A rug and a lesson

I bought this rug:

I was a little worried that it would be too dark or too light or both, but it isn't. It is perfect. And I got it on the cheap, so that's awesome. Now I finally don't feel like I need a coffee table to bring the furniture together.

Hopefully the two boys don't ruin it. Because I love it as much as one can love the perfect rug. But if they do, I plan on not yelling. At that point in life I plan to be a Zen Master or a Yogi and acknowledge that it doesn't matter, it is only tiny pieces of matter that shouldn't be bringing me so much joy anyway.

And now a word of wisdom: Do not leave gel window clings on the window from late May until late September, even if the clings are patriotic and there are patriotic holidays throughout those months. They will melt and drip down. And they are oil based and will require the same cleaning regimen as when a small child rubs petroleum jelly all over something: dish soap and water and lots of work. It doesn't matter how cute the flag or starts are, it just isn't worth the clean up. Take it off in July like you should.

This is a pregnancy update:

Everything is measuring great. Two weeks ago I was measuring small for some reason - I think I was mis-measured - but yesterday I was only a tiny bit below average. Yay! Except that now I'm hoping that I was measured incorrectly before and that the baby didn't have a crazy growth spurt that will lead to a gigantic baby in a few weeks. :) My doctor is always surprised when I tell him how big Sean was at birth and will vocally say that he hopes I don't beat that record.

In an effort to prevent calls from angry pregnant women, my doctor also likes to schedule an induction date with the allowance of a changed mind. It's easier for him to schedule it and cancel it later than it is for him to tell a woman who is 39 weeks pregnant that he can't fit her in for induction unless it's an emergency. I almost didn't, but then I remembered the 2 1/2 weeks of Braxton Hicks I got with Sean and decided to at least open that window. So I'm scheduled two days before my due date. But I have a feeling that this one is not going to wait that long. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

Yesterday I distinctly felt the baby drop into my pelvis. It's like he turned a bit and my pelvis became some sort of head vortex. So it's good news that he's not breech, but now I really have a hard time moving my body in general. His feet are also pushing up against my ribs. But I can breathe again! And I was worried that I'd also started leaking amniotic fluid, but I think that was a false alarm - thank goodness. I'm not even a little bit ready for him to come 5+ weeks early. Well, his clothes and cradle are ready, but I'm not packed, the house is a mess, Brian's in the middle of the political cycle at work (that means he's crazy busy), and I'm not organized enough for this! And Sean and I have been sick all week.

And in non-pregnant news, I got a sample of feminine hygiene products yesterday. Sean was convinced it was all candy so I had to show him that it wasn't. Then he thought the tampon was a whistle. I pretty much gave up on trying to save them from him after that. There was nothing I could do to change his mind about the 'toys' at that point.

Another new thing is that I resigned from our community HOA board. I'm a little sad, but I really think there's just too much going on right now for me to be of use to my community in the way the board needed. And my doctor encouraged me to get rid of any unnecessary stress in my life. Which it was.

Long Week

This was not a good week. Brian was in Kansas on business, naps were practically nonexistent and it was hot. So now I'm going to think about things that were great this week.

- I bought cinnamon-raisin bread and it is so good
- I had two Lindt chocolates everyday
- A lot of headbands were made and sent to Arizona for my mom to try and sell
- My wonderful and indulging neighbor was my first customer
- Handy Manny provided a lot of quiet time (thank you comcast on-demand)
- I spoke my mind and nobody got mad at me for it, so I'll assume that I was tactful
- I did not have to put gas in my van as I still have half a tank left.
- Sean and I shared half a jar of lightly salted peanuts and teased each other by eating out of the other's bowl
- The baby clothes are washed AND put away (miracle)
- I kept the living room clean and the dishes washed and put away every day except yesterday
- My back did not give out like I feared it would on Wednesday thanks to some fantastic yoga positions

Sweet. I already feel better about the week I had alone. (Steven doesn't count as being here except on Wednesday night when he helped me keep Sean in bed, seeing as he was with Melissa, his fiance, when he wasn't sleeping or working.) And Brian gets home today, so now a fun weekend begins!

some stuff

The hot days of summer are tentatively drawing to a close (in Utah - sorry to rub it in AZ people). I have 9 weeks (cross your fingers) left in my countdown. Sean still isn't napping normally. Both terribly sad and wonderfully happy things are occurring at the same time in my side of the family. Brian seems to be enjoying work. The wee babe seems to be doing well; at least he kicks and moves an awful lot.

I really am excited for September. It's such a perfect month and it will be here in 11 days. Then we can go outside without melting and leave the windows open all morning and watch Sean play at the park until he falls over in exhaustion.

