tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24886796372482416172024-03-05T05:58:52.408-06:00mcmel's mcblogMcMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.comBlogger456125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-4622417465043162502015-08-05T22:34:00.001-05:002015-08-05T22:34:43.143-05:00<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14345133/?claim=fx6hrsmjbh4">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-8787521628020363322015-04-30T23:22:00.000-05:002015-04-30T23:22:37.344-05:00"new" blog, same old me.i can't believe it has been 8 months since i have written an actual blog post. it sometimes gets hard to sit down at your computer every day (or even once a week) and write about life. since neither of my "babies" are really babies anymore, i wanted to change the title of the blog. of course, i'll still be blogging mostly about our life, the life of the kids, my quest to wear matching clothes with my daughter and not look my mom and i wearing floral rompers in the 90s. that's about it. so stay tuned and maybe i'll blog again in the next couple of days. McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-13042431732704092422014-08-26T14:47:00.000-05:002014-08-26T14:47:53.052-05:00isla turns 1the last time i updated was almost 6 months ago (oops). i haven't done very well with blogging, but now that isla is sleeping and i am sleeping, i might actually have a little more time on my hands to sit down at my computer. isla is 14 months old and we celebrated her first birthday with family and some friends. i wasn't really sure what kind of theme i wanted for her- with ian, i had thought of something pretty quickly, but i was just stumped with isla. so i took to my best friends google and pinterest to see what ideas i could work with and i found the idea of doing an alice in wonderland (or <i>one</i>derland) party. i secured invitations, outfits and then got to work with the planning. ian and i watched alice and wonderland while i took notes of things that would be super cute. i ended up not totally running with the theme because she's only 1 and i figured a tea party wouldn't be that interesting to a bunch of adults, but i'm still really pleased with how things turned out. we had a good time!<br />
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this was at home on isla's actual birthday</div>
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birthday cake and smash cake from <a href="http://www.pieceacakebakery.net/">piece-a-cake bakery</a>! cake had a fudge filling. mmm! </div>
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party favors for the kids. glass jars that they could fill with candy from tea cups. the tea cups belonged to dave's grandma. </div>
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cheshire cat cheese ball. aka. the cheese ball that lasts forever. </div>
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chips/salsa, layered salad and giant cheese ball. was so nice to have a summer birthday for once, so we grilled out for everyone! </div>
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the birthday girl. alice apron dress from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/loverdoversclothing">lover dovers</a> via etsy. </div>
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ready for cake!</div>
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nom!</div>
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we had pink flamingos lining the walk + croquet and a little this way/that way/go back sign (not pictured)</div>
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after cake we changed isla into this adorable dress (it's alice themed!) from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleLePewApparel">Little LePew Apparel </a>& and her birthday crown from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/mosey">mosey</a></div>
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i'm 1!</div>
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happy 1st birthday, isla!</div>
McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-56735427348758510312014-05-01T03:01:00.001-05:002014-05-01T03:01:22.865-05:00isla's birth story. part 3<a href="http://ohbabyitsababy.blogspot.com/2013/09/islas-birth-story-part-i.html">part 1</a><br />
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<a href="http://ohbabyitsababy.blogspot.com/2013/12/islas-birthday-story-part-2.html">part 2</a><br />
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may is preeclampsia awareness month, and hopefully i am going to get back into the habit of being a good blogger by overloading you with lots of information! i wanted to start by finishing isla's birth story, which is also basically our preeclampsia story. <br />
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so where i left off was either sunday or monday... i honestly don't remember. i know monday i was woken up the same way i was on sunday (and to follow until thursday) with a 6 am blood draw. it was pretty much the same as my last few days- new nurses, constant blood pressure checks and contractions! <br />
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i went back and checked and i did NOT have my epidural on sunday. early monday (after midnight) is when pitocin was started and i was still only dilated to a 1. my blood pressure was up and down and my energy was zapped. by that morning, i was starving and just exhausted. they allowed me to have the liquid diet tray to get some nutrients in me, but sitting up to eat that pretty much killed any little spurt of energy i had. i was even more swollen from the fluids and my lung capacity was diminishing. my biggest concern was that i wasn't going to have the energy to deliver the baby and that i was going to need a c-section, which was the last thing i wanted. <br />
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sometime around lunch the ob came to check me again. i was only a 1.5. during the check i felt a weird gush... water breaking. the ob claims that she accidentally broke it... whether or not it was an accident, i guess i'll never know. when that was happening, the nurse in the room had her hands on my belly and felt baby drop- so we were headed in the right direction. i had been thinking about it, and around 1-1:30 i decided i was going to have an epidural. i was just feeling crappy, and i figured if there was at least one thing that might make me feel better, i might as well have that. the epidural totally changed everything. it was more painful than the one i had with ian (which i later figured out was because with ian i had received iv drugs), but after it was done, i felt awake. dave even said my face changed! however, like with most pain meds, i was having a reaction and needed benedryl to counter that, which wasn't helping. by 2:30 i was a 3, and by 3 i was a 4. when my nurse checked me, she told me she had a meeting to go to, but would be back in a bit. she said i was progressing around a centimeter per hour and at that rate we would have a baby by dinner time. dave sent a text to our family and at that point i decided i was going to rest some- i had been chatting with friends on fb and i put my laptop away and tried to rest. <br />
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i don't know how long i had been laying there (maybe 10-15 minutes) but i remembered being super uncomfortable. like feeling really bad. i looked over at my screen that was monitoring contractions and i could tell i was having them. i just breathed through how bad i was feeling and i kept quiet. around this time dave told me he was going to go into the bathroom and he joked "don't have the baby while i'm in there." while he was in there, i had another painful contraction and decided something wasn't right, so i paged the nurses station. when they answered i just told them that i was in a lot of pain and to come quick! when the nurse came in, it wasn't my regular nurse and i was explaining to her that i was feeling a lot of pain, and she was telling me, "oh, you can just push this button here if you need more from your epidural." well, during that time i had another contraction, and i told her, "no, i don't think that's it, i mean, i feel like i might need to push. she came over and checked me and said, "oh, i can see her head!!" everything went kind of crazy after that as there were people all over my room- 3 or 4 nurses for me, plus nurses and doctors for isla. i remember a really tiny nurse jumping and trying to pull the lights down from the ceiling and my nurse rushing in and telling me, "i wasn't even gone for 20 minutes and you tried to have a baby without me." and then, of course, my doctor comes in and she was furious... "why didn't anyone call me?!" and a nurse replies, "she was a 4 just 15 minutes ago." and poor dave when he came out of the bathroom, the look on his face just said "really?!" it was chaotic, and they didn't have time to get everything in place, but i was ready to push. she needed some vacuum assistance, and i screamed at my doctor, "i AM pushing" when she told me i would have to work harder or i would have to have a csection (which seems to be all the motivation i ever need). i think i pushed maybe 5 times? isla arrived in about 20 minutes i think, and they let me hold her right away for just a quick minute before the team whisked her over to the warmer and checked all her signs, weight etc. she was wrapped up and given back to me for a few short photos and then whisked off to the nicu while i finished delivery. the room was straightened up and dave and i were left a little confused and alone. not long after that, the lc came in so i could start pumping because i was going to be unable to feed. not too long after that the milk was collected and taken to the nicu and i was moved into another room. we had done it though! our sweet little girl had finally arrived. <br />
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the rest of my hospital stay is a whole 'nother entry. maybe one day... <br />
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isla olive mcfadden. june 17, 2013. 3:48 pm. 4 lbs. 3 oz. 18 inches. <br />
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if you don't like pictures of babies being born... now's the time to leave...<br />
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poor misshapen head baby!</div>
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<br />McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-83050580607769263772014-03-21T23:50:00.000-05:002014-03-21T23:50:30.678-05:00ian turns 4<span id="goog_2010341790"></span><span id="goog_2010341791"></span>it's hard to believe that it's been (over) 4 years since i brought my sweet little boy into this world. he is still sweet, but no longer so little. gah. 4?! well, maybe he is still little... at his 4 year check-up he weighed in at 34 lbs and is 39.5" which put him in the 25-50%. he also had a hearing test- he failed on the right ear 4 times, so we are still waiting to see what the next step will be for that. for his actual birthday he chose to go to super bounce at the mall and then he wanted to eat chinese for dinner while watching turbo. not a bad day for a 4 year old!<br />
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it's really amazing to see how much he's grown over the last 4 years... i mean, i can tell how much bigger he's gotten just since isla was born. it makes my heart ache a little bit! he doesn't like to sit still- it's been hard to get him to focus on doing learning activities- i often wonder if i'm putting him at a disadvantage by not working on these things with him, but it's hard to get him to focus. he does know the alphabet, and he can count to 10, and he gets a little mixed up counting to 20. he knows his name, our names, his birthday, where he lives, colors, shapes. i have been working with him on writing his name (it's short, so it shouldn't be that hard)! he loves to read, but usually only wants to read in his room at bedtime. he loves playing sports, and hopefully it will be warm enough to start playing outside soon b\c this kid is dying to have some fresh air! he loves superheroes and ninja turtles, and cars and trains and lots of boy stuff. he loves to sing songs, and i find it amazing that he memorizes them so quickly! he has quite a sense of humor and a kind heart. he is a wonderful big brother and he really loves his sister so much! he is a people pleaser and he is very stubborn. he hates to see you mad at him, but he really just wants to have his way. i love this kid so much!<br />
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we decided to have a ninja turtles party for his 4th birthday. i used my dear friend pinterest for ideas and i think we put together a pretty good party, there was pizza, and hamburger cupcakes and all sorts of ninja fun!<br />
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party favors!</div>
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turtle lanterns</div>
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ooze </div>
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ninja turtle fruit/veggie trays (we had one for all the turtles)</div>
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hamburger cupcakes</div>
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the birthday boy's cupcake</div>
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cousins!</div>
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captain america</div>
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pictures from his actual birthday</div>
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turtle power!</div>
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isla looks like she's wondering if ian is going to shank her</div>
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<br />and to make me cry:</div>
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a day old</div>
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1st birthday </div>
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2nd birthday</div>
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3rd birthday!</div>
