ONE:
How are you feeling?
Overall I'm feeling okay, although this c-section has been tougher than Brody's. My incision split open a bit, and although my doctor said this is normal, I don't like normal. I like "better than normal." So I'm fairly uncomfortable, but doing okay. Dan has been a huge help and I've loved having him home this whole time. Next week is his last week at home, and I'll be sad when he goes back to work.
On another note, I'm having fun with my girlfriends! I have a few friends that are on maternity leave, work part time, or don't work at all, and so I've been enjoying my time with them. I went to a breastfeeding support group last week which Kelly recommended, and I think I'm going to keep going. It's important to me to try and make that work for Chase & I.
TWO:
How's Chase? Are you getting any sleep?
Chase is doing great. He's gained 11 oz since birth, which means he's doing well and a great eater. He's eating about every 3 hours during the day, and every 4 hours at night. Although we did learn that he'll sleep for 6 hours if he's sleeping with me. But that's not a habit I want to start, and we're trying to get him to like his bassinet. (If you've been a long-time follower of this blog, you may recall this story, which explains why I want to establish good sleep habits now.)
Chase has a new nickname: Squirt. It has two meanings... one, Dan thinks he looks like a turtle, and Squirt is the name of the baby turtle in the movie "Finding Nemo." Two (and more so than the first reason) this kid makes more "squirts" in a day than anyone I know. And it's loud. And very funny. But seriously - we go through like 12 diapers a day.
I'm trying to get more pictures of him, but here's two:
THREE:
How's Brody handling being a big brother?
I couldn't be more proud of Brody. He's doing so well with this. He loves Chase (or "baby chees" as he says) and is always interested in where he is. He gives him a kiss before bed, and is overall just doing great. Here's a cute "Brothers" picture:
On a non-Chase related note, Brody is throwing more temper tantrums: he's learning that you can't always have what you want right this second. You know, those hard life lessons like:
You can't watch the Wiggles for 30 seconds, then put in the Nemo DVD for 30 seconds, then the Thomas the Train DVD.
You can't just eat fruit all day long (although this could be a worse problem)
You can't go outside and play 5 minutes before bedtime
You don't color on the treadmill, or puzzles
Brushing your teeth 5 minutes after you just finished brushing isn't practical
and so on.
He's talking up a storm: now putting together sentences with 3-4 words. He sees me whip out my camera and yells "CHEESE" as he sticks his face in front of me:
FOUR:
Are you going back to work?
Yes. I go back I believe it's the second week of October.
FIVE:
Who does Chase look like?
Like Brody, I think Chase looks like Dan. I also see resemblance between Brody & Chase: mainly in their facial structure.
SIX:
Have you had family in town?
Yup! Maura & her boyfriend Jason came to visit over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. And my Mom & Jon came down to BBQ too. I think Maura got some quality bonding time with Brody & Chase!
And that's about it (or at least all I can think of right now)! Things are going really well - I'm loving being a mommy to two, and I'm enjoying every minute of Chase's newborn days. I do realize that this is probably my last baby, and so I'm making sure to absorb every ounce of baby softness that I can. He's so precious, and it makes me sad that he won't be a baby for long, but on the other hand I'm so excited to see what kind of little man he becomes, and the relationship he develops with Brody.
Hope all is well with my blog followers.
G.
How are you feeling?
Overall I'm feeling okay, although this c-section has been tougher than Brody's. My incision split open a bit, and although my doctor said this is normal, I don't like normal. I like "better than normal." So I'm fairly uncomfortable, but doing okay. Dan has been a huge help and I've loved having him home this whole time. Next week is his last week at home, and I'll be sad when he goes back to work.
On another note, I'm having fun with my girlfriends! I have a few friends that are on maternity leave, work part time, or don't work at all, and so I've been enjoying my time with them. I went to a breastfeeding support group last week which Kelly recommended, and I think I'm going to keep going. It's important to me to try and make that work for Chase & I.
TWO:
How's Chase? Are you getting any sleep?
Chase is doing great. He's gained 11 oz since birth, which means he's doing well and a great eater. He's eating about every 3 hours during the day, and every 4 hours at night. Although we did learn that he'll sleep for 6 hours if he's sleeping with me. But that's not a habit I want to start, and we're trying to get him to like his bassinet. (If you've been a long-time follower of this blog, you may recall this story, which explains why I want to establish good sleep habits now.)
Chase has a new nickname: Squirt. It has two meanings... one, Dan thinks he looks like a turtle, and Squirt is the name of the baby turtle in the movie "Finding Nemo." Two (and more so than the first reason) this kid makes more "squirts" in a day than anyone I know. And it's loud. And very funny. But seriously - we go through like 12 diapers a day.
I'm trying to get more pictures of him, but here's two:
THREE:
How's Brody handling being a big brother?
I couldn't be more proud of Brody. He's doing so well with this. He loves Chase (or "baby chees" as he says) and is always interested in where he is. He gives him a kiss before bed, and is overall just doing great. Here's a cute "Brothers" picture:
On a non-Chase related note, Brody is throwing more temper tantrums: he's learning that you can't always have what you want right this second. You know, those hard life lessons like:
You can't watch the Wiggles for 30 seconds, then put in the Nemo DVD for 30 seconds, then the Thomas the Train DVD.
You can't just eat fruit all day long (although this could be a worse problem)
You can't go outside and play 5 minutes before bedtime
You don't color on the treadmill, or puzzles
Brushing your teeth 5 minutes after you just finished brushing isn't practical
and so on.
He's talking up a storm: now putting together sentences with 3-4 words. He sees me whip out my camera and yells "CHEESE" as he sticks his face in front of me:
FOUR:
Are you going back to work?
Yes. I go back I believe it's the second week of October.
FIVE:
Who does Chase look like?
Like Brody, I think Chase looks like Dan. I also see resemblance between Brody & Chase: mainly in their facial structure.
SIX:
Have you had family in town?
Yup! Maura & her boyfriend Jason came to visit over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. And my Mom & Jon came down to BBQ too. I think Maura got some quality bonding time with Brody & Chase!
