WP

I've jumped on the WordPress bandwagon, so now you can find me here: littlefluter.

need. good. sleep!

I am a lover of all things sleep related. My bed, my pj's, pillows, and actual SLEEP. Lately I haven't been getting good Z's and it is due to being pregnant. Seems like the moment I decide to go to bed, have a nap, or try to relax some little person decides it is time to kick the crud out of me. Now I know this is not her fault, she can't help it that the hours between 10pm and 4am are not an opportune time for sleep, but man do I miss a full night's rest. And we still have 17 weeks left to go before she actually comes into the world and everyone's sleep is disrupted for a few months. And I am looking forward to it. Well...the coming into this world part, not the months of disrupted sleep part (and I don't know what to think about becoming someones personal vending machine!). So I just keep telling myself that eventually I will sleep again. And well! I'm not the first to have this experience and I certainly won't be the last. So now I am going to go try to take a nap!

2011 resolutions

For a couple of weeks now I have been giving some thought as to what I'd like to consider easy and reasonable resolutions for 2011. Things that I should (in theory) be able to do without dropping the ball, so to speak. And so I am posting my list of resolutions here in cyberspace for the whole world to see.

1. Read my Bible more. Now I know I don't really go around advertising my faith, but I am a Christian- Evangelical Presbyterian (I do have it on Facebook I believe). Am I the best Christian? No. Am I a sinner? Absolutely. I would have no need for God if this were not the case. So as you can see there is obviously room for improvement, and I believe that studying my Bible more than I do now will be helpful. It certainly can't hurt :)

2. Keep in touch with family and friends better. I keep up with them OK, but again there is room for improvement in this area (esp. with a new family member on the way). And I don't just mean e-mail and Facebook. I plan to send snail mail on a more regular basis. Why? Because it is more personal and I feel that it is more meaningful than something quick and electronic. This also means a trip to English Tea Paperie for some new stationary! Of course I Skype with family but I don't feel that I do this enough either. So more Skype-ing(?)!!

3. Holiday/Birthday cards! This year I did a good job up until about September. I started getting sick and I don't mean from the pregnancy. I have battled the flu, infections, fevers, cruds, fell down some stairs...you name it. And so in the latter part of the year I simply left messages on Facebook, sent e-mails, and made the occasional phone call as I just did not feel like going out in this terrible weather to purchase any type of card. This year I will do better. Come rain, sleet, snow (and possibly the flu) I will send out cards!

4. At the end of this month, around the 20th, we are going to be moving into our new apartment. I sincerely want to get everything fixed and ready in said new apartment before the baby joins us the first week of May. Now this may sound easy but I am thinking it will be easier said than done. Hubby and I will both be working, we have a lot of things to do and buy, and I have absolutely NO energy after working with 2-3 year olds all day long. And I am fully aware of the fact that if I am not supervising and helping out then things will not be where and how "we" want them in the new place. :)

5. Blog more! Yeah, yeah, it has been said before but this year I mean to do it. But I am setting what I feel is a realistic goal. I won't be on here everyday. And I am sure that when little Annika graces the world with her presence this goal will fall by the wayside for a time. That said I want to post at least 1-2 times per week instead of maybe once a month. Things do happen around here and I just never seem to blog about them. I hope to change this.

6. Be a better wife and a good mom (when the time comes!). The hubby says that he has no complaints, that he thinks I am a great wife, but people can always make improvements in their lives. So this is going to be one of my main goals for this new year.

7. Eat better, cook more. My kitchen in the apartment where we currently live is TINY. When I cook I never get around to making what I consider to be a properly balanced meal because I there is just no room to prepare everything I want to fix. I have no workspace. None. You could place two 3-ringed binder in my "workspace". When you are really cooking that is just not enough room! The new apartment has a lovely, spacious, REAL kitchen and there is even room for the baby in there!! So I want to do more, better cooking this year. And since I am no longer eating for just myself healthier, home cooked meals are just what the doctor ordered!



This is me at 21 weeks. I am 22 weeks today. Although I am not worrying too much about the weight gain at the moment, there will come a point when I will need to watch what is going into "our" body. You see...um...I like junk. Ha ha! So healthier it is!!

I really hope that I can keep these resolutions, and for those of you that have also made resolutions and set goals I hope that you are able to keep and reach them as well!

happy new year!

I want to wish family, friends, and the occasional few who drop by my blog a very Blessed and Happy New Year! God Bless!

dentist

Tomorrow I have a dentist appointment. I am so nervous. I absolutely HATE going to the dentist even though it is a necessary evil. After my first trip to the doctor about my pregnancy I was informed that I needed to make an appointment, and so I have been awaiting this dreaded day since August (why does it always take so long to get an appointment!). I don't even know where this dentist's office is and I am counting on the hubby to make sure I get there on time. Urgh...the things we have to do sometimes!!

Merry Christmas!

I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas this year! I will be spending mine with the hubby's parents. And in parting I leave you with one of my favorite Christmas songs from one of my favorite Christmas movies!

girl

According to the midwife today baby Lilja is going to be a little girl. We're excited. Girls are hard to come by in my immediate McCaskill family. For example, I am the only female McCaskill in my immediate family not married in. So it is nice to be having a little girl. All of the grandparents are excited, and I finally posted things on facebook. Now it is just a waiting game. The expected due date is May 8th, but sometimes babies have other plans. Now if only she would sleep when I sleep. I am tired already and she isn't even here yet! :-)

lazy me

I have felt pretty lazy this weekend but tomorrow I am going to try to get out and go see the newest Harry Potter movie with the hubby. We're just basically killing time until Monday morning. Monday morning is a big day for us. I'll be in my 20th week and we're having our second ultrasound. So is baby Lilja going to be a boy or girl? The hubby thinks girl. We'll just have to wait for Monday morning to know for sure. :-)

4 years

Yesterday was mine and my husband's 4 year anniversary! I can't believe it has been 4 years already. We have both been sick recently so it was nice that we were feeling up to going out for dinner yesterday evening. The hubby also pointed out that this coming June (2011) is also an anniversary of sorts for us. It will be 10 years since we first met. I thought it was sweet that he remembered that because it had completely slipped my mind. Ah, to be 18 again...

