The Fireplace

This morning I took two hours off of work to let the people in to install the fireplace (wood burning stove insert)! While I got a little lost getting to the house (I went a different way than I normally do) I made it early - just not as early as I wanted to. Once I got there I got strait to work and managed to get the paper off of the rest of the pink room (what I could reach anyway) and two of the walls in the hallway. The guys who were doing the install came on time, I have never had anyone for an install or service call come on time before. It was a nice change.

I finished what I had started and went in to work!

Relaxing

There is nothing more relaxing than taking a bath with a kitten purring on your shoulder - trust me on this. I have had cats and kittens before and non of them have liked the water or wanted to be around it in any way. The kitten that I have at least temporarily taken in (yeah ok I want to keep her) sat on my shoulder purring in my ear for a good half hour while I took a bath tonight. She even got her tail wet and didn't seem to mind.

Changing plans

Taking in the kitten means that I could not stay at mom and dad's as planned so that we could work on the house. So instead they came up to our place and dad watched Evelyn after we got her ready for bed so that mom and I could take down wall paper at the new place. After all was said and done we had about an hour at the new place. We did manage to get 3/4 of Evelyn's room done! I'm glad I got to help out a little and mom and dad will watch Evelyn on Sat for our "Stripper" Party so I can help some more. I'm hoping that we will be ready to paint on Sunday though we still need to get the paint.

More hardwood samples are on the way and we should get them soon. They are stronger than the others that we had picked out and not too much more money. I'm thinking this is a good idea I hope I like the colors but I think Jason knows what I like and will get samples accordingly. The good news is the place that we will get the paint has at least one of the samples so we may be able to get it local.

Week 32!

Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments.

Total weight gain/loss: Same as last week!

Maternity clothes? Ugh yeah I still like the shirts but the pants are driving me NUTS!

Stretch marks? not that I have seen lately

Sleep: I do ok as long as I don't drink too much water at night or eat too many ice cubes rather. waking up with some soreness though

Best moment this week:

Movement: He's kicking like crazy

Food cravings: Ice cubes and ice cream. I really need to start craving veggies.

Symptoms: hip pain, some cramping that seems to be sporadic, fatigue (that could be the anemia),

Gender: Can I just delete this one?

Labor Signs: Nothing yet but it is early.

Belly Button in or out? what belly button?

What I miss: Being able to clean

What I am looking forward to: Non pregnancy related - My Grandmother, Aunt and Uncle's visit!

Weekly Wisdom:

Milestones:

The House

The new one that is... is coming along. Jason is spending lots of time there trying to get it ready for us. the wall paper is coming down and as Vinegar and water works i am likely going to be able to help unless he gets it done by him self. I think he is going to clean the carpets today (he's coming home to get the cleaners). for us to move in he has to

taking down wall paper
paint the bedrooms
put new floors in two of the rooms which are picked out (pictures below)
put in recessed lighting in the kids rooms
fix the railing on top of the stairs so that we can put a baby gate up.
clean the carpeting

So far he has
worked on the wall paper
fixed the sump pump
fixed the electrical ( I think)

I know it doesn't seem like much however taking down wallpaper is a HUGE task and has taken a majority of the time (as well as lawn care) plus we still have upkeep on this house. Having two houses is a major pain in the butt!

Evelyn's room

The den

The New House

It has been a while since I have posted about the new houses so I thought I would give some updates. J has been moving stuff over (we have lots of stuff) and trying to get a lot of the work done (removing nails etc). He also has replaced the sump pump so we are making progress.

Week 31!

There is a belly shot I just need Jason to get it to me.

Total weight gain/loss: 40lbs - yes already. the good news is that in the last two weeks I did not have a weight gain! I am trying to be good (eating ice seems to help) and not gain too much more weight in the next 9 weeks (I can't believe we only have 9 weeks left already!)

Maternity clothes? Yes though some fit better than others. I don't remember the pants fitting so poorly last time though I do rememver the jeans sliding down a little.

Stretch marks? still the same.

Sleep: Between occasional cramps and my bladder i think I am going to have to get used to little sleep again. Poor Evelyn I hope I am still a good mommy to her while I am sleep deprived.

Best moment this week:

Movement: Like a crazy guy! We are starting the kick counts this week though I don't anticipate a problem.

Food cravings: Ice odly enough this should help my weight gain. and ice cream with sugar cones which will not.

Symptoms: leg cramps are occasional the banana's seem to help. trouble sleeping as I have been having a little heartburn lately usually in the early morning. Mood swings are still around too I can't wait to be a little more stable emotionally.

Gender: The gender hasn't changed I promise you!

Labor Signs: None yet there is time still.

Belly Button in or out? I have no belly button.

What I miss: Rolling on the floor with Evelyn and running around with her. And I am actually looking forward to running a 5k next summer and hopefully doing the Aids Red Ribbon Ride again.

