This past week has been N-U-T-S.

Last Thursday, Seth and I celebrated our first anniversary. Ideally, we would have went out to dinner, had meaningful conversations- talking about the high points the last year has brought us. We would’ve come home, changed into our comfy clothes, put a non-disney movie on, and enjoyed the night together. Most of those things did happen. Except the part where we enjoyed the night. Around 11:00 I started getting nauseous, and ended up getting sick. No big deal right? I’ve had morning sickness most of this pregnancy anyhow, so it wasn’t anything new. HOWEVER, it did not stop after one throw up session. Instead, we had to go to the ER, (for the second time in a month) so that I could get an IV drip and zofran.

After a few hours of dozing in the ER, they finally decided to admit me to the OB unit, since I wasn’t able to take a drink of water without throwing it instantly back up. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time this has happened to me, but it was the first time they had to admit me. The rest of the night/morning was spent sleeping on and off, having monitors on me to check for contractions and Henry’s heartbeat, having ultrasounds done on my gallbladder, and the changing of IV bags. I was finally discharged at 7:00, Friday evening.

Apparently, gallbladder issues are a common thing during pregnancy. I had not been aware of this. I have to go back to a surgeon for more tests after the baby is born. Which is poop. I’ve spent the last 5 days being terrified to eat anything. Which is really unfair, since I’m 26 weeks pregnant and want to eat everything in my sight.

Today I wrestled with nausea for a few hours. It’s becoming more and more stressful, especially since I have zero control over it. It’s extremely frustrating. Luckily, tomorrow I go see my doctor and hopefully she can give me a diet that will help or prescribe me some kind of medication. Until then, I just keep praying for relief.

On a happier note, we got some of the proofs back from Oliver’s 2 year old pictures/family pictures! They’re pretty great, if I do say so myself. Hopefully I can get a few uploaded within the next few days!

Until next time, ❤

Sunday morning, rain is falling

Well, actually the rain isn’t falling.

But the wind IS blowing something fierce. I guess this is all thanks to that lovely hurricane Sandy.

I know it’s been a while since my last post and let me just say, from the bottom of my heart, how terribly, terribly sorry I am. Really, I’m sorry. But you know, life happens to get in the way quite often, and a bit has happened in the last handful of days.

For instance, Seth, myself, and my MIL had a sit down conversation and got a few issues off of our chest. And I just gotta say, I feel one million-bajillion times better. I should never underestimate myself when it comes to expressing my feelings/concerns, or the power of honesty. She completely understand where I was coming from, that Oliver is our child and we want to chance to raise him how we see fit, wether or not she agrees with our decisions. She apologized, we apologized for any passive aggressive attitudes we may have been giving off, and we lived happily ever after. Well, kind of. There’s always going to be kinks to work out, when living in a small space with family members, but for now, things are hunky-dory.

On a brighter note, we’re housesitting for my parents until November 10th, so at least for two weeks we can get away and have some well deserved space. All of us can have space.

AND ON AN EVEN BRIGHTER NOTE: Mine and Seth’s first year anniversary is on Thursday. Who knew a year could go by so quickly? We’ve decided to follow tradition, and give each other paper based gifts, BUT- we’ve put a ten dollar cap on presents. For me, this is no problem. It gives me something to craft all week. For him? A little more of an issue. I’m excited to see what he decides to do, since he can’t just go and buy me a book (which I’m sure was his first idea), he has to put a little more creativity into it. I’ve decided to do this for his present. On the back of each picture, I’m going to put an inside joke or memory that took place at each place. For instance, for the “where we met”, I’m going to put the first thing he ever said to me on it (“You’re face looks like a pin cushion”), on the “we married”, I’m going to re-write my vows. I haven’t quite figured out what I’m going to put on the “we lived” one, but I’m sure I’ll think of something.

Until next time my loves ❤

Mommy Warrior

Alrighty people, let me apologize right off the bat. I’m sorry. My intent on starting this blog, was not to complain about my life. However, I just need to get this out, because I can’t. Take. It. Anymore.

Backstory:

Seth, Oliver, and I moved into my mother-in-law’s house back in May in order to save money so we could buy a house. The original plan was that, my MIL would move into her mom’s house (which is two houses down from her own house) because her mother’s condition was worsening and really shouldn’t be living alone much longer. The agreement was, we would live at the house, rent free, for a year and all we had to pay were the utilities. She would keep her office in the den at the house, since she works from home and it was already set up, and maybe we’d have dinner together a few nights a week. Sounds great right? Wrong.

