1035pm. What a fab day.

Posted by Kat in Health, John, Julie, Kat, Life, London, Rachel

Got SuperGlue off to school and spent the day with LittleMan and FireCracker, alternating between playing and working. I picked SuperGlue up a little early from school, well I always get there early so I can hang out for a bit and avoid having to stand in the long pick-up line (the babies always end up crying by the time I get to the front of the line).

After school I took the kids to Barnes and Nobles and the girls each got to buy a book and I got a Low Carb Cookbook for myself. Tonight the girls and I made beef and brocolli from scratch and ate dinner together with LittleMan (well, he watched). HotHubby has been with customers all day at is still not home at nearly 11pm at night (on Fort Carson, I think).

Put the kids to bed, exercised for 45 minutes, did the laundry and dishes, cleaned the house and am now sitting down with a glass of water to relish in my accomplishment. I’ve been having a hard time squeezing in exercise and balancing work with the kids, HotHubby and the house, but I really think I am starting to get there. Now I just have to get caught up on billing *groan*.

Sweet dreams everyone.

Back to normal

Posted by Kat in John, Julie, Kat, Life, London, Rachel, Work

Let’s get my life back to normal and quickly.

Steo one: Send my parents home safely (check!).
Step two: get Julie sleeping back in her own bed (check!).
Step three: catch up on dishes and laundry.
Step four: Get back on track with school, probably ask for incompletes.
Step five: Finish work on GAFS.
Step six: Catch up on billing all of my customers.

On a side note, John’s mother had apparently been working on a stitched quilt for Jack and it came in the mail last week and it is really pretty. I’ll work on getting a picture of it up here this weekend.

10 Thousand Things

Posted by Kat in John, Julie, Life, London, Rachel

There is an ammendment to London’s birth stats. He weighed 8lbs 3oz at birth and not the 8lbs 14oz as was previously stated. Apparently one of the blankets that was in the bowl that he was weighed in was not properly “tared.” I have since weighed the blanked in question and have had to bump his weight down. Kind of funny that he was 8-3 when Rachel was 6-3 and Julie was 9-3. I guess the elevation really does make a rather large difference. 10 fingers, 10 toes and a very healthy baby, what more could we ask for? One that doesn’t pee on us during every diaper change maybe? What is *UP* with that….

It’s almost a week since London was born and things haven’t stopped for us. My Mum came to visit on Wednesday night and by Saturday she was admitted into the hospital. It’s in the wee hours of Monday morning and she is still there. My Dad flew out Sunday night and has arranged for them both to stay through Friday depending on what the myriad of tests show. Just a little stressful right now. Well, beyond stressful. I just hope my Mum gets well again VERY SOON, it is really hard to see her sick… especially when she is a “stiff upper lip” british woman who never complains about physical discomfort.

Julie is very much a toddler right now and is making things quite stressful for me. Let me rephrase that… By John and I choosing to have unprotected sex and getting pregnant so soon after having Julie, we put together a recipe for stress that I didn’t fully realize until Jack Jack was born. Having them so close together is far more difficult than I ever imagined. Having to carry them both down and up the stairs at the same time should help me shed a few pounds, having to get them both in the car is pretty tough. Nursing the baby while Julie FLIPS out over something minor and screams and thrashes about in full toddler style is raising my blood pressure I’m sure.

I’m finding my life to be rather overwhelming right now, and this is *ME* talking. I can juggle 15 hot irons in the fire on any given day. I felt it important I document how overwhelmed I feel and how challenging I am finding our new addition to be. I don’t want 25 years to roll by when Rachel is welcoming her first child into this world and look to me for support only to find a mother who looks back on the experience with rosy colored glasses. There is nothing glamorous about new motherhood. I’m absolutely EXHAUSTED. My nipples are about to fall off. I haven’t had 10 minutes to myself as I’ve either been nursing, holding the baby (who doesn’t want to be put down), feeding the kids, cleaning the house and trying to keep afloat.

