8 weeks old today.....

Here's a quick update regarding "life on the funny farm" as I see it. I realize I've only been around 8 weeks but I've got this place figured out.....not to mention I've got mom and dad wrapped around my finger.

Since I last posted alot has happened around here. The white snow melted, so dad decided to mow the grass one last time before winter really strikes. I think he was a little confused on what he was mowing........check out the snow in the picture. I got a little laugh watching him try to mow snow.....what was he thinking?!











Mom hopes I'm a natural born athlete. So, she introduced me to her running shoes and jogging stroller. The first two times we went running, I looked around the first mile and then fell asleep. However, two days ago I decided to voice my opinion on this running thing....here's what I did.....I was good the first mile and a half to make mom think I was having fun, then I opened my mouth and began to cry as loud as humanly possible. So loud mom thought all the neighbors could hear. Eventually mom took me out of the stroller and carried me up a BIG hill while pushing the jogging stroller and listening to me wail. It sure was fun. Turned out the only reason I was crying was because I had a little burb.....ha ha....so mom now thinks I may not be destined for a spot on the Olympic Track team, but perhaps swimming. We'll see in a few months how that goes when I start swim lessons. They think since I love my bath that I'm now going to love swimming. (the photo of me looking like a cookie monster and the one with the pink jacket are from our "fun" runs)











Other than that, not much else new around our place. I went to the doctor yesterday for my 2 month check up and found out I'm growing like a weed.....well, sort of. Anyway, I now weigh 10 lb. 10 oz and am 22 inches long. I really haven't grown a ton since being born. Mom thinks I inherited something from her, her build. She says that I look just like dad and she only had the honor of carrying me around for 9 months. So, she's thrilled there will be another petite girl in the house. The appointment was okay and they kept saying how I'm doing great and was such a good girl, then this meanie of a nurse came in.......she gave me 3 shots and then one oral vaccine. Then, they wanted a blood test and another meanie nurse tried to take all the blood from my arm. No offense, but if being good earns me that, then I'm going to be bad next time. Now they decided I get to have an ultrasound in a month to check my kidneys. Mom promised there won't be any needles that day....I sure hope not!

I got a new toy. Mom found it on craigslist. I like it because it have 2 slides, 2 swings a walk-way, a rope climby thing and a playhouse. The only thing that would make it complete is a PINK swing. Why must everything be blue?! I'm a girl.











We're making our first road trip soon. We're headed to Iowa for my baptism and Thanksgiving. I'm going to meet lots of new people then and Dad says he's taking me to the John Deere Tractor museum......in case you didn't know, Dad loves John Deere and really wants a riding lawn mower.
In honor of Turkey Day here is my poem for you!
Turkey Red, Turkey Blue, Turkey says "I love you"

Okay - time for another nap.

Miss Maddie Rose

Trick-or-Treat.....

....smell my feet, give me something good to eat.....wait, I can't eat candy, I don't have teeth.

It was a busy weekend around here. Saturday Mom and Dad played dress-up with me again. This time they put me in something they called a "costume" that looked like a flower.....then, they took pictures of me and paraded me to our neighbor's, Bob and Shirley, house to show me off.....I'm convinced Mom and Dad are nuts, they like this dress-up thing too much. Everyone said I looked cute but I think they were being nice.....who in their right mind wears a flower costume around for fun? (I later learned some kids had it worse than me...they were dressed like pumpkins....really people, who wants to look rounder than they already are? ha ha)

Mom and Dad claim they dressed me up for Halloween, but I didn't get any candy. On top of that, they gave all my candy away to kids who kept ringing the doorbell during my evening nap. How Rude!!! Anyway, Mom and Dad thought it was tons of fun and they claim that I will love Trick-or-treating in time. I hope they are right. They already are discussing what I'm dressing up as next year.....can you believe they haven't asked for my input?!

(mom says this was my reaction when I learned they gave all the candy away)

It was a pretty good weekend overall. I got 2 new toys which I really LOVE. Both play music and one has colors that change when the song is playing. Mom and Dad say these are both good for me because they stimulate multiple senses.

(this is my reaction to getting 2 new music toys)

We are learning lots of new things about my hearing. A nice lady named Lynne came to the house last week and taught Mom and Dad lots of things about me.....is it sad that Mom and Dad are having a stranger teach them about their daughter? I find it amusing. Anyway, we learned about a different smoke alarm that has a strobe light with it and developmental milestones I should be at as I grow.

As you know, I have to work harder to hear. So when Mom and Dad are talking to me it's important they get my attention first by tapping me and talking to my good ear. Also, it's a little difficult for me to filter out background sounds. So little things like the TV, Music, Dishwasher and Washer/Dryer make it a little harder to hear when someone is talking to me. You'll have to be a little patient with me because I'm listening, it sometimes requires you to repeat yourself. Lynne did say smaller rooms versus lofty, open areas will be easier to hear in because sound bounces off walls. There was so much information to take in during the 2 hours Lynne was here that I had to take a nap.

This is a big week for me. On Friday I get fitted for my BAHA. Maybe next week we'll have picture of it.....this means I might have stereo sound.

Love - Madeline Rose

Snow....in Oct.

For those of you who thought we were kidding about the snow last week, here is a video of our back yard.

It's beginning to look alot like........Halloween?!?

It's about time you heard from one of the dogs regarding this new addition.....so it's Dibs as your spokesperson this week. I'm one of Maddie's guard dogs, along with Elvis and Sadie. Jeremy says you have to get by all of us to date Maddie and that won't be until she's 40 years old....a little over protective in my opinion.

I'm guessing you've heard about this Madeline character over the last 6 weeks since she's the "new kid on the block." At first I wasn't too sure about her because she cried and wiggled around like a stuffed toy. However, Maddie and I are now pretty good buddies. I like to steal her toys....specifically the cow stuffed animal. Julie always takes it away but I'm getting pretty good with my sneakiness.

