It's Been Documented. By a Professional.

We had a visit from the Visiting Health Nurse this week to check up on Babyclogs and assess Littleclogs' cognitive skills, which is done for free here for 18-24 month olds.

Babyclogs has lost a little weight, which is normal after babies are born, but she should be past that now and gaining. The nurse is coming back tomorrow to do another weigh in and it will be expected that there will be weight gain. We are under pressure to get more food into Babyclogs and what I think she needs is a good burger..... but the milk will need to do the trick for now and work some scale miracles.

As for our Littleclogs...well.....I am not one to brag or anything.....buuuuuut........

After the nurse spent some time testing Littleclogs, she looked up at me with a dead serious face and said to me: "She is rather brilliant.".... BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT!!! BRILLIANT!!!!!

I knew it. Now it's documented by a professional.

And coincidentally, that very night, I went in to check on Littleclogs while she was sleeping, and she was counting in her sleep- in multiple of twos. Kid you not. Ok, it was only up to six, but still. I don't think I could do that until I was probably ten.

Today is my first full day at home with both of them since we got home from the hospital last week. I am a little nervous! Hopefully it will be decent outside so we can go and burn off some energy..... Have a great day!

brain image by: www.medical-illustrations.ca

No, I Have Not Been on Vacation...If You Are Wondering....

I've been away from the computer a few weeks now...but not because I am lazy.

You see, I am supposed to be in the hospital right this very morning, having a c-section. That didn't happen, because it happened already! Turns out I was in early stages of labor back on July 2nd for a full day before I admitted that perhaps I should just suck it up and go to the hospital and be told that everything was fine and to be sent home the same way I went in a half hour earlier.

Instead...

I went in, and after being seen by about every nurse or midwife this side of the Liffey, none of who could agree what to do with me.....the doctor was called in from his home across the street (sorry!) that evening, and he made the executive decision to go ahead with the c-section as planned immediately! Wait! What?! Hold up! But the contractions at this point were very clear, and coming quickly!

Mind you- I was totally unprepared for this! No packed bags.... nothing! I was just so grateful that I managed to take a shower earlier that day.

An hour later, after a very smooth, and dare I say, a lovely c-section experience (of course it would seem this way compared to my 1st birth), I had a new baby girl! SURPRISE! Just like her conception... now her arrival..... not quite ready, very unprepared, but all turning out perfectly in the end. Although she was 3.5 weeks early, she still weighed a great weight of 7.10lbs. If she were to go full term, who knows what her weight would have been! The earliness meant immature lungs and a few feeding problems, but nothing my little baby can't handle.

Can I just take this small space in the blogging world to say one thing? I have never been happier in my life than I am right now with my two little ladies and Husbandclogs. Maybe it's the post-preggo hormones speaking here, but just looking at them makes me cry with love! Ahhhh...Ok, that's enough now. The exhaustion is kicking in obviously!

So, welcome to the world Babyclogs. I promise to never stop loving you, to protect and care for you, and to do whatever I can to keep Littleclogs from poking your eyes out. She means well!

Anti-Teen Pregnancy Campaign - Starring ME!

It's going to be one of those days.....

It's rainy.....I barely slept......Littleclogs is bored......Husbandclogs is away and will not return to very, very late tonight and........I am just....about....to.....collapse.......

And it's only 11:15am.

We did wake to some nice rain this morning. By 'nice', I mean good hearty rain that you can hear, and has a rhythm and tends to sooth you to a calmness. Not the usual meek on-going drizzle I usually experience here. So, the rain is OK, and since it's been quite dry these past few weeks, I won't complain too too much.

I had my last scan of the new baby this past Monday before the big day. I am just entering my 36th week, but measuring at 40+. How could this be?! Well, me and my enormous baby are ready to move on and go forward with this birthing process immediately! I am just not sure how I will make it though the next 12 days. I cannot imagine going full term and having 4 more weeks to go! No thank you!

I should firstly figure out how I will make it through this day alone. Normally, I would pack Littleclogs up and head to the mall or into town, but those are out of the question since my legs feel like stale bread sticks that will crumble beneath me at any given time. Just the thought of walking to the bathroom right now makes my heart race.

Anyway - I've come up with an amazing idea. This picture below, taken of me, today, should be used in an anti-teenage pregnancy campaign. Kinda like....'Hey kids....see what can happen when you get pregnant? Not so cute, hey? And yes, it hurts as bad as it looks.....'

Should work, right?

