Lily on Ice

Last Friday night was my last Older Girl's Night Out for Girl Scouts. I decided I need a break; some time to collect my thoughts and focus on me for a while. The event last week was SO much fun! We went ice skating at 7th Mountain Resort (formerly known as Inn of the 7th Mountain).

Since it was Friday, Lily was with me at work, so she came with me ice skating. It was her first time, and she was so excited! We picked out her skates, got a helmet and headed to the ice.
It was really slick since they had just "zambonied" it, and I had no idea how to begin to teach her how to skate, so we struggled at first. After going around at a snails pace with her holding either me or the wall, another GS leader showed me how she taught her son to skate. Hold one hand in yours (either their left in your left, or their right in your right). Use your other hand to hold under that armpit (so holding her left hand in mine, my right hand is in her left armpit). She then puts her right arm out for balance. We went around the rink once more like this, and she was off on her own!

It took some convincing before she would stay away from the wall for any period of time, but by the time her dad came to pick her up around 8:30, she was doing great! She fell a few times, but never really got hurt (of course she is only 3.5' tall, so much closer to the ground), and she never got frustrated with herself or me!
We went back Tuesday night with some friends, and she had so much fun showing off her skills. She was timid at first, and tried hugging the wall, but quickly remembered that she knew what she was doing.

The best part of all this? The price! Admission is free for kids under 5, so the first time it cost us $5 for her skates. Tuesday is 1/2 price night, so she was FREE! I want to try to go on Tuesdays as often as we can, I mean what else can we do as a family for $12?!

So, it's been awhile...

You know how it is, life as a mom gets in the way and the blog you committed to gets moved to the back burner. Since my last post, I've had a few changes in my life. Two new bosses at work, one not-so-nice, the second INCREDIBLE. She inspires me and challenges me and is just a sweet, kind person besides! Also, I went back to school. I'm only taking 2 classes this term, but I think it's a good start after a 4 year break. Oh, and we got 2 cats!

Speaking of 4 years ago, 4 years ago tonight I went into labor. What follows is my birth story.

I was due on January 12, 2006. I was working in a child care center at the time, and figured to make things easier, I would have my last day be the end of 2005. So, the end of December came and went and I was home, alone. I had also made arrangements to take the entire month off of Girl Scouts, so I was utterly bored! I actually ended up going to work a couple times a week just to visit and kill some time! January 12 came and went and I was only 1-1 ½cm dilated. Then, on January 17, I decided to clean the bath tub to take what I figured would be my last bubble bath for a very long time. After my bath, I went to bed as usual.
I woke up at 3:45am with contractions, this was not the first time, so I decided not to wake Josh up until I was sure we needed to call the hospital. For 2 hours, I sat in the dark, timing and writing down my contractions. Then, at 5:45, I woke Josh up and told him I think we should call. My contractions were about 4 minutes apart at this point. We called the hospital and headed out.
Now, I had been told to eat before I got to the hospital because they would not let me once I was admitted, so I reminded Josh of this and we stopped at McDonald's. I could only eat a hash brown and my orange juice (I am not a breakfast person) and I remember the speed bumps were quite uncomfortable. We arrived at the hospital just before 7am. They put me in a triage room and started monitoring me. My contractions were about 2-3 minutes apart, but I was still just at 2cm.
Being that I was 6 days late, they decided to keep me and make it happen. I made all my phone calls to people I knew wouldn't mind a 7:30am phone call and was assigned a room. As friends and family arrived, my contractions all but stopped. They had me walking laps in the hospital until after lunch. When I complained about starving to death, the nurse let me drink some broth (yippee!) and we all sat and waited.


At 2pm they started the petocin. I started to have more, quicker contractions, but made barely more than a moan the whole time. The nurses were giving me a hard time for being too quiet! The doctor broke my water around 3 (I think) Then, about 4, transition started and I got louder. I was going to try to go natural, but I was getting so tired from the pain that I asked for some pain meds. Once those kicked in I was much better and able to rest for about an hour. About 5, the meds were not working anymore and I had my epidural. It ended up not working, and I felt the whole thing, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I had feared!
Shortly after, while I was in my trance, moaning and sweating like a pig, my good friend Katie stopped by to visit. Josh ended up sending her away (I didn't even know she was there), and we headed to the home stretch. During this process I was so hot that Josh, my mom and his mom had an assembly line going of cold washcloths back and worth to the sink. Nothing has EVER felt so relaxing in my life!
About 7, I started to push (incidentally during my Girl Scout troop meeting). I only remember pushing about 4 or 5 times, and Lily was born at 7:44pm. She weighed exactly 9 pounds and was 21 ½ inches tall with a think head of black hair. Around 9, my brother did a dinner run for us. I was so hungry, and I remember that Taco Bell tasting so good!