What I am looking forward to: Grandma, aunt and uncle are coming to town mid august - I guess we never really grow up because I am super excited to see them. And I am actually looking forward to running a 5k next summer and hopefully doing the Aids Red Ribbon Ride again.

Weekly Wisdom: Be weary the sleeping tiger.

Milestones: My first bi weekly appointment is tomorrow!

Oh the irony.

The menu at daycare always has some article relating to child nutrition and a recipe for a snack. This month the article is about childhood obesity the snack - rice krispie treats. Mind you the snacks are not always healthy but still you would think they would do a little better when they are trying to get parents to be more mindfull of obesity and how to feed your child.

Single Mom Day 2

With J out of town I am playing at single mom for the day. the morning went well despite me not turning on the alarm after I set it. I got up early and got everything done that i needed to do in the morning before Evelyn woke up. When I went to get her out of the bed she was just flopping around and getting ready to get up. We had a good morning and she only looked for daddy once before we headed out of the house.

When I picked her up from daycare she was as happy as can be! We took our time getting home because there was no daddy waiting for us. Once we got home however she asked for daddy and got a bit fussy when I told her that he would not be home until tomorrow. She didn't eat a great dinner and though she enjoyed her shower she was fussy on and off all evening.

I like to think we managed fairly well with out him though Evleyn is definitely daddy's girl and wants him around.

The Penn Welcome Center

The rest stop when you enter Pen state is the best welcome center ever. asside from being clean there were child seats in every bathroom stall - If you have ever had to hold a child while going to the bathroom you will pareciate this. They also supplied their own liners for the diaper changing station. There was also lots of room inside for evelyn to stretch her legs so we could let her run with out worrying about her dashing in front of a car.

There was staff on hand despite the later hour. One was a nice woman (i'm not sure if she and her partner were custodians or security or both) who chatted about Evelyn and how cute she was. She asked if she was a daddy's girl which she clearly is at this stage of the game.

I'm one of thoes mothers

I don't see the point in giving evelyn sweets and saycare has quite a few items on the menu that I don't care for her eating for nutritional reasons and sugar content. Jason admittedly lets her eat alot more than I do and will make pancakes on the weekends fairly frequently though he does not give her syrup. they have pancakes french toast and waffles once a week (each) and though once a month they do whole wheat pancakes I'm not sure that it is much better. and I have seen the teachers put on lots of syrup. So I still bring in breakfast almost every morning (usually pureed fruit, oatmeal or musli and yogurt. I also hae a bos of crackers on hand (Kashi roasted veggie, amy's grham bunnies or veggie goldfish) for a snack in case they are having cookies as a snack which they do way too often. Really she is not old enough to know the difference and she loves her crackers. Really I wonder why the daycare of all plases makes such bad decisions for the kids food. I figure Evelyn will soon eat enough junk on her own and there is no point in getting her started now. My hope is that better choices now mean that she will still eat some of the good stuff with the junk when she has the decision to make.

Week 29!

At 29 Weeks she measures about 10.4 inches from crown to rump, or a total length of about 16.7 inches from head to toe, and weighs about 2.7 pounds. At this stage her eyes are almost always blue and can distinguish bright sunlight or artificial light through the wall of the uterus. She is performing fewer acrobatics as conditions in the womb have become cramped now that she is getting bigger (someone should have told him that she is still very active). The exciting news is that if she is born now, your baby could probably survive outside the womb -- although in a neonatal intensive-care unit. I'm hopping she will go full term and have no reason to believe otherwise.

Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments.

Total weight gain/loss: surprisingly the same as last week. and other than a big spike mid week two weeks ago I have only gained 1.5 lbs since June 17th so it's not really that bad. I'm right where I was with Evelyn at this time.

Maternity clothes? Absolutely! And I still like them :)

Stretch marks? Still the same though I haven't checked too carefully...

Sleep: OK some nights are better than others.

Best moment this week: Evelyn put her hand on my belly when I asked her if she wanted to feel her brother move :) he of course stopped moving and she hit my belly - I see sibling revelry in my future... Grandma K and Aunt Sarah also got to feel "the Kicker" move :)

Movement: We have a fairly established pattern and he is getting stronger and stronger. I can't believe how strong his kicks are already.

Food cravings: Ice cubes - I've been chomping on them a lot lately.

Symptoms: Ah yes the fun stuff. The pain is mostly what is going on now (hips mostly) though there are times that my leg muscles feel really weird (achy tight) stretching helps.

Gender: Still a boy :P

Labor Signs: none though I may have had a Braxton Hicks or two... Still it seems early for them.

Belly Button in or out? What's a belly button?

What I miss: not being achy and being able to play with Evelyn on the floor where she tackles us.