And now I must leave the computer to drag Littleclogs away from the bathroom sink where she spends an unusually long time on her own washing her hands (she's a very clean toddler) and wait for the electrician that was due to come - oh- about 8 months ago, and again, today is 3 hours late and counting.

My Favorite Things

The deeper I dig into all the design blogs out there, the happier I become.

It's like finding golden treasure after golden treasure every time.

Here are some recent finds that I have come across the past few weeks by just browsing blogs - all of which are listed to the right.

Oh- I cannot wait to own these! First I need a house though! LOL!

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This 12x12 piece of art is perfect for Littleclogs' room. The trouble is, there is so much great art out there for children's rooms, I fear I will clutter the walls. I hate clutter. However, I think this little piece will make the cut! -Available on Etsy here from redletterwords. Discovered on the amazingly inspirational design blog of The Lettered Cottage.

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Another find from The Lettered Cottage, I need this!

Handmade from White Flower Farm House. Love it.

Conversations with Lionel's Daughter

Since I have been severely sleep deprived for weeks, or, more like months now....I had the opportunity to let Husbandclogs have night duty with the Little one last night while I checked out and slept alone...in a quiet room. I am naturally a light sleeper, so I am normally the one who wakes up at every little sound that Littleclogs makes during the night, even though she is down the hall, around a few corners.

Here's what happened while I slept:

I dreamed that Nicole Richie and I were in a department store and she came over to me to show me what she had just bought....


Nicole: Look at this Kelly bag I just got and it was DISCOUNTED!
Cleverclogs: Oh...I love the black!
Nicole: You should go get the purple one they have left!
Cleverclogs: yeah- totally. Where are they?
Nicole: Up on the shelf.
Cleverclogs: But what shelf, where?
Nicole: Up on the shelf- you will see it!
Cleverclogs: But what section are they in????
Nicole (rolling eyes like I was some dumb ox): HERMES, CLEVERCLOGS....HERMES......UGH!
(then she stormed off)


Can someone analyze this for me??? All I can come up with is that there's not much going on in my subconscious these days and it thinks that I have some sort of bank account that I could afford such a luxury!

Well, AT LAST!

Almost three weeks later, I have my computer back and in working order. Thank goodness. I missed it so! I did get lots done though- so I cannot complain too much. I lost some great pictures and a few documents that were, well, kind of important, but there is always a good feeling of starting off with a 'clean slate' or 'tabula rasa' on a computer without all the past baggage cluttering things up.

Summer has arrived in Ireland. It took about four years, but you know what, it's here, so no more looking back, only into the blue sky above from now on!

I think my Littleclogs is addicted to two television shows. I am upset by this, as I hate for her to be wrapped up in anything on TV at this age or any- but, I must confess, I like the 20 minutes or so that it gives me to sit in quiet and do somethings that are totally separate from toddler-care. Is that selfish? Yeah- don't answer that.

On the 13th of July I will be having my c-section. The anxiety has been slowly creeping up on me. I just want it over and done. I cannot wait to feel 'normal' again and not strained and anxious. Ok, that may take years to happen, but it will I am sure of it!

The things that are keeping my mind off of it all at the moment are Littleclogs' everyday discoveries and the way she loves being outdoors, granny smith apples and the flowers blooming at my in-laws house again. This time of year is magical. The flowers are tangible reminders to me how precious 'it' all really is. I got these few clippings from the garden last night. Enjoy.

Totally Upsetting!

I've been quiet- but not by choice!
My computer is in the shop, hopefully it's just a little problem, and not a big one that will be costly and timely to fix.... I miss it so!
Hope everyone is enjoying their start to Summer!!!
Be back soon!

Pregnancy Should Really Only Be a Few Weeks

Really.....

I've had enough! It doesn't help that I am not one of those 'I love being pregnant' type of people. I find it's too taxing for me. Maybe I am just not in good enough shape to finish the job I started eight months ago, or maybe I am just a wimp, but I am having all sorts of issues now that we are creeping into the final weeks of this. Nothing serious, but enough to make me want to crawl into a hole for the next few weeks and not emerge until I have this baby.

We ran away to Wexford this past weekend. It's southerly to Dublin, and is where many would escape to for the summer months here. It has lovely beaches, resorts, long drives and beautiful ocean access. Here, in Dublin, we are on the water also, but it's not quite the same. I can actually see the ocean from the top floor of my building, thanks to Berna, my lady neighbor that pointed it out to me one day. But...it's just not 'beachy'. So when we booked the weekend for Wexford, I was very excited! The perfect weather only made it that more promising. Just what I needed, I thought, before Babyclogs comes on the scene...

