tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9136161475823467342024-03-12T15:59:45.885-07:00Adventures as Mrs. JanneyNavigating life as a NewlywedNatalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.comBlogger672125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-89310749769723664472016-02-05T09:21:00.001-08:002016-02-05T09:21:37.550-08:00Is there purpose in tragedy?I know I haven't blogged in a while. It's been more than an challenge to balance life and work and thinking of adding in blogging was just too much. Not to mention, I didn't really have much to blog about. I'm not sure many people really want to read about how I went to work, came home, made dinner, mothered, and went to bed. I'm not a good enough writer to spice that up.<br />
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However, it's been a tough week and I have some things on my mind and feel like I need to get it out. I thought about writing it in a journal or something but that just wasn't cathartic enough.<br />
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This last summer, Phil's aunt was diagnosed with Melanoma. It was on her back and she had an outpatient surgery to remove it. They checked a nearby lymph node, which came back clear and told her to come back for a 6 month skin check. We exhaled a huge sigh of relief because the thought of having another family member go through a cancer battle just seemed too much. Phil's dad may have passed away 2 years ago, but it still feels really fresh and kind of raw.<br />
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Then this past weekend, Phil's aunt (his dad's sister) went to the hospital because she had been really tired. And long story short, there are three tumors in her brain. She had surgery to remove one because it was pressing on her brain and the surgeon said it looks like the melanoma has spread to her brain.<br />
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To say that we are upset would be an understatement. I mean, how much can one family go through? His brother. His dad. Now potentially his aunt. All within the last decade, all on the same side of the family tree. And that's pretty much it for the family on that side.<br />
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I think it is normal when tragedy strikes to look for the "reason" behind it all. Was it something the person did? Who is to blame? As people, I think we need to find a cause for bad things because it helps us feel like we can control our own destiny. <br />
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I know this happened when I went through my own cancer stuff. I heard everything from "It's from teflon" to "you should eat organic". For me, I found these comments really hurtful. Like I was to blame for my own hardships and suffering. It felt like I wasn't allowed to go through my own "this is unfair" grieving process because obviously I had done something to deserve this.<br />
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Not true.<br />
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But beyond the personal blame we try to rationalize when someone we know experiences tragedy, I think there is another level of "reason" we look for. It's one of the main things I get asked as a Christian by atheists (aside from how as a person of science I can believe in a higher being which is a topic for another post): Why would God let his people suffer? Why does God let bad things happen to good people?<br />
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Which inevitably leads to my least favorite phrase of all time:<br />
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<i>Everything happens for a reason.</i></div>
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Another variation would be:</div>
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<i>God has a plan.</i></div>
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I kind of want to punch anyone who says those phrases in the face.<br />
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<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/2014/11/everything-happens-for-a-reason.html">{source}</a></div>
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<a href="http://emilymcdowell.com/products/everything-happens-for-a-reason-card">{source}</a></div>
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And as someone who has had cancer, it is a horrible thing to hear. As I watched my father-in-law suffer and eventually die from cancer, the phrase was almost insulting. Even two years later, discussing that phrase with my mother-in-law brings her to tears.<br />
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Let me use the example of my father-in-law. I suppose we could try to think that everything happened for a reason. That there was some life lesson we, as his survivors, were meant to learn. But that puts our lives at a higher priority than Ed's. Why is my life so important that someone else needs to die for my life to somehow improve or grow? It's a self-centered view of the uncontrollable events life throws our way.<br />
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<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/QuotesPorn/comments/31r203/everything_happens_for_a_reason_sensibly_revised/">{source}</a></div>
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I think the hard truth of the matter is there is no reason. Cause and effect, maybe. But purpose? No. It's not that God is letting bad things happen to someone. There is no purpose behind someone getting Alzheimer's or cancer. There's no reason for someone dying tragically in a car accident. No divine purpose. God gave us all free will. He gave us this life and said, "Go." I think he tries to guide us. But we aren't all on some predestined path. That would take away our free will.<br />
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I think both of those phrases probably stem from Jeremiah 29:11 which says "'For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" But I think that phrase gets misinterpreted. Any parent knows that you can make all the plans you want for your children, but that doesn't mean that is how it happens. I have plans for Henry to take a nap and often he lets me know he has other plans. God's plan isn't set in stone. It's His intentions. He wants us to have a good life, but we have free will.<br />
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What God does do is offer to hold us up when bad things happen. He looks at us and says, "I know you are hurting. I am hurting with you. And I am here to walk through this with you." God never promised we would live lives free of pain or tragedy. Grief is a part of life (at least if you are lucky enough to have people in your life you love and care about).<br />
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So now we prepare to walk through another cancer battle of a close family member. I think an additional challenge for us this time is that it has brought up a lot of feelings and emotions from losing Phil's dad. And just the unfairness of it all. It seems so unfair that Phil has to go through another scare/loss so soon. But there is no reason. We live in a fallen world, full of tragedy and hardships. And the best we can do it rejoice in the beautiful moments that life has to offer. There is no light without the dark. You can't feel the sun if you don't know the rain. A day knows both daylight and dusk. And other more helpful platitudes.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-67019594013978672592015-06-12T05:00:00.000-07:002015-06-12T05:00:01.181-07:005 Things FridayIt was one of THOSE weeks.<br />
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I won't lie, it started off a little rough. Phil went fishing on Saturday, which left Henry and I to run all the errands and spend the day together. It also happened to be about the time that Henry decided to be a naughty boy.<br />
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Wouldn't listen. Bit my face. Ran away from me in public. Wouldn't hold my hand in the parking lot. Slapped me. Temper tantrums. Kicked me in the face. Laughed at me when I cried out of frustration. Barely napped.<br />
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And Phil was late coming home.<br />
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Thankfully I had a girls afternoon the next day, but it wasn't exactly enough. And of course, while Phil was watching Henry during my girls afternoon, Henry ate lunch and then took a three and a half hour nap.<br />
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Phil's mom agrees with me that I deserve another girls day.<br />
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Here are a few more highlights from this week:<br />
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1. Daycare has requested that Henry no longer bring his dinosaur to school. And all of the other dinosaurs have been removed from his room as well. According to Henry, the dinosaurs were eating the other babies. Unfortunately, they weren't being very gentle about it. And when I say "they", I mean Henry.<br />
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I completely understand why he can't bring his dinosaur. It makes perfect sense and I totally respect daycare's request. But a part of me is sad for him. The first day Henry had to leave his dinosaur, he screamed "MY HENRY'S DINOSAUR" for about 5 minutes.<br />
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2. Last night during dinner, Henry thought it was funny to chew up his food, spit it out, and throw it at me. It was gross. But I won't lie... I was slightly impressed with his aim. The first time he did it, I was facing the opposite direction and he got me square in the head.<br />
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Phil and I turned our heads to laugh and then with a straight face, I told him we don't throw our food and told him to say sorry. I should probably warn daycare about this one.<br />
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3. It's almost sad that we have almost gone through a Costco box of Oreo's. Ok, so in my defense we have had it for a couple of months. Even though I am trying to have us eat a little healthier, I refuse to give up a few Oreo's a few days a week.<br />
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4. Henry had a carnival at daycare last week. Each teacher came up with a game booth and his teacher had a dinosaur fossil dig game. Part of the decorations was a giant red dinosaur. When we picked Henry up after his carnival, his teacher told us she wouldn't mind if the dinosaur disappeared in the back of our car. Actually, she insisted we take it. So we did.<br />
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Henry was excited, but a little upset that the dinosaur had to sit in the very back of the car...<br />
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More than a little upset. He screamed "MY DINOSAUR!" the whole way home.<br />
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We are now the proud owner of a very large dinosaur. Most of the time, Henry insists the thing is balanced on the coffee table.<br />
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5. Henry used to LOVE going to bed. We would lay him down and he would hang out in his crib for about 30 minutes before he fell asleep. And he would sleep like 11 hours almost every night. All of a sudden, Henry is protesting bedtime and naps. It takes him an hour to an hour and a half to fall asleep and he promptly wakes up at 6:30 in the morning. I'm not sure why the sudden change. Is there such a thing as the 2 year old sleep regression?<br />
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The week wasn't all bad. I'm super excited Orange is the New Black came out a day early (and I'm doing my best to not whole myself up inside for the next 2 days, watching it straight. We have a low-key weekend planned which should be pretty relaxing. And I am hopeful that this weekend will be better with Henry than last week. Can't get much worse, right?<br />
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Happy weekend!!Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-49714541592412030122015-06-09T06:00:00.000-07:002015-06-09T06:00:01.294-07:00Diapers! Or shall we say... deals on diapers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One thing I discovered very quickly when I became pregnant is that I have some <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2013/01/im-turning-into-hippy.html">underlying hippy tendencies</a>. I didn't get to do the natural birth I wanted. I did nurse for a year, but it wasn't without its challenges. And that just leaves diapers.<br />
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I thought Phil would think I was crazy when I mentioned I wanted to use cloth diapers. But he was actually totally on board. My guess is that picking up after dogs has made him immune to the idea of cleaning dirty diapers.<br />
