Out of the woods...

for real this time..I hope!
Zack is such a trooper.  According to the doctor today not only does he have a bad tummy but he is also getting his molars...in fact one already popped through!  From what I heard most babies wake up during the night and are unhappy most of the day.  I feel so bad I didn't know and didn't give him anything for the pain.  I ended up taking him to the doctor because of the fever he had two weeks ago combined with the stomach bug last week and the ear pulling (according to the doctor because of the molars) on Sunday all combined with his lack of energy on Sunday...we seriously cuddled and watched Sesame Street all day. 
I totally love my life but I have to say having 5 days of a sick kid and a husband out of town can seriously be exhausting and it can make you a little crazy since you can't go anywhere (other than our trip to Walmart for pedialite and rice) and no one can (or wants to) visit.  However my mom braved the stomach bug and flew up for Saturday and Sunday.  Not only did I get naps and a trip to Walmart on my own but I had another adult in my home that I could speak with face to face.  I was really dreading Monday knowing that I wouldn't have a "weekend" but Monday came and went and thanks to our visitor I am totally energized for the week.  Even though I don't have a mom right down the street its nice to have one that can hop a plane (for free...thank you dad for working at USAirways) from Charlotte to Raleigh for a moments notice only to spend the night on my couch and become exposed to the crud. 
Don't get me wrong I was also looking forward to Monday because the hubs came home but it's really just a tease because he has to work tomorrow.  I really wish I was the kind of wife that could be super upset that she missed a trip and super stressed about a sick kid so Adam would have to call in sick...meanwhile if I was Adam might not have married me...and I wouldn't have Zachary.  So in the end I hope Adam has a great day back at work and I am so glad he got to go to Chicago for some quality brother time, I hope mom doesn't end up with Zack's bug and I hope that we have fulfilled our sickness (and car trouble) quota for the year...and I hope I don't have to use the "collection" cups the doctor gave me if Zack still has "the runs" tomorrow.

Change of plans...

Yesterday at 11:30 pm I poured myself a glass of wine with a sigh...I had just completed the most AMAZING packing job ever!  I packed everything we needed into two carry on bags (one of the bags only had diapers, snacks, formula and empty bottles.  I also cleaned the entire apartment from top to bottom (I do this before every trip for 2 reasons...1) if something were to happen to us and people had to come into our home I want them to think my home is spotless all the time...crazy...maybe a little. 2) What can be nicer than coming home from a trip to a clean home.  I also completed my spring crafts (pictures to come) leaving my kitchen table clear and ready to become birthday party central. 
I finished my glass of wine, Adam came home (late...but he wanted to get a lot done so he wouldn't have to think about work while we were in Chicago.  We were both getting ready for bed and getting ready to wake up a few hours later to catch our 6:00 am flight when we heard Zack making weird coughing noises.  We decided that we should just leave him because if we went in he would wake up and want to play.  I opened his door so we could keep an ear out for him and smelled something nasty.  I figured he had a pretty nasty diaper and decided to leave it because I knew it would totally wake him up and we (along with all the other passengers on the plane) would be miserable the next day...great mom...huh?  I got in bed and heard the cough again and decided I needed to get him.  As soon as I turned on the light in the hall I saw the vomit...he was laying in it, it was on the floor, it was all over his face...it was bad.  Zack looked at me like he was scared and didn't know what was going on.  I called Adam in, I stripped him down and Adam gave him a bath while I cleaned the sheets and everything else. 
I gave him a little water to rinse his mouth and he threw that up.  In between vomiting he was his playful self and I was calling the airlines trying to figure out our options.  In the end I did not want to take Zack on a plane if there was a chance that he would be sick...even a later flight.  I also hated that we were missing Jaimes big day.  I forced Adam to re pack the suitcase and go.  He hated leaving us but we didn't know if this was a bug or a one time thing and he would be fine now that he got it all out. 
He wasn't...although he seemed like he was feeling better (even with his lack of appetite) until he ate half a banana.  It all went downhill from there.  Poor thing. 
What is worse than unpacking from a trip after getting home and seeing all the laundry you have?  Unpacking from a trip you didn't go on. 
On the plus side, Zack will have lots more homemade decorations for his birthday party now that I have all this extra time at home.
And really...I am totally fine with these new weekend plans. I love my life and all that comes with being a wife and mother...the good...the bad...and the super gross!
On a side note I am really thankful for my years of teaching...especially my first year (the " vomit class") for making it easy for me to be around vomit or to be covered in vomit.

