TV & Movies

There is a lot of debate surrounding TV watching for children. How old they should be, what they should watch and how much time. I'm going to be honest: we watch a lot of TV. I love TV. I love having shows to watch. B and I have a handfull that we watch together which include Weeds, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story and Survivor. We each then have shows we watch separately  B loves any sporting event and I love trashy reality TV. It's how I relax.

What about Logan? I've aways been open with TV around him. His attention span has always been short with TV and movies, until recently. He can easily sit through episodes of Word World and Sesame Street. During the week, he doesn't watch very much TV. Maybe an hour, at the most, usually before going to bed. We all winde down together, he drinks some milk, we snuggle and then it's off to bed. On the weekends, however, we camp out. Especially since most days are -0* outside, we make it our job to not do anything outside. Instead, we stay in making pancakes, nachos, and pizza while watching movies and episodes on Hulu on Netflix.

Everything Logan watches is appropriate. He is obsessed with Word World. The show is genius. He knows so many different sounds of letters and it's wholesome entertainment. When we're not relaxing on the couch, we play hot wheel cars, trains, jump on the bed, throw balls for the dogs, and build legos. Sometimes we even ride the tricycle around the kitchen since it's still so cold to be outside.

All this to say, we let our weekends be our respit. The moderations go out the window and we spend time as a family. Especially with my being pregnant, I am so physically and mentally exhausted from my work week that I cannot imagine doing anything else. Plus, all the snuggle time I miss out during the week with Logan is made up for on our weekends. He helps me fold laundry, make the pancakes, and made my boo-boos (migraines) feel better. I'm okay with all of this and that is all that matters.

What is TV watching like in your home? What do your kids enjoy and how do you moderate it?

***There is no room for judgement in the comments.***

Sunday Social and Other Things

I'm linking up with Sunday Social again. I love this little blog hop. Sometimes writing is easier when you have little prompts, even if the questions are really easy and basic.

This week:

1. What is the name of your blog? How long have you been blogging? We Are For Each Other. It's from an e. e. cummings poem. I have the entire line at the top of the blog. ^^^ I've been blogging for about 4.5 years and I love it! I had a better following a few years ago, but I'm okay with only one or two readers. ;)

2. Why do you blog? I started this blog as a way to keep track of my days as a newlywed. Then I found other blogs about newlyweds and moms and so on and feel in love. I've always loved writing and this is my book.

3. What is the first blog you ever followed? Oh dear I have no idea! There are some blogs I have been following for years. And some of the first blogs I started following are no longer blogging.

4. What is your favorite post you wrote in 2012? The three-part series I wrote on us buying our home are my favorite posts. It felt so empowering to share how we made it all work out and heck, WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST HOME! Part1. Part2. Part3.

5. What are your blogging goals for 2013? Write a post 3 times a week, keep working on an ebook I've started, and follow more amazing bloggers.

6. Top 3 favorite blogs to follow?

Harvesting Kale

Ambition Never Goes out of Style

Midwife101 (my shameless plug)

Happy Sunday!

Currently...20 weeks!

TWENTY WEEKS!! I feel like this is one of the best milestones in pregnancy. For me, 10 weeks, 20 weeks, 24 weeks and 35 weeks are the best milestones. 10 weeks feels like you're pretty much out of the woods as far as a potential loss is concerned. Then 20 weeks is HALF WAY!! 24 weeks is viability and 35 weeks is almost term, meaning you can emotionally prepare for your baby to come just about any time.

Overnight, the belly and this baby have popped. I just know baby is going through a growth spurt. Suddenly, every part of my low back, hips and sacrum is screaming at me each time I sit down or stand up. Baby's position must be sitting just right to make all these aches happen at once. Plus, I carry my babies low so I know that contributes. Regardless, each ache is worth the reward in the end. Grow, baby grow!

Wishing... I could enjoy more alcohol. We were given so much wine over the holidays and I have to wait 5 more months before I can enjoy it. I'm certain that, by then, we will have quite the stock. Maybe we will have a "meet the baby and drink my wine" party.

Thinking...about how I've lost a friend, emotionally. The last week has been rough. I'm more angry than anything else, but it's still really hard.

Cooking...nothing. I try not to cook when I'm pregnant and we have had so many left overs from different get togethers. We are working our way through that.

Drinking...coke, water, juice and tea. The coke is to ward off an oncoming migraine and I am loving peppermint teas.

Working...my holiday. I worked on New Years Day and it was slow, but easy. Also working on getting the Christmas decorations put away and keeping the house cleaned up.

At 20 weeks....

• Eating: Edemame!! OMG why did no one tell me about this before?!


• Wearing: maternity clothes. Some longer tops/tanks still fit but I'm pretty much done with my regular clothes.


• Gaining: some weight! I think my boots added an extra pound or two, but apparently I gained 5 pounds in the last week. Makes sense if this baby is going through a growth spurt!


