The Balow Bunch

New year and stuff

2012-01-04T11:30:00.002-06:00

I've had a couple of blog post ideas swirling in my head. Mostly about the new year. I can just feel that 2012 is going to be a significant year for me. I'm starting a new job. I'm turning 30. We even have fairly realistic hopes to buy a new home.

But nothing gets me more excited for what the possiblities of this new year than this:

Going to Haiti.

I just got off the phone with my friend of a friend, whose uncle started Healing Haiti. He makes it sound so easy to go. I simply pick from one of their already scheduled trip and go. Obviously, I know there will be more than that. But really, what have I been waiting for?

I can't really explain why I would want to give up my vacation time to go to such a poverty stricken place. And visit kids with no parents. And see first-hand how people live without clean water, clean clothes and a decent home. I know it's going to be sad. I know it's going to be so difficult emotionally. But I have a deep, deep desire to do this. I know it will change my life.

Stay tuned...

J.B.

Christmas

2011-12-30T09:12:00.004-06:00

I can't believe Owen's already celebrated his second Christmas. And like many kids, he had to do what kids do best.

Get sick.

His stomach bug started two days before Christmas, actually. Just in time for him to miss his first daycare Christmas party and his cousin's birthday dinner. It was our first time dealing with Owen having the flu, so I thought we did pretty well making it to 14 months before ever having to deal with puke.

By Christmas Eve, he seemed better. And we had seemed to make it through without Dave or I getting sick. But he was having wierd spit up with a puke smell on the way home from church, so Dave took him home while I went to my parents for dinner. I missed Dave and Owen, but it's so nice of Dave to be willing to take care of Owen, so I could have some time with my family.

But that night, Dave came down with the flu. As did my sister, Stevie. So apparently we didn't escape the flu after all. Dave did make it down to the couch, so he could watch Owen open his presents (or me open the presents as Owen wasn't that into it). We skipped going to my mom's house for Swedish pancakes, but Owen and I went later for Christmas Day dinner.

And that night I came down with the flu. And so we had to cancel the family Christmas dinner at my house. My mom ended up having the rest of the family at her house, and Dave and I went over to celebrate while I stayed home in bed.

The stupid flu altered every single one of our Christmas plans. But while our plans didn't go as we wanted, it was hard to not be happy for all the blessings that I have. I have a wonderful son and husband and family. We got to celebrate Christmas without worrying about finances (although I admit that we got Owen's big gift second-hand. He won't ever know and won't ever care). We have health and love and laughter and stability. I couldn't ask for more.

J.B.

Home.

2011-12-23T09:22:00.000-06:00

Today, somewhere in the world (Haiti to be exact), little orphan children are waking up in their brand new beds. It warms my heart and brings tears to my eyes to think of it.

Two years ago was our first Christmas after our miscarriage. It was at that time, that Dave and I decided we wanted to help orphans somewhere in the world. We found ourselves parents without children, so we wanted to give to children without parents. It really helped me give a little bit of reason and hopefulness to our loss.

So we decided to help an organization called Healing Haiti. An uncle of an acquaintance of mine started the organization to help orphans in Haiti. They were building a new orphanage for the kids. As they built, they also provided food, water, education and love to those kids.

We've supported this organization when we could ever since. My parents and I attended a fundraising event, we've donated in honor of Chubby's birthday, gave after the earthquake. Anyway, today I woke up an awesome surprise.

The orphanage is finished! And the kids have moved in!

Here's a blog post by Krista giving her perspective of watching the kids arrive and how happy there were. "The children's screams of pure unbridled joy as they saw it were so loud they were heard in the vehicle that followed the bus. It was indescribable," she wrote. She also said that for the first time in their lives, they will get to use a toilet and end the day with a shower. Can you imagine?

And even better, here are pictures of the kids checking out and enjoying their new home.

Home. Can you imagine a better Christmas present?

J.B.

20 minutes in the life of Owen

2011-12-21T12:13:00.001-06:00

At almost 14 months old, Owen is still not walking. He's just not interested in it. As excited as I am for that list big milestone, I'm ok with the fact that he still prefers getting around on his hands and knees. Because I consider a crawler a baby. And a walker, my friends, I consider a toddler. And I'm ok with my baby staying a little baby a while longer.

And let's face it. Owen knows how to get around. Let me show you. And just so that you're clear -- all of these pictures were taken in no less than 20 minutes.

Feeding the dogs his snack

Playing with wrapping papger

Playing with his toy (standing!)

Grabbing the dogs' paws

Opening Amanda's Christmas present (sorry!)

Pulling an ornament off the tree

Eating the ornament

Trying to put the ornament back on the tree

And this is why I'm content with a crawler!

J.B.

B-A-N-A-N-A-S

2011-12-08T14:25:00.001-06:00

No Thanksgiving post. No 13 month post. No quick updates. I'm not doing such a great job of chronicling the life of the Balow bunch, huh?

Life has been crazy busy -- but in a good way. And we dote on our little man as much as we can.

He's not walking yet, but why would he want to when he can scoot all around on all fours. One of the cutest things he'll do is the hypervenilating-sounding laugh if you pretend your chasing him. Oh the things I need to get on video. He also taught himself to go down the steps (he's already mastered going up.)

I did get this on video last night -- Owen eating his banana. He eats them so fast, but I actually bought the biggest bananas I could find the other days, since he usually cries when he's done eating it. So he couldn't squeeze half the banana in his mouth like he usually does.

Other things Owen is doing: talking. He's got mama, dada, banana (nana), bye, grandma, doggy and all done (complete with the sign for all done). Banana (nana) is his favorite word by far, probably because saying the word results in him getting to eat his favorite food.

Another cute thing he does: simultaneously scrunching his nose and breathing loudly through it

J.B.

Owen's first sick day

2011-11-14T16:13:00.001-06:00

I'm at home with Owen for his first sick day off daycare. He has a nasty runny nose, but no fever, but he just seemed sick enough that it seemed best to not send him to daycare. At home, he can have extra snuggles, he can nap better, he can relax more, he can't spread his cold.

As the day has gone on, he seems to be feeling a little better. He napped for 2 1/2 hours this morning, and is taking a good nap this afternoon. He hasn't had much of an appetite either, so you know he's not feeling well. This morning, he wouldn't eat eggs or cheerios. But he ate bananas, so I gave him two. At lunch, he struggled to get down a ravioli and a meatball, but he liked the applesauce.

It's been nice to get a day to stay at home with Owen. I just wish it wasn't because of the circumstances.

2011-11-10T12:49:00.001-06:00

Owen is one now.

Seriously, I'm not sure where the time has gone.

I think back to a year ago (which I've been doing a lot lately) when a little baby that would curl up into my ball on my chest. Then I realize, that little infant isn't here anymore. I now have a boy who will barely sit still in my lap long enough for me to read two pages from a book. I love that boy so much.

It's absolutely amazing to me to think of how far we've come in the last year. People quit commenting on Owen's small size a long time ago. But some things haven't changed yet. Most people still think he looks like his mama.

Owen's disposition hasn't changed too much either. Most of the time he's a really good-natured, laid-back kid. Except when he's hungry. That's when he gets crabby.

He's getting close to standing on his own and walking. He actually will stand on his own -- until he realizes that he's doing it.

This video is a must-see. It's my favorite. Owen was giggling like this for 5 minutes, so this is just a snippet. I love seeing my baby boy have so much fun with his daddy. It's the best. thing. ever.

J.B.

The details are in the fabric

2011-10-17T15:50:00.001-05:00

Recently I've noticed Owen likes to point. Mostly when he sees himself at the mirror. Or he sees his picture on the wall at daycare. Or he sees his pictures that are framed at home. I'm sure he can't help but notice himself; he is so handsome. But he likes looking at baby pictures too. He loves his baby books with photos of babies. Opening up a book to a baby playing peek-a-boo or clapping for Owen to look at provides the best chance I have at getting him to sit still long enough for a diaper change. Owen not only likes to look at those books with baby pictures, but he also likes to tell me about those babies. I can't understand what Owen's saying, but I think it's the sweetest thing that he mimics reading books already. Yesterday, we went to my aunt and uncle's house for lunch. Owen loved eating egg roll. I'm so glad he likes Vietnamese food. He's definitely his mother's son. Speaking of food, I had to ask Owen's daycare teacher to feed him a little later in the afternoon, so we can have a little time to prepare dinner for him when we get home from work. He's old enough that baby food isn't cutting it anymore -- which is a shame, because it's so easy and convenient. One night last week he ate three jars of babyfood plus puffs and some other finger food. I'd swear that his tummy is Mary Poppin's carpet bag.Owen loves laying across my back with his head hanging off the side. It's the perfect position for tickling his neck, and boy, does he errupt in giggles. It's the best. We call him a monkey. Less than two weeks until Owen's first birthday!J.B.

Don't want to forget

2011-09-28T13:55:00.003-05:00

All of a sudden it seems that Owen is learning A LOT.

I need to blog more, so that I can kep track of these milestones. I don't want to forget when he started doing what. And I know I'll love looking back and re-reading these posts. Even if I keep them simple, they'll definitely job my memory and bring a smile to my face.

Owen is finally crawling on his hands and knees! Last Monday, he was just in his diaper, and we were in our kitchen. I guess the tile floor was cold on his belly. It was just enough of an issue to force him to figure out how to crawl on his knees. He still army crawls, but is definitely crawling "normally" more and more.

Owen loves pulling himself up and standing. And he's constantly finding new places to pull up -- the stairs, the couch, the bin that holds dog food, the humidifier in his room (not all of these are good to climb, obviously), and worst of all -- the crib. Owen used to be so great at falling asleep. Now, he just pulls himself to standing and starts crying, which causes his paci to fall out of his crib. It's cute and annoying all at the same time.

The cutest thing of all happened the other night. I was on the floor playing with Owen and I told him to go get his daddy. He got on his hands and knees, crawled over to the chair and pulled himself up to see his daddy. Sooo cute!

On Monday, Owen was diagnosed with an ear infection. His second. Dave and I were so much better at noticing the symptoms, so we got him into the doctor (with a regular appointment -- not a 9:30 p.m. urgent care visit) before he was in too much pain.

His 5th and 6th teeth are starting to come in!

J.B.

2011-09-23T11:57:00.000-05:00

Owen's first summer is officially over. :(

I can't believe it's fall already. It's the season we'll celebrate Owen's first birthday! My boy should not be that big already! He had been battling a little cold this week and I've never seen Owen so cuddly. It's so sweet to get all the snuggles, but I want him to feel better.

So what are we up to this fall? Here's what I'm looking forward to doing with my family.

Go to the apple orchard and pick apples (we've already done this. lol.)
Celebrate Owen's first birthday! Eat cake!
Volunteer in the church nursery. (It's Owen's first job!)
Play with leaves
Go to ECFE class (that stands for Early Childhood Family Education). I did pre-natal yoga with several of the moms, and we did BYOB (baby) yoga, infant massage and other ECFE classes, so it's fun seeing all the babies that are Owen's age grow up alongside him.
Run (maybe I'll finally use the jogging stroller for it's intended purpose)
Vacation with Dave (DONE! We had an awesome vacation to Washington D.C. last weekend).
Camp (DONE! We did this a couple weeks ago and it was really fun).
Dog park (it won't be long before it's cold and snowy, so we need to do this a couple of times this fall).
Go trick-or-treating
Go to North Carolina for Thanksgiving and Lillian's 2nd birthday (tickets are bought, so we're going!)
More zoo visits
Children's museum? I think Owen would like the baby room, so we might try it out...although I think he'll get more out of it as he gets older.
See Owen take his first steps? Each day he's getting better at pulling himself up and standing...but it seems that walking is still a ways off. But it's probably not that far off, since he's one in October, huh?

I think that's a lot. Hopefully, I blog again before I report in on the results of this list, but the chances are pretty slim. lol.

J.B.

How'd we do?

2011-09-01T13:54:00.001-05:00

Randomly as I was driving back to work, a blog post from earlier this spring popped into my head. It was a list of things I was excited to do with Owen this spring and summer. I wanted to check in and share how we did on completing the list.

Here it is (view original post)

Family walks! This is near the top of my list. I can't wait to resume our ritual of evening walks with Dave and the dogs. And this spring, Owen gets to join us.

Recap: We've done this, but not as many times as I would have liked. Owen requires 12 hours of sleep. In order for him to get his full night's sleep and wake up on his own in this morning, he goes to bed shortly after 7 p.m. each night. I don't get home from work until 5:30 - 6 p.m. That only gives me an hour and a half at most to play, feed, bathe, and get Owen ready for bed. It's not a lot of time, so unfortunately most nights we don't go on walks. I'd rather spend as much as that time as I can playing with my boy than pushing him in a stroller.

The zoo! We have two great zoos nearby our house. I can't wait to take Owen, so he can see all the cool animals. His first trip to the MN Zoo will be coming up soon, when we go see the baby animal exhibit with my sister and nieces. We just need to plan the date.

Recap: Done! We got a Minnesota Zoo membership and have been there a couple of times. Owen loves the tropical fish, penguins, bears and seals the best. We might be due for a trip this weekend!
Swimming! This won't happen for a couple of months yet, but we have a community swimming pool in our neighborhood. I hope Owen enjoys playing in the water.

Recap: Done! Owen loves swimming. Sometimes it does take a minute for him to get used to the water, but he really likes splashing and swimming with mommy and daddy.

Dog park! Owen's going to love watching Otis and Cooper run around at the dog park. It's been one of Dave's and my favorite pastimes, and now it'll be one of Owen's too.

Recap: We've done this a couple of times. Again, not as often as we've done in the past. The month of July was super hot, and we spent more time inside than we usually do.
Playground! Owen's a little small for most of the playground equipment right now, but there is a baby swing with his name on it.

Recap: We've done this one too! Not too many time though. The black baby swing and the hot sun don't mix well, so we have to be strategic when go to make sure the temperature is just right.

Play dates! There are a couple of kids in the neighborhood close to Owen's age that he hasn't met yet. It's about time Owen gets to know the kids on the block, who will likely be some of his best buddies in the years to come.

Recap: He's met the kids on the block. We haven't played too much yet though. It really seems to have been the summer where schedules don't match. But this is something that we can continue to do in the winter and fall, and it'll be more fun as the kids interact with each other more.

Easter! Is Owen too young to dye Easter eggs? Maybe. But I'm still looking forward to putting together an Easter basket together for him, on behalf of the Easter bunny. And buying him a cute Easter outfit.

Recap: This one didn't really pan out. No Easter basket or cute outfit, but Owen did get some books. My grandpa's funeral was the day after Easter, so we spent Easter weekend traveling to New Jersey.

Twins Game! Although we don't have tickets yet, Owen is bound to go to a Twins game this spring/summer. He's prepared. He has two Twins hats, a Twins jersey, a Twins bib and at least three or four Twins onesies all ready to wear to the game. Not to mention other numerous baseball-themed clothes in navy blue and red.

Recap: Believe it or not, I've only been to one Twins game. And Owen's been to none! With aunties wanting to babysit, it was easier just to leave him behind. He's too young to get anything out of the game, and chances are we would have had to leave early because of a crabby baby. Maybe next year...or in five.

Vacation! Owen gets to go to the beach in 33 days! We're heading to North Carolina for Anthony's first communion. Even better, Owen will get to meet his cousins, Auntie Diana, and uncles Ed and Brian. If spring doesn't get here before then, well, at least Owen will get a taste of warm weather in North Carolina. (Dear God, please don't let me have jinxed myself. We need warm weather stat.)

