Friday, June 29, 2012

Kids Say the Darnedest Things

Just a a place to write down some funny things Ben has said lately:

On our way to Florida, Ben was watching a movie on the little DVD player and asked Nick where his milk was.  Nick handed it to him, but instead of reaching for it, Ben just simply opened his mouth (like Nick should bottle feed him).  Nick said "don't you have hands?" and Ben holds them out, looks at both of them and says "yeah, I do!"
--
Also on our way to Florida, the flight attendant asked Ben what his name was.  He said "Ben!  I'm 2!  This one Nick (pointing to Nick).  That one... (really big pause)... that one Ben's mommy"
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Also while in Florida, Nana was in the backseat of our awesome van, keeping Ben entertained and distracted from a meltdown as we were way beyond nap time.  She played a game with him where she'd reach for his sippy and say "that's my milk!" and Ben would burst into hysterical laughter, clutch his sippy to his chest and say "no, that's MY milk!".  Eventually this morphed into her saying "oh, can I have those feet then?  those are my feet" and Ben said "no!  those are my feet!  you can't have them, Benny needs them!"
--
I took Ben out back to play earlier and he got soaked in his pool.  I brought him in and stripped him naked, wrapped a towel around him and set him on the couch to watch a movie while I went to get him some dry clothes.  I came back out, and he had both index fingers pressed to each of his nipples and he said "I got my chest" and I said "you sure do" and then he says "you touch my buttons, too?"

I about died with laughter (and politely declined to touch his buttons).

I'd forgotten that he called his nipples his buttons.  I don't wish to EVER correct him.  I hope he calls them buttons when he's 50 years old.
--

Thursday, June 28, 2012

37 & 1/2 weeks

Another week, another baby update:

first, I had another ultrasound today.  Today the tech just checked my fluid, apparently I have a lot.  So baby is measuring large + extra fluid = big ol' swollen tummy.  My doctor said that the measurements can be off, but this tech is usually very accurate in her measuring, so my doctor is very confident that I've got a little porker in my belly.

Because she's trusting the measurements, she's suggested a 39 week induction if I don't go into labor on my own before then.  The longer he cooks, the bigger he gets.  The bigger he gets, the more risk of a complicated delivery and potential c-section.  I'm a-okay with her suggestion.  She's the professional and I trust her judgement.  This actually relieves some of my concerns.  I don't have a whole lot, but I am a little nervous about going in to labor.  I've never done that.  :)  I've never had my water break randomly or start the contraction process, so in a way this feels like my first pregnancy.  It's reassuring to me to know of a firm end date if I don't go on my own prior to then.

Today she checked me out and said I'm a full 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced (I actually had to look that up, I'd forgotten what the terms meant...) but that she could feel the head this time.  Whoopie.  Then she stretched my cervix to try to encourage labor.  We'd done that twice with Ben and I'd forgotten how unpleasant it was.  I remembered it didn't feel good.  I forgot how much it didn't feel good.

Anyway, after that she had me to a non-stress test.  Because I'm apparently rather fluid filled, she said it could be a sign that the placenta isn't doing it's job appropriately and she wanted to make sure the kiddo was doing okay in there.  So 25 very uncomfortable minutes later (I started out fine.... but then I started to get hot... and my sciatic started to really hurt and I couldn't get comfortable), all is well with me and the babe.  My weight remains the same but my blood pressure was amazing.  100/60.  I don't think it's ever been that low. 

My next appointment is Monday, no ultrasound this time.  She may attempt to stretch my cervix again and after that, I'll be referred to another doctor in her practice because my doctor flies out of town on the 5th for a family reunion.  Rude.  And then we'll schedule my induction for I think the 9th.  Which, hmm... I believe I'll ask if we can wait til the 11th.  Because then Nana B will be here and she can mind after Benny boy for us.  Hey, if I'm ordering up a delivery, I ought to get to pick the date, right?  :)

And now I'm off to finish putting the little dude's room together before Ben wakes up from his nap.  :)

Monday, June 25, 2012

Menu Plan Monday

it's that time of week again!  Menu Plan Monday!  This week, I'm starting preparations to be completely useless after baby boy gets here, so I'm doubling up some recipes to freeze for later:

Monday: Black Bean Soup with corn muffins
Tuesday: Left overs or sandwiches
Wednesday: Chicken Fajitas with refried beans
Thursday: Tamale Casserole (double batch)
Friday: Hot Dogs with baked beans, cottage cheese & chips
Saturday: Cilantro Lime Chicken with rice (this already makes two)
Sunday: Tuna Noodle Casserole (double batch)

Friday, June 22, 2012

Quick.

