Pictures

Hmmm....I'm beginning to notice I'm a horrible picture post-er. I need to get better at that. My problem has 2 root causes.

1. I don't take as many pics now because I don't have as much time on my hands as I used to. Shocking.
2. I've somewhat reverted back to 35mm because if I do all digital, I know I won't get them printed. Proof of this: I STILL have digital pics of Kayden I need to print from his 1st week in the world. Yeah, seriously.....HIS 1ST WEEK ALIVE, people! I have issues: Hi, my name is Leslie and I have a printing problem.

So, I need to make a resolution to print my digital pics AND to post more pics on the blog. Not sure when I'll make that resolution, but at least I've identified I have a problem, right? That's always the first step for progress, so I'd say I'm heading the right direction. I just don't know how quickly I'll get to my destination, is the problem.

Christmas

I know, I know....it's not even Thanksgiving! I can't help it. Christmas is my all time favorite holiday of the year. Thanksgiving is a close 2nd, but Christmas just takes the cake for me because of the Christmas spirit. People are more focused on Christ (although, that should be year round, but that's not for me to judge....so I'm not) and his birth. It's great family time, and just the all around feel in society is so much less self centered and focused on others- people think of others and show more love for one another.

I'm just excited for it to roll around. I'm excited because this will be Bryce's first Christmas with us here on earth. I'm excited because Kayden will appreciate and comprehend so much more this year than in years past. I'm excited because we, as a family, are doing homemade/service gifts this year to allow more love be placed in our gifts rather than focusing on how to support the retail industry. I'm excited because I can help teach my children the story of Christ's birth. I'm excited to help spread the Christmas cheer. I'm just excited....period.

So, Christmas.....ready or not, here I come! I'm ready, I just need to find a way to change the world so it's Christmas all year round.

Thoughts

It's been a long while since I last posted anything. Life has been hectic and crazy, more than usual. I'm just trying to keep up with it all.

Todd and Kayden just returned from a trip to Utah. It was just the two of them and Todd's mother, so Bryce and I sported some quality time together. Since my mother in law was gone - who watches the kids during the day - Bryce stayed with a friend during the day and she was FABULOUS!! It's the 1st time I have EVER had to leave one of my kids with someone other than family. I was nervous, and not because of who I left him with, but because I didn't know how Bryce would do, if he would cause too much trouble, or make it difficult for her to get things done, if we were imposing, etc. Well, it went great. I felt so confident in her abilities that I didn't have to worry throughout the day and when I went to pick him up at the end of the day, he was all smiles and happy as a clam.

It's strange, Kayden and Todd were only gone 4 days, but I have noticed that Kayden is a little different (aside from the fact that Todd buzzed his hair without saying anything/asking me). I think it's moreso how Kayden speaks more than anything, I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something different about him. And it all happened in a short 4 days! Whatever it may be, I'm sure glad to have my boys back! Life just isn't the same without them and it's all better when we're all together as a family. It may be chaotic and hectic, but that's how we function and it works for us. It makes us all happy to be together and that's what's most important.

This blog entry is for you!....

...and you know who you are.

I received this message today: "The Lord wants you to update your blog, Fo' real." (No offense blog readers!). I thought this was hysterical!!

Picture this.......
It's a normal Friday afternoon at work. I'm working away doing my thing when I stop to take a break and check messages on my phone. I read this message and literally burst out laughing (mind you, the office today is eerily quiet). Luckily, no one was really around.

So, for you.....consider this your update! :P

Love you bunches!
(okay, but I will update my blog soon with a real blog entry)

Blessings

On Wednesday, we had a department teambuilding event, which we do annually. It's usually a 3 day event, but this year, we cut it down to 1 and focused on serving. We spent the day at the North Texas Food Bank volunteering our time to help create meal boxes for families, snack bags for children, sort cans, and many other various tasks that I'm not even aware of.

This was an experience like no other. Not because I felt good about giving back to the community, but because I learned just how ignorant I am and what the need is in the community. I knew there were people out there who needed assistance and the Food Bank provides them the help and support they need. What I didn't know about were the facts they shared about how many people they are able to help and who they help. It was shocking and so heartwarming at the same time.

Did you know:
*The North Texas Food Bank serves 13 DFW counties?
*A $1 donation is able to feed 4 people?
*40% of the households served by NTFB feeding programs have at least one employed adult?
*81% of the households served by feeding programs are “food insecure”?
*Amongst NTFB clients, 51% must choose between food or paying utilities; 46% must choose between food or paying for housing; 39% must choose between food, medications, or medical care?
*Each month Member Agency food pantries distribute food to more than 64,000 families and provides more than 540,000 meals and snacks through on-site feeding programs?

