Popcorn, Bubblegum, Oh-Me-Oh-My

As you know, the school year has looked drastically different than a year ago. I was expecting hiccups here and there, especially difficulty going through Zoom and staying ahead of Luke's studies at home. However, I was NOT expecting having issues with the way they were teaching Mila! Here's how it all went down...

On Wednesdays, Mila is at home. She has two, 45-minute Zoom meetings with her classmates and teacher. I've learned that if I do it on the computer, she can't see her classmates, but it's hands-free and I can keep her in one place at the dining room table. If I do it on the iPad, we can sit anywhere and she can see her classmates at different segments throughout the meeting. I've learned that I can let her sleep in a little bit on Wednesdays, and she's not in a rush to eat breakfast, therefore, she can go to the first meeting, eat, and then go to the second. I've learned that it's difficult for her to complete more than one assignment in between the two Zoom meetings. Sometimes we will do one assignment, sometimes we will hold off until after lunch to begin working on anything. In fact, she is assigned 8 things to do a day, a lot of which are repetitive and have videos or games that go along with them. We can't do all 8 in one day. The teacher doesn't assign them until Wednesday morning (it would much easier if I knew ahead of time what they were so I could get a leg up on the videos at least), and they are due on Sunday by 5pm.

The first Zoom meeting starts with a song (completely dumb, much like the "I Love You" song of Barney... I don't know what kid would like it), and then a self-soothing, breathing technique (either S.T.A.R., which I don't know what it stands for, a drain or a balloon). Don't ask me why they do the technique when they haven't even started the class. What do they have to take a breath for when they haven't even done the work to get to the place where they need to take a moment? So, the first half of the first Zoom meeting is wasted on that. They barely cover the days of the week and the weather. Then, they move on to the English portion. Sometimes they end the meeting with a story.

The second Zoom meeting deals with math. I find that it's more productive than the first meeting. A lot of the kids though, in my opinion, should already know the concepts... but we're only at the beginning of the year.

Now, I've had my complaints here and there - 1. Don't waste my time and my kids' time on sing-a-long songs and techniques that aren't doing diddly. I'd rather the time be shortened or teach them what they need to learn. 2. Two Zoom meetings is almost too much. 3. Eight assignments is too much. These are Kindergarteners! (They do best by learning through living it.) But, if you're going to give assignments, let the parents have a choice out of the eight... it's just a thought. We're fairly committed; I think you can trust us to pick a variety of assignments and not just the "easiest" two every week. BUT, none of these complaints have made me feel like I need to pull all of my kids out of school IMMEDIATELY.

Last Wednesday started like a typical Wednesday. We had our first Zoom meeting. Mila wanted to be a drain because it's fun to rain down water. The teacher showed the kids a sight word that they didn't get to: SEE. And then, she had them go through an activity where the kids were supposed to watch for their name on the screen, and when they saw it read the sentence, which goes like this: "I am Mila. I see a turtle," and so on. (A great activity, although it took up a lot of time because the kids weren't really watching for their names, so the teacher could've just called on each one. And somebody had their sound on the whole time or were goofing off, so we couldn't hear as well. ~Another issue that gets in the way of being online.) Last, she ended with a book about a STAR that had a hard day and went to the other room and took a breath, like a star does, and felt better. So really, the whole session could've been narrowed down to 15 minutes.

I let Mila have her breakfast and then it was time for the second Zoom meeting. They had an activity on greater than or less than where she went through each student in pairs and they had to say if they had more or less, or equal to, their partner. Except that, the directions weren't very clear to parents so almost all of the students had exactly 10 items. Whoops. But, overall, not a bad session.

Then, came the hard part. I said, "Mila, let's do one activity and then you can go play. This one looks easy!" I picked out the one on the word, SEE, because it involved a simple tracing of the word, coloring in bubble letters of the word in rainbow (which Mila would LOVE), finding the word among other words (and Mila is very good at I-Spy), and last cutting and glueing the word together with the correct letters in the correct order. I didn't know it involved a long video. We did the assignment and then watched the video.

The video covered every sight word known to man I think. But we don't call them sight words. We call them "popcorn words" because they should "pop out at you on the page". And when we say each letter we should have proper mouth placement, and say it with the right loudness or softness. For example, V is loud and F is soft. And when we see a word our first strategy is to find the vowel (A, E, I, O, U) no matter where it is in the word. If it's alone, then it says it's name. But if not, you see what's next to it and if it has partner vowels like in the word BAKE or SEE. Oh, that's not all covered in this ONE video - there are pairs that go together like TH and SH. And she went on through every single strategy until I think we covered everything in the English language (which statistics show is the hardest to learn). I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. They were talking to 5-year-olds!!! I get worked up just recounting the moment... Then, she went on to say that as they're sounding the words out, there shouldn't be any pauses between letter sounds, but keep making the sound and pull it out of your mouth like bubblegum. And there were abbreviations and rhymes for everything.

What are my issues? 

1. They went through EVERY STRATEGY in one session. This should be a progression. Start off with the easiest strategy and work your way to the hardest. I felt like I was bombarded, and when I looked over at Mila, her eyes were wondering around everywhere except for at the computer screen. She became detached. It was too much! 

2. Don't require your kids to call it "popcorn words" vs. "sight words". Who cares? But more importantly, parents will know what a "sight word" is and have no idea what a "popcorn word" is. A little kid isn't going to know what the word "strategy" means either. Just saying.

3. This continues on with "bubble-gumming" a word. I get that you're trying to paint a mental picture to stretch out the word, and you can do that... but, we need time to think. A gap in the word is OK. It's not going to end the world if a child has a gap in their word as they're sounding it out. 

4. I can yell at you and the F will be loud. Mouth placement is just about moot. It works for showing the difference between M and N, where the tongue is, and if the mouth is open or closed, but not every letter needs that pointed out. 

5. Your rhymes are annoying. Limit it.

6. FINALLY, AND MOST IMPORTANT, Mila was prepared and completely ready to read before this. I set her up for success. At age 4, she knew the sounds of all of the letters. She knew that the A had multiple sounds, and the E could have different sounds, etc. She was ready to put the sounds together just by sounding it out. EVERYTHING that the teachers have taught her has set her back by ten steps. She is now QUESTIONING her reading and telling me that it's difficult to find items throughout the house that start with certain sounds, when she was doing this at home last year. She was working on ending sounds last year. And middle sounds. She's questioning herself! 

I am so livid, and hurt. I feel like we made the wrong choice. My baby was ready to read, and they did her a disservice and they're doing all of the kids a disservice. I was ready to pull her completely out of school and strictly homeschool. I was going to spend the $800 (hopefully I could find a deal somewhere) on an out-dated Biblical curriculum and teach Mila at home. Then, I thought it through a little bit. That would be difficult with Luke's requirements. I'll pull them ALL out. And just do my own thing. At our own pace. It is what it is. They'll know what they need to know. And learn about real world problems. The other option was pull her out and put her in virtual school, and anything that doesn't make sense skip entirely, except that it might interfere with Luke's virtual school (he would have to take on more responsibility; and Nayelli would interrupt. From the very beginning I've felt lied to about how the entire school scenario would go, and now it's to these horrid teaching practices.

So, I called up my dad. I said, "Dad, I need to vent. And then I need you to be that person that won't tell me what I want to hear, but what I need to hear. Can you be that person?" The conversation was a long one, but a good one. The culprit: Common Core. I was reminded that we had this conversation when Luke was learning a different kind of math a few grades ago. They had him add in a really weird way, splitting up ones with ones and tens with tens. If you think back to the good years of the 1990's, they taught a little thing called "carry the 1," which they don't do any more. It's more about mental math. While this might work for some people, it's not going to work for everyone. It's adding more steps and making a problem MORE complicated. That's what they're doing with English. For Kindergarten. They've broken everything up. And it's because of Common Core. Every child needs to know certain things, but what they need to understand is that every child is unique and learns in their own way. Rather than teaching multiple to techniques to everybody, they could narrow it down, and if there are kids that need more attention, whether slower at processing or ahead, give it to them. Let's get more specialized services! 

Who in their right mind would stand behind Common Core?

And while I'm on this rant, Luke's Reading assignments are POO. There is no order, rhyme or reason to them at all - not even Common Core. I'm doing that myself! 

And after talking with Luke, Dad and Aldo, I've settled on the fact that come second semester, I'll send Luke back to school so he can learn "how all the other kids are learning" and do the stupid Common Core assignments the right way, because he knows my way and picks up on those things easily. We've had discussions of History and I know what books he likes. He'll probably be repeating a lot because we're actually ahead. And while he's in school, I'll be able to spend the quality time with Elli that I've been wanting, take ahold on the house again, and be prepared to teach Mila (or re-teach) if I have to, and especially work with her on Wednesdays.

If this doesn't work, though, Aldo will have to consider pulling them all out and never going to public school again. :-P

SIDE NOTE: With elections fast approaching, this just makes me more involved in the voting process and knowing who the candidates are. I'm not talking presidential. Those guys are covered. It's blatant what their beliefs are and it's covered in the news and on social media all the time. I'm talking LOCAL. I'm talking school boards, county representatives, governors. I knew that local government was important, but even more since Covid. How our STATE has reacted to orders and suggestions, and even more so when the states and counties are GIVEN the final decision in areas. Man, it really makes a difference. I don't want our state or our school district to be a follower, but a leader. 

