I'm SO Ready for Spring!!!!

It's not that I haven't enjoyed winter.  We have gotten to see snow a few times this year.  Overall it hasn't been too horribly cold.  Life seems to move a little slower after the holidays end, which is a bit refreshing.  

the girls didn't care to have a picture made but the snow was so pretty!

No worries.  Kaylee wasn't upset the whole time.  :)

she starts t-ball this month!!

But this has, by far, been the worst season for sickness!  I typically don't get sick - to the point where I lay in bed.  I may get a cold here and there but it's usually very mild and I function fine.  When I'm pregnant, I know I'm more susceptible to illness and I usually get something.  But it seems this season, it's just been one thing after another.

Right when I felt I was getting out of the first trimester icky-ness, I started having a cough.  It was annoying but I slept fine.  Then we were exposed to a cold virus.  My cough got worse, I couldn't sleep at night.  One night I woke up with ear pain.  

Thankfully a friend told me about garlic oil.  I made my own and it stopped the pain immediately.  I still went to the doctor and an ear infection was confirmed.  But instead of doing antibiotics, I did the garlic oil and it cleared up - yay!  I did ask the doctor about my cough but it didn't seem too concerning to her.  Not long after, I pulled a muscle coughing - so then coughing became a literal pain.  

Finally, about a week ago, my cough calmed down and I started to sleep better.  

Then, my girls got pink eye. But at least they didn't act like it itched or bothered them at all.  Both still slept and functioned fine.  We just had to clean the eye goobies.  :)  Of course this kept us away from playing with friends.  

 On top of all this, Ri was referred to a pediatric cardiologist for an echo cardiogram (ultrasound of the heart).  When she came with me to my appointment for my ear infection (because she had a cough too), the nurse practitioner heard a heart murmur. I don't recall being told she had one before (although Septtro said he thought we had) and so she referred us just to be sure.  She told me not to worry.  But I knew a heart murmur was very common so I wasn't sure why such an extensive test would be ordered for such a common problem.

Thankfully, the cardiologist didn't even do an echo.  He said she was perfectly fine and healthy and sometimes nurse practitioners aren't trained well enough to know what they're hearing is totally normal.  Praise the Lord!

I thought she looked quite cute in her little gown.

So then yesterday, my KK woke up dry heaving.  No fever.  But all she wanted was to be held.  After a few hours and a nap on me, she requested her sippy.  I tried and she couldn't keep it down.  But she kept requesting to eat and drink.  So after a couple hours I'd try again.  But she'd just throw it back up again.  It was quite disheartening.  By about dinner time, she'd gone several hours without getting sick and kept some of her sippy down. 

But then after lunch, Rilynn started saying she was sick.  I thought maybe she was jealous of the attention I was giving Kaylee.  She soon cried about her ear hurting - she's never had any ear infections or issues with ears before.  But I put in a couple drops of garlic oil anyway.  And she took a nap on me while Kaylee snoozed on Septtro.  

At one point, I had both of them on my lap while Septtro was trying to fix the chicken coup (we've lost several chickens to predators recently).  

I had no time to do anything but snuggle my girls yesterday.  Every time I would get up, I was beckoned back by one of them.  

I can't say I didn't enjoy all the snuggles.  But I hated the context of it.  

Kaylee slept all night last night and has been fine all morning - so thankful!!  

But Ri woke up this morning at 5am and had gotten sick in her bed.  It wasn't much because her stomach was empty but she got sick two more times after that.  At around 6am, Septtro took her out into the living room to snuggle.  They both fell asleep for a couple of hours and Ri hasn't gotten sick since.  

Let's hope it stays that way.

So...needless to say, I'm SO weary of one thing after another coming into my house.  

Be gone, winter!!!!  You have worn out your welcome!

The Piano Playin Preschooler

This girl seriously loves music.  She's constantly singing.  She loves to watch videos of marching bands - or any bands for that matter.  Maybe one day she'll be a famous piano player/song writer too.  :)  (after about 40 seconds in, most of the performance is over)

Same picture, different baby

I took a picture of Ri that quickly became a favorite of mine.  So I took another one that's similar of Kaylee when she was around the same age.  :)  Looks like I had much nicer hair after Ri than with KK.  

6 months

7 months

Baby Update

I had my first appointment yesterday.  I've decided to switch providers....again.  Guess I'll just keep going until I find one that I really like.  :)  

I'm seeing a nurse midwife this time.  A local hospital just started a new program last year (this wasn't available when I was pregnant with Kaylee).  So I will be at a hospital but seeing a nurse midwife the whole time.  I am SO excited we have this option now!  They offer water birth too - which is fabulous.  Except that, for some reason, some big wigs at the hospital don't think vbac patients should even set foot in the water.  I asked the midwife what their reason was and she said she wasn't sure and that they haven't really been given a very good explanation.  They're working to change this so hopefully by the time our baby comes, I'll be able to at least labor in water. 

Baby at about 12 weeks

Of course, I was nervous about my appointment.  I was nervous about the baby being healthy, about establishing a new patient/provider relationship, about how open and friendly the midwife would be to straying from standard care.  But it was a great experience!  I really felt like she listened and even agreed with how I feel in general about caring for pregnant women!  Right now there are three midwives and a fourth will be joining in March.  