These are just a few facts, but there's so much more. I encourage you to take the time and visit their site to learn more. I have learned what I need to do in order to make a difference.

Please visit their site http://ntfb.org/index.cfm to learn more and see how you can make a difference.

Growing up

Bryce is growing up. He's moving on to rice cereal. Todd wanted to try it a few weeks ago. We did. Bryce spit it out. I wanted to get him full last night because he seems to be hungry at 4a, so I tried again. Lo and behold....he ate it and did REALLY well. No spitting it out, good use of the tongue to swallow the rice cereal, no horrible faces, it was all good.

Way to go "Ricey"! We love that you're growing but so sad you're growing, too.

My baby.....

is a baby no more. :(

My sweet Kayden is 3! To my sweetest little boy. My boy who refers to himself in third person, the boy who loves to run around without his pants off but prefers to be buck naked, the boy who loves to cover himself in baby powder till he's baby powder white, the boy who loves to give me long kisses, the boy who is sure to thank Heavenly Father for Mommy, Daddy, Kayden and Ricey every night in his prayers. The boy who teaches me that no matter what, you should love one another unconditionally. The boy who brings such a smile to my face and makes my heart melt.

This boy is 3. Oh how I love him.

Happy birthday sweet, sweet, Kayden!

Friends

I'm sitting here tonight studying. Todd ran out to get some cold medicine for him and to get gas (so many jokes....but I'll refrain. There's my immaturity speaking out). He leaves...a couple minutes later, he walks back in with a box from........

Claim Jumper!

I have seen this box many a times......and by many, I mean MANY. So I instantly knew what it was. And let me tell you, it couldn't have come at a better time.

By now, you may be asking yourself, "What is in this box she speaks of?" Okay, maybe not that exactly, but perhaps something to this effect. Well, this box contains only THE BEST chocolate cake ever! It's not the best because it's fudgey (is that even a word?), moist, decadent, chocolatey (again, is that a word?), best tasting cake in the world. Okay, those things don't hurt. It's the best because it's a whopping 6 layers!!!! I admit, in the 5 minutes I've had it, I've eaten the top layer.

Every time I eat this I envision the scene from Pollyanna (one of the greatest movies of all time....aside from Anne of Avonlea/Greengables or My Fair Lady - but that's another post for another day) where she's at the local fair eating that monstrous piece of cake the cook made. And for some reason, this all just brings a smile to my face and makes all right in the world.

This is how powerful this cake is for me. Who knew?!

But really.....this post is to good friends. The ones who know how much we (b/c this cake is really for both Todd and I. I do admit, he doesn't get as much of it as I get. Oops! Thanks, Todd for sharing!) love this cake. The ones who always make it a point to go to Claim Jumper when they go home to Cali. The ones who will stop by at 11p at night after they have had a long day driving or flying to get back home. The ones who know just when we need this delicious piece of baking goodness.

So to you, THANK YOU!!!!

Have you ever?

Have you ever found yourself so tired that you don't know how to you got dressed in the morning, how you got to work, etc?

I guess that was me today b/c I just reazlied that I had 2 different earrings on. I could have sworn that I pulled the same 2 out, but alas, I didn't. One was green and one was amber....and completely different styles.

Not sure what I was thinking when I got dressed. It's a wonder that I even got my clothes on right side out.

Ahhh...the joys of parenthood. But- at least I showered. :)

Merely an observation

Can I just say that organic yogurt has a really weird consistency. It's almost slimey/gooey. It's really weird, and nearly unappetizing.

I normally don't buy organic anything, but I wanted some granola with yogurt and I found some granola that was organic (that was the only kind I could find at Walmart and I didn't want to go hunting or all the way in to Sprouts/Whole Foods/Central Market just for this) so I thought, what the hey, the granola is organic, so I'll just get organic yogurt to go with it.

I do admit, it's really yummy, but not sure if it tastes any different. At least I know.

Update

Things have been going for us here in TX.

Kayden got sick (thought to be allergies, but probably not) but is now pretty much over it. But now, Bryce is sick. Poor little one. He has a stuffy and runny nose, sneezes, coughs, and is hoarse. No fever, so we're good there. It's cute though (in a sad sort of way) when he talks because he's so hoarse.

So, between the two of them, it's been fun. Not horrible, just busy.

But Bryce has now discovered his thumb. He was never really a binky boy, so this is what we get. He loves his hands. He sucks on them, sucks on his fingers, etc, so it was bound to happen that he would discover the joys of just that one finger - the thumb. He will take a binky now, but I think it's just more convenient for him to use his thumb b/c it's always there. We were in Wal-Mart one day and about to walk out the door when he snuggled in to me: nestled his head in to my shoulder, relaxed his body, and found his little thumb. Literally, less than a minute later.....he was out cold.

