Happy Valentine's Day

Come here and give me a kiss!

Friday, February 13, 2009 - Update

One of Olivia's new favorite things to do.
Admiring her work.

Toddlers' natural desire for disorder makes me laugh. Olivia can't stand for her puzzles to be put together or her rings and blocks to be stacked up. Apparently, she doesn't like her letters to be nicely organized on the refrigerator either. So, now you know why our house keeps getting messier and messier.

I was actually a little worried about Olivia this morning. She just wanted me to hold her and would cry when I put her down. I even put her on her pony and she just sat there and cried instead of running around squealing like she normally does. Then, she was ready to go to sleep at her old 11:30 am naptime, but only if I would hold her in the recliner. So, we snuggled up together and slept for 2 hours! Since she woke up, she seems to be back to her normal self. Maybe her lack of sleep finally caught up with her. I gotta say. . .I enjoyed all of the extra cuddles today. If I hadn't been so worried about her, I probably would have enjoyed it even more.

I did want to ask for prayers for another premature baby born 13 weeks early on 2-12-2009. Her name is Emma and she was 2 lbs 4 oz and 14 inches long. Please keep Emma and her family in your prayers.

Thursday, February 12, 2009 - Update

Just checkin the blog. . .

It's official. . . .Olivia is not entirely like me. I think she is a (gasp) morning person. Not only did I purposely put her to bed 30 minutes later last night in hopes to grab a couple more minutes of sleep in the morning, but she woke up an hour and a half earlier than usual. Plus, she woke up twice in the middle of the night. She is the happiest, most energetic person in the morning and I'm having a hard time keeping up with her. This RSV hibernation is leading me to the brink of insanity. I sometimes dream of having play dates, letting Olivia play in a public park and with other children and other toys. I sometimes even dream of getting ready and going to work. I'm having a hard time finding new and exciting things for Olivia and me to do inside of our house. She keeps lengthening her day which makes it even harder (and she only takes an hour long nap all day long.) So, we're getting out more often and I just keep praying that I can keep her from getting sick. This morning, we went to Target. Afterwards, we stopped by to see my previous boss and co-workers. They just moved into a new office and we went to check it out. I loved it, by the way. Olivia enjoyed having a new place to explore and she had to make sure that they do, in fact, also have a toilet.

I think Olivia is just at that age where she is very active and loves to explore. I love the fact that she is my little energizer bunny. . .I just wish I could keep up with her better. It is hard to balance her need to stay healthy with her need to develop and explore the world. Any advice from other micro-preemie moms who are in the same predicament?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - Update

Olivia pushing her dolly.

Of course, Olivia would much rather play with her blocks and puzzle pieces. She is not yet really into dolls or stuffed animals, but doesn't she look adorable pushing her stroller? Every morning, she crawls over to get her horse puzzle piece and carries it around with her for much of the day. She absolutely loves it. Between that and riding her pony. . .I think Olivia will have a lot in common with her cousin, Katie. Maybe I should start saving up for those riding lessons?

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - Update

Another sunshiney day!

Olivia's naptime has officially been moved from 11:30 am to 2 pm. I don't like this new naptime as much. She used to nap, eat lunch and then we'd have the afternoon to do as we please. Now, we spend the majority of beautiful afternoons like these inside our house. Oh well. . .we did get out a bit this morning. Olivia interacted with her first kitty cat today and it was so cute. I wish I would have had my camera. Our neighbor's cat met up with us on our walk and was in the mood for some serious affection. He was purring and rubbing up against the stroller and would make Olivia laugh by sniffing her feet. It was adorable. . .and what a sweet kitty!

Walking and Talking

Monday, February 9, 2009 - Update

It's electric!
Boogie woogie woogie

In all seriousness, I think Olivia has been plugged into, like, 1000 amps. She is going non-stop. Last week, she decided that she would start getting up an hour earlier. Okay. . .it's bound to happen. Then, she decided that she didn't need a nap at all. Yesterday, she only slept for 20 minutes all day and today there are no signs of a nap in the near future. In addition, she doesn't want to sleep through the night and woke up three times last night. Ryan and I have no problem letting her "cry it out." (Well, it's a bit harder for me, but I know it's what is best.) Usually, she only cries for 10-15 minutes and is back asleep. Now that she is able to pull herself up in her crib, it's a bit harder. She stands up and screams at the top of her lungs. I don't think she really knows how to sit back down so it's not like she can go right back to sleep. Last night, she cried for almost 30 minutes (with no sign of stopping) when I went in to get her. Help! Is this just a phase? Now that she can stand up on her own, it's as if she doesn't feel the need to lay down. I used to be able to put her down for her nap and she would lay there (sometimes cry for just a bit) until she fell quickly to sleep. Now, she just stands up and screams. It's getting increasingly difficult to contain this bundle of energy within the confines of our house. Not to mention. . .I'm growing increasingly more and more cranky!

