I wanted to share the latest (and last?) update regarding the baby.  As most of you know she has become a bit of an over achiever in the weight department (measuring almost 9 pounds on Tuesday) and because of this we have a very small window in which to naturally welcome her into the world.  Unfortunately my body has no interest in moving things along and Kate continues to “just float around” (like an astronaut?) leaving us with very few options.

We have decided to check again on Monday morning to see if she’s changed her mind about joining us although our doctor isn’t hopeful.  If nothing has changed we have decided to have her via c-section that evening.  I cannot believe this is our last weekend as a family of three.  We certainly have it jam packed with fun things to do and some hard work.  For Walter and I we are taking one last night out to have dinner and a movie.  I expect this will be the last time we can have a date for a very long time.  On Saturday we’re getting everything in order to be sure we’re ready, with the generous help of some great family and friends.  We’re also going to make a huge pot of matzo ball soup to help this sick, sick house.  Everyone who lives here is ill and on antibiotics.  It couldn’t have happened at a worse time.  On Sunday we’re taking Noah to Disney on Ice.  Through the generosity of one of his classmate’s parents we are actually going to enjoy the show from Wayne Huzienga’s private box.  For those who don’t know, that’s the man who owns the building and several sports teams in our area.  I’m sure it will be quite a treat for us all! 

Then the real show begins on Monday.  I will try to update you once we’ve had the OB appointment and decide which route to go.  I have a feeling I will have a c-section but I’m still hoping for change.  Either way we will try to keep you up to date and share pictures once we have them. 

Until then I leave you with a nursery update.  Walter finally had an opportunity to put Kate’s monogram above her crib.  Here’s a photo of the final product.  You may also notice a change in the bedding.  As soon as Lindy saw it put together she called to inform me of my lack attention to sewing detail – the bumper was on inside out and backwards.  All is now right in the crib world.

And I also thought I’d share a laugh from this morning.  After eBaying all of Noah’s leftover clothes we had bins laying around the office.  He likes to play in them but this morning decided he could fit in one with the lid on (while supervised of course).  He reminded me of Kate all curled up in there.  I’m hoping she’s a bit smaller since I don’t think my uterus came with a 50 quart label like these great Rubbermaid containers but I couldn’t help but laugh.

Wouldn’t it be nice if giving birth was this easy? -

Yesterday was a very big day in our house, filled with lots of joy and drama.  Over the weekend we had a few concerns regarding Kate and we weren’t sure what was going on.  I had spots in my vision, pain and pressure, contractions, chest pain and the little booger wasn’t moving.  We even tried to wake her up with a giant wedge of chocolate cake from New York Prime, where we celebrate my parents’ and our anniversary Monday night (and oh my is the food there amazing!).  Well, nothing.  She was going to be stubborn.  Because I was worried I went to my doctor’s office first thing Tuesday – no call, no appointment, just a big surprise me.  They were so great and accommodating.  They checked everything out and the good news is all seems to be well.  I also won myself an internal exam (my first this pregnancy) and we found out that while I am having contractions, absolutely nothing is happening because of them.  That’s good news for Kate and a message to me to get my patience in check.  We have an ultrasound tomorrow to make sure everything else looks good and in the meantime I have to count her kicks after every meal.  By the way, it took Fig Newtons, apple juice and belly jiggling to get her mad enough to move.  Apparently she’s lazy and out of space.

Later in the day our friend Rachel called.  When she saw Kate’s pink room and her birth announcement she was inspired to add some flair to our plain walls.  She’s an amazing artist and did a great job on her daughter’s room so we told her to go for it.  Robby, Rachel and Ayla came over so we could all eat dinner together and let the kids play while she got down to business.  I’m still amazed that she started and finished everything in one night. 

*Warning: we took a lot of photos last night!

The kids had a blast although they were both a little crabby.  We should have timed it but for the record it only takes a few seconds for two toddlers to wreck a living room!  And doesn’t he totally look like a dwarf doing the “Whistle While You Work” song?

After baths they went for a ride.  Robby calls this “Driving Miss Ayla”.

