It's A.......

Yesterday was our official 20 week'ish ultrasound.  (I am actually 22 weeks today.)  All baby systems looked good:  spinal cord is "beautiful" according to the technician, two arms and two legs, functioning kidneys and bladder, and the skull looks normal.

The baby is 1 pound and is in the 41 st percentile for growth.  At 21 weeks and 6 days (calculated by my ob), the baby is measuring 22 weeks and 1 day.  We're right on track for growth and development.

Then the money question....what is the gender????  Mother's intuition once again failed me.  My ob's prediction failed me.  My mom's prediction failed me.  Yes, we are having another one...a BOY!!!!!  Claire (the dog) and I are soon to be outnumbered by testosterone and raised toilet seats.  All in all, kind of lucky for me because I couldn't create a french braid to save my life!!

Now we have some direction for working on a name---our next hurdle.  Any suggestions? 

St. Thomas--Our Beach Boy

Last night we got back from our week-long trip to St. Thomas.  Jack went along this year and we had a great time.  We stayed in a villa (condo), which is much more tolerable with children than a traditional hotel room due to two bedrooms, 2 baths, living room, and full kitchen.  This vacation was much less of a disaster than Mexico two years ago with a standard hotel room, a six month old in a crib, and Ben and I in bed by 8:30 with all the lights turned off and the TV on so low you can even hear it!

As it turns out, our boy is a "Beach Boy", as he calls himself.  He LOVED the beach and sand.  Given the choice between picking the pool or beach, he always went with the beach.  We also rented a Jeep Wrangler which he LOVED.  With the windows pulled off the side, he could have the wind blowing through his hair and still be outside.  He's requesting that we buy one back at home...

It was interesting and entertaining to spend a solid week with him.  Last summer we took a week here at home to spend it at the lake with him, but we always have some sort of family around and we probably hired a teenage babysitter for a night so we could go out to dinner.  Not this vacation....it was pure Mommy, Daddy, and Jack uninterrupted time.  Some of the things that he says are hilarious.  Ben and I have to laugh behind our hands so he doesn't see our reactions, as that eggs him on.  Some of the things that he does are downright infuriating.  I guess you have to take the good with the bad...

This was a great vacation...but a different vacation.  Better than the Mexico fiasco.  Better than last year when we left him with Mimi and Pop and went by ourselves because we missed him terribly.  One thing we've learned and talked about extensively is that a vacation with your kids is not really relaxing.  You always have to be on your game.  We were up by 6:30 Island Time every morning (5:30 here before the time change).  You don't sit in a lounger, sip a drink, and immerse yourself in a good book.  You spend the time running after your kid, saying "don't do that", and playing with them.  Great vacation, but I may be more tired than when I left!  One bonus...our unit had full laundry facilities, so no dirties when we got home.  The laundry queen can retire for a few days:)

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

Do you ever wonder where your kids come up with some of the things that they say?  Do you wonder who they're telling your business to?  It seems that I have a child who not only likes to chat, but sometimes embellishes stories too.

So, Jack and I are hanging out at my parents one afternoon last week after I got off work.  He and I are both laying on the floor talking to them.  He said to me, "Mimi, mommy, mimi, I mean Mommy". (He gets my mom's and my names mixed up sometimes.)  So, I asked him what my real name is.  He said, "Mommy".  I then asked him what my real, first name was.  He couldn't remember.  My mom asked if my first name was Ben, Tom, or Bryan.  He replied no to all three.

My mom then told him that she would give him a hint.  She asked the million dollar question, "What does your Daddy call your Mommy?" (Meanwhile, I'm thinking "oh, crap!" on this one.  I knew that it would be a wild card on what would come out of his mouth.)  Sure enough, he didn't disappoint.  His reply was an emphatic, "Sugar!".  

Now, anyone who knows Ben knows that he would NEVER call me Sugar.  I don't know where this kid gets it...I suppose Sugar is more complimentary than some of the other things he could have come up with...

Come to find out that earlier that day he told my parents that Ben kisses me on the lips and then demonstrated it.  Needless to say, I rushed home to tell Ben the whole story in a very hushed voice and then read him the riot act about watching what he says AND does.  Even when you don't think Jack's paying attention, the little sponge is absorbing EVERYTHING!  You never know who he's going to tell it to, and when he does, it could be a bit embellished or skewed!

