Tayla's Birthday

I can not believe my baby girl is 7. It's weird that it has actually been that long. I remember the day I found out I was pregnant with her (September 11, 2001, actually) and it doesn't seem that long ago. Yet, at the same time, a LOT has changed. Tayla was the sweetest little baby. She was only 6 lbs when she was born and she has stayed teeny-tiny. Everywhere I went people would ooh and ahh over her and those BIG eyes. Bias or not, she really was a beautiful baby. And she's still as beautiful as ever. She's developing such a big personality. She's every bit a "Girly-Girl", as she calls it. She loves fashion, and is very serious about choosing her clothes. I've already been told in no uncertain terms that my fashion knowledge does not stand up to hers!

Here's my Birthday Interview with Tayla:
What's your Favorite Color? Red
Favorite Food? Mom's Spaghetti
Who's your Best Friend? Bailey (from her class at school)
What's your Favorite Thing to Do? Dance, I mean Sing! Ok, Sing & Dance!
What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? a Teacher
What Grade? First
What's the best thing that happened this year? My Birthday

Tayla celebrated her Birthday on Sunday at Incredible Pizza. She had a blast! I had.. um... stress (they were so unorganized). But all in all it was a great day and the kids really loved it. It's a huge play center with arcades, go-karts, bumper cars, huge buffet and several themed dining rooms. Her favorite part was the Go-Kart race, where she teamed up with Mommy and we won 1st Place!!!

Old School

Well, I wish I had more time to sit down and blog. There are all sorts of things that I would love to blog about, but there's not a lot of free time to sit down at the computer. Computer time must be limited b/c I can't leave Kaden running around the house on his own. There's lots of exciting new stuff happening in the Glass house this week, but I'm sure I'll only have time to tell about a few.
Kenny called me this week while at work and told me that his GI bill would expire in August, so if he didn't enroll in classes before then, he'd lose it. The GI Bill is a wonderful benefit of military service. It will actually pay him monthly income in addition to the actual cost of tuition. You just can't let an opportunity like that go! It's funny b/c he's talked about using his GI bill for years, but we've always been "too busy". I guess we thought life would get less busy than it is in your early 20's as you're just starting out a family? So we were too busy then, but NOW, with a 6 yr old, and a very "high maintenance" 2 yr old and infant, we've got all the time in the world! haha We might be crazy. But I'm happy that he's choosing to do this now. There will never be an easy time to go to school while supporting a family, but if anyone can manage it, Ken can. He's Super Daddy.
And in other big news, Kaden is Potty Trained!!! YAY!!!! This is probably one of the most exciting times in my life! He finally just gets it. Hallelujah. Two kids in diapers is ridiculous. I'm happy to be down to just one. It's certainly streamlined my diaper bag issue - I'm constantly switching b/w anywhere from 1 to four bags, depending on what we're doing and if the boys are staying with me, or going to grandmas, or different classes at church. I have to have two of everything. But now, I've been able to send Kaden off on his own with no diaper bag! Love it!!

4 Months! Hooray!

Lincoln turned 4 months old yesterday. It's amazing how much faster things go, the more kids I have! It has just flown by. I feel like I'm missing stuff. Not marking enough milestones, taking enough pictures. He's such a sweet baby. He seems to be a little more temperamental than the other two. He's easily bothered by loud noises, and he likes toys with bright colors and lights, but only for very short periods of time, and then he melts down. Poor little man gets overstimulated. Up until just recently, he couldn't stand toys that make noise. Like his bouncer that sings songs and plays music. He would get hysterical if I turned the sound on.
Another fantastic milestone here at 4 months - this one for mommy. Today, I am wearing my good old size 2 jeans again!!! Yay!!! And they look pretty good, I must say. I thought size 2 would never be back again, so this is a big big day for me! I've still got lots of toning to do, but it was a surprise today when it occurred to me that my size 4's have been nearly falling off for weeks, and pulled out a brand new pair of size 2's - and they fit!! I bought jeans while I was pregnant - Old Navy had a $7 jean sale, didn't want to pass up on the great price, but wasn't sure what size I'd be after the 3rd baby, so I bought 2 pair size 4 and 2 pair size 2, realizing the size 2 would probably collect dust forever or until they were completely out of style. (P.S. If anyone wants 2 pair of cute size 4 jeans for a steal, let me know!!) So I'm back to me again. It feels good. My pants finally fit, and now I'm ready to go shopping! During the pregnancy I also cleaned out my closet, got rid of everything I've been keeping in their for years, all the clothes that are too worn out or out of style. I was left with like 8 shirts. Spending 2 years being pregnant over the last 3 years, pretty much everything needed to go. So I need to start fresh now. I refused to go buy a whole new wardrobe until I had gotten rid of the baby weight - but looks like I can at least buy my normal size now! Who wants to go shopping?? Sorry Ken - Better get selling!!!! ;-)

Okay, let's try this again...