Olivia and Her Zebra

How long have we had this? And. . .I didn't know about it?
Ohhhhh, this is fun!!

I love to spin!

Hahahaha!

(This is actually what she is saying.)

Hahahahaha!

Heeheeheehee!

Hahahaha!

And to think that we bought it at a neighbor's garage sale last summer. (Best garage sale purchase ever!) She is now in love with her zebra.

Sunday, February 8, 2009 - Update

I don't really know what to write about today. I have plenty of things to tell you about as Olivia does something new every day. My heart is just a bit heavy. A family that I knew growing up found their youngest daughter, 27 year old Kelsey, dead in their home last week. Cora Paige, the little girl that I told you about a while back has passed away. Heaven's gain, however, is our loss and that is so difficult. Please pray for these families.

Saturday, February 7, 2009 - Update

What do you do to enjoy one of the most gorgeous days in Kansas? We decided to go downtown and see where Ryan works. (Can you believe that he's been there since last summer and I had yet to see it?) Afterwards, we took a stroll down by the river and it was one of the most enjoyable afternoons that I have had in years. Olivia had a blast seeing all of the new sites and I still can't believe it is this nice in February.

This is the building where my daddy works!

It was so much fun running around the cubicles. . .if only I could bring my pony next time.

To the left is Exploration Place and the Keeper of the Plains is in the background.

Mommy and I by the Arkansas River. Here in Kansas, we pronounce it Ar-Kansas, not Ar-Kan-saw.

Daddy and I enjoying the day.

This is the best day ever!

Almost done and ready to go home.

We walked a really long way!

The weather isn't the only special thing about today. It's Kerry's birthday!!! Ryan, Olivia and I wish you a very very Happy Birthday. May all your wishes come true!!

Here we are. . .a long time ago at Kerry's birthday party. Kerry and I are in the middle. . . holding hands. :)

Friday, February 6, 2009 - Update

Do you have days that just don't go as planned? We are unable to go outside to enjoy our almost 70 degree weather because of 30+ mph wind gusts. I hate the wind. For the last three days, Olivia has started waking up almost an hour earlier than usual. Her second nap went the way of the dodo bird some time ago. Now, her 11:30 am naptime has been pushed back to 1 pm. The girl only takes an hour or so nap all day long. Doesn't she know that mama needs a longer nap than that? We used to have lunch after she woke up from her nap, but we're going to have to do some rearranging. I tried to lay down and nap at 1 pm, but my hunger won out. I even attempted to snack on a protein bar while still trying to go to sleep. . .didn't work. So, I grabbed my laptop and gave up. Hopefully, we'll get a new schedule going that we can work with. Our whole day is always planned around her old naptime. Silly girl has so much energy that she doesn't know what to do with herself. Man, the phone rang and woke her up early from her nap (don't worry. . .it was none of you.) Now, I have a tired and cranky little girl. . .but isn't she absolutely adorable??

Thursday, January 5, 2009 - Update

What?
It's an Olive Garden breadstick!

Yum!

For the past few days, Olivia has been an eating machine! Yesterday, she even tried a hot dog and had some bites of my enchilada. So, today I was so excited to cut her up a hot dog with some ketchup and applesauce and macaroni and cheese. . . all on her own little plate. She wouldn't touch the hot dog with a ten foot pole. She tried the macaroni and cheese and choked on the pasta and I had to take it out of her mouth. It's so weird. I never know what to expect from day to day.

We're trying to figure out what to do in this beautiful weather. It's hard to remain cautious when it feels like spring, but there are a lot of sick people right now. I don't want to run into any of them. Maybe we'll find a new place to go for a walk. Our neighborhood starts to get a little boring after awhile.

