If I Could Feel Like This..

The last week I have actually felt pretty good. I have cleaned more and worked more than I have during the last 8 months.

If I could feel like this the entire time I was pregnant, perhaps the decision as to whether we are going to have any more would be easy.

In honor of feeling like doing more than lying on my favorite couch to watch some mindless show, I went to Pike Place with Greg and Owen on Thursday to meet up with a friend of ours from high school. It was an enjoyable night buying fruit at the market - nectarines and peaches - mmmm mmmm, dinner on the Pier, and ending the night with ice cream. (I did test my blood sugar level and it was fine. Greg questions whether I should have ever been diagnosed with gestational diabetes).

On Friday it was off to the park after Greg got off from work. We ate a dinner that was not so healthy, but oh so delicious, threw rocks in the water, pet a flounder that someone had caught, played on the playground and left just as the ranger closed up the park and the sun was setting.

And now the weekend ends, and the busy week starts as I head to the office in the morning for a long day with appointments. For now, I am off to snuggle in my bed with my sleeping baby and his owl. The perfect end to a perfect weekend.

The Owl

OWL

I learned this week that Owl really likes me and Owen but for some reason he is really scared of Noni. (Angie). I asked Owen if he told Owl that Noni is so nice. He whispered softly to Owl. Then he turned to me and said that Owl is still really scared of her and he has no idea why.



Owl is enjoying the summer festivals with us.

He has a new name. Most of the time he is Owl, but occaisonally he is called Wise. I told Owen once that Owl was old and wise and we needed to take good care of him. So, now he has taken on the name Wise. He was even called Wisey last night.



We took a family picture of ourselves at the park last night. I mentioned that we took a picture of our family, he causually replied that we forgot owl.

We have been talking more to him about moving as we hope to buy a house by the end of the year. I said yesterday it would be fun to have a house with our family, me, daddy, him and baby sister. His response: "and Wise".

We have sewed up two holes on owl and I write this post as a tribute to the person who invented gorilla glue. Owl's missing eye that was glued back in remains in tact.

It is still in despite many wash loads and a lot of love from one little boy.

3 Things (Totally Unrelated)

1. Flies suck. They are gross. Only one thing sucks more than a fly. Two flies. And only one thing sucks more than two flies. Two flies mating on the kitchen counter. Do flies do that kind of thing? I knowI could look it up, but I am afraid I may see or learn something that will scar me for life. I don't really want to know. I do know what I saw however, and I wasn't getting close enough to verify. It wasn't pretty. I pulled out the bleach cleaner and tried to murder them. It was all I could do.

2. No more grace. I just got up off the couch and felt like a bug stuck on its back. That is not cool.

3. Baby meet new toys. Greg and Owen went out to ride the lawn mower. I sat inside with toys on my tummy. Owen wanted baby sister to have some toys while he was gone and placed them on my stomach. At first I had three, then he decided he liked the monkey best and took it back.

Week 35

I can tell that the end is nearing. I am getting a little more uncomfortable with each passing day, but at the same time I am starting to feel a little apprehension about actually having two kids and realizing 35 days goes awfully fast. And not necessarily two kids but a baby!! I feel like I have no idea what I am doing, 4 years have gone by, it is as though I have never done this.

I suppose when Owen was born I truly had never done it and somehow we survived. Actually, we not only survived, but I would say we did quite well. We will at least survive this time around.

Owen is still excited and says everyday that he can't wait for his baby to be born so he can take care of her and hold her. We were almost asleep the other night in our bed when he announced that as soon as she comes, he will be sleeping in his bed in his room and the baby will sleep in her crib in his room as well. He even went so far as to say that daddy and I would sleep in my room. I thought for sure he was planning on taking me with him. So, I am not sure how these sleeping arrangements will work, but we will roll with the punches and take it one day at a time. I suppose it is at least the thought that counts.

Little baby still has no name. At least we still have 35 days (plus or minus a few).

Things were fine at my last dr. appointment, I even lost a pound. I have no idea what I have gained overall, I don't let them tell me unless they think it is too much. Each time they say I am doing great. I would mind hearing what the weight gain is, but even 35 weeks pregnant, it is nice to hear you lost a pound. Everything is measuring fine and my blood pressure is still low (Greg is convinced that dead people have higher blood pressure than I do). I have my 36 week appointment next week in which they will test for Group B Strep and then we are down to weekly visits.

She still has 3 things to wear. I seem to be getting the cleaning done, errands done, and a lot of work done, but as far as baby preparations go, not much is happening there. Hopefully I don't have to send Greg out to buy her something to wear home from the hospital. That could be a bad start to her life. At least we have 35 days.

Spring Weekend

The long weekend is coming to a close. After a day at the zoo, a day at the park, playing outside, taking care of the garden, feeding the animals, a festival, a play, and a BBQ, my little friend and Greg sleep.

