Fun last night

Last night with little Quint was really a whole lot of fun.

When we got home, he still wanted to play outside, even though he'd been outside for quite a while at Priscilla's when I picked him up. I wanted to get out the infant seat and install it in my car, so this worked. Quint looked thoughtfully through the laundry basket of outside toys and gardening type implements and took off for the back yard. There's one patch of soft silt just in front of our back deck lowest step. It's always easy to scratch up great play dirt. After a few minutes, I went to check on him and sure enough, he was covered in soft, dry dirt and was obviously thinking about trying to drink his little bucket of dirt. I wasn't really willing to deal with a muddy (dirt + spit = mud) boy and a bath and whatnot. My belly had felt really heavy all day and I just hadn't felt tip top. Also there was a huge mosquito on Quint's head. The mosquitoes are worse in the back yard than the front. Hmmm... what to do...

So I got out the swimming pool and turned on the hose to dribble quickly into the pool. This way, he could clean up himself and I wouldn't have to deal with mud, just water. I hauled Quint out front again, which he didn't seem to mind, and immediately picked out different implements for water play. For quite a while, he played in the water while standing outside the pool. The water was way too cold to be inside the pool, but after a while, he wanted to get in and tried with his shoes on. I talked to him about how cold it felt on his hands and are you sure you want to get in? Yes. So I took off his shoes, socks, and pants. I dipped his feet into the pool and immediately sat him on my lap again. He gasped and clung to my arm. I laughed. He laughed. Do you want to try again? Yes. Dip. Gasp. Giggle. The third time, he wanted to stay standing in the pool, the whole time saying, "cold! cold!" He had fun playing in the pool for probably 20 minutes. Occasionally he would try to go down on one knee, but would quickly shout "cold!" and stand back up. Very funny to me. He never did cry because of the cold, which was a relief to me. Typically when playing in the pool or bath, he'll fill a cup with water and dump it over himself. He only did this once with the cold water. He gasped and looked astonished, then laughed. He didn't do that again. Smart boy!

Later, inside, while I was trying to cook dinner, he was, as usual, very whiny and just cried because I was cooking. Why on earth does he hate to see me cook? Any cooking causes tears, including the 40 seconds it takes to heat nuggets. We had a lime and I had a brilliant flash. I cut him a slice of lime, showed him how to hold it to eat the pulp easiest, and he was happy as a clam! He loves limes and lemons. He sucked and chewed on that thing until it I was done cooking. He giggled, made faces, and roared like a lion the whole time. When we say lime, he hears lion.

After supper, his daddy called and he talked on the phone to his Papa. When he heard his voice, he smiled, picked up the phone and said, "whoa?" (his version of hello). Quint made several appropriate responses on the phone, including a "bye" at the end. Very fun for Papa.

About 7:15, 45 minutes before bedtime, Quint was down to thinking the only fun thing to do was run and dive at mama's huge belly. Very not fun for me. Quite painful and causing me to get more and more irritable. So it was time to pull out the secret weapon. I bought it a week ago and was saving it for some evening I had Quint alone and I was hurting pretty bad. The huge bag of 100 plastic balls! (Think Chucky Cheese ball pit.) I dumped them into the pack and play in the living room and plopped Quint in the middle of it. He was ecstatic! He swam through the balls, scooped them over himself, occasionally threw some at me. He kept shouting "BALL! BALL! BALL!" I got to sit outside the pack and play, not get beat up, and simply play by sticking my arms in occasionally. PERFECT!!

When Hubby got home, Quint said to him over and over, "Papa LOOK! BALL!" pointing to the balls at Quint's feet. Papa came over and played with him with the balls and also by pressing his face against the pack and play screen to make funny faces. Papa would lay Quint flat on top of the balls and spin him around like a washing machine. Lots of jumping up and down and dancing in the balls. At 10 unitl 8pm, we started trying to get him out of his own personal ball pit. At 8:05 we finally accomplished it. Papa hauled him upstairs and Quint wanted him to put him to bed. Fantastic for me! I went straight to the tub and floated my huge, horrible belly for an hour.

So despite me being miserable last night, I still had fun with my son. I even got the infant car seat base installed in the car and the carseat covers taken off for washing. That's the only thing I really got done last night, but eh...the non-hanging laundry is clean and sitting in our bedroom. It can fold itself later. Or not.

