Christmas Garland Craft: Seashells collected at the Outer Banks this summer

Craft compliments of: http://paintcutpaste.com/shell-garland/

Evie and I avidly collected seashells (with holes in them!) while at the beach this past August after I read this post. I purchased some mono filament and we went to town this morning as we got into the Christmas spirit. Evie made a little garland for her tree and I made a much longer one for our tree (when we get it!).
I like having a tree filled with memories and mementoes.
:-)

We set up a picnic blanket to work on...

Evie strings them and I help with knots...

Evie with her little tree that's on display in her bedroom (it has colored lights, too!)

My garland wraps on the mantle waiting for a final home!

Finally! The road trip to DC happens (unscathed!)

Me and Evie headed up to DC (to finally meet Ms. Ryan who is now 6 months old!) the weekend of November 14-15.

We arrived mid-afternoon on Saturday with enough time to visit the DC zoo for a short spell that evening. Most of the big animals were already either asleep or inside cause it was chilly... but we managed to find some gorillas to entertain us.



Saturday evening was a dinner with Adrienne (and Evie hiding under the table, sigh) followed by cupcake decorating. Evie was more into sucking out the colorful gels (Sparkly princess gels, mind you) than she was decorating... no real surprise there.



Evie and I shared the Murphy Bed. She finally slept OK after picking a position perpendicular to me that allowed her to kick me in the kidneys all night long. The coughing in my face helped give me her cold that much quicker, too.

Sunday we visited the neighborhood park (ah, yes. A shopping cart is here for the kiddos as well) and then the local coffee shop/bagel breakfast stop before heading home late afternoon.


We had a great girls' weekend!

Toxoplasmosis vs. Toxemia

My doctor called on Friday to give me a report from my blood work coupled with another doctor's findings from my ultrasound last week.
The good news: Odds of Downs Syndrome were 1 out of 7000+ something or another... the odds of another genetic malformation (I believe it was Tey Sachs) was 1 out of 1200+ something or another. Both were good odds and, thus, a big sigh of relief for me... I can now progress into believing this pregnancy is not only real but celebratory.
He also had a few other findings.
What I *recalled* the doctor saying on my voicemail was "Tex-er-something."
What I found looking online while in Washington DC visiting my friend, A, was toxoplasmosis. What I really have (found in my blood work) is a higher risk to develop toxemia.
I have now learned two things this weekend: 1. Always replay voicemail messages for friends when you are pregnant because when you are pregnant your mental faculties are all out of whack. 2. Don't read too far into WebMD.

Beth's House!

With my work holiday giving me a nice day off... I decided to head back to Beth's house to re-unite Evie with her favorite sitter & to tell her our baby news.
Evie pulled her typical "shy and quiet" Evie for most of the time we were there (which is completely silly considering she spent a better part of ages 1-2.5 there!). But she did finally snuggle in for a photo.

A 156 BPM Heartbeat...

Due May 19, 2011.








Nobody go out buying blue quite yet, but the lab tech did suggest this looked like... something. Its "technically" too soon to call, it actually still be intestines inside the umbilical cord. But, I think Rob's excitement got up with the prospects of having more testosterone in the house.

32oz.

So they do this *new* ultrasound (new for me/ new to my clinic's routine practices) where you must drink 32oz of water at least 1 hour before you go in. This ultrasound must be done very close to the end of your first trimester (I am 12 weeks and 6 days today... how's that for cutting it close?). All the water is designed to help "push up" your uterus so its easier to see the baby to take measurements. The measurements, coupled with this blood test I had to self perform and mail in a few weeks back, will help determine what the odds are for having a Down Syndrome or Neural Tubal Defect.

So, I'm basically excited this is offered (I didn't have a measurement test like this with Evie till I was about 19 weeks... and it was the same day I found out she was a girl. Imagine the devastation finding out you could have big problems, too, suring such an exciting time!) but I'm also totally freaked-out that something can/will be wrong.

I've had maybe 8oz so far... I tried pouring the water into a pretty glass with lots of ice... topped with fresh lemon and a garnished with a bendy straw. I thought I could decieve myself into thinking this isn't that challenging.
I typically pee halfway through a can of coke.
.... I wish I could flavor this with scotch....

At the conclusion of today's ultrasound, I am going public with being pregnant. So, if you are reading this post... feel free to skip back in time to around September 11th when I found out and started writing (but not posting) back then.

Conclusion: The lab tech said it looked "pretty good," but what is she going to say "Well, crap... better luck next time."
I saw all the pictures she took and the NT numbers range was 1.8 to 2.3.
I have no idea what any of this means until I saw this website, I am breathing easier now:
http://www.babycenter.ca/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/scans/nuchalscan/

Doctor will call late this week into next week to provide final ratio numbers but... I think we are going to be OK, phew!

Great. Researching sibling rivalry early led to this.

http://www.tarot.com/family/parenting/sibling-compat.php?p1=4&p2=2

Cancer and Taurus
The natural desire to protect and nurture that these two share will probably keep things peaceful most of the time. Taurus will only get upset for two reasons: one, when physical needs have not been met -- and two, when people don't give this single-minded child his or her own way. Cancer, on the other hand, is upset more often than s/he is content -- and is likely to make noticeable complaints. If you're lucky, Cancer will follow Taurus' level-headed lead. If this doesn't happen, Taurus will get fed up with Cancer and the bullying will begin. For this reason, it's a good idea to keep a close eye on these two whenever possible. Taurus can intimidate Cancer, so you might not hear about the damage that's been done until years later. In most cases, these two will find peaceful ways to get along, and will share pleasant memories of the childhood years they spent together.

