They Come in Threes

The last two weeks have been full of-

 SERIOUSLY??? WHY NOW??? WHY???

moments.

Moments where the Husband and I stress out, cry and wonder what else could possibly go wrong.

YES. We understand that there is so much to be thankful for- we are truly blessed.  But that doesn't mean that sometimes life doesn't give you a swift kick in the "you know where"- to remind you that, "Hey, it isn't all sunshine and rainbows."  Well, we live in the desert- so technically it is sunny ALL.THE.TIME. but that isn't the point.

Our financial equilibrium is delicate.  Very much so.  We don't buy fancy things, or to many of our friends- things that normal people buy and have.  We don't own smart phones.  We don't have cable.  We don't go shopping for clothes-unless something actually breaks and is a necessity(I don't know why I say that- I haven't bought a bra in over two years-and one just literally fell apart last week- the only one that really fit-so  sports bras are where it's at right now= to clarify we buy things for the Toddler over essentials for us).  Our budget is delicate- we spend about $150 a month on food- that's it(probably why we don't host people as much as we would like).

With the temps in the triple digits for the next four months I knew that our AC bill was going to skyrocket-and I planned accordingly.  We made sure that we weren't going to go into crisis mode-like last summer- and that our budget would be able to take the $150 leap each month.

Then life smacked me right on the mouth.  How dare I plan a budget?????? ... apparently it took personal offense to the fact that we would be okay this summer and decided to throw THREE large curve-balls at us.  In a matter on two days.  TWO.

This post is written a week late- because it has taken some time to get used to the fact of our "new normal" situation.  One that we will get through- but it will be a struggle- each and every step.

BALL ONE:

My heart prognosis.

Well, at least I know that I am not crazy anymore.  My heart does have problems.  My blood pools in-between ventricals which bring on painful- gutwrenchingly so- palpitations and chest pain.  I can take medicine to calm it down now- but not the hardcore medicine because that would be dangerous for our little girl.  My Doctor wants to perform surgery as soon as I recover from delivering our Baby Girl- the radiation they use during surgery could prove dangerous to the little one.  They would go in through my groin- all the way up to my heart and "hunt and peck" to find the abnormal part of my heart and ZAP it- literally- into submission.  As great as it sounds to have my heart fixed- possibly.  There are two many risk factors to make the surgery an "acceptable" option in my eyes.  Sure, everyone around me has their own point of view.  But you know what?  I want to make my decision, the best decision I can after careful consideration- especially since I have only had three heart episodes(ER hospital stays) in the last nine years.  Plus, now there is this medicine I can be on and an aspirin regimen I can follow that would (help) prevent the pooling blood into turning into a clot where a pulmonary embolism or collapsed lung are all too possible realities for me now.

Knowledge is power.

Of course I will get a second opinion   I am grateful that I will be lucky enough to have a prescription of nitro available- what has proved useful at each of my ER visits- after our baby girl is born.  I am grateful that I know exactly what makes my heart so darn unique.  I am grateful to know that I am not crazy.  I am grateful to know that there are options.  And I plan on exploring those options over the next couple of months.

BALL TWO:

Termites. YUCK.

Living in Arizona- the 6th luckiest state to be effected by the little buggers- termites are just another thing you have to worry about.

Well, as I went into our closet one day last week to grab a new batch of baby wipes I knocked one of the columns(unbeknownst to me) with my head.  MY HEAD.  An active tube-filled with termites-now was covering my hair and clothes.  The neighbors had to think I was being murdered with the noise that engulfed our house for the next couple of minutes. HAD TO.

D thought it was HILARIOUS.  Mom is nuts! Best.Day.Ever.

Enter $600 bill to get rid of the buggers. $600 that was to go toward our AC bills over the next couple of months- GONE- just like that.  Now we have roughly $30 in our bank account for the next week.  One whole week.

BALL THREE:

AC went out.

JUST LIKE THAT.

