Weigh-In week 4: rainy days

I passed the "make the salmon recipe" goal....sort of.  We had salmon earlier in the week for dinner, and it was soooo good!  However, I tweaked the recipe based on what ingredients we had on hand, and ended up with a completely different recipe.  I'll share the recipe when I have a few more minutes.  11 points per serving and worth every one.

I failed the exercise goal, but I'm blaming that on the rain and freezing whether.  Where is the sunshine??  Hopefully next week we'll have sunshine AND exercise.

We've been going a little crazy indoors, even with all of Sylvie's new birthday projects she got for her birthday.  Every minute outside is so appreciated. 

Stella got her first real time out, and it actually worked.  For the first time ever, she actually does something when I asked her to clean up now.  The toys don't always end up where they're supposed to, but we're moving forward. 

 

Sylvie and her best little friend got a warning at school for not cleaning up when they were first asked. Her consequence at home was 2 days with no fancy headbands. I love that discipline issues can be solved with time outs and headbands right now. That probably won't work 10 years from now. I'm going to need some new tricks.

I try to let them burn off a little energy outside so our indoor time will be just a little more quiet, but it never works.  I think it is a rule, when there are three kids, someone is always screaming. 

Oh well.  Quiet is overrated.

Week 4: 2 pounds; total: 10.5 pounds

Lots of love, 

Keri

I am a photographer

I am a photographer because.....I have a camera.  Actually, I have one nice camera and one really great camera that we owe Chrissy money for.....but that's another story.  I am on a mission to be a photographer because I know what the heck I am doing with the camera, other than just leaving it on an auto setting and hoping for the best.

I recently read this tutorial, and LOVED it.  Really, really loved it and learned a lot.  I would highly recommend for anyone who wants to take better pictures.  Even if you know a lot, I would guess you'll learn something new - everything is explained REALLY well.

http://my3boybarians.com/31-days-series

I also really like some of the posts here:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/category/basic-photography/

 All of these photos were taken after I read that and was determined not to use an automatic setting.  I went with Aperture priority.

Picture below is "no nap Stella".  A close relative to "pre-coffee Mommy."  :)

I think the 3 most important things I learned were that (1) real photographers apparently NEVER use the built-in flash on the camera.  Who knew?  [No flash on these pics, and my lighting was not great, or even good, really]

(2) Using the user-controlled settings really can get you better pictures if you know what you're doing.  These pics prove it to me.  The auto versions were far less impressive in my opinion.

and finally, (3) there's lots of stuff to be learned when you actually read the manual and test the functions out as you read.  I learned how to move the focus spot around, so it isn't always in the center.  I had a lot of fun with that in these pics. 

Let me know if you have other recommended sites and let me know what pics are your favorites....the ones from this experiment are all here:  https://picasaweb.google.com/TexFamily/PracticingPortraits#

For now, I will just keep practicing.  I have willing models...most of the time.

Lots of love, 

Keri

Sylvia is almost 5!!

Our Sylvie is 4!  She has been counting down to the day she turns 5 and can "ride the bus to kindergarten" since she could talk.  I'm pretty sure she didn't even know what kindergarten was when she started saying that.  She may not have known what a bus was.  Stella thinks every big truck that goes down the street is a bus, including the trash truck.  Now Sylvia is 4, which in her logic, makes her almost 5.  She's already planning the party she'll have.  Ahhh!!! 

I am so proud of her.  She has always been incredibly smart.  I am totally biased, but she just turned 4 and can do math and read simple books.  Come on now!  More than that though, her compassion for others has always amazed me.  Toddlers are supposed to be totally self absorbed and oblivious of the rest of the world, and she sometimes is, but other times she is incredibly concerned about others and very thoughtful, especially towards her little sister and brother.  Sylvia interprets Stella's language and finds the toy she is asking for or the drink she wants.  Even when Stella was a baby and Sylvia was 2, Sylv would ask me to hold Stella if she were crying, never jealous that a new baby was getting attention.  When Jeremy cries, she comes running to hold his hand, because "he likes that".  Stella and Jeremy both have a sweet second little Mommy in Sylvia.

Sylvia has taught us all so much.  She taught me that if you put ice cubes in a glass of water, boring water becomes really fun to drink.  She taught me never to pass on any aversion you might have had towards food to a little one; they might surprise you.  They might love brussel sprouts and despise marshmellows (where did this kid come from?!).  And she taught me how amazing it is to love a sweet little baby and watch them grow and learn new things every day as they become a talented and caring grown-up four year old.

