FINALLY A CALL FROM MY FUTURE WSC ADVISOR

My Advisor (Toni) from WSC got a hold of me today and talked to me about classes, expenses, how I will recieve my books in the mail and she is also sending out a bunch of information that I can take to Job Service so that Job Service can better work stuff out to help me with college expenses. She was super nice and even suggested that I not take more than 3 classes at a time because of my obligations to my family and home. I am going to apply for admission after I get my information in the mail and speak with Job Service, then Toni is going to help me select classes to gradually help me get into things. Toni said the only down side to taking few classes at a time is that it's going to take me about two to three times longer to get things done but it will be easier on me. She gave me her email address and office phone number in case I have any questions with anything and she said to call her anytime. I am feeling pretty good about things and after speaking to Toni I am feeling really optimisic about everything.

BAPTISM

The priest called me yesterday. He said that he forgot about calling me and was wondering if we were still planning on baptising Jessie on the 6th. I told him that was too soon of a date to notify the grandparents and Godparents so we have set the date for the baptism on March 19th after 10:30 am mass. I was thinking of maybe doing a brunch type thing at my mom's house (if my mom wants to after I ask her). I am thinking that puffed french toast, scrambled eggs, and sausage would be good to have. You can't go wrong with puffed french toast. Another thing that he suggested was to give Jessie a middle name during the baptism after a Saint. He said that it was something to think about but not required. I don't remember the priest who baptised Cassie saying anything about that but this is a different priest. She already has a middle name that her father and I like and it's already been confirmed on the Social Security card that we finally got in the mail so I don't think I am going to worry about picking out another name....especially since it took us until the day of her birth to come up with a first name that we both liked!!

PICTURES OF JESSIE

It has been a long time since I have posted pics. I have been busy keeping the house together, taking care of the girls, and getting ready for classes, plus there has been a few suprises in between that I have had to deal with. Jessie has been gaining weight like crazy. I am very proud to say that she is happy, healthy, and even pudgy in places. She got up from a nap and decided she wasn't too hungry yet so she was awake for a while and I got some good pics of her while she was up. You can't really tell by looking at the pics (Stupid Hello wouldn't put them in the order that I wanted them to be in) but all these faces actually worked up to one really wicked sneeze.

Jessie Ann looking so bright and healthy. She even finally got a double chin. I guess mommy has been feeding her pretty well. 

"I can do snooty too". 

I can do Elvis see...."Thank You, Thank You Very Much" 

Just checking things out. 

Well DDUUHHHH mom...what a lame joke. 

I think I'm feeling a bit hungry mommy. 

PHONE LINE

I am posting from my parents tonight. Today my phone line for some strange reason stopped working. I tried to get on the internet and it said that there was no dial tone so I checked the phones and they were all turned off. When I tried to turn on the phones there was nothing but dead air. My mom showed up shortly after and I asked her to try and call the house using her cell phone so she did. She said that her cell phone rang and rang and rang but nothing rang inside the house. I figured if the phone was disconnected for some reason that my mom would have gotten the "sorry but this number is no longer in service" message but she didn't. I checked all the phone jacks in the house and they seemed to be okay and everything was connected into the walls. Tomorrow I am going to have to borrow my mom's cell phone and call the phone company to see what's up. I just can't believe my luck. I am still trying to get stuff taken care of with WSC online too.

PENDING BISMARCK TRIP

Darren isn't so sure if he wants to make it to Bismarck for the family get together and I agree with his point.

The date of the trip has been changed to the weekend of March 10th. If we go to Bismarck it will only be for one night, Saturday night. Darren works Friday and won't get in until late which means he probably won't get home to York until 2 in the morning. Then we will have to wake up early and get the kids and everything in the car and then head out right after Jessie eats because she eats every three hours and that's how long it takes to get to Bismarck so we will make it to the hotel just in time for her to eat again. We will probably just chill out in the hotel and then the next morning we have to be packed, loaded, and checked out by 11 and then we have another 3 hours home (and I will have to feed Jessie right before we leave to make it home).

That's a lot of driving and juggling in one weekend and I don't know if I can do it.

Darren said that I should just drive to Harvey on Saturday morning so he can sleep but I am not looking forward to getting two kids, my stuff, Darren's stuff...not to mention that I would have to pack for Darren too and I don't know what he wants to bring or where to find it...into the car all by myself and then I have that hour long car ride all by myself without any help in case there should be a problem in the back seat with the kids.

I understand he wants to sleep after working all day but I work all day long with the kids and I am still getting up at least twice in the middle of the night with Jessie so I haven't been getting the best sleep either since January and I would really appreciate his help in the morning when we leave because it will be hard enough taking off on time after feeding Jessie.

