Three Thought Thursday: Episode 21

1. So as previously mentioned, I am currently on "vacation" down in Houston with the boys. Unfortunately, vacation has turned in to taking care of sick children in someone else's home. Remember back in February on our last trip to Houston when Reagan's barfing episode happened? Well this time around we've been blessed to not have to mess with anything toilet related; however, this time it has been both boys instead of just one. We made it down here on Sunday with the big hyped event of the trip, going to the zoo, being scheduled for Tuesday. On Monday we had fun going to the park, going to the splash pad fountains, and eating at Johnny Rocket's. We planned to leave for the zoo the next morning at 8:00am but around 4:00am Kolbe woke up with a blazing fever. All I had on hand was my NFP thermometer and he certainly didn't want his temp taken but after sticking it under his armpit I got a read over 103 degrees. We were up for almost two hours doing cool compresses and trying to get fluids down. Pinkie had to run to the store to track down some ibuprofen and acetaminophen for the fever. Needless to say, the zoo trip was squashed. Once Reagan woke up, we discovered that he had a fever too. Not as high as Kolbe's though, thank goodness. So we spent all day Tuesday attempting to control their fevers and keep them happy. But as is customary with most children, when they're sick they only want their mama. Kind of hard when they're both sick! And both want to be held. At all times! When the medicine was working, they were both completely their normal selves. But when it started to wear off, it was all drama and emotion. We were able to talk to my mom's neighbor whose boys' had a similar bug and she said that essentially it's just a fever. No other symptoms. The only problem is that it lasts several days. Not just twenty-four hours. So yesterday was spent doing much of the same thing. Attempting to do a few little fun things here and there while the medicine was in effect and then grinning and bearing it when the temps went up again. Thank goodness for Pinkie and Pa's extra hands! Guess the zoo trip will have to be postponed till our next visit.

2. My mom and I managed to sneak out (while the meds were kicked in) and head to a specialty bra store in Houston the other day. Both of us needed help in this department for entirely opposite reasons, if you know what I mean. I remember getting fitted for a bra sometime in my high school years but as that part of my body continued to change with the addition of motherhood to my life, I had always just desperately searched for anything that would fit. (and probably spent way more money on bras that didn't fit than I would have spent on a few nice ones that did if I had only gone in to get fitted!) Though it's slightly embarrassing, I must admit that it was nice to have a "professional" tell me exactly what I needed to buy to support "my people." And she gave me several other good tips that I never knew before. Like that 90% of your support needs to come from the band, not the straps. Shoot, I've been relying on the straps for years! Or that your band should only be able to stretch out about two inches from your back. If it stretches more, you need a smaller band size. So I needed a 32. Not a 36. Doh. We were in the store for over an hour but left with some awesome goodies that are sure to make my back feel a whole lot better, now that I have the right support! And call me crazy, but there's something secretly enjoyable about wearing new undie-gear. Like a new dress or new shoes, except it's a secret. You're the only one that knows about it and gets to enjoy it! One of the joys of womanhood!

3. Though it's quite shameful, I must admit that I'm a hopeless reality TV junkie. Mark always asks, "So which one of your shows is on tonight?" Pretty sad, huh. While there's countless reasons for watching them (such as mind-numbing entertainment or something to gaze my eyes on while tutoring online), there's plenty of reasons not to watch them too. This spring I literally had three reality shows that I followed: Survivor, The Biggest Loser, and Dancing With the Stars. I haven't watched Survivor since 2001 when Colby, a Tech grad was a contestant. And the only reason I watched it this season was because he was back on the show again. I've always been a Biggest Loser fan because I think the point of the show actually has merit though it's not something I personally am connected with. And as for Dancing With the Stars, it's really something my mom adores and so I started watching it on her insistence so that we could have something fun to talk about. (yes, we sit around and talk about other peoples' lives and dancing abilities.) Plus, the former dancer in me can't help but enjoy watching them dance and thinking oh I remember learning a sequence like that before or ooo, it would be fun to do that number! Mark doesn't usually like for me to watch it in front of the boys because of the scantily clad women on the show. I agree; I don't want our boys thinking that's normal. But I do have to admit that I watched this entire past season either live or tivo-ed and was sad to see it end this week. Same with Biggest Loser and Survivor. I guess now that my trio of pointless, mind-numbing, exhausting shows is over, I'll actually get some more sewing or house work done in the evenings... And probably wait for the fall when they start up again!