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sigh!</div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"> </span>McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-85272576939686852632014-03-13T13:40:00.000-05:002014-03-13T13:40:46.779-05:00isla - 7 months & 8 monthsnow that isla is back to a normal sleeping schedule, dave & i are sleeping again too. everyone is happy. this girl still refuses to nap- i don't know how an almost 9 month old can stay awake from anywhere from 7-10am all the way until 10pm, but this girl has mastered that skill. isla turned 7 months old on january 17 and 8 months old february 17. here's what she's been up to. <br />
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isla celebrated her first christmas- it was pretty non-eventful as she was just 6 months old. she got plenty of books, clothes and toys- but she was more concerned about being held and loved on. check. we left the the warmness of atlanta once again to return to the frozen wasteland we now call our home. for the love... it is now mid-march and we are still facing sub-freezing temperatures and snow. we're only 10" away from the all-time snow record, and we are not going to get a repeat of the 80 degree st. patty's day from 2012. i really just want to leave my house, but it's too cold. while we were in atlanta, both of the kids were sick and a call to our dr. was asking us to take them to urgent care. of course, none of the urgent care facilities around there would see isla, so we were able to find a dr to see them that afternoon. that was an unusual experience as we left with no explanations and a bunch of prescriptions. after seeing dr. nick, we decided to schedule an appt. to see our regular dr. a few hours after arriving home- the kids had just caught colds and we were able to toss the prescriptions. sigh. <br />
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we celebrated ian's 4th birthday in january- and isla enjoyed that because it was more time for her to be held and cuddled. i took both of the kids (with dave's help) to the pediatrician and isla had her 6 month check up. the ped told us that she sounded like she had maybe had a touch of rsv at some point, but was sounding really good. she was weighing in at 12 lbs 7 oz, and i am unsure of the length. weight is less than 2% and height was less than 5%. she also had her shots and caught up on some others. i've decided that while i'll probably keep her up to date on them- that i will not do that many shots again. my doctor is willing to let me space them out how i choose. there is no telling what caused the craziness the last 2 months- but a lot of it started shortly after... we decided to start solids shortly after this and that was met with zero success. after the first 10-15 attempts, i was beginning to think she wasn't going to be interested in eating. she was nursing well though, so i wasn't as worried. we had tried oatmeal, avocados and sweet potatoes with no luck! sometime in february, i took her to see the pediatrician again because she kept coughing and throwing up- and although her check up came back as "perfect", it was her weight that had me a little nervous- she weighed in at 12 lbs 10 oz- only 3 oz gained in 3 weeks. the ped told me that i should try a fruit with her, and they would re-check her weight at her 9 month appointment. we decided to try applesauce for her- and she loves it. i have learned that what they say about 2nd children and so on is true. with ian, we tried all the fruits and veggies to schedule and i had made all of them. with isla- we're still eating applesauce- if i remember to feed it to her... oh, boy.<br />
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on february 1, isla went from daily yoga to movement! she had been pushing up on her arms, and then her hands and knees since late december... and finally she crawled! it really doesn't take long to really get moving- now she is so fast, you can't turn your back for a minute! later that week she started sitting unassisted as well. the doctor at her sick visit said she though she would be walking by 10 months- we'll see! time has just flown too fast!<br />
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plank!</div>
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celebrating christmas in georgia</div>
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giving me the stink eye</div>
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opening christmas presents!</div>
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christmas planking!</div>
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4 generations </div>
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my heart = bursting</div>
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nap time with gg</div>
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ooh, new toys!</div>
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with gg & pop</div>
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playing nice!</div>
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sunday best!</div>
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brother's birthday</div>
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hanging with dad</div>
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all smiles!</div>
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valentine's day!</div>
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<br />McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-53513765711632227012014-03-08T01:53:00.000-06:002014-03-08T02:28:40.390-06:00product review - merino kidsi always say that i'm going to be a better blogger, and i just keep being terrible. isla has had a lot of trouble sleeping lately, and we are just very tired. this post has been sort of a long time coming, as i've started it about 100 times, but i can definitely say that we have now been using this product since october, so i have plenty to say about it! <br />
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i was asked to review the <a href="http://www.shoppingmoa.com/Merino-Kids-Baby-Sleep-Sack-For/M/B00A2DLOGO.htm">merino kids sleep sack</a> last summer shortly after i had isla. of course, she was very tiny, and it was very summery, so i wanted to wait until she was a little bigger and i was a little more comfortable. she was also doing well with being swaddled, and i wanted to see how long that would last. well, right around the time we moved into our new house (late october), she was done with the swaddle and we were ready to move on. we started using it as soon as she was done with the swaddle and the nights started getting colder!<br />
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about the merino kids sleep sack:<br />
<ul>
<li>it's made from superfine merino which means it's natural, itch-free and allergy safe. </li>
<li>it's fire-resistant without the chemicals that are in jammies</li>
<li>grows with your child for up to two years (maybe longer if they're little like mine)</li>
<li>regulates body temperature- insulates child when the air is cool and releases excess body heat when the temperature rises. your baby stays warm and dry and won't overheat!</li>
<li>machine washable!</li>
<li>easy to get baby in and out</li>
<li>has a belt aperture which enables the child to wear the sleep sack in a stroller or car seat!</li>
</ul>
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my first impression of the merino kids sleep sack was that it was gigantic! i think i could probably put ian inside of it comfortably (although i have not tried). i was initially worried about putting isla in the sleep sack with it being so big, but it fit her perfectly (she was probably around 8-10 lbs at the time) and i knew that there was no way it could move up around her face. the merino kids sleep sack snaps at one shoulder and then has snaps underneath each arm to make it tighter for smaller babies. now that she is mobile, she can move easily in it, although she hasn't figured out how to stand in it yet (which is good for us).<br />
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since it has been very cold here (many nights in single digits and below zero this winter) and the windows in the house aren't the best, isla's room has stayed chilly despite our insulating efforts. when she wakes up in the morning (or the middle of the night for that matter) she has been comfortably warm without feeling overheated. she has a few pairs of jammies that are footless, and dave has put her in the merino kids sleep sack and she has had warm feet upon unzipping (warmer than mine are in socks)!<br />
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another benefit of merino is that it blocks odor. this can be a good or bad thing. we have another sleep sack that we use when this one is being washed (since we air dry it) and whenever she wakes up wearing it, i can always smell her diapers- not with this sleep sack- it is odor free! it's also very easy to wash- i use a wool safe detergent and wash it on our handwash cycle and then lay it flat to dry.<br />
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the price of the <a href="http://www.shoppingmoa.com/Merino-Kids-Baby-Sleep-Sack-For/M/B00A2DLOGO.htm">merino kids sleep sack</a> is $99.99- i know, you may be freaking out seeing that. don't- this sleep sack is well-worth the price. remember the other sleep sack that i use when this one is being washed (it's also the sleep sack we used with ian)? that sleep sack is a size small and only covers the 10-16 pound range. now isla is 8 months old and still within that range- so it wouldn't matter to us- but i know people who have babies that are almost out of that pound range at 2-3 months of age! with one sleep sack that costs $20-$25 only lasting 2-3 months, you would need to buy one in every size s-xl just to get your child to their 2nd birthday. with merino kids- 1 sleep sack has you covered from birth to 2 years, and maybe even longer based on your child's size! they also have the toddler size sleep sack that goes from 2-4 years!<br />
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i also previously mentioned my worries about isla wearing the sleep sack during the summer- well, the merino kids sleep sack is perfect for baby to wear year-round because of its ability to regulate temperature. in the summer, baby can just sleep in a onesie or even just a diaper and stay the perfect temperature. it's perfect because the need for blankets is eliminated- no need to worry about whether or not your baby has pulled his or her blankie over their face!<br />
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one final thing i want to rave about is that the <a href="http://www.shoppingmoa.com/Merino-Kids-Baby-Sleep-Sack-For/M/B00A2DLOGO.htm">merino kids sleep sack</a> is not made of fleece like some of the others. i don't know why parents think fleece is such a wonderful thing, but it isn't! not only can fleece be treated with chemicals to make it flame retardant, but it is also very warm- too warm! once in a hurry, i took ian to the pediatrician in his jammies- a fleece blanket sleeper. while there, the pediatrician informed me that wearing something like that, even in the dead of winter was a risk for overheating. the other sleep sacks aren't quite as thick as blanket sleepers, but it's still fleece that's most likely being worn over jammies. the one that we use as a substitute is not fleece, but a cotton/minky fabric. i also mentioned earlier that the merino wool is itch-free and allergy safe- something that probably would've been a Godsend for ian's eczema as a baby!<br />
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overall, this sleep sack has been absolutely wonderful for us, a little cumbersome at her small size because of the extra material, but i know that it is only because there is so much extra room to grow into. i see us using this for a couple years into the future and maybe longer if another baby ever comes along.<br />
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if you've managed to read through my really really long review, now you can see some really adorable pictures of the sleep sack in action on a super-cute baby!<br />
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ready for bed!</div>
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flipped over!</div>
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wearing our merino kids to Disney on Ice! staying very warm!</div>
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one of my favorite features- you can buckle your child into their car seat/stroller/swing wearing the sleep sack. this is going to be perfect for road trips! someone was ready to get out of their car seat though and not happy! </div>
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testing the sleep sack out in the swing!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>*Disclaimer: I received this item free of charge in exchange for reviewing the product. All opinions
expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone.</i> </span></div>
McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-48274458141180011242014-02-04T01:39:00.000-06:002014-02-04T10:53:11.509-06:00Monster Jam is coming to Chicago!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Monster Jam is coming to the Allstate Arena in Rosemont THIS weekend! I have always wanted to go to a Monster Jam event! It seems like every time they come to Atlanta, I have at least 5 friends who are posting from there about what a good time that they are having (and most of these friends are the ones without kids)! I think this will be such a fun event for not only Ian (who loooves his Monster Trucks), but for Dave & I as well!<br />
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(read this in your Monster Jam announcer voice for the best effect) <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Monster Jam is the most exciting form
of family motorsports entertainment on the planet. The stars of the
show are the biggest performers on four wheels: the Monster Jam trucks!
