Thursday, July 29, 2010

Let's Get Messy!

Well, it finally happened. My little blog is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Just the other day I received my very first comment from a complete stranger (hope to see you around here again Tracy). You know what that means? I’m FAMOUS!


Okay, so not really. But that’s okay, a girl can dream. Can’t she?

Anyway, in light of my new fame I thought I would share with you some kid friendly recipes for play time. And although I’m all kinds of awesome, I didn’t come up with these recipes myself. They were photocopied from a book and given to me. So without further ado…

Let’s Get Messy!!!

Finger Paint
3 Tbl sugar
½ Cup corn starch
2 Cups cold water
Food coloring
Mix all ingredients and allow child to use fingers to make a picture.

Kool-Aid Finger Paint
2 Cups flour
2 Packs Kool-Aid
½ Cup salt
3 Cups boiling water
3 Tbl oil
Mix wet into dry ingredients.
Then finger paint.

Jell-O Finger Paint
Jell-O mix
Boiling water
Add water slowly to Jell-O to make goo consistency.
Allow child to use like finger paint.
Make sure your child understands this is play time, not eating time.

Simple Clay
3 Cups flour
¼ Cup salt
1 Cup water
1 Tbl oil
Mix flour and salt. Add water and oil.
Add more water if it’s too stiff.
Add more flour if it’s too sticky.
Can add ½ tsp alum for a preservative

Nutty Butter Play Dough
1 Cup peanut butter
1 Cup powdered milk
1 Cup honey
1 Cup oatmeal (optional)
Mix together and use like regular play dough

Oatmeal Dough
1 Cup flour
2 Cups oatmeal
1 Cup water
Gradually add water to flour and oatmeal.
Use like regular play dough.

Pud
Mix cornstarch and water together slowly at a 2:1 ratio
Consistency should allow a ball that melts quickly
Can add food coloring

Silly Putty
2 parts white glue
1 part Sta-Flo liquid starch
Mix together well

Clown Paint
1/8 Cup baby lotion
¼ tea tempera paint powder
1 squirt liquid soap
Mix together and finger or face paint

Bubbles
1 Cup water
2 Tbl light caro syrup
4 Tbl dish washing liquid soap
Combine ingredients and blow bubbles using a wand or string tied in a circle.

Soap Crayons
1 ¾ Cups soap flakes
50 Drops food coloring
¼ Cup water
Place in ice cube tray and allow to harden, then use to color.

Soap Slime
Bucket
Soap flakes
Water
Mix together and allow to sit overnight in the bucket.
Then play with the slime that formed.

Have fun!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Crab Apple

That's me today.  Just one big swollen pile of crabby.  I'm pretty sure there are people out to get me.  They are playing this silly little game called "Let's see how much work and stress we can pile on the lady who is 9 months pregnant until we send her into labor."  Won't they be sorry if I go before I finish all of their "tasks." 

And no, Sister, you did not add to that stress by forcing me to help you decorate a cake last night.  That was actually a welcome break from the ever growing To Do list.  Plus, Mason got to have Rich & Charlies for dinner and I get his left overs for lunch.  Works out well, don't you think?

So since I am such a crabby patty today and was planning on venting on this here blog, I thought it might be best to remind myself of all the things that don't make me crabby.  Umm.  Hmm.  Gray skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face!  That's a little better. 

Watching Miss O play in her little pool, that does not make me crabby at all.  Even when you get hit with water from the hose she is flinging around.

Sometimes I have to sing the up song to my baby, because she can't make up her mind if she wants to kick my ribs or sit on my bladder.  When you're up, you're up.  When you're down, you're down.  But when your only half way up, you're neither up or down.

Mason went to dinner with his parents last night and gave me his wonderful left overs for lunch today.  That is WAY nicer then I am.  I would have saved my left overs for my lunch.  Well I guess that answers that question, I am the mean one.

My friend Christie had her baby on Tuesday.  Every time I see her beautiful little face posted on Facebook, it makes me so happy.  Congrats Christie!

The first 30 seconds of this gum is a delightful flavor explosion.  Unfortunately after that, it's just blah.