Three Thought Thursday: Episode 20

1. So if you haven't seen the pics on our family blog already, you definitely need to check them out! Yes, I officially became a godmother this weekend when my little nephew, John, was born. I've only seen pictures of my other nephew, Jackson, but based on those and the looks of baby John, it's safe to say that Mark and I have the cutest nephews in the world! Combine that with the cutest little sons in the world and I'm pretty sure they're just the most adorable set of cousins God could have ever created! I can't wait till Memorial Day weekend when we can finally get them all together! While I didn't exactly plan to be at the hospital while John was being born, I was blessed enough for it to end up working out that way. I picked up my mom at the airport around 1:00 in the afternoon, we picked up lunch for Andy and Abby's mom, Mary, and then headed to the hospital. Mom and I got to go in and visit with Abby for about twenty minutes and no sooner did we get back to the waiting room than Andy came in to announce that it was time to push! Being the nosy person I am, I snuck down the hall with my mom and literally walked up to the cracked-open door just as John was coming out. Hearing the sounds of his birth...the counting, the pushing, the doctor's excitement, his sweet little cry...were some of the sweetest little sounds I've ever heard. With my two C-sections, it was something I had never experienced before (other than the little cry, of course!) and it was just so special to me! I'm so glad the timing worked out so well. It's an experience I'll never forget!

2. Sometimes it seems like we go through phases where nothing is going on. Then there are others where it's complete chaos. Starting today we are entering one of those times that fits into the latter category. My parents are coming back in to town today (they just left on Monday), Mark's hooding ceremony for his master's is on Friday morning, his graduation is on Saturday morning, followed by his graduation party on Saturday night. We (the little boys and me) then fly down to Houston on Sunday morning for a short vacation with my family and fly right back up on Thursday with my parents in tow. By then, my big brother Mike, his wife Casey, and the aforementioned  Baby Jackson will all be in town for Memorial Day weekend. Both Jackson and John will be baptized at our church on Sunday morning. Whew! What a fun, exciting, crazy, and exhausting way to round out May! Hoping and praying that it all goes smoothly!

3. Speaking of travelling, I must say that it is so nice to have finally entered the stage with the boys where all their gear and baby paraphernalia doesn't require it's own suitcase. I remember flying down to Houston with Kolbe when he was just under two months old for his first appointment at the Shriner's Hospital. He required an entire suitcase. And one that was bigger than mine! Blankets, burp rags, his special bottles, lots of changes of clothes, diapers, wipes...the pack list went on and on. Now, when packing for Kolbe and Reagan, it's as simple as throwing a few outfits in the bag and being on our way. Sweet. Now if only it was that simply to pack for myself!

Three Thought Thursday: Episode 19

1. I had an awesome Mother's Day! It involved these things:
    - mass
    - a donut
    - roses
    - steak from Texas Roadhouse but not at Texas Roadhouse
    - my china that we never use
    - a nap
    - cuddling with the boys
    - a new rotary cutter and mat (more on that later)
    - Target
    - a new body pillow
    - a surprise homemade key lime pie (my fave) courtesy of my brother, Dave
    - a long, hot shower...the kind where I actually get to shave
So yeah, pretty much perfect. Don't you agree? Mark was super wonderful and made the day very special for me. Relaxing, enjoyable, fun!

2. I'm getting old. Or old-er at least. No, I don't think twenty-seven is that old. I just had this little revelation this past week in the form of my skin. For just about as long as I can remember, I've always had to wear oil-free moisturizer on my face. And usually one with some type of acne medication in it as well. No, I've never had true acne. Just skin that was prone to little break-outs whenever I didn't take perfect care of my skin. But in the past few months my face has been terribly dry. We're talking the kind of dry where, when you scratch your forehead, little flakes of white float off. Gross. The kind where when you put make-up on, it looks all blotchy and uneven. Also gross. So I tried out a little bit of Reagan's Cetaphil lotion on my face fully expecting it to break me out within one day's time. A week later, I'm still using it and my skin has never looked better! Aha! I have regular woman skin instead of teenage-y skin! Kind of makes me feel a little more...mature, I guess.