And my dear ole' Dad had a birthday yesterday as well. So there were celebrations and phone calls all around. All in all, it was a really nice weekend but it certainly was not long enough. I think that the weekends could use as least 2 more days!

survivor

I managed to sleepwalk through an entire week this week without making a trip to the doctor. Thankfully, I am beginning to see some improvement with this cough/cold/flu/infection/crud/ whatever the doctor wants to label it. It has taken 6 weeks but we are starting to get somewhere now. I am finally starting to feel like I am going to survive this thing. And Kai is happy too. He doesn't want me to be sick and he also doesn't want me to continue getting him sick. He has cut me a lot of slack since all of this started and I am grateful, but I am glad that I can get back to a normal routine. At least until we make our move (I am so excited!)!!

On a whiter note, we have gotten TONS of snow here and it hasn't let up since it started in November. I plan to brave the cold when I am back up to par for good and take some decent pictures, but for now this is it. It is lovely outside. And I am so glad that I use public transportation. I was sort of missing driving last week, but then as I watched people digging their cars out of 3-5 feet of snow I didn't miss it so much anymore. The good, the bad, and the white stuff!

gifts

I ordered all of my US Christmas gifts for family online on Black Friday and got some pretty good deals. And now I know that they have all arrived at there next to final destinations and are going under the Christmas tree. I really hope that my family enjoys them. Sad I cannot be home for Christmas this year, but no one feels that I need to be traveling. Especially since I am currently still sick with whatever I can't take meds for that I have had for a MONTH now. I took some penicillin a couple of weeks ago for this crud and it didn't help, and now the doctor won't give me anymore. Ah, the upsides and downsides to pregnancy. To be honest I think I could deal with all of the snot if this cough would just go away. The cough is what keeps me up at night and makes everything ache. :( But cannot let this crud get in the way of my Finnish Christmas shopping. I would do all of it online but I don't understand everything, lol. My Finnish is improving but it isn't that good yet!

very thankful

Kai and I had a nice little Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. It isn't a holiday celebrated here for obvious reasons, but Kai likes to celebrate American holidays with me (esp. ones involving awesome food)! This year we have been blessed and I have so much to be thankful for. I've had my työharjoitelu at the päiväkoti, Kai has a good job, we're getting a huge new apartment in January and we'll be adding a new addition to the McCaskill/Lilja family in May. So many new and exciting things going on. And I am always thankful for my amazing family and friends.

we have snow!

I don't think it is going to last long though. And I got soaked going to class today because it was unexpected, but it sure is pretty. I think I can wait a little while longer for the really good fluffy stuff though.

out of work...

and I hate it. I really don't want to be stuck at home and the only thing that makes it not quite as bad is the fact that I have plenty of books to read. This week I am stuck here because I fell down the stairs leading to the sauna and banged myself up pretty good. Of course there is another reason he wouldn't let me go back as well, but it is best not to mention that one. *sigh* And since the hubby and I will be moving in March so we need the money.

Stacy = Clutz

Somethings just never change!

Random

I haven't blogged in forever, so I thought why not share the fact that I really, really, really want some wontons right now. Problem is I don't know where I can find them.

I'm going to see my in-laws tomorrow when my hubby gets off work.

I work at a daycare 3 days a week and then have class 2 days.

My husband is wonderful! I haven't cooked in 3 months and he has been lovely and taken care of me. Today I will be baking some cookies though.

I really need to buy some rubber boots. Preferably some colorful Nokia ones. Yes, Nokia as in the same Finnish company that makes the cell phones. They made rubber boots first.

Winning the lottery would be nice.

We are looking to move into a new apartment in March of next year.

My dad and his girlfriend are looking into coming to Helsinki for the first time in May (2011).

I have a new pink Nokia cell phone. It has a lot of bells and whistles. I hope I don't break it. Took me 2 hours to find the language tool to change the language to English, but I did (myself).

I am really looking forward to May! :)

Mayo Clinic atrium piano, charming older couple...

These two are just adorable!

Smell Like A Monster Sesame Street Spoofs The Old Spice Guy

I Love Sesame Street! Grover is too cute in his 'Old Spice' spoof for the word on!

Raymond

I know he is a bit creepy, but I love this video! And that poor cheese looks so frightened!

where did the fall weather go?

It looks like Autumn outside with the leaves turning lovely shades of yellow, red, and burnt orange, but what is up with the weather? I am already wearing a thin jacket under my coat and it is just the end of September! I believe that in 2 weeks I will have to break out my Winter clothes. To me this is a huge disappointment because I love Fall weather, but this wind out there will cut right through you!! *sigh* I suppose I will take what I can get and be glad of it.

who wants to be sick?

We don't! There has been the flu and other manner of sicknesses going around the daycare I am at, and I was lucky enough to be one of the workers that got sick. I went to the doctor on Thursday and he gave me meds and a 'sick leave vacation'. I don't have to go back until Wednesday of this coming week. Of course I am all for sharing, and now poor Kai is sick too. And this is his last week of Summer vacation! Poor guy. I feel awful for having shared my germs with him. Let's hope this epidemic has played itself out by the time I return to work!! As it stands now we are single-handedly keeping the Kleenex people in business!