Balloon

I'm one of those semi-neurotic mothers that won't let my child have things like balloons, because they are a possible choking hazard. Well, I had to relent on Friday. My wonderful co-workers through me a surprise babyshower, and with one of my gifts was a helium balloon attached. As soon as we got home, Mike gave the pink balloon, to LB. He was hysterical! The squeals and peals of laughter that came out of him had both of us in stiches.

Mike took a few pictures of them playing.

Week 37

No change at all. She is ready, in position, and I'm having mild contractions, but I'm not effacing or dialating. As with my son, I'm afraid, my soon-to-be daughter will wait for her offical eviction notice on the 11th. I'm ready. I'm done. I'm an emotional basketcase and am having a tough time getting through work this week. There was a major emotional crisis, where I was prepared to be verbally attacked, yet I wasn't, so there was all this emotional let down and tears, that normally I would have been able to keep in check had I not been pregnant. Needless to say, without delving into details, crisis averted, if not solved. Now I just need to get through tomorrow, the weekend, Wednesday for sure (tubes day!), and Friday the 4th will be my last day. Woohoo. I need the rest. I need to nest. I need some peace and quiet for a few hours.

Spring planting

We finally are having the kind of weather you can plant in. Mike FINALLY got to plant some tomato seedlings in my Earth Box that I got last year for Mother's Day from my Dad. I got one for Mike this year for Christmas so he can plant some other vegetables. If you don't have a real yard for a garden, these Earth Boxes (http://www.earthbox.com/) are fantastic. Self contained, no need to weed or fertilize. It is idiot proof for people like me who have brown thumbs!

LB really enjoyed helping his Daddy plant the tomatoes. Tomorrow, it's peppers, herbs and flowers. I'll be making tons of gazpacho this summer to help get off the baby weight!

Grandpa & Grandma L are here

What a nice weekend we've been having. My Dad and L. have been visiting and having a great time with LB. He has really taken to spending time with the two of them. My Dad has been helping Mike with projects around the house and L., BLESS HER, has been cleaning my filthy house, since I have absolutely NO engery to do it!

Dad and Mike got the sandbox cleaned out and refilled for LB to use. He was having the best time playing yesterday.

Handyman in training

LB was helping Daddy the other day with some child proofing projects in his soon-to-be room.

Too cute!

Things you might not know, but now you do

My oldest and dearest friend in the world posted this on her Blog and challenged her friends to fill out their own. Well Marisa, I did it!

Four things about me you may not have known, in eight categories.

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:

• Cashier at the Piggly Wiggly! Woohoo...
• Babysitter/nanny of the year
• Sold Tickets to Ft. Sumter
• Waited tables on a Dinner Cruise

B) Four places I have lived:

• Rochester, NY
• Summered in MI for 5 years
• Charleston, SC
• Old Town Alexandria, VA

C) Four TV SHOWS I love to Watch:

• Grey's Anatomy
• Lost
• The Office--most hilarious show on TV right now
• Desperate Housewives

D) Four places I have been on vacation

• Cancun, Mexico
• St. Thomas
• Bahamas
• Several Ports in Canada, reachable by boat on Lake Ontario

E) Four foods I like:

• Where to start? Seafood--cooked anyway
• Berries-especially with Lemon Curd--yum!
• Steak, grilled to mooing perfection
• pasta, potatoes, anything I'm NOT supposed to have while having Gestational Diabetes!

F) Four places where I would rather be right now:

• The Beach-where it is warm
• Asleep without any heartburn or reflux
• At a spa
• Visiting Old Friends who are WAY too far away!

G) Four Hobbies or Games I enjoy:

• Reading, when I have time
• Needle point, when I have time and energy
• Cooking, when it doesn't hurt my body to stand for long periods of time
• Reading with my son, anytime!

H) Top four moments of my life:

• Moving away from my family to the DC area
• Meeting Mike
• Having my son
• My pending daughter!