I probably should be more diligent about taking his hands/thumb out of his mouth, but I'm not - for whatever reason. It could be worse, I guess.

Other than that, we just enjoyed a nice day yesterday with family. Had a BBQ dinner, and ferociously cleaned the house. There's still more cleaning, but at least we made a pretty good dent in it.

There's the Anderson happenings for the past week. Pretty uneventful, eh? That's how we like it!

Are you kidding me?

This is how my day starts - just had to share.

I wake up at 5a and get ready for work. Bryce starts stirring at 545a, so I change his diaper and feed him. He eats. I pick him up to burp him and get a couple pats in before he spits up all over me, the rocking chair, and the carpet. I'm covered in spit up on my arm, my front side, my back, and my boo-tay (and a little in my hair).

We were running late already, so this just set us back another 25 minutes as I cleaned up and put in a load of darks.

Hopefully, this is not indicative of how my day will go today.

Many thanks

Yesterday as we were driving home from work, Todd and I saw a man on the side of the road (close to a busy intersection) with a sign reading "I need a job". Our hearts sank as we both saw that. We couldn't believe it had come to that point for him but thought that at least he was doing that instead of just trying to get handouts. That might net him something - you never know.

Well, we drove for a second and talked about it and then decided to turn around to talk to him to see if we could help. We didn't have a job for him, but knew we could refer him to the LDS Employment center close by and thought maybe we could keep our eyes out for a job for him, get contact information, etc.

We chatted with him and gave him the information and drove away. After that experience, it made us both even more grateful for the jobs we have and the situation we're in. We always think we have it hard, but then you learn of someone else's situation which makes you gain perspective and appreciate what you do have.

We have been blessed in so many ways and easily take it for granted. Hopefully, this will experience will help us keep that perspective of gratitude and appreciation.

A day of fun

Here at work we have a day of just team building. We've been trying to get this planned for a couple weeks now and it all just came together on Monday (our team day was on Tuesday.....we're procrastinators). In the end, we decided to go ziplining. I have never been and didn't even know think this would be something available here in TX, but after some research, found that this does in fact exist here.

It was so much fun! I was very hesitant at first....after getting up to the first line. I took a deep breath, let my feet go beneath me and off I went. What a BLAST!!!!

We all had a wonderful time and I think really built our team (as we all were very supportive of each other- to get each other to go). But, by the end of it all we were exhausted. It was all worth it.

If you're considering this, check out ziptheusa in Canton, TX. They also said they're adding another line soon to zipline over a man made lake (to be built in the future), night ziplining, and a Zorbe coming next summer. I can't wait for the Zorbe!

Freedom!!!!

....for a couple hours at least.

Since having Bryce, I don't really get time to myself. Granted, I expected this, but it doesn't hurt to wish/hope for it, does it??

Well, my time FINALLY came on Saturday when I was able to go out to lunch with a high school friend. (I had the boys and went grocery shopping that morning with them while Todd was at a service project. I was really looking forward to lunch by the time I was done with it all.) I was kid-less and husband-less. Not that I don't love them dearly - because I do!! - but it's nice to just get out with no one in tow and relax/unwind/enjoy the time/be free and independent. It was so enjoyable. I was only gone a couple hours, but hey, that's a couple more hours than none at all, so I'll take it!

Well, I guess I had my alone time so Todd wanted some of his own. He ended up going out to the 10p showing of GI Joe, which sucked, according to him.

While I was gone, the kids were asleep - so not too much work there for Todd. When Todd left, both boys were still awake and showed no signs of fatigue. So, I put in Monsters, Inc. for Kayden because he's been wanting to watch it. Then popped some popcorn for us and sat down with Bryce and Kayden and vegged. Kayden watched the whole thing from start to finish without losing interest. That doesn't happen very often, but I think it was because this was the 1st time he saw it.

Anyway - it was a nice, little, sort of family night. Then, the movie ended so I put Kayden to bed and then fed Bryce and put him down. Once everyone else was taken care of, I quickly got ready and hopped in bed. I was pooped and not feeling so great, so the nice, comfy bed was very welcomed.

All in all, the freedom was nice, but family is the best!!! (Although, I still want some tastes of freedom from time to time.)

For the love of Pete!

Kayden's new thing the past couple days has been "Why?" To every answer we give him is his question of "Why?"

One such conversation with his 13 year old aunt:
I forget what the topic was, but she have him the answer, then this ensued.
Kayden: Why?
Aunt: Because
Kayden: Why?
Aunt: Because
Kayden: Why?
Aunt: Because
Kayden: Why?
Aunt: Because
Kayden: Oh!!! Okay.
End of conversation.

