Matchy-matchy, huh?

 We halloweened with the girls tonight... We were a "Football Family" - actually the Daddy's idea, the Mommy was amused. NEVER thought the Daddy would buy into the matchy-matchy theme idea, but it was all his. The football was the clincher.

I wanted to be the cheerleader, and I wanted Daddy's shirt to be labeled "Mickey."  You know, cuz he's so fine.  He blows my mind.  If you do not understand this paragraph... sigh.  Just don't tell me.

We actually started the day with some delicious french toast, shaped and colored for the day...

Then we carved our pumpkins.  They rot so fast in the heat here, that we usually carve them on or just a day before Halloween, then enjoy them the week after.  Until they rot.  Which is usually less than a week.

Speaking of matchy-matchy, this is a preview of the pictures we got of the girls on Saturday.  Of course, this is at home, just after we got home.  How well do these outfits - bought years apart, in different parts of the country, from different stores - match?  I am tickled pink.  Or purple and blue, as the case may be. 

PS.  I think the Daddy is going to go for the family-matching-jammies shot for Christmas.  I am vastly amused,  and thrilled.  :)

Happy one month birthday, baby

Two weeks before delivery

My girl arrived on her scheduled induction date - but we went into labor on our own at 12:30 AM.  We were at the hospital by 3 AM and into a delivery room by 5.   She finally arrived after less than a half-hour of pushing at about 11:30.

Happy daddy

No one got to see a picture of Tori until her big sister arrived and got to see and hold her - even Grandpa waited in the hall until Alex held the baby...

...but then Grandpa got his turn.

This is Tori, on her first day of life. 

9/27/10

Tori, my beautiful child.  Welcome to the world.  Mama is so glad you are here.  I did not know our family was not complete until I felt you under my heart.  I am so glad to hold you in my arms at long last. 

overdue

induction scheduled for Monday. 

Wonderful weekend

We are nothin' if not last minute. 

This weekend, we:

• got our pre-natal photos taken.  Cannot wait to show off the belly shot of the Daddy's hands forming a heart over my pregnant belly
• set up the baby' furniture.  The Girl organized her sister's drawers and is very adamant that we use her "system".  Fortunately it works.

This weekend we also

• watched Daddy attempt to eat a chicken foot.  No, really.  After he made it dance around on his plate in the middle of the restaurant.  We went to an Asian buffet, and this was his attempt at being a good role-model and convince the girl to try something new.
• Subsequently, she licked the eyeball of a prawn that had been cooked intact.  Nicely done.
• I scrubbed the kitchen floor on hands and knees in a valiant attempt to go into labor.  The Daddy cracked lots of jokes about me being barefoot, pregnant, in the kitchen, etc...
• Went to the movies.  Not sure how easy that will be to do in the immediate future.
• Had a melt-down in Target because Mommy and Daddy bought something for the Baby but not for the Girl. 
• The girl made a recipe:
• bread (warmed and shredded)
• pudding (vanilla)
• cereal (fruity pebbles)
• ice cream (mint chocolate)
• sliced banana
• Fortunately for me, she knows Mommy gets full really fast theses days.  The Daddy stuck it out and ate the whole thing.  Good man.
• We skipped church, sending the Girl with her aunt instead, and went out for some grown-ups only breakfast, for what will probably be the last time for a long while.  It was really nice.

Update

I have not made any progress since last week, in spite of a quick trip to the hospital will a false alarm... :(


I am officially due on Tuesday the 21st.

I have an appointment again Monday. At that appointment, Doc will determine if I am to be induced next week. The latest he will let me go is Tuesday, Sept 28. As of right now, we are planning an induction for the 28th unless baby has made her appearance before then.

still here

went to the hospital yesterday. 
sigh.
no baby
false alarm.
will work today.
am so ready.
so emotional.
so sore.
so ready for my new daughter

9.11

As I sit at my desk reading the news, and look at pictures depicting 9-11 memorial services, and especially as I remember those brave men and women who knowingly sacrificed their lives on Flight 93. As I look around the room and realize these babies - these seventh graders - don't remember.  They were 4.  They have vague recollections of their parents watching, and they comprehend, but they don't remember.  I wipe tears from my eyes as I remember calling my roommate on my way to work, and waking her up to turn on the tv - thinking the DJ on the radio was playing a sick joke. 

I remember her silence punctuated with "Oh my God", "Oh my God." 
I remember the TV system at work being shut off so we could keep the day "normal" for our students.
I remember getting email updates throughout the day.
I remember, and I mourn for those families as their pain is still readily apparent on thier faces, and I pray that this country never suffers moments of horror like those again.
I remember.

well...

Still here, no baby yet.

Football has started.  You know you envy my life as a football widow on Sundays and Mondays...and sometimes Thursdays.

Dinner out with the fam last night.  Yum, onion blossom.  Enjoyed watching the Girl and her cousin with heads close together, sharing whatever secrets cousins share when surrounded by adults.

