Tuesday, June 28

Their Summer Playground

Monday, June 27

40 Weeks!

I/We made it! I am ten months pregnant today. Meaning I have been pregnant for two months shy of one year. Isn't something supposed to happen today? Anything? Today would be a perfect due date. It's a really dark and rainy day around these parts, making for a relaxing, peaceful mood. Hope bruder is feeling my vibes because I am so eager to meet the little dark haired cherrub. 


If he doesn't make his appearance today, we get to see him via ultrasound tomorrow to check up on his size. I am feeling he is pretty much a perfect size, but thats just be, I am biased. I am getting my big girl pants on so I can stand strong against those oh so horrible words, induction. I have a feeling they will be tossed around tomorrow by the well meaning doctor. Trying to remain positive and have faith in this old body that it knows whats a going on and can handle birthing just one last baby, without help, thanks though.


So, instead of posting embarrasing photos of my huge body today, I opted to share these even more embarassing, super revealing photos of a body cast George and I did yesterday. Serioulsy, all pride is gone. This is your official warning. Hide your eyes if you must. 


This belly casting kit has been sitting in my room since the days Nyah was enjoying the comfort of my womb (as she likes to call it), a perfectly thoughful gift from my oh so wonderful brother and sister in law. I never got around to casting myself (what fun is that) and so I saved it. And out it came the other day. When I presented the idea of casting my big ol' belly to George he gave me that look like, you tree hugger, but in the end complied with my wishes out of fear pure sweetness. He really came around to the idea when he found out the nude body had to be prepped and rubbed down with Vasoline prior to casting so a good time was had by all. 


I of course couldn't let him have all the fun. After much begging and convincing, he finally let me. 
I am not sure what we will end up doing with our casted bodies. George suggested we put them on our mantle but I don't think that will happen. Don't want to frighten the guest. My original idea was to let the girls go crazy and paint our casted bods, but I kind of like them. If you are prego and have the chance, I would suggest trying this activity, and do your man/husband/significant other too. It's really fun.


Now off to test drive minivans. I wasn't kidding when I said all pride is gone.


Hoping my next post will be photos of our sweet baby boy. Until then...

Saturday, June 25

Indulge

In celebration of the official start of summer, and me being just days short of ten months pregnant, we decided to say good bye to nutrition and gave a big warm welcome to a little sugar in our lives in the form of rice crispy popsicles. Oh yeah. Dipped in chocolate and sprinkles to perfection by Nyah. 
And what else is there to do with left over melted chocolate than to make the ultimate salty and sweet treat, chocolate covered pretzels. One of my favs.
I guess you could say I am throwing in the towel these last few days of pregnancy.


Surprisingly, I've had no complaints from anyone about our departure from our normally healthy diet. Can't believe this little innocent being put down a whole treat. I think the girls are probably wishing I would stay pregnant forever so the indulgence in all things sweet and wonderful could continue.

Thursday, June 23

Lighting Up Her Life

She found them at dusk, with a little help from some cousins. They started to dot the green grass and the corn field like starts in the sky. She was in awe, chasing their glows through the grass, attempting to master the skill of the catch. 


An unexpected, unplanned, awesome moment in her life. She has read about lightning bugs, listened stories of them, but had never seen one since becoming aware of their magic. Until that night. 


She collected them, she watched each one soothingly illuminate, and cared for them tenderly, even let them sleep in her bed. Who knows how her mind wondered during their time together that night. Until morning when she woke up and forgot about them and had to be reminded about her bugs. Deep in her covers their peanut butter jar of a home was found and they were released back to "their friends", a little slow but still moving (thank goodness). 
And that is the story of her first lightning but catch, a story I couldn't wait to unfold in her life as I too found the magic in lightning bugs as a child one Indiana summer.

Tuesday, June 21

Corn Fed

If you haven't been to Indiana, you might not be aware of the fact that the corn is good here. Really good. And in case anyone was concerned, since being in Indiana, my kids (including he who remains in da womb) are being corn fed. Oh yes they are.
And they are loving every minute of it. Well, not quite on the level of their love of mangoes, but they are enjoying it.

Monday, June 20

Girls

I went there, oh yes I did. I am that mom. 


