Hi Zoe!

We're back in Florida after a long vacay in the midwest. Gav and I spent a couple weeks back home visiting everyone. Sadly, while we were there, Grandma Ann Paruch passed away after living more than 90 years. We miss her and it will be difficult to adjust to family get-togethers without her being with us.

John is in his final month of being a north-easterner. We really miss him and I am counting down the days until we are all together again. My mom is here with us now and is the biggest life saver EVER. Gav and I got sick the day before we flew back and poor mom has been spending her vacation taking care of us! But, there is no one better to be around when you are sick than your mama.

Gma Jo to the rescue!

Thank goodness for Grandma Jo. As soon as she heard that Gav and I would be on our own for awhile, she booked her flight to Florida to come stay with us. She came two days after John had to leave and the timing was perfect. We were sad- missing daddy and not knowing what to do with ourselves! She lifted our spirits and we had a lot of fun.

Ms. Florida

Do you like our hats? Karen bought these for us at the Cards game.

I am a professional tourist in the land of Florida. After several weeks of visitors, I think I am a seasoned veteran of Disney and such. Karen and Jordan (who are now happily engaged to be married) spent a week with us and we had a lot of fun. Went to a game in Jupiter and also spent a day at Sea World. We took Jordan to the Cubs restaurant here (Kerri, you would love it). Jordan treated us to dinner and it was great.....how couldn't it be? It started out with huge long island iced teas as the drink special!

My favorite part of their trip was when Karen asked me to be her matron of honor. I am SO honored and excited about it.

The Godfather's Visit

I haven't been able to blog too much in the last couple weeks. Been too busy being a "tourist". Uncle Dennis (who is also Gavin's godfather) has been visiting and we have been on the GO. We spent a day at Sea World, which was a total blast. Thanks to the free tickets he got from his good friend we were able to do it ALL. The shows were amazing. Watching Shamu was cool....it is amazing that killer whales can swim in the same tank with human beings. Those things are huge. My favorite part of the day was the dolphin show. Totally spectacular. We also stopped by the Anheuser Busch section and received free beer. We also ate lunch at their cafe, which was really yummy. Who could ask for a better day?

Fuh-reaky Friday

What a day. I never understood how stay-at-home moms would say that they need a vacation. I sooooo understand it now. Had to take Sasha today to be groomed, which is such a treat trying to do by myself with the babe. Chaos, let me tell you. Sasha does not like going, so i have to pretty much drag her in. Today she was very resistant to leaving us. And, Gavin was trying to get out of the cart to play with Sasha and did not understand why he couldn't. I finally got her dropped off, the forms signed, and Gavin back into his car seat. As I pull away I notice the lady next to me is still sitting in her car from when we got there and the hood is open. I asked if she was okay, she said yes, that her husband was on the way b/c her car wouldn't start. I offered my jumper cables, she was very grateful and accepted. Her car still wouldn't start even with the cables, so I called my dad to ask how long it should take for the car to start up. He gave me a quick, direct answer (thanks dad). The battery was definitely dead and not "jumping" to the occasion. She thanked me 3 times saying that no one else stopped to offer her help and it was very nice of me to do so with a baby.
So then we went to Walmart and the lines were so long. Helloo....can't you open a few more lanes? There are like 30 lanes at Walmart and only THREE of them open. Gavin started crying in the line and this older lady kept giving me dirty looks. It took forever and finally we came home. I had to drag in soda, milk, dog food, and bags of groceries and a crying baby. As soon as we get everything inside it was time to go BACK to Petsmart to get Sasha. They were running late and she wasn't ready yet. Gavin was already 20 minutes past his nap time by the time we got there. To keep him occupied we walked around and looked at the fish and the birds. Finally she was finished.

