Hello Everyone!
We are still in the middle of a week with the family, and having lots of fun. Kiddo is getting so spoiled by being able to see G&H and Uncle W & Aunt A at a moment's notice - I am afraid he thinks they all moved in right down the street. I don't know what I am going to do with him when they all go home this weekend!
Kiddo is starting to get into his Christmas gifts a bit more. I am afraid I really set him up for a disappointing Christmas this year because I told everyone to go for more educational gifts. So he got lots of cool things from the Leap Frog line and books and puzzles and a few games as well. I think he was still looking for toys that he could instantly play with while he was opening his gifts. But instead he kept opening item after item of things he didn't recognize. But, he is getting into his things a bit more now; I guess it will just take some time. I haven't been able to part him with his Nemo Leapster game for more than a few minutes at a time in the past couple of days. Thank you Grammy and Aunt Ginger!! :)
Overall we had a great Christmas. Spending time with both families was fun! And having a whole week with Hubby's side of the family right down the road has been interesting. It is nice to have them all so close - I hope that something like this becomes a more permanent arrangement in the future. I love living near family.
Grammy and Aunt A went with me to my perinatologist appointment yesterday. Neither had ever seen an ultrasound done live, so I think it was quite the treat for them (at least I hope so). Little Port is growing like a weed - as of a month ago he was measuring 5 days behind and now is measuring 10 days ahead! He weighs about 2 1/2 pounds, and from all angles and measurements looks "perfectly normal". I am just loving that phrase!! The doctor kept saying "normal, normal, normal" to everything and it was wonderful. He said that with someone with a history of complications like I have, that is a great word to be able to use. I agree. All of my blood work came back great, the 24 hour pee test was normal and everything looks good. He still wants to see me every 4-5 weeks or so, and then after 32 weeks wants me to come in weekly. Thankfully he still wants to see me - I was afraid that with all the "normal" going on he might change his mind.
The little man seems to be getting cheekier - and is starting to resemble his big brother I think. Kiddo was all cheek and forehead when he was born, so it is fun to see this one fill out a bit.
I am feeling good for the most part. I am tiring earlier these days, but I think a lot of it is because of all the goings on around here. My sleep is restless, due to intense dreams, heartburn that just won't quit, and multiple nightly wakings by either Kiddo or one of the animals. I have got to remember to put the cat out when we go to bed - she is driving me nuts!
My favorite breakfast right now is a scrambled egg with a slice of American cheese, piled on top of a big, steaming bowl of grits. What are grits, anyway??!? With Kiddo I usually had cheese toast or a bagel with peanut butter. When I was working and pg with Kiddo I made Sonic lots of money by stopping each morning for a large Dr. Pepper and a breakfast toaster sandwich. mmmmmmmm! Salt and caffeine, what a way to start a morning! Thankfully this time around I don't have that luxury. ...but it sure does sound good!
So I guess that's it for now. Tonight after his bath, Kiddo sang a song for the baby because "the baby is crying in Mommy's belly". AWWWWW!!!!!! It was really sweet. He's going to be such a good big brother.
Until,
D :)
Friday, December 28, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Holly Jolly Christmas
Well, here it is Christmas eve morning. The cookies have been baked, the cupcakes are still waiting to be iced, but the pumpkin spice cake, the cinnamon rolls, the brownies, the Texas Trash and the fudge are all done. My hands look like they have been put through a meat grinder. All the washing, the drastic dropping in outside temperature and just general use have left them cut and scraped and red and chapped. I have cuts on almost every knuckle from scraping my hands under my kitchen cabinets, there is a deep cut on the inside of my left palm from the aluminum foil box, and my right thumb knuckle and most of the back of my right hand are healing from a very unfortunate altercation with my micro plane zester. Isn't baking fun?? How does Martha keep her hands so nice??
Tonight I am preparing dinner for my inlaws. The main dish will be wonderful yummy chicken parmesan bundles and I am serving a salad and PW's olive cheese bread on the side. I hope they like it. I just love cooking for people - it's too bad I am not better at it! lol!
I can't believe Christmas is here. It just happened so fast. Kiddo is of course enjoying all the family coming to visit. He cried for a while after my parents left yesterday, but all was well again when Grammy and Happy arrived. They stopped by briefly and then went to their lodging to unload the car. We met them later on at a restaurant for dinner. After dinner, we got back in the car and Kiddo was thinking we were going to follow them to their place. We told him that G&H were going "nite-nite" and that we would see them in the morning and surprisingly he was ok with that.
When we got back home, Kiddo told me it was time for a bath, and drug me into the bathroom. Now if you know the Kiddo at all, you know that bath time is always a struggle, and he never wants to go, even after much prompting, cohearsing and/or threatening. So for him to instigate bath time was quite strange. He got himself undressed, played for a few minutes and then was ready for his "scrubbin'". I bathed him, dried him off and he brushed his teeth for a minute and then let me brush them without the usual fuss.
Once that was done, he played with Hubby for a few minutes while I prepared his drink and shut down the house. I was expecting us all to hang out in my bedroom like we normally do, but instead Kiddo met me in the hallway and told me it was time to go to bed. He wouldn't even go in my room for a minute, so I put his jammies on him in the dark and then he piggy backed to my room to tell Daddy goodnight.
I was just amazed at his initiative. We laid down in his bed, said his prayer and I started in on my usual story (every night it is the same - Cars). While we were laying there in the dark, the cat came into Kiddo's room and jumped into the bed with us.
Now I don't often talk about the cat. She kind of keeps to herself and can't often be bothered with the humans in her life. She rarely ever needs anything more than feeding and watering, and spends most of her days outside or asleep in some out of the way spot in our house. However, lately she has been more present than usual - maybe due to the cold outside or the fact that she might not be feeling up to snuff, but whatever the case, she suddenly loves to sleep with the Kiddo on cold nights. Most of the time she will jump in his bed and curl up behind his legs and almost immediately go to sleep. Last night though, she jumped up and stepped in between Kiddo and I, putting herself in a prime spot to get some stroking from me while I told Kiddo his bed time story.
As I ran my hand along her fur she purred and kneaded my leg gently, making sure to retract her claws with each push. It was sweet, and I was reminded of how much I loved having cats as a child, and how they always brought me comfort when they were sweet and loving. After a few minutes, the cat got up, turned around and headed toward her usual spot behind Kiddo's legs.
