Early Christmas with Nana Joan

Our Christmases always last for days--- between all of my family and Aaron's, there's just no way we can fit everyone in on one day. Since we spent Thanksgiving with Aaron's family this year, we decided to stick around and do Christmas with my family. Because we are the only family on this side of the water that Nana Joan really has, she decided to pack up to visit Aaron's aunt, uncle, & cousin in Gig Harbor on Christmas Day, so we had an early Christmas celebration with her last Monday night where we exchanged gifts with her and some from Aaron's aunt, uncle, & cousin. In addition to this "Christmas week kickoff", Jayden also had 2 celebrations at daycare & preschool as well as 4 family celebrations on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day. Not to mention that, in the hustle & bustle, we forgot to let them do their stockings, so they get to tear into those this weekend when I finally have the energy to take our Christmas decor down.

Jaxson wasn't really interested in unwrapping the presents too much-- he just wanted to play with them after they had been opened. Where he lacked, his big brother more than made up for it by tearing into everything as if it were an assembly line at a car factory. If a speed record could be set, I'm pretty sure he'd make it into the Guinness Book of World Records. :)

Seeing as both boys love anything with wheels, their new car toy and Cars-themed play rug were huge hits. Jaxson also fell in love with the new Buzz Lightyear kids' "laptop" and both boys received toy phones from their Great Grandma & Grandpa B (my grandparents). Nana Joan also got the food processor she'd been wanting for quite some time. :)

33 Weeks

How far along?: 33w3d

Total weight gain: Not sure, but I think it's somewhere around 23 pounds. I've been getting into the holiday eating spirit lately... ugh.

How big is baby?: A little over 4 pounds (the size of a pineapple) and 17 inches long.

Maternity clothes?: Yup.

Stretch marks?: About the same as last week. Old ones are itchy and irritated, but no new ones.

Sleep?: Same as last week... pretty close to non-existant due to frequent bathroom trips and overall discomfort.

Best moment this week?: Watching my kiddos opening their early Christmas presents from Nana Joan.

Movement?: Still depends on the day. He's running out of room so his movements are terribly uncomfortable to me. Rolling elbows and knees...not fun. :(

Food cravings?: Lately I've been stocking up on holiday sweets. I'm going to regret it later.

Labor signs?: Still about the same. Just lots of BH & some "real" contractions thrown in.

Belly button in or out?: Mostly in, but parts pop out on occasion.

What I miss: Being comfortable. I can't sit, eat, sleep (and definitely can't wrap Christmas presents) without wanting to curl up and die.

What I'm looking forward to: Being comfortable. I miss my non-pregnant body.

Weekly Wisdom: Get as much help as you can. Not that I use pregnancy as an excuse to be lazy, but I definitely cannot do it all myself and being huge & pregnant is a tiring daily task all on its own.

Milestone: According to BabyCenter, he's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal.

Our New "Baby"

No, Owen isn't here yet despite the fact that I feel like he's going to burst out of me at any second. We just wanted to introduce you to the newest member of our family... our MINIVAN!

We've known for a while that we needed to buy a larger family vehicle because there's just no way we'd be able to fit three car seats comfortably or safely in the back of our Ford Taurus. Not to mention that when we travel, which we seem to do quite frequently as we can't host family in our tiny apartment, we have lots of luggage and our double stroller (and sometimes an additional passenger) which leaves our car packed to the gills. We tried to wait as long as possible to save as much money as we could and not be saddled with a car payment needlessly, but we are definitely running out of time and with holiday travel approaching, it seemed like as good as it was going to get. We decided on a Kia because of the fact that we know that they have good warranties & good safety ratings. My sister has a 2006 Kia Sedona and says it's the best car she's had and highly recommended it. So, out of curiosity we drove to a Kia dealer and tested out a 2008 Kia Sedona. Aaron and I both liked it and it suited our needs, but despite the fact that we told the sales guy that we had a strict budget and not to show us anything outside our price range, we come to find out that the van (even though it was in good condition with great mileage) was outside of our price range. Hesitant to get ourselves in over our heads, we haggled with the dealership for HOURS. While he did try to help us get our monthly payments lower, he took advantage of us being first-time buyers and tried to get us to switch our financing to an outside lender with a higher percentage rate & longer term. We liked the van, but ultimately we were frustrated and felt like they weren't as willing to work with us to lower the price due to how much money was in it for them. Both of us were just exhausted and wanted to go home.