 Thank you SO much to everyone who sent birthday wishes and birthday gifts and helped us celebrate her special day.  (Real thank you notes are in the works, I swear, but in the meantime...thank you!)  Most of all, thank you to everyone who is a part of our kids' lives.  They are so cherished and are becoming amazing little people because of it.  It takes a village, and we have a great one.

Lots of love, 

Keri

Weigh-in week 3: sweet and salty

2 more pounds down, keep 'em coming.  (2 this week, total 8.5)  Food tracking stuff is going great, now I just need to figure out how to fit in exercise.  We went on a walk with all the kids on Sunday.  John pulled the girls in the wagon, and I wore Jeremy in the baby carrier.  It was such slow going for me (A walk should not be that tough!).  I know Jeremy is big, but he's not that big.  Must have been the shape-up shoes.  Definitely could not have been the fact that I am ridiculously out of shape with no muscles!  Goal for next week:  get muscles :)  Other goal for next week, make Alissa's salmon (yum!):  http://alissamagissa.blogspot.com/2011/03/whats-dill-y.html

My favorite snacks lately are apples dipped in a chocolate snack pack pudding (yes, more chocolate!), and pop chips with fat-free fresh salsa (basically chopped up tomatoes, onions, and such found in the produce section).  Love, love, love those pop chips.  They come in all different flavors; my favorites are barbecue and sea salt & vinegar.  22 chips are 3 points and the salsa is free.  (The pudding snack with the apple is 3 points too).  I know you can buy Pop chips at Target, Amazon, and Costco; maybe Sam's club too??

Find a store here:  http://www.popchips.com/storelocator/

These are not my chips, but they should be :)



In other news, I made it out of the house with Stella and Jeremy today, with a trip to the bank, clothes donation drop-off, and the library.  Success!!  The librarians were in complete shock that Stella looked so old and that Jeremy even existed (where did HE come from?!)  Time flies. 

I'm half watching biggest loser while I type this (but not eating while I watch, like I used to do when I was pregnant!).  Next up, one of my 3 fav shows, that all happen to be on at the same time.  "The Good Wife", "One Born Every Minute", and "Parenthood".  (I am newly addicted to Parenthood.   LOVE that one!).  Anyway hope one is new for tonight -  I don't always have much time for TV these days.

Lots of love, 
Keri

butterflies flowers and frogs

When I asked Sylvie what birthday treat she wanted to take to school she said "chocolate muffins with butterflies and flowers".  hmmm.....So, we bought pre-made brownie bites that looked like mini cupcakes and some colored icing tubes and tips, and I did my best to make butterflies or flowers on top of each one.  We put each one in cupcake paper and into a tupperware, and they were a big hit.  It was the perfect sort of homemade treats for a busy mommy.

The girls ate two lunches on the deck this week and had so much fun!  I am really looking forward to spring and lots of time spent outside with my beautiful kids on that beautiful deck!

Jeremy is just on the verge of giving social smiles.  He gave Daddy a great big smile the other morning before John left for work.  He is looking more and more like Sylvia to me.  I guess my next challenge will be to get a picture of all three kids with their great big smiles :)

p.s. Dear Sarah - I hope that baby of yours can hop into her frog outfit before Jeremy grows out of this one, so they can get a froggy photo together :)  He's getting bigger by the minute, so I'm not too sure....

Lots of love, 

Keri

weigh-in day for both of us

So, baby Jeremy is wearing some of his 3-6 month clothes and is approaching 12 pounds.  That was a quick 6 weeks!  He officially weighed in at 11 pounds 10 ounces [90th percentile].  I asked the nervous three different times, "Really?  11 pounds 10 ounces?".  I'm pretty sure the girls were at least 3 months before they hit those numbers.  His length was 80th percentile, which is a good match for his weight.  His doctor's appt was Monday, and although I was extremely nervous to go on my own with all THREE kids, everyone did great.  Jeremy got one shot, which was no big deal, thank goodness, and is a very healthy little (BIG?) boy.   I'd been telling Stella for days that we were going to the doctor for JEREMY, (NOT STELLA), and I needed her to be my helper.  She must have understood, because she was very calm, and my Stella always melts down at any doctor's office, even mine. 