Everything went great at the appointment yesterday!  We heard a good, strong heartbeat!  It was in the 150s - which makes me think it's a girl because my girls were always around the 150s too.  But...I know that's not a 100% error-proof way to determine the gender.  :)

We don't plan to find out the gender this time.  I never thought I could do that.  But the more I think about and even talk to others who have waited, the more I think it'd be a really fun surprise!

I am scheduled to have an ultrasound next week.  We weren't going to do one.  I'm 13 weeks now.  But I've had dreams I'm having twins.  And so has my sister-in-law.  And I already feel huge (although let's be honest, I always have carried quite large).  So it'd be nice to know for sure.  Plus, the midwife said it felt like my uterus was higher than she would expect for 13 weeks - so she thinks I may be further along than I think; although I'm pretty confident about my dates.

So we'll see.  Ultrasound is a week from today at 8:30.  It will be fun to see the baby!  I had early ultrasounds with both my girls so it will be nice to have one for this one too!  

P.S.  I am hiring a doula for this birth.  She's already worked with these midwives and done vbacs with them as well.  So, overall, I believe it will be a much less stressful experience than last time.  Here's her website.  She rocks. **don't know what a doula is or what they do?  click here

Family Photo

I know it's rare to see our whole family in one picture.  We happened to get this shot last weekend when we went downtown after church.  It's not perfect.  But you can see everyone's face.  :)

Handy Hubby

Septtro has been improving a lot around the house lately.  Recently, he got a lot of free pallets.  So he made a new chicken coup.  **the picture below shows it not quite finished.  He put a door on the right side** 

and a fort (or clubhouse as Ri calls it) for the girls -- it's got a ladder inside that leads to the "roof"

The play kitchen out there was free - someone was throwing it away and it was already dirty.  We have since moved it inside the clubhouse.  I didn't have any idea how many cool things you could make out of free pallets!

**he's currently working on a zipline that will attach from the top level of the clubhouse**

I needed somewhere to hang clothes besides my racks in my dining room - not so pleasant when you have company over.  I'm not a huge fan of using the dryer so Septtro installed a rod in the laundry room.  

He put bead board up in our guest bathroom (aka the girls' bathroom).  That poor wall has taken a beating with bath times and potty accidents.  Not to mention the time both of them got into a bottle of shampoo.  It's definitely an improvement and I think it makes the bathroom look bigger.

 I joke that Septtro should have been an engineer. But I mean it.  He built the chicken coup and the clubhouse without any real instructions.  He got on youtube and watched some videos.  But I could never create something like that without specific, step-by-step  instructions.  So thankful for a handy husband!!!  

Changes

I really didn't mean to coincide this post with the new year.  It just happened that way.  

There's a few things that have changed recently...

Kaylee isn't nursing anymore.  Below is the last picture I have of her nursing.  (Yes, I take pictures of her nursing.  I didn't have many of Ri and I regretted it. I don't think it's weird.  It's special to me and I wanted to remember it another way besides my ever-so-depleting memory.  I wanted to remember how long her hair was, where she put her hands, and the feeling of her cuddled against me for a few minutes uninterrupted).  

I suppose it's partly due to me being pregnant that she stopped.  Ri nursed until I was about five months pregnant with Kaylee (18 months old).  She never refused but I could tell she wasn't interested anymore and she never asked after I stopped offering.  Kaylee has asked a few times here and there but since it's been so long, there's not much there. Plus it probably tastes weird.  So she whines about it not being the same.  But it was her choice and I try to explain that to her.  After offering her sippy cup, she quickly forgets all about me - maybe a little too quickly for my liking.  :)

 Kaylee used the potty.  Once.  Apparently, it freaked her out because every time we talk about her using the potty now, she adamantly says "no!"  My goal is to potty train her this summer when Septtro is home right around her second birthday.  We'll see how it goes.  She knows a lot but is fairly stubborn.

Rilynn is becoming such a little girl so quickly.  We went to an indoor play place last week. And I didn't have to help her up to the slide. She did it.  All by herself.  Over and over.  She makes up songs in the car, can make believe anything into existence, and she will sit for hours and listen to me read her books.

 I am on an indefinite break from my cloth diapers.  I know - I am just as surprised as anyone.  Part of this started when I ran into some issues with my cloth diapers.  I just didn't wanna strip them again, replace elastic, try a different type.  Plus, it's really been good to simplify at least one thing in my life while I'm in the exhausted, not feeling so well stage of pregnancy.  I do eventually want to go back to my cloth diapers.  The cost savings just makes it hard for the practical side of me to ignore.  One thing I have noticed that I'd forgotten, is how quickly you can go through a box of disposable diapers!  Thankfully, I have a decent stash still from when I find good deals.

These two.  More and more, they are together.  They share a room and even tonight, Kaylee didn't want to go to bed without Rilynn.  She kept asking "where Ri Ri?".  That makes my heart glad.  They do argue.  But they love each other's company.  And I love that.  They watch shows together, race from door to door inside the house, and throw rocks in the creek together; among other things.  I hope they become super close.  I love that they have each other!