3. I've been wanting a rotary cutter and mat for a long time. For those of you who aren't sew-ers, it's basically like a pizza cutter but for fabric. I know, I know. These are usually for quilters, which I am definitely not. (yet.) But considering my less that stellar wrist joints, when I go on a big sewing kick I usually end up with a lupus flare. So when I saw the rotary cutters and mats on the cover of the Hancock's ad at 50% off, I inconspicuously circled the ones I wanted. Ok, ok. I circled them, drew a line to the price, showed it to Mark, and told him I wouldn't mind those for Mother's Day. Pathetic, I know. But I've been in fabric cutting heaven since Sunday! I literally busted out my bag of scraps and just shredded a bunch of them up. So much fun! Wrists hurt much less, fabric is cut much quicker. Sweet. And it cuts tons of other stuff too! (like my knuckle. Oops.) Can't wait to break that thing out when it comes time to wrap Christmas presents!

A Tale of Two Brothers

When I was pregnant with Reagan, I imagined him to be just like Kolbe. Naturally, right? They were going to be brothers, after all. But a little over a year in to Reagan's life, it's crazy to see how much they're not alike. At all. It's certainly not a bad thing. They're just different. Two totally different types of people. Let's break it down:

Looks:
Have you seen these two?!? If it wasn't for one of them looking exactly like me and one of them looking exactly like Mark, I'd wonder if one was switched at birth!
Kolbe: It's crazy to look at some of my toddler pictures and then glance over to Kolbe. He's virtually me with a boy haircut.
Reagan: While he doesn't exactly have Mark's coloring (unfortunately for him), Reagan is a spittin' image of his father. And more specifically his father's father. He too looks so much like Mark's baby pictures! Minus the fact that Reagan is still relatively bald and Mark had hair by then!

Skin:
Kolbe: Oh, what I wouldn't give.... He was lucky enough to inherit a chunk of his Hispanic roots in his gorgeous skin. He's got that lovely type that even when doused in sunscreen still somehow manages to tan. Not fair.
Reagan: Haven't I already mentioned his eczema!?! Poor child. The Asmussen side is still claiming responsibility on this one. Grandpa Maury battles with the same problem. I have a feeling he'll be a dermatologist's nightmare.

Little Bitty Baby Bodies:
Kolbe: I'm not quite sure where he got his build from...maybe Pinkie? She's 5'2" and barely 100 pounds soaking wet. Sounds like what Kolbe's going to be at age 25. He's tiny. Age: two-and-a-half. Height: 33 inches. Weight: 25 pounds. Sadly, he easily fits in to clothes that are size 18 months. And since he's been potty trained and doesn't wear a diaper, even those are pretty big on him in the waist and butt.
Reagan: He is his daddy re-made in this department too. He's a bruiser. And we aren't talking chubs. We're talking broad and muscular. There's not a single roll on his body but he's got big ol' thighs, a big ol' booty, and a big barreled chest. Even as a one-year-old! He walks around with this wide gait and looks just like he needs to have on a letter jacket and be strutting down the hall like the head of the football team. He's not exactly tall at this point, but I doubt if any of our kids will be. He's definitely got quite the athletic build though. And the most squeezable booty ever!

Personality:
Kolbe: Where to begin? I'm sure if you've read any of my other posts, you're gathered plenty of knowledge on this guy. Reluctantly, I guess I'll take responsibility for his "strong-willed" nature. I think it's safe to say that he's his own mother's son. He's funny, smart, goofy, out-going, sassy, silly, crazy, and so much more. He definitely has a mind of his own. One that is going twenty-four-seven! And he's totally sneaky too. Very determined. Tell him 'no' and he hears 'yes'! The word "Kolbe" is synonymous with "raggamuffin" and "shenanigans." He's the king of both. So much fun!
Reagan: Oh, my little dumpling. He is just the kindest, sweetest, tenderest little ball of love around! His gentle little soul definitely doesn't match his "meat head" appearance! He loves to offer the sweetest hugs to even the most random of strangers. He loves exploring, touching, and observing. He almost always has a smile on his face. And he is so eager to please. If we so much as give him the hairy eyeball he pulls out the most insanely pitiful pouty face, does about three deep breaths and bursts in to tears. He doesn't want to disappoint! Such a tender-heart! Just so much to love on!