And then they talked us into cookies.  No one actually wanted the cookie though.  Ayla ate all the frosting off of hers, Noah picked every last sprinkle from his.

And Rachel painted away.  How she can freehand this and it all be the same scale is beyond me.  I got to help put a second coat on one corner.  She couldn’t believe how slow I was!  And yes, that’s paint on her chin.  LOL!  She did an amazing job!

After the white was all done she added a dark pink shadow and here’s the final product -

I’m not sure if you call it a mural, but the mural is only on one wall.  Kate’s monogram will go over her crib on another wall and the third will stay blank for photos or whatever (the fourth wall is a closet).  I’ll post more photos and room photos as we make progress.  I’ll also get some better photos with proper lighting, these were taken around 11pm and the colors seem to look different in every photo.

So my sister Lindy, who lives in Texas, is a great mom of two and has tons of baby experience; she does respiratory care in a NICU.  Being that she’s a veteran she has a ton of advice.  Because we’re first timers and often try things by the book we hear a lot of “I told you so” before actually following her advice.

Noah whines.  He does.  It’s so annoying, but asking him to stop only makes it worse.  Not giving in results in tears.  Every time.  Lindy has told me how to stop whining a hundred times.  When they start, bring them into their room and tell them not to come out until their done.  It worked like a charm for the kid she did this with and the one who she didn’t is still a whiner (at 12).  I tried it once when Noah was one-ish and you would have thought I slammed his foot in the door on the way out.  Oh was he mad!  And I think he stayed in there for maybe 1.3 seconds before running out and throwing himself on the tile floor.  She told me to keep trying but I thought – this will never work.  Well Saturday it did (and this was the only other time we tried this).  Twice Noah broke out in a completely unreasonable whining marathon, the second was filled with tears and screams.  Both times we told him he needed to go to his room until he could be nice.  Both times he stayed in there and threw his fit (the first time was a minute or two, the second probably five) and when he stopped he came out.  Granted, his shirt was wet with tears and his nose a little snotty but he was completely composed.  Very carefully I asked “are you ready to be nice?” and both times he said “YES!” and went on like nothing had ever happened.  I guess sometimes they just need to get it all out, but now it doesn’t have to be in front of me.  I can’t stand whining and while that may not win me the Mother Of The Year Award I’m no longer frustrated trying to figure out how to stop the whining and he can do it for as long as he wants. 

Thanks, Lindy!  As usual, you were right!

Noah loves trains.  Not like cultish Thomas The Train, train love, but real live trains.  He loves watching them go by, hearing the horn, and seeing the gates open and close.  Since we didn’t have much on our plate today (and no, we didn’t get the house in shape either) we decided to go on a train ride.  I remember when my mom took my sister, Nikki, and I to the Metro Zoo shortly after Tri-Rail started running and how much fun we had.  Walter (who has never been on Tri-Rail) and I decided to do something similar.  We took the train up to West Palm Beach and walked over to City Place (after realizing we’re too stupid to read a bus schedule and that City Place was RIGHT THERE).  We had lunch at Brewzzi’s, walked around a bit, played on the escalator and elevator (naturally!) and then took the train back home.  It was a great day!  We all collapsed for a nap when we got home but we had a lot of fun.  The bus ride will have to wait for another day (and another bath of Clorox with brillo pads).  Oh, and of course, we took the camera!

We had to wait for the train in Boca, it was running a bit behind.  Noah took the opportunity to check everything out at the station (thank God for Purell!).

He loves water fountains too.  He likes to push the knob and drink from it but has enough strength and coordination to only do one at a time.  So today, he got to wash his face.  He did eventually get some in his mouth!

This is how he reacted when we told him the train was late.  He just crouched down and stared down the tracks, pausing every once in awhile to hang his head in his hands or pop up to look for it.

And then finally it came!  I have no idea why we thought he might look at the camera!  By the way, do you think my belly has dropped?

He is a very serious rider!

And although we got the window covered in condensation he loved watching everything go by. 