Owen and I headed to the zoo on Friday. I was reminded that taking a 3 year old to the zoo is a good lesson in slowing down. We saw only a handful of animals, some twice, some "not today", stopped to eat an ice cream together and enjoyed the day out. I find a small part of my inner self ready to review the map and immediately start down the path to see all the animals in order of appearance. He reminds me that we can stray from the map, spend 30 minutes watching the hippos, head off to see the snakes, go see the snakes again, go see the hippos again, of course see the elephants and decide that this particular Friday wasn't a day for flamingos, maybe next time. It was a great day!

We ended the zoo day with a delicious dinner with Angie and Ben at the Beach Cafe. Owen ate clam chowder. Why is it that unless I like it, it is so hard to remember that Owen may like something. He adores clam chowder and more often than not I forget to order it for him. Not this night. He loaded it up with crackers and enjoyed each bite. (Or at least every bite until he was ready for an order of fries). We love eating at this restaurant if for no other reason than the sandbox in the back. It is a great place to go when there is a 30 minute wait.




Saturday, Sunday and Monday, we performed our farm duties in caring for the house while my dad and Kristi are away. My child loves these duties and could actually go outside and feed the goats, pigeons and chickens by himself and water the garden. He told me he loves his house.

This is the frog he chose for the garden, he told me he made sure to get it so it would scare the rabbits away.

He told me he was so tired from watering the garden and wanted to rest in the dirt.

At one point while watering the garden he saw a weed. He put down the hose, put his hands on his hips and in a very firm voice said, "Dang it!! I need to get that out of here!" He pulled the weed and continued watering.

He looked at his chickens very perplexed and asked me what chickens he has. I told him he knew which chickens were his. He said he was wondering what kind of chickens they were. I told him we would have to ask his grandpa. He said very confidently that he was sure his were morans. (I later found out they were plymouth rock chickens, but the fact that he could name a type of chicken was more than I could do.)

I am not sure the goat's grain buckets should be carried on his head, but oh well, what do you do.

On Saturday, Greg and Owen spent some time playing T-Ball at the park.

On Sunday, it was festival time. We met up with Ben and Angie to eat some food, look at crafts, hang out and enjoy the day. Owen rode some rides at the end and even used his favorite line of reasoning to get one more ride. I hear this all day, "Pleeease mom, can I ride one more time? Please, because I am so amazing and sooo cute. Please." Oh dear.

At one point while walking around the festival, we stopped to watch some tap dancers. Owen watched them for awhile and then turned to me and said, I know my grandpa could do that too. My dad should show him his tap dancing skills this week. I am sure we would all love to see that.

Angie and I went to see Grease on the stage after the festival. We had a great time and enjoyed watching Taylor Hicks from American Idol as the Teen Angel. It didn't even matter that our seats were in row Z.

Greg and Steve watched Owen while we were gone. Upon our return we learned that they played basketball at the local playground and then went to the store and bought chips and dip. This was their dinner. Wow, I love leaving the boys at home alone to their own devices with Owen. Oh, and they bought chips and dip for dinner and then took it home to watch basketball. We found ourselves making pancakes for Owen before we left at 11:00 pm. (They were delicious!)

And finally, we ended today with a BBQ with Angie & Steve, Ben & Kelsey & their dog Sadie (who needs to never eat strawberries again and then fall asleep under the table smelling not so sweet), Kati & Ryan and us. It was ever so enjoyable with too much food (we only know how to plan for big groups) and then a FUN game of Mille Bournes. If you haven't played this card game before, I totally recommend it.

And now they sleep, Greg and Owen in the bed with owl (who had a bath in the washing machine today). Me, off to join them.

Time to rest and prepare for what the new week has in store.

Morning

I could have slept longer, perhaps a lot longer. But here I am, up at 7:30 on this beautiful sunny day. I am all alone. The windows are open, the birds are chirping, the house is quiet.

It never lasts long, soon Owen will be up with his owl (who desperately needs a bath (actually, they both really need a bath)) telling me about how he slept and asking what we are going to do today. Greg will be awake making breakfast, talking about the list for the store for the afternoon BBQ. The phone will start ringing as Angie and Ben and I discuss the day's menu. There are showers to be taken, clothes to be washed, rooms to be cleaned, animals to be fed, gardens to be watered, and if time permits, some work to be done.

So for now, I will thank Porter (the dog), for waking me up as he ran around upstairs no doubt in a desperate need to be let out. It made me get up and it gave me a few minutes to enjoy the day before it begins.

Some Pictures for my Dad

My dad tends to hire people to come work on the house and then he goes out of town. Leaving me here with the workers. I am posting some pictures of the window trim so he can see what it looks like.

Owen loves having the "workers" here. He followed them around, asked them a lot of questions, carried their tools, and I am sure bothered them a bit.

Emilee said at one time, "Eric took my boys and I am getting some work done today". I replied, "Anthony, the painter, has Owen so I am getting some work done."

I amuse myself.