We're off to see the Lions!

And so begins the catch up.

A few weeks ago my friend Alexis and I took the kiddos to the zoo.
Here is a video Alexis took of the "monkeys".

Grayson loved seeing the zebras. It's rare that they are this close to the fence so he was very excited.

We also finally got to see the new lion exhibit that we got late last year. We have three lions now at our zoo and more new exhibits to follow in the coming years.

Grayson and Morgan climbed all over these bronze statues of the big cats. They could not have cared less about the real thing.

Which is just as well for this trip.

Is it me or does she look bored. For what its worth I would be too, its was all of 14 seconds. :)

News of late

Isn't he the cutest? Jaxon is cute too. Just kidding. I love baby legs warmers. In this case Huggalugs. So cute!

That was a few weeks ago. My sweet little bundle now weighs in at a wopping 15 lbs 2 oz, as of yesterday. He has been gaining an average of 2 oz a day. Generally .5 oz is considered good gain. I apparently make butter milk. Last week at Jax's 2 month apt he was 14lbs 12 oz, 25" long (22 at birth) and 16.5" head. The doctor was even impressed. :)

The only down side to having a mini moose is that he has outgrown the few cute things I bought him! The one gymboree outfit I got, he wore maybe 3 times.

He and his brother are settling in nicely. They love eachother so much and it is hysterical to watch them laugh and play together. Jax is already becoming such a little boy at just 9 weeks old. He is batthing at toys already and loves to lie in his playgym, kicking his baby "wind"chime toy. I have so many pictures I want to share!!

We got the quote back on the laptop and it was $750 for a new motherboard. It was a cheap laptop to begin with so we chose to have them pull the info off of it and call it good. Now we have to wait until we have money to buy a new one. The dinosaur desktop upstairs "crashed" when I uploaded only 200 pics (an hour+ project in itself!) from my iphone and picasa the other night. It refuses to run anything or TURN OFF!

I need to pull the plug and cross my fingers for a reboot.

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In other news, Zack's job is going VERY well. I believe I posted that he got a promotion and 25% pay increase after 2 weeks. Well after a few more weeks he was given another 25% pay increase because the commision for the other position would have kicked in quicker because it was an established position where as this one isn't and he is putting all the processes in place first. He really likes it. And I think it challenges him, which is great. I see a long lovely future with this company. (fingers crossed and knock on wood!)

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Which brings me to another bit of news. I quit Target yesterday. I was scheduled to go back after the 13th. I had taken care of everything on my end with FMLA and the company who takes care of all of that type of thing for T. I had called every week since the 2 weeks leading up to being able to come back trying to get on the schedule and yet I have STILL not been scheduled. Always the promise of next week. With the increase in Zack's pay we decided it made more sense for me to be home with the boys than for him to come home early for me to go in and make minimum wage. We would both rather he possibly make a sale in those hours. Yay! I am so much more appreciative of my time home this time around. I realize how precious my time with my boys is and while there are many days I want to mail one or the other or both to the moon, I wouldn't trade that time for anything.

I mentioned here that I lost my nanny job as well. At the time I was feeling very overwhelmed with the whole thing and the prospect of being set back even further. But after the last two months I am much more content with the our financial future and feel like we might finally have turned the corner of all the crap of the last few years. Finally.

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And while I feel like we have turned a corner, I can't help but feel like I am waiting. Waiting for something bad, catastrophic even to happen. I can't help but feel like I shouldn't get too settled in to being happy and content. I know its crazy. Things have to get better right? And stay that way. We work hard to keep it that way. And yet, we have no choice in the matter really.

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If the dinosaur cooperates in the near future I will share all the pics I have been dying to get up... fingers crossed!

uh oh

We are regular visitors of our library. We try to go to story time weekly and get new books. We won't be getting new books for a while.

I sent G to his room for a nap the other afternoon. I was on the phone so it was a while before I realized it was very quiet. So I crept up the stairs to see if he had fallen asleep. I peeked in his door and saw him crouched over one of his books on his floor.

A library book.

In itty, bitty, teeny, tiny pieces.

I was so angry and yet I was having a hard time not laughing.