We knew that we needed to buy before Christmas because we wouldn't have opportunities until mid-January to find a van otherwise and that was cutting it close to Owen's arrival, and with our pre-approval running out we needed to buy by this past weekend. So, we started looking elsewhere and I called around to a few places. On Thursday we visited a local Hyundai dealership, and armed with more knowledge about how car sales work, I had a very don't-dick-around-with-me, cut and dry, this-is-what-we-are-looking-for-and-nothing-else approach & attitude. This guy was most friendly and generous despite my grouchiness and pulled together some ideas for us to look at. When we pulled in and parked, we just so happened to pull in next to a silver van. Aaron got out and looked at it saying it was nice but betted the price was really high. When we walked in, we were warmly greeted by our sales guy, Michael, and he explained that he'd looked over the vans that I'd found online, one of which was sold and the other he wasn't able to get from the other dealer, but he'd searched all their lots with the specifications I'd given him and he'd found this van he thought was going to be great for us.

Must have been fate. That silver van we parked right next to? Yup, that was the one he'd pulled aside for us. As soon as Aaron and I sat down inside, we just smiled at each other. It was almost like we just "knew"...and I didn't think I'd feel that way about a car ever. Even though the other van at the other dealership was "nice", this was just a completely different feeling. We just fell in love with this van (which for Aaron was an especially tall order as he's been really hesitant to be a man driving a minivan because it's for moms or something...).

Best part about it? It's a 2009 Kia Sedona, so a year newer than the last one, in better condition, AND with almost 20,000 miles LESS than the other van... at what we thought was the same price or less. Turns out it was a little more expensive, but this dealer was willing to work with us because they are less about making a commission and more about sustaining business & making their customers happy. Michael worked and worked with the sales manager to lower the price and despite the fact that it still was a little more than we wanted to spend, we loved this van enough and knew that it was a fantastic deal that we couldn't pass up. Plus they didn't try to sell us on a bunch of crap and weasel us out of using a different lender for our financing. In the end... we ended up walking out of there the proud and scared shitless owners of a new-to-us minivan.

I'll be honest, we haven't received the first payment yet and we are already sweating just knowing we will have a car payment--- a first for both of us as we've owned both our prior cars outright. It's scary making a big purchase like that!! That and it's so new that it's taking time to sink in that it's our car to keep. Now that I've had a few more days to drive it and have hooked up the boys' car seats in it, it's starting to feel more like "home" so to speak... but this is definitely a huge endeavor... the culmination of dipping our toes in the water for a while to finally deciding to take the plunge.

The boys also love the new car and are more than willing to go for rides in it. Jayden spent the first few days telling everyone about his new "silver van". He goes back and forth now saying that sometimes he wants to ride in his van and other times he wants his "red car" (we still have the Taurus). I think it's just going to be an adjustment for all, but we are really enjoying it so far.

Without further ado... here's our new car!!

Happy Holidays!!

Yesterday after Aaron and I did all of our Christmas shopping (yes, we are those people who always wait until the last minute to do our Christmas shopping), we stopped back at my mom's house and picked up the boys to take them to the Alderwood Mall as part of tradition to see Santa. Being that Jayden is three now, he's getting the whole "idea" of Santa and so he was excited to see Santa and tell him what he wanted for Christmas. Jaxson was none the wiser this year versus last, but the hype over who this oddly dressed man with a beard is was definitely present.

Last year was mayhem and we waited for over an hour, the boys were cranky and, despite the fact that the picture turned out rather funny, Jayden screamed his head off because he was afraid of Santa. We halfway expected the same this year, but to our surprise the lines weren't bad and the kids were really patient in waiting their turn. Best of all? No screams or cries from our kids while sitting on Santa's lap. Not that they really smiled either...more like a dazed, lets-get-this-over-with-and-where-is-my-candy-cane? look.

The only thing I wasn't thrilled about? Paying $32.85 for a 5x7 and a USB drive with my picture on it. I miss the whole $25 CD that they've had in past years. Oh well, it may be pricey to me but it's worth it for the tradition of it all. Maybe next year I'll just stick with the 5x7 and get really close and personal with Kinko's photo printing machines though. :)

So, coupled with some wintery shots from Leavenworth and my favorite 3D shot of Owen, I compiled our virtual Christmas card to send around to our family & friends.

Happy Holidays everyone... from our family to yours!

32 Weeks

How far along?: 32w3d

Total weight gain: 21-22 pounds

How big is baby?: About the size of a squash or large jicama (approx. 3.5 pounds & 16.7 inches)

Maternity clothes?: Yes, anything to increase my comfort level at this point is welcomed. :)

Stretch marks?: No new ones, but the old ones are stretching a tiny bit.