• No fun: low back pains


• Way fun: seeing baby bean on the screen on Monday and learning I no longer have a placenta previa!!


• Big brother is: insisting baby is a girl and he calls her by her name. I love it!

Our Baby

This morning we had our big ultrasound. I have been really distracted with other things the last week or so and was not really excited about it until last night. I'm glad the excitement was short because waiting is so hard! For the last three weeks B and I, along with many of you, our family and friends, have been praying for my placenta to move away from the cervix. I was mentally preparing myself for a high risk pregnancy, bed rest and an early c-section. While all that was premature, I had to have my emotions in check for me to maintain any sanity about the entire situation. I know way too much about the condition and gave everything I knew up to God because I had no control. There was nothing we could do and so I settled with the worst case scenario. In a way, I believe this worked in my favor. I was less emotional and more accepting about it the last week or so, not to mention Christmas and time off from work is a huge distraction.

We arrived and waited for our tech. She has been a sonographer for 30 years so I knew she would tell us everything. Our practice has their own techs so, unlike in a hospital, they can give us details right away. I asked her if my care would be transferred and she said no, not for a previa. So that was a relief. I really was bumming on missing out on my experience with a midwife, even if I did end up with a c-section.

Baby looks amazing! So healthy and very happy. He/she is measuring a week behind, just like their older brother had been. Baby is also very low so we were unable to get the good profile shots. I go back in two weeks so she can check the head, face, brain and heart out in more detail.

Lastly, we finished up with a TV ultrasound to check on the placenta's placement. Right away it was obvious: my placenta was no longer covering the cervix! And not only that, but was a good 2.4cm away from the opening meaning I don't even have a marginal previa. I am no longer high risk and can carry on with a normal, vaginal birth if all else works out that way!! We are elated! I cannot even tell you how it felt to hear B's sigh of relief. We had both been really careful about my carrying things, etc for the last few weeks and while I will still be careful, we have a lot less to worry about.

Our year could not have ended any better! Tonight we are celebrating by a quiet dinner at home, sipping on sparkling cider, and watching the ball drop.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Christmas Time in Photos

As I'm sure you've noticed, I really cannot find a layout I am happy with right now. Wordpress is great, but the selection of layouts is not so much. Bare with me!

Our Christmas season starts a few weeks before Christmas when we get everything set up at home and celebrate with a number of different families over the course of several days. I love how close we are to our family and that we were able to have a wonderful, relaxing time together. Happy Christmas and Merry New Year! CHEERS!

Christmas Eve:

I worked and was able to leave early. Came home and B and I prepared our house for his mom's arrival. After she arrived, we decided to head downtown for a fancy dinner. We ate at my most favorite restaurant our little town has. I had an amazing salmon dish, something I don't get to eat very often! Then we went home, relaxed and watched It's a Wonderful Life.

Christmas Morning:

Logan woke up just before 7am and quickly discovered that Santa had come by the house. He said Santa told him "Thank you" and he was so happy for all his new presents! We spent a quiet morning opening presents, sipping on coffee, eating an amazing breakfast made by B and resting.

Later, we played with Legos and had a lovely Christmas Day dinner of steak (our new tradition), veggies and fruit salad. We topped off the evening by watching another movie and then packing for our trip to Steamboat (we were married there).

[caption id="attachment_3256" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Christmas Morning![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3257" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Santa did good![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3258" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Grandma Mac gave Logan a new trike![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3259" align="aligncenter" width="200"] B got a new saw.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3260" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Music![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3261" align="aligncenter" width="300"] I got new lamps![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3262" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Art supplies![/caption]



[caption id="attachment_3265" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Lego time.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3266" align="aligncenter" width="200"] All of us built something awesome.[/caption]

Day after Christmas:

We headed to Steamboat after I worked for a few hours. The drive up the mountains was beautiful and easy. It was our first time through the canyon since the huge fire earlier this summer and it was devastating to see how much land has been torched. Upon our arrival in Steamboat, we had drinks and dinner with our extended family (my aunt and uncle whose house is in New Jersey). The visiting was lovely! B and all our cousins tried to go sledding that night down the mountain but there was a mix up with reservations. So they came back and we continued our evening back at our hotel room where we opened presents with my parents and brother. It was so nice and relaxing! Logan got an amazing light up/legos type of game that he loves! And B and I got a new camera!! I have been borrowing my dad's for the last few years to take good quality photos so I can now join the ranks of amateur photographers with a professional camera at my eye.

 

[caption id="attachment_3267" align="aligncenter" width="300"] First day in Steamboat (and first photo with my new camera!)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3268" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Playing with his awesome new lights.[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_3270" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Silly man.[/caption]

Thursday:

B treated himself to a day of snowboarding up on the snowy mountain! Fresh powder covered the slopes and B says it was the best day boarding he had ever had! Though he is quite sore, he deserved that day up in the "pow" as locals call it.

