Christmas with the Grandparents

The grandparents live about an hour away and in different directions from our house. Meme and Pappy were coming down on Wednesday for appointments and were not likely to be driving down on Saturday, we decided to have Christmas with them on Wednesday.  It took a lot of convincing but we managed to get Pappy to agree to stay the night.  He is still working full time and it takes a lot to get him away from it for more than a few hours.  If he is not working he is eating or sleeping.  We usually try to have some project for him to work on while he is here otherwise he is antsy to leave.  We meet for supper after their appointments which was about the same time I was off work.  After supper we went home and exchanged gifts.  It is my belief that Christmas is a holiday for children and adults really do not need too much in the way of gifts. 

Grandparents some how seem to fall into the children category, especially Grandmothers. 

I had photo collage fleece blankets made for both Grandma's with different photos of course.  A huge image of my parents with Baylor would look a bit funny on Lori's parents couch.   I used photos from the last two years for both of them and they turned out really nice.  I know everyone who comes to Meme's house will be shown the blanket and I doubt it will ever be used to keep her warm. 

Like how I captured this sweet moment and the dog's heiney at the same time?

Baylor's big gift was a sled and I really do hope we get some snow this year so we can use it.  In the meantime he enjoyed being pulled around in the house. 

My parents, my cousin and I were supposed to get together at my house on Sunday after Christmas.  Heather was spending Christmas day with her mom and sister's family.  There was the possibility that we would have a lot of snow so Mom called it off at 10:00 and I was not very happy about it.  I just I caused enough guilt that Mom and Dad came anyway and planned to stay the night.  The eastern seaboard was hit with tons of snow and we were left without anything.  

Yaya was teaching Baylor how to eat Fondue and use the really long fork without poking out one's eye.  He was totally obsessed with that fork too. 

This is when Yaya started to cry.  I thought she would like the blanket but I was not too sure about the crying.  I went all the way back to photos of her and Dad holding Baylor in the delivery room on their blanket and up to his second birthday.  She loved it. 

Mom also brought Baylor's gift from Nana Barbie.  She gave him some knitted finger puppets she brought back from Peru and a cute bath mitt of an astronaut.  I think he is modeling the boy and girl puppets but there two other animal puppets also.  The also gave him a broom that is his size because his loves to sweep and broke his plastic broom.  It is a real broom straw broom that is his size and he loves it. 

Mom and Dad stayed until Monday even though we were not snowed it.  They watched Baylor while Lori took care of a few things in town.  They always have a good time with Baylor and I wish they all lived closer so he could spend more time with them all. I grew up in the military and grandparents were people I wrote letters to and saw every few years.  I don't want that for Baylor, and I know he will be closer to his grandparents then I was.  Anyway, we still have to celebrate with Heather and her family so next month we will be doing it all over again!  I love when Christmas spills over into January! 

Gingerbread House Pot Luck

So this is way over due but I usually have time after Baylor goes to bed to blog but the beginning of the month he was waking up at ungodly hours, 3:40 being the earliest.  I was too tired to stay up after he went to bed and would fall asleep right after he did.  Sometime after Thanksgiving I had this brilliant idea to host a Gingerbread House Pot Luck.  I would make and provide the houses and my guests would bring the decorations and food to eat.  I called a friend with kids and ran the idea past her and she thought it sounded like a good idea so I posted invitations on FB for a Sunday in December.  I found a cookie cutter set for the houses and a fast way of putting them together with melted sugar instead of royal icing. I went a bit nuts at a local candy store buying candy and brinkles (sprinkles) for the houses.  I don't think I went grocery shopping without picking something up.  I made lots of food too of course.   Mom came home with me on Saturday and stayed the night.  Her and Baylor made sugar cookies and Baylor was in charge of the brinkles and he loved it. 

Sunday we got ready and Steph was the first to arrive with her children. She found paper chef hats and aprons for the kids and they did come in handy.  And looked cute to boot. 

Gavin, Robin and their Aunt Kristia getting started. 

Baylor is at the point where he wants to do EVERYTHING 'All by myself'.  Well when you are two that is not always possible so Mommy has to 'assist' at times.  Like my apron?  It is super cool I know. 

Our friends Amy, Julie and Cullen were the second to arrive.  Cullen is 6 weeks older than Baylor and we love getting together with another family that looks like ours.  That is Amy with Cullen trying to get the frosting off his finger. 

Like Mom's apron?  We are an apron wearing family.

The house on the left is the one I did with my cousin when she came later. I kept it pretty simple but I love the frosted mini wheat thatched roof.  The middle house is my cousin's.  Her son Connor was not very interested in helping so she could do whatever she wanted.  The last one is Baylor's and while he did have quite a bit of help he did a lot of it himself. 