Christmas 2012

Reading the real Christmas Story

Happy Birthday Jesus!! (lovingly referred to as the "cheese-us cake"  :)

Ri got The Sound of Music and was absolutely delighted while watching it

 Septtro got the both girls a head light.  They always want to wear his when we have fire night at our house.  Kaylee wore hers almost all morning.

Snagged this princess tent for $5 - big hit!!

wearing the stockings

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

Bless a Momma from Newtown, CT

Remember that sweet nest necklace from my last post? 

Well the gal who makes them was contacted by a friend of a mom who lost her little girl in the school shooting a few weeks back in Newtown, Connecticut.  She's decided she wants to give every mom who lost their child that day the opportunity to have a necklace.  

Read more here.  

They will be sent out January 10th so please consider if you are able to give to this cause.  I know it would bless those mommas.  And of course, no guilting yourself if you can't help.  Prayer is very powerful and I'm sure they will need lots of prayer for quite a while.

On a happier note, we had a great Christmas.  I hope you did too!! (hopefully pictures of that to come soon)

Hint, Hint

link for nest jewelry 

That's right - two lines...on two tests (just in case!)  :)

A new little Sene is expected at the end of July/beginning of August.

Oh Christmas Tree!....

That's right.  Our Christmas tree is up before Thanksgiving.  Not that long ago, I would have said that's an abomination.  But Thanksgiving weekend has gotten busy enough and I'd rather just relax (plus we're usually out of town).  So the past two years, we've done it the weekend before Thanksgiving.  And I like it.  

The girls "helped" this year - Ri more so than Kaylee.  I'm sure there will be several times when we will have to remind Kaylee that the ornaments are not toys (at least they're not fragile).

Notice that most of the ornaments are on the same branch.  We are gonna leave it that way.  :)

My prayer is that our girls will come to realize what's truly important during this season: Christ and His sacrifice for us - and that it really is better to give than to receive.  

She's Got Moves You've Never Seen

We've come to realize Ri is a pretty good dancer.  I suppose it's in her blood  :)

This was October 26th, 2011 - she had just turned two

This was November 4th, 2011 at her Daddy's football game (probably my favorite so far)

Disney on Ice

We are taking Ri to her first big event soon - Disney on Ice!  My mom had mentioned it was coming to town but I wasn't quite sure she was old enough to pay attention the whole time and I didn't wanna spend the money if she wasn't ready.

But then, just yesterday, we found out if you took a few nonperishable items to a food drive, you would get free tickets (2 per family)!

So we got two tickets and my mom gave us one of hers since my dad isn't interested in coming.  :) (Kaylee will be free if we decide to take her)

I'm SO excited!!!  Apparently, they were having trouble selling tickets for this particular night because it's the day before Thanksgiving.  So that's why they did the promotion yesterday.  

The show will have characters from Cars, Toy Story, Tinkerbell, and The Little Mermaid - all of which I think she'll love (especially Toy Story since she's pretty much in love with Buzz Lightyear)

Total, we spent about $6 for all of us to go - can't beat that!  

Football is OVER!!! And other happenings



Septtro and I...together at 3:45pm on a weekday! :)



So Septtro's team lost last Friday.  It was actually a close game - back and forth. But they lost.  It's over - no more meetings, Spring practices, summer workouts, film sessions (seriously people, football has got to be the one sport that requires the most time from coaches). 

 I am a little sad for Septtro.  I know it's bittersweet for him.  He wants to be home.  But he does love football.  But he'll be coaching some of the boys this Spring for track and field and I'm sure he'll keep in touch.  Plus, who knows - maybe in 5-10 years, he'll make a coaching comeback. 

A few weeks ago, we went down to Columbia for the State Fair.  Septtro and I had been once when we were dating and we split a turkey leg and just walked around (mostly laughing at others trying to win the rigged games).  But this time, we were treated to rides and food (thanks Papa Sene and Grandebbie!).  The girls both had so much fun and seeing Ri's expression while riding rides was priceless!!

We went trick or treating on Halloween.  Ri was Cinderella and KK was pretty much the cutest lil pig you've ever laid eyes on.  They had a great time at a nearby church festival and, of course, we got a TON of candy! 

Last night, we had a camp out in our backyard.  I was nervous - and I'm not a huge fan of tent camping.  But our house was so close.  To my surprise, both girls conked out by 10.  But a bit before midnight, my face was freezing and I was concerned about the girls being out all night.  And I knew I wouldn't sleep much because I'd be so concerned and want to check on them all night.  So we took them inside.  And they went right to bed again.  We'll definitely have to try it again when it's warmer.  They loved it!  

I do love where we live, despite being a bit further from a grocery store than I'd like.  Example: a tractor cutting grass along our road = entertainment for at least a good hour - and for free!

Also, I'm pretty excited I can actually do crafts with Ri now.  Sometimes she doesn't do them quite like I'd hoped, but at least she's interested!  (this one was from Family Fun Magazine)

Happy Saturday ya'll!!!