CLE Rocks!?!?!?!

The only photos we took...with my phone (not bad, huh?). I hung out in the car for 30 minutes while Clay went on a quick little hike.

This last weekend Clay & I continued our quest to find a town in which to raise our family. We (well, for sure I), LOVE The Woodlands, but we just can't take the heat. And I can't take the bug bites. And Clay can't take the lack of nature-type outdoor activities (golf & water sports abound...but aren't really his cup of tea). Theoretically we could live anywhere and Clay could commute to his base, but we'd see less of him as the commute would likely take days away from home each month. And like I've said before, we like each other so that is not ideal.

So off we went to Cleveland. CLE is a Continental base...so our quality of life would largely remain the same. It is a 6 hour drive to Grandma & Grandpa Pierse, or a short flight to Indy. Grammy & Grandpy Rosonke would be a shorter flight to Minneapolis, followed by the same lovely 3 hour drive. Or we could drive 6 hours & spend the night with friends in Chicago, and drive another 6 hours the next day. Either way, our quality of life in terms of access to family won't suffer.

The city & greater Cleveland area seemed much like a smaller, less congested, more nature filled, more friendly, slightly cheaper Chicago. And if you know me very well, you know I love Chicago. Cleveland felt very much like it could be home. We stayed downtown and our room had a nice view of the lake; we checked out about 10 suburbs over our two day visit. I think we've narrowed it to three that we think we could be happy in. All three have cute downtowns with a good mix of chain & independent restaurants, charming independent stores, boutiques, & new chain stores. The school districts are all excellent. They also have loads of 4 bedroom homes with basements on .5+ acre lots in our price range. Lots of them were built in the 80s, but we only need to find one with good bones & we'd be happy to do some updating on our own. And for the handsome man in my life? His nature fix will absolutely be fulfilled between the combination of two very accessible areas...the Cleveland Metropark system and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Hiking & biking trails abound...the trees, leaves & hills were so beautiful with the fall colors that I decided I might even be motivated to trek about someday...

So, for now, unless something changes with Continental or its bases, I think we'll be moving to Cleveland in the future. Spring of 2010 or 2011...we just have to decide. And soon...Clay will need to bid CLE in January for it to happen in the Spring of 2010. If it were up to me I'd pick Spring of 2011, but we are a family so we have quite a bit more discussion to do in terms of what is best for all of us. Kind of scary, but exciting at the same time?!?!?!

And, also as always, we send a big thank you to Grandma Pierse for taking such good care of our Luci while we were gone. You are the best!

29 weeks...large & in charge...

Big delay in belly shots. I had a series of unfortunate encounters with boxed hair color between weeks 21 and 29. Luckily, my sweet husband agreed to give me professional hair care for my birthday (I couldn't decide what I wanted)...so finally the color of my locks is presentable. Then again, with a belly this big, am I the only one looking at my hair?!?!?!

where do these people come from?

Random Lady at Starbucks: When are you due?
Me: Christmas
RL: Ohhh honey....bless you!
Me: fake smile
RL: twins?
Me: just one big healthy boy!
RL: fake smile

name Sally, Daddya.

Reading to Dad....she INSISTS on holding the book...and now she's into holding the book up in the air for all to see. Very annoying if you are the one trying to see the words, so you can comply with demands of "talk, Mom, talk." She's very into role playing before bed now each night. We usually read to a baby, say prayers, cover said baby with a blanket, and tell her to "sleep tight" before we head up for a bath. Last night Dad got the books & prayers instead of a baby! The girl loves her daddya...

Luci's beloved Bea of 1+ years has a new name. Last night as Clay was reading to Luci in bed he rolled over on Bea. He said, "oh! Sorry Luci, here is Bea." To which Luci replied, "Name Sally, Daddya. Name Sally."

catching up: 28 and 1/2 weeks

This is definitely the best face shot I've ever seen from a 2D ultrasound! Sweet profile...

We got another sneak peak at our sweet boy this morning. Luci went along and when she wasn't crying or throwing a fit she was squealing with delight at watching her little brother move around on the screen. "Too little a walk, too little a talk, no pizza, no ice cream, drink milk" she said...

The placenta has moved up so no planned c-section for us if all continues to go well! Fluid levels look great, and he's measuring about a week ahead of schedule...I think he's going to be a big boy. His little feet look pretty big already. He is head down, with his feet & hands right in front of his face...at one point I saw him grab his little foot with all five fingers...it was precious! Oh, and he's definitely a he...his little boy parts were impossible to miss this time. Ahh! I still can't believe we are having a boy!

I think Clay has signed up for painting Gus's room...now if we can just agree on a color! It's going to be hard giving up our only guest room, as we love having guests! We are still trying to figure out how to accommodate our visiting family once the guest room is Gus's room. We've got some ideas, but we need to figure out how long we plan to stay in this house once Gus is here to determine our appropriate level of investment. We'll see.

