Tylenol commentary and Weekly Sleep Log

don't let this grin fool you! ;-)

Someone found my blog by googling, "sleep log," so I thought I'd share G's sleep log for the week. Teething has re-entered our lives in full force, after a few days off. I guess some babies aren't bothered by teething...my daughter is not one of them. She has two bottom teeth and I guess the top two are working their way down. My commentary on Tylenol is at the end of the log.

Monday - average day, except the crap last nap

Night sleep (NS): 7:55 - 3:20, 7:25
Eat: 3:25
Ns: 3:50 - 5:50, 2
Eat: 6
Ns: 6:20 - 7:10, 50
Ns: 7:40 - 8:10, 30
Tons: 10:45
Eat: 9:30
Nap: 10 - 11:30, 1:30
Solids: 1:55
Eat: 2:30
Nap: 2:45 - 3:05, 20
Eat: 4:45
Eat: 5:20
Solids: 6:30
Eat: 7:20
Total: 12:45
Wake time (WT): 1:50 / 3:15 / 4:35
Meals: 7 milk, 2 solids

Tuesday - not such a great day, crap for naps = low total sleep and long WT before bed
Ns: 7:40 - 11:50, 4:10
Eat: 1
Ns: 1:30 - 5:40, 4:10
Eat: 5:45
Ns: 6 - 8:25, 2:25
Tons: 10:45
Eat: 9:35
Eat: 10:30
Nap: 10:50 - 11:30, 40m
Solids: 11:50
Eat: 1:10
Nap: 1:30 - 2, 30m
Eat: 4:35
Solids: 6:25
Eat: 7:20
Total: 11:55
Wt: 2:25 / 2 / 5:40
Meals: 7, 2 solids

Wednesday - great day! (high total sleep, making up for previous day)
Ns: 7:40 - 4:50, 9:10
Eat: 4:55
Ns: 5:10 - 8:10, 3
Tons: 12:10
Eat: 8:50
Eat: 10:40
Nap: 10:50 - 11:50, 1
Solids: 1:30
Eat: 2
Nap: 2:30 - 3:50, 1:20
Eat: 5:50
Solids: 6:45
Eat: 7:35
Total: 14:30
Wt: 2:40 / 2:40 / 4:55
Meals: 6, 2 solids

Thursday - crap first nap, but pretty solid day
Ns: 7:55 - 3:55, 8
Eat: 4:15
Ns: 4:35 - 7:25, 2:50
Tons: 10:50
Eat: 7:50
Eat: 8:50
Nap: 9:45 - 10:20, 35m
Solids: 12:20
Eat: 12:45
Nap: 12:55 - 2:20, 1:25
Eat: 4:40
Solids: 6:55
Eat: 7:20
Total: 12:50
Wt: 2:20 / 2:35 / 5
Meals: 6, solids 2

Friday - weird day, 3 naps, short wake times...teething?sick?growth?
Ns: 7:40 - 2:30, 6:45
Eat: 2:45
Ns: 3:10 - 6:45, 3:35
Tons: 10:20
Eat: 6:50
Eat: 8:30
Nap: 8:40 - 9:20, 40m
Eat: 11:15
Nap: 11:25 - 12:50, 1:25
Eat:ish 2:40
Solids: 2:45
Eat: 4:05
Nap: 4:15 - 5:20, 1:05
Solids: 6:15
Eat: 7:15
Total: 13:30
Wt: 2 / 2 / 3:25 / 3
Meals: 7, 2 solids

Saturday - crappy day...bad night sleep, bad naps...UGH
Ns: 8:15 - 11:35, 3:20
Nurse: 12:15
Ns: 12:30 - 2:15, 1:45
Eat: 2:20
Ns: 2:35 - 4:30: 1:55
Eat: 4:40
Ns: 5:05 - 7, 1:55
Tons: 8:55
Eat: 9
Nap: 9:30 - 10:05, 35m
Eat: 12:05
Solids: 1
Eat: 3:40
Nap: 3:50 - 4:30, 40m
Solids: 6:20
Eat: 6:45
Total: 10:10
Wt: 2:30 / 5:45 / 2:35
Eat: 6, solids: 2

