Happy Halloween!

Today is Allison's first Halloween! I wanted to make her a cutesy costume but her past reactions to my girl ideas is to be UNHAPPY. She tolerates her pink onsies, but doesn't like me to put dresses on her. I decided to have some fun and I made her 2 costumes! I used clothes that she already had so that she's be comfortable.

She loved this costume because she was super comfy in her p.j's that Anna and Rich got for her, and she could chew on her beard. I thought she would hate having something around her face (the beard is detachable by buttons on the inside of the hat) but she loved playing with it.

BABY GNOME

Scarlett and Tanner often talked about the movie Despicable Me over the summer and the Minions were the perfect inspiration for Halloween- plus this costume allowed for a hat so that she'd be warm while we went Trick- or-Treating. I used felt to cover her shoes and add the "G" detail to her overalls.

MINION

On the Other Hand

Sometimes I get so frustrated with a baby screaming in my ear for most of the day. I love her and I'm always thankful she's here with me, but often I wish she had a mute button- I get it! You're tired! SLEEP!

But when I start to feel like that I think about today. Nathan got up for work at 4am and was out the door by 4:30am. You know what time he got home at? 8:45pm! As in 16 hours later! Allison had already had her whole day and was back in bed by the time he got home. He missed a whole day of her awesomeness. I've missed moments or an afternoon here or there with her, but a whole day?

I'm so thankful I get to spend all this time with her.

After she went to bed, I was cleaning up and took out the recyling. It was raining (and had been all day) but I needed to get out of the house for a minute. It was warm despite the damp day and I took a few pictures of our street before heading in to bed.

 

Day of Rest

I say day of rest because even though Nathan had worked a  6-hour shift before 10:30am, we had the rest of the day free. Allison slept through church today. She has been awake the last 2 Sunday's and it's really hard to concentrate while trying to keep her quiet and happy. I was thankful that I was able to give Adam Mitchell, a new pastor at Wornall (John Mark is still lead pastor) my full attention. It was a great sermon and I'm so happy that Wornall is growing.

Adam, his wife April, and their two girls just moved to KC from Madagascar. They were doing a mission trip and rather than returning to their home-state of Alabama, Adam took a placement in KC. April sounds just like Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama and being around her makes me want to speak the way she does. They are a very sweet couple and tonight they invited us over for Breakfast-for-Dinner. I love this style of meal and we had everything you could think of. April even made biscuits and gravy (white gravy!). It was delicious and afterward we were able to sit and chat and get to know each other a little better. I couldn't imagine coming to a new church and being in a leadership position, it must be so overwhelming. But they're both a perfect additional to Wornall and we look forward to having them as friends.

Adam and April only live a few blocks away and I guess Nathan and I weren't paying attention to where we were going because we arrived at their street and couldn't find #612. We looked to the left and say #610, and to the right we saw #614. We were trying to figure out what to do when Megan Spilker pulled up (another friend from church) and asked us what we were doing. We explained and she told us that we were on Terrace, NOT street and that's why there was no #612. We quickly got back in our car and went one street over- doubly thankful for church friends!

Changes

Nathan is finally starting to get some relief from his cold. He's been sleeping as much as he can to try to keep his strength up. Thankfully today he had a day off. He slept in until 9am and couldn't believe what a difference the extra 5 hours made. Nathan had some errands to run so I stayed home with Allison and tidied up the house.

With the change in the weather, I noticed that we have a mouse in one of the cupboards. Mice don't bother me, I mean, I don't want them on dishes or near my food, but they aren't a big deal to me. What is a big deal to me is disposing of them from the traps. It is so gross but Nathan leaves so early and I can't leave them in the trap all day so I have to do it myself. In 6 days, the trap has caught 5 mice.

I feel bad for them but not bad enough to stop setting a trap. It's been a couple days since we've caught one so I think we might have got them all but I'm keeping the cupboard cleaned out/trap set until a week with no sightings.

