Dog tricks

My friend is a dog trainer and while they lived nearby I learned about clicker training... I thought it was very effective and Lucy definitely perks up every time we use the clicker to learn something new.  I taught Ada how to do it and she loves to be out there feeding the dog treats and doing tricks.  She came to me all excited, "Mom!  I taught Lucy a new trick!"  I went out and Ada says, "Lucy, sniff."  Well, Lucy did indeed sniff... I mean, she is a dog.  Ada then proceeded to click the clicker and award her for sniffing.  Good job.

Babies

Both Pips and Evelyn love babies... So the 5 or so babies that we've inherited/bought have only usually been used during play groups... Until now. Now they wrap their babies in blankets, pretend to feed them, and most of all... Cuddle them.  It's kind of funny though... They both have the same two favorite babies so they have to compromise on which has which baby at any given time... But it is really cute.

Accomplished

You never feel as accomplished as when you finish something that you voluntarily started.  This weekend we got our front steps fixed, our lawn ready to fertilize, and our arbor ready to paint... but the best one?  I finally finished the bench cushions for our kitchen.  I was sick of the light colored ones that were in there... the kids would breathe on them and they'd turn different colors, so we made new ones.  Maybe not the most amazing covers in the world but they'll fit our needs.  They're dark, have a major pattern going and they match the pictures and floor... can't ask for more than that I guess.

This was from Valentine's, but I had to put it up here... love it.

"Nap time"

Skating and cupcakes with Grandma

Hehehehe, she knows what a kitchen is for.

Making cookie dough with Daddy.

Our new benches.

Meat

Evelyn is our lover of meat.... especially fish.  We went out to Texas Roadhouse for our date night this last week.  Jer and I decided to split one of the combo plates so we had it in the middle of the table.  Evelyn reached right for the whole steak and tried to put it on her plate.  When Jer put it back on the plate in the middle she stood up in her chair, shook her finger at him and said, "No!  That's mine!"  

Infertility

Warning:  long post and probably too much information for most people, but this one's for me.

As you probably know, or maybe don't... Jer and I both have infertility issues.  We're pretty dang lucky to have been able to get pregnant three times.  To get pregnant with Ada we had to have a $3000 surgery, Sammy was a little bit of a surprise, and I had to be on an insulin-resistance diet to get pregnant with Evelyn.  Now I'm not ovulating at all.  They think that they can make me ovulate with Clomid, but Jer's sperm count came back pretty low and just for the cherry on top... the sperm motility is pretty bad.  I've been trying to lose weight and mostly just control my insulin (which has never tested extra high, but does have a lot of ups and downs).  We're meeting with a fertility clinic to see what our options are.  But with all this going on I've been doing my infertility research again... feels weird what I've forgotten since I last started it 5 years ago... I'm going to write down a few that pertain to us just so I remember in the future.

Age - once you hit 30 your fertility drops (in women... men's is something more like 50, I can't remember)
Stress - extreme physical or emotional stress can stop ovulation
Medication - Advil, Ibuprofen, Motrin and Aleve can interfere with follicle development and implantation.
BMI - a BMI between 20-25 is recommended for someone trying to get pregnant (*my first thought was whoa!  Most people say to stay lower than that.  That would mean that someone my height should be about 140-150ish lbs... everyone "healthy" has said that I should be 120-125 or so, and just to go along with that... my mom is a labor and delivery nurse, she told me that most ladies that she sees with harsh pregnancy symptoms are usually the skinny ones... if they "have a few extra lbs on them" then the don't usually have the morning sickness, dizziness, whatever... the very heavy ones usually have problems with their blood pressure and their blood sugar levels... but it seems like the middle ground is that 20-25 BMI for feeling the best during pregnancy as well as getting pregnant in the first place.) "Before you get pregnant, strive to achieve a balance between normal body weight and optimal nutritional intake."
Activity - Avoid extremes... here's what the fertility clinic has to say about exercise: It’s no surprise that exercise is essential to a healthy lifestyle. However, too much exercise may interfere with your fertility. In fact, a 2009 study showed that intense exercise might impair sperm count, motility, and morphology. For this reason, experts recommend that men not exceed one hour of moderate exercise three times per week.
Dieting - Even women with a normal/healthy body weight may have problems conceiving if they are constantly on a weight loss diet.  Adding antioxidant-rich foods (avocados, pomegranates, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, etc...) can boost fertility in both men and women.
Smoking - no... of course not
Overheating - men, don't use hot tubs, saunas, wear tight clothing, sit for long periods of time, put laptops on your laps, etc...
Alcohol - no, don't do it.

