running the numbers

An American Self-Portrait

http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=7


It's amazing... please check it out!

photos from OBX

Julius and his cousin, Jonah, sharing a big hug :)


Josh and Julius at the NC aquarium


Julius and I at the Currituck Lighthouse


Julius: ready to climb the 218 steps to the top of the lighthouse


And lastly, check out my big ol' pregnant belly! :)

Today Julius started his Mitey Mites hockey session. It was so adorable watching all these four and five year olds skating around the ice in their equipment and jerseys trying to get the puck into the goal.

Of course Julius, being such a sweetheart, spent so much time wanting to help every child that fell down, that he missed a lot of the pucks. LOL But he had a fun time and everyone left the ice with a new sticker to put on their helmet :)

The other night we went to see a Frederick Keys game. They had their annual peanut-free night. It was a lot of fun, and not only did Julius get a baseball that landed in the stands, but he also won an allergen-free teddy bear from the raffle they were having that night!

Summer is going well. Julius is happy that he's going to be a big brother. It's a girl. At least they "are pretty sure" it's a girl. LOL We've already picked out the name: Isabella.

Doesn't it sound so sweet?? Julius and Isabella :)

Jedi Julius

Taken while spending the weekend at Bethany Beach.

(don't mess with a Jedi *lol*)


We had a great time :)

Julius turns 4

17 weeks

I haven't vomited in two days. Hooray! I think the worst is over and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

This past weekend was Julius' birthday party. I'll post photos up soon. It was so much fun! Everyone had a great time :)

so maybe getting off the IV wasn't one of most stellar decisions... I've been feeling pretty crappy: though I won't admit to out loud to anyone!!

I'm really trying to focus on positive thinking. I mean, I'm a firm believer of self-fufilling prophecies, so I doing my best to keep telling myself that I am fine.

It works... except when the evening comes. Then.... augh.

Five more months to go! lol

Hyperemesis Gravidarium

I haven't been posting for awhile. Most of you know that I'm pregnant and I've been dealing with HG and had to go through daily IV treatments and most recently a new combination drug therapy.
Well the side effects were too horrible to live with. So I called my doctor and told her that I would much rather vomit than take the medicine.
Yesterday the nurse came and removed the PICC line from my arm, and today I am officially 15 weeks pregnant!
I'm in a much better mood now that I am off the meds. I'm still puking, but 4-5x a day isn't that big of a deal.
I'm finally starting to get a little tummy, which is just weird. LOL It'll probably be another few weeks before my jeans start getting snug on me, but I'm definitely starting to show!

5 more months to go before Julius is an official big brother :)

No More War

I speak for a man who gave for this land
Took a bullet in the back for his pay
Spilled his blood in the dirt and the dust
He's back to say:

What he has seen is hard to believe
And it does no good to just pray
He asks of us to stand
And we must end this war today

With his mind, he's saying, "No more!"
With his heart, he's saying, "No more!"
With his life he's saying, "No more war!"

With his eyes, he's saying, "No more!"
With his body, he's saying, "No more!"
With his voice, he's saying, "No more war!"

Yeah, nothing's too good for a veteran
Yeah, this is what they say
So nothing is what they will get
And there's no American way

The lies we were told to get us to go
Were criminal 
let us be straight
Let's get to the point where our voices get heard
And I know what I'll say

With his mind, he's saying, "No more!"
With his heart, he's saying, "No more!"
With his life he's saying, "No more war!"

With his eyes, he's saying, "No more!"
With his voice, he's saying, "No more!"
With his body, he's saying, "No more war!"

No more innocents dying
No more terror rising
No more eulogizing
No more evangelizing
No more presidents lying
No more war

With our minds, we're saying, "No more!"
With our hearts, we're saying, "No more!"
With our lives, we're saying, "No more war!" 

background noise

today we had a wonderful presentation on the research of tv/video watching on child's brain and language development. One thing that I loved was how the presenter didn't say "kids shouldn't watch TV!" because, duh, that's practically impossible for a parent to prevent unless they don't own a television to begin with. But what was really interesting was the information about what happens when television is on as background noise. There are actual studies that observe kids playing when the tv is on vs. on, while parents are engaged with them with tv on and with tv off, and the ability to filter out language when there is a lot of noise going on (tv on, people talking around them and someone talking to the specific child). Anywho, the presenter has a website that is equally interesting www.lisaguernsey.com

past lives

Julius has always said things that blew my mind. For example, once my mom had commented to him that she had lost her earring and was looking all over the backyard for it. He told her (without even seeing her that whole day) "Mima, it's not outside. It's in your room." Sure enough, that evening, my mom found it lying on her bed. He's always saying things like this. It's really incredible.

This morning was no different:

Today we were sitting on the sofa watching tv while sharing a snack. There was this kids' music video thingy on it about a train in a Japan. I pointed to the screen and said, "That's a country called Japan." Julius turned to me and replied very seriously, "I know that Mommy. I used to live in Japan before you were born." And then he turned back to the television and continued to eat his fruit snack.

Wha----????! LOL

Vote/Boat

Today I went to vote. Julius tagged along and listened as I explained the importance of voting, what happens when we vote, and what it means for people to vote.... he was listening very intently and watched as I voted on the screen in the booth.
As we walked back to the car, Julius asked me, "But, Mommy, where are the boats?"