But before she departed to space between Kiddo and I...
she farted.
Now, I can honestly say that in all my years of animal ownership, I have experienced my fair share of animal flatulence, but I cannot recall ever, ever hearing or witnessing a cat pass gas.
I was in shock for a moment, then went back to my story while the cat settled into the warmth of Kiddo's legs.
And then, it hit us.
You know what I am referring to - the dreaded Green Cloud.
Oh. My. Goodness.
I was trying so hard not to choke and tried so hard to keep on track with the story, but Lord Have Mercy my eyes were watering. Kiddo was laying there, happily sucking on his sippy-ed drink and listening. But I couldn't take it any more. I gagged slightly and whispered to him, "do you smell that?"
That was all it took. Poor Kiddo must have been lying there, desperately trying to think of words to express what he was experiencing and all it took was me breaking the ice.
He burst into the most hysterical laughter I've heard from him in a long while.
Remember when you were a kid and you had a sleepover, be it with friends or family, and someone gets tickled and everyone just can't stop laughing??
Yeah, we laughed for probably 20 minutes. We couldn't stop. Hubby finally came into the room to see what the hysterics were about. And in between gasps I tried to tell him the story. Soon he was laughing just as hard with us.
It took forever to get Kiddo settled back down, but eventually he went to sleep and I went back to my room.
Hubby and I laughed about it some more.
And when Kiddo got up this morning, the first thing he did was start to giggle and said "Mi-mi cat is stinky!"
Oh man, what a Christmas tale. ;)
Until,
D :)
Tonight I am preparing dinner for my inlaws. The main dish will be wonderful yummy chicken parmesan bundles and I am serving a salad and PW's olive cheese bread on the side. I hope they like it. I just love cooking for people - it's too bad I am not better at it! lol!
I can't believe Christmas is here. It just happened so fast. Kiddo is of course enjoying all the family coming to visit. He cried for a while after my parents left yesterday, but all was well again when Grammy and Happy arrived. They stopped by briefly and then went to their lodging to unload the car. We met them later on at a restaurant for dinner. After dinner, we got back in the car and Kiddo was thinking we were going to follow them to their place. We told him that G&H were going "nite-nite" and that we would see them in the morning and surprisingly he was ok with that.
When we got back home, Kiddo told me it was time for a bath, and drug me into the bathroom. Now if you know the Kiddo at all, you know that bath time is always a struggle, and he never wants to go, even after much prompting, cohearsing and/or threatening. So for him to instigate bath time was quite strange. He got himself undressed, played for a few minutes and then was ready for his "scrubbin'". I bathed him, dried him off and he brushed his teeth for a minute and then let me brush them without the usual fuss.
Once that was done, he played with Hubby for a few minutes while I prepared his drink and shut down the house. I was expecting us all to hang out in my bedroom like we normally do, but instead Kiddo met me in the hallway and told me it was time to go to bed. He wouldn't even go in my room for a minute, so I put his jammies on him in the dark and then he piggy backed to my room to tell Daddy goodnight.
I was just amazed at his initiative. We laid down in his bed, said his prayer and I started in on my usual story (every night it is the same - Cars). While we were laying there in the dark, the cat came into Kiddo's room and jumped into the bed with us.
Now I don't often talk about the cat. She kind of keeps to herself and can't often be bothered with the humans in her life. She rarely ever needs anything more than feeding and watering, and spends most of her days outside or asleep in some out of the way spot in our house. However, lately she has been more present than usual - maybe due to the cold outside or the fact that she might not be feeling up to snuff, but whatever the case, she suddenly loves to sleep with the Kiddo on cold nights. Most of the time she will jump in his bed and curl up behind his legs and almost immediately go to sleep. Last night though, she jumped up and stepped in between Kiddo and I, putting herself in a prime spot to get some stroking from me while I told Kiddo his bed time story.
As I ran my hand along her fur she purred and kneaded my leg gently, making sure to retract her claws with each push. It was sweet, and I was reminded of how much I loved having cats as a child, and how they always brought me comfort when they were sweet and loving. After a few minutes, the cat got up, turned around and headed toward her usual spot behind Kiddo's legs.
But before she departed to space between Kiddo and I...
she farted.
Now, I can honestly say that in all my years of animal ownership, I have experienced my fair share of animal flatulence, but I cannot recall ever, ever hearing or witnessing a cat pass gas.
I was in shock for a moment, then went back to my story while the cat settled into the warmth of Kiddo's legs.
And then, it hit us.
You know what I am referring to - the dreaded Green Cloud.
Oh. My. Goodness.
I was trying so hard not to choke and tried so hard to keep on track with the story, but Lord Have Mercy my eyes were watering. Kiddo was laying there, happily sucking on his sippy-ed drink and listening. But I couldn't take it any more. I gagged slightly and whispered to him, "do you smell that?"
That was all it took. Poor Kiddo must have been lying there, desperately trying to think of words to express what he was experiencing and all it took was me breaking the ice.
He burst into the most hysterical laughter I've heard from him in a long while.
Remember when you were a kid and you had a sleepover, be it with friends or family, and someone gets tickled and everyone just can't stop laughing??
Yeah, we laughed for probably 20 minutes. We couldn't stop. Hubby finally came into the room to see what the hysterics were about. And in between gasps I tried to tell him the story. Soon he was laughing just as hard with us.
It took forever to get Kiddo settled back down, but eventually he went to sleep and I went back to my room.
Hubby and I laughed about it some more.
And when Kiddo got up this morning, the first thing he did was start to giggle and said "Mi-mi cat is stinky!"
Oh man, what a Christmas tale. ;)
Until,
D :)
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Is There Room In Your Sleigh
Oh my achin' back!
In preparation for the holidays I have been trying to accumulate everything I need for all the goodies I am baking. I have gone to the grocery store 3 times now in 3 days, and I am pretty sure I will need to go back again tomorrow or Friday. I should have my own parking space I tell ya!
So today we went yet again and I got lots of supplies (so much for my grocery budget this month!). Kiddo did really well until the sacker pulled him (in the cart) way far away from me in the line. Come on lady, you can't take two steps toward my shopping cart to put the bags in?? He felt himself being drug away and it totally freaked him out. I pulled him back about half way and wouldn't you know it I got a dirty look from the sacker?!? There were 2 bags!! It's not like she has to make several trips to my cart. ugh.
