Bird House Box

Occasionally, out of the blue, Josh will repeat "Bird!  House!  Box!".  It is with a fearful look and much drama that these words are repeated.  He looks over at me for reassurance and points to the kitchen.  He is clearly traumatized.  As was I.  I think all of us are traumatized.

I never knew that I feared birds.  But. I. do.  Apparently I fear them a lot.  I still feel shaky inside when I think about Bird House Box.

Across from our side door(if you live outside of Ohio read "back door") there is a HUGE vine.  It is on the side of our neighbors house.  It occupies dozens possibly hundreds of little birds.  They cheep and chatter all the time.  There is fluttering and a lot of fighting.  I've seen more than one wounded bird leaping away.  It is quite the hot spot.  Literally there is a vent or something that keeps it warm.

When Izzy was two weeks old and we were getting ready to go to the doctor for her check up, well that's when it happened.  Adam was helping me because I am a wuss and almost refuse to take Josh and another child anywhere.  Love that boy but he is a handful.

Adam came in through the side door when it made it's attack.  The bird flew right into my house.  My house with curtains, and couches, carpet, food, pictures, dishes, my BRAND NEW BABY, and my not so brand new BABY.

I hate bird poop.  Dad gets the 'cool' parking spot in Texas under the tree.  He also gets the bird poop.

After discovering that there was a bird in my house I screamed and screamed loud.  I screamed because I did not want to have disease icky bird poop in my house.  But also, a little part of my screamed because I swear the bird threatened me with its mind powers "I will pluck your eyes out and then poop on your babies!!!"

It then flew at me.  I swear.  In the kitchen it flew.  Around my food, my dishes, my sink that I clean and prepare my food around, my stove, my refrigerator.

By this time Adam, mountain man Adam, was there calm.  He said the bird had been in the house for a while and that he let it in.  Like it was a house cat we purchased together.  "It's just a bird.  I'll get it out in a little while.  Stop screaming."

Bird moved.  I screamed.  I panicked.  I hid my newest baby.  But my boy who I could not as easily hide I clutched to me.  Just like any momma bear would do.  I clutched and screamed.

He then screamed.  We screamed.  A lot.  I told Adam to get it with a box.

Adam realized that telling me to not scream wouldn't work.  We had to get the bird out.  I told him that I don't want any kind of bird in my house, including a dead one.  I said "Get a Box.  BOX BOX."

I was really scared.  It was flying around my kitchen.  Where I make food for my babies.


I thought I should help, should do something.  So I unclutched my son who then freaked out.  So I clutched him and screamed again.  It just felt right.  We found a box and threw it towards Adam who was in my wildlife preserve of a kitchen.

I tried so hard to help.  I got myself in the kitchen.  The terdy birdy was taunting me with its beady eyes and powers of flight.  It pooped.  Screaming lots of screaming.

Ultimately I tried to help but mostly damaged the hearing of my boys.  We ended up opening the window.  The bird did not fly out as hoped.  I tried desperately to help by shaking the curtains but was too scared by the pooping flying bird.

Hours later.  The open window trick.  Adam coaxing it alone.  Me in a corner clutching my babies.  praying.  Finally the bird, tossed out the window, flew away.

Josh is still pointing to the kitchen "Bird, House Box!"


Prologue.

I hate the birds that live in our neighbors vine.  The stupid icky pooping house invaders have not flown south for the winter.  I am terrified of leaving the side door open for any amount of time.  Why don't they fly south forever?  Why hasn't the freezing weather killed them?  Why don't they die?  I am severely temped to throw snowballs at the vine.  I've tried shouting "South! South!" at them but they ignore me. I hate them.  

Recipes

Here are some of my most recent yummy recipes.  That I love.

Portobello, broccoli, and red pepper melts

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Parmesan crusted pork chops

There have to be more.  I tried, and failed, to make homemade rolls.  Rhodes are still the way for me to go.  For now.  I think they would turn out better if I had a handy dandy Kitchen Aid or some kind of sturdy stand mixer or a hand mixer that wasn't dying a slow smelly death...

Church and blogging wierdness.

I went to church for the first time since Izzy was born.  I blog stalked the ladies in our ward who have blogs.  It was a way to try and still feel connected and socially relevant.  The ironic part is that when I saw these people at church I realized that most of them don't have a clue about who I am, but scarier they have no idea what I know about them. 


I suddenly felt as though I were a peeping tom or participating in some form of voyeurism.  If I was a religious commenter maybe some of these feelings would go away, but I still think that I was feeling like my online 'community' was a sham.  Only one of these blogs has stirred me into an actual face to face friendship.

I often forget that these platforms are really just a jumping point.  After that you need to make the connection, the in the flesh connection.  I need that.  They need that.

I left church feeling socially wary and awkward as anyone who misses six consecutive weeks would feel.  Except I knew things about people.  Things they didn't know that I knew.

