Chuck-O-Rama

Last week we went out for dinner at Chuck-O-Rama Buffet with the Claytons. They had some tasty food. They style was mostly American that night. In the desert section they served coffee crumble cake. Hmmm... But... if you look at the sign closely it says...



Ha! Only in Utah! I didn't have any of the fake coffee crumble cake, but I did have some APPLE BEER....



Apple Beer is non-alcoholic. It is a nineteenth century Bavarian tradition made in the Rocky Mountains since 1964. It's got 100% natural flavor, vitamin C, and calcium fortified. It tastes a little bit like apple cider but more frothy... I guess like beer.

The Galatro Family Chronicles

I created a new blog just for my family. Check it out The Galatro Family Chronicles. You will find updates on our family there.

Kaleigh Knows Best

Last night at about 3:00 am Kaleigh crawled into my bed and slept next to me. Ever since Chris went to Utah she's been doing that. I know it's not a good habit, but I don't mind. I like sleeping with my kids. Then at about 3:40 am Jacob started crying. He's been having difficulty sleeping through the night for about 3 months now. I mentioned this to his pediatrician at his follow up visit for acid reflux the other day. She told me to offer him water instead of milk when he wakes up. Eventually, he'll realize that it's not worth waking up for water in the middle of the night. I decided give it a try. But instead of going back to sleep, it just made him mad and cry even harder. Kaleigh did not enjoy being disturbed and tried to cover her ears and then even put her head under her pillow.

After 5 minutes of trying to console Jacob without success, I laid him down on the bed next to Kaleigh. When he saw her he stopped crying. Then Kaleigh reached over with her little hand and held his even smaller hand and said, "Shh... Don't cry, Jacob. It's OK. Go to sleep." Jacob immediately calmed down and closed his eyes. So, I shifted him a little bit and laid down in between them.

10 minutes later, Jacob started crying again. Kaleigh sat up and said, "Mommy, he wants milk!!!" with a "duh" expression on her face, and then laid back down. So, I got up, picked up Jacob and went to the kitchen to make him a bottle of milk. About 5 minutes later, he had drank most of his bottle and fell asleep.

What would I do without my bossy-boss, mini-mommy little girl? *sigh*

Chantal Kreviazuk - Leaving On A Jet Plane

Just found these videos today on YouTube of my favorite singer and songwriter, Chantal Kreviazuk, performing in Whistler, Canada for the unveiling of the 2010 Paralympic Logo. I think the performance was funny and really shows how laid back Chantal is. For those of you who don't know, her song Feels Like Home was my wedding song and I played it about 15 times. I also got the chance to see her perform live last year and meet with her briefly. The concert rocked and she was really nice! She's an amazing musician. It's too bad she's not more well known in the U.S. Oh, and she's also a mom of 3 boys. Her husband is Raine Maida, the lead singer of the band Our Lady Peace. Be sure to watch both part 1 and 2 of the videos.

Part 1


Part 2

Little Wonders

As I am preparing to move to Utah, I think about the 25 or so years that I've been living in NYC. During that time I have met a lot of people and made a lot of friends. Some people I have spent a lot time with and others only a little. But however big or "small" these hours were, I will always remember them. "These small hours still remain" and will always remain in my heart.

Little Wonders
by Rob Thomas



Let it go. Let it roll right off your shoulder
Don't you know the hardest part is over
Let it in. Let your clarity define you
In the end we will only just remember how it feels

Our lives are made in these small hours
These little wonders.These twists and turns of fate
Time falls away.But these small hours
These small hours still remain

Let it slide. Let your troubles fall behind you
Let it shine. Until you feel it all around you
And i don't mind if it's me you need to turn to
We'll get by. It's the heart that really matters in the end

Our lives are made in these small hours
These little wonders.These twists and turns of fate
Time falls away.But these small hours
These small hours still remain

All of my regret will wash away some how
But i can not forget the way i feel right now