My IT guy thinks I would make a good IT person, cause I'm smart (even though we just had a conversation about how another IT guy was confusing me because he didn't dumb it down for me).  I'm sooo not an IT person, but if it comes with a big FAT raise, I could definitely become one.

I only have about 4 weeks left.  I can't wait to finally hold my little one in my arms.  And wear my real wedding ring again.  And have ankles and normal shaped feet.  I'm also really excited about being able to roll over in bed like a normal person.  And lift things that weigh more the 25 pounds, besides my enormous belly. 

Most importantly, it's almost time to go home.  And that makes me very happy.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

The Baby Dream

Saturday night, well actually Sunday morning, as I slept in listening to the rain I had a dream about having my baby.  I was in the delivery room with my Mom, my doctor and a nurse, and I had just delivered the baby.  Except, I didn't remember anything about it.  I didn't remember pushing or having contractions or even them placing the baby on my chest afterwards.  Try as I might, I just couldn't remember any of this happening.  Then the doctor said, "Okay, as soon as the nurse comes back with your baby, you are free to go."  This is when I looked at my Mom, and she looked equally confused.  I mean, wasn't I supposed to stay there for a few days so they could make sure everything was working properly?  My baby was less then an hour old and they were ready to send me out the door.  This is about the time that I realized Mason wasn't there.  He was out flying his RC Airplanes (which is actually where he was that morning).  I'm not sure why it didn't bother me at this point that he missed the birth of our child.  Perhaps because I missed it too, which I still don't understand, how I of all people missed it.

But more then anything, I just wanted to see my baby.  So Mom and I made our way to the nursery window, where my sister joined us.  There were about 6 huge windows, each window had about 25-30 babies.  They were all marked with the baby's first name.  Which was confusing to me, because I didn't remember officially deciding on any name.  So I quickly changed it and started looking for Stockwell.  Then I thought about Mason still not being there, and I thought about how upset he would be that he missed it.  My sister asked which one was my baby, I told her I didn't know I was still trying to find her. 

I woke up shortly after I started searching the third window.  I never did find her and I was never able to remember the delivery.  I couldn't even tell you if it was a c-section or not.  This dream was perhaps more disturbing then the one where I thought I was single and pregnant, I was upset that no one wanted to date a pregnant girl.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Only 5 Weeks Left (Give or Take)

Seriously? 5 weeks? That just doesn’t seem right. There is so much that needs to be done before these 5 weeks are up. Like cleaning the house top to bottom (because I won’t have time once she’s here) and reorganizing under the bathroom sink and the medicine closet so her stuff can fit too. Ahhh! Just too much to do and no time to do it. I’m glad Mason has decided to take a semester off. I was a little against it at first, except for the fact that he will actually have time to spend with his brand new baby. But now that the to do list is growing, and the available time is shrinking, I’m relieved. Plus running on an average of 5 hours of sleep a night, I’m not very motivated to do actual physical work once I get home. No wonder I was able to crank out those thank you cards so quickly, I just didn’t want to get up and do laundry or sweep the kitchen floor.


So the other day while I was waiting to get my programs reinstalled from the laptop upgrade Monday night, I started to create a to do list of everything that needs to be done before baby gets here. I fully expected this to both stress me out even more, and to provide a little bit of relief. Because making a list that is sooooo long is stressful. But crossing things off that list, rejuvenating. And having an actual list to look at instead of a jumbled mess in my head is much easier to access.

A lot of people are saying that they think this little baby will be coming into this world early. My Mother in Law being the most adamant about it. Mason also thinks she will be here early, but his definition of early is a day or two before the due date, which really isn’t early at all. I want one of those crazy babies who get here on the due date just to prove everyone wrong. I think IF she comes early it will be by a week at most. Besides I feel like I need all the time I can get just to get everything 100% ready for her arrival. Anyway, the car seat base is getting installed this weekend, and the hospital bag is getting packed as well. And since I just received my 10% off coupon from Target, that registry will be padded with everything I might want to buy (you know, like Wii games), after my last official shower next weekend. After the work shower, which I only know it will be on a Friday, I plan on doing the same with the Babies r’ Us registry.

