Sharing

Sheila and Everett were getting ready to eat a snack on the couch this afternoon.

Enter: The Kitty

Everett: Oh, Mommy, I want to give The Kitty a cracker.

Everett grabs a peanut-butter cracker and starts to scamper toward The Kitty.

Sheila: Wait, Everett! We have treats for The Kitty. She doesn't really eat peanut-butter crackers.

Everett: OH!

Sheila grabs the treats from under the cabinet aware that Everett can now find the treats himself. Shows Everett how to pull treats out of the bag.

Everett: Here Kitty!

Everett chases The Kitty with an offering of tuna-salmon bits in his hand. The Kitty doesn't run for long as she catches the scent of food.

HEAVEN! Everett doesn't mind The Kitty's sharp teeth as he hand feeds her treats one by one.

After half the bag is gone (Sheila was indulging both of them in their sharing feast), Sheila puts the bag up noticing that Everett is again excited to see where the treats go. With the treats gone, Everett does try to offer peanut-butter crackers to The Kitty. The Kitty escapes out the front door before refusing the offering.

Everett and Sheila then share chocolate pudding. YUM!

Pics at 21 Months

By Everett's request, I took several pictures of him this afternoon (the Little Ham). So, the smiles can go along with the 21 Month Update.

Remember, he was as long as the bear when he was born.

All I have to do is ask him to, "Show me your teeth!"

At Play with RePurposing

As a former teacher, I still carry the habit of keeping and then repurposing . . . everything. My family knows very well the "icecream tubs" and "tennis balls" I would hunt down/beg for/steal and then repurpose. (Those phrases to this day make Erik grimace.)

For play, I am always reusing containers, boxes, paper, and anything else that can be manipulated. And, what person doesn't get a cheap thrill with the fact that a piece of trash occupied a toddler?

I keep all of the cards we get and use them when we read books. We are able to talk about the picture, why we received the card, and who sent the card to us. I love it when I am able to point to the picture of the person that sent the card to help make more meaning for him. (The homemade cards get thrashed first--so, I pull them out to keep before they are shredded. Most of these cards are from his 1st birthday.)

Everett loves our name badges for work. So, I made a badge of cards for him with old gift cards, hotel keys, and the fake plastic credit cards we get in the mail. He loves it. Recently, we have used the cards to talk about color. I never thought I would get this much mileage out of trash.

We also hang on to pictures and birth announcements. We get to talk about the people in the pictures and, really, what young toddlers aren't fascinated with the baby face.

One thing I have stopped repurposing is a variety of containers for bathtime. He would use them to displace the water from the tub as if he was on a sinking ship and bailing out water to save his life. He does have one old detergent cap that he uses to drink water out of from the tub faucet. Other than that, everything has else has holes.

Where is Dada?

Everett asks nonstop about Erik's location--all day, everyday.

Dada? Dada?

I am hoping that this will help him with some context when I say, "he is at work" or "he is at a meeting at church." I'll let you know how it goes. (I've been meaning to put this together for several weeks. I intend to populate it with actual pictures of Erik at his various places. For now, clipart will have to work.)

Those of you that know Erik best realize that at least one is missing . . . "P is for POOL"---Everett needs no context for that. He knows what that is. "phool--wawa--phool--wawa."

Chills and Thrills

Everett: The past week was pretty fun! I've added a couple more phrases to my daily speech. The most notable is "I see." My top wants every day are 1) Dada, 2) Car, 3) Trash truck, and 4) Kitty. I have been a very good listener recently, Mommy says, and I now keep my shoes on for more than 30 seconds. My only Chill for the week . . . nursery. I don't like that place.

Erik: I have been busy as usual. This weekend, I powerwashed and repaired our deck. I am waiting for it to dry out in order to seal it. This week is going to be pretty long as I have several large deadlines at work.

Sheila: I got a great start on redoing the basement ceiling. Nothing is really wrong with it, but I don't like the way it looks. So far, so good. We'll see where I am with it by the end of the week. Last Friday evening, Erik and Everett did DC as I cleaned out my office. My last day is on Friday. It was pretty rough being in the building and going through what I had left in my office. I was really sad.