LOL

taking it all in stride

So I'm walking down the stairs and Julius, who is standing by the bathroom door, looks at me and laughs before running into the bathroom and slams the door behind him.
Curious, I open the door, and there, before my eyes... Julius has squirted Arnica (it's a first aid ointment that I had left out a few hours earlier when Julius ran his bike into a tree) all over the sink and counter.
Shaking my head, I ask, "I can't leave anything out, can I?"
Julius answers me very seriously, "Mommy, it's my job."
"Oh?" I ask, "What's your job?"
"To do naughty things," he replies, and I can tell he's trying hard not to smile.
"Really?" I ask as I turn around to get the towel.
"Yes," he nods, "See?" Picking up his glass of water, he turns it upside down and spills all the water out onto the counter (mixing it so nicely with the splattered ointment). Laughing, he then quickly runs out the bathroom.

Shaking my head. That's my Julius! LOL

Happy Holidays

Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season: whatever holiday it is that you celebrate!

Hugs,

me.

Sabrina's Law

Sabrina's Law documentary

The things that kids say

the other day Julius was running all around the house pretending to be a race car. We both were. It's a game we play. We're both race cars and after "1, 2, 3 Go!" we run all around the main floor. It's a lot of fun. Often we try to bang into each other (gently of course!) and then fall onto the floor. I try to get up and Julius manages to crawl on top of me to take the lead... it's amazing excerise. LOL
Anyway, after the fifth or sixth time I comment, "How much energy do you have!"
He stops running for a moment and is deep in thought. Looking up at me, he says, "At least two mommy. I have a lot." LOL!!!!

About twenty minutes ago Julius woke up. I went to check on him and he's mumbling something to me. I say, "what?" He repeats it, "theresahca....mmm..." again, I say, "Pardon?" He repeats again,"ca....mmm.." I say, "What???" Yawning, he repeats, "There's a car in here, Mommy." Then rolls over and goes back to sleep. ROFLOL

He just cracks me up.

Oh! About a week ago Julius and my mother-in-law were playing with playdoh (making hockey guys: no surprise there!), and Julius stated that he was God. My mother-in-law asked if he knew who God was. He said "Yes, God made us." When she told me this, I thought, "wow, how awesome. He's making people out of play doh, so he's God in play doh world. It makes so much sense." Three year olds are so smart.

Hmmm... what other cute things has he said? I love when he says comments with the words, "Actually..." in it. It's just the most adorable thing. Someone says something and then, ever the diplomat, Julius responds with an, "Actually,...."

He is sooo cute!! LOL :)

going to see a specialist on monday

So I'm off to see a specialist on monday to discuss my endo and what my next steps are since the first surgery didn't help me as much as I would've liked.

True, the pain is less, but it's still there. My now-former obgyn suggested that I do another surgery or try to get pregnant.

Josh and I have been contemplating having a second child. So this might be Fate telling us to get on with it. I dunno, I guess I want to wait and hear what the specialist has to say. I think I'd rather go in for another laproscopy before attempting to conceive. But again, I'll wait until Monday when I talk to this Dr.

old post from Bill Clinton

From Bill Clinton
www.clintonfoundation.org

Late last night, I arrived in Johannesburg, where I began my six-day tour of Africa to see my Foundation's efforts firsthand, learn from those who are making a difference, and hear the amazing stories of hope from the people we are touching through our work. I know many of you have been following the preparations for my journey at www.ClintonFoundation.org/Africa. If you haven't, I invite you to visit our site, where you can pledge your support, tell your friends about what we're doing, and read stories from the field on our blog. I just posted my first entry, and I look forward to reading your comments when I get back to New York.

The language of Nelson Mandela's tribe, Xhosa, has a word that perfectly sums up our work in Africa: Ubuntu. In English, it translates as "I am because you are." In this increasingly interdependent world, our fate is inextricably linked with the fate of young people of modest means who are eager to serve their community in South Africa, struggling farmers in Malawi, and Tanzanians who require life-saving AIDS medicine to survive. We have an obligation to help those in need and an unprecedented opportunity to do good in this world, but we can't do it without your support. Join our journey at www.ClintonFoundation.org/Africa

Sincerely,

Bill Clinton

P.S. How will you partner with us to make change in Africa? Leave your thoughts and comments on our blog.

pollyticks.com

pollyticks.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTGMlRX-dH4&mode=related&search=

well I feel like a fool

I must have missed the memo that said Pluto isn't really a planet. Wikepdia says, "Originally classified as a planet, Pluto is now recognised as the largest member of a distinct region called the Kuiper belt. Like other members of the belt, it is primarily composed of rock and ice and is relatively small." So, like I said, I feel like a fool! LOL When I was really young, I had this book called "Planets," and each page gave a summary of the nine planets. I loved that book because the pictures were so beautiful and the book itself was easy to read. I was like, in first grade or something I think, so it was very child-friendly. I wonder what the science books say now. I can only imagine how many times they need to change things regarding astronomy. In college, I attempted to take an astronomy course. I failed. But I did try!! It's just so overwhelming... I loved the class, but I had the hardest time remembering the names of all the moons and the different bodies in space.... it was so confusing! But I would love to sit down one day and just have someone explain it all to me. :)