Eviction Notice

 

 

Dear Isaac,

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I am glad that you have been having a fun time in my uterus.

It’s warm, it’s cozy, it’s dark, you are getting non-stop chocolate through a mainline in your belly…what’s not to love?  I get it.

Unfortunately (for you), you are no longer welcome in this place you call home.

You have ignored all of my repeated hints (have you noticed a lot of walks recently?  A strange raspberry-leaf tea taste tainting the chocolate?) and you continue to sleep, poke my cervix, and grow fatter every day.

And so, Sonny-boy, it has come to this:

On Wednesday, you will be forced to exit the premises, permanently.

If you would like to leave of your own free will, you are welcome to at any time.  But, if not, you are in for a BIG surprise on Wednesday when a lot of weeeeird things start happening. 

Hey, I’m not happy about this either, but it has to be done.

Just thought I’d give you a heads up.

See you on Wednesday.

Love always,

your mom.

He Makes Me Laugh

 

And he makes himself laugh

 

Which is the funniest part of it all.

(Above, he is doing a dance move that he invented and calls the “TAIL!”)

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PS  “Caitlin, you poor thing, are you STILL pregnant?”

Well…

…and still rockin’ the horizontal stripes, thank you very much.

Thursday, 12:35 pm.

 

Me: “Joseph!  That’s Isaac’s chair, silly!”

Joseph: “No, JOSEPH’S chair!”

Who sounds ready to be a big brother??!!

(“Cheese.”)

Sorry I haven’t posted much. And yep, I’m still pregnant.

 

 

So very pregnant. 

And, before you all launch into stories about how your great-aunt was a month overdue…I’m just going to go ahead and say that I bet I out-measure her.  I am huge.  Also, tell your aunt that no one likes a show off.

I am the kind of pregnant that I forgot exists. 

The kind of pregnant where you can’t get out of a chair without swinging your giant orb of a belly around for momentum.

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The kind of pregnant where you are always out of breath because a) you’re kind of fat and b) there is a foot in your ribs.  Seriously.  Toes in your ribs.  Gross!

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The kind of pregnant where people have stopped commenting on how cute you look, and instead just stare and wonder who let you out of the house. 

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The kind of pregnant where the store clerks eye you warily.  You have become a liability strolling through the frozen food, since clearly you could combust and drop out a baby at any moment. (Clean up on Aisle 2…)

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The kind of pregnant where shooting pains suddenly occur in the most private of places.  Usually while you are talking to a bank teller or a delivery man.  You are all, “Thank you so much for…” ZING!!!… your cervix spasms and yet you have to play it cool.  Because, it is not necessarily socially acceptable to speak of cervical or vaginal pain with strangers.  I’ve heard.

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So, yeah.  That’s where I am.

I don’t mean to complain. 

Well, I DO mean to complain, but keep in mind that I DO know how lucky I am to be blessed with a healthy (huge), full-term (huge) baby in my uterus.

I enjoy being pregnant, for the most part, and if somebody could just give me an exact date and time when this little twerp was coming out, I would feel like I could better enjoy the time that is left to me.

But, instead, I just have to wait.

Just wait, watching as my newly-formed stretch marks get bigger every day.

Just wait, knowing that, at any time, my body will erupt into the most intense pain a woman can feel, I may or may not gush fluid uncontrollably all over wherever I am standing, and then someone who is roughly 8 lbs will come barreling out of my poor nether-regions.

So, yes, it is hanging over my head a bit.

What’s new with you?

Wednesday, 3:25-3:35 pm

 

Nutella Break!

Really, I think that most of us feel like this about Nutella…

We’ve just learned to play it cool.  Joseph, not so much.

 

At Least I Can Cook, Clean, and Have Babies.

 

I decided that it was time to teach Joseph some new shapes.

He knows the ol’ circle-square-rectangle routine, but let’s face it, that trick won’t get us asked back to many parties.

It was time to kick it up a notch.  Keep our competitive edge.

It was time to introduce the Hexagon.

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On Monday, while we were coloring, I casually drew a hexagon, and asked Joseph what it was. 

He replied that it was a barn. 

I corrected him and told him that, while it was RED like a barn, it was actually a shape called a Hexagon.

I drew a few more, all the while talking about these things called Hexagons and how cool they were.

When I asked again, he clearly answered that the shape was a, “Hexagon.”  (Well, actually, “heck-a-gon,” but let’s not pull teeth)

I was so proud and entertained a few thoughts about how being a mother was the best teaching job in the whole world.

Fast forward to yesterday.

We were hanging out in the library (just killing time until our my favorite kids’ resale shop opens, let’s be honest) and I came across a toddler puzzle.  It had various shapes on it, and when you lifted each one out, it had the name of the shape written underneath.

