handcrafted clay floral designs made of CLAYCRAFT by DECO Soft Clay. Their creations are truly gorgeous and look so real.

Lauren Alexander - Such a talented artist! She offers original paintings and reproductions of her work. Weesie received two of her prints as a birthday gift last year. They go perfectly in her owl themed room.

I have not received any product or compensation for writing this post. I like these shops and wanted to share them with my readers. Thanks!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filled Cupcakes & Cake

2010-12-03T19:09:00.008-05:00

I made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough filled cupcakes (recipe courtesy of Annie's Eats) for B's birthday in October. Here is a picture of the cupcakes. I forgot the tiny chocolate chip cookie that was supposed to go on top but they turned cute and were very good!

Joe requested I make them for his birthday so I thought I'd try to make him a birthday cake using the same recipe.

I followed the cupcake recipe but used two round pans to make it into cakes.

I tried to get fancy and put the mini chocolate chips in the icing. This icing is already very heavy and the chips didn't help. As soon as I started icing the top of the cake the filling started coming out and made the layers shift. Don't think I would put as much of the filling in next time and no chips in the icing.

Joe and the kids loved it!

Currently Reading

2010-11-27T22:23:00.002-05:00

My girl is currently reading Cinderella.

Cinderella is her "bedtime story" of choice every night.

Too cute watching her "read".

I never want to forget this moment.

These little hands on the pages of her favorite book!

Rayovac Mom Rocks Sweepstakes

2010-11-27T15:00:00.002-05:00

Do you want to win $1,000 from Rayovac? I know I could really use the cash right now!! Here is your chance!

Rayovac has launched an exciting sweepstakes where 3 Lucky winners will win $1,000 cash from Rayovac. In addition, 20 First Place Prize winners will receive a Rayovac Jam kit including a Paper Jamz guitar, drum, amp and guitar strap as well as 2 packs of Rayovac Alkaline AAA 24 packs (prize package valued at $90).

To enter:

1. You must “Like” Rayovac on Facebook: Facebook.com/Rayovac
2. Log on to Rayovac.com, complete the entry form and at their option, tell Rayovac in 120 words or less how you (or your mom) rocks the holidays.

Mom Spark is also giving away a $50 Visa Gift Card, Paper Jamz Guitar, and one pack of Rayovac Alkaline AAA 24 pack batteries to 5 winners! Visit Mom Spark to enter.

DISCLOSURE: Followers who promote the Rayovac Mom Rocks the Holidays Sweepstakes may receive gifts from Rayovac.

Just Couldn't Do It

2010-11-23T10:52:00.006-05:00

I just could not get a decent picture of my beautiful children for the Christmas card this year. I couldn't get them both looking at the camera at the same time and smiling. It just didn't happen. These are the out takes from my attempt.

Found on my Camera...

2010-11-17T13:03:00.003-05:00

Not sure exactly what she is trying to accomplish with these photos but I know when she's 25 she's going to laugh at them!!

Thankful...

2010-11-14T19:00:00.003-05:00

Who am I kidding I can't keep up with this "THANKFUL" posting everyday.

What I am truly thankful for in my life is my family. I love my family so much and am so thankful for them every day of my life. My kids are my world and my husband is my soul mate.

I'm ending this project here!

Thankful Day 9 and 10

2010-11-10T15:59:00.002-05:00

I'm going to write two things I'm thankful for today because I missed yesterday. I'm thankful that B is feeling a bit better after having his tooth removed and that I didn't have to sit in the room while they did it!
He has been having problems with two baby teeth. He had a filling placed between the teeth and of course if came out not once but three times. After the 3rd time we asked if they could just remove the teeth. They didn't want to take them both at one time so they only took one. Now the tooth that is left started bothering him. He started crying while eating dinner the other night because it hurt so much. So I make an emergency appointment for him and take him out of school early. The dentist does an x-ray and says that filling is intact. They aren't sure what's causing the pain except maybe the adult tooth is pushing it or the filling is very close to the nerve.
He flat out refused to allow the dentist to pull his tooth. We had a borderline scene with him sitting in the exam chair! I calmly explained that he would be happier in the long run to have this tooth out. He told me he would just deal with the pain and didn't want the tooth pulled. I won't get into the details but it got ugly! The dentist came back in and I told her to please pull the tooth. B tried to ignore me when we were leaving.
Today I am also thankful that I was able to get my hair done! I got it dyed a medium brown and got a few highlights around the top and front. It's a bit different for me and I really like it a lot. I really needed that time to myself!!

Christmas Giveaway

2010-11-08T23:17:00.002-05:00

5 Minutes for Mom is having a huge Christmas Giveaway!

Thankful Day 8

2010-11-08T22:43:00.003-05:00

Today I am thankful that Joe has off a few nights this week. His days off are Monday and Tuesday this week and he works day shift Wednesday and Thursday. Him working 4 to 12 from Thursday to Sunday has been really hard for us.

I'm glad I get to have him here for bath and bedtime snack at least a few more nights.

Thankful Day 7

2010-11-07T16:02:00.002-05:00

Today I am thankful that B passed his hunter safety course! He worked so hard on his booklet and worried so much about shooting the muzzle loader. He did a great job and I'm so proud of him!!

Thankful Day 6

2010-11-06T12:56:00.002-04:00

Today I am thankful that it's Fall. I really enjoy cool crisp weather and colorful leaves falling from the trees. We live near woods so it's always beautiful to look right outside my door! A welcome change from the heat and humidity of the Summer months.

Thankful Day 5

2010-11-05T09:46:00.001-04:00

Today I am thankful that there is no school so we could sleep in. B stayed at my Mom's house last night and Weesie went to sleep so well for me!! I'm thankful we were able to stay in bed until 9:00am!! Also thankful it's Friday!!

Thankful Day 4

2010-11-04T08:01:00.003-04:00

If you know me personally you know that I have a love/hate relationship with my dog. He was such a cute cone headed puppy when we got him. He soon turned into a red eyed devil dog getting into EVERYTHING. Hyper is an understatement for Max. We took him to obedience class and he graduated. I don't know how he did it but he did! He is excellent on a leash but otherwise he's a terror!

Today I am thankful for Max. I'm thankful we have this cute crooked teeth furball in our lives. He's a sweet dog and loves the kids so much. He's been sleeping in Weesie's bed and she just loves it. Although B is a little jealous, it helps keep Weesie in her room and not ours!! :0)

So today it's Max! Love you boy!

Thankful Day 3

2010-11-03T09:49:00.002-04:00

Today I am thankful that my husband has a job. I'm thankful that he works hard to provide for us! He works in Law Enforcement and it isn't always the prettiest job but he handles very well. I may complain about his hours but I truly am thankful he has this job!!

Thankful Day 1 & 2

2010-11-02T07:43:00.003-04:00

Every day for the month of November I am going to post what I am thankful for. I saw this on Facebook and thought it would be a good way for me to get back into blogging. I missed yesterday so today I'm going to write two things I'm thankful for.

I am thankful for coffee because without it I don't think I would be able to get Weesie to school this morning. I'm also thankful that my heater works now! It's FREEZING this morning!

