Jenna's First Haircut

This is Jenna's first haircut ever besides her bangs. She's so fired up, and I think it must feel different cause she kept shaking her head to make her hair move. :) these pictures didn't show up in the right order, but here is how she looked after the haircut

Jenna looks like such a big girl now, and she loves her haircut!

the finished product in the back. I'm pleased at how it turned out.

Before I cut it on the side. She had one short layer that I measured the rest of her hair with.

It was really long in the back. I probably cut an inch or two off. It made me a little sad to cut it, but it does look much healthier now. Now I think I'll let it grow out again, and maybe it'll stay one lenth and look better.

Well, I did it. I'm actually proud of the job I did too. I was really nervous to cut it, but she sat pretty good for me, and I somehow was able to cut straight. I nicked my hand, but it was worth it. I think she really looks alot like I did when I was the same age as her. She looks so big now, but her hair looks lots healthier. Let me know what you think! This was her first haircut, and she has been bugging for one for months. Everytime Aaron got one, and when Travis got one, she has really wanted hers cut. Now that I worked up the nerve to do it she loves it. :)

Thirteen

I was feeling good enough to go back to work today. It was a short shift, but it was busy and went by really fast. Thanks Jen for watching my kids! That was great and they always love having you over! And thank you Lisa for offering me a ride, even though I didn't end up needing one. :)

I think I was a magnet for pregnant ladies today. I had many come through my line. At one point two sisters came through who were due in one week and in three weeks. I commented to them that I thought I was a magnet for pregnant ladies, and they said they thought it was the store. After they saw like three or four, they started counting. Guess what number they came up with...... THIRTEEN! And that was only in their few minutes they were in the store. I'd had like five or six more come through my line before they did. What are the odds? It's not like our store is a super Target or anything either. I thought that was funny. I even got a few comments about myself being pregnant. One guy asked if I was sick at all. I told him no. He said his wife was, and he had "sympathy morning sickness". I guess he was just as sick as his wife. Can you imagine?

I think I'm going to try and cut Jenna's hair tonight...... I'm nervous, but I'm hoping it goes well. I think I'll wait til Aaron gets home. I'll post pics if I don't chicken out. She's been bugging for one, and I think it would be really cute cut to her chin. It is so many different lengths right now. So maybe if I cut it, it will grow in nicer. So, here goes, I'll give them a bath and then give it a try. Wish me luck! I've never cut any one's hair besides Aaron's and Travis's and they were boys. That's different.

Blah

Blah. That's how I'm feeling right now. Blah is how Aaron is feeling as well. I think both of us have some kind of stomach flu that requires the bathroom to be our next home. I haven't hardly eaten anything today, a piece of toast, a banana and some Swedish fish ( real healthy I know, but I couldn't resist). Nothing stayed in, but yet I eat anyway, because I'm pregnant, and even though I feel like crap ( sorry bout the pun), that little being still needs the nourishment. I would normally take a dose of pepto bismol, but that's not allowed til after baby is born. So, instead I am listening to my stomach which sounds like a bowl of soup sloshing around and growling at me. :( I called into work at ten thirty this morning, because I knew there was no way I was going to work feeling like I do. I'd be running away from customers to befriend the bathroom every twenty minutes. Plus I am feeling rather low on energy. Alot unlike my kids who are their normal energetic selves. They just don't get that mom and dad don't "peel good", as Jenna says.

I did get a nap in, Aaron is home as he has no class on Friday. So we took a nap. I had a nutty dream during that nap time. I dreamt that Sarah and Ryan had a snow tunnel that lead from our back yard to theirs and they were mad because they didn't build it and it had some kind of video surveilence system in it. I for some reason also, was at their house during my nap to watch grey's anatomy on their couch and I feel asleep there as well. Not sure where my mind pulled that dream from. :) I have stupid dreams while pregnant. I sometimes think of the book The BFG when I have funny dreams. Mr. L***d read it to us in sixth grade, and in the book the BFG would catch dreams in a field, then proceed to blow them at people when they were sleeping.

