Rain Rain Go Away!

This past week seems to have been filled with nothing but rainy days! Okay it might have not rained all week but the days that it wasn't raining it was hot and humid out (which is not fun at the end of pregnancy) which meant a lot of time indoors and caused us all to go a little stir crazy. After a busy weekend of running errands, scrapbooking for 7 hours with my mom (again not as fun as it sounds at the end of pregnancy), and spending some time with family we all needed to get out of the house today. After Robert and I took a good mid-day nap we decided to explore some of the parks in Maple Grove. We started by going to Elm Creek, a park Eric went to a lot as a kid, but discovered the playground was under construction and since we didn't bring swim suits to swim in the lake we ventured to the other side of Maple Grove and went to Fish Lake. They also didn't have a playground but we had fun walking the trails, checking out the beach that is free (unlike Elm Creek), and having a picnic lunch. It was so nice to be outdoors without the rain and humidity!

Robert going stir crazy by using his bat to turn on/off the lights!

View from Fish Lake

Robert playing while we tried to picnic!



The week itself went well, minus the icky weather. My doctor appointment went fine and everything is on track for Izzy. I am starting to have some contractions but she is still sitting high so I'm not sure if we'll be seeing a July baby or not. Of course I'm hoping for the best but want her to be safe (and hopefully a little smaller than her brother). Robert has now been sleeping in his new room and bed for a week which means I'm ready to get the crib ready for Izzy. We'll be moving the bed height back up and putting the bumper back up. I did decide to leave the room as is but bought some letters to spell out Izzy and a picture frame that have now been painted in yellows & oranges to bring a little more girly touch to the room. I'll take most of the week after the 4th off and hopefully will finish up both Robert and Izzy's room during that time. Hope everyone has a great week and will get some time off with the upcoming holiday!

Opinions Please!!!

So I decided to see what those that view our blog think I should do for the nursery. You can read about my dilemma in the post below.

To see pictures of the room look in the archived blogs. Go to June 2008 (it is the only post for the month) and let me know if you think the blue works for a girl or if we should try another color or if you have any other suggestions to help make a change but with keeping the same theme. Thanks for your help!!! If you don't want to sign up to post a comment e-mail me or send me a facebook message instead.

Thanks!
Nicole

Big Changes for Robert

This weekend, on top of celebrating Father's Day, we started to get Robert ready for his new sister. On Friday I stopped at a couple of stores on my way home from work to prepare our lil' guy for his role of Big Brother. My first stop was at Barnes and Noble to pick up a couple of kids books on a new baby coming home and being a big brother. The second stop was at a dollar store to hopefully find a baby...well I found one but it is kind of beat up and has a permanent dent in it's head but when you only pay a dollar I guess one can't be too picky (I did get the least damaged one at the store too!) and it will serve its purpose. Along with the dented doll I also got a bottle for Robert to practice feeding the baby. I wasn't sure how this would go but he love feeding the baby and then to burp the baby he throws it on the floor. Okay so we still have some work but it was at least a start!

Saturday morning we went to Cottage Grove to see their parade and visit with one of Eric's friends who was in town helping out with CG's Strawberry Festival. Robert had a great time watching the parade, sampling the candy, and amazed us by sitting in his stroller for so long. After the parade we went to lunch with Eric's friend and then headed home hoping to get Robert a nap. Well he did sleep in the car for about 20 minutes but that was all the nap he thought he needed for the day.

Later in the afternoon Eric and I were both bored so we decided to start moving the extra stuff in Robert's big boy room (don't worry Eric moved stuff while I pointed) so that we could get his room set up. Awhile ago in shopping at Target I came across a bunch of kid's bedroom stuff on clearance and quickly bought a rug and two curtains in a sports theme that were all 75% off! It was such a great bargain but when we brought it home I didn't think the room's color (a bluish/purple) would match the stuff we bought and planned on painting it another shade of blue. Well I decided to hang the curtains last night to see if the color might work and it did! So we ended up getting the room completely cleared of the stuff little boys shouldn't play with, made up his toddler bed, and brought his tent up from the living room. We still need to get some pictures for the walls, a toy storage unit for the room, and the right size bedding but for now it is a good enough start. With the progress we had made we didn't see any reason not to let Robert try sleeping in his big boy bed for the night.

So last night we put him in his bed and by the time we got back downstairs we heard him running around the room but within 10 minutes the room was quiet. When we went up to bed we were pleasantly surprised to find him sound asleep in his bed. He slept great all night but woke up at 6am but I think it was more because of me needing to go to the bathroom and his dad waking up and going downstairs rather than the bed. Naptime today was a little more of a challenge. For his morning nap he ran around and played in his room for about 30 minutes and then finally all was quiet. When I went to check on him I found him asleep in his tent rather than the bed. Afternoon nap was all playtime and no rest but after about 20 minutes of playing tonight it is quiet upstairs and I'm hoping to find him in his bed and not in the tent.

With him out of the nursery I spent a good portion of today in the nursery going through clothes, blankets, and bedding to be washed and then slowly started the transition of making the room more baby friendly and not toddler friendly. We are still debating over the theme of the nursery. Before we knew if we were having a boy or a girl I knew I wanted a fish theme room and threw a fit after we found out it was a boy when Eric wanted to do a sports or racing car theme for the room. My main argument was that the stuff I picked out was gender neutral and we were sticking with it. Well this has come back to bite me because whenever I suggest switching the theme of the nursury Eric reminds me that it is gender neutral. I think my biggest problem with the room is that it is painted blue but in looking at paint colors today at Home Depot I can't find a color that I like more. I thought yellow but after looking at the colors and then spending a couple of hours in the room today I'm not too sure anymore. Maybe I'll just change out the sheets from blues to yellows/oranges and find some extra stuff to put on the walls to make it a little more feminine or keep looking at paints. Oh what to do?!

