Well, where to begin! Halloween started off the festivities this year. We had a difficult time trying to figure out a family themed costume that included my pregnant belly. Danny was then asked to help with a spook alley at our Church's Trunk or Treat. With this it meant only Austin would dress up. That was our other problem. Deciding what to dress him in. We were on a budget of zero dollars so it made it really tough. My Sister and Brother in law had a couple costumes from their kids and they mentioned they had a horse costume that was about Austin's size. Austin makes a very good horse sound so we ended up using that. Of course the head was a hat and Ausitn did not like wearing it a all. He is not a fan of any kind of hat right now. He said trick or treat please, and thank you to every one. I thought it was pretty good since he was only 17 months old, and wasn't quite sure of the whole Halloween thing. Now every piece of candy is called a trick or treat.
Thanksgiving was next. We spent Thanksgiving day with the Kowallis Family. It was a welcome event since November was filled with a lot of bugs for the Kowallis family. Norm and Linda's house buuying fell through at literally the last day when they were supposed to be filling out all the paper work and getting the keys to he house, Danny's Grandma Kowallis passed away, Norm went into hospital for a couple days recovering from a spout of Global transient Amnesia, Norm's memory has recovered but he is on leave from work for a month, both Linda and Norm have been sick, some of the grandkids (luckily not Austin) had Pneumonia, and Austin got 1 of his 2 year old Molars. So the feast of Thanksgiving was a welcome for the end of November. With it being tough on them, it makes it tougher for us. We were looking forward to having a house to ourselves. Not that we don't love or appreciate my in-laws, but we have been here a long time, and having a second baby here is just not going to work. It already doesn't work with just 1 child.
Then comes Christmas! One of my favorite times a year. My only complaints for KOwallis Christmas Eve, was that Present opening started way too late, and the way they do gifts is the grandkids open one gift in turns youngest to oldest. Which is ridiculous for young children. It just takes too much time, especially when you have 5 grandkids and grandparents gave them at least 6 gifts each, and they had Santa come and gave them each a couple more. Also, that the adults have to open gifts one at a time too. Its just too much spotlight and it takes too long to get anywhere. But Austin enjoyed playing outside. Great grandpa Kowallis was able to be here. Food was good. We got stuff for our 72 hour kit. that was a bonus since we have been trying to get that stuff together so once we had money to start it we could. Now we have a bag to hold our stuff and flashlights.
Christmas at my family was at my grandma's. We got stuck in traffic on the way there due to an accident so it put us way behind schedule. It would have been ok since I thought Austin would get his entire nap with the traffic, but he kept waking up and ended up with a 45 min nap, and 15 minutes of trying to sleep but not really getting there. So he ended up geting pretty cranky much earlier than I was hoping. It was ok that we were late because dinner wasn't ready on time. Luckily they had my ham and fruit salad. the two things I miss at Kowallis holidays cause they only do fried turkeys and they don't do fruit. We didn't give gifts this year but I did make some breads and cookies gift bags for all of our family. We did not join in on the secret santa's so we didn't want anyone to get us anything since we couldn't reciprocate.
Austin also got his 2nd 2 year old molar in. I hope he gets them all in before his baby brother is born cause then I won't have to worry about moving (hopefully), getting austin adjusted to his own room, getting him adjusted to a new baby, and soon after his big boy bed. I don't want to have to add teething in there as well. It's a lot for my little man.
New years is next. We shall here about that later. Here is to 2012!
Hope you all had a great holiday season!
Daniel, April, Austin, and Owen Kowallis
Owen's Birth
Our newborn baby boy
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
What is the deal?!
Well this week has been a crazy week! Friday the 1st Austin woke up with pink eye, and I woke feeling queezy. We went to aerobics (i teach it) and I taught my new routine (high intensity) for the first time. That didn't help me at all! I couldn't eat or drink anything at all the entire day on Friday or saturday. I just laid around trying to make my stomach stop feeling sick. I called into the doctor on Fri to get austin some meds for his eyes and mustered up the strength to go into the pharmacy and pick it up. Fridays are really busy for them, especiall ones before a holiday, so even the lighter used pharmacy upstairs was packed. But we got the drops and surprisingly Austin did really well. He thought the drops felt funny and didn't fight too much. Once daddy tried to do it he didn't find it as fun anymore, but eventually was back to not minding. It worked out well since we have to use the drops 4x a day for 7 days. Great job baby boy!