Recap: Done! We had a blast in North Carolina! Awesome weather. Awesome company. We got to meet some online friends in real life. We also got to enjoy the ocean, the river, go on a carriage ride and eat at some yummy restaurants. It was great to be able to support Anthony in person for his first communion (and one of his baseball games).

---

So I think we did pretty good with this list. There wasn't anything that we completely missed. And we did some other fun stuff. We went to Illinois to visit some friends, I went to some concerts, went to a lake, went to a parade and a few weddings.

This was fun. I think I need to make another list for fall!
J.B.

Crawling!

2011-07-31T21:01:00.001-05:00

Just days prior to his 9-month birthday, Owen started crawling. He's got this adorable army crawl going on where he has to use all his strength to move his whole body with just his arms. You can see his determination. At first he'd only crawl for things he really wanted -- cell phones and TV remotes. But now he's crawling for toys, dogs, cords. The madness begins! He's Owen crawling!

Take 1

Take 2

J.B.

9 months

2011-07-29T15:32:00.000-05:00

We've made it 9 months! It's been an amazing 9 months. I've basically been in a state of awe for 9 months now. And I don't think that state is going to change any time soon as I know Owen is going to hit several milestones in the next few months. Crawling. Walking. Saying Mama. Whoa.

A couple days ago, Owen was sick with his first ear infection. I was sitting on the edge of the spare bed in his room, watching his daddy rock him in his arms. For a moment, Owen fell asleep between his sobbing. In that moment of silence, I remember looking at Owen in Dave's arms and thinking about how big he looked. It was really the first time that I saw with my own eyes how big Owen his getting. His body no longer just fits in his daddy's arms. His legs stick out and hang out -- like a big boy. I know that this is just the first of many times that I'll be thinking, "Wow, my kid is big now."

Life with Owen is getting more and more fun. He mimacs our facial expressions and the sounds we make. He laughs so easily. He is so inquisitive about the things around him. He loves stroller rides. He loves swimming in the pool. He loves his mommy and daddy and Gracie and Otis and Coopy. I think his greatest love may be eating. He loves to eat.

We've seen his first signs of stranger anxiety. My heart can't help but melt a bit when he reaches up for his mommy when he's uncertain about his surroundings.

Owen sleeps a solid 11-12 hours at night. But since he has to wake up at 7 a.m. to get ready for daycare so I can go to work, it means that Owen goes to be between 7 and 8 p.m. during the week. It's hard to only get a couple of hours in the evening with my boy before bed. It's a weird feeling to be missing my boy when he's sleeping upstairs and I know he's close by, but I feel that way every night. But I try not to think of working as a sacrifice, especially since so many people don't have jobs and want them. My job provides us with so much. And Owen will grow up knowing that we have to work hard for what we get. I think that's an important lesson. And Owen loves daycare. All the daycare kids love him too. He got no less than 5 or 6 hugs (from just two girls) when I dropped him off this morning.

Owen had a good visit with the doctor this morning. Although she won't declare his eye color yet! He's in the 84th percentile for height and 33rd percentile for weight. Tall and lean. I'm actually surprised that he's only 33rd percentile for weight. He feels so sturdy to me and doesn't look too skinny. He's definitely healthy and has a happy disposition. And that's what matters.

J.B.

We got a tooth!

2011-06-16T21:23:00.000-05:00

Owen's first tooth made its appearance this week!

Owen is a teething jump thus far, we didn't even know he was teething. He wasn't drooling more than normal. He wasn't crappy. No fever. No sleeping problems.

He's such a tough little guy.

We only noticed he got his tooth, because I was checking his gums to see if I could feel any teeth trying to poke through. I was pleasantly surprised to feel a tooth!

He caught his daycare provider off guard with his new tooth this week too. He bit her.

Hopefully, I'll be able to get a picture of his tooth soon to share.

J.B.

Ticks

2011-05-19T12:54:00.000-05:00

So what would you do if you were in a meeting with the CEO of your company and three of the other top executives and you found a wood tick in your hair?

That's what happened to me yesterday. True story.

I seriously contemplated for five minutes about what to do. Should I risk looking rude and walk out of the meeting? Should I start shrieking and ask the person next to me for help? Should I ignore it and wait until the end of the meeting to find a way to get it out? Should I just pull it out of my hair right then and their and maybe play with it on the table?

I was going to just ignore it, but then I realized I was most likely going to be sitting in that meeting for another hour. Meanwhile that tick would continue to suck my blood and although unlikely, give me Lyme's disease. So I ended calmly leaving the conference room and then sprinted to a co-worker's cube. She bravely pulled the tick out of my scalp. I went back into my meeting and no one was ever aware of the real reason why I left the meeting.

J.B.

6 and 1/2 months!

2011-05-17T21:48:00.000-05:00

We've surpassed the 6 month mark. Crazy. Owen is closer to his first birthday than he is to being born. At his six month appointment, he weighed 17 pounds and 27.3 inches -- 41 percentile and 77 percentile, respectively. A long and lean boy. He gets neither of those qualities from his mama. lol.

I think Owen's most advanced skill is his vocal skills. He's been making raspberries for at least a month. Owen's doctor said that is an 8-month-old skill. Within the last week, he's even started rolling his tongue. He sounds like a bird chirping away. He's also learned to shriek. Very. Loudly. He is constantly babbling. Ahhing and Ooohing. Giggling too. His giggles are the absolute best sound in the world.

Speaking of giggling. Otis and Gracie make Owen giggle. Otis with his licks. Gracie with her fur. Anytime Owen touches Gracie and Otis he laughs. These days Otis and Gracie will take attention from whoever they can get -- even Owen. It amazes me how gentle they both are with him.

What about Cooper? He still stays away from Owen. He sniffs Owen every once in a while, but really has no interest in our little boy.

While Owen just celebrated his 1/2 birthday, Dave and I recently celebrated our actual birthdays. Owen's gift to me on my birthday was rolling over from back-to-stomach-to-back for the first time. Owen's gift to Dave was sitting on his own -- even if it lasted mere seconds, it happened. In the days since, Owen's definitely gotten better at this skill. He can now hold himself long enough for me to take a picture on my phone.

I think I can honestly say the past six months have been the best of my life. It amazes me how much joy Owen has brought into my life. Love you so much, little man!
J.B.

What a week

2011-04-13T13:36:00.000-05:00

I'm still here, but am doing horribly on my lent blog challenge. Things have been a little crazy in the last week or so. All within the same week my dog died, my grandpa died and Owen started daycare. Had it been any normal week, starting daycare probably would have been difficult. But dealing with my dog's and grandpa's deaths made daycare seem like no big deal. My heart is heavy. I know I'll blog more about these things eventually, because blogging helps me. But I'm still sorting my thoughts.

J.B.

Car rides

2011-04-04T09:49:00.000-05:00

One early summer June evening in 1996, my mom and I took a car ride. We headed to Wisconsin to pick up our new puppy. Nels. We had picked him out at the farm weeks earlier, but we needed to wait to bring him home until he was old enough.

I was so excited. I always loved dogs and always wanted one of my own. Miraculously, my sister and I had finally convinced my parents to let us get a dog. He was a black tri-color Australian Shepherd. I picked him, Stevie named him.

He was finally old enough, so my mom and I drove out to the farm and picked him up. Still just a puppy, he sat in my lap as we drove home. Nels cried. He cried and he cried and he cried. My mom and I cried. We felt so guilty tearing him apart from his puppy family.

One would have thought that this pup would have disliked the car for having taking him away from his mom and dad and siblings. But we quickly became the family he knew and loved. And he loved the car. If you said, "car ride," he would go crazy, wagging his tale and run towards the back door. If he ever got out of the house and wouldn't come back when you called his name, he'd meet you at the car if you told he he was going for a ride.

Today Nels is just weeks shy of his 15th birthday. He his old and weak. His health is deteriorating. He lived a good life and will be greatly missed.

Today Nels is going on his final car ride. This time I'll ride along side him in the back seat. This time he'll need help getting into the car. He can't just jump up like he used to. This time there will be tears, but they won't be his.

J.B.

5 months

2011-03-30T12:05:00.000-05:00

My baby boy is five months old. These months are going. so. fast.

Owen's not so much a newborn anymore.

Each day with Owen is more fun than the previous as he gets more interactive and keeps learning new tricks. He laughs at the funny noises we make. He's proven to be a future trumpet player the way he puts his lips together and blows. He loves sitting up (assisted) and looking around the room. He's so observant of everything around him. He can grab and pull the bird that dangles from his carseat handle. He's tried oatmeal, rice cereal and avocado.

On Friday, Owen will begin a new adventure. He's starting daycare. Owen, Dave and I have all loved having my mom take care of Owen. My mom and dad have liked it too. I know for me, I loved the opportunity to take care of my nieces everyday for a couple of months when I was in college. I felt a bond grow between us that is still there today. I hope my mom will be able to say the same about the last two months she's take care of Owen. It's the sweatest thing to walk into my parent's house at the end of the day and seeing my mom rocking a sleepy Owen or seeing my dad on the floor playing together. Having my mom take care of Owen has been a really nice way to transition back to work. And now that the transition is complete, it's time for Owen to go to daycare. I think he'll like the opportunity to interact with kids everyday, especially now that he started enjoying people watching.

And of course, Owen continues to grow like a weed. I weighed him this morning, and he's approximately 16.5 pounds now. He's down to his last few size two diapers and the box of size three is waiting for him.

My love for Owen is unreal. He is pretty much the highlight of my day every day. I knew I'd love being a mom, but I love it more than I imagined. Owen is a great boy and I'm so thankful that he is my boy.

I think month five will be a good one for Owen. I know he'll continue to grow and change right before our eyes. Will he get a tooth this month? Will he be able to sit up on his own? Will he learn how to say mama? I'll be back next month with a full report.

J.B.

What a girl wants...

2011-03-28T14:41:00.000-05:00

For today's blog challenge, we're supposed to share three things we want. Anything. And not feel guilty for wanting it.

So here's the first thing I want.

A house. A single-family house with a backyard. And this particular picture is the model home for the particular house that I found that I want. It's gorgeous. At the moment, it's the house of my dreams. But it's just barely beyond our reach. This house has been consuming me. All day long I dream about living here. Room for Owen. Room for the dogs. Room for guests. Room for future children. Not to mention the model has one of the most beautiful gourmet kitchens I have ever seen. The three car garage seems big, but hey, we actually have three cars in our possession right now. So maybe this house isn't so way too big for us after all.

Since selling our current house isn't an option at the moment, I guess I'll pick one thing I'd like to do to our house.

Bathroom remodel! Fixing up anything in our house right now wouldn't be the wisest use of our money either. So the bathroom remodel is another dream of mind, just beyond my reach. I just kinda grabbed this picture of the world wide web, but now that I'm looking at it, I kinda like it. And it actually fits with the layout of my bathroom. It's like fate is trying to intervene here, and tell me that this bathroom needs me.

So for the third item, I'm picking something that I actually desperately need.

Jeans! Wearing my favorite pair of jeans through the first 4 months of my pregnancy, and squeezing back into them not even a week post-birth, caused some crazy stretching to my jeans. I swear, if jeans could get stretch marks, my jeans would have more of them than I do. And for the other jeans collecting dust in my closet, well, they just don't fit right anymore either. Pregnancy seemed to have caused my thighs to get smaller, while my hips grew. The net effect is pretty much a muffin top combined with a saggy butt look. Not flattering. Let me know your favorite brand of jeans. I don't even know where to start the search for new jeans.

Now for my runner up.

A closet like this would make my clothes look so beautiful. I might even look forward getting up in the morning, knowing that I would have to go into my closet to pick out something to wear. And in a house like mine -- with very little storage space, I think a closet organizer would be a smart use of what storage space we have. So we're not only looking at something beautiful here, it's practical too. A new closet is something I've always dreamed of having, so this was a close third. Especially, since I had a great home-related theme going. But the jeans are something I actually need, so they trumped the closet makeover.

It was fun picking out stuff I want. But it is making me feel like I need more in my life, which I don't. So now, in an effort to make me feel better, I just want to say that there is already so much that I'm lucky to have. And how all the things I do have don't even matter. And that all of the things I have could be swept away in a tsunami (Ok. It'd have to be a really big one to reach me.) The point is that I don't need those things pictured above. I already have more than enough. Because all I need is love. And I have a lot of that in my midst right now.

J.B.

Operation meatballs

2011-03-27T19:14:00.000-05:00

We had our meatball contest today. Dave made his cheesy meatballs with shredded cheese while I made mine juicy lucy style. And I made some cheeseless ones that I could actually eat. Dave was the judge.

The verdict.

Draw.

I guess when you use the same ingredients, no matter how you build it, you get the same net result. Cheesy meatballs.

We had fun with our little contest and plan on tweaking our meatball recipes to make them both even tastier.

And now, for your viewing pleasure. Owen pics!

J.B.

Food

2011-03-26T20:40:00.000-05:00

Food. I love food.

I love finding recipes and making new meals for Dave and I to try.

But not lately.

Lately, nothing sounds appetizing. I can't figure out what I want to eat. And the odd thing is that I feel like I'm always hungry. Hungry, but not knowing how to satisfy the hunger -- not a great combination.

Except for a few weeks in February, I haven't had any dairy since the middle of December. Owen has an intolerance to the dairy protein, so that means I can't have it.

And I think that's my problem. I feel like I've tapped the dairy-free recipe well dry. I don't mean to complain about not being able to eat dairy. For the most part, it hasn't been hard. But it's been a long time now, and I miss cheese.

Tonight Dave and I had a great dinner idea for tomorrow. Meatball juicy lucies. We both had different techniques to try, so we're going to have a little competition. His idea is to use shredded cheese. My idea is to use cheese cubes. But we have to make plain meatballs as well just so I can eat some. And that means Dave gets to do the judging of our little meatball juicy lucy contest. As if he won't be biased.

I'm looking forward to the day I can eat dairy again. And hopefully, the appetite flood gates will open wide.

J.B.

Spring?

2011-03-24T13:00:00.002-05:00

Yesterday morning, I opened the garage to see Mother Nature puking snow everywhere. Yes, at this point of the year, I'm sick of snow. Therefore, in my opinion, it's the equivalent of puke. It's spring. I'm ready for warm weather! Sadly, the extended 10-day forecast doesn't show any temps above 50, so instead I'm going to blog about all the stuff I'm looking forward to doing with Owen this spring. (And thanks to Erin for suggesting this topic!)

Family walks! This is near the top of my list. I can't wait to resume our ritual of evening walks with Dave and the dogs. And this spring, Owen gets to join us.
The zoo! We have two great zoos nearby our house. I can't wait to take Owen, so he can see all the cool animals. His first trip to the MN Zoo will be coming up soon, when we go see the baby animal exhibit with my sister and nieces. We just need to plan the date.
Swimming! This won't happen for a couple of months yet, but we have a community swimming pool in our neighborhood. I hope Owen enjoys playing in the water.
Dog park! Owen's going to love watching Otis and Cooper run around at the dog park. It's been one of Dave's and my favorite pastimes, and now it'll be one of Owen's too.
Playground! Owen's a little small for most of the playground equipment right now, but there is a baby swing with his name on it.
Play dates! There are a couple of kids in the neighborhood close to Owen's age that he hasn't met yet. It's about time Owen gets to know the kids on the block, who will likely be some of his best buddies in the years to come.
Easter! Is Owen too young to dye Easter eggs? Maybe. But I'm still looking forward to putting together an Easter basket together for him, on behalf of the Easter bunny. And buying him a cute Easter outfit.
Twins Game! Although we don't have tickets yet, Owen is bound to go to a Twins game this spring/summer. He's prepared. He has two Twins hats, a Twins jersey, a Twins bib and at least three or four Twins onesies all ready to wear to the game. Not to mention other numerous baseball-themed clothes in navy blue and red.
Vacation! Owen gets to go to the beach in 33 days! We're heading to North Carolina for Anthony's first communion. Even better, Owen will get to meet his cousins, Auntie Diana, and uncles Ed and Brian. If spring doesn't get here before then, well, at least Owen will get a taste of warm weather in North Carolina. (Dear God, please don't let me have jinxed myself. We need warm weather stat.)

