Happy 1st Birthday, LJ!

All I Want for Christmas is....

If you think LJ looks tired in this picture, you should see his parents.

Santa brought LJ the necessary fun presents, but also an ear infection and a trip to ER. Yes, just like how we celebrated the Super Bowl, we celebrated Christmas Eve into Christmas Day at Children's Hospital. LJ woke up at midnight (only 20 minutes after JLO went to bed) screaming. After two hours, we made the trek down to the ER. Four hours later, we were on our way home with antibiotics, a much happier buddy, and some pretty exhausted parents.

Christmas 2011

It has become tradition that JLO and I host Christmas Eve with my family at our house. It usually is pretty chaotic as we try to cook, celebrate birthdays (three!), go sledding (obviously, not this year though), eat, be merry, and open presents. It's always entertaining to say the least.

This is my favorite picture from this year: JLO and my brother trying to get their sons ready for church at 3:56 (church starts at 4, mind you) while watching football. Classic.

Happy Holidays to all!

I Heart Hockey

We took LJ to his first hockey game tonight (Armstrong vs. Maple Grove).
He loved it! JLO taught LJ all about being a hockey player while I was happy to show him off to my students that were there. Surprisingly, he only winced once when a kid got slammed into the boards and made it through two periods before we realized how very much past his bedtime he was up. Looks like we know what we'll be doing for the rest of the winter....

GF Peanut Butter Cookies

It started one day in class. Somehow my AP classes got me talking about food and being gluten-free and the next thing you know I'm sharing my favorite, easy-easy- easy peanut butter cookie recipe. I bake these cookies year round, but this time of year I mix it up a bit. You know, put in some chocolate and you got yourself a good old fashion Christmas cookie.

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Mix together in a bowl.
Roll into small balls.
Roll through sugar.

Put in mini-muffin tin (or on a baking sheet)
Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Immediately put in Reeses Peanut Butter Cups or Hershey Kisses. Let cool. Eat. And eat some more.

Poor Santa

This is how LJ felt about meeting Santa for the first time. Yep, we waited in line for an hour and paid $20 to make our kid cry. JLO claims, "it's a rite of passage."

Sick Little Buddy

For the last two weeks, our little squirmy guy has been less than squirmy. He had his first really bad cold that turned into pneumonia. He spent a lot of time sleeping on my or Grandma's lap while he didn't feel well. Thanks to some antibiotics and lots of love from Grandma (and his parents, too) he is on his way to feeling better.

The Christmas Mambo!

JLO and LJ doing a little Christmas Mambo Dancing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThVxE3E7mLk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

11 Months Old

People are not lying when they say "time goes by fast!" I cannot believe LJ is 11 months old. He is the happiest, squirmiest, and most inquisitive person I have ever met. And he's all ours. Love, love, love him.

Oh You Turkey

JLO cooked his first turkey for Thanksgiving this year. His first 24 lb turkey. For four people (plus a baby). Obviously if JLO made it, it was delicious. And obviously we will be eating turkey F-O-R-E-V-E-R!

Go. Pack. Go.

JLO and I went on a little vacation last weekend. To Green Bay, Wisconsin. Sounds romantic, eh? Well, if you're a die-hard Packers fan like JLO, love was definitely in the air. We meet up with his brother and sister-in-law who hooked us up with a VIP tour of Lambeau Field. Yep, that is us standing in the Packers Locker Room. JLO was speechless as we walked through the secured area, met important Packer people, sat where Rogers plays cards before games and took photos of the Lombardi trophies.

Oh, and then there was the game. We sat 11 rows up from the field. I felt like a big green marshmallow the entire time, but hey--I was warm. I was bummed we didn't see any Lambeau Leaps, but at least we experienced the 10-0 win! Go. Pack. Go.

The Newspaper

Growing up in the Valen family, the newspaper (Star Tribune, of course) was a sacred resource. There were numerous articles read out lout to us (thanks, Dad) and many ads to browse through. There were turkeys to color on Thanksgiving (what to do I mean, were--we still do that!) and horoscopes to be read. Heck, there were even some fights over the Sunday Sport Section. One resulted in a hole in the wall. Seriously. So when I caught LJ the other day with the newspaper, I got a big smile on my face. He's an Olstadt, yes, but he is certainly a Valen, too.

Happy Halloween

My Little Monster and Packers' Coach getting ready to go Trick or Treating (aka. Grandma & Grandpa's house).

October Day at the Orchard

We spent a beautiful day at the Apple Orchard this past weekend. Granted, I think JLO and I had more fun than LJ, but he still enjoyed himself somewhat!

Valen Family Photos

Despite the fact that my brother has on white socks with his black shoes, we actually got cute picture of the Valen family kids!

Thanks Jen Meneghin Photography!

9.26.11

LJ's 9 month old stats:

19 lbs
29 inches
happy, healthy and the highlight of our lives!

Oh, Granny!

My Grandma would not approve of me putting this picture on the World Wide Web for all to see. She would hate the fact that she doesn't have any make up on and her hair isn't just perfect. But, unfortunately, Grandma can't yell at me, nor will she ever see it. She won't ever see it because she died yesterday.