I figure it's my job to tell you the scoop on recent happenings around our house. This past weekend Jeremy and Julie decided to go hiking around the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. I was rather excited at the idea of an outing until I learned that the 3 guard dogs had to stay at home. Something about "holding down the fort." I don't really think they were hiking with a baby.....I bet they were just pushing a stroller around on a nice walk. From the looks of the photo I think I'm correct.

Since Halloween is coming up we had to carve Maddie's pumpkin on Sunday. Do you have any idea how difficult this is? I don't......because Jeremy did the cleaning and carving of the pumpkin. Oh well, it looked challenging. After he was done I found out it is the responsibility of the guard dogs to protect the pumpkin in addition to Madeline. So many things to do.

It's been a crazy year.....seriously......first Madeline arrived and now yesterday and today it's snowed!!! Yes, it's October and we have over 2 feet of snow. Jeremy and Julie had to make a path for me to get outside for the bathroom. It's tough being small. I don't really like the snow much because it is so cold.....so I'm spending my day laying as close to the fire as possible.

I guess life with Madeline is going okay. Julie says she's never seen something so small create so much laundry.....and that's saying alot. Us dogs still get plenty of attention and loving......I think that's because Maddie sleeps so much. That's okay by me. Julie and Jeremy say one of these days I'm going to run from Maddie because she'll be pulling my hair and wanting to play dress-up with me for tea parties....I have no idea what they are talking about because she looks so innocent.

Okay - off to the fireplace to warm up....it's tough typing this update with such little paws.

Dibs the "guard dog" signing off -

It's October

Hello world!

It's tough being loved by so many. Grandma G. came to visit me last weekend. She flew on a plane....I'm not sure what that is but mom says it's like a big bird that carries people from one place to another....I now have to figure out what a bird is....hmm...

Anyway, Grandma gave me lots of loving and I gave her dirty diapers. :) She was lucky I saved the spit-ups for mom and dad. We couldn't play outside when she was here because it was really cold. It even snowed!!! We kept the weekend low-key and just stayed around home.

Dad and I have bonding time on the weekend watching the "Browns." He gets real excited to watch them....it's a good thing winning isn't everything because they've only won once. I just humor Dad by sitting with him in our jerseys and watching....sometimes I take naps too. I also haven't had the heart to tell him that brown is a color.....who uses it for a team name? Oh well, it's father/daughter bonding time and I guess in the next 50 years they'll have at least 1 good one. (it's kind of like mom's love for the Cubs....she and dad live by the moto, "maybe next year" for all the teams they love - Browns, Cyclones, and Cubs)

Mom and Dad finally took me for my 1 month photos. I was kind of tired so I slept through most of the photos but here are two that I kept my eyes open for. Actually, they took one of my wet wipes to my feet to wake me up.....so it wasn't very comfortable or optional to sleep then. Meanies, always picking on me.

Mom decided to play dress up with me on Saturday. She said the Cyclones needed some extra luck for their big game again Baylor. So she put me in some ISU gear and took about 30 pictures. I look pretty cute if I do say so myself. I know she's love it if I went to Iowa State University but I'm keeping my options open for now. (can you tell from the picture she was more excited than I?)

This weekend I might take mom and dad to the mountains......but only if they are good this week. I think Estes Park would be a fun getaway so we'll see what they think.

Have a great week - I gotta go because mom say's I need to play with toys other than the computer.

Love - Miss Madeline

PS. sorry the blog looks funny - Mom helped me with the photo upload and obviously she really knew what she was doing. ha ha

My 1 month birthday....

Most kids have cake and ice cream to celebrate their birthday, but not me. For some reason my parents thought a trip to the doctor's office would be a fun way to celebrate my 1 month anniversary of birth. Let me tell you.....I'd rather have had the ice cream and cake.

I guess I should tell you why we went to the doctor.....it has something to do with selective hearing, which isn't all my fault. I was born with normal hearing in my Left ear, which is great news. However, my right ear didn't develop all the way.......mom and dad call it my "Nemo" ear. I have an ear, it just looks different. But I don't have the canal that typically carries sound waves to the cochlear (that's what allows you to hear). So, today we went to an Ear/Nose/Thoat Specialist office and met with an audiologist to find out IF I could hear and IF I had a cochlear in my right ear. First mom and dad had to get me to fall asleep for the test. Then, they hooked me up to lots of wires which sense brain waves in response to the sound vibrations they transmitted. The first test confirmed I have "normal" hearing in my left ear. The second test confirmed I do have a cochlear in my right ear and with a special device called a bone oscilator I can hear "normally" in that ear as well.

Our next step is to meet with the doctor in a month or two and come up with a plan for treating my hearing. I'll also have a CAT scan when I'm 2-4 months old to look at my cochlear a little closer. Then after I'm 6 months old I'll probably have a surgery on my right ear to make it look a little cuter.....hopefully I can still call it my "Nemo" ear since it's special to me. I guess we are also meeting with the audiology department for a consultation on when I might get my own "bone oscilator" so I can hear all the time with my right ear.

Mom and Dad were happy I was such a good girl at the appointment. I don't know what I did that was so special other than take a nap. Dad took a photo of me at the appointment so you could see all my wires. I guess I pulled them off a few times......they were something to tug on.

Overall, I guess it was a unique way to celebrate my 1 month anniversary of birth. My gift to my parents in return was a diaper blowout......now that's what I call fun!

PS. I'll add another blog update on Grandma G's visit, but I am kind of sleepy and headed to bed.

I'm 3 and 1/2 weeks now....

....gosh, I'm getting old. It's tough being a baby you know. It's obvious my mom and dad are first time parents so they are requiring lots of training by me....which makes me very sleepy. I've taught mom and dad the following things.

