Gave my Cruise money to American Fork Hospital

Well, it is a good thing I love my new little nugget because I am going to have to give my vacation fund to the local hospital to pay for the two nights that McKenna just stayed there.

She got a fever on Sunday, and we were off to the ER. Poor thing was moaning and groaning like an old man with a hernia. She didn't want to be touched or moved, and her little face was all scrunched and angry. It broke my heart. Her fever was only 100.0 or so when we took her in, but we felt like it was cruel to let her lay there in plain like that. By the time we got to the ER, her fever was up to 101.5. That is serious yikes territory for a three week old. We were glad we chose to go, but they really put her through the ringer with tests to make sure she did not have a bacterial infection that could be fatal if untreated. Everything was negative. If something small had been positive, we could have come home a long time ago. But with no answers, they just kept looking for infections and treating her for the worst case scenario.

It was a rough few days. I'm very sleepy. And I feel like I need to get to know my baby all over again. I didn't get to hold and cuddle her very much while she was all hooked up to the machines, and she almost never nursed. Cuddling with the breast pump just is not as bonding. I also have a lot of laundry to do because I want to deep clean everything that went to the hospital. Also, the cookies I made before we left on Sunday are gone. Who ate them?

I did have to regulate a little on the hospital staff. There were a few times when McKenna's oxygen levels dropped into dangerous territory, and NO ONE was watching her monitors. Well, I was ... but they don't pay me ... I pay them. She was on oxygen for a few hours last night, and then when her levels dropped again this morning, the nurse didn't even know she'd been on oxygen the night before. Ah, hello? Could someone read my babies chart, please? So, of course, I filed a very kind and well-stated complaint with the hospital. I also made it clear that I will not be paying for any nursing care that I had to ask for more than once. Kill them with kindness, my mom always said. Oh, I plan to.

Quinn has been passed from friend to family and back again since Sunday. I've only seen her for about one hour a day. She's acting all funny again, so it might take a few days for her to go back to normal too. I guess that's life. I was really surprised though because when I was hanging out with her for a few minutes yesterday, she seemed to know exactly what was going on.

"Where's mommy been? " "With Kenna"
"Who is coming over next?" "Paige and Breee dget (Bridget)"
"Why does mommy have to stay with Kenna?" "Ummmmm Sick"

She also told me today in the car that her new baby doll is "pretty."

So, that is what has been happening to us. Tim and I decided that things like this only have to be as dramatic as we want them to be. There is nothing enately dramatic about the hospital. People just make it a big deal. We just did what we had to do to make sure our Kenna was OK. There were a few moments that I was scared. I did start swearing when her oxygen levels dropped this morning, but for the most part we just rolled with it. My favorite nurse, Janice, said I was one of the calmest and most relaxed mom's she'd ever had with a baby patient. Yeah for me and yeah for our family. We'll all be back home together in a few hours.

Post Script: I was also really proud of my husband on Sunday night. After he went home to get some rest, he called to say he was coming back to give McKenna a priesthood blessing. This is a special and important thing we do in our church, and one time to do it is when someone is sick. We don't use Tim's priesthood nearly enough in our house. It is both of our faults. I never ask. So, I was really proud when he took the initiative to come back and bless the baby. And I loved hearing his blessing because it didn't sound like him. It sounded like someone who was being truly inspired. The words were not words he would normally choose. I more thoughts about it, but they are just for me. :)

She Plays!

Amen! Quinn was watching a show upstairs, and then told me, "My Doggie downstairs." I said, "Yup, you should go get it." She marched downstairs 20 minutes ago and has not come back. I can hear her playing in her room. She's moving all the toys around, and I can hear her say, "Cho, Cho!" It is a miracle. I thought she would never play down there. My life just got a lot easier. So happy.

6 years

(Walking to a Devo at the BY in early 2003)

We celebrated 6 years of marriage yesterday. Tim got off work a few hours early, I pumped some milk, we got a sitter and away we were. We were both tired, but our one night out a year is not something either of us is willing to give up. We hit Macaroni Grill and ordered all the food we wanted. We also got free chocolate cake. You all know I love free stuff AND chocolate, so imagine my delight. right?

