Ooops

I regret the last two blogs. They were whiney and blah. And I feel guilty too. Naomi did infact have an ear infection. (again.) Now here we are nearly a full course of antibiotics later and she's doing super, really super. She's the funniest little squirt I've ever seen. And just because I'm here mama I can say that she's really smart too. But I'm not just saying it, she is! She finds "cat/kitty", "duck" "moon" and "Piggie" pictures in books or on blocks when asked. She points to them! She's a genius.
Right now she's talking to herself about the tape, the cards, the paper, the blocks and Mo and Monkey. She's the best. She will go and get Mo (the Moose) Monkey and DuckDuck if I ask her too. She does the monkey sound too, it's awesome! Kind of an ahha ahhaa ahh ha. She says "Daah" for duck and "Duh" for dog and "Da" for daddy. cute huh. There IS a difference. kindof. So like I was saying, she's brilliant, adorable and funny!
Today we played with yogurt on the floor and made a BIG mess. Naomi loved it after I showed her what to do, and even tasted it. Then we high-tailed it to the bathroom for a mid-day bath.
Ok, that's all for now, Nominomi needs mama

In the doldrums

Naomi is sick. S.I.C.K. She is currently coughing up a lung in her crib. It's really not fun at all. I have been considering calling her doctor tomorrow but upon further investigation, it seems that the doc will most likely pat me on the head and say "it's viral" with instructions to "get her plenty of rest and fluids." Well I would LIKE to get her plenty of rest if she could sleep! She wakes up coughing about every 10-20 minutes during naps and sometimes longer stretches at night. Daytime naps are about as long as she can go without coughing. It's been miserable to say the least. She is so sad and sick and the coughing hurts her sometimes. She has a hard time breathing while coughing. Ya know. On second thought I think I may call her doctor.....
Ok, so I feel bad for me right now. But I feel worse for Naomi.
On to happier thoughts, she does seem to get Ok sleep at night so far, so I do to.
Like I said, happier thoughts!- I gave a talk today in church about Joseph Smith. The happy thoughts there are that I am done, It's all been said and that I didn't hyperventilate from nervousness:) Yeah for me!
Here's the happiest thought of all, Zach made the Dean's List last semester!!!! He is also ranked 2 in his class. Since this is a almost totally private blog (except for some choice family members!) I figure it's Ok to post that top-secret info here.
Ok. well. another week gone by and still haven't managed to install either of our new printers to this computer. And then Gateway has the nerve to ask if it's a problem with the software Cd's Um, NO. It would be this flea-bitten bag of crap we call our computer. I'll be calling Gateway tomorrow (again) as well as Naomi's doctor.
Until later!

January... blahs

Naomi is in her crib crying. whining. talking. moaning. She was put down for a nap at 11:20, fell asleep by 11:32 and woke up coughing 10 minutes later and then again 8 minutes later. She then decided she was done napping. I don't think so. 20 minutes of nap time just does not cut it. I let her be for a few minutes and then went in, retrieved her stuffed animals and laid her down and told her it was time to go to sleep. She dosen't think so. So who wins in a battle like this? Usually Naomi. She has a bit of a cold, only when she's lying down though. No cough, no runny nose during wake times but the second she's on her back she's coughing, coughing, coughing. It's frustrating when she can't sleep. She's tired and is no fun when she's up and not refreshed.
Ok. well this post is depressing. I'll have to write agian soon to make up for it!

December Times

On Thursday afternoon Zach did "The Blazin' Challenge" at Buffalo Wild Wings. He had to eat 12 wings in 6 minutes. No water, no wiping and all that topped with the HOTTEST of HOT BBQ sauces ever invented. He's either insane or just really cool:)


I had wings myself with the 3rd hottest sauce: Mango Habanero. It was not smart. My mouth was permanently on fire, burning. My lips, my mouth, my tongue. So yeah, I got a to-go box since I couldn't eat them all and uh... "forgot" to bring it home with me.


Ah well! Zach got his picture on the wall and a free T-shirt! He was so proud of himself. He actually finished all the wings with almost 3 minutes to spare but on the last bite of the last wing he flicked sauce IN HIS EYE!!! He was bawling but couldn't wipe them until the 6 minutes were up. He sat there with his eyes pinched shut and could barely talk it stung so bad. I couldn't' help but laugh, he looked so funny. Even with all that he was feeling "hot" about his accomplishment.

I'm just glad it didn't blind him.

