Dragging my rear....

It is a zero energy day today folks. Not my iron pill, nor a hot shower, high protein meals or a nap are working today. At one point, after bringing up a load of laundry, I realized that I was panting like a little lapdog. I wonder if Moo just rounded out a little bit more today...that one last fetal wrinkle has smoothed out so like his sister he'll emerge covered in very little vernix and looking more like a 3 month old than a newborn.


Meanwhile, I have some deadlines that I have to meet for work. So it looks like I'll be doing some work after Pig goes to bed tonight. My hope was to get away with doing wind down work until my due date but we just started a new project so I'm in until the bitter end.


My parents are here! They picked up some takeout for dinner, my mom scrubbed the kitchen, my dad helped K scrub Pig and I'm feeling myself relax for the first time in months, perhaps the to-do list is doable after all. K is busy this week, working on getting a certification for work and taking kumdo lessons so my parents will be taking over daycare drop off and pick up duty. K's cert exam is this Friday so he's hoping that Moo stays put until then, I have strict instructions not to run around too much until then...and here I was planning on doing some rigorous horseback riding followed by some gravity defying gymnastic tumbling, darn.

Our plan was to eventually recarpet the basement and turn it into a playroom for the kidlets. With Kirb foiling all of our plans, I'm starting to think it might be better to put in laminate flooring and roll out an inexpensive rug. Any accidents could be repaired without having to call in our trusty carpet cleaning man, saving us the $80 it costs us each time we do. We could then put up a gate separating K's office and Kirb's crate from the kid play area. My dad has volunteered to help if K's willing...actually, he volunteered to do it all but my mother and I responded with an emphatic "NO." First, he's a major klutz, having him near a mitre saw would be a bad idea. Second, he's more about speed than ensuring quality job done and K is anal about the flooring in our house. K works slowly but does good work so with my dad's help I figure they could get it done this weekend. If K and my dad could get to work this Saturday during Pig's nap ripping the carpet out, they could spend Sunday putting in the flooring. It'll be an organizational challenge, as they'd have to work in quadrants to avoid having to move all of the furniture upstairs, Pig's current domain but I'm keeping my fingers crossed...mama would be super happy to get that done.

Meanwhile, my mother and I have a date with Moo's things. We'll be washing until the cow comes home (sigh, yeah I'm cringing too, that was a bad bad bad pun, but I'm sleep deprived so that's as good as it gets these days).

Let the Rumpus Begin!

This absolute delights me...



Of course I loved this book as a kid...and then loved it when we revisited it in my Children's Literature class in college. But it also reminds me of how many wonderful things that my kids have to look forward to as they grow up....and how very lucky I am that I'll be able to see them experience them.

Feeling Discouraged

The last few days have been...vexing.

K's dirty clothes and papers seem to pile up faster than I can keep up with, as he's allergic to organizing or doing laundry, sigh. And ever since his brother took a turn for the worst, Kirby the lab has been acting up and is making messes all around the basement. My theory is that he thinks with Anoki's demise, there's going to be some huge power vacuum so in all his peabrained wisdom he has decided to step up and start marking his territory now because goodness knows if he doesn't random dogs are going to come over to the house to take over in one bloody coup d'etat after another. Seriously, it's the last freaking thing we need around here.

What I'd like is a robot butler. Nothing too fancy, just another pair of hands to help out around the house. When I can't sleep at night, I like to think about what our little cyborg could do. It wouldn't need sleep so when we're all sleeping, it could putter about the house and do chores, especially laundry. It'd be programmed to know that at night it should only wash and fold and wait to put the clothes away in the morning when everyone's awake. It would be equipped with a silent vacuum cleaner and floor steamer so pretty much it cleans as it rolls around the house, sanitizing wherever it goes. It could brush loose hair off the dogs as they sleep (this'll be challenging) and sanitize paws and freshen their breath with its built in doggy sonicare system. As an added feature, it could cattle prod Kirb if it senses that he's going to try to mark anywhere or menacingly wave a doggy catheter. During the work week, it can pull the covers off of K and point him in the direction of the shower before he can hit the snooze button as well as stand next to him at bed time, remind him of the late hour and lay on a guilt trip him if tries to ignore it.

Problem is, I've seen/read enough sci-fi to worry that the cyborg will eventually develop human emotions and realize what a thankless job it has and then rise up against us. At this point, I grumble, roll over and try to go back to sleep.