Anyway I got home and my intention was to make fudge today. I had an easy, peasy cheater recipe that I got somewhere, but never having made fudge before I mentioned it to my mother in law and she emailed me the family fudge recipe in return.
Now the thing I love about family recipes is one, they usually really are very good and two, they are hysterical to decipher. Because in all those years of writing it down and rewriting and passing along, someone's shorthand and/or bad memory came in to play and things get confused. So Grammy sends me this recipe and the first ingredient is listed as "3 large Hershey bars (12 oz)".
So I am wondering, does that mean 3 large bars totalling 12 oz or 3 large bars, 12 oz each? I looked in my pantry and just happened to have a Hershey bar the size of my head in there and it was only 8 oz. I am perplexed. I email Grammy and she emails back "The Hershey bar size is the BIG one, maybe 4x8 (I'm guessing)." umm, ok. This perplexes me further because the "normal" big one I see in the store is a 5 oz, but the one in my pantry was a special 1/2 pounder that I have only seen on rare occasions, and such occasion was not today at the local WalMart.
oy vey! ;) So I get her on the phone and we realize that the 12 oz probably went with the second ingredient on the list "2 small bags of chocolate chips". Ok, so we don't know how many ounces we are looking for, but I figure that with the couple of big bars I have on hand I can fudge about a half batch (no pun intended. really).
Another ingredient is "1 large can of evaporated milk". Ok, what does that mean?? Because a normal can is 12 oz and the small cans are 5 oz but sometimes you can procure a "large" can at WalMart - I guess for those huge batches of stuff. So are we talking large large, or medium large? And yet another ingredient, "1 pint of Marshmallow Creme". Huh. 1 jar of marshmallow creme is 7 oz. , and there are 16 oz in a pint, so should I buy 3 jars and estimate 2 ounces??
eed gads!
This is way too much math for my little preggo brain. I halved the recipe and the measurements were not by any means accurate, so I am just praying that it turns out ok. I mean it can't be too bad right??
Another thing I am currently making is Chex Party Mix. I decided to add Cheese-Nips to the recipe. When we were in the store buying them, Kiddo asked me what they were. I said Cheese Nips Crackers. He repeated "yeah Mommy, dats right, Jesus Crackers! Day-er crackers for Jesus!"
:) :) :) Can he get any cuter??
Until,
D :)
In preparation for the holidays I have been trying to accumulate everything I need for all the goodies I am baking. I have gone to the grocery store 3 times now in 3 days, and I am pretty sure I will need to go back again tomorrow or Friday. I should have my own parking space I tell ya!
So today we went yet again and I got lots of supplies (so much for my grocery budget this month!). Kiddo did really well until the sacker pulled him (in the cart) way far away from me in the line. Come on lady, you can't take two steps toward my shopping cart to put the bags in?? He felt himself being drug away and it totally freaked him out. I pulled him back about half way and wouldn't you know it I got a dirty look from the sacker?!? There were 2 bags!! It's not like she has to make several trips to my cart. ugh.
Anyway I got home and my intention was to make fudge today. I had an easy, peasy cheater recipe that I got somewhere, but never having made fudge before I mentioned it to my mother in law and she emailed me the family fudge recipe in return.
Now the thing I love about family recipes is one, they usually really are very good and two, they are hysterical to decipher. Because in all those years of writing it down and rewriting and passing along, someone's shorthand and/or bad memory came in to play and things get confused. So Grammy sends me this recipe and the first ingredient is listed as "3 large Hershey bars (12 oz)".
So I am wondering, does that mean 3 large bars totalling 12 oz or 3 large bars, 12 oz each? I looked in my pantry and just happened to have a Hershey bar the size of my head in there and it was only 8 oz. I am perplexed. I email Grammy and she emails back "The Hershey bar size is the BIG one, maybe 4x8 (I'm guessing)." umm, ok. This perplexes me further because the "normal" big one I see in the store is a 5 oz, but the one in my pantry was a special 1/2 pounder that I have only seen on rare occasions, and such occasion was not today at the local WalMart.
oy vey! ;) So I get her on the phone and we realize that the 12 oz probably went with the second ingredient on the list "2 small bags of chocolate chips". Ok, so we don't know how many ounces we are looking for, but I figure that with the couple of big bars I have on hand I can fudge about a half batch (no pun intended. really).
Another ingredient is "1 large can of evaporated milk". Ok, what does that mean?? Because a normal can is 12 oz and the small cans are 5 oz but sometimes you can procure a "large" can at WalMart - I guess for those huge batches of stuff. So are we talking large large, or medium large? And yet another ingredient, "1 pint of Marshmallow Creme". Huh. 1 jar of marshmallow creme is 7 oz. , and there are 16 oz in a pint, so should I buy 3 jars and estimate 2 ounces??
eed gads!
This is way too much math for my little preggo brain. I halved the recipe and the measurements were not by any means accurate, so I am just praying that it turns out ok. I mean it can't be too bad right??
Another thing I am currently making is Chex Party Mix. I decided to add Cheese-Nips to the recipe. When we were in the store buying them, Kiddo asked me what they were. I said Cheese Nips Crackers. He repeated "yeah Mommy, dats right, Jesus Crackers! Day-er crackers for Jesus!"
:) :) :) Can he get any cuter??
Until,
D :)
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
What Child is This?
The baby got his first experience with hiccups last night. Poor thing - I don't think Kiddo had hiccups in utero until 30+ weeks. I felt so bad for him; you could tell it was a weird experience. He also heard the vacuum when I turned it on yesterday - he jumped and kicked me for a good five minutes while I vacuumed. I guess the ears are developing nicely!
I have been doing a little searching on baby names. I still don't know what we are going to call this poor kid. Kiddo had a couple of suggestions; Port and Keean (key-an). I'm not sure where he got those names, but I thought he was pretty creative. I have a list of my own going, though I have only made it up to the G's. Unfortunately, all the names I really, really like have been used by people I know. It sucks! I realize I could still use them, but we really want something uncommon and cool. Thankfully we still have some time yet.
But of course, even if we pick something, no one will know what it is until the baby is born. I just can't handle everyone's "opinions". ha ha!