You see, many of the people I follow on Twitter complain when their house is in the mid 70s- or their AC goes out and their house is 80 degrees- I just laugh my (sweating) behind off at this.

Until our AC went out.
On a 105 degree day.
Our house hit 95 faster than I thought possible.

Our AC is set for 80 degrees from March through Mid-November, because- well, we live in the desert and 80s is livable.

Well, our AC Unit is 12 years old- the crappiest model on the market and hanging on with a thread- as we navigate our way into the 110s-120s temperatures.  If money grew on our palm tree- I would buy the best model on the market.  I am sure that our electric bill would decrease immediately... and that perhaps we could put the air at 78 degrees-boy do those two degrees feel like a world of a difference- and my pregnant body wouldn't be swollen by 11AM each day.  Lovely. Folks.  It is lovely.  Poor husband has to see a swollen, barrel each night he gets home.  I pity the fool.

As I sit and type this- the AC is making weird noises.  My behind is sweaty.  My ankles are swollen. And I just hope and pray that it will last until we can find some "fix"- we are looking at refinancing our mortgage- and other various loans against the house... now we just have to cross our fingers that our house appraises at the point we need it to- and then this summer will be bearable.  We will be okay.  The appraiser came yesterday morning... he wasn't here quite as long as I would have liked... and now we are just waiting.

You see- these posts? These posts are to keep me sane.  To let me vent- to let those that know us in the real world why we might not be able to make a trip to see them, or buy their kid the toy that we want to for their birthday... but that we are okay.  I swear if we had just a little more of a cushion we would be the friends I know that we are... just really can't show how much we care about other people sometimes.

Seriously, we have the best family, friends and coworkers in the world- just wish we could show our appreciation to you all more often- you deserve it more than you know.

They come in threes.  Swiftly.  Without cause or concern. 

Summer BBQ Season

So technically it isn't summer yet... but it sure does feel like it out here in the desert!  My best girl friends are some seriously busy people- and locking down a date for all(most) of us to be at one location can take weeks(months) sometimes.

BUT it sure is worth it!

Ten years of beautiful friendship with some of the best people I know.  Count me lucky, why don't you!

The Hubs and I don't host get-togethers very often- hoping to change that in the future- but we sure enjoy the company! We had three of our friends and their husband's and kids over- FYI we need more chairs- it was a blast!

PREP:

Kitchen

• Bake red velvet cupcakes & chocolate fudge cake
• Costco Trip
• Cut cheese into slices
• Slice lettuce
• Serve up watermelon
• Cut tomatos
• Marinate meat
• Cut up veggies
• Make ranch dip

House

• Vacuum
• Mop tile
• Sparkling clean bathroom
• Put out more furniture in backyard
• Sparkling clean kitchen & sink
• Remove smudges from all Toddler level window surfaces
• Tidy Up

*Note: Sparkling is my term of reference for clean- which might differ to people

ENJOY OUR COMPANY

LOVE. LOVE.LOVE.

Third Trimester Bumpdate

28 Weeks

• How far along are you? 28 Weeks Along- THIRD TRIMESTER BABY

• How I’m feeling: I am hot, all the time.  Our temperatures are in the 100s with lows at 5AM in the mid 70s... sweating- my "glow"- is getting old.  

• Total weight gain: No idea- last appointment I was underweight... which I think is a bunch of hubbabaloo... I don't look underweight... don't feel weight.... pretty sure that all those glorious Twix bars I ate have taken care of that problem- but I won't know for sure until next week- I don't weigh myself at home.

• How big is baby?  The Little One is the size of an eggplant- or Chihuahua. Yep- definitely makes since why I can feel her move, shift and stretch ALL.THE.TIME.   

• Maternity clothes:  SAME-Yes. Yes. Yes.  Sure I can fit easily into any of my pre-pregnancy pants-shorts-tops-but I don’t want to be uncomfortable in the least as I chase(herd) the Toddler.  So yoga pants, Old Navy Rockstar Skinny Jeans, Cotton tops and the belly band!-more on that in a sec.

