Thursday, January 31, 2008

The Baby

Well, the baby is being very active today! Beyond a doubt I know the baby is kicking-let me just tell you it is the strangest feeling ever...wonderful and weird all at the same time.

For those of you who have seen the "Alien" movies, I'm just letting you know that the director's wife (or the director herself, I have no idea who directed) was pregnant at the time of writing/filming. Though the baby wont come busting through my belly, trust me, sometimes if feels like it. I remember with Little Dude, when I was 2 weeks away from delivery, Julie Z and I sat and watch my belly move all around. It was like an earthquake, and if felt like one too! So, now this baby has started all the motion, letting me know he/she is an active little kid too!

I think I have been feeling the baby for a few weeks now, but the taps were so light and once-in-a-blue-moon, that I wasn't quite sure...today however, I am. Very fun news!

Well, let me go see what the boy is doing....

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Birds don't like me

OK, so it always seems really random and odd things involving birds happen to me. For example, one time back when Bill and I were dating, a bird pooped all over me while we were out for a stroll. And not just the little white poop you might see on the ground, no, full on birdie diarrhea, all over me on one of our early dates. Nice.

Another time, Bill and I were out for our first "date" after Little Dude had been born, so we went to Bahama Breeze for appetizers and drinks before a movie. We parked the car near a beautiful magnolia tree, and as I got out I commented about how many birds I could see in the tree. Since it was rather Hitchcock-esque I should have seen what happened to me next coming; however, when the bird rammed into my head, I was still shocked. Did the bird leave me alone after that? No. It continued to peck my hand, my head, my shoulder (at this point I started screaming and running away). Did the bird bother Bill? No. All the more reason for him to laugh at me.

Another time two of my dear friends brought their beautiful South American bird to my preschool class so show it off and let the kids pet it, hear it talk, ask questions, etc. The bird is peachy cool and sweet with everyone but me. Thank goodness I was the last to touch it, as if it had bitten me before the kids got a chance to pet it 1, I wouldn't have wanted them to pet it, and 2 none of them would have wanted to pet it. But, I was last, so that was good, but the silly bird still decided my ear looked great. In defense of the bird I was wearing an earing with a banana in it (it was B day for my class...not jewelry I would normally wear, thank you.. and thus the Bird that was visiting) But still.

While I worked at Disney World's Animal Kingdom in an area near the birds, but not in the bird area, one of the birds got loose. Where did it end up? In the break area of my work location. Did I know it was there? Not til it decided my head was a great place to perch. Awesome. Even with me freaking out and people trying to get it off me, the bird didn't want to let go of my hair. Let me just say, it was more paintful than any of the bird bites I have gotten. Again, nice.

And I could keep going with random bird encounters, but I'll just go ahead and tell you what happened to me just now.

Now today, after getting back from the park, I left stuff in the car, so a little while ago I decided I should to get all of it out (stroller, picnic leftovers, etc...) While I'm unpacking, I left the door to the van open, as usual, just out of laziness and not wanting to shut and open it a million times. (It would've been like 3 in reality). Anyway, upon my second trip to the car, what happens? Bird attack. FROM THE CAR. A BIRD WAS IN MY CAR!!!!!!!!!!! It flew at my head as I leaned in to reach for Little Dude's sippy cup! (I am screaming and jumping back by this time) Then, instead of leaving the car, the tiny weeny bird decided it needed to go under one of the seats, only coming out to jump in my direction whenever I leaned in to have a look. So, all I could do was pray it would not poop on the seats or carpet, and proceeded to open all the doors and windows. I stood back and waited, and luckily the bird decided the game was over, so it took off. Now, all the doors and windows are closed again, and I am traumatized by a bird, yet again.

The park

Today has been wonderful! Little Dude and I went to Lake Benson Park for a picnic and play! He had TONS of fun! I also walked tons, which was great to do since with all the crappy cold weather we have had I haven't been able to walk/jog as much as I would like.

Bill and John are setting up a new computer for me and I am super excited! They are taking pieces and parts from other computers, adding some upgrades, etc, and creating a monster computer! All for me too, so I can start keeping Little Dudes pictures on there, instead of on Bill's, and thus you guys will all get to see pictures a lot sooner! Also, it will make work a lot easier, since during the day now I work on John's computer and at night or weekends I work on Bill's...so I haven't been able to save info that would be useful to have saved. Now I will be able to! Yay!

I also saw the movie "Wild Hogs" over the weekend...guys it is SO FUNNY! I didn't stop laughing the whole time. I know that is not saying much, since I laugh a lot, but really, everyone should see it. Bill and John were laughing tons too! The movie was just great. In other movie info, I really thought I would like "Dragon Wars", judging by the tv commercials, and I just love dragon movies and such. However, when I read the info on the back of the movie, it sounded like the dumbest, stupidest, most horrible, razzie winning movie ever. If anyone liked it, you'll have to tell me how.

We are planning on having a huge superbowl party with a keg and all our friends and neighbors. I am super excited to cook a bunch of food and get everything set up. Parties are just so fun! I guess I will cheer for the Giants, simply because the Patriots always win, but honestly I only watch the superbowl for the commercials. I love college sports, but I have never gotten big on pro-sports (except soccer).

Thats all the update for now! 2 more weeks and we find out if the new baby is a girl or a boy....I swear the waiting is worse this time than it was with Little Dude...I am DYING to know NOW what we are having! LOL!!!

