Hey! I'm walkin' here!

Our little man has been improving his walking skills on a daily basis. It's only been about a week or two since he finally decided that he prefers walking over crawling. Every once in a while he still gets down on all fours, but for the most part he is just walkin' along like it's no big deal. It's awesome - such freedom, for both of us!

The key has been the toy stroller we bought him about 6 weeks ago. It's pink and purple and girly and I couldn't care less, because it worked! He drives that thing all over the place. We have even started letting him walk with it outside when we go on our family walks, as opposed to sticking him in his stroller. He loves it. Really. This is what happens when we try to get him to come back in the house:

You try saying "no" to that face... it's not easy. No wonder the younger ones are always so spoiled.

And off into the sunset he goes...

Baby Update

I realized I haven't really been talking about the pregnancy that much lately, and I suppose it's because there is just so much else going on. Now that the school year is in full-swing, and Jay is working 12 hour shifts, I don't spend nearly as much time on the computer. I guess that's a good thing, though. I was starting to get a wee bit of an addiction.

So, I am 29 weeks along and feel about 50. The older I get, the more energy pregnancy zaps out of me. I am healthy and all is well with the baby, I'm just even more tired than usual and have all sorts of fun aches and pains. I don't think I'm going to be able to walk the girls to school much longer, which really stinks. I always feel kind of silly driving to school since we live so close. You know me, I try to keep my carbon footprint low. ;) But, I don't really have much choice, so Al Gore will just have to get off my back.

Here I am, at 29 weeks, looking slightly frumpy:

And despite the fact that approximately 50 people told me how huge I am at church last Sunday, the doctor says I am measuring "right on target." So take that, people!!!

(I sound kind of bitter, don't I? Sorry. Blame the hormones.)

As far as cravings go, I'm craving anything icy. I'm going through Otter Pops like mad, and I'm eating the ice out of my water. (Very strange for me considering I usually like room temperature water.) I wonder if there's any old wives tales that can decipher this particular craving for me?

On the subject of baby names, we've taken a backward step. We had a boy name and a girl name all picked out, but as the Big Day approaches, we are starting to reconsider. Jay doesn't know why I insist on researching baby names so early in the pregnancy, because I always end up second guessing myself near the end. But hey, if I didn't start early, I'm pretty sure the baby wouldn't have a name until he/she was 3 months old! Hmmm... maybe a new poll is in order. I will put one together soon.

Now it's official!

The school year has officially begun! As you know, Natalie actually started school a while back, but Bea had to wait for a few weeks before preschool began. Her first day started on Tuesday. When I went into the girls bedroom to wake them up in the morning, Bea groggily asked, "Is it my school day?" When I said "yes," she replied in a sleepy but very happy voice, "I so excited!!!!"

Her first day went great, which isn't a surprise considering it's her second year of preschool in the same class with the same teacher and many of the same students, including 4 other kids we know from church. She is very happy to be back, and I'm happy because she's happy! The poor thing, she was so bored with Natalie gone all day. At least now she has two days a week where she is guaranteed some interaction with other kids. (Dexter doesn't count yet, at least to her.)

My big girls!

She's lucky she's cute

A transcript of a conversation I recently had with Bea:

Bea: Mommy, if you die and we not, that means we can do whatever we want!

Me: Um, so, you want me to die?

Bea: Nooooo............ just maybe.

This coming from the same girl who said, "I love everyone I know, but I love Grandma and Daddy the best." Yeah, no kidding. The little rascal. It's a good thing I have a good sense of humor!

Here she is, looking sweet and innocent. Oh, how she has everyone fooled!

Clark Kent in the House!

Even Clark Kent likes Batman.

Adventures in IKEA

What is it with me and IKEA? It seems like every time I go there, something strange happens. Am I the only one? (Don't answer that.) Last time I was there, I had my belly rubbed by a complete stranger. Another time, I almost got in a throw-down with an extremely rude woman and her foul-mouthed, wheelchair bound mother. But perhaps I should save that story for another time. Let me tell you about the most recent IKEA incident, which occurred just yesterday.

Jay had the day off, so we decided to take Bea & Dex (Natalie is in school, of course) to IKEA for some window shopping and cinnamon rolls. Everything was going smoothly except for the D-Man. He just was not in the mood to be in the stroller. But, since he still prefers crawling to walking 90% of the time, he was stroller bound. He was not happy. And I don't know if you've ever heard "unhappy Dexter," but it's not pretty. He SCREAMS. Loudly. And kind of girly. And he doesn't stop. I always see people trying to find the source of the screech to make sure that some kid isn't being abused or abducted.

Anyway, that was the mood Dex was in yesterday, so Jay and I did the only thing that we can do in those situations: we ignored him. He went back and forth between quiet happiness and blood-curdling screaming, and we continued our shopping. We finally made our way to the downstairs part of IKEA when we passed a woman that I had seen earlier. I remember seeing her before because she was one of those people who beg to be noticed: she was wearing a vulgar tank top, covered in equally vulgar tattoos, and had a shaved head. Yes, you heard that right. Anyway... I wouldn't have paid her any attention except that Dexter started screaming right as we were passing her and I heard her say, "Ugh, it's that kid again," in a disgusted voice.

Well, of course I gave her my best fire-shooting-from-my-eyeballs look, but she didn't see it. I told Jay what she said and he just started laughing. Then he turned around and made sure to park the stroller right by her and her companions as he pretended to look at some picture frames. Jay was very disappointed when Dexter stopped screaming. He wanted to torture Ms. Tattoo a little longer. I had to walk away because I was laughing too much. I would never have had the guts to do that, but I'm glad Jay did.

Seriously, what is wrong with people? Obviously Ms. Tattoo has no children and has never tried to keep a toddler happy in a store. It's not like we *want* him to scream, but short of stuffing him with ice cream (which we eventually did), there's not much to do. It's just something he needs to grow out of, and something we need to ignore unless we want to give in to all of his demands and turn him into a complete brat down the line. No thank you.

I will say that my faith in people was restored a little when, a few moments later, we passed a woman with a toddler and she gave us the sympathetic "I know what you're going through and I'm not judging you" smile. In my heart I know there are more people like her and less judgmental-bald-headed-tattooed women in the world, and that is very comforting indeed.

But I think I'm going to take a little bit of a break from IKEA nonetheless.

A Special Birthday and A June Cleaver Update

I told you all that I was going to make an apron! And here it is, a gift for my beautiful mother on her *cough* 60th *cough* birthday.

Happy Birthday, Mom! We love you!