Eureka!  Another learning opportunity!

I put it down in front of Joseph and we started in.

Me: “What’s this, Joseph?”

“CIRCLE!”

Me: “That’s right, a CIRCLE!  How about this one?”

“RECTANGLE!”

Me: “Rectangle!  That’s right!

..here it comes…the big test… ”What’s this shape, Joseph?”

“HEXAGON!”

Me: (flushing with pride, and looking around to see if anyone had overheard my little boy-genius.)  “That’s right!  That is a…”

Wait a minute.

When I lifted up the hexagon out of the puzzle board, the word underneath said “Pentagon.”

It was a pentagon.  It IS a pentagon.

I taught my child, successfully as it turns out, that a pentagon was a hexagon.

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I really have nothing more to say on this matter.

Besides that, if I have gone 25 years without knowing for sure what a hexagon was, then clearly, my two year old does not really need to know.

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Also, for the record

= Pentagon

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     = Hexagon

 

Getting Ready

 

 

Big brother helping to clean Isaac’s carseat

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Also, in the world of Joseph-excitement; today, for the first time, he got out of his crib after nap and came to find me on his own. 

I was on the computer (of course) and didn’t hear a thing on the monitor. 

All of a sudden, I heard, “Hi Mommy!” 

And there was Joseph, standing and smiling nervously in the doorway.

He wasn’t sure how I would react-

I wasn’t sure how to react. (It had only been and hour and 15 min. since he went down!)

I chose to laugh, get up from the computer, and start our afternoon.

Just the Two of Us

 

 

(picture from summer of 2009)

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I have been a bit emotional lately. 

Just, you know, the past nine months or so.

(somewhere, Brian is reading this and nodding his head…because he knows that I can’t see him…)

This weekend, I cried at a movie, not because it was sad, but because the little boy in the movie turned eight.

Eight years old.

So old.

And some day Joseph will be that old.

And he won’t be my baby anymore.

And once I have the new baby, he won’t really be a baby anymore.

And WAAAAAHHHH!  Cue tears.

So, I am going to take it easy on the blogging for the next little bit, and enjoy the time that I have with just me and my (still little thank heavens!!) 2 year old boy. 

 

 

36 weeks. 9 months. Full term.

 

 

I did it.

I made it.

I’m full term!

Although I’d like him to wait one more week to get a little more chub on those cheeks!  Then, it’s go time, Isaac!  Take a hint.

Here you go:

36 weeks

 

and in sequence:

15

20

25

32

36

From now on, I will be taking (but not posting) weekly pictures…because you never know when I’m going to BLOW!!…and I want to make sure that I have that one last preggo shot!

 

Monday, 8:05 AM

 

 

The morning sky blazing above a “sleeping” snowman.

Friday, 5:57 PM

 

 

On my way out the door by myself to spend Barnes and Noble / Starbucks gift cards I got for my birthday.

In a sweatshirt that had to work way too hard to stay zipped.  It has been retired for the remainder of my pregnancy.

A lady at Starbucks asked me if I am having twins.

I said no.

Then she asked me if I was SURE that I am not having twins.

Because I may have forgotten the presence of that second baby.

No tip for her.

 

Top Ten Things I’ll Miss About Being Pregnant

 

 

At this stage in the game, it is easy to think of things that I won’t miss about being pregnant.  (Foot in the ribs anyone?  How about a niiiice poke in your cervix… from the inside?)

So, I decided to come up with a list of the things that I WILL miss- just to help carry me through.

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1)  Maternity pants.

Seriously, why aren’t all pants topped with elastic?  We don’t put zippers and snaps on our underwear, we don’t put zippers and snaps on our favorite sweatpants, so why do we torture ourselves with zipper and snap jeans?

I say that designers should start making stylish, elastic top jeans.

And then we can buy them, and wear them, and be comfortable yet trendy.

Who’s in?

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2)  I have forgotten the phrase “Suck it in.”

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3)  What’s that doctor?  You want me to GAIN weight?  You naughty thing you!  Let me just swing by Krispy Kreme on my way home…

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4)  My actions are excusable.  I’m crying for no reason?  Well, that’s because I’m pregnant. 

I’m acting unreasonable?  Pregnant. 

I want you to go out to get me Wendy’s at 9:30pm?  Well…pregnant.

And who’s going to argue with the pregnant chick? 

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5)  Stretch marks are socially acceptable. 

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6)  You get to know so many things about complete strangers and their childbirth experiences.

When else will the checker at Target launch into a horror story about pushing out her 10.5 lb. baby who was a month late and broke her tailbone? 

Oh yes, there is no more, “Did you find everything okay?” for me. 