and of course

Hormones - unless your hormones aren't too crazy you should be fine.  This is one of my biggest problems... my crazy hormones make my insulin crazy, which has made my BMI crazy, which is a source of stress... kind of ironic don't you think?  They do have some medications that I can take to help but I don't know what they're going to say when they get all of our medical records.  I've heard of people taking Metformin to help with the insulin part of it, but since I'm on that insulin diet my doctor didn't say that I needed it... (he said that "6" normal and I was a "7" which was still in a healthy range. I don't know what he's measuring it against, but there it is).  Sometimes the doctors put you on a type of birth control pill that regulates your cycle so that your body will start ovulating when you get off the pill... that scares me though.  I know a lot of people that have miscarried after taking birth control pills, that's a roller coaster all in itself.  My sister was on a hormone pill while I was pregnant with one of my babies to help control her PCOS... but it was really a strong one.  I couldn't touch anything around her or really be in the same area as she was for an hour or two after she took her pill because it might cause me to miscarry.  I don't see that that one would help us get pregnant.

Want to know something ironic though?  Because I'm on this "control my insulin diet", my insulin is better in control throughout the day but my blood pressure started going up it's usually about 106/70  but it's been 127/80, not too bad but high for me.  I figured it out though, I've been eating a lot more salt because I've been eating fewer sugar/carbs.  I have cut back on the salt but I haven't had my blood pressure taken since then.  We'll see what it is next time I go in.

So all in all - no sugar for me, less exercise for Jer, more veggies for both of us, no laptops on laps or trips to the hot tub for Jer, and though it doesn't specifically say it... more exercise for me.  (I do exercise but I'm trying to bring down my BMI more while we're trying to figure everything else out.)

And money?  Well, we won't have to do the $20,000 surgery... but here's what we've had so far and we're only starting down our way...
Rosanne doctor appointments - $30
Rosanne medication so far - $30
Sperm count - $175  (have to do a second one soon)
Jer's doctor appointments - $25
Initial consultation with Fertility clinic - $250

Then if we do what my OBGYN is thinking we're going to do it will be another $600-$800 per treatment and it may not take the first time.  He did say that most his patients that had it done usually were pregnant within 2-3 months... we'll see.  Luckily we have extremely good insurance though. 

Well, I have to say that it isn't as expensive as getting pregnant with Ada to begin with, but it sure is going a heck of a lot more places than the money went last time.  I don't feel like our family is complete yet, but it is what it is.  If we have more I will count our blessings over and over.  If we don't, I will count the three very specially cute blessing that we do have and be grateful for even that (but please let me mourn a little bit if that's the way it goes!).

Surprise!

You'll never guess what this little one did today... she peed in the potty.  Weeks ago I had her pick out her own potty seat at the store... then she carried it around the house for a couple days... then I showed her how it goes on the potty.  Since then she will randomly ask me to take off her diaper and sit her on the potty.  Today she peed on it.  Technically, we are not actively potty training... and I don't want to deal with the poop accidents yet so I haven't even showed her the underwear in her drawer, but I think that when I'm ready she'll go at it with gusto. 

Pips started walking a couple weeks ago, and Evelyn likes to take her hand and guide her around the house.  Too cute. 

Arizona trip III

After our time with the Hansens, we went on down to Tucson.  We hung out with our cousins at an amazing park, enjoyed the warm sun and the breeze, and just loved being in James and Em's home.  We got started back on Tuesday morning and hoped to be home late that night... Then Ada threw up the whole way home and we got pulled over trying to get ahead of some trucks (warning only... phew!), and got on the wrong road after getting gas and took a detour to Califonia where we saw a place called Pirates Cove... We got home about 1:30am, but we got home... then Sam threw up from 1:30am til about 3:30, but we were home.

 

 

Each of the cousins are so fun. 

Aubrey - What a great older sister/cousin/helper.  I love her smile and love how she's always thinking of something fun to do.

Mariah - What a dynamic girl.  She's willing to tell me where things go in the kitchen and play all sorts of games with the younger cousins.

