Ch-ch-ch-changes...

Hey everyone (which is very few bc no one reads this LOL), just wanted to update everyone on what's going on here at the Voll house.

1. We're getting a new roof.  YEAH!  Finally after 3 1/2 months of waiting after we had the claim put in.
2. The boys are sleeping in the same room now!  I'm so surprised how easy it's been.  3 nights in a row now of them falling right to sleep and staying in their beds all night :).  I hope it continues.
3. Since Curt's room is open now, we get to have an office!
4. Brian is going to school at UNCC to start a new degree in engineering. 

That's about all of the major changes, everything else is pretty much the same.  I'm still going to be running my daycare this year with 2 of the same kids and one extra (sibling of the one little girl).  I'm looking forward to a new year and looking forward to having income again after a summer off.

We had so much fun and if you have seen the pix on Facebook, you can tell the boys had a blast in Ohio (and I did too).

I've still been sticking to my workout routine, but since Brian will be attending classes in the morning and working 2nd shift, I'm going to have to find a different time to squeeze in my workouts.

I'm also doing a little bit more photography now but I wish I had time to focus on it more.  I really love taking pictures and I'm still learning.

I hope to keep the blog updated a little more.  I know not many read this, but it's nice for me to type out my thoughts anyway :)

15/365

Curtis having fun in the tub.

I'm behind on my posts! {Big surprise}

Oops, looks like I've been slacking on my posts.  Sorry!  I'll try to do better.  Also, if I forget a "B" when I type, it's because the key fell off (thanks Wesley) and won't go back on.  Super.  Replacement should be here as soon as I can send this one back.

Wesley got a haircut.  I cried cutting off his "clown curls" but he looks more respectable now.

Curtis's new haircut!

Nakey time.  Not great lighting, but just a quick snapshot.

B mounted the TV up here a couple months ago.  I love having it up there so there aren't as many fingerprints on it ;).  Also notice he did a matching cord concealer :).

9/365 and 10/365

Every day he has at least one smoothie.  This kid is addicted.

This is what happens when I forget to take a picture all day.  Sorry B.

7/365 and 8/365

Baby Marie, almost 6 months old.

Look, I can grow something!  Grass and Marigolds.

If you have been to my house in the last 2 years, you'd know we used to have a bed of pebbles lining this sidewalk.  At first, it looked great, we had solar garden lanterns in it, the pebbles were white and it was really nice.  Well, that faded fast.  Within a few months the pebbles started turning red like the clay whenever it would rain.  Then the weeds and grass grew in it and of course the children would NOT stop taking the pebbles out of it and throwing them everywhere.  This year, I started by digging up the pebbles.  Well, since we had taken dirt out to put them in, there was a huge gaping trough around the "grass" patch.  The grass also wasn't growing, much like the rest of our pathetic front lawn.  I made the executive decision to scrape the entire top layer off of this area and start fresh.  I started it and Brian finished it.  Then we planted grass seed and watered it like crazy.  Of course, before it sprouted, a huge torrential downpour came and washed away half the seed!  Good thing we bought a lot of seed.

Now we have this!  It's not all the way filled in yet, but it is nearly "mowable" now!  If we could just get the rest of our lawn to do this, we'd be all set.

6/365

Samson, our neighbor's dog

How cute is this dog, honestly?  I love this little guy.  He's blind and our neighbor's rescued him from being put to sleep.  He's a lovely purebred Collie and he's so fun and spunky.  We play with him every day outside :).

5/365

Wesley with wild hair, doing what he likes best.

4/365

Curtis on the way home from dinner on Cinco De Mayo

3/365

Ok, so I'm posting the next day of the previous day.  So, I'm not very good at keeping this updated.  I promise I'll post day 4 before the clock hits midnight tonight!

Curtis, my big boy.  4 seems so old!

Here's another couple cute pix from yesterday.

Boy and his dog.

