Videogames.

So... a while back now, I started playing Fallout 3. It was fun, but not enough to keep me playing. Fallout: New Vegas on the other hand.. Well let's just say that yesterday I played it for several hours in the afternoon. Let Jerry play some games for a while til he went to bed, then after Paul went to bed I started playing some more. I thought, there's no way I'll be playing all night. I'll get tired. I'll listen to my body and go to bed. I know what signs to watch for. I'll start to have slightly blurred vision(from holding my eyes open too long), I'll feel slightly sick(from being so tired), and I'll get slightly dizzy(from watching the screen move around so much). Did I notice these things while playing? Yes. Did I listen to those signs and stop playing and go to bed? No. What did I do? I looked at the clock at around 9:30pm. I thought, okay, I haven't been playing that long, I'll play for a little while longer and then go to bed. So I played for a while longer and then I thought, "huh... I wonder what time it is?" 12:45AM. YUP. I played for 3 hours straight and it felt like 10 minutes. I felt like I had literally "lost time". It was gone. No getting back. How did this happen?? How was this game soo good that I didn't even notice 3 hours had gone by?? Now I was way past tired, and still needed to wind down. Sudoko has been my favorite wind down game. Even though it's all numbers, I focus on just the numbers and start to forget about everything else. So nice.

This is completely off subject, but I'm going to interject again that Jerry and I believe that I am brewing a girl this time. I'd say he bases it off of the fact that I've been stricken with morning sickness for what seems to be much longer of a period than I had with Paul. I am also basing it off of the fact that I've been more tired, more crabby and irritable and even moody with this one! Maybe It's just because I've still had such a hard time getting great nutrition, but still. We have our vote in. We'll be okay with being surprised, but for now, I've been looking for girl clothes and things like that. We also already have a name picked out!
Blessings

Homesick for the home that doesn't exsist

You ever find yourself feeling homesick for a place that doesn't exsist?? I do... all the time. I dream about the place I grew up in often, and like I'm still living there. *Sigh* I miss it. The house is still there, but it's not the same. So, now I'm trying to figure out why I miss it so much and how do I let it go?
wow. I got nothing else.

Success!

This week was seemingly especially difficult to get through. So many things to do with so little time. Our party was a success. I mean, how could it not have been? It really was a lot of fun and really great for me because Paulie got wore out from all the attention and went to bed without a peep! Woot! I know he'll sleep really well tonight. Thanks to everyone who was able to come and that pitched in. It was wonderful to have your help and to be able to see you! Sad for those who couldn't come!
Another bright side is that it was a quick and easy clean up and my house still looks great!
We weren't the only ones taking pictures, but we really didn't take that many because we really didn't do much but sit around and play with Paul. I wanted more video than anything because that is where you get to see and hear the things that are going on. You really get to experience it then. I'm sad at the moment because I can't preview the video that was taken on our computer. Something happened and our computer won't read the file. That's never happened before, but Jerry did just delete a bunch of things off the computer tonight, so maybe that has something to do with it.
I'm still going to add video though. I'm uploading one right now. I can always watch it on my camera which I think I'm going to do in a bit just to see if I want all of them online or not.
I'm uploading the one video to FB, but I should have at least one or two up on here soon.
There was something else I was going to add... not about the party. I just can't think of it. This has been happening quite a bit lately. Maybe something will jog my memory and I'll add it later, but for now... I think this is it. XD

I am not a good party planner. I'll admit to that.

I love parties, I do. I love to go to them and hang out, and help out too! I just cannot plan them. This week on wednesday was Paul's first birthday and I decided that we would have a party for him... tomorrow. It is going to be a small party since we have a small house, but I've been so busy with things this week I haven't been able to properly clean our house up. YIKES! So, yes, I'll be up tonight... cleaning, and shopping for all those last minute things that I was supposed to do today. Is this typical for you too? I want to have some sort of a game or games available but I just literally can't think of what to do. Paul is only 1 and he won't remember this anyway. Not only that, he won't know how to play any of the games. I figure, it will just be an open house to see Paul, hang out and have some food and cake while we're at it. Check. I can do that.
Now to make the place presentable. hahaha... ugh. Don't get me wrong, I really love having people over because sometimes it's the only way I'll ever really give my house a good deep cleaning. Dust out the corners and deal with junk I've been putting off for a while. Good work, me.
I'm sure that everything will go fine tomorrow and everyone will have fun. I just wonder sometimes...

