Holding up my end of the bargain.

Welcome to the 25th week of my pregnancy.  Only 105 days left and our little family will convert to this artist's rendering....

OUR FAMILY- by Patrick

Last night at a birthday party I turned down cake and attributed it to my poundage.  I admitted to the moms that were trying to coerce me into eating cake that I have gained 30 lbs and needed to slow it down.  As they assessed me and shook their heads in disbelief, I couldn't help but wonder, "do I care that I am 30 lbs up  only 25 weeks in?"  I don't.  I haven't been the pillar of good nutrition or physical activity but I'm just doing my part!  The baby on the other hand has only gained a pound and a half.  Mom- 30 Baby- 1.5  I'm totally winning.

And my doctor didn't call CPS when he saw my stats last week.  He did make a verbal weight gain note for both of us though.  And he also told me that the reason I am having such bad tailbone pain is because I don't have enough junk in my trunk (my words, not his).  So there.

I'm grateful that it is summer and I can camp-out in maxi dresses (or muumuus as my mother called them).  And I am so grateful that I am feeling better.  I had a case of the vapors (i know 'sic') on Monday (my first in weeks) and woke up on Tuesday trying to figure out how I functioned for the first 15 weeks of my pregnancy.... oh that's right, I ate.

Thursday

My favorite day of the week is Thursday.  Thursday hints at the potential of Friday and the weekend still seems like a sprawling promise.  Thursday is the cusp of what might be.  And let's face it, Thursday is always the best night for television viewing (even if 99% of the tv we watch in the evening is recorded now and I couldn't tell you what program is on Thursday or any day for that matter).  So, I decided that this point of the summer is my Thursday.  Almost July 4th and still lots of potential for the remaining weeks.  At this very point, the summer holds lots of promise.

And, this little nester has accomplished a few things already!  I thought we would tick another major project off our list last weekend.  Floors for the baby's room!  Kevin kindly agreed to devote his weekend to laying floors in the nursery.  My pregnant self didn't see any other option so it was good of him to agree.

Here's the nursery/sweater drying room before.... AND THE BIG REVEAL!!!

Here's another angle....

Kevin fell ill halfway into the project (that's the hallway filled with nursery furniture).  He caught the stomach flu the boys had shared amongst themselves during the week.  He went down hard Saturday night, Sunday morning he forced himself to power through some more work to get to the halfway point.  Now we wait for days off.  Hopefully this is a one-day finish because there aren't many more open days in our summer full of potential.

Although I have had a few queasy days, I haven't gotten sick yet.  But really, I don't have time for that silliness... I have girl clothes to buy, scrapbooking to complete, day trips to plan.......  Please Lord, let me stay healthy.

The Joys of Literacy

Patrick can read.  For the moms who watch their kids go from early literacy to full on reading books cover to cover, you know what I'm talking about.  One day the light bulb turns on and it just keeps burning brighter and brighter.  Until one day, he reads something that you don't want him to read and you are wishing you could dial back the time machine that whisked you to this moment.....

So yesterday evening, I changed out of my work clothes and made the unfortunate decision to put on a tank top that Devre a friend bought me several years ago.  It is a pj top, not something I wear in public.  It happens to be screened and blinged with the word "Sexy."  I picked it because it is big and I thought it had a good chance of covering my belly (which it didn't).  Two seconds after going downstairs to get comfy, Patrick looks at my shirt and reads it out loud: "Sexy? What's that?"

Really?  Why me?

My own personal rainbow

Keith was sick yesterday.  It started around midnight when he came into my room saying something about the stuff in his mouth.  He was up every hour after that until the sun finally came up and he asked if he could go to VBS.  Um, no. 

Through the whole thing he was bubbly and engaging.  Perfect manners too, sort of hilarious at 2:30 am.  If it weren't for the bodily fluids, you would have never known that he was sick.  The upside to being sick: 1) the boy who loves his pjs gets to wear 4 different sets in one day; 2) watching movies on Mom's computer; 3) all day access to your chosen friend (yesterday it was Pluto, until Pluto was a victim of bodily fluids and had to take a bath with BaaBaa); and 4) the barf bowl (as pictured above).

