I just wanted to make a quick post here to pass on my expertise to the next first-time homebuyer...
1. Be prepared for a range of emotions. The first house you come across probably isn't "The One". Even the first one you think you're going to put an offer on probably isn't "The One" (unless it's a brand spankin' new house). As hard as you try not to get you're hopes up, the experience is so exciting and scary at the same time that if you're a breathing human you're bound to be disappointed when something doesn't work out. That's okay. You're going to have some connection with the properties. But don't be devastated, because there are more houses to come. You will find "The One" and it will be perfect. Take your time.
In our story, I've already shared the first day of major house visiting. The second round was even more exciting because we were THAT much closer. The original plan was to view the house with Aldo's dad and if it passed with him, then we were to make an offer. Well, our visit went from seeing the one to seeing two, then seeing four! Alright, we have "backups", we thought. It's a good thing we planned it this way because as we went through the house for the second time, we started finding smaller things we ignored the first time around - like the bite marks on the stairs from the family dog, the dips in the deck surrounding the pool, evidence of age of the pool, the entire layout of the basement (which I couldn't even remember! You think the house you're planning on moving into, you'd remember...), and the mold growing in it. Yep, that's right. Abuelito found live mold in one of the storage rooms downstairs. So with that, we had to walk away. Who knows how much the mold had spread and the cost to fix the problem? On top of that, mold is not something I want to mess with health-wise. Living in my mom's basement led to worries of mold and it's effects on my kids' asthma. Walking away is a hard, but a wise thing to do.
We went on to the second house. Going in I was bummed and kind of done with the day. This was the second time we found a great place and it fell through. First, foundation issues. Now, mold. What's next? The second house was a ranch house, super plain. No basement. Only 3 bedrooms. Not old at all. A decent size to take care of. An open backyard, and only one neighbor because it sits at the end of the road next to a field. Aldo and his dad were in love. For the right price, this could be it. To me, it felt industrial, almost like a larger apartment.
The third and fourth were in HOA territory, which early on we wanted to avoid. We agreed to look at them because the dues were low and had heard that the restrictions weren't all that bad (ask permission before erecting a shed, two animals per property, etc.). I knew immediately walking into the first HOA that it wasn't the one. You had to go up stairs to get to the kitchen and main floor, the downstairs room was ugly from imitation wood flooring and a country (mom-type) sink. Ugh. AND, the carpets were so spotless and off-white in their color that the owners requested we wear booties for our look through. It felt like the house was too high class for us. I knew that if we moved in, I would be anal about keeping it in the same condition. I want freedom in our house. Freedom to enjoy it and live in it. Here I couldn't do that. The second wasn't too bad, but I just didn't care for the layout. It was also the highest priced. I agree with what my dad said to me later that night, "If you have to pick up extra hours to buy the house, you want to love it so much that you can't stand being away from it." Okay, so that may be a little dramatic, but the thought holds value.
2. Give yourself wiggle room. Ask the what-ifs. What if I lose my job and it's just Aldo paying for it? What if we get pregnant again? What if we decide to get Luke a dog? What if we can't afford to maintain a pool? So with all of those questions, we cracked numbers for worst-case scenario and knew what our "sweet spot" was and what we were watching for. With Aldo's logic, I realized more and more that house #2 from our second visit, was more of a possibility. Probably a good business deal. And that's what home-buying is. It's a business deal. You buy a house to make money, not because you dream of being a home owner. At the right price and when looking at a 5 year plan (Fact: on average people only live in their homes for 5 years), house #2 was looking like a sweeter deal.
3. Understand the process. And understand what you're signing. I took a free class online a while back that ends in a certificate (which some lenders require you to take). It's through United Guaranty and you can find it at - https://www.ugcorp.com/homebuyers/homebuyers-educational-certification-program.html. We also got pre-approved and had a financial advisor break down what our upfront costs would be and what our expected costs would be later. With all that info, plus asking for utility bills from the homes we were looking at, etc. we were able to budget like homeowners. And prepare for the "earnest money" (good faith money that is put toward the payment later = $1000), the inspection and appraisal, down to the loan application fee.
So yesterday, we put an offer on house #2. We have a really good "broker" aka our real estate agent who has explained everything as well. She has worked non-stop at getting comparable home prices, talking with the buyers' agents, and adding in her own advice. She went over the contract that you sign when you are making the first offer. Did you know there's a timeline on when you can have an inspector look at the house, otherwise you waive your rights? Did you know if she is someone else's agent and they are also interested in the same property, she can show them? Did you know that if the seller fails to pay the commission of the agents, it falls on you? Do you know when the contract is void? From what I can tell, since the seller appears to be a "trustee" for someone and knowing that the property has been vacant for a year, something happened with the homeowner (death or moved into a home) and someone else took it over. Now they're selling it. I'm hoping that the person wants nothing to do with it and they're just ready to get rid of it, and give it to us at this initial offer. That would be awesome and a miracle!
Our contract ends today. If it is agreed on then our closing date is set for 11/30/2017. Here's some more things to blow your mind... we have to give 60 days notice to our apartment complex before moving out (that would be Oct. 21) and our lease is up Dec. 31. If all works out, we'd be able to move into the house Dec. 1 and take a month doing so. !!! Now I'm eager! But the key is to remain calm and think clearly. Make smart decisions no matter how eager you are to get into the house.
Sorry, my short post turned into a long one. Thankful for favor! <3
(Oh, and praying for peaceful sleep! I've found myself waking up at 3 o'clock in the morning cracking numbers. #lifeofabudgeter)
Friday, October 6, 2017
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Unless the Lord
Psalm 127
Unless the Lord builds a house,
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the Lord protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.
Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior's hands.
How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.
I haven't been able to sleep lately. I have a lot of things going through my head... mostly cracking numbers and saying "what if -this-" and "what if -that-". We're looking for a home. Like an actual downpayment, homeowner's insurance, pay taxes, maintenance-upkeeping, equity-type home. We thought about it before when Mom put her house up for sale and made those wild plans to move to Tennessee, but since we didn't have the lines of credit at the time we chose to rent until the possibility presented itself. Now, having rented for a year, the time has come. I'm filled with excitement and overwhelming alarm. Haha! But mostly excitement.
The home search has been fun. Our financial advisor came highly recommended from a trusted source, and he recommended our real estate agent who is seriously top dog in her field. And then we're surrounded by people that know what they're talking about in certain areas.
Well, you know me... conservative with a capital C and Aldo is "cheap" according to his BFF. lo So the first house we looked at was well below our price range. (We got approved for a $280K loan! Isn't that ridiculous?! I'll give you some comparison... we rent right now for $685/mo + storage and utilities. A $280,000 home has a payment of over $1800/mo. That's more than double what we're paying now! That's more than one of Aldo's paychecks! One and one don't equal two in their world of math I guess.) The first house we looked at was listed at $146K. It looked like a small box and I didn't like it from the pictures. Lack of garage and lack of yard were a turn-off, but I thought you know what, maybe we should check it out. Maybe it just looks small. Maybe small is what we can take care of to start. My first impression was right in this case... it is a box that needs to be torn down. It's not worth fifty bucks. I think it's been abandoned (should be condemned) for years and just recently the seller painted some walls and put it on the market. Yikes! When we first walked in the floors were on a slant, the upstairs rooms Aldo could barely fit in because the ceilings were low, and we couldn't tell which room was the "master bedroom" because we wouldn't be able to fit our bedroom furniture altogether in any of the rooms.
We looked at a range of houses in one day. So our next house was off of main street in a quiet little neighborhood. The owners had lived there 40 years. When we walked in it immediately reminded me of my Grandma because of the taste and narrowness of the hall. It was listed at $199K, but it was probably more in the $170's. There were so many rooms in the house, I felt like we don't have enough furniture to fit in it all. And the backyard was HUGE with a gated, above ground pool. The problems I had with it were the age of HVAC system and other things like that which would definitely need replaced in the near future, as well as the small bathrooms for oompa-loompas (we'd have to knock out a wall to fit comfortably in the bathroom), and the care for the HUGE backyard and maintenance of the pool. Also, I would just feel bad asking a sweet grandma for a lower price. I know... I know... it's business.
The final house of the day was off of my old street "Hickory" in what was the newer, rich part of town when I was growing up. The home was a 3 bedroom with a 4th non-conforming (without windows) bedroom and they were asking $209K. A bit high for us, but we wanted range. The house was alright, nothing red flagged. Mila liked the open kitchen. And plenty of parking. My issue was the backyard. It was another house with an above ground pool AND jacuzzi, but because of the extravagance of those the yard had been taken up. I want our kids to have space to run and play catch, play tag, practice soccer, whatever! We made the choice to keep looking.
From the beginning, my desire (and Aldo's too) has been to follow God's will. If it's His will for us to move, we'll move. If it's His will for us to stay, we'll stay. I know that God opens doors and He closes them. I know that the right time will come for a house. I just want it to be the right house. I put my needs and requests before Him (kind of like the red, 10-speed bike story)... a 4 bedroom or 3 bedroom with room to expand, an ample yard, in the school district we chose, at a price we could afford, and if at all possible before December so we didn't have to sign on for another 6 months or go month-to-month.