Registering/ Touring Preschool

Today Jack and I checked out his preschool for next year.  He will be attending the older three's class which meets three days a week starting the day after Labor Day.  Jack's favorite part of the tour was not the classrooms and all the talk about the learning opportunities, but the full-sized gymnasium and the large outdoor play area with tons of playground equipment!  We are very excited to get him started in his big boy school and I think that he is too!  The one hang up is that he REALLY wants to ride the bus.  First of all, no bus service is offered to preschool.  Second, I would NOT put my three year old on a bus.  He doesn't care though...in his mind, big kids ride buses and any of you that know Jack know that he THINKS he is a big kid!

I can't believe how involved preschool is!  I was reading the Parent Handbook this afternoon.  We have an ice cream social in August, 2 parent-teacher conferences during the year, and field trips (where he has to wear his special shirt that is issued to him ahead of time).

Don't get me wrong...I think that sending him to preschool is probably the best thing that we can do at this point.  Until the end of last November, he was the only grandchild on both sides and, of course, our only child as well.  His life is about to change dramatically with the addition of our new baby and by spending more time with Quinn (aka "Cookie") and Christopher this summer.  I have to say, I wonder how the time has passed us by so quickly...I'm feeling a little sad to be sending my little man off to spend time elsewhere.  It's funny to realize that he's going to have a life outside of our little family.  I know that this sounds totally silly...but I can kind of sympathize with Moms who experience the empty nest syndrome when their kids go off to college.  I know he's not moving 2 hours away, but the other side of Fremont is far enough for now!

Three Successful Nights!

I have to brag about my son...It's now been three nights (tonight is number 4) that he's gone to bed in his big boy underwear and not had any accidents.  I hesitate to go on about this, as I am paranoid that I will jinx the whole thing.  Tonight, he is wearing his new Mickey Mouse/ Donald Duck PJ's that he got as a big reward for being such a big boy. When did my little boy grow up and become a little man?????  It seems like just yesterday that he was a baby!

As an update, I have been asking Jack if he wants a brother or sister.  Each time his reply is, "Just a baby, Mommy!".  Maybe it's a good lesson for all of us that we shouldn't be so obsessed with gender, but rather health and well-being.

Big Brother, Jack!

I am way behind on blogging...one entry for the month of November is stinky.  I had to come out of the gates with something good to impress, so here it is:  It's true...Jack is going to be a big brother!  On or around July 17th, we will be welcoming a new member into the family.  I am trying to sell Jack on the idea of a sibling.  When I first asked him if he wanted to be a big brother, he enthusiastically replied, "No way!".  I have been telling him about how cool it will be to be the big man in the house and all of the things that he can teach the baby.  Now when I ask him, he says "Okay".  Maybe we're getting somewhere.

I was hoping to avoid the nausea that I experienced when pregnant with Jack, but no luck...it's here in full force.  I am also pretty tired.  Through all of the first trimester stuff, I always find the nausea a little comforting, as I feel that I know everything is okay if I feel sick.  Kind of strange, maybe.  Ben has been doing a great job, pitching in extra with laundry, meal prep, and early morning Jack duty.  He gets the Gold Star!

Jack continues to thrive and do well.  Each day his vocabulary expands.  He routinely makes four word sentences.  We have had a few five word ones.  Last week while riding in the car, he said, "I read books to babies to make Amy happy".  Nine words!  I could hardly believe it.  More importantly, though, I was focusing on the meaning.  Amy is Aunt Amy, Ben's sister.  She is currently pregnant with twins and due any day now.  He is excited about her babies and also concerned about making Aunt Amy happy.  Hopefully, he can slide into his new role as cousin and help his transition to big brother be a little smoother.

Trick-or-Treat 2008

Trick-or-Treat 2008 was a giant success!  This is the first year that Curious George aka Jack has really known what was going on.  All day Friday we practiced how we were going to knock on doors and what we were going to say.  To say that he was excited would be an understatement.  He started asking to go around 10:30 am.

George didn't want to put on his costume, but once he did, he didn't want to take it off.  He pranced around the house saying "I am George!".  First, we went to Mimi and Pop's.  He filled his basket with plain M & M's and the Matchbox car set of emergency vehicles.  Then he went next door to Judy and Al's where he scored a John Deere tractor (even one he didn't have in his extensive collection yet---bonus!!!).  BTW, gotta love those folks who don't load your kid up with candy---thank you. Next we headed out towards home and hit up Aunt Amy.  She was waiting with a special goodie bag.  We ended our night at Ken and Jeanne's  house for dinner.  Jeanne made a great dinner for us and Ken (aka "K" to Jack) fed Jack about fourteen cookies.  A great time was had by all.  Boppo and Nana (Ben's parents) didn't make it up in time from VW for Friday night, so Jack got to dress up again on Saturday and visit them.  Who knew Halloween could be so exhausting!