Punkin' Patch

This past weekend we went to the pumpkin patch.  Nick was a doll baby the whole time and absolutely loved running through the "punkin's!", trying to pick up the heavy ones, and rolling the little ones down the hill.

My parents went with us for the first time, and while it was a bit chilly, fairly muddy, and my dad ended up carrying around my mom's purple purse the whole time, it's tough to say who had more fun - them or Nick!  I am confident that come next October they'll be asking us when we'll be going back before we can even pick a date and invite them.  And bonus, next year at this time we'll have another sweet little dude (who will be the same age Nick was at his first visit - 9 months) to add to the mix!

This year we chose to visit Hollins Farm in Delaplane, VA.  It was just enough excitement, entertainment, and pick-your-own produce to keep us busy, while not the least bit overcrowded.  Hollins Farm offered pick your own greens, peanuts, potatoes, and pumpkins, along with a corn maze, animals to look at, and an ice cream stand selling all sorts of fall goodies. 

Upon arrival, we managed to spot a group of owners with their Samoyed's...the same type of dogs my mom grew up with.  Nick, who loves all "puppies" was beside himself and begged to "pet! pet!" the dogs.  After about 15 minutes of petting, we had to pry him away with the promise of more fun to be had.  He had a hard time believing the dogs weren't the main attraction.

Next, we visited the pig/goat pen.  Again, Nick asked to pet the pig and goat, but it wasn't a petting zoo and at the fear of having his little fingers nibbled off, I kept him a safe distance from the fence.

After hanging around for about five minutes, my dad snagged us a wagon (such a great idea for the farm to have several wagons around for people to use), and we were off to the patch.

Nick ran around like a chicken with it's head cut off, and took no less than 10 face-plant spills from getting stuck in the pumpkin vines.  His shoes, jeans, hands and face were caked with mud, and his nose was pouring snot like a fountain, but he was so ridiculously happy that we just went with it.

Posing for pictures was the last thing on Nick's agenda, but I'm hopeful we got a few good family pics on Todd's camera that we can use for Christmas cards this year.  At one point during picture taking, my mom leaned over a bit too far and fell to her knee in the dirt.  Nick, ever the encourager, asked her over and over again "you ok, Gwamma??"  Bless his heart.

After we picked our pumpkins, paid for them, loaded them back in the car, and changed a very loaded diaper, we headed into the corn maze.  Nick took to leading us through the maze like he'd done this a thousand times before.  He giggled and squealed, and picked up fallen ears of corn and rocks.

Finally after weaving our way into and subsequently out of the maze, we all pulled off our muddy shoes and climbed back into dad's Tahoe, tired, cold, and hungry.  We headed off to Foster's Grille for some burgers and Nick all but nearly fell asleep in his grilled cheese.

As soon as we hopped back in the car after lunch, he quickly passed out and continued his nap all the way to my parents house, through the transition into our car, and into our house where he continued to sleep for another hour and a half.

To say it was a success would barely be covering it.  We had a blast, and Nick even asked to go back the next day!

Thanks Gramma & Boss for a fun-filled fall Saturday picking "punkins"!  We can't wait to take BOTH of our little pumpkins back next year!

23 weeks

This past Friday I was officially 23 weeks pregnant with Baby Boy K #2.  Which means now, on Tuesday, I'm 23.5 weeks, and also 23.5 weeks late in posting any sort of weekly updates on this pregnancy.

Second child syndrome.

But in an attempt to keep some actual, decent records of this pregnancy, perhaps I should share some details of how things are going the second time around!

How far along are you? 23.5 weeks

How I'm feeling: Feeling great compared to the entire first trimester.  Some days I completely forget I'm pregnant, which is easy to do when chasing a toddler, cleaning the house, etc. etc.  I have a tendency to push my limits and try to tackle chores or pick up items way too heavy for my current body state.  But aside from the evening heartburn and the fact that I pass out on the couch no later than 10 pm every night - I feel great!

