I just wanted to post the letter that I wrote to Cesar Milan the "Dog Whisperer" for two reasons:
1. Maybe someone can give me some advice that has had similar experience
2. I laughed out loud when I read it back to myself and Nick even though it is SO NOT FUNNY
Cesar,
I adopted my Dachsund/Terrier mix dog Ali two years ago in April 2008. She was 8 weeks old when I adopted her and I immediately began house training her using puppy pads and frequent trips outside with simple "Go outside" commands and praises. When we lived in an apartment and had to use a leash to go outside she had occasional accidents in the apartment and I wasn't too surprised. When she was 1 year old I moved into a house and thought that the accidents would disappear considering we would have a fenced in back yard for her to freely roam and do her business. The situation got worse! She is two years old and has accidents in the house over night and during the day almost every other day. She will defecate on my bedroom floor while I am sleeping but sometimes will wake me up to take her outside. If she defecates during the day in a guest bedroom she may eat half of it or spread it out to "hide it?" I don't want to have to crate her at night because she crates while I am at work. One more thing... she HATES to be outside by herself and if the grass is wet she will refuse to go in the grass unless I pick her up and put her there! Please give me some advice!
Sincerely,
Laura M.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Saturday
At home with plenty that needs to be done (not begrudgingly).
Nick is in Auburn at the football game.
Ali is sniffing around outside.
Harper and Lily aren't strong enough just yet for me to feel their every move... just little occasional flutters.
It has been an emotional week for me but God and Faith have won.
Today I am refreshed and confident that His plans are perfect and that most always His answers involve some kind of delay before clarity and resolution come.
And oh my gosh we are 2 days away from April? Wow.
Nick is in Auburn at the football game.
Ali is sniffing around outside.
Harper and Lily aren't strong enough just yet for me to feel their every move... just little occasional flutters.
It has been an emotional week for me but God and Faith have won.
Today I am refreshed and confident that His plans are perfect and that most always His answers involve some kind of delay before clarity and resolution come.
And oh my gosh we are 2 days away from April? Wow.
Friday, March 28, 2008
10 Things About Me You May or May Not Know...
(in response to Shea's TAG)
1. I am a lover of anything "comfort." For example, food, pajama pants, warm lattes, fleece blankets, naps. I haven't always been this way I don't think? I think it started in college when I actually felt like relaxation was a reward for going to classes or projects or homework or going out. And nowadays I simply love going out to eat with friends, sitting at starbucks, cuddling up and reading or watching t.v, and I especially love Saturdays when I don't have plans.
2. I am easily affected by the weather. If it is not sunny for days on end I can feel sad. Too hot and I'm miserable. Too cold for too long and I am cranky. I unfortunately have year round allergies! However, Zyrtec has worked wonders. But a perfect sunny cool day does wonders for my soul. That may not be unusual... most people enjoy sun.
3. I love dogs very much. Rescuing Ali from the Humane Society is one of the greatest choices Nick and I ever made. Every night before we go to sleep, she props up on my belly and I give her a goodnight kiss and tell her "Ali Carrie, you are such a gift." It makes me sad, no devastated, to hear about or see animal abuse. There is a new commercial for animal abuse awareness where Micheal Stipes is singing "Everybody Hurts" that shows abused chimps, dogs, and a donkey that I can't watch. A whole other blog would be the question I have asked myself before, "How can I be so desensitized to human abuse and be so devastated by animal abuse?" I guess it is just because we are so used to seeing people be mistreated. Sad state.
4. I am fascinated by addiction. I watch A&E "Intervention" and have probably seen every one ever made. I totally understand some addictions be it alcohol or drug resulting from an emotional turned to chemical dependance but the ones that really blow my mind are addictions to sex, starvation, or cutting. I have often wondered if my calling is to return to school one day to get a degree in some sort of counseling and work with addicts.
5. I have several strange (though not extreme) phobias. Phobia might be a strong word. These things give me goose bumps, heebie jeebies, creeps, or make me gag: barnacles, crustaceans, huge man made structures (barges, bridges, big building, ships - combined with a fear of heights), heights, and then of course insects and rodents as well as reptiles. YUK.
6. I really don't care for high tech. "things." ipods, camera phones, video games, blackberries, blue tooth... I can take it or leave it. This blog business is enjoyable but I do also make handwritten journal entries almost daily and have ever since high school.
