My Lovely Lady Bump

Prestonisms

2011-07-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

While getting packing food for our picnic...

P: "Can we listen to Ice Ice Baby...I want to rock!"

While talking on the phone to his Pappy...

P: "Happy Birfday Pappy! How many candles are on yer cake?"

Pappy: "54"

P: [pauses] "Are you serious?"

While trying to catch a spider in it's web...

P: "He's running from me 'cause he's scared. He doesn't know me."

P: [to the spider] "Hi! My name is Preston!"

P: [with enthusiasm] "Mommy!! He's not scared anymore, cause I died him!"

Me: "You died him?"

P: [matter of factly] "Yeah, I killed him."

Bathtub chit chat...

P: "Did you know me and Daddy match? We bof [both] have geen [green] eyes. So we match!"

Me: "That's right, you do!"

P: (while holding up his forefinger and shaking it once) "AND... AND we bof have big eenises [penises]. Our penises match, too!"

Me: "Not sure if that's good for you, or bad for Daddy?"

P: "It's good Mommy. Cause matching is good!"

Kid Stats

2011-07-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

Since I'm attempting to play a mad game of catch-up, thought I'd post the yearly check-up stats for the kids.

Preston, at 3 years
• 31lbs 2oz. in the 25th percentile.
• 36.25" in the 25th percentile.

Norah, at 1 year
• 21lbs 5oz. in the 50th percentile.
• 29.25" in the 50th percentile.

She's gaining on her big bro!

A New 'Do at Dooz

2011-07-05T09:00:00.002-07:00

Norah was born with a full head of hair. Lost the back and some of the sides, kept all of the top. So what is that- a reverse mullet?
Whatever it is, she no longer has it!

Thanks to Rachel at Dooz, the days of the thin, whispy pigtails are gone (not that they weren't ahhh-dorable)...Norah is now sporting a chic inverted bob of sorts.

There were bubbles, books, toys and snacks. Norah hadn't a clue what was going on, but she did know she WASN'T happy. By the end of the haircut she was in a rage- face blotchy, breathing heavily, and didn't give a poo about the "prize" they were trying to give her.

Stylists who cut children's hair must have the most patience in the world!

Before- content and clueless.

After- confused and ready to hit the road. (She was waving bye-bye)

It's a Shabby Chic 1st Birthday!

2011-06-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

Being that Norah is THE CUTEST, and THE SWEETEST little girl you'd ever meet, I thought it only proper to give her THE CUTEST and THE SWEETEST first birthday a little girl could ever have...Shabby Chic- vintage linens, old jars, fresh flowers, desserts, and handmade crafts. Thanks to Etsy.com and hours of online research, the party decor was perfect.

The guest list was quaint..a few friends and the in-laws. Party was short, but Norah is just a babe. And the weather perfect.

Check out the pics below. As always, click to enlarge.

Dessert table.

Angled view of dessert table.

The cake! Strawberry with vanilla icing. Adorned with a wide vintage ribbon, fresh flower and candle.

'N" cupcakes.

Lemon cupcakes with raspberry jam filling.

Highlights of Norah's first year.

Vintage jars with ribbon.

Dining table.

Centerpiece with jars, cans, lemons and fresh flowers.

Favor signage.

Favors were a "Shabby Chic" cookie recipe and cutter.

Mobiles hung throughout the yard (not good for wind, as you can see). Vintage lace glued onto a cross-stitch ring; circular strips of construction paper hung by baker's twine. Simple and cute!

Tin cans with fresh flowers lined the fence.

Miss Norah Grace and her cake.

Digging in!

Cake is good!

Demolition!

Her "big" gift...4-in-1 ride on. Princeses!

Captain Preston's 3rd Birthday

2011-02-20T16:06:00.003-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Kate and I am your chief flight attendant. On behalf of Captain Preston and the entire crew, welcome aboard Flight 3333 with nonstop service to Seattle, Wa.

Our flight time will be 3 hours and 3 minutes. We will be flying at an altitude of 3,333 feet/meters at a ground speed of 333 miles per hour/kilometers per hour. (Is everyone picking up the "3" theme...cause I'm laying it down pretty thick!)

At this time, make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position, your seat belt is correctly fastened, and that as of this moment, all electronic equipment must be turned off. Please sit back, and enjoy the ride.”

Click on any image to enlarge.

The invitation:
Basic template and inspiration courtesy of Anders Ruff. Anders Ruff edited the ticket as I requested, then once I had the file in-hand I personalized names, addresses, and origin airline info. I also created personalized business envelopes for each guest.

The runway:
We clearly transformed the walkway up to our house to mimic a runway. The door sign said TERMINAL P3, and the sign on the left (above the plastic shoe bin) was the security sign asking everyone to remove their shoes.

Airline Check-In:
Each guest had their own badge. Preston, obviously, was the "Captain". All the adults were "Crew". And the children were "Co-Pilots".

Hanging Decor:
Inflatable airplanes and fluffy clouds were hung throughout the house.

Food Court:
The peninsula in our kitchen was transformed into "runway 3" with an airplane hanging overhead preparing to land. The dining table was also adorned with a runway and airplane. The airport food- small sandwiches, chips, fruit bowls, and nuts- were all appropriately sized and priced. Drinks were served in small clear cups with ice. And the cupcakes (personalized with "Preston 3") ready to take off!

Arrivals/Departures:
I also altered a .jpg found on Google of an Arrivals/Derpature board to include the "Addy Airlines" name and date. This way displayed on our flat screen tv, that hangs on the wall in our living room, during the party.

Other various signage included: Lil' Pilot's Playspace (in the playroom), Lavatory, Beer Barrel and No Smoking. And of course, on the way out at "Baggage Claim", each guest received their own personalized puke bag. Contents included various airplane-themed goodies, and personalized luggage tags I created.

Thank you letters were sent out on Addy Airlines letterhead.
Must.Keep.True.To.Theme.

By now you are probably thinking I'm one of those crazy mom's who goes overboard with decor. And, maybe I am. But I have to tell you..there isn't much airline-themed party stuff out there. Which doesn't make sense considering we live in the state of Washington, i.e. a Boeing mecca. So I HAD to make the decor myself- with the help of my hubby and mother. Which really sucks for a creative-type like myself. ;)

Shit or Get Off the Pot

2011-02-04T13:12:00.001-07:00

Does this saying ever make sense NOW!!!

Near the end of November, Preston awoke with yet another 5-pound pee diaper and a rash to match. I showed him the rash in the mirror and told him his penis was not happy. That's all it took. From that point on, he decided he was only peeing in the potty.

Jeremy and I had been moving in this direction with Preston for months but we didn't want to pressure him. Peeing in the potty party was part of our pre-nap and bedtime routines, so we knew Preston could control his bladder. It was just a matter of him "wanting" to make the big move.

And to our surprise, the kid hasn't turned back. He wears underwear all day, even for naps. We've been trying out underwear at night as well, and have had few accidents- he actually gets up at night to pee then goes back to bed. I love it!

Funny thing though...Preston refuses to poop in the potty. He asks for a diaper when he needs to go. He's not afraid to sit on the pot or the flushing sound. I think it's him holding on to being a baby. OR, him just wanting to have control over one of the few things he actually has control over. At this point, we're making him stand by the potty to poop in his diaper. And it's nearly comical- he gets a diaper, I put it on, he goes to the bathroom and yells, "I need piacy (that's privacy, minus a couple consonants)" before shutting the door. Then he comes out when he's finished.

Sometimes though, he likes to throw his parents a bone. He acts all interested in taking a deuce on the big white throne. He even gets excited. But alas, he gets shit shy, and the diaper goes on.

Here is a visual to help...

Got any shittin' suggestions?

Top 10 of 2010

2011-01-31T00:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this is a little late. (I won't apologize.) In no particular order, here they are...

10) Sweet baby Norah Grace, born May 14.

9) Preston deciding to potty-train himself at the end of November. (stay tuned to the blog for a fascinating post on this)

8) Preston saying "cowet", pronounced COW-ETTE. It's how he says "quiet". Adorable, yes!

7) Norah consistently being in the 95th percentile, and Preston in the 25th percentile.

6) Norah's bottom two teeth finally coming forth on her 8-month-birthday (pics to come for this as well!)

5) Realizing I'll never be a perfect mother, but I'm the best mom the kids will ever have.

4) Hearing "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" repeated consistently, nearly 500,000 times a day, even when I'm standing one foot from Preston.

3) Having a boy AND a girl.

2) Admitting, and not being ashamed or feeling guilty, that sometimes being staying-at-home is boring and monotonous. NOT to be confused with "it's so easy I'm bored". ;)

1) Preston greeting his lincoln log when he pulls his pants down with a cheerful, "Hello, Penis!"

A New Year, A New Chapter

2011-01-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

We're eighteen days into the new year and I'm finally on this blog writing. In the past I've jumped on here an updated the world every time Preston did something new and/or special. The blog started out as my personal journal through my first pregnancy. Once we moved across country it became a portal to keep our family and friends updated. Then, after Norah was born, and the postpartum hit, it became nothing more than a drag. Now, thanks to Lexapro and getting in a groove parenting two young children, I'm hoping to log on as I can, when I can, and when I want to. NOT when I feel like I have to.

Christmas was story-book. We baked and decorated sugar cookies for Santa. Left oatmeal and carrots in the front lawn for the reindeer. And gathered around the Christmas tree and fireplace while Jeremy read The Night Before Christmas. In the morning Preston was overjoyed. He first checked that Santa ate his cookie and the reindeer ate their snack. Then he wholeheartedly ripped into his gifts. It took us the entire day to get through everything, as he played with each toy after opening it. Norah, being only 7-months-old was happy with her dolls and play kitchen. Preston was super excited to get "Alphie" from Santa. We even managed to Skype with the all the grandparents in Ohio, too!

New Year's Eve was low-key. We took the kids to a local park on the water that had a Christmas-light display to walk through, ate dinner at home, drank champagne, and watched the ball drop. The fact Jeremy and I made it to midnight was a miracle.

This year so far has been fantastic. Norah is a delight. I've said this before, but I can't get enough of her. She gets sweeter and bigger everyday! She just turned 8-months-old and is wearing 12-18 month clothes. She's sitting up on her own, trying with all her might to crawl- up on all fours and revving back and forth; she's in neutral but not in drive. BUT, she does go in reverse! And her bottom two teeth FINALLY came in; the bottom right on the 12th and the bottom left on the 14th!

Norah is also an eater. Which isn't a surprise due to her size. She takes four 9oz. bottles a day and has a serving of cereal in the morning and a veggie or fruit with her dinner. Since her teeth came in the Cheerios don't stand a chance. So far she loves all fruits and some veggies, but refuses green beans. She shutters with each bite and then presses her lips together so tight I can't get the spoon in her mouth.

She's a little spitfire. Happy all the time, unless she's hungry. Naps great. Sleeps even better. And squeals at such a high pitch I bet she can talk to dolphins. Can you tell I'm in love?

[Wow...this post is starting to remind me of one of those brag letters people send out in holiday cards. Barf.]

Preston is a little man. Loves electronics, math and science, and all things boy. And luckily for me, he decided to potty train himself at the end of November. One morning he decided he wanted to start peeing in the potty. He's hardly had any accidents, and most of the time wakes up from his naps and bedtime dry.

The kid never stops talking. He's turning into a real handful- boasting his young voice and determination on us parents. Preston is a grade-A manipulator. And has a better memory than Jeremy and I combined. His third birthday is Sunday and he's requested an airplane themed party.

[Oh hell, this IS one of those brag letters. Sickening, isn't it.]

I'll finish up this post with a couple pics/video, and will be back on shortly with my top ten happenings of 2010. (Better late than never!)

Best. Playdate. Ever.

2011-01-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

Preston, at the young age of two (nearly three) doesn't appreciate the fact he just had the best playdate EVER. Parents were preoccupied with crackers and cheese, fruit and champagne. And the toddler girls had their shirts off, pillow fighting, and taking pictures.

One day, when he's sixteen, he'll appreciate this. As for now, he's sacked out napping, oblivious to the fact he's the coolest kid on the block.

Happy Holidays from our Little Elves

2010-12-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

Epic Santa Fail

2010-12-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

St. Nick had a 'beard malfunction' prior to our arrival.

He also had a blunt.

And maybe a free meal from the homeless shelter.

(Okay, that was just wrong.)

Take 2.
Preston is now fearful and holding my hand.
Norah is in need of constant eye contact (aka reassurance this guy won't steal her).

Take 3. Preston opted out.
Norah's first Santa pic a total bust.

Happy Turkey Day

2010-11-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

From our family of turkeys to yours....

Preston made these little guys all by himself! And yes, those are golf tee legs!

Mission Complete: Pig Tails at Six Months

2010-11-19T11:15:00.001-07:00

When Norah was born with a crazy amount of hair, I declared "Pig tails by six months!" Well, she's six-months-old now and totally rocks pig tails. She also rocks a pretty sweet 'pebbles pony' right on top of her head. My Mom calls this look, the waterspout.

Norah at six months:
• 18#, 8oz/ 90th percentile for weight
• 27" long/ 95th percentile for height
• 75-90th percentile for head circumference

She's into babbling and could bounce for hours in her Jump-a-Roo. She's also got a huge case of separation anxiety. I can't walk out of the room without her screaming or grunting in disgust. I'm proud to say she's an excellent sleeper, averaging around 13 hours a night without waking. My little Norah bean- LOVE her! Oh, it's also noteworthy to mention she's wearing 12 month clothes!

As anticipated, she's growing at a little faster pace than her brother did at this point. He was in the 50th percentile for weight and 10th percentile for height. But, he has her beat in the rolling-over department; if only she could get that chubby arm out of the way!

Here's a side-by-side comparison of my little ones- both at six months.

2.5 Year-Old Santa Logic

2010-11-13T15:12:00.000-07:00

Preston: "I don't want Santa to come to Preston's house."

Me: "Why?"

Preston: "It's not safe Mommy."

Me: "Why?"

Preston: "Cause Santa is a stranger."

Finishing Touches

2010-11-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

Long, long ago...pre Norah Grace, I posted pics of the baby's nursery. My intention was to order custom-made letters of the baby's name to hang above the crib. And I did it, eventually...about two months after she was born. Then it took ten weeks to get the things. And then another to put them up. Tack on a couple more weeks to take pics. Another couple days to download the pics. Then finally, here they are!

I heart the nursery letters!

The letters are extremely well made and the artwork is adorable. Not too perfect, but not sloppy, and one-of-a-kind. The artist does an amazing job. She does all kinds of custom colors, patterns, and themes. The storefront is WhimsicalRooms on the Etsy website! Check her out!

$#*! My Son Says

2010-11-07T14:46:00.002-07:00

P'Dub will be three at January's end. He's a full-on talker, and master manipulator. And although he knows what he's saying and I know what he's saying, his pronunciation can be a bit skewed. It's adorable. I love Preston-speak!