The12 ft. tall, 10,000-pound machines
will bring you to your feet, racing and ripping up a custom-designed
track full of obstacles to soar over - OR smash through. The 2014
touring season brings more Monster Jam excitement providing
entertainment tailored perfectly for your family's budget, and
these colorful, larger-than-life beasts are sure to capture the hearts
of both young and old.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The Chicago shows are coming to the Allstate Arena in Rosemont February 7-9th! You can purchase tickets online now at www.ticketmaster.com! Ticket prices vary according to show so visit Ticket Master for details! </span><br />
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Showtimes: Friday, February 7 - 7:30 PM. Saturday, February 8 - 2 PM & 7:30 PM. Sunday, February 9 - 2 PM & 7:30 PM.<br />
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Kids tickets are just $12! <br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152215594435833">Monster Jam Pit Party</a>- Pit Party prior to each 2 PM performance from 11 AM - 1 PM. Walk the track, meet the drivers & grab autographs. Pit passes available for $10 online and through the Allstate Arena box office! <br />
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Here's your chance to save! Adults can save 30% off on all performances using code MOM - click <a href="http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/32958/1542376">here</a>! Discount does not apply to Front Row VIP or Gold Circle seats. No double discounts. Service charges, handling, and facility fees may apply! All tickets $2 more on day of show!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>*Disclaimer: I am a Feld Family
Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows
and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you
advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided
me and my family with complimentary tickets to Feld shows as well as
opportunities to attend private Feld pre-show events. All opinions
expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone.</i></span>McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-70277977347015511632014-02-04T00:58:00.002-06:002014-02-04T00:58:58.560-06:00Review of Disney On Ice Presents: Let's Celebrate On Friday the 24th we had the opportunity to go see Disney on Ice Presents: Let's Celebrate. The weather was terrible that day, and we actually debated not going, but at the last minute decided we still would go, and I'm really glad we did! <br />
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Venue: The show was at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, which for us is way more convenient than seeing a show at the UC. We liked that we only had to drive to Rosemont and there was minimal traffic for us!<br />
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Tickets & Parking. Dave had already told me that picking up tickets from Allstate kind of stinks. He was right. Their will-call is a separate building across the street. Inside it was kind of chaotic. People kept walking in off the street and right up to a window while I was still waiting in line. Guess I should have moved around. I did get the tickets easily though, but then I had to walk back to where Dave was waiting for me. There isn't really anywhere to park near will call, so I had to gather the kids and carry both of them inside and wait on Dave. That part was lame, but parking was free, so that was cool. <br />
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Inside: Once Dave got inside we were able to get right to our seats. We had 3 seats, and Isla sat on my lap... although Ian mostly sat on Dave's lap. There are tons of overpriced things for sale inside, from tshirts, to pictures "with" the cast members, which is to be expected at any kids show. Luckily, Ian doesn't really bug us about that kind of stuff, so we were able to avoid it! We had also had a snack in the car and drinks, so we avoided that too! <br />
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The Show: The show, Disney On Ice Presents: Let's Celebrate was basically about different celebrations- The Merry Un-Birthday from Alice & Wonderland, Halloween with Jack Skellington and Disney villains, Christmas with Minnie & Mickey. Just like last time, Ian was a little scared at first in the beginning, I think because he mostly didn't know what to expect. By the end though he was smiling and laughing. We all agreed that our favorite part was Halloween with Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas - Ian loves that movie. The show started at 7:30 and we were in our car by 9:15 and that was after staying a little extra afterwards to see some "behind the scenes" stuff. There is a short intermission in the middle. <br />
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Leaving the venue: We actually got out and to our car pretty easily. It had snowed during the show and the wind was whipping and it was freezing outside, so getting to our car as quickly as possible was a bonus. We even got our of the lot relatively quick! <br />
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So overall we had a great time and it didn't cost us anything*! Here are the pics!<br />
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the Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington</div>
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snuggling with this sweet little bunny who enjoyed people watching!</div>
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Hawaiian Celebration</div>
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Minnie in Japan</div>
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Mickey celebrating Chinese New Year</div>
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Chinese New Year Dragon</div>
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Mardi Gras celebration!</div>
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Christmas!</div>
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Jessie & Buzz Lightyear</div>
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Daisy Duck</div>
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Closing Number!</div>
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my boys post show!</div>
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Can't wait until our next show!</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>*Disclaimer: I am a Feld Family
Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows
and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you
advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided
me and my family with complimentary tickets to Feld shows as well as
opportunities to attend private Feld pre-show events. All opinions
expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone.</i></span>McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-70256403371189484362014-01-19T17:48:00.000-06:002014-02-04T01:00:36.988-06:00Disney on Ice in Chicago-2 ways to save!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuKjNsbiQLer6mVxQmEgyvqzT_p_GYHXT2oRdK-Vo0z2yMvKXc5nAzVoqM_mFb0YPnYBE-fmugcQiNILJEmjGcjzA_WxyljmwmL-wqyrZ6STpWDoEn0Q9GWaxXkElZYTW3IMhup6xOxw/s1600/585+x+90+Art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuKjNsbiQLer6mVxQmEgyvqzT_p_GYHXT2oRdK-Vo0z2yMvKXc5nAzVoqM_mFb0YPnYBE-fmugcQiNILJEmjGcjzA_WxyljmwmL-wqyrZ6STpWDoEn0Q9GWaxXkElZYTW3IMhup6xOxw/s1600/585+x+90+Art.jpg" height="98" width="640" /></a></div>
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See my review of this show <a href="http://ohbabyitsababy.blogspot.com/2014/02/review-of-disney-on-ice-presents-lets.html">here</a>!<br />
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<span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Disney On Ice presents Let's Celebrate is coming to the Allstate Arena in Chicago this week! Starting Wednesday, January 22 - Sunday, January 26 it’s
one colossal party on ice, with
all your favorite Disney friends! Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse
as they celebrate a Very Merry Unbirthday Party with Alice and the Mad
Hatter; a Royal Valentine’s Day Ball with Disney Princesses, including
Cinderella, Ariel and Tiana; a Hawaiian luau
with Lilo & Stitch; a winter wonderland with Woody, Jessie and Buzz
Lightyear; a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains and more in a
magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivities from around the
globe. Come join the party when
<i>Disney On Ice </i>presents <i>Let’s Celebrate! </i>visits Chicago!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Disney on Ice presents Let's Celebrate with 10 jam-packed scenes featuring 52 of your favorite Disney characters! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F5xzTLGrRw">Here</a> is a sneak peek from a previous show! </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Want to take your family? There are 2 great ways to save!</span><br />
<span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">1. Save 40% on all weekday shows and save 20% on all weekend shows using the code MOM</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Weekday shows include Thursday evening and Friday matinee shows and weekend includes all shows Friday evening through Sunday evening. Savings not valid on Front Row or VIP seating. No Double Discounts. Service Charge and Handling Fees may apply. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Enter the Promo Code 'MOM' by going <a href="http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/2q2yrx">here</a>! </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">2. Plan for Snacks! Take advantage of this special family offer - You can get FREE* concessions for four (4), with the purchase of four (4) lower level tickets! Get a great family four-pack with 4 hot dogs and 4 sodas!</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Savings </span><span style="color: #1e1c11; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">not valid on Front Row or VIP seating. No Double Discounts. Service Charge and Handling Fees may apply. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">TIP:
use the interactive seating map to ensure you’ve selected lower bowl
seats, then enter the code: FAMILY. The ‘Got a code?’ Tab is where you
redeem offers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Enter the Promo Code 'FAMILY' after going <a href="http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/kplzul">here</a>! </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Get ready for Disney on Ice presents Let's Celebrate by downloading this special coloring page from Pinterest <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/135741376242865502/">here</a>! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Disclaimer: I am a Feld Family
Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows
and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you
advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided
me and my family with complimentary tickets to Feld shows as well as
opportunities to attend private Feld pre-show events. All opinions
expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-16290659426918322512014-01-17T06:00:00.000-06:002014-01-17T06:00:02.065-06:00isla - 6 monthsisla turned 6 months old on december 17th. how has it seriously been half a year since my life changed again!? i can't believe i have a baby who is old enough to start trying food, sitting on her own and learning to crawl... not that she's doing any of these things, but still... what?!<br />