Sleep:
Kolbe: I'll attempt to make this not sound like he's the reason I loathe the evening hours when I should be enjoying them. Sleeping has always been an issue with Kolbe. He doesn't seem to be much of a fan of it. After Reagan was born, it was impossible for me to be bedside with him until he decided he was ready to fall asleep so we began trying out several methods we found in a book called The No-Cry Sleep Solution. (I think we used the toddler edition) After three or four months of really working at it, he was finally able to go to bed on his own without much of a hassle. It was heavenly. But then about three or so months ago, he developed a bit of a knack for getting out of bed. Not in the middle of the night (thank God). We're talking about once we've put him in there initially. He somehow thinks it's his right to be able to participate in absolutely any activities going on in the house. So if Mark and I are out there watching TV, he should be allowed to as well. He can't stand not being a part of the action! His goal in life is to not fall asleep until everyone else in the house is asleep. And he seems to care less that we're at our wits end with it! Just go to sleep, kid! You'll thank us for it some day!
Reagan: Once upon a time I wrote a post about how I was close to reaching the break-down stage with this guy's sleeping habits. He would wake up three, four, up to five times every single night. It was exhausting and breaking me down physically and mentally. I guess he finally reached the point where he realizes that mama and dada are still there and he's safe and he can go to sleep with no worries. Literally, you put this guy in bed and he falls asleep as soon as he hits the pillow. My parents were in town last week and one day at lunch time I took an obviously tired Reagan from his chair and put him back in his bed. When I came out my mom asked where he was. I told her to which she replied, "Oh, I didn't tell him ni-night!" She rushed in to find him sound asleep. A total of maybe thirty seconds had elapsed. Not even kidding. He and Kolbe share a room and he sleeps through Kolbe's shenanigans every single night. He's the world's best sleeper. I think everyone wishes they could fall asleep that fast and sleep that soundly. Hope the gift carries through into the rest of his life! Must be nice!

Eating:
Kolbe: For the most part, Kolbe is picky, picky, picky. But he is a fan of strange non-picky eater foods like salad and fish. He'll even throw down on a big bowl of beets with me. I think a lot of his picky-ness is due in part to his palate issues. We could not get him to eat meat for the longest time. He'd put it in his mouth, chew it up and then just before swallowing would gag and take it out, placing it back on his plate all chewed up. Lovely image, I know. He still has a problem with sandwiches. The bread sticks to his palate and then it's all down hill. He's also the one of our two children who has been majorly corrupted by his grandparents who love to sneak him little tastes of everything sweet and non-healthy. Pa even once fed him a whole grape soda! He definitely has a sweet tooth like his mama! And he's willing to try pretty much anything that's doused in ketchup. Not too sure where he got that from... : ) One thing he adores is chips and salsa. Seriously. He'll sit there with Mark and the guys and throw down on a big bowl regardless of how hot it is.
Reagan: Rudy is our little food compactor. He will eat anything and everything that his little gummy jaw can get down. This includes but is not limited to all forms of meat, veggies, fruits, breads, sandwiches, crackers, pastas, acorns, and rocks. Luckily, he hasn't managed to swallow any of the last two items. He's a fantastic eater. And a big drinker too. He goes through twice as much liquid as Kolbe does! Always thirsty! And always hungry too. He's still in that ruled-by-his-stomach phase of life.

Just the two of us...
The boys share one of the sweetest little budding friendships I have ever seen. While a lot of their interactions up to this point have revolved around Kolbe antagonizing Reagan, they have finally started to play with each other as friends. I love looking out in to the backyard and catching Kolbe pushing Reagan in the car. Or when I give Reagan a few marshmallows and he goes over and gives one to Kolbe. Or when I look over and Kolbe is "reading" Reagan a book. Or when Kolbe says, "Me juice, Mama." And I say, "Ok, Kolbs." And he says, "RuRu too. RuRu juice too." They're always looking out for each other. That sweet little brother relationship where they may be at each others' throats one minute but you cross one or the other and it's on. Since Reagan doesn't talk much yet, it's hard for him to express his connection to Kolbe. But it's been so fun to hear Kolbe say things about Reagan that show how he feels about him. The other day we were teasing him and said, "Who's you're best friend, Mama or Dada?" To which he replied, "No. RuRu." Or when I say, "Kolbe, let's go get in the car." And he says, "RuRu go too? Me go, RuRu go." Or even when he gets in trouble: "Kolbe, let go of Reagan. Stop pulling on his arm." ... "Waaa! RuRu, me's baby, Mama!" I guess you can't have one without the other!

