the musatov family

instagram obsession

2011-04-04T11:37:00.000-05:00

I finally downloaded the instagram app on my iPhone this weekend. I think it's safe to say I'm obsessed.

I took a few cute pics this weekend that I'd like to share!

Adam thought it'd be funny to put Ally's shoes on Dimitri. Not sure what he thought about it.

Behold, the cutest baby on the PLANET!

Self portrait, looking very serious.

Thinks he's playing Wii (whatever works)

Just a tiny bit of snow left on the ground. THANK GOD!

Rockin' my new Uffda headband. LOVE!

I'm sure there will be more to come. Yet another reason, I love my iPhone.

Have a great week!

wordless wednesday {indoor playground edition}

2011-03-30T12:16:00.000-05:00

wordless wednesday {self portrait edition}

2011-03-23T08:57:00.001-05:00

ally ww edited 1, originally uploaded by annamusatov.

the cute doesn't stop

2011-03-18T09:01:00.001-05:00

love, love, love him!

wordless wednesday {swimming with auntie}

2011-03-16T08:00:00.001-05:00

Work it girl, work it

2011-03-13T12:43:00.001-05:00

DSCN0477, originally uploaded by annamusatov.

We were over at my parent's house a few weeks ago, and Ally decided she wanted to do a workout video. She grabbed cans of soup for weights and everything. It kept her occupied for quite a long time. What a little cutie!

McFatty Monday - Week 2

2011-02-07T08:58:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm down 3 pounds as of this morning!

I think it's time to kick this weight loss into high gear. I haven't been working out AT ALL. I originally thought I'd just lose some weight first, and then start to work out, since I wouldn't have that extra weight to contend with. Well, that kind of thinking isn't going to work.

I have the 30 Day Shred at home, so I think I'll start doing that. I'm SO READY for all this snow to melt so I can get my butt outside and start walking, and get back on track with the Couch to 5K program I started last year and stopped. I told my friend Angie about it when I was doing it, and of course, being the awesome person she is - she kept going with it and I stopped. Now she's got a bunch of 5K's under her belt. Me? I have a bunch of FAT under mine.

My story is the same as it was last week. Did well eating throughout the week, and then when the weekend came, it all went down the crapper. McDonald's with the kids for lunch one day, Sonic for a hot fudge sundae the other day. The weekends are killin' me!

If anyone has any healthy meal and snack ideas, I'm all ears!

McFatty Monday

2011-01-31T12:12:00.000-06:00

Last week I started the Biggest Loser Challenge at work. While I don't plan on being THE biggest loser, I'm going to try to be somewhat of a loser. Make sense? Good.

And I'm linking up with Blair over at Heir to Blair. Her blog rocks. Check it out.

So, I started the whole eating healthy thing last Monday and it was going really well. Until this weekend. I met up with my friend Angie and my new friend Sara (I've actually been internet friends with her for a couple years, but we just met IRL) for dinner and drinks. We started out with the lettuce wraps (yum!). Then I ordered the baked potato pizza for my entree. Because? If there is potato pizza on a menu, I'm gonna order it. It was thin crust, and I only had 4 peices, but still. Oh, and to top off the evening, Angie and I swung on through the Sonic Drive Thru. Cherry Limeade chiller anyone? Man those things are good. Sunday we were invited to my mom's for lunch. I requested something healthy, but was presented with brats, chips, baked beans, and coleslaw. What was a hungry girl to do? Yeah, I had some of all of it. Blah. The weekend wasn't a total wash though, I did eat egg whites for breakfast both days.

So, anyway, today I'm back at it. I stepped on the scale this morning, and I'm down 1 pound since last Monday. I'll take what I can get. I'm not making any crazy weight loss goals, I just want to be healthier.

But, a 50 pound loss wouldn't hurt.

wordless wednesday {reading with daddy}

2011-01-05T11:57:00.000-06:00

ladies and gentlemen...the happiest baby on earth!

2011-01-03T11:58:00.000-06:00

Dimitri is the happiest baby ever! He's such a joy to have around. He really only whines when his sister has something he wants or he's hungry or tired. We are truly blessed.

I love you, buddy!

Hello?

2010-12-31T12:33:00.002-06:00

Oh, hi! Dimitri here. My mom hasn't blogged in a really long time. Sorry about that. My sister and I have been keeping her very busy. She's going to try to fix that though.

Stay tuned...

paint!

2010-10-28T09:15:00.000-05:00

Okay, everyone! I think it's time to paint my kitchen. I loved the red walls when we moved in, but I'm thinking it's time for a change. There aren't any windows in my kitchen, so the red is a little dark. Here are the colors I'm thinking of:

The yellow (Martha Stewart Cornbread) would be the main color, and the blue (Martha Stewart Araucana Teal) would be the color for an accent wall.

Do those colors complement each other?

These are the only colors that Adam and I both like!

I also like browns, terra cotta, sage greens - colors like that.

Anybody good with this kind of stuff that could give me some advice?

our weekend

2010-10-25T15:49:00.000-05:00

What a weekend!

Saturday morning, Ally woke me up at 5:45. Yes, 5:45 in the da*$ morning! With a little help from my Keurig, I woke up...finally.

After Dimitri's morning nap, we headed over to my mom's. Guess who fell asleep on the drive over and proceeded to sleep for 3 hours? Yep, miss 5:45 herself. Figures.

Of course, Dimitri went down for a nap while Ally was still sleeping. So, it was a long morning/early afternoon of waiting for kids to wake up from naps.

Finally, around 4:00, we left my mom's house. My sister Vanessa and I packed up the kids and went to the mall for a little bit. I was looking for a couple pairs of pants for work. Of course I didn't find anything. Why is it that when you have a little extra money you can't find anything you like, but when you're broke you want everything? I did find a Fossil purse that I really wanted, but that was not in the cards that day. My lovely sister bought Ally a cute sweatshirt though. :)

After a trip to Applebee's for dinner, we went to a nighttime Halloween parade. It was the shortest parade ever. And we had to bundle up the kids big time cuz it was chilly! Here are a couple pics from the parade:

We ended up staying overnight at my mom's house that night. We had my mom's 59th birthday party to prepare for. The rest of the family came over at noon on Sunday and we had some chili and all the fixin's! It was a cold rainy day, so chili was the perfect meal. I made my mom a Jello cake (yum) and had a great time. We (me and my 3 siblings) got her the Kindle she's been lusting after. She LOVED it. The look on her face? Priceless. I wish I had a picture.

It was a lovely weekend full of family time and fun!

what we've been up to

2010-10-20T15:55:00.000-05:00

Here's what we've been up to the past couple weeks!

*told by the kids*

We enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather last week and took a wagon ride (complete with banana popsicle) to the park.

We tried mama's spaghetti for the first time. Delicious! I highly recommend it.

Mom braided her bangs all by herself. That makes her cool, right?

We looked cute for school, so mom had to take a picture:

Mom went to the orchestra for the first time with auntie Missy, auntie Vanessa, and grandma and grandpa. They had fun!

Mom cleaned 9 bags of clothes out of her closet. Here is the before shot:

(after shot to come after daddy does his part)

I tried toast for the first time. Loved it! I don't think I've ever tried a food I didn't like!

I also rode in the double cart with my sister, cause I'm a big boy!

Other than that, business as usual. We're too busy having fun!

I'm a genius

2010-10-14T10:29:00.000-05:00

I made spaghetti last night and gave Dimitri some. He LOVED it. Here he is enjoying mama's cookin':

Since I had just given him a bath the night before, I thought I could get away with not giving him one last night. Um - FAIL.

I'm a genius.

Sometimes, Dimitri gets up earlier than I'd like him to, and I need to find something to entertain him while he's in the bathroom with me so he's not touching the toilet and the toilet brush (eew). So...this morning, a lightbulb went off: I'll put blankets and toys in the tub and he can play in there! Why didn't I think of this sooner?

It worked well for about 5 minutes. Then he stood up, found the faucet and turned the water on.

Again, I'm a genius.

Sidenote: Can we talk about his hair? He's a cutie and everything, but that hair is unfortunate.

look mom - I lost my tooth!

2010-10-12T10:16:00.000-05:00

This cutie pie lost her first baby tooth last night. She was so proud of herself!

I think she looks pretty darn cute!

all about me

2010-10-11T12:40:00.000-05:00

Ally's school sent home a note with her last week saying that this Monday (today) she'd be presenting a poster all about herself. So, this weekend, we got to work on it!

Okay, not going to lie - we started at 6:30 last night. I work better under pressure, what can I say?

Here is the final result (and the proud little girl):

It's hard to read, so here are a few highlights:

- her favorite thing to see at night: stars

- her favorite animal: butterfly

- what she wants to be when she grows up: an ear doctor (cute)

- she loves flowers

- her favorite place: DisneyWorld

- her favorite TV shows: SpongeBob and Fairly Odd Parents

Basically, she was looking through my scrapbooking stickers and picking up things and saying "this is my favorite thing, this is my favorite thing". I don't think she was quite grasping the concept of the project, but she had fun nonetheless.

I know she'll do a great job when she presents it at school today. Little cutie. Mommy is proud.

new traditions

2010-10-06T13:00:00.000-05:00

We're starting a new "tradition" with my family. We're all going to hang out at my mom and dad's house on Sundays. Whether the Vikings are playing or not, we'll all just get together and eat, go on walks, have a bonfire, watch movies, etc. Oh, and maybe have a glass of wine or a bloody mary.