Seriously? Tiny pieces?! Who does that to a book? We always talk about how we have to be gentle with books and we treat them nicely and respectfully or they have to go up high in the closet until he is older. Apparently it didn't sink in.

Better yet.

It was a 'NO DAVID' book. David books are about a boy named David who, you guessed it, is always getting told no.

I told G he was to take money out of his piggy and we were going to go to the library the next day and pay his money to the library for ruining their book.

Next day came and we marched ourselves down there, change in hand (my checkbook poised to pay the difference) and ziplock full of page bits. The librarian was very sweet, trying to act serious as I explained what had happened and as G said he was sorry and offered up his money to *pay* for the book.

She stiffled her giggle looked at him and the book very seriously, noted it was already missing a page and told us it was *okay* this time {I quickly interjected NOT okay} and that THIS time she would not take his money. But...

We had a long talk in the car about how the librarian didn't say it was okay to DO but because he promised not to do it again and he had said he was sorry the library would nicely not take his money THIS time. He is now not allowed books in bed. He is reminded of this lesson daily.

Honestly, I think this is one lesson he will learn.

(As we were about to leave the librarian looks at me and smiles. "I am going to show this to the girls in the back! It really is very cute and funny" she says under her breath. Oy. I am so glad she {mostly} played along. )

ps. blogger is being a booger and REFUSES to post this properly but since its been two weeks since I posted I figured I better get something out there before the natives get restless. So pretty it is not, but hopefully its mildly entertaining.

Kid and family fest

A few weeks ago we went to the Kid and family festival at our fair grounds. Mostly it is local businesses peddling their wares (why you have to pay to shop for windows and insurance- its $10 to get in- is silly to me but whatever) but there is also the petting zoo and many booths full of toys and fun things for kiddos to do. We had a booth there a few years ago when G was about a year old. We had him crawling around with a sign for our insurance booth and balloons. He was a hit! Its fun to see everyone every year as he gets bigger.

This year he was very into everything. He fell in love with this restaurant maskot bear. He followed him everywhere.

Yes, the bear is coloring. Not sure why, but whatever.

Overall, G had a great time. I tried to get a good picture of him in this stand up fireman, but this is all I got cause the darn bear walked by again and G was off!

Mini moose

This is Jaxon yesterday.
Weighing in at 12 lbs 14 oz! Holy moose!!

Songs for life

I noticed a long time ago that I have always attached a song to a memory. For some people it's the smells around the event, for some it's the background sights and sounds. But for me its always the song. Which really isn't a surprise as music has always been a part of my life. Not that anyone in my family is particularly musically inclined but we all seem to enjoy it.

When I was a little kid, 4-5 maybe, I remember dusting the furniture with pledge dancing my little self along next to my mom to a Bob Segar album. Does anyone remember what an album is? I vaguely might. Anyway, ever since "Against the Wind" has been forever etched in my brain as the theme song for that part of my life.

Later, when I was in junior high school there was always school dances on Friday nights. I fondly remember hanging with my gal pals, girls on one side of the room boys on the other just like on t.v. dancing to "Baby got Back" and "Nothing Compares to You" by Sinead O'Conner as one of us ran to the bathroom in tears over the current boy drama. And there was ALWAYS boy drama.

In high school, I had my first and second real boyfriends and we had our songs. T and I had "Crazy" by Patsy Cline, though I always seem to have the Forest Gump soundtrack in my head when I think of him as well. He worked in a theatre and I saw it 13 times on the big screen. Go figure I guess. S and I... well HAH, I seem to have buried that memory! Go figure. He sucked. :)

Anyway, now life carries many memories (if only I could hold onto them in this swiss chesse brain!) and along with "Breathe" by Faith Hill that is the song for my marriage, we have had "Sounds like Life to Me" for the last year or so. Well that is the one I was using in my head, Zack was using something far more negative. As I sit here with Zack snoring on my left and Jax snoring on my right and Gray finally asleep, in his room in our house, I realize life is pretty darn good and "Life after You" may stick as our new one.

What is your song?

Yeah Me!

Yup, thats my butt. And guess what is on it? My 7 jeans that I have not been able to fit in since before Grayson! Woo hoo!