The weird thing is that when I hear that people I don't know or barely know read my blog it doesn't bother me. I don't feel like I am especially exposed or exploited.  I understand that this is a public blog and that people are going to read it.  They may gain a greater insight into who I am or they may misinterpret my tone or way of being.  They may feel like they know me well when they meet or observe me or they may feel like they misjudged who I was.

I touch blogging

I'm still trying to figure out how to blog on my I touch. If I could just post pictures I would almost never go into the basement/ice locker. It has snowed non stop for three days. I threw a full on throw myself on the floor temper tantrum complete with crying this morning. The sun came out for a few minutes but the snow did not stop.

On another note I've noticed that since giving birth my social skills have taken a dive right along with my house cleaning and domestic skills. If you ask me what time it is apparently I have an uncontrollable vomit of the brain and must disclose some long drawn out story or two before answering you question. I became aware of this only recently, and noticed the intensity just yesterday. So I am now aware.

Also I want to blog about the bird in the house.

This blog post randomness is just am example of the ramblings that surround a sleep deprived hormonal new mom of three.

Titles

Here's a sampling of potential post titles:

What I learned in my 20's
I'm 30, now what...
Sick, sick, sick
Happy Thanksgiving
I get lost looking at her
When did Abby grow up?
Black Friday!!!
Yummy Recipes
Blindsided
Can you brush a baby's hair off?
Everybody poops, mommy cleans it up...
Stop Josh Stop
I love my I-touch

I'll probably post a few of these.  In the meantime here's some eye candy.

Izzy today.

Cheese Grommit

One of the greatest disapointments of my adult life is the low nutritional value of cheese.  I wish that I could count  cheese as a complete meal.  I just found out that cheese does not contain Vitamin D, even though milk and yogurt do.  Cheese is great, though.

 But it is fattening and has fairly low nutritional value, which is why it is usually counted more as a garnishment, or at best a side food.  Think how awesome it would be to have a piece of cheesecake and justify it because  it has cheese in it.  Or to eat a grilled cheese sandwich and justify all that butter because of the high nutritional content of the cheese.

This is on the eve of cheese leaving my diet.  Izzy has been fussy and I can just feel it beginning.  My other two children were allergic or whatever (read have massive explosive diarrhea episodes every couple of hours) to cheese.  Izzy isn't bad yet.  It usually peaks around 6-9 months and then slowly gets better.  I'm holding out for now.  Just slowly easing up on it.

I just wish that I could justify eating cheese as an entire meal and dessert because of it's incredible nutritional value.  I think I could do it atleast once a day.

Joshy

We took Josh to the doctor for his 2 year check.  He still hasn't grown since we've moved here.  He is in 3% for his age.  The doctor thinks that he might have the same constitutional growth delay that Adam had.  The other idea is that he might be HGH deficient.  Since we wouldn't start treatment until he is 4 or 5 she recommended giving him another year to try and grow.

She recommended pushing Vitamin D and Calcium to see if we can, I guess, encourage him to grow more.  The only problem is the kid hates milk.  A lot.  Even with loads of chocolate in it.  He doesn't even really like ice cream.  We already feed him everything fortified.  We started gummy vitamins.  I'm going to keep trying on the milk front.  He is super cute, super active and super smart.  And super small.

Grandma

This picture was taken right before we left for the hospital.  Abby was a mess.  She just cried and cried.  She held on to me and did everything that she could to stop me from leaving. I knew that she would be okay but it was really hard to let her go.  I didn't really know how long it would be before I would see but I knew that it wouldn't be too long and that she would be taken care of while I was gone.  I knew she would be okay and she was. 

My mommy left today.  I cried and cried.  I did everything I could to stop her from leaving.  But she left anyway.  Maybe she knows that I'll be okay and taken care of until we see each other again.  But just like Abby I wished she would have stayed.

Isabelle Ashley Clare Brown

Born 10-30-10  2:43 pm
Weight 7 lbs 12 oz
Length 19 inches

Stubborn Baby

So I tried to have a baby today.  Really really hard.  Cervadil last night/this morning and pitocin for 10 hours today.  Still no baby.  We are starting over with Cervadil tonight and will see what the morning brings.  Hopefully a baby.

Grrr

I no longer know how to post pictures to my blogger account.  I'm not a computer wizard.  The button should just work. 
Don't worry.  I'm not trying to post pictures of a baby or of me in labor. (eww you wouldn't want to see that last one anyway).  Just pictures because my blog seems dull without them.  The video of Josh climbing the van wouldn't take either.  That was a good one.  He's quite adventerous.

Pregnancy #3 is going to be a long rant.  But I don't feel like doing it right now.  It's fall and pretty so I should be in a good mood.  I want to make dinner and take the kids to the mall park and forget that I am pregnant at all. 