I officially dressed our girls in matching outfits. It wasn't my idea. It was all Nyah's doing, I am just going with it. Nyah truly gets the biggest kick out of having the same outfit on as her little sister. 
I think this is a precious thing, a precious moment which must be seized because as I have been told and warned by those with sisters/daughters close in age, apparently all hell will break loose in this house when they are teenagers in reguards to the sharing of clothes, looking alike, being individual, etc. I am seriously scared already but hoping for the best, hoping they beat the odds, hoping this love lasts, actually, just hoping praying for a miracle. 
So I am enjoying this rare moment in our daughters lives while the enthusiasm for similarity exists and trying not to take it stage mom overboard.

Of course, Elsa couldn't be bothered to take a picture. Her book was waaaay too good. Have I mentioned how much this girl likes to read? Its She's amazing.
Oh, hi Elsa.
And just to remind us who the older child is in case the firm, controlling grip doesn't give it away. 
Raising sisters. A unique experience I am so thankful to be a part of even if I get a little nervous about all it entails, sometimes.

Sunday, June 19

Big Living

As the days leading up to baby bruders birth day are quickly approaching, we are trying to take advantage of our final days as a family of four by getting out into the world and do as much as we can. All too soon our daily schedules will be at the mercy of feedings and nap times. 

We have been doing things island living never allowed us to do like visiting the zoo, big parks, awesome story times, and museums. 
These were always places we could expose the girls to while living on the island, especially on those rainy days when the beach wasn't a possibility. We have been trying to do it all. 
One of my favorite things about our daily adventures has been watching Nyah get used to the amenities of big mainland living, like elevators (pushing the button is the highlight of her life), moving walkways, escalators, automatically flushing toilets and sinks, and, of course, drinking fountains. It is funny to see a kid who isn't used to this stuff encounter these luxuries(?) for the first time. 

The automatically flushing toilet really threw her for a loop, she just stared at the toilet forever, insisting she needed to flush but unable to find the device until the toilet finally erupted with a mega flush. Like magic in her eyes. George gave quite the drinking fountain lesson the other day. We now can't pass one by without a sip. She is quickly learning the etiquette and proper way to do things but still gets the biggest kick when she encounters one of these mega inventions, and really, I can't blame her.
I must say, we are really enjoying the big life while island life will always remain in our hearts and a not so far thought away. Because as life is quickly teaching me, home to me is wherever my family is and the exact geographical location of that home isn't really that big of a deal anymore, just as long as we are together.

Monday, June 13

Compulsive Dresser Redo

Remember my crazy, nesting, obsessed with the need to make things compulsive behavior I wrote about the other day? Well, I am happy to report that storm has calmed a bit. Thank goodness, I think George was beginning to get a little scared. I wanted to share the finished flea market dresser we bought for the girls' room from the sweetest hillbilly ever. I am not kidding, I just wanted to hug him.
before
after
After numerous rolls of masking tape, I finally finished painting the dresser, but my inner calm only came after I was able to find these handles. 
I had some sort of feminine glass handles pictured in my mind and I just had to find them. Had to. So George, aka, the sweetest guy ever, drove me around to a million hardware stores (I felt like I was shopping in St. Croix again, trying to find a needle in a haystack) until I finally found these little beauts at, of all places, (I am embarrassed to say) Target. I am sure a quaint little antique store would have had way better ones but I am not familiar with the area and also just didn't have that kind of time because, hello, I was posessed. 


So thats it, I think I am finished being obsessively crafty. So I guess this is an official goodbye to my crafty side, not sure what this means, but its been real. Baby soon? Who know, I am finished trying to predict.

Thirty Eight Weeks

Wow, a week since the last post. Well, we are still here, still pressing on, and I am still pregnant. Very pregnant. Thirty- eight weeks pregnant, to be exact. 
Can't believe I am posting a photo of myself at this point, I mean, woah.
I am considered term and according to my doctor baby bruder is welcome to make his appearance into this world at any moment. My doctor broke the sad news to me at my last appointment that absolutely nothing was going on in cervix land, not even a hint of dilation, so I am guessing our precious boy still has some growing to do, which I am more than happy to provide for him. 


I sit at night as I try to relax before bed and think and wish for the pain of contractions. Not that I am miserably ready to get this baby out of me because I can't breathe, like I was with Elsa and Nyah, I am just excited to meet him and to go through labor again because I am one of those weirdos who finds labor to be one of those totally awe inspiring miracles of life. I am always amazed by how much the human woman's body rocks. I am actually excited to feel that pain again, possible the last time I will feel this unique hurt so good kind of pain, which produces the ultimate reward.  