• Stretch marks? SAME-Heredity messed up on this one.  Even in college if any muscle got bigger I would get stretchmarks. No questions asked.  BAM there they would be.  With D- for some reason the Belly God’s thought they would mercifully let the belly be stretch-mark free.  I am not holding my breath for two-for-two.  But one can hope.

• Sleep: Sleep is elusive.  The Toddler is going through a rough regression and he wakes up nightly- at changing intervals in the early AM- I need sleep- so, so bad.  I get about 4-5 hours a night.  And they are not consecutive. Pity party for one.

• Movement: SAME: Yes- especially at night- and whenever I hold the Toddler- sibling rivalry at its finest folks.  She kicks and punches at him with all her might. It would be precious if it wasn't so painful.

• Food cravings: Eh- food is just food.  I don't have cravings.... except for TWIX and a Venti Decaf Coffee Frap from Starbucks = GET IN MY BELLY!

• Food aversions: Meh. Nothing sounds good except for the above mentioned.

• Labor signs:  Nightly Braxton Hicks contractions.  With D after all of the Pitocin and gel packs to get him out I felt everything... talk about a medical fail- the epidural wore off after 24 hours in active labor- so I think I have a pretty good idea about pain levels and when I should get worried.  If I do too much during the day- think 14 hours on my feet- I get pretty darn bad contractions... and this baby needs to cook for another 10 weeks... need to slow it down.

• Belly button in or out: SAME: In- but looking like it might pop out- it just disappeared with D- so that would be interesting. The Husband is terrified that it will pop out- TERRIFIED. Thanks a lot Hubby.

• What I miss:  Sleep. Not sweating. But this is worth it.

• What I’m looking forward to:  Our last ultrasound- getting out of the desert for our family trip to CA and the Toddler and I even get to go to WA for two weeks.  OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY.

• Milestone: THIRD TRIMESTER!

Invisalign: Straight Talk

Sponsored Post brought to you by Invisalign: Straight Talk #ad.

What makes me smile??? OPTIONS!

When I think back to Middle School: the awkward stages, growth spurts, and the endless skin problems-they are seriously overshadowed by one single item = BRACES.  For two years in Middle School I got the pleasure of wearing metal braces.  Life as I knew it became just that much more worrisome.  Brace face? Yep. 

 But you know what?  As an adult I can't thank my parents enough for gifting me with the opportunity to have that perfect smile. Your smile is the gateway into so many social situations... so those two years? Worth every painful second.  The wires cutting into my mouth-the aching jaw- the basketball in the face incident with my lips being mashed into the wires? WORTH IT.

As a parent to a little Toddler, and another sweet baby girl on the way- I can't help but wonder if we will need to think about their future smiles.  But now? NOW? There are options!!!  Glorious options.

I was invited to an Invisalign: Straight Talk event with other local Mom's and Bloggers.  At the event we were able to listen to a Certified, American Board of Orthodontics Orthodontist.   Our Orthodontist, Thomas S. Shipley introduced us to the benefits of Invisalign and talked about the advancements of orthodontics- since many of us, including myself, had the pleasure of the original metal braces in our early adolescents. 

Straight Teeth are Healthier Teeth

Healthier Gums

Properly aligned teeth are easier to brush and floss than crowded or crooked teeth. Properly positioned teeth can help gums "fit" more tightly around them, which may lead to better periodontal health. 

Improved Hygiene

With good oral hygiene, the chances of having plaque retention, tooth decay, and periodontal disease can be reduced.

Decreased Risk of Abnormal Wear and Trauma

Properly aligned teeth also reduce the risk of expensive procedures required to repair the effects of abnormal force, such as tooth shipping, breaking, or wear; and can be less stressful on the supporting jaw bone and joints.