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After Henry was born, the cloth diapers were a little too big for his tiny body. We waited a couple of months until he bulked up a little bit. At that point, Phil's dad was starting to get really sick. Between travelling to Virginia, Phil being back in Virginia, and just trying to figure out life with a baby, we used disposable for a little longer.<br />
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Then I realized that going out and about with all the cloth diaper stuff made the diaper bag HUGE. So I decided we would use disposables when we were going places. That pretty much left daycare. And mostly because so many people thought I wouldn't last with the cloth diapers, I was DETERMINED to be successful with cloth (stubborn, party of ME).<br />
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So 4 days a week, Henry wears cloth. Weekends and Thursday (when my mom watches him), he wears disposables.<br />
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We have made it 2 years, and I am guessing cloth diapers have saved us at least a few hundred dollars. Henry moves up to the preschool-2 room at the end of the month, where they will start working on potty-training (YAY! Another reason to love daycare- they potty-train for you). But they mentioned that it would be easier with disposable diapers.<br />
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And I totally get it. And whatever they need to help THEM potty-train him, I am ALL FOR.<br />
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So I have been on the hunt for the cheapest diapers possible. I don't have time to be a crazy couponer. I'm not driving around town to get the best deal. I need quick and easy. And here's a couple of deals I have found for Size 4 diapers (remember, the smaller size of diaper, the more diapers you get per box and the cheaper the per diaper cost):<br />
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1. My extensive research has revealed that without coupons, Target has the cheapest diapers. You can get a big box (using the REDcard) for about $0.18/diaper. And let's face it, they don't need fancy diapers for during the day.<br />
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2. Two words: Amazon Mom. Amazon Mom gives 20% off diapers. If you get Huggies Snug & Dry (which I am convinced is Huggies most economical diaper), you can get diapers for $0.175/diaper which is basically the same price as Target diapers. And they are delivered to your doorstep for FREE. Pretty regularly, Amazon has coupons that you can use with the Amazon Mom discount, making the diapers $0.16/diaper.<br />
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3. Random deals. I was looking at Target's website a couple of weeks ago when I noticed that they now have a subscription service and they were offering 25% off Huggies diapers for your first subscription purchase. That discount along with the REDcard discount made Huggies Snug & Dry about $0.15/diaper. The only problem with that was they were running out of stock. I bought 2 boxes of 192, one box of 156, and a box of size 5 Huggies Overnight (which is what Henry where to bed) for just over $100. I think I saved almost $80 on 606 diapers.<br />
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<i>Side note</i>: Of course, I didn't change the shipping address with Target, so they got sent to our old house. And I started FREAKING OUT. Thankfully, my brother knows the new tenant, so I was able to get all of my diapers.<br />
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The sad thing is that daycare changes their diapers so much that I think the 600 diapers I just bought will only last us 2.5-3 months. But still, that is only $30/month and I won't have to wash anymore diapers. :)<br />
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So there you go! I feel like I did make cloth work for us long enough to feel good about that investment. Plus I am going to bleach the heck out of them (throw the wet bags away) and save them for the next baby. But this is how I am going to spend the least amount on diapers possible. I feel like Henry is NOT going to be early to potty-train. He has just had this mentality with milestones that he waits and waits and waits to do something until he masters it. But I am hoping that we will only have to buy diapers for 6-9 months. Wishful thinking? Probably. But I am happy with my delusions.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-71301579701331202682015-06-05T05:00:00.000-07:002015-06-05T05:00:13.762-07:005 YearsIt seems to strange to me to say that today is our 5 year anniversary.<br />
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For some reason that feels like a long time. So much longer than 4 years. Maybe it is because I probably can't call us newlyweds anymore. Although I don't think we have felt like newlyweds in a VERY long time.<br />
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I just can't even believe all that the last 5 years has entailed:<br />
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- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/search/label/Liver%20Cancer">Phil's dad's Liver Cancer</a><br />
- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-passed.html">The PE Exam</a><br />
- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2012/04/our-infertility-story-part-1.html">Infertility</a><br />
- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/search/label/thyroid%20cancer">Thyroid Cancer</a> (<a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2012/01/best-bad-news.html">diagnosis</a>, <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/search/label/low%20iodine">LID</a>, <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/search/label/radioactive%20iodine">RAI</a>)<br />
- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2012/09/lets-all-celebrate-and-check-our-necks.html">Cancer Free</a><br />
- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2012/06/2nd-anniversary-gift-cotton.html">A puppy</a><br />
- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2012/12/baby-janney-finding-out.html">Getting pregnant</a><br />
- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2013/05/introducing.html">Having a baby</a><br />
- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2013/12/livers-are-important-final-update.html">Losing Phil's Dad</a><br />
- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2014/05/oh-yeah-we-bought-house.html">Buying a house</a><br />
- <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2014/12/he-passed.html">Phil finishing his PhD</a><br />
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What's funny is that when we were picking out the song for our first dance, we kept going back to Steady as We Go by Dave Matthews Band. <br />
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And the basic message of the song is that no matter what happens, we'll get through it. Steady as we go. And that's exactly what the last 5 years have been. <br />
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I know everyone says it, but I really did get the best guy out there. Through everything we have been through, Phil's been an absolute rock. He works hard. He's kept his focus. He's kept us on track. He's kept me going when I didn't know if I could. He goes along with my crazy ideas. He is kind (everyone likes him more than me). Marrying that guy was, without a doubt, the best decision I ever made.<br />
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Phil, I'm so glad I followed you around at Ryan's birthday party. :) I love you! Thank you for being amazing during 5 of the best and hardest years of my life. Here's to 60 more!<br />
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<br />Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-30388587328181491082015-06-01T06:00:00.000-07:002015-06-01T06:00:13.110-07:00Oh hey... A blog post! (aka Life Lately)I'm not even sure when the last time I blogged was. I could look, but I know it was A LONG time ago. We took a family trip to Texas at the beginning of March and I don't think I have really blogged since. I think the only person that noticed I haven't been blogging is my mother-in-law (Hi Faith!).<br />
<br />
The truth is that I have missed it. Blogging, that is. I still read some blogs. I still comment on some, but not too many. I miss the outlet. And I miss the community. Towards the end, I was feeling discouraged because the community part for me wasn't as strong. But it's just like anything, it always takes time. One foot in front of the other. <br />
<br />
So I am going to give blogging a go again. But with a little less pressure on myself. For the time being, here's what has been occupying my time for the last 3 months.<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Henry<br />
No big surprise here. He turned two and is now OBSESSED with dinosaurs. And mildly obsessed with trains.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXacdR_Upt7CGj7ql982BDr9IyqY6Tn6ggv52ssKgahYYkrmcWfb4UtdTP6rsQ211oUJIslx_fg2rW9K7rUQ6Nb8qfhmsIAoHLmS0eBlq0MbnpdrvGlwiAtJNw58Fo5tSFzwNQPtq0xpQ/s1600/sleeping+dino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXacdR_Upt7CGj7ql982BDr9IyqY6Tn6ggv52ssKgahYYkrmcWfb4UtdTP6rsQ211oUJIslx_fg2rW9K7rUQ6Nb8qfhmsIAoHLmS0eBlq0MbnpdrvGlwiAtJNw58Fo5tSFzwNQPtq0xpQ/s640/sleeping+dino.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfVlG7POZLoZifPVQGZg7kO1wrvt3sZuGDfqOgLOuy8G7-Db6Vf2IMVxqjd018trXp5jsvNRzpPD4-exef-RsXwP1qEdjIzr9trSQVtz-ES7QNSmplP4IfphDOSNclE_tyqUJc_WzEl4/s1600/stuffed+dinosaurs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfVlG7POZLoZifPVQGZg7kO1wrvt3sZuGDfqOgLOuy8G7-Db6Vf2IMVxqjd018trXp5jsvNRzpPD4-exef-RsXwP1qEdjIzr9trSQVtz-ES7QNSmplP4IfphDOSNclE_tyqUJc_WzEl4/s320/stuffed+dinosaurs.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg800UvMPY2rhOAgtagZRZJSdAMfM1hVY4vQeoXPp7fVxPAKJdyN8hcXgyK-XHMRJqU_KLRziudjFJ3oGtIHFyYFv9lCCZlYFrjowsdlGBmosWPyp7Yvny8NGYlG5P6wXpTkkyF1MMJqrU/s1600/ROAR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg800UvMPY2rhOAgtagZRZJSdAMfM1hVY4vQeoXPp7fVxPAKJdyN8hcXgyK-XHMRJqU_KLRziudjFJ3oGtIHFyYFv9lCCZlYFrjowsdlGBmosWPyp7Yvny8NGYlG5P6wXpTkkyF1MMJqrU/s320/ROAR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />
Of course being 2 means we are also dealing with some of this:<br />
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<i>{This tantrum resulted because I got him the snack he asked for. Obviously his life is horrible.}</i></div>
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<br />
And boy has it been FUN!<br />
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<br />
2. Sickness<br />
Despite the ear tubes, Henry has had 2 bouts with ear infections (1 in only one ear, the other in both ears). I do think the tubes are helping him not be in as much pain, so I won't say they haven't been worth it. Not to mention that the tubes mean we can just use ear drops for the treatment. He's getting pretty good about the drops.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorgVAA8iwIRnslii_CHSiLpt93SmPxB3MO4cJ9i0c6srxQIBq0azpazieK8SeYh13b8B6MAkp4F2L9PFDBNjPwGv75OPBPA-rGykNRVT67GPvc8lrXagm6jf6n2edngGjiIgymjl9CEU/s1600/dr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorgVAA8iwIRnslii_CHSiLpt93SmPxB3MO4cJ9i0c6srxQIBq0azpazieK8SeYh13b8B6MAkp4F2L9PFDBNjPwGv75OPBPA-rGykNRVT67GPvc8lrXagm6jf6n2edngGjiIgymjl9CEU/s640/dr.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>{The dinosaurs come EVERYWHERE with us}</i></div>
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<br />
We have also had the awesome opportunity of passing some stomach bugs and sinus infections around. Gotta love daycare. I have heard that the first 2 years of daycare at the worst. By that calculation, we only have 4 months left of constant sickness. Not that I am counting or anything.<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Work<br />
Thankfully, work has been busy. I recently made the discovery that my entire evening is much more enjoyable if I can get off work at 4:30 instead of 5. That half an hour may not seem like much, but 30 minutes in the evening is the difference between eating at 6 and eating at 7. Traffic makes that much of a difference in 30 minutes. I actually get to see Henry and spend time with him now. It is AWESOME! However, between leaving earlier and being REALLY busy, I have been going to work as early as possible.<br />
<br />
Like 5 or 6 in the morning early. And that means early to bed. It makes for not a lot of blogging material.<br />
<br />
<br />
4. Work<br />
I've been so busy at work that we actually hired someone else. In the long run, this is going to be wonderful. I wasn't able to progress in my career because I was bogged down by work that I have been doing for years. In the short term, training someone is HARD. Mostly because I have to get my work done and check someone else's. That means I am having to work even more. Nights and weekends. And it looks a lot like this.<br />
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<i>{Memorial Day evening}</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_nPL9LhlD9gbtPU1lE3cJr2fT8Y-6Dgp1Fqds5EQ-S8rLt21gTqQG0TVylliZSBknctX7-lIxEdKzrH-6dKwPDGSWshfS69jZg6bOyhEQAg-rI3xfx0NClOERLiS6U0F3pNn_r3ncmk/s1600/work+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_nPL9LhlD9gbtPU1lE3cJr2fT8Y-6Dgp1Fqds5EQ-S8rLt21gTqQG0TVylliZSBknctX7-lIxEdKzrH-6dKwPDGSWshfS69jZg6bOyhEQAg-rI3xfx0NClOERLiS6U0F3pNn_r3ncmk/s640/work+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>{Sunday afternoon}</i></div>