Okay, I gotta go take these off. I can't breathe. (hehe)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Technical Difficulties

I know it probably looks like I have gone and dropped off the planet (again) but I really haven't. I have WANTED to blog. Unfortunately, Tuesday night I used our laptop and shut it for the night and when I went to use it again in the morning it refused to turn on.

Nothing.

Nada.

grrr.

So it is at the pc doctor and in 3 (10) weeks they will supposedly have diagnosed its issue and let us know how much it will be to fix said issue.

So now I rely on our dinosaur desktop- seriously we bought it when we were first married almost 9 years ago! It has seen better days. Some days it just refuses to join the internet. :( I think its just lazy but it could be dying of old age. If dog years are 7/1 human years, what are pc years to human years? My other option, the one I am utalizing now is Zack's work lappy. I will try to keep up with life but know that either way I am here in "spirit".

Speaking of Zack's work. It is going great! He loves it. And best of all Thursday he was offered a promotion. Already! After only 2 weeks. With a pay raise. Woohoo!

We are very excited for the future and things are looking up and up.

Jaxon's Baby shower

This last Saturday was my meet the baby sprinkle that Geneva threw for me. She did an amazing job.

This is the cake she made from scratch.
Amazing! And so Cute!

The adorable cookies, that were SO yummy too.

If you click on this collage it will enlarge it. Included is the food spread, some of the guests and the onsie decorating "game".

Thank you Geneva, and everyone who came for an amazing, fun party!

My boys

I think these pretty much speak for them selves.
Photographer: Elle Zober @ zoberbabies.com

FEET!

My dear friend Elle took these amazing pics of Jaxon last week.
She gave them to my today at my shower that Geneva threw for me.

Booties by my friend Alexis.

These are just a sneak peak. I have a few HUNDRED to look through before I post more.
I just love baby feet.

Jaxon's Nursery *Finally*

A few months ago I mentioned buying a bumper at the resale event we have twice a year. I had been struggling with how to decorate Jaxon's room, since it HAD to have red in it and somewhat go with the GIANT red dresser that Zack had painted years ago when we were first married. I love that thing, so it wasn't an option to change it. The room had to go around it.

The bumper has stripes and gingham and is mostly primary colors. I have always loved monkey's and originally I wanted Sock monkey's but Zack quickly vetoed that idea. :(

Then one day while the children were napping at my nanny job I came up with this...
And while it is really embarrassing to show of my lack of artistic talent, I am pretty excited to show off the finished product and how close it came to the original design of months ago. Geneva did the Barrel of Monkey's and I did the balls around the room.

Without further ado:
Jaxon's room!

Should I put 'balls' under the barrel or leave it blank? I'm torn...

There is a blank spot on this wall because I am going to have Geneva put another monkey with a hotdog in his hand there. Cause how fitting is that? :)

Brothers

Brotherly love.

My sweet boys.

Leads anyone?

So what is the most ironic thing about Zack starting his job today?

Give you a hint.

Okay I suck at hints. I am much better at laying it out there.

I lost my nanny job today. It boils down to them not being able to afford me, after the grandparents backed out of the days they were doing to help out. Our whole house of cards crumbled.

I am very sad and a little discouraged. Just when I think things are fine and going to be okay, then AGAIN the the ground is yanked from under my feet. I know its not the end of the world (been there, done that) but it is frustrating.

Hopefully something will work out soon in our favor on that front. If you know of a nanny job that will allow me to bring my kids (I have references etc obviously) or any other recommendation... I am willing to try new things. Please let me know.

jsbuquet@gmail.com

Thanks friends!

A weighty issue

I used to be that girl. One of the ones in high school who could eat anything and not gain an ounce. I maintained my 5'9", 100-120 (after boobs and hips) for all of high school. I was asked almost daily if I was anorexic. I was the one I would today glare at as she walked her super skinny self past me. (I'm rude I know)


For the record, No, not then nor have I ever had an eating disorder... unless eating too much crap is my disorder then well yup, I've got it.

Then I grew up and got married at 22. I gained a smidgen of weight but not enough to write home about. I was still that girl.

Fast forward 5 years and I did what any happily married woman does. I went and had a kid.
That will REALLY screw with your body. I am sure I don't need to tell you. I am sure many of you are nodding your head in agreement with me.