Looking back, had I known my epidural wasn't going to work, I would not have gotten it. I also laugh at all the extra stuff I did to prepare (like I learned in Lamaze) that I didn't even think to use. Things like music and lighting. Once I was there, I didn't care what it looked or sounded like, I was in such a trance I wouldn't have known anyway! Now, my little baby is turning 4!

Trick or Treat!

Ah, Halloween, my favorite day of the year! From the cute costumes, to the spooky house decor, to the CANDY, I LOVE it all! This year was especially fun because Lily finally gets it! She picked out her costume on her own, knocked on doors by herself, and got a lesson or two in sharing.

She decided completely on her own to be Little Bo Peep. This worked out well since she had a tutu from her June dance recital that looked the part (and we paid a pretty penny for), so we were half way there! I found matching fabric to make bloomers and a hat out of, and managed to make a matching loot bag out of leftovers, too! She wore a white turtle neck and tights underneath for warmth (and it added to the look, I think), and white patent leather Mary Janes.

Our first stop was the Shops at the Old Mill on the west side of town. We walked from store to store, sometimes having to direct her to the correct person to ask for candy from, for about an hour. Many of the stores were giving out small bags of popchips potato chips instead of candy. We had to get a shopping bag from one of the stores to put them in because they were filling her loot bag too fast! Anyway, by the time we left she had the idea.

Next stop, the Factory Outlet Mall. This one went much faster, maybe a half hour, and she was a pro by now! They had had a Halloween Festival earlier in the day we didn't make it to, but there were no telltale signs to upset her, so we were safe!

We went home for a bit (it was only 5:00), but on the way stopped at Papa Murphy's for a Jack-o-Lantern pizza. It's supposed to be mainly cheese, with an outline and a face made from pepperoni, but Josh asked for all pepperoni, so our Jack, was just a pumpkin (much like our pumpkins we never got around to carving).

After dinner, we got Lily back into her costume (no eating pizza in that baby!), and headed out for some door to door fun. First stop, the new neighbors across the street, who we happen to know from Kiddoz. Then it was over to Great Grandma's where Lily got a pack of Red Vines. Then we drove over to my parents and picked up a goody bag. Our next stop was going to be a good friends, but we detoured and stopped at another friends' first, then another. That friend had an awesome, busy neighborhood, so we decided to trick or treat around there for a bit.

Last stop, our friend, Cohen's. He still had his Batman costume on and was so excited for our visit! We chatted for a minute and then headed home. Lily got ready for bed shortly after while we handed out candy to kids at our house (Josh stayed home to man the candy bowl while we trick or treated). After Lily was in bed, the sitter came over and Josh and I went to the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Tower Theatre.

This was my first time seeing the movie, EVER. It was so much fun! I only wish we had brought cash with us. They had "Show Survival Kits" for $5 each which included all the props you would need for the movie. Things like rice and confetti and toast to throw, and newspaper, and a party hat to wear at key point in the movie. There was a costume contest for the best look-alike costumes, and there were actors acting out what was going on on the screen. Then there were the fans who knew exactly what to yell at exactly the right time. And of course, we all did the Time Warp. It was an adventure I can't believe I've never had, and one I can't wait to do again next year!

So, our Halloween was an eventful, candy filled, transvestite Transylvanian laced night and I hope yours was as good as ours!

Monster Ball - An adventure for Grown-ups!

I love Halloween! It's honestly my favorite holiday. Maybe because it's all about having fun, there's no pressure to do anything, and you can celebrate it as much or as little as you want and no one cares. Maybe it's getting to dress up in something silly, outrageous and totally out there. I think it's a little of both.

In any case, last night Josh, my brother and I went to a very cool Halloween party put on by a local radio station. It was at an old church, and overflowed to a tent in the parking lot...There were 2 live bands, 3 bars, and yummy food. All the makings of a great time!

