I Wonder Who's Crying Now...

Let's just say I've been really hormonal lately. I would estimate that since the weekend I've teared up at least a dozen times. And I'm not a cryer. I'm the kid who watched Benji as a kid and bit my bottom lip so that I would not cry because crying is for sissies.

When I was in high school McDonald's started running these commercials that took me completely off guard and made me cry every time I saw them. Ronald McDonald is responsible for opening up my emotional floodgates. And pregnancy hormones are responsible for keeping them flowing right now. I want to cry all the time. No joke. Every single day.

It is totally not helping that Jake has decided he wants to be a big boy now or something. Ever since he was a baby part of our nightly routine has been for me to put him in his crib, rub his back and sing him a lullaby I made up for him. He has always seemed to like the song (if not my singing) and even started asking for a song at night a few weeks ago. The problem is that for the past week after he asks me for a song and I start singing his lullaby he sits straight up in bed and says "NO!" And then he says "spider". As in Itsy, Bitsy. So our sweet little bedtime lullaby has been replaced by Itsy, Bitsy Spider. I'm afraid it's a sign of things to come. And it's enough to make a mama cry.

Martha Stewart would be proud

Since my idea of documenting my productivity in order to increase my productivity the other day, I've accomplished exactly two things outside of my normal "duties". First, I took apart our vacuum cleaner and cleaned all the parts. Apparently, I'm supposed to do this every six months. However, this was the second time it has been done in almost three years. So, I'm a little behind.




And secondly, I made homemade applesauce in the crockpot. Because you know you can't buy convenient, pre-made applesauce in the store or anything. I have to say that Jake loved this applesauce. It was totally worth peeling all those apples. Sadly, I can't find the picture I took of the applesauce so you'll just have to believe me on that one. Try not to be too disappointed.

Thoughtless Thursday

Crazy is as crazy does

Yesterday morning I had to get up early to get ready for a doctors appointment. So Mike had to get up early to take care of Jake which he gladly does whenever needed. As soon as I got out of the shower I hear Mike calling to me. And he's asking me if I'm feeling all right. I said yes, why? He said because you put Jake to bed last night without a diaper on!

So the great diaper debate of September '08 began. I just KNEW I had put a diaper on that child. I remember thinking how cute his little butt looked in his boxer shorts with the diaper on underneath it. And besides, that is just part of our nightly routine that I would not forget. Right? But Mike assured me that when he went to change Jake's diaper downstairs yesterday morning that he had on boxer shorts sans diaper. He even brought Jake to me to show me.

I began to think I was going crazy. The boy had no diaper on and there was no diaper in his crib or on his bedroom floor or anything. I am extremely forgetful right now so just maybe I forgot the diaper. But then I checked his crib sheets and they were completely dry which would be impossible if he slept all night without any absorbant garment in close proximity to his body. Hmmn. I started to think maybe Mike was trying to make me think I was going crazy. You know, so he could put me in some sort of mental institution after the baby is born and run off with a younger woman.

Well, finally, Mike told me that he did find a wet, dirty diaper on the dining room floor. And he also told me that Jake had told him that morning that he pooped. So, I'm going to go ahead and put two and two together and suggest that somehow Jake took his diaper off downstairs because it was poopy and then somehow managed to pull his shorts back up. Now, if only we can teach him how to use wipies we'll be set! And I'm not crazy.

Name that Lizard!

Here are the latest additions to our family. Because we needed something else to take care of around here. We had been talking about getting a bearded dragon for Jake for Christmas because when we visit PetSmart he seems to really like them. And Mike and I like them because look how cute they are! So Christmas came early in the form of Mike's birthday money that was burning a hole in his pocket. The only problem is that we can't decide what to name them. Leave your suggestions in the comment section! Right now, the only thing we've come up with is Spike and Ike or Mugsy and Bugsy. We need help.

