The MomGate MG1

Well we make concessions in life to make everything go smoother... and I have made a rather silly one lately.

As any regular reader of my blog knows, Caitlynn has been having sleeping issues lately. Mostly revolving around teething and the need to practice crawling. Yet for the time being I have found a method that is helping her sleep better, not only at night, but during naptime as well. Oh and this is in her Packnplay as well.

Like her mommy, Caitlynn has a love of textures, specifically soft fuzzy ones. And my blanket is a VERY nice and soft blanket called Cashmina. Believe me when I say this.... it is the comfiest cozyiest blanket I have ever had... okay it's really a comforter but it is my blanket! So Caitlynn likes to take this blanket and rub her hands on it, and pull it against her face to feel the softness as she falls asleep. Something I like to do as well mind you. So lately I have been putting half the blanket in her Packnplay with half of it on the bed. Even when she is put in there awake, as long as she can play with my blanket she is usually content. WHen she starts to fuss, I just have to reach in, pop a pacifier in her mouth and she drifts off. I think I might have to buy myself a new blanket soon... when we move her into Gabe's room I might have to buy a little Cashmina blanket, and sleep with it so it smells like me.

Hey if it works right?

It is usually not a good thing...

I learned this with Gabe a while back, the trouble he has gotten into when I thought he was playing quietly... from opening christmas presents, to eating an entire quart of blueberries, to trying to open juice boxes himself... the list goes on. But yesterday was the first time that applied to Caitlynn.

She was having a rough day since she was overtired. Little devil decided she didnt want to nap unless I was laying next to her, and my knee was hurting so bad I couldn't stay in bed. So eventually I got tired of her kicking and trying to bite me, so I put her on the floor to practice crawling. She wasn't happy and was fussing and crying. Then it got quiet. I figured she found the pile of cheerios I put on the floor for her.

I was wrong.

Out of the blue Gabe starts screaming bloody murder. Ask him what is wrong all he is saying is 'Noodles!' Okay hun your noodles are right the.... CAITLYNN! There was Caitlynn her grubby hands in Gabe's bowl of noodles with streams of them from her mouth to the floor. Little shit wiggled to where Gabe was eating his dinner and proceeded to help herself.

When it comes to food, Cait is not shy at all.

~Sweet Little Blessings Giveaway~

You know I wish I would have done cloth diapers with both of my kids, Gabe came about when we were living in an apartment and so trudging around cloth diapers at 1.25 a load of laundry(wash only) was kinda steep. Then when we moved to a house with a washer and dryer, we didnt have the funds to invest in clothies, and since my MIL was buying us diapers whenever we needed them, it just didnt cross my mind. Although I promise, if I end up having a third child... we will be using cloth. If I can sit here and clean toddler underroos I can handle baby diaper cleaning, toddler poo is soooooooo much stinkier then breastfed baby poo.

Anyway, these cloth diapers are soooo cute!

Yes most of the time they know more then we do... since they you know, studied medicine for years and years... but sometimes they arent right.

Take for example - when I was in High School, I'd spend 3 days out of every month curled up around a heating pad intermittently throwing up and passing out from the excruciating pain. GG Mother Nature. And it was always in English Class... no one wanted to sit in front of me =p The doctor tells me things will get better after I have a kid, well two kids later and I am still quite nauseous when Mother Nature comes to call. The pain comes and goes, but it is still intense enough that I have to stop what I am doing and curl into the fetal position for a little while.

Example#2 - Few years after I saw the doc for the problem above, I was told that if I wanted to have kids I'd have to get surgery as I had scar tissue in my tubes. Joy, my Sister in Law had a similar surgery and she said it was very painful. Well I figured it was something I had to do... then 3 months after my wedding... guess what, pregnant =p 3 months after my cycles returned after Gabe... I was pregnant. So either Shawn has super sperm or the surgery wouldnt have been necessary ANYWAY. (didnt get it, man am I glad now)

Example #3 - my son Gabriel. Poor kid had a rough start... he was a vomitter, and the doc said it was okay. It was normal, babies spit up. I knew it wasnt but the Ped wouldnt listen to me. All he did was nurse, vomit, nurse, vomit and cry. He must have been in such pain and it was chalked up to 'normal' or I was just a crazy mom. Now with Caitlynn I can see that it wasnt normal and Gabe probably had GERD. Poor kid =(

Anyway, I guess this is just a rant that sometimes you have to second guess your doctors if you feel something isnt right. And yes this post is aimed at a dear friend of mine who has some health issues right now and the doctors keep poo-pooing her saying it is all in her head or due to her weight. Keep after the doctors, what you are experiencing Luv is NOT normal in any way shape or form.

It has been a rough week (again... yeah eventually things will get better!) Thursday of last week Gabe was up all night with explosive diahreah... not fun... but then when I went to get him up for the day, he had puked all over the floor in his room. He was so upset and was trying to clean it up with baby wipes. I assured him it was okay, he didnt mean to and plopped him in for a nice warm bath. He was tired but no fever so I figured I'd just keep him hydrated... and then while watching TV with him and cuddling, he projectiled all over me. And it was red, granted I had given him a popsicle, but it was still freaking me out. I called up my mum and then called up the PEd. I would have rushed him to the ER if my car was working (stupid battery) but without insurance that woulda been pricey. The Ped. knowing my insurance dilemma atm told me to wait it out, keep him hydrated and watch for any other symptoms. Luckily he recovered quickly, must have been either a 24hour bug, or he was drinking bath water again.

