Birthday?

Well, today is (supposed to be) the day....the day we've been looking towards....the day we've been setting goals around...the day we've been eagerly awaiting. So, WHERE IS SHE???? I didn't send birthday invitations -- maybe she's waiting for a formal invite? I am done working now....I stayed last night until 12:10am just to be able to say I worked on my due date. :) I feel no different than I did last night or last week or last month (other than this shocking sensation as though she is break dancing on my pelvic bones) so I don't know when to expect her. Although, with Bennett I had no warning signs....which makes me think it could be any minute....except each minute passes with no news.
So.....I am sitting here, baking cookies and listening to the delightful sound of carpet being installed in my basement...yeah!!! It's a snowy, flurry-filled-sky type of day. I imagine similar to the day I was born (the day after Thanksgiving). A typical Michigan winter day making me thankful to be indoors. What else to do but post some pictures from the last few days?


A kid who LOVES his Cheerios....note all the boxes and "stuff" piled high in the dining room??? Soon to be moved to and organizied in the basement!


Impromptu ice cream social in the living room.


What's better than a grilled cheese sandwich?


Just the cheese, of course!


Baby "Gertie's" room


It's completed, the clothes are washed and put away...just need a baby!!

Winter Fun

Well, it peaked at 35 degrees today and we needed to get outside. Dad came home from work while we were still outside and joined in the fun. It's great to have a yard with so many hills...I think ahead to the birthday parties in the winter with kids sledding everywhere. Sledding was a blast and we built a snowman too!!!

No Baby Yet....

I thought that working these last few nights would trigger something but nothing is happening! Just some irregular, non-painful contractions. The basement is still waiting to be dressed in carpet. For now I suppose not having a new baby in the house is a good thing because we are still living in a storage closet (boxes and furniture in the most inconvinient places).

Bennett seems to be getting bigger and more mature by the day. He's no longer my baby! He is becoming more descriptive in his language which is just a delight to hear his thoughts and ideas. He has also tried to put both Mike and I on time-outs for being "naughty" (Mike was playing with Bennett's top which B told him was "not a toy." I'm not sure why I needed a time-out.) Things B loves to do: run through the house ("ready, set, 9, 10, go!"), brush teeth, wash hands (or just generally play with water), read books, watch "Yoga" and "trains," sit on the potty and help out with projects around the house. Things he dislikes: having us brush his teeth, sitting on the potty, us helping him wash his hands, us helping him to do projects around the house...!!! He definately likes to be independent! We try to encourage him to do most things by himself which takes a bit of patience on our part especially when, say, he is turning a screwdriver in the wrong direction but doesn't want our help to put the object together. He displays his fair amount of frustration and internal battles - yesterday he took about 30secs to answer a question - "yes,yes, no, yes, no, yes, NO!, yes, no, Yes!, no...." all without us repeating the question (which was probably something like - are you hungry?). I am constantly amazed at what he is able to do. I hope that he doesn't feel left out or ignored when his sister finally arrives (although I know this is unavoidable). Mike will be his main buddy for a while but currently he is more of a "Mama's Boy" which has me slightly concerned about how his adjustment will be. Here are some updated pictures - I hope the next time I post it will include a beautiful baby girl and her proud family!!!


At our monthly dinner Val decided to broaden and enhance B's knowledge of fine wine



"cheers!"


It was a good try...


Here is Bennett helping me paint Baby Girl's room




And helping Mike turn the toddler bed back into a crib


I love the color - thanks Mimi. The dresser in the middle of the room has been sold on Craig's list and we purchased and painted a dresser which is now in the closet...her room is finished and it feels so complete!


Jumping in the crib and playing with the butterflies


When listening to music B frequently wants to watch and feel the sub woofer buzz along with the bass...just like his dad!


"close eyes!"


Mimi gave B a "Sing Song Yoga" DVD (developed by a local GR woman) and he loves it! It is the most adorable thing to watch him try to mimick the poses.


Note he is wearing big-boy underwear! This lasted only this morning as we went through 4 pairs in 1 hour and I had things to do...poor boy...he's needs some consistent attention in the potty learning department.


Reach up high! Bennett's Tree pose.


Hilarious! (and I'm not refering to the fact that I can't quite reach my toes without bending my knees!)


Cozy time in the rocker in Baby Girls room. B is very much into being cuddled prior to naps/bed and singing "Rock-a-bye Bennett"


After a late night and multiple times up through the early morning, B finally fell asleep in his reading chair in his room...he was still asleep at 9am when I got home from work. Too sweet!