We took a long drive after dinner, stopped at the store to buy Sunday dinner, and headed home to our happy girlies. McKenna didn't drink her bottle because we weren't gone much longer than 3 hours, and Quinn was content in her bed for the night.

Tim and I missed our first anniversary because he was on a fishing trip with my dad. I was worried that this would set a bad habit for us and that we would never really do much in memory of our big day. But this is not so. Well we never do "much"... but we always do something. And we always really enjoy each others' company. It's nice to have times when you focus on your marriage and remember why it is all worth it and pretty wonderful.

It is hard not to talk about the kids when we're out. One highlight of the night was when I picked up the crayons at the table and asked what I should draw. Tim did not skip a beat, "Cowor 'O'" which is what Quinn says all day long!!! Loved it.

We tried to take a ride on the Sundance Ski lift, but it was closed. We have done that before on our Anniversary. It was in 2006, and it is one of my favorite years because we were already pregnant with Quinn but didn't find out until a few days later. I think I love that year because even though we had been dealing with so many trials to get pregnant, we had a wonderful night together. It just adds to it that our angel was already on the way.

(Sundance Ski Lift, June 27, 2006)

Play Together

To say the least, Quinn and I have not really felt very bonded together lately. It makes me sad in general, but then I get really mad when she doesn't listen to me.

Anyway, yesterday we went to the park in the late afternoon. After awhile, no one was there. It was just the two of us. So, I let McKenna sleep it out by a park bench, and I went for it on the slides with Quinn. She laughed her head off as I chased her or as I got stuck on the way too small equipment. When it was time to go, she came willingly, and for the most part she has been a great listener ever since. We've had our moments, but there have been way more good than bad.

Someone once told me that the secret to mending behavior problems (especially new baby induced problems) is to play with your child. Get on the floor, get dirty, play the games, sing the songs. I am normally not very good at this. But it seems to work. And it's fun if you let your heart get into it. I'm going to try it more often.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

So it turns out that having a baby in June is a great idea for a TV junkie. I had a hard time taking naps during the toughest part of my pregnancy because there was always a show to watch. As much as I needed the sleep, I was convinced I also NEEDED my shows, and Quinn'ss naps were the perfect time for me to squeeze them all in.

However, all the shows are on summer break, and I am so tired from being up nursing in the night that I would now NEVER dream of missing a nap. It took me a few days after McKenna was born to get fully in the swing of monster naps, but now I got it.

I run Quinn ragged with a fun activity all morning, and then at about 1 or 2 she watches a show while I feed the baby. Then I put Quinn down, then McKenna down, and then MYSELF down. We all sleep at least 2 hours, and it is heaven. I feel a little drunk when I wake up, but it makes all the difference during the night time routine.

Amen for my shows taking a vacation. I take my TV characters and friends pretty seriously, so if the episodes were piling up on my TIVO or on the Internet, I doubt I would be able to sleep. I haven't even watched one thing aside from my daily dose of Friends since I had the baby. Last night we finally rented a movie because that is a fond memory I have of when Quinn was a newborn -- watching movies with my man. It was nice, but I was so happy to get in bed.

So, again, I say that June is the perfect time to have a baby.

Maybe I'll do it again next year.

Us loving her

All these pictures seem old now that Avery McKenna is 9 pounds and growing! But I think they are classic and show how much McKenna has affected us already. We really love her. Even Kristie Quinn is rolling back to normal. This morning she pulled up a chair to my rocker while I fed McKenna and just sat there with me.



Quinn has really picked up a love for dolls since right before the birth. She spent the last two weeks wrapping, burping and nursing her new babydoll that Grammy brought her. She also loves to steel my bobby pillow. It is a good thing that we got a second one as a gift!



And of course Tim is a great dad. He has had to work a ton since McKenna got here, but he was a midnight champ for those first few days. With Quinn I used to nag him all the time to sit with me in the nursary while I nurse. This time there is so much going on that I do not have time to nag him. Instead I tried to shut my eyes while I nurse.

A Great Day

First babysister for McKenna, first time falling asleep on her own, cutest outfit ever ... and I read a book.

I do not know why, but I am very proud of the day I had today.