After Nathan got home from his errands- including a snazzy haircut, he needed a rest. He was laying on the couch with Allison and their pose looked just like when they were resting together after Allison was first born. So I took a 6 month shot of the two of them. What a change!

700th Post

The furnace is the house we're renting is being replaced so there's been a few guys from a local company that have been over this week getting it up and running. Even though it's a little odd to have strangers in the house for long stretches, I like having the company. They look at me weird because I keep offering them coffee and water but Allison loves having new faces to look at.

In the afternoon, my new friend, Lisa, called to say that she finished work early and asked if I wanted company. I said yes and she even brought Starbucks coffee with her! It was a great treat and she sat and chatted for a couple of hours before she had to head out to meet some friends.

After she left I decided that since this is my 700th blog post of MD and MRS that I would make a new blog header. I wanted one that showed all of our babies (Michael is the ultrasound, and it's John's feet on the far right) because we're a family. I can't believe I've been blogging for nearly 5 years (it will be officially 5 years on December 29th). We're been through 3 blog titles - anyone remember SanderseSaba? on multiple sites- "Sampa" anyone? and through 6 headers.

Allison had a great nap this afternoon so it was the perfect time to work on it.

Only 2 Hands

After I failed my vision test at the license bureau, I knew it was time to get my eyes checked. I always wear my glasses when I drive but I wouldn't say that I'm blind without them.

I booked an appointment with an Optometrist in our neighborhood but she wasn't available on a day that Nathan had off so I had to take Allison with me. I tried to time it so that I could get her really sleepy and the car ride over would knock her out, but instead, she stayed awake and was miserable by the time I got to the appointment. The staff was understanding but it was already on overwhelming experience- what is a co-pay? How does this medical system work? What's a health card primary?

It's really hard to get your eyes tested with a squirmy baby on your lap but we got through it. Thankfully my eyes haven't changed in the last 5 years (the last time I got a new pair of glasses) so that I can keep wearing the ones I have. I would like to get a new pair but that can wait.

Dinner Date

Tonight John Mark and Jill invited out to Shawnee to their place for dinner. We haven't spent much time together since I came back to KC so it was good to catchup on all the changes that have been happening since we left. JM and Jill were actually the first people we told that we were expecting Allison!

It was such a treat to have dinner made for us and it was an amazing meal- cornbread, chicken pot pie, caesar salad, and chocolate mousse (the leftovers were ours to take home)! I felt so spoiled in not having to cook! Nathan and I met at the Clifton's because Nathan has been working such long hours lately and so it made more sense for us to meet there. After a romantic drive home, following each other in separate cars, we got Allison tucked in for bed.

Mail Day

Allison got her first piece of mail today (a Halloween card) from Grandma and Pa. She really like the orange evelope and I had to take it from her before she drooled through the paper.

My Day

Nathan had today off and I was really excited because Nathan never gets week days off and I had big plans. I was going to leave Allison with Nathan and have a few hours to myself- go for my driving test, get a haircut, go to the fabric store, and just be FREE!

Well, that was a great plan, but Nathan is still sick so I told him that I would go early for my driving test and then come home.

I was really nervous for my driving tests but I had studied the manual and I consider myself a pretty safe driver. I got all my documents ready last night so that I could wake up early and go. Kansas has a really great automated system. You call for a place in line, and they text you your wait time. If you need more time you text back an 'M', if you want to leave the line, text 'L'. They keep texting you with updates and you respond if you need more time. It's brilliant. I knew I wanted to get it over with so I called from the car and when I arrived (with a 10 minute wait predicted) at 7:05am I was only one of 10 people there. I was quickly called up and after giving the clerk all my information, having my photo taken, utterly failing the vision test (but I had my glasses with me), I paid my $29 for the written test, driving test, and a 6 year license. I was SHOCKED when the clerk told me how much it would cost. In Ontario, this is what you can expect to pay:

G1 (written test) and G2(driving test): $145
Road Safety Course (allows you to take your driving test 4 months early): $250
G (you must take this within 5 years of obtaining your G2): $85
5 Year License Renewal: $80

Plus, the stress of the Ontario system is insane, it's automated but I remember waiting weeks or months to get a spot in line, it was so perfect to be able to do it the day of.