And that's about it (or at least all I can think of right now)! Things are going really well - I'm loving being a mommy to two, and I'm enjoying every minute of Chase's newborn days. I do realize that this is probably my last baby, and so I'm making sure to absorb every ounce of baby softness that I can. He's so precious, and it makes me sad that he won't be a baby for long, but on the other hand I'm so excited to see what kind of little man he becomes, and the relationship he develops with Brody.
Hope all is well with my blog followers.
G.
"Sprouting" a Chase...
Friday, June 27 at 12:37pm we welcomed our new little boy, Chase Rylan Anderson!
He's just about the most perfect thing ever.
8 lbs even, 20 inches.
What a difference it is delivering via scheduled c-section. I arrived at the hospital at 10am on Friday, and hung out with Dan & Kelly for about an hour and a half while the staff had me complete paperwork and hook up my I.V. Around 11:45am they wheeled me into the operating room, while Dan waited outside. They gave me a spinal (medication) to numb me (and also load me up with morphine!) and then invited Dan back in. It seemed to go so quick - pretty soon Dr. Salzetti announced "It'll only be about 30 seconds now!" and all of a sudden a gray little messy baby was held above the curtain. Dan went over to clean him up and cut the cord, and they brought little Chase over to meet me...
I love love love that picture.
Delivering that way was so nice. I felt great all day, and was really able to enjoy the experience. What a perfect way to meet our new little guy. The rest of the day Chase spent eating and meeting Auntie Erika, Auntie Kelly, and Auntie Julie. He is a champ in the breast-feeding department, which I couldn't be more thrilled about. I had a hard time with Brody, and really wanted to work on it with Chase. I took advantage of all the nurses in the hospital and really had them help me out.
We had plenty of visitors the rest of the weekend, but spaced everyone out so we had time to really visit with each person. It was just a really enjoyable delivery experience.
Chase is just perfect. Being born a c-section, he has a perfectly round head, and no rough labor marks. Perfect skin. Blue eyes (although I'm sure that'll change!). And he loves to cuddle...
Friday night was rough sleep-wise, but Saturday and Sunday night he was a dream. Ate every 3 hours and slept up against me in between that. Daddy had a cot right next to us, and handled the dirty diapers in between.
Today, Monday, we came home. Dan & I really missed Brody, and looked forward to starting this new phase of life. Brody did come to visit us in the hospital, but we kept it mellow and didn't push the baby on him. I was nervous coming home, since Brody usually throws tantrums when he sees me holding other kids. Tonight couldn't have gone better - I'm so, so happy.
Brody got home from daycare, and after Dan & I lathered him with kisses and attention, we showed him "his baby." He gave Chase a kiss, and then kind of ignored him for awhile. Later on, he became more interested, especially when we wheeled the bassinet out into the living room. He got his stool from the bathroom so he could look at his baby...
What a good big brother.
At one point Chase started crying (ready to eat) and I told Brody, "Baby Chase is hungry, and he needs to eat. This is how the baby eats" [as I started breastfeeding]. All of a sudden, Brody runs out of the room, then back in, and lays one of his bibs on top of Chase. How's that for cutest thing ever? I almost cried.
I think this little family of mine is going to work out just perfectly. Dan & I are so incredibly lucky.
Thanks to all for the well-wishes and to everyone who visited us in the hospital. You helped make this experience so joyous for my family.
Here's Chase's hospital picture:
Friday, June 27 at 12:37pm we welcomed our new little boy, Chase Rylan Anderson!
He's just about the most perfect thing ever.
8 lbs even, 20 inches.
Delivering that way was so nice. I felt great all day, and was really able to enjoy the experience. What a perfect way to meet our new little guy. The rest of the day Chase spent eating and meeting Auntie Erika, Auntie Kelly, and Auntie Julie. He is a champ in the breast-feeding department, which I couldn't be more thrilled about. I had a hard time with Brody, and really wanted to work on it with Chase. I took advantage of all the nurses in the hospital and really had them help me out.
We had plenty of visitors the rest of the weekend, but spaced everyone out so we had time to really visit with each person. It was just a really enjoyable delivery experience.
Chase is just perfect. Being born a c-section, he has a perfectly round head, and no rough labor marks. Perfect skin. Blue eyes (although I'm sure that'll change!). And he loves to cuddle...
Today, Monday, we came home. Dan & I really missed Brody, and looked forward to starting this new phase of life. Brody did come to visit us in the hospital, but we kept it mellow and didn't push the baby on him. I was nervous coming home, since Brody usually throws tantrums when he sees me holding other kids. Tonight couldn't have gone better - I'm so, so happy.
Brody got home from daycare, and after Dan & I lathered him with kisses and attention, we showed him "his baby." He gave Chase a kiss, and then kind of ignored him for awhile. Later on, he became more interested, especially when we wheeled the bassinet out into the living room. He got his stool from the bathroom so he could look at his baby...
At one point Chase started crying (ready to eat) and I told Brody, "Baby Chase is hungry, and he needs to eat. This is how the baby eats" [as I started breastfeeding]. All of a sudden, Brody runs out of the room, then back in, and lays one of his bibs on top of Chase. How's that for cutest thing ever? I almost cried.
I think this little family of mine is going to work out just perfectly. Dan & I are so incredibly lucky.
Thanks to all for the well-wishes and to everyone who visited us in the hospital. You helped make this experience so joyous for my family.
Here's Chase's hospital picture:
Sprout's birthday!
We're headed to the hospital, after 39 long weeks.
Stay tuned for more info, or check in with Erika's blog, which may have updates before mine
(and "ginger-approved" pictures only, right E?)
Wish us well...
XOXO,
G.
So it was around 105 degrees or something crazy like that this weekend. It was pretty miserable for a pregnant girl, but for a toddler, it was awesome because it meant lots of fun in the water.
We didn't have a whole lot going on this weekend, which was a nice change from the usual. We turned on the sprinklers on Saturday for Brody while Dan cleaned the garage and I supervised everyone. (Hey - I tried to help clean the garage, but it involved heavy lifting and I can't do that, doctor's orders!)
Saturday night we met up with some friends at the fair. It started off pretty hot, but luckily cooled down. It turned into a great evening: Brody loved all the lights and action, Dan loved all the fried food and treats. My feet didn't love me afterwards, but it was nice to get out for awhile and be with friends.