My mother may not remember this conversation, but she actually named the Kiddo. When I was about mid pregnancy with him, she (and everyone else) had been bugging me unmercifully about names. One day she had asked me again, and I was so frustrated with the question that I decided to egg her on a bit.
I told her that I had been reading about a certain way of naming a baby where after the baby is born, a spiritual leader divines a name during a ceremony. I told her I thought that would be something we could do, since we were having trouble coming up with a name. She replied exasperated "Oh Dawn, if you do that you'll end up with some horrid name like Kiddo (obviously not his real name)". And that my friends, is how Kiddo got his name. Thank you Nana!
Anyway, this time there will not be discussion of names at all, so don't even ask me. Hubby and I are making a list, checking it twice, and hopefully will have it narrowed down to something we like in time for the baby to be born.
...or we can always just call him Port... ;)
Until,
D :)
I have been doing a little searching on baby names. I still don't know what we are going to call this poor kid. Kiddo had a couple of suggestions; Port and Keean (key-an). I'm not sure where he got those names, but I thought he was pretty creative. I have a list of my own going, though I have only made it up to the G's. Unfortunately, all the names I really, really like have been used by people I know. It sucks! I realize I could still use them, but we really want something uncommon and cool. Thankfully we still have some time yet.
But of course, even if we pick something, no one will know what it is until the baby is born. I just can't handle everyone's "opinions". ha ha!
My mother may not remember this conversation, but she actually named the Kiddo. When I was about mid pregnancy with him, she (and everyone else) had been bugging me unmercifully about names. One day she had asked me again, and I was so frustrated with the question that I decided to egg her on a bit.
I told her that I had been reading about a certain way of naming a baby where after the baby is born, a spiritual leader divines a name during a ceremony. I told her I thought that would be something we could do, since we were having trouble coming up with a name. She replied exasperated "Oh Dawn, if you do that you'll end up with some horrid name like Kiddo (obviously not his real name)". And that my friends, is how Kiddo got his name. Thank you Nana!
Anyway, this time there will not be discussion of names at all, so don't even ask me. Hubby and I are making a list, checking it twice, and hopefully will have it narrowed down to something we like in time for the baby to be born.
...or we can always just call him Port... ;)
Until,
D :)
Monday, December 17, 2007
Frosty The Snowman
I kind of look like Frosty the Snowman these days...
Ah, I just typed out this big ol' post about driving and the kindness of people during the holidays, but frankly I had to delete it because I just realized that it's not really something I care to put down in my "history book" that is this blog. So, instead, I will just tell you some random things that have been going on here.
Kiddo is cracking. us. up. lately. Some of the things he says - holy moly! I don't know where he gets them or how some things are processing in his little head, but he is quite the character at times! He just amazes me every day.
His latest thing though (which is quite annoying) is that he goes around the house singing the theme song from the t.v. show 2 1/2 Men. You know, "manly men, men, men, manly men, men, men, whoo hoo hoo, huh hoo hoo hoo hoo, manly men, men, men, manly men, men ah ha-uh-aaaahhhh". Yeah. And we don't even watch that show very often, but I think he picked it up the very first time he ever heard it. It was cute the first couple of times, but not so much now that we hear it all evening, every evening. Kiddo also sings the Reading Rainbow song at random times. In the car on the way back from the grocery store I was serenaded by that one. ;)
He is doing really well with the potty training. He stays dry most nights, then it seems we will have a set back for a couple of days and then all is well again. Most times he just tries to go too long without relieving himself and then he has an accident. But, things are getting better. He is getting so big and independent. He actually zipped up his own jacket today - and I was just thrilled!
I am really starting to miss the baby in him though. He doesn't like to be read to forever like he used to, and the times I get to cuddle on the couch are long gone. Sometimes I get a cuddle in the morning, but those are rare as well.
And I think part of my problem is I am realizing that I won't have much one on one time left with him. Pretty soon he'll be fighting for my attention and I won't always be able to give it to him. If I think about it too long I get pretty sad about it.
And just when I thought I was failing him musically, he saw this commercial for a Norelco razor or something and at the end they played two tones. He sang them back to me and said "ti, do". :D :D :D He was right! :) :) (I guess I should thank Little Einsteins for that one)
In baby news, I had my appointment today (since Friday was a bust) and all seems to be well. All she did was check the heartbeat and measure my uterus. I am measuring 23 weeks - but she was having trouble getting the measurement (don't ask) so I am not entirely sure she was accurate.
The cold weather has brought on some lovely Braxton Hicks contractions though, so now I have to be sure to keep the belly warm at all times. I didn't have these much when I was pregnant with Kiddo; I certainly didn't have them this early, so they kind of freak me out. But, from what I understand BH are pretty common in subsequent pregnancies so the nurse practitioner I saw today wasn't concerned when I told her. My next visit, in 4 weeks, will be for the dreaded glucose tolerance test. I have to fast the night before and go in first thing in the morning. Then I drink the syrupy drink and wait an hour for the blood draw. The n/p told me that if I absolutely had to, I could eat a protein meal, but they preferred I not eat anything. I am not particularly worried about the food part, it's the lack of coffee that is going to kill me!
I am at the point now that some days I don't even feel pregnant. It is so strange. But, then he will start kicking and rolling or I'll get horrible heartburn and it all comes back to me! lol!
I guess that's about it. My thoughts are too scattered for much else.
Until,
D :)
Ah, I just typed out this big ol' post about driving and the kindness of people during the holidays, but frankly I had to delete it because I just realized that it's not really something I care to put down in my "history book" that is this blog. So, instead, I will just tell you some random things that have been going on here.
Kiddo is cracking. us. up. lately. Some of the things he says - holy moly! I don't know where he gets them or how some things are processing in his little head, but he is quite the character at times! He just amazes me every day.
His latest thing though (which is quite annoying) is that he goes around the house singing the theme song from the t.v. show 2 1/2 Men. You know, "manly men, men, men, manly men, men, men, whoo hoo hoo, huh hoo hoo hoo hoo, manly men, men, men, manly men, men ah ha-uh-aaaahhhh". Yeah. And we don't even watch that show very often, but I think he picked it up the very first time he ever heard it. It was cute the first couple of times, but not so much now that we hear it all evening, every evening. Kiddo also sings the Reading Rainbow song at random times. In the car on the way back from the grocery store I was serenaded by that one. ;)
He is doing really well with the potty training. He stays dry most nights, then it seems we will have a set back for a couple of days and then all is well again. Most times he just tries to go too long without relieving himself and then he has an accident. But, things are getting better. He is getting so big and independent. He actually zipped up his own jacket today - and I was just thrilled!