Making huge progress on my "to do" list from a few posts back:
  1. clean out closet
    1. hanging clothes to charity or master closet
    2. sort through extra blankets - move those we're keeping to hall linen closet, rest to yard sale pile
    3. sort through games - keep only those we actually play, rest to yard sale pile
    4. find a new home for out of season household decor (garage?)
    5. old TV to charity
    6. box of misc glassware - sort what to keep (and move to new home - hutch?) and what to sell
    7. wrapping paper, gift bags, bows & tissue paper - need a new home (move to hall closet)
    8. other misc crap - sort through what to keep (and figure out where to store) and what to get rid of (trash vs yard sale)
  2.  clean out dresser - misc wrapping paraphernalia
    1. once empty, move to master bath
  3. card table - clear off, fold up and move to garage
  4. rocker - decide if going to recover or move to Ben's room. 
  5. trunk - sort through items and move to living room
  6. curtains - take down
  7. b and w photos on wall - take down, possibly re-frame and move to another wall in the house
  8. other decoration tchotchkes on the walls - remove, decide what to repurpose and what to sell
  9. nightstand:
    1. lamp - yard sale
    2. small hat box - yard sale
    3. stain to use in nursery
  10. get twin bed from dad's house for guest bed
  11. sell wicker headboard (list on Craigslist)
  12. queen mattress/box springs - sell (listed on Craigslist)
  13. Paint (one of the blues from paint chip - chair rail)
  14. clean carpets (or remove and replace with snap together laminate flooring)
  15. assemble crib
  16. sort through Ben's old clothes/toys and put away
  17. find and purchase changing table/dresser
  18. make or order bedding (PBK's Madras bedding)
  19. get crib mattress and bumper
  20. fill room up with other adorable baby gear
  21. bring home baby and be done with this planning nonsense :)
The closet is mainly full of baby stuff.  There's a small box of antique glassware that I don't have a new home yet and a few other miscellaneous items that need to be moved out.  Pretty much everything in the room now is only for baby. The crib is assembled and the mattress is in.

I went in a different direction with the bedding - when searching for something similar to the Pottery Barn Kid's Madras bedding I mentioned above, I found a super cute sail boat/nautical/light house themey set.  I realized I had quite a bit of that sort of decor throughout our house already and I knew from the beginning I wanted kind of an Americana-red/white/blue theme in his room.  I kept searching and found a very sweet red, white & blue with stars bedding set that I really liked for a reasonable price, so I ordered that today.  I've rounded up all the other decor items that we have that fit that theme and stuck them in his room.

I've ordered a bunch of stuff this week so now I'm just waiting for it to arrive.  I still need some things, mainly the expensive things like a dresser, the carrier and then some other random items like a mobile, curtains, a hamper, etc.  Hopefully this weekend we can choose some paint, find some nice chair rail moulding at the reStore and get that up and painted this weekend.  Then I need to clear everything out, run the carpet cleaner and start decorating and putting stuff away as it shows up at my house.

Today I bought a box of diapers, some nursing gear and new nipples for our bottles... it just got real.  The fun stuff is fun, once you start buying the practical stuff... it hits ya.   I walked in the house with the box of diapers and Nick had the same reaction I had "whoa".

Let's hope all my packages arrive before he does!!

Monday, June 18, 2012

2 & 1/2!

a quick baby interruption on Ben's 2 & 1/2 post: I had my regular OB appointment today + an ultrasound to make sure little junior is developing on track since I haven't gained much weight.  According to the ultrasound measurements of today, "little" junior is approximately 9 lbs.  Now, these measurements aren't always accurate and there's an over/under of 20% that could be factored in.  That being said, I'm also measuring ahead of the game.  Doctor suggested maybe stripping my membranes at my next appointment, as well as another ultrasound to double check the measurements and check my fluid (that sounds like I'm getting a car tune up...).  I am 1 cm dilated, but I'm also a carrying a little high still (but he is in the downward position like he's supposed to be). Got some nice face pictures - he looks a lot like a squishy faced Ben.  :)

Holy cow, bud you're 2 and a half today!  Half way to your 3rd birthday.  We've got you trained to answer when your birthday is when we ask: "in my-cember" you say.  ;) You're constantly surprising us with things you've picked up.  Yesterday we had lots of fun things.  After your nap, we were sitting on the couch and you announced to daddy that you were a friend.  When dad said "you're a friend?" you answered yes and said that uncle was your best friend.  You didn't forget all night, every time we'd say "Benny, who is your best friend?" you'd promptly reply "my uncle!".  The cuddles and attention you gave him yesterday were astounding.  It was very sweet and I loved to see it.  I wish your Florida fam lived closer so we could make some of these memories with them as well.  At the end of the evening, we pointed to uncle and said "who's that?" and he said "that's a dude!" - so funny!

