Dayhome search ....

So the day home search is harder then I thought!! It is so frustrating!!! :( I had the one interview with the lady that I wasn't too crazy about and then I was suppose to have another interview but she emailed and cancelled on me... said "something came up"!?! I take that as she changed her mind and doesn't want anymore kids so I scratched her name off my list and started looking for more day homes to interview. The problem I am having is that since I live in a area that is generally known for having lots of East Indian people that when I call to set up the interview most of them are hard to understand and have poor English. I called one day home and the husband answered, which I could barely understand and he was translating for his wife who was the one watching the kids!!??! They were French and even though I'm Canadian my French is not so good, what would happen if there was an emergency!? The other problem I am having is price, it seems like either everyone is raising their prices or I just lucked out and found a really cheap one last time!? I have had quotes as high as $600 a month for part time!! Right now we are only paying $250 a month, I'm willing to go as high as $350 a month but I don't think we can afford much more!?

So I have only really found one other day home that is in our neighborhood that speaks English and is in our price range. I go for that interview tonight and I'm praying that she is good and I feel comfortable with her!! Otherwise I might have to search for a day home close to my work and then I have to wake Jacob up early so that I can drive him in the morning. :(

One interview down ... one to go!

Above is a pic of our Moms group, on the left is when we finished our class and still had babies and to the right is at their 1st birthday party when most of them were toddlers!! So much has changed in such a short time and it's nice that we are still friends and the kids can still see each other.

So my weekend was good, Friday we went for dinner with my brother for his step-daughters birthday. It was hard with Jacob he just doesn't sit still for longer then 20 minutes so I walked him around the restaurant until our meal came (which took forever-but maybe that was just cause I was dealing with Jacob). Saturday we had our last class at the zoo and Jacob got to touch a ferret, a big bunny and a skunk! The class was so much fun for both me and Jacob, he enjoyed seeing all the animals and after the class was finished we got to walk around the zoo to see all the other animals! I would totally take the class again in the spring, it was tons of fun!! :) Sunday was our final swim class and I was a little disappointed, usually they turn the wave pool on for the last class but they couldn't for us cause there was an aqua size class going on at the same time and we couldn't go in the warm kiddie pool either cause it was closed!? The badge they gave Jacob in his book wasn't even the right badge for his class (it was suppose to be a duck and they gave him a frog??). So now I'm not sure what we will do on weekends ... probably visit family on Sundays like we used too and this Saturday Jacob has Christmas pictures. It will probably be Christmas before I know it anyway so maybe it's a good thing that our weekends aren't full!? I was also able to get all my Christmas stuff put up on Sunday, since I stayed home and didn't go see my Dad. Jacob LOVES the tree and all the lights! And hubby set up his train to go around the tree base which Jacob also LOVES! I can see the excitement in his eyes which makes me even more excited for Christmas this year - I can't wait too see his excitement when he see all his presents!! :D

So.... I am also on the hunt for a new day home ... which really sucks! I hate going for the interviews, they seem so weird and awkward!? There aren't too many day homes close to our home that are a reasonable price. So far I have found 2 that are kinda close (not as close as the one he is in now but still in Millwoods) one is charging $30 a day but meals are included and the other is $275 for 12 days and meals are included. The $275 one is definitely the better deal financially but she sounds like she is just starting out. So last night I had an interview with the $275 day home and I was right... she is just starting out (which is fine, everyone has to start somewhere) she has 2 kids of her own, age 6 and 11, and the 6 year old boy was crazy, hyper and very destructive with his toys. The Mom was also kinda weird ... we went into the boys room where all the toys are and she brought out these punching gloves and started hitting herself in the face and then said to Jacob "lets beat up Magoo" (the small dog they have) and proceeded to lightly hit the dog. I was kinda in shock!? I know its probably because she has older kids and you can probably do that with older kids, they should know the difference between play fight and actual fight but we are trying to get Jacob from NOT hitting!? My other concern with her is that she said she takes her kids too and from school everyday and so she would need a car seat for Jacob!??! WTF! Aaaaaa No~? I don't think so!?!? So if we do go with her (which I don't think we will) hubby will have to pick up Jacob at 3:15 so that she can go pick up her kids cause I don't want her driving my kid around!? I have another interview tonight ... lets all hope it goes better!! :(

On the search again ...

