10 weeks!

So, has anyone realized yet that I am 30 weeks pregnant! I don't know why this is so monumental to me this week. I have been through this before, but the realization that we are about a month from the time when the baby could come at any time and they won't stop labor! Last time we didn't pack for the hospital for a long time, I must have been 36 weeks are more when we finally decided to pack. This time it will be more complex, because I will have to also pack for Gwen, I know Mom thinks/hopes she is going to make it for the birth so she can watch Gwen, I am not so sure. Mom can't come before the due date and last time even though I was considered late by the OBs standards, I was pretty much on time, based on my calculations. This time my predicted due date compared with the OBs due date is 3 days after mine. Needless to say, Eric and I have a lot to do around here, we must start getting Gwen's baby stuff out and sorted, put up the crib and all that junk. I still have to decide on our stroller. I have to admit that I am not looking forward to the newborn stage, I am not real fond of newborns, even my own, they don't really do anything interactive and they look weird and scary, most of the time. I do love that newborn stretch thing they do though. It will be interesting to see Gwen's reaction, she has become the unofficial hugger of the babies in class, after class we go to the play area and she runs up to all the Moms with the new babies and expects to hug them, she stands their with her arms out saying "ah, ah", until she is allowed to hug them. Gwen has also started running towards her friends her own age and says "ash, ash" and she expects them to do "ring around the roses". Except that she doesn't really know how to do it. Well, I guess that is not true, she knows about the circle thing, but she doesn't do the fall down thing. No matter how often we play at home she just won't sit, when it says fall down. Now she has taken to playing by herself at home, she just say "ash, ash, ash, ash" and go around in a circle. This kid cracks me up!
I was going to write about today's OB appt but I think Gwen is throwing up. Must go!

My little helper

It has been busy for us again. Today was our first AquaTots I class. Gwen did well, she went to the teacher to swim, cried and we were proud. The goal by the end of the class is for Gwen to be more independent. Being as I am 7mon pregnant, I really wanted to get Gwen in the next class up with this instructor. I don't think we will be able to have any more classes with her, since this teacher teaches during the 9-5 hours, and how would I do that with 2? We can keep Gwen in AT I until we feel she is comfortable enough to swim by herself and then maybe I can get Gwen back with Michelle, unless we find another teacher that I like better. But, I haven't heard great things about some of the other instructors. After swim class we went to HD to price out our new deck. (I think we have finally decided to stay here and try to make this place work for 2 kids. AH! I won't get into all the hairy details, but needless to say, we have a TH with 3 bedrooms and the only room that will work for 2 kids is the master, and we aren't going to do that! But we have some time until #2 will be kicked out of the master, so we will see.) I have been elected to do all the pricing etc, done, you know like the Project Manager...is anyone thinking sending Eric to get his MBA was a bad idea, now he has titles for jobs, you know which make the worker bee feel important! After the HD comparison to a small hardware store I went to, looks like next project will be new deck! Our current deck is not safe and Gwen loves to go 'outside', if the deck and railing were safer, then I could keep less of an eye on her and maybe make dinner while she plays 'outside!'

Last week (after I had mopped the floor of course), I had Gwen 'help' me with dinner. She was unruly and I thought some stirring would make her a little more reasonable. Gwen of course thought this was a big drink for her. Sorry kid!

You can see that she was getting the liquid in her eyes, but that certainly did not deter her enthusiasm.


In case you are ever visiting and you ever see Gwen making this face at you this translates to...
"give me some NOW!" It cracks me up, scares the heck out of Eric. I don't know why she does that, but she does...I do not recall ever making that face to her to get her to eat, but maybe I did. Also, if she makes that face and is holding food, it translates to "open your mouth, I am trying to share". Gwen has another I want food reaction, but I would have to get a video for you to believe me.
Off to do some paperwork...my responsibilities as project manager are never finished!