Our costumes: Josh decided he wanted to be Max from "Where the Wild Things Are", the book, not the movie. So, I found a pattern for a full body, adult size animal costume. I found 6 yards of white fleece (per the pattern), and set to work. I got it completely cut out in about 2 hours, spread out on the living room floor. Sewing took about another 2 hours. Then I hand sewed buttons on the front. Josh added pipe cleaner whiskers and made a crown from poster board.

I was planning to make myself a Little Red Riding Hood costume, but ran out of time so on the 29th, I gave up and bought a cute devil dress costume form Walmart. It was comfy, felt like I was wearing a nightgown, but very breezy! I had more than one "Marilyn Monroe" moment last night!

My brother's costume was also homemade. He was Professor Membrane from "Invader Zim" His costume took him more hours than I can even guess at, and was really awesome.

We had our sitter until 12, so we headed home about 11:30; Dropped Andy off at his house and then came home. We had an awesome time, and still get all of today to celebrate the day with Lily! Here's hoping you have a creepy, spooky, candy filled Happy Halloween!



The pictures are a little blurry because I used my phone, and we were in a dark tent...

Pumpkins, Ponies & Air Cannons!

We finally made it to the Central Oregon Pumpkin Company this year! Though Josh wasn't feeling 100% back to normal, he braved it in search of the great pumpkin!

My first tip, learned from this adventure, wait until the weekend before Halloween to go. There was NO ONE there! We didn't stand in line for anything but the pumpkin cannon, and that was behind one person! We spend about $30, and everyone had fun and Josh found his perfect pumpkin.

We started our adventure with a family ride on the horse drawn buggy. Fun, cold, and bumpy! Just as it should be! Next up was the Cannon. Josh went first, and then held Lily for her turn. He helped her aim, but the firing was all her, baby! I asked her over and over if she wanted to do the pony rides, to which she always said no. Very odd, since that's usually her first choice!

Anyway, since the pony ride was out, and we had 2 tokens left, Lily and I went for a train ride while Josh went pumpkin hunting. It was bumpy, and the seat back dug into my spine, but Lily loved every minute of it! We got a sort of "back side" view of the farm, and got up close to the chicken/bunny coop.

Josh had his much desired funnel cake, and we took the usual "cut-out" photos. All in all a good day at the Pumpkin Patch!

FYI - Central Oregon Pumpkin Company is located in Terrebonne, OR, about 25 miles north of Bend, right at the base of Smith Rock State Park. Go to pumpkinco.org for more info and directions.

Fall Fun

I love a good fall party! Something about fall makes me feel cozy and nice. Maybe it's all the sweaters and boots and warm drinks, I don't know. Any excuse to celebrate the season and I am there!

This morning we were invited to a Harvest Party at a friend of a friend's farm in Alfalfa. It took about 15 minutes to drive out there, but from the second we drove up to the house, it was almost magical. Huge, tall trees full of beautiful yellow leaves lined the field and scattered fall colors on the ground, there was a rooster crowing the whole time we were there, and they had tables set up all over the front lawn with fun activities for the kids to do.

We started by painting the small (2.5 lb) pumpkin we brought. Then on to leaf placemat making. (Stick some leaves to a piece of clear contact paper, then cover with another piece). There were homemade soups, and goodies, and there was a caramel apple station. Lily put her stick in her apple then dipped it and covered it with yummy treats.

The older kids, mostly boys, were jumping of the cab of an old truck parked in the field, so a slide was bolted to the top and placed on a giant bail of hay for landing on. Lily was not quite brave enough for that one.

We played and ate and hung out for about 2 hours, then headed home. Lily was on the brink of asleep when we pulled into the driveway. All in all, a very fun and totally free afternoon celebrating my absolute favorite time of year!

Cabin Fever - Being Sick Sucks!

It's day 3 that we've been stuck in the house due to Lily's illness. We are both bored. Yesterday I managed to escape twice; once to get coffee for Josh and I and then later in the evening I went to Wal-Mart and bought Halloween decorations. It felt weird being out without Lily, though.

I can't spend another day watching preschool TV, so I need to do SOMETHING! Maybe before it rains we should go collect and press some of the gorgeous fall leaves in our yard. Of course, as I write this, "Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie" is starting on the TV. Crap, I may be stuck now! Maybe I can convince her to let me record it for later...

Anyway, we will have an adventure today, even if it's an inside, baking, making blanket forts and doing art adventure! I am determined! I will even get dressed!