Merry Christmas

Just in case I don't get the Christmas cards out on time - here is what the newsletter would have looked like, had you gotten one. I think you have to click on it to make it larger.

Our Christmas photo

Here is the photo that we took for Christmas. You will notice that neither parent is in it - mainly because we are too scrappy looking to be in a photo with our cute kids.

This was the one picture out of 10 that had Nicholas giving his "cheese" smile and had Abby's face - when she wasn't bawling. For some reason she didn't like being held by Nicholas this night. Normally, when we let him hold her, she stares at him and babbles something at him. He just kind of looks at her for a few minutes, says "Hi Abby" and then says "I don't want to hold her anymore." But he was really good for the pictures.

Why are they in Christmas pajamas? Well, I haven't finished the Christmas clothes yet. Nicholas' Christmas tie is cut out, but not sewn, and Abby's Christmas dress needs the other half of the zipper put in and the hem done. I have to put in the zipper by hand because I have forgotten how to do it on my sewing machine. So they are in Christmas pajamas - and they are super cute. But I am not biased or anything.

In other news, we have Christmas decorations up. So that is a big plus. I managed to get the house decorated in what I affectionately call "Christmas lite." Normally I am a huge Christmas decorator. I pull everything out the day after Thanksgiving and by that night there is no doubt that Christmas is coming to the Wunderlich household. I even did it when I lived by myself. This is a wonderful time of year and the only time you can be totally gaudy and it is acceptable and I love it.

But this year is "Christmas lite" because of the c-section, the new baby, the lack of sleep, the ever "helpful" 2 year old.....and I am simply out of energy. But we have some Christmas, a tree, and some outside lights. So I am somewhat satisfied. I am more satisfied when it is night time and I am exhausted because of the two kids and husband than I am in the morning when I am still fresh and have a lot of energy (comparatively).

We survived!

Today was Jon's first day back at work. I was concerned about how today was going to go; I cannot go up and down the stairs once I get down and Abby is suffering from a serious case of gassiness (she is always fussing if she's not upright). So I was concerned. I was worried I wouldn't be able to get her to stop crying, that I would need something from upstairs, that I wouldn't get to eat.....the worries go on.

But we survived!

Yes, it meant that for breakfast I ate jam on bread (what Nicholas calls a jam sandwich) at 9am and didn't eat again until 2:45pm. It means that the house is a mess - not dirty, just messy - because I have various projects in various states of being done. It means I got nothing done - other than making dinner, keeping myself and Abby fed and clean, and some Christmas decorations. I wanted to get some sewing done, but I couldn't get it done because Abby wasn't cooperating.

Yes, I had to walk for 3 hours with Abby between feedings. She ate 6 times today between 7:30 and 3:30. That is a lot of food. She needed lots of gas drops and burping, but I did it.

So what did we do all day? I find it amazing that people ask me that question. It is obvious that they have never had a newborn when they ask. Because that is all I got done. I mean, she needs food and diaper changes - which takes 35-45 minutes every 2-3 hours (more if she has a huge poop). She needs cuddling and talking to and singing. She needs holding. I need to take care of myself- eating and bathroom and drinking water. So what is left? About 30 minutes when you desperately hope that she will sleep so you can get a nap.

Since she's not sleeping, and she is in her swing for the 10 minutes she will sit there, I decided to write this post. Especially since the sound of a keyboard seems to soothe her better than FoxNews. Who can understand that?

Teething necklaces

Every mom knows the complaint - I cannot wear nice jewelry because my kids pulls/tugs/teethes/bites (insert your choice of verb here) on it. In fact, my son broke my favorite necklace when he was in the teething stage. I learned after that one. However, you also have to give up dangling earrings and some bracelets. I had to give up bracelets because my son always wanted to wear them - who wouldn't want to wear mom's jewelry. If mom is wearing it, it must be cool.

As I flashed forward to Abby going through this stage, and since I was looking for something Jon could get me and put in my stocking, I remembered hearing something about teething necklaces.

As I will do when I am trying to find something, I googled it (teething necklaces for mom). I got three types of results:

1. Actual necklaces that can double as teethers (which is what I wanted).

2. Something called a "nursing necklace" - which is a necklace made of colorful and tactile beads for a baby to hold while nursing - but not for teething on (which I did not want).

3. Amber necklaces - which the makers claim helps pain relief for teething babies when they wear it close to their skin.

So I picked out a few websites that had option number one and I was in love!

Smart Mom Jewelry makes a variety of necklaces (and matching bracelets) that can be teethed on. These come in donut shapes (a latex-free string with a donut pendant on the end) in multiple colors.

Uncommon Goods has the chunky bead-like necklaces that are made in three colors (blue, black and clear) for babies to chew on. These can go in the dishwasher when they need to be sanitized.

And then there is the Oh Plah! teething cuff - for those of you who like to wear bracelets and have babies who like to chew on them.

Anyways, I thought I would do other moms the favor of posting this here.

The second child

I was the first child for my mom. There are lots of pictures of me as a baby doing everything from sitting up to laying down. There are pictures of me with my eyes closed and open. There are pictures of me that seem to have been taken because there was simply nothing better to do. And then there is my sister - there are fewer pictures of her, much fewer. But she's the second child.

So I told myself, I would take as many pictures of Abby as I did of Nicholas. Nope. Not even close. I didn't even have the camera around today when Nicholas did the cutest thing - gave Abby a series of kisses on her head. Now I am going to have to account for the lack of pictures of Abby to her when she is an adult. And here I was going to be so much better at this than my mom.

Speaking of Nicholas - he's doing great. After a few days of being a total pain in the butt he seems to have adjusted. It helps that we have adjusted too. We have been making him a bigger priority when Abby is sleeping and dividing the Abby duties when she is awake so Nicholas gets a lot of attention. And we will read to Abby, but let Nicholas sit on the rocker too and pick the book. We also have Abby cheer on Nicholas while he is playing golf outside, riding his bike, or simply being "Super Nicholas!" This has helped Nicholas feel much better about his little sister. He even said "I love Abby" today. It was very cute.

I am recovering well. Not fabulously, but well. The thing about the second c-section is that it is much easier. You already know what to expect and you don't have to recover from 28 hours of labor plus the c-section. I have also avoided a serious staph infection this time, which helps recovery. I feel better because we caught the allergic reaction early so it wasn't as strong and I don't have a multitude of infections at the same time as I am trying to recover from major abdominal surgery. Amazing what a difference that makes.

The stairs in our house are the big problem; along with picking things up. You never realize how much you have to bend over to pick up until you cannot do it any longer. I can finally see the bones in my feet again (the swelling is down) and I cannot bend over to get socks on. I finally could get down on the floor to play with Nicholas, except not really. This is the problem with a c-section. For 6 weeks you don't get to bend down and pick things up. Things like your other child. But we find ways around it. We cuddle, we hug, he sits next to me on the sofa........

All in all the Wunderlich household is adjusting nicely. Now, if only they would synchronize nap schedules. Then we would be great.