Sat. came around and of course I still felt like garbage. I now had a terrible headache due to dehydration. Luckily Danny was home this weekend and took great care of me, and took the brunt of responsibility with Austin. Poor Austin kept looking at me and wanting to play with and be held by me. I felt so bad that I couldn't play with him or hold him for too long. I could see on Austin's face that he could tell something was wrong but he wasn't sure what it was. He just knew that he had to spend all day and do everything with daddy (not a bad thing) and that mommy would give him hugs but couldn't do anything else with him. It broke my heart to see him trying to figure out what was going on.
Sun. was a better day. I could drink water and eat some foods. Although my stomach was very particular with what food, and I still couldn't put too much of food or fluids down at any given time. At least it was something. I tried to eat crackers and toast and things that you would thing would easy your stomach, but that stuff was what my stomach told me it wanted nothing to do with. So trying to find something to eat was a difficult task because it isn't my week to cook so I have nothing good to choose from.
Mon. was a lot better. Austin finally woke without puffy eyes (discharge had been gone since first day, eyes didn't puff shut till after started the drops (weird)). I could actually move around upright. I also enjoyed my fourth of July festivities of swimming, and yes eating! I was really digging the hamburgers. So grateful I could hold it down and drink all the water I wanted. I was so happy! (I come from a family of eaters, and judging by the size of me you know I like my food :) )
Tues. I lost my voice, Austin started coming down with a cold. Wed. I came down with a terrible cough due to extreme scratchiness in my throat, which lozenges didn't help with any of it, nor did they soothe the sore throat the ensued because of so much coughing. I also came down with a cold on that day as well. Luckil Austin's cold wasn't a big one. Mine on the other hand is not very small. And the icing on the cake is that today, Fri, I awoke with Pink eye!
This has been a crazy week! I don't usually get sick and if I do it doesn't get very harsh and doesn't last very long but I tell ya, this week has just driven me nuts!
WHAT IS THE DEAL!
Sat. came around and of course I still felt like garbage. I now had a terrible headache due to dehydration. Luckily Danny was home this weekend and took great care of me, and took the brunt of responsibility with Austin. Poor Austin kept looking at me and wanting to play with and be held by me. I felt so bad that I couldn't play with him or hold him for too long. I could see on Austin's face that he could tell something was wrong but he wasn't sure what it was. He just knew that he had to spend all day and do everything with daddy (not a bad thing) and that mommy would give him hugs but couldn't do anything else with him. It broke my heart to see him trying to figure out what was going on.
Sun. was a better day. I could drink water and eat some foods. Although my stomach was very particular with what food, and I still couldn't put too much of food or fluids down at any given time. At least it was something. I tried to eat crackers and toast and things that you would thing would easy your stomach, but that stuff was what my stomach told me it wanted nothing to do with. So trying to find something to eat was a difficult task because it isn't my week to cook so I have nothing good to choose from.
Mon. was a lot better. Austin finally woke without puffy eyes (discharge had been gone since first day, eyes didn't puff shut till after started the drops (weird)). I could actually move around upright. I also enjoyed my fourth of July festivities of swimming, and yes eating! I was really digging the hamburgers. So grateful I could hold it down and drink all the water I wanted. I was so happy! (I come from a family of eaters, and judging by the size of me you know I like my food :) )
Tues. I lost my voice, Austin started coming down with a cold. Wed. I came down with a terrible cough due to extreme scratchiness in my throat, which lozenges didn't help with any of it, nor did they soothe the sore throat the ensued because of so much coughing. I also came down with a cold on that day as well. Luckil Austin's cold wasn't a big one. Mine on the other hand is not very small. And the icing on the cake is that today, Fri, I awoke with Pink eye!
This has been a crazy week! I don't usually get sick and if I do it doesn't get very harsh and doesn't last very long but I tell ya, this week has just driven me nuts!
