Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails...

Boys...it's just what I know!  I have "known" that this little "Chip" that I carry was a boy from very early on.  I was convinced...I don't know why.  This pregnancy has been much different than both of my previous pregnancies, but I don't put a lot of stock in that.  Every pregnancy is different, right, and shouldn't something be said for mother's intuition?  So...I had my sonogram this morning and, unfortunately, since my whole house seems to be horribly ill right now, I had to go it alone.  It made the whole thing kind of anticlimactic.  It's such an amazing thing to be able to see that little baby from the outside and I have always been lucky enough to share that with my husband, but it is what it is.  I went in, the technician went through all of the routine checkpoints...saw ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes, saw that little hearbeat flashing away, saw that elegant little spine and even got a little wave from our little "Chip!"  Then the technician asked if we wanted to know the gender, and my response was, "of course!" :)  However, this little baby was MODEST!  That's something new...both of my boys showed the goods willingly, laying there spread-eagle in their pride.  This one had those little legs all tucked up and crossed and wouldn't budge.  The technician said, "we'll come back to that," and found a few other measurements to be taken.  When we returned, we found those little legs still all tucked up and crossed.  I recalled a conversation with an ultrasound technician during my 20 week scan with my first baby.  She said that 90% of the time those innate female and male things are ingrained within the womb already and boys will willingly show the goods, while girls tend to hide it all...interesting, huh?  The technician took the probe and gave baby a good jiggle and, voila!  She pointed out baby's little hiney, and 2 legs coming down and then these 3 little lines..."this is a baby girl!"

"WHAT?" I exclaimed in shock.  "I have two boys and I just knew this was a boy, I am floored!"

"This is NO boy," she confidently stated.

I am STILL in shock!  I have just gotten so used to the boy thing...I have fantasized about a little girl and oohed and aahed at all the adorable, pink, frilly little outfits (which is odd, considering I am SO far from frilly), but just figured that we didn't "do" girls.  I guess I should have listened closer to X-man who has insisted from the beginning that he was having a baby sister.  If you suggested that it might be a baby brother, he would adamantly, almost scold, that he was indeed having a baby sister and refused to believe otherwise.

So...here we are!  Entering a new realm of pinkness!  Time to put away the frogs and snails and puppy dog tails!  :)

Baby Bliss!!!

Anybody who has been near and dear to me during my last two pregnancies can vouch that I spent more time vomiting than I spent daydreaming about the baby-to-be.  Which makes my neglect of this blog reasonable.  Yes, we are expecting Numero Tres...sometime in mid-July!!!  And...I'm sick, of course, though not nearly as bad as I was with the boys.  For that I am grateful.  I had my first midwife appointment this morning and we heard the sweet sweet "whoosh whoosh" sound of that itty bitty heartbeat to Daddy and the boys' delight and to my great relief! :)  I think I have been beaming ever since.  You would think that after going through two pregnancies with great outcomes, this would be old hat, but my anxiety has been much greater this go around.  I finally feel like I can get excited after this morning's appointment though, so that is my plan.

The boys, on the other hand, started their excitement weeks ago.  X-man is convinced that he is having a baby sister.  If you suggest that it might be a baby brother, we just don't know yet, he will adamantly insist that, "no, it's a baby sister."  I guess he has been there, done that with the baby brother thing, and is pretty sure he doesn't want another one of those.  Anytime you mention anything about a baby, Gokey comes straight to me and mumbles something about "baby" and "mommy" as he pats my belly.  I am actually surprised he gets as much of it as he does.  Since we told the boys about the impending arrival, Gokey has been carrying around my childhood Cabbage Patch doll and refers to him as his baby.  He's at an age where he just accepts the fact that there is a baby in mommy's tummy and that is good enough for him.  The process has been a little funnier with X-man.

Early on when I explained to him that I had a baby in my belly his next assumption was that it would somehow crawl out of my mouth.  After several very toddler appropriate conversations about how a baby would exit mom's body, one morning he put his hand on my belly as we were sitting on the couch together and said, "the baby is in your tummy and it's gonna grow and grow and grow, right?"

I responded, "yep," thinking that it was starting to click for him.

"And the baby is cute, right mom?" He questioned.

"I'm sure," I exclaimed, "both you and your brother are!"

"Mom, say 'Ahhhh,'" in his little toddler voice.

"Ahhhhh," I politely complied thinking we were changing subjects as 3 year olds are apt to do.

"Mom!  I don't see it!"

I suddenly realized he was peering down my throat in hopes to get a glimpse of his "baby sister."  Ok...maybe it's all a little over his head.  That conversation then turned into a vocabulary lesson about the little hangey-down thingy in the back of your throat and uvula is now one of his new favorite words.

Several days later it was very early in the morning.  The boys had just gotten up and Gokey was demanding cereal.  I was in a rush to get it together because if I don't get something in my stomach very quickly then I end up sick in the bathroom (hopefully that's where I end up sick, anyway).  I was delivering Gokey's gourmet meal to him to the sound of X-man asking for cartoons when I realized that there was no hope of breakfast for me because I needed to get to the bathroom ASAP.  Gokey was occupied with his cereal, but I didn't even have time to flip on the TV as I sprinted to the bathroom.  Obviously, X-man followed to see what was up and walked in to me kneeling in front of the toilet as I heaved.