• 5:45 a.m. -- McKenna wakes up for first morning feeding.
• 6:15 a.m. -- I dress up McKenna in the cutest outfit yet.
• 6:30 a.m. -- I put McKenna down for a nap.
• 7:00 a.m. -- McKenna falls asleep after crying just a little bit in her crib. Yeah, McKenna!!!
• 7:00 a.m. -- I finish reading Babywise in a quiet house.
• 7:30 a.m. -- I get the diaper bag, Quinn's clothes, breakfast, and myself ready for the day.
• 8:00 a.m. -- I make several trips to the car to make sure everything is ready for us to go after Quinn wakes up.
• 8:05 a.m. -- Still making trips to the car.
• 8:10 a.m. -- I wake up Quinn and carry her to the potty and then to the car. Her oatmeal was waiting there for her.
• 8:12 a.m. -- I transfer McKenna to the carseat and get her in the car.
• 8:15 a.m. -- I pull out of the driveway and call my sister to praise her for being a supermom who has to get all her stuff and two kids to the car in one trip because she lives in an apartment.
• 8:45 a.m -- We arrive at Heidi and Mae's house, and I nurse McKenna.
• 9:20 a.m. -- I leave both girls with Heidi and head to the best Chiropractor ever. I was late.
• 10:30 a.m. -- I pull up to Heidi's house and see her doing chores with my new angel asleep in the cutest baby sling ever.
• 10:45 a.m. -- I pack up the kids and head to Bridget's house after dropping Heidi and Mae off at Heidi's car.
• 11:00 a.m. -- We roll up to Bridget's new horribly ghetto temporary apartment.
• 11:01 a.m. -- We commit to a a few hours with Bridget to hopefully make the pain for the Ghetto-ness subside for a little bit.
• 11:15 a.m. -- I fed McKenna.
• Noon -- McKenna goes down for a nap, but is in and out of sleep of an hour and half.
• 12:30 p.m. -- Quinn asks to go Pee-pee in the potty (as she also did at Heidi's) even though she is wearing pull ups and we never talk about the potty anymore because I am tired.
• 1:45 p.m. -- I accept defeat and feed McKenna again.
• 2:30 p.m. -- We roll on home, and I surrender to a day without a nap for me or Quinn.
• 2:35 p.m. -- Quinn falls asleep in the car.
• 3:00 p.m. -- Quinn totally transfers to her crib and settles into a nap perfectly.
• 3:05 p.m. -- I put the car seat in McKenna's crib and head to my own bed.
• 4:40 p.m. -- McKenna wakes me up. No word from Quinn. I've never been this happy in my life. Best nap ever!!
• 5:00 p.m. -- Quinn wakes up.
• 5:15 p.m. -- Dinner.
• 5:45 p.m. -- I start on the mass amounts of dishes that I piled in the sink. (They were spilling out of sink and on to the entire kitchen.)
• 6:30 p.m. -- We all head to Wal-mart to buy Pull Ups and fruit snacks.
• 7:15 p.m. -- We stop at Lindsay's to pick up a breast pump. Quinn get's lost in Lindsay's massive yard. No worries. I found her.
• 7:30 p.m. -- Time to nurse McKenna again, so I settle Quinn down with a show. (She is already in her P.J.'s from this morning!!)
• 8:05 p.m. -- Daddy's home!
• 8:45 p.m. -- I put McKenna down for a nap.
• 9:00 p.m. -- McKenna is asleep and Quinn is mostly on her way to dream land.
• 9:05 p.m. -- I release my stress by writing this here blog post.

A note about my dishes: You might not be the kind of person who searches through her dirty dishes looking for a fork that is clean "enough" to use ... but I am that kind of person. As I looked for my dinner fork tonight, I couldn't help notice that every utencil was covered with the remnense of mint brownie. He, he, he. So I just used one of them to top off the box of brownies, so that will not be a problem tomorrow.

On Becoming Baby Wise

So, I am trying to get all Baby-wised ... again.

The book comes down to this ... babies should eat, then stay awake, then take a nap, then eat again and in that order. Parents are in control. It is OK for babies to cry. Babies need sleep. Parents decided when and how babies sleep. Babies should sleep through the night at about 8 weeks. Lay your baby is their crib when they are still awake.