I put a little sleigh and two reindeer cookies on the roof of Baylor's and he loved that! 

My neighbor came over with her girls too but I seemingly forgot about the camera when they were there.  They enjoyed it very much and had a good time.  I had a good time too and may do it again next year or some variation on the theme.  It was a lot of fun.

It's the Most Wonderful time of the Year

Christmas Morning,

Christmas afternoon...

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night.

Christmas Eve

Today is Christmas Eve and we spent the day at home.We visited with the neighbors and exchanged gifts with the kids. We are very lucky to have them for neighbors and it is good to get together.   After we came home we took a three hour family nap!   

Baylor was a good boy today or at least as good as a two year old can be. We tried to watch some Christmas movies but after two years of not being used I guess the DVD player gave up the ghost and we had to watch whatever was on the TV. 

  After his bath we put on his Christmas jammies and this year he also has Elmo on his heiney. He was quite pleased with them and posed for many photos, taken with Mommy's new camera. 

The tree scape before Santa arrived.

After Santa arrived. 

Unfortunately we realized too late that we did not have any milk so we left Santa a note saying he could have some water this year with his cookies.   Cannot wait to see him tomorrow! 

Grandma Karen

I mentioned before that Baylor has many Grandmas and Grandma Karen is one of them.  I worked with Karen at my previous job and we shared space in an office pod for many years.  We became very close through talking at work and getting together outside of work.  Actually I started to call her Mom because we were so close. I could tell her things about my life I was not able to talk to my mom about.  The government may have repealed the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy but it will take more than that to repeal it in my family.   Karen's son is not married and it is not looking good for her to become a grandma by him so when I was pregnant I made sure she knew he was going to be her Grandma.  I think she likes it too. 

We went to see Grandma Karen and Grandpa Ron last week to exchange gifts.  We had dinner with them and Karen was very impressed with his ability to use his fork and spoon.  He is two after all.  He ate really well and then wanted to take pictures and run around while we finished eating.  

Here is one of his photos of Karen and Ron eating.  Most of the photos are off the ceiling and odd angles of the table and floor. 

Here is is view of the tree. 

And of Santa.

And a close up of a lolly cane on the tree.  Most of you may know that as a candy cane but not in our house.  Karen needed to hang some new ornaments she had purchased so she took Baylor downstairs to find the ornament hooks.  He came back up with a new story.  The hooks were not in the first box.  The Lolly canes were in there.  The hooks were in the second box.  He told this story over and over and over for the rest of the evening and for the next two days to anyone who would listen.  Karen thought is was hilarious. 

This is Karen and Baylor at our house in 2008. Yes I managed to put up a tree three weeks after he was born.

Karen and Baylor at her house in 2009.

Karen and Baylor at her house in 2010.

We are both blessed to have Mom Karen and Grandma Karen in our lives. 

It is official

I had to go to MD for blood test and it came back negative.  I knew that yesterday but had to go anyway.  Hopefully we will be trying again this month but it will be our last try with this donor and then we have to find a new one at the cryobank. 

Day 26

So I took a test and it was negative which is what I thought it would be.  I know something was going on last week after the AI. Around the time the bunch of cells would be implanting, the full uterus feeling went away.  I think I am having issues with implanting because I know the same thing has happened other months we tried.  I will be looking that up today to see what I can do to help with that process.  I have a call into my nurse and will see what she says because if we try again this cycle I will be going in New Year's weekend. 
Yesterday was hard and I cried a lot in the morning.  I was so sure it had worked this time.  I know I need to be positive but we only have one try left with this donor.  I know a half sibling is just as much of a sibling as a whole sibling.  I know that.  It is just a hard dream to let go of. 
Chin up Heidi.  You have done it before and you can do it again.  

First Trip to the Dentist

Monday Baylor had his first appointment with the Dentist.  I have pretty much been preparing him for this for the last year.  I have taught him to say Aaaaa when he opens his mouth.  I am always looking in his mouth to see if any new teeth are pushing through. Tooth brushing is not negotiable.  Flossing is optional but he enjoys that and will ask to floss.  I found a pediatric dentist and they start seeing kids at 2 just to get them used to going.  I have been telling him about going to the dentist for the last week or so.  We  talked about it so much that he knew the whole story.  I would tell him he is going to the dentist.  He would ask 'What he do? Check my teeth." We practiced looking in his mouth with the flashlight.  So when we went yesterday he was looking forward to it.  He liked the play room the best of course. 

They had him sit in the chair and was practicing opening his mouth.

Then the dentist came in.  He had a stuffed dog that he used to show Baylor how they use the mirror to count the dog's teeth.  He let Baylor try it and then got ready to look at his teeth. 

He confirmed his bottom molars are in and the top have not broken through yet. 