Was touched beyond belief when, apparently after watching me waddle out the back of church for a quick trip to the restroom, mid-service, a little old lady with a cane was coming out the door of the sanctuary as I was returning.  "I saw you leave and wanted to make sure you were ok, sweetie."  Melt my heart, m'am.

Doc calls it - "done"

38.5 weeks.

HUGE belly.

Dilated (2).

Head is extremely low.

HUGE burst of energy these last 2 days.

Doc says, "You won't be pregnant next week.  See you at the hospital."

GRIN

Carseat installed, camera downloaded and ready, and suitcase loaded.

 

(I am at work today.  Maybe my last one for a while?)

honey -do

So tired.
Honey, I hate to ask, but will you clean up the kitchen tonight? I am going to bed.

Got up at 5 to get some water.  Dishwaser was unloaded but nothing was washed or re-loaded.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR  Not exactly what I meant.

Craig

I introduced my husband to Craig's List after we sat in Babies-R-Us and he decided he could not survive this baby without a gliding chair.  They are NOT cheap!  So, we looked on Craig's list, although he was a bit hinky about it -- and not only did he find one he loves, he found it after he bought one he liked.  This is my husband...  So now, I have to convince him to re-post the first one and sell it in order to bring the second one home...  I did convince him to get rid of the red lazy-boy in exchange.  FINALLY.  The chair that is broken and uncomfortable, but is his oldest possession.. He agreed to donate it! 

We are finally in a stage that we can begin buying furniture that fits our home, since we own instead of rent... and it has been a long process to convince my husband that regardless of how much we have enjoyed a possession in the past, if it does not fit our home, it is time to pass it on to someone who can use and enjoy it.  This is a big step, for him to agree to get rid of the chair.  I deliberately turn on Hoarders to show him what our home will become if he is not willing to cycle old things out as new things come in... I have emotional attachments to some things as well, but walking around things to just have them is not my dream  and we simply do not have the storage space to just keep things forever.  

On the other hand, the people who were selling the glider he bought last night were seriously downsizing, and they currently have our dream home, complete with dream decor... so we also acquired a bedroom set, a curio cabinet and the biggest TV you ever saw.  No, seriously.  THE BIGGEST.  Forget going to the movies, I will give you a great rate to sit in my living room - popcorn is on the house. 

***
Went through boxes of baby clothes yesterday.  Don't you just love the tiny little tshirts and onsies?  We oooh's and awww'd over the precious items and told the Girl stories of her baby-hood.  I broke out the Dreft and washed the tiniest little dresses and pantlets, socks so small they make your heart ache, beanies and caps to keep a new little head warm...

Soon, soon... Mama is ready, sweet girl.  See you soon.

Non-combat troops

So our president announces the mission in Iraq is over.  Last troops are in route to home.  Except for the 50,000 non-combat troops who will remain in place.

"Honey, what is a non-combat troop?"
"You are looking at it."

Sweet.  Aviation and avaition support are classified as "non-combat".  An email from the command confirms we are still slated to deploy next year.

Awesome.

well?

I just don't feel right.  Not wrong, exactly, not sick, just... not... right.  Does that mean my time is near?  Or that I ate bad mac and cheese and too much lemon cake?

I am going out for spicy Mexican food tonight.  If my time is near, that'll do it... so they say.  But I may have a few weeks yet. 

My feet are swollen.
I waddle.
I am so tired.

But I sure do love being pregnant.
I can't wait to meet her!

Waddle, waddle Quack, quack

As my teammate jokingly rubs his belly everytime I walk by
As my friends, neighbors, collegues often ask, "Are you ok?"
                as I move slowly across a room
As my husband refrains from grinning
                as I grunt to stand up
As I run quickly out of breath walking down the hall
As my hip-bones splay wider in preparation
As my newest baby pushes down on my genital-femeral nerve
                 and my bladder
As my doc and hubs go out of town
As I am not ready yet

Baby is soon to come.

5 weeks? probably not

The Baby

• has turned.  Head down, spine to my left, feet to my right.  (For the non-moms, this is a good thing.)
• has not grown any new parts.  Still a girl.  :)
• kicks like mad.
• will probably come early.  Doc says pretty good chance based on size, position, how I feel, and the face that the Girl came 2 weeks early. Therefore the shower my SIL offered to throw will be a welcome-baby shower instead of a pre-baby shower.  The daddy thinks that is weird.  I do not care.  (PS, SIL, if you are reading this, I forgot to tell you there is a friend who wants to help.  Forgot to tell you in my disorientation yesterday when I saw you!)

The Doc

• complimented my pedicure while he was doing his thing.  That was a bit weird.  I think I said "Gee, thanks."   HAHA

mommy in tears

So the girl is at the dentist.  She is having 5 pulpectomies and caps put on. that requires either conscious sedation, a mummy bag, and multiple visits... or one visit and general sedation.  We opted for the second, hoping it would be less traumatic and being pretty sure she would not tolerate either multiple visits or the constraint.  Yes, my baby is asleep. That scares the hell out of me.  Daddy wanted to take her, and I let him.  I also let him convince me to go to work. As they drove away this morning, I kept a smile pasted to my face and blew kisses, then turned around and burst into tears.  This was a bad idea.

