Pre-Baby Maternity Leave

With Addie I worked past my due date. With Eliza I took a week off and then she came 6 days late. With this guy, I promised myself I would try to take more time to relax and get ready. With two wild little girls I need this. Of course I don't know when the big guy is going to make his debut, but the plan is to take 3 weeks off before my due date.

While on pre-baby maternity leave, I was expecting more time lounging around the house in my pjs watching daytime TV but that hasn't been the case - yet. I guess that's for when the baby is here and I'm a slave to a milk sucking podling. Instead, I've been busy checking things off my To Do List, going to the doctor and, yes, seeing a lot of movies in the theater. This has been a priority.  I've seen 6 movies, the last one being Super 8 where I was the only person in the entire theater. I've been loving the time to myself.

I've taken the girls out of the aftercare program at school so I pick them up at 3 and pretend I'm a stay at home mom for a few hours. Also within the two weeks I've been off, Addie was home sick from school one day last week and then Eliza today (no movies for me). Maternity leave isn't reality though as no one expects me to "keep house." If this was my job, going to the movies every day probably wouldn't fly. Right now, I'm carrying a gigantic baby (more on that below) and can barely walk across the house without needing to sit down so if I want to go to the movies, I go to the movies.

One of the activities we've done at home is painting Mommy. We bust out the face paint and I let the girls use me as a canvas. It's win-win. I get to sit down for a while and they can exercise their creativity. In this belly masterpiece, there are two flowers and a girl with long, long white and silver hair that circles my stomach.







So about this big baby. Today my doctor gave the baby a label - macrosomia - perhaps a  term you have heard used in the news lately in regards to a particular record-breaking behemoth of a baby born in Texas. Am I freaking out that I'm going to have a 16 pounder? No, but there are certainly health risks involved if the baby is larger than normal. My doc said he thought everything would be fine and I'd have a normal delivery but he did warn me that if there is any concern, he would do a c-section. I'm going in for another ultrasound next week where we'll know more. He told me some horror story about a baby getting stuck and it's shoulder becoming dislocated resulting in paralysis of that arm. No thank you! I want the baby out in whatever manner ensures his health and safety, and mine. My doc also thought the baby wouldn't come early. Looks like I might get another week of movie going.

22 months

While baby brother hasn't emerged yet, this is the age that Eliza will become a Big Sister - 22 months.

Eliza continues to grow into a joyous and confident toddler. She talks so much more often now, although I think only her teachers and family get to hear it. Right now, she should have been asleep an hour ago, but she's alternating between singing and shouting Happy Birthday from her crib. Other favorite songs include ABC and Patty-Cake. She wants to do everything her big sister does, and we are hoping this will mean getting potty trained early. I'm not holding my breath.

She has taken a fondess to the baby doll, which Addie named Freddie when she was 2. Eliza changes Freddie's diaper, gives her a bottle and races her around the house in the stroller. I'm hoping she'll be as caring to her little brother because she is going to be in for a big surprise! Currently, I think she believes that my belly button (which she calls a belly butt) is named Baby Brother.

Happy Fourth!

This weekend it really started to feel like summer. We swam, played in the backyard, hung out with friends and ate cupcakes. Let me tell you, floating in a pool at 37 weeks is a treat.

I miss fireworks, something I've found ellusive in LA, but otherwise it was a fine holiday weekend.  Ironically Addie insisted on having a tea party on Independence Day.

I'm also grateful that Cap decided not to attend his 20th high school reunion in Oregon this weekend as we all rely so much on his help and support as baby Thor makes it harder and harder for me to get around. I went to my doctor today and was told that Thor decided to flip around and is now feet first - not good. I'm pretty sure he did that yesterday as I felt like a bobcat had been trapped in my gut. I go back for an ultrasound on Thursday and am hoping he'll decide to rotate on his own again before I go into labor.








We stuck the slide in the splash pool in our backyard.


And I wonder why we keep finding leaks. Eliza insisted on wearing her sister's swim cap in our yard.

Thor

The baby is measuring 7 lbs 6 ozs right now.
This is the size of 50% of all newborns.
I'm 35 weeks along.
Will the baby come early?
Probably not.
That means I'll have a 9 lbs baby.

The weight predictions are often off but since Addie was 7 lbs 12 oz and Eliza a chubby 8 lbs 8 oz, I'd say that 9 lbs might even be a low estimate. The good news is of course that he's totally healthy.

I have 5 days left of work before maternity leave begins. I plan on reading, napping, going to the movies, sorting boy clothes, sorting girl clothes to give away and maybe I'll actually crack open and fill out Eliza's currently blank baby album before her baby brother arrives.  Once he arrives, it's just breastfeeding, diaper changing and napping.

I'm also taking the girls out of the extended day program so I'll be picking them up at 2:30 instead of after work. I'm wondering if I'm crazy for doing this during a time when getting up off the floor is an 8 step preparation for me and fatigue is the name of my game. Add a newborn into that picture and I'm trying to imagine life at home with just me and my brood.