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<br />
Working in the sunshine was about twelve kinds of wonderful though. I mean, if you have to work doing it outside with some iced tea isn't so bad.<br />
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In other work related news, I got a standing desk.<br />
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<br />
Actually, it is so much cooler than just a standing desk. It is motor-controlled so I can either sit or stand. Is it sad how excited I got about this? Probably.<br />
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<br />
5. Healthiness<br />
A fitness trainer I know offered her workout program for free to her Facebook friends as long as we agreed to beta test it for her. So far, it is so crazy hard. I'm a month into it and already have noticed some serious changes. I have 8 weeks left and I am already looking at purchasing a similar type of workout system when it is over to keep the changes coming.<br />
<br />
And it is crazy how when you are working your butt off with exercise, it kind of makes you not want to ruin it all by eating total crap. So I have been spending some time and energy figuring out some healthier recipes and cooking. The bad news is that we spend more on groceries and I feel like I am constantly cutting up fruits and veggies. The good news is that Phil has lost like 5 lbs. <br />
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<br />
<br />
So that's pretty much it. I need to get my writing mojo going again. I have a feeling this post was somewhat painful to read. No fear, it's just like riding a bike. Hopefully.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-17423743342396994832015-03-20T06:00:00.000-07:002015-03-20T06:00:04.675-07:005 Things Friday: What the WHAT?!? EditionSo I may have taken a bit of a hiatus from blogging in the last month. Life... it's busy. And frankly, when you are working 45-50 hours a week, there really isn't too much to blog about. The creative juices weren't flowing. And I really don't want to fill my blog up with stuff just for the sake of posting.<br />
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The good news is that after A MONTH, I actually have some stuff to blog about. And I figured what better time to start back up than 5 Things Friday.<br />
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This list is comprised of the shocking "SERIOUSLY?!" moments that have happened basically in the last week. It's been a good one.<br />
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1. I was at the ENT the other day (for a hearing test) and the doctor was giving my neck an exam. What that had to do with my hearing, I have NO idea. He starts at the top of my neck, working his way down, and vocalizing all of the things he feels along the way. Lymph nodes, carotid artery, thyroid...<br />
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Thyroid?!<br />
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<i>Me: Um... I don't have a thyroid.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Dr.: Ok, let's check again...</i><br />
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Proceeds to re-do neck exam, and when he gets to where my thyroid should be,<br />
<br />
<i>Dr: Well, right here, I feel the cartilidge. I just assumed you have a small thyroid. It's not like you have cancer though.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Me: I did have cancer. Which is why you'd better not feel any thyroid in there.</i><br />
<br />
Starts neck exam AGAIN.<br />
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<i>Dr: No I don't feel any residual thyroid tissue in there.</i><br />
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Yeah, I feel like I'm in such good hands. <br />
<br />
This might not seem like a big deal, but if I have thyroid tissues, that means my cancer has come back. So it kind of is a big deal. In the past, this would have really freaked me out. But I had an ultrasound and bloodwork done in December that showed NO thyroid tissue in my thyroid bed and the bloodwork showed NO sign of thyroid tissue (aka cancer). But I honestly can't believe that it happened.<br />
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<br />
2. Later that same day, I went to a committee meeting. We have had these meetings almost every month for over two years, so when the meetings first started, I was fairly pregnant. And if you recall, I was not a small pregnant woman. I was one of those unfortunate, not cute, chubby pregnant ladies. And I have since then lost all that <a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2014/03/baby-weight.html">baby weight</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNb9SSbb1eTKD4v6ZPuRnyiQIcQhrlfvRykkrtloU2nfMd32J25-PDNqLo-7QIEFYPewPErWGzr5uigBlYHaTv43v6fkxh4LbsM4JExwMgwELgH1jahiJ2AkK_H37wlvnbDoP9g1muXg/s1600/photo+(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNb9SSbb1eTKD4v6ZPuRnyiQIcQhrlfvRykkrtloU2nfMd32J25-PDNqLo-7QIEFYPewPErWGzr5uigBlYHaTv43v6fkxh4LbsM4JExwMgwELgH1jahiJ2AkK_H37wlvnbDoP9g1muXg/s1600/photo+(10).JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Like a year ago. So I was a little confused when TWO people said:<br />
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"You look really different since the last time we saw you!"<br />
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Granted we haven't met in probably 3 months, but I was a little confused. So I asked, "Oh yeah? How so?"<br />
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Response, "Well didn't you recently have a baby?"<br />
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2 YEARS AGO!<br />
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And it would have been one thing if these were large meetings (they aren't) or if I was silent during the entire meeting (I'm not) or if it were just one person (but it wasn't).<br />
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I guess I should get rid of the shirt I was wearing.<br />
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3. I'm not going to go into details on this next one, but let me just say this...<br />
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When you are interviewing for a job, it is probably best to NOT look down the employers blouse while shaking her hand good-bye.<br />
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Just a piece of advice from me to you.<br />
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4. I was taking a drink of coffee and missed my mouth.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVS9Tl0lBKMWhroKIwnBMDn2m_ffkbZGCuwNtjt1llaWNad7DqHrSNzYi1KGEc59Twi5e14x4e-Ker6wXm4bpEGhpgoQ-75cqRjVuC93cKr-QFfBMZJDORdZ7MbuE5C9etedbps6esgfQ/s1600/IMG_7267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVS9Tl0lBKMWhroKIwnBMDn2m_ffkbZGCuwNtjt1llaWNad7DqHrSNzYi1KGEc59Twi5e14x4e-Ker6wXm4bpEGhpgoQ-75cqRjVuC93cKr-QFfBMZJDORdZ7MbuE5C9etedbps6esgfQ/s1600/IMG_7267.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>{Don't worry... we won't really have people sleep in the kitchen}</i></div>
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Can we say "Professional?" I suppose it could be worse? Like I could have dropped chili on the plans.<br />
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5. My family was together a few weeks ago and I casually told a story mentioning that I had baby fever. Here are some examples of the response I got:<br />
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"Not yet!"<br />
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Downcast stares with a subtle head shake.<br />
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At least one person looked at Phil and said, "No."<br />
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I'm probably the ONLY one left in my family that will have kids, so this reaction surprised me. They all LOVE Henry. And I'm pretty sure I didn't get a say in their family planning. It just seemed like a strange reaction.<br /><br />
I mean, look at Henry:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPZ8HB54yl6dnbZJOKlOIsf49Fxo-zHxEtaQRJkmYzrAkUL97jZwuab7nk-M30ZsqqG35iXypAnzXAHT2A9wITpZ-LDlLFLQEEgUN9Yc4SGOgvUUS3ee9szE3xwunkmapkjT8eSuCmow/s1600/IMG_7158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPZ8HB54yl6dnbZJOKlOIsf49Fxo-zHxEtaQRJkmYzrAkUL97jZwuab7nk-M30ZsqqG35iXypAnzXAHT2A9wITpZ-LDlLFLQEEgUN9Yc4SGOgvUUS3ee9szE3xwunkmapkjT8eSuCmow/s1600/IMG_7158.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNsqxA3tbQZTx1vdsgu3BwmCtSnHUrSsVTpjFpg9a7mAUrdHj1HyjOduiugAB1_nuLnj30ze9ZgdizzEodHGLPltVpCyhyC2UuqtLfCjOdpR6mpjEk402lihsocU5MOEHJRojZkaP5gA/s1600/IMG_7206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNsqxA3tbQZTx1vdsgu3BwmCtSnHUrSsVTpjFpg9a7mAUrdHj1HyjOduiugAB1_nuLnj30ze9ZgdizzEodHGLPltVpCyhyC2UuqtLfCjOdpR6mpjEk402lihsocU5MOEHJRojZkaP5gA/s1600/IMG_7206.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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He's so cute! Obviously we should have like a dozen more babies.<br />
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So hopefully you have a good weekend and nobody says (or does) anything weird to you!Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-78336497464465327192015-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:002015-02-18T06:00:09.829-08:00Recipe: Tomato Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not a good cook. I can't whip up a recipe off the top of my head. And truth be told, I didn't come up with this one. My sister-in-law made it once when we were over for dinner. And I was HOOKED. What's make it even better? It's healthy and it is SUPER easy.<div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Tomato Salad</u></b></div>
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<div>
<i>Ingredients:</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sunburst Tomatoes</div>
<div>
1/2 can of Black Olives</div>
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1/2 container of fresh mozzarella (I got these Chiliegine from Trader Joe's)<br /><div>
Olive Oil</div>
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1. Cut tomatoes in half.<br />
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2. Cut olives in half.<br />
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3. Cut mozzerella into similar size pieces (depends on what size of mozzarella you get).<br />
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4. Drizzle with a little olive oil and stir<br />
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Seriously, I could eat this whole bowl for an entire meal. I've made it at least once a week for the past few weeks. It is SO GOOD!!!!</div>
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Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-13420440817804909082015-02-17T06:00:00.000-08:002015-02-17T06:00:05.813-08:00Henry's Awful ParentsDespite all of my hopes that this week would start off great, it did not.<br />
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We had a little hiccup when Henry's medicine accidentally got dropped on the floor. Turns out the lid wasn't on all the way... we had a bit of a mess. It was an accident but still annoying. When I first called the pharmacist this morning, she explained that I might end up having to pay full price for another prescription. It would have been like $72 for 2 or 3 doses. Thankfully, the doctor's office said we can just use what we have left and to let them know if it seems like Henry's ears are bothering him again.<br />
<br />
But that wasn't the only reason yesterday morning was hard.<br />
<br />
According to Henry, it was also hard because we are awful parents. Below is a list of all the wrongs we, Henry's parents, committed yesterday morning:<br />
<br />
1. We made him get out of bed.<br />
2. We took off his jammies.<br />
3. We changed his messy, wet diaper.<br />
4. We made him put on comfy clothes.<br />
5. We didn't give him his blankie fast enough.<br />
6. We walked out of his room too quickly.<br />
7. I tried to give him some cereal.<br />
8. Phil tried to let him pick a pacifier.<br />
9. We took him out of his seat once he was done with his medicine.<br />
10. We made him put his Batman sweatshirt on (the same one he wouldn't take off yesterday).<br />
11. We put him in the car.<br />
12. I tried giving him his cereal again.<br />
13. I tried giving him his pacifier.<br />
14. We backed out of the driveway.<br />
15. After he had calmed down, I tried giving him his cereal again.<br />
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Obviously, the list of wrongs goes on and on.<br />
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He cried so much yesterday on the way to daycare, his face was still splotchy when we got there.<br />
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<i>{It wasn't as cute as these older pictures depict}</i></div>