I asked him last night where he learned this. His response, "I don't know." Great. Well, whoever taught him this, BEWARE!!!! This is quickly growing old and once I find out who you are, I'll be after you to make your life as inquisitive as mine! Unless he learned this from TV, then I'm just out of luck.

Everyone's doing it

Not that!....Couponing. The noun has now become a verb. Who knew?!

I've been doing it for a little bit and am slowly getting the hang of it. It just takes time, and I don't have much of that these days. But, since I want to save my family some moolah, I make the time.

A coworker of mine's wife got me started (A Frugal Friend - see my button for her on the right). She started doing this to save money while she stays home with her little one. Now, she's really good at it and is getting to be very well known in the coupon blogging world. Since she is so skilled and knows how important it is to save money in this day and age, she is kind enough to share her knowledge with us through her blog.

Through my experiences, I've come to learn that couponing is pretty fun, in a weird way. I will say, there is some sense of gratification when you walk out of that store with $75 worth of groceries and you only paid $30 or $40 for it.

Now, when I go out, I hate paying for anything full price because I forgot my coupons. I'm still perfecting my system and knowing when to use coupons, but I think I'm getting there.

I'm trying out a new thing called thegrocerygame.com. They have a free 4 week trial going on right now to see if it's something that works for you. I just started it today, so we'll see how this works. Hey, it's free, so why not give it a try? 4 weeks should be plenty to allow you to figure out if this will work for you or not.

Wish me luck and I continue in my coupon experience. Have you thought about beginning yours?

I can't leave him alone for one minute!

...but that's a good thing. Bryce is growing and changing day by day. Since about 2 1/2 to 3 months, he's been able to roll from him back to his stomach. He doesn't enjoy tummy time, but we get a little bit in there every day. Last night, we were on the ground and he was on his stomach and he rolled from his stomach to his back for for the first time...and did it again today. So, he's learning. Being able to roll now means I really can't leave him alone.
It's so great to see him grow though. He's smiling, laughing, talking, and kicking (he's kicking me right now, in fact).
I do have some updated pics, but I haven't downloaded/uploaded them yet. I'll get those up for you to see.
Also, Kayden is enjoying being a big brother. Whenever Bryce is crying, Kayden is the first to run over there to console him: "Ricey, Ricey" (said in a very calming voice and patting him on the tummy). It's great.
On a side note, I have some updated pics of Kayden, too. He and Todd were outside playing...so I'll get those up, too.
In the mean time, it's one eye on Bryce at all time, now! How time flies!!

A parent to one

We are without Kayden this weekend. I have to say, I didn't think it would be this hard! I haven't really been without him in his nearly 3 years of life. The nights I've been away from him (aside from me being in the hospital with Bryce) have been few and far between and can probably be counted on one hand.
This weekend my parents went up to visit my sister and I wasn't able to make it so my parents offered to take him up with them since he wanted to go. He stayed with my folks last night due to their morning flight today and won't be back till Sunday!
Last night was odd picking Bryce up from my mother-in-law's because there was no Kayden noise. He didn't come greet us when we got there, he wasn't there to play with his toys, he wasn't there running around and talking, he wasn't there to call for us from upstairs - nothing. I miss the little guy.
In a 12 hour time span, I've talked to him twice, and that's still not enough. Hopefully this weekend will fly by so I can have my little man back with me. Don't get me wrong, I love Bryce, but I love having both my little ones around.
Until then, Todd and I are parents to just one. It's a little odd because we have all this freedom and we probably don't know what to do with it.

Bryce 07/07/09 (12 photos), by Leslie Anderson

I put an album up on snapfish.com. Go here to see. These are the latest and greatest of Bryce. They're actually recent - taken in the past week or so. He has changed so much. it's fun to see how he is growing. Enjoy!

A quickie

Just a quick note to say we are still alive. I have more pics and updates on what we've been up to, but I'm back at work, so I don't necessarily have the time right now. More will come soon. I'm sure everyone is waiting on the edge of their seats for this. Okay, not really, but make me feel good.

Utah BFF's

We went to Utah to visit family. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see any of mine (sorry Utah fam!), but maybe another time. We go up there frequently...which is good.

It was a great time - other than the fact that I froze. It was cold up there. It rained, which I loved, which made it cool off. I was glad to return to the Texas heat.

Kayden hasn't been up there in a while, at least a year, so it was good for him to get up there and "meet" family again. Kimmie, his aunt, is his BFF down here in TX. She had a run for her money up there to maintain that BFF status. She was not pleased with this at alll, to say the least. Kayden's new BFF's now consist of Mary Lou, Darlene, Julie, Cindy, Dave, and James. He couldn't get enough of them! Although, I think Mary Lou was his favorite - no offense! He was her little shadow. They cooked and played and baked and cooked and cooked more together. He was quite the "helper". Thanks, Mary Lou!!


