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.