This past Sunday, my mom had impromptu photo sessions with the grandkids. Here are a few of my favorite pictures!

My smiley boy

She loves her baby brother

Cousins: Ally (5), April (8), Hope (9)

Love this picture of Hope - such a beauty

Here's to many more fun Sunday memories...

allyism

2010-10-05T11:43:00.000-05:00

Another story from my mom's house on Sunday:

Ally wanted to take my mom's pink Sharpie home with her.

Ally: I want to keep this for the rest of my life

Grandma: How long will that be?

Ally: Like 2 months

5 year old logic

2010-10-04T11:52:00.000-05:00

We were at my mom's yesterday and went for a walk. We took Pierce, my mom's yorkie/schnauzer mix with us. Ally was in charge of holding his leash.

At one point, she asked me if Pierce was a girl or boy dog. I said "he's a boy". Ally's response "well, he's not a boy color, he should be blue or something".

Seriously, love that kid. She cracks me up!

go twins!

2010-10-01T15:46:00.000-05:00

We took Ally to a Twins game last night. It was deaf/hard of hearing/deaf blind night at the game, so we got a good deal on the tickets.

We took the Northstar train from Elk River down to Target Field. It was great, except for the fact that the train doesn't LEAVE Target Field until 30 minutes after the last out. So yeah, the train didn't leave until 10:52 PM. We didn't get to bed until almost midnight. You'd think Ally would've slept on the way home, but nooooo - she was entertaining everyone within a 10 foot radius. That girl can TALK! She was asking them all if they knew her classmates, her grandma, what she ate for lunch, etc. I just had to sit there and shake my head and laugh. What a goof ball.

Here are some photos from our night:

The morning, before school

The ticket station

She wanted to pose with the Captain ;)

Love the Target Field sign

Enjoying her $7 cotton candy

Muggin'

Trying to get a decent pic with her

The field

The next morning. Tired much?

neurology update

2010-09-29T15:49:00.000-05:00

This morning, Ally had a follow up neurologist appointment.

I'm sure I wrote about this like 2 years ago, but she was having seizures when she was 2 years old and she's been on medication since then. She has had NO EPISODES since then, and her neurologist is confident she'll outgrow them. He said we can wean her off her medication in April, after cold and flu season. Yay!

Oh, and can I just say I LOVE Ally's neurologist? He's such a great guy. He talked to me for 10 minutes about Ally's hearing loss and how much of a great kid she is. There needs to be more doctors like that. Great bedside manner.

Here is our appointment in pictures:

I point the camera at her and this is what she does. What a goofball.

The exam table

Playing on the magnet board

So, that was our morning today. How do you like that? 2 posts in 2 days. I'm on a roll...

weekend wrap up

2010-09-28T15:55:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday! What? It's not Monday? Oh yeah, that's right. I had a 3 day weekend because Dimitri developed a fever on Sunday evening and I stayed home with him on Monday. He's on the upswing now. I brought him to the doctor and there was nothing wrong with him besides that darn fever. He is teething big time, so I'm chalking it up to that. Good times (sarcasm).

Anyway, back to the weekend. On Saturday we just hung out at home and cleaned and did laundry. Jealous? Adam was hunting and then when he got home, I got ready to go out. I had plans to meet up with 2 girls I went to high school with for dinner. We met at PF Chang's (yum!). We ordered up some red wine (me and Brianna), and a martini concoction for Sarah. For dinner we got some lettuce wraps to start - um YUM. And then we ordered the combo lomein, lemon chicken, and crispy honey chicken. It was all delicious. We had SUCH a good time! It was like a day hadn't passed. My stomach hurt (from laughing) for about an hour after we left. I didn't get a picture of the 3 of us, unfortunately. One day I'll have a nice camera and take a lot more pictures. For now, I have to use my iPhone for everything. But anyway, I did take a picture of myself on the way there. Super safe, I know.

hey, chubby cheeks

Then on Sunday, the kids and I went to a baby shower for my cousin's wife. She is having a boy! It was fun. After that, we just went home and relaxed. I made some homemade mac and cheese and shake and bake chicken for dinner. It's all gourmet, all the time, in the Musatov household. Then the fever started around 5:00 and that's all that's consumed my mind since then. I hate fevers in kids.

We did take a little trip to the park last night, and Dimitri was in good spirits. See?

my little man

Anyway, that's the condensed version of my weekend. Now there's 3 minutes you'll never get back. You're welcome.

wordless wednesday (when daddy packs lunch)

2010-09-22T09:44:00.000-05:00

There was a "y" on the end, but it got cut off

wordless wednesday

2010-09-15T11:50:00.000-05:00

his favorite toy

2010-08-24T10:19:00.000-05:00

Who needs toys when you have a water bottle with a few buttons in it?

weekend recap

2010-08-23T13:46:00.000-05:00

Man, it seemed like this weekend just flew by. We really didn't do a heck of a lot!

Friday evening I took the kids to Super Target for groceries. Man, what a nightmare. Usually I just try to take one or the other, and for good reason. Between Ally having to take her shoes off because they hurt, not having a cart they could both sit in, Dimitri pooping and spitting up on me (he didn't poop on me though, thank goodness), and them both being out past their bedtimes, it was a rough time. Even the friendly cashier asked me if it had been a long day. I just had to laugh. I did save almost $20 in coupons though!

Saturday we got up and I did a little cleaning. Then we went over to my mom's to hang out for the day. Took a walk, watched some TV, grilled. I made my famous creamy cucumbers (the best!), and it was a nice relaxing day. Adam went fishing because he worked grueling hours last week, so he needed a little time with a friend on a boat. Fine with me! When he's happy, I'm happy. Oh, and Ally went through the sprinkler, and Dimitri swung!

my little man

typical Ally

Sunday, we went over to my mom's again so that Adam could steam clean the carpet in the living room and dining room. 6 hours later, he was done! They look good as new again. Better him than me for that sucky job. My sisters were also there again and we grilled again and hung out outside and chatted and laughed like we do so well. I love my family!

Another exciting weekend with the fam. We're actually leaving on Saturday morning to go to a resort with my family in Danbury, Wisconsin. We actually went to the same resort at this time last year. We stayed in a really nice cabin with room for everyone and had a blast! Oh, but last year I couldn't drink because I was pregnant. WATCH OUT DANBURY, WISCONSIN! ;)

enjoying every moment

2010-08-20T10:56:00.000-05:00

I can remember when you fit in the palm of my hand.

You felt so good in it; no bigger than a minute.

How it amazes me you're changin' with every blink.

Faster than a flower blooms, they grow up all too soon.

So let them be little,

'Cause they're only that way for a while.

Give 'em hope, give them praise,

Give them love every day.

Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,

Let 'em sleep in the middle,

Oh, but let them be little.

I never felt so much in one little tender touch.

I live for those kisses, your prayers an' your wishes.

An' now you're teachin' me how only a child can see.

Tonight, while we're on our knees, all I ask is:

Please, let them be little,

'Cause they're only that way for a while.

Give them hope, give them praise,

Give them love every day.

Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,

Let 'em sleep in the middle,

Oh, but let them be little.

The so innocent, precious soul:

You turn around, an' it's time to let them go.

So let them be little,

'Cause they're only that way for a while.

Give them hope, give 'em praise,

Give them love every day.

Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,

Let them sleep in the middle,

Oh, but let them be little.

Let them be little.

*Lyrics by Billy Dean*

5th Birthday Recap

2010-08-09T12:37:00.001-05:00

Talk about a HOT, STEAMY day for a birthday party. Holy cow!

What was supposed to be an outdoor party quickly got changed to an indoor party. We rearranged some furniture, set up some tables, and made it work. It was a tight squeeze, but I don't think people cared because they were INSIDE.

It turned out to be a great party, with wonderful food and fabulous company! Ally was so cute and loved opening her presents. She got some cute toys and a few adorable outfits!

Here are a few pictures from the day:

The birthday girl in her glory (and fake smile)

Adam making a bracelet with the kids ;)

Cool dude, Dimitri!

The banner I made for the birthday girl

Cupcakes Grandma Mary made, with the cupcake picks I made

Letter to my daughter

2010-08-06T13:23:00.001-05:00

My dearest Alexandra,

I cannot believe you are 5 years old today. These 5 years have been the best time of my life.

From the moment I laid eyes on you, you were my little angel.

You were in the level 2 nursery because you came about 3 weeks early. It was there that we discovered you had a hearing loss, thanks to the newborn hearing screening.

After many appointments with audiologists, you were fitted with hearing aids by 5 months old. We found your school - Northern Voices on a whim and you've been there ever since. Sure, it would be more convenient to just shuttle you off to daycare every day - but we think you deserve the best and they sure fit the bill.

In February of 2009, you had surgery for your cochlear implant. What a miracle those things are! Your language and listening skills have exploded. You have been talking our ears off for about 4 years now. Not too shabby for a deaf kid. I suppose your hearing aid and cochlear implant help too.

I hope you always reach for the stars. Maybe one day you will become an ear doctor like you say you want to be. I have no doubts that you will do exactly what you want to do, on your own terms. Always advocate for yourself, kiddo.

You are such a beautiful, smart, spunky, spectacular kid.