I thought we may have found that home THE NEXT DAY. The next morning after praying I woke up to find a home that had gone back on the market at $198K after a sell had fallen through. It was next door to the older home in that charming little neighborhood on the corner lot. IT WAS PERFECT! The layout made sense. The covered deck to uncovered deck was beautiful. The yard space was -no words-. And the storage space was ridiculous. It even had a tree fort with a homemade zip line in the backyard. When we looked at it, Luke's cousins were with us and you could just feel that it was a perfect family hangout. Yes, there were some small projects here and there like the main shower needed more tile, doors replaced, rooms repainted and more caulking in areas... and some larger things that weren't immediate like the driveway completely redone and a large tree removed from the backyard. But nothing seemed too big. Until the basement. There were cracks in the basement. I've researched this and not all cracks are bad; cracks can be a sign of settling which houses do that. Vertical cracks are common and can be solved with epoxy and are fine for another 50 years. The most serious cracks are horizontal. You're looking at building an entirely new foundation for between $30,000-40,000. These cracks, were unfortunately, bad. And I don't think they would go down thirty grand from what our initial offer would be (looking in the $130-lower $140's).
I wasn't devastated, but I was bummed. Houses in the area aren't really coming up on the market, and when they do, they aren't up for long. I cracked numbers again and again and again. Our "sweet spot" is the $180's. We can afford the insurance, the lawn mower, the internet, even put Luke in sports and save money in the $180's. I could choose to go back to work another day or stay home still. We could pay off the car or not pay off the car. There's wiggle room. There are choices. If we want to get a house this year, our final option was one up-and-coming home in a new neighborhood that we'd be able to actually design a little bit for $235K. With that we'd have to pay off the car, Aldo get a raise, and me pick up more hours (and not eat... j/k) to get by. I was actually pumping myself up... you know we could do it. We could get a new house. But then, I thought "what if". What if something happened? What if Aldo wanted to go back to school? What if he lost his job? What if he had to take a pay cut? What if his hours changed... could I change my hours so easily? I didn't like the feeling of "STUCK". We would be stuck in whatever situation to barely make it. I want to enjoy my home. Not despise it. So new home was a no.
I don't know what made us look back at it, but I'm glad we didn't cross it off of our radar completely.
Before I go into further detail, I want to say this: There's pros and cons to a pool.
PRO #1 - Easy family time and entertaining. Welcoming friends and yahoos from all around. Bonus: jacuzzi would surely entice our friends to come visit and stay a while.
PRO #2 - They don't affect the value of the home (if above ground) either way, good or bad.
PRO #3 - You can disassemble. You can resell (and get a good amount depending on age and care).
CON #1 - Lack of yard.
CON #2 - Another thing to maintain. And cost comes with that also.
CON #3 - Liability. It will increase insurance by about $50 because it is a safety issue.
We looked back again at the one with the pool and jacuzzi and small yard... the one where Mila felt comfortable in the kitchen... the one that had a recently updated HVAC and water heater... the one that seemed out of our "sweet spot". We looked again at the comps; they were in the $180's. Is the only thing keeping us from reconsidering this house the pool and lack of yard? Earlier, when I was researching pools and maintenance of them I found that it only costs about $200-250 a year per the national average. And since water bills should be that high anyway, a double in water bill still wouldn't be high. Since this house is in our "sweet spot", we could afford it with the pool and live comfortably. Luke could still do sports. There is still wiggle room and space to get out. If we had to, we could sell the pool! I thought about it and I'm thinking logically (I think) -
We could buy the house. For the first year, keep the pool and jacuzzi and get experience and enjoy it. We could have pool parties for birthdays. We could still get a small dog if we want (a $50/mo expenditure) and even it would have ample space to run in the backyard. We could get a handle on mowing that amount of space. The kids could use the front yard if necessary. And, if after playing with it a little we decided to sell the pool and jacuzzi; we could do it. And build a better deck. And have a larger yard. There is still movement. There are still possibilities. We can do it! So, next week we are going to look at it with Aldo's dad and possibly put in an offer. That is the plan.
Here is the final point I want to make and it goes back to the beginning (HAHA, that's ironic. "Alpha and Omega... Beginning and End... #pastorpuns) -
Unless the Lord.
Unless the Lord makes it happen, we're not moving into that house. Unless the Lord sends peace of mind by His Holy Spirit, we're not buying. We won't budge. The Lord has surrounded us with multiple advisors and examples; we're going to listen to that sound counsel. We're going to succeed in our home search but it's only with the Lord's direction. And I know, without a doubt, He loves me. So what if he threw in a pool and jacuzzi because he knew that the first year or so we wouldn't need the yard? What if he threw in a bonus (a well, taken care of bonus that would give us money back in the future)? I don't know. The future is full of possibilities, isn't it?
P.S.
I had a dream with House #4 (bad foundation house). God asked me if I was ready for the responsibility of owning a home. I weakly said "Yes, I think so." And He smiled and showed me a vision of a father asking their child if he or she was ready for the responsibility of taking care of a dog. And of course, the kid would say yes. And then after a week of taking care of the dog, they'd slowly get away from it. But mom and dad would make sure the dog got taken out for walks or to go to the restroom, went to the vet, and made sure it had plenty of food. The dog was taken care of. In that, God was showing me that He's my Father. Yes, he'd give me the responsibility of homeownership, but He'd still be there to provide like a parent. He's the BEST.
P.S.
I had a dream with House #4 (bad foundation house). God asked me if I was ready for the responsibility of owning a home. I weakly said "Yes, I think so." And He smiled and showed me a vision of a father asking their child if he or she was ready for the responsibility of taking care of a dog. And of course, the kid would say yes. And then after a week of taking care of the dog, they'd slowly get away from it. But mom and dad would make sure the dog got taken out for walks or to go to the restroom, went to the vet, and made sure it had plenty of food. The dog was taken care of. In that, God was showing me that He's my Father. Yes, he'd give me the responsibility of homeownership, but He'd still be there to provide like a parent. He's the BEST.
Friday, September 1, 2017
hCG
I guess this post will just be fact-driven. I'm still a little unsure about it and how much to disclose and to who. You know when something bad happens and you're thrust into a sort of twilight zone, and everything around you is moving but you are there stuck in time thinking this isn't really happening...? It's been like that.
So Sunday, August 27th started off like any other day. The boys spent the night with us to hang out with Luke, so they came to church with us in the morning. After church we went to pick up some birthday presents for Mila from Aunt Dolores'. Then I was headed home, but Noah said his stomach didn't feel well. I changed my plans to get the kids some food, then go to the apartment, and then drop them off. But then Vero started texting me about a Big Brother program and was worried I was going to be late bringing the boys back, so I changed my plan again. After picking up the food, which took forever... Noah was really complaining about his stomach. I was concerned so I rushed him home. When we got there he was really ... milking it??... So much so that his mom and Aldo's mom thought he might have gave himself a hernia and/or ripped something while swinging at church. (Side note: the last time they came to our church we had the inflatable slide incident and Noah got hurt. Why do this kids always get hurt? And why does it have to be at church?!) I felt miserable. They talked about taking him to the emergency room. So I called Aldo as I was headed back to the apartment to get their stuff and return it. When I got back, everything was fine like nothing happened. It was weird. But in the end, I had less to worry about, right...
When I finally got home, I was exhausted. I just sat on the gray chair and looked at my phone.
I had been texting a friend about breastfeeding when I had the urge to use the restroom. That's when everything started. Ask-a-Nurse told me to go to the emergency room immediately, but not to drive (even though I'm 5 minutes away... and the only thing that kept me from going on my own was that I'd have two kids in the car with me.) The nurses were afraid I would pass out. Thirty minutes later Aldo was taking me to the hospital and the kids were with the Gutz.
Hospital Worsts:
- The wait. Not the wait to get a room. The wait for the results. First there was a pee test to see if I really was pregnant. Then a blood test for hCG levels. Then a sonogram, which was too early to tell anything but we still waited for it. The pee test was positive. The blood test wouldn't give us results for a day so we were told to go home. Final release statement: see your OB within 2 days.
- The silence. The entire time Aldo didn't talk to me. He kept busy by being on his phone. I know he was worried and I was too and trying to understand what factors there were, etc. but the silence sucked.
- The suddenness. It's so sudden that you don't think about how you didn't shave your legs that day. Or shower. Gross. And of course, they have to look in those personal places... it was horrible! It was worse than the scene from that JLo movie where she's getting inseminated and all she can think of is her unpainted toenails. I guarantee my toenails were worse.
I didn't think of it until I had to in hindsight, that the previous night I was having increasingly painful cramps. The kind that made me rock back and forth to feel better. I had been having cramps here and there. I thought it was my uterus changing and sac forming and hips spreading. It also occurred to me that I had stronger morning sickness before, but the days leading up to this point, it was getting less frequent, less intense.
Tuesday we saw my OB. She reassured us that it could be anything. A bleeding problem can be taken care of by taking a pill. So the days leading up to this were tiring and anxious and sad. This visit was hopeful and restorative.
The next day I got my results at work. Aside from the rudeness of whoever called me, my hCG levels had dropped from a 140-something to 78.
I had a miscarriage.
The scientific, technical term for it is "chemical pregnancy", but I was told not to use that term by my dad. Do I feel like I lost something/someone? To me, it felt like I lost the hope of someone and hope of a surprising, yet happy change. To me, it felt like others were trying to downplay it because "nothing formed" and to make me feel better about losing "nothing". Something formed. I felt it exit my body. It might have been the start of a sac or whatever, but my body said it was pregnant. It began the work. And shortly after, it stopped. That's the facts. Anything above a 25 on an hCG test means you're pregnant. And that hCG level doubles at least ever two days.
It all came down to that hCG level.
I had a dream that week and it's really the only thing that made me feel better in those first couple of days when we were still unsure about things. I had a dream that a voice told me it was a girl. And what brought me comfort was knowing that one way or another I would see my girl. Maybe it's just a nice thought or maybe it's absolutely true. Now that it's been weeks I go back and it's like the entire time didn't happen. Miscarriages aren't that frequent. I don't have one. I was never pregnant. I won't have a "rainbow baby".
