Decals decided on and installed!
(Here is the listing for the decals at Amazon: RoomMates Scroll Tree Peel & Stick Wall Decal MegaPack
Project Nursery: Part 3
Singing and dancing!
Watching himself sing and dance to music from The Backyardigans…
Taking advantage…
Might as well take advantage at least once during two pregnancies.
37 week checkup
The doc said today that at my next appointment (38.5w) they’re going to check my cervix and strip the membranes if necessary…then would look at inducing on my due date if I hadn’t had the baby by then.
88| 88| 88|
I was too shocked to say anything (and then he was out the door)…but, um, NO. I’m letting this one bake as long as necessary on her own, thankyouverymuch.
I mean, why induce if there’s no reason to? And they haven’t given me a reason to. Which is why I’ll definitely be asking at my next appointment. They have casually mentioned I’m a bit on the big side but nothing worrisome.
Interestingly—when I was up in Labor & Delivery last week for my weekly fetal monitoring appointment—I saw a chart on a public bulletin board regarding a goal of delivering more babies between the hours of 8-5…which struck me as odd. So I’m guessing there’s a correlation there…
I could actually cancel my next appointment because the doc said “come back in 1-2 weeks.” Well, at this late stage of the game, there’s a big difference between one and two weeks—I mean, one week puts me at 38.5 weeks and two weeks puts me at 39.5 weeks! It’s not like we’re at 24 weeks here. So I opted for one week this time (I’ve been doing two) but I may just go with two. And let whatever happens happen.
It’s not all sunshine and cotton candy…
I am so fed up with Owen and his non-eating habits. I try so hard not to let it bother me but some days I just want to scream.
Tonight we had Bulgogi—marinated flank steak. We’ve had it before and he LOVED it (granted, it was probably 1.5-2 years ago when he might still try new things) so we wanted him to try it again and he just flat out refuses. Shakes his head no, waves his hands in front of his face, growls NOOO at us…the whole nine yards. We used to be able to bribe him with a treat if he tried something and that doesn’t even work anymore. :**:
I’ve read all the things that are supposed to work and they don’t:
- I put some [of whatever] on his plate with his other food…and he just ignores it.
- I put out the same food (or just offer it) over and over and over and over in case it takes 20 times. He never tries it.
- I can’t be sneaky and hide food in what he eats…because he eats nothing I can hide other stuff in (like mashed potatoes or Mac and cheese or meatballs or hamburgers or spaghetti).
- I can’t fool him with toppings hid on pizza under cheese–he takes them off.
- He notices smashed fruit in his yogurt and won’t eat it.
- He didn’t even like the strawberry freezer jam I made—which had nothing hiding, it was just different.
I’ve pretty much given up reading articles on the subject because every one ends up being completely laughable to me.
I keep telling myself he’ll grow out of it, but it’s been so long already with no change in sight (and it’s actually gotten worse!) that I really have no hope. I keep thinking he’ll better understand compromise or bargaining as he gets older, but he doesn’t seem to have a clue.
Tonight we eventually told him there would be no iPad until he tried a new food…and that didn’t even work. And he LIVES for the iPad. Then I feel guilty for doing that…but I feel we have to try all sorts of options. But now I can’t give him the iPad because I cant give in. I expect tantrums.
In my pissed off moments I want to try the giving-him-only-what-we’re-eating thing again, as a take it or leave it meal…but then I feel guilty even thinking about doing that because what if he really does have some major issue with food that we just haven’t figured out yet?
Being pregnant and super emotional doesn’t help any of this, either.
I am just sooooo tired of dealing with this. Yes, I know it could STILL be worse, but as I said, there are just days when it overwhelms me.
I have a naked boy running around my front yard.
Accidental modesty. He haz it.
What a wet grin!
That grin!
Project Nursery: Part 2
All the boxes cleared, the glider in, the crib put together…still need to bring in the mini fridge (so I don’t have to traipse downstairs for bottles or to store pumped milk) and laundry basket…and decide what new wall decals to buy.
Charlie watching over Owen
Just loving his new cars…
This is why I shop at Amazon.
Ugh, I hate stupid people. I checked a hair product website and it said the JCP salon carried the line so I called to ask. She had no idea what I was talking about. I explained the website said they carried that line and did they have the specific product. She says “Well we don’t carry the whole line…” to which I said “Which is why I’m calling to check.” To which she still seemed utterly clueless and pretty much said “I have no idea.”
THIS IS WHY I SHOP AT AMAZON.
36w5d
Daddy loves giving Owen grandpa pants!
New Cars book and Cars Surprise!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPAUW1EG3WY
Thank you Aunt Sue and Uncle Marv…Owen loved the Cars stuff! And I’m sure Katie will love her night-lite!
Bath time! 3-2-1-go!
Date night!
Our friends offered to watch Owen so we could have one last date night before Katie arrived… But, technically it’s a date afternoon since we like to be home by his bedtime. 🙂 So it was dinner at 4:30 and a movie at 5:30! Hey, it works for us!