Because COVID

If you were awake and breathing in 2020 (oh the irony of those words), then you already know what the title of this post alludes to. If you were asleep, then I’ll fill you in... 

In early March, the government (at the recommendation of the health organizations) decided to put out a stay-at-home order to stop the spread of coronavirus, or more specifically "to flatten the curve". It was an effort to keep hospitals from being bombarded since coronavirus is highly contagious. You couldn't go anywhere unless absolutely necessary. Travel shut down. Kids were sent home from school. Restaurants closed. Major sports suspended their seasons. (You could rewatch the Chiefs winning the Superbowl on tv.) "Essential" workers were basically doctors, grocery store workers, and truck drivers. I remember that it hit China and Europe first and people all over sent out these videos saying that we (Americans) needed to take it seriously. People ran to the store and stocked up on all kinds of stuff. There was a time when almost all of the aisles at the store were bare - all you could find was chili beans and tofu. Toilet paper and disinfecting wipes were off of the shelves for weeks. During this time more information about the virus came out - it was from Wuhan, China  from eating bat soup? Rumors were constantly spreading that it was a bioweapon, that it was coverup for human trafficking, and that it was just another strain of coronavirus. In the meantime, my family just tried to get through the days at home. Luke had to complete 4th grade through Zoom and Google Classroom. Aldo was working from home and took a pay cut. There was huge controversy about churches being open/closed - whether it was a violation of religious laws and whether government had that power. The saddest part through all of this, I think, is that those in nursing homes haven't been able to leave their rooms much or have visitors because the elderly were most at risk.

We sent Granddad some encouraging pictures during our at home "Spirit Week"

Then, in June, George Floyd was brutally killed by police officers. This started all kinds of crazy - Black Lives Matter protests hijacked by Antifa rioting, looting, and open conversations on racial injustice - statues and monuments of historical figures (most likely those with a past as slave holders) were being vandalized and torn down - police shows were cancelled on tv (even Paw Patrol!, no joke) - activists were "woke" and if you didn't actively participate then you're a "racist". So then the health gurus said that it was ok to be out if you were protesting, but if not then stay home because of coronavirus. Like you were protected from it in a huge mob! There was more and more evidence of a wide difference in opinion between Democrats and Republicans that it seemed like everything became political. The news seemed ludicrous because everything had an agenda - spread fear of coronavirus, warp numbers of death rate, promote Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders.... President Trump isn't wearing his mask today! People started looking down the rabbit hole, including myself, into QAnon, human trafficking and cabal after the Epstein case. It made me realize just how much Hollywood, Netflix, and even the news promotes ideas, sometimes without us even realizing it.

 

Lots of biking and fishing

We planted a vegetable garden! 

(Lots of success with zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, and jalapenos)

Pinning bugs for 4H Beginner Entomology

In July, a mask mandate went out that you have to wear a mask in public places, and thankfully there was a slow opening of businesses. As you would suspect, there's been controversy over wearing masks. Are they really keeping us safe or creating more health issues? What about those with health issues (like asthma or if they're hearing impaired)? What if you're carrying a concealed weapon? Will a plastic face shield work instead? Keep 6 feet away and wear a mask. Wash your hands. Wipe the shopping cart handles with disinfectant. Limit how many can sit in a restaurant together. The executive order was put out until rescinded, and I would like to say that it's been rescinded, but it hasn't. School was pushed back by three weeks of the start date so that they could put proper protocols in place to follow the orders.

Here we are. If you experience any of the symptoms, in any amount of severity, including none at all, and in any order, please get a nose swab to the brain and quarantine yourself for 14 days because you may have the markers for covid and be contagious without even knowing it:

• trouble breathing
• cough/ sore throat
  
• chest pain
• confusion
• trouble staying awake
• fever/chills
• fatigue
• body aches
• headache
• loss of taste
• loss of smell
• diarrhea

All of these, as you can see, can resemble just about all other common sicknesses... cold, flu, and allergy, AND panic attack symptoms and anxiety!

This year has been so strange. I didn't even mention the Saharan dust storms, Australian bush fires, back-to-back hurricanes in Texas/Louisiana, murder hornets, and genetically modified Florida mosquitoes. I'm sure people are suspicious that this might be it - the time before the end - the Tribulation or start of it. The majority of us (believers that I know) are just ready for 2020 to end. It feels like this has gone on for 36+ months, when we've barely entered 9.

 

Mila's Tangled Birthday Party

 

& First HAIRCUT!!!

She donated 10 inches to kids with hair loss.

Today, I took Mila to her first day of Kindergarten. We waited in the car line for over 20 minutes as each child had their temperature checked before leaving his or her vehicle and entering the school. They had to walk 6ft apart with masks on (not shields) down the sidewalk. I couldn't take her to class. I couldn't take her picture outside by the school sign, like every other child's right of passage picture prior to this year. I watched as she said she knew exactly where to go with hesitation in her small voice and then followed it with dramatic limping down the the school's entry way because her "foot fell asleep". We had the choice to send her to school full-time, remotely with daily check-ins, or virtually. We chose full-time because it was really only two days a week and remote the rest of the week due to Covid (which would include mask breaks throughout the day). Within weeks of school, that changed to four days of the week and one day remote (even though older kids go to school less??). (This must be a funding thing, and who's at least amount of risk.) Within days, I found out that there would be no mask breaks at all. 

The Night before Kindergarten

First Day of Kindergarten

This is not fair. Stressful. Insane. Emotional. Heart-wrenching. Sucky. Because COVID.

1. I couldn't go to church - because COVID.
2. I couldn't visit Granddad at home - because COVID. 
3. I couldn't go on our trip to Germany - because COVID.
4. I couldn't celebrate Aldo or Luke's birthday big - because COVID.
5. I couldn't take the kids to the zoo - because COVID.
6. I couldn't sign the kids up for sports - because COVID.
7. I couldn't play on the park equipment - because COVID. 
8. I couldn't help with Camp - because COVID.
   
9. I couldn't find the toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, baby wipes, and bleach spray - because COVID.
10. I couldn't do grocery pick-up - because COVID.
    
11. I couldn't buy a cheap pool, splash pad, or sprinkler - because COVID.
    
12. I couldn't give my honest opinion without questioning if I'd be labeled as racist or automatically assigned a political affiliation - because COVID.
13. I couldn't enjoy my regular programming of shows - because COVID.
14. I couldn't participate in fair activities with my kids like normal - because COVID.
    
15. I couldn't send my kids to school like normal - because COVID.
    
16. I couldn't breathe - because COVID.

In part, it hasn't been all negatives. The Gutz, Herricks, and us have been meeting for Bible Study on Sunday evenings and Wednesday morning Zoom devotionals. We've grown closer together in that. I spent more time/am spending more time with my kids. I got my CCL and found out that I'm a sharp shooter. :) I learned how to grow and keep a vegetable garden and enjoyed the products of it. I didn't gain any weight, but I didn't lose any either - we went on more bike rides and took more walks. We stayed strong as a family. <3

Sharp Shooter 😜

You can't see them, but all the bullet holes are in the center or cheek or eye. Score: 25/25

How Long Will I Do This?

I don't know how long I'm supposed to journal about my family life and kids for. I had this grand idea that I would have a book printed for each of my children up til their first birthday. So now I haven't printed off Mila's yet, and I just finished Nayelli's. Now that I'm done, do I continue on? Do I catch up once in a while? Dunno. Who's to say?

So..... just in case.....

For Halloween we dressed up as Wizard of Oz characters. I found this perfect rainbow dress for Mila so that she could be the Good Witch. Luke agreed that he would be the Tin Man. I made a little apron for Nayelli to make her look like Dorothy and sparkled up some socks with this red glitter glue, but it all ended up coming off as she walked. Last minute, Aldo dressed up as a Munchkin, I was the Scarecrow and Bandit was the Lion.

Happy Halloween - Oh, My!

In November we went to visit Aldo's dad in El Paso. Time was due to see Abuelito. Nayelli and Mila attached to him like a magnet. And the car ride was fun and one to remember because every major stop the kids got a fun present to unwrap.

  

Visiting Abuelito in El Paso, TX

The Alvidrez Bloodline

The Christmas Play was a hit! We did a Disney-themed musical that went through the life of Jesus. I obviously was obsessed with the two group performances that had movements. They were so powerful! One was to "He is Not One of Us" and showed how the crowds rejected Jesus before he was crucified, and the other was to "He Lives In You" and was the salvational message/lesson that the main character learned. I'll tell you this - I will NOT volunteer to make theatrical flats again.

This year for Christmas, we stayed within budget, which was pretty cool. And I think for the first time I actually have the budget saved. Luke's big present was my old iPhone. Mila really wanted the doctor Barbies and I was planning on building her a cardboard Barbie house. The house ended up getting saturated when I tried to modge-podge the wallpaper on, and so I tossed it. She was still happy with her Barbies though. Nayelli got a train to ride on. She wasn't overtaken at first, but now she's all about it. Mila and her will hide random toys in the back, and Mila will push Nayelli on it, or they'll fight over it. So good buy. Mila and Luke are also very into LEGOs. It's neat to see them work on things together. Nayelli on the other hand is at a hair-pulling stage.

