All Caught Up!

Two weeks ago (Everything) I mentioned that I'm going to be taking a blog break this week. Today begins that break since this is my last non-live post. It took a year (since last August) for me to transfer my blogs from two years here, but as of today I am finally caught up and so I'll only blog here "live" from now on. You can read that earlier post to find out why this is the end of my blog as we know it (mainly, it is the end to my long updates. . .I'll return to blogging in September).
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This was originally written on Thursday, August 13, 2009:

In my post End Of Summer, I mentioned that I would let you know how I did with Chris' lasagna recipe.

I made it last night! :)

I'd planned to make it over the weekend but didn't have any fennel seeds (one of the ingredients). So on Monday I sent Joe to the Hy-Vee. He talked to three people (including the manager) but they all claimed they don't have them. So I asked Chris if she could loan me some of hers and I'd pick them up from Joe to make on Tuesday. However, she decided to take that day off from work. So then Wednesday she called me from Hy-Vee and said they do in fact have them so she'd buy me my own. I picked them up from her at 3 pm and then got started at 4.

My aunt, uncle, and two cousins came over from Eastern Iowa at 2:30 pm today (to see our place and take us out to eat - Red Robin) before driving back to Iowa at 6:30 pm for the Iowa State Fair this weekend - so that was very nice! With Joe, Logan, and I going out of town Fr-Sun for Grife's wedding, I was worried the ingredients from the Farmer's Market would go bad if I waited any longer than last night to make the lasagna. But guess what? Once I got started, I actually read the recipe (doh!) and noticed squash and eggplant (the two fresh things I'd bought aside from some excellent salsa at the Farmer's Market, also an onion, garlic and ground beef that were for the lasagna) were not even on the list! I remembered then that Chris had just suggested those for me to put in the oven as an easy snack. Oh well, I guess if it wasn't for that I might have continued to put it off. . .but it was a success!I was so proud of myself for actually making real lasagna all by myself and not messing up. (I've written here before that I am not much of a cook.) Both Joe & I (and Logan) loved it. (The recipe is my next post)

But we didn't eat until 8:15 pm! That's right, it took me 4.5 hrs! :p It was worth it and I do hope to make it again. (For a normal person it will only take 2.5 hrs). But. . .those of you who cook homemade every day - hats off to you. In my last post I said that I believe in doing the best you can to the point of your sanity and happiness. Well, I was sooooo wiped out afterwards. . .cooking for even half that time is just not for me on a regular basis. So, I've decided to take "cooking several homemade meals each week" off my new year's resolution list - but I will put it on my resolution list again in 2010, just the quicker homemade recipes. :)

At least Logan did pretty well during. I gave him a pan and his own spoon for him to pretend he was cooking. He also cleaned the floor. . .looked at cook books
. . .and ate his own food!

This month Logan has been AWESOME. These kind of months make me so sentimental because I don't want them to end!!! I wish every day could be like this. He's literally been perfect. Obeying everything I say and hasn't required more from me than I can give. I've been crying at the Wal-Mart commercials (parents taking their kids to college and saying goodbye. Seriously, my son is 15.5 months old but I already cry when thinking about this time not lasting forever.)

I didn't take him to Babysitter's today (where he goes 8 hrs a week) because of my relatives coming over I wanted him to take an earlier nap - thankfully he didn't mind. Since month 13, when we're downstairs he has waved and pointed when he's ready to go to bed, and lately sometimes he will just go up to his bedroom on his own and try to climb into his crib!

Tuesday last week & this week he was at Babysitter's by himself so he went to 5 stores with her and she said he did great and she had several people stop to tell her what a beautiful complexion her son has, lol! Logan has a farmer tan right now, hehe. I'm glad he is like Joe & me - even without sunscreen there is no burn. If we're outside for less than twenty minutes I don't bother to put sunscreen on him. I'm sure you've heard of the controversy regarding sunscreen (whenever children and adults are tested after using regular sunscreen, there are high levels of chemicals in their blood stream that cause long-term effects, that's why all pediatricians tell parents not to put it on babies under 6 months old. You can read more here. Logan only used sunscreen once prior to 13 months old because we completely avoided the sun during his first year.) So, for all of our days outside this summer I've been slathering on organic sunscreen, but there is still some controversy on whether any sunscreen (which prevents absorption of vitamin D which prevents cancer) is necessary if you don't get burned. . .but obviously how do people know when they're going to be burned? And getting burned is bad!!!! Therefore, we do if we're outside for 20 min (or less if the sun is super strong). On average we are outside from 30 min to 3 hrs, so generally Logan does have organic sunscreen on him every day.