I could feel him peering over my shoulder and he suddenly gasped, "OH NO!  The baby sister! It's gonna fall in the toilet!"

Between heaves I was trying to explain to him very calmly that the baby was just fine and was just making me a little sick.  He then proceeded to pat and rub my back as I finished up.  What a kid!  :)

I can't wait to see what precious moments are to come!  Yay for babies!

Ho ho ho...

I know, I know...I'm neglecting this thing!  We is busy, though!  Isn't everyone this time of year?  Thanksgiving came and went and we jumped head first into the Christmas season...what a wonderful and nostalgic time of year.  Having the boys around pulls the magic right back into the season, just when adulthood had almost succeeded in sucking it all away.

We spent Saturday after Turkey Day in a very festive spirit, starting with our annual trip to the tree farm to cut down our tree.  It was a beautiful day and X-man is at the age this year where he totally "gets it."  He could hardly contain himself, he was so excited.  We marched through the fields inspecting tree after tree, and when Tyler, a very helpful college kid working weekends at the family tree farm, showed up to assist us, X-man made fast friends, immediately grasping his hand and tugging him along on our journey to find THE perfect tree.  Oh to be 3 again...he makes friends with such ease!  Tyler suggested we take the tractor out to the "south field" to see if we could find something suitable.  The boys were THRILLED with the prospect, and off we went.  Upon arrival, I hopped off of the trailer, scanned the field and knew I had found our tree.  I honed in, like a heat seeking missile...our tree!  J insisted he do the cutting, though Tyler offered to do the job and the boys both "helped."  Our tree was hauled back to the shed where we enjoyed some warm apple cider as our tree was shaken...it was there we found our lovely "little" tree (it was little compared to it's friends) was 8 1/2 feet tall!  Definitely the largest tree we have ever had, but it is beautiful.

The tree-shaker was fascinating!

Daddy's little helpers

X-man's handiwork

Upon arriving home, we told the boys that we were going to eat some lunch, they were going to take naps and then when they would wake up, the tree would be up, lights would be strung and they could decorate the tree!  There were immediate protests...we won in regards to Gokey.  He was exhausted and when push came to shove there wasn't much fight left in him.  He crashed hard.  X-man reluctantly went to bed and J and I went about preparing our tree.  20 minutes later, X-man emerged from his room, "I done sweeping!"  He spotted the tree...there was no talking him down.  The battle was futile and his excitement too great.  And we learned that he is a decorating pro!  He immediately went to work hanging ornaments on the tree and was so proud of his work, that we didn't dare rearrange until he wasn't looking.  J was concerned that the 30 ornaments hanging on that 6 inch strand of lights was going to cause a short and probable fire, but we all survived the day.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...now if we could just get some of that white stuff! :)

Thankful for forgiveness...

...because I have failed at this daily thankfulness exercise!  And since I need to make up for the 4 days I missed, here goes!

I am oh-so-thankful for a very tolerant Stella-dog...she's such a good beast! :)

I am thankful for failed self-portraits...just means I have healthy, ornery, WIGGLY, uncooperative little boys!

I am thankful for GIANT accomplishments for my little Gokey as he made it to the top of McDonald's Playplace this week...and almost didn't come down.  The second picture is taken, yes, at the very top where I had to crawl to retrieve him after his big brother tried to pull him down by his shirt, nearly leaving him naked!

I am thankful for chilly, fall morning strolls outside which give us a good excuse to put on our knitty's and sweatshirts and then come in and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate (or coffee, as X-man likes to call it).

Thankful for Persistence!

Today I am thankful that my lovely husband has the persistence of the sun that rises and sets EVERY day! :) Nine years ago today I woke up alone and happy.  Things were going well...I was nearing the end of college and content.  I had this nagging, lovely friend, J, however, who pestered me everyday at work to "just give him a chance."  I was really great at saying, "no!"  A protection mechanism, really.  I had convinced myself it just wouldn't work out...we were polar opposites, and though I loved our conversations and our friendship, I didn't want to break his heart...or mine.

In the several weeks leading up to this day we had been out to lunches and dinner, had long conversations and then I was offered a new job and I turned in my notice at the place of employment where J and I had met and had our daily contact for over a year.  My last day was on a Sunday and he was convinced we would never see each other again...that I would brush him off and disappear forever.  I tried to convince him otherwise, but he was skeptical...an emotion that I usually excelled at in our friendly relationship.  He made me promise that we could get together to watch "The Usual Suspects," one of J's favorite movies that he discovered I had never seen in a previous conversation.  I agreed and we set it up for Monday evening, November 19th 2001 at my place.  He was chipping away at my guard.