What we have learned in a week

So, today is Tuesday. Abby has been alive for one week, and boy have we learned a lot. It is surprising how many things you learn about a baby in a week.

1. She smiles when she wets her diaper. This is a key indicator that a spout of crying is about to begin because she doesn't like being wet.

2. She wakes up and searches for Nicholas when she hears his voice. She can be dead asleep in my arms, but if Nicholas comes into the room and starts talking, she wakes right up and starts moving her head as if she is going to find him (good luck, since her eye sight is really bad right now).

3. She likes to eat - a lot. When in doubt about why she wakes up, it is probably because she needs to eat. Especially if she has a dirty diaper - then she really wants to eat.

4. She smells great - just like a baby should.

5. She knows who her mom is and loves to cuddle with me.

6. She has a Pavlovian response to hearing a bottle being shaken near her. Her father can bring out the bottle to feed her and she can hear it being shaken, then she calms down and opens her mouth and give you this look that says "You are taking too long to get me my food."

7. She eats her hands. All the time.

8. She much prefers to be held and cuddled than sleep on her own. And she will let you know this as well.

9. Her lungs are just fine. Ask anyone within a mile of our house.

10. She doesn't like hats and will push them off her head.

These are just some of the things we have learned about her in this week. Isn't having a new baby a wonderful journey of discovery and fun?

Breastfeeding trials

Breastfeeding.

The bane of my existance.

It didn't work well with Nicholas and I was very upset about it. Although I think the nurses at the hospital made me more frustrated and upset than I would have been if it hadn't worked and everyone had been supportive about using bottles, instead of focusing on giving me more "help" to breastfeed.

So going into it this time I was very laid back. If it worked, great. If it didn't work, fine. But it turns out I have to remind myself of this attitude.

Abby latched on great at the beginning, but wasn't getting anything. Then, within 18 hours of being born, she still hadn't pooped. For those who are unfamiliar with hospitals, if you child hasn't pooped within 18 hours of being born they want you to switch to include bottles to prevent jaundice. Jaundice means that your child goes to the NICU and sits under lights until the bilirubin - the stuff turning them yellow- is processed out of their system. Nicholas had to do this and I didn't want to leave Abby there, so we added a bottle.

I was fine. We did bottle and breastfeeding, with the breastfeeding just not going well. It wasn't Abby's fault, she tried. I just had no milk. So we started the pump.

Let no one tell you that pumping is easier. It stinks.

All I am saying is breastfeeding is a trial. It's not the "most natural thing in the world" - no matter what the La Leche League or hospital nurses say.

Some people do it well and great, others struggle, some quit, and most people are somewhere in between. It is the dirty little secret that no one talks about with pregnant women.

But I want to make it clear - there is nothing wrong with bottle feeding or breastfeeding. You do what you can, when you can, and the child will grow up great so long as there is lots of love. To all the new moms out there, or my friends who are about to become new moms, take heart if you have breastfeeding problems. You are not the only one!

Things you forget about babies

Abby is the second baby in the Wunderlich household. We made it through Nicholas, and so we assumed certain things about Abby based on our experience. We also decided that we knew what we were getting into this time. But there are things you forget.

1) How much laundry is there? We forgot how much laundry there is for a newborn. Between spitting up and all the other bodily functions that get all over clothes and blankets and hats and socks, laundry piles up.

2)What does sleep feel like? Nicholas was such a good sleeper and knew the difference between day and night from the beginning. Even though he would wake up frequently to eat at night (for the first few weeks) he would go right back to sleep. Abby has a witching hour about midnight - she desperately needs to eat but won't go back to sleep. She wants to he held and talked to and cuddled. Then, about 2:30 am, she will go back to sleep. Which means she's up again at 3-ish to eat.

3) Where do I get to go? I had forgotten that I don't get to go anywhere. Between feedings and pumpings I am tied to Abby about every 2 hours for 30+ minutes for feedings. Not to mention the cuddling and then the holding while Jon deals with Nicholas. So really, I get to do nothing. Nothing at all but bond with my cute little girl. And while I enjoy that, it is sometimes nice to get to do things like type a blog (which I am squeezing in) or have a few moments to myself.

We have just forgotten some things. But having Abby reminded us of them. The most important thing of all we haven't forgotten:

All children are loved in this household and there is always room for more love.

Abby is here!

Abigail Scarlett Wunderlich was born on 11/8 at 6:36 am. She is 6 lbs, 12 oz, 20 inches and has red hair. She really looks like her father. As soon as I upload pictures, I will post some here so everyone can see her. But she's adorable!

She slept her whole first day in this world. Slept and cuddled - with me, with her father, with the grandmother and grandfather, and even Nicholas got in on the holding action (his dad helped him).

My water broke at 3:03 am so we headed into the hospital. We were going anyways because the contractions were 10 minutes apart, but we assumed they would stop and they would send us home. Then my water broke. I found this a hilarious experience and was laughing super hard while it was happening and standing in the tub so it didn't get everywhere. Funny thing is, no one ever tells you what to do once your water breaks. I mean, how do you get new clothes on without getting everything all over? What about walking to the car?

Jon was a great driver, going as fast as he could. Which was perfect because the contractions were super strong and every 3 minutes. And getting stronger. Who knew things happened so fast? I was induced last time, so this time was totally different.

Kudos to Kaiser for having me in the operating room with the spinal in place by 6:15am. Then Abby was born. And since I kept complaining about pain, they knocked me out and put me to sleep. When I came to, it was 8-ish and no one had held Abby yet because her temperature was super low. Finally everyone got to hold her. Dad first, then grandfather, then grandmother. Then me.

She spent most of her first day sleeping. She occasionally opened her eyes to see the world. But she was basically asleep - and not really eating. So we shall see how the eating goes on day two.

I am doing great - I am feeling amazing. This time is so much better than the last. And the swelling is going down, the headaches are gone, the kidneys are functioning.....everything that was going wrong is much better. My blood pressure is back down nice and low. It is really going great.

Abby is such a love. It is a good thing that Jon and I love her so much. Jon is great with her, holding her and looking at her with such love.

We are so blessed to have her and we are super excited that she is with us.

Going to church

We go to church on Sundays. Well, recently I don't, but Jon and Nicholas do. And we have discovered the way to not have to fight about church clothes (since it generally means changing out of comfy Elmo pajamas, airplane pajamas, or dinosaur pajamas)...........simply let him choose clothes. He wants to dress like his dad. So since his dad wears a shirt and tie, so does Nicholas. When his dad wants to wear a sweater, so does Nicholas. So he picks out his own church clothes and we help him get dressed. And then we are treated to a round of statements about how he looks just like daddy because they are in white shirts, black (or whatever color) pants, sweaters (or vests), and ties. So it makes my day!

