Bloody Nose

On the Friday after Thanksgiving my family got together at my parent's house to celebrate Thanksgiving together and help Dad decorate the tree. Unfortunately my mom was not there. Her brother -in-law passed away and she was in Illinois helping her sister for the week.

The kids had a great time playing together and Dad fixed an awesome dinner, complete with stuffing and cranberry sauce...all by himself :)

At some point before dinner the kids were playing up and downstairs, running all over the house. Chloe tries her best to keep up with her cousins. She is still navigating stairs and ended up taking a backwards header down the bottom flight. She was fine but had her first bloody nose, which Matt of course took a picture of :)

Daddy's Girl

Chloe's 2nd birthday was November 7th. She, unfortunately, was home sick that day with a nasty cold :( She did however get the treat of spending the day with her Daddy, who called in sick to take care of her. She apparently has picked up more habits from him then we realized. Matt took this picture that morning.


She was also watching T.V. at the time :)

Sick Mommy :(

(not for queasy eyes)
On Sunday I started a nasty flu. By 8pm I couldn't keep anything down or in so I called the doctor. We were instructed to come into the hospital right away to get IV fluids so neither I, nor the baby, would get dehydrated, which was my main concern. She said to plan on staying the night.

By the time the doctor actually returned the phone call and we were able to pack a quick overnight bag, it was close to 10pm...so what to do with Chloe?

We decided to take her with us and have my mom meet us at the hospital, that way she could drive Chloe to daycare in the morning and we would disrupt her routine as little as possible.

Poor Matt wasn't allowed to stay the night because A.) I had a roommate and B.) I wasn't in active labor. So off he went after I was settled (at 1 in the morning) to sleep at my parents. Totally exhausted, but as usual, never complained.

I ended up with 5 bags of fluid, tons of contractions, a roommate who moaned and watched T.V. the entire night, and no visit by the doctor on call...but luckily I was allowed to come home early Monday afternoon.

I camped out at my parent's house until Tuesday night so Chloe wouldn't get sick. I am finally feeling better today and was able to eat a little,...no fun.

On a lighter note: on the way to the hospital we were stopped at a light, next to a few cars and while Matt is trying to get us to the hospital quickly and safely, I was dry heaving into a garbage bag and Chloe was in the back seat singing "If You're Happy and You Know It." :)

Early Baby?

Yesterday I went to my 34 week check up and my last fetal fibernectin (yippee!) . I have had a lot of pressure lately (welcome to the third trimester) and some spotting. Upon examination the mid wife said I am 50% effaced! AAHH!

She was much more laid back about than I. She said if I went into labor at any point from now on they would not try and stop it. Apparently she forgot that fact that Christmas is 4 weeks away and I have a ton to do to get ready...the baby just needs to wait until his or her due date :)

The good news is that she thinks the baby is head down but I have an ultrasound next week to confirm.

Turn Baby Turn

I had my 32 weeks check up last week and the baby is still breech :( The doctor says that if the baby remains breech at 35 weeks she will give me some homepathic things to try. If the baby has not turned by 37 weeks then we will discuss a version. It sounds pretty painful and somewhat risky but the alternative is a c-section...I'm not crazy about either option.

As of my last ultrasound (last Monday) the baby was 4lbs 2oz...so he/she is running out of space. Keep your fingers crossed that he/she will turn and we can avoid any intervention :)

Pumpkin Picking & Carving

On Saturday we took Chloe pumpkin picking in the rain. It was a quick trip but the weather let up just enough for us to grab 3 pumpkins. She had a great time riding in the wagon her daddy was pulling!

Then on Sunday, for my birthday, Matt made breakfast, we carved pumpkins, watched football, Mommy got to take a nap, and we had ice cream cake! It was the perfect day!

Couch Rest

Yesterday I had some bleeding, went to the doctor and here we are again...bed rest. Hopefully this time it will only be for today. I am awaiting the results of yet another fFn test. If it is negative then I can return to work, if it is positive....I'm afraid to think about :(

I only need another 50 hours to complete my internship. I am scheduled to get there by next week, so keep your fingers crossed I can complete the required time and won't be couch bound yet again.

Can You Tell?

Anyone who has been pregnant has had more then a few pregnant moments when you say something utterly ridiculous and think that you are being perfectly logical.

Matt took me out to dinner Saturday night for my birthday. We went to a really nice restaurant; planning to spend a few hours. We're looking over the menu and I can't concentrate on anything except my internal dilema of wether or not I could have a glass of wine.

Me: I think I am going to order a glass of wine

Matt: You should, it's your birthday

Me: Yeah, but I feel guilty

Matt: It's fine, it will take you a while to drink it anyway with food

Me: I'm more concerned about what other people will think seeing me drink it

Matt: (Eye rolls)

Me: (being totally serious) Can you tell that I am pregnant?