What are you thankful for today?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T14:10:00.003-04:00

Random Pics from Weesie's Camera!

The Hives Keep Coming

2010-10-02T21:32:00.007-04:00

This is the second time in 4 months that I got hives so bad I had to go to the hospital. Since May I have also had about a dozen small issues that did not require a hospital visit. I would take Benedryl right away and they would subside. In May they got so bad my throat closed up and I had to go to the hospital in the ambulance. It was a very scary experience. I was at home having a good time with my family and they came out of nowhere.

I've had hives in the grocery store, Macy's, Party City, the mall, the beach, at home, and the boardwalk. I know I'm leaving somewhere out. There is no reason that I can find for me getting them. They are progressively getting worse. I've been to an allergist and they could not find that I was allergic to anything. The events I think should give me hives if this is emotionally driven do not! I was so nervous the 1st day taking Weesie to school and no hives! I just don't know.

Today was like no other. I was at the Pet Expo enjoying myself and they started. I left my bag in the car which was a distance away so I had to walk. By the time I got to the car which was probably 10 minutes from the first sign of itchiness. My lips were swelling and I could feel swelling inside my mouth. I popped 2 Benedryl. My heart was racing and I instantly felt like I was going to pass out. Joe started to drive and I felt sick to my stomach and dizzy. I reclined in the seat and felt shaky and sick. We drove home which was about 5 minutes away. I walked into the house and almost fell getting to the couch. My arms and lips were tingling and I was getting tunnel vision. Laying down helped a bit but the hives did not go away. They seemed to get worse. I took another Benedryl. Joe's Mom came over and he took my to the hospital. I was able to walk in the hospital fine but when the nurse was taking my vitals I started to feel faint again. My ears got muffled and they said I lost all color in my face. I put my head back and tried to breathe slowly. My blood pressure was 80 over 60. They put in a wheelchair and I swear I blacked out for a minute. I had to be placed in the hall because there were no rooms. They gave me an EKG which they told me was normal. We told them about my "borderline" Long QT. The doctor who saw me told me it was normal though. I started to feel a bit better just laying still and I think by then the benedryl was kicking in. They took me to a room and a paramedic student started trying to find a vein. Here I go feeling faint and sick to my stomach again. It was awful!! They took blood and hooked me up to a heart monitor. They gave me fluids, solu-medral, and pepcid through an iv. From taking 3 benedryl I felt like going straight to sleep. I think I did doze off a bit. After about 2 hours they asked if I felt well enough to leave. I was tired but felt better. They gave me a prescription for prednisone. I asked for a copy of my EKG. When We got home I looked at it and of course it said "abnormal" with an abnormality of the T Wave. Although it said the QT was 438 so it's my understanding that is normal. I know it should be hand read for complete accuracy and I know the doctor didn't do that.

Needless to say these bouts of hives are really starting to hinder my life. It's upsetting me so much that I live in fear of getting them and having to leave a family activity. It's happened far too many times now. I'm going to be making quite a few appointments. I need to see the Electrophysiologist, another allergist and a neurologist. I've also had migraines much more frequently in the last month and the migraine medicine I take isn't doing a thing. I feel like I'm falling apart. Almost like my body is under attack. In fact when I woke up this morning I felt like my throat was closing up and I couldn't breathe. I did not have hives at that time. It's so weird.

I just really want some answers and never want this to happen again. I can't take it anymore!!

My Baby is Going to School

2010-09-06T21:50:00.003-04:00

My baby, my 7lb 10oz baby girl is going to school for the first time tomorrow. She's going part time two mornings a week. I was doing fine until tonight. It makes me sad that she isn't a little baby anymore but so happy that she's growing up and getting to experience all these new fun things.

I feel like the last 3 years have flown by far too fast. I remember sitting in my bed nursing the little bundle thinking she's going to stay a baby for a long time. Feeling so excited that I had this little baby girl. When she outgrew her 0 t 3 month clothes I cried my eyes out. As she outgrew each size of clothes I would feel sad but happy she was growing and thriving.

Her Daddy often looks at her in amazement. Today he said "she's turning into such a little person and I love it!" He always saying "she's so much fun!" It's true she really is. She comes up with something new everyday. She is truly changing right before our eyes.

The other night she came in my room in tears saying she didn't want to go to school. She didn't want me to leave her. It broke my heart and I almost didn't sign her up!! I know she will be fine. She probably won't even think twice about me once she sees all the other kids.

Mommy just wishes she could have stayed a baby a little while longer.
:(

Mother Hoping to Spare Others Her Heartbreak

2010-08-20T23:03:00.004-04:00

Please read this very important article about a Mother Hoping to Spare Others her Heartbreak

WARNING SIGNS/SYMPTOMS OF SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST

* Family history of unexpected, unexplained sudden death in people younger than 40, including sudden drowning and single car accidents

* Fainting or seizures during or right after exercise

* Consistent or unusual chest pain or shortness of breath during exercise

LONG QT SYNDROME

* LQTS is a disturbance of the heart's electrical system, causing an abnormality of the heartbeat or heart rhythm.

* Because of this abnormality, affected people are vulnerable to sudden fainting and even death.

* Many times the fainting is overlooked and the events are called simple fainting spells or seizures.

* Most often these events occur during physical exertion or emotional stress. In some they occur during sleep.

* Most of these deaths are preventable if the condition is recognized and treated.

Children and adults are walking around with this condition and they don't even know it. Sometimes no symptoms present until it's too late! Don't take anything for granted. A simple EKG can save a life!

For more information, and for a "risk assessment form," go to www.sads.org.

Weesie's Camera Pics

2010-08-03T14:23:00.001-04:00

A few random pictures from Weesie's camera.

She Wants to be like Mommy!

2010-07-14T15:06:00.005-04:00

She thought covering her face would prevent me from seeing what she had done.

She used my mascara. Actually got some on her eyelashes.

Isn't she beautiful?

Must keep my makeup out of her reach!

Crazy Weesie

2010-06-29T13:21:00.006-04:00

Weesie was asking me to get her bus down from the attic. I put it away when we were cleaning for her party a few weeks ago. Daddy took her up there the other night and she spotted it. I told her I would get it down later. She got upset and went to the living room folding her arms and pouting. B asked her what was wrong and she says "I'm not friends with Abby and Dar ANYMORE!" LOL! You have to know that Abby is her "imaginary" friend. She's been around for quite a while now. Dar could be one of two people. Her cousin's friend Darius or "baby Darren". Baby Darren is another story. She kept saying she wanted a baby brother named Darren. I have no idea why!!

She is just so funny and is always saying funny things. I am going to write them down more often! Better yet blog them!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-24T21:21:00.002-04:00

WW a day late. I love the look on her face. My beautiful girl!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-09T08:58:00.002-04:00

My husband looks so HAPPY! haha

(pic taken at Great Adventure a few weeks ago)

For more WW check out 5M4M

2010-06-04T21:00:00.000-04:00

Gymboree is having a 30% off sale right now including new arrivals. I get their email updates so I jumped on it and checked their site to see what looked good. The Floral Reef collection is beyond cute and really caught my eye. I quickly started adding things to my bag until I got a hold of myself and said "I better check this stuff out in person!" So yesterday I went to Gymboree with the idea I was going to buy ONLY these adorable goldfish sandals.