At one point we were in the beer garden area, and Brody & Cameron had been playing together. Cam, being a year older, likes to teach Brody life's important lessons, like take advantage of fun when it's available... "fun" being dirt.
This is the child that came back to greet me:
The picture doesn't do him justice: he was FILTHY. But had a blast. (Later at home in the shower, the dirt just POURED off him. So gross! But I guess I should get used to it!).
After dirt, we (being Dan) took Brody on a few rides on his favorite things:
Choo Choos:
and Helicopters:
Dan got motion sickness from the helicopter alone, so it's definitely going to be me taking the boys on the big scary rides when they get older!
After the rides, Brody was pretty tired, but we all had a good day. Enjoyed a snow cone, moon pie, fried apple fries, and fresh cookies. Sprout had a feast!
Sunday dawned, and with no real plans, we went to Target to pick up two things. Two things turned into a cart full, and of course my husband found something he had to have: a slip & slide. "For Brody!" he announced.
I didn't get a picture of Dan going down the slip 'n slide first demonstrating to Brody - I got that on the VIDEO CAMERA! But here are a few pictures:
Brody LOVED it. And so did Dan - they both had so much fun together, it was hilarious to watch. After an hour of fun in the water, I wrapped both boys up in towels and Dan grilled us some hamburgers on his new grill.
A perfect summer day, in my opinion.
And now the countdown to Sprout is becoming much more of a reality - all weekend long I kept thinking, "By this time next weekend, I'll have another baby." WEIRD! But exciting.
Happy almost end of June!
G.
We didn't have a whole lot going on this weekend, which was a nice change from the usual. We turned on the sprinklers on Saturday for Brody while Dan cleaned the garage and I supervised everyone. (Hey - I tried to help clean the garage, but it involved heavy lifting and I can't do that, doctor's orders!)
At one point we were in the beer garden area, and Brody & Cameron had been playing together. Cam, being a year older, likes to teach Brody life's important lessons, like take advantage of fun when it's available... "fun" being dirt.
This is the child that came back to greet me:
After dirt, we (being Dan) took Brody on a few rides on his favorite things:
Choo Choos:
Sunday dawned, and with no real plans, we went to Target to pick up two things. Two things turned into a cart full, and of course my husband found something he had to have: a slip & slide. "For Brody!" he announced.
I didn't get a picture of Dan going down the slip 'n slide first demonstrating to Brody - I got that on the VIDEO CAMERA! But here are a few pictures:
A perfect summer day, in my opinion.
Happy almost end of June!
G.
I had to put the number of blogging agenda items in my title so I wouldn't forget as I type this...
ONE.
I am a year older. I don't feel a year older - I still feel like I'm 27. But nope, I'm 29 (not sure what happened to 28). For my birthday I took the day off to go the U.S. Open Golf Tournament, being played here in San Diego. I'm not a golf person, but when somebody gives you free tickets and entry into a hospitality suite with free food and drinks, you accept. Plus I was hoping that I'd get to see a celebrity (uh, a non-golf one preferably). No such luck. But it was fun to spend the day not a work!
That night Dan invited a few of my friends over for dinner. He surprised me and themed it "My Little Pony." You may be wondering what My Little Pony is... it's a little girls toy, like Barbies only Ponies. I've never outgrown my love of My Little Ponies...
I even got a new lunchbox, which I needed since I'm trying to channel Julie and become more eco-focused and thus not use brown bags every day. But the nicest gift was from Dan... he gave me two silver rings that are intertwined in each other: one engraved with Brody's name, the other engraved with the new baby's name. I love, love, love it. The only bummer is I can't show it to anyone OR wear it until June 27!
All in all my birthday was very fun. My friends rock and I'm so appreciative of all of them.
Brody was kind of a drama case that night - he didn't like me holding my friends babies, but here's one of his better moments...
TWO.
This isn't super exciting, but just a cute shot of Brody playing in this new water sprinkler thing in our backyard.
THREE.
Saturday dawned with Brody's weekly soccer class. At the end of class each kid usually receives a stamp on his hand. This time, each kid also was called to the front with the coaches, and given a medal, and everyone clapped for the child. Of course I forgot my camera, but it was so cute. I honestly think Brody knew that he was getting something special and to be proud of. He was super stoked to wear it, and later in the day when we went out again he pointed at his medal hanging on his wall and wanted to wear it.
Not a great shot, but the best one I got. The medal is probably more for the parents than the one and half year olds, but I love it. My kid got his first medal and he's not even two. And I wonder how kids get competitive these days - it starts young!
FOUR.
Later in the day Saturday, we met our friend Michael and his girlfriend Renee for a trip to the new San Diego Children's Museum. If you're local - you have to go here! It was so, so fun. Brody was a little young, but he was able to enjoy most of it. They have an entire room covered in mattresses and pillows - it's the Pillow Fight room! How fun is that? Brody enjoyed the climbing wall, being the monkey that he is. (The shot below is with a little help from Daddy.)
FIVE.
Father's Day...
I cooked! Yes, you read it right. Sunday morning I made Dan Breakfast Burritos (his request). And they were good. After breakfast we went to the zoo for a little while. Brody was a little grumpy in the beginning, but after chatting with a goat or two, he was all good. I guess goats can do that to you.
(Thank you, Mr. Goat, for being so patient with my son. You are too kind.)
SIX.
Dan's Father's Day Gift:
We needed a new grill, Dan couldn't make up his mind whether he wanted a gas grill (better for quick cooking) or a charcoal grill (produces better tasting meat). So what's guy to do? How about buy one that has one side burner, one gas grill area, one charcoal grill area, and one side smoker. Dan is stoked. I told him he better be cooking us a lot of dinners this summer!
On another note, Happy Father's Day to my fantastic hubby. It's anybody's guess if he reads this blog or not, but if he does I want him to know how much Brody and I love him and appreciate him. He's the best daddy around.
SEVEN.
So while Dan was engrossed in grill putting-together (a four hour process, by the way), I was perusing the internet. You see, my son is obsessed with choo-choos. Every morning he wakes up and (after telling me he went poo-poo) asks for his choo choos. Every night we have to take out his train tracks and put them together. Then clean them up. Then the next day, repeat. So a few weeks ago I started researching train tables (to keep the tracks & trains out all the time, but off the ground). Turns out they run around $150-$200. A lot. Not to mention, once you have a train table, you need enough tracks to fill it (also $$$$$). I wasn't about to spend that much.