7. I am a crier.
8. I was a smoker for 7 or 8 years? I don't really know when to start counting when I actually became a smoker... officially freshman year of college because there was not parent supervision and I could smoke any time I wanted to but definitely started before that. And of course I quit 100 times in all those years but never went more than a month UNTIL my last cigarette December 4, 2007 before finding out I was pregnant December 5, 2007 and now it has been 3.5 almost 4 months that I have been smoke free. I remember my last drag and thinking "I'm probably pregnant and this is probably my last cigarette for a LONG time." I will be a FOOL if I EVER pick those delicious things up again after Harper and Lily are born. It is just one of those things... if you aren't a smoker and you probably HATE smokers then you just don't understand the "addiction" but if you are or have been a smoker then you know the affairs and arguments that goes on in your head as you try to find ways to excuse yourself from a crowd to light up or allow yourself to be 5 minutes late for work for one more loop around the block and that is the thing...I say affairs and arguments because I was always a "closet smoker" to those who "didn't know" although if you really knew me.. you knew. NO ONE can hide the smell or the voice or the queezy laugh. I never ever felt good about smoking though. Literally every pack I bought I would think, this really does have to be my last. Anyway, I don't smoke anymore. If only it wasn't so bad for me...
9. Ok something positive now... back in the day I was pretty darn good at art - however I can't tell you squat about art history. In high school I loved to draw, paint, sculpt. I took art class every year in high school and even got a couple of awards in that time but never took full advantage of the resources that were at hand and don't have much to show for it now. And as they say with any skill or muscle, "If you don't use it you lose it." Occasionally I'll do some sketching or water color painting but I get frustrated very easily because my work isn't has good and it doesn't come as naturally to me anymore.
10. I am so thrilled about being a mommy to twin girls. I love baby girls and have always dreamed of having daughters. I have so many little ideas and plans for the future and how we spend time with a gals once they get here. I can't wait to meet them in July/August.
I tag Jackie, MTHS, Luke, Nick.
Happy Friday everyone!
1. I am a lover of anything "comfort." For example, food, pajama pants, warm lattes, fleece blankets, naps. I haven't always been this way I don't think? I think it started in college when I actually felt like relaxation was a reward for going to classes or projects or homework or going out. And nowadays I simply love going out to eat with friends, sitting at starbucks, cuddling up and reading or watching t.v, and I especially love Saturdays when I don't have plans.
2. I am easily affected by the weather. If it is not sunny for days on end I can feel sad. Too hot and I'm miserable. Too cold for too long and I am cranky. I unfortunately have year round allergies! However, Zyrtec has worked wonders. But a perfect sunny cool day does wonders for my soul. That may not be unusual... most people enjoy sun.
3. I love dogs very much. Rescuing Ali from the Humane Society is one of the greatest choices Nick and I ever made. Every night before we go to sleep, she props up on my belly and I give her a goodnight kiss and tell her "Ali Carrie, you are such a gift." It makes me sad, no devastated, to hear about or see animal abuse. There is a new commercial for animal abuse awareness where Micheal Stipes is singing "Everybody Hurts" that shows abused chimps, dogs, and a donkey that I can't watch. A whole other blog would be the question I have asked myself before, "How can I be so desensitized to human abuse and be so devastated by animal abuse?" I guess it is just because we are so used to seeing people be mistreated. Sad state.
4. I am fascinated by addiction. I watch A&E "Intervention" and have probably seen every one ever made. I totally understand some addictions be it alcohol or drug resulting from an emotional turned to chemical dependance but the ones that really blow my mind are addictions to sex, starvation, or cutting. I have often wondered if my calling is to return to school one day to get a degree in some sort of counseling and work with addicts.
5. I have several strange (though not extreme) phobias. Phobia might be a strong word. These things give me goose bumps, heebie jeebies, creeps, or make me gag: barnacles, crustaceans, huge man made structures (barges, bridges, big building, ships - combined with a fear of heights), heights, and then of course insects and rodents as well as reptiles. YUK.
6. I really don't care for high tech. "things." ipods, camera phones, video games, blackberries, blue tooth... I can take it or leave it. This blog business is enjoyable but I do also make handwritten journal entries almost daily and have ever since high school.