I love you to the moon and back. Always and forever.

Mom

that's my girl

2010-07-26T10:29:00.000-05:00

So, my mom is watching the kids today due to my daycare lady being on vacation. She just e-mailed me with the following conversation she had with Ally:

Me: Ally put on clean underwear.

Ally: I don't have to if I don't want to.

Me: Oh really?

Ally: what day is it?

Me: Monday.

Ally: My mom said I don't have to change my underwear on Mondays.

You just can't make this stuff up, folks. And for the record, I do make her change her underwear on Monday's.

my guy

2010-07-19T21:16:00.001-05:00

love him

5

2010-07-07T10:45:00.000-05:00

How is it possible that in less than one month, my little baby girl will be 5?

Seems like yesterday, that she looked like this:

And now? She's the sassiest, cutest, most inquisitive, almost 5 year old I know. And life is never boring. And she's the most precious gift. And she's not camera shy, as you can see:

*Photos by Erin at Simply Classic Photography*

And mama and papa love you, Alexandra Mary.

My future's so bright, I gotta wear (auntie's) shades

2010-06-28T10:46:00.000-05:00

Real Quick!

2010-06-16T15:28:00.000-05:00

I've been running and busy since we got back from Orlando, but here is a quick picture of Ally from Disney World. To say she was like a kid in a candy store would be the understatement of the century. Stay tuned for more stories and pictures (if I can EVER find the time - I really need internet at home)!

Disney World - here we come!

2010-06-02T15:06:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, our family will be embarking on a wonderful 10 day trip to Orlando, Florida! Mickey, Minnie, and all the princesses will be there to welcome us.

I'm so excited to see the joy and wonder in Ally's eyes. Unfortunately, Dimitri will be staying home. He'll be in very loving hands as my mom and dad are watching him for us (with my sister and stepmom stepping in on the weekends). I'm gonna miss my little guy so much though.

I'm planning on taking lots of pictures and will try to blog while we're there so I don't forget a single memory.

Stay tuned...

wordless wednesday (...and he loved it)

2010-05-19T12:33:00.000-05:00

dimi loves food

2010-05-18T11:55:00.001-05:00

picky eater? nope.

messy eater? oh yeah.

We have given him rice cereal, sweet potatoes, squash, and now carrots. He has LOVED every single bite. Next up? Green veggies. Why do I have a feeling he'd eat a steak if I put it in front of him?

Man, I love that boy.

wordless wednesday

2010-05-05T13:03:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-28T10:48:00.000-05:00

2010-04-20T11:40:00.000-05:00

this and that

2010-04-16T14:01:00.000-05:00

This is what you would call an "all over the place" post. All the happenings of late, wrapped up in a pretty little post for your reading pleasure! Okay, so really it's not all the happenings of late, but at least a couple.

Ally and I stopped at the store the other night on the way home to pick up ingredients to make The Pioneer Woman's fettucine alfredo. If you're ever looking for a good fettucine alfredo recipe, this is it! So freakin' good, trust me. I've made it a few times. Definitely not low fat, but really - if you're looking for something healthy, why would you make this? Comfort food at it's finest. Anyway, enough about the pasta. On the way out of the store, they have a mechanical horse that kids can ride and it costs a whole PENNY. Well, they have a bowl of pennies taped right by the horse, so your kid can basically take a ride and keep asking you for "one more time" and you can't use the "I don't have any more money" excuse. Luckily, she only wanted to ride 3 times. ;)

Little Dimitri had his 4 month check up last night. He is looking great! He was not happy to see the doctor, and that's putting it nicely. The kid cried from the time he saw her until the time she left the room. I'd say his lungs are definitely cleared up since his bout with RSV. I'm surprised she could hear his lungs or heartbeat over his piercing scream. He got his 4 month vaccinations (2 in one leg, 1 in the other leg, and one was oral). Anyway, he's in the 60th percentile for both his height (25.5 inches), and his weight (15.5 pounds). He's only in the 30th for his head though...which is odd because I thought he had a big head. Maybe because his mommy and daddy do. Here is the picture of him after seeing the doctor, but before his shots. You can only imagine how pathetic he looked AFTER his shots.

Tonight we're going out for dinner with the family to celebrate my dad's birthday. Tomorrow we're celebrating our favorite set of twin's (Finnigan and Annika) birthday - they're turning 1. I'll try to take lots of pictures. It's times like this I wish I had a nice camera. Oh well, I always have my iPhone and my CameraBag app. Have a great weekend!

Good morning, beautiful

2010-04-14T11:56:00.000-05:00

This is what I see every morning when I go into Dimitri's room.

Who wouldn't want to wake up to this sweet face?

He LOVES to be swaddled!

And...this is what I saw when I walked into Ally's room this morning. It made me laugh. :)

I'm so blessed!

New 'do!

2010-04-12T11:05:00.000-05:00

Okay, here is the new 'do. The first picture is in the car right after my cut, and the second is from this morning. I love it, and my stylist was super excited that I wanted to do something new. Happy Monday ya'll.

New 'do!

2010-04-08T11:34:00.000-05:00

Okay, readers (all 5 of you)! I need your help. I have an appointment for a haircut on Saturday morning. I really, really want a new style. My problem is: my face is round (read: chubby), and my hair is curly. Pretty much all of these styles would require me to straighten it every day. I have a great flat iron, and if it was shorter, it wouldn't take me as long. So, weigh in...please! Which one do you like best? Or rather, which one would be the best on me?

2010-04-07T15:03:00.002-05:00

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T13:37:00.000-05:00

We had a lovely Easter lunch at my parents house on Sunday. The weather was spectacular and we had a wonderful time! We had an egg toss, relay race, and just sat outside and soaked up the sun! The meal was great too...we had the usuals: cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, coleslaw, rolls, and ham. Also , a few new additions: baked beans that my dad made, and fruit pizza from my lil' sis!

Apparently I'm a bad mom and didn't get any pictures of Ally (except the one below where she's crushing corn flakes for the topping she helped me make for my cheesy potatoes). I'll update the post if I can get some pictures from my mom and sister. Enjoy! And please, pardon the quality of these, since they're from my iPhone.

Dimitri, thrilled with the personalized Easter basket from Grandma Terri

My mom busted out the Johnny Jump Up, and D liked it!

I just love this picture. D looks so cute, and Adam's hands look huge next to him.

I hope everyone had a great Easter!

RSV

2010-04-01T15:25:00.000-05:00

Last Wednesday, Dimitri started sniffling and sneezing. We thought “oh, he’s getting a cold”. We just kept an eye on him and he seemed okay. Then on Thursday, he developed a cough which was kind of concerning. Adam had the day off on Friday, so he brought him into the doctor. The doctor said his lungs were clear and his ears and throat looked fine.

Saturday, I had a day at MOA planned with my younger sister, Vanessa, and the kids. All day, Dimitri was kind of crabby and wouldn’t sleep, and he wouldn’t eat much. Something was not right. When we got home, Adam said “how long has he been breathing like this (he was breathing heavy and wheezing)?” I had noticed he was breathing a little heavy, but didn’t think too much of it. Thank goodness he decided we should take him into the emergency room. We called Adam’s mom and she came to stay with Ally. We took him to the hospital near our house (the one he was born at). They took 2 chest x-rays, and 1 neck x-ray. They also did an RSV test (with a swab in the nose) which came back negative. The neck x-ray was concerning though. They thought he had epiglottitis, which if you look at the link I included, is VERY scary. The doctor decided it would be a good idea for the ambulance to take us down to Children’s Hospital. Okay, now I was scared. Before we left in the ambulance, he got a nebulizer treatment to try to help his breathing, and they gave him an oral steroid. Then the EMT’s came in to get us. I rode with him down there. He was happy and smiling at one of the EMT’s. We rode down there with the sirens and everything. As we drove down there, his oxygen levels went down to 90%, so they gave him blow by oxygen (which I held). That promptly got him back to 100%.

We got to the ER at Children’s and a couple nurses greeted us at the door. They brought us into a room and we waited. While we waited, he got oxygen through a nasal cannula. He looked like a little old man with that. My poor baby boy. Then the doctor came to see us and said she was going to look at the x-rays that our local hospital sent over. When she came back in, she said she wasn’t convinced he had epiglottitis. That made us feel a little better. But she said she wanted to do a more in-depth RSV test (which included shooting saline up his nostrils and sucking it out). That test came back positive. We were admitted so he could be on oxygen. They would keep an eye on him and give him nebulizer treatments every 4 hours. We finally got up to our room at 3:30 AM on Sunday (I was just a tad tired). Long story short (okay, not so much) – they let us out on Monday afternoon when he was finally keeping his oxygen sats up by himself.
My little guy is such a trooper. I managed to snap a few pictures with my phone while we were there.

Me and D in the ER at Children's

Poor buddy

Getting a nebulizer treatment

Looking so tiny in his crib

Breaking my heart...

My sister (D's godmother) came to visit

Being a good patient

ON OUR WAY HOME!

D had a check up today and he's doing well. Hopefully he won't scare us like this again (but that's just wishful thinking)!

I heart my iPhone

2010-03-25T10:31:00.000-05:00

I downloaded a new app today on my iPhone. It's called CameraBag. I have to say, I'm in love. Best $1.99 I've spent!

Here is the original picture:

And...here are all the cool effects:

Okay, it also helps to have a cute subject.

