Disneyland

After nearly 15 months here in SoCal we finally made it to Disneyland a couple weekends ago.  Up until maybe a year and a half ago I had been dreading the idea of tackling the family Disney visit, simply because I’ve never been one to get into cartoons/animated stuff, not even as a kid.  But once the girls became interested in some of the characters and started watching and enjoying so many of the movies, I’ve embraced it.  And I can honestly say I was pretty darn excited for our visit.

On the advice of a good friend we started our day with a breakfast reservation to dine with Minnie and friends, where the characters mill around from table to table to greet everyone.  Unbeknownst to us however, C is afraid of them – and when I say “afraid” we’re talking terrified to the point of screaming and shaking in fear of anyone and anything in a masked costume.  The characters that looked like people (Tinkerbell, the princesses, etc) went over fine with her, but to be greeted by Captain Hook (and his enormous costume head) completely sent her over the edge.  So, the restaurant staff very kindly moved us to a secluded table outside and we attempted to enjoy our breakfast.

Some highlights of our day, but by no means an all inclusive view of our very full 11-hour day…

Visiting Pixie Hollow to meet Rosetta and Tinkerbell

Meeting the princesses… Snow White, Ariel (M loved her “pretty dress”) and Cinderella

M and C picked out their mouse ears… both in sequins!

We watched the Rapunzel musical show… M sat up front with me and C stayed in the back with Daddy.

An absolute must – the Teacup Ride!

A little face-painting

A carousel ride (M’s favorite!)

Watching the big parade

And then catching the parade a second time, after enjoying the best corn dogs EVER.

A long day with some pretty sore feet when all was said and done, but totally and completely worth it!

On the move, again

In less than two weeks we will be St. Louis residents once again.

We definitely expected and wanted to be out here in SoCal longer than just over a year, but all things happen for a reason and there are some very GOOD reasons that are bringing us back there.  Our 15-month “extended vacation”, as it was suggested to us, has afforded us the chance to grow independently as a family of four, on our own and without the usual “safety net” of backup family support to which we had grown so accustomed.  We really needed this time to explore opportunities that we would have otherwise never been presented with had we still been in St. Louis, doing the same-old, same-old kind of thing.

I’ve thankfully been able to experience life as a stay-at-home mom, through which I’ve conquered many fears of long days home alone with M and C and perfected the three-ring-circus logistical process of getting out and about with them on my own.  In a way I feel like I’ve somewhat made up for lost time with my girls, for the first two and half years of their lives when I only had a few precious non-sleeping hours each weekday and then tried to cram in all the quality moments over each weekend – and quite often started each Monday morning workday with tears.  I’ve witnessed many of their “firsts” over the past year – even captured a few with a photo or video – rather than reading about it on a daycare report or watching it via someone else’s impromptu video.  I’ve also finally figured out how I’m wired as a mother, the kind of mom I am capable of being and quite frankly also the kind of mom that I’m just not.  And I’m okay with that… REALLY okay with that.  My girls are smart, happy and independent (sometimes fiercely) and they get me.  And I’m happier and more comfortable in my own skin than I think I ever have been.

And now the true test: to go back home (because STL has always still felt like our home) and to maintain our dynamic, this rhythm that we’ve defined together, and to adapt and grow it through new adventures and welcoming our little boy into this family.  We know the timing of all of this will not be easy, as the coming months will also include weekly travel back out here for the Hubs and a temporary living situation as our new house is built, but we’re up for it and we know that in the long run this is the best decision for our all of us.

Mother’s Day

No baby bump photo this week… just not feeling it.  Wednesday I had my monthly check-up and also had to do my glucose test for gestational diabetes.  I had almost forgotten how nasty this stuff is… Ack!

Thursday started off with C battling a humdinger of a cold.  She was so miserable and cranky, which made for a looooong day for all of us.  Poor kiddo…  But by Friday morning she was a bit more chipper and very excited for the Mother’s Day event at preschool.

By Friday afternoon however I was starting to get the tell-tale pre-cold scratchy throat, and by Friday night I was pretty much miserable too.  Bring on the kleenex and ice water, because of course I can’t take a darn thing for this silly cold.

Fast-forward to this morning and my two munchkins each presented me with my favorite little blue box!

The Hubs treated us all to homemade chocolate chip pancakes and bacon (all of which we nearly finished!) for breakfast, and later in the afternoon he tackled a peach crumb pie with his sous chefs.  They certainly are tactile little ones… kept putting their hands in everything  Eh, we’re all family!