We went to the library the other day and got about six books. Now those six books get read about six times a day. Travis has a favorite that he wants you to read to him only an average of ten times in a row, to which after the tenth you can read this silly little book by heart. So just when you think ten times in a row is enough, he brings it back to you going " here you go, here you go, here you go", puts the book in your lap and settles in for time number eleven just as pumped off of the book as he was the first time it was read.

Stocking Madness

Okay, so remember I told you about those cute varicose veins I developed? Well I did get the stockings for them, and I will admit I notice a difference in the pain when I wear them, but the DRIVE ME CRAZY! They just will not stay where they are supposed too! They roll down over my belly, and in the process pull my underwear halfway to where they don't belong, and the crotch feels like it's halfway to my knees. Do you remember how uncomfortable nylons are when they are not fitting right? Well imagine you wearing a pair a size too small. That's what these feel like. What do I do? I can't stand to wear them, yet I need to do something. I can't walk around in public looking like I'm pulling up my underwear every five minutes.

On a brighter note, I went for coffee again tonight. I didn't go last week because of Loretta's shower. So I was looking forward to tonight. The girls didn't disappoint me. We had so many laughs tonight that my belly was aching a bit after. My hubby was a bit annoyed cause the kids were still up when I left, and they are usually in bed ( I also just got done with work an hour before I left for Applebees.), but I didn't care. I needed a girls night. And it was great. :)

Smiles at 5:30 a.m.

This kid had an interesting night. He's been really bad about going to bed on his own lately, so we tried to let him cry himself to sleep last night. It took two tries. Eventually though, he did fall asleep. When I went to go and check on him before I crawled into bed, this is how I found him. Laying on his belly on top of his pillow in the middle of his crib. I'm not sure how he managed that one, but I not wanting to start over from square one again, just put covers on him and let him be.

Then he woke up before Aaron left for work this morning. 5:30 is pretty early to be up and at 'em, but he was just pumped to be the only kid awake I think. He acted kind of tired for a while, but then got pretty fired up and began horsing around on my bed and rough housing with his dad before he had to leave. I think it was close to 6:30 when he went back to bed. He was too cute though, so I couldn't resist snapping a few pics of his sleepy smile this morning. :)

McManus Principle #1

I was looking for poetry today for Aaron online, and I came across this funny quote by Patrick McManus.

I thought it pertained to me pretty well, and thought maybe some of you might get a kick out of it as I did. :)

I'm always forgetting what I went to do, and end up doing something else, only to realize a half hour later that I never did what I set out to do in the first place!


McManus Principle #1:
The reason I never get anything done is that I always have to do something else first. But before I do that, I have to do something else. And so on. All my life I have been working backwards. Now I can't even remember what I first set out to do.
Patrick F. McManus

This picture is from Loretta's shower. It is one of the few pictures with Lia actually smiling! The Tervo grandkids! In the next four months there will be five!

Deanna, Missy, Katie, Dianne and I outside of our hotel in Duluth for our sisters weekend.

I never had this many cousins close in age living by me when I was growing up. Katie, Sandra and Eva were my cousins I really knew well, and they lived down state. I think Jenna is so lucky to have so many cousins she calls her friends.

I just like this picture of Travis. He is finally walking now, if I didn't mention that before. Our apt. isn't very big, so he just kind of goes in circles around here because he's so pumped to walk.

I got a chuckle out of a boss at work the other day. I stopped by to pick up my pay check and he said he had a couple of questions for me

This made me a little nervous, as I'd called in the Sat. before and I don't usually do that and always feel so guilty doing it. But anyways, he looked at me and said " I'm assuming you are with child, and am wondering what your plan is for how long you are planning on working."

Seriously, "with child"? haha! Who says that! A guy I guess, and he's only a few years older than me I think! I really got a chuckle. But I'm such a brat and the first thing that came out of my mouth was I laughed, and asked "Is it that obvious?" haha. It still makes me want to laugh. I did answer his questions though and he seemed satisfied, and said nothing about the week before.