I am really starting to miss the baby in him though. He doesn't like to be read to forever like he used to, and the times I get to cuddle on the couch are long gone. Sometimes I get a cuddle in the morning, but those are rare as well.
And I think part of my problem is I am realizing that I won't have much one on one time left with him. Pretty soon he'll be fighting for my attention and I won't always be able to give it to him. If I think about it too long I get pretty sad about it.
And just when I thought I was failing him musically, he saw this commercial for a Norelco razor or something and at the end they played two tones. He sang them back to me and said "ti, do". :D :D :D He was right! :) :) (I guess I should thank Little Einsteins for that one)
In baby news, I had my appointment today (since Friday was a bust) and all seems to be well. All she did was check the heartbeat and measure my uterus. I am measuring 23 weeks - but she was having trouble getting the measurement (don't ask) so I am not entirely sure she was accurate.
The cold weather has brought on some lovely Braxton Hicks contractions though, so now I have to be sure to keep the belly warm at all times. I didn't have these much when I was pregnant with Kiddo; I certainly didn't have them this early, so they kind of freak me out. But, from what I understand BH are pretty common in subsequent pregnancies so the nurse practitioner I saw today wasn't concerned when I told her. My next visit, in 4 weeks, will be for the dreaded glucose tolerance test. I have to fast the night before and go in first thing in the morning. Then I drink the syrupy drink and wait an hour for the blood draw. The n/p told me that if I absolutely had to, I could eat a protein meal, but they preferred I not eat anything. I am not particularly worried about the food part, it's the lack of coffee that is going to kill me!
I am at the point now that some days I don't even feel pregnant. It is so strange. But, then he will start kicking and rolling or I'll get horrible heartburn and it all comes back to me! lol!
I guess that's about it. My thoughts are too scattered for much else.
Until,
D :)
Friday, December 14, 2007
Sleep, Baby, Sleep
When you wake up at 4:30 AM, noon feels like 5:00 PM.
Darn dog.
I guess I should be thankful; apparently she scared off someone in the neighbor's yard this morning.
But then she barked every half hour until Hubby and I got up at 7. No one slept. Even Kiddo came wandering in at 6:30 - not really sure why he was up himself. I managed to get him back to bed only to have him wake up at 7 with the rest of us.
I guess it was ok though, because I was needing to get him up anyway for an early ob appointment I had at 8:15. Across town. 45 minutes in early morning traffic. the rest of the gas in my tank. far too early for someone like me to function.
So we get all the way over there, only to walk in to a befuddled receptionist. She twiddled my sign in sticker between her fingers and crinkled her eyebrows. "I don't have you scheduled for a visit today. Are you sure you are supposed to be here? Have you been here before? I mean, besides your last visit, because I don't have you scheduled for anything at all."
#&*%*((*&#&**#*()!!^&*#&#@!!!!!!!!!
You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me.
"Well I was only supposed to see the nurse practitioner." I say.
"Well she only works a half day today and doesn't come in till this afternoon. The earliest we could get you in is Monday." she says.
&$*(^*&#(^(@$*^*(^$&#*(^&(^!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*sigh*
On the way home I bought donuts. I feel much better now.
Until,
D :)
Darn dog.
I guess I should be thankful; apparently she scared off someone in the neighbor's yard this morning.
But then she barked every half hour until Hubby and I got up at 7. No one slept. Even Kiddo came wandering in at 6:30 - not really sure why he was up himself. I managed to get him back to bed only to have him wake up at 7 with the rest of us.
I guess it was ok though, because I was needing to get him up anyway for an early ob appointment I had at 8:15. Across town. 45 minutes in early morning traffic. the rest of the gas in my tank. far too early for someone like me to function.
So we get all the way over there, only to walk in to a befuddled receptionist. She twiddled my sign in sticker between her fingers and crinkled her eyebrows. "I don't have you scheduled for a visit today. Are you sure you are supposed to be here? Have you been here before? I mean, besides your last visit, because I don't have you scheduled for anything at all."
#&*%*((*&#&**#*()!!^&*#&#@!!!!!!!!!
You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me.
"Well I was only supposed to see the nurse practitioner." I say.
"Well she only works a half day today and doesn't come in till this afternoon. The earliest we could get you in is Monday." she says.
&$*(^*&#(^(@$*^*(^$&#*(^&(^!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*sigh*
On the way home I bought donuts. I feel much better now.
Until,
D :)
Sunday, December 09, 2007
She Cries
Ok, so perhaps I shouldn't have said anything. Friday and Saturday morning, the Kiddo crawled into bed with me (like he does every morning), curled up all close and snugly and dozed for 30-45 minutes. I rolled over and looked into his sweet little face, all flush with sleep, and he says to me...
"Mommy, I wet."
uh huh.
So, I guess the novelty wore off sooner than expected. I can say though, that after lots of questions like "You know if you need to go tee-tee in the middle of the night you should get up, right?" and statements such as "If you need to go potty, you go, ok?. We don't want to wake up wet. Mommy is so proud of you when you wake up and are dry." He did actually wake up dry this morning. I am very proud. :)
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
So this morning we made it official. After attending the class and signing all the papers, giving blood and dna samples (ok, I'm kidding about the last two) we are officially members of our church. We were introduced en mass to the second service congregation today and then had to endure the torture that is two very anti social people being placed in a receiving line of sorts so that total strangers can come shake our hands. In all, over 100 people officially joined the church; that is really something to give praise for. It was interesting to see all the different people, young, old, married, single, of all races and backgrounds finding a home in our church.
And I do love that church.