Really?

2010-03-15T10:08:00.000-05:00

I was browsing daycare ads on Craigs List this morning, and I came across this one:

Need babysitter today from 12:15 to like 2:30. Childrens are 1 and 3, the one yr old should be napping during this time so it should be a pretty easy day. Please call me ASAP as I need to know if someone can help me out.

Really? Seriously? Are you that desperate for a babysitter? There are just so many things wrong with this...where do I start? Ugh.

Family Pictures

2010-03-05T18:24:00.001-06:00

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our recent session with Morgan Klinnert. I'm so happy with them! Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-03T10:59:00.000-06:00

Weekend

2010-03-01T15:05:00.000-06:00

The weekend was pretty good. Well, it started Friday morning actually. Ally was sick on Thursday with a stomach bug. Couldn't keep anything down. Good times! I'm just glad nobody else got it. So, she was feelling great Friday morning, so I brought her to school. I came to work and thought nothing of it. Well, her teacher called me at about 9:30 and said "when was the last time Ally threw up?" I told her "7:00 last night". Her teacher said "well, you need to come pick her up because she can't come back to school unless it's been at least 24 hours since she vomited last". GREAT! Just the way I want to spend my vacation time, home with a perfectly healthy child. Oh well, I guess it was for the best - just incase she was still contagious. So, we met my newly unemployed mom at Noodles and Company for lunch. Yummy! Ally got her fave: mac and cheese (okay, it's my fave too), and I got the Japanese Pan Noodles. They were okay. I'll stick with my old standby of mac and cheese next time. I'm a kid at heart, and man I love cheese! After that, we went to Costco and my mom and I split the cost of a membership. Now I can buy a bunch of fun food I don't really need, in enormous quantities! Actually, I love shopping there, and my mom is using it mostly for red wine and beer. She wants to be "heart healthy", she says (love you, mom!)

Saturday we wanted to get out of the house, so we packed up and took a trip to Rosedale Mall. Adam and I were both looking for new shoes. What did we end up buying? Adam got a 20 minute massage at a place called "Massage Therapy Land" from a tiny Asian lady (I think he secretly wanted to marry a tiny Asian lady who gives good back rubs, but he's stuck with me). That's all we bought. Oh wait, we did eat lunch at Ruby Tuesday because I was craving the salad bar. What did Ally get? Mac and cheese, of course!

Here are my 3 favorite people at lunch:

Then we tried some silly glasses on Dimitri (because he's a baby and can't defend himself). A good look, don't you think? He looks very studious.

Yesterday, we got our family pictures taken by a friend's sister in law. Can't wait to see how they turn out! She was so nice and fun to work with. Then we went to lunch at Old Country Buffet (quit making fun!). Came home and Adam and Ally made a volcano with play doh and one of my shot glasses:

So, there's my weekend in a nut shell. Only 5 more days until the next one. ;)

One more thing...I'm looking for a blog makeover, any suggestions on who to use (cheap)?

Love

2010-02-25T10:40:00.001-06:00

A little late for Valentine's Day, but...

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-24T10:12:00.000-06:00

The latest

2010-02-23T14:38:00.000-06:00

I must apologize for my lack of blogging lately. But honestly, has anyone missed it? Yeah, didn't think so! Oh well. I'm going to try to blog at least a couple times a week. If nothing else, just to post pictures of the kids. That's all people want to see anyway.

Ally is getting to be such a big girl! She is drawing pictures and writing her little butt off. She is so smart. And I'm not just saying that because I'm her mother. Okay, maybe I am. I do think she's exceptional though. Her teacher pulled me aside the other day and said that Ally makes her crack up every day at school. The things she comes up with are just hilarious. I think she's going to be a little class clown. Do you think she's using that as a defense mechanism already (to compensate for her hearing loss)? Oh well, I just say "you go Ally!" A couple things she's said lately that made me bust out laughing:

"I put on some of Sydney's pit stick" (she used her cousin Sydney's deodorant, I guess)

"Are you writing a message to your friends around the world?" (I was texting someone)

She's just an absolute joy, most of the time. She does have a little attitude lately though. She thinks she's the boss of Adam and I. Needless to say, she's been in time out a few times the past couple weeks.

Dimitri is really getting to be the cutest baby. He is smiling and cooing, and laughing. He loves to be naked and take baths. He's waking up about once a night now to eat. I can't complain about that. I'm not going to lie, I'll be SO excited when he's sleeping through the night. He's still in our room in the basinet. I don't have the heart to move him yet. It's just nice to be able to reach over and give him his pacifier if he cries. When he's in his own room, I'll have to get up and do that. Okay, lazy! I'll put him in his crib when he's sleeping through the night, or outgrows the basinet, whichever comes first. I sure hope sleeping through the night comes first. He is an absolute joy as well, and I really think our little family is complete. I never thought I could love someone as much as I do Ally, but I was completely wrong. He "completes us" (thank you, Jerry Maguire).

I went back to work (32 hours a week) on February 1st. It's been a rather easy transition. I must admit it's harder to get out of the house with 2 kiddos. We have to leave by 7:00 to get Dimitri to daycare by 7:15, and Ally to school by 8:15. Then I have to be to work at 8:30.

My dad has been picking Ally up for me every day from school. He's been laid off for a while, so it gets him out of the house. It's been such a blessing for me. I'm sure he enjoys seeing Ally every day too. Although, Ally is kind of a stinker sometimes when grandpa shows up to pick her up. Of course she'd rather me or Adam pick her up. Oh well, she'll need to get used to it. We're so blessed to have loving parents who are willing to help us out!

We are getting family pictures taken this weekend. I'm sure they'll turn out great. I ordered super cute outfits for the kids from Children's Place. Argyle sweater for Dimitri? Hello cuteness!

That is about it for now from the house of Musatov.

Dimitri in pictures

2010-02-18T12:50:00.001-06:00

What life is all about

2010-02-10T09:30:00.000-06:00

Dimitri - 10 weeks, Ally - 4 1/2 years

He's here!

2009-12-04T20:44:00.000-06:00

Dimitri Ivan Musatov is here! He entered into the world screaming! Here are his stats:

Born at 9:31 AM
7 pounds, 1 ounce
18 1/2 inches long

He's got my nose and my chubby earlobes :)

We checked into the hospital around 7:00 on Thursday morning. They walked us up to our room and I got the figure flattering hospital gown to put on. Hot mama! Hell, who has a figure anymore anyways? Certainly not me. The nurse came in and asked me a whole boatload of questions, most of which I answered "no" to. Yep, I'm boring. Sorry I don't have an STD or smoke crack (at least not while I'm pregnant). ;) Then I walked down to anesthesia with my mom and Adam. We got to sit in a tiny room while I proceeded to get nervous. After I met with the anesthesiologist, we went to the Operating Room and they "prepped" me. Lots of that orange stuff was spread over my belly and back. Then the spinal block was administered. Not nearly as traumatic as I remember it being with Ally. I think it was more of a whirlwind with her because it wasn't a planned C-section. But with this one, I had much more time to get nervous. Then I laid down on the table (could feel nothing from my boobs down at this point). Then the surgeon got started. Oops, someone forgot to let my mom know it was time, so one of the nurses went out to get her. If you're wondering why Adam wasn't in there with me...well, he gets nervous very easily so it's just better that he wasn't there. My mom was honored to be a part of his birth, and I was thrilled to have her there. Long story short, he came out screaming his brown curly head off! My mom took some awesome (though, graphic) pictures. And I'm not sure why they're showing up this way, sorry! If you can stomach it, here you go:

Welcome to the world Dimitri. We love you!

Lots of stuff

2009-11-25T14:59:00.000-06:00

This post is going to be all over the place, so please bear with me.

Today is my last day of work. I have 8 weeks for my maternity leave, which I'm super excited about! Yay for having babies. Speaking of babies, I'm 38 weeks along, tomorrow! I have my next doctor appointment on Friday and we'll see how everything is looking. If all goes as planned - we'll have ourselves a baby next Thursday - and hopefully not any sooner because let's face it, I'm not ready! I'm physically ready, but not mentally. Besides, I want to use the first couple days of next week to get my Christmas shopping done. Mostly, I just can't wait to meet my handsome little man!

Oh, and we FINALLY decided on a name - Dimitri Ivan. Sounds very Russian and handsome, don't you think? The middle name (Ivan) is pronounced like the woman's name "Yvonne". It is also Adam's middle name and his grandfather's name. I hope he doesn't mind too much that his name doesn't start with an "A" like the rest of ours do.

Yesterday I visited Ally's school for their annual Thanksgiving feast. It was a lot of fun. She ate turkey for the first time EVER and even asked for seconds. Normally she turns up her nose at meat, but I think it helps that her friends were eating it. Kids are so easily influenced. The kids even sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for all the parents. It was so darn cute. Her school is housed in a church, so the pastor of the church said a little prayer before we all ate. Of course I was in tears by the end of it. I felt pretty silly, but that kind of stuff always gets me. I'm just so thankful for her school, teachers, her friends, the friends I've made there, and I know she's exactly where she needs to be.

So - Thanksgiving. We are going to my mom's house tomorrow. I'm making spinach/artichoke dip, pickle roll ups (addicting), and bringing pumpkin pie and making real whipped cream. Then we are going to Adam's uncle's house for another dinner at 5:00. I'm making this - which I've never tried before, but it sure looks good to me! Anything with heavy whipping cream is good enough for this girl!

