So In Love

Yes, our entire family is totally in love with baby Ava who is 2 weeks old today. Jason and I brought our sweet baby girl home on Monday and I've spent the week just taking her in. After 10 days in the NICU/NICU2/Intermediate Nursery, she has been receiving lots of hugs and kisses from all of us.

Ava is such a good baby. She rarely cries and I have to wake her up to eat. Since we brought her home, she's been sleeping in her crib. She has "awake time" about twice a day which lasts for about an hour. During this time, she's content to lounge in my arms or kick her legs while laying on a blanket. She eats every 3 hours via both bottle and breast. Because of her size, nursing is a huge chore for her. She's actually very good at nursing but gets tired easily so we follow up with a bottle of breast milk. I can't get over how easy going she is! We went to see Dr. Goza (pediatrician) on Wednesday and she had gained 4oz since coming home on Monday. We're almost back to her birth weight which is extremely impressive since she lost a total of 10oz during the first 5 days in the NICU.

I promise to post more pictures soon, but we're heading up to the hospital today to pick up my short term disability paperwork. Since we'll be right across the street from the Viking Store, we'll pop in to see how the Central Services Holiday Outing is going.

BTW - Both the birthmark on her forehead and under her nose will go away within her first year. Ayden had the exact same birthmark on his forehead!

Have a great weekend!

Feed Me!

It's been a couple of eventful days in the NICU for Ava. Yesterday I was able to hold my baby for the first time since after her delivery last Friday. It felt so good to hold her, to touch her and to kiss her as much as I wanted...well for at least 45 minutes. Ava's jaundice level increased slightly so they were trying to keep her under the Bily Light as much as possible. The doctor had also doubled the amount of breast milk they were feeding her through the line in her mouth. All great progress! Last night when Jason called to check in on her, she was still doing great.

I went in for my usual noon visit today to find the Bily Light gone. Ava's color looked great and they had been waiting for me to come in for her very first bottle. This was a huge deal! We were about to see if she could handle taking in food on her own. Because they were worried about the choking potential, Ava's nurse was going to give her the bottle. Ava looked like a little bird waiting in the nest for mom to bring back food. Her mouth was wide open...like she just new what was coming. She downed an ounce with passion, only choking a few times. Both times she gave a little cough and took care of the matter on her own. Very impressive! We got many good burps as well. After her bottle was gone, it was snuggle time. Ava immediately fell asleep in my arms, comfortable with mommy and content with a full belly. I couldn't put her down and luckily our nurse is very accommodating.

Yummy! Give me more!!

Burp, burp, burp

Hmmm....a full belly feels so good!

A good nap was definitely in order after sucking down that bottle.

See the line going into her belly button and the one going into her mouth? They both should be gone when I go visit our angle tomorrow at noon!

Shortly before leaving I found out that Ava was being moved to NICU2 at 2:30pm. Once there, I'll be able to hold her and feed her much more. But the best news of all was that if she continues to do well with her feedings, our baby girl might be home before the end of the weekend! Keep your fingers crossed!!

Ava Update

Last night before going to bed, I called the NICU to check on Ava one last time. We received a bit of good news. Her oxygen level was down to 27% from the 36% it had been during my noon visit. The doctor in the NICU yesterday told me that on average, it takes about 96 hours for a baby's oxygen level to stabilize (21% is the target). Once it's stable, the oxygen hood can be removed. Jason and I went to bed very excited about Ava's progress.

Today I walked into the NICU for my noon visit to find the oxygen hood removed from Ava's bed. I assumed it was because they were changing her diaper or drawing some blood. Imagine my excitement when today's doctor informed me that they were "experimenting". Ava's oxygen level had dropped low enough and remained stable throughout the night so they had decided to remove the hood and see how she would do without it. Without the plastic covering her, I was able to touch her. I was able to caress her cheeks and give kisses. We can't hold her yet, but after 3 days of only being able to touch her toes I was more than happy with the gift I had just been given. Then the nurse came back with a little syringe with about a tablespoon of my breast milk in it and asked if I wanted to "feed" my daughter. The syringe was inserted into the small tube going into her mouth and I simply held it up so my milk would go down through the tube. I guess it wasn't your typical feeding, but again I was excited to be part of this first feeding. They didn't stick with the normal 15 minutes of touch time today. I spent over an hour in the NICU today! With any luck, Ava will remain stable without the oxygen hood and they'll move her to the intermediate nursery tomorrow. I can't wait to hold my baby girl again!

Welcome Ava!

Things definitely did not go according to plans on Friday. We finally headed to the hospital around 11am when my contractions were still 5 minutes apart but getting more painful. Once I got changed into a gown, we found out I was only dilated 3cm. Instead of sending me home, they suggested I walk around for about an hour and they would check me again. After an hour of wandering around, I was dilated to 4cm. They decided to break my water and give my an epidural. After another hour of waiting and watching TV, we were at 7cm. Another hour went by and they put in a catheter to relieve my bladder. That was all it took...without a full bladder Ava was ready to come out. And do I mean ready! Dr. Rogers didn't even have me wait for a contraction because her head was already half out. Two pushes and there she was!

After some snuggle time with mommy and daddy, they gave her a bath and did the routine tests. Her nurse decided Ava's breathing was a little on the fast side and she seemed to have some fluid left in her lungs so she was taken to the intermediate nursery. After a couple hours of observation, Ava was moved to the NICU to take a closer look at her lungs. The end result is that her lungs are about 2-3 weeks underdeveloped. Worse case scenario is that Ava will be spending the next couple of weeks in the NICU, but she could improve even sooner. There is nothing else wrong with her health and apparently underdeveloped lungs are quite common...even in full term babies.

It's been an emotional couple of days for us and leaving the hospital today without our baby was definitely not easy. I'm pumping every 2 hours to make sure she gets plenty of milk once she's off the glucose IV. I'll be visiting her every day at noon for "touch time" and to hear the latest from the doctor. Once she's downgraded to NICU 2, we can hold her and feed her.

One thing keeping me sane is being home with the boys. Some sort of normal routine is needed so that I can keep my mind busy. I'm sure it would be easy to fall into some sort of depression, but that would be ridiculous. Ava is in excellent hands, is staying stable and will be home before we know it.