This pregnancy has been different than Luci's was in lots of ways. My skin is just now starting to calm down (I had GREAT skin with Luci for most of the pregnancy), and sadly my hair is no better than usual (I had GREAT hair with Luci too). I'm definitely bigger this time, both in terms of belly and overall shape. I started the pregnancy 5-10lbs heavier & I'll probably end about 5-10lbs heavier. I am on track to gain about 30lbs again, just as with Luci (or was it 25 with Luci?) How quickly I forget...

As for me, I'm feeling horrendous. Not pregnancy horrendous, just sinus infection horrendous. I'm on day 2 of antibiotics so hopefully I'll be feeling better soon. Clay & Luci had a teeny bit of the congestion last week, but they are both good to go right now, so I'm as certain as I can be that it's just an infection. I need to do an updated belly shot...I'll probably wait until before church on Sunday...that seems to be the best I look all week!

updates

Nope...it isn't the third trimester that is making me feel this icky. This cold I've been battling since Portland has officially turned into a sinus infection...I'm thinking that is why I feel so icky. I have a course of antibiotics that I'm starting in an hour that will hopefully get me back to my chipper self. I've made it almost a year without a sinus infection due to my neti pot, and that is a serious record for me. I usually have about 4 a year, and I haven't had one since Luci & I had our bouts with RSV last November. If you have similar woes, I can't recommend the neti pot more.

In other news, Lulu Pea is going to school tomorrow only to say good-bye to her teachers & friends. After a talk with the director Miss I today, we've all decided she's just not ready. Miss I is SOOO KINDLY holding Luci's spot open until after Christmas break so we can give it another try then if we want to. This is a HUGE deal as there is a long list of kiddos waiting for a spot to open up. We are grateful. And if we decide not to send her back we'll let Miss I know as soon as we make that decision. I must admit I'm curious to see if after a few weeks when Luci realizes she doesn't have to go, that she might want to go. Time will tell I guess. I wish I could honestly say I was more of a self-less mom and that I'm totally okay with the fact that she's not ready, but I'd be lying. I am okay with it, but also a bit bummed. I like alone time. Even if it is just to work. That said, I do realize it was a short lived stretch of alone time as our next bundle of joy is on his way.

So...there are just a few quick updates. Even though this post sounds kind of like a downer, I really do have an attitude of gratitude tonight...I promise. :)

seriously?

I'm on the cusp of the third trimester (either there yesterday or tomorrow depending on what method of due date selection we use), and suddenly I feel like it. Just yesterday at playgroup a friend asked me if I was starting to feel third trimester icky yet...and I replied, "No! I really still feel pretty well!" HA! Fast forward 6 hours to waking up from my nap and suddenly I feel not so good. And I woke up this morning feeling much of the same way...and again after waking from my nap today. Ugh. Near constant heartburn and a feeling like poor Gus is squished...or at the very least squishing all of my organs in an attempt to stretch out! He causes a great deal more sharp pains and dull aches than Luci did...or at least that I remember Luci causing. Or maybe it's just that all I had to do at this point when Luci was in the womb was hang out horizontally on the couch watching TV. Trying to clean up toys last night seemed like a monumental effort.

NOT GOOD my friends, not good. I still have a long 12+ weeks to go! More to come on the Gus front this week...we have a big ultrasound on Tuesday to see if my placenta has moved up. If not, we'll likely be scheduling a c-section.

catching up: lulu pea part two

Well I thought we were doing better at school, but Miss A informed me that today was possibly the worst day yet! Luci is excited to go now before school starts...she's excited to pick out what she wears, what goes in her lunch, excited to see Miss A, Miss L, and a few other friends she now names. We walk in together, hand in hand, and she doesn't cry when we leave.


But apparently, opposite of most kids who cry for five minutes when the mom leaves and then are fine, Luci is fine for 5 minutes and then cries. Real tears. Silent, but real tears. They tell me she's no trouble...that she's a good listener and will follow directions, but she does so with tears. Tears that make them as teachers sad for her...cause they are very obviously real. And Miss A proclaimed she's obviously intelligent, because Luci has the routine down & tries to speed up the day by progressing to the next activity to get to the one that is followed by Mom picking her up. (She wants to go outside, then inside, then lunch, then outside.) Then I pick her up, and she's excited to tell me about the day and show me her artwork. And she CLEARLY adores Miss A & Miss L.


Miss A suggested giving it another week...at that point we'll be almost 1/2 way through the fall semester. Miss A, Miss L and Miss I (the director) have all told me that she may just not be ready...and that if I wasn't pregnant they'd say to try again next year, but that if I want to we should stick with it and that she will eventually get the hang of it. Warm fuzzies this does not give me...I don't want her to go just because Gus is on the way. I really thought she would love it....she needs a lot of engagement, stimulation & variety and I really thought this was the answer. We definitely didn't realize she was such a sensitive, attached little soul.

