Jessica's Blog

When i spoke briefly to my mom on Sunday she told me that three bridges of the MacArthur maze had collapsed due to a tanker explosion.

I was annoyed and figured someone's head would roll, because it feels like just yesterday (but it was 1989... I know, I'm old) that they rebuild that freeway after Loma Prieta.  Many died.  It was horrible, and I remember it so well!  and that new ramp was supposed to withstand some serious seismic kaboom. 

But then I found out it wasn't the seismic boom of the gas tanker that did it.  It was the burning of over 6,000 gallons of unleaded fuel that melted the overpass that caused the collapse.  "Yeowsa" was my response, I think.

Wha...????

Today my jaw dropped as I looked at the pictures of an overpass that looks like cheese fallen on the hot grate of a stove.  Amazing.

What I am also amazed about and grateful for is that no one was hurt!  No one died.  This span that supports well over 40K cars a day, and no one was hurt.  CHP got there fast (nearly 4AM) and did a traffic break.  The driver has burns, but will no doubt survive ( he walked 1.5 miles and begged a cabbie at a gas station for a ride to a hospital!)

I am grateful to rarely ever need that freeway as it is causing some serious traffic debaucle, but it sure is a story worth looking at the pictures of to believe.

Those were the words of a teacher at Honey Girl's school. 

I have been waddling rather intensively, I thought.

"OOoohhh,..... how're you feeling?" said my favorite barista at Starbuck's as I waddled in, not knowing what I wanted to get or if I wanted to be there, but knew I was too hungry to do my other errands before getting something. "You sure do have a waddle on you today.  Are you getting ready to go?" he said with the sweetest concerned look on his face... I felt a mild sense of panic.  NO!  I'm not ready to go yet!!! I thought to myself, but smiled and said, "Let's hope we keep it together for a bit longer..."

I went to the bathroom at the Bucks and looked in the mirror to see what these other folks might be seeing....

Uh-oh.  I have dropped.  I can breathe now.  I just can't walk anymore.  The only reason I didn't notice this this AM was due to a very difficult morning with Honey Girl, and bustling about.  That, and our bathroom counters are nice and high, great for tall folks like Hubby and me, but they do disguise the midrift somewhat.

*deep breath* (now that I can take one).

Time to pack the bag.  I am full term now, so IF critter decides to come early.. but not preemie... I'm going to need to just go along with it.

I'm going to let that thought sink in.

another *deep breath*

This brings such a wealth of emotions and thoughts, I don't know where to start.  But I do know all I want to do is curl up in bed with a good book and pretend this isn't happening yet.  That everything will go according to "schedule".  Please hold a thought that it will, just to save us all the tumult of anxiety on the part of the two kids already here. 

I'll talk to the older two today to prepare them for the possibility of an early arrival.  Not sure it will happen, but I do feel guilty for how it happened last time!  "I'll be back after lunch, Big Boy..."  shyeah... try ttwo days later!

I have some phone calls to make.

We had a busy Sunday.

We went out for a big yummy truckers breakfast.

We went to the park and I took Buck for my usual 2.5 mile walk while Hubby watched the kids at the park.  Buck went on strike.  He got hot and a few times on the sunny side of the creek would just try to stop.  On the way back on the shady side of the creek, he would completely stop in shade and act like there was something exceedingly interesting under the tree.  Tongue hanging out sideways.

we came home briefly and dropped off the exhausted dog, changed the kids out of their sandy dirty clothes and into party clothes!  Or, I should say Hubby did the changing of the clothes because that involved going up two flights of stairs in the heat, and I'm better at wrapping gifts than Hubby. 

The party.  The second this weekend.  Yesterday was a 5 year old's birthday at The Jungle.  A huge indoor play area with a play structure that's wayyyy cool.  There's an arcade with doles out oodles of tickets, there's private party rooms.  It's noisey.  It's wacky.  It's safe.  The kids romp and get exhausted.  They eat hot dogs or pizza, chug soda, hug a big guy in a "Mookie the Monkey" suit, eat cake and then run around in the climbing jungle for longer until the sugar wears off and they crash out in the car on the way home.  As parents, we've found it helps a lot to use the cells phones.  Not to call each other, because you can't hear a darned thing in there.. but to text where we are.  aka "HG on merry go round... BB in ball pit?"  or "Lost BB again, U C him?"

