Family Fun

I'd love to post about the fun time the family had at the Museum of Science on Saturday...but I didn't get to go. So... read about it on Alicia's Blog.

Good times.

News Flash

There has been a coup. You may now call me - QUEEN OF CATAN.

Delicate Genius

Things are going pretty well for Aaron. Two Sundays in a row he won Settlers of Catan and is thus the reigning "Lord of Catan." (Go ahead, call him that, he'll revel in it). You'd think that it couldn't get better but wait - he also passed the 5th of his Architectural Registration Exams. If you are keeping track that means (only) four more to go.

Lets evaluate what Aaron has going on in his life.

Work.
Church volunteer work.
Studying for at least two exams (LEED and next ARE).
Wife on bed rest = more housekeeping, cooking and childcare than usual.
Bathroom reconstruction.

Hum...am I missing something? Probably.

So pretty much he's Superman. Rock on.

Our comings and goings

Or in our case, our stayings and stayings.

The bathroom project continues, as Alicia can attest it involves intense negotiations on important issues like base board height, towel rods and backer-board. As Alicia can attest it's enough to drive someone listening in bonkers. That said, Aaron did make some good progress on Saturday.

That was the day the girls went to a friend's house and bedrested while watching Twilight on DVD. As we were leaving Aaron asked me to remember that Edward couldn't build me a house - I hated telling him that Edward's "mom" probably could. Don't worry though honey, I'll happily stick with the man I've got.

You know, its actually a bit funny to me. At least once each of my close friends have posted things that their husbands have done that seem bizarre, inexplicable, and frankly, grounds for divorce (imho). But they seem unphased. I wonder if those same friends are thinking the same thing about this project (and the timing).

Speaking of the timing, Aaron claims he is nesting, after all this is the biggest project he's starting since Tessa was born. Paternal nesting appears to be a little different than standard maternal nesting.

Well, we've made it to 33 weeks. Obviously I'm quite glad, although last week I told a lot of people (many that read this blog) that I was feeling a bit discouraged that I had another 5 weeks of bedrest ahead of me. Well, no longer - after all now it is less than 30 days and thats hardly anything.

Plus, seriously, laying around all day reading blogs is about 1000x better than visiting your baby in the NICU. Hands. Down.

Plus it is spring now!! So I guess the "Coming This Spring" T-shirt/fetal brainwashing worked.

Finally a note on my body image. I am going to be overly honest here so feel free NOT to comment. I LOVE MY BELLY! I'm very disappointed that I don't get to flounce around town for people to see. Obviously I am the heaviest that I've ever been but I don't really feel that big. You may disagree, but as I told Aaron, that doesn't matter because I'm as pleased as punch with myself.

Okay, I'm slighting chagrined that I claim to be proud of my belly and still need to point out that the SHADOW makes me look bigger than I am. So to review, love my belly but am wearing black (its slimming) for a reason and don't need any extra shadow helping me out. Oh, and photoshop means I don't have to worry about my complexion either.

At It Again

We're at it again... for now, here is a sneak peak at the next big project Aaron is in the middle of.

I can do it myself

I just got back from putting my baby and my baby sister on a train headed into one of the major metropolitan areas of the country (actually I think our house sits within the metro area so perhaps I'm being over dramatic...) to meet up with Aaron for some fun. I was a bit nervous (gave Alicia unnecessary directions, repeatedly - waited in the parking lot until the train picked them up safely, etc.)

But to be honest, dropping Tessa off for her second day of preschool was harder. I was so afraid she'd remember how we heartlessly left her for 2.5 hours last week and cling desperately to my leg, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Yes, I am that mom who thinks their child is a precious flower that needs to be coddled and protected. What are you going to do about it?

Well if you are Tessa you'll cry just a bit the first time I tried to leave to make me feel better, then get all caught up in a farm puzzle and made a friend and not glance up at all when I said good bye. Humpf! It really didn't make it any easier to leave but I did, knowing we could come to pick her up a little early and watch her through the 2-way mirror. Did I mention I love 2-way mirrors! That there is a good way to teach a hovering parent that their child can do it themselves!

(These pictures, as well as the amazing pictures at the top and bottom of this blog were taken by Alicia)

Only the sixth?