This is where it gets funny. Sasha came running toward me when they opened the little gate to let her out. She looked more than ready to get out of there. She jumped up on me and slimed my face. Her saliva went everywhere and it got all over my glasses. They were all smeared and i couldn't see! As i tried to wipe them off she jumped again, this time scratching the back of my leg behind my knee. It hurt SOOOO bad. She had just had her nails trimmed and there was a jagged edge on one of them. I looked at the back of my leg and there was a huge scratch and it was bleeding down the back of my leg. I tried to grab my receipt, get Sasha under control, put my purse back on my shoulder, secure my keys, and get the cart with Gavin in it out of the door to the grooming department. As i finally get us all out there was a lady walking toward us with one of those bloodhound dogs that howl. It started howling, so Sasha tried to lunge towards it. My purse fell off my shoulder again and Gavin tried to climb out of the cart to see the dog. He was laughing at the funny sounds the dog was making and Sasha started jumping up and down. My glasses were so smeared on one side that I cannot see out of my left eye. I noticed i was limping because my leg hurt so bad where she scratched me. And it was so bright outside that Gavin and I were squinting. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I decided to laugh, mostly because when I cry I get a headache and feel worse. Craziness.

Excuse my departure...

I have been busy working on final papers for my two online courses. The first one was fairly easy as it only had to be 12-15 pages. The second one however, had to be twenty five pages long. And that is just the body of the paper. Yes, I have been whining about this for weeks now, but for some reason my heart has just not been into studying this semester. Not sure why, but I have dreaded the completion of each weekly assignment. Maybe it is because we've been sick a lot during the past several weeks and my energy level has been low. Oh, well....this is my last week and two more courses bite the dust!

How is everyone? Did you have a nice Valentine's Day? We did. John got me a g/c to get a pedicure and manicure at a place nearby I like. I could not be happier! What a treat! We ate dinner at Amigo's- one of John's favorite places here to get fajitas.

More to come. I'm tired and do not want to look at the computer screen anymore tonight.

Salad Crisis

Awhile back I mentioned that I am a big fan of Wishbone's Western French dressing. Like Vernor's ginger ale, my father-in-law got me hooked on this stuff. Even though I enjoy a variety of different types of foods, I have my favorites, or my "standbys" if you will. (I love when people end a statement with "if you will....") If I will what? Anyway, except for Hidden Valley ranch, I crave and desire the western french flavor on my salads. Well, I couldn't find it at Super Target last week. I didn't think much of it, but now I haven't been able to find it at Winn Dixie or Walmart either. This is getting serious. What if they stopped making it? The makers of this french dressing (Wishbone) also markets a sister product... called Russian dressing, which is okay, but it is NOT the same as the Western. I finally had to cave and get something else. I tried Catalina's sweet honey french or something like that. I just haven't been feeling the same passion for my salad. Why can't they discontinue something else? Like the bacon ranch dressing- can't people just use regular ranch dressing and then top their greens with bacon bits? And, that orange-ish looking french dressing that some companies sell won't do either. It has to be red in color, not orange. Come on Wishbone, bring back the Western. I think I may investigate this further and possibly contact the company. This is not good.

No Standees Permitted

For those of you who rode a bus to school everyday, do you remember the words, "no standees permitted"? I recall looking at these words everyday wondering what in the world a "standee" was. Why didn't it just say, "No standing permitted". Never got that. Wonder if it is still written on the front of school buses.

Speaking of standing, Gavin is now upright. He is pulling himself up to a standing position any second he gets. He has learned how to plop down somewhat gently, but still is taking some rough tumbles at times. He is really proud of his new ability to see the world from a different, or higher, perspective.

They are testing the fire alarms today. It sure does take them a long time to see if the fire alarms are working properly....

Christmas all over again

Today we received a package in the mail from Grandma Karen and Grandpa Larry. It was FILLED (and I mean filled) with new clothes for Gav! Seven new pairs of pajamas, a few new outfits, new washcloths and a big boy bath towel! Oh and a super cute new bib. It was like Christmas again a month later. Thanks mom and dad! Oh, and I knew how to use the special key that was in the mailbox. I didn't make a fool out of myself again....

Not much else going on this week. I've been busy working on the two final papers for my classes. I submitted one today for my ethics classes. I wrote about the ethical obligation psychologists have to warn/protect their clients and third parties. Very exciting stuff. Now I need to finish up the other paper. 25 pages of just text is required. I am writing a short novel and I am also certain that the professor will not read everyone's paper. Oh, well...it keeps me up to date with the latest research.

And my random thought of the day: Vernor's ginger ale. Ever had it? You must try it if you have not. My father-in-law got me hooked on it. He grew up in Michigan where the tasty ginger soda was born. It is a bit pricey, but definitely worth it. Here is a picture of Grandpa Walt with Gavin.

Not so with it.....