Adam is officially in panic mode for tests.  I think that all the guys are.  Soon his memory will rival an alzheimer's patient's and he will ask me things in another medical language.  I won't know but it won't matter.  His mind will find the answer to that and forget where the toilet paper is.  or his keys.  He will stop eating and sleeping and functioning as a human altogether and morph into 'podiatry student #xxx'.  I'm already anxious for two weeks from now. 

pregnancy part 1

I've tried not to obsess too much about being pregnant but now that I am at the pinnacle it is hard for me and others to ignore.  Badgered everyday by complete strangers advice and questions about my lady parts in addition to the very realistically excessive weight I am carrying around it is hard for it not to consume my whole world.  Plus a human is literally going to come out of me in a couple of weeks.  Very uhhh consuming. 

Subject #1 Old Men

Lately this old guy at Bally's with a thick european accent has been really weird around me.  First of all he is grandpa old.   Like he could be my grandpa or maybe even  my dad's grandpa old.  Second of all he embodies a lot of the things that makes me feel like an agist prick.  He smells like baby powder, oils his hair, gets to close, lacks basic social skills, anticipates that his every word will be taken as golden droplets of pure truth with the strength of super glue.  Third he tells me that pregnancy is sexy.

Old men, like as in more than 5 years (being generous here) older than me, should not say the word sexy.  Ever.  And young men, as in more than 5 years younger than me, should just think it is a word in Justin Timberlake songs.  This is a droplet of golden truth with the strength of super glue.

Anyway he does super annoying things that I can't really tell on him about.  I can't really complain to the management that he is old and used the word sexy.  I don't think that they could do anything but tell him that he bugs me, something I do with every ounce of body language; which is a lot these days. 

Today he told me that he thinks I work too hard.  Which means he watches me.  Ewww.  Then he told me that he thought another pregnant lady that is due in december, that he apparently stalks, is lazy.  She is still at the gym.  This made me mad.  Very very very very mad.  Like smash his face with my car mad. 

Just to be clear I don't participate in conversations with him.  He needs no eye contact or verbal cues to continue talking.  In fact he stands behind whatever weight machine I'm on and talks to me. 

It made me mad that based solely on his stalking and oldness factor he had the audacity to judge and compare me and someone else.  I've had an exceptionally good pregnancy.  If I had the capacity to enjoy pregnancy this would be the one to enjoy.  Second of all no pregnant lady in a gym can be lazy.  It's just not possible.  Even walking up stairs winds you.  It is almost impossible to be lazy as a pregnant person.  Third, he clearly has never done it.  Thank heavens he reminds me that he has never successfully procreated, which means that he also has never even helped someone else do it.  What a butt.   

Also he should never ever watch me.  He should just look at gym equipment.  Maybe use it.

Subject #2

Clothes suck during pregnancy. 

They are cute when you are in your second semester. 

Then your third trimester hits and you are the shape of that planet with rings and lots of moons all encompassed by skin.  That is all the hold me together is skin.  Who knew that pregnancy is so lumpy.  Nothing like the basketball that you shove under your shirt when you are trying to scare your husband before you have kids.  Really much more like a planet surrounded by rings and moons held together under a stretched out zebra looking type of skin.

Clothing manufacter's don't know how to dress saturn/venus mixed bodies.  They don't.  So you can wear a heavy tent that still doesn't cover everything or you can wear clothes that are more normal that don't cover everything...

Today I got a little crazy.  Normally I do the mirror check and I change clothes a few times.  Even then it's barely tolerable.  Today I was in a big hurry so I did not do a mirror check.  I wore maternity pants with Adam's polo.  I thought that it would be okay.   I looked exactly like a planet with rings and lots of moons.  I could be a poster child for teens to not get pregnant.  "Look you have to dress ugly while you are pregnant.  Don't have sex!"

I'm having an even harder time this pregnancy because I really don't want to spend any money clothes that I am going to wear for just a few months.  I have a maternity wardrobe I shouldn't have to buy more clothes.  But nothing fits.  Nothing.  Even when I go to the store to buy things they either fall right off or show every detail that would shame even an astrologer.  I'm not naturally modest either.  Sorry world.  Look for me at that Walmart shame website.

Benign Terrorism

Some of you know that I have a passive-aggressive streak.  For instance this past summer as Adam and I were folding clothes my darling husband came out with an outrageous accusation.  He accused me of intentionally loading all of his clothes with the old dryer sheets.  He complained that it seemed to him that he was the only one who had dryer sheets in his clothes. 

It was such a genius idea.  It is so cathartic to put old dryer sheets in his socks or pockets, sleeves.  I've tried to find places where he won't notice them until lunch or have a friend pluck one from the back of his shirt.  Very cathartic when more random and untrue accusations come my way...or just when I am upset but not enough to really say anything...or when he couldn't do anything to change it anyway.  Harmless most days.  Other days it might send him into a sneaky hate spiral *this particular post does contain "language"*

Anyway you get the point.  I have a passive aggressive side.

So I've decided that my GPS is controlled by non-commital terrorists.  The less passionate part of terrorism that doesn't make it into the news.  They hate, they have opinions, but they don't want to waste their energy or voice trying to get their message out there.  Too much effort. 

