ENOUGH ALREADY!

OH MY GOD. I must have seriously done something to piss of the karmic forces out there because we just had about the worst weekend ever. And I thought that missing our anniversary and taking Kate to the doctor was bad. That was NOTHING. Our weekend of joy really got going on Saturday afternoon. Ryan was still stuck out on the fire, and Kate and I had been stuck inside too long. So we decided to take a little voyage out and about. We'd been in the car about 10 minutes when Kate threw up everywhere. It's just one of those times when you wish you could just rewind time. I have no such power, unfortunately. We got it cleaned up and headed home. I thought it must be just some fluke thing because she seemed fine. She actually was pretty much fine the rest of the evening, but I started to feel sick around 5 o'clock. I thought it was just because I'd been around it all so I was just imagining it. If only. No, not long after Kate went to bed, I got sick and proceeded to be sick all night. Poor Ryan finally got home around 9 pm, only to find me a total mess. I literally slept not one minute the entire night. But I did read a whole book, if that counts for anything. On top of the vomiting, which is really enough as far as I'm concerned, I started having contractions. I have false ones all the time, but these wouldn't go away. Ryan had to leave for work about 5 a.m. and I told him I was waiting until 6 and then calling my mom, and maybe the doctor if the contractions didn't go away. I called my mom at 6 only to find her wide awake because SHE WAS SICK TOO. Could it get any better?? I did call the doctor, and he said to go to the hospital to be checked out. So my mom and Bill, bless them, came over and my mom stayed with Kate (who, incidentally, woke up and threw up all over) while Bill took me in. I got to the hospital and they got me all hooked up to check on the baby and started IVs because I was dehydrated. I was still having contractions and I was 2 cm dilated. They gave me some medicine to help stop the contractions to see if I was actually in labor or if they were just brought on by dehydration. The doctor said that if I dilated anymore, I'd have to have the baby. What a great day to have baby, right?? Ryan got there, which made me feel better and we waited...and waited...while I was pumped full of "expensive Gatorade" (as the nurse put it). After a few hours, they checked again and I hadn't dilated anymore. FINALLY, something went our way. We got to go home and now, fingers crossed, we're on the mend. Isn't that just such a lovely story?? I hope to have more cheery posts soon. I hope you all had a MUCH better weekend!!!

Ugh.

Our anniversary got hijacked by wildfires out at Warm Springs. Poor Ryan is stuck out there all day and all night, so we didn't even see eachother on our anniversary. And as if that wasn't a big enough bummer, Kate woke up and was clearly not feeling well. We've both caught a summer cold, which must be some bad strain or something because we've had it nearly all week. Whenever Kate's had the sniffles in the past, they're gone in a day or so and she barely slows down. Today she woke up and was completely lethargic and quiet. She NEVER sits still and today she would barely move. She was also tugging at her ears, so I thought this might be her first ear infection. So, I took her to the doctor. Turns out that she just has a cold and, luckily, no ear infection and her lungs sound fine. On the plus side, this was the first time she's ever had to visit the doctor with an illness so I guess that means she's pretty healthy all-around. But it was not the way Ryan or I had planned to spend our 5th anniversary! Kate must have been listening to me because she looked at me today and said, "Poor Daddy. He's stuck working on the fire." We're hoping he can at least come home and get some rest some time this weekend, and we'll celebrate 5+ years next weekend!

Happy Anniversary to us!

It's hard to believe 5 years have passed since our wedding day. We've done a lot in that time (having almost two kids high on the list!) but it still seems like we were just saying our vows yesterday. In that time, Ryan has gone from being an amazing friend to an even more amazing husband to the very best dad around. I honestly am the luckiest girl. Kate and I are the ones he comes home to every day and, for that, we are truly fortunate. Here's to many, many years as a family. I love you!!

We leave....

...and this happens: http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100818/news/308189992/deputies-arrest-man-in-banana-costume-with-shotgun Seriously awesome. I mean, why don't more people consider wearing costumes while committing felonies? This guy may have nothing else going for him (and, really, if he's made it to the banana-costume-crime-spree stage of life, his chances aren't good) but he will surely always and forver be known as "banana man." This probably impresses in some circles. At any rate, it's one to tell the grandkids. Although, might be best if he refrains from procreating. I'm not sure we want that gene pool continuing. Score one for creativity AND stupidity. In other, and more exciting news, GOOD LUCK tonight to cousin Cindy who is being induced! We can't wait to hear about Caitlin's little brother!!