J.B.

Poor little man

2011-03-22T13:16:00.000-05:00

So it turns out that nothing can make you pity your child more than seeing him sick. (In my experience. So far.)

Last night was great with Owen. He ate his food. Still seemed hungry. Ate a little more food. Gave him a bottle. Still seemed hungry, but decided to wait until bed time to give him more. He loves to eat and makes this cute grunting noise the whole time we're feeding him, because we literally can't. feed. him. fast. enough.

He was laughing and giggling. We even found a new way to make him laugh. (By copying the grunting noises he makes while he's eating. There won't be any videos of me grunting. Sorry.)

So anyway, per our usual routine, I gave him another bottle right before bed. And even though it was only an hour and a half or so after he last ate, I had Dave make a four ounce bottle instead of two. (See previous paragraph. He still seemed hungry after the last feeding.)

So he's laying on me, drinks up his bottle, dosing off. So I put him on my chest to burp him. The biggest burp/spit up ever is all down my shirt. So Dave takes him and puts him to bed, so I could get cleaned up.

Per usual, he makes noises that we can hear through the baby monitor as he's falling asleep. But then he starts crying. So I go into his room and reach into his crib to turn his musical seahorse back on and put his pacifier back in his mouth. It was dark. I reach in and. EWWW. Wetness all over. I turn on the light just in time to see more puke errupting out of his mouth. Instinctively, I reach in and turn him on his side to let it out. He was soaked. His crib was soaked. By now he is sobbing.

Our poor little baby. Dave and I felt so bad for him and just wanted to cuddle him all night. He was exhausted. He slept on us and then would wake up heaving and puking and then would cry again. My heart was breaking. Thankfully, the puking didn't last long. We were able to put him back to bed an hour or so later, and he hasn't puked since then. He slept straight through the night until 5:30 a.m. this morning and was back to his normal cheerful self.

So it seems that Owen gave us a preview of what sickness is like. I know its inevitable that more experiences like this are to come. But hopefully, those experiences will be few and far between.

---

Also, check out my new blog header! Katie made it for me!

Also, thanks for the emails wondering where my blog posts are. I love that I'm being held accountable for blogging. :)

J.B.

Good friends. Good times.

2011-03-19T21:52:00.001-05:00

Thank you to everyone who left comments on my last post. You did good. And so, here I am posting today! Complete with pictures!

Some friends are just in your lives for a period of your life. Other friends come into your life and never leave. Even though there are ups and downs, struggles and carefree times, for some reason you just stick together through it all. Tonight, I hung out with two such very important people in my life. At one point, I think we were just kinda in awe over how much has changed in our lives since junior high. The fun part of the night of course was watching Owen and one of his girlfriends. This little girl is two months older than Owen, and he's definitely catching up to her in size.

Owen's 4 months old and his girl is 6 months old

And the good ol' days when they were little babies. Owen was just a couple of days old and she was almost two months old.

And here's one from earlier in the day. Just because I think he looks cute. Notice the drool.

J.B.

It's like any fad diet.

2011-03-18T13:34:00.000-05:00

So no less than a week into my blogging challenge, I miss a day. That didn't take long, huh?

Trying to blog is becoming a bit like dieting or exercising. I start with great intentions and motivation to do well, but after a couple of days that motivation starts to slide. Next thing you know I'm skipping a day here and there, and soon I'll have completely lost track.

Oh well. Can't say that I haven't tried. Don't worry I'm not giving up my lent/blog challenge quite this fast.

I think I need something from you dear readers. I know that there is at least three of you loyal readers out there. I need your encouragement.

Excercising and dieting is so much more fun when you have a buddy doing it with you. Words of encouragement keep the motivation strong to put on those running shoes when all you want to do is to curl up on the couch. The same is true with blogging.

Help keep me motivated! Leave a comment. Let me know you still read the blog. Or just started. If there is anything specific you want me to see or read on my blog, let me know. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

J.B.

To share or not to share. That is the question.

2011-03-16T13:57:00.000-05:00

Today's topic: When you blog, what's off limits? Why?

I thinks it's easiest for me to start answering this question by explaining why I first started this blog. This blog was started as a challenge between my sister-in-law who lives in North Carolina and myself. We both started blogs because we wanted to chronicle our lives and make it easy for family on the other side of the country stay current with what we're up to. Soon after, my other sis-in-law and some friends (here and here) started blogging too. Even my husband and dad and father-in-law blogged for a short while. (And yes, I'm linking to all of your blogs to guilt you into updating them.) :)

That said, the purpose of my blog is to update friends and family on what's going on in my life. But there is a lot of life that I don't want to share with them. I don't blog about fights with my husband. I don't blog about breastfeeding struggles. I don't blog about many personal issues. I don't blog about work either. And with the lack up updates I've been posting lately, I haven't been doing a good job of sharing the stuff I want to share either.

Sometimes I think I want to blog more about my private life and struggles. Lots of people do it, especially in this world of reality TV and mommy bloggers. I think it would breath new life into my blog and I'd probably attract more readers. But I've never made that leap.

The one thing that I've been fairly open about was my miscarriage. Writing about that experience helped my heart heal. And I love that my words on my experience has resonated with other women, and dare-I-say even helped them deal with their own similar issues. But even then, I didn't share the physical side effects, because really, who wants to know how bad the cramping was and how long it lasted. (If you want to know, talk to me privately. But I don't need to put it out there for the whole world to read.)

Sometimes I think I need to be more private. I use my husband's and my son's names. It's pretty obvious what my last name is. There is a lot of info that the wrong person could learn about me and my life, if they wanted. I actually have pseudonyms picked out for my family and an idea for a new blog name, but it's a huge project to go back through four years of blog posts and delete all references to our names. Maybe someday when I get some free time. lol.

So I guess in the end, my blog is a ~~little~~ lot lame. It's a balancing act of wanting to share more and being cautious of what I share, and I guess I'm tend to stay on the conservative side of sharing my life story. But it still getts the job done -- well, at least it gets the job done when I get around to updating it.

J.B.

Look how he's grown...

2011-03-15T11:48:00.000-05:00

From this (just born)...

To this (1 month)...

To this (2 months)...

To this (3 months)...

To this (4 months)...

J.B.

My dreams

2011-03-14T22:09:00.000-05:00

Little did I know that there is a daily theme for this blog challenge. So I don't have any excuses for not having anything to write about.

Today's theme: What was your big childhood dream? Are you still pursuing it? If yes, how? If no, how did you reconcile that within yourself?

I had a lot of childhood dreams. I wanted to be President of the United States of America. I wanted to be an astronaut. I wanted to be Joan Lunden on Good Morning America. When I went to college, I thought I wanted to be a doctor. I had a lot of interests and a lot of ideas, but there wasn't any one dream that consistently stayed with me throughout my childhood years.

Well, there was one consistent dream.

I wanted to be a mom.

Thank you, Owen, for making my dream come true.

J.B.

Laughter

2011-03-13T10:57:00.000-05:00

"The laughter of a child is the light of the home."

Giggles and laughs is something we're hearing more and more around our house. And I love it. I'm not sure anything could warm my heart more than hearing my little man giggle when we play. He's happy. I'm in heaven.

Owen and Daddy

Owen and Mama

J.B.

A little challenge...

2011-03-12T18:17:00.000-06:00

I'm partaking in a little blog challenge. To blog every day throughout lent. Yes, lent started a few days ago, but I just learned about this challenge. I have no idea if I'll be able to complete this challenge -- chances are pretty slim, in fact. But imps blogging. And writing is a stress reliever for me. It clears my head. And I can use a lot of stress relieving and head clearing these days. Life and work continues to be pretty intense, and I don't see any signs of things slowing gown.

This. Moment. Is. Perfect.

I just want to soak it up. Owen woke up crying pretty hard from his nap a half-hour or so ago. I scooped him up and came downstairs to cuddle with him on the couch. So now I have a sleeping baby in one arm, and the iPad on my lap. The news is on. Cooper is laying on the other side of the couch. Dave is in the kitchen making dinner and Otis is supervising (or waiting for scraps of food.) Gracie is sleeping somewhere. It's a perfect, relaxing way to spend mtg Saturday afternoon.

I need more days just like this.
J.B.

Waving my white flag...

2011-02-07T12:34:00.000-06:00

Last week I had to surrender. I broke down and had to admit that I couldn't do it all. Mom. Student. Employee. Too much stress. Too much guilt about not giving my son enough of my time.

And so I dropped the class I was taking this semester. I felt like I was one of the teen moms on 16 and Pregnant, unable to balance work, school and family. Part of me felt like a failure, because I couldn't do it all. But actually, I didn't want to do it all.

What I want to do is soak up every moment I can with my little boy. What I want to do is to be able to continue to breastfeed him. And I was worried that if I went to school this semester, I wouldn't be able to give Owen those things.

I can manage being away from him while I'm at work as I know it's necessary so we can pay bills and save money for a new house that we hope to buy one day. But last week, school didn't seem like it was necessary. And it was the one thing I could let go of for the time being.

I am still committed to finishing my masters degree. And in a couple of months, I will go back. But I'm still transitioning into working full-time. And Owen still wakes up to eat around 3:00 a.m. every morning. And I'm still breastfeeding. And that in itself is a job. So in a few months, while it will still be hard to go to school, I will do it.

But tonight, I'm going to go home and hang out with my boys.

J.B.

It's off to work I go...

2011-01-20T21:07:00.000-06:00

...and other random updates

Tonight my maternity leave comes to an end. Tomorrow I go back to work. Auntie Katie is here and will be babysitting. Starting Monday my mom will babysit for two months and then he'll start daycare in April. I'm sad to have to leave him, but I haven't cried yet. I know he'll be in good hands. When I'm having conversations with adults, I'll be missing cooing along with my little man. I know what I'll be looking forward to tomorrow -- getting off work to go home and snuggle with Owen!!

Owen is now 12 weeks old! He sleeps in his own crib and is great about falling asleep on his own. He generally sleeps 5 or 6 hours and then a couple of 3 hour stretches. He loves talking. He's rolled over from tummy to back a couple of times. He likes to clasp his hands together. He's just about in size 3-6 month now. And tonight he started wearing size 2 diapers. He is more fun every day.

Last weekend we went to Duluth to visit friends. Owen got to play with Vivian and Jameson who are almost 1 year old now. It's so fun that we have friends with kids close to Owen's age. I know it'll be a lot more fun when they actually play together and get into trouble.

This week Auntie Katie is visiting us. She's getting some snuggle time -- and of course, she'll get lots of time with him tomorrow.

And it turns out that Owen was the second most popular name in Minnesota in 2010. Of course! But even knowing that now, I wouldn't change my boy's name. His mama's name is Jennifer (most popular name the year I was born), so it fits that Owen's name is popular now too.

J.B.

Baptism Day

2011-01-10T15:04:00.000-06:00

Dave and I grew up in different religious denominations. He is Catholic while I'm Presbyterian. Our faith has always been important to both of us and even before we got married we had discussed how we wanted to teach Owen about God and help him develop his own faith. Neither one of us wanted to give up our faith tradition, and we decided that neither one of us had to do that. One of the things we decided was important was that we're all in this together. Whether we're at a Catholic church, a Presbyterian church or any other church, what matters to us is that it is an experience we're sharing as a family. Another thing we decided that was important was recognizing that faith is more than just practicing a denomination's religious practices. Although we will teach Owen about both of our religious traditions, what is most important that Owen knows that Jesus loves him, that he has the opportunity to develop his own faith in God, and that is accepting of all people -- regardless of their faith. A third thing we decided was important is the faith community. We want Owen to know that the people in his faith community love him and support him. We want people at church to know his name and for Owen to have peers that he'll grow up with to learn about Jesus (and have a little fun together too). All the talk over the years about what we wanted was good, and now it's finally time to start putting our thoughts into action.

Yesterday was Owen's baptism. I didn't truly realize how much his baptism would mean to me until it happened. Our pastor did a great job of making the whole church service special for Owen. He didn't cry during the baptism -- he actually smiled as the water was put upon his head. His is loved by his family, his faith community and of course, by God. May Owen always know the love and support we have for him.

J.B.

Time is going too fast

2011-01-07T18:49:00.000-06:00

Owen is 10 weeks old now....and that means there are only two weeks left of my maternity leave. I have loved every minute being home with my little boy. I just wish I could stop time right now so I could stay home with him a little longer. This week the realization that my days of spending every single minute of every single day caring for my little man hit with full force as we had to make a the biggest decision in Owen's life thus far -- where to send him to daycare.

On Wednesday Owen and I were going to back to visit one of our potential choices and she called me to say she filled her spot. I freaked out because that meant I only had one person to choose from. I just didn't want to choose someone because they were my only option. So I spent the whole day searching for in-home daycares and then not getting any results, I started calling daycare centers too, even though I knew it would be unlikely we'd send Owen to one. Between voicemails and emails, I reached out to more than 25 places that all supposedly had infant openings...20 of which were phone calls. I got like three more potential leads although I found out that basically all daycare centers have openings. It's difficult with a capital D to find infant openings in a family daycare setting.

Sending your child to daycare is difficult. We're not even there yet. But we did make the decision today on where Owen will be going. And after looking at many different options, I'm satisfied with the choice we made. He'll be spending his days with a woman named Jenny. Not this Jenny though. I wish I could stay home with him, but it's just not a possibility right now. Maybe it's something I could do in a couple of years after we have another child. It's definitely something I would like to do. I've known all along that Owen would have to go to daycare. I think he'll like it. The separation at first is going to be harder on me than it is on him. But I'll make it through...and at the end of the day my boy is coming home with me. I know I'll be looking forward to the end of the workday more than ever.

J.B.

2 months

2010-12-30T08:19:00.000-06:00

Our little man is now two months old. And how much he has grown in such little time. He's no longer the little newborn that simply ate, pooped, slept and cried. Of course, he still does those things, but he also smiles and coos. He now shows interest in things. He gets more alert everyday and likes to look around to soak in his surroundings. He definitely knows the voices of his mommy and daddy. He loves his activity mat. He is so proud when he makes contact with one of the toys dangling down towards him. He loves music. He loves lights. He loves mirrors. He is kicking his legs more and getting bigger every day.

Each day my love for him grows stronger. His smiles light up my world. I love when he's tired and snuggles against my chest. I love when he talks to me.

In the last month, we celebrated Owen's first Christmas. Christmas Eve began with a visit to the doctor for a well check and some shots. The shots made him pretty crabby, but I guess that's our payback for taking him to the doctor on Christmas Eve. The report from the doctor was good. She called him a star baby! But he still did good at church. There was something truly special about holding your infant son while singing hymns about baby Jesus. He was so tired at the end of the day on Christmas that he didn't even wake up when we put his pajamas on him or changed his diaper. Owen gave me a great Christmas present -- sleep. Since Christmas he's slept 6 or more hours each night...that's a trend I like. He too got lots of great presents that I know he'll love in the months to come. It's crazy to think that next Christmas he'll probably be walking around and he'll be able to open his presents on his own. It'll be fun, but this Christmas was definitely special with our infant boy.