Matt: Huh?

Me: Can you tell? Do you think this sweater hides my belly?

Matt: Are you serious?

Me: What??!!

Matt: Er, you're almost 8 months pregnant

Me: Hmph!

I ordered one anyway :)

Apple Picking

(Late Post)

4 weeks ago Matt, Chloe & I went apple picking with our friends The Glascotts. Chloe loves spending time with Aunt Danielle and Uncle Edgar but especially with their son Kevin. We had a beautiful day on a great farm with lots of fields to walk around in and even a petting zoo!

Here we go again....

(I haven't written in FOREVER, so I am making a vow to start again. I have been super busy with work, Chloe, pregnancy, weekend classes, etc...but it is not an excuse so we have a lot of catching up to do. )

I have 10 1/2 weeks to go before baby number #2 makes his or her debut, ...nope, still don't know the sex. So far I have only had one night in the hospital (contractions for three hours before I called) when we arrived at the hospital they were 5 minutes apart. At the time I was only 25 weeks, 3 weeks earlier then when it happened with Chloe. Needless to say we were a little panicked. The doctor was wonderful (it was the first time we met this one). She wanted to release me with a script for Breathene....I begged her not too. Anyone who has ever been on it knows how horrible the stuff is, so I promised I would take it easy and if it happens again, then bed rest.

I need to make it until Nov. 7th to finish my hours for my internship...after that if I need to stop work it would be ok, in the meantime, Matt is being the activity Nazi at home, not allowing me to do anything. He is wonderful, but you all know how I can't sit still so it has been a struggle. I am learning to live with dust and piles of laundry...but with only 75 days until DD...I might need to sneak in some cleaning while Hitler isn't looking:)

Trip to the Zoo

Last Tuesday Matt & I took Chloe down to the Bronx Zoo for "Toddler Tuesday". The zoo puts on a special puppet show at the children's zoo.

We had a great time, fantastic weather and we discovered Chloe can say "Monkeys" very well. In fact the first 15 minutes of the car ride home we kept hearing "Back...Monkeys"

She enjoyed lots of piggy back rides from Daddy, her first carousel ride and since mommy has been pregnant she thinks ice cream in the middle of the day is perfectly normal!

Oh Baby!

Yesterday we had our halfway point ultrasound with the baby. We realized that this baby will be the 10th grandchild on Matt's side and the 6th on mine. Neither of the grandmothers had been to an ultrasound with any of the kids so we invited them both.
So our entourage consisting of Matt, myself, Chloe, GiGi, and Nana went to the ultasound together. We still want to be surprised about the baby's sex, but it was hard not to try and peek between the legs to see if we could catch a glimpse of anything...we saw things but I have no clue what we were looking at...so the gender is still a mystery.
All in all the test went well, they had to check my cervical length because of preterm labor with Chloe...(more on that later). They measured all of the baby's parts from top to bottom. Now, I think I may have mentioned that I am gaining weight like a pro...maybe a little more than the "recommended" amount. So we're just about done when the tech exclaims:

"The baby is about 8oz"

Me: "That's big isn't it?"

Tech: "Yeah, really big"

Fantastic.

Tech: "The doctors told you that your due date is January 3, but I am showing a due date of the 8th:

Me: "So the baby is already really big for the January 3 date and now your telling me the due date should be a week later?"

Tech: "Yes"
So I'm giving birth to a giant??? Great.

Summer Swimming

While I was away at school Matt bought Chloe a toddler pool so she could swim. We filled it up the other night and let her splash around while mommy sat in the cold water trying to numb her broken toe:(

Awful Mommy

Before all of you cover your mouths in horror and say "I can't believe she did that!" I am here to tell you that I have already given myself the "Worst Mommy of the Year Award"

I arrived home from school last Monday night and have basically slept, ate and cuddled with Chloe for a week. My brain is literally fried. I make no sense in conversations and am amazed that I am even able to type anything coherent right now. ( I will e-mail or write you all back soon, I'm playing catch up) I had not ventured out of the house until Friday.

I took Chloe to Target to search for some things for her new big girl room. It was a ridiculously hot day and I was trying to think of air conditioned activities. So we pull into the parking lot and I turn off the engine. I remembered that I need a F'in quarter for the cart ( ridiculous) so I am searching in my purse with no luck. I go to the back seat on the driver's side to look on the floor of the car. Chloe was still in her car seat and saw my keys laying on the seat and said "mommy, keys" so I gave her he keys. Yup...you know what's coming... I close the car door because I couldn't find a quarter and am walking around back to go the other side of the car and it sudden;y dawned on me..."oh s**t, sh has the keys and all the doors are shut"

Click.