Enter Craistlist. I've been checking it daily, and found a lot of train tables. But I'm picky and I wanted somebody that was selling a train table AND tracks AND more Thomas the Trains. Sunday around 4pm, Brad in Scripps Ranch helped me out big time. I saw his post, called, and for $50 I am now the proud owner of a train table, train tracks and buildings/bridges/caves, and about 15 Thomas the Train characters. FIFTY-DOLLARS!!! It's about $450-$500 worth of stuff. Yes it's used and slightly worn, but with two boys that'll happen and I don't care. It will make me feel less guilty when one of my kids goes and scratches it.
Brody couldn't be more stoked, and we don't even have it put together yet. Due to grill installations, the train table had to move down the priority list and is sitting in our garage. The garage where my son played for two hours tonight with his new trains...
Dan said that I seemed more excited than anyone about the train table. Maybe, but that's what being a mommy is all about. I wanted this bad for him, and I can already see how much he will enjoy it.
EIGHT.
Brody Story #1:
Last Friday night Dan & I made burritos, that happened to have cherry tomatoes in them. Brody loves cherry tomatoes. So while Dan & I were still eating and thus not fully focusing on Brody, we noticed that things were quiet. Dan walks around the kitchen counter to find this:
All by himself, Brody took the tupperware container of diced cherry tomatoes off the counter. He reached a paper plate, also on the counter. He then proceeded to dump the ENTIRE container on to his plate. Do you think he wanted some tomatoes?!?! And yes, he's wearing just a diaper and crocs. All him - he took off his clothes, and put on his crocs. And had some tomatoes.
Brody Story #2:
He was playing with his trains tonight, and all of a sudden looked up at me and said:
"Mommy. Choo-Choos. Cool."
Apparently I use the word cool too much, because it's now in Brody's vocabulary.
Brody Story #3:
Also tonight, he came over to me, slapped my hand, and said, "Fie."
Just as I was about to reprimand him for hitting me, he did it again. Then I realized he was saying "Five." My little dude was trying to initiate a "high five." How freakin cute is that?
I loves him so much.
NINE.
Not much time left before my maternity leave!
Yippee!!! I have a lot planned before my new little boy makes his appearance...
ONE.
I am a year older. I don't feel a year older - I still feel like I'm 27. But nope, I'm 29 (not sure what happened to 28). For my birthday I took the day off to go the U.S. Open Golf Tournament, being played here in San Diego. I'm not a golf person, but when somebody gives you free tickets and entry into a hospitality suite with free food and drinks, you accept. Plus I was hoping that I'd get to see a celebrity (uh, a non-golf one preferably). No such luck. But it was fun to spend the day not a work!
That night Dan invited a few of my friends over for dinner. He surprised me and themed it "My Little Pony." You may be wondering what My Little Pony is... it's a little girls toy, like Barbies only Ponies. I've never outgrown my love of My Little Ponies...
All in all my birthday was very fun. My friends rock and I'm so appreciative of all of them.
Brody was kind of a drama case that night - he didn't like me holding my friends babies, but here's one of his better moments...
TWO.
This isn't super exciting, but just a cute shot of Brody playing in this new water sprinkler thing in our backyard.
Saturday dawned with Brody's weekly soccer class. At the end of class each kid usually receives a stamp on his hand. This time, each kid also was called to the front with the coaches, and given a medal, and everyone clapped for the child. Of course I forgot my camera, but it was so cute. I honestly think Brody knew that he was getting something special and to be proud of. He was super stoked to wear it, and later in the day when we went out again he pointed at his medal hanging on his wall and wanted to wear it.
FOUR.
Later in the day Saturday, we met our friend Michael and his girlfriend Renee for a trip to the new San Diego Children's Museum. If you're local - you have to go here! It was so, so fun. Brody was a little young, but he was able to enjoy most of it. They have an entire room covered in mattresses and pillows - it's the Pillow Fight room! How fun is that? Brody enjoyed the climbing wall, being the monkey that he is. (The shot below is with a little help from Daddy.)
FIVE.
Father's Day...
I cooked! Yes, you read it right. Sunday morning I made Dan Breakfast Burritos (his request). And they were good. After breakfast we went to the zoo for a little while. Brody was a little grumpy in the beginning, but after chatting with a goat or two, he was all good. I guess goats can do that to you.
SIX.
Dan's Father's Day Gift:
On another note, Happy Father's Day to my fantastic hubby. It's anybody's guess if he reads this blog or not, but if he does I want him to know how much Brody and I love him and appreciate him. He's the best daddy around.
SEVEN.
So while Dan was engrossed in grill putting-together (a four hour process, by the way), I was perusing the internet. You see, my son is obsessed with choo-choos. Every morning he wakes up and (after telling me he went poo-poo) asks for his choo choos. Every night we have to take out his train tracks and put them together. Then clean them up. Then the next day, repeat. So a few weeks ago I started researching train tables (to keep the tracks & trains out all the time, but off the ground). Turns out they run around $150-$200. A lot. Not to mention, once you have a train table, you need enough tracks to fill it (also $$$$$). I wasn't about to spend that much.
Enter Craistlist. I've been checking it daily, and found a lot of train tables. But I'm picky and I wanted somebody that was selling a train table AND tracks AND more Thomas the Trains. Sunday around 4pm, Brad in Scripps Ranch helped me out big time. I saw his post, called, and for $50 I am now the proud owner of a train table, train tracks and buildings/bridges/caves, and about 15 Thomas the Train characters. FIFTY-DOLLARS!!! It's about $450-$500 worth of stuff. Yes it's used and slightly worn, but with two boys that'll happen and I don't care. It will make me feel less guilty when one of my kids goes and scratches it.
Brody couldn't be more stoked, and we don't even have it put together yet. Due to grill installations, the train table had to move down the priority list and is sitting in our garage. The garage where my son played for two hours tonight with his new trains...
EIGHT.