I wish I could keep my little boy a baby forever so I could always protect him and keep him safe. Last week we went to a funeral for a girl that I have known since my childhood. We played soccer together from elementary school all the way through high school, and although she was a year younger than me, we went to the same school for most of those years too. She committed suicide. During the funeral, I held my baby tight to me, gave him kisses and told him I love him. Although I can't protect him from the evils of the world, I pray that he knows he'll always be able to find a safe place in my arms and that his daddy and mommy love him unconditionally. We would go to the end of the world and back for this guy.

Two months means that there is less than one month left until I go back to work. As that day gets closer, I find myself increasingly yearning to soak up this time with my little guy. If I don't feel like I held him enough during the day, it makes me a little sad...as it's a day with my boy I won't get to do over. So we cuddle a lot. We sing songs and talk together a lot. And he still eats, poops and sleeps a lot. I don't like thinking about going back to work, but sometimes I force myself to think about it and visualize it so hopefully I can prepare myself a little bit for that difficult time. It also helps me remember that this time is for me and Owen and to take advantage of my time with him. That's why you haven't seen as many blog posts from me. Sorry, but given the choice between having a laptop in my lap or my baby, I'm going to choose my baby.

J.B.

2010-12-24T04:14:00.000-06:00

It's Christmas.

New light. New hope. New love. New joy. New peace.

This Christmas is like none other before.

My arms have never been more full of light, hope, love, joy and peace.

My heart has never been more full of light, hope, love, joy and peace.

With more light, hope, love, joy and peace in my arms and heart, I have more to give. May God help me to do just that.

I wish you and your family Merry Christmas.

J.B.

We fought Mother Nature and we won!

2010-12-21T08:06:00.000-06:00

Alternatively titled: Dave graduates!

Can you see the irony in this? Dave didn't want to walk in his college graduation ceremony. But I wanted him to, and I convinced him to do it. But then the nastiest snowstorm these parts have seen in the last 18 years decided to appear the same day, threatening to force us to stay home.

But we're hardy Minnesotans and Mother Nature couldn't stop us!

At some point during the week, the meteorologists started predicting a big storm for the day of his graduation ceremony. This storm was unpredictable and they were predicting everything from a few inches to over 20 inches. So pretty much anything. But as the day got closer, it became clearer that this was going to be a big storm.

Fast forward to Friday afternoon. Dave got a couple of emails saying graduation would not be canceled due to weather. We decided we better make the hour drive to his school that evening, so we could safely get to Mankato before the storm started. Especially with our little man, traveling safely was our number one concern. So we hurried about that afternoon and successfully out ran the storm, getting to the hotel shortly after the freezing rain and snow started. Us - 1, Mother Nature - 0.

Saturday morning we woke up to a snowy mess with a nice thick layer of ice underneath. Graduation was still on so we bundled up Owen and ventured out into the middle of the storm. We slowly made it to campus and Dave dropped us off at the door and we were safely inside the nearly empty auditorium. Dave met us inside after slipping on the ice and smacking his head on the ground. Us - 1. Mother Nature - 1.

Although it took a bit of extra effort to get to Dave's graduation, it was well worth it. I was so proud of him. He's put in so much effort over the past couple of years and overcame so many obstacles to get his degree -- all while working full time and driving 50 minutes each way to get to his school.

Even though Owen won't remember being at Dave's graduation, it was important to us to have Owen there. Owen, Chubs and our future children were Dave's inspiration for finishing his degree. So Owen had to represent. The two of us sat there together, so proud of Dave. Actually, Owen slept. I held Owen as I cheered as loud as I could when they announced Dave's name -- while also taking pictures and crying.

Our original plan after the graduation was to drive to the next town and reassess the snow situation. We have friends that live there, so we figured we could hang out with them if the storm made travel too difficult.

But the conditions deteriorated significantly since the beginning of the graduation ceremony. This was seriously the kind of winter storm that would have killed pioneers if they got caught in it. Lots of snow. Winds sustained at 35 mph with higher wind gusts, creating white out conditions where you can't see more than a few yards in front of you. Ice covering the roads. Snow on top of the ice, so you can't figure out where it's extra slippery. Enough snow on the roads that in some places it was hard to even tell where the roads were. They literally pulled the snow plows off the roads, because conditions were that bad. Us - 1. Mother Nature - 2.

Needless to say, we were maybe three minutes away from the university when we decided to stay in Mankato. We called up the hotel we stayed at the night before to see if there were any rooms available for that night. Thank God there was! I gave them our credit card number while I was on the phone to reserve our room. We weren't risking driving the rest of the way to the hotel to reserve our room only to find that they had booked up in the meantime. We weren't risking hanging up to try and book the room through Priceline only to have no rooms available. We needed that room and we got it. And good thing we got that room, because they actually closed the highway that was our route home. So we couldn't have gone home even if we tried. We spent the rest of the day and night there. We at food from Friday's for three consecutive meals (it was attached to the hotel). Despite getting stuck in Mankato, we had a good afternoon. We were safe. We were together. We had time to relax and do nothing except snuggle with our little guy and stare at his precious little face. Us - 2. Mother Nature - 2.

We woke the next morning to lots and lots of snow plows clearing the road in front of the hotel (a road we couldn't even see from our room the day before). The storm had cleared. We could go home. And that's exactly what we did....with a baby in one arm and a diploma in the other.

Us - 3. Mother Nature - 2. We won!

J.B.

Newborn photos

2010-12-09T15:08:00.000-06:00

My sister-in-law is a photographer. If you've followed my blog for any length of time (or know me in real life), you probably know that. So for several years now I've been oooing and ahhing over newborn photos. I hoped that when we had a baby there would be a way for her to travel from North Carolina to take newborn photos of our little one.

So when the time came, my wish came true. Not only did Katie fly to Minnesota to take photos (and to meet her nephew), but so did a photographer-friend of hers, Jessica. Two photographers took pictures of my little guy! Newborn photos are kinda complicated. They have to be done within a certain number of days of birth. So even though she had her flight and we had studio time scheduled, we weren't 100% certain we'd be able to get the newborn photos we wanted. But Owen was born just in time (he was a little old, but was still a champ for his session). He must have known how badly his mommy wanted these photos.

Last week, Jessica blogged our photo session. Check out how cute my little guy is! She is a great photographer and I would recommend her for anyone looking for a photographer in the Twin Cities.

I had a great time watching Katie and Jessica take pictures, especially after admiring pictures of other people's newborns. It was cool to see how they do it. I never would have guessed how much work goes into getting these pictures. The baby must be sleeping...and there are several strategies they use to get him to sleep and to keep him that way. So obviously there is a time constraint. Then there is other photo-related stuff they have to figure out, like the lighting. Finally there is the positioning of the baby. But in the end, their hard work was worth it....and I get to reap the benefits of having beautiful pictures of my little guy to keep forever!

J.B.

Full of Thanks

2010-11-30T16:50:00.001-06:00

The little man is sleeping, so I can blog again! I wanted to write a Thanksgiving post, but that day was a little crazy and I enjoyed the long weekend hanging out with my husband and child. So here's that post now.

I am thankful for...

my son who is my everything.
my body that feeds and nourishes my son.
my husband loves and cares for me.
my parents who support me unconditionally.
my sisters who are great friends.
my parent- and sis-in-laws who consider me one of their own.
my grandparents for their health.
my friends who stand by my side.
my house that provides me shelter.
my job that provides me with security.
time off work to bond with my boy.
food that gives me energy and strength.
sleep that refreshes my body.
faith. life. love.

J.B.

4 weeks

2010-11-29T16:47:00.000-06:00

It's already been four weeks since the little man has arrived. Each and every minute of the last four weeks has been cherished.

In those four weeks, much has changed.

Now I live my life in 3 hour increments. And man, time goes much faster when you live life this way.

Now my little man depends on me for his nourishment. For his sense of security. For his survival. No one has ever depended on me like this before.

I've experienced the hopelessness you feel when your baby is in pain and there isn't anything that can be done except to rock him and hold him closer (and give him gas drops and tummy rubs).

I've experienced love like I've never felt before. There are not enough hugs and kisses in this world that could express to my baby how much I love him.

I've experienced so much joy. The joy of watching my husband sing to the little guy. The joy of watching friends and family love on my boy. It's so incredible that there is so much love for something Dave and I created. Never have I done anything in my life before that brings out so much love and joy from people. I love sharing him with others.

But I love mommy and son time so much too.

I've experienced how frustrating it can be when you're so tired, you just break down in tears, because you're little one won't go to sleep. But then, two seconds later, I've experienced the sense of accomplishment of rocking that cute little bundle sleeping your arms.

My world has become more beautiful. My son is beautiful. Watching my husband and my son together is beautiful. Watching my son and my nieces is beautiful. Watching my son meet his grandparents and aunts and uncles is amazing.

My baby and I are learning so much about each other. I'm learning his schedule. His cries. His grunts. I've learned that when he poops, he's going to be hungry in 5 minutes. And if he's hungry and hasn't pooped yet, he will almost immediately after he starts eating. He's learned how to eat. He's learning how to hold his head up and he's strengthening his neck. He's growing so much. My skinny little boy is filling out and getting heavier.

And when people tell you that when you're a mom, you'll talk about poop; they're not kidding. The color of poop. The amount of poop. The sound of pooping. The sound of a 2nd round of poop. Being pooped on. Poop is good.

These last four weeks have been the most rewarding four weeks thus far in my life. If I there is one word to some it up, it is LOVE. I'm surrounded by love. I'm experiencing love more deeply and more authentic. I'm love my boy. I love my family. I love that we are finally parents. I love my many blessings from God. I'm in love.

J.B.

Owen's birth story

2010-11-05T21:32:00.000-05:00

Boy, how much life can change in a week.

Last Thursday morning I was convinced that I was going past my due date and would be heading in to work on Monday morning.

Little did I know that Boo had different plans.

That evening while watching The Office, I started getting contractions. I wasn't sure if it was the real thing. The contractions weren't very strong. Dave could actually feel my stomach tighten before I could feel the discomfort. So they were really hard to time. Dave wanted it to be real. He went to the store to buy me some spicy jalapeno potato chips to snack on. He told me to get up and walk around (I wanted to take a nap in case it was real...I had worked that day and was tired).

It wasn't long before I realized this was going to be it. I took a shower (supposedly if it's not real, the shower will slow things down), but in my case, things kept getting more painful. The contractions were pretty close together -- they were never longer than 4 minutes apart. I spent the next hour or so on our exercise ball breathing through the contractions. Then we called the doctor. At this point, the contractions were lasting 50 seconds and between 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 minutes apart. So the doctor told us to go in to the hospital and get checked.

We left for the hospital around midnight. We still had some stuff we needed to pack. The dogs had to go outside one last time. And I was moving a little slower that usual as my contractions were getting worse.

We made the half-hour drive to the hospital. As this point, the contractions were coming every two minutes. I definitely had to breath through them. Once we got to the hospital, we left our bag in the car. Thinking we'd make sure we got admitted first before lugging the suitcase through the hospital.

I got checked by the nurse around 12:30 a.m. and was still only dialated 3 cm. That was a little disappointing to hear because my contractions were hurting. Bad. My blood pressure was elevated though, so they wanted to keep me. So I was admitted!

We decided to call my sister, Becky, to let her know were were admitted. She was going to join us in the delivery room. Dave left a voice mail saying that we were only 3 cm and they wanted to monitor my blood pressure and would keep her posted as we didn't know how long things would go. The contractions were happening fast, and Dave was doing great at coaching me through them, so we hadn't called anyone else yet.

I had to get my platelets checked to make sure I could get an epidural. As I prepared for labor, I knew that an epidural may not be an option, so I tried to prepare myself as much as I could for a natural labor. Yoga classes. Childbirth prep class. Labor relaxation techniques class. Reading books. So my birth plan was that I'd go without any drugs as long as possible. But it was honestly more painful that I imagined. Actually, I think the pain wasn't so much out of my realm of imagination. The bad part was how frequent the contractions were happening. I was feeling like I wasn't getting any break from the pain. At one point I asked the nurse how often they check my progress, and the nurse said every two hours.

But when we got the blood tests results back, and my platelets were high enough, I said I needed the epidural. Stat. I figured the pain would only continue to get worse and I still had hours and hours of labor left. So the nurse left to call the anesthesiologist for the epidural. And by this point my sister had arrived.

It was about 1:45 a.m. I'd been there for an hour and fifteen minutes.

All of a sudden, I had a crazy contraction. I felt all this pressure like I needed to push.

So I tell Dave that I need to push.

He yells at me to not do it. And I yell back to call the nurse.

She comes in and said she'd check me and if I was less than 10 cm, I could still get an epidural.

So she checks and says, "You're just about ready."

And then things got a little crazy. I had my eyes closed at this point. Just trying to focus. But there was a lot of commotion. Three or four nurses came in to get everything ready for birth. Getting towels and blankets and bowls. Taking off the end of the bed. Getting the stuff ready for the baby.

It was about 2:00 a.m.

Thank goodness my doctor happened to already be at the hospital. The nurse had me pushing before the doctor got in the room. She got in their as the baby was crowning and pretty much just caught the baby.

At 2:24 a.m., Owen Michael was born. 5 pounds, 15 ounces. 19 inches. A perfectly healthy little peanut.

When he was placed on my chest, it was the most amazing experience ever. One of the first things I thought was the relief that the labor was done. Owen was here! My son was in my arms! All the waiting and the trials we went through to get to this point were done. I was a mom. We were parents. We have a family. A beautiful baby boy. I was thanking God for this moment and bringing this little boy into my life.

It all happened so fast. Our bag was still in the car (and our camera). Thank goodness for cell phones! We hadn't called anyone yet in the family yet to let them know were were in labor. It was fun to call them to say that Owen is here!

This past week has gone so fast. We've been getting settled in. He eats and sleeps a lot. But he's been a great little guy. And we love him so much.

J.B.

39 weeks!

2010-10-26T21:37:00.000-05:00

We've really made it to the home stretch! It's so sureal that within the next couple of days -- or hours -- or weeks yet if he's stubborn, our little guy will be in our arms!

I had my weekly doctor appointment today. We had an appointment just last Friday, so I was happy to hear that things have progressed in the last couple of days. I'm now 2 cm dilated and the baby is lower too. We're having a crazy wind storm, so I'm hoping that it might bring more progress.

Although I'm 39 weeks and some days pregnant, I still managed to go to my yoga class. Yoga has been such great thing for me throughout this pregnancy. The fact that can still get into yoga poses at this stage in the game has been really empowering. And I think it's helped me stay comfortable too. It wasn't until this past Saturday that I first felt my back getting pretty sore.

That's pretty much all I have for now. Being pregnant has been a great adventure, but I'm really looking forward to what comes next!

J.B.

Dropping?

2010-10-18T18:02:00.000-05:00

I've had to take some self portraits to document the pregnancy as of late, since Dave is out of town and the pups refuse to take my picture.

Today I've gotten comments from two people that it looks like Boo has started dropping. What do you think? I'm not totally convinced...although I have had to pee more. But I think it's too close to tell....it doesn't help that I'm wearing two different shirts (but both polka dots). Enjoy the fake smile while you're at it.

37 weeks.

38 weeks

J.B.

Won't you light my candle?