Aldo got us into football sometime in the middle of last season, and he was absolutely stuck on watching every Chiefs game this season. Well, he awakened the monster. We ended up hosting a Super Bowl Party that the Chiefs WON!!!! FYI, I had no doubts. Though I may not go to downtown to see the parade, or try to have every sign or show my support on FB, I do cheer for my KC teams.

    

Reppin' Chiefs & KC Every Sunday

 

World Champions 2020!

• Aldo is still loving his job. His boss was in Thailand for the winter and it seemed like he had off for a long time, and had snow days, and could go in late, but now we're back on a schedule, getting ready for the season of roofing to take off again I suppose. And, he's mentioned a few times how he can see himself running this business with a friend/partner in the future. Hmm...
• You can read my update in the last post.
• Luke has been taking Bandit to dog training on Sundays. Bandit is going through anxiety, which I didn't know that they go through that around this age...??? So he's chewed up three leashes within the last month, and he really, really, really feels comfortable in his kennel. But last week we worked outside and Bandit did a lot better. So cross your fingers that Bandit continues to work out of this anxiety phase and do well for Master Luke. Luke also has been enjoying the Percy Jackson series this year. We started off reading the first two books together, but then he got so far ahead that I had to stop.
• Mila has enjoyed the old princess movies like Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. She's also gotten really protective over her room within the last week. I'm noticing that maybe it's best that she have alone time in her room to play without Nayelli. So much she has to share, that it's good to have her own thing at times. Mila, like I said, does well enough in homeschool and she's excited to go to Kindergarten with a playground and other kids. She loves art and play-dough. Her hair is down to her bottom, and the other day I convinced her that it's ok to cut because we won't cut it so short that it looks like a boy's.
• Nayelli is learning more and more each day. She calls Luke - "Ook". She calls Mila - "Beela". She calls Bandit - "Dit". She calls poop - "po-po", Papa - "po-po" and popcorn - "po-po". She understands so much, and right now I'm trying to get her to understand the difference between YES and NO and the head nods or shakes to match. Nayelli likes to get in the dog food because she wants to help feed Bandit, but then she also will eat his food, or fling it to him piece by piece. She likes holding onto phones or tablets or remotes, and other devices. I think she feels the power. But she also has a tendency to call unknown numbers or have important items selected and ready to delete with a click of the red button. She takes one nap a day from 2:30 to about 4:30. And recently, she likes story time at the library. It's almost too long for her, but I know that it does give her and Mila something different. She likes the theme song to Gilmore Girls and dances to it, just like Luke used to run to Big Bang Theory, and Mila used to to whatever we watched during her early years. Mila has taught her the Baby Shark song and I am not annoyed with it yet.

Til next time. Doo-doo do do.

White Macaroni

9.5 Months

Well... summer is almost over. It's been busy, but I really don't have to say that. You know. It seems that if I can catch up on here once every three months, then I'm doing a good job.
Right now the kids are upstairs in my room together - Nayelli taking a nap in her crib, Mila on the iPod watching any kid video with girls dressed up, and Luke playing Minecraft on my phone. (I was just thinking earlier today... will I ever know what is "in"? Probably not. Because I don't allow the kids on certain things, and I don't download certain games, and we don't have all the money to spend... so no, we won't know what Fortnite or TikTok or anything like that is. We won't know the names of the dance moves. And... I'm not really that broken up about it either. Our kids are really well rounded and I'm proud of that.) So I'm downstairs in the quiet with Bandit resting for a second.

The latest news is -
We had a budget meeting. (I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but following the Dave Ramsey advice of a budget meeting was probably one of the best things we did as newly weds.) We talked about our income with the insurance, expenses and all the changes through the years. It was crazy to see the numbers associated with each childbirth, and each household. We were at mom's house for over 6 years and it feels like a little blip on a screen. Anyway, we decided together that Aldo wouldn't do pursue insurance any more. When we got back from camp Mila made a comment that "Daddy was always working" and I think that really hit him hard. So he stayed home on his days off, and it felt like he was home for months. We went putt putt golfing, we went swimming, we stayed home. It was amazing. <3
Yesterday he got to see Luke show Bandit in the 4H dog show. We've been working up to this since January (unknowingly). We joined 4H only to get the free dog training. Who knew it would be so hands on...? Probably my mother. Ugh. (Side note: my mom is not the most empathetic. I told her today we might not do it next year because of the huge commitment, and she proceeded to tell me how it's nothing compared to what all my Grammy was involved in, and if she can do it with 4 children then I can do it with 3......... in not so few words. JUST WOW.) Anyway, we entered Bandit in Obedience Sub-Novice, Rally Obedience 1 and Pre-Agility. I didn't think Luke or Bandit were ready for Showmanship yet. Here's a quick explanation:

• Showmanship - Usually what you see on tv. The dogs are groomed and everything is looked at... ears, teeth, hair, nails. Behavior. The owner has to show them in a way that makes the dog look really high class. And the way they walk around the ring, the owner has to know how to turn so that the dog is always where the judge can see them (human can never block the dog).
• Obedience - Both the dog and it's owner are judged on how well the owner commands and the dog's response to it. So the judge says something like "recall your dog" and the owner should know to make the dog sit, stay, walk back as far as he/she can, call the dog to front position, and either choose to make the dog turn rotate to the left or circle completely around his/her body to the right to get back to heel position. 
• Rally O - Same as Obedience, but instead of the judge telling you what to do, a sign tells you what to do. There are 17 exercises at minimum.
• Agility - This is the obstacle course. It has the "dog walk", tunnels, jumps, see-saw, and I forget what those multiple poles are that stick up and the dog has to zig zag through them really quick.

So we spent all day yesterday at the Leavenworth County Fairground for the dog show. First we watched Showmanship, then some of Rally O before it was Luke & Bandit's turn. They did really REALLY well. I thought it might be a little bit harder actually and we had been practicing all week! We knew coming into it that the longest Bandit would sit still for us was 30 seconds, so... he bombed the 1-minute sit and the 3-minute down exercises. Actually he turned upside down and got his belly rubbed for nearly 2 minutes of it. Luke won a white ribbon.

After lunch, Luke was the first to start the Rally O off. He had no one to watch how it was done... and, going into it Bandit seemed really excited to just be out of his kennel. My first thoughts were - ok, he's too excited.... another white ribbon. They did so well! On the spiral they went around the last cone twice, which the judge must have missed. After he completed a... I'll call it a "recall"... Luke lost track of the sign and had to peek at it again, then turned and asked the judge, "Did that count?" (1. You can't talk to the judge. So he was deducted a point for that. And 2. Band it was a little slow to complete the forward part of the exercise so a point was taken there.) And the other two points that were taken must have been for multiple commands. HIS SCORE WAS A 96 OUT OF 100!!! He got a purple ribbon! What's funny is, when he left the ring we went outside to let Bandit go to the restroom and I had this huge talk about how they did really well, but listed the things I noticed. And I said, "You know, if he gets a white, I'm ok with that. If Bandit gets a high score, we'll have to move him up a level and that's off leash." He seemed ok after that talk (the morning after receiving the white ribbon had been really emotional). So we watched the rest of the owners and their dogs - some wouldn't lay down at all, some went the wrong direction, some didn't pay attention to the numbering, some didn't walk between the final two cones to leave the ring! And next was just a fun costume competition. We were so focused on getting Bandit dressed up, that we weren't ready to get his purple. They called Luke's name and when he saw the ribbon, he looked at me and I looked at him. Shock and confusion. Sooo awesome. Then, in the costume contest, Luke and Bandit took 1st for Funniest. I can say that it was all Luke. It wasn't that funny compared to the little dog in the stroller, but when the judges came by Bandit hand un-banded his mask and was chewing on it. Luke quickly improvised and pretended like he caught the thief and was going to hand-cuff him. We have such a fun kid. <3

The whole day was quite an experience. I'm glad things are.... slowing down...? I say that, but we still have VBS ("Block Party") coming up the first week of August, mom's birthday day trip to Amish country this coming weekend, Mila's birthday in August, and working at County Fair with the final Agility competition.

Updates on the other two -

I've been getting things slowly together for Mila's 4th birthday. It's all things pink and going to be a tea party. She's going to have so much fun. I actually feel bad for her. Luke has Bandit and also watches Yu-Gi-Oh with Daddy. Nayelli is a baby and does baby things and gets Mommy's attention. But what does Mila get? How does she get our attention? I can't say. So... I've been really thinking about having a "school time" for her this fall. Maybe even ordering the material for the ACE pre-k that Luke went through. But I can't remember the pricing of the instructional materials. I know it was expensive. But my thoughts are, if I buy it now, I can use it for both Mila and Nayelli later. Right? But I also wonder if Mila is the type that has to learn from someone else other than her mother...

Nayelli's upper tooth on the left popped through. And then the rest of her mouth just looks inflamed. Ever since we got back from camp, she's been really clingy, so this hasn't helped. And we took her to the doctor the other day for a regular check-up - this is the age of parent separation anxiety (or whatever you want to call it). Oi. Her little personality is popping through. I can say - it's not little... just like her big brother and big sister. She loves music. Loves "Gangnam Style", "Man in the Mirror" and the theme music to Friends. She'll shake her shoulders back and forth, throw her hands up in the air, clap and also head bang. Don't ask where she learned her moves. I blame the siblings. They're usually the ones right??? 