Instead they made their own generic GPS brand at a slightly cheaper rate so that suckers like me would use them.  I have a mio.  The mio is a great passive aggressive tool. 

First of all I'm convinced that the randomly red/green satelite tracker is a camera.  When the said terrorist cannot see my face the satelite will go out and require re-adjustment.  This give the viewer optimal viewage of my frusteration.

The next step just depends on how much time my GPS terrorist has. 

Sometimes they will take me a very direct route only to have me make a perfect 1 mile square around my required destination causing me to be late even if I leave 1/2 hour early.  Ofcourse this also give me 1 square mile to get lost on my own.  Also amusing.  Amusing to watch me continuing to make the same sequential right hand turns and then wait while the mio recalculates and has me go around the block again. 

When they have some time they can be very creative.  Avoiding all highways except toll roads, knowing from the hidden camera that I have .30 less than the required toll.  And ofcourse the toll does not lead me where I want to go.  I will have to turn around, or better yet take surface streets.

You know the streets where every crossroad is a stop sign.  And ofcourse it is late at night.  And some how I am in the dangerous part of cleveland when I needed to be closer to Akron.  Then the GPS recalculates and tells me that I am 20 miles from my destination.  Really I am 2 miles if I could just find the !@)#(*#%^) highway. 

The highway is also a wonderful tool.  Since you have to merge and take all sorts of not clearly marked highway signs (why don't they just say "This way is home"  It would be so much easier).  Cleveland loves to have 3 exits or merges all at once.  The GPS terrorists helped plan this part of Cleveland. 

It is highly satisfying to lead you to one of these junctions and then recalculate your route.  Or tell you to get off at the next exit.  There is an arrow that takes up the entire part of the picture that tells which exit to take.  You will never take the right one and it will take atleast 8 miles one way to turn around.  Highly enjoyable. 

Ofcourse then you get to the part where the user (me) tries to beat the GPS.  This is where they suddenly get smart.  I print off mapquest directions and use the GPS.  Just to prove that it is a piece of junk that does not deserve a spot on the windshield where I could be looking at a dead bug.  Or traffic.  This is where they start messing with the mileage and ETA.

I am obsessed with the mileage and ETA functions of the GPS.  I feel so good when I can make the ETA go down by one minute.  If I need to speed and cut off a cop it is worth it.  When it is a long trip and I can make it go down by like 20 minutes it is so rewarding.  I've decided that it is like the "close door" button on the elevator.  It's not real.  It's the GPS terrorists.

This is where their plan is so awesome.  If I follow the mapquest directions they add minutes and mileage.  Always.  They can sense my lack of confidence.  I begin to forgive the GPS.  Start to think that it is better than mapquest, or worse my own weak knowledge of Cleveland.  Clearly if I am adding beloved minutes and mileage then I should have just followed the GPS.

 I feel inferior and resolve to just trust the GPS that will tell me that my destination is another 1/4 mile ahead when it is clearly right there.  Right there on the side of the road, no really right there.   I can see it but maybe I'll get minutes and mileage if I go around the block again.

A T-Shirt for Josh

On the rare occasion that I leave Josh with someone else I am always very concerned for them.  And if they have small children, their children.  As I was saying goodbye to him on Friday for a much needed break I desperately wanted to warn the charming couple about my son.  I thought I should have made him a t-shirt so they would have it on hand. 

WARNING:
I throw food when I am done with it
I pour/fling drinks for fun, then cry for more
It's not an accident when I jump off the couch head first
Head wounds bleed a lot, but generally I'm okay
I climb the curtains.  I go down the tallest slide head first.
I don't wait for anyone.  I will jump of the side of anything.
I like to chase cars.  Shrek and Buzz Lightyear are my best friends.
If I poop once, then I will continue pooping every 30 minutes for a few hours.
I like to burp.  I open medicine bottles, any kind.
I like wallets.  I like the cards in the wallets.
I like heater vents.  I like to put things in the heater vents.  Like cards from your wallet
I will push every button, figurative and real. 
I pull Abby's hair when I am bored. 
I carry things as heavy as me, and then drop them when I see you.
I love to be chased.  I love to throw things away.  Especially things from your wallet.
I eat money.  I can dismantle a computer and unlock anything.
I love phones, and electronics.  They taste good.
I take saliva baths on my way to church.  For fun.
Sisters are for teasing.  I want you to feed me so that I can fling my (fill in the blank).
I have never ending boogers.  I always have. 
I eat fruit snacks non-stop through out the day.
I swing on doors.  I can tell when you have to go to the bathroom and will make every attempt to thwart you from the necessary action...

Nipple Chafing

So there have been a few things that have made me think of this.  First, Andy getting chafed nipples on this episode of "The Office".  Then a series of products advertised on runnesworld.  Finally, a whole article dedicated to male nipple chafing. 