Kids!
Our good friends Tom and Karen (that live on the other side of our neighborhood) have moved back into town, and they have three kids (ages 6, almost 5, and 8mo) so we’ve been seeing them more lately—which is great for Owen! We had dinner over there this past weekend, and Owen and Nate (the 6yo) got along fabulously…Owen showed up with his knight helmet and sword and Nate was already running around with his own sword! Owen also sat and talked to the 8mo which was adorable! They’ve also been to our house to swim a few times, but that’s a little overwhelming for Owen who is used to having his pool to himself (but we keep doing it so he’ll get used to it)!
Today, I left Owen there while I had a doctor’s appointment, and Karen texted me this pic of our “Little Toms”:
And then this pic of Owen driving one of their power wheels cars…which, if you recall, he won’t even barely sit (let alone drive) his own police car! So needless to say I was surprised…and of course, apparently other kids’ toys are more fun than your own!
Promotion! Yay! New uniforms? Yuck!
Splashing…splashing…splashing!
Naming his line of cars…and racing!
I just tested Owen.
I just tested Owen: “Please bring me the nail clippers from mama’s dresser.”
After two minutes, he brought me one slipper. :DD At least it rhymed?
Project Nursery
What started as Project Nursery turned into Project Move Owen to What Was Going to Be the Nursery Because We Didn’t Have Room to Store the Queen Size Bed and Then Turn Owen’s Room Into the Nursery.
Phew, I know. 😀
Project Nursery, Part 1
Yeah, so we don’t have room to store the Queen bed (so would have to sell it), so we thought Owen could use it…but it’s just too big for his current room (the nursery is a good 3′ wider) which means he’d have to switch rooms. I didn’t want to uproot him at all with the whole baby thing coming…but it seemed like the best plan as I think we have room to store the Full bed (that Owen currently uses).
But, of course, the decision wasn’t THAT simple. Because a room switch would mean he loses all the decals he currently has (alphabet and Cars, though the Cars ones are big enough they might be able to make the move). I had JUST bought a second waterproof mattress pad. We weren’t sure what color we were going to paint, which would have an effect on bedding we already had or needed to buy. We would need new Queen sheets (we only have one summer and one winter set). Again, depending on the color(s), we might need a new dust ruffle and/or curtains (which I had just bought the curtains like six months ago). All little things, but they add up.
So we decided to ask him if he wanted to switch rooms—and of course he said YEP. (That’s it, YEP.) So he seemed to like the idea of a new room, but I’m guessing he doesn’t really FULLY understand. He also picked green over tan paint and seemed excited about his bigger bed (he went to grab cars to play with in there immediately).
So while it was kind of exciting, I honestly was not looking forward to it, as it was going to be enough work just getting one room ready and now we had two rooms to do (oh, who am I kidding, Tom now had two rooms to do as I can’t really do much). So I decided to make it more fun for me and do a full-fledged online search for the bedding I really wanted for Owen’s room…basically a multi-colored plaid…or madras as it turns out. So the stuff I love? Of course it’s at >:XX Pottery Barn Kids: $159 for either a quilt or a duvet cover. Yuck.
Tom was painting while I was shopping…
So I kept my fingers crossed that the bedding Owen was currently using would look okay with the new paint. And, of course, it didn’t—the two different shades of sage completely clashed. I know he won’t care…but but I do. Now before you think I’m nuts, let me remind you that I didn’t care one bit what his nursery looked like (it was never matchy matchy—I just tossed up some monkey decals and called it a day). And then when we moved back here, the room was a medium yellow, which went just fine with the sage curtains/comforter/bedskirt stuff we already had.
So, knowing how I am, I know that the clashing colors would drive me insane every single day. I had a quilt I could put on in the meantime, but it’s a girly flowery pink/tan/sage thing that I know I wouldn’t want on for good so why not just get what I want NOW? Right? 🙂 Besides, other than two sets of sheets, we hadn’t really spent any money on bedding for him…so I felt okay buying something specifically for him… Hence my online search.
But since I couldn’t get it out of my head, we headed out to Ross and Marshall’s. We also went to Bed Bath & Beyond (as it was right next door to Ross)…and found what I wanted. Not quite as expensive as the Pottery Barn Kids stuff (though still more than I would have preferred to pay) but pretty much exactly what I wanted—and of course I could use a 20% coupon! While I was checking out, Tom said “HOW MUCH?!” and I said “Not as much as what I wanted from Pottery Barn Kids!” and he knew well enough not to argue with a hormonal pregnant woman. 🙂
In the end, it all worked out. We were able to (re)use the white dust ruffle and the tan blackout curtains. I already had a waterproof mattress pad cover. The comforter is reversible and BOTH sides match so we can change it up a bit. I just need to buy a set or two of sheets…
And you can see how comfortable he is in his new room—this was about three seconds after we told him to come check it out:
Project Nursery Part 2 starts tomorrow with the dismantling of Owen’s old Full bed, the building of the crib, and the switching of all the clothes and closet stuff…
BONUS VIDEO:
Post-nap crazy hair
A month or so to go…
With a month or so left, I’m starting to get freaked out. Nothing is done so it starts this week…painting the nursery, putting the crib and dressers together, washing clothes, finding baby stuff in the garage. Tom is going to try and take Thursday and Friday off.