WHAT IS THE DEAL!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Austins walking
So for the last ew months Austin has been walking around holding our fingers, as most babies do. I have been encouraging him to let go, but he just hasn't felt the need too. The past month I have only been holding one hand, which of course he walks in circles, but he has been doing really well. Still not wanting to let go of the hand though. This past week he finally did it. Befroe we might have been able to get him to take one step and really a lunge, but now he is taking 4 of 5 steps! So we finally have a walkin man! I haven't been worried about his time frame, he just seems to want to but never had the confidence to let go of anything. Now he enjoys going back and forth between mommy and daddy. It's has become his way of getting out his extra energy before bed. I am so proud of him. Now we just need him to stand up then walk instead of waiting for everyone to stand him up and let him go. It'e exciting becasue we go to the park every week for play group and with the weather being hot, so is the ground, so crawling isn't working for him so well. It isn't fun when you really want to explore but your burning your hands. So this will open up all new possibilities. Way to go Austin! Mommy and Daddy are so proud!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Triathlon
I did my first sprint triathlon on May 21st 2011. It wasn't a full sprint becasue the swim was only 150yds instead of 750yds, but I did it none the less. My goal is that one year after each of my children are born I will do some culminating physical event. This year it was this triathlon. Which I think I might do every year as a bonus just because it was a lot of fun. I want to tri a full sprint traithlon, a half marathon as my events in the future. If at the very least I will do a 5k, depending on what is going on around the year timing.
This TRI was put on by the Riverside Stake and the cost was free. I was planning on doing one in Rancho Cucamonga in June, but we were told about this one and the price was right especially for our circumstances right now, so I couldn't pass it up. It gave me only 8 weeks to train in those events, but my total time was 4 minutes faster that I was aiming for, so I feel good pretty good about it.
Of course I had my wonderful husband and my cute baby boy to cheer me on. Although Austin slept for about 40 minutes of it, and played with the caution tape outlining the course, I am sure he was doing his part so I wouldn't get lost, more than cheering for me. I loved having there support, especially since there were other things they could have been doing (like sleeping in a few minutes more). We got some pictures but more video. I will try to put them up once I figure it out. (sorry I'm not technically savvy)
I was so grateful that I was actually fit enough to participate. Granted I wasn't in the shape I was hoping to be in. I ended up having a swollen knee for 4 days prior the event. Luckily it felt great on that day. I think the swim in the cold water helped clear it up too. I started slow on the run jsut to warm up a little more, but ended up keeping my regular pace and going faster than training on the bike. I was prepared to take it easy if needed but my knee felt great! I felt great! I was so relieved because I had been working so hard and really wanted to do this. I only hope that the website guy will actually post our times. I want to see how I panned out and where I need to work towards timewise. He still has 2009 times on the the 2010 and 2011 websites.
This TRI was put on by the Riverside Stake and the cost was free. I was planning on doing one in Rancho Cucamonga in June, but we were told about this one and the price was right especially for our circumstances right now, so I couldn't pass it up. It gave me only 8 weeks to train in those events, but my total time was 4 minutes faster that I was aiming for, so I feel good pretty good about it.
Of course I had my wonderful husband and my cute baby boy to cheer me on. Although Austin slept for about 40 minutes of it, and played with the caution tape outlining the course, I am sure he was doing his part so I wouldn't get lost, more than cheering for me. I loved having there support, especially since there were other things they could have been doing (like sleeping in a few minutes more). We got some pictures but more video. I will try to put them up once I figure it out. (sorry I'm not technically savvy)
I was so grateful that I was actually fit enough to participate. Granted I wasn't in the shape I was hoping to be in. I ended up having a swollen knee for 4 days prior the event. Luckily it felt great on that day. I think the swim in the cold water helped clear it up too. I started slow on the run jsut to warm up a little more, but ended up keeping my regular pace and going faster than training on the bike. I was prepared to take it easy if needed but my knee felt great! I felt great! I was so relieved because I had been working so hard and really wanted to do this. I only hope that the website guy will actually post our times. I want to see how I panned out and where I need to work towards timewise. He still has 2009 times on the the 2010 and 2011 websites.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Rays of Sunshine
As of January my hubby has been working and learning a "new trade." He decided in December that since he hasn't been able to get a job in his degree field that he would take matters into his own hands. He decided to look into Financial Planning. The Man that he did his internship with does this and Danny picked his brain and went along for the ride to learn the ins and outs of what it entailed. He ultimately went to work for this wonderful man who has shared his knowledge and brought him on. He passed his test and is now licensed to sell life and health insurance. (So if anyone wants to see if they can get a better deal than what they have, or just wants to get some, let me know! ;) ) The job pays on comission, at least that is the way Danny wants to do it cause you can ultimately make the most money, which will be tough, but by now we are used to no income. We have already had to use our savings 3 times since we have been married, so its a good thing we are both good at making sure we save. Danny has been working really hard for his boss's "side" task of Veterans Pensions, which Danny isn't certified yet to do, but gets a piece of whatever he brings into his boss.