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isla celebrated her first thanksgiving. this year we decided to have thanksgiving with my family in georgia since we have not been there on thanksgiving since right after dave & i got married. i really dreaded how isla was going to do on the trip, so we decided that it would be best to leave in the evening after her last feeding and then just see how it went from there. we had dinner at our house with dave's mom, fed isla, then we got the kids in their pjs and hit the road. she actually slept pretty well until we hit some road construction in indiana where we of course couldn't pull off. she cried all through that and then went right back to sleep. she slept pretty much from then until her normal wake time and we stopped for breakfast and fed her and then were back on our way. we had a great week(end) and isla just loved being spoiled by everyone! she woke up in time to see georgia beat tech and managed to stay calm while everyone lost their mind when auburn beat bama. oh, college football.<br />
<br />that's about all i can think of for this month, but the pictures are the important part anyway.<br />
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hanging out with her buddy sophie. isla loves sophie way more than ian ever did.</div>
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sitting with pop on thanksgiving morning</div>
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chatting with gigi</div>
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giving adam and heather a little baby practice (!!)</div>
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6 months old!</div>
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this is about how pictures go these days...</div>
McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-89104711450501952732013-12-18T01:07:00.002-06:002013-12-18T01:07:58.029-06:00ModCloth's Revel in Rewards Sale!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</span>McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-83188690575282935342013-12-17T06:30:00.000-06:002013-12-17T06:30:00.875-06:00Isla's Birthday Story. Part 2.<a href="http://ohbabyitsababy.blogspot.com/2013/09/islas-birth-story-part-i.html">part 1</a>.<br />
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my memory is very fuzzy, at best. so i will hopefully remember everything. <br />
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dave had just dropped me off at the er and had gone home to drop ian off with our friend nickie (who, bless her heart, was also very pregnant), and pack up some things for us. a nurse had gotten me from the er and taken me to triage in l&d. i was given my bracelets- name and allergy- which they put on very loosely for me, thank goodness. when i got into triage, my bp was taken again and the top number was in the 190s. i was immediately started on an iv of magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures and given my first exam so they could try and figure out where baby was. the nurse couldn't "find any presenting parts", so they had to call someone in to do a quick ultrasound to find out whether or not she was head down. luckily, she was. i sat in the room alone in triage for a while and i remember the tv not working and a guy came in to try and fix it for me, but nothing happened. so i just remember waiting alone and bored for dave. my phone had died while we were at dinner and i was all alone. dave finally showed up and i was moved into an actual l&d room because they were going to start the induction at midnight. so at midnight on june 16, 2013, it was father's day, i turned 32 and my labor began. since i wasn't dilated any more than a 1, i had to be given cervadil to soften up my cervix before the real stuff would begin. that was pretty much the worst thing ever. i pretty much had to be pinned down to be given the dose- it was awful. i was induced (by choice) with Ian, and after having him and learning more about pregnancy and delivery I had decided that i absolutely did not want to be induced again- i wanted to go into labor on my own and have this baby on my own. that was the first of many things that just didn't work out for this delivery- but then again- nothing was going the way i had planned. sometime after the cervadil i was given a catheter b\c my urine output had to be monitored b\c of the preeclamsia. that pretty much ties cervadil for the worst thing ever. i had blood taken, which started 5 straight days of having blood taken 2x a day from the same place in my arm (also awful). i am pretty sure we were able to sleep a little bit after this- the magnesium sulfate made me pretty drowsy, so it's hard to really know. <br />
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my parents arrived sunday afternoon. that day my friend kristen also came and gave my disgusting feet a pedicure. i remember her making jokes about how gross my feet were before i passed out. i also had my 2nd dose of cervadil at noon. during all of this, i wasn't able to eat- so no birthday cake, which made me really unhappy. at some point, i managed to talk a nurse into bringing me food- and i got a turkey sandwich from the nurses lounge. when i ate this thing, it was like i hadn't eaten in years. i still joke with dave about how it was the best turkey sandwich ever. nurses kept changing shifts, and every time one would leave me, i would be so sad because i was going to have someone new. at some point on sunday i decided i would also have an epidural. this was another thing i had not planned on- i really wanted to wait and play things by ear with my un-induced delivery. by sunday afternoon i was exhausted and in a lot of pain from the catheter, and the cervadil- i hoped the epidural would help something and it did- after getting it, i felt the most alert and awake i had been since arriving. i think i had dilated to a 2 around this point and i may have started the pitocin (or maybe it was monday). my blood pressure remained high, which i knew because i had to have it taken EVERY 15 MINUTES. :(<br />
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my sister in law and brother in law had picked ian up at our house and taken him to fathers' day brunch and to hang out at their house for a few days. this kept me from worrying and freaking out about where he was going to be, and he probably forgot we existed. <br />
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dumb side story- it was sometime during this day that i had found out that kim kardashian had delivered her baby. i remember i found out that she was pregnant shortly after i found out that i was pregnant and that she was due around the same time i was. i knew she had to be delivering as early as i was- and i remember seeing that terrible picture of her swollen feet during the summer. so we had the same thing at the same time and delivered a day apart. too bad she has done little to nothing to bring awareness to pre-e.<br />
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i will have to finish this in a part 3 because i'm tired now. here are some photos from my 2nd day in the hospital...<br />
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me in my l&d room. hooked up to a blood pressure monitor and magnesium sulfate drip. i am so swollen.</div>
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i think as a pregnant person, i thought the rest of me looked like me. when i see these pictures, i can hardly recognize myself. my face is so swollen i can hardly smile. even my arms and hand look huge.</div>
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preeclampsia gets a big ol thumbs down. </div>
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seriously. my giant face. i am so swollen that i just have slits for eyes. ugh.</div>
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i think i'm napping here. or faking my arm bracelets keep getting tighter b\c i keep getting more and more swollen. </div>
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i feel like crying when i see my feet... and what used to be my ankle. </div>
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ow.</div>
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i'll try not to take 3 months to write the next part...</div>
McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-15938455078187619322013-12-05T13:43:00.000-06:002014-01-06T00:25:16.929-06:00isla - 5 monthsi am not sure what i've been doing for the last month, but it hasn't been blogging. we moved into a new house just over a month ago and we love it. we are almost completely finished unpacking- and if we ever finish peeling the wallpaper border down from the master bedroom- we might actually paint in there and move our furniture in instead of sleeping on the floor on our mattress. i might write a post about our house one day- so stay tuned!<br />
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isla turned 5 months old on november 17th. this was a rough month for us. i don't know if it was the move, a wonder week, or what, but she was crazy. things have settled (esp with her) and now she is just the happiest baby ever- but this past month her sleep schedule was all jacked up, she was fussy and just plain crazy. no doctor's appointments this month, so i am guessing that her weight is probably around 12 lbs. she finally mastered rolling over from her back to her belly- but the first time she did it was in her pack n play at 1 am in a fit of rage. she's let us see her roll over since and now, just like ian, she prefers to sleep on her belly. she is still nursing well- but is starting to show an interest in what we are eating. she doesn't really sleep much during the day, despite my efforts, but she does sleep at night for maybe 10 hours? we almost have her room ready- so i think she'll be moving in there pretty soon, but we've got to figure out how to get it warmer in there. it's an icebox! <br />
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i can't believe it's been 5 months already. it seems crazy that it's been that long, yet it seems like it's been forever.<br />
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someone did not like trying out the chair for the first time...</div>
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almost 2 feet tall!</div>
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halloween cheerleader</div>
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post-trick or treating exhaustion</div>
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cute little georgia fans during the auburn game!</div>
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5 months old and full of smiles!</div>
McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-37908699491489171372013-11-04T06:00:00.000-06:002013-11-04T06:00:01.461-06:00isla - 4 monthsnow that isla has had her 4 month appointment, i feel like i can write her 4 month post. first off- how does this time just fly by- i swear, even faster than it did when ian was a baby. <br />
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isla turned 4 months old on october 17th. at isla's appointment she weighed in at 10 lbs 12 oz. she had previously been below the 5th percentile- she is now below the 2nd percentile. her length is 23". she was previously below the 5th percentile and is now in the 15th-25th percentile. her head circumference is 15" which moves her from below the 5th to the 25th-50th percentile. there is no concern about her weight as she has gained 3 lbs in the last 2 months. we did 2 shots- completion of dpt and the rotovirus. i am still undecided about vaccinations as i feel it's a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation. i really just don't know. we also got the ok to start rice if we wanted, but were told it wasn't a necessity. we're going to skip it.<br />
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she is still sleeping well at night- i have gradually moved her bedtime forward, and right now she seems content to eat around 10:00 and then go to sleep afterwards. her wake-up time varies between 7 and 9- which is so crazy to me b\c ian never slept that late until he was at least a year old. her sleep during the day is a crap-shoot. she takes at least 1 good nap, but the rest are catnaps. she definitely prefers to be in someone's arms, which makes it nearly impossible to get anything done (like packing boxes). <br />
