Lists

I've been making lists today. I'm going to share here in case anyone wants to know. If not, then don't read them ;)

To buy:

• infant socks
• car seat
• baby book
• long sleeve shirts in 0-3 and 3-6
• pants in 0-3 and 3-6

To do:

• find bassinett in attic
• make more freezer meals
• make merge file of addresses for baby announcment
• pack hospital bag
• arrange for Curtis' b'day party at CEC
• find bouncy seat
• finish decorating nursery - stuff on walls, curtains, crib skirt
• finish all Christmas gifts - 1 toddler poncho, gift cards, stuff for Curtis

My Mom is coming to visit in 2 weeks. Maybe she'll be able to help me get motivated to tackle these last items. I'm feeling prepared but I guess nesting is starting a little because I just feel like more needs to be done...and NOW.

Tara

Last night

Wednesday was his last night in the crib....we took this pic to remember it by.

Before and after pics of the new big boy room to come.

Change

Curtis loves "match cars" as he calls them and his favorite thing is to "build a line" with them.

For the first time ever today Curtis wore underwear w/o peeing in them. Usually w/in mins of putting them on he has an accident. He's fine using the potty if he's naked but we've been having trouble transitioning to undies and I can't really take him out of the house naked. I'm hoping this is another step towards him being diaper free sooner than later.

Also his new bedroom with big boy bed is almost ready. The plan is to have him in there starting tomorrow night. He seems excited by it and the room really is turning out nice. I'll post before and after pics when we're completely done with it. This is another exciting step in his growing up.

So, on a completely other note, it looks like I'm having a hospital birth this time too. Some of you may know that I'd been contemplating a birth center birth, but as it turns out my insurance will not cover this and I'm not willing to shell out a couple thousand for it. Honestly I was on the fence about this to begin with so it is a little nice to have the decision made for me.

But.....I'm still a little disappointed. There are many pros to a birth center birth, the main one being that it is not a hospital. I am, as I did last time, aiming for no drugs during this birth and I believe that would be easier if none were available to me. Instead Curt has asked that I make a little list of the things I'd like to do differently this time and he'll try to help steer me in those directions, should the case come. Honestly I'd love to either arrive at the hospital ready to push and/or "accidentally" not make it and have an "accidental" home birth. I pretty sure Curt won't let the later happen though, so we've discussed and decided to labor at home as long as possible before hitting the road.

My MIL will be watching Curtis while I labor and birth and maybe even keep him overnight depending on the time frame. I'd really like for him to not be near me while I labor. I know some people like including their children but I can't even imagine talking to him at all while in labor. Hopefully she'll come and take him away when we ask because I really don't want to labor with her nearby at all either. So he's pretty much taken care of and the plan is set and now I feel good/excited/scared.

Tara

Happy Cake

This is a happy cake. I made it on Wednesday after I found out I had passed my 1 hour GTT. The relief this brought is unexplainable. I'm no longer high risk, I don't have to take the 3 hour fasting test, I don't have to see a perinatologist, I won't be pressured into induction if I go "overdue".....all of this plus the wonderful feeling that I've passed and I'm a success. So I made a cake and had a few slices this week and then gave the rest away. I mean I'm not going to go crazy here or anything but I did feel it was a scenerio which called for celebration.

On top of that I've won two drawings recently from that birth fair I went to 3 weeks ago. I won a photo session and cd with 15-25 shots on it from a local photographer and I won a $40 nursing bra and fitting from the hospital lactation consultant. Pretty cool.

Since getting deeper into the book Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline I've been notice a change in my difficulties with Curtis. He's still a volitile toddler, but I've learned to be less passive and more assertive with him and people in general. He's super cute and loving most of the time and I'm just going to focus on that more that the small amount of time we have difficulties.

So that's my update for now. Notice when things are going well I have less to say...

T

Check out my (frustrated) booty

Here's a shot of the booties I've made. Turns out I made three pairs. I was only planning to make one but the first booty was knit much looser than the second and they didn't match. So I knit one more loosley and one more tighter to make two matching pairs. Then I went to my MW appointment with nothing to do in the waiting room and ended up starting a third pair. I'm sure I'll find someone to give them to. I am still considering changing the tie/bow to a different color yarn to highlight the way it weaves in and out of the eylets. I'm sure you can't see this detail on this pic especially with them being the same color.

Today's been a day of frustrations and it's only 3pm. First the plumbers who owe us almost $600 and promised to mail a check 3 + weeks ago have still yet to get the check to us. They claim to have mailed two out but we've never recieved them even though we recieved the bill w/in 3 days of them mailing it out. I hated to do it but I confronted them AGAIN on the phone and demanded they bring one to me ASAP. I have been promised they will deliver it here tomorrow to my home but I'm not going to hold my breath. The next step will be to threaten them with a lawyer. I just want to be done with this and will never ever refer anyone to The Plumbing Service Co. of Orlando, FL.

Then I became more upset about this poor puppy these neighbors of mine have. They are behind us catty corner and got this puppy maybe 2-3 weeks ago only to leave it chained in the backyard all day in crazy August Florida heat. Poor Curtis has his bedroom right there and has had to listen to puppy cries during his nap everyday. Finally today I couldn't stand it anymore (it's the hottest day yet). I planned to go knock and ask them to please do something but then got scared (me all preggo and alone while Curtis is up the street in bed alone) so I just got the address and called animal control. I hate doing it but the poor puppy needs someone to stand up for him. Why the heck did they even get the puppy in the first place if they're going to leave it week after week outside all day?

Then these little girls (8-12 y.o.) who live in our neighborhood decide to ring the doorbell at 2:30 to see if they can play with my 2 y.o. son. He wakes up from 1 hour of nap when the dog freaks out (see my dog is inside since it's a billion degrees out) and I have to try to get him back down. Luckily he seems to have gone back down, but I can see I'll have to start putting a sign on my door again when he napping. I had to do it for a long time before and I thought they all had realized but I guess not. They come over to "play with Curtis" and end up ignoring him and playing with all his toys and trashing either his playroom or his yard depending on whether I let them inside or not. I feel badly because Curtis loves them being around but I can only stand so much from a group of 2-6 pre-teen girls before I need them to go be parented by their own parents. I had once had high hopes of a 'mommy's helper' or babysitter coming out of this group but unfortunately none of them are really mature enough for that yet (if ever).

So that's my crazy hormonal pregnant frustrated rant. Now I'd like society to leave me alone for the rest of the day thank you.

T

Look who we met

Curious George did a story time at the book store today. It was ok, but Curtis isn't really fond of sitting in a large crowd for a story. It ended badly with a huge tantrum and a 5-6 month preggo me trying to drag my 2.5 year old through the parking lot. I'm actually sore now and prayed the whole way home for God to show me how to deal with this behavior because I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by this new stage.

Anyway, we did get a couple cute pics out of it :o/

T

My Poncho

So I fininshed this a while ago but didn't get a picture until recently. Originally I had planned on a Spring baby which would have made me pregnant through the winter, not the summer like I am. I started this a long time ago with that plan thinking it would be good when I was big and preggo in Jan and Feb. Well, it took longer than planned to get preg and I set this aside half finished. I picked it up a few months ago and finished it. I have no idea if it will be cool enough in Oct or Nov to need this but I figure if I never wear it I can always gift it to someone who could use it. It is from a pattern in last years Crochet Pattern a Day calendar.

T