"Beldy" (n)- abdomen

"Seebs" (n)- part of a garmet that covers the arm

"Hide and Sink" (n)- a children's game in which one player gives the others a chance to hide and then attempts to find them

"Pildow" (n)- anything used to cushion the head

"Efucka" (n)- object on a bicycle pedal used to reflect light

"Skeeto" (n)- blood sucking insect

"Maggot" (n)- a body, as a piece of iron or steel, that possesses the property of attracting certain substances, as iron

"Gub" (n)- a covering for the hand made with a separate sheath for each finger and for the thumb

"No Rah Gace" (n)- little sister

"Sippy" (adj)- tending or liable to cause slipping or sliding

"Pie C" (adj)- seasoned with or containing spice

"Kimmas Teet" (n)- an evergreen tree decorated at Christmas with ornaments and lights

I will add more as I think of them!

I'm a Baby Seal Killer

2010-10-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

Mompetition...this is so true to life.

Thanks, Betsy!

Over Promise...Under Deliver

2010-10-25T20:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, so maybe I "over promised" in my crazy post! Although I have been feeling more upbeat, working on being a kinder wife and trying to be more active with the kids, I have not been able to find time to update this blog! Rest assured, I've got a list of things to post- it's just a matter of finding the time!

First and foremost I want to thank everyone who commented on my last post. All your kind words, messages of encouragement, and overall support really have helped. When I'm having a particularly challenging day, I open up the post and read your comments. I've read the comments about a zillion times! It's funny how complete strangers can make such a difference. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

I'm happy (now there's a word I haven't used in awhile) to report Norah's noggin is PERFECT! Yes, it still has a mild flat spot, but the specialist at Children's Hospital said she couldn't tell if it was, in fact, from being on her back to much OR if it was genetic. The specialist said her head was completely symmetrical, and that if she was of Asian descent, her flat spot wouldn't even be an issue. Then she went on to say that if she saw us in the hospital, it wouldn't have crossed her mind that we were there because of her head. [enter heavy sigh of relief here] I LOVE telling this story. Sometimes I go over it in my head, just because it makes me feel better. My little darlin' is just fine!

I actually took the kids to get their pictures taken. I got my hopes up thinking Preston would cooperate. We didn't get one shot with both of them together. Total bummer.

Preston: 2 years, 8 months and 30.5 pounds (Need to measure him to see how tall he is or isn't!)

Norah: 19 weeks, 16 1/2 pounds and 24 3/4" long

Confessions of a Closet Crazy

2010-09-19T23:26:00.001-07:00

Get ready folks, as this post is going to be a long one. I can guarantee poor grammar, incorrect tenses, and overall confusion. But hey, I'm a "crazy" and all the shit that's been spinning around in my head like a tornado is about to be unleashed.

Fuck. Hasn't it been such a long, long time since I dropped the f-bomb on the blog? I bet it was pre-Preston. Before I developed my Mom-mouth. But since I'm a crazy, I can say it. Because crazy people get a pass when it comes to swearing. Being crazy, and swearing, go hand in hand. They are tight, like a monkey and his tail.

The last seven weeks have been a whirlwind. Three and a half of those weeks were spent traveling- ten flights, eight states, and over 10,000 miles. Norah, at the wee age of two-months-old earned her wings! We visited family and friends in Ohio, and vacationed with family in The Outer Banks. And although seeing our families and friends was much-needed for the kids, Jeremy, and myself...it wasn't relaxing. Living out of our suitcases, being out of routine, sharing bedrooms with the kids, in the car, out of the car, to this house, and that house...nearly put me in the crazy house.

What's all this talk about crazy, you ask? I'd say about a month and a half after Norah was born, after the flow of family help ran out, I proceeded to secretly shut down during the day. And I haven't talked about this openly with anyone, not even my husband.

Most days, it was all I could do to just get the kids fed and diapered. I couldn't wait for nap time for Preston, because I just needed a break. Preston's a great kid and the addition of Norah into the family didn't change things much for him. It's as though he understands she needs more attention/help throughout the day just because she's a baby, and he's okay with that. Me counting down the minutes to his nap time wasn't because he was acting out or being unruly. It was because I didn't feel like tending to him. Isn't that a shitty and overly horrific thing to say about your child? "I didn't feel like tending to him." Oh, the guilt. I knew then, and I know now, that this wasn't "me", but I just couldn't shake the funk.

Preston probably doesn't see it as much of a funk though. After all, he's now been introduced to The Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. Once a child only familiar with PBS programming, has now been cable converted. Ugh. But hey, he can kind-of count to a hundred in multiples of ten; although he has no idea what that means. [Thankfully I had enough sense to steer him clear of the shows featuring grown adults singing. Gag me.]

Norah, on the other hand, hasn't slipped through my crazy unaffected. Last week she turned FOUR months old. [Where the fuck has the time gone- oh, that's right...the crazy has taken my precious time. I hate crazy.] The pediatrician doted over her, repeatedly remarking how fabulous she is. That's the word she kept using, fabulous. Norah is 15lbs. 6oz, and 24 1/4" long; no wonder she's wearing clothing for a 9-month-old. She's in the 75-90th percentile. And she has mild plagiocephaly.

Right now I feel as though I'm at a Crazies Anonymous meeting. I'm standing up in the circle of shitty mothers, and admitting that I've let my poor, helpless, sweetheart of a baby lie on her back too much. I didn't force her to do tummy time, because quite frankly, it made her cry, and I've been too crazy to deal with it. I'm standing up in this circle and I'm shaking. I'm tearing. My shirt is wet from the constant stream of regret and shame. I'm a horrible fucking mother. And I'm in this circle. And it's not soo anonymous, is it? [Just writing this, admitting this, makes me want to vomit, then curl up and die and hope nobody even reads this blog ever again.]

Norah's case is "mild". Which means, the doc isn't all that concerned, but worried. That's what the doc said - not concerned, just worried - aren't they the same? Norah's head isn't freakish and luckily FOR HER she sports a sweet do. Her flat spot is in the back, not on either side. The pediatrician said it's hard to find any one-year-old today without some hint of a flat spot, due to the 'back to sleep' campaign. She advised me to not have her on her back AT ALL unless she's sleeping. This should round her head out, as she's only 4-months-old, and her skull will continue to rapidly develop until about a year of age.

That being said, the pediatrician told me she was adding a 'referral' in my chart. That I should discuss this with my husband. And perhaps we should set up an appointment with Children's Hospital Craniofacial Center. First thought in my mind was...HELMET. Which, of course, I quickly asked her about. She said the doctors there would discuss repositioning options with me, and blah, blah, blah. But all I heard was, "YOUR BABY NEEDS A HELMET. YOUR FAULT." Although neither of those things were ever actually said. It's just the crazy.

I researched the Craniofacial Center online and found out that helmets aren't even an option until babies are over six months old. Whew, okay, a ray of light in this dark mess I've created for my child. Once the referral goes through, Jeremy and I will take her to the specialist. In the meantime, she hasn't been in her swing or bouncer ONCE. I've been using a Boppy Noggin in her crib and alternating the direction in which she lies. [Yes, I'm aware Boppy advises against this. Fuck them. I'm using it in the crib.] The Noggin really helps keep her off her flat spot, and makes me feel a hell of a lot better considering how much she sleeps. Last night she slept 14 hours, without waking. Then she took three small naps today. She's an excellent, easy baby. And for that, I am thankful. Very, very thankful.

This flat-head condition has pretty much been the electric shock therapy I've been needing. I have the righteousness of my wonderful pediatrician to thank for this verbal slap in the face.

Pediatrician: How's tummy time going?

Me: She hates it. Are you asking because of her flat spot?
[No, her flat spot wasn't news to me.]

Pediatrician: Yes.

Me: She cries and screams when I try to lay her on her tummy.

Pediatrician: What if she cried when you put her in the carseat.
Would you drive around with her on your lap?

Me: Uhhhhh, no. [Wake up Kate!]

I'll have to thank Dr. Flowers the next time I see her. Otero Flowers is her name. I love her name. Have no idea what it means. But I love it.

Since our recent visit, I've kicked into ORH...operation round head. In addition to the Noggin, I also bought a mirror for the floor. Norah seems to really like it and her tummy time is going much better. In fact, she even fell asleep on her tummy yesterday afternoon! I borrowed a Bumbo chair and she loves it! I've also started laying her across my lap when sitting on the couch. Hopefully this newly found effort will pay off, in addition to whatever the specialist recommends.

The crazy is still very much lingering. Today I've been battling it. Doesn't help it's so fucking rainy here right now. I can too easily sit my fat ass down on the couch and watch G movies all day with Preston. That's another part of my crazy- how grossly fat I am. I've got no excuse here, either. I just suck.

I know, whaaa, whaaaaa, whaaaa. I'm a bigger baby than my kids. :) No worries. I'll pull myself out of this funk. No need to call children's services or set up camera's during the day while Jeremy is at work. We'll be fine. Just send me good vibes and some sunny weather- otherwise I'm going to need one of those sun lamps to keep my spirits up OR pills. Whatever works, right?

In the meantime, I'm making promises.I've made a promise to myself. I promise to take each day one day at a time. I'm going to try to not think about tomorrow, just live for today. I promise to be a better mother to Norah and hopefully this flat-head thing will work itself out. I want her to keep looking at me with those big, loving eyes and wide, gummy smile with such awe. She has no idea about her slightly flat head. All she feels is how much she loves me. I owe it to her to straighten the fuck up. I promise to not let the tv be the babysitter for Preston. We've got to get back to the parks, to our crafts, and playdates. I owe it to him to be the mother he had before his little sister came along. He's an amazing boy and at 2.5, such a smart little being. He needs to experience childhood and learn by doing; not to be sat in front of the tv for three hours a day. I promise to take more pictures and movies of BOTH kids. I promise to take more pictures of the kids together. I promise to update the blog regularly.

Last, but not least, I promise to open up to my husband. I promise to be better at expressing my true feelings, to not be soo snippy and bitchy. I promise to be a better wife.

And after writing this post, I promise to not call myself crazy anymore. At least on here! ;) And I shall finish reading Eat. Pray. Love. It's been a great read so far- when I have the time. And Oprah said it changed her life. Or rather, her producers told her to say it changed her life. Not even sure how it changed her life, or if she can read. And I don't even care if Oprah can read. She's annoying and all of her shoes have red bottoms. And now I'm off on another tangent about another topic. Perhaps I should just go to bed!

Gone Fishin'

2010-08-24T16:47:00.000-07:00

I think we may have a professional stocked trout farm fisherman on our hands! ;)

Happy 3-Months-Old Birthday!

2010-08-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

Time flies when you have an angel of a baby! Three months...really...already!? Wow.

Not to brag, but I kind to HAVE to. She's simply beautiful. Stunning eyes. A sassy, gummy, smile. Lashes I'd pay for. Fashion-forward, trendy hair. ;) To top it all off, she's got a coo that will melt your heart. She's happy. Rarely fussy. And I can't get enough of her. There really is something 'different' about having a girl. Girl = Automatic Sweetness.

Already, at three months, she's well on her way to being sleep trained. She's already got her nights in check. Generally, she'll have her last bottle of the day around 8:30, then I'll lay her down in her crib awake/semi-awake/asleep (depending on her status after her bottle). She'll sleep straight until her early morning bottle around 5:30. Then she goes back to sleep until 9ish. LOVE HER!

She also rolls from belly to back, sucks her finger, holds her head up with little wobbling, has discovered her toes, and loves to talk!

Pretty much, the first three months of her life have been happily uneventful. The only bump in the road we've had is needing to switch her to soy formula. Her delicate tummy ended up on not being able to handle the full octane formula, and the blow-outs we're becoming the norm. Soy to the rescue!

Amongst all this happy-baby stuff, is a guilt-ridden mom. I'm constantly feeling as though I'm neglecting her. Yes, she's an amazingly easy baby. And this is great, considering I'm often needed by Preston. Or dinner needs made. Or the laundry needs folded. But I can't help but feel like I don't hold her enough. I don't play with her enough. I'm not with her enough, one on one. So why am I on here, I could be holding her right now!

Love you Norah Grace!

Grow Norah Grow

2010-08-08T00:15:00.005-07:00

When you are pregnant with your second child everyone tells you how 'suprised' you'll be at how different your two children will be. And most women swear their pregnancies are vastly different. I concur on both accounts.

If you've read my blog from the beginning, you'll know my pregnancy with Preston was the pits, and my pregnancy with Norah was uneventful and calm. I was sick with Preston, and barely sick with Norah. I gained 45 pounds and a case of gestational diabetes with Preston; I gained 23 pounds with Norah and passed my glucose test.

Preston was a spitty baby, was on sensitive formula, had sensitive skin, and for the first month had his days/nights mixed up. Norah spits up moderately, is on high-octane formula, hasn't seen a drop of Butt Paste, and not once has confused her days with nights.

The biggest difference, by far, is their weight/height growth. Both Preston and Norah were born at similar weights; P'Dub at 7lbs. 6oz. and Norah at 7lbs. 12oz. Preston, up until his well visit at 2 years-old, has held steady in the 5-10% range for height, and in the 10-25% for weight. Norah is in the 75-90% on all accounts. Just yesterday I boxed up all her 0-3 month onesies and sleepers. She's two months old and wearing 3-6 month outfits!

Weight:
• 7# 12 at birth
• 10# 6 one month old (three pound gain!)
• 11# 12 two months old

Height:
• 18.5" at birth/ but 20" at her 7-day checkup (We think she wasn't stretched out completely when her birth height was recorded.)
• 22" one month
• 23.25" two months old

Watch out P'Dub, your little sister may end up being your big sister! ;)

*Two month well visit on July 14, 2010.

Milestones & Musings

2010-08-05T12:32:00.003-07:00

PRESTON

...has sadly picked up our slang. Everything is 'this guy'. Instead of simply saying, "What's this?", P'Dub says, "What's this guy?"

...loves the remote, although he's not permitted to have it. I recently scolded him and said, "Preston, don't put one more finger on that remote." He looked at me, gently placed his thumb on it, and said "Thumb?" [This boy is a handful!]

...is a genuine smarty pants. In an effort to grab my attention, Preston started jumping on the couch. I politely reminded him he wasn't allowed to jump on the couch. To which he quickly replied, "I not jump Mommy. I bounce."

...needs constant supervision. While cleaning bottles he managed to order a $10.00 On Demand movie in Spanish. Nice. Daddy was less than thrilled.

...is a handsome boy. Today I was explaining to him about first and middle names. I've told him many times his full name is Preston William, but I haven't went into much detail. So I told him his sister's full name was Norah Grace. That my name is Kate Anne. That Daddy is Jeremy Ryan. In typical toddler mode, he then started asking me over and over what his full name was, and Norah's, and mine, and Daddy's. After a couple repetitive minutes went by, I asked him if he remembered his full name. He said, "Yeah Mommy. My name is handsome boy." Adorable.