The recliner

My mother and grandmother got Nicholas a child sized recliner. It came in today. I told him he had a present from grandma and great-grandma. He was super excited, ate all his dinner (including veggies) and was jumping up and down to get his present. So Jon and I abandoned our dinner and Jon got the box. It was a huge box and the first request was to "please add another room to my fort." The box is going in the recycling because the fort is big enough. But he loves his chair. He got in it right away. Then he saw the cup holder, ran and got his water bottle, put his water bottle in the cup holder, sat down - and didn't move for 15 minutes. He had us get him books and sat in his chair, reading. I told him I wanted to sit in it and he said "No. It's for me, Nicholas, only." And when his dad accidentally brushed by it, he got very offended and told his dad "No touch my chair."

So he loves it. Another successful present from grandma and great-grandma. I can never get him presents this good.

Why not do this?

I have been getting a lot of criticism for my decision to home-school Nicholas. After all, he's only 2.5, who knows what the school system will look like when he's ready to go to school? Why shouldn't he have to go to the school and go through things like everyone else....the critiques go on and on.

But here's the thing - the Elk Grove School District, even though it is good, isn't good enough. The gifted and talented programs don't start until 2nd grade and are rarely challenging enough because they only meet infrequently. The class sizes are large, the teachers are undertrained. The teachers teach to the tests and have to work to raise the lowest students to the middle, rather than working with the middle to make them better and the top to make them even better. It's not fault of the teachers' - it is the system that needs fixing.

There are school districts that have been fixing things. One of the things that can be done to help fix the problem is to eliminate summer vacation. Our school systems were set up when students still needed to go home and help with agriculture things. They were intended to make the transition from an agriculture-based society to an industrial one easier for the coming generations. Well, that transition has been completed, but we have still held onto the same traditional calendar.

The first simple fix for schools is to have year round schools. If places such as Chicago and Houston can recognize this, why can California not recognize this? Here's an article about the situation: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39748458/ns/us_news-life/

John Locke and parenting

So most people into politics, or who have studied American politics, know who John Locke is. He's a philosopher whose ideas helped form the ideas of America's Founding Fathers. But, he's still a philosopher . I bet you are thinking, "What does this guy have to do with parenting?"

He said that a person recognizes himself as the same being throughout his life, but in different times and spaces.

Anyone who is a parent will feel some kinship with this quote. See, we tend to think of ourselves as mothers, wives, women (or fathers, husbands, men), workers, students, etc. And we think of these people as separate beings. However, if you take Locke's approach - these are all the same sides of the coins.

The mom who does everyone's laundry while replying to work emails and having her children color with crayons is multi-tasking - doing everything at once. Nothing wrong with that. All too often we get caught up in thinking we have to separate out the things in our lives and the roles we play, and then we stress out because we don't get everything done or cannot separate everything out.

So here's my new goal - find ways to combine everything. I am going to be mom and woman at the same time sometimes. Nothing wrong with giving myself a pedicure while talking to my son who is taking his bath (at least when I am unpregnant and can see/reach my toes again). Or doing my work typing while he's engaged in block building and doesn't want me to do anything but take a picture of him with his finished creation. Finding ways to meld all the things together will make our lives easier.

Let's stop trying to be separate people and be ourselves, our whole selves, all the time. I think it will make life easier.

Engineering with cardboard and duct tape

There comes a time in every boy's life when cardboard boxes are the best thing ever (besides food). Today was that day for Nicholas.

My wonderful sister has been sending us things for the baby. And Target and Babies R Us send things in these huge boxes. I mean, they are big boxes. So Nicholas helped unpack the boxes (and so did my mom who was here. They piled everything up at the bottom of the stairs (Jon has to take it upstairs because carrying things is taboo for me).

Then Nicholas got into one of the boxes. He saw it and emptied it of the plastic bag things used in packing, and had my mom help him carry it into the living room, and then sat in it and played with his cars until it was nap time. After nap time he played with it again.

So when Jon came home, I built Nicholas a fort while they were eating dinner. These are two huge boxes taped together (thanks duct tape) and I cut two windows in so there would be light. And then it is a fort. You can see Nicholas sticking his head out of one of the windows.

Then he stuck his new bumble bee pillow pet out the other window. Mom and Debby had bought Abbey (the baby) a pillow pet and Nicholas kept trying to steal it. So they got him one too. It hasn't left his side all day. He even cuddled it in his nap. So he, naturally, took it to his fort.

And then the snacks and milk had to go into the fort. And then come out of the fort. He's such a cutie.

I guess this means I am saving cardboard boxes from now on for building things. Thank goodness I'm an okay engineer with cardboard and duct tape - not that I want to try building anything big, but a fort I can handle.

Random things in the Wunderlich house

So, we have been "babysitting" a piano for 2 years now. I love it. It gives me a chance to play and we don't have to pay for one. But now the piano's owner wants it back. We are going to lose our piano :( It is a sad time for me, since after 2 years of playing I am just getting back to a proficient level (I hadn't played continuously for 6+ years, so it takes a while to get back into shape). And now I am going to lose my access to a piano. There is one at church, but I can only practice there on Wednesday nights, not whenever I want like I can at home. Piano playing has been my relaxation, and I am going to miss it. Of course, right now, with my super swollen fingers, I cannot do much piano playing, but I can at least pick out melodies and play simple toddler songs and teach Nicholas. Now that is all gone :(

Nicholas and Jon made race cars yesterday. Target has a $5 kit (from RoseArt) to make "bouncy bumper cars." They go forwards when you pull them back and bounce off things. Jon and Nicholas made them together yesterday and had a ton of fun. Needless to say, one car is daddy's and one car is Nicholas' - mom is not allowed to touch them. I get a very opinionated toddler telling me "no mommy, that's not yours," if I try and play with them.

We have been cleaning the house. While Nicholas sometimes refuses to pick up his toys (and sometimes he helps) he does always love to clean - if you are cleaning. If I am dusting, he needs a rag to dust with. If I am washing floors, he needs to help. And what is even better is he thinks this is all play. He loves washing floors. Some warm, soapy water and a sponge can keep him occupied for 45 minutes. He says "I'm making a soapy mess!" And I say "Yes." he giggles and loves it. Then he will even help dry it up by walking towels around the whole kitchen. He adores it. Which is nice because it keeps him occupied and gets something clean all at the same time. Which is not something that can often be done in our house.

Well, I am counting the days until I can have this baby. I want it out of me NOW! If anyone thought that being a mom might give me more patience, I can tell you that pregnancy takes it all away. I hurt, I can hardly move, and I am swollen like a marshmallow. My husband says that I look great and I think he needs new glasses. Nicholas tells me that I am getting big, like a cow. Or he calls me "mommy cow." So, I think that when a 2 year old is calling you a cow, it is probably time to have the baby. Plus, I am tired of being pregnant and my health is getting bad. So hopefully, on Thursday, I can convince my doctor that I need to have this baby NOW! Then the next post will be all about my gorgeous baby girl.

Did I mention Fairy Tale Town?

Every parent in Sacramento knows of it - Fairy Tale Town. Parents either love or hate it. I think as kids get older parents hate it more and more. However, for a 2 year old - or even a 3 or 4 year old - it is perfect.

It is this little park over in Land Park that is centered around fairy tales. They have things to climb on, play with, and animals to see. If you go at the right times they have puppet shows and other live action performances.