Sunday - we gave her Tylenol at 10:15, something was really hurting her (felt it would be beneficial to get us all some sleep after the crappy day before) and it turned into a great sleep day
Ns: 7:05 - 9:55, 2
Eat: 10:30
Ns: 10:55 - 5:25, 6:30
Ns: 5:45 - 8:05, 2:20
Total, 10:50
Eat: 8:50
Eat: 10:25
Nap: 10:35 - 12, 1:25
Solids: 1:30
Eat: 2:40
Nap: 2:55 - 4:15, 1:20
Solids: 6:15
Eat: 7:45
Total: 13:35
Wt: 2:30 / 2:55 / 3:45
Eat: 5, 2 solids


This night (Sunday night into Monday, which will appear on next week's sleep log) we gave her Tylenol at bedtime as per my mom's advice to see if it helped G avoid the early night waking (ENW). Instead of the ENW we had the past 2 nights, she slept until almost 5 am... I don't like the idea of giving G Tylenol all the time, but her sleep was on a bbbaaadd downward spiral, and my husband and I were walking zombies too. Nothing worked at her night wakings, nursing would only buy us an hour or two, and she was not hungry at all. And that's just as bad of a habit as medicineevery night and wanting her (and us!) to get sleep.

Menu Plan Monday

I bet you all were really sad when I didn't post a meal plan last week. I was just thrown off by being out of town for the wedding / not going to the grocery store...so I just made do for most of the week. We didn't really have anything exciting.

Here's what my family will be eating this week:

Monday: yummy Loaded Baked Potato Soup, salad
Tuesday: we are taking dinner to our friends' house. I am making Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole, bread, and dessert, they are providing salad
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: we are going out with some friends to a local pub
Friday: homemade pizza or pasta, salad
Saturday: we are out of town at some friends' house, and I'm hoping she'll make us yummy dinner!
Sunday: leftovers

Source: Kraft Foods

This week's dessert: Nutter Butter Balls --like Oreo Balls, only made with Nutter Butters!

Post linked to OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Recipe

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Preheat: 300 degrees
Cook time: 90 minutes

1.5 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6-8 pieces of Swiss cheese
6-8 big pieces of deli ham (thick or thin, depending on your preference)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
2/3 c milk
1/3 c butter, softened
1/2 package of Pepperidge Farm fine seasoned stuffing (blue bag)

Grease a 9x13 casserole dish.
Combine soup and milk in a separate bowl and mix until blended.
Roll ham slices, enough so that the ham isn't laying flat on the dish.
Top with chicken pieces.
Top meat with cheese and pour soup mixture over everything.
Combine stuffing and softened butter in a separate bowl.
Crumble over the top of casserole.
Bake at 300 degree for one hour, cover with foil and cook for another thirty minutes.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

3 lbs red potatoes, I peel 3/4 and leave the other 1/4 unpeeled
1/4 c flour
1/4 c butter
8 c half & half (I sub in 4 cups milk and sour cream to make it a bit lighter, using only 4 cups half & half, you can also sub in cream to make it heavier)
16 oz Velveeta
(corn starch for thickening, as desired)
salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, scallions or chives


Cut the potatoes into chunks and boil for about 10 minutes in a separate pot, until 3/4 of the way done. Drain, set aside.
In soup pot, melt the butter and mix in flour until smooth.
Gradually add in the dairy (whatever combination you are using), stir until it starts to thicken (will not thicken too much if you use more milk than cream/half & half). Stir constantly
Melt Velveeta and blend in completely.
Now, in a little bowl, I blend 2 tbsp cornstarch with a bit of cold water until smooth, and then mix into soup to thicken it up some.
Add potatoes and seasonings into the soup pot.
Cook for 30 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Dip into bowls and serve with toppings.