I will be the first to admit that things are a little difficult with two children, especially an infant. Things don't get done because I will be doing something with one of the kids, then the other will want to eat or something, and then the other one needs attention, or Cassie is hollering cause she has to go to the bathroom. It's a vicious cycle that doesn't end sometimes. I can go three hours between the two of them at times and not once do anything for myself. I have even been skipping my lunch just so I can sleep after they both take a nap after their lunch.

So if we go some where with the kids. I would like Darren to help as much as he possibly can. But then again, Darren isn't sure what he wants to do so we will work it out when we get to that point.

DARREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY

My mom came over to the house on Saturday to watch the girls while Darren and I went to his late Christmas party for Schwan's in Harvey. We left York at about 2 pm, stopped in Rugby and had our taxes done, and got to Harvey at 4.

We had supper at a place called The Artos. The food was good but the service was terrible. We were all sitting there for an hour before someone came and took our orders. While we were waiting for the waitress, people went over to the lounge and got drinks and poll tabs and the manager's wife from Schwan's was busing the table. After the experience of the service I wouldn't go back there for a while.

Then afterward we all went over to the manager's house. He has a big heated garage and there we all played shuffle board, pinochle, and a quarters game that was really fun. He also had two fridges stocked with drinks. Darren and I couldn't stay long because we had to get home but we stayed long enough so I could play two games of quarters...I lost both games...Darren played a few rounds of shuffle board and then after Wayne, the route driver for Devils Lake, showed me how to play shuffle board Darren and I paired up and played a game against two other employee's and won.

We headed home around 10. I honestly had a lot of fun. A lot more fun than I thought I was going to have. Everyone was very nice and some of the employee's were really funny. I wish we could have stayed longer.

One of the drivers called Darren today and said that everyone was over at the manager's place until 3 this morning!!

DON KNOTTS, TV's BARNEY FIFE, DIES AT 81

Don Knotts, who won TV immortality and five Emmys for playing the bumbling Deputy Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show" with self-deprecating humor, was remembered by his friend and co-star as a comedic genius who wrote some of the show's best scenes.

"Don was a small man ... but everything else about him was large: his mind, his expressions," Griffith told The Associated Press on Saturday. "Don was special. There's nobody like him."

Knotts, 81, died Friday of pulmonary and respiratory complications at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center, said Sherwin Bash, his friend and manager.

His half-century career included more than 25 films and seven TV series, most notably playing the bug-eyed deputy who carried in his shirt pocket the one bullet he was allowed after shooting himself in the foot. The constant fumbling, a recurring sight gag, was typical of his self-deprecating humor.

The show ran from 1960-68, and was in the top 10 of the Nielsen ratings each season, including a No. 1 ranking its final year. It is one of only three series in TV history to bow out at the top: The others are "I Love Lucy" and "Seinfeld." The 249 episodes have appeared frequently in reruns and spawned a large, active network of fan clubs.

Knotts, whose shy, soft-spoken manner was unlike his high-strung characters, once said he was most proud of the Fife character and didn't mind being remembered that way.

He also played the would-be swinger landlord Ralph Furley on "Three's Company," which he joined in 1979, and was an original cast member of "The Steve Allen Show," the comedy-variety show that ran from 1956-61.

Knotts' G-rated films were family fun, not box-office blockbusters. In most, he ends up the hero and gets the girl — a girl who can see through his nervousness to the heart of gold.

In the part-animated 1964 film "The Incredible Mr. Limpet," Knotts played a meek clerk who turns into a fish after he is rejected by the Navy.

In 1998, he had a key role in the back-to-the-past movie "Pleasantville," playing a folksy television repairman whose supercharged remote control sends a teen boy and his sister into a TV sitcom past.

DARREN MAY HAVE A NEW JOB

Darren might have found another job. He has said a few times that he was getting tired of his Schwan's job because he isn't with the family much. A co-worker of his, who is his friend, found a job driving a cement truck out-of-state. Darren told me what state it was in but I forgot. He would work two weeks straight and then have one week off. The company pays for your plane ticket and hotel room while you are there. I even think that they pay for the plane ticket home too on your weeks off. Darren's friend said that he will make $45,000 per year when he starts this new job but he didn't say if there were any benefits offered though.

I am glad that Darren found a job that he thinks he will like better than what he's doing now, but I am hoping that he's not doing it for the money instead of doing it for the family. I know that we have it rough financially right now, but every young couple (especially with small children) go through rough times. We are not the only ones. I really don't want him gone that long. To have him away for a week right now is tough let alone two weeks. And if he is sick of Schwan's because he's not with the family enough how is this really going to help that? Plus, it's hard for me to do things when I have two children so if something goes wrong at the house, or some one gets really sick, or there is an accident I don't have any help except for my parents. My parents are wonderful people and they are there for me no matter what but with my dad's business taking off like it is and my mom still working Same Day Surgery at the hospital they are busy and away too. I just pray for nothing "suprising" while Darren is gone.