STAT - There is only a 30% chance of you getting pregnant each menstrual cycle.
STAT - Most doctors consider pregnancy to start at "implantation" rather than "fertilization".
STAT - 31% of pregnancies end in miscarriage after implantation. (That's one in three if you can do simple math.) But a lot of these ladies don't even know it because they didn't know they missed a period. With that said, about 15-20% of women with a confirmed pregnancy will have a miscarriage.
STAT - By the time you have passed the day you were supposed to start your period, implantation has already occurred.
STAT - 80% of miscarriages occur before 12 weeks (the first trimester). After 20 weeks a loss is termed a "stillbirth".
STAT - Half of all miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities. The earlier the miscarriage, the more likely this is the cause.
(All of these stats were taken from https://www.verywell.com and http://www.pregnancyloss.info/. Of course these don't take into consideration age and previous miscarriages, etc.)
FACT - I can guarantee the first day of my last period. It was July 10th. I was supposed to start my period while we were on our California trip. That means implantation had occurred. (Shoot. Now I wish I didn't look up those bummer stats.)
FACT - Implantation occurs about 9 days after ovulation. I kept record of everything. My cycle is about 35 days long, so ovulation is between Day 19 and Day 21. *wink wink* Our anniversary happened in that ovulation window. Implantation probably occurred on August 7th. I'm actually fairly certain...
FACT - Going by the first day of my last period (which you can't argue), I would have been 5 weeks and 6 days along on August 27th. I miscarried just before 6 weeks.
So Sunday, August 27th started off like any other day. The boys spent the night with us to hang out with Luke, so they came to church with us in the morning. After church we went to pick up some birthday presents for Mila from Aunt Dolores'. Then I was headed home, but Noah said his stomach didn't feel well. I changed my plans to get the kids some food, then go to the apartment, and then drop them off. But then Vero started texting me about a Big Brother program and was worried I was going to be late bringing the boys back, so I changed my plan again. After picking up the food, which took forever... Noah was really complaining about his stomach. I was concerned so I rushed him home. When we got there he was really ... milking it??... So much so that his mom and Aldo's mom thought he might have gave himself a hernia and/or ripped something while swinging at church. (Side note: the last time they came to our church we had the inflatable slide incident and Noah got hurt. Why do this kids always get hurt? And why does it have to be at church?!) I felt miserable. They talked about taking him to the emergency room. So I called Aldo as I was headed back to the apartment to get their stuff and return it. When I got back, everything was fine like nothing happened. It was weird. But in the end, I had less to worry about, right...
When I finally got home, I was exhausted. I just sat on the gray chair and looked at my phone.
I had been texting a friend about breastfeeding when I had the urge to use the restroom. That's when everything started. Ask-a-Nurse told me to go to the emergency room immediately, but not to drive (even though I'm 5 minutes away... and the only thing that kept me from going on my own was that I'd have two kids in the car with me.) The nurses were afraid I would pass out. Thirty minutes later Aldo was taking me to the hospital and the kids were with the Gutz.
Hospital Worsts:
- The wait. Not the wait to get a room. The wait for the results. First there was a pee test to see if I really was pregnant. Then a blood test for hCG levels. Then a sonogram, which was too early to tell anything but we still waited for it. The pee test was positive. The blood test wouldn't give us results for a day so we were told to go home. Final release statement: see your OB within 2 days.
- The silence. The entire time Aldo didn't talk to me. He kept busy by being on his phone. I know he was worried and I was too and trying to understand what factors there were, etc. but the silence sucked.
- The suddenness. It's so sudden that you don't think about how you didn't shave your legs that day. Or shower. Gross. And of course, they have to look in those personal places... it was horrible! It was worse than the scene from that JLo movie where she's getting inseminated and all she can think of is her unpainted toenails. I guarantee my toenails were worse.
I didn't think of it until I had to in hindsight, that the previous night I was having increasingly painful cramps. The kind that made me rock back and forth to feel better. I had been having cramps here and there. I thought it was my uterus changing and sac forming and hips spreading. It also occurred to me that I had stronger morning sickness before, but the days leading up to this point, it was getting less frequent, less intense.
Tuesday we saw my OB. She reassured us that it could be anything. A bleeding problem can be taken care of by taking a pill. So the days leading up to this were tiring and anxious and sad. This visit was hopeful and restorative.
The next day I got my results at work. Aside from the rudeness of whoever called me, my hCG levels had dropped from a 140-something to 78.
I had a miscarriage.
The scientific, technical term for it is "chemical pregnancy", but I was told not to use that term by my dad. Do I feel like I lost something/someone? To me, it felt like I lost the hope of someone and hope of a surprising, yet happy change. To me, it felt like others were trying to downplay it because "nothing formed" and to make me feel better about losing "nothing". Something formed. I felt it exit my body. It might have been the start of a sac or whatever, but my body said it was pregnant. It began the work. And shortly after, it stopped. That's the facts. Anything above a 25 on an hCG test means you're pregnant. And that hCG level doubles at least ever two days.
It all came down to that hCG level.
I had a dream that week and it's really the only thing that made me feel better in those first couple of days when we were still unsure about things. I had a dream that a voice told me it was a girl. And what brought me comfort was knowing that one way or another I would see my girl. Maybe it's just a nice thought or maybe it's absolutely true. Now that it's been weeks I go back and it's like the entire time didn't happen. Miscarriages aren't that frequent. I don't have one. I was never pregnant. I won't have a "rainbow baby".
STAT - There is only a 30% chance of you getting pregnant each menstrual cycle.
STAT - Most doctors consider pregnancy to start at "implantation" rather than "fertilization".
STAT - 31% of pregnancies end in miscarriage after implantation. (That's one in three if you can do simple math.) But a lot of these ladies don't even know it because they didn't know they missed a period. With that said, about 15-20% of women with a confirmed pregnancy will have a miscarriage.
STAT - By the time you have passed the day you were supposed to start your period, implantation has already occurred.
STAT - 80% of miscarriages occur before 12 weeks (the first trimester). After 20 weeks a loss is termed a "stillbirth".
STAT - Half of all miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities. The earlier the miscarriage, the more likely this is the cause.
(All of these stats were taken from https://www.verywell.com and http://www.pregnancyloss.info/. Of course these don't take into consideration age and previous miscarriages, etc.)
FACT - I can guarantee the first day of my last period. It was July 10th. I was supposed to start my period while we were on our California trip. That means implantation had occurred. (Shoot. Now I wish I didn't look up those bummer stats.)
FACT - Implantation occurs about 9 days after ovulation. I kept record of everything. My cycle is about 35 days long, so ovulation is between Day 19 and Day 21. *wink wink* Our anniversary happened in that ovulation window. Implantation probably occurred on August 7th. I'm actually fairly certain...
FACT - Going by the first day of my last period (which you can't argue), I would have been 5 weeks and 6 days along on August 27th. I miscarried just before 6 weeks.
Saturday, August 19, 2017
False Positives Aren't Common
Well, surprise... we're going to be a family of FIVE!
I was supposed to start my period on the trip to California, and I was sooo dreading it. When we returned I secretly took the pee test. At first, I didn't pee enough and I never saw the pee line expand down to where the results show. So I had to go again later. But using the same stick made it a little finicky. The pink line on the right was bold, whereas the line on the left was faded, almost as if it was too old and chemicals got mixed, or like you could see where a line should be, but it wasn't supposed to show. So the next day, when I still didn't start my period, it was weird. Is it from all of this traveling stress? Later that night Aldo told me he thought I should take a test. I confessed I already did. We ended up digging in the trash to retrieve the old false positive. By then both pink lines were BOLD.
Fact: False positives aren't common. Home pregnancy tests are 97% accurate, as early as the day after you miss your period. They look for the hCG hormone in your urine. False negatives are more common because either your hCG hormones aren't high enough or you tested too early. The best time to test is around 6-7 weeks.
This morning I took another test just to be sure. Yes. I am pregnant. I still can't believe it. Both lines showed up right away, almost like they were SUPER BOLD. Was not expecting this. Haha!
What's funny is that Luke said not long ago that he wants a baby brother. Mila is just obsessed with babies. It's strange to think Mila will be a big sister! Wow! I want to tell the kids to see the surprise on their faces, but I also want to wait for... I don't know what... the doctor visits or something? Also, Aldo and I discussed keeping this one a surprise. Aldo made a very good point - "Are you sure with the way you like to plan?" Let's go get some baby stuff!
Looks like I'll be a stay-at-home mom longer than I thought. And looks like we'll be getting a house sooner than I thought (according to Aldo we just don't have room in the apartment).
And now that I think about it... what are the early signs again? Well this time the obvious is no period, but also my teeth have been hurting and tasting metallicy. And second, during our stay in California I had to pee like every night. Having to pee is a sign I didn't know about. Of course in the end of pregnancy, but in the beginning?
Prepare for a whole new pregnancy experience. And this time I have a toddler. 8D
I was supposed to start my period on the trip to California, and I was sooo dreading it. When we returned I secretly took the pee test. At first, I didn't pee enough and I never saw the pee line expand down to where the results show. So I had to go again later. But using the same stick made it a little finicky. The pink line on the right was bold, whereas the line on the left was faded, almost as if it was too old and chemicals got mixed, or like you could see where a line should be, but it wasn't supposed to show. So the next day, when I still didn't start my period, it was weird. Is it from all of this traveling stress? Later that night Aldo told me he thought I should take a test. I confessed I already did. We ended up digging in the trash to retrieve the old false positive. By then both pink lines were BOLD.