Sunday Five - Gratitude

This week I am thankful for:

The wonderful weather yesterday and the afternoon of fun that my husband's job provided for us. We went to a local cider mill for a free lunch and admission to the pumpkin patch/corn maze/etc... We went last year too, but the baby was still in my belly, so I'm thankful we were able to share the experience with her! We met up with another family, so that was nice to let the babies interact.

My husband's cousins are coming down today, for more than just the evening, so they'll get to play with G. I'm really thankful we like hanging out so much! We have plenty in common and they love the baby. I'm hoping we'll get to take her to the park, too. I'm making baked potato soup for dinner--yum!

I'm thankful for G sleeping "okay" last night. I'll post sleep logs later, so you'll see what I mean. It wasn't a great night, but I did get to sleep from 10:50 to 5:20, and 5:45 - 7 (due to my husband getting up to volunteer at the pancake breakfast) so I'll take that.

I'm thankful for my husband's job. I bought a LOT of groceries yesterday because I am feeding two other people today and Tuesday...thankfully we have the money to feed others. I'm happy to share what we have, even if it's not a lot.

I'm thankful for our health. Cliche or not, we are pretty healthy people, and I thank God for that today.




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10 Day YOU Challenge - Day 10

Today is the final day of my 10 Day YOU Challenge to share some personal tidbits about me.

I'm sharing ten secrets today...but I guess they aren't super secret, or else I wouldn't tell you!

1. The other day, while in Target, I glanced at the maternity section...wishing I were still pregnant because the options are less overwhelming and things are MADE to make you comfy. I miss that. I don't miss wearing maternity clothes, but I miss the way they made shopping for clothes more simple.

2. Sometimes I wish I were done nursing. I think I've wished that since day one, actually. I have a love/hate relationship with breastfeeding (As you'll find out in the coming weeks, as I plan to write more about my BF'ing experiences). Secretly, I am envious of moms who use formula. It's hard in its own way (cost, mixing, washing, sterilizing, etc...), but you don't have to worry about pumping, leaking, or being basically attached to your baby 24/7. I don't WANT to use formula, but I secretly wish I did sometimes. The grass isn't greener...I know. Plus, it IS healthier and better for the both of us.

3. I secretly (is it really secret anymore?) want to go back to college. I miss school and I miss a more care-free way of life. Oh, to be young, wild, and free. I wish my sister would enjoy her college days, because I would snatch them from her in an instant!

4. I eat dessert everyday. Yeah, everyday. I love it and I am actually happy about it. Everything in moderation!

5. I now weigh 157. Welp, there went that secret! Additionally, all of my prepregnancy clothes fit again. Alleluia.

6. I was the editor of my high school yearbook. Junior year = design editor; senior year = editor-in-chief. I'm a total yearbook nerd & proud. I love all things yearbook: pictures, layouts, quotes, stories, ads, you name it...I miss it (but not the stress!)

7. I have a temper. Is that a secret? I have lost my cool on several occasions, at inopportune times. I blame it on the fact that I am just a really, REALLY passionate person. If something is really important to me, and something/one messes it up...I may go off. I have been working on this. I do like to think my temper has improved substantially since becoming a mom...

8. Sometimes I use my spit to wash something off G's face. Yup, I'm that mom. I also wash her hands every time we come back from a playgroup or the gym daycare. I don't like her to be germy...unless it's my germs. She eats from my boobs...seriously.

9. I still secretly want to work. I want to earn money and feel like I am financially contributing to our family. Do I love being a SAHM? YES! I just need to figure out how to be a WAHM.

10. I've never done drugs. Ever. That's a 'secret' worth sharing, eh? I didn't even take the vicodin they gave me after knee surgeries...I hated the way it made me nauseous.

wanted: "marriage after baby" tips & 5 Love Languages

Attending our friends' wedding and reading my new friend's blog has got me really focused on marriage lately. I think my husband and I have a great marriage, but sometimes it's nice to step back and re-center ourselves.

I know many of my readers are married, so I'd like to share this website: The Five Love Languages. The gist is that there are five different ways you might want to be loved: through words, through time, through service, through touch, and through gifts. Just because you prefer one or the other, doesn't mean none of the rest matter--it simply means that's the best way to fulfill your needs in marriage.