The rest of the time was just talking to us and Baylor picking out stickers, getting a new toothbrush and floss.  The dentist took him out to see the fish tank and Baylor seemed willing to go anywhere with him.  This is the kid who usually never leaves my side.  Then he wanted to go back to the play room.  He has an appointment in 6 months to do the same thing to get him used to going. 

I have been very blessed with good teeth and only have had 2 cavities in my life.  I was six when I had them filled.  I have loved going to the dentist my entire life.  I love the clean teeth feeling, minus the polishing grit taste.  Hopefully Baylor will also have good luck with his teeth. So far we are off to a good start. 

Day 23

So I am 5 days out until the end of the two week wait.  Technically I could take an EPT today but the accuracy odds are not in my favor and I know I will talk myself out of taking one when I get home.  I so want to know if it worked and I am pregnant. I also don't want to know too soon if it did not.  I know tomorrow morning I will pull out the box of tests, stare at them, put them away, and repeat on Thursday and maybe Friday.  Maybe not Friday and definitely not on Saturday. 

 So I will wait and analyze every feeling and twinge going on inside of me until I can test safely knowing the result is accurate.  And then I will post it to the world, or just to this space where it is safe. 

Remembering Christmas Past and Present

Baylor was born 6 weeks before Christmas so he has been to see Santa three times.  His first year he was too little to know what was going on. It was a mall Santa but I think he is pretty good.

 Last year he was a bit miffed at the idea but they were able to catch a good shot.  Same Santa though and again a good one. 

We were at the garden center looking for cardinal ornaments for the tree and there he was, Santa.  Baylor was not afraid of him at all and other than keeping his hands clenched together at his chest the entire time, he did really well.  This year he was a bit impish with his smile. He stayed on his lap while I ordered the prints and did not say 'Mommy pick you up' until I turned around. 

When I was pulling up the photos and looking back at him it is amazing how much he has changed in two years. I know it brought tears to my eyes but I am a bit on the misty side when it comes to him anyway!  He was bald for the first year and I would always tell him how funny he would look with hair and now I see the pictures of him without hair and think how funny he looks.  Not funny looking but funny ha ha! 

Day 19

I am trying very hard not to think about what may or may not be happening in my body.  I know since 4 pm on Sunday I have been aware of my uterus.  I can feel it down there and that was something that I am not usually aware of. I felt that for the first several months with I was pregnant with Baylor but I have had that feeling on other cycles we have tired and still got the periodical.  I bought a pregnancy test but I wont take it until next weekend and on the 20th I have a pregancy test at the clinic.  I will know by then but until the positive or negative, I am trying to go on with life as usual.  Or at least trying!! 

Baylor and three of his Grandmas

Saturday we went to Yaya and Buddy's because my mom's best friend was going to be in town for the night.  Aunt Barbie has been a part of my life for nearly as long as my memory goes back.  We moved to Denver, Co when I was about 5 and that is where my mom was raised.  Barb still lived there at that time with her husband Bob.  I have very specific memories of visiting her house and none of her being at ours although I am sure she was there. My brother and I called them Aunt and Uncle when we were growing up.  She also spoiled ratatouille for me and I did not get over it until this year.  Anyway, back off memory lane. She is doing a presentation in Baltimore on Monday and came in early to visit.  When I was pregnant I asked Barb if she would move from the Aunt position to the Grandma seat. She was thrilled and we call her Nana Barbie.   She drove up to Mom's Saturday early afternoon and we were already there and had the tree decorated. 

It is hard to keep planned events with a toddler so I had to roll with it.  We had wanted to decorate it with Barb but trimming the tree kept him occupied until she arrived.  He put everything we gave him in the back on both sides facing the window.  I evened it out when he was not looking. 

 Barb has not been in PA since January and Baylor has changed so much since then.  He was just walking when she saw him and not really talking.  As usual for him, he took his time before he opened up but once he got going he was talking a mile a minute.  He wanted to play outside so we went out for a while until his hands got too cold.  He kept taking Meme outside for 10 minutes at a time.  That gave us some time to work on dinner and chat. 

Nana Barbie and Baylor

After we ate I brought out our project.  Baylor was already rubbing his eyes at dinner and I did not know how much time we had left of him being awake or in a good mood.  I had originally thought about making applesauce cinnamon ornaments with Nana, Yaya, and Baylor but in the end decided that would be a bit messy and take a long time.  I had brought some foam shapes and foam stickers at a craft store for Baylor and I to do an craft project and thought that would be better to do with his grandmas.  

Nana Barbie, Yaya, and Meme

I love how his lip would push out when he was working on decorating the trees and wreaths. This photo does not catch it the best but he was concentrating so much.  It was funny!  

Baylor has two other honorary Grandmas that I will have to get photos of.  He is a very blessed boy in the Grandma department and other departments as well.