Brody Story #1:
Last Friday night Dan & I made burritos, that happened to have cherry tomatoes in them. Brody loves cherry tomatoes. So while Dan & I were still eating and thus not fully focusing on Brody, we noticed that things were quiet. Dan walks around the kitchen counter to find this:
Brody Story #2:
He was playing with his trains tonight, and all of a sudden looked up at me and said:
"Mommy. Choo-Choos. Cool."
Apparently I use the word cool too much, because it's now in Brody's vocabulary.
Brody Story #3:
Also tonight, he came over to me, slapped my hand, and said, "Fie."
Just as I was about to reprimand him for hitting me, he did it again. Then I realized he was saying "Five." My little dude was trying to initiate a "high five." How freakin cute is that?
I loves him so much.
NINE.
Not much time left before my maternity leave!
Yippee!!! I have a lot planned before my new little boy makes his appearance...
Loose ends & misc projects to tie up at work, and then fun stuff too like time at the spa, a Brody & Mommy day, hopefully seeing Kelly & Mallory, having Adrienne over for dinner for a Brody briefing (she's watching him while we're in the hospital), cleaning the house, and finally - a C-section and Sprout's birth!
And nine things is all I have today.
G.
And nine things is all I have today.
G.
So I got some crap for my post (or lack thereof) last weekend, so I'm back with a probably-way-too-long update of the happenings in our life. I've been so tired by the end of the day, I am having a hard time finding the energy to post and come up with creative things to say. Or things to say at all, seeing as I'm half asleep, or gawking over my elephant-like ankles. So now that I've made it clear that I'M READY TO BE DONE WITH THIS PREGNANCY, let's move on.
I just now uploaded pictures to my computer from the last few weeks, so there's a few from Kara & Corey's going away party that I wanted to share. A cute one of Brody and Grammy...
And Brody & Aunt Kara...
(at that point he was getting testy, so his smile wasn't all that genuine if you can't tell!).
Kara & Corey have settle nicely into their new apartment in St. Peters, MO and we can't wait to go and visit one day. Although flying with two young boys doesn't sound like my idea of a good time. But I'm sure we'll take our chances.
So this weekend started with a rare Girls Night Out for me. I went and saw Sex & the City with some girlfriends. I'm sure Erika will post pics on her blog, because apparently movie going is an opportunity for picture taking. (Although who am I to make fun of her... my camera is practically glued to my hand.) It was an entertaining movie, but I didn't like the end. (Um hello? What happened to girl power? Let's just all run back into the arms of our cheating husbands and leave-me-at-the-alter fiances. Whatever.)
So Saturday dawned with our weekly soccer class. It started off miserable... Brody decided that instead of soccer he wanted snacks. I don't think I can adequately describe how food obsessed this child is. He eats all day long. ALL. DAY. LONG. So after fighting with him, and having him do this for a good 15 minutes...
(Thus missing all of Red Light, Green Light which he is very good at). We were eventually able to tear his mind away from pretzel goldfish and do a little bit of playing.
Soccer is over next week, and we're not signing him up for summer session because it's so darn hot out. I'm currently looking into swim class because he loves the water so much I thought that would be a fun activity.
One more cute shot... at the end of each class all the little kids put their hands in a pile and yell "GO BUNNIES!" (well, maybe it's the parents yellling "Go Bunnies!") But Brody has started to understand it and it's super cute.
After soccer and a nap for Grumpy Pants (and maybe me), we headed to a BBQ for Mike & Jared's birthday. A fun afternoon with friends and good food.
Sunday I made plans for us to hang out with the Marchesano's. We got bagels and then headed to the Splash Park, which Brody & Cameron love.
Great fun, especially in the summer heat, and an surefire way to guarantee your kid will take a great nap.
After naptime for Brody & I, we woke up to find Daddy cleaning the house. Rather than get involved in that process, I took Brody to the local toy store where they have a Thomas the Train area set up for kids to play. 45 minutes later we left with two new Thomas Trains (I'm a sucker, I know). But I swear to God, if trains were all he had, Brody would be a happy camper.
So a good weekend. Busy as usual.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
So Brody has started trying to have conversations with us. This is very hard for me, seeing as he fully expects me to answer him and I haven't the faintest idea of what he's saying half the time. Other times when I do understand, he just cracks me up...
(Conversation takes place as we drive past the airport...)
Mommy: "Brody look at the airplanes!"
Brody: "DADA! DADA! Mommy!" (i.e. "Airplane! Airplane! Mommy!") (DaDa means airplane or helicopter.)
Mommy: "Yes Brody. Neat, huh?"
Brody: "Byebye DaDa! Byebye!"
Mommy: "Yes, the airplane went byebye. But keep looking and I bet you'll see another!"
[now this is where it gets fun. and fyi I'm being sarcastic.]
Brody: "Mo? Mo dada mommy?"
Mommy: "There may be more. Keep looking."
Brody: "Dada byebye. Mo?"
Mommy: "I don't see anymore."
Brody: "Mommy mo? Mo?"
Mommy: "No more."
Brody: "MO DADAS? MO? MO?"
Mommy: "All the airplanes went byebye."
Brody: "No Mommy! MO! MO DADA!"
Mommy: "Nope."
Brody: "MOMMY! Dada? Dada?"
Mommy: "No more airplanes today."
Brody: "Dada? Mo? Mo? Mo? Mo? Mo? Mo? Mo? Mo?
Dan: "You're driving me crazy."
Mommy: "BRODY. THERE ARE NO MORE DADAS."
Brody: "sna?" (snack?)
So there's a typical conversation with a one and half year old. If you were curious. You're probably thinking "wow, that was a really boring, repetitive conversation." If that's what you're thinking, you're right! Welcome to my world! Only instead of boring, since it is my kid, I'm more amused. But it does get tiring.
But his vocabulary is exploding - he talks all day, about everything. And repeats me too. As I grunt trying to stand up from the couch, so does he. As I yell out a letter to Pat Sajack, hoping that he hears me in that Wheel of Fortune universe, so does Brody.