Today I'll openly admit I've hit the "oh my gosh I'm so bored that I've even run out of internet to browse" stage of bed rest. Believe it or not I've managed to be fairly content so far (6+ weeks) but - today - I was trying to figure out what day it was and I was updating my time sheet with the few hours of work I've been able to do while laying on my side and I realized that March has only been happening for 6 days and here I was thinking it had to atleast be near the middle. Who knew that revelation would be enough to bum me out!?

I am feeling both relieved to be "so far" into my pregnancy, and thus a bit cavalier about the whole thing, and freaked out that my baby, who is probably just a little over three pounds, is millimeters away from entering the world. (Don't worry though, the blessed fFn test says I have another 1.5 weeks at least). The combination means I take longer showers than I was when I was 24-28 weeks, but feel guilty about it the whole time.

And we still don't have a name - chances are the baby will be born at 41 weeks and we will still have to narrow the list down - we are a deadline driven couple.

Anyhoo - if you are a local blog reader I'll go ahead and ask if you have 2-3 books that you'd describe as "compelling*" that I could borrow?

*Compelling: (adj.) Thought-provoking and well wrtitten. May include emotion but not in a manipulative manner. See "worth my oddles and oodles of time to read".

Words

Right around Tessa's birthday we listed all the words Tessa knows. The total at that time was about 60. Which is right on track according to the internet.

Right on her birthday she learned PURPLE and it is definitely her favorite word and color.



She also showed off one of her animal sounds...

You'll never guess what Tessa did today

She went to her first day of pre-school.



Ack - I just felt a shower of stones. Yes, I did send my barely two year old to preschool. It is through the early intervention program and is basically the next step up from the parent-toddler group we've been going to. I'll continue my justification by saying she had a great time.


No tears when we told her good bye - thanks in part to church nursery and being in the same building that been going to for a year and a half for the parent-toddler group. Oh, and the rockin' play kitchen they have. When we picked her up we watched via the 2way glass as she finished her snack and took her chair over to the circle for a story. I did get the feeling she was wondering when, or if, we were coming back...at the very end of the class she was watching to door - and OH the smile and clapping we finally showed ourselves.

(The obligatory craft - I'm so proud)

Hold on - I'm sensing a second shower of stones falling in my direction. Yes, I am supposed to be resting - but all I did was drive a mile and since the medical community sees fit to schedule me for 3-4 medical appointments a week (yes, I'm serious) that involve just as much effort I'd be okay. Alicia did all the getting into and out of the car seat and coat putting on/taking off and I wasn't going to send my BAY-BEE to preschool on her own - come on!

From the Mouth of Babes*

(The babe in question)

The first few days that Alicia was here we were all sort of getting used to the rhythm of our life. After a few conversations Alicia observed

"So, I'm figuring out that Aaron, you are sort of a neat freak...and Emily, you are the slob."

In the mean time we've all settled into life and Alicia is one of the family. To summarize the past three days.

Saturday - Held a semi-chewed waffle fry that Tessa handed to her in the car.

Sunday - Caught semi-chewed grapes that Tessa lost interest in during church (notice the theme of our lives) and handed over her precious phone on the way home to keep Tessa awake.

Monday - Cleaned up throw up.


I'm thinking we'll owe her a pretty big gift when this is all over!


Last summer Alicia stayed for a month with our sister living in Ohio at the time. They had an extra bedroom and a spare bathroom. I guess this summer she is learning how the other half lives - in this pic Tessa and Alicia snuggle on Alicia's "bed" (aka the living room couch) - at first we offered her a luxurious down comforter. That ended when we realized she was allergic to it.

But - to Alicia's credit - Aaron and I mock our living situation, Alicia hasn't spoken a single negative word. We love her!

(And to make it even better she is at this moment making brownies from SCRATCH!)

New Bed

Well folks, the princess not only has her own room, but two beds on which to sleep. She is still sleeping mainly in her crib but we've had two nights that started in the big girl bed and went nearly all night.

Can you tell she likes the bed?

Turns out it is also a good place for Daddy to take a nap (I'm still working on getting him to sleep there for the rest of the pregnancy ;) ) and is terribly convenient if your mom is on bed rest!