So here's what you've all been waiting for!

Ava Marie Payne

Born: 11/28/08 at 5:37pm

Weight: 5lb 11oz

Height: 19 1/2 inches

The Waiting Game

I can't believe it's been a week since my last post but things have been busy around here. Besides going out to see Twilight last weekend, I stayed home to clean, clean, clean. Jason built the valances for Ava's room and my grandmother's painting got hung above the crib. There are still a few more accessories that I'd like to get, but at least everything is about 90% done for her arrival.

On Monday, I had an ultrasound and an OB appointment. The ultrasound went great. Ava gained another pound so her estimated weight was now 6 1/2lbs. She should be around 7lbs by now...especially after the way I ate yesterday! The rest of my day was spent finishing up projects at work.

Tuesday morning Jameson had his second session with the behavioral therapist. Ms Monique pointed out again that Jameson really doesn't qualify for the Babies Can't Wait Program and said our case would probably be closed out in 3-4 months. It makes me feel good that Jameson's behavior isn't that bad but I'm still grateful that they're helping us make better decisions with him. Now that we've got the knowledge, Jason and I have to work on using the skills we've been given and stay consistent. It's actually much more difficult than I thought, but we're already starting to see a change in Jameson so it keeps us motivated.

Wednesday was just a normal day at the office...NOT! I came in armed with a list that I had made throughout the night of all the things that still needed to get done. I worked in a sort of frenzied state all day. Typically, the Chamber employees get sent home early the day before a holiday but I already knew I'd put in a full day to get everything done. The thought that it could be me last day before having a baby had me panicked. I think I've mentioned before that I really like my job and am sort of "protective" of it. I wanted everything to be in order before someone else has to come in and fill my shoes. As predicted, I worked until 4:15 and then headed home to pick up the boys.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving day! I was sooooo excited about the meal that my mom was preparing. All of my favorites were on the menu and some new things as well. Jason and I spent the morning getting a few things done around the house while the boys played outside. After 2 weeks of cooler weather, yesterday's high was around 65 degrees so they were in heaven! After lunch and naps, we packed up a laundry basket of necessities for the boys and headed over to Mimi & Bumpa's house. After Ayden and Jameson played bubbles and drove their new Polaris Razor it was finally time for dinner. My plate was full and I indulged in a glass of wine. After dinner, we sat outside by the fireplace and watched the boys play with some glow necklaces that Bumpa pulled out. After a helping of my Double Chocolate Cheesecake, Jason and I got the boys in their PJ's. We had our fingers crossed that Jameson would be okay sleeping at Mimi & Bumpa's. He's only 2 1/2 and has never spent a night away from us. With Jameson settled in Mimi's room watching Scooby Doo and Ayden tucked away in the den watching Transformers with Bumpa, Jason and I made our escape. Since we didn't get a phone call to pick Jameson up, I'm assuming all went well.

Today is Friday. It's supposed to be the day we have Ava. I got up promptly at 5am and sucked down a tablespoon of castor oil. Despite the bottle promising the goo inside to be be odorless and tasteless, it still tasted like crap. It took all my effort to not throw the stuff back up! I'm taking a quick few minutes to blog and then I'll shower and finish packing my bag. I'd also like to finish cleaning up the kitchen, get a few more loads of laundry done and take another trip around the house with the vacuum. Hopefully by 10am we'll be making our way to the hospital. If all goes according to plan, I'll be back home some time tomorrow with a another baby to love and cherish.

I sure hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving! We'll keep you posted on "Operation Get Baby The Heck Out of Mommy"!

Ava Marie

Here are a few pictures of the painting my grandmother made for Ava. Jason has promised to hang the painting up for me this weekend and also make the valances for over her windows. Once those two things are complete, I'll take some pictures of her nursery.

Random Wednesday

1. It was only 22 degrees outside this morning when I left to drop the boys off at school. Brrrrrr!

2. Gas is down to $1.81 at some stations! We're paying about $75 less per week than we were just two short months ago.

3. I really like my new haircut. Cassie cut 5 inches off the length and layered me up. I love how a simple haircut makes me such a happier mommy!

4. It hit me last night that I could possibly only have six days of work left before I go on maternity leave. I think that deserves a little Amen.

5. The other night Ayden didn't want to eat his dinner. The excuse? "Mommy. If I eat anymore my tummy will get a headache." I gave him an 8 for creativity and then sent him to daddy for bathtime.

6. I love Thanksgiving. It's one of my favorite holidays! I think it's got something to do with the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, flaky layer biscuits and dessert. Does anyone else hear angels singing right now or is it just me?

7. I get super freaked out when someone else has to do my job. As much as I'm looking forward to 8 weeks off with our new baby, I really don't care for the way my backup does my job while I'm gone. He hasn't had to help out since my maternity leave with Jameson so he's getting a refresher course this week. I'm about to kill him.

8. My pay increase for passing the CPP exam is "on hold". Apparently the Chamber is in the middle of a pay increase freeze due to the economy and even though this is something that was promised to me in 2007 and I worked my butt off for over a year on it....and passed, I'm getting screwed. And even though the president wrote a nice personal note stating that it has nothing to do with my job performance and he looks at me as a valuable asset/leader for our organization...blah, blah, blah...I still want to poke his eyes out.

9. Jameson is still sleeping in his own bed through the night. Along with the new haircut, this makes me an even happier mommy!

10. I'm not sure why I saved this one for last. Maybe it's because I find it difficult to explain my feelings about it...okay, here goes. I have had no contact with my grandmother (my mom's mom) in over 12 years besides the Christmas cards I continue to send every winter. The story as to why I have no contact with her is long and complicated (and mostly my mom's) but I will say that it's her choice, not ours. So imagine my surprise when she emails me out of the blue to tell me that she has sent me something in the mail. This woman is a very talented artist...even at 82 years old...so I knew it would be something she had painted. I was completely floored and emotionally overwhelmed last night when I opened the box to find a large, beautifully framed painting of a little girl with angel wings sitting in a garden holding a butterfly. It was titled "Ava Marie" and was indeed painted by my grandmother. There are about a million emotions running through me because of this painting. Jason and I were waiting for that perfect "something" to hang over our daughter's crib and this is exactly what we were waiting for.