Well, today it was Chuck E Cheese for another 5 year old's b-day.  I was scared.  I honestly was.  I went to a Chuck E Cheese once when I was 6.  Ummmmm let's just say it didn't go so well.  It was noisy.  There were robotic creatures all over the place.  I liked the ones that played beatles tunes for tokens.  I got trampled in the play structure.  I got lost in the arcade.  It wasn't "traumatic", but I never asked to go back again.  As we pulled into the parking lot Hubby said, "Wow I haven't been to one of these in 20 years..."  and I smiled and said "Maybe more like... 25 or so years?!?!"  clearly his experience was similar to mine.  We laughed, screwed up our courage and warned the kids about the robots.  And yes, when they first saw them, they shimmied up Paul like monkeys up a tree.  They know not to climb me anymore. ;-)

The place has changed a bit.  It's bright and light and open and the rat (mouse?) is all dressed up in a soccer uniform.  Which is ironic because there isn't much "active" stuff to do there still.  There's a big multi-media stage thing.  All the birthday tables are lined up in front of the stage. All the birthday parties slotted for a certain time sing happy birthday together to a multimedia presentation and a big guy in a rat suit comes out and dances around and offered to hug and take pictures with the kids.  Of course ours weren't having it. Lots of arcade games, a little hamster climbing thing.  It was really rather loud.  At one point the multi-media thing went wacko and played "happy and you know" it so darned loud the kids were covering their ears.  comedy. 

It was fun seeing Big Boy's classmates and their sibs and parents.  It's always wonderful to celebrate a birthday.

but

The baby didn't do so well with the noise.  Contractions.  pressure.  burning.  I had trouble walking around after Big Boy and reading game instructions.  Crouching, sitting in the little seats.  Hubby was chasing Honey Girl.  I kind of got concerned.  The pressure was a wee bit too low and wee bit tooo much.  Once we were back in the Odyssey, the baby settled down, I could breathe easier,  and baby got back to the kicks and sweeps, thankfully away from making me feel it might try to climb out of my nether regions.

I called my mom to let her know we braved Chuck E Cheese and lived to tell.  She laughed.  She remembers well that fateful trip in 1979.

We had a good time, got out of there, and then when we got home..... we. all. fell.asleep.  Honey Girl was first, she was curled up on the couch in her pretty pretty dress.  I knew I didn't have long before I simply fell over.  I walked up the stairs after switching out laundry and there in the office was Big Boy spinning on the office chair while Hubby was flat out on his tummy, slobber creeping from his mouth.  He must have been so tired! it's not easy to fall asleep while Big Boy teeters and nearly falls off of or goes flying from that chair over and over with his 4 years old "WHOOAAA!!!"s. 

I waddled down the hall to our bedroom and got Big Boy to stop spinning on the chair and climb onto bed with me.  But then I heard Cleo growling and didn't have to open my eyes to grumble something about not torturing the cat!  Hubby heard that, roused, came in, and escorted Big Boy somewhere where I was not, and that's all that mattered as darkness settled....  Til the Buck dog woke me with his allergy paw-licking,  so not a fun noise to wake up to when you want badly to be asleep.  Max annoyed me with his pawing and curling around my arm, it was too warm fro such cuddling!!!.... I then waddled/stumbled cuz my hip fell asleep... to the office couch... but the dog followed me, sniffed at my face, lay down on the floor with a grunt, and went to sleep.  The Max cat followed me, and curled around my calf and fell asleep.  Yes, I tend to lead a parade of animals when the kids are not around me.

Big Boy didn't sleep, but played on his computer  with headphones on while the rest of us did.... FOR OVER TWO HOURS!

I can't remember if this has ever happened before.  It was so heavenly.  I don't have long before another person joins this family.  I may need to slow down even more until this critter gets out.  Shyeah.. I know... I'm not slow at all... but I'm beginning to :"get it" that I need to be.  Hubby will be so relieved to read this, as I know if he followed me around in a day, he would kick my big pregnant ass. :-)  He's starting to TELL me to go SIT DOWN!!

ha ha ha

I am not a fan of hot weather.

I love fog.

I love rain.

I love overcast.

I love cool (to most of American standards) and COLD (to Californian standards).  In other words... anything between 0-75 is fine by me.  Ideally.

Now that I am close to popping, I am hatin' on this stupid heat wave we are having, that no one is calling a heat wave.  Close to 90 outside, 80 inside, fans on.

I was really hoping to get through this pregnancy without wearing shorts.  Both Big Boy and Honey Girl were born in early fall so I have braved two summers while pregnant to hugely pregnant and I thought I was all done with this bologne.