On Tuesday we are leaving for Utah for 3 weeks, leaving Cheetah here. The Pet Nanny, Judy will be coming over every few days to feed her, clean her litter and give her loves. I hope Cheetah will be ok, I'm sure she will, I guess I just feel bad leaving her for so long. But I feel it's better than boarding her at the vet where she'll be anxious and out of her element. She should be just fine and Judy will call if there is any kind of problem at all.



That's all for now, I'll be posting later..
Merry Christmas!!!!!




These last two pictures are of Naomi contemplating the grapefruits. She tried to carry them around, they were too heavy for her....

Check out all my latest pics here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tlowchamp/

Napping NO-how?

Well,

Right now Naomi has been in her crib talking, crying, whining, sitting, standing ect. for over an hour. She is refusing to nap. She is very tired now and I don't know what to do to get her to sleep. I tried staying by her, that calmed her but she wouldn't sleep. She freaks out when I leave. Naps have been easy so far. Just put her down, give her a kiss and shut the door.

Not today. Sleeping has been a little bit of an issue lately. Last night was great, she didn't wake up once but the past two nights she was up several times, meaning literally UP. She's standing in her crib and can't get herself down. It's great.....

So right now she's doing the sleep talk, uhhhhahhhmmmm. Hopefully it works for her now. I was considering weaning her soon but if sleep is going to be an issue, I might wait a bit.

We are flying home to Utah next week, a week from today exactly to visit for Christmas. It's going to be fun but a little hectic I think. I'm wishing Naomi was weaned allready so we could leave her for the evening with Grandma(s). Right now I need to be the one to put her to bed because she needs to nurse and will NOT take a bottle. We'll see, maybe she will next week.

Ha.

Ok, I think she's finally down! Really! Crossing my fingers for it to last.

Collage

These are a few great shots I go of Naomi, She's such a doll-face!
-November 2006

November

What a sweetie, I love this outfit. It's Gymboree of course.

STANDING!!!!!

Naomi and Grandma Stevie. Halloween in Nauvoo, IL 2006

Naomi playing with Cheetah

all dressed up....

Naomi's little "feetsies"

Clapping, Clapping, Clapping. Naomi even will stop nursing for a moment or two to clap a few claps. Maybe just to let me know she's happy:)

Campus Lake, early October 2006

This month I've been so busy. I can't say exactly with what, just busy. I have a new calling in the Young Women in our ward. I am the Mia Maid advisor. I teach each Sunday and help plan and carry out activities on Wednesdays. Stephanie Gunnell is the Mia Maid leader, she's great with the girls, super laid-back but in control. We are planning on going to the SUI vs. SUU football game this Saturday, and I'm trying to figure out when to go with Naomi or to bring her at all.
We are also having Thanksgiving at the Gunnells, super nice of them to invite us, four little families in all and we will all make and bring food. It will be a fun get-together. So far I'm making mashed pototoes.
So the latest new things with Naomi is that she is WALKING! Well, kinda. She can get to standing on her own now and she will toddle a few steps on her own before she stops and realizes that she NOT HOLDING ON, she loves to walk with me and Zach, everywhere, all the time. She's getting so OLD and BIG! She took her first steps on Sunday night the 10th, I stood her up after getting her pjs on her and said "just stand there for a second", and I turned to hang her towell up and she took 3-4 steps towards Zach! It was so cute, we had her do it again and again, we got it on camera too. It was so exciting and I still can't quite figure out why, something about learning to walk is so HUGE. Naomi sure was happy. Also, she will mimic sounds (finally), she will mimic, repeat gestures/sounds using face and hands(a little). It's fun to do and so funny sometimes too. Naomi is so cute too. People EVERYWHERE stop me and tell me how beautiful, cute, adorable, sweet, darling she is, etc, etc, etc. I also get a lot of comments on her 'beautiful skin tone.' She does have nice coloring, a little olive with HUGE dark chocolate eyes. She's a hottie! I just love her and everyday her personality is more and more prevelent. She likes to 'talk' to me and will cock her head to the side while she jabbers, like she's telling me a story. She knows what she wants too, and is super-observant of EVERYTHING. Not much gets by Naomi.
I'm excited to go home for Christmas, we are leaving IL on the 19th and returning on the 9th of January. It will be a little bit of a challenge with Naomi feeling comfortable and keeping her normal routines but it will be great to see everyone. I want to show her off! I also want to see the other little babies born this year; Max, Dawson and Drew. Jakob too but he won't be in the States this Christmas.
Zach's first semester of Law school is wrapping up, or rather coming to a head. He has next week off (study, study, study) and then one week more of classes and then two weeks of finals. His last final is on Thursday the 14th. After that we're home free for a MONTH! yeaeahhhh.
I have been planning a vacation for two for this May after Zach's finals are over with. We will be leaving out of SLC, Naomi with one of the sets of Grandparents and us on a airplane for Cabo San Lucas, Mexico! Sweet huh. I'm so excited, I just haven't finalized on a hotel yet. Zach wan't all-incusive, I'm not convinced it's worth the extra money. We'll work it out.
K, enjoy the pics!
A few are from the trip to Nauvoo when Mom and Natalie came to visit. They were here over Halloween. We had a fun time shopping, hanging out and of course visiting Nauvoo!

