And the doctor says...

That she wants Alyssa to get assessed for Physical Therapy.

She did the reflex thing on Alyssa's knees and that was all fine, so the doctor doesn't think it is a neurological thing. She did say that she should be rolling over both ways by nine months though. She said that she is behind in her development and wants an assessment to see if she should go to physical therapy.

So that is my next move. I tried to call and get an appointment, but they are closed for the holidays, so I will have to wait until next week.

She did get weighed while she was there, and she is already 20 pounds and 3 ounces. Wow, she is getting so big, so fast. They didn't measure her height, but I am sure they will when we go for her normal checkup in January.

Today is Alyssa's nine month birthday. She has been a part of the outside world as long as she was inside of me. Amazing! She talks about her dad all day long. Dadadadadadada is all I hear. Well, there is the occasional "AAATTT" -- which means cat. Of course the one she is around the most doesn't get any honorable mentions. But everyday, I still look at her and think to myself -- I can't believe she is mine.

My First Christmas

This was taken a few days before Christmas. Alyssa wouldn't keep that hat on her head on Christmas. She kept taking it off and throwing it. Oh well. I am glad that I got one good picture.

Two months of planning and now it is over.

What a wonderful, but exhausting weekend we had. Christmas was awesome. Alyssa showed interest in opening presents for a little bit each time, but overall just wanted a box to play with. She would get mad if we would take them away. She has so many new toys to play with.

She got this Ball Bopper toy. It blows air through the bottom and the balls shoot out of the top. Every time we turn it on, Alyssa gets scared and starts crying, (the scared cry). Weird, huh. I am sure she will get used to it and eventually love it.

When we were with my nephew, every toy Benjamin had, Alyssa would take from him. It starts already. I just love seeing them interact together. I think it is the cutest thing.

Santa was also good to me. I am now the proud owner of a digital camera!!! I am so excited. I have already taken over 50 pictures. I also got some new tennis shoes (badly needed). Hubby did a good job of picking them out. I also got a cat calendar (love it) and Bath and Body works soap, lotion, ect. There is more, but I can't list it all. Hubby always treats me so well at Christmas and I always suck. The biggest thing I got him was a video game. Sorry, honey, you are the best! (Although, the camera will get used by both of us).

I will have to learn how to hook up the camera to my computer so I can download pictures. I hope that it isn't too hard to figure out. I know that a plug will go somewhere from the camera to the computer, just have to figure out where!

We went over my uncles today for Christmas celebration. Gary wanted to drive separately in his truck (in case of getting called out). When we finally left it was dark and snowing pretty bad. On the way home I hit a patch of snow and slid around the road and ended up turning sideways and back. Luckily noone was around me, except for Gary who had control of his van. I was so scared of what could have happened, I cried for the entire trip home.

As for Gary's on-call, he was home by 4:30 on Christmas Eve, and was only out for a few hours Sunday morning. Overall it wasn't that bad although he was supposed to be off on Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas Everyone

I probably won't get a chance to post for the rest of the weekend, I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!!!

Tonight we will be going to my mom's house for dinner and gift exchanges. Tomorrow morning, Gary, Alyssa and I will celebrate Christmas in the early morning, and then we will venture to my dad and step-mom's house for a brunch. We will then go to Gary's mom and dad's house for dinner. The Sunday after Christmas we will be going to my uncle's house and we will celebrate Christmas with all of my dad's family. That is always a lot of fun.

The only crappy thing is that Gary is on-call. What that means is he can get paged out at any time and he has to go work. He works for the cable company and of course if your cable goes out, it is an emergency! And then Gary will come knocking on your door no matter what time of day or night it is. Today, for example, was supposed to be the company's holiday, since Christmas fell on a Saturday. Where is Gary right now? Not home with his family like he should be. Or even shopping like he still needs to do, but driving 45 minutes away to fix 3 people's cable today. Can't people just watch a movie or something for two friggin days???