Check them out here.

Three Thought Thursday: Episode 18

1. I finally succeeded completed making my very first garment. Thus far in my sewing adventures I've just done baby stuff and straight line type things such as curtains or aprons. A while back my mom picked up a pattern that I saw online for a knit dress. I probably shouldn't have selected my first garment-sewing project to be an item made of knit. It's definitely not the easiest to sew with. But hey, it's comfortable. And I like comfortable! It took me roughly three nap times to complete the dress and I was actually quite proud of the finished product. Mine came out looking pretty much just like the sketch on the front of the pattern! The only problem is that being both knit and designed with lots of gathers, it easily looks like something I could wear into my final months of pregnancy. Well fitted with an empire waist, but just so flowy and gathery that I could easily be hiding a baby bump under there. Which I'm not. When I'm pregnant, I love looking pregnant, but when I'm not, I'd like to look as close to my non-pregnant self as possible! Hey, at least I have something to look forward to wearing the next time around...

2. I thought I'd change things up and write about my something-I-love second instead of third. (Watch out! She's getting a little rebellious over here!) Back on Valentine's Day, Mark surprised me with a new bottle of perfume. I guess he noticed that my old bottle had all but run dry. Or maybe he was just tired of the scents of spit-up, dried snot, spoiled milk, or urine that usually followed me around. Either way, he hit the Dillard's perfume counter with a limited budget and decided on "Fancy Love," a perfume by Jessica Simpson after trying out several alternatives. Random, I know. Lord knows I'm the farthest thing from "fancy." Or from Jessica Simpson, for that matter. But I'm certainly glad he chose that one, because I've gotten nothing but rave reviews on it. I love the scent. It's quite heavenly. Not too florally, not too sweet. Honestly, it has a soft sort of baby smell to it. Like what you'd imagine the scent to be in one of those Anne Geddes photos. But also packs a good womanly punch. The funny thing is, I put it on in the mornings and it makes me feel kind of pretty and girly even though I'm usually looking rough. But then I usually can't smell it within an hour or so. Until someone comes up to me and says, "What's the perfume you're wearing?" And for some reason, that always makes me feel so good! It's like when someone says, "Aw, you look great!" I'm about 93% sure that they're lying. But when they say I smell good, I know they're sincere! My favorite was when one of my friends was kind enough to let me come over and love on her new baby. A little while after I left she sent a text asking me about the perfume 'cause she kept smelling it on her little boy. Too funny! Maybe I should just wear it when loving on little girls! Thanks again, love, for the awesome confidence-boosting gift!

3. On Sunday/Monday/Tuesday of this coming week we will be hitting some big milestones at the Asmussen House. On Sunday, Kolbe will be turning two-and-a-half. Craziness. It still seems like yesterday. And then on Monday, Reagan will be turning fifteen months old. Not as big of a milestone for most babies, but big in my mind because if Reagan was Kolbe, he'd be welcoming a new baby brother on Tuesday. That fact totally blows my mind. Reagan was born the day after Kolbe turned fifteen months. Reagan still seems like such a baby to me right now. And for some reason, Kolbe, at that point didn't. Maybe it was that he had already been through so much. Three surgeries, tons of eating difficulties, countless doctor appointments. Heck, at fifteen months, he had already been on five round-trip flights! And maybe it was that since I went back to work after Kolbe was born, I missed so much of his first year of life. So I couldn't fully see how much of a baby he still was. Then again, maybe it was that I knew I was about to have another baby to care for, so Kolbe didn't need to be the baby any more. He needed to be a big brother. Even though he really was just a baby himself. Every now and then I still get a little emotional about Kolbe's first year. Man, was it a far cry from what I expected when I dreamed of being a mother. He had to "grow up" so fast and for so many different reasons. While I know God most definitely has His reasons, my heart still sometimes breaks for the little guy. I just want the absolute best for him. He deserves it. But man, oh man, am I so happy for the gift of Reagan. God absolutely knew what He was doing when He gave him to us. After all, if it wasn't for Reagan coming along, I'd probably still be working full time and Kolbe would probably still be at his sitter's day in and day out. So while Reagan's birth may have thrown off Kolbe's world quite a bit, it ultimately gave him two huge blessings: a stay-at-home mama and a baby brother who will be his lifelong best friend. I can't even begin to fathom having another baby just five days from now. Heck, I've barely begun to get my head above the water from the first two! But if and when God decides to bless us with another little one, I look forward to the many trials and adventures that will be sure to follow. This is, after all, what I've always dreamed of. And over the past two-and-a-half years, the God who made my dreams come true has done a miraculous job at showing me just how strong I am. Way to go, self. And happy mother's day to all you mama's, mama's of mamas, soon-to-be mamas, and later-to-be mamas out there. The work you do changes the world!

