The new look:

Before hair cut...

After hair cut...

It's not *that* cold!

You sure do get funny looks (and comments) from the grocery store cashier when you buy a 4L pail of ice cream when it's -30C. Who would have thunk it?!

What can I say... they had a really good price and we were out of ice cream.

If hell freezes over...

...I imagine it would feel a lot like central AB right now! Yesterday (during the day) temperatures were around -32C with windchill making it feel like anywhere from -40 to -50C. Last night it dipped down to -38C with a windchill of around -60C. Today's not much better... -28C with windchill around -40C. Fricking cold!!! A guy at JB's work left his vehicle sitting, not plugged in, for 6 hours and the battery froze solid. That sucks. We're leaving the vehicles plugged in 24 hrs/day right now just to keep things in running order... plus, thanks to the remote start, I can start the van and let it run for 15 mins every now and then. :)

So, my son has horrible timing when it comes to getting sick. He got sick yesterday (it began sometime Sunday night after I put him to bed) and we ended up having to brave the cold and go to the doctor's in the morning (he threw up... not spit up... at least three times during the night/early morning). I packed an "emergency kit" for the van before heading out. I found out at the doctor's office (my normal doctor was stuck in the mountains!) that there is a gastrointestinal virus going around the region... in kids and adults too. So, I had to take Logan off his formula and give him pedialyte for 12 hours, then slowly re-introduce formula. Right now he is back up to 4 oz formula (his appetite isn't what is usually is - he normally takes 6 oz per feeding) and I'm still giving him some pedialyte, as he now has diarrhea (though, thankfully, he isn't throwing up anymore)... which the doctor told me to expect with this virus. Logan is definitely feeling better though - we actually got some smiles out of him last night and he's being pretty cheerful today thus far. Poor little guy. The winter cold/flu/sickness season sucks... but it sucks even more with a baby!

We've switched over to Vonage internet phone. After a couple initial bugs, everything is working great and we love it. Our combined phone and internet bills are going to be half of what we were paying before!

Is the writer's strike ever going to end? I miss my evening dramas! Though the next three episodes of House are new... so that will entertain me for a while. A person can only watch so much reality TV without going nutty!

Planning...

...for our trip to Ontario that is! We've started thinking about our trip to Ontario this fall for LJ's wedding. JB is going to check today to see if he'd be able to get the time off (I will make it a condition of my return to work) - it shouldn't be a problem. The only thing is that since he won't have been there for a year, he can't bank hours and thus it will be a week without pay... but oh well... we'll just have to make sure the bills are covered.

If JB can get the time off, we figure it will be cheaper to drive (unless we find an amazing seat sale somewhere). Plus that way it will be easier to pack all of Logan's stuff... there's a lot of stuff with such a little baby (carseat, playpen for sleeping, etc.). I'm very excited and have started putting money aside!


Edit (2:50pm): Well, we are back from Logan's 4 month shots (poor little guy) and he's fast asleep. He now weighs 16lbs 10oz (little porker!), is 25.5 inches tall, and has a big head! Here's the updates on his percentiles...

Last time... Logan's 2 month percentiles:
- Length = 33rd
- Weight = 63rd
- Head circ = 73rd
- Weight:Length = 75th

This time... Logan's 4 month percentiles:
- Length = 75th
- Weight = 85th
- Head circ = 93rd
- Weight:Length = 75th

Wanting / Needing a Change!

Okay, so I feel the need to make a change... with my hair that is. It's the longest it's been since high school, but all I do is pull it back into a ponytail/bun every day. So, I need some ideas. Does anyone know of some good webpages to look at hairstyles - for med to long, wavy, thick hair?

Feeling better today...

So, after a rough night (Logan didn't sleep so well) and a good cry at 4am... I'm actually feeling better today. I've got a load of laundry in, the dishwasher is going, and Logan is sleeping (so I'm going to clear off the kitchen table). Sometimes I just need a good cry and then I feel better. But, we'll still keep an eye on things...

What's wrong with me?

I have been in such a slump since Christmas. My house is a disaster... I seem to barely function some days... I feel like a failure as a mother and especially as a wife. I've been having near-daily headaches (probably due to poor sleep and eating habits, lack of water, etc.) and that doesn't help anything.

Could I be suffering from postpartum depression? If I can't seem to get back on track soon I think I'll go talk with my doctor (thankfully I have a doctor that I like and trust... so I think I could actually be honest with him regarding how I've been feeling).

On another sad note... my uncle's funeral is Friday afternoon. JB was able to get the afternoon off and I have a babysitter arranged for Logan.

A few more details...

My Uncle Steve apparently "dropped" while talking to the geologist on site at the rig. So, it sounds like a heart attack. This makes 3 uncles (all on my Dad's side) that all died of heart attacks while at work on the rigs. Seems to be something running in the family.