We are once again on the hunt for a day home!! I'm so mad, Jacob was doing so well at this day home - they were teaching him some sign, he was using the potty there and seemed to really enjoy them. She told me on Wednesday that her husband got transferred to Calgary so they are moving at the end of December. So I technically have 4 weeks to find a new day home but I think it would be best to start at a new day home at the beginning of the month so that gives me 2 weeks! :( It sucks looking for child care, trying to find one that isn't going to make you go broke and find one that both you and your child like. It's hard to put your trust in a total stranger and hope that they are treating your child as their own. So far I think I have one interview booked for Monday, just waiting for her confirmation email with her address and I'm waiting for a few other day homes to get back to me.

Tonight we are going for supper for my niece's birthday, Saturday is our final day at the zoo and I am going out with the girls for a "card making workshop". Sunday is our final swim class and I might go visit my Dad. I feel like my house is being neglected lately because I am always so busy on weekends and want to go visit family (especially since the roads are still good and winter isn't quite here yet). I really want to put my Christmas tree up this weekend and put away all my Halloween stuff never mind actually clean the house (vacuum, bathrooms and dusting). Jacob LOVES Christmas lights and has to point them out whenever he sees them! I can't wait for Santa to come this year, I think it will be fun! :)

17 months !

Jacob is now 17 months old or almost 1 year and a half for those of you that think it's silly to count months. I know I used to be like that, I always wondered why when you asked how old a Moms child was they would respond with "21 months" - it felt like a test, to see if I could do the math! ? Either Jacob isn't doing as much "new" things every month or I'm just not seeing it cause it feels like he really isn't too much different from last month? He is still working on jumping and has actually got a little air under his feet a few times! His sleeping has improved a lot! And I think it is because of his bed, he must like a soft bed cause as soon as we put more fluffy blankets in his crib he has slept better!? His speech seems to be taking off, he is quite the little chatter bug. It was so cool that when I came home from work the other day he came to the door so I said "hi" and he replied "hi" clear as day - I can't wait to hear him talk. I chuckle to myself when he has conversations with his toys, it's so cute! Some days he seems like a picky eater and other days I can't fill his plate fast enough. He still likes yogurt, fruit (mostly strawberries right now), corn is probably his veggie of choice, hot dogs and corn dogs are usually a hit, he likes to "dip" his food now and will usually eat more if there is a "dip" (eg. gravy or ketchup) and pasta is still a food he will eat. We are slowly trying to get rid of the bottle and make him drink out of a straw cup or sippy cup but he wont drink milk out of anything but a bottle. I'm not too concerned about it right now and think that after Christmas I will concentrate on getting rid of the bottle.

I feel awful today, I think I need to go see a chiropractor!?? My hip, leg and back on the right side is hurting! And today I have a headache, not sure if it's all related but I sure don't feel good! I volunteered to do the shopping for a baby shower gift for one of the Moms in our group, I don't mind - it gives me and Jacob something to do in the evening. So this week is busy with running around collecting money from the Moms and going shopping to buy the gift. This weekend is busy (just like last weekend), Friday we have dinner with my brother for my nieces birthday, Saturday we have our last class at the zoo (mammals this week) and I'm taking the night off to go to a Christmas card workshop, then Sunday is our final swim class and maybe we will stay home Sunday afternoon so I can get some cleaning done or baking? Unless my Dad doesn't show up on Friday then I think we will have to go visit him!?

Hopefully I feel better in a couple hours, or I might have to ask to go home early!? :o

Bored

Not too much is new, Jacob is finally getting back to his normal self - which is nice. He is becoming quite the chatter bug and I think that soon he will be talking up a storm!! The day home is going well, everyone is happy and I can tell Jacob likes it there. Winter is coming and I worry that we are going to be stuck in the house, I hate sitting at home on my days off with Jacob - I feel like we should do something. I'm not sure what we will do once the Teddy bear Gang and swimming are over.

Yesterday I went to my Dads house to clean - I was there for 5 hours and only got the master bedroom and bathroom done!! I was also able too do a quick vacuum and swiffer the floors, I put plastic wrap on the windows for him and took his laundry downstairs but for most of it I was working on the bedroom! I'm so tired and sore today!! :( But at least now it is done and just a matter of keeping it up. I was also able to visit some girlfriends last night which was nice but I was so tired from cleaning that I was home by 10pm!

I am so bored at work - I know there is probably lots of stuff I could do ... like line counts and inventory stuff but I just don't feel like it! It's part of the circle ... I'm fat because I'm lazy ... I'm lazy cause I'm fat!? boooo !! I wish I was off work an hour earlier and could stop at the gym on my way home but still get paid for being here a whole day!?