Fact: False positives aren't common. Home pregnancy tests are 97% accurate, as early as the day after you miss your period. They look for the hCG hormone in your urine. False negatives are more common because either your hCG hormones aren't high enough or you tested too early. The best time to test is around 6-7 weeks.
This morning I took another test just to be sure. Yes. I am pregnant. I still can't believe it. Both lines showed up right away, almost like they were SUPER BOLD. Was not expecting this. Haha!
What's funny is that Luke said not long ago that he wants a baby brother. Mila is just obsessed with babies. It's strange to think Mila will be a big sister! Wow! I want to tell the kids to see the surprise on their faces, but I also want to wait for... I don't know what... the doctor visits or something? Also, Aldo and I discussed keeping this one a surprise. Aldo made a very good point - "Are you sure with the way you like to plan?" Let's go get some baby stuff!
Looks like I'll be a stay-at-home mom longer than I thought. And looks like we'll be getting a house sooner than I thought (according to Aldo we just don't have room in the apartment).
And now that I think about it... what are the early signs again? Well this time the obvious is no period, but also my teeth have been hurting and tasting metallicy. And second, during our stay in California I had to pee like every night. Having to pee is a sign I didn't know about. Of course in the end of pregnancy, but in the beginning?
Prepare for a whole new pregnancy experience. And this time I have a toddler. 8D
California Knows How To Party
2 Years Old
My little girl turned two last Thursday. We didn't do anything huge because 1) we already had our California trip coming up and most of our money was going to that 2) personally I was worn out from all of the other birthdays throughout the summer and weddings... I just didn't have the energy to give her a fantastic birthday party 3) I couldn't find the right time or venue that would bring all of her favorite people together at the same time and 4) she's young enough that it isn't as big of a deal to her yet. I WILL throw a big party for you baby girl... just you wait! Seriously thought, I can't wait myself. It's going to be fun and a huge success! So on her birthday, we went to Strouds and she had a lot of packaged crackers and green beans. (She's so weird. I've never met a child who loves vegetables and iced tea and things like that as much as she does.) I was surprised that she ate the cupcake they gave her. It did have a sparkler on it though.
The next morning we set off for our trip to California.
So...
Day 1 - Friday, August 11th
We woke up at about 3 o'clock in the morning (but really it didn't feel like we even slept) and left for the airport at 4:15. Thankfully I had a list of everything I had packed prior in the week and what still needed to be put in the bag as far as toiletries, etc. We got to the airport and check in was so easy. First, we used a valet service. Just so you know, valet is about as much as economy parking except that they drive you to the terminal you need rather than walking and they'll pick you up when you return. My coworkers bragged about it. Was it worth it? Eh.... I don't know. I guess we'll see when we go on our next trip and opt for the cheap "nosebleed" parking.
Mila was awake. That was completely unplanned! We purposely made sure to wear her out the day before and NOT take a nap... but she was wide awake at the airport. She knew something was up. She wanted to carry her monkey bag and sit in her car seat (because it's different having it OUT of the car). Our flight with Delta left at 6 am and flew for 3 hours into LAX. Some things to know about flying these days:
Birthday Girl & Her Cupcake
My little girl turned two last Thursday. We didn't do anything huge because 1) we already had our California trip coming up and most of our money was going to that 2) personally I was worn out from all of the other birthdays throughout the summer and weddings... I just didn't have the energy to give her a fantastic birthday party 3) I couldn't find the right time or venue that would bring all of her favorite people together at the same time and 4) she's young enough that it isn't as big of a deal to her yet. I WILL throw a big party for you baby girl... just you wait! Seriously thought, I can't wait myself. It's going to be fun and a huge success! So on her birthday, we went to Strouds and she had a lot of packaged crackers and green beans. (She's so weird. I've never met a child who loves vegetables and iced tea and things like that as much as she does.) I was surprised that she ate the cupcake they gave her. It did have a sparkler on it though.
The next morning we set off for our trip to California.
So...
Day 1 - Friday, August 11th
We woke up at about 3 o'clock in the morning (but really it didn't feel like we even slept) and left for the airport at 4:15. Thankfully I had a list of everything I had packed prior in the week and what still needed to be put in the bag as far as toiletries, etc. We got to the airport and check in was so easy. First, we used a valet service. Just so you know, valet is about as much as economy parking except that they drive you to the terminal you need rather than walking and they'll pick you up when you return. My coworkers bragged about it. Was it worth it? Eh.... I don't know. I guess we'll see when we go on our next trip and opt for the cheap "nosebleed" parking.
Mila was awake. That was completely unplanned! We purposely made sure to wear her out the day before and NOT take a nap... but she was wide awake at the airport. She knew something was up. She wanted to carry her monkey bag and sit in her car seat (because it's different having it OUT of the car). Our flight with Delta left at 6 am and flew for 3 hours into LAX. Some things to know about flying these days:
- If traveling with children, you can take a car seat and stroller for FREE.
- Every person with a ticket gets one personal bag (diaper bag, purse, etc.) that has the ability to fit under a seat AND one carry-on bag for FREE. Carry-ons have to be a certain size though. AND if you are putting your liquids, creams and lotions in there then you have to follow the 3oz. rule in a zip lock bag. Checked bags cost $$$ and if less than 50lb. it's really not that horrible of a price. You can take any amount of liquids in the checked bag.
- Airplanes have wifi now! But you have to download the app. So do that before taking off if possible. That way you're set in the air.
- If you are getting snacks on the flight, get the drink too. Because the snacks make you thirsty. And the cookie snack isn't really a cookie snack. It's a hard European cinnamon cracker. Just be forewarned.
The car rental was fun. We picked our own out. Something we most definitely would do in the future as needed. Aldo said that driving in California was difficult for him because it's so mountain-y and has so many curves and turns, it's hard to figure out the system. Like, are you following the coast? What's the reason for the layout? It's not like Kansas where you can easily figure out where you are if you miss a turn or where you need to go. It's not a grid for sure. So we drove 2 more hours to Oceanside. There, we met up with our friends Zac and Rose, and their son Peter (who's slightly older than Mila), who we would be staying with for the next few days. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and getting ourselves situated. Zac had a cook out he was in charge of at the park, so we spent a couple hours there before napping from exhaustion on their couch.
Excited for the Plane Ride
I should back up real quick. Sorry this is so out of order here. But I have to tell you...
We had been planning this trip for months. And weeks before, Zac and I had talked. He asked me what our plans were for going out there. Well, Aldo and I wanted to go to the beach a lot and also our number one choice of hot spot was the San Diego Zoo. Since we had such a good time in Omaha and the kids would all enjoy it, AND San Diego is ranked #1 in the nation... it was a no brainer. Zac and Rose said they wanted to go to Lego Land too. I was ok with that. Luke would be thrilled and Mila always plays with Luke's legos so I think she would like it too. That's when he announced that they were talking and thought it would be best if they bought the tickets for everyone since he gets a good discount through the military, and that it would be more of a "CityPass" - which gets you tickets into Lego Land, the Zoo, Sea World, and....... Disneyland and California Adventure for 3 days! Say what?! I was so thrown. You got to be joking. But they weren't. I had to Google it... City Passes go for $300+ a person. Thankfully Mila is still free to get into those places, but if you count three people that's about $1000 dropped. I honestly couldn't believe it. What excited me though, was that Aldo, Luke and Mila didn't know. I kept it a secret for about a week and a half. It was so much fun scheming and planning. I searched what the must see places were at Disneyland and looked up all the tips to get the most out of the experience. I bought a My First Disney Pins and Lanyard game. I was ready!
Of course, Aldo ruined it because he called up Zac the day before, on Mila's birthday, and I remember him saying... and I quote... word-for-word, "What's your itinerary?" I knew then, that the secret was coming out. Zac nonchalantly told him the plan. I have pictures of Aldo's reaction. #priceless
So what was a relaxing vacation turned into a very busy, attraction-packed vacation. Thank goodness though, Zac made the executive decision NOT to buy the CityPass. After thinking it over, they thought it would be too much for the kids to do all of those things. (I think he underestimates how much energy they have... but still so happy they made that decision.) Instead, they bought the tickets to just the Zoo and one day at Disneyland. Still, incredible!
Day 2 - Zoo Day
Nothing in Southern California is close. It takes at least 30-45 minutes to get anywhere. And another thing, Zac and Rose are early risers. We, the Alvidrez clan, wake up usually around 10 (except me and at times Luke) and go to sleep late at around 11:30 pm. California is 2 hours difference from Kansas. So if it's 7 am in California, it's 9 am in Kansas. It was the perfect time change. When we had to get up at 7 to get to the Zoo somewhat early because it's about a 45 minute drive... we were only waking up at 9 o'clock. Yesssss.
Here is what I can tell you about the San Diego Zoo. There are a lot of aviaries. No joke. I think we walked through at least five aviaries to get to other places. And, I can't really make a decision on how I liked the zoo because I don't think we started off right (We immediately went to the oversized tortoises. You don't go there first! You go to the animals that are awake and playful, that in the heat of the day are going to go into hiding. Tortoises aren't going anywhere... they can't move that far... you can see them nearly at any time. Bad decision on our part.). And, I don't think it was Peter's best day either. We have become zoo snobs. I have made the ultimate decision (and you think we would have learned from previous experience) that we just need to go to zoos alone. It's my goal to get through a zoo in one day. And we could have done it, I think, even at San Diego. So during our stay this time around, we probably only made it through half of it which consisted of tortoises; snakes (legless, eye-lidless lizards) and other reptiles; birds, birds, and more birds; and kind of monkeys that didn't do much. At the end we took a double-decker (after waiting half an hour in line) to see the regular zoo animals: zebras, elephants, giraffes. Except a lot of them were hard to see, Mila was napping so she didn't get to experience the large-scale animals which I would have liked to see, and Luke also couldn't get a very good snapshot because we were breezing by on the ride. Not the best zoo experience we've had, but I'm not opposed to going to San Diego Zoo again if the chance ever arises. I'm willing to have my mind changed about it. But let me say this... Omaha is a hard one to beat.