During our time there, Cindy was gracious enough to take pics. Thanks, Cindy!! She got some really great ones of Kayden playing at a park and he even went on the slide! For some reason, with us, he won't go on one. But with her, he gladly climbed up and slid down. I wasn't there, so I didn't get to see it, bummer. Maybe another time.


Darlene, was kind enough to give him a haircut. He did okay, considering. I'm sure it was easier for him that it was for her. He was a wiggle worm. But the haircut looks great! Thanks, Darlene!!


Julie and Dave - we went to dinner at their house one night and this was the first time we met Dave, Julie's new husband. He's great! Kayden found all the sprinklers they had (a new interest) and didn't take long to make himself at home there and climb right up in Dave's lap to get closer to the radio to play his Primary songs. I hope he didn't mind. :) Then Julie ran and played with Kayden, which always gets high marks in his book. Thanks, Julie and Dave!

James - this was all new to him because James is incredible on the piano. James just pounded out songs and Kayden had a blast sitting right there next to him and singing along wit him. I got a couple videos on my phone of this, and Kayden just sits and plays these over and over all day long. He asks me if he can watch the "new James video" and hands me my phone. Thanks, James!

Needless to say, so many new friends. Thanks for the great trip and the wonderful memories, along with all the new BFF's!!

And.....it's all your turns to visit down here now. Miss everyone!!!

Bryce

I just realized that I haven't posted any pics of Bryce up here. I did on Facebook, but completely forgot about the blog. Sorry!

So here are a few.

Slacker

I feel like a slacker these days. My body feels as though I'm not getting enough sleep but my mind thinks I'm getting too much sleep.

The skinny - Bryce and Kayden have not been cooperating these past couple days in regards to their sleep habits. So, I've been up and have been sleeping during the day. I'm usually up and at 'em in the afternoon. Mornings are a little difficult. I feel bad for Kayden b/c he has to entertain himself while I'm zonked (although I fade in and out enought know if he's getting in trouble). I'm sure this is just temporary, but they both need to get it together so I can get it together. (I say that with the most love possible)

Other than that, things are still good. Bryce is growing and eats constantly, or so it seems. Kayden is doing really well with him. We love to see them both grow and change. It's a lot of fun, even when things are crazy.

Hopefully, I won't be a slacker much longer. I think I just need to get a better schedule going for me or something. I'll figure something out. In the mean time, I'm in slacker limbo mode.

Conversations & Jams

Ellen is one of Kayden's favorites - as in Ellen DeGeneres. He isn't taking a nap today (because he woke up at 10a!) so he gets to stay up and watch Ellen with me. He loves this show but never gets to watch due to that pesky nap.

He was waiting in anticipation as the show before ended and Ellen started. It finally started and this conversation ensued:

Me: Ellen's on.
Kayden: Her dance? (he doesn't have the "her" vs "she" grammar down yet)
Me: Not yet. She likes to dance, huh?
Kayden: Like Kayden!

He's not kidding - this kid LOVES to dance! He knows how to shake his little booty, jump, and twirl/spin. He hears a good "jam" and gets his groove on pretty quick.

Thanks to his father, his "jams" now consist of kid friendly songs such as:

Lady Gaga's "Just Dance"
TI's "Whatever You Like"
Justin Timberlake - I don't even know what song(s)

That's all I can think of. But given all that, his all time favorite song is "Book of Mormon Stories". Whew! At least he's a somewhat normal 2 year old...right?

Update

It's been a week and 3 days that we've had the newest addition. I would say that's enough time to get somewhat adjusted and get used to the little guy. He's doing great, as are we. He's a great sleeper - for the most part. I know as soon as I say this things will change - I've just cursed myself. Hopefully, not, but that's just my luck.
It's amazing how different kids can be. It's not a bad thing, and it's not that Kayden was/is a horrible kid, they're just different. Kayden loved keeping us up at all hours of the night for hours on end. He never really liked to sleep - he did, but not a ton - and he was not as laid back as we thought he was.
Bryce, on the other hand. He's a GREAT sleeper. Nothing wakes this guy up, granted, he's still new to the world and used to the noise in the womb, but he's a pretty solid sleeper. That makes it fun for feedings (okay, not really). He's not a cryer, unless he's hungry.
We'll see how things changes as the weeks go on though. Hopefully, we'll get him on a good schedule and get him sleeping through the night MUCH earlier than Kayden (he was more at 8-9 months before that happened. Life pretty much sucked during that time - in regards to getting any form of good sleep).
We all are having a great time and Kayden is doing great. He's interested in Bryce and wants to carry him. Holding doesn't suffice. He kisses him when he goes somewhere and fulfills his brotherly duty by always telling him to "be a good boy" as a reminder. I don't think there's much trouble Bryce can get in to now, but maybe this will be a great piece of advice he'll remember as he grows older. Who knows?
Pics to follow...I'm just a slacker.