Heat makes for kankles.  So I drink dandelion tea and I have my ankles back by morning.  Heat makes it not so fun to sleep, so windows open, ceiling fan on, sprawled on top of the bed as opposed to in it, and getting up every two hours to pee (usually caused by he mild diuretic herbal dandelion tea is to give me back my ankles).  So then I'm sleepy and grumpy during the day.  Sleepy due to wanting more sleep and grumpy because hot while not pregnant isn't comfy.. hot while exceedingly pregnant just plain sucks.

I'm grumbling at the kids because I just don't have it in me to NOT grumble at the kids.  On Friday I offered to sell Honey Girl to the kindergarden teacher at Big Boy's school for a quarter.  He laughed and said "Sure!  Why not?"  It was because the walk from the car to the front door of the school sounded something like this:

"Okay, Honey girl, hold hands because we're in a parking lot..... STOP YOUR BODY!  Honey Girl.. cars, remember?  Hold hands.  Hold Hands!  HOLD. MY.HAND.  Okay, now you can go to the grass.  No no no, wait!  Don't touch that!  Put down the rock.  Put DOWN the rock.... It's not for play.  Honey Girl!  ROCK DOWN!  Let's go, Big Boy is already at the door.... Get out of the tree, Honey Girl.  It's not for climbing.  Come here.  Come HERE.  Come. Here.  Honey Girl, give me your eyes.... good!  Now, come here.  COOOOMmmmmmmE... HEEEERRRREEEEE....... Yay!  Thanks!  Please don't kick those flowers.  Right.  Ok!  Let's go!  OOP!  Nope, don't hop off the curb, cars are there..... come here.  come here, Honey... come on.... let's go...."

Yup.  She's two and half.

Babysitter just arrived.  Hubby and i are off for a date.  yipee!

That would be me.

I would never identify myself as a bird watcher.  I don't have books.  I don't carry binoculars.  I did for a time in high school while my parent's lived on the water in Marin off of Tibouron.  In elementary school and junior high I had a couple field trips to an Audobon Society bird sanctuary in the Marin Headlands that taught me a lot about egrets, herons and such.  In Colorado I learned a lot more about birds of prey.  I learned a lot about flacons in Los Angeles as a kid, where they were brought in to curb the pigeon population.  Now we have a happy falcon couple on webcam hatching up babies as San Jose's City Hall.  Yeah, no privacy for them!

Every now and again as I'm doing my fitness walk, I bump into them; The Bird Watchers.

They're so cute!  They usually have on big sun hats and parkas with many pockets for books, snacks, maps.  They have on hiking boots and safari pants.  Regardless of weather, they smell sweetly of sunscreen/ bug juice.  Every time I bump into them, they are lost, consulting a map,  and not sure where to go on the trail.  They heard via their  network that some bird or other had babies, is nesting, or can be seen somewhere nearby.

I'm always happy to help and it's when I do I'm often told "Wow!  You're the perfect person to ask, you sure you're not a (scientific name for bird watcher)?"

I suppose I watch, but I don't have the gear, the group, the maps or drive to hunt them down.  I watch watch watch all the time, every day I walk or hike, and enjoy the chats with others who notice things as well.

In the fall it was an older couple looking for a said red tail hawk feeding on the squirrels.. had I seen it?  Sure!  Down this way a quarter mile in that tree... I forget the name, but in the spring it sheds cotton balls of fluff... on the left....but sometimes, look over toward highway 17 and you'll see it on the fence.

In the winter it was a guy hearing there was a Night Heron nearby.  Sure.. 200yds up and look into the reeds in the creek, often near the bridge on the far side.

Today it was a lot of fun.  A group of ladies had driven "all the way dow  from Palo Alto!" to see a heron's nest and babies... did I know where the avian reserve was?  I explained it was not a screened in or even fenced in affair, but merely a batch of water retention ponds a half mile up the path.  Past the casting ponds, past the Canadian Goose and Malard duck ridden park.  When they see the comerants, coots, and sandpipers they're getting close.  Cross a bridge to the left to a  more secluded gravel path and that's most likely where the heron would nest... they prefer evergreens, right?

Their jaws were dropped.  They nearly hugged me.  The asked me what else...?

I had to laugh.  The sparrows are nesting under the overpass right here, the bluejays are just coming out and fighting with the finches over everything and scaring the bejeezus out of the feral cats (oh yeah, ... beware the feral cats) but I hadn't seen the heron in a month and the birds of prey were hiding out too. 

