Hi guys!! Sounds like everyone is very busy. I've been busy too, but reading ya'lls posts
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Lauren, I live in New Mexico, where the lows have been in the 30s and the highs in the 60-70s. Blue skies about 300 days a year if not more.

Congrats on your niece, Rabbit! I love babies too. Holding a baby just instantly relieves all of the stress and tension in my body.

Guess what guys? I have to go shopping today! I am going to the State Capitol tomorrow to talk to a couple of state senators and my nice clothes that I save for such occasions are WAY too big! The pants fall off halfway and show my underwear. Not a good look (at least not for my purposes tomorrow )

Hi to everyone else, especially all of the diligent students on this forum! I feel for you. I have been done with school for over a year and I am still amazed by all of the "spare" time I have.

Off to do my step aerobics this am before showering, shopping, cleaning, etc., etc., etc!

Jen

Hey Jen, AWESOME!!! Buy yourself a nice knock-their-socks-off outfit! What are you going to talk to them about?

hello!

Lisa - I wishes the babies in the family lived closer, but I'll just have to enjoy them when I get the chance. ~ We're having that same meal tonight that you had last night. I put it in the crockpot this morning.

Jack - the hot tub was great! I started lifting weights again last week after a month off :eek over the holidays and I'm hoping it'll help the sore muscles.

Lauren - she weighed in at 7 lb 6 oz; 18 1/2 inches long. My sister actually was in labor when she got to the hospital to be induced. The gave her the stuff anyway to speed things along. She got there around 9 AM and baby appeared at 1:31 PM. She said she didn't think she'd get her out for awhile! She was a turtle and kept ducking back in.

Jen - babies are definitely something that make people happy. Everyone just smiles when they see a baby. ~ Hooray on the too big clothes! Spill your secrets please.

Off to journal -

Rabbit

Hello All,

Midwife: Cool on the clothes falling off! That is awesome. Good luck with your talk. (What's it about?)

Rabbit: Congrats on your niece. I bet she's a cutie. Good for you for working out.

Lauren: I have another recipee I'm trying out tonight Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. I'm not sure how it's going to turn out. Only thing is it has 1/2 c of olive oil in it. I'm hoping most of it stays in the pan. You brown it then stick it in the oven. That's where mine is now. I'll let ya know how it turns out. How is sleeping going with the boys? Is Petey sleeping in his room? I'm going to the doctor tomorrow and I'm going to ask about help. Ugh.

Hello to everyone!!

Karen, is that an Emeril recipe...40 cloves of garlic?! Sounds really yummy though. I'm exhausted today, have no idea what's for dinner. Probably mac & cheese & hot dogs or something unhealthy like that.
Well, we're all in one bedroom now, remember? So yeah, he's sleeping in his BR...just not his bed! Actually, I have to say, he's been better lately, doesn't make it to our bed until almost morning, like 4:30-5. Sometimes he stays in his bed all night. Robby is another story...trying to get him to understand day from night and during which one he's supposed to sleep! Right now he thinks if it's light out, he should be sleeping. Yesterday I tried nursing him for the first time in like 4 days, because the thrush is starting to go away and my boobs felt better too. It took a couple times, but finally got some success. That made for an easier night, because I didn't have to wake up DH to give him a bottle while I pumped.
Good luck at the Drs. tomorrow.

Rabbit, wow, what a nice size baby...I wouldn't have minded mine being that small!! He probably would've slid out!! What was her original EDD? That's pretty much what happened to me, I was just starting to have some contractions when I got to the hospital for induction.

Hi guys!!
Well, I went shopping but was not able to get what I wanted. I wanted a really awesome stylish black leather jacket, a neutral turtleneck sweater, camel colored pants, and new black boots. But, the first 2 places I looked were out of leather jackets! They have Easter dresses coming out of their ears, but no leather jackets?? Hello!! It is JANUARY people! Sorry, I just had to get that out. Since I had the 2 little ones, I could do three stores max, so I went to a 3rd one where they had some Thai style wrap pants in very cool fabrics. So I got a couple of those and some very tailored sweaters to match. Not a leather jacket, but interesting, groovy, and a little dressy/professional.

I am a little bummed cause it seems that the wt loss in pounds has screeched to a halt (the 177 last week was an anomaly, I am at 180 today!). I am doing aerobics and crunches/push-ups/wt lifting so I am really toning up, especially my tummy, so I think that is why the pants are falling off.

We are talking to the State Senators about ways to help midwives with the malpractice insurance increases across the state. I am lucky cause my job pays my malpractice insurance, but for other midwives the cost of their insurance has tripled in the last few years! Yikes! Midwives don't make a lot of money. In New Mexico, we also take a lot of women who are on Medicaid and our governor has recently cut Medicaid reimbursement significantly. So income down, costs up up up, and some midwives might not be able to keep their doors open. In some parts of the state midwives do most of the pregnancy care and births. Overall, midwives deliver 30% of babies here. So it is a big deal for the women and babies here. More than you wanted to know! But wish me luck that I am articulate and passionate! And on time! Gotta run!