Clothesline

So, I am just wondering, if your child is playing with other children in a play area and you see some other kid come up and try clothesline your child, do you just sit there or do you run up to the child and yell at the child. Keep in mind that your don't know the other child and you don't really yell at the child, just tell him to get his hands off your child. And then you realize the Mom/Grandmother is just sitting there just watching and not doing anything. I mean seriously, the little boy would have taken Gwen down had I not stepped in. It is not the first time I have fussed at another child, but I figure if my child is not able to talk for herself and an older child is not paying attention then it is within my rights to fuss at them, especially if injury could happen. (I have been known to tell older children to apologize to younger children when they knock them down, even if Gwen is not the one who was hit) I know read that you are not supposed to not get involved and let the children figure it out for themselves, but I am of the impression that concerns when children of the same age are playing together and they start arguing and such, not when they can't talk and someone comes out of nowhere and tries to beat them up. What do you think?

Easter videos

Here are the many Easter videos, I don't know how exciting they will be, except for maybe the bubbles one, which I haven't viewed, but I was there and thought it was darn funny!
Gwen's first taste of sweet tarts


Gwen's first solid chocolate Easter bunny, no hollow bunnies for us! (except for the one that baby #2 and I are sharing.)


Yummy, peeps!


And last but not least, BUBBLES


I hope that you have enjoyed these videos and pictures. Sadly I did not bring my camera to our Easter dinner, I had no idea that we would be doing an Eater egg hunt after dinner. It was quite funny we had another couple eating dinner with us, who had no kids, and as soon as the Easter egg hunt was announced, they bolted for the door! Gwen and my friends daughter had a grand time playing together.

Easter pictures

We have some pictures from Easter morning...you know when Gwen was "suffering" from a sugar high! These pictures were taken after the posted video. I have more videos to post, but I will do that in a separate post. I had planned on stuffing plastic Easter Eggs Saturday night while Eric made me watch the "10 Commandments"...we own the DVDs so we didn't have to watch at a certain time and we could turn it off and go to bed whenever, but alas, we could not find the eggs, I was so upset...had I known that I would have made the hard boiled eggs and we would have died them...I was too chicken this year to try that with Gwen. Here is Gwen with my (& baby #2s) bunny. Gwen has taken quite a liking to it. Surprisingly enough after I bought it for myself, I don't really want to eat it!

Gwen eating her 1st peep! I personally don't want anything to do with Peeps, but apparently Eric wants his daughter to also indulge in sugar, like he likes to occasionally. Eric told me that Gwen likes to only eat the ears and then gives the rest to him...I think it is a perfect arrangement for him.
The godfather came over to visit. He comes over frequently, but we don't often get pictures...he had to head over to parents for Easter happenings, but we are on the way out of town. Gwen is showing him her bounty!
The bubbles...wait until you see the video...Eric and I were laughing so hard, silently trying not to spoil the video! The bubbles were a huge hit!

Happy Day!

Happy Easter! Gwen almost gets it, she keeps saying 'happy day'. At one point I think she was saying 'happy easter day'. But then I put her down for her nap and she was done with her sugar high, so I guess that her knowledge left. We went to a friends house for dinner and they have a 2 year old. The food was good and Gwen had a great time playing with her friend. More details to follow, I am exhausted, for now a video for your viewing pleasure!

Backlog

I have had these pictures in the queue for a while, but I haven't had a chance to post. I am hearing a little movement up there, so I don't know if I will make it through, but I am going to try my hardest to get all this out before she awakes!
Gwen has a fascination with 'clothes'. She is pretty funny, when we are going 'outside' she needs her 'hat'. And don't even think about putting on her jacket and not zipping it up! Seriously, she holds the ends together at you and says 'uh, uh' until zip her up. She has a problem with taking the jackets off, which must be taken off as soon as we get to our destination! I usually pull both sleeves at one time, which at her age she can't do, she gets the jacket off her shoulders and then gets 'stuck'. Now she is trying to put clothes back on and I got a picture of it. It is funny watching Gwen try to dress and stuff, because you take it for granted that it is easy to find the arm hole and put your arm in. One day our super baby will get it together. I guess she gets frustrated and or loses interest when it comes to the other arm, but she doesn't seem to try to get that other arm in the clothes. Maybe only 1 arm is cold? This to me breaks my heart. While I was making dinner the other day it became too quiet in the other room, so I checked on her...this is what I saw. After a while I heard her say Daddy, so here she is waiting for Daddy.
Shoes! This picture Eric took on St. Patty's Day. Gwen actually at one point had both of his shoes on and walked a couple of steps.
I have more pictures to download from the camera from yesterday. Hopefully I will get to those soon, but I can't make any promises with the Holy Days and preparing for Easter. We are going to a friend's house, but I am going to try and bring several things.