Baby gifts

Since Quint is only 19 months old, and the same gender as my baby due in just 6 weeks (AKA ten years), I'm not at all surprised or hurt that I haven't received a baby shower or any baby gifts yet. And there's very little I NEED for the new baby. But there are several things I would like. But I don't feel comfortable dropping hints in person to any of the likely candidates for second baby gifts. Seems a bit grasping... And these are things that I can afford, but someone (cough..cough...Sis..cough) might really have fun shopping for a couple of these things.

I'd really like a new special outfit to bring home our new cutie-pie. Ten years from now, I don't want to rely on my outfit or haircut to determine which baby I'm bring home in the pictures.

I'd like a brand new, monkey plush blanket of some kind to be just his very own blanket. A non-hand-me-down, since nearly everything else will be a hand-me-down.

I do actually need some new plastic backed bibs. The old ones are falling apart mainly because the label clearly said not to put them in the dryer and they've been through the dryer approximately a hundred times.

And if Quint is any indication, I will need a bottle of mylacon drops the first night we're home from the hospital.

I don't think I'll need a second baby monitor, but I'd love to hear advice on that.

And here is the ever present blog page for our second son's wish list, recently updated.

I've got the double stroller, a second pack and play (one upstairs, one down) with them set up and nearly ready to go. I got the boppy and bouncy seat out of the attic today. I have newborn and size 1 diapers. I have all the clothes, blankets, and burp rags washed, folded and put away. We have not put the car seats in the cars yet, but I'm still 6 weeks from my due date. For feeding, I've got my boobs (obviously) and I need to dig out my "supplies". I haven't packed my hospital bag yet, but I've started to pack Quint's overnight bag in case he needs to spend a night at a friend's house. To my surprise, I've found that most of his things will have to be packed at the last minute seeing how he uses them every day (teddy bear and special blanket) or I don't want to take them out of circulation this early in the game (favorite books, movies, and clothes) so perhaps that will have to wait a bit.

Am I forgetting anything?

This may be a bit controversial, but I've bought a baby doll to help Quint in the coming adjustment. I'll be playing with it much more than Quint before the birth and he's been interested in my "play" so far. Put the baby doll in the bouncy seat. Hold the baby a lot. Swaddle the baby. Put the baby in the pack and play, etc. That and lots of conversation and books have Quint so far understanding so far that his brother is in my belly and he's going to be a big brother.

I can't think of a conclusion for this blog, so BYE!

34 weeks and a boy in the dirt

This blog could easily be named "way too many pictures" but you'll just have to deal with it.

Here's me today at 34 weeks pregnant with Quint, as always, really wanting to poke in the belly button. It kind of hurts to poke my belly button in, so the game is that Quint dives for it and I cover it up. I'm feeling about a thousand times better now that I can always get at least 4 or 5 hours of continuous sleep per night. It lets me handle various....pains..... better which makes me a better mom and wife in the evenings. It's always more fun to have a mom and wife who isn't impatient and snappy because she'd rather be soaking in a tub or laying down. Life is better with Ambien!


Quint absolutely loves the hammock. Anything that swings or rocks is an "eeee-awww" as in "yea-haw! Ride the pony!"

Here's Quint's latest photo-op in the yard with his tiny mower.

Putting sticks in the fire pit.

Lately, when I say, "smile for the camera," I get this for some reason.

Pouring dirt is fun!

What does it taste like?

I got a bunch of dirt in my shoe!

I promise, as a 100% boy, to always love playing in the dirt.

Quint is 19 months old, is gaining new words by the day, is amazingly cute, and got a head to toe scrubbing right after these pictures were taken.

Speaking of new words, today I finally figured out that "is-shoes" are TISSUES!! Considering he's had a runny nose for 2 weeks, you'd think I have figured that out quicker! But "tissues" are also napkins or paper towels, so give me a little credit. He also recently correctly identified my best friend's picture from the collection on the walls. Since she lives 800 miles away, this is impressive! When I put some bigger shoes on him the other day, he said "oooooo! New shoes!" He was also very impressed and excited by the wall of yogurt at Walmart the other day. He loves to be swept off his feet, tickled and tossed on some soft surface. Sometimes he will even lay down on the floor and say, "tickle, tickle" in order to get you to tickle him.

33 weeks pregnant

Here's a belly shot! Quint still loves to poke the belly button and laughs every time he just sees it! I wore my "birthday cake" shirt to Target today and got a compliment from a complete stranger - THANKS MOM!

Since starting the Ambien, I finally feel good! It's amazing what good rest will do for you. I've stopped throwing up so often, my feet only swell when I've had too much salt (like pizza). Little Rastus has started hurting me daily with his kicks and occasionally will leave a sore spot that hurts even when he's not currently kicking. Several other people have been able to visually see him moving and said articulate things like, "whoa".