I know these ultrasounds are almost impossible to decipher. The top is of baby Thor in profile and the bottom is a face shot with his cherry nose and kissable lips. We watched him smacking those lips. He was probably enjoying his root beer flavored amniotic fluid. I can't get enough root beer these days.

Little Me

Here is a photo of me back in 1975 looking, I think,  pretty much like Eliza. I'm her age in the picture. Notice the bells on my white shoes.


This photo was taken on my first day of school in Tokyo, 4 months shy of my 5th birthday. There is something in my expression that reminds me of Addie.

I wonder who little brother will look like - hopefully like his handsome Daddy. One more month (plus 6 days if he decides to follow the trend of his sisters).

21.5 months

During the last month we started Eliza in swim lessons. She spent the first 4 lessons crying "Mommy!" at the top of her lungs for 20 minutes while we hid behind a one-way glass window. After almost giving up, last Saturday we had a break-through. No tears after the first 10 minutes. Thank goodness! We started Addie when she was 3 years old. She was afraid of the water and clung to James, her instructor. He still reminds us of him getting clawed and beaten by Addie.  Eliza at 21 months happily bobs around in her arm floatees but was not at all interested in hanging out with James. Different ages, different kids.

Eliza is also mastering two word commands her favorite being "Sit down!" where she then emphatically points to the floor expecting us to sit and read her books or play with her toys. There is also "this way!" pointing to where to she wants us to go with her and most recently "My turn!" as she learns to share with Addie.

And I really need to get this on video but she's started to sing. She yodels "Happy Birthday" incessently and sometimes her own version of the Alphabet song. Very cute.

She cracks me up all the time but also has the power to push my buttons when she refuses to get into her car seat or thwacks me over the head with a wooden spinning top. What can I say. She's a toddler.

Last Day of School

Friday was the girl's last day of school for the year. They were both back on Monday though for the summer session so our routine hasn't changed. Nonetheless, the day marked the ceremonial end of Addie's pre-school career. Addie's friends will all be attending different schools in the fall and some will be with her a little longer this summer.

We attended their Spring Recital where Addie sang out from the back row (no tears this year!) while Eliza stood motionless and expressionless for the duration of her recital - similar to her Christmas performance. Maybe Eliza thought the parents were the show and she was the audience.

School Pictures

What is there even to say? School photos crack me up. I get them dressed, make sure they have a clean face but after that, anything can happen. It's sort of the fun of school photos. Last year we were out of town for photo day so I'm super excited the girls made it into their classroom group photos this year. I think these were taken way back in March.

Today was the last official day of school before the summer session starts. We love their Montessori school which goes up to Grade 5, but with our growing family Addie will be making the transition to our neighborhood public school for kindergarten. It's pretty highly ranked (thank goodness!) and I finally turned in the enrollment forms. Eliza will continue at Montessori for at least three more years if not four since she'll just miss the cut-off for kindergarten by 12 days with her September birthday. And then Baby Brother will be starting in the Winter.





On Monday we had their end-of-year parent/teacher conferences. Here is what their teachers had to say. Addie is one of the oldest in her mixed-age classroom and Eliza is one of the youngest.  I think Addie is an introvert like her Mom and Eliza is the extrovert. Addie loves art and told me she wanted to grow up to be an artist and a builder. Eliza is completely fearless and confident and both girls have a great sense of humor. We're pretty darn proud of our little girls.

Dirty little Addie feet

I'm the worst with videos. I rarely take them and when I do they are neglected either left on the device or downloaded into video obscurity on our computer. I haven't a clue how to edit them either.

I found this from a couple of months ago. I like that it shows the fickleness of a toddlers moods.

The Campout

On Saturday, Cap and Addie decided they wanted to try some backyard camping. Cap busted out our tent which we bought in 1996 when we spent the summer after graduating from college back country camping around several national parks.  We were 23. We are not 23 anymore.

This was Addie's first time sleeping in a tent. After Eliza went to sleep at 7, the two of them changed into PJs, gathered up their pillows, a flashlight and the ipad and headed out the tent to watch Barbie: A Fairy Secret snuggled in their sleeping bags.  Addie was so excited I could hear her yakking away until close to 9. Addie finally fell asleep and was woken up the next morning at 6 am by Eliza and I who were peaking at the campers from our bedroom window. Guess we weren't being very stealthy. Addie had such a fun time she announced that sleeping in her regular bed gave her a stomach ache and she needed to sleep outside in the tent.

Maybe one day we'll all go camping as a family. I'm not quite ready to try it with Eliza and the little guy. When we do though we'll need a bigger tent. A much bigger tent.  Actually I really want to rent an RV once in my life. It's on my 40 under 40 list I'm mentally compiling -- 40 things I want to do before I'm 40. Any suggestions?

