Failing the "man quiz" & other random thoughts

I haven't been sleeping that great... can't get comfortable, having horrible cramps in my calves and feet, and my brain is reeling with a million different things.  So I thought maybe if I got all the random stuff out of my head in a blog post, I might have a chance at a decent night's sleep!

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Here's a little conversation from the grocery store this morning, after seeing people fill their carts with chips, dips, & clanking beer bottles:

Me: "Ok, Chad, here's your man quiz for the day.  Which two teams are playing in the Super Bowl?"

Chad: "The Super Bowl's on today?  I don't believe you.  I'm gonna check my phone."

Oh honey, you failed miserably.  : )

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At my parenting class last week, we were presented with a cartoon of a boy handing his father a phone.  We were supposed to come up with the dad's side of the conversation.  Finally, after several suggestions, Tracy showed us the book example.  In the little speech bubble, the dad said,

"Phone.  The phone is ringing."

Now, why was I the only one who started humming the theme to the Wonder Pets????  Come on!! 

(For the record, we don't watch the Wonder Pets... but there's always a minute or two on the Backyardigans DVR episodes.)     

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Aidan chomped down a piece of yellow squash last night, seasoned and everything!!  Woohoo!!!  Wouldn't keep the green zucchini in his mouth, but he was sure interested.  Who would've thunk it?  Tonight was a no-go on my homemade mac n' cheese.  : ( 

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When I ask for opinions, you ladies follow through!!!  We've decided to move the leather rocker/recliner into Lilah's room just before she arrives.  Aidan will be in a big boy bed soon enough, so that space won't be empty for long.  I'll just throw some birdie pillows and a cute blanket on the back to brighten it up.  Hard to believe in 3 months or so, I'll be snuggling a little baby girl in that chair, taking in the sweet smell of her head.  Think I'm officially in my 3rd trimester now - time is flying!!

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I set up a maternity photo shoot for April!  Keren is from my friend's MOPS group and did some super cute photos of Andrea, Chris, and their baby girl Ashlyn last fall (have you ever seen such a photogenic family???  Seriously!!)  I hope to get Aidan in a few shots, but we'll see how interested he is.  She'll also do a newborn session after Lilah Claire arrives.  Yay!!!!  Can't wait to stick her in a cute crocheted hat!

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Ok, think I cleared a little space out for sleeping.  I'll leave you with some random photos from this weekend...

"Lock up your daughters" - this one's for you, Auntie Rita!!  : )  Would you believe that's a size 3T and is already too short???  Eek!



My boys in Pod's new favorite hangout -- on the step stool in sister's room, looking out at the street and/or the ceiling fan.  Hate to break it to ya, Pod, but the stool will eventually be going back to the garage.




By the way, what should I do with Aidan's hair??  I've been wanting to cut it short, but he threw a huge fit at Jack & Jill's during his last cut, so I'm nervous.  It looks like a 70's shaggy bob!  

My "Barbizon" belly shoot in Chad's parents' driveway - 26 weeks & growing, growing, growing!!



Chad said to change my pose.  How 'bout this??  : )



Ok, back to normal...

details

We've been busy in miss Lilah's room... paint - check!  Curtains hung - check!  Crib - check!  Next up... crib mattress, picking out a rug (to cover the big iced tea stain - oops!), and moving the changer and chair over from Aidan's room. 

But I desperately need an opinion on that last one.  I LOVE having the leather rocker in Aidan's room... I read his bedtime stories there and it just looks perfect in that corner, with the other brown accents in his room.  We also have the same chair in our family room (they were a steal at Fred Meyer!), which is great for downstairs nursing, baby snuggling, and TV-watching.  I would love to get a different chair for Lilah's room - maybe in a lighter fabric - but they're expensive.  So here's the question... do you still use a chair in your toddler/kid's room for reading/snuggling??  Or do you just sit on their big kid bed?  Or on the floor?  Just not sure if I can part with the one in Aidan's room!!  : (        

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Here's a sneakie peek at some girliness!!! 

Had to throw in a peek at the cute Gymboree hat I found on clearance!! 