Day by Day

Today Ava and I saw the OB for a check up and NST. I was a little surprised to find out that I'm contracting more often than I thought. What I took as just pressure from Ava moving around is actually contraction. Interesting. They also tested me for GBS (vaginal strep) which I tested positive for during both of my other pregnancies. Normally this is treated with an IV antibiotic during labor, but I deliver so quickly that I never got it with the boys.

The end result of this check up is that Ava is doing great, I'm doing great and I could go into labor any day. They're going to check if I'm dilated next week Monday after my ultrasound with Dr. K and we'll we'll have another NST. They keep bringing up a possible induction for the week after Thanksgiving (due to Ava's size starting to take a toll on my kidneys), but I'm just taking it day by day.

We'll keep you posted!

Jameson Update

Jameson's behavior evaluation went very well on Monday. There was a therapist and our coordinator at our house for over an hour asking questions and observing Jameson. Basically what we learned is that Jameson is off the charts intelligent, strong willed and requires constant stimulation. Most of his behavioral problems come from a lack of stimulation and/or the need for attention. Basically he doesn't qualify for the program but because they are concerned about his interaction with his new baby sister and he'll only be in the program for 6 months (Babies Can't Wait only works with children 3 and under), they qualified him anyway.

Jameson's therapist's name is Monique and apparently she totally rocks. They've planned for 16 therapy sessions that in the end are more for me and Jason rather than for Jameson. She is going to show us how to cut out the bad behavior through new parenting techniques. I'm all for it! They plan on observing him a few times at Royal Learners as well. Before they left, we received a few tidbits of advice. So far so good.

Jameson has slept in his bed...through the night...without me laying down with him...for the past 4 nights. He has also sat through dinner and finished his meal for the past 3 nights. This is a record! Now we need to work his aggressive behavior...hitting, yelling and temper tantrums. It's so nice to know that with a little patience and hard work, our sweet baby Jameson will be doing much better in just 6 months.

Even though we may not see it yet, there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel and we're working our way towards it. We thank everyone for their love, support and concern.

The Game Plan

1. Estimated weight is 5lbs 7oz
2. Baby has dropped so low in my pelvis that at first they couldn't find her head. I had to push my pants down to my thighs!
3. I'm experiencing sharp shooting pain all of the time. It hurts to sit, bend and pee.
4. Contractions are becoming more painful and last longer.
5. I see Dr. McSwain on the 17th for check up and NST
6. I see both Dr. K and Dr. M on the 24th. They're going to check if I'm dilated and another NST. 7. I'm supposed to see both Dr. K and Dr. M on the 1st to decide on possible induction.

As long as Ava is around 6 1/2lbs on the 24th (and I haven't already gone into labor), I'm going to take castor oil on the 28th. I refuse to be induced and it's only 3 days away from being full term. Close enough.

So that's the game plan.

Friday Goodies

I am so happy today is Friday...it's been a long week. I say that every week and every week I mean it. Fridays make me happy, especially now that Jason's big projects have come to a close and we have weekends together as a family. So here's some things that are making me happy today.

1. Even though I haven't been posting my progress, I've been staying on top of our A Week In The Life project. Wednesday I didn't do so well but I managed to get a few meaningful pictures taken during the day. Can't wait to work on assembling everything. I definitely learned something during this project though...it's not about the quality of the photos, it's about getting the photo. Most of my pictures are blurry or where taken in horrible lighting and it really doesn't bother me because I can still tell what was going on in that moment. That's what this project is all about to me.

2. Had fun last night taking the boys to Spirit Night at Taylor Made Tumbling for school. Jason followed Jameson around and I kept track of Ayden. It was insane, but the boys had a ton of fun.

3. I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow at 2pm. I haven't had a haircut since January 21st and it's about time! I have no idea what I want to do so if I find some time today, I'll cruise the internet looking for inspiration.

4. Mimi and Bumpa are taking Ayden to see Madagascar 2 tomorrow night and then he's sleeping over. I love that he looks forward to sleepovers with my parents.

5. The trees are absolutely beautiful...finally! As I was driving in today I was mesmerized by all the different shades of red and yellow. I love fall. It is definitely the most beautiful season.

6. I'm taking a vacation day on Monday. Not because I plan on sitting on my rear doing nothing, but it's going to be a good day. Ava has a photoshoot at 8am and then Jameson has his behavioral evaluation at 10am. Afterwards we're going to set up our plan/goals with the therapist. I'm so excited to have a game plan...something positive to work towards with Jameson instead of feeling lost and confused all of the time.

7. This goes along with #6, but Jason is taking the day off as well. After we drop Jameson off at school, we're going to go have an adult lunch and maybe see a movie. We desperately need some "us" time. If taking some time off from work is how we need to get it accomplished, then so be it.

8. I'm getting excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love the holidays. I love the traditions. I love spending time with my family. This year I really love that we'll have a new baby to enjoy all of these things with. Ava is going to complete our family and I feel so blessed that we get to share our life with her.

Well, that's about it. Despite contractions, exhaustion and swollen ankles; I'm one happy mommy this Friday!

So Cool!

I love 80's rock and current country. Seriously, how different could those two styles of music possibly be? Mixing up some Journey, Taylor Swift, Def Leppard, Keith Urban, Boston and Carrie Underwood makes me a very happy girl.

So you can only imagine how excited I was to hear on the radio this morning that the next episode of CMT's Crossroads will feature Taylor Swift and Def Leppard!!! I was full of tingles when they played a clip from Photograph with Taylor Swift singing the famous lyrics. I've never actually watched Crossroads before but I certainly plan on programming my DVR for tomorrow night at 9pm.

If you're a fan of either one, check out this video from tomorrow night's show! I've been watching it all day...can't wait for the rest!!!

Maybe I'm Just Selfish

Obviously, everyone is talking about our next president. The Chamber consists of mostly republican employees so there isn't a whole lot of celebrating going on in the halls today.