Ooh, also during our stay Zac and Rose took us out to a lot of delicious places to eat. One of my favorite spots was Wulan Ramen Tap House in Oceanside. I don't know if it's Japanese or what, but their spicy shrimp appetizer and bbq pork sticky bun things were sooo good. I imagine it is something I would crave and go to if we had one in our area. And the ramen soup or teriyaki rice is incredibly flavorful. They also took us out to In-N-Out Burger the day before (the cool part about here is that they have a secret menu) and to a bubble tea place (the drinks that have the extra large balls of black tapioca in them). <Shakes my head> Zac and Rose and their bubble tea. #noted
Day 3 - The Beach at Oceanside
The plan our hosts came up with was that it would be wise to go back and forth from big day to relax day. That way the day before our flight out wouldn't be extreme. Makes sense.
For our beach day we started out with brunch at Swami's. A little expensive and one of those ... organic, vegan, weirdo hang outs. The smoothie was delicious. But I ordered straight up coffee. Oops. And the eggs and croissant were delicious, and so was Mila's black bean burrito (which she DID eat, but couldn't finish).
The beach was wonderful. The sand was hot until you go to the wet sand, which was cool and smooth on your feet. The water was ice cold, but felt like it came to life when a small wave would hit you, or the broken white of the wave would chase you back to the beach, and the water would slowly creep up more and more to where the towels were because the water changes like that. Aldo and Luke were amazed by the grandioseness. And how salty it was. Mila, surprisingly, was made for the beach too. She loved it just as much. She didn't care if a wave pulled down her britches, or made her running slightly more wobbly. It was fun. It was a game. It was thrilling. I spent a lot of time chasing Mila. Aldo and Luke, along with Zac, spent a lot of time trying to catch waves on the boogie board. Only to find out later that the board (we bought from Walmart) was too small and not enough weight for someone large. You have to be able to ride ON TOP of the wave, otherwise you aren't going very far. But it was perfect for Luke. He had one really sweet wave that I didn't have my phone on me for. After that, he wiped out and went under, and didn't want to get in again. But we convinced him. And he probably had at least four more really nice runs. I got to try too. It's hard because the waves you don't want to catch keep bringing you back in toward shore and carry you a little farther sideways too (if you've been aiming for where the water breaks). And if you go deeper, you can't touch. Must be a good swimmer. And, I wasn't going to "duck dive". I get too many ear infections to do that. And I knew how salty the water was. I imagine salt in my eyes would sting and salt in my ears would be hard to get out. One day, maybe. Maybe on something bigger like an actual surf board.
Zac and Rose left early because Peter and Rose aren't water people. So we spent another 30 or so minutes taking it all in. And then slowly made our way back to the house. For the next beach day, know this: wear clothes and sandals, take beach bags and towels that you don't mind getting sandy. Leave the purse in the car. SAND GETS EVERYWHERE. And it's difficult to get off. And, it can burn too when you're scratching it off.. so don't shave on that day. My legs still hurt from that. Also, don't use spray sunscreen. Or if you do, make sure you get every part of your body. Otherwise you'll end up with an abstract, ink-blot-test on your back. Just take my word for it.
A plus - no sharks in sight.
A quick word on sharks. Before our trip I had a very scary dream where we were attacked by sharks and basically shredded like paper. Afterward I couldn't keep myself from looking up the migration of sharks in California's waters. The latest news said that there have been increased sightings because it's a nursery for great whites. Over 40 shark sightings were logged since May and for a time there was a group of baby great whites that weren't moving along. A lot of beaches closed. I researched shark defense.
I just looked it up using the Dorsal Fin app. There was a great white sighting on August 12th (our zoo day) at Oceanside. About 12 ft in length and 7000 yards from shore. And there were several sightings near Capistrano Beach (which I remember seeing a sign for on our drives) where the shark was 20 yards from shore. How far out were we? Aldo and Zac could have been 30 yards out easily (120 yards is a football field and you've heard of "10 yard lines" where each line is marked). Oy vey.
Remember this: "You're more likely to be bitten by a New Yorker than a shark."
Day 4 - Disneyland
Another early start for us. Finding parking takes quite a bit of time, so some advice would be to show up 30 minutes early for that reason alone. Do you need to do the early morning thing? No, not really. As long as you have a MaxPass on a busy day, you'll have no problem. I think for our stay the crowds were rated as a 6 out of 10. All I know is that there were 70 min. waits for rides, which is ridiculous. But with the MaxPass we could save our spot in line for a ride about every 30-45 minutes and it would give you a time window to show up. In between those windows you could find another ride, most likely a kiddie ride, or eat or shop or meet characters. I wish we took time to meet more characters, but overall we did a good job. Don't waste your money on the button trading. Characters DON'T have buttons. Helpers at the end of the lines have buttons and very few of them are cool. If you purchase a button, it's like $7 alone and a pack is around $30. That's just crazy. Disney is not going broke any time soon. Just saying. Luckily, I had a short list of rides that were "musts" according to various blogs, and I looked up how thrilling they were to see if Luke would ride it or be traumatized by it. Here's what we rode: Storybook Land Canal Boats (total waste of time and boring as all get out), Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones Adventure, Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters (twice!), Star Tours, Space Mountain, and the train that was more of a way of transportation to get from one "land" to another than a ride. I just realized... we didn't get to see Peter Pan, which was on my list. :( Bummer. And unfortunately the Fantasmic Show didn't have any passes available by the time we could save our spot. We also saw the Electric Parade, but from far away. And we were at just the right spot for the "Dreams Come True" firework display by the castle... only for it to be cancelled due to wind conditions. It really wasn't windy at all.
What I found out was that Disneyland is different from World's of Fun in that the rides are not really focused on as much as getting into the "theme". So while Pirates had a couple of dips, it was more focused on being IN the world of pirates. And fun fact, Pirates was a ride before the making of the Pirates movie. Only after was Jack Sparrow added in.
Two apps I used a lot were: Magic Guide (great for showing wait times and what "lands" the rides are located in) and the Disneyland app (to operate the MaxPass, wait times, where characters are located, and find showtimes). Another handy thing was the $30 battery pack we bought to charge our phones on the go. After all the MaxPass business and taking photos, it drains the phone's battery and we really needed it to find our way back to the house. I hear from a lot of people that you really need to spend at least 2 days exploring, but I think we could have done it in one. I know I said it before, but my only wish was that we got there at opening so we could meet with more characters. And, that we wore our Disney shirts, which I still don't have one, and bought our merch (like the Minnie ears) through Amazon rather than at the park.
This was hands down my favorite day. Nobody had attitudes. I felt like it was a vacation day with my family. Everyone enjoyed it, even Mila, who was able to ride quite a bit actually. And Luke rode all the bigger rides twice with the Rider Switch (where if you have a kid in a stroller, one parent can go with older kid and then immediately after the parents switch and can go to the front of the line). Luke's favorite ride was Buzz Lightyear where you shoot at Zerg and evil aliens. I agree that it was fun because we could all go, all shoot, turn our "cars", and get a score and a picture in the end. I also liked the Pirates but only because Mila wanted to cuddle with me after the two dips. Space Mountain was even too fast for me. And I was surprised that there was nothing more than utter blackness and then some stars, galaxies and time warps thrown in. Space Tours was better. It was like you were riding a ship in the Star Wars movie. It had humor thrown in which I liked. But, Aldo's ride with Luke on Space Tours was different than mine. He wasn't attacked by a giant underwater crocodile-like monster, and an alien didn't throw paint on their windshield in the end. I guess that one needs to be ridden a few times too. By the end of the day, we were all worn out. Mila even fell asleep on my head, when I put her on my shoulders to get a better view of the firework show that we didn't see. Haha!
Day 5 - Trampolines & Rest
Zac and Rose wanted to take us to an indoor trampoline place. Peter was ALL over it. Mila also enjoyed it, but she hasn't figured out how to jump off of both feet yet. She enjoyed racing up and down the long trampoline in the kiddie area and throwing (or I should say "cleaning") the foam blocks back into the pit. Luke got better at his front and back flips. And Aldo and Luke worked on walking across a tight rope type thing. By the end, both of the boys were sweaty, so it must have been a good time.
When we got back, we rested and packed up for an early morning because we had to leave at 4 am. It was a bittersweet goodbye. Peter was finally getting used to having us around (although he and Luke kicked it off right away). And Mila was finally understanding how to treat Dally, their skittish dog. But it was probably the best we could have done anyway.
Day 6 - Back to KC
We could have slept in. We made time on the highway because we used the carpool lane most of the ride and not too many people are awake at 4 am, except in LA. The reason we left so early was because of the 2 hour drive and also, LAX seemed like a busy airport. Check in was right outside the terminal doors and super easy. Security pushed us through as fast as possible. So we were stuck in the waiting area for nearly an hour and a half. Kids. Wide. Awake.
On the airplane back, Mila did sleep for at least an hour, so I took advantage of the time and watched a partial movie. Luke and Aldo watched Harry Potter on the other side. American Airlines didn't let us on first to set up the car seat (which I liked about Delta) and we had a bit of turbulence in KC from storms. Other than that, it was a great flight. Toward the end, you could tell Mila was itching to get out because she wanted to play with the tray on the back of the seat.
