Our Little Ecolab Associate

In case you did not know Aaron works for a company called, "Ecolab." He sells cleaning supplies, chemicals, laundry, etc. to hotels and restaurants. Obviously, since we get most stuff for free I use that at home (even though the glass cleaner leaves streaks.)

Please forgive me for tooting my Mommy horn right now. Noelle loves reading and has started to recognize words and spells some everyday words.

Yesterday, I am cleaning the bathroom mirror and I hear Noelle say something. I turn around and she says it again. I just had to get it on video.

It's official....she's a reading genius. :)

Just A Joke...Kinda...

I want to keep politics off my blog, but this made me laugh!

I honestly CANNOT WAIT until this election is over and done with!

Baby Shower

I have the best friends ever! We got together Saturday for a little baby shower and it was so much fun. The food was yummy, the gifts were amazing, and the conversation was even better.

Thanks to everyone who came and those who pitched in to get us a co-sleeper.

With Noelle we had a hand-me-down bassinet that went into the garbage afterwards, it had seen better days. I always wanted to be as close to baby as possible but do not sleep well at all when she is right next to me, so this should be the perfect solution.

Kelsi made me this really special book Madeleine: The First Year that includes calendar pages and notes so that we can quickly jot down what happens each day, such a great way to journal her fist year!

All of the gifts were really special, I cannot list them all. The outfits are just precious, it will be really nice for her to have some of her own new clothes. Thanks everyone for coming, I felt so loved!

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Noelle had a special day, also. She went to her friend's Princess Birthday Party. It was my kind of party, too, because I got to drop her off and come back when it was over. An hour and a half goes by so fast!

After the party this princess was just plain pooped...

Later she had more fun with the party favors than any little girl ever!

Dr. Tamagna & Other Things

Check me out! I'm quite impressed with all of my recent posts, aren't you?

Doctor Updates: I saw the 'Thyroid Nazi' Dr. Tamagna today and there was such a HUGE difference between her and Dr. Mach. First of all she was way more thorough. Actually used instruments to measure my eyes and my goiter (my thyroid is 4 times the size of a normal one but feels soft with no nodules), among other things. Second, there are several ways to measure thyroid function. Dr. Mach said that the only way to truly monitor thyroid function during pregnancy is to use the Free T3 & T4 and my Free T3 is still really, really high. Dr. Tamagna said that latest research indicates you go by the Total (free & uptake) because during pregnancy proteins bind differently than normal so the amount of Free T3 & T4 is not truly accurate. Have I lost you all? Obviously, a huge difference between the two doctors. My Total T3 is still higher than it needs to be but not drastically. Which is good news! She will keep me on the high dose of PTU for the next 3 weeks and then see where we are.

Lesson for all of you: GET A SECOND OPINION even if you think you are getting sufficient care.

I saw Cooper today and what an visit it was! Since I did not have Noelle we were able to talk politics and all kinds of other good stuff. He never ceases to surprise me. As I was walking out he grabbed both sides of my face and told me how great I looked "not all buggy eyed and weird" and then puckered his lips all big and kissed me! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ha ha ha ha!

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Belly Shot 33 Weeks

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Noelle sleeping on the floor with all of her blankets on top...then in her bed where she should be. What an angel...

You Want Me To Do What?

So, I got see Dr. Tabsh yesterday. He's doing the ultrasound and talking to me about my lab work and stuff. I can tell he doesn't like the way Dr. Mach has been handling things. My T3 is still high....has only tested my Antibodies once (these are what make me sick and can pass through the placenta giving the baby a goiter and causing her to be born with a hyper thyroid), etc. I hear him mumbling to himself, things like, "Hmm well if your T4 is converting...and the PTU...then you shouldn't...yadda...yadda." Then he says, "I've been telling you to go see Tamagna, why don't you listen to me?" Well she's been in Italy, but I have an appointment on Friday. "OK, do you have a car with you because I want you to go to UCLA right now and have labs drawn." It's almost 5 O'clock and you want me to get on the 405 and drive to UCLA? You must be stoned! He draws me a very detailed map, writes turn by turn directions so I can find the exact location, writes up with lab sheet and I'm on my way.

Traffic is surprisingly light even though I am going the opposite direction of traffic and I'm enjoying my music. When I get off the freeway my troubles begin. I must have missed something because I am now in Bel-Air and I know UCLA is the other direction. I use my GPS to get me back to where I need to be. I don't know where to park because I am no longer able to use his map. I just pick a place and start walking (I seriously could not have picked a better meter in the world, I was guided there!) I see to my right "Main Hospital" I see to my left a brand new building "UCLA Medical Plaza." I think the plaza must be doctors offices and the right is the actual hospital where I need to find the lab, right? I cross the street and my mission continues. My time working at the U and the cancer institute has really come in handy because I am familiar with navigating the dark labyrinth halls of a medical/research facility all rolled into one. I find an information desk, the guy does not know where the lab is, someone else says it has moved over to the new Ronald Reagan Hospital across the street (does not click for me). They give me specific instructions to find the 'H' elevators and to make make several right and left turns, then out the doors and the hospital is across the street (still does not click). I not so easily find my way out of there and out the door. There is the UCLA Medical Plaza which is the new hospital! DUH! I look down at the map Tabsh drew and now I realize what he was saying. I find the lab and it takes me about 10 minutes from the time I enter to the time I am out, even having a student phlebotomist draw the labs.

