Pray for this family NOW

Hi guys. I have been reading this blog for a while now. You should check it out.

The wife has Cystic Fibrosis and is in surgery to get a double lung transplant as we speak.

www.cfhusband.blogspot.com

oh good grief

UPDATE: first of all, I'd like to point out that no less then TEN people have read this blog post since I posted it, yet only ONE person has commented on it. COME ON PEOPLE. Don't stalk. Comment. :-) Seriously.

Secondly, as soon as I posted this, Owen woke up. We played a while, ate, and then played some more. Then, with a rather large smile on his tiny face, Owen proceeded to vomit IN my mouth, in my hair, on my shirt, down my shirt, and everywhere in between. Sick. I had to take another shower.

I am back to the old, "my house is not clean" bit. Seriously, it is annoying. I am not saying that my little distraction is not a GREAT distraction, but I know MANY other mothers that somehow manage to have a SPOTLESS house and have a tremendously happy baby to boot. Tell me: HOW?!?!?

Please, tell me your secrets. I constantly apologize to anyone that knocks on our door about the state of our abode. Their response, "you have a good excuse." While I am sure this is true, that response tends to wear on me a bit. Not that I would rather them say "yeah lady! this place looks like trash!" But, nonetheless, I shouldn't have an excuse for not keeping my house.

MOMMIES, YOUR MISSION: GIVE ME ALL OF YOUR HOUSEKEEPING POINTERS!! How do you do it?? And I am serious this time, if you read this blog at all, even if you NEVER comment: if you are a mom I NEED you to tell me. My sanity is on the line people.

The laundry is endless. Yes, I did know this would happen before little Owen arrived, but it seems that even if I do find the time to actually do the laundry 8 times out of 10 I don't have time to fold it. Sometimes for a few days. Don't judge me people, I have only been doing this for going on 10 weeks now.

Before I move on, let me just say that reruns of Dawson's Creek have kept me somewhat looking forward to my early morning wake up call (around 6:30). And, on that same note, reruns of 8 Simples Rules have kept Travis and I entertained at about 3:45 AM when we BOTH get up for the one time in the night that Owen wakes up. Yes, we both get up. This has been going on since Owen was born. Not that we are both necessary, but for some reason we both get up. Makes for good company, and thank goodness for DVR's (or the cheaper version of TIVO).

Just a few things these days:

1. Owen is becoming quite interested in his toys. He likes to play on his gym/mat thingy, and he is actually reaching for the toys that hang around him.

2. He has this one toy that he really loves. It is a little green elephant that you pull and it giggles and shakes. He LOVES this elephant. He gets the most GINORMOUS smile on his face, it is so cute.

3. I think he is on the verge of a giggle. He has almost done it a couple times, but not just yet.

4. He really enjoys making spit bubbles with his mouth. That has made for many a soaked outfit.

5. He only wakes up once in the night to eat. Between 3:30 and 4:30. So that means we sleep. It is nice. Although, Owen has been sleeping in at least 4 hour stretches since he came home from the hospital, so we were never too deprived.

Well, he has just fallen asleep while playing with his toys on his mat. So, I guess I should go try to get a couple things done while he sleeps.

rough week

Owen had a tough week. He had his shots on Tuesday, and was just not himself until today. He was so fussy (which he NEVER is), and actually screaming sometimes. He also had diarrhea (sorry if that is too much info) for a while. He wasn't smiley, he wouldn't eat much, and he didn't want to play. Basically this was a really rotten week. We took him back to the doctor yesterday because we were so worried about him. Here are some before and after pics:

This was in the doc's office about 10 minutes before his shots, happy and playing with daddy.

This was when we got home from the doc's office after the shots. Poor baby boy.

The shots sucked. I hated it. The last one was the worst because he lifted his entire upper body off the table and screamed bloody murder.

But today he is much better. He smiled most of the day, even as he spit up on me three times in the car. Yes, he barfed while smiling. Crazy kid. (I was feeding him in the car while Travis was in the store picking up something we had dropped off to be fixed. We had been out for a couple hours and the boy was very hungry!!) We were both covered. :-)

Here is a picture of him that I took this morning in his Bumbo chair. I couldn't resist. And I was singing and dancing, so the look on his face is pretty hilarious.

Here are just a few pictures from the couple days before his shots.

Owen says, "Please dad. not again."

And here we have the life of a smile.