I was honestly really excited to hear the heron had not only nested but had babies... that's huge.  They were hard core endangered when I was kid.  Go environmentalists and naturalists!

Anyway.  It was fun.

Remember how I had to get a basket made for Big Boy's school's silent auction?  I did.  It's lovely.  It's hot.  It's sex-ay.  I guess maybe a bit too sex-ay?

On the first day of the auction, I brought in the custom made hat box titled "date night at home" to the school. This is what the class supported and I got big thumbs up on.  I had a listing of all the contents with a wonderful description written by the basket builder.

as follows:

Every now and then, parents need a night to themselves.  A night to indulge their senses with bubbly champagne, caviar, and pates against the sweet glow of vanilla scented candles.  They need to take the time to remember the first kisses and intimate poetry of the heart that brought them together.  Lose yourself in ecstasy.  Home alone at last!
1 round burgundy & gold hatbox of custom fabric by Sarah’s hatbox
1 burgundy and gold luxurious throw 50” x 60”
2 sweet hearts pillar candles
2 crystal champagne flutes
1 bottle Australian extra dry sparkling wine
1 bottle Australian brut
1 jar black lumpfish caviar
1 hardwood smokes salmon pate
1 herbed vegetarian pate
1 round smoked Gouda cheese
1 box cheese and onion wafers
1 jar Spanish Manzanilla olives
1 box truffles
1 bar Belgian dark chocolate
1 booklet of Kiss me Coupons
1 poetry book: “Intimate Kisses: The Poetry of Sexual Pleasure”
1 Game Box "sex play”

I figured it was risky.  But Folks were oogling it and things looked good.  At pick up time, I arrived to something new.  The list of contents was gone from the wall, and in its place was a sign written with a hot pink sharpie, "For a list of contents of this basket, please go to the office"  Uh-oh......

I was annoyed.  Til I heard the story (which was no big surprise really).  Turns out middle school girls were having a little too much fun reading and studying the content list of the basket.  They weren't the problem.  "A Parent" who came to perouse saw the girls looking at the list and had a hissy about how appropriate that was for early teen girls to see.... 

I mean, God forbid girls who are teenagers and technically "women" be aware of the fun side of cheesy romance stuff.  I mean, I could have stopped by leather masters and made a really kinky basket.. but I digress....

Moms I tell this story to all chuckle as much as I do when hearing this.  Comments like, "Wow... my kids are already grilling me about that and their under the age of 8!"  But hey, if some parents have that puritanical bent, we all need to respect their need to cloister and protect their kids from words like "sex play" and "sexual intimacy".    So I went home and made a more rated "G" version of the contents.

Every now and then, parents need a night to themselves.  This custom made hat box contains wonderful decadent snacks and romantic games.

Then I just omitted the names of the poetry book and such and left it at "romantic literature and games".  The rest of the list was the same.

When I brought in the new content list to the office,  the school secretary said with a coy grin, "OHHH!!!!  that was YOUR basket??!?!  I shoulda known!  I have the highest bid on that one!"

Then I went over and looked.  The basket has the highest bids thus far!  Yahoo!

take that, you prudes!

I got a great e-mail today from my friend Melissa titled "Go pregnant Exercisers!".  The link goes to a Yahoo news article about the benefits of exercise during pregnancy.  It also points out that those who don't exercise well in pregnancy have a much harder time taking the weight off.  The punch line of the article is that if women are willing to give up smoking while pregnant, why not start exercising as well?

Here! Here!  I've done it both ways, and i gotta say.... exercise is king... while pregnant or not.  No, I'm not talking marathons, triathlons, or even jogging, but to get out and be active.. work up a sweat... it really does help with all annoying aspects of pregnancy from swelling ankles, mental fogginess, weight gain, nausea, or the pregnant "moodiness".  Getting in the pool is heavenly, getting up a steep hill and looking back at it feels like that much more of an accomplishment.  But um... gotta say... not a fan of roller blading for preggos.  Tumbles while pregnant are not a good thing, and joints do get loose, so sprains and muscle kinks can happen easier.  For this same reason *sniff sniff* pole dancing is out due to the stilettos and center of gravity being off.  *sniff sniff*

Yeah, I walk every day.  During the week it takes longer and longer to go the same path, but Hubby did a google virtual pedometer of my walk and it came up with 2.5 miles with grades up and down.  There's usually another dog walk during the day beyond that.  It's not far, but it takes me close to an hour due to stopping for Buck sniffs and pit stops.  Weekends I get in a little less fitness walking, as I allow my mood to dictate more ;-).  It's more like 30-45 minutes a day.  This is beyond kid wrangling.  I'm not counting kid wrangling because it is sooo not a stress relief.  Sure there are countless trips up and down the stairs and walks around parks etc... but it's nothing like the zen of walking a dog.  Also carrying Honey Girl has now pulled a muscle in my side *again* today.. so I gotta stop that, pronto.