- I can "toot" louder than dad

- I can spit up what appears to be my entire meal after feeding and yet still fill a diaper...impressive I know! Sometimes I wait until mom or dad are showered & dressed for the day and after my next feeding I spit it all over them....it's a good laugh.

- I wake up every time mom and dad try to sneak a meal without me being involved....this now means I sometimes get to sit at the table and watch....they won't share yet, all in time I guess.

- I love "Married with Children" re-runs....they are on between 2:30 -5:00 AM in case you are wondering. The other day I stopped crying to listen to the theme song.

- I love the dogs and the dogs love me.....I get lots of kisses

- I love baths! I got my first "real" bath the other night and it was rather relaxing and fun. Mom and Dad say I'm going to be a real swimmer....I'm not sure what they're talking about.

- I now really like my swing....this morning we almost had an emergency when the batteries died, thankfully I had trained mom to have an extra set.

Mom and Dad are pretty cool. Dad makes funny faces and noises for me. I'm not sure why yet, but he calls it play time. I also love tummy time on Dad, except I always fall asleep during this. Mom says she thinks Dad likes Tummy Time more than me.....who knows. Mom's alright too. She's my dairy cow. Whenever I'm hungry I cry and like magic, food appears. It's great. Mom somehow gets showered and ready for the day during my naps, etc.

I have been out and about a few times. Last week I went to dad's work. I'm not sure what he does there but there were tons of nice people who held me. Yesterday I went to mom's work and got passed around like a baby doll. It's tough being cute and loved by so many. Everyone says I have chubby cheeks.....I think that's a good thing.

Mom says she takes a ton of photos of me because you all want to see me change and grow from week to week. Sorry there aren't any with smiles yet. I like being stubborn and only pull those out when the camera is put away.

It's going to snow this weekend. Maybe we'll get some photos of me playing in the snow. Also mom and dad say Grandma G is visiting this weekend. I didn't realize a kid could have two grandmas, 2 grandpas and so many aunts, uncles and cousins......so much to learn still.

Next week I'm celebrating the 1 month anniversary of my debut to this world. Check back for photos to see what I'm doing then. Okay, time for a nap....this typing stuff is tough for a new baby like me .

Love - Maddie Rose

Visitors

I had my first visitors. Grandma and Grandpa Kiefer came out to meet me and help mom out after surgery. They are pretty cool since they hold me and give me kisses.

Here's some pictures of their visit and me at almost 2 weeks old.....actually I was only 11 days old in these pictures.

Miss Madeline Rose

My mom sure is lazy. She keeps talking about updating the blog to announce my arrival, but obviously her actions are lacking right now. You would think since I am the first born that mom and dad would rush to tell the world, but nope not even dad. They say it hasn't gotten done because they are tired from a lack of sleep.....I don't know what they're talking about.

So anyway, let me introduce myself. My name is Madeline Rose Gacnik and I was born on September 13, 2009. I was 19.25 inches long and weighed 8 lb. and 13 oz. Mom says if I was a fish that I would be a great catch.....however, since I am a little baby girl they call me a chubby monkey. I have a head of dark hair and I look just like my daddy.

I made my entrance in style though. My due date was September 12 - the IA vs. ISU football game day. Mom started giving me my eviction notice weeks in advance, but I decided to be stubborn and stick out my "stay in the oven" as long as possible. However, on September 12 mom was so worked up over the football game that it caused her water to break.....thankfully she was at home. She waited awhile to tell Dad though so she could finish packing.....well that and she knew he would be a nervous wreck. She was correct. Dad packed the car fast and insisted they go to the hospital.

Dad thinks they made the right decision by going to the hospital, because mom was 5.5 cm dilated and was having contractions 5 minutes apart. Apparently mom didn't know she was in labor because she only having lower back pains, but that was nothing new after 9 months of pregnancy. So, this meant I was going to be making my debut.....however, I decided to be stubborn a little longer and held out until September 13 to be born....just to prove I operate on my own schedule.

Since my entrance I have been keeping busy. I met the dogs. I found out I am capable of creating lots of gas and extreme diaper blowouts. I like to burp....heck, I even spit up my food all over mom 3 times (that's true talent). I went for a walk to the mailbox. I sit/sleep in my rocker/bouncy chair all the time. I really don't like the swing.....I exercise my lungs every time mom tries to put me in it. I like my boppy pillow and hang out in there a little bit. My most busy time of day is at night though. I'm trying to train mom and dad to sleep all day and party all night....they haven't caught on yet.

Today I was really busy with a new discovery. I found my hand and 5 pointy things (mom calls them fingers) that are really good to suck on.

I'm including a few photos so you can see what I look like. I realize I'm adorable, so don't stare too long or you'll get attached.

Mid-west Roots.....

It's official. Jeremy and I have come to terms and there's nothing you can say or do to change our minds. We are nerds. Yes, I've said it. We are nerd. And here is why....

It all started with meat. We have a deep freeze packed with beef, chicken and pork from Iowa, because we're convinced it's better than the meat in Colorado....and much cheaper at that. It's categorized by shelf location, cut, etc. and then on the dry erase board stuck to the freezer it tells you exactly what we have and where it's located.

This summer our organization in the freezer has made way for three more items, zuchinni, corn and peaches. Yes, we now are regulars at the farmers market and stock up on homegrown items. We have 15 bags of fresh Colorado peaches cut up and frozen to be used over the winter. Zuchinni was the latest addition. It's much cheaper to buy now versus at the store during the winter months in Colorado. It's great on the grill or even zuchinni bread. Lastly, our corn. Yes, we have a slight addition to corn apparently. We are known to buy 4 dozen ears of corn to partly cook, cut off the cob and bag for the winter months.