Tomorrow is “back to work” day and while that is a little daunting for me, I have to ignore how I am feeling and carry on as best as I can. Must regain control over homeschooling Rachel who has been a great helper and is noticeably far more mature than she was 18 months ago when John and I welcomed Miss Julie into the world. I did make a fabulous Navy Bean Soup on Saturday that I have enjoyed 3 bowls of. Tomorrow I’ll probably do some take-out, just to keep my sanity about me. My Dad will take my minivan to the hospital so I don’t have to take all three kiddos out again, so that is somewhat of a relief. It’s really hard to take all three out right now around naps and nursing. I’ll get the hang of it, just taking a little longer than I had expected.

John has been *THE MOST* amazing, supportive and wonderful husband. I can’t believe the things he has done for me since my water broke. In general, I am the luckiest of women in the husband department. From cleaning up after our *PLANNED UNASSISTED HOMEBIRTH* (yes folks, we planned it), to staying up until 4am yesterday morning to work, do laundry and clean the house, to making a Key Lime Pie on Wednesday for my Mum’s arrival and cupcakes *FROM SCRATCH* with Rachel and doing anything and everything that I have asked and not asked no matter how he is feeling or the time of day….. We’re coming up on 4 years together, thank you yahoo.com (LOL).

Words Julie is saying right now: hot, up, down, I love you, baba (bottle), Bopbop (Doodlebops), more, no, meow, moo, woof, boo, wawa (water), Momma, Daddy, Mah, nuh-nigh (nite nite, complete with a kiss blown), Mazz, open, baby, (LIST INCOMPLETE, will have John help me finish).

Last night I had a crazy religous dream. It took place on the front steps of this house. There was a knock on the door and it was a man who was trying to “sell” me his religous. One of those religons that promotes going door-to-door. This guy, early 60′s (Jack awake… will finish tomorrow).

I know I have other stuff that I’ve had in my head to write about, but this will have to do for now.

Something…

Posted by Kat in John, Julie, London, Rachel

I better write something. Anything. Or else I’ll be a hypocrite when I give others a hard time for being lazy and not keeping the blog updated.

Since it is officially Saturday, I am officially 38 weeks pregnant. This past Monday I spent the entire day and night in Memorial Hospital only to basically (in the end) have wasted my entire day. They ran every test under the sun from extensive bloodwork to urine to catscan to leg ultrasound (OUCH) and a nuclear scan. They believe I have a blood clot somewhere but couldn’t find it. After keeping me all day, they then sent me up to L & D. Originally I went to L&D in the morning but they had no beds, so I was escorted down to the ER and, well, whatever. You get the point. I’ve got a major shortness of breath problem that has improved a little since Monday but at some points I can BARELY breathe. Not sure what is going on, I’m hoping that things will clear up after I have the baby.

John and I went out on a date tonight, leaving the girls with F (the babysitter). After 5.5 years of only having my Mom or one friend (who both live very far away), John and I have been slowly breaking a mothers helper in and have left her with the kiddos a few times now. I’m still nervous about leaving them with anyone, but have been taking baby steps. They are only so little for so long, right? John and I went to Fargo’s Pizza Company for dinner. It was definitely different, I can’t say I was extremely impressed. It would have been a borderline nightmare if we had brought the kiddos. Afterwards we went to Joyrides and had a decent time. The golf course was the UNIMAGINABLE, nearly to the point of not being able to play. We waited in line for about 15 minutes to go on the go karts (amongst obnoxious teenagers) and when we got up to the front, the kid running the karts didn’t want to let me on. It’s a “ride at your risk” type policy and I was willing to take the risk. C’mon, I’m 9 months pregnant and I carry a very heavy and opinionated 1 year old up and down a flight of stairs with our puppy in tow MULTIPLE times a day. Letting me go around a go-kart track for 4 minutes is a picnic. I had fun.