But I'm celebrating and it's not because Obama will be our 44th president. I'm celebrating because Jameson had his speech evaluation today and I couldn't happier with the outcome. Maybe I'm being selfish, but my family is always my first concern and Jameson trumps our new president.

So, here's the outcome of today's evaluation:

1. Yes, Jameson does seem to have a speech delay but it's not significant enough to qualify for the Babies Can't Wait program. The therapist said that Jameson's delay could be a result of so many ear infections and that our pediatrician is notorious for delaying tubes and ENT referrals.

2. While Jameson doesn't qualify for speech therapy, Wanda did see some behavioral problems while at the house. Not a behavioral disorder, but definite problems. When my focus was taken away from Jameson, he would lay on the floor and kick my legs or he would hit me with his stuffed frog. When I would try to reprimand him, he'd simply laugh at me like we were playing a game. She said she sees nothing that can not be corrected with a little coaching from one of their behavioral therapists. This coaching will involve both me and Jason since we need to be on the same page. Obviously what worked for Ayden is not working for Jameson and we just need to be pointed in the right direction.

3. While we investigate the usefulness of tubes at this point, we will also have the full behavioral evaluation on Monday. After that evaluation the therapist and coordinator will set some goals for Jameson and then actual therapy will start probably the following week. Despite Jameson not qualifying for the program because of a speech delay, most of their behavioral therapists also have a speech background so he'll end up getting help in both areas.

So even though the outcome of today's evaluation wasn't just that we have a typical crazy 2 year old, I feel very positive. Jason and I are going to be provided with the right tools to help our child and that is cause for celebration in my book. I'm so happy that a professional was able to witness Jameson's aggressive behavior and told me exactly what I needed to hear..."we're going to fix this".

WITL Day#1

Alarm clock went off at 5am - I hit snooze twice...bad, bad, bad

Took shower and got dressed

Woke the boys up to get dressed

Got the boys stuff ready for the day - sippy cups, vitamins, cough medicine for Jameson and backpacks

Found out that in a matter of 10 minutes, they were able to trash their room before leaving for school

Out the door by 6:45am

Dropped boys off at school and left for work

It wasn't a very good traffic day so I was excited to finally see my exit

Settled into my office with a bottle of Diet Coke to get me motivated

Chick-fil-A Ice Dream with strawberries for lunch

Spent the afternoon working on SOP's in preparation for maternity leave - boring!

Left work at 4pm and headed to Royal Learners to pick up the boys

Got home and made dinner - Divine Casserole

Mimi joined us so the boys got some extra snuggles and attention.

Daddy decided we needed chocolate ice cream with sprinkles for dessert...ice cream twice in one day. Works for me!

After their bath, it was almost time for bed so the boys snuggled in for some down time.

Lights out at 7:30pm - mommy fell asleep too!

Click here for more Day#1 photos!!

33 Weeks

Ava and I went to see the OB today. I took along my list of concerns:

contractions
pressure
numbness in my left hand
swollen feet but not swollen ankles
sharp shooting pain

All is normal. Yes, they're concerned that I may deliver early so they agree with Dr. Korotkin that I need to limit my walking, bending and crouching. I need to cut back on picking up/carrying Jameson. I definitely can not pick up or carry Ayden which is really not a problem because I think only daddy has the strength to pick that child up! Dr. Dozier and Dr. McSwain both think that baby Ava will be here in 3-4 weeks. I have my next OB appointment on the 17th and we'll start non-stress tests then. I see Dr. Korotkin for another photo shoot of Ava on the 10th.

Basically, we're ready. Ava's room is painted, the new flooring has been installed and the new wood blinds are up. There are fresh sheets on the crib and blankets have been washed. All of her new clothes are washed and either hanging up in the closet or put away in the dresser. We have lotions, bath wash and towels ready to go. The swing has been put together and the bassinet is ready to be put in our room if needed. The breast pump has new batteries and bottles have been washed and are in the cabinet. Diapers, baby wipes and Balmex are waiting by the changing table. Other than some putting some finishing touches on her room (I still need to find a quilt I like), we're well prepared.

BTW - Jameson has his speech evaluation tomorrow at 9am. I spoke with the therapist for some time yesterday and I'm looking forward to hearing her thoughts after the hour long evaluation. If Wanda feels it's necessary, Jameson will also be evaluated by a behavioral therapist next week Monday.

Ayden is doing extremely well with his new glasses. I spoke with his teacher yesterday when I picked the boys up and she said she can already tell a difference in Ayden's work. I'm so relieved we took care of his vision problem early!

Check back tomorrow for days 1 & 2 of A Week In The Life. I'm almost done editing yesterday's pictures and I've already taken a bunch this morning. I'm very determined to see this project through to the end!!

Thinking Ahead...

Christmas is going to be a little different for us this year. I will be on unpaid maternity leave and there will be a new baby in the house. Despite these slight changes, I still love the traditions that Christmas brings and there are definitely a few of them that I'm looking forward to.

decorating the tree/mantle
making Christmas cookies
wrapping presents
writing Santa a letter with Ayden
all of the yummy food

I know it may seem crazy to be thinking about all of this since it's only November 3rd, but as I look out my window the park is full of workers setting up Christmas decorations. Christmas decorations already?!?! It does seem a bit early, but it's definitely got me thinking ahead.

So, I thought I'd share my absolute favorite sugar cookie recipe. I made these for our Central Services Holiday Outing three years in a row and everyone just LOVED them!

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 (3oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, butter, cream cheese, salt, almond and vanilla extracts and egg yolk. Beat until smooth. Stir in four until well blended. Chill the dough for 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/3 at a time to 1/8 inch thickness, refrigerating remaining dough until ready to use. Cut into desired shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Leave cookies plain for frosting, or brush with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with candy sprinkles or colored sugar.
4. Bake for 7-10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light and golden brown. Cool cookies completely before frosting.

And to top everything off, I always make my favorite cream cheese frosting for decorating. I'm a frosting snob and use this recipe for everything...carrot cake, cupcakes, cookies...or to simply eat straight from the bowl.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine confectioners sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spread onto anything...cookies, cupcakes, cake or your tongue:)

Now that I'm dying for a handful of decorated sugar cookies, I may have to see if I have a turkey or some leaves in my cookie cutter stash and make a few batches in celebration of Thanksgiving!