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she loves to "chat" especially while she is nursing and she is usually full of smiles. i've even gotten 1 laugh out of her! she loves playing on her play mat and she pretty much has full control of her head- so i've retired the infant insert in our carrier. she prefers to lay on her belly to look at things, but normally flips herself over to her back. she's trying really hard to flip over to her belly, but can't quite get over her arm. she's still pretty indifferent about sitting in her swing or bouncy seat. her big thing right now is standing. she likes to stand on your lap or any surface you put her on- i'm so surprised at how much strength she has in her little legs. <br />
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after having hardly any photos last month- we did a lot better this month.<br />
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Isla & me before the Braves/Cubs game</div>
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Ian wanted to pick out Isla's outfit and i think he did a good job!</div>
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wearing one of my baby dresses</div>
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sunday after church</div>
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blue steel baby</div>
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baby llama drama</div>
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so serious</div>
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daddy trying to get Isla to smile- it worked, but she was looking at him</div>
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4 months!</div>
McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-82207682016697673502013-10-16T06:00:00.000-05:002013-10-16T06:00:01.196-05:00isla - 3 monthssince isla is going to be 4 months old in just a couple days, i should probably do a 3 month post. we have been so busy getting ready to move and just with 2 children in general. it's been a little crazy. <br />
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isla turned 3 months old on september 17th. she was probably around 8.5-9 lbs (i know i weighed her around both of those numbers). she started sleeping through the night at some point during that time (i feed her around 12-12:30) and she slept until around 6. she's started sleeping even more now. she's more awake and alert during the day and she's gotten super chatty with me. she also smiles all the time which i just can't get enough of. she has nearly full control of her head and loves to play on her mat. she still prefers to be held if she can help it, but she will sit in her swing or bouncer. i'll have more details in her 4 month post! it's all running together. man, time is flying.<br />
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also, i just discovered that these are the only pictures we took with our actual camera of Isla from 2 months to 3 months. we are terrible parents! <br />
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Disney on Ice!</div>
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a smile captured on camera! she looks like a fat little buddah!</div>
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3 months old! </div>
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no more photos!</div>
McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-3157524929384978862013-09-27T06:30:00.000-05:002013-09-27T06:30:00.030-05:00mama style - 3.1 phillip lim for targeti wanted to start doing some "mama style" posts- posts that will show you that becoming a mom doesn't mean you get to just wear yoga pants and a tshirt forever. i won't front- i do wear yoga pants and a tshirt- at home. moms- get cute, and get out of yo house! <br />
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so, like most people in the world- i love designer collaborations. the chance to own designer goods for a minimal amount of money is something that i think anyone can get behind. i believe target started it all with their go international collection- which i owned a few pieces from long ago, but now they're everywhere it seems.<br />
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everyone on the interwebs seemed to be freaking out over the 3.1 phillip lim collection- me, not being able to pass up a good bargain went down to check it out. let's say i no longer share that enthusiasm. maybe it's because i just had a baby, and i've still got a little bit of baby weight. maybe it's because i'm short- and i can't afford to carry extra weight. i don't know- but i'm beginning to think these collections are made for skinny people only. this one was certainly a punch in the proverbial crotch of my self-esteem. i don't know what it is, but the sizing is ALL OVER THE PLACE for these collections- at least on me. i tried on nearly everything my store had - my thoughts follow!<br />
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<img alt="" class="product-img" data-src="http://Img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617751_201308061452.jpg" height="320" src="http://Img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617751_201308061452.jpg" width="320" />
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<a class="name" href="http://www.pjatr.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-sparkle-sweater-navy-xl%2F-%2FA-14617751" target="_blank" title="3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sparkle Sweater -Navy XL">3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sparkle Sweater...</a>
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<a href="http://www.pjatr.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-sparkle-sweater-navy-xl%2F-%2FA-14617751"></a>
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Price: 39.99<br />
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<img alt="" class="product-img" data-src="http://Img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617742_201308061452.jpg" height="320" src="http://Img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617742_201308061452.jpg" width="320" />
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<a class="name" href="http://www.pjatr.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-silky-skirt-animal-print-2%2F-%2FA-14617742" target="_blank" title="3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Silky Skirt -Animal Print 2">3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Silky Skirt -Animal Print</a>
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<a href="http://www.pjatr.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-silky-skirt-animal-print-2%2F-%2FA-14617742"></a>
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Price: 29.99</div>
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thoughts: the sweater was super-thick and would be perfect for winters up here, but i felt like it just hung on me and made me look dumpy. plus, you can tell the sleeves have extra length on my arms, but i wish the sweater itself had more length. maybe the sleeves are supposed to be scrunched up though? this sweater was a medium and i felt fit me just fine. the skirt- i really liked, although i don't wear a lot of skirts b\c i never know how to style them and i don't like how they sit on my waist- i would go back and buy this skirt on clearance. i needed a 14 in this skirt (yes) which is 2-3 sizes bigger than the jeans i am currently wearing. i like the skirt though, so i wouldn't let the number sway my decision. i really wanted to try on the leopard print dress- but they didn't have it in the store on opening day- however, they did have it when i went to target yesterday, but i didn't get the chance to try it!<br />
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<div class="image-container">
<img alt="" class="product-img" data-src="http://Img2.targetimg2.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617864_201308061452.jpg" height="320" src="http://Img2.targetimg2.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617864_201308061452.jpg" width="320" />
</div>
<a class="name" href="http://www.gopjn.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-sparkle-tank-grey-xl%2F-%2FA-14617864" target="_blank" title="3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sparkle Tank -Grey XL">3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sparkle Tank -Grey</a>
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<a href="http://www.gopjn.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-sparkle-tank-grey-xl%2F-%2FA-14617864"></a>
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<div class="price">
Price: 24.99 <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdOU2MhS7G8KCaEZo0iyyvNsQXgSeLITh82lLYDjU0j2Hk51Ku9VaLVKu4f_SpUjHhRirR6AGYEAyO4MWgb_3wLV5xSuQdWAPhoqUHrk5jA_kd-9CUAVGCxE9_DrwM77h6vhCQ5h5-kY/s1600/20130915_110234%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi8sbIaWw3mPLKSqm6tU0Q-CksWc5tHiQpK6G-XFVRHZOAsPfYUZyY6zfulDmuJi3kOpnpnSH2AFLaD3rgByxhRZ0iWYX02bYC3OlHQ7Hq0YTVKHgmXCXVwhyxmnjTYHmsmvO1SIQOEU/s1600/20130915_105557%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi8sbIaWw3mPLKSqm6tU0Q-CksWc5tHiQpK6G-XFVRHZOAsPfYUZyY6zfulDmuJi3kOpnpnSH2AFLaD3rgByxhRZ0iWYX02bYC3OlHQ7Hq0YTVKHgmXCXVwhyxmnjTYHmsmvO1SIQOEU/s400/20130915_105557%5B1%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
thoughts: this tank was probably my favorite thing that i tried on, but i'm not paying $25 for one. i'd definitely pick this up on clearance though! a medium worked for me in this style<br />
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<div class="image-container">
<img alt="" class="product-img" data-src="http://Img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617851_201308061452.jpg" height="320" src="http://Img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617851_201308061452.jpg" width="320" />
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<a class="name" href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-sparkle-dress-blue-l%2F-%2FA-14617851" target="_blank" title="3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sparkle Dress -Blue L">3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sparkle Dress - Blue</a>
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<a href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-sparkle-dress-blue-l%2F-%2FA-14617851"></a>
<div class="price">
Price: 49.99</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhbxZ-mQDZB6XxTOTSfjN8LWyYaBzhR0YVmn2WNF0TSfDsYWx9cF9UAEa0husEnYTwduClEoJxrk3P2HUphhWNcHkodF2Fx6dyQPikIBh5wMMinaHILZ2LQ9s3P9APZ3dltlqSdCyq4k/s1600/20130915_104023%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhbxZ-mQDZB6XxTOTSfjN8LWyYaBzhR0YVmn2WNF0TSfDsYWx9cF9UAEa0husEnYTwduClEoJxrk3P2HUphhWNcHkodF2Fx6dyQPikIBh5wMMinaHILZ2LQ9s3P9APZ3dltlqSdCyq4k/s400/20130915_104023%255B1%255D.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHQ0iC7RiTXe7RoXhrXdfrboqCpLW173a7ZEOEfgA4nMEYKtdn-hYPHtSB6zHqiCJgA7aK1yLOcojA2T9qycTMnGsptqF3Iw0o8rstBofSHLjRS-z6mLEt3gSbtZjHM9eIgc7CdwvrW8/s1600/20130915_105233%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHQ0iC7RiTXe7RoXhrXdfrboqCpLW173a7ZEOEfgA4nMEYKtdn-hYPHtSB6zHqiCJgA7aK1yLOcojA2T9qycTMnGsptqF3Iw0o8rstBofSHLjRS-z6mLEt3gSbtZjHM9eIgc7CdwvrW8/s400/20130915_105233%255B1%255D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
thoughts: this dress obviously didn't work for me. on the left is a large, which hung on me like a potato sack. on the right a medium- which was snug all over. oh well. a definite no.<br />
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<div class="image-container">
<img alt="" class="product-img" data-src="http://Img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617850_201308061452.jpg" height="320" src="http://Img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617850_201308061452.jpg" width="320" />