We went to see a movie this past weekend. Do not even bother with Stepbrother. It is trash on the screen. Really. Really. Bad. We walked out on it and went into Mamma Mia--a MUCH better use of our money and time. We really enjoyed the movie (and Brosnan's singing debut--was interesting).

Celebrating 21!

Everett is now 21 months, and this pregnancy is 21 weeks along!

Update on Evy

Evy is talking more and more. The other day he was telling me about the cat, and when I didn't understand it was the CAT he was talking about, he paused, looked at me, and then said, "Meow!" I got it then.

Weight: 30 pounds

Clothes: 2T

Shoes: 7 1/2 extra wide

Socially

• The center of his universe is still Dada.
• He enjoys interacting with other kids; since most of his friends are older, he is usually found trying to mimic what they are doing (especially his cousin Preston).
• He is going through some separation issues right now, especially with Dada. He hates being left behind in nursery.
• It is common for him to want to give a "high five" or "the rock" to everyone we meet from the cashier, to the waiter, to the garbage man (he loves the garbage man). Often times, he even wants to give them a hug and kiss, too.
• He knows, usually, when he is up to no good. As he embarks upon a task of mischief, he usually perches on a step that is far from my sight. He has also been known to close all the doors between me and the room where the "up to no good" activity will ensue. When he is caught, he is very quick to stop and make amends.
• His way of saying sorry is to tilt his head to the right and lean in for a hug.

For Fun

• He is happiest when he is in a large open space with music and a bunch of balls. We dance everyday, several times a day, and it is fun to see how he develops his dance moves. Right now he has a floor routine! It is hysterical! And the fave music is SALSA!
• Everett usually is the one that initiates reading books. He can be found pulling a book to just look at by himself. His favorite activity while in the car (if there aren't any trucks around) is reading his books, especially the truck books.
• He loves his cat. (If it were not for Everett's devotion to the cat, the cat would be gone.) He loves to pet and scratch her. He loves to give her hugs, and he is always letting me know that the cat needs something if he thinks I haven't responded in a timely manner to the cat's demands.
• This kid is a giggler. He is extremely ticklish and we make the most of that. His sense of humor is continually being refined; today he decided to flash his brilliant "teethy" smile, and we were very blinded by the brilliance, which he found totally funny. It is so fun to see him initiate humor.
• He is a developing singer; though he might be tone deaf. In church, when we are singing the hymns, he sings right along with us, very LOUDLY! He will also sing along to his lullabies at night and to country music when it is playing in the car.

Tid Bits

• We haven't started potty training, but he is showing signs of readiness. He understands what happens in the potty and usually wants to participate by putting a square of toilet paper in the toilet before we flush (no, we don't get to use the bathroom by ourselves anymore) and say "bye-bye" to the contents of the bowl.
• He is a terrific eater but still is not a fan of raw fruit. He loves PB &J, chicken, lima beans, dipping sauce (any sauce to dip whatever in), cherrios, hot dogs, dried fruit, WATER, cheese, crackers, and yogurt. Is not a fan of milk or green beans.
• He loves to look at himself in the mirror after getting dressed in the morning. He actually wants to look in every mirror in the house after getting dressed. Sometimes he helps me pick out his clothes; sometimes he would rather run around naked and fights me tooth and nail in getting dressed.
• He has to have two of everything. Two water bottles, two blankies, two crackers, and even suggests to us that we have two, too.
• He hates having his nails clipped or having anything on his feet.

Physically

• We see little residual from his acid reflux days. Usually, when we see a cough or runny nose, we see the sensitive gag reflux (so we end up feeling like we are treating the stomach flu and the cough).
• He is working on walking fast and on his climbing skills. He is attempting to go up and down stairs without holding onto anything.
• The other day he wanted to show me how well he was "kikning" the ball. It was so great to see him 1) show something off, 2) get a new word, and 3) show a skill that we've been really working towards mastering.

What does he think about babies? He is actually a fan. Since Baby Riley has been around the house recently, he has learned to share attention from Dada and Momma a bit. (has the hardest time sharing Dada) He loves to play with Riley, give her kisses, and just watch her. He loves to hug and kiss the baby doll that we have in the toy box.

Does he know there is a baby coming? Well, I've tried to explain the growing tummy. And, I can tell he is trying to understand when I explain it, but I don't think he has any idea.