I asked a few of Adam's podiatry buddy's if they had ever had nipple chaffage and they said they had.  Until these recent events I thought it was just a funny thing people said.  Not an actual problem. 

Now I am totally obsessed with what kind of nipple chafes.  Mine don't, and I've never heard of it reference to women before.  Adam's don't.  What makes a nipple chafe?  Do they have to be very pointy?  Is size a factor?  What about man boob syndrome?  Does that contribute?  Is it really related to t-shirt texture as so many guys claim? 

 I've heard that not even bandaids help. There are creams and all sorts of products related to this, but really besides going topless, they are going to chafe.  Or so it seems. 

This has also led me to the age-old debate about why do men have nipples in the first place.  If you suffer frome excessive nipple bleeding/chafing is removing them an option?  Can doctors create a fake nipple that doesn't bleed or cause pain?  Would insurance cover it?  I would lobby for insurance coverage of nipple replacement for extreme nipple chafing.  The alternative it seems is actually seeing a lot of man nipple.  I don't enjoy it.  And now I will forever wonder if they chafe.

Re-Do

I've been in the middle of rearranging our house.  We are making Joshy a room and making an office in the basement and rearranging furniture and painting and sewing and cleaning and accumulating and getting rid of and cooking and cleaning and rearranging and making space in our room for a little girl and going to dr's appointments and working out and going to school and church and school and church and school and church and school and one of us is napping.  That's right one.  Just one.  Pictures will follow soon.  Just not quite yet.

Joshy

Most of the time when I look at Joshy I see this:

After yesterday, and last night, and this morning I see this:



I still love him.  But this morning this is what I saw.

Josh at the park in Midland.

I

love

this

boy



One of my favorite pictures

This is another Labor Day weekend picture.  I really love it.  You can tell how excited they all are to be outside on a nice day.  To be free.  There was nothing there to hurt them and nothing there to scare them.  They could just go.  Without worry.  I haven't taken the time to just let my cares go like this.  It would feel so good.

Labor Day with the Wilson's

I should be making dinner for my kids but for the first time all day no one is crying. 

Last weekend we took a trip to Midland MI to see the Wilson's.  We were lucky enough that we were able to be there for Andrew's blessing too!  We had a ton of fun playing with our fun friends.  >Josh is now crying<

Abby's First Day of Kindergarten

This might look like an Eggo commercial but it is actually just what we ate for breakfast on Abby's first day of school.  I felt that it was important to document that we do eat breakfast.  This year.

Here is Abby leaving the house.  I was already crying.  I knew better than to wear mascara.  I actually cried before that first picture when I was packing her lunch.  Because she wasn't going to be eating lunch with me everyday.  Don't worry I stopped by and ate lunch with her everyday the first week...

Here she is humoring me before bounding into her kindergarten class.  I was inundated by both Abby and Miss Boodan saying "She can do it herself".  Ugghhh I thought I stopped babying Abby when Josh came along.  Guess I was wrong.

I love her and I miss her everyday.

He's Got the Look

Today I took Josh to CVS with me.  I was buying 15 boxes of kleenex and a bottle of dawn.  Sounds pretty straight forward right?   Nope.  First I had to chase him from aisle to aisle and made some superficial attempts at replacing the zillions of items he dumped to the ground after pronouncing it "cute".  I tried to get him to help with the Kleenex's with NO success.  Finally I trapped him in the basket and managed to stave off the head first dives with my arm as I pushed my basket to the front.  It's always in the checkout lane where humiliation really intensifies.  The clerk and I figured out that I picked out 6 wrong boxes for the coupons I was using.  Since there was no one in the line I jetted back with Josh "the human tongue" wriggling in my arms to get the correct boxes.  Somehow with his super tongue abilities he slipped out of my arms and with that look in his eyes he ran away squealing like a pig on speed.  I trotted after him, spaceship belly in tow.  Luckliy, I thought, he was headed for the clerk.  As she finished up my order, I chased after the greased pig with onlookers galore.  I finally caught him and jailed him in the basket and tried to load my hoards of kleenex's with him.  How naive am I?  Every bag that passed his jailed domain was stripped and the kleenex boxes chucked to the floor.  Some angel came and asked how she could help me.  I asked her to load the cart while I restrained Josh.  She even pushed the cart out to my car!  She was really apprecaited today.  20 feet was all it was but it saved me more humiliation and sweet time. 