My Dad's family isn't overly close, but there are three sets of families (uncles, aunts & cousins) that we are closer too... and Uncle Steve's family is one of those. :'( We went over for a quick visit with my aunt and cousins last night - it seems to be really affecting my one cousin who will be getting married this fall. Poor guy!

Anyways... funeral is likely this Friday (only my 3rd funeral ever).

Thanks for the kind thoughts...

Loss in the family...

My uncle Steve (one of Dad's brothers) passed away. I don't know the details yet, just that something happened at the rig.

*sigh*

I feel like I'm in a bit of a slump. I had such good intentions for the new year... and don't get me wrong, I haven't given up on any of my resolutions yet... the past week I just haven't gotten anything wrong (partly due to a sick little munchkin) and it makes me feel very lazy and not very good about myself.

On a very unrelated note, here is a song I want to learn so I can sing it to Logan (for some strange reason he likes listening to me sing... heaven knows why as I am a *terrible* singer!):

~ ~ ~

Little Mr. Roo
by: Carly Simon
from: "Best Of Pooh & Heffalumps Too"


Little Mr. Roo
Reaching up for the moon
So many things you've got to do
And no time for dreaming

Little Mr. Roo
Let the stars shine over you
Don't grow up too fast, too soon
Save some time for dreaming

Settle in, settle down
Let me see that sleepy yawn on your face
Close your eyes
I will love you completely and always

Little Mr. Roo
The moon shines silver over you
No one knows you like I do
And little Mr. Roo
Reaching for the moon
Don't grow up too fast
Too soon

I'm here... really!

This will be short, but I'll post again soon (really!).

LJ asked how my appointment with the trainer went - well, it was good. I have a new program set-up, I registered Logan at the daycare, and I put some money in Logan's account. So I really don't have any excuse not to go to the gym! I'm actually going today. My sister-in-law and I are doing a baby-swap... on Tuesday afternoon's she'll watch Logan while I go to the gym and on Thursday morning's I'll watch her oldest son while she does her paper route. The less time Logan spends in the daycare... the longer the money will last!

Logan has a bit of a cold right now... poor little guy. My one friend said "Welcome to the first winter with a baby!" when I told her. So, yesterday I bought a humidifier for his room to try and help his breathing at night (seeing as how there is no such thing as cold medicine for babies any more - they were all taken off the market not too long ago).

We are (finally!) doing "Christmas" with my family this coming Sunday. Dad got home from Saudi last Friday, but my sister was away at a weekend visit with her boyfriend this past weekend that couldn't be rescheduled.

This picture is from Christmas morning:




Edit: Not going to the gym afterall... decided that Logan's cold isn't any better than yesterday and I don't want to get my nephew's sick. Plus, I think I pulled something at volleyball last night... ouch!

Bah humbug!

Darn insomnia... I don't know why I'm wide awake... I know I will regret this later (not that there's much I can do about it)... and by later, I mean when Logan wakes up next!

Here's a random thought - what are people's experiences with teeth whitening products? Any good ones out there? Do they harm your teeth? Cost?

And here's an interesting fact... my ex (DMcL) just signed onto Facebook and after a couple back and forth messages wants to chat via phone, if I'm okay with it. So, I'm going to call him tomorrow evening. As a related side note... JB is fine with me staying in contact with DMcL.

Well, I'm going to attempt to go to sleep... again... hopefully...

Welcome 2008!

Well, happy New Year everyone! I hope 2008 is a wonderful year for everyone.

I took a look back to see what my New Year's Resolutions were for 2007, but alas... they are gone! I deleted my other blog and thus I deleted my old resolutions. Oh well, what can you do? I heard on the news that after 1 week, only 75% of resolutions are still kept... after 1 month it's down to 70%... and after 6 months it's down to 46%. But, I still make them every year even though I have had limited success with keeping them in the past. So, here goes nothing...

My New Year's Resolutions for 2008 are as follows:

1. Read more, watch TV less.
2. Get my house (and life) under control - this includes beginning Fly Lady's babysteps and especially getting into (and sticking with) a daily "beauty" routine.
3. Make an honest attempt at weight loss - go to the gym twice per week to start (I have a meeting with a personal trainer on Jan. 3); go through the Beck Diet Solution Workbook.
4. Be the best Mom and Wife I can be!


Edit (9:00pm): Oh... forgot to mention... if you want to see Viggo Mortensen's bare butt (and a whole lot more!) then watch Eastern Promises. All-in-all, an interesting movie.

3 month portraits:

Oops!

I guess I never mentioned this...

JB got a job!!! He had two interviews - one with the safety guy and the second with the big boss man. The day after the interview with the big boss, he got the job and started on Monday (Dec 10). He's driving a big truck delivering gas/diesel to rigs, farmers, plants, etc. He loves to drive, so he will enjoy this job. The pay isn't bad and he's home every night, on call every 4th weekend. It's really nice having my hubby home.