Total weight gain: Welllllll...at my last Dr. appt, just before we found out that baby #2 is a boy, I had only gained a total of 10 lbs so far.  Although that doesn't account for the fact that there were about 20 lbs of Nick weight that I still hadn't lost.  And it also doesnt' account for the EAT ALL THE THINGS! attitude and cravings I've been having this past month...so we shall see tomorrow.

Cool baby facts: This is the week where loud noises become familiar to baby in the womb.  So baby will be accustomed to sounds like the vacuum and dog barking when he is on the "outside".  I'm not sure this fact is totally true though.  When I was pregnant with Nick, I rarely vacuumed...yet he was all sorts of obsessed with the vacuum cleaner when he was old enough to recognize it.  Although, Whinnie did bark ALL the time while I was pregnant, and once he was born - and she still doesn't affect him.  She could bark into his ear while he's sleeping and it wouldn't phase him.  Hope that rings true for baby boy 2!

How big is baby? He is currently about the size of a large mango, according to baby center. 

Sleep: Aside from the last week of Nick being sick and sleeping half of the night in our bed - and coughing himself into vomit-fits, causing us to have to change the sheets at 4am - my sleeping has been great.  I'm up anywhere from 1 to 3 times a night to pee, but pretty much able to fall back asleep immediately.  And I'm most comfortable on my right side, even though they say it's best to sleep on your left.  So far the giant preggo pillow has not had to join us in the bed, but I have it laying on the floor right next to my side just in case I need any quick middle of the night support.

Maternity Clothes: I've been wearing maternity clothes since, oh, about the minute I peed on the stick.  I expanded ridiculously quickly this time around.  I'm still getting away with some non-maternity t-shirts, but did have to purchase a few summery maternity items seeing as I grew so fast and it was still so warm just a few weeks ago.  Fortunately most of my maternity wear from Nick will still work/fit for this winter.  Not so fortunately, I feel like so much of it is outdated and not my style.  Therefore, I've bought a few new staples and layering pieces to add to my wardrobe.  AND I finally bought maternity panties.  I'm not sure how I survived without them the first time around.  I totally get why there is a market for them.  Sadly I only bought three pairs, but I fully intend to add to that collection this week. 

Best moment this week:  The past few days have been a little worrisome.  Baby hasn't been super active.  I feel him move/kick a bit - and usually at the same times - but not frequently, and definitely not hard/swift kicks.  I read that at 23 weeks, baby still has quite a bit of room to move freely (and with judging by the size of my belly, I'd say that's VERY true).  But this morning, as I sat at my desk, he started kicking and punching so hard that my belly was vibrating.  I think he's finally making his presence known (aside from the presence he made known via first trimester dry-heaving). 

Movement: See below.  He's finally on the move.  Here's hoping he gives the tap-dancing on my cervix a break.  Oh, and that he stops using my bladder as a beanbag chair.  Having to pee the minute I stand up from the toilet is getting old.

Food cravings: Anything.  No seriously.  But I have been craving some Mexican food -- authentic, not Old el Paso tacos, hubby.  Oh and last Friday all I wanted was a plain bagel with plain cream cheese.  I got it, and it was totally NOT what I wanted.  Boring at best.  And I had a craving for candied crystallized ginger a few weeks ago, so I picked up some at Trader Joe's...and I've eaten about 3 pieces.  Just not what I imagined in my head.  Also, just like with Nick, this time around I can drink milk by the gallon - in a day.  First thing I want when I wake up is milk.  Between the two of us, Nick and I are bankrupting our grocery budget based on milk consumption alone.

Food aversions:  Nothing really.  Although weirdly enough, a few weekends ago when we went to Lake Anna for a friends engagement surprise, Todd made a huge batch of molasses cookies.  We had several leftover, and I wanted nothing to do with them.  Even ended up throwing out the stale leftovers - about 8 of them - just last night.  Even I feel like this is blasphemy.

Belly button in or out: My pregnant belly button is so ugly.  Like a giant crater in the middle of a bowling ball.  No, basketball.  Whatever...it's still in, but it's super unattractive.  You will never see me posting bare-bellied preggo pics.  Nobody wants to see that.

What I miss: Rare seared tuna.  Wine.  Not having to poop 6 times a day.

