Fun with the VanVeelens

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

So most of you know by now..............

I have news. I have BIG news. On Saturday I was getting all of my baby stuff ready to go back to Michigan with my Mom for my sister. I initialed all the little tags and got a little teary eyed thinking about my babies in those sweet little clothes. I packed it all in a tote (the 0-3 month stuff). I added a couple Halloween costumes and a snowsuit. I even put the little strawberry sweater and hat set in there. I was feeling really sad but super excited that my sister is having a girl. She has a little boy that is three already and having a girl was a nice surprise. Well, that night I had the strangest dreams. I dreamed that I took a bunch of pregnancy tests and they were all positive. In my dream my Mom came to visit and we told her then that we were expecting. Then I woke up. I thought, what a wild dream....can you imagine? One would have to be crazy to have three kids three and under! We stayed home from church on Sunday because Leah was still feeling a little sick. But later on we went grocery shopping. I was walking around Kroger trying to remember when my last period was. I couldn't remember. That isn't all that unusual because I have been nursing Lauren for the past year and haven't been all that regular. Well, I asked Jeremy if I should buy a test. He said no because it is a waste of money and I would probably start tomorrow anyway. I went over to the pharmacy because I just couldn't get that dream out of my head. The tech that was working said the cheapest test they had in stock was $17.99 and I should go over to Dollar Tree because they have them for ONE DOLLAR! Let me tell you, I will never buy a test anywhere else now!! So, after shopping I asked Jeremy to run over to Dollar Tree. He wasn't too happy about it because Dean's Bridge traffic is horrible. But he went anyway because he knew I would obsess if I didn't know. I bought two tests, $2! We went home and got the girls settled. Then Leah followed me upstairs to the bathroom where she very intently watched me do the test. It was a pee in the cup and dropper kind-very complicated but worth it! As I watched the results, I couldn't believe my eyes! I told Leah to run downstairs and tell Daddy to bring up another test. She then went to the top of the stairs and yelled at the TOP of her lungs "Daddy! Bring 'nother test!!". So Jeremy traunced up the stairs with the other test. I showed him the first one. We couldn't believe it. So we waited a minute for the second one. Leah had a very concerned look on her face the whole time like she knew we were doing something important. Well, the results showed up.......and.....drumroll......WE ARE PREGNANT!! I went into the clinic on post Monday morning first thing and got a blood test. She called me back pretty quickly. She confirmed that yes we were pregnant and set me up for an appointment on Thursday. The bad thing is, I really don't know when my last period was. I think it started January 6th which would make me 7 weeks along.

This pregnancy was completely unplanned but not unwanted. I had committed to teaching the preschool at our church this Fall. I am now going to continue to stay home with all three kids. I feel really bad that I can't teach. But, this is more important! :)

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

A Healthier Me

I am really feeling motivated today about losing my weight! I love it when I have a really good diet/exercise day! I have been trying to do little things to be more active. Every morning Leah and I dance. This morning we danced for an hour and ten minutes!! We had so much fun. It has been warming up outside a little too. So I am going to force myself to stop being so dang lazy and start walking. Anybody want to join me? We have tons of trails and tracks and neighborhoods on post just calling my name. I think my Dad's heart problems and diabetes diagnosis was a real wake up call for me. I have both illnesses on both sides of my family. I want to stay healthy for my girls and for myself. Jeremy and I have both been trying to drop a few pounds. So far so good! I am trying really hard to fill up on veggies at dinner instead of the main dish. Tonight was an easy diet night for me. I made manicotti and broccoli. Let me tell you, I HATE manicotti. Like I hate it with a passion. The texture is so disgusting. YUCK! I think I ate a cup and a half of broccoli and I only ate half of a manicotti. I am from Michigan and one thing we Michiganders like to have with dinner is bread. Well, I held off on that as well. I have been buying more tortillas and less bread. Some of the meals we have had lately...beef or pork stir fry with tortillas, mexican stuffed peppers (turkey instead of beef), homemade pizza with turkey pepperoni, baked chicken among others (recipes available). I think my biggest thing is portion control. Also, we haven't cut out all of the sweets out of our diets. Like today I had a couple chocolate chip cookies. I just think if I don't let myself have something that I like to eat....this diet will fail. I am totally staying within my calorie intake as well. Like today I actually have 825 calories remaining. I don't know what to do about that! I earned an extra 414 with dancing. Crazy! I have a long way to go with my weight loss. But I am on my way to a healthier me. YAY!