7. I am a crier.
8. I was a smoker for 7 or 8 years? I don't really know when to start counting when I actually became a smoker... officially freshman year of college because there was not parent supervision and I could smoke any time I wanted to but definitely started before that. And of course I quit 100 times in all those years but never went more than a month UNTIL my last cigarette December 4, 2007 before finding out I was pregnant December 5, 2007 and now it has been 3.5 almost 4 months that I have been smoke free. I remember my last drag and thinking "I'm probably pregnant and this is probably my last cigarette for a LONG time." I will be a FOOL if I EVER pick those delicious things up again after Harper and Lily are born. It is just one of those things... if you aren't a smoker and you probably HATE smokers then you just don't understand the "addiction" but if you are or have been a smoker then you know the affairs and arguments that goes on in your head as you try to find ways to excuse yourself from a crowd to light up or allow yourself to be 5 minutes late for work for one more loop around the block and that is the thing...I say affairs and arguments because I was always a "closet smoker" to those who "didn't know" although if you really knew me.. you knew. NO ONE can hide the smell or the voice or the queezy laugh. I never ever felt good about smoking though. Literally every pack I bought I would think, this really does have to be my last. Anyway, I don't smoke anymore. If only it wasn't so bad for me...
9. Ok something positive now... back in the day I was pretty darn good at art - however I can't tell you squat about art history. In high school I loved to draw, paint, sculpt. I took art class every year in high school and even got a couple of awards in that time but never took full advantage of the resources that were at hand and don't have much to show for it now. And as they say with any skill or muscle, "If you don't use it you lose it." Occasionally I'll do some sketching or water color painting but I get frustrated very easily because my work isn't has good and it doesn't come as naturally to me anymore.
10. I am so thrilled about being a mommy to twin girls. I love baby girls and have always dreamed of having daughters. I have so many little ideas and plans for the future and how we spend time with a gals once they get here. I can't wait to meet them in July/August.
I tag Jackie, MTHS, Luke, Nick.
Happy Friday everyone!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Attention Mommies I Need Advice...
I have looked on Target and Babies-r-Us websites for over an hour at dozens of cribs and I don't have the slightest idea what to get and quite frankly I am getting a little stressed about it. How do you decide on what crib - and in our case what TWO cribs - to get when you every other review is something negative. How do you make such a decision?
This is what I know:
-we need two cribs
-I think we are going to use standard sized NON convertible cribs but I can be convinced to buy convertible cribs if you tell me why it would benefit our situation considering our girls will share a room for a long time and two full size beds won't fit in any room in our house
-I like black or white finishes NOT wood cherry, natural, espresso or any other
-we are able to spend up to $300 on one crib though preferably between $200-$250. None of this >$300 business
-buying furniture off of the internet makes me nervous because I feel like I want to touch it before I buy it so maybe I should visit Target, Walmart, Storkland, and other places first and have them order it?
I just don't know.
How did you all make your crib decisions?
This is what I know:
-we need two cribs
-I think we are going to use standard sized NON convertible cribs but I can be convinced to buy convertible cribs if you tell me why it would benefit our situation considering our girls will share a room for a long time and two full size beds won't fit in any room in our house
-I like black or white finishes NOT wood cherry, natural, espresso or any other
-we are able to spend up to $300 on one crib though preferably between $200-$250. None of this >$300 business
-buying furniture off of the internet makes me nervous because I feel like I want to touch it before I buy it so maybe I should visit Target, Walmart, Storkland, and other places first and have them order it?
I just don't know.
How did you all make your crib decisions?
Friday, March 21, 2008
Rest and Expectations...
I have chosen to put my life on constant slow motion for the time being. What this means is that I am participating in everything I do with purpose and full attention. I had a realization the other day while I was resting that up until now my life has really been moving fast. I'll set up the image for you: 6 p.m. ish, lying in bed, classical music playing on the night stand, facing the bedroom window and watching the day turn to dusk. I had this overwhelming feeling of, "Oh my God, I have already graduated college, fallen in love, picked out a wedding dress, gotten married ( i have sex?), buried my grandmother, bought a house, now I am pregnant... PREGNANT."
In high school I would lay in bed and wonder what it would be like to do ALL of these things. What would I be when I grew up? I pictured what would my husband be like? What would living with him and being intimate with him be like? Would marriage be like Mary Stewart Masterson and Christian Slater in "Bed of Roses" or Elizabeth McGovern and Kevin Bacon in "She's Having a Baby"? Where would our first home be? I would put a pillow in my t-shirt and walk around my room and stare at myself in the mirror thinking that it would be a million years before this would actually be real. My senior year of college I walked with a friends across the Quad at the U of A and we both stood there saying, "One day we will live here and walk this everyday to classes! And we will have boyfriends!!!" We could not imagine changes so drastic!
