Author Archives: Amanda

Best Superbowl EVER!

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Let me just start this out by saying I despise the Patriots just as much as I love the Raiders. So to see them having their butts handed to them today brought me more joy than I can even describe. Let’s face it, in the end cheaters don’t win. If you are a Pats fan reading this sorry LOL (Sam, yes I’m talking to you LMAO) We had such a great time today. We went up to my grandparent’s house to watch the game and had so much fun! I really wanted NY to win not only so the Patriots wouldn’t, but how cool is it that Eli Manning’s brother won the super bowl last year and he won it this year? They sure have some proud parents. I loved how when Eli threw that last touch down they put the cameras up in the box on Peyton. Watching him jump up and down for his brother actually put tears in my eyes. Super Bowl XLII is the best Super Bowl I’ve watched yet. Now, let’s just all pray that Raiders get their crap together and give us a good season next year.

Searching for my "Me Time"

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I used to have a lot of this. I had 1 child for 6 years. I had a job that I went to and sat in an office basically by myself and between you and I spent the majority of my time online…. (If you are from any of my old jobs I wasn’t talking about that job – I was talking about the other job) I felt that I was getting plenty of me time. Then I chose to change my life up a little bit. I moved, started to work at home and the topper on the cake…. I HAD ANOTHER BABY. I decided that I needed to scout out my “Me Time” and find out exactly what it is that I need to involve myself in to keep my sanity. I started out with the whole Mommy Forum thing…. catty, drama and so not enjoyable me time. I’d rather not watch girls attack each other on their parenting skills – to each their own right? Why judge? Then I decided that church would be the perfect me time. Yeah, I love church and am beyond happy that I made the decision to go to church, but let’s face it…. it’s a family thing. I have yet to see the “Me Time” in it. In fact, almost every Sunday I find myself hanging out in the mother’s room. So, that has basically turned into Ella & Me time. I finally figured out recently how to get me some “Me Time” I hand my husband my daugher, I go upstairs so quietly and sneak into my bedroom past Jayden and run to my bathroom, shut & LOCK the door. Then I turn the Ihome on as loud as it can go (to drown out the screaming and crying coming through the crack under the door and the “Mommy, I’m thirsty”) and I run my hot, hot, scolding hot bath and sink in and read. Then when my heart just knows that Ella is on the verge of a breakdown downstairs, I drain the water, get out of the bath, look in the mirror and take a deep breath. I open the door and reality slaps me right in the face. But there’s a smile on it, because for the past 8.7 minutes I was alone, with a book and loud music and there were no children or husband in there to ruin it for me. And that 8.7 minutes will get me through the next 24 hours.

To write about your “Me Time” head over to MamaBlogga for this month’s writing project.

Cardiologist Appointment

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Ella’s cardiologist (well, not hers but one that works w/hers) flew down from Portland to check her out today. She’s gained almost 5lbs since her last visit in Portland 3 months ago. So they only thing that was done was her medication was upped to 1ML instead of .8ML and told me see you in 6 months unless something comes up. We are going to schedule our next appointment w/her EP Cardiologist so we talk about what to expect w/ablation. They did do an EKG and we can definitely see on it that she has Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome.

So, uneventful, but it was good.

Rock Hard Brown Sugar

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It’s Tuesday, which means Tammy is hosting another Kitchen Tip Tuesday This week I’m going to let you in on a little trick that I just recently learned about brown sugar and how to make it back into soft sugar after being rock hard. All you do is add a slice of soft bread inside of the bag and close it tightly. After a few hours it will be soft again. For other kitchen tips head over to Tammy’s Blog

It’s Snowing

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Do they really think I’m stupid? I keep hearing this sweet little voice from outside saying, “Mommy we REALLY want our pictures taken out here. I’ll pose for you.” Hmmmm…… I think not! Here is what they’re doing outside and I was smart enough to take the pics before they got the idea in their head to “get me” The last picture on here is what I was driving in earlier – now keep in mind I DO NOT DRIVE IN SNOW. So, basically I cried the whole way home. My wonderful loving husband laughed at me the whole way home.

I’m Old

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I’m only 25 years old and tonight I felt older than I ever have in my life. I went to my sister’s high school’s basketball game so I could watch her cheer. The game was amazing – I swear it felt like we were at a college basketball game. But, as I sat where all the parents sat, across the court from where all the kids from school sit cheering their team on I kinda felt a little depressed. I’m not a kid anymore…holy crap! I swear I thought I was still 16 until tonight… okay, not really, but I sure as hell didn’t feel 25. Now I feel 40. Life sure flies by I tell you.

Now, Miss Ella had a ball at the ball game. I thought she’d be scared, because believe me the fans at this game were giving the Sacramento Kings fans a run for their money (okay not that loud but pretty darn loud!) She was kicking her feet, and smiling and watching the cheerleaders… we had so much fun!