BFF's

It's funny the things I never paid attention to until I had a tiny parrot in the back seat repeating them back to me.  Thankfully, I've been pretty good about cleaning up (most of) my language when you're up.  The things I apparently say a lot in the car while driving are "seriously people?" or "come on, dude." or "DRIVE!" and "oh my God."

You wore a 2T for about five minutes.  I bought you some very cute 2T clothes to take with us on our Florida adventure and they're all pretty much too small now.  Nana B bought you a bunch of 3T clothes that your daddy was worried you wouldn't fit in to until winter.  Thankfully, mommy & Nana B know what's up and you're wearing 3T perfectly now.  Your size 8 sandals that were slightly too big in Florida now fit just right and you'll probably out grow those soon.  That being said, there's still some 24 month clothes that you fit in to and you haven't outgrown all of your 2T things.  These manufacturer's really need to come up with a common sizing scale...

 Some of your favorite things right now: cars, planes, trucks, trains, emergency vehicles, anything that moves.  You love the Cars movies.   Your favorite characters are Mater, Finn McMissile (but you say Mick-ah-sile and it's very funny) and Francesco.  You also like Lightning McQueen but I think Mater & Finn are your most favorite.  When we go for walks, mommy is Lightning and you're Francesco.  Then we race.  Francesco always wins.  :)

Swings!
You are LOVING the splash pad at Settler's Park this year.  We've taken you several times and you love it every time.  You got soaked by the big dumper once and that made you cry (which I was sure it was) but now you're better about staying away from the buckets.  You're starting to enjoy swinging again this summer.  Your first summer you loved to swing.  Last summer you HATED it.  This summer you'll do it for a little bit.  You like to sit on the big boy swings by yourself, so we're working to teach you how to pump your legs.

You love to paint and color and choose stickers from your sticker pads to put on paper.  We spend lots of time playing pretend - you love to push around your little travel suitcase (though you call it a "coo-sase" and I think that's pretty much the most adorable thing ever) and we play airport.  Today mommy's bed was the airplane and we traveled to Nana B's house where I had to wake her up.  ;)  You love to play outside, look at flowers and bees and bugs and airplanes and pretty much all the other things you liked earlier in the year.  

You're a super good counter, you know your numbers up to 13 or 14 I think and you're good at counting how many of something you have.  You can sing your ABC's but we haven't worked with you as much on recognizing your letters, which is something we need to spend more time with.  You can spell your name.

You do not love to have your nails cut.  We can usually talk you through calming down to let us do your fingernails, but I know the neighbors think we're torturing you when it's time to clip your toenails.  You don't think it's necessary to hold hands in the parking lot and we battle over this nearly every time.  You've also discovered you can open the fridge and you don't think you need to ask permission to get whatever you feel like having.  

The terrible 2's have struck our household.  Mommy & daddy are working very hard to help you through this phase.  I'd wager you're the best kid ever 90% of the time.  Maybe even 95% of the time.  Those periods of rottenness, though... my goodness, they do tend to overshadow the good some times.  You find my buttons so easily and push them with glee.  Wherever Nana A is, I know she's laughing hysterically.  I used to do the same to her (though I'm not sure I did it at such a young age...).  What goes around comes around... You're beginning to role play a little.  I can hear you at nap time putting your teddy bear in time out for hitting "you hit Ben.  time out.  2 minutes, right NOW" you say in the meanest voice.  Boy, I hope that's not what I sound like when I tell you to get your bum to time out...


I'm both excited and dreading bringing baby brother home.  You have a little glow worm that Nana A got you for your first Easter that stays in your crib and you call it your baby.  We can hear you rocking your baby and singing "rock a bye baby" to him.  That's the part I'm looking forward to.  I've seen you interact with other babies and you're very tender.  However, I know you.  And I know how you act when you're not getting the attention you think you need and I'm concerned.  We'll make it through but more adjustments are coming.

You're doing fantastically with potty training.  You haven't had an accident in ages (well, except during some of your time outs.  you just don't tell us you have to go - we'd totally allow you to pause time out for a potty break).  We still keep ya in a diaper for sleeps, though you don't like it.  I should just cold turkey the diapers and power through but it's selfishness on my part.  I'm already sleeping like poop because of this pregnancy (leg cramps + a constant need to pee = awesomeness...) so I'm hoarding the times I do get to sleep solidly.

So, all in all, little guy, mommy & daddy love you to little bitty pieces.  I'm feeling guilty that we didn't give you more time to have all of your parents time and attention to yourself but I know you'll be a fantastic big brother.  I can't wait to see what the next 6 months brings us!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Menu Plan Monday!

Ooo I haven't done one of these in forever.  :)  I've still been planning my menu (coming up on 2 years of consistently doing it every week) but I just forget to post it up here.