Back to now... Here I am having accomplished all of my dreams; the outcomes so much greater than I could have ever expected or configured on my own. The Lord has blessed me beyond my comprehension. He has led my weak hand through the darkest of times and the brightest. Yet it has all happened so fast. I think maybe even faster than my level of maturity has even been able to handle. So now, I acknowledge this and opt for change.
I no longer feel guilty if I stay in bed until 10 a.m. There is just as much to enjoy here with a cup of coffee and a great book than there is to enjoy outside or at the grocery store "getting things done." I don't get irritated if the dishwasher is full of dirty dishes and the sink is too... just push "start." The floors need mopping and the bath tub definitely needs scrubbing but it's nothing to get upset about. I would love to play Phase 10 with Nick and listen to itunes instead of balancing the checkbook - it really can wait until tomorrow. I love to browse Target with LJM - I won't die if supper gets put off another hour. I really should not hate myself if none of the clothes I wore 3 years ago fit anymore. I love to call and see how Mama is doing - even if I do interrupt her daytime soap. And how fun is texting my sister everyday? Who knew we would end up being friends? I love checking and writing blogs and commenting - it really is good for my soul. I love getting in bed and watching Nick lean down to my tummy and listening to him tell our children what baseball is.
Being able to slow down and see what the important parts of life are and enjoy them is a learned skill. I used to feel guilty about taking days off at work. A dear friend of mine at work has told me repeatedly, "Mrs. M. that school will be there much longer than you will." And it's true.
So I am in slow motion now, resting and expecting.
This is a great lyric from John Mayer's song "The Heart of Life" that came to my mind as I wrote this post:
"Pain throws your heart to the ground.
Love turns the whole thing around.
Fear is a friend who's misunderstood, but I know the heart of life is good."
And now a few amazing pictures from Thursday's appointment. We are having two girls by the way :)
In high school I would lay in bed and wonder what it would be like to do ALL of these things. What would I be when I grew up? I pictured what would my husband be like? What would living with him and being intimate with him be like? Would marriage be like Mary Stewart Masterson and Christian Slater in "Bed of Roses" or Elizabeth McGovern and Kevin Bacon in "She's Having a Baby"? Where would our first home be? I would put a pillow in my t-shirt and walk around my room and stare at myself in the mirror thinking that it would be a million years before this would actually be real. My senior year of college I walked with a friends across the Quad at the U of A and we both stood there saying, "One day we will live here and walk this everyday to classes! And we will have boyfriends!!!" We could not imagine changes so drastic!
Back to now... Here I am having accomplished all of my dreams; the outcomes so much greater than I could have ever expected or configured on my own. The Lord has blessed me beyond my comprehension. He has led my weak hand through the darkest of times and the brightest. Yet it has all happened so fast. I think maybe even faster than my level of maturity has even been able to handle. So now, I acknowledge this and opt for change.
I no longer feel guilty if I stay in bed until 10 a.m. There is just as much to enjoy here with a cup of coffee and a great book than there is to enjoy outside or at the grocery store "getting things done." I don't get irritated if the dishwasher is full of dirty dishes and the sink is too... just push "start." The floors need mopping and the bath tub definitely needs scrubbing but it's nothing to get upset about. I would love to play Phase 10 with Nick and listen to itunes instead of balancing the checkbook - it really can wait until tomorrow. I love to browse Target with LJM - I won't die if supper gets put off another hour. I really should not hate myself if none of the clothes I wore 3 years ago fit anymore. I love to call and see how Mama is doing - even if I do interrupt her daytime soap. And how fun is texting my sister everyday? Who knew we would end up being friends? I love checking and writing blogs and commenting - it really is good for my soul. I love getting in bed and watching Nick lean down to my tummy and listening to him tell our children what baseball is.
Being able to slow down and see what the important parts of life are and enjoy them is a learned skill. I used to feel guilty about taking days off at work. A dear friend of mine at work has told me repeatedly, "Mrs. M. that school will be there much longer than you will." And it's true.
So I am in slow motion now, resting and expecting.
This is a great lyric from John Mayer's song "The Heart of Life" that came to my mind as I wrote this post:
"Pain throws your heart to the ground.
Love turns the whole thing around.
Fear is a friend who's misunderstood, but I know the heart of life is good."
And now a few amazing pictures from Thursday's appointment. We are having two girls by the way :)
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Decisions decisions...
