Love this Picture

Caden signing "Grandpa"

Tagged

I am not really big on doing these crazy things, but was bored. And Heather Tagged me. So I did it. This one time. It's very hard to think of 8 things for all of the questions, so some of them don't have them all.

Here are the 8s:

Rules:1) Post Rules on your blog
2) Answer the six "8" items
3) Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving them a comment

8 favorite shows
Survivor
Desperate Housewives
The Amazing Race
The Biggest Loser
Jon & Kate Plus 8
LIVE with Regis & Kelly

8 things I did yesterday
Did Laundry
Cooked Dinner
Cleaned the house
Folded Laundry
Changed Diapers
Had a piece of Cookie Cake
Took a Nap
Read some of Breaking Dawn

8 things I look forward to
Paying off our Mortgage ~ IN 24 years
Paying off the Van
Summer
Caden talking more
Colin saying Momma
Courtney getting good grades
Going to the Melting Pot tomorrow
A Vacation (preferably a cruise)

8 things I wish for
Caden to have the most normal childhood possible
Extra Money
Better Health Insurance
Mike to get into the Post Office
To be a Stay at home Mommy
To be Skinny!

8 Restaurants
The French Pub
TGI Friday’s
Applebee’s
Olive Garden
Salsarita’s
Fuddruckers

8 people I tag- sorry Im not going to leave you all comments, you have to come here to see it :)
Melissa
Peggy
Betzy

48 Hours

In about 30 minutes it will be exactly 48 hours since Colin has nursed last. I am crossing my fingers that we may actually be DONE breastfeeding! That will mean that I have managed to successfully breastfeed Colin for 1 year 6 months 1 week and 6 days. WOW!! Who would have thought that we ever would have made it that far? We've overcome alot during that time. My mild PPD, which we knew would happen, but was dealt with to avoid serious complication such as with Caden's birth. We've overcome back surgery and nursed through that and the recovery. Colin's had surgery. I've had mastitis not once, but twice and STILL managed to continue this long. Not to mention minor things here and there that we've had continued success through. I am proud.

Colin nursed as usual after work on Friday afternoon. He went to bed again without that 7pm session and woke up Saturday (after sleep all night!!) and we didn't nurse. I hid the "nursing Pillow" when he wasn't looking yesterday afternoon as well. Behind the couch, so it was out of sight, but not GONE in case being that, that is his comfort and all. So thank goodness yesterday evening we happened to leave and go to the mall and my dad's house, so weren't here for the 5pm session and didn't leave dad's house until 9pm, so we weren't here for the dreaded 7pm one either. He went to bed as usual, slept all night and I avoided at all costs the "chair" today as of yet. I am minorly uncomfortable, but it's short term, I know, after all, been here and done that after Caden as well. We are coming upon that 5pm session here shortly, but I am hoping to be eating dinner by them, to keep his mind off of thing, then we'll come back to the family room and hang out rather then the living room.

The one true test will be when I get home from work tomorrow at 5pm. I KNOW he'll want to nurse then, since he associates me coming home with a nursing session to settle him. I won't however even be able to nurse him at that point since I will be dry by then. So I'am going to get a plan in place and do my best to make him (and I) as comfortable as possible during that transition tomorrow. Lots of hugging and cuddling on the COUCH.

So this may just be the time that almost 19 months later that my body actually belongs to ME! IN realty you can say 28 months since I was pregnant for 9 months, the "body" in question was Colin's then as well! (Good God that was over 2 years ago!)

Nights ~ Accomplished

So I think it is safe to say that I have successfully gotten Colin to sleep through the night, for the most part. Last night he slept from 8:30 to 5:15 which is pretty dam good. Had it been a weekend, when I wasn't up already, I would have just let him cry it out and go back to sleep. However being that I was up getting ready for work, I nursed him, and he went back to bed until the dog woke him up at 7:15 Dam dog! BUT He hasn't woken up during the night except for a mild mild whimper in 2 nights now. Last night I actually slept very good and soundly until Caden woke up me up crying at 5am. I have been waking up every night every 2-3 hours because that is how often I was used to getting up with Colin. Last night I was out by 11 and pushed Mike to get his alarm about 1:30 and don't remember anything else until 5, so that is huge for me!!