I spent the morning with Logan and my mom. We walked around downtown, I got a memory card and camera case and quickly starting snapping photos. That afternoon we had to deal with a ton of family drama, but who doesn't have family drama?! Suffice it to say that everything will be okay, but it did hinder my nap time.

Thursday night we all bundled up and took a very bumpy ride deep into the mountains to a ranch where we were dropped off at a cabin. There we had hot cocoa and apps while we waited for our sleigh ride up to the teepee where we would be having our dinner. The ride was incredible! The moon was full and you could barely see it through the snow and clouds. The air was bitterly cold, but we were covered in wool blankets. Logan loved it! We arrived 10 minutes later and entered a very warm teepee with tables and a fire in the middle where we would be spending the next 2 hours eating our meal. The food was divine! We then got back on the sleigh and went back to the cabin where we had dessert and headed back down the mountain into town.

[caption id="attachment_3271" align="aligncenter" width="300"] It snowed every day we were in town. So beautiful![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3272" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Daddy and Logan on the sleigh ride![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3273" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Our transportation.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3274" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Inside the teepee.[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_3276" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Keeping warm by the fire.[/caption]

Friday we spent most of the day relaxing. My extended family headed home a day early due to some nasty weather on the East Coast. We played with our new toys, took nap, I had an incredible massage at the spa and that night we had dinner with my brother at a local Irish pub. Our last day was just what we all needed!

Saturday morning B let me sleep in a bit until I was ready to get up and start packing for our ride back home. The drive is a good 3-4 hours and was beautiful! The sun had come out for the first time in days which made the snowy trees glisten! I was so sad to leave our respit! The time off from work has been just what my soul has needed to restore balance and drive. Three more weeks and I am back to school! Hope you all had a great week!

[caption id="attachment_3277" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Moon setting over the mountains.[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_3279" align="aligncenter" width="300"] I love this photo I snapped on our way home.[/caption]

2012 Year in Review

This year has been amazing. I will let the photos and captions speak for themselves. Cheers and Happy New Year!!

January

• We started to potty train Logan.


• I was struggling with a lot of depression and anxiety, mostly due to my stomach issues.


• B brewed his first batch of beer.


• I got a promotion and my very own office.

February

• Logan turned two!


• B and I celebrated 4 years together.


• I started some new medication and counseling to help get my health back on track.

March

• We were all sick for most of the month :(


• Celebrated St. Patty's Day downtown Denver with family.


• Logan's verbal language exploded!

April

• I got really sick  (AGAIN!)


• Made some fancy deviled eggs for Easter


• Logan flew a kite!

May

• Celebrated Mother's Day with my parents


• I decided to make a ton of frozen meals.


• My health really started to come under control

June





 

 

• We took our 2nd family vacation together and headed to the Jersey Shore.


• We had a terrible fire rip through our woods not too far away.


• We closed on our first house!

July

• We settled into our new home.


• One of the hottest summers, nearly 100* days everyday in July!


• We dealt with a terrible, local tragedy, the Aurora theater shooting.


• I went to a Dashboard show where I saw someone propose to his girlfriend!

August

• B and I celebrated 4 years of marriage and I turned 28.


• I started up college again!


• We prepared for my cousin to move in with us.

September

•  We learned about baby bean on September 17th!


• My cousin moved in with her kids.

October

• I announced my pregnancy on social networks.


• 1st prenatal appointment


• Got food poisoning on our trip to Black Hawk and lost a bunch of money.


• We had our first snow of the season.


• Hurricane Sandy devastated the Jersey Shore and displaced my extended family.

November

• Pregnancy migraines started up (NO FUN!).


• I attended my first live birth of twins via c-section.


• I only had one class left to finish this month.

December

• Found out I have a complete placenta previa with this baby.


• Celebrated Christmas three times; once in Denver with B's family, once on Christmas Day with B, Logan and his mom, and once in Steamboat with my parents and extended family. (post to come)


• Baby bean started moving around a ton!

Bump Bump (19wks)

This weekend has been so nice! I know it's Wednesday but since Christmas was yesterday, it feels like a weekend. I'll post about Christmas next week, so onward with the baby bump update.

• Eating: Lots of pasta, salads, and peanut M&Ms


• Wearing: All maternity pants (work and jeans) and some maternity tops, though I have several tops that are longer tunics that fit great.


• Baby is…bouncing around quite a bit!


• Differences: This is a good 1-2 weeks earlier that I have been feeling this baby than the first time.


• Predictions: Still thinking (and HOPING!) this baby is a girl.


• No fun: I'm out of breath climbing the stairs! And by the end of the day I am achy all over and just want to sleep.


• Way fun: The baby movement and heading to Steamboat later today!


• Decided: on a name for this baby if it's a boy!

Have a great week, friends! I will be away from the blog for a little while. (I have a year in review post scheduled for this weekend.)