Easter story cookies

I was just emailed this recipe for Easter cookies that I thought was pretty neat, so I thought I would post it...maybe a little young for Gwen, but it might be a nice tradition some day. The cookies are at the bottom of the page.

A profile

A topic of conversation lately has been how big could I really be with baby #2. I am sure people think I am exaggerating when I say that I am pretty large. It is a struggle for me not to waddle, which you may remember from the last pregnancy I made sure I did not waddle. But, by the end of the day I give up and waddle. Today at exercise group, the newest member of the group was kind enough to infer I was the size of a mack truck. She compared me to one of the other members who is due 6 weeks ahead of me that I am larger than. Now you must remember when looking at this picture I am 7 mons pregnant...I have a LONG way to go...I have just started the 3rd trimester! After the new girl left, the girl that I was compared to told me how rude the new girl was and how uncomfortable she felt when the new girl mentioned my largeness. I told her I was going to go home and eat because I was so depressed! I really don't care though, I mean it was rude and shouldn't be said to most people, but you can't compare me to the other girls in the class, before I was preggers I was 4 sizes bigger than them, so it is not like I would the same size/smaller than them. I have had several months to adjust to the fact that I am going to be larger than them, and I had a Dad who helped me to learn that people don't always say nice things, but you shouldn't let it bring you down. Seriously though, as rude things go, why do people think that when a woman is pregnant they should say things to you that they would normally not say, I mean thank you I don't need to hear your birth story or how I should cherish this time or whatever "advise" you feel to compelled to tell me. If I want to hear any of the information I will ask you...I have plenty of friends in my life who can tell me what's up, I don't need you complete stranger to give me random unasked for info. I don't know if the new girl (who had a baby 4 mon ago, so she should no better) just has a rude problem, but I might not talk to her as much as I was before, because she seems to not have much tact, and I don't need that kind of mumbo-jumbo in my life.
So about this pregnancy I feel like I am carrying really high. You can see that that shirt has a little ruching that won't fit between my chest and my belly. I am apparently trying to compete with my Aunt how told me by the time she delivered her son she could only wear my Uncle's bathrobe. I don't have any of the pictures of me in profile with Gwen on this computer to compare, but rest assured I am bigger than before.
No word back on the glucose test yet, I am hoping that means I passed, my next Dr's appt is next week...AHH! I am down to 2 week appts. Guess we should consider getting the crib together and ordering the mattress. I mean seriously, now that Eric has passed his test (YEA Eric!) we will have plenty of time to do those fun house things we have been meaning to do...nothing like being preggers and wanting to have a completed todo list.

20 months

So I know Gwen turned 20 months last week, but I have been a little crazed around the edges. So, I will give you an idea of what the last month has brought for us with Gwen.

She is getting so talky, I mean, I know I keep saying that, but now she is actually repeating the last word we say. Totally while she was helping me with the laundry I told her that the clothes were stuck (to her they were all stuck together since she is so little) she kept saying "stuck, stuck". So it appears that we are almost to a chatty little girl. Some of the words she says crack me up, like when she says apple..."appool". She is still a mimic and now it seems it has turned into words and noises instead of mimicking what we are physically doing. It is like she woke up one day and the flood gates have opened with her speech. Granted, I am the only one that understands her, but whatever. I know she is speaking more!

Gwen has also become a little more independent. She still likes to be in the same room/floor as we are on, but often I can start dinner and she will play in another room and come and check on me every once in a while, but she does love to wander around bring stuff to me. Which when you have your hands in raw meat, not so helpful. (In the previous pictures you can see she took of her shoe and brought it to me.)