In these small hours
These little wonders
These twists and turns of fate
These twists and turns of fate
Time falls away but these small hours
These small hours, still remain,
Still remain
These little wonders
These twists and turns of fate
Time falls away
But these small hours
These little wonders still remain

Jeremiah is My Savior

So, thanks to my brother, Jeremiah, I will have internet access after all. He was gracious enough to lend me his laptop, while Chris took ours to Utah. I'm so glad that I won't have to go into internet withdrawal. Although, my father probably made him lend me his laptop, I am still grateful to have a great brother like Jeremiah. You're the best, bro!!!

The Story Behind the Move

Many of you know that Chris and I have been wanting to move out of Brooklyn and New York for some time now. When we got married we wanted to move to Hawai'i and live on a farm. We wanted a simple life. Then I got pregnant. So, we stayed for our parents' sake. Kaleigh is my parent's first grandchild and Chris's parent's 2nd (after a 17 year gap.)

Anyway, the house we are currently living in used to belong to Chris's grandmother who lived on the 1st floor and we live on the 2nd. When she became old and senile the rights to the house went to her 3 daughters. Chris's mom being one of them. The house is really old and no one really wants to stay in it. So it has been their plan that after Chris's grandmother passed away, they would sell the house.

About 2 months ago, Chris's grandmother passed away. Now the house is being sold. No one bought the house yet, but eventually we would have to move. Chris thinks it's better to move sooner than later. One reason is because the house being so old has a lot of problems. Just a few weeks ago there was a gas leak from the oven downstairs. The leak was "suppose" to be fixed. However, since then there were 2 more gas leaks. About a month ago there was a big rain storm and water leaked from our ceiling in several places. We had to get the whole entire roof done. Chris is fed up with the house and afraid that the house is going to explode with me and the kids inside while he's at work.

Last year Chris and I took a weekend trip to Utah. After breathing in the fresh mountain air, we decided that Utah is where we want to raise our kids. And so, our journey begins.

Chris is actually going to to go ahead first. He is leaving on Saturday, Sept. 20th. Which is today if you read this blog... er today. I started writing this post on the 17th but didn't actually finish it till today. Kaleigh, Jacob and I are going to meet up with him in the middle of October. Chris was able to transfer to a WaMu in West Valley at the Kearn's Financial Center. Yes, we've heard some bad things about West Valley - being the equivalent to the Bronx of New York. We don't plan to live there. Nor are we going to live in Ogden.

Earlier last night, Kaleigh complained of an upset stomach. So I put a warm compress on her belly and let her lie down on the couch. Later before she went to bed, we told Kaleigh that daddy is going to go to Utah tomorrow. She started crying and said she wanted to go too. We explained to her that Kaleigh, Jacob and mommy are going to go to Utah too in a few weeks. That daddy is just going first. She continued to cry and then said, "Then I'm not going to have a daddy anymore!" We explained to her once more that daddy is not leaving us and that we're going to meet up with daddy and live together. She continued to cry and then coughed a few times. Then all of a sudden, "BLEHHH..." She vomits her dinner all over Chris's arm. After she was done vomitting she says, "Ewww... That's so stinky! I feel a little better now." Ah... kids, you gotta love them.

Chris is going to take our only working computer, the laptop, with him. That means that I won't have internet access for 3+ weeks!!!! Ahhhh!!!! Going online is how I wind down at the end of the day. It's my therapy. It's also how I watch my favorite TV shows. Since, Kaleigh doesn't go to sleep till about 10:00 pm (because she naps for 2 hours in the afternoon) I usually watch my TV shows online. 2nd season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles just started and already there are a lot questions that need to be answered. The premiere of Heroes is on the 22nd and 30 Rock premieres the beginning of October, I think. I'm not addicted to TV, but I do enjoy watching my shows at night while I pump. I'm a little bit of a sci-fi geek, so I also enjoy talking about T:TSCC on the wikiboards. It is going to be a long 3+ weeks (sigh).