2010-10-15T14:05:00.000-05:00

We recently honored/observed (not sure what's the right word) the one year anniversary of our miscarriage. I started, but didn't really have the words to write a coherent blog post about it. To make my thoughts more scattered was the fact that right before the anniversary, my old roommate caught me up on what was going on in her life.

At her 19-week ultrasound, she found out their baby didn't develop kidneys. That basically meant that her baby couldn't survive outside the womb. Before the ultrasound, the baby appeared to be growing well and thriving. She could feel her kicks. So finding out her baby was sick was devastating. At that time, the doctors told her that the baby would continue to grow to full-term and then die within hours of being born. But, their baby actually died one year and six days after Chubby.

Her situation is no doubt more complicated than mine was. But it's still a loss of a baby, and a loss of hopes and dreams for that particular child. But not all hopes and dreams of having children have to die.

I pray for my roommate and for others who have experienced such a loss that not all hopes and dreams for the families that they want to have are lost.

As Dave and I talked about Chubs and the anniversary of our miscarriage, the thing that really touched both of us was how much can change in a year. After the miscarriage, it just seemed like our journey to have a family was such a long road -- and we were moving on that road painfully slow. I was hopeful we would have a family someday, but I just didn't imagine it could happen within a year. But it did. And we're so thankful.

And for some twisted reason, being pregnant again and preparing for our little guy has helped the grieving and healing process. That's another thing we talked about. From the loss of Chubby, we were given the gift of Boo. "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."*

Chubby is part of our story. He always will be. Our dream was to be parents, and he made that come true. He taught us about hope and preserverence. He taught us about grieving and healing. He taught Dave and I that we need to rely on each other for support, especially during difficult times.

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, so I'm inviting you to take a moment and think about all those who were lost. Today I'm taking this moment to finally publish a post of scattered thoughts of my miscarriage experience. And, tonight I'll be lighting a candle in memory of Chubs.

J.B.

Gracie plays hide and seek

2010-10-13T20:38:00.000-05:00

We have a cat. Remember?

I was uploading some video from my phone onto the computer and this one of Gracie hiding completely under the covers makes me smile.

J.B.

Wage your guess

2010-10-12T21:20:00.001-05:00

The countdown for the big day is definitely underway. As of today, there are 19 days u till my due date -- we're in the teens! Of course, Boo's birthdate could be earlier or later than his due date....all of which we'll be finding out in a couple of weeks. I had fun reading everyone's guesses when I posted about guessing Boo's gender, and now it's time to get everyone's guesses for Boo's birth.

This time, everyone should leave comments guessing Boo's birthdate, height and weight.

Here's some quick facts that may or may not be helpful in your guess...

This is my first kid
At my 36 week appointment, I hadn't really started dialating or effacing
Today at my 37 week appointment, I was 1 cm dilated, 50% effaced and had a -1 station
I also haven't really had many contractions or other signs of labor
I was born one week after my due date
Dave was born on time, but was induced
My sister had both of her kids 10 days early
Dave is out of town until Oct. 21
My due date is Oct. 31
My ultrasounds showed due dates ranging from Oct. 29 - Nov. 2
My measurements have been on track

Leave your guess in the comments!
J.B.

My nursery rhyme shower

2010-10-11T10:41:00.000-05:00

Katie posted pics on her blog from the baby shower that she, Diana and Mary threw for Boo and I. Like I said before, their attention to detail was AMAZING. You really have to check out the pics to see what I mean!

Check out the pics!

J.B.

10 days

2010-10-10T20:25:00.001-05:00

The first two years I knew Papa Bear, we lived in different states. He spent a year deployed in Iraq.

So him leaving for 10 days should be a piece of cake, right?

I hope so. It's so crazy how your perspective changes. Seven years ago, only being away from Dave would have been a dream. Today, 10 days seems like a long time.

Considering the fact that I'm 37 weeks pregnant, 21 days away from my due date and he won't be home until 10 days before my due date; the circumstances are a little different this time.

But still, after I dropped him off at the airport, I was not the mess that I was when I said goodbye to him as he deployed to Iraq. That day I literally felt like someone close to me had died. Given where we left things, I wasn't sure if I'd ever talk to him again and I hated the thought of possibly losing someone who had become such a dear friend in such a short amount of time. That's not even considering the fact that he was headed into a war.

This time I knew I'd talk to him before he boarded the plane, after he landed in Chicago and at least once more before I go to bed. And I know there will be many more phone calls, text messages, emails and numerous Skype conversations before he's back home. Thanks goodness for technology! He's close enough that he could drive home if Boo decides to show up early -- but I'm really hoping that doesn't happen.

But I still miss him. I think mostly I'll miss being able to grab his hand so he can feel Boo. And the smile that spreads across his entire face when he feels the kicks too. I'll miss him waking me up at 11 p.m. (after he's taken the pups outside), so that I move from the couch and into bed. I'm missing hugs and kisses. I'm missing his runs to DQ to get me some ice cream. I wish they delivered.

I only have to miss him for ten days and then he'll be home. And there is definitely a thing or two to look forward to in the days after he comes home too.

J.B.

36 weeks + some days

2010-10-08T10:17:00.000-05:00

This whole being nine months pregnant, work full-time and get ready for baby thing is exhausting. So you'll have to excuse my lack of blogging. And it's not even that I have a lot of stuff going on -- well, this week I didn't have a lot going on -- it's just that by the time I get home from work the only thing I have energy to do is changing the channel on the remote as I lay on the couch.

This week we had our 36 week appointment. Boo must have had a bit of a growth spurt as his measurements were right on track for how far along we are. His heart rate is still great at 136 bpm. My platelets were tested and increased!!! So now my anxiety about delivering Boo without being able to get an epidural has decreased significantly. The doc also did the first check to see how I'm progressing towards labor -- and the results -- I haven't really started making any progress. But that was pretty much what I was expecting. I still feel fairly comfortable, can still sleep, etc -- and I figure if I'm still feeling this way, the little guy inside me is probably feeling the same way. So I wouldn't be surprised if I'm like my mom and go past my due date. Which is okay with me because....

Dave got a new job!! He just started this week. He has to go out of town soon for training and won't be back until 10 days before Boo's due date! So we've already started lecturing the kid about how he needs to stay put for two more weeks.

Last weekend, my mother-in-law, both sister-in-laws and my youngest niece came into town to throw my a baby shower. We had a great time. The shower was beautiful. Beforehand, I couldn't fathom how they were spending so much time in NC planning it when they had to fly up here...I knew they couldn't bring a lot of stuff up with them on the plane. But once I walked into the the party, it all made sense. The details and decorations were amazing! There will be pictures someday for me to share. And of course, I couldn't be more blessed with all the family and friends who literally showered us with gifts and love. It's amazing to me how many people already love our little boy and are so excited to meet him.

During their trip we also went to a Twins game, apple orchard and Katie did a mathernity session for Dave and I. Here's a link to the sneak peak on Katie's fan page. If you're not a fan already, while you're there, "like" her and leave a comment!

J.B.

34 weeks!

2010-09-21T17:31:00.000-05:00

Another appointment down! After my next appointment, I'll start going every week. Just another sign that the pregnancy is almost over.

If you asked me during the first trimester, I never would have said this....but I've been enjoying being pregnant. It's so cool to know that there really is a little guy living inside me...and I'm growing him! I love his kicks and his hiccups and watching him make my stomach move.

Once again, we had a good appointment. I'm growing and he's growing. His heart rate is at 135 bpm. I got my flu shot. Asked the doctor some questions.

We had our childbirth prep class at the hospital over the weekend, so the actual thought of giving birth is at the forefront of our minds these days. I'm glad to know that we know where to go when that time comes. Our due date is six weeks away, yet the doctor said at this point in the pregnancy there is no trying to stop labor once it starts. So at some point soon, I'll have to think about washing some baby clothes, getting our hospital bags packed and getting the car seat installed. I have a little bit of time to procrastinate...but at the same time, we definitely want those things ready to go!

Here's me just shy of 33 weeks...up on the shores of Lake Superior in Grand Marais. Even though this pic is a week old already, it's the most recent on I've got. :)

J.B.

Baby Bumps

2010-09-16T11:01:00.000-05:00

Priceless

Me @ 31 weeks and Michelle @ 34 weeks

J.B.

Lucky Day

2010-09-07T17:25:00.000-05:00

Today's been a great day. It started off normal. Got up at a decent time...(yesterday I woke up at 4:00 a.m. unable to sleep because I could breath...stupid allergies). Went to work. Something was a little off when I noticed some of the lights were out and the big sign by the elevators that said, "Elevators broken. Do not touch. Elevator company has been called." I wasn't too thrilled to see that sign. I work on the sixth floor and this pregnant lady wasn't looking forward to climb up all those stairs. But as I started climbing up the first stairwell, I saw someone who worked on my floor. She informed me that the power was out and might not be back on until noon. So I quickly got out of the stairs and started calling some of my co-workers to see what the plan was for the day. Eventually, I found out that I got to go home (HR didn't want me climbing up all those stairs)...and I'd get a call when the power came back so that I could go in. The power ended up taking longer to get back on than anticipated (I actually don't even know if it's back on yet), so I got the whole day off without taking PTO. Woo woo! It's like I landed on the Free Parking space in Monopoly. Dave was home today too, so we took the dogs on a walk, went to Caribou for a while, put the crib skirt and sheets on Boo's bed, enjoyed a home-made lunch and watched some Good Will Hunting.

Today was even better because we had a doctor's appointment. Boo is still looking good and healthy. I'm measuring right on track and Boo's heart rate was 134 bpm. There was a medical student shadowing my doctor today, so we got to hear Boo's heart rate twice. Once from the student and once from my doctor. So once again, I got lucky today and heard Boo's heartbeat two times!

I'm 32 weeks pregnant now. I officially only have 8 weeks until Boo's due date. The pregnancy is still going well overall. My biggest complaint right now is my allergies. My pregnancy is making them worse, because I can't take my normal medicine. But I'd be dealing with allergies this time of year pregnant or not. So honestly, I can't blame that on the pregnancy. Of course, I'm still feeling Boo kick. But it's turning more into a stretching/pushing out my stomach feeling that jabbing kicks. I guess that's because he's running out of room inside me. For the most part, I'm still fairly comfortable. There's been a couple of time when Boo's pushes himself up against my ribs, but that's hasn't been too often.

The rest of our week will be pretty nice too. Since we had the holiday Monday and the "free" day off today and I have plans to take Friday off, I'll only have to work two days this week. And tomorrow we're going to the Twins game. Lots of fun for Boo, Dave and I!

J.B.

September!

2010-09-03T13:35:00.000-05:00

September is here! That means next month is the month Boo is due! The weeks counting down to his due date are also in the single digits. Time is going by so fast!

Last weekend a couple of my friends threw a baby shower for us. It was so much fun! I'm so blessed to have such great friends that came out to celebrate baby Boo. He is already spoiled! My friends did a great job of making feel special and loved. Hopefully I'll get some pictures. I never took out my camera, but I know there were pictures being taken.

This month is going to be a fun month. Dave and I are taking the dogs up to the North Shore one weekend. We're renting a tiny cabin and both of us are looking forward to relaxing and spending soem time together.

We also have our childbirth prep class.

One of my sisters and my dad have their b-day.

And at the end of the month, my mother-in-law and sister-in-laws are coming into town. We're going to a Twins game and they're hosting a baby shower for me. Katie is also taking my maternity pictures.

It's going to be a very busy, but a very fun month. And I'm looking forward to it!

J.B.

Time to get ready for Boo!

2010-08-27T10:04:00.000-05:00

That title is a little misleading. Dave and I have spent a lot of time getting ready for Boo. Our nursery is done. We've taken a breastfeeding class. We're going to lots of doctor appointments. We've started stocking up on diapers and wipes.

However, I feel like I have a lot of "business-type" stuff to get ready that I haven't been able to tackle. You know -- the not-so-fun stuff like figuring out daycare and the pediatrician and getting pre-registered at the hospital. We also have more classes to take and I have a couple of books I want to read.

I am ready to tackle all of that stuff. My summer class is over! IT'S OVER! I'm done with having class two nights a week and homework on the weekends and feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I can finally breath and finish getting ready for our little dude.

J.B.

Dates

2010-08-23T07:56:00.001-05:00

Isn't it funny how sometimes an anniversary or birthday or other important day arrives and you remember it, but sometimes a day just as important comes and goes and you just totally blank.

This August I've had a lot of those important dates coming and going without even noticing the significance of that day.

I forgot Cooper Joe's 3rd b-day. I forgot my friend Michelle's b-day. I forgot my 2-year anniversary at work. (Thankfully, I remembered Stevie's b-day and Diana's b-day!)

But there is another day that I did not forget.

Today. August 23.

Dave got up early and went fishing with his friend, Sean. I got up several hours later and decided to take a pregnancy test. I had taken one a couple of days before that had been negative, but I guess intuition told me to try again. And so did the fact that a monthly visitor hadn't arrived yet.

The test was positive. I was pregnant. After close to a year of trying.

Unable to wait until Dave came home, I called him. He told me to take another one. You know, just to be sure.

I did.

I remember feeling like I was on a cloud that day. I didn't know what to do with myself. Life was so beautiful. I was going to be a mommy. My life was forever changed by one test.

The truth is. I couldn't forget this day. Not when I still think about Chubs almost every day. Especially lately. There is something about being pregnant again during allergy season that reminds me of my first pregnancy. The pain isn't so raw anymore. In fact, being pregnant again has definitely brought a lot of healing. Although Chubs is still missed.

Even though that pregnancy didn't end the way we wanted it to, that doesn't take away the happiness and excitement Dave and I felt on this day one year ago. We were so excited to find out we were going to be parents. And today, one year later, we're ecstatic to be parents. That day is coming so soon. And while Chubs won't be the little boy that's in are arms, Chubs will still be in our hearts.

I love you, Chubs.

J.B.

Allergy season.

2010-08-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

For most people, the end of summer means state fairs, back-to-school and cooler weather.

For Otis and myself, it means allergy season.

And this week, allergy season has arrived in full force.

Poor Otis. He's given himself scabs on his eyebrows, ears and leg pits (I guess that's what you call where his front legs meet his torso.) He spends half the night scratching instead of sleeping. We're trying to help ease his discomfort as much as we can. We give him Benadryl and we've been giving him extra baths with anti-itch shampoo. This week I ordered him another shampoo and a leave-in conditioner to try that one of my co-workers recommended. He just looks sad and miserable. For those of you that know Otis, you know he is miserable when he doesn't even want to cuddle. That's right. He doesn't want to cuddle. He just lays on the cool tile floor. Thankfully, our efforts seem to provide him some relief and hopefully our new shampoo will arrive soon and will provide him with even more relief.

And yes, I'm dealing with allergies too. I knew this was going to happen. My third trimester and my allergy season were going to coincide. And here we are. For the first time this whole pregancy, I've had to break down and take medicine (doctor-approved, of course). But it just doesn't provide the same relief as my prescription allergy meds. Constant itchy eyes and a runny nose. The extra dander floating around the house from Otis' scratching doesn't help much either. But there isn't much I can do, but deal with it, keep tissues handy and pray for an early frost.

All right. Enough complaining. Happy Friday!

J.B.

28 weeks. 7 months. 3rd trimester!

2010-08-16T10:52:00.000-05:00

Ok. I've now made it to 29 weeks, but I have to back up a little bit and give you a 28 week update, since I had an doctor's appt and had a photo taken (a really good one too!...if I can say so myself.)