Finally Pictures!

Here are some pictures I have been promising! :)

A little story about Travis. I was at Alanna's last night and was going to give Teija a bath. My kids didn't need one and were supposed to just watch. Well I was in the process of washing Teija up when all of a sudden Jenna yells " Travis is in the bathtub!" And sure enough, somehow the little bugger snuck right by me and climbed into the tub with all of his clothes on! He was so pumped and I thought it was too funny to be mad. So I just ran and got my camera instead and took a few pics. He probably played in the tub with his clothes on for five to ten minutes. :) It was funny how he just did not care that he was completly clothed. :0)

Pictures, a New President, and Stockings

I know I promised pictures, but guess what. We left the USB cable and everything else we need to transfer all of our new fun pics from our camera to the computer up north at Pete and Janet's. Bummer. I'll have to remember to grab them the next time I am up there. But I did take some outside today. They aren't as accurate as my description yesterday because the front end loader came through and scraped some of the parking lot where there were no cars parked.

Jenna and I went and played outside today. I probably looked a little bit foolish. I don't have any snow pants, so I borrowed Aaron's hunting pants which are waterproof, and camouflage. He does have plain black carharts, but they are way to big. So, I made do. I stayed dry so I guess that's the most important part. Jenna had a blast. She made snow angels, we climbed a big snow pile and slid down on our bums, and she found a smaller hill to use her snow tube from Kate on.

I watched our new president get sworn in today. It made me really think that I am glad I am not him right now. He's got a lot of work cut out for him. I wish him all the luck and courage he may need to get the job done right. When the navy choir sang the national anthem it gave me goosebumps. We truly are lucky to be an American.

So I have varicose veins. hooray. They showed up last week and they HURT. So far it is only on my left leg, my right doesn't bother me at all. But they really hurt and I don't even have very many! The one little bulging vein was causing a throbbing and burning sensation and making my whole leg really achy. So I called the hospital and the Dr faxed a prescription to the pharmacy for what they call maternity stockings. Basically they are Ted hose nylons that come up over my belly. They aren't as bad as I thought they would be, and they really do help give relief from the pain. I'm hoping I get used to them and that soon I won't think anything of them. I am also hoping they go away after my pregnancy. I doubt it, but I can hope right?

Wonderful

It was wonderful. Exactly what I needed to boost the spirits a bit. I went to Duluth with all but one of my sister in laws and had a great time. I'm glad I got to go. It was iffy for a bit if I were able to go, but it worked out in the end. We got some shopping in and some quality time together. There were laughs and good deals, and even Olive Garden for supper. We had a late night ( 4am) and some heart to heart talks. I am so lucky to have such wonderful sister in laws.

A couple of them are older than I, and it's like they are my own big sisters. Which is always something I wanted growing up as I am the oldest. I just had to wait til I was married to get it. :) It was definitely a treat to go for a night without the kids. Even better, I found out they were great for their dad when I was gone. Maybe I can sneak in one more quick weekend with my hubby just the two of us before this baby comes. As of now I am 23 weeks, and counting. :) Loretta only has six left. Lucky her. :) But she has put her time in and is ready to be done. I'm hoping the rest of her pregnancy goes well and goes by fast.

It's late, and I am still trying to catch up from a night of almost no sleep, so I'll be back later! Happy Monday! It's snowing here.... again. I think we'll be surprised when it isn't snowing. I think today we got about ten inches of snow here today. It just keeps coming and coming and coming! We had to park in a no parking spot because the parking lot here is a joke. They aren' t planning on plowing it good til this Sat, and you have to drive over banks up to my knees to get into a normal spot. Aaron said if they try to ticket him, he's going to complain that he couldn't park anywhere else without getting stuck. I'll take a picture tomorrow morning and post it for all to see. I got my new camera so I'll start adding pics this week.