We Are Finally Moving!!

OK. A lot has happened since my last post a few months ago. I don't think I have the time or brain juice to tell it all right now. Bottom line, we are finally moving. Where are we moving to?

Utah!

Why Utah? There are many reasons. The main reasons are both Chris and I love it there and we don't want our kids to grow up in Brooklyn.

Sad part is that we are going to miss our family and friends. The good part is that we believe this is what is best for our family.

Right now I'm just taking a break from packing. Kaleigh is at my dad's house and Jacob is taking a nap. I really should be packing furiously while Jacob is napping but, I'm tired. Chris is still working, so that leaves me to do the packing.

OK... Gotta get back to work!

Kaleigh's Video to Hazel

Kaleigh really misses her friend Hazel, who moved to Virgina last month. Kaleigh doesn't know how to write yet, so we made a video of what Kaleigh wanted to say to Hazel with mommy's help. Maybe instead of pen pals they could be video pals.

Small Conversation about Heaven

Sometimes kids say the darndest things out of the blue. Shortly after reading about Hazel's discussion about where she was born with Kari, Kaleigh and I had this small conversation:

Kaleigh: Mommy where's Jesus?

Me: (Surprised) What?

Kaleigh: Where's Jesus?

Me: In heaven with Heavenly Father.

Kaleigh: I want to go to heaven with Jesus.

Me: You do?

Kaleigh: (Nods) I want to be with Jesus and Heavenly Father. I don't want to be here. I don't want to go forward. I want to go back.

Me: (Not sure I heard the last part right) Kaleigh say that again.

Kaleigh: I don't want to go forward. I want to go back.

Me: (Uh-huh?) Well, one day Kaleigh, mommy, daddy and baby Jacob will all live in heaven together.

Kaleigh: (Gives a big smile and giggles) Yeah!
Then she goes back to watching T.V.

Kaleigh's Mommy Song

Tonight I was honored to have a song written for me by my daughter Kaleigh who just turned 3. I was washing dishes in the kitchen when I heard her sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star while playing the keyboard that she got for her birthday. It was super cute. By the time I got the camera, she was done. So I asked her to sing and play one more time. This is my little diva:

The Police Mum

I came across this article on Yahoo and thought it was worthy of sharing.

China Cop Promoted for Breastfeeding Quake Babies

BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese policewoman who breastfed babies orphaned during last month's earthquake has been given a better job, prompting online protests that promotions should be awarded on merit, not merely for good deeds.

Jiang Xiaojuan, 30, left her own baby with her parents and took part in the disaster relief work, breastfeeding nine babies, earning her the nickname of "the police mum" in the press.

She has since been awarded titles of "hero and model police officer" and "excellent member of the Communist Party", was appointed to the Communist Party of China Committee of the Jiangyou Public Security Bureau and became the bureau's vice commissar, Xinhua news agency said on Saturday.

Jiangyou, population 850,000, is a city near the epicentre of the May 12 Sichuan quake which killed more than 69,000 people with thousands still missing.

"Many people voiced objections when the Jiangyou government sought public opinion after making the promotion," Xinhua said. "They said an official position should not be used to promote a moral model."

There were also supporters of Jiang's promotion, saying that what she did showed she was a good public servant.

(Reporting by Nick Macfie; Editing by Valerie Lee)

Human Tetris

The Japanese are known for many electronic and technological achievements and breakthroughs. Without them we wouldn't have Nintendo Wii, Sony products, Toyota vehicles, etc. Just to name a few. But if you have never seen a Japanese TV show, you probably have never laughed so hard in your life or feel sorry for the contestants... or both. If you want a crazy TV show, leave up to the Japanese. Watch and you will know what I mean.