There was something different about that night...he showed up at my place and instead of our usual comfortable bantering, we were quiet and almost awkward.  We sat down on the futon to start the movie and I noticed the rising flutter of butterflies in my stomach.  He started out with his arm stretched out on the back of the couch behind me, but midway through the movie, my butterflies alerted me to his hand lightly resting on my shoulder.  Was I in high school?  I certainly felt like it.  The movie ended, and we casually chatted about it...and then it happened.  One perfect kiss...and then maybe a few more, but it was the first one that pushed me over the edge.  The one that said, "FINE...I give up...I'm yours!"  :)  The rest is history!  As my mom once said about my quick turn-about, "most people fall into love...you tumbled!"

So...thank you, J, for never giving up!  I can't imagine how boring the last 9 years would have been had you not persisted...

And they lived happily ever after...

Week of Thankfulness...

In the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, and since it seems my time to blog has been so limited recently, I am going to try my absolute hardest to post daily for the next week my thanksgivings.  It's the little things...I think it is a given that I am thankful for my family, home and the love that surrounds me.

Today I am so thankful that my boys have each other.  That they have someone to pick on, laugh with, hug, wrestle and lean on.  They are giggly sounding boards for each other and I love that their energy is contagious to each other and those around them. :)  Thank you, God...and J, for those little brother buddies!

Where did a year and a half go?

Gokey is 18 months old today.  Milestones like this bring so much nostalgia and memories come flooding back.  It is so hard to fathom all that happens from conception to birth and then from birth through the next few years.  Every day brings such change and development and it is stunning!  I revel in all my boys have accomplished in their short little lives and am sure that it is because they are so bright and strong and advanced (don't remind me that every kid goes through these same milestones)! :)  At the same time, each reminds me that time is flying by and before long I will be sending my babies off to college.  I know that's slightly irrational.  Afterall, the whole purpose of parenthood is to grow and shape these little beings into productive, respectful and loving little citizens, but, darn it...I want to snuggle with them forever! :)  I guess it is a very good thing that God has worked in that innate desire for every little toddler to push the limits and grow their own independence along the way.  If I had too much influence they would grow to be 35 years old, obese, bald (sorry, boys...this one is inevitable with your genetics) and living in my basement eating Cheetos and playing the latest version of World of Warcraft from sundown to sunup, then slumber the day away.  Good thing their own free will will hopefully prevent most of that (but, if it doesn't, my dear boys, I will always love you both no matter what).

Yesterday in the span of 10 minutes X-man made it clear to me how strong the urge for independence has gotten.  I had tied left over birthday balloons to a couple of their matchbox airplanes in the attempt to keep them from hovering to the highest point in our vaulted ceiling for me to retrieve for the 38th time yesterday.  After playing with them like that for a while, X-man requested that the balloon be removed because it is much more fun to watch mom balancing on her tiptoes on top of a chair every 30 seconds to once again return said balloon to its rightful owner.  I begrudgingly fulfilled the request, being the glutton for punishment that I am, and because those forever long eyelashes are so absolutely persuasive.  I quickly retrieved a pair of scissors from a bathroom drawer and snipped the string, setting his beloved airplane and bobbing balloon free.  He was elated.  As I was rushing about the house trying to get things tidied and the boys' shoes in their rightful places (on their feet) so we could make it to story time, I was only half-heartedly responding to Gokey's pleas to have his balloon removed from his airplane and X-man's requests for a drink of water.  Gokey was finally sitting on my lap, wrestling with me while I attempted to get his socks and shoes on and X-man proudly emerged from our bedroom with Gokey's freed balloon.  "Here, Gokey," he touted as he handed over the prize and gently patted him on the head.  It took me a minute to realize what X-man had been up to.  I rushed to the bathroom where I found the airplane that the balloon had previously been tied to, discarded in the middle of the floor.  I asked X-man if he cut the string with the scissors.  "Mmmm-hmmm," he nodded proudly, hands behind his back and chest puffed out.  I asked him if he put the scissors back where they belonged.  Again, "mmmm-hmmm," nodding with his proud little smirk.  Wow!  I couldn't really get mad at him...he had fixed Gokey's problem...a problem that I had ignored for the last 15 minutes.  It was truly sweet.  I made a mental note to move the scissors to a safer place so that next time the snipping of the shower curtain or chunk of luscious baby hair or little toddler finger would be prevented.  By the time I returned to the living room, I heard thumping around in the kitchen.  As I came around the corner, I witnessed X-man trying to keep his teetering cup steady on the edge of the towering kitchen counter as he lifted the very heavy, full pitcher of water with a grimace to attempt his first pour of water all on his own!  I quickly intervened, but not wanting to dash his little moment of independence, suggested we move his cup to the floor where it would be easier for him to reach.  I barely assisted, only because of the weight of the pitcher and once again his little chest puffed up as the water rose in his cup.  

It was a very grown-up span of minutes.  After listening to his and his brother's pleas for my assistance and being ignored, he went into solution mode and, without complaint, fixed the problems he saw around him.  *Sniff sniff*  Every stage my boys have gone through I think I have said, "this is my favorite age," and then they exceed my expectations with the next milestone that comes along!  The mundaneness of everyday chores...ones that I obviously ignore...are suddenly new and full of new opportunities to grow and soar!  I have the best job in the world!

My boys: then & now

Oh...and Happy Half Birthday to my littlest man! :) *smooch*