So Nick and are finding out the sexes of the babies on Thursday. I don't really have a certain feeling of what they are but my prediction is girl girl, Wednesday July 16th, 12 pounds 10 ounces combined. We have a handful of names we have been saying that could be possibilities but lately they just aren't charming me. I don't want to name our children names that I don't just love. I would rather use a non-family name that Nick and I love than a family name that is so so. In other words I have no idea what we will name the babies. I guess it will be easier when we know what they are on Thursday to start narrowing it down. I can say that I love non sex names though - like names that can be for a boy or girl. Thank goodness Nick is a fair and patient man and understands/tolerates my tendency to go back and forth. Oh, if and when pregnant people share possible baby names with you... even if you have to fake it, just smile and say "that's nice" or "ok." Unless the woman asks for your opinion, don't give it. One of my biggest pet peeves has been telling someone a name I like and that person giving a look of disapproval or even worse, saying the name two or three times with a question mark at the end. Or, and this one really irritates me, "Hmmm?" You would think I announced that I am getting a sex change with some of the reactions I have gotten.
Our time in Memphis was nice. It started out rough though. 5 hours in the back seat put a lot of pressure on my sciatic nerve and I had a rough time on the way up. I ended up calling my doctor because the pain, vomiting, and lightheadedness worried me but after stretching out and walking a bit I was fine. I have to brag and say that I think I did really well the rest of the trip. I stayed up late, ate out every meal, walked several miles every day, shared a bathroom with 3 other people, all while being five months pregnant! I am not big on itineraries and sleep is essential but we managed to get by. I also didn't get to spend as much down time with Mere as I would have liked but overall the trip went well. Plus, she will be coming home this weekend for Easter and we have a dinner planned with the family on Saturday night which will make up for lost time. She could have taken off from work a day but she wants to save as much time as she can for time off in July - thanks Mere!
Today I am doing laundry and watching The Real Housewives of NYC on Bravo... not because I like the show but like you can't stop staring at a car crash I can't change the channel. I just can't imagine people that live this way. No jobs. Million dollar 3 bedroom condos, all designer clothes and shoes, Martinis with every meal, no spending limits on their credit cards, summer houses in the Hamptons, and full time nannies to raise their kids. It blows my mind.
Tomorrow ends my Spring Break and I go back to work. 9 more weeks until summer vacation. Then 9 weeks after that, I'll be a mother. I don't really operate on the trimester timeline... it's easier for me to think of it in terms of time off from work. Then I plan on taking 10-12 weeks off from work to raise the babies at home before sending them to Daycare :( I am not putting God in a box and disbelieving in the possibility of being a "stay at home mom." Maybe His plan is entirely different from mine and Nick's plans and He has it worked out that I don't have to go back to work at all... if that IS the case that would be amazing. However, I am at peace with going back to work after the first 12 weeks. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out. There are so many unanswered questions I have right now about this whole parenting thing.
I started reading Eckart Tolle's A New Earth in February and have been slacking lately. Also, the young adult's Bible study at church started the Invitation to the Old Testament. I also have a Francine Rivers book I got for Christmas I have been meaning to start as well at Into the Wild here at the house that I have been wanting to read. I have seen the movie twice and am still fascinated by it - and the soundtrack.
It is already 5:30 p.m. Sigh - I really need to go to the grocery store...
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Eerrr...
So today we went to Capitol Chevrolet to see if we could make a trade for a vehicle that is twin savvy, gas friendly, and would eliminate or drastically reduce monthly payments. Although we just bought Nick's truck in September (pre-twins) we feel that it makes more sense to have only one car payment if possible. We test drove a Saturn Vue priced at $10,991 with 80,000 miles and we really liked it. We felt it was the perfect family SUV for the price that we were looking for. Again, our goal is to eliminate a second car note. The sales lady was really nice and understood completely what we were trying to accomplish. So we had Nick's Tundra appraised and credit checked blah blah blah but the bad news was that the negative equity we owe added onto the sticker price of the car will make our monthly payments the same if not more than what we pay now. The guy explaining all of this to us said that we would be better off to sell by owner for the maximum price we can and talk to our loan officer about other options to reduce payments. It was disappointing but I have really been praying a lot lately for guidance on how we spend our money and ways to save and prepare for the babies. I am sure that it will all work out. Today we are just glad that we did a little "homework" and had someone be honest with us on our best options. So, if you know anyone who wants to buy a 2003 Sexy black truck ???
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