"I think I can, I think I can..."
"I can! I can!"

"If only I had something to put in my mouth."

"OH!!!"
"Maybe I can get my hands in my mouth."
"Yep."
"That was hard work."
Wiped Out.

Need Info from Mommies

Owen just had his 2 month shots on Tuesday.

What was your child's reaction to the shots, and how long did it last??

Please: if you are against immunizations and did not have your child immunized, do not comment or tell me why to not have my child immunized. I respect your decision, but that is not why I am asking. So please, respect my decision to have my child immunized and leave it at that. Thanks.

Paci's Beware...

...If Owen gets his mouth around you, he will suck the life out of you. View the evidence:
Friday was Travis' birthday. We didn't do a whole lot...but we went to eat at his place of choice, and then we came home for cake.
We went to Target the other day...and Owen pretty much let us know when he had had enough.

This is what his shirt says in the last two pics:
We sort of caught one of his smiles the other day, and he just happens to be wearing a REALLY cute outfit.

And last but not least: Yesterday was Owen's first trip to church AND his first trip to the beach. All on Easter Sunday. He looked SUPER cute in his Easter sweater vest outfit. And cousin Rachael came over for Easter lunch and then went with us to the beach and took some pictures of the family.





My baby is TWO MONTHS OLD today!!!! Unbelievable.

hmm...

...where DOES the time go??

Seriously. Sometimes it seems like I get absolutely nothing done, but I have been busy all day. I guess that is what taking care of a child will do. But, sadly, my house is a disaster area 24/7 because I don't have time to clean it. I can honestly say that I have not cleaned it since Owen was born. (yes, I know, I am TERRIBLE). Travis' mom and my mom did pick up some when they were here...but for the most part it has just been spot cleaning and doing the dishes. Before Owen was born I would get SO annoyed if the house wasn't at least decent looking...now I have decided that I have to accept the fact that some days it won't come close to being decent looking. I still struggle there....because I really don't want it to be that way, but I am literally busy all day long and cleaning just doesn't make it's way into the agenda. Does anyone have any tips on this??

TODAY....I CLEANED!!!!!! I put Owen down for a nap in his crib and he slept for over 2 hours. I decided as soon as I put him down that I would hurry and do as much as I could before he woke up (I had no idea how long he would sleep). I did THREE loads of laundry (there are 3 washers and 3 dryers right across the hall from our apartment), I cleaned the kitchen/dining room, I cleaned the bathroom, I swept the kitchen/hall/bathroom, I mopped the kitchen/hall/bathroom, and I vacuumed the living room. It is amazing how all of that, that would have taken me forever to do 3 months ago, took me 2 short hours. And Owen woke up just as I was putting the vacuum away. Perfect timing! I feel better. MUCH better. I feel like I have been living in squalor (ok, so it probably wasn't near as bad as I make it out to sound...Travis always says I think our house is much worse than it actually is.)

I NEED MORE SUGGESTIONS ON A BLOG TITLE. COME ON PEOPLE. (there are some cute ideas...but keep 'em comin!!)

I need your help

Ok kids...I need your help to come up with a new title for my blog. We will be moving to Austin, Texas in May, so we will no longer be "The West Coast Tidmores." PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help me come up with something good. Comment and make your suggestions. I cannot think of anything. Sadly, pregnancy brain sticks around after you've had the baby...so my brain does not work.

Ok, get to work. Think of a catchy, FUN title for my blog. Perhaps I will choose a couple (if I get enough suggestions) and then have you all vote on the best. I know there are many of you that read this, but too many of you don't comment. So, DO IT NOW!!! It is easy...and I really need the suggestions!

THANKS A MILLION!

Picture post

Owen is getting so big. I went to put a sleeper on him the other night and it didn't fit him anymore. :-( So sad. So, I got another one, and it didn't fit him either!!! None of his newborn sleepers fit him anymore, along with a few of his little outfits. We are on to bigger clothes. It was a sad day and a sad realization that kids DO grow up too fast. On the other hand, he is getting to be so fun. He is smiling and he coos alot. He likes to talk to us. As soon as we get a cord to transfer videos to our new computer (a MacBook....AWESOME) I will post a couple REALLY cute videos for your viewing pleasure.

Here are some pictures of my favorite, little bitty, teeny tiny, cute! (catch that reference mom?)

We were playing one second, and the next second he's asleep.

