Lifeguard article

This article was posted on the CDSC's message board and is about a lifeguard named Lisa Ellis who works at a YMCA here in Connecticut and who just happens to have a little something extra. Written by Brian Pounds.

Wordless Wednesday

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Baby Bean!!!!!

Everyone say hello to Baby Bean! My ultrasound went good, nice strong heartbeat, arms & legs forming, everything looks good! I've never felt so relieved in my life, I've been so paranoid that something might be wrong, but it looks like I was wrong! Things look great!! Now I can officially be excited!!!!

Fun With Newspapers!

Joey just loves playing with newspapers and ripping them up. Sundays are his favorite because of all the shopping ads!!

Make video montages at onetruemedia.com

New friends!

Last night at the storytime we got to meet Georgia & her parents, Tricia & Alex from Unringing The Bell! It made the event even better! That was the first time I've gotten to meet someone from blogging.

We also got to see other people that we don't get to see that often. Joey started getting fussy after a while so I went to stand in the back and while standing back there, Joey buddy Nick (who's 19) came over to help me with Joey and wouldn't you know, the second Nick put his hand on Joey's back, Joey calmed down. Nick has the magic touch!

Standing Outside The Fire

I'm a country music fan and completely forgot about this music video by Garth Brooks until the other day when another mom sent it to me on myspace. I just wanted to share it with those of you who might not have seen it yet. Enjoy!

Standing Outside The Fire Video

Standing Outside The Fire lyrics - Garth Brooks lyrics

Garth Brooks Music Videos

Music Video Codes by VideoCure

Barnes & Nobles tonight!

Well tonight is our local Barnes & Nobles story time from 7-8pm. A young man named Sean will be reading a couple of his favorite stories and Melissa Riggio's article. There was a news segment on WTNH last weekend to promote this activity (be sure to click on the blue box below the title to see the video). It'll be nice to see other CDSC members tonight! I haven't seen many of them since our convention in November!

Favorite Ingredient Friday

Baked Mac & Cheese

INGREDIENTS
1. 1 (16 ounce) package macaroni
2. 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
3. 1 cup milk
4. 1 pound shredded Colby cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Place macaroni in a 2 quart casserole dish. Stir in cheese soup and milk until well combined. Sprinkle with shredded Colby.
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

*Being a Catholic that doesn't eat fish during Lent is rough, but I manage by finding recipes of really good non-meat foods that are yummy! Either that or I'll just live on cheese pizza every Friday until Easter!

For more Favorite Ingredients Fridays, go visit Overwhelmed With Joy!

Previous Favorite Ingredient Friday recipes:
Stuffed Peppers
Chocolate Pancakes- Valentine's Day Chocolate Edition
Skyline Chili Dip- Super Bowl Edition
Cheesy Potato Soup
Peanut Butter Cookies
Saurkraut and Pork Roast
Candied Nuts
Mom's fudge
Peanut Brittle
Beef Enchiladas
Snicker Doodle Cookies
Pecan Pie
Burrito Pie
Apple Crisp

20 Froggies

When I was little, my Grandma used to sing a song called "20 Froggies" to me and my cousins. Years went by and I forgot about the song. After Joey was born, and I went home to Ohio for a visit, she was holding Joey and started to sing it. After Grandma had her open heart surgery and stroke over the summer, I feared that I would never learn the words to the song I grew up hearing her sing. I didn't want the tradition lost. Up until today, I could only remember the first verse, I couldn't remember the rest of the lyrics for anything and today it hit me to do a google search and I found it! Now I can continue singing the song to my son that I grew up loving my grandma to sing to me! I can't wait to tell Grandma that I found the song online!

Twenty Froggies
BY GEORGE COOPER

Twenty froggies went to school
Down beside a rushy pool
Twenty little coats of green,
Twenty vests all white and clean.

"We must be in time," said they,
"First we study, then we play"
That is how we keep the rule,
When we froggies go to school."

Master Bull-frog, brave and stern,
Called his classes in their turn,
Taught them how to nobly strive,
Also how to leap and dive.

Taught them how to dodge a blow,
From the sticks that bad boys throw.
Twenty froggies grew up fast
Bull-frogs they became at last.

Polished in a high degree,
As each froggie ought to be.
Now they sit on other logs,
Teaching other little frogs.

Meme Time!

Connie from over at This Little Blog of Mine tagged me so here it goes!!!

