New Polls

I posted the new polls and M.D. thinks maybe I should have an 'other' option for gender or a gender identity poll as well. He loves to tease me.

Sunday

I decided I am going to leave the polls up for a while so I can remember how they ended up.
I am going to post a new poll or two tonight as well. There are a few more items ya'll can weigh in on.
Today I was pretty productive. I am still in my pjs but I took all the decorations off the tree, did a couple loads of laundry, put together a puzzle, dressed some Barbies, and read my book. I am reading a nice story about a women traveling in Oklahoma territory as a seamstress. There is a side story about her love life that is getting a bit old but I am almost done with the book. It is called, 'Prairie Bouquet' by Jeanne Williams. I got it for Xmas.
It was also a pretty quiet day as far as the body is concerned. I did aggravate my muscles in my right leg by stepping too wide over something so that has made for some interesting walking today but I am no longer surprised by shooting pain in any part of my body. I hope it will be gone soon. Pain isn't fun. :)

Thanks again to everyone for all your supportive words and listening to me gripe. I like having this outlet and look forward to posting some cutie pie pictures soon.

I made it through another day. This morning I was sure I was going to give birth at Target but then I calmed down and convinced myself that everything was okay and the pain went away.
I was chatting with my Mom tonight and I wondered aloud what my co-workers must think about me and all my prego talk. I said I am sure they are getting excited for me to be gone so a new topic can come along. Truthfully, I am getting tired of the whole thing myself. :)
I just can't believe that everyday this week is the last day I will only have one child. The last Saturday night I can stay up as late as I want to because I don't have to get up in the morning for anything. Whoa. This is depressing. Let's stay positive. This is the last pregnancy I will have to go through. Let's see if I can do better than that. Nope... Not coming up with anything. Oh well.

So keep us in your thoughts this week as we get closer to welcoming sleep deprivation into our lives.

1 week

1 week.

It is crazy that I know the day (hopefully) that I am going to meet this new little person. A group of us were discussing the pros/cons of induction and for me the pros really outweigh the cons. There are certain things that I don't know about this child - the big one being gender - but with B. at home and with the weather, I just feel much more relaxed knowing B. is taken care of. Someone else in the group said, "After having to go to the hospital unexpectedly, I would prefer to know when I am going!" I agree.

So we are a go for the 3rd of January. No more doctor's appointments.
Depending on who gets to the computer first and when access is available, someone will send out pictures and an announcement. I am not promising anything though. Births tend to be a bit unpredictable. :)

Thank you for all your input on the girl's name - M.D. and I haven't discussed it any further so I can't say what we have settled on. I did learn that Maren is a family name and I don't think we have any Solveig's - so that is one point in Maren's favor. Who knows. Maybe if a girl shows up she won't look like a Solveig or Maren - maybe she will look like an Ernestine. Who knows.

Stay tuned and we will fill you in as soon as we know.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and are looking forward to an exciting 2008!
I am!

Keeping Traditions Alive

B. and I had fun tonight with the first round of the sugar cookie making.
I measured and she dumped, so it worked out pretty well.
I didn't get any pictures of her eating the flour or getting the flour mixture out of the bowl with the big measuring spoon - which were both record-worthy - but I did get a picture of her and Papa posing.

So tomorrow we will roll out the cookies, press in the cutters, and frost them.

Good Idea Ms P

A New Poll has been added.
Unfortunately it is anonymous so I can't verify the winner but I can post the winning date (at some point).

Good luck!

Baby Update

So today my midwife said 'Well, I hope you don't go into labor and have that baby before the first of the year.' Cricket... cricket.... cricket.....
I think she just jinxed me.
I haven't progressed at all in a week but the baby has dropped which I guess in her mind could mean I could 'go' anytime. So I am packing my hospital bag tonight and will probably put it in my car. That way if I do go into labor at work I don't have to stop at home.

Just feeding the fire for those of you who don't think this baby is going to wait for 2 weeks.
(2 weeks!!!)

Christmas Cards

We received a really nice Christmas picture from one of my college friends but no letter inside.
Does that frustrate you?
I haven't seen her in years and I would love to hear how she is doing but I guess not right now. I think on my correspondence this holiday season (which is going to be a little late and include a birth announcement) - I will put down my e-mail address just in case someone wants to correspond more frequently. Maybe I have high expectations.