31 weeks

Today I'm 32 weeks. Baby is the size of a jicama, my stomach a watermelon.  In these photos I'm 31 weeks. I've moved into the third trimester, don't have gestational diabetes after passing the second screening with such flying colors that my doctor said I could have as much cake as I wanted, and can no longer run after Eliza which is sort of a problem since she enjoys trying to escape down the sidewalk or into the school parking lot.

We're spending our Memorial Day weekend close to home with plenty of friends and playdates scheduled.  Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend!

The Classroom Birthday Celebration

For the first time, Cap and I had the opportunity to witness the birthday celebration in Addie's classroom, sneaking away from our own offices in the middle of the afternoon. Addie as the birthday girl was the earth. Ms. Amy, her teacher, lights a candle representing the sun. For each year of her life, a new candle was lit as Addie walked around the sun and the kids sing a song about the earth going around the sun. Very cute. Afterwards, Addie handed out fruit popsicles to her classmates. She was the last one to get one but the first one finished. So much like her parents!

The Big 5

Adelaide is FIVE today!

Recently she's been telling people she's four and a half and three fourths. She's so excited to be five and knows everyone in her class who has already had their fifth birthday. Usually I have to bribe her with candy to get her to take a photo but when I told her she cold paint her hand, she was game. She totally got into these photos and did her own poses. This one she called the peacock.



We celebrated Addie's fifth birthday on Saturday with a party in our backyard for 12 friends. We ate pizza, made ice cream sundaes and then after sunset we cozied up under blankets on the grass to eat popcorn, drink chocolate milk and watch Tangled on the big screen. Perfect.












Earlier that day we had her swim lesson as usual (and Eliza's first lesson but more on that another time). Addie got the Swim School Birthday Treatment which she tried to hide from underwater but James, her instructor, wouldn't let her get away so easily.



Happy Birthday Adelaide! I love you!

20 Months

20 months. Over the last month Eliza has really jump made a giant leap towards being two. When she feeds herself it's now more likely to end up in her mouth than on the floor which is appreciated by us and the rug. Two word phrases are becoming the norm like Poo-poo Ew, Bath hot, Daddy's shoe. She's left-handed, can hop and run like the wind, and boy oh boy does she want to do everything her big sister does.

This also means refusing to sit in her booster seat for meals. We used to let Addie eat at the coffee table but for the sake of our rug (and because it's just a terrible habit) both girls now eat at the dining room table. So grown up!

Saturday Eliza starts swim lessons and will join in the after swim routine of a trip to the donut shop. Whatever Addie gets Eliza wants. Eliza also seems to have much more of a sweet tooth than Addie. Addie doesn't really like most desserts. She's not interested in cakes, cookies, pies or pastries. Candy? Now we're talking. Eliza loves chocolate ice cream and can wolf down a cupcake like a champ. And everyone likes chocolate donuts.

Mother's Day

I hope all the Mothers in my life had a lovely day. Now I know how much we deserve it!

My day started with Cap getting up with Eliza letting me sleep in. Only problem is that my body doesn't like that plan anymore. I'm lucky if I can sleep past 6:15. Once something wakes me up (usually Eliza) I can't go back to sleep. Still, lying in bed is a luxury so I did that until Addie wished me an exuberant Happy Mother's Day.

Cap took Eliza with him to get delicious bagels which I devoured toasted with butter and cream cheese. I used to eat them that way when I was in elementary school in New York and, I must say, it's darn good if not highly caloric. We spent the morning at home and the girls gave me their hand-made presents - carrot seeds in a decorated pot from Addie and a picture frame from Eliza. I opened cards from my family and Cap gave me a subscription to Sunset magazine and an enormous bouquet of gorgeous flowers.

I got to nap too - another luxury. Then Addie and I made chocolate cupcakes and we all headed out with a picnic lunch to Roxbury Park for the afternoon. Eliza got stung by a bee and was a total trooper. The good news is that she isn't allergic. After the park it was bubble bath time for two very dirty, sandy girls and take-out for dinner.

Thanks to my family for treating me like a Queen for a day. Next year though I wouldn't say no to a full day at the spa all by myself.


My loveys

The Buff-flies

We adopted two caterpillars again this year - Apple and Strawberry. Here are they are in their caterpillar stage about 2 weeks ago. I thought they'd like the colorful Clinique bonus gift bag as a backdrop. Strawberry, who was Addie's, emerged from her chrysalis first on Saturday followed by Apple the next day. Fearing what would happen after too long in captivity, we released them from their shoebox bungalow this morning before I left for work. Neither flew away so after a while of watching them just chill, we left the box and the buff-flies (as Eliza calls them) to their own devices. Tonight Addie inspected the box to make sure they had flown away. She discovered that Strawberry had left part of his caterpillar self behind when he made a chrysalis. "My caterpillar left his head!" I told her it was probably his bum since they hang upside down which she thought was pretty funny. "My caterpillar's bum fell off!"