Update on Baby S

Due Date: Early December

Estimated Weight: 1 pound

Though the pounds still aren't packing for me, my body is changing. I am obviously pregnant (past the "looking like I'm hitting the ho-ho" stage and well into I look pregnant stage) and completely off balance. Twice this weekend I tripped down or up stairs.

Today at the mid-pregnancy sonogram, the baby was constantly moving and making the sonographer work for her money. Though, I must admit that she didn't make me go pee or turn upside down like with Everett's scan in order to get shots of all his innards.

The baby's anatomy is great. And, no, we did not find out the sex of the baby. We're holding out until Baby S is born for that detail. We were able to see the scans on a big flat screen TV placed right in front of us (no craning the neck to see the sonographer's screen) and, as you can see from the picture above, she did take a facial picture with their cool 3D/4D wand.

The baby is completely head first right now--WAY down in my pelvic area. Explains the extreme discomfort I've been having. In fact, when they did the internal probe to check the cervix, we saw 1) the cervix and 2) the crown of a head at the same time. The baby was pushing right against the cervix. I don't want another eager beaver baby.

As far as the cervix (cause I know all of you are really wanting that detail), the cervix is fine. Looking good! I was hoping that this was my last trip to their office for awhile (I go to a high-risk sonogram facility). But, since Everett was low and then I started having cervical problems, and now this baby is low, I get to go at least two more times.

I know I shouldn't feel inconvenienced by that, but it is just such an effort to go. And, part of me doesn't want to go because I don't want to have these concerns; I don't want to have to need to go. I don't want cervical problems or preterm labor looming over me. So, I'll suck it up and let that be the end of the complaining.

Happy, Happy, Twenty-One!

Cool Stuff . . . Two Quick Summer Reads

I just finished two books that were absolutely enjoyable and fairly quick to read. It kind of helps that they are Young Adult fiction, but the quality and the discussion in the books transcends any age limits one might place on them.


The first book I want to share is the third of a series by Suzanne Fisher Staples. I highly recommend reading the other two books before this one (Haveli and Shabanu; they are equally as strong and quick to read, too). The book is called The House of Djinn and is about the fall-out of decisions made by an older generation on two teenagers. I would especially recommend the book to those who get sick of many children's books being set in the US and are ready to learn about a different culture, a different way of life. The book itself doesn't delve super deep into cultural nuances, but you get enough of a sense to start guiding you in learning about how someone else lives.

The second book is True Believer, the sequel to Make Lemonade, and is written by Virginia Euwer Wolff (author of two other notable books Bat Six and The Mozart Season). I haven't read Make Lemonade, but it is on my reading list now. The book's structure and the text on the page aren't the in typical paragraph form, but that is what makes it such a quick read and I think it also influences how you connect to the main character, LaVaughn. She is in mid-turmoil that comes with being a teenager, and I found myself either cheering outloud or moaning to the choices she makes. It is an incredible story about understanding how to overcome struggles, the development of friendship, and even touches the struggle to understand God. The resolution of some of the elements of the plot are a bit unbelievable, but go with it. I'm sure it will make more sense in the final book of the series that Wolff is writing now.

All I Need to Know, I Learned from Girl's Camp?

As I was putting Everett down for his nap this afternoon, I realized that one of the songs I sing to him I learned at my church's Girl's Camp. I went to Girl's Camp in the Texas heat almost every summer from the age of 12 to 17.

I then started thinking about all the things I learned at Girl's Camp and used (and still use) when I was back in real life after the grime and yuck had been cleaned from my hair. Who would have thought a week of sleeping in TENTS (that's right, no sissy camping here), hiking to a toilet, rotating through classes, and cooking over a fire would have such a powerful connection into what I am today (a couple of decades later):

• How to repel mosquitoes (and don't eat bananas, they love it when you eat bananas)
• Songs, songs, and songs (most of the songs I sing Everett I learned at Girl's Camp)
• How to pitch a tent and arrange it so I don't get wet if it rains (it is all about the trenches, people)
• How to cook, including how to make sore thumbs (YUM!)
• First Aid (especially taking care of bee stings and ticks)
• How to include everyone, especially reaching that girl that is unreachable
• All things about the night sky
• What plants to touch and not to touch
• How to NOT get chiggers (obviously didn't use this bit of knowledge earlier this year)
• How to kill poisonous snakes
• What bugs are dangerous
• How to bag trash so raccoons won't get it (okay, so I've used this once after camp)
• The bucket seat is the only way to go to carry your stuff and have a place to sit