One of the main reasons why I am working on getting a degree is to get a job that will pay me a decent amount and then I can help pay bills to and bring money into the house for other expenses and maybe between the two of us we will have money to save for when we want to do something fun as a family or to just take a weekend and get away some where.

He is my husband so I will support him whatever he decides to do. It will be tough but they saying goes "absence makes the heart grow fonder". I just hope that is true. I can't imagine only having my husband around one week a month. I am going to really be living the whole single mother thing but we will get through it.

FINALLY SOME SLEEP

Tuesday night was awful. Jessie was up every hour and half to two hours and I don't think I got much sleep at all. Then Jessie was up most of the day Wednesday and I was getting wore out and tired. My mom picked the girls and I up and took us to her house to spend the night. I was concerned at first because if Jessie was going to do the same thing again I would rather be at our house where I am comfortable but I was shocked. Jessie actually did great at my moms. In the evening after I nursed her, my mom rocked her and laid her down at nine and then Jessie didn't get up until three for her next feeding. I can't believe she slept six straight hours! It was the best nights sleep I have had since Jessie came home from the hospital. Today Jessie did great, she ate every four hours and slept soundly between feedings. Tonight, however, I nursed Jessie for about an hour and a half and she still didn't seem satisfied. Luckily I had some expressed breast milk in my mom's fridge from earlier in the day so I finger fed that to Jessie and she seemed very content afterwards. Then my mom rocked her again and put her to bed around eight thirty so I am hoping that she sleeps really good again tonight. I am so glad that my mom picked us up. I really needed the help and the little breaks that I get with my mom being around are wonderful.

STUFF

The priest never called me back yesterday to go over details for the baptism. That was probably a good thing since Darren and I still haven't decided on God Parents. Now I am not sure if the baptism is going to be on the 6th or not now. If the priest doesn't call me today I will have to give him a call tomorrow.

Randy from Job Service called yesterday. Randy said that 3 years ago the state, under the Local Economic Developement Program, paid for 10 people to take the Medical Transcript class. He's not sure if the state is still doing that or not but he's going to check into it. I need to get them more info from the college like what the percentage of the class graduates and how many are placed in a job after graduation and the wages they receive and all that wonderful jazz. But isn't it my luck that before I get totally interested in Medical Transcription that the state PAYS for people to take the classes. Hopefully Job Service will find some way to help me.

My mom and I are planning to make a trip to Manvel on Saturday to go see my uncle and his family if the weather is nice. However Darren failed to tell me until today that Saturday is when Schwan's is having their Holiday party that they were supposed to have before Christmas. I want to go to the Christmas party but since I am breastfeeding I am going to have to find a time and place to pump every three hours and that could be difficult at a Christmas party. Also I was really looking forward to the trip to Manvel. I will have to think about it and decide later.

Cassie is doing wonderful being in big girl pants. She has been starting to use the bathroom by herself. It's been really nice not having to worry about her in diapers and wetting her pants. I am so shocked how fast she took to potty training though once she decided it was time. To all the people out there that will have to worry about potty training some day, I say wait until your child is ready. Don't force them to use the bathroom just because they are 2 or because family/friends think that your child needs to be potty trained right now. It goes so much more easier and smoothly when the child is ready to do it. Besides, if the child isn't ready and it just turns into a fight, you are screaming the poor kid is crying, that isn't going to convince them to use the bathroom at all. It will only drive them away from it.

Well, I better run. I have to call my distance coordinator at WSC about some of my classes and I need to pick up my house and do the dishes before my mom comes to pick us up tonight because the girls and I might spend the night at her place tonight since my dad isn't going to be home.

BUSY DAY

I have a bunch of phone calls to make today. I am probably going to spend the whole day on the phone. Neil Westgaard, the Director of Distance Education from WSC sent me an email and is going to be calling me today about my online classes and fees. Then this morning I already got a call from Randy at Job Service in Devils Lake about grants but I was nursing Jessie and didn't answer the phone so I am going to have to call him back. Then I have to call our bank.

I need to pick up my house and do the dishes and later this afternoon I and the girls are going to head over to my mom's house and watch American Idol and probably stay for supper.

CONGRATULATIONS

A Congratulations goes out to my friend, Brittany Mears, for the birth of her baby boy!! I can't wait to see him in person.