Paulie turned one. My thoughts...

He's one now. A whole year old! I guess it doesn't really impress me much. Not that it ever had to, but I suppose for some unfortunate mothers, they don't get to see their precious babies make it to that age. Somber note.
My delight today was finding out that Paul had not only stabilized in weight, he actually went up! By that I mean, he gained the weight that he should have plus some in reference to his previous measurements and his age.
We are all doing quite well these days. Paul has been introduced to so many new foods and always wants more. Even when he's finished his food and some of ours, he still gets angry when we tell him it's all gone, or we say all done. He's picking up on more words like...

• hot
• no
• what
• that
• mama
• mom
• dad
• dada
• and lots of jibberish that sometimes sounds like dabba dabba

He still isn't walking solo, but he has taken up to six steps on his own at one time! Yay for Paul! He even did that while holding a bottle in his mouth! Talented, he is.
I would say that his favorite things are wheels, cars, books and food. Sometimes he even thinks his books are food. He has already taken a chunk out of two cardboard books. We've removed them from his reach until we think he's ready to be alone with them again.
Did I mention that SPRING IS HERE?!?! Yes, it WILL snow again. I'm sure of that, but spring is definitely here and here to stay. With all this wonderful weather I haven't been able to help myself but to open windows and doors. This morning, after Paul and I had been up for a while, we both laid down to nap and rest, he in his bed and I on the couch. With it so nice out by that time already, I opened the door all the way and just relaxed with the fresh air washing over me. Cool, it was, yes, but lovely, it was as well.
I think that with a dishwasher being in our home, and all the lovely fresh air coming in, Jerry and I have been having so much more fun together. It may also be that my morning sickness is easing up, but I'd say the stress from the dishes being gone and the stale air being cut have a huge part to do with that.
I apologize for any rambling I may do. It is late and I've had such a busy day/week that I was so excited to blog. And now that I am, I'm tired, and losing interest. Sad. Anyway, hope you enjoyed what I've included in tonights blog. More soon! Happy St. Patrick's Day and Happy Birthday to Paul and blessings to you all!
~Rachael

Dishwasher!

There was a knock on the door and who could it be?? A lovely friend with a lovely gift! It's not really ours, we're just storing it, but we're going to be able to use it too! Hurray! Bad news... I was messing with the sink faucet thingy and took it apart to clean it... and I didn't put it in my memory to memorize how to put it back together. UGH... and then I took the bathroom faucet apart and lost a piece down the drain. NOT a good night. Guess I'll be going to fleet farm later this week, see what they can tell me and if I'll need to just get a new piece.
Aside from that... welll... still not feeling well. Can't sleep at night.