This week we'll keep working on the transitioning from crib to bed and hopefully come to a decision about the nursery. On Tuesday I'll go in for my 34-week check up. I'm shocked that I'm already at 34 weeks but not sure I can make another 6 weeks. for me Well obviously I know I can but I'm really hoping my daughter will make an early appearance and allow to have a longer time off of work before the school year starts. My doctor is convinced that this time around I'll go earlier (or at least not late like with Robert), be in labor a shorter time, an epidural will work, and only need to do a few pushes rather than the almost 3 hours of pushing I did with Robert. When he told me this at my last appointment I laughed at him and told him it wasn't nice to get my hopes up but if he is right one even 1 of the above statements I will not mind in the least. But if I learned anything from Robert it is to not get my hopes up with when I'll deliver and/or how easy of a delivery it will be.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Watching the fire trucks in the parade go by

Robert's big brother toys!

Feeding the dented baby doll

Sleeping in his big boy bed last night

(love the night setting on the camera!)

Napping in his tent this morning

Messy room after playing before falling asleep

Busy Weekend!

Well if you read my post from last week you knew that I had a busy start to this week. I luckily survived and only had a slightly elevated blood pressure when I went in for my check-up Tuesday afternoon. I still think it was the nurse taking it because when the doctor rechecked it 10 minutes later it was fine...but it might have been the non-stop running as well to elevate it. Who knows all is good and my doctor is happy that my work day is slightly slowing down with only working 8-12:30 each day and having an assistant for lessons this summer to help keep me sane and to take over whenever Izzy decides to arrive!

On Thursday Eric left for his boy's weekend. My mom had also stopped by for a few hours before heading to my brother's house for the night. It was nice having her here to help with dinner and getting Robert to bed. Eric, being the great husband that he is, had made us fried chicken before leaving and it was delicious! It was even a healthy, weight watcher recipe and I always find that anything I don't have to cook tastes better! I meant to go to bed early that night but got wrapped into watching the Twins game and didn't get the rest I probably should have had.

Friday morning after the rain finally stopped Robert and I headed off to Target to get a bunch of things and then came home for a quick nap before we needed to head to work for my class. We got to St. Kate's with a few minutes to spare and I passed Robert off to one of my students to play with while I ran my class and got a few things done in my office. On the way home I talked to Eric and told him that I was probably over doing it, seems to be a theme in my pregnant lifestyle lately, and that some of the cramping and aches I had a month ago were starting to return. I was sure that after an afternoon nap for both Robert and me I'd be feeling better but I was starting to worry about my trip to see family in Mankato the next day. Eric knows me a little too well and between the rainy weather on his camping trip and worrying about me, plus I think missing his little buddy more than he expected, he surprised Robert and I by coming home that night and cutting his trip short. We were happy to see him but I did feel bad that he cut his weekend short although he did end up being a lifesavor at the family event the next day.

So on Saturday after Robert's morning nap we headed for my Aunt Sally and Uncle Joe's house for the big Roberts' gathering! It was a great time and a lot of fun to see so many relatives that we rarely see and even a few cousins that I've never met. I wish the weather would have been a little better but we still made the most of it and if the mud all over Robert's shoes along with his wet jeans says anything you could tell he had a blast running around! Before heading out we changed Robert into his dry pajamas and he was asleep before we were on the main road home.

After the long week I took advantage of Eric being home and after being awoken at 5:30am by an overactive girl I eventually made it back to bed and spent the majority of the morning napping and laying in bed reading. It was exactly the rest I needed. Eric and Robert also spent most of the day relaxing and enjoying not having anything to do or any place to go. While we were waiting for dinner to cook we hooked up the Play Station and allowed it to connect to our computer so we could watch videos of Robert on the tv. Robert loves when we do this and just become mesmorized by what is on the tv. This is one of those times that I wish he was talking and able to share with us what he is thinking but I know the time will come soon enough.

Eric's truck tent that unfortunately only got 1 night of use

Everyone at the Roberts' gathering...well actually not everyone since some had left by this point, we have such a big family!!!

Me with my Godson Aidan and Robert

Me and my Mommy

Robert happy to be with his dad

Robert watching himself, video on at the time was of him starting to walk last August...so cute!

Growing up too fast!

As the time is getting closer for Robert's sister to arrive I'm starting to realize just how much our little man has grown in the past 20 months. The time goes so fast and although I'm excited for our little girl to arrive I know that she'll be running around and able to tell us "NO" like her big brother before we know it. So in honor of our growing son here are some of my favorite pictures of him over the last 20 months!

This will be a busy week for us. I personally will not be following doctor orders of taking it easy the first part of this week as Monday consists of an interview for an open position in our department, teaching class, driving to Red Wing, teaching lifeguarding there, going to bed to wake up to teach a CPR class in Red Wing, then a quick (but safe!) drive to St. Kate's for another interview, then teaching my class there, 32 week doctor check-up, and swim lessons. I promise to sit as much as possible during the above activities and to take the rest of the week as easy as possible. Eric will continue to spend most of the week working from home and keeping watch over our active boy but then gets rewarded with a weekend off! He'll be leaving Friday morning to go on a boy's camping trip and is excited to be with other adults...even though I'm sure he'll miss Robert. Saturday I'll be taking Robert to my Aunt Sally and Uncle Joe's house for a big family get together. A good majority of the large Roberts clan will be gathering that afternoon/evening and I can't wait to see so many of my relatives that I rarely see. Sunday I plan to do nothing but rest before my summer swim lesson program begins on the 14th. Gosh, this makes me tired just typing out my schedule! Hope everyone else has a great week and hopefully a little less busy!