Chace William 

GEARING UP TO BE PART OF WSC

Registration for Williston State College starts March 1st. Most of the classes that I am taking online go from May 22nd to July 28th. Now to get the certificate it's only 35 credits but to get the degree (which I want) is 65 credits. Every college student knows that it's almost impossible to get done with that many credits in two months so I am going to call WSC today and speak with an advisor. Then that way I can tell them my situation and they can help me set up classes the best of my needs which will help a lot. I can also speak to them about grants and financial aid too. I prefer to try and get as many grants and things as possible before the financial aid that way I won't have so much to pay back.

I am actually really excited to get started on this. I have a great support system already started and people have already told me that they are their to help with whatever I may need to get the degree finished...which is great because books are expensive and I may need help getting those at first because I can't study without books.

Also, once I get the degree finding a job shouldn't be too hard. Vet, vision, and dental offices even use medical transcription personal to get things done too and I don't live too far from three towns which all have those businesses in them. In fact, I can think of four.

Wish me good luck!!!

SAMMY CAT, CHURCH, AND A PENDING BAPTISIM

Mom and dad's cat, Sam, had been sick for some time. She would go through spells where she looked like death wandering the house and then after a week or so she would come out of it and look a little better but lately she had been pretty bad. It got to the point she would swagger when she walked and it was impossible for her to walk a straight line, and once while I was there she lost her balance while she was drinking water and fell face first into the water dish. It's basically my dad's cat and he figured since he was going to be on the road a lot with his business that the humane thing was to put her to sleep so he took Sam to the vet on Friday.

Sunday I called my mom and had her pick the girls and I up so we could go to church because it has been a really long time since I gone. I think the last time I was in our church was for Tanya's funeral. Things have gotten tough and tight in our house and I definitely needed a little prayer. I was really surprised because Cassie behaved herself, as much as a two and a half year old can behave anyway, and Jessie just slept through the whole thing.

After mass I spoke with the priest so that we could set up a time and date to have Jessie Baptised(sp). I think we are going to do it on the 6th of March as long as Lent isn't a problem. The priest was thinking that they can't hold baptisms, weddings, and confirmations during Lent. He was going to check on it and then call me Tuesday to let me know. I didn't know it, but when we were in the hospital and word got to my mom in Same Day Surgery that they may had to have Jessie sent to a different hospital my mom told one of the nurses to baptize Jessie before they sent her off (cause you never know what will happen) and not to tell me about it so I wouldn't get more upset than I already was. Thanks mom for looking out for Jessie and I like that.

Darren and I still haven't decided on God Parents either. April and Kevin are really the only close Catholic friends that we have and they are Cassie's God Parents and we can't think of anyone for Jessie. Members from either side of our family can do it as long as they are Catholic. Darren was upset by this because he doesn't understand why the God Parents have to be Catholic. I tried to explain that because I am Catholic and since we are raising the kids Catholic the God Parents need to be Catholic cause if the God Child has any questions concerning his/her Catholic faith then they have someone to talk to about it if they feel that they can't go to their parents or feel like their parents didn't answer it good enough for them. I told him I was sorry but a Mormon or Lutheran can't answer questions about the Catholic faith. It's complicated and for some reason that is how the Catholic church likes things. I may ask the priest and see if just one can be Catholic then that way Darren and I can each pick somebody. Darren couldn't think of anyone from his side of strong Catholic faith. I had a few suggestions for some of my cousins, aunts and uncles and such but Darren didn't seem to impressed but we need to have people chosen by tomorrow when the priest calls. If anyone can post and explain the whole God Parent/God Child thing better please feel free because I don't even know if I have it so that people can understand it.

Curtis Broden also caught up with me after church and told me that his wife had some stuff for Cassie and the baby at their house so my mom, I, and the girls went over to Broden's for a little bit. Marcie held the baby for a while and Cassie just played with Tiffany's cat Dexter. We didn't stay too long, Cassie had an accident so we went to my mom's house to change her into dry clothes then Jessie got hungry so I fed her while we were there. I don't think that we got home until 2 pm...much later than we normally get home after church.

I don't have too much planned for this week. I would like to get to Baby & I this Wednesday because MaryAnne will be gone next week. Someone is still going to be there to take MaryAnne's place but I would rather be there when MaryAnne's there so I haven't decided if I am going or not next week.

TOTALLY GONE

When I went into Devils Lake and drove past Hardee's, I couldn't believe it was gone. Hardee's shut down and I didn't even know about it.

The lighted sign outside is gone, all the signs and letters from the front of the store have been removed and the Coca-Cola guy was putting his soda dispensing machine in to the back of a truck.

I also heard from my dad that they closed the Hardee's on the North Hill in Minot and a girl at Baby & I told me that there was a Hardee's in Grand Forks that she heard was being shut down too.