I'm not sure how much I'll be able to get posts up while I'm on maternity leave. I'm still living in the dark ages and don't have internet at home. However, I do have an iPhone and you can follow me on Twitter if you'd like!

I think that's about it from me. Over and out. :)

What a difference a weekend makes

2009-11-09T11:48:00.001-06:00

Ally's room is D O N E - done! Adam and I worked our butts off this weekend to finish painting (he did it all), and get her room finished. When I revealed it to her, she had the BIGGEST smile on her face and yelled downstairs "Adam - come up here and look at my wonderful room!" Yes, she is the cutest!

Here is the "before" (the walls look gray here, but were actually DARK green):

And...drumroll please...(I got the bedding at Marshall's - LOVE!)

Got the daisy plaques at Target, and the quote on canvas from Marshall's

Got the lamp from Target, vase and daisies from Pier 1, my dad made the nightstand

The bed used to be my grandparents, and my dad painted it white for Ally

One of the walls. I don't know why the color is showing up like this, it's orange too

Jibberish (and 35 weeks)

2009-11-06T15:24:00.001-06:00

I have a picture, but it's on my phone and I don't know where the cord is to upload the photo right now. Sorry. I'll update the post later for those that are really interested (let me know if you are). Otherwise, I posted it on my Facebook account (Anna Musatov).

Anywho - seriously cannot believe I'm 35 weeks along already! Since my c-section is scheduled a week early (December 3rd), I only have 4 weeks to go! 4 weeks, people! Aaahh! Am I ready? Heck no! I have 2 packs of newborn diapers, a pack of size 2 diapers, and my swing is out. I bought a fleece sling on Craig's List that I plan to use also. The carseat is in the garage. I need to get a bassinet from my mom. I need to fill out the paperwork to pre-register at the hospital. I need to put together a bunch of instructions and how-to's for my replacement at work. We are still in the process of converting the office to Ally's room. Who knew it would take 4 coats of paint to cover dark green paint? We are painting 2 walls pink and 2 walls orange. If it weren't for the 2 colors, we'd have been done a while ago. Adam is always so tired when he gets home, the last thing he wants to do is paint. I've also been going to bed at 8:00 the last week or so.

My check ups have been going well. My blood pressure is still great. My back does hurt if I stand for extended periods of time. I've gained about 25 pounds so far.

This weekend, I'm going to see a girlfriend that I roomed with in college for the first time in 2 years! We're always so busy, that we just haven't had time to get together. She's the sweetest girl and I can't wait. We're going to dinner and then to a comedy show. My sister, her friends, and my mom are all going too. There will be like 20 of us all together! You'll hear us from miles away I'm sure. I hope nobody is hoping for a nice quiet night at a restaurant. I call it my "last hurrah" until the baby is born. I'm assuming we'll be spending lots of days and nights at home getting to know one another.

I can't wait to meet my little guy! 27 more days....

Update Post (with bullets!)

2009-10-19T11:21:00.003-05:00

I'm feeling rather lazy these days, so this is the best I can do for now!

What's been up with me for the past few weeks:

I'm 32 weeks pregnant already. Time sure is flying! My blood pressure is looking great still. I've gained 24 pounds total (I gained about 35 with Ally). I was able to schedule my c-section for Thursday, December 3rd (45 days to go - yikes!). I had a c-section with Ally because my pelvis was too small and also, I wasn't dialating, and because of my high blood pressure - they just wanted to get her out. I also get 8 weeks off instead of 6, so that's a plus. My doctor assures me that the pain of recovery won't be as bad with this one, since the scar is already there (or something, I'm just focused on 45 days to do - YIKES!).
Ally is really thriving in school again this year! She's our little superstar! They had dinosaur week a couple weeks ago, and she's been spitting out words like: palientologist (frankly, I didn't know that word until Friends, because that's what Ross's job was), and carnivore. What 4 year old knows these words? That's my girl! Also, she's been going home with Norah, her friend from school, and it's working out beautifully. I get over to Norah's house around 4:45 to pick her up. We usually don't get home 'til close to 6:00, eat dinner, take a bath, and then it's bedtime at 7:30. This is good for her, and gives me some time to just relax at night. I'm usually in bed by 9:30 at the latest, because a) I'm not a night owl, never have been, and b) I'm pregnant and exhausted.
This baby boy is kicking away at all hours of the day and night. I'm still sleeping rather well thanks to my body pillow.
We need to get started on Ally's room. I have all the decorations and so now we just need to pick out a cool pink paint color, and clean out the closet and we should be good to go. I'm going nuts with the pink and orange theme and can't wait to see it all put together. All we need to do in the babies room is put together the crib and changing table. The room was already painted a neutral yellow color with a farm animal theme, so that will do our baby boy just fine!
Some of you may know that Ally's been on seizure meds since she was about 2 years old. She's seen an awesome neurologist from Children's Hospital since then. We recently brought her in for an EEG and he said the results looked "favorable", so we can start weaning her anytime now. He gave us the schedule, of course, but we're both so scared to start! I know we just need to bite the bullet and do it, but it's hard. If anything were to reoccur, we'd just put her back on the regular dose and re-evaluate in a few months, but we just need a kick in the pants to actually do it! It'll be nice for her to not have to take medicine twice a day anymore though. We have to do it FOR HER. It's not all about us.

Okay, I think that's it for now. Hopefully the posts will be a little more frequent from here on out, but I can't make any promises. Now, to convince the hubby that we need internet at home so I can update when the baby arrives! I should just order it. It's always easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, right? ;)

Busted!

2009-09-24T14:40:00.003-05:00

I'd like everyone to know that I only feed my child nutritious breakfasts every morning.

I would never think of giving my child donuts from the gas station that we had to stop at because mommy was on "E" this morning. I never take the easy way out.

Oh, and I bought her a chocolate chip cookie too. At least this time, she didn't pick out the donut with the flourescent blue frosting (blueberry?).

Hey, pick your battles people! ;)

(almost) Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-23T09:36:00.001-05:00

I am so proud of my big girl!

5 Years

2009-09-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

Today, Adam and I celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. I can't believe it's been that long. It feels like yesterday that I walked down the aisle, met him at the altar, and we said our "I do's".

Since then, he has given me the most precious gift any person could ask for - our beautiful daughter, Alexandra (Ally). And of course, another gift that will arrive just as the snow begins to fall.

Some things he does may bother me. We may get short tempered with each other from time to time. But one thing remains the same - our love for each other. He is my rock when things feel like they couldn't get any worse, and I know that he'll always have my back.

Oh, and he has really cute dimples and says some pretty funny stuff. His latest - which I just have to share is this: we were on our way to my stepbrother's wedding rehearsal dinner, and he really, really had to pee. We barely made it to the gas station in time. He ran in the store, came back out and I said "feel better?" He said "yeah, it felt like God was giving me a hug".

I love you Adam - here's to at least 50 years of wedded bliss :)

27 Week Belly Shot

2009-09-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

As requested, here is my 27 week belly shot. I realize my boobs look huge (because they are)! Adam thinks this little boy will be at least 10 pounds - judging from how HUGE (his words) my belly is at this point.

Rub the belly for luck!

...and then he went and bought me cherry pie, which made up for pretty much everything. I love my hubby.

I now pronounce you...

2009-09-14T14:27:00.003-05:00

...husband and wife!

My stepbrother got married this weekend. The ceremony was at a lovely indoor park in Woodbury, and the reception was on a boat (The Grand Duchess) on the St. Croix River.

The boat departed in Hudson, Wisconsin for a beautiful evening of love and laughter on the water. We started out with appetizers and drinks (cranberry/Sprite for me). Then a great dinner of chicken, potatoes, pasta, rolls, veggies, and salad was served. And the wedding cake...oh, the wedding cake! There were 2 different kinds - white with a strawberry ice cream filling (too good to be true), and a delicious chocolate cake with white frosting. Both TO DIE FOR. I wish I could've had a glass of milk...that would've made it perfection. The boat docked at 7:30 and the dance started. This was a younger crowd, so everyone was out there bustin' a move. I only danced to one song - otherwise I certainly would've busted somethin'. ;) I have no rythem, but usually when I have a couple drinks, I at least think I do.

It was such a beautiful evening, and I wish Lucas & Katie the best of luck - but I know they don't need it!

Here are a few pics from the occasion:

Me and my friend Angie (she was my date for the evening)

My sister Vanessa and her boyfriend Joe

Lucas & Katie cutting the cake - she kinda looks psycho in this picture but I assure you, she's completely sane (and beautiful)!

See? She's happy!

Lucas dancing with my stepmom, Carol

All over the place...

2009-09-10T16:07:00.003-05:00

I just realized today that in 90 days or less, I'll be the mother of a new baby boy! I'm due 3 months from today. Holy crap - where did the time go? That's double digits baby! According to the Baby Center e-mails I get every week, the baby is now the size of a head of cauliflower and weighs 2 pounds. Oh, and 14 1/2 inches long.

I'll have to take a belly pic every week from now on, and post them. Since I obviously have nothing more exciting going on lately.

My stepbrother is getting married this weekend, so I'll have that to post about. They are getting married at a park and the reception is on a boat on the St. Croix! Should be gorgeous!