Jonathan - What a sweet and caring guy.  He looks at others to see how they're feeling and helps them out.  Sammy said that he was his favorite to play with.

Amelia - Sweetest smile ever!  She and Evelyn played and played so cutely together.

Henry - What a smart and happy kid!  Ada had fun climbing over the back fence with him to investigate things in the wash.

Wesley - Such a sweet boy, he loved to tell me all about things and kicked our trash at all the games we played together.  That kid can roll dice like noone's business.

Graham - What a cute kid, and an amazing climber.  He and Evelyn are so similar it's funny!  They both insist on being up in their brother's bunkbeds, love their mommies, love to ride bikes, and lock themselves in rooms.  They actually locked themselves in a room together... alone... with a keyed lock on the door.  Evelyn's too short to really work the doorknob well so luckily Emily was able to talk Graham through opening the door from the other side.  And he did it!

 

What a fun trip and how fun to be with family!

Dear Ada

Next time you leave your crayons down... just leave down the pink as the turquoise is much harder to clean.  Thank you.

Arizona trip II

 Judy chatting by the pool

Tired Evelyn

 



Eating at Costa Vida

 

At James and Em's house

 

These two we so dang cute

Ada's favorite toy while we were there... a bat costume, who'd have guessed?

Swinging with Wesley

 

Arizona trip I

So we went to Arizona.  Now is the perfect time to be there.  Get away from the cold  25 degree Utah weather and hang out in the 70-80 degree sunshine.  I loved it.  And ironically... we all got over the flu, are in the midst of a cold and (surprise!) picked up another flu while we were there.  At least we had fun.  The first night we stayed in Cedar City.  I love the Best Western Town and Country there... for $80 you couldn't ask for a better place to stay.  We've stayed there twice and both times has been great.  In the morning, I took the kids swimming in the pool while Jer tried to catch up on some sleep.  I wish I could have gotten a picture of it!  My three were sitting on the little ledge between the hot tub and the pool (Ada called them steam tubs, they were both steaming because the air was a little cold even though the water was nice.)... they just sat there and kicked back and forth.  Then we visited with Dottie for a minute before heading out.  Amy let us stay at their amazingly fun house.  It's nice and cozy and fits all their family's personality to a tee.  Jer ran the marathon... did amazing... got to see Jer's Grandparents (94 now) and his Aunt Anne and Uncle Sonny.  My favorite part of visiting with them at the finish line was my kids reactions.  My kids usually see GGma and Great-Grandpa once a year.  I have to reintroduce them almost every time we see them.  I told Ada and Sam to go give GGma a big hug.  They did, but they did it like they would a stranger.  Then Evelyn started yelling in the stroller, I asked what she wanted and she kept saying, "Down, down!"  I unbuckled her and let her down and she ran as fast as she could to GGma and hugged her around both her legs with a big grin on her face.  She's only met her as a little baby... but she was named for her.  Maybe there's a connection there?  The race had lots of fun free family things.  I took the kids on the bouncy houses and to get popcorn, cotton candy, and have their faces painted.  Unfortunately, we missed Jer coming in by just minutes.  Ada threw a tantrum over every other thing, and Evelyn was exhausted because she slept 6 hours less than normal so I took the kids back to the car while everyone was hanging out.  As soon as the door was closed, all three of them were asleep.  It was pretty funny.  Afterwards, Ada and Sam both tried out Amy's pool.  It was cold, but Ada insisted on playing in it for a while and Sam played around it and had a blast.  Sunday was literally our day of rest.  We didn't make it to their Stake conference so we had our own Sunday School Class with the kids and Jer took 4 naps throughout the day. 

Sam, Aubrey, Mariah, Jonathan, Ada, Henry and Wesley

Stretching our legs in Vegas

Ada and Sam both really loved cheering for all the runners at the 10 mile mark.

Cheering for Daddy

Ada told me after she hugged Daddy that, "Mom!  Daddy's wet!" Yes, he does that when he sweats...

Evelyn and Amelia playing Connect 4

 

Phoenix Marathon

Yeah, I have a pretty cool husband.  He likes to run marathons.  This year some of his brothers and sisters were running the Phoenix one so we drove down for that.  He got a PR 3:44... not too shabby if you ask me. 

Amy, Emily, Jay, Jim (did the half), Jer, James

There was an awesome kids 1k.  I tried to register mine but they were full.

Before