NORAH

...finally smiled at six weeks! The big day was June 28th!

...loves her bink, aka plug. On July 1st she started sucking her fingers! I think it will be easier for her once she releases her fist grips - they are constantly closed with her thumbs tucked inside.

...has a blow-out at least once a week. Ugh. Preston had ONE when he was a baby.

Preston's Pearly Whites

2010-08-02T00:29:00.000-07:00

When I told Preston he was going to the dentist, I wasn't sure what sort of a reaction to expect. Surprisingly Preston told me all about it. "Dentist Mommy! Lay down. Light in mouth. Teeth clean." Thank you Sesame Street! No further explanation needed.

Preston was truly excited as we walked up the steps to the dentist's office. He even picked out his shark shirt to wear, as it had lots of teeth on it! The waiting area was a toddler playground...a carousel horse, children's books, games, and the friendliest staff I'd ever met. But I guess at a pediatric office, the staff is required to lay the smiles and happiness on thick!

We walked in and Preston was telling everyone "Hi!". The staff, other children, and their parents. At check-in I was given a sticker with Preston's name on it. He was thrilled and proudly put it on the arm of his shirt. Before long our name was called and Preston led us down the hall to his room, as if he'd been there many times before.

The hygienist explained to Preston that she was going to brush his teeth then give him a fluoride treatment. She put on her gloves, and gave him a pair to wear as well. He gave them to me to put in his bag, and stood their like a champ, allowing his teeth to be cleaned.

Next he sat on my lap in the chair, opened his mouth wide without hesitation, and the hygienist scraped off what little plaque he had. I was beaming with pride. What a champ!

And the dentist thought so, too! Dr. O'Brien went on and on about what a delight Preston was, and if only all little patients were as cooperative and charming. Truly, Preston was at the top of his social game. Conversing with everyone he met, it was hard for even me to believe he was only two!

As Dr. O'Brien was leaving our room to tend to the next patient, Preston said, "Thank you dentist. See you later." [Adorable]

On the way out Preston was given a goodie bag, picked out a new toothbrush (Mater from the Cars movie), and took his 'token' to the toy tower. The toy tower was similar to one of those toy/bubble gum machines that take 50 cents in return for a prize in a plastic container. Preston chose to put his token in the machine that had hundreds of small, plastic puppies. We took home what appeared to be a beagle.

I was then given Preston's "Oral Health Report Card". Jeremy and I scored a 16 out of 18 total points, as he had a little plaque build-up on his upper front/lip side teeth and NO CAVITIES. I'd say that Preston scored a 16/18, but it's us parents (mainly Jeremy, actually) that do the cleaning! The dentist also noted that Preston had a bit of an overbite, but it may work itself out as he grows older. Only time will tell.

I nearly forgot...since it was Preston's first visit, we were given a complimentary pic of us with Dr. O'Brien. We've had this on our fridge ever since. Preston likes to look at it and talk about the big day!

Father's Day

2010-07-30T00:15:00.000-07:00

This Father's Day was extra special since the inlaws were in town visiting. I made reservations at the same restaurant where we had the awesome Mother's Day brunch, but unfortunately they didn't have the full-service, full-on buffet. However, I was still able to snag up some of that delicious bread pudding!

Check out how adorable this pic is. Three generations. Love it!

*Father's Day pic taken June 20, 2010

Babypants in Da House, err Library

2010-07-28T11:16:00.004-07:00

I went to my first concert in fourth grade. My mom surprised me with tickets to Bryan Adams. I don't remember any of it, but still have the tiny souvenir t-shirt!

Preston, at the young age of two, just went to his first gig!* Jeremy took him to see Caspar Babypants. Caspar, AKA Chris Ballew, the lead singer of The Presidents of The United States of America, is now the lead singer of this amazingly fun, non-annoying kids band.

The band played at a local library. It was free, but entry required a ticket. The boys got their tickets, had lunch, then went back to the library early enough to score front-row seats! Wooo Hooo....no lighters in this house, sippy cups in the air!! Preston was getting the ultimate concert experience!

And to top off Preston's awesome day out with Dad, he got his Babypants CD signed by all the members of in the band. Can you say 'collector's item'! How cool is that!

I doubt Preston will remember his first concert either. But we'll remind him. And I'm sure Jeremy won't ever forget it. Good times. Great memories.

*Concert date was May 25, 2010. Instead of backdating all the posts I'm behind on since Norah's birth, I'm noting the actual event date at the end of all entries.

Penis Humor

2010-07-26T10:33:00.002-07:00

Sometimes, to get through the day, you just need a laugh. And at the expense of poor, innocent Preston, Jeremy got a blog-worthy belly buster!

While changing Norah's diaper, Jeremy called out in shock, "OH NO! NORAH LOST HER PENIS! IT'S GONE!"

Preston, being the ever-attentive two year-old that he is, instantly jumped up from playing with this blocks. "I'll find it Daddy! I'll find it!"

The little guy searched everywhere for Norah's penis. He looked in the pack-n-play, under the rug, behind his picnic table, by his books, and on and on and on.

Jeremy was laughing so hard tears were running down his face. Preston was soo confused. This will probably be something Preston won't ever forget, and one day will tell his preschool friends how his little sister lost her penis.

Real nice Daddy. ;)

Girl Parts

2010-07-24T00:38:00.005-07:00

FRIDAY, MAY 14
Two months and twelve days ago, on a sunny Seattle Friday morning, Norah Grace came into this world. She came in kicking, screaming, and peeing all over hospital staff. My little charmer.

The morning of delivery I was a wreck. More nervous, by far, than the hours before I had Preston. And all because this time I knew how big of a deal it was to bring a baby into the world. I understood what people meant when they said, "You don't know what love is until you have a child." And the statement is true.

I kept thinking about the risks of a c-section and the 'what ifs'. What if there is something wrong with the baby? How will I handle it if the baby is sick? What if my spinal is put in incorrectly? What if the pain meds make me nauseated? What if the baby is a boy and they screw up his circumcision? What if we get in a wreck on the way to the hospital? What if it's a boy and Jeremy insists on naming it Ryan? What if the spinal doesn't take and I get feeling in my abdomen in the middle of surgery? What if we get a speeding ticket and I'm late for surgery? My mind was taking over and it was not pretty.

But, Jeremy drove us to the hospital safely. We were on-time, even early, and the pre-op began ahead of schedule. Jeremy took a couple pre-surgery pics of me, we filled out cord blood donation paperwork and signed miscellaneous forms. Two nurses and three IV insertion attempts later, Jeremy and I were on our way to the operating room.

Unlike delivering at Ohio State, Jeremy was able to be with me from start to finish. He was able to scrub up and walk into the OR with me. He was the one I held on to (not a nurse), while shaking uncontrollably, as the doc inserted my spinal. He was there and witnessed the nurses prepping my belly with iodine and inserting the catheter. Jeremy was WITH ME, and although he couldn't tell, it made all the difference in my small world. I was really, really terrified. And he was really, really strong.

Finally, it's baby time! Would it be a boy or girl? I didn't care, I just wanted both baby and me to be okay! Dr. Paley and his staff were great at keeping me in the loop. They'd holler over the blue curtain, letting me know when I should feel pressure or tugging. When a few seconds would go by, and I wouldn't hear anything regarding ME (although drugged, I'm certain the nurses/docs were discussing a new car purchase), I'd holler over the blue curtain and ask if everything was okay with the baby, AND if I was okay. After all, there were two humans involved in this surgery!

Soon I heard the beautiful sound of a newborn's scream! And Dr. Paley saying to Jeremy, "Tell her what she's won, Dad!" To which Jeremy replied, "It's a girl!"

Knowing the all-boy history in Jeremy's family, I questioned the accuracy of his gender call. Dr. Paley then held little Norah up over the blue curtain and dangled her wet, cheesy, dripping body over my face...girl parts confirmed!!! And our flood gates opened.

Norah was taken about six feet away from my head for her vitals check, tidying up, and a quick count of her fingers and toes. Jeremy clung to her side while the doc gave me one last chance to opt out of the tubal I'd signed off on earlier. I assured him to go forth with a drugged up, "Totally do it".

In the recovery area I was able to hold Norah briefly before they bathed her. This was the first time I really got a good look at my little girl. What a load of black hair! She was soo tiny, yet at birth weighed in heavier and was longer than her big brother. Her features were soo dainty. I'm still in shock I have a baby with girl parts!

About this time I start to feel a faint sickness. Which then became a severe sickness. The nurse hands me a kidney bean shaped bowl to vomit in. [For real...can people really aim into this tiny bowl? And even if their puke hits it, doesn't it just splash right out? The bowl is about two inches deep?]

I beg for more nausea medicine, but I was at my limit due to the couple doses I had during the surgery. Ugh. This was not looking good. Plus my time in recovery was coming to an end, which meant a trek through the hospital to my permanent room. A trek in which I was lying on my back, blindly going around corners, over bumps in the floor and down an elevator. The situation sucked.

By the time we arrived in my new room I was breathing heavily to avoid vomiting. My eyes were closed, and I had sweat dripping down my neck. Situation: horrible. I tried and tried not to puke, but there was no stopping it. Fortunately my new nurse gave me some sock-looking contraption to let loose in. And that's what I did. Right there in front of my husband and newborn. [Know how dreadful it is to puke just hours after having your abdomen ripped open and sewn back together, being held together with staples? With every hurl I envisioned my staples being shot out of my belly due to pure force. Lovely visual, isn't it?]

Jeremy was a trooper through this entire ordeal. He held Norah nearly the entire time. Changed all her first poo and pee diapers. Swaddled her. He loved her. Thanks to Daddy, Norah's first day into this world was calm and cuddly. I bet she'll be a daddy's girl!

I was sick for HOURS. If memory serves correct, we got to the room around 10:30am, and it wasn't until after 4pm that I was actually able to hold Norah for more than ten minutes. Around 2pm I finally allowed Preston, my mom, and in-laws in the room (we flew the family out for the big birthday!). Poor family, they'd waited and waited in waiting room and we refused to tell them the baby's sex until they were able to see the baby.

Can you imagine being a grandparent IN the hospital waiting room...it's 2pm, the baby was born before 8am, and you have yet to know the sex of your new grandchild? Or better yet, can you imagine how I felt...it was like having the ultimate hangover and not being able to hold the life you brought into the world for six hours? Uh huh, it was torture.

The family's first visit with Norah was brief. They came, they heard about the girl parts, they cried, they looked at her, Preston said, "IT moved! IT movin!", then I asked everyone to leave. Hey, I had to puke! Besides, Preston would have been completely scared to see me blow chunks.

I then broke down and let Jeremy call our friends/family. I was holding off to do it myself, but everyone knew the c-section was scheduled for 7am and figured at this late hour we had people beyond worried. He texted most people, but I asked him to call my Nan and tell her on speaker. I couldn't open my eyes or even talk to her, but I wanted to hear her reaction when Jeremy told her about the girl parts! She was elated!

At last 4 o'clock came, and so did my color. I was no longer pale white, but a pale pink. I was a little hungry. I could hold Norah. I was up for giving my little girl the proper welcome into our family. And so we all visited.

SATURDAY, MAY 15
Except for feeling extremely embarrassed and guilty for the way I treated my afternoon shift nurse the day before, I woke up Saturday feeling much, much better. I didn't mean to be a total bitch to the lady. I just wanted help. I wanted to stop the puking. I wanted to hold my baby. And I wanted whatever she could give me. And when she ran out of options, and I was still sick, I was horribly rude and nasty to her. I was one of "those" patients.

The sweet nurse gladly accepted my apology stating she felt just as badly as I did, because she wanted to help me and couldn't. What a sweetheart. She was my afternoon nurse for three days. And each day I apologized profusely. I still feel horribly.

Saturday morning was also the first time I was able to bond a bit with my little lady. She was fascinating. She was lovely. She was mine. She looked a lot like Preston, but girly. (If that even makes sense?) Her hair was super long, and kinky. Her lips so tiny and pretty pink. Longest, thinnest fingers I'd ever seen on a baby. She could be a baby hand model. Her feet were interesting. Okay, they were ugly. Her big toe looked like the thumb of a one year-old. Her other toes were long (as if she had two toe knuckles) and bent over like a hook at the tops. And her pinky toes hid under her foot - literally. Jeremy swears they will flatten out when she starts walking. Until then, when looking at her feet from above, it looks as though her feet have four toes on each foot. She is the most beautiful little creature. My heart is stolen forever. I'm in love.

In the afternoon we Skyped with Nan, Aunt Becky and Uncle Jeff. Never in a million years did I think I'd be introducing my family to my baby girl via the internet. I bet my 84 year-old Nan didn't think so either! They were in awe and were sure to give ample attention to Preston as well.

Preston was mainly indifferent when it came to Norah. He didn't want to hold her and was more interested in his 'prizes' and all the attention he was getting from his grandparents. The kid scored a load of toys, clothes, puzzles and more toys!

The evening was highly emotional. I was exhausted- physically and mentally- and finally had to hint around to our family that I needed to sleep. Inevitably this meant our visit was over since they had a flight back to Ohio in the morning. Of course I wanted to be with everyone during such an exciting time, but on the flip side needed to recover.

SUNDAY, MAY 16
Jeremy woke up early to drive back to our house - he'd been staying every night at the hospital - to pick up the Ohio crew and Preston. He drove our parents to the airport, saw them off and brought Preston back to the hospital. I was anxious to be released and to be back in familiar, cozy surroundings.

Once my staples were yanked out, liquid bandage applied to my incision site, Norah and I had final check-ups and were given the okay for release, we finally left around 2pm.

In the parking lot Norah was first to get buckled in. Then Preston. Myself. And Jeremy in the driver's seat. As we were pulling out Preston said, "Baby sister. Me. Friends." I teared up, held Jeremy's hand and we drove home high on a happy family love spell.

Ya Miss Me Yet?

2010-07-03T16:05:00.001-07:00

Wow. Has it really been over a month since I last posted? Of course it has! I'm a mother of two – a toddler and newborn – and I barely have time to shave one armpit before I am beckoned by cries bellowing out of one or both children! But, I'm loving it!

Right now I'm trying to update the sidebar on this blog and have a list of about 10-12 posts to catch up on! So, bear with me, I'm still alive...and as soon as I have time to do my first post (the biggie post, aka the birth story), I should be able to get back into somewhat of a writing groove.

Until then my fellow peeps, have a great holiday weekend!

P.S. The kids are ahhhh-mazing!

Meet Norah Grace

2010-05-22T16:04:00.006-07:00

Arrival: May 14, 2010 at 7:49am
Stats: 7lbs, 12oz and 18.5" long

Fingers: A perfect ten!
Toes: Another perfect ten!
Hair: Long, black, crimped and unruly.
Eyes: Large and dark blue.

Appetite: Hearty. We're up to 4oz. a feeding.
Personality: Laid back. Rarely a fussy moment.