So the other thing Brody's been lately, besides chatty, is a love bug. Last night I was laying on the couch, and he climbs up and sits by my head. I look up at him and say hello, and he puts is hands on both sides of my face, pulls me close to him, and gives me a big kiss. And then rests his little head upon mine, with his hands wrapped around my head. It is so cute, so genuine, it makes me want to cry. Dan saw this and said "Truly, that love is the most genuine kind of love you'll probably ever experience." Having your child do something like that is the best thing in the world. And because he's growing up so fast, I am enjoying every minute of it while I can. One day he'll think hugs and kisses for his mommy is gross. He is such a little cuddler right now.
So one last photo to share. My child is getting smarter and smarter by the day, and now can reach things I didn't know he could. He periodically brings me things out of drawers that I didn't think he could get into. His recent fascination is with tape. He unwinds about 10 feet of it and sticks it to things. So the other night, we played his game:
I joked to Dan that I shouldn't post this in case people think we're abusing our child, but it was funny and no children were harmed in the taking of this photo.
So there's my post to make up for two weeks. The countdown to Sprout is on... 3 weeks! His room is ready just in case he happens to come early, which I may or may not be secretly hoping for.
Happy June!
G.
I just now uploaded pictures to my computer from the last few weeks, so there's a few from Kara & Corey's going away party that I wanted to share. A cute one of Brody and Grammy...
Kara & Corey have settle nicely into their new apartment in St. Peters, MO and we can't wait to go and visit one day. Although flying with two young boys doesn't sound like my idea of a good time. But I'm sure we'll take our chances.
So this weekend started with a rare Girls Night Out for me. I went and saw Sex & the City with some girlfriends. I'm sure Erika will post pics on her blog, because apparently movie going is an opportunity for picture taking. (Although who am I to make fun of her... my camera is practically glued to my hand.) It was an entertaining movie, but I didn't like the end. (Um hello? What happened to girl power? Let's just all run back into the arms of our cheating husbands and leave-me-at-the-alter fiances. Whatever.)
So Saturday dawned with our weekly soccer class. It started off miserable... Brody decided that instead of soccer he wanted snacks. I don't think I can adequately describe how food obsessed this child is. He eats all day long. ALL. DAY. LONG. So after fighting with him, and having him do this for a good 15 minutes...
One more cute shot... at the end of each class all the little kids put their hands in a pile and yell "GO BUNNIES!" (well, maybe it's the parents yellling "Go Bunnies!") But Brody has started to understand it and it's super cute.
Sunday I made plans for us to hang out with the Marchesano's. We got bagels and then headed to the Splash Park, which Brody & Cameron love.
After naptime for Brody & I, we woke up to find Daddy cleaning the house. Rather than get involved in that process, I took Brody to the local toy store where they have a Thomas the Train area set up for kids to play. 45 minutes later we left with two new Thomas Trains (I'm a sucker, I know). But I swear to God, if trains were all he had, Brody would be a happy camper.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
So Brody has started trying to have conversations with us. This is very hard for me, seeing as he fully expects me to answer him and I haven't the faintest idea of what he's saying half the time. Other times when I do understand, he just cracks me up...
(Conversation takes place as we drive past the airport...)
Mommy: "Brody look at the airplanes!"
Brody: "DADA! DADA! Mommy!" (i.e. "Airplane! Airplane! Mommy!") (DaDa means airplane or helicopter.)
Mommy: "Yes Brody. Neat, huh?"
Brody: "Byebye DaDa! Byebye!"
Mommy: "Yes, the airplane went byebye. But keep looking and I bet you'll see another!"
[now this is where it gets fun. and fyi I'm being sarcastic.]
Brody: "Mo? Mo dada mommy?"
Mommy: "There may be more. Keep looking."
Brody: "Dada byebye. Mo?"
Mommy: "I don't see anymore."
Brody: "Mommy mo? Mo?"
Mommy: "No more."
Brody: "MO DADAS? MO? MO?"
Mommy: "All the airplanes went byebye."
Brody: "No Mommy! MO! MO DADA!"
Mommy: "Nope."
Brody: "MOMMY! Dada? Dada?"
Mommy: "No more airplanes today."
Brody: "Dada? Mo? Mo? Mo? Mo? Mo? Mo? Mo? Mo?
Dan: "You're driving me crazy."
Mommy: "BRODY. THERE ARE NO MORE DADAS."
Brody: "sna?" (snack?)
So there's a typical conversation with a one and half year old. If you were curious. You're probably thinking "wow, that was a really boring, repetitive conversation." If that's what you're thinking, you're right! Welcome to my world! Only instead of boring, since it is my kid, I'm more amused. But it does get tiring.
But his vocabulary is exploding - he talks all day, about everything. And repeats me too. As I grunt trying to stand up from the couch, so does he. As I yell out a letter to Pat Sajack, hoping that he hears me in that Wheel of Fortune universe, so does Brody.
So the other thing Brody's been lately, besides chatty, is a love bug. Last night I was laying on the couch, and he climbs up and sits by my head. I look up at him and say hello, and he puts is hands on both sides of my face, pulls me close to him, and gives me a big kiss. And then rests his little head upon mine, with his hands wrapped around my head. It is so cute, so genuine, it makes me want to cry. Dan saw this and said "Truly, that love is the most genuine kind of love you'll probably ever experience." Having your child do something like that is the best thing in the world. And because he's growing up so fast, I am enjoying every minute of it while I can. One day he'll think hugs and kisses for his mommy is gross. He is such a little cuddler right now.
So one last photo to share. My child is getting smarter and smarter by the day, and now can reach things I didn't know he could. He periodically brings me things out of drawers that I didn't think he could get into. His recent fascination is with tape. He unwinds about 10 feet of it and sticks it to things. So the other night, we played his game:
So there's my post to make up for two weeks. The countdown to Sprout is on... 3 weeks! His room is ready just in case he happens to come early, which I may or may not be secretly hoping for.
Happy June!
G.
Call me "resourceful"...
Instead of posting a blog post about my weekend, just jump on over to Erika's blog. She has posted a lovely recap of our weekend, pictures and all. It was a fun weekend!
Thanks E!
Instead of posting a blog post about my weekend, just jump on over to Erika's blog. She has posted a lovely recap of our weekend, pictures and all. It was a fun weekend!
Thanks E!
Busy weekend, again!