Prayer Request

Yesterday, I learned from a friend that a family who goes to their church lost their 6-7 month old daughter, Mackenzie. The father went in to check on her and she was found not breathing in her crib. Please keep the Young family in your prayers. I have received so many heartbreaking prayer requests lately. I was asked to share some things that brought comfort to us after Logan died. No two situations or people are the same, but here are some things that helped us.

1) Cards. It seems like something so small, but we would go to the mailbox every day for weeks and find handfuls of cards. It meant a lot to us.

2) Food. Again, our situation was different because we weren't ever home and our freezers were stocked full of breastmilk. Gift cards to restaurants were helpful.

3) Let them know you care even if you don't understand. But, don't say that it will get easier with time. A break up with a boyfriend, the death of a pet. . .that gets easier with time. A death of a child does not. We were told something that has stuck with us. . .It doesn't get easier, it just gets more familiar.

4) Gifts with the child's name or in their honor. We received a tree to plant, Christmas ornaments, framed pictures, a wind chime with Logan's initials, Willow tree twin figurines (one with angel wings) along with many more. It helps us know that our child will never be forgotten.

5) Donations that help spread awareness or help prevent the cause of death.

6) Meeting other people who have gone through similar experiences has helped tremendously.

I know it is hard for others to know how to comfort someone who has gone through the unthinkable. . .whatever it is. If anyone has any other suggestions of things that helped them, please leave a comment if you wish.

Most of all, like the song says: Love Them Like Jesus

Just love them like Jesus, carry them to Him
His yoke is easy, His burden is light
You don’t need the answers to all of life’s questions
Just know that He loves them and stay by their side
Love them like Jesus

My Little Escape Artist

Last week, Olivia couldn't even pull herself up with her crib lowered.
Now, she's trying to climb out of it.

I put Olivia in her crib for her nap this morning and she stood up. I picked her up and laid her back down and she stood up. We did this about 5 times. Then, I hear a loud grunting noise coming from her room and I find her trying to climb out of her crib. Surely, there's no way that she'll succeed even with her crazy determination.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009 - Update

I'm getting better at pushing my walker all by myself.
It's sometimes hard to steer

and at times. . .a little scary,

but it's a lot of fun!

Olivia continues to get better and better at walking behind her walker. Watching her reminds me that she's not a baby anymore. . .she's a little girl! I still can't get over how she stands up in her crib every morning when I go in to get her. Her determination to learn new things is what continues to amaze me. Of course, just as strong is her determination to NOT do the things that she doesn't want to do, but that amazes me as well.

Now, I need to brag on my husband a bit. Kerry and I have been planning to go to a movie for weeks. After deciding on Feb. 3rd, I lined up a babysitter (the awesome grandma Mary) and anxiously awaited my afternoon of fun. Well, then my rat through a kink into the plans and I had to make a vet appointment. It was a bit of a relief to find that she had passed away curled up in her blanket at home. . .bless her heart. So, our afternoon was going to continue on as planned. Then, I find out that grandpa is under the weather and Ryan and I had to make the decision to not have grandma Mary come over. That's okay. . .we could have fun at home, although I felt bad that Kerry took off work to come over and sit around with us. I will always willingly sacrifice to make sure Olivia stays healthy. Before I could say no, Ryan took some of his vacation to watch Olivia this afternoon so that we could go to our movie. Not only did he bury our rat and have to stand out in the cold weather, but he had dinner made when I got home tonight. How do I top that? And, how am I deserving of someone who loves me so unconditionally? Thanks, Ryan, for all that you do.

Olivia The Rat

Sadly, my rat passed away overnight. She had been doing very badly over the last couple of days and I had a vet appointment this afternoon to have her put to sleep. Kerry and I have plans to go to a movie this afternoon for our birthdays and we were going to have to go to the vet beforehand. Nothing like having to have your animal put to sleep to damper your birthday celebrations. Being the thoughtful animal that she was, she passed away on her own. She will be greatly missed.

Now, I didn't "name my daughter after my rat." You see, I love naming things. In fact, as a child I think I named my roly polies. . .until my brother and his friends squished them. I still like to stop by the animals at the pet store and think of what I would name all of them. That's a slippery slope, however, because once you name something. . .they have a way of inching themselves into your heart. I always tried to keep my animal names separate from my future children names, but that didn't work so well with Olivia. Plus, my rat was such a sweetheart that it made the name Olivia even more appealing and it sounded so good with Logan. Rats are very intelligent and after being called Olivia for over a year, my rat wouldn't respond to any other name.