Likes: A good arms-free swaddle, a full bottle, and a bink.
Dislikes: Parents who take entirely too long to change a diaper.

Our hearts: Stolen forever.

Check out Norah's first week of life, outside the womb...

Best. Mother's. Day. Ever.

2010-05-10T14:06:00.004-07:00

My first Mother's Day was a whirlwind. Preston was still such a little guy, I was still getting used to him, and we were about to move from Ohio to Washington. So, Mother's Day wasn't really an 'event' yet. Although, I do remember my awesome brother-in-law getting me flowers!

Last year Jeremy surprised me with a huge, beautiful hanging basket. But I can't remember much else- please don't kill me husband! Ugh. I suck. Where has my memory gone?

Yesterday Jeremy got up at the crack of dawn and headed out to Starbucks...the dark cherry mocha was calling my name! And, as luck would have it, Preston decided to sleep in, so Jeremy and I got to sit on the front porch, ALONE, and drink our coffees. Peace and adult conversation...not the norm these days, but very welcomed!

Once Preston was up, the three of us went to a tasty brunch – in which I encountered the most amazing bread pudding with a thick, marionberry sauce. I had two helpings, and would have had more if there wasn't a human inside me taking up most of my belly room!

Then, we were off to the driving range! (YES, this was MY idea.) Preston has his own set of plastic clubs that he plays with daily in the backyard, so I thought it would be fun to take him to hit a bucket of balls at what he calls "the golf place". Preston loved it. Jeremy loved it – although he only got to hit about five balls out of forty! And I loved just hanging out as a family.

Last evening before settling into bed, Preston brought me the cutest card, a bud vase that said "I love you mom" and a bag of Ghiradelli chocolates. He's a little man after my own heart – although he doesn't know he stole it when I laid eyes on him – and same goes for his daddy!

So yesterday was pretty much perfect. Our last weekend as a family of three (the baby will be here no later than Friday) will be one memory that I won't ever forget! I love Mother's Day!

The Nest

2010-05-06T16:30:00.001-07:00

Here are pics of the alphabet-themed nursery. (You'll notice it's a little less fluorescent than what we did for Preston!)

After the little one is born, I'm ordering wooden letter cut-outs of the baby's name to hang above the crib. Simple and sweet!

Featuring: Milestones & Musings

2010-05-05T09:15:00.008-07:00

For a little over three years now (conception to present), I've been attempting to keep everyone in the loop on Preston's weekly milestones and likes/dislikes by updating the side-bar with reader-worthy happenings. My intentions were to print out the blog's posts weekly, so that the side-bar info married up with the body of the blog. Well, I've pretty much sucked whole-heartedly at doing this. So now, after many, many weeks and years of amazing milestones have gone uncharted, I'm creating a new feature, "Milestones & Musings", that will be saved in the main body of the blog and will be at my printing disposal at any time!

Finally, I'm getting my shit together. :)

60% Girl, 40% Boy

2010-05-02T14:11:00.005-07:00

Of the 141 friends, family, and faithful blog readers that voted in the Gender Poll, a whopping 86 of you voted GIRL! Could this be true?!

All the online gender quizzes I've taken resulted in 'GIRL' outcomes as well. The baby's heart rate is generally between 145 - 150 bpm. I've carried high and out front. And, I'm craving sweets. So according to all the baby bullshit (admittedly I think it's a bunch of poo) out there, I can expect to be holding a baby girl in less than two weeks. We'll see!

I'm actually indifferent on the sex of the baby. Yes, it would be fun to pick out little pink outfits and play dress up, but wouldn't it also be great for Preston to have a little dude to pal around with? When I see two little boys buddying up, I think it's adorable. And then again, so are the pink dresses. Either way, I'm ready to meet the little one, and can't help but think he/she is not going to wait until the scheduled c-section on the 14th. I'm guessing the 11th.

I've been busy nesting. All of Preston's toys have been disinfected, and so have the baby's. All the newborn clothes, washcloths, bibs, and blankets have been washed; as well as the bassinet and car seat. All the bottles are in the cupboard, and were properly sterilized. And, my bag is packed. I am ready!

In the midst of all the getting-ready-for-baby chaos, we finally had time to take a couple belly shots. (NO, not 'those' kind of belly shots- don't I wish!) But, baby belly shots. I'm proud to say that I've only gained 23 pounds, at 38 weeks. Clearly, you can see the weight gain in my belly, and also in my face and hands- but I'll take this ANY day over the 45 pound weight gain I had with P'Dub!

I'd like to give my husband kudos for these pics. I was in the WORST mood, and just wanted to get them over with. The natural light from outside was quickly fading. Preston was more interested in taking pictures than having them taken. And Jeremy insisted, due to the high stress of creating high-standard photos and my less-than-lovely mood, on listening to Dave Matthews- yuck, ear torture. So, this didn't help. But, the pics aren't too shabby. Thanks babe!

Big Boy Bodot Room

2010-04-29T06:05:00.017-07:00

Okay, so it's a 'Robot' room, but Preston calls it "Bodot".

Robot decor:
• Striped sheets, with robot-themed comforter and pillow.
• Robot bank.
• Robot decals placed on doorway, dresser and in horizontal frames on wall.
• Silver dresser to match the silver robots in the bedding.
• Robot growth chart hanging on wall.
• Robot fabric placed over cork board on the bed's headboard.

#1 Reason To NOT Leave the Baby Alone with Preston

2010-04-27T20:59:00.002-07:00

This evening, Jeremy asked Preston what he wanted to do with the baby when we brought him/her home.

I elaborated and asked, "Will you help change the baby's diaper? Will you hold the baby? Will you give the baby a toy?"

Preston replied, "Peston eat the baby."

NOT a good sign.

The Final Countdown

2010-04-26T13:53:00.003-07:00

With 17 days to go, I'm ready to have this little one NOW! The majority of this pregnancy has been a breeze, but the last week and a half has been ugly.

The little bean has dropped, and is putting pressure in places I've never had pressure before! Since Preston was breech, I didn't have any of that 'pushing down' stuff. I've started sleeping in the spare bedroom, as I just can't get comfortable sharing the bed with Jeremy. My feet and hands are swelling. My arms and legs are numb half the time. And all this extra iron for the anemia is doing not-so-nice things to my colon. I'm sorry, did that last line make you feel uncomfortable....imagine how I feel! Ugh.

I'm more than ready for the arrival of this little lad/lass. Nearly everything is washed- just have the bottles to sanitize. Clothes are ready and folded. And the nursery is in great shape with the exception of putting up the book shelf - but I anticipate that to be done this evening! Once it's all ready and picture-perfect I'll upload some pics.

In the meantime, Jeremy and I have picked out the take-home outfit for the little one. During the hospital tour the guide suggested we bring two outfits, because without fail, the baby will probably spit up on his/her outfit for pics and then we'll be bringing home baby in smelly attire. So, we have two girl outfits and two boy outfits. Check 'em out below.

Unfortunately, we are still in debate regarding names. I thought we were all set on Norah Grace, but another girl name has entered the scene - and we're keeping it a secret! For the boy name, we're pretty much stuck on not LOVING anything. You'd think after nine months we'd agree on something!!!

Anyhow, let us know which outfits you'd pick for a girl and boy. Because technically, we really don't need to take FOUR outfits to the hospital.

Lady Bugs and Polka Dots or Pale Pink Flowers and Petite Ruffles for a girl?
Daddy's First Draft Pick or Brown/Blue Striped Monkey for a boy?
(Click pics to enlarge.)

And don't forget, you only have FOUR days left to vote in the gender poll! So far, 'girl' is in the lead!

The Evolution of An Easter Egg

2010-04-06T20:41:00.001-07:00

Start with a hard-boiled egg.

Then, gently place the egg in a water/vinegar/food coloring cocktail.

Next, let the egg soak.

Carefully pull the egg out to check the color.

Ahhh, the final product.

Lady, I'm Keying Your Car Later

2010-04-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

True to our Wednesday morning schedule, Preston and I packed up and headed out to our Tiny Tumblers class. Or, as Preston refers to it, "bounce class'.

Since we've moved the drive was a bit longer, but I didn't mind. I'm even considering signing him up for the next 6-week session. Usually, and I stress USUALLY, Preston loves bounce class.

Today was a different story. Little P was more reserved than ever. It's no secret that he's never participated in warm-ups – not ONCE in the last year. But after warm-ups, he's golden. The boy is all over the balance beam, bars, trampoline and any obstacle course in his way. But today, he wouldn't get off my lap. We were tighter than a monkey and his tail – spent the entire class in observation mode.

And for some damn reason, this prompted a fellow mother to approach me with a suggestion. She politely recommended the book "THE HIGHLY SENSITIVE CHILD: HELPING OUR CHILDREN THRIVE WHEN THE WORLD OVERWHELMS THEM".

Uh. Huh. HIGHLY SENSITIVE.

Can't my kid have a bad morning? I'll tell you who is 'highly sensitive'...ME, LADY! I'm 35 weeks pregnant, fat, tired, cranky, and you totally pissed me off. If there was ANY way I could have gracefully stood up (sans belly and a 2-year-old velcro'd to my mid-section) I would have laid you out right there.

Instead, I'm totally keying your car later. It will read...

To the lady with holes in her socks,

I've got your 'highly sensitive' right here,

and you can suck it!

Am I Missing Something?

2010-03-23T22:17:00.001-07:00

This morning I fixed Preston one of his favorite breakfasts – pancakes and bananas. After finishing round one, he immediately went into panic mode. The kid freaked; breathing heavily, brows furrowed, lip out and nearly screaming...

MOMMY!!! MORE PANCAKE!!! MORE NANA!!! MORE PANCAKE!!! MORE NANA!!! MORE PANCAKE!!!! MORE NANA!!!!

I couldn't move fast enough. But within minutes, Preston was granted another pancake and a large chunk of newly peeled banana. Immediately Preston's demeanor changed and the calm was instantaneous...

THANK YOU, MOMMY.
ALL DONE.

Huh? Two-year-olds are weird.

So, Where Have I Been?

2010-03-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't been on my blog, that's for sure!

This last couple weeks have been a whirlwind. Preston has been full-on in 'terrible twos" mode, c-section for his little sibling was scheduled for May 13th, then just changed today to the 14th (after a plan had already been put into place and tickets bought for the grandparents to fly out from Ohio), we decided to move, and Jeremy is off on a business trip until the 27th! Uh, huh... we've been busy!

So, in the midst of all the big things, I'm still taking Preston to tumbling, going to library classes, baby doc appointments, getting everything in line for the move AND packing! Yikes! It will all be for the best though- our new place is in a fabulous family-friendly neighborhood, with a safe backyard, walking/biking trails and sidewalks! Ahhh, what else could a girl ask for? We are soo excited!

So, it may be awhile before I'm back on the full-time blogging bandwagon. But, I promise, I won't take too long!

Soon, this will be our home sweet home....

Don't Forget to Take Your Vitamins

2010-03-04T14:24:00.002-07:00

Ahhh, the age-old saying.

Vitamins (I like to pronounce the word as Bear Grylls does). They keep you healthy, strong, and make up for all the nutrients you aren't getting in your daily life. Heck, if you don't get enough sun exposure, there is a vitamin for that, too! Some people feel they are a bunch of poo- eat healthy, balanced meals and you should be fine. Others wouldn't let a day go by without taking them. And then, there are people like me, who aren't sure what to think- so I take them as directed; when I'm getting a cold or before/during/after pregnancy.

I started taking prenatal vitamins SIX months before trying to conceive Preston. I was a prenatal freak. Never missed a day. They were prescribed by my OBGYN (who was crazy PRO-VIT), and I took them as though my life, and the health of my baby's life, depended on these huge, horse pills. End result = healthy baby, happy family.

Was the health of our little bean, in part, due to the vitamins? Hhhhmmmmmm.I can't help but wonder how the women of the pioneer days ever had a healthy baby. No prenatals, no ultrasounds, no check-ups, no pain killers during labor, no c-sections. How did man ever make it thus far?

I started taking prenatal vitamins TWO months before trying to conceive baby #2. My OBGYN here in Seattle had a bit of a different approach on prenatals. He wasn't do-or-die, like my OB in Ohio. He was more like, "If you aren't eating healthy, balanced meals on a daily basis, then you probably should take the prenatal vitamins. And no one brand is better than the other. It's a bunch of marketing hoopla. Taking something is better than nothing." Okay....so this time around, it's up to ME to pick the prenatal vitamin. Well balanced diet or no, I'm taking something!

So, I started doing research. And did you know that dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA? I didn't. Because of this, all prenatal vitamins are NOT created equal. Which accounts for the differences in nutrients. Which accounts for how easily the pills are dissolved. Which accounts for all the preservatives and/or additives, that we future mothers aren't even aware of. YIKES!

Luckily, I happened upon Fairhaven Health. They are actually located in Bellingham, Washington...not far from me! They specialize in natural products, from pre-conception to post-natal care. Their prenatal vitamin, Pregnancy Plus® Prenatal, prides itself on being all-natural – no artificial colors, dyes, flavors or preservatives. Plus, it's made in the USA!

So, I tried them out. And, I was very pleased. The pills weren't huge, were easy to swallow, AND didn't upset my stomach. Kudos to Fairhaven Health and Pregnancy Plus Prenatals®! I took the pills for four months, pre-conception through the beginning of my pregnancy. After I ran out, instead of ordering more, I went to my local pharmacy and picked out an OTC prenatal vitamin.

And, guess what- the pills were huge, they upset my stomach, and I wasn't confident about what exactly I was putting in my body. But, I'd already bought the bottle, and continued to take them. Eventually my body adjusted, and I thought all was well. Minimal weight gain, low blood pressure - I even PASSED my glucose test- no diabetes this time! An uncomplicated pregnancy..wowzas!

BUT, I have low iron. I'm taking prenatals, yet my iron is low? Hmmmm. I can't help but wonder if I would be having this issue if I'd stuck with the natural prenatals from Fairhaven Health? They don't add all the extra junk in their vitamins, meaning my body would be absorbing only what it should. And maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't have an iron deficiency. But, I'm supposed to take a prenatal PLUS an iron supplement. Seems crazy! So I think I'll go back to Pregnancy Plus Prenatals® and call it a day.

And who knows, maybe the prenatals didn't make a difference. But, I'll never know. And I'm sticking to my story!

Tig Ole' Bitty

2010-02-26T13:50:00.003-07:00

Before I get started on this titillating story, let's review the following definitions.
PRIVATE: Secluded from the sight, presence, or intrusion of others
PUBLIC: Performed or made openly or in the view of all

Now, let's use each word in a sentence.
• MOTHERS WITH NAT-GEO NIPS SHOULD NOT DISPLAY THEM IN PUBLIC.
• MOTHERS SHOULD ONLY WHIP OUT NAT-GEO NIPS IN PRIVATE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THEIR UNSIGHTLY CONDITION.