Moosic

K and I started reminiscing about the music we liked growing up and now I find myself looking up old songs I used to love in high school and college on youtube.com. Damn I miss the 90s.

37 Weeks and 5 days

Full term finally! I had another weekly ob/gyn visit today. Everything is going well. Thank goodness my Group B Strep test came back negative, yay! Moo is still a dancing fool and a determined one at that. The guy is quickly running out of room but he still manages to waltz about, the black and blue marks around my navel can attest to this. Some odd new symptoms: blurred vision. I wake up every morning feeling like there's a weird film over my eyes. Apparently very common...and will stick around for several weeks after the birth.

So much still to do! I am still in nesting mode but without the second trimester energy, blast it! I've got wash Moo's clothes and get them hung up and put away, put up his co-sleeper (courtesy his grandparents, thanks!) and wash the sheets we got for them, clean out the chest freezer in anticipation of mucho breastmilk, sterilize small bottles and nipples, buy new tubing for my pump, start a 529 for Moo....eh, the list continues. I'll be happy when my mom gets here so she can help me get all the little things out of the way.

Non-baby news: our shep/husky mix Anoki is having a really rough time. He's on opiates now to manage the pain but he's so weak that I have to practically push the pills, well coated with peanut butter, down his throat. The lump on his head is impossibly huge and my heart just aches every time I see him. I never thought he'd end up going like this, since I've known him, he's been a healthy dog, a good eater, peed and pooped like a champ. We're not sure what to do. We've decided that when he gets to the point when he can't eat or drink on his own then we should let him go. He's in pain but he can still eat his kibble and drink his water and when someone comes to the door, he manages to come up the stairs and yell at them. It's awful to have to make that decision for him...does he want to stay or go?

The Water Pig!

Haven't posted any pics in awhile so here's one that I took at Pig's last baby swim class. She loves the water toys and leaping into her dad's arms.

My body is slowly falling apart. My immune system no longer works for me. It protects Moo and that's about all it can do these days. So anything Pig brings home, I end up catching too. Sooo, Pig had a sneezy, snotty cold and now I have that same cold. I've been waking up with burning sinuses and a raw throat, probably from the snoring that has started up recently. K and I must put on quite a recital every night, must sound like dueling chainsaws in our room. If I could sleep in, I'm sure I'd feel better, but it must be a mom thing because once I hear my child's voice, there's no way I can fall back asleep.

Our weekday morning routine these days:

6:30 am - Alarm goes off, K tried to ignore it but I poke him in the back until he turns it off.

7:30 am - K finally wakes up and staggers off to the bathroom to shower. I roll into the center of the bed and try to sleep a little bit more.

8:00 am - The Queen wakes up and plays in her crib. K out of the shower, toweled and robed goes in to greet her with a "Why Hellooooo!" K changes her diaper. I roll out of bed to help select her outfit for the day. K puts her in her highchair.

8:15 am - I give Pig her milk and start putting together her lunchbag, 3 bottles of milk, entree, side fruit or veggies and snack. K has finally relented to taking packed lunches so I put together his lunchbag as well. Today he got a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, baby carrots, cheezits, and 2 Pink Lady apples.

8:30 am - K comes down all dressed, sits down to have his bowl of cereal. He takes the dogs out to pee and poo. I give Anoki his medications with a big dollop of peanut butter. K feeds and waters them. I make Pig's breakfast and K feeds her while I clean up the kitchen.

8:45 am - I put Pig's socks on (it's easier when she's sitting in her highchair, less squirming), she gets her mouth and hands cleaned. She walks over to the coat closet to put her coat, hat and shoes on. K gets his coat and shoes on. Big kiss for K and Pig and I stand at the door and wave bye until they're down the street.

9:00 am - Turn on my computer, put dirty dishes in dishwasher and I sit down to my own breakfast.

37 Weeks and 1 Day

I'm blogging in the comfort of my bed, listening to the dulcet sounds of the little Pig singing herself to sleep and a husband cooking waffles downstairs...ah...this would be the life if I wasn't feeling strong contractions at the same time.

