Update

Not too much to report on around here... I am now selling AVON as you might notice from the sidebar. I'm working hard on my first campaign and trying to let people in Chilliwack know I'm selling. My Facebook group currently has 29 followers and my goal is 50, hopefully by my third campaign. So if you need anything (or just a brochure), let me know!

Ryan is working hard on his own business as well and is busy, busy. He has 3 lawn contracts so far, a job ripping out a hot tub today, and a landscaping contract later this week. He loves working outdoors and being his own boss, but for now it's just a way of making some extra money to make ends meet.

The girls are doing really well. Meagan is over her strep throat but grew accustomed to getting extra snuggles at night so she still wakes up 1-3 times per night. We're going to slowly start introducing some foods to her, which I'm not thinking will help initially, but hopefully sooner rather than later. It just seems like she's always hungry and not getting enough from me anymore. But maybe that's just me worrying too much??

Kaitlyn's preschool year is almost over and the summer will be a struggle with trying to keep her entertained. She knows her birthday is just around the corner (May 21st) and usually her first question in the morning is "Am I 4 NOW Mom?" She is turning into an easier child, slowly, day by day. One book I cannot recommend highly enough is "1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12" from Dr. Phelan (amazon). We have never really agreed with spanking and although it took some time and sticking with it, rarely do we have to reach 3 before Kaitlyn listens and responds. I think the last timeout she received was 2 weeks ago :)

Obviously meal planning and weight loss are still on the backburner here. Honestly, I just don't have the energy for either right now, but plan to as soon as I start getting some better night rest.

Thank You Oma :)

Finally - a picture of Meagan in her Sunday dress that Oma K made for her when she was born. She has been wearing it regularly (and always gets compliments on it too!) but somehow, I always forget to take out the camera. So here it is :)

Day Out With the "Twins"

On Friday, Katrina and I went to the Ready, Seat, Learn and Safety Fair with our almost-4-year-olds (Owen and Kaitlyn are just a few days apart). The kids had a blast! And it always helps when they are both well behaved :)

Etsy!

I've made the mistake of discovering Etsy. What a wonderful place to find some truly amazing artists! After our hand-foot-mouth scare at church a few weeks ago, I decided to try and get a personalized pacifier clip for Meagan since I found her soother in another boy's mouth by the time I picked her up from the nursery. The girls I ordered off on etsy (Ritzy Rugrats) were so helpful and made sure I got exactly what I wanted. I was able to pick the fabric on both sides, font type and colour, and it turned out wonderful. Since almost everything Meagan has received was either a gift, hand me down, or from the consignment store, I didn't feel horrible for buying something especially for her :)

Definition of "Rich"

I teared up a little as I heard this Paul Brandt song on the radio this morning. It reminded me, as I struggle this week with paying bills that we don't really have the money to pay for, about what's truly important and what really makes us "rich". I hope you and your family are "rich" as well.

Rich Man - Paul Brandt

I look in the mirror, don't see much
Fashion sense a little out of touch
The house is run down as the bills pile up
But I'm a rich man

Breakfast table, morning rush
Sometimes it seems we barely have enough
But if it's true that all you need is love
Then I'm a rich man

When she smiles or they call me Daddy
All the worries of the world just seem to fade away
I'm alive and I know what matters
If this is all I ever have
Well, that's ok
'Cause I'm a rich man

So every morning, and brand new day
With each and every single breath I take
I'm blessed and I'm thankful, yeah I've got it made
Oh, I'm so glad life turned out this way

I've loved, I've been loved, show me someone else
With as much as me

Photo Update

It's been a little while since I've posted any photos so here's a bit of an update.

Kaitlyn had her Easter party at school and loved it. She loved the bouncy castle (and had to be hauled out by one of the other moms since I was holding Meagan), loved decorating cookies, eating cookies, doing crafts and looking for Easter eggs!





Yesterday was a pj day in our house since Kaitlyn had a runny nose and cough and just plain refused to get dressed. So we baked cookies, her favourite thing to do with Mom :)



And Meagan is feeling so much better. She is happy and on her way to being healthy. She is sleeping so much better at night with only 1-2 wakings at night but still running a bit of a temperature here and there.



So that's our update!

1 Time!!

Just wanted to post that Meagan only woke up 1 time last night! That's right!! Guess the meds are working their magic.

Strep Throat

I am so glad I took Meagan in (and was able to get in so quickly to her own doctor!). She has strep throat and this morning woke up with a full blown cold as well. She is on amoxicillin and we are dosing her with Tylenol and Advil around the clock. After only 2 dosages and a better night's sleep, she is so much happier today. She still woke up 4 times last night but it's a definite improvement!

Anyway, not much time to post, but thought I would update :)

Lack of Results...

Last night I tried every trick. I gave her a bath before bed, I fed her a few spoonfuls of rice cereal at dinnertime, I put her sleepsack on, gave her Tylenol, turned on the white noise machine. And Meagan was up at least 7 times. I stopped counting after 5. Her nap yesterday was horrible too. I finally had to go and co-nap with her and she would still wake up screaming after half an hour until I soothed her back to sleep and eventually got 3 hours out of her (in total - meaning half hour x 6).

I'm beginning to suspect something medical and am hoping to get her in to a doctor sometime this week, which might be difficult since I'm pretty sure they're closed this week while they move offices. I still don't feel or see teeth, and am getting concerned maybe it's an ear infection.

On a good note, I'm still losing weight but I think that's just because I'm up 20 hours a day :)

Night 1 Results

So I didn't follow through on everything on my list. The noise machine was out of batteries and we didn't have any extras. I want to hold off on teething tablets unless I know it's teething.

But what I did do was: tucked her in tight with an extra blanket on top, plus turned up the heat a degree; put something of mine in the crib with her; put a flannel blanket in her hand which she loved; nursed from both sides when I did feed her and changed her diaper each time she woke up. The results? 3 wake-ups. A definite improvement over the 6+ that we've been struggling with for about a week. So today I'll have to get some batteries and I will buy the teething tablets, just in case.

And thanks for your comments yesterday. Nicole, I love Dr. Sears and his parenting approaches. I have The Baby Book, The Baby Sleep Book, and I read plenty of his articles when I have the time. And I still cringe whenever I complain to someone about her sleeping habits and they tell me it's time to let her cry it out. Sorry, I'm just not doing it.

Cecile, we do have a whole stack of sleep sacks (coming from a Dutch family myself) and I will be trying that as well this week. The last time I tried she got really mad, but now that she's moving a lot, maybe it will help keep her a little more still.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone and hoping for progression instead of regression in the coming week! At least I feel better about being proactive about it now :)

Sleep Issues

Today I came across this article from Dr. Sears: 31 WAYS TO GET YOUR BABY TO GO TO SLEEP AND STAY ASLEEP EASIER and tonight I am going to try some of his tips. I am tired and worn out. I need more sleep and even though Meagan goes back to sleep quickly, the last few nights have been horrendous. She usually wakes at 12 for a feed which is okay. But then 1, then 2, 3, 4... it's brutal and I don't know what's causing it. Her drooling is out of control and I'm constantly changing her undershirts or else she develops a large red drool rash on her chest. So teething is definitely a suspect at this time.

Some of the tips I will be trying tonight: teething tablets (not exactly on the list, but I don't feel okay with giving her Tylenol every night); putting something that smells like Mommy in with her; making sure she is warm enough and tucked in tight; and using the noise machine on the sensor setting. We used this for Kaitlyn and it worked wonders. As soon as Kaitlyn would stir or make a noise, the sensor would go and the machine would turn on.

So wish us luck! We need it!!