This is what the Beesley's are cookin' up this week:

Monday: Key West Grilled Chicken with Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Steamed White Rice
Tuesday: Beef Burritos with Spanish Rice
Wednesday: Stuffed Shells with Green Beans (and maybe garlic toast)
Thursday: Chili Lime Chicken Tostadas
Friday: Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes with Tater Tots and some green veggie
Saturday: Bacon & Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese with peas
Sunday: Father's Day - no meal planned yet

Yummy yummy!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

34 Weeks.

No picture today and no little survey to fill out because I'm uber lazy.  Maybe I'll update with a photo later.  I had a request for one.  :)

I made brief mention of my appointment yesterday on Facebook, but wanted to write it down on the blog where it's easier to find later.

So, I guess when I'm pregnant, I have this really awesomely fast metabolism that doesn't hang around when I'm not pregnant (figures, right?).  I've only gained 2 pounds this pregnancy.  I thought it was 4, so either I'm remembering wrong or I've lost 2 of the 4 I had gained.  Sigh.  I promise I'm not intentionally "dieting" or not eating - I'm eating 3 meals (almost) every day (some days I get so busy to rush out of the house in the morning, I forget to grab something to eat - but more often than not, I'm eating breakfast) and I'm doing my very best to snack.  I usually have an extra dinner after Ben's gone to bed, like a bowl of cereal or something.  I just can't get the weight to stick.  She pointed out to me that at nearly full term, I weigh less now than I did at my pre-pregnancy weight with Ben. 

Doctor says they want you to gain at least 10 pounds in a pregnancy.  With Ben I gained 7, so I wasn't quite there but I was measuring correctly, my blood pressure was great and his heart rate was great, so not too concerned.  With this baby, I'm not even close.  And even though my blood pressure is still great, his heart beat is just where it's supposed to be and my belly is measuring right on track, she's ordered an ultrasound for my next appointment to make sure he's getting the growth and development he needs.  She doesn't think there's an issue and isn't trying to freak me out, she just wants to make sure.  Which I am 100% behind.  Whatever needs to be done, I'm for it.

Then she dropped a nice little nugget of news on me.  She's on vacation (as in, out of town vacation) the week I'm due.  She's actually gone after the 4th and isn't back until after my due date.  Sigh.  So either we hope he's early (like the very first few days into July, so that I'm still at my 38 week mark) or...?  I guess I'll just be okay with another doctor doing the delivery.  I wanted her to do it, I like her, I'm comfortable with her and I know she's awesome in the delivery room (I don't remember an awful lot about that day, but I know how at ease she made me and how she stayed with me the entire time I pushed).

As far as this pregnancy is going right now - I'm done.  :)  I have reached the point of being ready to not be pregnant any more.  I'm terribly uncomfortable, my pelvis is killing me and I swear I'm waddling around like I've got a 5 pound bowling ball clenched between my thighs.  I can't keep up with Ben and honestly, I'm too exhausted to even try.  I feel like a very absent parent these last few weeks.  A few days ago, I woke up exhausted and I pretty much napped on the couch and let Cars 2 babysit my child.  Mother of the year right here!

I sure hope to have some nursery updates to share over the next few days.  We're having a garage sale on Saturday and anything we don't sell will either be donated to a thrift store or the dump.  Hopefully clearing out all our extra crap that we no longer need (and making some $$ in the process) will be enough to get this room going.  I know exactly what I want to do, I just need to get the stuff and do it.

And if any one has a dresser they're getting rid of (a shorter one, not a tall one), let me know!  I am having the worst time finding what I want in terms of the dresser/changing table and a rocker.  Either it's $1,000 or non-existent... 

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Lately...

Lately I have been reading like books are about to be banned.  In the past month, I have read:
So that's 16 books in roughly 30 days or so.  I feel like I'm missing some...

Lately I have been pricing crap for our upcoming garage sale.  Whoopie.
Lately I have been dialing it down and keeping Ben home more.  I think he was getting over-stimulated.
Lately I have been feeling incredibly tired, grouchy and pretty much done with being pregnant.  Only 6 more weeks...
Lately I have been completely stuck on little brother's name.  We thought we had it picked out.  Then I changed my mind.  But now I'm not sure.  So still no idea.  And no middle name at all decided on...
Lately I have been dying to start making over his room... gotta get all this crap gone, first (garage sale and/or thrift store and/or dump).  At least I'm making progress on cleaning it out.
Lately I have been attempting to find a nice rocker and dresser for little brother's room that isn't incredibly expensive but still functional and appropriate for his room... I'm not having much luck.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about crafting.  And then I take a nap instead.

And that's all my brain has the energy for right now.  Off to take a nap!  :)