What I love about this picture is that Granny has such a happy look on her face holding LJ. It's similar to the look on her face yesterday when all the machines and tubes were removed and we sat holding her hands, fixing her hair, and urging her that it was okay to go. The previous 48 hours, not to mention years plagued with health concerns, were absolutely traumatizing to her body, but thankfully it was during that final breathe were she looked at peace.

I wasn't ready to say good-bye to my Grandma. I've been walking around the last few days just saying, "Oh, Granny" because I don't know what else to say, or think or do. I inherited my love of shoes, shopping and going out to eat from her. I spent numerous days as a kid looking through her make up drawers (yes, I said drawers) and being her gopher while we cleaned her house. I loved visiting her this summer with LJ. He would squirm around on the floor, while she offered me gluten-free snacks and we chatted about her past or current events. And for the last three years, every time I would go over there she would point to the Patrick Swayze memoir on the coffee table and say, "I keep trying to read a book, Stacy. I just keep falling asleep." It was as if she had to confess to the English teacher she didn't do her homework. No, no...I was not ready to say good bye to my Grandma.

But I did. I held her hand as she took her final breathe and said good bye. Oh, Granny!

One Man Band Lance

Check out LJ's new talents!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14m0F3cBZxM

A Celiac Moment

It happened again today; I had a Celiac Moment. It went something like this:

SVO slams down her lunch bag on her desk and makes a "I'm so disgusted" sound (kinda like "ugh").
Co-worker: "What's the deal SVO?"
SVO:" I'm disappointed in my lunch."
Co-worker: "Oh, why?"
SVO: "Because I want an Angenos Pizza with a McDonalds Cheeseburger and a chocolate donut on top."
Co-worker: "I'm sorry, SVO."

Okay, so it's not like I would really even eat those foods altogether, but it's the fact I can't have any of it. Ever. Again. Ever.

In moments like these, I try to reflect on how great I feel ...yatta,yatta... but today...well today I was just pissed. And it made me think about how I am going through a grief cycle with this crazy disease and food. I'm usually in the acceptance stage, and when people say "oh, sorry SVO you can't have this" I reply with "It's okay. I'm healthy". But today, today...I was just pissed. But don't worry-I didn't order a pizza, drive through the drive-thru or track down a bakery. No, instead I just ate a banana and went back to work.

*The funny part about this post (or at least to me) is that I just found out that it's National Celiac Awareness Day!

Super Dad

If this picture doesn't scream, "I'm a dad" I don't know what does!

September 11th Remembered

Like most Americans, I spent the weekend thinking about where I was on September 11, 2001 and how my life--our lives--have changed since that horrific day. I also spent the weekend thinking about how I was going to approach the topic in class on Monday. Each year, I usually say something about it--especially since it fits in with the American Dream theme for my sophomores--but this year, for whatever reason it feels different. I just couldn't wrap my brain around what to do or say. It's probably because my students were five when it happened and don't really know a world before terrorists, airport security, and wars. They didn't really experience it like I did. But yet, I knew I needed to do something.

So as I sat thinking about it, I took a break to checked my Facebook page. Ironically, that is where I found my answer. I had received a message from a former student who remembered the story I told about my experience on September 11th when she was a sophomore in my class five years ago. She said the story stuck with her and made her wonder about what I was doing today. She also said it was because of me that she was sitting down with her little sisters today teaching them about what happened.

And so tomorrow, that is what I will do. I will tell the story one more time in hopes of inspiring others to honor all that goes with that tragic day and the life that has followed.

Where is LJ?

LJ's new favorite toy!

Gluten Free State Fair at Home

I have to start this post off by saying I've never really liked the State Fair. In fact, JLO and I went one year, wandered around, ate two things and then left to go have dinner at PF Changs. Snobs! However, this year for some reason I wanted to go. In fact, there are a lot of things I want to do these days (I think it's cause the brain fog from being glutened is gone). But when it comes down to it, I want to go to the State Fair to eat really good, but bad for me gluten filled food. So instead, JLO brought the fair to me. We fried up some cheese curds and mini-donuts and ate chicken drummies (to represent a turkey leg) and roasted corn on the cob. It was delicious!

MyFavorite Things

My two favorite people doing my favorite hobby: reading. Love!

Back to School. Back to School.

If you spent 1995 watching Billy Madison like I did, then I suspect that when you hear the words "Back to School", you sing it in the same tone Billy did. At least that is what I did all week.

Typically workshop week is a marathon event for me. By Tuesday night, it usually feels like I've worked three days already. This year was no exception. However, it is the first year ever that I am starting gluten-free and as a mom. The gluten-free part is important because my brain, attitude and body use to hurt. The mom part is even more important because, just like my co-workers warned, I look at everything about my job differently now. Everything.

One of the inspirational quotes of the week was, "Everything you have to offer your students, they need." Immediately, I replaced the "students" with "LJ", and the "they" with "he." So yes, I will still be the same SVO giving kids "The Olstadt Look", but now I will be a mom giving them everything I have left over after giving everything I have to LJ.