The contractions are getting stronger and more painful, it's the worst when it happens in the car while I'm driving or in the middle of the night just as I drifting off to sleep. So I've begun packing my hospital stay bag. I laugh to think of the things I packed last time, several nighties, underwear, knitting, thank you cards, playing cards, clothes for K, towel, toiletries, breastfeeding pillow..etc... I ended up staying in the hospital gown that snapped up the front making breastfeeding easier, hospital issue disposable underwear, wasn't allowed to shower until the second to the last day, and slept between contractions and when I wasn't feeding Pig. Though actually come to think of it, I did write up a few thank you cards.

So this time, the bag is pretty empty, I've got my going home clothes, yoga pants, loose wrap top, nursing bra and pads, toiletries, beef jerky for K to snack on, slippers for when I'm able to get out of bed, plenty of hair ties, my pump and accessories, sweatshirt for K (he got cold last time), digital camera, video camera and finally a going home outfit for Moo. I intend to only stay 3 days if I can get away with it. While I'll miss the hospital bed, it's easier to sleep at home and easier on my parents who won't have to drive back and forth delivering meals.

Thank goodness my parents are arriving soon! I'll feel better knowing that someone will be around just in case I go into labor in the middle of the night.

Random Thoughts

Despite our best efforts, K has come down with the plague as well. He woke up one morning with the telltale goopy eye and had to stay home for two days to avoid spreading it to his coworkers. Now the two of us take turns shaking the bed with our coughs at night. Last night I didn't realize that K was right behind me until he aimed a sharp cough at the back of my head. If was, ahem, a few pounds lighter I might've flown out of bed, instead I unsuccessfully suppressed an expletive from flying out my mouth and rolled about indignantly like a turtle on its back.


I should but I can't stop reading the news. It makes me sick to my stomach, but the incredible gall of some people never ceases to fascinate me, dude, I feel guilty if I don't put the grocery shopping cart back after unloading my purchases. The AIG bonuses, the Madoff ponzi scheme, Cheney's lovely remarks about the state of the economy. But then I get depressed thinking about how I see this on a smaller (yes, much smaller) scale everyday as well. The people in the parking garage at work who never arrive on time to move their car, fully expecting the rest of us to just drive around them, risking damage to our own cars (am I bitter, just a little bit). Also people who will stop in the middle of the road to answer their cell phones...wtf?!

Had a weird craving for blue tortilla chips and salsa yesterday...so I went crazy. Let's just say that it's a good thing it was one of the smaller bags from Trader Joe's and not the Costco brand chips...and it was unsalted too! Spivey asked me the other day about the cravings I've been having during this pregnancy. Chocolate! I have to have it in some form every day. I'm normally not a milk drinker but I bought a quart of organic chocolate milk and downed it in two days. Also Hansen's natural cane soda, I can't be without it! I absolutely love the Black Cherry flavor but then discovered the new Pomegranate flavor at Trader Joe's. There must've been some sort of stampede in the soda aisle when this one made it's debut because while the other flavors were being sold by the six pack, had to get this one by the can. I bought one can, finished it that day and of course now it haunts me...I need more.

Pig's poop has taken an even nastier turn. Kris usually changes the #2 diapers these days but the other day I was home alone with Pig and as she ran by me, my super sensitive pregnancy nose caught a whiff of something noxious which I had to investigate. Great Caesar's ghost was it awful. I dry heaved so bad my lower back cracked. We had planned on introducing Pig to the potty in a few months and really seriously potty training when she's close to two....but after meeting that last turd...I dunno, maybe earlier is better.

Date's been Set

So looks like we have an arrival date for Moo, April 9th, 10 am. I am to report to the hospital at 8 am for lab work and surgery prep. As my sister said after I told her, it's strange to set your child's birthdate, like setting up a fedex pickup time. Also weird, my son's birthdate will be an all purpose household cleanser, 4/09...easy to remember at least.

K is open to having more kids but I am set on only having two. I loved having a sibling so I wanted to give my kids that experience. But as pregnancy has been just way too debilitating for me, I've decided that two is enough for me. I really want to be finished with the childbearing portion of my life so that I can focus on being with the family I have. I spent most of my first trimester holed away in my room, missing out on precious time with Pig and now in this last trimester, I find that I can't keep up with her. Often I watch her play while seated in a chair even though I'd love to just plop on the ground with her.

I do feel sad at times knowing that this time next year, my final baby will be toddling around like his sister is now and that we'll pack up the little onesies and baby toys away for good. I got a little verklempt yesterday as I watched Pig's earlier video clips back before she could roll over. But then I think about all the great things to look forward to, like watching my babies develop into little people.