On the way to our hotel, we stopped at Glenroe Farm where Littleclogs explored farm life first hand! She loved it. It was the perfect stop off for us and something we've been wanting to do. We'll definitely be back. Shortly after, we arrived at our hotel destination. I soon began to feel a bit 'woozy' and tired. This feeling stayed with me the entire time, and it really annoyed me since it limited pretty much everything we could do there. The short 10 minute walk to the beach became impossible. Evening strolls around the grounds...forget about it.... Rolling around with Littleclogs on the golf green - no can do.... Ok, I wasn't going to roll around pregnant anyway- but still.....I was mad. By the end of the trip, I felt so horrid that when we got home, I crawled onto the couch which is pretty much where I have been since. Four days ago. I called my doctor's office yesterday finally to maybe get an explanation, and the midwife assured me that it was my low iron count and that the iron tablets that I was told to take would need a few weeks to kick in. Too bad I had been forgetting to take them here and there...

I feel like this big cow

Poultry at the farm

So, all in all, it's been a Hellish week. I can't explain to Littleclogs why I need to be laying down all the time when she just wants to go outside and play. I feel like a bad, bad, BORING mother! Hopefully, next week will see a big improvement.

SCORE! Beach Hut Bunting

If you read this blog- you know I got a thing for bunting. If you don't normally read this blog- well, I have a thing bunting.

I already have a red patterned one for Littleclogs' room, which hangs across a big picture right now. It's very festive and fun.

It wasn't until recently that I decided Babyclogs will want one too. Little sisters always want what the big sister has, right??? See, I am already avoiding fights between the two! It actually dawned on me that I needed to get her one while in Laura Ashley in town not too long ago. After seeing it, and falling in love with it, I decided it was a little too pricey and that I should think about it before making the quick purchase.

The price of this bunting was 24Euro. That's a lot. But I loved it so.

A week later, I was at a different Laura Ashley. I spotted the bunting once again and picked it up wishing it were cheaper. That's when my little eye spied a price tag on one that was 5 Euro cheaper than the others. Same product, better price! Score! I never revel in other people's mistakes, but crikey- when people misprice stuff in your favor, how could you NOT be so happy.

I decided that it was meant to be. Babyclogs will have this bunting. Got to the register....and learned there that there was 30% off home furnishings that day- which included such accessories as bunting! Score!

So there you go- about half the price as what it was when I originally saw it.... I hope Babyclogs loves it too! The flags are in the shape of little beach huts. I originally thought they were birdhouses! Either way- very cute!

The World Really is Ending....

I don't know if this weather forecast is very accurate- but people, take note- this has never happened, at least since I've been living here. Where are all the BIG GRAY CLOUDS and little raindrops in the pictures? Something must be wrong. The BBC website must be malfunctioning.

*****UPDATE - Several hours later*****

Ok, yeah, this weather report is live - and continuously updates itself...and now, I see clouds rolling in! Boo!

And So on...

*picture by stockxpert.com

I'm glad to be blogging again. Thanks for welcoming me back.

Even though I took a break myself, I didn't take a break from reading my favorite blogs all the while. There are just so many beautiful ones out there now, I find I have to limit myself to a certain few so that I could keep up on posts. My favorites tend to be design blogs, mainly interior ones done by people in the field or just have a strong interest in the subject, like myself. The ideas I find are endlessly inspirational. My very favorite ones are the more personable blogs, such as when people show off their own homes or small businesses and show you something gorgeous! My favorite ones still remain under my blog roll on the side if you want to explore and see for yourself. I also like blogs about expats that have moved to New York. It's fun for me to read someone else's discoveries as they unfold each glorious layer of that city day-by-day, week-by-week, experience-by-experience. There is always a common thread running through each.

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Today I sit here in the apartment in complete silence, except for the occasional breeze hitting the trees. Yes, that's correct- I can hear the breeze in the trees, so that must mean the windows are open! Which only really means, well, it's not too cold.... Promising weather ahead the forecast predicts. We are planning to get away for a few days as it's a holiday weekend here. Fingers crossed. It's been a rough week. I think I sometimes suffer from exhaustion. I am not sure though. All I know is that I am always overtired. My family over in the US seems to need me at the moment- but I cannot be there. It's very hard. I do what I can over the phone. Thank GOD we have a cheap-o calling plan. Pregnancy has had it's unkind moments too- like on Sunday- the most intense pain. Something to do with my fibroids growing so fast that the blood supplies cannot keep up- so they die....which in turn causes me great pain. Great.