The Two Week Challenge

In efforts to finally lose the last ten pounds of the baby weight (more on this later--it is so hard!), JLO and I took up the Two Week Challenge from one of the gluten-free blogs I read. The challenge is pretty simple: women need to eat four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit per day. Men need to eat five servings of vegetables and four servings of fruit. Plus both sexes need to drink half their body weight in ounces of water (for example, if you weight 100 lbs, you should drink 50 oz per day). You don't have to give up anything you normally eat, just make sure to do the above. Every. Day.

Tomorrow will mark the end of our two week challenge and although it has yielded some small results on the scale, it has also made us really conscious about what we eat. Which, some of you might be thinking, don't you do that all the time, SVO, with Celiac? Isn't a gluten-free diet super healthy? Wrong. So wrong as I discovered after having LJ. Sadly, Hollywood and others are using the gluten-free diet as a weight lost plan. Now, it's not all bad that Hollywood is bringing attention to the issue of gluten (although my bread still costs $5.60 a loaf), but gluten-free does not equal calorie free, carb free or fat free. Actually, it's pretty far from it. Pick up a gluten-free muffin the next time you see one. So. Many. Calories. And it doesn't really taste that good. Trust me; I've tried them all. Yet, I have digressed....

For five years before being diagnosed, I pretty much ate whatever I wanted--and lost weight. I won't lie and say I didn't enjoy not having to work at losing weight. Of course, the trade off was that I felt absolutely miserable all the time. Looked good; felt awful. Finally I got diagnosed. Then pregnant. So it wasn't until after LJ was born that I had to deal with the weight issue. I honestly didn't think about it. Oh how I wish I would have realized it sooner--I actually gained weight after coming home from the hospital. Gained. Not what my super cute, yet very dusty, pair of pants wanted to hear. Sadly, it wasn't until this past month (with the help of the Two Week Challenge) that I finally realized: I have to work at losing weight, working out, eating well, and being healthy. So although the two weeks are up, I am going to continue to work out every morning and crunch on those veggies and run to the bathroom a million times a day. I figure--there are many things in my life worth it!

LJ Update

LJ will turn eight months old on Friday. Oh, how the time flies! This is what he has been up to lately:

*Saying "dadadada." At first I was sad about it. But then my co-worker pointed out that in the middle of the night if he calls out, "Dadda" is being requested.
*Sitting up all by himself (for awhile--and then toppling over!)
*Doing lots of barrel rolls from side to side. Lots of them.
*Eating more baby foods (and making funny faces).
*Really investigating books and toys.
*Giggling. Lots of giggling at just about anything.
*Smiling when JLO or I enter the room. And then crying when we leave it.

SPOTLIGHT: MM

*I have many special and important people in my life and often are unsure of how to tell them how much they mean to me. So I thought I would do a "spotlight" section here on the blog. I won't use real names, but I am sure these people will figure out who they are :)


My friend MM was really my inspiration for the Spotlight section of the blog. After spending eight hours in the car with her, decorating with sea shells and balls (or not decorating!), and being drinking pals for a weekend, I was reminded at how much I adore MM. In fact, most people I know adore her. She is the Kevin Bacon of the Midwest (you know the Kevin Bacon rule where everyone is connected to Kevin Bacon by seven people). I swear if you start talking about someone she'll interject with "wait--who? Oh, that is my cousin's dentist's best friends' mom." Those that know her well, know I am not joking. And she is from a small town. But there is a reason she knows so many people: she's pretty fabulous.

She's fabulous for many reasons, but what really strikes me about her is that she is authentically happy for other people. Although she is in a different spot in life than many of her friends, she is the first to buy your kid a present (she was the first one to give LJ a present--when he was 12 weeks in my tummy) or celebrate an engagement. She will run home ten minutes before the wedding starts to fix a spelling error. She is the friend everyone thinks of when they think of trying something new--she is adventurous and flexible and willing to try just about anything. She is dedicated to her family and really values honesty and hard work.

I am so honored to be so closely connected to the Kevin Bacon of the Midwest. Love you, MM!

SPOTLIGHT: MJ

*I have many special and important people in my life and often are unsure of how to tell them how much they mean to me. So I thought I would do a "spotlight" section here on the blog. I won't use real names, but I am sure these people will figure out who they are :)


For years, I mistakenly took MJ's desire to understand for the need to be right. It would often frustrate me during conversations and gatherings (when, of course, I thought I was right!). But I finally figured it out a few years back. We were talking about my new house (in Mlps) and how the alley way was a dead end. MJ started to insist that it did go all the way through and even told me she drove past my house just to check it out. What she found, of course, was that it was a dead end. I remember at the time thinking, "how can she possibly think she is right? It's MY HOUSE!", and that is when it hit me--she needs to understand--for herself. And now, that I understand this about her!, it's something I absolutely adore about her.

