Visits and Picnics

Grandma Mil and Leify at the Church Picnic.  Leif is holding (and pointing) to his balloon which flew out of the picture.  This is my new favorite picture!

Whew!  These are busy days!  What happend to the lazy hazy days of Summer?

My parents were in town this week, so Leif and I spent the whole time cavorting with them.  And by cavorting, I mean getting lost because between my GPS Helga (that's her name) which has 6 or 7 year old maps on it (so they're all wrong), and the iPhone which doesn't give vocal directions or update when you make the wrong turn, we spent hours driving around in the hot hot weather.  To make matters worse, the AC in ye olde Sweet Ride only works at high speeds - when you're stopped at a traffic light (or say, in heinous rush hour traffic for 3 hours), it doesn't work.  So, yeah, the very next day we took Leify's car into the shop for repair.  Of course, they wanted our first and second-born to fix the AC, so we're taking it to another place this week.  So next time my Momma is driving around with me all week, I'll be sure to have a working GPS and a working AC!  My poor Momma.  And she hardly even whined.  ;)

We went to a colonial farm nearby (we tried to get to a park, but ended up lost and at this colonial farm) which was fun.  Then we made it back in time to Papa and picked him up from his meeting.  From there, we went to lunch (@ Mixt Greens, which is a really yummy place if you've never been there, but be warned, it's like Chipotle in that is is loud, crowded, and not a good place to talk, but the food is awesome!)

We still had time to go to a little island to take a hike, so we did.   

Leif at part of the (under construction) monument on the island hike.  His pose makes me laugh - what if we all posed like that for pictures?

All too soon, it was time to take Nana and Papa to the airport.  We had time enough to get a drink, sit and chat in the airport before they had to go.  Leif was so sad when he saw them walking away, he kept wanting to run after them ("I didn't get enough hugs and kisses!") and later when we were in the car, he started to cry and said, "It sure is a shame to say Bye-bye to Nana and Papa!"  Yes, yes it is, my Leify.

The trail was full of logs with hollow middles like this one, which all needed exploring, of course.

In baby news, I have gotten a clean bill of health from the endocrinologist (thyroid), the cardiologist (I had heart palpitations, but she gave me magnesium supplements, saying that palpitations can be caused by electrolyte imbalances, and as soon as I started the magnesium supplements, the palpitations stopped), and the midwife (so far, baby is doing well, Momma is doing well, and Momma has yet to gain any weight, over halfway through - yay!  Baby is getting chubby at 13 oz, though!) ;)

I must say, I feel like my care is sooo much better this time.  I love the midwives, I love the cardiologist, and I'm so thankful that I found good helpful people to help me through this and any future problems I may have (or anyone else in the family - everyone has a heart!)  It is really such a relief to talk to a Dr. that doesn't throw random pharmaceuticals at you at your first complaint of something {possibly} amiss.  The cardiologist (a very sweet lady) told me she doesn't prescribe drugs until it is absolutely necessary - changes in diet and lifestyle come first unless drugs are needed to save a life.  Hallelujah, Doc!  Of course, the midwives only prescribe vitamins. :)

Oh!  Silly me - the top picture of Mildred and Leify is at a church picnic where Mildred was married...a long time ago (forget the exact year - '44, maybe?)  Jason had the nice idea (he's always good for a fun adventure!) of taking her to church there since she doesn't go there that often.  So, up we went, and the priest was great - normally homilies can make you snore, but this one was very engaging :)  He also announced that there was a picnic in the afternoon and we were all invited.  Then he mentioned that there would be homemade Korean BBQ.  And it was FREE.  I'm sorry - did someone say free homemade Korean BBQ? We are SO THERE!

The picnic didn't start until 1, and church let out at noon, so we had an hour to use before the picnic started.  Preggo me wasn't much interested in standing around in a hot parking lot for an hour, so we loaded up in the car to go look at a house that I'd wanted to see.  We only meant to drive by it, but when we got there, a sign said there would be an open house at 1 that day!  Sweet!  We did our standard walk around the vacant house (and even found a door open into the house, but we didn't go in) and shortly, a realtor arrived and we got to go into the house (legally!)

The house was beautiful - and the laundry room was the thing fantasies are made of...well, mine at least.  I won't go into what most people fantasize about because this is a family blog, but this laundry room was beyond beautiful - space to fold, iron, clean, store - all while watching the kids in play in the back yard - swoon!  Fantasies of an modern housewife - Am I weird or what?!  Anyway, that house and another house we're interested in go up for auction this week, so we'll be attending those.  If we get either house, great, if not...onto the next!  Say some prayers for us, please!