My 28th week started with a blast. I went to the wedding of my friend, Carrie, along with my friends from high school. In true high school fashion, we went without our significant others (since we never had boyfriends...haha). We got together before the weddind to get our make up ready and hair done and all dressed up and ready to go. The wedding was a ton of fun. We laughed. We danced. We ate cake. We danced some more. Boo is already a hit with the ladies on the dance floor. I got home around 1:30 a.m. in the morning. I don't even remember the last time I stayed out that late.

The next day was not so much fun. I was exhausted. My internal alarm clock forced me up by 8:00 a.m. I'm not sure why, but I can never sleep in when Dave and I have a day off together. I guess I'm always too excited for the day to begin. So we made fried egg sandwiches and bacon. Yum. But by 10:30 a.m., I was sleepy and needed a nap. I slept for 3 1/2 hours! I've been known to take 3 hour naps, but not 3 1/2! It was a hot, hot day. Dave and I ran some errands, which mostly meant go buy things for Boo, I guess. Some books is what we intended to go find, but we were diverted from our mission when we drove past guys standing on a street corner holding signs for a furniture going out of business sale. We found a great rocker/recliner for Boo's room. It's so comfy and I can't wait to rock him to sleep in it. After that diversion, we got back on track and made our way to the book store. We found a cute children's book about a dog with no tail. Just like our pups! The dog looks just like Cooper -- even has blue eyes -- except in the story, the dog's name is Henry. We also found a bored book that has the same name as our baby boy.

Yes, that is right my friends, Boo has a name.

After the book store, we stopped at the grocery store. But the heat had definitely started gettting to me. We had to make it a quick trip to that store, as I was starting to get light headed and dizzy. We made it home. I made my way back to the couch and pretty much stayed there the rest of the day.

We also took our first daycare center tour. It was really nice, but it's probably out of our price range some. We have some leads on some other places too, so I'm sure we'll be able to find Boo a great daycare that fits our budget too.

Then I had a doctor's appointment. Boo is doing great. His heartrate was 150 bpm. He appears to be growing right on track. The not-so-good stuff had to do with me. I failed my 1-hour gestational diabetes test. And my blood platelets have dropped more....enough that my doctor called the next day to have me come back in again and get retested. So Friday, I went back to the doctor for more bloodwork. I passed the 3-hour gestational diabetes test! Hooray! And I got the platelets retested, but since they're just monitoring them, I probably won't get the results until my next doctor's appointment. Which is only a week away now.

It's crazy how fast time is going. I'm already in the third trimester. Boo is going to be here in 2 1/2 months. I'm excited to meet this little guy who keeps kicking me. I'm excited to see if he'll get my brown eyes or his daddy's blue eyes. We are getting close to being ready for him. We even got our car seat yesterday as a present from my aunt and uncle. So we can officially bring our little guy home from the hospital with us.

So now what I'm sure you've all been waiting for....the picture....although it's the same picture that was on Facebook, so it's probably not even new to most of you. Sorry for the tease!

J.B.

Boo's nursey

2010-08-02T21:44:00.000-05:00

We're done with Boo's nursery! Dave did so much work putting it all together for me -- from painting to assembling the crib and hanging everything. From the beginning, I wanted a "retro" theme, so my mom and I spent time going to antique stores to see what we could find. Then Dave and I went to Ikea and fell in love with some star lights. So on one wall we had baseball, another wall had circus and another wall had stars. None of it really went together, but it wasn't too overwhelming one theme over another. I wanted one more thing for the wall, but didn't want to throw off the balance. But I found the perfect canvas at Target last weekend. It was an alphabet with a different objects for each letter of the alphabet -- it has stars, a baseball glove and animals -- representing all of the room decorations and more. I'm so happy with how it turned out. I can't wait until Boo gets to see it! Can you tell what stuff my mom and I found at the antique stores? Hint: the pups are not antiques. Here are some pics...

J.B.

Yoga

2010-07-18T13:23:00.000-05:00

This morning I had my first prenatal yoga experience. I really enjoyed it. I hadn't realized how much I missed taking yoga classes. And it felt great to be exercising a little more than walking. There was one move I was doing -- going from a plank to a lung (you have to bring one of your legs up front.) I was like, "whoa. There is a stomach in my way." But other than getting used to that one move, there wasn't too much that was different. Although it was kinda weird when you're supposed to be concentrating on relaxing, breahing and poses when the little guy starts kicking. He apparently wants my focus on him. Lol.

Well, I'm going to try and get some cleaning and organizing done around then house this afternoon. I better quit procrasting and go do something.

J.B.

Summer fun.

2010-07-13T18:27:00.000-05:00

Here are a bunch of pics from our spring and summer. I've spent too much time looking over these pics and am now starving...so this post is all in pics. Lots of Twins games (and on the field for batting practice!), Jameson's baptism, Grandma's Marathon (see if you can spot Dave...he's got a yellow hat), a day trip to Pepin and relaxing with the pups.

J.B.

The Boo Report

2010-07-13T17:52:00.000-05:00

I had my 24 week appointment today. Everything is looking healthy and normal for both Boo and me, for which I'm grateful. His heart rate was 145. And I'm growing right on track. I was a little nervous (well, not really), for the big weigh in. The doctor's scale always says more than my scale at home, and this appointment was in the afternoon (versus the mornings for all my previous appointments when I generally weigh less). But it wasn't so bad. The doctor said it was fine anyway. As well as my blood pressure. Like I said, healthy and normal.

I'll have the glucose screening at my next appointment to test for gestational diabetes as well as more blood work, so they'll be checking my platelets again. The doctor said if they go to 100 or below, the epirdural becomes questionable. And as far as I know, they are still above that (I think she said it was 140).

As far as other Boo updates go....he's kicking A LOT more. Dave can feel several kicks in a row now. And on Sunday, we both saw my stomach move. I love that he's making his presence known. It makes things seem more real. I read somewhere online that 24 weeks marks the edge of viability. I pray that doesn't happen....but it's reassuring to know that doctors would do whatever they could to keep our baby alive if he was born this early.

6 months!

J.B.

Oh blog, how I ignore you.

2010-07-02T18:16:00.000-05:00

Time is moving quick. And that combined with a lack of anything really blogworthy and quite a bit of laziness makes for not a lot of posting.

Here's a quick Baby Boo update. I'm nearing the end of my 22nd week. As you can see in the pic below, Boo is making plenty of room for himself in my belly. Or else, he keeps growing bigger. Hmmm...yeah, he's probably growing bigger. Once thing seems to be getting smaller -- my belly button. I really hope it doens't pop.

As you can also see in the pic, we've painted the room and set up the crib. Once it's all decorated, I'll post more nursery pics. This is just a preview. Shortly after we learned Boo was a boy, we went to Home Depot and picked out paint colors. Then I came home from work one day and the room was all painted and the nursery set up. All I can say is that my husband is amazing and I'm excited that he's so excited for Boo that he'll paint the whole room by himself. It was a really nice surprise.

Me and Boo at 22 weeks

Boo is definitely getting more active. It's lots of fun to feel him kicking. It's even more fun when he cooperates and Dave feels the kicks.

These days the pregnancy thing is going great. I feel good. Boo seems to be growing. We're starting to get some things organized. We're pretty much down to two names -- both of which we both like, which is a good dilemma to have. Live is just pretty sweet right now. We're so excited to meet this little guy. I keep daydreaming about it -- but as much as I daydream about meeting Boo, I know it's going to be so much better in real life

J.B.

Otis' birthday!

2010-06-17T20:55:00.000-05:00

Here are some pics from Otis' birthday that I've been meaning to post...I think Otis and Cooper had a good time.

J.B.

Boo's half-baked!

2010-06-17T20:39:00.000-05:00

We're halfway done with the pregnancy! Halfway to meeting our little baby boy! Otis says, "Hooray!"

The last couple two weeks have been pretty good. Our ultrasound last week showed us a healthy little boy growing. I had a doctor's appointment Tuesday and everything seems to be normal and good. The doctor said Boo had a strong heartbeat. My blood platelets are still low. But the doctor said not to worry about not being able to get an epidural. Nothing can be done to increase the platelets. It's just something they'll keep monitoring. Boo's kicks are getting stronger and more frequent. We also picked out the paint for the nursery. Jamaica Bay and Cornmeal. I came home from work to a nearly completely painted nursery. It's looking good so far. The rest of the week has been busy, so we haven't finished it yet.

Here's me at 20 weeks. Getting bigger. All over.

J.B.

Adventures with food

2010-06-10T21:32:00.001-05:00

We got another CSA box this week. This week's box included salad greens, red oakleaf lettuce, asparagus, spinach, green garlic, dill, rhubarb, garlic scapes, strawberries and kohlrabi. Some interesting stuff, huh?

Kohlrabi is certainly something I'd never seen before. Kohlrabi is German for cabbage turnip. Apparently it tastes like broccoli stems. It's used a lot in Indian food. Here's a pic.

Thank goodness for the Internet, so I can figure out what the unfamiliar vegetables are....and so I can find recipes! I've yet to get a vegetable in my CSA that I don't like, so I'm excited to try another new one.

With all the green leafy vegetables we have, I've been trying to figure out new ways to prepare them. I discovered a great way to prepare spinach. A smoothie! Yep, it probably sounds really weird, but you honestly can't taste it.

Spinach Smoothie
Blend:
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
1 banana
1 apple
1/2 cup canned pineapple
1 cup vanilla yogurt
And some ice cubes

The smoothie is green, but it's delicious. Dave even told me he wanted one of my smoothies today. Dave generally likes the food I make him, but it's not too often that he asks for certain items.

Tonight I made an asparagus casserole. I'm not going to say "hot dish"...sounds too Minnesotan. But the dish was creamy, the asparagus crisp and overall delicious...just like a hot dish should be. Haha. I modified a recipe I found online with what was in my kitchen.

Asparagus Casserole
1 lb fresh asparagus, chopped
6 strips of bacon
2 T butter
1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (plus 1 can milk)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add cream of mushroom soup and water. Stir. Add cheese. Cook until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally. Separately cook the bacon and chop into pieces.

In casserole dish, add layer of asparagus, followed by bacon, crackers and soup mix. Repeat layers. Top with crackers. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

J.B.

B. O. Y.

2010-06-08T22:38:00.000-05:00

What can I say? The big ultrasound was today.

We're having a boy. A little baby boy.

I've had a smile on my face all day. We couldn't be more thrilled.

Well, the fact that Boo is healthy makes us more than more thrilled. He's growing completely on track. Has a healthy heartbeat at 152 bpm. All of his measurements are normal. He was quite the active guy during the ultrasound -- most likely a sign of things to come.

It is quite a feeling to know that there is a little boy joining our family. It's real. It still seems surreal. I've been feeling his kicks all afternoon. His kicks.

Only 144 days until I can tickle his toes and kiss his head.

J.B.

Wow.

2010-06-07T17:06:00.000-05:00

At this time tomorrow, we'll know if we're having a boy or girl. It is so exciting and seems unreal at the same time. It just seems like a lot of things for getting ready for the baby is dependent on knowing it's gender. Getting the nursery ready. Registering for baby stuff. Buying baby clothes. Picking out a name. Get the idea?

I know all the above can be done without knowing the gender....but since we are going to find out, it just makes sense to wait to do it all until we know.

Whatever Boo is, both Dave and I are going to be thrilled.

Wouldn't it be funny if Boo decides to be shy tomorrow....I'm guessing that will be the case.

We've really enjoyed reading everyone's guesses about the gender. Thanks for helping us pass the time until the big reveal. The results...

Girl - 18
Boy - 16

So close! There is still a little bit of time left for you to guess if you haven't yet! You can guess here.

J.B.

A golden birthday

2010-06-04T19:16:00.000-05:00

Today our first born, our little guy, Otis is celebrating his golden birthday! He's four years old. Which means in dog years, he's the same age as Dave and I! We were so excited for little Otis to join our family. We'd been waiting for years to get a dog. But we waited and waited until we had our own house. And then we waited for after all the wedding craziness to bring this guy home. He was such a cute pup -- he still is so handsome. His little soul patch is gone. It's morphed into more of a beard. He still loves to sleep. He loves attention. He loves people. He loves cuddling. He loves treats. I love Otis and I'm so glad he's our pup.

J.B.

Don't forget to vote on what gender you think Boo is. You can guess here.

Veggie fun! CSA week 1

2010-06-03T21:51:00.000-05:00

We got our first CSA box of the summer season yesterday. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically, we bought a "share" of a farm for the summer and we get a box of their produce every week throughout the summer. The farm is in SE Minnesota, so all the vegetables are grown locally. They also grow their produce organically. It's amazing how yummy such fresh food tastes. Since it's early in the season, we got a lot of different types of lettuce. We also got radishes, cilantro, asparagus and spinach. As more vegetables are ready for harvest throughout the summer, the contents of our box will increase.

I love trying new ways to cook the vegetables and trying new stuff. Yesterday I made radish cilantro salsa. After letting all the ingredients sit overnight, I have to say that it's really good. Except I made it a little spicy. Tonight I made pasta with asparagus sauce. Dave wasn't too happy that I was making him something so out of the norm, but it was pretty good, although a little bland. It definitely doesn't beat asparagus wrapped with bacon and cooked on the grill. We still have more asparagus, so there is time left for some of that deliciousness. We only have a week to eat up all these goodies. We get another box next week!

J.B.

Don't forget to vote on what gender you think Boo is. You can guess here.

18 week pic

2010-05-31T22:05:00.001-05:00

Here's the belly you've all been asking for

J.B.

Don't forget to vote on what gender you think Boo is. You can guess here.

For Jana...

2010-05-31T13:34:00.000-05:00

Our cousin Jana wanted to see a picture of me. So here you go! A little preview of me at 15 weeks (I'm 18 now).

What a difference three weeks makes! I think I'm 15 weeks in this picture and I'm 18 now. It's crazy how much bigger I've gotten. I'd take another picture today, but I haven't taken shower yet...and am grubby and dirty from taking the dogs to the dog park. So maybe in a while I'll take another picture....although it'll probably take me 3 weeks to post it.

J.B.

Don't forget to vote on what gender you think Boo is. You can guess here.

Lesson learned: Do not Google.

2010-05-28T13:23:00.001-05:00

At my 16-week appointment, I had some blood work done. The checked my blood platelets again, because they were low when they were tested at the beginning of my pregnancy. Low, but stil in the normal range. I guess my platelets haven't improved much this last time they were tested, so it's something that they're going to continue to monitor.

So during a spare moment at work, curiousity got the best of me and I googled, "low blood platelets and pregnancy."

The scariest thing I found....women with low blood platelets can't have an epidural during labor.

Scary. I know it can be done. But that doesn't mean I want to give birth without an epidural.

Granted, I'm assuming one's platelets have to be extremely low not to be able to have an epidural. And since I'm still in the normal range, I'm assuming that I still can have one. But it's something I'll definitely be asking my doctor about at my next appointment.

Giving birth. It scares me. But being forced to give birrth without an epidural. That really scares me.

Any there is no turning back now!

Also! I love all the comments you've left about Boo's sex. The big reveal date is set for June 8, so there are just 10 days left to leave your guess. 10 people have vote for a girl. 8 for a boy. If you haven't guessed yet, there is still time to do so. You can guess here.

J.B.

The question...

2010-05-24T18:05:00.000-05:00

There was one question I knew would be coming my way soon.

"Are you expecting?"

I was curious when someone would ask me, because I see my stomach every day. It's kinda hard to tell if I'm really showing or just looking fatter. So I figured, the day that question came, it means I've started looking obviously enough pregnant to the outside world.