As an aside.... most friends of mine have hilarious stories of pushing their pregnancy fitness routines to hard core when past their due date to get the baby OUT!  One friend took her bike on a fire trail outside Los Altos (this was in the 70s).. it worked.. but she had back labor, poor thing.  My mom tried to load an oak dinning room table to the top of her car by herself to get my sis out.  Sort of worked.... she got two days of labor followed by a c-section.  Another hiked to the Los Gatos reservoir and ended up with cramps everywhere but in her uterus. :-)  I remember (with Big Boy) waddling the neighborhood at night, pausing for contractions but walking to keep them coming... and going up and down my stairs a lot.. anything to get him out.  Like my mom, I had a few days of unsuccessful labor followed by a crash C.  ech, well....

So preggo chicks out there.  Unless your doc tells you to take it easy due to high-risk pregnancy issues (which does happen, and you gotta listen to you doc!!!)  get on the sneakers and waddle with the rest of us!  Don't push yourself or hurt yourself.. but move that bodacious growing body!

Today is the start of turn off your tv week.  Good mommies and daddies and childcare professionals will use this week to extoll the virtues of a life free of the idiot box.

I tried and made it until about 1:15pm.

I've pulled off the tv free week the last two years, but doubt I will this year due to the fact that I am 3 weeks away from evicting a baby.

Honey Girl is exhausted, and so is Big Boy.  I had plans of outings and playtime at the park and such.  Honey Girl said she wanted to rest.  Big Boy said he wanted "alone time".  Then I got "pregnant hungry" which leads to "pregnant grumpy" which does not go well with preschooler exhaustion or preschooler grumpy.

I turned on the tv. 

Max and Ruby started started doing their sibling thing,  and peace returned to my home so I could quickly make myself a PB&H, glass of soy milk and take a deep breath.  The dog curled up on his dog bed, the kids talked with each other about Max and Ruby without fighting.

I am a horrible mother.

Once I get a quick moment to recharge, we'll head out and go to the library or maybe go to the bike shop to let Big Boy get an idea of what his Big Brother present might be.  But for now... I'm going to put my feet up with the kids, cuddle, chat and maybe snooze a teeny bit.

I take too many.  I think I do. 

I hadn't downloaded them into iphoto until recently and when I did go through the somewhat tedious process of bluetoothing them (ha ha ha.. new word, go preggo brain Jess). there were one hundred ninety one taken since last summer.  wow.  With that and all the texting we do.. maybe a blackberry would do better than a cell phone?

I send Hubby pics/texts during the day.  Usually funny pics of the kids doing silly things while we're out and about.  Funny pics of the kids at Costco with sample food faces.  Then there are the pics I took at BlogHer last summer.  the pic of me with Susie Bright, one of Ariana Huffington getting ready for an interview.

I forget to bring my legit camera, and the phone is always right there in my pocket.  I don't like to call Hubby at work and bug him, and texts or photos he can get to when he has a minute, and more often than not his response is:  :-), or "that's funny!"

I put them in a slideshow for the kids to see at dinner, since most of the pics are of them.

"Why so many pictures of [Honey Girl]  sleeping?" Big Boy asks...
"Usually because by the time the picture is taken, the fact that she is asleep is A-MAZING!"

Big Boy didn't get that.

But wow did I have lots of pictures of Buck.  Buck all soaked in the rain, Buck being hilariously silly at a dog park.  Then there's Buck with different expressions Hubby and I know all too well;  the "can I come too????" look from the back of the Odyssey.  The "Could you please, just let me in the house now?" from the top of the garage stairs as I'm cleaning out the car.  Then there's the ones of him all frisky and funny post-grooming with the "Hello!!! Thank GOD you sprung me from there!" look. 

I know Hubby loves getting the Buck shots (heh heh) while at work.  He's a bit nuts about the dog.

So maybe it's more that I need to load the photos more often than once or twice a year.  But it is fun to watch the kids grow rapid fire when I do load them.