-3 and Needing Heet

The morning started out rather doubtfully..... the van WOULD NOT START. Not even with the help of Dan and his van and jumper cables. It was just too cold. Aaron was supposed to go and donate plasma this a.m, and thats when we found out the van was having and issue with the -3 temp. It took a good hour to get the van up and running. The boys had to run to the gas station and get some Heet to put in the gas tank. Aaron figured it was either a bad battery that just can't handle the cold, or a frozen gas line, or a little bit of both. Either way, we were this close to not making it up here tonight, and then on his last attempt before he gave up, it started. Yea for cold weather...... not. The whole campus was closed again today due to cold temps. It just doesn't seem to warm up!

Our camera came in today! I was so excited to get it. Just in time for my Duluth getaway with all of my sister in laws ( minus Kate as she couldn't make it cause of work ) tomorrow. So, I have the rest of today to play around with it and figure out how to take pictures with it and monkey with all of the different settings. Should be fun and I'm looking forward to it. I am also looking forward to a whole day to myself in Duluth with my sister in laws. I don't get to see any of them nearly enough since we moved, and Katie only a few times a year as she and Brian live in MN. It should be a great time.

I met the family renting our house today. I mentioned before that they are from southern Texas ( near Corpus Christi). Well I talked to them a bit today and found out that they LOVE our winter weather! Go figure. :) They also love our house and think it's big. Good thing though because they are having another baby soon ( I think this is either number six or seven). Which is another good thing since they are living there. Maybe they'll like it so much they will want to rent it. They seem like really nice people. I was glad to finally put a face to our renters. It was weird to not know who was living in my house. It was a little bit strange to be the visitor to my house instead of the other way around. Also, talking to them they really like the area. But who doesn't? It's a great place to raise a family. Someday we hope to get back there... we'll see where the wind blows us when Aars is done with school.

Children's Museum on a Snowday

Aaron had a snow day today as the whole county down here was closed due to freezing cold weather and a wind chill advisory. He still got up for work at five though and put in a full eight hour day. And he walks to work. What a guy.

Jennie and I had made plans to go to the Children's Museum this week, so we went today. Her with her nanny kids and me with my two. It was quite the process to bundle them up in their snowsuits as I didn't want them to be cold. My van struggled to start this morning it was so cold outside. But anyways, we headed to the museum at around ten a.m. Jenna was getting crabby so I asked her " Should we just stay home and take a nap?" To which she quickly replied " No, I will shape up!" and she did, so we went.

They had a BLAST. There are so many neat things for kids to do there. Jenna got to kind of hold a snake ( a garter snake) and Travis was brave enough to touch one. They were also impressed by the turtles that they had there. I think Jenna went down a slide in the shape of a toilet, the intestines were a slide, she dressed up as a firefighter, and checked out the inside of an ambulance and an airplane. Travis was pumped off of a cozy coup car. He didn't know how to go forward though so he just scooted backwards til he bumped into something. Trav's was also very impressed with a train set that they had set up behind some pexi glass. I think we sat there watching the trains go around and around the track ( which was set up to be like a landscape of some sort) for about ten minutes.

I think we were there for two and a half hours and we still didn't get to do everything before it was time to go eat lunch and head home for naps. We went to McD's for lunch. Travis fell asleep in the three minute time span it took to get there, and Jenna fell asleep on the four minute time span it took to get home from McD's. They were worn out. But they had fun, so I think we will have to frequent there again. It would be fun to try and make it there once a month. It's a perfect place for kids to be kids. Especially on a cold day like it was today.

Two C's

I have recently acquired two things that both begin with the letter "c". The first is a cold, and the second is a new camera.
I'm pretty excited about the camera. We bought one off of ebay on Friday night and got a really good deal on it. It is a Fuji S700 48 X Zoom Camera. I know next to nothing about camera's, but after checking the online reviews, ( which averaged 4.5 on a scale of 5) we think we got a good camera. Mine kind of halfway died after Thanksgiving. The coloring was WAY off and all the pics were coming out orange. Then this past week it wouldn't even take a pic. I've been feeling pretty lost without my camera. I love to take pics. I'd like to get better someday, but for now it's just my hobby. We went through about three milestones without it. Christmas, Travis' first haircut, and now Jenna's third birthday. So, I am looking forward to getting it in the mail. :) As soon as I get pics I'll post a few.

