poor baby :(

Aiden had his 2 month appointment today. He didn't have a very good night last night to begin with, so brining him to the doctor was a chore. He usually likes car rides, but he cried all the way to the hospital. At his appointment the doctor said that he not only has a cold (I already knew that though) but his head is flat on one side. We've noticed him favoring one side, but we've been trying to get him to lay on the other and there is only so much you can really do, if he wants to sleep on his right side, I'm not going to be there every minute turning his head... He has to go to physical therapy. And just our luck, that is what kevin does... so we only have to go to the initial appointment and then Kevin can do the rest. He has tight muscles on his right side, so he doesn't want to turn his head to the left.... Doctor said that if it doesn't straighten out by 4th month appointment that he'll have to wear a helmet.... poor baby. I'm not gonna let that happen! So more tummy time and no bouncer.

Then he had to get shots. 2 shots in one thigh and one in the other, plus some nasty oral stuff. I've never felt so bad in my life! He let out screams I didn't even know he had in him! His little face turned 20 shades of red, and even purple. Then the stupid mean nurse (that she will now be known as whenever we see her) didn't put a bandaid on one leg, and he bled on his sleeper.

So then I dropped him off with Karissa, so I hope he isn't screaming his little head off for her, I wanted to take him and love him all day and give him lots of cuddles, but I had to come home to clean, as Kevin's mom is coming tonight. She'll be staying one night-the store opens March 1st, so they won't be able to come to GF has much. Last time they were in town, I said "oh, don't go downstairs, its so messy, I just haven't had time to...." (she interrupts me) "Yeah, I know I was down there last night"

So I figured the house better be cleaner than it was last time. So now I'm taking a break from cleaning to blog. I have more pics, I'll post them tomorrow.

Tonight we were thinking of going to the movies. Probably the one with Jim Carry "23" of whatever its called. That one looks good. Anyone seen it yet?

This Just In: April makes her final Idol Picks....

For the Girls: Gina Glockson

For the Boys: Chris Sligh

my new favorite song

I love MIKA. I don't know why. Since MTV only plays videos in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, I am just now discovering some new favorite songs and videos.... you know, since I'm UP AT 3am now!

some new pics that i've posted 5 billlion times, and it hasn't worked... so here goes the LAST time I even TRY damnit!

WINNERS!

Kevin has the best luck of anyone I know. This morning when he was driving to work, and listening to our local radio station (a phone interview with Mr. Allan Thick, you know the guy from growing pains... yeah, when you live in ND you take what you can get) and anyway, he heard that the first 25 people to call this 1-800 number would win a prize... so he did.. and he WON. 3 nights, 4 days at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, $250.00 gambling money, 2 tickets to a comedy club, and a free gift certificate to get our vows renewed in the wedding chapel.

I know we're probably gonna have to sit through some lame ass time share presentation... because nothing is free, you know... but thats okay, if it means 3 free nights in one of the newest hotels in Las Vegas... then we'll do it. We have until the end of this year to use it.

Thats our good news. I'd like to CONGRATULATE Amber and Ben! They're having a BABY! I'm so excited for them! And Aiden because he'll have another friend to grow up with. So Congrats, you guys are going to make AWESOME parents!

I have some new pics, of course, but since it takes a year to post them, I'll have to do it when I have more time :)

Later.

Birth Announcement/6 week pics

Hi Ho Hi Ho

Its off to work I go. Tomorrow I return to work. Part of me is excited (back to the "real world" with real people in it) but part of me is feeling guilty, but I hear thats normal for moms that go back to work. Kevin's mom is in town for two days to help give us some sleep before returning to work. Which is VERY helpful, considering that Mr. Aiden decided he doesn't like to sleep. EVER. I called the doctor because the reason he isnt' sleeping is because of his acid reflux. THe meds aren't working as well as we'd like. He still fusses a lot after he eats and crys when he burps or has the hicups (because it burns). He won't sleep long unless he is being held (I blame myself a little for that one)

The doctor said that we just have a very fussy baby, but if we want to, we can try a different medicine for the acid reflux.

So I guess we'll just have to wait it out and go sleepless for a couple of months. Dont get me wrong, I know that babies don't allow much sleep time, but I thought for sure I wouldn't be up from 2:am until 10am with him... I've been up since 2am.... yucky.

SO I don't know how thats going to work when I have to go to work and I haven't slept, but I'm sure we'll figure SOMETHING out. I think Aiden might have to come to bed with us soon. That way he can be cuddled and sleep longer. You can't spoil them so young, can you?

