Birthday Flowers

I'm a lucky gal. Between flowers, Market brunch, cards and Dutch Monkey s - it was a great birthday week!









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Dutch Monkeys Rule

We met up with the Harris family this morning for some delicious Dutch Monkey donuts. My favorite is the Boston Creme, just look at these cuties!


It's always fun to see our little niece and nephews and the icing on the cake is all the hugs and kisses they give out.

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Come Monday, only 7 weeks to go!

According to Baby Center,

your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

Don’t be fooled by the “her” language. Baby Center switches back and forth in their descriptions of baby growth.  Next week, it will say “he.”

Neither Pablo nor I can guess the sex. We’ve tried calling the two names, but there’s been little or mixed response.  I do miss the days of a little flutter of the legs or a twitch. Now I’ve been getting an elbow or leg rubbed across my belly. It’s fun to watch and even more fun to play with. Once I feel the bump, I push a little on it and see how it reacts.

Poor little thing looks smushed! WIP is sleeping 90-95% of the day and has started dreaming. How cool!

Variance filing

Once I found out that the zoning office was open today, I drafted our application and zipped downtown to file it. I'm waiting to hand the application and fee over to the bureau of planning right now after just recieving my referal letter below from the zoning department. Hopefully they will take me in soon, there's only 45 mins left on my parking spot. However, since it'sy birthday, I'm confident it's all going to work out.


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Belly Show Off

I thought it would be fun to show Jillian’s belly next to mine.
Jillian 30 weeks                                     Me – 31 weeks

This could mean that we might be having a big baby. Jillian’s lil Nicholas was 8lbs 6 oz.

WIP Update

Doc moved me to March 22nd and I’m psyched! We had our hospital tour last night and learned where we need to check in and where we’re going to be in the women’s center. 
Tomorrow is my 32nd birthday. Adam, at breakfast yesterday asked if I felt older. I told him to ask again in three months, when WIP gets here.  I don’t feel much different than last year, this year having my own personal heater.
The list of to-do’s has gotten longer recently. I’ve interviewed 3 Pediatricians to date. The last one is early February and our friends Jason and Amy take their lil Anna there and turns out that a gal in my office that just had twins also goes to the same practice at Piedmont. 
We’re also considering a nanny vs. daycare – having a kid is expensive!
According to babycenter, WIP is 16 inches and about 3.5 pounds this week. Heads are turning side to side, and WIPs limbs are plumping up. I’m getting a lot of movement, especially at 1am, 4am and 7am. At least WIP’s got me on a set schedule!  I’m also happy that I’m not completely strung out at those times, I awaken ready to take on the world, but convince myself to go back to sleep.  I’m happy that I haven’t felt any Braxton Hicks contractions yet.
I’ll be packing our bag for the hospital in the next couple of weeks: including a couple of pairs of clothes for me, a going home outfit for WIP, slippers, magazines, nursing bra, and Pablo will man the camera and video.  I gotta make some juice to freeze so that Pablo can bring me some veggie juice for quick recovery.  When I was Emory for my thyroid surgery, the food was horrific!
We' also need to come up with some rules for visitors. We’ll probably have family with us on Monday following the delivery, but wait to have friends visit on Tuesday, especially if we’re not going to deliver until 4pm which is what we’re currently scheduled for.
Look what differences have happened in 3 weeks. We’ve rounded out. Belly makes my buttox and boobs look tiny!
             Dec 28 – 28 weeks                                      Jan 25 – 31 weeks

Top 10 Things Kids want from their parents

I was reading a cute blog post today and wanted to share the following things that it stated regarding what kids desire most from their mothers, I would argue that this could be what they want from either parent:

1. Come into my bedroom at night, tuck me in and sing me a song. Also tell me stories about when you were little.

2. Give me hugs and kisses and sit and talk with me privately.

3. Spend quality time just with me, not with my brothers and sisters around.

4. Give me nutritious food so I can grow up healthy.

5. At dinner talk about what we could do together on the weekend.

6. At night talk to me about anything: love, school, family etc.

7. Let me play outside a lot.

8. Cuddle under a blanket and watch our favorite TV show together.

9. Discipline me. It makes me feel like you care.

10. Leave special messages in my desk or lunch bag.

Looks like we have a little time to get these memorized….