The written test was harder than I thought it would be, but mainly because I would over-think the questions. An you didn't want to get a question wrong because you were at a computer station that faced everyone waiting in line and your screen flashed RED when you get it wrong so everyone knows how you're doing.

My RED questions:

1. Which of the following will NOT result in a suspended license
a) consuming alcohol at a level above .08
b) failing to appear on traffic violations in Kansas or another state
c)guilty of 3 moving violations in 2 years.

I had guessed wrong between b and c.

2. What is the purpose of this sign?

a)regulatory
b)guide
c)warning

To me I guessed guide because that made sense, but it was warning. To me, those words mean the same thing but I was wrong. In the manual it says "Dangerous or Unusual Conditions Ahead" as the label for these diamond yellow signs.

3. At what distance of viewing difficulty would you turn your headlights on at?
a) 500 ft
b)300ft
c)1000 ft.

I guessed 500 but it was 1000.

I passed the test with 22/25 (you can get up to 5 wrong) and then it was time to drive. When the instructor and I went out to my car it was still dark out! It was a really easy drive, just around some neighborhoods with different speed zones. The man was really nice and we had a nice chat while we drove around for about 10 minutes. I was so happy when he told me I passed! I got a temporary license until my real one comes in the mail in a few weeks!

After I got home Nathan and I decided it was a good time to run some errands and get some groceries. We were back home by 1pm because Nathan had some work he needed to catch up on so I decided to try to get Allison to sleep with some afternoon snuggles. She managed to sleep for 30 minutes before she woke up screaming.

It's been a really long day and I'm looking forward to falling into bed as soon as I finish this post.

Canadian Living

Nathan has been really sick all weekend so he hasn't been able to help me with Allison. It's a struggle for me because I need the help on weekends. I obviously don't want Allison to get sick so I've been keeping Allison as far from Nathan as I can, while also following Nathan around with disinfectant. I'm so scared for Allison to get her first cold, especially since she hasn't had her first round of the RSV vaccination.

Allison has been chewing her hands until they turn bright pink and often fits all five fingers in her mouth and then proceeds to gag and choke so I decided to use what was left on our last Toys R Us giftcard and buy her a Sophie the Giraffe. For what it is, I could have just bought her a dog chew toy, but I thought that might get some weird looks. So instead I picked up a French Giraffe. She hasn't quite figured out that she can chew it yet but she likes to hold her and look at her spots.

For the last few years, Nathan's mom has been sending me copies of Canadian Living Magazine to wherever I happen to be living at the time. The magazine is perfect as it has house tips, recipes, craft tutorials, emotional support, testimonies, work out ideas, and everything in between. I love the recipes because they're "Test Kitchen Approved" and they always turn out exactly like they appear in the magazine. Before each sit down with our gospel community group at Danny and Katie's house, everyone in the group brings a small snack for everyone to enjoy. I had a few extra apples that I needed to use up but at the last minute realized I didn't have a pie plate. Thankfully I had the Thanksgiving edition of CL and found this great recipe for apple strudel.

I used to hate recipes that had many steps laid out over several hours (or days) but now that I have Allison it works out perfectly to make the dough and let it sit for 12 hours. Then create the apple mixture and let it sit for an hour. It's perfect because it allows me to do a little at a time but still have a great end product. I think I used a few too many apples but it still turned out great!

Around Home

We've been having a really quiet week, visiting friends, catching up with laundry and housework, and trying to calm the storm that is 2pm Allison. She's still not sleeping in the daytime which leads to some unpleasant afternoon/nighttime's. Allison has started getting up at 4am when Nathan gets up (you just can't be quiet enough in a small home) which means I get up too.