So anyway, I decided that sleep isn't important, and I've come to understand that I need to change my perception that sleep is just for night time, I'll have to sleep when I can during the day... like after work or go to bed at 8:30 and sleep until 2.

Any mommies have any suggestions.

a coupla more pics

Dougs Very Special Day

DOUGS BIRTHDAY BASH

The Cast of Characters: in no particular order.
(and wearing Doug's fun hat, just for fun.)

The Birthday Boy Himself. 27 spankings later.

Doug's Brother Jason
www.lunacypoppa.blogspot.com

Tab

Derek
Derek's Myspace

Karissa


Kevin


Butto (obviously too cool to wear the hat)

me and my Baby's Daddy

Nevermind what Kevin is doing... he's a big dork.



There's lots more pics, but for some reason, blogger won't let me post anymore. I had to do it the slow and painful way being that Hello doesn't work anymore. Maybe more tomorrow :)

a Very Proud Grandpa and Aiden

Hanging with Daddy

Me and Aiden Chillin' He's looking at the lights above us... silly baby.

Aiden enjoying his vibrating bouncer

Generation photo.

Whats new with us you ask?

Well Aiden is 6 weeks old tomorrow! I can't believe it! Sometimes if feels a LOT longer and sometimes it feels like only 2 weeks!

I've been trying to post pictures but it took me FOREVER to figure out that Hello no longer works with Blogger, damn the new version (I'm a REBEL!) So now I have to ad pictures from the blogger dashboard, and we all know how frustrating THAT can be! I'll work on posting new Aiden pics, and Doug's birthday pics. But here's something to read first....

Its been a long two or three weeks! Kevin's mom came and stayed with us two weeks ago and really helped out. She took the night shift with Aiden so a very tired mommy and daddy could get some rest. He was being very very fussy and I noticed that he had a very hard time with gas and he would scream and scream and scream and bunch into a sad little baby ball and then dart his legs out and push and scream and push... and I know gas is normal for babies, but something just wasn't right, plus, his diapers were ALWAYS explosive nasty ones, anyway, being the conserned (anxiety ridden) first time mom that I am, I brought him into the doctor and this is what she said.

He has an allergy to Cow's milk Protien.

meaning that I had to be put on a non-dairy diet for one week to see how his tummy would react. Although we didn't see a BIG impovement, there was improvement. He slept better, and he didn't scream as much. Now, this meant that A.) I could continue a non dairy diet for the next 6 months while breastfeeding or B.) He could be put on a formula.

We oppted for B. I feel kind of bad... okay pretty darn guilty... for not trying to stick with the non dairy diet, but it was really hard, and if I'm on a dairy free diet, Kevin would kind of have to be too, because whats the sense in cooking two different meals? Plus, pumping just isn't feeling that great anymore (do I hear ya ladies?) and since I start work next week, breastfeeding isn't really an option.... so formula it is.

Thing is, it is a special kind of formula... a very expensive kind too. So I feel even MORE guilty for giving up on the non dairy breastmilk.

So we started him on formula, but he still SCREAMED BLOODY MURDER after eating. We're talking SCREAMING... LOUDLY... FOR HOURS! although it wasn't his tummy that seemed to be bothering him. SO I brought him into the doctor's again.

She said he has Acid Reflux. So she gave us Zantac. He also has an eye infection, and a hernia. But the hernia is normal, and the eye infection is already going away with the ointment she gave us. He still screams after he eats, but not as long. He is spitting up more with the formula and I feel really bad for him. He swallows a lot and he doens't like to eat because it hurts. Hopefully the Zantac will start working better, if not, I don't know what we're going to do. If he isn't sleeping (which he doesn't like to do either. Night OR Daytime) he is crying. There isn't much time of him just being calm. He wakes up often when we lay him down (like every 30 minutes most of the time) and we are very lucky when we can get him to sleep in 2 hour chunks.

Karissa has been a HUGE help and has come over with Isabella a coupla times to sit with Aiden while I sleep or do whatever.

We went to DL for Doug's Golden Birthday! It was a BLAST. It was nice to get out and about with adults and have fun. My mom and Alicia watched Aiden. THANK YOU VERY MUCH GUYS!

So that has been our last couple of weeks. Crazy, but we're hanging in there.

Another twist in the plot, makes me feel like a wanted woman.

So Jan stopped by the house today (my boss at the hotel). Seems she is working on getting me a raise. She attempted to talk to the head honchos into giving me an assistant manager position (that position doesn't actually exist right now they'd have to make it for me) and they said NO. But then after some begging, negotiating and ball grabbing, they worked out this plan: Tharaldson has what they call a STEP program. This is where they train people to be Hotel managers. It is a salary position and I'd be making enough to very much consider it. So... here is why I like working at the hotel...