What I'm looking forward to: Getting my glucose test over and done with tomorrow morning.  I just have this weird fear that I'm going to fail.  Could be the chocolate ice cream I've been eating 3-4 nights a week.  Or could be the fact that I figure if I don't end up with pre-eclampsia this time around, I'll definitely have gestational diabetes.  But here's to hoping for the best, and NO complications. 

Randoms: The rash on my wedding ring finger that I developed while pregnant with Nick has now started up.  My finger looks like it was burned.  It's both heinous and itchy.  So for now, I've stopped wearing my rings.  Sad.  On a happier note, we are pretty certain we've settled on a name for baby boy #2!  But that's for us to keep secret for now...

 

Also -- I just realized I don't have a 23 week picture uploaded.  Will get one taken and add to this post soon.

Furloughed...and loving it?

Todd has been furloughed for 8 days now.

8 days that he has been home.  With no pay.  No reassurance that he will get to go back soon.  And no confirmation that he will get back pay for the days he's been out.

It's a big blow to our current income, our savings, and our security.  It's a big blow that does just that - blows.

Yet, I feel like this week has been good for us.  All of us.

Whinnie is thrilled to have her favorite buddy at home to follow from room to room.  Someone to take her on extra potty breaks.  Throw her squeaky pink elephant for her one extra time.

Todd is getting home projects (particularly the master bathroom) banged out left and right.  He's sleeping in and catching up on rest, running, and his sanity.

I'm loving having an adult to talk to during the day.  Someone to chat up over a sandwich at lunchtime.  Being able to share a morning cup of coffee with my best friend. 

Seeing his drive to get things done has in turn given me more drive to spend my breaks and downtime in between work assignments actually doing something productive -- cleaning...organizing...blogging.

And Nick is beside himself with the joy of getting to see Daddy first thing every morning.  The minute I walk into his room in the morning, he smiles at me, says "Hi mommy!" and in the same breath follows up with "go see Daddy!"

Our money may be tighter than ever before, but for some reason, we've been able to push that fear to the back of our minds and focus on the fact that we're all benefiting from spending this extra time together.

We've made it a point to cook all of our meals at home - no quick McDonald's breakfast in the morning just because.  No weekly $5 footlongs at Subway.  Even the cheapest of splurges have been cut. 

And surprisingly enough, no dinners out (with the exception of 1/2 price burger night at Brion's on Tuesday...but mom & dad paid) combined with the week long downpour we've been having, and the extensive amount of indoors time we've been racking up, we have yet to get on each others nerves.

This is, I'm sure, due in large part to the fact that Todd is far less stressed and far more rested.  The fact that I'm loving having company during the day.  And the fact that our toddler is, in my not so humble opinion, the most hilarious little dude ever.

We spend mornings and evenings with Nick relishing in the sweet, silly things that come out of his little mouth. 

Just this morning, after waking up and running in to see Daddy - per his usual request these days - Nick climbed into our bed, pointed to my pillow, and said "sit wight here mommy!"  After obeying his demands, he rolled into my arms and said " 'nuggle, mommy!  'nuggle!"  So we did...we snuggled.  Despite the fact that we were not dressed yet.  His face was crusted with residual snot and drool from a stuffy-nosed nights sleep.  And we were already 10 minutes late to get to daycare.  We snuggled.  Whinnie asleep on Todd's leg.  Nick curled into my arms...one little hand clasping  Daddy's. 

And while the bills keep rolling in, and the threat of draining our savings until this government shutdown comes to an end looms heavy in the background...this morning, and this whole week, I have been easily reminded of just how truly rich our family is.  A richness that cannot be bankrupted - furlough or not.

Round 2

Yes -- it's official...Baby Boy K part 2 will be arriving almost exactly 3 years to the date of our last little blessing.  Nick is going to be a big bro, I'm officially joining the ranks of "boy mom", and Todd is well on his way to forming his own male basketball team.

We are excited, a little nervous about going from 2 on 1 to 1 on 1, and feverishly pulling out all of the old baby clothes, shoes, and gear that has been stowed away in our attic since Nick outgrew it all.