Friday, January 30, 2009

My weight loss challenge

I started with this program a few months ago and really started using it lately. It has really helped me. It is www.myfitnesspal.com. It is like Weight Watchers online but it is a free site.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Crying it out

~Sigh~ Well, I am trying to let Lauren cry it out at night now. I guess it is about time to. She is 11 months old and soon won't need my milk anymore. That doesn't mean I am making her stop nursing at a year though. I am going to do extended breastfeeding. There, I said it. So anyone that thinks that is weird can shove it! :-) BUT, I do want her to give up nursing in the middle of the night and using me as a pacifier. She has been waking up three times every night since I can remember, to nurse. Ha! I did everything right with Leah as far as teaching her good sleep habits. She was sleeping through the night at 2 months (6 hours stretch) then again at 5 months for 12 to 14 hour stretches. She has been consistent with that since then. One thing that was totally different this time was the sleeping arrangements. Leah was in her own crib in her own room from 6 weeks on. Lauren has only slept one night of her life in a separate room than me...last night. WOW...I am amazed at my bad parenting! ha! The reason is this....When we were in Texas, we only had a two bedroom apartment. I didn't want the girls to be in the same room because Lauren actually NEEDED to nurse at night then and I didn't want to disturb Leah's sleep. So she slept in the room with me and Jeremy. Then we went to Michigan for a month and a half. So she was in a pack and play next to me. THEN I should have put her in her own room when we moved to Georgia. Well, she is in her own room...but so was I. I was sleeping in the full size bed in her room until last night. That worked out fabulously for Jeremy! He got the queen size bed to himself! But I missed sleeping with my husband. So I moved back in last night. Lauren cried all night for me. Poor little baby. I was so sad for her. But I need to stick it out and let her cry. I had to stay on the phone with my sister a couple times when I started letting Leah cry it out. She had to keep me from going upstairs and hugging Leah as tight as I could. But I am so glad that she is a good sleeper. At least one of the kids is! Poor little Lauren cried so much that she ended up taking the longest nap ever today! I had to go and wake her up. I guess in a strange way I have done the whole attachment parenting thing that I used to get so annoyed with people about! I have let Lauren sleep with me for most of her life...it is definately a child-lead house. Wow...again I can't believe it. I never wake my kids up in the morning...they sleep until they wake up. I let Leah decide when her nap will be (for the most part). I think she must think I am a servant to her too. HA! I will make her something to eat....10 minutes later after I make it she wants something else. She has had this little attitude lately too. It is kind of funny. But she wants to do everything herself until I want her to do something. THEN she wants me to do it. (Me)"Leah go put your shirt in the dirty clothes." (Leah)"NO! MAMA do it!". (Me)"Leah let me put your pants on you."(Leah)"NO! ME do it myself!". It is so frustrating sometimes. But it can be amusing. But back onto the subject of letting Lauren cry it out. I should have done it months ago. Wish me luck as I try to stick to my guns. Hopefully by a year she will at least be sleeping through the night. I am not done with nursing and neither is she. But I am SO done with night feedings.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Potty Training

I feel like breathing a sigh of relief. Leah has finally gotten it! She has been accident free today. Yesterday she only had one accident when she was playing with Lucy. She gets a big high five when she goes in the potty and sometimes she gets a special treat (sticker or 2 M&M's). A few weeks and even months ago she started going #2 on the potty but only sometimes. Now she would probably cry if she messed up her Dora "underwear" (Pull ups). I think pretty soon she should be able to wear big girl underwear. It has been frustrating trying to get her potty trained. But, it was like a light went on over her head. I told her if she goes potty on the toilet she can go to school next year and she has been doing it since then. It has helped for her to see her friend Lucy goes on the potty too. She even let two teenage girls at church take her last night and she went-TWICE! I am so proud. Hopefully we can save about $50 a month on diapers now! The best thing about it is that she is so proud of herself. Hehe. I guess everyone learns to, but it is a small victory in our household!