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He calmed down after I sang "The Point of No Return" from Phantom of the Opera. I didn't get applause but the lack of crying was reward enough.<br />
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The worst part was the Phil and I let Henry's tantrum affect our moods. We definitely need to get better about keeping it cool and calm when he is acting up. Because I'm 100% positive it will happen again.<br />
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I'm really hoping that Tuesday morning goes better, but I won't really know because I am at work super early (read: 5 am).Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-49627782689505821332015-02-16T06:00:00.000-08:002015-02-16T06:00:09.116-08:00A weekend of cutenessWe didn't go on any adventures this weekend. No mountain climbing. There were no parties thrown or anything like it. It was a pretty uneventful weekend filled with lots of family time, a little working out, grocery shopping, trips to Costco. And it was awesome.<br />
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I have a tendency to overschedule, so weekends spent relaxing are kind of nice.<br />
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Here are some highlights from our weekend of nothing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbcQwcsRpuGwaDXec2Jg-tId0afHuG-kr-QuczZGSC8X1LoQctroP_86p4rBh-hMbDUGUsIvzYWN9X1b_QMLKoXz6mTXQ_jk4Cv7rcaAPHNMdrCl18IVYoAmjKdpqgbmrY6rlOFFi4C7M/s1600/Batman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbcQwcsRpuGwaDXec2Jg-tId0afHuG-kr-QuczZGSC8X1LoQctroP_86p4rBh-hMbDUGUsIvzYWN9X1b_QMLKoXz6mTXQ_jk4Cv7rcaAPHNMdrCl18IVYoAmjKdpqgbmrY6rlOFFi4C7M/s1600/Batman.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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{Our own Batman, reading about Batman}</div>
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{FaceTime with Grandma while wearing Daddy's hat}</div>
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{If we say, "Do you want to call Grandma Faith?" he immediately runs over to grab the computer with a big smile on his face}</div>
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{I was able to give him a haircut thanks to 101 Dalmatians and Daddy handing him dried blueberries one at a time. Other than the fact that his sideburns are even, it isn't too bad}</div>
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{Reading books with Daddy. He had to have his Batman sweatshirt on, but couldn't be wearing pants}</div>
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I feel like this is going to be a great week. I was able to finish something Friday afternoon that I spent all week on, literally staring at a sheet of paper for 2 days. So even though I have a big deadline this week, I get to start with a clean slate.<br />
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Let's have a good week, people!Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-45582270835807978142015-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:002015-02-13T06:00:06.411-08:005 Things FridayFriday the 13th. I'm just super excited it is FRIDAY!!! I have high hopes for my productivity at work today. I'm going to knock several things out of the park today, I just know it. :) Here's a mix of random for you on this fine Friday.<br />
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1. Because tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I'm sure every daycare/preschool/classroom is celebration Valentine's Day today. Henry's baby room is no exception. I have to admit that I had a hard time buying into classroom parties last year when Henry was a legit baby (not a toddler). I mean, he could barely crawl so I'm pretty sure the concept of Valentine's Day was lost on him. But now that he is talking, I get more and more excited to celebrate holidays with him.<br />
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But I still don't think he needs candy.<br />
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So I scoured the internet (ok really just Pinterest) and found <a href="http://www.izzyandivydesigns.com/?p=864">THESE </a>cute printables. I decided I would rather the babies in his room get doughnut holes than a lollipop.<br />
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So here are Henry's Valentines:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WmtZZblmZpA1P993UY0wdeuh00GnmjblgwiAQioB5QHd2__OVw4SbWSJLM9SfbKjpT7eMQ8Fb9pVNPCXmLlqymOl-_Od8jJNX7Na6X9j19sZEuv4TPRdJiadY84xHERfpBgSws4YiWQ/s1600/Henry's%2BValentines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WmtZZblmZpA1P993UY0wdeuh00GnmjblgwiAQioB5QHd2__OVw4SbWSJLM9SfbKjpT7eMQ8Fb9pVNPCXmLlqymOl-_Od8jJNX7Na6X9j19sZEuv4TPRdJiadY84xHERfpBgSws4YiWQ/s1600/Henry's%2BValentines.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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2. There other day on Facebook, I saw<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/bradesposito/poor-snape#.wdRBwJ8YyR"> this article </a>from Buzzfeed. And because I am a HUGE Potterhead, I watched the video.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RhOQ4VW6xV8" width="560"></iframe>
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But it brought up something about the last movie that REALLY bothered me. And it is visible in the video above.<br />
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Through out the all of the books (and the movies) characters mention over and OVER how Henry looks just like his father except for his eyes. He has his mother's eyes. In case you aren't a weirdo and can't remember, his eyes look like this:<br />
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<a href="http://westchester.happeningmag.com/wp-content/images/Harry-Potter-7-part-two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://westchester.happeningmag.com/wp-content/images/Harry-Potter-7-part-two.jpg" height="315" width="400" /></a></div>
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BLUE.<br />
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Very blue.<br />
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The little girl in that video... what color are her eyes?<br />
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<a href="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140509040550/harrypotter/images/a/af/Ellie_in_Deathly_Hallows_-_Part_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140509040550/harrypotter/images/a/af/Ellie_in_Deathly_Hallows_-_Part_2.jpg" height="266" width="640" /></a></div>
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BROWN!!<br />
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Why?! I mean, this seems like something that CGI or colored contacts could have easily fixed. I mean, did they not notice this? It seems like such a necessary casting detail to pay attention to.<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.themetapicture.com/media/funny-Harry-Potter-mother-eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.themetapicture.com/media/funny-Harry-Potter-mother-eyes.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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{image from <a href="http://themetapicture.com/you-have-your-mothers-eyes/">HERE</a>}</div>
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This really has been bothering me. :)<br />
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3. Toddler tantrums are pretty much a daily occurrence in our household. In a way, it kind of makes me feel like we are doing something right. Like we aren't raising a spoiled child who gets everything that he wants. But they still suck.<br />
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Last night, he had a MASSIVE tantrum when we were leaving Grandma's house. It lasted probably 10 minutes, including when I was putting him in the car. And the only way I could get him to calm down was to turn all sound off in the car and be totally silent.<br />
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It didn't take but 15 seconds of that and he was calmed down.<br />
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Maybe it was a fluke. Or maybe it was magic. But I am definitely going to try that again the next time he has a tantrum in the car (which I'm 99.9% positive WILL happen again).<br />
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4. Because things have been so busy at work (and they aren't showing signs of calming down any time soon thankfully), I have been making a conscious effort to take care of myself a little. And that means I am taking more baths.<br />
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<br />
When we were house hunting, I had basically 2 things on my "must have" list. One was the master bedroom had to have room for a king size bed (Phil is a big guy and I like my space when I'm sleeping). And the other was I needed a decent bath tub.<br />
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5. When I was making Henry's Valentines, I needed a stapler to attach the printable to the baggie. It suddenly dawned on me that we don't have a regular stapler. The only stapler we have is this one:<br />
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<br />
I found it kind of amusing.<br />
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Have a good weekend!!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Linking up with <a href="http://farmerbell.blogspot.com/">September Farm</a> and <a href="http://denimandplaid.blogspot.com/">The Farmer's Wife</a></span>Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-83419637849672927592015-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:002015-02-11T06:00:02.640-08:00Ears, Ears, EARSFor a while, Henry was very fond of <i>The Ear Book</i>.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Ears, ears, EARS. We like our ears. It's good, it's good to hear with ears.</blockquote>
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<br />
Well, Henry's ears have not been super cooperative lately.<br />
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<i>{"Let's get out of here, Mom"}</i></div>
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We are on I think our 4th, 5th, or 6th ear infection of 2015. I honestly can't remember. It's at least his 4th. (Another reason blogging has been scarce) What's super frustrating is that the ear infections ARE clearing up in between, but the fluid isn't going away. Which means we end up with another ear infection like 2 weeks after we finish antibiotics.<br />
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<u>A quick tip about antibiotics:</u> Augmentin (which they have prescribed for Henry on multiple occasions) is the chalky looking white liquid with a super sweet smell. I mentioned on facebook that Henry was having a hard time taking this medicine, a friend of mine told me that it isn't flavored and that the pharmacy can flavor it for you (I can't taste it because I'm allergic to it). So I paid $3 and had Walgreen's add some bubble gum flavor. Ever since, he has taken it like a champ. Totally worth the $3. Also, we have noticed that giving Henry yogurt twice a day and putting diaper rash cream on constantly helped keep those side effects from getting horrible.<br />
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Henry comes by his bad eustachian tubes naturally. I had chronic ear infections, with tubes at 8 months and then again when I was about 8. My dad had horrible ear infections as a kid and subsequently has horrible hearing. I think he got his first set of hearing aids at 40. I KNOW my hearing has suffered because of all the ear infections I had, and that is definitely not something I want for Henry. Not to mention, I have vivid memories of them being super painful.<br />
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Since we have DEFINITELY passed the pediatric's benchmark of "4 ear infections in 6 months", we were headed to the ENT for a consultation regarding ear tubes. Well, us and 2 convicts. There's something really strange about sitting in a waiting room with your toddler and then having 2 guys in full on shackles shuffling into the waiting room. They were accompanied by officers from the penitentiary, so I am sure their crimes were non-violent (yeah right).<br />
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Anyway... Henry is getting some ear tubes. This is how he felt about it:<br />
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Phil and I feel the complete opposite. For so many reasons, I am excited for Henry's ears to get some relief. For one, the audiologist said he is showing signs of hearing loss (which will go away after the tubes are in and the fluid around his ear drums drains).<br />
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For the time being, we are currently waiting to get his surgery scheduled. It is kind of funny because the clinic has online patient charts and portals, I filled out all the paperwork online, Henry's pediatrician and the ENT office sent his chart back and forth electronically. But to get his surgery scheduled, we have to wait for a letter in the mail. Once we get the letter, then I can call and schedule his surgery. A letter in the mail? Might as well be waiting for the pony express. I have been wondering how many ear infections he will have while we wait for his surgery date. So far, the tally is up to 1.<br />