That didn't work out so well when I saw the rest of this cute line in person. I had to have this shirt to go with the sandals. Ok that's good, she has plenty of clothes, she doesn't need anything else.

Then I spotted this dress. I have a soft spot for rhumba shirts and dresses. I just think she looks so cute in them. She doesn't have much orange so I had to get it!

I got great deals and earned gymbucks too. I love shopping Gymboree!

I was not compensated in any way for writing this post. I have a love affair with Gymboree and have since my daughter was born. These things are too cute not to share!

My Baby is 3 Years Old!

2010-06-03T13:25:00.007-04:00

My baby turned 3 on the 30th.

At 3 years old she.....

is 33lbs 37 inches tall. 50% percentile in both.

has not had her hair cut yet.

had a Strawberry Shortcake themed birthday party.

knows a lot of the words to "Single Ladies" and "Tik Tok". Has a dance that goes along with Single Ladies that she can't perform in front of mixed company. For some reason she thinks Beyonce is naked in the video.

takes 1.8 ML's of Propanolol 3 times a day. (for Long Qt)

loves her "fam a wee" so much!

is GOING POTTY regularly. She still insists on wearing a pull up most days but the cute mermaid panties I got her have helped a bit.

can identify most colors with pink being her favorite.

loves to paint with Aunt Dee Dee!

loves to have her toes painted with "polish"!

can count past 10 in English and can count a lot of numbers in Spanish.

insists on dressing herself in the clothes that SHE picks out regardless if they are PJ's. The first thing she does when she wakes up in the morning is to dress herself.

naps for about an hour and a half each afternoon.

goes to sleep for the night in her bed but not before asking for a drink to keep by her bed and to "cover me up" at least 5 times by both her Daddy and I. She usually ends up in our bed around 3:00 at which time she wakes me and I can't get back to sleep!

loves to talk on the phone!

has been obsessed with The Lion King since Christmas. I had to "lose" the dvd so I wouldn't lose my mind! She just found it!

went to her 1st horse race and LOVED IT! On her birthday we went to a picnic at the track. She had a blast cheering on the horses, shouting GO GO GO!

will do anything to go outside and play. Always asks me if we are going to eat outside on the patio.

Since we have the same color eyes she likes to tell me to take my glasses off and put our cheeks together and say "same eyes, same eyes". She calls it a game. lol

There are so many things she is doing and saying right now. I really need to write things down as they happen. I've gotten out of that habit and I really see how important it is now.

Happy 3rd Birthday to my Sweet Girl! I love you so very much!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-19T12:54:00.003-04:00

Last Year:

This Year:

Personalized Shirt

2010-04-29T13:09:00.003-04:00

I just received the personalized t-shirt I ordered for Weesie. She is having a Strawberry Shortcake theme this year. I went to Ebay and looked for personalized shirts. I found this shirt made by itspersonallyyours3. It was $12.99 plus $4.00 shipping, very reasonable in my opinion. I ordered it on Thursday the 22nd and and received it today.

It is so cute! It's not that cheapy iron on look. It really looks good. They have a lot of different designs to choose from as well.

I was not compensated in any way for this post. I bought this shirt, love it and wanted to share!!

Haircut Anxiety

2010-04-27T14:19:00.006-04:00

I have a huge attachment to my daughter's hair. I didn't picture her with brown hair at all so it was a surprise when the doctor said "she has brown hair" I was even shocked she had any hair at all. I thought she would have blonde or strawberry blonde like B if any. She had the thinnest softest most beautiful light brown hair.

June 2007 (less than a month old)

July 2008 13 months

July 2009 26 months

April 2010 (a month away from 3 years old!)

She is going to be 3 years old in a little over a month and We've never had her hair cut. We've talked about it but just haven't been able to bring myself to actually do it. I wanted to wait until it was so long that a haircut wouldn't be noticed. So we could have a few inches of locks to keep.

I'm having trouble with it though. I know it's not that big of a deal. It's not like it's all going to get cut off.

It's just another milestone!

Flower Girl

2010-04-20T15:30:00.000-04:00

On the 10th Weesie was the Flower Girl in Joe's cousin's wedding. These are pictures from his aunt's house before the ceremony.

As beautiful as the dress was it irritated her to death! She wanted it off almost as soon as I put it on. She didn't want to walk down the aisle. As soon as everyone turned to look at her she backed up and grabbed her Daddy's hand. I was at the front trying to get her to come to me. Daddy had to walk her halfway down and then she came and sat with me. She was so good at the ceremony. She really didn't know what was going on!

Easter

2010-04-14T14:48:00.004-04:00

A few pictures from Easter. B wouldn't dress up and didn't want his picture taken as usual.

Weesie on the other hand allowed me to dress her up and pose her for a few pics.

First Dance

2010-03-31T15:25:00.003-04:00

B went to his first dance a few weeks ago. I asked him how everyone was dressing and he said the boys were wearing shorts and t-shirts and the girls were all wearing black dresses.

A few days before the dance we went to Kohl's to pick out something for him to wear. My idea was a nice pair of shorts and a polo. I was even going to buy him a new pair of sneakers. He tried on a polo and said he hates them. He used to wear polos all the time. It wasn't a formal dance so I figured as long as he had new clothes on he would be presentable. He picked out the blue plaid shorts and I picked out the t-shirt. In record time we agreed on an outfit! We headed over to the shoe department and didn't find anything.

20 minutes before the start of the dance and he is still playing games. I told him to jump in the shower and get ready to go.

He got all ready and of course I had to snap a few pictures of my 11 year old son going to his first dance!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-10T13:07:00.001-05:00

Pics from Sept 2007, Weesie was 4 months old!

Eye Check-Up

2010-03-10T12:51:00.004-05:00

I noticed a while ago that Weesie's left eye was starting to look droopy. It is mainly obvious when she is really tired. Sometimes it is so bad that it looks like her eye is turning in. I was starting to get worried so I made an eye appointment for her.

In this picture it is really noticeable. This day she only had a 20 minute nap so she was pretty tired. She has donut on her face in the pic. lol

It also got to the point where she would really notice it. I caught her rubbing her eye a few times.

I decided it was better to be on the safe side and made her an appointment to see the eye doctor. We went this morning. They dilated her eyes, which she really didn't like but tolerated well. She was examined and the Dr said it could be something she will grow out of. She also said that if it should get worse to call her right away. She wants to see her back in June to check it out again.

I'm really hoping that it is something she will grow out of. I think it's so important to have things checked out if you don't feel right about it. While it could always be nothing it's just so much better to have it checked by a Dr instead of waiting it out.

Mediterranean Tilapia

2010-02-24T09:38:00.005-05:00

Joe's recipe for Mediterranean Tilapia By Joe

Topping is: Chopped green olives, capers, vadalia onion, marinated artichoke hearts (don't drain them too well), diced green and red peppers, fresh chopped dill, EVOO, salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all of the topping ingredients in a pan and lightly saute. set aside.

