Sunday, November 27, 2011

5 things I should be ashamed of but I'm not

1.  I love Hootie and the Blowfish.  Yes, they are so 1990 but love is love.  Saw them in concert a few years ago.  Made my life at the time complete.  DH HATES THEM.  Oh well. :)

2.  I hate Pink Floyd.  Don't get them don't want to.  DH LOVES THEM.  Again, oh well.

3.  I am a Texan who has never been to the rodeo.  It was an animal ethical treatment thing for awhile but now I just don't want to go.

4.  I find smoking soothing, which is why I don't smoke.  It is a horrible nasty habit but taking just one drag can just calm my nerves then I begin to hack and my lung hurt for literally days.  So not worth it.

5.  I find the smell of pine to be the most soothing scent ever.  It was even my birthing scent.  My dad has always worked in a sawmill so pine is soothing and reminds me of my daddy coming home from work.

So there you go.  You know my not so secret shame.

Someone's youtube video from the Danville, VA concert, which I was at.  I was right at the stage in front of Darius!  I didn't see me in the video but I was there!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

So much to do

So I am coming up on my busy season.  I have Audrey's birthday, Christmas, my 10-year wedding anniversary, and DH's birthday.  December just tends to cost a lot of money.  Money which I don't really have but we'll make it work somehow.  We are having Audrey's 2-year portraits done next weekend; it will be a bit pricey but we are so happy we booked AMZ Photography.  Can't wait to post some pictures.  DH and I have decided to forgo a huge party for Audrey.  We are doing a cake and a trip to the zoo with her favorite cousin. 
Christmas will be on a budget, as usual.  DHa nd I both agree that Audrey doesn't really need much so we are going to do a few presents for her.  Thankfully Audrey is a happy kid so things aren't important to her.  I have no clue what to get DH.  He wants things way out of the budget.  He wants a tablet computer but the budget is $100 so the table is out.  Wish I had won one but Rafflecopter hates me.  I haven't won anything since most people have moved over :(
DH and I also have no real clue what to do for our anniversary.  We have always talked about having a vow renewal and then big party but it just not in the budget.  I was thinking about having a "wedding" session with AMZ.  I fit my wedding dress and DH could get a tux.  My friend H took our wedding pics but we never got professional shots made so that might be an idea.  I think we could do a quick vow renewal followed by a romantic dinner.  I know DH would love to run off to Vegas but Audrey isn't weaned and I'm just not ready to leave her overnight.
So much to do and so little time and money.  So any ideas for any of these things?
Picture from the night we got engaged, May 2001.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Gout, the other disease

So doc confirmed on Thursday that DH has gout.  I'm not sure about the scale but DH was 3 points above normal.  He's now on a med for the next 4 months to reduce the uric acid.  In 4 months he goes back for labs and possible med adjustment. 

His blood pressure was high in the office but has been good for the last week at home.  Doc thinks it was being in the office since at home it's good.  He is still on the blood pressure, again adjustment to come in 4 months.  Seems weird to have a standard refill order on the books for him.  We're only 32.  Besides I thought I would be on something long before him. 

So what does this mean for the next 4 months?  DH must take three pills per day.  DH must drink 8-16 glasses of water per day.  DH and whole family is going on a beef-less/high veggie diet.  Honestly we need more veg anyways.  I think the problem is we are looking at it as a diet.  DH has to lose weight; that is the key to going off the blood pressure med, according to the doc.  Losing weight means diet.

A diet is a horrible thing.  However, a lifestyle change is doable.  I know it's just words but words so mean something.  I tweet about a lifestyle change and nothing.  I tweet about a diet change and I get tons of replies to links on weight loss drugs!  Anyways, we're making adjustments in our diets.  I'm dropping sodas in favor of water, tea and coffee.  I'm finding that with the wheatlessness and breastfeeding I'm going back to losing weight mode.  Not a bad thing but I just bought new pants and they are already starting to be too big.  Hate that! 