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Also, Henry weighs 30 lbs 2.5 oz as of yesterday. If you were to assume he was a 2 year old (which he is getting close to being), with his height and his weight, the CDC would label him as obese.<br />
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Which just seems funny to me. He's not obese. There's a slight chance I got his height wrong for this. I certainly wouldn't call him obese.<br />
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Because Henry is a bigger guy (I won't call him obese because he is not), the pharmacist usually won't fill his prescription right away. They always want to confirm his weight because they think the dose will be too high for a child of his age. I guess they trust my memory more than the doctor's prescription.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-77988324336004949942015-02-10T06:00:00.000-08:002015-02-10T06:00:05.692-08:00It was either don't blog, or blog about REALLY boring stuff. You're welcome.Well, let's see. My last post was who knows how long ago.<br />
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Too long.<br />
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It's been a busy month around these parts and not with anything super exciting. I did throw a baby shower, which I want to blog about. But other than that, I've mainly been working.<br />
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I worked a couple of 50+ hour weeks a couple of weeks ago. And since that, it's been over 40 hours a week. <br />
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Honestly, I just haven't had much to blog about.<br />
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I mean, unless people want to read about last Monday when I read magazines and drank tea while watching The Bachelor and it pretty much was the best thing ever. Because it totally was. So I am trying to recreate it this week with some nail painting and maybe some knitting (if my nails dry). Definitely going to need some Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Pretzel Thins.<br />
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I'm pretty sure they will because I used <a href="http://www.amazon.com/CND-VINYLUX-Creative-Manicure-Lacquer/dp/B00EA5B2VW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423542135&sr=8-1&keywords=cnd+vinylux+nail+polish">CND Vinylux</a>. It's similar to shellac/gel manicures, but doesn't take the UV light. It dries hard in like 7 minutes. I've used it with other CND polish colors and regular nail polish and it definitely extends the length of the manicure. PLUS... it isn't that spendy. <br />
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Also, I decided I needed to kick it into gear when it comes to fitness. I've been going to the gym at lunch with my cube mate for the last year or so. We only end up getting between 20-30 minutes of weight lifting in a day, but it has really helped. Some days when the weather is nice, we go for walks. She walks super fast so that is a definite work out. But I need to add something else in to help firm up the cancer/pregnancy changes that took place.<br />
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I'm so excited that the <a href="http://www.livinginyellow.com/2015/01/its-back-1800minutechallenge-join-in.html">#1800minutechallenge</a> started. It was exactly what I needed to kick myself into gear. Basically you try to log 1800 minutes of exercise by the end of March (averaging 30 minutes a day).<br />
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I'm off to a pretty good start. I had to miss a couple of days last week, so I am a little behind, but I am hoping I can catch up quickly. My cube mate and I went to power yoga this last weekend and it was SO HARD. I mean, I have done yoga before, but at one point, I swear I could feel my quad ripping off of my bone. Somehow, I survived the hour and definitely want to go back.<br />
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Also, I started teaching myself how to knit.<br />
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See... super exciting.<br />
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Ok so this post really has no rhyme or reason. What can I say? I'm out of practice.<br />
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I'll work on it.<br />
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Henry has decided that clothes are optional at home. You know what isn't optional? A diaper. I'm standing firm on that one until he proves bladder control.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-33043061520345608152015-01-16T12:54:00.003-08:002015-01-16T12:54:55.587-08:00Baby's 1st Guitar LessonHave you ever noticed that bloggers seem to go MIA for a while and then suddenly they return with an announcement that they are pregnant?<br />
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Yeah, that's not why I haven't been blogging. :)<br />
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Between the holidays, my mother-in-law visiting, throwing a baby shower, and work (I worked over 50 hours this last week), I really don't have a ton to blog about.<br />
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BUT...<br />
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Last night, I was at a meeting and Phil decided Henry needed his first guitar lesson.<br />
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And because he is the best husband in THE WORLD, he filmed it. And then he made a little movie.<br />
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It might be the cutest thing I have ever seen.<br />
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Here you go.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="421" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/116998173" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="750"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/116998173">Baby's 1st Guitar Lesson</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user12370446">Natalie Janney</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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I'm really hoping to get a life here soon, so I have something to blog about. :)Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-79240948383736012332014-12-31T12:00:00.000-08:002014-12-31T12:00:04.438-08:00Survive/ThriveIt's about that time... time for a 2014 recap/2015 goal setting.<br />
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I started trying to think back over the last year and then I thought about the year before that... and then the year before that. And I realized they all had a similar theme.<br />
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Survive<br />
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2012 was getting through cancer and then I was pregnant.<br />
2013 we had a newborn and a terminal parent.<br />
2014 was the completion of Phil's dissertation/defense.<br />
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We survived. There's really no other way to put it.<br />
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But you know what... Now it is time for the Janney family to thrive!<br />
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(oh that was cheesy)<br />
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It feels like we have barely been getting by when it comes to several areas in our lives. Lots of areas have been suffering. Obviously this blog was severely neglected. We have friends we haven't seen or talked to in months if not years. Our gym has been thrilled with us as customers since we pay every month and BARELY go.<br />
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Even though 2014 was another hard year, it was full of some really amazing things. <br />
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Healthy family, a new home, Phil finishing his doctorate. In reality, I couldn't have asked for a better year.<br />
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But I am hoping 2015 will give us some time to settle in and really create a clear path for where we want our family to go. Phil and I will be sitting down and filling out <a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0157/9972/files/New_Years_Family_Meeting_8666a272-b19c-4b7e-9040-bf1786bbf152.pdf?12127">THIS SHEET</a> from <a href="http://www.emilyley.com/">Emily Ley</a>. I also really want to get her <a href="http://www.emilyley.com/collections/simplified-home-base-binder">Home Base Binder</a>, so I can start doing a better job of keeping track of our money and planning. And I think I need to get<a href="http://laracaseyshop.com/products/making-things-happen-powersheets"> Lara Casey's Power Sheets</a>. I think having a written out plan for where I want things to go will help me keep my goals at the forefront.<br />
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In the past, I used to have a "bring it on" attitude towards each new year. But after several years of it being "brought", my attitude has changed. Now I feel like each new year is a total mystery, filled with both positive and negative challenges we will be faced with. But I am hopeful.<br />
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2015, please be good to us.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-44716011883580373332014-12-30T12:00:00.000-08:002014-12-31T11:06:28.921-08:00Baby Gear: Car seat and Stroller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In my humble opinion, one of the most important purchases you make for your baby is the car seat. Unless you live in a total urban environment, the car seat will become one of the most used baby items in your arsenal. And it has a super important job: protect baby in case of car accident. I mean really... it's a super important purchase.<br />
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The next big question... what about a stroller? For the first 8 weeks, you can't even put your newborn in a regular stroller. You pretty much have to keep them in the carseat. So how do you decide on a stroller that works with your car seat without spending HUNDREDS of dollars on something that will hopefully fit in the truck of your car?<br />
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I've had a couple of friends who are having their first baby's ask my opinion on how to pick a car seat. There are a MILLION different options. How on earth are you supposed to know which one is the right one?<br />
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Hence, the birth of this blog post. (Get it... new baby... birth...)<br />
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Here's the short answer... any car seat will work. After hours of research and purchasing the most obscure car seat around (apparently) I finally came to this realization. If they are selling it in the United States, it had to pass car crash studies, weight tests, and probably countless other tests. Any current car seat (without recalls and with all the right parts) is probably going to function properly and be safe. With that in mind, here are my tips of choosing the right car seat.<br />
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1. Know your brands. Graco. Chico. Britax. Peg Perero. There are a dozen different brands out there. But it isn't so much about which brand is better (see comment above). I think part of it is knowing what brands are the most used. Do you have friends that have had one of them? Did they like them? What didn't they like? Do any of the brands have current recalls?<br />
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2. Examine them. Is the cover easy to take off to wash (because you will have to wash various body fluids out of the car seat cover at some point). Henry liked to have blow-outs on the way daycare EVERY DAY. We cleaned the carseat A LOT. Are there little crevices in the buckles that will be hard to clean? Is the handle easy to maneuver?<br />
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3. Try them out in the store. Car seats are heavy on their own. They are even HEAVIER when you are still using them for your 25 lb 9 month old. Is it easy to carry one-handed? Does it hurt your arm? Is it easy to get out of the car seat base?<br />
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4. Find out if your friends have any extra accessories you can borrow. If you are like us, you will have at least 2 cars that will require a car seat base. If your friend has an extra base you can borrow, it might be worth it to look at purchasing the same brand car seat as that base. The bases are somewhere around $50 a piece.<br />
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5. Know the stats. What is the weight and height limit on the car seat? Does it go up to 25 lbs or 35 lbs? How long do you want to use the car seat? We wanted to use the carseat for at least the first year, so we found one that went up to 35 lbs. It turns out Henry got too tall for it so we have to switch sooner than that. But it is good to know the weight and height limitations of the car seat before you purchase it.<br />