A friend and I took our kids (1.5 and 2.5) to it on the Friday when Jon's work had their picnic next door in the park. Nicholas can only handle so much standing around and watching things, so Fairy Tale Town was a good choice since he could run around and it was next door. Also, I had a 1/2 off admission coupon so the kids were free (under 3) and we split the cost of a tickets ($2 a piece since it was a weekday).



Nicholas loved it. He got to run around things and climb on things and be told fairy tales. The park was just the right size that he walked the whole thing.

The funniest thing was watching him try and drink from this hippo water fountain. He was so impressed that it was a hippo, he wouldn't leave until he got a drink. But the thing is the fountain wasn't all that strong, and he wasn't tall enough. He finally gave in and asked for help.



Nicholas and Joey had fun climbing all over stuff and really enjoyed the horse and carriage, the cheese, and the train. They love that stuff. At least it was a great time watching them have fun. And there were benches everywhere so I could sit and talk with my friend while they were playing.



He was totally worn out (so was I) at the end of 2 hours there. It was just the perfect size and the perfect time to be there. It was afternoon, around nap time for everyone else. Hardly anyone was in the park, it was great. And he fell asleep before we hit the freeway - he was that tired. I fell asleep too. It was a great afternoon!

Bike riding

My mom got Nicholas a bike a few months ago. He has loved riding it around the house and sitting on it and being pushed. But recently, he has taken to riding it outside and is loving it. Of course, the helmet is required.

He always starts at the front door, and this requires Jon to help him down the step onto the sidewalk and help him stop the bike when it gets to the bottom of the small slant on our front walk. But from there, Nicholas takes over.



He does this strange thing where he tries to pedal for a while, then takes his feet off and watches the pedals move. But then he's not paying attention to where he's going and eventually hits something. He looks at which ever parent is with him with a confused expression and says "I hit it" or " Why I stop?" But then he gets back on and keeps going.



He gets Jon to push him sometimes so he can work on his steering.



But he really enjoys the bike. I am not sure what we are going to do now that it is Fall. He's going to try and talk me into letting him ride the bike in the rain. I know he is. And if his dad goes with him, I might just give in.

Our trip to Apple Hill

On the second Saturday in September we took a trip - a trip to Apple Hill!

Apple Hill, for those who don't know, is this great area in the foothills of apple ranches and other ranches. (visit www.applehill.com for more information). They have all kinds of activities. Based on what we discovered, we chose to go to Apple Ridge Farms. They had all kinds of stuff - including farm animals - that should interest Nicholas.

The drive up was great. It was quick and easy. We were there around 10-ish. We got there and saw there was a little market/fair on the grass, and Jon got some homemade beef jerky that he insists is great. I don't know, I can't eat the stuff.



Our first stop was to try and get Nicholas to ride the pony ride. He wanted to see the ponies, pet the horses, even tried to feed them, but riding them was a no go. I think kids see the horses and think they are so big, but oh well. Onto the hay maze.

Now, the hay maze isn't huge, but it was perfect for Nicholas. Just the right size. It had some hay bales to climb on, and lots of different ways through, but not enough different ways for him to get confused. He has a ton of fun. He loved hiding behind bales of hay and having me and Jon "look" for him. Then he would pop up and say "Here I am!"



The next big hit was the farm animals. They had cows and pigs (who Nicholas said were lazy because they wouldn't come talk to him). And they had goats and sheep. Nicholas fed the animal food to the goats and sheep. He loved it. I ran out of quarters for the food (50 cents a cup) and he wanted to keep doing more. But he loved it. Then he ran to the cows and was mooing at them, trying to get them to move. Same with the pigs - but he oinked at them. He tried climbing the gates to get into the animals, but Jon stopped that. It was such a great time seeing him have so much fun.

We took a hike. It said easy, and I am sure it was for someone who wasn't super pregnant. But it was in the sun, I was pregnant, and it ended with this hill. I mean, Nicholas did the hill without a problem. But all I could think was "Does this hill ever end?" Note to others: Don't try hiking while 7+ months pregnant. It is a bad idea.

We ate their tri-tip sandwiches too. They had great BBQ sauce, but told me they didn't sell it. That was too bad. I would've invested a lot of money in the BBQ sauce.



They had a little pond on the property. Jon showed Nicholas how to skip rocks. Nicholas took this to mean "throw rocks." We had to sit and wait patiently as our son threw every rock he could find into the pond just to see the splashes. He had so much fun, it makes me wonder why I ever pay to take him anywhere. Just take him somewhere there is some water and rocks, let the kid throw rocks and see splashes every day, and he's perfectly happy.



Nicholas was getting tired, and Jon put him on his shoulders.



And then, because it is Apple Hill, we had to go shopping. We went to their shop and got homemade apple juice, an apple pie, a caramel apple, some apples, and an apple lolly pop for Nicholas. He loved this lolly pop. Jon loved the apple juice - and once Nicholas tasted it at home he loved it too.

The lolly pop - Nicholas ate it all the way home - at least until he fell asleep and I could steal it from him so it didn't get the car all sticky. Then once we got home he had to have it back. Last year he grabbed 2 apples out of a bin - one for each hand - and ate them all the way home. This year he graduated to a lolly pop.

As for pictures of me - well, I was taking the pictures. And there are a few, but those all make me look as big as a whale, which I was, so I am not putting those onto the blog. Besides, Nicholas is so much cuter.

It was a great way to spend a Saturday and we had a ton of fun. Apple Hill is a family favorite of ours.

Silly things husbands say.......

So my husband has to be king of saying silly things to his pregnant wife. After the last pregnancy, I didn't think he could get any -well - more ridiculous.

See, while I was in labor with Nicholas, after 4 hours of full-blown level 10 contractions, my husband says "Can you get the epidural? I am tired and want to go to sleep." I mean, really? He still hasn't lived that one down. Who says that to a laboring woman? Like I was not tired or something.

But today, he has reached new heights. Things aren't going great and I needed him to come home for my emotional well-being (which is currently in doubt, as is my sanity for doing this again!). So we were sitting there (Nicholas was playing) and he had his hand on my stomach. He says:

1) Wow, your stomach is so big.

2) Do you feel that/do you see that?

3) That must not feel very good.

4) Wow, she's really going for it.

5) What part of her is this that is hitting me?

I mean, really?

I don't need someone to tell me my stomach is big. The views in the mirror, the lack of ability to bend over, the inability to see my feet, and my aching back all tell me that. As do the elastic pants I wear and the stretch tops. I really don't need to hear it from my husband.

And what would make you think I didn't feel that? I mean, if you can feel it on the outside, and see it, chances are I am feeling it. She is inside me, kicking through me to get to you. I am pretty sure I feel it. And it is a little disconcerting to see the baby move. I know husbands and older children think it's cool - but that baby is inside me. It is my stomach moving. It is a little strange.

I know she's going for it. Once again, it's my stomach.

And how am I supposed to know what part of her is hitting me? It's not like there is a ton of room in there. It could be any part of her. Unless the baby is known to be head-down or butt-down, it could be any bumpy/angular/round part of her. I mean, really.

