Because I feel like complaining today...

• Today was the fifth or sixth day in a row that Lucy has gotten up at 4 a.m.  I'm at a loss for what to do about that.  We used to be able to get her back to sleep for another two hours but now she won't sleep unless she's on one of us.  Since that's not how we roll, she doesn't go back to sleep.  Andy suggested starting our day at 4 a.m. to she learns that sleeping with us won't happen just because she's up early.  I know he's right, but it's hard to want to do that at 4 a.m.
• Since I have two photo assignments today, she'll probably sleep in the car which means no naps for mom.  I really hope spacing our kids 18 months apart is worth it, because being pregnant with a one-year-old who doesn't like sleep is the pits.

• Our high efficiency water heater is working a little too efficiently.  I went to take a shower at 9:30, 4 1/2 hours after the last shower was taken and never got hot water, just tepid.

I really hope today starts getting better.  

Marble cake redemption

I baked a cake this weekend in order to redeem myself for a dessert I made last month.  About once or twice a month we have dinner with our friend and his family.  We usually do some sort of theme, and I think for November it was salad.  

Anyway.  I decided to bring a macaroni salad AND brownies.  I go to make them and discover that we don't quite have enough eggs to make the brownies and for breakfast the next day.  Now, usually you would just say, okay, quick run to the store for some eggs, no prob.  Well, we've been working really hard at budgeting, and I knew I'd be going grocery shopping the next day at Winco and would pay less for eggs there.

As part of our budgeting, we've been using some of our food storage, which includes gelatin.  Andy had made pancakes with gelatin instead of eggs when he was a Boy Scout, and had read that you can bake with gelatin, too.

Don't.  Just don't do it.  Technically you can, but no.  Don't.  Listen to me on this one.

I looked online for how to mix the gelatin with water to make egg substitute, and followed the direction.  Since I wanted to make marble brownies, I had to make the chocolate brownie part first.  I did and poured it into the pan, and went on my merry way making the cream cheese part.

I kind of knew something was up  when I went to pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie sludge and it just kinda rested there on top.  I was able to swirl the cream cheese stuff through the brownie, but there was, um, resistance.

I baked it according to the directions in the recipe, and was a little concerned when it didn't really rise as much as normal brownies do.

Discouraged, we decided we would still bring the brownies over there anyway.  Luckily our friend's mom had also made some sort of apple spice cake, so dessert wasn't completely shot.

Patrick decided to try the brownie first, and he said it tasted good, but had an interesting texture, I think is what he said.

Then his dad and Andy tried the brownie, and that's when the Goodyear tire jokes started.  At one point we all agreed that the brownies could be used to patch a tire and get to a service station, if need be.

They really did taste like brownies, all chocolatey and such, but I now know what a chocolate flavored tire tastes like, if there is such a thing!  

To make up for the Goodyear brownies, I made a marble cake this weekend (we had plenty of eggs!).  It turned out fairly well.  I used this recipe and frosted it with a basic vanilla buttercream.

To make one eight-inch round marble cake, all you really need to do is make a basic vanilla cake batter, reserve 3/4 of a cup of the batter, and put the rest into a greased and floured pan.  After that, mix one tablespoon of cocoa powder into the reserved batter, and drop that by spoonfuls over the batter in the pan.  Swirl with a knife and then bake according to your cake recipe's directions.

And never use gelatin to bake unless it's the apocalypse and you want brownies.

 

A word on naps

Please excuse me if I'm a little cranktastic for the next few weeks.
If you are one of my Facebook friends or follow me on Twitter, you'll notice that from time to time I complain about the wee one's sleep patterns.  Most of my angsty posts happen between the hours of 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.  Well, it's been awhile since I've really whined about getting up early or being awoken every hour because we finally got into a good bedtime and naptime groove, which minimal fussing at both.
Until this week.
First Lucy came down with an icky cold the week before Christmas, was on the mend from that and then got hit with a stomach bug.  The poor kid was so miserable and congested from the cold that we let her sleep in our bed for a night or two, but all of her naps were with us on the couch.  Then the puking happened and we were worried she would puke in her sleep so again we bedshared for about two nights.
Now she's all better, but unfortunately she's teething and has been hit with a super-clingy phase, which I'm attattributing to Wonder Week 64. 
I cannot for the life of me get her to nap in her crib, which resulted in no naps on Thursday.  She got lucky on Friday, because Andy's mom babysat and they napped together.  Hey, I"m not that strict and I'm just glad she slept.
So we're back to the crying in the crib instead of napping, the waking up screeching and wanting to cuddle at 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.
I know this will pass, we've gotten through it before, it's just hard to see the end when you're in the weeds.