It’s ripping and emergencies and episiotomies, and labors that last for weeks on end… It really spices up the normal hum-drum errands.

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7)  I haven’t gotten my own grocery cart, loaded any heavy items, or held a door in months.

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8)  The life-affirmation. 

I live in an area that has a high concentration of a certain religious group. (*Cough* Rhymes with Shmormon.*Cough*)  So, people are very supportive and encouraging of our choice to have lots of kids at a young age, and to have me stay home to raise them. 

I know, the stereotypes abound in this one, but there you have it.  They love me, man.

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9)  The huge belly detracts from my abnormally round cheeks.

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10)  The experience of feeling my baby move.  Especially if I am sitting in a crowded room, and everyone is walking around and talking, and I am the only one who knows that I am feeling life move inside my very own belly!  Miraculous! 

But, mostly the maternity jeans…

Thursday, 6:37 AM

 

 

Joseph’s first ever Burger King crown has been a huge hit!  He has been wearing it off and on for most of the day.  Just to be funny.

Also, he woke up today from his nap crying “CAAAANNNDDDYY!!”

You’ve got to love this kid.

Speaking of pregnant…

We are due for a 35 week pregnancy profile picture, but I just couldn’t resist posting this one that my Mom took while they were here. 

This is what I look like while I am walking around the house most of the day:

Seriously, folks?  Seriously?  Do I really have to go 4 more weeks?!

Looking Back…

 

 

I just rediscovered this picture of Brian and me- taken at one of Brian’s college track meets.

Don’t we just look like babies?!  And we had been dating for about a year at least.

Makes me feel a bit haggard tonight.  And chubby.  And oh so pregnant.

 

Tuesday, 1:04 pm

 

 

Day 5 of no washing machine…

 

And the repair man has gone to get reinforcements.

Not the best news when you only have 5 shirts that fit over your belly.

 

Christmas morning

Joseph comes out to see his "BIG choo-choo" from Santa! :)

Monday, 8:57 AM

 

 

A couple of times a week, I am going to try to post pictures of random times throughout my day. 

One of my favorite bloggers, Nienie, does this, and I’ve always loved it. 

It’s fun to get a glimpse of the everyday, without having a cohesive post to go with it.

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Here is today’s moment in time:

8:57 AM

Playdoh

 

starring a Birthday cake

Brian is working on a Christmas Morning video today…

2009- In pictures

Happy New Year, Everyone!

My parents are in town, so I will be resuming my regular blogging on Monday.

Until then, here is a review of 2009 in pictures:

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January:

Afternoon naps became rough to wake up from- we decided to ditch them completely.

Joseph discovered that lotion is much more fun than toys

and that smoothies are the most exciting thing on the planet.

He also took his candy obsession to new heights when he tried to eat an M&M directly out of my Dad’s mouth.

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February:

Brought extreme cuteness

And frustration with pictures.

A family photo

A first zoo trip

and some unsuccessful valentine making.

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March:

Fun with friends

The discovery that Joseph could climb up onto the table by himself

(could we all just take a minute to puke at the extreme cuteness of those shoes??!!)

His first fudge-cicle

       

And some pergola building

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April:

Outside time

A new swing

Some more naughtiness

and an Easter Egg hunt

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May:

His first mango,

The discovery that Joseph is no slouch in the kitchen

Some kisses,

some messes

some playing in the rain

Goofiness

A new slide

and an announcement.

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June:

More smoothies

The discovery that Joseph could now climb up onto the COUNTER by himself

A beach trip

and the mastery of block-tower-building.

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July:

The fourth

The discovery that, while pop-its are extremely fun,

some fireworks are downright scary.

An afro for Brian

Our first kisses

Staying up late to eat a pickle

and our first peek at #2

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August:

Some serious flowers

A first trip to the dentist (Grandmas are the best dental hygienists!)

A belly shot

(hahahahahahahaha.  What belly?  I could eat that belly for an afternoon snack!)

And playing with pay phones at the Portland Airport.

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September:

Outside outings with an apple

 

A slip-n-slide

Some cuteness

And the discovery that, although big boy underwear made Joseph EXTREMELY fast, it did not mean that he was ready for potty training.  At all.

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October:

Pumpkin patch x 3

A haircut

Halloween cookies

And some stinky feet

A utility sink

pumpkin carving

 

Fall leaves

and the cutest dragon in the whole world

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November:

 

Joseph’s first trip to the movies (Polar Express.  He lasted 20 minutes.)

A 2nd birthday

some messes

and the discovery that, although Big Boy Beds look fun in the daylight, Joseph firmly refuses to sleep in one.  Ever.

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December:

Some fun in the snow

Christmas pictures coming soon!

Thank you for sharing the journey with me!

-Caitlin