John is asleep, the girls are konked out. I’m planning on having a quiet and uneventful saturday with just us. I love the company of our friends, the girls really like F, but… tomorrow I told Rachel it was a “just us” day. John has to see customers in the morning and I plan on getting some work done in the afternoon, but I don’t want to do much other than hang out with my kids. Rachel has been run ragged going to school all day, she needs some time just to reset her brain and do some mindless tv watching and playing outside. Julie is “down for whatever.”

Life is going well. I am on a week break and start 2 new classes next week. There are 2 classes per session and 2 sessions per semester. 3 classes a semester is considered full-time, but I’ve signed up for 4. I don’t want to be 30 and still working on this.

The kids are great. The marriage is great. I’m great. Life is great.

Tired

Posted by Kat in John, Julie, Life, Rachel

Getting up at 630am is for the birds. It is so hard to drag everyone out of bed and get them ready for the bus stop walk. We’ve recently added a puppy into the mix and she has been really great about the potty, just gotta keep that up. Rachel is loving Kindergarten, I think in another month we will put her into some sort of activity. Michael’s has a lot of cool offerings.

We found a Mother’s Helper that we are going to try out today. We’ve been talking about hiring someone for a few afternoons a week, after school. She lives a little far away but goes to the same district that we live in (she is a senior) so we are looking into the possibility of the bus dropping her off. I remember when it was me and I was doing the babysitting. It makes me feel old.

Had the carpets cleaned yesterday, they look fabulous. The guy who did the carpets also was able to clean Julie’s mattress. We only bought the mattresses a few months ago but Julie apparently needs to have a plastic cover and not a fabric cover. We’re going to buy one today. Julie is great, still puking when overstimulated but we’ve learned to anticipate it and either “get her out of it” or clean up really well.

John and I are doing well, got some new ideas for the business which we are planning on implementing soon. We’re really excited about that.

Whine I must.

Posted by Kat in John, Life, London

I have a love-hate relationship with this stage of pregnancy. I have an ulcer which is SCREAMING at me because of all of the acid that my stomach is trying to manage with the baby pushing on my stomach. I finally started taking OTC Prilosec (once a day) and Zantac before most meals. I’m doing much better with the acid problems.

The other main problem I have with this part of pregnancy is the gross lack of sleep that I have the pleasure of dealing with. Between my pelvis feeling like it will shatter, my legs which are constantly restless and the weigh change in my abdomen…

I

CAN

NOT

SLEEP!

At 2am I finally bit the bullet and took 2 tylenol PM. I had to do this while pregnant with Julie for my gallbladder pain when I didn’t want to use up some of the heavy-duty prescription pain killers my doctor gave me. I can steal 20 minutes of sleep here and there, but I have been getting up in the morning feeling like I never went to bed. Tomorrow night I am going to have John take some tylenol PM and sleep on the couch, just so he can get a good night sleep. I feel really badly for him having to put up with me and my moving, shaking, shifting (etc).

This is all worth it, just very difficult to maintain life right now.

Dust in the Wind

Posted by Kat in John, Life

Am I the only one who wants to get out the razor blades when they hear the song “Dust in the Wind?” Subaru has a new SUV commercial that has “DITW” as the background song…. That song will send me into a 45 minute depression if I hear more than a couple of bars. It’s been that way as long as I can remember.

It’s amazing how songs can change your mood. Make you want to die. Make you want to have sex. Make you want to live in a dorm and be 17 again. Make you want to dance, to eat, to cry, to look up an old love.

John and I were talking late last night about music and what is “our song.” Apparently, we don’t have one. We will have been together for 4 years this fall. I think it’s damn time we pick a song. To piss me off, I imagine he’ll choose “Shameless.” Of course, not the “Shameless” by Billy Joel, but the crap remake by the guy who couldn’t keep it in his pants (Garth Brooks). LOL.