Oh, and I got my hair cut today:

School!

2009-09-08T11:12:00.003-05:00

Today was Ally's first day back at Northern Voices. She'll go for another 2 years, since her birthday is in August. Here she is this morning.

She's getting so big (and mama is proud)!

Baby Boy - 25 weeks

2009-09-03T10:33:00.003-05:00

Sorry if you can't see this very clearly, this is the best I could do from my work scanner. I labeled stuff though, so just humor me! ;)

He's looking good. The head is measuring right at 25 weeks, so my due date of December 10th is right on. I will be having a scheduled c-section, which will most likely be the first week of December. I can't believe how fast the time is going.

Can't wait to meet you, son. Love, Mama

Family Vacation

2009-08-28T09:00:00.004-05:00

We left Saturday morning for a little family vacation. All together there were 15 of us (or 15 1/2 as my mom would say)! We checked into a huge cabin at a resort in Danbury, Wisconsin - which is only about 45 minutes outside of Hinckley. The cabin was really nice and gave us all plenty of room to roam around. It was on a very nice clean lake - Upper Webb Lake, I believe.

The first day we just kind of got situated, got the boats in the water, and went swimming at the pool for a while. Adam and I were in charge of dinner that night. We made fettucine alfredo (The Pioneer Woman's recipe - YUM), garlic bread, and caeser salad. Everyone said they liked it - I sure did! It's food, I like anything that is food lately. We made a fire and turned in early that night, around 9:30. The next day we got up and had a nice breakfast and ended up taking the boats out for a nice ride. Stopped at a sandbar and everyone got out and played. It was nice to just hang out. What would've made it nicer is if I could have a nice cold beer in my hand, but I suppose the baby is worth it ;-)

Basically the vacation was a blast and very relaxing. Next year, I'll have an 8 month old and a 5 year old at this time and that'll be a whole new adventure! Here is our vacation in some pictures:

Can't wait for next year!

"I've Been to Duluth"

2009-08-17T10:21:00.005-05:00

You know the movie "The Great Outdoors"? The guy who runs the resort that John Candy and company stay at has a t-shirt that says "I've Been to Duluth". I love that shirt and Adam wants one.

A couple weekends ago, we took a little weekend trip to visit my sister and her boyfriend in Duluth. My sister just graduated from college, and Joe (her BF) still has a year left at UMD. They have a cute little apartment. Funny story - when we were driving to the main drag in Duluth from their apartment, I asked my sister if Duluth had a "ghetto" area. She said "you're in it". Ha - so apparently they live in the ghetto. Didn't seem too bad to me. ;)

We got there around noon on Saturday, so we went to Grandma's and ate lunch. I had the yummy chicken tetrazzini, that I would definitely order again. Very much comfort food. After that, we went to a few shops, got Ally a Duluth sweatshirt because it was chilly and we forgot to bring her a jacket when we left the house. Then we went back to the house and played some Wii. That evening we ate some dinner and I can't remember what else we did. I'm getting old, the memory isn't what it used to be.

The next day we went to the zoo, which was kind of pathetic actually. They really need to revitalize that place. But, anyway, here are some pictures from our weekend.

Ally's Birthday Party - Part 2

2009-08-04T15:53:00.003-05:00

We all celebrated at a park in Maple Grove for Ally's 4th birthday! Family and friends came and enjoyed a beautiful (absolutely perfect weather) day of food, presents, cake and swimming! Adam's mom made Ally the cutest Barbie cake and she just felt like a princess. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Think she likes her cake?

Presents!

Tyler (first pic) and Ryan - my nephews

Northern Voices Picnic

2009-08-04T15:41:00.003-05:00

Ally's school, Northern Voices, has been around for 10 years already! They've been helping kids learn to listen and speak for a long time - pretty impressive! They had a picnic last Thursday to celebrate. It was a blast. They had a Hawaiian theme with food, face painting, train rides, games, and prizes for everyone! And, there was even a live band. One of the graduating students' (Lucy) dad is in a band called Sweet Stache. They are a cover band, and super fun! They definitely rocked and the kids (and adults) had so much fun dancing. They are actually playing at O'Gara's in St. Paul on August 22nd. I wish I could go, but we'll be out of town on vacation.

Ally has not seen her friend Ella since school ended in June, so when they were reunited at the picnic, you could not wipe the huge smile off Ally's face. They were attached at the hip all night.

Ally and Ella

Ally and Ella dancing with Kristi, the director of the school

Boy oh boy!

2009-07-31T12:41:00.002-05:00

Yep, that's right! I had my ultrasound today and everything looks great! We are indeed expecting a baby BOY around December 10th. I'm so excited! Adam thought he'd only have girls. Now that will give both sides of our families equal amounts of boys and girls.

Of course, all I could ever think of was girl names, so we've got our work cut out for us here. My other mission is to find some CUTE boy clothes. You can bet I'll be doing some garage saling and bargain shopping! Thankfully I also have some friends who have boys that will be giving me things.

Oh boy, a baby boy Musatov!

Party - Part 1

2009-07-27T14:03:00.004-05:00

Ally had her first birthday party yesterday to celebrate with Auntie Shannon and Uncle Tony (and her 2 cousins - Cole & Sydney). They won't be able to make her party coming up this weekend, so we celebrated early with them! We had pizza, salad and cupcakes and everyone had lots of fun. We played on grandma's new toys - the Extreme Roller Coaster, and the Whopper Bouncer. Grandma sure loves buying toys (she's really a kid at heart). In her defense, she does run a daycare, so that could have a little something to do with it.

Ally got a really cool present from her auntie and uncle - a fish! She has not named him yet, but I'm sure she'll come up with something really creative. ;) And...hopefully we can keep the nameless fishy alive. Ally wanted to feed him peanut butter crunch cereal this morning.

This coming Sunday we're going to the swimming pond at Elm Creek Park Reserve to celebrate with some friends from Northern Voices, and with the rest of the family. Here's hoping for good weather.

Yay - a fishy!

There's the little guy - the blue thing floating on the top

Ally with her papa

Grinning from ear to ear while we sing "Happy Birthday" (notice our tealight candle, we improvised)

In other news, I have my 20 week ultrasound on Thursday! Hopefully everything will look good and we can find out the sex of this babe. SO EXCITED!

Bowling!

2009-07-21T09:35:00.006-05:00

This past weekend, we had Hope and April over for a sleepover. We were invited to a bowling event to celebrate Lucas (my stepbrother) and his fiance's (Katie) upcoming wedding. They are getting married in September on a boat...how cool is that?! I'm excited.

Anyway, we went to Bryant Lake Bowl to "bond with Lucas and Katie". Lucas's second cousin, David, hosted the event and everyone had a blast. I had never been to Bryant Lake Bowl, and I really like it. I didn't know how small and retro it would be. Very cool place, with excellent food and an eccentric clientele.

We stopped at Sebastian Joe's in Uptown for ice cream afterwards. If you've never been there, I highly recommend it. They make their ice cream fresh everyday. I had the blackberry which had big chunks of blackberries in it. Adam had banana cream pie, Ally had chocolate, and Hope and April had mint chocolate chip. YUM!

right before she smashed her finger between 2 balls - ouch!

I was Tagged

2009-07-01T15:20:00.003-05:00

Jamie tagged me to do this, so since I have nothing better to do, I thought I'd give it a shot.

Favorite artist/designer: don't really pay attention to designer brands, but I do like stuff from Target or Old Navy usually (boring, I know!)

I love to create using: scrapbooking stuff

What inspires me: people that don't care what others think of them, wish I was more like that

Most inspirational city: Um, I'm not sure I guess. I'll get back to you.

Weekend off: Relaxing on a lake somewhere with the family

Favorite color: Brown or blue

Favorite musician: I really like James Morrison right now. Sounds kinda like Jonny Lang.

Favorite movie: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Favorite song: "I Run To You" by Lady Antebellum, I love that song right now.

Favorite song lyric: ?

If I could have any other job it would be: Stay at home mom

I wish: Ally didn't have to struggle with her hearing

What was I doing 10 years ago? Had just graduated from Minneapolis Business College (Travel & Hospitality) and living in Willmar with my parents, working at Green Mill

What are 5 things on my to-do list for today? Finish up work, pick up Ally from daycare (grandma's), make dinner, lay on the couch ;)

Snacks I enjoy: spinach dip & hawaiian bread, chips and salsa, cheese curds :)

Things I would do if I were a billionaire: pay off all debt, buy a nice house, buy my family houses, buy a nice car (or two), have a couple more kids, quit my job, volunteer, the list is endless...

Places I have lived: the real question is: where haven't I lived? Can't name all the cities in Minnesota, but the ones I remember: Bethel, Zimmerman, Cedar, Anoka, Coon Rapids, New Brighton, St. Paul, Willmar. Tigard and Portland, Oregon. I think I lived in Montana when I was a baby.

Jobs I have had: Waitress at Green Mill, Ruby Tuesday, Totino's. Cashier at Cub, Crosstown Drug, and Festival Foods. Numerous jobs at Medtronic, but most recently Administrative Assistant.

Now, I'm going to tag Abby, Sara, and Erin.

Doesn't get much easier!

2009-07-01T13:04:00.002-05:00

I just got an e-mail from Ally's school on an awesome (and super easy) way to support Northern Voices!