Friday, January 9, 2009

A New Year

Well, 2009 is finally here. Ha! The last year has flown by for us! So much has happened. On January 1st, 2008 we arrived at Goodfellow AFB where Jeremy had been going to school the last two months. We moved into base housing. Leah just got used to that and then Lauren made her arrival on February 19th. Pat, my sister Kim and my mom all came for visits. We enjoyed the Texas heat and hanging out at China Beach with friends. It was great. Then as my Grandma's health started to really deteriorate, my mom called and said I had better come home to say goodbye. So, both girls and I flew home to see her. (That was no picnic at all.) I am glad we went home, because she only lived a few days after we got there. I feel like I was able to say my goodbyes and I am so glad she got to meet Lauren and see Leah again before she passed. I think it made her really happy. She knew we were coming and had my aunt get her ready to see us. She had a sense of humor right up to the end. Lauren gave her a kiss on the cheek (which was really just a big lick like a dog). I said "Grandma! She licked you!" My Grandma cracked up. Well, we were able to have a long visit with everyone after that because we stayed in Michigan for a month and a half. Jeremy had gotten orders for Fort Gordon, GA. So the movers went to the Texas apartment and packed it all up. Jeremy was able to have a couple days at home in Michigan too before the move to Georgia. Then we made the trip down here. We are again in base housing. It is decent. I wouldn't want to stay here forever. But I can't complain too much. Leah turned two in October. I can't believe it. Then sadly, my Grandpa had to go into an assisted living home this fall. I think that is one of the hardest things about being far away from home. He calls me and is so sad and tells me he wishes I could come visit and he misses the girls. It breaks my heart. On a little happier note, I have gotten my relationship back on track with my Dad. He came to visit us in Texas. It had been five years since I had seen him last. I was a little nervous about everything. But, he has come here to visit and we have gone to his house in Florida twice to visit in the last few months. I really think that he loves me and my kids and really is trying to have a relationship with us. I have never had a chance to really get to know him in my whole life. I have really enjoyed getting to know him better. Being a military family has also given us an opportunity to meet lots of very nice people. We have made some pretty terrific friendships in Texas and here that I hope will last a lifetime! Well, that pretty much sums up 2008 for me.

In 2009 these are my goals (not necessarily in this order):
1. Stop worrying about what other people think
2. Be a better wife and mother
3. Become a better cook
4. Lose weight!
5. Go back to school
6. Evangelize more

I am hoping to see more of our families from Michigan this year as well. Lauren will be turning one and Leah will be turning three. Leah will start preschool in the Fall. I think this Fall we might buy the girls bunk beds and have them share a room when Lauren is ready to go into a big girl bed. I would separate the bunks of course! I think they would like that. I want to take a trip this year for our family. I want it to be somewhere fun. We'll see I guess. I am just hoping that next year at this time I can look back at 2009 and say "what a great year, so much good happened". Moving away from Michigan has been good for me. I think I have learned to be more independent. I also think I have gained more confidence in myself. I do miss my family and friends back home. Who knows, if Jeremy does get deployed...I may go home again for another month and a half! I keep hearing that he might deploy. It is all just talk.....but it is going to happen some time or another. But I think I could handle it. WOW! I am writing a novel! Anywho....those are my New Years thoughts.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Christmas!

Well, Christmas is over. WHEW! It was so fun this year. Leah really got into the whole Santa thing. We didn't let her forget who's birthday it was though. We did our Christmas early because we went to Florida to spend Christmas with my Dad and family. On our Christmas Eve we had a pizza and went for a drive to look at lights. Then on "Christmas" morning Leah didn't wake up until almost 9am! Jeremy brought both the girls down and I videotaped. (I will send all you grandparents a copy!) You should have seen Leah's face! It was so cute! She saw that Dora bike and went crazy. she just started claiming all the presents she thought were hers and went to town. Luckily Grandma Pat and Santa wrapped all Leah's gifts in Dora and Tinkerbell paper so she was able to figure it out pretty easy. She "helped" her sister open gifts too. HA! I say helped because she would grab it from Lauren and tear it open and put it in Lauren's pile. After the excitement of presents was over, I went into the kitchen to start with dinner and cookies. Leah put all her new toys up on the couch so Lauren couldn't touch them. I made a double batch of petticoat tails. We had a ham, mashed potatoes with ham gravy, green bean casserole, cranberries, cornbread casserole, rolls and pumpkin pie for dessert. It was yummy! The Keans came over and the kids exchanged gifts. Leah gave him a toolkit play dough set and Skyler gave Leah a Sleeping Beauty dress up outfit complete with high heels, a purse and tiara! She thought she was really something!

This is the beach up by St. Augustine