That doesn't even touch on the friendships I developed, which resulted in the greatest part of what I carried back from camp in affecting who I am today. It doesn't touch on the crazy "catch phrases" that bring back an entirely hysterical episode:

• She has a hairy butt???
• Shaving cream fight
• JAWS
• Snorting out nuts and grape juice

And this synopsis doesn't even capture how much these experiences developed my testimony, taught me how to be a better daughter of God and a follower of Christ's teachings. But, it happened.

Who knew?

Cool Stuff . . . The Sweet Stuff

I enjoy creating desserts the most out of all the cooking options.

When I need some inspiration--

In cyberspace, I start here:

Bakerella

Build a Cake--

I just love this application. So creative!

A Year of Crockpotting

Cupcake Bake Shop

Pimp My Dinner

Cupcakes Takes the Cake

Epicurious

Dessert First
KimVallee--

Much more than desserts

In person:

Amphora

And, my newest love for desserts and all things sweet

my bread maker--

I never cook the bread in the machine;

I just use it to make the more complicated yeast doughs.

Everywhere in nature we are taught the lessons of patience and waiting. We want things a long time before we get them,and the fact that we wanted them a long time makes them all the more precious when they come.
Joseph F. Smith

Chills and Thrills

It was a busy, busy week for all of us. Highlights include: Sheila going out to lunch with coworkers while Erik watched Everett. Erik reconnecting with a friend over dinner.

Thanks to Erik and Phillip's help, the sink is now IN! We'll post pictures after it is all done--still waiting to decide about the door. Sheila has her supplies out to do some patchwork on the basement ceiling and do some repainting in various areas of the house.

The Moores came over to play for the weekend, and we had a fabulous time. It was filled with the National Zoo, dinner at Ella's with a cranky waitress (which always makes for a great laugh), pool-time, late night talks, a story about Kentucky, and just enjoying play with the kids.

Sheila is back to the land of the living. It was a great week for cooking and eating. She still doesn't do smells and avoids getting too hot. If she can do that, she can avoid visiting that porcelain deity, the toilet.

Everett is using more language and putting more and more simple sentences together.

• Today he walked into the house after a walk with his dad and yelled, "CAKE!" He had caught the scent of the oatmeal cookies his mom had made. (It is amazing the connections that are put together with no overt instruction from the parent.)
• In Sacrament today, he scampered to the door that leads to the hallways and when he saw that his dad hadn't followed him (Dad was hoping he would scamper back to our pew), Everett yelled,"Dadada! Mememe!"
• He wants to have the movie Cars playing all day long. He can't sit still enough to watch more than 15 minutes of it, but as soon as he remembers that he isn't watching, he wants it going.
• The physical therapist is pleased with his continued progress and feels that he'll be "graduated" from services fairly soon.

"READ! MMEEEE!"

On Sunday as Erik and I were finishing up getting ready for church, Everett screamed, "READ! MMEEEE!" from the living room.

He was sitting on the couch with his "Mater" book expectantly looking up for someone to come and read to him. I didn't even know he could say the word "read"--he usually comes toddling over to you and saying,"book." And, it was the first time he referred to himself with a word.

Later in the day as we were getting out of the car, I went to the front door to open it and Erik went around to the other side of the car to fetch Everett. Everett didn't see his dad coming, and in a moment of fear that he was being left behind, he screamed,"MMEEE!!"

Today in a desperate move to get Everett up the stairs to bed (still trying not to carry him these days) I grabbed his blanket and started walking up the stairs hoping he would follow. He did. And he told me all the way up that the blanket was his,"MMEE!!"

Additionally, the new hierarchy for veggies goes like this:
1) lima beans
2) carrots
3) peas
4) corn
and those green beans, NO WAY!

I found out at dinner and thought I would pass it along to you. Just a nugget of Evy wisdom.

Magic of Amy's Photography

I have been so excited to share some of our shots from our photo session with our good friend Amy Hughes. If you live in the DC area and want a great photographer who is a gem with kids, you can't go wrong with asking her to capture moments of your family.