When I started reading the book again, I thought, "Oh, I guess I didn't really have to apply this stuff last time because Quinn was freakishly perfect." So, I started on page 1 a few days again, so I could read with fresh eyes thinking about my more normal baby this time around.

However, now that I am more than half way through (which is a huge feat since I basically only read one or two pages interrupted at a time), I realize. Quinn was not the freak ... I was. I was DAMN good at applying all the details of the Baby Wise method last time, and it made for a very happy baby. I just forgot that I had taken such an active role in the process. Yeah for me.

It is just discouraging that I not only forgot everything, but also forgot that I did it at all. '

Tomorrow is a new day. We'll see what happens.

Mother of 2 for the past 13 days

So, Quinn is in her bed screaming.

McKenna is in her bed sleeping.

At nap time today the situation was reversed.

Both girls resisted eating their lunch.

Quinn didn't want to go to the Farm this morning when I was all ready to go.

Quinn wanted to go to the Farm this afternoon after it was clear that the rain was never going to stop.

McKenna had on the cutest new outfit today. A pair for pants from the Quinn days, and I newer sweater from a friend.

Quinn had in a raggedy pony tail, but I loved it.

I told Quinn not to throw her bowl of granola off the high chair. She didn't listen.

I told McKenna to only eat every 3 hours. She didn't listen either.

We watched a lot of TV today, drove around the same LDS Temple 3 times on a temple hunt, read books, and cuddled on the couch.

I gave McKenna an unneeded bath just to wake her up so I could keep some false sense of control over her schedule.

Quinn did her first forward roll today and mentioned -- out of the blue -- the two birthday parties that she has on her calendar.

Quinn pooped in the potty twice, and McKenna kept everything contained to her diapers.

I cleaned the whole upstairs, and I'm leaving the downstairs for another day.

The swing was on a lot with either McKenna or a baby doll inside.

I let the day's challenges come, but I didn't invite anyone over, volunteer for extra duties, or do anything else that would make my life harder for no reason when I didn't even get a nap.

Did I mention I didn't even get a nap? And my Quinny is still crying. So the night continues, and so does day 13.

Residual Effects

So now that most of the horrible and painful experiences of pregnancy, delivery and the aftermath are over it is much easier to laugh at the residual side effects that are still lingering or just now popping up.

My favorite is sweating at night. I started to sweat at night in the last few weeks of my pregnancy. I'd wake up after a few hours of sleep covered in my blankets and soaking wet. Many times my first thought was that my water had broken. No such luck. Just sweat.

Well, the night sweats are back, and they have an added bonus that I also got with Quinn -- but, of course, I had forgotten about it like EVERYTHING ELSE. Oh, that maternity veil of mystery!

Anyway, now I wake up after a few hours for the first feeding of the night, and I am soaking wet. It feels like I just got out of the shower, but, of course, the opposite is true. I need to get in. But no time for grooming. My baby is crying. I head to the nursery, feed my angel, and get back in bed.

But now I am wet and tired and under fed and I start to SHIVER like I am crossing the plains in the dead of winter. It was so bad with Quinn that my teeth chattering would wake up Tim multiple times a night. He would get up and put a blanket on me. After a few minutes, I would calm down and fall asleep only to wake up for the next feeding even more wet and colder than the first time.

It has started all over again with McKenna, but as I said, what is not to laugh about?

It's not gross, painful, cruel or 9 months long. It's just sweat and shivers.

Totally doable.

Our Family Now

Based on popular demand here are some pictures of our new angel
and our new family of 4.

My Mom Hops

I had this moment today when I realized that true love of my mother for me and my kids.

I was sitting on the couch, and I gave my mom an "I think Quinn is about to go pee" signal. She jumped into high gear. She asked Quinn if she wanted to hop all the way to the bathroom, and then she started hopping and singing a made-up song about Quinn and jumping. Quinn followed without a clue that she was being conned.

I caught a glimpse of my mom as she turned the corner into the ladies' room. She was smiling, and her new hair cut was flopping as she jumped because her bunny hop was so genuine.

What a woman!