She locked herself into the car. So here I am outside of the car, in the 90 degree heat ready to call 911 because I have no other way into the car and thinking she is going to pass out from heat stroke. I know, I know...idiot.

She's staring at me the whole time giggling because she loves playing with the car keys. Her thumb was next to the unlock button.

"Chloe, hit the button by your thumb honey" (does she know what her thumb is??)

Click. Lock button

"No baby, the other button."

Click. Rear window button

"The one by your thumb baby"

Click. Unlock.

"Oh thank god."

I ran around and opened up all the doors (yeah, makes no sense) and hugged her in the parking lot for about 3 minutes all the while she's clapping and saying "mall, mall"

Needless to say, she' not allowed to play with keys anymore and I need to be supervised until this baby pops out and I get my brain back.

Motivation

We had another museum assignment today. (shocker) This time we had to sign our name under one of three location choices and go to that museum to look a various aspects that could affect curriculum. We were prompted to pick a museum based on our previous experience there and (again) "how it made us feel".

After our "research" was complete our group sat around comparing notes and preparing our presentation. We had to tell everyone in the group what motivated us to choose this particular museum. Answers varied from "I was moved by (fill in the blank) art piece" or "I feel the most comfortable here" etc...as we were going around the table I anxiously watched as my turn drew nearer and I was panicking about what kind of insightful response I could offer.

My turn came.

"Erin, what motivated you to pick this museum out of the three choices?'

I thought to myself ...oh screw it, I'll just tell the truth.

"They sell ice cream."

Whoops!

We are in class from 8am until 10pm every night. We literally follow an eat, class, eat, class schedule. The conversations are continually controversial and abstract and force you to think in ways you never have before, needless to say I am exhausted. Part of the "experience" here is visiting as many museums as humanly possible in 16 days...I think we are on visit 7 in a week, sometimes packing in 3 in one day.

One of the more popular museums is very progressive with a lot of abstract sculptures and other art I don't even know how to categorize. On our last visit we were looking at one particular artist's work in which we had to walk around and tell the class how the art "makes us feel". (did I mention this was a touchy feely place?)

Anyway, we're in a group of about 40 people who are giving these profound intellectual responses that conjure up images of war, politics, sexuality, ect...and all I can think of is "I feel hungry and I have to pee..." hmm...maybe because I am exhausted and pregnant?

So I'm feeling pathetically disengaged from our tour and wanting to get out of there when we walk down to the last sculpture. It is a large concrete...I don't know, pyramid(??) with large, individual, cylinder charcoal black piles all around its base. As I walked up to it, in voice much louder than I intentioned I blurted out:

"Is that dog shit?"

Real progressive.

Homesick for...

Matt...

Footsteps on the stairs telling me it's ok to fall asleep
The smell of shaving cream after showers
Play by play Yankee updates
The perfect cup of coffee
Always bringing me back to reality
Endless laughter at his ridiculous jokes
Soft kisses and enveloping hugs


Chloe...

Shallow breaths and fluttering eyelashes while she sleeps
Extra bubbles in the tub when they disappear
Pretend phone calls on her princess phone
Clapping hands when we say "ice cream"
Butt wiggles when she runs
The smell of skin warmed by the sun

I am...

For one of our classes we were asked to write a "poem" using an I am from...pattern to talk about our past and present. (Did I mention that this is a very liberal touchy feely place???) Anyway, for those of you that know me really well, you know I don't like to draw attention to myself when it comes to anything personal. We have to read this in front of our class and I thought that if I could share this with a room full of strangers, I could share with the people I love.

I am from barefoot summers picking sun warmed strawberries and fresh corn from the yard.

I am from fragrant flowers reminding me of death.

I am from being given space to grow and discover.

I am from a liberal and a conservative, at odds with policy but united in marriage.

I am from educated role models, supporting, encouraging, nurturing and loving.

I am from abuse. Angry words and actions born of fear and hate.

I am from scars. Daily reminders of a time I could not control.

I am from the bottom of darkness providing a platform for discovery and rebirth.

I am from forgiveness, finding inner strength and a belief in myself.

I am from compassion, a belief in the goodness of people and second chances.

I am from music and art, expression and uniqueness.

I am from a man showing me passion, acceptance and unconditional love.

I am from laughter and family, spirituality and friendship.

I am from tiny chubby fingers exploring the curves of my face.

I am from amazement, experiencing the gift of a growing new life.

Away from home...

It was through many tears that I had to say goodbye to Chloe and Matt for the next 16 days. I am in North Adams, MA completing 3 more classes for my administrative degree. As painful as it was to leave them, this was the quickest way to get this done.

I am staying in a college dorm room. For those of you that have forgotten, it's about the size of a jail cell, equally as hot, with a stale stench to boot.

So I'm off to discuss a "shower rotation" with my roomies and to talk about whose room we're going to play quarters in tonight.

