Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Baby's 2nd Christmas: 2009











Though the holidays get a little crazy, the one part that keeps me a kid is my kid. The wonders in his eyes, the excitement, and the innocence of his love for life and Christmas- this is what the holidays are all about, and because of this, I am grateful. My Little Boy had a wonderful Holiday with lots of gifts...some of his favorites from Santa:
  • Rocking Horse who "neighs" and wags his tail and head
  • "Fun Tunnel" to crawl through (doesn't really fit in with my decor, tough)
  • Learn how to dress Jake (Doll)
  • More Books
Jacob received many more awesome gifts from all of his grandparents and relatives. Thank you to everyone for your very wonderful generosity this year!

We started the celebration on Christmas Eve at my parents house- where we enjoyed seeing my parents, siblings (including my 2 sisters and their babies-to-be), my aunt, my cousins, and their kids. It was a wonderful meal with lots of gifts and happy kids. Rojas home on Christmas Day- includes homemade tamales (tamales literally take atleast 2 days to make- it's a really big deal, yet well worth it, they are the best), and had a nice additional celebration on the 26th with the Rojas family again (this time including Brenden, our nephew- whom we did not get to see on the 25th.) Jacob enjoyed lots of attention, excitement, and presents- he was especially excited Christmas morning when he came downstairs to see the wonders left behind from Santa. Christmas afternoon he was wiped out, he even cuddled up with Daddy on the couch at Grandma's house...hoping to take a little nap. Come Sunday Morning, Jake took a 3 1/2 hour nap!!! It was a very Merry Baby's 2nd Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Mommy the Scroodge

Well, Christmas is over. I must admit, this is the first time in my whole life, I can finally understand what I feel about this wonderful holiday...I truly enjoy the SEASON way better then the day...the season is leading up to the wonderful Birthday of Baby Jesus...during the season, we listen to music, eat yummy cookies, spend time with family, buy things for people we care about, and just enjoy...the snow outside, the warmth of the fireplace, the beautiful lights, and are grateful for all that we have...but the day...well, it is just too much(and I just felt so everwhelmed, and just crabby). It is plain tiring! Does anyone else feel this way? I LOVE Christmas Eve, but the problem with it is both of our families celebrate ON this day. It is just too difficult to drag a toddler to both homes (especially late at night and at the end in the middle of the night)- so my wonderful husband gave up Christmas Eve at his family's so we can see my family (because all my siblings are gone out of town on Christmas Day at their in-laws- so EVE is the only time to see them and EVE is celebrated REALLY late at the Rojas home- where it makes quite a challenge for a tired toddler)- so we were saddened to forgo EVE at the Rojas Family, and then EVE at the Morkes family is ours- yet it is one late night with way too many presents that I feel guilty that my parents go over board-even though it is wonderful, they are always so kind (call me a scrooge, but I love you mom) and it goes by way too fast, and then I am sad when it is over. Christmas Day is also tiring...we wake up, have breakfast, open gifts, the boy has a nap, and then we hurry over to the Rojas family to see everyone before they are at their in-laws for the day- so it is one big rush, with me feeling guilty b/c we don't get to spend as much time with Rocky's siblings- it is one crazy 24 hours trying to make the most with all families...and it is tough. By the end of the day, we are exhausted, and then Christmas is over, and so is the season...well, almost until New Years. So I really think I LOVE the season WAY better. My feelings exactly. We love all of our families- we just want to make everyone happy, I feel like it is hard to do that. I LOVE you all so much. Thank you for your patience. This is why the SEASON is my happy time, not really "the days."

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Merry Christmas






We have had a wonderful Holiday Season...as we count the hours till Santa's arrival, I thought I would document our 2009 Holiday Fun - Jacob loves the snow, he loves the Christmas Tree, loves the ornaments- especially the "kitty cat" ornament and his "train" ornament, loves the presents, loves dancing to Christmas music, loves candy canes, loves ALL of Santa's helpers (Rudolph, the rest of the reindeer, and the elves), not so sure about Santa just yet (as you can see by the pictures- he is pointing to the elves while on Santa's lap in one of them...I was laughing, and told him he was with "The Guy," Jake was just so enthralled by the rest of it, but the big guy in the red suit, was a little too much.) This has been a very neat season for us this year. Merry Christmas to all. Cheers to a safe, healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year!

Friday, December 18, 2009

"Happy Ears" for Christmas and Beyond...






Well, it's done! Jacob had tubes put in his ears yesterday. Something I have put off for more then 6-months, trying to find other ways to help him without a "routine surgery." After it is all said and done, I am glad we did it. Jacob could not eat or drink 8 hours before surgery, so I woke him up a little before midnight before the morning of his surgery to give him a bottle, to hold him over for the next day. We left our home at 6:30 in the morning and made our way to the hospital. We checked in at 7:30, went to the surgery center(his surgey was scheduled for 8:45-he was the youngest kid that day getting tubes, but they say they get a lot younger), he was put in a little hospital gown, and was given a little medicine to "calm" him before they took him away from us and before he was given the anesthesia (which is a mask- no needles, etc)- he was in great spirits from the time he woke up in the morning to the hospital, even the hospital gown, being weighed, meeting the nurses etc-while we were waiting before we entered the surgery center, Jacob was playing with all of the toys, he thought the nurses were really neat, even after they gave him the medicine, he was great, we handed our little boy to the nurse with tears in our eyes, as she walked away with him into the surgery (before they closed the doors), he was waving goodbye to us- I started bawling. He was that good. The procedure was 15-minutes, the doctor said he hasn't had any scarring from all of his ear infections yet, he did find some fluid behind his ear drums, but all was good. The scarey part- the nurses say that 99.9% of the kids that wake up from anesthesia tend to scream (b/c they are confused and don't know where they are)- not my little Jake, he woke up, the nurses picked him up, they called us in, he was all smiles with all of the nurses and us. It really could not have gone more perfect. ALL DONE. Thank God! It was a tough rest of the day; however. Jake was not a happy boy during the day, he was exhausted and refused to take one nap all day (we were home by 11am)- besides his tired tantrums, once bed time came, he slept through the night like a champ, woke up at 8:30 this morning. We are just praying that these tubes work and no more ear infections. Thank you for all of your prayers.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Happy Birthday, Rocky!