What is worse, is he was laughing as he said all this. I mean, I understand laughing on your own. But doing it while it is occurring, while your wife is wincing, seems a little inconsiderate. I mean, there I was, wincing, and he's laughing. It's not like I don't have bruises on my stomach from her already. You can stop laughing now.

Anyways, I told him he should refrain from those things. He said "sorry" and then proceeded to give me the afternoon off. So I guess he's forgiven - I get a whole 2 hours to myself!

The best shows for kids - well my kid.

I have been looking for great TV shows for Nicholas. He's 2.5 now, and I am seriously tired of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (although they have started putting new ones on, which makes it bearable). So I looked at PBS. I haven't watched PBS for a long time, but I figure, why not check it out. It certainly has to be better than anything on the other channels.

I have found the following programs to be delightful, and even fun for me:

SuperWhy: A show based around reading. They have cartoon characters turn into super heroes who use letters and reading to solve problems. The problems always relate to a book, and the super heroes "jump" into books to solve problems. The show introduces kids to reading, letter sounds, spelling, phonics, and classic stories. This is a great show.

Sid The Science Kid: This show can be a little older than Nicholas really likes. Although they did a show based on simple machines that had Nicholas running around the house building levers out of everything for an hour. They cover science topics, tell some jokes, and learn some things. Nicholas learned about fog and clouds from this show, and even I learned the names of all the cloud types again. We then had a great discussion yesterday - when it was super cloudy - about all the different types of clouds.

The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That: This is a new show that just started this week. It is 2 shorts, 15 minutes each, with a little 1 minute skit between the two. The 1 minute skit can be about anything (my favorite was the one with the skunk and learning why a skunk sprays....Nicholas ran around pretending he had a tail afterwards that he could "spray"). The shorts are great. It uses Cat in the Hat as the main character, which is perfect for kids who are acquainted with Dr. Seuss. And they learn a lot.

I still love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for its comfort value, and Little Einsteins has some great shows - and some that are not so good. But can you really beat Thing 1 and Thing 2 running around and jumping on eggs, then having the eggs hatch and Thing 1 and Thing 2 fly off the egg? Or having Cat in the Hat explain what a beach is, with crabs, sand castles and stuff?

Anyways, these are a few things we are watching these days. In addition to football - which he complains if I put on without his dad home because football is for "daddy and Nicholas."

Homeschooling

So, I have already told many people, but I am firmly convinced that I am going to homeschool my son. I am not sure what approach I am going to take, but I am going to do it.

Some people think I am crazy, I am sure, and others will be shocked that I want to homeschool my son. But here's the thing - who better to teach him than I?

I cannot teach him everything, and I won't try. There are numerous distance courses and things to help with what I cannot teach him. And my son will probably do a lot of reading and visiting things, because I like to do that too. But I can certainly teach him and guide him better than school can.

Homeschooling isn't for everyone. Not everyone has the time or inclination to do it. But I have the time, the support of a husband, and the desire to do it. I want to be there for all his "Why?" questions and to watch him learn. I don't care if he learns how earth worms function, how to write cursive, or what it means if someone has two mommies (there is a book that is on the reading list for our school district called "My Two Mommies" - which is something I not anyone else, should teach him about).

I do care that he learns, and excels, to the best possible level. I can teach him to read, he is already doing some of the basic reading of "sight words" and things. He understands what a story is, and can tell them to you. He knows his letters and numbers and can count, sing, and enjoy life. Aren't these important things?

Think about your best learning experiences. Not you best school experiences, but the things you did where you really learned. What were they? Were they in school or out? Mine were all out. I had teachers who believed that the best way to deal with a smart kid was to give them more of the same, so I got bored, and then became a problem child. I don't want that for my son. If his best learning experiences are going to be outside of school, then I will make sure he learns outside.

I remember going to the opera with my grandparents and learning about opera. I remember learning about physics and motion from trying new gymnastics tricks. I remember learning about dodecahedrons and encasing carbon molecules from a special lecture my mom made me attend. I remember air and space from the Smithsonian Museum. I remember learning more from reading than from school. If these are the learning experiences I remember and learned from, then I want my son to have them all.

Not that he won't be forced to learn other things. If I can force him to eat vegetables and go get shots because they are the best things for him, even though he doesn't like them, then he can learn another language, math, science, spelling, and all the things he might not really care about, but he should still learn. If he wants to learn fractions from cooking instead of worksheets, fine by me. But he will learn them somehow.

It's going to be one heck of a ride, a fabulous one I hope, and one that is going to be filled with mistakes. But I am really looking forward to it. And I don't think I will change my mind. Especially after hearing that kids are getting in trouble at the local elementary school for talking during lunch. That just seems so ridiculous.

Anyways, this is what I am going to do. I hope it doesn't rub people the wrong way, but I am really looking forward to this journey.

San Diego 2010

We went on a family vacation to San Diego. It was Jon's family's "Cousin's Camp" where everyone gets together, and it just happened to be in San Diego. Well, it was in Palm Desert for a few days, but we didn't get there.

We had a blast. It was great to spend time as a family. Planning and packing were a pain, but it went rather well. As a side note - what did our parents do with us in car rides before DVD players? I mean, I don't know what I would've done with Nicholas if not for 6 hours of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse each way. the rest of the time he either slept or sang songs with us. I mean, it was a 12 hour car ride, each way (I blame this on LA traffic which is disgusting and makes me never want to live in LA).

So we left on Monday AM, and we stopped at a military plane museum in Atwater.



I highly recommend this as a stop for everyone. It was great. It had tons of planes to look at, and a little jet plane for Nicholas to ride in. We should've saved the little ride for last, but we did it first (silly us). He also got a t-shirt out of this visit that says "pilot in training." He also ran and grabbed a foam yellow airplane, which was under $4.00 so Jon and I bought it for him. He loves that plane. It didn't leave his hands for 4 days after we got it. It is still the most requested toy in the house (other than play-doh).



We got to San Diego late, then fell asleep. The next day we spent doing what we would do all days - the beach. Nicholas is a beach bum. He loves the beach. He loves building sand castles and having his dad fetch water for him. We built, and knocked down, lots of sand castles. This would've been the only thing Nicholas would want to do if we let him.



Jon took Nicholas, with the rest of his family, to the Wild Animal Kingdom. Why didn't I go? Well, I am seriously pregnant and not a good walker when I am pregnant. The Animal Kingdom is a lot of walking, and if you have seen it once you have seen it. It is fun once, but that's about it. I mean, it is a super large zoo :) I am sure they won't appreciate that comment, but it is. I loved it the first time, and had no desire to go back. Kind of like "It's a Small World" at Disneyland. You have to do it once, but that's all I am obligated to do. So I spent the day at the pool reading, and resting. It was a great day. We still hit the beach after dinner.

We hit the beach EVERY day after dinner or during the day.



instead of going to Sea World, we went to the Scripps Aquarium. Nicholas loved it. He got to touch and feel things - including a real live starfish. Then we hung out at the beach and waited for everyone to get back from Sea World.