My final thoughts: It was a great trip, but in the end... there really is "no place like home". (So timely because I just saw a coworker in the production of The Wizard of Oz and... we're from Kansas and... we took a bunch of KC gear to Zac and Rose.
Probably our last BIG trip for a while, but for sure one for the books.
Day 2 - Zoo Day
Nothing in Southern California is close. It takes at least 30-45 minutes to get anywhere. And another thing, Zac and Rose are early risers. We, the Alvidrez clan, wake up usually around 10 (except me and at times Luke) and go to sleep late at around 11:30 pm. California is 2 hours difference from Kansas. So if it's 7 am in California, it's 9 am in Kansas. It was the perfect time change. When we had to get up at 7 to get to the Zoo somewhat early because it's about a 45 minute drive... we were only waking up at 9 o'clock. Yesssss.
Here is what I can tell you about the San Diego Zoo. There are a lot of aviaries. No joke. I think we walked through at least five aviaries to get to other places. And, I can't really make a decision on how I liked the zoo because I don't think we started off right (We immediately went to the oversized tortoises. You don't go there first! You go to the animals that are awake and playful, that in the heat of the day are going to go into hiding. Tortoises aren't going anywhere... they can't move that far... you can see them nearly at any time. Bad decision on our part.). And, I don't think it was Peter's best day either. We have become zoo snobs. I have made the ultimate decision (and you think we would have learned from previous experience) that we just need to go to zoos alone. It's my goal to get through a zoo in one day. And we could have done it, I think, even at San Diego. So during our stay this time around, we probably only made it through half of it which consisted of tortoises; snakes (legless, eye-lidless lizards) and other reptiles; birds, birds, and more birds; and kind of monkeys that didn't do much. At the end we took a double-decker (after waiting half an hour in line) to see the regular zoo animals: zebras, elephants, giraffes. Except a lot of them were hard to see, Mila was napping so she didn't get to experience the large-scale animals which I would have liked to see, and Luke also couldn't get a very good snapshot because we were breezing by on the ride. Not the best zoo experience we've had, but I'm not opposed to going to San Diego Zoo again if the chance ever arises. I'm willing to have my mind changed about it. But let me say this... Omaha is a hard one to beat.
Turtles & Tortoises
Fun Fact: Back in the day, these giant tortoises were fed dog food. The dog food had so much protein that it made their shells grow too fast and so now some of them can't fully extend their legs out how they're supposed to because the shells don't fall where they're supposed to. (Ok, so NOT "fun" fact.)
<3 They Love Each Other <3
A Long Day at the Zoo
The Delicious Ramen of My Dreams
Day 3 - The Beach at Oceanside
The plan our hosts came up with was that it would be wise to go back and forth from big day to relax day. That way the day before our flight out wouldn't be extreme. Makes sense.
For our beach day we started out with brunch at Swami's. A little expensive and one of those ... organic, vegan, weirdo hang outs. The smoothie was delicious. But I ordered straight up coffee. Oops. And the eggs and croissant were delicious, and so was Mila's black bean burrito (which she DID eat, but couldn't finish).
Our Day at the Beach
~ water so cold and sand so hot ~
Livin' Up Every Moment
Beach Babes
(yes, I got burnt)
Palm Trees
Zac and Rose left early because Peter and Rose aren't water people. So we spent another 30 or so minutes taking it all in. And then slowly made our way back to the house. For the next beach day, know this: wear clothes and sandals, take beach bags and towels that you don't mind getting sandy. Leave the purse in the car. SAND GETS EVERYWHERE. And it's difficult to get off. And, it can burn too when you're scratching it off.. so don't shave on that day. My legs still hurt from that. Also, don't use spray sunscreen. Or if you do, make sure you get every part of your body. Otherwise you'll end up with an abstract, ink-blot-test on your back. Just take my word for it.
A plus - no sharks in sight.
A quick word on sharks. Before our trip I had a very scary dream where we were attacked by sharks and basically shredded like paper. Afterward I couldn't keep myself from looking up the migration of sharks in California's waters. The latest news said that there have been increased sightings because it's a nursery for great whites. Over 40 shark sightings were logged since May and for a time there was a group of baby great whites that weren't moving along. A lot of beaches closed. I researched shark defense.
- Don't look like a seal. On a board? In a boat? Flopping around? You look like a seal. Don't look like a fish either. Bright swim suits and shiny jewelry look like the metallic scales of a fish.
- Don't go swimming when you're bleeding. Duh.
- Swim with a buddy. The more the merrier. Don't swim at night though.
- Avoid areas where sharks are known to be. And also, watch the turtles, fish and birds. If they're freaked out, there's a reason.
- If attacked, go for the nose, eyes or gills.
I just looked it up using the Dorsal Fin app. There was a great white sighting on August 12th (our zoo day) at Oceanside. About 12 ft in length and 7000 yards from shore. And there were several sightings near Capistrano Beach (which I remember seeing a sign for on our drives) where the shark was 20 yards from shore. How far out were we? Aldo and Zac could have been 30 yards out easily (120 yards is a football field and you've heard of "10 yard lines" where each line is marked). Oy vey.
Remember this: "You're more likely to be bitten by a New Yorker than a shark."
Day 4 - Disneyland
"The Happiest Place on Earth"
Pulling the Sword from the Stone
Another early start for us. Finding parking takes quite a bit of time, so some advice would be to show up 30 minutes early for that reason alone. Do you need to do the early morning thing? No, not really. As long as you have a MaxPass on a busy day, you'll have no problem. I think for our stay the crowds were rated as a 6 out of 10. All I know is that there were 70 min. waits for rides, which is ridiculous. But with the MaxPass we could save our spot in line for a ride about every 30-45 minutes and it would give you a time window to show up. In between those windows you could find another ride, most likely a kiddie ride, or eat or shop or meet characters. I wish we took time to meet more characters, but overall we did a good job. Don't waste your money on the button trading. Characters DON'T have buttons. Helpers at the end of the lines have buttons and very few of them are cool. If you purchase a button, it's like $7 alone and a pack is around $30. That's just crazy. Disney is not going broke any time soon. Just saying. Luckily, I had a short list of rides that were "musts" according to various blogs, and I looked up how thrilling they were to see if Luke would ride it or be traumatized by it. Here's what we rode: Storybook Land Canal Boats (total waste of time and boring as all get out), Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones Adventure, Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters (twice!), Star Tours, Space Mountain, and the train that was more of a way of transportation to get from one "land" to another than a ride. I just realized... we didn't get to see Peter Pan, which was on my list. :( Bummer. And unfortunately the Fantasmic Show didn't have any passes available by the time we could save our spot. We also saw the Electric Parade, but from far away. And we were at just the right spot for the "Dreams Come True" firework display by the castle... only for it to be cancelled due to wind conditions. It really wasn't windy at all.
Waiting in Line for Indiana Jones
Buzz Lightyear Ranking
(Aldo DID NOT get Level 7... more like Level 3)
Two apps I used a lot were: Magic Guide (great for showing wait times and what "lands" the rides are located in) and the Disneyland app (to operate the MaxPass, wait times, where characters are located, and find showtimes). Another handy thing was the $30 battery pack we bought to charge our phones on the go. After all the MaxPass business and taking photos, it drains the phone's battery and we really needed it to find our way back to the house. I hear from a lot of people that you really need to spend at least 2 days exploring, but I think we could have done it in one. I know I said it before, but my only wish was that we got there at opening so we could meet with more characters. And, that we wore our Disney shirts, which I still don't have one, and bought our merch (like the Minnie ears) through Amazon rather than at the park.
This was hands down my favorite day. Nobody had attitudes. I felt like it was a vacation day with my family. Everyone enjoyed it, even Mila, who was able to ride quite a bit actually. And Luke rode all the bigger rides twice with the Rider Switch (where if you have a kid in a stroller, one parent can go with older kid and then immediately after the parents switch and can go to the front of the line). Luke's favorite ride was Buzz Lightyear where you shoot at Zerg and evil aliens. I agree that it was fun because we could all go, all shoot, turn our "cars", and get a score and a picture in the end. I also liked the Pirates but only because Mila wanted to cuddle with me after the two dips. Space Mountain was even too fast for me. And I was surprised that there was nothing more than utter blackness and then some stars, galaxies and time warps thrown in. Space Tours was better. It was like you were riding a ship in the Star Wars movie. It had humor thrown in which I liked. But, Aldo's ride with Luke on Space Tours was different than mine. He wasn't attacked by a giant underwater crocodile-like monster, and an alien didn't throw paint on their windshield in the end. I guess that one needs to be ridden a few times too. By the end of the day, we were all worn out. Mila even fell asleep on my head, when I put her on my shoulders to get a better view of the firework show that we didn't see. Haha!
Disneyland's Famous Castle
A Fun Day with the Fam
Day 5 - Trampolines & Rest
Zac and Rose wanted to take us to an indoor trampoline place. Peter was ALL over it. Mila also enjoyed it, but she hasn't figured out how to jump off of both feet yet. She enjoyed racing up and down the long trampoline in the kiddie area and throwing (or I should say "cleaning") the foam blocks back into the pit. Luke got better at his front and back flips. And Aldo and Luke worked on walking across a tight rope type thing. By the end, both of the boys were sweaty, so it must have been a good time.
When we got back, we rested and packed up for an early morning because we had to leave at 4 am. It was a bittersweet goodbye. Peter was finally getting used to having us around (although he and Luke kicked it off right away). And Mila was finally understanding how to treat Dally, their skittish dog. But it was probably the best we could have done anyway.
Pretending to be "Tired"
Way to Balance, Luke!