Sleep?: Horrendous. I'm so uncomfortable, I'm peeing all the time, and having contractions strong enough to wake me up and keep me up. :(

Best moment this week? Having the whole family at Owen's checkup appointment. Hubby came... that's a first (or second this pregnancy actually...)

Movement?: Depends on the day. Sometimes he's really quiet and other times he's all over the place.

Food cravings?: Not really cravings. I only eat when I'm hungry and pretty much stick to the same foods every day.

Labor signs?: Yes and no. I have had a lot of contractions starting this week and they are strong enough to me that they don't feel like Braxton Hicks. They did a fetal fibronectin test on me yesterday to make sure I'm not at risk to go into labor within the next 2 weeks. Hoping no news is good news.

Belly button in or out?: Mostly in, but part of it is starting to puff out a little.

What I miss: Sleep... and unswollen feet.

What I'm looking forward to: Preparing for Owen and getting our ducks in a row before he gets here (yes, I'm nesting...). In addition to the obvious of giving birth and meeting him...

Weekly Wisdom: Do kick counts and keep an eye on contractions. If you have more than you think you should, try drinking more water & emptying your bladder first. Or go for a walk. If none of those work and you are still concerned, call your doctor.

Milestone: See more in the details of my midwife appointment below. BBC says that I'll be gaining about a pound a week and around half of that will be going straight to the baby. The baby will gain about half it's body weight over the next 7 weeks. Fingernails, toenails, and hair are present. In addition, I started lactating this week... yeah, really??

I had my visit with my midwife yesterday for this 2 week period. Everything looks good as far as Owen is concerned. He's growing right on track, I'm measuring at about 29-30 weeks right now according to her measurements, and his heartrate was a steady 150-ish BPM. I also had my first cervical check this week. Normally they are not performed this early, but I've had a lot of strong contractions with a mild pattern in addition to lots of discharge and all around tightness & discomfort in my belly over the last week. It was enough to slightly alarm them though not out of the normal realm, but with the fact that I'm still 5 weeks from being considered "full term", they felt that for my peace of mind and theirs that it was a warranted check. I'm luckily not dilated and my cervix is still relatively high, but I am thinning out. She said I have about 1cm of thickness left. They also performed a fetal fibronectin (FFN) test on me to check if I'm at an elevated risk for pre-term labor within the next 2 weeks. I'm assuming that no news is good news and I've not heard anything back yet. Despite not being terribly concerned at this point, I do need to keep an eye on my contractions (I'm getting them every day/night) and continue to report to them. In addition, they are putting me on 1000mg of calcium magnesium daily to help keep the contractions at a minimum and have also told me that I need to take it easy and rest more. Obviously it will be hard with two kids so we all need my hubby and others to step up and help as much as possible. Bedrest isn't in the equation yet, but we all know how unpredictable things can be so you never know what it could be like next week. Other than that, everything is going along well and we are counting down the days until I'm full-term on January 17th. Obviously we would like him to cook longer than that, but at least at that point if he does come it will be a lot safer.

In addition to the contractions, or maybe it's just in conjunction with them, I started lactating this week. Weird, right? It may be completely normal for some, but for me it's just not. I never had that issue with either of my previous pregnancies despite my attempts with Jayden at natural methods to bring on labor after 38 weeks, one of which being nipple stimulation. Even then I couldn't get anything out of my boobs. Now? I have a contraction and they are like leaky faucets! WTF?? This has been going on for at least the last week... I woke up due to a really strong contraction and had this tingly feeling in my breasts like my milk was letting down, so I got up and went into the bathroom and, sure enough, I'm leaking from both sides! I know that it could still be many weeks before Owen comes, but all these weird symptoms are making me second guess things and make me nervous about him coming before he's truly ready. I just pray he keeps baking!!

Motorcycles & A Mouse

Jayden had his 3rd birthday party last Saturday, December 11th. Ever since his daycare friend, Jerilynn, had her party there back in May, Jayden has been BEGGING us to have his birthday there and play. I always told myself that once he got to the age where he could tell me that he wanted to do something specific for his birthday party (venue, theme, whatever...) that we would listen and try our hardest to deliver. He LOVED his party as did the other kids. We tried to keep it small due to the cost especially around Christmas, but he's got lots of family and lots of friends so we ended up having quite a few people there both adults and children alike. His Harley Davidson motorcycle theme was a definite hit with him as he LOVES motorcycles right now. We had lots of pizza, soda, cake, & ice cream in addition to a show birthday show with Chuck E Cheese and lots of playtime for the kids. Jayden even got to go in their "Ticket Blaster" since he was the "birthday boy"... now there's a story there if you want one.