Enjoy!

A week in the life

of the Payne family has begun. I know I should've started yesterday but I woke up in a slightly irritable mood and it stayed with me for most of the day so I really didn't want to bring my camera everywhere we went. I started this project today instead. Let me tell how NOT easy it is to document my day with a camera. So many things are rushed and I have to remind myself to slow down and take a picture. I'm psyched about this project though and am excited to some day look back and remember what our life was like at this time. I sort of think this is something I may do annually...around the same time of the year.

So how was your weekend? Our's was pretty laid back. Saturday we stayed home all day. I never changed out of my pajamas. I cleaned, did laundry and took a 2 hour nap. We did family movie night after chowing down Chinese take out. Anyone see the movie Monster House? It was great! Jameson was totally freaked out but insisted on staying with us. We kept the boys up until 10pm in hopes that they would sleep in. I should've known better. Sunday we had to run a few errands. After a $200 trip to BJ's (darn wholesale clubs!) and a quick stop at Target, I think we're stocked up on a lot of necessities for the next couple of months. After lunch at Steak n Shake, we took the scenic route home to snoop at homes for sale. Jason and love to do this. Even though we don't plan on selling our house for another 2-3 years, it's still fun to look:) The boys took much needed nap and I would have done the same if our bedding hadn't been in the washing machine.

All in all, it was a low key weekend. Barely anything got crossed off the to-do list but I wasn't really bothered.

Pirate + Chicken = Fun

What a great Halloween! After a quick pit-stop at Mimi's for some photos of the boys, we headed off for trick-or-treating. Hopefully Mimi got more pictures of the actual trick-or-treating. I was kept busy making sure the boys didn't run out in the road!

Happy Halloween!

I love that Halloween is on a Friday this year. There will be no rushing through the festivities so we can get the kids home and in bed by a decent time.

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For the past 2 months Ayden has said that he wants to be Batman for Halloween. Yesterday when I picked him up from school he announced that he no longer wanted to be Batman...he wanted to be a policeman. Well guess what. He's a pirate. That was the only costume left in his size at Target last night.

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I'm leaving at 2pm today for Ayden's school party. I really want to go to Jameson and Ayden's parties, but once Jameson sees me in the building there will be no getting away from him. Ayden's class does the trick-or-treating at 2:30 and then their party is at 2:45. Jameson's class has their party at 2:30 and trick-or-treating at 3:30. I'll join Jameson for the tick-or-treating. He's dressed as a chicken. He makes a very cute chicken.

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I wanted to bake the 35 cupcakes for their parties but didn't get around to it with daddy working late Tuesday and Wednesday. I ended up buying cupcakes from Publix last night...I feel guilty.

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We're taking Mimi trick-or-treating with us tonight before she picks Bumpa up at the airport. I love it when she's along because I'm normally too busy making sure my kids don't get run over so I don't take too many pictures. She's always there with her camera ready...thanks Mimi!

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Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Almost There

There is a possibility that baby Ava will be making her appearance even sooner than expected. Our darling daughter is in the "head down" position and has been that way for the past 3 weeks, only now her head has dropped lower into my pelvis. This is something that normally doesn't happen until 36 weeks (I was 32 weeks on Monday)! I've been experiencing some discomfort down there (pressure and sharp shooting pain) so I'm supposed to limit my walking, crouching and bending. I'm also still having about 6-10 contractions a day.

The good news is that Dr. Korotkin estimated her weight to be around 4 1/2 pounds on Monday and she's developing well. If she keeps gaining a half pound every week, she'll be at Jameson's birth weight (5lb 7oz) at 34 weeks. That's when I see Dr. Korotkin for another ultrasound. I also see Dr. McSwain (OBGYN) next Tuesday and then I'll move to weekly appointments with her. Right now, my new goal is to make it to 36 weeks (11/24). Looks like we may have a Thanksgiving baby instead of a Christmas baby!

I'm doing my best to take my doctor's advice, but when you have 2 other children to take care of it's not always easy to walk, crouch and bend less. The Chamber is kindly letting me park behind the building so that I don't have to make the 4 block walk to the parking deck. I'm trying to bring my lunch every day so I don't have to walk through CNN. Other than that, it's business as usual.

So please cross you legs (ha ha ha ... get it?) and pray that I can keep this sweet angel safely inside of me for a bit longer.

Boo at the Zoo!

Boo at the Zoo was more fun than I had expected. Mimi and Bumpa were such troopers and totally got into all of the activities they had for kids. As usual, it was a fun family trip!

The boys got to meet two of their favorite characters...

Curious George

and Scooby Doo

Daddy and Jameson snuggled while waiting in line for the choo-choo train...
and Ayden killed time by sucking on a Tootsie Pop.
I liked the juggler.

What are your plans?

The fact that we even have plans for the weekend is a good indicator that I'm working myself out of my funk. After our initial meeting with the coordinator at Babies Can't Wait on Wednesday and Ayden finally getting his glasses last night, I feel like progress has been made.

We bought the movie Transformers this week at Target and Jason and I have decided to implement Friday movie night at our house. We're going to eat popcorn, suck down some gummy worms, drink mass quantities of hot cocoa and watch a movie with our two munchkins!

Saturday morning 4 of the 5 divas are meeting at my mom's house so we can take a class together at Archiver's. This will replace our normally scheduled Scrap Club meeting on 11/2. After class and a nice lunch, we'll head home to our families.
Saturday evening we plan on taking the boys to Boo At The Zoo. We've never actually been to the zoo yet. Pretty pathetic. When we think about going, it's either too hot or too cold. Somehow when the weather is just right, we forget. Duh.

On Sunday (weather permitting and assuming Mimi has the time), I'd like to have our family picture taken at Starr's Mill. We go almost every year, but normally Jason is working. Now that things are slower he can't get out of the family picture thing. Ha!

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Somewhere in all of that I need to clean the house, do laundry, run to BJ's for a few pallets of juice boxes, buy Ayden's Halloween costume and Jason wants to finish laying the new flooring in the hallway. Oh, and I really need to unpack the plastic tubs of baby stuff that is sitting around Ava's room right now.