Well yesterday at the farmers market, when we said 4 dozen ears of corn the lady about fell over. I guess we aren't among the norm for buying and freezing items for the winter months when "fresh produce" is a thing of the past. Our freezer now has a spot specifically for the peaches, corn and zuchinni. Jeremy and I say it's a sign of our mid-west roots to some extent.

So nerds we might be.....but we'll be the nerds you want to eat dinner with come December....that's when you'll want a good Iowa Ribeye, Corn off the cob, and peaches.....don't say we didn't warn you in advance. We might be nerds, but we sure do eat well!

Other than that, all is well. Jeremy's family was out here for his niece's gymnastic's competition in Colorado Springs and it seems everyone had a good time. I'll try to post some pics of the kids slip and slidding and swimming in the backyard.

I'm still pregnant.....you probably figured that though, otherwise I would have posted an update. Baby G. is still growing and has new tricks such as sticking elbows, knees, feet out to see how far my belly will stretch. We jokingly call her Flirty Gerty (Gertrude) since we aren't revealing any of the name options. Only 4 more weeks to go, although people are taking guesses when she'll arrive. Jeremy and I are fine with anytime after August 21 because then I get full pay on maternity leave (yup, thinking of myself)......Grandma Kiefer says Sept. 9 because that's when she's done with radiation, so it's a day to celebrate.....any other guesses?

In case you missed the note about the air conditioner breaking awhile back, you'll get a laugh out of Jeremy's solution. He bought me a 9x5 ft. (22 inch deep) swimming pool to soak in. Yes, it was cold the first time I used it.....it was filled with hose water which was like ice! We still got the air fixed, but the pool was a great addition and has been used some.....although I recommend letting the water warm up before getting in.

Hope all is well in your world.

Running Companion

I've decided to hang up my running shoes and give swimming a try.
It's not that I can't run or the dogs don't willingly go, it's just we came upon a new running companion the other day who I'd rather not see again.....EVER!

Elvis and Sadie are on a set routine. At 5:30 they being the process of running from one side of the bed to the other to stir either Jeremy or I enough to get up. This goes on for 45 min and then I usually roll (yes, I now roll) out of bed to get some running clothes on to begin our daily adventure.

Last Friday began like every other day, we take off on a run which is only about 1-2 miles. Nothing to adventurous anymore. Anyway, we were about 1 mile into our run when we came upon this driveway with a newspaper laying in it and curled up next to the newspaper was a rattle snake......who lifted his head and looked at me. I think I jumped 10 ft.....maybe 12 ft...into the air and jerked the dogs back........I don't like snakes, period! You would have thought the dogs would have noticed but neither of them did anything or seemed to care....am I the only one who doesn't like snakes? They pounce on every rabbit they see but not the snake?!

I couldn't believe I came upon a snake in the neighborhood, it's not as if I was running on the dirt trails in Highlands Ranch (where I have seen 2 before). But in somone's driveway?!!!! I can only imagine the shock they were in for as they came to pick up their newspaper.

As I stood their shell-shocked I decided to continue our run in the street where I was scanning every direction for potential snakes. Then I came to the 1/4 mile stretch where I have to run on a trail to get back to our development.......I think we may have run a little quicker in this section as I was petrified of coming upon another snake.

So, that summed it up for me. I thought I'd hang up my running shoes and try swimming. That seemed like a good idea until I went to swim laps the other night and saw 100+ people in the area with kids in swim lessons and one lane available for lap swim. I'm not going to lie, I did what any logical pregnant woman would have done.....I turned around and went home opting not to sport my rounding belly for the audience to critique. All in due time, but my first time out in a swim suit was not going to be a spectator sport.

Other than that, not much new here. I made a trip back to Iowa a few weeks ago and was reaquainted with humidity.....that was fun. Now, Jeremy and I are prepping for a hopefully quiet weekend in Colorado.

Have a great 4th of July and if you're sporting running shoes.....watch out for the rattle snakes.....they're sneaky little guys.

Colorado Adventures

Me at 26 weeks....yup I'm growing in all directions. I've beat the Dr. goal of 15 lbs and am shooting to be an overachiever and aiming high.

Dibs is in training for going on walks.....well rides in his case

This post is long overdue.
Which means, I owe you a photo or two to show what we've been up to.

Well, Jeremy had a birthday May 11. He hoped for a calm day but Baby G. had other plans for him. I wasn't feeling right that morning so I sent an e-mail to the doctor and they called within 10 minuntes telling me to come in for a check up. So I called Jeremy and said, "now don't freak out, but I'm going in to the DR. because they think I'm having signs of pre-term labor." I guess I should have started that line better because he got a little anxious and beat me to the Dr. office. When they took my blood pressure Jeremy commented they shouldn't take his because it was through the roof. Everything is fine and they did an ultrasound just so we could see the little squirt. Baby G. really wanted to celebrate Jeremy's birthday in style so she waved to him on the ultrasound, opened and closed her mouth and yawned.......I told Jeremy he just wanted to say Happy Birthday in person.....he didn't find it as funny. I figure if he was that anxious that day he ought to be in great shape the day I really go in labor.

Oh well, everything is fine and she's growing on schedule.

Memorial Day weekend we had this great plan to go camping in Estes Park. Yes camping, in a tent w/ community bathrooms (within 250 ft.) and a firepit. I'm sure you're thinking Jeremy planned this adventure because no pregnant lady in her right mind would agree to sleep on the ground in a tent. Surprisingly, I booked the campground and came up with the tent camping idea. Jeremy loves camping and hasn't done it for quite some time. It seemed like a great adventure before we're too far along in the pregnancy and I planned to take an air mattress (modified camping). Well, try as we might to tent camp the weather in CO had other plans. It rained for 6 days straight so we altered our plans and headed to Tiger Run outside Breckenridge and rented a cabin for the weekend. It was very relaxing and just what we needed....a quiet weekend away.