I can't believe I'm already 21 weeks...more than halfway to meeting our second sweet boy.  This pregnancy is flying by and I'm feeling completely unprepared.  But I know we'll get everything pulled together and ready for this little guy's arrival.  I have so much to update on in regards to my pregnancy thus far, so be on the lookout -- I may just finally get back into the swing of blogging...at least for the next 5 months, until I take a brief hiatus to figure out life as a working mommy of 2!

Labor Day Weekend

We had a wonderful Labor Day weekend! 

Last Wednesday morning Nick had his last speech therapy appointment with Ms. Becca - in which he did awesome, lots of hugs were exchanged, and we all almost cried at the thought of our last visit with her (but this deserves a post all it's own!).  After speech, Mom picked him up and took him over to my grandparents for an hour while I finished up some work.  Then I drove over to enjoy lunch with my grandparents, parents, and Nick before Mom, Dad, Nick and I packed up and headed down to the lake for 6 nights and 5 glorious days!

 

Endless sunshine, breezy rides on Dad's (finally!) finished boat, soft sand between our toes, floating on rafts in the cool lake, ice cream at Papa Jim's, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, wings, grilled chicken, pad Thai (all on various nights of course, but yes, I'm sure I gained 10 lbs), a day of football at BDubs in Charlottesville, trips to the playground, and lots of family game nights, and I am fairly certain this was one of my favorite lake house visits to date. But let's be honest - they're all my favorite.

 

 

 

 

 
Nick was a sweetheart, but that seems to be the norm these days. If we're in the midst of the terrible two's, then bring it on. He is full of hugs and kisses and polite manners -- always saying please and thank you and smiling and laughing. The rare tantrums we get are almost always because he's either missed nap time and just can't help but cry, or when he's hungry and dinner comes later than usual. Not that I'm tooting our own horns - because believe me, I don't necessarily give us credit for his over-abundant sweetness...I honestly think he is just one of those truly rare, kind people that will one day be offering to help his teacher clean up and friending the kids sitting alone at lunch. His heart is already a million times larger than mine, and it's a quality I hope he never ever loses.

But aside from how incredibly sweet he is, Nick keeps us cracking up at all times. I love hearing him talk to himself and his toys as he's playing...telling them "all aboard airplane!" or "get on school bus!" I adore hearing him stop my mom mid-sentence as she's talking about a train to say "choo choo train not here, Gramma!" And I just about died when my brother told me that Nick said to him "Nice boat, Uncle Matt!" while they were out on the water. But my favorite is the parroting. My mom dropped something in the sand on Friday and loudly exclaimed "oh shoot!". Ever since, Nick has been pounding his fist down and saying "ohhh shoot!" every time something not-so-great happens. And just last night, as he was going to sleep in his own bed at his usual bedtime - after 6 nights of sleeping in the same room as mama & daddy and not going to bed until almost 9pm - I watched him rolling around and heard him repeating over the monitor"back home...back home", as if he was singing the blues about being back on his regular routine.

But now that our mini end-of-summer vacation is over, we're back to our regular every day.  Todd took today and tomorrow off of work, so this morning he took Whinnie in for eye surgery and a teeth cleaning while I dropped Nick at daycare.  We came home and I made a big bacon and egg breakfast to rival any typical Sunday morning, threw some chicken, onion and spices in the crock pot to simmer for an enchilada dinner tonight, and now I'm enjoying a cup of coffee while blogging (and working) in my office as Todd enjoys his day off with a jog and some work on our master bathroom...WHICH (another post in and of itself) is on course to be almost finished by my 31st birthday this coming Sunday!  (The only gift I requested...well, and dinner at Carabba's) ;)

We've had a glorious summer, and while I'm sad to see parts of it end (train rides and beach trips), I'm excited for cooler temps, weekends full of football, changing leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, boots, sweaters, and everything that this fall and winter will bring! 

Hope your Labor Day and end of summer celebration was as joyful as ours!

Calm after the storm

Last night I had a terrible dream.

I dreamt that Todd and I were relaxing on our screened-in porch (that we don't have) on the front of our gigantic 4 story house (that we also don't have) while Nick was upstairs napping in his crib.