He went to VBS today and is with Grandpa this afternoon.  I think it was a cootie acquired from finger sucking.  Whatever it was he's my little rainbow, even when he is puking all over my shoes.

For the love of sweet corn

We made the papers!  The boys and I braved the sweet corn crowd at Fresno State's market to feed Patrick's NEED for sweet corn.  The Fresno Bee was there to capture the experience.  You can see me and Keith waiting in line in the background of the picture.  I'm surprised the photographer didn't use the shots of Patrick methodically choosing his corn.  Here's the link to the story in the Bee: Sweet Corn Shoppers.

Luckily we got there early to secure our ears because they sold out by afternoon.  A great day yesterday! 

Pink Lint In My Dryer

It's a brave new world at our house.  PINK!  We sorted through girl clothes and boy clothes all weekend.  Unpacked, packed, washed, folded and sigh, done for now.  Can you see the boys fighting with swords in the background of this picture?  This is still a boy house through and through.

Here I am in all my pregnant glory.  Patrick was taking this picture for me, hence the 5 year old angle. 
UPDATES!  We are over halfway through the pregnancy.  The baby is growing and moving a lot these days.  Patrick and Kevin have both felt the baby kick.  Keith is a little too obsessed with his own baby to wait for mine to kick.  What?  You haven't heard?  Keith has a baby in his belly too.  His is a boy though.   

My baby is the size of a spaghetti squash!  We're so proud!  complaints: I have a serious case of preggo brain.  Excuse me if I can't remember your name or where I parked my car.  I am still fighting pregnancy headaches but they are coming every other day now instead of every day (Bonus).  And despite what my belly might tell you, this baby is riding low and probably will be for another few weeks.  I just have a big belly.  Little Spaghetti  Squash doesn't move above my belly button, the rest is just me.  On the upside, I finally have energy.  The last couple of weeks I have felt more like me.  One night Kevin couldn't believe that I was not only awake (and vertical) past 10 pm but I had also done laundry, made banana bread and changed sheets. 

Names?  Patrick's latest list includes: K-love and Calli.  Our list has stayed pretty short with Lauren, Erin and Caitlin.  Girl names are hard!

The boys are getting used to the idea of a new baby.  Keith has committed to stop sucking his finger before the baby gets here.  And he will be the chief table manners officer for the baby.  He even offered to hold the baby during dinners, "I hold baby in my yap and feed her."

In the meantime, we are set to enjoy the best summer ever while we wait for our new sister.

The Final Countdown

I've been planning our summer in my head for the last two months.  I just haven't had the time or energy to really plan (the boys are signed up for swim lessons and VBS, that's about as far as I got).  At some point, my mind planning turned into Internet planning and I found this really cute idea by Meg at whatever...    This seemed right up our alley.  I started a list, Patrick added on, I deleted a lot of my things and we set out to implement our Things to Do This Summer list.  We love it.

We found super cute font for our list!

Patrick cut the list out with the "fun" scissors

Then he glued mounted each one on a bright summer color he chose.

The garage door before.....

Sticking the list to the door.....

After.....

I love this list. He was so excited about dominoes we already checked that off the list.  Most of these are his.... you can probably find mine. 

Learn to play dominoes

Go To the train museum

Make S’mores

Drink Icees 7-11

Collect shells at the beach

Paint on real canvas

Finish Harry Potter

Play Nerf Gun wars

Ride without training wheels

Practice Math Facts

Practice First Grade words

Play basketball

Pick berries

Make popsicles

Tent Camping

Build Lego masterpieces

Take cooking classes

Go to the zoo

Practice front flips

Teach Keith his colors

Climb trees with Robby

Play with play dough

Practice sharing with Keith

Eat sushi outside

Picnic in the park

Go to the Circus