For example, Pig's language skills sharpen everyday. I can't wait for the day when my child can tell me what she needs from me so that I won't have to guess. One of the hardest things is to guess where she hurts and treating her based on my best guess. I look forward to Pig being able to tell me that she's still hungry or thirsty. Currently, we're not sure if she declines food because she's sick of it or because she's full, there are some days when she'll eat and eat and eat and then I start to wonder if I'm starving her on other days when she only takes a few mouthfuls and quits.

Anyway, back to language skills. For the past few days, Pig has been singing to herself, sounded like total gibberish to me, "eee oooh eee!" She'd sing this over and over. One day, while she was sitting in her highchair ready for her dinner, she started singing again. So just for fun, I repeated it after her. Then she got excited and said in response "oooo ooooh eeee!" Then I realized, dude, my kid's singing the Barney song ("I Love You, You Love Me"). I had known that her daycare provider sang that to her when she had trouble sleeping. So we started singing those two lines over and over again because unfortunately at the time mommy only knew the crude parody version of the Barney song so had to stop after the first two lines.

So needless to say, we're more on the alert in the hopes of picking up more.

Sleep...I miss you so

Still got pinkeye, hopefully the drops I'm using will wipe it out soon. In the meantime, I wake up twice to clean the goop oozing out of my eyes and go down to the kitchen to rummage around for something cool to relieve my sore throat. Perhaps nature's way of preparing me for Moo.

Methinks Pig is cutting another pair of teeth, most likely her molars. She's been whiny as of late and prone to sudden bursts of irritability and clinginess, strange for our usually sunny, independent little child. Today for instance, we sat her in her high chair, on the menu, boneless pork chops with a balsamic honey mustard glaze, rice and green salad. (Side note: I've always been afraid of boneless pork chops but finding it easier and easier each time, the trick being to find the thickest chop, pan searing and finishing in the oven with onions and a nice thick glaze)

Our pediatrician encouraged us to let Pig feed herself more and more so she could achieve that heady feeling of triumph that comes with successfully using utensils. So our practice these days has been to give Pig her own spoon and we'd do the primary feeding with another spoon. Pig already in a bad mood, immediately hurled her spoon to the floor. We said bye-bye to that spoon. K tried to feed with the spoon he was holding and girlfriend had a major cow. Started pushing her dad's hands away and flicking the food out of it. After a few tries, we decided to let her chill on her own. We continued eating and chatting as she yelled and whined and made funny faces and finally threw her high chair tray to the ground. We said bye-bye to the tray.

It wasn't until I got up to clear the table that she settled down and realized that this meal was marching on with or without her. She then proceeded to eat the rest of her meal, granted her daddy helped it along by slathering it with lots of cold applesauce.

Then during her shower, she cried when we stood her in the stall...very unusual, she normally loves any form of bathing. Some whining while her dad diapered and dressed her. It's gotta be teething and judging from the uber-crankiness, it's gotta be the molars. Further proof, my friend E's daughter who's 2 weeks older than Pig is currently cutting her bottom molars and these two chicks have been twins when it comes to their developmental milestones. Also, Pig has been sucking down her nighttime bottles and the other night she slept fretfully, we thought it was a sneaky, nighttime poop but nope, all was clean.

Well back to bed, let's see if I can get in a few more hours.

The Pig Personality

The Pig at 15 months

She is walking quite well, will occasionally take a tumble but learning quickly how to balance herself. She's discovered that to put her shoes on (or daddy's shoes on), she should hold onto something stable first.

She is a dancing fool. My sister, her Emo, visited for a week and demonstrated some great Indian dance moves as we listened to Chaiyya Chaiyya on youtube.com. Pig stared intensely for a few seconds and threw herself wildly into it, her arms were a fat little blur as she waved them about. She was sitting in her high chair which I thought just might flip over from the force of her dancing.

Girlfriend got herself a temper. Pig and Emo were playing with a plastic laundry basket. Emo held onto the basket as Pig climbed in. I was doing the dishes when all of a sudden I hear a loud shriek of anger. I come running to find Pig standing and glaring back at the basket and her Emo rolling with laughter. (Apparently, Pig got stuck trying to get out of the basket) Then in a huff she turned around, shaking her hands and yelling, "No-no, no-no!" She then proceeded to take her anger out on the kitchen cupboards. But she soon got over it and she and the basket have since reconciled.

(to be continued..)