We both like “At Last” by Etta James… but it’s not quite modern enough to be “our song.” It’s not a life threatening decision that needs to be made, just a late night rambling typed to the sound of my snoring husband. (And no, John, your snoring does *NOT* sound cute).

30 weeks pregnant today. It’s gone by too fast. Still talking about whether this will be it or not. I lean towards yes, as does the boss. It will cost $500 appx (out of pocket) for him to get a vasectomy. We’ve still got some time to decide.

I signed up for Level 1 cake decorating classes starting in mid-august. I figured it will be good for me to get out of the house a bit, especially as I will be nearing the end of my pregnancy at that point. Woohoo. My life is so exciting, isn’t it? Exciting or not, I will have a good time no matter what I do.

And last, but most importantly: My best friend is going through a very scary time in her life as a mother and the life of her youngest child. Please send any positive thoughts towards her and her husband as they wade through some very scary medical scenarios and diagnose the best little ring bearer in the world. My hope is that the diagnosis comes quickly so we can get on with whatever treatment will bring “A” back to 100% again. I’m thinking about you guys, nearly nonstop. (((HUG)))

Ten Wonderful Things about my Husband

Posted by Kat in John, Life

(I’m stealing this from Nini, except mine are in no apparent order).

1. He is definitely the world’s best father. He loves his girls more than he has ever loved anything in his entire life and it is truly beautiful to see.

2. I love his height. Knowing that John could protect us if protection were ever required somehow makes me feel safe.

3. The man can COOK! Things have died down in the kitchen since moving to a higher elevation, but when he creates…. I must gain a pound each time!

4. He works very hard at our business and will do whatever I ask him to, right down to making a difficult phone call that I have dreaded.

5. He gets along with *EVERYONE*. So often have I come across husbands who hide from company or are downright anti-social. I am so grateful I have a social and friendly man.

6. John shares my intense dislike for the cat. LOL

7. I love the Rush Limbaugh / Billy Joel argument that gets our blood boiling at least once a week.

8. We share the same policital beliefs. I could truly not be married to someone who didn’t share the same viewpoints.

9. He remembered to put his shoes in the closet and has offered to make the bed tonight.

10. He has vision that men 10 years his junior or senior will never dream of ever having.

11. His passion for technology. Need I say more?

12. Absolutely, 100%, the most thoughtful husband I have ever known. From rubbing my calves every night to help me sleep better during this pregnancy, to filling the water cooler…. I am a very lucky woman.

13. He’ll buy any feminine or otherwise embarassing product at the pharmacy for me without hesitation.

14. He didn’t flinch when I switched to cloth diapering. He has put Julie in her cloth dipes on days that even *I* didn’t have the energy.

15. He cleans my car. LOL

16. When I was a new Momma to Julie I had a very engorged breast with a clogged milk duct and I was in intense pain. At 3 in the morning I woke him up and he manually removed the clogged duct, saving me from a horrible case of mastitis. He didn’t flinch when I asked him to help. And after a miscarriage, I was quite ill (understatement of the week)…. and again, he rose to the occasion and helped me in *EVERY* way imaginable.

Holiday Weekend

Posted by Kat in John, Julie, Life, London, Rachel

Girls are great. Jack and I had our first appt and we are both doing very well. John is awesome, working on dishes as I type. Business has picked up for the both of us and while we are still struggling, who isn’t?

I’d ask that everyone who reads my blog to send some positive thoughts of health and stregnth to our friend N. He is starting another battle against cancer this week and we are rooting for him 100%!!!

This afternoon we are taking our neighbor with us to the Firefighter/MDA Chili Cookoff, we’ve all been looking forward to it for weeks!!

Tomorrow we head to Denver to spend the day with Mickey and Minnie and kiddos. Funnily enough, John (well me since I am the one who coordinates this stuff) accepted a quick network install in the town over from our friends. Not sure how that will work, but can’t turn a feasible job down, right?

Sunday and Monday will entail hanging around the house, I really want to see “Hitch!” We’ll probably go to the fireworks in town on Monday.