I was terrified of the traffic on the way home. It was really heavy but to my utter amazement was moving. I made it home about 8:00. What an adventure!

See Any Resemblance?

Being A Mom Is Hard!

Do you ever feel that is just plain gets old having to be a strict parent? Constantly being the enforcer is no fun! Sometimes I just want to smile and laugh or let things slide. But if I do this spirited child of mine will take over the house and turn into a wild child. Not fair to her or to anyone who has to associate with her. When she is an adult I am going to tell her if you would have just listened for once or followed the rules like you are supposed to things could have been so much more fun for you! But, nooooooo you had to always push the limits, do things you KNOW are dangerous, and just plain be naughty. She had better use all of this spunk and determination to do something BIG. Like curing cancer, world hunger, or something to that affect.

On that note anyone ever been successful at getting nail polish out of a favorite shirt?

Thanks for the vent.

Mama loves you Noelle.....you're still my favorite person.

. . . Prayers Please. . .

As you say your prayers this night and as we have fast Sunday tomorrow we are asking that you remember our dear friend's baby boy. She is currently pregnant, there are no 100% definite answers at this point as to a diagnosis or what the exact outcome will be but this sweet angel baby has some abnormalities with his brain and heart. Testing is still under way but they have gotten preliminary results that rule out some viruses that could be worst case scenario.

Again, please remember baby boy, his Mommy and Daddy, and big sister in your prayers and thoughts for their comfort and the best outcome possible for their little family.

Good Quote

"We are living in a time of great crisis. The country is torn with scandal and with criticism, with faultfinding and condemnation. It is an easy thing to climb on the bandwagon and join the hotheads in condemnation, little realizing that when they do, they are not just tearing down a man, they are tearing down a nation, and they are striking at the underpinnings of one of the greatest of all nations of the world – a nation that was founded upon an inspired declaration we call the Constitution of the United States. The Lord said it was written by men whom he raised up for that very purpose, and that Constitution stands today as a model to all nations to pattern their lives.” Harold B Lee, Ricks College 1973

“While it is true there are dangers and difficulties that lie ahead of us, we must not assume that we are going to lie down and watch the country go to ruin. We should not be heard to predict ills and calamities for the nation. You must remember, brethren, that this Church is one of the most powerful agencies for the progress of the world, and we should all bear our testimonies [so] that we … all sound with one voice. We must tell the world how we feel about this land and this nation and bear our testimonies about the great mission and destiny that it has.

“It is the negative, pessimistic comments about the nation that do as much harm as anything to the country today. Brethren, we must tell them in a positive way what they should be doing. We should not be so concerned about finding out what is wrong with America, but we should be finding what is right about America and should be speaking optimistically and enthusiastically about America.” –Harold B Lee, Ricks College 1973

Jones Look-alike Meter

When Noelle has a poopy face she looks more like her Daddy!

THANKS, Denise!

Jones Look-alike Meter

When Noelle has a happy face she looks more like her Mommy!

Goodbye Scarlett...Hello Canary Island

For my birthday Aunt Lorrie took me shopping and we picked out fabric to make valences for our family room. We were not able to find anything I liked that worked with the red. So we decided we would just have to paint. Lucky me, Uncle Larry agreed to do it. As you can imagine this color is not easy to paint over. He's awesome and did a great job.

Good-bye Scarlett, it was good while it lasted.

Hello Canary Island! I hope we have a good time together.

Now it's time to get sewing!

Anniversary Day

It was great that our anniversary landed on a Saturday. We spent the day as a family because when you think about it, we have very few left as a family of three. Soon Noelle will be invaded by a newborn and life as she knows it will be over. Aaron suggested we take her to the beach because that really is her favorite thing to do. It was really overcast and foggy but it did not affect her at all, as always, she had a the best time ever.

Playing with BIGGEST sand crab I have ever seen. Aaron dug it up and Noelle was so curious until the thing started moving. She squealed like a little girl and ran away, she came back and was still really interested as long as it did not touch her.

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That evening we went out to dinner, just the two of us. Aaron made reservations at a restaurant in Malibu right on the beach. He got us a table on the top floor looking right out the window. Unfortunately, we were a little late and missed the sunset but really enjoyed our time together. I actually wore high heels somewhere other than church!

Cookies

I always said that I would not give my children names that people would easily misspell. The way we will spell Madeleine...we will be two for two. Instead of Madeline (mad-eh-line) it's Madeleine (mad-uh-lynn) , with the extra e, like the cookies.

Sorry to my sweet girls for sentencing you both to a life of correcting people.