So, what to do. We have definitely made progress in the AM before she goes. But after much discussion, Clay & I have decided that if things don't go any better next week while she's actually at school, we are going to pull her out for the year and try again next fall. I'm so disappointed...not in her (not at all), just in knowing that what I thought was going to be a bright spot for her and work or Gus time for me isn't going to be.

catching up: lulu pea

changing 'brother baby's' diaper... eat time, brother baby...

hmmm...we might have to work on how we holdyou brother baby...

The girl has lots of nicknames, what can I say? Lu, Lulu, Luce, and of course the real deal Luci. Just don't call her by Lucia...I'm not sure if she'll answer!

She's more & more conversational by the day, constantly cracking Clay & me up. Some of our favorites include endearing mispronunciations...

weh-yo - yellow

hhnail - snail

hhmile face - smile face

hhning - swing

ipsey pider - itsy bitsy spider

wots & wots o peoples - there are a lot of people

quiz-key - squeaky

My-yo - Milo

Other favorite phrases?

Carryou? - will you carry me?
Mama Holdyou? - will you hold me, Mama?

Luci holdyou? - when I have something she wants to hold

yes daughter.

wook at me, wook at me - look at me, look at me (while cupping my chin with her hands so that I look at her)

Car first [with one finger up] (whenever we talking about going anywhere that requires us getting in the car)

I catch me! - I'm going to catch you

If you were a fly on our wall you may have recently heard...

i miss daddya too.

daddy work. take-a-people-a-grandmas house. see Asher, see Myrtle the Great.

deep-in-a-heart-Texas.

make-a-picture-grandma. cedem (a type of flower at Grandma's).

Let's go see fishes! (Grandma & Grandpa Pierse have a little fish pond in their yard).

Somebody-a-cryian. a baby. homa, miss mama. (hearing a baby cry).

Mom hing (sing). Mom no hing.

Mom talk. (wanting me to read a book from across the room while she holds it).

Look at me stuff, I'm-a-jumpin you! (talking to her artwork hanging on the wall while she jumps on the trampoline).

Let's go let's go!

She's starting to sing along to songs and repeat stretches of books.

-I got, I got, I got I got Loco Leeeeggs (from The Freshbeats)

-Nothin, nothin, nothin, nothin. (From The Cat in the Hat)

-She has a big sister book that she was reciting as she was playing with her baby doll the other day. "Too little a walk. Too little a talk. Too little a apples ice cream no pizza."

Oh...and she's OBSESSED with Dr. Seuss & The Cat in the Hat. And the Sneetches. And Green Eggs & Ham. She seriously can't get enough of the book or the movie. Luckily the 1957 video has lots of catchy tunes that keep Clay & me singing for days...

Her concept of time (or lack thereof) is really interesting. She knows the things we do during the day, and that bathtime and naptime come shortly after meals but has no concept of time throughout the day. Example? This AM after breakfast she said sleeptime? No sleeptime. And after lunch she might proclaim it bathtime. She does get that when it is dark out that it is sleeptime. I think she gets tomorrow, because if we talk about tomorrow being a school day she knows the next morning right away as she wakes up that she's going to go see Miss A & Miss L. But if I go out for dinner before she goes to bed, she wakes up the next morning and thinks I'm still out playing with my friends. She also is VERY excited for her friend Eleanor's birthday party and I keep having to tell her it is in a couple of weeks. I'm quite sure she has NO idea what this means, but she doesn't like it.

catching up: where-o-where will the Pierses live

I've decided to catch up in installments since I'm a bit intimidated with all of the chronicling I need to do...

So...PDX. Portland that is, for those of you whose lives aren't dictated by airport codes (ours largely are). We loved it. We felt a bit empty there. We wish it made more sense.

We LOVED it. It is beautiful. Clay could get his hiking/biking/climbing fix anytime, any day, at home or within a short drive. The mountains are gorgeous, the trees are gorgeous, the waterfalls are gorgeous. Everything is green. And for me? The city is SO accessible from the 'burbs where we'd likely live. (The area we'd likely live in is Camas, WA...very safe with excellent schools. And gorgeous homes with gorgeous views.) The Pearl District of downtown reminded me of my favorite parts of Chicago minus the congestion. In Chicago it'd be VERY difficult to get downtown for dinner and dessert and back home again on a week night. We did it in Portland with some friends of Luci's Uncle Sunidh & Aunt Brooke...in the rain (city dwellers know this makes traffic worse). They picked us up at 6:45p and we were home in bed eating a delicious dessert that we took to go by 9:45p (we stayed just shy of the 'burbs). That just wouldn't happen in Chicago unless all of the stars were perfectly aligned. Oh, and we found street parking. Twice. And they pump your gas for you in Oregon. I like that. The city has just a very cool vibe...one of respect for the environment and local ingredients...all while keeping a sense of humor. You can get a local brew (or your non-pregnant husband can ;) and eat a yummy meal with fun ingredients (like quinoa...try to find that in The Woodlands!). We saw a sign at the airport that pretty much summed it up....it said, "UNATTENDED CHILDREN WILL BE SERVED AN ESPRESSO & GIVEN A FREE PUPPY". And it had a drawing of a little girl balancing a cup of coffee while petting a puppy. LOVED IT. Oh, and I had the best latte of my life at a little local joint, bought for us by some random nice people we met over breakfast. They proceeded to map out a bunch of areas we needed to check out for future homes when they realized that we were new to the city. And then they bought us THE BEST COFFEE I'VE EVER HAD. Um, yeah. Have I mentioned we loved it?