That's what I said to my parents when I called them tonight to say hello.  For some reason, they laughed (or tried to hide that they were laughing) and said, "Well, that's a good thing..... that you're NOT having a panic attack... it's just another person, afterall."

I didn't write recently ( or read.. sorry Melanie, but I WILL!!) because I did, in fact, go through the bags of returned hand me downs.  I involved Honey Girl in this endeavor.  It was really cool to wash and fold and place in the changing table the same nightshirt Big Boy and Honey Girl wore.  Honey Girl wanted me to take the baby out so she could dress it up in the nightshirt.  Yes, some have returned to their original roost.  Receiving blankets and thermal blankets too. 

I was sneezing on dust, covered in lint, cat hair.... then I went through the kids' drawers to A) move around the order of Honey Girls' drawers so she can easily get to stuff she needs to get to (PJ's, shirts, pants) and B) see if Big Boy needed summer clothes.  He wears uniforms all week, and has some "play clothes" for fencing, parks time, and My Gym... but I didn't know if he had any shorts or shirts for summer.

He didn't.  Not a lick.  All size 4 stuff (that Honey Girl could wear to school now... since she's discovered the joy of wet mud and wet send and paint in her hair).  He now wears size 5 or 6.  So I dusted off most of the dust and a little bit of the cat hair and packed Honey Girl ( in  a bleach stained, paint covered out fit of her own creation) to Valley Fair.  Ah yes, a place I don't usually go to unless I have my hair done, make up on, and "fashionable" clothing on. 

Of course this is the day I bump into someone I haven't seen in years... that I had no real desire to see in years... who basically stopped communicating with Hubby and I shortly after we married.... at Children's Place with her now 2 year old.

The universe laughs.... gafaws,.... nearly pees itself, I'm sure.

After a day of doing way too much... I have found we really are ok on the newborn supplies.  Big Boy now has (thanks to the usual 2/$20 3/$20 shirt/cargo shorts deals) summer clothes.  We went through the boxes of 3T/4T  hand me downs for Honey Girl, and she's set too.  I figured we needed a new Diaper champ, new baby dob kit(nasal aspirators get tough, thermometers get less than reliable... as in... the up the bum ones... poor baby), baby meds (little tummys, little noses), and some caps.  Needed some caps.

We got those during our date night Saturday night and got one *splurg*  a snuggle nest.  Yup... that little bed you put in you bed for the baby so you can co sleep without fear of crushing that baby.  Why did we get this after never having one with the other kids???  When Big Boy would end up in the bed to nurse (he didn't usually spend the whole night with us...I'd nap with him during the day) Hubby would half hang off the other side of the bed out of fear of smooshing the baby.  WIth Honey Girl... she spent more time sleeping with us because we (I)  were exhausted, I often fell asleep while nursing, and Hubby was more comfy about co-sleeping.  We'd wake at different points in the night and put Honey Girl back into a safe place as she was a heat seeking missile baby that would end up under us whenever possible.  I wanted the snuggle nest because I have a mild fear of waking up in the morning, yawning, stretching and thinking...."Wait, was the baby in bed with us last night or not?!?" and hunting the little thing down.... or sleeping through a thump to the floor with the thought that it's the cats jumping off the bed.  Or, in the morning when kids come down to visit us, it would be a good thing for the critter to have a designated spot on the family bed.

This week I'll pack up the hospital bag.  When Honey Girl was born, all I had was a book, cell phone (with a dead battery), keys, and reading glasses.  Poor Hubby had to surf my stuff to pack my stuff from home. 

Hubby has had a request.  When I mentioned this to my parents they had to take this opportunity to joke about how needy, demanding, and bossy is with them (as in, he hasn't asked them for much.... so they would oblige no matter what).  Hubby and I now have an overnight away planned.  This will be the grandparents' first time overnight hanging with the grandkids.  This will be the second time in parenthood the two of us have gotten away for an overnight without the kids.  This time... we will sleep in and order room service!!

So yeah,... we're getting ready.  And I am NOT having a panic attack.. yet.

Yes, this is how we like it to be at 34+ weeks of gestation.  I swear this time, I knew the night the baby turned.  It was not a comfy evening.  I could tell the little critter was up to some serious remodeling in there.  Hiccups are really funny this time around, as they usually happen as I am sitting, reading the paper, waiting for Honey Girl's pick up time.  The critter hiccups, and I shudder, the critter hiccups, I shudder... it's a little dance.  This is after the hour long dog-waddle/dog park, errand running, and healthy snack.  I think it's the snack that give the hiccups.