I should...and my what a grouchy pregnant lady you are...

post about Abby's first day, but since I am not yet emotionally stable about the whole thing yet it will have to wait.  Don't worry about Abby though, she is doing great. 
Here I am in my last couple of months of pregnancy (supposedly) and I have already given up the drive to run.  Outside.  I haven't run for about two weeks now.  It feels like forever.  I take early morning walks much to the dismay of my husband and squeeze in atleast thirty minutes on the eliptical machines.  I thought atleast at the gym I would be free of comments.  I'm fairly good at ignoring the general population, smell included, of a gym.  But today some old guy came to the machine right next to me.  There were like 3 other available machines that he could have chosen that were not right next to me.  This was rule #1 that he broke.  Then he stared at me and began a conversation.  Rule #2 broken.  He then told me how great he thought it was that I was still going.  Like my heart and legs and brain are supposed to stop.  Like I am a terminaly ill patient.  Rule #3 broken.  He then decided to ask me how many other children I have and how far apart they are and my goodness how close they are!  His meandering sperm only managed to knock up 3 women in a space of 15 years!  How dare I in a committed relationship stumble upon 3 children in 5 years!  Well I certainly have my hands full and no wonder I am working out.  I really wanted to hurt this guy.  Really bad.  He broke every rule I have about going to the gym and being in public generally. I want a work out tech tee that boldly states "I HATE OLD MEN".

Buddy Walk 2010

This last Saturday the kids and I went to the 2010 Buddy Walk.  We walked with Sawyer's Soldiers, sponsoring a cute little boy who I taught in Nursery.  It was really fun.  We all walked around Progressive Field, jumped and slid on inflatible bounce houses, got tattoed, and face-painted.  They also served lunch.  It was a great time.

 

Abby and Emma during the walk.

Josh playing peekaboo during the walk.  He had already torn his shirt off.

5 days

I have 5 days until my daughter officially starts school.  5 days left of her wild curly hair and wild demeanor pooring through my house.  5 days left of temper tantrums, fights, and HUGE messes caused by her.  5 days left of her asking to help clean, cook, and play with Joshy.  5 days left of lunches together everyday.  5 days left of boredom together.  5 days left of spontaneous fun together.  5 days left together.

Forgiving Myself

I haven't blogged for a long time because I got behind.  And then I thought I needed to catch up.  And then things piled up.  I have a lot of pictures from Indiana and DC and being home.  We've had a blast swimming at the middleburgh heights pool and going to various parks around here and just being at home.  We have struggled with teething and allergies and tempter tantrums and doctor's appointments and dentist appointments.  We have gotten up early and slept in.  There.  I think I covered it.  I can now move on.

Most of the blogs I've wanted to write have been much more essay opinionated blogs.  Some of them have been shareable and others that will remain in the recesses of my brain.  Today, however, I wanted to share a few recipe's that my family LOVES.

We love penne rustica  (http://excellenteats.blogspot.com/2010/02/penne-rustica.html) and orange chicken and chicken enchiladas .    As always we love stromboli.  I made up my own grilled cheese and ham recipe.  You butter both sides of a peice of toast  grill one side of both pieces of bread and put ham on skillet and let it brown.  Flip them over, lightly spread spicy mustard on one peice add pepper jack cheese to the other slice and cheddar to the other and ham inbetween.  Smoosh them together after the bread is browned and enjoy!  You may want to keep Tums on hand for afterward...and own a treadmill for later that night when the guilt stops by.

Adam's first week off

We went all over northeast ohio during the first week and a half of Adam's break.  The zoo, the rainforest, Rocky River Reservation, the natural history museum to name a few.  It was nice to know our area better.

Broken Phone line

We came home on Saturday with a rude surprise.  A few actually.  We are without phone/internet until Thursday.  Something happened, we don't know what and it will take them that long to fix it.  So that's where I am.

Camping at Geneva State Park and other fun adventures

This last week we stuck close to cleveland but we did a lot of stuff.  We went to the RainForest at the Cleveland Zoo, which was really fun.  And ofcourse for our budding dino baby we went through the dino exhibit.  Josh loved each and every dinosaur taking time to examine each one.  Abby was excited to be squirted by the dino's that squirt water at you.  It was a hot day!
The next day we went to the Natural History Museum.  We spend ALL day there and still didn't see everything they had.  We really liked their dino section (for obvious Joshy reasons).  They also had a nice living history museum (little zoo) and a fun discovery zone.
On Wednesday we headed to Rocky River Reservation and walked all around this huge tundra.  It helped keep us cool and we had a beautiful bird's eye view of the Rocky River that empty's into Lake Erie.  We took Lainee with us on that trip and she had a blast chasing squirrels and chipmunks.  The kids both had fun chasing her. 
Thursday we stayed home and packed for our camping trip on Friday.  It was the first time that I can remember being at a campsite before dusk!  I love it!  We pitched our tent and headed over to Geneva State Park's Beach.  Wow!  I have to say it was wonderful.  The lake was clean and so was the beach.  I was worried about how hot it was until we dipped in and then everyone cooled right off.  We stayed until the ominous clouds in the sky and the lifegaurds chased us out.  We rinsed off and then headed to our friends campsite for some hot dogs.  Not much later it started to rain, heavily.  We didn't even get to make s'mores!  The rain came down and the floods came up and  needless to say our little campsite was flooded.  We ended up driving the hour home and sleeping in our own beds.  It was good too because we ended up with a flat tire.  The next morning after getting it fixed we headed back up to the state park.  Our friends, who braved the storm, told us that we had squatters on our campsite.  We talked to the park ranger and got a refund.  We spend the rest of the day at the beach.  The kids loved every minute of it and so did we.  So much in fact that we did not take a single picture.  We used floaties to surf the kid sized waves.   There was a long sandbar that was pefect for us to play in.  It was a great week!