It's helpful to know your love language so that your partner can be sure to address your needs, while you can address his or hers by knowing their love language... check out this super easy assessment.

My main love language is Quality Time, and my husbands is Physical Touch. While my love language is very obvious through my 'scores' on the assessment, my husband actually has 3 really close scores. Is he easier to love? HAHA!

I commented to him that I think these love languages reflect our current life situation, and perhaps at another time they will be different. Right now, I am constantly caring for G, and he is at work a LOT. I miss having alone time with my husband, and he misses cuddling with me as much as we did before I was carrying a baby all day. I also think that my husband does a great job of giving me love through words of affirmation, so that's already done for me...without needing to chose it as my love language. I do loads of acts of service for my husband, so that's not really a "need" for him right now either.

So, all-in-all, I think the thing about "Love Languages" is that it mostly points out what you need to make more of an effort to do for each other at this current phase of your marriage.

I'd also like to ask for your tips on keeping your marriage going strong despite children. So please leave me anything that works for you! I think Mandi would appreciate it, too!

Something that works for us? Taking walks together and holding hands--quality time AND physical touch!

10 day YOU Challenge - day nine

Day nine is about 9 loves. I like this a lot better than eight fears from yesterday!

1. My husband. This is obvious, but I couldn't start a 'loves' list without making him number 1! He is absolutely amazing. I don't know how he puts up with me sometimes, but he does :-) He's not perfect or anything, but he is perfect for me. It's so comforting having him around, he eases my nerves, consoles me in pain, and celebrates in my happiness. He's a great dad, too.

2. G. Again, duh, but she's completely dependent on ME right now, so of course I love her! Without love, a momma couldn't go on sometimes. Being a momma is HARD work, and loving our babies is what gets us through. She's funny (and her laugh is infectious), she's sweet (finally started cuddling more!), she is smart (amazingly so), she is strong (I literally have to restrain her during changes), she is silly (she has had a personality since day one), and she is mine. I love you G!

3. My family. They are nuts--more so than your family, I guarantee it--but I wouldn't change anything about them. I love getting together with the extended family, I feel "at home" with them.

4. Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Yes, I go from people to a Starbucks drink. It's that amazing. I'd drink one (or 2) everyday if I was a millionaire. I know some people don't like them...but since discovering them 6 years ago, I have to tell you, they are, in fact, Fall in a cup. Fall is my favorite season, thus I LOVE PSLs.

5. Wednesday nights. The 'funny' shows are on then, and usually my husband and I will eat less-healthy-than-normal food while watching them. We celebrate the completion of half the week with laughs and relaxing.

6. Going to Mass. I enjoy going to mass. When I was younger, I thought it took for.ev.er to get over--but I just hadn't learned to appreciate all of the parts and their meaning. Participating in mass centers my life. It helps me realign myself with God and reminds me of my faith (See below). With G, it's a tad bit less enjoyable, as one of us is always having to wrangle her in, but she needs to learn how important mass is (and how to behave).

7. Running/exercising. Silly, but still. I love working out. It helps me relieve stress and feel good about my body. I enjoy using my muscles, including my heart. When I was in high school, I was on crutches for almost a month. I really missed walking on my own, and swore that I'd never take my legs for granted again...working out is my way of doing that. You never know what you have, until it's gone. Use it, before you lose it. All those cliches apply to my mindset when it comes to working out. Do I do it everyday? No, but several times a week.

8. Baking/Cooking. As you read a few days ago, I love to be in the kitchen. I enjoy preparing food for myself and others. I love the smells of baking. I enjoy using my hands to create nourishment. I like trying new recipes and making my own. I like my food to taste good, and the best way to assure that happens, is to make it myself! I also enjoy being complimented on the food that I provide to others ;-)

9. God. I suppose I should have put God as number one, to reflect His importance in my life, but I like to end on a high note...and what better note to end on than the Lord? I am Catholic and it defines the way I live my life.

It finally happened.