Quint had his 18 month checkup today (even though he's 19 months old) and he ranks at the top of the scale for communication and gross motor skill and whatnot. So we have confirmation that he's BRILLIANT! Which of course I knew, but still..... He's at or near the 50th percentile for height, weight and length. His head is a little larger than usual, but I knew that too. Here's a cute one of Quint.

My nesting has taken the form of stocking up now. So far, it's just purchasable items like chicken nuggets, fish sticks, disposable tupperware, baby wipes, diapers of both sizes, and paper bowls. Aldi doesn't sell the wipes, paper bowls, or tupperware, so I made a huge haul at Target today, using up two gift cards I recently found in my wallet.

OK, it's 9:15, so it's bedtime.

The old me

Some guys at my temp job found out the other day that I played trumpet in my High School marching band. They also found out that I sing in a church choir in a robe with a hymnal and organ. They were both floored. They would have never guessed either one of those, especially the trumpet part.

I haven't decided how I feel about that yet. That was sooooo much a part of my identity in High School, but it really isn't now. I've even recently given away my signature chillie pepper shorts and I don't play trumpet any more. But have I really changed so much that people can't picture me as a trumpet player?

Something to think about...

Random stuff from the past week.

I should preface this by saying that I took my first ever ambient just minutes before attempting this blog.

Rastus has been kicking HARD for about a week now! As in I yelp and grab for the protruding foot between my navel and ribcage. The other day, I told Hubby to talk to him to calm him down. While hubby had his face on my belly, he got solidly kicked in the head which made me yelp and jerk. So Rastus kicked his daddy in the head in utero!

*subject change*

Our kitty cat is Quint's favorite animal ever. We have to do everything kitty around here and I bet I nearly have Aristocats memorized. The other night, though, I had settled Quint down to read his favorite book, had gotten him comfy where his elbow wasn't stabbing me/his brother, when the cat decided that she wanted to join story time. I didn't think there was any more room on my lap, but she tried. After a minute or two, Quint pushed her off! Too many people on the lap.

*subject change*

After my flop of a yard sale, I packed everything up and had the ARC come pick it up.
Here's what I put out for them (not the swimming pool). And just a few hours later, only the Christmas trees were still there. Apparently they don't pick those up until November 1st. So we'll have a friend help us give those to goodwill. Wonderful feeling of emptiness in our storage areas.

*subject change*

Apparently my belly button outie is so funny to my son that it can produce a giggle any time I show it. Yesterday, I used it as bribery. "If you take one more bite of yogurt, you can poke my belly button." Worked like a charm for three bites in a row!

*subject change*

I've been sleeping so horribly for several weeks now that it's made me quite crabby. Monday night, for some reason, I got a good night's sleep! I only got up in the night 3 times! As a result, I felt pretty darn great all day Tuesday. Rastus was kicking the fool out of me, but I otherwise wasn't hurting. On the phone in the afternoon, after catching up with my husband, he said, "you seem like you feel good today. You seem, you know, nice!" He immediately started backpedaling and saying please don't take offense at that, but I though it was hysterical. I've been around me lately. I know I've been an effing ray of sunshine. He was relieved that I was laughing. Quint was in a good mood when I picked him up and I felt great, so we went to the park for a half hour while they finished filling my ambien perscription. Quint is very independent on the playground now!

I took the ambien at 8:15 and before nine was having great difficulty writing in this blog. It's now 5:45 and I seem to have a bit of a hangover, so maybe I'll nap a bit more. I only woke up twice in the night. I accidently broke a lamp I've had for nearly 30 years - I have hopes that I can find a replacement globe on ebay.

Off to nap time before my day must start.

New video camera

Here's the first test shots with the new video camera this morning. Just regular play in our PJs, but the first video we've had since Christmas.

Chuckle for the day

My mom told me a funny today. With her gardening club, she regularly sees my old high school boyfriend's mom. So they've known each other for years and years. OMG I dated him nearly 15 years ago! I'm not old enough to have had a real boyfriend nearly 15 years ago!! How does time pass so fast?!

Anyway.

They were explaining to someone that they had known each other for years and their kids even dated for a while. Mom said she didn't think we (the kids) kept up with each other any more, but still...

My ex-boyfriend's mom looked at my mom and said, "Well how did Josh know she just cut her hair?"