Class dismissed.
Feel free to proceed reading.

So the other day, while meeting up with some friends at KidsQuest Museum in Factoria, I happened up a woman in the toddler area, breastfeeding her oldest child. Four things were abundantly clear:
1. The woman hadn't heard of discreetly breastfeeding; i.e. covering up with a blanket, some sort of cover, etc.
2. She wasn't wearing a bra.
3. She had no idea how gross her fat bag looked, nor how crazy-long her nip had become.
4. The kid on her tit was old enough to have his driver's permit.

Let's be clear, I am all for breastfeeding. Wish I could have done it myself, but such is life. But I AM NOT supportive of mothers plopping their goods out freely in public. I get that breastfeeding is natural, and when a kid is hungry, a kid needs fed. But you know what else is natural, taking a mean ole' poo. And you don't see me doing that in the middle of the toddler play area.

Why Jeremy Wants to Kill Me

2010-02-15T09:48:00.002-07:00

I can see it out of the corner of my eye. Sitting there, in its original packaging. the crib bumper, sheet, window valance, sheet and dust ruffle. I can see the adorable polka dots and lovely stripes. The colors are bright and bold. And the alphabet letters are too fun! And then I see 'them'. I see those Dr. Seuss 'things'. Those yellow, creepy things. And they are embroidered on this hideous, waffle fabric. These yellow 'things' were cute in the picture online. They were cute, and not embroidered, and not on waffle fabric. At least, not that I could see.

And who INSISTED this was 'THE SET', 'THE ONE', 'PERFECT FOR A BOY OR GIRL'?
Who?
ME!
DUMB-ASS ME!

I made a mistake, if you will. Perhaps got over-eager. You know, excited for this next baby. I'm a planner and wanted to get a move on things. But now, nothing is moving much. The nursery is pretty-much cleaned out, but I can't make the move. I can't unpack the bedding set. I've got it listed on Craigslist and Ebay...just hoping someone will want it. Because I don't.

I want something else. I want elephants! No, now I want giraffes! Yes, giraffes. But, the elephants are still cute. Oh wait, nope, back to the alphabet, but not the Seuss alphabet, the MiGi alphabet. Yes, this IS the set. This IS THE SET.

(click to enlarge)

Now, if only the husband will agree.

Meeting Maria

2010-02-10T15:17:00.003-07:00

Nearly a year before Preston came into this world, I joined a group of ladies trying to conceive on Babycenter.com. Since then, eleven of us, from the East coast to the West, have been through it all – first and second pregnancies, losses, family woes, personal issues, job losses, and moves. You name it, we've probably experienced it...except for actually meeting in person.

Group history was recently made, however. While on a mini-vacay to SoCal, Preston and I were able to meet up with 'bellaqsmom', aka Maria, and her little one, Bella. We first met up at the Sea Life Aquarium in Carlsbad. From there, a short trip to the beach, then dinner.

On the way to meet up, I was a bit nervous. I wasn't worried she was a baby-snatcher or a murderer or anything like that. I just didn't know if we'd click in person, as well as we do online. Online we basically react to each others posts. In person, you actually have to be personable, chit-chat, etc. But it was easy and comfortable. Maria was great! Bella was awesome! And I'd hang out with them again, any day!

He's Going the Distance

2010-02-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

Where: Knott's Berry Farms in Anaheim, CA.
When: January 31, 2010
What: Charlie Brown's Speedway ride
Times Ridden: We lost count after 7!

Clearly: Preston's Happiest Day Ever!

Big Embarrassing Moment #2

2010-02-01T14:37:00.002-07:00

Picture this....

Preston and I are in the checkout line at the grocery store. I'm standing in front of the cart, and Preston is in the seat, facing the customers behind us in line. As I'm checking out, Preston keeps saying, "Baby. Baby. Baby. Mommy. Baby." I thought nothing of this, and kept chatting it up with the cashier. Preston kept going on and on and without looking up, I responded, "Yes, Preston. A baby!"

I thought nothing of this. After all, I'm pregnant, so I ASSumed Preston was talking about me. But, of course he wasn't!

Once I finally pulled my head out of my ass, and looked up to see exactly what Preston was doing, I nearly puked out of embarrassment. There, before my eyes and ears, and the eyes and ears of everyone else in line and surrounding lines, was Preston- openly pointing his index finger at the beer belly of the thinner, 40-something gentleman in line behind him. The man, holding chips and soda, and wearing a rather fitting shirt, wasn't two feet from Preston. And for the last couple minutes, Preston had been pointing at the poor guy and humiliating him over and over and over.

At that moment I wished more than anything in the world that I had invisible super human powers. But since that option was out, I fled the scene, hauled ass, high-tailed it out of there. I can't even describe how quickly I moved, but I can assure you, that I haven't moved that fast this entire pregnancy.

I fear this is just the beginning of embarrassing moments to come. Yikes!

****
Note from author: Embarrassing moment #1 was never blogged about. It happened last spring, when Preston was just starting to talk and make some animal noises. While walking into a restaurant, Preston pointed at this large, overweight, black man sitting on a bench and started growling at him. Preston though he was a bear. Luckily though, the man was none the wiser.

Happy Two!

2010-01-25T21:50:00.026-07:00

Preston's new favorite song is "Happy Two". It all started at his birthday party; and we aren't sure if he means "two" or "2"? But it's definitely a combination of "Happy Birthday to You" and the fact that he is now, TWO! But, only he knows, and he's not telling!

We had a fabulous train party for little Preston; complete with family, friends, and two train engineers (aka Grammy and Pappy). There was pizza, cupcakes, ice cream, gifts (or prizes as Preston refers to them), and lots of train paraphernalia!
It was a success!

It's hard to believe Preston is actually two years old. On his first birthday, he couldn't even walk. Now he walks, runs, jumps and goes in reverse! The boy hardly ever shuts up and he rarely sits down. He's K-Z (crazy), and he'll tell you he's K-Z!

Of course, in our eyes, he's a baby genius.
Preston:
• Takes his clothes off; and puts them back on. Socks are a little tough though!
• Cleans- he's especially fond of the Swiffer, putting away dishes, and dusting.
• Figures out any child lock latch.
• Scales just about any surface. Also loves to hang and swing back and forth.
• Hits a golf ball with a putter!
• Imitates ANY action and loves to pretend.
• Washes and dries his hands and face.
• Draws 'faces' with a circle and eyes- lots and lots of eyes!
• Counts to 5.
• Identifies some colors: green, brown and purple are his favorites.
• Understands terms like 'heavy' and 'bright'.
• Sleeps in his big-boy, twin bed!
• Goes to the potty successfully at least once every other day – a good start!
• Repeats EVERYTHING, then reuses the words later in appropriate circumstances.

Know what else – Preston is finally out of the 5th percentile! He weighs 28.2# (50th percentile), is 33.25" tall (25th percentile) and has a large melon, 50.5cm (90th percentile). The kid's got brains, and small feet! Yep, we're still in size 5's. And actually, we're just now getting into 18-month pants. He's such the perfect little man!

Enjoy the party highlights below...

Bump Shot

2010-01-18T21:11:00.000-07:00

After numerous requests, here we are! 23 weeks, 5 pound weight gain, and I'm not even puffy. In your face pregnancy number one! Boo-ya.

This Blog is Famous!

2010-01-10T17:36:00.005-07:00

Okay, not really. But I did some tooling around with Google Analytics, and was surprised to find my little blog has made it to the big time. Okay, not really. But still, kind of cool for ME!

We've made it onto a 'Who's Who' list on webicina's Pregnancy 2.0 Guidance Package.

http://www.webicina.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_in_the_medical_blogosphere_92/

And, we've made it onto a Top 50 Healthy Pregnancy list, under the category of Personal Pregnancy Blogs.

http://ultrasoundtechschool.org/2009/top-50-blogs-for-a-healthy-pregnancy/

Half Baked!

2010-01-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

Check out the video below and vote in our gender poll on the left!

Small But Mighty

2010-01-07T15:00:00.003-07:00

After breakfast this morning, P'Dub informed me he wanted to go potty. Of course, I obliged. Once in the bathroom, I thought I'd join in on the fun. After all, I'm pregnant, and peeing is what I do - A LOT. Upon finishing up, I realized the hall bath was out of toilet paper. In fact, I removed it the night before, and took the roll into the master bath; since we were out there, too. Ugh.

I politely asked Preston if he'd go into Mommy and Daddy's bathroom and get Mommy some paper. He shook his head yes and off he went- in nothing but socks! He returned shortly- with not only the roll of toilet paper, but the entire fixture.

One word: Overachiever.

Here is the roll and wall fixture...

And here is the wall he pulled it out of...

A Note to The Little 20-Week-Old Fetus

2010-01-04T15:40:00.003-07:00

Dear Fetus,

It's hard to believe you've been baking for 20 weeks now! This pregnancy is really moving along quickly; and, I must say, you have been a dream to carry!

For starters, the sickness has been minimal. Although, I have had it on and off since about seven weeks. Just last week I was unable to complete a dental exam due to all the nausea you were causing me! That, and who really likes other people's fingers in their mouth?

Weight gain with you has been next to nothing. I weighed in yesterday at just 5 pounds up. Craziness, considering with your big brother I was a giant beast of a pregnant lady. In the end I had gained 45 pounds and a nice case of gestational diabetes. You and I won't get checked for that for another couple weeks yet - but I hope we are in the clear! I also hope my scale is right; it must be nearly accurate though, as I'm still wearing pre-pregnancy pants AND am just now squeezing out my normal stretchy shirts. Like I said, you've been a dream!

Tomorrow, your Daddy and big brother and I are going to get to see you on a special ultrasound. It's a big, fancy, flat-screen ultrasound. The techs will measure you and make sure all your bits and pieces are growing as they should. We will also have the chance to find out if you are a boy or a girl. However, your father and I have decided to wait it out and get the big news on your birth day!

We are all getting excited for your arrival, even though it's months away. I think I may have found the perfect bedding/theme for your nursery. But, I'll tell you more about that later, once everything is set in stone.

One day when you and your big brother are older, I will pass on to both of you, bound copies of this blog. This way, you'll be able to see how we all became a family. How it all started, the trials and tribulations, the joys and hopes, and everything in between. I'm sure you'll notice that with your brother, I blogged a lot more during the pregnancy. It's not that you are any less important, or aren't as big of a deal; the difference is that my approach to this pregnancy has been more low-key and intimate. I haven't had many whacky experiences or dramatic events. This journey with you, thus far, has been quiet and serene. Many women have doted about loving being pregnant, and I get that with you. I just hope the second half of the pregnancy goes as well as the first!

However, there is one major struggle. Your father and I cannot agree on an acceptable name- boy or girl, we are in dispute. We've got a couple contenders though.

If you are a girl, we are considering:

• Norah Grace

• Lauren Elizabeth

• Camryn Grace

• Grace (searching for a middle name)

If you are a boy, we are considering:

• Ryan Hudson

• Garrett Thomas

• Dylan Thomas

So, little 20-week-old fetus, does anything above sound like a name you'd like to have for life? If so, drop me a couple signs...maybe a kick or two, I haven't felt you much and would really like for you to start jabbing me

I am really looking forward to seeing you on the big screen tomorrow! When you are older, you'll get to see yourself as well; the office will send us home with a DVD and pictures of you! I couldn't imagine seeing an ultrasound of myself when I was still in my Mom's belly. It would be cool and kinda gross. We'll see how you react when you are older!

Much love little one. I will write you soon.

-Mom

P.S. I should probably mention (although I'm hesitant), that I am in fact growing a nice lady-beard AND a miss-tache. It's VERY attractive. ;)

Lady Liberty Rocks Out

2010-01-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

To you and me, this photo is simply an artist's rendition of The Statue of Liberty. But, to a 23-month-old, this photo is simply a lady with spiked hair holding a 'TAR, which is short for 'Guitar' in Preston-speak.

This piece of art was sitting on the wall atop our booth while we dined at a local bistro. During our entire meal, Preston kept pointing at it and saying 'TAR, over and over and over!

(Note from the author: This post has been back-dated and is written to reflect 'real' time. Due to the holidays and travel, I became significantly behind on updating the blog. So no, this post wasn't actually written on the date shown, you aren't crazy! As soon as I'm caught up, these little disclaimers will be removed!)

And So I Cried

2009-12-30T18:00:00.001-07:00

P'Dub says a lot of words. He talks all the time, communicates well, and is sometimes literally bossy. But, the kid won't give me a kiss for anything. If I ask for one, he'll walk over and stick his cheek out. Same goes for verbalizing anything affectionate. He's not the same with his Daddy, though. Nope, Daddy shits ice cream. Daddy gets kisses on the fly. Daddy is the bees knees.

But, today....today, Preston loved me for once! Jeremy was putting him down for his nap, while I was tending to some chores in the other room. I yelled out to Preston, "Have a good nap buddy. Love ya!" To which he replied, "LOVE YA!"

A couple minutes later Jeremy walked into the room I was working in to find me sitting on the floor, head down, crying my eyes out. Those were the sweetest words Preston has ever muttered.

He loves me! He really loves me!

Preston's Christmas Story

2009-12-27T22:16:00.001-07:00

This Christmas, all the little dude really wanted was a bike! Which, as you'll see, he gets – amongst a plethora of other things!

Check out our December in pictures...from visits in Ohio with family and walking through holiday light displays, to making cookies and opening gobs and gobs of gifts, this Christmas had it all!

Ohhhhh, the Irony

2009-12-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

This morning, pesky little P'Dub was his usual toddler-terror self, destroying everything in his path. When the 'quiet' filled the house, I knew he was up to something.

I tip-toed back the hallway and found him steadily destroying the souvenir bag he received in October at his girlfriend Bella's birthday party. One by one, Preston was peeling the letters of his name off the bag.

Instead of Preston, the bag now affectionately says 'PEST'!

Haaa-larious!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-12T19:17:00.000-07:00

Wishing you and your families all the best this season!

From,
The 3.5 of us!

10 Reasons Why I've Sucked at Blogging Lately

2009-11-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

Started Christmas shopping the day after my last post and haven't stopped.
I forgot my blogger.com password.
We were visiting family in Ohio for a little over two weeks and had limited internet access.
I'm preoccupied with thinking of a theme for Preston's big-boy room.
I'm preoccupied with wondering if our new baby will be a girl or boy!
Every time I sit down to post, I remember something important I forgot to do.
Deaths in the family. :(
My free time is now nap time.
Been working on darn Christmas cards – and have sent out about 70!
I'm pregnant. And being pregnant is an excuse for everything!

Daddy's New Job: Half-Naked Rainforest Cafe Dude

2009-11-16T15:51:00.005-07:00

Today I took Preston to Rainforest Cafe for lunch. We'd been there once before, but P was a little too young to really get into it.