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<a class="name" href="http://www.pntra.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-sweater-dress-grey-m%2F-%2FA-14617850" target="_blank" title="3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sweater Dress -Grey M">3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sweater Dress</a>
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<a href="http://www.pntra.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-sweater-dress-grey-m%2F-%2FA-14617850"></a>
<div class="price">
Price: 44.99</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGFMMSjxiyszmoOdURUp7zicRRmAlqujpEXXBd_zMX-D_jNNIwvw8__Ldd-_XOYP-qORBCHamHWfliEJ5KZvHbwAS5jxkLiAF2wOmNB2Qg66ukYShFXnoPsG0EWtwMEQrZNNjaerAQ8c/s1600/20130915_105416%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGFMMSjxiyszmoOdURUp7zicRRmAlqujpEXXBd_zMX-D_jNNIwvw8__Ldd-_XOYP-qORBCHamHWfliEJ5KZvHbwAS5jxkLiAF2wOmNB2Qg66ukYShFXnoPsG0EWtwMEQrZNNjaerAQ8c/s320/20130915_105416%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
thoughts: this is the worst picture of me of all time to go on the interwebs. the dress on me screamed "hey everyone, i just had a baby..." ugh. this was a medium.<br />
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<div class="image-container">
<img alt="" class="product-img" data-src="http://Img3.targetimg3.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617829_201308071412.jpg" height="320" src="http://Img3.targetimg3.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14617829_201308071412.jpg" width="320" />
</div>
<a class="name" href="http://www.gopjn.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-pullover-navy-green-xl%2F-%2FA-14617829" target="_blank" title="3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Pullover -Navy/Green XL">3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Pullover -Navy/Emerald</a>
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<a href="http://www.gopjn.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-pullover-navy-green-xl%2F-%2FA-14617829"></a>
<div class="price">
Price: 34.99<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLH7SrEa-xEWw5rnXN_liLRwalP8AqAwEy2lppoXvH91JVjG2wbfd12WR7bvX0Kr3OvUx_1gcLW6ktdyfUCqFjUcOqYWa0wJaMa77nZtvZG8EUiL_Rj2eqxHJ3TjlNipd9Wc8z5wiYB4/s1600/20130915_110234%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLH7SrEa-xEWw5rnXN_liLRwalP8AqAwEy2lppoXvH91JVjG2wbfd12WR7bvX0Kr3OvUx_1gcLW6ktdyfUCqFjUcOqYWa0wJaMa77nZtvZG8EUiL_Rj2eqxHJ3TjlNipd9Wc8z5wiYB4/s400/20130915_110234%255B1%255D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
thoughts: i really liked this top, but i tried on a medium and a large and couldn't lift my arms up. if anyone knows what that means- tell me, b\c even in my pre-baby days when i was much smaller i had the same issue with tops/jackets. target had an xl when i was there yesterday, i might try that b\c this was my favorite thing from the look book. </div>
<div class="image-container">
<img alt="" class="product-img" data-src="http://Img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14618012_201308061452.jpg" height="320" src="http://Img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS/img/p/14/61/14618012_201308061452.jpg" width="320" />
</div>
<a class="name" href="http://www.gopjn.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-silky-skirt-navy%2F-%2FA-14618157" target="_blank" title="3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Silky Skirt -Navy 16">3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Silky Skirt -Navy</a>
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<a href="http://www.gopjn.com/t/Qj5HSEZKPklJR0JEPkdIRko?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F3-1-phillip-lim-for-target-silky-skirt-navy%2F-%2FA-14618157"></a>
<div class="price">
Price: 29.99</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvTc7WaqBCwatDRGzOMwuPr_1WDg64lPXe9NZDOYSXJsJcSi61Q2jFFpd5At_O1lGf1XskrNsz0fuK_s3m4bNpsWA23mWLrCgvcQNuusR4DXZ0ltVQ6pgRe1HmeIhi-eGKjD4OykQHw0/s1600/20130915_105018%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvTc7WaqBCwatDRGzOMwuPr_1WDg64lPXe9NZDOYSXJsJcSi61Q2jFFpd5At_O1lGf1XskrNsz0fuK_s3m4bNpsWA23mWLrCgvcQNuusR4DXZ0ltVQ6pgRe1HmeIhi-eGKjD4OykQHw0/s400/20130915_105018%255B1%255D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
thoughts: this fit well. was the same as the animal print skirt. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixc1_1p5WNiTN-ecmisQlKcOEetUsn4EOGfpXxMF6EU2bKxPmvitFkybxMtxz2nfCQobhnsiK_EzZkSAY2_5q0_X71QWRggz4kyTjVcyUpi_9NVUoGyvoJJSuULS6AE8dvkxPcXNKwzag/s1600/20130915_103827%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixc1_1p5WNiTN-ecmisQlKcOEetUsn4EOGfpXxMF6EU2bKxPmvitFkybxMtxz2nfCQobhnsiK_EzZkSAY2_5q0_X71QWRggz4kyTjVcyUpi_9NVUoGyvoJJSuULS6AE8dvkxPcXNKwzag/s400/20130915_103827%255B1%255D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
thoughts: cute floral shirt dress, but i tried a large AND an xl and couldn't lift my arms up over my head- seriously. wtf. i don't have broad shoulders... what is up?<br />
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so overall, this collection was unfortunately a bust for me. did you give it a try? buy anything? maybe i'll have better luck next time- and by next time i mean- today! catherine malandrino for kohls!</div>
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McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-71224358510985487272013-09-24T22:57:00.003-05:002013-09-24T23:03:36.698-05:00Sharing the Love!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Right now, through October 2nd, ModCloth is offering a $20 credit instead of their usual $15 for every new customer. Must be signed up with a new account!</div>
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<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=483403&u=712578&m=43745&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank"><img border="0" nbsp="" src="http://www.shareasale.com/image/43745/V1-GrabBag__200x200.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=483403&u=712578&m=43745&urllink=&afftrack="></a></div>
<br />McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-88696242107423974192013-09-20T02:26:00.000-05:002013-09-20T02:26:23.484-05:00KairosLife.com<div>
<i>kairos: an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). a moment of indeterminate time in which something special happens!</i> <br />
<br />
something that's really scary to me is the thought of losing my photos or videos- especially the ones i have of the children. it's really a recurring nightmare that i have. i especially have gotten really scared about it after my brother & sister-in-law had their apartment broken into- the thief stole their camera and laptops (among other things) and the camera and laptop contained their honeymoon pictures that they had not printed yet. jeez. dave & i have been married for 6 years and i still haven't printed our honeymoon photos.. however, i have everything in several locations- computer, external hard drive, and i'm still trying to print my photos as well. i'm always looking for an extra place to store things, you know- <i>just in case. </i></div>
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<a href="http://kairoslife.com/">KairosLife.com</a> is a new site that lets you store your digital memories for the future. When you are ready, you can set a date and then release the photos to your children or loved ones- it's like a digital time capsule of your photos. You choose the date, and then on that date an email is sent<br />
<br />
KairosLife is still in their beta phase, but they are currently looking for users to test the site<i>. </i>You can get your complimentary membership by visiting the site at <a href="http://www.kairoslife.com/">www.kairoslife.com</a> and registering your email address. As soon as the site is ready to launch, you will receive an email! </div>
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How does KairosLife work?</div>
<ol>
<li>Upload
photos, videos or letters from your PC or mobile device to a
“KairosMoment” which is the album or capsule that will be delivered to
your loved one on a future date.</li>
<li>Tag your loved ones to that KairosMoment and set a reveal date when it will be delivered.</li>
<li>As
the reveal date approaches, if desired, other family members and
friends can share their thoughts on that KairosMoment to add to the
memories for that loved one.</li>
<li>Then on the reveal date, the loved one will get an email notifying them of a KairosMoment that has been unlocked.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Get your complimentary membership today and be one of the first to test the site! Just visit <a href="http://www.kairoslife.com/" target="_blank">www.KairosLife.com</a> and enter your email address! It's that simple! </div>
McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-1150936743752408762013-09-19T05:30:00.000-05:002013-09-19T05:30:00.451-05:00Isla's Birth Story. Part I Three months ago my world was completely turned upside down. I was 34 weeks pregnant, and I was exhausted. I really was wondering how i was going to make it to the end. The weekend before (June 8th), we had a lot going on. I went to a baby shower, and then headed to my in-laws for my father-in-law's 60th birthday party. By the time we got to the party, i was completely wiped out. Sunday was the same- we went back over for my nephew's baby dedication, and that night the 3 of us went to dinner together for pizza- not knowing it'd be our last meal with just the 3 of us! Dave was headed to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin that night for an all-week work conference, and although he was only an hour away, I still felt very nervous. I had been to the doctor the prior week, and everything was great- the following week I would be starting my weekly appointments- when he got back we planned to start setting everything in motion: getting meals prepared, getting the crib ready, washing clothes- our baby was going to be here in about 5-7 weeks! I joked with him about having the baby while he was gone- i knew the week might be rough, but i'd make it. I spent most of the week at my in-laws' house- I was watching Ian and my nephews Wednesday morning, so we just planned to stay there Tuesday night. I was going to take Ian back home Wednesday and come back Thursday evening and then we were going to go to the Children's Museum with my mother-in-law, nephews and sister-in-law Friday morning. Dave would be back Friday afternoon, and we would do birthday and father's day stuff over the weekend. <br />
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i was really excited for dave to come home on friday- it had been a long week and i was ready to have a break. i had made plans to have dinner that night with my friends beth, kristen and melissa. we had decided to have dinner at a place called claimjumpers, that i had never been to before. these dinners had become a regular thing for us, and with kristen and i both being pregnant they had become sort of an indulge-fest. so, of course, i indulged. when i got home, i felt over-indulged. i talked to dave for a little bit and then i tried to go to bed. 1 AM rolled around, then 2, i was starting to feel worse. i had terrible heartburn, a headache and my back was killing me. plus, i was having my usual contractions. i chalked it up to the food, but still was a little worried. i started downloading pregnancy apps, contraction counters; i googled "back labor", and i looked to see if my acupuncturist was available (she wasn't). 3 rolled around and i had had enough. i had been to the bathroom many times, had water, taken tums, and gas-x and nothing seemed to help the heartburn. finally i decided to buck up and take the mylanta i had- oh, that stuff is the most terrible stuff of all time. i poured it up and took it like i was taking a shot, and as i swallowed it something terrible happened- i could feel my heartburn drop from my sternum all the way down to my belly button. i felt absolutely miserable and had no idea what to do. finally, i decided around 4 AM that i would call the 24-hr nurse line provided by my insurance- the nurse suggested that i drink 2 big glasses of water and lie down on my left side for 30 minutes to see how i feel, and if i wasn't feeling better, i should call my doctor. i guzzled my water, and went to lay down, and i finally got still enough that just as the sun was coming up, i finally fell asleep.<br />