-Aprons- Y/N? - I have one, but I barley use it!
-Baking- I love baking! But after Christmas, I'm still a little burnt out on baking!
-Clothesline- Y/N? - Nope, too lazy. A dryer is easier!
-Donuts- Ever made them? - Not that I can remember, but I do love the donuts from my favorite Donut Shop back home in Ohio!
-Everyday- One homemaking thing you do everyday? - laundry, dishes, the normal...
-Freezer- Do you have a separate deep freezer? - I wish we had one, but then again, we don't have room for one right now. Someday...
-Garbage Disposal- Y/N? - No and I wish I did!
-Handbook- Y/N? - For being a mom? For appliances?
-Ironing- Only if I absolutely must.
-Junk Drawer- Where is it? - which one? I have multiple junk drawers!
-Kitchen- Design and decorating? - I wish I landlord would re-do our kitchen!!
-Love- What is your favorite part of homemaking? - being with my son everyday!
-Mop - Y/N? - My hubby usually does it (thank you!!)
-Nylons- Wash by hand or in the washer? - I don't even know if I own any
-Oven- Do you use the window or open it to check? - Open it
-Pizza- What do you put on yours? - cheese & mushrooms!
-Quiet- What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? - BLOG
-Recipe card box- Y/N? - no, but I have a notebook!
-Style of house - very small
-Tablecloths and napkins- Y/N? - Yeah, plastic tablecloth!
-Under the kitchen sink - Dish soap, dishwasher detergent, other misc cleaning supplies.
-Vacuum- How many times a week? - not enough!
-Wash- How many loads do you do a week? - too many!
-X's- Do you keep a list of things to do and cross them off? - I try to
-Yard- Who does what? - our landlord cuts the grass and I have a little flower garden
-ZZZ's- What is your last homemaking task for the day? - usually washing bottles

*I tag Big Blueberry Eyes and The FlipFlop Mamma!!

Another Use For Viagra

I was just doing my usual search of news articles on Down syndrome when I came across this one about a doctor at the Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, who used viagra on one of his patients who has down syndrome and a heart defect. He needed a way to dilate her blood vessels and it worked. They've actually noticed a difference in the little girl's health. Check out this article written by Andrea Cambern. Even though Joey doesn't have any major heart problems, I still found this an interesting article.

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays, go here.

Finally, proof!

As I told you all back on Feburary 9th, Joey went from laying to sitting all by himself. Well, that was the first and last time until today... so far, he's sat up a total of 4 times today and finally this last time I got it on film! And I wasn't the only one to witness him sitting up, Joey's Aunts Maureen and Margaret are here too!! I'm so glad to got to share this milestone with them!

Photo and video editing at onetruemedia.com

Baby Einstein

Joey loves his Baby Einstein DVD's... I usually will pop one in and put Joey into his exersaucer when I need to get housework done or need to cook dinner. Yesterday I was trying to get laundry done when I decided play his DVD for him. Usually when I come into the room while Baby Einstein is playing, his attention turns to me, but not yesterday, his eyes were on his TV and also on his exersaucer!

Make an online slide show at onetruemedia.com

BUSY weekend!

Well, like I said on Friday, Joey still had his lovely hives so we went over to my in-laws for the evening rather than going out to celebrate my husband's birthday. Yesterday, we didn't do a whole lot during the day. Patrick went into work for a couple hours, and Joey and I stayed home and played. Last night, we went out with Pat's friends to have a couple drinks (non alcoholic for me of course) and Joey spent the night over at his grandparents house. It was such a nice treat to be able to sleep in (thank you Joe & Virginia!)!! We went to 11:30 mass and from there went to the Irish Club for a corned beef and cabbage dinner with our family.

After the Irish Club, we came home and watched the Daytona 500, which was a HUGE disappointment! Dale Earnhardt Jr is my favorite driver and with just a few laps to go, he along with a few other cars wrecked!

Oh and Friday, I went to meet with the nurse practioner at my OB and I will be going this week for my first ultrasound. I'm very excited to see my little baby bean. I've been trying so hard not to get too excited until I see that little heart beating for the first time. But the more I think about it, the more excited I get. I went ahead and got out my maternity clothes already. My jeans were getting a bit snug so I've been wearing a couple pair of my maternity jeans that are smaller.

I also spent a lot of time this weekend cleaning and going through things. I actually put together FIVE TRASHBAGS full of clothes to give away to Goodwill! I went through my closet and pulled out anything that I hadn't worn in a year and my hubby even let me go through his clothes too and together we got rid of some of his things too! Not to mention, I finally got my kitchen floor mopped!!!