What I am looking forward to: Playing with both babies

Weekly Wisdom: Excercise really does help you to feel better - no joke. I really am trying to be more active.

Milestones: We now officially start bi weekly doctor appointments!

The fire place...

http://www.heatworks.com.au/wood-heating-in-built-lopi-freedom-bay-product-107.html

Today we had contractors in to discuss the fireplace at the new house the link above is the wood burning stove that I want it is a little more pricey but I really like it. I don't have the link to the other so you will just have to take my word for it - it is nicer. J will give them the final decision soon so that they can get started. I am very excited about getting this done but it is only one step and I think the larger step is going to be taking down the wall paper and painting the walls.

My sister is a good influence...

Today Evelyn jumped in the stroller and said she wanted a walk when asked. So I told the family that if they wanted to come they should hurry (least Evelyn get board in the stroller and change her mind.) We went down the canal and had a great walk until just about when we were going to turn around we noticed that Evelyn's arms were quite red despite sunscreen. we turned around immediately and hoped that it was just that she was hot but we still got in a few good miles. she drank some water though not as much as I thought she would and once she was cooled down her arms were ok - no warmth or residual pink. She didn't eat too well but went right down for her nap.

Once I got home I worked on some layndry (after Evelyn was in bed) and the neighbor came over for a walk again. we didn't make it to the door in time (I didn't even hear it) but J saw that it was her so I ran down the street to catch up ( luckly most of our walks start the same way). I doubt I ran a quarter of a mile then took a short cut to head her off. We continued our walk (3.1 miles) and I felt great though a bit tired when I got home.

Slowly but surely

The stuff is getting out of our house. mostly books for now but everytime J goes over to the new place he brings a load of boxes. It doesn't look like much is missing yet but there are definite holes where stuff had been in storage. As far as work is concerned Jason has installed more light down in the basement, mowed the lawn, and put in the garage door opener. There is still lots to be done but after the fireplace and painting is done we can move in (with sufficient time to air out the house). I just can't wait until it is done.

Mom came over today and helped me pack up some books and do a little cleaning, really my parents are the best!

Happy 4th of July!

What a beautiful day it turned out to be! We had great weather and had a great time at my parents house. That is untill Evelyn woke up screaming from her nap (usually if i don't check on her she will quietly play in her crib until I come to her). It was downhill from there as we tried to get her to eat a snack which she declined to do (though she did try) she just kept screaming but would calm down for a bit then back to crying. Eventually we did get her to eat something by letting her sit in my lap as she ate. I called the oncall doctor (not something I like doing) and they said to just bring her in tomorrow. she had no fever and no drainage.

not 30 min after that call she her ear started to drain - Fun stuff let me tell you. we convinced the nurse that was on call to let us talk to the doctor and the doctor called in ear drops when I promised to come in for an appointment first thing tomorrow. It was a pretty miraculous change although she hated the drops the puss stopped fairly quickly and she was a little less temperamental. Poor girl.

a run and a walk

I use the term run very loosely here but seeing as though I have been out of it for a long time and it was hot out I think I did fairly well. My sister (being the good influence she is) talked me into a run midday (It was HOT) it was only .7 of a mile and I didn't make it that far. I made a third of it before I was stopping to use a restroom and I had gone before we left. We ran a bit farther and I had to walk for a while. All in all it wasn't bad though I am in terrible shape for running, I think I lost all of my stamina.

Then after I got home my neighbor came looking for me so we did a two mile walk with Evelyn in the stroller. It was mice to get out with her and talk to her about baby things. I will miss having her to walk with when we move though I am trying to figure out how to set up walk or even run date. I miss having someone to exercise with.

We have a nephiew!

Last night at 1:01 AM my SIL gave birth to a beautiful baby boy! He was three weeks early but still has a full head of gorgeous blond hair. I can't wait to meet him

Walk Through

Today was the final walk through on the house that we are purchasing. J said that there is a stain on the linoleum (it looked to be in good shape so it must have been under the rug, sigh). maybe it just needs to be washed. The paint and wall paper are also in bad shape (the wall paper we knew about) and were planning on painting anyway so that's not such a big deal. I am a little irked about the linoleum. I didn't want to have to put a rug down under the kitchen table as I thought the linoleum will be easier to clean when things get dropped. All in all I am still happy even knowing that and I can't wait to close on the house and get things started. I am hoping to bring Evelyn over to the house to see it sat morning to run around and maybe get a little used to it. I also want pictures to try and figure out where things are going to go though I do have an idea for some of the stuff.

Although this is a holiday weekend and it will be late notice I also hope some friends will be willing to come help tear down wall paper. We have lots to do but will start moving stuff over fairly soon. I think the first order of buisness will be to put up the new garage door opener. It is going to be a busy weekend I just wish I could do more to help.