Just some other things I wonder about -

I used to like blogging because I could get my thoughts down, and instead of writing it all out by hand, typing goes a lot quicker. It helped me get my emotions out and wrap my head around things. Let go of emotions. Nag and complain without actually having to go to those people about it. But I haven't been blogging as much, so I just got to keep stuff to myself, or unfortunately, Aldo gets to hear the brunt of it.

• I'm not so sure about the church anymore. I keep wondering about when we'll be leaving. Is that a normal thing to think about? When you are going to LEAVE the church that you are currently at? Even more, currently PASTORING at? I love the kids, and by no means want to leave them, or even the families. But I'm taken aback by the politics that have popped up. I understand that our pastor is getting older and that his family may take over the church, but I can't believe all the talk that happens behind the scenes. And should it be labelled GOSSIP? I don't know. And, since we don't have meetings between the department heads any more, most of the time I don't know what people are even talking about. And why do people ask me what's going on? I'm in back, dude! (They really don't. They more ask about how someone is doing after they lose their position. But like, did I know that?! How should I know? I'm in back!!!) I was daydreaming on the way home from church today. We've been talking about Elijah and how God provided for him. I totally believed that God put us in back for a reason. The kids. That's obvious. But I didn't think that he had more than one! Like, there's a protection that came from being in back. We're protected from all the politics in a way. Because what would have happened if we were in adult service while all of this movement was taking place? Pastor T and Miss C are no longer "associates", new worship leaders were brought in, the youth pastors were let go, the worship team was let go, we no longer have meetings, the youth were renamed and taken over again. It's like EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED. Thank goodness we've been in back. It's really been a safe place. I feel like we would have picked up some offense or offended somebody or gotten involved or been more apart of the "gossip". I feel protected and I'm really thankful for that. So I'm wondering what it's going to look like when we do end our time in the Children's area. Are we going to be asked to step down? Are we going to make that decision? Are we going to be at the same church? Are the same people we went in with going to be there? Will it be soon or in a year or in two or in five? Will we raise up someone to take over? It's just weird. 
• Dad and his life. He's been talking to me more and more, like really talking and opening up. I love that he is, but at the same time I worry for him. I don't like seeing him stressed. He is in the middle of moving to an apartment because something happened with his duplex that broke his agreement (not on his part). It tore him up that he made the decision to leave because he had to let go of years of collecting things and memories. It felt forced rather than him having that time to be ok with it. Then, he recently found out that the company he works for isn't renewing their contract with the building they are in. So to keep his job in 2020, he either has to move to Colorado, work from home (if he has that option), or take a severance package.

HOW THINGS CAN CHANGE IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE.

I'll end with a final note. One day, while grocery shopping I came across the cold Suddenly Salad meals that we used to buy. They didn't have the Tuna Helper in that aisle any more, and I was like - my kids like macaroni... Suddenly Salad is another take on it, but cold. This will be a good alternative option. So the day came when I chose to cook it. I forgot that it took a ton of mayonnaise and had this ranch-y powder to combine with it. I tasted it first, just to know what to expect and prep the kids for something "new". UGH. First bite was disgusting. So I got up my nerve and scooped out the kids' bowls and told them - if you eat all your white macaroni, you can have ice cream! THEY DID NOT LIKE THE WHITE MACARONI. They didn't fall for the ice cream bit. At one point Mila went to brush her teeth, came back and said the macaroni tasted better. That's because she still had toothpaste in her mouth. It tasted better because all she could taste was mint. So... we don't talk about the white macaroni any more. Anything that is gross will probably be compared to the white macaroni incident of 2019, which ended with me dumping more than half the pot in the garbage.

My mom says I need to continue blogging...

Little does she know I already am...

3 Months

Nayelli Grace (2 Months)

I actually haven't forgotten to write; I've just been really, really busy. From October through December we had been working on the Christmas play at church. It seems I was there at least three times a week. I was worried because it wasn't your typical Christmas play (a modern day Scrooge), and second it wasn't your typical nativity story that you would see in church (a modern day Scrooge with a spiritual twist). Furthermore, I had to do the set all by myself. And I had a newborn! And a three-year-old that can't sit still. Thank goodness Dad let me borrow his Netflix password, otherwise we would never have gotten it done.

Our Amazing Trunk or Treat (and First Family Photo)

Nayelli was a Unicorn Princess

After that we were sick for a while. About four rounds of itchy throat and runny noses, and pure exhaustion. I didn't feel much like talking about that. Actually, Nayelli had to be observed overnight at Children's Mercy because she had a temperature. Aldo had forgotten about this, but because of her young age, a slight temperature is something to worry about. It was rough. Aldo had to stay home with the kids and with Bandit. I had to stay at the hospital alone overnight. Nayelli had to sleep in a big girl bed/crib hooked up to monitors. Of course, she slept through the night proving the point that she is a "perfect baby". I slept in the rocking chair right next to her with lights on and waking up every hour to pump or for vital check, etc. I'm grateful though, because from this experience we learned that she can, indeed, sleep alone in her crib through the night. So when we got home, we swaddled her and put her in the crib. Since then she's slept through the night.

Nayelli's First Visit with Abuelito

The holidays were nuts. Absolutely nuts. Honestly, where do I come up with these ideas? And why do I open my big mouth? Why do I agree to things? For Thanksgiving, I decided that I wanted to see Dad's side of the family. We hardly ever see them for holidays. Then, Aldo's dad announced that he was moving to El Paso after Thanksgiving, so this was our last time to see him. And Aldo's mom would be going to central Mexico on vacation for Christmas. And Vero wanted to host, but not late at night. And Jerad would host, but he would have to do it later for the kids. It was all mixed up this year! Long story short, we made it to all three, but we were late to both of mine and I didn't get to do my favorite thing... play games! Never. Again. Never, ever again. Two Thanksgivings is enough. Three Thanksgivings is straight up coo-coo.  

Merry Christmas 2018! 

 The very first in our new house...

Christmas, I thought, might go better since we were hosting (Aldo's idea). I knew it was coming because Maecy hosted last year, and when we bought the house Aldo said we would host the next one. Hosting is just as bad as being the one to travel. I don't know who decided we'd be the only ones cooking... I know who. It was Aldo! IT WAS ALDO!!! Aldo told all of my family that we would cook mom's ham, buy a turkey as well and cook it, make mashed potatoes (because J and Amy might not be coming and they're easy), and I'd cook the green beans (per usual because I make his favorite). He told his family not to worry about a thing, that there would be plenty of food, just bring themselves!!! I was like, whoa now... if we're hosting two families at the SAME TIME, we're going to need more. Jerad brought a ton of soda. Granddad was supposed to bring the rolls (he brought hamburger buns). Maecy brought her pretzel salad dessert (delicious!), Mom made stuffing, and Jul came with (what he brings every year) pecan pie. Everyone came at the same time! IT WAS INSANE! Thanks to Granddad and his horrible memory, and Jerad's "5 minutes" turning into a solid hour, my side ended up at the house between 1:30-2:00. Aldo's side, running on CPT, got there immediately after. We were supposed to serve at noon. And I hadn't eaten breakfast. I was starrrrving! And you know what else??? We had two gift exchanges. And while everyone was playing games on the Cooper side, we had the Secret Santa with the Alvidrez'. And while they played the cube game and I almost burnt the second round of green beans, I also had to show the Coopers how to work the remote. Entertaining is stressful. All I wanted to do was play games!!! I had spent YEARS waiting to get to the adult table... it was like, my greatest accomplishment when I was finally able to sit down with everyone and be taken seriously at Up and Down the River... and now, I might actually strategize and win! Sheesh. Afterward, Aldo agreed that hosting both sides at the same time, even though we had enough seating probably wasn't the best idea. So now, we plan on switching years at hosting between the family. 
How did New Years come up? Aldo. Still Aldo. He told friends that he wanted to have them at our house. And invited more friends. Someone's kids invited their friends. And so on. Aldo had worked a regular shift, came home and grilled up some tacos, and hosted til past midnight. For a while there, it was a ton of music and, for me, running up and down the stairs to take care of Nayelli. Then for a while we played Texas Hold Em'. Midnight came, and since then we haven't had a spotless house. (Was it seriously ever going to be spotless? And with a dog that sheds?) Confetti was everywhere! I knew we'd have confetti to sweep up, but darn it, some kid took it upstairs and tossed it all over both of our kids' rooms and in the bathroom too! There's confetti in between the crack of the seat of our couch. There's confetti in our air vents. There's confetti in our vacuum that we emptied at least three times. And there's still confetti in our room (which was locked that night), from sticking to the bottom of our socks and shoes and being carried in there! Forever confetti. Fun night though. Since then, everybody wants to come to our house. I don't know why... we have hardly any seating. No one eats at the dining room table. Our dog goes bonkers when anyone comes over. Maybe I should stop smiling when someone throws out these bad ideas..... I'll replace it with Aldo's "grumpy cat" face.