It's in the details

One detail I consider pretty important in life right now is the date of my planned c-section. This is not news to anyone who knows me or reads this blog as I JUST mentioned not wanting to go into labor. What date do we have marked on our calendars as the big day? September 13th. Right?? Now, I'm not just sending out a blatant reminder about the impending arrival of Singleton Baby #3. No, I mention this because at my doctor's appointment today I was told that I HAVE THE WRONG DATE. Oh yes, they DID schedule me on the 13th and tell me to arrive at 5:30 that morning but the hospital had a scheduling conflict and can't do it that day. Apparently, they were supposed to have notified me of this but I do think I'd remember the switching of my baby's birth date. Luckily, I happened to say to my doctor "so, do you think I'll make it until the 13th?" and, luckily again, he happened to know my chart well enough to know this sounded wrong. I mean, can't you just picture Ryan and I showing up on the 13th only to be told to come back the next day?? NOT something a pregnant lady wants to hear!!! So, now I have to make it until the 14th, WHICH I WILL. Bonus, though, at least the baby won't ever have a Friday the 13th birthday. Looking on the bright side.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA CONNIE!

On a more positive note, we hope you have a great, great birthday Grandma Connie! We love you!

Bath: nemesis no more?

There are many things that dumbfound parents, I'm sure, but we recently ran up against one that was hard to conquer. Kate started refusing (and by this I mean full-blown screaming, crying, ABSOLUTELY refusing) to take baths. It started more than a month ago when she had an accident in the bath. And I don't mean the falling down kind of accident. Even though I made it out to be no big deal, told her it happens to everyone, showed her the clean bathtub, etc., etc., she completely freaked out the next time I tried to get her in the bath. If she was just being obstinate and silly about it I would have just kept her in there, but she was visibly scared by it and would just scream, "I want to get out!" I tried everything I could think of to remedy the situation. I tried getting in, but she wanted me out just as much. We went to the store and bought new bubbles, a colorful loofah and some new toys (a truck even!). I bought bath crayons, which she liked but only if she could stand outside the tub while she used them. So, up until last week, I've been "bathing" her wherever I can. Sometimes just outside the tub, which I don't recommend because it really is annoyingly messy. Sometimes in the shower at the athletic club before we went swimming. And a lot of the time, she got a "bath" in her wading pool in the front yard. I felt really bad for her, but the problem wore on me because I kept wondering what in the world we could do to fix it, when it would pass and what we would do when the weather got colder. FINALLY, late last week I decided I had to draw the line. I kept telling her all kids have to take baths and there is nothing to be scared about. We spent one afternoon painting and I kept telling her she was going to take a nice bubble bath after since she was covered in paint. I marched her up there and got in myself. At first she wanted out, but I just told her I'd probably stay in there for a looooong time because it was so much fun. After a few minutes, she wanted in and, since then, she's had no issues. Except for now she wants me to come in every time. And I'm not really a bath person. But, oh well, it's one of the small sacrifices we make for kids (and clean hair). :)

So close!

In just three weeks, this large belly will produce a real, kicking, screaming BABY! I can hardly believe it's so close. Aside from the consequences of the heat and having a bladder, forgive the pun, the size of a pea (terrible, I know), I'm feeling pretty good. It's easy to get caught up in the daily aches and pains, but I do know I have a relatively easy time of it and, for that, I am very thankful. My main gripe right now is all the people telling me that, oops!, they went into labor before their planned c-section date. People, I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW THIS. For one, I'm a type-A planner so I like having a set date and, for another, I really, really don't want to go into labor. Call me wimpy or un-womanly but, seriously, the 19+ hours of "womanly experience" I had with Kate were enough for me. If there was any chance of the birth happening naturally, I'd be singing a completely different tune. But lots of fruitless pain? No thank you. I WILL make it to my planned date, your hear that oh mighty Labor Gods?? But, anyway. For now, I am really trying to enjoy Kate and all the really wonderful things about her. I'm trying to do more ignoring of all the things that need to be cleaned, cooked, etc. and more focusing on being with Kate in each moment of her day. I hope she knows that we love her more than life itself and that won't ever, ever change. I'm sure it will be hard for her to adjust to a sibling, but I know she will be one great (and, likely, bossy) big sister!