So I started a blog. And then I couldn't figure it out. I know. What's there to figure out? It's not that complicated. But I was at the end of my pregnancy, exhausted, super busy trying to keep up with Kaden and keep my house from becoming officially zoned a disaster area and grumpy. I didn't have the time. I like to write. I don't think I'm great at it. But I have lots of thoughts and ideas I'd like to share all the time, so I think Blogging is a good hobby for me. Although, I don't really have time for any hobbies right now. I make hobbies out of the things that need to be done. Cooking, for example. These kids keep wanting to be fed... every day... multiple times a day! It just never ends. So, I'm learning to make that a hobby. My hobbies used to be laying out at the pool, shopping, regular manis and pedis, shoes... oh how I loved buying shoes, dancing, margarita and fajita tasting. I had some nice hobbies. But these days... well, let's just say having the clerks frown at you as your 2 year old pulls shoes of the shelf box by box, kinda takes the fun out of it. So I have new hobbies. As I said before. I think Blogging is good for me. I can be interesting sometimes. I just don't know how much time I'll have to keep up!! Can you Blog from a Palm phone? If that's possible, I think I can make this work.
So back to my original point. I started this blog, and then didn't want to spend the time to figure it out. But I recently began a blog for a Freezer Cooking Group I organized, and I spent a little time figuring it out, and now i want to learn more. As I've started reading other peoples blogs, turns out everyone I know has a bog, and I didn't even know it! So to Jenny and Laura and Katherine who commented on my previous posts: I never knew you had commented until now! Katherine - so excited to see your blog, you're just the cutest happiest thing! And Laura, I didn't tell anyone I had a blog yet b/c all I had figured out to do was post! I didn't even know how to share the blog. Children are making me slow... :-)
So, here's the a new start to my blog. Tomorrow I will learn how to add pictures. I have tons of cute ones of these babies!!

New Years!

What a year 2008 has been! My resolution for 2009, figure out this blogging thing! The kids are always doing or saying the cutest things and I think to myself, "I need to write that down!" and yet, I never do. I don't know that I'll ever have time to do the elaborate and gorgeous scrapbooks that my mom does, but in the meantime, I can blog, and record all the fun memories. So for my blogging friends - HELP! I need a lesson and some tips. I don't even know how to put pictures on here!
This year Kenny and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary, Tayla turned 6, Kaden turned (and Kenny and I learned truly where the term "Terrible Two's" comes from, we didn't get it with Tayla), I convinced Kenny that we were ready for another baby and little Lincoln arrived in November. Kenny and I learned to live on 1 hour of sleep, achieved in brief 15 minute periods over the night. We changed 100's of diapers, we've cleaned thousands of messes, and we've laughed and laughed over the adorable things these kids do.
We celebrated at home with the kids. We made our own pizzas - Mommy and Tayla topping ours together and Daddy and Kaden topping theirs. Ours had lots of olives b/c Daddy and Kaden do NOT like olives, but the girls do. Then we went outside to watch the neighbors pop fireworks. Tayla was TERRIFIED. She refused to come outside, which was funny b/c the last time she was scared of fireworks was when she was 2 years old! We toasted to the New Year along with Rio (at 10pm our time!) and Tayla got to toast her sparkling grape juice in a crystal Champagne glass. Then we all went to bed! It was a nice way to spend the New Year.

Appauling

I watched this and was appauled!! But I'm always very careful to be sure of facts before I make opinions, especially in politics, b/c things are so often twisted and skewed one way or another. I wanted to see the facts on Obama's actual vote here, and see what moer there is to the story. Now I've looked at the facts and now I'm even more sure of where I stand.

I've known that Obama voted "present" 54% of the time in the Illinois Senate, but I didn't fully understand the importance of it. Sounded to me like he's just not doing anything - but it's even worse than that.
"Because it takes affirmative votes to pass legislation in the Illinois Senate, a "present" vote is tantamount to a "no" vote. A "present" vote is generally used to provide political cover for legislators who don't want to be on the record against a bill that they oppose." (from RealClearPolitics.com article). Not to mention that as a Senator, and certainly as a president it is your elected position to look at issues, determine what your constituents want and vote on their behalf!!
When you look at all the many issues that he voted "present" on - it tells a lot about the politician and "leader" that he is. He essentially voted No on really important issues, while hiding behind a "present" vote, so he wouldn't have to upset any sides or make any stands. But then Obama himself says this in his announcement speech "What's stopped us is the failure of leadership, the smallness of our politics - the ease with which we're distracted by the petty and trivial, our chronic avoidance of tough decisions,"

The Born Alive Infant Protection Act is one of the issues that he opposed by voting "present" to 3 times! Even after it was passed by every other democrat and republican in the House of Representatives! It really disgusts me that people will be so ignorant to vote for this guy without really looking into what kind of a job history he has so far, and the kind of political leadership he's provided - the president can't vote PRESENT! He voted against protecting infants, but didn't even have the leadership to stand up and say "No I'm against this and here's why!" He simply hid in the corner refusing to be pinned down on making any change! I guess if your strategy is to get into the Presidency and then make drastic changes that the majority of Americans would never support, the best plan is to stay under the radar, don't stand for or against anything that's not mainstream, then you can spout lots of fluff and give great speeches and deny any and all beliefs so no one can disagree with you. Great Leader. Great.