I guess all the other fast food places are kicking the snot out of poor Hardee's. But It's not like Hardee's was the best place to eat in Devils Lake anyway. The food was always cold and the service was terribly slow and there are no words for some of the help that they had.

I'm just surprised by it and thought that I would let everyone else know who didn't know about it already.

WHAT A MESS

Boy am I mad.

My mom came over at a quarter to 11 so that she could watch the girls while I went into town for a doctor's appointment. The roads and weather were a little worse than I thought they were going to be so I called the clinic to let them know I was going to be late for my doctor's appointment but I was on my way. When I got to the clinic the doctor had already left for lunch and he wasn't going to be back until tomorrow. The whole reason I went to town was because of that stupid appointment. Now my and my mom's time, money, and gas were wasted on the trip into town that I wouldn't have had to go to if I knew the doctor wasn't going to be in.

To make things worse I took some checks that Darren and I received as gifts for Jessie into town with me to be cashed so that when we got around to starting Jessie's savings account we had the money but the teller at the bank told me that she couldn't cash the checks because our checking account was overdrawn and can't cash them until the checking account is caught up. This really ticked me off because we have a direct deposit going into the account tomorrow which should be for a very decent amount.

I was about ready to cry because of how terrible things were going. A whole trip just wasted. I couldn't believe my luck.

After the bank I just went to Wal-Mart and got a package of newborn diapers and then picked up something fast to eat and then came home.

Tomorrow I have to do it all over again and the weather is supposed to be worse and my doctor's appointment is early in the morning so my mom is going to come over right away after she gets up so I can get on the road right away and if I get there extremely early then I get there early, at least I will be seen by the doctor.

A SUPRISING BILL

I need to call Social Services in Minnewaukan. I was on Medicaid when I had Jessie and I thought that Medicaid was supposed to cover myself and the baby for 63 days after birth but today I got a bill from Altru clinic/hospital for $3785.75 If we have to pay that I don't know where we are going to get the money for it. I am hoping for some good news when I call Social Services. I am thinking maybe SS couldn't pay anything on Jessie's bill because we don't have her SSN yet but once we get it then they can take care of the bill. Also I noticed on the bill that there is still the $2746.73 from my surgery still on the bill and I know that has to be covered by Medicaid. So maybe the bill was sent before Medicaid could process everything. I don't know. I am just hoping for some good news when I call SS because that still leaves $1039.02 on the bill and I don't know how we are going to pay for it.

This is MaryAnne Fetterly the lactation consultant at Mercy Hospital in Devils Lake where Jessie was born. If it wasn't for all of MaryAnne's help and dedication we wouldn't be where we are today with Jessie. God bless her! 

BABY & I AND COLLEGE CLASSES

Today at Baby & I, MaryAnne said that it is perfectly fine to take Jessie to Bismarck but to make sure that people wash and/or sanitize their hands before touching the baby. That we can handle, besides, I always have a bottle of sanitizer in the diaper bag for when I change diapers on the go. I also got a pic of MaryAnne with Jessie for Jessie's scrapbook which I hope to have time to start some day.

I have been seriously thinking about taking college courses for Medical Transcriptionist. I can get a degree from Williston State College and Lake Region State College together. I have emailed both colleges and I am waiting for the courses that I need to take along with the cost of classes,if I can take all of the classes online or if there are some classroom classes, if a proxy is needed for tests, info on financial aid, and all that great stuff. I really started to get interested in it when I found out that some of the hospitals around here actually pay people to pick up the doctor's dictation take them home and type them up and then return them by a specific date. There are a couple women in our Baby & I group that do this already. It's perfect because I can stay at home and I can work on it at my own time which gives me the ability to pay attention to the kids and when the kids reach school age, I can work at the hospital in Medical Records and be home when the kids get out of school. Besides, I feel stupid to be close to 30 and not have a college degree in something.

This is kind of a bad picture because Cassie was moving around but I loved her smile in it and decided to post it anyway. She is so happy to be a big sister. 

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE!

First off, I hope everyone had a great Valentines Day even though the day is almost over.

Brandi came out to the house today to visit for a bit. She also brought a gift of clothing for Jessie which had blankets, outfits (some of them premiee's) and a really cute musical pig for her crib. She couldn't stay too long cause Carson was at a Valentines Day party and Brandi had to go pick him up.

My mom surprised the girls and I today with a balloon bouquet for Valentines Day when she got off work. She brought it out to our house because she had to come out here anyway to drop of some milk for me. My mom also got Jessie her first baby doll which is a cute little girl wearing a dress and has a straw hat on. I think it's adorable.