I had my 2 week weigh in with weight watchers, 2 more pounds down (total 6.5).  Favorite snacks of the week were chocolate chex in fat-free plain yogurt with blackberries or blueberries, and my standard plain yogurt with a tablespoon of chocolate chips.  Thank goodness weight watchers doesn't ban chocolate :)

Lots of love,
 Keri

Weigh-In Day

I walked past a small tear-off calendar in the hallway today and realized it was still on January.  The January page had a message about antioxidants:  "Studies have shown that antioxidants may slow or help prevent cancer, heart disease, and other diseases .... Good sources of antioxidants are berries, kidney beans, spinach, sweet potatoes, cinnamon and oregano."

I started Weight Watchers online program March 1st to shed this baby weight, and the grocery list included blackberries, blueberries, spinach, and sweet potatoes.  I guess even if I don't get the weight off I'll be fighting off bad diseases.  Win-win :)

So, I traded in cheese for lots of fruits and veggies and traded in juice for hot tea.  This is my favorite tea of the moment (Wild Sweet Orange Tazo Tea):
 
You can get it at Target, among other places.  No need for any sugar or honey, which helps with the WW points :)

So, week one down 4.5 pounds.  Yay! 

p.s.  whatever I said about Jeremy showing signs of being a good sleeper has jinxed a good thing.  The last two nights were not good.  The healthy eating must be giving me extra energy because I think I got a total of 3.5 hours of sleep last night, spread out in spurts throughout the night.  Hope naps go well today...

Lots of love, 
Keri

Jeremy's One Month Update

Jeremy is a sweet little baby with incredible bright blue eyes.  He is showing signs of being a good sleeper, with occasional stretches of 4 hours between feedings, and is gaining weight quickly.  We realized early on that we needed to move up from newborn diapers to size 1 right away, which helped minimize those wet onesies.  We also successfully managed to care for his belly buton cord until it fell off just before he turned a month and heal up a terrible diaper rash that caused Jeremy to cry out in pain :(  I am very thankful to our reliable Triple Paste diaper cream and think very little of the super expensive, prescription cream Vue. 

Jeremy has now had his first "real" bath, which he wasn't thrilled about, but fortunately, he loves the baby-carrier.  That thing has certainly gotten a lot of use over the last few years! 

He rolled over three times in a row while doing tummy time on the toddler bed.  I'm not sure if it was because it is easier to roll over on the bed or just some crazy fluke.  I'd think I was halucinating in some delirious sleep-deprived state, but Sylvie and my mom both witnessed a couple of those rolls.  I need to try some more belly time on that toddler bed, but the times I've put him on the floor he has not gone anywhere, barely lifting his head up.  Maybe I ate extra spinach that day.

Jeremy seems to be very mellow while being held, but has a horrible way of holding his breath and crying in a frantic, full of panic way when he wants to be held.  I'd think he was in some horrible pain, except that he instantly calms when picked up.  Except for those occasional gas pains that seem to strike the worst at 4:30 in the morning, I think he is a very happy little guy.  He smiles often (although totally random and accidental at this point), and I've heard a few laughs as he dreams.  It reminds me of the song John Denver sings on the Chrismas with the Muppets CD:

~Like a baby when it is sleeping

In it's mother's loving arms

what a newborn baby dreams is a mystery~

I'm 99% sure that Jeremy is dreaming of eating :)

I am incredibly thankful to John for taking such good care of the girls for 2 and 1/2 weeks, to his employer for allowing the time off, to Grammy Lou for staying here the next week to take care of the girls, and to my parents for coming out the next few days when John had to travel for work.  Just as Jeremy turned one month, we were on our own for the first time, and are doing better than I would have expected, but I would not have survived those first few weeks without LOTS of help, and it made me sooo happy to see the girls get so much attention and love while I was busy with their baby brother.  Now, if we can all just get a little sleep, all will be ok.  Life is good :)

Lots of love,  Keri

Jeremy's birthday (with ALL of the videos!)