The second C. A cold. A nasty full blown raging sinus clogging cold. It's brutal. My nose is stuffed and yet kinda runny at the same time. My eyes are itchy and watery, and even my ear canal is itchy! It might not be so bad if I could take one of the million cold medicines out there, but being 22 weeks pregnant I can't take anything. At least not that I can recall. I have a Dr's appt tomorrow, ( just a monthly check-up) maybe I'll ask the Dr. if she has anything. I have always said that I'd rather be sick with the flu for 24 hours than a cold for two weeks. Sure it isn't fun to be puking , or the big D, but at least your done with it right away. Not like a cold. I just hope I feel better by this weekend so I can go to Duluth with all of my sister in laws. I guess all I can do is wait it out. Anyone out there have any other suggestions?

"I don't want to be a big girl!"

Yesterday my Jenna turned 3. Three years.... how can she be 3 already? I still remember vividly the day she was born. This tiny little bundle that only weighed in at 6 lb 3 oz. We had a different name for her than Jenna Sylvia, but I felt that she was too small for the name we had. So, Jenna she is, and I could never picture her to be anything but. She had the cutest little smooshed up nose, it was all red for about a week after she was born. They think she got stuck somewhere on her way down the birth canal. My dad suggested we call her Rudy if she'd been a boy because of the red nose. :) She was SO small! We of course thought her to be absolutely beautiful and perfect in every little way.

That feeling of holding your newborn babe in your arms for the VERY first time is indescribable. All of a sudden this little person is totally dependent on you for love and everything else you have to offer and they totally trust you. Even though your wondering how the heck your going to do it. And now that little person is my independent three year old who loves her babies, and playing little people. She adores her dad, and loves to help her mom with whatever she happens to be doing. It seems as if she grows up bit by bit and I try to cherish the little moments with her. She's growing so fast, and there is nothing to stop it. I wish I could pause her at this age, but then at the same time I hope she grows up to be happy, successful, and satisfied with the way she turned out. I pray she always keeps her faith, and family close to her heart the way I do, and that all her dreams come true.

Jenna was so fired up to have a party yesterday. She came shopping with me in the morning for the decorations. We went to the dollar store, and she picked out the plates, cups and napkins. She was very adamant that we have birthday party hats to wear, so we got some of those as well. She even got a free balloon that matched her plates from the cashier when they found out it was her birthday. That balloon took a bath with her last night she was so fired up on it. :) All day she kept singing " Happy to you Jenna!" She was so dang cute! I think this was the funnest birthday we've had for her yet. Her "best friend" Amie even got to come and share her birthday with her.

So, now my big girl is three. We took away the pluggies last night..... we are going to mail them to my mom and she is going to find a new baby that needs them more. Jenna and Travis went to bed with out plugs last night. It wasn't easy. Jenna kept saying " I don't want to be a big girl!" and Travis was just ticked. Eventually they went to bed and Travis slept all night, but Jenna woke up at two wanting a plug. She didn't get one. I wasn't looking forward to doing this, but it actually went a bit better than I'd imagined it would. hopefully tonight will be easier yet.

Coffee Night

The younger married girls down here have started a coffee night. It's been so much fun! Every Thursday we go to Applebees at eight thirty. A perfect time cause appetizers are half off, and my kids are usually in bed by then. I love having a night of female company to look forward to every week. There are always lots of laughs and stories. Tonight there were even almost a few tears. :) Somehow we never run out of things to talk about, and eleven o'clock rolls around too fast when the restaurant closes and we head back home.