Someone who is voting for Obama, PLEASE explain to me why. I started out very open minded, I listened to him at the Deomcratic National Convention and I agreed with much of what he had to say. I thought, I may be able to support this guy, he's hitting on great points, he sure looks and sounds like a phenomenal leader! But then I started lookign into the facts, his history, the focus and direction of his political career thus far. The direction he's been going for the 3 years he's been a politician is horrifying! I hear peopel say they like Obama b/c he's going to bring Change. It's a great political slogan, but what the hell does that mean? Anyone will bring change - but how? What kind of change has he brought so far? NOT GOOD change. He worked closely with Acorn, who was one of the primary organizations responsible for so many of these sub-prime loans - they sued banks who would not offer loans to people who couldn't afford them, and now Obama is cursing the evil banks who took advantage of Americans by offering sub-prime loans. He was the attorney suing them when they wouldn't!!!!
I could go on and on, but I have other things to do. Before anyone goes out an votes for this guy, I hope you fully understand his work experience, and his political positions and support and that you have researched who is backing him and where his campaign money has come from. Look at what those supporters would have to gain from those huge contributions. You don't think those are smart business decisions for those investors? They're not doing it b/c he's going to fight against them and help you.

36 Weeks!

I'm 36 weeks today! That means I'm Full term (The baby's lungs should be developed by now and if labor started now, we wouldn't be worried about his development) - this is also a good milestone b/c it means we're on track for my homebirth. Anything sooner than that, the risk is higher, and I'd go to the hospital. We're now ready for a healthy and natural birth whenever the baby is. I hate still calling him "The Baby", but we've yet to find him a name. I'm runnign out of time quickly, so we're trying ot get a short list. Right now my short list has about 30 names, and I'm not even sure if I really like half of them! His middle name will be James, after my dad and grandpa, but that's as much as we have. Kenny and I are struggling to find a name we both like. I think boy names are much mroe difficult than girl names - especially for me b/c I don't want the traditional names. I'm hoping that by the end of this week I'll have it narrowed down to 5 names, and then if I can't decide further, maybe we'll get some inspiration from him when he's born.
I got my birth kit in the mail last night, and that's exciting for me! It's just another marker that we're almost there. The Birth Kit is supplies that I order that we'll need on hand for the birth (bulb syringes, sterile gloves, blue waterproof pads to protect floor and bedding - pretty much all the supplies that you "use up" in the hospital). All the equipment like the dopplers and oxygen, the midwife brings. The only other things we need to be ready to have this baby tomorrow is a birth tub (which we rent, we jsut have to pick it up this week) and a couple minor supplies I need to gather up. So I'm just about ready to go and I'm excited!
I'm starting to get braxton hicks contractions quite often this week. I love it, it's such a weird feeling when it tightens up so much and it just reminds me that my body is getting ready. At my midwife appointment this week she tested me for Group B strep, while she was down there I asked her to see if I'd started dilating at all, we had just looked at my chart from Kaden's birth and seen that at this point with him I was dilated 2 cm (it was 5 more weeks until he was born), so I wanted to compare. I am 1.5 cm dilated with this one. So I'm going to keep planning on at least another 5 more weeks, but no matter how hard i try, I can't help but hope that he'll come sooner. With Kaden I thought I was in labor at one point b/c I ws having really regular contractions, but they didn't hurt. I dilated to 6cm adn then things pretty much stopped. I was at 6cm for 3 days before real labor started. So I realize that my body likes to start preparing ahead of time. I'm going to try not to get excited as I dilate more!
Next week I have my Home Visit with my midwife. SHe'll come ot the house adn we'll make sure we have all the supplies we need and talk in more detail about what I want for the birth. This is my favorite part of homebirth - I tell everyoen else how I want things to go, instead of the doctors telling me how it will be. Who do I want there, where do I want to do it, Do I want music, dim lights, do I want my water broken or left alone, do I want food and if so what do I want. It's one time where everything is really completely all about what I feel is best. I have lots of decisions to make this week too...
Kaden's up from his nap, so I'm done here. I'll post more soon!