Oh and did I mention that Joey's hives are finally gone?!

Favorite Ingredient Friday

STUFFED PEPPERS
Ingredients
1. 1 pound ground beef
2. 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
3. 1 cup water
4. 6 green bell peppers
5. 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
6. 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
7. 1/2 onion chopped
8. salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.Place the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the beef until evenly browned.

3. Remove and discard the tops, seeds, and membranes of the bell peppers. Arrange peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing upward. (Slice the bottoms of the peppers if necessary so that they will stand upright.)

4. In a bowl, mix the browned beef, cooked rice, 1 can tomato sauce, garlic powder, and chopped onion. Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each hollowed pepper. Pour remaining tomato sauce over the stuffed peppers.

5. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, basting with sauce every 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender.

For more Favorite Ingredients Fridays, go visit Overwhelmed With Joy!

Previous Favorite Ingredient Friday recipes:
Chocolate Pancakes- Valentine's Day Chocolate Edition
Skyline Chili Dip- Super Bowl Edition
Cheesy Potato Soup
Peanut Butter Cookies
Saurkraut and Pork Roast
Candied Nuts
Mom's fudge
Peanut Brittle
Beef Enchiladas
Snicker Doodle Cookies
Pecan Pie
Burrito Pie
Apple Crisp

More hives...

My poor little guy has even more of these hives/ rash that last night. The ones he did have yesterday have tripled in size and there's more. Luckily, there's none on his face, but he now has them on the back of his neck up into his hair. I feel so bad for him but it doesn't seem to be bothering him too much. I'm going to call his pediatrician at 9:00 when he opens to see if there's anything else to do since they've gotten worse. I just feel so helpless, I hate it when Joey is sick!

My poor boy!

I noticed Joey had two little pink bug like looking spots on his rear end this morning and didn't think much about it. We took a trip to the mall and a hour after we were there, I went to change Joey's diaper to see that his crotch and rear end were broke out in a rash and that there was a few bumps forming on his belly. So, naturally I decided it was time to leave and when I got out to the van I called Joey's pediatrician who told us to come straight over. By the time we got there, Joey had these little bumps going up his belly and on his neck. It's not chicken pox, mumps, from teething, I didn't change any soaps or detergents, or any type of allergy, Doc B said that it's a viral infection of some sort and to give him benadryl. I just hope it doesn't get any worse before it gets better!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day! We're snowed/ iced in here so we won't be doing anything special for the next couple days. On a better note, I picked up my new/ used van yesterday!! It's a 2004 Dodge (can't remember what) but we got such a deal on it not to mention it only has 45,000 miles on it! I'll post a picture of it as soon as the weather permits!

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays, go here.

Finally!

You would not believe how long to it took me to get a picture of Joey's tooth! I never thought I could catch his mouth open, but I did!! See how crooked it is?!?! Also, if you click on the picture to enlarge it, you can see the white from the tooth next to it getting ready to come in (which also seems to be crooked) and the lumps from his I-teeth which I'm starting to believe will never come in!

A tearjerker!

This one brought tears of joy to my eyes... Selena Waters, a 19 year old senior at Abington Heights in PA helped to bring her girls basketball team to victory. A great article written by Marty Myers, On top of the world. Be sure to watch the video!

!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know if he accidentally did it or if he really meant to but Joey just went from laying on his belly to sitting up all by himself!! I was sitting on the couch watching my soap and letting Joey play on the carpet when I heard him grunting and struggling, I looked down to see him pushing himself up into the sitting position!! What a great milestone! This has made my day!

Favorite Ingredients Friday

Chocolate Pancakes

Ingredients
1. 2 cups flour
2. 3 teaspoons baking powder
3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
4. 1 cup sugar (less may be used, to taste)
5. 1 cup milk
6. 4 teaspoon butter, melted
7. 2 eggs
8. 4-6 teaspoons cocoa

Directions
-Combine dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and stir only until mixed.

Sauce (frosting):
1. 1/2 cup butter, melted
2. 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3. 1 teaspoon vanilla


Mix well. Spread on hot pancakes.

For more Favorite Ingredients Fridays, go visit Overwhelmed With Joy!

Previous Favorite Ingredient Friday recipes:
Skyline Chili Dip- Super Bowl Edition
Cheesy Potato Soup
Peanut Butter Cookies
Saurkraut and Pork Roast
Candied Nuts
Mom's fudge
Peanut Brittle
Beef Enchiladas
Snicker Doodle Cookies
Pecan Pie
Burrito Pie
Apple Crisp

Not again...