And I really love the music there. I have never been much of a "praise music" person either. I mean, my greatest church music influence was in college. And when you attend the First Baptist Church of most towns you don't get to hear a whole lot of contemporary stuff; especially when the church music director is also the associate chair of the music department at the local university. So for 8 years I was influenced by the old Hymnal tunes, classical pieces and very "old school", traditional teachings. I was surrounded by church music snobs. There just has to be an organ and there has to be a full fledged choir and there can't be rhythm instruments.... well, it wasn't quite that bad, but there were some in the church that thought that way. I remember once one of the choir member's sons wanted to sing a song during a service and play an acoustic guitar. Oh the horror!! The elders all got their undies in a bunch - but they let him perform anyway (at the Sunday evening service) and it was wonderful. And being a classically trained singer with a music degree, the simplicity of most praise music was lost on my overly trained ears. Back then though, I couldn't see past my education to how much praise music reaches people - all kinds of people; and just how powerful that really is. As the years have gone by my heart has been softened to it so much.
The music at our church though is, in my opinion better than just common praise music. The musicians (vocal and instrumental) are truly gifted and most of the music performed is much more complicated than what I had been exposed to after college. It has harmonies and interesting chord progressions and lots and lots of rhythmic variations that interest my inner "music snob". And I love to learn the songs and sing along. Sometimes I make up my own harmonies and I try to envision what it would be like to be able to stand up there and sing. Only a select few get to perform on a regular basis. Rightly so as they are so very talented.
The thing about singing in a church choir all those years is that I was so very involved in Christian music that it really didn't affect me when I sang it. I mean, I got the message and felt the emotion, but it didn't interfere with my vocal ability. I sang all the time - all day at school, after class rehearsals, in between classes for fun, practicing at night, church rehearsals on Wednesday nights and the service on Sunday mornings. Between that and the concerts and just attending music functions all. the. time. it was difficult to really move me; to bring me to tears and break that emotional wall I had built because I was so used to being moved. Does that make sense? I was numb to it really. In a way it was good - it allowed me to perform at a higher level than if I were trying to sing through tears.
But these days the rehearsals and performances have been replaced with "real jobs" and child rearing and I just don't get to sing very often at all. And when I do, it's usually secular music in the car; most of it devoid of emotion and power. Most of it is boiled down to the most basic of marketing appeal and fluff. It is only on the rarest of occasions that music moves me, and usually God has to have a big hand in it.
But when I am in church, oh the music moves me.
It moves me to the point of tears, without fail, every week. The frustration I feel when I can't stop them from coming and the embarrassment of not being able to hit the notes with power and grace overwhelms me. And it makes me want to sing even more.
I must look like a total fool - standing there contorting my face to keep the tears confined within the rims of my eyes; trying to choke back the overflow of whatever it is that is exorcised from me each week. And I think that if I power through it each week, and let my soul be cleansed, eventually I will be able to make it through.
But it isn't getting any easier.
And I don't understand that.
Back in college, the only time I ever got really choked up was maybe at Christmas time. Some years I had a hard time making it through O Holy Night - especially if the choir was particularly good that year. Then sometimes on a rare performance occasion that was truly divine. When the choir made magic. When we performed in a way that we weren't really present; but rather hovering above, watching the performance as if only part of the audience; when the voices took over and the minds were somewhere else entirely. And only then we would choke up afterwards, but not during the actual singing.
I long for an opportunity to perform again. It doesn't have to be grand. It doesn't have to be prestigious or even truly meaningful or high brow or any of that. I just want to sing. I want to be enveloped in music for more than just the 20 minutes it takes to drive to the grocery store. The music at church makes me want to be up on that stage with those chosen few, singing the harmonies I know how to sing and leading the upper registers in a clear voice. But I know right now I could not do it. I can't even make it through one song. No way could I smile and "perform" and raise my hands up to God in praise. I would be too distracted by emotion and all this weirdness that pours fourth from me when I try to do the one thing I've been doing all my life. Why is it so much harder now??
I had thought it was just rusty-ness; not being in it all enough. But that's not it.
When Hubby and I lived in Phoenix, I worked nights and weekends at a wonderful upscale restaurant in Scottsdale. On Friday and Saturday nights I worked as a cocktail waitress in the bar upstairs. And on those nights we had live music. I've mentioned David recently. He is a fantastic musician and a wonderful soul and he is also extremely generous. He would let me sing with him whenever I wanted to, and I did quite often. When it was slow, he and I would practice and then once the patrons filled the bar I would sing a song or two in between slinging drinks.
I loved every. single. minute.
THAT is how I always envisioned my singing career. Sitting on a stool next to a guy on acoustic guitar singing ballads and slow jazz and all my favorite songs. And even though there had been some time between my school music career and singing with David, I never got choked up. It was easy and natural and real and I loved it. Sure, I was nervous. And some nights it was all I could do to sing to an empty room - but I never experienced the emotional car wreck that happens to me each Sunday in church.
What is that?!?
I wish I knew. And I wish I could get over it already and enjoy singing again.
Until,
D :)
"Mommy, I wet."
uh huh.
So, I guess the novelty wore off sooner than expected. I can say though, that after lots of questions like "You know if you need to go tee-tee in the middle of the night you should get up, right?" and statements such as "If you need to go potty, you go, ok?. We don't want to wake up wet. Mommy is so proud of you when you wake up and are dry." He did actually wake up dry this morning. I am very proud. :)
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
So this morning we made it official. After attending the class and signing all the papers, giving blood and dna samples (ok, I'm kidding about the last two) we are officially members of our church. We were introduced en mass to the second service congregation today and then had to endure the torture that is two very anti social people being placed in a receiving line of sorts so that total strangers can come shake our hands. In all, over 100 people officially joined the church; that is really something to give praise for. It was interesting to see all the different people, young, old, married, single, of all races and backgrounds finding a home in our church.
And I do love that church.
And I really love the music there. I have never been much of a "praise music" person either. I mean, my greatest church music influence was in college. And when you attend the First Baptist Church of most towns you don't get to hear a whole lot of contemporary stuff; especially when the church music director is also the associate chair of the music department at the local university. So for 8 years I was influenced by the old Hymnal tunes, classical pieces and very "old school", traditional teachings. I was surrounded by church music snobs. There just has to be an organ and there has to be a full fledged choir and there can't be rhythm instruments.... well, it wasn't quite that bad, but there were some in the church that thought that way. I remember once one of the choir member's sons wanted to sing a song during a service and play an acoustic guitar. Oh the horror!! The elders all got their undies in a bunch - but they let him perform anyway (at the Sunday evening service) and it was wonderful. And being a classically trained singer with a music degree, the simplicity of most praise music was lost on my overly trained ears. Back then though, I couldn't see past my education to how much praise music reaches people - all kinds of people; and just how powerful that really is. As the years have gone by my heart has been softened to it so much.