Anyway, I am very excited about opening presents with Alyssa tomorrow. A friend brought something over for Alyssa last night and she actually ripped the paper off of the box. I was so excited!! I think it will be so much fun tomorrow.

I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, and warm (for all of you who live in zero temperatures, as I do) holiday!!!

Impatient

Ok, I am impatient. Right after I posted the last message, I called the doctor. The nurse listened to all of my concerns. She decided that I would need to come in and talk to a doctor. So, we have an appointment on December 29th to talk to the doctor about my concerns. Good news, she didn't make me feel like an idiot or a bad mom.

Here is something to ponder:

Why can I get in for an appointment on the 29th of December, but her checkup isn't until the 21st of January. They told me that at the 9 month checkup there isn't any shots, so why wouldn't we be able to take care of both things at one time? I don't know, but when I asked her if we could do the 9 month checkup at the same time, she said no. Must have something to do with getting another co-pay, I guess.

What to Say?

Well, I like to post once in a while, even when I don't have much to say. I can't believe that I don't have much to say and it is only 4 days until Christmas. You think I would have so much to talk about...

Last week, my nephew and Alyssa got their pictures together. They turned out very cute. My soon to be sister-in-law had the big picture and I had the picture frame. She lives 45 minutes away. So today, Alyssa and I took a car ride and met my step brother half way to pick up the picture. The weather is really bad here today. Wet and snowy and cold. My choice would have been to stay in the house in my PJs and not done a thing, but browse the internet and wrap a few presents and of course, play with Alyssa.

After I went on the journey to get the picture, I decided to be a complete idiot and go to Walmart. Why not, I am out. Crazy idea. First of all, if I didn't go to Walmart 5 times a week, they just might call me worried that I haven't been by. I swear all of the money I make and even some of my husbands goes into the damn cash registers at Walmart. But, they do have everything you could need. After I went and spent 2 hours and another $60.00 at Walmart, we are home.

I went to see Brianna on Saturday and took Alyssa to see her on Monday. Alyssa could care less. I can't even remember Alyssa being that small once. Brianna is beautiful.

I called to schedule Alyssa's 9 month appointment yesterday. I couldn't get an appointment until January 21st. She will be almost 10 months by then. I can't believe that either. She will be in the double digits. I was hoping to get in a little earlier so I can ask some questions about Alyssa's development. I know I have expressed this multiple times before, but my husband and I are worried about how she still won't roll from back to stomach. We are worried that she doesn't want to put any weight on her knees or arms. She doesn't really want to put any weight on her legs either. We can usually get her to stand for about 30 seconds before she realizes what she is doing and collapses her knees to make her fall into the sitting position. She sits great, though. She actually learned how to throw herself backwards when sitting. Oh the fun of that. Now I feel I can't leave her sitting by herself anymore. She just does it randomly and does it even more if someone is sitting on the floor beside her. She knows that we will catch her fall. I have no doubts that she is very smart.

She has also been very crabby again. So, I am thinking, possibly another tooth or two. God, I hope so, because I can't handle this screaming, crying and crabbiness much longer than just a few days at a time.

I was going to call the doctors office today to discuss my concerns, but I feel that they will make me feel stupid, so I will just wait for another month, see if any of those things progress and take my concerns with me when I can talk to the doctor face to face. They tend to make you feel a little less stupid then.

Ok, well I guess I had much more to write about than I thought.

It's A Girl!!!

Well, I guess we already knew it would be a girl since that was what the ultrasound read a few months ago. But, my friend (Due in Dec -- what the heck, I should just use her name -- Dawn) had her baby girl this morning at 5:50 am.

Dawn went in last night to be induced. The doctors started the pitocin at 1:00 am. Her labor seemed to go pretty quickly, which is a wonderful thing for any woman!

I was not at the hospital, nor was my husband (after all of those weeks of bickering who would get to go). My husband had to work this morning, and I needed to take care of Alyssa. My mom is going to pick Alyssa up once she gets off of work at 2:00, so I can go and visit. I am so excited, I can't wait to go and meet her.