Scary! No one likes to see their kids sick, but even less when you are currently in the process of fighting for health insurance.

Well to make my day even better (sarcasm inserted here) Thursday night I slipped in the family room (Shawn neglected to tell methat Gabe spilt his water on the floor, he says my falling was 'karma' for giving Gabe a bigboy cup... yeah great husband eh?) and landed on my knee. Unfortunatly one's knee isnt supposed to bend the way it bent. Sheer and utter agony. Luckily no deformation and only a little swelling but omg the pain. And since we dont have insurance... cant even get that checked out.

Friday Shawn comes home from work throwing up... so I guess he caught Gabe's stomach virus. Yay. He was too sick to help me take care of the kids, so crippled me had to try and do everything once his mother left. I called her at 8:30am to help me out, she arrived at 12:30pm but at least she helped right? Getting the kids up and down the stairs made me cry from the pain, I STILL have to scoot on my butt to get down.

Saturday we were planning on going out with our friends, and Shawn was intent on going even with a sour stomach. I thought, oh boy I get to drink tonight since it hurts to drive and Shawn has a sour stomach. Boy was I wrong. Not only did Shawn get royally angry at me when I asked him to drive, he pretty much ignored me the whole night. Good thing Marcel came along so I had SOMEONE to talk to =p and Marc is always good for giving me attention when Shawn ignores me. So Shawn had two scorpion bowls, and I had a sip of Marc's beer. Joy. I could have used the alcohol to take the edge off the pain. Didnt help that a gaggle of kids decided to pole vault my bad knee in the crowded waiting area of the resteraunt.

Sunday, a VERY cold VERY rainy and windy day. We were supposed to go Punkin picking with the folks we went out to dinner with, including kids this time. Shawn decided he was going to be in a foul mood and snap at me constantly all morning. Hey I agree I am a slob and I am not a very good housekeeper, but I was vacuuming every day last week, even when I couldnt walk. So if he wants to get pissed at me for the mess in the house, he should see it if I didnt do ANYTHING to try and pick up after the kids. But no, I cant appease him when it comes to cleanliness.

So we left him at home and I packed up the kids, gimpy as I was, all bundled up for the cold. Picked out two punkins as fast as we possibly could and then went out for lunch. Gabe had a great time playing with Sherri and Jed's two sons, but especially Michael. Gabe just LOVES Michael. And of course Cait was a little angel... as long as we kept the pizza crusts coming. I had to take away her sippy to tighten the lid and BOY was she angry about that!

Now last night Cait was up at 1:30am wanting to play... and when I took her downstairs so Shawn could get some sleep, even tho I went to bed early and he did not, I somehow managed to twist my just starting to feel better knee. Oh my goodness, my vision went white. So today I am back to how I felt on Friday, I have a bunch of laundry that needs to be done and I KNOW I cant make it up and down the stairs with a laundry basket. Oh happy day, and if I ask Shawn to help me I am going to get an attitude since he is still pissy from this weekend.

Another day in Paradise >.<

That is my current mantra... for the past 4 days Caitlynn has decided she doesnt want to sleep past 11pm. and she isnt a very good napper anymore, just too much fun to be awake I guess. Well I think I have managed about 7 hours of sleep in the past 36 hours... which means not only am I exhausted, I am very very very cranky. Today I am a little more alert then yesterday... yesterday I didnt manage to get Gabe to go on the potty at all, I'd trip him then start to fall asleep while he played musical potties.

Part of it is Cait's teeth coming in, bottom two finally broke through and top two are on their way... but also I think she has been having nightmares. Last night she'd be screaming and kicking and writhing... but still be asleep. Talk about rough =( I finally brought her downstairs at around 2am and plopped her in her swing so Shawn could get some sleep. I thinks he slept in there for an hour while I dozed on the couch. Then we shlepped back upstairs. Of course once Gabe got up, Cait passed out in her porta crib... yikes.

Hoping I get Gabe on the potty mroe today, if I dont pass out on the couch again...

But I have to keep telling myself...
This too shall pass...

Alright I thought I'd post this recipe - since I whipped it up today and am enjoying it right now. I modified a recipe I found in a cookbook I got for a wedding present and I can see myself modifying it even more.

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I actually used three pounds and my really big crock pot)
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning (I omitted this)
1pkg Hidden Valley Ranch mix (I added 2)
1 (14oz) can of diced tomatoes (I used the diced tomatoes with jalepenos in them)
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of navy beans
1 can of whole kernel corn
1/2 cup of water


Brown the ground beef and onion in skillet, drain, place in crockpot. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer in crockpot for 6-8 hours. Serve with corn chips.

Easy, affordable and very tasty. I also added about half a jar of my homemade salsa. I am not a big bean eater (if they aren't baked beans) and I am loving this. Warm, hearty and very yummy. Break out the hot sauce!