Quality Time

Yesterday we met daddy for lunch.
It was a nice day and we were already running errands so I called Adam to see if he could meet us for a picnic.  After hanging up I almost called back to cancel because I knew that Adam would have a lot to do before our fun weekend in Chicago.  I didn't.

And I am glad about that...even though I was up later than I would have had to getting our stuff together. 

Turns out this was the best idea ever because not 12 hours later Zack got sick and we decided to stay home and send Adam.  I am really happy we had this 30 min.

Ups and Downs

We had a rough week...Zack was super winy, had no appetite (other than bananas) and not taking naps or sleeping through the night...very strange for Zack.  One day he took an extra long nap and when he woke up was so unhappy that I had to walk and bounce him for an hour...which was fine when he was a 5 lb newborn but it wasn't so easy as a 20+ lb 11 month old.  Thursday and Friday I canceled our play dates thinking that if we were home he could get a nap at a proper time in his bed.  It usually doesn't bother him to fall asleep early or late in his car seat he is pretty flexible and can even function if I have to get him up from a nap after 10 min.  I figured he was going through a growth spurt or teething (which didn't make sense because it never seemed to bother him before).  I know that we all have bad days but a week? My mom came Thursday which was wonderful!  My dad joined on Friday and they spent the night...it was really nice to be able to take a rest while they played with little man.  I think what made last week even more difficult was my lack of weekend...Adam helped friends of ours move and Sunday we had family birthday dinner...both were great but I lost my tag team parenting days. 
I started to wonder if Zack's unhappiness had to do with my exhaustion and of course felt guilty (can't help it I'm a mom I feel guilt).  It made me feel so much better that he was still miserable with my parents and Adam around...is that bad?  Sunday I decided to take his temperature...I didn't before because he always feels warm to me...well it was 101!  Did he have a fever the whole time?  more guilt.  I called the doctor Monday morning and they recommend bringing a baby in if they have a 100.4 temp or higher for 72 hours...more guilt.  When they asked about his appetite I said it didn't jump out as a problem because his appetite has been changing by the meal...more guilt...why didn't I notice anything?  Oh did I mention that Adam took my car on Wednesday because he had a flat tire and I have been without a car since Sunday because on the way home from church my car went crazy...so crazy that we had to have the car towed from one repair shop to the dealership because they couldn't figure out the problem.  You know it's bad when the guy from repair shop #1 called me and wants me to call him once we figure out the problem because apparently all his workers were totally confused.
Today Zack woke up without a fever and with a huge smile...its funny how this one week made me wonder if reality finally set in...maybe my baby isn't as perfect as I thought,  Its even more funny how one toothy grin can make you forget a bad week and realize that Zack couldn't be more amazing...and I know this is my reality.  I am truly blessed!

Finger Paint Fail

I found a recipe for homemade finger paints on pinterest.  Since it was made from average baking items it was safe if eaten.  I decided that a cold day in would be fun to try something new.  He is young but it's finger painting...and he loves paper. 
I made the paint.

I laid down newspaper and covered the high chair in plastic.

I stripped Zack down to his diaper and got ready for the fun mess that was about to happen.

I put the paint in my hand and squished some between his fingers and showed him what to do.

In the end I had a painting I basically made myself, an unhappy baby,

a floor full of clean newspapers and a high chair covered in clean trash bags.

What did Zack get out of the whole experience?

A daytime bath.

10:23 PM

This is the time Zachary went to sleep last night.  We have had a couple weeks of late naps, which leads to a late bedtime which means he sleeps in...causing his naps to be late.  What has made this really hard for me is Adam had to work late last week.  Typically Z goes to bed around 7:30-8:00, when Adam works late I don't eat dinner until he is in bed (I can deal with an 8:00 peaceful dinner...no problem).  After he goes to bed I eat, clean dishes, pick up toys, and straighten up.  When I finish the "chores" I have some quiet Lindsay time.  I basically turn into a pumpkin around 8:30 weather or not Z is ready.  I have felt so conflicted...
Should I not let him nap late? If I do that he will be miserable making me miserable.  Should I force him to nap early?  That may work for other kids but my kid moves a mile a minute and doesn't slow down until the second he falls asleep.  He is past the infant stage where you are supposed to let him do whatever he wants, but he is happy and healthy do I really want to take a chance and put him on a schedule...until now the schedule he puts himself on has worked really well.
For now I am letting him sleep in...by habit I still get up...and I enjoy breakfast on my own.  Today we stayed home, giving him a chance to nap when he wants to and not just because we are in the car.  Even with his early, short naps he was up until 9:15. 
Good thing he is so darn cute...