12 weeks

I really have trouble starting blogs. I think of so many ways to start them, but all of the introductory lines seem so lame. Oh well. This one is pretty bad already. Regardless of how lame the beginnings may be, I still love to blog and wonder how I forget that I even have one... Oh yeah, it's because I'm so busy doing things off the computer. By the time I get back on it, all my energy and mind powers have been sucked up into the vortex of my home by way of cleaning and keeping up with all the needs of my little one. Who happens to be not so little anymore! I come to learn that if I don't take care of myself, there really isn't any way I'm going to take care of anyone else well. So... I've been trying to live that, and it's very difficult.
I had/have been taking a medicine that would ease my nausea, which by the way has been easing up on its own now! Thank the Lord! Anyway, I noticed a couple of weeks ago while I was taking it regularly, it would give me this sense of... anxiousness. Not a lot, but it's been enough to completely screw up my sleeping schedule. Just yesterday I had to take some medicine because I was feeling really yuck, and by the time I took it, it was still going to be in my system by bedtime. Double yuck. So I was told I could take Tylenol PM, which I did, and it did help me fall asleep. For three measly hours. After that, I was up watching Dirty Jobs and eating sunflower seeds. The other trouble is, I start feeling tired enough to sleep so I go to bed and then I just lay there, tired, but not sleeping, for hours. I can shut my eyes and try not to think of anything, but I will still just lay there awake, for hours.
Yesterday was terrible. I spent most of the day sleeping, or trying to sleep, and puking. I was fortunate that Jerry was also home at the time so I was allowed the luxury of staying in bed, but today... not so much. After only a few hours of sleep, and then maybe another one or two non restful hours of sleep after Jerry left for work this morning... Paul woke up and needed the usual things: a diaper change, love, food, love and some play time. I had energy for.... none of it. But I still did it. I didn't realize how much help I actually needed until I almost passed out while making us breakfast. That was scary. I had him in his highchair at the time so he could watch me make food, so it was like I had a temporary babysitter once I had to put my head between my knees and lay down on my bed just a few feet away from his chair. Jerry got done with work a little early today, so I had a little help after he got home. Jerry was worked very hard and could barely move after he got home and finally sat down, poor man :(
Fun facts: Paul loves cereal and has shared most of it with the floor.
The cat hates Paul and runs away when he gets close to her or he shrieks at her.
Paul is walking more and more on his own! Even while drinking from a bottle!!
Sometimes I think I can feel my tiny baby bounce around inside :)

I would like to add more to this post. I actually had high hopes to have so much more in it, but... Ugh. I'm starting to feel tired and sick. AGAIN... so I'm going to go lay down and maybe add more in the wee morning hours.
~love~

The New Year and all that it brings...

So as it turns out, it was about the time that I wrote that last post that I became pregnant for the second time!
Thank you to everyone for all your wonderful support. We are due September 23, 2011, and we are still waiting to find out if it is a girl or boy. Any guesses?!?! We are still living in our little two bedroom apartment and will continue to until next year when we will hopefully be able to purchase a home to really spread out and settle down in. We plan on staying in the Menomonie area.
It's so surreal to me that Paul will be turning 1 this month, in one week! And I will be turning 25 in about a month and a half! Not to mention again... that Jerry and I will be the parents of two little ones by the end of this year!

The update on Jerry - He's got nothin.

Rachael Update - Okay, I already said it, I'll be turning 25 next month and I'll have two children by the end of this year. I've also been sick for the last month and a half. I'm very excited for that to end soon. It has been getting better and I've been doing pretty well off the medicine that my doc prescribed to help with the nausea. I've been really enjoying getting to know my friends better that live around here, including the ones that also have their own children! It's been great watching Paul interact with other little kids. He's just so cute! I started watching a new show to me, Bones, about a month ago, and I at first didn't like it very much, but it has since, grown on me. I've also been watching a little girl mostly on the weekends. That's been fun. She is very energetic though, and I have had very little energy. Makes for very interesting days.

Paul- He's been cruisin' around real good. Taking more steps by himself, but still weary of walking alone for long distances. He's very fast at crawling and loves our kitty. He gets so excited sometimes just when he sees her that he does a very loud squeal/screech. OUCH to the ears, but otherwise very cute. He's also moved up to eating... everything! Well, not really. He will try though. Even with his cardboard books. Yuck! He loves looking at his books, and putting toys and things in other things and taking them back out again. One night a week or two ago, I went to my sister Kris's house and I had left a cup n straw sitting out. Paul got it, it was empty, and he played with it for nearly an hour just sitting there on the floor taking the straw out and putting it back in. It also had a cap on it and I think he liked the challenge of trying to put the straw in the little hole. Paul is already up to 6 teeth. Four on top, two on the bottom. Very cute, and the top two even have a gap between them!

So I'm sure there is more I could write, but at this time, I can't think of anything. Miss and love you all!