I) Four friends I think will respond

• HHHmmmmmm.. not sure???
• No one?
• Maybe a few?
• Hopefully someone who has a few minutes!

Now, here's what you're supposed to do... and please do not spoil the fun. Copy, delete my answers and type in your answers. Then post on your blog (if you have one).

Saturday Morning Exercises

Luckily Mike and LB like to dance off a big breakfast when they can. Who knew Seasame Street was so great to dance too?

Making messes

Mike got quite the kick out of LB throwing the Easter grass out of his basket this week. Unfortunatly, since I feel so large and uncomfortable, I have no sense of humor, otherwise I might have actually laughed.

Easter Pictures

I hadn't had time this week to post pictures from Easter morning. LB really loved his bubble blower!

Update

I was able to get in yesterday afternoon for a sonogram. It turns out Fetal Bear is only 6.2lbs right now. Which means she is right on schedule. But as we all know, those who have gone this route with me before, I have big babies. She could still be 8-9 lbs when she is delievered on the 11th. That is of course, unless she decides not to wait until her scheduled time. I've already had contractions, braxton hicks, not labor. I didn't ever notice them with LB. She has also moved herself sideways again, which why I'm absolutely MISERABLE! She just needs to stay put until May the 2nd. She can come that night, if she wants, just not any earlier!!

Week 35

Well, apparently I am going to have another horse. At my doctor's appointment yesterday, after they measured me, the doctor informed me that I am measuring at 39 weeks instead of 35 weeks. They want me to have another sonogram. I'm currently waiting for the office to call me back and let me know what time/day I can get in. Lovely. I wonder if this means they will take her even earlier? All I know is that I am extremely uncomfortable and she is sitting low. Someone make a decision soon!?!?!?!?!?!?

Easter Eggs

For the first time as a family, we dyed Easter eggs today. LB wore his bunny ears he made at school on Friday when they had an egg hunt.

So cute!

Look what we awoke to....

SNOW!

I thought it was over. I wanted it to be over. Thank God it has all about melted by lunch.

New Link

I found this link to another blog on another blog I like to frequent, Boobs, Injuries, and Dr. Pepper. This women cracks me up. If you get the chance to read her stuff, please do. I found myself laughing out loud with tears in my eyes!

Week 34

Here is a belly shot... LB had just kissed the baby as he does on a daily basis. After several attempts to get a picture of this, we just gave up. I wish our camera was a bit faster!

Daddy & Little Bear

They were just too cute tonight, curled up on the couch watching the Crack Monster.

Who knew...

That boxes made such lovely hats!

First Haircut

Little Bear was starting to look a little shaggy around the edges, so we took him this evening for his very first haircut. I was so surprised by how well he actually did. He sat in the seat and watched the cartoons and didn't even budge! Of course bad mommy that I am, did not have the camera available. Poor planning on my part I know. Here are some before and after shots of his hair. I actually teared up. He isn't my baby anymore. He really looks like a boy now!

Spring Break!

Woohoo.. remember as a kid, when the next best thing to Christmas break was spring break? There was usually a trip, maybe to someplace warm or fun? Well, I get to spend my spring break this year with a sick toddler. That pesky ear infection has come back, BUT on a happier note, it also means my ENT has FINALLY agreed to tubes. LB is having surgery on May 2. I've gotten to be good friends with the scheduler, who agreed that I don't need to have a sick toddler and a newborn at the same time. Bless her! Keep your fingers crossed for me that nothing turns up between now and then.

Eviction Date

Fetal Bear has recieved her notice. On Friday May 11, she will be forced from her warm, snug home, and join the rest of us! That gives me about 6 weeks to get Little Bear ready for her arrival. I just can't wait to meet her!