Well, I thought Joey and I were safe from this flu bug. I was hoping it was the same strain that we already had, but it seems like it's not. Joey has started vomiting again and I'm getting nauseated. Poor little guy has already puked 3 times. I'm just hoping that mine is from me being pregnant and not another case of the flu! Wish us luck!

Joey update

I took Joey to the eye doctor the other day to see for sure if he had a modest left esotropia and thankfully he does not! So no glasses are needed yet! The eye doctor said he will probably need them in a couple years though. He also said that Joey has those brushfield spots that are a common trait with Down syndrome. I guess I never noticed them before :)

Joey is getting so good at sitting up for longer periods of time and reaching for things while sitting. He still can't catch himself when he falls so he throws a fit when he hits the ground. I keep thinking he's going to start crawling, but he can't get up on his hands and knees at the same time. He can do both, just not together. He is finally not buckling his knees when I hold him up to stand by his hands. I can't get over how much he loves to stand! His PT comes this afternoon so we'll see what she has to say.

Mmmmm, formula!

Yesterday I started Joey back on solid foods, poor little guy hasn't been able to eat any food or drink formula since he had the flu last week. He's been on a clear liquid diet. And finally this morning he had a "good poop" so I gave him a bottle of formula and boy did he ever enjoy it. I've felt so bad the past well, almost week. I felt like I was starving the poor little guy but everyone I would give him formula, hours later he would have the most awful diarrhea ever. And if I gave him food, he would vomit it back up. So, yesterday I started him on applesauce and cereal and it did the trick! Yay for a good, no yucky poop!

Speaking of that nasty flu that Joey and I both got last week in Ohio, my hubby came home from work today with it. It's definitely going around, now the ugly booger has invaded my in-laws house too! You know it's bad when schools close due to it!

Wordless Wednesday

For the Wordless Wednesday Headquarters, go here.

Before and After

I finally got the before and after pictures from when Joey wore his helmet. I can't get over the difference. Some of the pictures you can't see much of a difference, other's more. As much of a pain the helmet was, it was worth it in the end.

A TOOTH!

Yes folks, it officially happened! I forgot to post the other day, while in Ohio, one of Joey's front bottom teeth finally showed it's pearly white self and boy is it ever sharp! I've still been waiting on his four I-teeth to pop through, they're still HUGE lumps, but this little guy in the middle popped up out of nowhere! And now, I feel the one next to it. I hope it shows it's way soon! I'll be sure to post a picture of it as soon as I can get Joey to keep his mouth open long enough to snap a picture!

Polar Plunge!

A very good friend of mine from high school, Matt, is swimming in the Missouri Special Olympics Polar Plunge in February and I just wanted to share the link in case any of you might want to donate to his goal of $500. Help Matt out if you have some extra cash!

We're back!

Well after a long sick week, we're back! Our week didn't go anywhere near what it was planned to be. The first weekend went great! Tuesday morning about 4 am, I wake up to Joey crying and his bed covered in vomit. So, we took it easy Tuesday and late afternoon I thought he was feeling better so I gave him some baby food. Bad idea.... poor little guy puked all over me twice, the second time choking on it so my father and I took him to Dayton Children's Hospital. In the mean time, I hadn't been feeling too hot all day, but I figured it was me just being pregnant and thought nothing of it. Well, we get to the ER to find out that it was FULL of sick babies with the same thing wrong as Joey. So after sitting there holding the little guy for a hour, I was so nauseated, I had to hand him over to my dad. My mom arrived after she got off of work and took over holding Joey. After 2 hours, we got called back. Once in the room, I started vomiting. The good news was the Joey didn't aspirate. So needless to say, the next couple days were full of me feeling lousy and poor little Joey not able to keep anything down but pedialite. Of course none of our family wanted to be around us except my poor dad who also caught it. Hopefully our next trip will go better.

Well, I'm off to call Joey's pedi to see what the heck to do with Joey. Yesterday I gave him formula for the first time in the airport so he wouldn't scream his head off on the plane and now he has diarrhea again.

But we didn't get to do all the fun things that were planned for our trip and we barely got to see anyone that we were suppose to see. At least I got to see my brother and his wife, and my grandma!

Also, while in the ER, the doctor there detected a very slight heart murmur in Joey's heart. I called Joey's Dr the next day and he said that he was aware of it. Why didn't he tell me about it!? He says it nothng to worry about, but I would have still liked to have known about it!