Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, everyone! I posted some photos we took yesterday at my parents' house for the Easter/Mom's birthday event. The weather was great, the company was good, and the food was delicious. Can't ask for more than that!

Friday we took Rowan to the ER. He had a fever and a rash - kind of scary. He was diagnosed with an viral rash, probably one of the vaguest diagnoses out there. He's doing much better now and will go back to school tomorrow.

I can't believe we're in the final countdown to Baby 2. If all goes according to plan, she'll be here by lunchtime on Thursday. Wow! That leaves me two days to do some last minute cleaning and organizing (with help from Mom - she's awesome).

Stay tuned!

Tick, Tock

So... I have about one week to go. I am so not ready. I could easily do with another 2 weeks, but I will be happy to have one. Please, Baby 2, please don't come early! And, please don't come on April Fool's Day.

I have only two more days left at work. I've completed the major projects that I wanted to and am now just wrapping up loose ends. It's looking like Friday is going to be pretty laid back. That's a nice feeling. I would hate to be rushing around on my last day.

I've had a craving lately for sour, citrusy juice drinks like lemonade, orange juice, and tropical blends. The twangier, the better! I drink ice water throughout the day, but sometimes I am overcome with the need for a citrus beverage. It's terribly interesting to me how the brain interprets what the body needs/wants.

All this typing is making me thirsty! I am off to water fountain... and then to the restroom. Such is my life. (sigh)

"You about to bust!"

Comments I've received in the past couple of days from random strangers and folks I know

In the elevator at work this morning:
"Whoa, girl. You about to bust!"
"You hang in there, sugar."

From one of Rowan's teachers yesterday:
"Dang! That baby must be 9 or 10 pounds!" [admonishment from another teacher] "Well, at least 8 pounds and some change."

From co-workers earlier in the week:
"You look like you're in pain."
"Are you wobbling? Maybe you shouldn't take the stairs."
"Here, let me move so you can have more room." (said while walking down the rather wide hallway)

Comment I hear at least once a day:
"Are you ready?"

Back from hiatus

Sorry about the nearly 2-week hiatus from blogging. Work has been very busy (I only have 10 more days at work before I start maternity leave.) and we've been busy at home, too. I missed telling you about Rowan's 25th-month birthday (mirthday), but I'm not too far off schedule. Cut an old lady some slack, why don't you?

Rowan's Mirthday
Instead of the usual format, I thought I would write about some of the funny things that Rowan says and what he's into in general. He loves to sing "Happy Birthday" to himself. He'll tell you that it's his birthday and then start singing. He especially likes it when you tell him that it's not his birthday. For some reason this is a fun game to him. He also likes it when Jeremy teases him and tells him not to be eating Daddy's Cheerios, or playing with Daddy's Elmo. He also gets a big kick out of being asked if he likes certain things. If you ask, "Who likes blueberries?" He'll answer back with "ME!" and then "Mommy, do you like blueberries?" We could go through a list of a hundred things and he'd love every minute. You've got to see his expressions during these conversations - they're so expressive and very entertaining.

Rowan's favorite interests right now are Super Why and his Legos. He will also ask to color and he's getting much more dexterous at it. He can make a straight line, draw a rainbow, and make big looping Os. He has a grand imagination and can find letters, shapes, and other objects in his random marks. He's getting better at coloring within the lines. And, he likes to tell stories about what he is drawing. He likes for you to play with him, but can be a bit bossy at times. "No, Mommy. No green - red." He can also play by himself for longer periods of time, which is really nice when you're trying to make lunch or dinner, or need to get the laundry folded.

Pregnancy and Baby 2
According to Jeremy, I am officially in nesting phase. Nothing too hard core just yet, but there is still some time for that. Ha ha!

Rowan's day care teacher thinks that Baby 2 is coming this weekend. Yikes! I hope he is wrong. I could do with at least one more week to prepare. The doctor has not made any such prediction. We'll see if anything has changed at my next appointment on Friday. By the way, Baby 2 and I are doing great. Keep your fingers crossed that we remain healthy and strong for these final two weeks.

I get a lot of comments from random people about how big I look. It doesn't really rankle me because I know how huge my belly is. Think of someone with a basketball in her abdominal cavity. It looks like I should be more uncomfortable than I am. Besides the unwieldy belly, I don't really have any other problems. Overall this has been a smooth pregnancy - different than the first, but not by much.

That's about it for the updates. I'll keep you posted on any baby 2 news.

I will get by.

This past Saturday was my birthday. The big 3-4. Thirty-four. It doesn't roll off the tongue quite like twenty-three, but it's alright.

A few days before this momentous event I found a most unexpected birthday present from myself: my first grey hair. Huh? Blondes don't go grey; we go brown! So, to soothe my psyche, I've decided to call it "natural highlights".

I am betting that there is some sort of correlation between the grey hair and the purchase of a minivan and a recliner. Just a hunch - but I think that whole correlation bit has something to do with aging. Sigh.

The Grateful Dead have a pretty good outlook on getting older. I leave you with some words of wisdom from them. Here's the video, if you want to watch and listen to the song. Feel free to don your tie-dye and dance along with me - the very pregnant, mousy-blonde woman with the single grey hair wearing a calico and velvet muumuu with no shoes, playing a tambourine. Jam on!

The shoe is on the hand it fits.
There's really nothing much to it.
Whistle through your teeth and spit
'Cause it's all right.

Oh well, a touch of grey
Kind of suits you anyway.
That was all I had to say.
And it's all right.

I will get by.
I will survive.