You may have figured it out. That question came my way today. 17 weeks. 1 day. Is this a normal point in your first pregnancy to start getting that question or not, I don't know. I ran into someone I know that I hadn't seen in a long time. I was wearing a maternity shirt, so it was probably a little more obvious looking that I am in this condition than if it was a normal shirt where people might be more apt to think I've put on a few pounds.

On the other hand, I have been asked this question on more than one occasion when I'm not pregnant....so I guess it's pretty good that I made it more than 4 months into a pregnancy before getting asked if I am.

So, my friends, Boo and myself are growing. To all those that are wondering, yes, I guess I can now officially say now that I'm showing.

And maybe someday I'll take a picture to share.

J.B.

16 week appointment

2010-05-21T15:24:00.000-05:00

I had my 16 week doctor appointment today. Everything is looking good and is on track.

Boo's heart rate was 155.

I love hearing the heartbeat. Best. Sound. Ever.

Don't forget to vote on what gender you think Boo is. You can guess here.

J.B.

What is Boo?

2010-05-18T20:55:00.000-05:00

In a couple of weeks, we're going to find out if Boo is a boy or a girl (assuming Boo cooperates). I know everybody has an opinion on what they think it's going to be.

Here's Boo at 7 weeks before Boo even knew its gender.

So friends and family, I want to know what you're thinking. And I'd like you to leave your opinion here, so Dave, Boo and I can have something to go back and reread your thoughts. Please let us know your guess. There is no prize for getting it right...but you can brag all you want.

If you've never left a comment before. It's easy. I even switched up the comments, so you don't need any sort of account. At the bottom of this post, there is a link that says 0 Comments (or whatever that number is). All you need to do is click on that link. In the comment box that appears, leave your guess. Right below the comment box, there is a drop down where you select the profile you're using. If you don't have a Google or any of the other accounts listed, choose anonymous. (But if you're leaving the comment as anonymous, be sure to leave your name in the comment box, so we know who you are.) Then just click the "post comment" button.

Thanks, everyone! I look forward to seeing your guesses!

J.B.

Finally...some pictures

2010-05-18T20:21:00.000-05:00

Here are some pics from two weekends ago. I've been meaning to post them, but I've been lazy. And busy finishing up the spring semester. If this is any sort of indicator of how good I'll be at sharing pics once Boo is here, well, I'm sorry in advance. But pictures of my child will be more interesting than pics of me, and I'm sure I will be excited to share, so I guess we will see.

Here's a pic from my birthday. My awesome in-laws felt bad about the special b-day plans Dave made for me getting canceled (getting my hair cut and colored at the salon...my stylist got sick). So together they ordered my this adorable flower cake and balloon. I almost didn't answer the door when they were delivered (you try opening the door with two psycho barking dogs) since I assumed it was some door-to-door salesman....but I was oh-so-happy I answered the door anyway. It was such a thoughtful gift and it totally made my day.

The following night we went to the wedding for one of my family's friends. It was really fun because my sister Stevie came home for the wedding. She was there along with one of my best friends Krissy and my parents. I hadn't been to a wedding with these special people since my own, so it was fun to hang out with them. And my other good friend Michelle was there too, since it was her sister getting married. Her sister was beautiful.

Me and the father of my child :)

Me with Krissy and Michelle. Our friendships go back. way back.

The little lister. She is looking really good. Especially since she had her gall bladder removed a little over a week before this picture was taken.

This was probably the highlight of my night. A polka came on and he asked Stevie to dance with him. My mom was impressed with his polka skills. She said he was the best polka dancer there. Apparently, she's never seen him polka before. So then when a second polka came on, he asked my mom to dance. It was so fun to see them dance together. I wouldn't be surprised if my mom picked up a polka CD and played it sometime so we could have a polka party.

J.B.

Random thoughts...

2010-05-13T13:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Dave's birthday! Those five days of the year where he taunts me for being older are finally done now that we're both 28. I think he had a decent birthday. I felt bad because he tried so hard to make my b-day special, and I had to go to work and go to school (it was the final exam, so I couldn't even skip it). Thank goodness for all his friends on FB who wrote him a million b-day well wishes. I know that made him feel good. I ended up being up to meet up with him and my parents at a restaurant for a late dinner. Dave was helping my Dad with the launch of this painting that he teamed up with a local artist on to support our military vets. It was another thing that I really wish I could have gone to yesterday, but that whole school thing had to get in the way. But I'm really glad the semester is over -- well, almost. I still have to finish up a paper by Monday. I'm thinking that now my final is done, I will finally get a chance to post those pictures from my birthday.

In more exciting news, I may be feeling Boo squirming around. Yesterday I felt this twitchy ticklish kinda feeling. I wasn't too sure if it was Boo, but it was something that I hadn't ever felt before. Then today, I've felt it a couple more times. So now I'm starting to think that it is the kiddo.

So I have a question for you guys....I was thinking of putting a poll on my blog asking people if they think Boo is a boy or girl. But then I was thinking that I'd like to know who thinks what. So do you think I should just put a poll where people can easily vote -- or should I create a special page and make people leave a comment with their guess. I'm thinking of making people comment with their guesses. It would be a little more work for people, but I think it'd be more fun to read. What do you think? I guess this is the pre-poll poll. Haha.

J.B.

15 weeks

2010-05-10T22:31:00.000-05:00

Whoa! I'm already 15 weeks pregnant. That just seems a little unreal. Boo is already the size of an apple.

Things are progressing pretty well -- as far as I'm aware. It's been several weeks since my last appointment. I have another one coming up in 1 1/2 weeks.

I think I'm done with the nasty first trimester symptoms. Bloating. Nausea. The whole bloating phenomenon caught me by complete surprise. I really think my stomach was bigger at the end of the day during weeks 8 - 10 than it is now. The puke count is at 4. I think that's pretty good, considering some people puke several times a day. My skin is improving. The zits and acne seem to be clearing up. Thank God! My symptoms weren't too extreme -- but definitely enough to find comfort in that things must be developing within.

I'm still pretty sleepy. I'm sure that part of this is just in my head -- I love sleep and pregnancy is the perfect excuse for being sleepy. Although some people at work have noticed that I have a bit more energy, so that's good.

Here's a fun fact. Someone has already told me I waddle like a pregnant woman. Ah! Isn't that not supposed to happen until you're huge.

For the most part, I haven't had too much to worry about. I'm thirsty a lot. So I drink a lot. But I still don't drink the total amount of water one is supposed to consume when pregnant. So sometimes, like when I wake up in the morning and it's been a while since I've had a lot of water, I worry that Boo is going to suffocate from lack of amniotic fluid. I'm pretty sure that's not happening, so I don't even know why that worry comes across my mind. I don't even know if that is possible!

That's pretty much all I have for a baby update. Dave and I went to a wedding this weekend, so we actually have a couple of pictures. But I'm lazy and haven't uploaded the pics yet. And I'm tired, so it's not happening tonight. Maybe Dave will do it for me...hint. hint.

J.B.

My sensitive pup

2010-05-10T20:16:00.000-05:00

With his bright blue eyes and his wiggly back end, Cooper Joe is our sensitive pup. His eyes are sensitive to the sun, so they squint in the sun. His is emotionally sensitive. He loves giving gentle kisses. He loves wiggling with excitement when Dave or I get home.

It turns out, his bladder is also sensitive. When he was just a pup, some "leakage" issues prompted a visit to the vet and he had an UTI and an intestional infection. Today Dave and I took him back to the vet, because we noticed some of the same symptoms that he had during the last infection.

And once again, our little guy is sick. The vet said the infection was still mild. I'm glad we caught it before it was causing him too much discomfort. He got a shot of antibiotics and some pills to take over the next two weeks.

Can I just say that Cooper is the cutest pup when he goes to the vet? He's without his brother, so he isn't sure what to do. He just sits so politely in the backseat. At the vet, he gets scared, so he stays right by our side. He doesn't even want any treats. He doesn't want to sniff the other dogs. He just wants to get the vet stuff done so he can go home to his brother.

J.B.

28 years, zero days

2010-05-07T13:37:00.001-05:00

It's my birthday. All in all, it's been a good day so far.

I took the day off work. I bought great tickets for the Carrie Underwood concert and the state fair later this summer. I got my free birthday Caribou. I had lunch with Krissy and her mom, my second mom. My mom (and probably sister) and I are going to go shopping to buy a wedding present for the wedding we're going to tomorrow. Dave and I have plans to go to Chino Latino tonight. Yum.

But I swear I have some sort of curse on this day. Something always goes wrong.

Last year, I spilled my still-warm free birthday Caribou on my white skirt and car when I was getting out of the car.

This year, my husband tried extra hard to make my day extra special. He bought me a gift card to get my hair highlighted and cut. He even made my appointment for me. (That's not the bad part. :))

This morning, I got a call saying my hair stylist was out sick. The next available evening appointment with her: June 22. (That's the bad part.) But I guess it all worked out for the best. If I had the appointment this morning, I wouldn't have been able to get the Carrie Underwood tickets right when they went on sale. So now I have great seats! And I'll still get my hair done -- eventually.

So Boo, Otis, Cooper, Gracie and I are all going to be lazy and take a little nap before my mom calls and/or Dave gets home. Today we have perfect napping weather!

J.B.

To my little angel

2010-04-30T13:26:00.000-05:00

Dear Chubby,

This was going to be your week. It was the week you were due to be born. A week that I was so looking forward to -- to meeting you and having you in my arms. Both your Dad and I were excited to hear your cry and kiss your sweet head. But that dream of ours didn't come true.

Instead, I've been dreading this week for the last seven months -- ever since I knew we'd never meet in this world.

I was really sad on Wednesday -- your due date. But I made it through. I went through the motions of going to work and school and was drained by the time I got home.

Chubs, I believe you're in a great place, surrounded by great grandparents that love you. You get to play with a dog named Cinnamon and a bird named Aussie. But your Mama still misses you.

I know you're looking down on us. I wonder if you're happy that you're going to have a little brother or sister? Or do you feel like you're missing out? Even though it looks like we're moving on, in our hearts we still miss you and love you so much.

I'm already just like your grandma. Sometimes I accidently call you Boo or sometimes I accidently call Boo your name.
You, my angel, won't ever have to be hungry. But there are hungry kids here in this world. So for your due date present, we decided to help our orphans in Haiti. We bought them lots of meals so that they can get real food in their bellys. So they can feel full and satisfied. If you get a chance, you should visit those orphans and help protect them so that they don't feel so hungry. Hopefully, someday I'll get to go meet them. It won't be this summer, but maybe in a couple of years. I'll wait. Just as I wait to meet you.

I love you, my angel. I will always love you.

Love,
Mama

J.B.

Pregnancy Brain

2010-04-30T09:43:00.000-05:00

I have it. Pregnancy Brain.

I'm actually lucky I remembered to write this post.

So today I'm driving to work. All I can think about is getting a cinnamon and sugar bagel from Bruegger's. Healthy, right?

So I pull up to Bruegger's. I debated going to Subway instead. They were giving away free breakfast. But nope, I really wanted something sweet and an egg sandwich just didn't sound appealing.

I went inside. Got my sandwich. Paid. And went to grab my keys.

My keys weren't in my purse. I check my jacket pockets.

Not in there, either.

I check the purse again. Nothing. I check the pockets again. Nothing.

Great.

So I went back to my car.

I let out a sigh of relief when I saw the car was unlocked. I got in and saw the keys were still in the ignition.

And then...a gasp of horror when I realized...the clock was on...the radio was on...

I left the car running.

Apparently my one-track mind too preoccupied thinking about a cinnamon and sugar bagel to turn off the car. Awesome.

J.B.

It's official...

2010-04-22T21:04:00.000-05:00

We made the big announcement on Facebook yesterday. It's official.

We are expecting!

We are so excited. We are so blessed. At times it still seems so surreal that there is really a baby inside me.

Although the ultrasound we had yesterday definitely made it more real.

Seeing the baby and hearing the heartbeat...it is just...awesome. I didn't cry. I felt proud. Proud that the little person is ours. Proud of her heart that is growing strong. Proud of his little alien looking face. Proud of her arms and legs wiggling around. Proud that it has already grown to 5 1/2 cm.

I am doing pretty good. I think I'm moving beyond the morning sickness stage. I'm still tired a lot. But it's all definitely very worthwhile. I'm 12 weeks and due on Halloween. So we're calling the little one Baby Boo.

I'm sure I'll be blogging about this new development a time or two more in the days and months to come. ;)

J.B.

Great start

2010-04-20T08:36:00.002-05:00

This morning Papa Bear had an audiologist appointment nearby my office. He was asking what time he should plan on leaving, since he usually doesn't head that way during the morning rush hour. I had a brilliant idea.

Today is the third Tuesday of the month. That means this awesome restaurant in my building gives free breakfast to the people who work in the office complex. They have scones, fruit, eggs, bacon or sausage and potatoes. For free!

So we headed up to my office early today and enjoyed a nice family breakfast. A great way to start the morning.
J.B.

A visit with my grandparents

2010-04-06T16:56:00.000-05:00

My grandparents don't live in the same city as me. Or even the same state. So a visit to their house has always been a big deal. A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to fly out to New Jersey to visit them and my uncle for a long weekend.

It was a much need, really good trip. It had been over two years since the last time I saw them. During my last visit, my grandpa was sick in the hospital most of the time. This time he was much healthier and happier. My sweet grandma cried when she saw me. The coolest thing was seeing my grandpa walk. Five years ago or so, he had to get one of his legs amputated due to diabetes complications. I never thought I'd see him walk ago and felt for his loss of independence and dependency on the wheelchair and my uncle. Especially after seeing him sick and week two years ago, the thought of him walking just didn't even enter my mind as a possibility. But my grandpa is stubborn and preservers. He can't walk far, but he has his prosthetic leg he can strap on and use a walker to get down the hall and back. It was inspiring to see what he could do. It's taken a long time for him to get this far. But he's done it.

The really fun part of the trip was going to Carlo's Bake Shop. It's the bakery that is the scene of the reality TV show, The Cake Boss. My grandparents and uncle probably thought I was crazy for wanting pastries from the bakery that had a line out the door and down the block. But we had driven 45 minutes to get there, so I didn't want to make the trip a waste. So I waited in line. The wait was totally worthwhile! I bought a bunch of cannollis, a lobster tail and some cookies to bring home to Dave. I love spoiling my grandparents with cannollis, because they ALWAYS spoiled me and my sister with cannollis every time we saw them. They would even bring them to Minnesota on the airplane. These days, since they're both diabetic, they don't get sweet treats too often, so I love going to the bakery and bringing them our special treat. The only sad thing was that my Grandma didn't remember eating hers. Her memory is going and thought we were teasing her when talking about the cannollis she ate. But I know she enjoyed it while she was eating it.

I took a couple of pictures at Carlo's Bake Shop. I really didn't think I'd see any people on the show at the bakery. I figured that they probably only work these days when the show is filming. I have no idea if that is true or not, but they were actually filming the day I went to the bakery. So all the main people on the show were there. Mauro, Stretch, Mary and Buddy! (Note: I had to look at the Web site to figure out who was who. Haha). Anyway, here are my pics! Enjoy!

Here's the front of the bakery.

They filmed me in line....so who knows, I may be in a future episode of The Cake Boss. Look for the girl who is taking a picture of the cameraman with her cell phone.

Here's Buddy!!! He even paused on the stairs so I could take the picture. Hardly anyone else even noticed!

Here's the lobster tail. It's a flaky pastry filled with a creamy filling. I saw it on the show and wanted to try it! It was so yummy.