Happy Birthday to a wonderful husband and father! Can't believe you are 33!
Olivia came over and made a fantastic homemade Mexican meal-yummy! Later in the evening, Rocky's sister, Wendy and brother, Sammy and sister-in-law, Marcela joined us...we had Rocky's favorite cake-The Portillo's Chocolate cake (I didn't have enough candles- we had a "3" and I used (3) votive candles to make the 33- I was a little disappointed in myself)- he opened lots of presents and his favorite card from Jake- with the tune to the "Rocky" movie- just perfect.


This weekend, we look forward to having a date night to celebrate.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Updates and a STOP to Ear Infections for Good

...Well, it has been 2-months since I have been a "Stay at Home Mommy," wow- how time flies. I actually feel like I am busier now then when I was actually employed. Lots of things to keep us busy. My week consists of Mondays and Wednesdays- I visit a trainer and take a core class, my mother-in-law comes over these days, and plays with Jake while I TRY to get my body back as well as run errands, etc. Tuesdays are days at home or out and about, Thursdays are our "Tiny Tot Gym Class" at the Park District- Jacob loves these classes. Really, it is an indoor gym time- with balls, mats, slides, and little tents for the tots to climb in and out of. There are 4 other kids in the class and we have song time at the end of each session with bubbles! Jacob LOVES all the kids, he LOVES the mats and balls and climbing and LOVES the bubbles and songs- we even sing them at home and dance, at the end of each class, he follows the teacher with the bubbles, because he cannot get enough. He seems to have taken a real liking to Peyton Stanczak- Jess and Peyton are in the class too- he loves kissing her and hugging her, they laugh together, and imitate eachother- it really is hysterical. He has another girlfriend in the class too- Little Neve- she is my trainer's 15-month old daughter, who Jacob took a liking to immediately. After class, we come home, have a snack, and off to night-night- during which time I do laundry and fun stuff around the house. Fridays are kind of free for all days- playgroups or whatever is going on- we are in. This week I begin my contract work for my old company, I do the calling during nap time- we will see how that goes. Naptime is also changing these days, so I am a bit nervous about how I am going to fit this in.
Jacob is doing so well in so many ways, I LOVE being home with him, he is so funny and he knows it- he is quite the "talker" (though I still cannot make out all of his words- he improves everyday), he loves to wrestle, read, and talk on my phone (like he is actually having a real conversation). Tantrums have taken on a new challenge in our home. The kind of tantrums where he throws himself on the floor and goes at it if he doesn't get his way, if someone doesn't understand him, or if he is exhausted (which is usually the case)....which brings up my next point...the kid is EXHAUSTED. He is waking up once a night now with screams- he is still getting more molars (I have never seen him in so much pain)- this is something that even Motrin can't seem to fix for the time being. Lastly, he is waking up because he is on ANOTHER ear infection- that would be the 16th time he has been on antibiotics JUST this year alone! Which brings me to the finale of this post...after a year of changing his milk from dairy to soy to try to lessen the mucous (to lessen the ear infections), to several probiotics he has been on to even out his good bacteria from all of the antibiotics to numerous doctor's appointments, specialists, and opinions (from extreme opinions- doctors telling me to take him off wheat, sugar, and dairy to the mainstream doctors telling me to keep up with the anitbiotics to do the tubes immediately)- I have come to a final decision...after changing milks, diet, etc and nothing working- (we are literally at the doctor every other week)Jacob will be having tubes put in his ears next Thursday- December 17th. I received the pre-surgery rules in the mail, one of the rules is no medicine for 2-weeks leading up to the procedure- well, a kid that constantly has ear infections- that's impossible. I spoke with both our pediatrician and the ENT, and they said it is fine if he is on antibiotics now, but just try to get him off motrin a week before I don't even think the antibiotics are working right now because he has been on them so much, his little body is becoming immune to most of them and well, without motrin- he is going to be in pain...(can you believe how dependent we are on these medications?! I am so done with all of this) It is a 15-minute procedure, we will be going to Lutheran General, and our doctor used to be the head of pediatrics at Children's- I want to believe we are making the right choice. I have been very emotional about this, but I don't know what else to do anymore. 16x on antibiotics for fluid in the ears or ear infections for 12 months is out of control...I can't bare to see him in pain any longer...this is where we are at. Sadly, Jake will be missing his LAST class at the park district that day-but this is when we were scheduled. Please say a little prayer for our Little Man next Thursday...prayers are always the best medicine.