Day 4 as a Family of 4

So far life is changing and transforming pretty well.

Quinn has tough moments, but for the most part she still loves McKenna and is happy to help and just play like normal. And after a 3 days potty training relapse before I left for the hospital, she is back to having no accidents. (Thanks, Grammy) We do all we can to spend quality time with her. Tonight Tim and I left McKenna with Grammy and just took Quinn on a date to get snow cones. Then sometimes at night Quinn will curl up on the rocker and lay across the boppi like a baby. We rock and talk and sing.

Tim and I are getting along great ... and most people who are honest with each other would say that is a big deal. He's been waking up with me in the night to help or keep me company. We're both always tired and a little delirious, which is pretty funny. We've always been good at laughing together. He took two extra days off work, and it is nice to have him around ... especially when he remembers to tell me that he is staying home because he wants more time with me and not because "Well, I really need to mow the lawn."

My mom is here for the week and is a great help. She has been a trouper even though she got sick right after she got here and then cut her hand and had to go get stitches. No complaints from her. I feel like I should be helping her. She also takes great pictures, which is so fun. At the end of the day she'll had me a CD with all the pics from that day. I don't even remember her taking most of them, so it is always a nice surprise. And they are about 10 times better quality than the ones from my camera. (I'm buying a Nikon CoolPics on Monday when I get paid. New baby gift to myself.) And then when she went out shopping while the 4 of us napped today, she came home with the exact diaper bag from Gap that I have been saving for. It is gorgeous. She is gorgeous.

As for McKenna, she is tired. She sleeps most of the time, but she loves to be up for about an hour in the middle of the night. Not ideal, but normal, I guess. My mom used to say that her favorite time of the day with me as a baby was the middle of the night because it was the only time she had with just me. I feel that way a little bit. There are times when I should be rocking McKenna to sleep, but instead I just stare at her or talk to her. I am a lot less anal this time around about feeding schedules and stuff like that. But let me tell you, it has only taken a few days to learn from experience that the Baby Wise system is amazing and makes life so much more easy. I tried winging it for the first few days instead of using the exact system like last time, and it was not cool. I'm going back to a 1) Eat 2) Play 3) sleep ... pattern for McKenna throughout the day. When I feed McKenna and then let her fall right to sleep, she wakes up so mad about an hour later and needs to eat again. But if I get her to stay up for at least a few minutes after the meal, she will eventually fall esleep and stay sleeping until her next meal. I need the breaks. It works for me.

Now the last members of our family that deserve updates are .... boob 1 and boob 2. They have grown so big that they basically deserve there own chairs at the dinner table. I had to search the house last night looking for a bra that would fit. I'm crossing my fingers that this will only be a 3 or 4 day adventure. I bought my current bras in a size smaller when Quinn was born. I am not sure how it is possible that they could be bigger when I am almost 20 pounds lighter than last time. I guess the bright side is that they make my tummy look small ... or at least smaller.

Most of you know I do not care much about my weight and all that Jazz, and that is why I am a bit confused why I am upset at how large I still am. Hello? I just gave birth on Monday. But it is killing me that I have nothing to wear that even covers me. Maybe that is a sign that I should just stay in bed and enjoy my baby. Sweat pants it is.

A New Mom Again

It is not just a catchy phrase in my blog title -- I really do love babies. I am so excited that McKenna is finally here. She is exactly what I pictured and hoped for when I fought for her name for all these months. She's a little bit Quinn and a little bit me with thick dark hair and a love for sleeping. Her voice is soft like her daddy's, but she is not afraid to use it ... only if she really has to. She came fast, nurses great, and looks beautiful wrapped in a handmade quilt. When the nurses comment on her amazing hair and sculpted lips, I just say, "That is how I ordered her. I wanted a little one with a face like my toddler and dark, dark hair." And then I let them know that I put in this order SOOOO long ago that it is only fair that I get what I wanted. With Quinn I told everyone I wanted a little girl that looked like her cousin Drake. Done. Made to order.

Everything about caring for my Avery McKenna is coming back fast. I did forget to burp her the first couple of times she ate, but no one (but all of you) has to know. She eats on a schedule, loves the same passeys as Quinn, and sleeps like an angel who wants her mom to have plenty of time to blog.