Kolbe "Kwotes"

Back to the firecracker!

Kolbe Kolb is just a few days away from being two-and-a-half. I can't believe it! We've made it half way through his third year of life! And my, have things changed in these past six months. The most notable, of course, is Kolbe's new found ability to express himself in actual words. He went from saying roughly eight to ten words at age two to pretty much endless talking all the time at two-and-a-half. It has made life much, much simpler for me, now that I can understand what he wants. On the contrary, there have been multiple times where I've found myself thinking Now, now, self...I know you'd give anything right now for him to stop talking, but try to remember the time when you were desperate just for him to say anything at all!

Mark says that when I type "Kolbe Kwotes" on here spelled all incorrectly 'cause I'm trying to document the way his precious little dialect sounds, people aren't going to understand what I'm trying to say and therefore won't read it. If such is the case, too bad! After all, in 2026 when my little guy leaves for college, it will be me who will be reading back through all these posts and hearing that little voice in my head like it was yesterday. I know these posts seem small now, but gosh, they are going to be invaluable to me some day! So here we go with some of my recent faves:

Kolbe: Mama, Pa's boots bown wif spots. (yes, they're brown ostrich skin boots)
Me: Oh, really! You're right. They are brown with spots.
Kolbe: And me's boots are back wif bumps. (black fake alligator skin boots)

Me: (upon hearing Reagan crying) Uh oh. We better go, Kolbe.
Kolbe: Betta go? RuRu eepies? (sleepy)

Kolbe: Mama, me coobies nacks?
Me: You want some Scooby snacks?
Kolbe: Yeah. But no dib dat to RuRu. RuRu go *insert gagging sound*. No eat dat, RuRu! Tay?
Me: Okay, I'll just give them to you. I'll make sure RuRu doesn't eat that.
Kolbe: Otay. Dood job.

And now for the cringe worthy ones...
Kolbe: (upon watching me sprinkle a little powder in Reagan's diaper) Dat, Mama?
Me: It's powder for Reagan's diapie.
Kolbe: Me have dat?
Me: No, you don't need any powder. You don't wear a diaper. You wear undies. I just put powder in RuRu's diapie to keep his bottom fresh.
Kolbe: Me puts powda in me's undies keeps me's winger fesh.
(Dear Lord, please don't let him say that one in public!!!)

And last but not least....
Typically Kolbe does not watch me get dressed. Door knob cover, mind you. But a week or so ago he somehow wandered in to my room while I was dressing and caught me in my bra....
Me: Kolb, let Mama finish getting dressed. I'll be out in a minute.
Kolbe: Mama, RuRu eat dose boobies?
Me: (with what I'd imagine to be a terrified look on my face) Excuse me!?!
Kolbe: (wide-eyed and fearful) RuRu...dink...Mama's....moke....dose boobies?
How do you recover from/respond to that one!?! I was hysterical! (yes, laughing. Not crying...though I probably should have been!!!) I guess that comment was par for the course after watching Reagan nurse for so long. Now if he says that one in public, people are going to think I'm letting my child watch sick college humor movies. Eek! That's my Kolbe, for ya!