We felt a bit empty there. Was it missing our Luci? We aren't without her very often. Was it that family would be SOO far away? For the Rosonke side, we would be talking about a 3 hour drive, a 3 hour flight, and a 4 1/2 hour flight in order to use our non-rev privileges (flying for less on stand-by). Plus all of the wait time/planning/stars aligning that said flights require. Um yeah. And the Pierse side would fair only 2 hours better on the drive side of things. That is quite a trek. And we like our families. Ideally we'd like to make it easier to see them, not more difficult. And Clay would be commuting. That would mean we see less of him. 3-5 days or more less of him a month. And we like each other...so that would be hard. Really hard. Not to mention his stress level of never knowing if he's going to make it to work or if something will go wrong with the flight he picked to get himself to Houston to start work.

We wish it made more sense. We wish we had had this euphoric feeling that we'd found our answer. Instead? Lots of pros, lots of cons. Lots of heart tugging cons.

So what now? We are checking out CLE next. Cleveland, that is. Continental has a base there, so no commuting. It'd be closer to family. A 6 hour drive to the Pierse family, or a short 60-90 minute flight. And it'd be an easy 6 hour drive in the new minivan Clay promised to buy me if I'm willing to move to CLE (he rues the day he said that! ;). For the Rosonke side, a shorter 2 hour flight with the same 3 hour drive. We'd be back in the Midwest...with proper seasons & snow. Granted I like the idea of snow more than the actual snow, but Clay for real likes snow. Housing prices have gone down significantly since we opted for IAH (Houston) over CLE three+ years ago when we moved here. So maybe it makes sense now? We'll see. Oh, and for the nature seeking man in my life? A giant state park with lots of hiking & mountain biking. And we'd be within driving distance of fun stuff in Penn, W. Virginia & Virginia. So he gets his nature fix. Not sure if I get my city fix...but I would get a minivan ;) A worthwhile trade off? I'm not so sure!

In summary? I wish staying here was the answer. But Clay has no nature fix, and I have no city fix. And the forecasted heat index for the week is: 96, 97, 110, 93, 95, 95 & 94. Have I mentioned it is the end of September? Beginning of October? These temps just don't work with our Northern body calendars. They just piss me off. I want to wear pants! And long sleeves! And go outside without sunscreen & bug spray! Is that too much to ask? But I do love our friends here. In my pregnant state just thinking about not having them in our daily lives makes me weepy. Ugh. Anybody know how I can pick up a town and move it north?

alive & mostly well

After a week of traveling we are home again home again. Thank goodness. I feel like I've been hit by an enormous truck (as Luci would say)...I have a terrible cold and this body just isn't up for trekking through airports with luggage & a 2 year old...even with the help of Dad & Grandma.

That said Portland was AWESOME. It wasn't so much a vacation as an exploration of a potential future home, but it was great nonetheless. Luci did really well with Grandma and had her best school experience to date while we were gone. Yesterday went well too...no tears before school or even when we dropped her off. She did struggle when Miss L had to leave to pick up her sick daughter from school, but I'm hopeful tomorrow will go well if Miss L is back.

One night at home after Portland and Clay, Grandma Pierse, Luci & I headed up to Indiana for the weekend for the big Edinburgh Fall Festival. We had a great time, although I woke up on Saturday with a pulled ab muscle or something that left me virtually unable to walk without significant pain. Fun times. The good news is that at least that ailment has already healed. Now if I could just get rid of this congestion...

More details to come, but for now I must work...

Productive.

Reading her book...Loving her trampoline!

Going to the one not allowed spot...of course.

Jump...

Jump!

Productive with a capital P. My very long list of personal admin has for the most part been completed this week. Amazing what a few forgone mama naps will accomplish. I've been so on task I haven't posted for awhile...