It is such a gift to get to hold McKenna and take care of her in the hospital. We didn't have that luxury with Quinn since she was stuck in a level 2 nursery all hooked up to wires for three days. After we had McKenna with us for a few hours yesterday, Tim and I sort of looked at each other like, "What do we do with her now?" Last time every minute of the day was about checking on her, sneaking visitors in to see her, teaching her (and me) to nurse and worrying. It is almost too easy this time around. As I said to my friend in a text a little while ago, "Everything is going so well that it makes me feel ordinary." And as she put it, when it comes to birth, ordinary is perfect.

We'll be heading home tomorrow, and I have a little anxiety about becoming a family of four under one roof. I know it will work out eventually, but I can feel Quinn's confusion, and I sense her coping with the change and possible pain. It breaks my heart. I have guilt about how to have all the right feelings, but you know I am not one to fake it. I plan to allow myself the space to learn and grow and become a new mom to a new family with a new sound. I'll probably mess up a bit, but I guess that is part of being ordinary.

McKenna's Blog

Just wanted to let you all know that McKenna's blog is ready to roll. I mentioned before that it would be in a trial phase for a few weeks. But I have worked out any bugs, and it has taken on a life of its own. It is ready for blog readers and the like.

We'd love for you to come join us at memberoftheband.blogspot.com.

Newborn pictures will be posted at both blogs, but more details and pics will be at this new place, so come check it out.

As for today on Memberoftheband.blogspot.com read about:

• A freak contraction I had last week
• Who is coming to the birth?

Pregnant Morning Rambles

Still counting down my sleepless nights.

It's 5:30 a.m. I am up. Tim has his huge test today; he is not up. How is that fair? Actually, I am really glad he is sleeping because he traditionally a pretty crappy sleeper.

So, I am up. I have had a bowl of cereal. My shoulders hurt, and my right hip especially feels like it is falling off my body.

I had a weird dream last night. Lots of weird dreams. But the only thing I can remember is that in one of them, my best guy friend from high school picked me up in the old Mercedes he used to drive. I was waiting for a ride from someone else, but I was only two blocks from my house. It was starting to rain. I had a pink or purple towel with me, and I left it on the stone wall I was sitting on when I got into Mike's car. I remember worrying about the towel. Mike was mad at one of my neighbors for not picking me up.

The dreams I had when I was pregnant with Quinn were a lot more "fun" (if you get my drift.) Too bad.

So, I have to go to sleep again tonight and Sunday night, and then I am free from the sleep torture of "the last 4 weeks" for -- at the very least-- another year. Still not sure about my plans for angel number 3. The more I get to love my 2 year old, the more I want all the my kids to be at least 2 before the next one joins us. We'll see.

My heels are cracking again, so I guess I'll waste some time today by putting Lanolin on those.

I'd also like to refinish a dresser for Quinn's room. Is that a bit ambitious?

Quinn's new favorite show is called, "Super Why!" It is a reading show. She is so passionate about it that she can not watch it without peeing in her pants. I think she is going to be a better reader than I am. Hopefully, she'll grow into a stronger bladder than mine too.

Bridget and Paige are coming over today to help pass the time. Turns out Bridget will probably be in town this week after all, which makes me so happy. I didn't want her to have to wait several weeks before meeting McKenna. She said the other day that she clearly remembers coming to meet Quinn. Paige was only 2 weeks, so it was a big milestone to leave her and come to the hospital to see me.

And I specifically remember the very moment I got a text from Bridget saying that Paige had arrived. It was a sleepless morning much like this one, and I was delighted to spare my pregnant hips and get out of bed. I raced to Provo to meet her. I love that little P.

Anyone is welcome to call me with an excuse to get out of bed too early tomorrow morning ... especially a good one like that.

With any luck ... I'll be calling you.


P.S. My counsin Shannan's last name is Grumbles. It's my favorite. It makes me laugh. It makes me happy. More hugs and kisses to their newest addition.

It's Go Time

I have an idea! Let's have a baby on Monday.

Ok. Sounds great!