We are in the middle of deciding what to order, but here are some of our faves:

Chills and Thrills

Erik: One of my Thrills came along at the shoe store. "We" (read "Sheila") were pretty discouraged with the selection and service of the non-outlet mall Stride Rite stores. She even had to call out an "employee" at the swanky store for being rude to her. But, when we arrived at an outlet mall Stride Rite and were treated so well and we were so complimentary on their service and thoughtful attention, we got a DISCOUNT! Another thrill was I got to spend the whole day with Everett on Friday and Saturday . . . and, YES, we went to the pool a couple of times.

Sheila: I can eat and even cook somethings. Erik has been stupendous in helping out with lifting things and taking care of Everett. I even got to go out to Girl's Night and learn how to play some train game, which was fun.

Everett: Holy Toledo--two whole days with Dada was awesome! My hair is bleach blond from all the pool sunshine. I am also learning how to climb, like up shelves.

People Need People

Sometimes Erik and I know the reason our Heavenly Father has placed our family in a certain situation at a certain place in time. Sometimes.

For example: I know that one of the reasons why Erik went to the University of Chicago versus other MBA programs was that he would touch a life during his time there. I don't know who, but I do know for a surety that our struggles during our time in Chicago were not for naught. I know he affected someone in a positive manner.

As much as it is important to us to be on the giving side, we do receive so much from those around us. We have always been blessed by the support, love, and prayers of others. Even through the medium of this thing called the blog, we have received so much in friendship from friends and strangers. There are many people who have helped us who weren't privy to our struggles, and at the time of their offering, they had no idea how much it meant to us to have that additional help. Through others' service to us, I see how powerful even the smallest acts can be.

Although I struggle with timing and a desire to move on, which I know is from a prompting from Heavenly Father, I was struck today with the feeling that there is someone that needs our support here. (someone specific, not just the "be good to all mankind" kind of service) Who and for what is my responsibility to figure out, but the reason I am sharing this is it was a good reminder to me that though this next move is coming at some point, Heavenly Father has work that needs to be done before we can move on our journey.

As Erik said,"Today was a good reminder that it isn't always about you." Gotta love a guy that can tell you straight up. (Well, maybe it is kind of hard to swallow if you are hungry and tired, but after you've had a chance to eat and nap, it does make sense.)

My First Dog

It's official. Everett has adopted Clifford. Pick out a book or video with Clifford working alongside a firetruck, and he is in heaven.

ShoEureka!

We did it! We did it!

I waited until I had Erik's help and we conquered the shoes. It took 3 hours total of driving time to find the right shoes, but we DID it. 7 1/2 XW (that's extra-wide) (found an outlet that had the right size and was even able to afford church shoes)

Evy is so excited about his shoes. His dad showed him how exciting it was to try on really cool shoes, no matter how much bigger they were. Evy ran through the store picking out shoes to try on, and his last act of fashion experimentation was trying to get some really pink flipflops to fit just right. I guess he felt successful because he tried to walk out the door with them adorning his feet.

I'm Dun Fer Sure

Everett has figured out doorknobs starting with the basement door. He also is adept at climbing onto any chair no matter how high. Today he generalized both of those skills to break into the office.

High-tech Security Measures for Office Evaded

While I was taking a bath, I heard the office door close. I thought,"Nah! How could he have gotten in?" But, I didn't hear him anywhere (first sign of trouble) and he didn't come when I called his name (second sign that he was up to no good).

I quickly discovered that he climbed up onto the rocker, open the door . . . pushed the door open. Then he climbed down, squeezed through the opening, and then proceeded to shut the door to the office so that I couldn't see him plundering the tech devices.

I almost couldn't believe it. When I told Erik about it he said,"You should be proud. He is really smart."

"Yeah, he is smarter than me."

Late Night Thoughts

http://starrynightlights.com/blog/category/astronomy/

Rather late right now in DC. It is only Tuesday, and it has been pretty stressful in the Sjolseth house on several fronts. I'd rather not go into particulars or sound wildly dramatic--you don't need the particulars, life happens. I just feel compelled to write as my jumbled and tired mind is wrestling around while it tries to make sense and compel order.