So, our first ray of sunshine is that my husband has found a job, and that we can start working harder to get ourselves out on our own again, and give our son the home, and space, that he needs to be the best he can. And of course give us our own room back. Its tough when your son can't stay sleeping through the night because he knows you are there and hears every little noise. Plus the house we live in, love my in-laws, but it isn't a very well laid out house with the bedrooms right off the kitchen and main living areas where everyone congregates. The house is all tile so it echos and carries sound quite loudly. And, some of the older individuals forget that there is an infant in the house and are not very quite (they think they are :). Everyone says kids should be able to sleep through noise, and I agree to a certain extent. Some noises are ok. Small, simple, softer noises, ones you would hear on a regular basis in the background. But I believe that if you can't sleep and/or don't like all that noise outside your door, then why would you expect your child to sleep through it?
I am not working anymore. I was laid off at the end of January, and the second ray of sunshine is that I get to focus on my son individually. Sad part is that I am so used to having more than one child that I hate to say it, sometimes get bored. I love his personality and playing with him, but constantly having to entertain him is quite taxing. I definitely couldn't have just one. Austin needs a sibling too. He loves playing with, better yet around, other kids. He gets so excited to see other kids, especially toddlers. We get to enjoy play group once a week, and we have a friend with 3 children that lets us come over and play once a week, and a couple people have offered the same. It is great cause it gets us out of the house, because we are confined to our bedroom, and allows us an actual place to go. I admit we go to the store and just cruise around not buying anything, just so we can get out of the house.
My exercising is going. I go exercising with Austin in the stroller, but I do it when he is fully awake so he won't need his stroller to sleep on a regular basis, but if there is not enough going on around us he gets bored and doesn't last long. Plus it sucks running with a stroller! I don't like not having my arms/hands free while running. He is getting better at sitting during times when I do aerobics. I usually do those while he is sleeping, but when he is awake he does pretty good on my routines that are 40 minutes, but no longer. That is his max. I want to start teaching aerobics again, but Austin won't sit in a stroller during that time since he is mobile now, and I can't just let him wander with the other kids in the room because he still picks up everything and puts it straight into his mouth. I am not an over protective or a paranoid mother, but he has choked 2x already on things he has found, almost to the point where I have had to do some life saving techniques. Also, the church floor is just filthy and layden with stuff in corners that has been there since heaven knows when. So can you blame me? plus while teaching it is really hard to chase your little one, and then try to remember where you are in the routine to keep the class going. But we shall see. I am working on it. I have a couple moms that probably would help me chase my bundle when needed.
So, any way, we are starting to see a glow at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully within the next few months we will be able to get a place of our own, and maybe even add to our family. Only God and time will tell!
So, our first ray of sunshine is that my husband has found a job, and that we can start working harder to get ourselves out on our own again, and give our son the home, and space, that he needs to be the best he can. And of course give us our own room back. Its tough when your son can't stay sleeping through the night because he knows you are there and hears every little noise. Plus the house we live in, love my in-laws, but it isn't a very well laid out house with the bedrooms right off the kitchen and main living areas where everyone congregates. The house is all tile so it echos and carries sound quite loudly. And, some of the older individuals forget that there is an infant in the house and are not very quite (they think they are :). Everyone says kids should be able to sleep through noise, and I agree to a certain extent. Some noises are ok. Small, simple, softer noises, ones you would hear on a regular basis in the background. But I believe that if you can't sleep and/or don't like all that noise outside your door, then why would you expect your child to sleep through it?