With this comes her desire to embrace life--things, moments and people. I love the fact that she functions better by calling instead of emailing, keeps a very detailed list of dates/events in her calendar and then transfers it over each year, makes spreadsheets for everything, and is willing to admit she has a weakness. But when she does admit she has a weakness, she approaches them as learning opportunities.

She has a big year coming up--personally and professionally, and I am so excited and proud of her for being who she is; which includes being one of my favorite friends! Love you, MJ!

Don't Listen To My Advice

Lately, I have been surrounded by pregnant people. Between September and January of this coming year, I know of 12 people expecting babies. Eight of them are due in January alone! I have always promised myself that I wouldn't offer any advice to these pregnant moms and future parents. It drove me crazy to receive unsolicited advice or comments like, "your life is going to change so much." I would cringe each time someone would say something like that and through my smile I would think, "thanks, but I want to figure this out for myself!". And, for the most part--unless I have been asked--I don't offer much advice or comments. But I get why people do want to offer advice (share in the experience, talk about survival stories, validate feelings/decisions). If I was the type that offered advice, it'd be because it's what I wish I would've told myself. I would say: (Pay close attention to the last one).

*Lotion. You will need a lot of lotion because you will wash your hands a TON.
*Sleep when the baby sleeps.
*You will sleep again for more than four hours at a time.
*Be easy on yourself.
*It is super hard to lose the baby weight. You actually have to work at it.
*Don't work so hard to allow you and your spouse individual time. Work to spend time together outside of taking care of the baby.
*You will know when you are in labor.
*Trust yourself. A lot.
*Talk to other moms.
*Trust your body. It will surprise you.
*Don't listen to other people's advice :)

Parenting Decisions

Most decisions in life are hard. But parenting decisions are stressful, difficult, exhausting and overwhelming. JLO and I have had to make some pretty major and important parenting decisions before and since LJ was born. We chose not to breastfeed (for a variety reasons I don't need to explain on here). We choose not to let LJ watch any TV and won't until he is two (based on our research of the brain including this article from Time Magazine). We've made smaller decisions like how to approach sleep (we really liked the book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and have appreciated LJ's sleeping through the night since he was four months old). But the latest parenting decision is making me sick. Literally.

Gluten. It's a word I can't go a day without saying a 100 times. Gluten. It's a protein in wheat, barely, rye and oats that attacks my immune system. Gluten. It's what caused so much pain and anxiety for years. And now I am feeding my son--my most beautiful, happy little boy--gluten. After a lot of reading, consultations with doctors (and my very trust cousin doctor), we have decided to give LJ Cheerios as a form of gluten. Statistically speaking, LJ is three times more likely to have Celiac. Emotionally speaking, I want to do everything I can to prevent this from happening. Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules on introducing gluten to a child of a Celiac. I wish there were. Our pediatrician said, "You'll recognize if LJ has Celiac long before I will because of our experience." I get that, but I don't want to see it in him.

So I am trying really hard to trust our decision that we are doing what we consider the very best we can for LJ given the information we have. That is all any parent can ask for, right?

Observations

LJ and I have been conducting a lot of observations this summer. What this really means is that we've been doing a lot of shopping. Thankfully, LJ loves shopping and enjoys flirting with just about anyone who stays a good distance away from him and smiles. He doesn't mind the small space of a dressing room or eating his rice cereal lunch at a restaurant while I gobble up really yummy gluten-free Asian food. But besides cute clothes, shoes and house decorations, we've seen a lot of people.

I often wonder about who these people are, what they do for a living, and why they are at this particular place right then. But the person I have been wondering the most about lately is the Motorcycle man that I followed home from Target the other day.

At first, he was behind me. Like literally so close to my car, he probably could see LJ smiling. When I glanced back, I noticed that he only had one arm. Huh, I thought. I wonder how easy or difficult it is to "ride bike" with just one arm. Then as he sped pass me, I noticed that he had on cut off jean shorts, a white t-shirt completely ripped to only cover his chest and, sadly, no helmet. Huh, I thought again. Perhaps that is comfortable riding material? It seemed very, oh, I don't know "airy"?. But it was as he pulled in front of me (and turned into my neighborhood?), that I noticed that he did have two arms. Once was just holding onto the extra helmet on the back of the bike. Huh, I thought again. And really wished I could take a picture of this guy flying in front of me (he looked like a super hero the way his torso was turned to hold the helmet).

I know that most observations deserve conclusions. However, I don't really have any thoughtful conclusions on this guy other than he must be very comfortable with himself. Which then also leads me to believe that most observations led to more questions without answers. And so that is my profound thought for the day!

Oh For Stupid

You may have noticed that I haven't been blogging as much as I did when I first started this site. At first, it was because I had just returned to work after 15 weeks off; I was a little overwhelmed. Then, it was because I didn't think anyone really was reading it. But now, after people assured me they loved reading the blog, I've been trying to blog! BUT, it's not my almost eight month old's fault, it's my computer.