Invisalign Clear Braces vs Metal Braces

Invisalign                                                               Braces

Clean aligners are virtually invisible                                       Requires brackets and wires

Smooth comfortable plastic aligners                                      Wires can poke and irritate mouth

Aligners are removable for easy cleaning                               Brushing and flossing require more effort

Eat whatever you want                                                               Many food restrictions

Invisalign Clear Braces with Rubber Bands = Genius

My thoughts?

Invisalign Teen would have been a life-saver for me!

Not having to worry about braking a bracket while eating would have made meal times just that much more simple- especially with all of the food that would get stuck in-between the metal wires- talk about yuck!  My poor mother had to take one of my younger sisters and I in for "emergency" repairs because a wire would pop out and start lacerating the insides of our mouths- "emergency" visits are basically unheard of with the Invisalign Clear Braces system because you are given a certain set of trays ahead of time- aside from losing all of them- you don't need to go in as often.  Not having the wires tightened? Going in for bi-weekly appointments for two years?  That sounds like time well saved.

My youngest sister just finished her successful round of Invisalign.  Her teeth are straight and smile is perfect!  I am so glad that when our children grow up we have the option for clear braces! Thankgoodness for Invisalign Clear Braces- finally a more appealing option!


Have you or someone you've known used Invisalign? And if so, what was their experience?

This is a sponsored post for Invisalign: Straight Talk.  

All thoughts and opinions stated above are my own.  #Ad

18 Months Old

Dear Sweet Toddler,

You are now a year and a half old.  CUE Mom Panic Attack.

You are a bundle of fun.  A large bundle of fun.  But I wouldn't expect anything less seeing as since you were two weeks old you have held steady in the 99 percentile in each and every category.  

STATS:

34 lbs- you lost some weight this week while teething.

36 Inches Tall

Your teeth are almost all in.  Thankgoodness.  Every time you get one in you get a fever and are one testy little man for 2-3 days.  YIKES.  

You still adore reading books and know the majority of farm animals... the sounds they make and which ones they are... pretty darn priceless.  You babble to yourself with your play phones and you take care to kiss and hug all of your stuffed animals throughout the day.  You sleep with a little koala- now that we have a video monitor we can see that you cuddle with them all night.  So precious.  You moved into your big-boy room this past month- successfully.  You are still in your crib and will be until you are ready to move over to your big-boy bed- no rush- we have a crib for your little sister so there is no pressure on you.  

You love going to the park, climbing the stairs and going down all of the slides.  You like pointing at dogs and waving at "friendly" looking people.  It breaks our hearts that some people choose to not wave back- but you don't let it get you down.  

Scooby Doo is your favorite show.  We don't watch many... so frankly you really don't have many options save for a few Disney movies... but if we/you are sick and I ask, "Would you like to watch some Scooby Doo?" you jump up and down, smile, giggle and sprint for the couch- climb up it and move the pillows around until you have your "spot" all fixed up.  Makes me smile just thinking about it.  Your Aunt Rachel sent me the Scooby Doo ringtone and it is now on my phone... which has tended to be confusing to you-but you just smile and bob your head with the beat.

You LOVE dancing.  You shake your tushie, run around, bob your head, wave your arms and love holding onto our arms and dancing with us.  SO MUCH FUN.

You sit at the dining room table in a regular chair with us for all of your meals now. You love being a big-boy- not that we have the option of a high chair since you broke the main solid-wood beam frame.  YEP.  I do enjoy sitting down with you and taking the time to eat... instead of bopping around the kitchen multi-tasking.  Blessing in disguise.  You can use a spoon and fork now... it was a mess a month ago but this month you have mastered the utensils!  HUZZAH

If we are out at a class and you have a toy- you will share it with anyone.  You don't understand why some Toddler's don't share and claim that everything is "theirs"- thankgoodness you are not like them... seriously- one of the worst traits that parents let their kids get away with.   

You give us kisses and hugs and cuddle- and we couldn't be more proud of you!

I can't wait until you are a big brother- you will be such a good role model and will be her big protector.  Her loving big brother.  

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero. Marc Brown

Love Always,

Momma & Dadda