I am not working anymore. I was laid off at the end of January, and the second ray of sunshine is that I get to focus on my son individually. Sad part is that I am so used to having more than one child that I hate to say it, sometimes get bored. I love his personality and playing with him, but constantly having to entertain him is quite taxing. I definitely couldn't have just one. Austin needs a sibling too. He loves playing with, better yet around, other kids. He gets so excited to see other kids, especially toddlers. We get to enjoy play group once a week, and we have a friend with 3 children that lets us come over and play once a week, and a couple people have offered the same. It is great cause it gets us out of the house, because we are confined to our bedroom, and allows us an actual place to go. I admit we go to the store and just cruise around not buying anything, just so we can get out of the house.
My exercising is going. I go exercising with Austin in the stroller, but I do it when he is fully awake so he won't need his stroller to sleep on a regular basis, but if there is not enough going on around us he gets bored and doesn't last long. Plus it sucks running with a stroller! I don't like not having my arms/hands free while running. He is getting better at sitting during times when I do aerobics. I usually do those while he is sleeping, but when he is awake he does pretty good on my routines that are 40 minutes, but no longer. That is his max. I want to start teaching aerobics again, but Austin won't sit in a stroller during that time since he is mobile now, and I can't just let him wander with the other kids in the room because he still picks up everything and puts it straight into his mouth. I am not an over protective or a paranoid mother, but he has choked 2x already on things he has found, almost to the point where I have had to do some life saving techniques. Also, the church floor is just filthy and layden with stuff in corners that has been there since heaven knows when. So can you blame me? plus while teaching it is really hard to chase your little one, and then try to remember where you are in the routine to keep the class going. But we shall see. I am working on it. I have a couple moms that probably would help me chase my bundle when needed.
So, any way, we are starting to see a glow at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully within the next few months we will be able to get a place of our own, and maybe even add to our family. Only God and time will tell!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Holidays
So its been a while since we last blogged. I (April) am still getting used to this. I am not very computer savvy so my page isn't very pretty yet, and Danny usually has the computer or I have the baby so I don't use the computer till after Austin has gone to bed. Anyway, I just wanted to share what we did for our holidays.
Christmas was a split event. On Christmas Eve morning, we opened presents with Grandma and Grandpa Kowallis. On Christmas Eve Afternoon/Eve we spent it hanging out with Uncle Jeff and Aunt Chrystal, and the cousins Ethan, Ashley, and Brandon. We went caroling with them in the evening.
Early Christmas morning we opened our stockings and gifts from Santa, each other, and my family. (My mom brought over theirs instead of doing it on the 26th when we came over for dinner). We then left for Great Grandma Tumbleson's (April's grandma) house. We left during Austin's nap time so he could at least get that hour of a nap. I knew it would be hard to get him to nap with all the people around, and of course he only slept 20 min. for his afternoon nap ( I thought it might be a full 30). He cried for about 2 hours before finally sleeping that long. He was up an extra 2 hours longer than usual so I thought he would just be exhausted and sleep a couple hours, but that is always the dream with his naps. We left a little earlier in the evening and he slept the whole way home, and then stayed up late that night with such a late nap. Good thing he was able to get back on track the next day. My poor little man just can't stand to miss anything by sleepin'.
For the New Year, my parents rented a cabin in Lake Arrowhead. For the full weekend of the 31st-3rd we had a "snow lotta fun!" The babies enjoyed sledding for the first time. My niece Katelyn (3) even enjoyed herself on the bunny slopes. On the 2nd (Sunday), it started to snow in the afternoon and conitinued on through the next day. It was so beautiful. We got some good video of it. Danny, Austin, my sister Kelsey, and I left that night since we had work (she had school) the next day, and we made it safely down he mountain with just 4-wheel drive. The 2 "babies" slept pretty much the whole way. MY sister is a good sleeper even at 21!
We do want to apologize for not getting our holiday cards out. We took family pictures in December but they were not ready until mid-january. Then when we got them, they were cropped terribly. Plus with Danny not working, and my part-time work, we just couldn't swing mailing any this year. I was going to do online cards, but I don't have everyone's emails, and I still had to wait or the pictures to be done, since they were the only recent family photos we had. I couldn't use old ones with an infant, it just wouldn't be accurate. You know have fast little munchkins grow.
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