Monday, January 21, 2008

No Snow :(

Well, we were supposed to get 2-4" of snow over the weekend, but we ended up with a very small dusting that quickly melted. As much as I hate snow and cold weather, I was hoping to get just enough for Little Dude to go out and play in. Perhaps even enough to make snow cream! But, to bad, we didn't. We did end up with a soggy, freezing cold mess. Ugh.

Little Dude and I went next door to our neighboor's today and played with the two children and Mom. It was super fun and we got to build a fort! It was Little Dude's first fort and he had a blast playing with Cole and Kelee. I also had a blast hanging out with their mom, Caroline. She is also a stay at home mom and has really been awesome to have around. I am so very glad her family moved in our neighborhood! Whenever either of us gets tired of looking at the walls of our homes, we can count on going somewhere with the kids together, or at least making a trip to each other's homes for a bit. Very fun!

My friend, Jessica is pregnant! Yay!!! She and I have playdates every friday, and her husband works with Bill. Her first child, Kipling, is 3 months younger than Little Dude, so they are super great playmates. Now her second will be only a few weeks younger than my second! How cool will that be? Awesome!

In the land of Dakno, I am going to start taking some free html tutorials online and I am debating taking a class at one of the community colleges or at State so I can learn even more html! I am really enjoying all the things I am learning and so excited to learn even more! I have never been very good with computers or the whole online world, but I have learned so much in the past year and I know I have only skimmed the tip of the iceberg. So, on days I don't have any work to do for Dakno, I am going to try to still spend the time I set aside to learn whatever I can.

As for maternity leave from Dakno, I think I really won't need more than a few weeks, at most 4, of nothing to do, then get back into it slowly until I am back up the the amount of hours I do now. Though, I will probably wait to decide what I need to do around May, since I am due July 15th. Even though some people think I am crazy for still wanting to work for Dakno with a new baby and Little Dude to chase around, I think that having the job really helps me be a better mom. It gives me something to focus on beyond just children, and it gives me a little bit of an outside life beyond the house, which I think makes me all the more excited and focused as a mommy. Also, I work for a great group of people (which includes my brother in law, John, so it is even more fun) and I just think Dakno is an awesome company offering extraordinary website hosting, design and marketing services. I know it sounds geeky, but I am really enjoying the creation of websites!

How blessed I am to have the best of both worlds.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Talking!!!

Wow. Little Dude is officially talking! I am amazed. Actually, I am more amazed at how differently I look at him now that he is clearly communicating. He has been doing sign language with me for awhile, but speaking is a whole new game and adds a whole new level of amazement on my part. This may sound strange, but now I look at him as a little person, not a baby doing sign language for more cheerios, but a little person saying, "yes", "NO", "Dada", "Mama", "Woofwoof"(eddie, our dog), "ug" (hug?) "ink" (drink), ......dang. By next month who knows how much he might be able to say! Which is a mental note for me to be careful about what I say now....! I have always been bad at spelling; however, I need to get better quickly so Bill and I can still talking about getting i-c-e-c-r-e-a-m without Little Dude knowing.

In other news, I am in my first day of my fourth month of pregnancy with the new little guy/girl. We go on the 31st for another checkup, then 2 weeks later we get to go back and find out if it is a girl or a boy!! I CAN"T WAIT. I really don't know how people wait til birth to know, I have like 3 1/2 weeks to wait and I just can't! We already set up the baby's room with the nursery stuff as I used a brightly colored gender neutral jungle theme the first time around. Little Dude seems to be in love with his toddler bed, though I have left the crib rails on and plan to leave them on til 1, he climbs out or 2, after this next Christmas. I figure after Christmas 2008 we can put the toddler bed rails on and if he gets up during the night, no biggie. Anyways, we are really all ready to go, I am going to buy more room decorations for the new baby's room once I know if it is a boy or a girl. And as soon as I know, trust me you guys will too!

Well, Little Dude is telling me he is ready for a snack, so I am off to the kitchen. And I'm pregnant. And I'm barefoot. Hmmm. Hahahaha!!!!

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Happy New Years!

We had a fantastic new years! Our friends, Alan and Andrea, threw an awesome party and I got to drink tons of Sparkling Cider! AJ ended up falling asleep before the new year, and since I was holding him bill kept getting me food and drinks....ahhh luxury!

It was super fun seeing all our friends over the long Christmas break too. Asheville was great fun this trip and my Dad made an amazing turkey stuffed with goose stuffed with chicken thing....it was marvelous! AJ also got super spoiled from all his Grandparents with TONS of toys...I have no idea where to put everything! Good thing we are having another baby!

Speaking of the new baby, we had another ultrasound picture done on New Year's Eve, and he/she was moving all around and kicking up a storm (though I haven't felt anything yet) I think AJ is going to have a very active buddy! I can't wait for the two kids to play outside together! Our Due date is July 15th, but I am betting I come early, maybe even close to the end of June since AJ came early and I read in a book that second pregnancies usually are easier and come a little earlier since your body knows what to do....but then, the books said labor can last for hours and from the time my water broke to AJ coming out was 3 hours TOTAL so there was no time for any meds, even if I had wanted them(I wanted a natural birth anyway)....and my contractions didn't start til we were in the car and they never stopped.....soooo who knows. Anyways, the little one looks to be ready to play! We have one more checkup for the heartbeat the middle of this month, Then the 2nd week of Feb. we get to go in for another ultrasound to see what the sex is! I am so excited to find out!
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