This past weekend was full of adventures as well. We had a baby shower in CO and had visitors from all over here. Melissa and Janelle flew in for the occasion and we were lucky to have our parents in town (with the exception of Wayne - we'll see him in July/August). Anyway, what a time we had visiting with everyone. Not to mention, the gifts we received will be very helpful with our new arrival in September. We love the carseat, diaper bag, exersaucer, rocker/bouncy chair, clothes, and golf club set.....yes, every newborn needs a golf set, especially if she's going pro.... we have to start her young. Perhaps next we'll get a softball bat and glove........

We quickly learned the 4 bottles of white wine wouldn't last very long with all the ladies in the house, so Jeremy headed to the store for a few more. I think everyone had a great time, if nothing else we gave them enough wine to keep them in high spirits. (just kidding) The photos below are of some great ISU Cyclone clothing, John Deere clothing (a little farmer girl), our new convertible carseat so she'll ride in style, Jeremy setting up the bouncy/rocker chair and Janelle having a "sip?????" of wine.

Janelle was the last to depart on Monday and I knew what that meant.....Jeremy would be tearing the to-be baby bedroom apart and setting up a crib, etc. To no surprise, we finished dinner and he began his adventure of setting everything up. I hope this doesn't jinx us and have the baby thinking it's time to be born.....she needs to wait until Sept. 4 at least. Anyway, he set the crib up rather quickly and then hauled the glider chair up from the basement. We got quite a bit done....well, Jeremy got quite a bit done and I entertained the dogs. After finishing the baby room he began assembly on the Exersaucer......nevermind the fact the baby won't be able to use it for probably 7-8 months from now, but it's better to be prepared. Thinking about it though, we probably have more time now to do this and the next year will fly by with out new addition. The exersaucer took longer than the entire baby room to set up. It should work well.

Aside from that there isn't much new. Here's a few photos from the past month.

Pedicure Dates...

I know what you're thinking.....Julie has a weekly pedicure date w/ friends or something weird like that....actually, I've never had a pedicure......but Jeremy and Dibs have bi-weekly pedicure dates.

You read that correct, Jeremy and Dibs, our pug/chihuahua mixed dog, have pedicure dates. I call it "boy bonding time." It's rather entertaining how this all began.

About 3 years ago I asked my mom to help me cut Dibs' nails since they were rather long. I believe I held him and she cut one nail......and I got bit. Dibs does not like it when anyone, even me, touches or plays with his nails. Ever since that one bite I've left it up to the vet once a year to cut them when he's in for regular shots. Last time they used the muzzle since Dibs wasn't a fan.

Then along came Jeremy who is now convinced he is the new "dog whisper." He was convinced he could cut Dibs' nails. I just shook my head and wished him luck. I even exagerated my horror stories of cutting Dibs' nails to try and deter him from this task. But no, he's stubborn like myself and gave it a shot.

He took Dibs on the back deck and sat down in the chair. I couldn't bear to watch so I turned by back inside the house. 5 minutes later I returned to the window to see Dibs licking Jeremy's face while Jeremy calmly clipped and filed each of Dibs' nails (yes, we actually have an electronic file as well). Seriously, my jaw hit the floor......Dibs bites everyone who tries to clip his nails (including me, his lifelong owner) but not Jeremy......show's his loyalty I guess. So now this has become Jeremy and Dibs' bi-weekly ritual of sitting down for bonding time and a nice pedicure......this past weekend Dibs came to show off his new nails and I asked him if he wanted me to buy some nail polish to really finish them off right......he growled then...ha ha ha.

It just cracks me up, my husband is essentially giving our little 10 lb. dog a pedicure........at least we know Jeremy has a new resume builder if engineering doesn't work out......

All is well in Colorado. I'm still pregnant and as of this week we're told it's a little girl. We laughed when they told us that and said she'll have us wrapped around her little finger.....a boy we would have sent to play in the mud, but a girl....that means dolls, make-up, etc......what are we in for?! But, she's a healthy little girl....which was the most important news of that doctors visit.

I think that's all for now. I hope you're all having a great week.

(sorry for any errors in this posting....I'm rushing to get it posted)

It's fixed!

Two rubber seals later we now have indoor plumbing again.
Life is almost back to normal.

This house is a lemon.....and officially has water problems...

It was a crazy week at the Gacnik house in CO.

On Tuesday we were having some grout/tile repaired in the master bathroom.....simple enough, right? Well, within an hour of the project starting, we learned there was a bigger problem. Let's back up though, we were repairing the grout and a few tile because there was a moisture in the grout and below a few tile (although on the exterior of the shower, it was caused by the shower - confusing I know) which would eventually soak through the floor into the tv room below. So, we thought we'd be proactive and fix it now.

Now back to the story, within an hour of the project beginning we learned there was no backer-board down and the tile had initially been put on plywood.....not a good thing. Basically within a few months of fixing this problem the grout would have been cracking again....seems like wasted money, right? So, we stopped the project mid-way and opted to tear the entire tile floor up and lay down backboard, tile, grout and sealer. Both Jeremy and I agreed this was the best decision to fix the problem permanently. So we rotated working from home while the repairs were made Tuesday - Friday. Now it looks great!!! However, looks can be deceiving.....

We did this repair to prevent water from soaking through the ceiling into our tv room below the shower area, a very proactive fix. Today, when cleaning the bathroom before moving all our stuff back in it, we ran into a problem. When cleaning the toilet, I flushed it to wash all the chemicals down the drain and then I heard......."Julie, HELP!!!!!" So I come running down the stairs to find Jeremy standing in the tv room with a pot over his head and watching water running like a waterfall out of our light above the fireplace...... So I grabbed a ton of towels to soak up the water and try to save our TV, DVD player, etc from the mid-day bath, when finally it stopped.