I wish I was this perky after 10!

My NEW/REALISTIC New Years Resolution

A couple weeks ago I posted that my resolution would be to organize our storage unit...after some thought it is totally unrealistic.  It would require lots of leaving Z while I sort boxes and piles of stuff in our living room...both don't work with a baby on the move.  Rather than giving up a week into organization and having a broken resolution, I went ahead and came up with something much better to try this year!
I have several cookbooks...most have tons of post'its marking recipes I want to try.

 Plus I got some new ones for Christmas!

I LOVE cookbooks...I know you can get recipes online but I like using books.  If I find a recipe online I usually end up writing it on post'its because I hate how they look printed out. 
This year I want to try at least one new recipe each week. 

I feel like it's reasonable considering I cook three times a week, the other days I make some easy pasta, heat up leftovers or a can of soup and a sandwich.  This will be a great thing to do for my family, Adam LOVES new things and Zachary is going to start eating more table foods (cue my new book: "The Sneaky Chef").  There are plenty of recipes to choose from...where should I start????

HERE GOES NOTHING!

Christmas Cookies...Then and Now

Last year I wondered if cookie baking with a 9ish month old would be easier than baking cookies 5 at a time in a toaster oven with no running water, on my feet as a 6 month preggo.  Verdict is...it is much easier cooking in a proper kitchen baby or not.  I was able to use nap time and pre make some doughs.  I even brought Zack into the kitchen with me and gave him "kitchen toys" (his bowl and spoon, a wooden spoon and a colander).
This was last year...

my 1 sq foot of prep space and my make shift cooling rack made from cutting boards placed on burners.  All my recipes were on post-its.

this was the first batch...before I realized that the cookies on the side of the pan would break because of the pan shape...I was able to have 5 usable cookies each batch.

the rolling pin was not on the list of things for me to pack so I used a glass...and thanks to IKEA I had pretty nice cutters.

Yes...after being on my feet all day baking I had to wash these by hand after carrying bowls of water from the water cooler because our running water wasn't working that day...and yes I was 6 months preggo.

This year I had all the proper tools and more counter space...

I still used post-its for the new recipes...why not print them off?  I hate how recipes look printed off...sometimes I retype them but post-its work!

I made a Marum family staple...Sugar Cookies

We used to make these cookies then decorate them as a family on the kitchen table.  At the end of the day our table would be covered in frosting.  Because I am a tad bit OCD and like things the way I like them...I decorated them myself.  It wasn't easy growing up in a house where your brother or mother (not daddy:)) would decorate a Christmas Tree cookie with blue frosting!!!!
I made my all time favorite cookie the Reese's cookie...a bit of pre made chocolate chip cookie dough in mini muffin pans then right when the cookies come out stick a Reese's in the middle.

I actually made my own cookie dough because I need way more chips than the store dough provides...and nothing beats a homemade chocolate chip cookie.  I add a little red Christmas flower to make it a bit more festive.
I made some oatmeal raisin cookies per request of my good friend who LOVES my oatmeal raisin cookies...what makes them so special?  You know how I use way more chocolate chips than necessary well I double the raisins and add chocolate chips.
I tried two new cookies this year...well 1 1/2 new cookies.  I made what they called a double chocolate peppermint crunch cookie (can anyone say YUMMMMM)...and I think they even look better than they sound...

I also used my sugar cookies and made an orange glaze to spread on half of the star cut out and covered the glaze in toasted coconut.
The end result was a big mess, and LOTS of yummy cookies.

this time I have a dish washer to do most of the work for me!