You see... JLO and I bought a new laptop at the beginning of the summer. My old one was a bad decision and ready to be recycled. JLO's was being returned to his company as he left for a new job. So naturally, I assumed a BRAND NEW laptop would work. Well, it does. Except that it won't let me post any blog posts. I swear. Something (I think) to do with the new Internet Explorer. I could use our desktop (which I am on now), but that doesn't have any pictures on it and is slow. I mean, we did get it in 2005. So long ago. I once used my phone to publish a post, but really--that takes too long to type on that little screen. So...with many blog posts whirling around in my head, I am determined to fix my computer problem once and for all. If only I knew how! So stay tuned....there are posts to be read and pictures to be seen.

LJ Laughing

This is how JLO entertains LJ when the mommy is away!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56fxForIUVQ

Happy 7th Month Birthday, LJ!

LJ coming home from the hosptial (12.29.10) and on 7.26.11!

Madeline Island

Our first weekend away from LJ was to Madeline Island, WI to celebrate our friends' J&M's wedding. It was a beautiful-cold-hot-rainy-sunny-breezy weekend filled with lots of laughter and memories that will last a long time. This photo is of us at Tom's Burnt Down Bar (a must visit!) at 2:00pm. It's been awhile since we've been at a bar in the middle of the afternoon :)

LJ enjoyed the weekend at Grandma and Grandpas. In fact, he was so good they have given us an open invitation to go away when ever we want! Good job, Buddy!

LJ Six Month Photo Shoot

Thanks to Jen Meneghin Photography for these great photos! And just for the record, it is my fault as to why LJ is so unhappy: I forgot to feed him ahead of time. Good thing he is cute when he is upset, too.

Restaurant Outing: Parma 8200

JLO and I have been slacking on the Monthly Restaurant outings. This is for two reasons: 1. We have a kid we'd rather spend time with and 2. JLO typically cooks better food than some overpriced restaurant. But we were able to check out Parma 8200 as part of Minneapolis/St Paul's Restaurant Week. I am glad we did. I really enjoyed the wine, salad, pork, and wine. JLO enjoyed a classic Chicken Parmigiana (with real glutened filled noodles for once!). I think the setting is a little odd--in the middle of an office building, but the actual atmosphere of the restaurant is good. We'd go back and recommend.

Who Needs a Diaper Bag?

LJ was probably four weeks old when I decided I didn't need a diaper bag. Keep in mind that I had three sitting in the closet, but I determined that they weren't necessary. My big ole purse would do just fine. Really all I needed to bring with on our trips were diapers/wipes and formula/bottles. Oh and a burp rag. Everything fit. However, today as I slipped a Ziploc bag containing a diaper with a stool sample into my purse, I realized this was a situation where a diaper bag probably would have been more appropriate.

Our little fish

We spent the last week in June at Breezy Point with my parents and niece. We had a beautiful condo and beautiful weather. We did the usual "Up North" activities like boating, fishing and eating! As you can see from the pictures, LJ's favorite event was swimming with the whole family. He lasted in the pool a lot longer than his daddy and even did some simple kicks!

Six Months!

Happy Six Month Birthday, LJ!

All is well with LJ! Yes, he is all cheeks, but really he is a tall (27 inches) and skinny (16.8lbs) little guy. He is eating (and spitting out) baby food and learning new tricks each and every day. This week, he enjoys sticking out his tongue and saying "dadadadada." Of course, JLO loves that :)

2010

Now that we are half way through 2011, I can handle writing/thinking about 2010.

2010--the year that my life changed drastically. I've always heard those words before, "this changed my life completely or drastically" and only associated them with things like death, disease, a major accident, something that would impact a person's daily life. I don't think I quite realized that is what 2010 did to me.

As many of you know, I was diagnosed with Celiac disease in February of 2010. Finally, after years of chronic health issues, I was given an answer to the alignments that were plaguing my body; gluten. The list of symptoms, blood tests, possible diagnosis (seed allergy? really?) were endless. On the eve of February 17th, I ate my last glutenous meal: an Angenos pizza. In the morning of the 18th, after a positive upper endoscopy, I ate gluten-free pancakes at the Original Pancake House and have never looked back.

And then in April 2010 we found out I was pregnant. Something I don't think could have happened if the above life changing diagnosis didn't present itself.

In August 2010 we were told that lil' buddy might have Downs Syndrome. That would've been a life changer for sure. Thankfully, he did not.

In December 2010, lil' buddy made a very dramatic entrance into the world. One that I missed. And one that I still tear up everytime I think or talk about it. I will get over this...someday.

And although LJ was born just as the calendar was flipping from 2010 to 2011...there was one more life changer instore for us: a positive Cystic Fibroris test (thankfully a mild version called CRMS in which, at present, he has no issues) for LJ.

The thing about these "life changers", although compeltely overwhelming at times, is that they are, for the most part, very positive things. Yes, my daily life is different now being a "gluten-free-ER-C-section-worrywart-momma", but the truth is I am one HAPPY "gluten-free-ER-C-section-worrywart-momma."

The Last Day of School. Again.

Maybe because it's 50 degrees out, or because I already had 15 weeks off this year, it just doesn't feel like the start of summer break. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to complain, but I feel like I just got my groove back at work and now it's over.