We went back to my mom's house with her. My dad surprised me with a Valentines Day card and he got both the girls these little cute stuffed clip-on animals. Cassie got a puppy and Jessie got a kitty (it could be a tiger too but I think with the color it looks like a kitty). We ate dinner and watched American Idol and House. After house my mom brought us back home. At home Cassie went right to bed then Jessie ate shortly after and she shouldn't get up now until around 1:30 or 2 to eat again so I have a little free time tonight.

Tomorrow Brandi said she will watch Cassie for me if I go to Baby & I. I watched the news and the weather man said that it's going to be really cold, like 3 degrees above zero, but with the windshield it's going to feel like 15 to 20 below!! If it's that cold, I may not go because I don't know if I really want to drag the kids out in that kind of weather. I have to call Brandi tomorrow and let her know what's going on for sure.

And Cassie went the WHOLE day without a single accident. WOO-HOO!! I think it's safe to say that she if officially out of diapers.

POTTY TRAINING GOING GOOD

Cassie is doing wonderful in her big girl underwear. She really likes them and shows them off to people. I was very proud of her, she went 10 hours in them yesterday and only had one accident and that happend over at Nana's right before we left her place to come home and go to bed. I was really suprised this morning when I took her to the bathroom this morning and her diaper from the night was still dry. Now, I know she's only 2 so I am not expecting her to have a dry diaper every morning when she wakes up but that was nice not having to worry about a wet diaper that needed changing right away. I watch the clock and try to get Cassie to the bathroom every hour and a half or so. She doesn't like to have a Tootise Roll now either, she demands a piece of Nana's homemade fudge but I give her whatever it takes to get her to go. YEAH for potty training!

Yesterday at Nana's while she made more fudge for us I made supper. We had meatballs with gravey and mashed potatos. We watched 7th Heaven, my mom's fav show, and some of the olympics.

We may go back over to my mom's house again today but I'm not sure. I really go over there out of boredom. I think Darren gets a little mad that I go over there so often because I shouldn't be bored with everything that needs to get done around the house but there is a difference between being bored and being busy and you can be both at once. Besides I like talking to my mom, after all, she is my best friend. And also thanks to my dad I learned a piece of truely useless information that I could have lived the rest of my life not knowing. He told me that "turtles can breath through their butt"....uummmm, yeah....(gotta say that like the boss in Office Space)

TOOTSIE ROLLS, VISITORS, AND ABSOLUTE QUIET

We have been working on getting Cassie completely potty trained but one thing we were never able to get her to do was actually poop in the toilet. I finally started telling Cassie that when she pooped in the toilet, we would give her a Tootsie Roll. Today, she finally got a Tootsie Roll. She would always tell us that she had to poop and when we got in there nothing would happen. I think it surprised her a little cause she was laughing and goofing around when she was pushing and then all of a sudden she got a weird look on her face and then after it fell into the toilet she shouted "OH! I POOPED!!" My mom bought us some thick padded training pants a while back and I think I am going to start using them now since I know that she can pee and poop in the toilet and maybe if she feels herself get wet a couple of times she won't like it and then come to us to go to the bathroom more often.

Also today we were visited by Darren's cousin Jeff, Jeff's girlfriend Tonya, and their daughters Alyssa and Hailey. It was great to see them, especially Tonya since I don't see her often and I really like her. They stayed for a few hours before they took off. I felt bad a couple of times because I had to leave the room to nurse Jessie.

Darren's parents called yesterday. They have to pay in $900 to the IRS from when Dave sold his cattle. I feel bad for them. They also want to know if we will go to Bismarck for an over night stay at the end of this month with them. They offered to pick up the room and meals. I am kind of questioning it myself cause Jessie isn't sleeping through the night yet, she is feeding every three hours and when she's not feeding she is sleeping so I am not going to get out of the hotel room much, and because of how little Jessie is I am worried about flu and RSV. Jessie absolutely can not get sick otherwise we are going to run into more problems because of how little she is. I would love to go so I am going to check it out with my lactation consultant, MaryAnne, on Wednesday to see what she thinks. If she doesn't think it's a good idea than Darren and Cassie can go and Jessie and I will stay home. We will just have to see.

It's really quiet in the house right now. Jessie and Darren are sleeping in the bedroom and Cassie passed out on the living room floor watching Peter Pan. I think I am going to take this opportunity to sneak in a sweet snack that I don't have to share with Cassie and just lounge. Maybe I will even pick up where I left off in "The Chronicles of Narnia" book that I started before Jessie was born.

Jeff's girfriend Tonya holding little Jessie. 

I love Jessie's little "O" face. She makes that expression a lot.  

A sleepy Jessie. 

These are Tonya's daughters Alyssa and Hailey. 