The miracle of modern medicine comes again to save me from the horror that is the last few weeks of pregnancy, and I am ever so grateful.

My parents are flying in on Sunday morning. The Hospital will call on Sunday night to tell me what time to show up on Monday morning. And then the party starts.

Of course I am most excited to meet my baby and add her to our family (and show Quinn that I have not just been full of it for 40 weeks.... there actually is a real McKenna.)

But I am also excited to not have heartburn anymore, to have a reason to eat a whole box of Rainbow Chips Deluxe Cookies, to sleep better and in whatever position I like, to be able to go on long walks, to be a better mom again, to not get so irritated, to get a good back adjustment, to nurse my baby and to fit in the bathtub again.

I'm also excited to sit on the rocking chair in the nursery. I view of the mountains is beautiful from there, and I haven't really enjoyed it since around the time Quinn stopped nursing AND we needed to put a blanket up in the window to block the light during naps. I know I won't have as much time for siting and enjoying it this time around, but I am going to try.

As for saying, "Good Bye" to pregnancy, I will not miss very much this time. I was practically in mourning when I was not pregnant with Quinn anymore. As for this time around, I will miss the passion for cleaning, my Zoloft, my lack of leg hair, the excuse to indulge if I want to, and Quinn rubbing lotion on my belly and talking to McKenna.

Three more sleepless nights. Let the count down begin.

I will post updates on the labor and delivery here. Pictures. ASAP. I already packed my camera cord so I can upload and share.

"I'll be done in about 10 minutes..."

About 7 weeks ago, we ordered new windows for the basement. Then the order got delayed. Then we added to the order ... delaying it more. The whole time I asked if Tim would ever so kindly clean out our window wells, which were covered with planted, weeds, and trash. He said, "That's easy. I'll do it."

Then, about 4 weeks ago the windows finally came in, but we delayed installation because our tax return was late (our fault), and we could not pay for them. I just kept saying things to the person on the phone like, "Oh, wow, this week is so busy, can we push it ... ah ... two weeks?"

So, now the windows are being installed tomorrow. Yesterday, I nicely asked, "Please do not forget to clean out the window wells." I asked nicely several times today. He said, he would do it. At 7:45 p.m., he sat on the couch with his computer. (To his credit, he had been helping me with things around the house and with Quinn all afternoon because I am in so much "discomfort.")

I got a little snappy about the windows, and he got a little snappy back. I cried. Then i put Quinn to bed with her asking, "Mommy, w' happen?" While I was putting her to bed, I heard him scraping at the wells. I knocked at the one he was working on and gave a big wave. "I'll be done in about 10 minutes," he called.

So, if it was such a small job, why didn't he just do it 7 weeks ago (or 5 years ago), so I would think he was all cute and great?

Night Time Panties ... Amen

When we started potty training Quinn, we decided to try day and nighttime training at the same time. Day time has mostly worked out great, but nighttime has been hard as I have mentioned.

I didn't really mind waking up 3-5 times a night to change bedding or take Quinn potty, but I guess it did start to grate on me and probably on Quinn after awhile. She deserves a good night sleep, and so do I.

I had sort of considered how hard life was going to be when I would have to wake up multiple times a night with McKenna and then again with Quinn, but I was just going to to do it.

Well, I got a very loving and very helpful email from cousin Katie that helped me start to see the light. I've decided that Quinn's little bladder just is not ready to hold it all night or wake up on time. Plus, we both need more sleep, and I need fewer reasons to get frustrated with her and life.

So, last night I walked over to a neighbors house and borrowed some "night time panties" (Pull Ups). At first Quinn was not a fan, but eventually she got on board threw on her night time panties and headed to bed.

She woke up at 2:45 happy as a clam to tell me she needed to go potty. We got up, went to bathroom (she didn't actually go), and then ate some strawberries together before heading back to bed. I think she had woken up peeing but then was confused and pleasantly surprised when she wasn't wet. Hence the big smile.

She did it again at 3:45.

She woke up for the morning at 8:30 with a full Pull Up and a dry bed. Amen.

Not sure if it has messed up her day time schedule yet. We'll see.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice and love. I think we have got something here that will make my life better. And Quinn's too.

Yeah, for "night time panties."