I know that I can write this and not share it. But, I feel equally compelled to share it. Maybe sharing it will help me undertake the process of thinking through it more seriously.

• I remember when we were poor, dirt poor. We were living paycheck to paycheck . . . or rather student loan to student loan. I was amazed at Erik's miracle bike rides to and from Westlake Grocery in the Texas heat so I could take the car to school. I was amazed at how many meals I made out of ham and rice.
• I remember the time when we were a week from living in two different cities separated by thousands of miles and a job came through for Erik so we didn't have to split and I could finish at UT with Erik at my side.
• I remember when a "miracle" cashier's check came in the mail so that we could afford to move after graduate school, one of those times when we were really poor.
• I remember the time when I was really, really sick--and felt gratitude that I wasn't a generation or two older because if I had been that sick back then, I wouldn't have made it.
• I remember being angry and scared about being infertile and then grateful for the miracle of my doctor and IVF.
• I remember being horribly frightened I would lose my baby and then reaped the benefit of bedrest.
• I remember being so pushed at work I felt like I couldn't make through the rest of the day much less the next day--only to discover that the previous day I said something that changed someone for the better.
• I remember walking into job interviews, nervous, and thinking to myself,"WHAT was I thinking--the interview will be horrible." And, it wasn't too terrible. (Well, except that one time, but there are always outliers, right?)
• I remember throwing up on the metro when I was pregnant with Everett and wondering if I was going to make it through the day as I had a huge presentation. I made it.
• I remember trying to get home while in grad school and walking to the bus stop knowing that the last bus had already come and gone. It was after midnight, snowing and frigidly cold--it was too far to walk home. Everything was closed. I was exhausted, too poor for a taxi ride. And just as I walked up to the bus stop, a "rogue" off-schedule bus pulled into the station.

I don't believe in the adage,"It is never as bad as it seems." All of us have lived, do live, or will live through some pretty crappy, hard, heart-wrenching stuff. I think it is important to acknowledge it and not be a blind Pollyanna. (I do believe that no matter how hard it is, it can always get harder.) From the small to the not so small, a situation can be as bad as it seems to be, but it will be okay. Sounding a bit trite: The day will end and a new one will come along. The problem will either be solved or you will figure out how to manage it.

Tonight, I just needed to be reminded by my own experiences as little or big as you might view them and as much as they may or may not make sense. My perspective, understandings, limits of patience, and preconceived notions of what is fair and appropriate are being tested, and I am tired of it. Perseverance is an ugly and beautiful word.

And then there is also the notion that once a situation is resolved, another one will come along to further "refine." I at least think I have the skills and knowledge to weather this current situation. So, I'll sit back and let it roll, keeping hope that my miracle bus will come along, eventually.

2 Cool Things to Share

First: A recipe (Thanks, Lala!)

Gulf Coast Shrimp Dip

Ingredients:

1 pound boiled and peeled shrimp
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 cup minced green onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:
Finely chop shrimp and set aside. Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise and chili sauce in a medium bowl, add green onions and next five ingredients. Stir in shrimp. Chill several hours.

Second: A great blog, especially if you are a mom or love to share ideas

Rocks In My Dryer

Seizure at Stride Rite

No, it wasn't because of the prices.

Everett and I went to the Stride Rite outlet today. His physical therapist was able to deliver his orthodics this morning, and we need new shoes to fit them.

All day long was a tantrum centered on access to Dada. I felt like the substitute sitter's substitute. Nothing I did was right . . . and he was royally mad at me at the shoe store. REFUSED to try on the shoes I found even though I think they were the correct size 7 1/2 wide with a large toe box . . . and they looked great . . . and they were more than half off the regular price (only $25.00--that's a bargain for Everett's shoes).

I decided to take a chance and buy the shoes. He could try them on when he felt more inclined. We got in line and waited and waited. I soon discovered that their computers were down, and the employees were having trouble calculating tax and total by hand.

After about 15 minutes of waiting, Everett had a seizure. After the active seizing, I left the shoes behind and got Everett into the car as quickly as possible. (The seizing only lasted about 2 minutes and then the comatose part was about 10 minutes.)

When Everett came out of it as we were coming home, one of his first responses to how he was doing was, "UH-OH!"

I said,"What's wrong?"