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Oh jeeze! I almost forgot that our wedding anniversary is on Monday!! Jason and I will be celebrating 7 years of wedded bliss. I'm not entirely sure how we're going to do the celebrating part with a 4 year old, 2 year old and a pregnant mommy but it'll probably have to wait until next weekend.

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So what are your plans for the weekend?

He Can See!

We were finally able to pick up Ayden's glasses tonight. Here are a few comments he made after putting them on.

Daddy! I can see betterer now!

Mommy...you look so skinny!

Ayden got chocolate ice cream for dinner after the second comment. Here's our little man in his brand new glasses...

Oops...how did that last one get in there? I was so excited that Ayden was willing to wear his glasses that I treated myself to a little cup of hot cocoa with about a million marshmallows. Any excuse for hot cocoa, right?

Jason said I could quit my job so I did. After next week, I can focus all of my attention on my children, husband, house and cooking.

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We're moving. A very nice couple stopped by last night and offered us $185,000 and we can't pass it up. The house that we've been drooling over out on a country road in Sharpsburg is soon to be ours. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a full finished basement...who could ask for anything more?

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Rob promised Jason that he would never have to work over 40 hours again. And gave him a nice fat pay increase. I love Jason's boss.

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They invented a new Magic Eraser that works on TV screens. I can finally "erase" all of the adorable scrapes on the TV in the living room. Jameson can hit the screen as much as he wants now...mommy has her own weapon.

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Ayden woke up this morning with perfect vision and Jameson started speaking in complete sentences.

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Clyde has miraculously stopped peeing all over our house. This is a good thing because Jason said he would have all of the new flooring down by the time I get home tonight. Funny, I could have sworn he said it was hardwood but I thought we bought laminate.

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Landmark Christian School just called and they've decided to give us a 3-for-1 deal on tuition. No matter that Ava isn't even born yet.

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Oh my goodness...how could I have forgotten to mention that my parent's house finally sold? I guess that even in this time of economic peril, there are still some people out there willing to drop half a million on a beautiful home. Congrats mom and Peter!

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Who said you can't dream?

Random Tuesday

1. Jameson developed a fever of 103 around 4am on Saturday. It took us all weekend, but his fever finally broke Sunday night. I was convinced that the fever was because his ear infection hadn't cleared up with the first round of antibiotics so I took him back to the doctor yesterday. Ears look great but throat looks awful. We should have the results of the throat culture tomorrow.

2. Ayden's glasses should be in today or tomorrow. I have mixed feelings about them. I look forward to my baby being able to see, but it's going to be a tough adjustment during the first couple of weeks.

3. Ava's room is almost done. Jason got 2 coats of paint on walls Friday. Saturday and Sunday he tore up carpet, laid down laminate, took down old nasty blinds that came with the house and hung up new wood blinds. I'm surprised how good the laminate looks. Now all we have to do is move everything back into the room and make the window valances.

4. Jameson is not doing well with the morning drop offs at Royal Learners. I feel like a crappy mom leaving my baby screaming and crying for me as I race off to work. They told me he had a good day yesterday though and was very well behaved except for a few weepy periods. Everyone thinks he has the face of an angel and is more than willing to take him outside for special walks when he gets "sad". That child sure knows how to wrap people around his little finger!

5. I love that things have slowed down for Jason. He's been working normal days so we see daddy at night and on weekends. It's been a long 2 years of him being at Tyler Perry's beck and call so I'm enjoying every second we have together as a family before things pick up again!!!

6. I had an OB appointment today and I've been assured that my contractions and other concerns are perfectly normal. Apparently after you pop out a few babies your body goes into autopilot mode. The contractions are freaking out my boss but I feel confident that baby Ava won't be making her arrival for at least another 5 weeks.

7. We are completely out of milk and juice.

8. Both Ayden and Jameson need new shoes...you know, the kind that actually fit.

9. Speaking of being able to fit. I took out coats for the boys this morning (it was in the low 40's!) and realized that Ayden's coat is a 3T and Jameson's is 18 months. Hmmmm. I think we need to buy Ayden a new coat so that Jameson can wear the 3T.

10. I downloaded 412 pictures last night from the past 4 weeks. I started editing my Connecticut pictures but had to stop to lay down down with the boys. I had every intention of finishing up the day 1 pictures, but woke up around 10pm with a numb arm and a two year old's foot pressed into my spine. I barely made it to the bathroom without peeing in the hallway and then crawled into my own bed. Maybe after buying milk, juice, shoes and a coat I'll be able to edit a few more pictures tonight.

When life hands you lemons....

...make lemonade!

Ayden - We took our little man to see a pediatric opthamologist on Tuesday. To make a long story short, he's near sighted with astigmatisms which is why is right eye keeps crossing in. Dr. Greenberg said we brought him in just in time...another 6 months and his eyesight would probably have worsened due to the strain on his eyes. We had Ayden fitted for glasses on Tuesday and the lab technician's jaw dropped when he saw the prescription. Ayden's glasses are going to be so strong that they had to send them out to be made. Luckily, his vision should improve over time as long as he wears his glasses.

Jameson - This little guy has been demonstrating some pretty horrible behavior at Marguerite's during the past couple of weeks. Jameson has always been a handful, but apparently it's gotten worse. We love Marguerite very much but her house does not provide the structure and boundaries that Jameson needs. Jason and I have decided to move him to Royal Learners starting Monday where he will join the "younger three" classroom. Jameson is a very intelligent two year old (he knows his ABC's, numbers up to 10, colors and shapes) but we feel like his speech is slightly delayed. We know this is frustrating to him and is probably one of the reason's why he acts out. We're working with a state funded organization called Babies Can't Wait to have Jameson evaluated to determine if he has any behavioral disorders or if he just needs to work with a speech therapist to strengthen his communication skills. I've been pretty upset all week about this. No one wants to think that there is something "wrong" with their child, but it's something we have to consider. The evaluation won't take place for at least 45 days so Jameson will have plenty of time to adjust to Royal Learners during that time.