Lightly flour the fillets of fish, and quick pan fry them in some EVOO, just enough for a nice golden brown (the fish should NOT be fully cooked at this point) Place the fish in a baking dish, spread on the cooked topping and bake for another 20 or so minutes in a 350 degree pre-heated oven.

Sarah made redskin mashed potatoes from scratch, we served the fish over the potatoes, which sent them OVER THE TOP!

I also attempted to make Cheese Cake for the first time. It came out pretty well. I used a recipe from Allrecipes.com.

Thank you my dear husband for making this wonderful dish. It really made our Valentine's Day special!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T10:08:00.001-05:00

I have had 2 C-sections

2010-02-02T21:16:00.010-05:00

I was induced with B after being a week overdue. After a few hours of labor he wasn't doing well. His heart rate dropped and came back up, dropped and came back up again. After a few times of this it dropped and did not come back up. I was rushed into an emergency c-section. I was FREAKING out and had to be sedated. I was knocked out while my son was delivered. It was not an optimal situation. If I could have changed it I would. He was born with a yellow dried up cord and no amniotic fluid. The honest truth is we are very lucky he was even alive. He was placed in the NICU and given antibiotics for aspirating during delivery. I wasn't able to hold him right away. I didn't not CHOOSE to breastfeed him.

You know back then I read the pregnancy books about what to expect when your expecting. I always skipped the c-section part because I truly believed it didn't pertain to me. I was going to deliver that baby vaginally...."normally". There wasn't another option in my mind. Until it happened and it couldn't be avoided. There wasn't anything I could do about it. It was HORRIBLE! While it was probably the scariest experience I've ever had in my life. I am thankful that I could have an c-section. I'm thankful that there were professionals there ready willing and able to deliver my baby safely.

Fast forward 8 years later and I'm pregnant with my daughter. I tossed around the idea of a VBAC. Sure I can do this, it can't be that hard. I should be able to do a VBAC without any problems! My OB even told me it wasn't an issue. I could do it if I chose to. I planned on a VBAC.

At a routine ultrasound my baby was found to have PAC's (premature atrial contractions). While this could have been nothing and corrected itself after birth. It also could be a problem for her. The last few weeks of my pregnancy were very stressful. After much discussion it was decided that I would have a scheduled c-section. I would have a neonatologist standing by to examine her immediately after birth. I felt confident in my decision. She would not have to go through the stress of a vaginal delivery and honestly the sooner I could get her out the better. I wanted her to be thoroughly examined with an Echo-cardiogram and Electrocardiogram.

She was delivered by scheduled c-section and immediately examined by the neonatologist. He said he heartbeat was normal at that time. She was later examined by a Pediatric Cardiologist and diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome.

While my 1st c-section was not planned or in the least bit anticipated my second one was. Due to unforeseen circumstances that to some of you may not seem like that big of a problem. To me they were. I was not about to take a chance with my daughter's life.

I am very happy with my decision. I had an excellent birth experience with my daughter. I saw her right after she was born and was able to hold her and breastfeed her almost immediately. She was healthy and able to stay in my room where I could hold her and nurse her as needed. I do not regret my decision in the least bit. I was not swayed or pushed to make this decision. I was given my options and this is what I chose.

These are MY experiences with c-sections. I know not everyone's experiences are the same or even remotely similar. I feel as though I am the lucky one. I got a healthy baby boy and a healthy baby girl.

I honestly don't think any doctor wants to put their patient at risk. They make educated decisions that they believe are right. It doesn't mean they are right and each patient ultimately has to deicde for themselves. You do what you think is best at the time.

I hate to see people judged for their personal decisions. You choose to have your baby, how you want to feed your baby. I chose how I wanted my baby delivered. I chose what I believed was the safest way for her to come into this world.

Win a FREE $50 Gamestop gift card!

2010-01-31T15:23:00.000-05:00

Win a FREE $50 Gamestop gift card!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-27T09:26:00.001-05:00

Weight Loss Update..

2010-01-25T23:43:00.002-05:00

My last post regarding weight loss was exactly 3 weeks ago. While I have tried very hard to watch what I eat and make an effort to buy healthy foods I have failed. I have not lost one single pound in 3 weeks.

I have learned a few things about myself and my eating habits. I have times during the day when I just want JUNK. I crave soda, chips, chocolate...pretty much anything I shouldn't have. Afternoon is the worst. After I lay Weesie down for her nap I can't get to the peanut M&M's fast enough. Sometimes I wait to long in the day to actually eat. This started when the girl was born. I would eat after she laid down in the afternoon. Also I'm not hungry when I wake up in the morning. I only want coffee and that fills me up for a little while. In the evening I also have this junk food craving. Tonight I opted for yogurt instead of chocolate.

This is a lot harder than I remember. I used to be able to watch what I ate for a little while and lose a few pounds fast.

It's time for the real work to begin!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-20T10:11:00.002-05:00

September 2007, Weesie was 4 months!

Funny Girl!

2010-01-19T11:48:00.004-05:00

I'm pretty sure she thought I was taking a picture and not a video! Her smile makes me smile!

A Diet...Surprise!

2010-01-04T13:38:00.005-05:00

It's that time of year where everyone wants to get healthier and lose weight! After eating our faces off at every family gathering we start to feel fat and disgusting. (I'm speaking for myself here!)

I went on a serious cookie baking binge this year. I was baking like my life depended on it. You know I had to taste test each of the cookies more than once! I had way more than my share.

We have almost given away all of the leftover cookies. I think Joe is taking the last of the biscotti to work. It was just too easy to grab a cookie here and there.

I plan on changing the way I shop. I try not to buy soda but lately the Pepsi is just calling my name. It's like I've become addicted to it over the holidays. I can't get enough! I have to go back to drinking water as boring as that might be. I also need to keep the other junk out of the house.

I am not going to say how much I weigh but I will say that I want to lose 20lbs. I am going to try to keep up with posting and share my weight loss...if there is any!

My Girl

2009-12-07T21:54:00.005-05:00

The many faces of my sweet girl

my angel

my light

my beauty

my love

Long QT Check Up

2009-10-24T14:56:00.006-04:00

(better late than never)

On Tuesday October 13th, we took the kids to Children's Hospital in Philadelphia. Weesie for her usual 6 month Long QT check up with her Electrophysiologist and B to have an EKG and stress test to rule out Long QT. He had an EKG a year ago and it was normal, we wanted him to be seen by Weesie's doctor and have her look at his EKG and have him undergo a stress test. Luckily his EKG came back normal this time as well and he did great on his stress test as well.

B went first getting his blood pressure taken and Weesie watched carefully. She was eager to get up on the table for it to be her turn. She laid very still and was such a good girl having her blood pressure taken. She wanted them to keep taking it over and over! She was amazing having the EKG as well. The very nice tech place the leads on her and she watched carefully. She laid very still and happily helped her take off the "stickers" when it was all over.