Yesterday I ventured to Tiny Tots Togs to buy a baby shower gift for some friends (Yes, YOU... chocomonkey!)  and it hit me:  I need to get my *stuff* together!

I have none of the breast feeding gear.  I do, acutally.  Some.  Some returned bras, I know I have pads somewhere.  My breast pump is going to be supplied by mom and dad since I donated my last one after it started sounding like a battered duck being kicked over and over.  Moms who have pumped know what I mean... from *shooooshhh shoooshhh* to *qwaaaaaakkkk, quaaaaak*  I think it cashed in its chips after being used one too many times as a stepping stool by Big Boy.

Before I go out and get anything I have boxes and boxs to go through for inventory.  Do I need bibs?  Do I need booties?  What's the onesie situation?  gripe water? nuks?

But I did splurge yesterday and got two outfits to chose from for "take home" from the hosp. 

I am telling anyone who intends to have a baby in the near future: There is SOOO much super cool stuff out now!  It. Is. Wonderful!  Breast pump bags now compete in style as haute couture handbags, and are "advanced".  They now do this stutter quick start thing to get the milk flowing (duh, just like a baby does) thus shortening time for a pumping session.  I enter a happy place in my head imagining pumping sessions that don't last 25 minutes.  They're quieter too... though I am sure any woman entering a restroom will know what I'm doing in there (*shooooshhhh shooossshhh*)  Baby Carriers are super cool looking in amazing fabrics and there are so many many ways to wear a baby.  Nursing bras have evolved light years from the industrial nightmares I had to wear with Big Boy.  Not to mention the cool nursing tank tops and camisoles.  There have got to me soo many happy breast feeding pairs out there now compared to just a few years ago.  I'm psyched to buy a couple for summer.  yay!  I'm beginning to see why babies are becoming the hottest new accessory.  Har har har.

Organic cotton baby clothes.  But puleeeze!  Like I'm realy going to shell out $20 for ONE onesie?!?!?  er-no! I'd shell out $20 for 10 onesies!  I am over the moon to kiss goodbye the days of everything being in pastels.  I hated that fact with both my kids and happily allow Honey Girt to wear black shirts if she wants.

I'm thinking this weekend is going to be a nesting one.... a sorting, laundry doing one.  The cats have already taken up residence on the changing table in our bedroom (just out of storage).  But this time, I'm not even fighting them on this one.  They've earned the right to yet anotehr elevated sleeping sunny spot.

time to go get Big Boy, do grocery shopping, free play at My Gym, Honey Girl's class at My Gym... dog walk, dinner, baths, stories and bed.  Usually after that I'm too tired to write.

but I may just try!

When we were early in our dating, but clearly having "feelings" for each other, Hubby took me to a show.  We got all dressed up.  We drove to Oakland.  He took me to see...... Al Green.

It was a great show.  In spite of The Reverend Al's age and changed feelings about his funk and soul sex-ay days.  He still sang all his great stuff, and then he'd say something about it being love.... for the Lord! heh heh heh.

What was so great about that whole experience was this:  To this day when I'm out and about and an Al Green song comes on the radio.... I melt!  I swear I do!  I remember holding his hand and standing and dancing at that show, and how cool it was that he took me to see Al Green.  How he knew I would love it. 

Doesn't matter that the kids are fighting, or that we're running late to a drop off or a pick up.  Hearing a good song on the radio can really make a day brighter.... for a few minutes at least.

* a vet tech at the animal hospital:
"Oh, so are they both yours?"

Yes, this was said to me as my kids were hanging off my legs and calling me "mommy".

* A mounted police officer in front of the Tech Museum ( to Big Boy):
"So is this your friend or your little sister?"

This was while out with my dad and step-mom and the kids were getting sticker-badges and petting the horse.

* And then, when arriving at My Gym with Big Boy.  Honey Girl's class is right before his, and Hubby and I trade off bringing in the kids.  We usually pass in the parking lot.  This time my mom was waiting there to see Big Boy's class.  A teacher there puzzled about why Honey Girl's grandmother was still there after she left.  My mom explained she was there to watch Big Boy....

"OH!  [Honey Girl] and [Big Boy] are brother and sister?  I wound't have known that."

There are other instances I just block out.  I know that this is going to happen endlessly in the lives of my kids.  It just will.  Even though they look a lot alike, save the color of their skin and texture of their hair.  It just bugs me from time to time.  I'm over it much of the time.... but every now and then.... I just gotta grumble, OK???