My poor, whimpy prefold and unsuspecting Bummis Whisper wrap didn't stand a chance. It was an unexpected poop from the black lagoon. G's clothes actually had MORE poop on them than the diaper did. I guess it's related to something she ate and the way she was crawling?

Either way, it finally happened. We had a blow out poop that resulted in a bath. We've had a few blow outs (now refered to as mini-blow-outs) that were handled with some wipes and a clean change of clothes, but there was no getting away from this one...my afternoon was ruined. I had plans to go to the grocery store, do some ironing maybe--but instead we took over an hour to delicately remove said dirty clothes without getting too much smeared around, remove and spray down the dipe/cover, rinse G under the faucet, find the bath tub, run a bath, wash the baby, dry the mad baby, re-diaper the mad baby, and clothe said baby. She was SO mad. It was not bath time, nor even bath day. She didn't understand why I was doing all of this...so of course she fought me, which took even more time. I tried to remain calm, but after an hour, I told her in desperation, "Well, G, momma wouldn't have to do all of this if you were potty trained!" HA! My nearly eight month old daughter stared at me and then resumed crying.

Long story short, I am SOOOO over prefolds. I usually only use them when I anticipate #1...but like I said, this was a poop from the middle of nowhere!
I want my pockets/fitted stash to grow ASAP!

Needless to say, I'm beat. What a day...What a day.

Honeymoon on a college kid's dime

My husband and I got married in the middle of our college careers. Due to some time and financial constraints, we had a pretty modest honeymoon--but took a bonus double-duty-trip in January when my husband turned 21 (we went to Vegas for a few days).

Before I describe our honeymoon, I have to tell you how our marriage started. My husband started feeling sick during our reception. The morning after our wedding, I drove across the street to KMart to pick up some Pepto-Bismo, Sprite, and Saltines. That didn't really help. We eventually had to get the heavier stuff. It was either food poisoning or a stomach-bug. It took him almost all week to get over it. It's kind of a big joke now, about how we started off with the "in sickness" vows right away!

we got to keep the robes!

It was quite a mish-mash of a honeymoon week, with many stops and adventures. First, we drove to the middle of Missouri--to the Lake of the Ozarks' Lodge of the Four Seasons. We stayed there for 2 nights; we had booked the Romance Package that included an 'upgraded' room, a couples massage, breakfast each morning, and one night of a fancy dinner at the hotel's steakhouse. Then we drove to our home in Columbia Missouri, unpacked wedding presents, did some laundry, and stayed a night. Then we drove to my in-laws for Thanksgiving. Then we drove to Kansas City to stay downtown and take in the Crown Center's Christmas Tree lighting. Then we attended the MU/KU rivalry game at Arrowhead Stadium.

The first night, since my husband felt so sick...we ordered in room service and tried to make the best of the situation. He took a lot of medicine and tried to muster through. I felt so bad for him, never really feeling sorry for myself, I just wanted him to feel better. The next day was a bit better, we even went for a walk by the water. Our couples massage was perfect, and he humored me by sitting in the hot tub for a while. We basically had the whole place to ourselves, as it was the off season and the week of Thanksgiving. I did most of the driving because he was so sick. By the time we went to his parents, he was about 80% better. Our stay in Kansas City was pretty nice, but MU lost and we were freezing because it was sleeting. We ended up watching the last quarter of the game in a Hooters (of all places) surrounded by fellow MU fans whose hearts were broken as the comeback slipped away (it's the 2007 game, I'm referencing).

Quite a week, eh? Here are some pics (taken with my phone...before I had an iPhone, so I apologize for lack of quality)

"Welcome" plate & congratulatory card

breakfast room service--my favorite!

relaxing by the fireplace, reading the paper

Before our 'fancy' steakhouse dinner

Our dessert spread, "on the house" in honor of our honeymoon
The strawberries were cut into roses

@ Crayola Cafe

I'm on there, just not as dark ;-)

we didn't plan it, but we saw the Christmas Tree lighting celebration!

view from our room downtown KC

He NEVER falls asleep when I drive, but this was a long week!

I wrote this post to link up with Betty Beguiles, as did my new bloggy friend Mandi.