The Doctor increased her Propanolol to 1.4 ML 3 times a day, she had been on 1.3 ML 3 times a day. This dose is on the low end for her weight because she is sensitive to the medicine. In one month (which is coming up soon) she would like us to go up to 1.5 ML 3 x's a day. She weighs 29lbs now.

Disclosure: I also have pictures of B but he requested that I refrain from posting them on my blog.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-06T23:00:00.000-04:00

No matter how big she gets there will always be room on her big brother's shoulder.

My Silly Kid

2009-10-06T15:41:00.003-04:00

This was my entry into 5 Minute's for Mom's Silly Kid's Photo Contest.

Weesie is such a little clown. She has to get all her things together when it's time to go somewhere. Her 2 purses, sunglasses, hat, doggie, even her mirror in her hand. I had to take this opportunity to snap a picture! She is so silly!

Long QT Syndrome on CBS Morning Show

2009-09-28T19:46:00.004-04:00

This Wednesday (the 30th) on the CBS Early Morning Show they are going to be airing a piece on genetic testing and Long QT Syndrome. They are going to be showing an interview with Dr. Michael Ackerman as well.

This is a great way to educate people about Long QT Syndrome so spread the word if you can!

Click this link for more info.

Feed My Shopping Addiction!

2009-09-12T14:29:00.011-04:00

I love the ease of shopping online. No crowds to deal with, no kids, or husband to drag along. I can shop at any time of the day or night and can usually find free or low shipping fees.

We do not use credit cards anymore. It seems that everywhere we go credit cards are the preferred method of payment by retailers. There are a lot of sites that do not accept anything but credit cards for payment.

My favorite place to shop online is Amazon.com. I can find almost anything I am looking for and the best part is you can link your checking account to their site so you don't have to pay with a credit card.

I also like to shop on sites that accept PayPal. To my surprise while shopping on Toys R Us and Drugstore.com I found that they both accept PayPal! Although recently I have found quite a few of my favorite places to shop do not accept PayPal or allow you to link your checking account.

I would love if these sites would start accepting PayPal as a form of payment! Actually my checking account might be in trouble if these sites started accepting PayPal for payment!

KodakGallery is one of my favorite sites to order prints and other photo gifts from. Free shipping on orders of $4.99 and up. LOVE IT!

I can literally get clothes for my entire family at Old Navy. I need tall sizes and they only sell them online. Their clothes are not expensive and we love them.

Gymboree clothes are expensive but they are also very well made and too cute for words! They have a high re-sale value as well. Gymboree runs these great sales and they have Gymbucks which help you save money too.

That is only a few of the stores that I would like to see accept PayPal. Target and Kohls could always feel free to jump on the bandwagon as well!

I was not compensated in any way for writing this post. These companies have no idea who I am! Ha!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-02T15:21:00.004-04:00

We just got back from a mini vacation to Ocean City Maryland. I took over 540 pictures!

Just out of her bath and energized!

She thought it would be fun to jump off of Daddy while he was trying to take a little nap!

Children Using Public Restroom Alone

2009-08-23T10:24:00.005-04:00

One of the things that I am really nervous about is allowing B to use a public restroom by himself. I do not allow him to go into a men's room alone. I usually take him to the ladies room with me. The problem is he isn't 5 years old anymore. He will soon be 11 years old and I don't know how appropriate it is to take an 11 year old boy into the ladies room. How much longer should I be taking him into the ladies room?

You just never know what could happen to your child in a restroom alone. It may not be something you even think about but anything could happen.

Also if you have a little girl what does your husband do when he is out alone with her? Does he take her in the men's room? I don't think I'd want him to take her into the men's room and I'm not sure I would want my little girl going into the ladies room alone either.

I'm curious what do you do?

Wordless Wendesday

2009-08-19T15:29:00.003-04:00

On our way to the beach one day last week. I never get to sit in the back with Weesie!

Update on My Foot

2009-08-17T14:43:00.003-04:00

Since my last post my foot is doing much better. I bought a pair of comfortable shoes and bought a pair of gel heel inserts and it feels ok. I am able to walk much better than I thought I would be at this time. I still can't really put my heel down fully without it hurting but it's doing much better. I am able to walk around without much discomfort.

I didn't make any appointments with any other doctors. I think it's healing and it's just going to take a long time.

We are going on vacation next week from Wednesday to Saturday. I was hoping my foot would be 100% by then. It's looking good!

I'm really thankful to be out of that boot!

Foot Follow Up

2009-08-08T10:12:00.005-04:00

I had my follow up appointment with the Orthopedic doctor to check out my foot. If you remember I went to the doctor back in June and the podiatrist put me in a boot. I wanted a second opinion so I went to a reputable orthopedic doctor. I originally saw him one month ago and he wanted me stay in the boot for another month. He read my MRI and said I had "a swollen & inflamed achillies tendon and posterior tibial ligament and also a bruised talus."

Fast forward one month later, which was yesterday. He examined my foot and I told him that I'm still having a lot of pain on the bottom of my heel and I'm really not able to put any weight on it without having pain. He told me that I need to start transitioning out of the boot. Walking in the boot provides more support and is easier for me. When I try to walk without the boot it is unbearable. He also wants me to go to physical therapy 3 times a week. I tried to tell him that it's still so painful and I don't believe it's all the way healed. He couldn't really understand why it would still be hurting me so bad after being in the boot for a total of 7 weeks. He made reference to nerve damage but really didn't elaborate on it. He also made reference to something called Reflective Sympathetic Dystrophy which really upset me a lot.

It really made me mad that at the last appointment he was talking about a bone scan and then this appointment didn't say a word about it. Then tells me that I may have to see a neurologist for RSD and I may want a second opinion from another ortho doc. It really disappointed me that he didn't want to try to get to the root of the problem.

You know the Podiatrist I first saw in June also referenced RSD and it really make me mad. If they think that's what my problem is then just refer me to the specialist who deals with that. Why prolong this anymore. Can we at least rule it out?

So this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to call the Ortho on Monday and ask him for the bone scan. I'm going to find a neurologist who specializes in RSD and make an appointment. I'm keeping this boot on when I walk because it hurts too much not to!

It almost seems like we have to diagnose and find treatment for ourselves anymore. Why don't these doctors want to help the patient?

Locked Out of Twitter

2009-07-31T21:27:00.003-04:00

I'm currently locked out of my Twitter account. I tried to log in and it acted like I was putting in the wrong password and I know I wasn't. I then tried to have the password sent to my email and something went wrong there and it didn't work. It has me locked out now and I'm really mad! I sent support@twitter.com an email already.

Anyone else having any issues with this?

EDIT* 24 hours later and I'm still locked out. I've created a new account until I can get the old one fixed. F ollow me here!

Edit* 8.4 I'm back in my old account! YES! I'm keeping the new one @smallslice1 that I created just in case something like this should happen again but I'll mainly be on @smallslice so follow me!