Besides the amazing rendition of "The Gambler" performed by my TBF (Teacher-Best-Friend) and me at the End of the Year Party, my favorite memory of the last week of school is a quote from one of my students. He wrote in his end of the year evaluation "Mrs. Olstadt's teaching is like crack; we are addicted." Now, I am not sure what impresses me more: the appropriate use of the comma or the simile. What scares me about the comment, though, is I doubt he knew he was doing either.

Oh How I Love Him So!

I promised to write more in May, and well it'll be June in two days. Oops. I am sure once summer rolls around, I will have more brain power to come up with clever posts or adventures to write about. Of late, it's just been school, more school, snuggling with LJ, and building a deck. So for the time being, I'll just post a picture of the lil' buddy. Oh how I love him more and more each day.

What are the odds of that happening?

I've always had a love-hate relationship with flying. I am not really afraid of dying in a plane crash. I am more concerned with surviving a plane crash. I know, I know the odds of a plane crashing that I am on is like 1 in 11 million, but I don't like odds.

1% of women have an ER c-section. I did.

1% of the population have Celiac. I do.

3% of the population has Ledin Factor Five. I do.

1% of the population has a chance of getting hit by a tornado. I have been in THREE (different) houses that were damaged by tornadoes.

Many people carry the Cystic Fibroris gene, but I carry the really rare one (which in LJ's case is a very good thing).

So despite my fear of odds, I will fly again. I will continue to live in a state with serve weather. And I will probably want another baby at some point.

But wait, isn't there some statistic about being one in a million to win the lottery? Maybe then I would like my odds.

April's Highlights

I know, I know...it's been awhile.

It's not that we haven't had milestones and events to write about, but I've been a little busy adjusting to life as a working mom--to life as a working mom who is a teacher. Thankfully we have come along way since that first awful, awful (can I say awful again) week of conferences and parents. So I'll do a quick update below and then promise to get back to writing on a regular basis.

*We celebrated LJ's 3 month birthday with a trip to the Mall of America's Sea Life with his cousins. We will not be going back anytime soon. Not because we didn't enjoy it, but because of the tire explosion that had me convinced we were going to die a slow, painful death in water surrounded by sharks.

*JLO got out on the river for some spring fishing...and hasn't gone out since. We will blame the weather, not our lifestyle, for that.

*We successfully took LJ on his first road trip to WI to visit JLO's family. The way there was a little rough with a seven hour car ride because of construction, but once we arrived we enjoyed spending time with all of our nieces/nephew and catching up with JLO's extended family. They were kind enough to throw a "Meet Lance" party and showered us with wonderful gifts for LJ to enjoy.

*LJ loves, loves, loves going to Grandma's house every day while mommy and daddy are at work. LJ often tells me how good Grandma is at her job of caring for him. We are so lucky!

*The last milestone I will write is one that every new parent dreams for: more sleep. Once we took away the morning bottle, LJ has started to sleep straight through the night. It is so refreshing to get a full night of sleep, but it is also an odd feeling knowing that that chapter in our lives is already over.

Oh and one more thing: there are only 25 more days of school left. But who is counting?

Sushi 101

Tonight, JLO and I attended the very popular Sushi Class at Whole Foods in Minneapolis. We registered for the class in January and it was well worth the wait! We learned the basics of making rice (the hardest part about sushi), adding ingredients (slippery ones first!) and rolling the rolls (using a Ziploc bag on the mat is key!). As you might expect, JLO's rolls were very pretty and precise. Mine, of course, were thrown together and had ingredients falling out of them. Thankfully, they still tasted yummy. What's next on our cooking food agenda? A sushi party!

Being A Parent

I have spent the last five years telling my high school students to be nice to their parents. I make quite the argument for this, and typically cite that, "I have more education and training to be your teacher, then your parents do to be your parents." The kids always think about this for a minute, and usually agree with me. It's true if a person really thinks about it. I spent five years in undergraduate school, two years in graduate school, thousands of dollars (okay,well really that was Mark/Deb--thank you!), and each year I typically teach the same thing, so I get a lot of re-do chances.

I've been thinking a lot about this now that I am actually a parent. Part of the reason I am excited to go back to work is because I am good at my job. Am I the best teacher in the world? No. Do I have a lot to improve on and learn? Yes. But relatively speaking, I feel confident in my abilities as a teacher. And when I don't feel confident or question something--I count on my training and education to help me. But as a parent--well that is a whole different story.

JLO and I went to baby class before LJ was born. Six sessions for two hours each. Hardly what I would call training. We have eight nieces/nephews who we adore and have spent significant time with during their upbringings. We have always known that we are smart and responsible people. But then we met LJ. It's amazing how such a little bundle of joy and love can make a person second guess him/herself. Is he hungry? Does he need is diaper changed? Why is he crying? Does he feel warm to you? Should we take his arms out of the burrito (swaddle)? Do you think he needs a bath every night? What about nap time? How long? Where? The questions, the second guessing, will, I suspect, go on forever.