Another Running Entry? Really?

Yep, really.  Anyway  I am definitely to the point in pregnancy where there are good days and bad days.  Just a week ago I took a leisurely 4.5 mile run.  It felt really great and I thought I could do it hours before going into labor.  Then there are days when I look at the floor from my bed and just will my body to move.  And nothing in the way of movement occurs. 
Today I accidently slept in.  We are dog sitting a beautiful mutt who loves to bark at the most inopportune moments.  Like right before I am getting ready to get my stuff on to go running.  She barked and barked and woke up Josh so instead of stealthily (ha ha like I could do that when I'm not pregnant nontheless toting around St Nick's stomach) slipping out the door I layed in bed and cuddled my baby.  And slept until 8.  instead of 6.  The big deal here is the temperature.  Ohio is by no means hot but since my core temp runs a little hotter now, plus the exertion of said St Nick Belly, I can't make myself run in temps above 75.  Plus my ob/gyn said not to.  It was only 2 degrees more than that when I finally headed out.  77 should be no biggy for a Texas native but today it stopped me in my tracks.  with a dog desperately trying to pull me forward.  I made it all of 1/3 mile.  And then headed home.  Too hot. 
I read Kristin Armstrong's latest post and wished for non-pregnant days.  Days when I am not sharing my body in one way or another.  Alone.  Where the only one who depends on my body is me.  Even just for a few hours, just me. I know that this will happen one day.  It just is a lot of days, months, and even years away.  

Weinee's

Last night Abby had a tee ball game.  I was there with Josh and he was busy.  He played catch with one of the dad's for a good while but when that lost his interest he moved on.  He moved on to an older gentleman and his wife who were watching their granddaughter play.  He walked over and played with this guys keys that were attached to his belt loop via a carribeaner.  I was right there, nervous, but as far as I could tell it was okay.  He went through each one of the keys with the Grandpa who seemed happy with the attention.  Tee ball is not a very exciting game.  Right as Josh seemed he was going to head off into another direction he got his pointy little finger and jammed it into this unsuspecting Grandpa's crotch and yelled "Weinee!!!"  I apologized and then said I was going to go die on the other side of the field.  And I did, trails of laughter from the victim and wife trailing after me.

Ultimate Direction Strider Women's Hydration Pack

I took that baby for a run this morning.  It's my new best friend.  Totally worth every penny I paid for it.  On another note I do not understand why people think that telling me their wild ferocious growling fanged large dog 'would never hurt anything' as it is lunging for anything with a heart beat should calm me down as I pass the strained 'walker'.  I feel like I should carry some sort of defense just in case the wild beast tears free of its captor...

Summer

At our house summer means tan lines.  Major tan lines. 

And...

Water.  Lots of water. 

Bob's House

Over the weekend I headed to Indiana with the kids for Bob's birthday.  Ironically I came back with no pictures of Bob.  Sorry Bob.  I took very few pictures, probably because I was constantly watching my punks. We all had a blast.  Matt and Kristy took us swimming and then to Pizza Hut.  Made me feel like a safe little kid again.  Reminded me of Daddy.  It was nice. 

On Bob's birthday we all went to church and then ate lunch and pretended to take naps.  Ha ha.  Then we had a big bbq with Gabe and Laura and family.  We heard a few fireworks and lit some fun sparklers.  Abby was pretty scared of them, in a delighted sort of way.  We sang to Bob and opened presents with Bob.  He was the man of the night.  What a cutie he is!  On Monday Abby cried because she was leaving her playmates.  She wanted to play more.  But Josh's tan was fading so we needed to head home on Monday.  Thanks everyone for such a great time! 

Picture Catch Up

Abby's Preschool Graduation.  Here she is with her friend Elizabeth.

This is the preschool love triangle.  Johnny loves Abby who loves Bobby who doesn't know that girls exist.

When they sang "You are my sunshine" Abby actually turned to Bobby and sang the whole song to him.

We went camping.  It was fun.  We didn't take very many pictures.  This was the best one.

Joshy's toenail fell off after he dropped the shovel on it.  Gross.  Adam informed me that it take an average of 9 months for a toenail to grow back.

The Laura Haynie's came to visit.  We had a great time.  Abby likes to dress for the opposite season.  It's a daily battle.

Abby with Kevin and Emelyn.  They are so cute!

My cute punks. 

Contemplation

This morning as I was pondering and thinking through parts of my life and I guess in a strange way seeking guidance I had an impression.  Strength grows where it needs too.  It may not sound profound but to me, this morning, it was.