Janis took Nicholas for a few hours so Jon and I could hang out. She drew him pictures of fire trucks. Now, Janis is a professional artist. I cannot draw like her. Nicholas loves the pictures and slept with them for a few days. Now they are in a special place of honor on the fridge where he can look at them and say - "fire trucks putting out the fires" - which is what Janis drew with him. I love that Janis draws, I just wish she lived a little closer so she could draw with him more often.



We had a ton of fun. The drive back was less fun, simply because all I could think about was the amount of laundry I was going to have to do. But it was still fun. And Nicholas was fabulous the whole time. He even took naps.

It was a great vacation!

Confidence Cup and first dentist visit

Friday August 6th was a big day at our house. It was Day 2 of potty training (which wasn't going so well), Confidence Cup and gymnastics, and Nicholas' first dentist visit. I did not expect all these things to go so well. Nicholas' old gymnastics teach had left, so this was our first class in the new gym (Tricks in Folsom instead of Tricks in Sacramento) and with a new teacher. Potty training had been going occasionally well, but not really well, and who likes to go to the dentist? I certainly don't.

But amazingly, everything went great!



Nicholas loved the new gym and had no trouble adjusting. His old teacher, and I, had warned the new teacher that he's an "independent spirit" - he doesn't always do what he is told, or sometimes engages in activities he is not told to do - like playing on the equipment during warm-up. Trick's doesn't discourage this, as they consider his class to be a "child-led" class, and Nicholas is happy to lead.



He did so well though! He did the warm-up just like he was supposed to, sat on a polka dot just like he was supposed to, and did everything great. His favorite activity of the day was jumping from a stack of mats to this ring, suspended from the ceiling, that he could make swing hard and swing him around depending on how hard he grabbed it when he jumped. He had a blast.

Needless to say, he did well :) He showed a lot of confidence.



He did great jumping on the trampoline with the other kids, and wouldn't hold still to get a good picture. So I got an "action shot" where he was jumping. Better than nothing right?



He didn't have a ton of patience with getting his trophy. When his name was called, I shooed him up to the platform to get his trophy. He took off running, got up there, and held his hand out to his new teacher, asking for "mine." He then proceeded to not put it down. The Confidence Cup trophy went to the dentist, in the car, to his nap, in his bed, to his grandfather's the next day, and was just left at home on Sunday for the first time - his dad didn't let him take it to church. He knows it is something cool, and he loves it.



The dentist visit went great. We went to Kid's Care Dental in Folsom. They are a great staff that loves kids. If you have a kid who needs a dentist - this is the place for you. Their waiting room is filled with kid friendly things, and the exam rooms are too. His exam room had a stuffed zebra that was bigger than him, but the dentist even examined the zebra so Nicholas could "help" before Nicholas' exam. They let me hold him, and did the whole exam while he was on my lap. It really helped keep him calm. I love this place.

Anyways, that is a smallish update on our lives. Our San Diego trip update is coming soon. And if he potty trains, I guarantee that everyone I know in the whole world is going to hear my shout of joy, no need to look to the blog for it.

Weird toddler behavior unexplained

I love my son, and generally I am able to understand him (except when he doesn't want me to understand him). Just when I think I have a handle on his behavior, and what I need to do with him, he starts being all strange.

This morning, he hopped around the house yelling "Ribbit" and "I'm a kangaroo, kangaroo." I am unclear what prompted such a joyful hopping. And I don't know how to stop it either, because when it came time to put his shoes on to go to day care, he wouldn't stop hopping. when I firmly grabbed him and planted him on the sofa, he started bouncing as best he could. I am so confused!

And this combines with last night, when he was bear crawling around the house (hands and feet, bent in half) and yelling "roar, big boy lion" and "dinosaur." He didn't tell me why, he just kept doing it. Up and down the stairs he went, around the house....it was so odd.

He also does the following things:

1. Eats food and says "yum I love it" but then doesn't want to eat it after saying "yum."

2. Runs naked around the house whenever he gets a chance (shocker).

3. Uses the potty occasionally at day care, and refuses to do it at home because he says he likes diapers.

4. Giggles like a maniac for no reason.

5. Clings to my leg and tries to pull my pants down.

6. Plays catch with his stuffed animals.

7. Sits and cuddles with his bouncy balls.

8. Insists that pianos should be played with his toes - and then gets mad when I don't allow this.

9. Tries to color with the crayon between his toes.

10. Opens and closes doors randomly.

Some of his odd behaviors I understand - his shirts go on inside out because he wants to dress himself. His pants go on backwards for the same reason. He likes to play with play dough...who doesn't?! He loves to see his artwork on the wall, so we have a ton of it posted all over our house. If you come over - you are going home with a Nicholas original.

He is a very smart, verbal, intelligent boy. But sometimes I just don't understand him. He needs to have a balloon over his head so I can understand what he means and what he wants. He cries and says he's not hungry, but if you put food out he eats it all up. Or he says he's hungry, but he won't eat.

Two-year olds are a mystery that have never been solved, and regardless of what the experts say, I think they will remain a mystery that is never solved.

It's a girl

I had my ultrasound yesterday and .... IT'S A GIRL!!!

I am really excited. Since this is our last child, and I really wanted a girl. It isn't so much that I wanted a matched set, as that I just wanted a girl. Plus, I really don't know what I would do if I had two boys. I mean, Nicholas runs me ragged the whole time and has so much energy....what would I do with two of them? I mentioned that to Jon, who warned me that it is likely that the girl will have just as much energy because she's going to want to take after her big brother.

I also want to pick out names (no, we are not taking suggestions). At this time we already had Nicholas' name picked out - and the room panted blue - long before we knew it was going to be a boy. But I want a name picked out so we can start calling her by name instead "baby girl" or whatever term we happen to be using.

When Nicholas was told it was a girl he looked at me and said "Uh-uh mommy. It's a baby." I laughed so hard. But this morning he said "hello baby girl" to the baby. We gave him one of the ultra sound pictures yesterday and he went to sleep with it. It was cute. He wouldn't give it up.

So we are super excited!

Marine World

We went to Marine World this past Saturday. It is $43.99 for a one-day adult ticket and $49.99 for a season pass. So we went for the season pass. I figure we will go twice (at least) which totally makes up the cost of the season pass. It is only an hour away from here, so it is totally do-able as a day trip. Plus we got a whole bunch of coupons for 1/2 off tickets and even some free tickets. So that was nice. We went to watch Nicholas have fun. I thought we were going to get to see some of the shows - but was I wrong. We didn't see the dolphin or killer whale show - we only saw the short tiger show. Nicholas was not a big fan of sitting and watching animals, so we had to find other things to do. Like go on rides in the Looney Toons area.



We actually got there a little early. I couldn't wait to leave and go, and then there was no traffic on the way there. So we parked and got into the park about 10:00 - but nothing opens except the main area until 10:30. But that was fine. Nicholas spent almost 30 minutes staring at the fountain, running on the bench around it, and yelling "fountain!"



