A Good Question

We were all hanging out in the Living Room, playing and talking.  Jason had the tv on to watch the football highlights and the Sunday night game was about to start.  They showed a little of the introductions and Layla was paying some attention:

L:  Mommy, what's that? (Players coming on the field through the tunnel - lots of excitement)
B: They are introducing the players for the game.
L: No, who are those girls?  What are they doing?
J: They are cheering for the players.
L: Why aren't they wearing shirts?
B: (Glad I am not drinking something that would have inevitably come out my nose) No one knows, honey.  

One Month to Go!

So, I had good intentions of posting on the 26th of September (One month to Go!) and then on Friday, the 28th (4 weeks to go!) but, let's be real.  When I am sitting at my computer working 10-12 hours a day I really just want a break from the screen.

That's why you had to wait until now to see the photo of my 'torpedo' belly on the one month count down.  I get some small measure of credit for remembering to take the photo.  My brain is turning into mush soup.

As you can see the belly is really all out front.  My clothing options are pretty limited at this point and yes, I did wear yoga pants as 'real pants' one day last week.  While we are working away on the rights of working moms I think anyone past 8 months of pregnancy should not have to wear real pants.  I would put the date earlier but I have worked with some people who barely made the dress code when not pregnant, and I keep thinking of them when my mind wanders down the path of sweat pants uniforms.  There was this one woman we worked with that wore the most obscene clothing you can imagine.  Her idea of work-appropriate was leather mini-skirts and low cut tops.  And, I must add, she was not by anyone's measure a thin woman.  It was ghastly.

At any rate, I work for myself and no one is going to tell me I can't wear my yoga pants.  So there.  Not a lot of perks, but there is one.  Also, for everyone who keeps asking me, YES! I will give myself maternity leave, but no one pays me for it.   (This is actually the same as last time, when I had a real employer and "benefits".   I had the pleasure of working for the same family for 9 years, including A LOT of overtime and when I had my first child they paid me exactly zero days of maternity leave.  When I came back from maternity leave I worked for about 10 weeks before they laid me off.  Just a reminder or in case you didn't know or in case you think you have a crappy employer and want to feel better.)

Tomorrow is my 36 week check up and I hope for all good news.  I have been having a lot of contractions this week, some painful enough to make me catch my breath.  This makes me anxious for Jason to re-build the crib and install the baby car seat.  I think the hospital bag should get packed too, just in case......

For the love of Chipotle

Usually Layla and I eat breakfast together, and talk about the day to come.  Here's our conversation one day last week:

L:  ring, ring.  Mom, my phone is ringing (reaches down to her pocket and pulls out make-believe phone)

M: Who is it?

L: It's my Daddy.  (Jason had left a few minutes earlier)

L: Hey Dad....mmmhmmm.....no, I'm not at Chipotle.

L:  Well, we're leaving soon and I'll go to work and then Chipotle.

L:  mmmmhmmmm.....okay, love you too.  Bye! (returns phone to her pocket)

House Update

In case you were wondering, here's what we have been doing over the last month:

  

This spot in the basement had to be cut out and replaced.  It was the previous location of the stair to the basement and, like some other things, the framing was not replaced in a manner that was going to last forever.  The Dining Room floor was sagging pretty badly and Jason decided to take action on this while the framing nailer, on loan from his Dad, was still at our house.  The subfloor and finished floor are 'floating', held together by only the tongue and groove of the subfloor, just like magic!  

New framing!  It looks pretty good and is much more sturdy than before.  Thanks to our friend, Jeff for lending a hand to help Jason finish this up while Bridgette and I went to get pedicures :-)

Painting weekend is underway!  Our littlest painter gets in on the action, priming everything under 42".  We had friends from church to help us on Saturday and then.....unexpected visit from Mom and Dad.  They stayed to paint for nearly a week!!!  They got so much done (primed and painted Kitchen, Living Room, 2 Bedrooms and the Play Room) and we are eternally grateful.  How did I really think I was going to get it all done alone?   I keep forgetting that I am 8 months pregnant.

 Priming the Play Room!

Kitchen is primed, painted, and shelves installed! 

What's left?  Install the dishwasher and oven, plus our semi-temporary cabinets and countertop on the north wall.  The hot water is finally up and running and we grill out at lot!

Living Room is patched, primed, and painted walls and ceiling.  It looks amazing.  Still set up as Layla's Play Room until the carpet comes for the real Play Room. 