And when you kiss me

On that midnight street

Sweep me off my feet

Singing ain't this life so sweet

"This Year's Love"   ~ David Gray

     That David Gray CD has been playing in Jeremy's room for the past few months now, and when I hear the songs I think of the time spent so anxious for his arrival, organizing tiny baby boy clothes into drawers (no tutu's!), decorating the room with the girls, and now, of nights rocking and feeding our sweet little man. I think I picked that CD in hopes he'd be a mellow little addition to our chaotic house, and that remains to be seen.
     We were supposed to be at the hospital first thing in the morning on February 2nd, which happened to be in the middle of an ice storm.  It was no surprise based on all of the storms we had in the weeks leading up to that day, but the ice left me worried about all of the family traveling to meet Jeremy and take care of the girls, worried about us being able to travel to the hospital safely, and worried the c-section would be postponed - I was beyond ready to meet baby J by that point. 
     Luckily, everyone had safe travels, including our wonderful doctors.  Jeremy was kicking with power even as we were getting checked into the hospital, and Daddy got to feel a few last kicks with his hand on my belly.  The delivery was delayed an hour or two because someone else needed an emergency c-section, but this time around both Dr. Tucker and Dr. Touey performed the surgery, which made me VERY happy to have 2 wonderful doctors looking over us.   I was concerned about being nauseous like I was with Stella, but they gave me LOTS of IV fluids and some medicine to boost my blood pressure, so other than a brief period right as surgery began, I really felt very good.

Jeremy's Arrival:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAqQpMbw_Hc


     Jeremy came out looking strong and healthy (although I didn't see him for a few minutes), and screamed right away, thank goodness.  I thought he looked so tiny, but he was a nice, healthy 8 lbs 2 oz.  John brought him over when Jeremy was all cleaned and wrapped up, and we had a few nice minutes as a family before we got wheeled off in different directions.

Jeremy in the OR:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6IbhMhHBsM




Jeremy with the nurse:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt6hM_VrwjA



Jeremy diapered:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qw7R7crueo



     I spent a few hours in recovery, waiting for my toes to wiggle so I could be released, but it felt like a few weeks.  The nurses in recovery were very attentive and hysterical, but that didn't make up for the fact I barely knew what my son looked like and hadn't held him yet.  Finally, I got to go to my room and meet little Jeremy.  He is so sweet.  He seemed to know exactly how to eat from the first minute, which made things so much easier for me.  We took a few minutes to decide on his name, and agreed on Jeremy Maxwell Tex.

Jeremy and Mommy:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NISSLhUHMA8



     In the hospital, I had all of the same wonderful nurses as when I delivered the girls, and Jeremy had the same fabulous nurses that took care of his sisters.  With very few  exceptions, those nurses were incredibly kind, patient, and responsive.  The night nurses went above and beyond with Jeremy.  One night they spent a long time trying to get his little hand and foot prints done in the light blue ink I brought for his keepsakes.  Apparently the ink, although a beautiful color that exactly matched the frames that would hold the hand and foot prints, was not very good ink.  Add that to the fact that it is nearly impossible to get a good handprint of a newborn, who keeps his tiny hands curled up, and those nurses were facing mission impossible.  They came back with several hand and foot prints for me to choose from!  The nurses frequently joked that they'd keep Jeremy in the nursery anytime I wanted, because when he woke up, they only knew he was awake because his eyes were open.  No screaming.  That was before my milk came in.
   By a few days later, Jeremy insisted on eating every 2 hours, and any delays resulted in definite screaming.  I was always incredibly happy to see him get wheeled into my room though, even sleep deprived at 3 in the morning.  It is amazing how a sweet little baby trumps any fatigue or pain.  By the time we left the hospital, J was already gaining back the weight he lost. 
     Sylvia was instantly in love with Jeremy.  Stella was confused by it all, but by the time we came home she lovingly accepted him as her brother and continues to refer to him only as "Brudder". (I occasionally get flashes of Lost's Desmond...."Brother")
     The day J was delivered there were about 7 other deliveries with a few other babies already in the nursery.  Almost all of them were boys.  We kept a very close eye on our Jeremy, and John was especially concerned when we saw a list of the other family names and noticed a family by the name of "Fox".  He figured one small handwriting error between Fox and Tex could leave us with the wrong baby!  Although he spent a little time hunting for that Fox baby in the nursery, we never saw him, and are 100% confident that we brought home our sweet baby Jeremy  :)

leaving the hospital part one:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18WyQO8hvDk



leaving the hospital part two:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf9QcdUT0Bo



leaving the hospital part three:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPTZXb03jlM


Lots of love, 
Keri