Thrifty Living

I also just finished Steve and Annette Economides America’s Cheapest Family. It discussed some of the following and a couple other cute ideas were on their website:

• buying groceries a month at a time so that there’s one trip to the store, especially since their research showed that a “run” to the store ends in coming home with things that were not needed.
• A college in Missouri called College of the Ozarks, located right outside of Branson. The college's nickname is Hard Work U because the students pay NO tuition to attend -instead, they all have to work on campus. I attended a conference there and saw the student  staff everywhere on campus (very few "adults" working except for professors).  C of O has been recognized as a Top Comprehensive  College by U.S. News & World Report yearly since 1989. It is an excellent place to receive a quality education debt-free. Their website is www.cofo.edu.
• Water is a commodity we too often let flow through our hands. Taking it for granted lets it take a greater chunk of our wallets. Here are three easy water saving tips:
• 1) Have your children help with the laundry, both loading and unloading the washer and dryer. It helps them see how many dirty clothes they go through. Older kids might take better care of their clothes if they know they'll need to be doing more laundry chores, like pre-spotting.
• 2) Put a clock where your children can see it when they take a shower. If they know how long they are in, they are less likely to dawdle and use less water in the process. (Editor's Note: We like to use an egg timer.)
• 3) If your teenager desperately wants to wash their car, send them to the car wash. If they have to feed quarters to keep the water flowing, they will quickly learn how to do the job faster and less often.
• SUMMER SCHOOL — LIFE SKILLS 101 When my siblings and I were teenagers, one summer my mother announced, “I am not cooking, mending or washing this entire summer!” She continued, “It’s up to each of you to learn each skill and do it!” That summer I was equipped with life skills that I still use to this day . . . and I’m well over 29 now — real age withheld to protect my fragile male ego.

Plus, I found another article clipping from O magazine about “How to save a Bundle”

Baby, Have We Got a Deal for You - Attention, parents: Hold on to those 20 percent off coupons for Bed Bath & Beyond. Now that the store owns the chain BuyBuy Baby, you can use them there, too. That means a Chicco KeyFit 30 Cortina Travel System, normally $330, would be $264. (Coupons accepted only at BuyBuy Baby stores; must be used by expiration date.) Too bad there’s not one near us…yet!

Tech Support - Use free open source software—downloadable via the Internet. For instance, GIMP, an image-producing, photo-retouching program similar to Photoshop, is available at no charge at Gimp.org. Find other sources of free software at SourceForge.net. And of course Google offers a variety of free options to manage documents, calendars, spreadsheets, and photos.

Tickets-a-Go-Go - Many people know TravelZoo.com as a great source for cheap flights, but the site also has a Deals Near You section, where you can learn about reduced-rate tickets for theater, concerts, and special events in your area (just enter your zip code). This spring tickets for a San Francisco Giants baseball game were available for $15 (regularly $25). Tickets for August: Osage County in New York were $67, normally $117.

Dining Out on a Dime - Restaurant.com lists restaurants that let you buy dining certificates at significant discounts. Recent deals? Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, $25 certificate for $10; Mosaic Restaurant in Atlanta, $10 certificate for $3; A.J. Maxwell's Steakhouse in New York City, $50 certificate for $20.

Price Choppers - FatWallet.com, an online community for bargain hunters, features coupons, savings alerts, and rebate information. DealHunting.com, CouponCabin.com, and NaughtyCodes.com have codes to enter at checkout for discounts on purchases or free shipping.