Now remember, this project was completed to prevent water from coming into our tv room, not to create an indoor waterfall. Funny thing though, the water was coming from below the toilet, not the shower area where the initial water problem started.

We initially thought the water was from the 2 ft. of heavy snow we got this weekend, but then we realized it was directly below the toilet. We're assuming they did not install a new rubber seal when reinstalling the toilet. We've called the flooring people to come fix the problem immediately. Now we can only be hopeful it did not cause much damage to the electrical area the water ran down or the overall ceiling. We'll keep you posted on the outcome of this project.

As you may remember, our house in jinxed with water problems.....no water pressure, our foyer, etc....so it's only fitting that this problem revolves around water as well. Jeremy and I have laughed though, we didn't realize we were buying a "fixer-upper" when we purchased this home, but wow we were in for a surprise!!!

Other than that, it was a pretty good week. We had an unexpected mid-April snow shower which brought us 2 ft. of heavy snow. I've included a photo for your delight and laughter.....as you fertilize your lawn and plant flowers we.....well, Jeremy....is shoveling snow.

An additional photo which is just cute......Sadie now uses Elvis' rearend as a pillow.....one of these days he'll toot when she's laying there to teach her a lesson...ha ha...actually they get along quite well.

I am.....and it's keeps going up!

It doesn't take much to make me laugh. Hopefully you can find humor from this comment/situation which happened earlier this week.

Every now and then I find myself saying exactly what's on my mind, without so much as thinking before speaking. I do believe this can get a person in trouble and it probably has from time to time, however, this past Monday I found it to be rather entertaining.

Jeremy and I had a doctor's appointment to hear Baby G. (aka Shimmy) heart beat. Rather exciting again and yes it confirms I'm still pregnant. However, near the end of the appointment we are going over the do's and don'ts of pregnancy such as:

DO:
Drink lots of water
Drink lots of milk (does ice cream count as a logical addition/substitution)
"Graze throughout the day" - lots of little meals
Sleep
Exercise (still jogging with 2 Labs....hopefully I don't trip over them)
Use Hand sanitizer (like it's going out of style)
Use Lotion (after hand sanitizer to keep your hands from getting cracked and dry)
Use hand rails to keep from falling (you become unsteady on your feet)
etc. etc. etc.

DO NOTS:
Drink alcohol
Drink caffeine (which means I can sleep through the day without my kickstart)
Eat cold meat sandwiches
Drink juice
Eat cheese
Eat canned tuna (so much for lent, ha)
Eat fried foods (fries are out)
Eat salty snacks
Do high impact activities
Stay out of altitude (hello - I live in the mile high city.....)

So, as we're going through this list of Do/Do not's I'm trying to figure out just what I can eat/do that won't kill me or the baby, the doctor comes to his next item on the list. The conversation went much like this:

Dr: Now Julie, I need you to watch your weight.
Julie: (without thinking I respond) I am and it keeps going up.....
Dr: Seriously, I see people who gain 60 lbs./pregnancy and you should only gain 15-20.
Julie: Well, I'm 9 lbs. on my way so I'm guessing I may be an overachiever and exceed your chart. (I always wanted to be an overachiever in school so this is my chance)
Dr: Seriously, try to avoid the fried foods, eating out, salty snacks....maybe take you lunch and some healthy snacks. Also, you really need to exercise, not too hard but doing cardio is very important.

- Now by this time I think Jeremy and I were trying not to laugh out loud. We very rarely eat out and we don't every make fried foods. Additionally, we take our lunches to work and mine consists of this......leftovers from night before to reheat and a yogurt. For snacks during the day I have a banana and an apple......I'm also still jogging with the 2 yellow labs, Elvis and Sadie.

So the only way I can change my eating habit is to switch from the healthy meals to the all fast food diet....something I'm considering because I "need to watch my weight" and my first attempt at taking care of myself is causing me to turn into a blimp apparently.

Jeremy and I left this appointment laughing!!! It's one thing to tell someone to watch their weight who is in need of a lifestyle (food/exercise) change, but to tell a pregnant woman who's going to keep packing on the pounds regardless of what they do to "watch your weight" just cracks me up. I'm going to keep watching my weight and also the clothing that doesn't fit when I get dressed in the morning.

*One note Jeremy would like to add is that this doctor obviously has not been "trained" on what to say and what not to say to a pregnant woman....."You look beautiful no matter how much you weigh" is a much better option for a healthy relationship versus "You look like a blimp." Jeremy says it's all in training you learn the do/do nots of a conversation with a prenant wife.

*A second disclaimer, I didn't tell the doctor is I have an obsession with ice cream.....I like it so much I finish mine before Jeremy, a very impressive feat ......I only allow myself to stop once/week at a ice cream shop, but I feel that fits into the "dairy (calcium)" category on my "DO" list from the doctor.....don't you agree?

Have a great week!

The male version of a baby shower....

The male version of a baby shower does not include friends getting together or a gift exchange of any sort. Heck, in Jeremy's case it didn't even include beer with his friends. It only included a day of shopping at our favorite sporting store, REI.

Amazingly, we still had giftcards from our wedding so we thought we'd use them on a hiking pack. It's something you can carry a baby or toddler in while hiking in the mountains or just around on a walk. Jeremy was rather excited about this purchase. When we found out we were expecting he saw one of these and wanted to buy it then. However, I was only 3 weeks along and thought it might be best to make it through one or two ultrasounds before we rushed out to purchase this absolute necessity of an item. (never mind the fact we don't have a carseat or crib, but heck this baby can come home from the hospital in style riding in the "hiking pack" although it would be a long walk).