Ultimate Direction Strider Women's Hydration Pack

That's fancy for fanny pack.  For a few years now I have been running with a $5 walmart run of the mill fanny pack.  It would be fine except for some fairly major problems.   The biggest problem is that the interior of the pack has been degrading since I bought it, leaving little bits of black plastic all over everything including my water bottle.  For the most part a good blowing off seems to get rid of the offending plastic.  The other problem is jiggle.  It is VERY jiggly.  I've become accostomed to it, but still it is obnoxious.  The third and final point is fit.  It doesn't fit very well at all.  Especially with a pregnant belly. 
So after YEARS of searching and hemming and hawing I finally decided to buy a new fanny pack.  I researched the different types online and decided on this fancy name in heading pack.  I ordered my $5 swagbucks gift card and sat and waited.  And waited. and waited.  and watched as my favorite colors were all sold out.  And then finally today even though my Amazon gift card has STILL not been delivered despite all of the confirmations and stuff I broke down and bought one of the last two.  Grey and blue.  But who cares?  I am sooo excited to finally have a pack that will not require blowing and wiping off my water bottle.  Where I do not scare off wildlife and other runners alike with my obnoxious jiggling sound.  And most of all I am excited for something that is made for women and can potentially navigate my baby belly a little better.  Can't wait to get it next week!  Just in time for my first attempt at 6 miles since I was pregnant with Joshy...

A new Post

I realized today that I am reading everyone else's blogs but not posting any of my own.  Even though there is a lot to say. 

Josh has really started to talk a lot and is even more proficient at climbing and running and all things physical.  Except growing.  He is only an inch or two bigger than when we left Texas and is still fitting in his 12 month clothes from last summer just fine.  He eats well and drinks a ton.  "Thirsty" was one of his first words and is his most often used phrase. He has started calling me Mommy which is absolutely fantastic.  I spend most of my life chasing Josh and saving his life.

Abby is currently in Safety School of Parma and Tee-Ball.  She likes them both.  I'm not really sure she is learning a lot at Safety School but she likes it because they get to see animals and movies.  She likes Tee Ball even though she is not very good yet.  I need to buy her a bat and a tee so she can practice at home.  She is SUPER excited for swim lessons to start next week and I am trying to decide if we should buy a swim pass.  The pools here are not zero grade and the kiddy pools are too young for Abby.  Decisions, decisions.  Abby is starting to ask me addition problems and is sort of acting more interested in reading on her own.  Mostly she just colors.  A lot.  It's all over the place.  Don't light a match in my house because it is mostly paper...

Adam is at school.  If he's not at school he's at church. If he's not at church then he's helping someone move.  If he's not helping someone move he's giving a blessing.  If he's not giving a blessing then he might be playing with his kids or watching Lost. 

I have been focused on keeping Josh alive (this is more than a full time job), driving Abby everywhere and fun places in between, and trying to stay fit.  I decided to up my mileage to atleast a 10k.  I am up to 5 miles on my long run so far.  This next month I'm going for 6 miles.  It's been so nice to run outside and be outside and love outside.  I feel great and less tired and healthier.  This new baby girl is starting to move a lot and complains when I twist.  She's going to be a handful, I can just feel it.  I'm pretty scared to have a third kid.  

Laura and her four kids drove up from Indy.  It was so nice to see them and to have company at our house.  I love all of them so much and it is nice to see them whenever I can.  I tried to spoil them but I think that Grandma Stearns beat me to the punch.  That's okay though we all still had a good time.  Laura also brought me some essential baby gear and maternity clothes!  What a blessing!  We really needed these items and I am so relieved to have them and know that they are good quality.  We are planning on getting together again soon with the Laura and Kristy Haynie families.  I can hardly wait! 

Grouchy Randomness

You know when you have been thinking too much.  People hear you talking to yourself and you find yourself mumbling about things that happened too long ago to care?  When you are pieved that the world changes, even if they are good changes because it means that you have to 'keep up' too.  When everything is hard, even things you love.  And you feel heavier.  I feel like complaining about everything.  and doing nothing.    And then crying.  A lot.  Go ahead and blame it on my hormones.  GO AHEAD.

It's been a while

I've been really tired at night, and in the afternoon and so mostly most of the time.  Imagine that right?  So it's been quite a while since I last blogged mostly because every waking moment hasn't been very often.  I have a ton to blog about but tonight it is just one simple thing.

We are expecting our HEALTHY little girl on October 24, 2010.

Zoo Field Trip

Niagara Falls

This is us at the top of the America Falls.

This is them looking over the American side of the Falls.  They are looking at Canada.

Still at the top.

Getting ready to ride 'Maid of the Mist'.  Josh refused to wear his plastic pancho. or his coat. 

This is toward the end of our ride.  We were headed back towards Amercia.  Our camera obviously had some water on the lens but it is a cute shot anyway.  It was a really fun trip for Adam and I.  I think that Abby and Josh were a little too young to appreciate it.  Josh cried most of the time.  They both wanted to go back to the hotel and swim some more.  Poor babies.  We just took them home.