The New Book Swap - A new entry in the book exchange world is PaperbackSwap.com, where users can print wrapping and postage stamps ($2.23 for most paperbacks) right from their computer. Sign up, list your books, wait for the requests. For each title you send to another user, you get a credit, the equivalent of one book. Members receive two credits just for joining. Three more ways to find cheap books.

Call it Nesting or maybe I’m just freaking out…

With all the craziness that’s been going on regarding our decision to renovate our house, I’ve been a little nuts lately. Moving our closet into the bedroom is making me feel cluttered, so I figured the best way to rid myself of that feeling was to rid of more stuff.

I admit, I’m a collector (not a hoarder) of magazine articles that I find useful. So I’ve decided to rid myself of these article clippings by posting the information I want from them on this blog. Great Idea, huh? Too bad I don’t have a backyard to dump the shredded paper into, but at least my piles are gone.

This is a collection of kids stuffs/house stuffs:

Recipe for Eco-Play Dough:

• 2 cups of flour
• 1/2 c salt
• 1/2 c vodka  water
• food coloring (Vegan food coloring)
• essential oils

Mix flour, salt and water in large bowl until a soft dough forms. Add more water if needed

Divide dough and knead a different color into each portion. Scent each color the same way with a different oil: mint, orange, lavender.

Store in clean, empty baby food jars. (it’s good thing I got a bunch of them off freecycle)

Another cute idea I found an article on in Family Fun magazine is a Kids’ Cooking Party.

Everyone makes their own: pizza or lasagna in a mini pan with their favorite toppings, cheese, sauce, pasta, veggies, meat, etc.

Chef hats are made with paper and tissue paper

I even saved this, a celebration of New Years traditions around the world from Child.com:

Bolivia

Families hang little homemade straw or wooden dolls outside their homes for good luck.

Denmark

The Danes throw old dishes at the doors of friends' homes for good luck. Finding a big pile of broken dishes on the morning of January 1 means you have lots of friends!  This one sounds fun, but I doubt any Southerners will get it. I bet the Danes take the broken plates and make mosaics.

Ecuador

Families celebrate "Año Viejo" by stuffing old clothing with newspaper and firecrackers, much like a scarecrow. At midnight, each family sets its dummy ablaze, representing the departure of the old year.

Greece

Parents fill their children's shoes with presents at night. They tell the little ones the gifts are from St. Basil, who was known for his kindness and generosity to children and the poor.

Japan

The Japanese decorate their front doors with pine branches and bamboo to bring health and long life. They may also add fans, seaweed, or ferns for happiness and good luck. Children are given small gifts of money called otoshidamas. At midnight, bells and gongs are rung 108 times to chase away 108 troubles, and people laugh to drive away the bad spirits.

Puerto Rico

Children throw pails of water out the window at midnight to rid their homes of evil spirits.

Romania

Children wish people a happy new year by touching them lightly with a bouquet called a sorcova, which consists of twigs from an apple, pear, cherry, or plum tree to represent fertility, health, and purity. Traditionally the twigs would have been placed in water on November 30 so they'd blossom by New Year's Eve. Today people decorate the twigs with flowers made of colored paper.

The Southern United States

Many Southerners eat black-eyed peas for good luck. Round foods are traditional for the new year in many cultures because circles represent continuity. Black-eyed peas are considered especially lucky because they contain two concentric circles. I don’t get it, even after living here for 11 years.

Spain

When the clock strikes midnight, people eat 12 grapes, one for every stroke of the clock and for good luck in each month of the new year.

Switzerland

The Swiss let a drop of cream land on the floor on New Year's Day to bring good luck.

Fun Valentine’s Day things with kids:

• Celebrate the morning with pink pancakes, strawberries and pink milk
• Family candlelight dinner with with sparkling cider and kids family meal.
• Write little love notes to the kids after they go to bed, stick them in the bathroom, on the mirror, in their drawers
• Cozy up by the fire and eat cookies.