PRETTY BASIC DAY

The other night went pretty smoothly except for the fact that I didn't get Cassie into be until midnight. I promised she could watch Polar Express before she went to bed so we were watching that and then close to the end of the show Jessie woke up and needed to be fed. I fed Jessie while I let Cassie finish her show and it was 11:30 before Jessie fell asleep again. And before the show, I forgot about a bag of popcorn in the microwave and totally fried it. I had smoke rolling out of the microwave so bad that I thought the smoke detector was going to go off so I opened a couple of windows to help get the smoke out. You can still smell the burnt popcorn today and the microwave just stinks when I use it but thank God the food doesn't taste like the burnt popcorn.

Cassie was up early today and she took her nap before 2, which is her usual nap time. She napped for almost three hours. Cassie woke up shortly before my mom came over with some stuff I asked for from town. Mom and I sat and talked for a little while and then she went right back home since the weather was still a little crappy.

I am not sure if Darren is going to make it home or not tonight because of the roads. When I talked to him earlier today he said that they didn't get the weather that we got up here.

I have finally finished cleaning my house, my dishes are washed, and the clean clothes are put away so now I am giong to be cause Jessie will be up in about another hour to eat again.

I will try and post more Jessie pics after this weekend.

NEWS TO MAKE AMADON AND JOSIE SMILE

I got some news today about Mike Schmidt from an old co-worker today and I just thought Amadon and Josie would be happy to hear it. Mike was in jail and is out on a $10,000 bond for assaulting an officer, resisting arrest, bad checks and drug charges. I have no clue if there is any court, fines, or community service or anything. This is pretty much all the info that I got. I smiled about it anyway and thought I would share.

Greed:	Medium
Gluttony:	Medium
Wrath:	Very Low
Sloth:	High
Envy:	Very Low
Lust:	Very Low
Pride:	Very Low

The Seven Deadly Sins Quiz on 4degreez.com

MY NIGHT

Last night was a much better night with Jessie than the night before. Jessie just seemed really tired and fell back asleep after each nursing so that was really nice. There was one time, around midnight, that she stayed up for a little bit but it wasn't near as long as before.

It doesn't look like we got any snow last night but I am sure it's still cold out because my furnace has been running like crazy. I am glad we didn't get a big storm.

I forgot to mention in my last post that at Baby & I, Jessie weighted 5 lbs and 14 oz. She is almost 6 lbs!!!

I have to call my mom at work because I need her to pick me up some milk and she also left her gloves here at my place. At least I think they are hers, if not, then they belong to Brandi.

....and what is up with Kevin's blog. Does he not have one anymore? For about two weeks now when I try to access his site I get a message saying "error blog not found". When people stop blogging they have to let me know about these things because I obessively check them about 4 times a day.

HAPPY BIRTH DAY TO ME

Last night was a long night with Jessie. She wasn't fussy or anything but she wanted to be awake for long periods during the night. I hope she isn't getting her nights and days turned around. If she is, I will just have to work it out.

Today Brandi watched Cassie while Jessie and I went to Baby & I. There was a really nice younger gal there that was from Cando but had her baby in DL. She was really nice and I enjoyed talking to her. I hope I get to see her more often.

When I got back to Brandi's, I watched the kids so that Brandi could go to DL and get her hair cut. She had to have a new hair do for the Tobey Keith concert that she and her boyfriend are going to in Grand Forks. She wasn't gone long at all and Carson and Cassie played great together and Jessie slept the whole time I was at Brandi's.

After Brandi got back, we all came out here to my place and my mom and dad came over and brought b-day gifts and supper for everyone. I got a lot of really nice clothes from my dad that I can't wait to wear. Now I just wish I had a place to wear them to.
My parents didn't stay long and Brandi and Carson took off shortly after them. It was a great day, even though Darren wasn't around for it. For any of those that don't know, this birthday makes 27! Wow, just 3 years short of 30. God, I'm getting old.

Tomorrow is supposed to be crappy so I am just going to stay home and lay low with the kids. Besides, there is a lot of flu and RSV going around so I don't want to take Jessie more places than I have to right now and I have a lot of house cleaning that needs tending too anyway.

And a happy birthday also goes out to KSoFM's brother whom I share a birthday with. Feb 8th is a great day.

Jessie snoozing in the warm sun. 

a bad close up shot of Jessie sleeping on my legs. She feel asleep in the sun after she was weighted.  

Little Jessie asleep in her car seat ready for the car ride home. 

OH YEAH

I forgot to mention that Wednesday is also my birthday. Thanks again Brandi for offering to watch Cassie for me on that day so I can run to Baby & I.

STUFF

Today has been an almost normal day and I have been working on getting things at home into a somewhat normal organised routine. But what's really normal with two kids?!?