I've said many times that my brain has not been the same since pregnancy and child birth. I feel like I just can't get things together, like I am always a step behind. Case in point. (Where does "case in point" come from anyway? It sounds so funny if you say it a couple times.) Case in point: yesterday I took Gavin and Sasha for our daily walk to get the mail. When I opened our mailbox, there was a key chain marked with an "E" with a big key attached to it. I thought, "hmmm...I guess the mailman accidentally left his key in our box". I left it there figuring he would get it when he returned. Today when I got the mail, he was just getting ready to leave. I approached him and said, "Hi Mr. Mailman" (which sounded SO stupid, but I am so used to saying WORDS all day long to Gavin in an effort to identify things). Anyway, I asked him if he found the key he mistakingly left in our mailbox yesterday. He didn't respond at first and instead looked confused. I explained that there was a key left in my mailbox and that I just left it there in hopes that he would find it today. He asked, "what does it look like?" I went to the mailbox, got out the key and smugly handed it to him. He started laughing. Like really laughing. Now I was confused. He stopped laughing and said that the key in the mailbox meant that I was sent a package and I needed the key to access it. All of a sudden it all made sense. Everyday I walk to get the mail I notice several larger mailboxes that people sometimes open. The letter "E" on my key chain corresponded with the big mailbox marked "E". I felt so stupid as I realized all this. I opened up the mailbox and had THREE packages. How exciting!! When you live far away from friends and family you LOVE getting mail. One package was sent from Courtney, another from my parents, and one from Buy.com. Courtney sent us a box filled with Christmas gifts from my relatives. My mom and dad sent some requested items, including the flashlight that dad stole from us at Christmas! And, the book I ordered John arrived!

Untitled

Okay, seriously, we cannot get over this flu virus thingy. Apparently this sickness lasts for weeks and there is nothing we can do it about. Of course we are trying to rest, drink fluids, and eat well, but enough is enough. I've talked to people all over the country who are battling this thing.

Went to Walgreens yesterday to pick up pictures I had ordered online. The girl could not find my pictures even though they were marked as "printed" in the computer. She offered to print them again and give me a 50% discount. Sounded good to me, so Gav and I did some shopping and minutes later the pics were reprinted. While driving home I wondered what would happen with my pictures if they were found. I realized that I had printed more than 100 pictures and it kind of freaked me out to think that they could end up in the wrong hands. I hate to be paranoid, but I thought about the pictures of Gavin taking a bath. I've encountered so many sickos in the world of mental health that I know they are out there! Hopefully some lazy employee just messed up and never printed the pictures so there was only one copy all along.

Speaking of pictures, I got out the digital frame that Eric and Sarah got us. It is so cool. I uploaded pictures to it today and it plays a slide show. I got all teary looking at pictures of the day that Gavin was born. Where does the time go? He was so little! It seems like just yesterday......okay, I am sounding really old. Time to sign off.

Thanks dad!

After reading my blog, my dad sent me a link to an article on hgtv with the following message attached:

Heidi/monk, If you go to the above site you will find alternative uses for hair conditioner. My suggestion is for you to even the shampoo and conditioner by pouring the x-tra cond. into a separate bottle. This way your sense of equality/balance as well as guilt over waste can be assuaged.

I had to laugh at that. My mom told me that when I was little, around the age of 2, she could not figure out where the lids to her tupperware were disappearing to. I loved opening all the kitchen cabinets and taking out all of the contents and then "reorganizing" it all. One day my grandma was visiting and said, "Karen, I think I know where all the lids to your containers have gone." Apparently I would sit on the floor and throw all the lids in the garbage. It seems that my OCD started at a very young age.

One, two, buckle my shoe...