After that house, we went back to the church picnic and snarfled down piles of Korean BBQ.   Leif ate a cupcake.  The food was really really good - a little unusual for church picnics, IMHO.  It was bliss - and after we ate - the picture of a happy Mil and Leify! :)

Nana, Papa and Leify on a bridge on our little island hike!  Go me for not putting the pictures in any kind of order on this post!

That is all for now - I've got loads of paperwork to do for the house hunt!

Happy Days!

Nana & Papa!

Nana, Papa and Leify had a grand old time at dinner. Yes, it may looks like he was being a bit manhandled, but he wasn't - and he was enjoying every second of it, screeching with laughter like a mini-hyena.  The picture is all blurry (this is the best of 3) because they were all tickly squiggleworms and wouldn't stay still ;)

 

 

Nana and Papa are in town this week for Papa's meetings.  Leify and I had the chance to play with Nana during the day, then all of us (Nana, Papa, Jason, Leif, Me, Baby-in-the-Belly) went out for dinner in Georgetown.

Leif was so excited to see them.  

He picked flowers for Nana the night before in the garden and saved them overnight so that he could give them to her when we saw her (which he did, along with lots of hugs and kisses).

He couldn't wait to show Papa his newly acquired skill - winking - which Papa had been teaching him since he was a little baby!  As soon as Papa got into the car, Leif started up with, "Papa!  Papa!  Look!" and wouldn't relent the rest of the night.  It made his day to wink back and forth (after so many years of training!) with Papa!

Hand in hand after dinner.

I couldn't get Leif to hold my hand the whole day - when we were with Nanny, he'd only hold hands with her.  Then, when we met up with Papa, he would only hold his hand.  I tried to get a better picture, but it's hard to get a good shot with an iphone while walking across a busy street.  {waahwaahwaah}

Anyway, it's bliss to get to see your Momma and Dadda after so long! (Or, your Nana and Papa depending on who you be!)

Happy Days!

Baby Update

Baby profile @ the 20 week sonogram

This Wednesday, we had the 20 week (halfway!) sonogram of Baby.  

Leif went with me and was very good the whole time, and it was an hour and a half, so that is saying something!  He read books to himself, played with his leaves that he had collected and dried, and patiently waited and watched.

Baby was tucked down very very low, so it was hard to get any good pictures.  I have to go back to get some pictures of the heart because Baby was so low they couldn't get the heart measurements they needed.

I go to the midwife this Monday, so they should tell me then the results of  the sonogram.

  Baby measured in at 20 wks, 5 days (although "technically" I was 20 weeks exactly that day) and weighed 13oz.  All the measurements looked normal.

I noticed that like unexpected clockwork, my sleeping became a little rough when I turned 20 weeks.  I lay down, but could not get comfortable, no matter what position I was in.  The past few night have been pretty rough - turning over has become a concerted effort and sleep has not come easily (if at all).

Twops made the suggestion that I use a pillow between my knees, which I'd done when pregnant with Leif, but hadn't yet this time because the bed is smaller and Husband might not be happy. :)

Desperate for sleep, I used a pillow last night, and it felt soooo much better to me.  I still didn't sleep, but at least I was comfortably awake, not uncomfortably awake. :)  Mr. Pillow is my new best friend.

I also have been to the endocrinologist about my thyroid and all the blood work shows that my thyroid is functioning normally right now, which is awesome.  I go back in two months to check it during my third trimester, just to monitor it for any problems (and to prevent pregnancy problems).

So, things have been good just delighting in the little kicks and snuggles from Baby.  And Leif's constant stream of kisses, cooes and raspberries going to Baby (generally through my bellybutton, which Leif calls "Baby's Nose").

We've finally started to come up with names for either gender, slowly but surely, so that is good progress! :)  Of course, those'll be kept top secret until Baby is born, just to annoy everyone! ;)

We're keeping things very low-key with this Baby - like we did for Leif.  We're not big fans of Baby Clutter (which may, in fact, be my arch-nemesis right behind Paper Clutter) so Less is More is definitely the way we're going.  Plus, when we get a house, we want it to be a small house, and the only way to live in a small house comfortably is to have less stuff.  That sounds like a win-win situation to me!

I've picked out the cloth diapers I want to get, so once we get into our house, I'll order those.  A few other small things, like a diaper sprayer and homemade reusable wipes should complete my order (all from one place), which rocks.  

I also want to get a Moses Basket.  I wanted one for Leif, too, but at the time they were very expensive (several hundred dollars) so I didn't get it then.  I guess they've become more popular (in the five years since I was pregnant with Leif!) because they're like 30 bucks now, so that is totally doable.  All I need to do is find the right one!  I have little fantasies of Leif and I gardening in our backyard while Baby sleeps peacefully in the Moses Basket in the grass near us.  It's the simple little things that make me happy :)

The fact that we need and want so little for this Baby makes me happy.