Making 2014 Count

This blog is in response to a prompt over on Little Baby Garvin.

I’m 1/3 of the way into my second year of mommyhood, and about to add another to our brood.

I’ve always felt bad for women who let go of themselves after having families, focusing on their children’s and husband’s needs instead of their own.

I always thought I wouldn’t let that happen, but I think I have or am really close to being on the way to that happening.

How I’d like to make this year count is to make time for myself more than I have in the past 16 months.

I’m definitely not thrilled with the state of my body/health, so I want to focus on walking more with the kid(s) and eating on a more regular basis instead of haphazard snacks and a big dinner.

I have the best intentions to go for walks but rarely find the motivation to do so.  I’m not really sure how to find that motivation, but I’m trying to walk with friends more often, because it’s lame to cancel plans!

I want to do more of the things that I used to enjoy before being a mom.  I need to unplug more and read more books.  Find more projects to crochet.  Get the sewing machine out and learn how to sew. 

I know that sounds crazy because things are going to get nuts in March when the baby gets here.  But once I get my sea legs with having two kids it’s game on for rediscovering things that make me me.

I’ve also got to get over myself and ask for help once in awhile when I need it.  I get to bent on being able to do everything on my own but with a toddler and a newborn around, I don’t think I can afford that.

Doing more fun and creative activities with Lucy is also on my list.  More walks, more trips to the playground, and fun and unique arts and craft activities.

I also want to make this year count by doing more things with my husband that we enjoy, making time after the kids go to bed to spend time together, and not just watch TV or play on our phones.

So yep, I’m going to make 2014 count by remembering that I’m more than just a mom and a wife, so I can be the best mom and wife possible.

It's a New Year!

I don't usually make New Years resolutions, but this year I've decided I'd like to get better at blogging.
I always say I'm going to write more, but then I never do.  But a lot happens in life and it's a shame to not record it!  I was so great about keeping a journal in high school, but that's fallen by the wayside.
Seeing that things are going to get a lot more interesting here in about two months, what better way to get in the habit of blogging than to resolve to blog at least twice a week?

Anywho.  The holidays are over I guess as of today.  I was really having a blast getting into the holiday spirit up until about a week before Christmas, and then Lucy and I both got colds.
Before that I made sugar cookies for the first time!  I used this recipe for the cookies, and this recipe for the sugar cookie icing.  I was specifically looking for a way to make icing without using egg whites, because the whole salmonella thing freaks me out.
I had a blast cutting out the cookies once I realized you need to use a metric ton of flour to roll them out and cut them.
Andy helped me ice the cookies, and it was really a two man job!  I mixed the icing and piped it onto the cookies and he spread it out.  Lucy just wandered around the kitchen.

Maybe it's because I was pregnant and getting over a cold during Christmas week, but I was definitely relieved when all of our Christmas festivities were over.  The Saturday before Christmas was the annual Dumm family Christmas party, and Lucy and I were both at critical mass with our colds.  Sunday we did nothing!  But then Monday we were at his mom's place, Tuesday his dad's, Christmas was in Vacaville with my grandparents and family, and Thursday we went to Lodi to have lunch with my stepmom, sister and her husband since my sister was in town from Arizona. 

 

Friday it was back to normal.  I had my infusion that day, but luckily Andy was off and he was able to watch Lucy.  Which was all good until he texted me about an hour before my infusion was done, letting me know he thought he had the stomach flu.

Poor guy was down for the count by the time I got home, but Lucy seemed normal.  Or so I thought.  We were snuggling on the couch together while Andy was resting in the other room, and I had just given Lucy a banana to snack on not half hour before.  She coughed a little bit (normal, since she was at the tail end of a cold), and then proceeded to puke all over my shirt.  Luckily it all ended up on me and not a drop of it ended up on the couch!   I thought it was related to her cough, and thought it was a one-off.  She and I had chicken pot pie for dinner, Andy had nothing, and seriously 30 minutes after dinner I saw her dinner again (and the couch was not so lucky this time).

I had been feeling smug the week before that my child had never vomited on me before after talking to my sister-in-law about her kids having the stomach flu.  Guess that's what I get!  After some Pedialyte for Lucy, Gatorade for Andy and a bland diet for the both of them, they were both fully recovered by Sunday.

She slept with me Friday night and rolled off our bed, making it a week full of firsts!  Poor kid was so tired on Saturday she passed out watching Cake Boss on the couch.  That almost never happens!