Lately I've been diligent in making Allison practice her "tummy time". Tummy time is time dedicated to a baby on their stomach so that they develop strong neck muscles (head control) and get a nice round noggin. According to the crazy medical "experts" on BabyCenter, babies are to spend 60-90 minutes (per day) on their stomach's by 3 months. HA! Allison is lucky to get through 30 seconds before she begins screaming. I've been looking up techniques to make it a little more bearable for both of us and being propped up with a pillow is working well and I've already seen a big improvement in just a few days.

ILRD Part III

"The death of a baby is a natural and common event. All told, probably more women have lost a child from this world than haven't. Most don't mention it, and they go on from day to day as if it hadn't happened, so people imagine a woman in this situation never really knew or loved what she had. But ask her sometime: how old would your child be now? And she'll know."

October 15 is Infant Loss Remembrance Day and I admit I find the day overwhelming. First, I find it overwhelming because my newsfeed (on Facebook) is filled with quotes on grief, photos of children no longer living, and the outcry of those that are filled with pain for their loss. I'm a member of a support group in KC for bereaved mothers and today is the one day that most of the women feel like it's okay to talk about their children who died. I think it's a good thing and I think most people are uncomfortable with death even though it is our reality.

Second, I found it overwhelming because Allison has been really challenging in the afternoons. She doesn't nap well in day and she can tough it out through a few snoozes in the morning but by 2pm she is mad. It takes a lot to calm her and even more to get her to sleep. This stops me from booking anything in this time and sometimes I get resentful of that. Today I had to cancel plans with April because Allison was in the middle of a tantrum. I am consumed with my love for her at the same time I wish for an hour of uninterrupted time to myself. Add to that the guilt of thinking of my feelings last year on this day, and the wishes of any mother who has lost a child, who would wish for one hour of a baby's cries to interrupt the cloak of sorrowful silence that hangs over their head. 

I'm so thankful for Allison. I'm thankful for friends who reached out to me before I posted on facebook why today was important. I'm thankful for friends and family who have loved and supported me, and I'm thankful for a church who knows that life begins the moment God pairs an innocent life with it's mother. 


Last week, Nathan came home with a list of church members and the column headings were: Male, Female, and Total Family Members. Sarah, a friend at church is pregnant with her 5th child and in her family's total member count, it was marked 7. I was so happy when I saw that because it means that other people recognize a child's life before it's born, and for me and so many other parents- that's all we have. 

I'm thankful for a day set aside to remember.

Arboretum

Last year Nathan and I went to the Overland Park Arboretum but it was so cold that we didn't get a chance to do many of the trails. I fell in love with the grounds last year and it is the perfect place to take pictures. Nathan had today off (even though it was really just a day to try to switch his sleep schedule) so we decided to head back to the Arboretum because today was a "free day". It usually costs $3 a person to get in but today it was free- our kind of day trip!

To start the day I went to CVS Pharmacy to get my flu shot. It is strange to get a flu shot while sitting outside a pharmacy pickup window but I dressed appropriately so that the lack of privacy wasn't an issue. I was nervous to hand over my insurance card because I've never done it before but it worked similar to a Health Card in Canada and my flu shot was covered. I've been busy making appointments for myself and Allison as our benefits are per calendar year and I want to establish care as soon as possible. I called my endocrinologist and he can't see me until the last week of January! Thankfully I can see a nurse before then and she can give me a prescription for my insulin.

As a treat for being so brave when the pharmacist gave me my flu shot (and then put the band-aid sticky side over the injection site) I treated myself to a Vanilla Latte at Starbucks before we drove the 15 minutes to the Arboretum.

It was a gorgeous day and the parking lot was full- although the grounds are so big we rarely saw people while we were walking. This year we were able to stroll through the sculpture park. All the artwork was donated by Chinese artists.

 

 

On our way home we thought that since we had lunches packed, a free day, and a good baby, we would stop at one more park. Nathan has a co-worker who suggested we stop in at Antioch Park and I'm glad we did. It was a great (free) park with tons of stuff for kids to do, plus ponds, pavilions, and trails. It was well maintained and we had a great time exploring more of our neighborhood.

Nathan was getting tired by the end of our walk but he still waited patiently while I took a few pictures.