Simplicity = Happiness for this little growing family.

Happy Days!

Love you, Little Baby!

Lots of Firsts

Leif loved his first pony ride on Ginger at the local historic farm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leif has been accomplishing a lot of "firsts" lately.  He had his first horseback ride, above, which he absolutely adored.  He even said today (weeks after the fact) that he loved it and wants to do it again. 

He has also been doing exceedingly well with his learning.  He counts everything in sight, loves to do basic math, and is basically numbers obsessed.  I'm counting my lucky stars - it is so much fun to work with him when he is really in to what he is doing!  

We've been using workbooks (or activity books, as I call them) which I had originally not been very keen on for various reasons (although I loved them as a child myself) but Leif loves them.  He spends many hours a day with his activity books and we have all different sorts: numbers, writing, reading, history, cutting, etc. as well as the standard tracing, coloring, matching, patterns, etc.  He loves them all.  It's an ongoing lesson to me that just because I think something will not work doesn't mean it won't.  And thinking that something will work for me isn't the point, it has to work for Leif, since he is the one learning.  (All this obvious stuff isn't so obvious when you're in the thick of it!)  Lesson learned, though.  Leif loves his workbooks and they're doing him a world of good. 

Very proud of his 4s, which he wrote out several weeks ago, I'm just slow.  Four is his favorite number right now. :)

He's been writing a ton as well, hot on the heels of his coloring extravaganza where he colored everything he could.  It is so neat to see him come into the phase where he is clearly ready for writing, reading, and 'rithmetic! 

Leif drew a picture for his Daddy, and then wrote "Daddy" (as you can see) underneath - his first word!  Again, he did this a while back, and I'm only now getting to it.  Slooooow Momma.

He's also read his first book, "Mat" of the Bob Book Series.  And see, even before I was able to blog about that first, he's onto his second - "Sam" in the same series.  So he's read two books!  So, we're making a ton of progress there!

It's funny because at this point, it is all fun and games - and yet he is still learning at astonishing rates.  I feel like I hardly do much, but the little that we do has such a huge impact.  We may work on activity books or other activities for 15 minutes to a half hour at a time, a few times a day and that is all.  The rest of the day is play and explore time (and with Leif, exploring almost always includes water).  That's all, and yet he is learning at exponential rates right now.  So cool.

Our house hunt is going.  We've found several houses we like, but so far have yet to make an offer on anything (for various reasons).  Hopefully we'll be in our own place by the end of the summer, though!  We try to include Leif as much as possible, asking what he would like to see in his house (he wants a red house, but will settle for a red shed or playhouse), and what he would like in the yard (chickens, cows, garden, and cutting garden so that he can bring me flowers everyday - that I'll definitely agree to!)  He brings me flowers everyday now...sometimes pretty weed flowers and sometimes real flowers cut from Grandmom's garden (with her permission).  Love that! :)

Baby is doing well, kicking me every time I lay down in bed, and lately, kicking me in the morning when I wake up.  I love the little kicks and rolls.  Leif adores Baby, giving Baby hugs, kisses, and raspberries 50x a day if he does it once!  He will go very far out of his way just to come by and pat Baby (my belly) and say hello and whisper some big brother tidbit to her.  He calls Baby Her since he is thoroughly convinced that Baby is a She.

I have the 20 week sonogram this week, so if we want, we can find out Baby's gender.  I'm shockingly undecided on this point...I don't care if we do know or if we don't.  And if that is the case, I'll probably wait to find out when Baby is born since I'm not too gung-ho to find out now.  Jason is as ambivalent as I am on the subject.  We're as bad with names - neither of us have thought about it at all.  Halfway through the pregnancy, and I can't think of names.  Terrible!  Names or not, I love having the little squiggle pop around in my belly - it's best when Jason and Leif can feel it, too! :)

In other growing news, I pulled up the first radishes from the garden.  I'd been waiting until they were a little bigger to thin them out so I could actually eat them, and yesterday, they were! Some were still a little small, but edible.  They were peppery and hot, but very good. They were the first radishes I've ever successfully grown (the Southern heat killed my crop last summer!) so that was exciting.  I have a few more new types on my "wanna try" list when it comes to radishes.  I love radishes.  And now, I especially love them fresh from the garden and into my mouth.  Oh Happy Day.

Leif pumping water at the historic farm.

So that is about the size of it. 

Homeschooling, pregnancy, house hunting, and  radishes.  That's our life right now.

Not too shabby, eh?

Happy Days.