Jack & Mommy Day!

I took my last vacation day today (we have a use-it-or-lose-it vacation policy at work and all of our vacation must be used by Friday) which was much needed after this weekend!  Saturday, we were able to witness the vows of a friend from college and his high school sweetheart!  Beautiful ceremony and a fun reception... Jack loved to dance!  Jack kept pointing up front during the ceremony saying "Princess" when referring to the bride... yup, I'm a proud mama of my sweet, sweet boy!  Sunday we went to my sister-in-law's baby shower (she's due 4 days after me).  We can't wait to meet the little guy!

I had all big intentions of making today a big mother-son bonding day... It is a month away from my due date and I am really trying to get some extra time with the little guy.  Well, considering somebody decided to nap for 4 hours we didn't do a ton but we did get to enjoy each other!

Started out by getting breakfast at Krispy Kreme... I have a huge soft spot for fresh Krispy Kreme donuts and our timing couldn't have been more perfect!  My husband was able to come with us too!  We let Jack pick out which donut he wanted to have:

He called it "donut cake" because it has sprinkles on it!

Then we headed across town so I could get my hair cut (for the last time before the baby comes).  My mom and brother met us at the salon so they could entertain Jack for the 30-45 minutes I was getting my hair done.  They walked down the shopping center to a pet store where Jack got to see chinchillas, fish, and turtles!  What more could a boy want?

I had wanted to take Jack to see a "big movie" but I couldn't find any movies running that would be appropriate for his age.  I know Lion King is out, but only in 3D and I thought that would be a bit much on such a big screen with some of the intense scenes.  We took him to see Cars 2 for his first theatre movie and the only other one I could think of was the Pooh movie (definitely going to have to be a mother-son event since Pooh is the one children's series my husband can't stand, ha ha), but I couldn't find it playing anymore.  I need to figure out the local discount/late running movie theatres around here!

Well, that pretty much wrapped up our "big day" together... Lame, I know!  Jack did get a 4 hour nap, I napped 2 hours of that and right now have laundry going... I had to throw in some productivity!  Not sure what we're going to do for dinner, but I suppose I could cook....

Stay tuned for an update this week on how baby #2 is doing... I start going to the doctor weekly this week!  We're getting so close!

Friday Fill-ins! 09.23.2011

1. When I walk around my neighborhood I see my neighbors out and about enjoying this wonderful fall weather.
2. Chocolate marbled cheesecake is my favorite thing to cook.

3. Life is wonderful.
4. My little boy saying "Jack make Mommy happy" makes me feel all warm and fuzzy
5. Pumpkin is my favorite Autumn vegetable.
6. Watching a TV show is better when it is previously recorded; you get to skip commercials.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing and doing some laundry, tomorrow my plans include attending a college friend's wedding and Sunday, I want to celebrate my sister-in-law's little boy at her baby shower!

Teaching our Daughters and Sons

I saw this posted on Facebook and I knew I had to share it!

"We need to teach our daughters to distinguish between a man who flatters her - and a man who compliments her. A man who spends money on her - and a man who invests in her. A man who views her as property - and a man who views her properly. A man who lusts after her - and a man who loves her. A man who believes he is God's gift to women - and a man who remembers a woman was God's gift to man...And then teach our boys to be that kind of a man."

I feel like this is a very good way to look at raising a daughter or a son in today's world!

*I tried to search to see if I could find an original source, but it apparently has been out in the internet by way of multiple sources without attribution to whom might have first "said" it.... Thanks to Angie over at Blessed Beyond Words for sharing on Facebook*

Try again!

This morning we were having donut holes (well, Jack was) and it was an assorted sampling for his palate.  He ate one or two that looked relatively plain, then went for the one covered in powdered sugar...

He took one or two bites and then some gelatinous sweet stuff started coming out of the middle.

Jack (giving us a disgusted look): Whaddat?

Me:  Its jelly... yummy!

Jack threw the half eaten donut hole back into the box.

Jack: Try again!

He proceeded to find a donut hole without the offending sticky filling to enjoy...

Babies, Babies Everywhere!

So, quite an unusual (at least I think) trend has started occurring with the people in my life... we knew of 6 babies originally due in October (including ours).  Well, as of last week (the 2nd week of September) 3 of them (or 50%) had already been born!  Technically all 3 of them were before 37 weeks, or preterm, but they're all happy & healthy and at home now.  Thank God for those beautiful healthy babies!  Needless to say, I was motivated enough to start packing my hospital bag...