Our newest family member

Bryce Masahiro Anderson joined our family on Thursday, 4/23, at 1226p. He weighed in at 8lbs 6ozs, much smaller than any of us thought. Todd has known for most of the pregnancy what the sex was, but was beginning to question whether or not my Dr actually told him the truth (he's a jokester, just like Todd). It turns out, it was the truth, so Todd knew the whole time.

We're very excited for Bryce to finally be here and Kayden is slowly getting to know his "Baby Bryce" (although it comes out sounding more like "Baby rice"). He's actually doing very well with him and gives him kisses and pats his little head and just loves on him, occasionally. Other times, he just ignores him and acts like he's not there. All in all, I think he's taking it very well. We'll see how this week goes though as today is our first day home as an entire family.

Bryce is as sweet as can be and looks so much like Kayden. I don't have any pics right now, but only because I don't know where they're saved and everyone is asleep. As soon as I find them, I'll post them.

It's fun that our little family is growing but so strange to think that at the same time. And, it's strange what new perspective this gives me about Kayden. I always thought of Kayden as my little baby and thought he was so small......that is, until I see him with Bryce. He's a little boy and an older brother. It's weird yet exciting all at the same time. My, how things change!

Baseball, bathrooms, and baby

Odd combo for the title, I know.

We're on our way from home work today and Todd is talking with his sister and we get a Kayden update. Turns out, he's gone the whole day wearing his big boy undies with no accidents - even including during his 2 hour nap! They took him to the potty every 30 minutes and he did wonderful! Well, the day this starts just so happens to be the day of our very first Rough Riders baseball game of the season. Needless to say, not much of the game was watched....by Todd, that is. He was good and took Kayden potty every 30 minutes, except for the last 2 potty trips, which I did (and the last one was on the way out to go home, so I can't really count that one). All in all, Kayden really did well. I'm so proud of him! He's not telling us if he needs to go, but he's at least holding it. We only had 2 accidents, but that's just because he had a lot to drink in those 30 minutes between potty runs. I just have to keep reminding him that we don't tinkle in our big boy undies but on the big boy potty. If I keep reminding him during that 30 minutes, he holds it. So, we'll keep trying this throughout the weekend and see how quickly he takes to this. I hope it's really quick b/c I would love to have him out of diapers - permanently - by the time baby #2 arrives....or somehwere very soon after. I'd rather not have 2 kids in diapers. Ugh, the cost of diapers is outrageous for something they just poop and pee in.

Exactly 1 week from this very minute, we will have mystery baby here with us!! Wow, that just barely occurred to me as I write this post. It's a little scary yet exciting. as the days go by, I find that I am getting more nervous. I can and can't believe that this day is finally here. I feel like I'm having our first baby all over again! I don't know why, but I do. I think I might just be nervous that I'll forget something, whether it's how to nurse, bathe, hold, etc the baby. I don't know, but it's a strange feeling. Oh, how our world will change in 1 week!!....all for the good, of course.

A first for everything

Yesterday's first was Kayden's first dentist appointment. I have been trying to get him in to the dentist since the beginning of March, and finally made it in yesterday. Part of the delay was just due to the busy schedule of the dentist, as she's been recommended by many others, but also Kayden has gotten sick, so I've had to reschedule a couple times.

Considering, Kayden did really well. They cleaned his teeth and did x-rays. He cried, but I think it was moreso that he was scared and scared that he was going to get shots. I can see how he would think that, b/c the dentist often does have a Dr. sort of feel and he has had to get way too many shots in his lifetime with the Dr.

As it turns out, which is why I wanted to get him in ASAP, he has 2 cavities. 1 is really small and will just be a quick filling. The other may not be as quick. Based on the xrays, they say it is lying right on top of the nerve. Because the xrays are only 2d, they cannot tell if it is actually in the nerve. In the event it is, then they'll have to do a "baby root canal" is what they called it. They'll just go in, do a little more invasive work on the cavity, shoot medicine down the nerves so it gets in the root of this baby tooth and down to his permanent tooth, and call it a day. The only thing is that to do all this, they'll give him nitrous oxide, demerol, and a nausea drug (phenegrine or something). It's probably best b/c it makes it easier for them to do this work, otherwise, Kayden would not allow them to do any of this. It's just sad to think that my poor little boy has to have all this done and will be drugged up.

This doesn't happen till June because I'm due next week and the the dentist didn't want to cause any undue stress for me or the baby. I'm not looking forward to this day, but it needs to be done. The positive in all this - at least Kayden isn't complaining that his teeth bother him. He's acting just fine and is doing great.