She weighed in at 7 pounds 3 ounces. The baby's father said that it was a "big" baby, but Alyssa weighed a whole pound more than that! I would say that is normal!

Oh yeah, they named her Brianna Marie.

Congratulations to Dawn & Brian on their new baby, Brianna. That has to be the best Christmas present, EVER!

We are now safe...

Gary got me two front tires for my car the other day. We had to break down and buy new ones, but with the snow and wet ground, we had no choice. Now I wish we wouldn't have waited so long. Since we had to spend the new tire prices, it would have been nice to enjoy them for a little longer than a month or two. (But then again, how do you "enjoy" tires). I guess that is what we get for trying to save some money and procrastinating until the last possible second.

In other news....my friend (due in Dec) was scheduled to go into the hospital on Friday to be induced. She had the choice between Tuesday (yesterday) night and Friday night. She got nervous and picked Friday (because it was a few days later). I think it is better anyway because hopefully her body will become a little more prepared in these few extra days.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Around here, Christmas always seems to be associated with snow.

I love snow when I am warm and cozy in my house and don't have to leave for anything. It is so pretty when sitting inside. The minute you get outside, you remember how cold and wet snow is. You remember that people suddenly need to drive 20 miles an hour on the freeway, because of the snow.

This year the snow is going to be a lot less fun. It takes me like 10 minutes to get Alyssa buckled into her five point harness carseat backwards. If the car is wet, so is my butt because I am not coordinated enough to get Alyssa in without rubbing my backside on the car.

I have to admit we have been very lucky because the snow has waiting this long. It is usually here much earlier than this.

Oh yeah, still haven't gotten those three extra tires. Winter sucks!

Lunch with Santa

Since our company is doing better this year, they brought back "Lunch with Santa". The man in the costume is our companies own Quality Engineer. He makes a wonderful Santa.

Alyssa was terrified. This picture was snapped one second before she started to scream and push away. Santa's helper tried to give her a stuffed animal and she pushed it away. She PUSHED the toy away. Overall she was really good there and got to meet a lot of nice people from her mom's work.

It was too bad that Dad had to work today. So, we are going to torture her all over again and take her to the mall Santa tomorrow. Sorry, Alyssa.

Big News

Remember me talking about Alyssa's cousing who is 5 weeks younger than her. Well he is going to have a little brother or sister in about 9 months!!

I couldn't believe it when my soon to be sister-in-law sent me an e-mail saying that they were going to have another baby. She seemed excited, but suddenly overwhelmed and scared.

I told her to not expect to have another niece/nephew that close in age. I am waiting a little while longer for the next one.

I think that my sister is a bit jealous. My sister had gotten pregnant once. By a man that we (as a family) didn't care for. The baby was eptopic (did I spell that right?) and she had to terminate the pregnancy. This was almost 3-4 years ago. Now my sister has a really nice boyfriend who she lives with. She is certain that he is the one she will spend the rest of her life with. (We as a family like this man). And my sister would love nothing more than to find out she is pregnant. Yes, even though she is not married or even engaged yet. So, with this recent news about my soon to be sister-in-law, I think she is jealous.

I am excited for them. I know that it was unexpected and unplanned, but it will be nice for her son and the new baby to be so close in age.

So Excited!!

I have never been around a close friend when they were having their babies. My one friend (due in December), has a son who is going to be 9. When we met and became friends, he was a little over one. So, I wasn't around for the pregnancy, or delivery of the baby. Another good friend of mine who has a four year old son, lived in North Carolina at the time of her son's birth. I did go and visit right afterwards, but I wasn't there with her for the pregnancy either. Those are pretty much the only two close friends of mine that have babies.

I am so excited for my friend that is due in December. (Who knows what I am going to refer to her as after she has the baby). I think I will tell her story of the last few weeks, because I don't have anything in my own life to talk about.