They shut you in this tube thing and there's tickets that blow upwards from the floor that you can catch. You then can "cash" the tickets in for goodies & prizes. They put the goggles on for Jayden and started it up... he just sat there with a blank look on his face like "What the heck am I supposed to be doing??". We kept telling him to grab at the tickets but he was still unsure. Then all of a sudden he just got totally freaked out, slammed himself up against the plexiglass, and started crying. Obviously they let him out but I have to say that it was actually kind of funny. Aaron got it on video on his phone so if I can ever get my hands on it, I'll share it with you. He got some "courtesy" tickets and then went back to his business... as did everyone else. Trying to open gifts was crazy and at one point we just decided we'd take them home and open them there as people were leaving or off playing and we just couldn't track them down. Jayden apparently had something else in mind and started right in to the presents anyway. He's definitely got the whole opening gifts thing down so Christmas should be a sight to see. :)

Let me just say this... as nice as it was not worrying about it being at my place or someone else's home where we need to clean and decorate, I'm not sure I'm ready for another party at Chuck E Cheese anytime soon. Trying to organize and corral a bunch of kids to do cake & presents when I'm 8 months pregnant is a disaster and I know I turned into an evil, hormonal basket-case at some point. Not to mention that Aaron and I dropped over $200 on his party. My advice?? Unless you have a small group of people, I'd wait until the kids are a little older for a Chuck E Cheese party. I'd be more than happy to host a party at my place to save myself a few hundred bucks and some gray hairs around the holidays. :)

Despite it not being as enjoyable for me, Jayden loved it and that's all that matters. Here are some pictures from our chaos-filled birthday adventure...

Miscellaneous party pictures

Jayden in the now "infamous" Ticket Blaster

His Harley cake

PRESENTS!!

Jay & Jax Updates

Today I had to take both boys to the doctor. Primarily for Jayden's planned 3 year old well child check-up with a secondary check on some GI issues for Jaxson.

Ever since Jaxson weaned himself from the breast at 4 months old, he's had issues with constipation. We've tried everything!! When he was a baby, he was having episodes almost every month or two. There's nothing more wrenching than watching your baby writhe around in pain while you helplessly try to find a magic cure-all for his/her pain. It's absolutely terrible. We tried Miralax, assorted juices, enemas, laxatives, etc. Everything you can think of. Then we decided to take him off of regular cow's milk and switch to soy. That worked for a while and then soy gave him diarrhea, so we switched to almond milk. Everything was temporary. Just when we thought something was working, he'd have another episode and throw our thinking off.

Over the last 3-4 days, Jaxson has been unable to have a bowel movement. He'd have a like a skid mark here or there in his diaper, but no real poos. Just last week, he had diarrhea so bad it was leaking out of his diaper and running down his legs. I mean...one extreme to another. It's like some magic equation of trying to figure out how to get this kid to poop normal. It started getting really bad on Saturday... his belly was bloated, he was semi-lethargic, and he'd whimper and whine because of the pain. He'd try to go and... nothing. Yesterday, my mom came over to watch the boys while Aaron and I went shopping for our new minivan (that will be another story once we actually find one we want to purchase which we may have, but car sales are a b*tch to say the least...). The next thing I know, I have a barrage of phone calls from my mom and my MIL who was summoned over to help out an ailing Jaxson. Later that afternoon I got home and both grandmas were terribly worried, telling Aaron and I horror stories about family history of colon issues, GI issues, allergies, etc. Moms are good at worrying excessively and it was obvious that both were extremely stressed out and worried about Jaxson's condition, especially since Aaron had spent a lot of time at Children's Hospital as a child due to various ailments and my own grandmother died from a bowel/intestinal obstruction which caused septic shock. I even remember a conversation I'd had on the day that she passed with the nurse that the pain from the intestinal issues is one of the most painful ways to go. Imagining my not-even-two-year-old going through something similar on repeated occasions made me feel ill. While I seemed cool and collected on the outside, I was also internally freaking out. Despite telling them that I'd called the doctor Saturday night and would ask again at today's appointment, we all just had a nagging feeling something just wasn't right. It wasn't normal. He just wanted to be held, wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink, and had a slight fever. Not long after my MIL and mom had left to go home, Jaxson started having more episodes. An "episode" for Jaxson consists of becoming completely rigid, falling to the ground while curling up into a fetal position, crying and screaming. Hearing my child wail back at me, "Mama! Mama! It hurts! It hurts!" is enough to make me want to cry, scoop him up in my arms, and tap him with a magic wand to make it go away. But it doesn't work that way. Everything we'd been told to try would take days to help him pass the blockage. Days. How could I let him suffer like that for days?