The music at our church though is, in my opinion better than just common praise music. The musicians (vocal and instrumental) are truly gifted and most of the music performed is much more complicated than what I had been exposed to after college. It has harmonies and interesting chord progressions and lots and lots of rhythmic variations that interest my inner "music snob". And I love to learn the songs and sing along. Sometimes I make up my own harmonies and I try to envision what it would be like to be able to stand up there and sing. Only a select few get to perform on a regular basis. Rightly so as they are so very talented.
The thing about singing in a church choir all those years is that I was so very involved in Christian music that it really didn't affect me when I sang it. I mean, I got the message and felt the emotion, but it didn't interfere with my vocal ability. I sang all the time - all day at school, after class rehearsals, in between classes for fun, practicing at night, church rehearsals on Wednesday nights and the service on Sunday mornings. Between that and the concerts and just attending music functions all. the. time. it was difficult to really move me; to bring me to tears and break that emotional wall I had built because I was so used to being moved. Does that make sense? I was numb to it really. In a way it was good - it allowed me to perform at a higher level than if I were trying to sing through tears.
But these days the rehearsals and performances have been replaced with "real jobs" and child rearing and I just don't get to sing very often at all. And when I do, it's usually secular music in the car; most of it devoid of emotion and power. Most of it is boiled down to the most basic of marketing appeal and fluff. It is only on the rarest of occasions that music moves me, and usually God has to have a big hand in it.
But when I am in church, oh the music moves me.
It moves me to the point of tears, without fail, every week. The frustration I feel when I can't stop them from coming and the embarrassment of not being able to hit the notes with power and grace overwhelms me. And it makes me want to sing even more.
I must look like a total fool - standing there contorting my face to keep the tears confined within the rims of my eyes; trying to choke back the overflow of whatever it is that is exorcised from me each week. And I think that if I power through it each week, and let my soul be cleansed, eventually I will be able to make it through.
But it isn't getting any easier.
And I don't understand that.
Back in college, the only time I ever got really choked up was maybe at Christmas time. Some years I had a hard time making it through O Holy Night - especially if the choir was particularly good that year. Then sometimes on a rare performance occasion that was truly divine. When the choir made magic. When we performed in a way that we weren't really present; but rather hovering above, watching the performance as if only part of the audience; when the voices took over and the minds were somewhere else entirely. And only then we would choke up afterwards, but not during the actual singing.
I long for an opportunity to perform again. It doesn't have to be grand. It doesn't have to be prestigious or even truly meaningful or high brow or any of that. I just want to sing. I want to be enveloped in music for more than just the 20 minutes it takes to drive to the grocery store. The music at church makes me want to be up on that stage with those chosen few, singing the harmonies I know how to sing and leading the upper registers in a clear voice. But I know right now I could not do it. I can't even make it through one song. No way could I smile and "perform" and raise my hands up to God in praise. I would be too distracted by emotion and all this weirdness that pours fourth from me when I try to do the one thing I've been doing all my life. Why is it so much harder now??
I had thought it was just rusty-ness; not being in it all enough. But that's not it.
When Hubby and I lived in Phoenix, I worked nights and weekends at a wonderful upscale restaurant in Scottsdale. On Friday and Saturday nights I worked as a cocktail waitress in the bar upstairs. And on those nights we had live music. I've mentioned David recently. He is a fantastic musician and a wonderful soul and he is also extremely generous. He would let me sing with him whenever I wanted to, and I did quite often. When it was slow, he and I would practice and then once the patrons filled the bar I would sing a song or two in between slinging drinks.
I loved every. single. minute.
THAT is how I always envisioned my singing career. Sitting on a stool next to a guy on acoustic guitar singing ballads and slow jazz and all my favorite songs. And even though there had been some time between my school music career and singing with David, I never got choked up. It was easy and natural and real and I loved it. Sure, I was nervous. And some nights it was all I could do to sing to an empty room - but I never experienced the emotional car wreck that happens to me each Sunday in church.
What is that?!?
I wish I knew. And I wish I could get over it already and enjoy singing again.
Until,
D :)
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Silver and Gold
Oh yes, and in talking about Kiddo and potty training and all that jazz, I forgot to mention one thing.
When we were on our way home after Thanksgiving, one of our many stops was at a small town Dairy Queen for a Kiddo potty break. I hustled him inside, braving the cold rain only to find that the women's facilities were out of order. After a few seconds of hesitation, I hauled him back out to the car and told Hubby he was going to have to take him in (not something Hubby likes to do - are men's restrooms really that bad??). So they went in and did their business and in the process Kiddo got to see Hubby using a urinal for the first time. Apparently he was fascinated.
And ever since he has insisted on peeing standing up.
yup.
I was hoping I wouldn't have to clean up that kind of mess for a while yet.
But, much to my surprise, Kiddo is pretty good at aiming, and Daddy even taught him to wipe the rim with toilet paper after every pee. Yay Daddy!! I wouldn't have even thought to do that! :)
So that's it I guess.
Oh yes, I do have one more thing...
22 weeks. :)
Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Hee hee!
So November ends and I fall off the planet! Is that how it works?? Sorry folks, that was not my intention, but you know how life kinda gets in the way?? Well, yeah.
"Oh Come Let Us Adore Him..."
So lots of things have been going on here in the house of Fry. The Kiddo has made some awesome strides into boy-hood and I am so proud of him. He is officially now off of the Lactose free milk! We started the weaning process a little before Thanksgiving. While we were visiting the family, my mom had pre-purchased some lactose free milk so Kiddo drank that like a good little guest. Back at home though, we went back to regular ol' 2% lactose milk and haven't looked back. He seems to be tolerating it just fine, thank goodness. My grocery budget has been transformed! Steak for everybody!!!
Ok, so I get excited about little things, but saving $15-20 a month by not having to buy special milk is sooooo cool!
"Oh Come Let Us Adore Him..."