I was wrong thinking temper tantrums were going to be non-stop from now on. The only two fussy days he's had this month were the two I mentioned in my last post (and really that was nothing). He has been so incredibly adorable and sweet and fun. Laughing all day, every day, coming over to me for hugs and kisses, doing funny things like picking up the phone, putting it to his ear, and saying "oh?" "oh?" "oh?" (he can't fully say hello) then shrugging and putting the phone back down. (I've had to unplug our landlines when we're in rooms with those phones because one day I heard a noise and was like what is that? I saw Logan had the phone in his hands and was pushing the zero over and over!) The other day Joe was taking a nap and Logan went to our closed bedroom door, put his face up against it and yelled, "Oh? Dad?" I about died laughing! Whenever someone leaves a light on in a room he peeks in and yells, "Oh?"

The only bad part is that this probably means the worst isn't behind us. . .but I'll take total bliss for as long as I can have it!

He's still had an amazing amount of energy, but when he's happy and using that energy toward acting goofy on his own, it's easier on me than when he's whining and not allowing me to sit down. Last Friday after we went out to eat we went to Borders and I finally bought What To Expect The Toddler Years as well as a fiction novel for myself - which I was actually able to start this week. I've still been doing a good job of reading one novel a month since making that my new year's resolution (due to between April 2008 and January 2009 only reading 3 books total when I used to read 3 a month).

I should be reading New Moon (by Stepanie Meyer) because I borrowed it from Jenn (my next door neighbor) in April. On my private blog (which I deleted this week since I'm only going to have this blog now), I wrote that on April 1, 2008 I borrowed Twilight (the first in the saga) from Jenn and read it within just two days, however on April 8, 2008 I wrote, "I finished reading Jenn's book and really enjoyed it, however I don't plan to read the next two."

By then the books were already becoming a phenomenon. So, I decided exactly a year later to change my mind and borrow book #2. . .but, as you can see (considering I've had it for 4 months without reading it), I'm just not addicted like so many other people seem to be. I've talked to some of my other friends who feel the same way - we just don't get it. I mean, Twilight was really good. No question about that. Stephanie's writing style, the story line, the characters, etc. I can't think of a single complaint I had after reading her first book. I couldn't put it down and I did indeed like it. And, I rented the movie this past May and enjoyed it as well (it was one of the few films that I actually do think did the book justice).

However, this was definitely not the best book I've ever read in my life. I live for reading, I've read soooo many books over the years that will stay with me forever. Yet, if not for Twilight taking over the world I wouldn't even remember the details of the book by now. It did not have a personal impact on me, which is how a book makes my list of favorites. I prefer fiction but it needs to take place in a world I can identify. I just can't get into the fantasy genre. Like, Harry Potter - I read the first chapter but never read any more than that or saw any of the movies.

For a writer, that type of success is a dream come true, so since I am a writer I give these two authors the credit they deserve as far as doing an excellent job and also writing the kind of books that appeal to the masses. But, at the same time it's insulting. Why their books are as huge as they are is because of marketing. It's publicity. It's the domino effect. They were in the right place at the right time. People seem to need something to go crazy about. There's nothing wrong with that (everyone needs an outlet when they are bored or wanting to escape from every day life). . .but it seems a bit much when you're on the outside looking in. Standing in line all night for a bookstore to open. Seriously? Nothing in life is that good!

The only reason Twilight became so huge is because Harry Potter was ending. And before that there was Lord of The Rings (same thing, I couldn't even force myself to read those books or see the movies.) Don't get me wrong, I don't think the writers are complaining. I wouldn't be if this happened to me (Stephanie said she wrote Twilight while bouncing her baby on her lap - something I am envious of because I wish I was the kind of person that could write fiction while multi-tasking)! These writers are financially set for life.

But from a reader's standpoint, I think about all of my favorite authors or favorite books that I personally think deserved much more attention, but because they fall into a box (example: romance, mystery, chick-lit, general fiction, etc.) they will never get it. Maybe that's better, though. Can you imagine the pressure after writing these books? How could you ever write anything else? I actually think it would take the fun out of writing for me, because even if I became a millionare I'd still want to write.

I guess not understanding the whole bandwagon thing is also just my personality. Kind of like what I was saying in my post End Of Summer about how I can't be "all or nothing." You will never see me putting all of my eggs in one basket when it comes to anything, I just can't ever get obsessive about something or side with "a side" 100%. All of my opinions (which really only began since having a baby, lol, so at least I actually have some opinions in life now), are tweaked so I won't make more of a commitment than is comfortable for me. Bandwagons just seem fake. I don't doubt that a lot of people truly count these books as their favorites and that is terrific - I'm ALL ABOUT passion - but there is a line when passion crosses to mania. So I'm trying to pretend Bella and Edward aren't everywhere I turn so that New Moon won't be tainted for me when I read it, and that way I can give it a fair shot.