Anyway, I got Olivia the rat a few days after I got Lucy. Lucy was the personable one and Olivia was the shy one. Lucy helped bring Olivia out of her shell and she quickly became just as friendly as Lucy. The two of them became the best of friends. Last summer, I found Olivia the rat in a pool of blood and found out that she had some sort of tumor or cancer of the reproductive system. She had surgery to be spayed and also had three cysts removed. She bounced back from that amazingy well. Lucy passed away about 6 months ago and Olivia the rat never really bounced back from that. She has been so lonely without her best friend. I actually had to put a stuffed animal in her cage to cuddle with. Rats are truly amazing pets and Olivia was an amazing rat.

Here are Olivia and Lucy as babies.
Olivia the rat peeking out to say hello.

Wasn't she adorable?

After her surgery.

My rats are together again. . .somewhere over the Rainbow Bridge.

Monday, February 2, 2009 - Update

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes. . .I had a great birthday. I think my favorite gift was watching Olivia push her walker all by herself. Well, and the 13 hours of sleep followed by 12 hours of sleep wasn't too shabby either. And, the fact that I have a birthday massage in about an hour. Ryan took one of his vacation days today to give me a relaxing 3 day weekend. . .how nice is that? Olivia, however, woke up around 5:45 am and I decided to bring her into bed with us. I don't know how people sleep with their children. Olivia likes to sleep sideways and try to push me out of bed. . .nothing like having a heel jammed into your eyeball first thing in the morning. We're all a little less cranky when we sleep in our own beds.

I'm surprised, however, that she got to sleep at all last night. She was bouncing off the walls and running around the house squealing. I don't know if it was because she got to see grandma and grandpa yesterday or if it was because of her late afternoon nap. More than likely it was the fact that she decided to drink out of daddy's cup last night and discovered that she loved Mountain Dew. I think she might bypass the sippy cup and straw and go straight to a cup. We just have to get her to drink things other than Mountain Dew.

Birthday Brain Busters

Ready to eat!
Hi dad.

Mom thought I would sit still for a picture. . how silly of her.

I got a Valentines Day present from grandma and grandpa!

Thanks aunt Shelley for the cool shades!

Today is my wife's birthday!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JODI!!! I am truly blessed to have married such a wonderful woman. Growing up, I was always taught that it is impolite to tell other people someone's age. Because of that, I will not be sharing with everyone how old that she is today. Instead, I thought that it might be fun for you, our loyal blog readers, to play a few birthday games and answer a few birthday riddles. So here we go!

Game #1: Word Search

Hidden in block of letters below are words that have to do with Jodi's birthday. How many can you find?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOTHIRTYONEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Game #2: Scramble
Below are some letters from a word that has to do with Jodi's birthday that have been scrambled together. See if you can unscramble the letters to figure out the word.

THIRTYOEN

Game #3: Riddle
Can you answer the following birthday riddle?

Frank, Sue, and Jodi were all born on the same day of the same year. Frank's age is equal to one times Sue's Age. Jodi's age is equal to Frank's age divided by one. Sue's age is 31. How old is Jodi?

Game #4: Math Riddle

See if you can figure out this math riddle.

The sum of the two numbers is Jodi's age are equal to 4. Neither of the numbers in Jodi's age are 0 or 4. The two numbers in Jodi's age are not the same number. Jodi is old enough to vote. How old is Jodi?

Olivia's New Favorite Toy

Friday, January 30, 2009 - Update

When Olivia decides to do something new, she does a bunch of new things all at once. Every day, I cut up strawberries for her and she either chucks them off of her tray or ignores them. Last night, she started eating one and then another and then another. For lunch today, she had more strawberries and some of my pasta. She pulls up on everything and I often find her standing in her crib. She is making all sorts of new sounds and attempted to say Desitin today. Um. . .maybe you could say mama first? Please? She sticks her tongue out at you and was waving to the birds at grandma and grandpa's yesterday. She knows most of the rooms of the house and you only have to tell her once or twice what something is and she'll remember it. Then, if you ask her where it is, she'll lead you right to it. It's amazing! She blows my mind every day.