Musings from Kate....

I could probably do an installment of "musings from Kate" every day given the random conversations we have, but here are some of my favorites from the last few days....
Me: How old are you?
Kate: Two....and three.
Me: How old is Daddy?
Kate: Three.
Me: How old is Mommy?
Kate: One. (I swear she intended this as some sort of an insult...a comment on my maturity level, perhaps?)

Kate: I have red hair. Mommy has red hair.
Me: What color hair does daddy have?
Kate: Daddy has grey hair. (Which he definitely does not, but I think she should have added, "I'm driving him there!")

And my favorite....
Looking at her cup which has three of the Disney princesses on it, each in a different colored dress.
Kate: Kate is the pink princess and Aunt Cyndi is the yellow princess.
Me: Is mommy the blue princess?
Kate: No, that's Uncle Jay.

Fair, fair, reunion, fair

That's pretty much how it went: a whole bunch of fair with Ryan's high school reunion mixed in. We had such a great time; the Siskiyou Golden Fair definitely did not disappoint. Kate went twice and would probably go back everyday for the rest of her life, if she had the choice. We could never really get her to look at the camera since she was so engrossed in all thing's fair but, trust me, she was in her element. Of course, the highlight was the pony riding. She was the first kid there both days she went and as soon as the ride stopped she'd say, "I do that again." We'd likely have spent our life savings on those ponies if it weren't for all the other fantastic kids' stuff--she got to milk a (fake) cow, play in sand, corn & dirt, ride a train, climb on tractors, 4-wheelers & a fire engine....oh, the list goes on and on. Lucky for mom, dad, Grandma and Grandpa, she's still too small to do the rides. Lord help us all when she figures those out. It was just so fun to see the fair through her eyes, and I think we all felt it's just better with a little one running the show. When we weren't at the fair (those few remaining hours!), Kate spent most of her time playing outside with Grandma and Grandpa while Ryan and I enjoyed TWO whole nights out as adults (or our closest approximation). It was great to meet more of Ryan's high school classmates and to reconnect with some that he is close to but doesn't get to see often. As most of us have kids now, I think we all enjoyed being out and about on our own! It was a great trip and now we have less than one month until Baby #2 makes an appearance. Crazy!!

Tractors a girl's best friend

One day, Kate might prefer diamonds but, for now, this beauty is all she needs. What can't you find on craigslist these days?? While hard to catch its awesomeness in photos, rest assured that Kate's "Bobcat" is quite amazing. It's got pedals (who needs a trike?) and moveable shovel and backhoe. Good thing she got some practice in because we're heading down to Yreka today and we'll be going to the Sisikiou County Fair. Daily, she's been asking if there will be Bobcats so I'm hoping there's a lot of farm equipment (oh yeah, and some animals). Ryan assures me there should be lots of big machinery. Our little girl will be pleased!

Busy weekend

Who needs toys when you've got pillows??

I think it's easy to get caught up in the lemons life hands you sometimes, which makes it hard to see your life as it really is day to day. That's why it's great to have weekends like we just had, where nothing huge happens but where each day makes you so content that you get back to realizing that, at its base, your life is pretty dang good. We started ours out on Friday by introducing Grandma Connie, Addi and Addi's mom, Heidi, to Bouncing off the Walls. Kate liked it just as much this time and made it a good 2+ hours before giving in to exhaustion. On Friday evening, Ryan and I took Kate down to the creek near our house, where Kate happily beat the heat by wading in up to her waist. Good thing she had daddy there holding her hands or I'm quite sure she would have just kept wading deeper and deeper. On Saturday, we went for a hike near a lake and it was really the first time that Kate walked a good portion of it. She seemed in her element, wanting to get past Ryan and I so she could do the leading. When we finished, we had a picnic by the water and Kate made a balance beam out of a slippery log (what IS it with this girl and wanting to walk any plank she can find??) That night, we had Addi and her parents over for tacos. The little girls got along well, and we parents got a good chance to get to know eachother. There's something quite satisfying about making new friends. Kate and Addi had a grand time bonding over guacomole, successfully eating about as much as they smeared outside their mouths! Sunday was another busy but relaxing day. Ryan took an early morning mountain bike ride with Addi's dad (also conveniently named Ryan). Then we went to the pool for a swim (Kate especially likes the hot tub now, which she calls the "warm swimming pool with bubbles"). The athletic club has a great lawn and patio where we sat afterwards, having coffee while Kate ran around. To top off our nice weekend, we went to Josh and Jen's house for dinner on Sunday night. Kate absolutely loves playing with little Ryan and Shaun. I'm hoping they can become her surrogate big brothers because I think having big brothers would be right up her alley. They seem to know all the tricks she wants to learn! And that's it. A great few days to remind us that we do indeed have a very fine life.