My Little Artist

I know it's not good to show off or brag about our children but sometimes we just can help it. Especially when we are just so proud of them. When Kaleigh was about 10 months old I put a crayon in her hand and she has been drawing ever since. It seems that every once in a while she will draw something that will make Chris and I go, "Wow! Is she suppose to know how to do that?"

Kaleigh (34 months) drew this about a month ago. It's a family portrait.

My baby is on Zantac

For about 3 weeks now almost every time Jacob eats he cries and even screams. At first we thought, he was just upset that he has to wait for his bottle to be prepared, has gas, wants his diaper changed or sometimes is both hungry and tired. Other than being hungry, tired, or the above mentioned, Jacob doesn't cry. I would even describe him as a happy baby. He smiles and coos all the time.

I did some research and suspected that maybe he possibly could have gastric esophageal reflux. But he's not excessively spitting up or vomiting, which are the more common symptoms of reflux. At Jacob's 2 month check up I mentioned it to the doctor and she said to keep an eye on it. He continued to cry during his feedings, so finally we called Kaleigh's pediatrician and she accommodated us in her busy schedule. It turns out that Jacob does have a mild case of gastric reflux. When there's acid in his throat and it mixes with milk, it burns and that's why he cries. And so, my baby is on Zantac, which according to his pediatrician is safe for babies.

The most natural thing in the world is not so natural

OK. So people say that breastfeeding is one of the most natural things in the world. Well, it's not for me. Despite countless prayers and attempts, both Kaleigh and Jacob could not latch on properly. After days of pain and fatigue, I finally resorted to pumping exclusively because I want my children to drink breastmilk.

Recently, I'm convinced that I am under a breastfeeding curse. Why would I say such a thing? Well, you already know that Kaleigh and Jacob couldn't latch on. With Kaleigh I had 2 breast infections (mastitis). For those of you who know what it's like, you know how painful they are. For those of you who have never experienced it, I would say it almost rivals labor pains. And I know about labor pains since the anesthesiologist never made it in time to give me an epidural when I delivered Jacob. I should have filed a complaint. Anyway, I digress. Besides, feeling mad pain in the breast(s), there is also fever and everything that accompanies it - fatigue, weakness, drowsiness, body aches, chills, delusions, etc. Since both infections were in my left breast, there is significant decreased milk production from that side.

Almost 2 weeks ago, somehow 2 important components to my breast pump when AWOL. Both Chris and I searched the entire house and could not find them. The pump will not work without those parts. So, I tried nursing Jacob hoping I will not become engorged and get a breast infection, and also so he can get breast milk. At first I thought he was able to latch on. For 2 days I nursed him thinking the soreness I was feeling was normal (because specialists say it is.) Then things went downhill. The soreness became intense pain and there was cracking and bleeding. He was not latching on properly after all. Then my breasts became engorged and I started feeling body aches. Finally, my suffering ended when Chris was able to buy replacement parts to the pump.

A few days ago Jacob started sleeping longer at night between feedings. I usually pump after I feed him. The other day the weather was so nice that I took Kaleigh to the park to let her get some energy out. When I got home, I had to prepare lunch for Kaleigh, feed Jacob, change his diaper, put him down for a nap, and then put Kaleigh down for a nap before I could pump again. Then that night as I was cooking dinner, "Oww... why does my right boob hurt?" Then fever followed and now I'm on antibiotics. So, now both breast have damaged ducts and have reduced milk production. Am I cursed or what? Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. Who's complaining?

My final thought is, even though Jesus Christ is a man, he suffered these pains too.

Lebo's River

This video and song really touched me. I stumbled upon the song when I was downloading some songs by one of my favorite music artist, Chantal Kreviazuk. The song was written by Lebo herself, Chantal and Raine Maida (Chantal's husband and member of the band, Our Lady Peace.) The song is about Lebo. She was a girl in South Africa who was raped, given HIV/AIDS and then gave birth to a daughter. Her dream was to be a singer. In a documentary, she was recorded singing part of the song that she wrote.

Who is Lebo?