"In The Can"

My Mom recently took a temporary job offer to work in Canada with her old company. She is currently still in Canada and is not expected to return for a few more months. I explained all of this to Hannah and even busted out a map to show her how far Mammie is and that she took an airplane to get there...

Yesterday, I had my kids and my youngest niece Jordan in the van heading home from daycare when this conversation arose:

Jordan: Aunt Heather? Can we go to Mammie's house?

Me: Sorry Jor, Mammie isn't home right now.

Jordan: Yah-ha!

Hannah: Not-ah! Mammie is in the Can.

Jordan: Oh

Me: Hannah, what did you just say? (thinking surely I heard that wrong)

Hannah: Mammie is in the Can....how you say that?

Me: Mammie is in Canada.

Hannah: Yeah, Mammie is in Canabha

I thought that was the funniest and cutest thing I heard all day! "Mammie's in the Can." Priceless!

And A Baby Makes 5?

Let me start this post off my saying no, I am not pregnant.

Tom and I have been weighing out our options lately. I've always wanted a third baby, always. The spacing of our kids is such that we feel like if we are going to have another one it's either now or never. We don't want our kids spaced out more than 2 1/2 years apart. Carter will be 2 in December. When he was born Hannie was 21 months old. I would prefer to keep them close-ish to that time range.

Then money comes into play, or the lack thereof. Can we afford it? Will a third send us to the poor farm? As most of you know having babies is really, REALLY expensive.  The pregnancy is expensive, the birth is expensive and until around 2 years old the cost of diapers will cost an arm and a leg.

Then health comes into play. I'll most likely be put back on insulin, one for day and one for night. I'll need to take progesterone because my body doesn't make enough. I'll need to possibly take iron since I was anemic with Carter. I might end up with high blood pressure again. Then to top it all off do I want to have another major surgery? As you know the doctors don't want to do VBACs so once a C-section always a C-Section.

Right now the cost scares me the most. I can deal with the health issues when they come along but money is one of those things that you have or you don't, usually we're the latter.

I think Tom and I are both on the fence, pushing that re-start button is a big decision. But, the thought of not having one more makes me really, really sad.  It feels like my uterus and I are breaking up.

What are your thoughts on the matter from your own experiences?

And no mother you can not comment because I already know what you are going to say! ;)

Bottle Free?

I finally took the plunge and put Carter to bed without a bottle of milk. We had a bath, brushed teeth, read a story in Hannie's room, fed him a yogurt and laid him in his crib. I turned all of the lights out and sat in my room staring at the video monitor to see his reaction. He was sitting there staring towards the door but not really doing anything. I texted Tom to tell him what was going on and he was convinced this would not end well. Carter is still sitting and staring. I bow my head to pray to give Carter the strength to not need a bottle and for comfort. Then for me that I'm doing the right thing. I look up and he's laying down! I thought man Jesus, you're on a roll tonight! That was the fastest answered prayer ever!

I texted Tom to tell him the good news (and he is still not convinced this is going to work). But, I think I'm going to count this one as a win!

Clean Teeth and Drawn Blood

The day started when I took Carter down to our local Quest to have his blood drawn for his Lead and CDC test. He did pretty well waiting and it was finally his turn. The lady tried his left arm and fished around in his arm for a vein; literally she was fishing around in there. After she called someone else in to fish the needle around in his poor arm they both gave up and decided to use the right arm. As soon as they started on that arm they finally caught his vein but by this time he was in hysterics and my arms felt like spaghetti from restraining him for so long. SO glad that is over and only happens when they are one! Sheesh.

Next stop was home to get Hannah and take her to the Dentist for a cleaning. Given her past visits I was a little concerned for how she would take it. She did wonderful! Listened to the Dentist and was probably better than most adults at the Dentist. Success! Unfortunately she has 2 cavities :( I have horrendous teeth and my back teeth are loaded with fillings or have crowns. I fear she is headed down the same path. The Dentist assured me it was not due to piss poor brushing but rather that the grooves are so deep in her teeth that they are just more prone to have cavities. It was nice to have an explanation as to why we are more prone to cavities; I always thought are teeth were weaker.

Yesterday I decided I had enough of all the bed-time shenanigans. When Hannie was little she was a great sleeper. Somewhere along the line she became a horrible sleeper. She wants you to lay with her in her bed until she falls asleep and then she will get up in the middle of the night and come into Tom and I's bed to sleep in the middle. Not cool. Last night I had her go to bed BY HERSELF! She even stayed there the entire night! Hallelujah! Tonight she asked again, "Mommy you lay with me?" I did not lay with her and she went right to bed.

Carter is a whole different issue. He has never slept well, ever. He will most nights get up in the night and want milk. When he is put down no matter how sleepy he is he will kick the bars of his crib in defiance to go with his crying. It's buckets of fun. I still haven't devised a game plan for him but am thinking about cutting his Suckie and Bottle off this week. He is getting too old for one and I fear if he takes them both any longer it will just be harder on him.

Wish me luck as I try to regain a little bit of sanity around here! As always, any advice would be appreciated! ;)