Walking into the restaurant, Preston's mouth dropped wide open and a plethora of "Wows" and "Neats" fell out. He was pointing and laughing and making all kinds of animal sounds. Just darling!

We were then seated by an aquarium, and P'Dub proceeded to pick out all the 'Mommy' fish. (He must know something I don't, because I have no idea how to tell if a fish is male or female.) From our table we had a great view of two elephants. They opened and closed their eyes, flapped their ears, and blew their trunks. Preston, in return, made his own trunk noise.

Preston then noticed the ceiling, with all the twinkling stars. But quickly turned his attention to the primates in the corner making a huge ruckus. P'Dub clapped and cheered. He LOVED it....

...until the lights started flashing, sounds of thunder and rain filled the restaurant, and all the animals started freaking out. Then, little P panicked. I moved his high chair next to me, and he buried his face in my arm, holding on for dear life. Fortunately the storm passed; but Preston seemed a bit traumatized...

...until he spotted Daddy. Yes, Daddy was there! He wasn't in Ohio working; he was standing knee deep in water, practically naked, holding up a sphere reminiscent of a globe, with the words "Rescue the Rainforest" across it. Uhh, huh...Preston thought this guy was his Daddy, and everything was all better!

Preston waved to Daddy. Blew kisses to Daddy. Held his arms out to Daddy and said, "Up!". Preston was really glad to see his Daddy, and it didn't even phase him one bit that Daddy had turned bronze and lifeless.

I am definitely in support of Daddy's new job. Just look at Daddy's abs! Daddy is lookin' good!

All I Wanted Was A Backrub

2009-11-11T00:08:00.005-07:00

Gummy Baby* meet everyone. Everyone, meet Gummy Baby.

We couldn't be happier!

*Gummy Baby affectionately refers to the uncanny resemblance between our little bean and a Gummy Bear in the 4-D ultrasound.

I Am SUCH A Mom

2009-10-28T08:26:00.003-07:00

Last evening, Jeremy and I let Preston stay up past his scheduled bedtime, so that we could all snuggle on the couch and watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Since P'Dub is only 21 months old, we weren't even sure he'd sit through a half-hour show. But, he did!

Preston shouted, "PUNKIN!" and "DOGGIE!" whenever they appeared on-screen. He also enjoyed Schroeder tickling the ivories. And when the commercial breaks hit, he would yell "Mote!" (which is short for reMOTE); thinking that the channel got switched.

I, for one, would have loved to switch the channel. Don't get me wrong, I know this is a classic. But I probably haven't seen it in 20 years, and I don't recall EVER watching it as closely as I did last night.

Those kids are mean and rude. If they aren't calling another kid STUPID or BLOCK HEAD, they are yelling in one another's faces or writing on some poor dude's bald head. That Lucy chick is a real asshole. And Sally isn't far behind her.

And what about that weird Red Baron footage? What every little kid wants to see is their favorite little Snoopy shooting up the enemy and being shot at – bullet holes in the dog box included – until he gets shot down himself. It seems a bit violent, don't ya think?

Plus, there is the sad story of Charlie Brown himself. This kid gets bullied the entire show. He gets an invitation to a party, but is told he was accidentally invited as his name was on the 'NOT INVITED' list. He wants to be a ghost for Tricks-or-Treats, but his costume is full of holes as he had trouble with the scissors. Poor guy can't get a break. And on top of everything, all the kids get candy, gum, and popcorn balls when they go up to houses, and Charlie gets rocks every time. Why? Why all the Chuck haters?

And last, but not least, the horrific ending to the show: THERE IS NO GREAT PUMPKIN. Are you kidding me? Could you imagine how upset your little one would be if they believed in something that much, and every year the pumpkin was a no-show. Linus waits every year in the patch, and every year he is let down. BUT, he never gives up. Go Linus!

The one and only nice thing in the story, is when that witch Lucy actually gets her brother out of the patch at 4:00am. He's shivering and tired, and she puts him to bed.

At any rate, I think I'll wait to watch this again with Preston when he's twelve.

Pop Quiz

2009-10-20T08:29:00.005-07:00

Came across this 'warning' posted to playground equipment at a local park.

According to this statement, one could only conclude, that:

A) Canadian kids are more advanced than American kids.

B) American kids develop slower than Canadian kids.

C) Canadian parents aren't concerned about their children's safety, and let them do whatever they want despite their age.

D) Canada just wants to be first, so they grab at every chance they get.

E) I am a bad mother for letting Preston play on equipment he's
clearly too young for.

F) All of the above.

Hmmmmm....any other thoughts?

P'Dub is a 'Butt Man'

2009-10-09T19:26:00.016-07:00

Bella's birthday marked a couple milestones for Preston. Not only was it the first time he'd been invited to a birthday party, but it was the first time his girlfriend (Bella) had a birthday!

Being a normal 20-month-old, Preston was unsure about what gift would be appropriate, what he should wear, and if he'd be the youngest chap at the party. After all, Bella is nearly four months his elder.

I tried to ease his fears. We picked out birthday gifts off the registry, so not to disappoint. Had his hair cut the day before the big event. And tried on a couple outfits, just to be sure he'd look as dapper as possible.

As we headed out the door, Preston was pumped and oozing cuteness – small bouquet of freshly picked flowers in-hand. The boy was ready to party! (But not too hard, I warned him of hangovers.)

Little did I know how much confidence the tot was sporting. Nearing the end of the party, I asked Bella to stand by Preston so I could get a picture of them together. Up until that point, Bella was busy entertaining guests, and Preston was solely interested in a toddler-sized car that was at his disposal.

Bella bashfully walked to Preston's side. It was instantly obvious how excited he was to see her – First he grinned, then ever-so-smoothly reached over and started rubbing her BUTT CHEEK. Nope, that's not a typo. P'Dub went out on limb, and boldly went where no 20-month-old has gone. He copped a feel. Watch the story unfold in the pictures below!

Image #1:
P'Dub going in for the kill, intently gazing into Bella's eyes.
Her eyes warning, "Boy, whatcha doin? My papa will hurt you!"

Image #2:
Bella's seeking reassurance, "Hey Mom, this is cool, right?"
Note that Preston's hand is blurry from the up/down/rubbing motion; and that his left hand is still on the wheel. (This kid will be a pro by 16!)

Image #3:
P'Dub pulled it off, and he's quite pleased with himself.
Bella's trying to play it cool, in case her papa is watching.

Does the Pacifier Cost Extra?

2009-10-06T19:37:00.005-07:00

This is strikingly absurd and ticked me off the second I saw it. Seriously. Get another model.

I Want That!

2009-10-01T19:00:00.002-07:00

Had I seen this costume last year, P wouldn't have been a turtle! Since it's bunting-style, he couldn't wear it now...UNLESS I cut out leg holes! ;)

Song Choice or Bad Pipes?

2009-09-29T14:46:00.003-07:00

On the half-hour trip to P'Dubs pediatrician's office, he was in the best of spirits- pointing at passing trucks, waving at the drivers and drawing on his generic magna-doodle. As we turn off the interstate, I was less than displeased with the music selection, and started drifting through one preset to the next, finally landing on the theme song from Titanic.

I then took a mind trip back in time to college years spent at Ohio University. I actually saw Titanic at the old Athena Theater on Court Street. Yes, I wasted a couple hours of my life watching two people run around in water, but hey...I liked it.

Being that it's just me and Preston in the car, I start belting out a couple high notes- none of which sound good, but everyone knows you sing your best in the car. Verse after verse I realized I pretty much knew the entire song, without lyrical error. Oh man, the memories!

Nearing the end of the song I realize P'Dub is silent as a monk. So at the next red light I turned around to make sure he was okay. But he wasn't. My child was in pain and agony. His face covered in confusion. His brows furrowed. And both index fingers inserted into their respective ears.

Dang. Tough crowd.

The Need to Feed

2009-09-24T06:51:00.004-07:00

For the last three weeks, my family and I have been on vacation. Faithful blog readers will know that we moved from Ohio to Seattle nearly a year and a half ago. This long vacay was well-spent with friends and family out East, and filled with a plethora of new memories. (So you see, I haven't literally been neglecting this blog...just "out of office" so to speak.)

While on this fabulous trip, one thing became blatantly clear, nearly everyone in my family is partaking in some sort of sugary, taste test experiment. A day didn't go by in which someone was 'trying out' a deliciously unhealthy food/snack/beverage on P'Dub. Sometimes the test administrator (i.e. aunts, grandparents, uncles) would ask for my permission, before offering the fare, but other times I wasn't awarded such a luxury. And sometimes I was asked, and then my response completely disregarded.

Tester 1: Hey little guy....Preston....Have you ever had fudge? I bet you'd like fudge. [Fudge now being inserted into babes mouth via testers hand] Mmmmmm. Yummmies. You like it don't you?."

Tester 2: Preston...Want to try some iced tea...Does your Mommy give you iced tea? Want some iced tea in your sippy?

Me: Emmm, no and no.

Tester 3: Ooooooohhh....I know what he'd like. I bet Preston would LOVE a big piece of cake, or maybe an ice cream sandwich or some chips. Has Mommy ever given you walnut brownies...I bet you'd like them.

Me: He doesn't eat nuts. He's too small and can choke.

Tester 3: Well, we can just take those out now can't we! Get ready for nummies.

Tester 4: I think what he wants is a doughnut. That will make him feel better. Can he have a bite of doughnut?

Me: I don't think it's a good idea. His belly has been upset and I've just been giving him bland foods.

Tester 4: Well his belly isn't upset because of doughnuts. [Doughnut being inserted in Preston's mouth.]

This experiment must be nationwide, as I've seen it happen in restaurants, to my friends, and via word-of-mouth. Why do people (those who aren't a biological parent of the taste-test victim) feel the need to feed? What drives a person to think, "Hey, you know what would be fun? It would be crazy-fun to give this toddler a lot of sugar and salt and fat, and see if he likes it! Yeah! Let's see what we can find and fill the little guy up! Oh, I can't wait to see if he likes sugar!" When you think about this logically, isn't this odd?

Honestly, I think the testers were solely thinking with their hearts. They just wanted to make the little guy smile and say "Mmmmm", which most often is what Preston did. And in return, the testers were giddy and happy. And in return, Preston was bloated with diarrhea.

For the most part, I wimped out. I failed as a parent. I let P'Dub down, and allowed him to be stuffed with all kinds of crap. Not to say he didn't eat a lot of fruits and veggies as well, but this isn't my focus.

So I'm putting all you readers on notice. Forward this to your friends and family members. Get the word out that some of us mothers don't want our children to be taste-testers. And perhaps 'testers' should be more respectful of the parent, and abide by their wishes. Ask the parent if it's okay before pushing the food in the toddlers mouth. And if the parent declines your request, don't ridicule or give attitude, get over it. The world won't end because a 'tester' can't give a child apple juice- it's full of sugar, don't ya know! Us parents have our plates full with what to teach our children, and healthy eating habits is one. If a child is on the right path, let's keep them there.

If you must, liken this scenario to potty training. Let's say little Johnny was in the midst of going sans diapers. His training is going well. He's happy and likes that he's using the potty. And then a tester comes along and says, "Hey Johnny, wouldn't it be fun if you peed in your pants. I mean, just once. What will it hurt? Come on, why not? It's not like you are peeing in your pants all the time. Besides, who wants to waste their time going to the potty when you can keep playing and just pee in your pants right now!"

See what I'm saying? HELLO?!!! Readers, you are on notice.

Revelations

2009-08-30T00:00:00.001-07:00

Quickly, I just took a virtual stroll back in time via this blog. And wow! Things sure have changed.

The first thing I noticed is that I'm turning into one of those 'photo-bloggers'. I don't nearly post as often as I once did, and when I do, I simply upload a cute pic with supporting text, then publish. Yucky. I never intended the blog to turn out this way. Hmmmm. Looks like I need better blog fodder. Perhaps I should get knocked up again? YES! That's the ticket! Jeremy...are ya with me? (Yeah, didn't think so!)

The second thing I noticed is just how damn fast Preston is growing up. Yes, everyone always says it. Heck, I bet I hear it once a week from a fellow parent, or family member. But now I'm seriously taking notice, and just where did the time go? Where did Preston's massive cheeks go? And his chubby hands? And his baby face? And his tiny, baby cry? And his chins...he has only one now? And why doesn't he want to cuddle anymore? When did all this happen?????

The third thing I noticed is the birthday ticker. P'Dub is now closer to being TWO years old, than 1. HUH? In five months, our little tiger will be TWO! Is anyone listening??? TWO. I can't even deal. I want my baby back!

And last, but not least, I noticed how much I miss actually writing. (This kind of ties into my first paragraph.) I used to write about ME. Good ol' me. My feelings. My musings. I used to go deep inside of myself, and yank out the good stuff. But now I mainly write about Preston. And I get that, considering he is my day and night. But I wonder...Is it that I don't have the time OR when I do have the time, I'd rather sit on the couch with a beer? Probably a little bit of both. Maybe the days of well-written, thought-out posts are gone?

Hhhhmmmm. So much to ponder.

1-800-DNA-TEST Not Necessary

2009-08-26T07:16:00.005-07:00

It's official. Jeremy IS the father of little P'Dub. :)

In addition to looking alike, both get equally excited about penguins!

(Click image to enlarge.)

Untitled...

2009-08-03T12:45:00.013-07:00

as there are so many options floating around inside my melon, and I just can't narrow it down to one.

Here are a few I've been considering:

A. Shit Happens!
B. P'Dub Blamed It On The Monkey
C. Stay-at-Home Moms Can Have A Bad Monday, Too!
D. What's Wrong With This Picture?
E. But I Don't Have a Pooper Scooper
F. They Don't Mention THIS in Parenting Books!
G. I'd Like A Monday Morning Mulligan Please
H. At Least They Are Solid
I. P'Dub Really Does Give Two Shits About His Crib
J. Diapers Need Combination Locks
K. After Seeing This, Calling P'DUB 'You Little Shit' Is No Longer Appropriate. DANG!
L. Jeremy Will Be Soo Proud
M. I thought "Well, Shit The Bed!" Was Just A Saying
N. Why?

"Uh, Oooooo!"

2009-07-28T21:34:00.003-07:00

Ya know, I knew this day would come. I saw it coming a mile away. And yet I was still shocked as hell when I stumbled upon shit tickets strung out into the hallway.

Time to ban P'Dub from the bathroom.

"Well, We Both Know He's Not the Tallest 1.5 Year-Old!"

2009-07-27T21:14:00.001-07:00

...said Preston's pediatrician, Dr. Fox.

Weighing in at an even 24 lbs. and a vertically challenged height of 30.5", Preston has broken into the solid 5th percentile.

Woo Hoo! Go little man!

You Know It's Time to Hire a New Babysitter When...

2009-07-10T18:32:00.006-07:00

1: You call the sitter 30 minutes after leaving to check on your son, and the sitter doesn't recognize who you are.