First, the update from the doctor – return the newborn clothes.  Kate is over 6 pounds already and if she were to make it to her due date she would likely wind up over 10.  The problem?  I’m not sure I’m physically or emotionally prepared or equipped to birth anything that big, even a child who I’m so anxious to meet.  There is a chance the due date could be off since she’s been measuring ahead for the majority of the past 9 months in which case she would likely come before her due date anyway.  But just in case it’s because she’s been enjoying too many of mom’s late night snacks the doctor is encouraging us to force her out by inducing labor.  They will do a final ultrasound in the middle of September and should things remain the same (meaning she’s still measuring 3 weeks or more ahead) we will pick a day to get things moving.  It’s very exciting but nerve wracking all at the same time.  We’re so not ready, and now having to be ready so much sooner is making things even crazier.

One of the things I insist be done before she arrive is her room.  Granted, she’s not going to sleep in there on her first day home, but the girl has stuff and it needs to be organized.  The room isn’t painted, the crib set isn’t done, her monogram is still in a tube, her furniture is still in Noah’s room… it’s enough to make me nervous we’ll be decorating around her.  But my fabulous hubby is heading my warning (and dirty looks) and is finally getting a move on the painting.  Because Noah (who constantly refers to himself in the third person) is such a great big brother he insists on helping and every time Walter goes into Kate’s room he begs “Noah help!  Noah help!”.  So today, we let him help.  Of course we got a few photos of the scribbles he added to the decor and personally, I think they look fabulous!  Have a great Labor Day Weekend.  We’ll be working hard on the house!

And no, we didn’t sign him up for the military.  We were trying to grow out his hair but he has a very stubborn cowlick in the back of his head that makes all of his hair back there fan out like a peacock on parade.  The stylist recommended we keep it short for now, hoping things work themselves out eventually.  It’s that or give the kid permanent bed head.

It seemed like Noah was a baby forever.  Overnight it seems like he’s become a boy, a big boy!  He’s changed so much over the past few months and when we sit back and realize all he does now it absolutely blows our minds.  He talks so much, he communicates so well, he is very independent, very stubborn and very opinionated.  But he’s also learned how to use his imagination, he is getting very good at playing with his toys by himself (where I overhear some of the funniest conversations on his toy cell phones or between Mr. Potato Head and Monkey), he sleeps in a big boy bed, he remembers everyone and everything, and he’s very interested in potty training.  Where did my little baby boy go?  I didn’t really think about this and reflect on how different things were until this morning when I saw that I had laid out his first pair of real underwear with his new hair gel when showing Walter the treasures from our last shopping trip.  I’m sure the underwear don’t fit yet (because what two year old doesn’t wear 9-12 month clothes and what underwear manufacture makes briefs that small) and I’m sure he’s not ready for them (but he really loves to “go pee pee” standing up like a big boy) but my child has underwear.  How crazy is that??

Noah’s bedtime routine is pretty consistent.  We read books and then he gives us a hug and a kiss and goes to bed.  Well, last night, we finished reading and Noah gives me a big hug and kiss and jumps into bed.  Usually, there is a big stall routine before hand, but not last night, so we were like .. “Alrighty, then.”. 

Anyway, about 10 minutes later, I hear him at his door crying “Huuugggg!  Need huuuggg!”.  I go out and ask him what’s wrong?  Do you need a hug? He tells me that he needs mommy to give him a hug and kiss.  Awwww.  I guess he realized that he didn’t get a hug and kiss from mommy.  He looked so sad and distraught.  So mommy gave him a big hug and kiss and all was well again.  He’s such a sweet boy!

What a roller coaster it’s been with maternity photos this time around.  We were elated to have Amy Hill (www.amyhill.net) agree to do them again but things have been crazy for both of us and time has been slipping away.  In that time I have gotten to the point where I feel DONE.  I’m beyond huge and find it hard to smile when someone points a camera at me.  Because of this I am no longer up for a marathon shoot, outside, in the heat, with a two year old, and an extra boulder attached to my already heavy frame.  I feel bad for not giving my belly the attention and time we devoted to it when Noah was inside but I’d rather have professional photos of the actual kid anyway.  Besides, Amy has a beautiful new daughter, Quinn, who I’m sure would rather soak up all the time she can with mommy before wedding season is in full force.