Aunt Baylee & Grandma Myrtle the Great were here last weekend & we LOVED having them. Unfortunately, I am a terrible mother/sister/granddaughter, and forgot to get the camera out even ONCE! And Aunt Baylee is leaving the country this week for a year or more! What is wrong with me?!?!?! Ugh. I'm disgusted with myself and just thinking about it makes me want to cry. I think it's not as much the photos as Baylee leaving for a year. Not that we won't be able to talk or email, but still...a year is a long time. Living far away from siblings is such a bummer...I am proud of our endeavors & ambition, but it SUCKS that living in different time zones seems to be a necessary by-product. Luci is still talking about Aunt Baylee & Myrtle the Great a week later...she misses them, for sure. We did lots of fun things like going out for breakfast, coloring both my hair & Grandma's hair blond from a box at Kroger (mine was not a big hit...Grandma looked great, on the other hand), and shopping. It was tons of fun...thanks for coming!

I also turned 32 last weekend. Or thirty-twos as Luci would say. Baylee took Grandma & me out for breakfast & Clay took me out for a LOVELY dinner while Baylee & Grandma Myrtle watched Luci for us. It was great...thank you all!

Preschool continued much as it did the first two weeks. I didn't get any calls to come pick her up, but she cried pretty much from the moment she woke up until I handed her off to Miss L. And I'm sure she continued crying but I didn't stick around to find out. Miss L & Miss A told me she cried on & off the whole time - and when I asked if it was more good than bad, they said it was a toss up. Ugh. I almost called it a day on Thursday morning...I wasn't sure if I could keep doing it. She is legitimately scared. And I know she doesn't need to go to. But I really want her to want to go. I really want the time to pick up some extra hours at work before the baby comes, and maybe even after if Gus's naps cooperate. Luci needs a LOT of stimulation & engagement these days, and selfishly I love the idea of having someone else do it while I get a few hours to myself. Preschool is really all about me, and I get that. And it makes me feel all the more guilty that she is terrified...cause that is due to me too! I was too scared to leave her at the Y or with babysitters, so of course she is terrified at school...how could I expect her not to be? Miss L assures me that given I've never left Luci with anyone other than close friends or grandparents that her behavior is totally normal. They've not suggested that it is time to call it a year yet so I'm going to give it at least another month. Ugh.

And this week Grandma Pierse gets to give it a go. She's staying with Luci while Clay & I hit Portland Monday - Thursday. We are excited to really check out the area and see if it might be the place for us. But my heart is definitely feeling an extra tug knowing the issues she's having with school...

uncomfortable.

Lately we've been feeling lots of discomfort. All three of us. Preschool is hard. On all three of us. I'd been calling what Clay & I've been feeling as heartbreaking, but I've revised and am trying to keep perspective. Heartbreaking is watching a child or spouse suffer from a terminal illness, or not being able to afford to care for or feed your child. Lots of things in this world are really heartbreaking. Leaving your child at preschool while she cries for Mama or Daddy is not one of them. It's just uncomfortable. Luci feels uncomfortable at preschool. She's safe, with lots of fun things to do and kids to play with. But she's uncomfortable because she's used to Mom & Dad always being there.

Tuesday was okay. She cried as soon as we turned the car off in the parking lot. The preschool director (a neighbor of ours) called at 10a to say Luci was walking around in a crouched position saying, "poops, poops". But a diaper change revealed no poops, so they put her on the potty. She didn't like that. I told the director she probably just knew she had to go but that they could leave her diaper on. We didn't hear back, so we went a bit early to sneak a peak at her on the playground to see how she was. She was at the fence line, looking out all forlorn like. Clay couldn't stomach more than 3 minutes of this so he went out to scoop her up. Miss L said she was teary during a diaper change, but overall did pretty well. One thing Clay & I noticed as we dropped her off was that her cubby now had her photo on it...the saddest lookin Luci photo you've ever seen. It made us uncomfortable.

Clay left Tuesday afternoon, and since then Luci has been periodically bursting into tears proclaiming "miss Daddy, miss Daddy, no Daddy work, miss Daddy". She's always missed him while he's on trips, but has been easily distracted and comforted...except for the last two days...NOTHING I do comforts her. I brought out a Daddy shirt to hug, made a bear into a special Daddy bear (this worked for a few hours), brought out the photo book of Dad, called Dad, but nothing has comforted her. This inconsolable missing makes us uncomfortable...and lucky me, I'm probably the least uncomfortable.

Today the tears started almost as soon as she woke up. Miss Daddy, miss Daddy. She cried while sitting in 'Daddy's pillows' (his side of the bed) watching a show through my entire shower. She cried through breakfast. We 'rocked a baby' for 5 minutes with the forbidden baa all cradled and wrapped in a blanket in a way we haven't done since she was like 6 months old. I loved it (who doesn't love to snuggle their baby), but found it very disturbing at the same time. She's clearly uncomfortable. She knew it was a school day, and said 'no school' a few times. But she was excited to put her socks on, and carry her lunch box to the car. But when we reached the parking lot she started crying, and cried all the way into her class (with Mama getting empathetic looks from every other mom we passed), into her teacher's confident arms. I warned Miss A it had been a rough morning and that the director could call me on my cell phone, but she scooped Luci right up & told me she'd be fine. And I was off. But very uncomfortable!