Wesley, Girl Curtis (Rowan) and Boy Curtis eating dinner.  Brian took the pic when Hannah and I were on a run.

2/365

 

Wesley's curls are out of control!  So cute though.  I really love my curly headed boys.

PS: I promise tomorrow to post a pic of Curtis.  He will NOT hold still to save his soul.

How they've grown!

Curtis and Wesley have grown so much over the last couple years.  Looking back at pictures, here are a few from when Wesley was born, around his first birthday and now.  They both look so big!

September 2009

Wesley, 1 week old

Curtis at Christmas time

Wesley at Christmas time

Both this past week

I really cannot believe how fast they are growing!  I'm really really happy that we got this camera last year.  I've taken so many great shots to capture the moments with my 2 cuties.  I cry thinking about the fact that I didn't get a DSLR sooner!  They are a life saver with kids.  I realize I can't freeze time, but at least I can create sweet photographs to remember when they were small.

Project 365

I went to a class on photography yesterday and let me tell you, I thought I knew a lot about my camera already, but I learned so much more!  I'm so excited to get started taking better pictures.  She suggested that we start a 365 project.  One picture for a year so we can get good practice in with our camera.

This is my first picture for my 365 project.  Let's see how much better I get by next May 2nd!

Also I am going to switch the focus of my blog a little bit more to encompass what's going on with the family and my photography hobby etc.  I hope you all will enjoy it :).

Gym/Workout update

So here I am, 3 months later and yes, I still love my gym time!  In fact, now that cold/flu season is over and we're all healthy, I've been able to go a lot more than in the beginning.  I have also taken up running outdoors, thanks to my good friend Hannah for motivating me to do so.  She's a great running partner.

Here are a few things that contribute to my success in keeping with my workout schedule.

1. Brian is a great daddy and he watches the kids for me so I can work out in peace!
2. I wait until the kids are in bed most days so I can go after everyone has had dinner and is sleeping.
3. It never hurts to have a workout buddy.  Hannah has been a great motivator even though we don't get to actually workout together a lot, we keep each other held accountable.  I can't wait for summer so I can actually go running more with her.
4. I made it my Lenten promise to go to the gym 3-4x a week so I could create a new habit.
5. Lastly, my body!  My body feels so great now that I've been working out and it's starting to actually LOOK great too!

I'm a little excited about the fact that for the second time in my life (the first being when I ran track my senior hear in HS) I have a butt LOL.  It just feels great to be getting in shape and actually see a change in my appearance for the better.  18 months of pregnancy combined with 20 months of breastfeeding can really change your body in some strange and unexpected ways, so it's great to actually start liking my body again.

I mostly just was going to the gym, but I started running outside this week and it feels awesome.  I'm going to start parking at the gym and going for a run in the business park (once or twice around) and then back to the gym for either upper or lower body exercises.  I did this today and ran the 1.6 miles in about 16 minutes then walked up to do my lower body workout.

Brian has also been really dedicated to going to the YMCA.  He joined the Y about a week after I joined my gym.  His job takes care of the majority of the cost which is really nice!  He goes about 4x a week too and can see a difference as well.  I'm really proud of him that he made this decision on his own and started finding that motivation and drive to want to get in shape too!  Guys can be, eh hem, stubborn sometimes and it's nice that he's interested in becoming healthier and in shape :).

I know, I'm not special, I'm not the only one to ever grace the inside of a gym, but I just wanted to share my small victory over my workout struggle.  I know, as moms, we struggle with finding time and motivation mainly.  I hope this inspires other moms to join with me :).

Curtis John Voll, a birth story

When preparing for parenthood, I always knew I wanted to have a natural birth.  Needles going into my back, giving me numbing medication or making me doped up with IV drugs just didn't appeal to me.  I hate feeling numb or drugged up and I knew that it was so much better for me and the baby to stay 100% unmedicated and intervention free.