B's Check Up

2009-07-29T19:56:00.005-04:00

I took B for a check up today. Just a routine visit. The nurse directed me to the exam room while she weighed and measured him. It was a few minutes until he came. He said "I had to pee in a cup!" I asked him how he made out with that and he said fine. He couldn't understand why he had to do that. The doctor came in and started asking me questions. This was his first well visit at this doctor's office so she wanted to go over his history. She really took a long time and went over everything very thoroughly. I have to have him checked again for Long QT. Last year his EKG was normal but with a family history they need to keep checking and probably need him to do a stress test. I will make him an appointment for when I have to take Weese back in October.

She checked him over and right at the end peeked in his underwear (you know part of the exam is checking the private parts.) He was facing away from me so I didn't see his face but when he turned around he had a HUGE SMILE on his face and was BLUSHING! I tried to keep a straight face but it was difficult! I thanked the doctor and got up to leave. We got to the car and he says "I'm glad that was a lady doctor!" I said "why is that?" He says "I wouldn't want a dude checkin out my stuff!"

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

Vertical Sleeping

2009-07-21T21:52:00.004-04:00

My dear sweet little girl did not want to take her nap today. So around 7:00 pm this is what I found!

The child ASLEEP! She is on her feet zonked out.

I didn't even try to make her comfortable because I didn't want her to sleep long. She slept exactly 11 minutes before she woke up asking for a "nack" (snack.) She always has food on her mind!

Crib Jumper

2009-07-18T09:48:00.004-04:00

Over the past few days we've been having issues with Weese jumping out of her crib. (I have been tweeting about it here and there.) She is 25 months and it's probably time for us to remove the side of her crib and turn it into a toddler bed. I realize this 100%, but it doesn't make it any easier for me. She has always been so good about going to bed at night and taking naps. She would sweetly whisper "bye bye" as she pushed her little thumb in her mouth and grasped her blankie. Now it has turned into a battle. She actively climbs out and comes into our room. Sometimes she will lay down and go to sleep but not after bribes and many unpleasantries. One night she slept in the bed with us and I almost couldn't take it. I was having anxiety attacks and feeling clausterphobic. Then I found her face down in the pillow asleep and I almost lost my mind. She CAN NOT sleep in the bed with us.

I have ordered the side rail for her crib but I don't anticipate things getting any easier. She will just be able to get in and out easier without the risk of falling on her head.

Today on Mom's Marble's the ladies are discussing this issue. I am looking forward to hearing what other mom's have to say and hopefully find something that works for us!

Don't Leave!

2009-07-12T20:41:00.001-04:00

Please don't stop following my blog. I have writers block and a host of other minor issues going on in my life right now. Hopefully I will be back to normal blogging soon.

Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-01T14:08:00.002-04:00

Long Haired Boy

2009-06-30T16:24:00.004-04:00

We have decided to let B grow his hair this summer. We have always liked to keep his hair very short. I think it looks neat and clean that way.

He claims he "hates" it short and wants to have it longer. I say as long as he keeps it looking nice and not all over the place it can be a little longer. Joe is itching to cut it.

I will not allow him to have it below his eyebrows though. It will need to be trimmed soon.

He is loving it longer and is constantly combing it and fixing it after he puts his hat on. He has also been getting a lot of compliments on it and that doesn't hurt!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-24T22:18:00.000-04:00

I've had it with this!

Our Honor Roll Student!

2009-06-21T15:09:00.004-04:00

He did it! B got all A's and B's all four marking periods of 4th grade. He will be getting $100 from us as a reward (or bribe) for all his hard work!

I asked him what he wanted to do with his money and he said he wants to buy an ipod touch. The last time I checked they are well over $100 so he will need to save some more money in order to buy one.

Great job B! Good luck in 5th grade!

See Kai Run Giveaway Winner!

2009-06-20T10:14:00.004-04:00

Out of 234 entries. Number 165 is our winner! Congratulations!

stacy said...

Tweeted

http://twitter.com/junebug18/statuses/2191478913

June 16, 2009 8:23 AM

I Got Booted!

2009-06-17T21:05:00.004-04:00

I went to the podiatrist today after weeks of suffering with a sore foot. May 20th I tripped over B's shoe and twisted my whole foot. It felt sore right after and was swollen for a while. I really thought it would get better so I didn't think I needed to go to the doctor(I was WRONG!)I was busy getting ready for Weesie's party and truly afraid they would tell me to stay off my feet when I know that could not have been possible to do.

I finally broke down and went to my doctor, he gave me a referral for an X-ray. The x-ray showed a small bone spur on my heel. My entire foot had been bruised and the bottom of my foot was still swollen. This is now 4 weeks after the initial injury. After a minor issue with my doctor's office I finally got a referral to the podiatrist. The past 2 days have been pure hell. I could not put any weight on my foot without excruciating pain. Tonight I saw the podiatrist and he put me in a boot which essentially immobilizes my foot to help it heal. He is not 100% sure it's the bone spur that is giving me all the pain. He thinks there could be ligament or tendon damage but wants me to wear the boot for 2 weeks and see if there is any improvement. If it doesn't feel better in 2 weeks he will have me get an MRI. I am able to actually walk without the terrible pain although it is still aching and very tender.

Hopefully I am on the road to recovery!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-10T09:24:00.004-04:00

For more WW check out 5 Minutes for Mom &
Ordinary and Awesome.

My Wall Photo Project

2009-06-09T09:50:00.004-04:00

For 4 years the wall above my couch has been empty. When we first moved in I wanted to get a nice painting to put there but could never make a decision. After Weesie was born I thought it would be nice to put a collage of the kids up there. Then I came across this idea. I loved it! I wouldn't have to just choose a few pictures and I love black and white photos.

I started collecting my black frames and in January I laid out all the ones I had. I laid them out quite a few times and it just didn't look right. Over the course of the last few months I've collected just a few more frames. I still have to lay them out again and see how it looks.

The biggest problem I'm having right now is choosing which photos to use and sizes. I have started to set a few aside that are my favorites but I still have a long way to go. It's so hard to decide which ones to use and then if they will look good in black and white. It's going to be a process.

I'm wondering if I'll have this project done by the time Weesie goes to Kindergarten!

See Kai Run Review and Giveaway

2009-06-05T19:26:00.003-04:00

I've blogged about wining a giveaway for See Kai Run shoes. I have won 2 more blog giveaways for See Kai Run shoes since then!

Weesie wore her Sara sandals for her birthday this past weekend. They are fancy enough to wear with a dress and casual enough to wear with shorts. She got a lot of compliments on them!

She also owns the Dorothy sandals as well. She's never had a pair of black sandals and these are just too sweet.

See Kai Run has generously offered me a pair of shoes to review and a pair to give away to one of my lucky readers!

I received these shoes in the mail the other day. Weesie now recognizes the See Kai Run box and shouts "SHOOOOOES!" when she sees it. I think I may have a problem on my hands!

They are adorable. I put them on Weesie and they fit great. I didn't expect anything less from See Kai Run. The soles are very flexible. The leather is so soft I wish they made shoes in my size. They are very easy to get on and off and have a wide toe box, which works out great for my little girl with wide feet!

Check out the sale they are having. Up to 50% off select styles!