So when I am back to work in a week, I know that I will work extra hard to convince my students to be nice to their parents, will feel more confident in my abilities as a teacher, but will rush home each day to snuggle with my, "you-never-know-what-you're-gonna-get" little man!

A Wild Week x3

LJ's newest cousin, Lyla Terese, was born on Wednesday, March 16th. This happened just one day after Lyla's newest cousin was born on Tuesday, March 15th and two days after her other new cousin was born on Monday, March 14th. Yes, that's right--my sister-in-law and her two sisters gave birth to their daughters exactly one day a part. To say it was a wild week is putting it lightly :)
Here is a picture of me holding Lyla and Lance. I can't believe how big he looks compared to her!

Jakey and LJ

Cousin Jakey and LJ are already good buddies! Here is a photo of Jakey teaching LJ how to roll over. My favorite part about watching Jakey and LJ interact is that Jakey talks to LJ as if he expects him to respond. It's so cute! Eventually, he gives up and does something else, but for quite awhile you can hear Jakey saying, "Baby Ance, hi Baby Ance!"

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Thanks to Nick and Kristen for supplying LJ was this cool bib! He pretty much wore it all day. And no, he did not drink any green beer or formula. JLO and I did, however, eat some reubens to celebrate!

Grandma Knows Best

I couldn't imagine becoming a mom without the help of my mom. She is a wealth of information, love, patience and guidance. Not only does she love spending time with LJ, but she is so insightful to his needs. She gently will make recommendations and she's usually right! Her best advice yet (which I shared with a fellow friend who is a mom and she promptly said, "Stac, you have to put that on your blog for other moms to hear") is that "you can listen to the doctors, but they don't live in your house." Thank you Grandma Deb so much for all that you've done for us. We love you so much!

(ps. I'm getting use to the fact that JLO is using this phrase more often: "I want to do fill in the blank (possibilities include storing food, folding towels, etc) the same way Deb does.")

Good Morning!

For those that know me well, you will not be surprised to hear that I'm ready to go back to work. Yes, I adore my little man and the time off, but I know that I am a mom that needs to work (mentally and financially). It might be easier for me to go back to work knowing that LJ will be in very, very good hands each day (thank you, thank you, Grandma Deb!) and that it's just for two months. I will heart summer break even more this year! BUT....I know what I will miss the most each day is watching LJ wake up. We have so much fun in the mornings--singing, laughing, dancing, reading and waking up the daddy! When I go back to work our mornings will reduced to a quick kiss good-bye. So while I start thinking about what is in store for me back at school, I will cherish each and every morning with LJ even more.

Squirmy the Worm

Long before LJ was born, I blogged about all of his nicknames. It just comes with the territory when one is an Olstadt. I can't even count how many nicknames JLO has from his family, nor can I keep track of all of mine. And now that LJ is here he has many: LJ, lil' buddy, Little Joe, Little Man, buddy, Lannie, Lancey and my favorite, Squirmy the Worm. Here is a picture demonstrating how he got this nickname. If only Icould figure out how to upload the video from iPod to this blog, I'd have even more evidence!

ps. Lance has gained another nickname since I posted this yesterday;

his cousin Jakey calls him, "Baby Antz."

Valen Family Dinners

Almost every week my family has dinner together. We all take turns hosting (although my mom does it the best and most often) and really enjoy just hanging out one another. Here is a picture of the latest one at our house (JLO made ribs, garlic mash potatoes and salad!). Although the menu and venue may change each week, one thing that is always a given at Valen Family Dinner is lots of laughter and fun.

ps. yes, that is a banner hanging from our lamp

in the living room to the stairs in the hallway :)

Minneapolis- St Paul Restaurant Week!

You don't have to ask us twice to attend Minneapolis/St Paul Restaurant Week! In fact, we look forward to it twice a year, and now with the 'lil buddy here, it's a great excuse for a date night. Tonight we took advantage of The Capital Grille's amazing Restaurant Week menu. Seriously, it was delicious (and very, very gluten-free friendly) for just $30 each. Thank goodness, because the last time we went out to eat and it wasn't good, I heard JLO complain about it for weeks! The best part of the meal, for me, is that I even got to eat dessert--which is a rarity when it comes to dining out gluten-free. In fact, I ate two (with the help of Joe)--classic creme brulee and a flour less chocolate cake. JLO has banned me from saying "yummo", but if I could, I would on all accounts for The Capital Grille.

Happy Two Month Birthday, LJ!

How LJ celebrated his two month birthday:

*Slept from 9:30pm-4:45am (thank you!)

*Puked all over the mommy at 5:30am. (seriously, gross).

*Wore red socks, a green and white onesie, with a tan and orange sleeper. (who dressed me?)
*Took a nap for the first time in his crib (thank you!).
*Laughed and smiled during Book Time!
*Tummy Time!
*Slept while mommy and daddy ate pan-seared steak, garlic mash potatoes, and salad (yum!).