With this new position I'd only be on the desk about 3 times a week, the rest would be doing other more "manager" like things. Perhaps even working from home some days.

I love my coworkers.

Days go by very very fast most of the time because there is always SOMETHING going on.

I get to be on my feet, and not stuck on my butt in a chair staring at the computer screen.

When I say "I'm a people person" I actually MEAN it. I may not LIKE it all the time, but I'm good with working with the general public. Well, at least I think i'm good at it.

I'd be done with work by 3pm most days. Which is nice because then it feels like you still have most of your day left.

I'm good at my job, and doing this STEP program will help me be better and I'll learn more, which I didn't even know I wanted to do until now.

I like being one of the people "in charge" I like people asking me questons, I like telling people what to do (even though I really don't that often) and taking the OTHER job would mean I'd have to start from ground zero. I'd have bosses.

Theres a million other things too. Deep down I think I've made up my mind. I want to stay working at the hotel. I know its not what I pictured myself doing when I'm 25, but then again, I guess I never really had a "picture" of anything when I'm 25 in my head. I know I'm not making millions at the hotel. But I like working there a lot. And you gotta do what makes you happy, right? As for the whole degree thing... I didn't take those classes to get a degree in Graphic Design, I took them to get a degree in photography. I think if this job had anything to do with photogrpahy- then I would leave the hotel in a heart beat. But I dont' know if I'd like sitting in front of a computer all day, filling in templates with predetermained graphics. I'm going to call them now, and turn down the interview.

I would have gone to the interview, if Jan hadn't come by and offered me this Manager training position. I'll be making more money at the hotel now, and thats hard to argue with, but part of me still wonders if I'd be any good at that graphics job. If I sucked and hated that job, I'd really be screwed, then I'd hate my job and not be able to go back to the hotel.

Idol Mania and other LIfe altering decisions

Putting the baby talk on hold... its that time of year again folks... its AMERICAN IDOL TIME!!!! Tonight was the season premere (2 hour special). They were in Minneapolis, MN. and wow, there was no talent there. 17 people advanced to Hollywood. 17 out of 10,000. But it was still fun to watch. Tomorrow we get to watch tryouts in Seattle.

And so the Idol Mania starts again for the next 4 months. I'll try not to bog down my blog with Idol and Aiden. (can't promise the Aiden part though).
I'm disappointed that Taylor Hicks isn't as big as he could have been, but I'm happy to see that Chris Daughtry moved on to big things, I love his new song, and hope that his band gets bigger.

Oh, and a call out of the blue today knocked me off my toes. We were leaving for Aidens doctors appointment today and my phone rang. I usually don't answer restricted numbers, but I was feeling lucky, so I did anyway. It was Acme Electric (Tool Crib). You know the place I applied for A YEAR AGO for the graphic designer position??!! Welll, they want to interview me again! A year later. They kept my application for a year. Who does that?

I told her basically that I don't know if I want to interview right now, I asked if I could think about it and call her tomorrow. I told her I'm on maternity leave from my other job, and that this is so out of the blue that I'd have to consider even applying again.

Now, If I was a smart girl, which I think I am, I could use this opportunity to get a raise at my current job. But since I work for a bunch of tight wads who crunch numbers to a half a penny, I dont' know if it is even worth bringing up. But if I interview and actually GET this job, that would be awesome too. I'm sure I'd be making more than peanuts, and I wouldn't mind the extra 2 hours of sleep in the morning. It doesn't hurt to interview I guess. But if they were to offer me the position, then what? I love my job, I wasn't even thinking of leaving. But my job at the hotel is hardly a career (especially since getting a raise is like pulling all your teeth out with a dull edge of a ice skate, like in Castaway) and this job would at least make me feel like I went to school for SOMETHING. But I'm so rusty with the software, is it even worh my time going in there, I may make myself look real stupid because I honestly don't remember most of the stuff I learned on those programs.... nothing I couldn't re-learn I guess.

ARG!! I don't know what to DOOOOO!!!

Uh oh... baby is awake... parenthood calls.

A Late Congrats to Em and the new member of her family.

In all my baby excitment, I've forgotten to mention that Em had her second boy on December 27th. His name is Jordan James. Jordan and Aiden are only 5 days apart! So congrats Em and Jeremy! I cant wait to meet him!

This is their second son, Kruz turned 3 on December 30th. Wow 2 birthdays right near Christmas... you seriously gotta plan the next one a little better, Em!

Excited about dinner. 

Grandma and Aiden