Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Let's catch up shall we?

OK I've been MIA for way long.  Here is a recap of the last 10 months!

January:  Went out for a fun sibling night with my sister, brother and sister in law.  My sister teaches me how to "wobble", my brother introduces me to a hawaiian beer.  I have so much fun, and spend time recovering the next day.
The next week I get pregnant and can no longer drink or eat much at all.  I am glad I had that one last hurrah - but am beyond excited about giving Emmett a sibling, even if I am in "I'll believe it when I see it" mode.  Cautiously optimistic!

February:  I go to Mexico for work, which sucks because one of the things that makes me horribly nauseous is Mexican food.  I subsist for the week on two boxes of Clif Bars and a gallon-size bag of Cheeze-its.  Everyone there thinks I am insane because I am so picky about food (I tell them I do not eat seafood or red meat).  But at least they are nice about it.

March:  Another work trip to Mexico, this time my doctor prescribes Zofran.  It helps me eat a little, but not alot.  At least this time I stay in a Marriott so can get a cheese plate for dinner.  Colby Jack never tasted so good.

April:  We are impatient and get a gender peek ultrasound done.  The technician thinks it is a girl, and Emmett says "Baby swimming!" when he sees the baby on the screen.  I cry a little bit, as is par for the course when we find out anything baby related.  I start progesterone shots to prevent another early labor like with Emmett.   Every week I go to the doctor's office, wait 5-60 minutes (usually about 45) and get a shot in the rump which takes five seconds.
At the end of the month I attend a conference in FL and Mike flies down with Emmett to go to Disney World for a few days.  We have a GREAT time visiting with the friends we stay with in Tampa.  Emmett meets Mickey, Woody & Buzz, Donald and Goofy.  He thinks they are all real live movie stars.  We ride like two rides, eat hot dogs and ice cream and head home.


May:  Mother's day - we get cupcakes filled with pink frosting and announce to my family that we are having a little girl!

I sneak in a trip to Savannah with my high school girlfriends!

I borrow the church van and drive 12 drunk people to and from the Indy 500.  It is a blast until we need to leave and everyone needs to pee and has the attention span of my two year old.  Even then I know the stories will be good later so it's not too annoying ;) 


June:  The month of work travel.  I spend one week on the west coast, one week on the east coast, and one week in Europe (Amsterdam, rural Holland, Belgium and the UK, all in one week!)  In Amsterdam I buy tiny pink booties at a cute little shop.  I'm starting to feel better about food and even get down some Indian food in the UK.  

Our basement renovation starts at the beginning of the month, which includes closing off the upstairs den to make the much-hyped Big Boy Room for Emmett.

July:  The month of personal travel.  We head to Minneapolis over the 4th weekend, visit friends in southern Michigan and Mike goes to St Thomas to visit a friend from college.  I find a properly relaxed and boozed husband makes for a much better helper when new baby comes, so I am glad that he is getting some fun time. The only catch is that Emmett gets croup right before he leaves and is on steroids while he is gone.  Trying to prevent him from climbing everything we own is impossible with this hulked out kid - Mike comes home to a tired wife and child with new bruises from all the climbing and jumping.  We spend basically all weekend with my parents while he is gone - which is great.  Dad gets out some kites and we fly a kite with Emmett for the first time who is beyond excited.  "My kite!  Emmett's kite!" he yells, over and over.  I'm biased, but even on 'roids the kid is cute.


August:  We complete our last trip before baby, to Chicago for the weekend.  We take Emmett to the aquarium on the way to drop him off with the grandparents in Kenisha.

I have a great time doing a whole lot of nothing and eating at some of our favorite spots like Pequod's and the Bongo Room.  For the rest of the month, I try to relax and keep off my feet - Mike is SuperDad keeping Emmett busy and my parents help out a lot!  Operation Keep Baby In!  The basement renovation wraps up and my parents come over and paint the baby's room pink.  I can finally start working on getting the baby's room and house in shape once the workers are done!


September:  Over Labor Day the point passes where I had Emmett (34weeks, 4 days).  I am a bit spooked but make it through.  Lots of waiting for baby and organizing the house.  It is VERY organized by the end of the month.  I have contractions for the last full week of September, then deliver our little girl Clara on September 29th (that story to come!) only an hour after arriving at the hospital.


October is currently being spent feeding the baby, changing the baby, and trying to ensure that toys thrown by Emmett do not hit the baby.  So far the experience with a full term baby is crazy different than one with a preemie, and I am beyond grateful that I was able to get her to 38 weeks and 5 days! 

Friday, January 04, 2013

Indiana traditions

Ba and Neemaw help the grandkids pop a shot!

Tuesday, January 01, 2013

Bah humbug!

Well we are back from Christmas "break" and I'm more than slightly bah humbug about the whole thing. We had a great time but crammed in a lot and are exhausted. But here is a peekat the holiday card and some photos from the trips!