Check it out:

What if Northern Voices earned a donation every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can!

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up! Note from me: I just downloaded this and it works great. Make sure to designate Northern Voices as your charity of choice.

GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you’ll be supporting your favorite cause.

Northern Voices needs your help to spread the word now more than ever! Please tell 10 friends about GoodShop and GoodSearch today. They've been featured in the NY Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Oprah Magazine and more. Set up GoodSearch on your computer and designate Northern Voices to start earning money today!

You all know how passionate I am about this school. In my humble opinion, they are the best kept secret in Minnesota. Won't you help spread the word?

Valleyfair

2009-06-29T12:45:00.004-05:00

We had a great weekend! On Friday night, Ally ended up wanting to stay overnight at her grandma Mary's house, because her cousins Cole & Sydney were there. Well, me and Adam decided to hit the chinese buffet for dinner - because we're classy like that. Then we couldn't decide which movie to see after dinner, so we just went home and watched Trauma: Life in the ER instead. Watched a guy who was in a motorcycle accident lose 3 limbs and heard Adam say "man, maybe I don't want a motorcycle anymore". OUCH! Oh, around 9:30 the phone rang, and it was Adam's mom saying that Ally wanted to come home because she "missed papa". So, we got in the car and went to pick her up. When she got home, she wanted to watch TV, but I put the kabosh on that real quick and she was in bed and sleeping within 15 minutes.

Saturday we were up, had breakfast, and went to pick up Ally's cousin Sydney to come to Valleyfair with us. It was my company picnic and we decided at the last minute to invite Sydney along. I'm SO GLAD we did. The girls had a blast together! Sydney went on all the little kid rides with Ally. Here is them on the ferris wheel:

And on the "Mild Thing" (look at Ally with her hands in the air - having much fun?):

Oh yeah, and the second time she went on "Mild Thing", she got whiplash and bit her lip. Poor kid. They had to stop the ride so she could get off. But at least the first time around was a good experience!

Sunday, Ally and I met up with her old audiologist, Inna. We had lunch at Psycho Suzi's (tater tots and pizza, every kids dream meal), and were able to eat out on the patio. Such a lovely day for it. Inna brought Ally a princess teapot play set, and the little stinker paid for lunch too. I told her the next time is on me. Inna's husband works for Northwest Airlines, and he was offered a job in Atlanta, so we'll have to get together again before she moves. We'll miss her a lot! She has helped us so much with Ally and has been with us from the beginning.

After our lunch, we went home, Ally slept for a while (I may or may not have dozed off on the couch) and then we got up and went over to Adam's cousin's house for a BBQ. Brats, hot dogs, fruit, pasta salad - all the good things BBQ's are made of. Leah (his wife and my friend) made an excellent raspberry sorbet dessert that I've been told was fat free. YUM! Of course, we all got to snuggle with their new (7 week old) twins, Finnigan and Annika. They are such cutie pies and could not be more like their parents (personality and looks wise). I call Finn, Trav's "mini me".

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Baby update

2009-06-18T09:54:00.002-05:00

I just realized I haven't said much about the little peanut growing inside of me. Actually, now it's more like the size of a lemon, but you get the point. At my first dr. appt. (9 weeks), the doctor did an ultrasound because he couldn't get the heartbeat with the doppler. During the ultrasound, we saw the little thing and the doctor kept saying "there's your little peanut". So now that's what we call it. :)

Anyway, peanut is doing fine. I'm 14.5 weeks along. I just had an appointment on Tuesday and everything is looking great - heartbeat is 168 and I didn't have any complaints about anything really. I know I've mentioned it before, but my doctor is AWESOME! Very laid back and down to earth...which you don't find too often in doctors (now in my experience, at least). So, he said since it's my 2nd child and everything is looking good, I don't need to come back again until July 30th, when I'll have my 20 week ultrasound and we get to FIND OUT THE SEX! Yes, we don't like surprises so we're finding out the sex. The doctor said to drink some sugar that morning so the baby will flash us! Then, the real work begins - picking out a name. We'd like to stick with the "A" names - since we're already Anna, Adam and Ally. But I have a girl named picked out that doesn't start with an A that I've kinda fallen in love with. We'll see. Of course, we don't have any boy names picked out. What are some good boy names I haven't thought of? Don't say Aiden, because that's what everyone keeps telling us!

I've been feeling pretty good though. I do have to get up a couple times at night to go to the restroom (already), and have to eat every couple hours to make sure I don't feel nauseous - but other than that, smooth sailing! I've had some great friends borrow me maternity clothes too, which is nice. I am pretty much set in that department. I can't wait for the big belly. Right now I kinda look like I just had a big lunch. ;)

Happy Thursday!

Everyone loves a parade!

2009-06-17T13:10:00.004-05:00

This weekend was the annual Pioneer Days in good 'ol St. Francis. Yes, I went to high school in St. Francis, and no, I didn't like it. Enough about that.

My friend Jen from work lives in St. Francis - right on the parade route! Since we all know parades are fun, we enjoyed the parade right from her front yard. She put out quite the spread of food and drinks and fun was had by all. It was a perfect Summer day too, so that really made the day great! We also watched Adam's cousin's son for the day/night, so that's the little boy in the pictures with Ally.

Ally was not sure what to do when people were throwing candy at her from the floats, but she sure did have fun after she watched the other kids go snatch it up. It didn't take her long to catch on. Since Jen lives right at the beginning of the parade route, we got the best stuff: candy, freezies, and even a bucket of sidewalk chalk! What kid doesn't need more sidewalk chalk? Of course there were some politicians out shaking hands and schmoozing too.

Here are a few pics from the occasion.

Impulse buy

2009-06-15T13:59:00.000-05:00

As we know, the new baby will be here sooner than we think. I figured now is as good a time as any to move Ally into the office, which will be her new bedroom (we'll take the computer out of there, so it's really a bedroom). My dad refinished one of the beds that used to be in my grandparents house, and painted it white. I've always loved the pink and orange color combination, so today when I saw this at Marshall's, I could not pass it up. Even if she hates it, I can always return it. I just couldn't let anybody else buy it without at least trying first. So, I bought the quilt for $39.99, 2 of those rectangular pillows that have dots on one side and stripes on the other, and the round pillow. The pillows were $9.99 each - I love Marshall's! I figure I'll just put white sheets on her bed and white pillow cases. What do you guys think? Cute for a little girl? We will paint her room probably the darker pink color. What do you think of having an orange accent wall too? I'm begging for decorating advice. I'd love to find a little bedside table and a cute pink lamp to go in there too.

Silly kid

2009-06-15T11:33:00.002-05:00

So, we had Adam's cousin's son, Guy, overnight on Saturday. Of course, after a full day of playing and getting dirty, both kids needed a bath that night. Adam didn't want them bathing together (for some odd reason), so he just told Ally that boys and girls are different and left it at that.

Well, last night, Ally was chatting away (to herself), and she said something along the lines of "boys and girls are different - girls have a butt one (?), and boys have a long pee pee". Um, okay?! Where the heck did she come up with that? Adam and I could not stop laughing.

She is such a comedy relief for us!

Happy Birthday, Adam!

2009-06-15T11:26:00.002-05:00

Today is my hubby's 29th birthday (yes, I robbed the cradle). Happy Birthday to the best daddy and husband in the world. We may not have it all, but as long as we have each other, that's all that matters! Love you.

stuff

2009-05-22T14:04:00.003-05:00

Hi! You don't hear from me for a couple weeks, and then look - you get 2 posts in 2 days. Lucky you! ;)

So, an update on my noisy neighbor post. I have not heard a peep from their place in about a week. Wait, I did hear the dog run up and down the stairs, but have not heard the radio once. Maybe they finally got the hint with all the banging we did on the walls? Watch, now I'll jinx myself and it'll be worse than ever. Just kidding...happy thoughts, happy thoughts.

What does everyone have planned for the long weekend? Tonight we're going to Buca so we can smell like garlic for the next 5 days. Nah, it's for Adam's aunt's birthday. Tomorrow we're going to my friends Abby and Pete's house for their daughter's birthday party. Sunday we're meeting Ally's old teacher, Kathy for lunch. Monday I think we'll BBQ at my mom's house. Busy, busy - but that's how we like it. You only live once, right?

Right now, I'm sitting at work eating Hershey's Kisses. What a life! Can't wait to drive home in the lovely "going up north" traffic.

Happy Memorial Day everyone! Remember to give thanks to those who sacrifice for us everyday.

long time, no blog

2009-05-21T14:31:00.002-05:00

I'm alive!

As my mom would say (and did say): "you haven't done sh** with your blog lately". She's right though. I've been lazy, pregnant, tired. Here's a brief update on all of us:

Me - 10 weeks pregnant now. Got to see the little peanut on an ultrasound earlier this week, and everything is looking good in there. According to the weekly e-mails I get from www.babycenter.com, the baby is the size of a fig now. The first e-mail I got from them, the baby was the size of a sesame seed, so he/she is definitely growing. I'm working every day, like always. Only now I want to go home and go to bed right away. That is a luxury I no longer have. Now I have another child at home who needs me to cook dinner, talk to her, play with her, and she actually has to go to bed before me - sometimes that doesn't always happen. I remember when I was pregnant with Ally, it was so nice to be able to hit the hay at 7:00 if I wanted to. Oh, and I had the option of SLEEPING IN. Not so much anymore. I'm not complaining though, I wouldn't trade any of this for the world.