Hope she likes hats more than her brother!

Lilah's first visitor... Sasha!!  She's already trying to jump in the crib.  Argh! 

(by the way, she's not fat - just fluffy!)

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The back/rib cage pain has set in, right on target @ 24 weeks (same week it started with Aidan!)  Thought maybe I'd luck out.  And Dairy Queen better stop selling mud pie Blizzards, because I'm seriously buying them out of their Oreo supply!  Eek.  Somehow, I'm managing my weight and blood sugar ok, despite my daily (or hourly, as the case may be) ice cream cravings. 

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Aidan's speech therapist is coming in an hour... time for a quick house clean-up & a cat nap!! 

And maybe a bowl of ice cream. 

Mental notes... dentist edition

Mental note - arrive at the dentist's office for your child's first visit early, giving them adequate time to play with the waiting room toys (thus preventing the cry fest my child displayed as they called his name right away.)

Mental note - that being said, never make an 8am appointment, forcing you to wake up your once-peaceful child earlier than normal and skipping breakfast.  Not a good idea.

Mental note - (for the hygienist) - 20-month-old boys on the move don't give a RIP about brushing the monster's teeth, picking out a new toothbrush, or making "raindrops" with the water sprayer.  Now, the forbidden cupboards or the exit door??  THOSE are interesting!!

Mental note - (for the receptionist) - when you see a frazzled pregnant woman about to drop from low blood sugar, chasing down her son who's chasing a crazy bouncy ball the hygienist just gave him, it's probably NOT a good time to ask for insurance cards or payment for fluoride treatments.  Not sure when would be, but that's not MY problem. 

Mental note - never try to bring your camera to your child's first dentist appointment.  Luckily, I thought of this one before and spared myself the hassle.  Unless your children are older & well-behaved... or you have your spouse with you.

Which leads me to my last, and most important, mental note...

Mental note - under NO circumstances should you EVER attempt to take your active toddler to his first dentist appt. alone, especially if you're pregnant & hormonally-challenged (unless you like getting kicked in the belly during the exam - yowsa!!!)

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All joking aside, Aidan's first visit had a positive outcome -- his bottom teeth weren't as bad as the craniofacial dentist thought.  He just had some calcium build-up, which they scraped off.  The tooth they're worried about is the central incisor on his cleft side (front tooth), which is really hard to brush.  They want us to discontinue the fluoride drops and do a fluoride brush treatment instead.  And they said we can continue our once-a-day brushing.  With Aidan's fit-throwing, once is hard enough.  I told him that we honestly wouldn't brush his teeth 2x a day, even if they told us to!  But they said once was good for now.  Whew!!

But you can be darn sure Chad's going to the next appointment!!!  : )     

mama & painting

Now that I'm an old pro at posting videos, here's a quick one of Aidan saying "Mama" from the downstairs powder room.  And yes, he always says it just like this.  We love it!



And here's a 20-second video link of Aidan painting at his Toddler Speech group (the leader tapes him occasionally and e-mails me, since I can't be there... our sitter, Julie, takes him to the class once a week... but during mid-winter break, I'll actually get to go!!!) 

Aidan painting video - click here!

Love the little taste-test at the end!  heehee  Especially since she just said "Mommy will be so proud ---"

That's my boy! 

baby stuff

Just my random late-night pregnant thoughts...

So, I know we've picked the name Lilah, but lately, Chad keeps calling her "Claire."  Sometimes he notices, and other times he'll argue and say, "No I didn't - I said Lilah."  Noooo, you said Claire.  So I keep asking him if he just wants to name her Claire and he says, "No, her name's Lilah!"  Ok, honey, then quit calling her Claire!!  Sheesh.

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She's moving more and more lately... and it's getting to that point where I have a hard time getting back to sleep (after my 4am bladder call.)  I love feeling her kick and thump, but a girl needs her beauty rest!!! 

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Had an ultrasound on Monday and just as predicted, we couldn't get a good look into her mouth.  But they confirmed again that she doesn't have a cleft lip.  Hooray!  She weighs approximately 1 lbs. 9 ounces, which puts her in the 51st percentile.  I didn't even know they did percentiles in utero!!  Tomorrow morning is the echocardiogram, where they take a closer look at her heart.  Should be interesting!