I am determined to be patient and just relax and avoid another induction, at all cost, because anyone who has had a natural delivery vs Pitocin induced delivery can probably agree with me that Pitocin contractions are the devil. Without a doubt. Screw you Pitocin, yeah, I'm talking to you. 


So all of the baby clothes have arrived, are washed, and put away and we are all ready. So we wait and continue with life because honestly, all is good in this hood.

Monday, June 6

Crazy Lady

What have I been up to? Oh nothing, you know, just going obsessive compulsive on a few projects I have going around here. I am not the extremely crafty type, besides the little projects Nyah and I do, but lately I have been a fanatic. Over the top, gotta accomplish things. Now.
I have been working on painting this little flea market dresser for the girls, photos to come. Why isn't white good enough? Good question, possibly because I'm posessed.
I whipped up these applique shirts up yesterday. Hunched over, snipping the little letters out seemed to give me piece of mind, for some strange reason. My fingers still hurt.
This morning, I woke up and randomly went crazy organizing my mom's kitchen. It was time. The space just had to be organized and cleaned, right then and there. But of course, not without a little help from old school friend Jay Z bumpin' in the background.


I remember when I was prego with Nyah, I decided I needed to make a quilt and I did. I painted animal pictures for her room. Elsa was born in December so I got to get all of my mad woman craziness out on the Christmas decor and baking. The neighbors must have seriously had a sugar high for most of December.


I am learning a few things about my self and am realizing (since this my gajillionth baby) that this might just be my odd little way of nesting. I would do normal things like wash baby clothes and stuff but I am still waiting for the Postal Service to toss my boxes around a little more so they arrive to us in a nice ball shape. I am sure they have a few more weeks to go to achieve this shape. Thats okay, just happy our possessions are making the long journey here, as a few have trickled in. I have my fingers crossed baby boy's things arrive before delivery, which if my craftiness is indeed my unique version of nesting, could be sooner than later.

Sunday, June 5

Love On A Farm

I knew it would happen, eventually. The day had to come. Its what happens, right? Kids fall in love. Its sweet and awesome to see your child love something and care for something so sweetly but this was the first time I had seen our girl show this kind of care for something other than her family. It happened and what can I say, Nyah fell hard. For a kitten.

Nyah met her new love this afternoon. The girls and I ventured out into the Indiana greeness along some country roads to my Uncle's farm. The girls needed to get a taste of farm life, a life that suited them both perfectly. 


Elsa appreciated the space, dirt, and freedom. 
And her family let and even encouraged her to jump. I don't think things could get much better in her life. 
Fear never once crossed her face. Big dogs, new people, it was nothing to her. She might have crawled in with the cows if someone would have let her.
And Nyah just loved on the kitty, the poor kitty, all day. By the time we left, she had finally figured out how to properly hold her but would not give the little kitten a break. Watching her care and momma this little cat to the max made me think we might be doing something right as her parents. Her first love.
Island life, farm life, not sure it matters to these girls because honestly, they just love life. 


Here's to being well rounded.

Wednesday, June 1

Stretching Their Legs

Perhaps its all the sunshine, or these long hot Indiana summer days, might be all the love, or maybe it was just their time, but both girls seem significantly older, wiser, and taller to me since we arrived in the middle of America. One of those things that happened all of the sudden, blind sides me out of the blue when I least expect it. Bam.  

Nyah is building her own relationships, bonding with people, making her own connections with nature, imagination working at warp speed.
Elsa is talking more, saying and repeating everything, "tank you, gelcome, Yaya (Nyah), Nana, oh no, baby" and the list goes on. And of course, swinging alone. Without falling.
They both seem to be physically growing by the minute, stretching out like the green grass and flowers which keeps them company in Nana's outdoor play paradise. 

It's different here than island and condo living. Outdoors is part of life just as much as on the island (minus the pristine body of water), but is as easy as opening the back door. No packing up, preparing, planning, or cars involved. 

Independent, free, mischievous with contagious happiness exuding from them. Indiana seems to agree with both of our girls. They are growing like weeds in every way right before our eyes. Guess they just needed a little room to stretch their legs. 
 
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...