The girls bestowed many “Happy Mother’s Day!” wishes on me throughout the day and as my day is ending I’m watching my belly roll as The Boy flips around in his typical late-night routine.  While this yucky cold has left me in a bit of a haze, it most certainly hasn’t lessened the overwhelming feeling of just how blessed I am to be a mom, first and foremost, but more specifically to our two angel babies, our lovely M and C, and the little boy who I’m so excited to meet in a few months.

Happy Mother’s Day to all!

26 Weeks!

Hello, third trimester!  You could call this a red-letter day, but I prefer a red-lipstick day instead!

While I was actually on-time with taking this photo late last week, the moment of downtime to actually write about it has not presented itself until now – and here’s why:

I have two sleeping beauties out cold in the next room, and I get to sit in a VERY quiet house right now with Jenna-dog at my feet, and just think.  Ah, bliss!  C fell asleep on me on the sofa a couple hours ago, while M played by herself.  After sitting in the other room on a phone call with grandma and grandpa I came back to find M like this, all snuggled in by herself on the floor.  I LOVE that they do this… put themselves to sleep whenever and wherever.  But M’s butterfly headband (her “crown” as she calls it) is a must.  Naps are optional these days, but “crowns” – mandatory.

I don’t remember a whole lot about the week by week pregnancy stuff with the girls, but I will say that 26 weeks feels very 26 weeks.  The Braxton-Hicks have begun here and there and I’m not without a straw-cup of water at all times.  I go in for my glucose test for gestational diabetes this week (oh. happy. day.) and continue to battle the stupid lot of strangers out and about that choose to comment on my size, or be offended by my unwillingness to share what we plan to name this little boy.

That last one – I’m shockingly but completely serious.  An obtrusive woman who was waiting on me at a fabric store the other week started the polite chit-chat about my baby bump, asked if we had a name picked out and then asked what the name would be, to which I said that we are keeping it a secret.  And she proceeded to get all huffy and truly offended by my answer.  I was so dumbfounded at that one I didn’t have a chance to actually process it until I was ranting and raving (to myself, of course) in the car afterwards.  Seriously lady, I DON’T KNOW YOU, and even if I did I wouldn’t be telling you my son’s name because we’re not telling ANYONE.  Get it?  Unbelievable.  I’m becoming more and more convinced that strangers flip on a “stupid switch” when in the presence of a developing human being.  I’m further convinced that when you carry multiples all those extra hormones running through your system somehow insulate you from the asinine and ridiculous questions and comments (that are plentiful, unfortunately) because I certainly got a bunch of those four years ago but they never really shocked me.  This time around – I am floored with some of the stuff that comes out of the general public’s mouths with regard to my future offspring.  I guess it could also be that I’m older, more tired, often cranky and generally lacking patience and tolerance for stupidity anymore.

Hmmm… there’s a thought.

25 weeks

Here’s the latest bump shot, well from last week actually (my pregnancy week count changes each Thursday):

Now just a couple days away from the big 2-6, after which the 3rd trimester begins!  Counting through the milestones has definitely kept me sane lately.  The Hubs is working a TON (poor guy!) and the girls, well they’re 3 1/2.  And if you have children at or beyond this age then you know what I’m talking about, this “stage”.  My lord, the attitudes are off the charts!  M and C truly are the sweetest little girls at heart but there are many days lately where I am at such a loss as to how to temper the madness around here – the bickering, shoving/pushing/smacking/yelling/banshee-like screaming that transpires between those two.  And when I can’t handle it and start yelling too (yes, I’m a parent human that yells from time to time) it just fuels the chaos and the whole day goes down in flames in an instant.  And then I think about when this little boy arrives and he too is crying/screaming/behaving like the typical infant as he should be, and – oh my…

It’s going to be quite the wild ride.

BUT, then the giggles start between my munchkins at the most random times, or I hear the most endearing and grown-up words come from C’s mouth that sound JUST LIKE MINE (in a good way, mind you) and I imagine their little brother following their every move, looking up to them and trying to keep up and hang with his way-cool big sisters, and it all just fits.  Like one massive jigsaw puzzle that the Hubs and I starting putting together piece by piece beginning with flirty looks other across the halls in B-school 11 years ago.  And so I count milestone by milestone, and tantrum by tantrum knowing with all certainty that this is

exactly

the way it should be.