Brian and I intended to try to have children after we were married for 2 years.  Little did we know, we are apparently both very fertile people and we were only married 5 months before we found out we were expecting our first child.  I had just started going to a chiropractor for the first time and actually began babysitting for one of them that summer.  They had an 11 month old little boy.  Molly, the chiropractor's wife, was a labor and delivery nurse and a midwife (not practicing in NC) and taught Hypnobirthing classes.  When she told me about the course, I knew it was for me.  I didn't have any idea really how I was going to go about preparing to birth naturally, so this was a Godsend! 


Brian and I took the classes and it helped me so much.  The fear release was so important to "wash away" any bad thoughts about birth and bad stories people tell you to scare you.  The breathing techniques and the relaxation music were very relevant for me during labor and birth.


I came into the hospital at about 10:00am after having contractions since 4:00am.  I was admitted and brought into triage.  The nurse left to talk to the Dr to see if they were going to send me home.  I was 3-4cm and 90% effaced +1 station.  While the nurse was out talking with the doctor my water broke at about 11:30am.  It was then that they decided to admit me.  I was excited because I knew the baby would definitely be born today and I wouldn't have to go through any type of induction.  If I knew then what I know now, I would have stayed home longer, but being that it was my first baby, I was so excited and ended up going into the hospital ridiculously early.  Thank goodness I had a very explicit birth plan.

My hypnobirthing instructor, Molly, came for the beginning of my labor until she had to leave for Florida to go on vacation for her birthday.  She worked as a nurse at that hospital, so she helped get me settled in and made sure the nurses who were assigned to me were more natural birth oriented.  I was only 1 day after my "due date" but I had a scheduled non-stress test for the following week. Everything was going well and the nurses were pretty hands off.  The Doctor was a bit of a different story. 


He checked my dilation and I was at 5cm.  I'm not sure what time this was, but I know I hadn't been at the hospital too long and he immediately offered me pitocin.  I'm not sure why, since I was progressing and having great active labor.  I told him no and that it was on my birth plan to not even MENTION pitocin.  He also checked me for dilation purposely while I was having a contraction.  That was terrible!  Thanks for ruining my concentration.  Apparently that progression wasn't enough for that doctor and he wanted to "clean up" before the shift change. 


I was able to get back in my zone and Molly and I figured that the baby was possibly lying with its back against mine causing slight back labor.  I got on all 4s and he ended up turning himself after a few minutes.  I also got on the toilet facing backwards to turn him.  This was SO uncomfortable and really the only time I can consider myself in "pain" during labor.  Molly had to leave so she could go on her vacation.  I was so thankful that she was there to help me get settled at the hospital and set me up for a successful labor and birth.


I was checked again, at 6cm, and then I got into the tub.  I really fell asleep in the tub.  I was in there for about 1 1/2 hrs or 2 hrs (not sure bc I was out of it).  I heard the other doctor come in the room and speak very quietly to the nurse about my progress, and then he left.  He didn't want to check me?  Yes!  Finally, there was a doctor who just wants to leave me alone.  Right before transition, I felt the baby kick himself down with a contraction pushing his head into the pelvis.  Transition is different for everyone and I just felt nauseous and loopy.  I felt sick and did end up throwing up, but not a big deal after I got showered off.  However, the cool water from the shower (not sure why it never got warm) was not comforting and I started losing my concentration again. 


I got out of the tub and was then checked, and I was 8-9cm already. The doctor (a different one from the "pitocin" doctor) had left to go get dinner, so they had to page him.  I began feeling like I needed to start pushing already and I had to blow the air out through every contraction.  No more than 10 minutes after they had checked me when I got out of the tub, they checked me again and I was almost 10cm with just a tiny "lip" left.  They told me to push if I felt like it.