Baby and I are doing well. I think she/he is laying all tucked into the space of my pelvis because walking is getting really interesting. I am still on track for a January 3rd induction. I love watching and listening to my co-workers. Most are sure that I am going to go earlier than the 3rd and some wonder if I will go into labor at work. Wouldn't THAT be a riot. not.

We are still fluctuating about our girl name. Solveig has been our first choice but I am not totally sold on it. Maren is another choice I have thrown out there. I am going to start a poll and see if any of you feel differently. If you have any serious suggestions for us to entertain - let me know. We need help with the middle name too.

Xmas thoughts

My parents and my sister's family were here this weekend to celebrate our Xmas' together.

It was good.

The food was excellent. We used our china and nice silverware, and my mom did dishes for me which may seem like a small thing but it isn't for me. Its those little things that people do for you that are special. Thanks Mom!

B. loved to open her presents and was very willing to help the rest of us. It was very cute because we were arranged in a semi-circle in the living room in front of the fireplace and she would pull her rocking chair to each person and help each of us open our presents. The other fun part to her present opening was her excitement with each present that she opened and then how easily she moved on. We did open a few things on the spot which was fun too.

One side note: I had told my mom that I didn't want to do stockings this morning after an evening of present opening - but as I woke up this morning - I was a little disappointed that I had made that decision. I was a bit surprised by that realization. I am not the traditionalist - that is my sister but maybe I do need a bit of that holiday routine too.

So now I probably won't see my family until my baby is here in the world. 19 days and counting.

Kid + Knowledge = Gray Hair

Oh my three year old is giving me and my husband lots of gray hair in the mornings. She is a pretty vocal 3 year old and she knows what she knows and she knows what she likes.

She loves anything with a princess theme (obviously she gets that from my husband). She likes most things that Mom likes. Grease 2 soundtrack - I know I may be the only one out there that likes that... She loves Nuzzle.

She doesn't like Elmo on her underwear or as we found out yesterday morning - Jasmine either. She doesn't like to wear clothing that isn't her favorite color. She doesn't like her hair brushed in the morning.

Whoever coined the phrase 'terrible twos' OBVIOUSLY hadn't made it into the 3's yet. And I am NOT looking forward to the 4's.

To be completely fair - she does make me laugh on a daily basis. So MD & I just need to learn how to get her up in the morning and out the door without crying. It may take a while.

Hormones

Hormones seem to be taking over my life.

I think combined with the anxiety I am feeling about the birth of this baby, Christmas, and being ready to be off work for a bit of time - I may not be very stable over the next couple of weeks.

Last Friday, my family and I put up the Xmas tree and decorated it. B. wanted to get right in there and put up ornaments - so I let her do quite a few. She asked if she could take them off the tree after putting them on so we had to talk about that. We also talked about putting them up high enough so the cats couldn't knock them down. She also loves that she can turn the tree lights on and off. Pretty exciting stuff for a three-year old.

Mouse

My protector caught the mouse with his gloved hands yesterday. So we are sans mouse again. It is a messy business when pests are in the house. Telling friends about our mouse solicited many stories and mostly we agreed that killing small, furry things is not fun.

I am so done with this pregnancy. I am so done with the 'small talk' of pregnancy with people I don't know. I need to have a game plan. I guess I should stop trying to be truthful - because it doesn't matter - and just give them a line.

25 days and counting. Then everyone can ohh and ahh over a cutie-pie baby and I can once again fade into the background.

'City Cats'

Okay.
So Oliver has been staring under our stove all night. I figured it was a centipede because we have those on occasion. So my husband decides it is time to clean under the stove tonight.

Fast forward to me coming back up the stairs from the basement and seeing the culprit.

Mouse. Cute, gray, little mouse.

Um HUSBAND!!! PROTECTOR OF ME!!!

So as I am standing there unable to move because the mouse might get me (?) the cats walk right past the damn thing and don't even see it. Sophie - who I thought was the mouser - sat on the same damn step with the thing for 20 seconds and didn't notice it.

Cats - KILL!
Isn't that what they do?
We must have city cats.

Now the mouse is in the basement and husband seems to think it can get back up. ugh.

Stay tuned to all the fun at our house.

Mixing Business with Family

Can you be in a successful business relationship with extended family?
My take is that you can't. I think it is too stressful for most people.

A situation in my life has come about that has dropped us into a 'business' relationship with family and I think it is going to be messy. I wish I could make it work the way I want it to (and I am sure the other party does too!!!).