Book Clubs

Once upon a time ago, I used to belong to a book club. That's when I wasn't married with a family. Occasionally I really miss being involved with one. Especially when I've just finished a really amazing book, or have found an author that I think is incredible. Such is the case now... I recently just finished The Tenth Circle, by Jodi Picoult. Has anyone else read this book? It was so intense. It makes me glad that I'm not a teenager any longer, but at the same time, scares me to death that in a few years my own children will be teens. I purchased her new book, Nineteen Minutes, when Nana and I made our Costco run 2 weekends ago. I don't have the time/energy to devote to reading as I did whenI was kidless, but it is also holding my attention and scaring the crap out of me again. I do miss the Rubber Duck Book Club. I guess I either need to form a new one, that works around working mothers schedules or find a club that does.
Any takers?

Been Caught Reading!

I haven't been as diligent downloading and posting pictures as I would like. I was busy doing laundry and caught him in his room two weekends ago. I'm so glad my kiddo likes a good book!

Bath Time

LB has decided that he likes to help wash his hair during our nightly bath. He's actually gotten quite good at it.

He also likes to give his Bath Time Elmo a good scrubbing too!

Revision

Ok, maybe he's not as excited about school as I orginally thought. We pulled into Target this morning, and he squealed "Yeah! Scool!"
I guess he just likes getting to where he's going.

#1 Reason I stopped feeling gulity.......

about sending my kid to daycare. For the past week, whenever we pull onto campus, he squeals "Scoool", claps his hands, and yells "Yeah!" He can be so darn cute.

Realization

If you don't count spring break, which is in less than two weeks, I only have 5 1/2 weeks of work left before I start my maternity leave. Halleluiah!!! I might actually be able to enjoy my students more if I remember that one little detail.

Nana's Visit

We had a lovely weekend with Nana. We got to show her all kind of neat things that we routinely do. We showed her Little Bear's new bed and new Elmo bedding.

We even showed Nana how we use the potty. Of course, LB also now likes to stick his face and hands in it, to make sure that it in deed came out of his body!

We also went shopping and Nana got to meet Daddy for the first time! Every time Nana has been to visit, Daddy has been on travel.

Nana will be back in May to help out when Fetal Bear arrives. We had so much fun with her here. Grandma arrives next weekend and then Grandpa and Grandma L will be here in mid April. We've got quite a busy few weeks ahead of us.

Week 30

Apparently I have 69 days to go until Fetal Bear's due date. I'm ready now. Well, almost. We still have a TON of things to do around here, but I'm ready for her to be here and see how much our lives are going to change upon her arrival. She sits a lot lower then Little Bear did and is putting tremendous pressure on my back and hips. I've decided that my last day of work will be May 5th. That is, unless FB makes an earlier appearance. I'm not the nicest person to be around these days and the idea that the end is in sight is actually helping me to be nicer. Go figure!!! On a "sweeter" note, my sugars have been fantastic, if only because I'd already been following the DIABETIC DIET since I found out I was pregnant! Let's hope it's enough to keep her from becoming the size of a horse!

Ode to Sugar

Sugar and carbs,

oh how I will miss you.

No longer in my diet

Are you premitted.

Damn the Glucose Test!

No more potatoes,

rice,

pasta,

bread.

Thank God for Splenda.

(Yes, this means I failed my 3 hour Test. I am so pissed at myself. I actually did really try this time. I haven't gained the same amount of weight. Now this means I HAVE to cook every night of the week. No ordering out. This sucks!)

Just a few pictures...

Just a few updated photos... LB feeding our favorite adoptive dog Emma. She happens to love coming over to our house during meal times.. I wonder why?????

LB hugging his Melmo.

And of course, pretending to use our new potty. He actually sat on it yesterday, fully dressed and shut the door on us for privacy. Mike and I laughed so hard, I about wet my pants.. and that's easy to do these days!

New Dance

Little Bear learned a new dance last night. The "I went Pee Pee on the Potty" Dance!! We bought him his own potty last weekend, and last night for the first time, he peed in it! Wouldn't that be nice to get him toliet trained BEFORE the baby comes? To have only ONE in diapers!!!
Wishful thinking I know, but one can have hope!