I'm pretty anal retentive.  Anyone who's lived with me understands that I have a *rather* high standard of cleanliness and things not being cluttered.  A place for everything and everything in its place. 

I am pretty much the same way with my cars.  Things may accumulate for maybe a week, but I tend to clean out after each ride.  Starbucks cups usually... the occasional sippy cup, empty water bottles, kid's artwork.  Since we got a dog, there has been no accumulation of crumbs or food because he takes care of those pretty quickly.  Gotta have a dog... really, they are right up there with the Dustbuster in saving sanity in terms for floor cleanliness.  No wonder he likes going in the car.. instant reward of goldfish crackers, TLC crackers....The things that do build up in there are the outter wear and bags of wet clothes from Honey Girl's school when they change her clothes after she's done at the water table, wetsand or mud areas.  No need to hunt down a sweatshirt if they're in there... in lots of sizes and colors to chose from. *shrug*.  The trunk area has a half used flat of water bottles, a first aid kit suitcase thingy, and a picnic blanket.  Sometimes a jogger stroller is there too.  But hey, that ain't too shabby.... for a MOMMMYCAR!

I do not have, and will not have bumper stickers!  Inside window clings are OK.. especially the nautilus Monterey Bay Aquarium Member cling.  But I have no desire to define myself with bumperstickers.

Long story made less painfully long.... I don't have a seriously mommed out minivan.  I keep it clean.  I make sure it gets waxed.  It has some minor scratches from my "Oberlin Alumni" plate cover rattling against the back and scratching a bit before we took it off (it had cracked.. I need a new one)... Oh, and the one time Big Boy closed the garage door while the back hatch was open...Boy did he feel bad about that.  But yes, it gets detailed every few months when it looks like "ick" is there, or if it smells.  The leather is conditioned. 

So when Hillary sent me this today, I laughed and laughed as I see these cars around all the time!  I also make a wish and small prayer to the heavens that when I become an "M-O-3", I won't give up the fight.  I love love my Odessey and want it to be sweet for a long long time.  It's my tricked out ride!  It says, "Yeah, I'm a mom.. but I still have a pulse!"

enjoy!

No worries, I'm not going to get political or spiritual in this entry....

It's pure playground politics.

Big Boy's school is hosting it's first annual Mother's Day Brunch.  It's a small school.  So I know the brains behind the concept (and like her, thank you very much) and such.  I sent her an encouraging e-mail that I would not likely be able to be there, but let me know if I can help out.....

dun, dun, dun.....

I get a flyer in the weekly send home packet that there's going to be a silent auction this month.  Oh, okay.  This is new.  Will we need to buy something to support something?  hrmphf..... okaaaayyyy...

Then I get the e-mail:  Hey there, you voluntary class liaison... you know that silent auction you just heard about?  We're having it to cover the cost of the Mother's Day Brunch! and well, you get to get the parents of the class to build a "theme basket" to donate to the auction!!  Oh... new mom friend.... why I oughtta..... I mean:

yipee.
glee

I put off sending the class wide e-mail until today; after a full (thank you, Hubby!) day of rest.  I am starting to sound normal again.  Fever gone, fatigue going away.  good thing.  I'll tackle this basket thing.  Maybe even RSVP to some more Big Boy b-day parties he's invited to.

Hillary reminds me her brother in law is the king (or queen? har har har) of making baskets and would cure me of all this "argh".  Cool!  How do I talk all these parents into just giving me the money and OUTSOURCING the job?!?  What if there are parents who would looove to spend an evening brainstorming ideas and another building a basket?  Or, *gasp* shopping for the items together?!?  I put a call in to The Basket Man and crack my knuckles to write the e-mail.  It comes out wonderfully diplomatically worded.  The gist: Gimme money or an item soon, The Basket Man will fix it up and voila!  Thank you for getting back to me at your soonest; -Jess (Big Boy's Mom... the pregnant chick... you know me....)

Big Boy's class is only about a dozen students.  I get back 8 failure to send due to not finding domain messages.  yay.  How could so many of these e-mails be wrong?  Who theheck put together the directory?  OOOoooohhhh man!  Yup... same who is organizing everything.  Oh, Honey....  Now I'm going to need to call folks.  On Spring Break.  About a basket.  When I don't have kids hanging on me or trying to ask me questions (which is what they do as soon as they see a phone on my ear; thank you very much)

I hope the numbers in the directory are better than the e-mail addresses!

This is mommyhood.  And as I said before I. Love.This. Job.  Hoooo-raw.