I just keep thinking it could be two weeks…it could be two weeks…!!!!!!!!! And to top it off, I’m more paranoid about this birth than the first one where I was completely clueless. I’m afraid of being early again (or even earlier). I’m paranoid of my water breaking somewhere inconvenient or at an inconvenient time (like having to call our friends to take Owen in the middle of the night). I’m paranoid I’ll have actual contractions and it will be worse than last time. I’m afraid the epidural will get screwed up again.
And on and on.
Road trip–Family, Cousins, and Water Country
We took a somewhat last-minute trip to Williamsburg, VA, to see family—and we also decided to go to Water Country USA since we were able to get free tickets for being military.
Saturday night we met with Stef & Al (my third cousins, I think—I’m bad at figuring out those type of family relations) and their kids for dinner and then swimming back at our hotel pool. It was nice visiting with them—I can’t even remember the last time we saw them!
Sunday it was off to Water Country to meet up with Lisa & Timmy and their kids for a day of fun in the water! They were visiting Williamsburg for a week’s vacation so we were more than happy to come up and see them!
I didn’t take my phone and didn’t have a waterproof camera, so we didn’t get a ton of pictures…but we did get a few. Owen took a little bit to get comfortable playing in the water, but once he did, he had a blast! It was enjoyable for me as well since I didn’t have to worry about running around to all the rides…sometimes being eight months pregnant has its advantages!
Also, major thanks to Timmy for splurging on a cabana…that really IS the way to go for a whole day at the park!
Taking a break for ice cream!
COUSINS! Of course, Owen is the beast of the group…he’s almost 3.5 while the others (from left to right) are almost 6, almost 8, and almost 4. 😮
Owen continues to amaze me.
He wasn’t completely thrilled with the road trip—he was excited about seeing cousins but still keeps saying he wants to go home. So I was expecting a tantrum at bedtime when it was time to put the puzzles (iPad) away. Instead, after he got his teeth brushed, he handed us the iPad, said goodnight, and crawled into his bed!
I love this kid.
“It’s a super celebration happening!”
Tom was just putting Owen to bed and out of nowhere Owen claps his hands and says “It’s a super celebration happening!”
Clear as day.
No, we have no idea where he heard that.
He just kills me.
Last-minute plans!
Ugh, last-minute plans…I hate them because I’m a planner, but I have to learn to go with the flow.
A few months ago my cousin said her family would be coming to Richmond, VA, for a vacation and would like to see us if possible. It’s four hours away but yes, of course, since otherwise we only get to see them at Christmas. And as a bonus we have other family there we could see as well.
I KNOW I put a reminder on my Google calendar but it’s not there now so it was a big surprise when she texted yesterday saying “We’ll be there June 9-15!”
OH CRAP.
Obviously we can only do a weekend and their dates only include THIS weekend… So do we go or not?!?!
First I have to see if our other fam is available. Then I have to see if someone can watch the dog. Then I have to see about hotel rooms. Luckily Tom has Monday off so that helps.
Sooooo…our Richmond fam was unavailable. But that was actually okay since we found out the visiting cousins weren’t actually staying there, but rather in Williamsburg…where we happen to have other family. And neighbors could watch the dog…
So hotel rooms (the hotel we really like) are stupid expensive so we were going to make it work for just one night. Until I thought “You know, military gets free tickets to Busch properties and since we’ll be RIGHT there…” So now we’re staying two nights AND going to Water Country USA…in just two days.
EEK!
I can’t wait!!
Owen is 3 years 4 months today!
Cement mixer! Kind of.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B0XKnV7hR8
Trying to say “cement mixer” in one shot.
Dogs don’t understand basic concepts like moving
http://hyperboleandahalf….c-concepts.html
Packing all of your belongings into a U-Haul and then transporting them across several states is nearly as stressful and futile as trying to run away from lava in swim fins.
I know this because my boyfriend Duncan and I moved from Montana to Oregon last month. But as harrowing as the move was for us, it was nothing compared to the confusion and insecurity our two dogs had to endure.
Our first dog is – to put it delicately – simple-minded. Our other dog is a neurotic German shepherd mix with agonizingly low self-esteem who has taken on the role of “helper dog” for our simple dog. Neither dog is well-equipped with coping mechanisms of any kind.
When we started packing, the helper dog knew immediately that something was going on. I could tell that she knew because she becomes extremely melodramatic when faced with even a trivial amount of uncertainty. She started following me everywhere, pausing every so often to flop to the ground in an exaggeratedly morose fashion – because maybe that would make me realize how selfish I was being by continuing to pack despite her obvious emotional discomfort.
And it gets better after this…