You all know that I am a little on the OCD side....okay, maybe a lot on the OCD side. I tend to be super organized and I despise clutter. Of course my need to keep things in "order" is just a manifestation of anxiety, but, I know this and knowing is half the battle, right? This intro serves the purpose of segueing into my dilemma of the day. When my parents were visiting, my dad realized that he forgot his shampoo at home. During a shopping trip to Sam's, we found a good price on a "set" of shampoo and conditioner. My parents said they would buy it, my dad would use the shampoo during his stay, and then they leave it for me to use. Although this is a very nice gesture, I had issues with how it would pan out. When I purchase shampoo and conditioner, I begin using both bottles at the same time. There is no other way to do it. So, do you see the problem with starting out with a shampoo bottle that is not as full as the corresponding bottle of conditioner? If I end up using the shampoo before the conditioner is gone, I just throw the rest of the conditioner away and start with two new, full bottles. So...I've thought about my options. I could try to figure out how much shampoo is gone out of the bottle and try to squirt out that much of the conditioner. Or, I could give the bottle of shampoo to someone else and try to find another bottle in the store that is the same size.
I have the same issue with body wash and body lotion. At Christmas I received a bottle of body wash, but no corresponding lotion. Don't people know what stress this causes me? I have to try to find an unscented lotion close to the size of the body wash bottle to make this work. Am I completely insane, or does anyone else relate to me even a little bit?

Sick.

This is John's last week of his pediatric rotation. I am SO GLAD! We have all been sick for weeks! Kids are big sickies. John says they cry, scream, and fight like hell when they are examined, so I am sure the germs fly through the air like crazy. They also are not always too good at covering their mouths when they sneeze and cough, and do not wash their hands very often. I will be relieved when he shifts to his psych rotation next week.

Gavin's other top front tooth is coming in. He now has four visible teeth. He is having a blast trying to pull himself up to standing on anything he can get his hands on. Our little baby is growing too fast! He is not too interested in baby food anymore. He wants what mommy and daddy have. So, we are incorporating "mashed" foods into his diet and he seems thrilled.

When my mom and dad were here, they made such yummy meals. I've been savoring my homemade chicken salad and olive nut spread, but it looks like I'm on my own again with regard to food preparation. Not sure why, but anytime I don't feel good I want tombstone pizzas. Comfort food, I suppose? When I was little my dad worked night shifts for awhile. One of my favorite memories is him coming home early in the morning, like around 6AM after working all night and would sometimes make a tombstone pizza. I would wake up early and sit at the table with him and we would eat pizza together.

Random Thoughts

I am so flighty today. I guess the mania has set back in following a week of that dreaded flu illness.

First I would like to send a SHOUT OUT to my cousin Becky- not Becky Cousin, although i think Becky Cousin is cool too. And Jill. Becky and Jill were so much fun at Court's bachelorette party. I sometimes wish I lived closer to these girls so that when I DID go out to party, it would be a guaranteed good time. But my "cousin" Becky is hilarious- one of those people who makes you laugh simply by her facial expressions and humor in any given situation. We have become closer in the past few years and I am blessed to have her as one of my gal-friends. As I get older I realize that it is harder to meet new girlfriends. In high school and college it was easy. I guess that since I'm not currently in the working world, my new contacts are somewhat limited. Anyway, Becky, you rock....even though you are now a myspace nerd and play wii more than your kids do. HA HA HA

I love Western french dressing. It has to be the Western kind- no other substitutes will work. I could drink this stuff right out of the bottle (I pretty much do). My father-in-law introduced me to this "heaven in a bottle" and I have been hooked since. Now, don't get me wrong....I'm still a Hidden Valley Ranch girl from time to time, but the Western definitely has my vote. It has the perfect blend of flavors.

Chocolate poptarts. I can't get enough of 'em lately. I am SO not pregnant, but for some reason I crave pop tarts (chocolate only) all times of the day. I have been planning my meals around the need for chocolate pop tarts. I went through a phase awhile back where I ate pop tarts every morning for weeks. And, I wonder why I have a hard time keeping the weight off my butt?????

Okay, and seriously, how does anyone expect me to watch the Cardinals play without Edmonds in the outfield? And the drama at the plate? It just isn't going to be the same.

And, THANKS A LOT Ms. Melon, AKA "Zoe"......I had nightmares thanks to the conversation we had about that web site the other day. I should not read about those kinds of sad stories. I do miss you though Melon. I think that I never want to have another job where you are not my co-worker. You made work so much fun.

Okay, that is all the racing thoughts I have for now. Happy Friday.

Happy 2008!