15 months

We officially have a toddler on our hands.  Well, we have since she turned one, but she's doing all sorts of new fun things since September.

 She was a Ghostbuster for Halloween this year, and her costume was made by hand by Andy's mom.  We didn't go Trick or Treating this year that night, but I did take her to our town's annual downtown Trick or Treating that afternoon.  They also had a costume contest, and can you believe that she didn't win?  I mean, look at her?

 

 

 

Part of our latest shenanigans involve climbing everything and anything she can.  Last week, Lucy learned to climb on the couch, so now we get to teach her how to sit on the couch like a lady (and not go flailing over the back or the side of the couch).  Proud moment in parenting: we were in the kitchen trying to figure out the whole Obamacare thing and heard a thump.  Miss Thang had decided to crawl over the side of the dog couch and fall over the side, smacking the end table with her head on the way down.  She cried for maybe a minute and was back to running around and playing.  Although she did wake up about four times that night.

 

 

 Going to the library weekly and having a bunch of board books on hand seems to have paid off.  She loves to look at books, and she also loves to demand to be read to.  I really never thought I'd have to teach my child that mommy does not read books while in the bathroom.  But I guess that's what I get for thinking it's cute that she likes to hand me books while I'm, um, on the crapper.  Because we all know that I truly can't do anything alone anymore unless another adult is present.  ; )

We're also working on having her politely ask to be read to, by saying "read book?" instead of screeching and shoving a book in our faces.

 

 

 

 

 She's still one of very few words, but she does say mama, dada, ball, and "I see that," which means a few things: I see that, can you give me that, and what is that.

 

 

 We're slowly working our way through all of the playgrounds in our city, figuring out the best ones.  The one I found on Saturday is a keeper, because it's two feet off of the ground and means prego mommy doesn't have to chase Lucy up some of the taller play structures.  Because she's now very proficient at climbing the big kid play structures, which is awesome yet terrifying, because of the gaps she can fall out of.  It works great when Andy and I take her to the big kid playgrounds together, because I cover the ground and he follows her up top.

 

 

We usually spend part of the day coloring, which really means actually coloring a small percentage of the time, and taking all of the crayons out of the box and throwing them the rest of the time. : )

I've already had to rescue crayons out of Brody's mouth a few times.

I think the biggest challenge we've got going on right now is teaching her to be polite and figuring out what to do about discipline.  Lucy's latest favorite things to do are turning the PlayStation on and off, ejecting discs out of it, throwing food to the dogs, throwing her sippy cup, yanking on the curtain tie-backs, jumping on the couch and nabbing diapers out of her trash, to name a few.  She doesn't know these things aren't favorable, but she knows they get a reaction out of us, which causes her to keep doing them and squealing in delight when she's been caught.  She's too young for time-outs, and spanking is definitely not an option, so right now it's just redirecting and hoping for the best.  

 

Thanksgiving 2012 vs. 2013

This year was wayyyyy different than last year.  
We actually got to have Thanksgiving dinner with family instead of home as a family of three, which was great.
Last year Lucy's white blood cell count wasn't quite high enough for the doctor to be comfortable with having her around a large group of people in a different home, due to risk of coming into contact with bacteria not normally present in her home environment.
The irony is that the very next day the doctor e-mailed me and said Lucy was clear to visit other people's homes.  D'oh!
We did enjoy a very nice roast chicken dinner complete with the trimmings last year, which Andy was hoping to repeat.  He really liked having it as just a family of three.
But I was really depressed last year about not being able to be with family, so we spent Thanksgiving afternoon and evening at his mom's house, and the whole gang was there. 
Bad mom, I didn't take any pictures that day!  But here's my little buddy picking out pumpkins for making pumpkin pie from scratch.

      Thanksgiving morning, Andy worked on sealing our new cement countertops, while Lucy and I watched the Macy's Day parade.  Well, she ran around the house like a madwoman and would momentarily watch the parade, while I enjoyed a cup of coffee.
We of course watched the dog show, as is tradition.
We capped off the four day weekend by making gingerbread houses at my mother-in-law's with Andy's brother and his family.
Most year's I'm pretty disappointed with how my house turns out, because I usually try to glue the graham crackers together with icing and my structure usually ends up folding like a house of cards.
This year, we had five huge sheets of crispy marshmallow squares, so I used that as the foundation of my house.

    




















I'm happy to say that my house never folded and I didn't want to flip my plate and say f*&% this at any point in time.  Because gingerbread making is a very serious activity in our family.

 

It's been a tradition of mine for the past three years to build a fire engine in honor of my Uncle Tony.
Mahalo, Uncle Tony.