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Let's talk stroller... First of all, I wouldn't recommend buying the travel systems where the giant stroller and car seat go together. The strollers are HUGE. And heavy. We borrowed one initially and it barely fit into the back of our car. Not to mention they are super expensive. I recommend getting a car seat that has a matching stroller frame you can use. The frames are light-weight, cheaper, and easy to snap the car seat into. We purchased one that had a removable stroller seat, so we can still use the stroller even now that Henry is too big for the carrier car seat.<br />
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<a href="http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=55316536&cp=&parentPage=search">Contours Bliss 4-in-1 Baby Stroller</a></div>
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<i>{Apparently they don't make the one we purchased anymore, but this one very similar </i></div>
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<i>(and more expensive unfortunately)}</i></div>
<br />
<br />
Once you have made your car seat purchase, the next step is making sure it gets installed properly into your car and that you know how to put the baby in it. Our hospital and local fire department put on car seat clinic every other month. We took our car seat and the manual to them and they showed us step by step how to make it was level and put in properly. They also showed us how to use the different features of the car seat and how to properly put a baby (or in this case, a stuffed animal) into the seat. If your hospital doesn't do this, most fire departments have someone that can help. Just call ahead and ask if they can check it for you and when would be a good time to stop by.<br />
<br />
So there you go! More than you ever needed to know about how to pick a car seat and stroller. Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-10062742316601028692014-12-19T05:13:00.003-08:002014-12-19T05:13:59.463-08:00He PASSED!!!I'm a few days late on posting this, but...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">PHIL PASSED HIS DEFENSE!!!</span></b></i></div>
<br />
<br />
I had really zero doubt in my mind that he would, but still there's a little part of you just can't wait for the relief that it is actually over. He did a great job with his presentation, his public questions went well, and I am sure he did a great job with the closed door portion too.<br />
<br />
So Phil is officially a doctor (of philosophy, not medicine). I'm no longer the most educated person in the house. :)<br />
<br />
It is kind of funny because Phil almost doesn't know what to do with himself now that his dissertation and defense are done. Not like he doesn't have a few things to do (he has a few revisions that he has to make), but it isn't the 24/7 type of work he has been doing.<br />
<br />
And I am just totally exhausted. As Phil was going through his presentation on Monday, I kind of relived the last 7 years. There were parts of his research that I had kind of repressed a little. Late nights, long hours, weekends alone, frustration in the process, etc. By the time everything was said and done, I felt drained.<br />
<br />
I have had a couple of days to kind of process everything and I am starting to get more and more excited about the fact that grad school is over. It is definitely one of those things where it is good you don't really know what is ahead of you when you start down the road. Graduate school is not for the faint at heart and neither is being a graduate wife.<br />
<br />
Our first order of business after Phil's defense was to get him some ALUMNI gear. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qf7FGV364pNpeGPlY3LB2-B52K5chsM3EA8h2mJjrxWwnU833okP8Y7nSxk4wY-Irh4mpK4fJeX54EiZwSip2_fmRxHk9f7a_bil7J_17SCk8SwI1zNqgj0I7rFGLd_pjfbupRY_ewc/s1600/IMG_6578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qf7FGV364pNpeGPlY3LB2-B52K5chsM3EA8h2mJjrxWwnU833okP8Y7nSxk4wY-Irh4mpK4fJeX54EiZwSip2_fmRxHk9f7a_bil7J_17SCk8SwI1zNqgj0I7rFGLd_pjfbupRY_ewc/s1600/IMG_6578.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>{The ornament looks like of red, but it is actually orange}</i></div>
<br />
After all, he most definitely earned it. We had kind of discussed if Alumni stuff was appropriate for graduate work (since it seems like most of the time people only have that for undergraduate degrees), but then Phil pointed out that he spent more time at Oregon State than James Madison, so it made sense.<br />
<br />
The last 7 years have been so crazy... Phil moved across the country. We met. Moved in together. Got engaged. Got married. His dad was diagnosed with Liver Cancer. We found out we had some fertility challenges. My nodules were found. I had cancer. I beat cancer. We got a puppy. We had a baby. Phil's dad passed away. We bought a house.<br />
<br />
And he still managed to produce some great work and finish his doctorate degree.<br />
<br />
Phil, I am so proud of you and everything you have accomplished. With absolutely everything you have faced, I am sure most people would have given up. But you endured and still managed to provide emotional support for me through the last crazy 6.5 years. Congratulations, love. I am so so proud of you.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-30858993442871633392014-12-10T12:00:00.000-08:002014-12-10T09:24:01.877-08:00Feeding a ToddlerOh the many joys of toddler-hood. Some of them really are joys: watching him learn new things, master new skills, and peeks of his personality. Others... not so much. New-found independence. Temper tantrums. Picky diets.<br />
<br />
One of my biggest stressors as of late has been feeding Henry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPBPiyh8eb7cizNq6iJnTsiJL8-BMf1EnU5hoVYd3gtyYY6hrSRobcOcKvnQDfsceN6LZWaSBUgXgKiBfIlak1yGyztsKQ0BHtxQ_VnkxLlxERTSuUSkBv4s_JSK8mcBNW4obMivIXyo/s1600/IMG_6516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPBPiyh8eb7cizNq6iJnTsiJL8-BMf1EnU5hoVYd3gtyYY6hrSRobcOcKvnQDfsceN6LZWaSBUgXgKiBfIlak1yGyztsKQ0BHtxQ_VnkxLlxERTSuUSkBv4s_JSK8mcBNW4obMivIXyo/s1600/IMG_6516.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It's a constant, never-ending question in our house... what is Henry going to eat?<br />
<br />
I should start by saying a couple of things... I loathe picky eaters, therefore I know I am destined to have one. Secondly, I am really hard on myself when it comes to the foods that Henry eats. I struggle immensely with feeding him anything processed or anything with a lot of sodium/sugar in it. I am constantly talking to myself about lightening up a bit. I want him to be a kid, after all. And I don't want him to be one of those kids that has such a restricted diet at home than they go crazy at their friends' house, eating junk food and LITERALLY digging through the garbage for cookies (a true story a friend has told me happened at her house).<br />
<br />
Daycare only feeds the stress. According to the daycare rules, Henry's lunch MUST contain four of the five food groups. It sounds like a great idea, but sometimes it can be really tricky. Especially when you figure in that he 1) doesn't like much meat and 2) only eats sweet potatoes for veggies.<br />
<br />
They say that you need to introduce a baby to a given food 12 times before they will develop a taste for it, but honestly that is SO FRUSTRATING!! Who wants to spend 12 meals having their toddler refuse their food?<br />
<br />
We never had this problem with baby food. Henry would eat ANYTHING if it was pureed. So I know he doesn't mind the taste. It's a texture thing.<br />
<br />
Anyway... enough of my complaining. Let's get to the point here.<br />
<br />
Henry and I had a play date with the mom's and babies from our Bradley birthing class last past weekend. We discussed our picky eaters and I took comfort in that we were NOT alone. So I started thinking about all of my options for what Henry will eat.<br />
<br />
Black beans<br />
Black bean burritos<br />
Guacamole<br />
Quesadillas<br />
(do we see a trend here?)<br />
Most soups<br />
Chili (both regular and white bean)<br />
Sweet Potatoes<br />
Pickled beets (he is part Russian, so it fits)<br />
Black Olives<br />
Grilled Cheese<br />
Chicken Nuggets<br />
Pizza<br />
Fruit<br />
Annie's Mac and Cheese with baked Chicken Thigh fillets cut very small and snuck in there<br />
Maybe PB&J<br />
Turkey (as long as it is covered in cranberry sauce)<br />
Green Bean Casserole<br />
<br />
The list isn't super long.<br />
<br />
So imagine my joy when I made <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2014/07/07/quinoa-enchilada-casserole/">THIS</a> last night:<br />
<br />
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{Quinoa Enchilada Casserole. Recipe from <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2014/07/07/quinoa-enchilada-casserole/">Damn Delicious</a>}</div>
<br />
<br />
I put some in a bowl for him, thinking "yeah right...". But Phil and I were shocked when he started shoveling it into his mouth.<br />
<br />
It was super easy and quick to make. It's healthy. And it's the perfect daycare meal with beans (protein), quinoa (grain), corn (veggie), and cheese (dairy). Four whole food groups in one dish! If I had given him the tomato and avocado (which he wouldn't have eaten) it was have had all 5 food groups in there.<br />
<br />
The even better news about this dish... Phil and I both thought it was delicous, it's meatless and gluten free, and SUPER inexpensive.<br />
<br />
Basically it is my favorite meal of all time right now.<br />
<br />
We have also resorted to sending baby food pouches to daycare that have fruits and veggies in them (mostly green veggies). But I don't like do that all of the time because they are spendy. But I just figured out that with Amazon Subscribe and Save, I can get pouches for basically $1 a piece. With a mixture of brands and veggie/fruit blends, I am excited that he will be getting a variety of veggies, it won't be too expensive, and it will be delivered to my door every 3 months.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
If you have any more ideas of toddler foods, I am ALL EARS. I have tried pretty much anything I can think of (including spaghetti with every type of noodle and other forms of pasta) but I am willing to try it again. Hit me with it!<br />
<br />Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-11786998595677337002014-12-09T12:00:00.000-08:002014-12-09T12:00:03.389-08:00So much to do!The holidays are a busy time for everyone and I know we are no exception. Since Thanksgiving was late this year, it seems like the holidays are even more hectic. There was one less weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas than in previous years. It shouldn't make a big difference, but it does.<br />
<br />
The push to get Phil's dissertation done and turned in put us into survival mode. Cleaning was kept at a minimum. Laundry done as needed, but not folded. Grocery shopping was limited as well.<br />
<br />
I do have my priorities though. Given a choice between folding laundry during nap time or putting up Christmas decorations, I chose decorations. All. The. Way.<br />
<br />
That choice, however, left me with a scene that looks like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrX-e22HQbOjzl41m84UnMc5Upa_DnETPs4xgpCr2GSvUxSFLWMVwDqfjWQcUbhMQyaeYa-1GJ8wYXNaY8xThRin3Tbl42Rix4D_RNZG1Pd4K9RO71p_kuz0HLZzaCxZf-1t1lkmfrHs/s1600/IMG_6200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrX-e22HQbOjzl41m84UnMc5Upa_DnETPs4xgpCr2GSvUxSFLWMVwDqfjWQcUbhMQyaeYa-1GJ8wYXNaY8xThRin3Tbl42Rix4D_RNZG1Pd4K9RO71p_kuz0HLZzaCxZf-1t1lkmfrHs/s1600/IMG_6200.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And there's more where that came from.<br />
<br />
To make matters worse, this is what awaits me at work:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGQ-onF-Bz-4s2OpyEKN6jJU_NtpTgSX-_7NniaDTLtoGui6wxhxZaSWLRotPfNZV4JsUE2OmusXxOgEorj0QMpYSTxinu6lNdA1OUatVQh23ARoovxey0yuymHVM8Vr_HV-LDMC8eO0/s1600/IMG_6531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGQ-onF-Bz-4s2OpyEKN6jJU_NtpTgSX-_7NniaDTLtoGui6wxhxZaSWLRotPfNZV4JsUE2OmusXxOgEorj0QMpYSTxinu6lNdA1OUatVQh23ARoovxey0yuymHVM8Vr_HV-LDMC8eO0/s1600/IMG_6531.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
To be reviewed.<br />
<br />
My to-do list is so long, I pretty much need to take this home to review it. But who has the time? I'm trying to find a way to dig down deeps and get everything accomplished. <br />
<br />
Laundry folded.<br />
House cleaned.<br />
Food made.<br />
Work done.<br />
<br />