Gwen is really struggling with the whole climbing thing. She wants to get on the furniture so badly, she just can't unless it has spokes or something she can hold onto and power herself up. I don't know how to help her figure it out. I imagine when she gets really frustrated she will figure it out on her own, isn't that how it always works!
These last 2 pictures were taken by Eric. We recently discovered that Gwen likes to eat with chopsticks! Her eating has improved somewhat, she still is rather picky and I think she is pretty hungry most days, but you do what you have to do! She actually eats spinach and cheese baked into little pizza pockets, but she won't eat anything else green. I am still most excited about that she will eat yogurt and drink "nilk". One day she will most like have a "normal" meal with us.

No we are not sick or dead, I have been busy and lazy and I don't have the time to post. By the end of the day I am pretty tired and during the day I am pretty busy because I have "chores" to do while Gwen is sleeping. We (by we I mean Eric) are apparently feeling the need to get some much needed house projects completed. I have decided that I am the spackling queen, my painting skills might not be all that, but I can spackle the house to new heights!
So, I started this post 2-3 days ago. I would like to say that I have accomplished much in those 2 days, but I am not sure anything that we've done would be considered great. The time change thing seems to be throwing us off a little, not necessarily Gwen, but Eric comes home all excited it is light outside and wants to be outside, so Gwen is not getting to bed at 7, more like 8, although it is 7 before the time change, but that doesn't leave as much time for me time/recuperating as when she went down at 7.
Yesterday I had a dental appt, EARLY, so theoretically the hubby could watch her before work, but sadly he could not, so I had to wake her up and take her to a friends house. She was not to thrilled, but of course, who would be to be awakened thrown in the car without breakfast, changing clothes or a diaper change! She did well, my friend said she cried pretty hard for 10 minutes and then as soon as she saw/heard me when I came to get her she broke down again. Then we went to class, came home had lunch, napped (her not me) went to another friend's house because her daughter's b'day party is Sat and her husband has been too busy to watch her daughter so she can get stuff together for the party. So Gwen and I went and hung out so she could cook. Then we rushed home ate dinner with Daddy and then I left and went scrapbooking! What a day. This morning I had my glucose test, wasn't so bad this time. I don't know if it was because it wasn't first thing in the morning and I had breakfast and exercised before the test. My body was probably ready for a snack! Gwen stayed with my same friend since Daddy couldn't make it to the appointment. She did much better this time.
Well, now she is awake and I better get to her she seems upset. So I guess I will post this unfinished so I can get her.

OUTSIDE!

It has been one of those weeks for us! I seem to have come down with a runny nose, and it is not even a runny nose I can tolerate...I would just love to stick a tissue in my nostrils and walk around the house, I totally would, but Gwen would not like that at all, she would probably give me the look seen here!

That picture was taken 2 days ago when Gwen wanted to play "OUTSIDE", but I needed to bring in the groceries and start dinner. Momma's got to eat.

Here's my big girl enjoying her milk sitting in the chair like a big girl! Of course, she can't get up there by herself, but one day she will realize how to get up on a chair. She is very fast getting up on the other chairs.
This morning we decided not to go to class, like I said I have the running nose and we went to class yesterday and I told Eric I felt like I ran a marathon without training for it, my entire lower body ached and I was exhausted! This morning Gwen woke up at 3:30 with an apparently dirty diaper that was bothering her, Eric changed it put her back down and she went right back to sleep. Then this morning she coughed off a bowl of cereal. I thought that maybe it would be ok for use to take the morning off! (the stomach flu is going around and this is how my friend's daughter started out, but we have had no other incidents so I think Gwen is going to be fine!) So, I guess this is a long winded way to say, Gwen got to play "OUTSIDE" this morning in her jammies, boy was she mad when I made her come inside! But eventually you have to come into the house and put your day clothes on! Her little hands were cold. You can see her outside with her "beep-beep".

Gwen has begun to notice her hair in her face. This is a new trend, she doesn't necessarily tell me she needs a "bow", but she uses her hand to get her hair out of her face. So I am thinking it bothers her, so until her hair stays behind ear permanently we will be putting it back. I don't really mind doing her hair, but I take it out during her nap because one time I caught her chewing on the rubber band when I got her up from her nap. I was not happy about that and now when I put her down for her nap she says "bow" and pats her head if I don't take it out.
Yesterday Gwen took a normalish nap, but today she has taken a 3-3.5 hr nap! I guess this explains the whiny cranky kid I have been dealing with this morning. We were a little tired maybe, I hope this and Daddy (who she hasn't really seen since yesterday) coming home early will improve our attitude!