Which brings me to my most recent hospital experience here in Ireland. My last one before Sunday's, was when I had Littleclogs in 2007, was traumatic enough to be written into the history books. I left that place with a sense of misery and confusion and vowed never to return. Well, a few nieces and nephews were to be born afterwards in that very hospital- I had to return. It was fine. I even had to return to my very own recovery room when my sister-in-law gave birth. Eerily, nothing had changed. In fairness, I don't anything had changed in that hospital in a good 45 years!

My second pregnancy has brought me back to the same hospital of torture. Sunday was the first time that I had to go there - instead of my usual clinic where my doc is, as it was closed. In pain, I put my fears aside, and booked myself in to see someone immediately. Husband and Littleclogs came to hold my hand.

I settled on a bed in an observation room. It was so quiet on the ward that day. I chalked it up to it being a really nice day out, so no one was going to go give birth and waste such an elusive sunny day. I know it doesn't make sense, but I do think that's what happened. As a result, I had the attention of everyone on staff.

They were nice to me....gentle with me....listened to me... and were generally wonderful. It was what I had experienced back home in Connecticut in the spring of 2007 when I had to go to the ER at 27 weeks in my pregnancy while visiting my parents. They too took amazing care of me. I always compared that hospital to my hospital here, and the one here never measured up in any way. But on Sunday, it came so much closer.... I left an hour later knowing what my problem was, how I can help it and most surprisingly with a sense that I will be taken care of and cared for.

There is nothing like that feeling now, is there?

Cleverclogs Makes A Comeback

HELLO!

Wow- it's been about four months since I stopped posting! It was good to have a break, and focus on things here at home. You should see me. Over 30 weeks pregnant, and, well, not so cute! Things are going well though, and I feel a little less loaded down with chores the past few weeks and majorly inspired by Spring and the thought of sharing happy things with you again.

Not too much has been happening since my last post! Just growing and growing! we are still in the same place here in Dublin and Babyclogs is no longer a baby, but a full fledged toddler, or little girl, more like! She is simply amazing....

The next will also be a girl. No doubt as wonderful!

Babyclogs also now goes to creche, or 'school' as we call it - to make it sound more cool. It's just 2 days a week for a few hours, and she seems to like it. At least she is playing with other kids her age. She loves her 'friends'.... So those school hours allow me to tie up loose ends around here and at our rental apartment during the day, rest a wee bit, and they help to get Babyclogs used to not having my undivided attention 24 hours a day- or else it would all be a big shock to her once the next baby is born.

I think I will have to change Babyclogs' name to 'Littleclogs' and the new baby will then be called 'Babyclogs'....

Well, I hope you survived Winter wherever you are and that the temps are heating up. We are still waiting to rise above the 65 degree barrier here...so yeah...still a chill, but there is hope that this summer won't be a washout like the past three! Oh please God, I couldn't take it.

Cleverclogs Has Left the Building

I don't know why- but finding the extra time to blog lately has been impossible. My New Years resolution to manage my time better is a work in progress. I am in desperate need to organize myself and get things done before it's officially too late. Once upon a time, I was a master list maker, someone who revelled in the joy of crossing 'things to do' off her list in a ferocious manner. At work, I kept track of all my daily tasks for the day and future in a small notebook. At the end of the day, I started a fresh page with new tasks and ones left over from that day for reference the following day. Co-workers were endlessly impressed by my organization and ability to find any file, form, piece of information past or present. Nothing was left to be lost. I never forgot to do something or missed a deadline. I was a good employee because of this!

Things have changed. I don't know if it's being in a new country, my old age, or having a child...but now I find everything too overwhelming to keep on top of. My desires of organization still exists, but my abilities to control my inner chaos with obsessively controlling my outside world has faltered, all while my responsibilities have grown too big and time consuming. I need to get back on track!

So, the first thing that could go is my blogging. I don't spend a whole lot of time on it, but I am always thinking about it and feeling anxious that I need to find the time to work on it because I have something oh so very interesting to say!!!

So....three years later....I think I am going to end my blogging, at least for now. It has been so much fun to share so many things about ex-pat life, having a baby, Ireland, and all my rants and raves with you. I am also happy to know that a few people who were or are in the same situation as me had found my blog comforting and helpful.