I went about my business, prepared for the call which came at 10:15a. I could hear Luci in the background sobbing "see Mama, see Mama". Luckily I had just picked up my final item at the grocery store, so I headed to the check out & drove as fast as I legally could to school. When I got there I went to Luci's class room...I could see her, but she didn't see me...and she wasn't crying. They said she had stopped just after the call and that she'd been fine since. I snuck out & told them to feel free to call if the tears started again...and thanked them for calling in the first place. About 11:15a I got another call...asking if I meant to pack strawberries in her lunch or was she no longer allergic...OOPS!! Poor thing melted when they took away her strawberry (which I made a big deal of telling her about this AM as I was packing her lunch)! I said, no, strawberries no longer caused eczema breakouts, and profusely apologized! Poor Luci & poor Miss A & Miss L...as if the morning hadn't been hard enough already! UGH!

I went a bit early to pick her up to watch her on the playground through the window and she seemed to be fine climbing on the equipment and going down the slide. When Miss L brought her into the pick up room the big frown was back & I could see tears brimming, but I promptly gave her a hug & high five and told her what a good job she did at school today...and she responded by smiling. We gave Miss L a high five on the way out, and although Luci did say "miss Daddy, Daddy work" she didn't cry. And she's been fine since then. We looked at her artwork from the day and she's now watching a show before nap time, excited to wake up in order to go pick up Aunt Baylee & Grandma Myrtle the Great from the airport this afternoon.

So, we made it through another week of school. And it was uncomfortable, but life often is uncomfortable. I can get through this transition just keeping this in mind. The biggest rewards of my life have come after a period of discomfort. I don't regret any decision that I've ever made that required me to stretch beyond my comfort zone. My problem is not knowing if it is necessary for a 2 year old to learn this lesson...or if that is even the lesson we're departing on her by forcing the preschool issue. Ahhh the uncomfortable joys of parenting...

the state of Luci

Droopy eyes after coming home from preschool with a cold. She was cold & wanted to wear a coat...I had to talk her out of her big heavy winter coat and into the fleece. She may have been born here, but she's a northerner! Sporting her new backpack in time for day 2 of school...

I love it!

Sometimes weeks go by without any real change in our Luci. We play, we get fixated on things like play-doh or birthday parties or hitting, but for the most part life chugs on.

Then there are weeks like this. In the last week she's grown and regressed all at the same time..throwing me for a huge loop. Last weekend she started this new thing...."mooooommmm-MEEEEEE". Suddenly I'm Mommy. It's a very whiny Mommy. Separation anxiety is back and worse than ever. She had a cow last Sunday night when Clay tried to give her a bath. She freaked out at gymnastics on Monday when her teacher tried to help her with a move...she cowered & just clung to my leg. Tuesday she started preschool...Tuesday afternoon nap took almost an hour of crying (she's always been quite an agreeable napper for the most part), and was then followed by only 30 minutes of sleep before the tears started again. Since then sleeping has been AWFUL. It's like she's having separation anxiety about being left in her room...and she loves her room...nothing in there has changed since we got the big girl bed months ago. It is making for a very tired 2 year old and a very tired mama.

She did well Thursday at preschool. At 8:15a she was trying to open the door to get out to the car...telling Clay & me to 'come on'. Obviously that made us feel good about taking her. Once we got to school she knew we were leaving, but the ever-so-crafty teachers kept them busy as soon as they arrived by having them all wash their hands as the moms & dads left. We each gave her a high five and were off! Clay left for work while she was there, so I headed to pick her up a bit early as I needed to sign something and I saw her out on the playground having fun. After play time they bring the kiddos into the cafeteria type room to find their parents. As soon as she walked in she realized that I was going to be there and with the biggest frown you've ever seen she headed to the door frantically looking for me. I called her name and as soon as she saw me she burst into tears and clung to my neck. Miss Lori said she only got teary once during a diaper change, but aside from that she did great. I think she's just very conflicted about it...she has a great time while she's there and looks forward to it, but really really misses us at the same time. Hopefully it'll get better as she gets more into the routine of it. Oh...and she came home Thursday with a monster runny nose and saying the phrase "no pushing". Hmmm...I don't really wonder how that came about.

The other big thing is that her vocabulary/speech is blowing up. She's started to say a few sentences, and yesterday even told me "I have to go to the potty, Mom". Of course we made it just in time to smear poo all over the chair while the majority of it stayed in the diaper. Maybe it was a good start...although she hasn't mentioned the potty since. I think we'll do the "3 Day Potty Training Method" in October once our September travels are over. It'd be great to have her out of diapers by the time Gus arrives!

Other latest Luci notes....