Jen, good for you, I hope you get somewhere with the meeting today. All I ever hear from the doctors and midwives is how the malpractice insurance is through the roof crazy. It's just insane. Do the insurance companies pay/reimburse MW's less then they do Drs?? That's not right!!

Some pics:

Robby doing what he does best...during the day


...and night (although this was taken during the day)


Peter playing with some of his Bday presents:


Building w/Daddy:


Making sure mom doesn't forget him too:


Blowing out his candles:


Yum! Birthday Cupcake!!

hello. I am journaling for the 2nd day. Losing weight is so much tougher than gaining, I've got that down pat.

Karen - I forgot to mention that I enjoyed the snow pictures! You've got a cutie there.

Lauren - She was told 1/14 by one doctor and 1/18 when they did the ultrasound. Ava was born on 1/20. Great looking boys there! Peter looks so old!

Jen - hope your meeting goes well for you.

Rabbit

Hello all! Sorry I missed the last couple of days, I have been catching up on reading. After this, it is writing a three page paper due Monday entitled, "The theroy of me". (Goody) In the morning though.

I have been trying to read all of the posts, but I am just getting to do it myself.

Karen - How spicy was that recipe?? Like Oh-my-G*d!!! (Remember the 80's) I don't even think I would have the guts to try that! I don't know.

Lauren, nice pics.

Midwife - I am envious of the clothes, I would love for that to happen to me.

Has anyone heard from Aminty?

Well it it is time for bed. Good night all.

I dunno Rabbit, I think I could give you a run for your money there! I've manged to stop gaining, thank goodness, but I haven't gotten to the downward direction yet!

Lauren: Those are adorable pics! I see Peter got the Wiggles guitar. I bought it for Alex 'cause it was 1/2 price at Target after Christmas. He can turn it off but not back on again. I spend half the day turning it back on!

Midwife: I hope you were able to do some good at the state capital. We had a week two years ago where doctors went on strike to protest the high cost of malpractice insurance. They didn't refuse emergency care, just no scheduled stuff. I remember it well because I was looking for a ped for Alex at the time.

Lisa: Good luck with the paper.

I hope everyone is having a great day.

Hi All,

Karen, that's his 2nd Wiggles guitar!! He got the one that actually wiggles back around Halloween. DH bought him this one "because he was carrying it all over the store"!! What did he expect from a child in TRU?! "It's got different songs"...

Karen/MW, I remember Peter couldn't get in for his 2 wk. appt, it was a 3wk. appt, because the peds office was closed for the week.

Hi All...running off to the 2 wk. and 2 yr. appt. for the boys today!

Hello All,

I got a new computer last night and it is so cool! My old was was giving me electric shocks and Man, they hurt! Especially when it got me on both hands at the same time. DH found out that CompUSA gives trade in for old computers so we went last night. They gave me the full value for mine! I couldn't believe it. We got $240.00 to put on another one. They have some really good deals right now on laptops. I couldn't believe what they had for under $1000.00. So I got a very nice Compac for $899 minus the $240. They do trade-in for desktops too, but not as much money. So, if anyone is computer shopping I highly recommend checking them out!

Lauren: I hated the wiggly guitar! I never let Alex see it. The doctor's visit last night went pretty well. He said he didn't see any reason why I shouldn't be able to get preggers again and he gave me a scrip for prenatal vitamins. I think I just have to calm down and stop worrying about it. I'm going to try not to stress about it so much. I think my problem was giving myself a deadline. I'm going to relax on that. There are plenty of women who have babies over (gag!) 40. I think part of my problem is that I'm having such a hard time with the whole turning 40 thing!!

Hello to everyone!!

Hello all,
Just taking a quick study break and looking over the posts, I have a 1/3 of the paper done already. This is a break-through for me. Usually I am doing it at the very last minute.

Well time to get back to the grindstone.

Hi All

Just sticking my head in for a quick hello. Everything is going fine here just busy. kids are back to school next week and then I'll be able to really get moving lol. In the meantime, I'm busy putting labels on everything washing school uniforms and shopping for school supplies(and hubby's rostered making it all 10 times harder lol). As well as baseball for my boys starting back this week meaning trainings also started and everything else that goes with that. Anyway back to it again I guess. I will talk to you all later

Take Care and Have a great weekend everyone!

Hi All,

Amity, glad you could pop in. I imagine since it's the beginning of your school year, things must be pretty hectic. Looks like you're going to make your Valentine's Day goal! WooHoo!!

Lisa, good for you plugging away on your paper! I always hated writing papers/doing homework!

Karen, Cool on the new computer!! I wish I could get a laptop! If I ever come into some extra money that's not needed for bills or necessaties, that's where it's going! Glad things went well at the Drs. Now relax and get working! (Geez, that was an oxymoron!)

We saw the NP for Robby's 2 wk. and Peter's 2 yr. checkup yesterday. Here's the stats:

Robby:
Height- 21 1/2" - 90%
Weight- 10 lbs., 3 oz. - 90%
Head- 15" - 90%

Peter:
Height- 38" - Off charts
Weight- 33 lbs. - Off charts
Head- 19" - 50%

Both boys are doing great! Peter goes back at 3 yrs., Robby at 1 month.