Just FYI - they said the cavity probably came from him eating fruit snacks. I can understand why because the chewy snack just gets stuck in teeth and the sugar will just sit there and eat away. Instead of fruit snacks, they suggested to just give him chocoloates - M&M's, specifically, because then the chocolate will just dissolve. I should have thought of that, but it just didn't occur to me for some reason. At least I know for baby #2....and for Kayden.

The Weigh In

I had a checkup today and had sonos. We did the head measurements, the thigh bone measurements, the tummy measurements, and then it calculated the weight. From the beginning, I have been hoping that I would have a normal sized baby. Apparently, that's just not in the cards for us - we are cursed with large babies (but a girl can dream, can't she).

As of today, per the measurements, mystery baby's head is reading off the charts (as did Kayden's and that was a reality when he came out.... and to this day is still quite large). The baby is at a development stage equal to that of a 39 week to full term baby (or more - some measurements got up to 42 weeks). As of now, the baby is weighing in at a whopping 8lbs 10ozs.

Given all the facts we have now, I guess we're at a 10lb baby....again. If I'm lucky, maybe we'll have a 9lb'er. Only time will tell - 2 more weeks, to be exact.

Random thoughts

So - not a lot to post about in the And Fam lately. I guess that can be a good thing. We've just been getting ready for the baby, trying to get Kayden better, not getting any motivation to clean the house (I have pile of laundry and dishes that need to be done, a house to vaccuum, a family room to straighten up, and bathrooms to clean - needless to say, it was NOT a productive weekend), and doing a big of yard work. A whirlwind of fun!
4/23 is getting closer and I'm ready. I'm tired of being uncomfortable, of not being able to get up out of a seat/off the floor/out of bed easily, tired of waddling, tired of wearing the same drab clothes, tired of not being able to sleep on my stomach, tired of my stomach getting in the way of the table/counter/or any other surface, and tired of being tired. On the other hand, I'm not sure if I'm ready for how life will be rocked with 2 kids, sleepless nights, c-section recovery, the stress of nursing (we'll see how it goes this round), having a larger family/work/school/church to juggle, and everything else I'm not thinking about.
Nonetheless, don't get me wrong, I'm very excited. I'm just also very nervous. It will all work out though, I have no doubt about that. I have an amazing husband who supports and loves me, we have wonderful family nearby and I know the Lord will bless us and watch over us to help us (especially me) through these times. It's just very scary.

A month of birthdays

April.  You mention that in our house and we all get worn out.  It's a good thing though.  April is just a busy birthday month in the Anderson family.  And with Baby #2 coming, it's going to be one more to add in.

April starts on the 8th with my sister in law's birthday, the 13th with my younger sister in law's birthday, the 18th with Todd's and my Dad's birthdays (yes, on the same day!), then now Baby #2 is set for the 23rd (just set today and so nice to know that I finally have a date set to deliver).  So, every 5 days we're celebrating - at least, we're supposed to.  We've started to just combine birthdays now to make it easier on everyone because we get celebrated and caked out.  Although, cake sounds really good right now.  It's just hard to think of that many gifts in one month.  (And my father in law's birthday is at the end of March, so all the mayhem really starts in March and will not continue through the end of April).  

So, we better get crackin' on getting birthday ideas going.  If you have any gift ideas you'd like to share, please do.  I won't decline.  

Happy birthday month to us.

Babies and gifts

Work threw a wonderful baby shower for Todd and I last week. We aren't finding out what sex the baby is, so it was mainly toys, diapers, gift cards, blankets, and a few clothes (but not much because there isn't much for gender neutral anymore). All so wonderful. The girls at work did a fabulous job putting this together. We are so thankful to have such wonderful friends who are so generous and loving. Baby #2 will be well cared for.

As a thank you for the hostesses, I made these cute notebook covers. They were so easy to make and turned out really cute, or so I think. My sister in law wants one, so we'll go out and pick her fabric and find the right size book for her (she wants a smaller one) and off to sewing I go. I was so proud of my handy work, but I'm really not all that crafty, that I had to take pics and post it. I was really impressed at how well it turned out. I was really worried before I started because I just sew straight lines and the directions to make these were a little confusing. Thanks to the assistance of my mother in law and sister in law, they turned out great. Have a peek!

A Frugal Friend

I follow this blog titled "A Frugal Friend". She is a savvy shopper and enjoys sharing her knowledge with everyone else. If you're interested in ways to save money, check her blog out! She got me started on saving and how to use coupons. I'm no where near as proficient as she and others are, but I'm slowly learning and slowly saving the family money. It's something I enjoy!