Horses, Donkeys & Doctors--OH MY!

Kate had quite a big day yesterday (of course, I forgot my camera), but it was eventful nonetheless. It started out by a visit to the farm of a family friend of Kate's new friend Addi's grandparents. This has got to be one of the bonuses of living in a small town: you inevitably know someone who knows someone who owns livestock and is willing to share them with toddlers! She had two miniature donkeys who were as friendly as dogs. I can't say I've ever really been a donkey person, per say, but these two pot-bellied beings were fantastic. They let Kate and Addi pet them, brush them, walk them on a leash and ride them. After lots of donkey riding, we got to go see the horse and--for the very first time--Kate rode a full-size horse! She seemed to take it all in stride, like she did it every day, but I was quite impressed that she got up so high! We called Grandpa Bill when we got home because she couldn't wait to pass on the news. So, we had a fun morning, which was my plan because Kate had to go to the doctor in the afternoon for her two-year-old check-up. We lucked out completely, though, because she didn't need shots!! She still doesn't like the poking and prodding too much, but she tolerated it all pretty well, especially as the doctor let her look at all his fancy equipment. I'm happy to report she is healthy as can be, about 29 pounds and 33 inches tall. Best of all, I really liked the doctor and he can see our whole family, even the new baby! It will be fantastic not to have to drive to Bend for all those newborn visits. He even used to practice in OB so he likes seeing little ones. What a load off of my mind! After the visit, we walked around downtown a bit and I asked Kate if she wanted some ice cream. I mean, isn't this what parents bribe kids with for being good? Well, she shot down that idea by proclaiming, "I don't like cold food." Instead (and Uncle Jay and Aunt Cyndi, you should be proud), she wanted to "go look at bikes." So, we went to the bike shop, where she picked out the same bike she has before: a full-size, bright yellow Specialized mountain bike. I tried to show her the bikes that were more her size, but she would have none of it. She only had eyes for the yellow one, stroking its tires and saying, "this one comes to my house." Ha! One day, my dear, one day.

Bouncing off the walls....

...literally. I often think Kate is bouncing off the walls at home but, yesterday, we went to a place where that is the whole point. It's a big warehouse filled with all sorts of bouncy houses, slides and anything else you can think of that can be filled with air. It's one of those places that makes you say, "man, I wish WE had this when I was little." Well, for Kate, Ryan and Shaun they do have this cool spot and I imagine we'll be going back quite frequently. There were lots of toys and other distractions, so Kate barely noticed the bouncing contraptions--at first. Once she got the hang of it, she kept saying, "mommy, I go bounce!" What a great way to burn off some toddler energy!!

Birthdays should be every day!

I'm not exactly sure if Kate understands what a "birthday" really is but I'm pretty sure she'd like it if she could have a party everyday! We all had a great time--perfect weather, perfect park and perfect day to spend with family and friends. Kate loved having all her adoring grandparents in one place! She got into the whole present thing, especially when it meant lots of fun new toys and a big new rocking horse. Her favorite activity of the day was walking the "balance beam" at the park, which was really just a brick ledge that surrounded the playground. It got pretty high in the middle and Ryan and I saw our future flash before our eyes a bit when four other boys (all at least a year her senior) decided it was a bit too dangerous. As one party guest asked, "Has she always been this much of a daredevil?" What will turning THREE have her doing??? We have no idea about that, but we know that turning two is treating her right so far!