He then said,"Shoes?" He recognized that he wasn't where he was when he went out. I let him know that we didn't buy any new shoes.

Thankfully, Erik was working at home and was able to help me with Everett until we put him to bed this evening. The poor kid had a terribly high fever and was just achy. Couldn't get comfortable. Erik was the human couch for several hours until the double-decker meds we give him were able to kick in and give him some comfort. (The baby bump on me is too uncomfortable for Everett to tolerate.)

So, after months of nothing, we are on seizure watch. I thought he had grown out of it, but evidently not (at least not yet). Only one neural tick this afternoon after the more substantive seizure at the shoe store. They say most kids grow out of febrile seizures by the age of three. Only 16 and 1/2 months to go.

We are used to seizure watch. Everett is, overall, just fine. My question right now is, do I eat the cost of driving to the Stride Rite outlet again risking the chance that those shoes are gone . . . or do I eat the entire price of the shoes at a regular Stride Rite where they will most likely have that size in any shoe I want?

Chills and Thrills

Erik: Just a standard busy week as usual. I loved that the work week was short!

Sheila: I was able to eat food all weekend!

Everett: Attachment to Dada has reached an all time high. This morning I tantrumed for an hour because I couldn't be in the shower with Dada while he got ready to go to work. I was less than enthusiastic about going to nursery yesterday (read "I screamed like an banshee whenever I wasn't with Dada"). Right now as Mom is writing this post, I am chanting "dadadada" and then telling her how we took him to the bus.

4th of July Weekend

From family to food and friends, we did SO much this weekend! On Thursday morning, we had a lovely visit with grad school friend Justin Lawyer. We were able to make some time to go feed the ducks, too.

The Big boys were at it again in the basement bathroom. Super Phillip was a shining star sneaking off to work on the bathroom and even putting in a toilet all by his lonesome. The bathroom floor and new sitting accommodations look great! Now we just have to really decide if we are replacing the sink and the shower door. Thanks, Phillip!

Thursday evening we went to dinner at TurCuisine in Herndon. It was excellently tasty. The kids behaved well. Even though Erik wasn't impressed with the salty yogurt drink, everything else provided a feast. Afterward, treats at Cold Stone and then the moms were off to get pedicures!

The boys were not done with adventuring for the evening. They discovered when they arrived home that they were locked out. No worries, with some ingenuity they were able to get in and put the kids to bed.

Happy 4th of July

This is Evy waiting for the parade to start.

We got an early jump on the 4th of July with an early pancake breakfast at church. The blueberry pancakes proved to be the favorite and all us of got out before it rained very much.

Afterward, we went to the Air and Space Museum at Dulles and the boys (old and young) really enjoyed seeing the planes, especially visiting the space area and learning about the astronaut suits.

We went up into the observation tower and were able to spot downtown Reston.

That evening we all went over to Lizbeth's house for the most delicious food and were able to watch some fireworks that the kids enjoyed. Everett had a sparkling experience with a sparkler as it burned him a bit on his neck. But, he recovered quickly, and it is healing well.

Later that night when the kids were asleep, the boys were able to watch the fireworks that were on the golf course and near our cluster. I am talking the big kind of fireworks that they all love to shoot off. It was a fun and relaxing day!

On Saturday, Erik and Phillip took the kids to Dulles Town Center to go on the carousel, ride the train, and play on the play area to let Sheila and Mandy get some time in at the outlet mall. The girls had a great time, and the boys proved to entertain the kids quite well. All of us arrived home ready for naps.

That evening, good friend Andrea from Erik's mission came over for dinner. We grilled outside enjoying the nice weather, and Everett and Preston decorated cupcakes for dessert (Everett more like ate a plate full of icing and Preston was very interested in the sprinkles).

The Moores are now back in Maryland, and Everett keeps looking for Preston in the house. Since he can't find him, he pacifies himself with sitting in Preston's chair like a big boy.

Something I Forgot to Mention

Did you know that nose hair growth patterns are hereditary, even in women?

Now you know, and I am living proof. No I won't post a picture and no I won't let you use my nose hair trimmer.

Gotta love aging. And, no, I haven't found any ear hair yet. Maybe that IS gender specific.