I forgot to mention that in between the holidays, right before Christmas to be exact, Aldo decided to get a vasectomy. So there's that. I don't want to go into too much detail, but let's just say it was a bad experience for both of us. What should have been a 5-10 minute operation, ended up being 45 minutes. And the recovery was longer. And it's hard as a "nurse" when you don't know how to help the "patient" and how to empathize with what they're going through. All you know is that it was traumatic. And you know, it being the sensitive and prized area... all the more traumatic. 


Currently...

Nayelli
Gosh, because this is HER first year book that I'm working on... 
She's amazing. Absolutely amazing. I already said that she sleeps through the night. A typical day goes like this:

5:00-7:00 am • Wakes up after sleeping through the night for first feeding and goes back to bed
9:00-10:00 am • Wakes up for good, is very attentive and happy (I get most of my cleaning done)
Eating in between
12:00-2:00ish • First nap
Eating in between
Attentive, but wants attention. A good time for games, toys, and learning.
6:00-8:00ish • Second nap
Eating in between
10:00-11:00ish • Bedtime

She recognizes and loves my face. Daddy is pretty high up there too. More importantly, Bandit is interesting now. Except that I've caught him licking her hands, feet, and head while she's in the swing, so you have to keep an eye out. And on top of that, she likes to stick her hands in her mouth as fists. It's really cute. But what's not so cute is when she does it right after Bandit licks them. She also blows raspberries and will chatter at you and raise her eyebrows and smile, like she's telling you a story. Cutest thing ever! She drools a lot. Can babies cut teeth this early? Google says some babies are born with teeth, so at three months it could happen. Typically, they cut around 6 months, but a baby can start showing the symptoms as early as 3 months. If that's so, she might be slobbery in every picture from now til then. Just saying. Last, blankets now go to the mouth too. Today, I caught her examining her hands. The time when she starts examining all sorts of things with her mouth is coming. It's right around the corner.

Mila
Oh, Mila. She is a wonderful big sister. She doesn't try to "help" by taking care of the baby herself like I feared she might. Instead, she warns me when the baby is crying and I need to get out my "special leche". She'll grab you diapers and wipes if you ask repeatedly. And, she'll play with Nayelli by taking her toys, giving Nayelli a high-pitched voice and having a conversation for her, or by telling her she's "so cute" and reminding me to put bows in her hair. Everything is still "so cute". Nayelli is a "princess". Speaking of which... we had a conversation today:

Me [in control of Nayelli's hands]: Come at me, Mila. I'm gonna punch you. Come on. Come at me!
[Mila giggles]: No!
Me: Come on...
[Still giggling]: No!
Me: Hey, guess what, Mila. I'm a princess boss. 
Mila: No, you're not a boss.
Me: Yeah, Mila. I'm a princess boss. Mila's not a princess boss.
Mila: No!
Me: Yeah, I'm a princess boss. Mila's a baby!
[Mila giggles]: I'm not a baby! You baby! 

Gosh, she's so smart. And gorgeous! Both of my girls are GORGEOUS. I mean... watch out! But back to smart. I was worried because I haven't been able to work with her like I did with Luke. For a good portion of his life, Luke watched Elmo and that's how he learned everything. So I was very happy when she picked up Mickey's shapes book. And counting from "monkeys jumping on the bed". And colors from... well, I don't know where they came from. Power Rangers, maybe? I'm so proud.
Hopefully soon we'll be able to get back to the library, where she can have some big girl time and learn with kids her age. Get used to kids her age! She wants to go to "school" and calls the library her "school" and also church her "school". She'll tell me she has "homework" and then play with her toys for a while. I honestly have no idea what she's doing, but if it keeps her occupied for a little bit, then that's good. The girl is constantly talking, or singing, or moving. She's seriously a special kind.

Luke
This is the part where my mom said I should start blogging again. It comes from the fact that I enrolled Luke in 4H. He decided his first project should be with the dog. Actually I encouraged it. Dog Care & Obedience to be exact. Win-win! So we had our first class (without the dog). Class went well with three kids. The trainer is really nice and funny, seems down-to-earth and easy-going. She ended up giving out homework to work on this first week. Made sense since next class will be wild with 10-20 dogs, several of them less than a year old, meeting other dogs and other people for the first time in a new place with new smells. Some who haven't been on a leash that much. Some who haven't been in the car that much... like ours for instance. I imagine that we'll want to quit after the first week. Anyway, the homework was: to work on their name (a dog should look you in the eyes when you say their name, that way if you're out in a field and shout their name... they at least acknowledge you), work on a "stupid trick" that I can only describe as dog touches their nose to your open hand, and the basic trick of sitting. If the dog is already pretty good at sitting then you can toss them treats (which leads to staying). Well, we get home and Luke and I look at each other and say, "Hmmm... let's see what Bandit can do!"
Bandit is not a dumb dog. Close, but not the dumbest. He knows his name. Woohoo! He instantly wants to come at your hand if you put it out. Instead of a nose touch, it has turned into let me go above and beyond and lick your hand up and down for the treat. I will wrap my tongue AROUND your hand, that's how much I want a treat. :| And, for a treat... he'll sit right away. He'll also sit for praise. He likes attention. So, we're like... let's move on to the treat toss. The very first one bonks him right in the middle of the forehead! It was hilarious and sad. I've noticed that he's not very quick at sniffing things out. Apparently he's not very good at seeing things fly towards his head either. I will give it to him though, the treat is tiny like pea-size. I suggest we try a toy instead. So Luke and I do the trick with Bandit's squirrel that he just got for Christmas. He did sooo good! And Aldo taught Bandit to "drop it" so it's been turned into a really fun game! After 20 or so treats and fetches, we're done and I go upstairs. Before I know it, Luke comes up and tells me he has bad news. Bandit ripped up his squirrel. There's stuffing everywhere. Ok, no biggie. He's also ripped up my bra. My last bra. Ugh. THIS DOG! The trainer said to pay attention to how much praise vs. "no"s we tell our four-legged companions. I tied up the count real quick. (To be noted: Bandit has gone after my bras forever. Is it my smell? Is it the breastmilk? Is it the fact that it's just mine and he wants it? I don't know why he went for it, but he's on my Do Not Trust list. Cannot leave bras around, even if on the highest point of the couch or counter. He WILL find it. He WILL go for it.)

Aldo & Myself
Right now our church is doing a 21-day fast. It's been good so far. It is only Day 3...
In the midst though, we have been planning for the Children's Church ahead of schedule, which is nice (for me especially... the admin). We went on a "date" last night to go pick up a foosball table in middle of nowhere, Holton, KS. During the ride we talked about dreams that we've had on trips to go on, retirement, aspirations, work-related goals, etc. Today starts the day where I start getting the house in order and our five year plan written out, a budget in place and so on. Aldo and I are finally in agreement to do the insurance thing (not with the original company), AND in agreement that I should go back to school to become a CPA. I've looked into it several times and every time I think - Oh my gosh, I haven't done a math problem in forever and now companies and people are going to trust me to help them with their finances and taxes! I can't do percentages off the top of my head like Aldo can! I don't understand stocks! I would have to be attached to Excel and whatever other programs they have now. And, would working with numbers all day be mundane and dull? But, I am encouraged to try out a class at least. I can do it. If it doesn't work out, well, like Aldo's insurance job... it wouldn't be "the dream job"... but a means to the end. In all seriousness, I've made the dream job. I'm a mother.

Fascinated with the Fan Blades

3 Weeks Old

Isn't it funny that before delivery, the day I really felt like nesting, my focus was on the fan blades in our bedroom... and now that we're home, whenever Nayelli has finished nursing, as I'm walking around with her in my arms her attention goes straight to the fan blades?? I think it's funny. They're still dusty. But she probably looks at it because they're symmetrically pleasing and she can make out the difference in black and white.