Would you like to win a pair of shoes from the See Kai Run line or Smaller?

How to enter:
Go to See Kai Run and tell me which pair you would choose from the See Kai Run line or Smaller.
(This entry is mandatory, please leave one comment)

Earn additional entries:

Sign up for See Kai Run's email updates (4 entries)
Follow my blog (1 entry)
Blog about this giveaway with a link back to my blog and to See Kai Run (3 entries)
Add my blog to your blogroll (1 entry)
Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway up to twice daily and leave the tweet link in your comment.

Please leave separate comments for each entry. If your email is not visible on your blog, please leave it in the comment. If you do not have a blog you may still enter just leave your email in the comment.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian addresses only and ends on Friday June 19th.
A winner will be picked using Random.org.

(Giveaway Ended Comments Closed!)

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-03T09:14:00.005-04:00

At my Mom's for one of Weesie's parties last week.

Check out 5M4M for more WW and Mostly WW at Ordinary and Awesome and J. Leigh Designz

Weesie's 2nd Birthday!

2009-06-02T16:55:00.004-04:00

Weesie turned 2 years old on Saturday.

I made 4 dozen cupcakes. Vanilla and strawberry with butter cream icing. I got little Dora's to place on a few of the cupcakes. Joe was kind enough to put them on the cupcake stand for me.

Here is her Dora cake. She really loved it.

I didn't get many pics of her all dressed up on her birthday. She didn't keep her dress on very long because she wanted to go outside to play. Please ignore the wild look on Max's face. He was so excited because there were so many people at our house.

My sweet little Princess! She is wearing the locket Joe's great Aunt gave her when she was born. It says "To Anna Louise, From Anna Louise" with her birth date on it. It's a complicated story but Anna's middle name is Louise after Joe's Great Aunt. His Aunt's actual real name is "Anna Louise" on her birth certificate but she dropped the Anna and just always went by Louise. We had no idea that her name included Anna. I actually liked the name Anna and Joe like the name Olivia. When we decided on Anna Louise we were telling Joe's parents and Aunt Louise at the same time. They looked at us funny as we were saying "Anna Louise." That is when they told us that Aunt Louise's real name is Anna. It was very strange. I hope you got all that! lol Aunt Louise's birthday is the day after Anna's and she just turned 94!

This is Aunt Louise and Weesie on Sunday. Joe's parent's had a joint birthday party for the two of them. This was the 3rd party for Weesie. My Mom had a small party for her at her house on Thursday.

Back story on Anna's nickname "Weesie". My friend's 4yr old twin girls came to visit us in the hospital after I had Anna and they couldn't say "Anna Louise" they said "Annaweese". So Annaweese turned into Weese and Weesie as her nicknames. That's where Weesie came from!

She truly enjoyed every minute of her birthday. She woke up and stayed in her jammies for most of the day. Aunt Zeezee brought her donuts and she took a bite out of 6 different flavors!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-27T17:09:00.004-04:00

The Pre-Teen Attitude

2009-05-22T13:08:00.004-04:00

Cat from 3 Kids and Us recently wrote a post entitled Back Talking Pre-Teen Brat. I can relate 100% with what she is going through.

B is 10 and will be 11 in October. Over the past few months his attitude has gotten worse and worse. We have to ask him to do his chores more than a few times. He complains when asked to do things he knows are his responsibility. He doesn't complete the jobs and then gets angry when we tell him about it. He ALWAYS has an answer for EVERYTHING. My favorite thing he says is "I was just about to do it!" in a very disrespectful way. We have taken things away from him and he has been punished for bad behavior but it doesn't seem to matter. I always say he lets his mouth get away from him. If he would just stop talking back he wouldn't get into near as much trouble.

It's not just about doing what is asked of him, it's his OVERALL attitude. I find that I can't even have a normal conversation with him without him belittling what I'm saying or telling me I'm wrong or better yet that he doesn't care. I must be the dumbest person alive because my 10 year old knows so much more than me.

It is very frustrating situation. I find myself screaming entirely too much. I want to stop screaming because I know it really doesn't help anything.

I wish we could just skip right past this "stage." Although I'm really not looking forward to the "teen" attitude either.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-20T09:50:00.004-04:00

A Cute Peeping Tom

2009-05-19T11:12:00.005-04:00

Where is Weesie?

Peek a boo!

I see you!

A Chocolate Moment

2009-05-16T22:11:00.004-04:00

I'm having one of those moments where I really want to eat an entire pan of brownies.

Not that I have ever done such a thing.

Try to tell me YOU have never wanted to eat a whole pan of brownies!

These are making me drool...

Smore's Brownies

Brownies Samoa

Fudgey Coffee Brownies

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

They look so good. I feel 10lbs heavier just looking at them!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T07:00:00.003-04:00

For more WW posts check out 5M4M, J Leigh Designz, and Momdot.

Not Me Monday

2009-05-11T19:32:00.004-04:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Max did not get on the dining room table yesterday and eat my entire breakfast! While cleaning my plate he managed to keep the fork still and in place on the plate so nobody would notice! See the respect I get on Mother's Day!

I do not have a scratchy throat and am coughing a little bit. I refuse to get sick.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-06T12:44:00.003-04:00

Our Baby Girl is 23 Months Old!

2009-05-04T19:20:00.001-04:00

Last week Weesie was sick. She remained in a fairly good mood through it all. On Tuesday she had a 104/105 fever. We were quite worried about her but managed to get her fever down fairly quickly. Wednesday I was sure her fever broke but then later in the day I took her temperature and it was 102. Thursday she had a low fever in the last afternoon and then Friday she was pretty much cool but just wanted to lay on me all day. She wouldn't let me do anything other than sit with her. I'm so glad she is well now and her illness did not get any worse.

She turned 23 months on the 30th. I can hardly believe that she will be 2 years old in less than a month. In fact I don't want to talk about it!

At 23 months:

She responds to most questions with "ya". It sounds so funny to hear her say it.

She says "get me" when she wants me to pick her up.

Daddy loves it when she wipes her hair out of her face. He loves seeing her little hands push the hair away from her eyes. I have to say it's quite adorable.

She says "popo face" (poker face) and turns on my radio alarm clock. The funny thing is that song Poker Face usually is playing.

She doesn't really prefer taking two naps a day anymore. Sometimes she takes a 2 hour nap right in the middle of the day.

She is very into french toast and will eat two whole pieces of it. She also loves to eat bagels and it cracks me up how she pronounces "bagel." She pronounces breakfast "brock teese" and calls every meal "brock teese." She is starting to get a little bit more picky about what she eats. A few months ago she would eat almost anything we put in front of her.

She find purses and wallets fascinating. She drags the "back pack" over to it's owner and then proceeds to pull their wallet out and remove their credit cards, drivers license and anything else she can find.

She doesn't say full sentences yet but she is trying to put words together. She says "tiny baby" "tiny piece". I asked her what she wanted to wear and I was prepared to hear her say "Dora" and she said "pretty dress." Her vocabulary is exploding and I swear everyday she is coming up with something new that we never heard her say. I can't even begin to list all the words she knows. She has been telling the dog to "go away" for months now!