With her first son, she told me that she was on bedrest at about 6 months, had some medical problems. Her water broke and she had her 6 pound son 3 1/2 weeks early. She thought that she might go just as early with this pregnancy too. Well, at her first appt where she was checked, she was 1 centimeter dilated. Baby was still high. Two weeks later.....same! One week after that (yesterday)....still the same. She is disappointed. She is due on the 23rd, but is very worried about being in the hospital on Christmas. (I don't blame her, she does have a son, and the whole Christmas thing would suck from a hospital).

The doctor mentioned to her about inducing. I think she is going to do it. The doctor is supposed to call her this morning with some times to pick from. I told her to schedule it on a Tuesday or a Thursday night so I can be there and then not have to work the next day! Of course, I want to be there!!! And she should schedule around me, right?!? (Just kidding) .

Actually, my husband and I are arguing over who gets to be there (since my friends husband is Gary's best friend - since they were 3). And someone needs to be here with Alyssa.

I told my friend, I am just glad that she is going to be at my Christmas party this Saturday. I am expecting her to bring the pop and cookies!! I am sure she is glad that she won't disappoint me. (ha ha).

Blogger doesn't like my blog?

This is a test post. I keep trying to view my own blog and nothing but a blue screen appears before me.

I can get into all of my settings and obviously try to post something. Hopefully this will un-do whatever it is that blogger is doing to me.

So I guess, Christina, blogger doesn't just punish you for trying to look at my blog, but it punishes me too!

Did I do something wrong? Why, oh, why are you mad at me, blogger?

Bonuses

Yesterday, my work decided to give out bonus checks. They haven't given out bonus checks in almost 4 years because of business not doing so well.

Well, I didn't get one. :(

You have to maintain a 30 hour work week in order to be eligible for bonuses. I only average between 24-27 hours per week.

It sucks because before Alyssa was born, I worked over 50 hours every week! I thought I have given my time, so why shouldn't I deserve a bonus too, especially after such a dry spell.

And I don't understand why everyone can't get one. I mean it is based on your pay, so the more hours you work, the more money you make and the more you get back at bonus time. I just wouldn't have gotten as much as everyone else. I just feel like I contribute to the company too, I should get a little something extra too.

I know that I shouldn't complain too much, because they do allow me to work part time, when the company does not normally allow part time. I would much rather have this job making a little more money and being able to work a couple days a week, as opposed to working at the grocery store on the nights and weekends.

But, it still sucks!

Family Background 101

I was thinking about my family today.

First, I was thinking about my grandma. I was thinking about how she was supposed to have 22 kids. Yes, you read correctly twenty two. I think she was pregnant a total of 20 times. She had 6 kids that survived. (All of my aunts (2) and uncles (4)). She had 11 miscarraiges. She had 4 pregnancies that resulted in still-borns (two of them were sets of twins). Those six babies were buried since they were actually born. With those two sets of twins and my husband's mom being a twin, I was terrified of having twins. Now, I have mixed feelings about twins - it would be great for them to grow up together. It is also double of everything. (But we can't forget, double the good times too).

My dad was born 3 months premature. He weighed 1 pound and 12 ounces. My grandma would tell me the stories on how small he was and how he fit in the palm of her hand. She told me stories on how the doctors never thought he would make it and if he did, he would never be able to function like a normal child would. He would never be able to go to a public school or ride a bike or drive a car. He would probably be handicapped in more than one way. She didn't believe them. She believed that her son would make it through. And she was right, he did!

My dad rode a bike. He went to public school. He actually graduated from college with a business degree about 5 years ago. He doesn't have any major handicaps. He does have very bad eyesight (which filtered down to me) and also has a little bit of a hearing problem, which he could correct with a hearing aid, but is stubborn and doesn't think he needs one.

All of my dad's family is tall. Except for my dad. I am actually taller than my dad. It is kind of funny. I am also taller than my mom. I know that I got my height from my dad's family (not my dad, though).