Started off Saturday with Brody's soccer class, then by visiting Kris & Tristan in the hospital, and ended the day with dinner at the DiProfios. Sunday I spent most of the day getting ready & cooking before we headed up to my mom's house in San Clemente. We had a going away party for Kara & Corey, who are moving to St. Louis next weekend. I'm sad to see them go, but excited to see what their future holds for them. I think it's a wise choice, considering how ridiculously expensive it is here in Southern California. We had a fun time at my mom's, and will miss K & C a lot. Monday dawned and I was exhausted, so I rested a bit before we went over to Ryan & Steph's for a lunchtime BBQ. Ryan bar-b-qued ribs, and we all caught up on the latest. It was nice spending time with them, and our other friends & family this weekend. We're lucky to have such great people in our lives.
(I just realized - we had a lot of people cook us meals this weekend. It was awesome! Thanks guys!)
So I found a little time this weekend to do some scrapbooking. I hadn't had a chance since March. I did two pages: one of Sprout's Big Ultrasound when we found out the gender, and a second page about funny things Brody is doing these days.
This last page I stepped outside my comfort zone. Dan commented that all my scrap pages look "shabby" and have a darker color palette to them, so with that last one I really tried to be bright and colorful. Not my style, but I'm happy with the page.
Not too much exciting stuff to report otherwise. I'm tired and can't believe this was a three day weekend - it just flew by.
Only 4 more weeks of work!
G.
Started off Saturday with Brody's soccer class, then by visiting Kris & Tristan in the hospital, and ended the day with dinner at the DiProfios. Sunday I spent most of the day getting ready & cooking before we headed up to my mom's house in San Clemente. We had a going away party for Kara & Corey, who are moving to St. Louis next weekend. I'm sad to see them go, but excited to see what their future holds for them. I think it's a wise choice, considering how ridiculously expensive it is here in Southern California. We had a fun time at my mom's, and will miss K & C a lot. Monday dawned and I was exhausted, so I rested a bit before we went over to Ryan & Steph's for a lunchtime BBQ. Ryan bar-b-qued ribs, and we all caught up on the latest. It was nice spending time with them, and our other friends & family this weekend. We're lucky to have such great people in our lives.
(I just realized - we had a lot of people cook us meals this weekend. It was awesome! Thanks guys!)
So I found a little time this weekend to do some scrapbooking. I hadn't had a chance since March. I did two pages: one of Sprout's Big Ultrasound when we found out the gender, and a second page about funny things Brody is doing these days.
This last page I stepped outside my comfort zone. Dan commented that all my scrap pages look "shabby" and have a darker color palette to them, so with that last one I really tried to be bright and colorful. Not my style, but I'm happy with the page.
Not too much exciting stuff to report otherwise. I'm tired and can't believe this was a three day weekend - it just flew by.
Only 4 more weeks of work!
G.
Exciting news!
Kristina had her baby last night...
Tristan James was born Friday, May 23 at 8:49pm. He is 8lbs, 3 oz and 21 inches. Kris was induced yesterday morning, and had a slow start to labor. We visited her last night in the hospital and at 7:30pm she was only 2cm, so Erika, Adrienne & I kept her company for a little while then went home. Imagine our surprise when at 9pm we learn she had the baby! She progressed from 2 to 9 centimeters in 45 minutes - crazy! Tristan is healthy and cute! Here are some pictures...
What an exciting time for their family. Congratulations Kris, Charley, & Cameron! I can't believe I'm next...
On Thursday I went to my 33 week check-up with my doctor. He told me he booked my c-section for Sunday, June 29. But I had it in my head that I was going to deliver Friday, June 27, so I asked my doc if we could move it up two days. I really want to be done! So my doctor agreed to come to the hospital special for me on that Friday during lunchtime just to do my c-section. How awesome is that? I'm super excited, and cannot believe it's just about a month away. So Sprout's official birthday is Friday, June 27 between noon and 1pm.
I know we're in for some new adventures - I'm curious to see how it works for Kris introducing a baby into their home with older brother Cameron.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
G.
Kristina had her baby last night...
Tristan James was born Friday, May 23 at 8:49pm. He is 8lbs, 3 oz and 21 inches. Kris was induced yesterday morning, and had a slow start to labor. We visited her last night in the hospital and at 7:30pm she was only 2cm, so Erika, Adrienne & I kept her company for a little while then went home. Imagine our surprise when at 9pm we learn she had the baby! She progressed from 2 to 9 centimeters in 45 minutes - crazy! Tristan is healthy and cute! Here are some pictures...
On Thursday I went to my 33 week check-up with my doctor. He told me he booked my c-section for Sunday, June 29. But I had it in my head that I was going to deliver Friday, June 27, so I asked my doc if we could move it up two days. I really want to be done! So my doctor agreed to come to the hospital special for me on that Friday during lunchtime just to do my c-section. How awesome is that? I'm super excited, and cannot believe it's just about a month away. So Sprout's official birthday is Friday, June 27 between noon and 1pm.
I know we're in for some new adventures - I'm curious to see how it works for Kris introducing a baby into their home with older brother Cameron.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
G.
I've been hearing that a lot lately. My little man has developed strong preferences and opinions, and is not afraid of making himself clear when it comes to those!
Last night was a cross between amusing and heart-breaking (Dan's words). Dan made us a great dinner: chicken-apple sausages, tater tots, and broccoli covered in cheese. Brody ate his sausages, and nothing else. Didn't even TRY the other items. So I set his plate aside and told him if he got hungry later he could eat that.
Fast forward 30 minutes. He comes to me and says "Momma, app-o?" (Translation: "Mommy, apple?") I say "No bubba. You didn't finish your dinner. You can have your dinner though!" His response....