Adam - Has been working his tail off at work! They are definitely keeping him busy, which I'm so thankful for. He never complains either, even when he gets home after 10:00 at night and has to get up again at 5AM. Adam's life lately has been consumed with work, that pretty much sums it up for him.

Ally - She's been keeping busy with school everyday. Her last day is June 10th. We've decided not to send her to summer school this year. It's only a 4 week course, and only half days, so it's not convenient for us, and we'll just work with her extra hard this summer. She deserves to be a kid this summer, she works so hard at school - and she's been going since she was 6 months old. She is excelling with her implant. We just had her conferences at school and she's doing amazing (her teachers words, not mine). That is wonderful to hear and just makes me feel so great about our choice to implant her. It's been a miracle for her. I'll have to take some more video of her soon...she's talking so much (8-10 word sentences sometimes), and is singing full songs and everything. Jeez, I don't brag about my kid, do I? ;) We're meeting with one of her teachers that worked with her from about age 1-3 this weekend, so I'm excited for Kathy to see her progress.

I don't have any new pictures to post, but I'll start taking some again I promise.

Thanks for reading!

I need advice, people!

2009-05-05T11:04:00.000-05:00

Long time, no blog! Sorry, I haven’t had anything interesting happen lately…nothing blog-worthy at least.

BUT, we seem to have some new neighbors at Casa Musatov, and they’re seriously pissing me off!

We live in a townhome and we have people that live on the right and left of us, along with behind us. Noise has never been a problem in the 5 years we’ve lived here, but all of a sudden – some noisy jerks moved in. They must have a stereo directly on the wall or something. All you can hear from their house is bass. Oh, and kids running up and down the stairs. It’s seriously getting on my nerves and I’m about to lose it. Granted, they don’t play it after 9:00 PM, but still – I’m annoyed. Adam says I should go over there and ask them to turn the radio down, but I’m scared. I’d rather write a note or complain to the association (that’s what they’re there for, right?).

Any advice for this frustrated lady?

Thankful

2009-04-15T09:52:00.002-05:00

In light of some horrible things that have happened to people lately, I’m going to make a list of things I’m thankful for. Here goes!

-That my daughter is healthy and is thriving with her new cochlear implant.
-That she can talk (a lot!) and has something to say about everything.
-That I have a roof over my head.
-That I don’t have to struggle to get pregnant.
-That I’m healthy.
-That I can snuggle with my daughter as much as I want. I love our tickle fights in bed in the morning.
-That I can feel the sunshine on my face.
-That my husband is a good daddy.
-That I have a mom who raised me right.
-That I have a job in these tough economic times.
-That I can walk, and talk, and see.
-That I can hear the birds chirping in the morning.
-That I'm alive.

That’s just a short list, but I wanted to put it out there. I think sometimes we get so caught up in the things that are wrong in life and we don’t think about how good we have it. We take the little things for granted. Hopefully if I start feeling sorry for myself, I can look back on this list and just be thankful.

Easter 2009

2009-04-13T12:26:00.005-05:00

We had a really nice day yesterday! The weather could not have been better, and everyone just had a good time. We started out the day at my parents house. We had a nice brunch and then an Easter egg hunt outside, an egg toss (messy), and an egg relay race. My mom went all out this year - it was fun!

The aftermath of the egg toss

After my parents house, we headed over to Adam's parents house. We had dinner (like we needed it), and they also had an Easter egg hunt! Adam's mom hid 115 eggs...for 4 kids! They all got quite the loot. Ally has more candy than she knows what to do with. Well, scratch that, I'm pretty sure she knows what to do with it, but we'll be sure to help her. I hope everyone had a happy Easter.

Ally found an egg under the playset

All 4 kids (Guy, Ally, Sydney and Cole)

It's About Time!

2009-04-13T11:34:00.003-05:00

Well, Adam and I decided it was time to give Ally a brother or sister, so here goes nothing!

I’m officially pregnant – about 5 weeks along, so we have a loooong road ahead of us. I couldn’t wait to share the happy news though! My due date is December 10th. I’m excited not to be 9 months pregnant in August again – that was TORTURE, especially in this Minnesota climate (bugs, humidity, and huge belly, swollen feet – NOT FUN!)

I told Adam with a card. It has birds on the outside and on the inside I wrote “a little birdie told me you’re going to be a daddy again”. Here’s a pic. I included the pregnancy test in the card too. He was shocked to say the least!

We’re excited to be parents again. Although, Ally was such a good baby, I have a feeling we’ll have our work cut out for us with this one. Oh well, nothing we can’t handle I suppose.

I’m also excited because I’m going to try out a new OB with this pregnancy. I liked my old OB, but did not care for the way the hospital dealt with Ally after her birth (long story). So, I took some recommendations from friends and have decided on a new guy. I hear he’s wonderful. My first appointment is May 19th, so we shall see.

Thanks for sharing this journey with me!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-08T09:15:00.002-05:00

Choices

2009-04-03T11:12:00.002-05:00

I received an e-mail from the director of Ally’s school on Wednesday. Here’s an excerpt:

“I just wanted to let you know that I have been told that there is a chance that Northern Voices will have demonstrators here on April 3rd. This has come from OPTION schools and AG Bell, as on April 3rd the Deaf Bilingual Coalition (an advocacy group that believes strongly that ASL should be the first and primary mode of communication for every child with hearing loss) will be going to Washington, DC to make a statement. There is a chance that local groups will protest organizations promoting listening and spoken language on that day also, which is why were given the notice.”

I understand that some members of the deaf community do not agree with oral education. I get it. BUT, it is every family’s decision on what path they choose to take for their child. We chose to put Ally in an oral school (and I can tell you how lucky we are to have Northern Voices nearby), but some others may choose to use just ASL (American Sign Language). We wanted our daughter to have the opportunity to listen and speak. There are families who used to drive their kids to St. Louis to attend the Moog School, and then they opened Northern Voices to allow Minnesota families the opportunity of an oral education. One of Ally’s classmates drives from Fargo, ND every week to attend the school. The professionals at the U of M (where Ally received her cochlear implant) repeatedly recommend the school. There are also 2 children (brother and sister) who attend the school who have 2 parents who were born deaf. What does that tell you? Oral education works – if that’s what you choose.

Some members of the deaf community also do not agree with cochlear implants. Northern Voices had a booth at the MN State Fair a couple of years ago. Adam and I signed up to man the booth for a 4 hour shift. We had more than a couple people tell us that they did not agree with the school, that we should just let her be deaf. Technically, she is not deaf; she was born with a moderate to severe hearing loss. I am open to Ally learning sign language at some point in her life if she chooses to do so. Everyone has the choice to do that. We made the choice to open up the door to sound and speech to Ally. And I can tell you what: I have never ever regretted that decision.

From the quiet 4 month old who was fitted with hearing aids, to the little sassy talkative 3 ½ year old we have today – she has exceeded our expectations! As one of the parents whose child attends Northern Voices said “our child will have Northern Voices to thank when she goes out into the world and changes it”. I couldn’t have said it any better myself.

(I do not mean to offend anyone, and if you choose to only use ASL, more power to you. But this is my blog and I can say whatever I want.)

Almost an entire post dedicated to cake? You betcha!

2009-04-01T11:05:00.005-05:00

Were you waiting with baited breath for the shower pics? Well, they've finally arrived. Mostly pictures of the cake, but it's a darn cute cake and deserves its own post! So, here are the cake pictures, and a few others thrown in for good measure. By the way, Kate, this cake came from Icing Dreams in St. Cloud. It was a pain in the butt to slice though, because of the fondant. The flavor was vanilla with raspberry filling. YUM!

Check it out! Is it the cutest thing you've ever seen (besides the Dr. Seuss onesies)?

Look at that detail. She's having a boy and a girl, notice the pink and blue diapers.

Awww...

The gift table, and this was pretty much from the women who helped with the shower. The other guests hadn't arrived yet.

Okay, so I didn't get as many pics as I thought I did. Oh well. It was a fun day and we couldn't be happier for Leah & Travis. They'll be wonderful parents. I told them to give me a call if they ever need a night off, you know, cuz I'm helpful (and baby crazy) like that.

Our day off

2009-04-01T11:00:00.002-05:00

Ally was coughing quite a bit yesterday, so we stayed home together. She was a good little girl and helped me unload the dishwasher. Now if I could just teach her father to do it, I'd be set.

Wordless Wednesday (cutest laundry I've ever seen edition)

2009-04-01T10:57:00.000-05:00

the cutest thing ever

2009-03-30T11:08:00.004-05:00

A couple other gals and I threw a baby shower for my friend Leah this weekend. She is preggo with twins (a boy and a girl). Her sister in law bought her the cutest clothes - but this one has got to be my favorite.

Aren't they the most adorable things you've ever seen? I sure think so! Those kiddos are going to look so sweet in them. Can't wait to meet them! More pics from the shower to come... (I know you're waiting with baited breath)...

Happy Birthday, Tyler!

2009-03-26T13:42:00.003-05:00

Today, our nephew Tyler turns 1 year old! I hope you have had a great first year on the Earth, buddy. We love you.

Wordless Wednesday (circa February 2006)

2009-03-25T09:51:00.002-05:00