BTW, does this gross you out? I didn't know if it would as nose hair is not a common conversation topic. (Obviously, I am more curious than concerned--as I have posted more personal issues through this blog, the answer wouldn't have filtered this topic at all. )

Pregnancy GRRrrr!

Word of Warning--This has complaining in it. I am very grateful to be pregnant and to have the resources to get great prenatal care. But, I am angry right now.

Okay, I am also cranky--Admittedly sometimes smaller issues may set me off.

Having eating and vomiting issues are not glamorous. It is a pain in the butt to walk around cranky and hungry (and I am sure that Erik and Everett can attest to that). Slowly it is getting better, but it still means that I stand in front of the fridge, HUNGRY, and unable to stomach a thing . . . except maybe peaches. They say that no matter how much you vomit in the beginning, you end up gaining around the same amount of weight as your other pregnancies. That would be 25 pounds with Everett. If this doesn't end soon, those are going to be some wicked stretch marks.

Pregnancy induced ramble: Is there any such thing as "medically necessary" tattoos? Tattoos can cover ugly stretch marks.

Back to the post: I am a bit torqued right now. I just came back from my cervix sonogram. They were very LATE, which is always hardest for Everett, especially when the room is overcrowded. I had to give my history, again, the third time to a different doctor. (Repetition can annoy me; unnecessary repetition really irritates me.--Especially if the doctors are not taking any steps to communicate with each other or at least take notes that they can all read.)

The following all take place after waiting over an hour and a half. ----------------

The nurse practitioner got my ire up first after taking my history,"I am really upset to see you picking up your son and carrying things."

My response: First, I don't care what upsets you right now. This is the first time I have ever met you, and secondly, picking up toddlers is part of the mommy's job. And the reason I am carrying him is because your office is too small to wheel my stroller through this part of the corridor.

Her response: Oh.

I got attitude from the perinatologist today, too. Sort of,"why are you here?" Because, evidently, the history I gave to the nurse practitioner wasn't complete or grave enough. The concern of my OB wasn't strong enough.

He says, "I just don't think you had an incompetent cervix in your last pregnancy based on what you told me."

My inward response: I am not here to debate what happened last time. What is happening now?

I was grilled about the date I got my last period, my ovulation date, my transfer date , etc. (BTW, once you get your due date, those details tend to blur because WHO CARES, you are having a baby!) He then asked if my due date was given to me by my endocrinologist or by sonogram. Who actually was my endocrinologist? Am I really sure that it was 6 day blastocysts that were transferred? Really? (Said incredulously.)

WHO CARES? Is my cervix okay or not? WHY are you asking all these questions that none of the other perinatologists asked? IS my baby too small/too big? WHY are you so focused on this?

(Everett and I then sat for a good five minutes as he did the math on his little organizer to make sure that the due date I gave him was approximate enough. Five minutes with a wiggly toddler who is tired of sitting and wants to run. He didn't respond at all to Everett until I would say things like, "He is saying HI to you." or "He is trying to show you his truck." JERK--you take care of women pregnant with babies all day and yet you can't spare a little boy a smile.)

I was told by him to stop picking up and carrying Everett. Oh, and then, as a side note, my cervix looks fine. I am not a candidate for a cerclage. Did he not read the file at all? Did he not read that the others said the same thing, that the reason I am here is to be on the safe side? What DO they write in there?

He did say that as preterm labor was a concern with Everett, that he is pretty sure it will be a concern with this pregnancy. So, no lifting, no grocery shopping, etc, etc. Good thing he didn't see how many stairs I have in my home.

And, BTW, I am feeling okay today, thanks for not asking.

Things that I want right now:

• To eat without feeling like I will throw it up.
• To have a negotiated job offer.
• To sell the house in 2 weeks.

The sooner I get in my new home, the better it will be because we all know how much lifting isn't done when you move.

The bright side to the visit was Amanda my sonographer. (I don't know if that is a real word, but I use it.) She isn't one of those stuffy technicians that says with a frown,"I can't answer that. The doctor will have to answer that." Like you've just asked a top secret question about YOUR OWN body. Darn it, if you have the answer to my question, give it to me and if you must add that litigious phrase then say,"but the doctor is the best one to answer it." OR give the rote answer just leave off the frown. Frowns make me worry.

Amanda calls my cervix,"Super Cervix!" That makes me feel better.