KSoFM asked about pics of Jessie. I have been so busy with things that I have just haven't had the time to take any. I will have some up by Wednesday at the latest. I have to get some pics at Baby & I and of Mary Anne for Jessie's scrapbook, which I haven't even started yet and some pics around the house and with Cassie are needed too. Cassie is doing great with Jessie. I have already been calling them by the wrong names. I think I started doing that the day we had Jessie named. That must be instinctive after you have more than one child to start calling them by the wrong names.

April, any day this week will be fine except Wednesday cause I will be in DL that day myself. I have been having a problem with your blog too. When I try to read it, I just get a white page saying that I am not allowed to view that blog. I will keep trying it though.

I haven't caught too much of the Super Bowl. Mom put Cassie down for her nap for me as I was nursing Jessie and after Jessie had eaten enough she went to sleep so I tucked her into her car seat and layed down and then I fell asleep myself and just woke up a few minutes ago. I am hoping for the Seahawks to win.

Darren suprised me and came home today around 3. It's great that we at least get to see him once before he goes back to work. I am not sure what time he's leaving but it will probably be later tonight after the kids are both in bed.

NO MORE SPECIAL BABY APPOINTMENTS

Friday I took Jessie to the clinic to have her weight taken. She has gained her birth weight (plus some) back. She is now 5 lbs 9.3 oz. I am amazed that she put on 8 ounces in just a week without any supplimental feedings or anything. The doctor was really impressed and he said that he was suprised because she turned all the corners before he expected them too and now we just have our normal well baby visits...no more special appointments.

My mom came over today for a few hours so I could run into DL and cash my WIC checks. What a mess. The new WIC check system sucks. They say it's going to be eaiser and faster for everyone but I don't know how that's possible. I will have to explain it in more detail later. Also, Leevers is remodeling so it was harder than hell to find anything in that place. I think I spent an hour alone in the grocery store just finding things. My dad also came over and blew out my drive way and cleared walking paths for me since our yard filled in with snow. I am glad to have my parents so close when my husband is gone so much.

Tomorrow I think I am going to spend the day at my parents since it's the super bowl. I don't really have anything else planned for the week except EHS on Monday and Baby & I on Wednesday.

JUST ANOTHER DAY

I am excited about Jessie's doctors appointment tomorrow. She is nursing very well now so I am anxious to know what her weight it after a week of good eating. I am hoping that she is close to six pounds.

My mom picked up some stuff for me at Wal-Mart and came over when she got home from work. She also stopped by the Catholic second hand store in DL and picked up some really cute small things for Jessie. We should have enough small outfits now to last us through the week with all the spitting-up she is doing lately.

My mom is going to be home early from work and then she is going to come to my house to watch Cassie so that I don't have to worry about Cassie's nap.

If I have time while I am in DL, I want to try and hit the grocery store to cash my WIC check but my mom said that Leevers is really a mess since they are remodling the inside so it may take me a while to find the things that I need and I may not have too much time if we start to get close to Jessie's feeding time. We will have to see.

I don't have anything planned for Superbowl Sunday. Darren is going to be in Fargo so I may go over to my mom and dads for the day or just hang out at my place. There's really not too many options.

Doug, a question for you from the comment you made on my last post....do you mean to say that I complain when people ask me how I am or are you admiring the fact that just because I hurt or I am sick I don't complain consistantly about it to everyone?? I guess I just wanted to know if I should be offended by the comment or take it as a compliment (which I do by the way).

A FAST UPDATE

Today I amazed myself by getting both children into the car and to our 10:40 am WIC appointment on time. Jessie was even feed and ready to go for 3 hours. WIC took a lot longer than I thought it was going to. They have a new computer system that helps them get things done but it takes the WIC lady forever to enter all the info into they system and run off the checks. We were there for almost an hour and a half, but I got my checks so I can't complain.

After WIC I went to the gas station to put some fuel in the car. Brandi caught up with me there and then we went over to the resturant to eat. Brandi also said that she would watch Cassie for me on Wednesday of next week so that Jessie and I can make it to Baby & I. I feel bad for Brandi right now because she isn't going to get any of her expected income tax back....the government that she so proudly served screwed up and isn't going to see a nickel of it.

Tomorrow I am just going to hang out and do some light work around the house. Then on Friday Jessie has an appointment with her doctor at 4:15 and I need to take Jessie over to Mary Anne and have her weighted in the nursery before all three of us go to the appointment together. I am hoping that Jessie has gained about a pound and we don't have to do weekly doctor visits much longer.

Darren isn't going to be home this weekend because he has to go with some of the other Schwan's drivers to Fargo for an awards banquet deal so I won't see Darren for two weeks....bummer.