Me: Hi, I was calling to see how Preston is doing?
Sitter: {silence}
Me: This is Kate, how is Preston?
Sitter: Oh, hi!

2: The sitter lets the 17-month-old call the shots.
(Conversation continued from above.)

Me: So, how are things going? Has Preston calmed down?
Sitter: Well, he's back in his crib right now. That's where he wants to be.
Me: He's in his crib???? It's 5:30?
Sitter: After he ate he went into his bedroom and wanted in. If I take him out he cries.
Me: Well take him out and play with him. He can't stay in there.
Sitter: Okay.

3: The sitter shows signs of amnesia.
(Follow-up conversation 15 minutes later.)

Me: Hi, this is Kate. (Throwing her a bone here.) Is Preston okay?
Sitter: Oh yeah! He's fine. We're just playing on the floor.
Me: Okay? (Thinking she might elaborate.)
Sitter: {silence}
Me: Alright. Well I just wanted to check back in. I'll see you soon.
Sitter: {silence}
Me: Bye.

4: Upon returning home, sitter once again, confuses the hell out of me.

Me: Hey! I'm back...you aren't watching tv or reading,
what have you been doing to pass the time?
Sitter: Texting with friends.

Me: Oh, cool.
Sitter: Hey I wanted to apologize for earlier when you texted me
to see how Preston was doing.
Sitter: I couldn't text you back because my phone went dead. But he's okay.
Me: Um, actually I did get your text. {And didn't you just say you'd been texting?}
Sitter: Oh. You did?
Me: And for future reference. If Preston wants to stay in his crib, don't let him.
Me: He also likes to play in the toilet, but we don't let him do that, either.
Sitter: {awkward giggle} I ate one of your tangerines.

WTF?....WTF?

Two Reasons to NOT let Your Child Play with Your Car Keys While Grocery Shopping

2009-07-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

1: You may walk out of the grocery store, only to find your trunk lid up, panic feature blaring, and people staring at your vehicle. (Not that this happened to me or anything...this morning, at Safeway, around 9:20am.)

2: Car keys are dirty, gross, yucky. (This is just common sense.)

Suction, We Have A Problem

2009-07-08T09:34:00.005-07:00

Hey Mimi (P'Dubs grandmother)...remember that fancy-schmancy bowl you bought for Preston at Easter...the one with the suction cup bottom? You know, the toddler-proof bowl with the suction cup, on the bottom? Ringing a bell?

Well, I just wanted to tell you...the bowl works REALLY well.

Holy Teeth...

2009-07-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

and holy applesauce in my hair!

Learning to Jump is Hard

2009-06-27T13:52:00.006-07:00

P'Dub accidentally jumped this morning...catching about a half inch of air! Realizing he had done something new and cool, he 'tried' to re-create the jump.

Little dude jumped his heart out, but alas, he still wasn't jumping. The effort was there...he SOUNDED like he could jump five feet; and looked as though he could throw his back out!

'A' for effort little Tiger!

(Jeremy is off to the side jumping, trying to help P'Dub along.)

Ideas for Upcoming Family Photos...

2009-06-16T19:56:00.005-07:00

What do you think? Yay or Nay?

Preston and Bell Sittin' in the Tree....

2009-06-11T18:55:00.005-07:00

K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Technically this is Preston's second kiss. His first kiss, also given by the sweet and lovely Bell, was given nearly one minute prior to this picture. The first kiss was awkward and messy...Bell's mouth was practically inside Preston's, as Preston's mouth was wide open while letting out one heck of a scream. At least he's tolerating it the second time around!

Congrats 2009 Graduates!

2009-06-02T14:53:00.003-07:00

Today fellow readers, marks the end of a 9-week journey for three energetic toddlers. Preston, Kylee and Abby have taken preschool tumbling to a new level.

The three musketeers started out cautious, timid, and with little or no attention spans. Today Preston is quick on the balance beam and no longer fears the dreaded tunnel! Kylee does a killer bear crawl on the even bars and can work the parachute like no other. And Abby laughs in the face of a forward somersault over the mail box.

Preston, Kylee and Abby are now stronger, more coordinated, flexible and confident. They are little gymnasts!

Today I'm proud to introduce the graduating class of the 2009 Parent & Me Tumbling Class, spring quarter.

Congratulations grads! Well done.

Bathtime Not-So-Fun(nel)

2009-05-31T12:52:00.005-07:00

Yesterday while giving Preston a bath he kept insisting on standing up - which isn't unusual. I think I sternly said "Preston, sit down!" about fifty gazillion times.

Preston would start to squat then stand back up. Squat. Stand. Squat. Stand.

Finally I realized the CLEAR funnel he plays with in the tub, was directly below him under the sudsy water...and the pointy part was sticking straight up.

Clear tub toys...so not the way to go.

Mom-Funk

2009-05-20T19:27:00.007-07:00

So I've been in a mom-funk. Clearly, as this is the second blog post this month and it's already the 20th.

I've been slacking on the laundry - Preston wore size 2T pjs the other night because all his others were dirty. Sometimes he doesn't get bathed every other day, and I stretch it to the morning of day three - like today - where I caught a hint of ol' bum pits again.

I don't even feel like I'm teaching him adequately. Yes, we've been reading books, and he did learn 'arm' and 'leg' this evening. But I'm not 'into it' like I should be. So I declare, mom-funk.

Perhaps it's because I just turned an ugly 33. Or, the fact that I'm a bit homesick. And maybe it's because I can't find the motivation to get back on the eating healthier and exercising bandwagon. And it's spring and I'm out of shape and pasty white.

Uggh. Alas, I know this is mom-funk is temporary.

And of course, the little one isn't about to throw his mamma a bone. Nope, Preston's been testing my spirits and trying to break me down with consistent naughty behavior and unbelievably strong will. Yesterday I nearly lost it...you could have found me rocking back and forth in the corner humming a Raffi song.

Besides touching things he shouldn't (like electrical outlets) and throwing toddler-style tantrums, he's also been boycotting veggies. To which I thought I'd one-up him and serve ravioli Mini-Bites from Chef Boyardee for dinner.

Apparently those little bites have a full serving of veggies. This doesn't compare to steamed zucchini or baked potatoes, but like I said, Preston won't eat those right now.

At first reserved, Preston dug right into the pasta. Yes, with his hands...as he's also anti-mom-feeding-me-anything. Within minutes he'd devoured a healthy serving. And within minutes his tray, hands, ears, and face were stained an orange only an Oompa Loompa could appreciate.

Into the tub he went. After 15 minutes of scrubbing, his orange skin had faded to a lovely shade of jaundice. And a distinct oily ring was left around the tub.

I couldn't believe this??!! Can this orange stuff really be good to ingest? Shouldn't there be a warning on the label? Some sort of disclaimer to let the consumer know this crap is going to stain everything it comes in contact with?

So in my fragile mom-funk state, I thought I'd outsmart the boy. But giving him a canned meal only turned into an unexpected bath AND the cleaning of the tub itself. Ugh.

All I can do is sigh, and take a shot of whiskey. Shut my eyes, fall asleep, wake and do it all over again. Except without the ravioli, of course.

Surprise! Surprise!

2009-05-07T12:08:00.002-07:00

I don't think a day goes by when Preston doesn't surprise me in one way or another. He's soo witty and smart...and ornery and sneaky! I never know what's next.

Why just last week I was surprised to find out he had TEN teeth...two of which were top molars he'd been hiding. And then there was the day he started putting the star shape in the star hole in his shape-sorting toy; usually he just goes for the circle. He also recently learned how to jump on the trampoline in his tumbling class - he doesn't get any air, but he's got the knee bending down!

This past Monday morning, when I 'thought' he was awake and ready to get up for the day as he'd been talking to himself for at least ten minutes, he surprised me once again. Upon walking into the room he became instantly silent. There Preston was, lying on his side with his monkey in-arm. Eyes shut, quiet as can be. Then all of the sudden his arm went straight up in the air - eyes still shut - and he started waving. Then he burst into laughter and so did I. Quite the little jokester!

The biggest surprise yet came this morning during bath time. My kid dropped the loaf of his lifetime in the water. Was I more surprised by the actual size and shape of the turd or the fact that he did it in the tub...I don't know?

Ahhh, good ol' surprises. Sometimes they are welcomed. Sometimes they are not.

15 Months Old...

2009-04-25T11:43:00.003-07:00

22 pounds and a little over 29 inches long. Since birth, Preston's gained 15 pounds and grown about 10.25 inches. He's still kickin' it in the 5th percentile as far as height; and his head is still going strong in the 90th percentile. My boy has got the body of a lollipop!

The pediatrician said Preston's melon is large because his brain is growing nicely - this is a good thing, by the way - means he has 'smarts'. It makes total sense though. After all, Preston just recently discovered his left nostril. And while eating dinner, he likes to hold his left index finger up it; eating with his right hand only. Preston doesn't pick his nose, he just rests his finger there...during dinner...yep, big brain.

Preston: He's Gymnastic!

2009-04-14T15:18:00.004-07:00

Today was the second week of Mommy & Me Tumbling class, but it was the first day I felt a pride I'm not familiar with. Everyone knows I think Preston is the cutest, smartest, orneriest, smartest, cutest, smartest, cutest, and shortest nearly-15-month-old I know. And yes, I love it when people at the grocery store comment on how cute he is, or the ladies at the dentist office think his teeth are darling. All this makes me proud to be his mother, not necessarily proud of him. There is a difference!

At the end of class today, as Preston and I were standing in line to get his "Wonderful" stamp from Mrs. Moss (his teacher), she commented that Preston had greatly improved since last week and that she could really tell a difference. And there I was, and here I am, a PROUD PARENT.

If there was a Proud-O-Meter above my head, it would have been full tilt, far right...it would have been off-the-charts-registering PROUD! My boy?! Improved in just a week?! WOW!!! Now that I think about it, he did walk the balance beam THREE times, and last week just once. He also did the bug crawl down the ramp like a pro. He still cried at the somersault attempt. But he wove in and out of the cones like an agility dog. HE HAD IMPROVED! In fact, I think he needed two 'Wonderful' stamps!!!

He's on his way to the Olympics folks. You heard it here first.

Some Bunny Get Me Outta Here!

2009-04-11T12:22:00.004-07:00

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny started out well. P'Dub even gave the hare a high five...but that was before we placed him on the rabbit's lap.

So I'd say this went slightly better than the Santa saga.

I'll Tumble For You

2009-04-09T14:27:00.008-07:00

This week Preston and I attended our first 'Mommy & Me' tumbling class at the local community center. Every Tuesday for the next eight weeks we are committed to learning the fundamentals of basic tumbling: trampoline, balance beam, log rolls, somersaults, crawling through tubes and over obstacles, and singing action-songs.

Our first class was both fun and exhausting. For the most part, Preston enjoyed himself. It was all new to him and I was amazed at his confidence - I thought for sure he'd cling to my leg the entire time. But since he needs my help, hence the 'Mommy & Me' part, I was never out of arms reach. He preferred crawling through the short tunnel and would only peek in the long tunnel. The balance beam was only fun the first time around. Somersaults and log rolls only brought on tears. And the parachute games and warm-up songs brought huge smiles.

I think this class is going to be great for both of us. Preston will learn more about how his body moves and works, and gain better control of it. He will become more social and develop flexibility. For me, I'm just going to work on stamina. I should be ashamed to admit this (and I am, but am also an open book), but I had sweat pouring down my back and butt cheeks. And mind you, the class in only 40 minutes short.

At the end of class Preston received a "Wonderful" stamp from the instructor. P'Dub was truly fascinated by it and kept showing it to me. However, in this picture I think he was over it. The vibe I'm getting is, "Okay Mom. This is the last time I'm pointing to this stamp. Yes, I'm cool. But we already know this. Let's not blow this out of proportion. It's a stamp. I'm sure I'll get one next week. Now can I please just finish my snack in peace already."

Boys. They have 'tudes too.

We've Collected Our Winnings

2009-04-02T15:31:00.008-07:00

This past Sunday Jeremy, Preston and I finally suited up (not literally in suits) and drove to Sammamish - I love saying that name - to Just Because Studios in an effort to get our first family pictures taken.

I'd been so uptight about everything - the perfect outfits, making sure Preston didn't fall and bust his lip open again, being careful not to break a nail, or break out for that matter- that Jeremy said we were never going to do this again if I continued to behave in such a manner. And I'm like, "Hi, did we just meet? No." This is just how I operate.

Besides a few squabbles (one because I stupidly forgot the dang sippy cup) on the forty-five minute drive to the studio, we were in fairly good spirits. I was nervous, but figured I'd done everything I could to prepare us. We were all in check. All I had to do now was to make sure none of us tripped and fell in mud on the way into the studio. :)

We landed safely, put on our shirts (we wore our tees on the way over so not to wrinkle our outfits), and the shoot began. Melanie, the photographer and owner of Just Because, was great! She had our pre-determined shot list out, gave specific and clear direction, and had a number of fuzzy animals and quirky noises to aid in helping Preston show off his pearly whites.

He wasn't in a bad mood, he just wasn't in a good one. It's as if he was completely deaf and his attention span had dwindled into nothing. He was looking at the lights, the stuffed animals, outside, the doorway...everywhere but at Melanie. He also didn't like the sound of the background paper we were sitting on - I think it reminded him of the stuff at the pediatrician's office. To make the situation even more difficult, Preston decided he only wanted to be with Daddy. He didn't want me to touch him or hold him. Brilliant!

Despite the challenging 14-month-old, we moved rather quickly through the set list. Before I knew it it was time for Preston's wardrobe change and a snack of Cheerios. After the much-needed break, and a mysterious grouping of scratches and welts under his left eye, we continued.

Melanie, being a mother of two herself, didn't even break a sweat. She just went with whatever Preston wanted to do. She was totally calm. Jeremy was a little concerned. And you know me, I was nearly in freak-out mode. Preston, he decided to cry.

We moved 'Operation Family Pictures' to a nearby park. A change of scenery, a change of pace, and yes, still sporting the uncooperative baby. He still wants Dad. He wants to eat his snacks. He doesn't want to look at the camera. He doesn't want to smile. He wants to be P'Dub...ruler of all situations, the center of our worlds. And, he succeeds. And there was Melanie, chasing around P'Dub as he zig-zagged throughout the park...kind of like when you drop an important paper in a wind storm. And she thought nothing of it.

Yesterday I received an email from Melanie, allowing me a sneak peak of three shots from the shoot. Admittedly I was anxious, but couldn't stand not to look. And I couldn't have been more pleased. They were ahhhh-mazing. The pictures of Preston were adorable. Like I said, he was pretty much a busy body. But Melanie captured him at creative angles. P'Dub never was a straight-on, centered kind of baby anyhow! :)

The family picture brought tears to my eyes. It was the first time I actually 'looked' at us as a family. We don't have many pictures of the three of us, as I'm generally the one taking them. Plus, I wasn't all that comfortable in front the camera when still carrying a lot of baby weight. But here we were. All polished and pretty. My family.