In other news, I officially had to move the driver’s seat back. I could still fit, but it’s a little weird to have your stomach touching things. We must have just gone through a growth spurt because I’m touching more and more things with my belly without meaning too. The gate into the kitchen, the counter, my desk at work, Mason, anything I’m walking up to… The list goes on and on. It’s also amazing what I can’t reach because I just can’t get close enough. And if my belly is just resting against the desk, someone feels the need to push back. Ornery little girl. I wonder where she gets that from.

Monday, July 12, 2010

This One Might Get Me Into A Little Bit Of Trouble

Apparently when you get pregnant, you automatically give up the right to any kind of privacy. Everything is out on the table. Isn't it enough that a whole room full of strangers are about to see me naked? Do I have to divulge every little detail too? I mean, I totally get it when a nurse asks my weight. They have to know for medical reasons. Or maybe they leave the room and talk about it with their little nurse friends, but at least they lead me to believe it's for medical reasons. But it really is none of your business how much weight I've gained. Just look at my lack of chin and swollen ankles and know that it's a lot.

And men, you should not under any circumstance ask any question even remotely related to my boobs. So whether or not I'm going to be breast feeding is none of your business. It's not like you won't eventually find out anyway when I either leave the room to feed the baby or mix up a bottle of formula. And if you even try to offer your opinion at any given point, my sleep deprived self might throw something at you. No boobs, no opinion. (Dad, you do not fit into this category, cause you are MY Dad, the one that used to change my diapers and stay up all night rocking me when I had an ear infection. That being said, these are not questions you would ask anyway).

Also, I'm perfectly fine with people touching my belly. I knew I gave up that right a long time ago, especially once I started showing and even more so once she started moving. I actually like to share the feeling of her moving with other people. But when I JUST announced that I'm 5 weeks pregnant, there really is no reason to feel the still squishy belly. Also, touching the belly is okay. Standing there holding the belly while talking to me and asking me if everyone touches my belly is just a little awkward (I was really tempted to say, "Only you." In fact, if I didn't like her, I probably would have).

I won't go into the unwanted advice. Mostly because I've done it. I only do it when the said person is complaining about something, I figure that is their way of asking. And then I make sure to say, "This worked for so and so, so it might work for you too. Or it might not." The thing is, every kid, relationship, financial challenge, whatever is different. But really, let's not offer silly opinions and advice when the issue isn't brought up by the person who will be receiving the advice.

Also, since I was really excited to get 5 1/2 hours of sleep Saturday night, only waking up a few times, and then getting less the 4 hours last night, I might be a little sleep deprived crabby. Which Mason in his fully rested slap happy state experienced yesterday. But this also means your questions, actions and unwanted advice might lead to some interesting reactions that I know my sister will find oh, so funny. That being said, comments are still welcome. I can't attack you through the comment section. Or can I? Muah-ha-ha-ha!

Oh and as a side note, this did not all happen at the shower this past weekend. This has been happening since I announced the pregnancy. No wonder people wait until after the 1st trimester to announce it.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

34 Weeks! When Did That Happen?

And now we are a Honeydew. No wonder I can't reach my feet, even if it is just to scratch the bug bites. Dirty rotten bug bites. I was really good about not getting eaten alive by mosquitoes at Mason's Family Vacation. And then I came back home and within seconds I had a mosquito bite. But on the 4th, I came armed with baby safe bug spray and citronella candles. Guess what happened. CHIGGERS! My first experience with chiggers led to knowing way to much about them. Someone told me that they lay their eggs under your skin and your body attacking them is what causes the itch. This concept grossed me out completely. A little research led me to find that isn't true. While only baby chiggers bite you, their saliva dissolves your skin cells! No wonder they itch like crazy. And we won't even talk about what they look like.


Anyway, back to baby. So there are two new things that have happened since I last talked about her.
1. I felt her hic-up for the first time while I was laying awake in bed one night. Fortunately Mason wasn't asleep yet either so he got to feel it too.
2. She found my ribs. Sometimes when she stretches really big, she hits my ribs. I'm not gonna lie, that's just a little bit uncomfortable. And when you get that high, my spine gets nervous.

But what's even more exciting then all her new movements (which usually fascinates me, especially when it makes my belly move), I get to see her again in just over a week! I've been dying to see her again for what seems like years!  I can't wait to see exactly what those legs and arms are doing instead of just feeling them.