He isn't three months yet (as the age requirements for the Bumbo chair state), but we couldn't resist getting a pic of him sitting in it. :-) 

Here he is just relaxing in his crib, diaper only. So cute.

Hanging out with Mamacita.

Tired boy.

Home

I am home from the hospital. After my procedure yesterday they let me come home...finally! I am very glad to be here, but sad that I can't pick up Owen on my own. Travis or Cici have to pick him up and give him to me. :-( It is sad. I think he is bummed too, it just isn't the same. I am sore, but ok. 

In other news...Owen is excited to have 2 new cousins arriving this year! Daddy's brother and his wife will have a new baby in September, and Mommy's brother and his wife will have a new BOY cousin for Owen in August!! Hooray for baby Will!! Lots of babies this year. Cici and Pop and Bopba (that is Jeri's mom) will double their number of grandkids in 2008. Owen is excited to have playmates on both sides of the family. 

No pictures today. Will post some when i am feeling better.

update on the surgery

well, jeri here. I am still in the hospital. I have a lowered liver function because of a stone that got into my common bile duct. SOOOO, another procedure will be needed to take care of that and i might be able to go home Sunday.

I HATE staying in this hospital. HATE it. I miss my little boy.

Surgery!

This is Travis, reporting from the waiting room at the hospital. The surgery went fine and Jeri should be able to go home within the next hour or so.

Just keep Jeri in your prayers that she has a quick recover so she can get to enjoying Owen again soon.

Updates

Well folks...Owen gets cuter every day, in case you were wondering. :-) Yesterday we took him to a wedding at Dodger Stadium. It was fun and he looked SUPER cute in his sweater vest.

I am having surgery on Friday to have my gallbladder out. Apparently you don't REALLY need a gallbladder....mine was just there to cause me pain.

I don't have too much to say today, just wanted to post some pics. Also...I just walked past the laundry room and it made me think of smells I like. So, for some reason I am going to list them here, because why not?

~ the fresh laundry smell
~ pot roast
~ rain
~ books and magazines (yes, I actually flip through the pages and smell them, you should too!!)
~ also libraries and book stores
~ My son after his bath (this is my FAVORITE!!)

Ok kids, enough of my rambling. Here are some pictures of the monkey.

One Month!!!!

Can you believe it?? My tiny baby boy is one month old already (tomorrow!!)! We went to his one month check up on Thursday and he weighed in at 9 pounds 9 ounces (he was born at 7 pounds 13 ounces) and he was 20 5/8 inches long (he was born at 19 inches). He was right in the middle for weight and in the 25% for length. He is a shorty currently. :-) Hopefully he will be much taller than his mom (I am 5'1").

He is losing all of his hair on the top of his head and it is hilarious. He looks like a little old man. He is bald on top, but has hair on the sides and the back of his head. Pretty cute if you ask me (but I might be a little biased)!

We got the CUTEST newborn pictures taken when Owen was 2 weeks old. As soon as I can scan them or something I will post a couple on here. He is THE CUTEST!!! Seriously. I can just stare at him all day long. He makes the funniest noises, which I have coined his "guinea pig" noises. :-) He squeaks and grunts all over the place. He is also starting to be awake more, which is fun. This morning he was crying when I was on the phone with my mom and I put the phone up to his ear. My mom started talking and he quit crying and just stared at me like, "what's this??" It was pretty funny.

In other news...I have to have surgery. BOO. When I was pregnant with Owen I started having bad pains in the upper abdomen, but I didn't think too much of it because I thought it was just him pushing on organs and what not. Well, when he was exactly 2 weeks old I had another attack of the pains and it was HORRENDOUS. I had to go down to the urgent care and get checked out. After a few shots of muscle relaxers and demerol I was referred to get a CT scan. Well...my insurance wouldn't cover it since I wasn't referred from my regular doctor, so, after seeing my regular doctor and being referred for an ultrasound.....I have gallstones!! AWESOME!! The only cure for that is to have my gallbladder out. Again...AWESOME!! The only thing I am really worried about concerning the surgery is being able to take care of Owen. He is getting bigger and heavier, and I will have a weight limit of what I can lift. I meet with the surgeons on Tuesday, so we'll see when it's gonna be.

Right now Owen is sitting in his chair (awake) with his hands up behind his head. Just relaxing. Remember the ultrasound picture where he had his arms behind his head?? He does that all the time.

I'll leave you with some pictures.