I have also been debating on if we should get Christmas pics of Jacob or not?! He just had his 1yr photos done in June ... but that was 6 months ago and he has changed quite a bit since then!? And it would make good Christmas gifts ... not that we really need to buy any more gifts (I think I'm done shopping?) But it would be nice? It might also be a waste of money? hmmm ... what to do?

1st overnight stay in ER ! :(

Well .... our weekend started off crappy, had an OK middle and not a great ending!? Thursday night around supper time Jacob didn't want to eat, he was crying and would hold his breath almost as if he was in pain!? It was so bazaar, he would cry and hold his breath then cry some more, his body would tighten as if he had gas and his belly did feel a little hard so I thought that was the problem. Then he ended up falling asleep super early, which I thought was OK - he must be tired!? But just over an hour after falling asleep he woke up crying the same cry as before and wouldn't settle down, I tried just about everything I could think of and nothing was working so I called my hubby in from the garage. He came in and washed up then took Jacob, I told hubby that something must be wrong and that I think I will go to the hospital to get him checked. Then hubby says to me .... "his lips are blue!" I hadn't even looked, I was sitting in the dark trying to calm him and never thought to look at his coloring!? So now panic set in and I start hustling to get to the hospital. We got there pretty quick cause it is close, and got in right away (probably cause I pushed my way through). They checked his oxygen and said it was a little low, they didn't really know what was wrong and were asking a million questions. Finally they decided to give him some oxygen, which seemed to help and chest x-rays in case he had swallowed something he shouldn't have (like a toy). The x-rays came back good but just so you know .... if you ever have to get your little one x-ray'd the contraption they put them in is horrible!! It looked like a mid-evil torture device - Jacob was freaked out!

By now it was midnight and the doctors still weren't sure why Jacobs oxygen levels kept dropping and why every time you moved him he would cry in pain. They recommended staying over night for observation. Which I was happy about, until I tried to get some sleep on the tiny cot! Jacob finally fell asleep at 2am, then I was awake at 3am sore and uncomfortable, Jacob woke at 4am, then again at 5am, I was so exhausted. We stayed till 8:30am when the pediatrician finally came to see us. He was pretty nice (an old guy), he squeezed Jacobs tummy and checked him out, said he seemed fine and to take him home!? It was so weird, it was like his weird breathing had stopped and he was good!? The only thing the pediatrician said was that we need to stop giving him bottles and to leave them at the hospital, go home and throw away any we have there! YIKES!! One thing at a time please!! Can we first get him to sleep through the night!?

So Saturday, Jacob and I had our first Teddy Bear Gang lesson, it is held at the zoo and introduces animals to the kids. It was so much fun and I think Jacob really enjoyed it too!! He went nuts when she brought a chicken out and Jacob got to touch it! He also got to touch a rat and some feathers. Next week is reptiles!! ewwwww

Sunday was swimming lessons, Jacob was super cranky when we left home but good in the pool. Then I decided to get him his H1N1 shot, there was no line up and we were practically in and out. Then we did some shopping at Costco and visiting the Great Grandparents before they head south. When we got home Jacob was acting strange again, he was very tired and all he wanted to do was sit on my lap. He sat there for almost 3 hours and if I tried moving him he would cry. I'm hoping that it was from the shot and he was just stiff and sore. I guess we will find out tonight.

I posted some pics of Jacob in his hospital bed but they aren't very clear. I took them with my phone. His 1st overnight stay at the hospital!! :(

FINALLY !!! A full nights sleep!!! :)

Above are a few pics from the Moms group Halloween party, it was so hard to get pictures of all the kiddies - they don't sit still very long and it seems like when they are still it's cause they are eating and have messy faces!! :) The party was good, and if it wasn't for one of the Moms stepping up and volunteering her house I don't think the party would have happened!? Some Moms are very concerned about H1N1 and didn't even want to come out if anyone even had a sniffle!? I'm not saying that H1N1 isn't something to laugh about but I don't want to live in a bubble and I don't think Jacob should either! So the next get together will probably be for Christmas and I am already excited!! :)