Nayelli is seriously the perfect, straight-out-of-the-medical-book baby. There are things I forgot, but she puts me right on track. It's like her sixth sense is knowing how a newborn should behave. For example, I couldn't remember how often a baby should eat, and how much. I did't have to worry about that with Mila (that I can remember... PREGNANCY & MOM-BRAAAAAAAIN STRIKES AGAIN!) because she was breastfed. Whatever the breast makes is what you get, kid. Even though we were attempting to breastfeed and pump at the same time with Nayelli, we still had to supplement with formula because she lost too much weight. She almost lost an entire pound! When babies lose that much then the doctors start checking functionality of organs!! Anyway, the answer is - newborns should be eating around 2.5oz every 3 hours. Nayelli automatically searched for me at 3 hours. How many diapers should you be changing a day? "I don't know, but Nayelli does!" Actually, wets should be 5-6+ a day and dirties 3-4 stools. Nayelli pees and sometimes toot-poops before every feeding and toot-poops after. She's an overachiever. And she doesn't like to be wet or dirty either. You don't have to look for a blue line. If she's crying and fidgety with her legs, odds are she's uncomfortable down there and needs a change. How long can a bottle of milk save for? Well, actually it depends on whether it's breastmilk or formula. Formula can last about an hour freshly made. Lesson learned: you don't need instant formula for a newborn when breastfeeding at the same time because the bottle goes bad, even stored in the fridge, after 3 days. Breastmilk on the other hand can last 4-5 hours freshly pumped, 4-5 days in the fridge, and 4-5 months frozen. I have no idea why I would ever freeze it... I typically don't have to worry about the time because Nayelli is up and ready to eat at precisely the right time. I'm so thankful and my heart is full. We got lucky with our third. Everyone says WATCH OUT! But I think Luke and Mila prepared us for Nayelli. We knew exactly what we wanted to do as far as breastfeeding, pumping, hospital stay, sleeping arrangements, etc. We knew what to look out for as far as baby blues - and I haven't experienced any! Lack of sleep... maybe a little. But, I am seriously getting more sleep NOW than I was PREGNANT! (Pregnant I was waking up every 1-2 hours to pee and Nayelli is up only 1-2 times a night. We go to bed at 11-11:30 pm. Like clockwork, she's up at 2:30 am for her change, eating, change again, comfort boob. And again, up at 6:00 am. Sometimes she skips the 2:30 am and we're up between 5:30-6 instead.) One thing I want to point out - you know how they say Mommy can recognize different cries? The signs are easier to spot. At this point, the only difference in cries I have spotted are the cute wimpers that say, "I don't like this," vs. the gasping for air, face red as a tomato wail that says, "I'm ticked. Take care of the problem." As I mentioned before, the sign for a change is shifty legs. The sign for I'm hungry is smacking the lips or sniff/searching around my armpit/boob in bed. If I'm holding her upright while on the couch and she's hungry, she'll literally allow herself to fall down until she's fully horizontal, parallel to my boob. I've noticed that guys think us moms are magical because we know what the kid wants. No, we don't. We look for the two signs, and if that doesn't work, we guess. And sooner or later, we arrive at the answer. So guys... you can do it, too.
I also forgot about colic and jaundice in babies. We haven't had to worry about either one. Aldo mentioned colic one time, and that was when Nayelli cried because she was uncomfortable and then stayed up all night from a growth spurt. The next day the aforementioned "colic" was gone. So it wasn't colic. And the doctor brought up the lack-of-jaundice because Nayelli had "good coloring" at every follow-up appointment we've had.
Something that all three of my kids have suffered from are the crusty eyes. All three have had blocked tear ducts. Early on, it shows up like a lone tear that stays in the inside corner crevice of the eye. Then it turns to a yellow/green tear. And it ends in eyes crusted shut. I remembered that we tried out chamomile tea, but the thing that resolved it was a warm, wet baby cloth and massaging the tear duct. I did it right away on Nayelli's left eye and it went away. The right eye clogged later on, and I'm still working on it. Those little eyes are easy to get clogged because the ducts are so small.

So... here are a few things that happened after coming home and a few thoughts I've had since. I'll label them according to the topic. (I also have to hurry as I type this because Aldo is downstairs taking care of Nayelli and I have finished pumping, so he'll be expecting me...)

• CARBS. How many carbs should a regular person have? (A regular person being someone without diabetes.) And what should a blood glucose reading look like? Aldo and I said that we want to continue eating healthier. Now, right after I had Nayelli, I binged in the hospital. Then, this past week Aunt Dolores gave us three different types of bread and cookies. Thankfully the bread was moldy after a day, so it was trashed. But the cookies went to my mouth. I had to look up these questions because as a breastfeeding mom it felt like my intake of food would be greater. I'm burning energy here! The answer: Breastfeeding women should have 210g of carb per day from healthy sources. Interestingly, that's how much I was allotted while I was pregnant. So NO CHANGE. For a non-diabetic, dietary guidelines say that carbs should be 45-65% of your calorie intake. I don't count calories, but with a 2000 calorie diet that would equal 225-335g of carb per day. How come it's lower for breastfeeding women may I ask...? I settled on this one article that said, "Instead of counting calories, follow your hunger cues." And dang, am I hungry!!!! Also, a normal fasting blood sugar (after 8 hours of not eating) is less than 100 mg/dL. And if you eat and wait 2 hours before testing, the blood sugar should be under 140 mg/dL. The other day, I had a breakfast of between 45-70g carbs (not all healthy) and my reading was 87 mg/dL. I think it's safe to say that the diabetes has gone away. But still, I'm restricting noodles. I'm restricting rice. I'm even restricting amount of bread. It physically stuffed me when I had the entire Frontega from Panera yesterday. I was full of bread after half the sandwich and wanted to stop after the second half. I'm restricting the sugars. No carb-loaded juices. If it's sugary, make it good! Make it a cheesecake, worth the sugar.... or make it a dark chocolate. No more uncontrolled candy snacking.

• POOPING. This was difficult at first. The hemorrhoids really had me worried while pregnant and post-delivery. I was told they would go away right away. It hasn't. And I was still just as constipated afterward, PLUS they added in iron to the medicines I should take. Iron will make you more constipated. Even with the stool softeners, I've clogged a record number of toilets in this house. Probably more than I have in my entire lifetime. The answer: I quit the iron. I quit the stool softeners. I turned to prunes. If you look at carbs, then 3 is your serving size. BUT, I took one for the team and have been eating about 5 prunes a day (the serving size on the package). I didn't think I would like the taste, but they're like a large, sticky raisin. I'm not brave enough to try prune juice. I think I'll waste til I'm old. Like 100 years old. The other resolution has been good, seating positions on the toilet. Yes, I actually looked this up. Haha! Feet should be flat on the floor. Knees comfortably raised above hips, or at least, at hips. Hunching over helps. Breath through it three times as if you are doing a deep-breath-peaceful-yoga-esque push. If the poop hasn't come out yet, then stand up and walk. Or you can try drinking something warm...? I'm going to be brutally honest and open right now... there were at least two poops that were as hard as rocks, and the main problem was that the balls weren't breaking off into little parts. Although hard, they were sticking together and making my butt force the stretch. I'm much better now, but I'm still taking the prunes while I'm eating as much protein as I am at meals and snacks. I'm not having a peanut scrape my booty canal again. 

• BLOOD. How much should I be bleeding? Is it supposed to be a flat golf ball or a 3D golf ball-size? Google called it "involution". You bleed no matter what the birthing experience because your wounded uterus is healing. Google did not refer to golf balls, so... the answer: If you soak a pass after you get home from the hospital every hour for two hours, that's too much. Bleeding should decrease with time. If you see an increase, it could indicate you probably did too much activity. And also, after a resting position, you're more likely to bleed more when you stand or sit back up. Currently, my blood is just about gone. A drop in the morning. A drop in the shower. A drop when I wipe. It's like the tailend of a period. Yesterday Aldo accidentally left me without transportation because he took the only keys with him to work. Everyone was gone, so I had to walk 2.2 miles with Mila at my side and Nayelli in the baba wrap to pick Luke up from school. Even after the walk, I didn't bleed but a drop. Can't wait until I'm out of these annoying pads.

• SWELLING. Is ankle-swelling supposed to happen AFTER a C-section??? The answer: It can happen. Post-partum swelling is actually normal. All that extra fluid gained during pregnancy, plus the added fluids from the IV, can cause swelling in the extremities after birth. My ankle swelling has since gone away. The incision will also swell. And, it is currently still swollen, but less with each week. To prevent swelling in the legs, or even worse blood clots!, do small exercises and stretches while you are healing and limited on movement. Make circles with your ankles, lift your legs and hold them, flex your feet, drink plenty of water and GET UP AND WALK! This is what Aldo's mom was talking about - although I would want to take it easy, the best thing to do after surgery is to get up. So, with that, I did those little exercises and the swelling went away. Each day, I pushed myself to do one thing I couldn't do the day before - first goal was to lay on my side. On October 14th I shaved my legs (it was a struggle because I didn't bend my knees much...). And my final goal was to give myself a pedicure. The true success was when I could clip my toenails. Now I'm swinging my legs around like normal. The one thing I don't care for - how my legs slide around on our new mattress. But that's not a leg problem; it's a protective cover problem.

• OTHER. There aren't many other things I have noticed to such a high degree. I immediately started losing hair in the shower, but it's a couple here and there. Not a clump. And you're allowed to lose 100 hairs a day, so we're alright. My tatas are larger because I'm breastfeeding. I forgot that my left is fast-flow and right is slow-flow. I haven't had much hard spots because Nayelli is so scheduled in her feedings. Eventually I'll wear contacts again. And hopefully soon I'll go to the dentist. I know that your teeth change with pregnancy. Strange things! Lastly, we went to the OB on Tuesday. I am released to pick up Mila now. My incision looks good. Redness is to be expected. Well... I can't see it, so no worries from me. However, I was having pain in my overhang area. The doc says that's normal. She says it will go away with time. I am more sensitive to touch than others, but still, it will go away. The answer: Tylenol for pain + Spanx to hold it in + Time. Aldo asked about "the pill". I don't plan on going on it again because it caused so many problems with my periods. So when she mentioned an IED, Aldo said he was going to have the operation. She said that was the least invasive and best way for us to not get pregnant and that I had found a really good man. Too true. He is already looking up urologists... but that's because we have met our deductible 100x over for the year it seems. If there's anything else we need done medically, now is the time...