J.B.

I'm alive and well...

2010-03-25T09:59:00.000-05:00

I've gotten a couple of comments from people lately telling me that they're disappointed in me.

Say what?!

Apparently, people like my blogging and look for new posts every day.

My excuse for not blogging is my Blackberry. Before the Blackberry, at some point in the evening, I would get on the computer to check Facebook and then I would blog. Well now I can check Facebook all I want really easily with my phone, so I don't use the computer at home very often. Technically, I can blog from my Blackberry. In fact, I've done it once or twice. But it's just not the easiest way to type long posts.

My other excuse is I've been travelling. I've been to North Carolina and New Jersey in just a matter of a couple weeks. And I was sick between the two trips. I have some fun stuff to blog about from those trips. One of those trips even involved a celebrity sighting and possibly a cameo on a TV show! I've just been lazy about gathering and typing my thoughts about them. But at least you know, there is something to look forward to reading here at The Balow Bunch.

Anyway, I am at work right now. So I can't blog for long. Just wanted to say hi. And give my "fans" (haha) something to read when they stop by my blog today.
J.B.

The MN Twins

2010-03-01T13:50:00.002-06:00

This past weekend, Papa Bear and I got to meet our Godchild and his big sister (older by mere seconds)! Our good friends, Jim and Aimee had twins less than a month ago. It was Aimee's birthday on Saturday, so we surprised her by showing up at her house unexpected! (Don't worry...it was only a surprise for her.) We had a great weekend hanging out with friends and meeting these little people. Even Otis and Cooper joined us! They (especially Cooper) had a good time playing with Jim and Aimee's dogs. They slept the whole way 4 hour drive home! Honestly, Cooper didn't even move until we were about 5 minutes from our house.

Baby Love! I think they could be in a Double Mint commercial!

Jameson snoozing away in my arms.

Dave and his Godson. Jameson makes the funniest little expressions.

Ms. Vivian sticking out her tongue.

The proud Daddy!

Otis still thinks he has speedy super powers. Even without his costume.

Cooper having a good time!

J.B.

A little plug

2010-02-26T13:44:00.000-06:00

My awesome sister-in-law just launched her new photography blog today. She's been cranking away at this new blog project for several months, and I think it came together great!

She is one of the best maternity and baby photographers I've ever come across (and I'm not just saying that because I'm related to her). She is truly talented. She's based in Wilmington, North Carolina, but she also comes to Minnesota (to visit me, of course!) and will do sessions for families when she's here.
Please check out her new site. http://www.katiemathews.com/ You will like her work. I promise.

She also has a great giveaway right now too. It involves giving away photography sessions, so that part mostly benefits people in North Carolina and Minnesota (unless you want to plan a vacation to the beach...which you should). BUT, there is a chance that she'll give away a digital picture frame (as long as 125 people enter the contest). So everyone should go sign up!

J.B.

Thank you, Otis

2010-02-25T14:22:00.002-06:00

Dear Otis,

Thank you for living up to your name -- Mr. Rude -- last night. Thank you for waking me up at 1:30 a.m. in the morning with your high-pitched bark. Thank you for dragging me out of bed so I could take you outside. Cooper thanks you too. He lived up to his name too -- Pooper. I enjoyed watching you two do outside what you should have finished doing at 10 p.m. -- BEFORE bedtime. Oh, and thank you for running upstairs, into my room and taking my spot in the bed when I let you back inside. No matter how rude you are, I will always love you.

Love,

Momma

Photo courtesy of Katie Mathews Photography

J.B.

This is what winter will do to you...

2010-02-24T12:47:00.000-06:00

Winter will make your cheeks a little chubbier and your skin a lot whiter.

But the cold will also make you want to cuddle more.

J.B.

Something I should find disgusting, but I'm actually intrigued...

2010-02-22T15:22:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, my husband was unclogging our drains. The bathtub and one of the sinks in the master bathroom were clogged. BAD. There as water sitting in sink for at least half the day on Saturday. The drain was open, but nothing was going down. I think the only way that water actually got out of our sink was by evaporating.

Clogged sinks and tubs are gross. But everyone needs to deal with it at some point.

My husband probably spent over an hour working on our drains using that spider tool or whatever it's called. A logical person would keep their distance from our bathroom as all the old gunk and hair and soap residue and grime made its way back up the pipes.

But not I.

I find that nasty stuff intriguing. I had this yearning to know how much stuff he was collecting.

The coolest part was when he was fixing our sink drain. We found treasure! Dave found a metal piece and he called me to come and look. I put on my archeoligist hat and determined it looked like the metal from a pendant. A long-lost pendant that was now decayed and gunk-covered. It was like buried treasure, pulled from the depths of the ocean. This thing wasn't even mine. It must have come from the stripper that lived in our house before us.

And then he pulled up another piece. The jewel that once sat upon the pendent.

And then he pulled up the chain that went along with it.

My very own Heart of the Ocean. IF only it were valuable.

J.B.

Flashback Friday -- Gracie's homecoming

2010-02-19T18:20:00.000-06:00

Like a lot of high school students, I got my senior photos taken the summer between my junior and senior year of high school. While at the photographer's studio, I noticed he had a tub of kittens. Gray ones. Tans ones. White ones. I asked him if I could incorporate the kittens into one of my poses. They were so cute! He laughed, but obliged. He offered me a kitten to take home, but since I was going to school in Washington, I wouldn't really be able to take care of one.

Fast forward three years. I must have made an impact on the guy. I accompanied my little sister to the same studio to assist her with her photos. She wanted moral support.

The photographer immediately remembered me as the girl who wanted the kittens in her pictures. He said that if I had known you two were sisters, I would have brought more kittens. He lived on a farm, so he had cats in his barn and there were kittens born every summer.

He offered us kittens again. But this time, I had moved home for the rest of college and was going to be living with my sister. After talking with her (I think I talked to her about it...I'm not quite sure...haha), I called the photographer and told her I'd take one.

So I drove out to his farm and picked out the little gray kitten with green eyes. My own little girl.

Read my previous Flashback Friday posts: Dave's homecoming | Otis' homecoming | The beginning of us | Our first Valentine's Day

J.B.

The perfect sandwich

2010-02-18T14:09:00.003-06:00

I'm not talking about peanut butter and jelly. I'm not talking about a grilled cheese or a ham.

I'm talking about an Otis Sandwich.

J.B.

I can't turn a pumpkin into a carriage, but...

2010-02-17T13:03:00.000-06:00

I have been asked...

And I've accepted the invitation...

I'm going to be a Godmother! I'm going to have a Godson!

It is an honor to be asked to forever be a special part of someone's life. It's an honor to be asked to help nurture one's faith. I'm deeply touched to be given this opportunity.

J.B.

Beginnings and Ends

2010-02-16T22:26:00.001-06:00

For some reason on Valentine's Day, I was thinking of beginning and ends. It just seemed like several of my friends were dealing with ends. But I was also seeing friends face new beginnings. One friend saw a relationship come to an end. Another friend had a first date. One friend was laid off from a job, but I was a reference for another friend who is probably close to getting a new job.

All this thinking about beginning and ends led me to start thinking about more significant beginnings and ends -- birth and death. First, I was thinking about birth -- pretty much the beginning of life. It was Valentine's Day, so I was thinking about what a joyous and love-filled day it was and how somewhere, someone was being born that day. Then I thought about the reciprocal of birth -- death. With my experiences of death, it is also a love-filled experience. Knowing that you won't be able to see someone's smile, you won't be able to have conversation with that person and you won't be able to hug that person anymore, and feeling the ache in your heart -- it's love that is making your heart ache. Albeit a much more painful love to feel than the love you feel when someone special is born and brought into your life. But through it all -- through the beginnings and end, through the ups and downs -- love is constant.

Little did I know that 15 minutes later I would be getting a phone call from my mom about death.

A boy from my church was in a snowboarding accident that morning. He hit a tree and died. Just like that. He was 21. He was always so full of life, always sharing his bright smile. He had amazing musical talents. He was authentic. He was wise beyond his years. He was healthy. He was definitely not someone who should have been dying that day. His death was shocking. It was tragic. (The local news did a story about him the other night. I thought it was nicely done, so here it is.)

It's one of those things that is really difficult to process.

My heart is aching for his family. After I heard the news, we drove up to my sister's house to take my nieces ice skating. I was feeling guilty for doing something fun when something so tragic had happened. But then I thought that he would not want me to not enjoy the company of my nieces. So instead, I did what I knew how to do. I gave my nieces extra hugs. I pulled my niece around the ice extra long because it's what she wanted (although she wasn't very happy with me when we went inside and I'd only hold one of her hands). I enjoyed the company of my husband as we finished making our Valentine's Day dinner together. I gave my puppies beef sticks. I loved.

J.B.

The Great Transition

2010-02-13T09:49:00.000-06:00

One thing I worry about bringing home a baby (when it someday happens), is how the dogs will react. Because right now, the dogs are our babies. When a real baby comes home, suddenly the dogs won't be our babies anymore. We'll definitely still love them, but we obviously won't be able to give them as much attention as we do now.

I think Cooper will be a good brother. He'll be protective -- probably overly so. He'll be curious about the little babe.

Otis. He'll have a hard time. He was our first puppy. We spoiled him. We gave him lots and lots of attention. We let him cuddle with us whenever he wanted (meaning: all the time). He's the captain of our house. He still wants (and usually receives) the most attention and cuddling time with us. I don't know how he'll react when he can't get what he wants all the time.

Case in point: Last weekend, Andee and Bryan and their precious little baby, Lucas, came over to our house to watch the Super Bowl. Otis liked Lucas. He was really curious. He wanted to smell the little guy. But what did he do when I held Lucas?

Sat next to me and started giving his super high-pitched Don't-you-dare-give-others-more-attention-than you-give-me-bark.

So I sat there with one arm holding Lucas and the other hand petting Otis. I really didn't want Otis to keep barking like that when we had company -- he gets just a little annoying. Dave would distract him by playing ball, but the Otis would come back to me and start barking again.

Otis survived the transition of getting a second dog in our house. I know he'd survive a transition with a baby too. But it might be rough. It will most likely be known in our house as The Great Transition.

J.B.

Flashback Friday -- Our first Valentine's Day

2010-02-12T18:41:00.000-06:00

Warning to Dave: You might not like this story. You know it's true, but I also know you don't like to be reminded of this particular day in our lives. I'm so thankful that you stayed persistent until I said yes. Thank you for not letting me make this mistake.

---

The first Valentine's Day that Dave and I knew each other was in 2003. We had known each other for a couple of months. We'd met only twice, since he was stationed at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, and I was living here in Minnesota. But in those last couple of months, we'd gotten to know each other really well. We talked every day on the phone -- often late into the night. I was getting the vibe that he liked me. I liked him too. A lot. Valentine's Day was just a couple of weeks before he deployed to Iraq. His unit was really busy getting ready for their first deployment, so we hadn't been talking quite as much -- still a couple of times a day though. haha. If I remember correctly, his deployment could have happened at any time, so he wasn't allowed to be more than an hour away from Ft Campbell. I knew he wouldn't be surprising me with a visit.

I was actually a little nervous about the vibe I was getting from Dave leading up to Valentine's Day. I liked him too, but I didn't think we'd be able to do anything about those feelings. He was in Kentucky. I was in Minnesota. My personal opinion at the time was that I didn't think long distance relationships made any sense. What was the point of being with someone if you couldn't be physical with that person? I have no idea why I had that opinion -- it really wasn't like I ever really had any options to date people that lived close to me. I really wasn't an expert on relationships, since I never really had any, but for some reason I was anti-long distance. And I told that to Dave a time or two.

But still, Dave's vibe was getting me nervous. Along came Valentine's Day. I went about my typical day. In the afternoon, I got a call from a flower shop. They had tried to deliver some flowers but I wasn't home.

I had a pretty good idea who they were from. I wanted my flowers, so I drove to the shop to get them.

I had an idea who they were from. But I waited until I got home to open them up.

They were the most beautiful red roses I had ever seen in my life. Absolutely gorgeous.

And there it was. The Card. I was giddy, excited, nervous, anxious and scared as I opened the card.

"Would you be my girlfriend? Love, Dave"

Oh, crap, I thought. This is not good. I really didn't want anything to change between Dave and I. I liked that he liked me. I liked liking him. I like flirting with him on the phone. I was too scared to take things to the next step. I knew I wouldn't see him for a year, so I didn't want to lock myself down into a relationship. I was only 20 years old, I wasn't ready for the level of seriousness that our relationship would ultimately have because he would be deployed. But I didn't want to lose him. I wanted to kiss him before I agreed to be his girlfriend. I had never had a Valentine before. I wanted a Valentine, but why did it have to be under these complicated circumstances.

So what did I do?

I avoided Dave. I continued going about my day. I went to the grocery store to get a couple of roses to bring to my other single lady friends with whom I was celebrating the holiday. I got back into my car and my cell phone rang.

It was Dave.

I didn't answer.

He left me a voice mail.

I listened to the voice mail. He was singing, "Would you be my girlfriend" -- the *nsync song that I loved.

Crap. He's still asking me.

Valentine's Day. A day about love. An offer of love, complete with a love song and roses, was being given to me. I was scared and terrified. I felt like cupid had shot his arrow. His arrow hit me -- wounded me -- and I was bleeding. Dying. This was not how I dreamed of falling in love.

I knew I needed to call him. I couldn't ignore him forever. But first, I called a friend. Or two. I was freaking out and needed to make sure I was doing the right thing.

I called him back.

I said, "I'm sorry. I can't."

I explained all of my excuses. I don't remembering him saying too much, but I know he said we would still be friends.

I told that I needed to wait until he came back from Iraq. I said that if we're meant to be together, it will work out. I pleaded. He agreed to my conditions. I felt like he was okay with what I thought I wanted.

Before he got off the phone, he asked me if I liked the bear.

I hadn't gotten any bear. They messed up my order. So the bear was delivered the next day. There was a card attached to the bear.

"Would you be my girlfriend? Love, Dave"

This was the third time he asked. I still couldn't do it. I teased Dave that he needed to stop asking. I'm sure it hurt his heart more than it hurt mine. But I stayed stubborn. Two weeks later he left for Iraq and we said good-bye.

I'm still sorry for 02-14-03.

But our story obviously didn't end there. It pretty much continues from this post, so keep reading to find out what happened. (It gets happier -- I promise).

Read my previous Flashback Friday posts: Dave's homecoming | Otis' homecoming | The beginning of us

J.B.

Just wanna blog

2010-02-11T12:50:00.000-06:00

Today is one of those days...I don't really know what to say...but I just want to blog.

My husband had a nice status on Facebook today.

When for if only a moment the stresses of school, work, life etc melt away for a second aand you realize that all of this hard work is so I can be "happy"...and there it is right in front of me, I am happy. Life is good. I hope all my friends can have this moment for themselves.

There's something about reading my husband say he is happy and life is good to everyone that made me smile. I guess it's good he is happy with our life. I am too. But it's nice to hear him say it.

I admit that I much too often let the stresses in life get to me. I shouldn't. I try not to. But it happens.

But here's to a conscientious moment to realize everything is all right. Dave is right. Life is good.

J.B.

Today's schedule

2010-02-10T21:32:00.000-06:00

5:15 a.m -- Wake up
6:30 a.m. -- Arrive at work
5:00 p.m. -- Leave work
6:00 p.m. -- School
9:00 p.m. -- Leave school
9:30 p.m. -- Get home. Put on my pink pants. Get a glass of wine. Join the family on the couch.

J.B.