Nauvoo Temple, October 31, 2006

Pictures of St. Louis Arch-Naomi

Zach and Naomi in St. Louis - Sept. 2006


Naomi looking HOT! :)


A new view of the arch in St. Louis

pictures...

Naomi in her Halloween costume-2006


Low family at Mom and Dad's house after Dawson's blessing

Picture updates!!! naOmi

The "LOW" girls..... Holly, Ginger, Aimee, Trisha (me) and Natalie


Up close cutie- Naomi


Just a few pics of Naomi to keep updated.

Rain, cats and dogs

Well, life has settled into a somewhat normal routine for Naomi and me here in Southern Illinois. I still am tying (in vain) to have a more regular daytime schedue.... Oh well. Naomi is wearing her new Halloween GHOST HAT from Grandma Champlin. BOO!
We get up at about 7 am and Naomi nurses, then comes out with me after her diaper change to see Daddy! and the kitty too of course. Zach has been studying at home in the mornings lately. He gets up around 6 to study. We take him to school at about 8:45. Naomi has cereal for breakfast, usually rice and oatmeal mixed, sometimes the mixed grain kind. She LOVES the gerber cereal. She eats about 1/2 cup every morning.
Today it's rainy. I love it when it rains. It smells like rain and everything looks so green. It's really very pretty here in Illinois. The trees are huge and there are a lot of them.
Usually we go on a walk around our neighborhood, or rather- trailer park. There 98 residences in all. We make a couple of loops and Naomi looks at all the animal life. There are usually several cats that slink around us as we walk, a stray gray kitty that is super friendly, a few big dogs tied up that sometimes bark at us, Naomi loves that even more! And there is almost always this adorable, loveable little puppy that follows us for about 1/2 our walk. I usually talk to Naomi a little, point out different animals or things we see and most often talk on my cell. My phone dosen't get a very strong signal inside our "mobile home" my mom theorised it's becasue of the metal roof. Could be- regardless, it helps me not chat all day on the phone rather than playing with Naomi.
It looks like it will be showery on and off today so we will take a walk during one of the wet sunny gaps in the day. Puddles are less daunting when your child is contained in a stroller!
Maybe today I will take a picture or two of the animal friends we see along our path.
Tomorrow I will write about the walking trail around Campus Lake at SIU, there is a lot of animal life there- more of the natural type, but just the same to Naomi.

check, check, check!

Do you ever have one of those days where it seems like "everything's goin' my way.." It's like "check, check, check!" That would be my never ending check list.
Today I had a to-do list, just like every other day and I GOT IT DONE! Well... almost all of it. I got the major things done and I would have to say I'm proud of myself. And there's a bonus point. Naomi's sleeping and Zach will be home any minute. He's coming home from school early today. So like I said, it's been a good one today.
Well, signing off for now. I got one more thing to do to be the ultimate master of check lists- fold the laundry:)
-Trisha

Naomi and Daddy

Well.....
It's been a while since I posted an entry here I thought it's about time I caught up. We have moved to Illinois. Zach started law school last week here at soothern Illinois University, or SIU. The Salukis are the mascot and EVERYONE has a SIU shirt on here.
The drive out here was horrendous. I entered my story in a housewife awards contest at mommasaid.net and I won! It will be posted this Sunday, 9/3/06. It was a crazy three-day and well over 22 estimated hour drive. I will NEVER drive cross-country with a baby/child again. Having Naomi nursing made things even more complicated since we had to stop ALL the time it seemed and it took forever and she didn't like nursing in the car AT ALL. In fact she was taking at least one bottle a day on the drive out here just because she wouldn't take enough in nursing. And then there was Cheetah- our cat. That's a whole other story by itself.
So, we've been here in Murphysboro in our big 'ole trailer for almost three weeks now. It feel like home more and more each day. Although some days I miss the mountains so much it hurts. The humidity here is kinda awful, it's so sticky sometimes but even that I think I'm getting used to. We have visited the library and taken advantage of their video and book resources. We have tried out a few different grocery stores and decided that Kroger is the closest and a good price with a sweet 10cent off per gallon of gas discount when you spend $100/month on groceries. We have been to WalMart WAY too many time to call ourselves not white trash and we have frequented the mall as many as 4 or 5 times! All in all not bad for the new kids on the block. I have made a few friends and will do my best to keep them and get to be great friends.
When I say "WE" I mean me and Naomi. Zach is super busy at school. He's out of the house be about 5:30 a.m. and then is home for the night and if lucky done with reading ect for the night by about 7p.m. It's been so far so good with Law School. Zach seems to enjoy it and is really putting 200% into his work. I'm proud of him.
Well, time to sound off. Naomi is sleeping and Zach and I are going to go to be early tonight.
-Trisha the mommy of one (and she's super cute too!!!!)