I'm almost 8 months pregnant and beyond emotional. After a few days of bawling my eyes out, I've finally realized that everything is going to be just fine. Ayden is going to adapt to his new glasses just fine. How exciting that he'll finally be able to see! Jameson is going to thrive in his new environment. He'll finally be spending his days with kids his own age and with rules just like he has at home. Jason and I truly believe this is exactly what he needs.

Speaking of Jason...he has been my rock this entire week. Calming me down when I needed it. Making me look at things rationally instead of basing things on emotion. And he's handled my tears with ease. The Tyler Perry projects couldn't have come to close at a better time. He's able to focus more on family now when we really need him. My mom has listened to me blubber on the phone all week and she has also calmed me down when I needed it. I know I've said it before, but I truly do have the best support system. I love them all and thank them so much for their patience, love and encouraging words this week!

Spaghetti Pie

It's been a while since I posted a recipe! This one is new for us and was a huge hit at the dinner table last night. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1lb spaghetti
1lb lean ground beef
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp crushed garlic (I love garlic so added 2 tbsp)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 (26 ounce) jar pasta sauce
8oz sour cream
1/2 chopped green onions
8oz package cream cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain and crumble. Put crumbled beef back in skillet and stir in salt, pepper, garlic, bell pepper and pasta sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. In a small bowl combine sour cream, green onion and cream cheese and set aside. Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and add the cooked spaghetti. Spread the cream cheese mixture over it, add the meat mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
5. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Serve with some garlic bread and voila! This is a super easy dinner that even the kids will like!!

I'm a software snob

As much as I would love to know all the in's and out's of CS3, I'm a Photoshop Elements user. It's much easier to use and has many of the same capabilities at CS3. Currently, I have PSE 5 loaded on my home computer but I used PSE 6 at the CPR retreat and fell in love. PSE 7 is now available and already on order via my wonderful mother.

Last night after finally getting the boys to fall asleep, I wasn't ready to fall into bed yet. I really wanted to download all of my CPR pictures to post today but suddenly realized....I only have PSE 5 on my computer. Knowing all the fabulous things PSE 6 and 7 have to offer (like the ability to edit a JPEG in RAW), there was no way I was downloading my pictures to version 5!

I quickly pulled up the Adobe website and started to download the PSE 6 30-day trial. I'm sure mom's PSE 7 software will arrive before my trial expires (all of my fingers and toes are crossed). By the time everything downloaded and I had my pictures copied over from version 5 to 6, it was 10pm. I forced myself to go to bed but will be editing away tonight!!

Back to Reality

Yup. I'm home.

Even though I slept at least nine hours every night while in Stamford, I'm still exhausted. Traveling will do that to a person...especially when that person is 7 1/2 months pregnant. My mom, Chere and Judy dragged my butt all over Connecticut and some of New York. I saw so many fabulous sights and learned a ton about my camera and photography. I have so many pictures to share once I get them downloaded.

Today it's back to reality though. I have laundry to do, bedding to wash and groceries to buy. This morning I got to get the kids in the car and to school/daycare with a nice steady shower coming down. I didn't have enough gas to get to and from work so I had to stop and fill up. I have a dental cleaning this afternoon and tomorrow morning we take Ayden to the pediatric ophthalmologist. Yes, life is definitely back to "normal".

If you need a little pick-me-up and you're a Stephanie Meyer fan...check this out!

17 Hours

17 hours from now, a plane will be taking off from Atlanta heading to White Plains NY. And I'm going to be on it along with my mom and our dear friends, Chere and Judy. After our 2 1/2 hour flight we plan on taking our rental car for a 2 hour drive up the coast of Connecticut to Mystic. On Thursday, we'll be heading to Kent State Park for some leaf peeping. Friday and Saturday will be consumed with photography classes. I can't wait to learn, learn and learn! By 2:30pm on Sunday, we'll be heading back to Atlanta and our families.

I need this time away...
I need to regroup...
I need some sleep...

...because when I get back to normal life on the 13th, it's going to be non-stop until baby Ava's arrival.

Another Ultrasound

Today is a crazy day. Jameson is at home with Mima today because I'm pretty sure he has another ear infection. I made him an appointment for 3:30.

Ava and I had another ultrasound with Dr. Korotkin this morning. She's doing great and we're right on schedule with baby weighing in at approximately 3lbs. Midway through the ultrasound I had to go potty. When I got back I was surprised to receive a 3D ultrasound. I really didn't want to have 3D ultrasound done, but the tech was so excited about it I would have felt horrible saying no. It's just a personal preference, but I really don't want to know what my baby is going to look like before his/her birth. Knowing the sex is enough for me...I'd like something to be a surprise at delivery. Oh well, now I'm the proud parent of two 3D ultrasound pictures that my precious baby girl already has some chubby cheeks. Dr. K also gave me the thumbs up to fly to Connecticut this week so I'm a happy camper.

Tomorrow I see Dr. McSwain for another OB appointment. I really don't want to step on the scale for the weigh-in. Tomorrow night I'll be packing for our early morning flight on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to a couple of days away but hate to leave while both of my boys are under the weather. It's a good thing their Mima is here to make sure everything runs smoothly in my absence.

One more post for today

I don't like walking away sounding upset, depressed or miserable. I am non of those things. I sure hope no one got that impression from my last post. It's just that Brenda's story could happen to anyone if we're not careful and slow down every once in a while. My life is super crazy and hectic but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

It's been a while since I've really felt any creative juices flowing through my veins. I take pictures out of necessity rather than for the joy and I haven't touched my scrap supplies in almost 5 weeks. I'm very excited about my Connecticut trip next week though. I get a tingle every time I think about all of the bonding time I'll have with my Nikon D40 while I'm there! All these tingles sort of make me want to dive into a project. Something that combines photography with lots of journaling and minimal scrapping to keep everything clean and simple.

Do any of you keep up with Ali Edward's blog? Besides family and friends, I've been sort of avoiding the blogging world for the past 3-4 months but I've been getting back into it lately. Right now Ali is working on a "week in the life" project. She's taking lots of pictures of her daily routine, work stuff and family stuff. Every day she documents her family's activities for the day. After the week is over, she'll be putting everything into a mini book. She's done this before and I love the concept.