And there is one thing that will always be at the top of my list...<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiYWfD1rO1Tj7cDV5q1nNExblDcoKUXoslw-34ZvPSDhyePSUnUlP0IliSqoAynjD6faLd5pgJmHvzgIV5SoANUQp_CeiynNnym7bwfGs5Rh_IzisrWBmXnyUKx0_Evq1-dOBCjkwABM/s1600/IMG_6524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiYWfD1rO1Tj7cDV5q1nNExblDcoKUXoslw-34ZvPSDhyePSUnUlP0IliSqoAynjD6faLd5pgJmHvzgIV5SoANUQp_CeiynNnym7bwfGs5Rh_IzisrWBmXnyUKx0_Evq1-dOBCjkwABM/s1600/IMG_6524.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcE6So-D3yBdSYGVnsiyDdf1JigrdZcJh1k3apwwWQN86kxzJ6XKmg3-Ea6VNRud_3mbqC3hvCxr3D4niFr4qa8uuF-STYUWiH-m88w5YtBjhg0-hPGisdPzhM007zodlbtfHRqoVz2U/s1600/IMG_6527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcE6So-D3yBdSYGVnsiyDdf1JigrdZcJh1k3apwwWQN86kxzJ6XKmg3-Ea6VNRud_3mbqC3hvCxr3D4niFr4qa8uuF-STYUWiH-m88w5YtBjhg0-hPGisdPzhM007zodlbtfHRqoVz2U/s1600/IMG_6527.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-A1AtLLbBLhcSHOZod1PUVtabWZ4NKam4pLmKLr0oCxXk-JG5raLBECoPRVvbTveFfJ3aAuoPdp7CWuwrx12voeGXdUhu1ieyv-slY0EKI_A_KPFLMyKUKiVeD9p-DseZj6g6B5LIe8/s1600/IMG_6528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-A1AtLLbBLhcSHOZod1PUVtabWZ4NKam4pLmKLr0oCxXk-JG5raLBECoPRVvbTveFfJ3aAuoPdp7CWuwrx12voeGXdUhu1ieyv-slY0EKI_A_KPFLMyKUKiVeD9p-DseZj6g6B5LIe8/s1600/IMG_6528.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Spending time with this guy.<br />
<br />
If someone can help me figure out a way to get everything done, find 2 more hours in the day, or perhaps ways to have a little more energy, I would greatly appreciate it.<br />
<br />
We are almost to the finish line of graduate school! I just need to keep my head down and priorities straight until then.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-42171631221145467212014-12-05T10:20:00.000-08:002014-12-05T10:20:11.933-08:00I want to shout it from the rooftops!!!I want to shout it from the roof tops!<br />
<br />
And yesterday felt like a holiday...<br />
<br />
Phil's dissertation has been turned in!!!!!!<br />
<br />
There are not enough exclamation marks for the above statement. Seriously.<br />
<br />
For those who are not familiar, Phil has been studying to get his doctorate in Environmental and Molecular Toxicology. That's actually how we met, in graduate school.<br />
<br />
Getting a doctorate degree is no small task. You have to do a research project that makes a significant contribution to your field. Then you have to write that bad boy up and defend him to a group of committee members and the public to determine if you know you stuff and should be considered a doctor.<br />
<br />
Phil's been busting his butt to finish writing his dissertation, which had to be turned in before his defense. Henry and I have barely seen the guy for the last couple of weeks. I'm pretty sure Henry and Phil have only spent like 10 minutes together the last week or so.<br />
<br />
But after staying up literally ALL NIGHT Wednesday night, IT'S DONE!!!<br />
<br />
Next up... his defense in a couple of weeks.<br />
<br />
For his defense, Phil will have to give a 45 minute presentation on his work. Then the visiting public can ask questions about his research and findings. After about 15 minutes of that, the public is kicked out and the committee can ask Phil him questions about his research and ANY class he has EVER taken. That should last another hour or so. And after that, he'll find out if his passed or not.<br />
<br />
I'm no Toxicologist, but I can say this... Phil has put in the work. He knows his $h!t. He's ready.<br />
<br />
There have been so many challenges and setbacks for Phil along his graduate school path. Changing project scope. Marriage. Dad diagnosed with cancer. Infertility. Waiting for data. Wife diagnosed with cancer. New baby. Waiting for data. Dad dying. Waiting for data.<br />
<br />
To name a few.<br />
<br />
I have to admit that after the defense got postponed the last time, I was having a hard time believing that the defense would happen in December. The goal was to get his dissertation turned in before Thanksgiving, but that didn't happen. Then the goal was Tuesday. Then Wednesday.<br />
<br />
I likened the delay to being pregnant and watching your due date pass. And each and every day you go past your due date gets harder. And harder. And you feel like you will always be pregnant. You will never have the baby. And it will never end.<br />
<br />
It's irrational. Pregnancy always has an end. And grad school had to as well.<br />
<br />
But it is in! The defense is scheduled!<br />
<br />
We have a couple hard weeks ahead of us still as Phil prepares for his defense. But the biggest part has been accomplished.<br />
<br />
Henry and I took Phil out to a nice dinner last night to celebrate.<br />
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<i>{Everyone's drinks. Martini for Mama. Apple juice for Hank. Beer for Daddy}</i></div>
<br />
<br />
Because Phil has basically been working 20 hours a day for the last couple of weeks, Henry and I really haven't seen him much. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Henry has seen him for maybe 5 minutes a day for the last week. And Henry made it known last night that he was NOT happy about it. He wouldn't look at Phil, didn't want Phil to hold him, wouldn't respond to Phil when he talked to him. He's a punisher. <br />
<br />
The good news is that he seemed to be over that this morning. He was looking up at Phil with an expression that said, "YAY MY DADDY IS HERE!" It was pretty much the cutest thing ever.<br />
<br />
Now excuse me while I go take multiple deep breaths because it feels like a HUGE weight has been lifted from our family's shoulders. You'll find me partially floating on cloud 9.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-21847720693516415792014-12-01T06:00:00.000-08:002014-12-01T06:00:13.182-08:00Oh hey, I have a blogI've been fairly silent on social media for the last few weeks. <br />
<br />
Henry's ear infection turned into another ear infection (with antibiotics that he would only take if you turned on <u>Frozen</u>).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRNAg0P6AhJijFgNJH9IkKXQAKSr7o3JoacMeeERVnqF8ude0AlREv-aO2zVgJQ5l5CcSoYZWYJ2BRZvCa4MLVVr4AC5Z0jF9D8RvLvaZ9ZDJsl4j6eBWybYoanY4V9uMVIJEsTIs0bA/s1600/Frozen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRNAg0P6AhJijFgNJH9IkKXQAKSr7o3JoacMeeERVnqF8ude0AlREv-aO2zVgJQ5l5CcSoYZWYJ2BRZvCa4MLVVr4AC5Z0jF9D8RvLvaZ9ZDJsl4j6eBWybYoanY4V9uMVIJEsTIs0bA/s1600/Frozen.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>{I don't know what it is about <u>Frozen</u>, but it seriously puts him in a trance.}</i></div>
<br />
<br />
Then I got bronchitis. Now I've had bronchitis before, but this was the worst by far. I've never gotten it before with a fever. We are talking fever, body aches, chills, severe sweating for 5 days. Thankfully on Day 6, the antibiotics were kicking in and I was able to resume normal life.<br />
<br />
Day 6 of my sickness was also the day Henry got Croup.<br />
<br />
Did I mention that this whole sickness relay also happened while Phil has been working almost around the clock finishing up his dissertation? I am so thankful for my parents who watched Henry for basically the entire weekend so Phil could work and I could be sick on the couch.<br />
<br />
So between sickness, the dissertation, keeping everyone fed, clean, and clothed, blogging has fallen to the wayside. <br />
<br />
Don't fret my pets... the end is in sight. <br />
<br />
But seriously, Henry and I apparently need to invest in large quantities of vitamin C. I'm pretty sure the only reason Phil hasn't gotten sick is because of adrenaline. <br />
<br />
One thing I have noticed, even when I was healthy, was that without Phil's help I really can't do everything. Not that this should be a huge surprise. And it's not like things don't get done. But they don't get done well all of the time. Laundry from two weeks ago is sitting folded in the bonus room. And I haven't done any laundry since. <br />
<br />
Sometimes making dinner means chicken nuggets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkXMaeVFBvxiiP_TzdhvaUBxU2tlJlGoYFQTApRO5qPyR66gCuso3_FpMhiF0j8tgeZL9crcypQXELMcwXcvzKriMeHsKTwJtFWfL85RnTeYyKV0edVK0J0jqNdN_yUDCMTP9TF8rdo0/s1600/chicken+nuggets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkXMaeVFBvxiiP_TzdhvaUBxU2tlJlGoYFQTApRO5qPyR66gCuso3_FpMhiF0j8tgeZL9crcypQXELMcwXcvzKriMeHsKTwJtFWfL85RnTeYyKV0edVK0J0jqNdN_yUDCMTP9TF8rdo0/s1600/chicken+nuggets.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Sometimes it means pizza. And sometimes cleaning means doing the absolute bare minimum for the house to not be gross.<br />
<br />
Henry has been in disposables, partially because antibiotics have been havoc on his poor little digestive system and partially because I haven't wanted to deal with the extra laundry.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, none of that crap matters. We are getting through the end of graduate school. And as long as we are mostly happy, loving, and supportive of one another, the details don't matter. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwsq1cdMVA3_Rekue3CAfFLDpPt200Qx03rI07Rh2VOotMKM2ZmmD4uTe6o7sBqd6YWen2P3Kr6aKI9bVN1t38D4g8KCvAov2fgZrVK_GjhBGccv-GeavLwJAU5HGPlt1r8QKFf_1Xes/s1600/silly+boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwsq1cdMVA3_Rekue3CAfFLDpPt200Qx03rI07Rh2VOotMKM2ZmmD4uTe6o7sBqd6YWen2P3Kr6aKI9bVN1t38D4g8KCvAov2fgZrVK_GjhBGccv-GeavLwJAU5HGPlt1r8QKFf_1Xes/s1600/silly+boy.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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Henry's happy, so I must be doing something right. :)<br />
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Stay healthy, people!Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-41905452660311655992014-11-06T06:00:00.000-08:002014-11-06T06:00:06.695-08:00IntuitionLast week, Henry was diagnosed with an ear infection. And while an ear infection is about as normal of a childhood ailment as they come (second maybe to having a cold), I'm finding myself a little anxious about it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2N6nOHU3vVd8vxYvU8_81vrVc4z0YWNs0y-s3JNQAhSki84EoOYO3PgrpWAkt6WfbUDCDMedF2fM7EElnrLlvIuV6oRHzjHkgxuIuvcIkIF8ckwsErP-VrpOEPLoxGx3PDKsezBcx20/s1600/DSC_0051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2N6nOHU3vVd8vxYvU8_81vrVc4z0YWNs0y-s3JNQAhSki84EoOYO3PgrpWAkt6WfbUDCDMedF2fM7EElnrLlvIuV6oRHzjHkgxuIuvcIkIF8ckwsErP-VrpOEPLoxGx3PDKsezBcx20/s1600/DSC_0051.jpg" height="640" width="428" /></a></div>
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<br />
This seems super silly because I had bundles of ear infections when I was little. And I have friends whose children have had dozens of ear infections in one year. But Henry's last ear infection took 4 antibiotics to clear up and he<a href="http://mrsjanney.blogspot.com/2014/01/our-tough-guy.html"> ended up in the hospital with pneumonia</a>.<br />
<br />
While I know this isn't likely to happen again (his pediatrician told me it would be rare), I find myself anxious about whether or not the ear infection is actually going to be cured.<br />
<br />
Today was his last dose of medicine and while he seems to be doing alright, he still digs at his ears. Is that wax? Teething pain? Or is that ear infection lurking still?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04cYdtCt4UI68H7bVhLFZZ3zD3UyEKasxpjiwaA0VfWzjRFezYGOpsybdsHdJXbqEO81Onr8osABbJXr5g5EHYN4igwryuRgoTWiHREQSLNckKAJip6magW1OzPOI8fJS-8BUTgGAFdM/s1600/DSC_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04cYdtCt4UI68H7bVhLFZZ3zD3UyEKasxpjiwaA0VfWzjRFezYGOpsybdsHdJXbqEO81Onr8osABbJXr5g5EHYN4igwryuRgoTWiHREQSLNckKAJip6magW1OzPOI8fJS-8BUTgGAFdM/s1600/DSC_0057.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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It seems like every time he gets sick, I kick myself incessantly. I know I shouldn't do that, but it is hard. The weekend before we took him to the doctor (and a few days the week before), I knew there was something wrong with him. I told myself I should have trusted my mommy intuition and taken him in sooner.<br />
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My mommy intuition tells me to take him back to the doctor to check. I also know I am an anxious person. Better safe than sorry is my mantra. Do I wait and see how he acts, knowing where we ended up last time?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOJV3Gv3syxOkcFQoqFofjoCoDsOvEUex4CL9tTU1iFI-c8cfC0NncQlRbmrUSeVNPMOFotZwffyDvFK2frMThyDK-SYnik7X2lP99_nakxdmy0ds-FfGGGE9qgSRW4KtqRRAoIjQ-tA/s1600/DSC_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOJV3Gv3syxOkcFQoqFofjoCoDsOvEUex4CL9tTU1iFI-c8cfC0NncQlRbmrUSeVNPMOFotZwffyDvFK2frMThyDK-SYnik7X2lP99_nakxdmy0ds-FfGGGE9qgSRW4KtqRRAoIjQ-tA/s1600/DSC_0037.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Being a mommy is hard.<br />
<div>
<br />
For now, my plan is to wait and see what happens. But if my intuition starts telling me something isn't right, I am going to trust it. I'd rather lose the $30 for the copay than risk him being in pain or getting sicker.<br />
<br />
Better safe than sorry. :)</div>
Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-80550063424532766002014-11-05T06:00:00.000-08:002014-11-05T06:00:03.029-08:00Order OutWithout being TOTALLY original and talking about daylight savings time, I have to say...<br />
<br />
It's totally kicking my butt!<br />
<br />
Henry seems to have adjusted to it just fine. It's me that has a problem with it. I swear, ever since I lost my thyroid, my system is so sensitive. Now, I need LOTS of sleep and LOTS of water. It's a little annoying.<br />
<br />