Now to attempt those day sessions. There is typically one early morning one during the work week, not so much so on the weekends and then the one at 5pm EVERYDAY no matter what. Then the 7pm one. I do think we are slowly weaning the 7pm one, the past 2 nights we have skipped them, and managed to be happy and play or cuddle until at least 8:15 or 8:30, so that's really exciting for me. I still need to work on those others, but one at a time for now. I'd like to work on that early AM one first, then lastly will be 5pm, the hardest one of all!!

Updated "Weaning Colin"

Click Here: http://beyerfam.blogspot.com/2009/01/weaning-colin.html

Witnessing History in the Making

We Welcome the 44th president of the United States of America ~ Barack Obama.

What an honor it is to be a part of this history. I was able to watch it from my computer at work via the internet, Mike was able to watch it from home and Courtney was able to watch it happen at school. We are a part of history. The boys will never remember this day, But they will have us to always remind them of the day that the United States welcomed the first ever African American president. I am exctied about the future and changes to come and hope that President Obama is able to make the impact that he says. I know it's not possible in 4 years, and maybe not in 8 years, but that doesn't mean he can't give it one hell of a try!

Caught Sleeping....

Mike took this during one of my weekend naps....I was out cold. The older I get the more I take advantage of the boys nap time! Pathetic I know, but I enjoy it none the less!

I updated the "Weaning Colin" post

I will continue to write about this journey under that same post and just put a new title post up as the new one so you know to look there. Thank you everyone for the support!

Loved this house

Mike and I went to an open house yesterday at this house.. The house was PERFECT. I LOVED every bit of it, except the school district that it was in. It's not Depew, and I really am adamant on staying in our district, for both Courtney and Caden's sakes. The house was in our area, off of Como Park Blvd, for those of you who live out this way, 3 bedrooms (but 2 of them were way big enough to be able to double the boys up for a while) Living room, dining room, Newly remodeled kitchen, 1.5 bathrooms, 2 car garage, and a sitting room/small family room in the back of the house. Sure it needed some painting and a minor bit of updating to our taste, but that was it. Nice size yard, with fenced in patio... **Sigh** We are still not even 100% sure that we want to sell/buy again yet or not, but I guess it doesn't hurt to look. I have to say though, had this house been in the right school district, my mind would have been made up right away. I would have found a way for it to work out for us. Oh well... Everything happens for a reason.

Weaning Colin

Night One (Friday Jan. 16, 2009)

Went much better then I expected. I nursed him at 7 as usual, and put him to bed awake, like always, he woke up the first time at 1am, so I had Mike (since he was still home) go in a comfort him and turn on his music. He ended up crying for just over an hour, it was bearable. I never got up. The next time was about 5:30- I did get up and nurse him that time for my own selfish reasons. I didn't want him to wake up the other kids and I really wanted to go back to sleep too! So we nursed and went to back to bed for a couple hours.

Night Two (Saturday Jan 17, 2009)

Mike and I had plans to go to dinner and a movie, so I knew we wouldn't be home for that normal 7pm session, which was good. He went to bed good for GG, however woke up as soon as we got home, to the chaos of Caden and Courtney still up, talking loudly, at 9:30 at night. I tired to ignore him, but he was NOT having it. I nursed him about 10pm and put him back in again screaming, he screamed again for about another hour, but eventually crashed. He then, kept to his schedule and woke up 2 times, about 2 and again at 5- I didn't get up either time, let him cry, the first was 1.5 hours, the second 1 hour. He slept until 8:00am Sunday Morning.

Night Three (Sunday Jan 18, 2009)

I nursed at 5pm when I got home from shopping, he miserable and kept going to the "chair".I did not nurse him for his 7pm, session, it was QUITE ugly to say the least, I think this has been the worse of the days as of yet. The night was much more horrid as well. He woke up 4 times, screaming for at least an hour each time. I never gave in to him. He woke up at 7am, at that time, I did give in to a feeding, but it was as much my sake as his. I was dying of pain! Considering 4 of his 5 daily sessions were night ones, I was producing a ton of milk during the night. Not feeding him at 7pm and then again during the night brought some huge engorgement for mommy! Ouch! Last thing I want to do is end up with Mastitis AGAIN (I've already had it 2x's, the last one, a couple months ago, really really bad!)