And the biggest news yet, Mr. Kiddo is officially diaper free!!! Can I get an AMEN!?! Last week we were having some pretty significant accidents during the day. In the heat of frustration (on my knees for the second time that day cleaning up a completely soaked floor and Kiddo) I asked Kiddo if I needed to put him back in "baby diapers". Of course, being the big boy that he is, he violently protested and vowed to not have any more accidents. I guess what I said took a few days to marinate in his little brain because a few nights later I was putting on his pull up before bed and he asked me in the most pitiful voice if he was a baby again. AWWWW!! I felt so bad! He thought I was punishing him by putting on the diaper - and I couldn't get him to understand that the pull up was for big boys so we decided right then and there to go cold turkey. He has been in underwear at night for 4 nights now and there have been no accidents!! Yippie!!
I do realize that the novelty will wear off soon and I will be changing pee soaked sheets in the middle of the night a few times but for right now I am celebrating, ok?
Actually he is really good about getting up in the middle of the night if he needs to go. Of course he runs in our room loudly announcing that he needs to go, but what's a night if there isn't a kid waking me about something, right?
Speaking of children waking me, why does my unborn babe choose to practice tap dancing at 3:00 in the morning???
"Oh Come Let Us Adore Him!..."
In sad Kiddo news, the holidays have officially spoiled my child rotten. Advertisers have successfully bored into his brain and reprogrammed him to be the most obnoxious, greedy child on earth. I think we may need to sign him up for toy ad detox when all this is done. We cannot go into ANY store right now without him begging, pleading, protesting loudly until we peruse the toy section (even at the grocery store for crying out loud!). And heaven forbid I don't purchase a newly released Cars diecast car for him to take home. Dang Disney! They keep releasing new Cars cars and my kid is about to drive me insane! He now has at least 6 different versions of Lightning McQueen and still wants the couple he doesn't have. (no worries, the little stinker will most likely get the rest of them in his stocking)
Today at Target I declared "no more!" and refused to even go to the toy section. Oh the tantrum that ensued. Oh the kicking! Oh the screaming! Oh the looks from strangers! What is it about Target that brings out his inner beast?!? We got out to the parking lot and he refused to get out of the shopping cart. I would lift him up and he would just go limp, locking his feet in the little leg holes in the seat. I finally, in all my pregnant glory, had to yank him out as quickly as I could so he couldn't get a foot hold. In the process he whacked my sunglasses with his head and of course screamed and cried some more. I put him in the car seat kicking and punching and he screamed the whole way home. I pulled in the driveway, put the car in park, turned and looked back at him. And I kid you not, he looked at me, closed his eyes and went to sleep! Turkey.
So as a reward for being such an awesome Mommy today I am sitting here doing one of my favorite things (blogging) and stuffing my face with mint chocolate M&Ms.
Happy holidays!
Until,
D :)
So November ends and I fall off the planet! Is that how it works?? Sorry folks, that was not my intention, but you know how life kinda gets in the way?? Well, yeah.
"Oh Come Let Us Adore Him..."
So lots of things have been going on here in the house of Fry. The Kiddo has made some awesome strides into boy-hood and I am so proud of him. He is officially now off of the Lactose free milk! We started the weaning process a little before Thanksgiving. While we were visiting the family, my mom had pre-purchased some lactose free milk so Kiddo drank that like a good little guest. Back at home though, we went back to regular ol' 2% lactose milk and haven't looked back. He seems to be tolerating it just fine, thank goodness. My grocery budget has been transformed! Steak for everybody!!!
Ok, so I get excited about little things, but saving $15-20 a month by not having to buy special milk is sooooo cool!
"Oh Come Let Us Adore Him..."
And the biggest news yet, Mr. Kiddo is officially diaper free!!! Can I get an AMEN!?! Last week we were having some pretty significant accidents during the day. In the heat of frustration (on my knees for the second time that day cleaning up a completely soaked floor and Kiddo) I asked Kiddo if I needed to put him back in "baby diapers". Of course, being the big boy that he is, he violently protested and vowed to not have any more accidents. I guess what I said took a few days to marinate in his little brain because a few nights later I was putting on his pull up before bed and he asked me in the most pitiful voice if he was a baby again. AWWWW!! I felt so bad! He thought I was punishing him by putting on the diaper - and I couldn't get him to understand that the pull up was for big boys so we decided right then and there to go cold turkey. He has been in underwear at night for 4 nights now and there have been no accidents!! Yippie!!
I do realize that the novelty will wear off soon and I will be changing pee soaked sheets in the middle of the night a few times but for right now I am celebrating, ok?
Actually he is really good about getting up in the middle of the night if he needs to go. Of course he runs in our room loudly announcing that he needs to go, but what's a night if there isn't a kid waking me about something, right?
Speaking of children waking me, why does my unborn babe choose to practice tap dancing at 3:00 in the morning???
"Oh Come Let Us Adore Him!..."
In sad Kiddo news, the holidays have officially spoiled my child rotten. Advertisers have successfully bored into his brain and reprogrammed him to be the most obnoxious, greedy child on earth. I think we may need to sign him up for toy ad detox when all this is done. We cannot go into ANY store right now without him begging, pleading, protesting loudly until we peruse the toy section (even at the grocery store for crying out loud!). And heaven forbid I don't purchase a newly released Cars diecast car for him to take home. Dang Disney! They keep releasing new Cars cars and my kid is about to drive me insane! He now has at least 6 different versions of Lightning McQueen and still wants the couple he doesn't have. (no worries, the little stinker will most likely get the rest of them in his stocking)
Today at Target I declared "no more!" and refused to even go to the toy section. Oh the tantrum that ensued. Oh the kicking! Oh the screaming! Oh the looks from strangers! What is it about Target that brings out his inner beast?!? We got out to the parking lot and he refused to get out of the shopping cart. I would lift him up and he would just go limp, locking his feet in the little leg holes in the seat. I finally, in all my pregnant glory, had to yank him out as quickly as I could so he couldn't get a foot hold. In the process he whacked my sunglasses with his head and of course screamed and cried some more. I put him in the car seat kicking and punching and he screamed the whole way home. I pulled in the driveway, put the car in park, turned and looked back at him. And I kid you not, he looked at me, closed his eyes and went to sleep! Turkey.
So as a reward for being such an awesome Mommy today I am sitting here doing one of my favorite things (blogging) and stuffing my face with mint chocolate M&Ms.
Happy holidays!
Until,
D :)
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