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i really don't remember much about saturday- i'm pretty sure i got up and had breakfast with dave & ian. before i knew it, i was back in bed asleep, and i slept for quite a while. i felt better, so i just figured i was tired from the lack of sleep. when i woke up, dave & ian had left a note that they had gone out for a while- i was so out of it, i had no idea they had even left. i decided to pull myself together and shower b\c i really wanted to go out to dinner for my birthday- i really wanted thai food! before we left to go, i spoke on the phone with my friend katie- she called to see how things were and i had told her about my previous night. she asked if i had had my blood pressure checked recently- and i told her not since my last appointment. she then asked if i would go have it checked on my way to dinner- and i agreed, so i told dave we needed to stop at walgreens. we headed out to dinner and when we were almost there, we stopped and i made my way to the pharmacy. they didn't have have a machine, so i waited while some guy picked up his $1000 prescription (no lie!). i asked the tech about having my bp taken and he said i would have to fill out some forms and wait for the pharmacist, which i did. finally the pharmacist took my bp and this conversation took place:<br />
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rx: your blood pressure is 210/106. that's high. are you going to see your doctor soon?<br />
me: yes, on tuesday.<br />
rx: be sure to tell them when you get there that this was your blood pressure.<br />
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so i left walgreens and i told dave in the car. i guess i didn't think anything of it b\c the pharmacist seemed so ok with it. when we got to the restaurant i texted katie, my mother in law and my sister in law. of course, my phone is about to die (per usual) and i am getting a barrage of texts about getting it checked elsewhere for a second opinion (walmart, the er, etc), but we decide that we'll check it at my in-law's house b\c my father in law has his own monitor. so we order dinner and wait. while we're waiting i google blood pressure, and i get these graphics... it was my first warning... <br />
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(yes. i am basically dead).</div>
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i didn't say anything to dave, but i was a little worried at that point. everything kind of went crazy after this. my friend katie calls me, and she was freaking out. she said that she had just talked to her mother (a midwife) and her mother was worried and she was worried, and did i call my doctor? then she said what scared me: "people die from this." i promised her i would call my doctor and i hung up. so i told dave i was going to call, just to be safe. i had to have the doctor paged since it was saturday, and luckily my doctor was on call. she got back to me pretty quickly and we had this conversation.</div>
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me: hi, sorry to bother you, but i had a really bad night last night- i thought i ate too much- i had heartburn, a headache, back pains- i just felt bad, so a friend told me to have my bp checked and i just did and it was 210/106</div>
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<br />dr: ohmygod</div>
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me: uh, yeah, and i think i've also gained about 10-15 lbs since the last time i saw you (at this point i was up at least 55 lbs).</div>
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dr. i need you to come in right away.</div>
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me: i'm at dinner right now</div>
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dr. you don't have time to finish dinner- you need to come straight in, i will let them know to expect you.</div>
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me: i don't have a bag packed, we have ian with us</div>
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dr. dave can drop you off and pack a bag for you, you need to be here right now.</div>
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so i went back in and told dave. commence both of us freaking out. we let ian finish eating while dave had our meal bagged to go and paid. we headed to the hospital frantically calling for someone to watch ian. i was making a list of things i might need on a scrap piece of paper for dave to pack while he was at home. i was freaking out about leaving ian so soon. we were all pretty scared. i kissed ian goodbye as dave dropped me off at the er, and i just remember being so sad. i felt like he was really being cheated out of these last few weeks, and then i waved goodbye to them and walked in... and i went to the wrong place. oops. i was supposed to go straight to l&d, so they called a nurse down, put a bracelet on me, and she came and wheeled me to the l&d triage, and that's where my journey began. i feel like i've typed so much already and nothing has even "happened" yet. i'll leave you a picture of what my feet looked like. don't look at this while you're eating, or before you eat. seriously though: if you are pregnant and your feet ever look like this- call a doctor. </div>
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my poor feet. and my poor toenails. i was supposed to get a pedicure the next week. they were hideous. luckily, i had a friend fix them before delivery... those marks near the big toe- my flip flop indention. </div>
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McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-42952362959826995902013-09-13T11:34:00.000-05:002013-09-15T23:53:19.094-05:00Disney on IceThis week, my family and I had the opportunity to attend <i>Disney on Ice </i>Celebrates <i>100 Years of Magic. </i>We decided not to tell Ian beforehand, and let it be a surprise for him when we arrived! So he knew when we were heading to the uc that he was going to a surprise, but he kept saying we were going to an "animal surprise"... whatever that is. If you have been to any other events at the uc, you know that parking can be pricy and you usually have to walk. That wasn't the case for <i>Disney on Ice</i>! Since parking is free for all events- we got into a lot right in front of the center- 2 steps and we were there!<br />
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when we got inside, we went to a special meet & greet- Mickey & Minnie were there! Ian refused to have his picture with them, but Isla was more than willing to comply!<br />
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Ian did however go crazy for the sword he got! He's pretty much played with it non-stop since he got it- he even sleeps with it on his dresser. It has pretty much made his 3 year old life!<br />
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Now, onto the show! <i>Disney on Ice </i>Celebrates <i>100 Years of Magic! </i>Sixty of Disney's unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in <i>Disney on Ice </i>celebrates <i>100 Years of Magic. </i>There were appearances by Mickey Mouse, Minnie
Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and many Disney
Princesses. Plus on ice reenactments from <i>The Lion King</i>; <i>Mulan</i>; and Disney/Pixar's <i>Finding Nemo</i>, <i>The Incredibles, </i>and<i> Toy Story</i> films. This was my first ever Disney event, and my first ice skating event! The show was about 2 hours with a short intermission in between. I thought it was the perfect length for kids- Ian paid attention from start to finish without getting restless- which NEVER happens! The pyrotechnics scared him a little (though they were few and far between), but he was mesmerized by everything else! I asked him after the show what his favorite parts were and he said <i>Toy Story, The Incredibles and Pinocchio</i>. My favorite part was <i>Mulan</i>. If you have kids, or you're a fan of all things Disney- you will LOVE a <i>Disney on Ice</i> event- it's definitely one of the best deals in town! We can't wait to go again!!! Here are some photos from the show!!</div>
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Mickey, Minnie, Chip & Dale!</div>
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Aladdin and the Genies </div>
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Finding Nemo</div>
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Toy Story</div>
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It's a Small World!</div>
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Pinocchio</div>
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Mulan</div>
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Lion King</div>
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The grand finale!</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclaimer: I am a Feld Family
Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows
and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you
advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided
me and my family with complimentary tickets to Feld shows as well as
opportunities to attend private Feld pre-show events. All opinions
expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone</span> </i>McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-7443319219423903652013-09-09T17:19:00.000-05:002013-09-09T17:19:20.812-05:00Disney on Ice in Chicago THIS WEEK! (September 11-15)<br />
It's finally here! <i>Disney On Ice</i> is coming to the United Center in Chicago September11-15! Join the celebration as more than 60 of Disney's unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in <i>Disney on Ice </i>celebrates <i>100 Years of Magic. </i>You'll be captivated by the one and only Mickey Mouse, the irresistible Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and many Disney Princesses. Be thrilled by exciting moments from <i>The Lion King</i>; <i>Mulan</i>; and Disney/Pixar's <i>Finding Nemo</i>, <i>The Incredibles, </i>and<i> Toy Story</i> films; in a skating spectacular filled with magical Disney moments you'll remember forever as <i>Disney On Ice </i>celebrates <i>100 Years of Magic</i><br />
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Performance Dates/Times are as follows:<br />
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Wednesday, September 11 (Opening Night) - 7:00 PM (Tickets are just $12!)<br />
Thursday, September 12 - 7:00 PM<br />
Friday, September 13 - 7:00 PM<br />
Saturday, September 14 - 11:30 AM, 3:30 PM, 7:00 PM<br />
Sunday, September 15 - 11:30 AM, 3:30 PM, <span style="color: red;">7:00 PM (Spanish Language Performance)</span><br />
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Want to attend with your family? Tickets can be purchased via TicketMaster by going <a href="http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/32882/830558">here</a>. <b>You can save 40% on all weekday shows and 20% on weekend shows*</b> by entering the special promo code MOM.<br />
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You can also 'like' <i>Disney On Ice's </i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DisneyOnIce">Facebook page</a> and follow them on <a href="https://twitter.com/DisneyOnIce">Twitter</a> for more family fun! For a fun-filled activity book visit <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/135741376242139394/">Pinterest</a>!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Weekday is defined as any show Monday through Thursday or Friday
matinee.