travel with a baby

WOW
Traveling with a baby is HARD! I knew it would be but it was difficult:)
Ok, so I knew it would be HARD but I didn't realize how exhausted I would feel.
Zach and I traveled to Carbondale, IL to search for housing for the next few years. Zach will be going to Law School at Southern Illinois University. We sold our house here in Utah in just 6 weeks and we were looking to buy a home/condo in Illinois. Well, we got there, looked around, called a realtor and started looking at houses. The cheap ones we saw online were definatly yucky up close and we ended up falling for a more expensive house than we had planned on. It was new but very reasonibly priced and we made an offer. The house is less than a year old, ranch/rambler style and had 3 beds, 2 baths, fenced yard. Anyway, it was great. They were asking $116,000, yes I know, that's cheap, so we offered 113 and they countered at 114, we accepted and went home. THEN we stared looking in to financing, which wasn't bad but the closing costs (high for the price of the home) and the taxes (outrageous 2100/year) and what those factors did to our "low monthly payment." Welllllll. We backed out, lost our earnest money and we are renting a new mobile home on a 9 month lease. That way we can leave for summer internships and not pay mortgage and rent elsewhere. OK, so that's the story. Our home here is just over a year old, and I love it. We put it under contract for $220,000 and are scheduled to close July 10th.
That's the story of our travel- kinda or at least the results.

It's over

Date: May 24, 2006
Time: 11:27 a.m.

Naomi is sleeping, she will be up any second.
Just a quick post to let the world know that her nursing strike is OVER and we survived!!!
We are flying to Carbondale IL to look for a place to live- today. I hope traveling with Naomi goes well!
Keep ya posted later

Breast-fed BABY!

Naomi and Daddy



Date: 5/17/06
Time: 9:36 p.m.

Feeling: Relaxed
Hearing: my fingers typing...

Ok, so today went sooo well I can hardly believe it. Naomi nursed so very well. I was more confident and that really helped with my ability to 'let-down' quick enough for her. It wansn't perfect, and what day could be, but anyway- Naomi nursed the last time at 7:40 p.m. and right after she started on the second side she started pulling away and acting uninterested. It was like she suddenly remembered half-way through her feeding that she dosen't like to nurse after 5 p.m.! I encouraged her to feed a little more, but she was done. I let Zach change her diaper and get her ready for bed, she was still hungry- we could tell by the way she was acting so I decided to try once more, she refused, arched her back and wouldn't even latch on at all. I made her a 1/2 bottle of formula and tried to pump the rest out. I wasn't able to get much with pumping, I still need to purchase an electric pump.
I had Zach feed her, which he was glad to do, he dosen't get to participate much with feedings when she nurses. She took the whole bottle and then we put her down for bed. She's sleeping now but she struggled a little getting there tonight.
I hope tomorow goes as well, maybe we are getting through this nursing hitch...

Sleep baby, sleep

Date: may 17, 2006
Time: 10:53 a.m.

Feeling: Energized
Hearing: same-old construction across the street.- it's getting closer to being finished!

I put Naomi down for her morning nap at about 9:20 and she had been struggling to get past the 45 minute mark in her naps. Until lately. With everything in the nursing sense going wrong it's nice to have so many other things going well with her. For example with slepping, and naps. Naomi has been waking a little after 45 minutes into her nap and then going back to sleep on her own to finish off the full nap, anywhere from 1 1/2 hours to 3 hours. It's been helpful for her schedule and also she has been sleeping pretty well at night. We put her to bed (usually) around 9 p.m. and she gets up only once to eat during the night. But besides that, Naomi will go to sleep in her crib. We put her down, swaddle her (yes I know, we can't do that forever, she's 3 months) and then we give her a binkie and she's sleeping after a few minutes. It's not alway perfect, she like to go to sleep with her binkie and sometimes we need to go back in a few times and give it to her but that's better than rocking her for every nap and going to bed, she's able to go to sleep on her own!
So right now Naomi has been asleep for about 1 1/2, good for her :)