I have 10 cousins on my dad's side of the family. I am the oldest. The youngest cousin is 5. All my cousins absolutely love Alyssa (she is the first next generation baby - first great grandchild). We always get together at every holiday. It is a very nice time. My one cousin is a really good singer and sings in a band. The girl is 19 years old, goes to college, belongs to a sorority and sings in a band every weekend. She is awesome though. I hope that she fufills all of her dreams. I know she is super talented.

My mom's side isn't so close. A lot of her family live out of state. I imagine we would be a lot closer if they lived closer. But, they just don't like snow. They actually lived here in Ohio and moved away. I guess I can't blame them.

Well, that was a little family background 101 for everyone.

Today Was A Good Day

Today ended up being a very nice day. Even though there was a rough start by not having my keys and going to my excercise class.

My soon to be sister-in-law and myself (and the kids) went to an outlet mall today and went into about 5 childrens stores. We had a very hard time finding outfits to match for their pictures together. They would have the boy's size, and not one for Alyssa or vice versa.

Finally we skipped out on the outlet malls. Of course this is after purchasing an outfit from the Gap and a Christmas sleeper from Osh Kosh. We went to Target. Found the cutest outfit for my nephew and had to coordinate it with a dress for Alyssa. We found one. It matches very nicely. It isn't the cutest dress, but it will do. (It isn't horrible either). The best thing is that they will match, which was our goal.

We went to dinner afterwords and ran into my step-brother's uncle and his family. (The step-brother who is engaged to the girl I am with). We spent half the dinner complaining about how they don't come to anything for our kids and they don't invite us to their house. Then when it was time for the bill, our waitress said that our uncle took care of it. Insert foot into mouth. We both felt so bad.

We went back to my soon to be sister-in-laws house and Alyssa "played" with her cousin. It is so cute to see them interact the way they do. (Not that it is a whole bunch).

It was a very nice day and now I am exhausted. Oh yeah, I also bought a Santa hat for Alyssa at Target and a "my first christmas" bib. I have an obsession with buying clothes for her. I am soo hoping that our next baby is a girl so that these clothes can get use (by me) more than once.

Well, I am not going exercising

After my previous post, I put on my shoes, put on my coat, put Alyssa's shoes and coat on.

Went to get my keys....

Can't find 'em.

Searching for about 10 minutes, they are not anywhere....

Call my husband:

Me: Do you know where my keys are?

Gary: In background.."Jingle, jingle, jingle".

Me: You have BOTH sets of keys on you?

Gary: Yes.

Me: Now I can't go to exercise class.

Gary: I will be home as soon as possible.

Me: (Thinking to myself). I still won't make it to exercise class. Oh well, I guess I will go and eat something.

We are going shopping today

My soon to be sister and law and myself decided about two months ago that we were going to get our babies pictures done together to give to my step-mom (her future mother-in-law) for Christmas. My nephew is 5 weeks younger than Alyssa.

I guess we didn't realize how difficult of a task this would be. We first wanted to go shopping so we could find outfits that matched. One regular outfit and one Christmas outfit. (She must think I am made of money). Oh well, it will look cute, right?!?

First of all, they live about 45 minutes away from us. Which makes it hard to just run to the mall. Secondly, they only have one car. So, if my brother has to work overtime, he needs to take the car. Which means we don't go, because two strollers are not fitting into the back of my car. So, we have been cancelled on account of that several times.

Finally, today we have plans to go. And the good news is, I haven't received a cancellation call. After my exercise class, I am going to first take a shower (I won't punish her that bad). And then Alyssa and I are going to take a ride out to her house. She lives close to some outlet malls, so hopefully we can find some good deals.

I do absolutely love my soon to be sister-in-law. We actually have a lot in common and it is very easy to talk to her. It is not so nice that we live so far away, as I would love for us to get together more often. I think it is important to have Alyssa and her cousin be close as they grow up.

Well, I better go and shake my bum in my exercise class!