I rang in the New Year with a trip to the emergency room. Hello 2008! On New Year's Day I began to feel nauseated and very ill, with lots of lower stomach cramps. Nothing seemed to alleviate the pain, so the ER seemed like my only option. Thank GOD my parents were here to watch the little guy so that John could go with me. Thanks to his good connections we did not wait long and the morphine was flowing through the IVHap before I knew it. After a pelvic exam and CT scan, I was relieved to find out that my appendix would be staying put and instead my aches were due to an ovarian cyst. After a long night we were sent home with pain medication and anti-nausea meds. I spent a few days in bed, then saw the gyno on Monday for follow-up. The plan is to do another ultrasound in a few weeks to monitor my new little uterine friend. On top of everything I had the flu with a pounding headache that would not go away for days. No wonder the first week of the new year is a blur!!! I think I am back among the land of the living again, so time to resume school work and mommy fun.

Merry Christmas!

It is hard to believe that Christmas is over. The holiday passed by so fast! It was nice having so much of our family here to celebrate together, especially since it was Gavin's first Christmas. He was totally spoiled, of course, with gifts. He loves his new toys and looks super cute in his new big boy outfits. John's family rented a really nice house in the Disney area. It had a heated pool and a lot of space. It was fun having Gav in the pool again and he went under water for the first time! My parents are here for a little bit longer. I realize even more how much I miss them once we are all together. Hope everyone had a nice, relaxing Christmas.

The Scooter

We have a mover on our hands. Gavin put it all together and is now officially "scooting" around like crazy. Not quite crawling, I don't think his legs are up enough, but he is fast! Can't believe that Christmas is only a couple days away. It really doesn't feel like Christmas to me. Usually it is cold and I have made Christmas cookies with my mom and grandma. Just doesn't feel the same making Christmas cookies on a hot, sunny day. I'm not complaining....I love the warm weather, but it just isn't the same as being in the midwest for the holidays. I wish it could snow just one day here, then get hot again.

We "skyped" my family tonight who was celebrating Christmas. Our web camera has sure come in handy, especially now that there is a baby in the picture (literally).

Shop til you Drop

Gavin and I headed out this afternoon for some last minute Christmas shopping. The "town center" where we go is new and filled with lots of stores. We walked,which is about 1.2 miles each way, and enjoyed the warm sunshine and fresh air. As we approached the stores, I noticed immediately that the Christmas "frenzy" was beginning. People are beginning to have that frantic look on their face. We went into TJ Max and a nice lady commented on how cute Gavin is. She said that he was a good shopper and would definitely be a lady's man as he grows older. We ended up in the same checkout line together and she went on to say that he looked like a little genius. Hey, I'll take any flattery I can get...I was so impressed that she did not ask where my sons shoes were. She said that she raised 4 boys of her own, so I asked her: Did you put shoes on your boys when they were little? She exploded in laughter and said, "NO WAY, WHAT WOULD THE POINT OF THAT BE?" I wanted to hug this woman. She went on to say that her sister always had her children in fancy shoes from the day they were born and that she would constantly tell her to put shoes on her own kids. We talked for like ten minutes after we checked out. I was so proud of me! (John would be proud too.) Usually I go into a store with a mission and leave with only a quick "hello", smile, and "thank you" to the person checking me out. Hate all that small talk and chatter. But, today....I talked to strangers!!!! I walked Gavin home in the stroller with a smirk on my face the whole way thinking of my dad's quote: "Shoes? Shoes? We don't need no stinkin' shoes!!!!!!!!!"

Mama Say Knock you OUT

I was cooking dinner last night and noticed that Gavin was no longer in my sight. He had rolled his way under a chair. When I discovered him, he squealed with delight and giggled as I asked him how he got himself under there.

What a crazy couple of days. Over the weekend John had to go to Miami to take an exam. The drive down turned into a long adventure as it was raining and an accident on the highway brought him to a complete stop for several hours. During his exam, someone broke out the window of his car and stole EVERYthing he had in it. His laptop, GPS, money, medicine, hard drive, etc... were taken. Of course the police officer who arrived to take the report was unconcerned and calloused about John's loss. The next day we decided to go to dinner to get our mind off things. On the way home we were almost hit by a reckless driver. I was like, WHAT is going on??? Then the topper: John was playing with Gavin on the floor. I attempted to step over them at the same time that John popped his head up. We collided and John got a concussion. I'm not even kidding. He said that he hoped one of the doctors asked about his weekend. He could say that he was robbed, had his valuables stolen, then was kicked in the head and knocked out by his wife. WOO HOO.