I gained 40 lbs while I was pregnant with Grayson. I remember going to one of my early appointments with my midwife her saying something to the effect of "what are you eating?! um, maybe you should cut out the juice and calorie filled drinks..." I gained 25 lbs by 20 weeks or so. I did taper off from there but I could tell she was a little worried she might have to roll me into the delivery room, like Violet from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I lost 20 lbs of "the Grayson weight" but 20 stuck like glue.

No longer was I that girl.

Jonathan's pregnancy I gained 10 lbs, but I was only pregnant 26.5 weeks. I blame stress. I lost it all immediately but those 20 previous still stuck.
Jaxon's pregnacy I gained 8 lbs.

And in the two weeks since I gave birth to Jaxon, I have lost all of the weight I gained with him. Not hard to do when the baby you gave birth to weighed more than you gained. :) But on top of that I have lost.... wait for it... another 15!

I have lost 23 lbs in the last 2 weeks. Best weight loss plan... working my a$ off literally at T and being pregnant. The scale goes backwards!

I have 5 lbs to go before I hit pre- GRAYSON weight. A weight I have not seen in 3+ years. And who knows if it will stay off. See comment on crap above... I like my sweets. A LOT.

But for right this minute, I feel like that girl again.

Guess what?!

I have been sitting on a secret. I guess after so much crap in the last year(s) we have finally started just waiting until we know things for sure before we announce. It's sad really. But thankfully I am able to announce that Zack got a job! And not just a call center to bring in a little dough while looking for something else, a real job. That he is excited about. He starts Monday!

I have begun the countdown of how long I have off before I have to go back to T. Though now it will probably be nights and weekends since I would be working solely to pay daycare otherwise. Literally. We are pretty sure the new job's hours are 6am-3pm which would be prefect for me to be able to work eves. And of coarse I will have my nanny job, at which I am supposed to start back in 3 weeks.

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In other news, I am feeling better. Last I reported was our birth story when I mentioned I felt like I had been sawed in two and put back together backwards. I am feeling better. Definitely not 100% but better. I can move without holding my breath and crying out. I am trying not to overdo it. But as I am me and that is just not how I roll... I went to the grocery store yesterday.

By myself.

For a full-on-packed-cart trip.

Apparently forgetting that carts get heavy.
It was too much. I was very tired and about half way through the canned food isle I realized what an idiot I was. I felt faint.

Damn that missing blood!

I am pretty sure the bags of canned food are still sitting on the floor next to the pantry waiting for me to put them away.

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Jaxon is doing great.
We went to the mother/baby nurse last Thursday to make sure all was well, as is standard Kaiser procedure. He had lost 7oz in the "hostible" (hospital) as Grayson calls it, and he was 8lbs 12 oz already!

Then this Tuesday we went to our breast feeding support group (*boob group from here on out) and I weighed him to see if my infant scale that I bought was close/the same. I plopped him on there not expecting much. Yeah! 8lbs 14 oz! Woohoo back to birth weight. Nursed him and weighed again. Another oz. But this time I did a double take... um not 8 lbs...9lbs 15 oz!!! Holy Crap fat baby Batman!

The pediatrician was very pleased today when he weighed him and got the same (Jaxon had a onsie and diaper on the other day when I weighed him- I knew it was a bit off) he commented that I grow them well or something... Mind you, our Ped is about as old as dirt and reminds me of a miniature British Herman Munster from the Munsters. He is amazing and warm and we love him. We have had him since G was 3 days old and boy am I glad I stumbled on him.

Off to go feed my baby some Mama-buttermilk! :)

Daddy's boy

Jaxon gets these very serious looks on his face. Could be gas.
Could be confusion at all the new things. Could be he can't see a damn thing beyond 12 inches.



We like to think its because he is a genious, pondering world peace and cures for cancer.

Tiny g's for a Tiny J

Recently we were given some tiny g's.
They are about the cutest thing EVER!
They can be used with flushables or with a cloth insert, which is what we are using.

They ride low, perfectly protecting "stumpy".

(and there are his cute little bird legs!)

Our favorite place

This is SO much better than work!

Heading home