Now that made me laugh! So I guess he or his wife reads this blog! I haven't heard from Josh directly since maybe high school. Hi Josh!!

But if he or his wife has a blog, I'd enjoy keeping up with it, too!

Pity party and perspective on such

Anyone remember "the chezits" from my first pregnancy? That wonderful phenomenon where I cry uncontrollably for nearly no reason? Yeah, it's back. Only this time, there ARE things to worry and cry about in my life.

So here's the pity party: I'm not permanently employed and will have to look for real work after the baby comes. I'm already quite uncomfortable in my pregnancy and I have FIVE TO EIGHT WEEKS LEFT TO GO! It's getting harder to take care of Quint with a huge belly which complains when I lift Quint. Rastus (baby 2) has recently learned how to practically bruise me with his kicks and turns. Hubby has been ligitimately quite busy at work and has been working late a lot. He has already warned me that he will need to work this weekend. I miss his company and his help with (literally) the heavy lifting around the house. My temp job is at times mind numbingly dull, but we need the money. With commute times and whatnot, this temp job requires that poor Quint is in daycare for nearly 10 hours each day. I wouldn't want to be anywhere for 10 hours straight. He hasn't complained or been reluctant to go to Priscilla's, but yesterday when I dropped him off, he sat in my lap for a few minutes looking around, then sighed, hugged me, and went off to start his day. When I pick him up, he wants to leave NOW. Which really pulls at my heart strings.

So with all this going on, when "the cheezits" hit, I'm usually focusing on some or all of these. I do at least feel a better after I've cried and cried. But let's get some perspective here.

I do have a job right now which pays nice money. This money has allowed us to breathe a bit, do a little frivolous spending for sanity's sake (I'm talking probably $40 worth of frivolous spending) and get both the cars repaired. April is now completely solvent, including the $700 in taxes we owed, and if they keep me two weeks past this Friday, May will be solvent. Solvent is good. This job is hard on Quint, but it IS temporary.

As uncomfortable as I am right now, physically, I do not really want to have the baby right now. I may go through fleeting times of thinking " get him out, get him out, get him out!" but I am only 32 weeks along. Here's what happens when you have babies too early. A friend's blog shows pictures of a new set of triplets who were at approximately the same gestation as my little boy. Yeah, let's keep the karate kid in the oven for a bit longer no matter how many times I yelp per day.

Yes, I'm unemployed right now and money is tight, but we are in no danger of loosing our house or anything like that. Of our three credit cards, the only one that has anything on it has $1800 in car debt from the latest car we bought. And that's at some spectacular rate like 4-6%. All that to say, we've got credit available that we can tap into if necessary. With our tight budget (which we've mostly stuck to!) we still eat plenty well, even if we never really eat out. We're warm enough, cool enough, have gas for the cars, etc. And money is coming in right now from my temp job. So that's really not that bad.

And lastly, there is no huge family crisis going on in my life like poor Amalah. She is exactly the same amount of pregnant as me, and her father died of cancer last week. She also has a 6 year old and a 3 year old who have lost the first close relative of their young lives. So there's a lot of hard explaining to do.

My husband is wonderful and we just celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. When he's home from work, he helps out, lifts things, takes over Quint duties, and massages things that ache on me. He reminded me last night that we've been through tougher spots in our marriage. Really? I asked. Like what? Like when we were living in two different states with a failing business and actively going into debt as a result. And then two teenagers drove into the side of our house. OK, yeah, that was really bad too. This is comparable but with pregnancy emotionalism added in.

I have an adorable little boy who is learning new words all the time. He is polite and obedient for the most part. He sleeps easily and through the night. He is a joy every single day for at least a few giggle infested minutes.

I have lots of blessings to count and I should try to count them when the cheezits hit.

*subject change*

My yard sale that I worked so hard on was a complete flop. I made a whopping $18. And yes I advertised. And I got a lot of interest in some of the stuff via craigslist. And it was beautiful weather. But the big point of the yard sale was the purge of our house. And the ARC will pick up my yard sale left overs on Friday morning. I need to call them today to let them know that it will be at least 10 boxes, a full size mattress and box springs, a carseat and working vacuum. I'm delighted to be getting rid of that much stuff that we don't use.

I still really like my hair shorter. Last night, I washed it late and went to bed with a wet head. This morning IT IS DRY!!! That hasn't happened in years and is a very welcome change. And with washing it more often, I'm able to treat my psoriasis more efficiently so maybe that will get better soon, too.

OK, off to start the daily schedule.