So here it is Monday afternoon. I feed him at 7 this morning. My goal is not do it anymore today, or tonight. I know the trouble is going to be at 5pm during the week when I get home from work. The main goal of this is #1 to get the little devil to sleep through the night. 2nd, to be completely weaned. I am going to take it slow.... Once I can get the though the night with no wakings at all taken care of ~ Then I plan to wean all the way...... I am willing to keep up the one feeding per day after work for a couple more weeks if I need to, but that is it! No night, morning or afternoon anything. This is so freaking hard! But I guess I never expected it to be easy either. It's all Will Power. Baby Steps. I will NOT get up with him during the night, I've been good for 3 nights and will continue to do so. The most we do is go in and let him know he is OK (no picking him up) and Turing his music on. Sure it upsets him more, but at least he knows we do care! I am looking forward to hopefully by my Birthday next month to have my body belong to only ME! Time will tell......

Night 4 January 19th Monday....

I had to nurse Colin two times during the day (Monday) at 4 and 7- it was the only way to settle him. But he went to bed at 8 awake as usual, just fine. He didn't wake up crying until 4am, so that tells me that I am doing OK with this.. he is learning how to sleep longer! He did cry until 5:30- but he went back to sleep. He woke up for the day at 7, wanting to nurse... so I nursed him. I really want to break that 7am and 7pm session with the night ones and then work on the 5pm one later on, but he is making it very hard to do so. Today when I get home is going to be the true test to the 5pm session. I am already dreading it.... Here's to another better night?!

Night 5 January 20th Tuesday

Colin slept through the entire night for the first time in over 18 months!!! He went in at 8pm last night ( I purposely was the one to pick up Courtney from religion so I wasn't home and didn't have to do that 7pm feeding session) and slept until 6:30 this morning, at which point yes, I had to nurse him, but that's OK, we got 10.5 hours out of him!! Yippee! That is a HUGE feat. I can't wait to see if tonight goes the same way. Of course I had to nurse him as soon as I got home from work yesterday. I am not sure how to break that?! If anyone has ANY suggestions, please please share, I am open to ANY advice available. The only thing I could think of was to not come home until 8 when he was already in bed for a week and OBVIOUSLY that is NOT going to happen! So now that's we've hopefully conquered the nighttime, I have to work on the 2 daytime sessions... Prayers needed STILL!

18 Months old

I can't believe that Colin is already 1.5 years old! This is the time where you stop counting months, and start saying years.. How sad. He had his check up today at the doctors, he grew 2 inches and gained 2 lbs. So he is now 34.5 inches (only 6 shorter then Caden) and 27.5 lbs (only 10 less then Caden!) I can't believe how close he is to Caden's measurements, He is just huge. They did a basic Autism test on him (something they didn't do back when Caden was this age) and he does everything that he should be doing and seems to be on track. It's funny because all the questions they asked of Colin for the test, are STILL things that Caden doesn't or can't do. Or refuses to do, or is over stimulated by. What a difference. You sure can see the difference between a "normal" child, although almost 2 years younger and Caden when put in that position. The only concern that really isn't a concern yet, would be his speech. He should have 4-10 words, and he does have about 4-5 words that he uses, but no where near 10, so we'll just watch to make sure that in 3 months he is at or above the 10 line, otherwise we'll get him evaluated by EI as well. This is how we noticed Caden originally as well. At 12 months, he had a good number of words about 10 or so, by 15 months, he lost ALL of them and regressed in all other areas as well. By 18 months, Caden has already been evaluated by EI, and began therapy. Colin has done no such thing, nor shown an problems, so I am not concerned in the least. That is a relief. I am most not concerned about the talking, because he has an older brother who doesn't/can't speak, and then Courtney is so much older, she just does it for him, so he's just being lazy..