12 Weeks 5 Days : Photo

Well, my photo today looks a lot more like my photo at week 16 pregnant with Evie. ;-)
I busted out the maternity pants while teleworking at home last Wednesday (11 weeks & 5 days) but still managed "regular" work pants on Thursday and just yesterday. Today - eff it, I'm going "comfy."
No turning back now...
At least going pee is a lot faster!

Update: Went to the doctor the very next day... gained 1.5lbs since the last visit. In MY personally opinion, I've gained 3.5lbs so far but I think his paperwork didn't count what I know I gained those first 8 weeks!

17 minutes and counting...

Evie has sustained a 17 minute meltdown today that is both shocking and appalling to witness as a parent.
This happens to other kids, not mine, right?!.
The reason (in her mind) is that she "wants to wear a dress" when being put down for a nap just now. Sounds harmless and a little silly, right? But its just one more link in the chain of avoiding the nap entirely. We've already been given "just a few more pretzels" at an already late snack time, allowed to watch a full movie this afternoon, allowed to scatter toys in the living room so we could get other chores down around the house... enough was enough. And this kid, is not about to give in now.
Evie has been adament about wearing dresses all this past summer and only with the weather getting cold (and seeing friends at school in pants) have we finally started to agree to wearing clothing other than dresses. Its still an uphill battle most days. Sometimes we even let her put on nightgowns early or a dress at naptime IF SHE'LL NAP (which, again, she often then finds yet another reason to delay the nap to the point of never taking one).
We. Are. Done.
So, Rob told Evie "no dress" when she protested at nap time today. Frankly, I would have given in. But maybe that's why we are in this mess. Its actually more important for me to back up daddy's decisions in front of Evie so I echoed his comment, "no dress!"
I then tried to switch subjects and asked her that, if she wanted a story, she had to say 'yes' or 'no'.
Too late.
We were already protesting with full tears and open, spit-filled mouth, "I want to wear a dress! I want to wear a dress!"
She became... hysterical!
We left the room.
She flew out of bed screaming down the hall, "I want to wear a dress! I want to wear a dress!" Imagine shrieking sounds and complete hysteria. I am not kidding or exaggerating. H-Y-S-T-E-R-I-C-S.
It was actually beginning to freak us out. We had never seen her loose her mind to this extreme. Now, obviously the girl is grossly over-tired... this is the real reason this is all happening. But I have still never seen such brute force and complete mind-blowing willingness to keep this going as long as she is keeping this going.
I tossed her back in bed twice and even swatted her on the butt early on in all of this. Complete fearlessness. She kept chanting through it all... so we closed the door and never went back in.
Again, the part that's that are so shocking about all of this are 1. The reason for the meltdown is so trivial, I can't believe THIS is worth all this 2. I can't give in now or the only lessons learned today are that, if the tantrum is bad enough, then mom & dad give in and 3. If she is this dramtic about a f*$king dress now... what do you do when it's smoking with her friends at age 15?

[Looking at clock].
Its silent.
She's either dead or passed-out.
In either case, I am NOT looking in on her for fear the squek in the floor will re-awaken the beast.

29 minutes total.

"Mommy! My bed's wet!"

12:43AM.
"Mommy! My bed's wet!"
My very first thought is it must be morning cause she's yelling. But I am so tired, it can't possibly be morning already. Next thought, she must have drooled all over her pillow and woke up to it being wet. I'll go toss that one aside and give her the other one at the foot of her bed.*stirring*
"Mommy!"
OK, this is not an exaggerated yell. Maybe she spilled a cup of water in her bed? Ugh, what a pain in the ass!
Rob's now up.
I start for Evie's room. I'm halfway there, "Mommy!"
"Yes, Evie," I see her curled up on her side facing the wall, "What is it?"
"I'm all wet."
Indeed, she is. How the hell did this happen? As I curse the failure of a night-time pull-up, I feel a cold, wet butt... that's wearing panties. We've never done this before but for some reason tonight (between Rob's severe sinus infection and my scatterbrained self putting her PJs on early right after Little Gym class) we totally forgot to put a pull-up on her.
She walks to the bathroom with dress held up, "Use a wipe mommy. Clean me up."
I get her to strip and throw everything in the tub to deal with in the daylight. I get a hot washcloth and start wiping down what is now a naked, cold, wet toddler staring at me shivering with blue lips. Poor thing!
We hurry up and put on warm jammies and snuggle on the floor watching Rob strip the bed (thank God he got up or I'd be up for a near hour doing all this). Evie warms up... I start to wake up.
Back in bed for Evie and back in bed for us.
Lesson learned.

Halloween!

We had Duncan and family over for some pre-trick-or-treat hot dogs/tator totos before meeting up with Charlie and family off Seminary Ave. We were started by 6:30PM and got, "My legs are tired. I can't walk anymore! Pick me up! Carry me!" by 8PM.
We drove Evie back to the ranch where she kept negotiating candy. In fact, while dad was carrying her to the car, exhasuted, she wouldn't let me carry her candy bag.
Evie had a few M&M's and a Dum-Dum before getting a story.... a story which she fought sleep the entire time. When dad left the room, he moved a piece of paper out of the way when turning off the light. Evie sat up like a bolt, "Is that my candy?!."
All in all, a great time. :-)

Evie (Super Girl)and Duncan (The Big Bad Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood).

One of the early trick-or-treat houses.

Holding hands to the next house.

Catherine (The Hunts Man from Little Red Riding Hood) lead both kids up to a very haunted house.

Halloween Prep

Rob carves the scary pumpkin...


Evie has no interest in pumpkin carving outside of playing in the seeds.


Evie's drawing of what a pumpkin should look like...


Evie's drawing as translated by me.


AHHHH! Scary pumpkin!

Carving pumpkins the day before... and roasting seeds that night for the birds (actually, the tree rats ate them all... of course!). Evie was a Steelers Cheerleader for the day but became Super Girl that night!