All of a sudden, the wind started picking up and the news flashed on calling for a huge tornado.

There was hardly any time for Todd and I to react, so we both crawled under a wood picnic table just as the tornado ripped across our house.

Fear and panic instantly set in as I worried about my baby upstairs asleep.

And just as fast as the tornado started, it was over, and Todd and I crawled out from under the picnic table to see our huge house was destroyed.  The entire roof and front side of the house had been ripped off, exposing Nick's room - and his crib...where he continued to lay there snoozing away, as if nothing had happened.  He was completely unscathed.

And instead of still feeling panicked, I suddenly had this overwhelming sense of calm.  I was at peace with what had happened.  Our house could easily be replaced or rebuilt.  We could live with our family (who at this point had now shown up) until our house was repaired.  But my family was fine - alive - well - thriving.  And I was not the least bit worried.

I woke up remembering every detail vividly.  And, a true worrier at heart, was surprised to feel that my heart was not racing, and I was still just as calm as I had been in my dream.

I wiped the sleep from my eyes and walked down the hall to see my toddler still snoozing away peacefully in his crib.

And I realized that the greatest depth of my worries, is having something terrible happen to someone who means the world to me - my husband, my son, my family, my closest friends.  And in knowing they are ok?  I am ok.  I am at peace.

After a particularly trying week - between work and other inconsequential occurrences that have happened, this dream was just another one of those small, inconspicuous reminders, that even if I woke up tomorrow and everything started to crumble around me - as long as I woke up, and I still had my family - all would be right in the world.

And sometimes I just really need that kind of reminder.

Uh, hi - here I am!

I don't even want to discuss how long it's been since I wrote anything here.  TOO long.  Like almost as long as the 4 month hiatus I took right after Nick was born and I was too busy dealing with being a postpartum depressed new mama, while simultaneously trying to deal with the new high of being "in love" that subsequently came with birthing the most beautiful baby boy on the planet.  (Biased, obviously, but whatever - it's my JOB to be biased.)

If you couldn't tell from the above paragraph, I've been feeling super nostalgic lately.  Most days I wrangle Nick into my lap while he's sitting on the floor playing, and just sit there smelling his hair like some kind of obsessed nanny off a Lifetime movie.  But seriously.  He just turned 2 and a half.  And at this stage in life, I am like, the ultimate awesome person to him.  He squeals "MAMA!" in excitement every time he sees me - first thing in the morning, when I pick him up from daycare in the afternoon, each time I return to the room from taking a poop.  It's like he can't believe I came back, and he is so happy to see me he might explode.

It's the most awesome feeling ever. 

Until I start to think about how in far too few years he'll be dissing me for friends, and crying when I come pick him up from daycare because "I just wanted to be the last kid picked up, I'm having so much fun!"  (This is no joke -- my brother and I used to say this to my mom on the reg. when we were in elementary school.  25 years later, she informs me that it was like a dagger to the heart every time.  Sorry mom.  Really and truly!)

I'm completely unprepared for the day that Nick decides I'm not the coolest person he's ever met.  Not in any way whatsoever am I ready for him to not willingly hold my hand or plant a big kiss right on my lips in public.  But I know those days are coming.  At lightening speed.

I suppose, that explains a bit of my blog absence.  You know, If I'm looking for a really good and legit sounding excuse.  But I've just been too busy enjoying my summer with my absolute most favorite little boy in the entire universe.  And smelling his oddly stinky feet any chance I get.  Because before long, he's not going to let me pretend to nibble on his dirty toes...and the thought forms a big old lump in my throat and makes me choke back tears. 

So pardon my lack of posting.  There's just too many moments passing by faster than I can capture them all - and while I'd like to write them all down, sometimes it's more enjoyable to just squeeze that chubby little hand in mine, let the red Popsicle drip down the front of his white shirt, and wrap him up in a sticky bear hug...breathing in these sweet and fleeting moments before he's flinging dirty sports socks my way and asking for the keys to my Buick.  Which, let's be honest, will be SO uncool to drive in 14 years.