And somehow I didn't look like a linebacker? It's no secret I have broad shoulders. Usually I look like I could tackle and kick ass in pictures, but here I just look like a Mom. And that makes me very happy.

[Pretend I'm standing up on a grand stage in a beautiful gown]
And I have all of you to thank for this moment of happiness. For the 'aha-this-is-my-family' moment. First I must thank my readers, family and friends for their loyalty and persistent voting, which enabled us to win the cutest photo contest. I must also thank Melanie of Just Because Studios, for being an outstanding and patient photographer; and for not wanting to kill me as I sent numerous emails prior to the sitting about clothing, poses, styles, etc. And last, but not least, Jeremy and Preston - thanks guys for not blinking.

Being a family rocks.

5 Mommy Must-Haves for Young Toddlers

2009-03-26T16:27:00.005-07:00

Have a young tot? Yeah, so do I. And I think I'd go nuts without the conveniences of the following items.

1. PIZZA CUTTER. Quicker than a fork and knife, and can cut nearly anything. Except for grapes, really. Waffles, pancakes, slices of bread, beans, cheese, hot dogs, bananas, tomatoes...you name it, cuts your time in half.

2. PILLOWS. These work great to cover your face while you are laughing hysterically at your child, who just did something unruly or inappropriate, and you don't want him to see. For example, Preston knows he isn't supposed to get behind the curtains in our living room. I hide the cords to our floor lamp there. When he attempts to fool around with the curtains, I give him a stern "No touch." and a slap on the hand. Yesterday he started walking the direction of the curtains, with mischief written all over his face. Before he could even grab them, I said, "Preston. No Touch." The boy turns around, walks over to me, and starts slapping my arm. Here is where the pillow came in handy.

3.BIKE HELMET WITH VISOR. Aids in softening the blow of face plants. Also reduces their reach into cabinets, lazy susans, etc.

4. THE SNACK TRAP. Got Cheerios? The Snack Trap is an ingenious cup with a unique soft lid with slits in it. Kids can reach in for a little handful of grub and the cup automatically closes when they remove their hand. Reduces mess! (Thanks mbeans.com!)

5. ALCOHOL. Lots of it and different kinds. You never know how far your kid is going to push you. Some days it might be a "glass of wine day", others may be "a six pack day", or "a glass of scotch night."

The Anatomy of a Bad Haircut

2009-03-18T13:57:00.008-07:00

Proof of The.Worst.Haircut.Ever.All.Mommy's.Fault.
Click any picture to enlarge.

Happy Bloody St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T16:42:00.003-07:00

This morning Preston slept in until 8:30. I should have known something was up. He was cranky and whiny. Not his usual self.

After breakfast we played on the living room floor- puzzles, books, Little People, Curious George- the usual. He finally seemed like 'Preston' and started toddling around this way and that. Walking over and banging on the sliding kitchen door. Taking measuring spoons and spatulas out of the drawers. Typical P. Except he kept falling.

Stand. Step. Fall. Repeat. Which is completely odd, since he's pretty stable in his sock-feet. He was all wobbly and weak-kneed. Kind of like a newborn foal. Take two steps....man down. Get up...fall backwards...man down. Call me crazy, but I know it's because of his terrible haircut (see previous post). I can only equate this situation to that of a cat whose whiskers have been cut. Preston's equilibrium is off.

As expected, one of Preston's falls ended with a whimper. He looked up at me and there was blood streaming from his mouth. UNEXPECTED. His mouth, by the way, had a plastic water bottle lid sticking out of it. Not the kind off of a disposable water bottle, but a reusable water bottle...the ones with the spouts that pop up and down. Just great.

There weren't any tears. He wasn't crying. He just wiggled himself out from underneath the kitchen table, spat out the lid, and smiled. Have you ever seen a baby smile with a bloody mouth? It's not right. It's eerie on many levels, none of which I can explain.

It took nearly five attempts before I could actually see what was going on - the piece of skin between his front teeth (which are gapped slightly) was dangling. He'd ripped it AND tore back some of the gum on his front right tooth. Ugh.

I called the pediatrician's office and they told me not to worry. They rarely suture any mouth tear and explained why: "It's the worst place for a wound due to the all the blood flow in the mouth, making everything look a hundred times worse than it is. And because you use your mouth to eat and talk, it's also difficult to keep the wound from bleeding. But it's the best place for wound because it heals so quickly." The nurse also told me that if his teeth were lose, they would stabilize. Good gravy!

Can you say, freaked out?! I already have deep-seeded fears of Preston falling and knocking his teeth out. I have nightmares about my own teeth falling out. I'm just teeth-sensitive. And him being so unstable on his feet right now is not helping. I think it's time to put a bicycle helmet on the kid, and fit him for a mouth guard.

You are thinking I'm paranoid, right? But this is rational fear. And I must say it's warranted. After all, it's been nearly six hours since 'the incident', and Preston now has a scrape on his forehead, and a red bump over and under his right eye. All from falling. It won't be long before he smashes his mouth again.

Maybe I should put Preston in a bubble? It's the only way as far as I'm concerned. Either that or feed me green beer to calm my nerves.

Worst. Haircut. Ever. All. Mommy's. Fault.

2009-03-16T20:21:00.001-07:00

I went slumming this afternoon and bought Preston a $9.00 (including tax) bargain haircut. This is the second haircut of his life, and the worst.

His first haircut, as most of you know, was at a swanky, kid-friendly salon. Jeremy and I threw down nearly thirty bones for the perfect cut, a lock of hair, and picture. But it was a milestone, and our first kid...yada, yada, yada. We had to do it. You all know the drill.

Anyhow, I've driven by this "family hair care" joint many times, and decided to pop in to see if they had any openings. Upon walking in I knew I had made a mistake, but wasn't quick enough to think of an immediate exit plan. The place was half nail salon, half hair salon and everybody was Asian (except for P'Dub and I). Even the music playing was Asian.

I sit down on the chair and place P'Dub on my lap. The stylist - and I'm using this term loosely - covers Preston up with a cape, but not me. Weird. I tell her Preston needs a TRIM, and with my fingers show her how much...which was about 1/4" to 1/2". I tell her I like it longer, just want his hair tidied up.

The stylist didn't say anything and started trimming away. Hair is flying in every direction. She's going fast. Really fast. Clipping. Clipping. Clipping. And she didn't even water his hair down???!!!

Next thing I know she's got the ol' electric trimmer out. Holy Hell! I panic and can't say a word (just like the time I rubbed shoulders with Jasper Parnevick at The Memorial). She's trimming around his left ear and his right ear. Whew, it's over. Nope, not so fast...she's shaving his neck. His poor little baby neck!

Okay, now we're done. Breathe deep breaths. Preston seemed freakishly stunned, but who wasn't?

Before I could finish buckling Preston in his car seat, the stylist already had her coat on and waiting at the register. I paid her, nothing was said, and she walked out and sped off in her car before we even left the building.

Which by the way, on my way out, I noticed a large poster on the wall with pictures of twelve kids. All the kids had different, outdated hair cuts and were assigned a number. This was so that you could tell the stylist which hair cut you wanted. And no, I'm not even kidding.

You know the ol' saying, "What ya get is what ya pay for". Well, we got ourselves a $9.00 haircut alright. It's uneven. Choppy. His neckline is a mess. His neck is a mess. Some hair is cut, some isn't. It's like he has mange.

And we have two weeks until family pictures. Brilliant.

My Hot Dog Has a First Name, it's S-C-A-R-Y

2009-03-07T16:41:00.016-07:00

I don't care much for hot dogs. About 20 years ago I was told they were made from earthworms (ingredient listed as erythorbate). Since then I learned they were actually made from the lips and a##holes of pigs. Which is the real truth? I don't know...and furthermore, I don't want to.

History proves that hot dogs are pretty much a staple for young children. I pride myself on buying only 'turkey' dogs for Preston. Turkey just 'sounds' like the better option, plus they contain less sodium. And, my little guys loves them. I protest they are evil.

The dogs have a defense mechanism like no other meat I've seen. These dogs want to live, they don't want to be eaten! And once put in the microwave, will lite up as if they were made of foil (not worms or icky animal parts). The little meat pieces spark and crackle and are downright SCARY!

The first couple times I cut up the dogs, put them in the microwave, and sparks flew...I thought I was losing it. Sparking meat (or meat-like stuff)? Yeah right. But then Jeremy became witness to the sparking dogs and my sanity was once again redeemed. Hastily, I wanted to call up Jennie-O and give them a piece of my mind. Now I really did want to know what was in these dogs! My cool-natured husband, however, went to Google.

The sparking dog phenomenon is called 'arcing'. These dogs aren't angry, these dogs are made up of an uneven mixture of salt and additives that produce a charge when in close proximity to one another. The charge 'arcs' to meet the next closest dog chunk, usually causing the edges to burn. And this isn't good for the dog or the microwave.

So for all you new mothers out there, getting ready to feed your child his/her first dog, be advised. Either heat up the entire dog in the microwave, boil it or put it in the oven. Or, cook them on a grill. You choose, but keep the evil dogs out of the microwave.

Without Further Ado...

2009-02-21T09:59:00.009-07:00

The Cute Photo Contest Winner is P'Dub!!!

We are soo excited and would like to extend a SINCERE thanks to everyone who voted. Without your votes this win wouldn't have been possible; and we wouldn't be getting FREE one-year photos of Preston and/or family portraits! And of course, we'll share the photos as soon as we get them!

You can check out the official contest page here.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
-Jeremy, Kate & P'Dub

Amo la pasta

2009-02-19T10:13:00.002-07:00

Linguini + Zucchini = Yummy

Vote For Preston in The Cutest Baby Contest!

2009-02-16T10:13:00.005-07:00

Calling all readers, and your friends, and their friends! I entered Preston in a local photographer's cutest baby contest and he is in the top 5!!! In order to win the contest he needs as many votes as he can get through end of day Friday, the 20th. Each person can vote once a day per email address (so if you have two email addresses, vote from both addresses)- and vote daily!

Please email your vote for kid #1 to melanie@just-because.com. And vote every day, once a day. And please let all your friends and family know as well!

To see Preston and the other cuties, click here.

Grand prize winner will receive a free sitting (a $100 value) and a photo package (including prints of two favorite poses) worth over $100! We haven't had his 1 year pics taken- so vote for Preston now!

So please, vote today, and vote every day until Saturday. Just email kid #1 to melanie@just-because.com now!

Mommy Says This is How Babies Are Made

2009-02-13T16:59:00.001-07:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

This makes me laugh to tears!

This Wig is Busted

2009-02-12T20:58:00.018-07:00

No more baby mullet. No more baby flock of seagulls. No more "hippie"- that's directed toward you Pappy! Preston's wig is busted!

We went to swanky 'The Salon at Kid's Club' for P'Dubs first haircut, two days after his birthday. Check this place out! The salon is all decked out in a jungle theme, with fun seats - like a fire truck or a yellow cab - to preoccupy your child while his stylist works on his new do.

The fire truck wasn't enough of a distraction for P'Dub, nor was the unactivated cell phone the stylist gave him to play with. Nope. It was all panic and tears. So I held him.

Within five minutes it was all over. The stylist asked if she could put 'product' in his hair and I agreed. He looked so dashing, and I looked like a sashquatch covered in all his hair.

As a keepsake we were given a pre-cut picture (which the stylist took when we arrived), a lock of hair, and a personalized card with the date.

The BEFORE pics: (click to enlarge any photo)

The DURING pics:

The AFTER pics:

My Lovely Lady Bump

Prestonisms

While getting packing food for our picnic...

P: "Can we listen to Ice Ice Baby...I want to rock!"

While talking on the phone to his Pappy...P: "Happy Birfday Pappy! How many candles are on yer cake?"Pappy: "54"P: [pauses] "Are you serious?"

While trying to catch a spider in it's web...P: "He's running from me 'cause he's scared. He doesn't know me."P: [to the spider] "Hi! My name is Preston!"P: [with enthusiasm] "Mommy!! He's not scared anymore, cause I died him!"Me: "You died him?"P: [matter of factly] "Yeah, I killed him."

Bathtub chit chat...

Kid Stats

A New 'Do at Dooz

It's a Shabby Chic 1st Birthday!

Captain Preston's 3rd Birthday

Shit or Get Off the Pot

Top 10 of 2010

A New Year, A New Chapter

Best. Playdate. Ever.

Happy Holidays from our Little Elves

Epic Santa Fail

Happy Turkey Day

Mission Complete: Pig Tails at Six Months

2.5 Year-Old Santa Logic

Preston: "I don't want Santa to come to Preston's house."

Me: "Why?"

Preston: "It's not safe Mommy."

Me: "Why?"

Preston: "Cause Santa is a stranger."

Finishing Touches

$#*! My Son Says

I'm a Baby Seal Killer

Over Promise...Under Deliver

Confessions of a Closet Crazy

Gone Fishin'

Happy 3-Months-Old Birthday!

Grow Norah Grow

Milestones & Musings

Preston's Pearly Whites

Father's Day

Babypants in Da House, err Library

Penis Humor

Girl Parts

Ya Miss Me Yet?

Meet Norah Grace

Best. Mother's. Day. Ever.

The Nest

Featuring: Milestones & Musings

60% Girl, 40% Boy

Big Boy Bodot Room

#1 Reason To NOT Leave the Baby Alone with Preston

The Final Countdown

The Evolution of An Easter Egg

Lady, I'm Keying Your Car Later

Am I Missing Something?

So, Where Have I Been?

Don't Forget to Take Your Vitamins

Tig Ole' Bitty

Why Jeremy Wants to Kill Me

Meeting Maria

He's Going the Distance

Big Embarrassing Moment #2

Happy Two!

Bump Shot

This Blog is Famous!

Half Baked!

Small But Mighty

A Note to The Little 20-Week-Old Fetus

Lady Liberty Rocks Out

And So I Cried

Preston's Christmas Story

Ohhhhh, the Irony

Happy Holidays!

10 Reasons Why I've Sucked at Blogging Lately

Daddy's New Job: Half-Naked Rainforest Cafe Dude

All I Wanted Was A Backrub

I Am SUCH A Mom

Pop Quiz

P'Dub is a 'Butt Man'

Does the Pacifier Cost Extra?

I Want That!

Song Choice or Bad Pipes?

The Need to Feed

Revelations

While talking on the phone to his Pappy...

P: "Happy Birfday Pappy! How many candles are on yer cake?"

Pappy: "54"

P: [pauses] "Are you serious?"

While trying to catch a spider in it's web...

P: "He's running from me 'cause he's scared. He doesn't know me."

P: [to the spider] "Hi! My name is Preston!"

P: [with enthusiasm] "Mommy!! He's not scared anymore, cause I died him!"

Me: "You died him?"

P: [matter of factly] "Yeah, I killed him."