You want to know what else is annoying? Last night, I tried to make curry for the second time and, once again, it was TASTELESS. How is that even possible? It's curry! My entire house will probably smell like it for the next week, but taste? Nothing. I find it very annoying that I bought ingredients, prepped them, made the meal and then we STILL have to go get something else to eat. Plus I had to do dishes.<br />
<br />
I have accepted defeat. <br />
<br />
If I want curry, we'll order out.<br />
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But you know what is wonderful? It is Wednesday.<br />
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{image found <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/dd/82459975?aid=3269">HERE</a>}</div>
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And my Thursday is busy enough that it will likely FLY by. Which means it is basically Friday. :) Don't you love my logic?</div>
<br />Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-59871133229811249472014-11-03T04:00:00.000-08:002014-11-03T04:00:23.578-08:00I don't even own A spice...One of my brother's favorite Wayne's World quotes is:<br />
<br />
"A gun rack. A GUN RACK. I didn't even own <i>a</i> gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack. What am I going to do with a gun rack."<br />
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So naturally anytime you say something with the word "rack" in it, he says the quote.<br />
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Yesterday, Phil installed the spice rack he made for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkvbva3ggAHVW2jviREd4mIQLoaEUIkKyx1DAhuZZpj2gsBWHQTW_Bj01ZGaY8WxtOEnuA1ePc8OVJYQB0Iq1ldC-VP6z47RwUeqCNJhYz_F0gaX5fIf3pAYuz2BW9ImcryZCqDLCTYM/s1600/spice+rack+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkvbva3ggAHVW2jviREd4mIQLoaEUIkKyx1DAhuZZpj2gsBWHQTW_Bj01ZGaY8WxtOEnuA1ePc8OVJYQB0Iq1ldC-VP6z47RwUeqCNJhYz_F0gaX5fIf3pAYuz2BW9ImcryZCqDLCTYM/s1600/spice+rack+1.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPVO6tVueysWmRjuDznTATwMbTbSOJ2mUnfrkp5cJwYphfjKR3OBCIyCsD09Jt7IIgu9ghTsDOuENQL0oUt0y1YXbt3_Bd8ydVu7cMWPKV1dJsaOi4qt5oIpQ1MZteEDzFDjGlhrftkA/s1600/spice+rack+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPVO6tVueysWmRjuDznTATwMbTbSOJ2mUnfrkp5cJwYphfjKR3OBCIyCsD09Jt7IIgu9ghTsDOuENQL0oUt0y1YXbt3_Bd8ydVu7cMWPKV1dJsaOi4qt5oIpQ1MZteEDzFDjGlhrftkA/s1600/spice+rack+2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>{Isn't it beautiful?! We have plans to paint it white, </i></div>
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<i>but I didn't want to wait for the rain to stop to paint it.}</i></div>
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<br />
It's almost like Phil wrote me a poem. But it is made of wood and holds spices.<br />
<br />
When we found out we were getting this house, I told Phil I wanted him to make me a spice rack, using <a href="http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2012/10/pantry-ideas-door-spice-rack.html">THIS tutorial</a>. I have WAY more spices than a person should have (I think when we moved, I had like 4 bottles of cinnamon) and they take up A LOT of room in the pantry.<br />
<br />
I didn't want Phil to take any breaks from working on his dissertation to build it for me, so we bought the supplies and I told him to get to it when he had the chance (probably not until he finished grad school). But slowly, during much needed breaks from the computer, he worked on it.<br />
<br />
AND IT IS DONE!<br />
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Seriously, I love it.<br />
<br />
It inspired me to go through everything else in the pantry and throw away expired food. Turns out I had cans with a "BEST BY" date of 2009. That means I moved it from our apartment, to the duplex, to the house. Efficient is my middle name. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84wfccowNcKzY-mYm1wM981Nr0TZpa-EEIFpOk0TxbcCym0E8Nqx-d-x8ccYpLq4SDXW_QTvTvwZImyRboKkWfHnr_y4cGkfY0INx-oVKVvdwPg-d5nfJXJSj8c6BmgngB4ACF2CphRE/s1600/pantry+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84wfccowNcKzY-mYm1wM981Nr0TZpa-EEIFpOk0TxbcCym0E8Nqx-d-x8ccYpLq4SDXW_QTvTvwZImyRboKkWfHnr_y4cGkfY0INx-oVKVvdwPg-d5nfJXJSj8c6BmgngB4ACF2CphRE/s1600/pantry+2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1KjQwQ2H6cAZiiH-d6_JKe9U-8iigZSK3D7W56ogrTH-pHrW8DCLmIPRNjFkSPpwLaHBK5KV-6cfQv8SBserYbA4RUkSw7L7au6ZcsTbnoEAbFARg2W3BGXZw7THLu2b1SErydsDiD4/s1600/pantry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1KjQwQ2H6cAZiiH-d6_JKe9U-8iigZSK3D7W56ogrTH-pHrW8DCLmIPRNjFkSPpwLaHBK5KV-6cfQv8SBserYbA4RUkSw7L7au6ZcsTbnoEAbFARg2W3BGXZw7THLu2b1SErydsDiD4/s1600/pantry.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />
Next up, Phil is going to make me <a href="http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2013/01/kitchen-organization-diy-foil-more-organizer.html">THIS foil holder</a>.<br />
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When Phil asked what I would be blogging about today and I told him, "The spice rack" he replied with, "Oh I thought it would be about trick or treating with Henry." Mother of the Year.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-29127552658906884282014-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:002014-10-31T06:00:11.777-07:005 Things FridayWith a sick kid on Monday, night meeting on Tuesday, and still a sick baby on Wednesday, I could have sworn yesterday was Friday.<br />
<br />
It was not.<br />
<br />
But today is! And Halloween at that! Here's this week's dose of randomness. And because it is the 5th Friday of the month, my boss is bringing in doughnuts (I'm trying to get myself pumped up for today).<br />
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<br />
1. Even though I didn't really decorate much... And I was never really into dressing up, I am excited for Halloween. I am excited to see the Halloween display our neighbors have put together and find out how many kids we will get at our new house. But most of all, I am excited to take my little man Trick-or-Treating. We might get a better response to it this year than last year.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWMZYU9U9pjoRSe6zbtYlkvxXfEuE5WIvvMTXAGUMo8ByHAXckOcRAhG5jDts8QSseTZEw4pwi2ROifECC7KC8VuaMCWSdGEaR4FfXJAx5AD7ZNc_RH5ML_cUcj6w2gjjjdKvEyyq-c8/s1600/photo+2+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWMZYU9U9pjoRSe6zbtYlkvxXfEuE5WIvvMTXAGUMo8ByHAXckOcRAhG5jDts8QSseTZEw4pwi2ROifECC7KC8VuaMCWSdGEaR4FfXJAx5AD7ZNc_RH5ML_cUcj6w2gjjjdKvEyyq-c8/s1600/photo+2+(4).JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhBMilqSjLrK5GsfuyV7H9A17u7cJ4iytk5pmkGUL2hwUIlRAvhVhbg6NheJmacIamTJMwiZQX-ErTLaFuWdkgtmSmi1x8Ands3J6jKyPhyphenhypheneLwuAEbiPdp7GsnafiAL1o8PyHx1151rKQ/s1600/photo+1+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhBMilqSjLrK5GsfuyV7H9A17u7cJ4iytk5pmkGUL2hwUIlRAvhVhbg6NheJmacIamTJMwiZQX-ErTLaFuWdkgtmSmi1x8Ands3J6jKyPhyphenhypheneLwuAEbiPdp7GsnafiAL1o8PyHx1151rKQ/s1600/photo+1+(4).JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>{My cute little lion}</i></div>
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<br />
Last year, when I took him to the door, people almost seemed offended when I held out the bag for candy. No, my 5 month old would not be eating the candy. But his mother, who hiked him up to your door might. Not to mention that I was still exclusively breastfeeding, so he was getting it by proxy.<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Along the lines of trick-or-treating, I asked Henry if he could say "Trick or Treat" this morning and he shook his head no. That answers that.<br />
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<br />
3. I had to stop by Walgreens the other day to pick up some Pedialyte, Parmesean and Italian Herb Chex Mix, and to yell at the Pharmacist (ok I didn't yell. I asked a question) and while I was there, I picked up a pair of fleece lined textured leggings. And this proved 2 things: 1) I will buy almost anything fleece lined and 2) $5.99 is the perfect price.<br />
<br />
It may have also proved that I am a classy lady. Whatever. They are SO COMFY! I should have capitalized on their 2 for $10 offer.<br />
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<br />
4. Even though Henry didn't feel super great, we took him to his daycare pumpkin patch this week. They had pumpkins, ghost the kids would punch, pumpkin guts to squish, a pool full of jello, and hay to throw. But Henry was mostly drawn to the pool filled with shaving cream.<br />
<br />
He was doing fine, rubbing his hands in it. And then a little girl fell and got some shaving cream in his hair. He went to wipe the shaving cream off his hair with his shaving cream filled hands. One thing led to another and...<br />
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<br />
It got a little out of hand.<br />
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5. We are nearing the end of graduate school which means Phil is working his tail off pretty much around the clock. Yesterday morning, I woke up at 6 and he wasn't in bed. So I came downstairs and found him laying on the floor in the office. Apparently he had laid down to take a short nap and slept all night. <br />
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Poor guy.<br />
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I have instituted a bedtime for him. He still needs some sleep.<br />
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Happy weekend!!!<br />
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Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-913616147582346734.post-67861974392732607882014-10-30T06:00:00.000-07:002014-10-30T06:00:03.892-07:00Working Mom ProblemsThe runny nose, grumpy gus little man confirmed my Mommy intuition on Monday night when I picked him up from daycare... He was sick.<br />
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I knew it was coming. He had had a cold for over a week. The runny nose was, shall we say, NOT the appropriate color. And was he touchy his ear more often? I don't know. He was also GRUMPY.<br />
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Was it teeth? Just the cold?<br />
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Monday night we knew it was something worse. He looked exhausted. He had dark circles under his eye and was a little paler. The straw that broke the camel's back was the temperature he developed Monday night. Then he woke up at 2. And at 3.<br />
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Definitely headed to the doctor.<br />
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My poor little guy has an ear infection. :(<br />
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As someone who got ear infections almost monthly growing up, I really feel his pain. I have vivid memories of being in excruciating pain, waking up in the middle of the night crying because my ears hurt so bad. Tylenol couldn't touch the pain. The only thing that helped was when my dad would lay the infected ear on his bare chest and stroke my forehead. To this day, I know my hearing is damaged from all the ear infections.<br />
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Obviously, I felt really bad when we found out he was sick. And even worse when I wrestled with what to do next. Do I take him to daycare? Maybe to Grandma's house? Should I stay home with him? Should Phil stay home with him?<br />
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This is when being a working parent is really hard.<br />
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No matter which option gets picked, HUGE amounts of guilt follow. If I stay home, how am I going to get my work done? If I go to work, is Henry ok without me?<br />
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Daycare is expensive and work is really busy so if Henry is acting alright, he has to go to daycare. But I won't lie... I feel like a horrible mom about it.<br />
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Every fiber in my being is pulling me toward him. I just want to take him home, cuddle up with him, watch Disney movies and play with Duplos. There isn't a single part of me that wants to be at work. But I have to. For my company, for my clients, and most importantly to provide for my family... I have to be at work.<br />
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This is what I tell myself, over and over as my heart hurts for my little guy who is possibly being comforted by not me. <br />
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I ended up checking on him in the afternoon and when she told me he "ok but very grumpy" I decided I needed to just finish up what I was doing and go get him. We spent the evening reading books, with an early bath and bedtime (which didn't go over really well because he wanted to be read even MORE books).<br />
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I am hopeful that he will have a better day today. Hopefully the antibiotics have kicked in and his ear will stop hurting him.<br />
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Sick babies are the worst.Natalie | Mrs. Janney |http://www.blogger.com/profile/18312142177721655450noreply@blogger.com1