My doctor wasn't there yet so in walked a bunch of nurses and a midwife, who was so sweet.  Her British accent really made me laugh. It was kind of a blur for the next few minutes and I asked them if they could see the head.  That's when they told me it was right there and crowning.  They also said my Dr was on his way and might not make it.  The midwife massaged the perineum a lot, which stung a little, but I knew it was the best, so I envisioned the opening of the flower to help the pain disappear.  I touched his head and saw it in a mirror too, which was a great motivator, let me tell you.  


I really began to push a lot and it helped when they told me to imagine pushing up towards the ceiling.  No counting, I just pushed when I felt it, took a deep breath and pushed some more and rested between.  My sister kept giving me lots of water, which helped a ton.   I must have looked really thirsty.  I remember my tongue was so dry!  I only pushed for 30 minutes and the doctor made it for the
last 10 minutes.  I only had 2 stitches total which probably weren't really necessary.  


After the final push, the doctor showed him to us and Brian announced it was a boy!  He was 8lbs 4oz and 21 ½ inches long.  Only cried a tiny bit when he was born and when placed on my chest with a blanket, he was totally calm.  The placenta came out within about 2 minutes and they cut the cord.  He stitched me up (no big deal, couldn't feel it) and they took the baby to check him out and weigh him.  His apgars were 9 and 9 and he was perfect.  
During labor I was running a low grade fever and I had low blood pressure, but the baby looked good any time I was monitored, so it was ok.  I did end up asking for an IV because I just couldn't keep hydrated well with water since I just didn't really feel like drinking much.  I think I was just so excited! The temp went down after he was born and my blood pressure returned to normal shortly after as well.  It must have been my body's response to labor.  I naturally have low blood pressure anyway.  I felt kinda faint the whole time, but I worked through it.


Without hypnobirthing, I would have not been prepared to have a totally natural birth that I'd dreamed of always having.  It was the best experience I've ever had.  I was laughing, smiling, talking, sleeping, breathing, and just enjoying every minute of my labor and birth.  Curtis was a very calm baby.  He only fussed when he was hungry.  I always got comments on how well behaved he was as a baby and he's a joy to be around.  I credit this to hypnobirthing.  It was such an amazing experience and made me very excited to have more children in the future.

First meeting :)


Check out the cone head!






My grandma Penny.  She passed away in 2008.

Now!  Awe, my handsome boy.

Oh Gym, where have you been all my life?

I must admit, I'm out of shape.  Having 2 kids not only makes your body change A LOT, but it makes it very difficult to find any time for yourself.  That being said, I've never really been in "tip top shape" so to speak, but I was once more muscular.

Been feeling sorta down and stressed out lately.  I'm sure a lot of that has to do with the weather being so horrible.  Didn't I move to North Carolina to get away from the Ohio weather?  Um yes... and this year I feel like I'm back up there!  (except w/o my family :(   )

So anyway, I decided to join a gym.  I don't have a lot of spending money every month, but decided to dedicate a little bit of it each month towards a gym membership.  So far, money well spent.  I LOVE it.  Usually I had to wait till the weather was nice, or the kids were napping, etc... before I could go for a run or do a workout video.  Let me tell you, this is so much nicer!  I don't have kids hanging on me while trying to get in a good workout, I'm around ONLY adults, and the temperature is always (generally) the same.  No more waiting for the perfect moment.

Right now I am trying to figure out the best time to go.  Either after Brian gets home or after Wesley goes to bed.  I met with a personal trainer today for some pointers.  It's free for the first couple times, so I just did it for fun.  It was great!  I really got some great ideas.  I had no idea how to use the free weights correctly and what exercises I can do to help me.

It's already helped my stress levels and the tension in my back.  There are TV's on the treadmill and elliptical machines, and you can plug in your earphones and watch whatever you want.  Then, of course, I have my MP3 player so I can listen to whatever music I want to get me motivated :).

If you have any pointers on websites to go to get different exercise routines/ideas, let me know.  I'm so excited about this new "me" time.  Maybe if I get brave enough, I'll take some "before" pictures of my bad areas so I can track my progress.

This is my gym