Then Nicholas and Jon went on rides in the Looney Toons area. Since I am pregnant, I didn't go on any. The first ride was this balloon ride that looked great, until I realized the balloons go in circles. But Nicholas liked it. He also liked the merry-go-round and the playhouse they have. He was not a huge fan of the kid-sized roller coaster. But that is fine.



Then we went to the Thomas the Tank Engine area. I thought this would be great, since Nicholas is a fan. He ran to the Harold the Helicopter ride. And we couldn't get him off. However, we then had a huge meltdown when he realized there was a Thomas store and ran in, grabbed a train, and wanted us to get it. He looked at me, with a mean face, and said "Grandma do it." Well, I promptly told him that I was not grandma and we weren't there to get toys. We had to leave because there was a huge meltdown. once we left we gave him some food - even though we had just had a huge snack. He simply needed more food, and then I got my cheerful son back. We went to see the tiger show, and then ate lunch.



After lunch we walked around and saw the elephants, tigers, baby animals, lions, and the kid's jungle area. Nicholas found this ride that had jeeps they could ride in. There wasn't much room for Jon, but Jon gamely went on it 4 times in a row. Nicholas was in love, and we had to finally leave. He cried until we told him we were going back to see the giraffes (which he loves) and feed the giraffes. Then he ran away from us to the giraffes as fast as his little legs could go. Luckily, his dad runs faster.



And then here is the giraffe feeding. Nicholas had a blast. He fed them carrots (big carrots as he says), kale, and green onions. He had so much fun and didn't want to leave. But I was tired, and so was he. Jon was also tired.

Jon lost our car! I told him where it was, but he didn't listen to me. He couldn't find our car! It was pretty funny because he came back to where I was waiting for him at the tram place and told me he couldn't find the car. I told him it was in "B" and faced away from the front of the parking lot. He told me he didn't see it. I told him to try again. He found it. We got into the car and hadn't driven but 100 yards when Nicholas was already asleep. It was such a great family outing.

My first tomato!

I went out to my garden to water today and there was an actual green tomato on the vine! I was so excited. This is my first time growing plants (on my own) and having them survive to the stage where they actually produce veggies and fruits. I am happy. Now if only my strawberry plants would work too....

It is brownie time!

We recently made brownie cupcakes at our house. Jon and Nicholas enjoyed working together. I got all the ingredients together, put them in the bowl, and let the two of them do the mixing. I think there was more eating than there was mixing, but it was a fun family activity.

Nicholas really enjoyed the end, right before I cleaned the bowl. He got to sit on the kitchen floor (with a towel underneath to prevent too much mess) and eat everything that he wanted.

Needless to say - the next stop was the bathtub.

I am finally done!!!

I know, people thought I was crazy doing school, a job, and being a mom. But I am finally done. I finished my comprehensive exams last 2 weeks ago on May 3rd, learned I passed one on May 5th and the other on May 10th. Then I just had to attend one more class and do my two take-home finals.

I can officially say I am done. I just printed the second take-home final, and put on my shoes so I can go deliver them to my professors at their offices. Who agrees with me that if a professor gives a take home final at the end of a semester they should have to accept emailed submissions? But I am finally done.

It feels great to be done. Now I can focus on finally getting the boxes in the house put away, doing some sewing that I want to do, cleaning the house, and growing this second child of ours - who has made my life miserable with sickness and all kinds of things so far. Hopefully this means it is a girl, and will be a great sleeper since I am miserable now and shouldn't have to be miserable later too :) Wouldn't that be nice.

Anyways, it feels great to be done and thanks to everyone - especially my family - who supported me during this time. I am truly blessed with friends and family who are great supporters.

We are expecting a 4th member of our family!

Just so everyone knows, we are expecting the 4th member of our family in November. November 18th to be precise. However, I am expecting the baby to come a month before - at week 36 - because I get horrible blood pressure during pregnancy.

I am feeling fine, now that I have accessed the great medical drugs that prevent my all-day sickness. Jon is excited and happy, although he is nervous too. We told Nicholas, so he randomly picks up my shirt, looks at my tummy, and says "no baby there mommy." So it is clear he doesn't really understand, so we are working on that.

We are very excited about this 4th member of our family, and we hope to share the joy with all our friends. I will refrain from putting up any ultrasound pictures, since those are interesting to me and Jon only - so they are on our refrigerator. No one else needs to see those.

Best wishes to everyone and my friends who are pregnant too! At least this time I won't be the only one I know who is pregnant.

Pigs are flying!

I never thought this day would come. Ever since we put Nicholas in a big boy bed in early March, he hasn't taken a nap in it. Sure, he takes a nap on me or Jon after he falls asleep in the car, but never in his bed.

But I still put him down for "nap time" every afternoon when he's home. Nap time normally means he reads to himself, plays with his stuffed animals, and does strange things in his room. He was making tons of noise in there today, and I could hear him reading "Cat in the Hat" to someone (maybe just to himself). So I left, went downstairs, had lunch, and then came back to check on him. I really came back to take him out of his room and go play....but he was sleeping!

I quickly looked out the window to see if pigs were flying, but no. Nicholas had removed all the blankets from his bed, all the sheets, and is sleeping on the mattress cover. But he's napping! On his own, and in his own bed! I thought this day would never come!

On a side note - 3 days until comprehensive exam #1. Then 3 days after that I have comprehensive exam #2. Then my life will be back to normal, although I forgot what that is. I haven't read a book that's not exam related since January. I haven't played many games, had fun, or done things that aren't exam related since January. I wonder what it will be like, having this time back.

Today's day

There are some days you don't want to repeat. This is one of them.

I had to wake up at 6:15 to make sure Nicholas and I were ready to go about 7 to get the car to the "car doctor" (repair shop) at 7:30 for it's 10k oil change and check-up. This was after an awful night where Nicholas ended up falling off his bed twice, and not wanting to sleep in it after the second time until we laid EVERY stuffed animal he owned under it. It was a trying night, and a more trying morning.

They told me it would take 30 minutes. It ended up taking 1.5 hours. How do you occupy a kid on a car lot for 1.5 hours? Luckily a fire engine came to be serviced (or something) and so he spent 20 minutes looking at that. We spent 20 minutes looking at some ambulances. We took a walk on the street, but Nicholas complained about the noise and that it was too cold. We colored. He played with his Elmo car - to the annoyance of everyone else in the waiting room who had to hear "zoom zoom goes car." Then we watched the car doctors at work. All this while I was still trying to wake up.

On the way home he fell asleep, but the drive home is only 30 minutes. So when we got home I was hoping he would stay asleep, but no - he woke up. So we had 30 more minutes of crying. He wanted to paint, so I got out the paints. He made 2 pictures, then starting painting the table. So painting time ended. He was a total ball of energy today - and cranky energy - and I was tired.

At this point it is only 10-ish. So I threw him in the bathtub. Which was fine until he wanted to jump in the tub or throw water out of the tub. Neither of which is an acceptable activity, so, with a huge fit, he got out of the tub. Then he cuddled on me and let me sing him some songs. That part of the day I am happy to repeat anytime. But then came time to put on a diaper.