We have a lot going on in our family right now. Both Ayden and Jameson are going through some new phases, daddy is struggling to balance work/home with the Tyler Perry projects coming to a close and we're working on some of our own small projects at home. And then there's me...trying to be a good mom, wife, career woman and homemaker all while cooking baby #3 in my tummy. Lots going on = lots to document! Even if you think your life is boring and nothing changes day to day, Ali makes a point by saying that your emotions may be different so you'll view routine things in new ways. One day you could concentrate more on what's going on at work and less about the family. I truly believe that we all live interesting lives and they're worth sharing.

I'm really liking the idea of just keeping the book itself simple and concentrating more on the photos + words! I'd love to start the week after my trip. It'll be a busy week for all of us so there will be a ton to document. Let me know if you want to play along with me!

It really hit home...

Yesterday I was on such an emotional high after passing the exam. After having such a nice lunch with my mom, I had big plans. I was going to go home and take a well-deserved nap. But instead I ran a few errands and came home to admire Ava's new clothes. I'm never home at 4pm to watch Oprah, but there have been shows of hers that I've DVR'd if I thought they looked interesting. I really had her on just for background noise, but found myself glued to the TV as I watched a woman named Brenda Slaby tell her story about accidentally leaving her 2 year old in the car for over 8 hours. Poor Cecilia died of heatstroke due to outside temperatures reaching 100 degrees that day. I bawled my eyes out for 45 minutes until it was time to pick up the boys.

Before having children, I couldn't understand how something like that happens. I thought it must take one crappy mom to "accidentally" leave their child in the car all day. Now that I'm a mom, I not only completely understand how it could happen, but I'm scared of how easily it could happen. Most mom's today have no choice but to work outside of the home to help support their family. We're expected to have a career, pull our own weight financially, maintain the house and take care of the kids. We're expected to be supermom! I don't know who decided the bar should be set so high, but they should be shot. I can't tell you how many times I've left the house only to return multiple times because I forgot the camera, or I forgot the diaper bag, or Jameson's sippy is still sitting on the counter, or I forgot to let the dogs back in the house.

My routine is what keeps me sane. Without it, I crumble and feel inadequate. Without it, I know that things are getting missed. Maybe it's crazy to rely so heavily on a routine but it's what I need to make sure that things get done. Brenda Slaby had to deviate from her normal routine the day her daughter died. My heart goes out to Brenda, her family and all the other moms out there trying to be Supermom. Keep your chin up ladies!

To read more about Brenda's story, click here.

Pass or Fail?

Well, here it is....

I'm sorry. Are you having a hard time reading that? Let me move in closer for you....I couldn't be happier! I had a horrible feeling during and after the exam that I had failed so imagine my surprise when this was waiting for me out in the reception room.

So how did I celebrate this victory? I chowed down a double cheeseburger and fries with my mom and then she took me to Babies R Us to pick up some more clothes for baby Ava. Oh, and I just polished off this....

You can now call me Jamie Payne, CPP...Certified Payroll Professional!

Getting Focused

Why is this so difficult for me? I have the entire day to study at home. This is my last day to prepare for the CPP exam tomorrow and I need to pass. So why am I wandering around the house looking for something else to do?

I just called Comcast (cable company) because our bedroom cable box hasn't been working for about 3 months and I still need to call the EMC (electric company) about a utility light in our driveway that hasn't worked since we moved in. I'd like to get up to the attic and find my cooler weather maternity clothes. While I'm up there, I may as well start hauling down tubs of baby clothes and figure out what baby Ava can wear without looking like a little boy. I need to ship Jason's Xbox so that it can be fixed and I'd like to find another pair of jeans at Motherhood Maternity.

Where's the study time in all of that? There is none. So I need to put all of the above to the back of my mind and finish the PayTrain module on calculation of involuntary deductions. Sounds like fun, huh?

Wish me luck!

CFAB/ASC Scavenger Hunt

What in the heck is that you ask? Let's start with the basics.

CFAB = Chick-fil-A Bowl

For all of you that don't follow college football, there is a division here at the Chamber that is responsible for putting on the CFAB every January 1st. New to us this year was also the college kick off game in August.

ASC = Atlanta Sports Council

This division of the Chamber is responsible for everything "sporty" in Atlanta. They host RaceTown before the fall NASCAR race all the way to putting on the AVP/Crocs Tour here at Atlantic Station.

To explain the scavenger hunt part....

On the last Friday of each month we have a Chamber-wide staff meeting where we serve our staff some sort of breakfast and each SVP has an opportunity to share what's going on in their division. This tends to be a snooze-fest. Not that I'm not interested and/or proud of what the Chamber does, it's just that the SVPs can be slightly long winded and give out more information than actually necessary.

We made a change mid-year for 2008 and assigned each month's staff meeting to a specific division. They are supposed to come up with a fun and interactive way to teach the staff about current events in their division. So far we've been having a lot of fun! For September, CFAB/ASC came up with a "Digital Scavenger Hunt". They supplied us with a list of about 35 items that we either had to take a picture or video of us doing. Here are a few of the pictures from Team Central Services...

Directions: Picture of a team member holding a volleyball while standing in sand.

Our take: HR Director, Paul, holding a volleyball in his kids' sandbox.

Directions: Picture of team member standing on college or pro football field.

Our take: Me lying our way through security at the Georgia Dome to take this picture of Paul on the Falcon's field.

Direction: Picture of team member with a staff member of CBS-46.

Our take: Me convincing receptionist that it was a matter of life or death that Denise and I take our picture with news anchor Helen Neill.

Directions: Picture of team member in a boat or life jacket.

Our take: Me posing in a 7-year old's life jacket while almost 7 months pregnant. It wasn't pretty.

Directions: Picture of team member wearing any mascot head.

Our take: Track down the person who plays "Freddie the Falcon" and ask if we can quickly put on any of his mascot heads. I'm wearing the head from an old mascot for the Georgia Force.

This was a ton of fun, but a lot of work. Denise, Paul and I were completely exhausted after our one day journey through Atlanta to get the "perfect" pictures:) And if you noticed, my fellow team members made me do all the lying. Lying is not something that I'm really good at so I was completely drained from the stress of it all!