Not wanting to go completely without a family photo we decided to take a few of ourselves.  Just something to commemorate the occasion with, nothing fancy, and I think we did alright.  Thank God Walter is handy with the camera and we had such a great opportunity to get a few shots!  This was right after a 3 hour nap (thank you, Noah) so while we may all be feeling our best some of us may also have bedhead.  Here are some of our favorites -

Noah was so patient with us that we took him to a playground afterwards to thank him.  We got a few cute shots there too.  Not for the same reason but still some fun photos worth sharing.

One of my personal favorites – this is the boys giving me “a look” (when I suggest something absurd, like leaving too early or that they pose for a photo).  We have several photos of this expression through the years but it gets cuter everytime, I think Walter is getting much better at it too!

Noah and I were searching for something to do on the weekend where we could get lost from the house long enough for Walter to paint the nursery.  We stumbled across an event called “Baby Loves Disco”.  It’s a nightclub in Fort Lauderdale that opens its doors in the afternoon once a month to kids ages 6 months and up.  They have a “bar” fully stocked with juice boxes and kid snacks (Goldfish, cheese puffs, fruits, veggies, pretzels, and the like).  Great idea!  Horrible execution.  It was the most crowded, chaotic disaster of a dark room with loud music I’ve ever been to.  A lot of the kids were freaked out and some were down right scared.  Noah was a little clingy and once he warmed up was only interested in playing on the stairs.  We did manage to play with the toys, have a few treats, dance a song or two and get his face painted but we were out of there in an hour.  I can’t even imagine staying the full 3 hours of the party!  We went with Rachel and Ayla and met Randy and Joseph (from our birthing class).  Here are a few photos from the party -

So crowded!

After waiting outside for what felt like forever (but was probably only 20 minutes) we finally got to come inside.  We were all so hot!  I tell you this so you don’t judge anyone’s hair or flushed cheeks!  And yes, the baby is giving me a new chin every day.

Randi and Joseph

Ever seen a child more thrilled about having his face painted?  She could have painted the most amazing artwork all over my kid, he wasn’t going to move a muscle, but he wasn’t going to be happy about it either.

“I stood here for this strange lady so I could look like this!?”

He did look really cute though and it was his very first face painting!

Remember the hysterical kids I told you about?  It eventually got to everyone.  This was our attempt to take a photo of the three kids.  Hard to believe we met in birthing class almost three years ago.  Ayla couldn’t have cared less!

My monkey on the stairs.

Oh – and the nursery?  Not even close.  Walter managed to get one coat of trim done in the time we were away.  Looks like we’ll be finding a few more outings to get lost at.  We have three weeks until we find out if I need to be induced super early and in those three weeks we have a ton of plans, including Walter being away for three days.  This will be interesting!  On a side note we finally settled on Noah’s bedroom furniture.  It was a long road with a few tears finding something to replace the nursery dresser, nightstand and changing table in his room but at long last it’s over.  They’ll deliver as soon as the nursery is painted and the furniture is moved.  You have to love big furniture companies sometimes!

Our friends Liam and Katie came over last week.  It’s been a while since we’ve seen them because of their crazy travel schedule and there’s nothing like not seeing a newborn for a few weeks to make you realize how quickly they change.  Since he’s still a mushy little guy we drug out the swing and bouncy seat to make him feel at home.  Noah never liked either as an infant but apparently they weren’t meant for infants.  Noah thought we got him a La-Z-Boy and rocking chair.  At one point he got upset because Liam wanted to sit in his chair and as a guest, and well, the only one who is actually within the weight limit Liam won.  I was really impressed to see how careful Noah was around the baby and it gives me hope that he’ll be just as kind to Kate.  I’m sure we’ll have jealousy issue in the beginning but I think he’s shaping up to be a great big brother.

Here he is chilling out, watching tv, in the baby swing.  We still haven’t put it away because he’s enjoying it so much.  I’m glad he’s so light for his age or we may be out a swing!

And while Noah napped I played paparrazi.  Here are a few photos from the day -

And how could you not love these?