-no, mY book. MY chair, MY lunchbox, MY backpack...you get the idea
-polka dots...she can now identify polka dots
-anything brown is chocolate (pants, cats, bags..you name it)
-I like it! I like Cubs shirt. I like TV. I like Mom. I like Dad. I like Choo Choo Soul. I like outside.
-I'll show you boondoots (balloons). I'll show you book. I'll show you baby.
-HEYYELP! Mom do it! Mom do it too! (I don't want to do the task I wanted completed...you do it Mom)
-up-a-stairs you (will you please come up the stairs with me)
-daddya here? check...check. (in anticipation of Dad's arrival...wanting to check & see if his car is in the garage)
-banana wait? (I'd like a banana while I wait for breakfast/lunch/dinner to be ready)
-know come from? (I don't know where that noise is coming from?)
-she's a counting fool...and almost always gets 1-6, 8-10 right. It's that pesky 7 she can't seem to remember. she also does it in Spanish...and goes right from seis to ocho.
-she spends half of her day putting shoes on & taking them off. her shoes, my shoes, clay's shoes...doesn't matter.
-she's very into coins and loves to count them. she has been keeping them in her pocket, but when her shorts don't have a pocket she uses what we call her 'coin purse'.

I think that is it for now!

Augustine Rutherford Pierse

That's right. Our sweet boy shall be named Augustine Rutherford Pierse. Augustine is pronounced Uh-GUS-tin. Not AWE-gus-teen. Aka....Gus. Just Gus. And Rutherford is Grandma Pierse's maiden name....and given our daughter's name is Lucia Rosonke Pierse you may have figured out that I have a penchant for using the middle names of our children to honor maiden names. We know...it's a big name for a little boy but we love it...so if you don't please keep it to yourself!


My OB informed me today that Gus has long, long limbs, and they've got some meat on them. Our ultrasound tech said he had big feet back at 18 weeks, so I'm guessing we are looking at another 8lb+, 22in+ baby. And we wonder why I get so big so fast? I'm only 5'3! I mean, I know I look much taller & leaner when not pregnant ;), but I'm a short-waisted 5'3 and there is just isn't anywhere to go but out!


That said, my uterus is measuring 24 weeks as opposed to the 22 1/2 that the calendar indicates, but Dr. J says no problem. I've gained 12lbs total so far and she was thrilled that I 'finally gained some weight' this month (5lbs in the last month)...which totally cracks Clay & me up. We weren't worried...have you seen me? She also thought that it looked like my placenta had moved up...she even pushed on it to see it move on screen to verify it was what she thought...and Gus pushed back! She said he might have a bit of a 'tude already! Our child? Never!

Luci's first day of preschool

Shaking her head...no, no hitting friends...

We survived the first day of preschool! All three of us! Of course this morning was hectic...making her lunch...not being able to locate the bag I was going to have her use until her new little backpack comes in...putting on sunscreen (always a battle)...but we made it on time. Of course I spent the whole morning lamenting that I didn't order her backpack or lunchbox in time for the big first day, but she survived anyway, just as I suspected she would.

I had noticed last week during the meet the teacher that they had her name printed as Lucia all over, so I had to let them know this morning that she probably wouldn't answer to anything but Luci. They seemed to get it, and less than 5 minutes after arriving we said good-bye to our pea. She seemed sort of oblivious to the fact that we were leaving and I was a bit troubled by that, but nonetheless we headed out...and I made it all the way to the parking lot before there were tears. And then more tears in the car. Thank goodness Clay was home & we were able to go out for breakfast and just spend the morning together.

By 11a I was very ready to go get her and the minutes seemed to crawl by. Finally it was time...and she was just as ready to see us as we were her! Miss Lori said she did okay...more good than bad...but that there were a few times when she cried so they did their best to re-direct her attention each time. Of course when told Luci had cried I almost started crying, but I held it together. I asked Miss Lori if she hit any other kids and Miss Lori looked shocked...I have a feeling that Luci's little personality stayed pretty hidden today. Clay thought she looked a little pensive when we picked her up and I'd have to agree; she was definitely out of her comfort zone.

I do still think that the time was right for all of us to make this transition. She rarely has baby-sitters and hasn't been left with people she doesn't know super well since she was about 9 months old (and that was all of 45 minutes at the YMCA..and just once). She's a young 2 (in the 2's class), but she'll be young when she starts kindergarten, so really I think this is a good start. 8:30a - 12:00p, just T/Th. It really is just a structured play time with 2 teachers & 11 other kids, 7 hours a week. I'm already looking forward to & dreading Thursday all at the same time. That said, I know we can do it!

ps. I can hear my dad right now..."have you convinced yourself yet, dear?" I'm working on it Dad, I'm working on it...

ugh

Ugh...it's one of those days. I'm grouchy. Luci started gymnastics on a new day (Monday instead of Thursday) this morning and she didn't do very well...and she's done spectacularly since her very first class. Not sure if it was the new kids or what, but she was not a very good listener, seemed to be afraid of her teacher (who shes adores), and even hit a few kids. Fun times. Just what mama wants the day before preschool starts to feel confident in her choice. Ugh.