As January ends....I slowly step away from the computer and hopefully soon into a warm spring where Babyclogs and I can enjoy some one on one time before Babyclogs2 comes along...and after that...who knows what the future holds!

Thanks everyone for your comments and stopping by as often as you did. It made it all worthwhile.

-Cleverclogs

A Clear Target

I find being pregnant a lot of work. There are few perks, other than the fabulous baby you get in the end, you really just have to buck up and get on with it, you know?
Another benefit that I do like as a result from being pregnant are the dreams that I have. They are always very 'truthful'. Uncomplicated and straight forward. None of that 'hidden meaning' crap that my dreams usually consist of.

I haven't been sleeping lately...so dreams are few and far between...but I did finally manage a few consistent hours last night. Here is what happened in my head.

I was on a trip home, and I was at Target with my mom and sister, waiting for them to pick up a few things. I was hanging out by the front of the store. There wasn't enough time for me to go and have a browse...so I waited. Then my mom called me on my cell phone to say that my dad would be 30 minutes late from work, so we had an extra 30 minutes to spare before dinner that night. It was like an official 'OK' to run amok through Target and do what I needed to do.

Off I went like a bat out of Hell! Grabbing a shopping basket and literally RUNNING though ailes and aisles if goods. I reached the craft section, grabbing scrapbook stuff like it was gold...then I turned to the check out area and saw the candy. The strawberry twizzlers, chocolate covered cherries, Junior Mints!!! There were even new candies that I had yet discovered. However, they were the small packages...I wanted the BIG, JUMBO ones they sell in the candy section..so off I went....running again to where they have the candy in the BIG boxes and bags! On the way I ran through a section called 'Trader Joe's'. I don't know what a Trader Joe's is, I know it's another store, but I have never been...until last night....they had one there, right in the middle of Target! It was all too much! TOO MUCH! I only had 30 minutes for all this!!!!!

Then I woke up.

Gee, I wonder what this dream means?!

Mom & Daughter Suddenly Mature. All of a Sudden!

Babyclogs turned 18 months this week. I cannot believe how grown up she now is. Seems like she has matured more in the past month than in the last six! I have been sick these past few days with a bad cold, and yesterday, after watching me tend to my sneezing, Baby picked up a paper towel from the coffee table, wiped her nose in it...then walked over to the kitchen, lifted the garbage lid and threw it away. She's not only adorable, she's brilliant. Today, I caught her throwing a few of her little books in the garbage, but I think I clarified it to her that it wasn't a good idea. She even displays a sense of gratitude or appreciation now. The other day she shut herself in the bathroom and could not get out. I was in the kitchen doing dishes so I didn't here her right away. When I finally heard the faint screams, I ran around the corner to see her little face pressed up against the frosted glass in the door of the dark bathroom petrified and scared. When I opened the door and she saw me there, she just wrapped her arms around me as if to say "oh mom, it was horrible....thank goodness you came"....or something like that! Then she let go, backed up to take a good look at me, and the again wrapped her arms around me. She did this at least four times!

I may have matured slightly myself (pat on back). Being a mom is hard. It's hard in so many ways. Physically, it's hard. Mentally? Check! Emotionally? Definitely. Only recently I stopped worrying about whether Baby would accidentally smother herself if I didn't approve of the position she was sleeping in. Only recently did I get over my 'need' to be the last one to check on her at night before Husbandclogs and I went to bed, as I was convinced that only 'I' knew if things were right in her room for her to sleep properly. Only recently have I stopped serving her meals at the same exact time every single day down to the minute in fear she would suddenly starve if I didn't. Insane? Yeah, I know. I KNOW! See, I logically know these things are seriously unnecessary, but when you find a routine that 'works', you tend to grasp on to it with dear life, and it's scary to let go. It's the fear.... We have/had a routine. We love/loved the routine. It made us happy for a very long time.... but now it's time to relax a little. I think she's old enough now to be more flexible...and I think I need to give myself some flexibility too....

It won't be long until I am juggling a new routine with an infant, so NOW is the best time to have a bit more breathing space and not always feel like I am walking on very sharp eggshells around here. Who's the boss of this house? Her name ain't Tony, that's for sure. For 18 months it clearly was Babyclogs. I am about to reclaim my title back, at least until the new Babyclogs comes and takes over. Heck, I may start showering everyday again! Maybe even brush my teeth before lunch? Oh...oh...and then there's the deodorant...where did I leave that last?...it's been so long!

Thank you to everyone who congratulated me in the comments of my last post! Have a great weekend and be spontaneous!