If only Jason would let me paint the ugly pine mantle, but he just won't give in!

Baby's Room in "Boston Fern".  All three rooms are painted the same color. 

 Layla's closet, the biggest in the house!  

Shelves are up and ready to go.

Layla's Bedroom! It's a little better picture of what the wall color looks like.

Although it's less exciting, the windows are also caulked and ready for new paint on the exterior.  We hope to have great weather again next weekend to finish up the exterior paint and get the interior of the windows stained.  (Jason and Layla are up in Wisconsin harvesting grapes this weekend).

The bathoom drain and vent lines are complete.  We need to get supply lines complete for set up of the bathtub and toilet.  

Things are looking pretty good, although we've got a ways to go before the bathroom is habitable, which is a big sticking point with two little children..... More updates to come!

Layla's Birthday Party

Click here to view these pictures larger

My Kodak account has been switched over to Shutterfly, which seems pretty cool but I am just getting around to figuring it out.  Shutterfly has a link option for photos, so here I am trying it out.  Let me know if you can't see the slide show!  Dad has a bunch more pictures, but I can't link his, so you may see another post, if I can figure that out. 

This post is long overdue, but we had a wonderful birthday celebration with family and a few friends for Layla's Third Birthday!  It was hot out, but cloudy so that kept things reasonably comfortable.  The kids played in the pool and the playground and enjoyed ladybug cupcakes that we made!

Layla had a wonderful time celebrating with her friends and was SO SPOILED with gifts.  I packed many of them away until the baby comes and for winter, when we will be happy to have lots of games and art projects to do!

Would you, could you on a train?

We've been talking for awhile about taking Layla on the train.  Since we live so close to town, we see and hear the trains daily.  The weather was sort of questionable for the weekend so we didn't want to go all the way downtown.  It's sort of a commitment with the train and the walk and the stroller and pregnant lady and the possibility of severe thunderstorms.  So, we settled on a train ride from Deerfield to Glenview on Monday morning instead.  It's about 5 stops in all and Jason was the lucky parent who got to go on the ride.  Needless to say, Layla was over the moon.  She first rode in the lower level and then braved the upper level and loved it.  She has been asking me every day since to go on another train ride. 

Waiting at the station, sitting on the bench like any good commuter. 

Getting on the train.

All Aboard!

Assistance with Social Media

I saw this online and I found it helpful.  Maybe you will too!

Stampie Shoes

So, we've been pretty fortunate to be the recipients of lots of hand-me-downs and haven't had to buy too much in the way of clothes for our kiddo.  However, we do occasionally have to buy shoes.  And being rather thrifty, she generally has 3 pair: everyday tennies, church shoes, and either boots or swim shoes, depending on the season.

The last pair of tennies I got her, like all the shoes I buy her, from Target.  They were electric blue and hot pink with real laces.   We all thought they were cute and would last plenty long until her feet grew to the next size.  But, I guess her foot growth is slowing down and the tennies had a hole in them and so it was time to shop again.  Target's selection was awful, especially for back to school time so I sent her out with her shoe-loving Dad to procure something nicer.

From the point I had been talking to her about this, which was most of August she told me that she wanted "stampie shoes like Alaina".   Peer pressure aside, I had no idea what "stampie shoes" were.   Neither did Jason.  As an aside, at one point she also wanted to suck her thumb like Alaina and have a baby sister named CeCe, like Alaina.  Fortunately, Alaina is quite lovable and so we don't mind Layla looking up to her!

He took her to Famous Footwear (I told you, we're thrifty!) and she picked out some really gaudy shoes.  I can't say they are the most gaudy I've see but they are high on the list: Dora, with pink and silver sparkles and glitter.  She put them on and ran around the store, staring at her feet and nearly wiping out because it turns out they were also "stampie shoes".  You may have figured out before I got this far that they light up.  (When telling my mom this story I didn't get past the first paragraph and she knew "stampie shoes" meant ones that light up when you run, or stamp your feet. )

Jason, having no idea what size shoes she wore and of course every brand is a little different, wanted her to try on some others.  She insisted that no other shoes would fit, that they all hurt her feet, etc.   Stampie shoes would be THE ONES for her.  Eventually he purchased two pair, the second a cute pair of pink and white Pumas that I could really adore save for the bedazzled swoop on each side.  She has to alternate shoes so they don't wear out so fast this time.  And she's one happy kid!