Anyway, we headed downtown to REI and Jeremy tried on the 3 or 4 different styles they had. This isn't your everyday hiking pack, it includes a sun/rain cover, diaper pad for changing, a storage area for carrying diapers, etc. One pack even had a mirror so you could check on the status of your baby while hiking. I find this rather amusing......are they expecting us to be on 4-5 day hikes and carrying all the baby supplies in the pack? Anyway, I made the deal since I get to carry the baby for 9 months, Jeremy can carry the baby all he wants in his hiking pack. So we finally made our selection.....we were getting the one with all the bells and whistles on it so we were prepared for anything/everything....and then got near the front to check out and saw another man with one much simplier and what appeared to be lighter. So, we turned around and went back to begin the selection process again. This time we walked away with one half the weight of the first one and without all the bells and whistles (still has the sun/rain protector).

We were proud of our decision and then realized 1/2 the hiking pack equaled 1/2 the price, which means we were not going to use much of our giftcard......our ultimate goal since we really don't go to this store often for it's location. So Jeremy put on his hiking pack and we proceeded to walk around the entire store looking for anything else we could add to this purchase. I'm not going to kid you - Jeremy was very proud of this hiking pack and insisted on wearing it. Since it adds depth to a person I was convinced he was going to take someone or something out while turning and looking at other items. It was like watching a kid with a new pair of school shoes walk around showing them off.....rather cute. Anyway, we came upon a youth outdoors water bottle and some other random things. Finally we called it quits and left......with money still on our giftcard.

On our way out I looked at Jeremy who was still wearing his "hiking pack" and said "this must be the male version of a baby shower!" He laughed. It was fun to see him so excited about something for this baby that he could envision using on a regular basis.

*I must note, we have looked at multiple cribs and that in itself is an adventure. Whichever one is selected really should be posted here as well because we are 1) rather picky 2) safety conscious 3) price realistic 4) ultimately over protective parents-to-be of a baby who will not be able to roll over by themself at birth and we are worried about them jumping out of the bed on day one or jumping up and down and the thing falling down. ha ha

A quick update on Sadie......

She is doing much better and in the middle of last week was able to have 3 of the 4 bandages taken off. However, one paw wasn't healing as well so they rebandaged it and sent us home with instructions on Sunday to take it off....... Well, Saturday afternoon Sadie decided she was better and pulled it off by herself. We just laughed and went with it. She's doing well and still desparately wanting to play ball.....however, she's on restrictions through this week. Don't worry, Elvis and Sadie have now rejoined me for jogs in the evening so they're using energy.

Have a great week!

It all started with a ball...

Poor Sadie - she has certainly had better days.

Upon arriving home from church Sunday 5 of the cul-de-sac dogs were playing outside chasing balls. Very rarely do Jeremy and I bring Sadie and Elvis out to join in the fun; partly because Sadie is still young and we don't know if she'll stay close by or take off and Elvis.....well, he'll pee and/or poop in everyone's yard and that's no way to make friends. But yesterday I was feeling giving so I brought Sadie out and started throwing the ball for her. She was in her height of glory! I throwed the ball for nearly 15 minutes and she'd sprint past the other dogs to get it first and then bring it back, dropping it nicely at my feet. Jeremy came out to join me and that's when I noticed red spots on our driveway.....it was almost a paint I thought but then I realized what it was. So we tackled Sadie knowing the blood was certainly from her. I thought, she must have torn a pad on one of her paws. Little did we know, but she tore through all the pads on her paws. 4 Paws with blood.

I did was any logical, crazy, pet owner would do. I called the vet and asked if we should bring our dog in. Based on her "war wound" (from an innocent game of fetch) they said yes, right away. So Jeremy and I loaded Sadie in the car for a trip to the vet. Now don't forget, we're talking about a dog who hates, absolutely hates, car rides. Well, she did better than expected but I think her paws were stinging so badly the car was the least of her worries.

Jeremy carried our bleeding pooch into the vets office and they said it would be awhile so to stop back. When we did, we were greeted by Sadie with all 4 legs/paws wrapped with pink and purple bandages. At least she looked cute. However, she was rather sore and hobbling along. She's on some nice pain medication now and it's a good thing. She slept the remainder of Sunday at home after that adventure. Funny though, the one time Jeremy went upstairs Sadie tried to follow and then realized she couldn't get back down. The pressure must not have felt good on the paws, so Jeremy saved her and carried her down. (She's milking the injury for what it's worth).

This morning she was slow moving again and really was confused when we put the cone on her head. When we are gone she has to have the cone on so she doesn't pull the bandages off. She wasn't a happy camper when we left today.

Life will be slow moving for Sadie for 2 weeks. No playing ball or running.....you tell that to a young lab who lives to play ball. Also, we have plastic booties for if it rains/snows to keep her paws dry. If we thought getting the cone on was fun, I can only imagine putting booties on her. We will find out on Wednesday if she's recovering well or what they want to try next.

And to think, it all started with an innocent game of ball in our cul-de-sac!

2009 is full of surprises!

It only seems fitting after a massive delay of blog posting to educate all you readers.

I've decided to write a reflection about what I've learned in 2009.