Logan is crying. Gotta go. (He doesn't like being ignored!)

Where has the year gone?

It seems that 2007 is very quickly coming to a close. I cannot belive how quickly the past year has gone by! I especially can't believe how quickly the past 11 weeks has gone by... someone told me that time flies even faster when you have children, and they are right!

Logan is doing good - growing like a weed! He's into Size 2 diapers now and is out-growing most of his 0-3 month clothing (which makes me sad - those little sleepers are so cute). He's awake so much now and so very alert. He doesn't like lying on his back (under toy bars, etc.) very long... he wants to be sitting up, looking at everything. I can't wait until I can put him in the exercauser and jolly jumper - probably another month or so before that can happen - I think he'll love it.

We went to my company's kids Christmas party (though I haven't received an invitation to the grown-up Christmas party, and that makes me a little sad) yesterday. It was fun to chat with people from work and a lot of fun just to watch all the older kids playing and having a ball. There was one of those air-bouncer castles and the older kids loved that. Then Santa came to hand out presents... Logan sat on his lap and didn't even cry (he didn't take his eyes off me the whole time). I'm trying to get my hands on the pictures of Logan from the party, so when I do I will post a couple here - especially the one of him on Santa's lap!

I think yesterday was a very big day for Logan... especially with all the noise and activity at the Christmas party. He barely slept all day and when we left the party and went to Gran's house he was very grumpy. We finally got home and he cuddled up and had a good long nap in my arms. Little grumpy man! I think between noon and 6:30pm he maybe napped for 30 minutes total... normally he'd get a couple hours spread out in that time.

On December 17th I have 3 month pictures booked for Logan. Hopefully he cooperates better than he did for our family pictures! Here's a question for you girls... do you want a copy of his 3 month picture? If so, I will mail your Christmas card after the 17th (thus meaning they won't likely make it for Christmas).

Family picture:

Poor Munchkin!

My poor little Munchkin wasn't feeling well today. At two of his feedings I think he threw-up half (or more) of what he ate... poor little guy! He did manage to keep his last bottle down, so whatever was ailing him seems to have been very short-lived (which is a good thing).

Because he spit-up/threw-up so much today, he absolutely reeked of sour milk... eeew! So, Logan had a bath tonight and now is sleeping all snuggled up in a soft blanket. My favorite part of bath time is snuggling afterwards... we always have a snuggle after baths.

Tomorrow is my cousin's baby shower. We finally get to meet Zachery... who I finally figured out is Logan's second cousin (thanks to this relationship chart... genealogy is very confusing!) and is 11 days younger than him. Last I talked to his Mom, our boys are about the same weight right now.

Last weekend I went to a Christmas craft and bake sale. While there, I ordered a blanket for Logan (the woman had to make it)... now I can't find her name or number... I really hope she calls me this weekend (she said it would take about a week), as I really want that blanket. Thankfully I haven't paid for it yet... to be paid upon pick-up. Grrr...

Feeling better

Last night I told JB how I was feeling - which, much to my amazement, made me feel better. Also, today I took a solo trip into town and did some shopping. I feel much better after that couple-hour break.

While in town I picked up our family pictures from Wal-Mart (not a fan overall of the Wal-Mart portrait studio, but I had to cancel my booking at Superstore when JB switched work schedules a while back) and they actually look okay. We are not the most photogenic family... mostly because I am overall not a photogenic person. Plus, Logan decided to wake up just as the session started and wouldn't stop crying! Out of the usual 7 shots that Wal-Mart does, we only took 2 and then we gave up! We got their package where you have to use the first shot, and then we used a second shot for our Christmas cards. My oh my... was that ever an adventure! I really hope Logan is happier for his 3 month pictures in December (which are booked at Superstore). I'll scan and post a picture later on.

JB has a job interview tomorrow morning for a job he only put a resume into last night! I have no doubts he'll get the job, so hopefully it pays enough for us to pay our bills. It wouldn't be a "career" type job, but it would give him some construction experience to put on his resume so that when all the builders start hiring in the spring again he can get a position as a 1st year carpentry apprentice somewhere.

Logan is such a little stinker sometimes (though a very cute one)! There are days when that boy will hardly sleep... thus meaning he's just cranky and wants to be held all day long. It makes it rather difficult to get anything accomplished those days... and they are usually the days when frustration levels peak for JB and sometimes me too.

Shrek the Halls is on TV tonight... hopefully it's funny... and hopefully it isn't on at the same time as Private Practice!


Edit: Well, there isn't a new episode (or any episode) of Private Practice on tonight, so there isn't any conflict in my Wednesday night TV viewing. Oh, and a quick side note... my Christmas shopping is 95% done! I have one last gift to get - the problem is that I have no idea what to get!

Edit

I'm a lot frustrated (but not just about the previous post) and there is definite tension in the house. *sigh*