So .... not sure if you read the title of this but FINALLY last night we had a FULL night sleep!! From 9pm till 6:30am!!! It was amazing, he woke at about 3am and I heard him whining a bit but he just fell back asleep !! I hate to say it but I think hubby might have been right about the bed!!!??! Yesterday we put a fluffy comforter on his bed and covered it up with another fuzzy sheet so the bed was a little softer then before. Maybe that is why? I guess we will find out tonight!?!? If he sleeps through the night again tonight then I guess Jacob just likes a softer bed? I also finally found the "Huggies bedtime" diapers and decided to buy a pack (they were on sale and I had a $3.00 off coupon) they are suppose to be more absorbent. I must say .... they SUCK!!! :( Jacob woke up this morning with wet pj's because his diaper couldn't absorb anymore! Which is kinda funny cause he didn't even wake up during the night for a bottle and before I was using "Pampers Baby Dry" and never changed him in the middle of the night and they didn't make his pj's wet! I think we are sticking to Pampers Baby Dry - they seem to absorb way better!!

Finally, below is a pick of all the kiddies at the Halloween party, all of Jacobs friends! It was soooo hard to get a good pic! Jacob is squishing Kayden (red parrot) and the rest of the kids are crying, Izzy (in all white) is suppose to have a red hat that looks like a mushroom top. It was crazy! Next time we will have to figure out how to get a good pic!?

Happy Halloween!

Our weekend was good, very busy but aren't they always!? I have pics I posted too!! How exciting!!! :D

So Saturday I let hubby sleep in and I got up with Jacob at 6:30am, then he had a good nap from 9:30am - 12:30pm, I wanted to go to the mall and get some pics done of Jacob in his costume (posted below) but we had a Halloween party with the Moms group at 2pm so I felt a little rushed. Thankfully there was no line to get pics done and we were in and out, then headed to the party. It was nice to see all the moms and kiddies again, I haven't seen some of them since the birthday party. We left there around 4pm and had to rush to go see the Great Grandparents and in laws, Jacob got his little pumpkin bucket filled up with candy and then off we headed home to have supper and do a little trick or treating around our house. Jacob seemed to really like trick or treating and one of his little friends (who's 2 1/2) was really into it! It was fun, we walked the block and headed home.

Sunday was my day to sleep in and it was daylight savings day so technically I got an extra hour to sleep then hubby!! :) We have swim class on Sundays and after swimming I headed to St.Albert to take my Dad shopping. I dropped Jacob off at my Moms to babysit so that it wouldn't be so hard for me to go shopping (which was great!). Dad was shopping for a new recliner for upstairs and we finally found one after looking in 5 stores!! Dad just stayed in the car and I would go in too see if there was anything I thought he would like, then tell him what I saw. It was tiring, in and out of the car so many times but at least he finally found one he liked and it was only $350! I also had a very quick visit with a girlfriend in St.Albert while I was out there and stayed for a quick visit at my Moms. It was a good weekend!

The time change was a little hard on Sunday night for Jacob, he passed out at 7:30pm and of course woke in the middle of the night but not only once but twice!?! I'm so frustrated with him waking, he shouldn't be at this point in his life.... he should be sleeping through the night!? Hubby and I got in a huge argument last night because I say that we need to let Jacob CIO (cry it out) and hubby refuses to let him cry that long. Hubby is OK if he is kinda whinny and moaning but if Jacob is actually wailing then he will give in and gets mad that I wont go to him. And don't get me wrong ... it breaks my heart to sit there and listen to him wail and cry but EVERYONE says that this is something that NEEDS to be done! Jacob needs to learn how to fall back asleep on his own after waking in the middle of the night!? It very frustrating that hubby isn't on the same page as me. He won't even water down his bottle!? Says all that will do is make him bloated!? I wish hubby would leave for a week or two, just go live somewhere else and then maybe I could get it done? When I ask hubby for other ideas on how to get him to sleep he suggests that maybe Jacobs bed is too hard cause apparently Jacob slept through the night at Grandmas one night and hubby thinks that maybe it was because they have a fluffy mattress in the playpen!? I'm tired of arguing about it and have now refused to get out of bed when Jacob cries, which I think only irritates hubby but I feel like if this is what hubby wants to do then HE can get up and do it! Personally I'm done with getting up in the middle of the night!!

So below you will notice that on the left are Halloween pics from last year and on the right are pics from this year ... Jacob is in the same outfit and same shirt he wore last year!! :o I had so many of the Moms comment that he has slimmed out a lot! I'm sure you can also see a difference!! :) I will post pics tomorrow of the Moms Halloween party.