Breastfeeding... needs to end. I've been ready for months. Colin has had other plans. He gets up 3 times per night still... and nurses as soon as I get home from work. The doc. told Mike today, that if I don't do it now, the harder it's going to be to do later... So I am going to bite the bullet and TRY my hardest to go for it tonight. I nursed him at 7 tonight, like always, and put him in bed awake, like always. This has never been a problem. He knows how to put himself to sleep. So at midnight when he wakes to nurse (more to pacify and get back to sleep) I am going to lay in bed and cry and listen to him cry for hours and hours and hours. I don't know any other way to go about it. Mike has to work, so he can't get up and help, so it's me, alone with the kids, and a screaming miserable toddler.... tomorrow I will be zombie like. Here's hoping it will be easier then my mind is tricking me into believing.. I need prayer guys! I'll post in the morning about how night 1 goes.... please think of me and get a few extra ZZZZ's.. I'll need them!

Potty Traning Caden

Is much much easier when there is a child in the above said's class at school that is newly potty trained as well!! Since they have a new child who is newly potty trained, they have been putting Caden on the potty every hour with this other child and it's been working well so far. Yesterday he went on the potty at school 3 times, and was dry 2 times. He was so excited to get home and tell us! I am SO proud of him. He's been trying here and there for almost a year now, but has so many other things to overcome, school and us all agreed that we would wait until he was developmentally ready (since technically he is only at about a 18-24 month age level). So last night before bed I told Caden to go to the potty and just try to see if he had to go our not and he went! I warned him before bed that we would try as soon as he woke in the morning as well. So as he groggily walked into the kitchen this morning, I said, let's try the potty and he went right in there, unzipped his Jammie's and straddled the potty (it's just the cutest thing!) and went yet again. And his diaper was dry when he woke up as well! I hope this keeps up, I am so excited for him. We don't push him, but do make him try every hour or so. It's tough when both Mike and I are working, because aren't there to help him out, but now the school is working hand in hand with us, it sure is helpful..

So here's hoping Caden will be continue on this great stretch of going on the potty like a super big boy! **Yeah Caden!!**

Updates

Caden had his monthly check up today with the dentist for x-rays. His front tooth is no longer playing hide and seek ~ It's now gone forever! :-( I am so sad. My baby boy is going to be front toothless for the next 4 years!! The dentist took X-Ray after X-ray because he couldn't find the tooth, it's just not there anymore, It must have fallen out and no one knew it happened. The second tooth is still loose. It has tightened up some, but from the new X-Ray's they have noticed more root/nerve damage, so it's now as tight as it's going to get. Caden will just have to always beware of what he is eating on or near that tooth. He goes in for a cleaning and another check up on Feb. 11th.

Caden finally was healthy enough after battling that pneumonia for over a week to return to school yesterday. Thank goodness! He was out for 3.5 weeks when you add in the winter break! It took ALOT of convincing to let him know it was OK to go back to school. Caden's school begins the parent group sessions at the end of this month. It's basically a 12 week support group for parents of children with disabilities in his school. We are really looking forward to it. It is every Wednesday night for 2 hours. They watch the kids while Mike and I are in class and feed us dinner as well. From what we've learned there are alot of incentives for you attending, not to mention meeting other parents who "get it". It's hard when your child is different and everyone is staring at you! I am really excited to begin this.

Kym went to the eye doctor today as well and got dilated of the first time ever! I need glasses for night driving and computer work. Apparently I also have astigmatism as well. Hopefully those will help with headaches I've been getting lately as well. We'll see.

I am STILL hooked on the Twilight saga. I have never wanted to become part of a story as much as I have this one! It took me 3 days to track down a store that had book 2 in stock, and when I found it, not by me, I sent my mom out to pick it up for me! I then rushed out and got 3 and 4 so I would have them. Good thing too, since I had 2 done in just 2 days and started 3 last night. I am addicted! Mike and I are going to see the Movie this Saturday night and I can't tell you how forward I am looking to it!

Colin news... the kid is crazy! I have NO idea if it's 3rd child syndrome or what, but he is nuts! He gets into everything, causes more problems, hits, teases, slaps ME and knocks over Caden, I just can't believe the trouble one 18 month can cause! He still won't sleep all night long, and no matter how times he wakes at night is ALWAYS up for the day by 6:15am. He laughs or gives you smirks when you punish him and doesn't EVER take you seriously. The worst part?? he knows how to IGNORE you! What 18 month old knows to turn his head and ignore you when your talking to him? I am at a loss for words. All I can say is thank goodness he was #3, otherwise he may have just been an only child!