Where I update you on my pregnancy

This pregnancy is a little different from the first one. I'm feeling way more sick to my stomach with this one and unfortunately, food is starting to turn me off all together. With Jake, all I had to do to feel better was eat something. With this baby, the thought of most foods makes me want to gag. Not that I'm not eating. Luckily, cheeseburgers never make me want to gag. But the smell of chicken boiling, the thought of anything to do with eggs, and oddly enough the smell of water are really getting to me right now. Preparing food or smelling food being prepared is equally sickening.

Also, I'm feeling really lazy. It takes a really big self pep talk to get me off the couch during Jake's nap time so I can actually accomplish something around the house. I'm just not motivated. I think I'll start documenting each day one thing I did that was productive. You know, just to give myself a goal. Something to reach for. I think I'll start that tomorrow.

Tomorrow I will also be going for my genetic counseling appointment for "mothers of advanced maternal age". I haven't been told I was advanced at anything since high school! I don't think they'll be doing an amnio or anything like that. I think it's just so these doctors can sit and tell me all of the things that could go wrong with this baby because I'm old and my eggs might be a little dried up and inferior right now. Looking forward to it! I really don't think I'm that old. I'll be 39 when the baby comes and my mom was 39 when she had me. Except for an occasional twitch and an uncontrollable winking in my left eye, I turned out okay. And I bet mama didn't have to have genetic counseling. Are they going to talk to the baby while we're there and tell him that it's okay to have a mama who will most likely be in some sort of home by the time he's in college? Just what kind of counsel will they be giving us? I may have to cancel the counseling session. It's during my morning nap time anyways.

The Haircut

Jake's hair has just gotten crazy lately. It was poking out around his ears, not laying flat, curling in the back, sticking up all over and just generally a big mess. So Mike took him for his second haircut today. He didn't like his first haircut and he didn't like this second one either. At least we found a place that would let Mike hold him in his lap while the haircut was going on. We tried to take him to SuperCuts the other day. But they don't let you hold your child and there was no way Jake was going to sit in that booster seat while a stranger with scissors hovered over him. He pitched a fit and we left in humiliation. Anyways, here are the before and after pics from today. It's kind of a bowl cut in front and he still has his rooster tail in back but at least it's shorter!

Perfection

We have had gorgeous fall like weather the last two days. This morning we decided to get out and enjoy it. We loaded up the little boy and the big dog and headed out to take a walk around the lake. This is one of my favorite things to do but with the 100 degree weather this summer, we haven't felt like doing it much. Today was perfect. Brady went swimming and even jumped off of a dock to fetch his tennis ball out of the water! This is a miracle because normally our monster dog is a little timid about jumping off of anything.

After the walk we took Jake over to a park with a water fountain feature. Unfortunately, the fountains were broken, but he had a great time just running around looking at birds and turtles. All of this free entertainment followed up by really good cheeseburgers, fries and a coke made it a perfect morning. Because really cheeseburgers, fries and cokes make everything perfect.

We've literally been outside all day long. Jake and I went to the local park this afternoon and then played in the backyard after dinner. He discovered the joy of laying on his back in the grass looking up at the clouds today. Enjoy the photos!

Let's Talk About Jake

It's been awhile since I just sat down and told about what's going on in Jake's life. So, let's do that now shall we?

First of all, I'm proud to say that we just finished day three of NO Star Wars video game playing. The first night was pure torture and I'm sad to say that Jake had to go to time out three times for throwing fits about me not letting him play. Day two was a little bit easier and today although he still asked to play, he didn't throw a fit when we said no. We're actually telling him the thing is broken. I think he's buying it. Trust me, there are times when it's okay to lie to your child.

He currently weighs in at about 22 pounds and he's about knee level with me in height. So, he's pretty small, but I've stopped worrying about it because I'm just convinced that God gave me a small baby because he knows I have a bad back. Thank you Jesus.