***
We all survived.  I rushed home for a 10 minute visit at lunch.  She is groggy, wobbly, and sore.  But she is OK, eating jello. And applesauce. 

***
Now, appointment at the OB today to see what the other girl is up to...

Well,  I am back to work teaching, the Girl is in first grade (!!!) and loving it, the Daddy is back from several LOOOONNNNGGG weeks out-of-town.  Life is (almost) back to normal again. 

My belly is E-normous.  He says he does not remember me getting this round last time, and Little One is definitely an acrobat.  My favorite thing this week was when The Daddy and I were cuddling in bed and he suddenly jumped and exclaimed over the fact that he could feel her move through my stomach and his own.  I have few clothes that fit, and fewer that are suitable in this weather, but I found a few things in the back of my closet, and bought just 3 dresses and one blouse to see me through the next 5 weeks.   FIVE WEEKS!  I go for my 35 week check up this week, and we will start sonograms to check the baby's position.   I look at what is still to be done at home and at work to prepare, and am a little overwhelmed.  Add to that, the Girl was 2 weeks early AND I was not tracking my periods, so am not positive when I got pregnant...  So, really... anytime in the next few weeks could be it!... YIKES!

The girl is having dental work done and Daddy has called dibs on being the parent to go in the room with her.  I am struggling to let go, and struggling to be ok with letting him be in control, and with the fact that since I can do NOTHING but sit and wait, we decided I should go to work that day and take the next day off to stay home with her.   Really, the closer it gets, the less likely I think it will be that I will be ok not being there. I know it is not about me, and I trust that since this is the 3rd time she has been under general anesthesia, AND that it was me there the last two times, that she will be OK without me.  The one thing I love most about the Daddy is that he is an amazing, attentive, sensitive father and I know he will do as well as I would meeting her needs that morning.  But still, what if my baby asks for Mommy and I am not there???

gratitude

I am grateful for:

1.  Good friends who will come through in a pinch when I need them. 
2.  A child care plan that came together quickly for my back-to-school week, after what I thought was going to be a workable plan did not work out. Reference number one.
3.  A husband who calls when he finds himself unexpectedly in an situation he is not sure I would be ok with, just to check.
4.  The ability to pay it forward.
5.  Connecting with family far away.
6.  Lots of rain this week.  'Cause I surely hate to water the outside plants!
7.  The aggravating clutter in my house, because it indicates the abundance with which we are blessed.

my loves and life

Yesterday, we spent quite some time on the phone, discussing things that are important in our marriage.  It is interesting to me that these conversations usually happen over the phone when he is gone on business.  Whether it is the missing each other, or the distractions that happen at home, I am not sure why it works out that these conversations are usually over the phone, but it is a joy to spend some time learning even more about each other, even after 8 years. I revel in some of the things I am told during these conversations, and am humbled by the amount of trust and open-ness, which he confesses he never envisioned having with anyone.  I know I can share my inner-most soul, my deepest, darkest secrets, my every need with this man - and that there is no judgement, just understanding and compassion and love.

It is also lovely that, after almost a decade of knowing each other, there are still things to learn and appreciate about one another. 
***

The Girl wrote "I love my Dad" for me on my pregnant belly to text to him, then decided she needed to get in on the action and drew all - and I mean ALL - over herself to text as well. He was laughing so hard when he called that I could barely understand him.  It was priceless.
***

As we enter my 8th month of pregnancy, we are amazed at how fast my belly is popping out.  I am working on rearranging rooms so that our girls (!!!) will share a room.  Not an easy task when I am not to put more than 30 pounds of pressure on my abs.  The friends who have offered to help have yet to arrive, and I am impatient a week later.  I am so excited to have everything ready in case the Baby comes sooner than expected.  And I cannot wait until Daddy gets home to go through the baby clothes and accessories, and the memories, as we pull out the things we saved 6 years ago.  I want it perfect when he gets home (minus the painting parts, which will just have to wait). 

mommy guilt

I am reminded that I had an assignment this month in my book study group = to make a list of things I may have once felt guilty aobut, or things you may think I should feel guilty about, but are actually things I will not and do not feel guilty about:

1.  That I had to be reminded to make the list.
2.  That I let my child stay up late so that she will sleep in so that I can sleep in, during summer vaca.
3.  That I hate to clean
4.  That I tell my child no.  A lot.  even if she cries and tells me she hates me.
5.  That I put my husband at the center.
6.  That I have, on more than one occasion, placed myself on the other side of a locked door until my temper cooled.
7.  That I have apologized to my 6-year old.
8.  That I tell her the truth, as soon as she is old enough to ask the question.
9.  That I allow her to watch TV while I nap