She begs to go "out side" and get on the "Weee" (swing or sliding board.) She started saying "oh my gosh" and it totally cracks us up. She says it at the appropriate times like she knows. She likes to watch basketball with B and will say "oh my gosh" when they make a basket and "uh oh" when they fall down.

We are amazed at what a good memory she has. She remembers things she did months ago.

I've said it many times before and will say it again she is such a sweet little girl and we are truly blessed to have her!

Weesie's Cardiology Check-Up

2009-05-03T11:56:00.000-04:00

I'm a bit behind on this post but on April 14th Weesie had her check up at CHOP with her cardiologist for her Long QT Syndrome. Her QT length was in the normal range which was very good to hear. The doctor increased her Propanolol only a slight bit. The increase has not given her any side effects at all. The doctor wants me to call after her 2 year check up (june 2nd) with her pediatrician to tell her what her weight is. At that time she may increase the Propanolol again. She weighed 25lbs 7oz. She takes the Propanolol 3 times a day.

She was such a good girl getting her blood pressure taken. She even had Dora there with her and had her blood pressure taken as well.

She laid so still and stayed very calm while she was having her EKG.

She fell asleep during her Echo and it worked out great. The tech was able to get everything she needed.

I have not discussed the following on my blog before so this is new info for most of my readers.

Weesie needed an Echo to check on her Atrial Septal Aneurysm (ASA.) ASA is an abnormal area of thinning of the atrial septum, which is the wall that divides the left and right atria. This thin area causes a bulging of the septum (wall) into the atrium itself (the left) when the heart beats. For Weesie, the first clue that she may have a heart abnormality came when she had had an irregular heart beat before she was born. We did not know at the time, but there is a strong association between ASA and fetal atrial arrhythmias (PACS in Weesie's case, early atrial beats).

Weesie had an echo at 2 days old to follow-up on her pre-birth irregular beats. At that time, the pediatric cardiologist told us that there was a piece of tissue at the foramen ovale (located in the atrial septum) that was "swinging back and forth like a clothes line" instead of adhering somewhere on the foramen ovale as it closed. This little piece of tissue is part of the development of the atrial septum in the embryo very, very early. In Weesie's case, with our level of knowledge, we see it as an abnormality of her heart that started in very early development with some defect in the septum.

Weesie's ASA is VERY SMALL. It measured only 4mm on her echo. Maybe as big as this line

Tiny. She has no murmur and she has no symptoms. So at this point routine followup with echos and EKGs are all she has to do.

When ASA are large they can cause problems related to the mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood (red and blue blood) so that the body receives oxygen poor instead of oxygen rich blood. This is also called right to left shunting. The aneurysm is actually permeable to blood so it can move through the aneurysm as if there was an opening. We do not expect this to happen.

There are some concerns as she grows: that it would get larger (does not usually happen). Also there is concern because ASA have been associated with other heart abnormalities such as mitral valve prolapse, blood clots forming in the heart (only large ASA), and atrial tachycardia (fast heart rates that start in the atria).

We are very fortunate that Weesie's is small, has been detected, and is likely to be fine as she grows.

Other posts about Weesie's Long QT.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-29T15:15:00.003-04:00

Pic from Sept 2007, Weesie was 4 months old.

A Reward or a Bribe?

2009-04-27T21:55:00.003-04:00

In the beginning on the school year Joe and I talked to B about 4th grade and how important it is to get good grades. We stressed the importance of always doing the best he can. We really wanted him to know that we expect him to do well and to try hard. Last year he did great in the beginning of the year and then slowly slipped and didn't do so hot towards the end.

We talked about rewards (aka bribes) for doing well and punishments for not doing well. If he came home with a bad report card he would not be allowed to participate in basketball. This was a crushing blow for him to even think about. It could not ever be a possibility that he wouldn't play his favorite sport. After basketball season if he brought home a less than desirable report card he would be banned from playing Xbox. He thought long and hard and vowed that he would bring home a report card we would be proud of.....each marking period.

The reward (bribe) for such an accomplishment has a catch. We told him if he received honor roll all four marking periods we would give him $100 at the end of the school year. If he got honor roll 2 or 3 out of 4 he would get nothing. His eyes lit up at the thought of having $100 to do with what he wanted. I told him it was going to take a lot of work but we know that he can do it.

Last week B brought home honor roll for the 3rd marking period in a row! It's not that I didn't think he would be able to do it but for some reason I didn't think he would do it! The school year is not over. He still has one all important marking period to get through.

Even if he doesn't get honor roll for this last marking period I think he deserves something special for having a great year. Also he only missed 1 day of school and that was for Joe's police academy graduation.

Really this only goes to prove that he is capable and he should always try hard. I hope he realizes that.

It's looking more and more like I'm going to have to fess up the $100. See where a bribe gets me!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-22T08:07:00.002-04:00

The Zoo

2009-04-20T20:50:00.007-04:00

The day after Easter we went to the Zoo. This was Weesie's 1st time going to the Zoo.

B got a hold of my point and shoot and took over 50 pictures throughout the day. He did a great job. He took a few of the ones I'm posting.

I'm not exactly sure what she is looking at this picture.

Easter

2009-04-20T19:46:00.009-04:00

Easter morning checking out their baskets.

All dressed up and ready to go visit the family.

At Joe's parent's house checking out her basket.

Changed clothes to get ready for the egg hunt. It was fairly cold that day.

Most of the eggs ended up in her basket. She wanted to throw them mostly.

B hunting for the "big" eggs.

After brunch with Joe's parents we went home so Weesie could take a nap. The timing was perfect because when she woke up it was time to go to my parent's house for dinner.

B and Weesie with their cousins. Can you guess who are siblings?

We had a very nice Easter. The weather was a bit cool but it was a bright sunny day.

Again I did not have time to edit any of my pics.

Egg Dying

2009-04-18T11:38:00.005-04:00

He can't let me take a picture without making a face.

He said he didn't want to dye eggs. That he was getting too old.

He wasn't too old to start making a mess.

She loved the whole idea of egg dying.

She even dyed her plastic eggs in empty cups.

This was after she threw her dyed egg across the table and it cracked.

She wanted to take a bite.

I think she liked it.

I'm behind on posting. I want to post pics from Easter and our Zoo trip as well. I also haven't had much computer time so I didn't have a chance to edit any pics.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-15T09:20:00.002-04:00

Easter morning checking out what the bunny brought them.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-08T08:51:00.004-04:00

This pic was taken last week and we don't have any snow.

For more WW check out momdot, 5m4m, and J. Leigh Designz.

A Bite of B

2009-04-07T11:59:00.000-04:00

He took a bite out of this donut so no one would eat it.

This was after he ate 2.

I don't know where the boy puts it. He got on the scale the other night and was happy to see that he gained some weight. The last time he checked his weight he was 65lbs and now he's 75lbs. It's been a while since he was weighed but I believe he's gaining because he is getting so tall.

He's wearing a size 10 slim jeans and they fall off.

The boy is growing like a weed and eating a lot!