"NOOOOOOOOOOO Momma. NOOOOOOOOOOO! App-o Momma, app-o!" as he points to the apples. And round and round we went. For 30 minutes. I told him if he took ONE BITE of his tater tot, he could have an apple. He was sobbing. Not just crying, but the kind of crying that he was struggling to breath. Tears streaming down his face. He and I were at the counter with a tater tot and apple in front of us for 30 minutes. "Just one bite bubba. Then you can have an apple." At this point Dan was like "This is breaking my heart." I felt really bad, and this is where it's hard as a parent to know what to do... I love that Brody loves fruit, and normally I'm happy to give it to him. But I don't want him thinking he can ignore his dinner and then make demands for whatever else later. Not the way it works in the Anderson home. (Actually that's not the way it worked in the Warnecke home. Dan's house, growing up, was a different story. But it's something I feel strongly about.) Anyway... after 30 minutes, and him so upset he can't do anything else, I say to him "Bubba, do you want to forget about all this and go play for a little while before bedtime?" And he, sniffling and struggling for air, just looks up at me, nods his head, and says "choo choo." And so we played with his choo choo trains for 20 minutes, then off to bed. I'm proud of myself for standing my ground, but man it was tough to see him so upset over a silly "app-o."
Poor kid. It was a rough night. So today when I received an email from Tracy at work today about Baskin Robbins special promotion (free soft serve for pregnant women!) I thought that after work I'd take Brody and him and I would have a special treat. We both enjoyed a little soft serve, and I think we're all good.
He ate every single bite of it. His first "entire cup" of ice cream just for him, and not just bites of mommy's or daddy's.
After that we came home to Dan cleaning up the house for the Poker Night he hosted. Brody, being "one of the boys," felt that he should partake... when the guys all sat down around the table, Brody just climbed right up like he belonged. It was cute, until they wanted to start playing and I had to put him to bed. Then I heard the "NOOOOOOOOOO Momma. NOOOOOOOOOO." again. That darn "no" word.
But here he is, playing with the boys...
Obviously the beer was staged.
Not much else new since I just posted the other day. One funny thing...
We couldn't find any sandal-type summer shoes for Brody. I HATE most of the little boys summer shoes that are out. I've tried to find flip flops, but Brody takes after me and has wide feet, so most of the decent looking ones don't fit him correctly. So I bought him Crocs. And the kid absolutely adores those shoes. I don't know why, but I think it's because he can put those on himself (they don't require laces or velcro or anything). But when I say he loves them, I'm not kidding. Like the minute we take off his other shoes, he puts the Crocs on. The minute we put him in his jammies, he puts the Crocs on. He's always running around the house with them yelling "soos! soos!" ("shoes, shoes.") And the kicker?
So we installed Sprout's new video monitor in Brody's room (since Sprout isn't here yet), and tested it out the other night. We watch Brody lay in bed for about 5 minutes after we left the room. Then we watch him get out of bed... and climb back in with his Crocs in his hands. He puts them on (usually on the wrong feet) and promptly goes to bed. With his Crocs on. So now, every morning we wake up to find him in bed, with his shoes in there too. So flippin' funny. Hopefully he will grow out of Croc-Love, since I really don't like Crocs. Only on kids.
All right. Enough for now.
G.
Last night was a cross between amusing and heart-breaking (Dan's words). Dan made us a great dinner: chicken-apple sausages, tater tots, and broccoli covered in cheese. Brody ate his sausages, and nothing else. Didn't even TRY the other items. So I set his plate aside and told him if he got hungry later he could eat that.
Fast forward 30 minutes. He comes to me and says "Momma, app-o?" (Translation: "Mommy, apple?") I say "No bubba. You didn't finish your dinner. You can have your dinner though!" His response....
"NOOOOOOOOOOO Momma. NOOOOOOOOOOO! App-o Momma, app-o!" as he points to the apples. And round and round we went. For 30 minutes. I told him if he took ONE BITE of his tater tot, he could have an apple. He was sobbing. Not just crying, but the kind of crying that he was struggling to breath. Tears streaming down his face. He and I were at the counter with a tater tot and apple in front of us for 30 minutes. "Just one bite bubba. Then you can have an apple." At this point Dan was like "This is breaking my heart." I felt really bad, and this is where it's hard as a parent to know what to do... I love that Brody loves fruit, and normally I'm happy to give it to him. But I don't want him thinking he can ignore his dinner and then make demands for whatever else later. Not the way it works in the Anderson home. (Actually that's not the way it worked in the Warnecke home. Dan's house, growing up, was a different story. But it's something I feel strongly about.) Anyway... after 30 minutes, and him so upset he can't do anything else, I say to him "Bubba, do you want to forget about all this and go play for a little while before bedtime?" And he, sniffling and struggling for air, just looks up at me, nods his head, and says "choo choo." And so we played with his choo choo trains for 20 minutes, then off to bed. I'm proud of myself for standing my ground, but man it was tough to see him so upset over a silly "app-o."
Poor kid. It was a rough night. So today when I received an email from Tracy at work today about Baskin Robbins special promotion (free soft serve for pregnant women!) I thought that after work I'd take Brody and him and I would have a special treat. We both enjoyed a little soft serve, and I think we're all good.
After that we came home to Dan cleaning up the house for the Poker Night he hosted. Brody, being "one of the boys," felt that he should partake... when the guys all sat down around the table, Brody just climbed right up like he belonged. It was cute, until they wanted to start playing and I had to put him to bed. Then I heard the "NOOOOOOOOOO Momma. NOOOOOOOOOO." again. That darn "no" word.
But here he is, playing with the boys...
Not much else new since I just posted the other day. One funny thing...
We couldn't find any sandal-type summer shoes for Brody. I HATE most of the little boys summer shoes that are out. I've tried to find flip flops, but Brody takes after me and has wide feet, so most of the decent looking ones don't fit him correctly. So I bought him Crocs. And the kid absolutely adores those shoes. I don't know why, but I think it's because he can put those on himself (they don't require laces or velcro or anything). But when I say he loves them, I'm not kidding. Like the minute we take off his other shoes, he puts the Crocs on. The minute we put him in his jammies, he puts the Crocs on. He's always running around the house with them yelling "soos! soos!" ("shoes, shoes.") And the kicker?
So we installed Sprout's new video monitor in Brody's room (since Sprout isn't here yet), and tested it out the other night. We watch Brody lay in bed for about 5 minutes after we left the room. Then we watch him get out of bed... and climb back in with his Crocs in his hands. He puts them on (usually on the wrong feet) and promptly goes to bed. With his Crocs on. So now, every morning we wake up to find him in bed, with his shoes in there too. So flippin' funny. Hopefully he will grow out of Croc-Love, since I really don't like Crocs. Only on kids.
All right. Enough for now.
G.