...just kidding:)

Egg Sandwich

In school the kids have the opportunity to get breakfast in the morning before classes start. The most popular choice being a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. Everyday I walk into school I am greeted by the smell of bacon wafting down the halls from the cafeteria. Usually this smell repulses me. Perhaps this stems from my personal crusade against childhood obesity and diabetes and the unidentifiable processed slop they typically serve in school cafeterias.

Since becoming pregnant, I am officially a walking contradiction. The once repulsive smell now makes my stomach rumble. There were many mornings when my friend Jen & I (who is also pregnant) would watch the kids walk down the hall eating their egg sandwiches and we would scheme up ways on how one of us could trip them and the other run and quickly steal their sandwich.

Yesterday my mom called me at work to ask if it would be ok if she stopped in to say hello. I had about an hour before my next meeting so I said great!

I had gone to the bathroom and upon my return my mom was sitting at my desk and there in front of her was an egg sandwich!! Now don't get too excited, it was for her. As I sat down across from her chit chatting she proceeded to happily eat her egg sandwich, all the while I was screaming in my head NEVER EAT IN FRONT OF A PREGNANT WOMAN unless: A) you offered her some and B.) if she declined, you are willing to offer again 5 minutes later after she has watched you eat and her salivary glands are in full effect!

Unbelievable.

This morning I was running very late for work. Probably because I had to try on about 5 outfits, ironing each one, before I settled on one I deemed acceptable. I had no time to eat breakfast at home. I decided to stop after dropping off Chloe to grab a bite and cup of coffee. I sent a text to my friend Jen to see if she wanted a egg sandwich...of course she did, she's pregnant!

It probably took us all of 5 minutes to eat the sandwich as we tried to talk with full mouths all the while savoring every delicious cheesy bite. As I was gathering up the empty wrapper I silently commended myself for only buying 1 sandwich, because I could have eaten 2. Then I quickly cursed at myself for only buying 1 sandwich because I was still hungry.

I looked up at the clock: 7:35.

Hmmm...I wonder how long they serve breakfast?

Thread Count

When Matt & I first met he was sleeping on a bed which consisted of a paper thin mattress and bed in a bag scratchy sheets. Our first Valentine's together I bought him new sheets.

As usual, he listened very patiently as I went on to give a long explanation of thread count and why, because we spend 1/3 of our time in bed, it was important to sleep on comfortable sheets. I'm sure the whole time he was thinking to himself "when is she going to shut up so we can go have dinner?"

After we were married I was the main purchaser of our bed sheets and always made sure we had comfortable sheets, even, I thought, if I was the only who noticed.

I recently went shopping for my "dorm" sheets for the next two weeks while I'm away at school. When I came home I was unpacking them to be washed.

"Oh, you got your sheets?" Matt asked

"Yeah, I just need to wash them before I leave."

In a very serious quizzical voice he asked "What's the thread count?"

My man!

Shake what yo mama gave ya...

In April we celebrated my friend Leslie's (and her now husband) Jay's wedding in New Jersey. It was a great weekend with lots of laughing, celebrating and dancing. I recently got the proofs from Leslie and wanted to share pictures of Matt dancing.

All of you who know Matt know he isn't shy on the dance floor and although he has stepped up the times with some of his moves, he is still known to do the robot!

It's Official...

I've lost the clothing battle.

This morning I had to break out the maternity clothes because, sadly, my "regular clothes" will not, no matter how hard I tug, go past my hips.

When people ask how far along I am, with a big sigh I reply, only 13 weeks. Meanwhile my hips and butt are screaming "5 months!!" and my stomach is saying "we don't see a baby just a lot of salty potato chips, ice cream, and anything sour she can get her hands on."

When Matt came down into the kitchen this morning he saw me standing there staring at myself.

"What's wrong?"

"These are maternity clothes"

He gently looked me over and said "those are maternity clothes?"

With the best whiny voice I could muster I replied "yes"

"Well Er, you're pregnant"

I hate it when men are so practical.

Whining about wine...

Being pregnant means giving up some things that non-pregnant women are able to do...scuba diving, going down water slides (whoops! but Chloe came out ok :) ) etc... For the most part, I really don't miss much except having a drink, namely a glass of wine after work or with dinner. Anyone who has been pregnant post 1985 knows the dangers of drinking alcohol during those long ten months so I stay away and salivate as Matt drinks a beer out on the porch in 85 degree heat while I stare disgustingly at my sweaty glass of bland seltzer. Just when I am feeling ridiculously sorry for myself, Chloe comes running in to show me how to hop like Baby Bop. After her long rendition of hopping accompanied by sound effects, she looks up at me with this amazing grin and I remember why I am giving all of those things up and how these few months are not the time to be vain but to be thankful for a very special gift.