1. I love naps! Over the past 2 months I've learned how to multi-task during my lunch break. 15 min. = eating, 45 min = reading book or sleeping.
2. I like crackers! We have them everywhere; on the night stand, in the bathroom, in the closet, in my car.
3. I can and do eat every 2 hours. I've learned if I do not that bad things happen. In light of this discovery I added 5 pounds in 2 months. (there may be another factor too) Oddly though, in gaining 5 pounds we've discovered Jeremy has lost 5 pounds. At this rate, 6 months from now he'll be a "skinny-mini" and I'll be a waddling duck. ha ha
4. I do not love steak anymore or eggs. Steak now tastes like chalk and eggs, well it's just a bad story. Good thing we bought a cow and have a freezer stocked full of IA beef!
5. Wine, coffee and bourbon are sad friends to let go of. However, Jeremy has stepped up to the plate and helped fill my shoes. Now though he gave up bourbon for Lent so the poor bottle is all by itself.
6. Waking up at least once a night allows me to perfect walking around the bedroom to the bathroom without stepping on 1 of 3 dogs. It's good training I guess.
7. Snug pants. It's allowing me to feel like a present-day teenager and experience the delight (?) of wearing their clothing style. (it also is presenting me the opportunity to buy new clothes - although I'm bound and determined to wear MY clothes another month - wish me luck)
8. Naps. Yes, I love my mid-day naps but I also enjoy my evening naps. Jeremy is good at waking me up and telling me the ending of my favorite shows since I "meditated" for a bit of it....ok, I was asleep at 7:00 PM. Evening naps are good though.
9. I have new favorite foods. The spicer the better! Bring on the Thai food. I love Strawberry ice cream! I love it so much we now have Non-fat Yogurt because I'm a regular at eating it. I love popsicles! Red is my favorite.
10. I love to snow ski and have been banned from it by my doctor. (I tried to negotiate and lost miserably, I even promised not to ski blacks or in the trees) Along with snow skiing they also banned softball, soccer, bike riding, water skiing, and any other potential sport I love. I'm allowed to jog still (for awhile) and swim.....but really, who wants to be seen in a swim suit when you're waddling like a duck? (just kidding - that may be my saving grace in the summer heat)
11. Jeremy really is supportive of these changed habits, etc. He willingly takes naps, eats all the new foods and drinks my wine for me.
12. My due date - September 12, 2009

Other things that Jeremy and I have learned is that cribs are rather expensive as are carseats and strollers and diapers and whatever gadget they think you need for a baby. Who new a baby could cost so much?! (we've been lucky though as many have offered for us to use their stuff)

To answer the #1 question we receive - No, we do not know the gender of the baby.....Yes, we might find out....and no, we're not planning on telling.....we have to have one secret. The secret of being pregnant didn't last long since I stopped drinking coffee and wine and then stopped eating steak. That and the bump in front is becoming a little giveaway.

I must confess, we did lie a bit over the past 2 months. Although I had to work in Florida, Jeremy and I flew down early to tell my parents of the new addition this year. I think they were a bit shocked. We also lied to Jeremy's parents about my "work trip" to the Cleveland area. The only agenda item we had was telling them about the family addition as well. They were shocked a bit as well and then couldn't believe I really didn't have to work. So yea, no blog updates for a reason. Now, we're back in business and you may receive updates on a regular basis.

Next week we have another ultrasound and if I'm technically inclined I'll post a photo. Wish me luck on that one!

You live and you learn..

I know I said the posting would be sparce right now since I'm traveling for work, but these travel adventures are too good not to share.

FL - It came, it went, it's gone.....thank heavens.
As you may recall I had a business trip to FL about 2 weeks ago. Okay, so I mixed business with pleasure since my parents are down in Naples for the winter.....but it's warmer there. Anyway, it was a great opportunity to spend a few days in Naples, bum the local market, pick up my favorite giant cookie, eat a pint of ice cream from my favorite ice cream parlor (all in one sitting too), and play some golf. I was hoping to go deep-sea fishing since I've never done it before but the weather wasn't looking favorable so that will have to wait until next year. Anyway, after a few days in Naples I headed to Fort Lauderdale for my conference which went great. I had this great plan of how the trip home would work.......I'd leave Naples by 1 PM, get to the Ft Meyers airport for my 6:30 flight, enjoy a 1 hour layover in Dallas, be back in Denver by 10, in bed by 11 and at work by 8 the next day......I know...it seems too good to be true.

The trip started off great, I made it to Ft. Meyers, returned my car, checked in for my flight, got through security and only had a 30 min. delay on my flight to Dallas......although I was skeptical about making Dallas due to an ice storm that hit that day.....well, I made Dallas.....then, I sat.....I sat until Midnight when Dallas finally decided to cancel all the flights they had delayed since 7 PM that night......hmmmmm....now what I thought. I didn't the most logical thing, I called Jeremy thinking he could solve this problem.....just kidding. I did call though to get the #800 for American Airlines and then for a hotel number in the area knowing everything would book up quickly. I was lucky and got a flight for the next day and a hotel within 2 miles of the airport. It seemed too good to be true. Then I went to find a taxi or a shuttle.

It was 8 degrees outside at this time and I was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans....yes, it was a little chilly. Also, there were only 5 taxi cabs running and non of the drivers knew how to drive on ice/snow.....thrilling....fabulous!!! So, after waiting about 1 hour for a taxi I finally got one and with other people headed to the Holiday Inn Express.....oh wait, they were 3 different Holiday Inn Express' and I was the last one to get dropped off. it was an adventurous drive with my driver, new to America and his first time seeing snow. The other passengers and I told him it's best not to slam on your breaks or speed when the city is shut down due to ice packed roads....it really was bad I must admit. However, by 2:15 AM I made it to my hotel and got checked in with my bag on my back. All I wanted was a nice hot shower but I didn't have anything except for what the hotel gives you. Needless to say when I made it to the airport the next day I was clean and had 6 hours of sleep, but that was about all. Jeremy was a trooper and didn't even laugh when he saw me in my two day travel adventure outfit.

I thought Dallas was a safe bet to travel through in January when the midwest is getting pounded with snow/ice. Who knew they would actually shut down the one night I was in town.

I was home for a whooping 36 hours before heading to Albuquerque, NM for another recruitment event. That trip was much smoother.

This weekend though I'm headed back to Dallas.......and it's supposed to snow.....ALOT.....in Denver.....perfect timing!

PS. Jeremy, Elvis, Sadie and Dibs are doing great......maybe one of these times I'll have one of them update this thing.