I've really gotten to know the girls down here and am glad to have gotten the chance to know all of them. So if your reading this girls, thanks for your friendship! It really makes a night and day difference while we are living down here. I recall feeling so lonely when we first moved down, and now I feel like I could call anyone of you and just chat for need of a friend, or call to do something and someone is almost always up for a visit. I'm always up for company too, just don't mind the condition my house is in... I don't guarantee a clean house, just a warm welcome. :)

Thinking of Love

I felt my baby move this morning..... I've been able to for a few weeks now, but I felt it kick with my hand. I love it when I can share the experience with Aaron. He is always so fired up when he can feel it moving around in there. Probably makes the whole experience more real for him. The kids love their dad, so having another one will be fun. I'm nervous though, because I've heard so many stories about how number three is the toughest.

He's been so great to me and the kids. He hates it that I have to work, but I honestly don't mind when it helps with the bills while he's going to school. He doesn't always treat me like a queen, but that's fine. He treats me honestly and with lots of respect. Every once and a while he'll do something small to surprise me like doing the dishes, or cleaning the house.

My favorite thing he's ever done is draw me a hot bath for when I got done working an eight hour shift at the nursing home. Your probably thinking no biggie, just turn on the faucet and let the tub fill up. Well, at our house in town, we'd always run out of hot water before the tub was even half full. So in order for him to have a bath ready for me, he boiled water on the stove downstairs and carted it to the tub upstairs. That was awesome. He'd had music playing and candles burning. What a treat. It doesn't have to be an expensive gift to make me happy. :0) But he seriously has been great. He gets up at four a.m. before classes to work and then comes home and doesn't complain when I don't always have supper ready. I don't know what I'd do without him. He completes me.

Nifty 50

My dad turns 50 tomorrow, and they are having a shebang for him tonight. As far as I know, he thinks they aren't doing anything. I'm a bit torn that I can't be there, but I talked to my mother and she wisely told me " Megs, you can't be everywhere." Which is true, but it would've been great to be there. It isn't every day your dad turns 50. I'm hoping to take the kids and make a quick jaunt up there tomorrow, spend the night and come back on Mon. in time for work. The only kink in my plans is a probable snow storm. What else? We're supposed to get up to ten inches. At least that was the rumor I heard at work tonight. Seems like every weekend for the past month we've gotten hammered with some kind of snow storm or other kind of raunchy weather.

I am hoping to get to a little Finnish store down here and look for a new temperature thermometer for Dad's sauna. The one that they have is broken and no matter how hot or cool it is it always reads 15o degrees. So I think he'd be pumped with a new one.

I finally gave Travis a haircut. I've been threatening to do it for about a month now, and last night I finally got around to doing it. We used the clippers on the bottom, and pretty much left the top alone. I also cut the little wings over his ears with the scissors. He looks so much bigger now. Crazy how a simple haircut can make your baby look so much older. It was kind of a challenge to cut it as he would NOT sit still. I even gave him a sucker to eat but it just got full of hair as he was too concerned about what the clippers were doing than the sucker. When I get the pictures off of Jennie's camera I will post some pics. But for now, I think I'm going to just relax and put my feet up. It was a crazy busy night at work and my feet are pretty achy.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!
We had ourselves a very enjoyable evening last night with all of our friends down here. We had Kevin and Lisa R., Jeff and Heidi L., Rick and Jen A., Dan and Heidi H., and Paul and Kate H. over for a little party last night. We had chips and dip and salsa and little Ceasar's pizza. There were lots of laughs and stories. It was fun. I'm going to have to have everyone over again some time. I wasn't sure if we'd all fit in our apt., but we did just fine.
The Christmas tree came down last night. We are gearing up for Jenna's third birthday party next Friday, so we always take our tree down shortly after Christmas. Aars actually just threw the tree out the back window. It was kind of comical. Not sure if that is what we're supposed to do or not, but we did it! I'm actually glad to be down with the tree and all the decorations. It feels good to put it up, and good to take it back down when the time comes.
My dad turns 50 on Sunday. I don't work at all Sunday, and only til five Sat. night, so I may go up for his birthday. We'll see I guess. It's not every day your dad turns 50 though. :) If we do, maybe we'll have a little party for Jenna up there with our family. Like I said though, we'll see.
hope everyone has a wonderful new year!