After about a week or two, we quickly discovered that the agreement was being thrown out the window. Instead of my MIL just being around for a few hours a day in order to work, or just being around for a few dinners a week, it turns out she was just going to continue on living at the house and just sleep at her mother’s house. That means that everyday from 6:30am ’til anywhere from 9:30/10:00pm she is at the house. She eats all meals here, does all laundry, takes all showers, invites friends over, and hangs out over at what was supposed to be our home.

Sure, I may be living rent free but I am in no way saving money and here’s why! We have to buy groceries for the three of us, my younger brother-in-law who also lives in the house, and my mother-in-law (who requires gluten-free items which, as not cheap if you are unaware), we have to pay for all the utilities EVEN THOUGH she works on a computer all day, takes showers here, does laundry here, leaves lights on all through out the house.

Alright, CURRENTLY:

I am in a situation where I feel trapped. I feel like she is confused as to whose child Oliver actually is. Any kind of parenting decision that Seth and I make, she feels like she has some kind of parental right just because we’re living at her house. She takes over any kind of situation when it comes to Ollie, and what I mean by that is, if I’m playing with him in the living room, she will LITERALLY just stand behind me and watch. Not like, move around and glance at us, or be reading a book and just look up when he laughs. I mean, she stands in the doorway and just w-a-t-c-h-e-s me interact with him. Then, when she sees a moment where she can distract him and take away the attention from “mommy and Ollie time”, she does it.

I’ve asked her to not pay attention when he throws himself on the ground out of rage and starts throwing a tantrum (this is what my pediatrician has told me to do, since all he wants is attention), and she just completely ignores me, and tries to soothe him, offers him treats in order for him to stop crying, etc. I’ve asked her to not pay attention to him while he’s eating because he is a little ham and wants to entertain people and won’t eat, and she feeds right into it. She has flat out told my brother-in-law, “I understand that Emily is his mother, but she needs to realize that this is my house and I’m going to do what I want to do when it comes to Oliver.”

Now, as my due date draws nearer (yes, I know it’s still three months away, but that’s not very long in the grand scheme of things) I am putting myself into a state of panic. I don’t want to raise my newborn and my two year old in this house where I feel like my privilege to be a mother is getting taken away from me. Seth, is 100% in agreement (although, most of his issues are drawn from the mother-son dynamic), and we are planning on moving before Henry arrives. However, I need advice. I know that just because we move out, doesn’t mean that her “parenting” issues are going to go away, I feel like if anything it’s just going to get worse? Just because she’s going to try and cling on even more, but that just might be my paranoia coming through. Please, other mom’s out there, how have you dealt with mother-in-law issues, problems? I don’t know how to talk to her without getting upset or hurting her feelings, because really I do love her, and I don’t want to ruin the relationship that we had, prior to living together.

So, mommies! HELP ME!

Brand Spankin’ New!

There’s a first time for everything, and today is my first time writing an entry, in my very own, first blog. I’m very excited about this, as I’m sure you’ll read a few thousand more times before this is all over. I keep searching my brain for things that I want to say, but really I just want to show off this awesome fall wreath that I made.

I’ve got an addiction to Pintrest (me, and many, many other people) and burlap, my friends, is everywhere. With the welcoming of fall weather, apple cider, apples, apple pie, apples, apple orchards, and well..apples, I decided to pay tribute to this lovely season (and apples). I decided “HEY! I’m gonna make a fall wreath!” and I did it!

First things first, a visit to hobby lobby. How I’ve never felt the joy of shopping there before is beyond me, but nonetheless, I have come to my senses. I wanted to buy e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g the store had to offer, but alas, I walked away only spending a minimal amount.

A roll of burlap (I got a 15 foot roll of it, and it ended up being the perfect amount). A styrofoam wreath (18 in). Pretty, pretty fall decorations to attach to said wreath.

After laying out my supplies, I started wrapping the wreath with the burlap first. I didn’t glue down the first piece to the wreath, I just wrapped it extra tight two times around, and then continued on wrapping the wreath until fully covered.

I started breaking out in a sweat at this point, thinking I was going to run out of the burlap!

Look at me being all crafty and hot gluing things down. You go self!

After I glued down the end piece of the fabric, I just started laying out the decorations on top of the wreath. I’m not really a color in the lines kind of girl so I just dove head first and glued the pieces on however I wanted to. Ya know, cause I’m kind of a rebel. Or something along those lines. 

It turned out great, and was really easy to do. Those of you without child(ren), could get it done in a half hour/45 minutes tops. It took me about 4 days (don’t judge me, having a two year old is rough!). I love my new wreath. My mother-in-law loves the new wreath for her front door. Oliver loves the pretty, pretty “fowers” that he gets to see everyday.