Of course along with a food lifestyle change comes a change in activity level.  I need to exercise.  I keep feeling derailed on my goal to ran a 5K.  First the hip and now I"m out of the habit.  I keep saying that once I get a car I'll start going back.  It's just hard to make the time.  I want Audrey to have a stable bedtime.  Right now she's hitting 10 pm.  So I'm thinking I need to pick up Audrey (so my mom can go off to do her thing) and put her in the gym's daycare for an hour while I work-out.  They charge $4 a session.  I can handle that.  By the time it's all said and done, we would be home at about 7:30.  Not horrible; a little late for dinner but we'll adjust, right?  I must get off my ass.  If I get off of mine, then DH will get off of his.  Can't lose weight if you don't move.  I love DH as he is.  I think he's sexy and hot.  I really don't want him to change but if losing weight means I'll keep him longer than off to the gym we go. 

I"m thinking a big blog on New Year's resolutions will coming.  DH and I will be celebrating 10 years of wedded bliss next month.  10 years is not nearly long enough.  So if going wheatless, meatless, sodaless and whatever less is required, then I'm in.  For better or worse, in sickness or in health . . .
  I'm beginning to think we should have added something about food or allergies into our vows.  :)

DH and Audrey on her 1st Christmas Eve.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Mom's eye view

Just a warning: these pictures are of a toddler breastfeeding. View at your own risk.
 




 















Tuesday, November 15, 2011

I'm not that good a mom

So I read Healing Anaya: Rainbow Day yesterday and I cried, just cried.  How in the world can a person have the strength to do and then share something like that.  She is a much better mom than me.  I was talking to DH about it and he said that sometimes that is part of being a good parent.  "Sometimes letting go is the only way to show your love." 

I think I am a bad parent.  I have to admit I would be selfish.  I can't let go.  How could I ever let go?  I know I shouldn't say that.  If something happened to my Audrey and letting her go was require, I honestly don't think I could.  I would hold on tight and refuse to let go.  I would put me first.  I would be selfish.  I am a bad mother.  I think I would let go eventually but not until well after when I should have.  I don't do selfless well.  It is hard to think that I won't let go.  That I would put me first.  Maybe I wouldn't.  Maybe I would grow up in that moment and realize what I needed to do but I don't think so.  God willing I'll never find out.  God willing most of us will never have to find out. 

I am praying for Anaya's family and the many other families that have to live through things like that.  I know God has a plan and his timing is perfect but we are all human and seeing the bigger picture is hard.  So for all those parents that were selfless and put their child first I send a big virtual hug.  For the ones that have shared their story I send a big thank you for sharing.

DH's health

So DH is doing well.  He goes to the doctor on Thursday and we've heard nothing from the blood test so I'm going with no news is good news.  His blood pressure is coming down.  I'm happy about the down turn in the blood pressure but I think this also means that he needs blood pressure meds.  I'm still hoping that a change in diet and a major change in activity level will help him lose a few pound and he'll be able to come off the meds.  I guess we'll know more on Thursday. 

The gout meds have helped a lot.  He is down to one does a day for the pain.  I think this is another time that we'll have to wait for the doc to see if he needs a med for the gout to help him get rid of the acid build up.  Still seems weird for him to have gout.  DH is just a few months older than me so he's 32.  Not exactly 'gout age.' 

I'll keep you posted.  I'm hoping for good news on Thursday. 

Monday, November 7, 2011

Busy 7 days

We've been so busy over the last week.  We started with Halloween.  I work until 7pm and then had to run Audrey to see her grandparents.  Poor kid was exhausted from her trick or treat time in the afternoon so she was not in mood play.  She kept laying down and demanding to go to bed.  Then she was so tired it took her forever to go to sleep.
My little flamingo princess.
Over the weekend DH had starting suffering from a lot of big toe pain.  After a visit to the chiropractor, DH concluded he must have gout.  He would be seeing the doctor on Thursday for high blood pressure and now gout.  Thursday was a long way away.  I took half a day and went with him.  Good news/bad news time. 
Good news:  It's gout and we can treat it.
Bad news:  The medicine will make your blood pressure go up so he's now on a blood pressure med.  Also a major change in the diet since DH must lose weight.  (So on top of wheatless, nothing fried and cut down/out the sugar!)

Friday was spent waiting to hear how DH's medicine was working and labs.  We won't hear on any lab results for 2 weeks!  That seems like forever but that should give enough time for all of the medicine to work and if anything that requires attention before that she'll call us in.  Still it's a long wait and it's hard to watch DH constantly taking his blood pressure and me freaking out with every up tick on the meter.  So needless to say it was hard weekend but DH is doing what he needs to and I'm proud of him for stepping up.  I'll keep everyone posted.