Speaking of preschool, just thinking about dropping her off tomorrow makes me weepy. Looking at pictures of my girlfriends' kiddos starting school makes me weepy. Good thing Clay will be home to go with us...I might have to sit in the car or something. Ugh.

My other complaints? My $15 hair cut is TOTALLY crooked when you look at it from the back. I swear I didn't see it in the mirror at the salon....but everyday since then I fret when I look at the back. I finally asked Clay today if he had noticed it...he said yes, right when I got home...but he thought it was supposed to be that way. I have a feeling he just didn't want to validate the then necessary follow up appointment with my usual stylist. Which is tomorrow at 3p, by the way. Think I'll have to cancel the highlights to pay for the cut tomorrow. Ugh.

Oh, and did I mention I have a rash on my left ring finger? So I'm walking around without my rings. I feel like I'm missing an appendage. I've been wearing just the band for a few weeks now as my fingers have been swollen...the band seems to fit just a bit better than my engagement ring. And now, no rings at all, just an ugly scaly red rash. When I was pregnant with Luci I wore my rings right up until the end. Not this time I guess. Ugh.

And lastly? Another week of the heat index between 100 - 110 degrees. Since June. Literally. This is the worst summer here yet. Ugh.

And blessings, yes, blessings abound. Maybe I should have posted about all of my blessings instead of wallowing in my ugh-ness. Or maybe I'll save that for later today or tomorrow. These photos do make me smile...here is Luce showing off her birthday hat from Aunt Deb the Great...

Happy Birthday Grandma Pierse

"good as gold"..."she's a gem"..."you're so lucky!"...I've heard all of these things in reference to my dear MIL (mother-in-law) from the other moms in my 'hood. Anyone who sees you with Luci recognizes what a special grandma you are and how giving your spirit is. I read this quote on the Lawrence blog and you immediately popped into my head:



WHEN I STAND BEFORE GOD AT THE END OF MY LIFE, I WOULD HOPE THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE A SINGLE BIT OF TALENT LEFT, AND COULD SAY, "I USED EVERYTHING YOU GAVE ME." ~ERMA BOMBECK



Thank you for sharing your talents with us, and for providing me with a real life lofty example of how to fulfill this tall order in such a gracious way. Happy Birthday & lots of love today and always.

another one

Not-to-be due date that is. #2. Babies 3 & 4. Two sweet baby girls based on the chromosomal testing we had done (which came back normal). Only for a few hours back in January did I actually contemplate what life could be like right now. Obviously when we found out there were two we also found out they were probably not well. But for the weeks before that, I thought we'd be welcoming another child into our earthly family about now.

Today has been easier than the last due date was five months ago...mostly because I'm filled with peace knowing that in less than five months from now (God willing, as always) we'll be holding our sweet boy. With every kick (and there are lots of them...he's an active one) he reminds me that he is the earthly child we were meant to have. Yet that human part of me still can't help but wish I could have all of our babies here with me to hold.

Luci met her teachers today and I was the only weepy mom in the room. It wasn't even her first day & I got weepy! She did great though, and was extra sweet to me after we returned home from school...it isn't often that I get unsolicited hugs & kisses...yet somehow today she must have known I needed them. We played with our good friends the Lawrences this afternoon and I'm grateful that the day flew by. Her vocabulary is growing by leaps & bounds and her associations & generalizations are always cracking me up. Tonight on the way home it was raining really hard...about half way home during a particularly hard rain she proclaimed "CRUNCHY!". And then when we got in the house and she was having a hard time taking her shoes off she shouted "HEAVY!" Thank you for being you, sweet girl.

21 weeks & a goofy girl

this is how she takes pictures...

and this is how she gets our attention...by crossing her eyes & staring at us until we acknowledge her!

upside down!

Well the 21st week is here...I'm almost forgetting which week I'm on now...weeks 17-20 flew by (maybe due to all of the parties?) and now things have slowed down again...although not for too long I suppose. Clay & I are planning a mini-vacation/should we live here exploration trip to Portland, OR on 9/14 while Grandma Pierse stays with Luci. We'll come back on Thursday and then turn right around on Friday to head up to Indiana with Grandma Pierse for the big Edinburgh Fall Festival. Fun times!

The boy is following in his big sister's footsteps and seems to be moving higher & higher up my torso. I'm feeling him kick really high...much higher than I know theoretically he should. After I'd been pushing for like 2 hours with Luci my OB told me that I'd made a lot of progress given that Luce started in my throat...good thing I didn't know that I had well more than an hour of pushing to go...

And do you like my new 'do? I went to the Aveda Institute this morning and paid FIFTEEN DOLLARS for this cut. And I love it!! So much so that I'm going back a week from Saturday to have the same student give me highlights for $35....highlights oh highlights...how I've missed you!!