How did I do this with Z crawling all over the place?  Well naps help but the biggest help was making the sugar cookie dough the day before and saving it in the refrigerator.  When he wasn't napping I brought him into the kitchen to play with kitchen things...

he really enjoyed watching the cookies bake...or was it the light...I don't know

my biggest mistake of the day was letting him play with my plastic jar of sprinkles...I figured he would love shaking it and the noise and colors would keep him busy for a while...

basically it kept me busy for a while...it had to be the little ones...{sigh}

Zack's Dedication

Adam and I have been looking forward to this since we got home from China.  Adam even e-mailed the church the first Sunday we were back and found out that the dedication ceremony would be November 19th.  Yes Nov. 19th was a Saturday.  As opposed to the dedications I have seen at other Churches Crosspointe made this an event...it was truly something special for Adam, Zachary and I.

Beforehand Adam and I had to do some homework, listen to some podcasts and attend a tour of the Children's ministry.  The podcasts discussed 3 important things for all parents to remember as they raise their children.
1) Talk with your kids about God...even when you think they can't understand you.  I have always knows that kids know and can do more than we give them credit for.  If Zachary has learned that when he sits in the high chair and I come over with a bowl he should open his mouth because he is getting food, why can't he learn that when it's bed time we say a prayer.
2) Put your marriage relationship first.  This doesn't mean I am supposed to love Adam more than Zack or that I should take care of Adam before I take care of Zack.  There is no way I am going to do Adam's laundry or fix dinner over having play time with Z.  It means that in the midst of taking care of a baby we need to make our marriage relationship top priority.  Since date nights have become super expensive with the cost of a babysitter we have decided to have dates in with take out and no TV at our own table after Z goes to bed. 
3) Come up with values and habits that you want to put in place starting today!  Our 5 habits that we want to instill in Zachary are: honesty, hardworking, giving, consideration, faithfulness.  The habit I wanted is happiness, because I believe happiness is a choice and there is no excuse to not wake up everyday happy.  After the sermon on happiness this morning Adam agreed to make it our 6th value.  The 2 habits that we want to instill are praying every night with Zachary and keep our family involved in Church.
Our tour of the Children's ministry was interesting, they showed us parents what our kid's future at Crosspointe would look like and I am ready to sign up for the long haul.  With my time in the 3 year olds and the kindergarten class I knew that their program was great but I was really pleased with everything else they talked about.  My favorite thing was hearing that even in the baby nursery they sing songs and pray with the babies.
When we got to the Church Sat. night there was a photographer that took pictures of our family:

I have to say that when our church does something they do it right...they over plan and over organize so that everyone can enjoy the event. 
This was the centerpiece:

we got a certificate, a gift (a kids bible) and an assignment to write a letter for Zachary to open on his 18th Birthday.

There's my baby!

They even left a snack for the babies:

Our Pastor and Children's Pastor gave a short talk, they showed photo's of the babies and families and served cupcakes.
During one of the transitions they showed this video:

It was an Amazing night thanks to all who could be a part of it...

Uncle Scott and Aunt Bethany

My Parents (Grandma and Grandpa)

Adam's Parents (Grammy and Grandpa)

My Grandma (Great Grandma)

 And thank you to everyone who wasn't there but is a part of our lives and who will support Adam and I as we raise Zachary.

Halloween Cuteness

I know some people don't like the idea of Halloween and others let it pass by without letting it alter their lives in any way...I am not those people.  Maybe it's the teacher in me...maybe it's the child inside me...maybe it's just the awesomeness of Halloween...I don't know but I get super excited around Halloween.  Actually I get super excited about ALL Holidays (this includes President's Day and Dr. Seuss' Birthday).  While we were in China we introduced our Chinese friends to all sorts of American Holiday traditions one being a Halloween costume party.  Here were Adam and I last year:

If you look closely you can see little Zachary

This year we don't have the space to throw a party.  Thankfully Zack and I were invited to a Halloween party at his friends house.  There were 10 babies/kids ages 3 and under.

3 little bat's and a pretty ferry

Zack and his little girlfriend...well one of 2:)

I decided to post the one where Zack was looking at the camera but there were several where one or more babies fall, cry or try to crawl away.

a nice witch and her pet bat

I had to take a picture of the tights.

a little bat greeted Adam after work.

I hope he isn't a vampire bat!

Going Batty!

I know he won't be trick or treating this year, and I know he will never remember this Halloween...but there are some things that I have to do just for me..

The costume was on sale...I couldn't resist!

Maybe he isn't afraid of pumpkins!

"why isn't this coming off?

"ahhhhhh...I can't see!"

 and just to leave you with another cute one...