He cracks us up. He likes to spin around in circles. He's just learning to jump and it is the funniest thing I've ever seen. He loves to watch other kids play and tries to join them whenever he can. He pulls the cats' tail without mercy and wonders why she always runs away from him. His favorite game is hide and go seek which Big Daddy taught him to play. He can kick and throw a ball but not so much catch one yet. He loves water. He loves cookies. He loves to be tickled. He loves to DANCE and the kid has some moves. He walks around doing this thing that Mike calls his "Thriller" move because he looks just like one of the monster people from Michael Jackson's video.

When he's frustrated or mad he either throws something at us or tries to hit us OR he realizes he will get in trouble for those things and so he pinches himself or hits his hand on something really hard. Advice anyone?

These are the things he says most often: i want to play, go outside, brady, kitty, mama, dada, cookie, cereal (cerealeal), ball, yeah!, NO!, and choo-choo. He said "I go poo poo" the other day.

He really loves Elmo and trucks and balls. And he likes to pull things behind him. Yesterday, we went for a walk around the block with him pulling Brady's leash behind him the whole way even though Brady was not attached to it. Pretty cute.

I know there's so much more, but a mommy's brain is a fragile thing. It can only hold so much at one time.

Thoughtless Thursday

Sweet Talker

I am very lucky to have married a man who compliments me all the time. So, it's really hard to feel down about myself. Unless I look at a picture or something. And now Jake has gotten in on the "making mama feel good about herself" thing. He has really started to mimic what we say now. So, if we say kitty and ask Jake to say it, he will. The only word he doesn't repeat back is the word pretty. Whenever Mike asks him to say pretty, he says "mama" instead. So, it's like pretty mama. What a little ladie's man!

Oops, We did it Again!

I went to the doctor yesterday, so it's official! I'm about twelve weeks along with a due date of March 19th. We're very excited!

Thoughtless Thursday

Too Exhausted to Report

Today was the first day of our Mother's Day out program that I work at up at our church. This year I'm working in the little baby room with my friend Leslie. We have five to eight month olds. Today, only six of the eight came. It started out so perfectly with all of them on the floor playing on a mat with little toys. They were all smiling and laughing and having a great time. And then, I'm not sure what happened, but about twenty minutes later they were NOT having a great time. The day was a blur of picking up babies, feeding babies, burping babies, changing babies and begging babies to stop crying. I have spit up in my hair. I'll talk to ya'll later.

Labor me this

Here's a fun little meme I saw over at Rocks in my Dryer in honor of Labor Day. Let's play!


1. How long were your labors?

Let's see. If you count from the time my water broke (or should we say trickled?) I'd say about 30 hours. If you count from the time things got really painful to the time they finally decided to call in the doctor for a c-section then I'd say about 12 hours.


2. How did you know you were in labor?

I didn't. It was that whole water trickling business. So, I guess I found out I was in labor when the midwife told me I was!

3. Where did you deliver?

In the hospital in Laramie, Wyoming. Did I mention it was in the middle of a blizzard?

4. Drugs?

Two words. Hell, yes. I also told the anaesthesiologist (no idea how to spell this word) that she was my best friend.

5. C-section?

Yep.

6. Who delivered?

A doctor I had never met before assisted by my lovely, sweet mid-wife.

It's on like Donkey Kong

I'm so excited for the new season of football this year! I love it when football starts because I can almost convince myself that we will be experiencing fall in the near future. Of course, in central Texas that means we can expect the temperatures to drop to the low nineties instead of the upper one hundreds. What a relief!

I'm happy to say that the Texas Longhorns won their first game of the season and the Cowboys should be all set to win their first game on Sunday. I probably just jinxed them. I'm also curious to see how Brett Favre will do with the Jets. I really think he should have stayed in retirement, but I guess I can take one more season of seeing him out there in those little pants of his.

Meanwhile, the best part of football season has already begun. That's right. I'm talking about the Peyton Manning commercials. Only this year he has been joined by his brother Eli which is all right by me. Eli can hold his own. Have you seen the new one with the Manning brothers and Venus and Serena Williams? Hilarious.

Anyhow, yeah for football, nachos, the Manning brothers, Brett Favre and Tony Romo. I love them all in no particular order.