What else is going on in the world? I was such a sucker for not getting the baby books finished for Luke or Mila. I'd forget when this tooth fell out. Or to write down when they rolled over, or what their favorite <fill in blank> was... I'm glad I've somewhat kept up with the important things in these blog books. So, with Baby #3 I have finally kept up with what is going on in the world at large. I mostly have Aldo to thank. The week after coming home we followed the questioning of who is now judge, Bret Kavanaugh. It was a stupid show of our broken governement - between false accusations, probably some Democratic agenda, the #metoo movement, and horribly so... the media - it's disconcerting. Hurricane Michael was more legit and had less coverage. Sad. Also, the Chiefs look really promising this year because Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback. Yes, I was being forced beyond my will to watch the Chiefs. And now, I'm getting into it. Ugh. I'm taking up the mantle for Grammy Nola. I was forced to watch the Chiefs vs. Raiders game (we lost by a three-point field goal). I agreed to watch the Chiefs vs. Bengals (very disappointing game because the Bengals were talked up so much and we smoked them). And now I'm involved. And it's not even the play-offs. I shouldn't know what play-offs are!!! But darn it, Aldo likes to teach me things...

Speaking of Aldo... I should get downstairs! And watch Forged in Fire. Where I learn all there is to know about blacksmithing and forging knives and other weapons. Whyyyyyy?

The Birth Story

The morning started off early. Very early. We had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am, so I woke up at 4 to get in one last antibacterial rinse - I wasn't toying with the idea of infection. I laid out clothes for the kids for the next three days all in order, and prepped some last minute things. Mom was going to come by between 4:30 and 4:45. She ended up coming early at 4:15, right at the time when Mila woke up. I think kids have a sixth sense about these things... because Mila had been sweet all week and would crawl in our bed in the middle of the night. And I let her. It's the last week of her being the baby and only girl!! I think dogs also have a sixth sense, but ours was kind of dumb about it. He would set his head on my lap and then try to burrow in further, and sometimes he would follow me around and sniff my butt. Can you smell my water about to break? Can you??
So we told Mila that the baby's birthday was TODAY and that we were going to the doctor to get the baby out of Mommy's belly. The first thing she wanted to do was go wake Luke up in her bossy way so we could get a move on. As we explained further, she looked puzzled like - Why can't you get the baby out right here? And, why aren't we all coming? But because Mom was there that made it easier. Aldo told her she was staying with Grammy and that they had to make sure Bandit would be good with the baby. And because it's still dark outside she had to go back to bed. I'm not sure if she ever did... but she seemed ok with everything when I told her we would be back.

4:30 AM on 10/4/2018

Last Time Being Pregnant :(

It was dark out still. The roads were empty. It was a quick and surreal car ride. When we arrived at the hospital, they checked us right in. We were taken to what seemed like a hallway with curtains, and behind the curtains were beds where people were either prepping or recovering from surgery. I think I was the only one in their though. First thing I had to do was strip down to nothing and put on the hideous green gown, and let my buttocks hang out. I decided to make light of it, so I just joked around the who time. I guess I did a good job because Aldo commented on how I hadn't been given any medication yet...
I was assigned two nurses to start. One must have been a beginner because the other was watching over her shoulder and making sure she checked everything off the list. (I found out laster that it was her actual job to check things off the list. She did it in the surgical room too. She made sure everything happened according to procedure.) She recommended to the other girl where to insert the IV - on the outer side of my arm... "because it doesn't hurt as bad." I didn't care where it was as long as it was done right the first time. I was thinking, why not in the obvious veins sticking out of the back of my hand??? But they took a long time searching around my arms, tapping along the inside and outside. And what ended up happening...? The newbie stuck me on my inner wrist, not hitting any vein, which had to be pulled out. And then the other nurse re-stuck me in her original suggestion, which also hurt. I thought, I really hope this isn't the start of something... I hope this isn't a Mila experience all over again... (Referring to the medicine that got stuck.)
I know Aldo could see the pain on my face. It's not an easy thing for me to hide. And he could read my mind too. I really tried to be nice and not show the pain so not to make the girl feel bad... sadly, I think she double-guessed herself the rest of the time. They put monitors on me (just like I'd been doing with the NST's) and went through a series of questions about allergies, medical history, etc. Then, they had to shave my nether regions. That was awkward. I wasn't numb or anything, just letting it all hang out in the room. And as newbie nurse was shaving, she apparently buzzed me on the leg and it started bleeding (with clippers that aren't supposed to cut!). From what I could tell... I mean, I couldn't see over my big, pregnant belly... it was a total hack-job! I shouldn't have joked about putting a design in...

The time passed quickly. I was taken right into the surgical room. And it's exactly like the TV shows. There's a metal sink outside that everyone must disinfect his or her hands in. And once you're in, they're all in scrubs and face masks. Later, I even had to put on a hair net. Haha! I was surprised by the table that I had to get on - it was super thin, barely enough space for one bun to fit on. But I did it. The longest time was spent talking with the anesthesiologists, who were really nice (and I think gay too). One of them must have been in training as well because they discussed what lumbar area to insert the needle. What is this... a teaching hospital? Cross fingers I don't die on this table or become paralyzed from an incorrect epidural... They did good. I didn't feel anything but a pinch. I had to hunch over, hugging a pillow, and then lay down and not move. They say there are side effects from epidurals (nausea, headaches, vomiting, shaking, changes in blood pressure, etc.). Thankfully I only experienced a slight headache and that was later. Instead, I started to feel anxiety set in. I didn't know the time and things were happening around me that I couldn't see, with more people than I expected coming in and out of the room... and not introducing themselves like at first. I'm sorry, are you here for the peep show??? Then, all of a sudden, this blue paper separator was put up right in front of my face. I knew it was coming, but I expected it to be a little further down, like by the bottom of my ribs. On the others side of the sheet, my garment was moved aside and again I was out in the open. That's when I got emotional. Part of me has no idea why I was crying. The other part realized that I was about to undergo a very serious surgery and complications could happen. The unfamiliar is scary. I looked over to my left and saw the warmer where they would put the baby after taking her out of me, and I suddenly worried about losing her. All the emotions!! I felt really alone in there. Vulnerable. Where was Aldo? I thought he would be in there as soon as the divider went up. The younger, gay anesthesiologist was the one that reassured me - "Everything is ok. It's normal to be scared. Don't worry about shaking," (as I'm crying...), "Your husband is on his way, someone will go get him when it's time."

Meanwhile, Aldo says that he was still back in the room. Someone had told him that they would help him get into his clubs. But as time passed and the clock showed it was close to 7:30 am, he decided to  put on the scrubs himself. He was given the largest the hospital had and still ended up ripping them slightly. He knew that he wouldn't be able to sit down without completely hulking out of them. And then, when the nurse finally arrived, she said, "Oh good, you're dressed," and brought him straight back. He came in just in time. He says he didn't get to in to see when they made "the cut".

The cut. It was weird. I was laying there with my arms stretched out on the table, and overheard them say, "Hand me the scalpel." Sounds just like the TV shows, right? Then, I felt like someone was drawing across my skin with a Sharpie marker. But because someone had just mentioned the scalpel, I'm 100% sure it wasn't a marker; it was a different kind of "sharpie". Then Aldo appeared. I looked up and his big head hovered over mine. And I teared up all over again. They kept asking him if he wanted to sit, actually, they insisted... because if he passed out, they wouldn't be able to drag him out or take care of him as well as me. We talked for a little while and caught up with what happened between us. And then they were pushing my stomach back and forth. As a pregnant person, sometimes the baby will favor one side and so your belly looks lop-sided for a bit. It was like that. Like they were intentionally making my lop-sided. Like they were playing ping pong with the baby inside of me, shifting her around until she was in the right spot. I asked Aldo if he could see anything, but even standing up he couldn't. Even when the staff said, "Oh wow! She's reaching out her hand! She wants to shake your hand!!" he couldn't see anything. The cut was more on the underside of the belly than on top. It was just too low to get a good visual. Then, all the ladies "ooh"-ed and "aww"-ed over how much hair the baby had. And then, it felt like they were passing her around amongst them, admiring her... while the rest of us waited impatiently. It took FOREVER for them to put her in the clear, heated baby bed. I was watching for it! When they took her over, Aldo asked if he could go over too. I told him Yes. Not because I'm nice. I was actually heartbroken. C-sections suck because it seems like the mother is the last one to see and hold the baby. It's pretty much unfair. I mean, I carried her for 9 months. Shouldn't I hold her first? I let him go so that he could keep watch and let me know every single thing they were doing. I'm the type of person that wants all the details!!!! And he did a good job. She sort of cried. They did a heel stick test. Weighed and measured her. And other things. Then finally Aldo brought her over. Oh my goodness, did she have a TON of hair!!

Nayelli Grace was born at 7:53 am. The entire procedure took 23 minutes. She weighed 8lb 8oz. (I'm sorry... but wasn't she supposed to be a "big baby"? Like closer to 10lb???) And she was 21.5in long. Although the numbers show differently, she seemed like the smallest of our babies. Her jet black, hair-covered head was perfectly small and round. She had blueish-grey eyes and a nose that stuck out a little further than Luke's or Mila's. It's probably because they were smashed as they came out. Same ears as me. No dimples to be seen. Her torso was long and her legs were short, chicken legs (same as Aldo) with the smallest feet and longest, skinny toes. She folded her hands, which have skinny, long fingers and pretty nails. Honestly... perfect.