So how does it get resolved and family stay together?

I guess I will have to wait and see.

Snow. Ugh.

So I am not ready for the snow. Being 8 months preggers and trying to wear snow boots and move a three year old into the car is not fun or easy. I guess I have to be thankful that the snow didn't come earlier.

I am getting ready for Christmas to be here. We are planning to decorate this week and I would like to make Christmas cookies as well. Today is pretty much shot but some of the evenings this week are free.

We also decided this weekend that we are in fact going to knit some Christmas presents. I always hope when I give a knitted gift that it is appreciated. I always want to put a little note in with the gift saying how much materials cost and how much time went into the making of the item. Oh well - I guess if they don't like it - that's their problem. :)

Responsibilities

I just pre-registered for my hospital stay and filled out my Health Care Directive.
'Do you want to donate your organs?' 'Do you want to be buried or cremated?'
All sorts of fun questions like that.

Organ donation seems like such a no brainer for me.
Is it for everyone? Or do some people sit on the fence about this one?
Why wouldn't I give to someone else what I plan to burn into ash?
Not that I would judge anyone's decision because I can't begin to understand most people.

+++++++

In other news, my daughter has come up with some really funny quotables this week.
I thought while I am thinking about it, I should record them somewhere.

(Imagine a cute three yr old with arms akimbo)
'Dad! Now you've made me angry too!! Look at my eyebrows!'

(Imagine a look of disbelief with a wrinkled nose)
'He's your husband. You remember him - right?'

(Imagine hearing this when the little sweetie is supposed to be asleep.)
'Don't leave! I want to marry you!'

And, finally...
'But I don't want a brudder! I want a sister!'

Bored.

Today, I was tired of my routine.
I was bored. It has been a long time since I felt this way.
I wonder if it is a product of being very pregnant.

Baby has been very active. Sometimes to the point of being ouchy.
Right now I am getting kicked below the belly button.
B. was never this active. Makes me wonder if it is just a product of being number two or something else.

Tired too.
Who wants to have a three year old stay with them for a bit?
I could really use a break.
A Spa sounds nice.

Rambling...

NEXT!

Thanksgiving is over.

Now we have to get serious about Christmas.
We have a few presents to purchase and make in the next two to four weeks.

Little A is getting pretty big. I hope I can keep mobile without having lots of pain.
I really do have to slow down and I tell you it is hard to do when you HAVE to.

We had a good time with the In-laws. They are a fun group but that many people in one house does tend to be a little overwhelming at times. :)

Happy Thanksgiving

I have decided that Thanksgiving is better when you are 8 months pregnant. I was able to eat the meal today plus two pieces of lefse and a piece of pumpkin pie. Yum.

You know... Thanksgiving is the better holiday. It is a great meal with family but without all the presents and tree and decorations. Plus I always get a 4 day holiday. Christmas is always a bust for that reason. Although as the kids get older we will be forced to take the entire week for Christmas and that will be nice as well - I guess. :)

D-Day

After my appointment on Monday, D-Day no longer exists as an absolute for me. My midwife and I discussed inducing me earlier so we could make sure she could be there among other reasons.

I think I would like to do it. But while part of me thinks 'yeah, no brainer', the other part thinks 'you are cheating!'. I think the cheating part is just feeling like people are going to judge my decision as selfish. Ah, I worry about what other people are going to say too much. Who cares - really. I am not going to live my life that way.

________________________________________________________________

So on this day before Thanksgiving, I am reflecting on what I am thankful for. Healthy, loving, and supportive family, stable life, and good friends. Plus other things like good food, cars that work, awesome daycare. Lots of stuff when you get right down to it.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Did you listen to the news today?

I am so tired of the news today. Maybe tomorrow will be different but if I have to hear one more story about crime against kids, sub-prime mortgages, or Iraq - I think I will start screaming uncontrollably.

It's too bad that there isn't more interest in the 'good' news and I am not talking about religion. I am talking about things like break-throughs in medicine, people helping others, and what events you can attend in the Metro area for free this week.

Just some ideas.






Photographer - Sergeant Rob Summit

You have to start somewhere...

I thought I would start this blog so family and friends can 'play catch-up' with us.

This photo pretty much sums up our life right now. It is mostly about a little girl that amazes us daily and sometimes we have to wear the silly hats.

With #2 on the way, it seems we will continue this roller coaster ride.