Right now, she has a great giveaway with wonderful items for your kids!! Check it out if you can! Go here to check it out. You, too, can have your chance at all these wonderful items, although, I certainly hope you don't check it out for the giveaway so I'll have a better chance at winning. ;)

QT

Not QT the gas station, but just a quick trip up to St. Louis to see my sister and her family. Todd heard of this museum up there called The Magic House made for kids that just has tons and tons of stuff in it. He wanted to take Kayden up before baby #2 came, so we decided to go up over the weekend. It was a lot of fun and the kids loved it! My camera battery died, so I only got a few pics. But it's a great place for kids to learn and get their hands in things. They have science, government, practical learning (grocery store, playhouse, bank, etc), math, slides, mystery solving, and tons of other things. We were so tired by the end of it. If you're ever up there and have young kids, it's definitely a place to look in to.

Kayden saying "Cheese!" as he takes a break from being a cobbler. He had fun with that hammer.

This is a pic of this huge "plant" where the kids can climb up and down it to get up/down to the different floors. It was really cool. Had they allowed adults to climb it, I would have been all over that! And parents, dont' fret. There is a huge wire mesh around the entire thing to ensure there are no accidents. And, everything looked to be secured really well. I mean, there were tons of kids all over this thing and it didn't move - at all. This picture doesn't do it justice.

This is my niece, Emma, and her dad. It was pretty cool to actually let the kids get in there to pull a bubble around them. Emma didn't really know what was going on until the bubble popped.

Kayden playing witht he bubbles. He loved it and even made some domes!

This was pretty cool - just a huge kaleidoscope. It faced an open window with tons of sunlight, so it worked really well. My sister and her other daughter, Maren, were on the other side spinning while Todd holds Kayden to take a peek. Really pretty and really cool.

Pitter Patter

This pic really has nothing to do with the post, but I just thought it was a good one - Kayden loves to say "Cheese!".

I'm working from home today and kept Kayden with me. I put him down for his nap, but all I hear is him running in his room upstairs. I'm sure he's playing with his radio or something.....but definitely not sleeping. Maybe all the running will wear him out enough that he'll decide to close his squinty little eyes and fall asleep.

As I write this, I can him talking. I don't know who he's talking to or what he's saying, but apparently, it's important and crucial to his running. Maybe it helps him run faster, who knows? He's a nut.......and I sure love him!

What's in a name?

Apparently, a lot goes in to a name because Todd and I are having the hardest time thinking of names! Only recently have we started thinking about this. The hardest thing though is that we need to be prepared with names for both a girl or a boy. So far....it's not going well. I keep forgetting we have to start thinking about this (it took us forever to finally get Kayden's name and then we didn't decide on it until 2 days after he was born) and do everything else to get ready. I'm not sure if it's because of my pregnancy brain or if it's just because I haven't been thinking too much period. Who knows. Whatever the case, we have alot to do - names being a priority. We'll see what we come to agree upon - hopefully not Bertha (no offense to any Bertha's out there!).

A Great Giveaway

I've read about this stroller on 2 different blogs and from what I can find, it has great reviews. Todd and I have been looking for a good double stroller - but haven't been able to find one we both like that's good quality within our price range. Well, this meets all our needs (and being free is the best part!).
When you have a chance, take a look at this for your chance to win (not unless I do). It's a cute color, sturdy, functional, and smaller than most double strollers but still providing all the necessary storage room, functionality, etc needed. Not half bad.

http://inevergrewup.net/giveaway-25-bumbleride-indie-stroller/

Good luck!

Turning over a new leaf

In an effort to eat at home more, I've been searching for new recipes and such online. In my search, I came across a woman who plans her meals for the entire month. Realizing that part of my problem was that I didn't know what to cook so I wasn't prepared to cook anything at all, I took on her approach and have planned a menu for the entire month. So far, I'm 2 weeks in to it and it's working great! I have the menu all planned out and on the fridge so it's a reminder that I need to pull the meat out or what not to prepare for the next day. Then also with church early on Sunday, I can get at least 1 meal done for that week and not have to worry about cooking for that one night. I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep this up because it's so great to get home and know that there will be a homecooked meal that night - instead of the proverbial Sonic run (I'm Sonic-ed out!).

Success!

With the new year came a present...from Kayden. We have been trying to get him to go to Nursery at church since he turned 18th months. He was not interested. Well, at the new year, he all of a sudden wants to go. The first Sunday of the year was his first time in Nursery all by himself, without a parent or a grandparent in there. He didn't cry and was in there the whole 2 hours! Last week was the same. It's so great! So, I can go to Primary and not worry about Kayden and Todd can go to Sunday School (anyone seen him in there??) and YM. Then Ma and Pa don't have to worry about taking him either. It's great! I'm so proud of him, and he's having a blast...so it's win-win! Plus, this gives him a chance to play with other kids...and hopefully not pick up any bad habits. We'll see. So far so good.