WIP update

Looks like we’re scheduled for a c-section on Thursday, March 25th at Northside Hospital. What’s the latest with WIP’s growth you ask?  According to week 30 of Baby Center:

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

WIP and I had fun last night. I pressed in on my belly and WIP pushed back, we did this 3 or 4 times and it made me giggle!

“Then”

I’ve been update our blog this evening, making sure photos are right and listening to the radio. One of my favorite songs just came on and I had to share, especially since Pablo’s not here for me to hug right now – I’m thinking about him….

Then by  Brad Paisley

I remember, trying not to stare the night that I first met you
You had me mesmerized
And three weeks later, in the front porch light
taking forty-five minutes to kiss goodnight
I hadn't told you yet
but I thought I loved you then

And now you're my whole life
now you're my whole world
I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl
Like a river meets the sea,
stronger than it's ever been.
We've come so far since that day
And I thought I loved you then
And i remember, taking you back to right where I first met you,
You were so surprised
There were people around, but I didn't care
Got down on one knee right there once again,
I thought I loved you then

I could just see you, with a baby on the way
And I could just see you, when your hair is turning gray
What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more
But I've said that before
And now you're my whole life
now you're my whole world
I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl
We'll look back someday, at this moment that we're in
And I'll look at you and say
And I thought I loved you then
And I thought I loved you then

Pablo’s German Meal

Pablo’s in Germany this week for work and sent me this photo.

“Doesn't get more German than my dinner tonight. Bon appétit”

I spoke to him after this and he said he only made it through 3 wieners – there were 6 of them!

WIP’s Goodwill finds

WIP and I ventured to Goodwill yesterday to see if there was anything exciting. We found this red basket which now houses our remote and other knick knacks on our wicker coffee table. A couple of organizing pieces for organizing our drawers and some outlet covers to protect WIP’s little fingers. I also found a fabulous book – Aesop’s Fables. I grew up hearing these stories and I’m excited to start reading them to WIP! One of my favorites: The Boy who Cried Wolf. The best part is that they’re all one page each!

Pablo’s a lucky man (not that he doesn’t know this), after I prepped for the cleaning lady to come, I organized WIP’s book.  The binder includes information on my doctor and others in his office, direction to the hospital and check in procedure. We have to be there at 5am on the 25th.  It also had information about paperwork for the birth certificate, packing list for my bag to go to the hospital. A list of pediatrician’s that I’m going to interview and a list of the vaccine schedule I want for WIP.  AND, last but not least, labels for baby announcements and labels for the bris invitations, should we be blessed with a little boy.

10 weeks to go!

We passed our gestational diabetes test with no issues and doc allowed me to put a date on the calendar for Thursday, March 25th. Looks like WIP is going to be an ARIES child. Part of me hopes it’s an ARIES boy vs. ARIES girl, as we know how wild and crazy my ARIES mom and ARIES sister are!
Look at the tummy progress. Is my posture out of whack or what? Belly makes my tummy look smaller.
           Nov 30 – 24 weeks               Dec 31 – 28 weeks
 

New Year's Wish

Pablo and I recieved this New Year's Wish from Ralph Lovell, a close family friend and father of my girl Rachel:

My Wish for You in 2010

May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts.

May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.

May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!

May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy

May the problems you had, forget your home address!

In simple words ............

May 2010 be the best year of your life!!

New Years 2009-2010

We ventured to Miami for to ring in the New Year with Jillian, Nicholas, Jesse, Victoria, Jeremy and Isabella. We had a couple of laughs over Balderdash, but ultimately, the women took the men DOWN! Jesse had the hardest time getting Jer and Paul to figure out “net – work.”  Jesse tried to break it down by saying that the 1st word was something you catch fish wish.  I guess an Aquarium was on the tip of Paul’s tongue cuz that’s what he said.  Jer kept saying Ocean. It had us all in stitches for many minutes.

We rang in the New Year watching the NYC ball drop at midnight and by 1230am we were down the road at the hotel. It sure is nice to have 70 degrees for New Years! Who knows how our world will change for the 2010 New Year, but we’re excited for it!