Date Night at Pittsburgh Blue

My parents insisted that JLO and I needed date night; I think the truth was more that they wanted time with LJ! Either way, JLO and I enjoyed a night out and time to check out a new restaurant. Since this was our first date night, we stayed close in MG and checked out Pittsburgh Blue. Sadly, we weren't that impressed. First of all, the waiter was really put off by my needs for gluten-free food. He made me feel like I was some girl on a fad diet. Consequently, my food was pretty bland. JLO has high expectations for food, and sadly Pittsburgh Blue didn't live up to the cost. JLO still gets fiesty when I bring up his expensive, salty, not very good steak. But what was wonderful was time just for the two of us to talk about--none other than? LJ :)

Sleep

I am often reminded of my co-workers' advice when I was pregnant, "sleep now, because you're gonna be tired for the next 20 years." Although LJ has been, thankfully, a pretty good sleeper (six hours stretches are not uncommon), we all like to sneak in naps every once in awhile. Here is a picture of the daddy catching the mommy and the buddy sleeping (but who could blame us? The daddy was watching fishing shows).

School Days

LJ and I have been attending Early Childhood and Family Education (ECFE) classes every Tuesday. The first week, he slept through the whole class--despite my efforts to remind him that mommy doesn't allow sleeping in class. Today, he stayed awake for music and playtime, but fell asleep for the discussion portion of the class. Tomorrow we are going to story time with Grandma and Cousin J! And in March we are attending Baby Story Time at the library.

February 6th

February 6th has many special meanings to me...

It's the date in 2003 that JLO and I determined our relationship to be "official."
It's our friend KK's birthday!
It's the date in 2010 when I was diagnosed with Celiac.
And now it's the date in 2011 when the Packers won the Super Bowl.

And tonight we celebrated all of the above, in our Packers gear (yes, all three of us) down at Children's Hospital ER. LJ developed a cold and well, when you're six weeks old, a cold is a very big deal. After some nose suction, a few blood tests, and three quarters of the Super Bowl we were sent home--to the Super Bowl Party we were hosting. Thankfully, LJ is doing much better, the food was still warm, and our guests enjoyed the party/game despite us not being there! I wonder what next February 6th will bring?

Genetics 101

For a variety of reasons, Biology in 10th grade really stands out to me. It could be that I had it with one of my best friends, the interesting teacher, the very heavy table mate that always leaned back on his chair making me fearful of him falling on me, or the fact that we dissected a pig. Clearly, however, the content of Biology didn't stick with me--and last week I wished it had.

LJ tested positive for Cystic Fibrosis on his Newborn Screening done the day after birth. We found this out the first week we were home with him--getting use to life with a newborn and recovering from the trauma of his delivery. Then, because of the nature of the test, we had to wait the entire month to determine if the diagnosis was positive or a false positive. Yes, January was a very long month.

However, last week after numerous appointments, tests and questions we were told that LJ has CFTR-related metabolic syndrome (CRMS). This is where genetics comes in. Basically, LJ has a genetic diagnosis of CRMS because he inherited a Delta F508 AND a R117H-7T gene from JLO and myself. What we now understand this to be is a very, very, very mild version of CF where he probably will not develop any symptoms of CF in his life. If he does, they will be very mild.

We were prepared to deal with whatever the results told us, but obviously are very thankful that this prognosis is very positive. Thanks again to all for your thoughts, prayers and concerns as we experience the ups and downs of parenthood!

Our Little Glow Worm

It's hard to believe that it's almost been a month since we welcomed LJ into our lives--and what a wonderful month it has been. Yes, we are still sleep deprived and can't quite figure out how to get regular household things done during the day---but we are so happy! We love being parents to our adorable, if we can say so, little son!

We just love this picture of LJ as a little glow worm in his swaddle (a.ka. "burrito").

Life with LJ

I realize I haven't been updating the blog as frequently as when I was pregnant. The reason? Well, I refuse to believe that anyone wants to read about how many times LJ poops or pees or how much he ate, spit up or drooled. And as of right now--that is what life with LJ is like. And we love it. We also spend a lot of time cuddling, reading, and singing. LJ really enjoys his Grandma Time (and we know how much Grandma enjoys it!) and getting his hair washed during bath time. As far as JLO and me? Well, we thankfully, have gotten into a routine so we both can get enough sleep to function (at least to the point where the daddy is no longer going to the silverware drawer looking for a Mountain Dew) and making dinners (although quicker and less involved than before) that we both enjoy (we've come a long way since the first night home and a random cup of soup).

So, all in all, life with LJ is pretty awesome. We are so thankful for this opportunity to be parents!

One -Week Photo Shoot

Here is a sneak peak of LJ's one-week old photo shoot (courtesy of http://meneghinphotography.blogspot.com/).

Happy 2011!

How we brought in the New Year. . .

Changed diaper.
Counted down from ten.
JLO gave SVO and LJ a kiss.
JLO went to bed for his "sleep shift."
SVO and LJ went back to rocking in the chair trying for a "sleep shift."

Although it was a little calmer than the last eight NYE's we've spent together, we loved it.