Day 6 - Back to KC
We could have slept in. We made time on the highway because we used the carpool lane most of the ride and not too many people are awake at 4 am, except in LA. The reason we left so early was because of the 2 hour drive and also, LAX seemed like a busy airport. Check in was right outside the terminal doors and super easy. Security pushed us through as fast as possible. So we were stuck in the waiting area for nearly an hour and a half. Kids. Wide. Awake.
On the airplane back, Mila did sleep for at least an hour, so I took advantage of the time and watched a partial movie. Luke and Aldo watched Harry Potter on the other side. American Airlines didn't let us on first to set up the car seat (which I liked about Delta) and we had a bit of turbulence in KC from storms. Other than that, it was a great flight. Toward the end, you could tell Mila was itching to get out because she wanted to play with the tray on the back of the seat.
My final thoughts: It was a great trip, but in the end... there really is "no place like home". (So timely because I just saw a coworker in the production of The Wizard of Oz and... we're from Kansas and... we took a bunch of KC gear to Zac and Rose.
Probably our last BIG trip for a while, but for sure one for the books.
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
This is Insanity
21 Months
So, for the last two weeks I've been exercising. I just got to the point where I was "tired of being tired". I had absolutely zero energy, I knew I was eating out of boredom, and I was disgusted with how I looked. It was enough. I texted Maecy and said, it's time for a change - will you be my accountability partner? She agreed and has been absolutely amazing! We've been talking a lot more (which kind of stinks that it had to take this to be able to talk, but I'm glad anyway...) and it's been working. I started with BeachBody's workout "Brazilian Butt Lift" for a few days. After a few days of checking in with Maecy she told me that she thought I was doing the Insanity workout - I felt like I wasn't pushing myself for the results that I wanted and reluctantly switched over. Since then, I've probably completed TWO actual Insanity workouts that I think I'm satisfied with... as far as form and high intensity and time spent. And sweat.
I have noticed a change; I have more energy and it makes me want to eat healthier and make healthy choices. It makes me want to move more because then all of that work is going toward something. And, believe me... it's a lot of work.
Well, the last couple of days my legs have been hurting when I bend over... I assumed it was just soreness. And yesterday my leg (the portion between the ankle and calf muscle) was hurting... I assumed it was "ruma". Then today during my workout, I was afraid my calf was going to just explode, it was so tight and pained. Turns out I have a calf strain. Ugh. My plan was to cardio this fat right off my body and eat what I want. Then, Aldo's sister told me that 80% of losing weight is watching what you eat. Again, UGH. So Maecy recommended a phone app, MyFitnessPal, that counts calories and watches exercise, and keeps track of water intake, etc.
Am I turning into THAT person? I guess extreme goals require extreme change require extreme habits require extreme daily decisions.
So here are my goals:
So, for the last two weeks I've been exercising. I just got to the point where I was "tired of being tired". I had absolutely zero energy, I knew I was eating out of boredom, and I was disgusted with how I looked. It was enough. I texted Maecy and said, it's time for a change - will you be my accountability partner? She agreed and has been absolutely amazing! We've been talking a lot more (which kind of stinks that it had to take this to be able to talk, but I'm glad anyway...) and it's been working. I started with BeachBody's workout "Brazilian Butt Lift" for a few days. After a few days of checking in with Maecy she told me that she thought I was doing the Insanity workout - I felt like I wasn't pushing myself for the results that I wanted and reluctantly switched over. Since then, I've probably completed TWO actual Insanity workouts that I think I'm satisfied with... as far as form and high intensity and time spent. And sweat.
I have noticed a change; I have more energy and it makes me want to eat healthier and make healthy choices. It makes me want to move more because then all of that work is going toward something. And, believe me... it's a lot of work.
Well, the last couple of days my legs have been hurting when I bend over... I assumed it was just soreness. And yesterday my leg (the portion between the ankle and calf muscle) was hurting... I assumed it was "ruma". Then today during my workout, I was afraid my calf was going to just explode, it was so tight and pained. Turns out I have a calf strain. Ugh. My plan was to cardio this fat right off my body and eat what I want. Then, Aldo's sister told me that 80% of losing weight is watching what you eat. Again, UGH. So Maecy recommended a phone app, MyFitnessPal, that counts calories and watches exercise, and keeps track of water intake, etc.
Am I turning into THAT person? I guess extreme goals require extreme change require extreme habits require extreme daily decisions.
So here are my goals:
- Wear a bikini by August 11th (our family trip to California). I weighed myself the other day because I was so excited that I was feeling better. I weighed 215lbs. What a disappointment! That is the heaviest I have EVER been. I was 205 after I had Mila. Shouldn't that have gone down since I've been breastfeeding for 2 years??? Breastfeeding for weight loss is a joke. Anyway, I used to weigh 165lbs. in high school when I was in weight lifting, gymnastics and karate. Because the app asked for a goal weight, I chose 180lbs. I thought that would be a good start, although for my height less than 160lbs. is considered a healthy weight. Come on.... for real? To get there, it says that losing 1lb. a week is recommended. Well, I ain't gonna lose much by August with 1lb. a week. So this is the goal - wear a bikini. I don't care what weight, if there's a few stretch marks or not - I just want some results.
- Pee more. It makes sense. If I'm drinking more water, then I'll be peeing more. Results you see... The "recommended" amount of water to drink PER DAY is 1 gallon. That's 7.5 of those purified drinking bottles. I barely drink 1 right now. This is going to be something I need to push myself to do. Shortly after deciding to exercise, I found a Youtube video of Joyce Meyer preaching on "Healthy Habits". It was exactly what I needed to hear. One of her main points that I took with me was instead of focusing on the unhealthy things, focus on the healthy and positive things. Sounds more like a Joel Osteen message, but I would have to agree in this case. And it has helped. Instead of getting bummed out about missing 2 days of Insanity, get back on the bandwagon the 3rd day. And if you miss that day, get back on the 4th day. Don't beat yourself up. That would just send me back into a slump of eating peanut M&Ms.
- Reach ___ HEALTHY calories per day. So I like to eat. And I like a challenge. And from what Joyce Meyer said, I need to keep this positive. It's really negative for me to think - oh, I can only eat lettuce every day and stop completely with the sugar. And I know I will fail that mission. So I'm switching my thinking... my goal is to eat [so many] calories per day of medium to healthy food. Like, my goal IS to eat. But the challenge is to make it a healthier thing. So maybe I want peanut M&Ms... well, instead I'll have some blueberries. Or maybe I just want to eat something... the challenge is to not go to the frozen pizza or cereal bowl and get crafty to make a healthy something. AND, to my benefit eggs are easy to make and so is oatmeal.
Let's see how this goes. Expect a thrilling follow up of how much of a babe I am!! <3
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Little/Big Personality
Mila is now 19 months (... in other words slightly over a year and a half... because who keeps track of monthly milestones anymore?) and her little personality, although she always had one, is reeaaaalllly coming out. I thought I'd catch up on just her. Not to mention, this blog also needs some more pictures. We'll start with some noticeable favorites...
Person(s): There is a list depending on the day and where we are. After a Wednesday and Thursday of working at the library, I'm her favorite person. But really, am I? Or is it just because I have the "night nights"? The other person she seems to RUN to is Grammy ("Mami"). I'm so glad mom chose to stay in Kansas. She would've missed out on this little girl's cuddles every Sunday at church. And the pleasure of seeing all of her quirks descended down into this crazy, lively toddler. Seriously. We'll explore that later...
When Papa visits, sometimes it's a hit and miss. BUT, when I'm on the phone, it MUST be Papa and he MUST be calling for her. Papa is her number one to talk to on the phone. He just knows how to carry on a meaningful conversation with her.
The friends she always looks for are Asher ("Aster") and Noah ("Wawa"). They are her boy.. friends.. that Aldo and I have to keep off of her. Apparently their parents are planning the nuptials already. Not me though. See, I wouldn't mind, but I know these things are delicate and can't be forced. Let her think we don't want her with the Pastor's kid... She doesn't care for people that cling on her. Which is sad because there are a lot of people that would love her hugs, like Ember, who Mila is just now warming up to. I have to throw in a short story because it is the cutest thing and reminded me of the most famous and quoted line in Dirty Dancing. Asher confessed to his mom one day that he wasn't sure he could be friends with Levi any more. When asked why, he said that Levi wanted it to be boys only but Asher said "Nobody closes Mila behind a door." If that isn't her motto.
Luke is a given favorite. Anything Luke has or does is awesome. He is the only one that can get her to laugh hard (not forced). Their bond is the sweetest thing I've ever seen. With that said, they already bicker and get on each other's nerves too. It's those that are closest I guess...
Place: Hmm, this is a hard one. She's an explorer. She likes to get into things, especially if she knows she shouldn't. She's most "at home" at the apartment. But she also doesn't mind getting on the swings or slide at the park. Or on the swings at church in the kids' area, or in the blinky car in nursery, or ON STAGE going up and down the stairs in the SANCTUARY! She does better in the car, thank you Lord, but not her favorite place. And does better in a shopping cart for a limited time. Because eventually curiosity gets the best of her or she sees something that she needs and can't reach, and will fuss until she gets her way. She must be heard. I want to say this... at home, her favorite spots to hang out are by the pateo because outside is fun (another inherited trait that skipped a generation), the bath which is our most repetitive activity (we always take a bath the same: empty floating animals into tub, run water, play, Mommy showers at same time, water is emptied below, Mila gets lathered in soap, showers with Mommy, we drink and spit out water, get out and dry off, put on lotion, and nurse), and on one of her pillows because she knows it's "night night" time.