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Chad's almost done painting her room!!  And as much as I tried to convince myself that her "Manatee Grey" was different than Aidan's "Willow Wind," I'm thinking they're almost the same shade of sage green.  Hers might be a tad darker.  Guess I find what I like and stick with it!  Or, I'm just that boring... depending on how you look at it.  : )

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My high school friend Lanette, who was on hospitalized bedrest for the last couple months, just had her baby boy 7 1/2 weeks early.  On Monday, Ian William was born at 5 pounds 11 ounces!!  She finally got to breathe some fresh air and she's going home to see her husband and daughter, while her baby boy rests up in the NICU.  Congrats Lanette!

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My good friend Ande is due any day now with baby #3 (and doesn't know the sex, which is driving me bonkers!!) and she just posted her AMAZING maternity photos.  Check 'em out - there are some belly ones in her post that are gorgeous!  And love the laughing, floating Buddah belly.  heehee  Made me excited to get mine! 

Oh, and she also recovered her car seat... seriously, how did I get such crafty friends???  Or friends that cook???  Come on, people, share the talent!  Kam said she's done with my Bjorn cover -- woohoo!!!   

Ok, enough babble... time for bed.  Guess I could get that beauty sleep thing started before midnight.

outside

This is definitely where the Podster wants to be right now... outside.  All the time.  Rain or shine.  Well, maybe not rain.  He's not actually a fan of the stuff. 

I loved reading your comments to the "best part of my day" post (which, by the way, I'm glad you're all so excited about seeing your kids, but I know, deep down, you secretly LOVE the minute after your kid goes down for their nap or bedtime!!! Come on, people, admit it!!).  : )  Anyway, I started thinking about the other little things I love about my days with Aidan.  And one has to be our daily walks.

I love it when you actually stay in our cul-de-sac to play... except when you steal hockey sticks right out of the neighbor's yard - look at him go, that little thief!!

I love it when you stop to smell the flowers... except when you decide to stomp on them.  But since you were already climbing out of our neighbor's heather patch, I decided to snap a photo instead of reprimand you.  : )

I love it when you're adventurous... except when that means you're climbing (and falling) up muddy little hills and refusing to hold Mama's hand.  Or when you're venturing into the street, refusing to hold Mama's hand.  Or when you're running like a wild banchee and my big pregnant butt can't keep up with your "adventurous" little self. 

I love it when you stop for the camera and give me a cute smirk... except when you're on yet another neighbor's sidewalk, going up and down their stairs, and swatting my hands away if I try to get near you to help you up and down.  You're SO independent these days!

I love it when you're happy just playing in the backyard for awhile... "riding" on your big wheel (you don't actually like to move yet) or pointing to the thermometer.  Oh yeah, and I love your new Gymboree pirate monkey overalls.  

I love it when I say, "Let's go check the mail," and you actually start walking towards the mailbox... except when you find EVERY GOSH DARN puddle on the way.  But I do love it when your little hands reach up to the mailbox and I can snap a quick artsy shot.  Thanks Pod!!  (Oh yeah, and sorry to whoever's mailbox he was opening!  It wasn't ours.)  

As much as I would rather be sitting on the couch these days, I do love our time together in the great outdoors.  Well, if a housing development is considered the "great outdoors."  But you think it's pretty great, even if Daddy thinks you need 5 acres of woods to have a happy childhood.  Something tells me you're pretty dang happy with your sidewalks and suburbia.  : )

The best part of my day...

... is when I drive up to the sitter's house and see my little Pod, staring out the window, anticipating my arrival. 

Normally he's smiling and laughing and looks super excited, but I caught him off guard a little with my camera. 

And since I didn't come in right away (too busy clicking), he got mad and started yelling, "Mama!  Mama!"  I almost stayed out there a minute longer, just to enjoy it.  : )

 
What's the best part of YOUR day? 

Putting your feet up?  Getting Starbucks?  Coming home to dinner ready on the table for you (haha)?