In other news, Cosmo's infection that he had on his shoulder last month went away about two weeks after his vet appt. So that is a relief, I don't know what it was, but shaving the area was all it needed to heal.

Logan didn't have any virus' in month 15 so no eczema. I noticed that when he had his last cold in month 14 it didn't bother me. Maybe because he's older now, or maybe it's just because it was the 6th one in his life so I've gotten used to it, but I just handed him a Kleenex and continued our regular daily life. In the beginning it's hard to see a baby sick, but once Logan got his molars I realized they were a bigger deal from his perspective!

That reminds me - I was watching CNN this week and they did a story on how studies are showing that the positive effects of breastfeeding are even better than originally thought! It reduces a woman's chance of breast cancer by 60% (that makes it the highest way of anything to reduce breast cancer)!

But nobody told me that my nipples were going to stay ready for breastfeeing forever :p (Hey, it's been awhile since I shared TMI) Prior to breastfeeding my nipples were hardly ever erect but they've continued to be even six months after stopping. But at least my nipples returned to their previous color and size (most of what I read online said the majority of women's don't). However, as I've mentioned before, my cup and circumfrence size are definitely different. . .as in the first one smaller and the second one bigger. :(

I've also noticed I suddenly have a couple of stretch marks on my left breast (the one I hardly ever used). I am mentioning this because those of you who have been reading since the beginning might remember I did not have any stretch marks after my pregnancy or breastfeeding! Except for on my left inner thigh (from pregnancy) which wasn't ideal, but I was thankful my stomach (which had been stretched a lot more) was smooth. I even have a pic of myself in a bikini two months after I gave birth and my stomach is flat, no marks! However, this summer I can't fit into my swimsuit and wouldn't be caught dead showing anyone my stomach - because now, 15 months after my son was born, I suddenly have 3 purple stretch marks on it! What is going on?! In my post What's That Line?, which I wrote when I was pregnant, I said I'd be fine with "my tatoos" symbolizing my pregnancy, however my son is 16 months old so I don't quite have the same reaction to them appearing now. Can they take a year for them to actually show up, or did I somehow avoid stretch marks with an almost 8 pound baby inside me and instead got them from pizza?

I've mentioned before that this summer I hoped to lose the 15 lbs I put on after I stopped breastfeeding, however 3 lbs has seemed to be all that was possible by just adding an hour of cardio to my life the past 1.5 months (and also eliminating my one addiction: cherry coke). Needless to say, I've decided to go on my first diet ever. My friend Sarah from Seattle recommended the 5 Factor Diet. She did it in 2007 and lost 40 lbs in three months which she kept off for 1.5 years. This year she put it back on after her dog died, her grandma died, she broke up with her boyfriend, and her job became hell all during the same time. She said the 5 Factor Diet was easy and effective, and so now that she's done with drama (hopefully) she's doing it again. I'm going to check out the book and see what I think.

I've come to realize the truth of "turning 30 and your metabolism slows down." (Even though I have 4 months, I swear my body already thinks I'm 30.) Because I can't use having a baby as my excuse since I spent May thru January having a body I was happy with. On the one hand I'm like, that was cruel! I would have rather been this weight then and that weight now since that is generally how it goes!

On the other hand I realize this is probably better for me because I can't just accept that my body will never be the same after having a baby. I saw that pregnancy didn't "ruin it," so it's in my power to remove this roll on my stomach. I do blame my hormones for its origin, but not now since I've felt back to normal since April. What I have accepted is that turning 30 I just can't eat the same as I always have anymore. Whether I need to hire a personal trainer or just make different food choices, it is necessary for me to get these last 12 lbs off before I get pregnant again. In the past I would have been able to lose all 12 within the month by simply eating less. But for the past 3 years I've noticed if I so much as don't eat until I'm full then I get a horrible headache that doesn't go away the rest of the day - so no skipping meals or snacks for me. With the 5 Factor Diet you eat 5 times a day.

To end with - in my End Of Summer post I said we'd decided not to buy organic disposable diapers for Logan anymore because they have been falling off. However, we thought as long as we are around the house and keeping our eyes on him, we could finish the ones we already had.

Well on Monday his diaper fell off. Usually I hold it against him until I get another on, but that particular time I raced to the trash can to throw it away. As I was racing back to him I heard a sound.

Pee was spraying all over our family room carpet. I screamed. He stopped peeing. I stopped screaming. He started peeing again.

When he was finished I sighed as I scooped him up and carried him upstairs to put on another diaper right away, and then I got out the dog stain cleaner and hoped it would have the same effect with human urine. Considering we just had our carpet cleaned a month ago, we won't be having them come back for another 5 months. Anyone have any tips on a carpet cleaner machine to buy?????

P.S. Today is my mom & stepdad's 21st wedding anniversary! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!