Finally after having fits every 15-20 minutes for close to 2 hours and numerous calls to the doctor in addition to 16 ounces of prune & apple juice mixed with Miralax, he had one last fit (followed by spontaneous, flood gate vomiting down both him and my husband 15 minutes later). Let's just say that it isn't "normal" and it's just not okay for your child to strain so hard to poop that he turns bright red, breaks out in a sweat all over his body, and vomits while crying for his mama. I scooped him up and rocked him... his body just so exhausted from something as simple as going to the bathroom. I'll tell you, though, that I've never been so relieved to see poop in my life. I won't describe what it looked like, how much there was or anything like that, but suffice it to say that it wasn't "normal". After another call to worried grandmas (who were both in tears) and the doctor we were assured that despite what seemed really severe, he'd finally gotten over the worst and didn't need an ER visit, but needed prompt follow up in the morning. So, this morning we took him in and I demanded that something needed to be done. This whole "slow transit constipation" thing is complete crap (no pun intended). It may be normal for kids to be constipated occasionally, but at this point we were all in agreement that there's nothing "normal" about the severity of Jaxson's condition, especially the fact that he can now physically tell us that he's in pain. So, we now have a referral to a GI specialist at Children's Hospital in Seattle. We are waiting for the referral to be approved so that we can set up an appointment soon. As for today, he's finally over this hurdle and back to his regular self. We've been told to cut all dairy from his diet (he's not going to like giving up cheese), keep him on apple juice & prune juice, and try to increase fiber wherever we can to keep recurrences down to a minimum. I just pray that they can figure out what it is that's causing this and what we can do to fix it. To think this could be a lifelong problem for our little boy is just so sad...

On a lighter note, we had Jayden checked for his normal 3 year visit and, as usual, the kid is a tank!! They checked all his vitals (he got his blood pressure taken for the first time and was not too excited about it until they did it to me first... then he thought that it was pretty cool). All is good on that front. He's a normal, healthy 3 year old! Yay! :) Next hurdle is, hopefully, potty training. I got the A-okay to start bribing him with candy so he will go in the toilet. I've tried everything else and except for the occasional decision to run to the potty, he seems to be content to do his business in a diaper. Ugh.

Anyway, here are Jayden's 3 year stats:
Weight: 39 pounds (95th percentile)
Height: 42.5 inches (99th percentile)

...yes, you read that right. My just turned 3 year old is almost 3 feet & 7 inches tall. He's completely outgrown all 3T clothing and is in 4T and 5T depending on style/brand. And just because I've been asked this all of 50 times in the last week... YES, I swear on my life that he truly is only 3 years old. I'd know. I gave birth to him. :)

Three.

Three years. Three. Already? It's crazy and unfathomable to look back on today and realize that three years ago I was, at this hour, almost 11 hours into my 17+ hour labor and getting ready to leave for the hospital in order to have my first baby.

Every birth is important and special in its own way, but the birth of my firstborn is something I reflect on heavily. I remember like yesterday how significant this moment was for me. How long I had waited for this day...all my dreams from childhood about becoming a mom, playing pretend with my dollies, and how I had anticipated what this day would really be like for me. Everything just culminating from a dream into reality. I was excited, nervous, probably screaming for pain relief and praying that they would admit me to the hospital this time instead of sending me home like they'd done once before. I was ready. I wanted to meet my baby. I'd spent the last 40 weeks and 4 days nurturing my unborn child in my womb, feeling his kicks & hiccups; connecting to him in ways I'd previously thought impossible to experience. This was finally my moment. And in just a few short hours, I'd get the chance to nurture him on the outside, to see his precious face and comb over every detail: Did he look like me or Aaron? How big would he be at birth? Did he have all ten fingers and ten toes?

At 5:51pm on December 8, 2007, three years ago today, I laid eyes on my son for the first time. I remember the feeling of reaching down to help my doctor deliver him and lay him-- warm, wet, and screaming-- on my bare chest. I remember kissing the top of his cute blond-fuzzed head, happy tears streaming down my cheeks, telling him how much I loved him and just how handsome he was. I remember his big blue eyes staring back into mine like he knew in that instant that I was his mother. That moment could have lasted forever... and in ways it still does. I still remember exactly how I felt. I remember the first words out of my mouth as I first touched and held him. I remember the newborn baby smell. I still feel the warmth from his body clutched against mine & my lips firmly placed on his cute baby cheeks.