I'm only about 34 weeks and as of my doctor's appointment this week I don't have any dilation occurring.  (I don't remember being checked this early with Jack, but maybe I did?)  Now, I know things can change quickly as far as pregnancy and labor & delivery but I take that as a good sign (for now) that I won't be having this baby early.  I go back to the doctor around 36 weeks and then every week afterwards.  I have been noticing a slight swelling these days and my nose looking swollen/wide, the joys of the last couple of months.  I think I will probably get to about 37 weeks and wonder what's taking so long, but I feel like that's pretty typical pregnancy feelings at that stage!

34 weeks and 1 day... I really didn't feel that big until I saw this picture.  We are doing maternity/family pictures with my friend Brooke on Saturday.  We will be doing them with an A-Z theme and I can't wait to share the link to those pictures.

While Jack was at his first day of preschool, my mom and I went to the store and she got us our double stroller!  It's the Chicco Cortina Together stroller and it fits the infant car seat we already have.  We're so thankful for how generous of a gift it is and I know we will all put it to good use.  We I was so excited that we put it together that evening!  (I have a thing with putting things together, I kind of love it.)  Matt calls it the Escalade of strollers and Jack "made" us push him around the house a bit in it before bed.

Jack checking out the back seat.

The infant seat can go in either the front or the back seat, in case Jack wants to lay down he can be fully reclined in the back while the baby is up front.  Odds are that Jack will spend 99% of his time riding in the front (where he can see everything), but it is very nice to have the option.  Because the infant car seat can go either place, it also means that we could fit two infant car seats if we ever have twins... ha ha!

The basket down below is huge (goes practically the full length of the stroller), and when the backseat is fully reclined you just unzip the back to access the diaper bag.  The front seat also has the option of being open with two cup holders as end caps or to have a bar that goes across the front.  I suppose it will depend on the situation and how contained we need to keep Jack!

Folding the stroller isn't too cumbersome, but the fact that I am under 5' tall, trying to fold any double stroller is going to take some coordination.  I can do it pretty easily while this pregnant, so that's a good sign! 

Can you tell I'm pretty excited for the double stroller?!  I'm already thinking our "big" outing this fall/winter will be either (or both) a) cutting down this year's Christmas tree or b) going to see the Christmas lights at the zoo!

First Day of Preschool

Jack's first day of preschool was today!  It was bittersweet for me, but I am really excited for him to enjoy this new adventure in his life.  Here are some of the photos from today:

First day of school breakfast - pancakes (that he hardly ate)!

A pretty traditional 1st day of school picture (at least in my family) of Jack wearing his backpack and holding his lunch box.  I think he looks so grown up in this picture!

Jack being silly with Daddy!

I took a vacation day today so I could drop him off with Matt and then pick him up.  It was definitely back-to-school weather with a chilly 50-55 degrees this morning (or as my husband says, football weather)!

Impatiently waiting outside his classroom for his teachers to open the door... he tried to open the door at least 3 times in 10 minutes.  He's in the Caterpillar classroom!

He barely let us help him take his backpack, lunch & sweatshirt off before he was playing!

We picked up this month's newsletter, this week was all about Apples.  HeWhen we said good-bye that morning he gave us both hugs and I told him I'd be back to pick him up after school.  He gave us hugs (probably realized that we at least I needed it more then him) and we said good-bye, no tears from anyone.  Well, when I picked him up I noticed his eyelashes looked a little stuck together and when I asked how he did his teachers admitted he cried a few times asking for Mommy & Daddy.  That pretty much broke my heart, but he still told me he had fun and all about his day.  Let's hope next week goes better... Matt gets to drop him off and my mom will be picking him up.  (That will be the school routine when I'm not on maternity leave.)

In other exciting news, my little brother is back from Germany!!  He spent a year in Munich studying and came back to fill out his paperwork to graduate.  Matt and I got to visit him last January.  I think he misses Europe already, but we're excited to have him back while he's looking for a job.  Who knows?  Maybe he'll end up there in a more permanent situation and we'd have more excuses to visit Europe!

Friday Fill-ins 09.09.11

Its been a rough week at work... very happy it is the weekend!  Here's this week's fill-ins:


1. Do they have to always question my judgement.

2. Left work on time today but felt like I had missed a memo; it was as if everyone was told to leave early.

3. That was a crazy game of poker.
4. Things were different at work before yesterday when everything seemed so comfortable.

5. As I said, yesterday's weather in Ohio was fitting for some things that happened.

6. With everything happening recently, having babies early seems to be some new twist.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting a gift for some friends' baby that was just born, tomorrow my plans include spending time with my baby boy while Matt works and Sunday, I want to get to Mass, especially since we missed last weekend!