Food: This is where her similarities with Grammy come into play even more. She likes vegetables! She'll eat green beans one by one. She'll eat a whole cucumber by herself! She'll try to pick the healthy things off of my sandwiches. She likes black beans and rice from Chipotle. She loves spicy! She'll dip fries or chicken nuggets in katsup and suck the katsup off. Same with chips and salsa. And double dip of course. She loves fruit like: grapes, blueberries and apples BUT not bananas. Hot dogs are alright but not with the corn covering. Pizza bites are good. She's not interested in poptarts or breakfast bars, doesn't care for fruit snacks anymore. She can sense an open package of chocolate from across the room. One thing she does take after me, from when I was younger... she is choosey about her food... she WILL examine it first. And she doesn't like her hands dirty. So in between eating cheeto puffs or pizza bites, I have to wash her off so she can eat more.
Movie: We are not to where she'll sit down, but she does ask for Elmo now and she recognizes the sounds of Big Bang Theory (which Luke also loved when he was little).
Music: "Barbara Ann" by The Beach Boys, "Hey Ya" by Outkast, and "Gangnam Style". She has started singing the alphabet song (we're as far as A - B - ...) and some church songs ("I may never...").
Book: Wow, I never thought we'd get here. Since she doesn't sit still for long, it was hard to read anything. Or even get her to look at a black and white board book with no words, just shapes! But now she's a little, book-lover. Her favorites are, "Clifford Counts Bubbles," the "I Love Music," book that actually plays different instruments when you place your finger on circles (I knew she would love this one! Except that now he batteries need replaced...), and the sign language one she got from a doctor check-up. It's those three on repeat whenever she's in the mood for reading.
Toy: Ha! It is mostly whatever Mommy or Luke is currently holding in their hands that she wants to play with. Example: I'm folding clothes. It means it's time for dress up... lets all put underwear on our heads and multiple shirts on our legs. Whenever I am vacuuming, she is in the direct path of the vacuum cleaner. And thanks to my mom, she has her own cleaning supplies to play with. She scrubs the carpet sometimes. (What kid wants cleaning supplies for Christmas?) I would say that the toys she plays with most are her little kitchenette and cooking items (she hides her real bottle in the play oven, makes me some food and drink every once in a while, and stirs things), Luke's Pokémon cards, and the alphabet game on her phone or Pokémon Go on my phone. She gets in trouble with phones. She also gets in trouble with the remote, the keyboard for the Rasberry Pie, my laptop, and pens that she steals from the top drawer of the antique desk.
So in short, we've got a little/big personality on our hands...
That day she locked herself in the bathroom...
(Literally the first week we were in the apartment.)
Enjoying the Sunshine
Mami & Mila
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
No Kidding.... Really?!? & Other Reactions
One and A Half Years Old
I never finished the sale of the house story.
Mom stayed at the house with all of her belongings except a few things packed away in her trailer, Jerad's horse stall, or in her camper in Tennessee. Daily she would go to the library to use their internet to work from home, and I would even run into her on my days to work. She gradually cleaned the house to her standards of perfection (cleaned under stoves and fridges, re-painted almost all walls, wiped down all wood borders, etc.). She had an appraiser come back to give a second opinion. I know this because I was there the night before painting the basement with Granddad, Nancy, and Mom. Another last minute decision from mom.... let's paint! The next day I went back to help her before the appraiser came at noon. Jerad and I painted Luke's old room. The paint was still wet when the guy arrived. And guess what didn't make a bit of difference?? Paint. He only measured rooms and made sure everything was counted correctly. <sigh>
The good news eventually came back. Mom and the new buyer talked and made arrangements. He said basically, "Let me take you to dinner and I'll pay the closing costs, the cost of a survey, and I'll convince your guy to take a cut in commission so you can get the money you need based on the numbers you've cracked." Mom agreed. She went on the date. They signed papers on Monday, January 30th. So now mom and Bullet are staying at Granddad's.
This is not the end.
Mom has continued to go on dates and text back and forth with the new owner. She even left him little notes and words of encouragement hidden around the house. He has since confessed his feelings to her and they are now "courting". Mom has a decision to make... (and this is what it appears to me) that she will cancel the move to Tennessee. ?!?
On one hand I am glad that she'll be around for the grandkids. On the other I am completely caught off guard and questioning motives of both parties, but thankful that..... we are in our own apartment and I'm not in the middle of anything nor do I have to deal with awkwardness or drama. :)
Find the irony though... if they get married, she'll be in the house again right back where she started. It almost makes me sick to my stomach.
On another note: Luke had his first bad day at school. He told me that he missed his old school with his old friends and so he cried on the swings at both recesses. It broke my heart to hear! I could just picture him, sitting there all by himself, not swinging, no teacher paying attention, all alone in the world, tears running down his face. So we took him to T-Rex, paired with Maecy's birthday.
And another story: Apartment living has its pros and cons. For instance, we had to wait forever for our mailbox key which turns out they were fitting for the wrong key all along. The same happened with our storage key. And, that same day we realized that the pointer on the furnace is off. (It's freezing in our house when it says 80 degrees.)
However, today I had one of those days.... I was ready to take a shower and told Mila "let's take a shower". In the minute it took me to plug my phone in, she locked herself in the bathroom. I tried earring backs, small screwdrivers, metal hangers, shimmying a flat scraper in the crack to hopefully push the lock down... til I had to call maintenance (all the while trying to remain calm). Mila didn't cry much but I heard her open and shut the toilet lid. When I called the office, they were at lunch.
In total, she was locked in the bathroom about 40 minutes. After, when I had gotten us in the shower I couldn't help but cry. All the emotions came flooding out. I was reminded of when Luke was in the hospital for drinking cough medicine. I could imagine Mila getting a hold of any of the sprays and cleaners, or pesticides, that are under the bathroom sink. Or getting hurt attempting something. She's so curious!!! She isn't scared of anything!! I felt like a bad mother. Other moms don't let their one-year-olds lock themselves in the bathroom. And they don't leave cabinets un-babyproofed. And they have a key on standby just in case. I promise my head is screwed on right. I'm not negligent. It happened in one minute.
One minutes can be the scariest things sometimes.
So, I think I'm going to write a thank you card to our apartment office. They really are nice and understanding. And haven't reported me yet.... <sigh>
Is "crazy" hereditary?
I never finished the sale of the house story.
Mom stayed at the house with all of her belongings except a few things packed away in her trailer, Jerad's horse stall, or in her camper in Tennessee. Daily she would go to the library to use their internet to work from home, and I would even run into her on my days to work. She gradually cleaned the house to her standards of perfection (cleaned under stoves and fridges, re-painted almost all walls, wiped down all wood borders, etc.). She had an appraiser come back to give a second opinion. I know this because I was there the night before painting the basement with Granddad, Nancy, and Mom. Another last minute decision from mom.... let's paint! The next day I went back to help her before the appraiser came at noon. Jerad and I painted Luke's old room. The paint was still wet when the guy arrived. And guess what didn't make a bit of difference?? Paint. He only measured rooms and made sure everything was counted correctly. <sigh>
The good news eventually came back. Mom and the new buyer talked and made arrangements. He said basically, "Let me take you to dinner and I'll pay the closing costs, the cost of a survey, and I'll convince your guy to take a cut in commission so you can get the money you need based on the numbers you've cracked." Mom agreed. She went on the date. They signed papers on Monday, January 30th. So now mom and Bullet are staying at Granddad's.
This is not the end.
Mom has continued to go on dates and text back and forth with the new owner. She even left him little notes and words of encouragement hidden around the house. He has since confessed his feelings to her and they are now "courting". Mom has a decision to make... (and this is what it appears to me) that she will cancel the move to Tennessee. ?!?
On one hand I am glad that she'll be around for the grandkids. On the other I am completely caught off guard and questioning motives of both parties, but thankful that..... we are in our own apartment and I'm not in the middle of anything nor do I have to deal with awkwardness or drama. :)
Find the irony though... if they get married, she'll be in the house again right back where she started. It almost makes me sick to my stomach.
On another note: Luke had his first bad day at school. He told me that he missed his old school with his old friends and so he cried on the swings at both recesses. It broke my heart to hear! I could just picture him, sitting there all by himself, not swinging, no teacher paying attention, all alone in the world, tears running down his face. So we took him to T-Rex, paired with Maecy's birthday.
And another story: Apartment living has its pros and cons. For instance, we had to wait forever for our mailbox key which turns out they were fitting for the wrong key all along. The same happened with our storage key. And, that same day we realized that the pointer on the furnace is off. (It's freezing in our house when it says 80 degrees.)
However, today I had one of those days.... I was ready to take a shower and told Mila "let's take a shower". In the minute it took me to plug my phone in, she locked herself in the bathroom. I tried earring backs, small screwdrivers, metal hangers, shimmying a flat scraper in the crack to hopefully push the lock down... til I had to call maintenance (all the while trying to remain calm). Mila didn't cry much but I heard her open and shut the toilet lid. When I called the office, they were at lunch.
In total, she was locked in the bathroom about 40 minutes. After, when I had gotten us in the shower I couldn't help but cry. All the emotions came flooding out. I was reminded of when Luke was in the hospital for drinking cough medicine. I could imagine Mila getting a hold of any of the sprays and cleaners, or pesticides, that are under the bathroom sink. Or getting hurt attempting something. She's so curious!!! She isn't scared of anything!! I felt like a bad mother. Other moms don't let their one-year-olds lock themselves in the bathroom. And they don't leave cabinets un-babyproofed. And they have a key on standby just in case. I promise my head is screwed on right. I'm not negligent. It happened in one minute.
One minutes can be the scariest things sometimes.
So, I think I'm going to write a thank you card to our apartment office. They really are nice and understanding. And haven't reported me yet.... <sigh>
Is "crazy" hereditary?
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