Three years. Three. I will never forget this moment... My first picture as a mother. My first picture holding my precious son. Just looking at this picture and reliving the pride, joy, & love I felt brings tears to my eyes.

I also remember this moment: bringing our new baby home for the first time. I remember the desire & impulse to buy that baby outfit with Aaron while we were in college because I couldn't get over how cute it was. I just held onto it for when we'd have a baby to put it on and thought of how adorable my baby would look in it... and cute he was (and still is). I remember how he snuggled quietly in my arms until the exact moment I placed him in the bassinet to take his newborn pictures and then he screamed and cried from being put down and having lights flash in his face. Not that I blame him...

Over the years it has been such a joy to watch him learn and grow. It's amazing to me to think that, in what seems like the blink of an eye, he's gone from a newborn to an independent toddler. He's my all boy, rough & tough, motorcycle-loving, pretend superhero who is currently scared of the dark and has to "hide" from the monsters under the covers. A textbook Daddy's Boy who still reserves Mom for special occasions like when he's sick or wants big hugs & eskimo kisses at bedtime and who likes to blow raspberries on and talk to his "Baby Owen" growing in my belly. The same boy who likes to inspire his younger brother to run around the house naked with him while having Nerf sword fights and jumping off couches. From the days of singing sweet lullabies like "You Are My Sunshine" while rocking him, often staring at him in his peaceful slumber with a smile on my face to reading "Pout Pout Fish" and alphabet books before tucking him in to his sports themed "big boy" bed. So much has changed in three short years and I know that so much more will change in three more.

From his first birthday...

...to his second...

...and now his third.

Three years old. Three. So hard to believe. My ever so handsome baby boy growing up before my eyes so fast that I have to constantly remind myself to stop and cherish each moment so I don't forget.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Jayden Ezra. You don't even know how much love & joy you have brought to my life-- how much more meaning you have given my existence. I'm so glad that God knows best and blessed me with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of being your Mother. I am so proud of the big boy you are becoming and I am excited to continue watching you grow. No matter how big you get, though, you will always hold my heart and you will always be my beautiful blue-eyed "Punky" baby-- my firstborn child, my firstborn son. It's truly a place that can't be replaced by anyone. Thank you for making dreams come true that I never knew existed.

I love you to the moon and back...

31 Weeks

How far along?: 31w1d

Total weight gain: About 21-22 pounds. I gained a lot this week. :(

How big is baby?: About the size of a squash & weight of 4 navel oranges (16 inches & 3.5 pounds).

Maternity clothes?: Not today, but yes on most days. Depending on the outfit, it's interchangable.

Stretch marks?: No new ones, but the old ones are red & starting to stretch. :( Boo!

Sleep?: Eh. It's overrated, right? It would be better without my sides going numb.

Best moment this week?: Uh... best was also the worst. Vacationing with 2 toddlers? Enough said.

Movement?: He's been practicing his kickboxing today apparently.

Food cravings?: Daily menu is ham, bacon & grilled pepper breakfast burrito. Lunch is PB&J and a Wild Cherry Pepsi. Dinner is Tums... lol.

Labor signs?: I had some really, really strong BH today but nothing consistent.

Belly button in or out?: In, but definitely flattening.

What I miss: Sleep.

What I'm looking forward to: Sleep. And being past the holidays. This time of year is too chaotic for me... add looking for a new place & new car to the mix along with nesting?? Yeah, I'm absolutely batty.

Weekly Wisdom: I'll get back to you on this one. I'm fresh out of wisdom this week.

Milestone: I broke out my Pilates ball this week... I need some relief from the sciatica. BabyCenter says that Owen should be hitting a growth spurt this week... hopefully that explains why my scale hates me all of a sudden. :/

The Newest Obsession...

...for my kids, that is. Jaxson, especially, needed a distraction quite a bit of the time on our vacation as he was just cranky half the time. I'm not sure how my younger brother, Ramzani, found these videos on YouTube but once he did it was instant entertainment for hours. Needless to say we listened to it on Aaron's Droid phone half the trip and it has now been converted to being watched on our computer...


Quite catchy actually, but definitely obnoxious after the 50th time...


The Gummy Bear Song
Nuki Nuki