Steven has been living with us all summer and now he's going to be moving to Orem until December. It will be sad when he's gone, seeing as I'm quite accustomed to talking to an adult during the daytime hours, though Brian is convinced that all the dishes are dirtied by Steven so maybe his moving out will allow for less of those. It will definitely be better laundry-wise as I will not longer have to share my washer.

And here is a picture of our crazy two-year old:


Currently his favorite activity is running from the living room to the kitchen and back, preferably in a race against Brian, and mostly with a tangled roll of yarn he "crochets" with. The other day he woke us up at 7AM with his calls for "Mee-ulk!" and so between that and the yarn roll, I'm not entirely convinced he's not a cat. He seems to think it's acceptable to hit me, Brian and Steven, bite Brian and Steven, and throw things across the room. I think these things happen when he has a lot of pent up energy and is getting tired (see:not napping normally). But he is quick to say sorry, give hugs and kisses, tell you he loves you (favorite is 'luhyou momma'), and put his cute little head on your knee when you sit on the couch. He's a smart kid - he knows that when he is driving me nuts he better do something adorable right after.

We put up a cute window cling flag and fireworks on our front window for the month of July and I have yet to take it down. I was going to yesterday only to find that whatever little bugs got into my house this summer and disappeared mysteriously were to be found stuck to the window clings. So sick. But apparently effective at catching little obnoxious bugs that get in at night when you accidentally leave the front door open too long. Win-lose situation.

And tonight is a Costco date. We have a couple of things to buy there, one being for Steven, so we figured that we may as well go on the cheap and have some pizza or a hot dog. But for some reason this is one of my favorite dates. Even if we do have to bring Sean along.

If you have one, I want it.

Do you ever have one of those days where you just can't get enough of something?

Today is that day for me. And I need me some more nectarines. And I don't care that it isn't shopping day.

It's all I can think about and it doesn't help that I just ate a really delicious one.

Sean has been nutso lately. I can't complain too much, because it's a HUGE improvement on the 3 week whine fest he was on, but I think he's losing his mind. On Saturday he pushed my collapsible mesh laundry bag around on the tile floor and then threw himself head-first onto it. ...yeah... And then Sunday he decided that singing in church meant yelling at the top of his lungs. Yesterday and today he has started throwing himself onto things, biting down on them and walking around with it in his mouth while shaking his head violently. He also thinks it's great to bite Brian on the chest or shoulder and my brother Steven on the leg. It seems to be beyond his capacity to understand that biting gives owies and that time-out has a purpose beyond something to escape.

And yet all I am really worried about is whether or not I'm getting another nectarine and how soon it will be in my mouth.

Sean is Two.

A few weeks ago, Sean had a birthday and turned two. So we did a bunch of things a kid his age would love:

We threw balls around

We played in an awesome pool with cousins

We sang him Happy Birthday and let him blow out the candles two words into the song
And he showed off his two-handed eating skills (because sometimes the spoon
doesn't quite work well enough).

It was a really fun day and thankfully my Mother-in-law was open-minded enough to let me plan this last minute and have it at her house. Thank you Mom G! Hopefully next year I'll have a better handle on things and have, gasp, invitations and plans. Right...

I just love this kid with his misses (kisses), hugs, 'mouts (timeouts he puts himself in), and ability to bring me my water bottle when I ask him nicely. So far two has been difficult, but I really try to look at it in perspective and realize that, as my friend Aubree wisely said, this is the age where he's figuring out himself. Then three is when he establishes his findings. And heaven help us, he is a stubborn one. :)

I've been having these pregnancy headaches for about six weeks now. I'd say longer, but they weren't daily until then. I would also complain about them, but it's not like it couldn't be worse (right Emily? :) ) But they have prevented me from doing more than a weekly clean-up and being a woman that doesn't daily lose control of herself in the direction of either her husband, child, brother, or all three.

And it was brought to my attention that I have not put on this here blog what I'm having come October. Well people, it's another BOY! So Brian and Sean will have another playmate and I will have a third boy to love and be grateful that emotions are not so dramatic in boys. (mostly) No, we do not have any idea what we're going to name him, but never fear - we are working on it and plan to not leave the hospital with an unnamed baby boy. Even if we have to name him something amazing like Mordecai.

Oh, and I've been released from Nursery. I miss it, but I'm glad to be done seeing as I can no longer sit on the floor for long periods of time and then be able to get up and then walk afterward. Just not happening. But man. Those kids. I already miss them a lot. Especially all of them.

And for those who read this for Sean updates: he loves enchiladas, giving 'meeses' (kisses), hugs, choo-choos, cars, handy manny and golf. I'm not kidding about the golf.