Things are good. Busy. Hectic. Fun. Stressful. Overall, we are super super happy.

UGH

Posted by Kat in John, Life

A few nights ago John went out, putting dozens of our signs in the groud. The following day we had several calls, making some appointments which has kept us quite busy this week.

The following day, the Colorado Springs Road Crew came out for the regularly schedule cleaning (I didn’t know that existed) and took at least 25 of our best located signs.

John is really bummed. We have, like, 3 signs left. It’s a good $300 for more. It’s the price you pay for success I guess.

My Husband

Posted by Kat in John, Life

This morning, I got up with Julie, made coffee and toasted banana bread with butter for all of us.

About 10 minutes after eating my piece, John came into the room and handed me a letter, all nicely typed, which says:

Dear Kathryn:

Due to the recent product liability lawsuit involving our banana bread, we have followed the court order to provide you with a non-defective unit. Unfortunately, during our original serving this morning, the first slice didn’t quite satisfy the appetitie.

Our apologies,

John von Tungeln

Then he handed me another slice, toasted with butter.

– I am a very lucky woman –

14.5 Months…

Posted by Kat in John, Julie, Life, London, Rachel

Julie has started taking her first steps. Rachel was just shy of 15 months when she started walking, and it looks like Julie will head down the same path. People say that “bigger” babies walk later, but Rachel wasn’t a big baby. I think my kids just like to be held. Constantly. Like all the time. Julie has John wrapped around her little fingers.

Rachel is bored out of her mind and I am finding it to be quite trying. I am going to all the town sponsored events that I can manage and she is in TBall, but summer camp is proving to be out of our budget this summer. She is too smart for her own good.

Work is good. Both John and I got some new customers this past week and he has already received payment from most of them. I, on the other hand, find myself waiting for payment from multiple people, but that is the nature of my industry. Well, for those of us who don’t hide behind complete automation and email.

Not much else, just really busy. I get the feeling that my friends and online “buddies” feel alienated because of my lack of contact, but my life has been busy, trying to keep us above float and continue to promote the good geeks in our new market. Sometimes I wonder if my online friends that feel alienated are feeling this way because of “talk.” But those that know me, know that my life is truly busy at the moment, and not just a case of me vanishing.

I. Clearly. Have. Not. Vanished.

Quite the opposite, actually, as I am now 24 weeks pregnant. I’m expanding.

Oh Boy.

Posted by Kat in John, Life

Today was really hard for me. Business isn’t as steady as I had planned for when working out this move and buying our house in my head. Things are actually pretty tight for us, even though we are managing. Today I sent John out to apply for some part time work, at Lowes and anywhere else he decides to go. He is pretty upset. Upset at me for making us move away from Massachusetts, his job and our steady business there. To be very honest, it has put a stress on our marriage. I’ve promised him that if he goes and does this, finds a job to help make ends meet, on a part time basis, that it will only be temporary. It will be my job to take care of the house and the kids (and be pregnant), and advance our marketing efforts to the point where it will be no longer necessary for him to work part-time.

I’ve never broken a promise to my husband, so this will mean quite a bit of effort on my part. But together, like everything else, we’ll pull it off. It nearly killed me to see his face as he walked out the door, but this is something we have to do.

Kicks!

Posted by Kat in John, Julie, Life, Rachel

19weeks and the flutters I have been feeling turned into kicks tonight. 5 distinct kicks. Very cool. Probably the baby getting back at me for walking so much at the Denver Zoo. We met up with a bunch of ladies from Colorado Moms today that got the four of us into the zoo for free. Woohoo.

Had a great day. The kids really enjoyed themselves, I wound up with a sunburn. Anyone *really* all that suprised?

John is tres mal

Posted by Kat in John

He has some sort of bug or flu, or most likely food posioning. He’s in Boston and vomiting and pooping his guts out. Being sick away from home, in another persons home is probably the most horrible feeling ever. I feel really badly for him.