Colin in the tub

Who can resist that cute face???

Fun in the tubes!

Hooked on Twilight

So I've heard everyone talking and talking about the book for months and months. Then the movie once it came out. I never had any desire to read/see it. Something last week sparked my interest, I am not sure what it was. NOW.. I can't put the book down. I just started it 3 days ago and am more then half way done with it. I am going to stop at Target on my way home tonight to get the next book, beucase I am afarid I am going to finish this one and not have the next one to start! I can't wait to read then all.... Maybe by then the movie will be out on DVD, otherwise I am afarid we'll have to find a babysitter so we can go see it. I even have a line of people waiting to read it now... My mom, COurtney, Alyssa (courtney's friend) and my friend Katie.

Man... what a story!

Ever wonder where all the money goes?

To doctors, meds and sick babies. Both boys are sick.. really really sick. Colin's been sick on and off for a few weeks now, but I avoided taking him in for many reasons. One, usually it's only a viral infection and nothing can be done to begin with. Two, he was teething and growing anyway, so it made sense that he was super miserable. Three, with my new insurance from work, the co pays are insane and then I still have to pay 25% of the bill to begin with, so I was cheap and was avoiding taking him in if it wasn't something that Could be treated anyway.

Yesterday Caden started with this terrible cough as well... figures the day before school was to start back right?? Well after nursing session #1 with Colin at midnight, I checked in on Caden, who was burning up. I woke him, changed him and gave him some Motrin and tucked him back in. Making the decision right away, no school for him today. Woke up called his bus and school to let them know. When he woke this AM he seemed so/so, but I still had to keep him home, otherwise I knew I would have had to go and get anyway when that fever spiked again.

When Mike got home from work, Caden went in for his nap as usual, and Colin woke up feeling like crap yet again, all clingy and whiny and coughy with runny nose, so I decided I better take him in, enough was enough. In the meantime, I left work to get Colin and Mike calls saying Caden woke up feeling really really bad. So I called back and re-scheduled to get both boys in. I figured since I was already taking one, might as well do both. Boy am I glad I did that!

We got to the doc, with Caden having a fever of 102.5 and that was with Motrin in his system only a couple hours earlier. He was diagnosed with Pneumonia and an ear infection. Colin no fever, but severe sinus infection and croup. Yuck! Meds for both.

Did I mention Momma (now known as Mommas boy, since she is now a he) had a updated eye appt and shots at the vet tonight as well?? Well I dropped the boys off at home to Mike, who went to the vet and target while I was at the Doc. office (we needed driveway salt since we have about an inch of ice covering it right now) so I could go pick up the boys meds. Couldn't fill them at target because they closed at 7 and it was 6:55 as we were sitting in the doctors office as it was. So we sent it too Walgreens- 24 hour pharmacy.... Get there and they only have Caden's in stock.. had to call another store... drive to another store to pick up Colin's meds.. Cat also needed meds BTW... A steroid for that eye infection that did not clear up from last weeks meds.... Are you still following me? :-) Needless to say, after all that stress I HAD to stop at Tim Hortons and get much deserved Iced Cappuccinos for Mike and I on the way home...

So where does the money go?

$54.00 in co-pays at the kids doctor
$81.00 in co-pays/meds at the Vet.
$25.00 in meds for the boys
$60.00 at target to refill Mike's meds and get driveway salt
$5.00 at Tim Hortons for the much needed Iced Capp's
Who knows how much gas $$ between Mike and I....
That's over $200 in under 2 hours.. How insane is that??!! That doesn't even include the bill that I'll get from the insurance company in a couple week with the remaining 25% out of pocket costs for us!!

To bad I only put $800 in my FSA account at work this year, it's only 5 days in and I am already up over $100! Guess I should have made that $1800!

So I'll be home with my sick babies tomorrow. Nursing and cuddling them back to health. Love that part of being mommy!