Crazy Gwen

I often Gwen my crazy baby, mostly 'cause I think she is nuts! Ok, not really, but she is so unpredictable I often don't know what to do. For instance, last night I made a casserole with penne, tomato sauce, spinach, and cheese. My kid refused to eat the pasta and tomato sauce but the spinach with some of the tomato sauce with cheese, ate that up...of course not off her plate, but when Eric offered it to her, she ate it up, she also ate the spinach part for lunch. You can't predict these things. And for the last 2 days, will she go down for her nap at 1p...no! Yesterday she went to sleep at 3p. This causes me a huge problem and a little bit of guilt. She is not screaming in her crib, she's just hanging out, but she will eventually fall asleep. Now, do I go get her, because she will sleep until 5 and then I won't be able to make it to the grocery store and we won't really get a chance to play, if we don't have to go to the grocery store. Does this mean that she needs a later nap time? I mean by 1p, I need a break. I am so tired during our nap time routine. Oh well, I guess I will try again tomorrow and see what happens. 3 is so late for a nap when you put your child down for bed at 7-7:30. Which in other news we have found if you put Gwen down after 7:30 she sleeps until 6, but if you put her down before 7:30 she sleeps until 8! I tell you the kid is counterintuitive! I guess that is what parenting is all about.

Spring!? Maybe not.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day, mid 60s, you'd have thought it was spring, so we dressed accordingly. We went onto our deck and Gwen enjoyed sitting on the chair and when I asked her to smile, this is the face I got! She loved being out on the deck so much, I left the screen door open and while I made dinner I kept an eye on her while she walked in and out of the house, over the threshold announcing "outside". She was quite excited, my outdoor baby!
Today was also a nice day, but unfortunately this afternoon she slept late and it was raining when she woke up. So, we played inside. Gwen is getting very good at getting up on the chairs in the house as long as they have "finger holds". Our couch and other places without said fingerholds she cannot get up on. But now it seems that we have to child-proof table tops!

Gwen now enjoys eating lunch at the table with me. She is still a little short, but she doesn't really like to sit in her booster, plus the booster we have is not as stable in these chairs as I would like.
Today was our last Water Babies class, are you as sad as we are? We have a week off and then we start Aqua Tots I! Technically Gwen shouldn't start this class until she is 2, but I want her to have at least one of the next up class with this teacher before baby #2 arrives and we have to switch to a new teacher. The teacher told me today she was proud of me for sticking with the class with Gwen's warming up issues. You can see why I like her, she is nice!

Weekend

Another busy weekend around here for us. Gwen as usual was great. Friday night I had Mom's night out we went to the movie Juno, I don't know if you have heard about it, but it was the only movie available that was playing at a time us old fart Mom's could get to. The movie was interesting, to watch a 16 yr old pregnant. We then went to Friday's after the movie, so I didn't get home until after midnight! Pretty late. The next day we drove up to WV and picked up the rest of the supplies for the floors. Maybe we will have that project done by the time the next baby comes...wouldn't that be exciting. Ok, maybe not for anyone else, but for us, very exciting. The Erics started a new batch of beer. Some kind of Chocolate Mint Stout...how mean is it to make a chocolate mint beer when I am pregnant! Then Eric and I went to his company Sioree, and the godfather babysat. We had a nice time, Eric says that Gwen handled the separation a little easier this time. She knew something was coming, she was kind of funny to Eric the moment she saw him, and didn't warm right up to him, unusual for her.
This morning she slept in, for entirely too long and has been kind of clingy with a runny nose. I am hoping that it is nothing more than a runny nose and she is over tired, I think listening to her nap she might have not had a great night sleep last night. Today is about 65 so I have the house open hoping that will air out her room some, since we have had the humidifier running in her room for months. I think I need to get in there and scrub her walls down and move stuff around, but doubt I will have time to get to that. We will see!
We are off to the grocery store. Time to enjoy some nice weather!