Discount does not apply to Circus Celebrity, Front Row, or VIP seats. No
double discounts. Service charges, handling, and facility fees may
apply.</span>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Disclaimer: I am a Feld Family
Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows
and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you
advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided
me and my family with complimentary tickets to Feld shows as well as
opportunities to attend private Feld pre-show events. All opinions
expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone</span>McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-62638476409549448462013-08-28T02:35:00.000-05:002013-08-28T02:35:36.222-05:00Isla - Month 2Isla was officially 2 months old on August 17th (4 weeks adjusted). This has been another crazy month of adjusting to having 2 little ones! Isla's due date officially arrived- which was just weird. The last month had been a complete blur and i could no longer imagine having been pregnant those last 5 weeks- especially as giant as i was! <br />
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Isla is a typical newborn: eat, sleep, poop, cry. by this time, Ian was sleeping through the night, and Dave and I were feeling way less exhausted. that is not the case with miss isla. her night sleep varies- some mornings i feel rested, while others i feel like death. i followed babywise with ian, and while i'm trying to follow it with isla (just being a lot less militant about it), it's a lot harder to do with 2 kids- plus a busy schedule (house hunting, etc). we're hanging in there, hopefully she'll master sleeping through the night soon- maybe by the time her adjusted age is 6 weeks. we'll see.<br />
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isla had her 2 month appointment last week and she is really growing like a weed- it's crazy to see how much "bigger" she is! she tipped the scale at 7 lbs 10 oz and is 20" long. both of these put her below the 5th percentile, of course, but she's really growing!!<br />
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she loves being held- sometimes i can't even get anything done. ian is still doing really well with her- he's such a sweet big brother! i feel like there isn't much to report that i didn't sum up in the first sentence of the 2nd paragraph. that's about all she does! she's absolutely adorable though, so i'll just post pictures instead!<br />
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just hanging out!</div>
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getting some meds from brother (after daddy took him to have his hair butchered)</div>
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tummy time!</div>
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i promise there's a baby in there. a visit to the petting zoo during dad's 2nd week of paternity leave</div>
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he doesn't ask to hold her as much, but sometimes he still wants to</div>
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doing what they do best</div>
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homemade goodies galore!</div>
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just being cute!</div>
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first time meeting great-great aunt connie and great grammy!</div>
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funny, he never wanted to sit for these pictures when i wanted him to...</div>
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sweetest boy!</div>
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2 months old!!!</div>
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<br />McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-35676116241627033862013-08-21T10:50:00.002-05:002013-08-21T10:50:40.848-05:00ModCloth's New Home Decor Collection!<span style="color: #5a5a5a;"><span style="color: black;">ModCloth is launching a magical new line of home
decor items for you to beautify your home or apartment. Take a look at some of
the new items here</span>: <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=514353&u=712578&m=43745&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank">ModCloth Retro & Cute Apartment Decor! Shop Now!</a>.
<span style="color: black;">They have the cutest kitchen and bathroom items to make your abode
playful and elegant, all at an affordable price too. And they offer free
shipping on all orders over $50, so don't be shy when you find a few
things you love at <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=417942&u=712578&m=43745&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank">ModCloth</a>! Come back and let me know what you buy!! The top 2 items on my wishlist are <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/shop/bedding/sea-of-dreams-bedspread-in-full-queen-size">this bedspread</a> for our room and I would love <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/shop/shelves-hooks/ready-for-takeoff-wall-hooks">these hooks</a> for Isla's nursery!!</span></span><br />
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while you're browsing ModCloth<span style="color: #5a5a5a;"><span style="color: black;">- be sure to browse their annual end-of-summer <span class="il">Last</span> <span class="il">Hurrah</span> sale! everything is 70% off!!</span> <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=509816&u=712578&m=43745&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank">Get these goodies while you still can</a>
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McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488679637248241617.post-80253988044728916302013-08-18T22:05:00.000-05:002013-08-18T22:05:21.400-05:00Isla - 1 month. Ian - 3.5well, considering isla is going to be 2 months old on saturday, i should probably type out this post. boy, these last 2 months have been exhausting. i am trying so hard to blog when i get the chance, but i usually can't sit down for any more than 5-10 minutes, and i try to do work for my job during that time, or you know, relax....<br />
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so i know i'm way behind, i haven't even typed out my birth <strike>saga</strike> story yet! here's what you might need to know: <br />
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isla (eye-la in case you need to know b\c we've had way more mispronunciations than we could have dreamed of) was born on june 17th (the day after my birthday!) at 3:48 pm. she weighed 4 lbs 3 oz and was 18.5 inches long. she spent 2 weeks in the special care nursery. her lowest weight was 3 lbs 13 oz.<br />
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isla's 1 month stats: weight 5 lbs 8 oz. length 18.5". three words to describe her: squirrely, gassy, adorable! we lost out a lot of time during those first 2 weeks- but we spent as much time with her in the nursery that we could- which was a challenge once my family left and it was just the 3 of us. ian wasn't allowed in, and that cut into my daytime visiting hours, but we made it work, and really, she was home before we knew it. we really consider ourselves lucky. some people wait much longer than we had to- or their babies don't come home at all. we're very blessed.<br />
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isla is doing pretty good. she's definitely different than ian. she's a pretty good sleeper- she's up to around 4 hours at night- but we have still been pretty exhausted. right around her one month birthday also marks my due date- which thinking about is just crazy. her black eye is almost cleared up, she nurses well, and takes a bottle for her vitamins really well. she finally got too long for her preemie clothes and is now being swallowed whole by nb clothes. there isn't really much else to say about her. she's a pretty good baby!<br />
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ian was officially 3.5 on isla's due date. he's been so awesome since we've had her home. he was truly born to be a big brother! he loves and hugs on her all the time. he always asks to give her kisses and talks to her in high pitch baby talk- my favorite thing is that he calls her "baby grill" and asks "oh, isn't she cute?" things have been great with them!<br />
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here are some pictures from baby grill's first month...<br />
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not long after being born. in the nicu all hooked up. </div>
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a couple days after being born. the nicu nurse brought her to my room for a short visit. </div>
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ian's first time meeting his baby sister through the window!</div>
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a baby with a name!</div>
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waiting for isla to be discharged!</div>
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going home!! 15 days later!</div>
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he held her hand the whole way home!</div>
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finally holding baby sister for the first time!</div>
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baby and mama!</div>
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isla's first bath!</div>
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just hanging out!</div>
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sweet brother!</div>
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hanging out with dad!</div>
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whah! i'm 1 month old!</div>
McMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11961491119589124141noreply@blogger.com0