Does any other mom feel like a rat when they put their kid down for nap time and they scream? It makes me feel horrible, even though I know he won't remember it. He has this way of yelling "mommy" that makes me want to go back in there and cuddle with him, even though I know leaving him alone is better. So I put on my iPod for 20 minutes, then went back in. What didn't surprise me was to find him reading to his stuffed animals.

Then we took a walk. And another walk. And another walk.

Then came the best part of my day - Evan came over to take care of Nicholas so I could study! Evan then got stinker, I got a nap, and then I got to study at the library at CSUS until class time. As a bigger plus, I got an A on my last midterm ever. I am not going back to school after this. I was thinking of going for a PhD, and have decided maybe some other time, when kids are grown. But not now.

So now its bedtime again. Nicholas is sleeping. Jon is helping do laundry, and I am tired.

My new favorite item in the house

So, everyone has a few favorite things of theirs in the house. In the past mine have included (and still include) my laptop, my sewing machine, my son and husband (when they are home), pictures and some of my favorite shoes. But I have a new favorite item - my Serta memory foam mattress topper.

See, my mattress is old. Not that old, but old. It has gone through a few moves, and has been used on a regular basis. So the springs are getting creaky, there are dents forming in it - all what happens as a mattress ages. I thought we would get a new mattress soon, but then I started looking at prices and said, "let's put it off." In the meantime, you wake up with all those aches and pains you get when you mattress isn't that great.

Enter the Serta memory foam mattress topper. I got mine at overstock.com, although I am sure there are other places you can get them. I got the 4 inch one, since it was not that much more expensive than the 2 inch one. And what a difference it makes.

You simply place it over your old mattress, under your mattress protector and your sheets. Then sleep. It i so fabulous. You don't even know there is an old mattress under it. You wake up feeling great, the way you should after a good night's sleep. Even better - it doesn't transfer motion. So when the husband rolls over, or Nicholas jumps on his dad in the morning, I don't move because there is no motion transfer. It is nice.

Anyways, it is my new favorite item. I just wanted to let people know they are out there because it is MUCH cheaper than buying a new mattress and makes the bed just as good. On the other hand, the bed is not 4 inches taller.

How time flies

Is it really April 12th already? Time flies so quickly.

Happy late Easter everyone. Michelle and Eric (Jon's brother and wife) were here with their five kids this past week. Wow. You know how one kid makes a mess, and two kids make more of a mess....imagine 5 kids and the noise they make. I am continually amazed that Eric and Michelle are sane. I certainly couldn't do what they do.

We had an Easter egg hunt for the kids on the Saturday before Easter. Nicholas has never done it before, and he just had a bag to put them in (which he didn't care about). Nicholas and Micah (they are both 2) were given a head start and Nicholas ran to an egg stared at it, then picked it up and looked at me with a look that said, "Now what am I supposed to do with this." So I showed him how to open in. That was the end of any reservations Nicholas had. There was candy, bubbles, chalk, and play dough to find in the eggs. Nicholas was an "egg finder" as Jon says. He would find an egg. Open it into the bag (or the ground) choose something to eat, then move on to the next egg. He had a ton of fun, and I really want the pictures Eric took because I forgot to bring my camera.

The Wednesday after Easter we went to UC Davis' Mind Institute. Nicholas has been going there since he was 3 months old. If anyone has kids, you should go there. They need kids to participate in experiments all the time. They watch movies and this thing tracks their eye movement, or they play with toys and someone watches how they do. Or they can sit and talk with an interviewer and answer questions. It is great. You help them understand how children develop and your kid gets a prize - Nicholas chose a little bendable frog this time. The coolest one we ever got was a t-shirt (6 month size) that said "I graduated from UC Davis Mind Institute." Older kids get giftcards to Target for participating. Here's the link: Mind Institute

Click on the link to get there. Everyone who can should participate it is great. They even will rate your child's vocabulary and development.

Well, as usual, I am working on my comprehensive exams. They are in 17 days and 21 days. If I can only pass them both I will be good.

Jon is slaving away at the Department of Finance. He's looking at some serious work time next week, but until then he's going the 8-5 thing and Nicholas and I love having him at home.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

It took forever to get a picture of him looking at the camera. He was trying too hard to eat the cookie dough! He totally takes after his Cwalina side in this; Cwalina's love cookie dough. Nicholas and I made cookie dough (Nestle makes nice containers to store it in). He poured the chocolate chips in, cracked eggs, and put everything (pre measured) into the mixing bowl. Then he stood there while the mixer turned. When I went to put the dough into the plastic container (to keep the extras safe) he started eating it. So I got him a spoon and he totally enjoyed himself!

Who knew - kids like cookie dough. Except he's been asking for it for dinner ever since. That's too bad.

Vinegar - a woman's best friend

I recently rediscovered the benefits of vinegar. Not to eat - but to use as a cleaner.

First - if your kid gets into it, no big deal. They get a nasty taste and spit for a little bit. Okay, I can deal with that.

Second - if you freeze vinegar ice cubes and then put them into your garbage disposal, they will sharpen the blades (while the blades are chopping them up) and clean out the nasty smells. Fabulous!

Third - Vinegar in a little hot water in your washing machine cleans out all the smells too!!!

I just wanted to say that vinegar, its on sale at Target for 99 cents a bottle right now, beats buying those garbage disposal cleaning packs I used to buy and the washer cleaning packs. Fabulous!

Nicholas' big boy bed

So early in March we went to IKEA and got Nicholas his big boy bed. We had to do it, he was able to easily climb in and out of his crib.We thought taking him to pick out his bed would help with the transition. Little did we know there wouldn't be a problem with the transition (until a few days ago).



The choice was down to 2 different beds. The one with the cat and dog (above) and the blue one (below). He actually wanted the pink bed - but Jon said no. He told Nicholas that a girl can have a pink bed, but that boys have to have blue beds. To which Nicholas asked "Why dada?" And Jon said "Because I said so." Nicholas said "okay." Jon loses all sorts of points for trying to end the argument like that :)



The blue bed is the one we ended up with. I knew we would. It is blue! It is a big bed! It is cool looking. It was a hard choice for Nicholas, but he made the right decision.



We took 2 cars to IKEA - mine and Jon's. Jon and Nicholas rode in his, and we put the bed in mine. Nicholas is waving at the camera now. From his smile, you wouldn't know that in just a few minutes he would be having a fit because he wanted to be in the car with mommy and the bed. Jon had a fun ride home for the first 5 minutes, after which Nicholas fell asleep.



I was forbidden from taking pictures while Jon was putting it together. Nicholas did try to help - but he wasn't helpful. Until Jon figured out that he could hand Nicholas something and then ask for it, and Nicholas would give it to him. That made Jon and Nicholas happy, and I sat and watched my guys working at building a bed.

Nicholas jumped on it and ran up and down it as soon as it was put together. He wouldn't even let me put on the sheets before he wanted to lay down on it!



And here's the finished product: Cars sheets and pillow, Thomas the Tank Engine comforter. We have a true toddler boy!