At 9:15 I checked on him - he was awake and reading "Stop That Ball"

Well, I have an appointment with Dr Florido tomorrow...also another ultrasound to check her growth as my belly is again measuring 2 weeks behind (if she would measure my backside she'd be worried about a BIG baby!!) I'll do my best to keep everyone updated...maybe tonight....I'm forever hopeful!

Baby Girl Update

So we are now 37 weeks 2 days...only 19 days until our due date!!! Yeah!!! Everything is coming along fine - she seems to be way more active then Bennett ever was - maybe she'll find her way out early! Since the basement isn't carpeted yet we still have a lot of storage items in the nursery -- I'm getting anxious to have it painted and finished so we might be living among clutter for a while if I decide to put it all in the living room! I feel pretty good - the usual tiredness, occasional swelling in my feet and sore back but all-in-all I have no major complaints.

2 weeks ago at our 36 week visit my belly was measuring 2 weeks smaller so we got to have an ultrasound to be sure she was growing appropriately and had enough fluid around her. Everything looked great (she is just curled up in a small ball) and we got to take some pictures home with us! The ultrasound technician estimated her weight to be 5lbs 11oz!!


Face shot with chubby cheeks (forearm across her chin).

Pictures Galore!

I realize how naughty I have been with updating our blog and now I have a huge, unorganized, hodgepodge of pics!



This is how Bennett helped me put all of his new bedroom furniture together


But, now we're done and he loves his new big boy room!


Cozy!


He's been in his new room for about 5 weeks now and is doing very well staying in bed at night.




Sledding after the first snowfall


This picture turned out much clearer but thanks to our slow internet connection, these pictures have to be compressed and look grainy. Bummer. He's cute anyway. :)


Making tracks


Decorating the Christmas tree


He is pretty gentle considering he's 2. He did a great job hanging ornaments (and taking them down and leaving the hooks around the house!). We only had two "ornamental" mishaps this year and had to deposit their remains in the trash.



Christmas night at Dad and Barb's. Had we sent out Christmas/Holiday greeting cards this year, this probably would have been the picture you would have received. But, we are waiting until our 4th team member arrives to send our salutations!



Bennett and I did get around to making Banana bread and cookies this season. He loves to help hold the mixer and add the ingredients (with mom's guiding hand).


Always happy to help "clean" the mixers afterward!





Christmas Eve we opened our ornaments from Mimi and Papa


Bennett was beyond delighted with his Thomas the Train ornament




Setting up toys late Christmas Eve


Our little tree. :)


This is really dark but it is B on Christmas morning, in our room with his shopping cart!


We had to shop even before Dad got up! Eggs, Cheerios, soup and apple juice!




My, what big eyes you have!


With one arm stuffed into his stocking...


....trying out his new chapsticks...


...and sharing with mom! Pucker up!


A new top


A cash register to go with his shopping cart.




A monkey puzzle -- one of his favorite rhymes is "5 little monkey's jumping on the bed..."


A take-apart truck that uses a real drill to screw/unscrew the nuts and bolts


Practicing with his new tools


Memory! Mike had set it all up for a game and Bennett swiftly began to turn them all over and announce what the pictures were!



He climbed inside this 5 gallon bucket - it's so true that kids are happy with boxes, paper and buckets!


The basement is coming along too...here's B watching Mike put in the last of the drywall


These are old but I thought I'd post the progression (we have now finished paint and are waiting for the carpet to arrive).


Sanding drywall...I tried to get Dube to wear a mask but that turned out to be as difficult as getting him to ingest anything but coffee!


On goes the primer...




I was so happy I could finally paint!


A visit to GrandNana and GrandPapa


Nana and B


Reading new books...


...and cutting up the butter in his new bread/butter set (little loaves of breads and bagels that velcroed together)


He loves to wear our shoes!


Mimi and Papa stopped by for a night after the New Year




Reading "Sloppy Joe." Bennett calls it the "meatball" book.



Here's what we do on Saturday nights - build slides out of couch cushions and jump around like crazy kids!


Jump!


Anything that lights up is a great toy for B...here he is wearing Mike's headlamp


Mike was out snow plowing after our most recent storm (Jan 7) and B just loves to watch the snow fly! It was a bit windy and chilly though -- 24 degrees and we had to go in afterward and have some "hot chocolate milk"


I pulled him around in the sled


I LOVE this picture -- it will probably end up hanging in the living room!


Weeeeeeeeee!