The First Picture

The Alvidrez "Pout Face"

My C-Section Baby

As Aldo held her next to me, the doctors sewed me up. I didn't feel much; I was too distracted. I guess I had staples on the inside and disappearing stitches on the outside. At the beginning they had counted all of the surgical utensils they were using, and at the end they did it again. So THAT really happens. (FYI: There are more than 20.) And as they cleaned up, I saw a lady carrying a jar of some red liquid. Curiously, I asked, "What's that?" I probably wasn't supposed to see it (maybe from a record of women passing out or getting sick...), but it was fluid. Not the placenta. Bummer because I wanted to see what the placenta looked like. All well. Then we were rolled back to the curtained recovery area. After a little while, Miss C was allowed to come in to take pictures. Our first vision! And she adored Nayelli. Conversation made the two hours of recovery go faster. A lot of the time was spent checking feeling in my legs. Can I wiggle my toes? Can I bend a knee? They put old-granny pantyhose on my legs, non-slip warmer socks, and these motorized compression, Velcro "robot socks" that make sure no clots form. It's like a constant leg massage. I was able to have ice and water, annnnnd I can't remember anything else in there. <Shrugs>
Nayelli was also monitored. She had some checks done right outside the curtain and her first bath. Yes, I missed it. She was pretty content with everything. She didn't cry at all.

Then we were moved to our final hospital room. As we entered, Pastor T was sitting in the dark in there, like a creep! I thought that was funny. The nurses questioned whether we knew the strange guy. Haha!

Daddy and Nayelli

<3 Her Hair! <3

Mommy and Nayelli

(I caught her first smile on camera!)

The Announcement Photo

(The hair was kept a surprise for in-person visits...)

So... between the four days that we stayed over I can't keep everything clearly separated. I'll share what I can remember. The rest of the first day both Nayelli and I had our blood sugars tested to make sure diabetes didn't stick. They monitored my pain, which never really flared up. And I was able to eat lunch!!! Most delicious bland chicken I've ever had. Dad ended up coming to visit and brought A BUNCH of goodies - giant rice crispy sticky cookies, vanilla cake balls, chocolate cheesecake brownies (my new fave that I didn't know existed that I'll have to purchase again... and I probably ate an entire box myself... to test the glucose, of course!), party-sized sherbet, juice boxes, plates, forks, spoons, balloons, party hats... THE WORKS!!! I told him about how Mila said we needed to have a birthday party for Nayelli and he sure made it happen! And, all my guests were happy too. (Or, Nayelli's guests, I guess.) Lily visited that afternoon and Mom brought the kids later that night after dinner. I wanted to be empty-handed (no baby) when Mila came in so not to cause any jealousy off the bat. But you never know what's going to happen, right? And it just so happened that I was supposed to feed newborn Nayelli every three hours, at the very least, AND when they all showed up I had just hit that three-hour mark. So I hid her quickly under the blanket. Luke and Mila came in and saw me and Daddy first. Luke immediately wanted to know where the baby was, but I told him to hold off because, "Baby Nayelli brought you presents!" I had them open their gifts first. Mila loved her princess shoes. Except one of the princess emblems broke off right away. Cheap dollar toys... Luke like his gifts too, but he wanted to open them right away and that ended in a little break down (had the batteries, but no screw driver). So opening presents took a while. Well then, the Gutierrez family showed up again. We had a packed room! We passed out the goodies and party hats and then big brother and sister got the big reveal. I told Mila, "The doctor got Baby Elli out of Mommy's tummy... See!" and BAM! took Nayelli out from under the blanket. If I could describe Mila's reaction it would be a cross between confused and excited. Like - Whoa! Mom just pulled a baby out of her belly! Was not expecting that! They both got to hold her (on a Boppy) and from that point on LOVED her. The best reaction was Luke's. As he held her, he was saying how he was shocked she had so much hair and that it looked like his. I said, "Well Luke, that's not all she has. She has long toes like you. And when she cries, she has the same pout face." He thought that was pretty funny. But I kept going, "See Luke, God knew you didn't need a little brother... you needed a little sister who looks JUST.. LIKE.. YOU!" He grew silent and then closed his eyes. Slow motion - his head tilted back and with mouth opened wide, he started to SOB! Tears just streaming out of his eyes!! Dang.. way to go, Mom... Make the kid cry... I felt so bad!!! A story for the memory books, I guess. #ironic #priceless

 

Nayelli's BIRTH-day Party

 

The next day when the kids came, they brought Granddad and Nancy with them. They were baby-holding pros at this point. My "goal for the day" was to continue managing my pain, have the catheter removed, and be able to walk to the bathroom. Seems like the expected recovery time was a bit quick. By the end of the day I should have peed three times on my own. The first walk wasn't as bad as they say. I didn't feel like there was a hole in my stomach. Instead, I felt like I couldn't stand up straight and I had to hobble to the bathroom. Getting in and out of the hospital bed was the real puzzle. Learning the best way to get one leg up and then the other, and then slide back into a comfortable, upright breast-feeding position. By that evening we had found our rhythm, although, I still can't figure out why Aldo was so tired. It seemed like he slept every moment he had the chance. Probably the entire spectrum of manly emotions wore him out??? I have to give him kudos for being more attentive to me than the previous delivery (Mila). But that might be completely ill-calculated since I experienced baby blues and EVERYTHING he did was wrong.

That night I sent Nayelli to the nursery for a couple of hours just to get some rest. They say to take advantage of the nursery. Plus, every chance I had, I chose to hold her. Two hours away for the night while all three of us slept is not bad at all. Aldo on the couch, me in the bed, and Nayelli safe in the nursery. No reason to feel guilty. The nurses said she was a doll. And she stayed away from those loud boys. Also, while she was in there, she ended up getting the rest of the slobber crud out of her system. (She had been gagging every once in a while. With vaginal delivery that stuff is pushed out, but in the case of a C-section... it has to be suctioned. FYI: One of my worst fears is for a baby or child to gag/choke and me not knowing what to do or what the proper technique is because I never took the Newborn First Aid & CPR class.)

Great Granddad Cooper & Nancy

Mila waiting her turn...

  

<3 BIG SISTER, MILA <3

  

<3 BIG BROTHER, LUKE <3

(He told the kids in his class that he loved her smell...)

Day 3 - Maecy and the kids came to visit. Mateo smiled at Nayelli and had this look like - Mila, I know what it's like to be an older sibling. You're going to like your baby. So sweet! I got a surprise visit from my cousin, Haley, who was working in another area of the hospital and took her lunch break to come see me! And later, my Aunt Diana and Great Aunt Dolores came. Dad brought Stacia and her gang of kids. I'm almost positive one of them set off the alarm and put the maternity ward on lockdown. Aldo's mom visited every day, I think. I'm not sure, but it was always chill when she came. It was reassuring to have her there even in the background. We had a small photo shoot toward the end of the day with Miss C, Nat and Mikala. They ended up leaving sooner because, "I looked like I wasn't feeling well." My countenance changed quickly in those last five minutes from enjoying the company to what looked like a painful grimace attempting to hide behind a smile. In all actuality, it wasn't pain... I had to poop. And I was afraid to poop with company there. Not my first poop. So... I don't know if we got any good pictures or when I'll ever see them, but if/when I do... I will post them pronto.

 

Tia Maecy & Cousin Mateo

*Unpictured: Cousin Joshua was in the other room because he was under 1 year old...

 

Aunt Stacia & Cousins Kaidynn and Ava

*Unpictured: Cousins Jax and Cash because they were over with Papa, probably getting in trouble.

The final day was fast and slow. Fast because I wouldn't have minded staying another day. I enjoyed having the option to order somewhat homey food from the cafeteria and having nurses constantly on my case about how I'm holding up. And not having to worry about the house work or (I love them, I love them, I love them...!!!) my other two kids. Oh, and I have to say something about this... I stated point blank before leaving that our dog is an inside dog, that he needs this much food at these times, that the kids' clothes are laid out, etc. etc. Day One - guess what happens. The dog was left outside in the rain and tore the sliding screen door off the back porch. He's never gone for the screen door! Day Two - he ripped the screen out of the frame. Day Three - he was left outside in the rain again. I don't know how long, but we gave a friend the key code to get in the house and he ended up having to bring Bandit in and put him to dry in the kennel. Every Day - Mila was in miss-matched clothes. ??? So my question is, why ask for directions or leave directions if they're going to be ignored?
Anyway, the day was slow because we had to wait on the approval from the pediatrician for Nayelli to be discharged, and from my OB for me to be released. I honestly did not mind waiting. First, I wanted to make sure we got everything packed that we needed - our own stuff, plus the diapers and extras from the hospital. And second, if we were paying for the stay then I was getting lunch on the house!

Welcome Home!

And then we were home. Vero and the boys ended up coming over. THAT was exhausting. I thought it would be a 10-minute to 30-minute visit... they stayed for an entire movie. I slept through most of it with Nayelli resting on my shoulder. Sorry, sister. I'm not a very good host coming fresh out of the hospital... Good thing is, she didn't expect me to be. And the kids had their cousins to burn off some energy.