So there’s a picture of Ella at the game (obviously) and I would have one up of Jayden but he was having fun running around w/his aunt Tiona (who is only 2 years older than him) So, I promise to post more pictures of him – I promise I’m not favoring Ella – she’s just so darn cute!

I NEED to take a CPR class

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After Ella went through all that heart stuff I swore to myself I would take a CPR class – just in case. I never did. Today I was faced with a situation that scared me more than anything – even more than Ella’s first heart episode. With Ella’s first heart episode I was scared, but she was with her doctor when I found out what was wrong. I knew in my heart that everything was going to be okay. Tonight, I didn’t. Tonight I honestly thought that Ella was going to die. I gave her a teething cookie. She gnaws on them all the time. We’ve given these cookies to her all the time and they’ve NEVER been a problem Tonight was a different story. I was doing dishes and she was sitting in her travel swing eating a cookie. I looked down at her and she was starting to turn blue. I went to grab her and she was buckled in (of course) and nothing I ended up doing was helping. I was screaming “HELP ME!” I panicked. I did not know what else to do. My husband at this point has ran downstairs and has her upside down hitting her back and I’m the phone with 911. Our conversation goes like this:

911 what is the location of your emergency?

MY BABY IS CHOKING!

Ma’am I need to know the location of your emergency.

I DON’T KNOW! MY HOUSE!

Ma’am can you look at some mail and find out your address?

GINO! WHAT’S OUR ADDRESS? OMG OMG OMG OMG I DON’T KNOW MY ADDRESS!!!! (In which case he didn’t know either)

OMG! HE DID IT! HE GOT IT OUT!

So do I need to send paramedics?

NO THANK YOU!! SHE’S GONNA BE OKAY!

End of conversation

Thankfully my husband shoved his finger down her throat and made her throw up and out came the cookie piece that was stuck. I was shaking so badly. When he handed her to me I sat on the couch and cried harder than I think I’ve ever cried in my life.

About 1 minute after hanging up the phone a cop knocked at the door and Ella and I went to greet him. He smiled and rubbed Ella’s tummy (she was just in a diaper) and she was a mess from the cookie. Well, he said “Are you okay little one?” and she took one look at him and flipped her lid. She didn’t like him at all. So he smiled and said, glad all turned out okay. I was pleased with how quickly he responded – that’s a plus on living in such a small little town.

I do know my address, but it’s amazing how when you’re in that situation you lose all knowledge in your head. So I’m going to actually put on the fridge w/her medical information(already on there) our address for myself in times of chaos.

Go here to watch a video on what to do if your infant is choking.

3 Months Free

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I am so pleased to announce that Ella has gone 3 whole months since having to be rushed off to the hospital. My Cardiac Baby has had not one issue with her heart since 10/23/2007. I actually feel safe leaving the valley and traveling places. For a while there I actually thought I’d never leave here ever again – I didn’t want to travel to far away from her doctor. Now that I feel confidant I just might be taking a trip to Sacramento soon to see all of our family and friends.

I was reading on Kimi’s blog about her daughter Faith and how they lost her due to her heart condition. As I was reading about her story it really hit so close to home. I had mentioned on her blog how it’s amazing how God will come in during the hardest times in your life and he literally will carry you through it. The Footprints poem has so much meaning to me now. Through losing my baby, Mya, and then to go through almost losing Ella I just am amazed at how God carried me through it all and kept me strong.

I am so thankful for the many blessings that I have in my life. I continue to pray that Ella’s heart will correct itself somehow and she won’t require surgery. I pray that every mom out there who has lost a baby or child of theirs finds their strength to go on through God.

Footprints

One night I had a dream–
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
“I don’t understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me.”
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
“When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you.”

…Mary Stevenson

No more carrying a formula can!

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It is Works for Me Wednesday!! This week I want to share my new favorite bottles and the most exciting part about them. I guess I should first say I HATE (YES HATE) Avent bottles. I swear it takes me so many tries to get those lids on right and nothing makes me more mad than going to shake that bottle and having formula spray all over you…yeah, that is what happens w/Avent bottles…so if you’re a new mommy or new mommy to be and you plan on using bottles – I HIGHLY suggest these ones.

Okay…. Soothie bottles have these fun little “snack containers” as you can see in the picture and you actually can pre measure formula, put them in the little containers and then stack the bottle on top of them. You can just keep stacking and stacking too. This works wonders for me because I already have so much crap in the diaper bag and toting around a can of formula is no fun. Now all I have to do is fill 3 of the little “snack containers” with pre-measured formula (1 for each bottle) fill 2 bottles w/water, then stack one bottle on top of one “snack container” and then the second bottle I stack on 2…and even stacking it on 2 my bottles still fit perfectly in the bottle holders on the diaper bag.

So, this is what works for me. For other tips from other’s visit Rocks in My Dryer ~ and Happy Wednesday!!